It’s no secret that I love turtlenecks. I’ve been working my way through my collection lately, updating what I have to colors that better match my other clothes and my skin tone. (The pics might be instructive if you’ve wondered about the difference wearing “your” colors makes.) Thankfully, thrift shopping makes this kind of upgrade totally affordable.
So this midnight navy, almost indigo:
became this warmer, dark blue (please excuse the running leggings):
And this cool, heathered grey:
Became this warm, taupey grey:
Both of these turtlenecks go great with the plaid shirt whose colors I LOVE. Both are soft, fit decently, and layer well under short-sleeved dresses. Both are quickly becoming mainstays in my wardrobe.
But one retails for at least 10 times what the other does.
Can you guess which is which?
The blue turtleneck is by Faded Glory, a Walmart brand. It’s 100% cotton and retails for just under $10.
The grey turtleneck is by Piazza Sempione, a Saks Fifth Avenue brand. It’s a modal/cashmere blend; similar tops sell for $100+ used; their tops and sweaters retail for $200-$600. Dang.
So which is my favorite? So far the Faded Glory top is warmer, has more structure, and layers better.
Go figure.
Not that the FG top will outlast the PS top or that the PS top is poorly made. It’s just refreshing, in a world of high-end fashion blogs, to be reminded that you don’t have to pay hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to get clothes you love.
When have you been totally surprised by the quality of a garment—either a well-made cheap garment or an expensive, poorly-made one? Which turtleneck do you like better? Any colors you’d like to upgrade in your closet?
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Painting analogy time!
You’d think spending $$ on a tiny paintbrush would always mean better quality, no? But I’ve gotten more mileage out of some $3 brushes than some of my most expensive. Most of the high cost ones are great, but some have disintegrated. Same with fashion! And probably in a lot of other fields too. $$$ doesn’t always equal quality. Use your past experience and word of mouth to judge brands.
Also using the terms “warm” and “cool” to describe blue will bring out an argument from every artist. We prefer the terms “redder” and “greener” blues. :)