Eileen Fisher fans, what should I buy?

I have an Eileen Fisher orange boiled wool sweater I bought on very
deep discount from Marshall Fields a number of years ago. I'm looking
to possibly buy some basics from this line, but I'm wondering what you
find most wearable, especially in warm weather.

Do you like the skirts/dresses better, or the pants? I'm a "pants"
person, but don't have many unconstructed pairs like her styles. Also,
what fabrics do you find hold up best? The organic cottons look cool,
and the silk is lovely, but if I pay near to full price I'll want

AJ...

There's not an EF fabric--and I think I have most, if not all,
of them--that I don't adore. However I don't wear as much
EF as I used to, in that I got into the fitted tweed jacket/
2Y4M jeans/ pointy-toed heels in a bit way and when jackets
got more fitted I got really into them and at that time EF
wasn't making any fitted jackets.

I will say that EF is offering some more fitted clothes,
particularly jackets, and that, IMO, is a good thing. I grew
tired of the boxy jackets, the nehru (sp) collared jackets,
the long sleeveless linen dresses. Just saw in the Neiman
Marcus catalogue a gorgeous dark brown suit, with
a fitted jacket. And not all EF trousers are elastic-waisted;
the ones I currently wear all have waistbands and zippers.

Also, I've never had any of her fabrics pull--they've all
held up remarkably well. And I even wash those incredibly
delicate linen knit sweaters, which is supposed to be
a huge no-no.

I'd go for a suit or a classic dress, in silk or linen or cotton.
The stretch crepe is nice enough, but not my favorite EF
fabric. She has, in the past, had garments made of something
called "paper cotton," which is a really wonderful and
unbelievably light fabric and yet a fabric that keeps its
shape and crispness.

My most recent purchase, which the flagship store tracked
down for me, was a camel wool duster, which actually
functions as a coat in the climate where I live. Love love
love it.

something to last.

I like the idea of matching a previous season's piece to something new,
so I look forward to your advice!

Alicia U.

julianne_x...

The stretch crepe stuff is nice for travelling, but it will snag. Also
I had a couple of stretch crepe shells that, after a year or so,
developed little puckers in the fabric around the neckline, reminiscent
of worn out elastic, so I think it may be prone to damage by sunscreen.
I wouldn't buy this again.

I've been very happy with every linen piece I've gotten (pants,
dresses, shell, knitted sweater) over the years. They last well and
are machine washable/dryable. If removed from the dryer very promptly,
some things (mostly the heavier linens) don't need ironing.

I have a silk jersey skirt and cropped pants that have worn well.
Great for travel. I've worn the skirt to black tie functions as well
as for work. I also love the silk jersey slim tank and have gotten a
couple other types of tops in silk jersey. This fabric can snag, but
not too easily. It's definitely something I would repurchase. To clean
them, I machine wash on delicate and air dry skirts/pants on a rack and
tops on a plastic hanger.

I got some cotton teeshirts two or three years ago and unless they've
changed the fabric, I don't think I'd repurchase because they shrank in
the dryer. They were supposed to be air dried, but I would put them
in the dryer, intending to leave them for a just few minutes to help
soften up the fabric and reduce wrinkles. Of course, I almost always
forgot to remove them, and going through the whole drying cycle (on
low) definitely made them shrink. Too much trouble for a teeshirt! I
have a pair of light cotton canvas pants that I like and have worn
well.

Amongst the winter fabrics, the wool crepe is very good for basics.
Also I really love the velvet. It is machine washable and dryable
(delicate) and very durable for a fancy fabric.

Most of the pieces I've gotten have been pretty unstructured and flowy.
They've been very good values all around--comfortable, long-lasting,
and versatile. If you like the simple and elegant look of the models
in the ads I think you'll like them, but if you're used to a more
tailored, structured look, you might start with just one bottom and top
to see how it goes.

I like the skirts and the pants equally well. In summer, skirts
(without hose) are a little more comfortable, but with a loose cut and
breathable fabrics, I don't find a big difference between the skirts
and pants.

Julianne X