I think one of the things with Eileen Fisher is that they haven't changed, but the clothing market has changed so much that they are one of the few accessible brands that still use quality materials like 100% linen and 100% silk and still make their clothes to last. That used to not be so rare, so I think the clothes themselves were seen as a little boring; now the quality makes them so much more attractive. However, totally agree about the styling. On one hand the clothes are super classic and won't go out of style, but on the other hand a full wardrobe gives old lady.
This is so true Leslie. JCrew, Gap etc used to offer staples in wool, cotton, linen. Now they are all blends. EF, Talbots, LLBean, Patagonia -- heritage brands with a frumpy / outdoorsy reputations but they all still offer natural fibers and EF and Patagonia have some of the best sustainability and living wage practices in the industry.
re Patagonia i rarely find natural fibers there. a quick look at their website today -- 648 items offered in womens, if you filter on wool, cotton or hemp it narrows to 161 items or 25% of the total
True! But many of those non-natural fiber items are technical gear --gore-tex jackets, waterproof fishing waders, recycled fleece insulation layers...They don't offer much in the "life style" clothing line but what they offer is good quality and good fabric.
There’s a bought-back Eileen Fisher shop in Ithaca, NY! I have visited. I like an occasional piece, I agree that full-on EF reads as “old lady.” EF does great woolen scarves and every other year or so, there is one pair of sandals that I like.
I think this is true, and I think perhaps it intensified due to the pandemic. Or at least, that is what is often said. The supply chain gets blamed.
Otoh, perhaps the middle range items, which before might have had non-synthetic fabrics, were disappearing long before that. I don't actually shop that much, so I could be wrong.
One of the best things that has ever happened to me is that the New Yorker advertorial dept (or whatever it's called) invited me to do an event at an Eileen Fisher store in Beverly Hills--my first book had come out earlier that year. At the time I lived in the Bay Area, so they paid me to fly down, put me up at the Four Seasons, and when I arrived at the store, the shopgirls told me I was getting TWO pieces for free as part of the deal for doing the event. I was not chill about it! I think I screamed with glee! I was supposed to be some kind of professional but I was not! None of the pants and such were my thing--too women studies professor or older art teacher, especially ten years ago--but I did end up with this cool textured pullover shirt AND this amazing bolero jacket made of the most supple leather. That shit retailed for $900! I still wear it all the time when I need a going-out jacket because it goes with everything and looks so chic. Whenever anyone compliments me on it I tell them the whole story about how I got it for free, etc. etc. Also, sadly, no one came to this event (except my mom and brother...) because I am not at all famous, and they had all these appetizers and Prosecco for a crowd that never materialized...it was sort of awkward but OH WELL I GOT FREE FANCY CLOTHES.
Don't feel bad - ime, it is very difficult to get Angelenos to go to things. And this was true before the pandemic. And the traffic is still bad! And it's still difficult. And actually I'm one of the non-goers, generally.
I do think a lot of people here still read books though.
Great story!! Hmm, I do like boleros. I have never EF'ed.
oh yeah, I've done events w/ many people in attendance...and some with not so many. All part of the job! (I'm from LA and here now, and yes, tons of readers! Just not sure there are many readers out there who want to hear me read at a random Eileen Fisher in Beverly Hills!)
Once a number of years ago I went to a book event for Bill McKibben-- it was St. Patrick's Day and I think there were fewer than 5 people, including the bookstore staff person and my boyfriend I had brought along. He was still kind and engaging! And prophetic.
Making myself late for work to write this comment but I have to say that dressing the post-menopausal body is menopause’s last laugh. Nothing flatters anymore. The weight has shifted to new places and it’s not just a little weight…it’s a full-on assault of excess girth. Everyone around me is thinner. And taller. Being short was ok when I was young and didn’t gain. At all. Now I am completely disproportionate and I’m a human stump. I’m Barney Rubble. I want to be covered up because I’m crepey and micro-wrinkled within the deep crevices of the larger wrinkles. I don’t own any Eileen Fisher yet, but you know I have a saved search for it on ThredUp.
Hey as another short person... EF helped me in the awkward postpartum period. I had a year of wearing EF dresses and loafers to work after having my baby and I think I looked decently good despite the extra awkward pounds!
For anyone interested (and with a New Yorker subscription because of the paywall) there is a really good profile of Eileen Fisher (the woman and the brand) in the New Yorker from 9/23/13 and a new interview with her last fall. Also last fall, Kira Garcia mentions her in a Talk of the Town piece, “Your purgatory in this frightful place (perimenopause) will end only when you make your first purchase from Eileen Fisher.”
I feel like I should duck and cover after saying this....but Talbots has become a mainstay in my wardrobe for the same reasons. I need well made pieces in natural fibers for work and there are precious few retailers who do that these days! Boden, Jcrew, Talbots and Eileen Fisher generally do vs. years ago when most retailers had natural fibers as a matter of course. It doesn't help that my mom made a lot of my clothes so I'm a snob about seams/finishes and how pieces are constructed.
At 47, I am still clinging to my lost youth. I hear all of these sane, rational arguments in favor of a brand that is sustainable and treats women like serious grownups, but I'm typing this in an anthro top and free people pants. This post has me wondering if I THINK it's giving, "cool mom," but it's ACTUALLY giving early aughts Patricia Fields. Anyway, thanks for giving me another thing to stay up worrying about for the rare occasions when the night sweats take the evening off.
53 and wearing an Anthro dress I got from Poshmark as I type this. It's very Lilith Fair but I got multiple compliments on it just today. Wear whatever the hell you want!
I,too, became an Eileen Fisher fan. Her pull-on pants are a mainstay in my wardrobe. I buy them either on ebay or shopgoodwill, and they make me look pulled together. I feel that she is the perfect post-pandemic designer.
Yes! For me it's Poshmark -- there are some great buys, and the stuff clearly wears well for years and years. The wide-legged black velvet pants are a mainstay, and I like some of the oversized loose-knit sweaters in bright blue, black, and (god help me) I'm drawn to ones in acid yellow, orange, and hot pink, tho I will probably never buy them. Also, moderately size-inclusive; I think her stuff goes to 2x or 3x.
I think it's important to try on EF clothes if you're able. They often look uninspiring on the hanger but work some sort of magic when you try on it on. I bought a short linen dress that looked way too oversized on the rack but I was desperate to find an easy breezy dress for a trip to Europe. I wore that dress on repeat and would wash it in the sink at night to wear the next day. It was a sweaty vacation and I was so glad to have that dress. I also have a long black dress from years ago that kind of looks like Rick Owens but without any of the angst of wondering if I am cool enough to wear it!
I love Eileen Fisher. I've always found it to be simple and elegant, rather than frumpy - but lots of her pieces (used to be) too boxy/loose for me since I (was) very petite. I've had for years her ballet-neck T-shirt dress, and I wear that thing ALL THE TIME through four seasons. With sandals or ballet flats in warm weather, with tights and boots in cold. With all sorts of over and under layers. I too just got a pair of lantern pants in flannel last winter, and those things are so unbelievably comfortable. When I wear them with a cropped sweater and combat boots I even think they're kind of cool.
When I was about 30 I thrifted a very cool Eileen Fisher jacket and wore it constantly for years. I was unaware of its (unfair, IMO) frump-adjacent reputation. Now I am 50 and DGAF if someone thinks it’s square or middle-aged. Btw there are good Eileen Fisher bargains to be had on Poshmark!
It's totally unfair! I just bought a pair of Muji pants that look like the ones Kim referenced above and they're not any cooler than the EF ones. Also I want to say that I low key have maybe known that I would be a linen wearing statement necklace girl of a certain age someday and that is not a bad thing to want to be! I have found those women to be the ones with the best stories and style and advice.
Oooh. Kim’s most controversial post yet! Some of the best made, most timeless pieces I own are Eileen Fisher but I also feel like they can get really lagenlook-y really easily if worn together.
I love EF! Size inclusive and one of the best companies for sustainability and being eco friendly. Only second to Patagonia, I think. Check out Eileen Fisher Renew, too--gently used EF clothes for way less money, and you seriously can't tell the diff.
I bought their Ponte Carrot pants last year after you posted them and they are seriously amazing. They hold up to multiple wears without losing their shape, wash and air-dry with no wrinkles and the material is smooth and flattering yet tough. I was in a minor bike accident while wearing them, skinned my knee on the pavement but the pants were completely unscathed!
You’re so right about the styling! Sometimes billowy pants and tops together are too much, but balance one with a fitted top or bottom and suddenly it’s chic (and comfy!)
Yesterday I was flying from Austin to the East Coast and a woman on my flight was wearing a slim cut plain white tee, H U G E ankle cut barrel jeans with awesome silver metallic sneakers and she looked SO fantastic––it was the pairing of those jeans with that slim simple tee that did the trick. By far the most interestingly dressed woman on the plane.
The stretch crepe pants are my TRAVEL HERO pants. I actually love EF. It reminds me of cool older women who are, like, award-winning ceramic artists who wear cool jewelry and have asymmetrical haircuts. They definitely look better on than you'd guess from the website, IMO.
I think one of the things with Eileen Fisher is that they haven't changed, but the clothing market has changed so much that they are one of the few accessible brands that still use quality materials like 100% linen and 100% silk and still make their clothes to last. That used to not be so rare, so I think the clothes themselves were seen as a little boring; now the quality makes them so much more attractive. However, totally agree about the styling. On one hand the clothes are super classic and won't go out of style, but on the other hand a full wardrobe gives old lady.
This is so true Leslie. JCrew, Gap etc used to offer staples in wool, cotton, linen. Now they are all blends. EF, Talbots, LLBean, Patagonia -- heritage brands with a frumpy / outdoorsy reputations but they all still offer natural fibers and EF and Patagonia have some of the best sustainability and living wage practices in the industry.
re Patagonia i rarely find natural fibers there. a quick look at their website today -- 648 items offered in womens, if you filter on wool, cotton or hemp it narrows to 161 items or 25% of the total
True! But many of those non-natural fiber items are technical gear --gore-tex jackets, waterproof fishing waders, recycled fleece insulation layers...They don't offer much in the "life style" clothing line but what they offer is good quality and good fabric.
She also has a good buy-back and second hand program, which is accessible on her site.
There’s a bought-back Eileen Fisher shop in Ithaca, NY! I have visited. I like an occasional piece, I agree that full-on EF reads as “old lady.” EF does great woolen scarves and every other year or so, there is one pair of sandals that I like.
I think this is true, and I think perhaps it intensified due to the pandemic. Or at least, that is what is often said. The supply chain gets blamed.
Otoh, perhaps the middle range items, which before might have had non-synthetic fabrics, were disappearing long before that. I don't actually shop that much, so I could be wrong.
One of the best things that has ever happened to me is that the New Yorker advertorial dept (or whatever it's called) invited me to do an event at an Eileen Fisher store in Beverly Hills--my first book had come out earlier that year. At the time I lived in the Bay Area, so they paid me to fly down, put me up at the Four Seasons, and when I arrived at the store, the shopgirls told me I was getting TWO pieces for free as part of the deal for doing the event. I was not chill about it! I think I screamed with glee! I was supposed to be some kind of professional but I was not! None of the pants and such were my thing--too women studies professor or older art teacher, especially ten years ago--but I did end up with this cool textured pullover shirt AND this amazing bolero jacket made of the most supple leather. That shit retailed for $900! I still wear it all the time when I need a going-out jacket because it goes with everything and looks so chic. Whenever anyone compliments me on it I tell them the whole story about how I got it for free, etc. etc. Also, sadly, no one came to this event (except my mom and brother...) because I am not at all famous, and they had all these appetizers and Prosecco for a crowd that never materialized...it was sort of awkward but OH WELL I GOT FREE FANCY CLOTHES.
The end.
Amazing story, Edan.
Don't feel bad - ime, it is very difficult to get Angelenos to go to things. And this was true before the pandemic. And the traffic is still bad! And it's still difficult. And actually I'm one of the non-goers, generally.
I do think a lot of people here still read books though.
Great story!! Hmm, I do like boleros. I have never EF'ed.
oh yeah, I've done events w/ many people in attendance...and some with not so many. All part of the job! (I'm from LA and here now, and yes, tons of readers! Just not sure there are many readers out there who want to hear me read at a random Eileen Fisher in Beverly Hills!)
Once a number of years ago I went to a book event for Bill McKibben-- it was St. Patrick's Day and I think there were fewer than 5 people, including the bookstore staff person and my boyfriend I had brought along. He was still kind and engaging! And prophetic.
Some of the best events I've done have been tiny!
Making myself late for work to write this comment but I have to say that dressing the post-menopausal body is menopause’s last laugh. Nothing flatters anymore. The weight has shifted to new places and it’s not just a little weight…it’s a full-on assault of excess girth. Everyone around me is thinner. And taller. Being short was ok when I was young and didn’t gain. At all. Now I am completely disproportionate and I’m a human stump. I’m Barney Rubble. I want to be covered up because I’m crepey and micro-wrinkled within the deep crevices of the larger wrinkles. I don’t own any Eileen Fisher yet, but you know I have a saved search for it on ThredUp.
Barney Rubble made me laugh. We’re all there. We have done so much with these bodies.❤️
Sing it, sister.
Hey as another short person... EF helped me in the awkward postpartum period. I had a year of wearing EF dresses and loafers to work after having my baby and I think I looked decently good despite the extra awkward pounds!
"When I was younger and snottier...." Bahahahahaha! I have never related so immediately to something in my life!
For anyone interested (and with a New Yorker subscription because of the paywall) there is a really good profile of Eileen Fisher (the woman and the brand) in the New Yorker from 9/23/13 and a new interview with her last fall. Also last fall, Kira Garcia mentions her in a Talk of the Town piece, “Your purgatory in this frightful place (perimenopause) will end only when you make your first purchase from Eileen Fisher.”
I LOVED that article from the NY
I feel like I should duck and cover after saying this....but Talbots has become a mainstay in my wardrobe for the same reasons. I need well made pieces in natural fibers for work and there are precious few retailers who do that these days! Boden, Jcrew, Talbots and Eileen Fisher generally do vs. years ago when most retailers had natural fibers as a matter of course. It doesn't help that my mom made a lot of my clothes so I'm a snob about seams/finishes and how pieces are constructed.
I know... I have a few of their scoop neck tees.
At 47, I am still clinging to my lost youth. I hear all of these sane, rational arguments in favor of a brand that is sustainable and treats women like serious grownups, but I'm typing this in an anthro top and free people pants. This post has me wondering if I THINK it's giving, "cool mom," but it's ACTUALLY giving early aughts Patricia Fields. Anyway, thanks for giving me another thing to stay up worrying about for the rare occasions when the night sweats take the evening off.
Don’t worry about it. I’m 61 and if I saw you my first thought would be “ooh I like her outfit.”
Yas, girl!
53 and wearing an Anthro dress I got from Poshmark as I type this. It's very Lilith Fair but I got multiple compliments on it just today. Wear whatever the hell you want!
I,too, became an Eileen Fisher fan. Her pull-on pants are a mainstay in my wardrobe. I buy them either on ebay or shopgoodwill, and they make me look pulled together. I feel that she is the perfect post-pandemic designer.
Yes! For me it's Poshmark -- there are some great buys, and the stuff clearly wears well for years and years. The wide-legged black velvet pants are a mainstay, and I like some of the oversized loose-knit sweaters in bright blue, black, and (god help me) I'm drawn to ones in acid yellow, orange, and hot pink, tho I will probably never buy them. Also, moderately size-inclusive; I think her stuff goes to 2x or 3x.
I think it's important to try on EF clothes if you're able. They often look uninspiring on the hanger but work some sort of magic when you try on it on. I bought a short linen dress that looked way too oversized on the rack but I was desperate to find an easy breezy dress for a trip to Europe. I wore that dress on repeat and would wash it in the sink at night to wear the next day. It was a sweaty vacation and I was so glad to have that dress. I also have a long black dress from years ago that kind of looks like Rick Owens but without any of the angst of wondering if I am cool enough to wear it!
I love Eileen Fisher. I've always found it to be simple and elegant, rather than frumpy - but lots of her pieces (used to be) too boxy/loose for me since I (was) very petite. I've had for years her ballet-neck T-shirt dress, and I wear that thing ALL THE TIME through four seasons. With sandals or ballet flats in warm weather, with tights and boots in cold. With all sorts of over and under layers. I too just got a pair of lantern pants in flannel last winter, and those things are so unbelievably comfortable. When I wear them with a cropped sweater and combat boots I even think they're kind of cool.
When I was about 30 I thrifted a very cool Eileen Fisher jacket and wore it constantly for years. I was unaware of its (unfair, IMO) frump-adjacent reputation. Now I am 50 and DGAF if someone thinks it’s square or middle-aged. Btw there are good Eileen Fisher bargains to be had on Poshmark!
It's totally unfair! I just bought a pair of Muji pants that look like the ones Kim referenced above and they're not any cooler than the EF ones. Also I want to say that I low key have maybe known that I would be a linen wearing statement necklace girl of a certain age someday and that is not a bad thing to want to be! I have found those women to be the ones with the best stories and style and advice.
Oooh. Kim’s most controversial post yet! Some of the best made, most timeless pieces I own are Eileen Fisher but I also feel like they can get really lagenlook-y really easily if worn together.
I love EF! Size inclusive and one of the best companies for sustainability and being eco friendly. Only second to Patagonia, I think. Check out Eileen Fisher Renew, too--gently used EF clothes for way less money, and you seriously can't tell the diff.
I love Renew!
I bought their Ponte Carrot pants last year after you posted them and they are seriously amazing. They hold up to multiple wears without losing their shape, wash and air-dry with no wrinkles and the material is smooth and flattering yet tough. I was in a minor bike accident while wearing them, skinned my knee on the pavement but the pants were completely unscathed!
You’re so right about the styling! Sometimes billowy pants and tops together are too much, but balance one with a fitted top or bottom and suddenly it’s chic (and comfy!)
Yesterday I was flying from Austin to the East Coast and a woman on my flight was wearing a slim cut plain white tee, H U G E ankle cut barrel jeans with awesome silver metallic sneakers and she looked SO fantastic––it was the pairing of those jeans with that slim simple tee that did the trick. By far the most interestingly dressed woman on the plane.
I fly between Austin and the east coast too, and there is always at least one effortlessly well-styled woman on that flight
I am a semi regular on the direct DCA—> AUS flight and 1) that stylish woman is NOT me and 2) she might not travel this route.
The stretch crepe pants are my TRAVEL HERO pants. I actually love EF. It reminds me of cool older women who are, like, award-winning ceramic artists who wear cool jewelry and have asymmetrical haircuts. They definitely look better on than you'd guess from the website, IMO.