Apologies for the radio silence yesterday: chalk it up to bad internet connections in country houses, traffic patterns on the LIE, and other spectacularly boring white girl problems. I’ll be getting to the third —and penultimate—round of the Catalogue Challenge on Monday. Meanwhile, I bring you QVC and HSN, which at first I was going to exclude because I didn’t think they they quite belonged in the genre. But now I’m like, what the hell.
HSN: Both networks court big fashion names, and a lot of those big names are thrilled to court right back, because this is where the serious, serious bucks are. But if you enter the world of TV shopping, you play by their rules. Which means agreeing to manufacture all of your clothes in sizes that go up to 3X (you’d be surprised—or perhaps you wouldn’t—at how many designers won’t agree to this) and to adjust your aesthetic to fit that of their customer.
Which often means creating pieces with possibly a bit more frou than one might typically associcate with your brand. Like this tunic with chiffon sleeves from Badgley Mishka’s American Glamour line. And it’s especially true with accessories: the more…
and drama, the better
As far as what I’d buy: I liked this top from DKNYC a lot: flattering for many figures, which is something that both Ms. Karan and and HSN prioritize and excel at, and a very good color too.
But as far as I’m concerned, the jewel in HSN’s crown is Joy Mangiano. If you choose to take only one bit of shopping ever from me ever, make it this: her Huggable Hangers will change your life. I am embarrassingly evangelical on this topic.* If you’ve got a closet space problem, these babies will go a long way toward fixing it. Back at my old job I was sent a bunch of these, and was literally able to fit three times more clothes into my closet. Also: they don’t make dents in your clothes, so you can hang sweaters on them if you want. And because they’re flocked, even your filmiest little tops won’t slide off off of them.
*There’s a scene in The Stepford Wives when the character played by Katharine Ross realizes that her most rebellious, freethinking friend has finally turned Stepford when she is asked about about a household cleaner and goes on about it with a terrifying enthusiasm and zeal. That is how I feel sometimes when I talk about the Huggables. Such is their transformative power.
QVC: Nobody could have been more surprised than me at the person whose line I was most attracted to here:
How cute is this little military jacket from Rachel Zoe? I’m not particularly a fan of the higher-end line she launched this year, but this stuff seemed cute and accessible.
And this satchel‘s pretty fantastic too.
I also worship at the altar of the huggable hanger! Kim, you are the coolest.
Ps: you need to email me at EveEveevevawter@ gmail.com so we can talk shop + any other GOACA can email me w/book recs + recipes + ways to deal with a hickey ridden 15 year old
I totally agree about the huggables but little else excites me about HSN or QVC, clothing-wise. However, I did get my most recent computer and most recent TV from one of them (can’t remember which) and all the extras they give you (free Lexmark printer!!) are just amazing. Electronics are cheaper than Walmart or Best Buy. Can’t wear their stuff though. The material is just too cheap and I can get better stuff at Macy’s on sale for the same money.
YES huggable hangers!
My mom is a QVC junkie, so I am far too familiar with them. She has gotten some nice clothes, and as a plus size, she prefers ordering from them and trying things on in her own home then returning if they don’t suit her, to digging through the paltry racks at Macys and such. I’m a fan of QVC’s makeup and skincare selections. And their sales to benefit cancer charities are not to be missed.
As a plus-size woman, I do not want designers to “adjust their aesthetic” if that means adding more frou, as you say. I will never understand why it is soooo hard to design attractive clothing for those of us with curves…even many curves. Fat girl does not equal stupid, low-rent, or not interested in fashion.
I also do not understand why designers refuse to accommodate the plus-size community when – as the news is so eager to report – we make up such a large (no pun intended) percentage of society. There is money to be made.
I think it may be because they really make their money on accessories and perfumes, not clothes, and thus they are afraid of having their “brand” associated with fat people. (I am sick of people who talk about “their brand” so from now on I’m usin’ quotes. There’s a business word that truly needs to be banned.)
Now that I got my rant out of the way (ahem)…
I fell in love with Tignanello bags because of QVC and I can purchase philosophy products in larger sizes at less expensive prices on QVC than directly from philosophy.
The flip side of QVC is stuff like The Quacker Factory. My BFF and I have shared way too much time on the phone being delightfully horrified by a woman – whose style signature is a padded sweat/headband – selling sweatshirts with built-in fiber optics. That blink.
The older lady with the sweatband has died.
I have wondered about the huggable hangers; now I am sold. The next time they are on special, they will be mine! Thanks.
Hmmmm nice hangers.
They will transform your life, Lucy.
Are these huggable hangers any different from those sold at Ross/Marshalls/etc? Just wondering — they seem the same slim, flocked hangers.
There are a lot of imitations available now, and I have tried some of them. IMO, the quality just isn’t there. I prefer the original.
I bought the ones that Target sells because they don’t have the grooves for straps that the others do. Bed Bath & Beyond has good deals, but they all have the grooves – great for camis, but not for shaping your other items. I converted to these hangars a couple of years ago – wouldn’t be without them. I only watch QVC when Joan Rivers is on – love her, but never bought anything from her line or anyone else’s on TV.
Do they make any with a cross bar on the bottom? I like to hang pants sometimes, and I though the thing to do was to have all one kind of hanger.
Yes, they have a crossbar – from Target.
I completely agree about those Huggable Hangers. Not to go all Stepford on you myself, but they are truly a game changer. I have them in every closet and refuse to use anything else.
You know, HSN has a thing now where you can shop via your remote control. No interaction with anyone is necessary. Ever. If you tend to mix your Ambien and misanthropy at 2 a.m., it’s a little TOO easy!
Who tosses around “penultimate” and QVC in the same paragraph of a post? This is why I love your blog so much.
I started reading your blog after the NYT article, I think this is my first time commenting. I’m really enjoying reading along.
Um, I spent too much time looking up those hangers this morning after I saw this post. Are they really that amazing? Why? I understand that they create space because they’re slim, but then aren’t your clothes more crammed in together?
Once you get them you will understand what Kim and everybody is saying. They are amazing. Buy the smallest pack to give them a try.
Wow, Kim, you really met the I can shop anywhere challenge. Love it. (I once tried to explain to a group of gfs over dinner “hey, I bought hangers on the tv today” and we had never laughed so hard.)
I shop a certain fun online thrift store, which happens to be shopgoodwill.com (no I don’t work for them), and it seems to me that some of the cuter leather jackets getting passed along are from one of those TV channels (I don’t know which). The quality may not be top notch, as noted above, but they’re cute and you are helping a charity. Reuse, reduce, yadda yadda.
I actually put shopping on sometimes just to have noise in the background while I read the paper. I’ve never bought anything that way.
The mangano hangers are amazing, you can also get them at Container Store. Thank you for posting this.