Saturday I saw my friend D, who was in town for work from LA. I’m always up for a good hang with D: she is one of those friends who you pick up with exactly where you dropped off no matter how much time has passed. She’s also deeply loyal, and whenever I’ve had an issue with some guy I’m involved with she will—without pausing to consider both sides or suggesting I do the same—blame the guy. D is also just about the smartest person I know when it comes to consumer culture, so it’s always fun just to walk around stores and listen to her go. I was looking forward to an afternoon spent the way we often spend our time: lounging around her cushy downtown hotel, then having a lengthy walkabout that involves visiting shops in one downtown neighborhood or another.
D had other ideas. She was already uptown at Barneys shopping for holiday gifts when we texted at 11, and had a punch list of other nearby spots she wanted hit. There was almost nothing about going to that particular corner of town—so close to Rockefeller Center, which is belly of the beast during the holidays—that appealed to me. But off I went. Because quality time with D is quality time all around, and because one of the stops she wanted to make was the fearsome Uniqlo Mothership on Fifth Avenue, which I’ve wanted to visit for a while now.
Uniqlo makes some of the lightest and warmest down jackets around, in any number of iterations, and they are literally all over the store. (I have yet to figure out if departments actually exist in anything but name at Uniqlo.) The standard model is very Michelin Man, but some cuts are quite sophisticated. I am nuts for this three-quarter sleeve jacket with its puffy collar and the dufflecoat buttons. It’s just crazy how much fancier it looks than it is.
I spent ages going through all of the items made of Uniqlo’s Heattech material, which is composed of some lightweight super-extra-techno matter that keeps you very warm. This tee also comes with long sleeves. And in cami form. And about a dozen other ways, too. It’s completely synthetic, but very soft and not at all cheap-feeling next to your skin.
Also: Everyone makes super-seamless underwear these days, but I’ve never seen it as inexpensive as it is here.
Uniqlo’s cashmere is famously inexpensive, and I like it just fine. But if there’s one thing I learned during my days among the fashion ladies, it is this: there is cashmere and then there is cashmere. Don’t go expecting Loro Piana and you won’t be disappointed by the solid layering option that is this V-neck cardi.
I just did the same thing last weekend!!! I braved Saturday shopping in the UNIQLO Paris Flagship with my girlfriend. I wanted to check out the Theory puffers, (i am firmly anti- puffer though i know how warm they are…) and also the heat tech goods. This is my first winter in Paris and though I have sold a kidney to stock pile myself with Smart Wool socks, I know I have more than feet to insulate…
It was maddeningly crowded, but we beelined to the heat tech walls. I ended up with a black/white longsleeve Heat Tech t-shirt, a mens XS vneck black layering piece, a package of two Heat Tech body warmers (which is essentially a tube top- which is kind of funny, but I am already wearing it today under a silk shirt and is keeping my torso nice and toasty) and also- two fine gauge merino sweaters (which i thought the quality of the wool was finer/nicer than the cashmere and comprable to some JCrew fine merino I recently bought stateside. I couldn’t beat €40 pricetag).
Last but not least, I succumbed to a puffer- though this was not ordinary down filled nylon variety, mine is navy wool filled with the lightest down. It has the bracelet length sleeves, a HUGE oversized hood, and an asymmetrical hemline (longer in the back) and a slightly a-line swing shape.. to me is has a very Junya Wantanabe vibe and I am actually excited about wearing it. It is not quilted per se, so you don’t get the banded Michelin man feeling, it feels appropriate for my age and stylish..
http://shop.uniqlo.com/uk/goods/073870
I am somewhat tempted to go back and experiment with this down blazer http://shop.uniqlo.com/uk/goods/073258 in black. Worn with thin layers (heat tech, button down, thin cahsmere and that) I think its a good alternative to the schleppy bundled up feeling you normally have all winter… Also kind of perfect for GoaCA…
Nice coat.
Kim, I agree with your cashmere quote. I own over 100 cashmere sweaters, and not all cashmere is “created equally.” I once scored a luscious, Loro Piana shawl for three bucks at a Goodwill. Can you hear the “Rocky” theme song in the background?
So, if this isn’t too personal a question, what do you wash them with? I put mine in the washer on cold, which works fine (in one of those net bags), and I use shampoo, generally, but is there something better? (Mine aren’t the super-fancy kind, I’m guessing.)
I appreciate you asking. I’m always happy to share cashmere tips. BTW: Most of mine are from thrift stores, and well under ten bucks. I’ve tried a number of products, but I like Eucalan. It’s natural, available in several scents, is no rinse, and economical. Amazon is a good place to buy it. Previously, I was kinda careless with cleaning cashmere. But shrinking a few favorite sweaters, teaches you to take care of your clothes.
Wonderful, thanks!
You’re most welcome!
You are so right about the Heattech shirts. I am always SO cold in the winter that I wore silk undershirts under my clothes, but now I wear the Heattech shirts, and I don’t even need to cover them up! And they are just as you described – smooth and not cheap-feeling at all. I have been reduced to the point of steraling my husband and sons’ Heattech t-necks so I need to get myself to Uniqlo and stock up for myself.
Thanks for the run-down on Uniqlo. We don’t have one (yet?) in Boston. Some friends and I discovered the store in London about 8 or so years ago and we were like “what.is.this.magical.land?”
I may have to give that underwear a try, seeing as Gap seems to be discontinuing my longtime favorites (raises fist to sky, shakes) and I haven’t found a suitable replacement yet. Does anyone have any insight on their sizing?
That puffy coat in the picture above comes in gold too … just in case there are any other people here who like loud things.