Wantable December 2013 intimates box
Feb. 9th, 2014 11:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
terrikoThis month, the box was half the size, but apparently packed with just as much stuff!
I approve of smaller shipping boxes in an environmental sort of way, so I like the change. Plus, I'm hoping that this means they're thinking about their shipping and won't screw it up so I owe shipping when the box arrives, because that was unclassy. (However, it hasn't happened since that first box and I've received 5 now, so it seems they've fixed the problem!)
A thing I don't love about wantable's website: Not only do they not have product links easily available (you'd think this would be something the product providers would want!), but sometimes they don't even tell me the brand of the item. Which is relevant in the December intimates box:
This is a Bella t-shirt. You know, the ones that are one of the cheap options for women's cut shirts if you want to get shirts printed? I realize these retail for something ridiculous like $30 on Bella's website (presumably to match the printed markup cost?), but if you get them blank in bulk for printing they're like $7. Threadless-type stores seem to sell them printed for $10 pretty regularly. So I feel like Wantable's claim that this is $22.00 worth of value may be sort of disingenuous.
I actually like the shirt, though. It's a nice dark maroon-purple heathered colour, and Bella shirts actually fit me reasonably well, which I know because I have a few from conferences and stuff. Here's this particular one:
It's a bit tight but comfy and something I will in fact actually wear. So I guess I'm pleased with the shirt itself, but feel like maybe wantable cheaped out a bit on this?
Claimed value: $22. Actual value, probably closer to $7.
Like the last time, this item demonstrates an appalling sense of taste. It looks especially bad next to the socks in this month's package. But not nearly as bad as when you look at it more closely....
Yup, leopard-print crotch on the inside of those suckers.
At this point, I have to conclude that Betsey Johnson has a brand dedicated to people with incredibly terrible taste. Or perhaps people who like to pretend to have terrible taste in a hipster-ironically sort of way? Which frankly, is just a different type of terrible taste.
But, I find these so hilariously bad that I will wear them, so what does that say about me?
As undies, they are actually pretty comfy. They are low in the front and fully cover your butt in the back, which I find a very weird choice because it basically means every time I lean over these panties are all "hi there!" which would be I guess kind of fun way to avoid showing butt-crack if they were attractive. Unfortunately, they're really not, so when I lean over you get "OMG YELLOW-ORANGE LACE" like the white "blind the dangerous thing" signal of the white tailed deer.
I leave this to your imagination.
These are hilarious in the same way that bad thrift shop clothes are hilarious, but they're not a win with me, Wantable.
Claimed value: $12, or 3 for $27. Since I can get victoria's secret panties that I know fit me for around $6, this is not a terrible bulk price, but if I chose my own panties I would never have chosen these.
These socks are probably actually the neatest part of the December box. I'm not in love with the colours, but they're kind of handknit-style and comfortable.
There's a few textures in play here: a smooth stockinette bottom/toe/heel, textured top, and differently textured cuff. I presume from the name that the top cuff is "basket weave" stitch although it doesn't look much like it when stretch out on my strong walker calves. I don't really know my knitting stitch names well enough to tell you what the stitch on top of the sock is called. More experienced knitters, feel free to chime in.
One thing that I did find interesting, especially in light of the "so strong it bruises" elastic from November's socks, is the elastic in these, which goes below the very large cuff, where the colour change starts:
Claimed value: $13. Which is probably around what it would cost me in yarn to handknit socks, so not terribly unreasonable.
Last and most definitely least is the Bralette:
It's not a bad shape. The cross-back straps mean it's unlikely to fall down, and I like the shaping in the front.
Their "M/L" is basically a compression bra on me. This has some usefulness for me as far as breast-binding for costumes go, and it's stretchy enough that it's comfy.
That said, it's undeniably not really my size. Unfortunately, while wantable touts that you can return individual products, it's not really worth it because of how they handle it. I have to return enough product to get my wantable-assigned value below the $36 I paid for the box. Since I actually like the shirt ($22) and the socks ($13), I'm going to get a maximum refund of $36-$35 = $1. That's not worth my time.
Oh well. I'll either keep it for crossplay costuming, or I'll see if my sister wants it, I guess.
Claimed value: $38.00. Not horrible if it were the right size, I guess. To me, actual value is around $5 to replace tensor bandages for breast binding.
----
Total claimed value: $85
Actual value to me: maybe $25-30
So for a $36 box, that's pretty darned disappointing, even though I liked the items.
I approve of smaller shipping boxes in an environmental sort of way, so I like the change. Plus, I'm hoping that this means they're thinking about their shipping and won't screw it up so I owe shipping when the box arrives, because that was unclassy. (However, it hasn't happened since that first box and I've received 5 now, so it seems they've fixed the problem!)
A thing I don't love about wantable's website: Not only do they not have product links easily available (you'd think this would be something the product providers would want!), but sometimes they don't even tell me the brand of the item. Which is relevant in the December intimates box:
Short Sleeve Tee- Amethyst Heather
This is a Bella t-shirt. You know, the ones that are one of the cheap options for women's cut shirts if you want to get shirts printed? I realize these retail for something ridiculous like $30 on Bella's website (presumably to match the printed markup cost?), but if you get them blank in bulk for printing they're like $7. Threadless-type stores seem to sell them printed for $10 pretty regularly. So I feel like Wantable's claim that this is $22.00 worth of value may be sort of disingenuous.
I actually like the shirt, though. It's a nice dark maroon-purple heathered colour, and Bella shirts actually fit me reasonably well, which I know because I have a few from conferences and stuff. Here's this particular one:
It's a bit tight but comfy and something I will in fact actually wear. So I guess I'm pleased with the shirt itself, but feel like maybe wantable cheaped out a bit on this?
Claimed value: $22. Actual value, probably closer to $7.
Betsey Johnson Intimates Bikini Hot Pink
Like the last time, this item demonstrates an appalling sense of taste. It looks especially bad next to the socks in this month's package. But not nearly as bad as when you look at it more closely....
Yup, leopard-print crotch on the inside of those suckers.
At this point, I have to conclude that Betsey Johnson has a brand dedicated to people with incredibly terrible taste. Or perhaps people who like to pretend to have terrible taste in a hipster-ironically sort of way? Which frankly, is just a different type of terrible taste.
But, I find these so hilariously bad that I will wear them, so what does that say about me?
As undies, they are actually pretty comfy. They are low in the front and fully cover your butt in the back, which I find a very weird choice because it basically means every time I lean over these panties are all "hi there!" which would be I guess kind of fun way to avoid showing butt-crack if they were attractive. Unfortunately, they're really not, so when I lean over you get "OMG YELLOW-ORANGE LACE" like the white "blind the dangerous thing" signal of the white tailed deer.
I leave this to your imagination.
These are hilarious in the same way that bad thrift shop clothes are hilarious, but they're not a win with me, Wantable.
Claimed value: $12, or 3 for $27. Since I can get victoria's secret panties that I know fit me for around $6, this is not a terrible bulk price, but if I chose my own panties I would never have chosen these.
OZONE Socks Basket Weave
These socks are probably actually the neatest part of the December box. I'm not in love with the colours, but they're kind of handknit-style and comfortable.
There's a few textures in play here: a smooth stockinette bottom/toe/heel, textured top, and differently textured cuff. I presume from the name that the top cuff is "basket weave" stitch although it doesn't look much like it when stretch out on my strong walker calves. I don't really know my knitting stitch names well enough to tell you what the stitch on top of the sock is called. More experienced knitters, feel free to chime in.
One thing that I did find interesting, especially in light of the "so strong it bruises" elastic from November's socks, is the elastic in these, which goes below the very large cuff, where the colour change starts:
Claimed value: $13. Which is probably around what it would cost me in yarn to handknit socks, so not terribly unreasonable.
Luster Bralette Black
Last and most definitely least is the Bralette:
It's not a bad shape. The cross-back straps mean it's unlikely to fall down, and I like the shaping in the front.
Their "M/L" is basically a compression bra on me. This has some usefulness for me as far as breast-binding for costumes go, and it's stretchy enough that it's comfy.
That said, it's undeniably not really my size. Unfortunately, while wantable touts that you can return individual products, it's not really worth it because of how they handle it. I have to return enough product to get my wantable-assigned value below the $36 I paid for the box. Since I actually like the shirt ($22) and the socks ($13), I'm going to get a maximum refund of $36-$35 = $1. That's not worth my time.
Oh well. I'll either keep it for crossplay costuming, or I'll see if my sister wants it, I guess.
Claimed value: $38.00. Not horrible if it were the right size, I guess. To me, actual value is around $5 to replace tensor bandages for breast binding.
----
Total claimed value: $85
Actual value to me: maybe $25-30
So for a $36 box, that's pretty darned disappointing, even though I liked the items.