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Before I write a review of the presentation of the Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker line on today’s Oprah, I want to first clear up some misconceptions:
1. I like Sarah Jessica Parker, but she isn’t the patron saint of budget shoppers. She made a smart business move and has excellent pr people who know how to push your buttons to get you to buy. We do need more bargain shopping options and I am glad that Steve & Barry’s is providing it.
2. I like Steve & Barry’s. In fact, I was just there about 1 month ago, because Tobias begged me to buy him a pair of Starbury shoes.
3. The prior issue had nothing to do with my review of the line (which actually was pretty even handed, read it here) but with the use of promotional photos and TBF readers reactions to the line.
4. I get the impression that many of you feel that celebrities like SJP are doing you a favor when they “design” these lines. While I’m positive SJP and Stephon Marbury care about consumers, they are doing these lines because they make money.
5. I also think there’s this major misconception involving fashion bloggers. We’re not necessarily “fashion insiders”, but we’re not “fashion outsiders” either. We go to fashion week, visit the showrooms of major designers, write books published by major publishers, work as TV correspondents, and shop at stores like Steve &Barry’s.
Now that this is cleared up.. On to Bitten…
Ask yourself if Sarah Jessica Parker’s name was removed from the line, would you still buy it? If someone, other than celebrity created this line, would the line have been on Oprah?
The one thing that separates the Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker line from the other celebrity lines, is that the sizing (2-22) reflects the true sizing range of America and it for this that I wanted to like the line. I also find the $20 coats to be refreshing (I will probably buy one). But, and this is just based upon what I saw on Oprah and my discussions with people who have seen the line and work with Steve & Barry, the line really isn’t anything new. When Isaac Mizrahi did a line with Target, that was new. When Stephon Marbury wore the $14.98 Starbury basketball shoes in NBA basketball games, that was something new.
Take away sizing from the Bitten and you can get all those pieces from stores like Old Navy, Mandee, Marianne, Payless, Forever 21, etc. Plus the quality may leave a lot to be desired- the seams appear wavy (a sign of poor stitching) and the front of the pants were bunchy on the models (go back and watch the segment and notice how every pair of pants bunched in the front and how the seams on the pants didn’t lie flat) It is my hope that the next batch of clothing from the line will step it up on the quality front.
But what I noticed the most was the lukewarm enthusiasm shown by the Oprah audience. I watch Oprah everyday and when the audience loves something, they LOVE it. They seemed pretty unmoved by the Bitten line, with Oprah at one point responding to a lukewarm reception of the audience to a $14.98 knit dress with “Come on it’s $14 dollars.” Compare that to the audience’s reaction regarding the truly impressive bridal dresses by Isaac Mizrahi at Target and you see what I mean.
All in all, this line will be a success, because people still confuse personal style with that created by a stylist. People will also buy because of the continued popularity and strength of SJP’s Sex and the City character.
But again, ask yourself… if her name was removed from the line, would you even be reading this right now?
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Comments
I agree with the previous blogger. I did see it on Oprah and I saw the lukewarm reaction, it was actually a bit humorous. However the bottom line is that I’m on your site seeking to find these clothes because they are the Gap alternative for cheap. I am a busty size 12/14, and I have always been the ‘in-between’. I am tall (5’9) so I need something that will cover up above, and then actually make it down to waist with (dare I say?) fabric to spare. I need jeans I can sit in (crack kills and I don’t like all that ankle action from short pants)
I would look foolish in Forever 21 (shocking that they will fit the tweens, but those who are of age, can’t fit). I look frumpy wearing plus-size, so I’m looking for a classic but sexy chic style. Gap/Old Navy don’t celebrate nor accentuate my curves. Many of their styles are for straight and narrow bodies, and the items for the curvy figure are not fashionable.
So I’m hoping for the best, if nothing else I can at least update my basics. The basic black dress seen on Oprah yesterday, would probably be a purchase, along with the 3/4 length coat.
We all know SJP is NOT wearing any of these items. How fake did she sound trying to express how much she “loved” this and that. However, I will buy some of her stylist’s suggestions for cheap. Why not, I don’t live in a world where $120 for a sweater is ok.
Thanks for keeping me in-the-know.
I stand corrected, I have seen Steve & Barry’s before, I just looked it up on line. It’s a mall store, like so many mall stores (Contempo, Charlotte Russe and so on). I’ve never been in this store as I thought it was a sporting goods store and SJP’s line isn’t going to encourage me to go in, but at least I get all of the hubbub. I guess it is true that there is no such thing as bad publicity, thought I still won’t be going into a Steve&Barry;’s at least I now know who they are.
I saw the Oprah show. I must admit I to was expecting to see some super trendy pieces, but I was not diasappointed when I saw the models strut across the stage in basics. Hell, all the clothing in the line costs less than $20 dollars. Plus, the line was made for the everyday lady. And although many of us would like to look or red carpet best everyday, lets face it half of us can’t afford to buy the clothes SJP sported as Carrie on SATC and the other half cannot fit into a double zero dress. Sure the line is not as nice as Isaac’s Target line, he’s a pro and most of the clothing from that line costs more than $20 dollars. But I did see some great pieces in the Bitten line, for example, the sailor pants and black shirtdress that will look great with the trendy pieces already in my closet.
I just saw the Bitten line and based on what I read I did want to hate it. Only I could not. I did like some the items. I liked a couple of dresses and a coat, which were only priced at around 19.98! Look I think that buying things just because someone famous endorses it is just plain stupid. So I based my comment on what I saw. I think that some of items of the bitten line were just cheap looking or just plain. While others looked nice. I do agree that most of the items of the SLP line lack originality. You could find almost all of these items at other stores, but not at these prices or even these sizes.
What is wrong with people! These clothes are better then what they sell in bore-Mart. I’m a mother of 2 girls, so there is little money left for me. It is great that someone is trying to make a difference. Please tell me where i can get them in el paso tx. thank you SJP.
I saw SJP and “Bitten” fashions on Oprah. Was impressed with how they looked on “TV”. Target does put out a pretty good quality clothes, hope these are par to. Most other “discount” stores do not have any quality in their clothes.
When Oprah normally has “reasonable priced” clothes on, instead of the $1500 price for one outfit - it is ONLY $400. Wow - out of the everyday person’s budget. Soooo - was impressed that SJP did this if for no other reason as to impress on Oprah - that this is the prices “real” people need.
Also - have no idea where any stores called Steve & Barry’s is. Was going to tell my daughter and daughter-in-law of how cute, but now wonder if could even find. Someone might advise us of locations.
I watched SJP on Oprah and while I didn’t totally dislike the clothes, I wasn’t in love with them either. Just like Oprah’s audience, apparently. The styles are rather...ordinary. There is nothing to distinguish them from anything you’d find at stores like JCPenney, Target, Meijer, Wal Mart, or any other discounter.
The coats looked cute and I will at least check them out. I have had luck with outerwear from Steve & Barry’s, having purchased two of their men’s varsity jackets for $8.98. I am rather impressed with the quality of them, plus they are warm, which is important in Michigan. :)
I do, however, appreciate SJP making the line up to a size 22. I am a bigger girl and often the celebrity lines (like Madonna’s at H&M;) don’t go beyond a 16.
I guess I will go to Steve & Barry’s and at least see what the stuff looks like in person. What I won’t do is buy it just because 1. it is cheap and 2. it has SJP’s name on it. If the quality is not decent, at the very least, forget it.
The truth will be revealed with consumer reaction next month. If you remember, Beyonce’s reveal of House of Dereon resulted in a lukewarm reception by Oprah, and the masses truly voiced their opinions on the sizing/pricing, hence their Dereon line.
Celebrities need to stick to what they do best, is my opinion.
Yes, I would by pieces from the line if Sarah Jessica Parker didn’t sign on to the project. Everyone knows that celebrities put their name on products to make money - that’s a given. Any smart consumer realizes this & looks at the product for what it is, not who’s name is on it. NOW, I’m quite annoyed after reading all the comments about how “boring” the line is. Hello, this line is not for fashion forward freaks who are a year ahead of current trends. The point of this line is that it’s for every women, in every state, of every size & color. These are basic/classic pieces. Sarah said this repeatedly during the Oprah show. If you’re not shopping sales, it is next to impossible to get good looking clothes at the prices offered in this line (even at Target). Especially for women over a size 14. I urge people to not fall into the “oh it’s inexpensive so it must be made poorly” way of thinking. Don’t let corporate America fool you. They do not need to charge $30-$300 for a pair of jeans to make a profit. I don’t care who the designer is. It’s not always quality you’re purchasing, it’s the name. Weren’t you listening when Sarah said this on Oprah? When Oprah asked “How can you do this [charge so little for the clothes]” Sarah answered, “The world doesn’t work the way you think it does. You can do this, you just have to make up your mind that this is what you want to do.” Meaning, they are making less money off each piece vs other designers that over charge & have a large profit margin. However, I’m sure they are hoping to make up that loss in volume. It’s basic business. I will definitely be purchasing several pieces (in fact that’s how I got hooked into reading these postings. I googled the line so I could order). Will I like every piece? Of course not. Am I super stoked to get a few cute clothes/bags/shoes at a really good deal? Heck yes! Happy shopping ladies - buy whatever floats your boat.
Would I buy her line just because it’s SJP? No, completely no. Would her name make me look at it a little more closely? Of course.
Having said that I was not impressed. I looked at the Oprah slideshow and at the Bitten Lookbook online. Ehh. They’re ok. I agree with everyone else. Too basic for me to really get excited. But the real test for me was the photo shoot in Glamour. SJP’s pieces were paired with high end everything. They were modeled on a size 2 (or zero) body, and styled by a pro. Even with all that, I saw two outfits I really liked. A beautiful jacket, very Chanel in style, a gorgeous dress in a flowy gauzy fabric, some beautiful shoes including a pair of ivory ankle boots. Would you believe the jacket was Chanel, the dress was Burberry, the boots Christian Louboutin. All price upon request. That said it all for me.
At least when Target styles their Go lines, they use all the accessories and pieces from the actualy line, except for the shoes. They don’t pair things with higher end labels, even from the same store. I’d rather buy Patrick Robinson and Libertine from Go.
The Bitten clothing looks okay, and I like a couple things but not enough to buy it. I can get high-end clothing at cheaper prices at thrift stores and recycle items at the same time. It is great that the sizes are larger to accommodate more women.
I really prefer the designer lines at Target. I was thinking about looking at one of the Bitten coats, but I just saw the Alice Temperley photos of the Target collection and I’m swooning. I’ll use my money for that collection!
The Bitten clothing looks okay, and I like a couple things but not enough to buy it. I can get high-end clothing at cheaper prices at thrift stores and recycle items at the same time. It is great that the sizes are larger to accommodate more women.
I really prefer the designer lines at Target. I was thinking about looking at one of the Bitten coats, but I just saw the Alice Temperley photos of the Target collection and I’m swooning. I’ll use my money for that collection!
i watched the show. i thought the point of sjp was to create basics for every woman at affordable prices - not trendy pieces. after all, that’s why you have forever 21 right? i can’t speak for the quality of the clothes since i can’t see them, but i’m intrigued by the idea of it. regardless if it’s attached to SJP or not, i like the idea.
a suit for $40? that’s fantastic for people who can’t afford a suit but need one for interviews.
if anything, it just gives people another choice when it comes to clothes.
No offense to anyone, but who would really buy a $20.00 coat? You know at that price the quality can’t be at all good. I’ve learned over the years that it is probably better to spend a little more, especially for something like a coat, because the quality is often times better.
TBF, I think you are spot on with everything you wrote, including the S&B;publicists blanketing the comments section. Designers can often make much more $ by going the mass market route, that’s why they are turning to Target and the QVC. For S&B;and SJP, it’s all about money.
I aim not really a fan of Sarah so I do not now if I would buy or not I did not watch Oprah that day but say the previews and heard about the clothing line if I like something I will buy it.I do not have to have a name brand item I suppose if I had lots of money I would probly buy Gucci,Tommy Hilfinger etc.so If I like something I will buy it.Hope she does well for herself.
kinda creepy that steve and barrys employees are posting here...can you ban their IP address from posting?
i live in boston and there isnt a steve and barrys within a hundred miles away. since steve and barrys doesnt have an online store i doubt the line will sell in my state very well.
i also read an sj interview where she was quoted as saying that she wasnt pretending that any of the garments were in her closet.
if she wont wear them, why should we?
This line is pretty darn blah (with the exception of the houndstooth overcoat and the canvas satchel) and cheap-looking. And at those prices, there is certainly exploited labor--women and children--involved; how can one admire or support SJP’s “gift” to the average woman knowing that? This is purely another money-making venture; today’s celebrity-"produced" clothing line or perfume is akin to the celebrity endorsements of yore (cigarettes, cars, household goods). People, stop being marketed to and think for yourselves.
If some of you are so “High End” fashion wise why are you on Budget Fashionista.com?
Personally, I came on the Internet to see where I can buy these clothes. I have never watched Sex and the City because my husband works for the US Government overseas and HBO doesn’t give episodes to the military to be shown for free.
I will be in the States soon and I want to get some clothes that are my size. I have been dieting and no, we can’t afford expensive clothes. I liked the style and the price of these clothes.
as a woman who used to shop at Forth & Towne (and liked it) because it gave me trends in my size (fluctuating between 18-20), i have to say that i want a few basic pieces from the Bitten line to be available online. yes, i had a question about how good the quality could be for a $20 coat, but that houndstooth jacket was cute and if it’s in my size, i’ll get it.
for me, it comes down to size. yes, i could spend my rent money on marina rinaldi (high-end clothes for women in a whole range of sizes) or i can actually pay my bills and get a few cute, trendy t-shirts that won’t make me look like i’m shopping at the Limited.
unfortunately, until the big retailers like GAP or JCrew begin to carry my size in exactly the same styles as everyone else, i’ll be forced to buy cute clothes where i can find them. SJP may not be doing anything new but there are so few options for professional plus sized women (who aren’t down with the whole boxy suit thing) that we tend to snatch what we can get.
Oprah’s audience isn’t in the demographics this line is targeting. Simple.
Would I buy the clothes? No. I’m not in the demographic either. :)
I checked out the Bitten site and have read the reviews and I have to say that I like the clothes and would buy them without SJP’s name attached. I go for styles I like and not the brand name. The prices are what attracted me. I don’t make a lot of money (I don’t even make 25K a year) and I simply cannot afford higher clothing prices. I go to thrift stores all the time and find some designer stuff for extremely good prices, but it’s no guarantee that thrift stores will always have that sort of thing. I’m not hard on clothes and take great pains to take care of them, so I manage to get lots of wear from my clothes. Another point is that SJP expressed that the line is not super trendy. That’s important to someone who doesn’t have a lot of disposable income; you’ve got to be sure that you’ll be wearing something for a few years and not waste money on a passing fad. I like that there are things I can wear to work in the line. So many new lines (celebrity or not) have things that I could only wear out to a club or bar and I don’t go to those places enough to get the wear for my money. I’m not sure about where or how the clothes are manufactured. The truth is, there aren’t a lot of clothes made in the U.S. anymore where workers’ conditions are better monitored. If I went in my closet and looked at all the tags on my clothes, most of them have been made outside the United States. I can maybe count on one hand the number of U.S. made clothes that I own. Besides, after the Kathy Lee sweatshop story broke, I think celebrities attaching their name to a clothing line are more careful about that sort of thing and wouldn’t want their name brought out in a repeat scenario. That could just be wishful thinking on my part. Besides if you don’t like the way the clothes are, you can always alter them. Buy a tshirt and cut it up, stitch on some patches or buy some fabric dye and make it your own. I do that sometimes as well for more originality. I also can’t wait for the sales. When clothes are already $20 and under, it will be even better when things are put on sale to make room for the line’s new season!
The answer to the original question she was asking, is that these clothes would most likey have not been on Oprah if SJP’s name wasn’t on the label. Also most of you would probably not even care. Now that being said I may buy some of these pieces for my 15 year old daughter. I am not so sure about myself. I have been in Steve and Barrys. It’s a good place to buy kids clothes because they usually wear them out before they grow out of them. But the quality is very poor. You can tell just by looking at the clothes. The cotton t-shirts even feel cheap (if you know what I mean). So we’ll have to wait and see. I will definatley go and check them out.
Is this line just for skinny people?
I for one may be in the minority,but for someone who has been on both ends of the size spectrum ,I am excited to see the entire line of clothes.It is a fact the bigger the size you wear the uglier the clothes.If you are a 2-8 clothes are very cute,but it seems from there as your size expands clothing style diminishes.Truly!! If a fashion designer would focus on larger women with great style and beauty they would make more money than they could ever believe possible.I hope this will be the line thats accomplished that.
