Buying your Dyevoshka clothing

[LatinSwede]

When my fiance were only a year along in our relationship, I tried selecting female clothing at the mall for her. Almost everytime it was a miss.  Either she didn't understand the fashion (I'll get back to that), or I was a good bit off assessng her size.  The only apparel I've got right is shoes, and Victoria Secrets (don't pry). She'll wear the shoes right away, when I give her the bag of goodies.

2 years ago, I got her 2 different girly tees which I knew was her fit.  They are a tad smaller than the typical guy's t-shirts.  It accentuates the female frame.  Well, she didn't get it.  Iasked her why she wsn't wearing them, and she said "Oh they were too small.  I gave them to my 9 year old niece".  My mouth dropped!  She gave a dress to her sister, because I got the size wrong.  Oh well, at least they stayed in the family.  Since then, I give her some money and she selects her own.

[andrewfi]

Rule 1) Don't buy clothes for other people, unless you are with them.

Rule 2) When you buy 'lingerie' for her without her input, you are not buying it for her, but for you. See Rule 1 above.

Women will often wear lingerie etc that we like because they know we like it, but very often they hate what we buy. When it comes to ordinary clothes that other people will see, they wil refuse to be seen in that which they do not like.

There are many reasons/excuses that a woman will use for not wearing something. She will not, unless either terminally dim, very rude, or simply does not like you tell you that you have crappy taste!

[catzenmouse]

I haven't bought a ton of stuff (maybe 15 - 20 items) but Elena has liked them all and wears them all quite often. Guess you guys are just under achievers in the clothes buying area...

Ken

[Moonlight]

::)I would be much more surprised if my boyfriend would choose clothing for me... In general - male's and female's brains function differently, and you can get a thing that your fiancee would never want to wear... plus you never know if it fits or not... People in Europe tend to care the way they look and another 'wrinkle' on the back side of the pants would look terrible sometimes...

[KenC]

I have found it next to impossible to buy clothing for my Russian wife. The problem is not with my taste in clothes, but in the fit. My wife is extremly picky in how her clothes fit her body. It is kind of sad too because I would enjoy shopping for her.
KenC

[Noleman]

I've had exceelent success in buying clothes for both my fiancee' and her son. How? Well for starters I sent and took with me a bunch of catalogs from different well known retailers so that they could look through them to see what the styles were and to get an idea of what they liked and did not like. I also was able to see what they currently wore regarding everyday wear as well as fashion trends.  Plus we looked at the fashion magazines that she likes to read and she pointed out things that she liked.  And once I knew what the sizes were that they wore the rest was easy.

Noleman

[Zhena]

What about me,I prefer to be near my finace if he buys the clothes for me Women are so picky ,plus your taste may be totally different from hers. Plus a size...Even if you know an exact size-you may not hit at the point,because everyones body is unique. I always try the clothes before buying them!

[Shadow]

I am used to go shopping with the female gender from my parents. As such I have no problem in helping my fiancee to choose clothes, I think I enjoy the shopping more than she does. Usually we will go together, as I still have to find the effect that different colors and shapes have on her look.

[LatinSwede]

I just get shoes for her now.  I don't try to buy her clothes without anymore.  It could be that I'm just an aging heavy metal/punk rocker with a warped sense of style.

[catzenmouse]

I just get shoes for her now.  I don't try to buy her clothes without anymore.  It could be that I'm just an aging heavy metal/punk rocker with a warped sense of style.

You mean she DOESN'T want MegaDeath shirts and biker boots?!? Well that's just too much to put up with.... Dump her! 

Ken

[LatinSwede]

Actually, when we were just getting aquainted she told me "I don't like heavy metal".  Obviously we found many other things in common besides music, otherwise we wouldn't have gone so far along. People that have visited my home, say it's looks like a "rock studio".  It gets even better, on the bedroom are action and horror movie posters.  Not everybody is comfortable sleeping with Dawn of the Dead and Nighto of the Living Dead on the wall. I sent her pictures of my home from many various positions, to give her a full view (as good as I can with a camera)) of the place.   She told me she's impressed but intends to make our home more "family friendly".  I think I know which posters are going down first.   I old her to wait until we get a bigger place, and she can decorate it anyway she wants.  I just one the spare room for myself.

[LatinSwede]

Yesterday, I added a nice Al Pacino Scarface poster on my bedrom wall.  It's the nice dollar bill "I trust me" design.  I'm enjoying my bachelor pad to the fullest, until Mrs Good Housekeeping comes in.

Despite our differences, it really is pleasent to be with a real lady.  In my music scene, you'd think some psycho goth girl (almost happened in Britain) would have captured me long ago.  Yet here I am with a sweet very ladylike and real feminine woman.  I old her she is going to live with a crazy man, but she won't listen.

[catzenmouse]

I told her she is going to live with a crazy man, but she won't listen.

Elena thought I was sane too but I think she's changing her opinion on that one... Poor girl lives with a raving lunatic!

Ken

[BradSTL]

I tried selecting female clothing at the mall for her. Almost everytime it was a miss.

LatinSwede... you're brave, man!    Good luck!   To be serious- there is one item that seems to be a no-brainer/can't miss with some of the girls in the east... leather goods.  I mean--- leather jackets, vests, etc.  I'm not referring to the biker kind of stuff, but the well crafted leather stuff.  They are single items that look good, and the girls tell me they love to try and shop for other clothes that accent them.  I've not tried buying and shipping this stuff yet, but the suggestion meets with a lot of approval.

[Manny]

I found a different angle on this.............

Buy a ton of new with tags stuff off e bay at low prices that is her size and your taste (and what you imagine may be hers) let her sort through it & try on and choose what she likes.

Then with the rest you get your money back and maybe make a small profit back on e bay - not to mention boosting your feedback! 

[PeeWee]

I like what I am hearing here. Shopping and visits to the dentist occupy the same list of things to avoid at all costs. I went shoe shopping last year in Hong Kong with an RW. I lasted about 30 minutes. Finally I said, "I got some things to do. You find the shoes of your dreams and I will see you later." That worked great until I later realized that I had not arranged with her when and where to meet. I spent a lot of time walking around Kowloon looking for her but since she was both tall and blonde I did eventually locate her and guess what? She did not find the shoes that she was looking for. I knew it.

Peewee

[LatinSwede]

In the Odessa Sportshall, they got an open market thing going one at certain times of the week, I think.  She's found some really nice clothes very cheap.  That day, I'll probably give her about $200 in Hrvna, to get her new wardrobe and such.  Just recently, she just told me she wore out all the shoes I brought her from previous trips.  They were cheap walking and sports shoes from target.  The next trip, she's coming back home with me.  So most of the gifts I bring are for her family.  When  she gets here with me, I'll take her to target and Wal-Mart for her special lady things.  One thing for sure is you can't fool FSU women with cheap knock off crap.  One would think, because many of them are relatively poor, they'll fall for anything you give them.  NO!  On the other hand, my lady doesn't throw a fit if I can't get her a Gucci handbag.  I she was one of those gold diggers, other AM's complain about, she would have ditched me ages ago.

[jb]

My wife will not wear anything from Waly-World or Target.  Too much polyester crap.   Our town does have a Ross and a Marshal store where she can find many good quality things made of pure cotton, silk, and linen, i.e., natural fibers, at good discount prices.

Since my wife arrived we do very little shopping at Wal-Mart, too bad because it used to be my favorite store. 

[LatinSwede]

I don't expet her to wear the latest Wal-Mart line.  Rather she likes it or not, we're still going there for other household itmes, groceries, bathrooms stuff, movies, etc.  In a  recently constucted shopping center, there are plety of new store like Kohls.  My favorite is the Trader Joe's food market. Since she's so picky about eating right and nutrition, it's going to appeal to her as well.

[coco]

My wife will not wear anything from Waly-World or Target.  Too much polyester crap.   Our town does have a Ross and a Marshal store where she can find many good quality things made of pure cotton, silk, and linen, i.e., natural fibers, at good discount prices.

Since my wife arrived we do very little shopping at Wal-Mart, too bad because it used to be my favorite store. 

Russian avoid anything made in China,they are the best customers for "Made in Europe"

[LatinSwede]

In a recent e-mail, my fiance informed me that the shoes I gave her are already worn out.  Before we leave together, we'll be getting her special wardrobe at the market.

[Jet]

Russian avoid anything made in China,they are the best customers for "Made in Europe"

LMAO When shopping for gifts to take home, we passed up some very high quality hawiian shirts for uncle Anatoly because they were made in China, and opted for the K-Mart variety of lesser quality, made in Indonesia. Pretty much anywhere is better than "China" in the eyes of a RW 

On the other hand, Babushka on her last visit stateside proclaimed:

America is truly a wonderful place, even your crap from China is much higher quality than our Russian crap from China

[LatinSwede]

After we get settled, I'm taking her down to Panama to meet my other side of the family.  Since my little country down there benefits from the canal.  One the country's perks is an over abundant supply of chinese made crap. Even in my family's hometown of La Chorrera there are countless little shops and stalls sellling slave labor's finest at knock out prices.  My last visit, I probably used 90% of my luggage space bring things down to my realtives.  On the way, back I had luggage full of new shoes, nice clothes, and plenty of good Panamanian coffee. I didn't have to get worry about getting new clothes for over a year.

I will certainly insist my Esposa Rusa goes to El Chocho and El Machetazo on a nice humid day.  Sadly I can't take home anything that says "Hecho en Cuba".

[ConnerVT]

Buy a ton of new with tags stuff off e bay at low prices that is her size and your taste (and what you imagine may be hers) let her sort through it & try on and choose what she likes.

Then with the rest you get your money back and maybe make a small profit back on e bay - not to mention boosting your feedback! 

You have done this, and have it work?  I'm surprised (no, let's say skeptical).  Most of the RW I've met will not like the idea that you gave them some things, then took them back.  Even if she doesn't like them, you did buy them for her, right?

I've enjoyed everyone's comments about the "Chinese" origin of much of the clothes (especially Jet's Babushka comment on the USA vs. Russias' "Chinese Crap")    My wife tends to agree with her, finding that there are more natural fiber blends in the made for the USA market stuff.  She shops a number of the stores, buying up a ton of stuff on clearance for a dollar or three each.  We box it up (usually 50-60 lbs) and ship it off to the family, who sells it off at a decent profit (split 50/50%).  People in Russia are always asking when the next box is coming...

[Manny]

When she is in Russia I sometimes send her a link to the e bay item and ask do you like this?

She has some of her favorite things from e bay at knock down prices, also we have Asda (Wal Mart) that she has had the odd nice thing from, but she still has the RW mentality of pay more get more which we saw through years ago - I am just eductaing her on this subject - in Russia as you know, if one store has something at $100 and the one around the corner has the same thing at $300 then the $300 one will be better!?!?! - She is learning...........

Reminds me of the old Russian joke I read (maybe here?)

Man says "Do you like my new tie? It was $200 from Fat Yuris Shop on the corner" - 2nd man says "Stupid, if you go to Fat Sergei's you could have bought it for $400" - That sums up RW consumer mentality!

My lady's wardrobe is awash with quality BNWT items from e-bay at $2-$10 each in the brands she likes and knows. Now she is wearing it she is not so shy about e bay!