Eileen Fisher Try-On: Stretchy Pants, Midi Skirt, Boxy Blouse

No one asked, but here’s a post of me trying on some things from my recent Eileen Fisher order. Before I knew anything about ethical fashion, I thought of Eileen Fisher as a “middle-aged artsy lady” brand. Minimalist artsy, like what a curator would wear. Like what my boss would wear. I didn’t think of it as a brand for me.

Well, I guess I’m now a middle-aged artsy lady because I find myself increasingly drawn to their clothes. (From casual observation, it also seems like the brand has made an effort to appeal to younger customers. I see them gifting clothes to younger millennial influencers on Instagram.) Also, since I started paying attention to how clothes are made, I’ve come to appreciate Eileen Fisher as one of the OG companies when it comes to sustainable and ethical garment production.

Alright, on to the stuff. I bought these items during Eileen Fisher’s Black Friday promotion when sale items were marked down an additional 50% off. As you’ll see from the prices below, it was a pretty great sale. Missed it? Here’s another chance. As of December 24, they’ve brought the sale back through January 3. (This is not an ad, just an FYI. This post is unsponsored. I don’t even have an affiliate relationship with them.)

Cotton Stretch Jersey Lantern Pants

The main item on my shopping list these days is comfy, elastic waist pants. (Will I ever go back to hard pants with zippers or buttons after the pandemic? Will you?) Eileen Fisher makes plenty of pants in this vein, so I threw a few into my cart.

Will I ever go back to hard pants with zippers or buttons after the pandemic? Will you?

Having never tried any of their pants before, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I picked these Cotton Stretch Jersey Lantern Pants mainly because of the gray color. I thought the seams down the front and back might elevate the stretchy pants look too. Here’s a 5′ 10″ model wearing the pants. (This item is sold out at the moment, so the page doesn’t even come up anymore on their site. I’m linking to it anyways in case it comes back.)

And here’s XS on 5”4″ me. My hip measurement is about 37″ and I’m generally a size 4 in pants. However I’ve been stress-eating carbs during the pandemic so I might be a size up these days. (Hence my shopping for comfy, stretchy pants.)

Fit: As you can see, this lantern shape is unflattering on me. I think the size is probably right? But there’s too much fabric on me, especially on the back. This is a prime example of one reason I blog anonymously. I want to show you when things fit terribly. But I don’t want identifiable photos of me wearing things that look terrible floating around the internet.

Fabric: The Eileen Fisher site doesn’t really show close ups of items, so it was hard to get a sense of what the fabric is like. These 90% cotton, 10% elastane pants are stretchy and smooth to the touch. The tag says they’re made from extra-long staple cotton. It even says who grew it: Dosi Alvarez, a third-generation New Mexico farmer. The jersey is medium weight, but on the lighter side of medium. It’s thin enough that my panty line showed.

Measurements: Though there’s a general size chart and a few measurements for the garment, there aren’t size-specific measurements for each item. (A lot of brands don’t provide this and they really should as we increasingly shop online!)

So, here are the measurements for the XS by my own tape measure: 14.75″ across the waistband, 10.5″ rise, 25″ inseam. The elastic band is about 2″.

Did I keep it? Of course not.

Traceable Organic Cotton Stretch Slouchy Cropped Pant

That’s a lot of adjectives for these pants! Here they are on a 5’10” model.

And here I am wearing the PS (petite small).

Fit: I was not expecting any of the pants I ordered to fit, but I was pleasantly surprised by these cuffed pants. Also, what a difference petite sizing makes! These cropped pants are actually cropped on me! They’re not perfect. There’s still some wrinkling on the back side, but overall, these fit pretty well.

Fabric: These are a similar light-medium weight jersey as the lantern pants. Yet, panty lines don’t seem to be as much of a problem here. The fabric is similar: smooth and stretchy, 90% cotton and 10% spandex. So I think it must just be that black hides things better.

Measurements: For size PS: 14.5″ across, 12″ rise, 22″ inseam, 1.5″ waistband width.

Did I keep it? Yes!

Sandwashed Tencel A-line Skirt

A black midi skirt has been on my wishlist for a year now, ever since I reviewed Vetta’s Two-Piece Midi Dress. While that dress didn’t work out for me, it showed me how versatile a midi skirt could be. I also liked the idea of achieving the look of a dress in two pieces, but also being able to wear the pieces separately. So, when I saw this skirt with a hi-lo hem in the sale section, I put it in my cart.

Here’s a 5’10” model wearing size S.

And here’s 5′ 4″ me in an XS.

Fit: This felt a tad big around the waist. Also, the A-line shape is a bit puffier than I’d like. It’s not bad, but it’s not exactly slimming. I also felt unsure about the length, which felt bit long for me. This unlined skirt comes in petite sizing too, so I’m not sure why I didn’t buy the petite version. Maybe the petite version wasn’t on sale? (But it is now.) Or maybe I was shopping haphazardly, a little drunk on buying things.

Fabric: Thin and lightweight Tencel. But it also seems like it might wrinkle easily.

Measurements: The XS is 14″ across the waist (unstretched), 28″ long on the front, and 32″ on the back.

I found myself trying to come up with excuses to keep it, which was a sure sign that it wasn’t right for me.

Did I keep it? I deliberated on this one a lot. In end, I decided to send it back. The details weren’t quite right for me. For one, the washed black color was surprisingly hard to pair with existing black items in my closet. (It looks good with items of contrasting color, though.) The elastic band has a gathered look, not flat like the pants above, which I prefer. I found myself trying to come up with excuses to keep it, which was a sure sign that it wasn’t right for me. I really appreciated that this skirt has pockets, though.

Silk Organic Cotton Brushstroke Boxy Shirt

A boxy shirt was NOT on my shopping list of wardrobe wants. But this subtle brushstroke print called to me — and I’m pretty picky about prints, many don’t appeal to me — so into my cart it went. Here’s a 5′ 10″ model in a size S.

Here I am wearing the PS with my arms outstretched to show that weren’t kidding when they said this shirt was boxy.

Fit: The sizing is generous. It’s quite wide across, but it drapes nicely. It feels loose but doesn’t have an overly oversized look. I could probably size down no problem, though.

Fabric: 72% silk, 28% organic cotton. Smooth, silky, airy, and has a sheen to it. Looks fancy, but feels comfy. I love this fabric. It feels great on the skin.

Measurements: The PS is 21.5″ across the chest and about 25″ long. Personally, a little longer than I’d like. But no big deal. I like to wear it tucked in anyway.

Did I keep it? Yes! This print comes in a slouchy pants and maxi skirt as well (as shown on the model), which I’m now considering.

Overall, I kept two items from my order. These are my first Eileen Fisher pieces (besides shoes), and so far, I’m pleased with them. I’m also happy that I can shop from an ethical brand that offers true petite sizing. Eileen Fisher also makes plenty of wardrobe basics including a line of pieces meant to be easily mixed and matched call The System.) I can see why people are fans. And if that makes me a middle-aged artsy lady, so be it.