Thank goodness Erin Fetherston trained at Parsons (of Project Runway fame) and moved to Paris after attending Berkeley. Otherwise, we could have been talking about the subtleties of tie dye and the eco-friendly properties of hemp. (-: (Seriously, I’m qualified to say this because DogDad
and I got our MBAs at Berkeley and turned down numerous offers of the righteous weed’ as we tripped over fatigue-clad street campers on our way to class…)
That said, she offers an extremely cute collection that looks great on co-eds (and younger), but leaves precious little for the rest of us. The beautifully produced video from her website entitled The Doll House further underscores the point.

The first dress in the video (navy blue, above) is one of the most wearable pieces; stylistically, it’s extremely similar to the one Anna Sui did two seasons ago (less the high quality wool blend fabric Anna used and the $500+ price tag). One of the next dresses
(pictured inside the doll house) is arguably the signature look of the collection. Again, it’s very cute and the quality is quite good, but not as good as the Temperley dresses. The crepe-finished poly outer layer isn’t as substantial as the same fabric used in the Temperley collection (Temperley dresses were $29.99-39.99; Fetherson one is $44.99).
The detailing is well done, though…the ¾ sleeves are slightly puffed and the velvet trim is lovely, especially for this time of the year.
Another good piece for now through the holidays is the bunny print tiered party dress ($44.99). Flirty design in a poly/cotton blend that looks (but doesn't feel) like a lightly creped silk. High waist is a plus, but non-adjustable straps mean that you’ll most likely have to alter.
The pin tuck pleated tunic top is bri
efly featured in the video…extremely cute, but the puffy sleeves and girly detailing limit this as an option for anyone past their early 20s... The body fabric is great…slightly stretchy blend of cotton/spandex (97/3) with gorgeous vertical seaming and pin tuck pleat details. However, the dotted swiss insert and pleated collar is problematic -- I steamed and even tried to press, but it still won’t flatten (see close-up).
My favorite piece (and first purchase) is the cropped jacket ($44.99). The construction looks and is expensive --princess seaming in front AND back, detached pocket flaps and fabric-covered buttons with a tiny mandarin
collar. Love it. The fabric is
slightly shimmery, thanks to the 11% of metallic golden threads; however, it doesn’t feel as good as it looks…the cotton/poly (48/41) rest of the fabric feels a tiny bit slick. It’s fully lined, though and definitely worth picking up as an accent piece along the lines of what I’ve termed as NYC prep school Dalton-Choate chic (click here for more info).










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