Product Review Week Continues

Gymboree. I adore Gymboree. First of all, it’s hopelessly cute. Second, if you are a devoted sale and coupon shopper, it’s pretty darn affordable. Next, could it be any easier to buy from a single Gymboree line, toss it in the closet and not have to worry that your child will emerge the next morning looking like she’s ready to audition at Rodeo Clowns R Us? And finally, it’s durable. Not Tuffskins durable, but durable in a way that makes me feel like I won’t be purchasing blue jeans for at least two months.

Or at least it used to be. Recent shopping excursions have netted t-shirts of the thin and “shapeless after washing” variety. I thought it might be a summer weight issue, until I bought some fall clothing. Even my not terribly fabric astute four year old who does not often see beyond Sparkles! and Horsies! noticed that her shirt “felt funny”. Then she complained of a hole in her new pants. Closer inspection revealed that both edges of fabric had not been picked up and there was a hole in the seam. I could have sewn it, I should have sewn it – but I exchanged for a different set. And am still explaining that I’m sorry the “purple pantseses with da bows” are gone, but the store no longer carried them in her size and I did the best I could.

The seven year old who prefers function over form was actually interested in appearances this year and selected two darling rugby shirts from another line. One was washed and worn. After the second washing I noticed that she must have undergone a mammoth growth spurt between August and September because I could see wrists and a tummy while she was wearing a shirt deliberately bought one size too large (oldest mom trick in the book). Then my gray matter stirred to life and I pulled out the other unwashed rugby shirt for a little comparative research. Two inch shrinkage in every direction.

It’s worth noting that when Rob washed and dried a pair of dry clean only linen pants he only managed about one half that amount of damage.

Not happy.

I like cute children’s clothes. I do not like having to put a lot of effort into children’s clothes – as a working mother I prefer to spend more time with the children and less with the clothes.

The receipt says “Gymboree Listens” – we’re going to find out.

Rooms To Go

I was going to try to come up with ninety-five of these and tape them to the store's front door, but frankly, it's not worth the effort.

From the website: Designed for decor flexibility, the collection is not only beautiful (Well, yes, it was attractive), but functional (And yes, you can sit on it). Each piece is well built on a hardwood (Is pine plywood now considered hardwood?) frame with precision tailoring for good looks and long wear (Five years??).

The purchase process was awful, and required a conference between the salesman, his manager, my husband and myself to verify that we would in fact not be purchasing a fabric warranty that did not include child or pet stains, spills, or other markings. Hello?

When delivered, we had to remind the driver that the manifest also included end tables.

I have a price point after which I no longer expect to assemble – this was violated.

Packing rope was stapled to the underside of the tables. Stapled.

The finish on the end and coffee tables began to degrade as soon as the pieces were placed and we stood back to admire them.

The micro-suede on the loveseat has been worn shiny from repeated contact. Like the bottom of a pair of dance shoes for those of you that have ever taken dance.

The interior structure of the sofa is comprised entirely of scraps of wood stolen from the trash of a middle school shop class. We know this because we have opened the sofa and re-bolted and re-braced the frame not once, not twice, but three times. In five years.

The bottom frame is currently braced with three landscaping 4x4s. They are out of view, but I know they are under there and it rankles.

The back cushions are completely misshapen and require beating into submission before any sort of comfort level can be attained.

The seams are coming out of all four throw pillows. Which, for the record, we have never thrown.