Posted simultaneously to stephanie.posterous.com
Some of you may remember this story I told more than half a year ago, about a pair of stockings I fell in love with. In fact, it was the first pair of stockings, or leggings, or any legwear accessory to which I ever gave a second thought. They were made by MaxMara, but the brand was beside the point. They were the most beautiful things I'd seen in a long time, and they haunted me. You can read the original post here.
After that first encounter, and at least a week or two of miserable pining, I decided to try to find them again. This was not an easy task, as MaxMara doesn't even have a website. (Though their less expensive brand, MaxStudio, does.) Apparently MaxMara makes hosiery, but the lines are not widely distributed, and even among MaxMara stores, only a select few carry hosiery at all. And among those, the chances of me finding this particular style in my specific size were slim.
By the time I decided to cough up the $70 to buy them, of course, the South Coast Plaza location was sold out. I went on a cyber quest, searching for them in many different permutations until, finally, I ran into this Boston Globe article about eye-catching legwear. I jumped - there was a boutique that sold them, Moxie on Charles St. in Beacon Hill! I wrote them immediately to see if a) they still had the stockings in stock and b) they would ship to California. A day later, I got the magic response:
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Stephanie,
I have one pair left. It is a M/L but it is Italian sizing and runs pretty small. I can ship but we charge $10 for shipping. The stocking is $65. Let me know if you'd like it.
Thanks.
Karen F. Fabbri, owner
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After a flurry of e-mails where we figured out logistics, shipping/credit card information, the stockings were on their way. I gotta hand it to the Moxie folks -- they were so patient, responsive, and accommodating. Totally painless experience, and I was so grateful that they held the stockings for over a week while I continued to hem and haw over the purchase. When I finally took the plunge, I was glad I did!
I know all the considerations about impracticality, exorbitant price, etc. But in the end, I was so very glad I did it. This is how I figured it--I don't buy jewelry or expensive handbags. This was one of the first luxury items I ever purchased, and just because they are non-conventional, and I can't wear them all the time, doesn't make me any less satisfied with them. They really are fine quality and I'm sure if I am careful with them, they'll last for years to come.
Outfit
Calvin Klein ribbed shawl cardigan
Le Suit pencil skirt
MaxMara stockings
Vintage buckle loafers
Ebony & Ivory bead lariat