goldenpig

K/P Rescuing Eileen Fisher sweater: which bottom?

January 18, 2026

Hi! All this talk about brands being associated with certain demographics and being conventionally or unconventionally flattering got me thinking. In my mind Eileen Fisher was too loose/baggy, plain solid colors, too boring for me. But in the spirit of leave no retail stone unturned and rescuing closet orphans, what do you think of this EF sweater on me? I liked it because it had an asymmetrical hem and it was grey and black, not just plain solid. I'm a sucker for diagonal lines and it reminded me of Helmut Lang/AllSaints back in the day. It's super old and I've worn it a lot, so much so that it has at least one hole right in the front, maybe more. I used to wear it with black skinny leggings with faux leather diagonal striping but everything that I had from those days with faux leather has been peeling/disintegrating (like I have a cardigan with faux leather on the elbows but it's disintegrating, only the real leather pieces have stayed intact). I'm going to be more careful about trying to buy real leather instead of faux leather since I keep my pieces forever. 

One of my last posts before I took a break was to complain that people thought I looked pregnant in this sweater: http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....-baby-woes

So, since I STILL have pretty much everything I bought back then, what do you think of this on me now (I've gained more weight since then)? Keep or purge? Cause I'd have to fix that hole somehow (or leave it as RATE moth holes)? And which bottom looks best (or recommend something else)? I tried doing volume on volume with a leather flare midi skirt but I'm not sure, it looks pretty darn huge (1-3). Then with Levi skinny jeans (4-7), R&B pajama joggers (8-9) and R&B track pants (10-11). I don't know if I feel super fab in any of these, don't know if it's because of being sensitive about the prior comments about my belly (I know I need to let these comments go, but it's my sore spot) or my style has evolved. Also, what about pendant necklace or no necklace? I was all set to post this as a WIW and be like, see I can wear any brand! But when I put things on, I wasn't so sure if it works with my apple shape and I don't know what the "in" top and bottom silhouette combos are nowadays. Does this read "hip" or "maternity" on me? I need help updating this look, or maybe let it go...

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Posted in the Dressing category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

19 Comments

  • LJP replied 3 weeks ago

    I like it . I’d mend the holes ( there are lots of cool YouTube videos on how to do this properly and it’s not difficult ) and wear it with a cropped wide leg trouser / culotte and high shaft boots . I’m currently obsessing over a stretch wool culotte from MD but it’s $$ and I have never seen it in person . You could also tuck that cowl-ish neck inside to create a more structured tidy kinda mock neck look . I’d skip a necklace , personally .

  • Irina replied 3 weeks ago

    Unfortunately I can’t see well the outfits, too dark. Generally, a midi pencil skirt or culottes would work. But I would not be able to fix such hole and make it invisible. Maybe if you can darn it into something, like a bee or a butterfly. 

  • Jenni NZ replied 3 weeks ago

    I personally like it best with the skinny jeans. It’s probably how it was originally styled when you got it? I have mended holes occasionally but unless I really love the item I don’t, I don’t like RATE or dystopian though so that might be a difference between us. I put such items in the “clothing bin”, the second-hand chain that owns those bins then decides if they will try to sell the items or rag recycle them. Sometimes I might consider a brooch over the hole if that were easy. It seems to me you must have a very large wardrobe? I keep some items for decades but by no means everything. There are only so many outfits one can wear.

  • Mary Beth (formerly LBD) replied 3 weeks ago

    I’m inclined to say pass it along.  It sounds as if it got a lot of wear back in the day, and you got some real enjoyment out of it.  It isn’t the month hole, because you could always add a leather patch or embroider it closed with some metallic thread or other creative option.

    No.  What makes me say pass it on, is that I’m not seeing joy or delight on your face in these photos, whereas I’ve seen how much enjoyment you’ve had from your other, long-kept darlings in other recent posts.

  • Angie replied 3 weeks ago

    Actually, I think the tunic is very tailored in the upper torso, shoulders and sleeves! It has shape :)

    You can get a black Hello Kitty badge to cover the hole. Make the tunic more playful - if the idea tickles your fancy.

    From what I can see, I like the tunic best with the jeans and Chucks in #10 and #11. That combination looks refreshed!

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  • goldenpig replied 3 weeks ago

    Thank you all! Great ideas! Angie—a Kiss Hello Kitty patch? I die!! Will have to investigate this further!

  • Star (Lise) replied 3 weeks ago

    OMW a Kiss Hello Kitty patch! I can totally see it on that spot. I'm with ANGIE and thought 10/11 for most current of the bunch, if that is what you going for. I like LJP's ideas too. I also am a sucker for asymmetrical hems so if you can repair it or patch it successfully I say Keep. I would wear it with skinnies/straights and knee high boots. I currently have new faux leather leggings that are the warmest bottoms I own and I am enjoying wearing tall boots with them. I know they won't last as long as real leather though, I'm okay with that.

  • Staysfit replied 3 weeks ago

    The kiss hello kitty patch looks perfect for what I recall of your style Goldenpig!  I also think this looks quite nice on you, although I agree it needs a tweak to make it more edgy and fun. If there is more than one hole, you can use a patch for one of the holes and some coordinating yarn/thread for the others. It’s hard to tell in the pictures, but this sweater looks to be in good shape minus the hole(s). No pilling, etc.  The quality of older EF pieces is amazing so I would rescue this.

  • Cookie replied 2 weeks ago

    I like it and think it looks good but seems like it may hold a bad memory?

  • Jaime replied 2 weeks ago

    I think the piece still looks great on you. Like Lisa I have seen a lot of mending information out there - I would be delighted to find a hole mender myself. Or a patch of course. 

  • Carol replied 2 weeks ago

    All that EF talk, I was just thinking about it. Such a beautiful brand, but can be a bit serious if worn head to toe.  I was thinking how it would be great to mix with other items.

    Here, I really do like it with the maxi skirt best, and second the wide pants. You could also do a maxi denim skirt, maxi cord, maxi patchwork...

    You could wear a necklace, but I think it would look best with a dramatic, statement necklace, like the massive beaded, inlaid stuff in Santa Fe. A more modest necklace, not sure.

    The hole is a conundrum. I would get it fixed if I can. Otherwise I would toss and find a similar sweater. 

  • kellygirl replied 2 weeks ago

    I like it best with bootcut and cons. If you still love it, I'd keep it and see if you can get it into rotation. 

  • kkards replied 2 weeks ago

    Nodding with Lisa’s-culottes or jorts if, and this is me nodding along with Mary Beth, if you really want to make this work. 

    Do you have/wear lighter color bottoms?  I’m thinking a light denim or white/cream. I think that ligher bottoms would Let the asymmetrical hem shine.  

  • Jonesy replied 2 weeks ago

    To me, when you say you're not sure if you feel super fab in this sweater (and after seeing your burgundy capsule in your other thread), that's a sign to pass it along. To my eye, the sort of floppy, loose cowlneck is competing with the angular diagonal cut in the front--it doesn't know what it wants to be, IYKWIM :). 

  • goldenpig replied 2 weeks ago

    Update: so I tried the Eileen Fisher sweater on again and found another huge hole in the elbow, and found a pair of Eileen Fisher jogger pants in a size small hiding in my closet, but neither of them seem to work with my apple belly and I don't feel so fab in them anymore, so I'm thanking them for their service and moving onward and upward!

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  • Star (Lise) replied 2 weeks ago

    Good call, particularly if there are multiple holes.

  • Angie replied 2 weeks ago

    What Star said! 

  • JAileen replied 2 weeks ago

    I see you’ve made a decision.  Sometimes there’s nothing to be done.  But I had seen an ingenious and beautiful solution online, but couldn’t find it.  It’s also kind of “out there.”  I finally found it and thought it was pretty interesting, even if it’s not your style.  Someone had a garment with holes and they needle felted patches.  

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  • Cookie replied 2 weeks ago

    That is so cool!! If I knew how to do that I’d be thrifting all the hole-y cashmere sweaters I find.

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I'm a doctor and mom of three on the go go go who likes to have fun with fashion!