Tell Her She's Dreamin'

I'm all for the Australian fashion industry, and ordinarily I'm a big lover of Mimco, despite at times my personal belief that they charge waaaaay too much for what is effectively costume jewellery. But I appreciate the styling, and the fact that they use quality materials and design, so I'm happy to pay the price. However, I must object - strenuously - to their new hosiery range, She's Got Legs. How much would you pay for these?

Are they even that nice?

The footless tights are $40. Ok... maybe. The rest range in price from $39.95 to $69.95. Are they serious? Have they been to Myer or David Jones lately? The most expensive items in their hosiery range would be Jonathan Aston, who is purveyor of glorious leggings and the most expensive pair of his are made of bloody wool! Even then they only get to about $40 full price! They're not some flimsy lycra with some slightly ugly plaid printed across them. And face it ladies, this may be an Australian design but it is probably manufactured in China along with the rest of Australia's manufactured goods. Sure you can remain "Aussie at heart" and still manufacture off-shore, but the expectation is that the cheaper labour results in a cheaper product.

Mimco's insistence on high pricing standards will possibly be to their own detriment. The Leona Edmiston Pins range is lovely, and there aren't many products within that range that go beyond $35. The quality is fantastic, the packaging gorgeous, and the design unique. I cannot understand Mimco's decision to (a) expand into hosiery - really not within its core offering, but good on them for diversifying; and (b) be rigidly pinned to the top end of the market, particularly when their quality isn't always commensurate to price. Hosiery also falls into that ummm-aaaah category of purchasing decisions because you just know that you're going to rip them or stick your big toe through the end. They have a limited life, more so if it's a fashion item for one winter only. For we ladies in Queensland, too, the need for warm leggings all winter is also pretty limited. It's so warm here! I would definitely think twice about paying for expensive stockings, and I'm afraid to see there's no way in hell I'd ever pay $70 for a pair. Bugger the quality - the more expensive the stocking, the higher the risk of tearing! (If you subscribe to Murphy's Law, of course).

It remains to be seen if the hosiery will end up in the Mimco sale bins come stocktake time, but I'm predicting yes. Mimco shoes - launched last year - were priced at $399 and beyond, and I spied pretty much the entire range on sale for between $120-$199. I'm sure they would have gone lower in price to offload the excess stock later in sale season. As a devotee of the sale bin, perhaps I would grab some when they hit $20... However I'm feeling self-righteous here, so probably not!