An Orla Kiely gift from Japan | How About Orange

January 07, 2014

An Orla Kiely gift from Japan


My friend Megumi knows of my Orla Kiely adoration and just mailed me these Orla-print shirts from Japan, purchased at Uniqlo. I have no idea what "HeatTech Japan Technology" is, but I could definitely use some heattech in my America house today.


Megumi took a wild guess at what size would fit her 5'11" friend, and she did well with the XL. The sleeves are little bit too short, but if I push them up, nobody will be the wiser. The torso fit is perfect— not snug, but not too roomy, either. I love the patterns!

19 comments:

laura kate said...

I love Uniqlo. Since they arrived in the UK I've been a big fan of their style. However, while an XL may fit a tall lady, it doesn't quite work for a short, busty, slightly chubby lady. Their sizing is infuriatingly varied across the range and they often don't even offer L or XL in certain items.

Orla has been doing collaborations with the brand for a few years now and I reallllly wanted the robins and the squirrels. Sadly, the Heattech fabric goes a bit sheer across an amble bosom.

I shall have to live vicariously through you! :)

Jessica Jones said...

LK, That's interesting to hear about the sizing. I wish I had some ample bosom! Alas, my shirts have nothing to stretch across. :) There is draping, not stretching. Hee hee.

Grandma G said...

Very cute! Great job, Megumi! She does come up with rhe best gifts for you, Jess!

Mum

Grandma G said...

I'm gonna leave that typo this time. :)

Anonymous said...

Does that bird print have a name? I'm in love!

Jessica Jones said...

I don't know what it's called!

erica said...

I love uniqlo and they now have a US site that you can shop from. I first fell in love with them traveling in japan and was excited to be able to order them back home. In fact I just got my winter shipment of heattech and am already feeling warmer. I will say the US versions seem to have longer arms but not sure if I'm imagining/willing it to be so

Tomomi McElwee said...

Wow I didn't know she has market in Japan already. I'm a Japanese living in Ireland :)

April said...

Oh, yes, Uniglo HeatTech shirts are great! I love how thin they are....they are the perfect underlayer! Keeps you warm without adding bulk!

h said...

Considering most Japanese homes have no insulation, and most windows are only single-paned (from my 3-month stay in winter), they need as much "HeatTech" in their clothing as possible!

Deanna said...

I love love love orla kiely. I buy anything target puts out. :). My cell case is her design and I just got one of her toiletry bags that I just love. I would totally wear shirts with those designs too. So jealous! :)

Anonymous said...

I have so many Heat Tech tops. I get them for my kids as well. In Japan, they also offer the "Extra Warm" Heat Tech tops. Sadly, I can't find them in Hong Kong stores.

Elaine

Joke en Maarten in Seoul said...

I live in Korea and am a big fan of Uniqlo, however the sizes are really Asian :) All my shirts I bought from them, are a little short, and the sleeves are way too short. But hey, the heat tech does work and keeps me warm during these cold Korean winters. So I don't really mind!

Heidi S. said...

I just checked and the Uniqlo US site still has the bird shirt on sale! Last year they had Orla scarves in their NYC store. I had to hold myself back from buying them all! They also had a line of shirts from House Industries last year which sold out really quickly, which were totally awesome and fortunately the XL worked for my ample upper half (they weren't the heattech though).

Anonymous said...

Sherry from Young House Love has a shirt with that bird pattern; I think it's from Target. She has commented that from far away the birds look like chicken drumsticks. :-)

Jessica Jones said...

Oh my goodness. I'm never going to see my shirt the same way again. Drumsticks! That's hilarious.

ann said...

They now have Uniqlo stores in the US (San Mateo, California of all places here)! We saw one in Thailand last winter, and now I want to buy every sweater in their store. So cutes. I love seeing the gifts Megumi sends you!

PamelaTrounstine said...

Heattech aren't supposed to be shirts, exactly, not even layering shirts (Uniqlo has those too). These are meant to be like thermals. There is an "extra warm" that is relatively opaque, but also just PERFECT for the midwest/east coast "polar vortex" and a bit too hot for more moderate climates. Skinny people can layer a dark one under a print one, but the busty or fluffy among your readers, really, peek-unders would be it.

That said, I purchased several of these (including one extra-warm) and I've never had a thermal like this so thin, so warm and so comfortable. I also recommend the heattech knit socks-- and OOO, that'd be just a killer application for the prints.

Jessica Jones said...

Pamela, thanks for the Heattech info!