So when the BW store finally got with it and stocked some ladies' clothes, fifmeister and I ordered a few items. They finally arrived today, and I thought I'd take some pictures and post some thoughts on the products.
First, fifmeister's N7 thermal hoody.
This is an Extra Large.
And my N7 zipper hoody.
This is an Extra Small. As you can see, the two sizes don't make much sense, since they're probably about the same. For some perspective, I'm 5'7"+ and about 120lb. fifmeister is 5'9" and about 130.
As for the hoody itself, the material and construction are great. It's very warm and fleecy, the fabric seems sturdy, and the zipper's pretty heavy duty. The hood has a nice double layer. I might worry about the stripe and N7 washing off, but if it's the same stuff as my first N7 shirt, it'll probably hold up. (The stuff on my T-shirt has faded a little, but it just adds some character.)
Now for the bad things. It just doesn't fit well. The sleeves are long, but the cuffs are ridiculously tight, so the sleeves bunch up and look silly. The wide bottom strip is also very tight, so the hoody wants to slide up and sit above my hips, which makes it seem even shorter than it is and causes the zipper to bulge out. Not good. (This, I suspect, is mostly the fault of the one-way zipper. I don't understand why they're even used anymore. Two-way zippers on all jackets!)
Considering the fact that it's supposed to be a ladies' hoody, it sort of fails hardcore--it's not fitted in the least. It seems like they took the men's hoodies and just shortened them a lot. The pockets are way too high--I feel like a gerbil or something if I put my hands in them.
The hood is probably sufficiently deep for most people, but anyone who wears a high ponytail or a bun like I do will likely not be satisfied. It just isn't deep enough (although I've come to expect this from every hoody ever made, so it's not really that big of a deal).
Anyway, I'll be sending it back, since I could live with most of this but definitely not for $58.
fifmeister likes her hoody much better. It's a little on the big side, but she prefers things that aren't skin-tight. (Plus, there's always the chance it might shrink when washed.) The sleeves are nice and long (and the cuffs aren't overly tight like the other hoody) and the material is really comfortable.
Last thing is about the store itself. It said that the hoodies would ship by the 25th, and they didn't ship until the 28th. Not a huge deal, but still sorta annoying. I also got the sticker bundle and one of the stickers has a tear in the middle. Just a little nitpick--probably nobody will notice but me!