New fashion line takes U.S. Postal Service from driveway to runway
Associated Press
Given its credo that employees will deliver come rain, sleet, snow or shine, I think it’s safe to say the U.S. Postal Service and its carriers know a little something about weather.
Well, apparently that knowledge also translates to fashion.
Weeks after the U.S. Postal Service announced a potential cutback in mail delivery from six to five days a week, news is swirling that the cash-strapped agency will go from ZIP codes to hip clothes as it launches a fashion line next year in hopes of boosting revenue.
The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times report that the agency has partnered with the Cleveland-based Wahconah Group to design an inventory of all-weather coats, headgear, footwear, casual wear, athletic clothing and other apparel and accessories. The items will incorporate "wearable electronics" (think: jackets that can be hooked up to an iPod with volume controls on the sleeve) and decorative devices like brass buttons and Italian fabrics that could push the price for a USPS-inspired wool pea coat as high as $500.
The line, dubbed “Rain Heat & Snow,” will first launch men’s gear then expand to ladies’ wear.
Unfortunately, the fashions aren’t expected to hit premier department and specialty stores, like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's, until spring 2014.
So, until then, we’re left to wonder whether the products will conjure up sexy shades of grey (pun intended) and blue, or flashbacks of Cliff, the mailman from Cheers.
This actually isn’t the first time the federal agency has attempted to go vogue. In the 1980s, reports say, post offices briefly sold T-shirts and neckties, among other items, until Congress shut down the enterprise in the face of lobbyists’ complaints that the organization was directly competing with private businesses.
I’m of the mind that the fashion industry has officially gone postal with this one. How many people out there are really clamoring to profess their love for USPS by wearing clothes emblazoned with its logo? But maybe I just didn’t get the memo. Because they forgot to deliver it. When they were having meetings to come up with this concept.
Don’t hold back, fellow fashionistas: Do you think this idea is diva or dead on arrival?
Deal Diva Keyonna
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Katie Sanders foolishly spurned pretty dresses and shoes as a child, tossing new clothes over her shoulder at birthday parties with a totally rude "no, thank you." Her drab days of monocolor outfits are over now, and she certainly knows better than to turn down free stuff. Her wardrobe mixes classic with quirk. Think blazers with statement necklaces, and lots of patterned ballet flats. She can be reached at 850) 224-7263 or 
Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or 
A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or 
From camo pants and construction boots to sundresses, sweaters and sling backs, Keyonna Summers knows how to make all of it rock -- at rock bottom prices. A Detroit native, Keyonna delves into her urban roots to find fashion pairings that give a nod to street fashion while maintaining the class of the modern, professional woman. She believes in searching for affordable clothes that look expensive and can easily be dressed up or down. You won't find plaid shirts or fleece jackets in her closet; the only hiking Keyonna does is to the bargain basement. She can be reached at (727) 445-4153 or 
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