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SkinnyShirt Smoothing Undershirts

skinnyshirtThe ABC press release for episode 611 described the SkinnyShirt as a “button down and pullover shirt designed to make you look skinny.” One would think it was some sort of compression shirt – a la Hold Your Haunches. That’s not what SkinnyShirt creator Julie Kalimian had in mind. The ShinnyShirt is actually a morph of a tee-shirt or camisole with a button-down shirt.

When you wear it with a sweater, it looks like you have a button-down shirt on, but the “smoothness” of the tee-shirt doesn’t make you look like your smuggling candy into the movie theater! As you can see in the picture to the left, the woman looks a lot sleeker, slimmer, and neater while wearing her SkinnyShirt.

Kalimian started selling SkinnyShirts online back in 2010 and the brand is gaining traction. She’s done about half a million in sales – mostly from the website, but she’s in around 20 small boutiques and several “big” online retailers. She’s likely using her Shark Tank appearance to help with exposure for her brand; she probably wants a deal to get into mass retail, too.

My Take on SkinnyShirt

When I first saw this product, I thought of an article of clothing called a “dickie,” which is a turtleneck collar without a shirt attached. I remember my dad having some in the seventies – wearing one gave the appearance you were wearing a turtleneck without the bulk of an actual shirt. They were (are?) extremely tacky – right up there with clip-on ties.

SkinnyShirt takes that concept to the women’s market. Women want to be comfortable, yet still have a little fashion flair, whether it’s for the office or a casual night out. The picture of the woman wearing the SkinnyShirt looks nicer, and that’s the ultimate goal – to look nice.

I asked my wife her opinion. Unlike me, she goes to an office every day and needs to look professional. In the winter, sweaters are a wardrobe standard, as are collared shirts underneath. She likes the SkinnyShirts and said she wants one (or two). Her reasoning was straightforward: they look more comfortable and “less rumply.” I think that’s what Ms. Kalimian was shooting for; it looks like she has a winner.

Do Sharks Get the Skinny?

All I can think of is the disappointment Julie must have felt when she found out Daymond wasn’t on the panel; he could really help get a product like this moving. That said, Barbara and Lori could be very interested. After all, they did team up last year to invest in Hold Your Haunches – the butt slimming pants. Maybe they could do a package deal – Hold Your Haunches and SkinnyShirts would make women look like some sort of superhero goddess!

I believe Ms. Kalimian’s best hope is to do a deal with Barbara or Lori; I can’t see Mark, Kevin, or Robert going for this product. Kevin calls her a cockroach at some point in the pitch, but she stands up to him! Lori and/or Barbara, if they like Julie and the product, could bring value to this business. They’ve both done well with clothing products in the past and SkinnyShirt has a pretty big following.

I think Julie gets an offer, but whether she does or not, women will identify with this product and go out and buy it.

 

About Rob Merlino

Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.

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