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Moving from conspicuous to conscious consumption and doing reviews along the way.  Find plenty of unsponsored reviews of Quince, Everlane, Grana, and Cuyana on the site!  I'm working towards a minimal waste lifestyle, and oh yea I love bags >.<

Everlane Review: The Keepers and Returns in 2021 {Updated February 2022}

Everlane Review 2021
 

Instead of writing one review for every Everlane item I’ve tried so far this year, I decided to lump them all into one. Yes, I’m still doing Everlane reviews in 2021 but that’s because I’m trying to use up my referral credit that I’ve earned with them in the past (with the exception of one pair of jeans-but really I’ve earned those jeans with all my work since 2017). So I’ve been trying things that I might like and then returning the ones that I don’t. And I might as well write about them here 🤷🏻‍♀️(especially if these reviews help inform your purchasing decisions).

The Keepers

ReNew Transit Weekender: I’ve tried the Lo & Sons O.G. Overnight bag for traveling and as much as I like supporting a small BIPOC woman-owned brand, the bag just didn’t work for me. I think it might have been a bit too small for traveling. So when I was looking for a travel bag for my flight back to Cali from Hawaii, I decided to use some old Everlane credit to get this weekender bag. And I have to say this is the best bag I’ve tried so far with air travel. First of all it fits a ton, but there are a ton of pockets both inside and out that are useful and make sense (no extra small pockets where you go “what am I supposed to use that for?”). There’s a padded pocket for my laptop and large pockets to fit pretty much anything. I also like that the bag can fit over the handles of your luggage with an easy unzip of another exterior pocket (that acts like a pocket if you don’t unzip it). There are also two mesh bottle holders inside the bag, which is unique and also quite useful. Since it’s part of their ReNew line, the bag is made of recycled plastic. If you’re planning to travel a lot, I definitely recommend checking out this bag.

ReNew Sport Sandal (wearing in above picture): This is basically Everlane’s version of Teva sandals. They look very similar and both are made from recycled plastic. However I don’t own any Tevas so I can’t tell you how they compare to Everlane’s version. I chose the Everlane ones over the Tevas because I had credit at Everlane, but if I were to pay for sandals I would choose the Tevas because not only are they cheaper (by around $18) but Tevas also has a take back program so they’re technically recyclable.

 

90’s Cheeky Straight Jeans (gifted): As I mentioned in my What I Bought in June post, I originally got these with credit and I liked it. But when Everlane sent out their monthly line sheet (the newly released items that influencers can choose from) I saw that they still had these jeans on there and decided to try get them for free. Yes I do feel a bit shady getting things gifted from Everlane still but a part of me wanted to see if they would still send me free things. So yep I guess for now my old reviews still generates enough income for me to be “worthy.” Anyway I like how these jeans fit (I tried the curvy version by accident—see below, and those did not fit me at all). Anyway I got a size 30 (I know whoa) in the ankle length and they fit well. I’m still not used to full length jeans (I like the ankle look) and so I think I’ll be folding the hem up when I wear these again the future. But overall, they’re a good pair of mom jeans for an affordable price.

A-line Denim Short (wearing in the top pic): I used some credit to get these denim shorts. All my denim shorts before this were very short and distressed and didn’t fit. So I thought it’s about time to get some longer “mom” jean shorts to go along with my new mom bod lol (I got these in my new size of 30). I really like the A-line shape of these jeans along with the higher waist. I roll up the hems because they’re a tad too long for me but I like the look of them rolled up as well. Since I got these jean shorts, I’ve worn them about 3 times a week and washed them a handful of times, and I have to say they are very well-made shorts. These shorts reminds me of why I loved Everlane so much in the first place.


The Returns

The Curvy 90’s Cheeky Jeans: These jeans did not fit me at all. I guess I’m not the curvy type because they were way too big in the butt region. So I returned them for the regular 90’s Cheeky Jeans.

The Forever Slip-On Sneakers: Love the cushiness of the platform soles and the width of these shoes (yay they’re not too narrow for my wide-ish feet). But the’re heavy shoes and they don’t have any arch support. Also the shoe tends to rub the back of the heel, which should get better after a breaking-in period. But I don’t do shoes that need a breaking-in period (I have no patience with uncomfortable shoes these days). So back they went.

The Leather Platform Sandal: Uncomfortable and heavy as heck.


In the end, I have to say Everlane still makes some great classic products (though I do think they over-produce quite a bit, I mean just take a look at their fairly massive sales). So I can’t classify them as ethical fashion, nor can I go back to my Everlane-addict days. Yet I see them as filling a spot in many closets, much like a GAP or Uniqlo, of providing affordable basics. I’m not too sure how my relationship with them will continue in the future (as of yet I’m still getting offered gifts but haven’t accepted any more). I know I like to keep my closet fairly diverse with other small brands and BIPOC makers, but just maybe Everlane still has a small place in it too (#FastFashionWornSlow has some merits too, no?).

 

{February 2022 Update: Since the 6 months that I’ve written this post, I purchase another 90’s cheeky jean in Deep Atlantic (which I’m wearing above) and they’ve been my go-to jeans all fall and winter. I love love love them. Also since this post I’ve only purchased one other item in Febraury (review coming soon) but I’m no longer an affiliate as of the new year—maybe they might have seen this review and given up on me. Anyway since I’m neither an affiliate nor an ambassador (ie no longer receiving free items), I’m technically allowed to refer people again. So if you are new to Everlane, this referral link will get you $25 off your first purchase. It will also give me $25 in credit so I can maybe get one thing a year on credit (so thank you!).}

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