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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 Sweater and Silk Shirt Review {updated March 2017}

{update 3.2.17: As some of my friends (ok just one friend, hi Tiff! lol) call me Ms. Everlane Guru, I have amassed 50 (maybe 60?) reviews of Everlane items that can be found here sorted by clothing type, or here sorted by my favorites->least favorite}

So this is part 2 of my Everlane clothing review.  Part 1 was the Everlane tee shirt review and before that, I reviewed the Everlane Petra Magazine Tote.  I also have the Everlane Modern Loafer and I the Everlane Street Shoe on the way so I'll be doing reviews about their shoes next.  What can I say, I'm semi-obsessed with their stuff.  But I promise that's it...until I buy anything else from them (though looking at what's coming, I'm a bit iffy about Everlane's next releases).  Hopefully this review will help you figure out your Everlane sizing.

Like the tee shirt review, I'll be listing what I have, a quick note about quality, and what size I wear (I'm usually a size 4 or small on top, size 2 at places like GAP or sometimes Jcrew){note: I like my sweaters on the looser side, so if you are fit and like them fitted I say size down}:

- My first sweater and all-time favorite item from Everlane, is their seed-stitch sweater.  Unfortunately it's no longer being sold, but I would say the closest cousin is the Cotton Crew Neck Sweater.  But the weaves are different and it looks like the Cotton Crew might stretch out a bit {but I don't really know since I've never tried it}.  My black seed-stitch sweater is pictured below.  It's the perfect weight for a layered look during the summer in San Francisco (which as I type this post is a very cool 58 degrees).  I got it in a small, and it's still over-sized, but it's perfect for wearing over a collared shirt for a preppy look.  I've washed this numerous times and it stayed perfectly in shape.  I really hope Everlane brings back this sweater!

- My next purchase was the Everlane Short-Sleeved Sweatshirt (pictured in navy on the model in the top picture).  I purchased it in black and in a small.  The fit, again, is oversized but I think it works well with the look (as long as you're wearing skinny jeans).  The quality is again excellent, with a heavy cotton weight.  I don't wear it as often as I'd like because it's hard to find the right temperature for a sweatshirt but also short sleeves, but I still love the look.

- I also have the Everlane Crew Sweatshirt in Grey Marled (pictured on the model on the right).  I got this in an XS, but wish I had gotten it in the S.  It comes up a bit short around the waist on the XS size, but the fit is boxy.  I think if it's going to be an oversized fit, then it would look better longer than too short.  Quality is also great and I would say the price is reasonable for $40.

-The last sweater I bought was the Everlane French Terry sweater in both cool grey and heather brick.  I bought the heather brick in XS, but it was too snug and I didn't like the color.  So I tried again with the French Terry in grey size small.  But unfortunately I don't really like that one either though the fit was a little better.  The material is wonderfully soft so I could still wear it as loungewear during the winter, however the way the sweater falls on the body is not flattering unless you're literally a model {specifically, if you have any hint of a muffin top, the bottom hem of the sweater kind of clings to it--ick not flattering at all}.  Also the maintenance of washing by hand is just not for me (it's made of polyester, rayon and spandex). 

For other peoples' take on Everlane's sweaters: Review of their cashmere sweater, and another one about cashmere, and a review of their crew sweatshirt

I also have Everlane's silk sleeveless blouse in black (on the model on the the left in the picture above).  It's the only silk thing I own from Everlane.  I think the quality of the silk is great; it's feels pretty thick and durable.  It's not cheap for $60 but worth it.  {When writing this post I just took a look at the item on their website, and who knew it only costs $27 to actually produce this item (and $33 for long sleeves).  Just think about the mark-up at places like Equipment, which sells silk shirts for at least $200.}  I bought a size small and it fits perfectly.  I'm eyeing the modern point silk shirt and might do another separate review of their silks if I get that one as well.     

For my other Everlane reviews (on shoes, shirts, and their Petra tote) the links are listed on the right if you're on a computer, or scroll to the bottom if you're on your phone (all reviews are done with items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored, but if you'd like to help me purchase more items to review, my referral link is here, Thanks!).

 

Everlane V-neck, U-neck, Box Cut, and Drop Shoulder T-Shirt Reviews {updated May 2018}

Pictures from Everlane, compiled by me

Pictures from Everlane, compiled by me

Since people seemed to like my Everlane Petra Tote Review post, I thought I would review some of their clothes (especially to get an understanding on Everlane sizing).  I own a lot of clothes from Everlane.  I discovered Everlane about a year and a half ago and have been continually checking their site for new stuff ever since.  And that's because I think the quality of their clothes is pretty good for the price, but it depends on what you purchase.  Since their items are made at different factories, I think it's just natural that quality will vary a little, but they really do try their best to make it the best.  So below I've listed what I have, a quick note about quality, and what size I wear (I'm usually a size 4 or small on top, size 2 at places like GAP or sometimes Jcrew){note: I like my shirts on the looser side, so if you are fit and like them fitted I say go for an XXS when I say I got an XS}:

-I started my collection with the U-neck shirt (I was looking to find a cheaper alternative to the soft shirts from James Perse, Rag & Bone, splendid, etc.).  I usually buy it in an XS and even then it's a very loose fit (so I would say it runs a bit big), except in white where I bought a small since I like my white shirt to be loose since it's on the sheer side.  As for quality: as you can see in the top photo (the U neck is bottom right stack), the neck line does get stretched out a bit, but for $15 I don't mind too much.

-The V-neck shirts hold up quite a bit better, and are my favorite shirts from Everlane.  The V cut isn't too deep but just enough to be flattering.  Again I get XS, unless it's white which I get in S.  They are not as loose as the U-neck shirts.  I have a ton of these shirts, also priced at $15 (they used to have a lot of different colors, but right now they only have a muted black, white, and heather grey).  They're super soft and comfy.  Thought it's a bit hard to see, I'm wearing the heather grey one (the only one priced at $18) in the photo below with the Mansur Gavriel bag.

-The Box Cut Tee is my next favorite shirt.  Since I have a fairly long torso but short legs, I look better with tops that aren't too long.  And the box cut tee is the perfect length for the times I wear higher waisted jeans.  I wear XS for all the box cut tees.  Also these are the only shirts that I have with a higher neckline for those times when I want to be a bit more conservative (like when I'm in Japan).  The box cut tee holds it's structure the most since I think it's made with a  slightly thicker cotton than the other 2 styles.

-I only have one of the Cotton Drop Shoulder Tee, in muted black, which I haven't really worn that often.  But I do like the style of the longer sleeves, for those days when my triceps feel extra flabby.  Again the fit is on the loose side.

{I don't own any of the cotton slub or Ryan shirts because even though I like looser fits, I think those are just too loose and too big for my 5'4" frame.  It's just not the right proportions for me.  So I can't attest to their quality though I've read somewhere the Ryan tee, made of rayon, doesn't hold up so well in the wash (the rayon shrinks). Here are some reviews from other blogs/sites about the ryan tee, the ryan tank, the ryan tank dress (which IMHO is one of the least flattering dresses I've ever seen), and the cotton slub shirts.}

All of these cotton shirts are made in a factory in LA, and so the quality is consistently pretty good (except maybe for the U-neck).  And for $15 each (except for the heather grey color or the cotton drop shoulder tee), I love wearing these as my daily basic shirt.  Though Everlane values these shirts at a "Traditional Retail Price" of $45 (a common gripe I've seen on Reddit is that Everlane overvalues the traditional retail, which I tend to agree with), it's still a good value at $15.

When I wear these shirts I don't have to worry about spilling on myself, which I do fairly often (what can I say... I'm a messy eater).  But be aware, these are not James Perse or Rag & Bone quality tees (different weaves/textures and different cuts).  Yet these aren't your regular 'ole Hanes T shirts either.  They fit a space in between, and for me that space is the perfect daily tee.  

{If you enjoyed this post and feel like helping me out, this link to Everlane, is a referral and if you purchase anything will give me a $25 credit towards my next Everlane purchase/product to review.  Thank you so much!}

{Also here is a 2016 review of Everlane's new shirts: the Slim Crew shirt, the Muscle Tank, and the micro stripe shirts.}

{6.6.16 edit: It's almost been a year since I've purchased these tees and I've been wearing an Everlane tee almost daily.  I should note that the heather gray shirts are made from a different material than the other colors and so they will stretch out the most.  Also if you're looking for a tee that is a bit more polished, I would suggest not getting Everlane tees since the collars on these tees will wrinkle and twist so it doesn't lie flat.  Also the muted black shirt will fade a lot but the true black will hold it's color better.  I'm still a fan of these tees since I use them mostly as work shirts for the garage and so they'll get grease stains or other grime on it.  Plus these tees are really soft and comfy.}

{2.28.17 edit: So thought I would update this post by saying I hardly ever wear Everlane tees anymore.  I've found that their quality just isn't that great after multiple washes and wear.  The gray tees are all super stretched out (which now at least make great PJ tops), the box cut tees shrank a bit and they're too short now, and I got a bunch of holes in my white shirts that got big fast.  Also a lot of the shirts started to lose their softness.  Right now I'm basically wearing Grana tees daily and find that their pima tees are thicker and hold up much better with repeated wear and washes.  Just wanted to give my honest opinion since it's really changed in the last 6 months!}

{May 2018 Update: So I'm back to wearing Everlane tees, especially their cotton crew.  Some of their tees have definitely been redesigned since this review 3 years ago.  I'll be doing an update review soon, but just wanted to let y'all know that my current favorite is their cotton crew tee.  Also I would advise getting any color in Everlane's tees except for their black.  I think something in their dye makes the tee less soft with repeated washings, and they start picking up dog hair like crazy.  At first I thought it might be because dog hair it more noticable on black but I found the same doesn't happen to my Everlane crew tee in olive (and that's a pretty dark color).}

{Also I just wrote this update about all my ethical black tees if you’re interested in how they’ve all held up!}