Storq Review: The Caftan

Just going to do a super short review today since I wanted to mention how the Storq Caftan fit on me and how I liked it. Sorry it’s not my usual more comprehensive review, but I don’t really have the time for many of those these days!

image from Grechen’s blog here

So as much as I love my Storq nursing tank (reviewed here), Easy Pants (reviewed here, which I’m still wearing at least 3x a week at 9 weeks postpartum) and Storq pencil skirt, I have to be honest and say not all of their clothing works for me. I didn’t care for their T-shirt dress and their maternity tank top (reviewed here as part of the basics bundle). And well, I’ll have to add this caftan to the list of Storq no-go’s. I really wanted to like it because I loved how it looked on Grechen here. Also it’s such a great option to nurse in (there’s not a lot of maxi dresses made responsibly that you can easily breastfeed a baby in). But for some reason when I try it on, I look like I stepped out of a Mormon compound. Grechen and I are about the same height so how does it look so good on her? Maybe because she’s pregnant and I’m not? Maybe it’s the way she unbuttoned the top and tied the sash?

Anyway just for reference, I got my usual Storq size 3 (go off of their pre-pregnancy measurements not their pre-pregnancy sizes) and I think it fit well. The cotton is a super soft and comfy fabric, kind of like a lightweight flannel. I like the nursing option, the sleeves and the side-slits on the dress. But for some reason it just doesn’t feel right on me. After posting it on insta-story I got some tips to try rolling up the sleeves or going for a different shoe, so I might try those options when I get a chance and update this review. Or I might just sell it on eBay since I can’t return it (it was a sale item).

What do you think? What can I do to make it less dowdy?

P.S. Just to let you all know I’m current with all my reviews, which also means I don’t have any scheduled. So my posting might become more sporadic since I have to write whenever baby’s sleeping. But don’t worry if you don’t hear from me. I’m still going to blog when I can!

Storq Review: The Nursing Tank

via because you’re not going to see a pic with me wearing this tank and breastfeeding >.<

*This was kindly gifted to me by Storq with no strings attached and in fact, no follow-up or pestering despite this review being several months after said gift. Seriously they’re so chill (which is a godsend for a newborn mom who’s also trying to blog).

Even before the baby was born I purchased nursing bras like these on Amazon, anticipating the need to breastfeed on the go or in somewhat public areas. It was a bit foolish in hindsight because now that I am breastfeeding, I rather just stay home to do it and schedule my errands around feeding time (luckily I have my mom here so I can do this, otherwise I definitely would not have this luxury). So I don’t really have a need for those nursing bras, nor did they fit. It took me years to finally get the right bra size and right bra (mostly thanks to ThirdLove and no thanks to Victoria’s Secret), and then pregnancy and breastfeeding up and changes my boob size. So of course ordering some bras blindly from Amazon didn’t work out. So I’m so thankful that the people at Storq reached out to me to see if I wanted to try something from their nursing line.

I know I said I would stop taking freebies from brands in exchange for reviews, but when Storq asks if you want anything it’s so hard to resist. Not only are their items ethically made in the US and China (much like Everlane), but their stuff is so practical and well-made! And since I returned the nursing bras on Amazon, I needed something on the rare occasion I was going to breastfeed in a public place. So I opted for their nursing tank.

Side note: I chose their tank over the bra because the C-section belt that the hospital sent me home with gave me a nasty rash and I really wanted a tank to cover that and my stretch marks. Also I figured a tank would be great to layer under button up shirts.

So what do I think about the tank?

Honestly, I love it. It’s made from the same modal and spandex combo material as my favorite Storq skirt (reviewed here) so it’s soft and stretchy. It provides enough support on top but it’s stretchy enough to accomodate my remaining belly. I love the clips at the top of the bra that make it easy for nursing. It’s an all around great basic tank.

And lately I’ve been using this nursing tank with my Willow breast pump (I decided to splurge on myself and give myself a little freedom when breast pumping. I’ll do a full review of it and compare it with the spectra and a medela later). And it’s been great: stretchy enough to accomodate the pumps but doesn’t stretch out and lose its shape.

Anyway if you’re looking for a great basic nursing tank or nursing bra substitute, I highly recommend checking out this one from Storq!

P.S. You can find all my other Storq reviews here.

P.P.S. Thanks to Allison for reminding me to mention Storq sizing. If you size according to their pre-pregnancy size, things will run a tad small. For example my pre-pregnancy size is between 4-6 and I’m usually a small, but I size everything from Storq in size 3 which is actually a pre-pregnancy size of 8-10. But I go based off of their pre-pregnancy measurements, which is accurate.

Maternity Leggings Review: Storq vs Hatch vs PACT vs Target vs Uniqlo

L to R: Uniqlo, Target, PACT, Hatch, Storq

Since the majority of my pregnancy is during the Fall, Winter and Spring months I needed some leggings to keep me warm under dresses (I’m just not a fan of maternity pants/jeans, though I did purchase a pair of overalls that act as go-to my jeans). I’ve just been on a waistband ban since pretty much the beginning of the pregnancy and have been wearing dresses as long as I could get away with them. But with the cold weather I need some leggings and so I tried a bunch out, both maternity and not. And here’s a comprehensive review of them all:

First of all there are two kinds of maternity leggings: over the belly and under the belly types. Over the belly is great when you want a bit of extra warmth and support around your mid-section. But for me personally, I like the under-belly types since I’m just not a fan of anything putting pressure on the belly. Also some leggings can technically be worn alone as pants, but the ones I wanted were more like opaque tights that I could wear under dresses. So without further ado…

Storq Basic Leggings ($60) made of 92% modal and 8% spandex

For a full review of them, go here. But a quick summary: these are great over the belly leggings if you’re tall (at least 5’6” and above). Otherwise the legs are way too long and the torso portion comes up to right under my bra (and there’s a seam that goes up that irritated my belly every time I wore them). However if you are tall and are looking for a pair of super soft, stretchy, fully opaque and ethically-made over the belly leggings these are probably your best bet.

Hatch Premium Leggings ($128) made of 88% nylon and 12% lycra

These are under the belly leggings that are thick enough to wear alone as pants if you choose to do so. They run a tad small and the size 2 (medium) was a bit tight for me though I’m normally a medium. I also found that the waistband folds and bends, which is a pet peeve of mine. At $128 these are the most expensive of the bunch, and I think the worst value. They weren’t the softest and I found they had a bit of a scratchiness to them. They are however made in New York and so if we assume they are following all US laws (and why not), then they are ethically made and workers are paid a fair wage. This is also presumably why they are the most expensive.

PACT Leggings ($30) made of 92% organic cotton and 8% elastane

These are not maternity specific leggings but since I knew I was looking for some under the belly leggings, I thought these might work. So I purchased them in a large (I’m regularly a medium) and I think they work fine. Since they are on the thicker side, you can wear them as stand alone pants and they are fully opaque. I did find the large were a bit too big in the leg area for me and they bagged a bit, but they weren’t too long (I’m 5’4”) so they’re probably too short for those who are a bit taller and want to keep their ankles covered. As for me, I found them to be the perfect length and they hit right at the ankles. The seams are a bit more noticeable than the Storq leggings and the PACT leggings aren’t as soft as the Storq ones, but for half the price I found them to be of pretty good value. So far these have held up great though I’ve heard mixed reviews about these leggings and some people have found that they don’t last very long (I personally don’t wear leggings all that often, maybe about once a week max and these aren’t my favorite so I’m probably not wearing them more than once a month right now).

Target Isabel Maternity Leggings by Ingrid & Isabel ($20) made of 87% polyester and 13% spandex

I decided to try these undoubtedly unethical line of leggings because after doing some research on the internet, a couple of mommy forums were raving about how great these leggings were. And as much as I wanted to stick to ethical clothing during my pregnancy, I wanted to keep an open mind about what’s out there (who knows, maybe the cheapest option really is the most comfortable). Well even though these leggings promised to be seamless they weren’t. I definitely felt the large seams running up and down my leg and that made it uncomfortable. Also I tried both the over the belly and under the belly versions of these and both were too long in the legs for me. The material for these were the most athletic and had a sheen to them, which is not what I was looking for in my leggings. In the end I returned them and at least I know I wasn’t missing out.

Uniqlo Heat Tech Leggings ($14.90) made of 38% polyester, 32% acrylic, 21% rayon and 9% spandex

So these were my go-to pair of leggings I was wearing under dresses and skirts pre-pregnancy and are several years old. I don’t know why I just didn’t try these out first since I already had them, but for some reason I had it in my head that maternity leggings had to be over the belly. Only after trying out the various leggings up top did I realize that I, one, dislike over the belly leggings and that, two, these heat tech leggings worked just as well during pregnancy (I just have to roll over the waistband a couple times to make them fit under the belly). And this was the most ethical and cost-effective solution since I’ve already had these for several years. Too bad I only discovered this after already going through all the ones above facepalm.

Ah well so lesson learned: try what you have first (the first lesson in ethical closets, right?). So that’s what I recommend: if you already have a favorite pair of leggings, see if they work for you by rolling the waistband to make them under the belly leggings (especially if you’re only briefly pregnant in the winter/spring months). If not, then depending on your height and what you may need I recommend either the Storq ones or the PACT ones.

P.S. I’ve just recently tried these faux leather leggings from Ingrid and Isabel (through Rent the Runway Unlimited and these are not the Target line but their own branded leggings) and I have to say I love these under the belly leggings. They’re very thick and warm and if you’re wearing a maternity tunic, it’s sort of like wearing pants. The medium size is very true to size and fit me perfectly. If you’re looking for something that’s a bit more than your regular ‘ole leggings I highly recommend these!

Unsponsored Storq Review: The Basics Bundle

All images including this one are from their site here.

This is my third review of Storq, the first two being a review of their Easy Pants (here) and their leggings (here). If you haven’t heard of Storq, you can read more about them here. But I like to think of them as the Everlane for basic maternity wear. They make quality clothing responsibly in factories in Los Angeles and China. Since they are direct to consumer, they’re able to keep their prices somewhat reasonable (especially if you compare them to maternity lines like Hatch!).

Technically I could have included the leggings in this review since it is part of their Basics Bundle but decided to separate it out since I plan to talk a lot about various maternity leggings and wanted to reference it specifically (I’m getting ready for a Comparison Review of Storq vs. PACT vs. Target vs. Hatch so stay tuned if you’re interested!). Anyway the other 3 pieces in Storq’s basics bundle are their T-shirt dress, white tank and pencil skirt. All of these pieces can be purchased separately but when bundled together you save about $14. So is it worth it?

Here’s what it boils down to, if you’re 5’6” and taller, I think this might be worth it for you. But for us petite gals, since this does not come in petite sizing you’re going to have to compromise on fit. Similar to what I said in my Storq leggings review, the quality is great but you have to make the fit work (so for the leggings I would bunch it up near the top of the thighs so it wouldn’t bunch up near the knees).

All items are made of 92% modal and 8% spandex which make them really soft and stretchy. They’re super comfortable and don’t feel synthetic-y even with all the stretchiness.

But if you don’t need or want any one of these three pieces, don’t get the whole bundle. Just get the pieces that you want. For me, some items were clearly a winner while the others did not work for me at all (and I ended up selling them off through eBay—which was pretty easy to do).

So let me start off with the pieces that I didn’t care for:

1) The white tank was just too sheer. You can see the bra outline and even your belly button. For me, I wear it as a layering piece under something else and would never wear it by itself. Also since it’s made for tall people, the torso is ultra long on me. I haven’t sold it yet but I’m considering it.

2) The T-shirt dress is also way too long for me. It becomes quite a midi dress on my frame and doesn’t look great IMO. Also the modal/spandex material is quite thin and can easily show panty lines, which I’m also not a fan of. I ended up selling this off on eBay pretty immediately.

Now onto the clear winner of the set for me: the pencil skirt. What makes this pencil skirt so great is that it is made with a double layer of the modal/spandex material so unlike the t-shirt dress there’s no VPL. Plus the extra layer helps hold in the belly better. I usually pull this skirt right up to the bra-line and it falls right at the knees. I also like the way the skirt tapers down a bit at the knees, which does make taking large steps difficult but gives the whole thing a nice silhouette (especially when wearing a bigger or boxier top). Also it’s basically seamless so there’s no rubbing point and I love that.

{Wearing: Everlane Oversized Alpaca Crew (reviewed here), Storq Pencil Skirt (size 3), Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here)}

So for me, the Basics Bundle was not worth it. Also the fact that it comes in a plastic pouch is a turn off because really I don’t need another plastic pouch in my life (though I understand it’s reusable). I ended up giving it to the buyer of the t-shirt dress. But for me personally it was worth trying out this bundle since I’m able to write this review here lol. Also I love the pencil skirt and still use the leggings (for now, until I find one that works better for me). But for everyone else, I think it’s worth it to just pick and choose what you want and skip this bundle that really only saves you $14 (and who knows if you’ll use or like all the pieces).

P.S. That maternity leggings comparison post is here. And you can find all my other storq reviews here.

Unsponsored Storq Review: The Easy Pants {Updated April 2019}

When I first learned I was pregnant (and I got over the “oh sh*t” moment and finally got around to thinking about clothes), I knew I wanted to 1) not buy too many maternity clothes that will just last me for less than a year and 2) that I wanted to source them as ethically as possible. So my first order of business once the bump started being too large for my normal clothes, was hitting up my neighborhood thrift store and buying dresses in large. But there came a point where I needed to get pants that fit the bump and the ones at the thrift store weren’t cutting it. I also tried out maternity jeans purchased from eBay and I’m not a fan (jeans are just too constricting when all I want right now is loose and comfy). So with some direction from Constant Closet (seriously love her gram) and some other mamas and fellow mamas-to-be I took a look at ethical brand Storq.

If you haven’t heard of Storq yet, they’re like the Everlane of maternity clothes. Simple, yet modern basics made ethically in American and Chinese factories with a focus on worker safety, fair wages, and commitment to minimizing environmental impact. And they keep prices reasonable by being direct to consumer. You can read all about their ethics and mission here.

Sounds great on paper so how do their products measure up?

{Wearing: Everlane rib cashmere round crew (reviewed here), Storq Easy Pants, Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here), Everlane form bag (c/o, reviewed here)}

Well the first thing I ordered was their Easy Pant because they look a lot like my favorite Grana Silk Ankle pants but in soft and comfy Supima cotton. I can no longer fit my Grana pants, so these cotton ones are the perfect alternative. The high-quality cotton is super soft and stretchy, with a really big elastic band that can accomodate my growing belly. Sometimes the elastic on my Grana pants flip, which can be annoying so I love that this never happens with these Storq pants. Also love that these pants have pockets (a necessity of course) and the slightly tapered leg. The pants were so comfy I even went hiking with them with no problems!

I’m 5’4” and I find that they’re the perfect ankle length on me (but I do wear them at the belly. If I wear them below my belly then the pants are a tad long and I'll probably hem them when the time comes to wear it like that). I’m wearing a size 3 here which is recommended for those who were a medium (size 8-10) pre-pregnancy. I got a size larger than my usual because my fibroids have made my belly bigger than the usual pregnant lady’s.

So if you’re looking for some stretchy and comfy pants from a company whose values align with yours, I can’t recommend Storq enough! I’ve worn these multiple times already and have included them in my Fall 10x10 Challenge (which is where I pulled some of these pics from). I look forward to wearing them throughout the pregnancy and even post-partum (I might actually never get rid of these super comfy atheleisure pants lol).

{April 2019 Update: I just wanted to let you all know that I’m still loving these pants post-partum. They’re perfect for the little belly I still have left. I now wear them above my little pooch which is lower than where the pregnancy bump was, and I find it super comfortable and yet flattering. Who knew I would get such great mileage from these pants? Also if you want to read my other Storq reviews (this one was my first) you can find them here.}