Everlane GoWeave Track Pants Review

Today I'll be reviewing Everlane's GoWeave Track Pants.  I've reviewed their Street Fleece Track Pants before, and I would say that their GoWeave variety of track pants is very similar in style.  But first a note on sizing.  Everlane is trying to go from S, M, L sizing to actual number sizing and so it can be a bit tricky to find your size in these pants (but luckily the waistband is elastic, so the sizing is somewhat forgiving).  I usually go from a size 4-6 (about 28 in jeans) and since Everlane's clothing runs large for the most part, I went with a size 4 and they fit perfectly in the waist (but the overall fit was another story).

The best thing about these pants is the GoWeave fabric.  It feels stretchy enough but not too stretchy and the fabric felt smooth and lightweight.  

But I did not like the pants themselves and mostly because of the fit.  Just like with the Street Fleece pants, this style is clearly not for pear-shaped me.  First, my legs are a tad too short and so the fabric pools a little at my ankles.  Since there are zipper closures at the bottom hem at the ankles, I'm not sure how easy it would be to hem them to the right length if you're too short.  Also the thick elastic band at the waist isn't doing me any favors either.  The material is thin enough that if the pants are snug around your butt, you will definitely see some panty-lines.  The GoWeave fabric is said to be wrinkle resistant but it's not wrinkle-proof and so there were some weird wrinkles across my thighs from how the pants were packaged (see picture on the left below).  And last but not least, the fabric picks up lint like crazy.

So I think the lesson learned here: Everlane track pants are not for my body-type.  But I am interested in seeing how the GoWeave cropped trousers are.  I ordered both pants at the same time but I guess the cropped trousers are just way more popular (they must have been on backorder and didn't ship until just last week).  Which means it'll be another week or so until I get it, but I'll review those as soon as I get them!  

Everlane Swing Trench Review

Hi guys, it's been over a month since I said I would review Everlane's Swing Trench coat, but it's finally here (this one's for you Esther!).  I originally decided to finally try out the Swing Trench (it's been in Everlane's lineup for quite some time now) when I saw their email campaign about it last month.  I stayed away from it before because I used to have a trench of the same shape and it just wasn't really flattering on me unless I belted it.  And well, this trench felt kinda eh as well.

But first the pros:

-The quality of the material is really nice.  It feels durable and it's a nice thick material (which keeps its structure).  I don't think it's water proof but probably water resistant.  

-I like the details of the flap on the front and there's a hook at the collar in the front too (it's styling and details are similar to a Burberry trench that I have)

But the cons:

-It all comes down to fit for me.  I think if you're taller or have longer legs the proportions might work out.  But since I'm short and a pear shape, the A-line shape of the trench seems to add bulk.  I just didn't like the shape of it (which might be a common thing because I see people reselling their Everlane's swing trench on ebay all the time).

I wasn't in love with it (unlike the Everlane's anorak which I adored) and with my limited closet space in the Airstream (and oh man I should take a picture of it because really it's a capsule wardrobe due to the sheer limitation in size), I don't have space for items I don't love.  As usual, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here.

{edit: And I forgot to add, I ordered this in a size small}

Cuyana Mini Saddle Bag Review (and Comparison to Mansur Gavriel Crossbody) {March 2018 Update}

Hi guys, thought I would switch it up a little today by reviewing something other than Everlane or Mansur Gavriel.  The last time I reviewed a Cuyana bag it was their Classic Leather Tote.  That was the first time I tried out a bag from Cuyana and I found their leather and bag quality in general to be pretty awesome.  So I was eager to see what their new saddle bags were like, especially since I've been wearing out my Mansur Gavriel crossbody (review here) with daily use.  

First, a note on the two sizes of the Cuyana saddle bag.  The regular Cuyana saddle bag measures 9.5" H x 10.75" W x 3.5" D; while the mini saddle bag measures 6.5" H x 7" W x 2.5" D.  So the regular saddle bag is 3 inches higher and almost 4 inches wider but only an inch deeper.  I went with the mini version because the regular just looked too wide for a compact crossbody that I would use daily.  But the regular size is just $100 more so I would say it's a really good value (which seems to be evidenced by the fact that the larger sizes are always sold out).

Now onto the review of the bag.  First the pros:

- The leather, as expected from Cuyana, is really awesome.  Soft and buttery, it's what you would expect good Italian leather to feel like.  

- The price on this bag ($195) feels totally reasonable too.  If you look at Everlane's Italian made crossbody, they go for $365 while Mansur Gavriel's saddle bag crossbody goes for $495-$595.

- I love the gold bar detail at the magnetic clasp.  It makes a boring old saddle bag a little more interesting.

But in the end I didn't keep it because:

- It was just way too tiny.  I don't need to carry a lot on a daily basis but the bag could only hold my phone, keys, and wallet (and my wallet is pretty compact as it is).  I couldn't really fit sunglasses with a case in there (and lately I need to carry around sunglasses since there's sunshine all the time in San Jose-- so different from foggy SF).  I think it might feel smaller than it actually is because the opening of the bag is quite small.

- Also the bag is not lined on the inside and I like my bags with cotton lining, but that's just a personal preference.

(And there's those Adidas slides I talked about, the ones that my husband think are hideous, but give me 90's nostalgia, lol.  They're not quite blog-worthy shoes, but hey that's just what I was wearing at the time).  Anyways in these pictures, the mini saddle bag doesn't look that small, but I guess I'm so used to the size of my Mansur Gavriel crossbody so it felt tiny.

For reference the (regular) Mansur Gavriel crossbody is 7"H x 9.25"W x 2.25"D {and Cuyana's mini saddle bag is 6.5" H x 7" W x 2.5" D}.  So Cuyana's version is deeper but the shorter width and small opening at the top make the bag feel smaller.  Also I ended up sticking with the Mansur Gavriel version because it's lined and its larger magnet makes opening and closing the bag really quick and easy.  

Anyway if you're looking for a super high quality leather saddle bag that's reasonably priced and you don't need to carry a lot of things (or conversely if you do need to carry a lot of things, you might want to try the regular size), then I think Cuyana's bags might work for you.  Currently these bags are sold out on Cuyana (all sizes and colors but I've seen them do periodic restocks-without fanfare so make sure you sign up for restock notices if you're interested).  As usual this post is not sponsored and if you're interested in other products from this brand, check out all my Cuyana reviews here.  

{March 2018 Update: So it's been 2 years since this review and things have changed. I loved my MG crossbody bag and wore it consistently for 6 months, after which the leather where the handles attached to the bag got all crumbly and disintegrated.  I cannot stand by MG's calf leather quality and I am not the only one.  Read this eye-opening post here.}

Everlane Anorak Review

Last year, when Everlane released their anorak I remember being asked by an Everlane customer service rep at their Open Studio, what I thought about their rain jacket.  And I remember telling her I loved the look of it but I wasn't about to spend $100 on a rain jacket when California was in their third year of a severe drought with no end in sight.  Fast forward a year and this March has been one rain storm after another (one of which water-damaged my Mansur Gavriel).  Well after finding myself wearing my one waterproof Arcteryx jacket (a great jacket but it's a real sporty/outdoorswoman/NorthFace look) a 6th day in a row, I was ready to buy Everlane's anorak (purchased with credits from all you wonderful supportive people who clicked my referral link, thank you so much!)  As soon as it came in the mail I put the jacket on and then proceeded to wear it for another week and half full of rainy weather.  I even wore it throughout my birthday weekend, glamping in the rain (ok I couldn't help myself, I just wanted to share this awesome shot of our Airstream next to some giant redwood trees).

Anyways back to the anorak.  I got a size small and it fits perfectly.  I love love love this jacket.  I think this might be my favorite Everlane item yet.  This baby is fully waterproof and thin enough that I can layer sweaters underneath without getting hot.  The waistband can be cinched with a drawstring so it doesn't look like a potato sack.  The cut of the hem (sort of like coat tails) is also super stylish but practical since it keeps most of the rain off my legs.  The hood is also cut so that it's not just a plain ole' hood (it somehow stays on my head and hoods never stay on my head).  The front can be closed both by zipper or by snap buttons (if you're in a rush).  And the anorak looks great zipped up or worn openly (for when it's not raining).

There's not a bad thing about this anorak and it's probably the most stylish waterproof jacket I've ever owned.  I'm so fully in love with this jacket that I'm okay if California keeps on raining (plus it would really help our farmers out).  As usual, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane's items (referral link).  

{edit: and more bloggers wearing anoraks here and here)

Everlane Italian Slingback Sandal Review

Hi guys!  So back when I reviewed the Everlane Modern Ankle Boots and the Everlane Street Ankle Boots, one of the reasons why I didn't end up keeping them was because the weather of my new home, San Jose, is much more like sandal weather than boots weather (this week it's about high 60's to low 70's).  So I thought, well why not try out Everlane's sandals then?  These sandals have been on their site since last season so there's not a lot of color options left.  But since black is my favorite color it was a no-brainer to get the black ones.

The sizing on these are typical to Everlane sizing, which is to say size a half-size up (I'm usually a 7.5 but I always go 8 on Everlane shoes, except for the Modern Ankle and Street Ankle Boots-- those are true to size).  Now, I'm not an expert on sandals since all I ever really wear are TOMS (see my post about that here), but having grown up in Hawaii my usual summer footwear of choice is the rubber slipper (or what some of you Mainlanders call flip-flops).  So Everlane's Italian leather slingbacks are definitely an upgrade.  But unfortunately I didn't find them all that comfortable (which is really my number one criteria when it comes to shoes, especially in the summer).

The cons:

-The bottom of the sandals are smooth leather so they're quite slippery, even with the bit of rubber on the heels.  Like Everlane's modern loafers and modern points you could just add non-slip soles like these to the bottom.  So that's an easy fix.

-But the sandals themselves are super flat so there's no arch support of any kind.  For me that becomes a problem because then I can't really walk very long in these types of shoes before my feet start hurting.

-And lastly, the leather on these sandals are super stiff.  So the straps press into your feet and hurt.  But I think these sandals will probably get more comfortable with wear (if you have the patience and pain tolerance for that).

If these 3 things don't bother you, then these sandals are really quite good-looking.  But personally, I have no will to deal with painful but good-looking shoes.  Guess that's why I've been wearing mostly these sandals around the shop these days (I just need some overalls and I'm reliving my 90's adolescence, lol).  As usual, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane's items (referral link).  

Chamberlain's Leather Milk No. 3 on my Brandy Veg-tanned Leather Mansur Gavriel Mini Lady Bag

So it all started with a bit of rain.  There's been multiple storms coming through the Bay Area in the last couple weeks and I just so happened to get caught in one of them with my new brandy Mansur Gavriel mini lady bag.  Eek I know!  And so of course I got a bunch of rain spots all over the brandy leather.  When it dried it wasn't terrible but still noticeable.  So I decided I would get rid of the spots and protect the leather from future rain storms by using Chamberlain's Leather Milk No. 3.  Since my past review of Chamberlain's leather milk and other leather cleaners/conditioners on Mansur Gavriel bags were all on black leather I wasn't sure what to expect.

But I wasn't expecting this:

I know, I did a really terrible job with the even application.  But I didn't quite know how terrible it was until I took these pictures.  I freaked out a bit but decided to wait and see how the conditioner dried before doing anything drastic.

And whew!  It dried evenly.  You can't see the conditioner despite my poor application job:

But three things I've learned from using this leather conditioner on my brandy bag:

1) It will darken the natural color of the bag.  In the picture above you can see the original color on the drawstring.  The leather milk deepend the brandy color.

2) The conditioner also changes the feel of the leather.  Before it was a much drier, stiffer leather.  Now it's definitely a little more malleable and I hope this will help prevent more superficial scratches in the future.

3) The leather conditioner will also bring out pre-existing scratches more since the scratched leather doesn't seem to absorb the conditioner like the leather area around it.

Now that I know what I know would I have conditioned this bag like I did?  Probably because at least you can't see the rain spots anymore and I don't mind the slightly darker color.  Plus I know my bag is probably more protected in future storms!

{edit:  So I just read Chamberlain's Leather Milk FAQ page--which is a great resource about their products and leather cleaning in general--and have determined I way over-conditioned it and (obviously) did not apply even layers.  If you're planning on buying their products, definitely go to their site for more info.}

Everlane Square Silk Shirt Review

Hi guys!  So today I'll be reviewing Everlane's square silk shirt.  You know from my last reviews of Everlane silk shirts here and here, and my general comparison review of Everlane, Equipment and Cuyana silk shirts, that I'm a fan of Everlane's silk tops.  And I think their newest square silk shirt is their best silk shirt so far because I really love how fresh the shape is.  First a word on sizing since Everlane just changed it up by going from S/M/L to actual number sizing (and just when I was beginning to think I figured out how their sizing worked).  Anyway I'm usually a size S for Everlane but a size 4 on top for other brands.  And since this is an oversized shirt but I don't like my tops to be too baggy, I took an educated guess and went with a size 2.  And to me, I thought this size worked out pretty well (for the white/grey I might size up to a 4 because of the sheerness but for the darker colors I think I would stick with a 2).

I got the square silk in the white/grey combo because I thought it would look great for the upcoming spring weather.  I think the sleeves are a great length and the overall cut of the shirt is super flattering (even when tucked in).  

Also I liked that the white/grey shirt had the different bands of silk so it helped break up the blockiness (which isn't as noticeable on the black and navy--sorry not even considering pink, its not really my color)

But in the end I didn't quite love it because it really was quite sheer  (but if you want that black bra, cool silk top combo this is definitely your shirt). If I were to rebuy this silk square shirt again I would go with the navy.  But actually I'm rethinking my whole silk shirt strategy as it is, since dry cleaning is no longer an expense I want to pay (both in dollars and in the environmental sense), nor am I a person to really spend my time hand-washing items regularly, no matter how great it looks or wears.  Sooo lately all I've been wearing are cotton shirts, sweaters and jeans to work (one of the perks of working for yourself).  It's like my college wardrobe all over again except this time I'm wearing Everlane cotton shirts (just bought another U-neck shirt in heather grey the other day) and Everlane cashmere sweaters, so totally an upgrade.

Shop Well: Responsible Fashion brand TOMS

I know, that's A LOT of TOMS shoes.  What can I say, I'm a huge fan of comfortable shoes!  I took this picture as I was clearing out my closets preparing for our move into the Airstream.  And I've bought a lot of TOMS over the years (this isn't even all that I've ever owned since I've sold off some during the years-- new ones to eBay and old ones to Crossroads Trading Co, a thrift/trade-in store).

 I guess I'm bringing this up now, not just because I have a great picture (though of course that's partly it), but mostly because I've realized that TOMS made me change how I viewed shopping (gradually, not all at once).  TOMS was the first brand that I encountered that practiced responsible/ethical fashion (if you're not familiar, TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for ever pair purchased).  Before, when I shopped for clothes or accessories, I only really thought of me, me, me (what do I want?  how does it look on me?  can I afford it?).  And of course these are still factors in all my purchasing decisions, but now I've started thinking, "If my dollars are a vote of support, what kind of company do I want to buy from?".  

And this led me down the path to brands like Everlane and Mansur Gavriel, where we know something about their production process and their company beliefs.  Of course if I don't like their products, I don't care how ethical or sustainable you are, I probably won't buy.  But if I can choose to buy a t-shirt responsibly, where I know the people who are producing it are treated well or it's made sustainably, then why wouldn't I choose the company that cares about other people and the environment and not just their bottom line?

Mansur Gavriel Mini Lady Bag Review {Updated December 2020}

This is it guys, this is IT!  And by IT I mean this is Mansur Gavriel's IT-bag, or at least the IT-Lady Bag.  And I should know because I'm the Goldilocks of Mansur Gavriel Lady Bags.  First I tried the regular lady bag in calf-skin (review here), then the large lady bag in veg-tanned leather (review here), and finally the regular lady bag in veg-tanned leather (review here).  Today I have the mini lady bag in brandy veg-tanned leather (avion blue interior) and it's my favorite by far.

Mini Lady Bag vs. Regular Lady Bag

The above pictures show the the size difference between the regular and mini lady bags.  The mini lady bag measures: 9"H x 10.5"L x 3.5" depth while the regular lady bag measures 11"H x 12.5"L x 4.5" depth.  So it's about 2 inches shorter both in height in length but only 1 inch less deep.  So it can't hold a 13" laptop but it can hold a full-size ipad with case.  The mini lady bag works best as a day to day bag to hold all your essentials but might be too small to be a work bag.

Inside my bag in the top pic: My old Ipad in a Dodo case (I love these cases, even though they can make the ipad a bit heavy to carry), makeup case, wallet, phone, and sunglass case.  So not a whole lot of stuff but all the essentials and then some.

Another difference between the mini and the regular lady bag is the drop of the top handle.  The mini lady bag has a 5" drop while the regular has a 7" so that means for the mini lady bag, I can't get the strap around my arm if I wanted to carry it tucked under my armpit (which I sometimes did with the regular lady bag).  But I think the 5" handle drop is a good proportion for the mini. 

Strap out or tucked in?

Also the drawstring closure on the mini is a lot stiffer than the closure on my regular bag.  So the drawstring stays cinched and secure (but to be fair it might be because I've overloaded the regular lady bag in the past and it might have worn out the closure).  But this helps my mini bag to stay closed and secure, which wasn't always the case with the regular lady bag (thus my need to carry it under my armpit, especially in crowds).

Anyways I can tell this is going to be my favorite bag in the next few months!  If you want to get your own mini lady bag nab one at the Mansur Gavriel restock this month [edit: it's going to be on March 29th]!  And in the meantime here are my other Mansur Gavriel reviews!

P.S and this is for reader Svy showing a 13" macbook and the mini lady bag:

{March 2019 Update: They also have had a Mini Mini Lady bag out for a bit now. I can see that size being the best for going out and/or carrying just the essentials. Also since MG has been around for awhile now, you can score some really great deals on secondhand mini lady bags. Check out my favorite consignment sites Fashionphile (their selection of mini and mini mini lady bags) and TheRealReal (their selection of mini and mini mini lady bags).}

{December 2020 Update: I purchased and reviewed the Mansur Gavriel Mini Mini Lady Bag. Check out the post for a size comparison of the Lady Bag, Mini LB, and the Mini Mini LB}

Everlane Modern Ankle Boot and Street Ankle Boot Review

Hi everyone, so today I'll be reviewing Everlane's Modern Ankle Boot and Street Ankle Boot.  If you've read my Everlane Chelsea Boot Review, you know that my biggest gripe about the shoes were that they were cut so high up the leg that it made my short legs look even stubbier.  Well it's as if Everlane heard and came out with two ankle boots just for us short-legged girls!  And both of these ankle boots are a billion times better than the Chelsea boots for so many reasons (which I will enumerate in this post).  But first a note on sizing (which is always a bit tricky with Everlane shoes).  So they say to go a half-size down on their website since these run big, but I've always found their shoes to run a half-size smaller than my usual shoe size (and this is especially true if you have wide-ish feet like I do).  So I just ordered my true size and they fit perfectly!  So I ordered a 7.5 for both the Modern Ankle Boot and the Street Ankle Boot (while I ordered 8 for all other Everlane shoes) and with socks, these boots were super comfortable.  I would even venture to say that these are the most comfortable Everlane shoes I've tried yet.

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First, my favorite of the two is the Modern Ankle Boot.  I love love love this shoe.  It is everything an ankle boot should be!  Clean, simple, and easy to wear.  I loved that they crafted this shoe so that you can't see any zippers or elastic.  You only see the leather since the elastic is hidden between the front and back leather pieces.  This does make getting the shoe off and on a bit difficult but well worth it for the streamlined look.  These boots also came with a simple gray canvas shoe bag, something that the Street Ankle Boots did not have.  These boots look way more expensive than their $195 price tag and this is a classic ankle boot that you can probably wear for years and years.

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As for Everlane's Street Ankle Boot, these boots were also super comfortable and the only reason why this wasn't my favorite was because of my personal style preference.  I tend to like more classic looks than trendier street style looks (but my husband thought these boots were the better looking of the two).  These boots definitely look fresher and more interesting than the Modern Ankle Boots, and were also easier to get on and off due to the wide elastic band near the heel and the pull tab at the back.  The style of these boots looked a lot like the Chelsea Boots but since they are cut at the ankle, the Street Ankle Boots are a lot more flattering (and are a better price at $175).

I love both these boots (well the Modern Ankle Boot more than the Street Ankle Boot), but in all transparency I ended up returning both because I already have a rag & bone pair of black ankle boots (and I don't really need more boots right now due to my downsizing efforts).  But after reviewing these boots, I'm really tempted to buy the Modern Ankle Boots again (they look so good!).  But we'll see since I also moved down to San Jose, for the Elite RV Vacations business, and the climate there is so mild and sunny (more like sandal weather than boots weather).  But if you're in the market to buy a pair of black ankle boots I don't think you can beat the quality for the price of these Everlane boots!  As usual, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane's items (referral link).  

A little Everlane and Mansur Gavriel update and more reviews coming soon!

Hi guys, I just wanted to 1) share these images from Everlane that I saw in my email.  I just really loved the styling in these photos and it's making me consider trying out one of their trenches.  Have any of you purchased one of their trenches?  What do you think?  I would love to know!  Also 2) just a quick update on some reviews that I'm working on!  I'm currently trying to finish up a review on Everlane's modern ankle boot and the street ankle boot (spoiler: they're both pretty awesome) and I just ordered the square silk shirt in white/grey so we'll see how that goes.  And for those still interested in Mansur Gavriel bags, I ordered the mini lady bag so that should be coming soon (yay an early birthday present for myself!).

All images via Everlane

Everlane Street Fleece Bomber and Pants Review

If you've been wondering what's been taking me so long to write this review (since I promised it almost a month ago in this Everlane review) well we finally moved out of our house and into our Airstream!  It's been a month of constant change and feeling a little homeless (well without a home base I should say).  But I look forward to things settling down again and being able to write about interesting things other than Everlane reviews (though I know that's what people really want to read about).

So without further ado, onto the review!  First the Everlane Street Fleece Bomber.  I ordered it in a size small and it was a great fit.  The fleece material is lightweight and comfortable and it's a great jacket for the spring.  I really like the simple bomber style but in the end I didn't keep it because 1) we're moving and this would be another piece of clothing to move and 2) I have so many great lightweight jackets already.  But now that things are settling down, I might just rebuy this jacket since it really is a great jacket.

As for the Street Fleece pants, I was a little less in love with these.  So these were the first pants I ever ordered from Everlane, so I ordered both a small and medium.  As you can see, I tend to be bigger in the hips and thighs (a classic pear-shaped gal), so I'm always very picky about my pants.  It's a bit more difficult to find pants that fit in both the thighs and the waist, but since this is a sweatpants I figured the stretchiness would work in my favor.  Well the medium size fit comfortably at the thighs but the waist was too big.  The small size (which is what you see in the pictures) fit at the waist but was a bit snug around the hips and thighs.

I think the biggest negative for me about the pants was the comfort level.  I guess when I think of sweatpants I think of lounging all day in front of the TV kind of pants, but these pants weren't that comfortable and not something I want to lounge in all day.  First, the waist band is not that comfortable because it's a thick band of elastic (sorry I forgot to take a pic but you can kind of see it in the Everlane pics on their site), not a drawstring type of waist.  The elastic band is scratchy and a bit unflattering (you definitely want to wear a top that'll cover the waistband).  And second, the overall fit of the small for me (and my thick legs) was too snug and also a bit uncomfortable.  And third, these pants (along with the bomber) picked up dog hair better than a lint roller (and since I live with 2 very furry fur-babies I had a heck of a time just trying to keep the fur off the clothing as I was trying it on).  However, I did like how the pants came with a zip bottom so it's easy to take the pants off.

So my final verdict?  The bomber was alright and that pants weren't great.  As usual, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane's items (referral link).  And I'll be doing a review on Everlane's Modern Ankle Boot and Street Ankle Boot next!

Everlane Pima Cotton Stretch Shirt Review

Hi everyone!  It's been busy busy here at the Airstream rental garage and with our impending move out of our house.  But of course, I still need to get my Everlane fix so here's a quick review of Everlane's Pima Stretch mid-sleeve shirt.  First a note about the size: I usually wear a size 4 or small on most tops including Everlane.  But this is the first shirt from Everlane where I needed to size up.  These shirts are super fitted (when I wore the small it looked like the top half of a leotard.  And now that I see the shirt on the Everlane model, I'm sure it's not a coincidence that the skinniest of their models is the one wearing this).  Luckily I ordered both a small and a medium and was able to see that though the medium is also quite fitted, it wasn't as Spanx-like as the small.

The pros:

-The Pima cotton is super soft (as expected of Pima from Peru) and the stretchiness of the cotton makes the shirt really comfortable.  The material is thin but seems durable enough.

-I think the scoop neckline and sleeve length are both really flattering.  (Sorry didn't have time to take any pictures, but I'll try!).  Overall the cut is feminine and really flattering (for my more skinny days.  I don't recommend wearing this shirt to go eat a buffet).

The cons:

-Other than the sizing issues, the only real con I think for this shirt is specifically for the white pima shirt: it's super sheer.  I'm sticking to the black and grey colors for this shirt.

Overall, I think these are great shirts and a good alternative to the Everlane cotton V-neck and U-neck shirts I usually wear.  The cut of the Pima shirt is most like the drop-shoulder t-shirt but the Pima version is a lot more fitted and softer.  I'm pretty sure I'll be adding these Pima shirts to my rotation of daily Everlane shirts I wear and I'm excited to see Everlane expanding their network of ethical factories (I always like to scan their factories page and this Peru one sounds exceptional!).  As always, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane's items (referral link).  Thanks for reading!

Larsson & Jennings Watch Review

If you're in the market for a good but not overly expensive watch and there are a lot of different brands to choose from, all with a very similar simplistic style.  There's Daniel Wellington, Cluse, Larsson & Jennings and many more coming to market every month (the newest being Tinkr watches, which looks like a really interesting company).  After some research I went with Larsson & Jennings because: 

-Cluse, which is the most inexpensive of the bunch, has models made in Amsterdam but doesn't tell you where the watches themselves are actually made.  For $99 or less, it's most likely China.  Their case color is silver, which also means that you don't know the actual metal content of the case (it's not even stainless steel probably).

-Daniel Wellington (DW) was the real competitor in this case.  With about the same price point but still slightly cheaper than the Larsson & Jennings watch, I had to do some real research here.  I read through this forum thread and learned that Daniel Wellington is also made in China and now there's a ton of knock-offs floating around.  On top of that I can find it at Walmart for $90 and every blogger and their mom has this watch.  I was looking for something more unique.

So in the end I went with the Larsson & Jennings Liten Watch.  I also got 25% off from Netaporter at the time so my total came out to $270 (and no tax baby!), which at the time (last year November) was comparable to the Daniel Wellington watches out there.  Between the Liten and the Lader, I chose the smaller Liten style because my wrists are also fairly small and I didn't want a big clunky watch.  And after having it for a couple months, I couldn't be happier with my purchase.  Now I look forward to taking my watch with me to the Larsson & Jennings store in NYC and choosing a different strap (also something that couldn't be done with a DW watch).

Everlane Waffle Knit Turtleneck Review and Marled Chunky Wool Cardigan Review

When I first saw the waffle knit from Everlane, I was really excited.  The knit looked great and so did the shape of the turtleneck.  And I started having visions of looking turtleneck-chic like Anh from 9to5Chic (that girl can rock a turtleneck like no one else).  But the reality when I tried it on was very different from expectation.  Now I wouldn't say it looked terrible or anything, but at the same time I didn't really love it.  Here's a quick rundown (PS these photos were taken around the Anaheim Packing House, which is a super awesome foodie heaven):

Pros:

-The waffle knit is super soft and fairly light-weight but still really really warm.  I hands down love this more than the chunky knit sweaters (which I'm going to review again below but I also had reviewed in the past).

-The style of the sweater is fairly unique with larger, almost "puffy" sleeves and a different knit pattern that hits right around waist level

Cons:

-I just don't think I was made for turtlenecks.  I think my neck might be too short.  When I tried to wear the sweater without rolling down the neck I felt pretty uncomfortable since the neckline was up to my chin.  But when I fold down the neckline it doesn't look that chic.

-At the time I was feeling really chunky in it.  I think it was the whole chunky knits make me look chunkier theory, yet again.  (And with the chunky wool cardigan and Everlane's luxe double knit mockneck and dress that I just reviewed, which all made me feel/look fat I had to take a hard evaluation on my current state of weight gain.  Or in other words, all these Everlane garments made me feel fat and so I had to try on my fat jeans to confirm that even though I'm not at my skinniest, I am not at my fattest either...just yet).

Ta-daa Orange County...

Now I know I've reviewed the Everlane Chunky Knit Cardigan before as well as the Marled Wool Chunky Knit Crewneck, but I thought I would give it one more chance by reviewing the Marled Wool Chunky Knit Cardigan.  And well I still didn't love it enough to keep it.  First off, the black marled wool is a lot scratchier than the grey marled wool I tried out in the crewneck version (and I think it might even be scratchier than the plain grey chunky knit cardigan I also reviewed).  But I think the black marled wool is a more flattering knit and if you have any pilling problems, it probably wouldn't be as noticeable.

Also I ordered both sweaters in a small.  But in the end, I returned both of these items.  Since I'm still in the process of downsizing, I can't afford to keep items I don't absolutely love.  But if I had the luxury of ample storage I probably would have kept the waffle knit since it's so unique and super soft.  Ah well, that's fine since I have a lot more Everlane items coming my way (the street fleece bomber and pants-my first ever pair of pants that I've ordered from Everlane; as well as a couple of the Pima cotton shirts).  As always, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane's items (referral link).  Thanks for reading!

Everlane Luxe Double Knit Mockneck and Luxe Double Knit Sweater Dress Review

Hi guys!  It's been awhile since my last post, mostly because I've been busy with the new business.  But I've been meaning to review Everlane's Luxe Double-Knit Mockneck and Sweater Dress which were the number 3 and 4 picks from the What Should I Review Next From Everlane poll.  I was actually really surprised when these were the next most popular vote choices because to me I thought both items were kind of meh and well...I'll let you be the judge but I have to say these 2 items were probably my 2 least favorite items I've ever ordered from Everlane.

First up, the Luxe Double-Knit Mockneck.  Now I know I might have gained a few pounds over the holidays and I know I'm not anywhere near skinny, but guys...seriously this sweater made me look like I needed to sign-up for Weight Watchers like yesterday!  I'm usually a size 4 on top and I ordered a small in this top.  The luxe double knit is a medium sized knit, not thin nor chunky but it' definitely quite heavy and warm.  The style of the sweater is pretty unflattering because of the general bagginess and honestly the mockneck made it look like I had no neck.

The Idaho farmer called and he wanted his potato sack back!

Anyway moving on to Everlane's Luxe Double-Knit Sweater Dress.  Of the two Luxe Double-Knit items I would say this was the less potato sack-y of the potato sacks.  Again I got the small (though you couldn't tell by the look of it).  Because of the heft and weight of the knit, this dress felt about as heavy as the chunky knit cardigan.  And here's some poses with the Airstream!

Please excuse the unconventional poses; I'm still trying to find the model within me.  Anyway this dress isn't terrible but definitely not worth the $160 price tag (and can you believe the mockneck was $140?!).  As you can guess both of these were returned to Everlane.  Well even though both of these items were quite disappointing, my love affair with Everlane is still going strong.  I've ordered the waffle knit turtle neck, the chunky knit cardigan in marled wool (the last chunky knit cardigan was in a plain gray so I'm going to see if the marled wool makes a difference), the street fleece bomber and pants so those reviews will be coming soon!

As always, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here.  Thanks for reading!

An Update on my Everlane Sweater and Silk Review and other Everlane items

I got a request for an update on the Everlane items I've reviewed in the past, specifically the one from this Everlane sweater and silk review.  Well from that post I only kept the cashmere sweaters and both the cropped crew neck and regular crew neck cashmere sweaters have been holding up really well.  No real noticeable pilling and I've worn them at least 2 days out of the week for the last couple of months (especially the gray one, which I do feel is the softest of the ones I have).  I probably wear my grey one the most and then the burgundy cashmere sweater.  I don't actually wear the cropped ones (I have the black and light rose donegal in the cropped version) even though I do like the style.  I had a comment from a reader that the the cashmere sweaters wrinkle easily and I do find that if I kind of crumple it in my bag that it does get wrinkled a bit, but nothing that stays permanent.  I just wore it again and it was fine, though I do make sure I fold it and try not to crush it in my bag anymore.  I can't really comment about the silk shirt since I don't wear it too often but it has survived a couple wears and a dry cleaning just fine.

I wear this sweater a lot!  Pilling isn't too terrible.

Another Everlane product I wear constantly is their Modern Point shoes.  I've actually stopped wearing all my other Everlane shoes because this one is hands down my favorite.  I love both the look and the fit.  And I'm thinking of ordering another pair when they eventually restock it (which I'm pretty sure they are since I saw a restocking date sometime in March or April).

Oh, and I'm still using Everlane's Petra Magazine Tote and it's holding up just fine.  There's a bit of a fold where the canvas pockets kind of weigh down on the bag but it's nothing major.  And no stains or color transfer.  

Having gone back through all my reviews, it's interesting to see that though I've tried a lot of items from Everlane I ended up returning a lot of them.  And of those I did keep I only love a handful of items.  But these special few items are on heavy rotation in my wardrobe and they all are holding up great.  As far as I can tell, Everlane is keeping true to their word on quality and I'm excited to see what this new year brings for Everlane.

No longer a temporary housewifey but a temporary-house wifey

Hi guys!  So I have some exciting news!!  I am no longer a temporary housewifey because now I have a job!  I am now a co-owner of a business (with my husband).  But of course, I'm not about to change the name of the blog (I've grown attached to the name Temporary Housewifey).  I hope to continue to write reviews and other posts for this blog, but at the same time I'm ready to give it my all to our new business.  So what is this business you ask?  Well it's an Airstream rental company called GoSilver.  We currently have a fleet of 5 Airstreams: a 19 footer, a 20 footer, two 25 footers and a 28 footer.  They're fully loaded and ready to rent.  And if you don't have your own truck, we also rent out trucks.  We also have moved into one of the original Airstreams in the fleet (a 27-footer) and now we full-time in one of these bad boys.

So how did we end up getting into this business?  Well my husband and I took a 3 week road trip in an Airstream in 2014.  Here are some of my favorite posts from that time: Zion, Antelope Canyon, and Wyoming.  We rented from Chris and Nora at Elite RV Vacations (the original name for this biz) and when they were ready to sell, we jumped at the chance!  It's been several months of going back and forth, but we did it.  We bought the biz!  And now it's up to us to earn our livelihood from it.  But I'm not too worried because I think traveling via Airstream is THE BEST way to see the US (and Canada).  Not only do you have the comforts of home with you at all times but when you spend less time on stuff (and staying indoors) you end up spending more time on what (and who) matters and spending more times outdoors.  And there's something about nature that soothes the soul.  For my husband and I, our Airstream trip changed our lives and we want to share that experience with others.  

Anyway I'm not sure what my future holds, or what the future of this blog will be, but thanks to all those who read my blog in 2015.  I hope 2016 will be even better (hmm Everlane clothing shots while traveling in an Airstream?).

Happy New Year! Here's to some personal development in 2016!

I've always been a fan of personal development books, or what used to be called self-help books.  I read my first self-help book at 15 when I picked it up from a bargain bin at Walden books (wow remember those days when there were small chain bookstores?).  It was called "You Can't Afford the Luxury of Another Negative Thought" and it really changed my life on learning how not to go down the spiral of negativity that I felt all the time and to also learn to compartmentalize (to catch myself being unproductively negative and then re-route my thinking to a more positive outlook) .  True, it didn't cure me of negative thoughts and of course it's something I always need to be aware of and work on (it's a practice), but it really helped me see the power of self-help books.  Well I wouldn't recommend this particular book (it was actually meant for terminally ill or people with chronic disease with the idea that the negative thoughts contribute to disease- yeah it's a weird book for a 15-year old).  

But anyway here are 3 books that really helped me in recent history: 

I'm actually going to start with my favorite, which is on the far right, Daring Greatly by Brene Brown.  To be honest, this is probably the book that has changed my life the most in the past few years.  It gave me the courage to quit my steady job, to try blogging, to go out and try to make connections with new people, to give less f*cks, etc.  It's exactly what I needed in this stage of my life.  Here's one of my favorite excerpts from the book. 

My second favorite of the three is 10% Happier by Dan Harris.  If Daring Greatly sent me on the path to vulnerability, authenticity, and taking risks then 10% Happier was the sequel that helped seal the deal.  Long story short, if you want to be 10% happier, you need to incorporate a mindful meditation practice into your daily life (and really learn what it means to let it be).

And the third book isn't as life-changing as the top two but it's perfect for someone who is lazy and usually has zero willpower like me.  The book is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and it gives you a bunch of tips to try to learn good habits.  In general, it's an interesting book and if it helps you get a couple more things done during the day (especially those hard things like working out and a daily meditation practice) then it's definitely worth a quick read.

Well I hope you all have a fantabulous 2016!  As for me, I have a lot of big changes coming up! {P.S. did I mention my husband and I will be going into business together this year?  And it has to do with Airstreams?  Well I'll be elaborating soon so stay tuned!}

Everlane Donegal Cashmere Sweater & Marled Wool Chunky Knit Crew Neck Sweater Review

So first I want to thank everyone who has voted so far in my "What to get next from Everlane" poll (the poll is now closed, but I also did a second order that includes the lux double knit dress and lux double knit mockneck so that review coming soon).  The top 2 most voted items were the marled wool crew neck sweater and the donegal sweater.  So that's what I'll be doing a review on today.

First, the chunky wool knit in grey marled.  I never would have ordered this item if it wasn't for the poll because of my whole "chunky knits will make you look chunkier" theory. But I'm so glad you guys voted on this (about a third of you guys) and that I tried it out.  First the marled wool has a beautiful texture and a really tight knit.  I think compared to the chunky knit cardigan I reviewed, the marled chunky knit does feel a little less droopy and heavy (though that could be from the fact that it's a sweater and not a large cardigan).  It definitely feels as warm as the chunky knit cardigan (I wore it for a couple minutes indoors and was immediately feeling a bit toasty).  But what I loved most about this chunky knit sweater was the knit pattern (kind of like a diamond shape in the front and back) and the side slits, which help make the sweater look a little less bulky.  I got a size small and it fit perfectly except for the sleeves which were a bit long (but easy to roll up).  I actually really like this sweater (and so did my husband, who liked this one way more than the donegal sweater I'll be reviewing next).  

I ended up returning it for now because when I purchased the sweater, Everlane was selling it for $110.  But now it's selling for $78 which is a much more tempting price.  I'm thinking of rebuying the sweater at the now reduced price or buying the chunky knit cardigan in marled wool, which is also now selling at a reduced price (it went from $140 to $110).  I guess Everlane decided to cut their margins to help move the merch.  A reader commented that the marled wool chunky knit cardigan might actually look a little more slimming than the grey one I ordered due to both the wool type and the seemingly tighter knit, but I guess the only way I can know for sure is to buy the cardigan in marled wool (should I buy that next too?).

Even before the poll I was itching to try the new donegal wool sweater, especially in light rose.  I ended up getting the cropped cashmere crew because I thought the modern cut would look fresh with the muted color (plus I had already ordered 2 regular crew neck cashmere sweater for my Everlane cashmere review and didn't think I wanted 3). My husband called the donegal wool in light rose a sweater an old lady would wear.  But I think with some high-waisted pants, the cropped donegal sweater looks young and modern to me (I think the donegal is such a fun interesting knit).  But the donegal knit, though sold with all the other cashmere sweaters on Everlane, is not as soft as the pure cashmere sweaters.  The tiny flecks of wool adds texture but is also a bit scratchy.  So if you're looking for the the softest cashmere sweater out there I would recommend a lighter solid color sweater (here's why).  I ordered the small and the fit is like the other cropped cashmere sweater I reviewed: very cropped and slightly boxy.

As always, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored.  Check out my other Everlane reviews here and or Everlane's items (referral link).  Thanks for reading!