Grana (Japanese Denim) Slim Boyfriend Jeans Review

Hi guys and here's another quick Grana review today.  So far I've found that their silk tank is ok but not as good as the silk from Everlane or Cuyana, but Grana's pima cotton shirt is awesome and I already ordered more.  Today I'll be reviewing their japanese denim slim boyfriend jeans.  When I first put in my order a couple weeks ago, they were all sold out of the high rise skinny jeans and their slim jeans in my size so I went with what was left, their slim boyfriend jeans.  I'm not usually a fan of boyfriend jeans since I try not to add bulk to my lower half of my body since I'm already pear-shaped.  But I was willing to try it out and I was pleasantly surprised.

First a quick note on sizing: these jeans run big.  I'm not sure if it's Grana that runs big or just this style.  But I'm usually a 28 in jeans (size 4 in Everlane), so I ordered a size 28 in the dark wash and a size 27 in the light wash.  As you can see the 27 fit better in both the waist and thigh/butt area.  

As for the Japanese denim, I really loved it.  It's a very stiff, non-stretchy type of denim.  It's the kind of denim you find in vintage Levi's.  So true, there's not a lot of stretch so it can be a tad uncomfortable in the beginning but I liked that it kind of held my thighs in, sort of like stiff Spanx.  Grana's japanese denim is so refreshing after years of wearing super stretchy jeans.  This is good ole' fashioned denim.

I should note that reader Ximena commented that for her, Grana denim was itchy.  I didn't find it to be itchy at all, but it could be due to a difference in the style of jeans.  I could imagine that if I was wearing their skinny jeans, that the rough material would be a bit scratchy.  But in the boyfriend style, I think the looser fit means the denim isn't hugging your legs and so there's no itch.

So in the end, I kept the light wash jeans though I haven't been wearing it since the temps around here have been in the high 90's.  So I guess I'll be putting them aside until the fall.

If you're interested in trying out Grana's jeans for yourself, they retail for $49 (which is crazy affordable compared to designer denim) and this referral code will get you 10% off your first order.  Stay tuned for a couple more Grana reviews and in the meantime read up on past Grana reviews here.

P.S. If you're wondering why Grana can keep their prices low they explain it all here.

Have you guys heard of The Sweethome?

If you're a regular reader of Temporary-House Wifey, I'm guessing you're a fan of reviews.  Well, if you are then you need to know about The Sweethome!  It's basically a review site for everything except clothes.  You can find reviews on all things home related, about travel gear, electronics, and pretty much everything else.  And the best part of the reviews, is how thorough they are and their transparency (for example they disclose why the reviewer is an "expert" in that field, ie why they are qualified to do the review).

So why am I bringing this up?  Well, as my husband and I adjust to life in an Airstream we are continuing to purge items that we don't use and are really starting to enjoy the relatively few items we are left with.  And as we take a look at some of these things we use on a daily basis, we are starting to see how some of these items are not as great as they can be.  Take for example, my small saucepan that I used every morning to boil my egg (and pretty much use to cook everything with).  I had an old aluminum pot that I've had for 8 years, and my husband had for 10 years before that.  It still works as a pot but after all these years it's probably leaching aluminum into the food.  So now it's about time to replace it, with something I can use for another 20 years of my life.  And so I went to The Sweethome to research their picks for the best saucepan and went with their upgrade pick, the All-Clad Saucepan and I couldn't be happier.  I love this saucepan and even though it's heavier than my old one, I can cook anything in it and know that my food isn't reacting with the pot.  Since then I've tried a bunch of products off of their "best lists" and find that for the most part what they say is true (though of course I'm not the one comparing all the different items, but at least when I try their top pick it's better than the thing I currently have).  Though I'm tempted to buy a ton of things off their lists, I'm currently just replacing things that need replacing (like pillows and towels) or buying things I don't own but need (like steak knives).  And just in case you guys were wondering, The Sweethome is not sponsoring this post.  I'm just a fan of their thorough and extensive reviews.    

Have you guys tried anything recommended by The Sweethome?

Cuyana Summer Hat Review

Now that I live in a much hotter area I find that my skin, which is accustomed to the summer fog of SF, needs to adjust to the strong summer sun rays of San Jose.  Not only am I starting to reapply sunscreen on my face throughout the day and wearing sunscreen on arms and legs, but I'm also finding that wearing a summer hat can make a huge difference.  This is especially true when you know you're going to be out in the sun almost all day.  My new favorite item this summer is Cuyana's summer hat.  I've always wanted a good Panama hat but with it's wide brim, this summer hat is even better at keeping the sun off my face

I'm not really a hat person (the whole story about that here) but something about the wide brim and fedora shape made me want to try out this hat.  Plus I know when I order something from Cuyana, it's going to be a quality item.  And this hand-woven hat from Ecuador did not disappoint (also when I compared this hat to a straw hat made in China, the quality of the Cuyana hat is by far better, with a tighter weave of the straw but at the same time a lot more flexible).  First a quick note on the sizing, follow the instructions on their site and measure your head right above the eyebrows.  My head size was right around 56.5 so I sized up and went with a 57, and it fit great (I also wanted to go a bit larger so that I wouldn't have to deal with squeezing my head into the hat and then getting that hatband mark around your forehead when you take it off).  Since I did go up in size I had to be a little more careful about wearing the hat on windy days.  But a quick google search of "how to keep your hat on during a windy day" revealed a tip of sewing an elastic band into the hat:

When wearing the hat, pull your hair through the band and the elastic goes behind your head, sort of like a headband (and make sure to use an elastic that matches your hair color so it's camouflaged).  Or if you're too lazy to sew, two small safety pins do the trick as well.  This way if the hat flies back, it's still secured by your hair.  No more looking like a fool chasing my hat around on a windy day, lol.  Also now I know I won't accidentally lose this hat, making this a quality piece worth spending some money on ($75 for a straw hat is nothing to sneeze at).  But if you're looking to add a few quality items to your wardrobe, then this summer hat is the last summer hat you'll need to buy.  Like Cuyana says, buy fewer but better.      

Grana Pima Cotton Tee Review and Pima Cotton Dress Review {updated Dec 2017}

If you read my first Grana review on their silk tank, you know I wasn't really a fan.  But I'm so glad I ordered a bunch of different items, because I have to say their Peruvian Pima cotton shirts are pretty great.  I ordered the pima cotton shirt in a medium size because judging from their website, the shirt looked fitted.  On top of that, I knew that Grana is a Hong Kong company and for the most part, sizes at Asian clothing companies (like Uniqlo and Muji) tend to be on the smaller side.  And I'm so glad I went with my gut since the medium was perfect (and to compare with Everlane and other clothing companies, I'm usually a small).

I ordered the black v-neck pima cotton shirt and the material is great.  This is probably the thickest peruvian pima cotton shirt I've ever tried.  It's not the usual thin cotton you think of when talking about pima.  The Grana shirt is fitted but also quite stretchy.  I like that it's not oversized like Everlane's shirts.  Actually the Grana shirt is a better everyday work shirt for me since I don't flash everyone when bending over, which usually happens when I'm wearing Everlane's shirts.  So for my next order from Grana, I'm definitely going to add some more Pima cotton shirts! 

I also ordered this pima cotton tank dress from Grana in a size medium. I didn't bother taking any pictures in it because it was waaaaay too tight.  Even though I ordered both the shirt and the dress in a medium, the dress felt more like a small (or even an xsmall).  However, the cotton material for the dress was the same thick, stretchy cotton used in this shirt.  So I guess the tank dress is meant to be a bodycon dress best suited for those skinny model types.

Anyway if you're interested, check out Grana for yourself and use this link to get 10% off your first order (a referral code) and definitely add some pima cotton shirts to your order.  As always reviews are not sponsored.  And stay tuned for more Grana reviews.

P.S. They also now have pima cotton slub shirts that look pretty good.  I'll try to order some when I get a chance.

{Dec 2017 update: So I recently ordered another Grana pima crew neck tee, thinking it was going to be the same as usual.  But it wasn't!  Grana has changed their tee so that it is now much thinner than their old tee.  Also the sizing has changed so that I am no longer a medium, but a small in these new pima tees.  Their new tees are made from "lightweight jersey fabric (50/1)" and I'm not a fan.  But if you like thinner tees then this might be for you.}

Everlane Gift Card Giveaway Winners

And the winners of the Everlane gift card giveaway are:

Gery who plans to get the linen dolman tee dress and Lucy who wants to get Babo shoes.  Gery and Lucy please email me!*

And thank you to everyone who entered!  I promise many more future Everlane gift card giveaways to come!

*Please email me at Temporaryhousewifey@gmail.com to claim your giftcard.  If the prize remains unclaimed for 48 hours, I will announce a new winner.  

 

Everlane Street Sandal Review

If you've been following my instagram, you probably know that I've been wearing my Everlane street sandals everywhere.  As soon as I tried them on, I knew I was in love.  If the Everlane slides were one of the worst shoes they've ever made, then their Street Sandal is quite possibly one of their best.  These are the perfect summer shoes I've been waiting for from Everlane.

I purchased both the black and sand colored street sandals in a size 8.  Size 8 is my normal size for Everlane, and usually with their shoes like the modern loafer, modern point, and even the modern ankle boot, they feel a bit narrow.  But these in a size 8 might be a touch on the bigger side (and more like the sizing of the Modern Babo).  But they still felt great and there wasn't any rubbing or even a hint of a blister from day one.  These are definitely my kind of shoes.

The shoes are constructed with two thick leather bands over the foot and an elastic band at the heel.  I actually really love that they made it an elastic band since it allows the shoe to move securely with the foot.  I could run in these and not be afraid they would go flying off.  But at the same time, if I'm in a rush or feeling lazy I could just slip my feet into the sandals and step on the elastic and the shoe still stays on securely (I'm thinking that after the elastic gets worn out, I could just remove it all together and still have a good-looking functional shoe).  I also love that these shoes are super light due to the white foam-like soles.  Also the shape of the white foam soles provide a bit of arch support so I can walk in these for hours without any arch pain.  

To be honest, there are no cons to these street sandals in my book.  I know shoes can be a tricky thing, so I'm not going to say that these are for everybody.  However I think they are definitely worth trying since for me, I found them to be my dream shoes.  So much so that I went and bought another pair of the sand street sandals when they were restocked.  It looks like they may be out of stock again, but a restock is expected June 5th.  Oh and I forgot to mention that these don't come with a protective plastic layer so be careful when trying them on just in case you don't end up loving them.

Also just to note that the sand colored street sandals will get dirty pretty easily.  Both the white band and white sole will become a shade of light gray.  But I actually think it adds character to the shoes (a bit like a patina you get on light colored leather bags).  But if you're the type that wants to keep your shoes looking pristine, then the black pair will definitely keep their look longer.  As always, reviews are done on item purchased myself and aren't sponsored.  Check out Everlane's items here (referral link) and all my other Everlane reviews here.  Thanks for reading guys and don't forget to enter my $50 Everlane giftcard giveaway!

Everlane Slide Sandals Review

When I wrote up my review on Nisolo shoes, reader Lia had mentioned that Everlane shoes tend to be made for looks and aren't very comfortable to wear.  Well she just perfectly summed up Everlane's slide sandals.  They are quite possibly the least comfortable shoes I've tried from Everlane thus far.  Here's why:

~ No padding or cushioned foot bed so they're quite uncomfortable to walk in

~Very smooth and slippery bottoms

~Though the leather is high quality, the slides themselves have a very heavy sole so the leather ends up tugging on the top of the foot when walking

I ordered these in my usual Everlane size of 8 (normally I'm usually a 7.5 to 8).  Garance Dore (one of my all-time favorite bloggers) best described the experience of trying to walk in these types of shoes in this post about her new mules (it's hilarious!).  Anyways I'm working on writing up a review of Everlane's Street Sandal (spoiler: which I love love love) and in the meantime check out all my other Everlane reviews here.

Blogiversary Everlane Giveaway! {Now Closed}

When I was an avid blog reader, and before I was a blogger myself (which was almost a 7 year period) I honestly kind of cringed at the word "blogiversary."  It seemed like a self-satisfying pat on the back.  But now that that it's my first blogiversary, I find myself wanting to mark the occasion (and really, to keep up a blog for the first year isn't always the easiest, especially when you start and have only your mom occasionally reading your blog).  So I was wrong to think of blogiversarys as ego-stroking occasions.  Instead it's a chance to thank the blog readers (you guys!) for supporting me with your time, your comments, and your clicks.  And what better way to support those who read my reviews (which are predominately Everlane reviews), than a chance to win a couple Everlane gift cards (which are also thanks to you).  And since Everlane is now offering free shipping internationally for 2 weeks, this is the chance to thank all my readers from Singapore to Sydney to London (ok well truthfully the bulk of my readers are from NY and SF, lol).  

But anyway here's the deets on the giveaway:

Up for grabs are two Everlane gift cards, $50 each.  

Enter by leaving a comment telling me what you would purchase from Everlane if you win.  

The giveaway will close on Wednesday June 1st, so you have a week to enter.  If you're chosen, I will email you a digital Everlane gift card for $50.  Two winners will be randomly chosen.  And if you are an international reader, you'll have 4 days before Everlane stops international shipping to put in your order.  Thanks again to everyone who reads this blog.  I am so grateful for your kind comments and continued support!

{edit: Also I forgot to add that since I'm not collecting emails for this giveaway please come back June 1st and I will announce winners as a post.  If you don't collect within 2 days, I'm going to announce a replacement winner just to be fair.  Thanks!}

Grana Silk Review (and Grana vs. Everlane vs. Cuyana Silk Shirts)

Happy Monday guys!  And here's a review that some of you have requested: a review on Grana silk.  So for those of you who are unfamiliar with Grana as I was, Grana is a bit like Hong Kong's version of Everlane.  Their mission is to make quality clothing and sell it directly to consumers, thereby keeping prices reasonable.  Their basic model below:

When I first hopped onto their site, I immediately thought if Everlane and Uniqlo had a baby, it would be Grana.  It's the combination of Uniqlo's styling and Everlane's concept.  But Grana has a wide selection of items to choose from, whether it's denim from Japan, linen from Ireland, and cotton from Peru.  So I ordered a little bit of everything to try them all out, but today I'm starting with the silk since that was item that readers asked about most.

If you haven't read my first review of Everlane vs. Equipment vs. Cuyana silk then check it out becuase I go into the differences in types and quality of silk, and it'll probably help with some of the terminology coming up.

So here are three black silk items from Cuyana (top right), Everlane (top left), and Grana (bottom half).  The first picture is in indirect light and the second is in full sunlight.  

When laid in this way you can't really tell any differences.  But here are the same three but with my hand under one layer so you can somewhat see through the silk starting with Grana, then Everlane, and last Cuyana.

Grana

Everlane

Cuyana

Can you see that the Grana one is ever so slightly more see-through and a different texture than the Everlane one?  And the Cuyana one is a lot more opaque than both the Grana and Everlane silks.  So here is my impression of Grana's silk:

~ Grana feels like the lowest quality silk of all the shirts I've tried so far.  I think Everlane and Equipment are at about the same level of quality, but Grana is a step below.  Grana's silk feels the least silky, the least smooth and the least soft.  It also seemed the thinnest.

~ To find out about the momme weight of their silk, I emailed Grana and was told it was 16mm, which would put it exactly the same mm as Everlane's silk.  However the difference in feel between Everlane and Grana must mean there is a difference in the thread count (or something but I'm not sure what).

~ And to try to rule out some bias (since I know how much each of these shirts costs), I had my husband do a blind feel test.  And he knows nothing about silk but based on what he thought was the best feel, he rated Grana the lowest, Everlane next and then Cuyana as the best (he was completely on his own and I did not say anything to bias his opinions).

To incorporate findings from my last silk review which included Equipment, here's my current silk standings (not really to scale except to say that Everlane's and Equipment's silk were very similar):

As for the actual tank top I purchased from Grana, I ordered a size small.  As you can see both the arm holes and neckline are super oversized (so you better be sure you wear a cute bra underneath since it will most likely be peeking through).  If I were to order a silk top to keep I might even go with an XS on this.  (For reference I'm 5'4" and wear a small/size 4 on most tops).

So even though the silk was a slight disappointment, I'm not giving up hope on Grana yet.  I still have yet to try their other items.  In the meantime if you want to try out some of Grana's item for yourself (though at this point I would recommend spending the extra $$ and going with Everlane silk if you can), here's a referral link to get you 10% off your first order (and full disclosure, I get $20 if you order from that link which of course I'll use to review more of their items).  

P.S. By the way, their silk just happened to be the first product I reviewed and one out of two things I didn't love.  I also ordered their pima cotton shirt, their Japanese denim and their Irish linen and loved them all.  Those reviews coming soon.  So don't write-off Grana just yet!

{August 2016 edit: I have since reviewed Grana's newest silk offering, their V-neck tank and slip dress, and those are waaaay better than the silk top reviewed here.  Grana's georgette satin is as good as Everlane silk at about half the price.  Read the full review on Grana's V-neck tank top here.}

{December 2016 edit: here is a comprehensive list of all my Grana Reviews.  Grana is quickly becoming one of my go-to brands for well-made basics!}

Nisolo Smoking Shoe and Elizabeth Slide Review

So after I wrote up my TOMS-fan-girl post, a reader left a comment letting me know TOMS aren't really doing as much good as they advertise (but they at least gotta be better than stores like Aldo or Nike right?  Ahh just trying to justify them).  Anyway I read through the link she sent (also here if you want to take a read), and though I was bummed about the news about TOMS (and I decided that now I know, I should change my shopping habits accordingly), I saw that they cited Nisolo as a shoe company that does it right (they work directly with shoe-makers in Peru and provide fair wages).  I've seen the name Nisolo pop-up once or twice before so I decided to try them out.  And here's the tl;dr version of this review: as much as I would like to love them (because of their mission statement and social work) I can't really get behind their products (yet).  I'm not trying to be unkind but I gotta be honest here, their shoes weren't that great for me.  Let me explain:

The first pair I tried were the Smoking Shoes.  I got them in a size 8 and it fit well (I'm normally a size 7.5 but have widish feet so I usually size a half size up on leather shoes to avoid the whole breaking in process).  I love how they look and I like the padded inner sole and the arch support.  But the problem was where the inner beige leather meets the outer black leather shoe.  The edges were uneven and scratchy, and it would irritate all around my foot with each step.  Also the leather quality itself on this shoe was not that great (but that could just be because I've been spoiled by the Italian leather shoes from Everlane?).  The quality of the shoe overall just wasn't up to par (or they just need better quality control).

The second pair of shoes I tried were the Elizabeth slides.  They are perfect for that 70's look that seems to be going around these days.  So here's my problems with these shoes:

- Well first, I ordered a 7.5 (because on their site they warn that the leather will stretch out so size a half size smaller than you normally would-so for me that's true to size since I always size a half size up for leather shoes).  But they gave me a 7.  And on top of that I wasn't careful enough when trying on these shoes so I ended up scuffing the bottom (which is a light beige leather).  So I'm going to have to keep these and the moral of the story is if the bottom of the shoe is a light color try it out on carpet only.

- And the leather on these also didn't feel like the best quality either and I'm not sure how much they'll stretch out.  When I get a chance (and when my freezer clears out), I'm going to try the same freezer method I tried on my Everlane modern loafers.  But as it looks now, the slide is a bit small for me.  Since I'm keeping it, I will see if the leather truly does stretch out or not.  And at least there's no bit of stitching or leather that irritate my feet on these.  

Ah well, my final verdict for Nisolo: even though the company really seems to care about their social mission, they will need to improve their overall quality of their products before I can truly become a fan.  This isn't to say they can't improve their products with time (or that other styles of their shoes might be of better quality, since the slides were definitely better made than the smoking shoe).  

Also read here another blogger's review on Nisolo (and a different sort of quality problems she faced (and remedied)).

{12/2016 edit: And if you're curious, my favorite shoes of this year (because they are most comfortable and really well-made) are the Felize loafers from M.Gemi and the Street Sandals from Everlane}

Everlane Linen Dolman Tee Dress Review {updated June 2017}

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner guys!  I have finally found a dress from Everlane that I 100% love!  So far I have been a big fan of Everlane's tees, some of their shoes and their anorak.  And now I can add this linen dress to the list.  I got this dress in a size small (for reference I'm 5'4" and usually wear 4-6 in most clothing lines).  This is the ideal summer dress in that the fabric is super light without being sheer.  Linen really is suited for those 80 degree temps in the summer.  I love that the dress doesn't cling and the overall length is perfect (except try not to raise both arms straight up in the sky because you would definitely be flashing some underwear).  So other than doing the wave at a stadium, this is perfect do-anything, dress-up or dress-down dress.  And even though I love the dress in solid colors too I think stripes are the best.

It was ever so slightly scratchy when I first put it on, but softens with washing.  And take care not to put in the dryer but hang dry it (that's what the washing label says).

And here I am styling it with my Cuyana summer hat, Nisolo slides (review coming soon), and Mansur Gavriel mini lady bag.  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, thanks again guys for your support!).  

{June 2017 update: So I've had this dress for about a year now and I've been super careful not to put it in the dryer, so I'm puzzled that when I brought it out to wear again this season this dress is about 2 inches shorter than what I remember (and from what I can tell from these pictures).  So I must have dried it in the dryer at least once.  But anyway the point is that this dress has definetly shrunk and it also did not keep it's shape.  I'm not sure if this is a good buy after all...}

What should I review next from Cuyana? Vote now!

Hi guys!  I haven't conducted a poll since my last Everlane one, but TempHo (lol, like my abbreviation of my blog name?) reader Kim just gave me an idea to let you guys choose what I should order and review next from Cuyana.  Since I have some left over credit from Cuyana after returning their stud belt, what should I buy next? (Also all my Cuyana reviews thus far are here)

P.S. Speaking of my blog name, the other day I was just thinking the name is still very suitable for my current situation.  Before, when I was unemployed I was a temporary housewifey because I wasn't going to be a "housewife" for very long.  But now I'm a wife who lives in a temporary house (aka the Airstream), so now I'm a temporary-house wifey.  Funny how things turn out.

Cuyana Push Stud Belt Review

When I had some left over store credit for Cuyana, I thought I would try out one of their new belts even though I would never spend $95 on a belt usually.  When I bought the push stud belt I had visions of Emmanuelle Alt's chic black and gold belt.

But it didn't quite work out that way.

Probably because I'm not the editor of Vogue Paris, lol.  But also because the belt isn't meant to be worn around the hips to hold up pants but more as a waist-cincher.  That's why the belt is so narrow.  Also it was really hard to use the push studs, though I'm sure that's because the belt is new and the leather holes are still too small.  It would probably get easier to wear with use, but at the same time I'm looking for a chic belt that's easy to use from the get-go and will hold my pants up.  So back the belt went.  Now I'm looking to use my credit on something else.  Is there anything from Cuyana you guys would like a review on?  

Everlane Linen Crew Neck Sweater and Indigo Linen Shirt Dress Review

And the Everlane train keeps a rollin!  Today I have for you a review on a couple of Everlane's new linen items: the linen crew sweater and the linen shirtdress in indigo.

First off is the linen crew sweater in blue/cream stripes.  If you've noticed from my Everlane reviews in the past, I'm pretty much always down to try anything with stripes.  So when I saw this linen sweater I knew I had to give it a shot (especially since I wasn't in love the blue and white micro stripe slim crew).  And just when I was saying how I never keep anything from Everlane anymore, I found a keeper!  I really love this sweater!  It's my first linen sweater ever so I was expecting it to feel a bit rough like regular linen shirts.  However this sweater is anything but rough.  It's not scratchy or stiff, and there's a bit of stretch to it.  I ordered it in a small and though it's a bit snug at the arms, I think I like the more fitted look.  This sweater is the perfect item for some of the more cooler summer days.  And thanks to everyone who's supported me by clicking on my referral link, I was able to buy this on Everlane credit!

So unfortunately the linen shirt dress is no longer available.  But just in case Everlane gets more in stock or you're able to find one, here's just a quick review.  I ordered the shirt dress in a size 2 (which is one size smaller than my usual) and it fit perfectly.  I actually really liked the look of the dress and really couldn't find any faults with it, but in the end I returned it.  It just wasn't really my style and I couldn't see myself wearing it very often.

A quick list of the Pros:

- Pockets!

- Very summery and the lightweight fabric is perfect for hot days.

- The side slits and the fact that the back is a bit longer than the front adds some style.

- The beautiful indigo color.

And a very short list of the cons:

- Indigo dye is notorious for rubbing off on lighter colored items.  And since I'm not really careful with my purses, I know that if I kept this dress some of my lighter colored bags would inadvertently start turning blue (like my Mansur Gavriel crossbody).

- And as is the nature of linen, it was a bit scratchy (though this will soften with wear and washing) and wrinkles easily.

And I know the bottom two pictures are basically the same but the first one is with my big dog Hachi, who wanted to get his chin scratched mid-picture.  And the second pic is with my small dog Ellie lurking the background.

I'm wearing my new favorite Loeffler Randall sandals and Cuyana's Summer Hat (which I'll be doing a review on soon).  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, thanks again guys for your support!).  

Loeffler Randall Saskia Pom Pom Lace-up Sandals Review

Hi guys!  So I know Loeffler Randall isn't a company that I usually buy from or review here on the blog (because they aren't particularly transparent or ethical per see).  However, just like being on a diet, one can't consume only the good-for-you stuff all the time.  Once in awhile we all need to indulge.  And for me, it was a couple weeks ago during Loeffler Randall's Friends and Family sale.  I don't normally fall for those F&F sales nowadays, but these Saskia Pom Pom lace-up sandals were calling my name.  

Lace-up sandals have been very "in" for about a year now but they've always seemed so cumbersome to put-on and take-off.  So I've never bothered, but something about the nude color and the pom poms were irresistible.  I purchased these in a size 8 (a half size larger than my usual size) because from past experience (my favorite pair of boots are also from LR), I've known Loeffler Randall to be fairly narrow.  And I'm glad that I did because the 8 fit perfectly.  

First the Pros:

-The pom poms!

-The leather on these are so soft that they have a natural stretch to them, so it didn't require any breaking in period.  They have been super comfortable since they day I put them on and have been getting better ever since.

- The lace-up isn't so bad on these shoes because they have leather loops to hold the laces in place.  The only part you have to wrap and tie is at the ankles.

- I also stayed away from lace-up flats in the past because wrapping the laces around your ankles can seem to cut the length of the leg at the ankles.  And since my ankles aren't that slim to begin with I thought it might make my short legs look shorter.  But I don't think this is the case with these lace-ups because of the nude color.

- The bottom sole of the sandal is rubber from toe to heel so there's no slipping and falling with these sandals.

But the Cons:

- No arch support, which means I'd have to take care not to walk miles and miles in these flats.

- I have no idea the working conditions of the shoemakers.  These are made in Brazil.  Are Brazilian factories good?  Or are they sweatshop-like?  ???

Ah well, I try to be an ethical shopper most of the time.  But sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants.  At least I know I love these sandals and have plenty of opportunities to wear them out.  If you're interested, Loeffler Randall makes these lace-ups with stars as well as with tassels.  

Everlane Modern Babo Shoes Review

Hi guys and I'm back with another Everlane shoe review!  Presenting Everlane's Modern Babo:

I was really excited when I saw these shoes in Everlane's "Coming Soon" section since I've been looking for some slip-on mules.  I ordered a size 8, which is my normal Everlane size (my normal shoe size is 7.5 but if you have slightly wide-ish feet like I do then order a half size up.  Everlane's shoes are always on the narrow side).  

Now onto the review...

The Pros:

-As expected, Everlane makes another gorgeous leather shoe.  The leather is of super high-quality and the Babo looks really streamlined and modern.  I definitely like the look of this shoe.

-And this isn't just another leather slide.  I really like the fact that you can wear the heel flattened for a mule look or up for loafer-bootie look.  If you wear this with jeans that go past your ankles, it would probably look like you're wearing boots.  When I first saw the Babo, before trying it on, I thought the flattened heel part would be annoying to step on, but really since it's pretty much pre-flattened for you, you don't feel like your heel is stepping on something when walking in these shoes.  Also I should note that if I were to wear these shoes with the heel up, I would probably need to wear some socks with it since it's slightly too big when worn in this way (the shoes seem a bit longer than the usual Everlane size 8, but it's not a problem when wearing these shoes as a mule).

But the Cons:

- The biggest deal breaker for me was that my feet got really hot in the time I was trying out the shoes and taking pictures.  If I were to wear this in the hot summer sun, I would for sure get feet-sweat which would then probably lead to some smelly Babos.  So really this means I'm probably not cut out to wear any kind of leather mules here in San Jose, especially not in the summer.

- No arch support on these shoes, which would be a problem if I walked around in them for long periods of time (but I would have to deal with the feet-sweat first if that were to happen).

-Also, like Everlane's loafers and modern point, the bottom of the soles are slippery so just add some of these sole stopperz helps.

So in the end I returned the Babos, which I was semi-reluctant to do because I really did like the look of them.  I might leave it open as a possibility for winter shoes here in California, but for now I'm looking forward to the release of Everlane's slide and sandals (today!).  I've been a bit of a Goldilocks lately when it comes to Everlane items (I've returned pretty much everything I've ordered in recent history except for their anorak and new tees).  I'm quite sure I'm their most prolific returner, but at the same time why keep something I won't wear?  Anyways as usual, reviews are done on items I've purchased for myself and are not sponsored (at this point I bet Everlane is thinking why bother sending me free stuff when I just buy and return everything anyway, lol).  And check out my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane's items (referral link, thanks guys for your support!).  

P.S. Here's my usual uniform, as I mentioned in my last post about Airstream living.

The first 3 months living in an Airstream

Hi guys, sorry no review for you today but I thought I would take the time to write about my Airstream living so far.  Well the first month was a bit of an adjustment but not only were we moving from a 2400 sq ft house to a 240 sq ft. Airstream, but we were getting ready to sell said house as well as start our Airstream rental business.  Those days we pretty much used the Airstream just to sleep and shower.  But since then I've been spending more and more time in the Airstream and some days work from it too.  I thought I would get stir-crazy from being in such a small space but I don't.  I am really starting to love my new life in a small space mainly for these reasons:

~ Living in an Airstream means I have everything I need and not a lot of what I don't need.  A smaller space means being conscious of what I keep around.  And after a month of moving things around from storage to the Airstream and back again, I have exactly what I need but none of the extras.  (So in full disclosure, we still have a lot of items in storage--there's no way I can quit all my stuff cold turkey, but I'm hoping to get rid of things gradually).  Have you guys ever tried the 2 closet system (where you have one main closet with all the clothes you consistently wear and a second closet for everything else; and as you need things you move them from the second closet to your main one; and after 1 year you get rid of all the things you never used in the second closet)?  It's a technique to wean yourself off of a big closet.  Well that's what it feels like with all the items I've ever owned, with the Airstream being my main closet and storage as my secondary closet.  I hope to get rid of everything in storage at the end of the year.

~ Also I've learned If you're going to live in a small space, it better be well-designed.  And the Airstream is superbly well-designed.  There's storage everywhere, which allows me to keep everything I want in the Airstream.  I even have some empty cabinet space still left.

~ I'm by no means a an organized person.  I'm clean because I hate bugs, but I'm also of the mind-set that if it can be stacked in a corner, that's good for now (I may or may not share some photos of how I kept my work room/study back in my old house, but basically it looked like a borderline hoarder lived there).  It was bad.  But living in the Airstream, with everything in its place and no room for extraneous stuff has really helped me become a neater person.  It also got me to clean on a daily basis because in such a small space, there's really no room for mess.  And cleaning on daily basis is such a cinch in 240 sq ft..

~ I have a daily uniform now, which makes getting dressed in the mornings super easy.  Granted, it's a super boring uniform of an Everlane tee, jeans, and Toms shoes.  But still it's the most comfortable things to wear while working and the most practical too since I'm no longer just sitting at a desk for work.  Some days I find myself on my hands and knees cleaning Airstreams (yep, I'm the unofficial cleaning lady at work; though we do have an official cleaner, she can't always make it.  This week I've cleaned 3 Airstreams so far), or other days work with equipment that leave grease spots on my shirts or jeans.  So a simple uniform is the best and makes managing my closet so much easier now.

~ We experienced the joy of travel in our Airstream just once so far, when we went glamping in a Redwood forest for my birthday.  It's really awesome to be able to pick up your home and just tow it to a different location.  It's not just travel but in a sense, living in a new place.  We're hoping we can do more of this during the fall months when the business isn't so busy.  In the meantime we're at a pretty nice RV Park, which honestly feels like a retirement community.  There's not a lot of people under 60 living here, which can be kind of nice.  Sure there's some grumpy old people, but for the most part everyone is super friendly.  Plus I think most of them are retired and traveling full-time, so they all seem to be enjoying life.  You can't help feeling good in a community of happy people. 

Actually, there's one bad thing about moving to the RV park and it's due to the surrounding fields and farms.  Allergies!!  They're so bad this year that my usual Zyrtec was no longer working.  But thank goodness for nasal allergy spray: it's a miracle worker!  

That's it for now, but once I get everything a little more organized, I can show you what are my necessities for Airstream life!  Till then, more reviews: Everlane's Babo shoes are coming up next!

Everlane Striped Cotton Poplin Shirt Dress and Square Shirt Review

It's been really starting to heat up here in the SF Bay Area lately, especially in San Jose.  So when Everlane debuted their cotton poplin shirt dress I ordered it immediately, even though I had some reservations about the style.  And since I wanted the free shipping, I thought I would try out their poplin square shirt as well (especially since I liked the style of the square shirt in silk--Everlane silk square shirt review here).  I really like the poplin material, which I got to try out when I reviewed Everlane's poplin relaxed shirt, so I was hoping I would like at least one of these items, but unfortunately I didn't.  {By the way I ordered both items in a size 2.  I'm about 5'4" and usually wear a small in most tops.}

So the first thing I thought immediately after putting on the poplin shirt dress was, "Wait, am I wearing a men's nightgown?"

See what I mean?

So then I decided to try it with a belt to make it look a little less night-gowny and I think it helped:

But still I didn't love this look.  I think you have to be a waif to look good in this.  Otherwise it just looks like you're wearing a man's nightie.  But here's my full list of pros and cons:

Pros:

-Like I said before the poplin material is really nice.  It's smooth, feels durable, and of a fairly high quality.

-There's pockets at the hips.  Any dress with pockets wins extra points in my book.

-I like the side slits and the fact that the dress cuts a little higher in the front than in the back.

And the Cons:

-It's a men's nightshirt.

-The cut is generally unflattering but cinching it at your waistline with a belt does help give it some definition.

-I don't like wear it cuts at the legs in the front for me because it cuts right at the widest point of my calves.  It's not really a slimming look.

Here I am trying to style it with my Mansur Gavriel mini lady bag and I'm wearing Everlane's Modern Loafers

Now onto the poplin square shirt, which made me think of the sail of a sailboat (probably because I could catch some serious wind if I just held up my arms).

First the pros:

-I liked the cute mandarin collar on this shirt and prefer it over the pointed collar of the silk square shirt.

-The sleeves help cover up the chicken wings (aka flabby triceps).

-This would be a perfect shirt for buffet dining or if I was pregnant.

But the cons: 

-Since I'm not really a buffet-eater nor am I pregnant, this shirt does not do me any favors.  I probably could have sized up to size 4 to get a little more length in the front so it doesn't look like I have a massive belly.  

-I think for the square shirt style such as this, a silk material that drapes is probably a little more flattering and not so sail-like.

In the end I ended up returning both.  All my other Everlane reviews are here.

Cuyana Crossbody Pouch Review

Lately my blog has become all things Everlane all the time, so I'm working on getting some variety here. Today's review is for Cuyana's Crossbody Pouch in Stone.  If you're looking for a high-quality minimal crossbody without spending a lot of money then this bag might be for you.  This bag reminds me of Celine's trio bag, but of course this is just a single.  I had the Celine trio before and I loved the chic simplicity but at the same time it was hard to swallow the over $1050 price tag.  In the end I sold my trio because the leather was fairly delicate, it didn't suit my needs, and I felt like I could have spent that $1000 more wisely somewhere else.

But anyway, onto the review!  The pros:

- This beautiful bag is made from high quality Italian leather but in the U.S. Yay for supporting local American manufacturing.  And just like Cuyana's mini saddle bag and their Classic Leather Tote, the leather is soft and smells wonderful.  Also the pebbled leather seems a lot more durable than the Celine leather, and is probably less likely to scratch.

- The size of the crossbody is fairly decent, measuring 7"H x 9.25"W x .25"D.  I was able to fit my sunglass pouch, wallet, phone and keys with a little bit of room to spare.

-The strap is adjustable as well as removable.  So you could use it as a pouch within a bag or a clutch, and then convert it to a crossbody when you want a minimal handsfree purse.

-For $110, this beautifully well-made purse is a pretty good price (even a Madewell leather purse, made in China goes for $138).

And then there are the cons:

- That 0.25" depth is kind of a deal breaker for me.  Even if I could over-load it with a lot of things due to the decent height and width, I don't like the look of a bulging purse.  And if you don't put relatively flat things or have a couple bulky items in your purse, then the crossbody starts looking lumpy.  So this bag is definitely for people who just carry the essentials with them (or it would be a great simple going out purse).

- No lining on the inside.  Again, it's not a big deal but I just like to have some kind of lining on the inside.

-The strap ends up being a little too long for me.  If I were to keep the purse, I would just pierce another hole in the strap to shorten it.  (The strap is at the shortest in the pics below, and though the length is alright, I just prefer if the bag hit a little higher up the hips).

In the pictures above I'm wearing Everlane's microstripe u-neck shirt in a small, Paige Verdugo Crop jeans (similar here), and Everlane Modern Loafers.

In the end, I returned the purse since I already have too many going out purses and really don't need another one.  Currently Cuyana is out of their Crossbody Pouches in all colors except mint, but if you sign up for email notification they will email you when they get more in stock.  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.  

Everlane Spring 2016 Shirts: Slim Crew Shirt, Micro Stripe Tees, and Muscle Tank Review

When I saw Everlane release their Slim Crew Shirt, I was super excited to try them out because I love shirts with longer sleeves (to hide my bat wings/chicken wings, you know that flabby tricep area).  Why workout your triceps when you can just hide them?  I also tried out their muscle tanks, which just confirmed that yes, it is better to hide my unworked triceps.  But first a note on sizing: these shirts are made in the factory in LA, so even though the shirt is called slim, it's nothing like the Pima Stretch Mid-sleeve shirts made in Peru.  So like all the other cotton shirts made in LA (the U-neck, V-neck, box cut), get your usual size.  I usually wear the S, but I was thinking they're going to be more fitted, so I got a size M.  But it turned out the M was a tad too large and I should have stuck with the S.  (And to make a short story long, I loved the shirt in the olive color, but now Everlane won't have them back in stock until May 12th!  And so I won't be getting my order for the small olive slim crew until next month! #firstworldproblems).

Anyway onto the review, the slim crew shirt is my new favorite simple tee.  I like the longer sleeves and the more fitted shape.  But at the same time, it doesn't cling like the pima stretch mid-sleeves (which I have to admit I don't wear because it's too fitted).  The Slim Crew material is supima cotton, which is slightly thicker and feels more durable than the pima cotton from Peru.   I'm wearing a medium in the pics, and it fits fine but it felt a little too big, especially in the shoulder and chest area.  I'll update with pictures of the small when I get it.  Also, the overall length of the shirt is a bit longer than I would like but I can just fold it under (and I'm hoping the small will be a better length).

{5.5.16 update: so I got the slim crew in small in gray today, and it fit much better than the medium.  And the slim crew in the micro stripe was definitely a size smaller than the solid colored ones.  So lesson here is stick with your usual Everlane tee size for the slim crew shirt!}

The Muscle Tank

I got Everlane's muscle tank in a small and it fit well.  The arm holes were a good size, not too large so that you could see my bra when I lifted my arm.  The neck hole was a bit small so I had to squeeze my head through to get it on (or maybe my head is just too big, lol).  Overall it's a good tank top, but muscle tanks in general are not my thing.

The Micro Stripe Tees

So the interesting thing about these tees is that even though they are in the same style as the U-neck and Slim Crew made in LA, the micro stripe tees are actually made in their Vietnam factory.  I got both the gray/white stripe in the U-neck style and the blue/white stripe in the Slim Crew in size small.  The U-neck shirt fit great, even though it felt slightly smaller than the usual U-neck shirts made in LA, but that's fine since the U-neck shirt is an oversized fit to begin with.  But when I tried on the Slim Crew in blue/white micro stripe in a small, it felt super tight.  Unfortunately I can't compare it with a small Slim Crew made in LA to verify if there's a difference in the sizes (not until May 9th that is), but I'll update this info once I get it!  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).  

Anyone else try out their new tees?  What do you think?