Pssst $50 off every pair of shoe at M.Gemi

As you know I'm a huge fan of the Felize loafers I purchased from M.Gemi (review here) so I'm super stoked they're now offering $50 off every pair from now until Sunday.  I don't see anything about combining promotions (the $50 off is automatically applied at checkout) so if you want, email me or leave a comment for a $25 off promo code (for first time buyers only).  Italian made leather loafers for $75 off?  Yes please!

{edit: okay it looks like they don't allow the combination of promos so it's just $50 off, sorry for getting your hopes up!  But $50 is still a great discount!}

Airstreamin' 2016 Days 9-16: Deschutes Nat'l Forest -> Bend -> Portland (with quick Portland City Guide)

After we left the high Sierras, we made our way through Central Oregon.  It was my first time in the area and I have to say Oregon in the fall is absolutely stunning.  I think it might be one of my favorite regions in the US.  There's a mix of pine forests and acres and acres of farmland (complete with the most charming farmhouses and barns).  And lots of happy cows grazing on open range.  We spent 3 full days in Bull Bend campground (pictured below), about an hour south of Bend, OR.  It was just us and our dogs there the whole time (though we did hear and see some hunters on the other side of the river on one of the days).  Though I'm a city gal through and through, 3 days in the forest is somehow calming.  Really, quite a perfect vacation.

Then we hit Bend, which was having some of the best fall colors yet.  And like I said I'm a city girl, so I appreciated being back in civilization (even if it's a smallish city).  Bend actually had a lot to offer (especially for beer lovers) and I wish we had spent more time there.  But I will be back!

We went to the Deschutes Brewery tour where I learned that they specialized in English type ales and have only fresh hop beer for a limited time after hop harvest (so around later summer-early fall).  My favorite fresh hop beers were the Chasin Freshies and the Hop a Trip.  I also really liked their Deschutes River Ale.

Also, we ate at Spork for lunch and it was some of the best international fusion food I've had.  I had a peruvian stir fry and my husband has korean style fried chicken.  I am definitely coming back to Bend and I'm definitely going to eat there again.

From there we went to Silver Falls State Park and again we were one of the few people there.  Fall camping is absolutely the best--the most peaceful and stress free (we never have to make campground reservations ahead of time).  I know California has some nice campgrounds but Oregon, I think you beat us by a mile.

And from there some wine tasting at Willamette Valley Vineyards, known for their Pinot Noir.  Again, Oregon put on quite the beautiful scene for us.

From there we went to Portland, quite possibly my favorite city on the West Coast (well I guess after my own city, SF).  I just love love love the many awesome restaurants and small boutiques.  We first visited Portland 3 years ago and have come back yearly ever since.

Here are some of my must-visit shops in Portland (the first 3 shops are all in the same area):

Tender Loving Empire: a cute stationary/homegoods/knick-knack store with mostly Oregon-made products at an affordable price.  This year I purchased a new scent and a cute pin

Woonwinkel: up-scale homegoods/knick-knack store with Oregon-made products as well as other artisan items.  I go there mostly to browse and get inspiration

MadeHere PDX: all Portland-made items, including food and other crafts.  This year I purchased jams from Three Little Figs and chocolates for gifts.  I also got myself a belt from Orox.

And while you're in the area I'll check out the shops in Union Way (Steven Alan and Danner goods), and then stop in at Powell's books and smell the new books (I know I'm weird).

Menagerie: natural indie beauty products in a renovated Airstream shop 

My favorite places to eat in Portland:

Le Pigeon: My number one favorite restaurant in Portland, and definitely in my top 5 favorite in all of the US.  Get ready for communal tables in a tiny restaurant and the most innovative tasting menu I've ever seen (foie gras root beer float was a highlight--tastes better than it sounds).  We went here last year but was unable to make a reservation so we instead tried Beast (also a communal table tasting menu set-up, but save your money, I wouldn't recommend it).

Little Bird: And since we couldn't get a reservation at Le Pigeon, we tried their sister casual restaurant Little Bird this time around.  And this bistro was also amazing (pictured below).  The highlights of their charcuterie board were the deviled eggs, home made pork rinds, and beef tongue pastrami (I loved this last one so much I almost want to learn how to make it myself but then I realized I have to cut up a whole cow's tongue and I'm not sure I'm down for that).

Pok pok: One of my favorite Thai restaurants 

Mirakutei: My favorite ramen joint in Portland

Blue Star donuts: the most interesting-flavored donuts I've encountered.  I love their creme brûlée and their blueberry bourbon basil.  And skip the lines at Voodoo donuts (they may be an institution but their donuts are not great).

Salt and Straw: and no Portland trip is complete without some Portland made ice cream!

And for more Portland City guides:

Andrea from Seasons and Salt just recently posted a mini tour

And I love Design*Sponge's city guides, and here's their Portland one

And one more from Kinfolk

Fall 2016 10x10 Challenge Looks 3 & 4

Hi guys, and back with looks 3 & 4 of my 10x10 Challenge.  Here's the post about my first two looks as well as the breakdown of the pieces I chose to include in this challenge.  So far I love love love this 10x10 thing.  It really is a way to flex my creativity muscles within a limited selection (they do say that creating boundaries and routines can help creativity flourish).

For a refresher here are a list of the 10 items again:

1) Everlane Modern Oxford (review here)

2) rag & bone booties (similar here)

3) Sanctuary Bomber Jacket (similar here or here)

4) WAYF white top

5) Theory velvet dress 

6) Frame le slim straight trouser jeans

7) Paige Verdugo pants (similar here)

8) Maison Labiche Mariniere shirt (similar here)

9) Trouve vest (thrifted)

10) Everlane cashmere cropped sweater (review here)

Look 3

 Wearing: Maison Labiche shirt (#8 from list above), Trouve vest (#9), frame denim (#6) and Everlane oxfords (#1)

Not loving this look nor the way the iphone camera lens makes my head look 2x bigger than it should be.  It's almost at bobble-head proportions.

Accessories: Celine sunglasses (here)

Look 4

This is my favorite look so far and I can't wait to repeat this outfit all fall.  I'm wearing my WAYF top (#4), Everlane cropped cashmere sweater (#10), Paige denim (#7), and rag & bone booties (#2)

What I love about this look is that I can just pull up the sleeves of the cashmere sweater to create different looks on top.  In the photo above I'm wearing the sleeves all the way pulled down.  So it just looks like a regular 'ole cropped sweater and white blouse combo.  In the pic below I just pulled up the sleeves of the sweater a tad so now you can start seeing the ruffles of the sleeves.  I think this is my favorite look of this combo.  There's just a bit of a ruffle.  But if I'm feeling a bit more flamboyant, then I can pull up the sleeves of the sweater half-way up my arm and now I have some awesome bell sleeves flapping in the wind.  {This pushing up and down of the sweater sleeves also comes in handy when you're eating and don't want your bell sleeves dipping into your dish--just pull down the sweater sleeves and you're set!} 

Accessories: Celine sunglasses (here) and Celine small trotteur bag (similar here)

I honestly would never have thought of this combo if it hadn't been for this 10x10 challenge.  I love this challenge so much I'm thinking of just going through my whole wardrobe 10x10 at a time.  Anyway I should probably finish this challenge first before committing myself to a 10x10 forever, lol.  

P.S. I am also in love with the fall foliage in Bend, OR.  

Brooklinen Lux Core Sheet Set Review {Updated May 2018}

{May 2018 update: So I can no longer recommend Brooklinen.  I purchased sheets from them March 20th but then decided not to keep them since I wanted to try sheets from a more sustainable and ethical company like Coyuchi.  I returned the item without even opening the box and received no word from them that they received it.  It has taken repeated emails on my part and I still haven't received my refund (over 2 months later).  Their customer service has been lacking and so I can no longer recommend them on this blog.}

So I've been meaning to do this review for the longest time since I've been using Brooklinen's sheets for awhile now.  But I've finally decided I need to write a post about it because I'm really starting to appreciate how lovely my bed is (especially since we're traveling everyday, it's been nice to come back to my own bed-- ahh RV living).  Anyways I first heard of Brooklinen through my husband who heard good things about it from friends.  So we decided to try it out, especially since we've never really invested in good sheets before.  And guys, these sheets are wonderful!  You know those lovely smooth and crisp sheets at upscale hotels?  Yea these are those kind of sheets.  

So first of all, you know I like any company that tries to be more transparent about their production process.  Can you call Brooklinen the Everlane of bedding?  Kind of:

but again you just have to trust their word when they say other companies sell it for 3x more

I also love that their site really breaks down what makes high quality bedding (long staple cotton, the ply of the yarn, thread count, etc.).

View fullsize

All I know is, these sheets feel super luxurious.  In the summers they felt cool the touch and in the winter they warm up and feel smooth and buttery soft.

At $129 for the Luxe Sheets (which is the one I got, I don't know what the classic feels like), it seems like a lot, but believe me it's worth every penny.  I love them so much that once our Airstream business gets off the ground, I want to purchase Brooklinen for all the Airstreams.  If you're interested in trying them out, they do have a 60 day return policy.  And for first time customers, here's a referral link to get $25 off your first purchase (I get $25 off too when you purchase through this link so thanks for supporting my dream of outfitting my Airstream fleet with brooklinen sheets!).

And for a more comprehensive review, check out this blog post from Sleepopolis.

P.S. I should add that Brooklinen tells you to wash it once but these sheets really start feeling good after the third or so wash (they still feel pretty stiff the first couple of uses).

Grana Silk Cashmere Oversized Tee Review

Hi y'all, back again with another Grana review (just because I'm on the road doesn't mean the review train stops, lol).  So I ordered Grana's silk cashmere oversized tee because I was intrigued by the silk cashmere knit.  I love Grana's silk and I like their cashmere (review of this also coming soon), so I decided I should try the blend.  And I'm super glad that I did because I love this top!

I ordered this in a small and I think it was the perfect size (I'm usually a small on top but I order Grana's shirts in a medium for a looser fit).  Even in the small size, the fit was loose and easy (just the way I like it).  I like the modern square shape of the tee (hmm I wonder if they're taking some styling cues from Everlane) and that it's a bit longer in the front and the back.

Now on to the best part of the tee, the silk cashmere material: it's super soft but still thin (and because it's thin make sure you wear a well fitting bra unlike me, or else you'll have some bra lines showing).  Also because it's thin, the top is not super warm.  But it's the perfect layering piece for your fall wardrobes. The material feels super luxe and a lot more expensive than the $79 price tag (it really feels like a $100+ top).      

I really love this top and look forward to wearing it under my coats and styling it in more interesting ways. If you're interested in trying it out, use this referral code for 10% off your first purchase from Grana.  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

Airstreamin' 2016 Days 5-8: Manzanar->Convict Lake -> June Lake -> Grover Hot Springs

We've been moving everyday now for almost a week so we've covered a lot of ground.  We went from desert to the high Sierras, and from California to Nevada back to California to Oregon (or 692 miles to be exact).  We passed a lot of fine country/ranch houses, some beautiful mountain scenery (we passed through the California Alps--yep that's what they call themselves), and some gorgeous fall foliage happening in south east Oregon.  But let me get back to where I left off (Day 1-4 is here).

About 15 minutes outside of Lone Pine is the Manzanar War Relocation Center (it's where they "relocated" 10,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast--in total over 100,000 Japanese Americans were forced to move with only what they could carry in their suitcase).  As a Japanese American, I feel this is a part of my history but at the same time I'm from Hawaii so it never affected my family (Japanese Americans in Hawaii for the most part were not relocated, only those on the mainland).  But I did find 10 people with my last name (Nitta) on the list of the 10,000 interned there.

Wow such overt racism

Well I hope we have learned from this disgraceful "unAmerican" period in our history.  Let's stop segregating based on race (and let's not build walls to keep out "others").  

Anyway enough of the doom and gloom.  Here are some pictures of the most beautiful places I've ever visited (Convict Lake up top and June Lake below).  {side note: one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to was Antelope Canyon, part of our first Airstream trip}

{outfit: Current/Elliot dress & Celine sunglasses}

{outfit details: Maison Labiche Mariniere shirt + Paige Verdugo Black Jeans + Everlane Modern Oxfords (review of this here) + Fjallraven beanie}

Also just a note about this striped mariniere shirt from Maison Labiche: I'm not sure how I found this brand but I've been obsessed with it ever since.  It's a French-style striped shirt from a French company (though made in Portugal so less likely made in a sweatshop but not a guarantee).  I love this traditional style and feel of the French striped shirt.  It's a heavier thicker knit with a lot less stretch than most cotton striped shirts.  And of course there's the super cute cursive embroidery on the chest.  If you go to their shop in Paris, you can get anything embroidered on the shirt of your choice (or you can also do it online and pay for shipping from France).  A much more affordable and hassle-free way would be to just buy it from Shopbop.  I purchased mine through East Dane because 1) it was before Shopbop started offering Maison Labiche for women, and 2) it was the last XS left and heavily discounted (got it for $30).  So yep, it does say "casanova" instead of "mademoiselle" but hey I was just as much a casanova as a mademoiselle back in the day ;)

And about 30 minutes south east of South Lake Tahoe is Grover Springs State Park.  There's a lovely hot springs pool that's a perfect start to a morning or at the end of a long mountain hike.

Up next: Oregon!

Fall 2016 10x10 Challenge and Looks 1 & 2

I've been feeling a bit blah about my closet lately even though I have a ton of stuff that I love.  So I thought I would kick up my creativity a notch by doing this 10x10 Challenge inspired by Lee over at Style Bee.  The rules of the challenge are 1) pick 10 items of clothing that you'll 2) style into 10 outfits over 3) ten days.  I'm not going to include accessories as part of the 10, but shoes count.  I'm going to fudge a little and show you Looks 1 and 2 from this past week since I love these items so much.  So without further ado, my 10 items:

1) Everlane Modern Oxford (review here)

2) rag & bone booties (similar here)

3) Sanctuary Bomber Jacket (similar here or here)

4) WAYF white top

5) Theory velvet dress 

6) Frame le slim straight trouser jeans

7) Paige Verdugo pants (similar here)

8) Maison Labiche Mariniere shirt (similar here)

9) Trouve vest (thrifted)

10) Everlane cashmere cropped sweater (review here)

P.S. I would normally do flat lays here but since I'm on the road I'm using the trees, lol

Look One:

Wearing the WAYF top, Frame denim and rag & bone booties (items #2, #4, and #6 from above)

accessories: Western belt purchased at Lone Pine and janessa leone hat (similar here)

Look Two:

Wearing the Maison Labiche top (#8), Paige denim (#7), and Everlane modern oxfords (#1)

accessories: Fjallraven beanie and Maui Jim aviators

Alright let's do this!

Amour Vert Review Miley Softest Midi Dress

So I've been hearing about Amour Vert for the longest time.  They are a local (San Francisco) based company that focuses on sustainable fashion made in the US.  And their stuff is cute!  They have the whole California casual chic vibe going on.  And as a Bay Area resident I'm lucky enough to try their stuff in store (the closest one to me is in Palo Alto, but there's also one in Hayes Valley).  Now there stuff is a bit on the steep side, but then again it's all sustainably made in the USA.  They also plant a tree for every tee purchased (but I'm guessing this dress doesn't count towards that). 

So my first purchase from Amour Vert is this Miley Softest Midi dress.  And they didn't lie, it is definitely the softest midi dress I've ever tried.  It's so soft I want to sleep in it every night.  Anyway I also love that it's a double layer of cotton so it feels thick and substantial.  The midi length with the side slits is perfect.  

The dress is a bit on the clingy side so I went a size up to a large (a medium would fit better here), but I like the oversized fit.  This is the perfect base to start layering all my winter sweaters!  If you're interested in Amour Vert, this link gets you $25 off your first purchase!  

$25 Nisolo Code Giveaway {closed}

For those who are interested, I have $25 Nisolo codes (just like last time) that I won't be using.  So if you've been eyeing a Nisolo purchase here's something to make the purchase a bit sweeter!  Just enter the form below and I'll email you the code!  First 15 to enter wins (and I'll be closing the contest as soon as I have 15 form completions).  Again, thank you to everyone who supports my blog by clicking on my referral links!

Airstreamin' 2016 Day 1-4: San Jose ->Death Valley ->Lone Pine

If you guys have been following my Insta, you know that we just started our month-long Airstream adventure!  We originally had just planned to go straight north from San Jose to Vancouver, but crazy storms have been hitting the west coast.  So we did a last minute plan change and headed east instead (which is the awesome part of having your home on wheels and some time).  So our first destination was Death Valley National Park on the eastern edge of California. 

Death Valley was hot, even for October. When we got there it was 100 degrees (though it was forecasted to be in the 80s). Our first stop in Death Valley was Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America.  There's a boardwalk up to the salt flat so that you can literally stand at the lowest point. 

Also during this trip I decided to try to wear as many of the clothes that I review here on this site. So for example I would normally just wear a shirt and shorts while driving around a National Park (it was waaay too hot for hiking) but instead I tried out my favorite items from Everlane and my new favorite backpack from Kara. I got some weird looks from the other tourists but whatever. On the plus side I find that I love my Everlane modern oxfords even more now (they're so comfy!). 

I also loved that Death Valley National Park has a ton of western frontier history. There's an old borax mill and right outside of the park there's a ghost town called Rhyolite. I was thrilled to see an old Union Pacific rail car there (has anyone else binge watched on Hell on Wheels yet?). And speaking of Westerns, I'm also so hooked on West World on HBO right now.  My visit to all these frontier towns couldn't have been more timely. 

Bag: Mansur Gavriel // Tank and shoes: Everlane // hat: Janessa Leone

From Death Valley we drove to Lone Pine, where a lot of Westerns were filmed back in day (like John Wayne-type Westerns). We spent the night in the Alabama Hills, a free recreation site with a ton of large interesting boulders. At times I felt like I was in Bedrock (from the Flintstones). The best part of this boondocking site was that there was no one for miles around. We had the place to ourselves.  

Top: WAYF//denim: Frame//boots: rag & bone

From there we left the desert and headed up the Sierras! 

Everlane Review The Pleated Skirt

Since I unexpectedly loved Everlane's stretch ponte tube skirt, I thought I might as well see how I like their pleated skirt, which came out around the same time.  And well, if you're looking for a good pleated skirt, Everlane's version might be the one for you.

First a note on sizing, I would say this skirt runs true to size (I'm usually a size 4 and the 4 here fit me well at the waist).  The sizing is a bit forgiving since it's an elastic waistband with a button and zip closure.  Also for reference I'm 5'4" and this skirt goes just past my knees.

The fabric itself is 100% polyester and is a bit scratchy, and that's a bit unfortunate since the skirt is unlined.  But I think the material was chosen because it holds the pleats so well and seems to be somewhat resistant to wrinkles.  In the pics below I'm styling it with Everlane's cropped donegal cashmere from last year and my favorite rag & bone slides.

In the end I decided to return this skirt because of the rough material and because it reminded me of my private school uniform that I had to wear daily for 6 years (this is also the same reason I dislike Keds shoes).  Anyways you can find all my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane items here.

Grana Review Denim Boyfriend Shirt Dress

Ahh the season for denim is pretty much over so this review will be pretty useless except maybe for those in Australia (hello Sydney-based readers--all 200 or so of you lol).  Oh well better late than never?  So I've tried Grana's Japanese denim jeans, which I liked (but to be honest I don't wear as often as I thought I would because I'm just so obsessed with Frame denim right now plus I've discovered I'm not much a stiff denim kind of gal).  But when Grana came out with a line of Japansese denim dresses, I knew I had to give them a try.

So what did I think of the dress?  Well I loved the denim material of the dress.  It's super soft and lightweight.  And overall the dress is really comfortable and versatile.  But I'm not sure I would wear it very often because this dress is quite short (I ordered this in a small).  I'm 5'4" and though it looks like a suitable length in the pictures, when I raise my arms the dress hem line goes up to my butt.  If I had to reach for something overhead I'm pretty sure I'd be flashing everyone my undies.  

So I guess in the end I would only wear this dress if I knew I wasn't going to be doing anything active (so that rules out daily work).  The dress also comes with it's own denim tie belt (as seen on the model) but I think I would rather wear a waist belt to make the dress a bit more interesting.  Also, if this dress is worn as a transitional piece for autumn, it could look cute with tights or leggings (in which case flashing people becomes a little less of a concern).  And on the plus side, the dress comes with pockets.

Anyway if you're interested in trying the dress for yourself, this link gets you 10% off your first Grana purchase.  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

Everlane City Anorak Review

Earlier this year I reviewed Everlane's original anorak and I loved it.  It was probably one of my favorite pieces at the time and was super useful for a very rainy spring in the SF Bay Area.  So when I saw that Everlane came out with another version of their anorak I knew I had to give it a try.  Well the City Anorak is completely different from Everlane's original (and made in different factories as well).  If you found Everlane's first anorak to be thin, flimsy, and not very waterproof then their new City Anorak was made for you.

The main difference between the two anoraks is that the city anorak is much much thicker and more heavy duty.  And the thicker material seems more waterproof than the original (which is more like a thin nylon).  Compared to the original anorak, the City Anorak would be something a fisherman could wear during a storm at sea or at least something that could handle any rain that comes your way.  

Anyways here are all the differences that I could find between the 2 anoraks:

~ the City Anorak is a lot warmer (because of the thicker material)

~ the City Anorak there are 2 zippers so that you could partially unzip the bottom (the old one only had one), and the new anorak has sturdier zippers as well

~ because of the heavy material, you can't really cinch the waist of the city anorak like you can the old one even though it has the drawstring in the middle

~ the old anorak had a more interesting cut and overall design.  The City Anorak is a much simpler shape

~ the old anorak navy blue is a duller/dustier color, while the new anorak in navy blue is a much brighter blue

So if you're looking for a heavy duty, sturdy raincoat then Everlane's City Anorak is the one for you.  As for me, I actually prefer the older flimsier nylon version because it's a lot more lightweight to pack and it's a good layering piece for those California rainy/misty days.  I don't really need a heavy duty rain coat in my life and I really don't need 2 Everlane anoraks.  

All my other Everlane reviews can be found here and you can find Everlane's anorak here. 

Everlane Review Pima Stretch Turtleneck

I'll say it up front: I dislike turtlenecks and having grown up in Hawaii,  never had to wear them.  But this year, turtlenecks seem to have a bit more of an appeal to me so I decided to try it out (I think it's Andrea's expert layering of her turtleneck over at Seasons+Salt that got me interested).  And if you're looking for a great layering turtleneck then Everlane's pima stretch turtleneck fits the bill.    

I got the white turtleneck in a small, knowing that it was going to be on the tight and clingy side (I tried Everlane's pima stretch tee before so knew it was going to run small).  And just like the pima stretch tee, the turtleneck version is super soft and stretchy.  The white is a bit sheer so you can see even a nude bra, but that shouldn't be a problem when you're layering it. The neck portion of the turtleneck is also quite clingy (it doesn't quite look like the turtleneck on the model in the Everlane pics where the turtleneck looks like it flares out), and since I didn't like that constricted feeling around my neck I'm wearing this turtleneck with the neck part folded down.  I guess I'm still just not a turtleneck kind of gal.

Anyways you can find all my other Everlane reviews here.

Grana Pima Modal Slouchy Tee Review

My love for Grana's pima cotton shirts are still going strong, so when I saw that they added a line of pima modal slouchy shirts I knew I had to give them a try.  And I wasn't disappointed: Grana made another excellent tee.  

The pima modal slouchy tees are very different from the original pima cotton tees in several ways:

~ The sizing on the slouchy tees seems to be bigger.  I ordered my usual medium (I'm usually a size 4 or small on top but have consistently ordered mediums in Grana's tees for a looser fit), but the medium in the slouchy tee is too big.  I think I could get away with a small on this.

~ The slouchy tees are way thinner than the original pima cotton tees.  If you like your shirts soft and thin, then this is definitely the tee for you.

~ I also like the wider neckline and slightly longer sleeves of the slouchy tees as compared to the original pima cotton crew neck tees.

If you're looking for a soft thin shirt like those from higher priced brands than you need to give Grana's slouchy tee a try.  For first time customers here's a link to get 10% off your first purchase at Grana.  And checkout my other Grana reviews here.

Unsponsored VRAI (formerly known as Vrai & Oro) Review {Updated January 2021}

I don't talk a lot about my jewelry obsessions here on the blog, but I luckily come from a long line of jewelry lovers (some of my most prized possessions were handed down to me by my grandmother).  Recently, after discarding a bunch of my fashion jewelry during my move into the Airstream, I've decided to no longer purchase cheap mixed metal or gold plated jewelry.  Cheap jewelry is pretty much an equivalent to fast fashion for me since I only wear them once or twice.  I find that I'm not good at putting on (or taking off) jewelry every day.  If I'm going to wear something, it has to be something I can wear 24/7 (as in during showers, swimming, or manual labor with the Airstreams), which means the only pieces I really wear are the ones that are solid gold.  So when I stumbled upon VRAI (formerly known as Vrai & Oro), I was interested.  Vrai & Oro is trying to do what Everlane does for clothes: make things ethically, with transparency and simplicity.  

source

Now they don't tell us exactly how much it costs them to make their jewelry but it does seem that there is a minimal mark-up to their jewelry as they claim.  For example their diamond bezel necklace (with a 0.1 carat diamond) goes for $260 (in 2021 it is now $325) while Tiffany's diamond solitare (0.08 carat) goes for $800 (in 2021 it is now $950).  Having owned both, the only real difference I would say is that the chain from Vrai & Oro is slightly daintier (ie has less total gold in it).  I also ordered Vrai & Oro's vertical bar necklace (no longer sold) and their diamond bezel bracelet.  I'm a huge fan of their simple styling and the quality of their products.  So if you're interested in quality solid gold jewelry (in white, yellow or rose gold) then definitely give Vrai a shot (plus they have a 30-day return policy if you're not satisfied).  And as usual this is a completely unsponsored review! {January 2021 update: And they now have a VRAI promo referral link which will give you $75 off your first purchase (and I would also get $75 off so thanks for tempting me to buy more of their stuff lol—this Tetrad ring is calling my name).}

P.S. If you're interested in something on their site that's sold out, click on the link to leave your email to notify you when the product is back in stock.  I've noticed that they will offer the item first to those on that waitlist before they show that the item is in stock (ie I was able to purchase the vertical bar necklace even though it said it was out of stock on the website).

P.P.S Another bonus of buying solid gold as opposed to gold-filled is that you can always sell off your real gold jewelry if you want/need to lol (though for not nearly the same price for what you bought it for).

P.P.P.S Also I purchased their thick band ring (no longer sold) and their baguette diamond bezel ring.  I love both rings but especially the thick band ring which is wide but actually quite thin and lightweight.  The diamond baguette ring is cute and dainty but there's no actual sparkle to the diamond due to the cut (some people may prefer that though).  But I also find the setting to have quite sharp corners and you have to be careful not to scratch yourself with the ring when wearing it (I've already done that twice).

{January 2021 Update: It’s been over 4 years since I’ve written this post so I thought I would update it with thier new name (now only VRAI), their new prices (which of course went up in 4 years), the updated names of their products, and some new links. I’ve also since added affiliate links but have not changed any opinions of their products or their brand. Since this post I purchased a pave ring about 2 years ago (also no longer sold) and that’s actually the only Vrai piece left in my collection (the rest I was able to sell quite easily on eBay). I also want to add the Vrai now only use sustainable man-made diamonds thus reducing their need to mine the earth for their raw materials and their carbon footprint. Of course there’s some controversy over these “synthetic” diamonds but I think it’s a step in the right direction. Also just because they’re man-made it doesn’t make their jewelry cheap.}

Please note that this portion of the post contains affiliate links that could result in my earning a small commission - at no extra cost to you - if you click and make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

Grana Review Linen Boyfriend Shirt 2.0 {updated March 2017}

When I reviewed Grana's linen boyfriend shirt back in August, blog reader Lauren left a comment that Grana had just recently revamped (and raised the price) of their linen boyfriend shirts.  So this review of Grana's linen boyfriend shirt 2.0 is for you Lauren, and sorry it's so late (I mean it's pretty much autumn already, lol).  BUT, I have to confess I never really wear linen and so I sold the first linen shirt on Slowre so unfortunately I will have to rely a bit on memory (and my old review) for comparison.  

So one of the first differences I noticed about Grana's new linen is that this linen seems a bit thinner than their old linen boyfriend shirts.  Thus this white linen shirt is a bit sheer (you can pretty much see the outline of my nude bra).  I also noticed that Grana's new linen is no longer made by Baird McNutt like their old version, which probably accounts for the difference in the feel of the linen.  I would say their new linen feels softer but is that because it's thinner than the old linen?  But overall I can't actually say that the quality of their new linen is better.

On the other hand, I can say that the fit of the new linen shirts are better.  I again ordered a small like last time and even though the fit was a bit large, I wasn't swimming in the shirt like last time.  In general I liked this shirt well enough and so I plan to keep it until next summer and see if I can put it to good use (in my head I've already moved on to sweater weather planning).

As usual all reviews are not sponsored.  If you're interested in Grana's linen (or some of their other items), get 10% off your first purchase with this link and you can find all my Grana reviews here.

{March 2017 update: Actually I ended up wearing this linen shirt quite a bit over the winter since I went on 2 tropical holidays, one to Thailand and one to Hawaii, and this shirt was my go-to for both trips!  I found that the linen softens with time and it's the perfect breathable top for hot and humid weather.  Unfortunately I seemed to have lost it during my last trip so I just repurchased the white one and also got the dark blue one for this coming summer.}

Everlane Stretch Ponte Tube Skirt Review

Last year I was a huge fan of Everlane's ponte collection short-sleeve dress, so when I saw that they brought it back this season as a skirt, I knew I had to at least try it out.  And I'm so glad that I did!  This ponte is the perfect material for a tube skirt.  

I once had a black tube skirt by American Apparel (actually I still probably have it in one of my many boxes of clothes in storage >.< ) but I find that that cotton tube skirt worked best in my 20's when I was a lot thinner.  Now that I work out less, it's harder for me to pull off that skirt.  So I'm really glad to have found Everlane's ponte tube skirt.  The ponte material is thick but stretchy so for the most part it won't accentuate every bump.  There is slight VPL if you're wearing thick underwear but for the most part it's not really noticeable.  And even though I'm not a huge fan of Everlane's choice of elastic waist for some of their bottoms, it works with this skirt (and it does make it super comfy).  I also like the length of this skirt on my 5'4" frame.  Plus for $55 this skirt isn't that ridiculously priced (like their pleated skirt for $88 or the ponte pants at $78), but then again it only cost them $17 to make it...

Oh, and a note on sizing: I ordered this in a medium since I didn't want it to be too tight (I'm usually size 4-6 on the bottom).  And for the pics above I paired it with my favorite (and only) Clare V shirt, Saint Laurent bag, and Everlane's modern oxfords.

You can buy this skirt here and find all my other Everlane reviews here.

P.S. I ordered Everlane's pleated skirt, pima stretch turtleneck and their new anorak so reviews on those coming soon!

A Quick Getaway to AutoCamp Russian River

If you've been following my instagram stories, you probably saw some gorgeous Airstreams on there last week.  Well to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary, my husband and I went on a quick getaway to Automcamp in Guerneville, CA. You would think that since we already live in an Airstream that something like an Airstream hotel wouldn't be a big deal for us.  But since we love love love all things Airstream, when we saw a kickstarter campaign for Autocamp Russian River we jumped at the chance to try it out.  And boy, I'm glad we did!  I definitely have some new #AirstreamGoals now.

Their new midcentury modern clubhouse is so gorgeous.  Luckily we were there on a Monday so we had most of the space to ourselves.

Guerneville is in the Russian River Valley and is super close to primo Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards.  We were on a tight schedule so we only had a chance to visit Gary Farrell, but their wines were amazing and view unbeatable.  Guerneville is also 30 minutes away from the dramatic California coastline.  Wine and beaches are just the thing for a vacation!

And here I am with my one trendy off the shoulder top I purchased earlier this summer, which I hadn't worn since this getaway.  Does anyone else have issues with these tops?  This one annoyingly does not stay off the shoulder and I keep having to tug them down.  Ah well now I know and I'm glad I only bought one of these things.  I wonder if it's worth keeping around until next summer.  Or is it soooo 2016, lol.

Everlane Modern Oxford Shoe Review

So if you've read my review of Everlane's Modern Smoking Shoe, you know I wanted to love it but didn't.  Well for Everlane's Modern Oxford, I didn't think I would like it but I actually loved it.  It just goes to show that you can never really tell about something until you try it on.  

I didn't expect to like Everlane's oxfords mostly because I'm a fan of the slip-on type of shoe (like Toms and M.Gemi's Felize Loafers).  In fact the only shoes I have with laces are my running/gym shoes, until now that is.  But I fell in love with these oxfords as soon as I laced them up and took my first couple of steps.  First of all, these shoes are probably the second most comfortable shoe I've ever tried from Everlane (the first being their Street Sandals;  but these are the most comfortable closed-toe shoes).  The oxfords are hands down way more comfortable than their Modern Loafers or their Modern Point shoes.  And that's because they widened the toe box area (which is consistently where my wide feet have issues).  

The shoes seemed to have pretty good arch support and I would say the only minor irritation with this shoe is the stiff leather tongue at the top of the shoe that kept poking the top of my foot (but this will eventually go away when I break them in some more).  Also I'm wearing these pedi socks to prevent any blisters or from the shoes from smelling (a note on these socks: I have a hard time finding no-show socks that stay on my foot but these are amazing--but I would advise not putting them in the dryer since they will shrink a little).

I also love love love the blush color.  It's the perfect nude shoe to help those with shorter legs like me since it doesn't visually cut you off at the ankles.  I styled it above with my favorite pair of wide-leg jeans from Frame (similar here), a Clare V shirt, and LV bag for my masculine look and with Grana's slip dress and a Gucci bag for my feminine look.  I love that these shoes could pretty much polish off any outfit (probably even my usual uniform of cut-off shorts and a tee).

Oh and just a note on sizing, I ordered my usual Everlane shoe size of 8 (I usually wear a 7.5-8 in shoes) and they fit perfectly.  Currently Everlane is out of most of the sizes in the blush oxfords but it looks like they'll be restocking them at the end of October.  As usual this review is completely unsponsored, and you can find all my other (unsponsored) Everlane reviews here.