Valentino Rockstud Heels & Rockstud Flats Review

Hi guys and hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!  Back with a review today (this one's for you Edwina), but it's not quite the same as my usual reviews since this is a bit of a high-end item.  But if these shoes were made in Italy and I'm assuming by skilled craftsmen (as most high-end luxury items usually are--though now that I research it, Valentino really needs more transparency about their production because I can't find anything on it).  For me these are definitely considered slow fashion since I've had the same pair of Valentino rockstuds (the 2.5" kitten heel ones) for over 3 years and I've worn them to pretty much any function that requires dressy shoes (basically to every wedding and holiday party in the last 3 years along with some Vegas nightclubs).  And because these are high-end luxury shoes they have held up like a beast.  Seriously, Vegas nightclubs are not a good place for shoes (people stepping on your feet and drinks spilling all the time).  But they look almost as good as they day I bought them.  The elastic for the small buckles are still holding up, all the leather is still good and no major marks on them (but that's also because I went with nude patent and it's fairly hardy compared to the regular leather).  

And because I loved them so much I purchased another pair, a flat version (I think I'm getting old because I can't even handle kitten heels if I have to wear them for over a couple of hours).  And to be honest, I love these flat versions even more.  They are way more comfortable and less prone to blisters than the kitten heel version (3+ years and I still get blisters in the kitten heels sometimes--usually when I have to walk a lot).  I know the age of the Valentino rockstud may be fading (it was trendy for quite a long time) but I don't really care.  I love these shoes for how they look, not just because they're "in".  Sometimes, under certain lighting, these shoes look super blingy and sparkly.  Just what you need in a party shoe.  

As for sizing, I'm usually a 7.5-8 (I wear 7.5 in TOMS, 38 in M.Gemi shoes and 8 in Everlane shoes) and I'm a 38 in these Valentino rockstuds.  The flats are definitely more forgiving than the kitten heels when it comes to my wide feet.

I also love the nude patent because 1) it goes with everything and 2) like I said above, the patent is more forgiving in terms of stains or marks

Some pictures of the kitten heel version above and below.

 I also once owned a pair of the 4" heel versions in black patent (pics below) but I couldn't handle the 4" heel.  I am just not a heel kind of gal (to me it's foot torture akin to foot binding--it serves no purpose other than to give women pain but be aesthetically pleasing).  So I sold them awhile ago and they found a happy home.

But if you've ever contemplated splurging on these heels, trust me they are worth every penny.  And because these shoes have been my only pair of party heels for the last 3 years, I think the cost per wear is somewhere in $50 range (that's not great, but also beats buying $80 Aldo party shoes 3 years in a row and then donating them to Goodwill. Plus how many wears can an Aldo shoe really take?).  I see it that at least this way, these party shoes will last me several more years  and each year I'm not contributing to the pile of party shoes that end up in landfills.  These may quite possibly be the last pairs of party shoes I'll ever purchase.  Now that's slow fashion.

P.S. I'm curious to know how do you guys feel about luxury items.  Yes, they're ridiculously priced but at the same time they are made by skilled craftsmen who should be paid fairly well (I mean I'm sure Chanel pays more than minimum wage right?) and they're made to last.  Luxury items can also be mended and rejuvenated (like bag spas for handbags and cobblers for shoes).  Plus most authentic luxury items can be resold and used lovingly by a number of people before they're chucked. So can they be considered ethical and sustainable?

Everlane Review E2 Bomber Jacket {Updated October 2017}

Merry Christmas Eve Eve y'all!  I'm currently traveling in Thailand but I have a back log of reviews to get done so the review train must keep on chugging lol.  Anyway about bomber jackets: I love the look of them but am always annoyed by the over-embellishment on most of them (for example this one or this one).  So I was really excited when Everlane came out with a super plain one as part of their E2 collection.  {Speaking of the E2 collection, did anyone else purchase anything from this collection?  Personally, I found a lot of the looks hard to pull off unless you're super tall and skinny.}  Anyway so here I am wearing the E2 bomber:

What do you think?  I'm a little "eh" about it.  I don't hate it but I don't really love it either.  I think the main reason why I don't love it is because it's "lightly filled for warmth" as Everlane puts it, but it makes this jacket bulkier.  In San Jose, I don't really need too much extra warmth so I actually prefer the bomber I purchased a couple months ago that's just one layer (also the lighter jacket allows me to layer my cropped sweaters underneath).  But other than that I can't find any real fault with it.  I ordered it in a small and it fit well in the both in the sleeve length and overall length.  But I just wasn't loving it (ya know?) so I ended up returning it.  

{Update: Looks like they brought the bomber back for this year with a slight change in the pockets, but I love their new colors especially this maroon one!}

Grana Review Merino Wool Mock Neck Sweater

I'm a huge fan of Grana's merino wool when I first tried out their merino rib cardigan so I was definitely looking forward to trying out their merino mock neck sweater.  As I've said before, I'm not a fan of turtlenecks so I was very curious how this mock neck would turn out (it's my first!).  And well, I love it!

First a note on sizing.  I find myself continuously going back and forth between small and medium in Grana sizes.  It's kind of a crap shoot but for the most part I guess depending on the fit on the models.  If it's an oversized fit like a "boyfriend" fit I will go for the small, but if it looks fairly trim on the model then my go-to size is a medium.  I ordered a medium on this one and I would say it's a good fit.  Also this way I can wear a tee under this sweater (and possibly a collared button-down, which I did in the picture below--I guess it kind of works).

Trying to style it with a collared shirt, the mock neck ends up hiding it

Anyway I love love love this sweater.  The merino wool is smooth and silky and feels a lot more lux than its $59 price tag.  Seriously this is a great deal.  The wool is on the thin side like the merino wool cardigan I reviewed so you definitely want to use this as a layering piece.  If you're a first time buyer use my referral link here to get 10% off your first purchase (if you're a repeat customer, from now until Dec. 31st get 10% off your order with the code ELAINEXGRANA).  And you can now find all my ordered Grana reviews here.

M. Gemi the Stellato Review

Hi guys and here's another unsponsored M.Gemi review for you today.  As you know I love M.Gemi's Felize loafers (so much so that I now have 2 pairs of these)!  But I wanted to try something different so today I'm reviewing M.Gemi's Stellato flats.

First a note on sizing.  The sizing for the Stellato flats are completely different from that of the Felize loafers.  I'm a 38.5 in the Felize loafers, as recommended by M.Gemi's fit finder, and they fit perfectly.  So I just assumed I was the same size in the Stellato.  Nope, not even close.  These shoes were too big for me and I really should have gotten a 38.  So learn from my mistake and do the fit finder for each pair of M.Gemi shoes you buy.  The size they recommend will vary.  

Now other than the size issue, these shoes were pretty awesome.  The leather is more like Everlane's modern point and not Everlane's modern loafer.  The leather is a bit stiffer than the Felize so it might take a bit of breaking in.  The bottoms of these shoes are also a tad slippery so I would add these anti-slip sole pads.  The back of the heel also pinches a bit but nothing heel grips can't fix.

To be honest, I prefer my Felize loafers a lot more than the Stellato just because the Felize took zero effort and time to break in and gave me zero blisters.  But I can't say the same is true for the Stellato.  So I guess the lesson learned here is that all M.Gemi shoes are not equal (in both size and comfort).  

If you're interested and want $50 off your first M. Gemi purchase, email maureen.dooley@gmail.com to get your coupon code!

Grana Review Silk Cashmere Oversized Crew Neck

*sponsored post*

Hi guys, so here's my second sponsored post from Grana.  I reviewed Grana's Silk Cashmere Tee, which I loved so when they asked what other items I wanted to try out, I couldn't help but me tempted by their long sleeve version of the top.  And just as I loved the short-sleeved tee, I love their long-sleeve version as well.

Like I said before the silk cashmere material is super luxe: it's smooth and silky.  I did notice though that it can be prone to static in the dry winter weather so I've been wearing a cotton tee underneath to keep it from sticking to my body.  I ordered this in a medium, which is the perfect size if you want to layer something underneath.  

What do you think of the color?  I'm a little bit eh about it which makes me think I'm just not a pink kind of person?  But other than that, I really love the fit and fabric.  I have to admit that Grana makes some of the best basics and I like knowing they value fair labor conditions and labor rights.  If you take a look at my Ultimate Grana Reviews Post, you can see that currently the "Not So Great" section is empty and that's because to be honest there's nothing that I've disliked from Grana (...yet anyway lol).  

So if you're interested in trying out this top or anything else they offer, you can use ELAINEXGRANA for 10% off your order and free shipping (for both old and new customers) by the end of the year and if you're reading this in 2017, new customers can use this referral link for 10% off your first order.

Everlane Review Leather Foldover Crossbody Bag {Updated August 2018}

You know I'm a huge bag lady so when Everlane came out with a line of new leather bags, of course I had to try it out and review it.  Well if you're looking for a luxurious and sumptuous leather simple crossbody then I think you might really like this one.  And I would say for $30 more, Everlane's foldover crossbody is a better choice than Cuyana's crossbody pouch, especially if you need to carry a bit more than the essentials.

So let's talk about this beautiful bag.  First off, the leather is amazing!  Super buttery and soft.  This leather is different from Everlane's Petra line of leather bags since these bags were made in Spain while the Petra bags were made in Italy.  The Spanish leather feels softer and more porous and not quite as hardy as the Italian leather, but it does feel more luxurious and probably won't have the same problem of stiffening up over time that the Petra leather has.  This does mean though that the crossbody might be more prone to scratching and color transfer (for the natural color one specifically).

The bag itself is super lightweight but still large enough to fit your essentials and then some.  In the pictures below I'm carrying my sunglass case, wallet, and keys.  And even though it may look bulky from the back, it looks good from the front because the foldover flap hides much of the bulk (and this is why it's better than Cuyana's crossbody pouch IMHO).  I like that you can access items from the zipper under the flap, instead of having to use the top zipper and reaching down into the bag every time you want to grab something (Everlane's video of the bag shows the functionality of the 2 zippers).  The strap of the crossbody is also easily adjustable (though not removable, which would have been a cool feature to allow it to become a clutch as well as a crossbody).

In the end though I returned this particular purse because for the life of me, I will not be able to keep this purse from getting dirty.  However if you do like the natural color, I reviewed several leather cleaners and protectors for Mansur Gavriel bags and it might be a good resource on how to protect this crossbody.  Also just to note that this leather is more like the calf-skin than the vegetable-tanned leather that Mansur Gavriel uses.  

Anyway I'm still in love with this bag and I think I'll get it in the navy leather.  But first I need to take an audit of all my bags (actually Grechen has really inspired me to take a closet audit in general).  So until then I'm going to hold off on repurchasing this bag.  But if you're interested in this beautiful leather bag (and really it's amazing).  You can find all my other Everlane reviews here.

{2018 Update: I actually repurchased this in the oxblood/burgundy color and love it!  It's my go-to travel bag since it can lie flat but still hold a lot of things if you need it to.  You can see me wear it around Europe here during my winter 10x10 challenge}

Kara Backpack Review

I purchased this Kara backpack from Shopbop (during their awesome sale FTW) mostly so that I could use it for my month-long road trip.  And what a great backpack it was for traveling.  Actually I would gander that really any backpack is a great travel bag.  But I especially love the simplicity of Kara bags.  

Here are some of the other things I love about this backpack:

~ It can fit my DSLR along with everything else that I needed for traveling

~ The adjustable straps were super comfortable even though they are on the skinny side.  I never found them digging into my shoulders

~ The large zip compartment made grabbing things super easy

~ Fully lined on the inside with a zipper pocket

~ An outside compartment where I could easily slip in my phone and sunglasses.  That pockets had a fairly strong magnet closure and faced my back so it was quite secure

~ The pebbled leather makes it super easy to maintain, even in such a light color.  I never had to worry about getting color transfer on the leather or about getting it wet (in fact for the last half of the trip through Oregon, Washington and Vancouver, BC, the bag got rained on a ton of times and I just had to wipe off the water and it was fine

Some things that could be improved:

~ Maybe a higher quality zipper or at least 2 pull zippers that can zip from either side.  Due to the shape of the bag and the stiffness of the zipper, at times it was hard to do a quick zip up if I was in a rush

~ I was bit annoyed that the small handle at the top of the backpack kept folding down instead of standing upright (but this is minor)

~Also when carrying heavy things, the backpack wouldn't really hold its shape (like in the picture above)

~ I really wish this was ethically produced in the USA, but it's made in China

Anyways I love the look and utility of this bag so I'm definitely going to keep it around and use it for travel.  

P.S. And congrats to Phoebe for winning my artisan-made goods giveaway!  And thank you to everyone who entered!

Everlane Review Premium Ribbed Cashmere {updated Dec 2017}

Hi guys, guess what?  I finally invested in a tripod and a camera remote so now I can stop taking those crappy mirror photos for all my reviews.  About time right?  When I see how much better the colors are in these photos (below), it made me think why haven't I done this sooner?  Now it's time to improve my blogger modeling skills, lol.  

Anyway onto the review.  I purchased Everlane's premium ribbed cashmere sweater because I was curious to see how it compared to their ribbed wool cashmere sweater and their regular cashmere crew neck sweaters.  Well the premium ribbed cashmere is exactly as it sounds: a thick wonderfully soft and luxurious 100% cashmere cocoon.  And for $235 it better be, right?  When I put it on I loved how it felt.  There's nothing that beats super thick cashmere sweaters.  It was as thick as their ribbed wool cashmere and since cashmere is warmer than wool, this one layer kept me super toasty.  This is hands-down the best feeling cashmere sweater I've ever tried.

But sadly, I was not really a fan of the fit.  I didn't like how the cropped sweater flared in the front and kind of comes up like an upside down V right at the belly button.  Plus the super wide sleeves and shoulders added a lot of bulk on top (I felt like I had football player shoulders going on).  The proportions didn't look right to me, and I'm thinking it looks best on tall people with long legs (like the Everlane model).  And for $235 I have to love everything about the sweater to keep it.  So I ended up returning it (but of course now it's out of stock in all sizes so I'm having some regrets...).  But I have a ton of new awesome sweaters to keep me company (but my top 2 favorites right now is Everlane's ribbed wool cashmere crew neck and Grana's cashmere long line cardigan).

As usual this review is not sponsored.  You can find all my other unsponsored Everlane reviews here and you can find Everlane items here.

P.S. You will still see some reviews with mirror selfies since I don't always publish posts in chronological order.  I try to mix it up so it's not like 10 Grana reviews in a row and then 10 Everlane reviews in a row.

{Dec 2017 update: You can find this year's premium cashmere sweaters here and it's also $37 cheaper this year!}

Paying It Back Blog Sale

Hi guys, so I'm trying something new here again on the blog.  I talk a lot about "getting" on this blog (as in getting and trying new things from Everlane and Grana).  And I've been super blessed to have enough financially to start this blog and also super duper blessed to have you guys support my reviews with your clicks on my referral links (seriously I wouldn't be able to review even half of what I do if I had to pay for everything out of pocket).  So I've decided to give back with a "Paying it Back" blog sale.  So from now until further notice, 100% of the purchase price of each item on my blog sale over at TemporaryHousewifeyCloset will be donated to a non-profit organization.  So that means if you've been wanting to try some Grana cashmere, not only can you get it for half the price but now that money is going to be helping someone else as well.

Now about the choice of who to give it to.  That's been on my mind a lot and I've been reading Erin's post here and Leah's post here about organizations to give to.  And with the coming of Trump's pick of Scott Pruitt (a oil lobbyist and climate-change denier) as head of EPA and with incidents like this, I decided to go with EarthJustice as my current non-profit of choice.  So anytime you purchase anything from my blog sale, the money will be going to fighting legal battles to keep our Earth from getting too polluted (though really I sometimes feel like we're fighting a losing battle here, but we have to try, right?).  

And to purchase from TemporaryHousewifeyCloset, message me through Instagram or email me directly at Temporaryhousewifey@gmail.com.  And just to let you know the instagram feed in the sidebar on the right doesn't update so please go to the instagram page to see what's still available.  I'll try to add more things over the weekend but I'll be leaving for Thailand and then Hawaii until January so any purchases after 12/12 will have to be shipped in 2017.  Thanks again for all your support guys and let's see where this endeavor leads!

Grana Review Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater

Here's yet another Grana cashmere review for you guys today.  As you know I love the quality of Grana's cashmere, so it's been mostly about trying their different sweater styles.  So far I've done a Grana cashmere tee review, a Grana cashmere boyfriend v-neck sweater review, and a Grana cashmere longline cardigan review.  Today I'm reviewing their crew neck sweater.  

First a note on sizing: I ordered this in a medium because it looked quite fitted on the model (compare this to the boyfriend v-neck sweater in which I ordered a small).  And the medium fit just right, and maybe even on the snug side, especially around the hips.  The sleeves and the sweater in general were also a bit too long for my liking. 

Like the rest of Grana's cashmere sweaters, the quality of the cashmere is excellent.  But my main gripe about this sweater is that I expected this color (called Heather Blush) to be more like the dusty rose like in their website pics.  But when I got it, it's definitely more like a dusty salmon.  A bit too much orange for my taste.  I also think I prefer Everlane's cashmere crew neck sweaters because they're not quite as fitted and a bit more cropped than Grana's.  

Anyway this review is unsponsored and all opinions are my own.  You can find Grana items here (10% off your first Grana order with this link) and all my other Grana reviews here.

Also here's one of my favorite bloggers, Andrea talking about her first experiences with Grana.  So stoked to know that other people love Grana too!

ThirdLove Bra Review

source

Let me just start off this review by saying this is a completely unsponsored post.  I purchased this bra from ThirdLove to try out (especially since I've been bombarded by their digital marketing).  But really I was in the market to buy a new bra (I've been using Wacoal bras but I've been finding that the bra straps always seem to be sliding down and I've had fit problems, especially as the bra gets old and stretched out).  So after reading a bunch about ThirdLove, I though I might as well give them a shot.  And I definietly did not want to buy a bra from Victoria's Secret (in general, I find their ads and 'fashion show' objectifying women to be more and more offensive these days.  We are all wonderful, miraculous women not mere sex symbols, ya know?).

When you get to the ThirdLove site, you can take a simple fit finder test.  It's not wholly scientific but hey at least it does the job.  The bra that they recommended to me, the 24/7, came in exactly a size that worked.  And I've been wearing it for several days now and I find it super comfortable and best of all, the straps don't fall down!  There's a bunch of small details that make this bra super comfortable: memory foam cups, those special straps that don't fall down nor dig in, and a clasp that's got a padded layer underneath so you can't even feel it).  They also have an iphone app that lets you take a picture of your boobs from the privacy of your own home and they'll size you (and don't worry the app doesn't store any images). I clicked on their "try before buy" option so that I paid $2.99 upfront for shipping, and if I didn't like it I could just return it within 30 days for a minimal upfront cost.  Now that I'm in love with these bras and plan to keep this one (not to mention buy several more), this first one will set me back $68 (not crazy expensive but not cheap either).  Well they do say invest in good bras, so for me this is totally worth it.  

The Ultimate Grana Review Post {updated December 2017}

{I am no longer doing Grana reviews as of 2018.  I explain why here.}

I've done one ultimate Everlane review post, so here's one for Grana!  Now you can find all my Grana reviews in one place and I've ordered them according to what worked out best for me (from Favorites to Honorable Mentions to Meh and finally to the Not So Greats).  Of course, everything is according to my body type (5'4" and a size medium in most things, except size small in 'boyfriend' fit items) so things might fit differently for you.  And I'll be periodically updating this post with new reviews as they start accumulating.  So please check back once in awhile (and if you're looking for a particular review, just use the search bar on the right).  And for all first time customers, get 10% off your first Grana purchase with this referral link (which makes it possible for me to review all these items for you so thank you all for your support!)

My Favorites

Pima Cotton tees in all styles {update December 2017: they have changed their pima tees so that I no longer like their new tees (indicated as 50/1 jersey in the description).  My favorite was their old line of pima tees which were thicker and felt like they were made with higher quality.}

Georgette Satin V-Neck Silk Tank

V-neck Silk Slip dress

Pima modal slouchy tee

Silk Cashmere Oversized Tee, Silk Cashmere Oversized Crew Neck

Grana cashmere in general but not all styles

Merino Rib Cardigan

Cashmere Long Line Cardigan

Merino Wool Mock Neck

Chunky Rib Knit Merino Boyfriend Crew Neck

Silk Ankle Pants

Pima Waffle Boyfriend Crew Neck Sweater

Silk Culottes

Italian Oxford Boyfriend Shirt

Silk Mini V-neck Slip Dress

Silk V-neck Cropped Tank

Silk Jumpsuit

Linen A line Dress

Silk Blazer

Silk Drop Shoulder Tee

Poplin Drop Shoulder Dress

Cashmere Boyfriend Cropped Crew Neck Sweater

The Honorable Mentions

Japanese Denim: Slim Boyfriend Jeans

Linen Boyfriend Shirt version 1 and version 2

Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater

Cashmere Joggers

Silk Long Sleeve Pyjamma Shirt

Silk Sleeveless Blazer

Linen Tee

Linen Sleeveless Shirt

The Meh

Silk Tank and other 16mm Crepe de Chine silk items (including the silk racerback camisole)

Pima Cotton Slub Tee

Japanese denim boyfriend dress

Cashmere Tee, Cashmere boyfriend V-neck sweater (due to fit, not the cashmere which is great)

Silk Bomber

Silk Collarless Shirt

Silk Joggers

Linen Joggers and Silk V-neck Cropped Tee

Silk kimono blazer

The Not So Great

Racerfront Bikini Top and Bottom

Pima Racerfront Maxi Dress

Cashmere Textured Sweater

Silk Flat Front Ankle Pants

Grana Review Cashmere Longline Cardigan

Hi guys, so I'm super excited to be bringing you this Grana review today because guess what?  This is my first sponsored/partnership post on this blog!  Yep, this is my first (of three total) free items I've been gifted from Grana!  I guess I'm excited about it because it kind of feels like Grana has seen all my hard work on this blog and are now acknowledging it.  But this doesn't mean I'm going to be a sell out and just post reviews on whatever I get free.  {Actually I've been offered a free bag and watch so far from two different brands which I've turned down just because it wasn't something I would purchase for myself.  But you know I purchase Grana for myself all the time so it was kind of a no-brainer to agree to this partnership.}

So I'm finally wading into sponsorship territory but don't worry, I'm going to continue to be true to myself and to you guys because honestly, it's more important for me to keep the integrity of the reviews on the blog than to get free stuff.  Coincidentally I recently read a great blog post on Style Bee about the whole blogging and sponsorship issue (which is definitely worth the read if you have time) and agree with a lot of the points Lee brings up.

Anywho let's get to the review.  So as you know I love Grana cashmere but haven't yet found a style of sweater from Grana that I love (I tried both their cashmere tee and their cashmere boyfriend v-neck sweater).  But this cashmere longline sweater is the one!  I love love love it (and I swear it's not because I got it for free, though it definitely made it a bit sweeter, lol).  I originally wanted to try it out because I was inspired by Andrea's post here on Seasons and Salt (I guess this makes me a copy-copycat).  

This cashmere cardigan is just the perfect, simple long black cardigan that I've been missing in my closet.  There's no buttons or any other closure on this cardigan, which makes it feel even more clean and simple (which I prefer).  And when I wear it, I feel like I'm wearing my comfy and cozy bedroom robe, so it's the perfect thing to throw on as you rush out the door.  I got this in a size small and it's just right, especially the sleeve-length which hits me right at the wrist (I find that a lot of long cardigans have sleeves that are too long for me so I have to push them up all the time).  I also love the side slits and the two pockets in the front.  

Anyway if you're interested in this cardigan, use the code ELAINExGRANA at checkout to get 10% off your and free shipping (this applies to all buyers, not just first time customers unlike the referral link).  The code is good until the end of December 2016.  (note if you've happened upon this review after December, first time customers can still use this referral link to get 10% off their order.}

{edit: Also if you're wondering what the main differences are between this cardigan and Grana's merino wool cardigan: the cashmere cardigan is thicker/warmer and also longer.  The merino wool cardigan has a more drapey front opening, while the cashmere cardigan has a very simple front opening.}

Grana Review Donegal Cashmere Boyfriend V-neck Sweater

Hi guys, so if you haven't read my first Grana cashmere review you can find it here (but here's gist of it: Grana's cashmere = Everlane cashmere in quality and similar in price so it's really about what style you prefer).  So today I'm trying out Grana's boyfriend v-neck sweater in a small.  Also I chose the donegal wool to see how it measures up with Everlane's donegal wool sweater from last year.

So first, donegal cashmere in general is not as soft and is a bit scratchier than straight cashmere because of the flecks of different colored wool.   This is true for both the Everlane and Grana donegal cashmere.  But the Everlane donegal wool had multi-colored wool specks that were more pronounced so I think it was a bit more interesting than Grana's donegal wool which is just black flecks.

Everlane on the left and Grana on the right

So I got the boyfriend v-neck sweater in a small because the sweater is meant to be oversized.  And I'm glad I did because the sweater was quite large on top around the chest.  But it also narrows quite a bit at the hips.  The boyfriend sweater is also quite long, so I think the best way to wear it, especially for a short-ish person like myself, would be more like the Grana model with the bottom of the sweater pulled up to the waist and having the sweater double-up at the waist.  If you wear it like I am below, the sweater has to stretch across the hips, which is both uncomfortable and unflattering.  To be honest I'm not a huge fan of this style of sweater since it's kind of shapeless on top. 

But if you're interested you can purchase the sweater from Grana here (and get 10% off when you use that link, but for first time customers only).  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

A different kind of post about Black Friday shopping from a blogger & a Giveaway! {Closed}

via GIPHY

So the holiday season has begun, eh?  Well like most people of my generation, I'm tempted by all the deals on Cyber Week (yep it's no longer just for Monday, it's going on all week folks) but not so much for Black Friday (being amongst a mad consumeristic mass of people?  No thanks).  But as I mentioned in a previous post, this year I'm going to try to do things differently: commit to purchasing items that are from ethical/sustainability-focused brands or directly from craftsmans/artisans.  

So with that in mind here are some of the items I've purchased for myself from artisans in the past which I'll be purchasing for my friends as gifts because I really loved their products (as for my favorite ethical brands you know them: Everlane, Grana, Cuyana, and Amour Vert).

In no particular order (the links to each business is in the header btw):

Little Seed Farm- Goat's Milk Soap

(Made in Wilson County, Tennesse)

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Ever since a trip to Tennessee several years ago I've been hooked on these natural soaps from Little Seed Farms.  Run by a husband and wife team, all soaps are hand made from goat's milk produced on their farm (every box has a picture of a different goat from their farm) and includes only the gentlest ingredients like olive oil and coconut oil.  My favorite scents are rose, lavender, and rosemary mint.

Salt Farm-Black Truffle Salt

(Made in San Diego, California)

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Currently I'm going through my 4th large bottle of this and my addiction is still going strong.  I add this to everything I would normally add salt to (like a soft boiled egg, an avocado, or a steak) and it makes everything taste 10 times better.  I've tried other black truffle salts before from both Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table and this is hands down the winner (though I have to say I did pick up a bottle of black truffle salt in Italy and I would say that was equal to if not a bit better than Salt Farm's but that was just a unicorn really).  Unlike other black truffle salts, this has 10% black truffle (it's usually 5% or made from "black truffle flavorings" whatever that means).  If a $40 bottle of salt sounds ridiculous (it did to me too but really this lasts a very long time), they also have a set of 3 small salt vials.  They also do other gourmet salts which I found to be equally tasty and of high quality.

Missionary Chocolates- Vegan Truffles

(Made in Portland, Oregon)

So I'm not even a vegan guys but these chocolates are amazing.  Better than most non-vegan truffles in fact.  I recently discovered them during our short stay in Portland during our road trip and I loved them so much I brought back boxes and boxes for friends and family.  While I was there picking up my 10 boxes, I had a great conversation with one of the chocolatiers (since he was hand packing each box, it took a good 20 minutes or so) and learned more about this small company, and let me tell you they do this as a labor of love.  My favorite flavors were the peppermint, the meyer lemon explosion (soooo goood), and the simply espresso.

Amelia Samari- The Basket

(Made in Hawaii)

On a recent trip home (Honolulu) I stumbled upon these baskets at a local shop (Mori Hawaii, which btw I love love love) and was stoked to find that the maker, Amelia had just put up a new website so that you can order these baskets directly from her with your custom color choices.  I ordered several baskets in various color and sizes and they are the perfect thing as a catchall for odds and ends.  Instead of using plastic trays (which would persist in the environment long after I'm done with them) I prefer these hand sewn rope baskets, which are surprisingly sturdy.  And despite the fact that these baskets are custom made, they aren't ridiculously priced.

Giveaway time!

Anyway as a thank you to all my readers this year I'm doing a giveaway of all 4 items mentioned above (specifically 1 large bar of soap, the small vial of black truffle salt, a box of truffles, and a small basket).  The giveaway will end on midnight Sunday December 11 and one winner will be announced on Monday the 12th (I'll email you directly).  To enter just 1) follow me on facebook (TemporaryHousewifey) or Instagram (@TemporaryHousewifey) and 2) fill out the form below: {side note:  Oh and if you're already following my facebook page or Instagram then just fill out the form, thanks guys!}

I hope your shopping today is both enjoyable and mindful!

Everlane Review Cashmere Sweatpants

You know how much I love Everlane cashmere (review here) so I was interested in trying out their cashmere sweatpants even though I've returned every single pants I've ever tried from Everlane (seriously, every single one).  And well, here's just another pair of pants I've returned to Everlane.  Guess Everlane and I just don't work when it comes to pants.

Well first I made the mistake of ordering a medium instead of a small.  I usually size up on pants because I'm just bigger on the bottom (usually a size 6, while I'm size 4 on top).  But really I should have ordered these in a small because I'm just swimming in the medium.  But even if I had ordered the right size I just don't think these pants are right for me.  They're basically just really expensive but comfy pajama bottoms.  There's no shape to them and since I don't have much of a butt, not flattering at all.  They're held up with drawstrings also made of cashmere knit (so I can see them stretching out with continued use).  For $140, I think I would do better with their $100 cashmere crew and a tee.

At this point I think I'm just going to give up Everlane pants.  They're just not made for my body.  Anyway you can find all my other Everlane reviews here and Everlane items here.

Everlane Ribbed Wool Cashmere Crew Sweater Review

I wasn't planning on buying another sweater from Everlane since I already have 4 of their cashmere sweaters (actually I'm selling one so make that 3).  Plus I figured 100% cashmere would be better than a cashmere wool blend sweater (in my head wool= itchy).  But since Everlane made the effort to make a whole line of ribbed wool cashmere sweaters it would behoove me to at least give it a try (and get a review out of it).  Well not only did I end up not sending this sweater back but I've been wearing this on repeat ever since I've first tried it on.

First of all this sweater is 92% wool and 8% cashmere so really it's a wool sweater.  So it feels like a wool sweater.  Yes, there's a bit of itch but really it's quite minimal.  But if you're expecting anything like the smooth, soft, irritation-free feel of cashmere you will be disappointed.  Since I always wear a shirt under my sweaters, I don't really feel the itch and it doesn't bother me.  Merino wool is not as warm as cashmere, but since this is a fairly thick sweater it will definitely keep you warm.  I've been wearing this when the weather's in the low 60s and it's been perfect.  

What I love best about this sweater is the details in the design that make it different.  I love the side slits and the fact that it's fully ribbed in the front and partially ribbed in the back.  Because of the side slits, this sweater might look best with high-waisted jeans, like the ones the Everlane model wears.  But I just wear it with my regular jeans and tuck in whatever shirt I'm wearing. I also like that if I'm wearing a cool belt, you can see it peeking through the side slits of the sweater.

Wearing: Everlane sweater, Celine sunglasses, Homako necklace, Frame denim, M.Gemi Felize loafers (yes my second pair, I love them so much!  Here's my original review of them), and my new Good West Co. tote purchased from West Coast Craft.

I ordered this in a small and the fit was perfect (for reference I'm 5'4" and usually a size 4 on top).  I actually like this sweater so much I'm tempted to get their ribbed wool cashmere cropped v-neck (I feel like it has the same "cool girl" vibe as this sweater, lol).  But I'll hold off since 1) that means I'll have 5 sweaters and that's getting to be excessive and 2) well I already ordered the premium ribbed cashmere crew (but really this is meant for review-purposes only, though I'm afraid I'm going to want to keep it).  Anyways you can check out Everlane's whole line of ribbed wool cashmere sweaters here and all my other Everlane reviews here.

Fall 2016 10x10 Challenge Looks 7 & 8

So way to drag this challenge on right?  The challenge started 3 weeks ago with Looks 1 & 2 here, and then Looks 3 & 4 here, and Looks 5 & 6 here.  I now see why most people do this 10x10 challenge all at once.  Because at this point I'm quite bored with it so.....I think these will be my last looks.  At the very least I've learned from this challenge to flex my creativity a little and find multiple ways to wear the same item (and I'm referring back to my bell sleeves and Everlane cropped cashmere combo from Look 4).  I also realized that I'm not a big fan of the motorcycle vest look, so I'll be promptly selling that back to Crossroads.  I think if you love an item after doing a 10x10 challenge, then it's a definite keeper, but if you're feeling a bit "meh" about it, then it's better to let it go and make space in your closet for other items.

Look 7

I'm wearing the bomber jacket (#3), velvet dress (#5) and rag & bone booties (#2).

Accessory: Saint Laurent Universite bag

Look 8

Sorry this one is a bit hard to see but I'm wearing the Everlane cropped cashmere sweater  (#10), Trouve vest (#9), Paige verdugo jeans (#7), and rag & bone booties (#2).

Accessory: Kara backpack

And for reference again (and for the last time) here are the 10 items I used for the challenge

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)

Going from a conspicuous to conscious consumer

Scenes from last week's West Coast Craftfair

I love the whole simplification, minimalism movement and it feels good especially when I'm purging my closet (which btw you can take a look at here), but I always find myself wrestling with my consumer self.  The one who loves to travel and shop at local boutiques and the blogger who like to try out the newest things.  Nowadays I feel so guilty whenever I buy anything nonessential or even step into a fast fashion store to look.  I feel the consumer-me who constantly wants new new new is bad.  But I recently realized that I'll always be a consumer who especially likes to try new items and brands.  So really it's about being a smarter pickier consumer.  It's about learning to live with less in general but purchasing from those who not only align with my style aesthetic but also my values.  So yes I may not be a typical minimalist but at least by reviewing items from my favorite brands I'm supporting what I believe in and what I want to see more of in the future (local craftsman/artisan made and socially/environmentally conscious brands).  I guess you can say I'm slowly transforming from a conspicuous consumer to a conscious consumer.

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Trying to move my point of "enough" to the left

So here's to being a smarter consumer (my goal this holiday season is to purchase only responsibly made gifts, which I got a head start on at the West Coast Craft Fair).

P.S. It's always really fun to buy directly from makers.  You can feel the pride in their work and their gratitude when you appreciate their items.  My one purchase for myself was this awesome bag from Good West Co.  Can't wait to show you guys some outfit posts with it!

Grana Merino Rib Cardigan Review

Hi guys, happy Monday and hope the weekend has relieved some of that post-election stress but if you feel like it might be post-election stress disorder, you're not alone).  It feels a bit weird for me to keep posting about clothes and such comparatively minor things but as they say, keep calm and carry on, so carry on I shall.  Anyway let's get to this awesome merino wool cardigan from Grana.  

First off I got this in a size small and it fits perfectly.  I usually go with a medium for Grana tees but have found with sweaters and other outerwear, a small fits me better.  Also for reference I'm 5'4" and this cardigan hits me right under the butt, which I think is the perfect length for a longish cardigan (it's better when it doesn't end right at your widest point, ie your hips).  

I wasn't really expecting to like this cardigan because I've had a merino wool sweater before which was on the thicker, scratchier side.  But Grana's merino wool is completely different.  It's very smooth and on the thinner side.  And it's not scratchy at all.  If you're looking for something thick to keep you warm this winter, this is not it.  This is the perfect lightweight cardigan for Southern California autumns and slightly chilly office spaces.  

The cardigan is quite simple but I love the ribbed texture and the shawl-like collar.  And it feels much more luxurious than it's $69 price tag (seriously, like the ribbed details at the shoulder, which make it fit just right without being overly baggy is awesome).  If you want to try it out for yourself, this referral link gets you 10% off your first purchase.  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.