Grana Review Pima Waffle Boyfriend Crew Neck Sweater

Aaaand I'm back with another review from Grana.  Like I said I still have a lot of items I purchased in 2016 left over to review so even though I'm currently on a shopping ban the reviews will keep on coming (for now anyway).  Today I'm reviewing Grana's pima waffle boyfriend sweater, which like most of Grana's other sweaters, I love!  

The waffle knit on this is super well done and the texture is just the right thing to elevate a boring black sweater.  The weave is super thick but because it's 100% cotton it's not super warm.  This sweater is probably best for the spring time or a cool summer in San Francisco, and not really for the winter months.  (For those dealing with cold winters, Grana's chunky rib knit sweater is a much better bet.) 

As for sizing, I ordered a small in this and it fit perfectly.  I also really liked the dropped shoulders on this sweater, which add a bit of interest to the sweater.  Again the sweater is a bit on the long side so I wear it with the bottom hem folded over like in the pictures above.  If you're interested in purchasing this sweater, first time buyers can get 10% off with this referral link.  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

Everlane Review Stretch Ponte Pants

I've never had success before with Everlane pants but a couple readers (thanks Page and Henny!) convinced me to try these stretch ponte pants.  And well...I like them but I'm pretty sure I'll like the cropped ones more (I purchased these before the cropped ones were released).  Take a look below:

{wearing: Grana chunky merino rib knit sweater (review here), Grana oxford shirt (review coming soon), Mansur Gavriel Sun bag (review coming soon), M.Gemi Felize loafers (review here & yep that's my third pair--I love them that much, lol)

I really like Everlane's stretch ponte material.  I have both their original dress version and their stretch ponte skirt.  So I was expecting to like their pants.  Which I do, except that the ponte material tends to cling or hug every bump and curve, so when these materials are made into pants you can see some VPL and general ab and thigh bulges (see pics below).  I don't have the same problems with the dress and skirt, probably because those clothes don't hug the butt and legs.  But this isn't as much of a problem if you wear longer shirts or sweaters, or treat these pants like leggings (which they basically are, just thicker than the normal leggings).  And on the plus side these pants are super duper comfortable and stretchy (great travel pants).  They're also quite warm, so they're perfect for the winter.

"Darn no thigh gap" 

"Oh VPL, the shame" lol

I purchased these in a medium and they were a tad loose on me.  The cropped version comes in sizes 00-12 so you can get an even better fit with those probably.  The pants have an elastic waistband with a button and zip closure.  Like I said I like these pants, but I'm looking forward to trying on the crop version (which I was able to get in black too--even better).  If you're interested you can find these pants here (referral link--thanks for your support!) and you can find all my other Everlane reviews here.

Winter 10x10: Look 11 & Recap

Hi y'all and happy Monday!  Do you guys have the day off today?  Well I kind of took a weekend off from blogging so this post is being written in real time today (ie Monday morning) so no time for edits (so please excuse any grammatical errors, lol).  Anyway that brings me straight to lesson #1 learned during last week's 10x10 challenge: I am not an everyday kind of blogger.  This post is a bit delayed because to be honest I think I have blogging fatigue.  Even with taking all of the pictures in one setting beforehand, trying to keep up with a daily writing schedule is just way too much for me.  So I'll be going back to the regularly scheduled Monday, Wednesday, Friday posting.

But what did I actually learn from this winter 10x10 challenge?

~ If you go through to all 10 looks you start coming up with interesting combos and this inspires you even more.  See Look 11 below, which is sort of the next progression from Look 10 from last week.  It's kind of a Southeast Asian military look, lol.

Look 11

~ Also I've learned that not all combos work.  Case in point:

Sometimes you have to try different combos, and if it doesn't look right to you (or feel right to you) don't force it.  Just try something else.  

~ I've also learned this challenge can help you remember why you've kept some pieces in your closet for years (ie the challenge can make you fall in love with your old clothes again).  The jacket above and the Steven Alan plaid shirt were not making it into rotation in my closet, but now I remember why I've held onto these items: because I love them and they truly feel like my style, no matter how old they are.  They're timeless when it comes to my style, so now I just need to make more of an effort to incorporate them back into my usual outfits.

~ Also doing this challenge with a community of people on Instagram is most of the fun.  The first time I learned about the 10x10, it had just completed so I tried it on my own (that's when I stopped at 10x8).  But this time around I was able to join along with others doing the 10x10 and it helps to motivate and inspire you to see everyone else tackling this challenge.

~ And even if I did this challenge at my own pace (#10x10x2, lol) and bent the rules, just doing this was worthwhile.  It really helped me look at my clothes a different way and come up with outfits I normally wouldn't have thought of.  So thanks #10x10!  I look forward to tackling you again in a couple of months!

Winter 10x10: Looks 9 & 10

Look 9

Wearing: Steven Alan plaid shirt (old) {Similar here}, Wearing Rag and Bone military jacket  (old)  {somewhat similar here}, Wearing Frame Le Skinny De Jeanne Cropped Jeanes  {similar here}, Wearing Everlane Modern Oxfords {review here}, Bag: Saint Laurent Universite bag

Now this look is straight out of the late 2000's for me since I've had this combo since then (except for the oxfords and the saint laurent bag) and I used to wear it a lot.  This outfit brings me back because it was the time I started to really enjoy fashion and style again.  Before this period I had 2 years (in graduate school) when I only wore jeans, a tank top, and an Abercrombie + Fitch knit sweater.  I had several pairs of jeans, a ton of tank tops (the cheap Hanes ones from Target, also affectionately termed wife-beaters to some), and 4 knit sweaters that I rotated constantly.  It was my uniform.  And you know what, no one ever asked me why I kept wearing the same things (actually no one ever indicated they ever noticed I kept wearing the same thing).  It was kind of an experiment to me, just to see if anyone cared (and guess what, no one did lol).  By the end of the 2 years, all the sweaters had holes in them and I was fairly bored with this same style so I moved on and a got a bunch of expensive clothes like those up top (I guess you could say the pendulum had swung completely in the other direction).  And non-coincidentally this is also when my obsession with expensive bags began.

Look 10

Wearing: Everlane ribbed wool cashmere crew {review here}, Grana V-neck Silk slip dress  {review here}, Grana Silk Ankle Pants {review here}, Everlane Modern Oxfords  {review here}, (Bag: Goyard St. Louis Tote GM)

Now things are getting interesting, right?  Having run out of combos I've finally came upon the dress+pants combo.  And you know what, since both are black silk (and from Grana, though it's 2 different types of silk--read more about it in my review of the silk ankle pants), the look is quite cohesive.  It's sort of a take on the Salwar Kameez, the Indian dress and pants combo traditional in Punjab.  And with the simple Everlane grey sweater on top, I'm really liking this combo.  I have yet to wear it out (since it's been raining and I don't really want to be getting the silk wet).  But once I do I'll report back to let you know if I get any strange stares (not that I care as much as I use it as a barometer to what's considered 'socially acceptable fashion').  What do you think?  Could I pull it off?

And that's a wrap on my 10 looks.  But Monday I'll be back with a quick recap of the whole challenge, some things I learned, the looks and didn't work, and also my 11th look, which is the most interesting yet.  Have a great weekend guys!

Winter 10x10: Looks 7 & 8

Look 7

Wearing: Steven Alan plaid shirt (old) {Similar here}, Everlane ribbed wool cashmere crew {review here}, Everlane Anorak {review here}, Frame Le Skinny De Jeanne Cropped Jeans {similar here}, Everlane Modern Oxfords {review here} (bag: Loewe hammock bag in aqua)

I'm already at Look 7 and I haven't worn these jeans yet.  That kind of blows my mind because I've been a true jeans and tee kind of gal (and I thought I still was).  But ever since I got the silk ankle pants and silk culottes from Grana (and really thanks to my explorations in style through blogging) I've been gravitating less and less to skinny jeans.  I'm going to call it, 2017 is the middle of the end of skinny jeans (I think the beginning really was in 2016 or maybe 2015).  And since the "river of rain" continues to flow across California (which I'm thankful for since it'll hopefully ease our drought here, but at the same time annoyed at because it foiled our Tahoe plans) this sweater plus anorak combo is easily my go-to outfit, even it I wasn't doing this 10x10 challenge.

Look 8

Wearing: Everlane ribbed wool cashmere crew {review here}, Grana V-neck Silk Dress {review here}, Rag and Bone military jacket (old) {somewhat similar here}, Everlane Modern Oxfords {review here} (bag: Loewe hammock bag in navy)

And for look 8 I'm back to my favorite silk dress from Grana and my rag and bone blazer.  I'm using the navy Loewe bag here and the aqua Loewe bag up top in Look 7.  I'm only planning on keeping one.  Which one do you like better?

Winter 10x10: Looks 5 & 6

Look 5

Wearing: Everlane Ribbed Wool Cashmere Crew {review here}, Grana Silk Ankle Pants {review here}, M. Gemi The Dolcetto {here} (Bag: Celine small Trotteur)

I'm so glad that I'm doing this double time (on Intstagram I'm calling it #10x10x2, lol) since this is right around the time I start losing some steam.  That's probably why I only did a 10x8 (only made 8 outfits) during my last challenge.  But I've found out that when you keep going (and start running out of combos) interesting things start happening.  In fact I got so carried away during the photo portion of this challenge that I accidentally did a 10x11 and I have to say I really like outfits #10 and #11 even though they're a bit unconventional.  So stay tuned for that.

Look 6

Wearing: Steven Alan Plaid Shirt (old) {Similar here}, Grana Mockneck {review here}, Grana V-neck Silk Dress  {review here}, M.Gemi The Dolcetto  {here} Bag: Good West Co. {here}

I purchased this Steven Alan shirt right around 2005 from Barney's (super discounted of course).  I think it was the height of the Ashley Olson and Mary Kate fashion buzz (they came out with a fashion/art coffee table book) and they were wearing a lot of plaid at the time I think.  Well that's the vague memories I get when I look at this shirt.  I've purchased Steven Alan button downs since but I haven't kept any of them.  Only this first one.  It's still going strong and actually it's softened a lot over time.  Since plaid always keeps coming back (or maybe it just never really goes out of style?) I'll be keeping this one until it falls apart at the seams (and even then I might just repair it and keep on wearing it).  Sometimes you only need one of something, as long as it lasts.

Winter 10x10: Looks 3 & 4

Look 3

Wearing: Rag & Bone Military blazer {somewhat similar here},  Grana Mockneck {review here}, Grana Silk Ankle Pants {review here}, Everlane Modern Oxfords{review here}

Bag: Mansur Gavriel lady bag {review coming soon}

A little bit about this rag & bone blaze: it was the first expensive item of clothing I bought myself.  It's from the 2008 fall runway show from rag & bone, back when they were still making everything out of New York and before they even had their own brick and mortar store.  I purchased this piece at Saks, during their end of season sale, and it was priced $350 (down for $500+).  This is a girl who shopped mostly at outlets, Zara and H&M--so this was beyond a major splurge for me.  But I just fell in love with this special piece and had to have it (I'll have to show you why, the specialness is really the inside of the jacket where you can see the bones of the jacket--it's beautiful).  And I've worn the sh*t out of this jacket, and as you can see it's still holding up (but I definitely need to resew some of the buttons).  This started a long love affair with rag and bone but I'm sorry to say their quality has gone down quite a bit since they've started mass production (it's a mix between the US and China), and they even have outlet stores now.  This is one of the few things from rag & bone I still have left, but you know even 9 years later it 'sparks joy' in me and I can still style outfits with it.  

Look 4

Wearing: Everlane Ribbed Wool Cashmere Crew {review here}, Grana V-neck Silk Dress {review here}, Everlane Anorak {review here}, Everlane Modern Oxfords {review here}

Bag: Mansur Gavriel Lady bag {review here}

I call this look my lady librarian look, lol.  I think it's because of the hem line of the dress, the oxfords and long drapey anorak.  Dresses are probably impractical in most places in the US in the winter, but for San Jose it's not that unreasonable.  Temperatures are usually in the 60s if its not raining, and if I get cold I can just wear some tights.  But for the most part I'm usually indoors 24/7 (from Airstream to Airstream Garage back to Airstream) so a silk dress is doable (actually I've moved a flat screen TV and Airstreams wearing this silk dress--the side slits make it super easy to walk around in.)  Probably not the most appropriate clothing for manual labor but something about using my muscles while wearing silk gives me a "I'm Carrie Bradshaw wearing a tu-tu in the streets of NYC" feeling (or a "I'm in a Vogue shoot because of this impractical juxtaposition of clothing and setting" feeling).  And I do get some stares but I don't care because I'm already feeling glamorous ;)

The Winter 10x10: The Clothes and Looks 1 & 2

Hi guys so now that I'm on my shopping ban, it's really about working with what I've got now (and boy I've got more than enough so really it's not any sort of deprivation at all).  But I'm jumping on the 10x10 bandwagon and doing this challenge along with Andrea from Seasons +Salt (who really motivated me to do this lol, thanks Andrea) and spear-headed by Lee from Style Bee and Caroline from Un-Fancy.  What is the 10x10 challenge?  It's taking 10 items of clothing (well 8 items of clothing and 2 pairs of shoes) and making 10 outfits that you wear over 10 days.  {Ok so I'm going to cheat here because I took all 10 outfit photos in one day because I had to set up a temporary photo studio in the Airstream garage that I could only leave up for 1 day.  So I may or may not recreate these outfits over the next 10 days.  Oh, but the M.Gemi shoes are totally out, i.e I can't walk in them lol, so I won't be wearing those shoes over the next 10 days.  And I'm coupling up the looks so the series will only last a week instead of two--gotta get back to my back-logged reviews ya know.}

So without further ado here are my 10 items:

1) Steven Alan plaid shirt (old) {Similar here}

2) Grana Mockneck {review here}

3) Everlane Ribbed Wool Cashmere Crew {review here}

4) Rag and Bone military jacket (old) {somewhat similar here}

5) Everlane Anorak {review here}

6) Grana Silk Ankle Pants {review here}

7) Grana V-neck Silk Dress {review here}

8) Frame Le Skinny De Jeanne Cropped Jeans {similar here}

9) Everlane Modern Oxfords {review here}

10) M. Gemi The Dolcetto {here}

First a note on why I chose these clothes.  Well I tried to add as many of my favorite Grana and Everlane pieces since I do so many reviews on their clothing and I truly stand behind my reviews and their products.  Also wanted to add some old pieces, the things I'm debating on whether or not to keep (and after this 10x10 I fell in love with them again so they're definitely keepers).  And then I went with a neutral color palate of black, navy, and gray (with the only patterned item being the plaid shirt).  And I went with neutral shoes (and yes the M.Gemi shoes are too big for me.  A separate review on them will be coming soon.) Last but not least, I really played around with my bags since I'm also going to be culling my collection and I wanted to see which ones were my favorites--still debating on this.

Look 1

Wearing: Grana Mockneck, Grana Silk Ankle Pants, Everlane Anorak, and Everlane Modern Oxfords {bag: Loewe Hammock}

Since it's raining like crazy here, I decided to add my favorite rain jacket to the 10x10.  I've been wearing it constantly anyway so it made sense I include it.  I probably won't be wearing the Modern Oxfords around the rain though--trying to keep them from getting too dirty.  I don't have proper rain shoes so I've been wearing my M.Gemi Felize loafers.  It keeps out most of the rain most of the time.  And if you're wondering, yes that's a new Loewe Hammock bag (I also have the light blue one, but I'm going to be selling that one since I don't love the light blue color).

Look 2

Wearing: Grana Mockneck, Grana V-Neck Slip Dress, M.Gemi The Dolcetto {bag: Valentino Rockstud}

I know I know the shoes are too big.  I definitely had the feeling of "little girl playing dress-up in mommy's shoes" when I was wearing these and taking pictures.  Probably because I could only limp around in them.  But these are my first pair of block heels and I really wanted to see how they went with my outfits.  So please just ignore the ill-fit for the rest of the pictures, thanks lol.  

These looks together can be title "One Mockneck, Two Ways" or maybe "Mockneck Day To Night".  What do you think?

P.S. Like my new studio set-up?  I figured it was time I got some well lit pictures and since it's been raining constantly in California there's no way to take pictures outside.  My photo studio set-up makes me feel like a semi-professional :P

Everlane Reviews By Clothing Category {updated May 2022}

So the other day I wanted to see how Everlane's square poplin shirt had looked on me so I went to my Ultimate Everlane Reviews page.  But I found that it was quite difficult to navigate so decided the best way to organize all the reviews might be by clothing category.  So without further ado here are all my reviews organized by clothing type (and I'll be updating this regularly as well).

Shoes

Everlane Modern Point Review

Everlane Modern Loafer

Everlane Street Shoes

Modern Ankle Boots review

Street Sandals

Modern Oxfords

Street Ankle Boots

Modern Babo

Chelsea Boot

Italian Slingback Sandals

Slide Sandals

Modern Smoking Loafer Review

Bridge Sandal

Form Crossover and Form Slide Sandal

Modern Loafer Mule

The Pointed Slide

The Day Heel

The Editor Heel

The Day Heel Mule

The Day Glove

The V Slingback

The Form Two Strap Sandal

The Editor Slingback

The V Heel

The Square Toe Slingback

The Boss Mules and Loafers

The Day Crossover Sandal

Renew Sport Sandal (2021)

Forever Slip on Sneakers (2021)

Leather Platform Sandal (2021) 

Bags & Leather Goods

Leather Foldover Crossbody Bag

Modern Zip Backpack

Leather Card Case

Petra Tote

The Pocket Tote

Dipped Zip Tote

Square Zip Wallet

The Beach Collection Canvas Backpack

Street Nylon Fanny Pack

The Day Market Tote

The Form Bag

The Mini Form Bag

The Day Tote Mini

Renew Transit Weekender (2021)

Tees & Tanks

Slim Crew Shirt

Cotton tees (of all styles)

Boxy Striped Tee

Cotton Muscle Tank

Everlane Linen Scoop Neck Tee

Gia Collection Tank Top

Cotton Poplin Cutaway Tank

Luxe Drape Scoop Neck Tee

Pima Cotton Stretch tee

Pima Stretch Turtleneck

Micro Stripe Tees

Clean Edge Tee

The Silk Shell

The Linen Muscle Tank (2018)

The Linen Picnic Tank

Silk & Linen & Poplin & Other Blouses

Everlane silk sleeveless top

Square Silk Shirt

Linen Collarless Square Shirt

Relaxed Poplin Shirt

Poplin Square Shirt

Japanese GoWeave Back-Zip Tee Review

Relaxed Linen Shirt

Cotton Two Pocket Shirt

Linen Oversized Collarless Shirt

The Soft Cotton Popover Shirt

The Cotton Notch Collar Popover Shirt

Dresses & Skirts

Cotton Striped Tank Dress

Cotton Poplin Collarless Shirt Dress

Stretch Ponte Skirt

Ponte Collection Short-Sleeve Dress

Indigo Linen Shirt Dress

Cotton Poplin V-neck Tank Dress

Poplin Shirt Dress

Cotton Poplin Square Shirt Dress

Twill Shirt Dress (aka Camp Dress)

Cotton Poplin Sleeveless Shirt Dress

Luxe Drape Muscle Tank Dress

Luxe Double Knit Sweater Dress

Premium Cotton A-Line Tee Dress

The Pleated Skirt

Japanese GoWeave Mini Slip Dress

Cotton Collarless Belted Shirt Dress

Linen Shirt Dress

The Clean Cotton Cross Back Dress

The Clean Cotton Crop Tank and Pull On Skirt

The Double-Lined Silk V-neck Dress

The Linen Sleeveless Shirtdress

The Japanese GoWeave Mini Short Sleeve Wrap Dress

The Denim Skirt

The Polka Dot Shirt dress

Cashmere V-neck midi

The Cotton Weave Collarless Shirtdress and Picnic Dress

Pants & Shorts

Street Fleece Pants

Go Weave Cropped Trousers

Gia Shorts

GoWeave Track Pants

The Cashmere Sweatpants

Cotton Poplin Culottes

Stretch Ponte Pants

Stretch Ponte Crop Pants

Wide Leg Crop Pants

Silk Wide Leg Pant

The Modern Boyfriend Denim

Italian GoWeave Easy Pants

The Mid-Rise Skinny Jeans

The Kick Crop Jeans

The Easy Chino

The Linen Pant

The Easy Chino Shorts

90’s Cheeky Straight Jeans (2021)

A-line Denim Short (2021)

Curvy 90’s Cheeky Jeans (2021)

Sweaters & Sweatshirts

Everlane Cashmere sweater review, the Donegal cashmere sweater review

Ribbed Wool Cashmere Crew Sweater

Marled Wool Chunky Knit Crew Neck Sweater

Premium Ribbed Cashmere Sweater

Everlane Crew Neck Sweatshirt and Short-Sleeved Sweatshirt

Chunky Wool Knit Cardigan

Linen Crew Neck Sweater

Everlane's French Terry Sweater

Sweater Tee

Scuba Sweatshirt

Luxe Double Knit Mockneck

Waffle Knit Turtle-Neck

Cashmere Crop Square Mockneck

Fisherman Cotton Zip Pullover

The Beach Collection Pullover Hoodie

The Cotton Long Sleeve Crew (and the 2018 version, which is bigger)

The Cotton Long Sleeve V-neck Crop

The Waffle Knit Cashmere Crew

Cashmere Sweatshirt

Wool-Cashmere Waffle Square Crew

Wool-Cashmere Rib V-neck Cardigan

The Texture Cotton Crew

The Cashmere Rib Round Crew

Soft Wool Rib Crew

The Oversized Alpaca Crew

The Soft Cotton Square Crew

The Soft Cotton Square Cardigan

The Cotton Linen V neck

Outerwear

Anorak review

The City Anorak

Street Fleece Bomber

Swing Trench

E2 Bomber Jacket

Short Puffer

Lightweight Puffer

Oversized Blazer

The Modern Utility Jacket

The Renew Light Puffer

The Wool Academy Blazer

Grana Review Silk Ankle Pants Review

Still catching up on all my Grana reviews here so bear with me as I post several Grana reviews in a row.  These silk ankle pants have been making their rounds around the blogosphere with mostly favorable reviews so I thought I might as well try them out as well.  These ankle pants are made of Grana's 16mm crepe de chine, which I'm not really a huge fan of (I much prefer their 22mm georgette satin which is what their v-neck tank and slip dresses are made of).  But at the very least, these are made with 2 layers of silk which makes the pants feel much more substantial.  Also because of the double layer of silk, there's no VPL which is also a win in my book.

First a note on sizing, I ordered the pants in medium short because although I'm 5'4" I have the legs of a short person.  I love that Grana sizing comes in short, regular or long so you can really find the fit that works best for you.

Anyways I love love love these pants.  They're super comfortable and they feel like PJs really.  I wore them for the 20+ hours plane rides and layovers that it took to get to Thailand and they were perfect (very little to no wrinkling!!).  Felt like PJ's but didn't look as shabby.  These are now my go-to airplane pants.

The only annoying thing about these pants is that with prolonged wear, the elastic band sometimes twists.  So every now and then you have to straighten the elastic out.  But other than that a pair of quality silk pants for $69 is totally worth it.  If you're interested in getting your own pair, this referral link will get you 10% off for first time customers.  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

And here are some other blogger's opinions of these silk ankle pants: Capsule Closet, Karen Cheng, and K is for Kani.

A New Year for Temporary Housewifey

Sunrise from my bedroom window in Honolulu (thanks to jet lag)

Happy New Year y'all!  In Japanese culture (p.s. if you're wondering I'm half Japanese and half Chinese though I am much more attuned to my Japanese side), New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are two of the most important days out of the year.  There's traditions to close out the year (like eating soba noodles at midnight for long life) and rituals to ensure the coming year is a good one (eating a special soup for good luck and going to the temple to pray for a good year).  As for me, I've always welcomed the officialness of the new year with resolutions.  In the past I've been quite hit or miss with keeping resolutions.  Some years I vow to go the gym and eat healthier and like many people I don't even make it past January before I quit.  Other years I've been able to follow through the whole year.  But to be honest sometimes those resolutions start feeling like a ball and chain rather than a healthy commitment, which is probably why I haven't made any resolutions for the last several years.  

But for 2017 I'm starting to get that itch again to make a couple resolutions and to stick with them.  And now with you guys as my witness I feel an extra motivation to keep them for the year.  And so here's my resolution as it pertains to my closet and consumption in general:

For 2017, I will not spend any money to purchase any new clothing.  

So what does that mean specifically?  Well I'll continue to do Everlane and Grana reviews thanks to the referral credit from the support of you guys (I also have some left over M.Gemi and Cuyana credit from returns).  And I still have several items left over from 2016 that I never had a chance to review yet.  So the reviews will still keep going but most likely at a much slower pace (I mean reviewing a new item of clothing 3 times a week isn't really sustainable is it?).  I'll probably focus a bit more on finding my style through 8x8 challenges (it's like the 10x10 except I decided to exclude shoes from the equation and make 2 less looks).  I'll also review things that I already have and love (anyone interested in reviews on new vs. vintage Chanel bags?) and reviews on things other than clothes (like Pottery Barn towels that are seriously the best I've ever tried).  I'll also talk a lot more about my Airstream life and living in a tiny space.  

But basically I will not buy clothes or shoes in 2017.  I will however let myself trade clothing at my favorite Crossroads if I feel like my wardrobe needs a refresh.  In the meantime I'll also be downsizing my closet (or rather the 5 large plastic bins I currently keep all my non-daily clothes in which is stored at the Airstream garage).  Oh and I won't be buying any new bags, jewelry or other accessories.  It's a complete ban on buying things for the closet.  I definitely have more than enough so it's about time I took a look at or at least use everything I have before I acquire any more.  What do you think?  Am I biting off more than I can chew?

Grana Review Chunky Rib Knit Merino Boyfriend Crew Neck Sweater

Every Fall/Winter I seem to have  sweater of the season.  Last year it was my gray Everlane cashmere crew neck.  This year it's this Grana chunky rib knit sweater in merino wool.  You know I'm already in love with Grana's merino wool (review of Grana merino wool cardigan and merino wool mock neck), but I have to say this is their best merino wool product yet.  And that's because this sweater is super thick and waffle knit, but they still use their super smooth and soft wool fibers.  There is 0% itch here.  I've been wearing it alone (and it's perfect for those high 50 to 60 degree weather) or under my Everlane anorak when it's raining or a bit chillier (that anorak is a beast at keeping in the warmth even though it's super thin).  (I recently just posted a pic on instagram of this combo-- I really love the similarity in color but difference in textures).  My outfits are almost boring because I've just been throwing this sweater on almost every day.  But even with almost constant wear, there has been zero pilling.  It's some kind of amazing magic lol.

As for sizing, I went with my usual rule of thumb for Grana: if it says "boyfriend" I get a small (if it doesn't I get a medium).  But you can also check their fit finder since they usually take thorough measurements of each garment (scroll down to the bottom of the pop out).  Also like almost all of Grana's sweaters, this one is also fairly long so I wear it with the bottom hem folded over like in the pictures above.

Anyway here are several more outfits with this sweater.   The one on the right is for the the review of Grana's cashmere joggers (spoiler: which are better than Everlane's cashmere sweatpants).  See, I have been pairing this sweater with almost everything.

Anyway if you want to get this sweater for yourself, you can use this referral link to get 10% off your first purchase or if you're a repeat buyer use the code ELAINExGRANA for 10% off (good til 12/31/16).   And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

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!}