Beauty Discovery: Bella Cuore

Two months into my clothing (and accessories) shopping ban, I find that my shopping for skin care and makeup has gone up quite a bit.  It might be due to the fact that my skin has been really terrible lately (hello zits) or the fact that right now beauty is something I'm allowing myself to spend money on (and so all my time spent shopping for clothes has gone to shopping for makeup).  But on the bright side of this increased beauty shopping is that I've discovered more natural products and I've found this great new online shopping mecca for high-quality natural beauty products: Bella Cuore.  

I originally stumbled onto the site while looking for Vitner's Daughters Active Botanical Serum (I kept seeing it everywhere and when Lee from Style Bee swore on it's awesome-ness I finally decided I needed to check it out myself).  And this site doesn't charge tax (at least for California, so that's an almost 9% savings right there).  But that magical elixir is 185 buckaroos, and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend that much money on something I wasn't sure my skin can handle (as I've said before I have the most awful sensitive and acne-prone skin).  Enter Bella Cuore: they allow you to pick 5 samples of pretty much anything on their site (of course they have some rules to ensure no one abuses their sample system--no complete freebees here).  But it at least allows me to patch test it to make sure I either love it or if it's foundation if it matches my skin tone.  How great is that?  They also have a point system that allows discounts for future purchases (unlike Sephora rewards where you get more free samples of things you probably won't buy anyway).

So far I've only tried the Suntegrity tinted sunscreen (which has medium to light coverage, hardly any scent and most importantly doesn't break me out) and I think I'm going to order the full product.  I'll do another full report once I've tried everything and let you know what I thought of each product.  In the meantime check them out here and get your own sample kit!

Everlane Fisherman Cotton Zip Pullover Review

Finally an Everlane review on something I ended up keeping and loving!  May I present Everlane's Fisherman Cotton Zip Pullover.   One thing you can always say about Everlane's sweaters is that they keep their knits pretty interesting.  Most of the time those interesting shapes don't really work too well with my body (case in point: Everlane's premium ribbed cashmere), but not this fisherman sweater.  I think for the most part it's a pretty standard mockneck sweater, except when it comes to the knit details.  I love the knit lines that extend down the arm and that extends from the mockneck.

Also the zipper adds a fun detail, and I find it useful at times too (like those times I start heating up and a mockneck is just too warm, unzip and now you can get some ventilation through the collar).  The works out perfectly for me since I dislike turtlenecks and sometimes feel constricted even with a mockneck.  Oh, but I should say there are times I find the zipper rubbing against my neck and I feel annoyed so I unzip it.

So far I've been wearing it about 2-3 times a week for the last couple weeks and there's no pilling or excessive stretching out.  Just to note I ordered this in my normal Everlane size of small (I'm usually a size 4 on top).  If you're looking for something a little more classic from Everlane, than this cotton fisherman sweater is the perfect spring time transition piece.  

Find all Everlane items here and all my Everlane review here.

Life Currently...

Thanks to everyone who have inquired about my knee injury and wished me speedy recovery.  It's progressing nicely, though I find that there are other strained muscles due to my stiff knee (just yesterday the muscle on the outside of my thigh started cramping up and before that I had a short bout of plantar fasciitis).  Guess that's what happens when your leg is out of whack.  But on the bright side, this injury has restarted my swimming practice (which really is a great whole body workout).

Anyway for those who follow my instagram/insta stories, you know I went home to Honolulu for a week.  Well my dad got hit by a car while crossing the street (in the crosswalk I might add), and had to have surgery on his leg.  Then a blood clot from the injury traveled to his lungs, putting him in critical condition.  He also had a bit of bleeding in the brain, which the blood thinners for the clots would adversely effect.  It was a scary time, but he is in the clear and on the mend.  He left the hospital yesterday for a skilled nursing facility since he has months of rehab before he can walk again.  You never know when something catastrophic can happen so I feel so very lucky that things are looking good for him.  Interesting to note that my chronically introverted dad is now a friendly extrovert and can't seem to stop talking.  I wonder if it was from the bleeding in the brain or the near death experience.  

While I was home, I also got an early birthday present (the Micro Celine Belt Bag) which I insta-storied (thanks for letting me share that with you guys).  You'll probably see it featured in a lot of posts to come since I am obsessed with this bag.  So nope, I haven't technically broken my ban but at the same time I'm weaseling into getting others to buy things for me so I don't think that's quite fair.  I also purchased new swim wear since I'm justifying them as new workout clothes.  So this month overall feels like I'm fudging.  I'm going to go back to a strict ban of no new items, and I think I might also be slowing my roll on items for review (since I'm still behind and still feel like I'm getting something new every week--which defeats the purpose of a ban).

Anyway the first 2 months of this year has not been good on my and my family's health.  But I hope things just get better from here!

P.S. Oh and one of my best friends fell off his bike and got a mild concussion so yea there's something strange going on here with all these physical injuries.  Let's hope we all got it out of our system this year and everything else is smooth sailing *knock on wood*

Everlane Review Stretch Ponte Crop Pants

As some of you know I've already reviewed Everlane's Stretch Ponte Pants so I wasn't really expecting these stretch ponte crop pants  to be all that different, just shorter.  But actually the cropped version of these pants fit quite differently than the regular ones and I think that's mostly due to the change in their sizing (they went from a S,M,L system to numerical sizes).  I'm usually between a 4 and a 6 and I got a M in the regular stretch ponte pants but they were a tad big.  So I went with the 4 here and probably should have gone with the 6.

And due to the fit these weren't the most flattering pants.  But like I said with the regular ponte pants, these are probably best layered with a long tunic or sweater since it's very unforgiving to bumps and panty lines.  But I did like the length of the cropped pants and the way they taper at the ends.  

But in the end I decided to return it since I'm so over tight/fitted pants.  I've been living in my straight-leg jeans from Frame as well as all my Grana silk pants, and I've been relishing the loose flowing feeling from the culottes and the general un-sausage like feeling of my legs.  So actually when I tried these on I felt so constricted.  But if you're looking for a good alternative to leggings, this would be the perfect winter time substitute (since they're much warmer than regular leggings and more structured too).

And you can read Grechen's review of these same pants here.

Mansur Gavriel Review Mini Sun Bag

One of my last impulse purchases of 2016 was this Mansur Gavriel Mini Sun Bag.  My fever for Mansur Gavriel had cooled down quite a bit by the beginning of 2016, and I only had one MG bag in my collection (the mini lady bag, which I love but also found I wasn't using as much as I had hoped).  So I really shouldn't have been buying more MG bags, but I just felt a structured bag was missing (yes, missing!) from my closet.  I once owned the Saint Laurent sac de jour in small but ended up returning it because it was super heavy for such a seemingly simple looking bag.  I wanted something similar but lighter.  Enter the MG Sun Mini Bag.  

I decided to get it in the vegetable tanned leather, even though Mansur Gavriel has so many more leather options now (tumbled! patent!) since I knew their veg tanned leather is the most structured and well suited for this kind of bag.  Also the cheaper price point definitely didn't hurt.

The bag comes with two large compartments separated by a zippered section.  This bag fits quite a bit (though not my laptop without sticking out over the handles).  I love that it comes with a long shoulder strap (a must!) but that's also removable (and also adjustable).  And the best thing about this bag is the overall lightness (like all of MG bags).  There's nothing worse than a bag weighing 1-2 pounds empty!

For reference, the brandy mini lady bag on the left and the sun bag on the right.

And back to back.  You can see that they're quite similar in size, with the mini sun bag being slightly deeper than the mini lady bag.

At first, I wasn't really a fan of the leather string tied in a bow in the front, though now it's growing on me (at first it seemed too cutesy).  But other than that I can't find anything wrong with the bag.  So if you're looking for a well-made lady-like structured bag, this Mini Sun Bag might be the one for you.  You can find it here at Mansur Gavriel.

P.S. When I went to the MG site for that link above I just noticed that they no longer carry the mini sun bag in veg tanned leather in this style.  The veg-tanned sun bags now only have 1 large compartment and it's not lined in canvas.  They either have it coated in matte red or blue or have it uncoated.  And now there's only a single interior slim pocket, no zippered pocket.  As they have it now, I think I prefer this version with the lined canvas since at least there's a zippered pocket to contain all your loose items.  It looks like the calf-leather version still comes lined (but the calf leather version is 1) more expensive, 2) a bit heavier overall since the leather is thicker and heavier, and 3) likely to wear faster where the top handles meet the bag (I used to own the MG crossbody in calf-leather and used it a lot over a year.  By the end of the year the leather where the straps attached to the bag were all cracked and worn.  From what I understand (thanks to a reader!) that only happens to chrome-tanned leathers not veg-tanned leather).  But the new version of the sun bag does have that pop of color, which is what attracted me to the MG tote a couple years ago.

Grana Review Silk Collarless Shirt

So I realize I'm a bit late in the game on this review since Grana has had this item forever and I've already wrote many many reviews of Grana's silk items (and have firmly established that I love their 22mm Georgette Satin over their 14mm crepe de chine).  But I saw an outfit on Pinterest the other day of a fairly masculine look consisting of a navy silk shirt and some loose fitting dark denim pants.  So I tried recreating it with Grana for the top and bottom.  What do you think?

{Wearing: Grana silk collarless shirt, Grana slim boyfriend jeans (review here), Everlane Modern Oxfords (review here), Mansur Gavriel Mini Lady Bag (review here)}

Personally, I kind of like it.  

As for the actual silk collarless shirt, I think it's just alright.  In fact this shirt might be my least favorite silk item from Grana yet.  That's probably because this shirt is only a single layer of their crepe de chine silk, as opposed to their silk ankle pants which is a double later (and I looooove their silk ankle pants). 

In the winter I find that when I layer this shirt with a sweater, the silk has some crazy static and really clings to my body (I should probably research how to prevent that, but then I just end up wearing cotton and wool sweaters so don't feel the need to look into that).  I think at this point I'm seriously all talked out about silk, especially Grana's 14mm crepe de chine.  But ironically I find myself wearing their silk ankle pants and silk culottes almost daily.  Plus I got another (sponsored) package from Grana of their new silk items (the joggers, the vest, and their mini v-neck slip dress) so I'll be talking about silk some more.  So guess I'm not quite done yet!

But if you're interested in this shirt or some of Grana's other silk items (which are better trust me), first time buyers can get 10% off their purchase with this link (and thanks for all those who support/supported me by clicking the link!)

The Wallet On Chain (WOC) Bag: Chanel vs. Gucci

I realize I'm occupying a strange space where I love and want to promote ethical clothing brands but at the same time I (somewhat irrationally) love expensive luxury hand bags.  I'm the girl who shops at Barney's and Goodwill on the same day (yes I've done that before).  But hey, if I love a handbag and use it for years and years then (like I said before), at least it counts as slow fashion.  Unfortunately I cannot say that this Gucci chain wallet falls under that category (but fortunately I have a lot of interest from people who are willing to take it off my hands).  But anyways I'm getting ahead of myself here.  Today I'll be reviewing the differences between my tried and true Chanel Wallet on Chain (WOC) and my relatively new and trendy Gucci Chain Wallet.

First up, the workhorse of my bag collection, the Chanel WOC.  This bag is the best compact bag I've ever used.  It fits a set of unbulky keys, some lipstick, your phone, and maybe a slim wallet.  But it also has card slots and a zippered pocket if you want to go sans wallet (and if you have a non-plus size iphone, you can fit it into the zippered pocket which is a really secure way to carry your phone--especially in a crowded Vegas nightclub where theives literally will steal your phone out of your flap-type bags.  Seriously it's happened to 3 of my friends on separate occasions).  Though the bag looks tiny, there's a fairly wide gusset (maybe about 1.5 inches or so) and so there is enough space to fit the essentials.  There is also a slim pocket near the front that I use to hold tickets or other flat items that need to be readily accessible.  I would say the best thing about the WOC is the deep flat zipper pocket that runs the whole length of the purse (which can be accessed by the zipper right above the Chanel emblem).  Also if you don't want to wear this cross body, you can slo double up the chain so that it fits neatly under your arm.

I've taken this purse everywhere and it's really held up well.  Partially I think because this is caviar leather without the quilted diamonds (lambskin will wear faster since it's more delicate and the quilted diamonds will eventually deflate, making it look more used).

As for the Gucci Dionysus Chain Wallet, well it was an impulse purchase of the worst kind--from overexposure to trends via instagram and blogs.  The bag itself isn't bad and in fact it's larger than the Chanel WOC so it does fit quite a bit.  There's more card slots than I know what to do with and there's a zippered pouch as well for your phone or other small valuables.

I guess what it comes down to is that I'm not even a fan of Gucci style (usually a 70's over the top kind of style).  But I kept seeing it everywhere and that made me want it.  And I had a bit of credit so I decided I "deserved' a splurge.  But well I never really loved it so I never really used it.  And now I know when it comes to bag choices I need to be aware of why I want certain items.  I have to ask myself, "do I want this because it fits my style/ fills a gap in my closet/ I have a real need for it/ I can use it in a multitude of ways?"  Well that's how it would work in theory anyway, lol.

Ah well, lessons learned I guess.  My head still gets turned by bags daily, but at least I'm on this self-imposed shopping ban so I have to slow my roll.  I definitely need this spending detox!

Everlane Review The Pocket Tote

The other day when I was looking to get Everlane's crop stretch ponte pants (review on that later), I needed one more item in my cart to get the free shipping so I decided to try out Everlane's Pocket Tote (I mean why not, and I'm a bag gal after all).  And well what do you think?

{wearing: Everlane Fisherman cotton pullover (here), Frame denim (similar here), M.Gemi The Docente shoes (review here), and Everlane pocket tote}

It was fairly big and could fit quite a bit.  In the pictures above I'm just carrying my 13" MacBook inside.  The bag comes with a large outside pocket (convenient for carrying your phone and other things you reach for frequently).  Inside the main zippered compartment is another zippered pocket perfect for keys.  My main pet peeve about this bag is that the bottom has no structure.  So as you can see the gusset is sagging in the above pictures.  I'm curious to know how Everlane fudged their video of this Pocket Tote, since it looks like the guy is only carrying a laptop and another pouch, but his tote doesn't sag.  It looks like there might be something stiff and rectangular at the bottom of the bag to hold it's shape (I used to do this with my Louis Vuitton speedy bag back in the day--I just used a piece of cardboard so that the bag keeps it shape).  Maybe you could do something similar here if you're so inclined.  As for me I decided to pass on it since I didn't love it and I didn't really need another tote in my life.

As always, this review is unsponsored and you can find all my other Everlane reviews here. 

M. Gemi The Dolcetto Review

Hi guys, so if you saw my Winter 10x10 Challenge, you've seen me try on M.Gemi's the Dolcetto.  And I know they're too big >.< which is such a bummer because I was really looking forward to rocking out these shoes outside of my little photo studio here.  I even tried adding some shoe inserts like these.  But sadly, I still cannot walk in them.  So let this be a warning that M.Gemi shoes are wildly inconsistent in size so always try them on a clean floor so that you can exchange them later (something I sadly didn't do carefully enough with these shoes).  I even used M.Gemi's size finder and that didn't ensure I bought the right size.  So in general I would say M.Gemi shoes run big.  For reference I'm a size 7.5 with widish feet (I'm usually a 8 or 8.5 in Everlane shoes), and I purchased these shoes in a size 38.

But other than the size issues I do like the look of the low block heel.  It has a bit of the matronly look, but when paired with modern silhouettes I think it looks pretty interesting.  Plus I'm a fan of the stability of the block heel.  The front of the shoe is also quite wide, which works in my favor.  If you're interested and want $50 off your first M. Gemi purchase, email gardner_maureen@ymail.com to get your coupon code!

Grana Review Racerfront Bikini Top and Bikini Brief

Since I started swimming as a workout at my new gym (ok well I've only gone once so far at the time of this post, but technically it's true I've started) I've been on the look out for some good swim wear.  All my swimsuits are 5+ years old and aren't really suitable for a swim workout (they're better for lounging around on the beach).  So I decided that I'm going to fudge on my shopping ban a bit and let myself purchase these necessities.  Well, I remembered that Grana came out with some swim wear this past summer season and if I purchased through Grana, I'm not technically breaking my resolution.  A win-win.

Except it wasn't.  I'm going to keep it brief here but Grana's swim wear is just not my kind of swim wear.  Basically all their pieces are unlined.  It's just one thin piece of the material they call "Italian Sensitive" for both their tops and bottoms.  For the top that means you can definitely see the nipple and I'm not of the 'free the nipple' camp (I mean you're welcome to free yours, but I rather not).  They try to conceal it with the band that goes right across the chest, but it just seemed weird to me.  As for the bottoms, I tried them on with underwear but I suspect that without it there's a high probability of camel toe.

For reference I got the racerfront bikini top in a small and the bottoms in a medium.  Anyway as much as I love Grana, swim wear is definitely not their forte.  I ended up breaking my ban by buying my much needed swim wear from Patagonia (which turned out fantastic--perhaps a review for another time).  But do you guys know of a company that ethically makes awesome swim wear?

Grana Review Silk Bomber

When I reviewed Everlane's E2 Bomber here, I extolled the virtues of a bomber jacket without any embellishments.  So I was pretty excited to see an all silk bomber jacket on Grana's site and knew I had to try it out (and thanks to all those who click on my referral link, I could)!  

So first a note on size.  I'm wearing a medium here and you can see that it's still quite cropped and fitted on me (for reference I'm 5'4" and usually a size 4 on top).  Since it's so cropped and fitted, it would be challenging to wear anything thick and warm underneath the bomber (here I'm wearing Everlane's silk shell).  If you're wearing this in a colder climate then you would probably have to wear a thick jacket or coat on top of the bomber.

The silk that this bomber is made from is their 22mm georgette satin, so it has a heavier weight and more of a sheen than Grana's 14mm silk (this is my personal favorite of the two types of silk Grana offers).  This is the same silk used on their V-neck slip dress and their silk culottes.  Because of the silk material, this bomber is quite unstructured (especially compared to Everlane's bomber which was super structured since it had a light filler layer.  I personally prefer a more structured look to a bomber so I wasn't a fan of this look.  But on the plus side, the bomber is also lined with silk on the inside so you it does feel like you're wearing a kind of sumptuous kimono.

This silk bomber is probably best for those who live in warmer climates or as a substitute for a cardigan inside the office.  But true outerwear this is not.

But if you're interested you can find the Grana silk bomber here, and if you use this referral link you can get 10% off your first purchase.  And for all my other Grana reviews, click here.

{wearing: Grana silk bomber, Everlane pink silk shell (reviewed here), Everlane stretch ponte pants (reviewed here), M.Gemi Felize loafers (reviewed here), Valentino Glamlock bag}

M. Gemi Review The Docente

Ever since I hit gold with M.Gemi's the Felize (review here) I've been trying various other M. Gemi shoes (the Stellato and the Dolcetto).  But I haven't fallen in love like I did with the Felize.  Well now I can add one more style of M.Gemi shoes that I absolutely adore: the Docente.  Maybe it's because I keep seeing those Gucci slides everywhere online (those with the fur and without the fur), that's making me think I need something like this loafer mule in my life (because I did write that post saying how ridiculous slides/mules are for walking).  And true, when I wear these I feel like I'm wearing bedroom slippers and the sound of my clopping when I walk can be obnoxious (especially with my recovering knee injury it's more like a clop-CLOP-clop-CLOP).  But I don't care, these shoes give me style, or at least I feel it does and that's all the matters right?

{wearing: Everlane fisherman sweater, Frame denim (similar here), Loewe hammock bag (here), M.Gemi Docente shoes}

Sizing with M.Gemi has been a bit tricky to figure out since depending on the style of shoe, the sizing varies quite a bit.  I'm a size 38.5 in their Felize shoes (I'm usually a 8 to 8.5 in Everlane, 7.5 in shoes that are wider up front), but I ordered this in a size 38 since they were out of the 38.5 at the time.  And as you can see my foot just fits these mules (not even a cm to spare).  I'm also hoping as I wear these shoes more often, the leather will stretch and my foot might slide in more.

{wearing: Everlane fisherman sweater and cropped stretch ponte pants, Kara backpack (similar here), M. Gemi Docente shoes}

Anyway these shoes are selling out fast (with only one size left in this black color), so I decided to bump up this review even though I have several other M.Gemi shoes that need to be reviewed.  If you're interested and want $50 off your first M. Gemi purchase, email gardner_maureen@ymail.comto get your coupon code!

Everlane The Silk Shell Review

Sorry not the right color here, but I didn't have a chance to grab the images of their pink shell.

So interesting story about this Everlane Silk Shell.  I had no intention of purchasing this (much less in this color) except when I was scrolling through Everlane's page while in the security line at the airport I saw that there was a slight glitch on their mobile site.  They were selling this pink silk shell for $1!!! The next smallest size they had available was a size 8.  Now I'm usually a size 4 in Everlane so it made no sense for my to buy a size 8.  But I couldn't pass it up.  Plus I wasn't sure I would even be able to check-out due to the error.  But I was able to check out and I got my order confirmation.  At this point I was sure that Everlane would realize their error, apologize and refund everyone their $1 (and I was curious to see how they would handle the whole debacle).  But amazingly the price just changed back to what it should be ($65) and I received my item a week later.  It's pretty admirable for Everlane to follow through even though it was their mistake. 

And since I had it in hand I decided to try it out.  And guys, it fit.  It was a bit loose but it fit fine at the neck and arm holes (I for sure thought the arm holes would be way too big).  Which led me to think, "Wait, am I really a size 8 and have I been fooling myself to think I'm a size 4 all this time?!"  But then I realized, that the size 4 items fit me perfectly fine as well.  So does that mean Everlane's sizing variation is actually quite minimal?

{Wearing: Everlane Silk Shell, Everlane Stretch Ponte Pants, Everlane Modern Point shoes and YSL Universite bag}

I'm still not sure if I'll be keeping this silk shell but I'll at least try to incorporate it into some outfits before I decide.  I've never owned anything this pink before so it'll be fun to experiment and incorporate it into my decidedly neutral closet.

Anyways you can find all the rest of my Everlane reviews here.

P.S. Actually I decided to sell this over at TemporaryHousewifeyCloset for a really good price.  So Everlane's loss will be EarthJustice's gain, lol (and one lucky reader will get a new silk shell for a steal)

January: Progress... sort of

Hi guys!  This quick post is for those who are interested in my shopping ban and closet purge (and my general quest to downsize and simplify).  My current closet situation equals 5 large plastic bins of clothes, one and a half plastic bins of shoes, and a small closet with essentials at the Airstream.  

January's progress: sold 10 items of clothes, but kept 1 Everlane sweater (the cotton fisherman sweater--review of that coming soon), a PJ set c/o Grana, and one tee purchased on eBay with credit (eBay bucks).  So that's a net total of 6 items out of my closet.  Oh boy, I'm going to have to do better than that next month.  In February I plan to do at least one run to Crossroads and one to Goodwill so I'll be able to get that net total purge into the double digits there.

On the bright side, I have officially completed one month of the shopping ban (spent $0 on clothes and accessories).  Currently I'm still wanting Elizabeth Suzann's Georgia Tee & Clyde Pants and now also want Sevilla Smith's booties pictured (lol thanks to reader Sandy).

P.S. After writing about eating whole30 and vegan once I week I've promptly been on the opposite binge (half a pint of ice cream one day and half a bag of cheetos the next day, which meant 2 days of my stomach being out of whack).  I guess my stomach is getting old; it looks like I can no longer consume copious amounts of junk food without consequences.  Anyway the progress to improve my health starts today!

Grana Italian Oxford Boyfriend Shirt Review

I rarely say that something is missing from my closet.  Mostly because I have everything I want and need, but also because by saying something is 'missing' you're implying that you need to buy something (and when is an item of clothing a true need?).  But well, after getting some outfit inspiration from Pinterest I decided I was missing a good white collared button down from my closet.  Luckily I was able to find a great one from Grana (I've tried Everlane's button down shirts before but haven't found one that I truly liked--mostly due to their modern (odd?) cuts and silhouettes).  

This oxford shirt from Grana is everything I was looking for.  The Italian Oxford cloth is super thick and feels substantial (especially when compared to cotton poplin).  The quality of this shirt is excellent and the shirt is completely opaque.  I ordered it in a small (I'm 5'4" & size 4)  and it fit perfectly.  I can't wait to incorporate this new staple into my closet and try out some outfit ideas!

For first time buyers, you can 10% off with this referral link and you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

P.S. Here's a review of this oxford shirt and also my personal Grana fav (the chunky rib knit merino sweater) over at Lindsey's blog.

P.P.S.  Actually I know why I've never had a white button down in my closet before.  It's because I hate to iron.  But recently I fortuitously purchased this travel steamer and I love it!  Getting out wrinkles is as easy as boiling some water, lol.  I never knew I was missing a travel steamer in my life but man I really needed one {by the way those pictures above were taken before the travel steamer came into my life.}

Life Currently...

So for those who follow my Insta story, you might have seen that I was in a skiing accident last week and had to be ski patrolled down the mountain (which is not as fun as you would think--probably because I was in pain the whole time and those sleds have ZERO cushioning), and spent some time at the ski resort clinic.  It looks like it might be a small tear in one of my knee ligaments, which takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks to heal.  So I've been hobbling on crutches and basically been on my ass all week (bad for my waistline but good for Netflix bingeing).  

This has made me realize several things.  First, health is EVERYTHING.  I've never had any major injuries in my life (due to my severely cautious behavior) and so this is my first time even using crutches.  Not being mobile has made me realize all the things I take for granted when I'm healthy.  And I'm pretty sure if I was in better physical shape, I wouldn't have had this ski accident (my quad just wasn't strong enough to right my leg).  I've pretty much neglected my health for over a year, so this is the wake up call I need to get back to it.  At the very least I should be doing yoga (vinyassa is my fav) since it's good for both my mind and body (and being scantily clad in a hot yoga room at least once a week lets me see/feel the accumulated fat rolls and reminds me that I need to get in shape).

Second, I've realized I'm getting to a certain age where certain activities are not really worth it.  I don't really enjoy snow sports but have always gone along since my friends go.  Well no more.  I think it's time to end my skiing career, especially since I can't really afford injuries like these (knee injuries suck!). Also on the list would be activities such as bungee jumping or sky diving.  If I know these activities don't thrill me, I don't need to do 'em.

Anyways I'll probably be documenting more of my health and wellness journey since I'm simultaneously trying to shift some of my focus away from just clothes.  Speaking of which, Grechen's story about her journey to health is a total inspiration.  If she can be in the best shape of her life in her 40s, then it's never too late to start.  I guess it's just about finding the workout routine that works for you.

Also I found this Netlfix documentary, Food Choices to be a really persuasive argument for eating a plant-based diet.  Ok before you glaze over this part, hear me out lol.  I'm definitely not a vegetarian.  I love meat.  I love meat more than I love certain animals (like cows, pigs and chickens).  I mean I do feel bad for these animals but I can't say no to steak or bacon or fried chicken for the rest of my life.  BUT how much protein do we really need?  A lot less than you think and a lot of that can still be obtained from plants.  Plant-based diets are not only good for you but good for the environment.  So though I can't be 100% vegan, I've decided to at least 1) eat as much real food as possible (aka cut out the processed crap and eat mostly Whole30) and 2) start with one vegan day a week.  Anyways watch it!

Other Netflix shows I've watched: Ascension (loved it!), The OA (eh-it was OK), Frontier (I always love me an action-packed period drama), and Terrace House Aloha State (my friend Eric is on it!  It's MTV Real World Japanese -style based in Honolulu; it's quite tame and probably not for everyone).  Oh and I just finished watching Victoria on PBS (I pay $5 a month to PBS for access to all their shows through their app and it's so worth it!  Binge watching Masterpiece Theater is the best!).

Everlane Cashmere Crop Square Mockneck Review

I already mentioned these pants when I talked about my search for a dupe of Elizabeth Suzann's Georgia Tee to work around my shopping ban.  And so you already know that I ended up returning them.  But mostly because I already have a gray cashmere sweater from Everlane (their regular one) and I already have a gray mockneck sweater from Grana.  To tell you the truth I'm still a little iffy about this square mockneck from Everlane.  Some days I like the look (and want to repurchase it in a different color, maybe light pink), but other days I'm just eh about it.  What do you think?  Styled with the Everlane streth ponte pants (reviewed here) on the left and Grana silk ankle pants (reviewed here) on the right.

I ordered it in a small, my usual size at Everlane (I'm 5'4", size 4).  The cashmere from Everlane is smooth and awesome as usual.  I do love that the mockneck is not too tight and fits my thick neck.  The crop top works best with mid-rise to high-rise pants but I wouldn't say it's overly cropped.  Hmmm I really don't know.  What do you think?  Is it worth repurchasing?

{Find Everlane Cashmere mockneck here and all other Everlane reviews here}

Grana Silk Culottes Review

I explained my issues with culottes when I reviewed Everlane's poplin culottes so I was a bit skeptical about these culottes from Grana.  But since I had some credit (thank you guys for your support!) I thought, why not?  And well... I'm still a bit undecided but have warmed up to them and like them more than I thought I would.  Partially because I styled them a couple of different ways, threw some pictures up on instagram, and got some really good feedback on them (and a lot of likes, which is a sure feeling of validation lol).  

{wearing: All Saints cropped trench (similar here), Valentino glam lock purse (similar here) and rock stud shoes (here), Grana silk culottes}

I ordered these in a medium and they fit perfectly.  Since the waistband is elastic, I'm sure a small would have fit as well (but with a medium it feels like I'm wearing very comfortable PJs).  These culottes are made with the 22mm georgette satin silk (which I prefer over their 14mm silk used for their silk ankle pants).  These, like their silk ankle pants are also made from double layers of silk so there's 0% chance of VPL (and the shape of the culottes help with that as well).  The silk is so smooth, shiny and luxurious.  The pants are super flowy and to me, have an avant-garde look (well I at least feel a bit avant-garde when I wear these).

{wearing: Everlane ribbed wool cashmere sweater (review here), Mansur Gavriel mini lady bag (similar here), Valentino rockstud flats (here)}

I'm liking these pants enough that I'm thinking of giving the Everlane culottes another chance this summer.  But if I do try them again I would probably need to hem them to suit my short legs.  I'm thinking of hemming these as well.  What do you think?  Will they look better shorter?

And the outfit above got the most likes out of all the different ways I styled these pants.  Maybe it's because I paired a Comme des Garcons look with a Comme des Garcons Play tee (similar here).  Anyway I'm willing to give these pants a serious try in my current wardrobe, especially since I'm starting to really get tired of my skinny jeans.  I would say the only drawback to these pants is that you have to be extra careful when going to the bathroom because of all that extra flowy and silky material.  But other than that I'm really starting to warm up to this silhouette.  What about you? 

{You can get Grana's silk culottes here and get 10% off your first Grana purchase with this referral link here}

{All other Grana reviews here}

The Shopping Ban- Almost One Month In

Ever since I declared my shopping ban here, I've been eyeing these Clyde pants and Georgia Tee from Elizabeth Suzann (pics above).  My first solution was to find something similar that's already in my closet.  For the Clyde pants, I thought that Grana's silk ankle pants were close enough (with a somewhat similar silhouette), but I didn't really have anything similar when it come to the Georgia Tee.  So I fudged a bit and ordered two things from Everlane that could be possible dupes (I know I allowed myself purchases from places I have referral credit saved, but it did feel a bit like cheating since I am searching outside of my closet and ordering items.  BUT since this is only my first month of the ban and I'm surprisingly struggling a bit more than I thought I would, I'm being easy on myself).

I first ordered the cashmere crop mock neck (review on that coming soon).  I was hoping the squarish shape but the soft drapey fabric would mimic the Georgia Tee.  But nope, it didn't quite work out.  My second item was a repeat purchase.  I had already reviewed Everlane's poplin square shirt here (which I didn't really love), but I thought if I ordered it in a larger size and in a  different color it might fill the style void I was craving.  And it worked better than the sweater did but I still didn't love it.  And it still didn't feel like a dupe for Elizabeth Suzann's version.  I think it has to do with the unique shape of the sleeves on the Georgia Tee.

My military stance and my blogger stance ;P

I got some second opinions on Instagram; that was the first time I used it in that way: to get real-time feedback on the items I were debating on.  And I loved it!  I was pretty iffy on keeping both items, but after hearing your feedback I knew I should follow my gut and keep them only if I loved them.  And I didn't love them, so back they went.  Thanks again for everyone who left a comment and for your honesty.  Sometimes it's hard to have an objective eye about the stuff you want/own so it really helps when you get other people's opinions.

Anyways in the meantime I'll just live with the fact that I don't have a Georgia Tee in my life (which is really okay since I have something like 200 other tops in my life--of which I hope to cut down to 50).  Also my birthday will be here in a couple of months and if I'm still craving the tee then I know what to ask for as a present (ok ok I know I should be focused on purging not acquiring, but going from 100% to 0% shopping will take some getting used to).

Grana Review Cashmere Joggers

I'm so far behind on my reviews that unfortunately this item is no longer available online.  But let it be known that Grana once made cashmere joggers and that they are awesome!  I tried Everlane's cashmere sweatpants and though they were comfortable, they were quite unflattering. They were quite baggy and had no real shape to them.  But Grana's cashmere joggers don't suffer from the same problem at all!  They actually have some shape and I think that's due to a much tighter cashmere knit on these.  Also the waistband for the Everlane pair was just a drawstring, also made from cashmere so it could easily stretch out.  But the Grana pants have a proper elastic waistband along.  I also love how this Grana pair narrows at the ankles so it looks like a proper pair of joggers.   And of course Grana's cashmere is excellent so there's no itch at all.

Anyway if you ever have a chance to purchase these (whether second hand or if it restocks at Grana) then definitely go for it!  These are the perfect sweaters for your legs for a slightly chilly day.