CELINE Micro Belt Bag Review {Updated June 2018}

So back in February I was super lucky to get this Celine Micro Belt bag (similar ones here from my favorite legit luxury bag reseller, Fashionphile-- and I have a rare coupon code THANKYOU2018 for $50 off any purchase, even last call/discounted items!) as a gift for my birthday and seriously guys I have not put it down ever since.  This bag is my holy grail of bags, even though I didn't know I was even looking for such a bag.  As I said in my instagram post, I'm trying to find balance in using it: I love it so much I want to use it everyday but at the same time I want to make it last.  So for the time being I'm switching between this bag and my Loewe hammock bag.

Anyway onto the review!

One of the first things you might notice in the pics is that I'm not using the strap that came with and that's because to be honest, the thin strap the bag comes with (see pic below) is just not that comfortable.  Also it's not adjustable.  So instead I switched it out with the strap that came with my Saint Laurent Universite bag, which is made of canvas and is adjustable.  

My usual daily items in my bag (wallet, coin purse, sunglasses, and several pouches for essentials)

Other than that, this bag is perfect!  It fits all my daily items easily, and I love that I can carry it either by the top handle or use the shoulder strap (I think I've found that only these types of dual carry type bags work for my lifestyle).  I used to have the Celine belt bag in the mini size but still found that was too big for my needs (so I'm glad it found a good home with a reader!) but the micro size is just the right size (lol I'm the Goldilocks of Celine belt bags).  Actually as much as I love the brand (and I've owned 3 other Celine bags in the past) this is the first one that I truly fits me and the only one I really loved.  

Other benefits of the micro belt bag: you can just zip the top and leave the flap open if you're feeling too lazy to close it (and because the handle is located just right, you don't need to close the flap to use the top handle like in one of my pics above).  But if you don't feel like zipping (or if your bag is a bit too full to zip) you can also secure the flap to the clip and it will effectively close the bag.  

Inside the bag, it's unlined leather and there's 2 flat pockets inside.  There's also a rear zipper pocket on the outside but it's so tiny that there's no real use for it.  The dimensions of the bag are 9 x 8 x 4 inches.  

Anyways if you guys have any questions or want to know more about the bag just drop me a comment below, thanks!

{edit: Thanks to Sooji for her question about the clasp!  So yep, the clasp is probably the most cumbersome part of this bag.  I usually just carry the bag zipped and unclasped, but if I do use the clasp I usually clasp the bag over the belt and not actually tucked in the way Celine displays their bag.  So if you do plan to carry it the way Celine intended, it's gonna be a bit of a pain for sure.}

{edit: And thanks to Elaine C. who asked how the Micro Belt compares to Mansur Gavriel's mini lady bag.  Here are some quick phone pics for you guys!  As you can see they're pretty much the same size with the Celine Micro Belt being slightly wider.}

{January 2018 update: I've had this bag for almost a year now and my love for it is still going strong.  I've used this bag a lot and it has held up really well.  The leather is slightly softer but it's still structured and hasn't lost its shape.  This bag is still one of my favorites and probably was the best gift I'ver ever gotten.}

Also I should mention I used to have the Celine Mini Belt Bag and here's a pic of that for comparison:

And finally I also got the Celine Nano Belt Bag so a review of that and a comparison to the Micro here.

And you can find all my other Celine reviews here.

Grana Review Silk Sleeveless Blazer

*This review was sponsored and I received Grana's Silk Sleeveless Blazer for free.

Hi guys and another sponsored post for you today.  But just because it's sponsored doesn't mean I won't be real with you.  And the real deal here is that I don't love this silk piece.  Now don't get me wrong, I still love the quality of Grana's silk items (especially their 22mm silk satin) but I just don't think this sleeveless blazer is my style:

What do you think?  Or did I just style it poorly?  There's probably a little bit too much going on with this outfit, with the striped long sleeve shirt and the gold and black belt (I really love this thrifted vintage Ferragamo belt and I'm trying it with literally everything).  The faded ripped jeans is also probably not a good fit with the silk sleeveless blazer.  The funny thing was that when I was wearing this outfit, I thought 'yea this feels good'.  But when I saw the pictures I was like 'naw, this doesn't work'.

Anyway a bit more about the blazer itself, which is quite well-made.  It's double layered satin silk and some with a silk ribbon to tie at the waist.  I love the pockets and the wide lapels in the front.  I have to admit, the blazer itself isn't bad.  But I'm not sure I'm going to wear it.  Do you guys have any styling tips or ideas on how to wear this?

You can find all my Grana reviews here and if you're a first time customer, get 10% off your Grana order with this referral link (thanks for your support guys!).

{update: So I added these sleeveless blazer to my Spring 10x10 challenge since I really wanted to see if I could style it better.  And you guys were right, it's better styled simple and without the belt.  I'm actually pretty in love with this now since it adds pockets to dresses (sort of like a lab coat).  Check it out here!}

M.Gemi Review The Fortuna

So I have to admit a draft of this review for the M.Gemi Fortuna flats has been sitting in my list of reviews fooooreeeever (as in I have a place holder for it and sometimes some pictures but I haven't been able to write this review).  And it's because even though this the Fortuna fits well, and looks pretty, it's just not something I wear often (or at all really).  I rarely even think of this shoe when I'm creating outfits.  But the weird thing is that it doesn't mean this shoe is bad.  In fact I think the shoe itself is really awesome (I'm pretty sure it's because I don't really like the color of this suede shoe on me).

What do you think?

Anyway the shoe itself is really great!  First the fit finder worked well for me on finding the right shoe size (it's failed me in the past with The Dolcetto and The Stellato).  It recommended the size 38 which fit perfectly (I'm a 38.5 in the Felize and usually a size 8 in Everlane shoes and size 7.5 in TOMS).  I also love that these flats have a pointed toe to help elongate the leg and they're super simple overall.  Plus they're really comfortable to walk in (though not quite as comfy as The Felize, which are still hands down my favorite M.Gemi shoes).  But like the Felize they're really forgiving on wide-ish feet like mine).  And actually like the Felize, they lack a but of arch supports so it's probably better for your feet to add something like these to the shoes for prolonged wears.

In the end I don't wear these shoes that often because I don't really love the color and the suede material (it's so hard to keep clean).  But lucky for you guys it now comes in new colors and even better, made of Italian Nappa leather (I love napa leather, it's the stuff Prada uses a lot).  I really love the gray pair (but eek the hot pink?).  You can find them here.

And if you're interested in getting $50 off, email gardner_maureen@ymail.com for a referral link!

Glossier Boy Brow and Stretch Concealer Review: The Good and the Bad

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At first I was going to do one review for all the different Glossier products I bought but I'm going through them all so slowly since I really take my time when it comes to trying new makeup and skin care (sometimes when I use too many products at once my skin just freaks out and then I'm not sure which product was the one that triggered it all).  So for today I have for you a review of Glossier's Boy Brow and Stretch Concealer.  

First the Boy Brow, which I have to say does live up to the hype.  My brows in general are fairly thin since an unfortunate over-plucking incident early on in my adolescence (a story for another time), but recently I've been using this lash and brow growth serum (and it really works!).  And now that my brows hairs are growing quite long, Glossier's boy brow has been pretty clutch in keeping my brows looking groomed and polished.  The short wand is perfect for combing your brows while simultaneously filling them with their cream-like formula.  At first it looks like there's a lot of product on the wand and that it might make your brows look too dark but looks are deceiving.  As you comb it through, it really does blend it with your natural hairs.  I'm using the brown color and it blends in perfectly.  I should warn you though that once you comb through the formula, you don't want to touch it until it dries otherwise it somehow loses its magic and starts to look like you painted your brows heavily (I made this mistake when I accidentally went overboard with this product and then tried to wipe some off with a tissue--nope don't do it, it totally backfires on you).  I really love this product but I'm not sure I'd repurchase this when I think about it from a sustainability stand point.  Yes the product is awesome, but all the extra plastic just for a brow product (when really my Shu Uemura brow pencil already does a decent job) seems a bit like a waste.

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Now for the bad: their stretch concealer.  I need concealer most to hide my zits and general redness on my face.  The concealer itself is a bit greasy but does have decent coverage.  But the big no-no for me is their pore-clogging formula (even though they say it's not).  How do I know this?  First I tried it out and then where ever I used it, I started getting a couple of small whiteheads. So then I cross checked the full ingredient list of this concealer to this list of comedogenic (pore-clogging) ingredients from a well respected acne spa treatment center in San Francisco (I went there a couple times and I actually use a lot of their products regularly).  And lo and behold the number one ingredient of this concealer is a pore-clogging ingredient (Octyldodecanol).  Talk about false advertisement.  So if you're planning to use this on pimples, don't.  But if you have fairly tough skin and are going to use this for under-eye darkness then it might be worth looking into.

Anyway I'll try to get the second half of this review out which will include Glossier's milk jelly cleanser, Generation G matt lipstick, and their Super Pure serum.

Grana Review Silk Long Sleeve Pyjama Shirt

*This is a sponsored post and I received this Grana PJ for free

Hi guys!  Catching up on all my Grana reviews here.  I was sent these Grana silk PJ's back in December and it has been sitting in my "to review" pile for ages (I know such a bad blogger and I'm super lucky that Grana still wants to to work with me >.<).  I guess it took me so long because I really don't use silk PJs in my real life.  My usual PJ ensemble is an Everlane or Grana tee (that I usually just wear the next morning with some jeans for work), and Uniqlo loungewear (purchased before my fair fashion days, but to be honest they make great loungewear.  I think the key to not doing any more harm at this point would be to just keep them and use the stuffing out of them).

But when I got these Everlane wide leg pants, I thought why not just try them out together.  And I have to say I really like the look.  Also the vintage Ferragamo belt I thrifted helps to give the outfit a more polished look.

I got this top in a small and as you can tell it's a bit of an oversized fit (as PJs probably should be).  I really love the sleeve and collar white piping detail as well as their mother of pearl buttons (I'm not sure if its genuine or faux--I mean do they even make faux mother of pearl?) .  Also this top is made from their shinier and more luxe 22mm Georgette Satin (my favorite).  As we head into the warmer months I probably won't be wearing a long sleeve silk top but as fall rolls back around, I look forward to trying this top again with different outfits (even if the PJ trend is over).

I took so long to write this review that they no longer have this top in black, but they do have a pretty cute pink color now.  And for first time buyers, get 10% off with this referral link to Grana (and thanks for your support!).

My first capsule, part two: Still in Progress

So this is what my capsule wardrobe (aka my Airstream closet) looks like at the moment.  At first I was a bit stressed out trying to make it 'perfect' but then a cold front hit and I had to go digging back into the bins to pull out a couple sweaters.  And that's when I decided, well it's my capsule wardrobe and I'm going to do it the way I want.   That means I'm not going to stress out about having the perfect number or selection of clothes and instead let my capsule have more of a 'flow' to it.  That means if I need something then I will let myself go back to storage and pull out what I need.  Then that item will have a place in my capsule closet, thus the space for a couple more hanging items and the nearly empty shelf for dresses.  I'll fill it as I need.  Also whatever I don't pull to use in my capsule for the warm season will be up on the chopping block.  I kind of see it as a 2 closet system and whatever doesn't get moved to the primary closet will be sold or donated.  And for the most part, my going out clothes (ie blogger clothes) will stay at the garage and not be included in my Airstream capsule closet since I pretty much live at our workplace and I usually leave to go to events/dinners from there and not the Airstream (logistically it makes sense since the garage is closer to the city than the RV park we live in).  So this may not be a fully enclosed capsule collection but that's okay with me.  Whatever works and makes me happy right?

P.S. And since I'm a total newbie at this capsuling thing, here's a link to an expert capsuler so you can get some real tips on how to do this: 

P.P.S. I'm happy to report that thus far my renewed shopping ban for March has been going very well.  No new things in!  In April I will go back to my original rules of allowing myself to thrift shop as well as try out Everlane and Grana items purchased on credit (thanks to everyone who has supported me on this!)

My first capsule wardrobe, part one: The Current State of my Closets

Ok ok I'm finally going to get on the capsule bandwagon.  I'm not sure why I was/am so resistant to the idea (actually I think it's because of that feeling of restriction and limitation), but let's face the facts: 1) I need this in my life, especially due to my shopping addiction (and thanks to Lia and Rebecca B. who really encouraged me to give this a try as a solution) and 2) uhh my life was actually meant for capsule wardrobes, I mean c'mon I live in an Airstream.  I guess in a sense I was kind of living with a capsule wardrobe (as in my everyday work clothes were at the Airstream), except I was also living out of bins that are stored at the Airstream garage (and that's where most of my "blogger clothes" live).  What am I talking about?

This:

Literally my secret hoard

There you have it.  My secret's out: I'm a slob with hoarding tendencies (I used to joke I'm one catastrophe away from full hoarder status, but I probably shouldn't joke about things like that).  But let me tell you, the key to hoarding well is storage and stacking.  Anyway I also have another closet at the garage:

I'm part of the lean(ing) closet movement, lol.  Anyway that's an old Ikea closet storage I built by myself (and subsequently built wrong).  I definitely had some bars and screws left but didn't want to start all over so I just left it like that.  Who knew it would be the miraculously leaning closet?  Currently it's holding most of my outerwear and half of my husband's clothes. (I'll take a better pic of the lean once an Airstream moves out of the garage).

 And just so you can get the full picture, here's my Airstream closet:

So that's my baseline.  I'll be moving into a different Airstream (for our business) so we're going from 28' to 27', which is a slightly different layout.  That means I'll be getting a very slightly larger closet, but it also means that this is the perfect time to plan out my capsule wardrobe for the warmer seasons.

Part Two will be about how I fare in the process and what I end up choosing!

Elizabeth Suzann Review Georgia Tee {Updated May 2018}

So back in February when I said I cheated on my shopping ban, it all started with this one top from Elizabeth Suzann.  This is the Georgia Tee in linen.  I had been wanting this specific top in this specific color since December and when I saw it pop up on eBay I let myself buy it under the guise that it could technically qualify as a trade (just like I would trade clothes at Crossroads, which I did allow in my ban rules), meaning I sold some stuff on eBay that would more than cover the cost of this purchase (plus that money was just sitting in my paypal account so....).  Anyway I bought it and I don't regret it one bit, even if it meant I broke my ban.

{Wearing: Elizabeth Suzann Georgia Tee, Grana silk ankle pants (review here), rag & bone booties, Mansur Gavriel mini lady bag (review here)}

The Georgia Tee has proven to be everything I dreamed it would be.  I know that's quite a statement about a linen top.  But maybe that's the quality you get when you purchase something that is made thoughtfully by a skilled artisan.  The Georgia tee comes in OS-, OS, and OS+ and here I'm wearing it in OS.  It's such a universally flattering shape that I'm pretty sure almost everyone can pull it off.  On me, the Georgia tee is the perfect cropped length, and it has a wide neckline so I feel it makes my neck look longer without cutting deep in the front.  And my favorite thing about this top is the sleeves: I love how they perk up at the ends.  It really minimizes the chicken wing (tricep) area.  

{Wearing: Elizabeth Suzann Georgia Tee, Grana silk ankle pants (review here), Everlane modern point shoes (review here), Valentino glamlock bag}

And the washing and care for this is super easy.  Just wash cold and I steam out the wrinkles with my handy dandy travel steamer (which I love so much that I think I might do a separate review devoted to this indispensable tool).  As you can see, so far I've only paired this with my Grana silk ankle pants (because they go so well together), but stay tuned for more outfits incorporating this top!  

{May 2018 Update: After consulting my resident Elizabeth Suzann expert Lydia (Liz's friend and first hire), she has identified this item was a signature piece from the SS14 signature collection.  So Gen 2.  Also have had this for a year and I still love it and wear it often!}

Supergoop! Review of Barre to Bar Beauty Set

Just a quick beauty review for you today.  I had mentioned that I'm in the search for a good sunscreen that won't melt off my face in the summer, won't break me out and also gives me some coverage to even out skin tone.  This search has been harder than I anticipated due to my super sensitive skin (if I don't break out, sometimes I get a rash, but most of the time I just break out).  So when I saw this Supergoop! Barre to Bar set I though I would give it a shot (I kept seeing the brand in magazines and such so I finally caved into the marketing).  I love trying little sampler sets like these since it allows me to try it without committing to the full size.  So here's a quick rundown of each product:

The Daily Correct CC Cream in Light/Medium: in short, a dud.  It was greasy and gave my skin a pinkish tint (obviously not a match for my asian skin tone).

The City Sunscreen Serum: I loooooove this!  This is probably the only thing I would rebuy out of this whole kit (and probably the only thing I will use up).  This is a super lightweight sunscreen with zero sunscreen smell and no greasiness.  Also doesn't break me out.  This could become my everyday go-to sunscreen for under foundation (if I don't find a good tinted sunscreen).

Perk up lip and cheek treat: I didn't really like this for my lips and I never used it for my cheeks.  The taste/smell is subtle but slightly of sunscreen (it's SPF 50).  I prefer to use my RMS lip shine in sacred even though it doesn't have SPF.  We'll see, I might keep giving this a chance.

Defense Refresh Setting Mist: I originally loved this product thinking I could just wear my regular foundation and then use this as a setting mist to provide extra SPF coverage.  However after using it for a week, I'm not a huge fan.  First, you can definitely tell there's alcohol in their formula (especially if you don't shake it as well as you're supposed to) and that alcohol can definitely cause a sting near your eyes even if you have them closed.  Also the mist doesn't really give you all that much SPF coverage since it's really just tiny droplets of SPF (you'd really have to spray it on good for actual SPF coverage I think).  And lastly I sprayed these on my arms in an attempt to use up the product and got it all over my car's black leather interior.  That stuff is hard to get off, lol.

So final verdict?  Don't buy this set but do check out that serum if you're looking for a good everyday base sunscreen.  Thus the search for a sunscreen with coverage continues, though I am now a huge fan of that serum (I use it under my usual SPF 15 lotion for extra coverage).  In the meantime I'm trying out several products form Bella Cuore and will let you know what I find!

Everlane Review Wide Leg Crop Pant {Updated October 2017}

When Everlane came out with these wide leg pants I was super excited since I was just beginning to warm up to the Jesse Kamm pants look.  Now I totally understand the value of Jesse Kamm's clothing but I just can't drop that kind of dough on a look I'm not sure I would like on myself (though I love it on bloggers like Lee).  So I was thrilled when Everlane made a look-a-like pants (though if I was Jesse Kamm I would be more than a bit miffed at the copycat).  And well, at this rate, high-waisted wide-leg pants might be my thing.  I've been wearing these cropped pants consistently (since I got them hemmed) and I'm in love.  In which case the real deal Kamm pants may be in my future.

In these pictures (both top and bottom pics) the pants are unhemmed (and for reference I'm 5'4" but with short legs).  And in both pictures I'm wearing Grana's silk V-neck cropped tank (review coming soon).  I ordered the bone color up top in size 4 and the black ones below in size 6.  I usually say I'm a size 4-6 in Everlane pants, but lately the 4's have been bit too tight for me (damn that full year of no exercise) and the white pants in the size 4 was no exception.  The size 6 only felt a smidge bigger when I originally tried them on (ie it was still fairly tight at the waist).  But after consistent wear, the waist does stretch out and now the size 6 feels a bit large at the waist (so much so that a now belt helps keep the pants in place), which makes me think I probably could have gone with the 4 and let it stretch out.  Then again, it was pretty tight when I first tried it on.  I guess if you're between sizes like me, size up for comfort (but size down if you want your butt to be more pronounced in your pants and you don't mind the initial constriction).  Oh and the white pants are fully opaque so no VPL here (I think I was even wearing my Thinx in these pictures and you know how thick those are).

Since these pants were not cropped on me, I decided to go get them hemmed so that it would be as how Everlane intended, cropped.  I arbitrarily went with 2 inches (since that is how many inches I hemmed my Grana silk culottes) but now I'm thinking I should have gone one more inch shorter.  Pictures below of the hemmed pants (and Grana silk PJ top, review coming soon).

A little bit more about the pants: the material is a cotton twill material with a bit of elastane for stretch.  The twill has tiny grooves that if you spill something on it, it's pretty hard to get out without a thorough washing.  Also the wide legs are a bit pesky when using the bathroom (you gotta be extra careful they don't touch the ground-it's all about rolling them up as you take them off.  TMI?  sorry, lol).  The waist is super high and contrary to the quote on Everlane's page, these pants will feel really constricting after a big lunch (so much so I had to un-button the pants for awhile right after eating).  But despite these minor things, I loooove these pants.  I love how free and unconstricted my legs feel.  And I love how I feel instantly chic for wearing a silhouette that not everyone is wearing yet.  As I said in the past I'm so over skinny jeans and pants and I'm so ready for wide leg pants in take over my life.  So now the real question is, should I let myself rebuy the white version?**  Ahhh so tempting!

Anyway here are Grechen's review of these pants (and her second take here), Andrea's review, and Lee's review.  You can find these pants here (referral link, thanks for your support guys!), and you can find all my other Everlane reviews here.

** Ok this is when my "slow my roll" rule has to kick in (as in I said no more additions to the closet in March) so I'll have to pass on the second wide leg crop pants.  I will put them on my current wish list (thanks again for the idea Liz!)

{October 2017 update: So from March to September I hardly wore these pants because for some reason the proportions didn't feel right.  So then I thought it might be because it didn't feel tight enough in the waist and that if it was a bit more fitted, it might be more flattering.  So I purchased a second pair in a size down (so a size 4) and have found that the fit is better and so is the proportions.  Also the new batch of wide leg crops seem to be a bit less stretchy and doesn't get baggy after extended wear.  You can see me wear the new pair of wide leg crops in navy here.}

For the love of clothes (and accessories)

Snapshot from the Chanel store in Ala Moana, Honolulu

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my consumption habits, especially due to my shopping ban resolution this year (and my failure of keeping said ban).  To be honest I haven't always been so fashion/style-minded (remember that story about wearing the same jeans and sweaters all throughout grad school).  But my consumption habits have really sky-rocketed since starting this blog.  At first I felt like I had to consume to have something to blog about.  If I wasn't writing about something useful, some kind of new information, why would people even stop by to visit?  But last year, it really morphed into its own beast.  I was getting boxes almost on the daily.  And here I am trying to espouse conscious consumption, minimalism, and intentional buying.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Instead I was buying all these new items "for the blog" but not really using them.  And even if I am purchasing the bulk of my items from companies that care about their workers and the quality of their items, there's just no way one person could effectively wear every single item I was purchasing.  And on top of that I had my "uniform" so I wasn't even wearing over half of my "blogger clothes".  All of this is starting to feel more disingenuous to who I am and what I believe in (which really is buy less, buy quality, and use well).  I don't know what the solution here is, except to slow my roll (which is what I keep repeating, I know).  The ban has helped on that some.  On the bright side, I feel like I'm getting to know my style better so I really hope that after distilling my current style this year, I'll only be adding things periodically to keep it evolving.  But sometimes I wonder if I'll ever break out of this crazy consumption cycle?

P.S. Thank you to everyone who commented with encouragement and with super helpful tips on my "Failure in Feb" post.  I feel more determined than ever to make this shopping ban work.  Also thanks to you guys I'm going to be committing to doing a capsule wardrobe (which is what I should have been doing ever since I moved into an Airstream) so stay tuned for that!

Grana Silk Mini V-neck Slip Dress Review

*I should mention that this post was sponsored (yay for my second free shipment from Grana), but I originally had purchased a black version of this myself already.  But it was very nice of them to let me try the blue version for free.

Hi guys, it's been awhile since my last Grana review but if you've been following my Instagram you know that's pretty much all I've been wearing everyday (mostly those silk ankle pants).  It's a bit early to be wearing this dress (the temps here have been in the 50s and 60s) but I just can't wait for spring and I really love the color of this dress (so spring like!).

So for those who've read my other Grana silk reviews, you know I love love love Grana's items made from their 22mm Georgette satin (over their 14mm crepe de chine).  And so of course I love this dress as well.  As usual with their 22mm satin the material is super smooth, thick, and feels durable.  

I'm a huge fan of Grana's regular v-neck slip dress (review here)  but I always thought that midi length was just a bit too long for my short-ish frame.  So I was really excited when they came out with this mini version.  And boy, I was not let down.

Just like their regular version, this mini version is made from double layers of their georgette satin so no VPL here.  But I should note that for me anyway, the double layer ends right before the start of the side slit on the leg so the inner silk layer ends right at my butt (which isn't a bad thing, but sometimes you can see where that inner layer ends.  Also I have to be careful when bending over).  And for a mini dress the slit doesn't go up too high, which I prefer.

As for sizing, I'm usually between a small and a medium in Grana, but went with the small here since from past experience the chest area of the silk slip dresses tended to run large.  It fit fine except was a tiny bit snug in the butt area (but that's my fault not the dresses, lol).

Anyways since it's a bit too cold still to wear the dress as is, I tried some outfit variations below.  What do you think of the light blue and rust orange?  I kind of like the combo!

Anyway if you're interested in the dress you can find it here and if you're a first time buyer, you can get 10% off your first purchase with this link.  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

Shopping ban progress report: Failure in February

The bag that I desperately whined and weaseled my way to (I used everything in my persuasion arsenal for this one and then felt dirty after, lol)

I literally acted like an addict all February.  I wheedled my way to my drug (stuff, more specifically bags), and really bent some rules along the way (ok ok 'broke' is probably the more accurate word here).  Also I justified buying swimsuits because now I'm trying to swim on a regular basis, but I didn't need to go and buy 8 items from Patagonia (darn that sale).  I'm going to be honest here and say I most definitely failed.  And now I'm really starting to think I have a problem.  I think I might be addicted to shopping (friends who know me well will probably say 'no duh' at this point).  I know I love shopping but always told myself I can stop anytime I want (and isn't this what all addicts say).  And lo and behold I don't last more than 6 weeks.  And when I was trying to reduce my spending on my closet, I found that I ended up spending a lot more on makeup and skin care (but hey on the bright side I did find Bella Cuore).  It's like I need to buy something every once in awhile even though I have waaay too much of everything.  Well a shopping addiction probably isn't the worse thing in the world (#firstworldproblems), but an addiction to anything can be bad news.  At this point I feel like I need to do this just to prove to myself that I can.  So back on the shopping ban wagon I go and no more trying to get others to do the dirty work for me (ie buy me gifts, lol)... though March is my birthday month.  Ah well, at least no more buying things off of eBay just because I have money in my paypal account.  And definitely less spending on skin care and makeup products (but I'm on a hunt for a good tinted sunscreen with coverage or foundation with sunscreen that won't melt off my face come summer...so that quest is still gonna happen).  Also no more stuff from Everlane and Grana for the time being because I'm still behind on my reviews.  I'm not going to get any more stuff until I'm all caught up and have literally run out of things to write about on this blog (I still have to do my review of the Everlane wide leg pants and a bunch of silk items from Grana as well as their active wear).    

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!