Everlane Review Beach Collection Canvas Backpack

I was born and raised in Hawaii and yet I'm not a huge fan of beaches (I know, what's wrong with me, lol).  But because I grew up with Hawaii beaches, they've become my standard when I think of beaches (I think it makes me a beach snob).  So imagine my surprise and disappointment to find California beaches to be too cold for swimming, filled with kelp, and generally unlike the beaches of my childhood.  Lucky for me, like I said, I'm not a fan of beaches so my disappointed wasn't all that great.  Anyway I bring this all up because Everlane's beach capsule collection was definitely made with California beaches in mind and not really Hawaii's.  Why else would they have cotton long-sleeve sweatshirts if not for the cold and windy beaches of (especially) Northern California {P.S. I also ordered this sweatshirt so stay tuned for that review}.

Anyway as soon as I saw this canvas backpack in Everlane's beach capsule I knew I wanted to try it out right away.  Something about the casual easiness of it all was super appealing.  I could imagine throwing a towel, water and some snacks and hitting the beach.  But of course I don't do beaches, so instead I decided to try it out as my summer work bag.  As much as I love my Everlane dipped zip tote for work, I'm also carrying around my old black Balenciaga Work bag (not for work but for daily life) and two black bags over each shoulder is maybe a bit too somber for the summer.  So this canvas backpack is the perfect summer holdall!

I love that this backpack has two deep front pockets to hold water or sunscreen.  They're deep enough so nothing falls out.  There's also a small interior pocket near the short handle, but I've had small things fall out of that when the backpack isn't fully secured, so be careful of that.  the canvas straps are comfortable enough but I only really use it to carry my backpack from the Airstream to the car, and from the car to the Airstream garage (and back).  I'm a car commuter so really my work bags don't actually get worked, which is a good thing because I'm not too sure if this backpack is meant to get worked.  I've been using it for about a week now and have noticed that the black screen-printed bottom gets scuffed pretty easily.  Unlike the dipped zip tote (which has a thick plastic-like coating on the bottom), this backpack only has a thin screen-printed bottom (like a screen printed shirt).  But I don't really mind since scuffs don't really bother me (it adds to the wabi-sabi of it all)

{Wearing: Everlane backpack, Grana linen sleeveless shirt (review here), Mott&Bow jeans (review coming soon), Everlane Form Slide Sandals (review here)}

The backpack encloses with a drawstring and snap enclosure.  There's a handle on the back that you can kind of hold the backpack with (but it's pretty awkward) and the straps are adjustable.  This would be a pretty good beach or pool bag (as long as you don't get it too close to water since it's not exactly waterproof though it is water resistant), or even just a summer picnic.  Honestly this bag holds a lot (more than the zipped dip tote).  And the canvas itself is a quite sturdy so there's minimal sagging from all the things in your bag. 

If you're looking for an awesome casual lightweight backpack, made responsibly then I think this one might be the one for you.  I'm going to keep using it as my workbag throughout the summer and will check back in with an update on how it wears.  As usual you can find all my unsponsored Everlane reviews, like this one, here.

Goyard GM St. Louis Tote Review {Updated Feb 2018}

My two loves: Airstreams and bags

I don't know a whole lot about Goyard and I'm not a super fan of the brand or anything but when I sold my Louis Vuitton Neverfull (because I wasn't a fan of the super rigid leather straps), I decided to replace it with this Goyard St. Louis tote (similar here).  Even though I waxed on and on about used bags last week, I actually got this one brand new at the Goyard store in San Francisco mostly because the prices for the secondhand totes weren't that much cheaper than the original price and because the SF store was so close (this was before I moved down to San Jose).  Also it was most definitely a bit of an impulse purchase because I was in the store.

Anyway I decided to go with the GM size (the bigger size which is 23"x 13"x 7") because I wanted this to be more of a travel bag, and I think it's not too big for my 5'4" frame.  The things I love about this tote: A) super lightweight coated canvas (bags that are light as a feather are a must when traveling); B) The flexible leather straps are thin but don't hurt my shoulders; C) The way the top corners can fold in to make the tote smaller when carrying less stuff.

But in the end I don't really carry this bag as much as I want to because the Goyard tote corners and strap glazing are notoriously fragile.  Plus I'm not a fan of how soft the canvas fabric is, so much so that it can't stand up on it's own (it just wrinkles into a pile really).  And in the end I don't think I'm much of a tote person in general (if I have to carry a lot, I rather carry a backpack).  Oh but I do love my Everlane dipped zip tote (reviewed here), which I carry daily as my work tote.

Anyway so I decided to sell this tote to fund a future bag purchase.  Since I rarely used it (seriously only like 5 times), it doesn't make sense for me to keep it.  And I might as well sell it while it's still in pristine condition.  

{Update: Yep I sold it and actually only "lost" $200 on it so at least these bags have very good resale value.  I consider the $200 the cost of using the bag and learning my lesson about expensive totes.  From now on I think I'll stick with more reasonably priced totes, since tote bags are meant to be workhorses and carry loads of stuff.}

Grana Review Linen Sleeveless Shirt

*I received this item free for review from Grana and is a type of sponsored post.  I also have a few affiliate links in this post

Hi guys, finally a Grana review for you today after that parade of Everlane reviews.  To be honest, some of Grana's new summer items haven't wowed me as much as other brands, but this linen sleeveless shirt is definitely an exception.  I was lucky enough to get this free from Grana to review, but I'll try not to let that color my honest opinion of it.  I really like this top and I'm 99% sure it's because it's awesome and not because I got it for free, lol.

First a note on sizing, I got this in a small and I think it's the perfect fit.  Like I always repeat in Grana reviews, go to their size finder on their website and look at the measurements every time you order a new piece since their size finders have really precise measurements (and their sizing can be sometimes a bit all over the place).  I did find that the small in this does show a bit of midriff on me but that's because I have quite a long torso.  But I don't mind since the cropped look helps to lengthen my short legs.

I also love that this top has a pleat in the back that allows the top to poof out a bit.  It gives the top more volume, which I love.  The linen, as usual for Grana linen is on the softer side and this works great for this cropped top (I think if it was stiffer, it might actually be too much volume).  And even though it's a thinner linen, it's not too sheer (nothing a nude bra can't handle) because the top does fall away from the body and isn't fitted.

What do you think?

{Wearing: Grana sleeveless linen shirt, thrifted Coach belt (similar here), Mott & Bow jeans (review coming soon), Everlane canvas backpack (review coming soon), Everlane Form Slide sandals (reviewed here)}

I actually really like the look here with the casual loose jeans and slide sandals.  Also this linen top will really help with that "farmer tan" I'm starting to get across my triceps (ugh).  I'm going to need to even that out asap.

Anyway I highly recommend getting this summer top!  I think it'd also look really cute with a high-waisted denim skirt, or I might try pairing it with some overalls.  First time Grana customers can get 10% off with this referral link here, and you can find all my other Grana reviews here. Thanks again for all your support guys!

Everlane Review The Bridge Sandal

And so the Everlane review train keeps on chugging along!  There's a lot of new items coming from Everlane this summer that I've been super excited about.  First it was their Form Sandals (review here) and then it was their cotton belted shirtdress (review here).  And when I saw these Bridge Sandals on their Coming Soon page, I knew I wanted to try them out right away (especially since they are reminiscent of a certain Hermes Oran sandals that seems to be a blogger favorite right now).

First a note on sizing, I purchased these in my usual Everlane shoes size of 8 and I would say they run true to size.  Also true to general Everlane shoe sizing, these run narrow (like Everlane Modern Loafer kind of narrow).  And the vegetable-tanned leather that these sandals are made of are quite thick and very stiff.  It would take quite a bit of pain to stretch out these leather sandals if you have feet that are not narrow.  The Bridge Sandals are not at all like the beautiful stretchy Napa leather that the Form Sandals are made from.  Interestingly enough both the Form Sandals and these Bridge Sandals are made in super tiny factories in Florence, Italy, but they're different factories.  And you can tell because these sandals are nothing alike.  

Also unlike the Form Sandals, these Bridge Sandals have zero arch support.  So if you plan to walk more than a block or two in these sandals, be prepared from some arch pain.  In the end, I had to send these back because even though I really love how they look, they're just not made for my feet.  Give me Everlane's Form Slide Sandal any day (and actually I've been wearing them pretty much everyday).

As usual this is an unsponsored review and all purchases are made possible from referral credit earned from awesome readers who click my link here.  Also you can find all my Everlane reviews here.

Review of Tinted Sunscreens: MDSolarSciences, Suntegrity, and eltaMD

Hi guys, and I think I had mentioned before my quest for the perfect tinted sunscreen for my skin.  As much as I love makeup with SPF, when we're in the thick of summer, like we are now, makeup is just not the most comfortable on the skin (and talk about melting down your greasy face--ugh).  So I started my search earlier in the year so that I'd have a viable option and out of these three that I've tried there's a clear winner for me.  

The first one I tried is this MDSolarScience Mineral Tinted Creme which I found kind of interesting.  The first thing I noticed right away was its texture of the cream which came out kind of fluffy (like whipped yogurt) but went on the face kind of greasy.  The smell was also kind of weird, but not overpowering and nothing that you really noticed (except maybe the first second you put it on).  It seemed like the formula would break me out but it didn't at all.  It did an ok job with sun protection but it did go on fairly thin.  And the tinted coverage was fairly light (you can't really hide too many imperfections with this one) and it only comes in one color.  But I did like that once on the face, it was fairly matte.  In the end though I went on to try another one because I was looking for something with a little more coverage to cover discoloration.  I use this one as a back-up in my gym bag for days I forget to bring my makeup bag along.  At least I can use this one in a pinch.  

So the next one I tried was the Suntegrity 5-in-1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen in the color Light.  Right away I liked that the coverage on this one was a bit thicker (so much so that I didn't really need to use much concealer).  It goes on a bit tacky so I use my fingers to dab it on.  And once I have my whole face covered, it looks a bit shiny from the tinted sunscreen so I pat down with one of these oil blotting sheets and it's just the right amount of shiny.  Since it does go on a bit thick I feel like it does a bit of a better job at keeping me from burning when compared to the MDSolarSciences Creme.  And best of all this tinted sunscreen doesn't break me out at all.  It's also free of parabens, pthalates, mineral oils, PABA, sulfates, and a whole bunch of other toxic ingredients.  This is the one that works best for me, and I'm almost done with my first tube of this stuff.  I've already re-purchased it in the same color.  I'm somewhere between the light and golden light color, with the golden light being a bit more darker and yellow in tint and thus great for tanned Asian skin.

I also purchased this eltaMD UV Physical broad spectrum tinted sunscreen around the same time.  The texture on this one is a bit more like the MDsolarSciences one and it's also a fairly light coverage.  But right away the coloring did not match mine at all.  It is definitely for people with a pink-ish skin tone, and it did not blend in with my skin at all.  So thank you to reader Dawn for taking it off my hands and making sure this product gets used!

Anyway this review was not sponsored and I purchased all items myself to try out.  If you guys have any questions about these three tinted sunscreens, just shoot me a comment below.  And what do you guys use for your summer makeup/sunscreen?

Everlane Review Japanese GoWeave Mini Slip Dress

When I first reviewed Everlane's Japanese GoWeave back zip tee (here) I liked the GoWeave fabric though not so much the fit of the tee.  So when I saw that Everlane came out with a mini slip dress in the same fabric I jumped at the chance to try it.  The mini slip dress looked like the perfect length for my petite-ish frame (of 5'4").  

First off I got it in a size 6, which is one size bigger than my normal Everlane size of 4 but I wanted a looser fit, especially for the white one I chose.  The fit overall was pretty good, though a tiny bit snug in the butt area.  The straps are adjustable so you can lengthen or shorted according to your height.

I really like the look of this mini slip dress but the white one is quite sheer.  You could definitely see my light colored underwear underneath and the shirt as well.  I did consider getting the black one instead, but then realized that the care instructions for the Japanese Goweave is to hand wash it (and I'm just not the type of gal to hand wash my clothing).  So I thought it best not to repurchase it.  

But if you don't mind handwashing clothing, and you like the look of this mini slip dress, I think the black one is a winner.  Otherwise, my official Everlane dress for this summer is the cotton belted shirtdress I reviewed last week, and I can't recommend it enough.  You can find all my unsponsored Everlane reviews here.

Everlane Cotton Collarless Belted Shirt Dress Review {Updated June 2018}

{June 2018 Update: This shirtdress is still my favorite Everlane shirt dress to date!  It's such an easy thing to throw on when you're looking for a put together look.  This year they're back and they're in new colors!  I love the light blue color here but this red one is also pretty cute.}

Finally!  Everlane has finally made a shirtdress made for us short gals!  And when Everlane gets it right, man oh man do they get it right!  Their cotton collarless belted shirt dress is the kind of shirt dress I've been looking for.  The dress looked so promising I ordered both color variations (solid navy and the striped white and blue), and also tried it in two different sizes to see which one would fit better.  

First the striped version in a size 4:

Wearing Everlane belted shirt dress, Everlane form slide sandals, and YSL Universite bag.

I love that this dress cuts above the knees, unlike the majority of Everlane's shirt dresses (actually I think this might be one of the shortest ones they've ever made).  I also love that it's belted, so the shirt dress doesn't look like a tent on me (also unlike the majority of Everlane's shirt dresses).  And last but not least, the sleeve length is perfect for my chicken wings (aka triceps).  Oh, and it has pockets.  This is without a doubt my most favorite dress from Everlane to date.  It's simple but works for so many occasions, from a casual work place dress to a cute picnic outfit.  I can just throw this on and I'm pretty much ready for most occasions.

I found the size 4 to be a great fit.  I was able to wrap the belted twice around my waist and tie it in a small knot, but I also like the look of it wrapped once around and tied in the front (like below).  I'm wearing the navy blue shirt dress in a size 2.  To be honest there wasn't too much of a difference between the two sizes.  The smaller size was just slightly more fitted, but since you use the belt to define the waist anyway, both a 4 and a 2 worked pretty much the same.

In the end though, I decided I don't really need 2 of the same dress.  And of the two color variations I like the striped white and blue one better: it felt better suited as a summer dress.  For some reason the solid blue one kind of reminded me of a communist nursing outfit (not that I've seen one IRL but that's what I imagine it might look like--it's probably the collarless neckline that gives me that idea).

Anyway I couldn't be happier with the striped belted shirt dress.  And the kind of material that Everlane chose to use is all kinds of awesome (on their site they say it's a slow-spun cotton from Japan).  This 100% cotton material is super soft and feels really durable, but it isn't prone to wrinkling (unlike cotton poplin).  A plate of greasy Mexican food flipped onto the dress and I kind of freaked out, but I just used my favorite stain remover, threw it in the wash (washed cold) and it was perfectly fine.  I also just threw it in the dryer like normal and there were hardly any wrinkles (as long as you take it out and hang while it's still a bit warm).  

Anyway if you're looking for the perfect summer shirt dress and you are on the petite side, you definitely should try out this shirt dress.  It's a clear winner in my book!  You can find all of Everlane's items here (referral link and thanks for your support!) and all my Everlane reviews here.

Everlane Form Crossover Sandal and Form Slide Sandal Review

Hi guys so Everlane form sandals have been on my radar ever since I saw it in their "Coming Soon" list.  And I was also lucky enough to get a reader request a review of these sandals so of course I had to get both to try out!  I purchased the Everlane Form Crossover Sandal in green and the Everlane Form Slide Sandal in Wine, both in my usual Everlane size 8.  And well the TL;DR version of this review: the Form Crossover Sandals are better suited with long narrow feet while the Form Slide Sandals are better for wider feet (like mine).  Now to the nitty gritty:

First off the Form Crossover Sandal: it really wasn't that narrow (and nowhere as narrow as their Modern Loafers and such), but I definitely felt the leather stretch a bit when I first slipped these on.  I can tell with multiple wears that the soft leather will continue to stretch to "form" to your feet.  But it would require a slight breaking in period for those with wider feet.  The foot bed on this is quite comfortable and has great arch support.  I say if you can wear their Modern Loafers with no problem, this is the Form Sandal for you.

As for me, my clear favorite was the Form Slide Sandal.  The one big strap was super comfortable and the leather easily molded to my feet.  No breaking-in period for me at all with these shoes.  Like the Crossover Sandals, the Slide version has a great footbed with arch support.

I'll admit, it's definitely not a sophisticated looking shoe.  But I love those Adidas slides from the 90's so these leather versions are a step-up from those.  I've never owned a pair of Birkenstocks (I know, what kind of ethical shopping blogger am I?!), so I don't really know how they compare.  But compared to Adidas slides, they definitely have better foot support and the leather strap molds perfectly to the feet.

In these pictures I just started wearing them so the leather of the Slide sandal still looks smooth, but as you continue to wear them the leather will start wrinkling to mold to your feet.  I also noticed the leather scuffs really easily.  So if you're the type of person who doesn't like scuffed leather shoes I would watch where and when to wear these.

Anyway for other bloggers take on these sandals read here and here.

As usual this is not a sponsored post and all purchases were made possible by readers who use my referral link here.  And you can find all my other Everlane reviews here.

P.S. I was just informed that the Form Crossover sandal gave one of my reader's a blister at the top of their foot.  I can see that happening since the sole of the sandal is quite heavy and if it pulls at the top of the foot, it could cause a blister.

May Shopping Ban Update

What?! I can't believe it's already June!  This means my shopping ban is almost half-way through!  And funnily enough, I'm just starting to get used to it.  I mean I still want new stuff of course, like these Elizabeth Suzann Clyde linen pants up top (the search for the perfect ethically made linen pants continues!).  But I don't feel like I need it right now, and I'm actually okay to wait until next summer.  Somehow the urgency is gone and the need to shop is gone.

However I am still getting new things in for review from Everlane, Grana and Cuyana.  But most of those are requested by readers, and I can't say no to readers (lol, actually thanks for enabling me guys and giving me suggestions.  I totally love it and am just using y'all as an excuse but really keep the requests coming).  So I do get a small steady stream of new things into my life, which I'm super grateful for.

But right now I'm feeling good.  It's like day 3 on a juice cleanse you know: you get past all the crankiness and hard days and you finally are on a day that feels effortless.  I think that's where I'm at with this shopping ban.

By the way these jumpsuits from YSTR caught my eye, and I would probably have tried one out if I wasn't on a ban.  But I don't need it.

Loewe Hammock Bag Review {updated Jan 2018}

Hi y'all so if you guys have been around my blog for awhile, you know that I've had this small Loewe Hammock bag for some time now.  I feel like I promised someone a review of this bag quite awhile ago (sorry I can't remember), so better late than never?  Anyway this is my first bag from Loewe and I purchased this navy one online through Selfridges (I also had a light blue version of this bag which I eventually sold because I just wasn't a fan of the light blue color).

I first heard about Loewe and this handbag from Alice Gao of the blog Lingered Upon.  It was damn good marketing on Loewe's part, lol.  When I saw the BTS (behind the scenes) shots of their handbag production factory (which to me looks quite ethical, I mean their workers all have iPhones/iPods/or at least those white earphones), it looked a lot like one of Everlane's factories.

And then when I saw Alice's new pick I was in love:

For the longest time I really liked the style of Hermes' Lindy bag, which can be held in the hand with short handles or slung over the shoulder with a strap.  And Loewe's hammock bag is of a very similar style.  And of course I can't afford the Hermes version so I was really excited by Loewe's hammock bag.

My favorite part of this bag is the zippered gusset, which expands to allow you to carry a lot of things.  Seriously you can just stuff the bag and it still looks great.  And if you aren't carry a lot of stuff, then you can bring the "wings" in and it becomes a really sleek rectangular bag.

There is a clip near the top of the bag to allow you to secure the bag closed to prevent any thieves from getting at your stuff.  Though if you are carrying it crossbody or over your shoulder, having the bag clipped shut can be a bit of a nuisance because it no longer has that hammock shape.  Usually, if I'm not in a crowded area I'll just carry it on my shoulder like in the picture below).

Inside, the bag there's also two slip pockets (which are quite deep though narrow), and outside there's another zippered pocket (which really doesn't fit anything).  

The nice thing about this hammock bag is that even if your bag is stuffed and are holding it by one handle, stuff never falls out.  They somehow got the geometry right so that you can't accidentally dump out the contents of your bag.

The small version, which I have, doesn't come with an extra pouch but the larger size does.  But for me the small size is the perfect daily handbag size.  Anyways if you guys have any other questions about the bag (or want to see comparison shots) just shoot me a comment below. And now my favorite consignment site sells Loewe bags and sometimes you might get lucky and find a hammock here or sometimes you can find it on TheRealReal here.

{January 2018 update: I wanted to fully disclose that I ended up selling this bag this month because I just found I wasn't carrying it as much as my newer bags (especially since I ended up buying a Hermes Lindy which I loved much more—but was also 3x the price).  Also the front leather panel on one side started getting a weird bend to it that I couldn't get out (I tried hanging it by the handles in hopes it would straighten out but it didn't).  The bend is probably from the way I had stored it (without any stuffing, so if you do get this bag be sure to take good care of it when stored away).  Anyway I just wanted to let y'all know I let it go and no longer have this bag in my collection.}

P.S. You can find my other Loewe reviews here.

Grana Review Linen Joggers and Silk V-neck Cropped Tee

*The linen joggers were received as a gift for review, the silk v-neck cropped tee was purchased

Hi guys, so it's officially busy season here at GoSilver, so I apologize in advance if I'm slow to comment back on posts, on Instagram, and replying via email.  Also I'll try my best to keep up with blogging and the reviews!  Well unfortunately since it took me so long to finally write the review on this Grana silk v-neck cropped tee, it's no longer being sold.  So I decided I might as well combine it with the review of these linen joggers, also from Grana, which are still available (and they have a pair now with stripes too).

So a quick review of the silk v-neck cropped tee first.  I purchased it around the same time as I did their silk v-neck cropped tank (review here).  And out of the two I prefer the tank better than the tee here because the tee is a bit of an odd fit.  The shoulders are quite a bit more snug and prevents a full range of motion.  Also the v-neck of the tee feels way bigger than the tank.  I purchased both in the small size.  The one benefit of the tee over the tank though is that the sleeves on the tee here covers my chicken wings (the tricep area), making the arm look slimmer.

Wearing: Grana silk v-neck cropped tee, Grana linen joggers, Everlane modern loafer mule, and Loewe Hammock bag

As for the linen joggers, like I said before I'm not a huge fan of joggers in general.  But I'm always in the market for great linen pants so I definitely wanted to give them a try.  Compared to the Elizabeth Suzann linen Tilda pants (review here) Grana's linen pants are made from a much thinner linen than the ES ones.  I also feel like the Grana ones wrinkle a lot more easily as well.  But I am a fan of the pockets on these Grana joggers (which the ES ones don't have).  I also like that these Grana linen joggers has an elastic waistband with a drawstring so that you can also cinch it tighter if need be.

I ordered these in a medium and they fit alright.  It was a tad snug in the thighs and a tad too long (hence the bunching at the ankles).  Anyway, like I said I'm not a huge fan of joggers so I'm not sure how much I would actually wear this.  My dream linen pants from Grana would be linen pants made in their silk ankle pants style.  Alas the search for my perfect linen pants continues.  

Anyway this referral link will give you 10% off your first purchase from Grana and you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

Everlane Review Relaxed Linen Shirt {updated May 2018}

The linen reviews continue with this relaxed linen shirt from Everlane.  I decided to keep this Everlane linen shirt since I find classic white linen shirts to be really useful in the summer.  The long sleeves shields some of the summer rays off my arms and the loose fit is perfect for ice-cream melting temperatures.  I already have an identical shirt like this from Grana (review here) but I decided two of these types of shirt is not too many, since I get white shirts like these dirty all the time (and I've found these Oxyclean gel sticks to do wonders with the stains).  In fact the first time I wore this Everlane relaxed linen shirt I ended up getting make-up all over the collar since I was bending down to pick up things and the collar kept rubbing under the jaw line.

Wearing: Everlane relaxed linen shirt, rag & bone denim shorts (similar here), Everlane modern oxfords, and Cuyana leather travel case set

Anyway first a note on sizing: I got this in a size 4 which is my usual Everlane size.  It definitely runs a bit large so if you want something that's a bit more fitted I would advise sizing down.  

As for the linen itself, it's sturdier and crisper than the linen from Grana.  If you're looking for a soft linen then I would go with the Grana one, but if you're looking for a stiffer, thicker linen then go with Everlane.  Also the Everlane one is less sheer than the Grana one.  Personally I feel like the Everlane one is of a higher quality of linen and is $1 less, so if I could only choose one I'd go with Everlane's.

Anyway this review, like all my Everlane reviews are not sponsored but supported through first-time customers purchasing through my referral link here.  And you can find all my unsponsored Everlane reviews here.

P.S. Since I wrote this review (about a week ago) I've been wearing this shirt constantly.  I usually wear it as an outer layer over a tee so that my arms don't burn while I work outside or drive.  Washed it several times already and my love for this linen shirt is going strong!

{update: So I accidentally put it in the dryer--whoops, and so it shrunk a bit (even though it says low drying is okay, I think hang drying is best for this shirt).  So now my linen shirt is a lot less "relaxed" and a lot more fitted.  Luckily it still fits, but I miss that oversized boyfriend fit.}

{May 2018 update: I've sold this shirt over on my closet sale because I kept getting makeup on the collar and it was annoying me (also sold the Grana ones too for the same reason).  But I'm in love with Everlane's collarless linen shirt released this year because guess what, I don't get makeup on the collar!  You can find the full review here.}

Grana Linen Tee Review

Hi guys and just a quick review of Grana's linen tee which I purchased back in February (yep that's how slow I am on getting these out).  Unfortunately this white version is sold out but they do have a really cute blue striped version now, which I'm tempted to get as well.  

For Grana, I'm usually somewhere between a small and a medium so after checking the measurements on this I went for the medium.  And I liked the fit which was on the looser side.  I paired these with the Elizabeth Suzann Tilda pants (review here) but I think I like the look better with something more fitted underneath.

As for the linen of this linen tee, it's a bit on the thinner side and I would say thinner than Everlane linen.  It's a tad sheer but nothing a nude bra can't handle.  Overall I like this tee and am going to keep it for the season and try it out in different ways.

Anyway you can find all my Grana reviews here and first time customers can get 10% off with this referral link (thanks for your support)

A Quick Getaway to Yosemite

Ever since our foray into Airstream travel, I've seen a lot of National Parks. My favorites being Zion and Glacier National Parks. So I wasn't really expecting much from this national park only 3 hours away that everyone in Northern California goes to. But man-oh-man was it beautiful. The grandeur of those waterfalls and granite cliffs were awe-inspiring. I tried to soak in the beauty of it all, and it gave me a great feeling of peace.  But of course I tried to capture it on the iPhone as well. Here are some of my favorites:

Lower Yosemite Falls

We never actually went on serious hikes since Yosemite during Memorial Day weekend is like Disneyland during Memorial Day weekend: just lines and traffic. So PSA: don't go during 3-day weekends. The hoards of tourists will totally kill that nature loving vibe.  

El Capitan

Bridalveil Falls

I also see why Apple decided to name their iOS systems after Yosemite and its landmarks though it really does Yosemite a disservice.  

And this was home for the weekend, I love my little Basecamp

As for what I wore all weekend: grana and everlane tees with lululemon leggings. What do you usually wear when camping? 

Everlane Linen Shirt Dress Review

Hi y'all, I decided to push up the review of this linen shirt dress from Everlane since it was requested by reader Lindsay and I know it takes me forever to get these reviews out (so sorry Grana linen reviews, you'll have to wait a bit longer).  Anyway I'm no expert in linen and I used to avoid the material because of the wrinkle factor (since I'm not a huge fan of wrinkles in any form, lol).  But ever since I got this travel steamer, I'm no longer afraid of getting linen (or poplin or any other easily wrinkable material).

Having tried linen from three different brands (Elizabeth Suzann, Grana and Everlane), I can tell right away that each brand uses a different weight of linen and that the heavier the linen weight, the scratchier it is for the first couple wears.  But also the heavier the weight, the more durable the linen feels.  The Elizabeth Suzann linen feels the heaviest, thickest and most substantial (I reviewed the linen Tilda pants here).  I would say Everlane linen comes next and feels slightly thicker than the linen Grana uses.  Also the thicker the linen, the "crisper" it feels.

As for this linen shirt dress, the black linen has a nice weight to it and is fully opaque.  It was a bit scratchy at first but should soften with washings.  The black does show a lot of dog hair and lint so do owners beware.  I got this in a size 4 and it fit well overall.  What do you think? 

Wearing: Cuyana summer hat, Everlane linen shirt dress, Everlane modern loafer mule, Everlane dipped zip tote

I call this my 'summer in NYC' look, lol. Probably because it's all black everything.  Personally I'm not in love with the dress.  I think it would look a bit better if I was taller (for reference I'm 5'4").  But as far as Everlane shirt dresses go, this is not bad (for bad see here).  But in the end I sent it back since there are so many other Everlane things I wanted to splurge on (especially those form sandals which I'm eagerly waiting for).  I also purchased a white relaxed linen shirt in the same order from Everlane which I'll do a review on soon (but I just wanted to wash it and then compare it to the same style shirt in Grana so that I can get an accurate comparison between the two).  But from first impressions I say the Everlane relaxed linen shirt is just a great classic summer shirt that would go with any summer outfit.

Anyway you can find all of Everlane's items here and all my Everlane reviews here.  And hope you guys all have a great long weekend!

What does it really mean when a post is "sponsored"?

Hi guys, here's a small departure from my usual parade of reviews but I wanted to take the time to explore sponsorship in the blogging world and what it means to me personally so you are all clear when I say "this is a sponsored post."  

I haven't been blogging for very long but I have been super fortunate to get free items from a couple different brands, most notably Grana.  And when they do give me free items, of course they never say how they want to review the go.  They never explicitly say they want a positive review and of course I try my best to always give my honest opinions no matter what.  But there's always probably going to be a little bias (I mean the fact that it was given free to you can't help but sweeten the deal).  But honest reviews are in my best interest so I would never compromise that.  And that's probably true for most bloggers out there.  But I do feel it should be stated when an item was received for free by a company then it technically becomes a "sponsored" post.  At least in my book, free= sponsored.  But sponsored never just means a favorable review (case in point, Grana's silk sleeveless blazer and silk joggers).

And for the most part I'm able to write positive reviews on the handful of sponsored posts I've done because I've partnered with brands that I've already had experience with (i.e. I already purchased their items with my own money, wrote up a review, and then they found me).  Well why do I bring all of this up now?  Because I'm heading into uncharted territory by working with brands that I haven't tried out before.  But I'm committed to give honest opinions even if it means a negative review (actually I got really lucky and I ended up liking the product, but I realize I might not always be so lucky).  And well if it leads to zero free stuff in my future I'm okay with that too (plus to be completely honest I rely more on the referral links for store credit for most of my reviews, so really I need you guys more than the companies themselves offering free stuff).

Anyway for other bloggers' take on what it means to get "sponsored," "gifted goods," or something "c/o" read here and here.

Everlane Review Dipped Zip Tote {Updated Feb 2018}

One of the things I let myself get from Everlane after my complete shopping fast in March, was this Everlane Dipped Zip Tote in black.  I was really in need of a new work bag (all of last year I was using a backpack, but I'm firmly in my mid-30's now and wearing a backpack everyday feels like I'm regressing).  So I was in search of a good tote.  I used to have the Mansur Gavriel one, but that was too fancy for my needs (and the leather on that scratches up like crazy so it wasn't the best option for a bag I was planning to throw around with all my stuff).  I also reviewed Everlane's pocket tote earlier this year, which I loved except for the bottom sagging out.  So when I was browsing Everlane's site and saw this dipped tote, I thought it might be exactly the one I needed (and I wasn't disappointed).

The best thing about this bag is definitely the dipped bottom.  It's the answer to the problem of a unsupported sagging bottom (lol if only there was a fix for unsupported saggy human bottoms), which was the problem with the pocket tote.  I also love the super sturdy leather straps that are wide enough that it doesn't dig into my shoulders when I'm carry my full work load (which includes a 13" macbook pro+cover and a handful of different pouches, see pic below).

At first I thought that the bag might be too narrow for my needs since the bottom of the bag is quite narrow and not stretchy, and in the beginnng when my bag was packed to capacity it did look like the top un-dipped part kind of overextended over the narrow dipped part.  But I've found that after use, it doesn't really look like that anymore (so maybe the dipped part is just super structured in the beginning).  I also love that the bag can be zipped up, which is perfect for travel.

My only real gripe with this bag is that the black undipped canvas picks up dog hair and lint like crazy and because it's black it shows.  I probably would have preferred the gray canvas with the black dipped bottom, but that was unfortunately sold out by the time I purchased.  

I've been using this bag for about two months now and it's been awesome.  I did see some reviews on the Everlane site mention that the dipped part starts to crack after heavy usage.  But I've been throwing it around and so far so good (but of course will update this review if I start to see flaws).

As usual this review is not sponsored and is made possible by readers like you (lol when I heard that phrase on PBS as a kid I never really understood what that meant) who use my referral link for their first Everlane purchase.  And you can find all my other unsponsored Everlane reviews here.

{Feb 2018 Update: So I have used this bag everyday since I got it in May 2017.  The bag has held up really well, with the only wear being the corners (the plastic is starting to wear down).  See the pic below.  But I decided to upgrade to Everlane's Day Market Tote because I needed a bigger tote.  Anyway if you're interested it's for sale here.}

Amour Vert Review Liv Relaxed V-neck Tee

Back in 2016, I purchased 3 items from Amour Vert to review and for one reason or another I never got around to reviewing them (and to be honest I think it's mostly because I never really wore the two tees and one cotton motorcycle jacket that I purchased). But as shorts and shirt season comes around I think Amour Vert might be a good option for those who like their tees to be on the stretchy and drapey side.

I would definitely classify Amour Vert tees as nice, dressy tees (ie shirts for special occasions).  And that's probably why I don't wear them as much as I do my Grana tees, since my daily tees get dirty (I'm a messy eater and I work in a garage and sometimes get grease stains).  But Amour Vert tees are the kind of tees you wear to a movie night or maybe a casual girls lunch.  They remind me a lot of the brand Splendid (with a price point to match).

I once had a theory v-neck tee in a maroon color but once I got more than one hole in it, I knew it was time for it to go.  So I purchased this Liv relaxed v-neck to replace it (it's no longer available in the maroon color but there's a lot of different colors it comes in now).  I'm wearing a size small, and I would say the sizing on their tees is a bit oversized.  The material is a super soft and stretchy modal/spandex blend (with the modal coming from beech tree fibers).  I think this particular material works really well for the swingy style of the Liv tee.  I did notice that this tee does wrinkle pretty easily so it probably best to hang or fold it after washing (also only wash in cold water and hang dry).  So you can see it's a bit more high maintenance than a regular ole' cotton tee, but at the same time it's a bit more stylish than a regular ole' cotton tee.

If you're interested, get $25 off your first purchase with this referral link (and thanks for your support!).

Chamberlain's Leather Milk Review

*I received these items as a gift from Chamberlains

One of the foundations of an ethical closet is taking care of what you already own (basing this off this image here, which I'm still in love with lol).  And nothing gives me greater satisfaction than taking care of my leather bags and shoes, probably because these are high ticket items which are meant to last and age well.  Well the lovely folks over at Chamberlain's saw my past post about their products (here and here) and offered to send me their new re-forumlated products.  And since I liked their products the first time around, I was definitely interested in giving them a try (and I wasn't disappointed).  Also I love their stuff because it comes with its own cotton applicator, which is so essential when using these products.

The first one I tried out was their new Leather Milk No. 1 which "conditions and rejuvenates".  Well my Mansur Gavriel lady bag (which I had protected earlier with Chamberlain's no. 3 formula last year), was looking a bit scratched up.  I don't even use the bag that often but the leather does scratch up easily.  Here are some before pictures:

I found the new Formula no. 1 to be better than their old formula in that it doesn't go on as streaky as it used to.  The application went on super smooth and evenly (just make sure the lotion soaks into the cotton pad applicator first).  The lotion also smelled super pleasant, a bit like cherry candy.  Also unlike the old formula, there was no color transfer onto the cotton applicator.  And the leather milk worked!  It made all the small, superficial scratches disappear.  Also the new formula seems to dry faster than the old one (probably because it's thinner and easier to spread evenly).  This is right after application (no streaks!):

And this is 24 hours later:

In some ways, now that the shallow scratches are gone I feel like I notice the deeper scratches more.  Ah well, it's better to condition your leather bags to prevent further shallow scratches (which is prone to happen when the leather is all dried out).  Deep scratches?  Well that's just a part of life, it's bound to happen (#handbagphilosophy).

To test out Formula no. 3 which is used to protect leather from water, I decided to use it on my relatively new Good West Co. leather bag which comes in a very light natural leather color.  With my past experience of the product I knew it would darken the leather.  But at the same time I knew this bag needed to be protected, otherwise water spots and other oils could permanently stain the leather.  So I decided to protect just one side and the bottom of the bag to see just how much of a color change would happen.

Here is a before picture of the bag:

The formula on this one is thicker than the lotion of formula no. 1 (no. 3 is more like a cream, which is expected since it's oil and wax).  Since formula no. 3 is a bit thicker, it is harder to spread evenly.  The smell of the new formula is better than the old one.  This one smells has a spicy Christmas-y scent to it.  Ok are you ready to take a look at my bad application job?  Steel yourself:

Lol, pretty bad huh?  But I didn't sweat it since I knew the last time I used Chamberlain's Leather Milk no. 3 it dried evenly.  And yep, it did:

And for reference here is what the untreated side looks like:

Slightly lighter, but not too different from the treated side.

And finally I used Chamberlain Leather Milk Formula no.6  (which to me looks like formula no. 1 but for shoes) on my M.Gemi Docente leather shoes.  Since I've been wearing them everywhere, I got some scuffs as well as some weird white spots on them:

Formula no. 6 was a lotion like no.1, but unlike no. 1 it didn't have any smell.  Also unlike no. 1, there was a bit of color transfer from the leather to the. cotton applicator when using this product, but just a bit.  The lotion spread easily, removed the weird white spots and made the shoes look like new:

I'm definitely going to be using this to condition and revamp my leather shoes every season.

So if you're looking for something to protect and condition all your leather goods, I can't recommend Chamberlain's products enough.  Their products are non-toxic and they work! A quick scroll through their blog shows you how well they know how to take care of leather.  I'm tempted to go thrift shopping and find the most beat up leather item and see if I can't make it look as good as new with their products.  

10 things that make me happy

I got this neat little idea from Chloe and thought it would be a nice break from the constant review posts (which I'm still catching up on but I just haven't been in a very photogenic mood).

Anyways the 10 things in my life that are currently bring me joy:

1) Swimming.  That gym membership, without a doubt, was the best purchase of the year.

2) My Celine wallet.  Easily the second best purchase of the year.

3) Calling my mom on the drive home from work.  It's like killing two birds with one stone: I have to sit in traffic anyway so why not let her talk as much as she wants.

4) No longer being the cleaning lady for the Airstream biz.  I haven't had to clean one for awhile (except for the one we live in, of course) and it's been marvelous.

5) Reigniting my love for this old Balenciaga.  So what if it's so 2000's.

6) Outings with friends

7) Bun Bo Hue

8) My friends' new corgi puppy, Nigel (who has his own insta account here: NigelCorgface)

9) Re-watching Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries on Netflix

10) Saturday morning farmer's market