Grana Review Poplin Drop Shoulder Shirt Dress

This has been the summer of finding great striped shirt dresses.  First Everlane came out with my all time favorite shirt dress, the Cotton Collarless Belted Shirt Dress (reviewed here).  And now Grana has come out with a new poplin shirt dress, which I also really love (and is their best shirt dress ever produced IMHO).  I know in some places it's quite late in the season to be talking about poplin, but I'm behind on my reviews so please excuse the less than ideal timing.  Anyway may I present to you Grana's poplin drop shoulder shirt dress!

{Wearing: Grana poplin drop shoulder shirt dress, M.Gemi The Docente, and Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)}

I'm wearing a small here and it fits perfectly.  I like the sleeve length but prefer to it roll up.  I also love that the back is longer than the front, to make the dress a bit more interesting.  The dress hangs away from the body so it's great for hotter temperatures.  The cotton material is soft and on the thin side (much thinner than the Everlane dress mentioned above).  The thin cotton material does wrinkle easily though, but it's not too noticeably because of the striped pattern.  

This dress reminds me of Everlane's cotton poplin shirt dress (reviewed here) and I'm wondering if Grana might be taking some styling cues from Everlane.  I have to say Grana's styles have improved in general.  Anyway if you're interested, you can get 10% off you first purchase with this link here and you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

Everlane Review Cotton Long Sleeve V-Neck Crop

Hi guys, happy Wednesday!  So when I ordered Everlane's Cotton Long Sleeve Crew, which I reviewed last week (here), I also decided to try out their Cotton Long Sleeve V-neck Crop.  I usually like their cropped items better since I'm petite with short legs.  However I found their Crew Neck sweater to be slightly cropped and the perfect length, while this V-neck crop was a bit too cropped for me.  This cotton sweater probably would have looked better with Everlane's wide leg cropped pants (or another similarly high-waisted pants).

{Wearing: Everlane Cotton Long Sleeve V-Neck Crop, rag & bone cutoffs (similar here), Everlane Modern Loafer Mules, Saint Laurent Monogramme Sac Universite}

In the Cotton Long Sleeve Crew review I had mentioned how soft and stretchy their cotton material is, and of course the same holds true for this sweater.  But that's the only thing I liked about this sweater.  I didn't like the cropped length on me nor the super wide v-neck.  Both aspects make it more difficult to layer something underneath.  In the end I returned this sweater and kept the crew neck one.

I'm debating on trying out Everlane's luxe wool crew sweater too since I really love the crew neck style and I've never tried their luxe wool (100% extrafine merino wool) before.  Has anyone bought one?  And what do you think?  Or did you guys buy their $100 cashmere?  This is my third season of Everlane cashmere and I'm debating whether I should buy another one.  If I do it would be this crew neck one in the donegal pattern (update: of course it's now all sold out in my size so maybe I'll pass on the cashmere this year afterall).

P.S. I actually just bought the waffled cashmere because it's a new offering from Everlane this year and because it's waffled cashmere!  I'll try to get a review up as soon as I get it, which will probably be in a couple weeks since I'm also hitting the road again in our Airstream this week for the next 2 weeks.  Follow along on my Insta-story to see all the places we go on our roadtrip!

Grana Review Silk Flat Front Ankle Pants and Grana has changed their silk!

So this might be old news for some of you (that Grana has changed the silk of most of their items).  But for those who don't know yet, Grana is now using 16mm crepe de chine silk which is 2mm thicker than their original 14mm crepe de chine.  BUT (and this is a big but here) they are no longer doing double layer silk.  So it might seem like one step forward but it's actually two steps back.  And the perfect example of this is what they did to my all time favorite Grana product: the silk ankle pants.  

So the original silk ankle pants (which they still have so go get those while they're still available!) is made of double layered 14mm silk.  I reviewed those pants here.  Now they have the new silk flat front ankle pants which are almost like the original in style, except they have a flat front. And they are made of a single layer of 16mm silk.  You can definitely tell the difference, the biggest one being that now you have very obvious VPL with the single layer flat front pants.  

Ok so not a flattering picture but just wanted to show proof of the VPL (though I'm sure most of you would have just gladly taken my word for it).  

{Wearing: Tradlands The Faroe top (reviewed here), Grana Flat Front Silk Ankle Pants, Everlane The Day Heel, and Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)}

On the positive side, I do like the cleaner look of the flat front pants (instead of the pleats of the old silk ankle pants).  They're able to achieve the flat front but keep the waist band elastic by having a non-stretchy flat waistband in the front.  In general, this does make the pants a bit more fitted and tight.

As for the silk material I can't tell the difference between the 14mm silk and the newer 16mm silk.  But I definitely miss that extra layer of silk.  I think my perfect pair of silk pants would be the styling of this flat front silk pants but in the double-layered silk.  And well I don't think that's going to happen because a reader had emailed Grana asking them why they went with a single layer for most of their new silk offerings.  They replied because now that they're using a thicker silk material it's adequate for a single later.  Eh, I don't think so Grana.  Until it goes back to double layered silk, I don't think I'll be purchasing any new silk items from Grana.

But if you want to purchase any of their remaining double silk items (check the 'Details & Care' section, it will tell you if it's double-layered or not) and you're a first time Grana customer you can 10% off your first purchase (referral link).  And you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

Good West Co. Basket Tote Giveaway

{Wearing: Tradlands the Skipper top, Everlane wide leg crop pants, and Everlane day heel}

Hi guys so here's the giveaway I've been talking about!  I purchased this lovely Good West Co. Basket Tote from Amy, who hand makes them all in San Francisco.  I really love the look of this bag but have found that I never reach for it.  So I want to give it to a reader who can hopefully use it more than I have.  It's made from veg-tanned leather, which I've protected with Chamberlain's Leather Milk no. 3 (from this post), thus the slightly darker color than the one on the Good West Co. website.  But it's basically not used and has been sitting on my coat rack for the 9 months.

Anyway if you're interested in winning this beautiful bag just enter the form below (your email address is just so I can contact you if you win and I promise not to spam you).  Also this giveaway is not affiliated or sponsored by Good West Co.

Giveaway ends 10/31 and winner will be announced 11/1

Everlane Review Cotton Long Sleeve Crew {Updated November 2018}

I purchased this Everlane Cotton Long Sleeve Crew quite awhile ago, thus unfortunately most of the size and colors are currently gone (well this pink one is gone-gone but you can sign up for the waitlist on the other colors).  So I apologize for waiting so long to review this.  I've tried many Everlane sweaters over the years (just take a look at the sweater section of this post), and lately a lot of them have been a no-go for me.  But I do have to say this cotton long sleeve crew is one of my favorite sweater styles to come from Everlane, and it's because even though it doesn't look cropped on their website it actually is slightly.  It's the perfect length!  Also, the crew sweater isn't large and baggy unlike their Soft Cotton Square Crew (I've tried enough square styles from Everlane to know that it just doesn't do my petite frame any favors).  I really love the fitted and shorter length of this regular cotton crew (I'm wearing a size small here).

Wearing: Everlane cotton long sleeve crew, Coach belt (similar here), Mott & Bow jeans (reviewed here), Everlane Modern loafer mules, Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)

Also the cotton material of this sweater is super soft and stretchy.  It almost seems too stretchy so I'm sure that's why they recommend hand-washing and laying flat to dry.  And come to think of it, this is probably the softest cotton sweater I've tried from Everlane so far (of course their cashmere is the softest sweater).

This cotton sweater is the perfect transitional piece between seasons, and though this pink color probably works better for spring rather than fall I don't mind.  When the temperatures start falling, I look forward to layering this under a bomber jacket, which I'll be able to do because of the slightly cropped length.  I love it so much I'm thinking of getting it again in the khaki green color when it restocks (in Feb!).  But until then I'll cherish this pink one I have.  

You can find all my other unsponsored Everlane reviews here and first-time Everlane customers can support me by purchasing through my link here (thank you!).

Feb 2018 update: They're back guys after being gone all winter!  I just purchased the khaki one and the navy/white striped one.  The khaki one isn't here yet but the I've been wearing the navy/white striped one and it's bigger than this pink one even though they're both smalls.  The new cotton sweaters are slightly more oversized than the original.  I could never wear this pink one with low rise jeans since it'll show my midriff but this navy/white one doesn't

Also I'm going to have to say I can't attest to the quality of these sweaters.  This is all the loose threads after several months of light wear:

I swear I'm not like brushing up again barb wire or anything.  This is from usual wear and tear but I think the cotton threads on these might not be the best quality. 

Anyway we'll see how this navy/white striped one fares but I just wanted to give y'all the full picture here.  Anyone else have issues with these cotton long sleeve crews?

{Nov update: So I ended up donating this sweater because I couldn’t handle all the loose threads and purchased the navy/white one, which I did a separate review of here because it was a totally different sweater. Same name but different in size, shape, and quality. The second batch was made much better and I haven’t had any quality issues with it. This is the batch that is currently on sale here.}

Shopping Ban Update for August and September & Giveaway Etiquette Questions

wearing Everlane Modern Oxfords

It's almost mid-October, which means this horrific year is slowly coming to a close.  I pray that we can ride out the rest of this year sans any more tragedies.  On a much more frivolous note, this also means this silly little shopping ban of mine is almost over.  TBH I've been so busy in August and September that I haven't had much time to go shopping!  No time?  No temptations!  (Well I went once to a mall to pick up some AirPods and though I was tempted by some sales, I was able to resist.  And speaking of these AirPods, they are amazing!  Finally some bluetooth wireless earphones that work seamlessly and also don't fall out of my ear.) 

I have, though inadvertently accumulated a lot of new clothes from all the reviews I've done.  I need to do a closet clean out and sale but again, no time.  I'll probably get some kind of sale up over the Fall (or later in the Fall, possibly winter if I can't get my act together).  Also I plan to do some giveaways but let me ask you this: is it rude to give away slightly used items like this Good West Co bag that, truth be told, have only been used with my outfit shots and a post about leather cleaners?  I do think this is a really lovely bag with gorgeous leather (and handmade in San Francisco by a really wonderful woman who I've met!), but it just doesn't get used since I have too many other bags.  I could try to sell it online, but I much rather give it to a reader.  What do you think?  

Prepare yourself!

source

Lately I feel like I've become disaster-numb (or maybe just desensitized). I'm so overwhelmed with all that's going on in the world that I rather put on blinders, like the kind horses wear, and just focus on my own issues.  But what kind of way is that to live?  I donated some money to the Red Cross (I mean that's the least I can do), but somehow it doesn't feel enough.  Side note: how depressing is it when you go to the Red Cross donation page and there's a drop down menu of all the disasters you can donate to.  Is that going to be the norm now with climate change?

Anyway sorry to be Debbie Downer this morning, but I bring this all up because while I feel pretty powerless to impact any meaningful change in the lives of the hurricane victims, it has also made me want to prepare for any possible disaster that could come my way.  When I was working for Los Angeles County we used to have earthquake drills and they emphasized the importance of an emergency supply kit (which you need to have at home, work, and in your car).  So before I go on writing more reviews of possible clothes to buy (which let's be honest, we all really don't need more of), please instead buy or source these items and make an emergency supply kit:

*kit list obtained from this government source with added Amazon links (some affiliate, not all) to make for easier purchasing

A basic emergency supply kit could include the following recommended items:

• Water - one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation (and I personally would think it might be best to pack a small bottle of household bleach to sanitize water for dire situations, or funnel some bleach into a smaller droplet bottle for easy packing but just dilute it so that there's no possibility of it reacting with plastic)
• Food - at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert (this one has solar charging options, battery options, along with a hand crank, plus a flashlight, USB charging port to charge your phone, and it's the highest rated one on Amazon.)
• Flashlight (the radio above has a flashlight attached so I would consider this optional or add extras for additional family members)
• First aid kit
• Extra batteries (AA, AAA, D)
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
• (not on their list but I would add hand sanitizer, right?)

That's the basic list.  Here's additional items you might also need:

• Prescription medications
• Non-prescription medications such as pain relievers, anti-diarrhea medication, antacids or laxatives
• Glasses and contact lense solution
• Infant formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Cash
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records saved electronically or in a waterproof, portable container
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
• Complete change of clothing appropriate for your climate and sturdy shoes
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper to disinfect water
• Fire extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container (I would add this to my basic kit for sure)
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates, paper towels and plastic utensils
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

It may seem like a hassle to get all of this ready and then to have multiples for 3 different locations (and TBH I only have one of these kits so far).  But your future self might greatly thank you someday.

And in the meantime, I'm also getting a closet sale together with all proceeds going to benefit hurricane victims, but I'll let you know when I've set it all up!

SiZUU Review The V-Neck Tee {Updated March 2018}

*I received this item free to review and thus this is a kind of sponsored post

So I have this one friend, Vickie (hi Vickie if you're reading this lol) who I consider to be the stylish one (you might see her corgi puppy on my Insta stories from time to time).  She has a closet to die for and actually she's the one that put the idea of blogging into my head.  Anyway I tell you this, because whenever Vickie notices one of the many items I review, I know it's a good one.  She doesn't do it very often so whenever she does, it's a keeper.  And well, she noticed this drapey v-neck tee from SiiZU.  

This tee is 100% modal, which is a first for me.  If you're not familiar with the material, it's made from beech fiber and it's eco-friendly since a lot of the chemicals used in the process can be recycled and reused.  There's a super brief explanation here from SiiZU and a more comprehensive one here.  Modal is considered a semi-synthetic.  Most of my tees are 100% cotton so it's really nice to change it up with a tee that has some drapey-ness to it.  The material is super soft but thin (in some pictures you can kind of see the outline of my bra).  In this black color it's not really noticeable.  

{Wearing: SiiZU v-neck tee, Coach belt (similar here), Mott & Bow jeans (reviewed here), Everlane modern loafer mules (reviewed here), Saint Laurent Monogramme Sac Universite bag (reviewed here)}

I'm wearing a size small here and it fits perfectly.  I love the sleeve length and its slightly dolman shape.  There was however a slight chemical smell to it when I first tried it on but went away with washing (make sure to machine wash cold and lay flat to dry).

Anyways if you're interested you can find this tee here and my other SiiZU review here!

March 2018 update: I have to admit I did not wear this tee after this review and this fell under the "worst" category in this blog post about the best and worst things I got for free to review.  I will have to say, do not buy this tee unless you don't mind synthetic fabrics like modal.

Some real talk about sponsored posts

So let me just start off by saying the words 'real talk' coming from a blogger is a bit of a pet peeve of mine.  Because really it should all be real talk (ie real opinions, the truth, etc.).  There's just some real talk that's more frivolous than other topics (for example clothing reviews vs. other serious topics, which I rarely discuss on this blog because if you want to depress yourself go read the news.  You come here for a brief respite from the news, amirite?)  So this is the only time you will ever see the words 'real talk' on my blog because friends, it's all real here.

So let's then talk about sponsored posts.  Earlier this summer I wrote this post asking if gifted items would constitute a sponsored post.  I was seeing conflicting messages across blogs, with some bloggers saying a gifted item isn't a sponsored post.  But that didn't quite feel right for me since 99% (well more like 95% now) of my reviews are unsponsored, where I purchased items with my own money or from earned credit.  So to get an item completely free out of the blue, well those items have strings or expectations attached.  And that's different from the items I don't get for free.

But I think I've figured it out guys: it all depends on the blogger (well, duh you might say).  But really, I pride myself on my honesty and I try my very best to limit bias whenever I can (due to two years of studying Epidemiology where bias and confounding were our bread and butter of analysis).  And for me, having a point person from a brand checking-up on me with expectations means I'm going to have bias in my reviews. I can see the good and bad in every garment I review, and TBH I'm probably accentuating the positive in sponsored reviews (I mean how can I not, for one I got it for $0 and two I have someone from the brand reading and 'checking' my writing).  There might be other bloggers who can keep the bias out of their reviews and say that bad along with the good, but if I being honest with myself I have a hard time saying something bad about a gifted item.

So you've probably seen it but I've decided the best disclaimer to work for me is to say that a review on a gifted item is a type of sponsored post.  That's the truth that feels the most honest to me.

Everlane Review The Cotton Two-Pocket Shirt

It is a very very rare occasion that I love something from Everlane so much that I've purchased a duplicate.  I've only done it once before and it was for their linen dolman tee dress (reviewed here, no longer sold), which I only repurchased because it was on a 'choose your price' sale {and I'm so glad that I did since I accidentally put the first one in the dryer and it shrunk}.  Well here's repurchase number two: Everlane's cotton two-pocket shirt.  I bought one in black and another one in ochre (and now that I look they no longer have the black one).  

{Wearing: Everlane Cotton Two-Pocket Shirt, Marine Layer denim skirt (similar here), Everlane modern loafer mules (reviewed here), Hermes Lindy 30 bag (similar here)}

I have been looking for a shirt like this all summer for work.  As you know, I work in a large garage (with Airstreams) and am frequently outside.  And during the summer months I need a cover-up that I can quickly put on to cover my arms from the harsh San Jose sun.  But I also want it to be lightweight and not too close to the body.  It's as if Everlane read my mind because not only does this cotton button-up drape away from the body but it also has two large pockets to hold all the things I need while working (usually a pen, a walkie-talkie, and other odds and ends).  Above is how I styled the shirt before heading out for a casual dinner.  Below is a picture of me after a long day driving Airstreams up to Sebastopol and setting them up for a wedding delivery (this is how I really look 90% of the time).

{Wearing: Everlane Cotton Two Pocket Shirt, rag & bone denim shorts (similar here), Adidas Adilette Cloudform slides (similar here), Hermes Lindy 30 bag (similar here)}

Not the best outfit photo but I just wanted to show you guys how I really wear it all the time.  Also a note on sizing, I went with a size 2 (my usual everlane size is 4) since this shirt looked so oversized and I didn't want to be really swimming in it.  It works well except maybe the sleeve length is a touch short but I don't mind since I usually roll them up anyway.  You definitaely want to size down with this shirt, but it also looks like there's not a whole lot of sizes left.

As usual this review is not sponsored but first time customers can support me by buying through my referral link (thanks!) and you can find all my other Everlane reviews here.

Tradlands Review The Skipper {Updated March 2018}

*I received this item as a gift to review from Tradlands and thus this is a type of sponsored post

'alright 'alright 'alright (said with Matthew McConaughey's voice in mind).

via GIPHY

Lol, ok so I'm not quite sure why this popped into my head for this review but I'm going with it (it was either this or the millennial "OKOKOK").  I guess it just sums up how I feel about this whole outfit and especially this Tradlands button-up that they affectionately named The Skipper.  Now Tradlands are known for their excellent button-up shirts, made ethically and with women in mind (no gap between the buttons at the chest area--though TBH I don't have too much of an issue with this normally since my chest area is quite minimal, lol).  So of course I had to try one of their button-downs.  I was drawn to this one since it reminded me of Aloha shirts from my childhood (also known as a Hawaiian shirt but locals never use that term, just the tourists).  Though this one from Tradlands looks more like an Aloha shirt, but I'm not one to wear big florals.  I prefer the subtle yet playful print of the sailboats on this shirt.

{Wearing: Tradlands' The Skipper, Everlane Wide Leg Crop Pants (I got a new pair sized down and it fits much better, but now I just have to get it hemmed again), Everlane The Day Heel, Good West Co bag}

But that's not even the best thing about The Skipper (lol that's fun to say and reminds me of Gilligan's Island, which I used to watch all the time on Nick at Nite).  Anyway the best thing is that this shirt is soooooo soft.  Probably one of the softest cotton button-ups I've ever tried.  It feels like a vintage button-up that used to be my mother's and was handed down to me.  It's hard to believe it's a brand new shirt.

I'm wearing a small here and I love the fit.  The rest of the shirt is quite slim (much like The Faroe was), and so it's easy to tuck in.  And yep even if it's fitted, true to their word, the shirt has no boob gaps.  I know people are already getting ready for fall (and the temps have cooled down in Cali for now), but I have a 'luau' to go to in October where I'm planning to wear this.  And I'll probably be layering this with some sweaters so even though it's a late season acquisition, I think I'll be getting some mileage out of it yet.

March 2018 update: I still love this shirt and it fell under the "best" category in this post about the best and worst items I received free for review.

SiiZU Review The Hella Top {Updated March 2018}

*I received this item free as a gift and thus this is a kind of sponsored post

Hi guys, so I'm super excited to share with you guys another ethical brand that focuses on organic fabrics and sustainable production methods: SiiZU!  I originally heard of them through Andrea so when they contacted me asking if I was interested in reviewing their stuff I was totally onboard.  Andrea goes over a lot about their ethical production practices and sourcing of only 100% natural fabrics, but if you want all the details you can find it on their page here. 

What I really love about SiiZU is that for a company that focuses on the ethical production of clothes, their garments are not granola!  They have a style completely different from a lot of the other ethical clothing brands, which IMHO usually range from granola/hippie to (at the chicest level) a 'Gentlewoman' sort of style (Everlane fits in here), or just minimal basics (like Grana).  But I find SiiZU's style to be a bit more on the trendy side, and that's probably because they're based in NYC.  And I think this Hella Top is the epitome of a non-granola garment (and I love that it's still made from 100% organic cotton).  If you think you can't get a good-looking ethically made trendy ruffled top, then SiiZU has just proved you wrong.

{Wearing: Hella Top from SiiZU, Everlane Ponte tube skirt (review here), Everlane Day Heel (review here), Hermes Lindy 30 bag (similar here)}

Now if I worked in an office, this is totally what I would wear.  And surprisingly, my whole outfit above can be considered ethically made from the SiiZU top to the Everlane skirt and shoes, and with my used Hermes bag.  Of course, there's shades of ethical clothing and some might not consider the leather products ethical or sustainable, but at the very least this is not a fast fashion outfit.  And I love that it looks so chic!

So a little bit more about this Hella top.  I'm wearing a size small here and it's a perfect fit.  I think it looks best tucked in since this top is so voluminous (I think a slim bottom half is the right proportion here, thus I paired it with Everlane's tube skirt).  And I just love how the ruffles in the back hit right at the high waistline.  Also I didn't experience any boob gap with this button-up (though I'm small busted so I don't have as much of a problem with this usually).  Seriously I've been trying to find an ethically produced ruffled top and I could not have found a better one!  

Anyway if you're looking for chic and stylish ethically and sustainably produced clothes, go check out SiiZU!

March 2018 update: I have to admit I only wore this one more time after this review and this item fell under the "worst" category in this blog post about the best and worst items I received for free to review.  I have to say that SiiZu is not a brand that works for me personally.  I don't think their garments are of a high quality and something I would wear consistently.

Tradlands Review The Faroe {updated March 2018}

* I received this item free as a gift to review from Tradlands so this is a kind of sponsored post

** This also means I've finally 'made it' as a legit blogger because I have the utmost respect for all the bloggers Tradlands chooses to sponsor including Andrea and Grechen!

So right before I left for Burning Man I got two offers of free items to review and feature on my blog (so you can understand why I was in full commodification mode).  But man oh man I was super excited when Tradlands asked me if I wanted to review a couple of their items because like I stated above, I really love all the bloggers Tradlands partners with and I felt so honored to be asked.  {And if you're not familiar with Tradlands, they're an awesome company that makes clothing ethically and sustainably.  You can read more about this slow fashion brand here.}

As soon as I hopped over to their site, I knew which item I really wanted to review, and it's this Faroe linen top in a light indigo color.  I just love linen for the summer and I really like the casual yet sophisticated cut of the top.  The sleeves are the perfect length to hide my farmer tan and I love the slim silhouette of the rest of the top.  I'm wearing a small.  The length is a bit long for my 5'4" frame, but I like the tunic-y look here (also it's hiding some major VPL going on with these new Grana flat front silk ankle pants--review coming soon).

{Wearing: Tradlands Faroe top, Grana silk flat front ankle pants, Everlane Day Heel and Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)}

As you know I love to compare fabrics between brands and this year I've tried a lot of linen items, so I feel fairly qualified to give you my linen quality rankings.  My all-time favorite is still Elizabeth Suzann's linen (reviewed their Georgia Tee here), but I have to say Tradlands comes in second, followed by Everlane and then Grana linen.  The Tradlands linen is super thick and feels really durable, but also smooth and not too scratchy.  It's not quite soft, but I think that's going to come with time and multiple washings (and I'll be sure to update these rankings if they change after washing this Tradlands top a couple times).

Right now California is still hot as heck so I'll be wearing this for at least a couple more weeks if not more.  But this is definitely one of my top favorite linen tops I've tried this year and right now it's on sale (in fact their whole clearance section looks super awesome).  

Update: I washed this shirt and it came out super stiff (seriously like cardboard).  I think it might be my least favorite linen item.  I've never had a linen item like this before and I am qualifying my review by saying buyer beware on this one.

March 2018 update: Because of the reason stated above, this specific item for Tradlands has fallen under the "worst" category in this blog post about the best and worst items I received free for review.

Everlane Review The Street Nylon Fanny Pack {Updated Feb 2018}

I guess you could call me an Everlane groupie.  Of course by looking at all my reviews you would think that, but I'd like to think I buy Everlane things because their style meshes with mine.  Well now I consider myself a full-on groupie because I'm willing to try new styles just because Everlane is making them.  For example, I never thought I would hop on the granny shoe band wagon, but after trying out their Day Heel (review here), I feel like they're totally my style now.  Well this fanny pack similarly falls into that category.  I never thought of myself as a fanny pack kind of gal.  I grew up in the eighties and I felt like that those firmly belong to that era.  But oh cool, Everlane made some fanny packs?  Sign me up! Lol, well it kind of happened like that.

{Wearing: Grana tee, Marine Layer denim skirt (thrifted but similar here), Everlane Form Slide Sandals, Everlane fanny pack}

I first purchased the fanny pack just to see how their new line of nylon bags were like.  I have enough of their totes and no need for a backpack, so I thought, 'let's try the fanny pack.' The fanny pack came right about the time when I was leaving for Burning Man, and I thought it might be useful to bring along.  And yep it totally was!  But of course now I can't return it so I need to figure how to use this fanny pack in my regular day to day style.  But man-oh-man, fanny packs are so so so useful.  Talk about a hands-free bag at it's best.

I love the nylon material that they used for the fanny pack.  It's lightweight but durable and isn't super bulky.  But the fanny pack is quite large and if you wanted to, you could really stuff it with a lot of things.  Also I love the zippered compartment in the back (where it faces towards your body) for things you want to keep extra secure.  This back pocket is also quite deep and can fit a lot.  The zippers are nice and big and very easy to pull.  You can tell that this is a well-made, practical bag.  Unfortunately it seems that they are out of this green color and don't plan to make anymore (otherwise it would say 'waitlist').  But they still have it in the brick (my second choice), black and gray if you're interested.  As usual you can find them here (referral link) and all my Everlane reviews here.

{Feb 2018 Update: I'm facing facts that I am not a fanny pack kind of girl.  So I'm selling it here.  Also I washed it in the washing machine on delicate (in a mesh bag) and air dried it so you would never know it went to Burning Man lol}

More about trailer living

Another place our home has been but not the RV park we live in

Since I got a couple readers of my last trailer post who wanted to know more about my life in an Airstream, here's one that delves more into the details about trailer park life lol.  So first of all I have to be up front and tell you I live a spoiled trailer life.  Since we run a business renting out Airstream trailers, I have a huge garage to store all my stuff (along with all work related stuff and the actual trailers).  This garage also has a washer and dryer to wash guest linens, which I also use for washing our personal clothes and linens.  So this makes my trailer life immensely easier since I don't have to do laundry at the RV park and I don't have to rent out a storage unit.  

But like any tiny living space, the actual amount of things I can store in my Airstream is small.  So the bulk of my stuff is at the garage, which allows me to see how much excess stuff I have and how little I really need for daily life.  Also true to my blog name, I move out of my Airstream fairly often (2-3x a year), where I have to clear all personal items and move them to the garage (we just did it again over labor day weekend since we rented out our personal Airstream for the week).  When we do a full move-out like that, it makes me so glad that we have so little stuff stored in the Airstream.  Usually I can do a full move-out in 2 hours.  And the items I move into our temporary house is select (this time we moved into a 20-foot Airstream).  It's surprising how few items you need to make you feel at home.  For me that includes my pillow, my yellow light that I bought on etsy (one thing about modern airstreams, they all use a really harsh white led light that saves energy but it sucks), and my truffle salt (for my breakfast), my massage balls, and my night stand items (earbuds, charging cords, hand lotion, kleenex which are all stored in my favorite Amelia Samari basket, along with the usual set of clothes and toiletries.  

One big drawback with trailer living though is the inconvenience of cooking.  I used to cook a lot more but with our crazy work schedule and living in a tiny place, home cooking is one thing I no longer do.  Also, I hate washing dishes so it's really hard for me to cook knowing I have to wash the dishes later (or coax my husband to do it).  Dishes pile up so fast in a small kitchen sink.  

But other than that, living in an Airstream doesn't feel so different from living in my old house.  It's just everything smaller (the rooms, the shower stall, the bathroom, etc.).  But I got used to it.

And on the plus side, once a year we take a long road trip with our home.  Last year we went north, passing through Oregon and Washington, going up to Vancouver and then heading down again.  There's nothing like traveling but also coming home every night.  We plan to take another road trip this year down to San Diego and back.  

Anyway if you guys have any more questions about trailer living just leave me a note below!  I don't mind sharing anything and everything about tiny house living.

P.S. I'll try to do a tour of my Airstream sometime today or tomorrow so catch that if you can over at insta-stories here!

Akamai Review

*This is an unsponsored post and I purchased all items myself

So I first heard of Akamai from EcoCult and since I’m in the market to change up the daily beauty/cleaning products I use, I decided to give them a shot.  I have to admit, I was also really drawn to Akamai products because Akamai is a Hawaiian word and since I was born and raised in Hawaii it has special meaning to me.  You see, Akamai means ‘smart’ in Hawaiian and I was secretly (though maybe not so secretly) pleased when someone called me Akamai. 

But even if I like the name and even if I feel akamai for using eco-friendly, minimalistic bath and beauty products, I can’t really get behind their products and their subscription service.  Yep first of all to buy their products, you have to sign up for a subscription (which IMHO is a total pain).  One because it means you have to buy everything as a set and two because I had to go and cancel that subscription so I wouldn’t get repeated billing and more products that I don’t want.  Yes, it’s only one extra step online to cancel, but still…a pain.

Now on to the actual products.  The subscription comes with a 3-in-1 bar that's supposed to be soap, shampoo and shaving soap.  This one I don't mind since bar soap is bar soap (I'm already used to using bar soap since I made the switch about a year ago).  It doesn't lather too well but it gets the job done.  But I don't really like using it for shampoo.  I can't get used to using bar soap for my hair.  It does the job for shaving just fine.  The soap doesn't actually smell like anything really.

The skin oil is meant for your skin and hair as well.  It has a very slight botanical smell and the oil is fairly light and not too greasy.  So far I've been using this on my body instead of my usual Accure body oil spray and it's alright.  I still prefer the Accure body oil spray, especially the rose scent.

But the thing I could not abide by was the toothpaste.  It was like a gritty clay mixture and it was gross.  Also I use an electric toothbrush and the grit was too harsh for my gums.  Sure I want to be use minimal, eco-friendly and sustainable products but not if they're like this toothpaste.  No thank you.

So that fact that 2 out of 3 products were meh and one was ick, I decided I did not want to continue the subscription and then had to cancel it.  I'll use up the oil and bar soap but sadly I'll have to throw away the toothpaste.  Anyway what eco-friendly/sustainable/minimal bath and/or beauty products do you use and recommend?  I also ordered some Plaine products and will do a review of them too.

Second Burn

Aaand I'm back!  Sorry if I haven't been replying to your comments and emails in the past week, but I had zero reception out on the Playa at Burning Man (BM).  So talk about going internet-free cold turkey.  It was quite a shock to the system on the first day (I mean what do I do with myself if I can't stare at a screen).  And now that we're back, I'm having to adjust back to a life consuming digital media (and in fact, I find myself feeling listless if I stare at a screen more than 20 minutes at a time now--like I'm overwhelmed by the noise).  But I'm sure I'll adjust back to the 'default world' soon enough (that's what Burners call the real world outside of BM).

Our Airstream

Anyway I'm still a noob to the BM world since this is only my second Burn but I always find my experience rewarding.  Last year was my first and even though I'm not at all the counter-culture type and an introvert, I found myself feeling at home on the Playa (read my post about it here).  I really felt BM's principle of radical inclusion.  Everyone belongs there in one way or another.  I would say this year I gained an understanding of BM's principle of radical self-reliance (read all BM principles here).  Last year we were part of a camp but this year we decided to try it on our own.  So we camped out on the fringe of the community and in fact our bed faced the open desert backed by mountains.  It was so beautiful but also a bit of a harsher climate condition (all the dust blows directly to the outer camps first and so we face the brunt of the wind storms). But I loved it.  Talk about feeling like you're the only ones left alive at the end of the world.

Another thing I loved this year that I noticed more than last year is the whole decommodification thing.  Everything is given freely as a gift and there's no money exchanged on the Playa.  But more than that, they staunchly oppose any kind of marketing, commercial sponsorships, and transactions.  It's like a detox from capitalism and it feels amazing.  And to be honest it's also another shock to the system since leading up to BM this year I've been offered free items for sponsored posts and I was obsessed with Instagram and how to 'market' it in such a way to gain more followers (which I talked about here).  My blogger mind was even thinking, 'wow it'd be cool to take some pics of the Everlane and other items I brought to the Playa for a blog post,' but that's a big no-no at BM (as it should be).  I never even realized that commodification had infiltrated my life until I was told to stop.  And now coming back to all my stuff (and my back log of reviews) I feel a touch reluctant to go back to the old routine.  But at the same time I love to write and I love to write useful reviews about stuff (so don't worry the reviews will keep on coming).

The Man of Burning Man

Anyway here are just a couple of my favorite photos and I'll be posting some videos and photos (including what I wore--I really relished using my creativity to dress in costume this year) on insta-story (follow here) later today so catch that if you can.  In the meantime I'm going to continue to ruminate a bit on my experiences at BM and will be back with regular reviews when I get a chance!

Trailer living 1.5 years in

(lol ok I don't actually live here permanently but this is one place we traveled with our home)

So I know I don't really talk about it much on the blog (TBH I'm not sure how much interest there is on this topic), but did I tell you I live in a trailer?  Yep, I share a 240 sq ft Airstream trailer with my husband and two dogs.  I guess I don't talk about it much because I already live and breathe trailers for work.  But it's been about a year and a half since we made the move and now I can't really imagine living in anything else (well I guess I could imagine it, but with the housing prices in the San Jose being absurdly high, it's not a thought I entertain too often).  Yet to be honest, I'm perfectly happy living in our trailer and I'm not tired of it.

Anyway I bring up trailer living today because lately I've been thinking about the various ways we all try to help lessen our harmful impact on the environment and the world around us.  This is especially true when you read and write in the conscious consumerism blog space.  Most of here have tried to turn our backs to fast fashion (or at the very least turn towards slow/ethical fashion).  I know some of us are also trying to use less plastic (something that I'm failing at).  And some try to go vegan more often since animal agriculture is one of the most destructive industries on the planet (side note: this documentary really opens your eyes on this and it can be found on netflix, go watch it!).  Well I can't give up meat or plastic (not yet anyway), but I do what I can by living in a small space.  

Living in a small space means using less energy for heating and cooling, acquiring less home items (since there's no place to put them), and also using less water with trailer showers.  What's a trailer shower you ask?  Well since there are times when your trailer isn't hooked-up to a sewer connection (when you're dry-camping), these trailer come with a shower head with a pause switch that stops the flow of water.  So to save water (and thus keep it from filling up your storage tanks), you rinse, pause the shower, soap up, and rinse again.  And TBH I love taking showers like this.  When I lived in a regular house I would step away from the running water to soap up, thus letting gallons of water go needlessly down the drain.  Since living in a trailer, I've become much more aware of my water consumption and that's been great.  Sure it's only a small drop against the tidal wave of environmental catastrophes our world is facing (multiple puns intended).  And it makes no discernible difference to the world and that it's just something that makes me feel better about myself (according to Ecocult), but we all do what we can right?  After some research, I found this shower head on Amazon that also has the same pause function that's not too expensive.  So if you're interested in saving water with trailer showers, it's definitely worth a try.

Anyway if I lag a bit on my reviews it's because I'm preparing our trailers to go out to Burning Man and then we'll be heading out there ourselves with our own trailer for part of the week.  I'm sure I'll be back with some tales about that so see you on the other side and have a great week guys!

Everlane Review The Day Heel {Updated January 2019}

Did you hear granny shoes are in?  And Everlane nailed the trend with their Day Heel.  I've pretty much sworn off heels and have cleared my closets of all heels except for my 5-year old Valentino Rockstuds (similar), which I reviewed here.  But when Everlane bragged that these are the most comfortable heels ever, I had to of course give them a try.  I actually ordered them during their first release but then the color I wanted became unavailable so they refunded me the money plus gave me an extra $25 (I love their customer service)!  So when their Pointed Slide didn't work for my feet (review here), I thought it would be a good time to try their Day Heel in pale rose (I'm on a real pink kick here, it must be all that millennial pink seeping into my consciousness).

And you know what?  Everlane was right.  These are pretty darn comfortable heels.  So much so that I kept them!  The leather is super soft, and the elastic at the heel grips on fairly well without being too tight.  And the square heels gives so much stability.  I walked all around Target and out to dinner with zero blisters.

So yep I added another pair of heels to my closet, but I do need a pair of heels that aren't flashy and besides I'm really digging the granny heels look.  

The pale rose color combined with the leather Everlane uses (the high-quality kind that's super soft and smooth) makes these heels delicate and a bit fragile.  So I definitely recommend babying these a little. 

For reference I'm usually a 7.5 to an 8, but always go with an 8 with Everlane since their shoes tend to be a bit narrow.  But I didn't have any problems with the width of these shoes at all.  Now if I can only get rid of the tan lines from wearing my Everlane Street Sandals daily in the hot California sun.

Also Grechen reviewed her pair of Day Heels and you know if she liked it, they must be good!

Now Everlane has a bunch of new colors for the Day Heel for autumn.  I'm really loving this cognac suede color.  Did anybody else order the Day Heel and what did you think?

{And as usual I like to end with my referral link to Everlane (thank you for your support!) and the link to all my Everlane reviews (which I'll need to be updating again soon!)}

P.S. I walked around in these shoes for about 4 hours and developed my first blister from these shoes.  There was one on the pinky toe of my left foot (but not the right, must have different sized feet, lol) and at the achilles tendon area of both heels (well I wouldn't call these blisters, more like rub marks?).  The only blister that bubbled up though was the one on the pinky toe so I guess this shoe does need a little breaking in time afterall.  But TBH I don't love it any less and it's still my casual go-to heels.

P.P.S My current Day Heel obsession is Everlane's Day Heel mules (which I reviewed here).  I love the mule look plus they have the comfort of the Day Heel minus any rubbing at the achilles tendon.  

{Jan 2019 Update: These are still my go-to heels for every occasion! They definitely get more comfortable as time goes on and even though I have it in this really light color, there’s no dark spots or major scuffs on the leather (you can spot clean with a leather cleaner pretty easily).}

Saint Laurent Monogramme Sac Universite Bag Review

So last week I reviewed the Celine small trotteur bag (review here), at the end of which I contemplated selling that bag or selling this bag (I definitely have to sell one for an even trade with my most recent preowned bag purchase) .  So here is today's bag review: the Saint Laurent Monogramme Sac Universite bag.  

I purchased this bag as a treat for myself last year, though I don't quite remember what I did to 'earn' that treat, lol.  I do remember enjoying my VIP experience though at Saint Laurent in Valley Fair Mall (free glass of champagne at 11am?  Yes, please!).  I love this bag because the grain leather is super durable and prevents scratches (similar to the Celine small trotteur) and I love the simple and boxy shape.  In fact I saw it online first and then went to the store to try it out and fell in love.  This particular bag also came with 2 straps, a leather one and a canvas one for traveling.  I use the canvas one now with my Celine micro belt bag (seen here).

As you can see this bag can hold more than my Celine Trotteur {it's a bit hard to see but there's my Celine wallet (reviewed here), iphone 7+, keys and sunglasses inside}.  There's also a very narrow compartment that would probably be ideal for tickets or other slim paper items.  And there's also a zippered compartment inside.

So I love that this Saint Laurent bag can hold more than the Celine one.  But I love the hardware on the Celine more, and I'm not a fan of the YSL hardware on this bag (I was a fan, but now I think I'm just seeing it everywhere so now I want something more discreet).

Anyway bag lovers help me out here!  If you were to keep only one bag which would you keep?