Everlane Review The Oversized Blazer

Hi guys, so some of you have asked about Everlane's oversized blazer, and I apologize for how long it took me to finally get this review up (it was a combo of Everlane's shipping time + the backlog of other reviews I had on my list).  But luckily it's still available so for those of you who are still interested, you can still snag it online.

So back when I was working a 9-5 job as a clinical study coordinator, I was actually known as the blazer girl.  My concept of 'professional' equated to blazers, so I basically wore one every day of the week.  I had about 10 blazers to rotate from, mostly from Zara with a couple Helmut Lang ones thrown in.  When I quit that job to do this Airstream biz, I got rid of all my blazers except one from Helmut Lang like this one (which you never see me wear because I never wear blazers anymore).  So I was a tad reluctant to even try this blazer since I know I don't wear them anymore.  But since I got several requests, I thought I would give it a shot.

When I first got it, I did a little poll and you guys were divided about it:

(sorry for the blurry pic)

Here's a much better picture of it:

{Wearing: Everlane Oversized Blazer, Grana Pima tee, Grana distressed cropped jeans, Everlane Day Heels, and Saint Laurent Monogramme Sac Universite bag}

Please excuse the hideously oversized jeans I'm wearing, and I know I could have styled these better with skinny or straight legged jeans.  Anyway I actually really liked the blazer.  The blazer is made from a really high quality wool, while the inside polyester lining keeps it from being itchy.  The blazer had a good weight to it and actually feels more expensive than its $150 price tag.  The gray herringbone is very much on-trend for the season.

Now a very important note about sizing.  After discussing the sizing of this blazer with reader Ashley, I knew that the fit was super super oversized.  So I went down 2 sizes from my usual Everlane size (I'm usually a 4 and went down to a 0 here)!  And I think it actually worked out.  It was a smidge snug around the shoulders (I wouldn't be able to layer a sweater underneath this), but I had no problems buttoning it up and the sleeves are the right length.

I think if you're looking for a blazer from an ethical brand, this one is a really good option (just size down one to two sizes).  As for me, my blazer days are over.  One of the perks of working for yourself is you pretty much get to wear what you want.  So I'll be sticking to my tee, jeans, and sweaters and I'll leave the blazers to you professionals.

{Thank you to all first-time Everlane customers who purchase through my referral link here.  It is because of you I am able to review so many Everlane items!}

P.S. I know this isn't Everlane related just yet but I read this really exciting article about Eileen Fisher and their clothing recycling program.  I have yet to buy something from them but I think they might be in my future!

CELINE Seau Sangle Bag Review {Updated May 2021}

So if you guys have been following along on my Insta-stories, you saw a quick unboxing of this bag and a poll asking whether or not it was a keeper (by the way thank you to everyone who takes the second to answer the poll because I really value your opinions!  I was surprised at how many of you guys thumbs-downed the Chanel bag last week and I have to say I think I agree with you guys).  Anyway from what I recall a little over half of you guys said it was a keeper (wish I had taken a screenshot of the poll but I forgot before the 24 hours was up, darn!).  And I was very much on the fence about this bag.  I purchased this bag used from Fashionphile. It's a 2015 version and there was some wear on the strap as well as the exterior of the bag, but you can hardly tell right? 

Here's what I love about the bag:

- the sturdy cloth strap never slipped off my shoulders

- the large and deep external pockets for holding my iPhone 7+ (it never fell out).  Plus by having the pockets on the outside, it was super easy to grab my phone without having to dig through the bag

- and the large capacity of the bucket bag, which allowed me to just keep throwing endless amounts of stuff inside

{Wearing: Grana cropped cashmere sweater, COS pants, Everlane Day Heels, Celine Seau Sangle bag}

Here's what I didn't like about the bag:

- the hook clasp on the bag isn't very secure and so the bag was pretty much always gaping open unless I was wearing it over my shoulder and had my arm keeping it closed.  Also the clasp would undo itself unless the bag was very full (in the pics here I'm just carrying my usual stuff: wallet, phone, keys, and a makeup pouch)

- the bag was sometimes too deep and cavernous, and I would have trouble finding things.  Also I wasn't able to reach in while the bag was still on my shoulder.  Instead I would need to take it off and hold the strap with one hand while I reached down into the bag with the other.  Maybe those with longer arms can reach into the bag while it's still on their shoulder

- the interior of this grained calfskin bag is suede and since it's already several years old, the suede started to come off and onto the stuff inside (mostly clung to my cotton canvas makeup pouch)

In the end I decided to return this Sangle bag even though I still like it.  I'm really on the fence about it, but since I didn't love it from the beginning I'm thinking I won't miss it now that I've returned it.  This would be a great work bag for those who only want to carry one bag (my 13" laptop easily fit in the bag).  But I already have a work bag and I carry a separate personal handbag for my daily needs, so this bucket bag is a bit large for my daily use.

Anyway if you would like to try out this bag (and I mean this exact bag), it's back up at Fashionphile for the time being.  You can find it here.  And currently Fashionphile also has a smooth leather version in a tan color, which I'm tempted to get (especially seeing as how I'm returning the Chanel flap bag).  

Also, when I got this bag I did some research to make sure it was the real deal (I researched online and I went to Barneys and Saks to see the authentic ones in person).  There are fake Celine Sangle bags out there so you do have to be careful.  Authentic Celine Sangle bags have the Celine embossed in gold in the front unless its a smooth leather version with an additional leather strap.  For example, I would doubt the authenticity of this Sangle (no extra strap plus you can't see any of the other markers to verify authenticity).  The interior zipper should have the word Celine on one side, and the inner view of the zipper should have a number imprinted, and on the pocket are the words "Celine, Made in Italy" imprinted on the leather in two rows.  The serial number tag should be a piece of leather and there is only one row of numbers.  The strap clasp should have the words Celine on the hardware, with the two 'e' s facing towards the strap.  Anyway I hope that helps all those looking to purchase a preowned Celine Sangle!

{Update: Ok so I returned the blue one and then saw a light caramel, smooth calfskin version and jumped on that one.  And I'm so glad I ended up returning the navy for this one.  I love the smooth leathered version (I find it much less floppy than the grained leather one) and the inside suede material isn't falling apart like the other one was (though it might be because this light caramel version is a year newer than the navy one).  The smooth leather version, however, is definitely more delicate and shows scratches easily.  But since it already came scratched and I mean to use this bag as a daily bag, I don't mind the scratches as much.  Also this came with the thick leather strap as well, but I prefer the cloth one since it stays on my shoulder better.  Anyway here are some pictures of my light caramel Celine Seau Sangle:

P.S. Here are the current offering of Celine Sangles from Fashionphile if you're interested!

Also here are all my other Celine bag reviews!

{May 2021 Update: Hi guys so just wanted to let you know that I’ve sold this bag and wasn’t missing it at all until just recently. I had no regrets selling it because it is such a heavy bag (it’s double lined in leather) and it’s best suited for a driving-all-the-time lifestyle. Also the non-adjustable shoulder strap was a pain because it was never quite the right length for me to be able to stick my arm in for a quick grab. And finally I kept “losing” my phone in one of the four outer pockets so I was constantly reaching into every pocket to find it. But in the end it was the weight that was the deal breaker. Well since then, I’ve purchased the Valextra bucket bag and it’s the perfect replacement for the Celine Sangle (the Valextra is lighter in weight yet still holds its shape better than the pebbled leather version of the Sangle). Anyway you can read my review of the Valextra Bucket Bag here.}

Everlane Review Short Puffer Jacket

Hi y'all and how's this for a backdrop for my Everlane review photos?  This was taken on our last trip to South Lake Tahoe, which I thought would be a perfect place to try on the two puffers I purchased from Everlane, and yep both kept me cozy despite the wintery temperatures.  

So when I first got this Short Puffer Jacket and polled you guys on Instagram, most of you guys gave it a thumbs down.  And I can see why.  It's quite an oversized square fit that just makes me look pretty wide on top.  I'm wearing a small here (my usual Everlane size) but I think I could have gotten away with an XS.  However because it's a bit large I can comfortably fit a sweater underneath should I need it.  In these pictures I'm wearing Grana's cropped cashmere sweater.

I actually really love this short puffer.  The material is waterproof but not shiny and slippery (it's quite matte).  The Primaloft filling is lightweight but does it's job well of keeping you warm.  There are angled pockets that are lined with a fleece-like material to keep your hands warm.  The zipper is super heavy duty and easy to zip.  There's an inner snap pocket large enough for my 7+ iPhone and there's inner cuffs at the sleeves to keep the cold air out.

I didn't personally test out how waterproof the jacket was since I didn't want to get it wet if I wasn't sure I was going to keep it.  But I did see Everlane's promo insta-story where they took it up to Canada and had it floating in an icy lake.  So I trust that it's quite waterproof.  

{Wearing: Everlane short puffer (in small), Frame denim (similar here), Ugg snow boots (similar here)}

So the only thing holding me back from keeping this jacket is the fact that since it's a short puffer, even if I'm toasty up top, my butt and legs will be still exposed to the cold.  That's why when I buy winter jackets I usually get the long version.  And I know Everlane has their own long puffer, but then I would have 3 long winter jackets (plus their long puffer looks like it'll dwarf my short stature).  And I'm not sure I really need that many long winter jackets seeing as how I live in California (my other 2 winter jackets stay in my closet in Tahoe).

What do you think?  Should I keep it?

Grana Review Cashmere Textured Sweater

So you know how on my last Everlane review (the cashmere sweatshirt) I said don't buy it?  Well here's another gray cashmere sweater, this time from Grana, that I'm going to tell you not to buy.  I feel like it's a pretty rare occasion when a blogger tells you not to purchase something and even for me, it feels fresh (and it makes me want to keep saying don't buy stuff).  But anyway back to this sweater.  It's quite possibly one of the most unflattering sweaters I've ever tried.  See what I mean:

{Wearing: Grana Cashmere Textured Sweater (size small), COS pants, Everlane Modern Point loafers, Fendi by the way bag (similar here)}

I think it looks so unflattering because the bottom hem is kind of weird.  It puffs up right around the mid-line.  There's also a slight puff in the sleeves which I like, but it's not enough to compensate for the extra 15 pounds the sweater adds to my waistline.  And that's not even the main reason I'm not recommending this sweater.  The main reason is that in the 5 minutes I wore it, I accidentally snagged one of the threads and pulled it so now there's a pulled loop right in the middle of the sweater.  It's because the weave is so loose that it's very easy for the sweater to get snagged.  And for $140, I would hope my sweater would last longer than 5 minutes with no damage.  So even though I love the softness of this sweater, don't buy this.  For $15 more, Everlane's waffled cashmere sweater is a better textured cashmere sweater (just size down 1 size).

Adina Reyter Giveaway Winner!

The winner is Summer of The Portland Vegan Blog!

Thank you to everyone who entered and you can go unfollow me now on Instagram (lol, except I'll probably keep doing giveaways with this requirement so if you want to make it easy for yourself...).  Anyway I'm loving the spirit of giveaways so I promise I'll try to put another one up for December (which is in just a couple more days, can you believe it?).  

Holiday Tech Gift Guide

So as many of you know I live in San Jose, which is pretty unglamorous (well compared to where I used to live, San Francisco).  But San Jose is part of Silicon Valley and with a lot of my friends working in tech and my husband being a gadget nerd, I learn more than I need to about tech and I have a lot of pretty cool gadgets.  Here is my list of tools (not all are considered tech but I lumped these in since they're super useful) that I use weekly if not daily.  Consider them for yourself or for your friends

1) Apple AirPods

I purchased a pair of these after my husband got his pair and I saw just how awesome they are.  I've tried wireless bluetooth earphones before but they were always bulky and falling out of my ears.  Well not these!  I have yet to have one fall out of my ear, even when working out.  But that's not even the best part.  The thing I love the most is the simplicity of these earbuds.  You just have to open the case and it will automatically pair with your phone (well it did for me because I have an iPhone but I'm not too sure how they'll work with other brands).  And once the bluetooth is connected, the connection never drops (never!).  To charge, just put them back in the case (the case will need to be charged periodically).  To find out how much battery is left, just open the case and cool graphic pops up on your phone letting you know how much juice is left in your airpods as well as the case.  Oh and if you take out the earbuds, the music/sound will automatically pause, and when you put them back in your ears it starts back up again.  It's like magic, lol.  The earbuds can also be used for talking on the phone (and they have noise interference cancelling so you sound super clear on the other end).  The only drawbacks to these is that they don't have the soft rubber tips, which usually fit my ear the best.  And the sound quality isn't amazing, but to me they're just fine (but I'm no music/sound aficionado).  

2) Awair

My husband purchased this for me as a present and to be honest when I first saw it I thought 'what the heck is this?  another sleek looking useless gadget?'  But we've been using it for several months now and I love it!  So what is it you ask?  It's an air quality monitoring system that measures temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, chemical levels and dust levels.  Since I've been suffering from crazy allergies, my husband though this monitoring system would help.  And well it's been pretty essential since our Airstream is so small that air quality can quickly go down if we're cooking or in the winter months when we keep all our doors and windows closed.  You can connect your Awair to your Nest or Alexa to automatically control say your air purifier, but for the most part whenever I see a low air quality score on Awair I just open a window to ventilate.  This is a great tool to be mindful of your general air quality.

3) Voloom Volumizing Hair Iron

I've been using this hair iron for probably 5 years now and it's a pretty essential hair iron for those with thin hair that tends to lie really flat (like me).  Also since I have a round face, my hair just looks better when I have a lot of volume surrounding it.  But I'm not one to tease my hair or use hair spray (I don't even blow dry my hair).  But if I want to get my hair looking good and I have about 5 minutes to spare, this hair iron gives me about twice as much volume than my normal hair when air dried.  The trick is it's like a crimper but better (due to the really odd-looking but effective square iron shapes) and you essentially crimp the layers under the top layer of hair.  It's basically like teasing but twice as fast.  I usually just crimp about 3-4 thin layers of hair on each side and since I've been using this for so long, I'm quite fast at it.  I've also tried using a regular crimper in the same way but I don't get as much volume for the same amount of work.  The qaulity of the hair iron is also really good and I haven't had any issues with this even after 5 years of weekly usage.

4) Coravin Wine System

You might have seen this on my Insta-stories but basically since my husband doesn't drink alcohol and I drink a little too much alcohol, this Coravin wine system has been essential.  This fancy gizmo has a needle that draws wine out of the bottle and a trigger system that replaces the displaced wine with argon gas so that the wine inside won't oxidize.  It allows you to try a glass of wine without committing to opening the whole bottle.  It's also a great way to enjoy several glasses of different wines for tasting without wasting!  You can easily buy replacement argon capsules from amazon and once you get used to it, it's really easy to use.  Also since the needle is so thin, the cork reseals itself (but only if it's natural cork and not the rubber faux cork).  The only drawback to using this wine system is when you use it for wine that tastes best when opened and let sit (but you can always let your one glass pour sit before imbibing so really it's not that big of a deal).  This is the perfect gift for a wine-loving friend or family member!

5) Amazon Echo Dot with TP-Link Smart Plug

Amazon echo and Google home are both really good voice-command systems.  We just used the Amazon Echo Dot since we don't need the added speaker that the regular Echo and the Google Home have (we connect the Echo Dot to our built in Airstream speaker system through bluetooth).  I usually ask Alexa (the woman personified by the Amazon Echo system) the time, the weather and have her set a timer when cooking.  But my favorite function for Alexa is telling her to turn on/off the light in our Airstream, and that's where the TP-link smart plug comes into play.  If you want your house light to turn on/off with Alexa then you will need to use a smart switch like this one.  With this function, it's like the clap on/off system except you're not stupidly clapping for lights.  Instead you can just tell Alexa 'turn off the light' and presto you don't have to get up to turn off the light.  It's great for lazy people like me!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this short gift guide and I know that some of these items are discounted for the Black Friday-Cyber Monday shopping period so hope you're able to snag one at a discounted price.  I swear by all 5 of these items and they are all super useful.  What are some of your favorite tech/gadgets that you swear by?

P.S.  The results for the giveaway will be up later today!  Thanks to all those who entered!

My favorite glamping spots in California

Here's my Black Friday opt out post!  If possible, I'm going to try not to get caught up in the frenzy of mindless consumerism this black Friday (not a problem) or cyber Monday (more of a problem).  In the meantime enjoy this post not about buying something today.

While I was on my Airstream roadtrip this year I got a request from a reader of my favorite glamping spots in Cali.  So Monshanks, this one's for you!  In no particular order, but organized by climate/environment:

1) Desert: Joshua Tree National Park 

Ok what a typical blogger location to recommend, but really there's a reason why everyone and their mother talks about/goes to Joshua Tree.  I'm not a huge fan of desert camping in general (heat, dryness, snakes!), but there's nothing quite like desert sunsets and the vastness of it all.  I've also tried glamping in Death Valley and wouldn't recommend it unless you're able to get a spot with electrical hookups (for much-needed air conditioning) or go during the winter months (but then make sure you have a furnace onboard).  But Death Valley did have a lot more interesting landscapes (salt flats, large sand dunes, etc.) than Joshua Tree.  We boondocked (camped on public land) around Joshua Tree and it was great since we had no neighbors for miles.  We also checked out the campsites within the park and I have to say they were pretty cool too (I think we checked out Jumbo Rocks campsite).

Runner-up: Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, CA {We also boondocked here for a couple days and it was a little more crowded than Joshua Tree but I loved the crazy rock formations and how cute the town of Lone Pine was}.

2) Ocean: Jalama Beach

This is a remote Santa Barbara county park with some of the most gorgeous ocean views I've ever seen (and I grew up in Hawaii so that's saying a lot).  We took one of the spots near the top that had electrical hook-ups, but most of the spots don't have any hook-ups.  The best thing about this spot is that since it's so remote and tucked away (about 40+ minutes of super windy roads to get there), the beach is fairly private (you only have your fellow campers to contend with).  There's no cell service here so the park provides wifi (but it's spotty as best).  But you're really there to enjoy the beach, not your computer/phone.  Oh and dogs are allowed on the beach (bonus!).

Runner-up: Rincon Parkway {So for this 'campsite' you parallel parking alongside the beach with a road-way and train tracks immediately on the other side.  It can be a tad noisy but the ocean is literally steps away.  Dogs are allowed on the beach and it's also quite private.}

3) Forest: Azalea Campground, King's Canyon National Park

This campground within the national park is one of the few open year around there, and it's my top favorite because of its proximity to the sites and hikes around King's Canyon (General Grant's tree is a 5 minute drive away).  The campsites are fairly well spaced and well maintained.  No hook-ups here.  And from this campsite, you can drive over to Sequoia National Park (about 30ish minutes away).

Runner-up: Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort {So this one really isn't glamping since there's full hook-ups here, but for newbie RVers, this is a good place to get used to living in a trailer.  The best part is that you're surrounded by giant redwoods.  The drawback is that the spaces are fairly close together.  You can read the full campsite review on GoSilver}

4) Lake: Silver Lake Campground East Eldorado

This campground is located near Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe.  We got there the week it was closing for the season (the first week of October) so it was fairly empty (so I can't tell you how it is during the summer months).  But we loved that the campground was only a 5 minute hike to the lake.  The lake is quite large but was really private when we were there (just a couple of fishermen late in the season).  Also within walking distance is the Kit Carson lodge where you can rent kayaks and canoes.  They also have a lot of hiking in the area.  You can read my full review of the site on the blog I write for GoSilver here.

Runner-up: Convict Lake {The most beautiful alpine lake I've ever seen, but it's quite remote and there's not much to do there unless you bring your own kayak or you fish.}

Anyway hope you guys enjoyed this post (I sure enjoyed going down my glamping memory lane) and let me know if there any other types of posts you like seeing here!

Everlane Review The Cashmere Sweatshirt

Hi guys and another Everlane cashmere sweater review for you today, or more accurately it's a sweatshirt I guess.  When I tried Everlane's waffled cashmere (review here), which is still my favorite, I saw they had this sweatshirt available (I think as part of their cashmere lounge wear collection) and I ordered while I was still in a haze of Everlane cashmere love.  And well unfortunately it's nothing like the waffled cashmere sweater and I'm not in love at all with this one.  And the majority of you guys agreed:

Thanks to everyone who voted.  I love asking you guys on Insta-stories what you think of all the things I try.  It's like getting a second opinion from a trusted friend.

Anyway I returned this cashmere sweatshirt because not only was it an unflattering fit (as most sweatshirts are) but the collar was super tight and even though this is made of cashmere, it gave me a slight itchiness around the neck (I just looked and it's because the trimmings are 9% nylon and 1% elastane along with cashmere).  I did find that if I rolled the bottom hem under, it did make the sweatshirt look a tad more flattering.  But for $150, your money is better spent on their regular cashmere sweater or for $5 more get the waffled one.

{Wearing: Everlane Cashmere Sweatshirt, COS pants, Everlane Modern Oxfords, Loewe Hammock bag}

As for sizing, I got this in my usual Everlane size of small.

So anyways, unless you're really going to spend big bucks lounging in cashmere, I would advise to pass on this sweatshirt.  Also I've tried cashmere sweatpants before (from Grana) and found that it's just too hot to wear that indoors and pretty impractical to wear outdoors (especially if it's rainy or windy).  

Have any of you guys tried cashmere loungewear and what did you think?

Oh and happy Thanksgiving (to my fellow Americans).  I am so grateful for all you guys who support me with your comments, questions, and purchases through the blog!  Thank you thank you thank you!

I finally did it!

The pie I've been obsessed with all week

Hi guys, so there have been a couple of you asking for an email subscription option for the blog (as in, whenever there's a new post out, it goes directly to your email inbox).  And well it took me several months but I finally sat down and figured it out.  I'm technically a millennial so I should know how to do these kinds of things, but man it was pretty technical and I hit some roadblocks. But anyways, it's up!  So if you would like to get an email every time there's a new post (usually Mon, Wed, Fri) please subscribe below.  Cross my fingers this thing actually works out (and please let me know if it doesn't, thanks!).

P.S. I know other bloggers are talking about sales too but seriously, this is probably the best time to try out stuff you've been eyeing.  I just purchased a bunch of ethical undies at PACT (trying them out for the first time).  Grana is also having a 20% off sale until November 30th!

Grana Review Silk Drop Shoulder Tee

First off, I just want to say please excuse these crappy photos of the crystal-clear lake behind me but of blurry me.  I just like the lake scene behind me so much (and am a lazy blogger and don't want to reshoot these outfit photos, lol).  As you can tell, this was taken back when I was still on my road trip. This probably doesn't look like the best outfit for lake-side glamping, but we were actually on our way to do some wine-tasting (and I threw on the Grana silk blazer later, which I reviewed here).

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Grana recently changed their silk so that they no longer do double silk (boo) so I'm not planning to review too many more new silk items.  But I ordered this along with the silk flat front pants to get an idea of their new silk selections.  And I have to say I don't hate this silk tee.  In fact, I think it's one of my favorite silk tees I've ever tried (and let me qualify this by saying I don't actually try out a whole lot of silk tees because really it's not my thing.  I prefer all my tees to be cotton).  What do you think?

{Wearing: Grana silk tee, Frame denim (similar here), Everlane Day Heels, Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)}

I'm wearing a small here and I really like the fit.  It's loose but not oversized.  What I love most about this tee is that the thicker georgette satin is on the top half while their 16mm crepe de chine is on the lower half of the tee.  It's like color-blocking but instead it's really texture-blocking.  The two different textures keeps the tee interesting, while at the same time the thicker satin on top keeps you from seeing the outline of your bra (which happens to me quite often with regular crepe de chine silk tops).  And by keeping the crepe de chine on the bottom half of the tee, it drapes really well at the hips and you can easily tuck in the tee.  I also really love the sleeve length and the fact it hides my flabby chicken wings (triceps) well.

I wasn't expecting to like any more of Grana's silk items since they changed it up, but I really do love this tee.  For $65 it's a bit pricey but it's also 100% silk so that's understandable.  If you're interested, first time Grana customers can get 10% off their purchase with this link and you can find all my other Grana reviews here.

How To Buy Authentic Luxury Bags Used {updated April 2019}

Chanel purse purchased from Fashiophile, one of my oldest purchases from 2013

{May 2020 Update: I’ve written an updated post called Tips for Buying an Used Luxury Bag. It’s a bit different from this one so check it out if you’re interested.}

If you've been a long time reader or follow my Instagram, you know that I'm a huge fan of used/secondhand/preowned designer bags and watches (actually I'm a fan of used clothes too, but I already talked about that when I wrote up my guide to thrift shopping here).  But today I'm focusing on purchasing preowned designer accessories.

Celine wallet purchased from Fashionphile

I've always loved designer accessories, especially handbags.  I don't know why but ever since my first coach wristlet in high school, I can't get enough.  My mother, who always views my expensive handbag purchases as a waste of money, can't understand it and thinks I'm just trying to show-off.  But I really don't feel that way.  I just love beautifully made handbags (they're like works of art!) and they are the perfect finishing touch on an otherwise simple outfit (the kind of outfits I like the most).  Plus rather than buying a $100-$300 handbag that I wouldn't be able to resell for any kind of return, I buy $1000 handbags that I can resell for almost as much (and well if I buy it used, I usually pay less so that when I resell it, I rarely lose money).  So if I'm being smart about it, I actually lose less money on a more expensive handbag and there is always someone willing to buy it from me.  And on occasion I sometimes make money.

I'm sure not everyone shares my love of bags, but for those who do, my secret to my handbag "collection" is that it's predominately secondhand and it's always evolving so that the actual number of purses in my possession at any one time is manageable.  And I'm always quick to sell a bag (usually on eBay) once I find that I'm not using it as much as my other bags.  

Anyway here are the two ways I buy secondhand designer handbags:

1) eBay: my go-to place to sell and my former go-to place to buy.  I no longer really buy from eBay anymore because there are just SO MANY fakes in the world these days.  When I did buy from eBay, I made sure that A) the seller is legit {usually indicated by a massive amount of positive feedback and also you can sometimes find threads on the PurseForum of legit eBay sellers} , B) I always double-checked with the authenticators on the PurseForum {go to the specific brand you're buying and find the "Authenticate This" thread}.  I used to buy Chanels on eBay and would use Etinceler Authentications to ensure those really high ticket items were legit.  They cost money, but they know their Chanels and trust me, it's worth the peace of mind.  (Another one I've heard of but have never personally used is called Authenticate4u.com).  {update: I just used Bababebi.com to authenticate a pre-owned Hermes purchase and found her services to be quick and professional.  Since it's not listed on her site, I'll let you know here that it's $65 for an email authentication and $80 for a certificate of authentication.  She is the main authenticator on the Hermes thread so if you're ever in doubt about an Hermes purchase and can't get it authenticated on the Purse Forum (I've noticed they're kind of cracking down on authentication abuse), then it's very much worth it to get your expensive Hermes purchases authenticated with her.}

Balenciaga Work Bag from Fashionphile

2) Fashionphile: I know I've talked about this site already, but really I love their service and their commitment to authentic items.  I also love the fact that every single bag in their inventory goes through a rigorous authentication process. Not to say Fashionphile sometimes doesn't get fooled by fakes, but their return policy is more than generous (free returns as long as the tag is still attached and up to 30 days).  I once bought an Hermes wallet that seemed a little fishy to me, and since that was my first impression I just returned it.  I mean if I don't feel like it's authentic (even if it might be real), I might as well return it. The return policy is also key when you realize that the purse is just too used for your liking (for the most part Fashionphile's descriptions are very accurate and many times I find the quality better than described, but sometimes you just don't realize how bad of a perfume odor is on a bag until you get it).  Also Fashionphile has been around for a long time with a great clientele of sellers as well as buyers. Neiman Marcus also recently invested in them so you know they’re legit!  On top of all that, if you buy a bag from them but realize in 6 months that the bag is not for you, they have a BuyBack program which will give you 70% of the item's purchase price.  This is a great option for those who don't resell on other platforms.  I've done this before with a couple of my purses, though to be honest I love most of the items I've purchased from them and thus didn't want to sell it back after just 6 months.  Of course all of this good stuff does come with a price: Fashionphile's prices are higher than what you would find on eBay.  But in return, you can count on getting authentic designer items that you will love (and you don't have to do all the legwork yourself to confirm authenticity).  {Also I should note that when I bought my Cartier watch from Fashionphile, they were still using an outside authentication expert, WatchFacts, and they would be a good source to authenticate any expensive used watch you might buy elsewhere).  

My latest purchase from Fashionphile, Hermes Lindy 30 and Hermes twilly

Oh and another thing about Fashionphile, you can keep track of your favorites by clicking on the heart icon.  And sometimes when you miss out on a purse, but the buyer decides to sell it back to Fashionphile after 6 months, the bag automatically is included on your favorites list again.  Also, for the most part I purchase my bags from fashionphile when it's 10%-30% off their already discounted prices by waiting for the markdowns (the date of which is conveniently shown to you once you favorite an item).  And their last call section (which are items discounted more than 30%) has some really really good deals!

Anyways I know designer handbags are not for everyone, but for me I just can't seem to quit them. So I might as well buy them used, since not only is it good for the environment but also for my wallet. 

{Update: And if you want to know what it’s like to sell with Fashionphile, you can read all about my experience here.}

Everlane Review The Italian GoWeave Easy Pant

When I saw these Everlane GoWeave Easy Pants I immediately thought of my favorite Grana silk ankle pants (reviewed here) since they both have that easy silhouette and that ever-expanding elastic waistband perfect for the buffet line.  I decided to order a pair in what's quickly becoming my go to color of this season, navy (get ready for lots and lots of navy folks).  

First a note on sizing: I ordered a size 4, which is the smaller of my two usual sizes (I'm usually between a 4 and 6 on the bottom).  And the 4 fit perfectly.  The pants fit just right at the hips and waist with some room to spare.  So these definitely run a tad large.  Of course the pants were a tad long for my short legs (I'm 5'4" but my legs are more like that of a person who's 5'1").  What do you think? 

{Wearing: Everlane waffle knit cashmere square crew (reviewed here), Everlane GoWeave Easy Pant, Everlane Day Heels (reviewed here), Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here).}

I don't think it looks bad at all.  And if I worked at an office I would most likely have kept the pants and worn them often.  But since I work in a garage, the most practical pair of pants for me are jeans (especially since these easy pants are dry clean only, which is not so easy IMHO).  Also these pants are 100% wool so they'd be better suited for those AC-blasting offices.  

I have to say, of all the various GoWeave trousers I've tried from Everlane (like this one and this one), these are the clear winner.  Also I only just recently noticed but there's a big difference between Everlane's Japanese GoWeave (made from triacetate) and their Italian GoWeave (made from 100% wool).  Also the Japanese GoWeave should be hand-washed and not dry cleaned while the Italian versions are dry clean only.  Oh and just to note, if you're sensitive about itchiness from 100% wool items, then these might not be for you since there is a very slight itch to these pants.

Overall I'm really loving this head-to-toe Everlane office look, and I think Everlane is really stepping up their design game (quite possibly because of the former Creative Director for COS, Erica Bay who unfortunately left the company in February of this year.  But that's more than enough time for her to have put some good designs into the works for Everlane).

Anyway if you're an office worker looking for something easy (but don't mind dry-cleaning), then these pants might be for you!  And you can find all my unsponsored Everlane reviews here.

Damsel x Adina Reyter Bezel Lariat Giveaway

You're a blog reader, I'm a blog reader, and like many who read blogs I sometimes get carried away consumeristically (made-up word, I know) when my favorite blogger features cool stuff (I find this to be especially true during the holiday 'buy buy buy' season).  And well sometimes I love something on the blogger but not on myself.  Case in point, this necklace which was made in collaboration with one of my favorite bloggers, Damsel in Dior.  

This is a beautiful necklace but I find it doesn't really fit my style very well.  I think it might be a bit too sexy for my simple and tomboyish taste.  Plus to be honest I find myself having to untangle this necklace from time to time and that's just too much upkeep for me.  So I've decided to do another giveaway so that one lucky winner can win this 14k gold (not gold-filled) and white sapphire lariat necklace.  You can read all the details about this necklace here (which is sold out).  As you can see from the website, this retailed for $398 so at the very least if you win it and don't want it, feel free to pawn it!

To enter, fill out the form below and follow me on Instagram at temporaryhousewifey (I feel like I should at least try to make you guys work for it, lol).  If you already follow me on Insta, awesome (and you don't need to do anything else)!

Giveaway ends 11/27 and winner will be announced 11/28.  This giveaway is not sponsored nor affiliated with Damsel in Dior or Adina Reyter.  Contest is open internationally (though no guarantees on safe delivery and delivery time since I'll just be using good ole' USPS).

Everlane Review The Waffle Knit Cashmere Square Crew

As I've mentioned in the past, this is my third winter of Everlane cashmere.  The first year I purchased a couple $125 sweaters (my favorite being this cropped cashmere crew reviewed here).  Then last year I purchased Everlane's $100 cashmere crew sweaters (which are awesome but quite boring) as well as the cashmere cropped mockneck (review here) and premium ribbed cashmere (review here), both of which I returned.  So you would think I can't possibly need any more cashmere in my life.  BUT when Everlane came out with waffle knit cashmere square crew, I couldn't resist!

First a note on sizing.  The square style that Everlane loves never seems to fit my body very well.  I've done square shaped tops and sweaters, and nothing flatters.  But since this waffle knit only comes in the square shape I really had no choice.  Knowing how oversized the square tops are, I ordered this in one size smaller than my usual (so I got an XS instead of an S).  And I actually really love the fit now.  It helps that the cashmere is so soft and drapey that it doesn't hold the square shape stiffly (which is the problem I had with some of their square-shaped button down tops that made me feel like I was wearing a sail).  Also because I went a size down, the sweater feels a bit more cropped, which I love.

zoomed in for texture

I also really love the details of this sweater, from the waffle texture to the split side and split sleeve detail.  My other favorite Everlane sweater (the ribbed wool cashmere sweater from last year) that I get compliments on all the time also has this split side detail and I think it helps us petite girls get more visual length to our short legs.  The cashmere, of course, is super soft and yummy (more so I think because of the waffle texture).  I'm not sure how it will wear (whether or not it will pill more than their regular cashmere sweaters) so I'll update this review in a couple months and let you know.

{Wearing: Everlane waffle knit cashmere square crew, Everlane Italian GoWeave Easy pants (will review soon), Everlane Day Heel and Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)}

The waffle knit cashmere is more expensive than their regular cashmere, but if you already have one of their $100 cashmere sweaters, I do think it's totally worth it to splurge on this waffled version.  The extra texture from the sweater plus all the extra details make it stand out.  

As usual this review is unsponsored (though this post does contain affiliate links).  Thank you again to all first time Everlane buyers who purchase through my referral link for making these reviews possible!  And you can find all my other Everlane reviews here (which I recently updated!).

P.S. It's been a couple months since this article about Everlane came out from The New Yorker, but if you haven't read it yet it's quite interesting!

Grana Silk Blazer Review

Hi guys and finally back to reviews!  As you can see I took these pictures while on the road so you have a stunning vineyard in the background instead of the usual boring gray walls of my garage/workplace.  I wore this out while wine tasting around Paso Robles (and a quick note: if you think Napa wine tasting is great, Paso Robles is even better!  Especially if you like dark and spicy reds!  They do great zinfandels and cabs, and I think the California central coast wine makers are quite underrated!).  Anyway back to the review of this silk blazer from Grana.  I originally purchased the sleeveless silk blazer from Grana (review here) and though I wore it for a Fall 10x10 challenge, I never really wore it after that.  The silk combined with the fact that it's sleeveless made it pretty impractical.  So I decided to go for their sleeved version and I love it 10 times more.

{Wearing: Grana Silk Blazer, Grana Silk Drop Shoulder Tee, Frame denim (similar here), Everlane Day Heels, Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)}

The blazer is made from 22mm Georgette Satin silk on the outside and 18mm satin silk for the lining (yay for double layered silk!).  And as I said in the past, the georgette satin is my favorite of the two types of silk that Grana uses since the satin is smoother and thicker.  And I really love the weight and smoothness of this silk blazer!  Like the sleeveless blazer, this one also has pockets though they aren't super deep.  I love the shawl collar and the way they have a separate panel of silk for the bottom so that it gives the blazer some shape overall (take a look at the pic below to see what I mean).  So even though this blazer is long and I'm short, I don't think it overwhelms my petit frame like some other oversized blazers.

Oh and I'm wearing a size small here (for reference I'm 5'4" and about 125 lbs).  

For $199 this is a pretty pricey piece but for the quality that you're getting it's worth it IMHO.  And you can get 10% off your first Grana purchase with this link (thanks for your support guys!).

And speaking of blazers, has anyone tried out Everlane's new oversize wool blazer?  I'm interested in trying it out but I'm thinking it's going to be too long for my petite frame.

Shopping Ban update for October

from a store in DTLA

So another month of this so-called shopping ban and another failure to add to the books.  If you've been following my Insta-story, you know we've been doing about 2 weeks of traveling with our Airstream.  And most of the time we're glamping at campsites (side note: I got a request from a reader to do a post of my top glamping spots in California so that'll be up soonish), but we had a couple days in LA (which IMHO is the shopping mecca on the west coast).  I browsed around DTLA (downtown LA), which back when I was going to UCLA was deader than dead.  Now there's a ton of cool stores like Vrai and Oro at the ROW at DTLA and COS stores (the big sister to H&M).  And well of course if I'm looking, I'm going to be tempted to buy, and buy I did at both of those places (oh and at the new Bridge & Burn store in LA too).  I was especially guilty about buying stuff at COS since they're fast fashion and I was on track to a completely fast fashion-free year.  But I can no longer claim that prize.  Ah well, guess it just goes to show that I'm weak when it comes to clothes.  

On a related note, I'm really trying to view my collection of clothes and what I wear daily as just a facet of my self expression and not such a main focus of my life.  I want to do great things while looking stylish, I don't want to just look stylish (and by 'great things' I mean anything meaningful acts big or small).  And lately I feel like my clothes have been more of a focus than my actual actions, so I might take a step back and try to focus more on doing rather than accumulating.  If this sounds vague and confusing, it's probably because I don't feel very clear on it myself.  

Anyway two more months to go, and the most consumeristic time of the year so we'll see how I weather that.  Though come January I'm totally going to let myself try some new Elizabeth Suzann items since I've been dying to try them since month one!

Good West Co Bag Giveaway Winner is...

one of my vacay pics!

Sophia P!  Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway and for Cheryl for reminding me to post this lol!  Sorry for the delay!  We've been on the road for the last couple of weeks and so as you can see my blog writing has fallen a bit by the wayside.  Anyway fresh reviews will be coming up very soon and another giveaway is already in the works.  So stay tuned for that!

MOO Custom Business Cards and Greeting Cards Review

*This is not a sponsored post and I purchased all cards with my own money.  

There are some things I use so often in my life that I forget how awesome it is and worthy of a review.  And Moo falls into this category.  We’ve been using Moo business cards for GoSilver and have re-ordered them multiple times.  Their business cards are made from high quality card stock and the photos printed on them are crisp and have beautiful colors.  I love that you can choose the specific shape, size and finish of your cards.  They even have recycled cotton cards (made from cotton tees) and fancy cards with gold imprints.  For our business we order cards with the rounded corners (because it loosely resembles the shape of an Airstream) with a matte finish.  But I have to say the best thing about these cards is that we can print out these beautiful photos of our Airstreams on one side (and you can do a variety of pictures in one order).

We also love it since the site is so easy to use.  Creating personal business cards is a cinch (lol, do people even say ‘cinch’ anymore these days?).  And you can keep all your projects saved so that when you run out, reordering is a breeze.  We loved our business cards so much that we also ordered greeting cards from them as well.  

And lastly their customer service is amazing.  When one of our orders never got delivered (even though it said it was delivered on the tracking), the people over at Moo expedited a replacement order with no questions asked!  

So if you're interested in getting some quality custom cards (and maybe even Christmas or other greeting cards) from Moo, use this referral link to get 20% off our first order (thank you for your support!). 

Everlane Review Modern Boyfriend Denim Jeans

Ok so I have to admit that as much as I love Everlane, I'm not in love with their new and much heralded denim collection.  First of all, I have way too many skinny jeans and I think in general I'm kind of over the skinny thing so I stayed away from that silhouette.  Currently I'm loving styles with looser or straight legs and that's why I love my Frame straight leg jeans and my Mott & Bow slim boyfriend jeans so much.  And I was hoping I would love Everlane's Modern Boyfriend jeans the same way, but to be honest I don't.  

For some reason the proportions don't seem right to me.  It could be my short legs, in which case I could just hem it and that might fix my dissatisfaction.  But my real qualm with these jeans is the crotch area.  For some reason it balloons out a bit and at the same time there's a V-fold right at the crotch.  And I'm pretty sure it's not a size issue since the jeans fit perfectly at the waist.  I also noticed the ballooning effect on Andrea and Jamie, which makes me think it's the jeans and not me.  I think it might be the 10" high-rise waist.

{Wearing: Petit Bateau striped top (similar here, Everlane one here), Everlane Modern Boyfriend denim, Everlane Modern loafer mules, Hermes Lindy 30 (similar here)}

Lol the thumbs up was me asking my husband if he liked the jeans.  

As for sizing, I went a size down for these Modern Boyfriends on the advice of other reviews.  I'm usually a size 28 or a 6-ish on the bottom, and I ordered these in a size 27.  Like I said the waist fits just right so I'm pretty sure I got the right size.  Since these jeans are made from 98% cotton and 2% elastane, there's minimal stretch going on.  So while these jeans fit well when standing, it does feel a tad constricting at my natural waist when I sit down, but I'm sure it'll stretch out a bit with wear.  

I'll try hemming these and we'll see if I like them better.  But at the moment I find myself reaching for my Mott & Bow jeans more.  Since the denim on both felt very similar I checked the specs and it looks like both brands use a 98% cotton and 2% elastane mix.  In general I like the mid-rise of the Mott & Bow jeans (reviewed here) and the slightly slimmer legs.  But we'll see, I'll update this review once I hem these Everlane jeans.

Did you guys buy the new Everlane denim and what do you think?

Plaine Products Review

*I purchased these items myself and this review is not sponsored, but this post contains affiliate links so if you do purchase I will be rewarded (I'm trying to earn enough so that I can purchase enough Plaine Products for my Airstreams!)

I first heard of Plaine Products from Leah over at StyleWise and since I was in the market for some sustainable and natural shampoo and conditioner I thought I might as well try them out.  During that time I also tried out Akamai products (review here) and the Plaine Products were the clear winner for me.  Here's why: the shampoo and conditioner didn't clog my pores (sometimes I get inflamed zits around my hair line with certain products) and it also calmed the crazy dandruff and inflamed scalp from a bad bleach job (remember that ugly yellow hair from last year)?  The fact that the products are sulfate-free, vegan and they have a zero-waste program that allows me to return empty bottles is just a bonus (ok a really big bonus, but really if the products were bad this bonus wouldn't make me want to re-buy it).  But luckily these products are awesome.  I'm already out of the shampoo and am currently waiting for it in the mail!

If you're interested, you can find the list of ingredients here.  As for the smell of the products, all three products smell to me 'minty-botanical' but it's a very mild scent (their bottles describe it as 'rosemary, mint, vanilla').  The shampoo and body wash are my favorite, while the conditioner is good but not the best I've tried (I guess I'm used to those really chemically-laden stuff that make your hair feel as soft as silk).  The conditioner consistency isn't super thick but at the same time my hair is now used to it and doesn't need those thick conditioners.  The shampoo, which I love, cleans my thin hair without stripping it of oils (in fact there are days I can use just the shampoo without the conditioner and my hair still feels rather soft, but I'm not sure if those with thick hair will have the same result).  The body wash is also really awesome and lathers easily.  But I like that all the products are color-safe for my dyed hair and again they don't break me out.  It's perfect for those with sensitive skin like me.

I love their stuff so much that as I mentioned above, I would love to be able to stock all our Airstreams at GoSilver with their products.  So if you do purchase through my referral links to Plaine Products, thank you so much for supporting my goal!