RIP Céline

Rarely does high fashion news affect me, and I have long since stopped caring (long gone are my Vogue-reading days), especially since my world revolves around ethical fashion these days. But the ending of the Phoebe Philo era at Céline and start of Hedi Slimane reign at Celine is something I’ve taken notice of, especially since I’m a huge fan of the simple and elegant bags that Phoebe’s Céline used to craft. So please let me have this one indulgence in celebrating some of the bags that I currently love at Fashionphile that will now live in Céline history. Also if you’ve ever been interested in Céline bags, now is the time to get these since I have a feeling some people will be holding tight to their Céline classics and they’ll be less available as new Celine floods the market.

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1. Small Belt Cabas Phantom in taupe: I reviewed the exact same bag here. This is by far my most useful and favorite Celine bag in my collection. I look forward to using this bag as a diaper bag in the future!

2. Small Belt Cabas Phantom in navy: So nice that I listed it twice :)

3. Small Ring Bag in dune: An older style from Céline and one I might add to my collection in the future.

4. Medium Classic Box Bag: I used to own this bag in light blue but ended up selling it to a blog reader who asked for it. In the end I’m not a structured purse kind of person and I already have two Chanels that fit the need. But I’m really tempted to get this one and sell a Chanel since it really is a beautiful classic bag.

5. Small Sangle in navy: I had the medium version of this bag but also just recently ended up selling it to a blog reader who asked (lol, I guess I have a hard time saying no). I reviewed it here, and as much as I loved the medium version of this bag I prefer my Cabas Phantom (1 & 2 on this list) and end up using that more. Since I didn’t need two large Céline bags I let this one go. But this smaller Sangle is kind of calling my name.

6. Large Trio Crossbody bag in beige: I used to have this bag in the smaller size and in teal color that never really matched anything so I sold it. I would definitely rebuy this classic Céline crossbody in the larger size and a more neutral color.

7. Zip Around Organizer Wallet: I have two Céline wallets, one of which I purchased from Fashionphile. I love their functional and sturdy wallets, plus they usually have an element of surprise—like this black one with a bright yellow interior. If I was in the market for a larger wallet, this is the one I would get. Also it’s on “last call” right now and selling for $275 (usual retail is closer to $900).

8. Medium Edge Bag in red: My friend has this bag and has been using it for ages, and it’s held up so well. Now that she has a toddler, she uses it as a diaper/baby bag and it surprisingly fits a lot and yet looks chic even when stuffed. I’m tempted to copy her and get this one for myself, especially for this really good used price.

9. Small Soft Cube Bag in navy: I just bought a dark green version of this bag used from Fashionphile (with trade in credit) and I looooove it. It’s the perfect everyday casual bag and I love the crossbody strap and top handle design. I’ll be reviewing this bag very soon so stay tuned!

10. Micro Belt Bag in gray: I reviewed this bag here. I recently sold it to purchase a nano version since this medium-ish size was a bit too large for my daily needs. But I still really love this bag and it’s the perfect practical bag for those who want to carry a bit more than just the essentials.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed my little ode to Céline here and I probably won’t be reviewing anymore Celine items, unless I buy one of these older bags. And if one of you guys do decide to get one of the bags I’m thinking about it here, I won’t be mad, lol (if I really wanted it I should have left it off this list or purchased it right away). But rather I’d be happy that you guys got a beautiful piece of Céline history at a really good price. And if you’re interested to see what else Fashionphile has you can see all their Céline items here.

P.S. This is not at all sponsored and in some ways it’s like a PSA for my Celine bag lovers out there. But these are affiliate links so if anyone purchases through this blog, thank you so much for your support! I really appreciate the small side hustle I am able to make from sharing my joys here :)

Everlane Cashmere Waffle Square Crew Update After 1 Year of Wear

I’m so excited that Everlane is re-releasing their Cashmere Waffle Square Crew again this year with two new colors. You can find my original review of it here. This sweater was hands-down my favorite and most worn sweater of last year. I even sold several of my other cashmere sweater since I found that I just weren’t wearing them because this is all I wore. And you can tell how much I love it but how worn it looks in just one year (though relatively, it’s not too bad):

As with any cashmere sweater, this one pills pretty easily. But that’s easily fixable with a hand dandy lint shaver like the one I have. Voila:

(ok so maybe it’s hard to tell in the pics, but the pilling is gone, but the sweater did pick up some lint)

And if you’re debating between this one and their $100 cashmere sweater, having owned both, I say don’t bother with the $100 cashmere. The knit is thinner on the $100 cashmere so the quality in general isn’t as great. Plus this waffle knit has the kind of beautiful texture you want in a cashmere sweater. This actually looks like it could be from Jenni Kayne (ok I know this is the second post where I rave about that brand but I loooove her Californian casual chic style!), but at less than half the cost.

I also love that this sweater has split sides to make a french tuck (a front tuck) easier and I love the added detail of a longer skinner sleeve hem with a split to keep it comfy at the wrists. Anyway I like this sweater so much I bought another one in this dreamy oatmeal color (which I now see is waitlisted). I know I don’t really need 2, but having one light colored one and one dark colored one is the perfect way to round-out my sweater collection! Also I’ll be able to update this post to let you know if they’ve made any changes from last year’s version of the sweater. {Update: I received the oatmeal waffle cashmere and yes it’s exactly the same style as last year. The color looks oatmeal in regular sunlight but also has a grayish tinge in other lights}.

Oh and in case you don’t want to go back and read the original post, I went with a size down in this sweater because I find Everlane’s “square” style sweaters to be on the oversized side and I prefer a more fitted look. It does make the sweater look a tad more cropped on me but since I’m petite anyway I think it looks great.

P.S. I’m not the only fan of this sweater. Last year, Andrea also wore the heck out of her gray waffle knit cashmere.

Weekend Update/Ramblings

I read this article the other day about how luxury brands in Italy are getting home-workers to sew their clothes at sweatshop prices. If I can’t even trust luxury brands anymore to pay their workers fairly (considering the ludicrous mark-ups they sell their items at), I guess I have to quit them too (or at least only buy them secondhand). Guess I’ll be sticking with secondhand, slow fashion brands, and Everlane for now. Oh and this post by Leah on why Everlane isn’t as bad as the Good On You App rates it nails the issue! This is definitely why I’m still an Everlane addict. And personally I cannot trust an app that rates Zara or H&M better than Everlane knowing that there are articles from this year that expose the abuses at some of their factories and knowing the quality of clothing they churn out.

In pregnancy news, I’m currently at week 16, but back when I was at week 14 I had a nurse practitioner tell me I look like 'I’m at week 20 because of my fibroids. The fibroids has basically taken over my uterus and poor baby is pushed up near my rib cage. All my prenatal health providers are 1) shocked at the size of fibroids and 2) worried about how the baby will develop (there’s a real possibility of her not having enough room to grow). There’s nothing I can really do about it , but in an effort to make me feel like I have some semblance of control over my body I’m back on the Whole30 diet (eating only whole foods for 30 days-no sugar, no gluten, no dairy, no soy). It might not do anything but I just feel like I need to do something, and several articles have cited sugar as source of inflammation as well as hindering liver function (both of which can help fibroids grow). And since the first month of pregnancy I’ve been eating a large amount of sugar daily (and it’s been progressively getting worse). At the very least this diet will be getting me to eat healthier and that’s not a bad thing. Wish me luck guys since the last time I attempted this diet change I only lasted 15 days >.< Also wish me luck that the fibroids will shrink fingers crossed

And finally, if you haven’t watched Maniac on Netflix yet, you’re missing out (ok, I’m a huge Emma Stone fan so I might be a tad biased)!

My Fashionphile Selling Experience {Updated September 2019}

I’ve talked about my purchasing experience before with Fashionphile, my favorite reputable source to buy secondhand luxury bags (I wrote about it here). But I couldn’t speak to the selling experience with them since I usually sell all my bags directly on eBay. I like eBay since it’s the platform with the lowest selling fees and I’ve been selling on eBay for years (and thus have enough feedback to be considered a legit seller). But when my Valentino purse (reviewed here) was not selling even after multiple price drops, I decided to finally try selling it on Fashionphile.

So the first step with selling with Fashionphile is to fill out their form and sending them some pictures of your item. Once you submit it, they get back to you in about 24 hours and they will let you know whether they will consign your item or if they will just buy your bag from you. They usually only consign higher ticket items like Hermes Kellys or Birkins, and they will usually do a straight buy-out for everything else.

If they decide to consign your item, then their fee is 30% of the selling price for under $3000 and 15% of the selling price for bags over $3000. They determine the sale price and if your item doesn’t sell, they reserve the right to put your item on sale (thus lowering the official sell price at the end). Also you don’t get paid until the item sells.

If they decide to buy it, then they will offer you a buy back price. You can get paid either by check or store credit. If you choose store credit then you get 15% on top of the buy back price. In the end they offered me a straight buy back and so I took it. It was about $200 less than what I was trying to sell it for on eBay, so I’m sure if I wanted to make more money I could have split the difference and sold my bag on my own for $800. But for the sake of research and to save me some time I decided to go with Fashionphile.

Once you get the buy back price, they send you a link where you commit to selling it to them and choose your payout method (check or credit). I went with credit since I purchase from Fashionphile all the time, plus I could get 15% more. Then from there you print out a shipping label that they provide and just drop it off at your nearest FedEx location. Once they get it, they send you the money. Seriously it was so easy.

So if you don’t have time or the right platform to sell your luxury bags and accessories I highly recommend selling with Fashionphile for the ease alone. Of course, it comes with a cost and you won’t be making as much money as you would if you sell it yourself. Based on that, I probably won’t be selling through Fashionphile any time soon, but if the stress of selling through Ebay ever gets to me (and believe me, there are some shady buyers out there so watch out), then I know where to turn to!

P.S. With my store credit I purchased a Celine Soft Cube bag, which I’ve been eyeing for months! And in the end I paid $180 out of pocket including tax and shipping because of the trade credit (and that’s for a $1700 bag). I’ve been using it non-stop and will review it soon!

{September 2019 Update: I reviewed the Celine Soft Cube bag here and used it so much I did a 100 wears later update post here. I also have tried selling with The RealReal which I wrote about here: Part 1 and Part 2. When comparing the 2 sites, I still prefer selling and buying high-end items on Fashionphile because you get the check really quick, Fashionphile will tell you exactly how much they will pay before sending the item in, and Fashionphile usually gives a higher payout. But The RealReal is the easiest if you don’t care how much you earn back on your stuff.}

Everlane Review: The Boss Mules and The Boss Loafers

The Boss Mules

As soon as I saw these Everlane Boss Mules on the Coming Soon page, I knew I would be trying them out. Actually I had been eyeing them since the summer when Everlane did a sneak peak of them on their Instagram Stories. And the reason why I was so excited for these shoes is that they look a lot like Jenni Kayne’s mules (similar here). I’ve always wanted her mules but couldn’t fathom spending $395 for them. But a dupe from Everlane that’s $140? Sign me up!

When I first opened the shoe box I thought, “Wow these look like witch shoes” because they were so pointy (and fyi Jenni Kayne’s version isn’t as pointy). But somehow when you wear them, the point doesn’t look as exaggerated. And in fact, the pointiness helps lengthen the leg and I really like how they make my short legs look a tad longer.

The heel of the mule is slightly padded so it feels pretty comfy and even though I have high arches, I had no problems with achy arches even after hours of walking. The front of the shoe has a suede type of material so it keeps the shoe from sliding off your foot (and it makes walking in it easier).

As for sizing, I found that they fit TTS (I’m usually an 8 in Everlane’s shoes). The width was a tad snug but nothing terrible and the length was just right. My toes didn’t feel squeezed in this at all. On the first day I wore them around for a couple hours and it did cause a small blister at the top of the knuckle of my big toe, but only on my left side. My right foot was completely fine. So for those with wide feet I do think this does need a bit of a breaking in period. Also it being a pointy shoe, if you jam that point against anything, the leather will scuff, especially in this softer pebbly matte leather.

But due to the fact that patent leather doesn’t stretch as well as regular leather I’m going to pass on the white pair of Boss Mules (which I originally really wanted and am actually still somewhat contemplating on getting). I really love the look of these shoes and I think the white ones would look so great with my navy and khaki colored pants, but I’d probably have to work on stretching out the left side shoe. Also the white will probably get so dirty and scuffed up, especially since I’m not particularly careful with my shoes and how I walk. These are all the reasons I’m telling myself to hold off on getting another pair of Boss Mules, but we’ll see how long my resolve lasts, lol.

The Boss Loafers

Now it’s a totally different story with these Boss Loafers. I kind of had a feeling they wouldn’t work with my feet because I have sizing issues with most of Everlane’s shoes from the Santa Maria a Monte factory (I explained it all here). And like most of the shoes from that factory, I found this one to be too long though the width is just right. In the pictures above, you can see how the shoes kind of gape at the back. Of course, I don’t have these issues with the Boss Mules because those don’t have a back end. But if you’ve had success with Everlane’s editor heels/slingback, Day Glove, or any of the other shoes from the Santa Maria a Monte factory then you probably won’t have a problem with these loafers. I really do like the taupe color and wish it came in the mule style!

Anyone else try the Boss Mules or Loafers and what did you think? And should I probably pass on the white Boss Mules?

Boody Underwear Review

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So far I’ve reviewed Everlane underwear (spoiler: not a fan) and PACT organic cotton underwear (a fan but also understand why some people say it doesn’t last well) along with some other brands (review here), so I feel pretty well versed in the ethical underwear space. A couple people recommended Boody underwear in my ethical underwear review so I had to give them a try.

If you’re not familiar with Boody Wear, they are an underwear and active wear brand that makes all their items from organic bamboo (a rayon type material made from bamboo). Bamboo is a great sustainable plant that requires less water and less pesticides than cotton (they detail all the benefits of bamboo here). The process of turning bamboo into fabric is a fully closed-look system that recycles all water and chemicals used. To find out how they make this material, check out their page here. Boody Wear also takes their ethical certifications very seriously (and you can view them all here). Their products are made in Korea, and under the WRAP certification they ensure their workers are treated well. All-in-all this is one amazing ethical and sustainable company.

So how is their product?

It’s pretty dang good. So the bamboo material is unexpectedly soft and stretchy. It doesn’t feel like cotton at all, but more like a tight knit spandex/nylon type of material. It’s smooth with a bit of a slipperiness to it (but not as much as nylon). For those who like underwear that stays tight and lasts through multiple washes you’ll probably like Boody a lot more than PACT. But I like my underwear loose and less constricting as well as 100% cotton so I’m still a loyal PACT customer (though I find the lace bikinis are made much better and hold up better than the regular bikini bottoms).

I got the Boody Classic Bikini and found these to run on the small side (but like I said I don’t like my underwear to be constricting so I prefer a looser fit). The mediums fit me well (usually a size 4-6) though I might even go up to a large for a loose fit (the small was a no-go for me). I also tried their padded shaper bra, which I like because they’re like sports bras and the (removable) padding prevents any nipple outlines. For the bras I got a medium and they fit well (I’m a 4 on top).

Their items are machine washable and either lay out to dry or tumble dry low. So far they’ve held up pretty well!

Anyone else try Boody and what did you think?

Weekend Ramblings

A favorite slow fashion uniform (when I could still fit into this Clyde skirt)

Loved this post by Leah this past week because I totally get it. I even felt like slow fashion changed my style (though I think for the better since I feel more “me” than I’ve ever had before). But before blogging led me down this path i never would have looked at linen nor anything oversized (just slim fitting jeans, a blazer, and a tee for the old me). Yet now I have so many pieces that I love and could never part with (hello Elizabeth Suzann linen clydes and Only Child raw silk Alta top). But I get it, we’re in a niche community that makes very similar clothing (especially if you look solely at slow fashion). For me, the high-waisted wide leg look (ala Kamm pants and then later Everlane’s version) was my way of getting sucked into the community standards and trying to make it work even though it didn’t feel like me. Oh and I can also add clogs to that list. Part of it is of course having to try it out and seeing how you feel before you can decide whether or not you’re comfortable with the look. But if you are consistently feeling like it isn’t you, then there’s no point trying to fit the square peg in the round hole. Trying new things is part of the fun and leads to the evolution of your style. If you can do it ethically, sustainably or mindfully that’s what matters (but that’s an ideal that even I, or maybe especially I as a blogger, struggle with). Heck if you can buy a good quality piece that feels 100% you from uniqlo or j.crew and wear it 30+ times that’s better than trying to buy slow fashion items that you never wear.

Anyway changing topics, I’m currently watching The Miniaturist on PBS. If you love period dramas, this one is gooorgeous. Plus it’s set in Amsterdam during it’s golden age and I’m all about Amsterdam since my trip this past January. It comes out on Sundays but you have to wait until Mondays if you want to watch it online.

And lastly, I’ve been trying to read some old Kinfolk magazines that I purchased on a whim that have been sitting around the house ever since (Vol. 8 from 2013). And I read this one passage which I thought was perfect for the changing of the seasons:

We are creatures capable of awe and reverence. And we can position ours selves and our hearts to feel heavy and wonderful things. But to choose to see the beauty in the passing is no easy task. We must first cast off our illusions of control, and then we must take a step back and prepare ourselves for the full spectrum of pathos—love, beauty, loss… “Mono no aware” [Japanese, translation: the pathos of things] tells us to love now. Act now. Be here now. Invite our friends over, and stay up late. Because this time, this opportunity, this season will soon pass. Bask here while it is still possible… Our days ebb and flows. Our lives are a collection of seasons where tides approach and recede, and trees flower and wither. The green fullness of summer is made more precious by the skeleton branches of winter. So don’t fight time and don’t fight the season. Don’t keep things from ending, but celebrate them for the life they have now.

Everlane Try-on: The Square Toe Slingback

Hi guys so I tried this Square Toe Slingback from Everlane, hoping that this shoe would suddenly elevate me to cool-girl chic or that fashion forward blogger. But to be honest I mostly just hated the shoe. Ok, hate is a strong word, but I generally disliked it.

And one of the reasons was due to the fit. I got my usual Everlane size 8 but like the V-heel (which I reviewed here), the width was perfect but the the length was a tad too long on me (again my foot slips out from the slingback and I would need to add something like this to keep it on my foot). And I finally figured out that the shoe lasts that the Santa Maria a Monte factory (where these shoes are made) just don’t fit my feet. That’s why the Editor Heel (reviewed here), Editor Slingback (reviewed here), V heel (reviewed here), and Day Glove (reviewed here) all made at the same factory just don’t fit my feet (I’ve tried and returned all of those shoes). The one exception was the V sling back (reviewed here) but I think that’s because the woven leather is more forgiving than the regular leather. In general I find that Everlane’s shoes from their Montopoli in Val D’Arno factory (the Day Heel, the Day Heel Mules) just fit my foot better (these are some of my favorite shoes Everlane’s ever made). So I’ll probably think twice before ordering any more shoes that come out of their Santa Maria a Monte factory. But if any of those other shoes from the Santa Maria factory worked out for you in terms of sizing, this square to slingback should also work for your foot.

In general I found the square toe area to be kind of tight near the toes (my pinky toe was definitely getting squished). Also I have feet with a high profile and so the top of the shoes presses down and rubs against the top of the foot. This is also the same problem I had with the Day Gloves and thus I was one of the few who didn’t like this generally popular shoe.

I also found the leather on these quite stiff and I didn’t like how in just wearing them around the house for 15 minutes, some major pretty creases developed on the top of the shoe at the widest point. I love the soft and supple leather used on the Day Heels and Day Mules and these are nothing like that. But they’re not quite as stiff as the Modern Loafers.

And last but not least, I just couldn’t get used to the look of the shoe. As much as I know this is granny chic, I think my style in general is just more classic. So I love my classic Day Heels, Day Mules and V Slingback (I think this is the most granny chic I can pull off). But this trendy shoes is definitely outside of my comfort zone and something I’m not sure I could pull off.

Ah well at least I tried. And I also returned them because I wanted to save my credit for the Boss Mules that are coming out soon (sneak peek of a screenshot from Everlane’s insta-story awhile back):

P.S. Is it just me or does Everlane’s shoe design team seem to borrow heavily from the styles that can be found at Need Supply. First it was the Day Glove as a dupe for the Martiniano Glove Shoe. This square toe sling back looks a lot like the Yuul Yie Square Toe Slingback to me.

Weekend Update

As you might have noticed, there was no Friday review this week. The combo of the tail-end of our busy season at the Airstream biz + this pregnancy + buying less overall has meant that my reviews have slowed down, which I think is a good thing. It really isn’t sustainable to be buying 3 new items a week to review (even if some of it is free on credit or eventually returned because it doesn’t work out). I wonder if I should try to do a different kind of post on Friday. Though I feel like the things I want to talk about (living with less, zero or low waste, how to be productive, wellness, etc.) have all been done to death by a lot of other blogs. Would you guys be interested in hearing my (admittedly non-expert) take on these things? Maybe a post about saving money or investing money since I’m saving money by buying less (so what do I do with my savings?—so far pretty much nothing so I probably need to improve that part of my life asap).

Anyway I also wanted to mention last week (but since the post was long enough as it was, I decided to save this for later) but I had made my peace about not having kids a couple of years ago. I was sad for about a year when we tried and couldn’t get pregnant. I went to a fertility doctor where we went though the first round of blood tests/sperm tests and nothing was abnormal. The next steps were imaging and xrays, which we decided to put on hold since we were starting a business. I’m sure then we would have found out it was the uterine fibroids that was preventing the pregnancy. But then I decided that my line/my boundary at that time for how far I would go to get pregnant would be natural or not at all (no hormones, no IVF, no surgery, etc.) . I even wrote out a post titled “I probably won’t have any kids and I’m happy with that” or something like that—it was in my drafts folder and I couldn’t quite get it right so I put it on hold. But after reading both Grechen’s post and Garance’s post about not having kids, I wanted to tell my own child-free-by-choice story. I also read through this book of essays from authors with no children. And after all that I knew I could be happy even without a child. Of course, now I am pregnant and I’m also happy. But don’t let anyone tell you that your life is better either or way or that your happiness level depends on a child. You will find happiness no matter what because there’s a lot of things to be grateful for in living. And just because your life doesn’t look like everyone else’s, doesn’t mean it’s in any way less than.

Tata Harper Review: The Purifying Mask and the Clarifying Mask {June 2020 Update}

Let me start off this post by saying I’m not a face mask person. I have super sensitive acne-prone skin that freaks out with most face masks. The masks for acne usually dry out my skin and/or don’t do anything, while a lot of other masks I tried for even sensitive skin will cause my skin to burn or break out in a rash. And sheet masks? Forget ‘em, I’ve had too many bad reactions to even try those out again.

So I was really pleasantly surprised when I tried out a sample of the Tata Harper Clarifying Mask and I loved it. I had tried a Tata Harper serum once before (like 5 years ago when they first started having a buzz) and I hated the smell of it. So I promptly returned it to Sephora and have stayed away from Tata Harper since then. But thanks to influencers on Instagram (mostly Jamie from annstreetstudio) the Clarifying mask has been on my radar (this is the Tata Harper mask that makes everyone’s faces green). So when I saw the sample for offer I jumped at the chance to try it. And then it took me another month or so before I actually tried it. But as soon as I used it, I was a believer. No stinging, no tightness, and when I took off the mask my skin felt much smoother and softer. This is probably the only product where I’ve actually felt an instant difference.

Just one sample and I was a convert, so I spent some Citi Thank you points to buy the full-size jar. And since I had enough credit, I decided to try the Purifying Mask as well (more on that in a bit). I’ve been using the Clarifying Mask once a week now and I can say that any zits I do get shrink right away and don’t get further inflamed. My skin overall is looking clearer and smoother for sure. For once, all the claims for clearing up sensitive acne-prone skin is true.

Also I love that Tata Harper only uses non-toxic, 100% natural ingredients with no synthetics. The Clarifying mask has the following active ingredients:

-Alpha Hydroxy Acid Superfruit Blend: Provides chemical exfoliation to help minimize the appearance of blemishes and breakouts. 
-Quartz Sand Micro-Crystals: Provide physical exfoliation to soften and smooth the look of the skin. 
-Soothing Super Seed Blend: Helps calm and relieve the appearance of redness on the skin. 
-Raw Honey Enzymes: Simultaneously moisturize and cleanse the skin, helping pores appear clear and clean. 

And lastly, I know this Clarifying Mask is not cheap but it really does feel like the ultimate luxury when using it. The green glass bottle has a nice weight to it while the golden lid is super pretty. And even though the jars look small, there is a lot of product in there and I feel like it will last be months (I’ll update this post once I finish the jar to let you know how long it actually lasted).

Like I said above, I also purchased the Purifying Mask, which I also have been using once a week. Since both masks have an acid component (AHA) to help exfoliate the skin (thus limiting breakouts by clearing out dead skin from the pores) I only use them each once a week and I space it out by several days in between. I especially space it out since my skin is super sensitive, but if your skin is tougher you could probably do it three times a week. So the Purifying Mask is also meant to help clear acne prone skin and these are the natural active ingredients in this one:

-Lactobacillus: Thoroughly cleanses without stripping the skin or affecting the skin's natural balance.
-Brown Algae: Helps make the skin appear firm and lifted. 
-Prickly Pear Seed Oil: An excellent source of antioxidant vitamin E; improves elasticity for a youthful look. 
-White Clay: Helps cut through and remove buildup. 

However the Purifying Mask doesn’t say it’s for sensitive skin and it’s right. I’m using it because I have it, but I can’t leave the mask on for more than 8 minutes before my skin starts to feel like its burning (instructions say to use it for 10-20 minutes). When I take it off, my skin feels sensitive and is a bit red. But the next morning my skin is so soft, smooth and again I haven’t had a break out since using it. So I’m a bit torn about whether or not I want to keep using this Purifying Mask. This one definitely has some pros and cons.

But as for the Clarifying Mask, I’m sold. This is by far one of the best masks I’ve ever used and even turns a mask-hater like me into a convert.

Anyone else try the Tata Harper masks and what did you think? I also recently purchased two more Tata Harper products because I’m so in love with her stuff! What have you tried?

{June 2020 update: I wanted to add an update to this post since there have been some developments with the founder of this company liking racist comments on her Instagram as well as blocking anyone trying to have a discussion about racial injustice (or now just ignoring them). Thus I can no longer support this brand, not that I have been much. I haven’t re-purchased any of these masks, nor liked any of their other products I’ve tried (a body cream gave me a rash last year). Save your money and I recommend not purchasing from this brand.}

Everlane Review: The Texture Cotton Crew

As soon as I saw these Texture Cotton Crew sweaters on the Everlane site I knew I was going to be trying them out, no question.  I've been looking for a reasonably priced, ethically-made, good-ole chunky knit cotton sweater for seasons.  I liked Grana's wool version from several years ago though the 100% wool was a tad warm and it ended up stretching out to a potato sack shape from all the wear.  But also in general I find the wool chunky knits that come out (and Everlane has had several in the past couple of years), are all a tad too warm for the mostly mild San Jose winters.  And you know what?  This is the chunky knit sweater I've been looking for!

{Wearing on the left: The Texture Cotton crew with old Tory Burch skirt (similar here) and Everlane Day Heel Mules (review here); on the right: with Frame Denim (similar here)}

I'm wearing a small here, and I find that they run TTS.  I love that the crew collar is fitted but not too tight and definitely not a mockneck.  The sleeves are also at the perfect length.

The knit of these sweaters is thick but very tight.  And that's probably due to the 27% nylon content in these sweaters.  I'm not a huge fan of plastic-blended fabrics but in this case I can see why they chose to go this route.  With my experience with 100% cotton knit sweaters, even a light weave will stretch and bag out.  But I think the nylon in this will help to keep this sweater's shape even though it's a thick knit (which tends to be heavier and even more prone to stretching out).  In this case I'm willing to compromise to get the heavy knit sweater look of my dreams.

{Wearing the sweater with on Left: Grana Silk Full skirt, Everlane Day Heels (review here); and on the right: Lauren Manoogian Skirt (similar here), Everlane Modern Loafer Mules}

I really like the navy color, but since I already have a favorite navy sweater from Everlane I decided to try out the "surplus" color even though I'm not usually a fan of brownish sweaters (and I originally skipped out on the white because I can't keep anything white clean for the life of me).  But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the color irl is more green and it's a true olive (even the description on the tag says "OLV" which I'm assuming means olive so I'm not sure why they decided to call it surplus?).  But I love this sweater so much I'm super tempted to get it in the white (future spills be damned because wouldn't the white just looks so wintery and lovely?), but I'm going to wait until there's something else I want to get from Everlane so I can combine it for free shipping.  

{Wearing: Everlane Texture Cotton Crew, Grana Silk Ankle Pants (review here), Everlane Modern Loafer Mules (review here)}

Also I saw on the Insta-story of a fellow Everlane addict, Sally, that she tried the v-neck version of this chunky knit sweater and the V comes down quite low.  Personally I like to keep the neckline high so that I can wear a regular tee underneath and it wouldn't peek out from under the sweater.

Anyway I'll be periodically update this post to let you know how this sweater wears (will it stretch out?  will it keep its shape?).  Oh and this is a completely unsponsored posts (though there are affiliate links so thank you for your support!) because it looks like after my moment of assertiveness I might have stepped over a line or gone over an allotted budget.  Either way I was not offered any free gifts to review for August (too bad too since there's so many things I wanted to try).  Ah well easy come, easy go but I'm still an Everlane addict at heart and so these reviews will keep on coming!

P.S. I just wanted to add that I love that these sweaters look like these beautiful cashmere ones from Jenni Kayne but of course the Everlane ones are a quarter of the cost but also not made of cashmere.

Weekend Update

So I debated on whether or not to let you guys know about this now or later, but since I've told a lot of people early on I thought I might as well share it with you guys, my internet friends too lol.  I'm pregnant!  Wow that felt kind of weird to type (it was my first time putting those words down on paper/computer).  It feels so much more official now.  I'm currently at 13 weeks so a week after the first trimester, which is the "normal" time to start telling people.  But I've had a really difficult first trimester with multiple major bleeding episodes so I wasn't sure we would make it to this point, and thus my hesitation for telling you all even at 13 weeks.  But if (God forbid) anything should happen, I don't want to be hiding the fact that I was pregnant like some shameful secret.  I want to be sharing with you guys my ups and downs as they come.

Anyway the bleeding seems to be under control and it looks like it was due to some very large uterine fibroids that I didn't even know I had until pregnancy hormones made them grow crazily (and thus my uterine fibroid post a month back, but yea that was only half the story).  So even though I was only 8 weeks pregnant, I already couldn't fit into most of my clothes.  But the sentiment of that post still holds true: just when I found my style/uniform my body up and changes on me so that now I'm looking to find clothes that fit me as well as fit my style and are also ethical/sustainable.  I don't want to buy a lot of cheap maternity clothes for the next year, just to dump them at Goodwill later (this is actually the advice I got from a fellow pregnant friend when I asked her about maternity clothes).  So instead I've been hitting up eBay and Crossroads to find quality thrifted clothes that fit (and which I can sell back later).  And luckily, as I mentioned before, I've already been on the elastic pants train for awhile now so I still have some things that fit me (namely my Everlane chinos and Elizabeth Suzann linen Clydes--though this is getting pretty tight).

Anyway this is all just to let you know that I may be buying new clothes to accommodate my changing shape but I'm going to try to do it in an ethical and sustainable manner.  Also I will try my best to keep this an ethical fashion blog and not turn it into another mommy blog.  But of course I blog about my life and my life is about to change.  Yet I'll try not to let it take over everything (I kind of foresee it like my bag reviews, where most people here could care less but for a select few they find those posts really interesting).  And I'll probably be limiting mentioning baby stuff to these more personal weekend update posts rather than in my reviews.

But yep, my life's about to change big time.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous but ah we'll see how it goes!

P.S. Also if my quality of writing goes down or my grammatical and spelling mistakes go up please excuse my pregnancy brain.  I always thought it was a myth but folks, I'm finding that it's definitely a real side effect of pregnancy :P

P.P.S I have added a little bit more about my fertility issues and coming to peace with possibly not having kids here.

Amazon Dupe for the Slip Silk Pillowcase?

via

So last month when I did a review of the Slip Silk Pillow case (here), I was asked by a reader if I would test out a dupe she found on Amazon.  And I totally understood because if you can get away with paying $38 instead of $80 for the same thing, why not?  The one she liked from Amazon was this one, with 25mm silk which is higher in momme weight than the 22mm Slip silk pillowcase.  Also the Amazon one says it's made of the same mulberry silk charmeuse that Slip touts as using.  

So what did I think?

Unfortunately it is not the same.  I had mentioned in my Slip silk review that I tried to make my own cheap silk pillowcase by converting the Grana 22mm silk slip dress into pillowcases.  And well to be honest the one from Amazon is more like these Grana ones than it is to the original Slip (though I would say the Amazon one is better than the Grana ones by a smidge).  There's a difference in texture between the Slip one and the Amazon one.  Somehow the Slip ones are just more slippery and smooth, while the dupe is (though not rough) a tad rougher.  It just doesn't have the same slinkiness to it (for the lack of a better descriptive word).  Also when it comes to my face creams, with the Slip pillowcase I can tell it's not absorbing into the silk (it just kinda stays on the surface and sometimes can feel a bit tacky) but this pillowcase is definietly absorbing it.

I do however like that these Amazon ones have a zipper to it since sometimes my pillow pops out of the sleeve of the Slip pillowcase.  But other than that I would repurchase my Slip silk pillowcase in a heartbeat.  Like I said $80 is a lot but if you only use one and take great care of it, it's worth it all the way.  Now this dupe is sort of like a substitute whenever my Slip one is in the wash.

Bridge and Burn Review: The Kharmen Dress

Hi guys and I have a new ethical brand featured today that you guys might have heard of: Bridge and Burn.  They're a Portland, OR, company that's been on my radar since I first visited Portland 4 years ago and I've already purchased a couple items from them before (I just haven't reviewed them before).  If you're not familiar with them, they manufacture their clothes either in San Francisco or in one Canadian-owned factory in China where they can make small batches of their designs.  They've got all the ethical standards covered and you can read more about it here. 

So I had some credit in my pocket from a returned jacket in January so I decided to treat myself after a no buy July (unfortunately it was earlier in the month before their massive sale going on right now *faceplam*).  The first thing I got was this Kharmen Dress in light blue stripes because I'm such a sucker for a blue striped dress.

First a note on sizing: I ordered this in a small and I would say it's a tad oversized.  I find that B&B tends to run a tad large but not enough for me to bother to size down.  Plus I wanted a loose easy dress and don't mind the extra space (also if I eat a lot, you wouldn't be able to tell in this dress).  It wasn't so large that the arm holes were showing my bra so that's good.

So what did I think of the dress?  I love it!  It's such a good easy summer dress that you can throw on and not have to think about it the rest of the day.  I like the length since it's not a mini and the hem is also slightly longer in the back than in the front.  So I can comfortably bend down without flashing anyone my underwear.  Oh and it has pockets.  That's good 'ole no-nonsense Pacific Northwest design for you lol.  The only thing I'm a little meh about is the racerback design since I don't have a racerback style bra and I'm too lazy to try to convert my regular bras into one.  I'm not a huge fan of having my bra straps show in the back but I can live with it.

{Wearing the Kharmen dress with my fave Everlane V Sling back (reviewed here)}

But what I like the most though, and this is what has drawn me to B&B from the beginning is the fabric they use.  I love that they use Japanese fabrics because (and I'm probably biased here because of my Japanese heritage) I think Japan makes some of the best high quality fabrics.  I mean Elizabeth Suzann and Only Child both source their linens from Japan.  But in general a lot of good fabric is made in Japan (I used to buy a lot of clothes from Japan and a lot of the made in Japan stuff has lasted me decades!).  This particular dress fabric is a blend of cotton and linen and it feels like a light chambray denim.  It doesn't wrinkle even after a whole days worth of wear and it feels light but sturdy.  Also even though the dress is light colored, it is fully opaque and black undies won't show.  One of my other B&B items is a jacket from their traditional Kiriko Japanese textile collection and I love its uniqueness.

Anyway you can find this Kharmen dress here for $84 (from $118).  I know summer is pretty much over for a  lot of you so please don't go buying this dress if you aren't going to be wearing it until next year (no use keeping it in your closet no matter how good the price).  But if you live in Hawaii, Florida, or plan to be visiting a lot of warm places in the next couple of months, I can't think of  a better ethically-made summer dress!

P.S. Their returns are a bit of a pain (you have to send it back yourself and you can only get store credit in the form of an email that you have to remember to use), so I would advise purchasing only if you're pretty sure you're going to keep it.

Weekend Ramblings

So I was all ready to buy the Elizabeth Suzann Harlow Tunic this week after waiting for ordering to open up (which was originally scheduled for Tuesday but then got pushed to Wednesday).  I had it in my cart and was ready to finish check out when I stopped myself.  Currently I'm reading Your Money or Your Life (I have the original version that's over 20 years old and it's more relevant than ever) and I think it's influencing me.  Especially this group of passages:

"Clutter is anything that is excess--for you.  It's whatever you have that doesn't serve you, yet takes up space in your world...Enough is a wide and stable plateau.  It is a place of alertness, creativity, and freedom.  From this place, being suffocated under a mountain of clutter that must be stored, cleaned, moved, gotten rid of and paid for on time is a fate worse than dearth...What creates clutter?...It comes from the disease of materialism, of looking for inner fulfillment in outer possessions."

So I know the ES Harlow Tunic isn't exactly clutter, but at the same time I have been trying to sell some of my less used items either on my eBay store or to Crossroads (P.S. if you're interested in anything in my eBay store, readers can get 15% and free shipping off by messaging me and I'll list it reserved for you on my Closet Sale page).  Also I just got some new items from Crossroads with my trade credit so I have quite a few new to me items I'm itching to wear.  Plus I factored in that by the time I got the Harlow Tunic, 6-7 weeks from now we'll be heading straight to the cold months and so a linen sleeveless tunic isn't really the most rational thing to buy (and in a sense would be clutter in my closet until summer rolls around again).  If I still want it come spring, I'll order it then (and in the meantime I'll be looking for it secondhand as well just in case).  So I guess I'll be saving my dollars for now, but I feel really good about this decision.  

Anyway hope you're all have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend and I'll be skipping a Monday post, but I'll be reviewing a new-to-the-blog ethical brand on Wednesday!

Everlane Try-on: The V-Heel

This summer I've really been loving my V Slingbacks from Everlane (review here) so I thought I would try out their heeled version, the V-Heel.  There's something about the high profile v-shaped front that looks granny-chic yet modern.  And the V-heel looks even more granny-chic because of the low square heel.  This is a pretty trendy shoe that looks "very right now" but I wonder how it will look a couple of years from now?

First a note on sizing: I got this in my usual Everlane size of 8 and I found that it was a tad too long.  The front part felt perfect (and I have slightly wide feet), but my heel kept slipping out the back.  I was debating sizing down and trying this shoe again, but I was worried that then the front part would feel too narrow.  I then debated on adding a heel pad like this one, which might have worked.  But in the end I decided to return the shoe because of the in-between sizes issue and because I'm just not a fan of suede.  I can never keep my suede shoes nice and I rather not have to fret about getting my shoes wet or scuffed.

Other than the trouble with the fit, I did like the heel height which is the same as my Day Heels.  I really love block heels and wished these fit my feet better and I could almost look past the suede.  I guess if you really want to try this shoe then I would advise possibly sizing down (or if you're in-between sizes, definitely go with your smaller size).

Anyway I probably have too many Everlane shoes as it is, so I need to start cutting back.  But I can't help it, I really love their well-made Italian shoes.  

Anyone else try this shoe and what did you think?

P.S. Also here’s another review of these V-heels from fellow Everlane addict Jamie-lee!

Trying out YOOXygen

So the other day I was browsing through my usual blog roll when I read about YOOXygen, an arm of YOOX that promotes responsible and ethical fashion.  I've heard of YOOX before, and always thought of them as a kind of Net-a-Porter (basically a site that sells designer clothes).  I've never shopped at YOOX before but I was intrigued by YOOXygen, which is a curated selection of brands that are either produced ethically or sustainably.  There's a kind of hodge podge of brands on YOOXygen, some are well known but most are not.  But on each product page, they give a little background as to why this brand can be considered under the YOOXygen umbrella.  I think this is a great idea for an online site and would love to see something like this for Net-a-Porter or Shopbop so it makes it easier for the conscious consumer to buy from socially responsible brands.  Also this is a great way to discover new ethical brands if you're looking for something different.

So I purchased two items to try.  The first was this white organic cotton blouse from a new-to-me brand called Rakha.  Here's the blurb that YOOXygen gives on Rakha's ethical standards: Rakha recognizes social and environmental responsibility as an integral part of their strategy and practice. Materials are carefully sourced from partners who share the brand’s values: cruelty-free, non-toxic, fair wages, and helping to build sustainable communities. Rakha’s approach to design and garment making is focused on sustainability, making items in eco-friendly or repurposed materials that are biodegradable or can be recycled. All their organic or sustainable materials are certified, including Woolmark certified merino wools, GOTS certified organic cotton, and RPET recycled fabrics.  Sounds awesome right?  Sounds like my kind of ethical brand.  However, if the product doesn't really hold up, all the great ethics in the world isn't going to make me want to wear the item.  And unfortunately this blouse was super transparent and see-through.  Plus the sizing was a bit off and oversized.  So back it went.

The other garment that I got from YOOXygen was this Wool & Gang black long cardigan.  I've heard of Wool & Gang before from Andrea when she knit her own beautiful rust colored sweater from the kit that the brand sent her (you should check it out, it really is gorgeous).  But I'm not a knitter (I've tried) so I thought, why not just buy something that's already knit from this awesome brand.  Here's the blurb that YOOXygen gives for them: Wool and the Gang is a brand which disruptes the traditional business model by empowering customers to produce fashion at home. The brand work for reducing the impact that fashion has on the environment. Wool is the main yarn used by brand, because of its natural, renewable and biodegradable charachteristics. The collaboration with fashion fabrics helps to repurpose fashion waste into new yarn to reduce landfill. The brand also aim to create a community in which every single customers become a crafter, able to produce its own hat or sweater.  And well, I didn't love it.  The wool fibers kept coming off on everything it touched and then when I wore it, it just looked so ridiculously oversized with the front flaps kind of pointing out like wings.  This is just one of those things that you don't know what it's going to look like until you try it on.  So unfortunately I returned this too.

Ah well it was worth trying but I guess when it's a collection of various brands, each with differing standards of quality it can be quite hit or miss.  And in this case it was a miss.  Luckily like most big online sites, returning items was a breeze (one step online and it comes with a UPS label sticker in the box) though they do take $6.95 out of the refund for the return shipping cost.  But it's great to see so many different brands ethical and/or sustainable brands out there now.  I have a feeling that this is a field that's just going to keep growing!

Everlane Choose What You Pay Sale

I know Everlane to a lot of people is the gateway to ethical clothing because it's priced at a pretty accessible price point for many, but I also realize that's not true for everyone.  So here's a quick round-up of some things that I like from Everlane that they recently added to their Choose What You Pay sale page.  And of course if you're not in the market to buy anything, please don't buy it just because it's on sale.

1) The Day Heel Mule

Reviewed here.  The cognac leather version of these has been my favorite heeled shoe from Everlane ever (even preferred over my Day Heels) because once I broke them in (about 4 hours in one day), they have been my most comfortable heels ever.  It's one of those rare shoes that I will choose interchangeably with flats, and this is from someone who before Everlane, swore off all heels.  I loved these shoes so much I bought a second pair in the natural suede (unfortunately before they went on sale, woomp woomp).

2) The Linen Oversized Collarless Shirt

Reviewed here.  This is another item I loved so much I purchased twice (first in white and then in the black).  If I didn't already have two, I would definitely be tempted by this peach striped version now on discount.  And just a note on sizing, I purchased the white one in a size smaller than my normal and found the fit to be great since I prefer my shirts to be less oversized.

3) The Modern Zip Backpack in Mini

Reviewed here.  I added this to the line-up because it's perfect for back to school!  This is an Everlane classic and I first reviewed this bag 2.5 years ago! Though I would note that this backpack isn't meant to be loaded with heavy books, but rather just a laptop and notebook (but do kids even carry heavy textbooks anymore?).

4) The Cotton Crew

Reviewed here.  I really love this style of Everlane tee with the high neckline.  I wear these on days when I'm spending a lot of time outdoors and don't want any sun damage on my chest.  For the micro stripe tee like this one I would probably size up to a medium for a looser fit.

5) The Short Puffer Jacker and The Lightweight Puffer Jacket

Reviewed the Short Puffer here and the Lightweight Puffer here.  I know it's a tad early to be planning for winter (did I just say let's relish the summer and not rush into fall, lol).  But if you're in the market for a new winter puffer jacket, Everlane makes a great high quality one (and you can't beat these prices now).  The short puffer is probably best for places with snow, while the lightweight puffer is perfect for our California winters.  

Weekend Ramblings

So the other day I was thinking what's the difference between a Dupe and a Fake?  I saw a blogger post about a "dupe" of a very popular bag and I thought, "Well doesn't that make it a fake?"  But then would Everlane's Day Glove be considered a dupe or a fake (of the Martiniano Glove Shoe)?  What's the difference and where is the ethics on that?  For me, a dupe seems okay (I've mostly seen it used for makeup), while a fake (usually handbags) is obviously not.  So does the difference come down to the monetary value of the item: "dupe" is for inexpensive items while "fakes" are for expensive items?  Or maybe it's a matter of logos?  If you're copying the logo then it's a fake but if the item has no logos, then a design copy is just a dupe?  Of course it's all a bit gray and you just have to do what works for you.  As for me, buying fake bags is a definite no-go (buy a fake, you're a fake), but that's also because fakes have no resell value unless you're willing to dupe a person (which I could never do).

Also I'm happy to see that Garance Dore (one of my long time favorite bloggers) is finally starting to featuring conscious/ethical fashion on her blog Atelier Dore.  She's highlighting fashionable woman who choose a more conscious way of dressing.  I really liked this interview with Natasha Schick, which now makes me want to try Feit shoes.  I also appreciated this one with Renee Peters since she wears Elizabeth Suzann.

Everyone seems to be getting ready for fall but this year I'm not there yet.  Maybe because the summer hasn't been as hot here in San Jose as the last couple of years or maybe because I've been dressing in uniform all summer, but I'm still going to try to squeeze out more utilization of my summer clothes (especially some summer dresses).  Plus I'm trying not to look into the future (and planning and wanting for the future), but live in and relish the present.  Because I know once we're in the thick of cold season, I'm going to be wanting the summer heat again.  

Currently watching: Casual on Hulu (love the cynical LA humor and one line zingers) and Scott & Bailey (on Amazon Prime), which is one of those BBC detective shows but this one features a pair of women as the protagonist detectives, and they have an awesome female boss.   It's more procedural but pretty realistic, and it's kind of sad that this type of female-centric show is an anomaly.