Weekend Update/Ramblings & Giveaway! {Closed)

Thanks to everyone who saw my rather dramatic Insta-story post about checking into the ER on Saturday night. I had some scary bleed episodes and rushed to the hospital where they did a bunch of tests, gave me an IV, some shots, and special monitoring. After all that they’re not sure what the problem is but it could be either a placental abruption or something with the fibroids. Anyway on the bright side things turned out well and I have special instructions in case I do go into pre-term labor. Also this was kind of a test run for the real deal when I have to go into the hospital for my C-section, which will be longer than this past two night stint. Oh and I’m not sure if I mentioned it here but I definitely have to get a C-section due to my fibroids. When they did the ultrasounds to check for the baby’s growth (which is all good by the way), I also asked them to estimate the size of my fibroids. I have one the size of a mini watermelon and another the size of a grapefruit, and both are blocking the baby’s exit through the cervix. The doctors were amazed I was even able to get pregnant in the first place considering the location of these fibroids.

Anyway the bottom portion is something that I wrote earlier in the week before all this drama. It’s small beans compared to what I just went through but I didn’t feel like erasing it. Even though the bottom matters are relatively insignificant, they’re still things I think about when it comes to this blog.

I learned a bit of discouraging info about the blog this month when I was looking over the stats. I try not to look at it too often since I don’t want to be ruled by numbers, but at the same time I keep an eye out on them so that I can make sure I’m on the right track when it comes to writing about what people want to read. And it seems I went off the track because my numbers are way down last month, which is particularly unusual. And the week I can pinpoint where I lost a lot of readers? After publishing this post saying I’ll be doing less clothing reviews. Hot dang that’s discouraging. I want people to read this blog, so I guess that means the best way to do that is to keep acquiring new things and reviewing them? No, I know that’s not the best for my pocketbook or mental health but still, I wish I could take those words back and keep the readers! The irony, is that I’m still doing a ton of reviews because I had a backlog of things I wanted to talk about on the blog. Plus I’m still buying things, I’m just no longer getting things for free. I feel like I made a wrong decision since who wouldn’t want to be still getting things for free, more readers in the process, and earn more money (triple positive). Now I feel like I’m in triple negative territory. Ah well, I just need to keep doing what I feel is right for me though and try not to get discouraged.

And guess all those fair-weather readers will miss out on some giveaways I had planned. Like this one for a $50 Everlane gift card! Thank you to all those who did decide to stick around despite my decision for no sponsored/gifted items posts and less reviews in general. You are my true reader-friends :)

To enter just fill in the form below. The giveaway closes next Sunday PST and winner will be announced Monday. Email will just be used to notify the winner and as the address to send the digital gift card to (no spam). And please only one entry per person. Thanks!

Fendi Small By The Way Bag Review {Updated August 2022}

I’m not really a fan of Fendi. I’ve never liked their fashion/style (ick their F logos) nor their traditional specialty (fur). But 4-5 years ago, when this By The Way Bag was introduced by Fendi I fell in love. It didn’t matter what the designer brand was, I loved the style and simplicity (it almost look like it could be a Celine bag no?). Anyway I purchased this bag back in 2015 (at $500 off retail, but still at about $1300). A lot, I know but I loved that bag and waited for a year for it to finally go down in price. Also I should mention this is one of the few bags I’ve ever purchased new (that’s how much I wanted it).

And I’ve carried this By The Way (BTW) bag consistently for 3 years now and it’s probably the most used bag in my arsenal. It’s also one of the oldest, and it’s a testament to how great of a bag it is considering how quick I am to sell bags that I don’t find useful anymore.

So it’s a surprise that I’ve never thought about reviewing it on the blog yet. It’s probably because this bag never really took off and became a trendy “it” bag (but that’s also why I love it so much too—it’s obscure). Also when a bunch of new things are constantly entering the closet, the really old stuff sometimes get forgotten. But I would be doing a disservice to the bag if I didn’t review it and let you guys all know about it (especially now that it’s been out for so long and you can find some really really good deals on this bag used like the one linked above).

Some of the things I love about this bag are:

~ (ok this is the best thing about the bag) The handle straps that can be folded down flat against the bag to give it a sleek shape when carrying it crossbody. I usually carry my bags over my shoulder or crossbody but I like having the option of top handles, especially when I need to peer into the bag to get something. Most of my crossbody bags like my Celine Nano Belt (reviewed here) and Celine Soft Cube bag (reviewed here) have handles that stick out or flop down, which isn’t a problem. But this BTW bag handles are so discrete and yet so useful!

~ I’ve always loved the boston bag shape (rectangular bottom with a simple shape and two top handles). But this bag doesn’t look like your classic boston bag (think of Gucci’s Boston Bag or Dior’s Boston bag).

~ That classic shape also allows it to hold a lot of stuff. The top is slightly narrower than the base so the bag feels unobtrusive, yet because of the great rectangular base it can way more than you think! This is probably one of my larger crossbody bags that can fit the essentials and then some.

~ The leather is super durable (well the one I have is the smooth leather) and this is the bag I take on rainy days. No water spots ever. Plus it’s fully zippable so nothing inside gets wet.

~ Speaking of the inside, the bag is separated into three compartments. There’s a middle zipper one, perfect for small items and things you don’t want to lose ever. And then there’s two larger compartments that can hold your sunglass case or your larger wallet. One of the side also has pockets in the lining (though it can’t fit your iPhone). And then the whole thing can be zipped up securely with the main zipper compartment.

~ Because of the adjustable crossbody strap and the flatable top handles, there are a lot of ways to carry this bag. Over your shoulder with a shortened strap, crossbody with the longer strap, hand held, or push one side down flat and pop the other for a cool clutch (like the runway models below but I have to say I have never once carried it this way).

Large size

small size

After three years of using and owning this bag here are some of the negatives I’ve learned:

~ The strap that the BTW comes with is great because the snaps make it fully adjustable. But for me, my hair kept getting stuck in them and it would end up pulling my hair out. No thanks, I need all the hair I can keep! So I ended up switching it with a different strap and it was no big deal.

~ There are no feet on the bottom of this bag so you have to be kind of careful where you set it down. Seriously feet would have made this bag near perfect in my eyes.

~ After 3 years of use and abuse the corners of the bag have started to indent in. But that doesn’t really bother me, it’s just a sign that this bag has been well used (plus have you seen the corners of my Everlane Day Market Tote? If I can handle that, I can handle anything. Well except when the corners start getting holes in them—ahem I’m looking at you Goyard St. Louis bags and Longchamp Le Pilage bags. The flatable handles of the BTW bag will also start bending with use but there’s no popped stitching or other wear on them.

So if you compare my pros and cons list, you can see that the pros far outweigh the cons (even 3 years later). So now you can see why I’ve kept this bag around as a workhorse. Seriously there couldn’t be a more practical crossbody bag for me out there, so I’ll excuse the fact that it’s a Fendi, lol.

As I mentioned above, because this style was never super popular and because it’s 4 years old you can find some major deals on this bag at my favorite online consignment store: Fashionphile. Here are the current ones available. Like I said in the beginning I currently have the black one in a small but I’m really loving the larger one in dove gray, which is priced at less than half of what I bought my black one for! So tempting but I will wait for now.

Anyway this bag really lives up to its name. Not flashy and almost an afterthought. Like “by the way, this is an awesome, minimal and useful bag!”

{August 2022 Update: This Fendi By the Way bag is officially the oldest and most used bag in my collection. I first wrote this post 4 years ago and by then it was already 4 years old. And this 8 year old bag still looks good and functions great. In fact, it made it to the number 6 position in my bag rankings (6 out of 23). It’s funny I love this bag so much since I’m not really a fan of Fendi, but I plan to never sell this bag, ever!}

Grana Review: Pima Lindis Wrap Cardigan

So I’ve been quietly trying Grana items here and there throughout the year since I still had some Grana credits left, but I didn’t want to write a review on every single item because frankly a lot of them ended up being things I didn’t wear much and I wouldn’t recommend them anyway (I’ve sold them to my local Crossroads or on eBay). But this pima lindis wrap cardigan has quietly snuck into my daily wear and has become a bit of an unsung hero. So I thought I’d let people know about it, especially since it’s currently on sale and I wear it at least 4 times a week. But I have to qualify that and say I wear it mostly as lounge-wear at home or quick trips to places where I don’t care who sees me (the garage or grocery store).

I purchased this on a whim (with credits) when I found out I was pregnant because I knew I wanted something that I could wrap. Plus a wrap cardigan would be something useful for breastfeeding too. Also since I didn’t have any wrap cardigans (and very few cardigans at all), I thought I would give this a try. And I’m glad I did! I really love this mostly cotton sweater, which means there’s zero itch. But there’s just enough merino wool to make it warmer than your average cotton sweater. There’s minimal bulk and yet it keeps me warm in 60 degree weather. The knit is really good and there’s been minimal pilling even with such frequent wear (probably due to the mostly cotton content). And I’ve been wearing it now for almost 3 months. It’s the perfect thing to throw on at home and then even step out in for quick errands. This has been one of my favorite buys from Grana this year hands-down.

I got in a medium since I wanted to accommodate my growing belly, but I probably could have gotten away with a small (I’m usually a size 4 on top).

I’m even tempted to get the gray one to recreate the look from Jenni Kayne below (it was a sneak peak of her spring season collection). But the Grana one doesn’t have pockets and it’s a tad shorter than the Jenni Kayne version below (which is good for us short gals).

Anyway if you’re looking for a good wrap cardigan or a transitional sweater, I highly recommend this high quality one from Grana. This one is a clear winner to me! And if you’re a first time Grana customer you can get 10% off your order with this referral link (but they have 10% off sales all the time tbh).

P.S. Congrats to Sara for winning last week’s Etsy Ring giveaway and thanks to everyone who entered!

The Everlane Day Market Tote 100 Wears Later

As my first item in my closet to reach a 100 wears this year (ever since I started keeping track in the Stylebook app), I wanted to give you guys an update on how this Everlane Day Market Tote is holding up. I originally reviewed the bag here. Currently I’m at 104 wear and at $1.58 per wear. Not bad eh?

This is by far my most used item because it’s my work tote and travel tote. And since it’s my work tote I don’t baby it at all. I just pile things in because in all transparency I’m quite a messy person.

So if you’re one to put things in neatly I’m sure your tote would look much better than this after 100 wears. But as for me, I know this is a really great tote because even after all the abuse it’s taken, it’s not only still fully functional but it still looks great too!

I actually like the look of the tote on the weathered side. It looks loved and well-used. And with age, the leather on this tote has gotten better. The leather has softened with use. The corners are also a bit wrinkled and when it sits empty, it takes a funny shape (but I’m pretty sure this is because like I said above, I just throw things in there). But I like it. It’s got it’s own wrinkles and character.

The handles are still in great shape even though I’ll carry up to 30+ pounds in there (and I can do that because the tote itself is so lightweight). I once had a Mansur Gavriel bag straps get flaky and crusty as the leather and paint started to soften and wear but I have no problems like that with this bag.

I have to say that after my Longchamp Le Pliage tote, this Everlane tote is my favorite (the longchamp is #1 because it’s foldable). But this is by far my favorite leather bag, which is interesting because the leather on this bag is unlike most of my leather bags (this one is stiffer and lighter than the rest). So if you’re looking for an excellent workhorse of a bag, I highly recommend Everlane’s Day Market tote. I look forward to writing a 200 wears later post on this bag :)

Weekend Update/Ramblings

A miminmalist Christmas tree? Lol, no just seemed to have lost my box of ornaments from all the moves in the last 3 years and so we’re starting from scratch >.<

How was your week after the holidays? Rough? Yea a bit tough for me too and I’m starting to feel the holiday stress (closing down the biz! Moving! Baby stuff! Mom’s coming to visit! eeek). But I’m trying to keep it cool for the baby and taking time to read some Eckhart Tolle to keep my eye on the bigger picture of life (lol, ok I know he’s kind of out there but after reading 10% Happier and moving towards mindfulness and meditation, the things he says does make sense. He just uses quite abstract and flowery language).

And what a surprise to learn that Brianna of Constant Closet is closing her highly successful Instagram account due to the comments and pressure from the ethical fashion Insta community. There’s such high expectations in this ethical fashion space to do things the “right” way and people can get quite mean about it. I’ve been hurt several times myself for not living up to someone’s expectations though I try to view it as they just want to see me do better. And I try not to take it personally (I mean they don’t really know me do they?). Plus my positive experiences with this community far outweigh the smattering of negativity that I sometimes encounter (so thank you guys for always being so kind!!).

Anyway some great posts recently from ethical fashion bloggers: Love Jasmine’s post about the privilege of being able to shop ethically (it really is a luxury to get to learn what is your enough point and to be able to choose less but better); and Helen’s review of Everlane’s silk charmeuse tie neck blouse makes me really want one but I know I can’t wear it til post baby so what’s the point; and Archana’s list of personal style books have inspired me to hit the library over pinterest!

Unsponsored Storq Signature Leggings Review

This is my second Storq review, with my first one being the Easy pant (review here), and it also happens to be a bottoms review. Comfy, stretchy bottoms for pregnant women are hard to find secondhand, thus I find I’m having to buy them new. Dresses and tops are much easier since I can still fit into a larger size for those.

So one of the more hyped about ethical maternity leggings I heard about are these Signature Leggings from Storq. These leggings are made in China but Storq’s about page assures us they were made under fair working conditions, and thus their ethics are much like Everlane’s. So what did I think of the leggings?

Well the 92% modal and 8% spandex material is quite stretchy and comfortable and I find them to be fully opaque (though I still always cover my butt when wearing leggings). My biggest gripe though is that they don’t make these in various lengths so for someone petite like me (I’m 5’4”) these leggings are way too long. I end up having to bunch them up by the crotch or the upper thigh to make them the right length. Also there’s a seam that runs up vertically from the crotch to the smooth belly panel that doesn’t lie flat (pic below).

So the first time I wore them, after 3 hours I had an angry irritated mark on my belly from that seam (poor design!). However I was able to remedy that by wearing a tank under the leggings, which I have to do everytime I wear these leggings. I think also if you’re taller, your undies would prevent that problem, but that seam is way longer on my short frame and comes up past that. So as long as I tuck in a tank or a tee I no longer have that problem. Also because I’m short, the belly panel comes up to right under my bra.

So these leggings aren’t perfect, but they’re pretty good. And the negatives aren’t so bad that I won’t wear them. In fact they’re an integral part of my favorite maternity uniform (that I’m wearing in all these pics): these leggings plus a thrifted Lemaire for Uniqlo knit tunic.

Anyway I think if you’re taller than 5’4”, these leggings shouldn’t give you any problems. But for us short gals we have to make do, unless does someone know a brand that makes good ethical leggings for petite preggos?

P.S. If you’d like to see a review where I compare these leggings with Hatch Maternity leggings, target maternity leggings, PACT leggings and Uniqlo leggings see here. You can find all my other Storq reviews here.

Everlane Try-On: The Oversized Alpaca Crew

I ordered this shortly before my “no more reviews” resolve a month ago and it’s been sitting in my to review pile for awhile (and that is also how I know I ordered way too many things). But I finally got around to it and I’m calling this post a “try-on” instead of a review because I sent it back.

So before I got my hands on this, I talked to fellow Everlane enthusiasts and found the reviews to be a mixed bag. As for me, I liked it but at this point 1) I have way too many sweaters and 2) there’s no point in keeping this if I don’t like how it looks on me now (due to my preggo belly). I could see myself wearing this post baby but that winter is a long time from now. Also the fact that the sweater is a mix of nylon (30%) and wool (10%) is a turn-off.

{Wearing: Everlane Oversized Alpaca Crew, Storq Pencil Skirt (review coming soon, size 3), Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here)}

Because of the wool I did find the sweater to be ever so slightly itchy at the beginning but I’m pretty sensitive to that kind of stuff. But after awhile I think your body acclimates and I didn’t notice it as much. This is my first time trying alpaca and I find that the sweater is super lightweight and fluffy. The texture kind of reminds me of angora (rabbit fur) but without the itch and shedding that I’ve experience with angora in the past (like waaaay past).

I wish Everlane had made this as an 100% alpaca sweater because I want to be able to compare it to a 100% cashmere sweater. From a quick internet search I learned that alpaca fiber is more lightweight, warmer and pills less than cashmere due to longer more hollow fibers. Also alpacas are better for the environment because they’re soft-hooved and gentle grazers (this tidbit from Everlane). Anyway I’m definitely going to check out 100% alpaca sweaters in the future but for now I’m going to stick with the cashmere that I already have.

Did you guys try out the alpaca crew and what did you think?

Weekend Update/Ramblings: Ch-ch-ch-chaaaanges

Well I hope everyone had a beautiful and loving Thanksgiving weekend! We were welcomed by my friend’s aunty’s and uncle’s house again, which we are so grateful for since we have no family in the Bay Area.

Anyway I may have alluded to changes in our lives a couple weeks ago but didn’t want to delve into it until things were in motion (and now they are!). So we are getting out of our Airstream rental business. It was a wonderful passion project for 3 years, but now with a baby coming we need to get real and build a better financial base as well as get some premium health insurance. So the hubby and I decided to put our adult pants on, and go do the “responsible” thing and get a “real job”. Well he’s getting the real job and I’m going to be winding down the business and moving before the baby comes. Yep, moving again and I’m really living up to my blog name (lots of temporary homes!). Just 3 years ago we had a house near SF, which we sold to invest in this Airstream business. And then we moved into an Airstream for 2.5 years and then we moved into a bigger trailer for half a year, and then my mom purchased a house for us all to live together in in San Jose (you can see the move in my Insta-story highlights). Well long story short this house is too big for us and we cannot live with my mom (we learned the hard way). So we are striking out on our own into a modest condo in the East Bay (also to be closer to hubby’s work in the city). In 3 years we went from 2500 sq feet, to 225 sq feet, to 400 sq feet, to 2000 sq ft, now down to 1000 sq ft. I’m hoping the magic number for us is 1000 sq ft and that we will no longer be moving for awhile. I’m probably going to change the blog name next year too so I no longer “jinx” myself with a name that indicates temporary homes. Also I feel like the blog name doesn’t really represent anything that I talk about here. But blog changes will come in January once we are settled into our new place.

Anyway, loved reading this guide on how to wear linen in the winter by Lee (something I’m definitely going to try out this year) and these reminders on keeping your shopping and thus your closet at a minimum.

And finally I’m not into Black Friday shopping nor do I want to be a product pusher but I would feel remiss if I didn’t mention that my favorite silk Mara jumpsuit from Elizabeth Suzann is on sale now because they are phasing it out for a wide leg jumpsuit next year. Personally as a petite person I’m not a huge fan of the wide leg trend so I think the current Mara design is a huge winner (my review of it here). Also I feel like the shape is more of a classic that’ll last through the ages. In fact my secondhand silk version I got (which by the way was more expensive than this discounted price), has been my most worn item of clothing this past 3 months (at 14 times so far). I’m super tempted to get another silk version but I think I’m going to try out the linen one for some variety (but the silk is so dreamy). Anyway none of these are affiliate links and this is just a PSA for my fellow ES lovers out there!

P.S. I’ve added more items to my Closet Sale benefitting the Wildfire Relief Fund! Thanks to everyone who’s purchased so far!

Everlane Choose What You Pay Sale: Some of my favorites

I like to do this kind of post every once in awhile since 1) I know that even though Everlane is on the affordable side of the ethical fashion spectrum, not everyone can afford Everlane at full prices and 2) I do so many reviews that sometimes it’s hard to tell what are the real winners that I love and would recommend to my friends (ie you guys). Plus who doesn’t want to purchase a great quality item at a discounted price from a brand that cares about the welfare of their workers? So here are some of my picks that are currently available from their CWYP sale (and I always recommend paying their lowest price—don’t fall for paying for more out of any sense of guilt or obligation because who are they kidding, they’re trying to move these items out of their stock).

The Day Heel

You can read my review of them here. I love my pale rose Day Heels and wear them whenever I want to dress up a little and wear heels. There is a short breaking in period but after that, they’re so comfortable even for my wide feet. The block heels are perfect for stability and I love the casual rounded toe. They no longer have them in the color I have but that oxblood color (linked in the header above) is such a great color for fall/winter.

The Day Heel Mule

Reviewed here. So I mentioned this already but these are my go-to shoes when I want a little lift. I love these more than my Day Heels and these are the only heels I’ll wear interchangeably with flats. There’s a brief breaking in period with these but trust me, once you wear them for a couple hours they’ll be the most comfortable heels ever. They previously only had the suede version on sale but now they have these cognac leather ones for sale now too (and I think the leather version is way better than the suede one). They are my second most worn pair of Everlane shoes after Everlane’s old Street Sandals (no longer produced).

The V Sling Back

Reviewed here. These were my third most worn pair of Everlane shoes and my favorite summer sandals. Not only were they really comfortable but I got a lot of compliments on them as well. Also I favor the woven leather version over the suede even though they’re a tad more expensive because the woven leather version has give and thus are way more comfortable on my wide-ish feet (I tried the suede version in the V heels and found they had minimal give). If you live in California or another warm climate than the black version of these could probably take you through fall to early winter since the covered toes will keep your feet warm enough (and I wonder how they’d look with socks and ankle length pants—I might have to give that a try).

The Modern Loafer Mule

Reviewed here. I love my modern loafer mules and wear it pretty often when I know I won’t be walking around a ton (usually for short errands that involve driving). These would also make awesome office shoes since they look professional but they’re also slip on. I just wouldn’t walk around in them because they can be quite heavy and since they’re mules you do have to drag your feet a bit to keep them on. You know, you gotta do the mule shuffle lol. If I’m walking around a lot, my go to mules are Everlane’s Boss Mules (reviewed here) because they’re so much lighter and easier to walk around in. But I just really love the look of these modern loafer mules and they work so much better for my wide feet than the regular modern loafers.

The Soft Cotton Popover Shirt

So this is what I’ve been waiting for—this overpriced but good shirt to go on sale. When I originally reviewed it (here) I liked the shirt though I didn’t think it was worth the original $75 dollars (that’s only $3 less than their Utility Jacket that was so much more substantial and useful). And as I predicted, not a lot of people probably purchased it at that price. Well now it’s $53 which is a lot more reasonable for a shirt (though still a bit high). I originally tried a size 0 (which was way too small and smaller than my usual size 4—but it said oversized and I wanted a more fitted shirt). I then tried a size 2 in store and that was much better, so if you want a less oversized look I would go one size down. If you like the oversized look, stick with your true size (which is what I ended up doing when I re-purchased this because of my current preggo status). If $53 is still high for you, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the price go down further if you don’t mind waiting another couple of months.

And that’s it, that’s all I see on their current page that I would recommend. Yes, it’s a bit shoe heavy but I have to say Everlane makes some of the best valued Italian leather shoes. And though their original selections (ie the modern loafer) used to cater to the narrow-footed, the ones above all work with my wide and getting -wider-by-the-week feet (due to pregnancy).

Closet Sale to benefit the Wildfire Relief Fund

I have so much stuff. It’s a fact and I’m so lucky and grateful, but there are many people in California now with absolutely nothing due to the wildfires. I can’t even imagination the devastation of losing everything and so close to the holidays as well. I’ve donated already to the Red Cross but I felt like that wasn’t enough so I wanted to do a little sale on my Closet Sale page with all proceeds going to the Wildfire Relief Fund. I’ve started by listing fashion jewelry that’s too meaningful for me to throw in a bag for Goodwill. So I figured it would be a win-win-win by selling it to you guys at a good price, and I know it will go to a good home and be used, as well as donate more to another good organization to help the wildfire victims. Shipping is free (US only).

How I broke up with my iPhone

Our attention is the most valuable things we have. We experience only what we pay attention to. We remember only what we pay attention to. When we decide what to pay attention to in the moment, we are making a broader decision about how we want to spend our lives.

And with that quote, I knew I had to read this book, How To Break Up With Your Phone.

Ok so I didn’t really break up with my iPhone in that I no longer use it or that I went back to a 90’s flip phone (that would be too drastic lol). But I can easily say that after a cooling off period, I now have a much healthier relationship with my phone and subsequently I feel much more balanced than I have in a while. And not coincidentally I have recently decided to say no to any more gifted items and cool it with acquiring more items for review (though I’m finishing up my backlog of reviews still). I wonder if the lessening of my materialistic impulses are related to less social media and marketing exposure? I think so and that’s just one of several benefits I’ve found from being less addicted to my phone.

Another benefit has been a generally better attention span: I can finally sit down again and read a book for prolonged periods of time. I used to be a voracious reader but I haven’t really read anything except magazines lately. And everytime I started a book, I never seemed to finish it. Well now with more time and the retraining of my focus, I’m back to reading (and so get ready for some other reviews of book in the personal growth genre). And I also rekindled my love with my Kindle. I find I’m enjoying TV shows more now as well because I’m no longer multitasking or multi-screening while I watch (currently watching Homecoming on Amazon Prime and it’s getting good though it starts slow!). I also watch less TV because I’m not just letting the shows run on while I stare at my phone.

Anyway these are just a few of the benefits I’ve seen already in the 3 or so weeks I’ve started working on separating from my phone. And I’m hoping that this is just the start.

I highly recommend reading this book if you find yourself spending way more time on your phone than you’d like, if your attention span is not what it used to be, if you look at your phone first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, or if you find yourself feeling antsy when you’re away from your phone for prolonged periods of time (this was me to a T). But for those who just want to know what were some of the tips that made the biggest difference in my iPhone seperation read on:

Tip 1: Ask yourself “What do you want to be paying attention to?”

So of course relating to the quote above, but the important point about this is that you can’t just quit your phone for no reason. If you don’t have a plan of things you want to be spending your time on rather than staring at your phone, your motivation for less phone-time weakens. For example, the next time you find yourself with some time on your hands you might be tempted to go back to your tiny screen so instead have a game plan (like a book) waiting. She recommends writing a list of things you would do if you had more time. For me that includes reading, working out, cooking, spending time with friends and family, volunteer work and crafting.

Tip 2: Monitor your screen time

You need a starting point letting you know how bad is bad. My starting point was 7 hours and 45 min a day of screen time. Eeeek! The new iPhone iOS has Screentime built in now. I was at first resistant to setting it up because I just didn’t want to know (ignorance is bliss, right) lol. But you have to do this because you need to know. For those with androids, the book recommends an app called OFFTIME.

Tip 3: Changing habits by reorganizing your phone

So she recommends deleting social media for awhile but I just couldn’t. Of course I justified it by saying it was a tool both for my blog and for our Airstream business but really I’m just weak and couldn’t do it. But I did move it from out of my menu bar (the one that’s at the bottom of every screen page) and into a folder on my third screen page titled “UR Life=UR attention” (lol a reminder of that quote). And you can see all the other past and potential time suck apps included in that folder:

So now when I want to go to Instagram I have to take a couple more steps to open it up, which is the slight hurdle I need to pause and make sure that I’m going there with intention and not habit. I put my Google Keep app (which is my running checklist and notebook) in the place of where Instagram used to be on my menu bar. And the crazy thing was that for the first couple of days I would mindlessly click that app and then finding myself in Google Keep, and I’d be like “how’d I get here? why did I open this app” It was such a powerful habit that whenever I was bored and or needed a distraction, my thumb just automatically clicked that icon. I did it at least 5 times before my mind finally regained control of my thumb, lol. I also took out email from my menu bar because really I don’t need to be checking it that often. And lastly remove all notifications and badges from your phone—check your apps on your own time and don’t be constantly pulled by what’s mostly unimportant.

Tip 4: Use an app blocker for the apps you use most often

For me that’s Instagram. I was spending almost 10 hours a week on it! So I started by using an app blocker (for iPhones you can use Screentime, for android OFFTIME) and setting my limit at 2 hours for all social media (I know that’s still a lot but baby steps right?). And then gradually decreasing it. I’m currently at 1.5 hours, and most days I’m well within the limit. But days where I converse and message people, I hit that limit and the app tells me when I have only 5 minutes left. It’s a great reminder that you’re trying to limit your time on the app and if you absolutely have to, you can always ignore the limit and keep using the app.

Tip 5: No phone zones

We already had a no phone zone for the dining table but my husband and I decided that we would include the bedroom as a no phone zone as well. So now we charge our phones in the outside hallway. And that means if you need to check email or want to look at something on your phone before bed, you have to get up to do it. That barrier alone is so helpful in making sure we check our phones with intention. Also as the author suggested, I purposely don’t look at my phone until a designated a phone wake-up time. For me, that’s after breakfast (which I now eat with no distractions, I try to eat it mindfully and savoring each bite). Oh and use an old-fashioned alarm clock instead of your phone so you don’t have any excuse to reach for your phone first thing in the morning.

Where our phone sleeps

The rest of the book has a ton of great exercises and she also goes into meditation and mindfulness, which I love. But those 5 tips alone have made the biggest difference in my phone usage. I’m down to about 4 hours of cumulative phone time a week (and some of that includes “Other” things like Google Maps) and down to 8 hours of instagram a week. So I’m definitely still a work in progress. And that’s not to say I still don’t have mindless binges through safari or a shopping app, but at least I’m conscious that I’m doing it and choosing to do that over something else.

Week two progress

Week 3 progress

It’s a slow and steady progress and I hope to get it down to 3 hours a day with 7 hours a week on avg on Instagram. But like I mentioned above, I’m already seeing the results and feel so much better about balance and intentionally living my life. I have yet to put my time towards some of my other goals other than reading, but it’s at least freeing up my time for some of the big changes coming ahead. So maybe this holiday season let’s get ahead of this phone addiction and not let app engineers and advertisers monopolize our attention. Instead let’s give even better quality attention to our family and friends!

Weekend Update/Ramblings

Reading books has come back into my life and it’s been such a joy. Currently I’m reading several books at once because depending on my mood, I want to read different things. All but one are non-fiction and are in the personal growth genre. Anyway as I’m still trying to hold strong to the “less stuff” resolve, I’m continuing to read Your Money or Your Life and came upon this great passage:

One of the pervasive assumptions is that growth is good. Our economy depends on growth to survive—and we, as Americans, have absorbed that growth ethic into our own aspirations for our lives. If we have one car, we need two. If we have one pair of pants, we need two; if we have two, we need three. We ignore intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth, having gotten stuck trying to continue to grow physically by adding more and more possessions…This ‘more is better, growth is good’ cultural assumptions breed in us subtle economic prejudices. We judge our own and others’ importance by material yardsticks.

Or in my case if I have three Everlane sweaters, I need five. And that blogger has the new Everlane coat? I need that too. Oh and I really aspire to have a Hermes bag collection like that CRA (Crazy Rich Asian) blogger. When I have that, I’ll be set. Yea rrrriiiiight >.< In my head I know better, but dang if social media doesn’t convince you otherwise. And what makes it worse is that I know I’m part of the system: that I do that to others and it’s not good. Like I said last weekend, ue ni mo ue ga aru.

I think I was feeding into this frenzy because I’ve been very focused on trying to grow my blog so that I can be a “successful blogger” and make a living out of my passion. But I’m starting to see that motivation is drowning me in stuff and on top of that I’m getting a bit too obsessed with the numbers (both for the blog and on instagram) and feel down when I don’t see growth. It’s all feeling very unhealthy, so I’m glad to be able to take a step back and reassess a bit more on where I want this blog to go and what I want to write about. Anyway if you see more reviews after this, know it’s because I ordered things before I had this change of heart and might as well review whatever I try. Also I’m not going to go on a shopping ban (because I tried that for a year and it didn’t work for me), so I’ll probably still be buying things. But I’m hoping it will be for things I really need and not just want.

Also I’m starting to see that I might not be able to make a living out of this blog, and that this will always be just a hobby. And that’s okay. I rather be doing me in a small beans kind of way rather than to morph into a product pushing blogger and not be living by my own values. If that means always having a “real job” so be it. Also I could probably live on a lot less than I do now and be more money conscious. So it’s not about making the money but instead saving the money. I’ll definitely try but man, do old habits die hard.

Everlane Try On: The Soft Wool Rib Crew Sweater

So I ordered this Soft Wool Rib Crew and another Everlane sweater before I decided to cool it with the reviews of new items, and you know how slow shipping can be so I just got them. And well since they’re here I might as well try them out and let you know what I think right?

So I initially fell in love with the sweater because of the white and black marl pattern. I’m such a sucker for that look, and I thought that the side slits up the front were an interesting detail. Buuuuttt…

Ok so I know the preggo belly does not help here and in fact the slits seem to make it worse. But is it no wonder that the Everlane styles the sweater tucked into the pants in the first picture on their site? But yes the sweaters is doing me zero favors here and you guys agreed:

Oh and I got my regular size small here and being pregnant I probably should be wearing at least a medium. On the plus side, the soft wool (which is 100% wool) was indeed soft and not itchy at all. Of course it’s no cashmere and for $15 more I would definitely choose their waffle knit cashmere (still my absolute favorite) over this sweater. Ah well I have enough sweaters as it is and I probably should be buying too many clothes when pregnant in hopes of wearing it later, so back this went!

Unsponsored Only Child Clothing Review: The Linen Alta Top {Updated March 2021}

I’ve reviewed the Only Child Alta top in raw silk (in size XS/S) before here, but I thought I would add a review of this linen alta top in size S/M too since it’s a tad different from the first Alta top I purchased. I originally got this during OC’s end of summer sale and so I’ve had this for awhile now and I’m finally ready to review! Also just noticed that Haley no longer stocks the Alta in linen since she’s moved onto the winter collection but I’m sure she’ll bring it back next summer.

{Wearing: Only Child Linen Alta top (S/M), over Elizabeth Suzann Mara Jumpsuit (reviewed here), Arizona Birkenstocks, Celine Soft Cube bag (similar here, reviewed here)}

So I’ve talked about OC’s linen quality before here and like I said in that review, they use the good stuff! Theirs is as good as Elizabeth Suzann and so this Alta top does feel a lot like my old ES Georgia tee (reviewed here). But the two tops are pretty different in shape. First the Alta top doesn’t have wing tip type sleeves like the Georgia, and the Alta top has a high-front, low-back parabola shape to is that I love. I also love that the collar line on the Alta is a bit more fitted.

Compared to my XS/S silk version, this S/M linen version is much less cropped and definitely more voluminous (which is perfect for hiding my preggo belly). Also the sleeve length is also better for me in the S/M (for reference I’m 5’4” and usually wear a size 4 on top).

So right now they only have this top in raw silk, wool or tencel (those wool and tencel ones look so dreamy!). But I look forward to wearing this in the winter anyway layered under jacket or maybe over some long sleeve tees. The fun thing about this top is that it can work a lot of ways! So even though I now have two Alta tops, each one feels so different and yet so versatile! Stay tuned on Insta and here for more ways to wear this top in the winter.

{March 2021 Update: I wanted to let you know that I ended up selling my linen alta top because as much as I liked it, I always ended up reaching for the raw silk version more. I think the linen was not drapey enough for an oversized top and I felt kind of like I was wearing a sail. So I decided to sell this linen version and I purchased the an Alta top in black raw silk in a size down XS/S. I have to say I’m very happy with my decision since I reach for the black raw silk Alta a lot. Now OC is phasing out the use of raw silk and makes their new Altas in a cotton/silk blend (which I’m curious about). Hmm I wonder if it’s time to think about trying another Alta? I’m becoming quite the Alta addict lol.}

My Winter Skin Care Routine (and no, you don't have to get all new products)

Lol too wintery a pic already?

I’ve talked about my summer skincare routine in the past (focusing mostly on SPF because that is of the utmost importance). But I’ve never talked about my winter skin care routine and actually before this year I never really had one. I just kept doing what I did during the summer, drier skin be damned. But this year, maybe because of the pregnancy, my skin is ultra itchy and dry so it’s time to take action. And by action, I mean adding two things to my usual routine.

{side note: if you’re interested in my usual routine for my sensitive acne-prone skin I detail it here in this post but here’s a quick rundown. AM: charcoal cleanser (SkinSalvation), sterilizing tonic (SkinSalvation), Moisturizer (in the summer it’s Paula’s Choice SPF Fluid (reviewed here) and I’ll review below what I’m using this winter), Suntegrity 5-in-1 moisturizing sunscreen in light (reviewed here). PM: Same charcoal face wash with microfiber washcloth to remove makeup, same sterilizing tonic, and Elemis SOS Emergency Cream. Yep that’s it. Nothing too fancy and using the same products mostly for morning and night.}

So as I mentioned above, the only real difference between summer and winter this year is the change-up in my moisturizer. I don’t need the double SPF coverage in the winter (the Suntegrity spf 30 is enough), but I do need extra moisture and the SPF fluid just doesn’t cut it. So lately I’ve been using Paula’s Choice Redness Relief Moisturizer in the morning and it’s so good! It’s made for dry sensitive skin and it really does work for my utlra sensitive skin. It doesn’t break me out and it has the added bonus of helping my Suntegrity tinted sunscreen go on super smoothly. Just this one change has really made a difference in how my skin looks and feels in the morning (I guess dryness really does affect the skin).

Another moisturizer that I’ve switched over to is the Curel Itch Defense Calming Body lotion. As much as I love the smell and luxury of my Le Labo lotion (which I now currently use instead of any kind of perfume), the Le Labo lotions just don’t cut it for the winter. Luckily I found these on sale at Target and decided to give them a shot. It’s such a good no-frills lotion that actually does what it advertises: prevents itchiness! Also the $7.50 price tag doesn’t hurt. I put this on right after getting out of the shower and then if I want a bit of scent I’ll add the Le Labo on top. Double the moisture!

And lastly this is more for the preggo people out there, but I’ve been using Earth Mama Belly Butter for my growing belly and it’s been so awesome. This all organic lotion helps prevent stretch marks and is super moisturizing without being too greasy. I originally tried the fancy Tata Harper Redefining Body Balm, also meant to prevent stretch marks, when I saw another preggo blogger using. But it didn’t work for me at all and gave me a small rash too. And for 12x the price of the Earth Mama one? No thank you! Luckily I purchased it at Sephora and was able to return it.

So anyway this is what has been working for me but I know everyone’s body chemistry is different so it might not be the same for you. But at least if you purchase things from Sephora or Nordstroms you can still return after trying (just keep the receipt!). And so if you find yourself with drier skin lately, it might be worth a shot :)

Weekend Update/Ramblings

Just loved this picture of a random couple enjoying the afternoon

I mentioned it in my most recent Everlane review (of the blazer, which I received as a gift), but I’m going to quit the free stuff for now (and yes even from Everlane). I’m getting tired of living in this gray zone of reviewing gifted items (it’s free so it’s automatically biased in some ways). I try to be honest in my reviews but how can you not love something a bit more when it’s 100% free? This doesn’t mean I won’t be reviewing Everlane things, I’ll just be buying them and only because I had already ordered two items to try before I made this resolve not to review so many clothes anymore.

But in general I’m also going to move away from review of things because I also feel like I’m getting to be material-centric and I’m also accumulating more things than I need. Also we might be moving again and downsizing to a small apartment so again I’m finding that I need to get rid of things. And you can’t believe how much stuff I’ve acquired just from running this blog. I need to get off this consumer hamster wheel.

Anyway, thanks to my work in breaking up with my iPhone (which I’m going to share soon), I’ve been reading a lot more. I’ve always loved the Personal Growth genre (ie the self-help section) and have been reading some good books about changing my life (or at least parts of my life). Instead of doing product reviews I think I might do some book reviews (but not of the boring type, but of this helpful personal growth type). Hopefully I can add some substance to this blog that’s not just all about stuff.

And some things I read this week: another good post by Talia about minimalism, loved this fabric guide from one of my favorite insta peeps Valentina, and this post by Leah of greenwashing at its worst is so good.

Everlane Review: The Wool Academy Blazer

*I was gifted this item by Everlane to review so this is a type of sponsored post though all opinions are my own.

Last year when Everlane first came out with their Oversized Blazer I was reluctant to review it at first because I used to be a blazer person when I worked in an office, but knew I was no longer a blazer person because I work at a garage. I did eventually review it here, so take a look if you’re interested in getting the Oversized Blazer this year (I’m pretty sure it’s the same one). And TL;DR of that review: the blazer is super oversized so even though I’m usually a size 4 in Everlane, the size 0 was a good fit for me even though it was still a bit long from my 5’4” frame. In the end I returned that blazer because it just wasn’t working for me.

But when I saw that this year that Everlane came out with a shorter blazer that they’re calling the Wool Academy Blazer, I really wanted to give it a spin even though I still work in a garage. But I felt like Everlane read my review last year and gave us a blazer option for us short gals. So I wanted to give it a shot. And you know what? It’s now my new favorite blazer and outerwear option for autumn.

{Wearing: Everlane Wool Academy Blazer, Splendid cotton dress (thrifted, similar here), Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here), Celine Soft Cube bag (similar here, reviewed here)}

Maybe I love a blazer even more this year because it hides the preggo belly somewhat or at least makes me feel more put together despite wearing loose clothing. Anyway I’m wearing a size 4 here and I find that it’s the perfect fit in both my arms, shoulders and length. So I would say it runs true to size, especially if you’re on the petite side.

The material is 62% wool and 38% nylon and it’s a nice weight without being too heavy (perfect for cooler Californian days). The inside is lined so there’s no itchiness. And I love the mini check pattern for adding some interest though still being quite subtle.

Even though I won’t be able to button the front at all very soon, I look forward to wearing this over all my outfits as a light coat until winter hits. It’s the perfect addition to add some prep to my step :)

P.S. For those of you feeling tired of the sponsored content on this blog, I feel you. As much as I appreciate Everlane’s occasional sponsorship, I’m starting to feel a bit “sponsored-out” so I’m going to cool it for the next couple of months and review my usual unsponsored items. I’m also in general going to cool it on reviews because I’m also feeling like I’ve been acquiring a bit too much these days (especially when it comes to clothes). So I hope you guys enjoy posts about matters other than clothes!

Also I’ll be skipping out on Friday posts for the next couple of weeks since I’m trying to put in more time on writing about other things (gotta admit reviews are easy but coming up with other interesting things to talk about is not as easy).

Unsponsored Storq Review: The Easy Pants {Updated April 2019}

When I first learned I was pregnant (and I got over the “oh sh*t” moment and finally got around to thinking about clothes), I knew I wanted to 1) not buy too many maternity clothes that will just last me for less than a year and 2) that I wanted to source them as ethically as possible. So my first order of business once the bump started being too large for my normal clothes, was hitting up my neighborhood thrift store and buying dresses in large. But there came a point where I needed to get pants that fit the bump and the ones at the thrift store weren’t cutting it. I also tried out maternity jeans purchased from eBay and I’m not a fan (jeans are just too constricting when all I want right now is loose and comfy). So with some direction from Constant Closet (seriously love her gram) and some other mamas and fellow mamas-to-be I took a look at ethical brand Storq.

If you haven’t heard of Storq yet, they’re like the Everlane of maternity clothes. Simple, yet modern basics made ethically in American and Chinese factories with a focus on worker safety, fair wages, and commitment to minimizing environmental impact. And they keep prices reasonable by being direct to consumer. You can read all about their ethics and mission here.

Sounds great on paper so how do their products measure up?

{Wearing: Everlane rib cashmere round crew (reviewed here), Storq Easy Pants, Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here), Everlane form bag (c/o, reviewed here)}

Well the first thing I ordered was their Easy Pant because they look a lot like my favorite Grana Silk Ankle pants but in soft and comfy Supima cotton. I can no longer fit my Grana pants, so these cotton ones are the perfect alternative. The high-quality cotton is super soft and stretchy, with a really big elastic band that can accomodate my growing belly. Sometimes the elastic on my Grana pants flip, which can be annoying so I love that this never happens with these Storq pants. Also love that these pants have pockets (a necessity of course) and the slightly tapered leg. The pants were so comfy I even went hiking with them with no problems!

I’m 5’4” and I find that they’re the perfect ankle length on me (but I do wear them at the belly. If I wear them below my belly then the pants are a tad long and I'll probably hem them when the time comes to wear it like that). I’m wearing a size 3 here which is recommended for those who were a medium (size 8-10) pre-pregnancy. I got a size larger than my usual because my fibroids have made my belly bigger than the usual pregnant lady’s.

So if you’re looking for some stretchy and comfy pants from a company whose values align with yours, I can’t recommend Storq enough! I’ve worn these multiple times already and have included them in my Fall 10x10 Challenge (which is where I pulled some of these pics from). I look forward to wearing them throughout the pregnancy and even post-partum (I might actually never get rid of these super comfy atheleisure pants lol).

{April 2019 Update: I just wanted to let you all know that I’m still loving these pants post-partum. They’re perfect for the little belly I still have left. I now wear them above my little pooch which is lower than where the pregnancy bump was, and I find it super comfortable and yet flattering. Who knew I would get such great mileage from these pants? Also if you want to read my other Storq reviews (this one was my first) you can find them here.}

Weekend Update/Ramblings

How was everyone’s Halloween? I’m kind of the scrooge of Halloween and don’t ever really celebrate it (plus we’re almost always on our annual Airstream roadtrip, like this year so we’re never around). Maybe next year with a baby it will be different. Anyway only one review this past week—finally put some initial thoughts down about the Dyson Airwrap. Other than that, internet access has been sporadic so the writing has been too (but that’s actually been a good thing, finally getting some much needed digital detox sessions). Also with this road trip, I’ve finally visited all the National Parks within California. I’m thinking of writing up which ones were my favorite in a post soon.

There’s some big changes coming soon to our lives again (though nothing has been officially kicked off) and I’ll let you know when it all starts. But I’m both excited but quite anxious about it all. I know rolling with the changes is the best way to go through life so I’m just trying to view this as a great opportunity and not another upheaval of everything I know and am comfortable with. (And yes it has partially to do with the baby coming, but there’s more).

Anyway a post that I enjoyed this week was this one about not using fabric softener (I’ve never actually purchased or used fabric softener in my life. But yes to buying less chemicals that corporations try to tell you that you need). Also I really liked this post from Talia though I am one of those bloggers she speaks about that did get a gifted blazer from Everlane (after being a bit pushy and asking for it though—I learned from my Form bag lesson that ask and you might receive, lol). But I get Talia’s sentiments too because I’ve been "toiling” (ok I exaggerate, this blog is actually a joy) over this blog for 4+ years and am finally partnering with Everlane. While some peeps who spun up Instagram accounts this year are also getting free gifts (how did they get it so easy?!). This reminds me of a saying my mom likes (in Japanese): ue ni mo ue ga aru which translates to even the top have a top (meaning no matter how good you are there’s always someone better—lol depressing? maybe that’s why she also adds shita ni mo shita meaning even if you’re at the bottom, there’s always someone worse than you). Basically the lesson is the pointlessness of comparison. I just try to remember to do me and do what I enjoy. And gifts have less meaning compared to the real joy of being able to share my sentiments with you guys who come to my blog and actually care about what I have to say. So thank you if you’re reading this because you guys add meaning to my life! I truly appreciate it!