Ethical Chambray Shirt Round-up

A round-up like this is a first for me on this blog, but since it was requested by a new reader I thought “Why not?” (so Dr. Nguyen, this one’s for you! lol). But actually I found this to be a fun exercise in really flexing my ethical brand knowledge. After years of personally reviewing ethical brands and reading other blogs that review these brands, I even surprised myself with how many great brands I could talk about here. Now I normally don’t feature items I haven’t tried on myself, however these are all ethical brands that I’m either familiar with or have seen other bloggers’ reviews of them and they have all been vouched for by trustworthy sources. I’m not much of a chambray shirt person myself (or a button-down shirt kind of person in general) but if I were in the market to buy one, these are the ones I’d look at:

Everlane

Duh, I have to start with what I know best. I haven’t personally tried this particular Relaxed Jean Shirt ($60) but I’ve tried a ton of other Everlane’s button-down tops and can vouch for their generally good quality (especially when it comes to their cotton and linen versions, not so much their old silk versions). This is a chambray shirt at its simplest and most classic form.

Tradlands

Another tried and true ethical company that gets a lot of attention in the ethical blogosphere is Tradlands and their version of the chambray shirt is called The Clare ($167). I’ve tried their items in the past and really loved the quality of their cotton button-down shirt (reviewed here). Yes the tops are pricey, but the quality is unbeatable and so is their attention to detail. Also here’s a great review of some of Tradlands tops from Andrea, one of my favorite bloggers. P.S. If you’re an XXS you can score a great used one on Slowre right now!

Power of My People

I haven’t personally tried this ethical Canadian brand but I’ve heard a lot of good things about them from numerous bloggers, and have been tempted get something from them myself. Their version of the chambray shirt, called The Wordsmith ($85.84), is a beautiful steel blue color though not a traditional chambray look. They also have a chambray-looking shirt called The Pillar ($139.30) that’s actually 100% linen and probably a great summer option. Though I can’t personally vouch for this brand, all these trustworthy and excellent bloggers can: Lee from Style Bee, Grechen from Grechen’s Closet, and again Andrea from Seasons+Salt.

Bridge and Burn

I really love this ethical, small-production Oregonian brand and I’ve been a past Bridge and Burn customer so I can vouch for the quality of their items. I personally purchased a dress in this material (reviewed here) and love it for the summer. It was super lightweight, soft, yet felt durable. It’s not your traditional chambray material but this Japan-made fabric is not only of premium quality but also a fun take on the usual chambray.

ABLE

If you’re looking for a short-sleeved version then look no further than ABLE’s (note: this referral link is for $20 off) classic chambray shirt called the Pilar Popover ($98) made in Mexico. I haven’t yet tried this brand though they’ve been on my radar for quite some time now and I’ve been itching to get something from them (I probably will this year, but since I’m on my one-new-item-only-per-month resolution, it’s probably going to be later in the year). I love that this company focuses on creating jobs for women in developing countries and their products are pretty classic as well. Some bloggers that have reviewed them include Caroline from Un-Fancy, Lee from Style Bee and Andrea from Seasons+Salt.

kowtow

If you’re looking for another untraditional take on the chambray shirt then kowtow has a really sleek looking black version for sale on their site right now ($109). Kowtow is an ethical brand I heard of through Grechen of Grechen’s closet and they’re a bit more obscure though upscale. You can also find their stuff on ASOS or on the Garmentory. They like to use high-quality organic materials and are very transparent about their production practices in other countries (mostly India). I can’t wait to add a kowtow piece to my wardrobe this year (like this dress or this dress) but probably post pregnancy!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed my first ever round-up. I know I enjoyed the challenge. I kind of felt like someone’s online ethical style consultant/online personal shopper. If you guys don’t have the time or just don’t want to do the research about an ethical option for an item, I’m open to suggestions for more round-ups! Just leave a comment below or let me know on Insta :)

Weekend Update/Ramblings

It’s been 1 week since the move and we’re still living in boxes but otherwise I feel good. I love our new apartment and how cozy it feels. Also our new location is fairly convenient and I can walk to a lot of places if I wanted to. I look forward to exploring my neighborhood more this year! Also another aspect of apartment living that I’ve noticed recently is the whole elevator vibe thing, which is new to me since I haven’t lived in an apartment complex in a long time nor in one this big. As an introvert I would rather not see anyone in the elevator, but even a brief pleasant exchange, a smile or hello with your apartment mates in the elevator can really lift the spirit. While being in an elevator with unfriendly or unhappy people can also send out a negative or heavy vibe (which I most likely encounter during the hours of 6-7pm from tired people coming back from work). What interesting social creatures we humans are, lol.

Anyway as you can see this is going to be more of a rambling post than anything. So please excuse me while I ramble on about Everlane’s texture cotton cardigan (aka the babaa knock-off). When I first saw this in their Coming Soon preview I was like “uh-oh, this is going to conflict with my new year’s resolution of only 1 new closet item at the end of the month.” Because of course who wouldn’t want the cheaper version of the cardigan that every ethical closet blogger has? But after reading Karen’s review, I’m not so sure I would have loved it. First of all it is 27% nylon (so over a quarter of it is made of plastic—I guess Everlane’s promise of no new virgin plastic in their products really is going into effect 2021 and they’re in no rush to make changes just yet), which I know is to keep the costs down and would help retain the sweater’s shape when using cheap cotton. But it is an inferior product to the 100% premium cotton babaa knits made with consciously harvested spanish cotton. Also at the end of its life, the babaa one is fully biodegradable since even the buttons are made of recycled cotton fiber, while you know that the over-quarter-plastic Everlane one will not fully biodegrade). Anyway I’ve been lucky enough to try the babaa cardigan before (thank you West Coast Craft) and I can attest to the quality of these really heavy cotton knits.

I can see how an item like this gives Everlane a “fast-fashion” reputation because right now they seem pretty Zara-like when it comes to this cardigan. And yes even though the styling looks the same, the cardigans themselves don’t look the same (the Everlane one looks flimsier and thinner). It seems to me that the whole point of buying ethically is to buy less but better (consume slowly and consciously), but this cardigan is just a substitute for those who want the look of the trend. If you really were going to consume ethically, then wouldn’t saving up all your pennies to buy the one coveted cardigan you’ve always wanted and that you’ll treasure forever be the way to go? You know the babaa sweater is not going to be in the donation pile anytime soon. But I get it, not everyone can spend several hundred dollars on one item of clothing (especially if its a trend or if they don’t know it will suit them). Also I can see the merit of the Everlane sweater being thinner so less bulky than the babaa one (I personally passed on the babaa at the time because I thought it was too bulky). Well it seems a bit of a gray area to me but I do expect to see this cardigan pop up more on Insta and other blogs and for it to be sold out in a month. Also if it weren’t for my resolution I know I would have tried this out to review so who am I to judge?

P.S. I found this post about the ethics behind purchasing fast fashion secondhand and liked some of the issues it raises. What do you think: is it ok to buy secondhand fast fashion?

My Unsponsored Experience Selling/Consigning with The RealReal Part 2: Commission, payments, and how it compares with selling on Fashionphile

So Part 1 of this post can be found here. This is a continuation because otherwise it would be one darn long blog post.

Ok so once your items reach the warehouse, they’re evaluated and processed. Jewelry takes a bit longer since a GIA specialist takes the time to look at each item. Clothes are processed much faster. And like I said in the last post, all selling prices are determined by them, so really only sell things you don’t care about. For my clothes, I had a current/elliot button down that I couldn’t sell that I got $26 for (this is the take home amount) and a Tory Burch dress I bought at crossroads for $42 sold for $80 so I got $40. So yep, they initially take a 50% commission off of what you consign (yikes, I know!). Only when you sell $1500 worth of stuff with them (of which you see $750), will your take home percentage bump up to 60% (so they take 40%). For items that they sell for over $1000, they take only 30% (which is great if you have valuable jewelry or purses—this is a standard commission rate across most consignment sites for high value items, including Fashionphile). I was able to surpass the $1500 in sales (since I was selling mostly jewelry), so my commission rate is now down to 40% but I have to reach $10,000 in sales for it to bump down to 30% (highly unlikely). But that 40% commission rate is good until 11/30/20. So you can see how they incentivize you to consign with them.

Oh and I should note for jewelry, unless it’s a well-known brand they will sell your items for much less than what you initially paid for them (I know this since I also decided to sell some items of jewelry that I purchased myself and regretted since I never wore them). But like I said, it’s better to have some cash in the pocket than to see these unused pieces staring back at you from your jewelry box. Of course if I still had the receipt and box for a piece of jewelry purchased from a reputable site (like Blue Nile), I was able to sell them via my eBay shop and recoup much more of the initial cost.

Payments

So payment happens at the 15th of the following month. I chose to be paid by check, though now you can do direct deposit (which wasn’t an option when I started selling them last year). Also, if you shop a lot TRR, you can choose to receive it as TRR credit and get 5% more of your selling price. That might be something I try out when I have a fairly low selling month (but for now I want the cold hard cash lol). The checks are cut in a timely manner and everything has been going fairly smooth.

Except…

Some of my jewelry items I sent in November were held in limbo by quality control. So for the longest time I saw two pendants and a ring not move along in the process. I finally contacted a consignment rep after a month and she has been able to push TRR team to get it processed. And she’s been periodically updating me through email which has been great (they finally are listed 6 weeks after arrival to their warehouse). And they gave me site credit for $50 because of the inconvenience so I’m pretty happy. So no, things weren’t 100% smooth but I don’t have any major complaints.

If your item doesn’t sell at all and you’re ready to take it back, you can just email their customer service and let them know you’d like the item returned. They pay for return shipping back. I have one rag & bone top listed since October so I might give it a couple more months before taking it back and tying my luck at Crossroads.

So how would I compare selling to Fashionphile (my other favorite consignment site)? Well if you’re selling a purse or designer jewelry, even though Fashionphile’s initial photo submission process is a bit more of a pain, at least you know what your payment will be before you send your item in. So you can make the choice whether or not it’s worth it to sell it. But with TRR, it’s really a crapshoot, and you’re most likely going to be way underpaid. Also Fashionphile will pay you as soon as they receive your item since they outright buy your item if it’s less than $5000. So for my high end designer items, I would go with Fashionphile (if I choose not to sell on my eBay store). But if you’re selling clothes or unbranded fine jewelry that you don’t really care about and just want to get some money for (and you don’t have an eBay store), then I would go with TRR. It’s convenient, easy, and about 80% of my stuff sold within the first 2 weeks. For anyone looking for an easy way to get rid of their stuff and earn some cash, TheRealReal is a great option!

My Unsponsored Experience Selling/Consigning with The RealReal Part 1: Why and How

So I’ve talked about purchasing from TheRealReal here (overall it’s a great way to buy some designer preowned stuff, despite the exorbitant shipping and returning fees). But what is it like selling on TheRealReal? I decided to test the waters for you guys so you don’t have to (and by the way this is not sponsored in any way).

But let me just first note that I’m a long time eBay seller and have sold most of my stuff on this platform (including really expensive bags) since 2005. And because I work hard to have a 100% rating with over 1000 reviews, I’m a pretty trusted seller. So my go-to will always be eBay first to sell items since they take the least amount of commission (about 10-15% depending on what you’re selling). Also I’ve sold a purse with Fashionphile before and you can read my experience with that here.

So why would I bother consigning with TRR? Well first I’ve been very lucky to have been handed down some fine jewelry from my mom and aunts, but they have no sentimental value for me. They pass it on to me to alleviate their own guilt of purchasing jewelry that they ended up not wearing. And I don’t want to be carrying around these items with me forever for no good reason other than that they’re worth something. For awhile I was taking it to my jeweler as scrap metal but the value I got from that was so pitiful that it really was a waste (part of the value of jewelry comes from the workmanship the jeweler puts into it). So then I decided to sell in on TRR, especially since I didn’t know the value of these items (are they 14k gold? 18k gold? is that a white sapphire or a diamond or just a crystal?). Since I didn’t have that info, listing through eBay would have been difficult. I also decided to sell some clothes that just weren’t moving on my eBay store. TRR has a much larger market than my one eBay shop so I figure why not try and see if it sells there.

So how does it work?

Well I like to use the app version of TRR for both my buying and selling (it’s a great app!). Just go to the consign tab on the bottom right and start listing what you want to consign (I use the self-service “Ship To Us” option instead of an appointment). All you have to fill out is the brand of the item (this is also where you will find out which brands TRR sells and which they will not. If your brand is not listed in their drop down menu, they don’t accept it). For fine jewelry you can select unbranded. Then you just select what kind of item it is and add item to the list.

Once you’ve added all your items, you submit your name and address and they will email you a packing list and free shipping label. Then you have to pack up your own items in whatever box you have lying around, stick the label on, and drop it off at your nearest UPS store. It’s super easy! (For awhile it was so easy I kept going through my jewelry drawer every week and finding more things to part with and sent off 4 shipments in November, probably wasting their shipping costs but hey they charge me an arm and a leg when buying. But also I wanted to break up the shipments in the off-chance that one of them went missing; I didn’t want all that valuable jewelry to get lost—but everything made it to their warehouse fine).

Anyway once it gets to their warehouse, it will show up as shipments received and they will send you periodic emails letting you know when your items are being processed. In the meantime usually a consigner rep will call and email you to see if you have any questions (I avoided all their calls but they’re readily available through email). So if anything doesn’t meet their standard (clothing with stains or jewelry that’s either too scratched up, made of less than 14K gold, or made from sterling silver—they only take brand name jewelry made of sterling silver like Tiffany’s) they will take the time to ship the item back to you for free.

Also they set all the prices so just be prepared to be low-balled. And yes sometimes the prices don’t make sense (but that means as a TRR buyer you can snag some real deals). But if these are items you wouldn’t have been able to sell yourself anyway, getting anything for them would be a win right?

If you’re still interested, part 2 is here and it details their commission structure, some of the difficulties I’ve had with them, and how it compares to selling with Fashionphile.

Weekend Update/Rambling

moving the dogs, lol

We made it! We’ve officially moved to Walnut Creek (on the fringes of the East Bay in the Bay Area). We’re still currently living out of boxes and getting used to apartment living. But we looooove apartment living—it’s like living in a trailer (which we did up until just last year), but with 5x the space. Yet, it’s not the 2000 sq feet of the house we just moved out of that was frankly too big for us. And even though we downsized, because of our many moves into and out of trailers, our actual trash and goodwill pile was quite minimal (which I was proud of). But the actual number of boxes and belongings we moved with us definitely does not qualify us as minimalist. So even after 3 years of trailer living, I can fill a walk-in closet and then some (also thanks to 2018 being the year of careless spending and gifted items). Time to downsize mindfully which for me means 1) selling it on eBay or on my closet sale page, 2) selling it through TheRealReal (which if you’re interested, I’ll be detailing for you the whole process this week), 3) selling it at Crossroads, 4) Donating, 5) cutting it up and making it into rags (in that order). I know everyone and their mom is Marie Kondo-ing their stuff right now and many are not in the market to buy (hello #byebuychallenge) so we’ll see how all the selling goes. Also note to self, not moving again for at least 5 years! I’m tired of moving!

Also I’m so glad we made it to Walnut Creek because now I’m okay with delivering the baby at any time now. We were worried that if I had another bleed episode before the move I’d have to deliver in San Jose and then our baby would be stuck in the NICU in San Jose (and we’d have to temporarily live back in SJ). But now everything’s set and I have all my doctor’s appointments lined up at Walnut Creek. It’s such a weight off my shoulders!

Anyway, no post tomorrow since it’s MLK holiday here in the US. But if you entered my Outdoor Voices promo giveaway (today’s the last day to enter), I’ll be emailing you with your $20 off codes but no announcements will be made in this space. Hope you are all enjoying your long weekend and see you on Wednesday!

What I took away from the book "A Life Less Throwaway" + Giveaway {Closed}

I was intrigued when I first saw A Life Less Throwaway featured over on Leah’s blog (or maybe it was Insta) and decided to add it to my list of “personal growth” books (I guess it would be growth by consuming less, lol). I didn’t know much about the book except from what I could garner from the title since I’m not familiar with the Buymeonce.com website. And no, it’s not about zero waste as I initially thought, but rather about buying to last. This of course is the goal for anyone looking for a more minimal and less wasteful life. And I think overall this book is great as a refresher or motivator for shopping less and making do with what you have. But there’s not really any novel ideas or any life-changing hacks. For those of us that’s been on this (very long) journey towards less stuff and more mindfulness, a lot of these concepts are things we are familiar with. However these principles below are some great reminders on the road to less.

1) Mindful Curation

Mindful curation “releases us from the trivial, the bland and the shoddy, and [helps us live] a life where our objects perfectly match our needs, pull their weight, reflect their our values and put a smile on our face.” This chapter was a lot about how to be mindful of our consumption as well as resisting advertising (the author has a background in advertising and lets us in on all the tactics companies try to get us to buy more). She advocates “fighting aesthetic waste by finding your true taste” by sitting down and thinking where your taste lies (modern, boho, colorful, simple?). She also talks about "ad blocking” when shopping by telling yourself “I have everything I need to be happy” while walking around the mall or browsing the internet. She also touches upon a capsule closet to resist buying fast fashion.

2) Finding Your Purpose

Of course one of the easiest ways to resist mindless consumption is to redirect your attention to your “purpose” in life. In general, she advocates doing other things you love instead of shopping though of course this is easier said than done. She suggests listing 12 things you’ve always wanted to do (some examples for me include doing more yoga, volunteering, reading more, etc.) and focusing on doing one a month. Or also writing a mission statement so that you can evaluate whether or not each purchase aligns with your mission.

3) Resist Impulse Purchases

And then she has a couple of shopping hacks to prevent impulse shopping. These include writing an unwish list (a list of things you will never buy), thinking about the use of results/use of items before purchasing, purchasing from a position of strength (when you feel great about yourself as opposed to when stressed or feeling low), knowing your shopping triggers, and purchasing with patience. Again all useful refresher points but nothing revolutionary.

The book also has some good resources on items that are meant to last (so what you should buy). And in general it’s a great refresher on working towards a more minimal life. If you’re interested in reading this book for yourself, I’d love to pass this copy onto a reader of the blog. So just enter the form below if you’d like this book and I’ll pick a winner and mail them this book! Giveaway ends next Sunday midnight and winner will be announced Monday!

Everlane Try-On: Soft Cotton Square Cardigan

I really really loved Everlane’s Soft Cotton Square Crew sweater (reviewed here) so when the black version of the crew neck sweater wasn’t available, I decided to try out the black version of their Soft Cotton Square Cardigan. It has the same soft cotton material and the same square shape so it’s bound to be just as great, right? Well…

I had originally had visions of the sweater looking like this:

And not this:

I think if I was wearing skinny jeans like the instagram pic, it would be pretty cute. Or maybe one of those pairs of snug fitting high-waisted jeans. Or I think the key might be to keep it unbuttoned for a cuter look.

Let’s just say it’s not doing my prego body shape any favors. While the soft cotton crew sweater has a great drape and tends to hide my prego belly, the cardigan seems to accentuate it. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m not styling it well or because my current figure is not suited to this shape but I rarely found this cardigan flattering. At first I thought it was kind of cute but with more photo evidence, I decided it was not that cute.

{Wearing: Everlane Soft Cotton Square Cardigan, Hatch Nantucket dress, Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here), Celine Soft Cube bag (similar here or here, reviewed here)}

In the end I was undecided but did think it wasn’t that cute while pregnant. And since I didn’t want to hold on to this cardigan in the off chance it’ll look cute once I get my usual figure back, I decided to just send it back.

Has anyone else tried this sweater and found it flattering? What am I doing wrong here?

Outdoor Voices $20 gift code giveaway {Closed}

Thanks to everyone who purchased through my referral code on my Outdoor Voices review I got a bunch of $20 off promo codes. Since I’m on my one-purchase-only-a-month resolution (and who are we kidding, I’m not currently working out), I don’t need any of these codes. So if you’re interested in $20 off your next Outdoor Voices purchase, just enter the form below and I can email you a code. Giveaway will be open for a week and winners will be randomly selected (but who knows, if not that many people enter, you might all get one).

Weekend Update/Ramblings

Jan 2nd I ended up back at the hospital due to another major bleed (the biggest one yet) which had me stay in the hospital for observation for 4 days (double my stay of last time). At the time I was quite bummed out, but instead of trying to just get through it, I decided to re-frame my thinking and make each present moment my friend (thanks to reading Eckhart Tolle’s New Earth at the time). And so I decided to think of it as a relaxing reading vacation with as much bed lounging as I wanted and some really good room service (the nicest nurses ever), though the food left much to be desired. And in the end I feel extremely grateful because 1) baby is fine and 2) this incident happened after our platinum health insurance kicked in. So yes, for the first week of working towards FIRE we probably spent about $3500 for our out of pocket max for the hospital bill, but at least it’s not the $7000 of last year’s bronze plan (ouch!). And in other news on the FIRE front, at least we minimized our eating out (yay for free hospital food), I didn’t shop (though I did spend time browsing what to add to my January list from the hospital bed), and we’re finally seeing the whole picture of our expenses through Mint.

This week we’re focusing on moving to Walnut Creek (that’s about 1 hour from our current home) and I’m busy packing (though I’m also trying to take it easy). It’s been an uber stressful time for us so please wish us luck that everything goes according to plan and we are able to make the move without a hitch.

And here’s another quote from New Earth to keep my (and maybe your) no-shopping resolve strong (and to hopefully lessen my time thinking about material stuff):

“One of the unconscious assumptions is that by identifying with an object through the fiction of ownership, the apparent solidity and permanency of that material object will endow your sense of self with greater solidity and permanency…The ego tends to equate having with Being. I have, therefore I am. And the more I have, the more I am. The ego lives through comparison. How you are seen by others turns into how you see yourself…You need others to give you a sense of self, and if you live in a culture that to a large extent equates self-worth with how much and what you have, if you cannot look through this collective delusion, you will be condemned to chasing after things for the rest of your life in the vain hope of finding your worth and completion of your sense of self there."

Unsponsored Storq Review: The Basics Bundle

All images including this one are from their site here.

This is my third review of Storq, the first two being a review of their Easy Pants (here) and their leggings (here). If you haven’t heard of Storq, you can read more about them here. But I like to think of them as the Everlane for basic maternity wear. They make quality clothing responsibly in factories in Los Angeles and China. Since they are direct to consumer, they’re able to keep their prices somewhat reasonable (especially if you compare them to maternity lines like Hatch!).

Technically I could have included the leggings in this review since it is part of their Basics Bundle but decided to separate it out since I plan to talk a lot about various maternity leggings and wanted to reference it specifically (I’m getting ready for a Comparison Review of Storq vs. PACT vs. Target vs. Hatch so stay tuned if you’re interested!). Anyway the other 3 pieces in Storq’s basics bundle are their T-shirt dress, white tank and pencil skirt. All of these pieces can be purchased separately but when bundled together you save about $14. So is it worth it?

Here’s what it boils down to, if you’re 5’6” and taller, I think this might be worth it for you. But for us petite gals, since this does not come in petite sizing you’re going to have to compromise on fit. Similar to what I said in my Storq leggings review, the quality is great but you have to make the fit work (so for the leggings I would bunch it up near the top of the thighs so it wouldn’t bunch up near the knees).

All items are made of 92% modal and 8% spandex which make them really soft and stretchy. They’re super comfortable and don’t feel synthetic-y even with all the stretchiness.

But if you don’t need or want any one of these three pieces, don’t get the whole bundle. Just get the pieces that you want. For me, some items were clearly a winner while the others did not work for me at all (and I ended up selling them off through eBay—which was pretty easy to do).

So let me start off with the pieces that I didn’t care for:

1) The white tank was just too sheer. You can see the bra outline and even your belly button. For me, I wear it as a layering piece under something else and would never wear it by itself. Also since it’s made for tall people, the torso is ultra long on me. I haven’t sold it yet but I’m considering it.

2) The T-shirt dress is also way too long for me. It becomes quite a midi dress on my frame and doesn’t look great IMO. Also the modal/spandex material is quite thin and can easily show panty lines, which I’m also not a fan of. I ended up selling this off on eBay pretty immediately.

Now onto the clear winner of the set for me: the pencil skirt. What makes this pencil skirt so great is that it is made with a double layer of the modal/spandex material so unlike the t-shirt dress there’s no VPL. Plus the extra layer helps hold in the belly better. I usually pull this skirt right up to the bra-line and it falls right at the knees. I also like the way the skirt tapers down a bit at the knees, which does make taking large steps difficult but gives the whole thing a nice silhouette (especially when wearing a bigger or boxier top). Also it’s basically seamless so there’s no rubbing point and I love that.

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

So for me, the Basics Bundle was not worth it. Also the fact that it comes in a plastic pouch is a turn off because really I don’t need another plastic pouch in my life (though I understand it’s reusable). I ended up giving it to the buyer of the t-shirt dress. But for me personally it was worth trying out this bundle since I’m able to write this review here lol. Also I love the pencil skirt and still use the leggings (for now, until I find one that works better for me). But for everyone else, I think it’s worth it to just pick and choose what you want and skip this bundle that really only saves you $14 (and who knows if you’ll use or like all the pieces).

P.S. That maternity leggings comparison post is here. And you can find all my other storq reviews here.

Lauren Manoogian Alpaca Sweater Try-On

My first encounter with Alpaca was Everlane’s alpaca wool blend sweater (which I reviewed here). But because it had such a high nylon content I, one, sent it back and, two, really wanted to try a sweater that was 100% alpaca (no plastic please!). In the Everlane review I went over why alpaca fibers are better than cashmere and why it’s now the luxury fiber for sweaters (cashmere is no longer a luxury because even fast fashion brands like Uniqlo churn out cheap cashmere (including Everlane’s $100 cashmere I’m sorry to say)—which is also harming the environment with its mass production). And well 100% alpaca sweaters have the “luxury” price tag to match (like this one, this one and this one). Trying to find a sub-$300 100% Alpaca sweater is pretty much impossible. So I decided to stalk my favorite clothing consignment site, TheRealReal and found one from Lauren Manoogian (that link is for the one I actually tried on in this review and there are similar ones here and here). I’ve reviewed one of her items before, where I talk about the ethics and values of sustainability behind her company (she’s not quite slow fashion, but almost). Her limited number of items each season aren’t cheap but they’re made to last. But the best way to afford her pieces is by buying them used!

{Wearing: Lauren Manoogian 100% alpaca sweater, thrifted no brand ponte pants, Everlane Boss Mules (reviewed here)}

I was lucky enough to snag this 100% Alpaca sweater for about $128 (incl shipping) but had to compromise on the size (it’s a large). But I figured with my big ‘ole prego belly, the large would probably be a good fit. So what did I think of the sweater? Alpaca really is an amazing fiber! The 100% alpaca knit was super warm (even with the shortened sleeves) and the sweater was super thick, but still lightweight considering how thick the knit felt. There was zero itch and if you’re sensitive to wool, this is probably the best alternative since it’s still ultra warm. It’s not as smooth and soft as cashmere, but much thicker and better than regular wool. I can’t speak to how it wears and whether it pills or not since I ended up not keeping it (but alpaca is supposed to pill much less than wool and cashmere). But considering this is a used sweater, there was no pilling at all (but of course I don’t know how many times it was actually worn by the previous owner). It was around mid-50’s when I was wearing this sweater and even with the shorter sleeves, I was feeling almost overheated in it.

So why didn’t I keep it? I just didn’t think the shape and length flattered my body. The large overwhelmed by petite frame (I’m 5’4”) and I think it made me look shorter than usual. Of course it did accomodate my prego belly but I couldn’t really see myself wearing a sweater this long post partum, so I sent it back (and thus it’s available again on The RealReal site). I think if you’re taller than me (around 5’6” and above) then this sweater might be a better fit.

But my appetite to find a used 100% alpaca sweater is even stronger than ever. I’m on the hunt y’all! Anyone else try 100% alpaca and what did you think?

Lowest Cost Per Wear Everlane 2018

Last week Friday I did a year in recap of what items in my whole closet that I wore the most and this week I wanted to see which Everlane items in my closet had the lowest cost per wear. I think it’s a good indication of what pieces from Everlane (my favorite brand) were really worth it. I did one last year for 2017 and you can see how much or how little that list has changed for this year (last year was just a guess since I didn’t have the Stylebook App yet). And this year I have the actual cost per wear!

1) Everlane Street Sandal (no longer sold): Reviewed here. This is my second pair of these shoes that I started wearing this year (you should have seen how beat up my first pair got! Those were included in last year’s lowest cost per wear Everlane post). And already this second pair is the lowest cost per wear Everlane item and also the only one under $1. I plan to wear them for another season so get ready to see the cost per wear on these go down to pennies!

2) Everlane Day Market Tote: Reviewed here and a 100 wears later post here. I already talked about them in last week’s most worn post and this was my number 1 most worn/used item. Seriously this tote is worth it!

3) The Ribbed Wool Cashmere Sweater (no longer sold): Reviewed here. This also appeared in last year’s post and also in this year’s most worn items post. I guess you can say this is my all-time favorite sweater from Everlane so it’s a shame they decided not to re-release it this past year.

4) The (original) Anorak (no longer sold): Reviewed here. Also on last year’s lowest cost per wear post since this is my go-to rain coat for almost 3 years running. This anorak is best for wet Cali winters where it’s actually not that cold since it’s quite a bit thinner than their City Anorak that they released a year later (late 2016). I love this rain jacket because it’s so lightweight and easy to pack into your bag, but it does it’s job perfectly. I usually layer sweaters underneath to keep warm.

5) Easy Chino (c/o Everlane): Reviewed here. Ah, my most favorite pair of pants from Everlane so of course it’s in my lowest cost per wear post. I wore them consistently since I got them in June (as a gift from Everlane so technically cost is $0 but I like to calculate it out as if I did purchase it). After multiple washings and dryings in the dryer, the edges of the elastic waistband are getting a bit worn-looking so I’ve started air drying them instead of putting them in the dryer (gotta make them last as long as possible!). But they’re starting to look like a favorite vintage pair of pants and I can’t wait to bust them out again post pregnancy!

6 and 7) Everlane's cotton two-pocket shirt: Reviewed here. This is one of the items I liked so much that I bought two of them and I guess I like them pretty much equally since they’re right next to each other in cost per wear. These are the perfect shirts to just throw over your outfit in the summer when you want to cover your arms from the sun but they don’t cling to you or make you hot. I wore them a lot when I was out and about or when driving. Plus the large pockets are handy when needing to stash something right away. Though I won’t be working the Airstream biz this coming year I can see them transitioning to the perfect breastfeeding top (button down but also cropped and boxy).

8) The Modern Utility Jacket: Reviewed here. This was my most worn jacket of 2018 because of its versatility and layerability. Also loved all the large pockets. I look forward to getting the cost per wear down even lower in 2019 (I foresee all those pockets being really handy for kid stuff).

9) The Cotton Long Sleeve Crew: Reviewed here. I originally loved this sweater so much that after my first purchase in 2017 (the pink one), I waited until 2018 to buy this second striped one. Well as you can see in the post, they actually changed their second run production to be a much bigger and looser of a sweater and I loved it even more. So it’s no surprise to see it on my list here.

10) The Day Heel Mules: Reviewed here. My most worn heels of 2018, nuff said lol

11) Waffle Knit Cashmere Crew (from 2017): Reviewed here. I loved this sweater in 2017 and I loved it in 2018 so it’s no wonder I was able to get the cost per wear down fairly low (considering it’s cashmere and a $155 sweater). I loved it so much that I bought their oatmeal colored version of this for 2018 (and have already worn it 16 times this winter season).

12) The Polka Dot Shirt Dress: Reviewed here. This was my first time trying the fabric cupro (made sustainably from cotton by-product), and I love it. I wore this dress from the end of summer into fall and with some layering, it was the perfect transition dress. The cupro breathes but also keeps you warm. And it feels like silk without the wrinkling and high maintenance upkeep. I stopped wearing it just because with the growing baby bump, the front became a bit too short for my liking. But I can’t wait to throw this on post pregnancy!

And there you have it folks, my current lowest cost per wear Everlane items. I plan to continue to track this year after year and I’ll be able to see which favorites I keep wearing (and thus really lowering the cost per wear). What were some of your lowest cost per wear items in 2018?

Weekend Update/ Ramblings

Trying to find yourself through things doesn’t work: The ego satisfaction is short-lived and so you keep looking for more, keep buying, keep consuming…We cannot really honor things if we use them as a means to self-enhancement, that is to say, if we try to find ourselves through them. That is exactly what the ego does. Ego-identification with things creates attachment to things, obsession with things, which in turn creates our consumer society and economic structures where the only measure of progress is always more. The unchecked striving for more, for endless growth is a dysfunction and a disease…When you can no longer feel the life that you are, you are likely to try to fill up your life with things. As a spiritual practice I suggest you investigate your relationship with the world of things through self-observation, and in particular, things that are designated with the word ‘my.’ You need to be alert and honest to find out, for example, whether your sense of self-worth is bound up with things you possess…Is it wrong to be proud of one’s possessions or to feel resentful toward people who have more than you? Not at all. That sense of pride, of needing to stand out, the apparent enhancement of one’s self through ‘more than’ and diminishment through ‘less than’ is neither right nor wrong—it is the ego. The ego isn’t wrong, it’s just unconscious. When you observe the ego in yourself, you are beginning to go beyond it. Don’t take the ego seriously…Above all, know that the ego isn’t personal. It isn’t who you are.

I never thought I’d be an Eckhart Tolle kind of reader much less quote his book (A New Earth) publicly, but there you have it. Guess a person who’s education was based in science (Microbiology then Epidemiology) can still understand and buy into the fluffy world of new age spiritualism. But there’s just something about this book that makes sense to me (though I did get a great introduction to meditation and secular spirituality through my favorite book 10% Happier. I definitely could not have jumped straight into this book without some kind of introduction to the “monkey mind”, or what Mr. Tolle calls the ego here). Anyway with this book I’m beginning to see that I’ve wrapped up a lot of my self-worth through things and money, and really it’s only been feeding an always-unsatisfied ego. Recently, I’ve felt like I needed to cut back on my consumption, and that more things were in fact making me more unhappy (thus my new rule of no more free gifted items for semi-sponsored posts on this blog). For most of 2018 I viewed reviewing more things as a way of growing this blog to an even greater readership. But then again, why do I want to grow this blog? To feed the ego even more? No the whole point of this blog is because I really enjoy writing and communicating with all those I’m lucky enough to count on as readers. Also I love sharing my ideas in a mostly one way manner lol.

Anyway instead of trying to make more money/buy more stuff I’ve decided to take a different route. Yes, I’m sticking to my resolution of letting myself get one new item a month (which I’m sure I’ll be reviewing here), but I’m also going to be focusing on FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). Have you heard of this movement? I just learned about it through this NYT article and my husband and I are obsessed. We definitely want to make our money work for us so that we can stop working just for the money sooner. We’re still newbies in the subject but we’re going to start tracking our expenses and putting our extra capital into investments. I also recently just finished reading Your Money or Your Life where they describe a Crossover Point where your monthly expenses meet or are below your monthly investment income. Sounds impossible I know, but we’re going to try (our crossover point will probably be over a decade from now, but even then retirement at 45-50 doesn’t sound so shabby). Or once we’re comfortable, we might try Barista Fire and I’d love to work part-time in ethical fashion.

Anyway I don’t really foresee this blog to turn into a financial blog but I will probably be talking about our journey towards FIRE and trying to make better choices about money. Probably most of it will be contained in my weekly updates but who knows how obsessed I get with this topic? Just curious though, would this be of interest to you guys?

Resolutions: How'd I do in 2018 and what's planned for 2019

via GIPHY

So if you’re a long time reader, you know I looooove love love New Year’s Resolutions. I know I can’t always keep them (I’m looking at you shopping ban resolution of 2017) but I always try. Plus it makes the new year feel so much more fresh and promising when I have some resolutions. So here’s a brief recap of how I did this past year and what I want to try out for the new year.

My 2018 Resolutions (linked to the original post)

1) Working Out: I was doing really well and was working out even during my first trimester (ok quite sporadically but I was trying). But when I started to get bleeding incidents during my pregnancy (so far 5 incidents, please let it be only 5) I stopped cold turkey. I just didn’t want to put that stress on my body, plus I wasn’t gaining a crazy amount of weight anyway. Next year I don’t plan to put this on the agenda. I’ll work out if I feel like it but I know I’m going to be crazy busy with the baby and don’t want to pressure myself to adding workouts to my schedule.

2) Stop binge drinking: Nailed it! Who knew I just had to get pregnant, lol. Also this is the first times in my life where I’ve been stone cold sober at parties where everyone else is drinking. And let me just say 1) it’s quite boring and 2) drunk people are extra obnoxious when you’re sober (but so much fun when you’re drunk with them)—I don’t know how sober people do it.

3) Shop ethically: Almost nailed it. Slipped up once and bought two things at Zara on vacation back in May. Both items are already no longer in my closet—I sold it to Crossroads. But this was a lesson learned and I think the nail in the coffin for shopping fast fashion. Haven’t purchased from any fast fashion stores since nor have I had the urge to do so.

4) Zero Waste Lifestyle Makeover: Needs work. I got some things down like remembering to bring reusable bags to the grocery store and using only reusable cotton pads for my face products. But I’m nowhere near where I want to be. As much as I would like to be the role model for zero waste, I don’t want to add that pressure during the first year of the baby so I’m going to skip this resolution this year and will try again in 2020.

via GIPHY

2019 Resolution

Ok, so I only really have one goal next year: to survive and thrive during the first year of motherhood, lol. But if I were to add one more thing on the list, it’s to be better with my money. In 2018, I added a lot of things to my closet, splurged on a lot of things and did not keep track of my money at all. Now that I have to think of baby’s future, I know I need to be better with my money. I would love to track my spending but don’t want to add that stress next year (I’ll try but we’ll see). But one thing I can do is to buy less items for my closet and control my spending when it comes to this blog. So here’s my one resolution for 2019:

1) Only add one item to my closet per month. Here’s the plan: I’m going to write a list of all the things I want during the month and only allow myself to buy 1 item off that list at the end of the month. This will also include items I get on credit (so probably less Everlane reviews next year, but really with the baby am I going to have the time anyway?). This way I hope to add only 12 items to my closet next year. Do you think I can do it? It seems ambitious to me but I’m going to try!

What are some of your resolutions for 2019? I would love to hear!

My Top Worn Items of 2018

So after a year of using the Stylebook App and keeping track of all the clothes I’ve worn in 2018, what were my top worn items? I did quarterly reports (quarter 1, quarter 2 and quarter 3), but it’s so nice to see the big picture now; to be able to reflect on my year-long wear count! As you can see, most of the items in my top 20 are either bags, shoes, or pants. I didn’t keep track of the tees and instead regarded them as a kind of undergarment. The only tops that got recorded in the app were special blouses or tops. So here are my top 20 worn items of my closet in 2018:

1) Everlane Day Market Tote: Reviewed here and a 100 wears later post here. My top used bag because it’s both my work and travel bag. Current cost per wear on this is $1.52.

2) Everlane Street Sandal (no longer sold): I reviewed them here and also talked about them here in my Lowest Cost Per Everlane 2017 post. These are actually my second pair of these shoes (I purchased 2 back-ups when they went on Choose What You Pay Sale). My love for these are still going strong and I think this pair will last me another season.

3) Celine Soft Cube Bag: Reviewed here. This is actually the newest addition to my Celine collection, purchased from Fashionphile in August. And it’s already my most worn handbag, which is crazy (I would never have guessed it so I’m glad I’ve been using this app to track of my wears). I guess because it’s such a useful and durable bag, I’ve been using it daily and haven’t been doing my usual switch with other bags. I even carry this bag in the rain with no problems. What makes this purchase even sweeter is that I only paid $180 for it by trading in my Valentino bag for it, which I hardly used (read about that here).

4) Vince Blair Sneakers (similar here): Reviewed here (actually more like a comparison review). These have been my go-to sneakers all year and have held up beautifully. They don’t smell and they don’t look worn. I look forward to another couple of years of good wear with them.

5) Celine Small Cabas Phantom: Reviewed here. This is the bag I reach for when I need something a bit bigger. I was using this for work sometimes too but decided I much rather go with the tougher Everlane tote for daily use. This is such a great bag and I even enabled a friend in getting one before the new Celine brand discontinues them.

6) Elizabeth Suzann Linen Clyde Pants: Reviewed here. These were the pants that ended my yearning to buy any other pants (I found my enough point with this pair). I also ended up selling my cotton canvas Clydes because I was just reaching for these all the time. Can’t wait to go back to wearing them post baby!

7) Frame Denim Jeans (similar here): These are my favorite pair of jeans. I can’t find anything exactly like them anymore so I cherish them even more.

8) Arizona Birkenstocks: I resisted these granola shoes for so long but finally broke down and got them in May. And lo and behold they make it to #8 on my most worn list. Guess there’s a reason they’re so popular even though they’re not the most attractive.

9) Celine Nano Belt Bag: Reviewed here. Purchased this in May and sold my Celine Micro Belt bag (and I don’t regret it at all). I much prefer this Nano size though I don’t wear it as much because I’m still in the stages of babying it (yet it still made it to the top 10 list). I want this bag to last forever.

10) Everlane Day Heel Mules: Reviewed here and now on sale! Looooove these shoes and they are my most comfortable pair of heels. As I’ve said before, these are the only heels I’ll wear interchangeably with flats. My go-to shoe when I want a little lift!

11) Hermes Lindy 30 Bag: Reviewed here. I’ve been wanting this bag for years and years so of course the year I get it, it would be one of my top worn items. Lately I’ve been using my Celine bags more because I want to make sure this bag will last a lifetime. This is definitely going to be passed down to my daughter.

12) Polene Numero Un bag: Reviewed here. I’m actually kind of surprised to see this bag make the top 20. I didn’t think I wore it that much, but I guess I did earlier in the year when I got it. I still really like the bag but found I wasn’t using it that much so I decided to loan it to a friend a couple of months ago. Since I’m no longer going into an office (we sold our Airstream biz!) I don’t really need a work bag like this anymore and it’s a tad large for daily use. {Update: Actually my friend gave it back to me, so I think I’ll be selling it soon. Let me know if you’re interested in it!}

13) Everlane Easy Chinos: Reviewed here. These were my other go-to pair of pants (that were non-denim). I looove these chinos and was able to wear them during the first trimester. Now they’re too small so they’re put away for post pregnancy. It was this pair of pants that confirmed for me that elastic pants are part of my essentials list lol.

14) Only Child raw silk Alta top: Reviewed here. This is the only blouse that made the top 20 list since I didn’t include tees. I reaaaallly love this top. I also got the one in linen (reviewed here) but the raw silk version is still my favorite because of its flowiness. If you’re looking for a great slow fashion top that’ll work especially well with high-waisted bottoms, I highly recommend getting this one (I love it even more than my Elizabeth Suzann Georgia tee).

15) Everlane Modern Utility Jacket: Reviewed here. This is the only jacket to make it on my top 20 and that’s because it’s the perfect transition jacket for both spring and fall and super versatile. I can layer sweaters underneath when it’s colder or wear it alone if its a bit drizzly (it’s not fully waterproof but water repellant enough for light moisture). Seriously can’t wait to break this out again for spring!

16) Elizabeth Suzann Silk Georgia Midi Dress: Reviewed here. When I first got it, I thought it might be too long for my short frame but it’s been awesome (especially during pregnancy). I wore this as my “modern muumuu” before I got pregnant and now it’s the perfect maternity dress. This piece is so versatile and has become a staple in my closet. Be prepared to see it a lot more next year.

17) Everlane Boss Mules: Reviewed here. I had a short break in period with these mules, but they are now my favorite pair of black pointed shoes (and I have 5 of them). They’re so light, sleek, and pretty much goes with every outfit. The points also help elongate my short legs. I had really wanted a Jenni Kayne (JK) mules, but now I’m so happy with these I’m no longer stalking the RealReal for a pair of the JK pair. Seriously, these are so good!

18) Rothy’s Point shoe: Reviewed here. When I need the shoe I’m wearing to be more durable and when I know I’ll be doing a lot of walking, these Rothys are my go to. And if you take a look at my comment section you can see I’m not the only one who loves these shoes. I’ve washed them a couple times already in the washing machine (on cold) and air-dryed them and they’ve come out beautifully. Even though Rothys has a recycle option, I’m not sure I’m ever going to need to take them up on their offer.

19) Everlane V Slingback (now 40% off with CWYP—choose what you pay): Reviewed here. So these were my favorite shoes in the spring. They are really comfortable and go with everything. And they’ve held up really well without any major scuffs or marks. Also the woven leather loosens with wear so if you have wide feet like mine they’re the perfect shoe from Everlane (which tend to run a bit narrow).

20) Everlane Ribbed Wool Cashmere Sweater (no longer available): Reviewed here. This is was my all time favorite Everlane sweater of 2017 so not surprising the love for it has continued into 2018. It’s just the perfect thickness, length and I love the weave. Since it’s a wool blend, there’s some pilling but not a lot (not as much as cashmere).

Wow if you went through all that, thanks for reading all about my nerdy closet data lol. I know this probably helps me more than you in that I can now see which pieces are my essentials. But I hope you find some useful information here, especially if you’ve been eyeing any one of these items. Anyway I’ll probably continue to track my wears (especially since I’m planning to add way fewer items to my closet this year) but I won’t bore you with the quarterly updates (unless you want me to lol).

What were some of your most worn items of 2018?

Fancy (Elder) Millennial

Lol dat me?

Thanks to Michelle’s post here, I read this article from VOX about one 26 yo New Yorker’s experience of living as a “Fancy Millennial” for one week. And by Fancy Millennial she means one who buys (or in her case gets free from the company in exchange for the article) and uses all the “best” stuff from direct to consumer companies and funnily enough, these are a lot of the brands I have reviewed here.

In some sense, she was making fun of those of us who choose to purchase from internet companies because we want “the best” of everything (according to her I am the target market for these brands by being “a city-dwelling millennial job-haver who cares deeply about stuff” and that buying this stuff “isn’t just a display of wealth; it’s your morality: that you are indeed the Informed Consumer, able to not only afford the best but to know what ‘the best’ even is. It’s a marketing strategy that is not new, of course, but that seems to work particularly well at the present moment.”—lol, not untrue). But at the same time she made a good point that of course having really good stuff doesn’t change who you are as a person nor does it necessarily make your life better. Nor are all of these things really the best (and that’s why I like to do unsponsored reviews of these much hyped about brands). Of course I’m super fortunate to be able to purchase and try these things and can afford to waste money on things that don’t work out.

But I think she also misses the point that by being a well-informed shopper that chooses to purchase from these direct-to-consumer brands we are supporting companies that are trying to do better (like Everlane), are actually making a better product (Away with their ejectable battery), or are giving us better bang for our buck by not taking up shelf-space in a store (like Brooklinen or ThirdLove). I find the quality and value to be infinitely better than products you’ll find at Macys or other such department stores, and they’re usually pretty similar in price. And to me, that’s being frugal and not necessarily a spendthrift who wants to “show-off their morality.”

Also I’m an elder millennial (I barely make the millennial cut-off by being born in ‘83) and am a full decade older than the writer and I think that makes a difference. At this point in my life I can afford these luxuries. I live in a comfortable house in California (soon to be a more minimal but hopefully equally comfortable condo in California) and currently spend little money on booze, eating out, and traveling. So yep I spend more money on stuff and I want it to be “the best”. I don’t think it makes my life better but man oh man do I enjoy my Brooklinen sheets and my quality Everlane clothes, lol.

Anyway here are the products that she mentions in the article that I have tried or reviewed:

• Brooklinen sheet set: $178 (reviewed here)

• Casper Wave full-size mattress: $1,950 (I haven’t tried their mattress, but I' reviewed their sheets here; also I’ve tried a Lull mattress—a similar concept to Casper, which I haven’t reviewed but will if you guys are interested.)

• Away carry-on: $225 (reviewed here)

• Lola tampons: $10 and Cora tampons: $33 (both reviewed here, and I came to the same conclusion as the writer: they’re exactly the same)

• Glossier Boy Brow: $16 (reviewed here)

• Outdoor Voices set: $95 (reviewed here)

• Allbirds wool runners: $95 (haven’t reviewed but tried it out. Personally I like my sneakers to have a bit more support in the arch)

• ThirdLove Classic T-shirt bra: $68 (reviewed here)

• Lively Busty Bralette: $35 (purchased but never got around to reviewing. They did not work for me and I prefer ThirdLove bras over Lively).

• Everlane cashmere crew: $100 (lots of cashmere reviews but my fave Everlane cashmere sweater reviewed here)

• Everlane Boss bootie: $215 (haven’t tried the bootie since I already have 1 bootie and that’s enough for me, but I love my Boss Mules reviewed here)

• Everlane Form bag: $235 (reviewed here)

• Everlane clean silk square shirt: $98 (old Everlane silk review here)

P.S. If you’re an older millennial like myself, the stand-up comedy show Elder Millennial by Iliza Shlesinger (on Netflix) has some great moments that hit close to home!

Happy Holidays

via GIPHY

Wishing everyone a happy holidays and please relish every minute with your friends and family!

Weekend Update/Ramblings

It’s interesting how grief works, or at least how it’s been working for me. A comment by Kat from Feather Factor really nailed it when she said it’s moments of crying/sadness interspersed in a mostly normal everyday feeling. Since I don’t live in the same state as my dad, it’s probably easier for me to feel normal since he’s not a part of my daily life. I’m sure it’ll be tough when I do go back to Hawaii and especially since I have to clean up/pack up his apartment once I’m able to travel with baby (probably sometime this summer). Also since I’m his next of kin (his only child and he’s divorced), the funeral arrangements and official death certificate matters (closing of his accounts and such) are all left up to me. I wish there was someone you could designate as your stand-in for things like this because talk about a burden on top of grief. Luckily, my mom and uncle have been helping me out a lot since I’m stuck here in Cali. Also if you find yourself the next of kin, know your kin’s social security number and their parents’ full names and their mother’s maiden name for the death certificate. These are things I never thought to ask my dad and luckily my mom still had some records of it and my uncle knew my grandparents’ full names.

Anyway I look forward to the coming new year (even more so than Christmas). A fresh new year! Also 2019 is my Chinese animal zodiac year (year of the pig). Fun fact: my mom is also the year of the pig and now my baby will also be the year of the pig. This happens because both my mom and I had/are having babies when we’re 36 (the animal zodiacs cycle every 12 years). Also my husband is the year of the pig. So we’re just going to be a family of piggies lol.

2018 Tech Guide Update

Tech items are one of those things that I feel are hyped up every year because it’s all shiny and new and then forgotten about as new tech items flood the market. Well I don’t believe in always getting the newest gadget so I thought I would update last year’s tech guide to let you all know whether the stuff I reviewed then were really worth it and stood the test of time.

Worth It

The Apple Airpods are still very much worth it. I use them almost daily, and they’re great for music and talking on the phone alike. This year I added a handy dandy case with them so I can easily find them in my purse and I keep them with me at all times.

My love for the Voloom Volumizing Hair Iron is still going strong. It’s about 6 years old now and still works great!

And I’m still using my Amazon Echo Dot with TP-Link Smart Plug daily for my bedroom floor light. We got another plug for our Christmas tree this year so all we have to say is “Alexa turn on the tree” :D .

Less Worth It

So after using the Awair air monitor for a year I have to say it’s been a mixed-bag kind of experience. The monitor still works, though the dust/PM 2.5 reading is permanently high which means the air quality rating is stuck at a fairly low reading all the time. I tried cleaning it but to no avail. However it still did a good job of letting me know how poor the air quality was indoors during the wildfires this season (even with all the windows and doors closed, the rating was the lowest I’ve ever seen it so it must still be getting in the house). I guess if I go and fix it, I will say this will be worth it again.

Not Worth It

The Coravin Wine System is not worth it. Granted I’m not drinking currently and haven’t for the last 6 months. But even before that I hardly touched it. TBH it’s just so much easier to open the bottle the old fashion way, use one of these things to seal it back as best as possible and then finish the bottle within three days.

And this was not on last year’s list, but one new tech gadget I tried this year was the Dyson Airwrap (reviewed here). And I have to say, it’s definitely not worth $550! Stick with your regular hair dryer and curling irons because this is just all a fad.

What were some tech gadgets that you thought were worth getting? I’m taking votes for next year’s tech guide :)

A Tough Month

This has been a very very tough month. Last week Saturday I had another bleeding episode, though not nearly as bad as the first that led to the 2 night hospital stay the weekend before. But scary nonetheless. This time I was prepared so I was able to take care of myself at home and a call to the doctor reassured me I was doing everything correctly. Luckily it stopped and could have been due to some contractions and preterm labor, which passed. Or it could have been the fibroids degenerating (I went to a follow-up visit and we still don’t know). But it was during this crisis that I learned my dad had passed away on Friday.

It was sudden and came without warning. He had reported feeling unwell on Wednesday but since he lives alone in Hawaii no one found him until Saturday when my uncle went to check on him. It makes me incredibly sad to think he slipped away without notice, but also I know that is how he wanted to go (without bothering anyone and causing anyone trouble). Also I know he never would have wanted to pass in a hospital. So really he went on his own terms and I would like to think peacefully and in his sleep.

I talked to him last about two weeks ago. I usually call him every weekend but since I was in the hospital the weekend before, I forgot. And that’s not unusual, I sometimes skip a weekend here and there. The last time I talked to him, he was happy to hear that we decided to name our baby girl’s middle name after him (which is Rei, and his name is Raymond but everyone calls him Ray). So I’m glad he got to hear that, though it also makes me cry when I think that he will never get to meet his granddaughter.

You might think it odd that I go about my business here as usual with the reviews, but most of these have been written ahead of time and scheduled to be posted (though I did move up a bunch of reviews so that they were published last week prior to this post because it felt inappropriate to post smiling pictures of myself after this post). I thought about taking a break and disappearing for a month or two, but to be honest writing this blog is my escape. It’s a joy and something that distracts me from the sadness. Also I would like to think that my dad would not want me to stop doing what I love and become depressed about it all (which is an easy slide to go down if I let myself). But I will write and post whenever I feel like it and will not be posting on a regular schedule until 2019 I think.

And there’s nothing to be depressed over. He knows he was loved and I know I was loved. He knows I’ll be alright and I know he had a content and happy life. Part of living is dying and we’ve never shied away from talking about it before. Neither of us have any regrets when it comes to our relationship.

Yet the timing could not have been worse, though there are some silver linings to it. I unfortunately cannot go back to Hawaii for his funeral due to this complicated pregnancy. But I was very lucky that my mom was here with me when we found out (she has been divorced from my dad for decades). And she has been a great comfort along with my husband. Also I’m lucky that I can’t drink currently since I’m sure I would have drowned my sorrows in alcohol only to fuel a depression.

Anyway I wondered if this was too personal a thing to share on this blog but then again I share everything on this blog. I didn’t want it to feel like this something I need to hide, a pain I couldn’t express because I don’t want to make this blog “heavy.” Grief is natural and it’s okay to let people know that you’re grieving. Anyway thanks for letting me share this and it’s been therapeutic for me. And hug your loved ones a little more and tell them you love them this month for me because you never know what could happen.