Category: Blog

I have found my perfect shoe! From the second I got this package at work today, I could hardly contain myself. Tact and the fear of workplace ridicule kept me from tearing the box to shreds. I definitely waited until I got home until I went to the bathroom to try them on. Maybe I looked funny carrying a pair of shoes into the bathroom? Who knows.

Anyway, on to the review. These shoes are so, so sharp. I had been looking for a stylish pair of closed toe shoes for quite some time now, so of course when I saw Everlane’s Modern Loafer, I was immediately drawn to the sleek profile and sturdy construction. When I saw this gorgeous Olive color, I knew I had to take the plunge. I always feel like black shoes look too harsh on my skin because I’m so pale, so any versatile neutral shades are totally my jam (also, hello, minimalism). The crazy thing about the color is that they adapt like no other shoes I have ever owned. When in brown surroundings, they appear more mauve. When in green, they appear more mossy. I tried to capture this in the photos I took– these shoes will definitely fit many different outfits and occasions. A minimalist’s dream!

Only other concern for me was the fit. According to Everlane’s website, they recommended I purchase an 8.5 when I am consistently an 8 in every other brand. When they say this shoe runs narrow, they aren’t kidding. When I first slipped my feet into the modern loafers, they were SO tight. After I wore them around for the rest of the day, they became more of a comfortable snug, so I have full faith that they will conform to my foot. Another thing that surprised me (knock on wood) is that after wearing them for hours, I didn’t have a single blister. Normally leather shoes give me some gnarly blisters, but Everlane’s Modern Loafer did not. I could easily see these becoming my default go-to shoes! They are even tempting me to take a chance on a black pair. Does anyone have the black? How does it look with skirts and dresses?

PS: If you referral link, you get $20 to spend free! Full disclosure, I would get the same deal you would, however I am not being compensated by Everlane in any way. All opinions are my own.

 

So I discovered Garmentory today, and I have to say I am stunned I hadn’t really come across it that much until now! It totally marries the idea of shopping small with the need for us to live in this super globalized society. One particular item could be listed a bunch of different times from different boutiques at different prices. It’s a truly open boutique marketplace.

The best part is, if you sign up using my referral link, you get $20 to spend free! Honestly, out of all the referral programs I’ve encountered, this (along with Everlane) has been the best because of the free shipping and the no minimum on your first order. Full disclosure, if you sign up using my referral link, I get the same deal.

Now here’s a few things I’m eying: (All images are the property of the respective boutique owners / designers)

SHAINA MOTE KEI SKIRT

CAINNON HAND-CARVED WOODEN COMB
SCOUT & CATALOGUE NOMAD SCARF – SOFT PINK
STUDY NY SQUARE SCARF

Obviously I, along with most of the human population, wear white in summer. But I feel like this is the first summer where I’ve really embraced how much I love wearing white in the summer. It’s so freeing to know that it will match with everything and attract less heat to keep you cool. It’s such a crisp clothing color– I feel like you can’t go wrong.

That being said, for Fall/Winter I’m seeing a verrrrrry marked shift. I’m embracing the darkest, murkiest colors I can find. Now is the time to play up the dark berry lip tint, rich navy outerwear and curl up in layers and layers of black clothing. I can’t wait to get started!

On my big-ticket wishlist:

– Wray Lady Dress: Oh, how I have always wanted a true red dress! This one fits the bill in every way, plus its made ethically. Score!

– The Ultimate Wool Coat: This is the coat I have been waiting my whole life for. I did not purchase it last fall and I ultimately regretted it like crazy. I think this fall is the time to do it– I am going to take the plunge!

– The Petra Crossbody from Everlane: I own a total of 2 bags. I have a habit of buying tops and pants, but never bags. I love the understated feel of this bag and feel like it would be the perfect buy it for life piece that my bag wardrobe has been missing.

What’s on your wishlist? I’d love to hear about it 🙂

It’s crazy to believe that this summer is almost over. The past few weeks, I’ve been going on little and big trips alike. This weekend we went out to Michigan City which was a blast. The weekend before was a trip to Starved Rock, which also was a great time and definitely satisfied the hiking itch I’ve been feeling lately. Then the week before that was the Budapest and Vienna adventure, which I mentioned earlier but don’t think I can mention quite enough. And the weekend before that we were out in the suburbs visiting some family. I’ve been feeling lots of gratitude and love lately, it just is going to be great when it’s about fall and things settle down. I’m very excited to stay local and recap with some good food and good sleep!

While in Michigan City, I brought a mixture of my greatest hits, which included some great thrift finds I’ve had for quite some time. It’s always nice when you’re going to get all sandy and covered in sunscreen and lake water to know you’re not only wearing rugged, durable clothes, but also knowing that your clothes have already lived a full life. Whenever I wear my thrift store clothes, I feel confident that I can do anything and go adventuring freely and if they do get stained or ripped, it’s not the end of the world. I know that if I wore some of my more expensive clothes that I bought new, I would have been less likely to run in the water fully clothed or run under a waterfall, which is exactly the opposite of what clothes are for.

So without further ado, here is my packing list for Michigan city:

– Everlane Snap Backpack in muted black – (not pictured) first up, the bag I took! This is my go-to for weekend trips anywhere. Even when I fly out to Denver to visit a friend or catch a train out to the suburbs, I love using just a backpack. The bag itself is fairly heavy when you add a bunch of stuff, but that’s to be expected. I adore this bag in every way with the exception of the fact that it gets SO. LINTY. I have to use a lint roller on it frequently. I have three Everlane twill bags, which I will post a joint review for soon. My twill zip tote used to pick up lint more, but now that I’m using it as my everyday work bag, the material is getting softer and more worn and is less of a lint-magnet

– Cropped linen button up blouse – old thrift find, originally was much longer but I hemmed it to hit about at my natural waist so I could tie it, you can see a better view of it in this post

– Linen tee – from Grana, received here, something that’s quickly become my go-to for situations where I’m not entirely sure what to wear. It dresses down or dresses up super well

– Vintage Ralph Lauren denim shorts – another thrift find, 100% cotton but they are incredibly broken in so they fit perfectly, probably cost me more time searching for them than they did in money. These are my go-to for any day adventuring

– Elizabeth Suzann Marlena Tank – reviewed here This was my “nicer” top for the drive over to Michigan City and our first night there, and although I definitely could have worn it to the beach, I didn’t because I wanted to be sure I kept it in good condition. This is an example of what I meant by wanting to wear my “play clothes” out to the beach or when at Starved Rock

– Keds – these poor shoes have been through a lot. I wear these on my way to work before changing into my Everlane Modern Loafers (reviewed here and then reviewed after 1.5 years here) and it usually involves an hour of walking during my commute every day, plus if I’m walking anywhere that involves taking the train, these are my go to. This was the shoe that I bought the Everlane Street Shoe to replace

– Eileen Fisher Leather Slide Sandals – these are my ultimate summer sandal. I wear them at work and on super hot days. They’re super comfortable because of the padded sole and the buttery smooth leather

– J Crew bathing suit – super old. I’ve been meaning to get a new bathing suit for quite awhile, but I want to be sure my next swimsuit is well made and in a super classic color. I’ve been considering a deep, true navy, but black is always a safe go-to.

– Uniqlo merino wool crewneck cardigan – old, the current iteration is linked here. This is another piece which I’ve put through a lot. I’ve had this for a few years, and miraculously it has not pilled and it’s survived being washed dozens of times and occasionally thrown in the dryer here and there to control lint. I have a handful of pullover cardigans by them as well which have pilled slightly more, even though this one is my most-used. I know that Uniqlo isn’t by any means responsible or sustainable, but since I bought these pieces before I made the choice to transition to clothes that were made in better conditions, I fully intend to keep wearing them and using them until they either fall apart or don’t fit me anymore

So there you go! Has anyone else been on any cool trips lately? I’d love to hear about them 🙂

I’m starting to think I’ve never met a linen shirt I didn’t like. This Linen Collarless Square Shirt from Everlane is no exception– it’s incredibly comfortable, breezy, and relatively flattering. I bought the size 2 even though typically I’m a size 4, and the drape is so incredibly perfect. I feel like I’m wearing a piece of gorgeous origami.

The linen itself is the perfect weight- feels like it could stand up to constant wear, yet isn’t too heavy for summer. It’s also not sheer, score! (Also I probably should have steamed this before posting. Oops. I was just too excited!)

I feel like this picture is the only one where you can actually tell that the shirt itself kind of flows away from the body. And as someone who typically is concerned with flattering body proportions, I honestly don’t have a single problem with it. And I feel like it goes with my Cuyana Summer Hat so well!

If you use my referral link, you get $25 off! Plus you get free shipping on your first order, which is pretty sweet.

Full disclosure, if you use my referral link, I’ll get the same deal. If I didn’t fully 100% believe in Everlane as a brand and the integrety of their products, I wouldn’t recommend them. But Everlane constantly goes above and beyond with their products– their silk especially. I can’t say enough good things!

Fall is almost here! It’s almost sweater season! Time to wear all my summer dresses now while I still can!

I added the Black Crane Linen Cocoon Dress to my dress lineup, and for the most part it’s been a great summer dress even if it is a big longer than I expected it to be. I’m 5’6″, I ordered a Small and I feel like it hits at kind of an uncomfortable part of my calves right above the ankle.

The shape is also actually the opposite of hourglass– it’s more of a football-ish shape really since it’s cinched in at the bottom, which wouldn’t be an issue for me if it wasn’t so long. If I don’t wear a belt with it, it feels incredibly like a nightgown. A comfortable nightgown, but still a nightgown. I wear it with my Elizabeth Suzann leather belt and I feel like it solves that problem, but I might try hemming it at some point to make it shorter because I do love the idea of the cocoon shape on it’s own.

I did add a few more pieces to my wardrobe this season than I originally hoped, but not for a lack of trying. I feel like the pieces I’ve added have all been uniquely me and filled a spot in my wardrobe that I was hoping to fill. And after all– isn’t the point of all this to forgive yourself, be happy, and make peace with your wardrobe?

– Black Crane Cocoon dress purchased via Garmentory, use this link for $20 off your first purchase
– Elizabeth Suzann belt purchased here
– Young Frankk necklace sold out on site, available here
– Everlane bag purchased here, if you use this link, get $25 off your first purchase plus free shipping
– Eileen Fisher slide sandals available here

I had been searching for a plain white semi-fitted linen tee for awhile, so when I got this one from Grana, I thought that all my plain white tee dreams had come true! The ONLY thing that was super disheartening was that the hem was way too long. The beautiful, structured linen fabric did NOT like sitting all bunched up around my hips. You can’t tell from the picture of the model, but the tee is fairly straight cut (no A line here) and doesn’t leave any hip room.

What I did: I actually folded the hem up and sewed it into the bottom of the shirt. So I made the hem into a double hem, and now it fits PERFECTLY. The hem sits right mid-hipbone. I love it. The fabric is gorgeous. The fit is (now) gorgeous. I’ve been wearing this with everything.

The only note as far as sizing: I ordered a small in this, but I wish there had been a midway size between the small and the medium. I feel like the material recovers well after being washed, however, it will shrink slightly. I have tried drying it on low a couple times and probably won’t do it again for fear that it shrinks some more.

How to style it: As far as styling, there’s a reason I had been looking everywhere for the perfect plain white linen tee. It’s endlessly interchangeable for all occasions with all outfits (except being tucked into skirts– linen likes to drape, not be confined under elastic). I’ve worn it with summer shorts, jeans, and even work trousers into the office. It’s the perfect versatile casual basic, and for that, it earns a place in my wardrobe.

Necklace by wrk-shp Jeans by Eileen Fisher (unavailable) Cole Haan sunglasses (unavailable)

Bag from Everlane (use my referral for $25 off! Full disclosure, I’ll receive the same deal)

Shoes by Eileen Fisher

First things first (and I know this is something that would horrify some silk lovers, but bear with me), I do not dry clean my silk. I wash it on cold delicate like the rest of my clothes and hang to dry. (cue gasps!) Maybe at some point I will start dry cleaning my silk, but for the time being I’m perfectly happy hand washing it. Something I will say in my defense is that these shorts from Grana have held up extremely well to being washed in the washing machine. I even threw them in the dryer to see what would happen, and they came out looking great.

The silk is double layered, but even knowing that, I figured I would want a little extra space so that the fabric could drape flatteringly, so I went up a size. I’m 5’6″ ~125 lbs and I went with the medium. Traditionally I would have gone with a small, but I think the medium is perfect!

A note about the color: so this is listed as Navy on the website. If I saw these in person without knowing the name of the colorway, navy definitely would NOT come to mind. I’d say they’re more of a royal blue, which I was not expecting and honestly wasn’t too crazy about originally. If I do wear colors other than white, ivory, or black, I want them to be muted, relaxed, and organic. This Navy, when compared to my Navy pants from Elizabeth Suzann, is a little too bright for my taste.

Hope this has helped! Grana is a company that I’ve been seeing a lot of lately. Their model is pretty similar to that of Everlane, they have helpful graphics describing what makes their pricing structure different than that of typical retail markup and they give a lot of focus to the fabric and quality of their pieces. The only thing that I’m a little weary of is the fact that Grana’s transparency doesn’t extend out their factories like Everlane’s does, so that’s something I’m still researching. The jury’s still out on this one.

Thanks for reading! 🙂

I think that when I’m talking about sustainable, minimal style, it would be incredibly unfair not to mention my current favorite designer, Elizabeth Suzann. Every piece is incredibly well-made from high quality materials, plus they make everything in house in this gorgeous studio that I had the privilege of visiting during their last sample sale. I love how everything they make is made with intention to add to your life and experience in a positive way– when I wear ES, I feel comfortable, put-together, and happy.

The Marlena Tank: This has quickly become my go-to top for the summer. The raw silk has this gorgeous understated sophistication, and it seems to match with everything I own. I imagine this is partially due to the off-white color. I love a good bright white top, but the muted white is a quiet, classic neutral. I bought a small, and although I thought I originally could have gone with an XS, I quickly realized that I love the extra drape of the small. I’ve washed it in the washing machiene on delicate a few times and hung to dry and it still feels like new.

Also pictured, my Everlane Twill Zip Tote and Eileen Fisher Sandals. The Eileen Fisher shoes were bought a while ago from the company store in Schaumburg, IL at a serious discount. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth checking out.

The Cecilia Pants are another piece that have been on heavy rotation lately as well. They are the most perfect, flattering cut and the seams are in all the right places to make you feel comfortable and the stretch cotton twill makes you feel gently held in, if that makes sense. I’ve worn these to work a bunch and since I do sit at a desk during the workday, I do notice that they can bag out very slightly at the knees, but I think after 7-8 hours of sitting, any pants start to take on a sitting shape. A quick wash and dry quickly brings them back to their normal self. I bought the size small and at first felt like they were a smidgen too big, but after washing and drying a few times, they did shrink very slightly- probably half to a quarter of a size.

I know how difficult of a price point this is. Objectively, it looks like this outfit cost me close to a thousand dollars, but that’s not the case. Trust me, I find it very difficult to balance how much I should be spending on clothes with the price point of the clothes I like. The two things I used to combat this are: buy better things less often and to use discounts where possible and where they make sense. Discounts are great, but sometimes when you’re looking at designers that are making pieces in the US and are using high quality materials, there aren’t really sales or discount codes to be found. That’s when you have to make the painful decision to buy less and choose well (and it helps to know your money is benefiting small businesses).

I drove down to Nashville for the Elizabeth Suzann sample sale, so these pieces were discounted, but it’s still much more expensive than the typical top or pants from mass retailers. It’s so easy to buy four or five tops that cost $12 and are made of polyester, because the individual price point at any given time is easier to handle. But this Marlena top has gotten more use and more love than anything I’ve owned from a mass retailer in recent memory, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think the confidence and comfort I get from wearing this top is way, way worth it.

So there you have it! Quite possibly all my favorite pieces in one place. Don’t mind me if I do wear all these on heavy rotation this summer 🙂

Thanks for reading!

Since today is so gloomy, I thought I would round up a few inspiring things from Garmentory to brighten it up a bit. Like I mentioned on this post, I’d a tad obsessed with the structure of Garmentory at the moment. I love having access to all these small independent makers– the only downside is that I’m finding things move so quickly. I had the Black Crane Linen Cocoon Dress in my cart when I went to sleep, but then when I woke up it was gone. Lesson learned!

Anyway, if you use my referral link, you get $20 off your first order, no strings attached! Not to mention the free shipping to US + Canada (score!). Plus they are having their summer sale and the styling is REALLY speaking my language:

See what I mean? Anyway, here are a few picks I’m eying:

Mercurial NYC Memory Ring, $30

Skandinavisk HYGGE Scented Candle, $48

I had a chance to take a whiff of this candle in a tiny Scandinavian boutique I visited in LA and I’ve been kicking myself for not buying it. I might have to make this mine soon! Bonus, mini box set available here for $50:

Fredericks & Mae Moon Dominos, $32

All photos owned by Garmentory. Full disclosure, if you do sign up using my link, I get the same referral credit. I would never, ever link to something that I myself did not truly recommend or support, and I am not receiving anything from Garmentory from supporting them. (I just really like them!)