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A sweatshirt and two sweatpants from the Everlane Track Collection.

Everlane Review: The Track Collection

Published by welcomeobjects

It’s been over a year of this pandemic, over a year of wearing sweats at home nearly every day. Even if we return to more normal life, that sweats lifestyle is here to stay, at least for me.

I recently tried several pieces from Everlane’s Track collection. The last time I reviewed anything from Everlane was about nine months ago. I stopped shopping at and writing about the company last year when some of their bad behavior came to light. For now, I’m cautiously returning to the brand as I explained in a recent diary post, with hopes that they’ve made changes though admittedly, it’s hard to know if they really have.

The Track Jogger

Everlane Track joggers in black

Track Jogger – $58

Always on the lookout for good loungewear during shelter-in-place, I found myself wanting another pair of sweatpants. The Track Jogger caught my attention because reviewers on Everlane’s site complained that the 26.5″ inseam was too short, leaving their ankles exposed. As a petite person, this means there’s a chance the length will work for me.

The jogger — or sweatpants, what’s the difference? — is high rise (another plus for me), with a relaxed tapered leg for a retro look.

Here’s the Track Jogger in size S on a 5′ 9″ model. Note how high her socks are.

And here’s 5′ 4″ me wearing the XS and S. Note how they go to my ankles. That 26.5″ inseam? Perfect for short little me!

A comparison of the same person wearing a set of Everlane Track sweats in two sizes.

Wearing the Everlane Track Jogger in XS and S. BTW, the S are not shorter than the XS. I must be wearing the S higher on my waist in this photo. The length generally falls past my ankles as pictured with the XS.

Fit: I’m a size 4-6 in bottoms. The S fit loose as intended, like on the model. But I liked the XS, which was slim while not being snug. Either worked, though. The rise, at 11″, worked well for me too.

Materials: Everlane says the material is a “custom-developed, organic french terry,” whatever that means. I’m glad to see that it’s 100% organic cotton. Too often, I’ve checked out some sweats only to find they’re a cotton-poly blend. (That’s a combo that I’m trying to avoid as polyester is basically plastic, and blended fabrics are difficult to recycle.)

The Track Oversized Crew

Being a fan of matching sets, of course I had to try the matching sweatshirt. Here’s the 5′ 9″ model wearing the Track Oversized Crew in S.

I’m wearing the Track Oversized Crew in the section above about the joggers. But here’s a few more photos with my hands outstretched to show what they mean by oversized.

Me, a normal person, wearing the Everlane track sweats. My arms are out to show the shape of the arms.

Track Oversized Crew and Track Joggers in XS. It measures 41.5″ for the bust, 24″ length. Also wearing Allbirds [review].

Me, a regular person, wearing the Everlane track sweats. My arts are out to either side to show the shape of arms and the width of the sweatshirt, which is wide.

Track Oversized Crew and Track Joggers in S. It measures 43.5″ for the chest, 24.75″ length.

Fit: I generally wear XS or S. In Everlane, I mostly wear XS. The Track Oversized Crew in S was too big on me. The sleeves were too long for my petite limbs, and it felt way wide. While the XS fit better and I usually I love boxy shapes, this cut didn’t feel quite right.

What I liked: The sleeve, which has a slight balloon sleeve shape, a touch of elegance for a sweatshirt.

What I didn’t like: How high the crewneck sat on me. But that’s just a personal preference. I don’t like turtlenecks or anything that sits too close to my neck. Note that the model photo shows a wider neck, so there’s a discrepancy. In reality, the neck opening was smaller. I also wasn’t a fan of how the threads for the tag was visible on the outside. Seems intentional, but looks sloppy to me.

The back of the Everlane Track Oversized Crew showing the outline of the interior tag on the exterior.

Why didn’t they use matching threads to sew the tags on?

The Track Pant

Everlane Track pant in blue

Track Pant – $58

Everlane bills its Track Pant as unisex, though it only features male models in the product photos. I decided to try these as well since I liked the colors better: blue, gray, black — basically my wardrobe colors. The women’s colors for the Track Joggers and other pieces feature more spring pastels like apricot and laurel, a light green.

Here’s a 6′ 1″ model wearing size L.

And here’s 5′ 4″ me in a S. The 28.5″ inseam is do-able scrunched at the end on my short frame, though I prefer the shorter inseam of the Track Joggers.

Me, a petite woman, wearing the Everlane Track pants, which are kinda tight.

The unisex Track Pant. Hmmmm, too tight and not flattering.

Fit: When something’s labeled unisex, I assume it’s going to run bigger for a small, petite woman like me. But this was not the case. I ordered XS and S in the Track Pant, and I couldn’t pull the XS past my hips. While I could get into the S, it was tight all around — in the thighs, rear, and even the leg opening. I should have ordered the M instead of XS to try on.

The pant opening to the Everlane Track Pant (in gray) versus the Everlane Track Jogger (in black).

The leg opening on the Track Pant (gray) versus the Track Jogger (black). Both are size S. Measured flat, the leg opening on the Track Jogger is 5.25″. It’s nearly an inch smaller for the Track Pant.

What I liked: Could be my imagination, but it felt slightly softer inside than the Track Joggers. But maybe that’s due to color. The Track Pant also feature the drawstring on the inside instead of out, and have one rear pocket. Yay for pockets! (The women’s joggers have no back pockets.)

The inside of the Everlane Track Pant waistband, showing an interior drawstring.

Hidden drawstring in the Track Pant.

More Thoughts on the Everlane Track Collection

Branding: One thing I should mention is that the pieces in the Track collection all have an embroidered E somewhere on them. On the sweatshirt, it’s on the sleeve. On sweatpants, it’s on the thigh. Since I’m not into branding, I could do without this extra touch. Also, the Es are not applied consistently. Out of the 6 pieces I ordered, 2 of them didn’t have the E.

Close up of the embroidered E on pieces from the Everlane Track collection.

Eeeeeeee

Where they’re made: Everlane’s website used to have a page for each factory it used, but last year I started noticing that they didn’t seem to do that anymore. There’s not one for the Hirdaramani Factory in Sri Lanka where the Track collection is made. (Nor does it say which factory in Sri Lanka.) Is this the same Hirdaramani, which says it has sustainability goals and fair trade factories? But there’s also this article about Hirdaramani’s harsh working conditions during the pandemic. It’s from the World Socialist website and not a journalistic entity, so I don’t feel confident about the reporting, but the picture it paints of workers being pressured to work longer hours is very concerning. 

Everlane has marketed its factories as ethical. They’ve got a hashtag for it: #KnowYourFactories. This claim was one of the reasons I shopped from them. But after last year, I’ve lost some trust. I still assume Everlane is better about production than a fast fashion conglomerate. But I also wonder if it’s just that they’re better at marketing. How can a company know with certainty how well an overseas factory is run? And as consumers, how can we really know that factories treat their employees well?

Quality: Overall, I find the Track collection to be well-made, even if most of the pieces I tried were not the best fitting for me. The GOTS-certified organic cotton fabric feels nicely thick and decently soft.

What I kept: I sent the Oversized Crew and Track Pant back, but kept the Track Joggers, pleased to have a pair of sweatpants that fits petites. Luckily, the XS in the joggers that I ended up keeping didn’t have a decorative E. I’ve been wearing them on repeat as I work from home.

There are other items in this loungewear collection that I didn’t try, like the Track Wide-Leg Pant and the unisex Track Hoodie, which is nicely designed. I like the array of items to mix and match. There’s even a sweatshirt dress, the Track Dress. Everlane also recently added a few items, including a cropped sweatshirt and sweatshorts. You can see all the pieces from Everlane’s Track collection here.

I’ve reviewed a lot of Everlane over the years. You can find a directory to all my Everlane reviews here.

Five items of clothing hang on a clothing rack.

What I Learned From Counting Every Item in my Wardrobe

Published by welcomeobjects

Back in January 2020, I took an inventory of my wardrobe. I had never actually counted how many items were in my closet before and it was interesting exercise.

The Wardrobe Inventory

Here were my tallies:

Pants (including jeans) – 12
Shorts – 1
Skirts – 18
Dresses – 17
Jumpsuits – 3
Tops (includes T-shirts) – 50
Sweaters (pullovers) – 9
Sweats (including sweatshirts, sweatpants, hoodies) – 6
Coats & Jackets – 17
Layering Items (cardigans, shrugs, blazer-like items, dusters) – 10
Suit – 1
Shoes – 25

TOTAL Number of Items in My Wardrobe – 169

This total doesn’t include workout clothes, outdoor-specific clothing (like hiking pants), pajamas, and “home clothes,” which are slightly ratty clothes or other demoted clothing that I only wear at home.

What the Numbers Told Me

Counting items and seeing that total next to each category really gave me a sense of how unbalanced my wardrobe felt in some areas. Some things that popped out at me:

  • I have a shorts shortage, though I knew this already since I only owned 1 pair. It’s not an item that I wear much here in San Francisco where the temperature seems to hover around 64 degrees. But I could stand to use another pair for heat wave days and visiting other places.
  • The number of skirts, 18, feels high relative to how often I wear them. 3 are fancier special occasion-type skirts. Another 3 are wool or wool blends, which I haven’t worn since I worked an office job. (One of them I bought after my office job, so I’ve never worn it out. It still has the tags on it.) Still, that leaves a dozen skirts, mostly knee length, which I also don’t wear that much. Again, I blame the weather here. Knee-length skirts are not practical for being out and about in San Francisco where temperatures drop rapidly when the fog rolls in. This just leads to emergency tights buying.
  • The number of tops I own also surprised me. I knew I was it was a problem when I lost count taking inventory in this category. 50 seems like a lot. While 20 of them are T-shirts or more casual tank tops, that still leaves 30 tops, which is plenty. This section could definitely use a good culling. And if I want another top, I should think hard about what purpose it serves before adding it to my collection.
  • I’m proud of the number of shoes I own, 25, because just a couple years ago, I owned twice as many.

Now, this total — 169 — is where I was in January 2020 after 3 years of slowing down my shopping and whittling down my wardrobe. I used to own much, much more, though how much exactly I can’t say. It wasn’t until 2019 that I started to keep track of how many items were coming in and out of my closet. (I reported the numbers every month in my diary posts.)

Over the course of 2019, I subtracted 47 items from my closet, but also added 24, so I know that at the beginning of 2019, I owned 192 items. I most certainly owned more than 200 items prior to that. Seeing that I’ve listed roughly 200 items in my Poshmark closet from my own personal collection means that I’ve had close to 400 items, though not all of them at one time.

Three rows of shoes, 9 shoes total

Some of the 25 pairs of my shoes that have survived rounds of culling. Read my reviews of some of them: Allbirds Wool Loungers, dr. Liza Leopard Print Flats, Everlane Form Sandal, Everlane V Heel, Hopp Studio Wedges, Allbirds Tree Breezers.

Pandemic Considerations

Continuing to downsize my wardrobe was already on my mind — and then the pandemic hit. This past year I’ve worn only a small percentage of my wardrobe regularly as I sheltered in place. Roughly, that number is 30 to 40 items, or about 20 to 25%. I didn’t touch any of my jeans except for 1 pair. I never wore skirts out since my trips out of the home were mostly groceries and supplies runs. Sure, I played dress up at home because I enjoyed putting together looks and find it fun. But in my day-to-day, comfort was queen. Sweatpants ruled.

While we might be returning to a more normal life later this year, living in the pandemic has underscored how much of my wardrobe I don’t need. Pre-pandemic, I was already leaning towards looser clothes. The pandemic has only confirmed that I should KonMari items that fit on the tighter side. Some things I just don’t want anymore. (Looking at you, hard jeans!)

In 2020, I subtracted 14 items, but added 18 to my wardrobe, so I started off 2021 with 173 items. This year I plan to go through each section of my wardrobe, especially the categories with high numbers, and scrutinize each piece. (I don’t have a specific goal number in mind, but I plan to get that number down.) While I’ve already been doing this somewhat regularly for the past few years ever since I started paying attention to my consumption in 2017, every time I do another sweep, I get a little more strict about what to keep. No doubt the pandemic has made me even more picky.

Now that I’ve counted the number of clothing items I own, I’m so curious what other people’s numbers look like. Have you ever taken an inventory? What did it reveal? And has the pandemic changed your feelings towards your wardrobe?

Me, an Asian person with long hair, wearing the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in navy blue over some red pants.

Versatile Style: Vetta Capsule’s Boyfriend Shirt

Published by welcomeobjects

After thinking about it on and off for more than a year and a half, I finally bought Vetta Capsule’s Boyfriend Shirt this past fall. So, of course, now I’m going to write a review about it.

This shirt first caught my attention for its effortless look. I liked how the sleeves fell below the elbow. It seemed at once casual and elegant. And like many of Vetta’s items, this shirt can be worn a couple different ways: with the buttons in front or the back. Vetta is known for the convertible nature of its garments, its capsule collections, and ethical production. The Boyfriend Shirt is part of Vetta’s Casual Capsule, which was re-released today in new colors.

Fabric & Details

The fabric is Tencel, a cellulose fiber. It’s thick-ish (a surprise to me) with a decent weight to it, which gives it a nice drape. The shirt originally came in two colors: black and white stripe and washed navy. I went for the washed navy, which is more muted in person than on the website. (I encountered this same color discrepancy in my review of Vetta’s Two-Piece Midi Dress). Up close, the blue fabric has a slightly faded look to it. With the new release, Vetta isn’t offering the blue anymore, but they added olive and french navy (a darker blue than this one). One nice detail is the inclusion of bra strap holders.

Closeup of the fabric of the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in blue

Closeup of the fabric, which is a tad more muted in person than on the website.

Sizing & Fit

I’m a dress size 4 and a size XS or S in most brands. Since this shirt looked oversized, I went with XS. The strange thing, though, is that even though it’s oversized, it doesn’t exactly feel that way. When I first put it on, it felt weirdly constricting. You see, where the arm pit falls on this shirt is much lower than on your typical shirt (or where your arm pit would actually be). This design probably allows one to wear it either way.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in blue. Arms are stretched out to show the width of the shirt.

Note the low arm pits.

For a moment, I thought I had made a mistake.

So even though the measurement from pit to pit in an XS is 21.5″, it doesn’t feel as free flowing as I’d expected. I guess this is the tradeoff that happens with a convertible shirt. If you’re busty, this shirt probably isn’t going to work well for you because of the cut.

For a moment, I thought I had made a mistake. But after wearing it for a while, I got used to it.

Ways to Wear

After my initial hesitation, I’ve grown to like the Boyfriend Shirt. It has turned out to be a versatile addition to my wardrobe. The slate blue color works well in my closet, which is abundant in blacks and blues.

Untucked, it’s kind of long on my petite frame — I’m 5′ 4″ — and cuts me in half. So, I prefer tucking it in or leaving the bottom buttons unbuttoned and tying it.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt two ways. On the left, with the v-side in front, on the other side, with the rounded neck in front.

The Vetta Boyfriend Shirt untucked on 5’4″ me.

Two images of a person in black hair wearing the Vetta boyfriend shirt tucked in. To the left with V-neck in front, and to the right with rounded neck line.

The Vetta Boyfriend Shirt tucked in. Whew, much better for my proportions.

Out of the two necklines, I prefer the V on the front, which seems to sit more comfortably than the rounded side. I’m generally not into showing cleavage, and the V is is almost too deep for me — key word being almost.

A person with dark hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt knotted over a digital floral print pencil skirt.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // Target Skirt // Eileen Fisher Shoes

I love the sleeves, which add a bit of drama to the look. Though I think of it as a casual shirt, I can dress it up in a satiny pencil skirt.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta boyfriend shirt tucked into a satiny polka dot pencil skirt.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // J Crew Pencil Skirt // Eileen Fisher Heels

You can also wear it open like a cardigan.

A person with black hair wears the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt in blue open like a cardigan over a black tank top and black jeans.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // Uniqlo Jeans // Hopp Studio Shoes [review]

After trying it out for several months, I love it now. I’m even contemplating getting it in one of the new colors.

I'm wearing the Vetta boyfriend shirt in blue, knotted, over black pants. I'm on my cell phone.

Vetta Boyfriend Shirt // Eileen Fisher Cropped Pants [review] [similar] // Allbirds Shoes [review] // Lo & Sons Bag (Yes, I really was on the phone. I was ordering burgers for dinner.)

The Vetta Boyfriend Shirt retails for $89 new on Vetta’s site. I found mine secondhand through a fellow Instagrammer, Ariel. She found it too big for her, preferring the smaller proportions of the Vetta Girlfriend Shirt instead. I’m happy that it found a new home with me.

UPDATE 5/12/21 – I went for it and ordered this Vetta shirt in the new French Navy color. I also got the Girlfriend Shirt and the Every Day Pant and am loving all these pieces so far.

Vetta Capsule Boyfriend shirt in Washed Navy and French Navy.

The original washed navy color on the left, and French navy on the right.

UPDATE 1/20/22 – I wrote a post comparing the Boyfriend Shirt with the Girlfriend shirt.

Lockdown Life Lately: One Year Later

Published by welcomeobjects

It’s been awhile, dear readers. Here’s a little life and shopping update.

Lockdown Life

I’ve been unexpectedly busy with work since my last post, working more hours than usual and struggling with work-life balance. The one-year anniversary of sheltering in place at home passed quietly for me on March 17. I remember stocking up on groceries and thinking this would pass in a few months. How wrong I was.

March 17 was also the day I woke up to the news of the Atlanta-area murders. I’ve already been on edge for the past year as harassment against Asians has increased. As a woman, I’m always aware of my surroundings in public, but now even more so. The other day, as I walked to pick up pizza for dinner I kept thinking about the man who had been stabbed, unprovoked, in the back in NYC Chinatown. I looked over my shoulder now and then as I carried my pizzas home, to make sure no one was sneaking up on me.

The most heartbreaking thing to me is how in some of these incidents, no one helped. Not one bystander did anything.

I had to stay off social media for awhile for my own sanity. I didn’t want to be repeatedly subjected to images and stories of violence.

Anyways, trying to take care of myself. Took some time yesterday to give myself a manicure. And today, I thought about getting back to the blog, so here we are.

Shopping Life

A collage of three items: Everlane joggers, kuhn rikon spiralizer set, Vionic slim insoles

Everlane Track Joggers, Kuhn Rikon Spiralizer Set, Vionic Slim Fit Insoles

*** affiliate links below ***

Shopping wise, I haven’t bought much lately, but here are some things I’ve acquired:

Everlane Track Joggers – I know I said I wouldn’t write about Everlane again until they’ve changed. Have they? The company released a statement about internal hiring changes, diversity, and representation last August. But it’s hard to know from the outside if they’ve actually changed their culture. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. I hope they are taking it seriously. But I just don’t know.

The truth of the matter is I had accumulated some store credit, which I’m not going to leave behind. And I wanted another pair of sweatpants because the Mister had taken to borrowing my Pact sweatpants. (Yes, I bought Pact men’s sweatpants for myself.) And then, when I saw tall people complaining about how these particular joggers were too cropped on them, well, as a petite, that’s exciting news. At $58, the price was right, especially for GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Vionic Slim Fit Insole – Ever since my foot injury, my Hopp Studio wedges haven’t felt quite right. Even though they’re cushy, my feet felt achy in them. But, the insoles in those shoes are removable, so I replaced them with these Vionic ones. And viola, for $35 I can wear these shoes again! The shoes now feel more supportive. I do wish that the insoles didn’t come in plastic clamshell packaging, though.

One other complaint: For some reason, the insoles are 3/4 length. The reason, I guessed, was so that you could put them in shoes where you couldn’t remove the insoles. From reviews, it seemed many people did exactly that. I hoped I could pop them into my Everlane V Heel shoes, which lack arch support. Alas, it’s too tight of a fit. I’d have to size up in the shoe to incorporate the Vionic insoles.

But then, when I received the insoles, the instructions said they were to replace other insoles. I find this baffling since I’m using them as intended in the Hopp Studio wedges. But as they only cover 3/4 of the way, my toes are hanging out on the uncovered part of the shoe’s footbed.

Kuhn Rikon Click-N-Curl Spiralizer Set – Since we’re spending so much more time cooking, we decided to splurge on this set. I say splurge not because it’s an expensive item at $18, but because the idea of turning veggies into pretty ribbons was not something I would have entertained before the pandemic. I think of veggie spirals as a restaurant touch. And though restaurants are open for indoor dining at 25% capacity currently in San Francisco, I still don’t think it’s safe, so I will not be partaking. The nice, practical thing about this set is that the cones for spiralizing are attachments. Take them off and you’ve got plain peelers, and good ones at that.

Well, that’s my report for now. In other news, I’m happy to see educators and restaurant workers in my personal network getting vaccinated. Everyone in my immediate family has gotten the first or both doses of the Pfizer vaccine except for me. With the news that everyone in California 16 and older will be eligible on April 15, hopefully, I’ll get mine soon.

Product photo of a lilac pink boxy sweater

Italic Review: Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater

Published by welcomeobjects

Today I’m reviewing a sweater from Italic that I’ve been wearing on repeat for the past two months: the Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater. This is the first item I’ve tried from this brand.

Italic’s value proposition is that they manufacture their products in the same factories as luxury brands like Prada or Sandro, but without the luxury brand markups. Since it first began, Italic has changed its business model to one that’s based on membership. A membership to Italic costs $120 a year. A friend who’s a member kindly gifted me a membership during a promotion. To be honest, I don’t think I would have shelled out for it myself. UPDATE: As of 10/9/21, Italic is no longer members only. While there is a membership level called Italic Bold with perks, anyone can purchase from the site.

Of course I went straight to the sweater section because I’ve been trying to beef up that part of my wardrobe for the last couple of years.

Style, Fabric, & Sizing

An Italic boxy cropped cashmere sweater in black laid out on a white surface.

Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater – $70. This is what it looks like after two months of wear.

The Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater caught my eye because as a petite person, I gravitate towards anything called “cropped.” To me, that increases the chances that something won’t be too long on me.

Style: Italic says this sweater was inspired by the ’90s. As a Xennial, I attended high school in the ’90s and I don’t remember sweaters looking particularly like this. (But also, I can’t seem to remember if I even owned any sweaters back then.) In any case, it has a boxy and slightly cropped (but not too cropped) silhouette and ribbing on the cuffs, waist, and neckline. All in all, a pleasing design.

Fabric: Those of you who have been following my sweater quests over the years may recall that I have sensitive skin. I cannot deal with a lot of cashmere, which irritates me. Everlane cashmere? Generally feels too scratchy. Thus, I am happy to report that this 100% Mongolian cashmere Italic sweater doesn’t have that problem! I can actually wear it right against my skin (though I usually wear a tank top underneath).

Second, I love the weight of this sweater. Italic says the “weighty 7 gauge stitch makes for a substantial knit with added warmth.” To me, this sweater feels medium in thickness. I am not into light T-shirt weight sweaters and this is definitely not that. But it’s not a thick, chunky sweater either. It’s perfectly in between. And it’s nicely warm and soft and seems to be of good quality.

Sizing: First off, I want to say how nice it is that there’s not only a size chart, but under “product detail,” there’s garment measurements for each size. So helpful.

Here’s a 5’9″ model wearing a size M.

And here’s 5’4″ me in two different sizes. I’m generally a S, sometimes an XS in most brands. I ordered the S (to the left) and M.

Italic boxy cropped cashmere sweater as worn by the same person in two sizes.

Wearing S and M

Both are not cropped on me in the sense that you can see my belly (thank goodness). They land around the top of my high rise jeans. The medium is longer by 3/4 of an inch. (Italic says the medium is 22″ long, but it’s more like 21.5″ according to my tape measure.) The sleeves on the M are much longer, but they both fit in the body. I decided to go with the M for a looser fit.

How the Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater Wears & How to Wear It

Does it pill? Yes, some. Cashmere pills. That’s what it does. The area that seems to have developed the most pilling is the arms. Compared to the cashmere-wool blend stroopwafel sweater from Everlane that I own (seen in this post about sweaters from ethical brands), this Italic sweater pills more. But I don’t think the pilling is abnormal or cause for concern. Every once in a while, I do some de-pilling maintenance. No big deal.

closeup of an italic boxy cropped cashmere sweater showing some pilling.

Pilling report: Yes, it does. But not in a bad way. Black is hard to photograph, and this photo makes it look a little worse than it is in real life.

This sweater comes in 11 colors. I find the black kind of attracts lint and dust. So, it’s probably not a great color choice for those with furry friends.

I wear this sweater several times a week and since it’s a black sweater, it goes with everything.

Black Italic boxy cropped sweater, worn with a long skirt.

Italic Sweater // Eileen Fisher Skirt  // Eileen Fisher Shoes 

Overall, I’m happy with this sweater and think it’s a great buy for $70. I would purchase it in another color, though most of their other color offerings don’t quite appeal to me. I’m eyeing the saffron and wish it came in a dark brown.

But is it ethically and sustainably made?

Italic’s FAQ merely says, “Italic takes supplier policies and practices seriously. Only a fraction of the factories we speak to are able to sell on the platform.” It goes on to say that the company is preparing more information to share with customers about suppliers. That’s certainly not a resounding yes. It sounds like they might be trying to trace their supply chain, but don’t really have answers yet.

Italic does include a bit of info about the manufacturer. What we know about this one is that it’s been operating since 2002 and has ISO and GRS certifications. ISO stands for international standards, I take it? But the ISO website says they set the standards but don’t actually perform certifications, and that simply saying “ISO certified” is not enough. It should be more specific and say something like “ISO 14001” which would indicates which standards it adheres to.

GRS stands for Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification, which sets requirements for third-party certification of recycled content, chain of custody, social as well as environmental practices, and chemical restrictions. So, it sounds like this factory is making an effort at using recycled content and reducing harmful environmental effects.

UPDATE 2/15/23 – This sweater has gone through several name and price changes. In fall 2021, it was renamed the Cashmere Boxy Crewneck Sweater. Then, I noticed sometime in 2022 that Italic increased their prices significantly. This sweater is now called the Mila Cashmere Boxy Crop Sweater and retails for $150. While it’s not as good a deal before, it’s on par with Everlane pricing. And I have to say, out of all of my crewneck sweaters, this is the one I wear the most.

UPDATE 1/16/26 – Italic no longer sells clothes, including this sweater, and has changed its focus to home items. For a similar boxy sweater, see the Everlane Boxy Crew in Cashmere.

Flatlay of a black jumpsuit, blue sweater, leopard print boots

How My 20 in 2020 Shopping Goal Went

Published by welcomeobjects

New years greetings, everyone. It’s that time of year when I look back on my year of shopping. And by that, I mean clothes shopping. When it comes to other areas, I’m pretty good about not going overboard. But clothes, I fricking love clothes! In years past, I bought way too much. I started this blog partly as a way to hold myself accountable to reducing my clothing consumption, so here we are with my annual check-in. (May you find this navel-gazing interesting.)

In December 2019, I set a wardrobe shopping goal for 2020: Buy no more than 20 items — and make half of them secondhand. But 2020 was unexpected to say the least. The COVID-19 pandemic both helped and hurt my goal.

It helped because I spent the majority of the year at home where I couldn’t be tempted by retail displays. I left my apartment for exercise and to buy groceries and supplies, but not much else. Without passing by and popping into stores and boutiques, I didn’t think about shopping as much. True, other more weighty thoughts were on my mind in this year of sorrow. But there was a recreational aspect to shopping that dissipated once I wasn’t reminded of stores.

Of course, I happen upon things in the virtual space that tempt me too. (Damn you, Instagram. I bought these shoes because I learned about the brand from someone’s Instagram.) But in general, the impact of seeing something in person is usually stronger on me.

In a year of isolation with Zoom meetings and virtual hangouts, even the act of shopping underscored how important and irreplaceable in-person interactions are.

The pandemic hurt the second part of my goal — buying 50% secondhand because again, seeing things in person is key for me. Though I do shop secondhand online, many platforms like Poshmark don’t allow returns. I don’t want to create more work for myself by reselling something that doesn’t work out, so I tend to look for specific items or brands whose fit I’m familiar with. When it comes to browsing, I prefer brick-and-mortar consignment and thrift stores so that I can see the fit, material, and condition. But this year, I’ve only been inside a thrift store twice.

In a year of isolation with Zoom meetings and virtual hangouts, even the act of shopping underscored how important and irreplaceable in-person interactions are.

The Numbers

So, how did I do? I spent $1,075 on 18 clothing items this year, not including underwear, workout garments, or jewelry.) The dollar amount does not include $150 worth of clothing for nearly 3 items that a brand gifted to me, nor does it include $75 in store credit that I used. (The reason I don’t include jewelry is that I buy little of it, and they’re all inexpensive items. It’s not an area where I have a shopping problem. This year I bought 2 pairs of earrings from J. Crew with a coupon, which caused me a bit of consternation, as I mentioned in this diary post.)

Not only did I meet the first part of my goal, but I believe this is the fewest number of clothing items I’ve ever bought in a one-year period in the past decade. I’ve been steadily trending downward these last few years. In 2017, the first year of this blog, I bought 40 items. In 2018, it was 31 items. And in 2019, 24.

But, I didn’t meet my 50% secondhand goal. Only 3 items, or 16.6%, were secondhand, which is slightly better than last year’s percentage of 12.5%.

Here’s a breakdown of what I acquired by category:

Accessories – 1
Shoes – 3
Tops – 3
Sweaters – 4
Dresses/Jumpsuits – 1
Skirts – 1
Pants – 1
Sweats – 3
Outerwear – 1

Where did I shop? For the first time, the majority of my purchases, 83%, were from ethical brands or were secondhand. (If you still consider Everlane ethical, which, well, I have conflicted thoughts about that.)

Another indicator of how I’m doing is: Will I keep these items? Last year at this time, I already knew that 2 of my 24 purchases were duds. Looking back on my 2018 acquisitions, I didn’t keep 5 out of 31. In 2017, it was 10 out of 40. Of course, only time will tell, but so far only 1 item hasn’t work out, an Aritzia cocoon coat I found secondhand, which was too big. I turned around and sold it. I’m also on the fence about a long summer cardigan from Club Monaco, which met my aesthetic and fit requirements, but feels rougher than I expected. I’m leaning towards keeping it, though part of me thinks I should keep searching for the perfect lightweight cardigan.

Welcome Objects 2020 Wardrobe Count 
Additions: 18
Subtractions: 14

Shopping Habits & Patterns

Four sweaters, neatly folded.

Clockwise, starting on the upper left: Italic cropped sweater, Everlane ReCashmere sweater [updated style] [review], Club Monaco cardigan, Everlane ReCashmere cardigan [review]

There was a spurt of shopping in the spring, but also many months where I didn’t buy anything. Like last year, I shopped the most towards the end of the year, buying 7 items in the last 3 months. My resolve generally wanes towards the end of the year in the face of sales. This year, there was also the additional factor of volunteering a lot for the election, and feeling that I deserved to treat myself.

That I bought the most in the category of sweaters is not surprising. Sweaters have been high on my list of things I could use more of for the past 2 years. With the addition of 2 warm sweaters and 2 cardigans, I now have 13 sweaters of varying warmth and thickness. This feels like a good number to me.

Tops was an opposite situation. I had plenty. At the beginning of the year, I did a wardrobe count (something I’ve never done before), and found that I owned 50 tops. This number surprised me. 20 of them are T-shirts or more casual tank tops. Still, that left 30 “nice” tops. I told myself I shouldn’t buy any more. Yet, I added 3: this Vetta shell (reviewed here), this Eileen Fisher silk/cotton boxy top that I just reviewed, and the Vetta Boyfriend Shirt. (These Vetta items accounted for my other secondhand purchases.)

What does it all mean in a pandemic year?

Though I already owned lots of tops, I told myself these new additions were all good buys as they seemed versatile. Being able to wear something with many other items in my closet is one way to judge the worthiness of a potential new wardrobe item.

In a pandemic year, versatility was not as important.

But also, in a pandemic year, versatility was not as important. It didn’t matter how versatile something was because I wore the same things day in, day out. Talk about outfit repeating! Honestly, there were only about 20 pieces of clothing in steady rotation.

I did put together outfits to share on Instagram and for my own enjoyment. Sometimes I destress by playing dressup. (You do this too, right?) The less practical items in my closet bring joy. But also, the pandemic really drove home the point that I could make do with less.

So, I think for 2021, I’m going to concentrate on whittling my wardrobe down even more. I hesitate to put a number to it such as: I must get rid of X number of things or I can have no more than X items in my wardrobe. I don’t know. I’m just not feeling it. Perhaps I hesitate to name specifics after the unexpected year that was 2020. But in general, I will strive to decrease the size of my wardrobe, and when I do shop for something, to look for secondhand first. I know this isn’t as satisfying as having a clear goal like 12 in ’21, but whatever.

How did this past year impact your shopping habits? Did you set goals for 2021?

Three models wearing Eileen Fisher clothing in black, gray, and white.

Eileen Fisher Try-On: Stretchy Pants, Midi Skirt, Boxy Blouse

Published by welcomeobjects

No one asked, but here’s a post of me trying on some things from my recent Eileen Fisher order. Before I knew anything about ethical fashion, I thought of Eileen Fisher as a “middle-aged artsy lady” brand. Minimalist artsy, like what a curator would wear. Like what my boss would wear. I didn’t think of it as a brand for me.

Well, I guess I’m now a middle-aged artsy lady because I find myself increasingly drawn to their clothes. (From casual observation, it also seems like the brand has made an effort to appeal to younger customers. I see them gifting clothes to younger millennial influencers on Instagram.) Also, since I started paying attention to how clothes are made, I’ve come to appreciate Eileen Fisher as one of the OG companies when it comes to sustainable and ethical garment production.

Alright, on to the stuff. I bought these items during Eileen Fisher’s Black Friday promotion when sale items were marked down an additional 50% off. As you’ll see from the prices below, it was a pretty great sale. Missed it? Here’s another chance. As of December 24, they’ve brought the sale back through January 3. (This is not an ad, just an FYI. This post is unsponsored. I don’t even have an affiliate relationship with them.)

Cotton Stretch Jersey Lantern Pants

The main item on my shopping list these days is comfy, elastic waist pants. (Will I ever go back to hard pants with zippers or buttons after the pandemic? Will you?) Eileen Fisher makes plenty of pants in this vein, so I threw a few into my cart.

Will I ever go back to hard pants with zippers or buttons after the pandemic? Will you?

Having never tried any of their pants before, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I picked these Cotton Stretch Jersey Lantern Pants mainly because of the gray color. I thought the seams down the front and back might elevate the stretchy pants look too. Here’s a 5′ 10″ model wearing the pants. (This item is sold out at the moment, so the page doesn’t even come up anymore on their site. I’m linking to it anyways in case it comes back.)

eileen fisher cotton stretch jersey lantern pants worn by model

Cotton Stretch Jersey Lantern Pants – $158, on sale for $59.50  [similar in black]

And here’s XS on 5”4″ me. My hip measurement is about 37″ and I’m generally a size 4 in pants. However I’ve been stress-eating carbs during the pandemic so I might be a size up these days. (Hence my shopping for comfy, stretchy pants.)

Eileen Fisher cotton stretch jersey lantern pants, front and back view on a regular person

Muji T-shirt // Eileen Fisher Lantern Pants [similar in black]// Allbirds Shoes [review]

Fit: As you can see, this lantern shape is unflattering on me. I think the size is probably right? But there’s too much fabric on me, especially on the back. This is a prime example of one reason I blog anonymously. I want to show you when things fit terribly. But I don’t want identifiable photos of me wearing things that look terrible floating around the internet.

Fabric: The Eileen Fisher site doesn’t really show close ups of items, so it was hard to get a sense of what the fabric is like. These 90% cotton, 10% elastane pants are stretchy and smooth to the touch. The tag says they’re made from extra-long staple cotton. It even says who grew it: Dosi Alvarez, a third-generation New Mexico farmer. The jersey is medium weight, but on the lighter side of medium. It’s thin enough that my panty line showed.

eileen fisher cotton jersey lantern pants closeup of pantleg

The pantleg opening of the Cotton Stretch Jersey Lantern Pants.

Measurements: Though there’s a general size chart and a few measurements for the garment, there aren’t size-specific measurements for each item. (A lot of brands don’t provide this and they really should as we increasingly shop online!)

So, here are the measurements for the XS by my own tape measure: 14.75″ across the waistband, 10.5″ rise, 25″ inseam. The elastic band is about 2″.

Did I keep it? Of course not.

Traceable Organic Cotton Stretch Slouchy Cropped Pant

That’s a lot of adjectives for these pants! Here they are on a 5’10” model.

And here I am wearing the PS (petite small).

Eileen Fisher organic cotton stretch slouchy crop pants, front and back view on a regular person

Fit: I was not expecting any of the pants I ordered to fit, but I was pleasantly surprised by these cuffed pants. Also, what a difference petite sizing makes! These cropped pants are actually cropped on me! They’re not perfect. There’s still some wrinkling on the back side, but overall, these fit pretty well.

Fabric: These are a similar light-medium weight jersey as the lantern pants. Yet, panty lines don’t seem to be as much of a problem here. The fabric is similar: smooth and stretchy, 90% cotton and 10% spandex. So I think it must just be that black hides things better.

close up of eileen fisher traceable organic cotton slouchy cropped pants

Measurements: For size PS: 14.5″ across, 12″ rise, 22″ inseam, 1.5″ waistband width.

Did I keep it? Yes!

Sandwashed Tencel A-line Skirt

A black midi skirt has been on my wishlist for a year now, ever since I reviewed Vetta’s Two-Piece Midi Dress. While that dress didn’t work out for me, it showed me how versatile a midi skirt could be. I also liked the idea of achieving the look of a dress in two pieces, but also being able to wear the pieces separately. So, when I saw this skirt with a hi-lo hem in the sale section, I put it in my cart.

Here’s a 5’10” model wearing size S.

Eileen Fisher sandwashed tencel a-line skirt on a model

Sandwashed Tencel A-line Skirt – $188, $54.50 on sale

And here’s 5′ 4″ me in an XS.

Fit: This felt a tad big around the waist. Also, the A-line shape is a bit puffier than I’d like. It’s not bad, but it’s not exactly slimming. I also felt unsure about the length, which felt bit long for me. This unlined skirt comes in petite sizing too, so I’m not sure why I didn’t buy the petite version. Maybe the petite version wasn’t on sale? (But it is now.) Or maybe I was shopping haphazardly, a little drunk on buying things.

Fabric: Thin and lightweight Tencel. But it also seems like it might wrinkle easily.

Measurements: The XS is 14″ across the waist (unstretched), 28″ long on the front, and 32″ on the back.

I found myself trying to come up with excuses to keep it, which was a sure sign that it wasn’t right for me.

Did I keep it? I deliberated on this one a lot. In end, I decided to send it back. The details weren’t quite right for me. For one, the washed black color was surprisingly hard to pair with existing black items in my closet. (It looks good with items of contrasting color, though.) The elastic band has a gathered look, not flat like the pants above, which I prefer. I found myself trying to come up with excuses to keep it, which was a sure sign that it wasn’t right for me. I really appreciated that this skirt has pockets, though.

Silk Organic Cotton Brushstroke Boxy Shirt

A boxy shirt was NOT on my shopping list of wardrobe wants. But this subtle brushstroke print called to me — and I’m pretty picky about prints, many don’t appeal to me — so into my cart it went. Here’s a 5′ 10″ model in a size S.

Here I am wearing the PS with my arms outstretched to show that weren’t kidding when they said this shirt was boxy.

Eileen Fisher Silk Organic Cotton Brushstroke boxy top worn on a regular person, arms outstretched to show how boxy it is

Fit: The sizing is generous. It’s quite wide across, but it drapes nicely. It feels loose but doesn’t have an overly oversized look. I could probably size down no problem, though.

Fabric: 72% silk, 28% organic cotton. Smooth, silky, airy, and has a sheen to it. Looks fancy, but feels comfy. I love this fabric. It feels great on the skin.

eileen fisher SILK ORGANIC COTTON BRUSHSTROKE BOXY SHIRT and stretch cotton jersey slouchy cropped pants

Measurements: The PS is 21.5″ across the chest and about 25″ long. Personally, a little longer than I’d like. But no big deal. I like to wear it tucked in anyway.

Did I keep it? Yes! This print comes in a slouchy pants and maxi skirt as well (as shown on the model), which I’m now considering.

Overall, I kept two items from my order. These are my first Eileen Fisher pieces (besides shoes), and so far, I’m pleased with them. I’m also happy that I can shop from an ethical brand that offers true petite sizing. Eileen Fisher also makes plenty of wardrobe basics including a line of pieces meant to be easily mixed and matched call The System.) I can see why people are fans. And if that makes me a middle-aged artsy lady, so be it.

Lockdown (& Shopping) Life Lately

Published by welcomeobjects

Shopping Life

After being good about not shopping much this year, I gave in to Black Friday sales. Up until November, I had bought a total of 11 items of clothing in 2020. During holiday sales, I ordered nine things totaling $670, though two of them are the same item in different sizes. I know I’m not going to keep all of it. Still, compared to the rest of the year, this is a significant burst of shopping.

** affiliate links below **

One reason I gave in was because I had volunteered so much on election work these last few months and felt that I deserved to treat myself. The first thing I bought were these boots from dr. Liza during a big sale. I’m pleased with the leopard print flats I bought earlier from this brand (review here), so I decided to give the boots a try. However, according to tracking, the boots seem stuck at U.S. customs. It’s been nearly two weeks and counting. This has never happened to me before and I’m not sure that I can do anything but wait.

From Eileen Fisher I ordered the most items, shopping exclusively in the sale section, where an additional 50% discount was applied. We’ll see if I keep any of it, though. (Items should arrive tomorrow.) I ordered a black midi skirt (an item I put on my wardrobe want list after trying and returning a two-piece Vetta dress last year during Black Friday/Cyber Monday), a silk top (impulse purchase), and several pairs of pants.

I don’t exactly need more pants; these days I spend most of my time in one of two pairs of sweatpants. In the back of my mind, I was thinking I should get another pair of pants that aren’t sweatpants, something I could leave the home in that were more comfy than jeans. However, since I shopped the sale section with off-season items, it’s unlikely that any of the pants I ordered are warm enough for the current weather. They’re mostly cotton or jersey, like this slouchy pair. Ooops. I fell into the it’s-on-sale-let-me-throw-it-into-my-cart mindset.

Lastly, I ordered some sweaters, including cashmere from Italic, a direct-to-consumer, membership-based brand. Regular readers will know that I’ve been trying to build up my sweater collection, in particular warm ones that work for my sensitive skin. The Italic ones have arrived and seem promising. I’ll write a review soon. (UPDATE: here’s my review of the Italic Boxy Cropped Cashmere Sweater.)

Lockdown Life

Due to the alarming acceleration of Covid-19 cases, California is rolling things back. A number of Bay Area counties are locking down tonight through January 4 before we’ve even hit the number set by the state that triggers shelter-in-place orders. That number is 15%, as in when a region’s hospital capacity dips below 15%, it goes into lockdown. But health officials in the Bay Area say that by the time we reach 15% it will be too late; we must act now. Hospitalizations in the Bay Area have gone up 82% over the past two weeks (and 90% for California as a whole).

My household has been cautious even as things loosened up over the summer. We get groceries about once a week and have only eaten outside at a restaurant twice (both times only because the table was far from others; we are not comfortable with many of the outdoor seating arrangements in the parklets that have sprung up). I can count on one hand the number of times I have been inside a retail store that was not for essential supplies. We have seen friends occasionally and always outside. No one has been inside our apartment with the exception of an electrician once (and we were all masked).

Since we both work from home, I don’t anticipate much change for us day-to-day with new restrictions. Before this stay home order, we had already decided to stay put for the holidays and not visit family. (Mine live halfway across the country.) This is a scary time; we haven’t even seen the anticipated increase in cases from Thanksgiving gatherings. I get angry thinking about it and how some of the spread could have been prevented. It’s hard not to despair at the behavior of other human beings.

A slice of pumpkin pie on a plate and pinecones in the background

2020 Ethical Black Friday & Cyber Monday

Published by welcomeobjects

Every year I put together a list of sustainable and ethical brands with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. This year the deals have started earlier, no doubt due to the pandemic-induced economic downturn.

I’ll keep updating this post as I learn about more sales, so check back!

While I’m not much of a gifter, I do like shopping for myself during this time. But there’s always the danger of getting swept up in sales and buying too many things I don’t really need or will use.

To keep myself from going overboard, here are some tips:

  1. Make a list of needs and wardrobe gaps beforehand — and stick to it. 
  2. Ask yourself these questions. I came up with these last year after feeling awfully tempted by some sale items. One of the most useful things I ask myself is: Would I still want this if it were not on sale? Would I be willing to pay full price for it?

Here’s to shopping mindfully — and saving money!

** this post contains affiliate links  **

ABLE – Bags, shoes, apparel, and jewelry from around the world, made by women. 25% off everything with FESTIVE25.

Amour Vert – Women’s clothing with feminine vibes. (Here’s my review on how their items fit on a petite person.) 25% off site wide. Sale items are eligible for exchange or store credit, but not refunds.

Baggu – My favorite reusable bag! 25% off site wide plus an extra 10% off leather items with EXTRAEXTRA.

Bash + Sass – Minimalist, gender neutral tees, hoodies, and rompers for babies and toddlers. Made in San Francisco. 40% off with SMALLBRANDLOVE through 11/30.

Beeswrap – A natural, sustainable alternative to plastic wrap for food storage. 20% off sitewide through 11/27.

Carol Young | Undesigned – Clothing for women, designed for urban environments and travel. Made in Los Angeles. 10% donation to LA Regional Food Bank & 20% off all clothing, shoes, and face masks with THANKU. Sale items are final sale.

Coyuchi – Minimally processed and ethically sourced bedding and textiles. $50 off $250, $100 off $500, and $200 off $800 and more.

Curator SF – Slow fashion, made in San Francisco. 25% off sitewide with GOODKARMA. Sale items are eligible for exchange or store credit, but not refunds.

Cuyana – Luxe, minimalist leather goods. 15% off some items through 11/30. (Not entirely sure if this company’s production is ethical, though.)

dr. Liza – Shoes designed by a chiropractor/osteopath. (Read my review of the flats here.) 60% off nearly everything with JOY60 when you spend over $190 USD through 11/30. Sale items are eligible for exchange or store credit, but not refunds.

Eileen Fisher – The OG of sustainably-produced women’s clothing. Extra 50% off sale items through 12/2.

Graf Lantz – Bags, laptop sleeves, accessories, and housewares made in Los Angeles. I love the simplicity of their merino wool felt placemats and coasters. 30% off nearly everything with THANKS30

Gracemade – A “fashion-forward interpretation of modest apparel.” Think cocoon dresses and jumpsuits. Made in downtown Los Angeles out of locally sourced and deadstock fabrics. 30% off and free shipping  11/27 – 11/30.

Hackwith Design House – Simple women’s clothing and swim wear, made in America. 30% off with PIE30.

Hopp Studios – Comfy, bouncy shoes. (Read my review of their wedges here.) 30% off sitewide with FALLSALE. Sale items are final sale.

Kotn – Instead of a sale, this Canadian maker of cotton wardrobe basics — and now home items — donates 100% of their proceeds between Black Friday and Cyber Monday to build schools in the Nile Delta and Faiyum, Egypt, which is where they source their cotton. Over the years, they have opened seven schools. This year they aim to donate up to $90,000 to build three primary schools.

Lo & Sons – Makers of stylish travel bags. (Read my review of their backpacks and convertible tote.) Up to 70% off through 11/29. Plus, enjoy an extended 6-month return period.

Local European – Their Instagram bio says, “For the elegant street girl.” Cargo pants, but make it fashion! Made in Los Angeles out of deadstock fabric in small batches. Up to 60% off. Sale items are final sale.

Londontown – Cruelty-free, 9-Free nail polish brand. (My review here.) 45% off with nailcare and color with BLACKOUT. Through 11/27.loo

Marley’s Monsters – Reusable goods for the home like washable “paper” towels, personal care items, and baby care. (See my review of their reusable cosmetic rounds.) 20% off everything with HOLIDAY2020 through 11/30. They also have an Etsy shop. (Prices are a little higher there, but shipping is free over $35, so maybe it evens out, depending.)

Mate the Label – Casual comfy sweatshirts, joggers, and tees in earthy colors. Made in Los Angeles. 30% off sitewide.

Naadam – Cashmere sweaters and accessories. 40% off select styles with BLACKFRI40. For Cyber Monday, Naadam has put some of these same items at 75% off, however they are final sale.

Nau – Sustainably made performance wear and outerwear. 30% off full-priced items through 12/3.

Nisolo – Ethically-made shoes produced in Peru. Items up to 60% off. Get an extra 25% off with EXTRA25. Some items are final sale or can only be exchanged, not returned.

Nordstrom – Items up to 50% off. Valid from 11/27 to 12/2. Take an extra 25% off clearance items. I look for ethical brands like Eileen Fisher, Rachel Comey, and Reformation.

Only Child – Women’s clothing in natural fibers and neutral colors. Made in Oakland, CA. Their seconds sale launches with prices 30% off launches 11/28. Sale items are final sale.

Package Free Shop – Toiletries, cleaning supplies, and more low-waste living. 25% off on sitewide.

Pact – Casual clothing, bedding and bath for the whole family. Made from certified organic cotton in fair trade factories. Up to 40% off select items like leggings, sweaters, and more with BLACKFRIDAY through 11/30

Parachute Home – Bedding and bath, Oeko-Tex and Responsible Down Standard certified. 20% off everything through 11/30.

Pela Case – Eco-friendly phone cases that you can compost at the end of their life. Up to 50% off sitewide (20% off one item, 25% off two, and so on up to 50% off 5 items.)

Reformation – Flirty, trendy women’s clothing. 30% off everything.

Stasher Bag – Reusable silicone bags for food and other stuff. Up to 30% off sitewide.

S’well – My favorite reusable water bottle. (Review here.)

Tradlands – Women’s shirts, sweaters, and more in classic looks. Take 20% off orders of $100+ with HOLIDAY20 and 25% off orders of $200+ with HOLIDAY25. Plus, free $10 gift card on orders of 50+ and free shipping on orders of $200+. Sale items are eligible for exchange or store credit, but not refunds.

Two Days Off – Minimalist women’s clothing made to order in LA from upcycled deadstock fabric. An end of season sale is taking place now. Free shipping on orders over $200. Sale items are final sale.

United by Blue – Outdoor apparel made from natural, recycled, and salvaged materials. Up to 50% sitewide.

Vetta – Convertible clothes that can be worn several ways. Made in New York. Some items on sale up to 80% off. Plus, 20% off with EVERYTHING20.

Whimsy & Row – Clothing and housewares, based in Los Angeles. Up to 70% off. Also, one tree will be planted for every purchase. Sale items are eligible for exchange or store credit, but not refunds.

First Image: Element 5 Digital/Unsplash

dr.Liza leopard print flats next to a sweater

dr. Liza Flats Review

Published by welcomeobjects

I have a hard time finding shoes that work for me, so it’s a happy day when I get to write a positive shoe review. Today, I’m reviewing a pair of flats from dr. Liza, a Canadian brand.

First, a bit about the company. Liza Egbogah is a chiropractor, osteopath, and posture expert who started a clinic in Toronto called the [fix]. She launched dr. Liza in March 2017 to offer fashionable and comfortable shoes to her clients. The brand says their products, which includes bags, are ethically and sustainably made in Brazil. (However, there’s not specifics about what this means on their website.)

dr. liza sandal

The dr. Liza sandal that led me to the flats – $385 USD / $495 CAN

The shoes are orthotic, but don’t look like it at all.

I first learned about the brand when I saw a pair of their sandals on Instagram. The shape of the shoe — in particular the curve of the heel — was what caught my eye. dr. Liza makes just a few styles: there’s the sandals, the flats, two types of pumps, and two booties. But the few shoes they do make are all tasteful. There’s something about the sculptural, minimal, balanced look of their shoes that’s really pleasing to me. The shoes are orthotic, but don’t look like it at all.

In August, I impulse bought a pair of dr. Liza flats. I’ve worn them for a little over two months now. Since we’re in a pandemic though, I haven’t worn them as much as I would in a normal year. Usually, I’d be out and about, taking public transit and walking quite a bit. But these days, I don’t venture that far from my neighborhood since I’m still sheltering in place and have the luxury of working from home. All this to say that I’ve never worn these shoes for more than an hour at a time.

A hand holding a dr. liza leopard print flat

dr. Liza Flats – $136 USD / $175 CAD

First Impressions: The flats arrived in a timely manner from Canada. It took 10 days. (Shipping is free within Canada but about $11 USD flat rate to the U.S.) They were packaged in a sturdy black shoe box, which was wrapped in a plastic mailer. The shoes look well-made with straight stitching. The leather is not the super soft kind that will mold to your feet and show every bump. It’s more on the stiffer side and holds its shape while still having some give.

The rubber heel is a .5″ — just a little bit of lift. Surprisingly, the royal blue outsole is a hard material. The website says it’s rubber, but it feels hard and clicks against the pavement.

dr. liza leaopard print flats worn on feet, standing on black and white tile.

The toe is rounded, but not too round.

Fit: Though the website says that the dr. Liza flats fit true to size, I was nervous about buying from a brand I had never tried before. (Especially since purchases are not returnable for U.S. customers. A one-time exchange is permitted, but the customer must pay the return shipping.) So I measured my feet according to this sizing page on their website, and wrote in to ask for a size recommendation. I usually wear a 6.5 US/37 Euro. In this case, they told me to order the 6. So take note: these flats run about a half size big.

The size 6 are definitely the right size for me. They’re wide enough for my wide-ish feet and almost too big at my heels. Almost — but thankfully not. The toe box has plenty of wiggle room, a purposeful design to accommodate bunions. If you have narrow feet, these will probably be too wide. But, if you have any questions about sizing, just ask them. Amanda in customer care is really helpful and replies quickly.

A pair of dr. liza leopard print shoes, viewed from above

These flats feature sesamoid padding, which I’ve never seen in a shoe before.

What these shoes have that the others don’t is decent arch support and sesamoid support.

Comfort: The most exciting thing to me about these shoes — besides the fact that I’ve finally found an ethically-made leopard print shoe — is the padding in the leather footbed. Now, these are not the most padded, most cushy shoes ever. In that regard, they feel moderate. They have neither the bouncy feel of my Hopp Studio wedges nor the sink-into-cushiness feeling of Allbirds. (I’ve reviewed several Allbirds styles.) But what these shoes have that the others don’t is decent arch support and sesamoid support.

The sesamoids are two small pea-shaped bones located in the ball of the foot beneath the big toe joint. As I shared last year, I started experiencing an achy pain in my right foot and it turned out to be sesamoidtitis. My podiatrist told me to relieve the pressure on the ball of my foot by wearing sesamoid pads and these sneakers. Dutifully, I stuck these pads on my foot every day for months and learned how to style ugly sneakers.

Fast forward a year later and my foot is still not 100%. The ball of my foot still hurts sometimes, even in cushioned shoes. But these dr. Liza flats have built-in padding extending from the arch area to near the ball of the foot and it helps. In some of my other shoes, my foot feels achy right away, but not with the dr. Liza flats.

If you’ve never had shoes with this kind of cushioning, then it might feel weird at first, but you get used to it. Now I want ALL my shoes to have this kind of cushioning.

These flats also have a built-in padded heel liners.

The back of the dr. Liza leopard print flats

The tabs at the back of the flats allow you to add a strap if you’d like.

Aesthetics & Style: The details of these flats feel just right to me. Although the round toe box has plenty of room, it’s not too round. I personally don’t like a very rounded toe, which looks kind of clunky to me. This shoe cuts an elegant shape.

At the back of the shoe is a pull tab, with a leather “L” (and a backwards “L” on the left shoe) sewn onto it. You can also add an ankle strap through the tab. dr. Liza included a free pair of ankle straps in my order and I love having this option to change up the look.

Wearing dr. Liza leopard print flats with a sweater and skirt, both oatmeal-like color.

Everlane Sweater  [review]  // Classiques Entier Skirt // dr. Liza Flats

These flats look good with both pants and skirts, so they’re easy to style. I’m in the leopard-print-is-a-neutral camp, so I wear these with just about everything. But dr. Liza makes these flats in a bunch of colors (black, ivory, light brown, red, sky blue, bubblegum pink) as well as in limited-edition prints.

I’d still like to wear these out all day and see how they perform. Will my feet feel tired after a full day in them, or will they feel fine because of the padding? So far, I’m quite happy with them. I didn’t even need to break them in, though of course, I’ve been wearing them in increments of an hour or less. I’m also happy to shop from a small, ethical, Black-owned company.

These are my first dr. Liza shoes, but I don’t think they’ll be my last. I have my eyes on other pairs, like their booties and the dr. Liza sneaker pump, which has a a walkable 2″ heel.

As a quality, ethically-made product, the price point isn’t cheap. The flats run $136 USD, the sneaker pumps are $230, and the booties range from $385 to $463. However, dr. Liza holds good sales — I bought my flats at 40% off. Their next sale, an early Black Friday on a Monday, is scheduled for November 16. I just marked it on my calendar.

UPDATE 7/2/22 – I’ve had these shoes for more than a year and a half and wear them regularly. They remain comfortable for me, though their comfort has a time limit. I wore them for 10 hours once, much of that time spent standing, and my feet were pretty tired at the end of the night. I’ve since bought them in two other colors. The golden sand fit the same as the leopard print. However, the pair in navy suede feels snugger and I had to use a shoe stretcher on them. Not sure if this is true of all the suede colors, or just this colorway. But if you’re getting the navy suede, you might want to take your regular size and not size down.

UPDATE 1/9/23 – I bought my fourth pair of these flats in gold, and they also feel snugger. So, there does appear to be inconsistency in sizing, as half of them fit smaller. Or maybe the newer batches are more true to size. I’m putting my shoe stretcher to use on them, but if I had to do it over again, I’d order them in my usual size.