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Two BAGGU nylon pouches in large and small size, along with a succulent in a pot, as viewed from above in "flat lay" style.

How to Organize Your Purse with Pouches

Published by welcomeobjects

Back when I reviewed the Everlane Twill Zip and Pocket Totes, I wrote about how I used a lightweight purse organizer to keep the contents of my bag in order.

A mesh purse organizer with items in it, and other items such as a water bottle and sunglasses case, flatlay style.

Back when I used a purse organizer.

Why A Purse Organizer Didn’t Work For Me

After a while, I abandoned the purse organizer for what I call The Pouch System. The problem with the purse organizer, at least for me, is that I carry too much stuff. Despite my best efforts to lighten my load, I often carry a water bottle, scarf, magazine, and more. That’s in addition to the purse organizer. All these things piled on top of the organizer. So, if I wanted to grab something out of it — say, a packet of tissues — it was actually hard to get to. I had to remove all the things blocking access to the organizer, or pull the whole organizer out of my bag.

The Pouch System

The Pouch System is exactly what it sounds like. I keep things in pouches. When I want something, I root around in my bag and retrieve the pouch that stores that particular item. I keep two to four pouches in my bag depending on what I need that day. Each one is visually different so that I can remember what’s in each pouch. I’ve always enjoyed looking in other people’s bags to see what they carry, so I’ll share what’s in mine.

At first, I bought all my pouches from Daiso, the Japanese dollar store, because like most everything in the store, they were only $1.50. Why not! I found the pouch below to be especially handy since it has three zippered pockets. Yay for compartments! In one pouch, I keep things like facial tissues, gum, hand lotion, and medicine. (Yes, that’s a mask in the bottom left corner. It’s handy for allergies and bad smells.)

** This post contains affiliate links but was not produced in partnership with any brand. **

A pouch with three zippered comparments, and the contents of what's kept in the pouch laid out around it. This includes tissues, hand lotion, gum, band-aids, nail clipper.

Pouch 1 has my personal care items.

In a second pouch, I keep my headphones, ear plugs, purse hook, small tape measure, phone charger (I recommend Anker brand which hasn’t died on me when others have), and a pair of travel chopsticks. (I carry my own utensils to avoid using single-use disposables. I also carry a spork for this reason.)

A pouch with three zippered comparments and the items stored inside the pouch laid out around it, including a purse hook, phone charger, earplugs, headphones.

Pouch 2 carries tech things and more.

In a third pouch, I keep my wallet, a small notebook, a click pen inside a plastic sleeve (in case I forget to click it closed), and a plastic envelope for coupons and receipts.

A pouch with a palm print, a blue plastis envelope, pen inside a plastic sleeve, red notebook, and black wallet, all organized neatly on a white surface.

A bigger pouch from Baggu serves as my third pouch, carrying my money stuff, plus a notebook and pen.

Where I Get My Pouches

For this third pouch, I started out with another Daiso pouch but upgraded to a Baggu flat zip pouch. In this particular case, you get what you pay for. The Daiso pouches shed bits of string because the edges inside are unfinished. Sometimes the strings stick in the zippers. Baggu’s pouches are many times the price, but well made from heavyweight nylon. All the edges are finished so they don’t have this annoying shedding problem. Baggu is also an ethical company. (The company says that its nylon and canvas bags are ethically made in China.)

3 zippered pouches stacked on top of each other, largest on the bottom and smallest on top. The large one has a green frond print, the middle one is pink and has 3 zippers, and the small one has white dots on black.

From smallest to largest: Baggu small flat zip, Daiso, Baggu medium flat zip

Here’s the Baggu medium flat zip ($12, 10.25″ x 8″), compared with the Daiso triple zip ($1.50, 8″ x 6″), and the Baggu small flat zip ($8, 5″ x 3.5″).

The little one is good for holding cards and other small items.

A woman holds a large nylon pouch in front of her. It is large enough to serve as a clutch purse. The pouch has a frond print.

The Baggu medium flat zip is actually quite big!

The Baggu medium zip is actually large enough to use as a clutch in a pinch. There’s even a larger size (15″ x 12.15″ – $15).

I highly recommend Baggu’s pouches for your organizing needs. If you need more room, they also make a pouch with more depth called the Carry All (medium size and large size). I wish they made a small-medium size that was similar to the Daiso pouch size (8″ x 6″). Actually, I wish they made a small-medium size that had triple zippers just like the Daiso one, but of course, with better materials and cute prints, as is the Baggu way. I’m still using the Daiso ones even though they have the string-shedding problem because I find the multi-compartment pouch super handy. But, if you’re reading this, Baggu, please make some triple zip pouches!

A green and a black zip pouch on a white background with the text "how to organize your purse with pouches, WelcomeObjects.com"

Top Welcome Objects posts of 2017, featuring a totebag, some outfits, some shoes.

Top Posts of 2017

Published by welcomeobjects

Happy new year, readers! As I look back on 2017 — my first year of blogging — I wanted to share the most popular Welcome Objects posts for the year. These are the five posts that received the most views. Interestingly, these were all fashion posts.

5. Drape Collection at Uniqlo

Uniqlo 2017 drape collection jogger pants outfit as modeled by me, with black heels.

4. A New Day at Target – Fitting Room Review

side by side photos of me, a petite woman, wearing a short sleeve floral shift dress, and a maroon anorak

3. Everlane High-Rise Skinny Jeans Review

Everlane high-rise skinny jeans from the front.

2. Allbirds Wool Loungers Review

Allbirds wool loungers in black, sitting on top of a shoebox.
1. Everlane Twill Zip Tote & Pocket Tote Review

Everlane twill zip tote and pocket tote bags held up side by side for comparison. The pocket tote has a vertical shape with the twill tote has a horizontal shape.

Thank you for reading Welcome Objects. Here’s to shopping more mindfully and sustainably in 2018!

Everlane day heel, as seen from above. It has a rounded toe and elastic back.

Is the Everlane Day Heel As Comfy As Everyone Says?

Published by welcomeobjects

When Everlane released its Day Heel back in April, it was so popular that it sold out in a day, generating a long wait list. People rave about it. As I am always searching for a comfortable, chic shoe, I tried them on recently.

The shoe comes in regular leather, suede, and velvet. They’re all quite soft, much softer than the leather on any other Everlane shoes I’ve ever seen. Inspired by the ballet flat, it has a rounded toe, an elasticized back, and a walkable two-inch block heel. It retails for $145 for the regular leather and suede and $155 for the velvet. (Pssst! Right now for five days the navy velvet and the silver velvet are on sale for as low as $109 as part of their Choose What You Pay clearance.)

A hand holding The Everlane Day Heel in a brown suede. The shoe has a ballet flat look with a heel.

It’s made ethically in Montopoli in Val D’Arno, Italy and crafted out of leather both inside and out. Among the dozen colors that it comes in, this orange is my favorite (Everlane calls it red). What a great pop of color for an outfit!

I haven’t had success with Everlane shoes. Most styles run too narrow for my slightly wide feet, and even when they’re wide enough (as was the case with the Editor Heel), they’re uncomfortable.

Black heels worn by someone who is also standing in front of a mirror, so there are two images.

Much to my surprise, the Day Heels were true to size for me. I tried my usual size and a half size up. With the half size up, they felt a bit long, like my foot wasn’t matching the footbed in the right place. My regular size felt just right.

Even more surprising, they were comfortable! I’m a person who has difficulty with shoes, probably more so than the average person, and even for me, they felt walkable right out of the box. (Sometimes you put a shoe on and right away it’s ouch!) However, I only tried them on for a little bit. I’ve read that the elastic can dig into the back of your heels, which seems like a deal breaker. Some people have also experienced blisters in the toes, so even though they are made out of a very soft leather, it appears there’s still a break-in time required.

In the end, I decided not to get them. Why? I’m not in love with the look. I’m trying to be pickier about clothing (and stuff in general) in an effort to consume less and use the things I do own more. When I asked myself if I loved these, my heart did not go aflutter. I guess I’m not much of a ballet shoe fan to begin with.

The top of the shoe covered more of my foot than I liked. Perhaps if I were cut lower I’d like the look more. I also don’t love the tab on the back. I can understand the Day Heel’s appeal, though — ballet flats, but with heels! They seem like they’d be a good staple piece for the office if they worked for you. (If you do end up with one of the suede pairs, I highly recommend treating it with a suede protector before wearing them out.)

See all my Everlane reviews here.

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I Made the Switch to Reusable Produce Bags

Published by welcomeobjects

One small eco-friendly thing that I try to do is cut down on the amount of plastic I use. Plastic takes forever (well, about 1,000 years) to decompose. No bottled water for me. And no plastic bags, especially the flimsy one-use kind. Sure, they’re recyclable, but only if they’re clean. (In most places, they get landfilled since there’s not much demand for them as materials.)

Many people don’t even bother to recycle or don’t have access to recycling. (A 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that only 28% of Americans live in a community where social norms strongly encourage recycling and re-use.) Plastic bags pose such a threat to the environment that some governments have banned them. I live in San Francisco, the first major American city to ban single use plastic bags. Rwanda’s ban is super strict. “Traffickers caught carrying illegal plastic are liable to be fined, jailed, or forced to make public confessions,” The New York Times reports.

I started carrying my own reusable shopping bag years ago. (I reviewed my favorite kind here.) But what about produce bags at the grocery store? My local Whole Foods provides a roll of compostable bags — but only one roll located in one corner of the produce area. The other bags are still regular not-going-to-biodegrade plastic. (Confusingly, they are green, the same color as the compostable bags.) Other grocery stores don’t carry any compostable bags at all, so if you’re trying to avoid plastic, you have to rely on yourself.

The good news is that many companies make reusable produce bags in a variety of materials, from cotton to nylon. Seven years ago, a friend gifted a set of mesh produce bags to me and I still use them, so I thought I’d share about them.

** this post contains affiliate links **

 

These polyester mesh bags are made by flip & tumble, a certified Green America Business based in the San Francisco Bay Area. While it’s true that polyester isn’t great for the environment either — it’s made from petroleum and also doesn’t biodegrade in any timely fashion — I estimate that in seven years of using these bags, I’ve avoided about 1,000 plastic bags.

A hand holding a white mesh produce bag filled with a pound of bok choy.

One of my flip & tumble produce bags with about a pound of bok choy.

These bags are strong and light (just .4 of an ounce). They close with a drawstring and they’re a good size — I’ve stuffed leafy greens into them. Because they’re mesh, I can see what’s in my bags and the produce gets circulation. (How many times have you pulled slimy produce from a plastic bag? Gross.) They’re also easy to wash. Just throw them in the laundry and let them air dry. I just add them to my regular laundry, so I’m not using an extra water. I wash the bags after every use (inside a Guppyfriend in case they shed microfibers) because sometimes the bags get an odor after storing veggies for a while. I’m not sure why that is.

Did I mention that they’re durable and that I’ve used them for seven years? The company says it makes its bags ethically in China. Lastly, the price is right. A set of five 12″ x 14″ bags sells for $12.

Four mesh produce bags filled with produce, as seen from above. The tops of the bags are open.

BYOB: bring your own bag.

I keep these bags stashed away in my reusable grocery bag so that I’m always ready for a trip to the grocery store or farmers market.

If you’d rather not use synthetic mesh, there are other produce bags in natural fibers, such as cotton. I’m kind of curious about the Vejibag, which is made from an organic cotton terry knit. This writer says it keeps her veggies fresh longer. I don’t think they’d work well for me since I’m a visual person. I like to see what’s in the bags at a glance. (That brand is also pricey, though organic cotton terry knit does sound luxurious.)

Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to make the switch from plastic to reusable. It’s mind-boggling to me that so many people use a bag once and then throw it away. Worldwide, less than 5% of plastic is recycled. I try to do my part and I hope you’ll consider it too. May our small actions add up!

Leopard print faux fur jacket from Target. Photo shows closeup of top half.

Faux Fur Leopard Print Coats from Target

Published by welcomeobjects

Recently on a Target run, I was distracted by a faux fur leopard print coat. Of course I tried it on. However, it ran big and I couldn’t stop thinking about how it might look in the right size, so I ordered it and well, here we are.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to think of leopard print as more of a neutral, similar to the thoughts of the author in this Racked article, “Leopard is a Neutral, Fight Me.” Of course, it’s a rather loud neutral. And I love faux fur — so soft! But am I really going to wear a loud, furry coat on a regular basis? In trying to downsize my wardrobe, should a faux fur leopard print coat be one of the things I own? I decided to sit with a couple of them for several days to find out.

** affiliate links below **

This is the leopard print coat I originally reviewed from Target’s A New Day line.

A model in a faux fur leopard print jacket that goes to the thighs, with her arms crossed.

A New Day Leopard Faux Fur Coat – $39.99, but now on clearance for $27.98!

I found it ran big, so I ordered a size down. I’m a dress size 4 and mostly a small in Target clothes. I’m wearing the XS here.

The faux fur on this coat is decently soft. I like the two slash pockets and the fact the the snap buttons are black — all the better to blend in with the print. However, the fit was a tad tight in the armpits. It’s 16″ shoulder to shoulder and 19″ pit to pit. While fine over the T-shirt I’m wearing here, it wouldn’t be comfortable over a chunky sweater. The sleeves also ran a bit long on me (25″), but then again, I’m petite with short limbs. I think look-wise, it’s a bit much on me, especially from the side, which seemed widening.

A person wearing a faux fur leopard print jacket, view of the side.

Auntie vibes in leopard print.

Later, I was at Target picking up some paper towels (isn’t that how it always goes?) when I saw this shorter faux fur coat from the Who What Wear line. Ooops, I put it in my cart.

A model in a faux fur leopard print jacket that is short, hitting at the top of pants.

Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat – $54.99, Plus Size $59.99 (both 20% off now now!)

I really like the shorter length of this one (21″). I’m also a fan of the bigger print, and while you can’t see it here, it has a bright red lining, which is really satisfying and a beautiful contrast with the leopard print.

A person with dark hair wearing a short leopard print jacket in faux fur.

The shorter length of this jacket is more flattering for petite me.

I’m wearing the small, which is the smallest size they seem to make it in. It’s still plenty roomy (without looking too big) and you could wear a chunky sweater under it. This coat also uses a snap enclosures, though I wish the snaps were black instead of silver. The sleeves fit me well, surprisingly. (They measured 23″.) Interestingly, the faux fur on this one is not as soft as the other coat. The whole coat has a slightly crunchier feel to it, if that makes sense. It’s a bit stiffer, construction wise. Not a deal breaker, but not preferable. Between the first coat above this one, I think this shorter length is the winner.

This coat also comes in a light tan color, but for some reason it doesn’t look as good on.

Who What Wear Faux Fur Coat – $54.99, Plus Size $59.99 (both 20% off now now!)

Originally, I meant to compare these Target coats to pricier ones to see if I could discern a difference. Nordstrom offers a range of faux fur coats from brands like Kensie to Rebecca Taylor that range from $250 to $400. They’re up to nine times the price of the Target ones. Are they nine times as good? I went to take a look in person, but disappointingly, they didn’t have a single faux fur leopard print coat on the floor to try. Oh well.

By the time I went looking for the pricier ones though, I realized that I probably wouldn’t wear a faux fur leopard print coat that much if I was being honest with myself. Having these coats for a few days in my home and blogging about them helped me get leopard print out of my system.

Well, almost.

I decided to get one faux fur leopard print item after all.

By the way, as I mentioned in my last review about a wool coat, I’m trying to be better about making ethical shopping choices, so I’m including info about the where, what, and ethics of brands. Faux fur coats are made out of polyester, which is petroleum-based and not biodegradable. Its synthetic microfibers pollute our oceans. These coats and the slippers were made in China and while I don’t know much about the sourcing, I do know that Target was named an ethical company in 2010 by Ethisphere Institute, so that seems encouraging.

Me, a petite woman, wearing a coat with faux fur collar.

Feeling Fancy in Club Monaco’s Evangah Coat

Published by welcomeobjects

Today’s post is a review about a coat, but also about conflicted feelings. One place that I’ve enjoyed shopping is Club Monaco. I like their minimalist aesthetic (though they definitely get into frilly, feminine moods too.)

Club Monaco feels a bit less fast fashion and trendy than other brands — at least that’s my perception of them — and I like that. I don’t care much about trends. I’ve noticed that they keep certain styles around year after year, which I appreciate. Today, I’m reviewing a coat that’s in stores now (and on sale!), but which I bought a year ago.

Before I get started though, a word about striving towards becoming a more ethical-minded shopper. I’m trying to make better choices as a consumer, from beauty products that don’t test on animals, to cleaning supplies that are kinder to the environment, to clothes that don’t exploit labor. But it takes research and sometimes it feels overwhelming because you’re one person asking questions of big industries.

I figure asking questions is the first step, though. So beginning today, in my reviews I’ll include information about where something was made and what’s known about the ethics of the brand. I’ve also gone back to some old posts and added that information.

Club Monaco’s parent company, Ralph Lauren, doesn’t make its labor and environmental practices known, according to Project Just, which collects that sort of data. All I know about this coat is that the tag says it was made in Vietnam. Running some basic info through this quiz, “How Fair is Your Fashion,” the coat didn’t score well. It received a D for conventional wool and “not good enough” for Ralph Lauren. Without knowing specifics about the factory, the quiz noted that Vietnamese garment workers tend to make minimum wage or less.
Screenshot of a "how ethical are your clothes" quiz showing that wool scores a D and wages are below minimum wage in Vietnam.So, it’s complicated, particularly when you’re on a budget. Ethically-made items tend to cost more, though there are brands like Everlane and Grana that offer more moderate price points. I love fashion, but I’m trying to own less and invest in higher-quality items that didn’t harm anyone in the process. Anyhow, I don’t have an answer. I just wanted to share since I’ve been thinking more about this lately.

On to the review…

Models wearing the Evangah Coat from Club Monaco. Model on left is an East Asian woman wearing the pink-ish version. Model on the right is white woman wearing a gray version. The coat is wool and has a faux fur collar.

** affiliate links below **

The Evangah Coat comes in the two colors shown above: light oatmeal and heathered gray. It retails for $429, but is on sale now for $299. (Pssst… Club Monaco runs promotions now and then where they throw another discount on top of their sales. So, you could snag it for even less, though you run the risk of your size selling out.)

Here I am wearing the light oatmeal, which looks pink on the model, but is definitely less pink in person. I’ve worn it for a season (though not with a lot of regularity). So far it’s worn well and there’s been no pilling. In my experience, Club Monaco is a cut above other stores in the mall (ahem, J. Crew) in terms of quality.

Club Monaco Evangah Coat // Uniqlo Jeans [similar or check out Everlane’s ethical jeans ] // Taupe Textured Heels from Taiwan [similar] // Marc Jacobs for Target & Neiman Marcus Metallic Leather Clutch [similar]

I love faux fur and the one on this collar is quite soft. You can also fold the collar up to surround your neck with warm and fluffy faux fur.

Me, a petite Asian woman, wearing the Evangah coat with the collar turned all the way up.

The material (80% wool and 20% nylon) is warm and of medium softness — not super soft, but not rough either. I wish it were 100% wool, as nylon is a synthetic fiber and doesn’t biodegrade, but at least it’s mostly wool. The lining is satiny soft. I love that it has both snaps and a zipper, so that you can use one or the other or both. They’re gold too, which adds a luxe feel.

Me, a petite Asian woman, wearing the evangah coat open.

I’m petite (5′ 4″) so the sleeves are a little long on me and I should take it the tailor and get that taken care of it. Overall, it hits me right around the knee, which is a good length. It fits true to size. I’m a dress size 4 and am wearing the small. It fits well and is not too tight. I can wear a sweater with this coat.

I absolutely love this coat. It’s simple but also fancy with the faux fur and gold details. It seems well made and I can see myself wearing it for a long time.

Waffle knit sweater in crew neck.

Fitting Room Review: Everlane Waffle Knit Cashmere Square Crew

Published by welcomeobjects

Everlane came out with a new cashmere sweater this season (at least I think it’s new) and I love the idea of it. Say hello to the Waffle Knit Cashmere Square Crew! It retails for $155 and comes in ivory, black, navy, and the light gray color shown above (which seems to be sold out at the moment).

I love waffle knit; it’s such a great texture. I had to go try it on. Here’s my fitting room selfie.

A white sweater with waffle knit texture and crew neck as worn by someone in a fitting room.

Yes, I’m wearing a black bra and if you get this sweater in ivory, you shouldn’t do that.

Check out the sleeve detail. Both the ends of the sleeves and the bottom part of the sweater have a ribbed texture.

A view of the sleeve of a sweater with a waffle knit texture. Photo is taken from the POV of the person wearing the sweater.

Frankly, I’m not a fan of how much ribbed texture there is at the bottom of the sweater’s body. I wish that the waffle knit continued further down. But I do like the side splits and how the back is longer than the front. Here’s how it looks on a tall model. (She’s 5′ 10″ and wearing a small.)

A white model with brown hair wearing a white sweater, which is longer in the back, with white pants and black shoes.

And here’s how it looks on me. Since this sweater is square and boxy, I knew it would be oversized, but I wasn’t prepared for how big it was, at least on petite me (I’m 5′ 4″). I’m a dress size 4 and wear a small in Everlane’s Cotton V-neck T-shirt (review here) so I sized down to an XS in this, but it still felt too big. So then I tried XXS.

Two images of the same person in a fitting room trying on the Everlane waffle knit square sweater in two different sizes.

Trying the XS (left) and XXS (right).

From a view of the side, you can see that the side split on the XXS is too high — I’m wearing high-waisted jeans here. I don’t want to be showing any of my mid section, not even a tiny bit, especially when it’s cold. So, it doesn’t seem like the XXS is the right fit.

Two images of a person with black hair trying on a white square sweater in a fitting room, from the side, in two different sizes.

I know this is supposed to be an oversized fit — it looks a little big on the model too — but the XS is just too baggy for my liking. The proportions seem wrong to me. I also wish that the crew neck were a little looser or wider.

Everlane waffle knit square sweater as worn on a petite Asian woman, who is holding out one arm to show how roomy the sweater is. She is in fitting room, the fitting room curtain is behind her.

Wearing the XS.

While this sweater gave me happy cozy vibes, I didn’t love the way it looked on me, so I passed. It might look cuter on someone taller. This sweater has a nice medium-almost-heavy weight. The quality of the cashmere seems good, as I detailed in my review about Everlane’s Cashmere Crop V-Neck. (I also went a bit into what constitutes high-quality cashmere.) It’s ethically made in Dongguan, China.

It’s soft as well; I think a bit softer than the Cashmere Crop. However, if you have really sensitive skin (like yours truly) it might feel too scratchy to you. If this piece works for you, I can see it being an item you reach for again and again in the winter months.

Interested in other Everlane items? See a directory to all my Everlane reviews here.

Everlane Cashmere Crop V-neck sweater in frost donegal, a light gray with dark specks.

A Review of the Everlane Cashmere Crop V-Neck Sweater

Published by welcomeobjects

One thing that I love about Everlane is how they take an everyday basic and give it a modern cut. That’s the case with their Cashmere Crop V-Neck. They’ve played with the proportions of a V-neck sweater, shortening the length and widening the V-neck. As a petite, I’m always looking for items of clothing that make me seem a little taller and a cropped sweater seemed like it would do the trick.

The Cashmere Crop V-Neck retails for $100 and is ethically made in China. I picked it up in frost donegal, which has specks woven throughout. It also comes in black, ivory, charcoal, navy, soft pink, and ruby.

A closeup of a sweater, which is a cream color with flecks of black and gray.

It’s soft, but softness is not necessarily a sign of good cashmere. In the past I’ve bought fluffy soft cashmere that pilled like crazy (ahem, Uniqlo.) I also thrifted a cashmere sweater by Charter Club (a Macy’s house brand) that was equally soft but hardly pills. A Johnstons of Elgins cashmere scarf that I wear feels stiffer but hasn’t pilled at all so far. What does it all mean?

This article from Racked explains that cashmere comes from cashmere goats, mostly from Mongolia these days. Workers sort the fibers by hand into different grades, based on length and thickness of the hair. Grade A cashmere, the highest grade, consists of the naturally softest fibers, which are long and strong. It will lead to a higher quality garment. But Grade B cashmere, which consists of shorter hairs, can also feel soft because it’s been washed and processed a lot to purposely make it feel that way. The best cashmere garment is not necessarily the softest. Good cashmere will soften over time.

Everlane’s cashmere sweaters are made from Grade A fibers. Reviews online suggest that they don’t really pill much, so not only are you getting an ethically-made garment, but it sounds like a decent quality one too.

Here’s how the sweater looks on a model.

A white model with long brown hair wears a V-neck sweater with sneakers.

And here’s how it looks on me, a 5′ 4″ shorty. I’m wearing the sweater with high-waisted jeans here. As you can see, the sleeves are long on me, but that’s the curse of being petite. No biggie. I can fold them over.

Me, a person with dark hair, from the back, wearing a V-neck sweater.

I wear a small in Everlane’s Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt but sized down to an XS for this sweater. I love the fit so much. The cropped length hits at a nice place on me and lengthens the legs. The V-neck is quite wide. In fact, it’s on the verge of showing my bra straps. This might be problematic or annoying for some people, but I really liked the cut.

The fabric was thin, but not too thin, and it was lightly warm. Unfortunately, I found the sweater a little scratchy. The frost donegal colorway contains 2% other fibers, so I thought those might be the culprit. But when I tried on another color (the solid colors are 100% cashmere), it also irritated me. So if you have sensitive skin like me, this won’t work. Sadly, I had to return it.

But I recommend it for those of you who normally don’t find wool or cashmere itchy. (Side note: the thrifted cashmere sweater and scarf I mention above don’t bother me. I wonder what that’s about.) I’ll have to give Everlane’s cotton version of this sweater a try, though it doesn’t look as cropped. Update: here’s my review of the cotton V-neck sweater.

Curious about other Everlane items? You can find all my Everlane reviews here.

IKEA NYMÖ Lamp Shade in white hanging over a dining table.

Ikea’s Beautiful Nymö Lamp Shade

Published by welcomeobjects

I’ve been looking for a lamp shade ever since the plastic shade on an old Target floor lamp of mine cracked. At Ikea recently, I felt absolutely giddy upon seeing these beautiful shades.

Display of Nymö lamp shades at the Ikea in Emeryville, CA

I love the geometric cutout patterns. And the gold on the inside! I fell in love. I fell hard.

Stock photo of a blue lamp shade with patterned cut outs and a gold foil interior.

Nymö pendant shade

The Nymö shade comes in various sizes — from 9″ for a table lamp to 23″ to hang as a pendant (as shown in the first photo at the top of this post). It comes in four colors: black, white, blue, and green.

I bought the 13″ to replace my cracked lampshade. Being Ikea, it was flat-packed, of course.

Flat packed box from Ikea for the Nymo lamp shade

Flat packed is the Ikea way. Exterior of box was a bit busted, but interior contents were fine.

Here’s what you find upon opening the box.

Instructions for the NYMÖ lamp shade, along with parts wrapped in plastic.

What’s in the box

I actually don’t mind at all that the shade is flat packed. In fact, I find of prefer it because if you ever move, you can take it apart — a space saver for packing! The shade comes rolled up.

The NYMÖ lamp shade, rolled up, plus a piece of paper with an x and a drawing of a hand on it.

The exterior of the shade has a cloth feel, while the interior is shiny metallic.

Here’s that gorgeous luxe interior.

A hand holding flat against the floor a lamp shade that needs to be unrolled, showing the beautiful brass/gold metallic interior.

The instructions.

Instructions for the Ikea NYMÖ lamp, open and on the floor. There are drawings of how to roll the frame part on the shade to assemble it.

Nymö instructions

Of course you always get to that part of the instructions where you wonder what they’re trying to tell you.

A piece of paper with a drawing of a hand holding on to the side of the lamp shade. There is a big X. What does it mean?

Hmmmm?

Despite that one cryptic instruction, the lamp shade is incredibly easy to put together. Each edge of the rolled-up shade has clips. Simply clip them to the two metal circular frames. Then, velcro it shut. Though the instructions show two people working together, for this small-sized shade, I was able to do it myself.

A hand matching up the velcro enclosure of the Nymö lamp shade.

Difficulty of assembling the Nymö shade? Not difficult at all!

Ta da!

A black/brown lamp shade with a pattern of cut outs.

Nymö Lamp Shade – $19.99 to $39.99

And now for the big reveal.

A black brown shade with a pattern of cut outs. The lamp is on, casting the pattern on the wall.

Nymö Lamp Shade – $19.99 to $39.99

I tried this lamp shade out for about a month. Pros: it’s gorgeous! Easy to put together! Totally reasonably priced. The 13″ size shown here is $24.99. The large 23″ pendant is $39.99. The fabric on the shade (made out of polyester) has a nice texture to it. It doesn’t look or feel cheap.

However, with a heavy heart, I returned it. You see, I needed something that would actually let a lot of light through for my office. But the Nymö shade is too shady for my needs. It simply blocked out too much light. I even tried switching to a brighter light bulb, but that didn’t help much. As a pendant hanging over a table, it might work better, but on a floor lamp tasked with providing light for a room where I read and work, it didn’t cut it.

Sigh. I’m sad this didn’t work out. My search continues.

UPDATE 12/10/17 – I’m trying to be better about making ethical shopping choices, so I’m updating my posts with info about where and how things were made. I don’t remember where this item was made, but Ikea was named an ethical company in 2010 by Ethisphere Institute, for what it’s worth.

2023 Update

4/6/23 – It’s more than five years later, and I find myself with yet another broken shade on a floor lamp. (This time, it was a glass shade. Big oops!) After shopping around, I ended up back at Ikea and  bought the 9″ Nymö lamp shade. It only comes in black, which reads more like a very dark brown to me.

Two images of the same dark brown lamp shade, which has a pattern cut into it. The first shows the lamp shade and the second image shows the lamp shade with the light on.

9″ Nymö Lamp Shade – $29.99. With the light on to the right, though I guess it’s a little hard to tell since this photo was taken in daytime.

In 2023, the options are fewer. Ikea no longer offers the green or blue. You can only get the white or black. There’s also only one pattern available: this one with the curves and dots, which reminds me of boobs. Prices have also gone up by a lot. Hello inflation? The 9″ shade, formerly $20, now cost $29.99. The 13″ size I tried before at $24.99 is now $37.99.

What I’m doing differently these days is I’m using a bigger, brighter LED bulb meant for flood lights, so I no longer have the problem I did before with the lamp shade being too shady.

Looking up into the interior of a lamp shade, which is gold-colored inside.

Kobi Electric LED lightbulb, similar to this

To be honest, the luxe shiny gold interior of the shade doesn’t quite go with the silver satin finish of this floor lamp, a discontinued Ikea one. But I’m not going to worry too much about it.

Circular purses made with woven textiles and leather.

Ethical Cyber Monday

Published by welcomeobjects

Image: Ilano Design

I’m not encouraging you to buy stuff just to buy stuff. My struggle with wanting to buy stuff but wanting to pare down is the reason I started this blog. However, if you’re in the mood for shopping and looking for ethically-made, (hopefully) long lasting items, here are some brands I like (or have been curious about) with Cyber Monday or holiday sales.

Nylon resuable bag with palm print.

Baggu – My favorite reusable bag company (review here) also makes backpacks, pouches, leather purses, and more. 25% off with code OKHOLIDAY.

Model wearing a black top and long black and white skirt.

Carol Young | Undesigned – Carol Young is a former architecture student and self-described urban nomad who uses sustainable or recycled fabrics to create her clothes. All of her pieces are made in Los Angeles. 20% off with code GETBIZY through today, November 27. Plus $20 gift cards with in-store purchases over $200.

Half moon shaped leather bag.

Erin Templeton – I first discovered Erin Templeton on a trip to Vancouver. She makes bags, some (but not all) out of recycled leather. I love that the style is minimalist and without much hardware. She’s also a vintage clothing fan and her physical storefront and workshop in Vancouver Chinatown is stocked with cute vintage finds. 20% off with the code BLACKFRIDAY20.

Model wearing a red crewneck cashmere sweater.

Grana – Haven’t tried them yet, but I’m intrigued by this Hong Kong-based brand which, like Everlane, seems to be about high-quality wardrobe basics made with fair labor practices. 20% off everything through the end of the month, or 30% off when you spend over $200. They’re also having flash sales for Cyber Monday.

Slide sandals with black and white textiles.

Ilano Design – Roseli Ilano partners with weavers, cobblers, and leathersmiths in Mexico and the Philippines to create her sandals and bags. 40% off sitewide — and she’s also donating proceeds to immigrant rights and net neutrality. Win-win! Use code FREEINTERNET to donate to the Center for Media Justice or the code CLEANDREAMACT to donate to United We Dream.

Brown oxford shoes.

Nisolo – I’ve had my eye on this shoe brand, though I haven’t tried them yet. They work with a factory in Trujillo, Peru, paying their workers a fair trade wage and healthcare. They’ve marked some items (like these oxfords) on sale for Cyber Monday. Also, 10% off with code BLACKFRIDAY10 (which hopefully still works?)