Review: All The Madewell Pants!

Hey friends, Marianne here, trying on all of the pants at Madewell. Okay maybe not ALL of them, but after our fall wanty post I decided to just do the thing—just order 4 pairs of pants and see if I can find the elusive non-denim, non-skinny fall pant. Spoiler alert: I was successful! Giddy up.

The ones that are for someone, just not for me:

The Drapey Track Trousers. I am not sure why these are called “track" trousers? Is it the elastic waist? Anyway, the good: I like the color and the fabric. But this cut just isn’t for me, I think it would be cuter on someone shorter. They are too short and kind of boxy on me. Pass.

The ones I am pretty sure I’ll love when I get the right size:

The Griff Tapered Fatigue pants. These are SO GOOD. At least I think they will be. In spite of reviews saying to size (way) down, I ordered my usual jeans size in these and they are huge. But they are so great: the fabric is super soft but thick enough to be flattering, they have the perfect taper, perfect shade of fatigue green, and they have button tabs at the waist so you can adjust them if they stretch a little. I can’t wait to get these in the right size and wear them to death.

The ones that I’m torn on:

The Slim Emmett Tapered pants. Every time I try these on I change my mind. Do I like them? Are they flattering? Are they going to stretch out (these are my regular size, I tried a size down and they were TIGHT). Right now I’m leaning towards returning but possibly reordering if they go on sale. Only problem is, they are already starting to sell out in some sizes. I feel like these are the pants a ton of women are going to be wearing this fall. Should I be one of them???

The dark horse winner:

The Dunaway Paperbag pants! Who freaking knew? These give me all the vintage vibes I love but can’t usually pull off. This isn’t really the right shirt for these pants, but I wanted to be consistent. These are so soft and lightweight, have a great drape, and I love the color. I just have to figure out the best top to wear with them, but these went straight into my closet.

So what do you guys think? The Paperbag pants and (fingers crossed) Griff fatigue pants are obvious winners, but I keep coming back to those Emmett pants. They keep selling out in my size, am I going to regret returning them? Should I wear them around my house a bit before deciding? Has anyone else tried them and if so, did they stretch out on you? Help!

PS. My clogs are Sangren and my blouse is Vince, but isn't available anymore. This one has a similar pattern and this one is Vince perfection. 

Monday Mood: Marianne Needs a Beach Bag.

If you follow Marianne on IG you may have seen her call to action about needing a new extra-large beach bag. She currently has a Land's End canvas bag and wants to set it on fire. Here were her requirements:

She got a LOT of great responses and we thought it would be fun to make this into a blog post. So here are her top contenders: 

Contender #1: 

Marianne: The Patagonia Black Hole Gear Tote is one of my top contenders. Love everything Patagonia stands for and I know it'll hold up forever. $99, sustainably made, lifetime warranty. 

Contender #2:

Marianne: The Travel Cloud bag from Baggu. $78, super light, looks the most comfortable to carry. I do wish it had a bit more structure though. Either way, buying a set of cute Baggu pouches to corral sunscreen, goggles, etc.

Contender #3:

Marianne: The 3 Girls Tote from Scout. I like the structure (no tipping over!), the zipper and it's super light. And cheaper at $54. 

Honorable Mention:

Marianne: Also probably buying this Target bag that was recommended because it's $10, mesh, and seems like a great backup for second bag for sandy toys or wet towels. Also, this gingham swimsuit at Target is my current fav! 

PS. She's set on one of these options and isn't still looking but if you want to share your fav in the comments, feel free! 

Marianne: I ordered six denim shirts *for science* and here's what happened.

A quick back story since this is going to be a long one. I am, as you might know, a tallish female human with big boobs and hips. And because I am a female human, I like to torture myself by wanting things that are hard to find for people with boobs and hips. There are several things on this list, but today we're talking button downs. More specifically, the "perfect" chambray denim shirt. I have bought so many denim shirts that miss the mark in one way or the other--too short, too tight at the hips, not the right weight. So this fall I decided to cast a wider net and order a variety of denim shirts from a variety of stores, including some I have never ordered from (and one I've never even heard of!). Want to join me on this journey? Giddy up.

THE ONE THE INTERNET SAYS IS THE BEST (the internet lies)

This J.Crew denim shirt LOOKS like it's perfect, right? In that way that J.Crew clothes always look perfect because they are on a gorgeous model, or laying flat on a white background, looking perfectly rumpled. I knew this one wouldn't work on me, but I also knew I had to try it for myself. After reading a lot of reviews, I ordered a Tall 14, and here it is on my body:

As you can see, it's tight across the hips, but the arms are weirdly huge. Also the pockets are a little small, which isn't very flattering if you have a large chest. I do like the wash and weight of this one, but the cut is all wrong on me. Back it goes.


THE ONE YOUR MOM BOUGHT

Okay, that's a little mean, but I honestly forgot Eddie Bauer existed? But like I said, I was casting a wide net here, so that meant ordering this denim shirt from them. I ordered a size large because it seems like their sizing is a bit more generous. And hey, I was kind of hopeful! Maybe this brand I'd forgotten about would cut things for a non-model body! Well...

This shirt depressed me. It is long, I'll give them that. But the side vents are really low, which accentuated my belly in a way that I haaaated. Overall it felt very frumpy. I could have sized up so it didn't pull at the hips, but then the top would be way too big. However if you are tall and straighter through the hips, this might be a great option on you, and the price is certainly right!


THE ONE THAT ISN'T DENIM

Always a glutton for punishment, I threw this J.Crew Factory chambray shirt into the mix. Because if the one that was twice as expensive didn't work, surely this cut rate redheaded stepchild one would?? When I opened the package I actually double checked the order because this really doesn't look like a denim or chambray shirt. The fabric os more of a woven texture. But how was the fit? 

Eh. I ordered an XL and the bottom button won't button. The shoulders and arms are cut better in this one, but the pocket is a little small and a little high, which again isn't cute if you have big boobs. And I wish the side vents were deeper because that's much easier to half tuck. But most importantly, it really doesn't read as a denim shirt in real life. 


THE ONE THAT ISN'T EVEN BLUE

This was a late night phone shopping order because I decided I needed to check Target. For whatever reason when you search "denim shirt" this is what comes up, and I ordered it without even looking at it all that closely. I guess I maybe thought it was *really* light blue? 

Nope. This is just a white shirt. HOWEVER, I am including it because I really like it! It's oversized (this is me in a size large), but cute and fits well. It buttons all the way down and has side vents (thank you!). I think it will be really cute with leggings and maybe a sweater blazer in the fall. I kept this one!


THE $7 ONE FROM A MYSTERY (TO ME) STORE

First off--I am sorry to say this shirt is sold out (this one is still in stock!), but I still wanted to include it. I have never heard of Maurices, but have since been told it's a fairly ubiquitous midwestern department store of sorts. While I was scouring the internet this short sleeved option popped up for a cool $7. I ordered it in two sizes because again, never heard of Maurices. Here I am in the size Large:

You guys this shirt is so great! It's a perfect weight, nice and long with with those deep side vents that are apparently very important to me, but it looks really cute half tucked. This shirt is everything I have always wanted a Madewell Central Shirt to be, but $7! I am giving the size XL away to a friend to share the love, because it's not really worth making the effort to return. MAURICES, WHO KNEW. 


THE WINNER THAT I NEVER WOULD HAVE PREDICTED

Guys, I KNOW. I am a grown ass human woman with big boobs and hips and I found the perfect shirt at ABERCROMBIE & FITCH. Do you need a moment, because I need a moment. I really was trying to branch out, and seeing as I still associate A&F with half naked models and that aggressive cologne and jeanz for teenz, yeah. I was pretty sure this was going to lead to heartbreak. But instead:

IT'S SO CUTE. It's so super soft, fits great (this is an XL), the pocket is big and the side vents are perfect, it's just honestly exactly what I was looking for. I just noticed I have the bottom button unbuttoned in these pics, but it comfortably buttons all the way down. It even looks cute tied at the waist over a dress. It's so soft! The wash and color are perfect! My search is freaking over!

If you hung with me through all of that, I salute you, but I also hope this was helpful. Sometimes you just need to put $300 worth of denim shirts on your credit card, drink some wine, and figure some shit out. Now to return all the rejects...

Weekend Shopping Report: Knoxville Trip.

Hi hi hi! I am back from visiting Marianne in Knoxville and, no surprise, we did a little bit of shopping together. I also coveted some of her things and ended up making an online purchase while I was there which always seems to happen.

First, we made a short trip out of town to visit Greater Goods, a by-the-pound thrift store that had come highly recommended. Digging in bins of clothing is not everyone's idea of a good time but we were into it and found some great stuff! I found Marianne this cute leopard cardigan that I'm pretty sure is made out of 100% static and water bottles:

Here I am afterwards with my loot:

We also made a trip to Ulta so Marianne could stock up on a bunch of staples. I bought more of The Ordinary's Buffet and also, on her recommendation, the Real Techniques makeup sponge which is WAY cheaper than the Beauty Blender and also bigger and comes with a travel case. What? WHAT. I tried it this morning and it's great. (Also, now I feel like a sucker.)

We also hit up TJ Maxx because it's a long-standing tradition of ours. It was pretty picked over but we both ended up buying the same Tahari olive green linen t-shirt that I can't find it online anywhere but it's super great and we're both scared to wash it, because linen.

Finally, I made Marianne go to Madewell to try on skinny jeans and she bought this pair which looks AMAZING on her:

Never mind that what she needed was plain dark denim skinny jeans, the heart wants what it wants and Marianne's wanted distressed black skinny jeans.

We also spent a lot of time trying on stuff for each other and I marveled at her amazing closet and tried on a bunch of her stuff without asking. (Just kidding, I asked.) Marianne recently took advantage of the Sorel boot sale and bought some really nice, lightweight and warm boots to wear to her daughter's riding lessons, because muddy, cold riding rings are not sneaker-friendly. Her boots arrived right before I did and they're great:

They are the Sorel Explorer 1964. Super light, very warm and cute as hell. (They run half a size small, btw.) I tried on her boots because that's the kind of asshole I am and immediately decided I needed a pair for my upcoming trip to Scotland. (My Docs are great but they are HEAVY and not water-proof.) They'd sold out of most of the colors in my size but I found them on another site and ordered a pair in Quarry. Fingers crossed!

And then I drove all the way home and now it's Monday and I'm sad. Boo.

Outfit of the Day: Marianne!

I've been posting up some of Marianne's recent outfits on IG, but she has A Question for you guys and is also looking really damn cute in her new Dr. Martens so on the blog it goes:

Details: Adorable cozy sweater is from H&M, her moto pants are from Target but very old. This pair of Sanctuary jeans is similar and Target has these moto leggings, as well. Her boots are Dr. Martens "Pascal" and damn, are they cute. Now, the question straight from Marianne:

Have any of you ever had a winter coat altered? I mostly love this coat and it’s very well made, but I wish it didn’t flare out at the bottom. I’d like more of a cocoon shape. A friend who works in men’s suiting gave me his tailor's info, but I’m nervous it will cost a million dollars.

 Does anyone know? BTW, this coat is from Anthro and it's a few years old. If you're looking for something similar I'm going to point you at this one from Free People and, ugh, this beautiful leopard coat at Bloomingdales.

Marianne: My Free Pass (aka cute stuff at H&M that I might buy)

Honestly, I think it's amazing I made it almost to July without breaking my Fast Fashion Fast, but now it's summer and I am finding myself in need of some hot weather, work-friendly clothes. I work in a casual office, but that doesn't mean I can wear cut offs and t-shirts (SIGH), so I have been combing H&M for some cheap and cheerful summer clothes. I know H&M doesn't work for everyone, but it consistently works for me, much more so than Target, and I think the quality is better too.

Before I dive in, some parameters I applied are:

NO T-SHIRTS
NO JEANS
NO CUTOFFS
NO CAFTANS (this is a tough one though)

Okay, I know I said no caftans and then I put up a dress called "kaftan dress", but this just looks like a loose, easy dress. The reviews are good and I honestly can't decide between the leopard and the black. What say you?

I always try and seek out cotton, silk, or linen from H&M, because I've had great luck with the quality in the past. I love this fabric, but I'm a little on the fence about those sleeve ruffles. This could be the perfect light summer dress though...hmmm.

I want a new striped jersey dress, and while I've been looking at this one from Madewell I don't think it's worth $75. This one is $30 and I have had my eye on it for a while. I can't decide if it would really work on me but I should probably just try it.

Another striped dress--this could be a total disaster on my body. Probably should skip.

This one just looks easy. Perfect for those August days when you just don't want anything to touch your body, you know? I do worry about it being too short on me, but I think I'm going to give it a whirl.

I really need a couple of work blouses that I can wear with jeans. This looks promising, if not a little more ruffly than I would normally gravitate towards. I'll try if for $9 though.

This is going to be polarizing because of the price, but hear me out. This looks SO MUCH like my absolute favorite Vince blouse, which cost this much used. I haven't been able to find anything similar for under $400, so I am very tempted by this. I can always return it...right?

IDK guys, maybe I should just buy this and call it a day.

Marianne: Because Saving the Planet is Just As Fun Shopping for Clothes?

Hey guys! This is maybe not the sexiest post (although hell, y'all got pretty excited about Adrien's laundry detergent), but I wanted to write a bit about something we've done in the past year that has made me feel really good--cutting down the amount of single-use plastics we consume. See? SEXAY. But seriously, we recycle and use reusable grocery bags, but I've been feeling for a while that we could do more. Interested in what I've bought and how it works for us? Giddyup.

How we gave up paper towels (maybe for good?)

As the owners of pets and small children (yes, I own them until they are 18), we used to go through a lot of paper towels. And while they are totally biodegradable, they are still made from trees and the process to make them is not great, Bob. But man, they are so CONVENIENT and sometimes you really, really want to throw whatever disgusting thing you've wiped up AWAY. Enter: the shop towel. A 50 pack of these runs you $15 and they are the exact size of a paper towel. I keep the clean ones in an attractive wire basket on the counter, and the dirty ones get tossed in a bin (you know the ones) under the sink. I figured it needed to be as easy to grab and dispose of these as it is to grab and throw away a paper towel, and guess what? It's working! The biggest key to success, and I realize this sounds like a no-brainer, is to not have paper towels on the counter. 50 shop towels lasts longer than you'd think, we wash them about once a week. So easy!

Eff Tupperware, y'all.

I HATE PLASTIC CONTAINERS. Not only do I feel like I'm probably slowly killing myself every time I microwave one for lunch, I hate how they scratch up, how they hold smells and stains, and how they inevitably take different sized lids that you lose. I just Marie Kondo-d my container cabinet and got rid of a whole box of lids and bottoms that didn't go together. My favorite containers for leftovers and lunches are these Pyrex containers, so you know what I did? I got rid of every container I hated and ordered more of these. It's like the tupperware version of when I went nuclear on my underwear drawer. Now every time I open the cabinet, I am happy. Don't you want that happiness for yourselves? Look at those pretty colors! So satisfying.

Deliver me from Ziploc bags.

God, what's more convenient than a dang ziploc bag? Confession: my brother-in-law gives us a case of these amazing Ziploc plastic bags every year and we use them with abandon. DON'T WORRY I FEEL RULL BAD ABOUT IT. So, we're trying these and these out. So far, so good, although we washed the smaller ones on the top rack of the dishwasher as advised and now they are really hard to zip closed. I think we'll hand wash from now on.

It's Not Just Reusable Shopping Bags.

So, we've all been using reusable grocery bags forever, right? RIGHT? (I use ancient Envirosax that I've had for a million years.) But what about produce bags? Some places use biodegradable versions (thank you Trader Joes), but I still want to do better. I ordered these mesh bags off Amazon, and so far so good. It can be tricky to see the label through the bag when you're checking out, but we can all handle that, can't we? I love that there are different sizes because it makes me crazy to put one jalapeno in a huge bag.

BUT THINK OF THE TURTLES!

I am not sure what took us so long to realize that plastic straws are, like, not so great for the planet, but when I watched a poor sweet sea turtle have one pried out of his nose, I was like welp. Not doing that any more. Problem is, I love straws. And my kids love straws. The kids like these silicone straws  but I find they taste a little soapy, probably because we run them through the dishwasher because who has time to HAND WASH STRAWS NOT IT. Anyway! I like the idea of stainless steel straws but don't like how they feel on my teeth. And so, I finally found my super special snowflake straws, these stainless straws that have a little silicone tip. I bought this multipack, but my favorites are the bendy straws so I will probably buy more of those.

I know, these are just drops in the bucket, but if we all tried to cut back on single use products it would eventually make a big impact. It also saves money and you have less trash to take out, which is a win win. I'm not exactly on the reusable toilet paper level of environmental awareness, but I feel good that I've successfully implemented these practices in my home. What are y'all doing? Is ANYONE cutting out toilet paper? That's where I draw the line but tell me everything. Not everything. You know.

Marianne: My Beauty and Skincare Hits for 2018.

If there's one thing you should know about my beauty and skincare habits, it's that I rarely change things up. My skin is sensitive and prone to breakouts, so if I find something that works I stick with it. However in 2018 I actually added some new stuff to my lineup and all of these have become VIPs that I've repurchased many times. Let's discuss, shall we? First up, makeup!

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara
Number one with a bullet, this mascara is pricey and I have repurchased it a whopping 4 times this year. I feel confident in saying it's my holy grail. It really does make your lashes look like you have extensions (I have actually been asked if I do!), and it does not smudge or flake at all. And best of all, it comes off with warm water. That's it! It claims to make your lashes grow and while I can't say it's made a huge difference, I have stopped using any other serums this year and my lashes look pretty good!

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
This year I stopped using a foundation brush and started using these sponges, hoping to get a more sheer and dewy application. I am so pleased with them! Yes, they soak up a bit more product, but the end result it so even and natural looking that I don't care. Plus there's something really soothing about bouncing a cool little sponge all over your face in the morning. Now that I've got my skin looking good (more on that below), the more sheer application is perfect. These are cheaper than Beauty Blenders and seriously just as good, which is nice because I get lazy about cleaning them and just toss them. I buy the four pack, which I just found at Walgreens. Yay!

It Cosmetics Sunshine In A Compact Matte Bronzer
This bronzer is not going to change your life, but here is why it's great. It is NOT SPARKLY which thank you. I do not need to look like a GD twilight vampire when I'm just trying to give myself some semblance of a glow. The palette is huge and lasts forever--seriously forever. It's a good medium brown that is sheer and not muddy. It's just easy to use and gives you that little something (and also great for shading any burgeoning double chin situation UGH).

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner
Fun story: this year I had the opportunity to work with some amazing drag queens, and at the end of the day we took a picture together and I wanted to DIE when I saw myself. Next to their over-exaggerated features my eyes looked like a naked mole rats. I decided right then and there that I need to start wearing eyeliner and never looked back. Now, I know liquid eyeliner is scary to some people and I don't know why I am good at it but I am. I don't do anything crazy, just a thin line and a little flick at the end, but it has really stepped things up for me. My fave WAS Kat Von D's liquid eyeliner but she's kind of a tool so I switched to Stila and it's great! Stays put all day and I think it doesn't dry out as fast as Kat Von D's so take that, you weirdo anti-vaxxer.

Like I said, I don't change things up much, so the rest of my staples are the same. If you want those I can write another post so let me know! Now, on to skincare.

Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate
So Adrien and I have already talked some about this vitamin C product, and man it is just really great. I use it religiously every night and my skin looks great: glowy, more even, and I think it helps with breakouts too. The only downside is it does discolor my pillowcase but I don't care! Worth it.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
I pair this with the vitamin C at night and often that's all I need moisture-wise. We'll see how that changes when it gets really cold, we're having a weird warm and rainy winter so far. Hydrating, not irritating, just GOOD STUFF. My skin looks as good as it ever has and I attribute that to the combo of these plus Differin (more on that in a moment). If I am feeling dry or have been on a plane I'll add a layer of this Kiehl's overnight mask on top of everything and man that is just the shit.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Cleanser
Yup, another Kiehl's product, but guys it's so good! Like everyone, I've been diligently double cleansing and until I bought this I used a cleansing balm. That was all well and good but then I tried this cleansing oil and fell in love. I feel like my face gets cleaner (I also thing my breakouts were caused by cleansing balm residue!) and a bottle of this lasts twice as long as any balm I've tried, if not longer. I've had my current bottle for a while and it's not even half empty. I squirt one pump (1.5 if I'm wearing a lot of eye makeup), rub it in, work in a little warm water, steam with a hot washcloth, and then cleanse again with Cerave hydrating cleanser. It's like a little facial every night.

Differin Gel
A couple of years ago I went nuclear on my recurrent breakouts with a prescription combo of Tazorac and Aczone, along with a round of antibiotics. And this really changed my skin, not just breakouts but dark spots and acne scars were GONE (even a mole I had disappeared??). It worked great for me but after a while felt like overkill. So I took a break and switched to over the counter Differin and this stuff is fantastic! Keeps me from breaking out (I just use it in my more prone areas) and the monthly pimple I still get goes away quickly. I still use tazorac and aczone every once in a while just to keep everything at bay, but this is over the counter and a lot cheaper.

Laser Hair Removal
Does this count? I'm counting it. This year I shelled out for laser hair removal on my armpits, lower legs, and bikini line. While it HURT (like, so much more than I expected), the results have been worth it, especially my armpits. I am prone to razor burn and irritation and this has helped so much. It's just nice to not think about, you know? I know body hair is personal but this was a good choice for me and I'm happy to talk about it more or answer any questions y'all might have.

And lastly, the perfume we're all tired of hearing about:

Le Labo Santal 33
I found my signature scent this year and I feel complete. But seriously, this is a cult favorite for a reason. It has great staying power and I have never been stopped in the street and complimented on how I smell EVER. Don't try it if you don't like attention because it is pretty powerful. But I love it and wear it year round.