Lana

Bag Accessory Fun from Shopbop

Bag Accessory Fun from Shopbop

Image: Shopbop

Bag Accessory Fun from Shopbop

It’s always kind of fun for me to go to the Shopbop homepage and see what new collections have popped up…I was browsing around for a Friday blog subject, and ran across a promotion for bag accessories which immediately took me back to my school years. I know I’m definitely not the only one who’s ever adorned my backpack with a myriad of keychains, patches, pins, and…virtual pets, right? I remember also a magazine drive in middle school where one of the rewards for reaching different selling tiers was a fluffy character called a Weeple (if my memory serves me right) — a fluffy pom pom with googly eyes and feet, on a piece of elastic for throwing on our backpacks. These pom pom charms from Sophie Hulme below brought that memory right back up. I think nowadays I’m more into simplicity…if you had seen me just a few years ago I was obsessed with customizing everything I used on a regular basis (my car, my backpack, etc), but now I like simplicity, and personally I got quite sick and tired of things falling off my backpack, never to be seen again. But I’d assume, since some of these are of fairly high quality, so that wouldn’t be an issue. Either way, I really like the playfulness of some of these, and sometimes I do like to add a little sparkly to something here and there! So I went through Shopbop’s bag accessory collection and grabbed a few of my favorite pom poms, pouches and charms that I saw and brought them here to share with you. This isn’t really like one of my usual posts, but it just seemed like something that might be a fun thing to post for a Friday.

Shop the entire Shopbop bag accessory collection here!

Lana

Le Dessein for Women’s Education in the Developing World

Le Dessein for Women's Education in the Developing World - Blue Pants

All images: Le Dessein

Le Dessein for Women’s Education in the Developing World

Fashion is fun. Charitable fashion is even better. Over the years I’ve had this blog, I’ve moved in a direction that encompasses both worlds, even more so with the latter. I absolutely love illustrating the fashion world on the side that the general media doesn’t always portray: the side that cares about more than just what to wear with those killer heels you’ve been craving for months and finally acquired (Like, OMG!). I am finding more and more ethical, sustainable and charitable brands every day, which makes me smile…but every now and then, I get contacted by one! I’m excited to introduce Le Dessein, which is one of those great brands that reached out to me recently. Le Dessein is more than just a clothing company (and an amazing one at that), but rather a brand that is extremely passionate about “empowering women through educated fashion,” or helping break the unfortunate reality that there are currently over 65 million girls out of school in the developing world. If these women completed a secondary education, about 3 million children under 5 years old would be open to better and more opportunities in their lifetimes.

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Lana

SCHOEN by YU The Muse Cuffed Review on Denimology

SCHOEN by YU The Muse Cuffed Review on Denimology - Front View

SCHOEN by YU The Muse Cuffed Review on Denimology

Dark blue skinnies. Of all the jeans I’ve reviewed here at Denimology, I think this has become my signature style. I feel blessed enough to be able to experience the multitude of different ways this seemingly-basic style can be designed, constructed and presented, and it certainly is enough to keep my riveted! It never gets old to me. But of course, I’m always on the lookout for that one dark blue skinny that really stands out…I can always trust the large, tried-and-true, household-name brands to produce a pair that I know I’ll love, but I really am more fascinated by what’s next, what new company will come out with a game changer next week, next month or next year. We all know the big guys can deliver, but what about those fighting against the grain in the already-competitive industry? Well, I’ve found the next big thing. So, I’m super stoked to share this next installment in my denim-obsessed life with you: a SCHOEN by YU The Muse Cuffed review!

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Lana

A Blue and Yellow Kind of Day

A Blue and Yellow Kind of Day - Front View

A Blue and Yellow Kind of Day

So I guess I could call this an introductory post for an upcoming review…I have been working with new denim brand SCHOEN by YU, which was created by the fabulous fit model Lindsey Schoen and veteran denim designer Michelle Yu, that is currently taking the denim market by storm! The brand sent me one of the best selling models, The Muse, to review for Denimology and I am beyond impressed (and excited)! It’s always so fascinating to discover new brands, but when you discover one that seriously stands out and get to see the impeccable details and attention to quality first hand, it’s something else. So stay tuned for my upcoming review for these jeans, because they are truly amazing! I paired them on a usual day at work with a breezy yellow and white top that my sister handed down to me (yellow really is not my color, but I went for it anyway and love the contrast with the dark indigo!), as well as my much-loved Boy Meets Girl baseball cap (easy to wrap around a bun when I don’t feel like doing my hair which is getting quite long and unmanageable), my cobalt blue everyday bag by Foley & Corinna (they make some of the BEST bags around if you ask me), and some simple, cheap gladiator sandals from Bamboo. I don’t usually go for cheap shoes but these were just too cute.

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Lana

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind

One of the reasons why I love denim so much is that you can go all out with the washes, styles, cuts…but really, most of it comes down to the fine details! It’s already a competitive market out there so I am always so impressed with the little, well-thought-out things when it comes to a great pair of jeans. A few brands here and there in the past have tried out a playful addition that might remind many of us of our childhoods: braided accents. It never really caught on with me though, but I am really digging the Fall new arrivals from the international denim giant 7 For All Mankind! These guys have released their own take on the braided look for Fall, giving it a fun yet grown up feel and appearance! Braided denim adorns waistbands and adorable front pockets on a handful of skinnies, flares (they came back with a vengeance this Spring and haven’t died yet!), and a super cute denim skirt, ranging from light to dark washes, including black on one of the flares. One thing that hit me immediately is that in order to pull off the braided waistband, a brand must have already perfected the fit of the jean, since it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to have to use a belt and cover up these unique details! 7FAM has got it down though…as one of the first premium denim brands to seriously explode and become a household name in 2000 due to their ultra flattering fits, any denim fan can purchase one of these beautiful denim specimens with confidence! Check out the brand new braided styles below.

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind - Braided Skinny in Vivid Medium Indigo

Images: 7 For All Mankind. Braided Skinny in Vivid Medium Indigo

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind - Braided Skinny in Light Blue Hue

Images: 7 For All Mankind. Braided Skinny in Light Blue Hue

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind - Braided High Waist Flare in True Black

Images: 7 For All Mankind. Braided High Waist Flare in True Black

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind - Closeup

Images: 7 For All Mankind. Braided Skinny in Vivid Medium Indigo

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind - Braided Skirt in Vivid Medium Indigo

Images: 7 For All Mankind. Braided Skirt in Vivid Medium Indigo

This isn’t really the first time 7 For All Mankind has taken on braided details. At one point they offered braided boots, which are now unfortunately out of stock everywhere as far as I can see. These two were from Last Call from Neiman Marcus (original links here and here). I was inspired to look for the boots on the model for the braided skirt, which actually are by Valentino, not 7FAM! They are almost sold out, but you can grab them in Chocolate Brown here, or black here.

Braided Denim Details by 7 For All Mankind - Braided Boots

Images: Last Call by Neiman Marcus. 7 For All Mankind Pierce Braided-Strap Ankle Boot (out of stock)

Shop all the new braided denim styles for Fall here!

Lana

American Eagle Outfitters Introduces Flex/Denim for Men

American Eagle Outfitters Introduces Flex/Denim for Men

I’ve been a huge fan of American Eagle Outfitters for a long time…I fell in love with their basic, timeless pieces and good quality for the price back in college and my appreciation for them hasn’t died since. I still shop them from time to time since they always have amazing sales and good deals on their online store, but the brand keeps my attention due to the fact that they have really upped their denim game in the last few years. Whenever anyone asks me for quality denim at a lower price, I always direct them to American Eagle! My denim collection consists of all premium…and then there’s AEO, sitting amongst the rest. They’ve kept up with the higher price brands at an incredible rate, introducing the incredible partnership with Invista Lycra® for Denim X last year, the upgraded line of stretchy and shape-retaining jeans for women. I had a chance to review two of them and I still wear them to this day! Check those reviews out here, and here. Performance denim has also grown in the market lately, with an increased demand from men for denim that moves with you and makes commuting by bicycle, or just being active everyday in general, more comfortable (check out my post about that here).

American Eagle has expanded the women’s line for Denim X, introducing two more varieties: Sateen X and Denim X4. Sateen X incorporates a low twist yarn for extra softness, and Denim X4 is a high performance stretch using a fabric blend of about 70% Cotton, 16% Viscose, 12% Polyester and 2% Elastane (give or take for each model). But what I found more fascinating is their addition of men’s stretch and performance denim! Flex/Denim is split into three parts, like Denim X. There’s Core Flex, which is the closest to your traditional everyday jean but with a tad bit of stretch added for additional comfort and flexibility, and comes in skinny, slim, straight and bootcut styles. Active Flex “utilizes high stretch technology for superior flexibility” and currently consists of mostly skinny jeans, with a few joggers, a straight and a bootcut. Extreme Flex combines Dual FX and T400 yarns for their “highest level of flexibility.” This one comes in some supertight skinny styles and a straight.

One other thing that got me kind of excited here that I also had to mention, is that the new Denim X line includes a dropped hem flare, using the Artist Jean style! As you might remember, I recently wrote about the current raw hem trend, and I absolutely love it. I’m stoked AEO jumped forward with their own take on this look, and it looks gorgeous!

Shop both Denim X and Flex/Denim at American Eagle Outfitters, here! Right now AEO is offering free shipping for any purchase from these two collections through June 22. Also, you can enter to win a sweet discount, products from Apple or $10,000. Enter on the website or through an in-store try-on of these new denim collections!

Lana

Favorite Finds from Etsy

Favorite Finds from Etsy

Favorite Finds from Etsy

As I’m sure many of my readers know by now, I am a huge fan of Etsy. I love the big brands…they are fun and exciting and all, but I really have a high respect for the struggling independent artists and love to give them exposure and support as best as I can! I have purchased many items on Etsy and am always super impressed by the obvious quality and love put into them. I’ve favorited so many items and shops on Etsy and continue to do so every day, even though I know there’s no way I’ll ever be able to get to all of them! So I figured for a fun Friday post I’d make a collection of some of the cool items that have been hanging out in my Etsy favorites for awhile. Many are clothing items (mostly from artists who craft with organic cotton, bamboo or hemp), but there are several gift items in there like jewelry, posters and more. I think I might do this on a regular basis with other items I obsessively bookmark, not only with Etsy but in other online shops as well…now that I’ve discovered this neat little slider plugin! You might recognize some items that I’ve blogged about before (like MeDusaBrand) and they were definitely special enough to me that they needed to be mentioned again. So without much more ado, I hope you enjoy my little culmination of twenty (oh there are many more) of my favorite finds from Etsy!

  • Favorite Finds from Etsy - Half Moon Yoga Pants by ZhenNymph
    Half Moon Yoga Pants by ZhenNymph
Lana

Diego Milano S/S Number 019

Diego Milano S/S Number 019 Review on Denimology - Distance Shot

Diego Milano S/S Number 019 Review on Denimology

I fell in love with jeans for the sole reason that not only does the perfect pair make you feel oh-so-good, but also because it’s amazing how something that the general public sees as just a basic item can be so colorful in its market, with so many different innovations and awesome examples of boundless creativity. The jean is not just your run of the mill jean anymore, and it hasn’t been for a long, long time. Fit is always a competitive aspect, as well as fabric content, wash, and general look or trend and the pool of options is exploding every season with impressive new ideas. When it comes to fabric content and embellishments, some brands take it to another level, traveling to the farthest reaches of the world to discover new fibers or materials to give their product the winning edge. I’m not usually a big fan of too much flair, but blending in elements that seem to be made for each other, like leather and denim, is something I’ve seen here and there in the denim world and been intrigued by. Recently I posted about the amazingness that is Diego Milano denim, and I am so excited that I got a chance to check them out, up close and personal! Usually leather is sewn in to denim in a riding pant style, or as some kind of paneling, and Diego Milano excels beautifully at this, and then some!

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Lana

Vintage Booties from Freebird by Steve Madden

Vintage Booties from Freebird by Steve Madden

The weather has been quite strange here in California…even though we’re going through a drought, June brought quite a bit of cool and foggy (and sometimes humid) gloom, with cooler days leading up to the usual summer weather in July. During the heat of the summer, I’m perfectly happy in flip flops every day, but while we were still waiting for those days to hit us, I was enjoying my TOM’S and Sperry slipons. Although I do love those uber comfy shoes, I was looking to switch it up a bit. I really wanted to wear my booties for the effortless pop of flair they add to my outfits, but with socks they were just too warm. I was browsing around for some cutout booties that I could wear without socks, and ran across these awesome vintage, rugged looking styles from Steve Madden! These boots are specifically from Steve Madden’s Freebird line, which is hand crafted using a traditional Goodyear construction for virtually indestructible soles. One of the biggest annoyances of mine when shoe shopping is soles that seem to wear out so fast, earning the piece of footwear a spot in my “to fix eventually” pile. I’ve gotten more selective over the years, as footwear truly is one of those things that proves the legitimacy of the “you get what you pay for” cliché. I still cave every now and then to a cheap pair if I just can’t pull myself away from the style, but the fact that these seem to be made like boots used to be made, with the quality of old time Americana that most of us wish was still the standard on the market. Apart from the quality though, these shoes just look awesome! Earthy tones and textures always catch my eye, and these just have such a cool well-worn look to them. Complete with awesome strap details and hardware, these are winners! Check out all of the styles below…but check out the individual product pages, as many of these come in several different rich colors. I picked a decent variety of colors to showcase the variety. I have to say I love the antique look of all of these, especially the Wine Suede!

Vintage Booties from Freebird by Steve Madden

Images: Steve Madden. Grind, Claw

Vintage Booties from Freebird by Steve Madden

Images: Steve Madden. Phlow, Blake

Freebird by Steven boots are handcrafted from start to finish, using a traditional Goodyear construction, in which stacks of leather are hammered together and carefully stitched to create a virtually indestructible sole. This technique has been used to create the highest quality boots for centuries. “

Vintage Booties from Freebird by Steve Madden

Images: Steve Madden. Quail, Costa

Each pair starts with carefully selected materials and is finished with extreme attention to detail, going through 5 or 6 final steps to ensure each pair is one of a kind. Our original designs inspired by vintage Americana and created using time-honored craftsmanship are a unique way to finish any look.”

Vintage Booties from Freebird by Steve Madden

Images: Steve Madden. Rattl, Stair

Vintage Booties from Freebird by Steve Madden

Images: Steve Madden. Petal, Stock

Shop the Freebird by Steve Madden line here.

Lana

Fran Denim Sarah Skinny Jean Review

Fran Denim Sarah Skinny Jean Review - Front View

Fran Denim Sarah Skinny Jean Review

With the rising “strong is the new skinny” trend going on (although I hate calling it a “trend” as I believe healthy habits should be part of everyone’s daily routine), there’s been an increasing demand for denim that fits more athletic bodies. As I’ve written before, there’s also been a small influx of denim created to wear during activity, such as commuting by bicycle and even climbing. But for the hardcore athletes amongst us, like those who lift, it’s often hard to find denim that fits muscular bodies properly. A couple of years ago, Barbell Denim came onto the market, and most recently now, Fran Denim has been gaining ground. Created by a Crossfit enthusiast, these jeans are specifically made for women and men who are serious about their strength training or muscle building lifestyles! The face behind Fran Denim noticed my post about denim for athletic folks, and sent me along a pair to try! So here is my second denim review all on my own, apart from Denimology…for the Fran Denim Sarah Skinny!

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