The Cult of Individuality Zen Midrise Skinny and Giveaway

The Cult of Individuality Zen Midrise Skinny and Giveaway

I initially wanted to call this post “The Many Faces Of…”, but that would have been too long. I’m so stoked to have been introduced to this brand through my reviewer/contributor stint at Denimology over the years, because there are few that embody the vintage/edgy/moto/selvedge/quality appeal like Cult of Individuality! I reviewed the gorgeous coated Moto Midrise Skinny in Black as well as the super distressed selvedge Alter Ego Boyfriend and I absolutely love them both. This brand was born in 2009 and is doing quite well amongst celebrities and bloggers…they even hired the beautiful Ruby Rose and Aaron Paul in a few marketing campaigns lately (totally awesome choices)! The Zen Midrise Skinny is another favorite which I have not had a chance to review yet, and it’s probably the coolest style due to the “many faces” it comes in! Printed, coated, moto, distressed, you name it…they all just look so cool together. I figured it was about time to share my love for this brand, along with a giveaway we are running through Denimology to win a $2,000 gift certificate to Cult of Individuality! Hurry though if you would like to enter, because it ends tomorrow (Thursday, December 31).

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Denim Deals from James Jeans and More

Denim Deals from James Jeans and More

I hope everyone had a great Christmas/Holiday/whateveryoucelebrate! I was pretty exhausted after making my rounds through all of the family festivities over the last few days, including a run to Six Flags Magic Mountain, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Initially I wanted to focus on the true meaning of Christmas in my last post (family, community, camaraderie), but now that it’s all over, why not attack a few denim sales? There are a few good ones going around right now!! James Jeans is not only offering a special $49.99 collection of some of their best styles, but also a sitewide 30% off and extra 20% off sale deal. Also, if you use the 30% off sitewide code, you receive a $50 gift card to use in January to kick start your New Years style resolutions!

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Blanket the Homeless with Sackcloth & Ashes

Blanket the Homeless with Sackcloth & Ashes

I was extremely tempted to post another collection of pre-Christmas holiday sales, but I figured I would do something else. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good sale during the holidays! But, I find it funny that as I get older, Christmas becomes more exciting when I have something I am excited to give. So, I thought instead of a sale post, I would share this company I just found, which has a mission of giving year-round. Sackcloth & Ashes, which was inspired by founder Bob Dalton when his mother found herself living on the streets in 2013. After realizing that many end up this way despite their best efforts in life, Bob decided he wanted to do his part, and called homeless shelters around his area asking what they they needed the most. Blankets was the answer, and Sackcloth & Ashes was born. For every high-quality blanket purchased, the company will donate one to a local homeless shelter near you. Since their inception, they have given over 4,500 blankets, and was helped with the generous promotions of InStyle Magazine.

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Levi’s Introduces The Wedgie Jean

Levi's Introduces The Wedgie Jean

Levi’s Introduces The Wedgie Jean

For hardcore denim fans, possibly nothing represents the ultimate, iconic, original feel like a pair of classic Levi’s®. They are still often so sought after, companies like Re/Dun are successful simply by collecting, revamping and reselling vintage pairs from the brand! Levi’s themselves are constantly re-releasing denim collections that bring on nostalgia of the old school styles, like the well-loved 501®. Now, Levi’s® has introduced a brand new fit: the Wedgie. Says Levi’s®, “This vintage inspired women’s jean embodies the iconic Levi’s® heritage with a fit update designed to give the wearer the ultimate derriére. The issue with traditional vintage inspired jeans is that they aren’t necessarily designed to flatter, however the innovative Wedgie fit accentuates the waist and fits snugly at the hips, made using low stretch denim fabric and with a slightly tapered leg, creating that ‘lived in’ feel.”

This jean brings back the ’70s look of high waists, a slight “wedgie” and a tight fit through the hips to accentuate a woman’s natural assets. It’s always fun to see what denim brands are coming up with every season to offer the best fit possible, but I’d say this one is definitely something a little different (at least among the usual fits of today)! Read on for the press review directly from Levi’s®!


INTRODUCING THE WEDGIE FIT
LEVI’S® ‘CHEEKY’ FIT FOR THE ULTIMATE VINTAGE-INSPIRED BUTT

This season, Levi’s® introduces a new fit for women: the Wedgie. This new, vintage-inspired women’s jean embodies the heritage of iconic Levi’s® jeans with fit updates that will have every style-seeker wanting a pair. We’re so excited about this new jean; we’re already calling it an icon.
Inspired by vintage Levi’s® jeans, the Levi’s® design team created the Wedgie fit to solve for that all-too familiar awkward front bulge that can occur when ladies wear vintage jeans. Our new Wedgie fit accentuates the waist and fits snug through the hips—designed to show off her assets. By tweaking the fit to create, well, a wedgie, that problem is solved and her butt has never looked sexier—all while retaining that vintage cool girl vibe with a high rise. A button fly completes this fit, channeling the aesthetic of our iconic Levi’s® 501® jeans. The back pockets of the Wedgie Jean are slightly tilted inwards adding the allure of the ultimate “mom butt.” A cropped, slightly tapered leg and low stretch denim fabric create the lived-in feel of this new spring fit.

Levi's Introduces The Wedgie Jean - Jeans

And it doesn’t stop there. Just in time for the warmer weather, the new Wedgie fit will be available with shorts for spring 2016. With the same high rise as the Wedgie Jean, the Wedgie Short cinches at the waist with a button fly—emphasizing her shape. These shorts fit snug in the seat, with the same tilted pockets as the jeans—tuning up the Levi’s® vintage expression. Wear a rolled hem for a more tailored look, or a frayed hem with a tee shirt for a casual look. A range of finishes—from lived-in indigos, to destructed white—add to that coveted, old-school Levi’s® style for both the Wedgie Jean and the Wedgie Short.


Shop the current Wedgie jean here, in two pretty washes!

Stepping Around in Grey Flares

Stepping Around in Grey Flares - Front View 1

Stepping Around in Grey Flares

I really grew into the flares this year…I still wear skinny jeans just about 24/7, but I love vintage looks and I was happy to see the flare jean come back this Spring! Of course there are plenty of variations of your typical blue washed flare (Don’t get me wrong, I loved the pair I reviewed for Marc Allison!), and I’ve seen several white ones, some colored…but never any grey versions! I was perusing Hautelook as I usually do one morning about a month or two ago when they were having a sale on Black Orchid Denim, and laid my eyes on these babies, the Black Orchid Trouser Jean in Cosmic! I had to have them, as usually now if I pay for anything in my denim collection nowadays it has to be something unique that doesn’t look like the pairs I already own (well, most of the time at least). They’ve been sitting amongst my others for awhile and I’m not exactly sure why, but yesterday I decided to give them a go! Black Orchid is so comfortable and fits my athletic shape pretty well, but these flares fit them better than the two skinny styles I own from the brand. I guess it makes sense, as flares are usually seen as more flattering on curvier figures. But anyway, I love that they have some distressing and rip-and-repair details, and they are definitely nice and warm as California FINALLY cools off a bit! I wore them with my BCBGeneration Martano lace up booties (similar pair at the bottom of this post) which offer just enough platform so these aren’t scraping on the ground. I also wore them awhile back for this post, and I also wore them for the aforementioned Marc Allison review. I think they are a 34″ inseam so they aren’t too long, but still! They are a new favorite for sure. The jacket was handed to me by my sister, who was going to pass it on to Goodwill, and it’s by Miss Posh, but it was purchased years ago.

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Extra 25% OFF Sale at Shopbop

Extra 25% OFF Sale at Shopbop

Image: Shopbop

One of the thrills of online shopping is definitely bargain hunting…and apart from the usual sample sale sites, I always keep my eyes on big sales from Shopbop! Sales are nice, but when they offer an extra amount off…it’s time to go digging! Sometimes just window shopping is fun, but every now and then I find a gem. I went looking today, not really feeling like spending more after Christmas shopping, but I got snagged in when I spotted a beautiful pair of Baldwin raw selvage jeans, as seen below! I have one pair of raws, and a few pairs of selvage…but I’ve been on the hunt for a combination of both in one pretty package for awhile now! Best of all, they have a little bit of stretch for a better fit. What a steal, and I cannot wait! I’ll definitely include them in a few outfit posts, and maybe even do a little review as well, since Baldwin is awesome when it comes to women’s raw jeans and there’s still many available on their own website. So I figured, since I was so stoked on this score, I’d make a small collection of my other favorite picks of this sale and pass them off to you! Hurry though, this extra 25% off deal is only available through the 17th, and many styles are selling out fast! I did my best to pick favorites that still had many sizes left. Happy shopping!

Shop more denim from the sale here, or from the widget below!

Third Eye Pinecones

One of the reasons I absolutely adore the transformational festival circuit is the fact that it brings out the best of humankind—individual creative talents flow freely and they are incredible places to discover beautiful works of art that deserve far more recognition than they get. Every time I go, It’s such a pleasure to see my favorites, but I also never know what else I might find, and there’s always something new! Several years ago, at my first time visiting one of these festivals (which happened to be my absolute favorite, Lucidity Festival), I discovered Third Eye Pinecones. Carl Weiseth, out of Santa Cruz, CA, constructs these beautiful pendants out of the the world’s densest pinecone, which happens to only reproduce in forest fire, the Knobcone Pine. They are gathered in the Santa Cruz mountains, dried and cut into a variety of incredibly unique pieces—no two are the same. When I first explored the vendor tent at Lucidity, these were limited to natural cuts, which are beautiful on their own, showing the pinecone in its own geometric glory. Now, there is a huge variety of pendants available, with gemstones, butterfly wings, Ammonite fossils, 24K gold geometric designs, and so many more. There are even pinecones with the center filled with Phosphorescent powder-infused crushed minerals for a divine glow at night! For years I eyed these, not wanting to just purchase one that I might find pretty, but rather take the time to find the right one that spoke to me the most. I finally grabbed a crushed Malachite pendant, and I will definitely be including it in some outfit posts later on! I can’t wait to receive it. Each gemstone has a meaning, which also helps me in the selection process. If you follow or care about metaphysical qualities, Third Eye Pinecones states “people are often drawn to Malachite when they desire a physical, emotional, or spiritual “reboot” – allowing them to more gracefully choose habits which are better serving of their higher good.”

Third Eye Pinecones - Crushed Sodalite w/ Merkaba and Natural w/ Seed of Life

Image: Third Eye Pinecones. Sacred Geometry pendants. Crushed Sodalite w/ Merkaba and Natural w/ Seed of Life

“Our Pinecones are sustainably wild-gathered high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, then carefully dried, aged, and cured, before one single cross-section is cut from the “heart” of each cone. Taking only one cross-section per cone allows the remainder of every Pinecone to be harvested and germinated for seed, helping to ensure the future abundance of this unique species of Conifer.”

“After the initial cut, every pendant is painstakingly cleaned, sanded and polished, then artistically scrutinized to assure that the style and/or inlay perfectly match the unique “personality” of each individual cone. Finally, Third Eye Pinecones are sealed in an elegant, burnished wood-working resin to highlight and protect the organic fractal beauty unveiled within each talisman. Our talented team has spent years perfecting this complex process in a consistent and environmentally friendly fashion.”

Third Eye Pinecones - Blue Kyanite w/ Merkaba and Australian Blue Opal Heart

Image: Third Eye Pinecones. Gemstone Pendants. Blue Kyanite Multi-stone Galactic Merkaba With Back Om and Australian Blue Opal Heart

Third Eye Pinecones - Ruby in Zoisite and Desert Dwellers Collab

Image: Third Eye Pinecones. Gemstone Pendant and Emblem/Icon Pendant. Ruby in Zoisite and Desert Dwellers Collaboration

“Third Eye Pinecones come in an enormous array of different sizes, shapes, colors and hues. “Lighter” colored Pinecones are typically younger, and have spent less time off of the tree. Darker Pinecones are often older, and have sometimes spent one-to-three years curing. We believe every piece transmits the essence of the tree it came from. It’s our privilege to be able to share this gift with you.”

Third Eye Pinecones - Butterfly Wings

Image: Third Eye Pinecones. Butterfly Wing Pendants. Sunset Moth and Blue Morpho with Merkaba

Isn’t it awesome that there is a whole world of incredible artistry beyond what is mass-marketed to you on a daily basis?

Shop Third Eye Pinecones here.

They are also available on Etsy, but the direct website shows the exact items you will be receiving. Some local boutiques carry these two, so check around! Wholesale options are available.

Tie Dye and High Tops

Tie Dye and High Tops

Gone are the days when I snatch up any piece of clothing that I might just kind of like a little, or see potential in. Lately I’ve found myself a lot more discerning in what I purchase, always looking for something new and different to add variety to my Denimology reviews and to my wardrobe in general or just to fill specific wardrobe holes I might have discovered. I’ve had my eyes on Zulily for quite some time, but as they expanded from just kids items into the contemporary women’s market, I’ve been window shopping there a lot more. I frequent Ideel, RueLaLa and Hautelook for new pieces (and the thrill of finding out what’s new every morning), but I’ve realized that contemporary might now be…a little TOO contemporary for me, and I wasn’t really going to find anything new from seeing the same brands come through over and over with my more particular intention. So, Zulily ended up being an awesome source for smaller brands I haven’t heard of and I’ve seen a much wider range of unique items flowing through! I found this cute tie dye active hoodie from Marika, which is the Nine Iron Raglan Hoodie as part of their Balance collection, and I absolutely love it. It goes with anything! I guess this athleisure trend isn’t so bad after all? Anyway, I threw this on with my 7 For All Mankind Slim Illusion Skinny in Icy Black 2 (which I reviewed, here) and a new favorite, my Osiris NYC83 high tops. Breaking out of my contemporary basics box and choosing all these different, unique items has definitely made dressing up in the morning a lot more fun!

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Luxe Holiday Leather from Joe’s

Luxe Holiday Leather from Joe's

Image: Joe’s

Luxe Holiday Leather from Joe’s

The leather look is nothing new…some even feel leather may eventually end up being the new denim (See this cool post from The Jeans Blog here)! Just like denim, leather pants go way back, and offer just the same level of edgy rockstar coolness. But…it also has a reputation for being heavy, easily dirtied, hard to wash, and not so breathable. Just in time for the holiday season, Joe’s has released their own luxe line of leather which includes a skirt, skinnies, a denim skinny with leather inserts, and even a flare. Each one is constructed of “super luxe, stretch bonded” lamb leather with a beautifully unique distressing that fits in perfectly with Joe’s well-known, beautiful vintage appeal. I love the fact that the Distressed Leather Skinny Ankle comes in black or an off-white beige, and the denim and leather mix alternative in the form of the Phoenix Skinny is an amazing inclusion! Of course these come in the prices you’d expect for high quality leather goods, but I’d say if I were to dive into the leather pants market anytime soon, these would be my first choice right now. They are so pretty! Even the Icon Flare has its own details, with a glamorous ’70s-like crease down the legs…but in a basic sense, I don’t even often see leather flares, apart from the occasional one within BLANKNYC’s Vegan Leather line (and there are more beautiful ones in the Jeans Blog link at the beginning of this post, including jumpsuits!). Check out the styles below and shop directly from Joe’s by clicking on the images or captions!

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A Love for Go Couture at Hautelook

A Love for Go Couture at Hautelook

Image: Hautelook

A Love for Go Couture at Hautelook

Ohhh Sunday. It’s still the weekend, and the perfect excuse to be lazy and relax after the week’s craziness, but it’s always a little sad to start yet another week so soon. However, sometimes the weekend sample sale sites make it all at least a little more worth it, like those at Hautelook! I am fairly picky when it comes to my favorite styles. but Go Couture is a common brand on sale on Sundays at one of my favorite retail sites out there. Of course, sales only last a few days, but since Nordstrom acquired Hautelook years ago, you can usually find the same awesome items with the same awesome prices at Nordstrom Rack! I am always eyeing Go Couture when it commonly comes around, because I love the colors, patterns, angles, cuts, you name it…it’s such a fun brand! Ironically though. I only own two pieces from these sales, a tunic-like, leopard print and burgundy flowy tee and a thermal top, which you can see here on a recent outfit post. I try to be frugal, which is why I don’t completely partake on the decadent Go Couture offers that Nordstrom Rack provides on a daily basis, but it’s at least nice to know I know where to find it when the shopping bug hits! Honestly I could wear just about everything here. I figured I’d share some of my favorite pieces as found at Nordstrom Rack, and even a few from this last Sunday’s Hautelook sale, which will end in just a few hours!

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