An Evening in Articles of Society Flare Jeans

Me wearing Articles of Society Flare Jeans, KAMALIKULTURE top and Red ASOS Heels

Top: Norma Kamali Kamali Kulture (sold out, resold here and here on Poshmark or here on Ebay), Jeans: Articles of Society Faith Flare Jeans in Rio Bueno, Shoes: Asos (sold out, similar here). Sunglasses: Blenders Eyewear

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve written about flare jeans…Probably back when I reviewed a totally fun pair from AGOLDE for Denimology back in 2016! Time flies…and all this time, skinny jeans have continued to dominate the market. I’d say they still do, but flare jeans are starting to make a comeback again. I was sent this rad pair from Articles of Society, the Faith Flare Jeans in Rio Bueno, to review for Denimology, and I say they are quite groovy! I love this added dark denim panel on the outside of the flares.

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A Day on the Beach in Festival Wear

It’s finally getting a little warmer here in California, but the cool air and drizzles are still hanging around for a bit! That’s all fine with me, since the green hills are always so fleeting (and already starting to turn brown again) and who knows what this summer will bring. In an attempt to get out of the house more and enjoy the outdoors a bit more, my hubby and I acquired a few kites and went out to Morro Bay for a little sunshine last weekend!

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Low Rise, Ribcage, and Asymmetrical Jeans Oh My

Low Rise, Ribcage, and Asymmetrical Jeans Oh My - Levi's Ribcage Jeans - Livestyle Shot

Image: Levi’s. Ribcage Jean

I’m not sure how much people really pay attention to bizarre fashion trend reports (or trend reports in general), but I’m sure while perusing Facebook many of you have seen the crazy new denim “fads” over the years involving styles that you’d be pretty sure nobody would be caught dead in (but I bet you also realize lately that humans continue to blow our minds, so you react negatively to it despite your doubt). Denim has been one of those simple, basic wardrobe staples that I fell in love with due to the wide variety of artistic takes that different brands came up with, and for a heck of a long time, it was great, right? It was all about lifting the butt, elongating the legs or lengthening the torso—no woman was without at least one or two pairs of favorite jeans in her closet, and we were always looking for the next flattering pair. No matter what though, whether you like any of the other later trends such as frayed hems, mom jeans, cropped flares, jeggings or printed styles, everything always came back to the traditional, classic blue jean. Every successful denim brand knows this, and the emergence of favorable cult favorite vintage cuts and fabrics further perpetuated this truth. However…we still constantly see these attention-grabbing headlines featuring completely out-there denim styles that are being touted as a new “trend” somehow. If you know what I’m talking about, I’m talking about the inside-out jeans, Topshop’s mom jeans with clear plastic knee cutouts, Natasha Zinko High Waist Double Waistband Jeans, Carmar Denim’s “Invisible Jeans,” Y/Project’s garter belt jeans and Opening Ceremony’s number with detachable legs that morphs into a pair of high cut shorts. Clearly, these somehow sell, but is it all hype, and are people really willing to spend $400 on something that is? It’s easy to conclude that in such a saturated market, these brands are simply taking the clickbait route to another level to garner attention and don’t expect any of these creations to become “the next big trend.” However, I’d say that it’s a trend in itself that these far out designs continue to be manufactured and blasted out all over the media. Does this foreshadow a new turn for the denim industry, where it’s gotten increasingly more difficult to come up with original ideas? Is denim finally beginning to see a lackluster market presence as everyone opts for their best, most comfiest and flattering pair of yoga leggings?

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The Farrah High Waist Pull-On Skinny Jeans by Liverpool

The Farrah High Waist Pull-On Skinny Jeans by Liverpool - Front View

Top: Maddie Moon Knot Top in Gray. Jeans: Liverpool Farrah High Waist Pull-On in Dunmore Dark. Shoes: Michael Michael Kors (similar here). Sunglasses: Rainbow Optx

I’ve been reviewing jeans for my blog and Denimology for several years now…since 2013 I think? I can’t believe it’s been so long! I always seem to get pinned with the dark skinny jeans, but I don’t complain…I always feel they are the best when it comes to flattering my more athletic figure! Even though we’re all familiar with the usual 5-pocket, zipper fly jeans, no skinny jean is alike, which is why even though they might look all the same in my photos, they definitely do not all feel the same. I had heard of something a little different a few years ago: the pull-on skinny jean. Of course, we all think about frumpy sweatpants or “mom jeans” when we think about denim with elastic waistbands, but hear me out here. This month, I got the chance to review a pair of super cute pull-on jeans—the Farrah High Waist Pull-On Skinny Jeans by Liverpool, for Denimology, and I was super exited to finally see what this was all about.

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A Much Needed Break and a Full Solar Eclipse

A Much Needed Break and a Full Solar Eclipse

Hey all! Life has been fairly crazy lately, as I’m sure you’ve been able to tell…since I’ve lately had to change my post schedule from three days a week to once a week. A 9-5 can take a lot out of you, and this time every year is the busiest for me. This year seemed particularly more busy and stressful, which caused my poor blog to take a backseat! I’ve been working hard to keep up with my own ventures. Once I start and work as hard on something as I have on this blog, there’s no way I’m quitting that easily! Anyway, things have calmed down a bit and I feel fairly burnt out…it’s not often I get a legit vacation. However, now is the time! I’ll be heading up to Oregon to see the full solar eclipse at the Global Eclipse Gathering, put on by the Symbiosis festival out of California and other major festivals from around the world.

This is the first time a full eclipse has traversed across the United States in 99 years, so it’s a pretty significant deal! Just about every artist that has graced flyers across the global festival circuit will be there, most of which will take care of my entire artist wish list. Over 30,000 people are expected to pour into Big Summit Prairie in Oregon, and I have never been to any event of that size. My husband and I are driving all the way up, and I’m way too excited…this is such a much needed break! I hope more of you get the chance to experience the eclipse, or at least the partial eclipse from wherever you are. You can find more information about traffic, weather, and where it is expected to be visible, here.

Style wise, I’ll be wearing all of my favorite sustainable, organic and/or independently-designed festival apparel. I may or may not take photos, as sometimes with awesome events like this you forget you even have a camera! I will return on the 28th, and depending on how much catch-up I have to do after that, I’ll hopefully be back to my regular posting schedule of three days a week again. Either way, I’ll see you all again soon.

Sonas Denim Graphic Patchwork Yoga Leggings Review

Sonas Denim Graphic Patchwork Yoga Leggings Review - Front View With Hood 3

If you haven’t yet noticed, music festival life is at my core along with my affinity to denim and sustainable, ethical apparel. It’s rare to get all three together! Last May, I had the awesome opportunity to review a pair of eco-friendly, Burning Man inspired jeans from a San Frandisco-based brand that definitely deserves more recognition, Sonas Denim. I was stoked to discover a company that fit all three, AND donates a portion of proceeds towards future construction of an animal sanctuary. It just so happens that this is one of the main things I would do if I ever won the lottery! Of course I had to present this brand to all of you, my readers. They are definitely now one of my favorites and I still talk about them with all my friends and acquaintances, especially those in the festival circuit.

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Review of the Ethical Burning Man Inspired Jeans from Sonas Denim

Review of the Ethical Burning Man Inspired Jeans from Sonas Denim - Front

Top: Maddie Moon. Vest: Maddie Moon. Jeans: Sonas Denim. Booties: American Eagle Outfitters. Necklace: Third Eye Pinecones.

Ok. I’ll warn you ahead of time, this is going to be a long post, but I’m quite excited to share this subject brand with you guys! There’s really never any time when I receive a pair of jeans to review that I don’t like, as it’s always cool to try out and report on a variety of different styles. There’s usually something about brands that I work with that I completely respect and jive with that makes me add them to my ever growing list of favorites and makes me excited to share them with all of you! However, rarely is there a time when I discover a brand that truly hits home to me from every angle. This is a review of the ethical Burning Man inspired jeans from Sonas Denim, and I have to say I am totally in love with this brand! I can’t even remember how I stumbled across them…probably because I was so immediately impressed that I forgot how it all came to be.

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Hanging out with Nok Nok

Hanging out with Nok Nok

Tee: Basic Who’s There tee by Nok Nok, Jacket: Cropped Puffer Jacket from American Eagle Outfitters (Similar here), Jeans: Billie Zipper Jean in Lose Your Marbles by Black Orchid, Boots: Madden Girl (Similar Here), Bag: Peace & Love Bag by Nok Nok, Necklace: Third Eye Pinecones

Being a huge fan of music, I always gravitate to apparel brands that are inspired by rock n’ roll and the like. Just a little over a year ago, you may remember me bringing up Nok Nok, a London-based denim brand that excels in hand-painted denim inspired by “vibrant subcultures mixed with the freedom, hippie vibe and nightlife from Ibiza, the Spanish island in the middle of the Mediterranean sea.” Of course this caught my attention, being a DJ myself and dreaming of making the notorious party capital of Ibiza a vacation destination some day. Angel NokoNoko is the designer behind the brand Nok Nok, and he and his sister Montse are both from Ibiza. Angel is actually an electronic music DJ himself! So, as you can see, I immediately felt like I could relate to this brand.

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The BLANKNYC Embroidered Moto Jacket in As You Wish

California’s finally dipped into cold territory (by our standards I guess), which means I can finally enjoy some cozy layering and some fun outerwear. At least, there was one new piece I knew I had to add to my closet: The BLANKNYC Embroidered Moto Jacket in As You Wish. I saw this beauty when I was writing an editorial for Denimology back in October! It’s rare I see something and know I need it right then and there…normally I’ll step away from the computer for a bit and if whatever item I was oogling is still in my head the next day, I might come back and grab it. However, this amazing piece just screamed my name! Unfortunately, when I went to purchase it, it was out of stock almost everywhere already. I lucked out and scored it at Nordstrom! It’s been one of my favorite purchases I’ve ever made, and it’s so fun to throw on over just about any outfit for some added edge! Photos just do not do it justice…it looks far more expensive than it is, and BLANKNYC did an incredible job with gorgeous floral embroidery, studs and zipper detailing. The vegan leather feels real, too! I read a ton of reviews before I purchased it because I know BLANKNYC sometimes runs snug. Based on those reviews, I sized up and got a medium so I could layer sweaters underneath it, and I am so glad I did! So if you are as enamored as I am, I would suggest doing so as well.

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A Casual Evening in STRÖM Brand

A Casual Evening in STRÖM Brand

I’m still loving these longer summer days, but as we get nearer to Fall, I’m definitely noticing we’re having to rush out of work more often to catch a quick shoot before the sun goes down! It’s definitely tougher to keep up with the blog and Denimology reviews in the winter time because of this. Photos always look better in the early evenings due to less brightness and shadows, so it’s not like weekends can all be used for catch up. Either way, we bloggers do what we gotta do!

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