Emerson Fry Fete Kimono | sold out
Everlane cropped v-neck cashmere sweater | older style, my mom gave it to me
Mother Superior The Thrasher jeans
Dansko clogs
Wearing/Buying
Tigers!! I have been a huge Emerson Fry fan forever, although I haven’t bought anything in years, but when I saw this available again, I pounced LOLOL. I checked out via Amazon pay and thought I could use my gift card balance at Amazon, but instead it charged our household credit card. Oops. Leo’s okay with it though š Anyway, I love this, and wore it working at home yesterday. I do want to add “belt” loops to it though to keep the belt “attached.” It can’t be that hard can it?
Also, in an interesting turn of events, I was selected last week for a collaboration with Eileen Fisher via RewardStyle (the affiliate program I participate in). I do not go after collaborations generally, nor have I ever selected for one (not enough traffic/social media presence), but when I saw that Eileen Fisher wanted to work with me for holiday, of course, I agreed. Obviously I wear/post about Eileen Fisher anyway, and this will allow me to share more with you AND be compensated for my efforts. I’m excited about it, and hope you will appreciate it as well. Coming next week…
Oh, and speaking of Eileen Fisher, did you see their 20% off sweater sale? There are some excellent recycled cashmere options.
Reading/Watching
Still reading Sophie’s Choice…it’s very good, and I enjoy his writing, but I’m ready to move on by now…
Watching the second season of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.Ā Eh…I liked the first season better.
Chanel’s Exotic Skins ban hurts conservation efforts.Ā Discuss.Ā There are so many things to say about this.Ā I’m not a huge fan of using ANY animal skins (cow, sheep, etc) for bags, shoes or clothing anymore, but the idea that brands deciding not to use exotic skins at all will hamper those animals’ conservation efforts is hard to wrap my head around.Ā Yes, the authors mention that the industry surrounding the use and export of those skins benefits local communities and businesses, but how does that help the actual animals? The point they do make about bovine leather being exponentially more harmful/impactful than exotic skins is accurate; we have got to do something about our planet’s (it’s probably largely concentrated in North America though) consumption of red meat and cheap cow leather….IMO.
Stella McCartney’sĀ designs start with sustainability.Ā From the beginning, Stella McCartney has refused to work with leather, preferring instead to develop and support innovative plant-based materials.Ā She does still use polyester in her bags, but is working on phasing that out altogether given it’s negative environmental impact.Ā I wish I could support the brand in a bigger way, but for now, I’m satisfied with my secondhand bag, and checking out the Real Real every so often for steals.
Doing
So much eating.Ā I am in full on baking/cooking mode lately.Ā Some recipes I’ve tried recently:
I made these Detoxinista paleo chocolate chip cookies to take with us for Thanksgiving and then a couple more times since then.Ā We always have the ingredients available, so they’re easy to whip up in a hurry.Ā Sometimes I make them with grass-fed ghee for my husband, otherwise I use coconut oil.
I read somewhere recently that the nutrients from broccoli are best absorbed when it’s eaten raw, so I started munching on broccoli florets raw, but that was sort of boring.Ā Then I found this recipe for Broccoli quinoa slawĀ and have made it twice already.Ā It’s SO GOOD.Ā I cut the amount of olive oil a bit; I found it way too oily when I made it according to the recipe.Ā And I use Trader Joe’s broccoli slaw instead of doing it myself.
Cauliflower vegan cheese mac & cheese via goop.Ā It’s not terrible, but I wouldn’t make it again.Ā Also, now, after experimenting with different vegan cheese versions, I can absolutely say that it’s not even worth trying to make without using cashews.Ā Just trust me š
I have made these Apple muffins about a million times by now.Ā I “veganize” them and eat them warmed up with almond butter.Ā YUM.
Any recipes you’re making over and over again lately?
The kimono is fun. Bet it would look great over one of your JP dresses for a date night!
I believe South American countries consume the most red meat Per Capita, with US coming in at fourth. Nevertheless, consumption in all forms should be eliminatedāour treatment of animals is difficult for me to wrap my head around; and yes, I am guilty too owning shoes and handbags that are leather. I wish there was better options for shoes…I donāt want to waste my money on something that wonāt hold up over the long haul or is prohibitively expensive. Your comment comes on the heals of more EPA rollbacks. Sorry to generalize, but it seems really difficult for Americans to adopt a mindset other than āif I want it, Iām āentitledā to it. The loss of species, habitats, plastic floating in the ocean sends chills down my spine. Why are so few bothered by the state of our world?
(Sorry for the rant!)
I love that kimono; it’s a really great statement piece! I read Sophie’s Choice in college (for fun, not a class) and really enjoyed it. It’s very sad and so beautiful, too. I loved Stingo and the movie is excellent if you get to watch it after.
I tried getting into Mrs. Maisel and just could not for some reason. I used to love musicals when I was younger, but I think I crave things that are slightly darker and more realistic now. I was never a Gilmore Girls fan, and I didn’t realize until recently that the creator of GG did Mrs. Maisel, too. For some reason, the back and forth, rapid fire dialogue is really off-putting to me. I want to watch Dumplin on Netflix this weekend, since I love Dolly Parton.
Have a great weekend and stay warm and dry! It’s so cold here.
That kimono is awesome. I had to follow your link even though you said it was sold out, and I love the whole India collection they have there. I think I need a palm tree top in my life š I’ll need to order a bigger size if I start baking those paleo cookies though. Oh my!
If I’m going to get crass about it, using exotic skins in bags to promote conservation sounds a lot like f–king for virginity. I am not vegetarian or vegan, and I wear leather, so I am not proclaiming to be holier than anyone when it comes to this, but whether an animal is killed by a poacher or killed to make a chanel bag, I don’t see how either one makes a difference to the conservation of a species. It’s not like the argument for aquariums or zoos where people say that having exposure to the animals is more likely to raise awareness and even maybe spark the next generation of kids to grow up to try to save the . I don’t see any kid seeing a fabulous bag and being triggered to grow up to try and save the world or indeed a particular species.
exactly.
i do see some validity to their “argument” (I use that term loosely, because they don’t defend it very well) that large luxury companies have/do influence the way those animals and the environments they live in are treated prior to their being used as “skins” – for the better, generally. Similar to what is happening with anti-mulesing efforts from what i can tell. only when large companies refused to continue buying from farms that engaged in mulesing did many of the farmers stop the practice altogether.
it’s the classic argument against “opting-out” i think – that if we want to change a system, we should aim to do it from within, not from without. So theoretically chanel’s opting out of using exotic skins will not continue to move the industry in a positive direction, if that’s the way it’s headed. it may not move it in a negative direction though either.
At the end of the day though, if chanel chooses to not use exotic skins isn’t that IN ITSELF CONSERVING THOSE PARTICULAR ANIMALS???
Again, point moot IMO.
and i love Emerson Fry’s india collection! it’s definitely geared to summer, but the prints are so pretty!!
Tigers! I never wear patterns no matter how much I convince myself I can or should, but I am in love with that kimono!
And Iām regards to vegan eating, Iād eat anything Angela Liddon publishes in her cookbooks (Oh She Glows).
Love the kimono! Hope you work out the belt loop situation.
Trying to choose vegan/vegetarian more often than not but my family is not there yet.
I’m trying to find a good gluten free cookie recipe for both my husband and I to take into our offices. However I would like one that is both gluten and nut free (colleagues with gluten intolerances and husband has nut allergies). Every recipe calls for either almond meal or 97 different ingredients to replace gluten/nuts. Maybe I should just buy bars of dark chocolate and be done with it!
I have had pretty good luck subbing gluten free flour in most recipes. Itās definitely a different consistency though. I think gff works better in muffins and breads honestly, but itās worth a try. Actually I was going to make a gingerbread snickerdoodle recipe I saw in nyt Instagram this weekend gluten free. Iāll let you know next week how it turns out!!
I started watching MMM. Only a few episodes in. It’s good but I am not as hooked as I could be.
Been making sauteed kale, that’s been massaged first with bare hands, olive oil, crushed garlic, lots of salt, and a splash of white white.
1. You look radiant and amazing
2. Iām finding that kimono and buying it immediately.
oh, it would be beautiful on you!!
and thank you š
I have never looked at Emerson Fry before. The big print is not my thing but they have lovely sweaters and outerwear at decent prices, thanks for the mention – I’ll definitely keep an eye on them.
Regarding the Chanel initiative, it is interesting to me in a Freakonomics way. How efforts for one result can have unintended consequences as every decision and action has layers and layers of effects/consequences on human behaviors. The argument seems like an economic one and how the economy affects conservation efforts – that the industry is supporting the economy of these locations, which enables those locations and provides a motivation to maintain the habitat (vs. other industries coming in and establishing trade that would not support the conservation of the habitat). I do struggle with Vegan labeled items personally as the manufacturing of those materials can be extremely bad for the environment as well. I think the bottom line is that sustainability is not an easy or black and white issue to resolve. I do believe that overconsumption is our main issue for everything (not just wardrobe items but even including food). There is the view that the consumption of any animal products is inhumane but there is also a middle ground of continued animal consumption but at a lesser amount and in the most humane way possible. There was an interesting TEDx talk by Graham Hill where he spoke about the significant impact of “less” when “none” is not an option.
Stella McCartney bags – I’m always intrigued but whenever I’ve picked up in Neiman’s I always put it back down due to the heavy weight. Also the price seems a bit too much for the materials she is using. I’m speaking of handbags. I have had some of her athletic bags and those have been light. In fact, my current tennis bag McCartney.
Mrs. Maisel – I was a bit disappointed with the first few eps of season 2 but have found the season improved as it went on. Season 1 was still better though. I can’t help but keep thinking of the Lorelai and Rory from Gilmore Girls when I’m watching – it’s very distracting. Same founder so the characters have the same cadence and speed of speaking. It doesn’t feel as original as it once did. But OMG, the wardrobe. That pink coat she wore to see the apartment with her ex and the black cocktail dress for the telethon. Fantastic.
Dear Grechen,
I’ve lurked here for a few years and had to go back and find this post to comment. I’m plus-size, and I wear only Eileen Fisher (with a few exceptions) for several reasons: it’s ethically made, the natural fibers/materials, the timeless pieces, and because wearing head-to-toe EF helps me feel like I fit into my role as a museum curator. I ordered the tiger kimono based on your recommendation, and it arrived today. To my delight, it fits, and will look great paired w a dress, tunic, or t-shirt and jeans. Thanks for showing this off! I’m also so excited for your “new project” and ready to follow as you move forward. I’m turning 50 this week, and if I got pregnant right now, I don’t know WHAT I’d do! Thanks for this blog and for being you!
Thank you!! I’m so excited you got the kimono!! I can’t wait to be able to wear it more often š