Storq maternity caftan (size 3) | Gift from Storq
Ace & Jig X Keds sneakers | Hope colorway is sold out,
Marine is still available at Nordstrom
(These are made with excess/waste material from Ace & Jig)
Wearing/Buying
I bought a couple pairs of “active” maternity leggings for Pure Barre (both are mediums): Ingrid & Isabel and Beyond Yoga (I got these when they were 40% off earlier this week!!). I go 4-5 times a week and have just been wearing and washing every 2 days my VERY old high-waisted Alo leggings until now, but they’re getting more and more uncomfortable as the weeks go on. I have worn the Ingrid & Isabel leggings quite a bit, walking in the mornings, and to Palo Duro canyon. They’re good, but not amazing. And I’m wearing the Beyond Yoga leggings for the first time today to Pure Barre. I’ll report back on how they hold up after wearing more often. I really prefer VERY compressive leggings and neither of these are that, but I guess that’s okay during pregnancy…
Oh, and in case you missed it on slowre, the entire site is 20% off through the weekend 🙂 Use code EARTH – all sale/clearance items are eligible for the discount, but they will be final sale. Everything else is returnable for store credit!
Reading/Watching
How sustainable are these “eco-friendly” brands? spoiler: Everlane and Cuyana ARE NOT. Ethical, maybe, but there’s little evidence that they are “sustainable.” (something I’ve been saying for a while. Ahem). Anyway, I’m so glad Maxine Bedet is back with the New Standard Institute! If you don’t recognize her name, she started Zady with her partner several years ago and then had to shut it down abruptly (it’s hard creating/running a sustainable clothing brand), but now she’s back providing science-based information and research on the fashion industry. Maxine also introduced me to Elizabeth Holmes who interviewed me for the WSJ article years ago, and for that I am forever grateful and honored.
Recycling is just an excuse to legitimize consumption – I “discovered” this quite a while ago myself. I realized that since we are lucky to be able to recycle a lot in our community, I was using that as a reason/excuse to continue buying things in packaging that perhaps wasn’t necessary. I specifically stopped buying body care items in plastic, preferring glass that is more easily re-usable, and using bar soap as much as possible for my face/body. The problem now is how to re-use all the glass containers I have piling up??
7 “Greener” alternatives to conventional sneakers – I haven’t “thrown away” sneakers ever – I keep old pairs at my mother’s house and my dad’s house to use there, I give them to my niece, and/or I use them for outside/gardening shoes, but if we’re concerned about plastic in our clothing, so too should be think about the amount of plastic used in our shoes (says the person who just purchased a pair of “conventional” keds. ugh.) I’ve wanted to try the Adidas X Parley sneakers for a long time, and I hope you know how big a fan I am of AllBirds. I’ll pass on Everlane’s tread sneakers, and I have tried three different pairs/styles of Veja sneakers and found them more uncomfortable than anything I have EVER put on my feet so I’ll pass on those as well…
Have you tried any of the sneakers on their list? What did you think of them?
I started watching The Act on hulu after hearing an interview with Patricia Arquette on Fresh Air and it is very good, but frustrating. Of course it’s a TV show, and dramatized, but it’s sort of hard to watch, and I also know there is some controversy around the portrayal of the characters. Patricia is amazing in it though…
Doing
Hopefully it will stop raining long enough to do some yard work this weekend. And by that I just mean pulling a couple tall weeds and spreading enough mulch to try and choke out the remaining ones LOL
What are you up to this weekend?
Hmm… I just ordered two new pair of leggings from Girlfriend Collective. Not sure I needed two but shipping always gets me. I also bought a few new t-shirts from the dreaded Everlane. All my nearby Goodwills closed and the consignment shops I visit don’t tend to have basics like t-shirts. I’m loath to spend a lot of money on them because I inevitably end up with stains on the white ones and small holes on all of them. Is there a better source for basic t-shirts?
The only sneakers I’ve tried on the list are AllBirds. Love them!
Going to my 30-year high school reunion on Saturday. Not sure what to wear. 🙂
That dress looks gorgeous!! It’s the perfect season for caftans here in NC – not too hot, not too cool. I am just back from a conference, off to another on Monday, so – unpacking, organizing, laundry & repacking on the docket for me. I’m fortunate- my husband did a TON of gardening while I was gone! Including mulching the front bed, planting oodles of tomatoes and some other veggies, and putting the shade sails up over the patio. So not too much for me to do. Have to download some new books to take with me. I read Ruth Reichl’s most recent – Save me the Plums – on the plane last Sunday – Amazing!! I’ve read most (but not all) of her books – my library has the ebook of her novel Delicious! so I downloaded that today….
Still struggling to get my closets cleaned out and seasonally switched. I get bored after doing a little work and move on to something else. But the heat is really here now so I MUST get the cashmere out and the sleeveless shirts in 😉
I like my All Birds, though I don’t find them fashionable, so I only wear them when I’ll be walking or standing for long periods of time. I am borderline interested in the Tread line, but I don’t need another pair of sneakers. I am totally against Rothy’s at this point because I’m brand loyal to a small company they’re suing. And I agree – VEJA are super uncomfortable. I like the shoes you’re wearing!
I don’t know if you’ve read this, if not, it’s a good read. I fear far more of our “recycling” is just being put into a landfill or incinerated.
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/03/china-has-stopped-accepting-our-trash/584131/
Thank you for all the great links! I’m off to read the Bazaar article right after I leave your neck of the woods 😉
Regarding sneakers, I’m a big sneaker wearer. I’ll even wear some of my pairs to work with dresses. The Adidas look great but I know Adidas never fits me right in their active shoes (I have a narrow foot). Some of the old school styles will fit like Stan Smiths but I no longer buy those. Nike fits like they are made for my feet for working out or tennis but is strictly based on comfort and safety, not eco friendly. I say safe because if you do not wear a strong performing shoe during tennis you can get hurt if the shoe does flex correctly or support correctly when you turn or pivot.
I have three Vejas – the Volley (burgundy), the Nova (green) and the V10 (natural – a blush neutral). The Volley is the most comfortable and also the most flattering on me (small narrow feet with skinny ankles). The suede like material has details like a brogue so I consider these the best for wearing with dresses and pants for work. They also have a lower profile and aren’t clunky looking at all. However, very flat. The Nova is another canvas shoe and has a bit more arch support. They kind of remind me of some of the old school Tretorns I wore growing up to play tennis without the terry inside but the aesthetic is very similar. I like them, not as much as the Volley, but they are good when I don’t want to go so flat. The V-10 I’m on the fence about. The V-10, unlike the Volley and the Nova have leather. They look really good but I found the tongue to be very stiff and it hurts when I go up and down stairs (which I do all day in the museum that I work at). Arch support is good enough for me but with that is has a more substantial look/profile and I like a lighter and lower profile shoe lookswise. Unfortunately as I’ve gotten older I definitely need to do good support at least part of the week. All three felt a little big to me when I first put them on but I found that slight loose feeling was not problematic when I’m wearing them, no blisters or any other issues. However, my heels do not come out of the shoe either when I walk, there is just a little extra room everywhere. I’m a hard 6 and their size chart says the 6 is a 37. I was initially concerned as I often take a 36 but I’d say that’s correct. The 37 fit me in all styles.
I’ve had 2 All Birds, one white and the other a special edition grey with a white sole/pink rivets. They are comfy, even in Hawaii heat. I love that I don’t need socks. I do find I don’t reach for them as much as I thought though. They don’t look good with my work clothes (linen dresses, leggings or skinny jeans with a jacket/button down) the way the Vejas do. I do like them for Athleisure, if I’m in all Lululemon for example.
By the way, I also have an APL Techloom shoe in a pink color, which does not tout sustainability but is another more recent specialty line. I get many compliments on this shoe and I find it comfortable but I don’t think it has as high performance as they claim. I consider it an athleisure or casual workout shoe (I’d wear it to the gym but not for heavy running). I probably wouldn’t buy it again either (a bit pricey).
I hope my kicks essay was helpful for someone! I’m available for follow up questions lol.
WHY are Vejas so uncomfortable???? I love the look, but I’m ready to sell on Slowre my Veja pair. I have the “Esplar” pair and I can feel the pavement. And then I need a few days to recover from them–with other sneakers (Saucony, Nike, Allbirds in the eucalpytus/tree fiber and wool ones) even! Ugh, the worst.
Anyone else have recommendations for a clean white sneaker in the Veja/Stan Smith vein that’s sustainable? Or maybe (sorry Grechen) not sustainable? The Greats or Uncommon Projects, or ??
Thank you all!
i like my common projects sneakers; they’re really comfortable…i just don’t wear them much because they’re grey, which i love, but i wear a lot of grey!! they have great colors though, and white 🙂
i’ve heard good things about the greats, but haven’t tried them. i like my golden goose platform sneakers, but had trouble with the lower ones, so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend them.
veja is so funny – some people truly love them, and i think they can fit some very specific foot types really well, but the majority of what i’ve heard follows the consensus that they’re really uncomfortable. i tried three different styles/pairs and never could get them to be comfortable. and believe me, i broke them in, and tried VERY hard!!!!
Right? Me too? I just don’t get it. But I also have wide, flat feet that need arch support so chalking it up to that. Thanks for weighing in!