Zady wool sweater (gift for review) | size medium, sourced & made in the USA, use code GRECHEN15 for 15% off
Madewell oversized shirt | size small
Goldsign virtual high-rise jeans | size 29
Everlane loafers (gift for review) | mine are black – on waitlist – but midnight is a nice color
3.1 Phillip Lim large ryder satchel | on sale in mahogany at Forzieri for $630 and in black croc-embossed at SSENSE for $598 (soooo good!)
Warby Parker Webb frames
I received a wonderful gift in the mail Tuesday – which coincidentally was also the first night of Hanukkah (although we don’t really celebrate) – the wool sweater from Zady. They were kind enough to send me one to review, and I’m SO pleased with it, although it’s probably time for me to start ordering smalls in tops – I do think this is a bit big on me. But it also doesn’t help I’m wearing an oversized shirt underneath, which makes it bunch up a little, without such a big shirt, it’s a little more streamlined looking!
I don’t want to compare Everlane and Zady necessarily, but I can’t really help it, now that Zady has proven that the 100% sourced and made in the USA model WORKS. Yes, their wool sweater costs about twice as much as Everlane’s, which is made in China, but that’s pretty typical. Are we willing to pay twice as much for the story? Are we willing to pay twice as much to keep everything “local,” and support independent farmers/sewers in the US? That’s a question we have to decide for ourselves. Even though I didn’t pay for the sweater, I am generally willing to pay more for made in the US if I have to because it’s important to me (if you like Everlane’s t-shirts, though, you don’t HAVE to pay more), and I have the means to do so.
Anyway, made in the US/made in China isn’t as cut and dry as it seems either. Everlane has been transparent with regard to their manufacturing practices, and the factories they work with in China (their Black Friday fund raised more than $100,000 to build out recreation areas for their workers), which makes me more comfortable buying their made in China items. And ultimately, providing GOOD jobs to workers in China who want them is something that benefits all of us.
It’s the overall company that matters here, not ONLY where garments are produced, in my opinion, and both Zady and Everlane are doing the right thing. In a sea of fast fashion and over-consumption, Zady wants us to slow down and appreciate the story behind the things we buy, which resonates with me, and I know with many of you as well. I’m excited to see where they take their new brand next, and am so grateful to work with them and do my small part to help support them on their journey.
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A few more details on the sweater: besides it being slightly big on me, it’s supposed to be just a little boyfriend-y, with the dropped sleeves and longer length, which I always appreciate. The wool is a bit itchy at first, but in general, I wear long sleeve shirts under sweaters like this (a silk button-front or cami would be nice too), so it doesn’t bother me. The wool is superior quality and a very nice medium-weight which I think makes it better for layering under coats.
Overall, again, I’m very pleased with it. I love the texture of the wool, and the sweater in general, but I will admit, I’m also in love with the story and the process. Read more about that at Zady, and get one for yourself for 15% off when you use code GRECHEN15.
Did anyone else order one of Zady’s new sweaters? What did you think?
$160 for a good quality sweater isn’t not a bad price at all .. 🙂
So yes .. I’d buy it .. 🙂
Monica.
MonicaP´s last blog post ..Faux leather midi skirt for the pear shaped gal
Just saw the glasses frame close-up with pullover — very chic!
Adorbs! This is my kind of look (aren’t they all?!?) And I love the glasses on you.
I really love the ethics and mission of some of the smaller companies that are popping up. I’m willing to pay more to companies that pay their workers a living wage, and ones that are not fast fashion. It seems like the jewelry I’m attracted to lately is from etsy or small designers. And I’m very happy with that.
No Zady sweater, but I’ve got my eye on several things on their site.
I have enough basic sweaters like this Zady pullover so I won’t be buying this one. I am very interested to see what else they come up with, though. The story of the process is fascinating. Who knew there were so many different phases? It’s easy to see how costs can add up. Anyway Grechen, this look is great on you – the whole package and especially the glasses. I’m envious that you can do “boyfriend.” On you – slouchy chic. On me? Not so much. Too much boobage. Sweaters stand too far away from my body and make me look like – I don’t know, a puffer fish, maybe? Something huge and round.
Please let me know how you’re liking those glasses quality-wise and how they’re holding up. I wasn’t too impressed with a couple warby styles I’d tried – they use barrel hinges instead of the spring hinges that I prefer – but I like their aesthetic. The prices come up quickly from that $95 so I’m not sure they’re any more of a bargain than a lot of other brands. I’m not a full-time glasses wearer (reading and computer work with a strange, lopsided prescription) so they have to be able to handle a lot of abuse from repeatedly putting on and taking off ..
I love that collegiate look on you! Sadly, there’s no money in my budget for a Zady sweater but I can put that outfit together with pieces I already have. Which is the sign of a half-decent wardrobe I guess.
thanks laurel – i hadn’t thought of it being “collegiate” but i guess it is! preppy maybe? hmm…sort of a different look for me i guess, but i like it!
ok, so first impressions from wearing my glasses more this week, they do fall down on my nose a bit, and i have to push them up quite often. at first, they were too tight and were hurting my ears, so i had them adjusted back there, which is better, but maybe now they don’t stay up as well? i don’t know. it’s annoying i guess, but it’s been so long since i wore glasses for any period of time, i can’t remember if that’s “normal”?
they also get smudgy easily. i hadn’t thought of that being a quality of the lenses, exactly, until someone in a facebook comment mentioned that hers get smudgy. i have to clean them a lot.
i really do love the look, and i’m happy with how i see in them, but maybe they’re not the BEST frames? i don’t know. i wore spex club/lookmatic glasses for a while, and they were okay (and cheap), and before that i had a very expensive pair of salvatore ferragamo frames, which were great, but i’m not expert…and these were $295, which is a couple hundred dollars cheaper than what I would have paid at the eye dr. so maybe i’m willing to “suffer” a bit for them?
they do have a 30-day no questions asked return policy though, so i’ll definitely take advantage of that if i’m not 100% happy after getting them adjusted again so they don’t fall down on my nose.
i love the jewelry selection on zady – and the dog collars/leashes!!
thank you!
Agreed re: the small bizzes and getting to original designs!
Yeah, I know the fit woes. I have the optometrist look at them with me when I try on and we adjust together. Beyond that, I’ve found that glasses just need adjusting over time if you wear them for a while.
Just tried a brand (new to me) called LaFont that my Optom. carries — nice quality frames, a bit pricey but average for the quality, and chic styles.
This is why I prefer the spring hinges: In general they conform better to my head and that means – for me anyway – that they are more comfortable. The extra flexibility gives them a more precise fit as well, and that means no slipping down the nose. But it’s totally a personal preference. I’m not sure that one is BETTER than the other, as in a sign of higher quality. Barrel-hinge frames are easier to repair if something goes wrong. Sometimes a spring-hinge frame can’t be fixed at all if the spring breaks. For me, it’s worth the risk. I’ve had zero luck with getting a good fit with barrel-hinge frames.
I wonder what it is about the smudging? My sister insists that’s a quality issue. My reading glasses get smudgy because i tend to put them on top of my head (read: dirty hair) when I don’t need them on my eyes so I’m not sure what would happen to them if i didn’t do that. 🙂
I hear ya’ Christine, about the smudging. I always put mine on top of my head, too, which I think stretches out the arms/hinges and loosens them up. And yes, the hair products…yuck! We used to laugh at my Great-Aunt Bessie’s glasses because she never cleaned them and they had “pink” foundation all over them!
How are those Everlane loafers treatin’ ya? Yay? Nay? Love to hear your thoughts, I’m still on the lookout for work loafers… Thanks and happy new year!
love them!! sorry so late with my reply 🙂
yay for sure. my true size turned out to be perfect, after a little breaking in, and the weather cooling off.