LOVING Le Tote!

As I've mentioned, my obsession with online clothing subscriptions continues to grow. This week featuring....Le Tote!! Let me start by saying that this is my favorite clothing subscription yet.... better than Stitch Fix, Trendsend, Trunk Club, Birchbox, etc. etc. So that's saying something!!

The clothes are not the most trendy (nor the most expensive), they are good quality but not high end, and I'd love to see some more fashion forward options...but...it is by far the most economical of the options I've tried and instead of having to keep the clothes you have the option to RENT. Which is absolutely fabulous for us pregnant ladies!

The basics are that you pay a monthly subscription fee to get unlimited boxes of clothes and accessories to wear and then either keep or wear and then send back. You have a "closet" of clothing that you pick out online, so instead of just giving them your style profile, you get to actually choose some of the items you may receive AND you get a final approval before the box comes in which you can switch out items. I just got my second box in the mail (see above) and I love everything in it. Their jewelry is actually very fashion forward and I think I'll get a ton of use out of the simply black maternity dress, red skirt, black sweater and maternity jeans they sent me. And the best part is if I absolutely love something their prices are much more reasonable than other services I've tried.

Sold yet?? Use this link for $25 off your first box. Happy shopping!

Trendsend by Evereve

A photo posted by Evereve (@evereve_official) on Nov 18, 2015 at 3:03pm PST

As you all know by now, I'm addicted to online subscription services like StitchFix, Birchbox, Trunk Club, etc.

I stopped Stitch Fix when I quit my corporate job this summer but this fall I tried out two different clothing subscription boxes, Trendsend by Evereve and Le Tote (more to come on that). I discovered Trendsend while shopping at the clothing chain Evereve in the University Village here in Seattle. Their company not only has a store but also a subscription clothing service that is similar to Stitch Fix with a few notable differences.

Like Stitch Fix, you start the service by filling out a fashion profile with your tastes, sizes and account details. Unlike Stitch Fix, Trendsend doesn't send a specific number of items and doesn't charge a fee for the box; they also don't offer a discount for keeping all of the items. Most of the clothing is higher end and a bit more expensive than what I received in Stitch Fix but it's also more commonly known brands like Paige Denim, Free People, and Michael Stars. Overall, I've been really please with the two boxes that I've received so far!

Would you wear a jumpsuit?

(Nordstrom)

Would you ever wear a jumper? I tried on a few when we were in Argentina but couldn't quite find one that fit me right. I think they are super cute and a fun alternative to a dress at a wedding or cocktail party but it's hard to find the right fit! Here are a few cute ones that I'm eyeing from Nordstrom (all under $150). The first and last ones are my favorite. 

(Nordstrom)

(Nordstrom)

(Nordstrom)

(Nordstrom)

(Nordstrom)

Do you have a signature scent?

Do you have a signature perfume that you always wear? I've always wanted to be one of those ladies that has a specific signature aroma that my grand-kids can say, oh she always smelled like .... but what? Instead of sticking with one scent I end up spritzing on a bunch of those sample perfumes that come in my Birchbox or I pick up at Nordstrom. 

Have you seen the "Fragrance Wheel" above? It was developed in the 1980's to help women pick out perfumes that fit their personality. In the past I've drifted toward amber/oriental notes but lately I've been more into woody and fresh scents. I'm in LOVE with the new Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne, it's on my Christmas list already. 

What scents do you prefer? Would you rather wear a different perfume every day or have a signature scent?

My "Go-To" Work Dress

In May I ordered three (black, grey and light grey/white stripe) of these super affordable dresses from Old Navy and have worn them a ton this summer. Old Navy has such great sales that two of them were only $12! Plus they come in tall sizes which fit me better for "work length" style. It's nice to have something easy to throw on now that the heat is here and they look great with cardigans and blazers.

What are your go-to work staples?

Found! The Perfect Nursing Top

I was meandering around Lululemon recently and happened upon the PERFECT nursing sweater/top. It's a little bit pricey but it's hard to imagine I'm not going to be wearing it every other day. The "twist & wrap" top can be worn in two different ways (sweater and cardigan style) and is loose everywhere except the arms (perfect for pregnancy and post-pregnancy weight changes). I'm in love. It's a great top whether you're expecting, nursing, or just want a cozy sweater.

Zara Baby Clothes

So in case you didn't hear, Seattle finally got a Zara! It opened in Westlake Center in February and is officially my new favorite place to buy Mylo baby clothes. As you've seen, he's a big boy and has grown out of most of his clothes that are in the first year range so I've been trying to replenish his dresser with some larger sizes, he has very chunky and adorable little legs so finding pants and PJ's that are comfy is a challenge. Zara's little sweats might be my favorite thing. Here are a few pics of baby clothes from their lookbook:

Shopping for Guy Things

I always see great guy clothes on Pinterest and wonder where people get the stuff- it's either a photo without a link or, even worse, a photo that links to a GQ article and the shirt I think would look great on Jason is $600. 

Right before we left for tour, a friend introduced us to Jack Threads a website with very stylish, very reasonably priced clothes & accessories for men. Dressy, casual, they have it all. And now I wish they had clothes for me too! 

PS. The Jack Threads blog is full of great tips to make any guy stylish from different ways to cuff your pants to buying sunglasses for your face shape.  

Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Month Favorites: Baby Gear

Here is some of our family's favorite gear from the fourth through sixth month stage. I'm thinking at the end of the year I'll have to put together a sort of ultimate registry guide as well, I loved what Cup of Jo posted last week.

1. Boon Bathtub Appliques: These are so wonderful, Mylo is OBSESSED with them. He loves playing with them in the bath but I also throw a few in the diaper bag and around the house for him to gum and play with. I'm going to buy these for every baby shower I attend in the future, one of my all time favorites.

2. Little Giraffe "Splash and Dry" Towel: Jenny bought this for Mylo and I can't describe how far superior it is to other towels we have for him. It's is super fast absorbing, drys quickly, is extremely soft and still big enough for him now. It's a little pricey but so worth it.

3. Jellycat Stuffed Animals: I can't get enough of the Jellycat animals and neither can Mylo. As I've mentioned before he love having soft things by his face while he sleeps and these Jellycat animals are just perfect.

4. Chewbeads: I got two sets of Chewbeads as gifts and thought they were super cute and fun. Little did I know that they would become one of Mylo's favorite toys too. They are nice to have in a restaurant or out and about because they serve the same purpose as a pacifier but don't get thrown on the floor quite as easily.

5. MAM Night Glow Pacifiers: These will be at the top of my "must get" registry items. I happend upon them by accident and they are AMAZING. I put like five of them next to Mylo when he goes to bed and both of us an can find them during the night when he wakes up because they really do glow. MAM was also the only brand of paci he would take as an infant.

6. BOB "Revolution SE" Stroller: We were lucky enough to be gifted a BOB stroller when Mylo was born. I also have the Britax B-Agile (which we love) and thought of the BOB as a fun extra. Boy was I wrong! We use the BOB every single day because the streets around our house are completely uneven and is more suited for rugged terrain. I love having the Britax stroller in my car for trips out shopping, etc and the BOB at home for exercise and long walks on uneven pavement. It will also be great when we are in Northern Idaho this summer!

7. The North Face "Buttery" Fleece Bunting: Another item that we used every single day this winter. Mylo loves to be outside and this little suit was our go to for wintery walks around Seattle. It is so incredibly soft and comfy.

8. Baby Einstein Musical Activity Jumper: We used this as a hand me down from Kenedee and it has been a total and complete lifesaver. Mylo loves to bounce in it and it gives us a break from holding him. He's been using it since about four months (he's tall) and I'm betting he won't grow out of it until he starts walking.

PS. First month and also second and third month favorites.

Stitch Fix Box #2

My second Stitch Fix box arrived in the mail last week and I have to say they did an awesome job of listening to my feedback on the first box and customizing this one to fit my taste more accurately. When I opened the box I was excited about the colors and cuts of what I saw. Sadly, two of my favorite items just didn't quite fit so I had to send them back. With my feedback from this box I'm hoping my third box will hit it out of the park with style AND fit. 

COLIBRI SOLID TAB SLEEVE BLOUSE $48: Love the color and fit of this top, wore it the next day to work. KEPT

MICKEY JEWELED COLLAR PEPLUM TOP $48 -  I liked the idea of this top a lot but when I actually tried it on the peplum just didn't quite hit my hips right. I debated about this one but returned it in the end. 

KARSON TEXTURED PENCIL SKIRT $58 - When I opened the box I was super excited about this skirt, love the fabric and color. Unfortunately, I literally couldn't get it over my thighs it was so small. The tag said S but it seemed more like an XXS to me. Had to return. 

YUSUF EMBELLISHED SHOULDER STRIPED TOP $58 - This was my least favorite item in the box, it fit well but I just wasn't into the shoulder pads/bejeweling. Sent back. 

ABANA ANKLE LENGTH SKINNY JEAN $148 -  I upped the price point in my profile for pants after my last box and was really pleased with what they chose. I liked the quality, color, and stretchiness of these jeans. Sadly, I needed one size smaller. Hoping they will send me them in a smaller size in my next box! RETURNED

J. Crew Jewelry

Large Sunflower Necklace

I rarely ever go into an actual J. Crew store but this weekend I was in one trying on bridesmaid dresses for a friend's wedding and stumbled upon their awesome jewelry. I'm not sure why I don't think of J. Crew as being a place to get cute jewelry but boy have I been missing out. It's about the same price range as Anthropologie and they sell stuff that could either be worn with jeans and t-shirt or out to a fancy event. Also, FYI, there is way more jewelry in their store than is offered online. Swoon.

Stone Burst Earrings

Deco Arrowhead Cuff 

Crystal Venus Flytrap Earrings

Brass and Petal Necklace

Stitch Fix: Box # 1

My first box of Stitch Fix clothes arrived last week! Although I only kept one item I'm pretty excited about the idea of this service. As I've mentioned before, Stitch Fix is an online personal shopper that sends me five articles of clothing/accessories based on the style profile that I filled out online. I let them know my size, personal style, budget, and how often I want to receive a box and voila! A box of surprises arrives on my doorstep. You pay a $20 styling fee that can go toward any purchases and if you keep all five items you get 25% off.

Overall, my first box was a little too romantic/bohemian for my taste, which is partly my own fault for the way I filled out the profile and that I mentioned I had just had a baby and would want flowy tops. I edited everything online so I'm excited to see what they bring next month! Here are the details.

1) KAPLAN EMBROIDERED HENLEY BLOUSE - This actually fit really well but was a bit too pricey ($75) and I didn't love the color/style.

2) HENRY BIRDS ON BRANCH INFINITY SCARF -  I liked this scarf but it was kind of boring and I have a lot of stuff that looks like it ($28). 

3) LOTTIE FLORAL BLOSSOM 3/4 SLEEVE BLOUSE -This was too big and I'm not a fan of floral prints ($35). 

4) ADORA SKINNY JEAN - These were my least favorite item, the color wasn't for me. ($80).

5) BENSON 3/4 RUCHED SLEEVE BLAZER-  I LOVE THIS BLAZER! Kept it. ($75)

New Work Wardrobe

Are there any Scandal fans out there? I admit the show is RIDICULOUS but oh so entertaining. I binged watched every episode over "Christmas break" and now am dying to revamp my work wardrobe. Kerry Washington's clothes as Washington DC fixer Olivia Pope are feminine, yet work appropriate. And I LOVE all of the gorgeous wool coats she sports throughout the three seasons. I'm keeping my eye on winter sales now hoping I can snag a good deal on a grey or creme wool coat.

Also, I gave in and joined Stitchfix now that I'm back into more normal sizes. My first shipment of clothing arrives in a couple of weeks, I'll let you know how it goes.

Who are your favorite TV fashion icons?

Why I Won't Shop at Walmart

"Oh, you're too good for Walmart?" is the response I generally get when I've expressed my preference to never shop at a Walmart. I promise you, my aversion to Walmart has nothing to do with thinking I'm above it. Who doesn't like great prices? But Walmart's prices come at a higher cost and as we are on the eve of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the season of shopping, I wanted to take a moment to speak out. 

Did you know that many of Walmart's employees are living below the poverty line?

This study, released in May by congressional Democrats, found that just one Walmart Supercenter in Wisconsin was costing taxpayers $900,000 a year. It's summary states:

When low wages leave Wal-Mart workers unable to afford the necessities of life, taxpayers pick up the tab. Taxpayer- funded public benefit programs make up the difference between Wal-Mart’s low wages and the costs of subsistence.

So while you're saving at a Walmart register, chances are your tax money is going to help Walmart employees stay afloat. 

To me, it isn't just about money, it isn't about taxes or welfare, it's about the principle, it's about people who are struggling to support their families and a corporation choosing do do nothing about it. 

Here's a story of Walmart employees encouraged to donate goods to be given to other Walmart employees unable to provide Thanksgiving for their families.  The article states that Walmart doesn't contribute on a corporate level. 

Comparatively:

"A half century ago America’s largest private-sector employer was General Motors, whose full-time workers earned an average hourly wage of around $50, in today’s dollars, including health and pension benefits" says to Richard Reich, former Secretary of Labor,  in this great article on his blog entitled "Why You Shouldn't Shop at Walmart on Friday".

Currently, around the country Walmart employees are attempting to take a stand, striking for better wages and I choose to support them by not shopping at Walmart. 

*If you shop at Walmart, no judgement is intended, I merely seek to share my perspective on an injustice I see. I realize there are other companies I could put on blast for similar practices, but I felt the need to write this post as I continue to see Walmart in the news not only for it's employees attempts to strike for better wages but also  it's CEO's stepping down after that whole bribery in Mexico scandal, and continued alligations of poor factory conditions where their products are made. 

Cozy Cat PJ's

I've been wanting to buy all sorts of cozy things lately with the cold weather settling in. I linked these adorable cat slippers on the Friday Roundup last week. How cute are the above cat pajamas from the latest Nordstrom catalogue? I want them. The leggings and sweatshirt are made by Cozy Zoe. These moccasins and bunny pajama pants are also super cute from Anthropologie. What do you like to wear when the weather gets frigid?

2nd and 3rd Month Favorites: Baby Gear

I'm a little late on this but wanted to share some our favorite products from Myles' second and third months.

Little Giraffe blankie - Myles is obsessed with this blanket. He literally wants it covering his entire face when he goes to sleep. Little Giraffe products are pricey but very well made and oh so soft. We love the bath towel as well (thanks Jenny!).

Little Sophie the Giraffe - Mylo loves this simple toy and it's a great one for learning hand-eye coordination.

We tried to use the fancy swings and such but Mylo just likest to sit in this simple Monkey Seat from Target. I never even put the batteries in it to shake, he just likes to chill and watch me make dinner or fold clothes.

Britax B-Agile Stroller - We have loved this stroller and travel system! The stroller is very light and easy to maneuver in restaurants and shops or at the farmer's market. The only tip I have is to not purchase the Britax "Chaperone" car seat (so huge!) but the Britax "B-Safe" instead.

Medela Pump in Style, Medela Bottles and Boon Grass drying rack -  Now that I'm back at work, we are feeding Mylo pumped milk and have loved the whole Medela system. I have some other bottles but he mostly uses the Medela ones since they lock into the pump. We use the Boon drying system in the kitchen, which I think is adorable.

American Apparel Hoodie - We have two of these and he loves them. Unlike other sweatshirts with scratchy zippers this one is soft and plastic. He looks so little in this picture, it's a snug fit now.

Trumpette "Skater Socks" - I've LOVED these adorable little socks that look like Vans. They stay on 100% of the time and wash well.

Myles adores his play gym. I put it together about the time he turned one month and he has used it every day since. He is now able to reach for and even grab the little toys, it's been fun to see him learn to play with it.












PS. Our first month favorites.

Amazing Mascara: Trish McEvoy

My sister recently turned me on to this AMAZING "lash curling" mascara from Trish McEvoy. I am a huge fan of tubing mascaras because they come off so easily and don't leave residue all over my face. I've tried several brands that I've liked but this one absolutely takes the cake. My eyelashes look awesome, it's water resistant and does not flake off onto my face, and, best of all, when I splash warm water on my face at the end of the day it comes off in huge chunks in just a few seconds. I should actually make a little video it's so interesting to me the way that it comes off. Annnnyway, if you like tubing mascara this is a must try.

Pumpkin Spice

I know this may sound un-American or something but I'm not a big fan of "pumpkin spice" flavored drinks. Every year I convince myself that I need a pumpkin spice latte because of all the hype and then I gage through half of it and throw the rest away. Ditto on pumpkin beer and cider. I love pumpkin flavored baked goods but for some reason it doesn't translate well to drinks for me.

But I finally found an exception! Have you tried Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Tea yet? So delicious! I'm hooked.

PS. I heard TJ's pumpkin flavored waffles are also amazing but they were sold out when I went this weekend. Have you tried them?

1st Month Favorites: Baby Gear

Mylo in his Snuggle Nest

Here is my favorite "stuff" from Myles' first month!

Easy access clothes: I bought a bunch of adorable clothes that he ended up wearing very briefly because they were just too difficult to get on and off! Having a fussy baby around made me grab for the most convenient and easily accessed clothing. I especially LOVE the Peek "Happy Pants", little kimono shirts, and zip (not button!) pajamas.

Old-fashioned cloth diapers: A friend's mom sent me a pack of these to us for everything from spit up to preventing Myles from peeing on me during diaper changes. We have used them constantly since day one, and have them on every surface in our house for the little messes that come up every day here. 


Bouncy exercise ball: I don't know what we would do without this one, absolute essential for us and the one sure way to get Mylo to calm down. We had one sitting in our basement for "exercising" that we brought upstairs and have used at least 10x per day since he was born. 


Mom nipple butter: This Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter has been a lifesaver for me as Myles learned to breastfeed and then when I started pumping. It smells great and is all natural. 

Biodegradable Diapers/Wipes - We love our Honest diapers and wipes! The cute prints make diaper changes a little more fun and Myles hasn't had any diaper rashes yet. 

Honest diapers and Peek Happy Pants - Love!

White Noise - I thought the white noise machines were just for Myles - not so much. I have probably used his white noise machine as much as he has to drown out all of his little baby noises in the night so I can get some sleep! We have this adorable Giraffe one that I love, it has a 20 minute or 45 minute setting. 


Portable Basinet - This Snuggle Nest bed has been perfect to carry around the house so Mylo can nap anywhere. It also traveled well to Priest Lake when we were there for his third week of life.


Dry shampoo- a new mom's best friend, love the Klorane brand.  

Zing Bars - I've already written about my love for these amazing gluten-free bars. They kept me alive after my c-section. The chocolate-coconut ones are by far the best, so tasty. 

Swaddlers - We tried to use the Aden & Anais swaddlers but either we are terrible at wrapping him or he is Houdini-baby because we were never really successful (although the A&A swaddlers are useful for about 100 other purposes!). We had way more success with the Summer Infant SwaddleMe because they have velcro to keep the little guy from busting free. 

ASOS Maternity

I recently discovered ASOS's line of maternity wear and I wish I had seen it a long time ago! They have great prices for on trend clothes that don't look matronly or humungous. I wore this green dress to my shower last weekend, it was comfortable and a fun, bright hue for the day.