DIY: Ulla Johnson Skirt

I also whipped up this top out of some scrap fabric, but it has since been cut up for use in other projects.

     I'm pretty darn excited because I made this skirt ::pumps fist circularly and makes a wooing noise:: This is one of the first items I've tried to make where I didn't have a pattern and was basing it on a photo. This photo, in case you are wondering:

Ulla Johnson, RTW 2020

    You'll notice that in the photo, the garment in question is a dress, whereas mine is a skirt. While the skirt came together in a relatively straightforward manner, that was not the case with the bodice. I tried to struggle through it before I figured the garment was trying to tell me something and I should stop banging my head against the wall turning what was apparently meant to be a skirt into a dress (plus, skirts are so versatile). I had purchased 5 meters of cloth, thinking that would be enough (it was not), so I barely had enough to make my first attempt at the bodice and nothing left for a do-over. Also (and I acknowledge that this is a bit of a false comparison) this skirt cost me about $20 in fabric (plus two days of my time) whereas the Ulla Johnson one is closer to $800. No doubt it is much better made and the fabric is probably nicer but still!

Dress the Part

Hi there. I've recently had quite the shakeup, relocating from my old home in San Francisco to a new one in Dubai. I know I want to do something to capture, preserve and otherwise process this experience and this space came to mind, although I'm not sure it'll end up staying here. 
When I mention the move people have a lot of questions about Dubai and I feel like I have more questions than answers at this point. As of today I'm about a week + a handful of days into this new transition and I want to zoom in and just talk about something I do know something about: my outfits. 

Clothes always help ground me to a situation, whether I want to be confident in a meeting, joyful at a wedding, or whimsical on a weekend. You can't go outside naked, so "what do I wear" is a question that at least flits through all of our brains on a day-to-day basis. One way I've been documenting and processing the move is taking an outfit selfie everyday. The clothing experience here is particularly different from what I was used to in California for two main reasons. 

• The first is the culture. There is a different standard of acceptable dress here and I'd like to be respectful. I've received some conflicting reports on what that means for me as an expat and as a woman. I can seemingly wear most of my wardrobe as is, though, and my plan is to do a lot of people watching (which I love anyway) and get a sense of it for myself. As a result, for the first month or so I plan to lean conservative with my clothing choices. 
• The second is the weather. I cannot express to you how hot it is here. During the dead of night it is minimum 90 degrees Fahrenheit/32 degrees Celsius.  During the day it climbs to 109/42 degrees F/C. However, not only that, but it is also humid (right?!) and so my phone will report that with the humidity it often "feels like" closer to 121/49 degrees F/C. Currently, I'm only going outside when absolutely necessary, mostly during the small moments when transferring from the air conditioned hotel to the air conditioned Uber to the air conditioned destination (like the mall, more on that later). It also means I always have sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and water. 

Combine those two elements and I'm targeting natural breathable fabrics, light colors, flowy garments and decolletage, shoulders and legs mostly covered. So, here's what we've got so far:

Headed South

     A few weeks ago I mentioned my friend, Cait and how she was soon embarking on an epic adventure. Well, this coming week it is happening, so I wanted to share a link to her new blog Headed South. She and her partner-in-crime will be spending the next year traveling from Alaska to Argentina by bicycle. Not by motorcycle. Bicycle. It's a crazy feat of endurance and perseverance much less the adventure of a lifetime. I'm very sad to lose her company for a year but also so excited for them and excited to follow along on their journey.
     How's a girl to soften the blow a bit? I guess by wearing safeguarding some of Cait's clothes while she is gone. I mean, this dress would otherwise be so sad in storage for a year. Now it gets to hang out with me. 

Lands End

Top | Oiselle
Pants | American Giant (read my review here)
Shoes | Nike Cortez

     Today's post isn't really about fashion. It is about the fact that I went to Lands End, the place, since there is a clothing company also called Lands' End, and before you ask, I double checked and the place has no apostrophe in the name, per the National Park Service website. It was a perfect, fog-free day and I was pleasantly reminded how much natural beauty there is in San Francisco; it was also a perfect opportunity to play photographer. 

Various States of (un)Dress

Dress | Tanya Taylor  (also here, one size up and $15 less)
(and here for way more, if you are into that)
Sweater | J. Crew
Shirt | American Giant

       One of the things that I struggle with, clothing wise, is being too precious with my clothing. If it is a little more expensive, fancier, or more delicate than what I typically wear, then I'll set that piece aside and tell myself that I need to save it for a special occasion. I made a resolution, last year, to do a better job wearing what I own (since it does no one any good sitting in the closet), and I have mostly been trending in a positive direction. 
     This dress is a prime example - I love the print and the open back, but it felt a little too fancy for what I wear on the weekend (and in particular the vibe of the Bay Area) and then obviously too skin-bearing for work. This dress is 100% silk, and the print is amazing. The print sort of looks like flowers but up close is more like paint splotches and I love the blue/red color palette. Also, I am wearing a 0 and it was a little big in the bust. 
       I persevered, and here are the results:

Review: Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket

Jacket | Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket
Pants | American Giant
Shoes | Asics Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66
Purse | Mansur Gavriel

     In preparation for my upcoming trip, I purchased the Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket. I got it in size XS, in the "Wine" color. I wanted something light but warm, that I could layer underneath a coat, or use as a stand alone jacket. I also like that this jacket can be squashed down to easily fit in a purse or suitcase, or used as a pillow on the plane.

I have been wearing it around San Francisco, as well, and have been very pleased. It is very light and practical - it has both outer, and interior pockets - and when I got caught in the rain, it dried out quickly.  In re. to sizing, the XS fits well, but I cannot layer thick sweaters underneath without it becoming difficult to zip. Here, I have it layered over a tank and my Oiselle hoodie (this one, now on sale), and it fits fine. At $69.90, this jacket is much lower priced than the similar looking Patagonia and North Face down jackets. It could be that those jackets are actually three times nicer than this one, but that would really be quite a jacket. 

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Review: American Giant

      American Giant is an American-made brand I first heard about a few years ago, when Slate boldly declared that their hoodie was the greatest hoodie ever made. That was back in 2012, before online shopping was quite as ubiquitous as it was today, especially for ethically/sustainable clothing (Everlane, for example, launched in 2011). Flash forward 5 years, and thanks to a well-timed after Christmas sale (I believe the website said it was their first ever sale) I've finally investigated the claims, plus some of their other products, for myself.
The Varsity Jacket - Size XS
     First up, their varsity jacket. I won't spend too much time on this piece, because it isn't available on their website anymore, but will throw in my two cents just in case it ever pops back up. I ordered it because I love the look of a varsity jacket, and because it is Warriors' colors (go Dubs - and as I type this I am watching them just crush the Clippers).
        I absolutely love the construction and quality of this jacket. It feels very sturdy, but yet it isn't stiff. I also get the feeling that it will continue to break-in over time, like a great pair of shoes. I think my biggest takeaway from both this jacket, and their hoodie (review below) is that I am impressed with the fabric. I'm not sure what type of cotton they are using, but it is thick and so substantial feeling. This company clearly prides itself on these items being made in USA, and if this is going to be an example of our workmanship and quality then I am just fine with that. This jacket is way more expensive than the hoodie I got at Target, but I have much higher hopes for it's longevity. 

Bag | Mansur Gavriel Mini-Bucket
Shoes | Asics Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66

I have to say, however, that the yellow turned out to be a little more yellow than I expected. My first thought was that this looks like a Cal Bears or UCLA Bruin's jacket, and I did not attend either of those institutions. I'm currently on the fence about keeping this or sending it back - if it was grey or black I'd never take it off.  

 The Pant - Size 00
Next up, their product that is called "The Pant". Here is a link to an interesting look by Refinery 29 at the various iterations of the product before they settled on the final version.  This, as far as I can tell, is not supposed to be a yoga or an exercise pant. It is basically a more substantial tights-as-pants situation (which is something I have personally rallied against for years and yet here we are). They are not as compressing as exercise pants, and made from a different fabric - sort-of like if ponte and spandex had a love child. I have worn these to wander around on the weekend, and to the driving range (which seemed like an appropriate sporty but not exercise-y place to wear them).

 They have one pocket on the front, and otherwise are pocket-less. I love the fit of the waistband - my biggest complaint about most tights is that the waistband is too tight - but they are a little bit big in the thighs on me, and a little long - you can see bunching on the ankle in the shot below. Ultimately, I like them and am keeping them, but think that with a few minor improvements these could really knock it out of the park. 

Proof of pocket.

 Classic Full Zip Hoodie - Size XS

 Last, but not least, is their hoodie, which I got in the very versatile, forest green, and which I will cut to the chase and say that I really like. It is a cotton hoodie, that has a fleece-lining inside. It is really comfortable but durable, and has small thoughtful design details, such as reinforced elbows (as you can see below) pockets that fit an iPhone (!), AND they put the fleece lining that is inside the jacket in the pockets too! It is, due to the thick cotton and the fleecy-ness, a warmer hoodie, and while it isn't stiff, it is a bit bulky so it might be hard to layer under other jackets or coats. 

 Overall, I'm impressed by American Giant, and appreciate their obsession with just making a few things, and making those things well. Have you ever tried them out? If so, what did you think?

Fog Schmog

Happy MLK Day - everyone knows the powerful, 'I Have a Dream' speech, delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, but I wanted to start with a link to some of his other great speeches, for your reading/listening pleasure: Washington Post. 
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Hoodie | American Giant
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity
Bag | Sophie Hulme

It was surprisingly foggy the day I took these photos. Normally the fog layer burns off in the morning, but this weekend, it just lingered and lingered. 

I went out in my new American Giant hoodie and a chunky-knit beanie. Speaking of American Giant, I ordered some items from them for the first time recently and plan on doing a larger review a little later. 

Look at those awesome elbow patches.

It sometimes feels cliche to me to live in the Bay Area and walk around in a hoodie and jeans, which is the typical tech-worker/SF-bro uniform, but I also find the outfit to be incredibly practical and comfortable. This also doesn't have (i) any stains or holes or (ii) the name of an employer. If that isn't enough, I am also carrying a bag with a green suede interior - so you know, that feels like it should count for something. The bag, by the way is sort of an oversized envelope clutch, but with a strap. I really like the color and construction, but find that it is a little awkward if you are trying to carry anything that isn't flat (like the DSLR I took those fog photos with).

Purchased on The Real Real.

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