jcrew


JCrew Berkeley Bucket bag review

j.crew berkeley bucket bag review jcrew
baggy clothing trend outfit ideas

wearing: statement earrings / lipstick / turtleneck sweater / wide leg jeans (sold out, also love this pair) / fall nail polish / bucket bag / Mary Jane flats /

I finally broke down and bought a suede bag! Of course, I was quite hesitant, so I bought a hybrid which is suede on one side, and leather on the other. I have to admit, I am in love!

J.Crew has a really popular bucket bag named the Berkeley Bucket Bag. It comes in a large range of colors, as well as this suede and leather combo bag. I decided to buy it because I felt like the bag fit into the north/south tote trend without being a large tote, and it also fit into the slouchy bucket bag trend; well, because it is actually a bucket bag. haha

Instead of my usual handbag review where I show what fits inside, I figured you would already know that daily purse essentials will fit inside this bag. In addition to my wallet, lipstick, keys, phone, and Kleenex, this J.Crew Berkeley Bucket Bag can fit gloves and a snow hat on cold days, as well as a scarf, snacks, and a water bottle. It is really roomy!

insude jcrew bucket bag

Inside the J.Crew Berkeley Bucket Bag, the bag is wide open. For small objects you don’t want to lose, I would recommend adding a small pouch or clutch to keep things organized. In order to secure the bag, there is a tie at the top. I have not used the tie; I tend to just leave the bag open. If I go somewhere where pickpocketing is a concern, I will use a pouch for small items, place a scarf on the top of the bag and tie it to secure it.

I love the slouchy look and feel of this bucket bag. Plus, it is priced under $200, love that! So, if you are looking for a handbag which is affordable yet fits into multiple handbag trends for fall, this is the one! There are plenty of colors to choose from and it has the look of a north/south tote, a bucket bag, and can fit into the role of a medium hobo bag; despite not looking like a hobo bag. Love!

This will be a fun bag to carry throughout the fall season, and beyond!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

jcrew bucket bag review berkeley

5 stores that recycle old clothing

teddy coat blogger

Madewell jeans and a JCrew coat; both companies participate in clothing recycling programs. Original post here.

It is incredible how much clothing residents of first world countries plow through every year. While many people consign or donate old clothing they no longer want, there are still many people on Earth who are uninformed, and will simply throw their old clothing in the trash bin. This means fabrics, toxic dyes, and possibly bits of metal, leather, plastic and more end up in our landfills, unable to decompose or be recycled.

At this point in time, I hope and believe that as you read this, you already understand that any amount of clothing in our landfills is not acceptable; and chances are, if you are reading this, you already know not to throw out clothing!

The readers of Bay Area Fashionista are well-educated and quite savvy. So, I am not writing this to teach you something, I am writing this post in the hopes that you are inspired to help spread the word about keeping clothing out of our landfills!

It is fairly safe to assume that you actively donate old clothing to local charities; the most common one being Goodwill. In addition to donating old clothing, it is always pennywise to sell gently used clothing and accessories from popular labels and premier designers on consignment. If you don’t already consign, I highly recommend The Real Real. They will come by your house to pick up your luxury goods for consignment, and you also have the option to mail items in to them, risk-free. It’s a great way to send an item to a new home and make some of your investment back.

Of course, we don’t have to do everything ourselves. Many retailers are getting in on the recycling game and offering discounts to customers who bring in old clothing for donation. Love that! So, without further ado, here are five fabulous stores which accept old clothing for their recycling programs.

Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher has a fabulous recycling program. They take back old Eileen Fisher clothing and re-new them into pieces which can be worn. The clothing is either repaired, or re-worked into an entirely new, one-of-a-kind piece. Then, it can be re-sold so it can be loved in a new home. Since 2009, Eileen Fisher has taken back over 800,000 pieces of clothing! That’s 800,000 items which did not end up in a landfill. Love that!

To reward you, Eileen Fisher gives you a $5 rewards card for each item you bring back to them. You can bring old Eileen Fisher clothing back to an Eileen Fisher Store, an Eileen Fisher Renew store, or send it in via mail. To learn more, please visit eileenfisher.com

H & M

H & M might not be the first place you think of when you think recycling. Linked to the fast fashion industry, people think of H & M as a place of excess; but it is not. They have a strong eco-chic policy which includes recycling clothing from any brand, and in any condition. H & M will re-sell old clothing in resalable condition. In addition, they will reuse fabrics to make new clothing, and they also recycle unusable fabrics into textile fibers used for things such as insulation. H & M has an incredible program, you can read all about it at HM.com.

Patagonia

Ah Patagonia! They have been caring for the environment since the beginning of time. It was one of the reasons everyone in my middle school, and high school, HAD to own a Patagonia jacket. It was the must-have of my teen years. Fast forward to 2018 and owning a Patagonia jacket is still a must-have; especially knowing how they care for the environment.

Patagonia accepts their clothing for recycling at Patagonia retail stores, participating retail partners, and old clothing can also be sent back to Patagonia per the instructions on their website. You can learn more at Patagonia.com.

Madewell and JCrew

Madewell and JCrew have partnered with Blue Jeans Go Green now through December 2018 to help collect denim for recycling. You can bring your old denim to any Madewell or JCrew store and it will be sent to Blue Jeans Go Green to be recycled into denim insulation. In addition, Madewell and JCrew will give you a coupon for $20 off your next pair of jeans. It’s fun to give and to get! You can learn more at BlueJeansGoGreen.com.

Levi’s

According to Levi’s, “Americans annually discard more than 28 billion pounds of unwanted clothing, shoes and other textiles. Charitable organizations and others collect roughly 15 percent of these items, while the remaining 85 percent — 24 billion pounds — end up in landfills . . .”

Levi’s has a great recycling program where you can bring in your clean, dry, old clothing and Levi’s will recycle it to either be re-used, or turned into other products. To thank you for bringing in clothing to be recycled, Levi’s will give you a 20% coupon for a new pair of regular priced jeans! You can learn more at Levis.com.

There are other retailers who also participate in clothing recycle programs. Be sure to check them out while shopping and feel free to leave your suggestions in the comment section below!

I would love to hear ways you recycle old clothing. Do you donate or sell everything? Are you handy with a sewing machine and make new creations out of old fabrics? Share your knowledge below!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy


Puffy sleeves for fall

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Wearing: gold mother of pearl earrings / Chanel sunglasses / MAC lipstick in Fabby / puffy sleeve navy top (runs big, order size down if between sizes) / navy pleated skirt / gold sculptured ring / Chanel Emeraude nail polish / patent leather pink east/west tote / blue grey patent pumps

Volume seems to be the silhouette of the fall 2016 season. We are seeing ruffles, puffy sleeves, ruffle sleeves, puffy hi-lo skirts (for dressy occasions), and sleeves which could be mistaken for something from the 1980s. While this was a little runway trend for the fall 2016 season, it seems to have exploded on the streets.

Exaggerated puffy sleeves are a bit much for us here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although puffy sleeves are intimidating, they can be worn daily when done in an understated way. That is what drew me to this navy puffy sleeve top. There is enough volume in the sleeves to make them puffy, yet they are not over-the-top. This makes the top on trend, puffy, yet understated. How very Bay Area! Love that!

I wore this puffy sleeve top with my favorite navy pleated skirt to church, and then to dinner over the weekend. It was really comfortable, and I felt runway ready. This is a great top to wear now while the fall temperatures are moderate. The fabric is comfortable, the sleeves offer volume, and it is easy to dress up or down. Just wait until I pair it with jeans! Fabulous!

This puffy sleeve top can also be worn in a creative work environment since it is not overbearing, yet offers a little bit of sass with it’s volume. It is also perfect for weekend-wear such as jeans, a denim skirt, dress shorts (weather permitting), mini skirts, and midi skirts; such as how I styled it in this post.

This puffy sleeve top runs a little bit big. I feel like I should have ordered one size down. It looks a little bit large on me. If you are considering ordering it, and are often between sizes, go down one size. You can find this puffy sleeve top in navy online here, and online here.

What do you think of puffy sleeves or ruffle sleeves for the fall 2016 season? Is this a trend you will be rocking?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

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