Tag black crane

outfit: RIP my dearly beloved linen top

Michelle 17 Comments

ootd weeknd 2018-02-10 at 3.44.01 PM

Wah! While getting dressed this morning, I discovered a big hole in my favorite linen top.  The fabric disintegrated where my right arm rubs against the side of my body.  I’m not surprised given how frequently I wear this top.  I bought it pre-owned about one year ago.  It’s been an every day staple in my closet since. I wore it on it’s own in the summer and under sweaters in the winter.  Sad to see it go, but it lived a good life.  I hate the idea of wasting precious linen fabric though… trying to think of ways to repurpose the material.  Any ideas?

ootd weeknd 2018-02-10 at 3.43.48 PM

I kept my color palette light today.  I was initially hesitant about pairing a cool toned white with a warm toned white, but after snapping this OOTD photo, I think it actually looks OK.

ootd weeknd 2018-02-10 at 3.43.32 PM

So I emailed Everlane to complain about the button on my winter puffer falling apart and they very graciously offered to replace it with the newer version. They are letting me keep my old puffer until the new one comes in after I told them that I only had one winter jacket and couldn’t go a single day without one.  Once the new one comes in, I’ll send back the old one.  I guess they want to inspect it.  Overall I liked the old puffer.  The design is good, but aside from the button falling off, I didn’t like how the loose fabric around the zipper would get jammed into the zipper.  This happened a few times and resulted in me crawling out of my zipped up puffer to take it off.  Then I had to yank at the fabric to free up the zipper.  This never tore the fabric but it caused me to be very slow and cautious whenever zipping up which became a daily annoyance. It looks like the new version has the fabric stitched down flat around the zipper to prevent this from happening.  My old puffer was the first generation winter puffer made by Everlane, and it seems like the newer versions have a lot of upgrades, like a larger hood, fleeced lined pockets, better insulation, etc… so I’m looking forward to being able to compare them.

When I logged onto the Everlane website to make the complaint, I found out I had $125 in store credit that I had forgotten about! I hadn’t logged in for many weeks. I combed the entire website looking for something to buy with that credit, but honestly I didn’t want anything.  I did want a more functional wallet though, and spent a lot of time debating over the zip up square wallet.  It isn’t exactly what I want, especially since the black one was sold out, but it’s good enough, so I went ahead and bought the silver colored one with store credit.  Silver is a little crazy for me.  But we’ll see…  I’ll let ya’ll know what I think when it comes in.  Stay tuned!

[outfit:  old zara knit sweater (5+ years old), pre-owned black crane corduroy carpenter pants, arizona birkenstocks]

outfit: twist and tuck

Michelle 4 Comments

black crane carpenter eileen fisher linen

Quick lo-fi outfit post here.  The sun had already come down when I took this photo today.  Later I’d change into my HOPP shoes to go out with the BF to the bar across the street.  I received this pre-owned Eileen Fisher linen top in the mail today.  I am constantly stalking EF linens in the secondhand market.  This is my 4th top of that type and I have not been disappointed yet.  Even at a size small, it’s huge.  I’m embracing the top to bottom baggy look lately.  Was able to get all the extra fabric to tuck in all sorts of ways and spontaneously discovered the twist and tuck method that you see here.  It creates such a beautiful drape.  I’m so comfortable in this.  It makes me feel at home.

[outfit:  eileen fisher linen top*, black crane carpenter pants, SAS relaxed sandals]

They’re here! HOPP essential oxfords (+ bonus bomb cyclone hobbit outfit)

Michelle 8 Comments

hopp essential oxford nubuck 2018-01-04 at 5.21.33 PM.png

When I got home today, a lovely little package was waiting for me.  The HOPP shoes arrived!  These are, hands down, the best shoes ever, seriously!  There are so many little details about it that I love.  As you probably already know because I’ve talked about it here so many times already:  they’re designed by Eree Kim (Opening Ceremony) but manufactured by SAS, an American company that makes orthopedic shoes for diabetics and old people, so I expected them to be almost as comfortable as my SAS shoes, but they are actually MORE comfortable than my “ugly” orthopedic SAS shoes.

hopp essential oxford nubuck 2018-01-04 at 5.22.18 PM

I think this is because the soles are made of substantial rubber and have this segmented type design that makes them feel sturdy but flexible.  The nubuck is very soft and the shoe is shaped in a way that gives you room right where you need it and slims down where your foot slims down.  So not bulky at all.  Finally, a shoe that respects a woman’s foot!   Can you believe these are a size 9.5?  For some reason SAS shoes make big feet look small and these do too.  You should order a half size up. I’m usually a size 9, and 9.5 fit perfectly with room for thick socks.

Here’s the outfit I wore today in the “BOMB CYCLONE”.  Please excuse the crappy picture (I was in a mad rush).

hopp essential oxford nubuck 2018-01-04 at 5.19.52 PM.png

[outfit:  old uniqlo oversize knit top, black crane carpenter pants, old everlane long puffer, AA winter leggings (underneath), AA mens speckled dress socks, ariat ladies extreme H2O insulated zip paddock boots]

Everyone else got a snow day, but I walked the dog in Central Park, took public transportation to and from work, and survived!  The icy snow tornados were like nails to the face.  But my old winter wardrobe investments paid off.  I stayed pretty warm all things considered.  I’m wearing my AA winter leggings under these carpenter pants and wore my high tech Ariat waterproof winter boots.

hopp essential oxford nubuck 2018-01-04 at 5.21.13 PM

I felt like an astronaut in these boots.  I thought about selling them, but after today, I think I’ll keep them.  They fill a niche that my crepe sole boots can’t.  Even after I move to California I may need them if I ever travel to a place like Alaska.  I can’t imagine finding a more functional boot for extreme weather than these.  I did a lot of research when purchasing them.  The technology keeps your foot very warm, seal out the snow from soaking your socks, and they protect your ankles from twisting in the event of a fall.  For some reason my alignment gets corrected in them too; I sit straighter and walk taller while wearing these.  I highly recommend them if you need something for a harsh climate, work on a farm, ride horses in the winter, or need to trek through snow.

outfit: Frodo-chic in Black Crane carpenter pants.

Michelle 11 Comments

black crane carpenter 2018-01-03 at 7.19.29 PM

Just got my Black Crane carpenter pants back from the tailor today.  Had the hem taken up by 2 inches.  I went a bit out of my comfort zone with this silhouette, but after a few adjustments in the way I think about shape, I think I like it.  I remember feeling very weird about the Elizabeth Suzann Clyde pants initially too but once I accepted an unconventional and bigger shape around the hips, I was hooked.  Initially these carpenter pants felt very much like Hammer pants, but now that the hem is taken up, they feel very Frodo Baggins, which is a huge upgrade in my book.

I’m kinda loving this effortless hobbit look right now.  The thigh width on these pants are huge, but the fabric, color, and texture elevate it enough so that they don’t look like sweat pants in real life.  I could probably get away with wearing this at work if I wear the right shoes.  The designers at Black Crane intended their clothing to be a reflection of their Japanese heritage, to be minimal, edgy, feel easy while being wearable to work.

My only complaint is that these are made of cotton and rayon.  I wished Black Crane would stick with all natural fibers.  The fabric blend has a dry hand feel, and feels more like cotton than rayon.  It’s very billowy, breathable, and forgiving of weight fluctuations, but will also make you look ten pounds heavier, which is a tradeoff made for comfort. Who cares about looking skinny anymore anyways.  I’m tired of that oppression. I’m wearing a size small, and could probably have sized down to an extra small.

black crane carpenter 2018-01-03 at 7.20.31 PM

I think these big ass pants will pair well with oversized linen tops for a big on top and big on bottom statement outfit.  I’ve never really thought about “drape” when it comes to pants, but I’m already imagining all the different ways I can get these pants to drape by layering them with tops of varying widths and lengths.

black crane carpenter 2018-01-03 at 7.19.40 PM

Of course with the bitter cold conditions right now, I can only where this outfit around the house.  Is anyone else dreading the “cyclone bomb” tomorrow?

I’ll experiment with wearing my American Apparel winter leggings underneath and pairing them with my work oxfords with exposed wool socks for an altogether over the top hobbit winter outfit.

Edit:  Bonus home tour of the designers’ beautiful home in Los Angles. This is my dream home.  My god.  Such great taste.

[outfit:  eileen fisher linen shell top, black crane carpenter pants, SAS relaxed sandals]