Review: All The Madewell Pants!

Hey friends, Marianne here, trying on all of the pants at Madewell. Okay maybe not ALL of them, but after our fall wanty post I decided to just do the thing—just order 4 pairs of pants and see if I can find the elusive non-denim, non-skinny fall pant. Spoiler alert: I was successful! Giddy up.

The ones that are for someone, just not for me:

The Drapey Track Trousers. I am not sure why these are called “track" trousers? Is it the elastic waist? Anyway, the good: I like the color and the fabric. But this cut just isn’t for me, I think it would be cuter on someone shorter. They are too short and kind of boxy on me. Pass.

The ones I am pretty sure I’ll love when I get the right size:

The Griff Tapered Fatigue pants. These are SO GOOD. At least I think they will be. In spite of reviews saying to size (way) down, I ordered my usual jeans size in these and they are huge. But they are so great: the fabric is super soft but thick enough to be flattering, they have the perfect taper, perfect shade of fatigue green, and they have button tabs at the waist so you can adjust them if they stretch a little. I can’t wait to get these in the right size and wear them to death.

The ones that I’m torn on:

The Slim Emmett Tapered pants. Every time I try these on I change my mind. Do I like them? Are they flattering? Are they going to stretch out (these are my regular size, I tried a size down and they were TIGHT). Right now I’m leaning towards returning but possibly reordering if they go on sale. Only problem is, they are already starting to sell out in some sizes. I feel like these are the pants a ton of women are going to be wearing this fall. Should I be one of them???

The dark horse winner:

The Dunaway Paperbag pants! Who freaking knew? These give me all the vintage vibes I love but can’t usually pull off. This isn’t really the right shirt for these pants, but I wanted to be consistent. These are so soft and lightweight, have a great drape, and I love the color. I just have to figure out the best top to wear with them, but these went straight into my closet.

So what do you guys think? The Paperbag pants and (fingers crossed) Griff fatigue pants are obvious winners, but I keep coming back to those Emmett pants. They keep selling out in my size, am I going to regret returning them? Should I wear them around my house a bit before deciding? Has anyone else tried them and if so, did they stretch out on you? Help!

PS. My clogs are Sangren and my blouse is Vince, but isn't available anymore. This one has a similar pattern and this one is Vince perfection. 

Weekend Window Shopping: I Hope You Like Snakes.

I am lately obsessed will all things snakeskin, which is an obsession that comes and goes for me. Lately, IT IS ON. Here's what I love:

We Discuss: Fall Wanty.

A: I can't stop thinking about that Hammitt bag AND I want a Clare V snakeskin bag. Why am I like this?

M: You are just Fall Wanty

M: I think the only bag I’m keeping an eye out for this fall is the Grande Fanny either in the perforated black or caramel color:

A: I love that. Grande fanny! 

M: I am making my fall shopping list though! I want some straight or wide leg pants (my white whale tbh, they never look right on me), a Veronica Beard dickey blazer, and probably a new wool winter coat. I haven’t bought a new dressier coat in years, just puffers haha. I also want some buttery soft loafers (I mean the dream is Gucci but yeah)

M: Also, two of my friends are currently obsessed with this shirt (with bike shorts and Birks of course) so I have my eye out for a sale or code:

A: That is SO GOOD

M: I know, it's like perfect

A: I rarely ever do button up shirts but that one looks soft and comfortable

M: The cut is just right too. Like where the buttons hit are just right and the butt covering in the back.

A: Perfection

M: Not exactly wide leg but I want to try these:

A: Well thanks a lot, now I want both those too

M: Haha

A: I mostly just want All The Bags right now

A: Wait, I also want this necklace set but it needs to be on sale:

A: It’s not even expensive, just the principle of the thing

M: Haha

A: I saw it in store and it’s really pretty with the freshwater pearl

+++

M: Me: Definitely not shopping any more for a while.

M: Also me: 👀

A: Back Away

M: I am going to need some new furry Birks probably but it’s AUGUST MARIANNE

A: Same BUT IT IS AUGUST (though it was 45 degrees here yesterday morning. WTF, PNW.)

M: Anyway! Right now I'm focused on non-denim pants. I have my eye on these, though they are Advanced:

A: Those are so cute but involve a full tuck, for sure

M: I can do a full tuck IF I have a cute jacket or cardigan

A: Right, yes

M: These are what I would wear in a heartbeat if I were built differently:

A: Dreamy retro pants

M: I also like these possibly:

A: That elastic waistband tho

M: The kids love an elastic waist it seems

A: Oh, kids today

M: These would definitely make me cry but I like them anyway:

A: I love those in theory

M: These had potential until I saw that yoke detail that looks like a c-section scar:

A: Ha! No thank you.

M: No yoke version:

A: MUCH better

M: Ooh you know what this should be my fall experiment like the denim shirt!

A: Yessssss

M: So that’s the fatigue pants, the track trousers, the slim Emmett, and the paperboy pants.

A: YES. MAKE IT HAPPEN CANADA.

M: Everything will be here on or before August 24th! Damn I hope I like at least one pair (but damn I hope I don’t like all of them)

A: Its Madewell - half of them will fit REAL weird

M: Maybe even ALL of them

(Stay tuned!) 

Weekend Window Shopping: Living Dangerously At Anthropologie.

 It's that time of year again when I start trolling the new arrivals section of all my favorite retailers. Who am I? I am a sale room girl to the core but sometimes you miss the good stuff if you don't jump on it right away. Here's what's new at Anthropologie that I just love:

Stuff We Like: Average Girl Summer Edition.

 Okay, so I don't know that I've had a Hot Girl Summer but it sure as shit has beat last summer which mostly sucked a lot. For me this summer has been one of exploration but also of lightening up a little bit. Like, read the fun book even if it's dumb, skip the workout and go for a walk instead, buy the purple sunglasses, try the bike shorts. Why not? Anyway, here's what we like for our Average Girl Summer: 

Adrien's picks:

This Amazing Podcast That Marianne Created.
When I'm feeling a bit homesick, I'll fire up the HGTV Obsessed podcast and spend an hour with my best friend. Y'all it totally works to combat homesickness. (That, and walking around Target.) Anyway, this podcast also happens to be great. It's truly informative and entertaining and Marianne interviews the BEST people, like Daniel Kanter! And Rajiv Surendra (from Mean Girls!!1) New episodes drop every Thursday, which is today, so how can you not immediately want to subscribe and listen? 

These Sunglasses That Are For Fun Times.
I have (and love) some nice pairs of sunglasses but sometimes I want a fun pair that I don't have to baby. I found the Tifosi Optics Swank at a local bike shop and was delighted that they only cost $25 and come in a huge array of fun colors. They're lightweight but don't feel cheap and they have grippy little nose pads so they're perfect for hiking or biking. I wear them on on IG a lot if you want to see them on an actual human face. I love them so much I'm already planning purchasing a different color because that's how I roll. 

This Book That Was My Perfect Summer Read.
I wasn't really sure what to expect from Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (I didn't finish Daisy Jones and the Six) but what I got was pretty freaking good - California surfing culture, 80s goodness, beautiful rich people behaving badly, lots of (somewhat familiar) family disfunction. All of this made for a really compelling and well-written story. It's a NYT Bestseller so hardly an unknown pick, but I really enjoyed reading it and found the ending quite satisfying, which is all I really ask from a summer read. 

Marianne's Picks:

These Bike Shorts That Are Pretty Okay.

This week I am really into bike shorts. Suddenly I’m seeing a lot of fashionable ladies in some combination of oversized button down, bike shorts, and Birkenstocks. As someone with 2/3 of these items already in her closet, I was like okay I’ll try this. And hey, this look is not going to win any awards for being flattering, but it’s comfortable as hell. These bike shorts have pockets, are a comfortable rise, come in a bunch of colors, and are thick and nice. I love their leggings too. 

And, This Dumb Visor.

Now…this visor, she is not cute. However, it’s very lightweight, stays on even when it’s windy, is packable and cooling and doesn’t give you hat head. Oh, I’m sorry, is this a fashion blog? Because this is who I am now. Well, it’s 50% who I am, the other 50% is fancy, floaty dresses. I CONTAIN MULTITUDES.

Review: Beyond Yoga Leggings & Pullover.

 Hello! This is a sponsored post. By that I mean I was gifted some Beyond Yoga items to review without restrictions. All opinions are my own. 

Now that that's out of the way I can assure you that I don't do very many sponsored posts because I don't want to have to pretend to like something I don't. In this case, I was offered some Beyond Yoga clothing, a brand I've been dying to try. WHY WOULD I SAY NO? I wouldn't. 

Because the summer here in Oregon has been so unexpectedly delightful I'm guessing the fall/winter season is going to hit me hard. With that in mind, I picked a couple of super-cozy items I can wear once the weather turns. Here's what I got:

This is the Printed Favorite Raglan Crew Pullover in Dark Olive Woodgrain which is basically a tiger stripe and how could I not get this? It's everything I love - a fancy sweatshirt, animal print, olive and black colorway. Yes, please.

I also got the Spacedye At Your Leisure High Waisted Midi Legging which broke my "no leggings without pockets" rule but the crossover waistband really intrigued me. So, here we go:

I don't mean to look smug but I am SO HAPPY in this fancy athleisure, y'all. Obviously I will wear this outfit to a yoga class when that is a thing again, but for right now? These are my best lounge/home workout clothes. First these leggings. I wasn't sure what size to get but based on reviews, I went with a medium and they fit perfectly. They are crazy soft and substantial without being heavy. I don't think I've ever owned anything like them. The color I got is called "darkest night" which I assumed was black but up close they're a black/navy space dye:

So good! And, the crossover waist I was interested in? It delivers. It's super flattering and doesn't roll down the way high-waisted styles always do on ole short-waisted me. I mean, look at this:

Truly, this is the most flattering angle I could conceive of but that crossover waist is really doing all the work. Honestly, if I'd spent my own money on these I'd very much be saying they're worth every penny. One last thing about these leggings;

IN CASE YOU ARE WONDERING, YES. They look good from the back. These are very, very good butt-flattering leggings. PS. My sneakers are Allbirds that I reviewed here. Now, the pullover:

First, it's pretty lightweight and looks like something I'd wear with jeans so I am wearing it with my Madewell Cali bootcut jeans. It's very drape-y and soft and I love the color. I bought a medium and it absolutely fits but I sorta wish I'd sized up so I could have a bit more slouchyness. (So, regular size: regular fit, size up for slouchy.) My red flats are the Everlane Day Glove flat. 

Here's a close-up for true tiger stripe goodness. I know they are calling this woodgrain but I just see tiger. My necklaces are a couple of new favorites - a Gorjana Parker in opalite (love the smaller version too) and a little bird skull necklace I bought at Paxton Gate. 

That's the review! I'm truly delighted with both the pullover and the leggings and highly recommend checking out for Beyond Yoga for the best comfy workout/lounge clothing. 

Monday Mood: Evereve Shopping Report.

Because I'm an excellent host and enabler, I dragged my friend Kate to Evereve because I will basically use any excuse to get myself in that danger zone of a store. I managed to not buy anything but I do have a pretty long wishlist for fall and most of it is pretty blouses because they have SO MANY. Here's the list:

I loved this top so much (I mean, leopard print) but the colorway wasn't great on me.

I didn't dare try this on because it's basically perfect and I DO NOT NEED IT.

I did try this on and it's so cute! Even better IRL and great with jeans.

Specifically these jeans which were so flattering. I resisted this time but we'll see.

Okay, this cardigan is so cool and the pics aren't doing it justice at all. Kate bought it! 

I love a paperclip chain necklace and this one is an easy way to layer without tangles.

I probably would've bought this but they didn't have my size in-store which is FINE.

I did try this on and it was really cute but not...quite my style. 

I love my black Think Royln bag but I REALLY love this bronze/gold version.

This tank didn't look very interesting until Kate put it on. It's got a beautiful swing shape!

Okay, I already own this but I wanted to let you know it's on sale now. Soft and cute. Get it! 

How many tiger tees are too many? Asking for me. 

Weekend Window Shopping: Quick Madewell Trip

 Kate and I stopped into Madewell last week and I basically touched everything in the store. Here's what I loved (and also a top I didn't see but OMG I want it):

Outfit of the Day: What We Wore in Austin.

Hi! I am finally able to dig out and start posting again. In an unusual move, I actually remembered to take pictures of nearly everything we wore on our trip to Austin, though, fair warning, a lot of it is from our Rent The Runway memberships. We so fancy! 

First, let's talk about this dress. It's by Veronica Beard and it's the PRETTIEST DRESS ON EARTH. We both rented it and love it and it's completely sold out, which is heartbreaking. Ugh. Marianne bag is an adorable Clare V Midi Sac which I pretty much covet. This Madewell bag (and this one too) is similar enough that it might scratch that itch? Maybe?

Yeah, my Minkoff bag (similar here) was not the right thing for this outfit but whatever. My top is the Rails Viera shirt and it's much prettier in real life, I swear! It has a little metallic thread of silver in it which I love. I'm wearing it with my usual dirtbag Joe's jeans cut offs and white Birkenstocks. 

Y'all. This dress. Everywhere we went, people freaked out over it. It is THE CUTEST RIGHT. Sadly, it's from Lou & Grey from a few years ago so pretty hard to find. (There are a few on Poshmark!) But, check out Lou & Grey dresses in general. So pretty! This one is floaty goodness. 

We went shopping and hit up the Marine Layer store, which I've never been to. The t-shirts all seemed amazing and run really small, which is rude. I did buy a pretty, floaty sack dress though:

I'm wearing a medium and it's generously sized, but perfect when it's hot out and you want to wear something that barely touches your body. For something similar, this Splendid dress is awfully cute.

My bag is another RTR rental - a Pierre Hardy Alpha and it was adorable but so, so tiny. My obsession with finding the perfect snakeskin print bag goes on. 

Seriously, how does she do it? Marianne always looks like a lady. She's wearing a two piece set by Emily Lovelock (via RTR) and it looks fantastic on her. Her tote is Clare V (different color) and her sandals are Madewell.

I forgot to get photos of our outfits the next day but we found a mirror. I'm wearing a crazy fun rented Ulla Johnson top that I was sad to send back. Marianne is wearing an a very pretty top from The Great that I just love. She's had it for years. They make such pretty, light tops! I love this one in particular and how crazy-good is this?

We went out for dinner on our last night so I wore my Eden dress and metallic Birkenstock Gizeh sandals. My dress is sold out but how pretty is this one? 

Marianne wore the prettiest dress on earth, this Tanya Taylor wrap dress (via RTR). Have you ever? She is wearing the hell out of that dress. And honestly, she always looks great as should be apparent from this entry which makes me want to dress up more often. Sheesh. 

I didn't mean this blog entry to be a Rent the Runway spectacular but it really is a good way to have fun clothes on hand for a trip. If you're tempted to try it, you can get 40% off your first month if you go through my link. (I think I get an extra rental or something?) 

That's it! I posted our departure outfits and now we're back home and back to missing each other. Wah.