Cheap & Cheerful - Everlane

There have been a couple of articles over the past few weeks about how Angelina Jolie has been shopping this online store, Everlane.  Vogue.com even had an article about it.  She, and other actors, created a stampede for their Petra tote bag and therefore, a wait-list for it last year.  See it pictured below:

Image from dailymail.co.uk.

So what the heck is Everlane?

Image from everlane.com.

It is simple, quality clothing at a good price.  Their tag-line is this: "Radical Transparency:  Know your factories.  Know your costs.  Always ask why."  According to their website, "We spend months finding the best factories around the world - the very same ones that produce your favorite designer labels. We visit them often...this hands-on approach is the most effective way to ensure a factory's integrity.  We believe customers have the right to know what their products cost to make...we reveal our true costs, and then we show you our markup....Being online only, we eliminate brick-and-mortar expenses and pass these savings onto you."

Ok, I'm curious.  A little late-night shopping reveals that they sell solid basics: t-shirts, cashmere sweaters, gorgeous leather bags.  For a lot less than a lot of stores. (Except maybe the leather bags, but they are lovely.  The large Petra tote is $365, but stated to retail at $1,300.)  They have free shipping for purchases of 2 items or more.  Strictly for blogging research (wink, wink), I quickly click 2 items into my cart, a navy v-neck t-shirt and a grey, short-sleeved sweatshirt.

Images from everlane.com.

The t-shirt is $15 and the sweatshirt is $30.  Crazy, right?!  

They arrived quickly and I'm keeping both.  The $15 t-shirt is great; it's no 'tissue' tee, but it's not heavy either.  The perfect weight.  (I wonder if they have the perfect white t-shirt?!  Might have to "research" that!) The short sleeve sweatshirt is boxy but cute. Just as advertised.  Great material.  

If you are looking for good basics, it's worth a look.  Beware to check the sizing - things seem to run small and I definitely would have ordered a different size had I not looked at the sizing charts!  Enjoy, and report back with your finds! ~ JH

it's Fall 2013: the Non-collegiate Sweatshirt.

There are here, there and everywhere.  Updated 'sweatshirts'. No, not with 'Harvard University' emblazoned across the front.  With gems and top stitching, the new sweatshirt is cool and comfortable.  Easy over jeans, cords, and dressed up over a pencil skirt.

The Polyvore set below uses my favorite casual item du jour to create a very wearable look for fall that will go miles, from drop off, to the office, and back out for lunch.

Created by Lisa Bida on polyvore.com.

Here's a few more ideas for sweatshirts too if you are curious about how ye old sweatshirt could be anything but collegiate and unflattering.

Created by Lisa Bida and Jennifer Houston on polyvore.com.

So the next time you see a sweatshirt, look at it a little differently than you did in 8th grade. ~ LB