Fashion

Linen & Slate

December 21, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

I had been hearing about the joggers trend for a while, but never found a pair that could be easily incorporated into my wardrobe. I try to keep my closet versatile, yet as minimal as possible so I just didn’t see any room for this trend or what I would even wear joggers with. How do you dress up joggers and make them not look like you’re wearing pajamas? It seemed like the options to make them look actually nice were limited, but I recently found a pair from Anthropologie that actually look…classy? I think it has something to do with the front pleats which gives it a bit of a dress pants vibe. Whatever the reason, these certainly don’t resemble pajamas, but they are so comfortable they might as well be. The material is Modal, which is seriously such a soft and luxurious fabric. I absolutely love these and have been pretty much living in them!

Pairing these pants with a linen cami from Abercrombie, and a cozy oversized cardigan dresses up the ‘fit while also keeping it pretty laid back. Completed the look with this great little bee pendant and some classic Vans kicks. Overall, I’m really happy with the addition of these joggers to my closet and I hope they will inspire a lot of other future looks!

**Outfit Details:** Cardigan: American Eagle; Pants: Saturday/Sunday Abroad by Anthropologie; Shoes: Old Skool sneakers by Vans; Necklace: Etsy; Cami: Abercrombie & Fitch

Touch of Grunge

December 10, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

I usually don’t get sick of Winter until at least January after all the holidays have passed, but this year seems to have sped that up a bit. In any event, I am in the mood for a Spring outfit! This look is one part Spring and two parts Fall, featuring this pretty Boho top from Abercrombie. I love blouses like these because they are timeless and versatile. Pair them with a skirt, cardigan, jeans — whatever! It’s one of those items that should belong in every minimalist capsule wardrobe IMO.

Adding to this look are a couple more Fall inspired items made for your capsule wardrobe, like these Chelsea boots by Sutro which have been my fav for a couple months now. They’re so comfy and look good with just about everything! Since we are still in the dead of winter, this look would be perfect paired with a trench coat or cozy cardigan to keep yourself warm! I also went with a touch of grunge with these high-rise distressed jeans from Levi’s which have been featured in a lot of my previous blog posts. A simple pair of black jeans is another closet staple of mine, distressed or not — though I like to have both options in the closet!

**Outfit Details:** Top: Abercrombie & Fitch; Pants: Levi’s; Boots: Sutro; Bag: Teddi Joelle; Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Cozy Pointelle Sweater & Face Mask Review

November 27, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

Now that we are almost 10 months into this pandemic, it’s needless to say that I have tried a fair amount of masks in all shapes and sizes. After trying out a bunch I decided to post my thoughts and rank the masks/face coverings that I experimented with over the last few months. For the most part, there’s not a lot of information on the comfort, quality and breathability before buying. My goal was to find an easy to wear, comfortable, breathable and affordable mask. So after a few trial and error moments, here are the masks that I’ve tried along with their pros and cons (FYI this is not medical advice). If you want to skip the long description, check out the handy chart below for the rankings. Featured in this outfit are not only a few of the masks ranked today, but some cozy items from American Eagle. This pointelle sweater and hat are a perfect match for November. Also featured are these fantastic boots from Solovair, which I have reviewed in the past here. The Astronaut style is still one of my favorites that they offer and one of my favorite boots of all time.

Where to find from top to bottom: N95 Surgical Mask; American Eagle Cloth Mask; Disposable Mask; KITSCH Cloth Mask; 32 Degrees Cool Face Mask

Now for the long form review so I’ll be starting off with the 95 Surgical Mask. Obviously this one is the most effective at blocking particulates, bacteria and viruses. Since COVID-19, this mask has been hard to come by and the prices of these have increased astronomically. I happened to get lucky by already having a couple of these for various projects around the house before the pandemic hit. In terms of comfort, this one is probably the least comfortable of the bunch. It pretty much crushes your nose and cheeks — and you’re left with lovely red indents across your face. Nooot great. However, in terms of safety and effectiveness, this one is the cream of the crop. I like to use the N95 for a riskier situation indoors where I am unable to effectively socially distance.

Next up is the reusable cloth mask from American Eagle. This was an early version when they just starting manufacturing these. This one is comfortable to wear, is made with several layers of cotton and comes with adjustable ear straps. These usually come in a three pack for like 8 bucks so the price is super affordable. They wash very well and seem pretty sturdy. They also have an adjustable metal nose piece on top which helps tighten up the mask. The biggest drawback was the breathability on this one. It felt very claustrophobic and the interior layers kept getting sucked into my mouth whenever I inhaled more deeply.

Next is the unbranded disposable non-woven Face Mask. These are pretty much the standard for medical professionals and those who work with the public. I love this mask and wear them all the time. They are comfortable, breathable and safe since they come with several layers of non-woven material. These also have an adjustable metal nose piece. Even with the layers, the mask does not feel claustrophobic or difficult to breathe in. It’s so lightweight that I hardly notice I’m even wearing one. The only downside is while they are affordable, they are disposable — which isn’t great for the environment and you will need to keep buying more as you go through your supply. On the upside, they come in packs of 50+ so that can take a while!

Next up, I recently bought one of the 3-packs from KITSCH face masks. These are similar to the American Eagle masks in terms of price and material (retails about $12 and made from 100% cotton). I prefer the design of these with the expandable layers of fabric, which creates a nice “cupping” feeling around your face. They are very soft, comfortable and breathable but I do notice these on my face more than the disposables. They also wash and dry very well so reusability is a big plus. However, I should note that they don’t come with a metal nose piece unlike the others so it’s slightly looser on top. I don’t know whether this affects the utility of the mask or not, but it’s something to consider. Overall with the amount of fabric layers, your nose can easily fit within the mask and won’t slide down at all. From an aesthetics perspective, these are clearly the prettiest masks of the bunch. I like to wear these as part of a nice outfit or somewhere that requires more dressing up than usual.

Last up are the reusable 32 Degrees Cool mask, which I originally bought from Costco for cheap, but you can find these on Amazon and elsewhere for a couple bucks more. These are made with athletes in mind as they are clearly built to be used outdoors. They are made from an extremely thin, stretchy material (a blend of polyester and spandex) and come with ATB-UV+ sun protection which is a perk. Very comfortable and breathable, you can easily jog, hike and bike in these. Now the downsides: they have no adjustability so I find the mask slipping down a fair amount which gets annoying. It seems to always want to perch at the tip of my nose and I find myself pushing it up a lot. It also doesn’t have a metal nose piece to help keep it in place. I’m also pretty skeptical about the effectiveness of these since the single layer material is sooo thin. The manufacturers claim to have three layers built in, but I just don’t feel comfortable wearing these for indoor situations. I will happily wear these outdoors though, partly due to COVID but also for the bonus sun protection!

So there you have it. I hope this helps you decide which mask to buy when the time comes. One last thought to consider: if you hate the mask you use or you find it difficult to breathe in, shop around more and try several types out! There are tons of masks out there that will suit your needs and there’s really no reason to stay uncomfortable. I know masks aren’t the greatest thing ever but if they help stop the spread of COVID-19 let’s get to work and mask up comfortably!

**Outfit Details:** Sweater and Hat: American Eagle; Shoes: Solovair: Pants: Adriano Goldschmied

Rust & White

November 14, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

Early November has been so lovely and mild, it’s been kind of amazing. Finally, something in 2020 has been nice?! Somebody pinch me. We saw some absolutely perfect Fall days with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. The latest look on the blog is all about Summery dresses coupled with cozy oversized cardigans. There’s something about big ole cardigans that I find so comforting, especially this one from Abercrombie, which is apparently a size small, LOL. I can’t imagine what the large is like, but I would imagine it’s bordering on tent-like proportions. Can’t complain though, because big-ass cardigans are basically like blankets that you can wear without resorting to snuggies and such.

You could say that Cardigans are like the socially acceptable blankets that you can wear in public without being socially ostracized — while still being cozy! It’s a win-win, especially during the winter months. Plus you can take a Summery dress, pair it with a cozy cardigan and boots, and voila, you have a perfect Fall outfit. These boots, by the way, are from Thursdays, and they have been such a great addition into my closet. I’m always a fan of “swiss army knife” additions because these boots look good with basically anything! Granted, this outfit wouldn’t do well in a snow storm but hey, you can’t have everything. Please keep this beautiful Fall weather coming Colorado, thank you very much!

**Outfit Details:** Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Cardigan: Abercrombie & Fitch; Shoes: Thursday Boots; Watch: Stock Watch; Bag: LeatherStrata

Witchy October & Thursday // Sutro Boot Review

October 18, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And no I don’t mean Christmas. October is easily my favorite month of the year, because that means Halloween and fall colors and all the spooky things! This outfit was inspired by the witch aesthetic, which seemed appropriate for this time of year and has been a bit of a rising trend for a couple of years now. This dress from Abercrombie & Fitch could be easily styled in a more clean-cut way, but I feel like it works great for a more witchy vibe. This aesthetic is all about the accessories, and this felt hat from Brixton is perfect for it!

Featured in this outfit are Thursday Boots’ Captain style lace-up in their Natural finish from the classic collection. I recently purchased these boots, along with a pair of Sutro’s Santa Ana Chelsea style boot in their Honey finish. I will be making a separate post about those in the future, but in the meantime, I have since gotten to know both pairs a bit better and wanted to do a quick side-by-side review of them both.

Sutro Boots Santa Ana Boot from the Factory Seconds line

First off, Sutro boots run about $50 more than Thursday Boots. While Thursday’s retail at about $190, Sutros will set you back about $245. Interestingly, both of these brands manufacture their shoes in Leon, Mexico, so they are exactly equal in terms of their origin. The cool thing about Sutro is that they offer a “Factory Seconds” line, which they sell at a discount for minor aesthetic defects. You can get a pair of Sutros at about the cost of a Thursday Boot if you buy the factory seconds line, which is pretty awesome! Both companies use good year welt construction, which is crucial if you want a “buy-it-for-life” shoe that will hold up to everyday wear and tear. Generally good year welted shoes will have visible stitching along the sides of the shoe where the leather meets the insole. This means that the insole and the upper can be easily pulled apart, repaired and replaced as needed, and won’t damage the shoe’s construction. When you’re dropping a lot of money on shoes, you’re going to want them to be repaired, not just tossed out with the Monday morning’s trash.

One thing that does differ between these two is the weight. Thursday Boots’ Captain style weighs about 1.5 ounces more per shoe than Sutro’s Santa Ana. Since these are the only styles I have bought from both companies, I can’t tell you if this is true across all styles, but the weight difference is pretty noticeable. Another difference is the quality of the leather and conditioning. I actually purchased these Sutros from the Factory Seconds line at a discount, but the quality of the leather and conditioning still surpasses Thursday Boots’ offerings at full price. Additionally, both companies use wood block heel construction, Sutros use a much thicker wood sole across the entirety of the shoe, while Thursdays use more rubber than wood toward the toe of the boot. Thursdays do have a wood block construction running through the entirety of the sole, but they also use a thicker rubber layer below it. Sutro, on the other hand, uses an entirely wood constructed sole and a much thicker wood layer. You can see this as evidenced in the photos below.

Overall, Sutros’ conditioning and leather quality is a hair superior than Thursday’s. Couple that with the more substantial wood sole and the lighter weight, I would call Sutros a slightly better boot. I should note that Thursdays are no slouch either, and their price points are fair for what you get, which is a very well made boot! Since Sutros run about 50 bucks more, the slight bump in quality does make sense. The adage of “you get what you pay for” does play out while comparing these two, but at the same time you can’t really go wrong with either company. As for getting the most bang for your buck, check out Sutro’s Factory Seconds line. You will get a great pair of quality boots for a significant discount! My personal experience buying from that line, I couldn’t even find a significant defect with these shoes so it’s kind of a no brainer!

Outfit Details: Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Shoes: Thursday Boots; Necklace: Etsy; Bag: Etsy, Hustle and Hide; Hat: Brixton

Ms. Baghead – A DIY Vintage Prairie Costume & Pumpkin Picking

October 7, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

Time to really put the gore back into #cottagecore (#cottagegore ?) with this Halloween costume! For Halloween this year, masks I’m sure will be all the rage whether we like it or not, thanks to COVID. I wanted to do a twist on mask wearing for this year’s extra low budget costume with spooky vintage vibes. It really is one of the easiest costumes to throw together and it’s also legit scary.

Now for the how-to: all you need is a piece of burlap and a vintage style midi dress and you’re on your way! For the dress, think pretty florals, linen or cotton for the best vintage vibes. These old photos of Halloweens gone by provide the most spook-tacular inspiration! Now grab your burlap (it should be square-shaped and enough length to adequately cover your head and shoulders) and just rip a couple of eyeholes and a mouth hole. *Please note: I do recommend wearing a face covering underneath, the burlap will not provide any kind of protection again COVID.* After lining up the eyeholes with your face, take a piece of string or a ribbon and tie the burlap around your neck (not too tight though!) and throw on a pair of vintage shoes — think low slung pumps or oxford lace ups. I think this costume cost about 15 bucks total which was mostly for the dress (from Poshmark), and the piece of burlap which cost less than a dollar to buy from a fabric store. If you already have a good dress and shoes for this costume, it could cost you as little as a dollar. Low budget with maximum scary impact — it’s the best of both worlds!

This past weekend, we did a little pumpkin picking at Bartel’s Farm in Northern Colorado. What a great way to kick off Fall and get some excellent u-pick pumpkins!

**Style details:** sweater from American Eagle; Jeans from Levi’s; Shoes from Solovair

Tropical Dreams and Last of Summer

September 18, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

It’s warmed back up into the 80’s this week and both myself and the garden are loving it! Fall is still in the air though as the nights get cooler and the leaves are starting to change. For now, the warm temps are inspiring me to post a few more Summer pieces, like this tropical print top from American Eagle. Gotta love those end of Summer sales. I have been in a small love affair with kitsch tropical prints since at least 2015 and I’m afraid 2020 isn’t any different. This top is very light and breezy, with a bit of elastic at the hem on the back and sides. The front was made to be tied at the front, like so many tops these days. The elastic is a neat feature since it makes it easy to tuck in and wear in a more cropped fashion, like with skirts or very high-waisted jeans. It also gives the impression of the shirt being “tucked in” without it having to be tucked in. Kind of a minor feature, but also cool!

Speaking of jeans, I recently picked up these high-waisted distressed jeans from Abercrombie and they are fab! It’s been a while since I’ve worn anything other than Levi’s, but I’m a big fan of these as well. The high waist is flattering with shorter tops and the distressed areas are nicely done, especially with the small details at the end of the leg. The sandals are also from Abercrombie, which seems to be creeping more into my wardrobe, but I can’t help it. They are offering some really nice items at affordable prices, so how can a girl say no!

Top: American Eagle; Jeans: Abercrombie; Sandals: Abercrombie; sunglasses: Ray Ban

High-Low Summer // Demeter Fragrance Review

August 29, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

It’s almost September and I’m feeling a bit ambivalent since I still have a bunch of Summer looks in the pipeline that I haven’t posted yet, waah. It seems to be always the way where Fall kind of catches up with me. That said, I am so excited to get going on all the Fall things which are just around the corner! It has thankfully cooled down a bit lately but the days still reach well into the mid-upper 80’s. For now, I’m still all about the Summer vibes with this vintage high-low asymmetrical midi dress. Also love the classic t-shirt and skirt combo — there’s just something timeless about it and will always look fresh. This combo is a must have for the toasty weather we’ve had all Summer, especially when you add a pair of comfy sandals to the mix, like these flats from Abercrombie. I also like to add a small belt with skirts to tie everything together. While I am looking forward to Fall looks, I want to try to make Summer last as long as possible!

In other news, I recently tried out a bunch of different Demeter Fragrances. I have to hand it to Demeter, they do a great job at recreating some of the more unique scents in life. They have a dizzying amount of varieties but I selected a few of the ones that I was most curious about. Another cool thing about Demeter are all the formats you can choose from. You can buy each fragrance in a variety of sizes, or as a body wash, diffuser oil, roll-on or even lotion! That’s pretty cool. An overall impression of these fragrances are that they simply don’t linger very long on the skin, but they will stay longer on fabrics. A quick rundown of the ones I tried, from left to right:

Laundromat: This one is spooky accurate. If you’ve ever been inside a commercial laundromat, there’s a heady, humid feeling of wet clothes, detergent and dryer smells that fill the air. I would say this scent captures the atmosphere of the laundromat, rather than fresh laundry if that makes sense. It has quickly turned into one of my favorites and I often use this one to freshen up clothing and bedding. 5/5

Tomato: I grew tomatoes in the garden this year and I love their unique, almost spicy smell. This perfume comes really, really close to mimicking that scent but I wish there was just a little bit more green and peppery vibes. I feel like this perfume evokes the leaves of the plant, rather than the fruit itself which is what I had hoped for. Unfortunately this one has the worst staying power out of the five which is a bummer. Overall, this perfume does convey that essential tomatoey-ness so I definitely recommend if you are also a Tomato fan. 4/5

Fuzzy Navel: This fragrance is one of their more popular scents and they threw this into my order for free which was thoughtful! It’s pretty hard to rate this one since I’m not really into gourmand or fruity fragrances, but it has a very fresh, watery peachy orange scent. I guess this one is meant to capture the alcoholic drink, but I don’t get much of the vodka thing from it. Leaving this unrated since fruity fragrances just aren’t my thing but I wouldn’t knock it either.

Linden: This one is also one of their more popular varieties and there’s good reason for it. Boy, do I love this one. I spray it on my pillow/PJs like every night so yep definitely a fanboy. This fragrance is hard to describe but it’s a little bit greenery, a little bit Summer sunshine with hints of Lily of the Valley. I honestly have no idea what actual Linden blossoms smell like, but this fragrance is absolutely gorgeous. I feel like this one sums up the height of Summer, and I bet I will love this one even more in January to remind myself of warmer and greener times. 5/5

Paperback: I had high hopes for this one and really wondered if they could nail the smell of a fresh paperback book. I pictured this to smell like dust and aged paper (think old book shop) but unfortunately all I got from this was ‘vanilla candle.’ Such a bummer! Maybe I’m missing something, but this fragrance bears no resemblance to a paperback for me. Argh, I am so bummed out by this. I don’t mind the vanilla scent per se, it was just not what I was expecting at all. 2/5

**Outfit Details:** Shirt: American Eagle; Skirt: Vintage Blue Brand/Thrifted; Shoes: Abercrombie; Bag: LeatherStrata

Denim & Stripes

August 15, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

My mind is thinking Fall outfit ideas but the weather is thinking 92 degrees. We are clearly not in sync right now. August is one of those months that you kind of just want to skip and fast-forward into September am I right? This outfit is all about classic Summer style, heavy on the minimal vibes. To deal with this weird month, I have whipped out this super lightweight button-down blouse from Abercrombie — perfect for this second round of hot-ass weather. I love tie front tops because they look great with both skirts and jeans. I am a big fan of the classic mom jean style and these cut-offs are actually quite comfortable!

Worn in this look are these Moroccan Babouches with a flip-up heel from Etsy seller FezSouk. I like the flexibility of being able to wear these like a slip-on mule or as a ballet flat. It’s really cool that this shoe can provide both styles! This little cross-body bag is also from Etsy at AFONiEStyle. Such a cute leather bag for a very affordable price. While I still have a couple more Summer looks up my sleeve (no pun intended), I am definitely excited to move on to Fall style inspiration!

**Outfit Details:** Top: Abercrombie & Fitch; Jeans: Levi’s; Bag; Etsy; Shoes: Etsy; Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Review: the Best Bralette for Summer

July 25, 2020 by The Partial Ingredients

I don’t often do reviews, much less a bra review, but I had to write a whole post about this! This Summer I have been on the hunt for a lightweight lace bralette that’s affordable and fits great. American Eagle’s brand Aerie recently started offering a wider range of sizing, including bralettes in defined cup sizes instead of the usual S M L XL. If you are someone that needs a larger cup and smaller band, try out their S DD/32DD. After educating myself on Reddit’s AbraThatFits several years ago, I am unfortunately just outside the usual size matrix for most US brands so I was super excited to see this available! I highly recommend getting sized using ABTF’s sizing calculator. Side note: I don’t know why the US is still so far behind the UK in offering decent size ranges (looking at you Victoria’s Secret) — I pretty much exclusively shop UK brands now and will never buy another VS bra again. It does seem like the tide is turning and US brands are starting to offer large cup/small band size ranges, praise the lawd!

I was still a bit skeptical if this would work out but I have to say this is literally the only bralette that has ever fit well for me, though I would probably have preferred a 30 band rather than a 32 — but I’ll take it. This one has definitely come the closest to a good fit since I’ve never been able to find a bralette that had a band size that was tight enough. This style comes with three hook closures which really helps it out. I’ve also been looking for a bralette that can stand out under clothes. The lacey style looks great when paired with tank tops meant to “show” from underneath. It also has removable padding with straps that can convert into a racer back which is amazing. It’s like having two bralettes in one and they often sell for under $30 when on sale. I liked these so much that I had to buy more colors. If you are sweating at this very moment and thinking about how much you hate your underwire bra, try this one out!