February passed me by like a flash. In the first week, I prepared for my vacation to the states and got stuff in order at work, the middle two weeks I spent basking in the love of family and friends in the US, and the last week I battled jet lag and post-holiday blues. First week into March, I’m finally falling back into my regular routine, which includes posting on the blog.
Everlane has been all the rage online and rightfully so, considering the brand pitches “Exceptional Quality, Ethical Factories and Radical Transparency” as its mission. Everlane has been on my watchlist ever since I started thinking about making my wardrobe more minimal, sustainable, and ethical. I took the plunge around November last year and placed my first order.
In total, I’ve tried three items from Everlane, the cashmere turtleneck, high-rise skinny jean, and bikini. I loved one of them, liked the second, and returned the third. So without further ado, let me give you a rundown of each of these pieces.
For size reference, I’m about five feet and six inches tall and weigh 62 kilos. I’d describe my body as slightly pear-shaped. I tend to be a small or US 2-4 in tops and US 6 in bottoms. Hopefully this info will help you determine your size in Everlane clothing, if you choose to shop there.
Disclaimer: This post is in no way affiliated or sponsored by Everlane.
The Bikini
- Price: $12 or 3 for $27
- Sizes offered: XXS – XL
- Size ordered: M
- Material: 92% supima cotton, 8% elastane
- Verdict: LOVE
Comfortable, durable, and no-show underwear is hard to come across. I’ve dropped my money on expensive underwear only for it to fall apart a couple of weeks later, or show through clothes, or not be wearable at all because of discomfort. Everlane’s bikini solved these woes all at once.
I had read rave reviews about the bikini online so in November I ordered one pair. Right off the bat, it was comfortable and didn’t show through skirts, dresses, trousers, or jeans. It also passed the test of durability when it looked just like new three months later.
Needless to say, I took advantage of the 3 for $27 offer and ordered half a dozen more. If you’ve had your fair share of disappointments with everyday underwear, give these a try. I promise you’ll never go back to anything else.
The Cashmere Turtleneck
- Price: $120
- Sizes offered: XXS – XL
- Size ordered: S
- Material: 100% Cashmere
- Verdict: Good enough!
I’ve had the cashmere turtleneck since November last year as well. In the beginning, it was a bit scratchy, but that changed after a few wears. Nonetheless, good to keep in mind if you’ve very sensitive skin.
In terms of fit, I’d say the turtleneck fits true to size. The collar and cuffs are ribbed, which is a clean touch. The length is perfect; it hits a few inches below the upper hip. That makes it ideal to wear tucked in or not. I’ve worn it with trousers and skirts at work, as well as underneath the jumpsuit and dresses in my winter workwear capsule.
As far as the quality is concerned, it’s definitely not the softest cashmere I’ve ever touched, but it’s still quite substantive for the price. Everlane recommends dry cleaning, but I’ve been hand-washing my turtleneck. So far, no pilling, stretching or shrinking of the fabric. Overall, I consider it a solid purchase because I’ve happily worn it a ton.
The High-Rise Skinny Jean
- Price: $68
- Sizes offered: 23 – 33
- Lengths offered: Ankle, Regular, Tall
- Size ordered: 28, ankle
- Material: 98% cotton, 2% elastane
- Verdict: Not for me.
I’ve been wearing my blue Warehouse jeans (not sustainable or ethical) for a year without break. So when I started planning for Feb’s holiday, it quickly became evident that I needed one more pair of jeans to survive the cold NYC weather.
The Everlane high-rise skinny jean had long been on my wishlist owing to its glorious reviews online and I was pretty convinced that it’d work for me. However, it did not. If I’ve to be brutally honest, I hated it.
First of all, I just didn’t understand the proportions. It was loose around the knees and the ankle opening was wider than any skinny jeans I’ve owned. There was also extra fabric around the crotch area, as you can see in the picture above. The waist, on the other hand, was quite snug for a size 28 and made it difficult to move around freely. Everlane recommends sizing up in this style, but I didn’t order a size bigger because then the rise, ankles, and knees fit would be poor.
The quality also didn’t please me. I like my jeans to be soft with just the right amount of stretch. The fabric on the high-rise skinny jean is rough and scratchy, which makes for an uncomfortable wear. I expected the black color to be pitch black, but even the blackest, black color that I ordered seemed a bit washed out. And that’s just not my style, so I brought the pair of jeans with me to NYC and returned it in their store.
Overall, I’m super impressed by Everlane. The price range is more accessible than most ethical clothing brands. From the pieces I’ve tried, the quality and comfort of its designs are also commendable. In terms of order handling, international shipping to Amsterdam took about two weeks and I paid no extra duties as all tax was included in the price I paid. The online customer service was also quick and helpful when I needed guidance regarding sizing and shipping. The return of the skinny jean in store was also seamless.
I’m most drawn to Everlane’s forward thinking as a brand. According to its CEO, Michael Preysman, becoming completely plastic-free is a goal for Everlane. After making Everlane a successful disruptor in the fashion retail scene, I only hope Preysman succeeds with his other revolutionary ideas.
While I was in the US, I did shop a little (or may be a lot?). Everything that I bought was already on my wishlist, so I don’t feel guilty whatsoever. But this shopping spree made me think if I should start posting a monthly diary of new style purchases and their rationale Would that be interesting as a monthly series?
Today, I also went for my first Hydrafacial. I first learned about it on episode 18 of the Not Wonder Woman Podcast. After a recent adult acne episode for which I’ve had to take antibiotics, I was compelled to try the Hydrafacial. If you’d like me to write about the experience, let me know! I took photographs, just in case.
This was all! So, have a great rest of the week, you all!