Sézane Farrow Bag | A Review

Today's post is a bit different than the usual ones you see on here, as I usually don't do single product reviews, especially of fashion pieces.  I've waited a while to write this blog post because even though it was total love at first sight with this bag I wanted to give myself some time to mull over my thoughts in order to give a very thorough and honest review. I first saw the Sézane Farrow bag on Lily Pebbles' Instagram and was immediately drawn to it. I knew that was the first sign that I should think about getting it because I am almost never drawn to bucket bags. It just was never a shape that resonated with me. I also love Sézane and I think they produce some really amazing, high-quality pieces, without charging an insane amount. Even though seeing the picture of Lily with her bucket bag made me change my thinking about bucket bags I was not at all prepared to go out and splurge on what is perhaps the bucket bag, i.e. the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag. Even though I think that is the ultimate bucket bag, I wasn't in love with it enough to justify paying the several extra hundred dollars. 

Over Christmas I decided to take the plunge and buy the bag (with the help of some Christmas money) and have not looked back since. I decided that since its not a shape I'm necessarily used to I went for the classic black. First off, the ordering process on Sézane is great! The shipping was free, which was especially nice since it was shipping from France and since it shipped via DHL, it got to my house in about three days. As soon as I got the bag I knew it was going to be perfect. The leather is extremely thick and seems like it will age beautifully over time. For me, the size is the best thing about this bag. It's just big enough to fit everything I'd need either on a work day or a day out, which usually includes my little film camera, small makeup bag, phone, keys, water bottle, wallet, and the book I'm reading at the moment. However, because it's not nearly as big as something like my Longchamp Large Tote or my Madewell Transport Tote, its a much more realistic bag to take from day to night. The strap is also long enough for it to be worn over one shoulder or crossbody. 

Because it is a bucket bag I assumed the inside would just be one big cavity, but there is actually a decent sized zipper side pocket and an open pocket, which is about the size of an iPhone 8 plus, in the lining. Even though there isn't a zipper, because of the drawstring at the top, you can still close the bag pretty much completely and have it feel pretty secure. It is more time consuming to have ties on a bag rather than a zipper, but that just comes with the territory of owning a bucket bag. The only downside that I have come across with this bag is that it can get heavy if you really pack it with a lot of stuff. This is partly because the bag itself is, as I mentioned before, made of pretty thick sturdy leather. That being said, I would much rather have a slightly heavy bag that will be durable over years and years than a lightweight bag that'll wear out over time. 

Current Inspiration | Winter 2018

I wrote about feeling super motivated about my blog at the beginning of the month, and part of that comes down to being inspired by a lot of the content that I personally have been consuming over the past couple of months. Not only am I feeling inspired by other blogs that touch on the same general topics that I do, but also other artists, museum exhibits, and music have been feeding in a great deal to how I’m feeling and where I feel my aesthetic going in the future. 

Instagram I think will always be the place where I consume the most content and it is certainly the place where I get the most inspiration from. Part of that is the sheer ease of being able to follow so many people on one platform and now that the app has the collections feature, I can save the stuff I want to look back on. I always find a lot of inspiration following other bloggers on Instagram, but lately I've been equally as enamored by the feeds of certain photographers and brands.   

Steffy,nyc summer '15

4,241 Likes, 32 Comments - Quentin De Briey (@quentindebriey) on Instagram: "Steffy,nyc summer '15"

Credit: Quentin De Briey 

One of the best photographer accounts I started following is Quentin De Briey, who I found through this video with Lizzy from Shot From The Street and Liv from What Olivia Did. His imagery is absolutely incredible and is very much in line with my aesthetic. Because he is a photographer I not only get inspired by what the various models are wearing, but also by the photography itself, which in turn inspires how I take photos for this blog. I love how most of his work, whether it be commercial or personal is done with film and how he makes very modern campaigns and celebrities look completely timeless.

Coffee in hand, holiday shopping complete ✔️

2,841 Likes, 31 Comments - M A D D Y (@madelynnfurlong) on Instagram: "Coffee in hand, holiday shopping complete ✔️"

Credit: Madelynn Furlong

One of my favorite fashion bloggers of all time is Madelynn Furlong, otherwise known as Wide Eyed Legless. Her content and style is always completely on point and while I love reading her blog, I have especially been into her Instagram the past few months. The way she edits her photos is incredible and perfectly minimalist, and her outfits, of course, are absolutely my cup of tea. She also rebranded recently, so her main Instagram is where she shares all of her own photographs and outfits, whereas her wideeyedlegless account documents her inspiration and serves as a mood board. 

Wrapped in the mist || #fujixpro2 #agameoftones #agameof10k #under3kyo #agameofportraits

243 Likes, 15 Comments - Christopher Sturm 📷 (@ghostfoto) on Instagram: "Wrapped in the mist || #fujixpro2 #agameoftones #agameof10k #under3kyo #agameofportraits"

Credit: Chris Sturm

Chris is a Bay Area based photographer who I found through Christine on YouTube. Unlike Quentin De Briey, Chris' content is much more focused around lifestyle, coffee, and portraiture. He also mainly uses film for his photography, which is obviously hugely inspiring for someone like me who loves shooting film rather than digital. I love the moodiness of his photography and how much his images capture how he is feeling at the moment. The way he plays with color is also hugely inspiring; the way he captures tonality and finds color schemes in everyday objects is absolutely beautiful. 

FGR moodboard

537 Likes, 1 Comments - FashiionGoneRouge (@fashiiongonerouge) on Instagram: "FGR moodboard"

Credit: Fashion Gone Rouge 

Fashion Gone Rouge is one of my absolute favorite mood board-like Instagram accounts. It is put together by the blogger Deborah Rosa and much of the account pulls from fashion editorials and brand campaigns from the major fashion houses. In other words, the imagery is incredibly dreamy. The way that the account is put together is beautiful and very much informs how I think about the color and silhouette of my outfits. Deborah Rosa’s personal account is also definitely worth a look. 

While I will always look to instagram and other bloggers for inspiration, I also am very into art and going to museum exhibits, which often inform both my aesthetic and how I take pictures. One of the best exhibits I have seen recently is the Walter Evans exhibit at the San Francisco MoMA, which I briefly mentioned in my latest month in film post. Walter Evans was most famous for his portrait work, and while he wasn’t at all involved in fashion photography, the grittiness and the real ness in his photographs really inspired me to take more street photography both of myself and of others. If you are in San Francisco and are at all interested in photography, the exhibit is definitely worth a visit!

My Favorite Denim

It's no secret that I am obsessed with denim. I wear denim almost every single day on my bottom half and, because of that, I have really narrowed down what I look for in a pair of jeans. My all-time favorite jeans have to be vintage Levi 501s, and while I did write an entire blog post detailing my tips on finding the perfect pair of vintage 501s, I wanted to talk about the jeans that I love that are readily available for you all to go and buy should the denim-buying mood strike you. 

With the rise in popularity of vintage 501s, Levi's has done a phenomenal job at trying to recreate the integrity and silhouette of their iconic vintage denim. That is definitely the case with their Wedgie Fit jeans. These jeans have a slimmer silhouette than 501s, however they maintain the vintage look with their rigid denim, high waist, and tapered leg. The Wedgie Fit jeans are some of the best jeans to get into if you are a die-hard skinny jeans wearer but want to get more into wearing straight leg jeans. I have a few pairs of these and I foresee myself wearing the dark indigo wash a lot during the fall and winter. 

Up until about a few months ago I only would wear straight, skinny, or boyfriend fit jeans. The thought of wearing a bootcut or a flare jean brought back some not so pleasant sartorial memories of wearing low rise bootcut jeans as a kid in the early 2000s. I had seen images floating around on Pinterest of bloggers wearing flared jeans, and while they looked incredible I doubted how they would look on me. However, the Madewell Cali Demi-Boot jeans have changed my opinion on flared jeans for the better. I have a pair of these jeans in a typical denim blue wash with a frayed hem, but the washed black with the exposed button fly pair are my favorites. These jeans are relatively skinny fitting over the thighs but have a gradual kick flare starting below the knee. Because they are slightly cropped as well (they hit just above my ankles and I am 5'6 for reference) they make for a very versatile piece, if you find yourself struggling to find a flared jean that goes with a variety of shoes. 

Last but not least is the newest pair of jeans to my collection, however they have quickly become my favorite skinny jean (and believe me I've tried my fair share). Everlane launched their denim about a month ago now and like everything the brand does, every step of making this denim has been done in an ethical and eco-friendly way. These jeans are 98% cotton so they have an incredible structure to them and don't feel like super stretchy jeggings, which I absolutely hate. While these are definitely a skinny jean they aren't skin tight so they don't have that sprayed-on look that so many skinny jeans nowadays have. Considering these are $68, they are also some of the best quality jeans (they sit up there with Levi's in my books) I have since they are made of Japanese denim, which is pretty much the gold standard in the denim world. 

What are your favorite jeans?  

My Favorite Transitional Pieces | Summer to Autumn

As of now I am thoroughly over Summer. I have never been the biggest fan of Summer to be honest, which I think partially is down to the fact that I've never loved hot weather. Because of my aversion to higher temperatures I've also never been too keen on dressing for the Summer months. Luckily, having grown up in San Francisco, I never developed much of a Summer wardrobe because, well, we don't really have summer the way the rest of the world does. Most of the summer months consist of dense fog and some pretty heavy winds. Even though I'm not in the throws of hot weather, I still am eager for it to be Autumn because not only is it my favorite season, but it also brings with it Autumn clothing coming into stores.

I find shopping in between seasons to be near impossible because, more often than not, the selection just isn't too great. I tend to be drawn to classic, timeless pieces especially during transitional times because they also often coincide with being in the middle of a style rut. While it can feel a bit same-y at times, I think its nice to go back to basics sometimes and really hone in the pieces that work best for you. These in-between times are when I find myself shopping my own closet a lot more and therefore have nailed down a solid selection of pieces that work perfectly for the often awkward transition from Summer to Autumn. 

T-Shirt: Lisa Says Gah (old) | Bag: Madewell | Jeans: Levi's | Shoes: Converse

One of the staples in my transitional wardrobe is a pair of straight leg jeans. This particular pair pictured are the Levi Wedgie Fit Jeans, which are a great options if you are either struggling to find a good pair of vintage Levi 501s or if you are new to the realm of straight leg jeans and want a pair that err more on the skinny side. I've had a few pairs of Levi Wedgie jeans and this wash is by far my favorite for the transition to cooler weather The deep blue wash goes so well with both light and dark tops, but also looks a bit more formal with the right outfit. Because of the silhouette of straight leg jeans, they lend themselves to a variety of tops like a plain white tee (as pictured above) or a chunkier knit. 

A pair of classic black Converse High Tops also are one of the best items in a transitional wardrobe. They are definitely a casual shoe, but they work with so many different outfits whether it be a classic jeans and t-shirt look, a girly wrap dress, a pair of trousers; the possibilities really are endless. Because of their versatility, they work during this in-between period perfectly because they are such a reliable and iconic shoe. During the transition between Summer and Autumn, most people aren't also super worried about wearing shoes suited for very cold weather, but also don't want to be wearing a shoe with an open toe, which is the ideal situation to wear sneakers. I think that any kind of fashion sneaker is a must-have for transitional seasons, but Converse High Tops are without a doubt my favorite and the most comfortable (that I have found) in the category. 

Leather Jacket: Madewell | Turtleneck: Uniqlo | Jeans: Topshop | Shoes: Madewell (old) | Bag: Madewell

A leather biker jacket makes for the perfect outerwear piece during transitional seasons. This is in part because leather biker jackets go with everything, from jeans and a t-shirt to a wrap dress. Because they are so versatile its a piece that you can rely on no matter the weather or the occassion. Another great thing about leather jackets is if you don't already own one, they are almost always available no matter what the season is. Even though the leather jacket I own is on the thicker side, it has been my go-to outerwear piece for cooler evenings and days, and even when it's a bit warmer I can justify wearing it with a lighter top underneath. 

Perhaps one of the best transitional pieces is a lightweight wool turtleneck. My favorite turtlenecks are from Uniqlo as they are both the perfect cut and they're only $30. While these are wool, they are a much lighter weight wool than a lot of other wool turtlenecks on the market and you don't feel like you're dying of heat exhaustion if the temperature rises above 65 degrees. Because of the ribbed texture, they sit in a super flattering way against the body and don't sag or look awkward in any spot. The tight fit of them makes for the perfect layering piece, in fact one of my favorite outfits, which I'm sure I'll feature in the near future in an upcoming post is this turtleck with a lacey cami over the top, tucked into some black trousers. Again, like the leather biker jacket, you can also wear a wool turtleneck for almost any occasion as well, which makes it perfect for this time of year.