Renvy Cara Hidden Wedge Sneaker

You've already seen my new wedge sneakers here and here, but I am just now getting a chance to post about them!  They are the Cara Hidden Wedge Sneakers by Renvy which I got on Gilt.  Interestingly enough, they are exactly the same as the LAMB Nala wedge sneakers.  They retailed for the same price too, but they are on sale on Gilt for $105, down from $245.  I think low $100s is the highest I'd spend on a pair of wedge sneakers.  These are made of genuine leather, and they are so different looking, so I had to get them!  I have worn them everywhere, and I've gotten SO many compliments on them.  A lot of times, from men pointing and nudging their female companions to look at my shoes, which I find hilarious!  They are quite "loud"!  Here are detailed pics:

 You can actually wear it with zippers half way down, which lets more air in!

Or all the way, but that's a bit too loose for me:

I think these are so cool looking!  I love the black and white combo.  But Gilt also has 3 other colors.  I think the black/blue combo is super cool too, but it just doesn't go with as many things as black and white.  They also come in solid black and brown/black.

Anyway, I got them in size 6, and they were actually a little snug!  Leather stretches though, so they fit well now after a few wears.  The tightness was mostly in the arch part of the feet, but I think that's also because I have higher arch than normal people.  

They have a 4.5 inch hidden wedge!  With about 1 inch platform, so equivalent to 3.5 inch.  They are reasonably comfortable.  But I wore them for a loooong time today (8-9 hours?) while standing mostly, and my feet were killing me by the end of the day!  

Nordstrom got in the newest LAMB wedge sneakers which look like updated versions of this one.  They are the Stephanie wedge sneakers.  I like the look of the mesh, but that probably means you can't wear socks with them which might not be so pleasant after a while!  Hehe.

But on heels.com, they have the (I believe) older version of these - the Pamela wedge sneakers.  I really like these actually.  But they are still full price, and I don't want to spend $250 on them.  I'd consider getting the black ones if they go on sale!  Though I'm not too crazy about the visible brown sole on the black shoe.

The white color is very very similar to mine.  But again, can't wear socks with these.

So I wonder why Renvy and LAMB have the exact same shoe?  Some factory just makes them and then slaps different labels on them?

Oh well.  So ladies, if you want something a little different and eye-catching, I'd definitely recommend getting these from Gilt at the discounted price!  They are also a great conversation starter, trust me, you will talk to many strangers when you have these on!  :)

Lorna Jane Sunrise & Team LJ Tanks!

I bought a couple tanks from Lorna Jane last week.  One I actually bought for the Lorna Jane blogger event on Saturday, but didn't end up wearing it.  The other one I got at the event.

I bought the Sunrise Mesh Excel tank in blueberry/lilac for the event:

This tank also comes in fluro orange/ neon peach which is also very pretty.  I put both colors on multiple times before finally deciding with the purple.  But with a very small margin!

I love the ombre design on LJ mesh tanks.  The Janet mesh tank was one of the first Lorna Jane tanks I got which I still really love.  It is blue/green ombre and very similar in style (it's a racerback) to this Sunset mesh tank.  Both are very different looking from all my other tanks.  The colors combined just looks so happy!  I am wearing the Sunset mesh bra under.  This bra is one of my favorites!  It also comes in the same purple as this tank.  I highly recommend it.

I think this bra looks great under this tank, since you can see the pop or orange color under the upper white mesh area of the tank!

I got this tank in size XS, as you can see, it still fits very loosely.  That's the style though!  I think this tank could totally work outside of the gym, which is a definite plus in my books.

The tank I got on the day of the Lorna Jane event was this Team LJ Excel tank.  It is the tank featured on all their posters if you walk past a store right now.  It's also on the cover of their January lookbook:

I don't usually gravitate towards tanks with writing on them.  But this one looks sporty and kind of like a football jersey!  The excel mesh material used in this tank actually resembles a jersey quite a bit.  The number on the front is sticky though.  It seems like it could peel off after some time.  I guess time will tell.

White and navy are just a classic combination.  This tank looks great with navy bottoms!  I'm wearing the Athleta Chaturanga crops I just got in the pictures below, which actually doesn't look bad at all paired with the tank.  I got it in size XS, but I also tried on S and it could work as well.

 

The back is twisted:

The mesh in this material is very small, like in a jersey!

I wore it to workout in yesterday and unfortunately got a snag already.  :(  I did my regular weights workout, and I don't know when or how it happened.  I just looked down at some point and it was there.

I think I can just cut that thread off and it will not really show.  But so sad.  So, beware, it's fragile!  I still really really like this tank though... maybe I'll just wear it casually too!  Like Lorna Jane Clarkson (she takes headless iphone pics like me!  :D ) here:

First Try For Athleta!

I finally made my first purchase at Athleta on Saturday!  I have to be honest, I actually was never impressed by Athleta's designs before.  All the tie dye and tribal print type of stuff just really aren't my thing at all.  At least, that's all I saw every time I walked into that store before... which always led to me leaving there within a couple minutes at the most.  But I think they have definitely kicked up their designs a notch lately and I actually like some of the newest items!

I had almost ordered their Plaid Chaturanga capri online when I first saw them a couple weeks ago.  But I didn't know what size to order so I decided to wait till I got to a store.  Well, I'm glad I did that, because I would have ordered a size XS if I had to guess.  But I tried XS on in the store and they are so loose!  So I had to size down to XXS.  Sounds really tiny but trust me, it ain't me, it's them lol.  They run a full size bigger.  I did try on some other tights when I was there though, and the XS seemed to be ok so I think it's just this Chaturanga style that runs big.

I got them in iris purple/black combo.  I love this print!  It's got black, darker gray, lighter gray and dark purple.  I love that it is a pattern that still can be a neutral.  I have so many things that can go with them.  They are a bit different and eye-catching, but still subtle enough to not look like a crazy 80s chick.  Not that there's anything wrong with that!  Hehe.  But you know, sometimes you just want to lay low(er).

They also come in emerald green which is definitely more out-there.  But still not super crazy.  I actually like them too, but they didn't have my size in those in store or online anymore.

Anyway, the material is quite soft in these.  They kind of remind me of a thinner version of the material Beyond Yoga uses in their leggings which is so nice.  But I was surprised to read that they are made of recycled polyester, as well as lycra spandex.  They really don't have that slick and silky polyester feel at all.  They actually feel quite earthy.  I would have guessed some kind of cotton or natural fiber for sure.

I worked out in them already!  I did my normal weights and MIIT cardio workout in them.  They stayed in place perfectly the whole time, and they didn't show sweat at all.  They are on the thinner side, but not sheer when you bend over.  I guess the pattern also helps to disguise any sheerness anyway.  But they are not really meant to compress.  You can deduce from the name "Chaturanga" that they are meant for yoga or other types of low impact activities.  I guess that's why they are only $59!  I think that's a super good price and would definitely get another pair if a cool pattern comes out again in the future. 

Here they are on me!  You can see here on the first picture that from a distance the pattern is really quite subtle:

Love the super wide waistband:

There's a hidden pocket on the inner right hand side of the waistband.  It's wide enough to fit my iPhone 5.  But the phone sticks out a little on top.  Not a big deal.  

You can also see the inner side of the material in the above pic, as well as the flat locked seams.  They have a triangular gusset which I did not take a picture of.

The other item I got from Athleta was this Namaste Seamless bra, in mint green/aqua blue heather.  It comes in a bunch of colors, so I just picked the one I didn't already have.  Though I really like the black/gray one and the red/gray one.

 

This bra has a cute back!  I like that there are two different colors in the straps which will peak out from under tanks.  I got it in size XS.  It looked tiny at first, but it's actually feels looser on than you would think.  It's very low support.  It feels like not having a bra on at all.  I'm not sure I like that.  I feel very insecure in it lol.  They are padded but there's no removable cups.

While I think it's a cute design, I think the price of $44 is high for this bra.  I rather like the seamless bras from Victoria's Secret (supermodel cami bra), and those are 2 for $49 regularly, but go on sale frequently for less.  They offer more support and shaping for a cheaper price so it's kind of a no-brainer.  I think I will return this bra to Athleta and save my pennies.  I hear they have a great return policy.

I just can't get over how this bra makes my boobs look uneven due to different position of my arms... LOL!  That's kind of unacceptable!  It's like the right one (in the pic) is about to go take a walk the other direction...

I'm also not too crazy about the puckering in front of the bra.  It will not look smooth under tanks.  

Anyway, happy I got the crops though!  I will have to keep my eye open for more designs in the future.

Sunday Funday - Special Edition with Lorna Jane Clarkson!

This week has been awesome for a few reasons:

1.  I took Monday off work to bum around so I only had to work 4 days, and tomorrow is MLK day so no work again! (not having to work greatly improves my mood);

2.  Trader Joe's decided to start carrying the cranberry pistachio mini biscotti regularly, it used to be a holiday season item.  It's amazing lol.

3.  My favorite hole in the wall restaurant that closed for a few months due to a fire has re-opened again.  I was pretty much convinced it was gone for good;

4.  I had such a fun time yesterday at the Lorna Jane sponsored blogger event in Santa Monica where I got to meet Lorna Jane Clarkson - the founder of Lorna Jane, whose clothes I love!  She shared with us her story, how she started the business with nothing 25 years ago (she even sold her house!) and her daily routine to stay fit and healthy.  I love hearing stories of people who've made it.  It makes me think that maybe it will happen for me as well (only if I wasn't such a lazy bum lol).  She's very down to earth and relatable, and she looks incredible!  I have pictures as proof... hehehe.  Here she is with me and my friend Dawn!

We wore head to toe Lorna Jane of course.  I wore the Inspire tank with Sunrise bra under it, and Mosaic tights!  I even switched the shoe laces of my purple Nike Free Bionics to orange, so that it would match my outfit!  I kinda like them like that actually.  Might leave it for a while!

We worked out together with Christine Bullock, who was voted LA's hottest trainer.. and she's smoking!  My calves are sore from her dance inspired moves.  I don't do those moves very often, and the Nike Bionics are NOT made for that lol.  

Then we had brunch together at the True Food Kitchen at the Santa Monica Promenade, which happens to be right across from the Santa Monica Lorna Jane store.  It's a Dr. Andrew Weil's restaurant based on his anti-inflammatory diet.  I actually think it's a very sensible program, not another gimmicky diet.  But it's hard to believe the food is healthy because they taste so good!  It was 80 degrees and sunny so we sat outside on the patio to get some Vitamin D!  My table shared 4 appetizers in addition to each person's entree - hummus, smoked salmon dip, edamame dumplings, and a giant bowl of fresh raw veggies with 2 types of dip.  For main course, I got the ahi tuna sliders.  Everything was amazing.  I had been to True Food Kitchen for dinner a long time ago, but I think their brunch is definitely better.  Must go back soon!

Oh and they have all kinds of yummy lemonades.  I had a cucumber honey lemonade!  I have a weird thing for green drinks.

Great day!  Followed by some shopping afterwards which I will have to touch on next week.  :)

Now, onto this week's workouts and outfits!  My trainer changed my workouts to full body circuits.  I have 2 circuits that I alternate, 4 times a week total (so 2 each).  I really like them because they are no joke!  But I get annoyed when people use the stations I need when I'm doing something else.  I don't like leaving a towel or something on a machine for an hour just to keep it to myself, and I actually find it really rude when people do that - you don't own the gym!  But some people sit on one machine for like 20 minutes!!!  All I see is them sitting, not actually using it.  I guess they do 1 rep with 20 minute rest or something.  So irritating!  It's not always feasible to ask them if I can jump in, since a lot of machines I need require loading and unloading weight plates and it's just too much work to switch back and forth.  So I just find something else that's comparable.  But the whole process gives me anxiety!!! 

Oh a separate note, a guy at the gym told me "wow you have a lot of gym clothes".  Ehhhh... you know it's bad when guys start noticing things like that!  In my experience, unless they are gay, they typically think everything looks the same.  :)

Monday 1/13

What I did:  Circuit 1!  It starts with 4 straight sets of bulgarian split squats, then a 4-set circuit consisting of about 6 different exercises that cover the whole body.  I did my 30 minute cardio session on 15% incline treadmill afterwards.

What I wore:  Splits59 Tone Racerback in rose with Victoria's Secret Angel sports bra under it.  Splits59 Nova Capri tights, and black Nike Free Bionics.

I love the Tone Racerback for circuit workouts because it's so thin and open!  Super appreciated for sweaty workouts.  As you can see here, it dips pretty low in the back:

I wore the Splits59 Viper Dismount pullover as to and from:

Tuesday 1/14

What I did:  Circuit #2.  It's pretty similar to circuit 1, but more intense!  It starts with hip thrusts and then 4 sets of 6 exercises, then 3 sets of 2 arms exercises, then 3 sets of these body complex things which are a series of exercises done back to back with light weight.  Then I did my cardio session again.

What I wore:  Lululemon No Limit tank in caspian blue with Lululemon Ebb & Flow crop in deep indigo, and Reebok Crossfit Forging Elite shoes. 

Zobha Biker jacket as to and from:

Wednesday 1/15 - Rest day!  I wore my new Express sweater to work - the Bateau Neck Sheer Stripe sweater.  I was going to exchange the XS for a S, but I decided to just keep it.  I wore a red Express tank under, and Express Wide Waistband Editor pants in black too.  All Express!

Thursday 1/16

What I did:  Circuit 1 again, followed by cardio.

What I wore:  The new Splits59 Danica Liquid Cheetah tank in scarlet!  Omg love it!!!  I put some Lululemon bra cups in between the outside of the tank and the built in bra layer, since it doesn't have room for cup inserts.  They stayed perfectly in place!  I wore Lululemon Power Vinyasa crop on the bottom because I thought what would be better than lace and cheetah print?  :)  Black Nike Free Bionics.

White Lululemon Swiftly LS as to and from.  I love this swiftly over bright colored tanks, but I am normally afraid of doing so over Lululemon's own tanks since you never know when they might start bleeding!  Lol.  I have confidence in Splits59 products because they do quality control and won't sell stuff that bleed.

I also wore another Express outfit to work on the same day!  I really love wearing Express to work since they are always comfortable, fit well, and cheap lol.  I don't want to spend lots of money on work clothes because all I do is sit in them.

I wore this older top - cross-over pleat shell top with the new High Waist Pintucked pencil skirt in heathered gray, and Ivanka Trump Pinkish pumps that match the shirt perfectly!

Friday 1/17

What I did:  Circuit 2 again for the final weight workout of the week!  Then my cardio session again as well to finish that up too.

What I wore:  Lole Spiral tank with Roxy Get Faster crop that I got from the Fitness Magazine blogger event back in October.  I guess I forgot I had them!  First time wearing them, they were actually quite nice!  I like the dark charcoal color.

Splits59 Revive Liquid Scarlet pullover as to and from:

Saturday 1/18 - Lorna Jane blogger event so I worked out with Christine!  Outfit posted above already.  :)

Sunday 1/19

What I did:  I went back to pilates class for the first time in forever!  I better start going way more often before my classes expire!  It was a great class too!

What I wore:  Lululemon Flow and Go tank in white, with Yogasmoga Run Jump 'n Play crop, and my new wedge sneakers I haven't had a chance to write about yet.  Will do that next week!

Splits59 colorblock jacket as to and from because I just heart this jacket so much:

My pilates studio is in Beverly Hills, so I went to the Nespresso flagship boutique afterwards.  It's actually like 2 stores down from Lululemon.  I think Nespresso is smart for copying the Apple concept.  They have a really swanky looking coffee shop in the front of the store where you can get breakfast, brunch, desserts, and of course espresso/coffee drinks.  In the back of the store they do espresso tastings and you can test out different espresso machines they sell.  How cute.  I would never buy an espresso machine, so I just go there for the food lol.  I had a turkey brie sandwich with this amazing tomato bisque in a shot glass.  Greek yogurt parfait, and a latte with a caramel flavored espresso.

Now that's a good way to start a beautiful Sunday!  Then tomorrow will be another lazy day (after working out of course!) of bumming around!  Happy long weekend everyone!