I’m back today with a mini-review of a few new items from Everlane – and I’m extra-excited to share these with you as nearly all of these items are from their latest travel-ready collections!
Summer is my least-favorite season to dress for, as the heat leaves little room for creative layering. My summer outfits usually align with one of the following formulas:
Shorts, tank, and sandals.
Skirt, tank, and sandals.
Dress and sandals.
Jumpsuit and sandals.
+ a cardigan or light jacket that stays in the back seat of my car to help fend off any aggressive air conditioning.
It’s… fine. When the mercury soars, just about all I can really focus on is staying cool and comfortable. But it can get boring.
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This summer I’m looking to add a few versatile pieces that are designed to not only help me stay cool, but are interesting in their own way (because there’s just no hiding a blah-outfit under a cute coat in the summertime!). I’m also hoping to up my accessories game a bit; I’ll never be the kind of person who splurges on an ultra-luxe handbag because I know I’ll destroy it in a heartbeat, but I also know that I need bags that are sturdy enough to handle the wear and tear.
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Today I’m sharing a mini-review of four newly released items from Everlane that align with those goals: The Daytripper Shirtdress, The Italian Leather Tourist Heel, The Linen Way-High Drape Pant, and The Cactus Leather Hobo. I find that each item makes just enough of a statement, while still fitting in nicely with the rest of my closet. Shall we dive on in?
The Daytripper Shirtdress
The Daytripper Shirtdress ℅ Color | Dark Navy / White Size | XS Price | $98 Also wearing | Sunglasses | Earrings | Necklace | Belt* | Bag℅ | Sneakers℅
Even though navy is generally considered a neutral and I love neutrals, there are very few shades of blue in my wardrobe. But for some reason I really felt drawn to this summery stripe. The Daytripper Shirtdress has a drastic high-low hem, and feels almost triangular in shape (perfect for when you want as little fabric as possible touching your body – and for a little extra airflow!). Unless the temps are in the upper nineties, though, I’m likely belting this dress at the waist. The hidden side seam pockets are well-placed, and on me at least, belting doesn’t interfere with access. The addition of a tab at the yoke is a fun detail that doesn’t go unnoticed. As for sizing, in most dresses I usually take a size small or medium, depending on the fit in the hips – I had an inkling I needed to take an XS in this dress and I’m glad I did. While there is still plenty of room in my hips to size down once more, it would be way too tight in the shoulders and bust. I look forward to styling this easy dress with both sandals and sneakers all summer long (and it’s been so hot here that I can’t even begin to think about adding any type of legging or ponte pants right now, but perhaps in the cooler weather this shirtdress can even transform into a tunic). In the meantime, I’ll be wearing a pair of slip shorts underneath for added security from ill-timed gusts of wind.
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The Italian Leather Tourist Heel
The Italian Leather Tourist Heel℅ Color | Black Size | 7.5 Price | $160 Also wearing | Pant℅
So, square toed shoes have been back “in” for awhile now, and I’m finally feeling ready to once again dip my toe in the (square?) water. The chunky heel and strappy upper of The Italian Leather Tourist Heel remind me of shoes I wore in middle and high school, which simultaneously feels strange yet oddly comforting. This shoe has an approachable 2 inch height, comes in three colors (both the Coffee and Canvas Tan versions have a contrasting black sole and heel – but I chose the Black because it seems a bit more timeless). But how does it feel? This heeled sandal has a pillowy insole, and the hidden elastic gore helps it move with your foot (and reduces the slap-slap-slap sound I made all throughout my teen years). Shoes are the only Everlane category I can consistently purchase my usual size (7.5), and that remains the case here. I look forward to sliding my feet into these to hustle out the door all summer long – while still managing to look put together.
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The Linen Way-High Drape Pant
The Linen Way-High Drape Pant℅ Color | Tawny Brown Size | 4 Price | $118 Also wearing | Tank℅ | Heels℅ | Sunglasses | Earrings | Necklace | Bag
I was a bit nervous to order The Linen Way-High Drape Pant because of the pleats, as they hit me right at my widest point (great for movement, less great when you wind up with a whole front-butt thing going on). But somehow for this pant it just works. The 13.5″ rise is indeed way-high, but the fabric is so light that it doesn’t bunch uncomfortably. The model wears her pair right below her belly-button, giving it a slouchier look – but I prefer to wear mine at my natural waist in order to achieve a balance of tailored and lived-in cool. The wide waistband is a treat, and so far hasn’t buckled or folded over. But if you plan to wear a belt, you may want to choose a wider option so it’s not just floating inside the belt loops. Reviews indicate this pant runs sheer, but the Tawny Brown shade is dark enough that you can’t see my body underneath (though I will always choose nude-to-me underwear to be safe). The elephant in the room here is the length, of course. Everlane indicates it’s “intended to be a floor-length slouchy look,” but unless I only want to wear heels, the 30″ inseam is more of a tripping hazard. I plan on hemming these slightly so they graze the top of my foot.
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The Cactus Leather Hobo
The Cactus Leather Hobo℅ Color | Honey Price | $150 Also wearing | Dress℅ | Sunglasses | Earrings | Necklace | Sneakers℅
Even though I do occasionally eat meat, I still have my qualms about the leather industry. But to my understanding, most of the alternative leathers are perhaps even worse for the environment (since they’re largely made of plastic) and/or have an incredibly short lifespan (which means we’re buying even more products). So I was both curious and apprehensive when Everlane released their bags made from Desserto® cactus leather.
I’m mostly used to eating nopal cactus, but apparently the prickly plants are great for making products and great for the planet as they require zero irrigation and act like a natural carbon sink (and you know I can’t resist a pun – the “No watering. No pesticides. Nopales.” campaign phrase worked like a well-marketed charm on me).
The results? Cactus leather feels pretty dang close to real leather, right down to the fuzzy interior. Since it’s so new, I obviously can’t attest to the durability – but for now, I’m happy to report that it feels both incredibly supple and sturdy (though it does show a little creasing). There’s certainly no plasticky-ness like the pleather of old. This bag goes in and out of stock of its three colorways (Honey, Black and a fun cactus-y Pepper), so snap it up if you’ve been eyeing it. The strap length is adjustable, and the interior slip pocket is incredibly helpful. If I had to change one thing about this bag, I would add a closure of some sort for added security when traveling; for now I’m just keeping a close eye on things.
Update: I shared a review of this bag after one year of use – head here to give it a read!
*this item is no longer available and a similar product is linked
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Looking for more Everlane reviews? You may also like:
- Performance Review: A Look at Everlane’s Cactus Leather After One Year of Use
- A Review of The ReWool Way-High Drape Pant, The Organic Wide-Leg Pant, The Way-High Sailor Jean, The Italian Leather Chelsea Boot, and The ReNew Catch-All Case
- A review of The Poplin Short-Sleeve Box Shirt, The Cotton-Merino Cami, The ReLeather Tennis Shoe, The Linen Shoestring Jumpsuit, The Organic Cotton Cutaway Tank, The Alpaca Cropped V Cardigan, and The Smock Dress
- A review of The Curvy Way-High Jean, The Japanese GoWeave Slip Dress, The Eyelet Puff Sleeve Top, The Way-High Canvas Short, The A-Line Denim Short, and The Clean Silk Short-Sleeve Square Shirt
- Comparing The Gathered Drape Trench and The Long Mac Coat
- Home Try-On: The Arc Jean
- A review of The Curvy ’90s Cheeky Jean, The Organic Cotton Tissue Tank, The Gathered Drape Trench, and The ReLeather Tennis Shoe
- A review of The Day Crossover Sandal
Do you enjoy summer dressing? Do you have any favorite hot-weather outfit combos?
The shirt-dress and the pants look great on you. Wide-legged pants are my go-to for hot summer days and now I’m wondering whether I need one in this mustard colour…
Thank you – we need all the airflow we can get right now! The color is much more mustardy in person than on the model, and I’m not mad about it.
I was pretty impressed by the cactus leather. It looks pretty good! Curious to hear how it wears over time. Too bad it lacks a closure, though. A magnet closure would be great on it. I’m experimenting right now with adding some adhesive velcro to another Everlane tote that doesn’t have a closure.
I’m curious to hear how the velcro works out! Thankfully the slight teardrop shape of this bag keeps everything buried at the bottom, and so far I haven’t lost anything by knocking it over. I wondered if something about the cactus leather makes it more difficult to add hardware, but of course the strap has some. I’m definitely really hard on my bags, so this one will definitely be put to the test…