Weekend Reads #43

Blogging isn't what it used to be. And with everything in life that changes and evolves, we can complain and live in the past or embrace it and find ways to have it improve us or our lives. I've been blogging since 2005, I'm a straight up blogging dinosaur and I don't miss the old days though I do find it takes more and more to keep up with the the ever-changing influencer world. When I decided to go full time with blogging, one of my goals was to blog six days a week. More time to dedicate to blogging, more content! But as blogging has become more complex with more administrative needs, I'm finding I have to choose between content and making this site function well, stay engaged with you all, and getting my “office work” completed on time. After long thought, I have decided to pare down to four days a week for content. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and to continue these Weekend Reads. Occasionally there may be more, and in the future, I hope to return to six days a week, but for now, I am going to practice what I preach. Quality, not quantity.

In exchange, I will be reviving my newsletters. I'll have a variety so you can pick what is best for you – a daily email with the latest blog post, a weekly digest, a monthly newsletter offering content different from what is already on the blog. Look for that in the coming weeks. I also have the Wardrobe Oxygen Community on Facebook, where discussions take place about beauty, shoes, travel, and right now there's a thread where women are talking about the Universal Standard Mystery Boxes and swapping items. Also on Instagram, I share content different from the blog in both the feed and Instagram Stories. I encourage you to join me in these places and continue to provide feedback so I can make Wardrobe Oxygen a great destination!

February WO2 Bestsellers

I shared this last month and many of you loved it so I'll continue this feature of the featured items that were the most popular with Wardrobe Oxygen readers. Did you purchase any of these items? Share your review in the comments!

1. Universal Standard Mystery Boxes: This was a promotion Universal Standard had one weekend and based off feedback in the W02 Community many of you are receiving your boxes this week! Let me know what you think of them, what did you receive?
2. Talbots Striped Tee: I see you all love stripes as much as I do! I wore this top in this post and it's a favorite in my wardrobe. Three colors, misses, petite, plus, and plus petite and a great price too!
3. Lands' End Tugless Suit: I shared my suit in this post and it (plus the awesome sale price) inspired many of you to take the plunge.
4. Dagne Dover ‘Dakota' Backpack: Dagne Dover bags are usually in my top 10 every month, but this backpack made the top 5 likely due to my travel post.  I do love this bag…
5. LOFT Leopard Print Sweater: My Weekend Reads get the highest traffic and the highest number of clicks on links.  This was a quick mention in my sale alert but a great piece (available in regular and plus); I'd love to hear from those who bought it what you think of it!

Sale Alert

• Did you know there was a Shopbop sale going on? This is a long-running joke of mine because every affiliate program promotes the heck out of this sale and if you follow a couple blogs you'll see it promoted like CRAZY.  Well they are, it ends today at midnight, use promo code GOBIG19 for 15% off $200+, 20% off $500+, and 25% off $800+. My analytics show that when I link to Shopbop I hardly get a single sale.  They're associated with Amazon and have a good shipping and return policy (hello Prime), but their size range is miniscule and the majority of their stock is neither the pricepoint nor the style most of you are comfortable with.  However, I shop Shopbop (say that five times fast) for accessories like earrings and bags, as their buyers have great eyes.
• Net-A-Porter is another retailer I don't link to often because it's not the pricepoint that the majority of you are comfortable with.  However, they don't just sell Balenciaga and Gucci, and through March 10th get 15% off shoes with the code SHOPSTYLE15. Here's the link to their shoes organized from lowest price to highest and you'll see a lot of shoes I mentioned in this post like the Nike Cortez, Veja, and Converse One Stars are on the site. So yeah, you can possibly find shoes at Net-a-Porter for cheaper than Zappos!
• Old Navy this weekend is offering 30% off your purchase with promo code THANKYOU. Old Navy is a brand I buy more in spring and summer because they do casual throw on with a pair of sandals and go fashion oh so well.  Looking through their New Arrivals I found some real gems:
  • This dress.  I practically owned the same dress years ago (let's walk down memory lane to me wearing it in 2010 while I cheese out with Sarah McLachlan and Lissie at the Lilith Fair). Anyway, the dress was worn until it was threadbare because it could dress up for a baby naming service and also work with beat up boots for a music festival. This dress looks like it would accomplish similar.
  • I'm loving the idea of a white denim jacket this year, especially with some distressing so it doesn't look too precious. Old Navy comes through and it also comes in petite and tall!
  • The perfect spring sweater.  I want to pair it with denim shorts for a breezy evening in the backyard at the beach, and half-tuck now with jeans.
  • The Maryland girl in me wishes these were crabs. I have no idea why I am so drawn to these pants but I freaking love them! I mean, they even have tux-like piping down the side!
  • Old Navy makes great activewear and these leggings may be in my collection very soon.
• Gap is offering 50% off thousands of their styles plus an additional 20% off your entire purchase with promo code NEEDNOW.
  • I have this Sopftspun dress and it's a favorite for throwing on and going.  I've dressed it up with a scarf and cute shoes for work, but it gets the most play styled with sandals or Birks for summer weekends.  A great travel piece.
  • So many shirtdresses are twee or too short for the office.  This one is a chic, modern length that's great for work but also with sandals and a messy updo on weekends. Ignore the styling, envision it with a pair of gold hoops, some brown leather sandals with a low stacked wood heel, maybe switching out the self belt for a leather one in your closet. I'm tempted to buy this just to do the dress some justice with proper styling and a smile!
  • For YEARS I have wanted a nut-brown leather denim-style jacket.  Something to get beat up and worn and molded to fit my body, that I'd style with white jeans and a gray cashmere turtleneck or a gauzy maxi dress and sandals. My wallet can't justify this jacket, but it's exactly what I've dreamed of.
  • For all of you looking for 5″ denim shorts without a cuff or frayed hem Gap has you covered. And for those who prefer a 10″ length short, these Bermudas are classic and get great reviews. I'm a fan of these 9″ hiking shorts which would be great for weekends, whether or not they include an outdoor activity; they remind me a lot of my Zella shorts from a few seasons ago yet a nicer price.
• Banana Republic has 40% off your order, no code needed.
  • I love the length of this t-shirt dress, don't be surprised to see this on the blog in the future.
  • This is one of those dresses you buy and wear all the time.  Pair it with a blazer for a work meeting when you want to look fierce, wear it to a day wedding, a night out, any time you want to feel stylish and powerful.
  • I love the stripes of these short-sleeved sweaters.  So fresh with white jeans or a pair of ankle pants and pointed toe flats.
  • The maxi dress you'll wear to every event this spring and summer.
  • You know I love Banana's suiting, and at 40% off it's a great time to try it for yourself.
• ASOS has 20% off full-priced items with promo code NEWNEW. ASOS is hit or miss with me, I usually have the best luck with their dresses and their shoes.  If you have wide feet, ASOS is such a great place for on-trend shoes that fit.
• Target has their swimwear buy one, get one 50% off today.  Also, their home collection is an extra 25% off.

Weekend Reads

Finally some good news for J. Crew, a company that often disappoints yet I just can't quit. They've tapped Chris Benz as head of Womenswear Design.  Benz worked at J. Crew before, back in the aughts under Jenna Lyons before he went to create his own label. I think this is a very smart move for the brand. (BoF)

Continuing with the retail news… head to DSW for great prices on footwear… and a manicure? (Fast Company)

Curious how this will affect the brands… Gap splitting into two publicly-traded companies, one for Old Navy and one for the rest of the Gap brands (Gap, Athleta, Banana Republic, Intermix, Hill City). (NPR)

Woah. Have you ever reported content on Facebook or Instagram? Meet the Facebook moderators, people who have to view all that reported content day in and out. I can't even imagine such a job. (The Verge)

“We live in a world where many people feel entitled to luxury. Treating oneself has become the norm. Saving money to buy, well, pretty much anything, feels like an outdated notion. And that’s where premium mediocre swoops in…” A serious burn by Eugene Rabkin for Business of Fashion.  Can't say he's wrong…

Oh, it only took 175 years… women are now performing in Harvard's Hasty Pudding theater group. (Boston.com)

Who didn't sing along to this song while riding in the car, getting ready for a night out, camping with friends, or chilling with friends sometime during their teen or young adult years? I specifically have a memory of being in a room at my sorority house with older sisters, I may have been a pledge or a newly initiated sister. My friend and I were sitting on the bottom bunk of a bunk bed while the sisters were finishing getting ready, putting on makeup, choosing what flannel to tie around their waist.  And this song came on and all three of them stopped to sing along and invited us to join in and it's a lasting image of what being in a sorority was for me. On the 30th anniversary of “Closer to Fine” by the Indigo Girls. (Stereogum)

I don't report a lot on fashion week because I believe more in style than fashion and trends.  However, since what is on the runway trickles down to the malls, I think it's important to have a general idea of what's going on.  I fully agree with Cathy Horyn's opinion on Dior and feel it will trickle down to where those feminist slogan t-shirts will become as cliche as the one saying you know guac costs extra.  It means nothing if there isn't action to go along with it. Buy your message shirts from retailers that give back to causes you care about.  And don't just wear it, act on it.  Donations, letters to politicians, participate in marches, start difficult conversations, volunteer your time… a t-shirt won't change the world, especially if it costs $700. (The Cut)

While we're on this topic… (Jezebel)

A fantastic, heartfelt interview with Michael J. Fox. (NY Times)

Another fantastic intereview with a fantastic person, this time Stevie Nicks. (Rolling Stone)

We were discussing gray hair in the WO2 Community on Facebook, I dye my hair because I prefer to, I like the effect just like I like mascara and lipstick.  But I support people choosing to rock their gray, whether it's a few glistening strands or full-on silver vixen. This piece from Refinery29 featuring women with gray hair is gorgeous, inspiring, and stunningly beautiful women and styling. (R29)

If I didn't need another reason to love her… Frances McDormand wore acid yellow Birkenstocks to the Oscars (Vogue) Thanks to Krista for emailing me this factoid first! And if you want to be cool like Frances (and me who owns four pairs) I've pulled some of my favorite Birks currently available online:

For Your Entertainment

I'm too old to have been into the Disney Channel, so I didn't “get” into any of the Jonas Brothers until they broke up and did their own individual things. But the brothers are back together with a super catchy song and a decadent fashion-y video featuring their real-life significant others as their love interests. I expect this song to be everywhere this spring.