Weekend Reads #76

If you can't see the video above, you can view it at this link.

Back in July, I went to Nashville for the cabi conference called The Scoop. At this link you can read about my cabi Scoop experience. In that post I said they videoed us influencers and I'd share it with you once it is available.  Well it's available above!  I shared in that original post how I slipped in the shower and cut my foot and it caused me to run so late and be quite the hot mess, and because I didn't have the time I expected, a wet mess with my damp hair.  But cabi's team is so good at making one feel at ease.  They powdered my nose and let me take a breath and this is the result. Last week I shared I went to LA for just a short bit, it was also for cabi. That content I will be able to share in January, and I can't wait to see what it looks like.  After seeing how they pulled this fab video together from what a mess I was that morning, I cannot wait!  The longer I blog, the pickier I am with the brands I partner with.  I continue to partner with cabi because I like the company beyond their fashion.  I love that they give back, that their stylists can earn a true income and are empowered with great tools and not pushed to recruit all their friends and neighbors.  They respect me as a blogger, my voice, and how I wish to style and showcase their clothes. I love that this spring they are trying out extended sizing, something I have been asking for since I found out about the brand.  Do know when I do a campaign with a brand, when you see that a post is sponsored by a company, or even if I am wearing c/o (courtesy of or gifted) items, I'm doing it because I made a definite decision to associate my name and my reputation with that brand.  Sometimes I make mistakes, but I learn from them and don't repeat them.

The holiday season is coming; in Blogger World holidays start as soon as Halloween is over.  I will have sponsored posts, but you can bet that they are all brands I truly believe in, products I have tried and like, clothing that fits a minimum of a size 16, and content that is on my terms, written in my voice, styled the way I want.  As I shared in this post about how blogs make money, sponsored posts are necessary for me to keep the lights on at Wardrobe Oxygen, but I'd rather struggle to make ends meet one month than partner with a brand or promote a product I don't believe in. I want you to be an informed consumer, if you ever have a question about any brand I showcase or partner with, ask.  The most valuable aspect of my business is your trust.

October's Charity Contribution

The month is almost over, I'd love your feedback on which charity should receive a portion of Wardrobe Oxygen's profits for October.  Please fill out the form below with your anonymous vote; if you can't see the form you can access it at this link.

Sale Alert

Through the end of October, use WARDROBEOXYGEN20 at checkout to save 20% off your entire order at Universal Standard.

• I'd like to apologize for those who have used my Universal Standard links in the past week and found the links to be broken and share weird error messages.  I reached out to this affiliate company that Universal Standard uses and they said it sometimes happens when a brand is low on funds.  Low on funds doesn't mean that the company is struggling, but they may be just a day late with updating their account. I used to use a different program and didn't encounter this issue, but it pays half the amount in commission as this one. So thank you for notifying me of the issues you're encountering.  As always, if you wish to use an affiliate link, you can click on this page where I have links to all the retailers I love, and it's the lower-paying but more reliable affiliate program for Universal Standard.

Colleen Rothschild is one of my favorite skincare brands and through this weekend they have 25% off everything with promo code FALL25. If you're new to the brand I recommend trying their Discovery Kit which is their bestsellers, all in TSA-friendly sizes (and most containers are refillable), or the Radiant Cleansing Balm which is the cleanser I've been using for about two years.

Gap currently has everything in the store up to 50% off and you can get an extra 10% off online with promo code TREAT.  I'm loving this striped sweater, this cableknit turtleneck I featured in yesterday's post, and this cableknit crewneck.  This is the kind of sweater dress you'll want to wear all winter with leggings and booties or fleece tights and tall boots.  And this velvet jumpsuit, which comes in petite and tall, is the kind of piece you can dress up and down for most any occasion between now and May.

Cacique has its panties on sale this weekend 7 pairs for just $35 plus free shipping on any orders over $100. While Cacique was rated by you as one of the top brands for plus size underwear, I think few realize that they now offer sizes 0/2-26/28.

Soma has their Cool Nights pajama sets on sale for $49. This is awesome as these sets are usually $60 and this fabric is ah-may-zing.  Silky, cooling, and launders beautifully.  Please note the sale is only for the sets at this link, not the whole Cool Nights collection.

J. Crew has 35% off full-priced styles with promo code WEARNOW.  It's clear from the comments in this post that people aren't keen on J. Crew's cashmere but they still rock for other aspects of their collection:

• In the Wardrobe Oxygen Community there has been discussion about something between a cardigan and a traditional blazer.  J. Crew is great for this with options such as their Going Out Blazer, Textured Long Belted Cardigan, Juliette Sweater Blazer, and the Ella Sweater Blazer.
• At this time of year I'm always on the hunt for a camis and shells to work under blazers and sweaters to add a bit of glam.  I'm digging this velvet one with straps wide enough for a standard bra, and I already own three of this one.
• Now this is what you call a pair of party pants.
• For those sad that my zebra-stripe tee from Banana Republic sold out already, this is a pretty good alternative.
• I dig a silk tee with jeans, under a blazer, paired with a fancy skirt or party pants.  I like the looks of this one for shape, color options, but also the ethics. It's bluesign® approved and crafted at a LEED®-certified facility whose manufacturing process uses less water and energy—and it's dyed without hazardous chemicals.

Talbots has their Friends and Family sale continuing with 30% off everything with promo code FRIENDS.  Earlier this week I shared my picks from this sale.

Chico's has 25% off full-price styles with promo code 45766.  My picks from their new releases:

• I did a campaign last year reviewing Chico's Coolmax Turtleneck and became OBSESSED.  Seriously, I love it so much it made me look forward to wearing it again this fall.  Good weight (more sweater, less layering piece), good fit, and it keeps you warm without overheating.  It's utterly genius and it's back in 12 different colors and in petite sizing too.
• Leopard is a THING this season. Embrace the trend but in a different way with this chic gray leopard faux fur coat with a self belt to cinch and add a feminine and sophisticated touch.
• Okay Chico's I see you with these pretty perfect trousers.  I love that they come in short as well as petite, tall, regular, three perfect neutral shades, and sizes up to 20.  Oh, and they get stellar customer reviews too!
• I'm a fan of chico's Juliet pants.  They are like a heavyweight ponte with perfect stretch and thick enough to be work-appropriate even with a shorter sweater. They pull on, have a slimming panel, come in a great mix of colors and regular, short, petite, and tall options.  You can see them on me in this post and this post.
• I totally want this sweater to wear with faux leather leggings and booties.
• And how fabulous is this ring?

Weekend Reads

Well, since you put it that way, it is pretty weird going to a restaurant. (New Yorker)

I am a fan of eShakti – you can customize clothing for a reasonable price, they have a wonderful size range, I find the quality to be quite good. eShakti has come out with a new line called Elements – all dresses start at just $34.95 making the brand even more affordable.  You can see the Elements collection at this link.

“We do not talk openly about miscarriage and fertility in America, and yet miscarriage is more common than the flu. One in six women will miscarry during their lifetime, and there isn’t a singular reason.” “I’ve been pregnant nine times, and I have one child. For years, I never told anyone about my miscarriages, because as a professional American woman, I’d been indoctrinated to mute the implications of my gender.” A powerful read. (The Atlantic)

Wondering what Fiona Apple has been up to? Now you know. (Vulture)

Her grandfather founded the Westboro Baptist Church.  Twitter helped her leave it.  An interview with Megan Phelps-Roper. (Gen by Medium)

So ModCloth got bought by Walmart, and now has been sold by Walmart. The future of this company is unclear. (Buzzfeed)

Are terms like boss babe and She-E-O offensive?  A piece by the co-founder of a now-defunct company called She-E-O. (The Riveter)

Iggy Pop is 72, still taking his shirt off, still a badass, and has a new album. He spent some time with GQ for their masculinity issue. (GQ)

“Imagine if “fat” weren’t considered such a bad word, with such ugly, unfair connotations. Imagine if fat people were free to openly embrace our own bodies with the same autonomy as people with other body types. Imagine if they—those who fear the normalizing of bodies like ours and use “fat” as a weapon and a lament—did not so desperately and continually and pathetically seek to control not only our physicality but also our emotionality and attitudes towards our very selves.” (Wear Your Voice)

For Your Entertainment

Mika is back… though to those in the UK you may not have ever noticed he left.  Here in the US, he made a name for himself in 2007 with his song “Grace Kelly” and many found “Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)” which was a song inspired by the prejudices his mother experienced, as an anthem. His latest album, My Name Is Michael Holbrook was released earlier this month and this is one of the very catchy singles from it.