It’s time for another FabFitFun box review – this time for the Winter 2019 box, which the last in my annual subscription. If you read my last review, for the Fall 2019 box, you know that I was less than enthused with it and was contemplating not re-subbing for next year. Well, this time around, there was certainly less reason to complain. I still haven’t 100% decided what to do about my subscription, but I am leaning more towards re-subbing than not. I would like to see some kind of discount, though, so we shall see what, if anything, FFF offers come January.

On to the Winter 2019 box.

It looked nicer (fuller) than the last box. I also ordered 2 extras, as I had a $25 credit which I wanted to use up in case this was my last box. Although those extras were packaged in the same larger box, they were separate from the FFF box itself (shown above). They were simply wrapped in a plastic bag and dumped into the larger box, which I found a bit odd. Luckily, the items did not appear to be the worse for it.

The first extra I ordered, from the Add Ons, was this R+Co hair spray. I’ve had rotten luck with hairsprays lately. I used to use L’Oreal Elnett, but over time it didn’t seem to have the kind of holding power I wanted. I tried a couple of other higher end brands from Winners (Sebastian and Redken, I think) and was underwhelmed. I had been using Tresemme because (a) it’s cheap, and (b) it’s quite strong, but didn’t like that it left my hair quite crisp-feeling.

I have been hearing good things about R+Co from my co-worker, who raves about it all the time, so I decided to try their strongest hold spray as a test. I paid $9USD for it (but $0 out of pocket). I have to say that I quite like it. It has good hold, but doesn’t cause any crispiness even after multiple sprays. The only potential downside is that it has a very strong smell. I am not scent-sensitive, and this particular smell doesn’t bother me, but I can see it being an issue for some people. Retail value: I forgot to check, but I think around $19USD.

The second extra I ordered was actually from the Winter Box itself; I ended up wanting 2 of the options in the first customization tier – the R+CO hair bundle (see below) and the Kate Sommerville Goat Milk moisturizer — so I paid an extra $15USD (but free after applying my credit) to get both. I wanted to try the KS cream because it’s one of those brands that influencers seem to love; since it’s on the pricey side, it’s not something I would normally buy for myself. So far, after a few tries, this moisturizer seems to be fine, if not exactly life-changing. I’m happy that I got to try it but, honestly, I don’t think it’s any better than my trusty CeraVe cream. Retail value: $65USD.

I don’t take baths so I decided to choose this product as a future Xmas gift. The other options were meh. Retail value: $16USD.

I was interested I trying this primer, but I’m not sure if I love it. Mostly, I can’t really tell if it makes a visible difference in how my skin looks. It doesn’t make it look worse, certainly, but I’m not sure if it makes it look better. I may not be a good candidate for primers in general, though, since I don’t have a lot of skin unevenness to contend with, and only wear powder foundation. Retail value: $55.

This spray came in every box, and it’s a bit of a “meh” for me. Again, it has a very strong smell. More importantly, I don’t have long enough hair to worry about tangling, nor do I blow-dry my hair. Out of curiosity, I sprayed it on (air-dried) hair before using my curling iron and didn’t notice any substantial change/improvement in how my hair behaved. I have also used it on my daughter’s hair as a detangler, and it worked ok but not significantly better than my usual go-to (L’Oreal Miracle Oil). I will probably end up using this spray for my daughter, but it’s not something I can see re-purchasing in the future. Retail value: $23USD.

There is a new feature with FFF boxes where an extra product is selected for you by the FFF team. For the Winter Box, the choice was between this body wash and a hand mask. I probably would have personally used the hand mask, but I will gift this product. Retail value: $39.95USD.

This was the R+Co hair product bundle that I was most excited to try because I’ve heard so many good things about it. I am not fanatical about shampoos and conditioners, and tend to use whatever “professional” brands I can find at Winners – like Joico, Redken, Frederic Fekkai, etc. I’ve now used the R+Co duo a couple of times and … it’s fine. Actually, it’s probably better than fine but I’m not sure I’m in a position to fully appreciate it. I have short hair and I never wear it “as is” (I always either straighten it or curl it) so the way it feels after a wash isn’t that important to me. That being said, the duo did leave my hair very soft but still able to hold a curl (sometimes, too soft is no good). It will be interesting to see what happens when I straighten my hair – whether it will lack volume or no (again, most products that make my hair soft tend to leave it pretty limp). Retail value: $64USD.

This was a product that came in every box. A lot of people seem to swear by it. I already have cloths that I use to remove my (minimal) make-up, so I’m not necessarily in the market for something like this. It may be a good option for travelling, however. Retail value: $20USD.

This was a customization and I’m quite happy with it. I’m an old school type who still uses a paper day-timer at work. This one has a decent weekly layout and the cover looks acceptably “grown up”. Retail value: $27.95USD.

Lastly, this was another customization which I selected as a potential Xmas gift. I have several friends who would love these slippers, but they are so nice, I may just end up keeping them for myself. We’ll see. Retail value: $45USD.

All in all, I am satisfied with my box and the value I feel that I am getting from it (between the items I have tried and plan to continue using and those I plan to gift). It was certainly a vast improvement over the Fall Box, and it made me much more interested in seeing what Spring 2020 has to offer. To be continued … maybe.

Culotte Chic

I have been getting more and more interested in vintage clothing, especially stuff from the late 80s and 90s. A lot of it is coming back in style/trending right now, and the quality is far superior to what you can find at trendy retailers like Zara and Simmons. Take these high waisted culottes. The tailoring is wonderful – the pleating, front and back, is truly a work of art. They are made out of mid-weight wool that has structure to it but doesn’t feel stiff. They were made in Canada by a brand called Aljean; my guess is sometime in the 80s. They have held up so, so well and fit my current aesthetic perfectly. I tend to wear pants less frequently these days, unless it’s pants that look like skirts. The high waisted silhouette goes well with a cropped jacket, like this ruffled Tabitha number. Overall, this is a simple outfit, but it’s the special details that make it, well, fun.

Notes: Floreat top (thrifted, $6); Tabitha jacket (thrifted, $7); Aljean pants (thrifted, $6.50); Poppy Barley shoes (thrifted, $25); Rafael Canada necklace (eBay, $60).

Rethinking Gingham

I know I said I don’t wear pants very often these days — literally above — but last week was an exception, okay? I am loving the pleating details of this Deletta top at the moment. I usually find gingham too “sweet”, but this black and white version doesn’t strike me as such. To match its avante-garde(ish) vibe, I paired it with this softly structured boucle Derek Lam jacket. The top also inspired the choice of colour palette: black, white and red. Not cutting edge but always a reliable standby.

Notes: Deletta top (consignment, $11); Derek Lam jacket (thrifted, $12); Aritzia pants (thrifted $8); J. Crew shoes (retail, $80).

Weekend Wear Woes

I have to admit to struggling lately with my weekend wear. I used to rock casual looks the last couple of winters, but since I’ve stopped wearing jeans as often, I feel like I’ve fallen into a rut. I can certainly layer up dresses and skirts to make them weather appropriate for my needs (I am rarely outside for very long), but I find it difficult to make them look interesting; at the end of the day, all you can really see is the massive coat on top. Blogger problems, y’all. Anyway, this outfit was clearly me giving up on that task and embracing what I know well: a fun outfit with jeans.

Notes: Monogram sweater (thrifted, $7); AG jeans (thrifted, $9.50); Amaryllis coat (retail, $36); Nordstrom Rack earrings (retail, $30); Arnold Churgin boots (thrifted, $20).

People ask me all the time about how I know which lesser-known brands are worth picking up at thrift stores – i.e. which are the expensive brands. I go about this in one of 2 ways. Some brands I recognize because I follow fashion industry accounts on social media and occasionally leaf through fashion magazines; I have a lamentably large capacity for storing mostly useless information, so I can recall brand names I saw in passing even years later.

Otherwise, every time I spot signs of a higher-quality garment but don’t immediately recognize to brand label, I look it up on my phone and see if there are any listings from sites from Lyst or Shopbop, or high-end retailers like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus or Saks.

I thought it might be useful to share some of my recent (and not so recent) brand discoveries and/or labels that aren’t very well-known but which are worth watching out for; I hope this will serve as a resource for fellow thrifters/online bargain hunters.

Antipast – Created by textile designers Junko Jinushi and Kyoko Kato in 1991. Name references Italian appetizer that “sets anticipation for the meal to come”. Made in Japan. This skirt from the brand is one of my faves:

Oska – German brand started in 1997. Their website states that they have fully integrated production, the majority of which is done by 2 Czech partner companies. My skirt is, indeed, made in the Czech Republic:

Ovate – Canadian company founded in 2010. According to the website, all pieces are entirely handcrafted by 2 people (including the owner Audrey Cantwell) at their Montreal studio. All pieces are sold directly through their website or via the studio, and are made in very small quantities. I feel even luckier to have found one of their dresses:

Boo Radley – Australian brand founded in Melbourne in 2005. Sold in boutiques in Australia and New Zealand. According to their website, they manufacture their own clothes, although I wasn’t able to find a lot more information about that. Based on what I’ve seen locally (in thrift stores), they do lots of nice linen pieces – a sort of Eileen Fisher aesthetic. I have this one pair of linen pants I quite like:

Marc Cain – German brand founded in 1973. I would say it’s like a European Tory Burch in terms of aesthetic and retail price point. They do a lot of interesting prints (but nothing too gaudy) and details. Manufactured primarily in European countries; their knits are apparently now made at their own factory in Germany. I own several pieces, including this blazer (made in Romania):

Akris/Akris Punto – Swiss luxury brand founded in 1922. This is by no means a little-known brand – they do runway collections, after all – but for some reason it’s not as popular as, say, MaxMara. It’s basically a fancier, pricier MaxMara. Akris Punto is the “relaxed sportwear” line – i.e. the slightly less fancy side. Everything is made in Switzerland and, yeah, the quality is bananas. I currently only own one pair of pants from Akris Punto but this is a brand I consider a major score:

Crea Concept – French brand offering contemporary womens wear founded circa 2004. I could not find a lot of information about the company or its manufacturing practices online, but it’s sold at major department stores in the UK and boutiques like Blu’s here in Canada. I have found a few cool pieces at the thrift store including this silk skirt:

Barbara Bui – French high-end designer, who presented her first collection at Paris Fashion Week in 1987. Less boho than Isabel Marant, but still very much French girl chic. I think most pieces are made in France, including my cool wool-fringe skirt:

Suno (defunct) – American brand founded in 2008 (closed down 2016). It was designed in New York and made by local artisans in countries where the brand sourced fabrics (including Romania, Italy and Kenya). It won several CFDA awards, including for Womenswear Ethical Production in 2013. The skirt I have thrifted has the most beautiful hems I have seen on any garment:

by Malene Birger – Danish designer brand founded inn 1997. Similar aesthetic to Theory or Vince, similarly priced at retail. My tunic is made in China, but the website didn’t list a lot of concrete information about manufacturing practices:

Filippa K – Swedish company founded in 1993. Advertised as sustainable Scandi fashion. I recently thrifted a merino wool cardigan from this brand; although it’s made in China, the quality feels quite good. Retail prices appear to be on par with Vince, Rag & Bone, etc.

Modern Vice – Designer footwear brand founded and handmade in New York. Appear to be most famous for their boots, like the Jett style (which I was lucky enough to thrift recently); retail prices are $400USD and up.

Sarah Pacini – Designer brand from Belgium founded over 20 years ago. All pieces are made in Italy. Personally, it reminds me of a softer, more romantic Rick Owens aesthetic. One of my fave designers. I have thrifted quite a few pieces over the years, but this leather vest (secondhand from Red Pony Consignment) is one of the best:

Lida Baday (defunct) – Canadian high-end fashion designer; brand founded in 1987, going out of business in 2014. According to Wikipedia, she was called Canada’s equivalent to Calvin Klein (i.e. a classic, feminine, minimalist, sophisticated aesthetic). Her pieces hold up very well, and are great for work wear. I would put it on par with MaxMara. I have thrifted several pieces, including this blazer:

Iris & Ink – A contemporary womens wear brand launched in 2012 by The Outnet. Apparently the “Iris” part was inspired by Iris Apfel, one of the creative director’s favourite fashion icons. It’s not a high-end designer, but it’s marketed as “affordable luxury” (meaning retail price point starting around $100 and up). I recently spotted but didn’t thrift a lamb leather top from the brand.

Vanessa Bruno – French luxury designer who launched her label in 1996. I believe she has or had a diffusion line called Athe. According to Lyst, the “epitome of luxe, carefree Parisian style”. I no longer own this dress, but it was a very fun one:

Sea – New York-based brand founded in 2009. Similar aesthetic to Isabel Marant but with a NYC cool girl twist. I once spotted but didn’t thrift a blazer, which I still kind regret leaving behind. The finishing details were very, very nice.

I have limited the above list to brands I have personally spotted (or thrifted) here in Edmonton, so this is not exhaustive by any means. There are at least a dozen more lesser known brands that I have on my BOLO (be on the lookout) list, including Sezane, Polene (bags), Staud, and others.

If you have your own “hidden” gems, please share in the comments.