It's that time, it's that time!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are upon us. 

​Now let me be straight with you, personally I don't buy into the whole obligatory gifting frenzy. I find it a lot more fun to be spontaneous with gifting and intentional about what I buy for who and when.

​Still, I really appreciate a good sale especially now that I am trying to spend more time planning purchases and investing in quality items that will last me and my loved ones for a long time. 

So without further adieu, here are some of the great sales going on and a few of my picks! 

Table of Contents:
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Butcher Box Black Friday Sale
Encircled Clothing Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sale 
Mott & Bow Jeans Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sale
Nisolo Shoes Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sale
Pact Clothing Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sale
Tradlands Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sale

A few of the things I repurchase again and again from butcher box are:

• St Louis Ribs
• Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon
• Cod
• Ground Beef
• Niman Ranch BBQ Pulled Pork
• Italian Sausages
• Apple Gouda Sausage
• Bacon
• Flat Iron Steaks

See all Butcher Box reviews, best price list, and related posts here

• Dari Boots! (of course! Initial Dari Boot review here)
• All Day Heeled Mule Brandy
• Clara Crossbody in Rosewood
• Cordoba Backpack
• Talia Braided Belt
• Noemi Belt

I purchased these two long sleeve organic cotton tops (white and black) as wardrobe basics for my capsule wardrobe from Pact. Pact is a great place to find organic cotton basics at an approachable price.

First Impressions: I’m not in love with the fit of the organic cotton stretch fit long sleeve tees from pact, primarily the way they sit on my neck/shoulders. I’m not sure if it’s a sizing thing or a design thing. I was between XS and S in the sizing chart and went with XS because I wanted a snugger fit. The fit otherwise is fine, so I am wondering if the Small would have fit better around the neck and shoulders? These foundational pieces I primarily plan to use for layering, making the 100% perfect fit less of a priority. I'm curious to see how the fit will be over time!

These tees are 93% organic cotton and 7% Elastane. I can definitely feel the difference between the fabric in this shirt and my original pact purchase (read about them here and 1 year update here).


TIP: Wearing a lightweight, fitted shirt as a base layer can both aid in keeping you warm in the cool months and simultaneously preserve the life of your other garments such as cashmere sweaters (here or here), silk blouses (like this one or this one), and even cotton sweaters! The inner most layer can absorb any sweat etc. from your body and minimize the frequency of washes needed for your investment pieces!

Overall Rating 4/5 - These tees definitely serve the purpose I bought them for and will be worn well.
Would be a 5/5 if the fit was better on me! 

​Pact Organic Cotton Stretch Fit Long Sleeve Tee Review

Full review here.

Recently realized mycapsule wardrobe has two obvious footwear gaps - a light colored flat and a black flat, both for primary use with dress clothes. I snagged a pair of leather pointed toe flats from everlane totally unexpectedly in their year-end sale.

Initial Impressions: Fab purchase. I think they will last for years, the toe box is wider than most point toe shoes, and I’ve already worn them >12 times in less than 2.5 weeks.

Overall Rating 5/5
Everlane 40 hour flat review

Full review here. (soon!)

I was looking for a light colored sweater to replace a taupe turtleneck I had been wearing for years after receiving as a hand-me-down from a friend (ie. it had a long, long life and it was time.)

I don’t think this Everlane sweater is the perfect replacement, but I do think it’s a good addition to my capsule wardrobe. I’ve worn it at least 4 times in 2.5 weeks. The fit is good. I wish it was a little denser of a knit as you can definitely see a bit through the knit whether it's bra lines or a cami or other undershirt and that kind of bugs me although pretty common for a light colored top.

Overall Rating 4/5 so far.

Everlane Cotton Crew Sweater Review - TDF Life & Style Blog

Full review here.
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Brooklinen Waffle Bath Towels, Hand Towels, and Wash Cloths in white. Love that they are OEKO-TEX certified! The towels feel durable and the waffle is nice both functionally and aesthetically.

Tip: Remember to dry on lowest setting/air fluff if you can’t lay flat to dry. I forgot and now the trim of my towels is puckered. No big deal, but kind of a bummer.

Overall Rating: So far 4.5/5

Brooklinen Waffle Towel Review - TDF Life & Style Blog

Full Review here
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I thought I would compare another waffle towel set on the market and snagged the waffle bath towels and hand towels from Quince. No wash cloths available at this time. They are light and springy and absorbent. Organic Turkish cotton.

Overall Rating So far 5/5

Quince Waffle Towel Review - TDF Life & Style Blog 

Get $10 off Quince! 

Full Review here
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I guess I didn’t actually purchase this in January. I ordered this on Kickstarter ages ago and finally got the finished product in January. Great addition to my low waste bathroom set up (read here) and I’m stoked I haven’t cut myself at all yet!! Really happy with this single blade safety razor set for plastic free shaving!!

Overall Rating 5/5

Twig Razor Review by Leaf Shave 

We recently added this air purifier to our bedroom and decided to add another one in our office since we’re spending so much time at home now. We ordered this one.  Are air purifiers worth it? If you don’t mind white noise, they are definitely nice to have as they really keep air circulating and clean. If you have a small space that gets stuffy quickly, it's really helpful! 

Overall Rating: 5/5
Levoit Air Purifier Review

Snagged some replacement V neck tees from Pact and some of their cotton knit boxers for my husband. I'll share any feedback he has in time.

​He is comparing these to the Amazon Goodthreads Slim Fit "Perfect V Neck" shirts he's been wearing for a couple years and really likes. 
Pact Soft Spun V Neck review Pact Cotton Knit Boxer Review

Full review here.

TLDR: Love the idea of the cake mascara and zero waste eyeliner - better ingredients and less waste, but for every day I dont have the patience!
I did find some tips to help with application which are in the review. 

​
I hope with time and more practice I can implement this, but in the mean time... 

Clean Faced Cosmetics Vegan Zero Waste Cake Mascara Review ​Clean Faced Cosmetics Vegan Zero Waste Eyeliner Mascara Review

As mentioned above, I was struggling with the new cake mascara and for rushed mornings I just wanted an easy mascara to use with an improvement in ingredients.

I've heard a lot about Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara for several years, so I just snagged a tube and I'm grateful for the ease-of-use! 

Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara Review

Gneiss Magnetic Spice Jars Review

Last Swab Discount

Underdesk Elliptical Review

These pants were on clearance when I bought them. I actually bought 2 pair - one for everyday use and one to stay in my luggage for travel (remember travel? *sigh*)

Sizing: I bought a size small, but in retrospect a medium may have been a better fit. Maybe medium was sold out since these were on clearance? I can't remember...  

Wear & Tear: Nevertheless, despite wearing these pants to bed literally every night for more than a year straight they are in super condition! You can tell the color on the waistband has faded a bit, but other than that they are nearly perfect! Not a single hole, pill, or loose thread. I’ve literally spent at least a third of my life over the past year in these pants... and they are holding up this well.

Final Impressions: Very impressive. Massive thumbs up!
This gives me confidence that future pact purchases will last a very long time! 

The second pair is still in my suitcase, brand new for when it’s safe to travel again and/or when these totally wear out.
Pact organic cotton stretch fit flare pant review 1 year update
Estimated Cost Per Wear: less than .04!
Overall Rating: 5/5

Similarly, I bought 2 of this sleep tee - one for home and one for travel. And similarly I’ve worn it nearly every night for more than a year. It, too, is holding up excellently.

Sizing: XS was a perfect choice, it's still a looser fit.

Wear & Tear: The neck has stretched out a bit, I’d say, but otherwise in great shape, no holes, pills, or loose thread.

Final Impressions: Again, really impressed with the durability of this garment from the body to the stitching - everything still looks great over 300 wears later! 

Estimated Cost Per Wear: less than .05!
Overall Rating: 5/5
Pact Organic Cotton Sleep Tee Review

Unlike the above two pieces, I haven’t worn the Pact robe every single day, until recently, but still my cost per wear is under a dime!

Overall Impressions: I like having this robe to throw on as an extra layer around the house and after a shower, but after having it all this time I do wish the sleeves were longer, especially in the cooler months - something I wondered about when I first purchased it.  I also feel it’s not a fantastic fit around the neck for me and the pockets definitely need to be deeper which i mentioned in my original review here.
Pact Organic Cotton Women's Robe Review
Estimated Cost Per Wear: less than .08!
Overall Rating: 4/5
I like it, it functions well, I will continue to use it, but could be improved in a few ways to hit 5/5.

The socks and undies I bought from pact are holding up well. I’ve worn the socks considerably less than expected since I spent most of 2020 and all of 2021 (so far) at home. The undies are solid.

Wear & Tear: While the main body made of cotton is nice, I don’t love the slightly rougher finishing around the edges as much. On some pairs it’s showing wear and pilling a bit.

Overall Impressions: Overall I anticipate these items will last at least 2-3 more years, although some say you should replace your underwear as often as every 6 - 12 months?!

I love this quote from a well and good article. Bold, mine. I think this may be my new personal motto! 

​"Aim to strike a balance between sustainability and self-care by following Dr. Gersh’s general guidelines: “When they start to look ragged, that’s when you should get rid of them. You’re worth the investment—go get new underwear.”"

Overall Rating: 4/5

​Pact Organic Cotton Socks & Underwear Review

January 2021 Purchases - Initial Review - Organic Cotton Clothing, Low Waste Swaps, Air Purifiers, Bath Towels & Beauty!