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My Honest Meshki Review: Another Instagram Famous Fashion Brand?

April 25, 2019 by loxandleather 13 Comments
meshki-review-loxandleather-cover

Looking for a real, honest review of Meshki before you purchase all the cute stuff in your shopping cart? Happy to help.

It seems like every time you log onto Instagram, there’s another cool new brand with adorable sparkly crop tops or lace bodysuits or PVC leggings. I’m slowly but surely trying to write honest reviews of the most popular ones, because it can be seriously hit or miss. Unfortunately, just because that one dress looks good in your favorite influencer’s photos doesn’t always mean the dress will look good in person.

My friend Priyal introduced me to Meshki maybe a year or so ago when I was complaining about how no brand has filled the void that the OG Nasty Gal left in my wardrobe. She also recommended Oh Polly to me, which I’ve seen tried and loved (you can read my review of Oh Polly here).

But, back to Meshki. At the time, their site wasn’t very user friendly (it honestly still isn’t), and most of their offerings involved bikinis and club wear (which I was good on at the time). But, early this year I was looking for some new stuff to wear on my upcoming trips to Belize and Thailand, and Meshki had a cute beachy two piece set I was into, so I figured it was time to try them out.

I ordered this red two piece set and this leopard print crop top. Shipping ended up taking a little longer than anticipated, so I didn’t get it in time for my trip to Belize (but it’s coming from Australia, so I kind of expected it).

The red set technically fit, but the top was a bit weird in that the straps were super long. Of course, I could tie them up, but they were so big and heavy that it ended up weighing the entire shirt down—which was uncomfortable, primed for a wardrobe malfunction, and not very flattering. I decided to return it.

The leopard top was cute enough, although much shorter than I thought it would be (much more like a bralette than the somewhat modest crop top I was expecting). It was also a little tight on my boobs, but I have a small band size and larger cup size so that’s pretty standard for me. I decided to keep the leopard top, although to be honest I probably wouldn’t have purchased it if I tried it on at a store first, I just didn’t want to have to exchange another thing.

When I eventually got my store credit uploaded to my account (it took 18 days), the other bodysuit I had been eyeing was sold out in my size, and I didn’t see anything else on their site that I wanted and wouldn’t require me to spend extra money on top of my store credit. I ended up waiting for a bit until I was browsing one day and found this red turtleneck mini dress.

Kylie Long Sleeve Mini Dress, $50

In person, the dress was certainly flattering and the fabric was good in that it wasn’t see through, but the fabric still looked a lot cheaper in person than online—it almost looked spandex-y. The dress was also pretty short, which I didn’t fully realize until I walked around in it and kept having to pull it down while it was riding up.

Again, I didn’t feel like returning it and searching for something else to exchange it for, so I decided to keep it. I’m pretty certain I would not have purchased it for $50 if I had tried it on in a store, but that’s how e-tailers get you, right?

Here’s a summary of the main points in case you didn’t feel like reading all that:

The Good:

  • Everything I ordered felt true to size. If anything, it was a bit skewed smaller.
  • Returns can be done from home.
  • Cute selection of trendy clothes (and lots of cute lingerie and bikinis especially).

The Bad:

  • They do not offer full refunds for returns, you can only return for store credit.
  • They don’t have a ton of inventory on the site (and there seems to be a glitch where you can’t view all their inventory), so exchanging for store credit it more annoying than it is on a larger site with lots of options.
  • I’m 5’5”, and everything I ordered seemed like it was missing a few inches of fabric. The skirts were super short and the tops were super cropped—more like bralettes than crop tops. Not the worst thing in the world, but different than I expected based on the product photos.

The Good To Know:  

  • You have to pay for return shipping. The cost isn’t as bad as it is with other retailers (like Oh Polly), but it still cost me about $10.
  • The quality wasn’t horrendous, but it seemed a little low quality compared to the price point. I would say the quality was similar to Forever 21, but the prices were higher.
  • Both skirts I ordered were very short (I’m 5’5”). They’re wearable, but seemed a bit off in terms of trend, they reminded me of the mini dresses I would wear in 2009—especially the fact that I had to keep pulling the red one down when I was walking.
  • While the sizing seemed accurate to me, I’ve heard from friends that the sizing has been way off. I assume it depends on the product, as lots of these brands get their clothing from different wholesalers.

Overall, I probably wouldn’t shop at Meshki again unless I saw a style that was super cute and unique that I couldn’t find anywhere else (and was priced affordably). The returns policy combined with the quality/price disconnect combined turned me off a bit. Of course, if they started improving quality, lowering prices, or changed their return policy, I could return! Dolls Kill finally changed their return policy this year, so there is hope!

If you are looking for similar clothing to Meshki but aren’t wanting to try them out, I’d recommend checking out Missguided (cheaper + always has sales), Boohoo (free returns + cheaper), or Oh Polly (better quality + similar price point).

I hope this Meshki review was helpful to you and feel free to comment any questions below!

Photos by @moreirashots_

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Reading time: 5 min
Fashion

My Honest Fashion Pass Review — A New Clothing Rental Service Perfect For My Quarter Life Crisis

March 1, 2019 by loxandleather 13 Comments
fashion pass review cover loxandleather

Looking for an honest Fashion Pass review before you subscribe? You’ve come to the right place. I recently tried Fashion Pass—a new clothing rental app—and I’m sharing my honest opinion with you in this blog post!

My beautiful, stylish friend (who I used to live with in NYC) had a Rent the Runway subscription while we lived together. I thought it was a complete waste of money. We were both making entry-level salaries in one of the most expensive cities in the world and I didn’t think that $75 on clothes that you couldn’t even keep was a smart budget decision.

Fast-forward two years, and I found myself trying a first free month of Fashion Pass, a subscription rental clothing service similar to Rent the Runway, but with clothes I actually liked. Me accepting free clothes is nothing new, but what was new was that I actually chose to keep my subscription after the month was up.

If you know me, you know it’s very unlike me to spend $75 a month on clothes (especially ones I can’t keep). I know that may sound like a shocker, but I’m actually super frugal!

So, what made me want to pay for Fashion Pass? Let’s get into it:

Use my code STEPH6 for $35 off your first month!

fashion pass review loxandleather 4

Rented Free People bralette that the stylist chose for me — buy it here (it comes in tons of colors)

First off, if you’ve been reading my blog lately, you may know I’m at a bit of a transition period in my life where everything feels up in the air. I’ve been traveling a ton and I’m likely moving soon, I’m also trying to hone in on my career path and my goals.

A clothing rental app was really ideal for me right now because, while new clothes make me happy (and are perfect for posting on Instagram), it doesn’t really make sense for me to buy new stuff while I’m trying to pare down the two closets worth of stuff I currently have at my parents house. On top of that, I feel like I’m still trying on certain personas in a way. Like, a floral two-piece For Love and Lemons set was perfect for the woman I wanted to be on my trip to Thailand, but not for the woman I like to be when I’m home in DC or NYC.

Maybe I am reading into it a little too much, but I feel like Fashion Pass is a lovely little luxury to appease my quarter-life-crisis (plus a therapist, don’t worry).

Anyway, in case you didn’t want to read my personal woes related to this rental app, here’s some quick bullet points about the pros and cons that get more into the Fashion Pass review itself (plus a little more about the subscription details).

My Fashion Pass Review Bullet Points

fashion pass review loxandleather 1

Renting a Free People top – You can buy it here from Revolve on sale for $34! Buy the glasses on Amazon here.

What Is Fashion Pass?

  • Fashion Pass is a subscription clothing service where you can rent 3-7 items at a time for $79-139 a month, depending on your plan
  • They stock lots of popular, mid-priced brands that you’d find on sites like Revolve, such as For Love and Lemons, Free People, Blank NYC, and MinkPink.
  • If Rent the Runway’s style is NYC, Fashion Pass’s style is LA (and yes, literally—Fashion Pass was founded in LA while Rent the Runway was founded in NYC)

The Pros:

  • Cute, younger looking clothes that they don’t have on Rent the Runway
  • Unlimited amount of rentals each month, as long as you return your previous items
  • No limit on how long you can keep items as long as you remain a member
  • Super quick shipping
  • Great customer service
  • Ability to get dollars in credit by mentioning them on social media, liking them on Facebook, reviewing items, referring friends, etc., so it’s easy to get it for closer to $65-70 a month just by reviewing!
  • Your stylist may send you extra items chosen to fit your style—for free!
  • If you really like an item, you can purchase it for a discounted price

The Cons:

  • The service is still reasonably pricy depending on your budget/shopping habits
  • You have to return all your items at once before you can get new ones (however, their great customer service may make an exception for you occasionally, like they did with me)
  • They only carry sizes XS-L

The Good-To-Knows:

  • If you’re interested in trying Fashion Pass, use my code for $35 off your first month: STEPH6

  • As of publishing this post, it looks like they’re running on a waiting list

Here are some more pics of me in the clothes I rented for Thailand and a sweater I got in my second round of rentals. I rented some sweaters for this week in NYC and am planning to rent some more tropical stuff for my March trip to Grand Cayman!

fashion pass review loxandleather 2

A For Love and Lemons two piece that the kind support team at Fashion Pass actually sent me to try for free because I didn’t have time to return my items before I left for Thailand.

fashion pass review loxandleather 3

Fully rented outfit…but I ended up buying the top!

fashion pass review minkpink sweater

Low key thought this was black and not navy striped — but still cute. Buy it here from Shopbop.

I hope my Fashion Pass review was helpful! If you have any more questions, just ask in the comments section below and I’ll try my best to answer!

Use my code STEPH6 for $35 off your first month!

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Fashion

10 Cute Clothes on Amazon I Bought This Year (And You Can Too)

January 3, 2019 by loxandleather No Comments
cute clothes on amazon cover

Do you ever feel like lots of your friends find cute clothes on Amazon, but you can never seem to find them when you’re searching in a prime-induced panic on a Thursday night? Keep reading. 

If you’ve been following me on Instagram for some time, you may have heard me complain about how I don’t have a “go-to” place to shop these days. It seems that every store I shop at (primarily online) disappoints me with the quality, pricing, returns policy, shipping times, or some other issue at least once (if not multiple times).

While it might not be the most stylish place to find cute bodysuits or stilettos — there’s one store that’s never disappointed me, and that’s Amazon.

While Jeff Bezos’ practices can be a bit questionable, my prime membership has saved my life on multiple occasions. And, sometimes I’ve found cute clothing and swimwear on Amazon at a price point and quality that I haven’t been able to find at other stores.

11 Cute Clothes On Amazon I Bought In 2018 (That You Can Buy Too)

After buying a cute NYE outfit and swimsuit on Amazon right before my trip to Jamaica, I was inspired to write a post outlining some of the best purchases I’ve made on Amazon this year. Not only to showcase some of the gems I’ve found, but because you can still purchase most of these yourself (and whenever people ask me where I got something and I say Amazon, I feel like they might not be able to find the exact item).

Anyway, here are some cute clothes on Amazon that I bought (and loved) in 2018!

1. This White 2-piece Set

cute clothes on amazon two piece set loxandleather

This set looks similar to something I would purchase on Boohoo or Missguided, except cheaper and with faster shipping (and easier returns, should it not have fit). Miraculously, the quality felt better. The fabric was thick and not see-through whatsoever, but still stretchy and comfortable. I think I might buy it in red too.

2. This Leopard One Piece

cute clothes on amazon leopard suit

Full disclosure: This is 100% one of those copy-cat items on Amazon where the original photos are probably taken from the Instagram of whichever brand made the original swimsuit. However, for the price point, the bikini is honestly pretty cute (once you figure out how to tie it up, of course).

P.S. Sorry for the low quality selfie, I’ll be replacing with a cuter pic once I get a chance to wear it later this week!

3. This Gingham Bikini

cute clothes on amazon loxandleather 1

When I was in a rush to buy swimsuits that covered my healing laparoscopy scars, I didn’t want to spend a ton of money, so I turned to Amazon. I was actually originally eyeing a suit like this one on Zaful, but I was wary of their return policy and sizing, so I found this similar one on Amazon. The quality isn’t amazing (my biggest issue with it is that the lining is white rather than patterned), but it definitely does its job and is still super cute in photos (and fine in the water as well). It also has removable padding!

4. These Red Bike Shorts

bike shorts loxandleather amazon2

I wrote an entire blog post about these, so to say I was happy with them was an understatement. I had tried buying red bike shorts from other stores, but none compared to these. I will probably buy them in black, since I got an Amazon gift card for Christmas.

5. This Black Grommet Bikini

 

View this post on Instagram

 

If I’ve learned anything about my body in the last year—it’s that my abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym. Instead of forcing myself to do an intense workout every day (as I’ve done in the past), I’m all about eating food that makes my body feel its best, and drinking what makes me feel my best too. I love turning to my @teamiblends 30 Day Detox to hit the “reset” button on my tummy after a long vacation or after eating foods that I don’t normally incorporate into my diet. I have more energy, feel better, and bloat less when I stay consistent with my Teami, and my abs thank me! Luckily, it tastes just as good iced as it does hot! Use my code ASH15 for a discount on your order! #thankyouteami #teamipartner

A post shared by Ashley (@ashleyuzer) on Sep 4, 2018 at 5:56pm PDT

This is most certainly another copycat bikini, but for $22, I don’t mind. Just be aware that if you’re on the smaller side, the straps will definitely hang free once you adjust it as you need.

6. Yellow High-Waisted Bikini

cute clothes on amazon high waisted bikini

This was another suit I bought during my post-laparoscopy shopping spree, and I legit get complimented every time I wear it. It’s super flattering, a great color, and has removable padding.

7. Spiked Leg Garters

These might be slightly less practical than the bike shorts, but equally amazing.

8. These Dorothy-Inspired Shoes

red leopard loxandleather2

I’ll admit these aren’t the most comfortable shoes — and you definitely have to wear them with socks unless your feet are extremely resilient — but they’re adorable and only $40!

9. This Leather Skirt

cute clothes on amazon loxandleather

I’ll admit, I haven’t found anywhere to wear this yet. But if you have a more active nightlife than me (read: you go to clubs and music festivals), you can definitely work it. As far as cute clothes on Amazon go, I feel like this piece looks like it could be from OG Nasty Gal instead.

10. This Lace Kimono

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Hello party people! My new sex/dating site, deeperthots.com, is officially live! I really haven’t done shit in terms of site layout, but I have written three posts and would love to hear your thots (pun intended) 😁Link is in my bio.

A post shared by Ashley (@ashleyuzer) on Aug 23, 2018 at 2:53pm PDT

When I decided to get this, I had no idea I’d wear it as much as I did. It’s essentially now my go-to swimsuit cover-up and go-to layer when my top is slightly too revealing for me to go out with nothing over it (but it’s still too hot out for a jacket).

11. This Underboob Swimsuit

cute clothes on amazon red underboob suit

As you can see, this suit looks very different on than it does in the product photos — but not in a bad way!

I hope this post helped you find some cute clothes on Amazon (or maybe just brands to check out on Amazon).

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Reading time: 5 min
Fashion

8 Trendy & Affordable Stores That Carry Size 00 (Or XXS)

December 20, 2018 by loxandleather 22 Comments
stores that carry size 00 loxandleather cover

If you’ve hate-clicked on this blog post, I get it.

It sounds incredibly annoying to hear, “oh my gosh, I’m so tiny that I can’t find clothes that fit me! I need to find stores that carry size 00!”

But, the shopping struggle can be real for those who wear a 00, especially if you’re working within a budget.

Due to vanity sizing, clothes have gotten progressively bigger. In fact, the size 00 was only introduced around 2011.

This wasn’t because women were getting smaller, but because a size 12 (which used to be equivalent to a size 00 in the 50s) had gone from a 25 inch waist to a 33 inch waist.

Of course, size doesn’t matter (at least in terms of women’s clothing), and it varies so much from store to store. Nobody should necessarily “aspire” to be a size 00, but some women are just naturally built a certain way and may have difficulty finding clothes that fit them right (especially if you like your clothes super tight like I do).

I’ve always naturally been within the 00-2 range, but after undergoing a traumatic surgery, going mostly plant-based, and quitting drinking, I started wavering much closer to the 00 side of the spectrum — and I have had more and more trouble finding clothes that fit me correctly.

So, I decided to make a list of stores that carry size 00 for girls like me who just want to stunt in a skin-tight mini skirt that doesn’t look baggy on their baby booty!

8 Stores That Carry Size 00

Keep in mind that most of these stores don’t actually have a size “00” (I feel like that term is almost derogatory these days), but they carry sizes that fit like a 00.

I hope this helps someone!

1. Oh Polly

stores that carry size 00 oh polly loxandleather

Live Wire Underwired Vinyl Mini Dress in Red, $50.51

What size to buy if you’re a US 00: 4 or 6

I know I seem to always be singing praises for Oh Polly. They don’t sponsor me or send me free shit (I wish), it’s just because they’ve been one of my favorite retailers this year. Not solely for their kickass PVC sets and bodysuits, but also for their sizing, quality, and price point too (although returning their shit is a bitch since they’re based in the UK).

Like most UK brands, their sizing starts at a 4, which is their smallest size. A UK 4 equates to a US 0/1, and on Oh Polly I actually usually purchase a 6 (which is a US 2), or sometimes an 8 in their PVC items because there’s very little stretch. In their items that are sized from XS-XL, I wear an XS.

Unlike many places I shop lately, Oh Polly is one place where I can actually size up and still get the fit I want!

2. Revolve

LPA Sweetheart Bodysuit, $128

What size to buy if you’re a US 00: XXS

I know ordering something in an XXS is kind of cringe-worthy, but it’s been my go-to lately when shopping at Revolve (and TBH, sometimes the items still don’t fit the way I’d like them to).

They offer the majority of their items in XXS-XL, which is good news for me. As far as stores that carry 00 go, they also have many bottoms offered in size 24 (and sometimes even 23).

In terms of clothes I’ve actually purchased from Revolve, it’s been a hit or miss for me. I love most of their styles, but more often than not I find that the quality doesn’t measure up to the price I paid. Thankfully, their returns process is super easy (and free), so I never feel bad about ordering tons of shit and trying my luck.

Unfortunately, Revolve rarely has sales, but if you download the app and order on there, you might be able to snag a discount.

Shop REVOLVE here 

3. Bershka

Wide-leg pants with belt loops, $39.90 

What size to buy if you’re a US 00: 00 or 02

Bershka is owned by Inditex (Zara’s parent company), and you can think of it as Zara’s edgier little sister.

Because they skew slightly younger, their sizing is slightly smaller than Zara. While there are no brick and mortar locations in the US, they started selling online in the US last year, and their returns process is super easy. The XS fits me great and the quality for the price point really impressed me!

In terms of stores that carry 00, this is probably one of the best for more casual and/or everyday wear. I’m obsessed with the pants linked above! I got them in the pinstripe colorway (in a 02) but these white are gorgeous for summer too.

SHOP BERSHKA HERE

4. River Island

Pink Satin Animal Print Mini Dress, $73

What size to buy if you’re a US 00: 2

Another example of stores that carry 00 — sort of. Like Oh Polly, River Island is another UK brand and is similar to Forever 21. Because they run on UK sizing (although if you shop from the US, they’ll show you US sizes), their sizing runs smaller.

Like most UK brands, returning stuff is kind of a pain, so proceed with caution.

Shop RIVER ISLAND here

5. Missguided

Green Ribbed Colorblock Bodycon Dress, $27

What size to buy if you’re a US 00: 0 or 2

Chances are you might already know about Missguided, but I’m just here to remind you that they cater to those on the smaller side. Again, in terms of stores that carry size 00 — they don’t actually have a size 00, but their size 0 is pretty small and even the 2 works for me sometimes.

Shop MISSGUIDED here

6. Amazon

2 Piece Seamless Ribbed High Waist Shorts with Sports Bra, $29.99

What size to buy if you’re a US 00: XS or S

I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve purchased clothing, shoes, and swimsuits on Amazon before. While many of the items simply offer sizes S-L, because many of the clothes are manufactured in Asia, they’re quite different than a US size Small.

Of course, shopping on Amazon can be a hit or a miss, and you should always read the reviews thoroughly. But if you have Prime and aren’t too lazy to return stuff that doesn’t work, it’s worth a try because sometimes you find a great winner like I did with these bike shorts.

SHOP AMAZON HERE

7. American Eagle

stores that carry size 00 american eagle loxandleather

AE Ne(X)t Level High-Waisted Jegging, $44.96

Full disclosure, I haven’t shopped at AE myself in a while, but one of my friends, Kelly, says she prefers to buy her jeans there because they run a little smaller. After checking out their selection, I can understand why. Not only do they offer denim in size 00 and 0 — they offer both sizes in x-short, short, long, and x-long.

Shop AMERICAN EAGLE here

8. Thrifting

Sizes have gotten much larger with time. I’m sure you’ve heard about how Marilyn Monroe wore a size 10+ back in her day, right? That’s because a size 8 dress today is roughly equivalent to a size 16 dress in 1958, according to this great Washington Post piece on vanity sizing.

Regardless, that means that older clothes are smaller — even if the label reads “size 10.”

If you don’t mind doing some digging and rocking a more retro look, thrifting is a great option to find something closer to a 00!

I hope you found this list of stores that carry size 00 helpful! I’m always on the look out for more stores to add to this list (for personal purposes), so comment below if you have other suggestions!

8 Activewear Stores That Sell XXS Clothing And Size 00 Leggings
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