Just to be extra clear, I am completely independent of the products and resources I recommend in my blog. I research and provide information to my audience of “women of a certain age” who share my values for supporting women-owned businesses, female entrepreneurs, sustainable businesses, and in most cases, the goods come directly from the manufacturer to your doorstep side-stepping the middle man. This makes prices much more favorable.
You know from my previous posts like this one, this one and this one I am a devout Instagram shopper for all of the above reasons and enjoy sharing my finds and breaking them down to make your own shopping experience more effective.
6 New Instagram Finds and One I Regret
I am mostly so pleased with the quality, service, and convenience of shopping online, but sometimes I get a clunker. And this one below was a real doozy.
I purchased 2 classic cashmere V Neck sweaters recently. One was from Everlane @everlane (a dependable resource for quality basics) and the other from a brand I never purchased from before titled Gentle Herd @gentleherd.
Gentle Herd defines itself as “a team with a passion for sustainable fabric and high-quality garments rooted in urban style’s practicality.” They go on to say, “We source our cashmere and wool from the world’s largest pasture – Inner Mongolia.”
Maybe women in Inner Mongolia are very skinny and petite because I ordered a size large from both manufacturers and The Everlane sweater is 4″ wider and 3.5″ longer than the Gentle Herd sweater.
In fact, the Gentle Herd sweater looks like it might fit a child. And their return policy is completely archaic. Meaning – I’ll have to gift it to someone. Thumbs down on Gentle Herd.
I don’t keep my Instagram finds to myself. Besides sharing them with my audience, I also buy for other important people in my life — like my husband and sometimes my daughter. Recently, my husband was in the market for some winter sweaters and I came across a label titled Quince @quince. They define themselves as “quality shouldn’t be a luxury. Our mission is to bring the world’s highest quality goods to everyone for an affordable price.”
So, I took a risk I bought him 3 cashmere sweaters and they are of great quality and fit him perfectly. Way to go Quince. They also make home decor items as well.
A recent discovery and new favorite is a site titled Tuckernuck. Apparently, Tuckernuck @tuckernut is an island off the coast of Nantucket Island in Massachusetts. The women who started the business used to vacation there in the summers growing up.
The back story is one we hear from a lot of female entrepreneurs. “We became fixated on creating a happy and authentic retail brand that embodied our classic style and spirit, rooted in sport, travel, family, friends, and celebration. So, we quit our day jobs in finance and retail and launched Tuckernuck together.”
I was in the market for a real shearling jacket and found it on Tuckernut. It was made of real suede and real shearling and priced extremely well for $395. So, I ordered an Extra Large because I wanted to be able to layer bulky sweaters under it, but it was way too big on me. The suede exterior was beautiful and shearling in the lining was great, but I returned it anyway because I found one on another site I liked even more.
Instead, I decided to splurge and used another Instagram resource titled Overland @overland. It’s been a family-run business since 1973 and they offer “superbly crafted outerwear, clothing, and home accents inspired by the American West and made from the finest sheepskin, leather, wool, and other natural materials. make authentic western outerwear.
When I first discovered them, I bought this sherpa half-zip jacket at the beginning of the season and I love it.
So, I decided to splurge and go with an authentic western-style rancher shearling coat from Overland instead.
It checks all the boxes for the dream winter coat. It covers the bum, still short enough to get in and out of the car easily and it has a button closure – I hate zippers on winter coats. It’s called the Marleigh and I can’t wait until it arrives. I’ll keep you updated on the fit and overall look and feel.
Another tried and true brand I bought several pieces of athleisure wear from is Beyond Yoga @beyondyoga. I love the fact that they re-think yoga pants for women who don’t want to wear skin-tight leggings. This is especially true for those of us women of a certain age and if you need to run errands after class.
Recently, I bought 2 pairs of pants that are as good in the studio as they are on the outside. The first is a plain front pant, no drawstring, in a marbled fabric design. They can be worn to a class or with an oversized sweatshirt or a chunky sweater and boots. It’s called the Natural Marble Easy Weekend pant.
The second is a silky texture pant that has a stomach flattening high waist, a jogger cinch around the ankle, and fits loosely through the thighs. I absolutely adore them – they make your legs look longer and thinner through the thighs. They are called the Speed it Up Jogger and you can find them here.
In my search for the perfect sweatshirt/sweatpant set, I found a new Instagram find Mate The Label. @matethelabel Their, clean, non-toxic philosophy is no joke. Their tagline is, “Organic essentials. Clean from seed to skin. Sustainably made in LA… MATE is a company founded by women, run by women, and focused on making products for all women — through every stage of life (that includes our sisterhood of “women of a Certain Age).”
I hope you found my Instagram finds of assistance in navigating the immense amount of available Instagram resources appropriate for “women of a certain age.” I take time to look for apparel, home decor, and accessories that are age-appropriate, sustainable and support female entrepreneurship. If you buy any of these (I do not get paid from these brands), I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can email me at amyharrisonline.com or @amysandelmanharris
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