SwanDoe| The softest of leathers

SwanDoe| Oh swoon… the softest of leathers, and an excellent Christmas present for your loved ones.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again: it’s so important to shop local. Not are you only benefiting the local economy, but SwanDoe is giving back to the community as well which I think is equally notable. Plus, you’re making people like Swan do a happy-dance when you buy one of her products. It’s cute, I’ve seen it!

SwanDoe EssentialsSwanDoe is a local brand based in San Francisco with a small team of artisans who were all trained by an Hermes master artisan. That’s mind blowing. Do you know how cool that is? Hermes is the tip top of luxury brands.

I was gifted a generous amount of SwanDoe’s Essentials Collection (which fun fact, launched on Halloween Day — Swan was coding away while her hubby was handing out candy!). The Essentials Collection is one to be grown with, meaning that Swan and her team are creating versatile, timeless designs that evoke quality. If you’re a college student, carry the Van Reversible Tote, it fits a laptop perfectly and doesn’t poke out. Transitioning into a working woman, the leather is only going to grow with you and get even more smooth and buttery. Working woman turned mother? Easy, she’ll be launching inserts with pockets to fit into the Reversible Tote very very soon… so stay tuned.

SwanDoe crossbodyThe Essentials Collection is branded as affordable luxury pieces. But here’s the deal, if you like a colour way, you better snag it up when you can because once that colour is sold out, it’s gone for good! Pieces are created in small production batches to ensure highest quality standards are met. This also means SwanDoe items are limited and one of a kind. I like that. No one else (unless there’s a batch of 50 of you and your friends who want to bring back that colour) has the Pumpkin + Almond colour tote any more now that they’re all gone. I was the last person with it! I carry it with me all the time — including adding it to my try-on’s in dressing rooms :)

As a Graphic Designer I can appreciate the beautiful packaging. It’s so luxe with the orange bags and white pretty bows.

Here are some product shots of the items that were gifted to me:

Reversible Tote - Pumpkin SpiceVan Reversible Tote in Pumpkin Spice. I have my switched over to the almond side! :)

Convertible Wallet - Pumpkin PieMelody Wallet Crossbody in Pumpkin Spice + ‘Drop-In’ Leather Pouch Wallet in Acorn.

Passport Cover-Travel WalletTravel Wallet in Ruby Sky

Giraffe CharmGreg the Giraffe charm + Henry the Horse charm

Swan’s goal for the company is to become a product for good lifestyle brand that focuses on creating opportunities and providing support families in need. SwanDoe continues to donate and support a variety of organizations and charities, locally and internationally including donating to a silent auction event for a charity that raises funds for a House of Hope in southern Viet Nam, where they provide housing and financial support to women and children who have been infected/affected by HIV and have been abandoned by their families and/or husbands. Swan is a product of poverty and she remembers the hardships her and her family faced in Viet Nam and when they arrived in San Jose when she was 10 years old. Unfortunately I had to miss her latest charity event where donations from SwanDoe purchases went to the St. Jude’s Children Hospital through their collaboration with West Elm in Palo Alto.

After meeting with Swan for coffee last week, I can tell she has a great heart and she has fully dove into her work with a passion. I cannot wait to support her even more in the near future.

I want to thank my blog friend Alyson from The Beauty Vanity for giving Swan my contact info for reaching out to me. 

SwanDoe
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Sunday drives with the Mitsubishi Outlander

Sunday-Drives

alfie-and-MistubishiDoesn’t Alfie have the sweetest little face? You guys need to come back to the blog late next week (and preferably every day in between there haha) to see him dressed up in Christmas attire. I won’t spoil it, but you’ll have to see for yourself when you visit me back here :)

Specialized-vitaI wanted to show you what I had been up to when I had the Mitusbishi Outlander for a week back in November. It’s a 7 seater, so my first priority was driving my bike somewhere for a ride. It fit perfectly without me manoeuvring the bike handles around to try and squeeze it in. Awesome.

Mistubishi-under-tree

Alfie-panicNovember/December is kinda like me. A bit of a late-bloomer when it comes to certain things. Like the leaves. They’re still orange + yellow + bright gorgeous red colours. It’s so fun to drive down these quiet streets on a weekend and take it all in. Sunday morning drives, just like what my Dad and I used to do when I was home visiting. Except he and I drove to the local store for his lotto ticket, and me picking out a chocolate bar.

Mistubishi-Outlander-driverThanks for bringing back those memories, Mistubishi.

Alfie-in-driversTo be honest, I’d rather be chauffeured around on those types of laid-back days. But it’s definitely more fun when it’s in a brand-spankin’ new car where you can zip zip around town. My car needs work. Still. I know. We haven’t gotten to it. It’s not a priority right now. Until then, I will day-dream about getting a new car, like this Mitusbishi Outlander.

2016-Mistubishi-Outlander

Disclaimer: Thanks to Mitsubishi for loaning me the Mistubishi Outlander for the week. 

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Cozy fireside outfit

cozy-fireside-outfitAll I want is to be warm. That’s not much to ask, ha!

My ideal night in would be curling up with a hot drink and cozying up to my husband with all the blankets layered on top of me. He emits quite a bit of heat, so perhaps I don’t need that many blankets.

Because I don’t have a full-time job right now, I often don’t put much effort into my outfits anymore. I remember that I used to pick out my entire weeks outfits on Sunday nights. Shoes, socks, undies, and bras included. Now I occasionally wear the same outfit two days in a row, because no one saw me. Hahaha, man what happened to me. Hey, I miss doing OOTDs on the blog. I think I’ve said that every time I post one, though too.

Let’s get to a cozy fireside outfit.walking

Jacket| Uniqlo ultra light down
Sweater| Fera Annabelle Sweater
Pants| Fera Jessica Legging
Boots| Target Riding Boots
Purse| Asos

crazy-happy-face

Sipping on a hot vanilla latte, a perfect slope to street warming up in cooler weather in Fera.Sightglass-coffee

walking-across

Disclaimer: Please don’t feel overwhelmed and think that I expect you guys to make purchases when I feature brands and link them (no affiliate links this time), I understand that consumerism is at an all time high and many people (including myself) feel like everyone and everything is posting about what you should buy, what you need next, etc. This is a fun post in collaboration with a clothing brand that sent me some cute clothes that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford. 

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