Tops from Fi.n.t

I've been wearing midi skirts almost every day now (except when it's been raining or snowing—the rain/winter boots really don't look good with my skirts). This has allowed me to make some learnings as well as to define more the style I wanted to go for.

In terms of "discoveries", I found wearing a skirt is overall much more comfortable than pants, especially when you're sitting for long periods of time (eg. at work). Although that seems like silly evidence, I hadn't realized it (or had forgotten it since I had rarely worn skirts for repeated and long periods of time since high school).

I also recognized that blouses, in particular, do not stay well tucked in skirts (I guess their light and soft fabric makes them easily slip out.) That's unfortunate because blouses more than any other kinds of tops look better when neatly tucked in. So when I'm wearing a blouse with a skirt, I just know that I'll end up constantly having to fix it throughout the day, even if I raised my arms just a little. Not practical.

Finally, because I'm a short person (156 cm) wearing midi skirts, I need a rather tight-fitting top to avoid the skirt look unflattering and the outfit making me look shorter. I like 3/4 sleeves top the best. That doesn't mean I'm ruling out shirts that don't fit these criteria. Shorter ones that cut a little above the waist (instead of the hips) can look good even if they're a bit loose.

Btw, don't take these last remarks as genuine fashion advice, cuz I really don't know if they are legit. They're just deductions I've made for my body personally by trying on and wearing clothes.

Around the same time these realizations were sprouting, I was casually looking for tops to wear with my skirts. I thought that it would be fairly easy to find nice and simple tight-fitting tops in stores near me. However, since my purchase of the 3/4 sleeve blue top at Mia Mix, I hadn't found any other similar tops. Maybe it didn't help that winter was coming, thus prompting the release of fall and winter apparel (it was thick wool sweaters mania in every store). I got tired of this dryness one day of November and made an order with Japonica Market. I bought a total of six tops: two on Mercari and four on Fi.n.t's outlet store. All of the tops in the outlet were 50 % off.

Mercari

Lavender Embroidered Blouse | ラベンダー刺繍シャツブラウス/an another angelus

I know I just mentioned that I thought blouses were not practical for their habit to elope from the skirt waistband, but I've always wanted this blouse since its release this summer. I briefly mentioned it in August, but I was mostly interested in getting it in purple. But with time, I came to like the white one almost as much as the purple one... I would have still bought the blouse in purple first been given the occasion, but the first one I bumped into at a reasonable price was the white one.

Closeup of the pretty embroidery

I believe that the fabric is polyester, though definitely not chiffon. This makes the blouse less sheer, so I appreciate it. 

I found two little stains (they were hard to capture on camera, it didn't really focus on the stains):

If you can't spot the stain in the picture above,

look at the picture below and try to relocate it in the pic above...

I admit that the stains look very small, but they do become more visible depending on the lighting. Also, they were hard to capture with the camera. I think and hope that these will go away in the washing machine. It's quite annoying since this is a white/ivory blouse which makes these little stains stick out more.

Apart from that, the condition of the blouse is excellent. The previous owner stated she had only worn the blouse one time. I'm happy with this purchase.

Beige sweater | F&A ヨーク刺繍ボウタイニットプルオーバー

I'm not sure which collection of Fi.n.t this sweater is from. I liked its bow the minute I saw it (thicker sweaters with bow collars are pretty uncommon.) I also thought the flower pattern around the collar was a nice detail. The sweater also exists with blue flowers, but I preferred purple coloured flowers and thought they would look better with the rest of my clothes.

There's a little thread snag inside the sweater

What the snag looks like from the exterior (it's in the back).

Not really bothered by it, just hoping it won't get worse...

The condition of the sweater is really good. This kind of fabric seems fragile and inclined to snags, but I was surprised to see that it was almost perfect.

Fi.n.t Outlet

Scarf-collar top | タイ付きカットトップス/an another angelus

I was tempted by this top more because it was on sale, although I did like its collar and sleeves. I would've liked to buy the one in white with black polka dots—I don't have this pattern in my wardrobe and I feel it would look cute with any solid coloured skirt—but it was sold out. Therefore I went for this ivory cream colourway.

This isn't the kind of piece I like to go out of my way to buy online, but I'm still somewhat pleased to have gotten it (the odds of finding it in a physical store were pretty much zero.)

The collar is different from the other shirts I own and the loose ends are sewn to the top. I didn't expect that last thing but was pretty happy about it because I won't have to worry about the wind and replacing them every now and then during the day.

Sailor top | レーススカーフ衿テレコT/F i.n.t

(Clothing tags aren't there cuz I had already worn the top before taking this pic)

This top reunites some of my favourites clothing features: rib-knit fabric, shorter sleeves and a (sailor) knot tying at the front. The back also isn't a typical sailor "square" shaped collar which I prefer.

I had been thinking about buying this top since August, but I thought it was a bit expensive. It eventually went on sale, but I still waited a couple of months before buying it.

Other than the price, I also had hesitations about the sailor knot. I had seen lots of staff modelling the top and it wasn't rare for the knot to not look good at all. It looked small, poorly knotted, and we could easily see the collar under the lace. I came to think that this was the kind of knot/bow that only looks nice in stock pictures and is impossible to recreate in real life.

However, now that I've worn it, I find it extremely quick and easy to make a nice-looking knot that stays perfect for the whole day. I thought I'd have to fix it continuously. Definitely happy to have given this top a shot despite my initial doubts.

The lace is really pretty

I also LOVE this top in black, but I've been trying to avoid dark and black colours since they so easily attract lint... I've had a lot of black shirts in the past and they always got really linty. Not only it became an annoying chore having to use the lint-roller on them after each wash, but some lint would just never really go away.

 U-neck rib top | バックリボンUネックリブニットプルオーバー/F&A

I liked the purple of this top and its collar. But what really pushed me to buy it is when I saw a picture of Rira pairing it with black x white stuff:

source

I love the purple "pop" in this outfit. I also realized that the top looks as great on its own or over a blouse (I actually bought the sailor blouse pictured on Rira so I'll have the chance to pair it with the U-neck top.)

There's also a bow at the back which looks cute

Lace collar top | オフショルレーステレコT/an another angelus

I've had a soft spot for this top when I first saw it paired with the fruit skirt released in the S2019 collection:

source

Such beautiful skirts, amazing colours and prints... I want them both... I've been waiting for their prices to go down on online flea markets, though nothing is really moving and they're quite rare to come by... But anyway, to get back to what I was saying, I liked the plum colour of the top and the lace V-shape collar. Plus, the sleeves obviously. While waiting to pair it with the fruit skirt, I knew it was possible to pair it with skirts I already own.

The lace isn't completely see-through which I like

I've worn it one time and it fits well! But I noticed that the clothing label inside the shirt rubs against my skin (on the left side of my waist/hip) and makes it itchy. It's not the washing label (which is usually satin-like), it's a woven tag, the one that usually goes at the top of the back. I have no idea why they decided to put it there, but if I don't get used to it, I might have to cut it (and I don't really like cutting woven labels.)

Also, I unfortunately stretched the left side of the lace collar a bit. I have this habit of wrapping my hair as a scarf around my neck (I can do one "complete" wrap.) Throughout the day, I noticed that the loose end (that was on the left) was always sliding in the collar to get inside my top (what a perv). Now, this side of the collar won't stay as flat as the other side, although thank God it's not that apparent. Still, I've had my lesson and I'll be careful when wearing this top next time.

***

All in all, I'm really satisfied with the six tops I purchased. Now that I've bought more stuff from Fi.n.t (and wore some of their stuff for some months now), I can confidently say that the quality of their clothing is excellent. The fabric doesn't feel thin and cheap. I was particularly impressed by the "thickness" of the blouse because I thought it would be more transparent and chiffon-like, such as the usual blouses sold in physical stores. Regarding the tops from the outlet, I'm aware that outlets are known for selling generally lower quality items, but I can't really see how the pieces I got are of inferior quality.

Fi.n.t also gave me this tote bag ("Jules" is the name of their F2019 collection):

It's cute, but the handles are a bit too short for me (I like to wear a tote bag over my shoulder and I think it looks a bit tight under the armpit?) It's not a big deal... but then someone at work is named Jule and he's a man, so I do feel a bit uncomfortable if he sees me with that tote bag at work... or anyone... because frankly, "Jules" is solely a guy's name here, at least when pronounced in French. There may be a few girls named Jules, but I've yet to meet one.

HOWEVER, after making a quick search to check if Fi.n.t's official collection name was called "Jules" or "A Girl Called Jules", I found out that there's actually a movie "A Girl Called Jules". And by reading again Fi.n.t's Fall 2019 collection description, the pieces are inspired by the outfits in this movie. Ah. I understand the description much better now (I blame my lack of curiosity then.) I guess that the name "Jules" is pronounced in English rather than in French (I've been pronouncing it in French since the beginning.) It seems more plausible that a girl is called Jules (pronounced in English). Well that's great news, because it means I won't have to feel embarrassed to strut my tote bag to work and in public.

Retro & Preppy Haul

Whew. It's been hard to settle on a title as this haul consists of two Fi.n.t skirts from Mercari, two skirts from Mia Mix, a min plume belt from Mercari and two sweaters from mille fille closet. All kinds of items from different brands and shops bought (or received if ordered online) in September and October.

Let's start with the skirts... (ง •▿•)ว

Fi.n.t

Red check skirt ベルト付きチェックタックスカート/F&A

The check of this skirt gives me authentic vintage vibes. It's a knee-length skirt and though I'm not a fan of this length, I loved the pattern so much I paid no heed to the thought.

The previous owner stated that the fabric of the skirt was fuzzy. Although there's indeed some fuzz, I don't really mind. Part of it is probably because I was expecting it (thanks to the seller's honesty) and because I always thought the skirt would inevitably become fuzzy over time from being washed (fabric seems prone to fuzz).

Two things that bother me a little:

• The belt buckle doesn't have any pin to ensure the skirt remains secured around the waist, so the skirt always feels a bit loose. I would have brushed it off if the skirt was tight enough without the belt, but it's not the case.
• There's no "loop" on the belt, so I have to weirdly tuck the leftover part in the belt by crossing it under or over it. I don't think it's ugly, but having it pass through a belt loop would have given a neater look.

This skirt also exists in the green colourway, and I was even thinking of buying it instead of the red one at the start. Despite still planning on buying it (I love the pattern!), it's not a priority right now.

Black check/grid skirt ハンドペイントギンガムチェックスカート/an another angelus

This skirt also reminds me of an authentic 1940s vintage piece. I liked the unperfect, hand-drawn looking grid pattern and thought the skirt would go well with any colour.

I received it in September, but I haven't worn it yet... I tried to pair it with a couple of tops, but something always seemed a bit off in the overall outfit. For someone that thought it would look good with anything... anyway, that's fine, I still like it a lot and I'm convinced I'll find something great to pair it with.

Mia Mix

Brown x beige check skirt

At that point, you may have realized that I love checks and plaids. I'm always open to adding such patterns to my wardrobe. So without surprise, I saw this skirt and thought it would make a nice autumn/winter piece.

The fabric isn't wool nor tweed, but it feels a bit thicker than polyester. It's also a tiny itchy—not enough to be uncomfortable, thankfully.

The store had other lovely check skirts, but the waist was (way) too large for me. I was quite surprised because Asian sizes usually run small. This skirt is also a bit loose, but I liked it and knew I wouldn't get such a skirt for this price elsewhere, including on the Internet.

I decided I'd bring it to a seamstress to reduce the waist. In the meantime, I wear a belt with the skirt to make it tighter. It's not the best solution (the skirt still tends to drop at the back), but it does the job temporarily.

Grey x blue check skirt

This skirt is the same model as the previous one, but in grey and blue.

I really like the texture and the subtle pattern of both skirts. Although the fabric feels thin and a little cheap, it doesn't look like it when you have it on.

Close-up to see the blue better

I saw this skirt after trying on the previous skirt, and since I didn't want to go back to the changing room, I just compared this skirt's waist with the brown x beige to see if they were the same... Since they seemed so, I bought the skirt without trying it.
When I tried the skirt properly at home, I found the waist was much larger than the brown x beige... it's still salvageable though, the waist will just have to be more altered I guess.

min plume

Velour black bow belt

I was so happy when I spotted this belt on Mercari (in the rare times I was window-shopping min plume stuff). I had lost all hope of finding it when a couple of months ago, I had searched for it and had ultimately decided to throw in the towel because they had all been bought already years or months ago.

The condition of the belt is superb and I'm satisfied with the price I paid. Although I had found a bunch of bow belts on eBay, none stood up to min plume's.

mille fille closet

White and blue sweaters

A couple of months ago I blogged about a mille fille closet sweater acquired in pink from Fril. Well, after ordering it but before receiving it, I saw the same sweater 50 % off on mille fille closet's website. I couldn't resist and bought it in the two other colourways, white and blue. This was risky as I hadn't received the pink sweater yet (thus didn't know if it'd fit me or not), but I was 99.9 % sure of liking it.

The above picture doesn't show the splendour of the design, but it's so pretty. I usually find flaws in every clothing piece I own/buy, but there's nothing I would have done differently about this sweater. And all three fit perfectly. ✨

They also gave me a cute bag. The handles are black satin ribbons.

Trying Garnier Fructis 1 Minute Hair Masks

Last week, I finished my bottle (100 ml) of Moroccanoil hair treatment. Because the last time I had purchased the product was in May 2018, I presumed the price had inflated since. I don't know whether that's true or because I was shopping downtown, but one place sold it for 49$ CAD, another one for 48,75$ and Sephora was even pricier: 54$.

I put Moroccanoil in my hair every time after washing it (ie. every day except for the weekend where I try to go for 1-2 days without hair wash). A bottle of 100 ml lasted me a little over a year, so it's not like it's a complete waste of money. If I think about the reasons why I use Moroccanoil religiously:

• It helps detangle my hair (most important)
• It makes my hair dry faster
• It's (probably) good for the ends of my hair (IDK but it's oil)
• It makes my hair smell extremely nice (more of a "plus" but still)
• It helps to diminish my hair fall*

*Regarding the last point, I don't think it does, but that's what I've been told by my hairdresser back in 2012 when I started using it. She recommended it to my mom to help reduce my hair shedding (or make my hair stronger thus shed less?) I was told to apply a dollop in the palm of my hand, rub my hands together and massage my scalp. I then apply what's left to my ends. I've been applying Moroccanoil as such since I started using it, even though I've heard that oil shouldn't go on your scalp and yada yada. I admit that it's a bit strange to apply it on the roots rather than the ends when the latter are supposedly the most damaged and the former already have their "natural oils" but anyway. BTW I don't recommend this application method to anyone—just wanted to provide more details about my routine.

Sadly didn't take a full shot to show the pump that prevents

using too much product (but you can always Google it)

I tried to stop using Moroccanoil a couple of times, one being when I found out it contained silicones and everyone was demonizing them, but I realized there are worse things I probably do to my body (like consuming processed, high-sodium foods and being on my phone/computer way too much). Besides, my hair has still grown tremendously while using Moroccanoil, so it can't have had a disastrous impact on my hair, whether because of silicones or because of the way I've been applying it. But the product is still darn expensive.

Which brings me to this question, could I do without Moroccanoil and find a product that would give me similar or identical results?

I have to say that the Honey Treasures Hair Mask by Garnier was a pretty good hair mask. I ceased using it for no particular reason other than the fact I felt I didn't necessarily need it when I already had Moroccanoil. Oddly, I stopped seeing it on the shelves, so I wonder if they discontinued it. (Edit 17.11 pm: I saw the mask at Shopper's Drug Mart & Maxi today... wow I must have been blind. Anyway, I bought one and I'm pretty happy. It smells so good.)

Last Sunday at Shoppers Drug Mart, I saw Garnier had a sale on their 1 minute hair masks. I had never heard about them but the reviews were positive on Amazon.
I bought two masks: the banana one (strengthening) and the coconut one (nourishing). I would have liked to get the papaya one too (repairing), but there wasn't any left.

Garnier claims that each mask is vegan, 94 % biodegradable, free of silicones/parabens/artificial colourants, but these sound too much like marketing words to me. I still bought the masks mainly because:

• They can be used in different ways (mask, conditioner or leave-in conditioner)
• Their qualities appeal to me (eg. strengthening and nourishing)
• Their price (2,99$ CAD) was worth trying the product

Applying the mask & notes

Oct. 20th: In the shower

I decided to try the strengthening mask first as a mask/conditioner.

After my shampoo (always), I applied almost half of the jar on my hair, focusing on the hair at the level of my neck to the ends. I applied the leftover product on the top of my head.
I left the mask on for 1-2 minutes. When rinsing off, my hair didn't have that buttery silk texture like it usually does with a common conditioner, Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle Moist or Garnier's Honey Treasures. It even seemed on the verge of being a tad tangled, but since I had already dug a considerable amount of the container, I didn't add more and just hoped for the best.

Following the shower

I wrapped my hair in a cotton shirt as ordinarily and waited 15-20 minutes before unwrapping it.
I detangled my hair with my fingers. I was more careful because Moroccanoil habitually gives me extra help with this task. I was expecting some knots from what I had been witnessing in the shower, and indeed, it wasn't very easy to detangle. There were 2-3 small knots but thankfully nothing critical.
Then I brushed my hair with my wet brush. Hair shed was typical, though I had detangled my hair more carefully prior to brushing them. I brushed my hair more so that I wouldn't have to brush it as much the following morning, something I normally don't do with Moroccanoil.

My wet hair was as dry as when using Moroccanoil, which hints that the product may not be what causes my hair to dry fast (it's probably the cotton shirt that does 99 % of the job.)

In sum, nothing was very different except for the banana smell, similar to Play-Doh or Haribo banana gummies. It isn't strong to the point of making me nauseous, but it's still there and I really am zero attracted to banana-scented products. Good thing that the smell becomes very subtle the next morning and dissipates completely later in the day (my hair does chase scents away pretty quickly though.)

Oct. 21st: The morning after

Detangling my hair was more difficult than the night before. Two stubborn knots had formed during sleep:

Despite gently trying to detangle the first knot with my brush and my fingers...

... it snapped. (•`ヘ´•)9

The second knot was easier to get rid of fortunately

Other than that, my hair had its normal shine and texture. It was straighter than usual (no weird wavy ends). I believe that's because I had brushed them more thoroughly with the wet brush the night before.

I'm making a slight digression here. It's been more than a month I've been using my TEK brush. It has worked fine so far, but I've recently been recovering from a significant hair fall that persisted for a couple of weeks. I'm usually bad at noticing when my hair falls more than average, but there were definitely more hairballs in the apartment those past weeks. My TEK brush didn't really improved or worsen the situation.

I'm still thinking about what might have made my hair so fragile and inclined to fall during that period. It may have been the change in seasons or the fact that my hairstyle during the whole summer was a low bun secured with a big clip (that undoubtedly tugged my hair a lot).

Other than that, I had just been finishing the Oat Delicacy shampoo & conditioner (Garnier Whole Blends) and the conditioner made my hair brittle and hard to detangle even with Moroccanoil, especially when wet... Weird because I had used that same conditioner during my summer holidays at home and I had noticed less hair shed. Reflecting back, I should have added more conditioner to eliminate the most tangles possible, even if it meant using "too much".

I'm currently on the Avocado Oil and Shea Butter shampoo & conditioner (still Garnier Whole Blends) and the conditioner detangles and smooths my hair much better.

Hair always looks fabulous and thick when freshly brushed.

And I remind that I didn't even straighten my hair.

Weird pic but shows the flyaways (that the mask didn't tame btw)

and somewhat the shine (if there's any)

At the end of the day

During the day, I felt my hair strands becoming greasier and "chunkier" (as usual since HS 💀) However, when I checked in the mirror at the end of the day, I thought it didn't look as bad as I sensed. Fairytale ends were showing, but my hair seemed "thicker" than when I use Moroccanoil. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the ends were still fairly straight. I thought it was because I had brushed my wet hair with my wet brush more thoroughly.

Oct. 21st-22nd: Second use of the banana mask

I applied the 3/4 of the mask that was left in the jar.
Unfortunately, the effects weren't as impressive as when I used it for the first time. Although my hair was easier to detangle (no tough knots) and there wasn't any major hair fall, the ends were a little bit wavy and recourse to the straightening iron was needed. I know that wavy ends are just an aesthetic detail, but I was still somewhat disappointed.

Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures.

Oct. 24th-25th: Trying out the coconut mask (nourishing)

I applied the coconut mask the same way I did for the banana mask (following the shampoo and leaving it on for 1-2 minutes). I can't give a reliable opinion on this one because I added conditioner from the middle of my hair to the ends. In fact, the mask didn't make my hair silky and easy to detangle. My fingers ran through some knots while rinsing and I didn't dare take any risks so I put conditioner which made my hair silky afterward.
I don't know if I'm the only one thinking that, but the coconut mask doesn't smell like coconut at all. It has a rather strong tropical, plastic fruit scent, like mango. I'm neutral about this but I would have preferred a genuine coconut scent.

Finger detangling went well as well as brushing with the wet brush; some little knots but nothing serious. The scalp was a bit itchy though.

The following morning, my hair was easy to brush. My bangs looked particularly nice. However, my scalp still felt itchy from time to time which went on until noon.

At the end of the day, my ends were quite oily and the strands were in chunks. But to be fair, I did touch my hair more during the day (I think):

I really have no idea if this mask was nourishing for my hair... but I expected it to work as a much better conditioner considering its nourishing property and its so-called "coconut" scent.

Because it didn't help detangle my hair (which compelled me to apply conditioner) and because of the off-putting smell it gives it, I won't be buying this mask again (nourishing mask only).

Final verdict (banana mask only)

I probably won't buy this product on a regular basis, essentially because I can only get two good uses out of it. 

In fact, I believe it did do something. Although my hair didn't feel notably stronger, it didn't get worse. I did, however, put additional care as I felt that my hair would be more prone to snaps and breakage. Aside from that, my hair actually seemed slightly less oily than with Moroccanoil by the end of the day. And strangely, the banana scent grew on me.

On the other hand, I can't imagine using a product daily or almost when I can only use it two times until I run out of it. Moreover, it didn't work as good as a conditioner to make my hair silky and easy to detangle (and I was using a good amount of it).

Other tests made during the week

Oct. 22nd-23rd: Last use of the banana mask mixed with conditioner

I applied the rest of the mask in the jar, followed by my conditioner at the moment (Avocado Oil and Shea Butter from Garnier).

My hair was easier to finger detangle when wet and I didn't notice a difference when brushing them the morning after. There weren't knots. I gave in and straightened the ends (that's why I don't like straightening my hair—cuz once I start, I take a liking to it and always find it hard to stop.)

During and at the end of the day, my hair strands turned chunkier and uglier than when I had used the mask for the first time. It was, however, similar to when I use Moroccanoil, so it was kind of a sad "back to reality". I'm considering more and more the fact that Oct. 21st miraculously just happened to be a good hair day.

Oct. 23rd-24th: Only conditioner

I applied my conditioner only, no mask. My fingers were gliding through my hair in the shower. Finger detangling was easy. But that info isn't very relevant because I go through this routine even when I use Moroccanoil. Note that I use Moroccanoil after finger detangling and before using the wet brush.

When I brushed my hair with my wet brush, everything was going well until I came across one obstinate knot that ultimately snapped. It was just bad luck IMO.

The morning after, hair was easy to brush. The ends were wavy and already a bit fairytale. Successfully fought against the desire to straighten my hair.

However, my bangs looked so bad I had to water them (most likely caused because of a bad sleeping position).

At the end of the day, my hair had become chunky like normally:

The truth is, I don't really mind when I have these wavy ends, on the condition that the strands look chunky and a bit oily rather than when they've just been brushed. I just wished that the ends were thicker and not fairytale.
Let's also mention that the same scenario (chunky strands and wavy ends) also always occurs with Moroccanoil. In other words, what I've seen in the short-term, is that my hair is pretty much the same when not using Moroccanoil in terms of looks and manageability. Maybe a daily routine consisting of shampoo & conditioner only is the way to go—as long as you have a good conditioner. I'm so used to Moroccanoil and I realize I was insecure whenever I thought of not using it.

Finally, one last thing: I haven't noted any major hair shed during this "experimenting" week of no Moroccanoil. This was at least something positive.