Reviews

A few months ago Ugglebo Clogs contacted me and asked whether I’d be interested in “testdriving” a pair of their famous clogs. I was a little hesitant to agree at first because clogs aren’t exactly in my scheme of prey when shopping for shoes. But I went to their website anyway, took a look at their products and instantly fell in love with the Seattle Mid Shearling Boot. A few days later a big package from Sweden arrived on my doorstep.

Ugglebo Clogs Seattle Mid Shearling Boots in tan

Ugglebo Clogs Seattle Mid Shearling Boots
($319, Ugglebo)

Ugglebo?

Ugglebo Clogs is a Swedish Clog company that focuses on providing traditional clogs, high-fashion clogs and clog boots. They started creating clogs during the 1960′s and 70′s and the company was officially founded in 1965 by Sven Carlsson.

Ugglebo Clogs

Ugglebo focuses on the legacy of the Swedish clog making industry while incorporating a contemporary approach to its collections. Each clog is still crafted by hand, using the time-honored techniques and luxurious materials. Ugglebo Clogs aims to craft their footwear using the finest leathers, wooden bases, and metal hardware available.

Ugglebo Clogs

Irina & Ugglebo Clogs

Review: Ugglebo Clogs Seattle Mid Shearling Boots

First off, I’m sorry for the bad lighting and my slightly grim-looking face (I always look angry on photos when I relax my face). We had to shoot these photos on a very gloomy day about 20 minutes before nightfall set in, so the light was pretty crappy in the first place and almost gone already in the second, but I hope you still get a good grasp of how the Ugglebo boots look in real life.

When I first put them on it was like a sensory contradiction. The shearling lining was warm, soft and cozy, it felt like slipping into a cloud, while the wooden platform made the boot feel very heavy and stiff at the same time.

Walking in clogs as I learned from my experience takes some time and effort because the sole doesn’t bend which feels awkward at first and makes climbing stairs a bit dangerous, but it’s nothing too serious and surely no unsolvable quest. I quickly adjusted after wearing my boots for a few quick errands.

Unfortunately due to the mild winter we’re experiencing here in Germany I couldn’t fully test them under extreme cold weather conditions yet. There was no walking or playing in the snow and no freezing temperatures though I’m very positive the shearling lining would keep my feet toasty warm and me pleasantly happy when we’re being hit by a blizzard the next time.

Bottom Line

I love my Uggleboo shearling clog boots! I never thought I’d like or wear them as much as I do. Sure they’re a bit tricky to combine with and probably only suitable for the colder seasons due to the shearling lining, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be having these boots for a long time and they’ll be lifesavers during the next cold winter.

Oooh, and did I mention the “Seattle” boots ($289) come in a non-shearling version as well? I also like the casual coolness of the studded “Philly” ankle boot clogs ($259). Visit Ugglebo Clogs and see if anything tickles your fancy!

PROS:

  • Superb quality & manufacturing. These are handmade shoes, people!
  • Very warm and super comfy boots.
  • Everyone commented on the cuteness of these boots whenever I had them on.

CONS:

  • Price! Might only be a worthwhile investment for die-hard clog fans.
  • Heaviness of the boots! It’s in the nature of real wood clogs to be rigid and heavy though, so don’t buy if you’re looking for lightweight boots!
LookOur Rating: ★★★★☆
QualityOur Rating: ★★★★★
WearabilityOur Rating: ★★★☆☆
PriceOur Rating: ★★★☆☆
OverallOur Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

(The boots have been provided to me for review)

{ 3 comments }

Online Shopping Recommendation: Zalando

by Irina on September 1, 2011

Zalando

This post/review will be probably useless if you’re from the US, but I figured our European and British readers might enjoy it. If you’re a reader from Germany chances are you already know about Zalando.de. In the last 2 years it’s become the German equivalent of Zappos in the US. So what is Zalando? Basically, it’s an online shop which started out selling mostly shoes but then spread out to also include clothing, accessories, beauty products and other stuff. Sounds familiar, right?

As someone who is based in Germany myself I’ve had my fair share of ordering from there, but it’s been a while since I last shopped there (blame ASOS, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins), so when I was contacted by a Zalando rep a few weeks ago who offered a free test order I was curious to see how things have changed since my last shopping experience there.

Zalando is currently trying to break into other European markets aside from the German one including the UK market. Zalando.co.uk might not be well-known right now with the Brits, but if the German success story is of any indication this is about to change very soon. But what makes Zalando so special from all the other varoius online retailers? Well, here are a few of their main selling points:

  • 600 brands, 40.000 products
  • Free shipping & free returns (no minimum purchase)
  • 30 days return policy

My Personal Shopping Experience with Zalando

mint&berry Maxi Dress in apricot

So what did I order? Of course I thought I’d find myself a pair of fancy shoes since that’s what made Zalando so popular in the first place, but then I spied this beautiful apricot maxi dress by mint&berry and I knew it was meant to be. The price was quite reasonable at £44.95, so a few clicks later it was on its way to me.

And the shipping was really, really fast. I ordered on a Wednesday afternoon and the package arrived Friday at noon. 5 stars for speed!

However, the dress turned out to be a lot more rusty/orangey than shown on the website and when I tried it on I also noticed it was running a bit large on me (I ordered a small). I was really bummed because I loved the soft fabric of the dress and the way it looked on me, so I went to the Zalando website again and was quite pleased to find out that the dress was also available in black and luckily the XS size was still in stock. I packed up the dress, filled out the return note (done in less than 2 minutes), put the return label on the package and dropped it off at the post office, completely free of charge (please note that I ordered via the German Zalando website since I live in Germany, but the .co.uk-shopping process works almost identical!).

Meanwhile I ordered the black XS version and again, shipping was very fast (ordered Friday evening and had it delivered Monday at noon). And this time everything looked and fit just perfect! I was super happy with my dress! And the return of the first order went smooth as well, I got my refund in a little under a a week. Overall I’m really pleased with Zalando and they’ll get a big thumbs up from me! Free shipping and easy returns are crucial factors when it comes to where I choose to do my online shopping and Zalando happens to offer both!

ShippingOur Rating: ★★★★★
ReturnsOur Rating: ★★★★★
Product(s)Our Rating: ★★★★☆
PriceOur Rating: ★★★★☆
WebsiteOur Rating: ★★★☆☆
OverallOur Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

{ 3 comments }

Leopard is one of those prints that is really a fashion staple, although it seems to come in and out every few years. Well, it’s in again for the fall/winter 2010 season, and in a big way. Designers are peppering everything with it, so American Chic‘s Leopard Print Tassel Hobo is dropping at the absolute perfect time.

American Chic Leopard Print Tassel Hobo

American Chic Leopard Print Tassel Hobo
($70, American Chic)

Vahni & Her American Chic Leopard Print Tassel Hobo

Vahni & Her American Chic Leopard Print Tassel Hobo

As I mention in my video review, I’ve been scouring the ‘net for affordable leopard bags, without much luck. There is a lot out there in the $1.200 to $2.900 range, but not much for the everyday person. This bag is a fun, irreverent leopard piece that is like an instant wardrobe update, and for only $70.

What I loved about this bag—other than its generous size and useful interior pockets—is the braided tassel detail, and the gold hardware. At-a-glance, the bag looks luxe, and makes a statement. Without the tassels and gleaming gold, I might not be so enamored. They really take this bag to the next level, and are the kind of details a synthetic bag should have to keep it from looking cheap.

Bottom Line

The American Chic Leopard Print Tassel Hobo is a fantastic—and practically foolproof—way to cost-effectively work some leopard into your wardrobe. I think the bag will hold up fine for a season or two of regular use, perhaps longer. It is also a nice alternative for those who are opposed to wearing animal fur, but really want a bag covered in this vibrant, glamorous pattern.

PROS:

  • Will never show a speck of dirt.
  • Fun, on trend, inexpensive. Great animal-friendly alternative to calf-hair leopard print print bags.
  • Roomy, cloth-lined interior with three pockets. Big enough to fit a laptop in.

CONS:

  • A large bag; may be overpowering for petite women.
  • Seams near the strap look a little fragile, like they might tear with repeated, heavy use.
  • Synthetic material is a little plasticky, though texture on the surface does make it more believable.
LookOur Rating: ★★★★☆
QualityOur Rating: ★★★☆☆
WearabilityOur Rating: ★★★★☆
PriceOur Rating: ★★★★☆
OverallOur Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

(The bag has been provided to Vahni for review)

{ 6 comments }

Review: Plattoes Shoes

by Celine on July 2, 2010

A girl just simply can’t have enough shoes. Handbags? Yes. Dresses? Probably. Shoes? Never. It is for this reason that I was over-the-moon enthusiastic to try out and review Plattoes shoes. They have, what I think, is a truly unique concept: you pick out the base shoe (wedges or heels) and then you have multiple ribbon options to choose from. Both pairs of base shoes come with metal loops to thread the ribbons through. They have 6 double-sided (reversible) ribbons and 18 standard ribbons. You can buy as few or as many as you’d like and the idea is to mix it up as often as you’d like.

Plattoes Heel Base

Plattoes Heel Base
($79.99, Plattoes)

Celine & Her Plattoes Heels

Celine & Her Plattoes Heels

The concept is original and fun, it’s quite exciting to be in the driver’s seat, so to speak, during the design of your shoe, and the idea of being able to switch up the color (ribbons) whenever I felt like it was pretty awesome. But does it work? Are the shoes comfortable? Are the ribbons easy to thread and tie? And first and foremost, are they cute? I’m sure you’re all wondering what the answers to those questions are, because I pondered them as well.

The shoes come packaged nicely in your standard shoe box. The ribbons are wrapped in plastic. I urge you to go on to the site and watch the various How to Tie videos, as attempting to tie the ribbons by “instinct” (as I did) turns out to not be so fruitful. Trust me. The shoes will feel loose and uncomfortable. The videos show you how to double tie, make cute bows, etc. Also, a tip from me: put the shoes on your foot first and only then start to tie. If you don’t proceed this way, your ribbons may end up being too tight and you’ll have to try and shove your foot under them… as I… ahem… did. You’ll get a much better, yet still snug fit if you do it this way.

Once on, I have to say, the shoes were pretty darn cute and ended up being moderately comfy after wearing them out shopping for a few hours. I opted for a black & white gingham ribbon, a navy striped ribbon and a red, double-sided, polka dot ribbon. I love the idea of being able to switch the ribbons according to what outfit you’re wearing, but I have to say – the process of tying the ribbons does get to be a bit tedious and to be completely honest, I never got a super comfortable fit – although I think I probably just have to dedicate some extra time to figuring out which ribbon-threading works best for me. In retrospect, I kind of wish I had chosen the wedges, as I think that shape of shoe lends itself much better to this concept.

Bottom Line

All in all, the idea is really fun, the ribbons are incredibly cute, but I think you have to have the patience to thread and re-thread the shoes for this to work best. I would also recommend purchasing the wedges over the heels and definitely watch the videos provided on the site for tips. If you do that, I think you’ll most likely be pretty psyched with your purchase.

PROS:

  • There exists a ribbon to match every outfit
  • A great price considering how many different looks you get
  • Really cute “retro” look

CONS:

  • Definite learning curve when it comes to tying the ribbons
  • Comfort wise, they never feel quite like normal shoes
LookOur Rating: ★★★★☆
QualityOur Rating: ★★★☆☆
WearabilityOur Rating: ★★★☆☆
PriceOur Rating: ★★★★★
OverallOur Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

{ 3 comments }

Are you one of those ladies who has lusted for the Marc Jacobs Quilted Stam Bag since the day it came out? I know I am. I just love Marc Jacobs bags—they have a look all their own, and since I am lucky enough to have a Venetia myself, I know they are extremely well-made. But unfortunately, when they first hit the shelves, they are so expensive. Sigh.

American Chic Black Quilted Chain Bag

American Chic Black Quilted Chain Bag
($49.75, American Chic)

Vahni & Her American Chic Black Quilted Chain Bag

Vahni & Her American Chic Black Quilted Chain Bag

So listen up…as you can see from the photos above, we got our hands on a sick Stam lookalike! And we decided that it was time to take ITC reviews to the next level. So rather than just seeing photos of the American Chic Black Quilted Chain Bag, we shot some video so you can truly see how this bag translates in real life.

As I mentioned in the video, I was pleasantly surprised by how real this faux leather bag looks. And I am a very hard sell…honestly, when I first read the details about the bag, I wasn’t too excited about the fact that it’s not leather. But I’m totally sold! Seriously! I have actually carried this bag around and it looks incredible on.

So what else do you need to know about the American Chic Black Quilted Chain Bag? Well, despite the fact that the hardware is not brass, it’s still a nice goldtone, and has enough weight for it to look and feel good. Inside, the bag is cloth-lined, which is a big deal—nothing worse than a plasticky interior. It has a generous helping of pockets and zips and compartments to help keep your personal items organized.

Bottom Line

This is one of the best faux leather, designer-inspired bags I’ve seen in recent time. It is well-made, lovely to look at, roomy inside, and totally believable. I’m sure you’ll get your 50 bucks’ worth out of it, and then some.

PROS:

  • Man-made “leather” totally looks like the real thing.
  • Good quality. A stunning Stam-esque bag.
  • Major price! Such a steal at under $50.

CONS:

  • Metal clasp has slight discoloration, uneven tone.
  • There were some loose threads in the quilting.
LookOur Rating: ★★★★☆
QualityOur Rating: ★★★☆☆
WearabilityOur Rating: ★★★★☆
PriceOur Rating: ★★★★★
OverallOur Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

(The bag has been provided to Vahni for review)

{ 21 comments }

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