Style Haul featuring Tobi ... in the Hamptons!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a clothing brand called Tobi. They were interested in partnering on a style haul for Beauty Babble, and when I looked at the clothing on their site, they didn't have to do much more to convince me to say yes.

I don't talk about my style on the blog too often, but I'll tell you there's one predominant word that describes it: black. I simply love black clothing - I find it sophisticated, easy to wear, elegant and ever-flattering, and after reading Marie Kondo's now infamous book "The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up," I feel even more strongly that every item of clothing I put on my body should make me feel nothing short of fabulous.

Of course, Tobi sells clothing in a variety of colors, but when I clicked through their site and saw their devotion to a style aesthetic that was simple, modern, edgy and trendy, I knew I'd have no problem finding items to try.

Ultimately Tobi sent me three pieces of clothing -- two dresses and a blazer -- and asked me to share my lookbook on the blog. Fortunately, the timing was just right, as I was about to depart on a girls' weekend trip to the Hamptons -- talk about a scenic place to take photos. All of the images you see here come from one of my besties and photographer/blogger extraordinaire, Tausha C. of The Globe Getter. Enjoy!

ITEM NUMBER ONE: SHINE ON SHIFT DRESS

My thoughts: This dress is SO comfortable to wear. It zips up the back and lays perfectly on the body, skimming over your curves and highlighting your shoulders and legs. It's short, but not too short, and the beaded detailing on the shoulder adds an immediate element of edge to an otherwise simple, elegant cut. The fabric is light and airy, the garment is well-made.... My only complaint? Wrinkles!

ITEM NUMBER TWO: MISS HIS KISSES MESH MAXI DRESS

My thoughts: When I first tried on this dress, I had a mini moment of panic, as I quickly realized there was no good way to wear a bra with it. Due to the design of the mesh cutouts, any style bra peeks through. I went brave and bare, and thankfully, due to the wide, adjustable straps, I was able to hike the ladies up and feel supported. Note this dress runs long -- even with four-inch wedges I was tripping over the bottom (I'm 5'4" and was wearing a medium).

 

ITEM NUMBER THREE: ANGLES ALL AROUND BLAZER

My thoughts: Of the three items, this was my least favorite. I was expecting a soft blazer based on the images on the website, but the fabric was of a more traditional suiting variety. Also, the sleeves ran really, really long. I ordered a medium and had no choice but to cuff them at least once (they're cuffed twice in these photos). Generally the fit was a bit more boxy than I expected, although the angles certainly made the garment feel modern and edgy. I'd pair with a tight dress or t-shirt and mini skirt next time!

Before we go, here are a few more notes about Tobi and my shopping experience:

1) All new customers get 50% (yes, 50%!) off their first order -- normally customers can return/exchange items (I couldn't since I received them for free). This means there's very little risk to giving the site (and their clothing) a try!

2) I don't think their sizing chart is super accurate. According to their measurements, I should have purchased a large in everything. I got mediums and probably could have fit into a small in the blazer and possibly the shift dress. So take things with a grain of salt and think carefully about the construction of the item and how it might lay when you pick a size.

3) Tobi is an online-only boutique based in LA, but they ship to 150+ countries worldwide and publish 20-30 new arrivals every day. Beware, shopping addicts. :)

Overall, I'm happy with the items I received, especially given the affordable pricing, and I could certainly see myself shopping with the brand again in the future. Have you ever purchased anything from the site? If so, let me know how your experience was in the comments section below!

Some items pictured were provided complimentary by Tobi, but all opinions are my own!

One-month IUD update!

Photo credit: http://www.mirena-us.com/about-mirena/see-mirena-up-close.php

So, yeah, time flies, eh? I feel like just yesterday I was sharing the experience of my IUD insertion (click here if you missed that post), and now I'm back, detailing how the first four weeks of having a foreign object lodged in my uterus have been. :)

I'll get to the punchline quickly for those that don't care to read the gory details: I still don't regret getting it, and no, this experience has not been nearly as terrible as I expected.

Now for those who want the details, here's the rundown:

The morning of my insertion was a piece of cake, although in retrospect, I attribute some of the lack of cramping to the fact that I had taken 600mg of Advil prior to my appointment, and that glorious, inflammation-reducing drug likely shielded me from some of the pain I would have felt otherwise. I say this because as the days and weeks progressed, I most certainly did have some cramping. It was definitely off and on, and it wasn't crazy severe, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't go through my fair share of ibuprofen.

The worst of the cramping came during what I assume was my ovulation period (I don't track my cycle, so I'm not sure, but it was about 7-10 days before my "period" -- more on that in a second). There were some isolated moments where I felt like I'd have stronger than normal cramps -- for me I had a bit of nausea, which is unusual, as I've never really had that as a PMS symptom. I also found myself microwaving a hot pack one night to rest on my abdomen.

Now that I'm a month in, the cramping has backed off significantly, although every once in a while, it'll come back for a few minutes, almost like this little reminder that the device is still there. (Interestingly, the cramps almost always showed up in the afternoon...I have no idea why, but since we're being really transparent here, I figured I should probably share!)

Let's talk about the bleeding. It's a real thing. I want to say I've worn a pantiliner pretty much every single day (with a few exceptions) since insertion, and for almost all of those days there has been some level of spotting. Sometimes it's literally the smallest little dribble and other times, I'll wipe after going to the bathroom and see bright red on the tissue. Very rarely was it enough blood to warrant a tampon, and the few times I put on a pad to sleep in they were totally clean in the a.m. But it's definitely worth noting that this is NOT the time to wear your favorite fancy underwear, and more the time to invest in some Always.

What about other side effects? I haven't noticed many of them. I was convinced that I was gaining weight for a few weeks, but I actually think that had more to do with the fact that I just felt like I was in a perpetual state of PMS (again, since my "period" that's kind of backed off). I felt kind of bloated, moody, gassy, and I most definitely had more cravings than normal. I haven't noticed anything else at this point -- my acne is the same as it's been, no better or worse, and I haven't started growing hair in weird places or anything.

Now let's talk about this "period" I've been referencing, because this was perhaps the most confusing part. I think I had a period in the last week. But it was the strangest flow I've had since the first time I bled as a teenager. For a few hours, I'd have enough liquid to fill a tampon -- sometimes so much that I'd actually leak through it in an hour. But then just a few hours later, I'd go to replace the tampon and ache because it was just sitting in there totally dry. I've normally worn pads at night (because I always find that tampons leak overnight) and not once did I wake up to a pad soaked in blood. But then I'd think my flow was over and a few hours later, I'd get a sudden, intense cramp and find blood in my underwear again. It was almost like a faucet that was really confused as to whether it was on or off, and this odd pattern continued for about 3-4 days -- my normal period duration. My OBGYN warned that things might be a little off for a few months, but I was still expecting to get a regular period just weeks after insertion. I guess not!

A few more things to mention:

• Yes, I have had sex since insertion, and no, it did not hurt, feel strange or affect my libido anymore than normal. Although I didn't directly ask, my partner didn't mention being able to feel the strings during intercourse or foreplay, which I'd read was sometimes an issue for some women.
• I can hardly feel the strings myself! My doctor had talked about how most women like to check for the strings every month to make sure everything's still in place. I've tried reaching up my vag, but I can't find anything...yet I'm 99% sure I would have realized if the thing just decided to dislodge or fall out of my vaginal canal. This is something I plan to check on with my doctor when I go for my annual in October, although she mentioned that feeling for the strings wasn't an absolute necessity.
• I'm cancelling my one-month check-up (something my doctor told me I could do if I felt fine). Sure, I may be having issues feeling the strings, but I don't feel like that's anything urgent, and I'm not in significant pain or discomfort. Since I'm heading in for my regular exam in the next month anyway, it's not worth the extra co-pay in my point of view.

As promised, I'm going to continue providing updates every so often for those who are interested, but if you have specific questions in the meanwhile, feel free to pop them into the comments section below. Til next time!