I think it goes without saying that as a living, breathing human being functioning in modern society, I have an addiction to Amazon Prime. My husband is convinced that I singlehandedly keep them in business when my problem could be much worse. I use Prime to purchase most of the mundane products my family needs to function: trash bags, toilet paper, select vitamins, cleaning, and beauty products, as well as pretty much anything my kids need. We also ordered major kitchen appliances from Prime when we were remodeling, but my husband was highly involved in those purchases – and it is a story for another post.
What I have never ordered from Amazon is really anything fashion-related (SEE HUSBAND – it could be worse!). That is until they launched two super cool initiatives that were too good to pass up. And while I was nervous placing my orders, I am happy to report that everything I purchased was fantastic in every way. #notsponsored #justafan
Amazon Fashion’s The Drop
If you are not familiar with The Drop on Amazon, it is where they created a limited or capsule collection with well-known influencers. The looks are inspired by the influencer’s personal style as well as street style trends from around the world. The collections go on sale for 30 hours and the pieces are made to order. This helps with the environmental impact of creating these collections while consumers get the added bonus of owning something that was not mass-produced and therefore seen everywhere.
One of the reasons why I wanted to start a blog is because I love YouTuber and influencer, Karen Brit Chick, so when she announced her collab with The Drop, I set my alarm ready to add to cart as soon as the collection went live. The two pairs of pants are from her fashion drop.
Can we just stop and appreciate the black pair with the white topstitching? The asymmetrical front, built-in belt, oversized pockets, and legs that can be worn loose or pegged thanks to the built-in snaps at the ankles – all of it is so, so good. I paired it here with a vintage feminine blouse because I loved the juxtaposition of a romantic top with tomboy-esque bottoms. The beaded bag and fancy heels make this look perfect for a night out, while my second look was more casual. And while look two also includes a vintage top, this DKNY number gives the outfit an entirely different vibe.
The brown pants are also Karen’s design and I love the high waist, built-in belt detail, and perfectly wide leg. You have seen this look on IG earlier where the vintage Whitney tee got most of the attention, but these pants are both unique and timeless and are a must for any modern wardrobe. Stay tuned for more fall looks with these pants!
I honestly have no complaints when it comes to my experience with The Drop. Are these items as cheap as much of the fashion on Amazon? No. Both pairs of pants came in a little north of $100. But the quality of both the pants is so amazing, they could have charged more, and it would have been worth it still. In fact, there are a lot of more expensive pants on the market that do cost more but are poorly made. From style to quality, these pants are made to last.
Amazon’s Making The Cut
Once Tim and Heidi were cut loose from Bravo, Amazon swooped in and gave them back to us with Making The Cut, a fashion competition/reality show that is looking to launch the “next global fashion brand.” There are a couple of enjoyable things that make The Cut different from Project Runway:
Since they are looking for the “next global fashion brand,” a lot of the designers are established, independent labels that often have years of experience, employ teams of people, and/or have manufacturing already in place. This allows the show to go beyond just the design part and show you the business of fashion. In fact, there are some competitors that do not know how to show and have always relied on technically trained professionals to bring their looks to life.
Challenges include pitching to investors, coming up with business plans, validating their brand, designing a storefront, developing a comprehensive marketing plan for their launch, and more. It really pulls the curtain back on just what it takes to make it in fashion beyond designing just one collection for fashion week.
The other thing I love about Making The Cut is that you can purchase the winning designs each week from Amazon. It is so cool to watch a piece go from inspiration to runway, then straight to my closet. And while I loved all the final designers from season two of Making The Cut, Gary Graham was my favorite. The dress and skirt below are two of his winning looks from the show.
The dress was inspired by a vintage blanket Gary found and upcycled into a dress. The black and white skirt was from a multimedia challenge where they had to get into the influencer/content creator of it all and record a short video to sell their design. In the show, Gary designed a while skirt and hand-painted it for the video to achieve the final look. And while I love the skirt (it is perfectly twirly, made with the layered fabric that makes it great for all seasons, and can be styled a myriad of ways), the dress is sooooooo good that if I ever do not have it anymore, I may cry. It’s a keeper.
Like The Drop, both pieces far exceeded my expectations in quality versus the price. I do not remember how much I paid for each piece, but again, north of $100. But from a style and cost-per-wear perspective, both pieces are worth every penny. There are plenty of cheaper items on the market, but all four of the items featured in this post are what I call investment pieces without the actual investment.
Have you shopped from either The Drop or Making The Cut on Amazon? Are you an Amazon Prime fashion shopper in general? Let me know in the comments. And let me know which is your favorite look!
Photography by Chie Endo