Beloveds! It’s been many years since I did a brand collaboration. I have very strong ethics when it comes to the clothes I buy and the brands I partner with. A couple years ago I went on a deep dive for hours looking for plus size sweatpants with elastic ankles in my size that were ethically made.
What a serendipitous email to get from Octopied Mind offering to partner with me! Owned by Canadian Queer Women and ethically made with incredible artwork and quality–I’m all in. Size inclusive from 2XS to 6X!!
I hit a freeze response when I was picking out the pieces OM was going to send me. So many great options! Shirts like “Don’t Tell Me What to Do”, “Even Baddies Get Saddies” and the “Adapting” raven called to me.
I chose the “Riots Not Diets” tee shirt in 2X. It fits like a dream (and true to size). It’s their mineral wash variety and its so soft–like perfectly broken in brand new. Breathable and cozy.
At first I thought I would cut off the neck like I do to 95% of my tee shirts because I am a Tender Tomato and get sensitive about things around my neck. (The 90s choker trend didn’t catch for me and I now realize why.)
However, this neck band is actually really soft too. And it’s wide enough that it isn’t bugging me after I’ve worn it five times. The shirt has gotten a tiny bit roomier but not much of a difference in five wears.
I chose the long size and love that there’s an option for the Millenial fav short length tee shirt.
I was shopping for the perfect Cuddle Up and Cozy Down outfit for cuffing season (the season when folks boo up for the Winter–what if I were to boo up what kind of sweats do I want to wear for that) and long is the right fit for me to feel comfy and at ease.
Another thing about the Octopied Mind website I ADORE is that when you click the size on the product it switches the model in the photos to a plus size model or the smaller size model. There are videos as well to show you the fit and flow of the fabric. And when you toggle between short fit and long fit tee shirts you see the actual shirt and the difference in length.
There’s even a very helpful video from the Octopied Mind Instagram page showing the differences between the three tee shirt fabric styles with two different size models.
For sweatpants there were so many options! Right now there are eight! That’s a lot for an indie brand with such a size range!
I chose the Destined to Disappoint sweatpants in 3X. I was going for a slightly oversized fit–the hot girl in baggy sweats look. What a treat to get to buy sweatpants not at the top size of the range just to barely fit over my belly (my lifetime experience with sweats especially as a fat teen in the 90s) but to have room to size up. After one wear they broke in and got baggier and I can roll over the elastic waist band once or twice to get them to be a little tighter.
For info on my fit, I’m 5’6″ with a longish torso and right now I wear a 22/24W on bottoms. Honestly I haven’t been shopping typical retail in many years so that’s a guess based on where my body size is compared to previous experience in plus size retail. (I was a shop girl at Lane Bryant in my early 20s and have worked at a couple plus size resale stores in the past two decades. I have a lot of experience going through many brands and who sizes “true to size” and who is all over the place.)
The COLORS of this brand are sumptuous and the screen print is really well done. Honestly there is SO MUCH work that goes into every step of making garments. Tailoring, fabric choice, artwork, ink choice, size range. The fact that it’s ethically made through each step (even the packaging is compostable and the garment tags are lavender seed paper and will hopefully result in flowers in my yard, Gay Gardens) is incredibly mindful and wonderful.
If you want to visit with me in Gay Gardens while I do my unboxing video for this brand here’s my vlog!
There’s a 30 day money back guarantee and the shipping was so fast to me. I thought because Canadian it would take awhile but I received my package two business days after it shipped. I do live within sight of the border so maybe that’s it but grateful.
Remember use code BEVIN for 15% off your first order! I’m so stoked for the beginning of this partnership and to get to rep more collections as they roll out. Octopied Mind has collectors and a Patreon with lots of first access and behind the scenes looks!
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