Sparkle

Sweater | Rebecca Taylor
Pants | Citizens of Humanity
Shoes | Coclico
Bag | Mansur Gavriel 

     Happy New Year!! This is the last outfit that I wore in 2017, and it felt like a fitting first post for 2018, even though everything seen here was purchased in 2016 or earlier (did you follow that?). I decided to wear a sparkly sweater, in order to fully embrace the New Year's Eve spirit. This sparkly overlay kind of looks like gold leaf up close, and I like that it is spread out unevenly - denser at the neck and then lightening out across the body of the sweater.  You can't really see them in the photos, but the sweater has a zipper on each side. I like to wear it to work layered over a voluminous white button-down, and unzip the zippers half-way, in order to show the shirt underneath. My Main Squeeze, on the other hand, likes to reach over and unzip them throughout the day, to annoy me. I kept the rest of the look very simple, with my favorite 2016 jeans and black accessories. 
    Speaking of sparkly and new, I'm trying to decide if I should make any blogging-specific resolutions this year (and fun fact, my 2016 resolution was to start a blog, which, you guessed it, I did). I think they would generally be the following: 

Dark Florals

Top | Tanya Taylor Nessa (secondhand)
Pants | Citizens of Humanity (secondhand) 

     As someone who generally loves solid colors, and eschews prints, I was shocked that I was so taken by this top. At first glance, it has a lot going on - bright color, embroidery, long sleeves and an off-the-shoulder cut.  That being said, the print has a bit of a nostalgic pull for me. When I was little I took a Ballet Folklorico class (it is Mexican Folkloric Ballet...and pretend there is an accent on the second "o" in Folklorico, I can't figure out how to do it on Blogger), and a lot of the shirts have this same embroidery flower pattern. I don't remember particularly liking or disliking the dancing, as a child, but I did love the outfits.

     Did you ever engage in extra curricular activities solely for the outfits? Honestly, I feel like most of my excitement over youth soccer involved these elaborate fringed ponytail holders that one of the Team Moms made and sprayed with glitter glue.

Rose

Top | Nordstrom Collection
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity
Shoes | Paul Green
Bag | Baggu Basic Tote

     It is taking all of my restraint not to make a "on Wednesdays, we wear pink" joke (not the least of which because it is Monday). I've had a bit of a posting hiatus, but hopefully will be getting back into a rhythm soon (I mean not like the sartorial world has just ground to a halt without my astute observations, but whatever, blogging makes me happy). I think about my outfits, take the photos, and write the posts in order to capture the creativity that my clothes allow me to convey. Also, I love talking about clothes and outfits more than most people I know want to hear me do so, so I write those thoughts down here, instead. 

Trust Me, I'm Wearing a Pencil Skirt

Top | Equipment
Skirt | Theory
Shoes | J. Crew

...and we are back to our regularly scheduled programming. I've been working quite a bit lately and when I come home, I instantly change my clothes and get back to work, so there hasn't been much outfit documentation, or creative energy to showcase my outfit documentation, but hopefully I'll get a chance to recharge a bit this weekend. 

     One day last week I did manage to snap some photos because I went to a work event. My goal for this outfit was to look more polished, so I went with the trusty old pencil skirt (this pencil skirt was actually part of my very first "adult" suit, which I bought from a Theory outlet store back in 2014). However, I did a half-tuck on my menswear-inspired shirt because, number one I love a half-tuck, and number two because I think it feels a little younger. It could be that it just looks a little sloppier, but I paired this with a black leather jacket (which I did not get any photos of) and hoop earrings, and I thought it looked pretty cool...but also trustworthy.

Business, business, business

Then boom!

     Also, since it is the end of the week I thought I'd throw in some random bonus photos that I don't think I can build entire posts around. 

Think of these like the prize in the bottom of a Blog-Cracker-Jack-Box.

In no particular order, we have:

1. A work look featuring the jacket I promised to bore you with by wearing it so often, and a sick bag that I got in Italy. It is a tote bag with a top flap (it drives me nuts when tote bags are open on top) which is wide enough to fit my laptop and a lunch Tupperware, and comes with a cross body strap!

Jacket | Rebecca Taylor
Jeans | DL1961
Shoes | J.Crew 

2. A weekend look featuring a sweater I've had a few years but should probably wear more. It has a cozy fleece lining and the print can frankly best be described as an interior-designer-fever-dream. It is sort of hard to tell from this photo but features alternating house blueprints and doll-house furniture.

Sweater | Clover Canyon
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity

 3. One more look at my new Eileen Fisher dress, but paired with a leather jacket. A leather jacket frankly goes with everything.

Jacket | Veda
Dress | Eileen Fisher

4. And lastly, a pretty casual weekend look, with one of my favorite tops, whereby I am holding, but at least not wearing, the jacket in #1.

Jacket | Rebecca Taylor
Jeans | DL1961
Top | Calvin Klein
Shoes | Paul Green
Bag | Mansur Gavriel 

 Thanks for stopping by!

Satisfying Souvenirs

Coat | N/A
Top | Target - Mossimo
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity
Shoes | Rachel Comey Mars

     I have started a tradition of seeking out thrift or consignment stores when I am on vacation, in order to find a souvenir. It is a nice way to avoid touristy memorabilia, explore a city's second-hand scene, and get some awesome clothing. Based on what I've seen so far, I think Denver might hold my top spot for second-hand finds. Thanks to a recent trip to Amsterdam, I finally got to implement this system internationally, rather than just domestically, and used Yelp to try and narrow down where I should go.  

     This coat is from Wini Vintage, which honestly, was pretty darn similar to a consignment store I might find in the Bay Area. It is an awesome mini-caped wool coat that fits perfectly. Not only that, but it has a charming red lining, that peaks out when you wear the coat unbuttoned. The sewing on the outside of the coat is also red, but is pretty innocuous until you see it next to the red lining. The woman working at Wini Vintage was really helpful and not at all pushy, and when she saw me trying this on, she brought a few other coats she thought would look good. There was one more, military-inspired coat I really liked but since I did only carry on luggage, and didn't really need two more wool coats, sacrifices had to be made. 

  I really like the little cape, but, who knows how I'll feel about that design element years from now. Luckily for me the cape is detachable! Affixed with three buttons hidden behind the collar, and when removed, the coat is streamlined and sharp looking. There is no brand label on the inside, but it does still have the tag letting me know it is made of wool. 

How do you shop for souvenirs, and what are some of your favorite finds?

Style Dtour: Rome, Italy

View from balcony of the Airbnb. Pantheon in the distance.

Since I already gave you a glimpse of my travel wardrobe, this selection of photos basically just serves to highlight the majesty of the city that is Rome.

Sweater | Eileen Fisher
Coat | Rebecca Taylor
Pants | Citizens of Humanity
Purse | J. Crew Signet Bag
Shoes | J. Crew x New Balance

That being said, here is an outfit photo. The jacket that I brought has zip-off sleeves, so I decided to put them to the test (and make sure they weren't just decorative zippers) and treat the coat like a vest. These photos were taken at the MAXXI, which is a modern art museum located in the Flaminio neighborhood of Rome. I would describe it as a little experimental for my tastes, but I'm glad someone is out there doing what they are doing. Also, the building design was really fun.

Villa Borghese Gardens

The gardens at the Villa Borghese were one of my favorite parts of Rome. It is nice to get away from the city and suddenly be in an enormous, serene park full of plants, dogs, and striking water features.

Altare della Patria

Since I was on vacation, and walking a few miles a day, I did get pretty casual with it once or twice. For better or for worse, there were quite a few other tourists also rocking their sweatpants. Although, I should also admit, for every athleasured American, there was also an incredibly chic and well-put-together Italian person standing nearby. 

More MAXXI

View from St. Peter's Basilica.

Lastly, a view from St. Peter's Basilica, made all the more speical because there are so few people in it. One of the definite benefits of jetlag is getting the city to yourself for a few hours in the morning.

Have you been to Rome, and if so, what was your favorite spot? Thanks for stopping by!

The Business of Travel Layering

Tank | Lanston
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity
Sweater | Everlane
Puffer Jacket | Uniqlo Ultra Light Down (read my review here)
Coat | Rebecca Taylor
Bag | J. Crew Signet Bag
Shoes | New Balance x J. Crew

I recently got back from a trip to Italy, and while I was out and about all day walking around and tourist-ing (not a word, but perhaps should be) light layers ended up being the way to go. I wanted to ensure comfort and temperature control, with temperatures ranging from the 40's to the mid-60s. This is a quick spin through my basic sight-seeing outfit. Also, since the AirBnB we were staying in had a washer/dryer (and also was really cute - that is where these photos were taken), I prioritized bringing machine washable items that would dry out quickly (leather/wool coat, obviously excluded).

Layer One

   I guess technically layer one is underwear, but this isn't that kind of blog. I started with my favorite pair of jeans, and a soft cotton tank, that provided a lightweight base that did not add unnecessary bulk. I prefer to layer tanks under sweaters, because sometimes with shirts, layering three different types/lengths of sleeves can be annoying. 
Layer Two

 Next up, a thin Everlane sweater, that I basically wear all the time. It is sadly no longer for sale on their website, and the amount I wear it makes me think I should have purchased two of them when I had the chance. 
     Also, I wanted you to know that I wore matching socks just for you, internet. I basically never wear matching socks. All of the socks I own are ankle socks, so I just keep them in a drawer and pull out any two, as needed. I think it is practical, but it definitely drives some people crazy when they see my mismatched socks.
Layer Three

 The above outfit is basically what I wore out on the slightly warmer days, if it was unlikely I would be wearing my coat, so I didn't have to carry it around in my arms. I had high hopes for this Uniqlo jacket going into this trip and it surpassed all of them. It is so light-weight, I could scrunch it up in my purse, use it as a pillow on the flight, love that the exterior pockets have zippers to add a little security when traveling, and love that it has two very functional interior pockets - great to store a boarding pass when going through security. Also, the color is nice and was a little more fun than just generic grey or navy (you know, like the rest of my outfit...).
Layer Four

Last, but not least, my Rebecca Taylor coat, which I adore. I definitely kept it pretty casual on this trip (i.e. no dresses or heels) but this coat made me feel a little more polished. I was in Italy, after all, and the leather sleeves help me feel more fashion-y. It isn't a generic black coat, which a lot of people were wearing, so it was nice to have something that reflected my personal style but was functional. I finished off the look with a crossbody purse (which I will do a separate review of) and sunglasses, and was ready for adventure.

How do you usually layer when you travel?

Oversized Cardigan: Two Ways

Today, I take a look at how I style an oversized cardigan, for work, and for leisure. This cardigan is 100% cashmere (it is heavenly soft) and by Rag & Bone. I bought it secondhand, and I'm honestly not sure if it was originally supposed to be a men's or women's piece. It is a size S, and I could definitely see it designed to be purposefully oversized on a woman, or just fitted on a man. The color and cut also don't really point one direction or the other, but whatever - it ended up with this woman. 

Cardigan | Rag & Bone
Sweater | J.Crew
Dress | Proenza Schouler
Boots | Coclico

 Even though it has been rainy and a bit chilly here, I decided to brave the cold in a skirt with no tights (it is actually a dress, layered under a sweater, but you get the idea) and then added this topper for added warmth. The neutral color fits in well with the color of the other pieces, and the print on the skirt is the highlight of the outfit anyway. I initially was going to wear black shoes, but liked the height of these boot to make my legs look longer and to make myself feel a little more dressed up. Even though this is a casual piece, I think that it is elevated to work-appropriate status by the silk dress, heels, and rich color palette. 

Unfortunately, I can't really pop the collar.

Cardigan | J. Crew
Sweater | Banana Republic
Jeans | Citizens of Humanity
Shoes | J. Crew New Balance 620

 I think a key part of keeping this cardigan from looking like it is swallowing my frame, is defining my natural waist. If I paired this piece with a longer tunic, it would be a lot of length and volume on top, and might make my legs seem particularly short or spindly. I'm not saying my legs aren't short or spindly, I'm just saying that isn't the theme of this particular outfit. 

     For hanging out on the weekend (and still recovering from a cold), jeans were the obvious choice. I paired this cardigan with my ruffle shoulder Banana Republic sweater, as pairing a thick, chunky knit with cashmere felt like the right move. 

    These sneakers, by the way, are from J. Crew, and are the New Balance 620. They were on sale in the recent J. Crew markdown, and I got them for over half off. They are currently no longer on sale, but I bet they will be again soon. I bought them just to switch up my "walk-to-work" shoes, and so far I like them. They run TTS, and aren't particularly substantial (I wouldn't run in them) but for walking around they are comfy and cute.

I could also see this piece on an old man...

Thanks for stopping by!

Up, up, up

Vest | Plenty by Tracy Reese
Pants | American Apparel 
Boots | J. Crew Matte Chelsea Rain Boot

This post is about outfits, but mostly it is about the amazing views in San Francisco. We've been getting a lot of rain, and once there was a small respite, Cait and I headed to higher ground in order to take in the blue skies and swing out over the city (more on that later).

Cait brought her very fashionable, and yet practical poncho, which is fastened with an oversized pin. 

She told me: I had been hunting for a poncho with a southwestern vibe, and I loved this at first sight. Despite the bold pattern, the neutral colors make it more wearable - and I really like the overall shape, collar and fringe. It is now my favorite travel piece - it doubles as a fashionable blanket on the plane [I agree, this is so clutch]. The J. Crew rain booties are proving to be versatile, and my favorite shoe this winter. With all the rain, it is nice to have something lighter in weight that looks more like a normal boot than knee high glossy Hunters [again, agree! When I first saw her with these I didn't realize they were rainboots]. 

Knowing it might be muddy, and would still be a bit chilly, I pulled out the hoodie I featured earlier this week, my trusty Fyre boots, and was ready to go. It was a little cold, and I could have done with another layer once the sun started to go down.

Top | Everlane Men's Cashmere/Cotton Hoodie
Pants | Citizens of Humanity
Shoes | Frye Veronica Short
Sunglasses | RayBan

Everything the sun touches is yours, Simba. 

So, of course there was a random rope swing at the top of the hill, and after letting (aka making) her go first, to test its stability, I also took a turn. The view was incredible, but I have to say, it is harder to get nice photos of someone swinging than I imagined. I underestimated all of those photos shoots I've seen in magazines that feature someone on a swing, and I do apologize. 

Does you city have a place you can go to see it in all of it's glory? Thanks for stopping by.