DIY: Ulla Johnson Skirt

I also whipped up this top out of some scrap fabric, but it has since been cut up for use in other projects.

     I'm pretty darn excited because I made this skirt ::pumps fist circularly and makes a wooing noise:: This is one of the first items I've tried to make where I didn't have a pattern and was basing it on a photo. This photo, in case you are wondering:

Ulla Johnson, RTW 2020

    You'll notice that in the photo, the garment in question is a dress, whereas mine is a skirt. While the skirt came together in a relatively straightforward manner, that was not the case with the bodice. I tried to struggle through it before I figured the garment was trying to tell me something and I should stop banging my head against the wall turning what was apparently meant to be a skirt into a dress (plus, skirts are so versatile). I had purchased 5 meters of cloth, thinking that would be enough (it was not), so I barely had enough to make my first attempt at the bodice and nothing left for a do-over. Also (and I acknowledge that this is a bit of a false comparison) this skirt cost me about $20 in fabric (plus two days of my time) whereas the Ulla Johnson one is closer to $800. No doubt it is much better made and the fabric is probably nicer but still!

Sun's Out

     We have had an uncharacteristically warm week here in the Bay Area, and I've had a little time off, so I decided to capitalize and break out my warm weather-can't wear to work-but really like them, pieces. 

Top | JOA
Pants | Rag & Bone
Shoes | Asics Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66

     First up is this JOA One Shoulder Stripe Top, which I thought I'd featured on the blog before, but a quick search shows I have not. This was a total impulse purchase last summer, at what felt like the height of the deconstructed off-the-shoulder top trend and I pictured myself wearing it on my then upcoming trip to Hawaii. I totally love this top, even though it is a bit impractical, and is a liar (although I think that last part is why it was marked down so much - for example, still available here in pink, for ~$15 (affiliate link)). It was billed as a one-shoulder top, and also shown that way in the stock photo (below). The part around the arm should be able to be worn down (the way I have it) or up on your shoulder. 

Matched

Cardigan | Target
Top | ALC Floral Silk Top
Pants | ALC Floral Silk Pants
Shoes | Paul Green

     I absolutely love this jumpsuit, except it is not a jumpsuit, it is pants and a top. This might make me love it more, because it is still cool, slouchy and comfortable, but you don't have to unzip yourself with yogic elbows or sit in a public restroom with no top on, on the days you wear it. It also has freaking pockets!

     Regardless of the practicality, since I was already wearing open-toed shoes, and, you know, a silken printed jumpsuit on a Friday, I decided to tone it down a little bit with a cardigan, while I was at work. After work I went out for drinks and boom, the shoulders came out. 

Business casual, maybe?

I got both of these pieces on the Real Real, about 3 months apart. Both are still available (in varying sizes) on the Real Real's site, although I bought mine for about half the price, so it might be worth waiting for their next big sale. I thought I found the pants first, but a look at my old clothing spreadsheet (yea, I keep a clothing spreadsheet) reveals I actually bought the top first. It makes sense - I probably would have been unwilling to go for the crazy pants, right out of the gate. As I generally strongly prefer solids, it is sort of a bold print for me, but I love the color and the geometric floral vibe. The top and bottom are both 100% silk, and are very soft and breathable. I'll be doing some traveling to hotter climates in the coming weeks, and this will probably be coming with me.

Do you have something you wear that just makes you feel ultimately cool? How often do you wear it?

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?

Victoria Beckham x Target: Fitting Room Review

I should say at the outset, that this is more of a look at the fit of the collection on someone who is petite, as well as a general comment on quality - but first, some thoughts:
     I was of two minds when I first heard about this collaboration. On the one hand, I am down with Victoria Beckham. I liked her as Posh Spice and I like her as the head of legit fashion-line Victoria Beckham, and Victoria by Victoria Beckham.  Additionally, because those two lines are rather expensive (some of it, my-annual-shopping-budget-for-one-piece expensive), I like the idea of her doing a Target collab, where everything will be priced below $80.
     On the other hand, these collaborations can so often be disappointing or gimmicky. The quality often isn't that good, putting these squarely in the category of fast-fashion, and the items sell out quickly and then are re-sold online for far more than they are worth. Additionally, take a black dress, of which this collection features several. Instead of buying a black dress from this collection, just because it is VBxTarget, I think I'd prefer to spend the time to find a black dress that is either a better fit, or better quality, or more functional and that will stand the test of time. Who knows, maybe the black dress in her collection will do that, but I don't think that is the point. I thought this piece by Glossy was an interesting read and notes that the point is to drive you to the store, or keep a positive association with it in your mind, so that you will consider doing more of your shopping there in the future. It also helps the designers reach a broader audience that they might otherwise. 
     All of that being said, I decided to check it out anyway. I needed to go to Target and I always find reviews to be helpful so I thought I'd get out there and review - read on for my thoughts.

Hydrang-yea

Sweater | Target
Jeans | AG
Necklace | Michael Michaud

     When I saw this necklace it was love at first site. I love hydrangeas, and so the opportunity to have a hydrangea necklace, cast in bronze, was too good to pass up. This necklace is really a work of art, and I am excited to pair it with everything, from plain sweaters, to embellished tops (sparkle on sparkle). In this instance, I clearly went with a subdued outfit, in order to highlight the necklace in all of its glory. 

     I threw on a wool jacket - a clearance Elizabeth & James, via the Real Real, find - to combat a chilly day. I love the use of leather accents in this jacket, but it is a little bit big. I really need to learn to sew, at least to the point where I can do basic things, like hem my own pants, or maybe learn to take in the sides of jackets. That last one might actually be pretty difficult to do if there is a lining, etc., but it just seems like more and more, having sewing skills would be so useful. I am seriously considering making it a 2017 personal challenge. My 2016 challenge was to start a blog, and I bit the bullet and did that, so I'm feeling like I could probably start to tackle sewing too. It also makes me think back to Home Ec in junior high, which I didn't have to take because I was in band ( cool, I know). Did anyone actually learn to sew in Home Ec - was that my missed opportunity?!

 Thanks for stopping by.

Fluorescent Green

Sweater | 3.1 Phillip Lim x Target
Jeans | Joes
Boots | Fry Dorado Riding Boot

This sweater is from the 3.1 Phillip Lim x Target collaboration from 2013. Remember that? I occasionally break it out when I want an unusual color - it is the only fluorescent green item that I own, and each time I think the same thing: great color, but super wrinkly. This time was no exception. I paired it with skinny black pants and black boots to streamline the rest of the outfit, and let that highlighter green be the focus.

Did you get anything from that collaboration? Do you still have it? 

Lost & Found

Sweater | Target
Jeans | DL1961
Boots | Coclico Arya
Bracelet | Miansai Screw Cuff in Rose Gold

I'm in the middle of cleaning my apartment as part of a new year organization and cleaning spree, and under the bed I found a bin that I did not remember that we had put there. In it, were several items of clothing that, at one point over the last year and a half I had been like, "whatever happened to my __". Turns out they were all in this bin that was under the middle of the bed and which I had totally forgotten about. Most of the clothes went immediately into the Goodwill pile, since if I hadn't noticed they were gone, it was a good indicator that I didn't really need them. Some of the items, however, were like this black sweater, which was in there and which I missed so much - I'll never lose you again sweater!
It is a pretty basic sweater - from Target, but it is so soft and I love the way it fits. It is also the perfect length to wear tucked into jeans, or, as a mini dress with over-the-knee boots (that one, obviously not worn to work). 

I usually get dressed shoes last (metaphorically - although also literally) as I know some people start with shoes and work upward when planning an outfit. I took a chance that these tan booties would go with this look, and was pleasantly surprised. I also then put on some rose gold jewelry, to help bring other warm pink/yellows into the outfit. The shoes are Coclico, a brand I've talked about a few times (here and here), and were my first purchase from the brand, which I stumbled upon on Amazon back in 2014 (they are currently on sale, in suede, on the Coclico website - I am a size 7 and usually wear their 37, but these, per their website, run a half size small so I sized up).  They are an ankle boot (I neglected to take a photo showing just the shoe) and have a cool cut out look on the shaft. 

Hello shoes.

Do you ever feel like you just cannot find that one piece of clothing that you know is somewhere in your closet?

Style Dtour: Austin

Hat | Frankie Jean

Today, I bring you a special *friends* edition of Style Dtour, from a trip to Austin. It was my first time in Austin, actually my first time in Texas, and my only regret is that nobody said "howdy" to me the entire time I was there! To compensate, I bought the above, adorable hat. My fearless friends were kind enough to allow me to document their style, and in my humble opinion, our summer dress game was pretty on point.

C : "I love the length and shape of this dress. The long narrow skirt is flattering and adds a little sophistication to an otherwise casual summer tank dress. It was my first Everlane purchase, and I'm very happy with the quality of the cotton." 
I totally agree - seeing her in this made me want to go out and buy this dress. 

Dress | Everlane Cotton Striped Tank Dress
Jewelry; | Mau cuff; Etten Eller necklace
Shoes | Will Leather Goods 

A: "The dress is from Loft and the sweater is from Stitch Fix." 
I love this color on A, and the way she contrasted the turquoise necklace with the jewel tone of the dress. 

Dress | Loft
Cardigan | Stitch Fix
Shoes | Rainbows

J: " I love this dress because it is flippy and fun, but also really soft, forgiving, and... has POCKETS. I wear it to work with a blazer or, obviously, out with friends."  
Preach! I obviously also have a weak spot for a dress with pockets. I also love the way she mixes and matches her jewelry. 

Dress | Loft
Shoes | Jerusalem Sandals
Jewelry | Stella and Dot, Fitbit 

J: "It's Xhilaration from Target and the shoes are rainbows." 
I was so happy when I saw J in this dress. It is adorable and has elements of another style that she and I both love: overalls. 

Dress | Xhilaration
Shoes | Rainbows

D: Lastly, I present my own outfit. I really love the back of this dress, and think it is quite cute, but I wish it were not white. I've almost worn it several times for wedding and wedding-adjacent events, but each time I'm like, oh yea, can't wear white. I am considering just taking matters into my own hands and dying it.

Dress | Alice + Olivia Vinny Embroidered Cotton Cut-Out Dress
Shoes | Paul Green
Bralette | American Eagle 

 Thanks for reading!

Floral Pick-Me-Up

I woke up in a bad mood this morning. I was sleepy, my head hurt, and I didn't want to go to work. However, then I got out of bed and realized that I have a closet full of beautiful clothes, and so it can't really be all that bad. 

I picked this blazer in order to will myself into a good mood. I'll tell you what - it worked. 

Blazer | J. Crew (old)
Pants | Theory (thrifted)
Belt | Target

True or false: Looking at these photos made me realize I need a haircut...

Outfit Roundup - Wear to Work

Last week, I test-drove two pretty trendy looks in the office: crop tops and over-sized cardigans.

First up, the crop top. This particular one is Elizabeth and James (this available here), and has shiny metallic embellishments. I paired it with a high-waisted skirt, and layered a tank underneath, so even when raising my arms to put on a sweater (like so), there was no risk that some of my skin would peak out.

Upper abdomen is not really business casual, no matter how you slice it.