Splish Splash

Riddle me this: why do trench coats almost never have hoods? It seems like putting a hood on a water resistant garment would be an obvious choice. Apparently, the trench coat first came to prominence during World War I (read more about it, from the Smithsonian) - so maybe a hood just wasn't practical on the battlefield and the classic design stuck?  

With the sweater fully unzipped.

Needless to say, on this particular day, my body stayed dry, but my hair got soaking wet. Next time, I will remember an umbrella. 

Sweater | J. Crew
Dress | Rag & Bone
Shoes | Cole Haan
Trench | Banana Republic
Bag | Cuyana

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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...

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Vest-igan

Top | Carrie Perry (made in NY)
Pants | DL1961
Vest | Halogen
Earrings | Michael Kors

     I have been trying to stave off a cold, and this is sort of a sartorial salute to the blanket. I tried to take several photos of me spinning, to capture the swish of this long car-est (cardigan/vest), but they were all quite blurry, so I finally just held still, and got the photo above, which I think captures the general idea. I love this vest-igan (from Nordstrom Rack, and purchased for $11). It is so incredibly soft, and I love the movement of it. The sleeves of this silk blouse are also sort of see-through, and I can highlight that with this vest. If I threw a blazer over this top, the sleeves would be lost completely. 
     I buttoned this blouse all the way to the top to play up the more masculine sensabilities of a button down shirt, and the paired it with hoop earrings, to add a little femininity back into the outfit. 

The hoops are rose gold, from Michael Kors, that I bought a few year ago, and are probably down to a cost-per wear below a dollar. They are pretty large, but also very thin, which I like, both aesthetically and because they are not at all heavy, and the rose gold color is subtle and goes with a lot of things. Since they are a few seasons old I don't see these exact ones online, but these are pretty similar.

What do you turn to when you aren't feeling well?

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.

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.

Train Conductor Chic

Sweater | Everlane Men's Cotton/Cashmere Hoodie
Pants | Frame Le Garcon Jeans
Shoes | Asics Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 

When I saw these pants at Crossroads Trading Co., my first two thoughts were: (i) I've heard so much about Frame denim, I'm curious to try these on, and (ii) "oooh, how conductor chic". Have you ever seen those train conductor overalls for children? They are always that blue and white striped color. 

      Inspired by the idea of a train conductor, I naturally wore one of my ring watches (gotta keep the train running on time). I have an affinity for ring watches (I own two of them) and I've stopped myself multiple times from buying more. This one actually belonged to my grandma, and holds a special place in my heart. 

I was surprised how wrinkly my fingers looked, so I messed w/ the brightness levels until they looked better, haha.

     These jeans are a size 25, which is usually what I wear, and I assumed they were supposed to be sort of a slouchy, boyfriend look. That being said, I could have easily sized down, and I'm not sure if that would be true w/ all Frame denim, or just this cut. I really leaned into the slouchy, masculine aesthetic and paired them with a men's hoodie (from Everlane, in xs), and sneakers. I really like the look of slouchy jeans, and I was pleased with the way these fit - basically barely staying on my hips. I was also pleased with the construction, and the fact that these jeans are Made in USA. I don't think I'd ever pay the $200+ retail price, but with a gift card, they were an $8 experiment that I was happy to make.

  
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