I was stalking Vivetta for about 3 years before splurging on this shirt. And two others. And a pair of pants. And a hat. 

Can I please escape this last day of the week in my poofy princess skirt? 

You can always rely on spring to bring the safari trend back around. Some seasons the perspective is literal, using camouflage and leaf prints. Other seasons the perspective is more utilitarian, bringing back cargo pockets, flowing linens, and belted waists. 

The latest Spring runways inspired me to abandon certain things in my closet, including a lingering pair of skinny cargo chinos. But it also inspired me to revive this old Marc Jacobs dress (which I’ve nearly parted with on several occasions). 

I bought this dress a few years ago, while I was still living in Austin. Spring safari trends were very chino and utility oriented, but this dress felt embellished enough to be work appropriate. I hadn’t exercised it very much since relocating to San Francisco, but there were a few combinations on spring runways that inspired me to do something a little different with it: the first was, obviously, the safari trend, and the second was the 70′s revival of tunics over pants. While this combination isn’t exactly on par with the flowing bohemian styles of the 70′s, I thought it better to pair a relatively fitted dress over a more tailored trouser. 

A mom-pants look for Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day all you badass mommas out there! 

OUTFIT DETAILS: J. Crew jacket; Vince tank; Dylan Lex necklace; RetroSuperFuture sunglasses; Gap pants; Kate Spade shoes; Celine bag; Alexis Bittar bracelets

Back to Basics

I’ve been going through a bit of change in my on-duty life over the past few weeks. I started a new job that is full of opportunity, but in typical startup-fashion that opportunity comes with a bit of growing pain and discomfort. I know that the “juice will be worth the squeeze” when it comes down to it, though.

When I have disruptions in my life, I have this awful tendency to forget the discipline and order that I need to keep me healthy. So some of the great habits I had been working towards earlier in the year have fallen off a bit in the past two months in favor of working late nights and weekends.  

As I’ve been searching to get more equilibrium back in my life, I’ve sort of rediscovered a great, reliable old friend in The Gap. When I was growing up, The Gap was THE cool place to shop.  At the time, Austin didn’t have major department stores or high-end boutiques, so mid-market darlings like Abercrombie, Old Navy, and The Gap were our venues. Somehow, in recent years I’ve completely forgotten about my bread-and-butter brands in favor of building my closet up with high-end labels.

When I popped into the store to pick up these joggers, I did a bit of browsing and found so many other great items (which will all be making appearances later), including a really nice oxblood leather skirt. I put together a Pinterest board of some of the women’s items that I snagged recently. Here, I’m just putting a bit of polish on the sporty joggers by wearing them with mesh shoe-booties and simple jewelry.

OUTFIT DETAILS – T by Alexander Wang Pocket T, Gap twill joggers, Renvy booties, Givenchy Pandora bag, Gillian Julius bracelet; NARS Cruela lip pencil; Ray Ban sunnies

Follow Designer Off Duty’s board Spring Picks from Gap on Pinterest.

Feeling Spring

I’ve been really ‘feeling Spring’ over the past week while the sun has been shining bright in San Francisco. The temperature hasn’t quite caught up to the sun’s enthusiasm, though. So I’ve been searching for outfits that will keep me warm when I venture outside but also be light enough that I don’t feel too swaddled. 

Layering my Everlane sleeveless turtlenecks over tunics and jogger pants has been the perfect option for me. To get just a bit of polish, here I’ve chosen a silk jogger with leather striping and paired them with a high-heeled bootie. 

OUTFIT DETAILS - Velvet by Graham & Spencer Tunic; Everlane Chunky Knit Sleeveless; Vince Joggers; Calvin Klein Platform Booties; Jewelmint Rings; & Other Stories Clutch; NARS Roman Holiday Lipstick