Shiny Shoe Sunday

One of the great benefits of California weather is that you can pretty much wear everything in your closet year round. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with daytime looks that incorporate cropped sweaters and crop-tops, making them more appropriate by wearing over a dress or tunic.

Here, I’ve worn an AYR shirtdress over my favorite Chimala jeans and added a crop top to define the waist. I put this look together specifically to wear with my new Sophia Webster x J. Crew sandals, which I just scored on super sale at J. Crew. Since the sandals are really reflective, I wanted a simpler, more relaxed look everywhere else. Also pictured, one of my favorite color combos of late: navy and coral (on the lips). 

OUTFIT DETAILS - AYR tunic; Nasy Gal Sweater; Chimala Denim; Sophia Webster x J. Crew Sandals; Everlane Petra Bag; NARS Niagara Lipstick

Have a badass 2015!

A few weeks ago, as I was walking back to my office from getting a coffee I had a realization that I was wearing an “outfit”, that I had a “look”, and that I felt awesome! I’m not a supremely self-confident person on a regular basis, so I actually like to stop and acknowledge moments in my life when I DO feel good about myself. This particular moment really solidified for me the notion that fashion, styling, and creative self-expression can sometimes be the most powerful tool for us to develop our most confident and successful selves. When the clothes that you wear are making you feel your best, you can take the mental space that was making you feel fat or self-conscious or [insert your perceived flaw here] and focus on other things that you REALLY want to be thinking about. So, yes, I believe that the clothes do make the wo/man 

One of the main reasons I finally started posting content a few months ago (after nearly 10 years of false starts) was precisely because I was at a low point and felt like I just needed some accountability to dress better and be better. The supporting goal in making that statement was to help other people find their best, most badass selves that will make them kill it every day. I’m looking forward to the chance to connect with more people in 2015 and go on this journey together. 

Here’s hoping everyone has an extremely badass 2015!

OUTFIT DETAILS - American Apparel Turtleneck Dress; AYR Pants; Helmut Lang Vest; J Crew Necklace; Luv AJ x Jewelmint Rings; Express Mules; NARS Roman Holiday Lipstick

The Weekender

Of course as soon as I go bragging about how warm it is in San Francisco, the weather goes and turns cold on me! Just like that! Tuesday brought us a little bit of a chill and several days of (probably much needed) rain here in the Bay Area. So no more minidress posts – which, if I’m being honest, probably wasn’t a seasonally appropriate outfit anyways. Le sigh. 

OUTFIT DETAILS - Sweater: Cheap Monday; Jeans: Chimala; Shoes: Express; Necklace: Elizabeth & James; Bracelets: Linea Pelle, Giles & Brother; Belt: Everlane; Bag: Alexander Wang

Jammin

I added a new uniform into rotation a few weeks back: long, baggy shorts with a fitted tee. It’s been perfect on the weekends here in San Francisco, where we are still enjoying sunny days in the low 70’s. I also really like this look because I feel like 90’s-style sporty is having a bit of a revival at the moment and long shorts, almost like basketball shorts, fit perfectly into that throwback. Check out some of the recent DKNY and Alexander Wang collections to see what I mean.

This pair from Harput’s is a lightweight crepe, which I can make work year round in the Bay Area. On warmer days, I wear them over a mini tank-dress and on cooler nights I wear them over leggings with a boxy sweater on top.

OUTFIT DETAILS – Tunic: Velvet; Shorts: Harput’s; Shoes: Pour La Victoire; Jewelry: J Crew 

Jeepers

The weather here in San Francisco should be nice and sunny all week, but I can’t resist pulling out the sweaters. Keeping it light with this jersey skirt from BellaLuxx, then paired with my creeper wedges. 

OUTFIT DETAILS - Sweater: Vince; Skirt: BellaLuxx; Shoes: Underground; Rings: Maison Martin Margiela; Lips: NARS Roman Holiday; Nails: OPI Midnight in Moscow

Custom

I had this dress made by my friends at Harput’s about 6 months ago. It was really so much fun to see them go through the custom process and I’m really looking forward to getting a few new items from them for Fall. 

The idea for this dress came from me trying on one of Harput’s fantastic full-length trench jackets. I fell in love with the jacket, but I don’t really get much use out of outerwear here in the Bay Area. Gus and I both thought that a trench inspired dress would be so wearable, plus I needed to add more conservative options to my work wardrobe for my occasional trips to Tokyo.

The dress is a simple shirtdress, but I think the level of finish makes it much more of a workhorse for me than any of my other similar options. For example, the fact that the front doesn’t have any enclosures (like a wrap skirt to get blown in the wind or button plackets to gape when you are sitting) makes it so much more comfortable. Plus, the benefit of having something custom made for your body cannot be discounted, no matter how simple the piece.

There are a lot of great details to this dress that are not coming through in these images, so I’m planning a post to highlight the construction.  

OUTFIT DETAILS - Dress: Harput’s; Shoes: J Crew; Necklace & Bracelet: J Crew; Ring: Jewelmint; Lipstick: NARS Heat Wave