This is my first pair of white pants, purchased a few months ago from The Gap when I was on my Gap kick. I was always afraid that white pants would be too see through and/or not very figure flattering for those of us with curves. But this pair doesn’t have any of those issues. And I must say, it is nice to have a pair of white pants to throw into the mix for summer. 

When I wear high-waisted pants I’ll usually try to have a boxy crop top or else wear something tighter on top to accentuate the waist. One thing I’ve been doing a lot this Spring and Summer is actually to layer a button up over a tank but criss-cross the two sides as you tuck it in. This gives the top a nice blousey look and further accentuates the waist. 

I particularly like to style my button-up like this when I wear a really big necklace that I want to show off. Here I’m actually wearing two necklaces to create the full necklace effect. 

OUTFIT DETAILS - Chloe Aviators; Crescioni Necklaces; Vince Favorite Tank; J Crew Chambray; Gap Pants; Rachel Comey Shoes

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

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

Work Uniform, Variation on Blue

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