Festive

This outfit features a couple of new items that I picked up while traveling. The photo is a few weeks old; in fact I think I was still jetlagged when it was taken. At least that's my excuse for looking so tired and bored.

I've been getting quite a bit of use out of this sparkly vest; it's perfect for informal holiday gatherings or for giving a festive touch to a regular outfit. The vest is made of cashmere and each sequin is sewn on individually, so it's both comfortable and durable. The shirt and the crystal ring were also purchases made during my recent trip.

Shirt, vest: Zadig & Voltaire
Pants: Rag and Bone
Shoes: See by Chloe
Bag: Kate Spade
Rings: Metal Pointu

Going Strong

These pants often look very dark in outfits, but here I used the scarf to brighten things up and bring out the purple color of the pants. Wearing this big scarf shawl-style works well with this top, because it has a collar that sticks out and makes it tough to put lighter weight garments over it. In fact, I discussed this issue waaaay back in 2008, where I declared that wearing the top over a lightweight jacket makes me look like a hunchback.

There are several interesting things about that old post: (1) I'm wearing one of those colorful, wide belts which used to be a regular feature in my outfits but which I no longer ever wear, (2) I talk about having a date, which means that both the post and the top predate my husband, and (3) I forgot just how dark indigo those Joe's Jeans (which I'm actually wearing right now) used to be. It was also photographed in my old apartment, and my hairstyle is  quite different. The times have certainly changed, and the old jeans may be faded, but this little top is still going strong.

Scarf: Asos
Top: H&M
Pants: Rag & Bone
Boots: Ecco
Bag: Boktier

I used my fleur-de-lis scarf ring to secure the ends of the scarf. 

A New Look

I've recently gone a little shorter with my hair, because I discovered that this is really its ideal length. Any longer and it starts to do its own thing by the end of the day, which generally involves falling in my face and driving me crazy. I start to get these insane thoughts, such as wearing a headband. As long as I've lived I don't think I've ever worn a headband, even in the 80's. But annoying hair will do things like that to a person.

I threw this outfit on the other week and thought, "I've worn this exact thing before." I rifled through the closet, unearthed this little-worn vest, and voila! A new look is born.

Dress:
Vest: All Saints
Boots: All Black
Bag: Boktier
Jewelry: Manu Lizarralde, Metal Pointu

Fishing

This is the first time I've worn this dress in a summery way and not all layered up for colder weather. I totally love it as a warm weather dress, however I forgot one key thing about San Francisco this time of year: it can get rather windy. And since this dress is made of a very lightweight silk, it pretty much floats up into the air in all directions in the lightest of breezes. I think I just need to figure out a way to weigh the hem down a little. I'm sure that attaching some of those lead sinkers would work, but that might look a little odd, or at least give the impression that I'm really crazy about fishing. If you have any more aesthetically pleasing and/or effective ideas, please pass them along, because frankly I don't even like fishing.

Dress: eShakti
Cardigan: Noa Noa
Flats: Fly London

Bridge

You've seen a very similar outfit to this one before, but I had to post it again to show you this coat, which has been a lifesaver during our cold, rainy spring. What's interesting about this jacket is that although I bought it in 2005 (I remember because my sister was visiting at the time and helped me pick it out), it seems to get more and more current as the years go by. The bold, graphic floral print and mix of colors seem very fresh to me, and I've worn it a ton over the last couple of months. If I saw it in a store today I'd surely buy it all over again.

The jacket helped to brighten up this otherwise somber outfit. The colors blended perfectly with the deep purple pants, and helped to bridge the pale pink cardigan with the darker pieces. I hated having to take it off once I got into my office.

Jacket: Liquid
Cardigan: Anthropologie
Tunic: Audrey Cantwell
Pants: Rag & Bone
Shoes: John Fluevog
Jewelry: Metal Pointu

Hooked

I should've put on some lipstick before I took these photos. Usually I do, mainly because the camera flash makes me look so washed out. This was one of those crazy mornings where I was really pressed for time though, so it's a wonder I managed to take pictures at all.

I have another business trip to France coming up in April, and for this one I've decided to tack on a few vacation days and head down to Lisbon. I told you I was hooked on fado! Now I get to go hear it in person at one of the authentic fado restaurants in the very city where it was created. My only problem is that now I'll have to learn a few words and phrases in that maddening language, and between that and trying to brush up on my French it might be more than I can handle.

Shirt: Promod
Vest: A. Byer
Pants: Rag & Bone
Boots: Ecco
Bracelet: Metal Pointu

Flashdance

When I originally put this outfit together I topped the sheer tunic with my cropped Asos top with the sheer back. It almost worked, too, and I did like the sheer-over-sheer effect. However, the way the wide neckline of the cropped top revealed the straps of the tank top just wasn't quite right; too many Flashdance memories, I suppose. Incidentally, click on over to Wendy Brandes' latest installment for the Huffington Post, featuring me and a bunch of fellow bloggers sporting sheer garments.

I bought both the pants and the shoes on an afternoon that Sal and I spent lunching and shopping with LPC. In a very uncharacteristic move, I walked into the John Fluevog store and walked out with possibly the most conventional pair of shoes they've ever produced. But a pair of basic, retro-styled black pumps has been on my shopping list for ages, and I had decided I was going to stick to my shopping list during Sal's visit and not allow myself to stray, despite there being several other pairs that caught my eye. Also on the shopping list: colorful, skinny pants. Since this purple pair had bonus leather panels on the calves, and they were on sale, it was really a no-brainer.

This outfit was inspired by this one from Sea of Ghosts, but for my version I covered up a bit more and opted for the demure pumps to make it more age and work appropriate. I love how the leather detail on the tunic pairs mirrors the leather panels on the pants.

Cardigan: Express
Tunic: Audrey Cantwell
Pants: Rag & Bone
Shoes: John Fluevog

Urban Active

Here's that other purple dress I was telling you about in my last post. It's from Athleta, a store I probably wouldn't have checked out if it weren't for the fact that Sal has put together so many cute outfits with their stuff. With a name like Athleta I'd have thought they carried strictly athletic clothes, but it turns out they make all sorts of clothes I would categorize as urban active, which is exactly what I need to accommodate my long walks to and from work.

The dress is comfortable and breathable, machine washable, and the quality is great. I took this dress with me on my recent international trip, and it was just perfect for travel.

Shown here are two different outfits with the dress; the second photo has a lot of glare from the sun but I included it to show you what the upper wrap portion looks like.

Dress: Athleta
Jacket: Shawna Hoffman
Belt: thrifted
Boots: Brako

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm back from my trip to Germany and France and have finally recovered fully from the jetlag. I spent a delightful weekend in Paris that was cold but mostly sunny, and filled with great food and even better shopping (photographic evidence to come!). Now that I have a little time off I'm hoping to get caught up with my blogging and post some photos from my trip.

In the meantime here's a recent outfit featuring this cute new dress that I found at a shop in on Fillmore Street; it turned out to be the second of two long-sleeved purple dresses I bought that day. Ordinarily I would've avoided buying similar items, but this one is a much lighter weight dress whereas the other is more of a winter weight, and this was so deeply discounted that I couldn't pass it up. You'll be seeing the other purple dress in an upcoming post.

Wishing you a happy holiday season!


Dress: Kew
Necklace: Manu Lizarralde
Boots: All Black

Janet

Recently I had the honor of being featured by the fabulous Sarah Von on her blog Yes and Yes. If you haven't done so already, go check it out!

Looking at these photos, which are now several weeks old, makes me realize how badly I need a haircut. Usually when I get my hair done I make my next appointment then and there, so as not to forget and let too much time slip by before the next cut and color. But for some reason the last time I forgot, and the other morning I realized that my hair has begun to look like Janet from Three's Company. Which was cute... in 1982.

Not exactly the look I'm going for in 2011, though.

Of course making the appointment has been on my to-do list for the last week and a half, but somehow I just haven't managed to remember to call during business hours. I'm hopeful that this is the week I'll actually make it happen.

My aunt gave me this cute top, which has a panel of sequins that show subtly through a layer of sheer chiffon. I like how the soft neutral color looks contrasted against the black shrug.

Top: Express
Shrug: Cenit
Necklace: from a glass shop in Venice
Skirt: Noa Noa
Leggings: Black Market Baby
Boots: All Black

Bare Legs Weather

This outfit came together perfectly in terms of colors and patterns, but wearing tights with this skirt was an utter failure. Sure, it looks good, but the skirt fabric sticks so readily to the tights that even with a slip underneath it was a huge pain to keep the skirt from riding up my legs when I walked. I adore this skirt, but it is definitely only suitable for bare legs weather. And bare legs weather is NOT what we are experiencing in SF right now.

This cardigan has proven to be one of those "how did I ever live without it?" kind of items. This outfit is the fourth time it's made an appearance on the blog, but since I bought it in May I've worn it many more times for casual weekend or after-work outfits.

Cardigan: Anthropologie
Top: Sisley
Skirt: Sisley
Necklace: Dana LeBlanc Designs
Bag: Coccinelle
Shoes: BCBGirls

End of an Era

Over the weekend I attended a baby shower, which depressed me. Baby showers always depress me, because they make me think, "Oh, there goes another couple, crossing over to the other side where I'll rarely see or hear from them, and when I do we'll no longer have anything in common." The baby shower typically ends up being one of the last times that the child-free friends really get to spend time with the woman who's expecting. I'm sure sometimes friendships can thrive between people with children and those without, or at least that's what I've heard, but I've yet to experience it so far in my life. People that have kids seem to get sucked into a dimension where only other parents can enter; the child-free must go their own way and make new, child-free friends to fill the hole left by the ones they lost.

It isn't that I'm not happy for my friends, it's just that there exists a divide between the childed and the child-free that's hard to bridge once the baby comes along. This particular couple is pretty special, so if anyone can buck the trend they can, but nevertheless the bummed out feeling that set in after the shower has stuck with me these last couple days. It's sort of an end-of-an-era feeling.

This was not my baby-shower-attending outfit; that'll actually go up next week. This was just another attempt at looking as summery as I could given the chilly weather we were having.

Dress: Aryeh
Cardigan: S
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Boots: All Black
Babgles: Amrita Singh

Swarming

I've done a bit of gardening recently; this pot of flowers is one of the last projects. Between this and our new hummingbird feeder, our patio is now swarming with hummingbirds, all trying to defend their favorite new feeding spot. I can't wait to see what happens when Georgie gets too close to these flowers. I suspect she'll go skittering inside when she realizes that hummingbirds, despite their diminutive size, will not be intimidated by larger animals.

The color of this top was described as "mink," but to me it looks like more of a soft purple. I love the movement of the ruffles when the breeze picks up.

This skirt (and the other ones I have in different colors) is truly an all-season one; during the cooler months it's an excellent layer beneath another skirt or a dress, and now that it's warming up again I'm looking forward to wearing it more on its own. The dusty purple color also transitions well from one season to another.

Top: Asos
Tank: Forever 21
Skirt: Noa Noa
Shoes: Bettye Muller

Formula

This outfit is sort of a repeat, as I've worn this dress/tights/shoes combo a couple times before, but the colors just go so well together that whenever I pull this dress out I'm stumped to come up with a better formula. Sometimes there's just no messing with a good thing.

Since the middle panel of this dress is a see-through lace mesh, I always need to cover the midriff in order to wear it to work. This time I used the blazer to cover most of it, and filled in the rest with the scarf. It was fairly cool that day, so the velvet blazer and tights kept me warm, while the sandals and bright colors made it seasonally appropriate.

The outdoor location is the patio just off our dining room (which really isn't a dining room so much as a hatmaking studio). You've actually seen this location before, but it was with the ugly blue building next door in the background. I much prefer this angle.

Dress: Betsey Johnson
Scarf: vintage
Blazer: Victoria M. Ortiz
Tights: Foot Traffic
Sandals: John Fluevog

Easter Egg

I think I like using the larger picture format for my lead outfit shots; the detail is much easier to see, isn't it? Of course you can always click each photo to enlarge, but it seems like it's easier not to have to go through that extra step. Feedback is appreciated!

I felt like an Easter egg in this outfit, in the best possible way. I'm not usually one to wear lots of pastel colors together, but I really loved how the deeper teal shades gave the outfit some contrast. Note that none of the colors really match, but they all go together: the shoes, for instance, contain shades of teal that are just on either side of the skirt in terms of intensity, and the purple panels across the tops of the shoes tie in the purplish top without being exactly the same hue. This was a fun outfit, both to put together and to wear.

Making the outfit even more fun was how many of the items in it were gifts; note the list below.


Top: a gift from Mom
Cardigan: Anthropologie
Belt: a gift from my sister
Skirt: a gift from Sal
Tights: Hue
Shoes: John Fluevog
Bracelet: Betsey Johnson
Necklace: Ambiance on Haight Street

Home at Last

Well I'm back, and boy is it good to be home. Despite the fact that I now feel like I've got a cold coming on, I had a great trip; I met many wonderful bloggers in New York and spent lots of time with my dear Sal, I saw both my friend Lisa and my sister Jessie get married, and I visited with family and friends. I also spent a great deal of time being cold and having dry skin. Again, being back in San Francisco feels great.

I'll try to put together a recap of my trip later this week or next, but first I need to get caught up on some of my pre-vacation outfits, of which this is one. In the meantime, check out these posts, which detail some of what I was up to:

• Sal's New York recap

• Sal's Eileen Fisher fall preview

• K-Line's New York recaps here and here (you should also check out the beautiful cape she bought while we were all shopping at Barney's together)
• A variation of what Sara wore for our shopping extravaganza
• Wendy B's Fashion Week recap -- including a great shot of several of us doing the Wendy B signature pose
• Cameron's recap of our blogger meet-up at the Empire Hotel (in which she mercifully does not mention how drunk I got)
• Rad's description of our Brooklyn meet-up (in which she mercifully does not mention how hungover I was)

I think that about covers them all. Also, be sure to stop by at Inside Out Style and take a look at the Stylish Thoughts guest post I did. Thanks to Imogen for including me!

Hat, sweater, socks: Noa Noa
Shirt: H&M
Dress: All Saints
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Tights: Foot Traffic
Boots: Bastien

Cocoon

Awhile back I decided I should get myself a sweater dress, having seen Sal look great in them as well as a couple of ladies I've spotted at work. But I also decided I would buy one second hand, because I figured the sort of dress I was looking for would cost more than I was willing to pay. So off I went to the thrift shop, and though I didn't find one there, I thankfully stopped in at Crossroads Trading Company, where I snagged this seemingly never-worn one for just $18.

I had some pretty specific requirements for the dress, too, which makes it even more miraculous that I found it. It had to have a cowl neck, long sleeves, be a thick cable knit and not too clingy, and be soft and of good quality. This one is 100% merino wool, and as you can see it clearly satisfies all the other requirements. It feels like wearing a big cocoon; I couldn't be more thrilled with it.

I added the harness to give the boxy dress a little shape, and tied the scarf cowboy-style up under the cowl in order to bring some vibrant color to the outfit. Adding the purple scarf reminded me that it had been awhile since I'd worn these pretty purple boots, which I thought paired well with the edgy harness.

Dress: Banana Republic
Harness: Audra Jean
Scarf: a long-ago gift
Boots: Eject

Resolution

In the last weeks of the year I decided to get a jump start on my New Year's resolution to drive less, and not knowing exactly how far I'd end up walking or how long I'd be standing and waiting for public transportation (I hadn't yet tried taking public transportation to work from the new house), I decided I should make my outfits as comfortable as possible while I was still getting used to the new system. I'm not the sort of gal who will put on sneakers with a work outfit and change at the office; no way. So if you look at the last few outfits you'll see two of my favorite pairs of walking shoes -- these boots as well as my brown Batas -- and plenty of soft, flowy knit fabrics.

Now that I've done it a few times, I've realized that taking public transportation to work is actually quite easy from the new place. Not only that, but I arrive at work far less crabby than I do if I have to suffer through the traffic on the freeway. This might just be a resolution I can stick to.

Cardigan: BB Dakota
Gray skirt (hiked up and worn as a dress): S
Teal skirt: LA Made
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Boots: Modern Vintage

Team Building

This was a casual outfit that I wore to a company event in which we were having a team-building exercise that required a lot of walking around outside. Oh, how I live for corporate team-building exercises (insert sarcasm here). Actually it turned out to be not as mind-numbingly stupid as I'd anticipated it would be, and as an added bonus I got to spend the day in downtown San Francisco rather than having to commute to the office.

The comfy and casual ensemble I picked was made up of my soft, warm argyle sweater, my most comfy pair of jeans, and my beloved and well-worn brown boots. The big scarf not only kept me warm, but it also added some interesting pattern and color to spice up the casual look.

Sweater: All Saints
Jeans: Acne
Boots: Bata
Scarf: a gift from my sister

Building Blocks

This is just a simple casual Friday, jeans-and-t-shirt outfit, but it illustrates the importance of accessories and shoes in elevating an outfit from ordinary to interesting. By itself, the red scarf isn't even really that exciting, but paired with a dark purple shirt it gives the outfit a lot more pop. Adding the multi-colored shoes is a funky finishing touch.

I should also point out that I bought this shirt specifically because it combines eye-catching details with a comfortable, relaxed design. It cost more than I would typically pay for a long-sleeved t-shirt, but it's one of those interesting basics that makes it a snap to put together outfits that are both casual and unique. I also have plenty of basics that are truly basic, but I try to spice up my wardrobe with pieces like this when I come across them (All Saints is one of my go-to retailers for interesting basics), because when I'm pressed for time or don't want to think too hard about my outfit, they make the perfect building blocks.

Shirt: Just Angels
Scarf: H&M
Jeans: Joe's
Shoes: Fly London