Coasting Through

Jacket - Gap, Dress - Banana Republic, Shoes - Lucky c/o ModCloth

 Over the holiday weekend, the boyfriend and I decided at the last minute to take a trip up to the coast for a little mini vacation. There's just something about taking a drive up the coast that makes me want to throw on a jean jacket, big sunglasses, and a glamorous head scarf like an old Hollywood movie star. But road trips are always a bit tricky because you want to be comfortable, yet chic. This nautical looking striped jersey dress with a cute little tie belt from Banana Republic turned out to be the perfect choice. It made me feel ready for the sand and waves, but it was as comfortable as pajamas. So I just added the big sunglasses and jean jacket and then opted for a bright orange scarf to give the outfit a pop of color.

We spent the day walking around town, eating a steaming bowl of delicious clam chowder at the wharf, doing a little sightseeing and shopping, grabbing homemade warm chocolate chip cookies at a sweets shop, and of course stopping for pictures in the gorgeous weather. It made me remember my trips to the coast when I was a kid and how much I loved them. I also spent some time playing around with the different film filters on my Iphone camera apps.

One last thing I wanted to share with you is a little tip I have for quick overnight trips. I hate packing too much on short vacations, so I like to come up with ways to transition my daytime pieces to nighttime without a lot of extra luggage. This jersey dress was perfect because it already came with a belt (but you can always add a belt of your own if you want to do this trick with a dress of your own), so I just liberally untucked the dress under the belt to make it a shorter, tunic length, added skinny jeans and some funky platforms and I was ready for dinner date-night! Who says all girls overpack? Besides, packing less clothes left me with room enough in my bag for some SHOPPING and that is something I always have to be prepared for. Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day!

Love Her Just the Same

Jacket - GraceElement (Macy's), Dress - Rodarte for Target, Shoes - MakeMeChic.com

 There is an episode of Sex and the City during which Carrie discovers a pair of Manolo Blahnik patent leather stiletto Mary Janes in the "closet" at Vogue Magazine. Once I saw that episode, I became obsessed with finding a pair of my own. But for under $50. Eek! It took a couple of years, but find them I did. And even though they aren't actual Blahniks, I do love my Mary Janes. Like the song says, I love her just the same. Don't worry, I don't sing the song every time I wear my shoes. Anymore. But I do bust them out just about whenever I can, and this Rodarte for Target GO International dress gave me the perfect opportunity to add a little sexy class to my feet.

 How cute is this Rodarte dress? It's so simple and yet elegant. I love the lace pattern, the sophisticated taupe color, the black mesh piping around the neckline, and the flattering A-line cut of the skirt. To dress it down a little for today, I opted for an oversized blazer and a casual updo, but I think the dress would also look great for a more fancy event with a fitted, shrunken blazer and a large vintage brooch. And a BONUS is that this dress could totally work as a "work-appropriate" dress too, even at my conservative job. Sigh. I'm so proud when my clothes multi-task. I, like my mother, appreciate it when my babies are overachievers.

What are your plans for the three-day weekend? I am looking forward to a baby shower, some cocktail time with good friends, and hopefully working on some preparations for my trip to Hawaii in two weeks! And by preparations, I mean laying out by the pool and working on my tan. Yes, yes, I tan before Hawaii. I know, I'm such a cliche. But please, don't judge me. I have to get in a bathing suit in two weeks and they say a nice tan can make your figure look ten pounds smaller. OK, they probably say more like five, but a girl can live in a fantasy world dream. Have a great holiday!

Flights of Fancy

Sweater - F21, Dress - H&M, Bag - Dior

The boyfriend and I grabbed breakfast at one of our favorite places, a sort of homestyle diner that is located inside a small municipal airport this week. The food is delicious and the whole restaurant is windowed so you can watch planes taking off and landing on the runway while you eat. We've been coming here for years, but this was the first time we actually stepped outside to check out the planes. While we were snapping photos, the pilot of a private jet walked by and offered us a tour of the plane. *Swoon.* It was gorgeous inside. Plush leather seating, expensive imported water and a full-sized convection oven for on-board gourmet meals. Flying commercial planes will never be as satisfying for me again after trying out the giant cushy seats inside the jet. I'm ruined.

I told you here how much I adore the combination of orange and blue, so I couldn't resist picking up this bright orange flowered dress from H&M. It's a bit frilly and girly, so it was a perfect piece to pair with my navy blue comfy grandpa sweater.  A floral dress and cardigan is quickly becoming my go-to outfit for spring, so I'm hoping that y'all don't get tired of seeing this combination in several different prints and colors! If you do...please don't tell me. It would ruin the extremely misguided delusion I have that all of you love me. 

Back to Black

Tank - Target, Skirt - Frenchi c/o Nordstrom, Shoes - Nordstrom

So I have to admit, back in the day when I was still learning how to put my own style together, I relied very heavily on the color black. Pairing a bright colored fancy top with black pants or a black skirt was easy and safe and simple. But as I've cultivated my style over the years, I've drifted farther and farther away from black without even meaning to. I almost forgot how simple and polished a black skirt can look with a bright colored top. Voila! My return back, back, to black, black.

I don't know why I ever strayed so far from black. I'm going to have to remember to incorporate it into my wardrobe more. I love how it makes the teal color of my tank top really pop and gives the outfit a little classy touch. By the way, I know I am breaking a major fashion rule here with these shoes. A short curvy girl wearing leg-cutting ankle strap heels? I'm sure most fashion experts would cringe, but I don't care. I'm a dangerous fashion rule-breaker, check me out. (Check out other fashion rule-breakers here! We're like a gang. A gang of reckless fashion.) I just think these shoes are so darling, and I love the crepe straps that tie around the ankles. So what if I look about oompa loompa tall? My feet look cute.

Geometry Class

Sweater, Top - F21, Jeans - Mavi, Necklace - gifted from Sister

When I graduated from junior high school, I was awarded the school's prestigious Math Award. I totally thought I was a smarty pants. Until I took geometry freshman year of high school. Geometry was one of the worst classes in the history of my academic career. The teacher wanted me to imagine a line or a plane that stretched out infinitely on all sides but had no depth so it was invisible. Um, como say what? Yeah, needless to say, I didn't get it. And contrary to my parents' completely exaggerated warnings, I am not failing at life because I never mastered geometry. What I do know is that I am loving all the geometric prints that are out there right now. This one caught my eye right away because a) it's navy and I adore navy and b) its print has all of my favorite colors right now: neon pink, neon yellow, bright orange, and electric turquoise. What about this shirt does not have my name written all over it?  

There's something about this shirt that just feels so retro with its neon, geometric print and satiny texture. I'm hoping to dress it up a little when I remix it, maybe with some sparkly chains and a neon belt or tucked into a brightly colored high-waisted skirt. Sigh. I love playing with clothes. They really do make the best toys.

Working It

Top - Banana Republic, Skirt - Ann Taylor, Shoes - Nine West, Jewelry - Vintage

I realized that it has been so long since I have posted a work outfit for ya'll, and I have to apologize. The wintry weather was keeping me from feeling too inspired about my work clothes, and there were so many other fun pieces in my closet that I was dying to feature here that posting work outfits fell to the back burner. So here is my way of saying sorry...one of my favorite work-appropriate ensembles!

If you're not new to the blog, you know that my corporate job is characterized by an alarming lack of color and and even more alarming lack of fun and femininity. I like to combat the potentially creativity-sucking atmosphere at work by putting together work-appropriate outfits that are still fun and pretty and...not black or navy. This peacock-print blouse is a perfect piece for accomplishing my goal. Its colors are sophisticated and yet...well, colorful...and it can be worn by itself or tucked under a blazer if need be. Plus, if you remember this post, you remember that I love peacock feathers!

OK, so I think it's becoming pretty apparent that I have an unhealthy obsession with belts. I can't get enough of them! They are such a handy tool for adding polish to an outfit, and for the curvy girl, they are a definite fashion must. They flatter by drawing attention to the thinnest part of our figures, which obviously means that they also draw attention away from the parts of our bodies that are, shall we say, less thin. I believe Bridget Jones calls those parts our "wobbly bits." Who doesn't want to draw the eye away from something called wobbly bits? So the lesson of today's blog is that belts should actually be called Wobbly Bit Repellents. Oh yeah, that phrase is going viral. Just you wait. I'm thinking that I need an "I Heart Wobbly Bit Repellents" t-shirt. Or a button. Maybe a foam finger. Bumper sticker? OK. I'm done. I'm clearly losing it. Happy Hump Day!

Take Me Back

Dress - Vintage, Necklace- Homemade, Bracelets, Vintage, Shoes - Lucky c/o ModCloth

Over the weekend, the boyfriend and I took advantage of the sunshine to spend some time outdoors. We already had plans to see some friends in San Francisco for dinner, so we decided to head out a few hours early to take the puppy to the park and do some shopping. Then the weather turned chilly and we were both craving some clam chowder, so it was off to Fisherman's Wharf. I was so excited for the excuse to finally break out this vintage dress that's been hanging in my closet for months. I picked up it up for such a deal at the Melrose Flea Market in LA one weekend last fall and have been dying to wear it ever since. I love the full skirt and ruffled neckline. I couldn't resist snapping a lot of photos of this one, so bear with me!

I have to admit, it took me a little while to get used to the idea of vintage clothing. My mom was the kind of mom who would never let me borrow anyone's clothes when I was growing up (she was/is a bit of a germaphobe), so when my friends were swapping perfectly torn Levis and Doc Martens, I was politely declining. I never wore second-hand clothing, we never regifted bad gifts, we never even bought used cars. But I just love vintage pieces so much that I decided to get over my hangups...and I'm so glad I did. There's just something about wearing something from another era that affects the whole way I carry myself when I wear it. I swear I was twirling and prancing all up that Wharf, and I am not a twirler. Or a prancer. Well, not in public anyhow.

Do you vintage? Do your vintage pieces affect that way you feel when you wear them? I'd love to hear that I'm not alone. And not weird. And not the only prancer.