fashion, maternity

storq

10 Comments

i know after such a long hiatus that i should be posting baby pictures, but i’m holding off on sharing my story and all of that fun stuff until next week. i’ve mostly been laying on the couch and cuddling my new baby boy, but as soon as i finally found myself back on the internet, this magical little discovery fell on my lap. i really wish storq had been around during my pregnancy! this new san francisco-based online shop was created with the idea of simplifying maternity wear.  and after 9 months of pregnancy and a long recovery time, i can now say that i really appreciate this bare bones concept. dressing my belly was fun at first, but as the months wore on and i found myself in the third trimester, it sort of lost its luster. the last few weeks of pregnancy were spent mostly in pajamas indoors with quick outfit changes for short outings. i literally went on a target run and bought four pairs of leggings to wear around the house. and post-pregnancy, i’m still wearing really simple combos similar to the offerings at storq: plain t-shirts and breton stripe tees, a black jersey pencil skirt from asos, a black pullover dress i picked up at gap, and even leggings (but only around the house). so i got a little giddy when i saw the selection of products on the site! exactly the type of basics that you can layer with your own outerwear and accessories so that you can feel somewhat human (and a fashionable one at that!) as your body goes through the ringer.








fashion, collections, fall 2013

summerland holiday 2013

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lookingglass1

it’s been a few days since i’ve posted (lots of work to do before my maternity leave and oh boy am i tired the rest of the time!), but i had to pop in to quickly share the new summerland holiday lookbook aptly titled looking glass. and of course, it’s the work of my favorite portland dream team with summerland shop owner megan hart behind the styling, hair and makeup, and photography by anja verdugo. i love the super romantic goth vibes, and am now coveting that cinnamon velvet and lace marianne dress from the first photo, if only i could fit in it! anyway, you can see the rest of the lookbook here and shop the looks here.

photography by anja verdugo, modeling by tori bonaventura, styling, hair and makeup by megan hart.









fashion, collections, fall 2013

leith x warby parker

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yesterday warby parker announced their latest eyewear collaboration with none other than stylist leith clark. if the name is familiar, leith was the founder of lula, probably my favorite magazine out there. and so you can expect that the new leith x warby parker collection is right down my alley with vintage-inspired frames for the geeky girl. so of course, i was pretty excited when warby parker asked me to collaborate with them on a pinboard dedicated to the collection filled with some of my favorite inspiration to accompany the new frames, which i will be updating throughout the day today and tomorrow. go take a look!

photos courtesy of warby parker.






fashion, collections, fall 2013

winter wonderland by the whitepepper

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it may not exactly be a winter wonderland in southern california, but i’m still taking tips from the whitepepper’s latest editorial. i ordered the velvet spangle collar dress (above) the moment i saw it with plans to wear it to a holiday gathering while i throw back a few glasses of sparkling cider, haha. it’s such a fun and easy dress with just the right amount of sparkle.

they’re also currently offering free worldwide shipping (lucky for us in the states!) for the next three weeks, which is enough of an incentive for me to go back and pick out a couple more items before the season is over!

photos courtesy of the whitepepper.




fashion, maternity, shopping

gifts for the mama-to-be

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today i got a request for a few gift ideas for the expectant mother. since i’m sitting here trying to patiently wait for the baby to come in the middle of the holiday season, i may have spent my fair share of time laying on the couch thinking about what kinds of little luxuries would help me get through to the end. so since you’ve asked, here are some suggestions off my very own little wish list. it’s by no means comprehensive, but at this stage in my pregnancy, i can tell you that these types of gifts are pretty much the only thing on my mind.

1. hatch-to-hospital box: i’ve had my eye on this gift box for my entire pregnancy. honestly, it’s the type of gift that would make anyone happy whether pregnant or not. a super soft and stretchy jersey nightgown and robe, cashmere socks, and comfy undies? i want to live in this set and i know it will come in super handy on the big day. trust me when i say that comfort is key. the woes of pregnancy are many, so simple things like this make a world of difference.

2. herbivore botanicals makes some pretty lovely products like this complete spa gift set. the calm sea salts are made with dead sea and himalayan pink salt, scented with ylang ylang and vanilla. and the rose lip balm sounds divine. it’s one of those perfectly superfluous luxuries that makes anyone feel pampered. and it’s easy to forget to pamper yourself when you’re busy nesting and trying to wrap things up at work before going on maternity leave. i’m telling you, it’s the little things!

3. in the same vein, i’m kind of obsessed with the idea of getting myself a luxurious little travel set for the hospital like this aesop jet set kit. no, i am not about to jet off to some glamorous locale, but i wouldn’t mind feeling pampered at the hospital. and i’ve been told that the first bath or shower after giving birth is one of the best experiences ever. might as well make it count!

4. fog linen work slippers. yes, this list is all about maxin’ and relaxin’. i’m gonna need a nice pair of slippers to shuffle around in pre- and post-baby. in fact, who doesn’t like a good pair of house slippers? i’m particularly picky about such things and just can’t see myself in big fuzzy mocs, so this minimalist pair in linen is right up my alley.

5. dyptique candles. ok, they don’t have to be by dyptique, but i am personally infatuated with the crisp, clean scent of these candles, and it has become a daily routine for me to light different scents in different rooms to change the mood around the house and get relaxed. before my pregnancy, i never thought so much about pleasant smells before, but now i am almost obsessed. i know this isn’t the case for everyone: i for one, couldn’t stand most smells for the first four months. but nowadays, i can’t get enough of these!

6. massage and body work. when i discovered my prenatal chiropractor, it changed my world. i go to a place where they specialize in mothers-to-be, and a chiropractic session starts with a massage and ends with an alignment. they are also able to apply the webster technique to move the baby within the womb so that he or she is in optimal birthing position. for me, it has been a godsend because this little dude likes to cram his entire butt underneath my rib cage causing me almost constant discomfort and pain. now my only regret is that i hadn’t been seeing someone sooner. while these services are often covered at least in part by insurance companies, not everyone is so lucky. a gift card to a good spot would certainly mean a lot to a very uncomfortable mama.

7. spa day. another fun option is to invite your bestie on a spa day at a place that is able to accommodate pregnant women. i for one, can’t even reach my feet anymore without a struggle, so having someone massage and pedicure my toes is pretty special. and again, any opportunity to try and relax is not only good for an expectant mom, but also for baby.

fashion

nico and… magazine

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after sharing a few maternity looks from hatch collection fall 2013, bianca left a comment mentioning that it was very “japanese street style” and that she would totally wear all of the clothes. i didn’t recognize it at first, but now that i see it, i’ve been pulling up all of my old japanese style inspiration for a little direction. one of the the things i love about japanese style is that it can be so different from what most americans wear. bear with me because i know there are tons of different styles in japan, and you can’t narrow it down to just one look. but at least in america, it seems most women are really set on body-con clothing, or at least emphasizing the waist. i don’t know how many style advice columns i’ve read where the main tip is to “put a belt on it.” even when i go shopping and try on a simple shift dress, the shop girls always come along with a skinny belt as the perfect accessory, haha. i always kindly decline, but it does seem that there is a huge obsession with the hourglass shape. i mean, don’t get me wrong, the hourglass is pretty awesome. and sure, this isn’t even an america vs. japan style thing. it’s just a reminder to myself that there are so many options out there and it can be really fun to experiment with different silhouettes, even those that may not be culturally “flattering” or fit into the feminine ideal.

i was almost immediately reminded of these images from nico and… magazine that i’d been hoarding in an inspiration folder on my desktop since earlier this year. every month, they have a different stylist share 30 days of outfits and this particular girl really caught my eye. i think it’s because she has the most angelic face and perfect hairs. but her style is also so very cool and japanese and totally something that could be worn by any girl. since i’ll be needing to incorporate lots of loose, comfy separates into my wardrobe for the next year, this inspiration is certainly going to come in handy!















fashion, collections, fall 2013, maternity

hatch collection

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at 33 weeks along, i have finally come to the realization that not only will i need to give in and buy a few more maternity pieces, but i will also have to dramatically alter my wardrobe once the baby arrives! i’ll probably be breast feeding for at least six months (how long do people breast feed for? i don’t even know yet!). and that means that i will need attire that can either be easily pulled down or easily pulled up. so all of those cute mini dresses with high necklines? yeah, those are going to have to retire to my closet for much longer than i realized. instead, i’m going to have to embrace separates in a way that i never have before, and more than that, i think i might need to accept that many of my tops will need to be either stretchy or low-cut. the horror! but i’m glad that i’m figuring that out sooner rather than later because it gives me time to pick up a few pieces of clothing before the big day.

the problem i have with most maternity clothes that i’ve seen is that they all focus on somehow emphasizing your belly. i can’t tell you how many times i’ve seen the exact same button front tunic with an empire drawstring. i’ve also seen many a side-ruched top and plenty of stretchy jersey dresses with impossibly high empire waistlines. i know it’s probably the most practical thing for many women, but it’s just not something i can ever see myself wearing. in fact, i still plan to continue wearing an array of non-maternity wear that will be most practical: button front blouses and pinafore dresses still have easy access. and i’m sure a plain t-shirt and sweatpants is all you really need when you’re going to be spending the entire day indoors with an infant.

but thankfully there are other options. for my entire pregnancy, hatch collection has been on my radar. i haven’t bought anything yet, but now that i’m realizing my needs a bit more, i’m really starting to appreciate their style. the concept behind the clothes is that they are designed to be worn before, during, and after your pregnancy. it’s much more casual that what i might normally wear, but when you’re carrying around an enormous basket ball-sized belly, you’ll begin to understand why comfort suddenly becomes the most important function of your wardrobe. and hatch collection is all about creating fashion-forward basics, so most of the pieces can easily be translated to just about any style. the prices are not as budget-friendly as some, but as i realize that i’ll probably be wearing a lot of this stuff for a long time to come, i don’t mind investing a bit in my comfort and sanity.










fashion, collections, fall 2013

mod dolly

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on the hunt for some cute holiday clothes (i’m still refusing to wear most maternity clothes), i stumbled upon mod dolly in the asos marketplace and immediately fell in love. this cute little shop features a handful of simple smock and pinafore dresses that i could basically live in for the rest of the season. the easy shift and tent shapes are good for just about any body shape, and the pinafores are especially great for layering. i’ve already got the tartan babydoll smock dress in my shopping cart, and now i’m just doing my best to resist buying the entire collection!

photos courtesy of mod dolly.

     
  

fashion, collections, fall 2013

announcing mayflower supply co.!

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if there’s anything making me wish i could wear regular clothes like right now, it’s the launch of mayflower supply co. and their stunning inaugural look book. the site is set to launch in the coming week at the helm of liz hull and offers up a beautiful collection of vintage apparel sourced from thrift shops, flea markets, and estate sales across new england with a focus on heritage brands like l.l. bean and pendleton. liz says she wanted to “underscore the pride in heritage goods that is so deep rooted in american culture—especially from the clothing manufacturing industry that was so prominent in new england during the industrial age. that’s why i love vintage; it’s a direct connection to the past.” and if these photos are any indication, this shop is going to be good. every piece is one-of-a-kind vintage, so you’ll want to head on over the mayflower supply co. and sign up to be notified when the shop opens so you’ll have first dibs on any of the pieces from the look book!

mayflower supply co. look book photographed by courtney brooke, styled and modeled by emily theobald.



















fashion, collections, fall 2013

charlotte taylor fall 2013

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it’s been a little while since i’ve written about charlotte taylor, but their latest fall 2013 collection is too good not to mention! the collection, titled “lost and found,” was inspired by discarded toys and forgotten childhood fantasies of circus performances. a sort of dreamy world filled with shadows and spirits. the concept could get a little creepy, but the clothes are anything but. there are plenty of whimsical prints and warm separates perfect for layering. and you know i love a good pinafore, so of course i can’t get over those ram print mini dresses!

photos courtesy of charlotte taylor.