outfit: back yard

i was so eager to see my family again, that i just couldn’t wait for christmas. so we piled our stuff in the car for the long drive down to southern california on the most travelled holiday of the year. we set out after work on tuesday night and drove through the late night traffic to arrive at my grandma’s house at 5am. it was a rough drive, but it was worth it to spend time with the people i love the most.

these photos were taken in my grandparent’s back yard on saturday afternoon. we’d already had our thanksgiving feast and plenty of leftovers, but at the perez household, that’s never enough! my grandma decided to barbecue steak, chicken, and hot dogs for all of the family that had been coming and going, so i found myself lounging in the yard enjoying the southern california sun with a belly full of bbq. i have so many memories from this little yard in redlands. my great-grandparents lived in this house before my grandparents moved in, and my cousins lived next door. i will always remember running around in the yard going back and forth between the two houses and eating tangerines from the trees. it’s nice that even though so many things have changed, this small space in the world has still stayed the same.

wearing: vintage sweater dress from black & brown vintage in san jose, target tights in mustard, vintage mary janes from pretty penny vintage in oakland, orla kiely gold leather holly bag.

 

 

 

 

outfit: spot on

wore this outfit over the weekend to visit the lick observatory on the top of mt. hamilton in the south bay. we’ve frequently gone on day trips up mt. tamalpais and mt. diablo, so we decided it was high time we explored another mountain top in our area. it was a long and very windy road up to the top and we couldn’t believe how freezing cold it was up there. the car thermometer read 37 degrees and we could even see a few chunks of ice along the road. needless to say, i wasn’t prepared even when i pulled on a big coat and wrapped myself in a blanket that we keep in the car. so we poked around, took a look at a big telescope, and made our way back to civilization.

rather than head right home, we decided to to a bit of exploring in san jose. we happened upon a big vintage shop called black and brown where i managed to score a ton of new stuff. all of the kids working there were very sweet and chatty, and we actually got a good recommendation for a dinner spot where we feasted on spicy jerk chicken. all in all, it was a very pleasant way to spend a weekend day.

wearing: lauren moffatt mrs. dollaway dotted sweater, lauren moffatt lolita velvet jumper, vintage salvatore ferragamo vara pumps in navy, coach classics leather shoulder bag in cream, nars lipstick in fire down below





outfit: animal instincts

calivintage

calivintage

fall has officially arrived in the bay area. i’m definitely a summer girl at heart, but there is something quite wonderful about bundling up on cozy clothes and curling up on the couch with a hot toddy. fall food is definitely high on my list of favorite things. i’m the type of girl who prefers warm oatmeal over cold cereal and steaming hot soup over cold cuts. and while i don’t enjoy my cold fingertips, i certainly don’t mind wrapping them around a warm mug. and i’ve been wrapping myself in my trusty leopard print coat! it’s one of those pieces that seems to make such a statement all on it’s own, but that also seems to go with just about everything in my wardrobe. and on this particular day, i decided to play with textures. leopard, lace, and crocodile. though i promise no animals were harmed in the making of this outfit!

wearing: asos eyelet dress from last spring, vintage leopard print coat from secret shop vintage, vintage mary janes from pretty penny vintage


calivintage calivintage calivintage calivintage

outfit: mountain town

calivintage: mountain town

after visiting snow line farms in oak glenn, i decided to continue my little walk down memory lane with a stop at mountain town. another spot filled with childhood memories, this campy little roadside attraction is a self-proclaimed “animal museum.” for three dollars, you can enter into a another world, which is equal parts creepy and fascinating. this little habitat is complete with stucco mountains, taxidermy animals, and real-live caged reptiles and birds. i suppose it might seem rather odd that i would be so enamored of this strange place, but perhaps that’s just the biproduct of a being raised on books by edward gorey and films like the dark crystal.

i snapped a few too many pictures to document the memory and am already scheming another trip for a proper editorial-style shoot! anyone looking to do a creepy look book?

wearing: j.crew sweater dress, ralph lauren oxford shirt from marshall’s, coach classics shoulder bag, cream knee socks from marshall’s, vintage mary janes from pretty penny vintage

calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town
calivintage: mountain town

outfit: oak glen

calivintage: oak glen

things have been silent the past week here on the blog. last monday, i quietly slipped out of town for a visit to southern california to see family, and decided to use the time for a bit of an internet break. i was working remotely for part of my stay, but the rest of the time was reserved for some quality time with family. i didn’t even take outfit pictures except during a day trip to oak glen for mini apple cider donuts! the weather was excruciatingly hot until sunday, when the clouds rolled in and we got some real california fall weather. so we hopped in the car to visit the apple orchards and take in the local sights.

i remembered snow line farms from my childhood. a silly little attraction in oak glen renowned for their mini apple cinnamon donut-making machine. so of course, we waited patiently in line to place our orders and enjoy piping hot donuts on a park bench in the crisp evening weather. i wore a very simple black, cream, and white outfit that seemed to contrast brightly against the apple trees.

wearing: j.crew sweater dress, ralph lauren oxford shirt from marshall’s, coach classics shoulder bag, cream knee socks from marshall’s, vintage mary janes from pretty penny vintage

calivintage: oak glen
calivintage: oak glen
calivintage: oak glen
calivintage: oak glen
calivintage: oak glen
calivintage: oak glen
calivintage: oak glen
calivintage: oak glen

outfit: lacy days

calivintage: lacy days

lately i’ve been living in little mary janes with mini dresses, messy hair, and too much eye makeup. on this particular day, i was feeling fancy, so i wore this combination of gold, lace, and crocodile for a very indulgent sunday brunch. much of the rest of my weekend was spent in shorts and a chambray shirt as i tackled the process of purging my apartment of the excessive amounts of crap that’s been piling up over the past four years that i’ve lived here. after unloading my vintage collection at my pop up shop at pretty penny on friday night, i felt as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and i found myself motivated to continue the purge. it feels so good to get rid of all those pieces that were either too small or too big, or just not quite right. and going through so many years of accumulation has been a nice time to reflect, but also a nice time to start fresh.

wearing: lauren moffatt gone with the wind a-line dress, vintage faux crocodile mary janes from pretty penny in oakland, gold orla kiely bag

calivintage: lacy days
calivintage: lacy days
calivintage: lacy days
calivintage: lacy days
calivintage: lacy days

outfit: mod squad

calivintage: mod squad

can i just tell you that i’m completely obsessed with this skirt? the moment it arrived in the mail, i unwrapped it and sort of gave it a little hug. it’s made of a thick wool, and it’s completely lined making it a perfect option for a girl like me who insists to wear mini skirts even when it’s cold. i think i’ve described the effect as similar to wearing a down puffer vest when you go camping. your arms are unhindered, but you’re still hella warm. it’s also kinda like sleeping with a warm blanket and sticking one leg out to regulate your temperature. that and i love the perfect a-line shape and sweet ’60s style.

this is also what i wore last monday when refinery29 visited my office to snap a few photos for this cute article about modcloth! i love their office tour features, so it was fun to invite them in to our workspace to snap a few photos and to interview me and a few of my adorable co-workers.

wearing: equipment brett silk blouse, lauren moffatt mini skirt, vintage salvatore ferragamo vara pumps, j.w. hulme mini legacy bag, ralph lauren denim & supply wool pea coat, ysl rouge pur couture in le rouge

calivintage: mod squad
calivintage: mod squad
calivintage: mod squad
calivintage: mod squad
calivintage: mod squad

outfit: weekend dreams

calivintage: gualala

i was home sick all last week (and most of the weekend), so instead of going out and about snapping new outfit pictures, i was sitting at home watching bad television reruns and reminiscing about my recent weekend retreat at st. orres a few weeks back… most of our time was spent relaxing in the hot tub, but we did venture out to a small beach nearby to enjoy the beautiful sunsets. looking at these photos is kind of like a mild form of torture since i’m starting to get stir-crazy, but they are certainly getting me in the mood for fall weather and for more weekend retreats.

but before i get lost dreaming about the weekend, i need to focus my energy on getting ready for my pop-up shop this friday! i hope you don’t mind my shameless self-promotion too much, but i’m really excited for the event. for one, i seriously need to let go of my massive vintage collection before it eats me alive, and i can’t wait to meet everyone who comes out. pretty penny is seriously one of my favorite vintage shops, and it’s really exciting to be able to have an event in oakland and support local business here! can’t wait to see you guys there!

wearing in outfit one: whit striped crop top, rag & bone cardigan on sale at marshalls, american apparel corduroy circle skirt, vintage sandals from mars mercantile in berkeley, ca

and outfit two:  ralph lauren denim and supply peacoat and breton stripe shirt, j brand maria jeans in burnt sienna, rachel comey mars boots, dooney and bourke medium flower bucket bag on sale at marshalls, karen walker von trapp sunglasses.

 calivintage: beach retreat
calivintage: gualala
calivintage: beach retreat
calivintage: gualala
calivintage: beach retreat

win $500 from woolite x polyvore!

calivintage: peter pan

if you’ve been reading my blog for a while (or heck, even if you just stumbled upon it for the first time today), then you know that i have a deep love for all things vintage. my closet is bursting with vintage treasures picked up at thrift shops, vintage boutiques, and flea markets. i like to imagine that if these old rags could talk, they’d each have their own beautiful, rich history to tell. and when i buy a vintage piece, i almost feel honored to be able to continue writing that story. each item feels so special and unique, that sometimes i find myself saving my best vintage for only the most special occasions. i don’t want my prized possessions to rip or fade or disintegrate, but i still want to be able to enjoy them. so of course i always take care and wash them gently so that they will last for many more years to come.

one brand that understands the needs of our most delicates is woolite. and today they’ve asked me to help them host their latest contest in partnership with polyvore. simply create a polyvore collage featuring one of your favorite vintage finds to be entered for a chance to win $500! i’ll be judging the contest myself, and i can’t wait to see the pretty collages that you come up with! click here for the official details!

wearing: vintage dress from milk teeths vintage, karen walker von trapp sunglasses, coach classics leather shoulder purse, chelsea slingbacks from sole society, nars schiap lipstick

everlasting style with woolite + calivintage!

enter the woolite x polyvore everlasting style contest here!

calivintage: peter pan
calivintage: peter pan
calivintage: peter pan
calivintage: peter pan
calivintage: peter pan

outfit: houndstooth

calivintage: houndstooth

when i pulled on this silly houndstooth dress for the first time, i immediately found myself singing the brady bunch theme song in my head. isn’t it so perfectly ’70s kitsch? not sure how much it comes across on my blog, but lately i’ve been obsessed with everything late ’60s/early ’70s. so of course, this dress immediately jumped out at me… despite the fact that it is houndstooth. a little known fact about me is that i went to culinary school and am a certified pastry chef. many moons ago, i worked in bakeries decorating cakes and making sweet little tarts and eclairs and things. but i also had to wear these really awful houndstooth chef’s pants. for years, i avoided the print because of those terrible pants. but switch it to purple and throw it on a dolly dress, and we’ve been reunited like old friends.

wearing: vintage houndstooth dress from la radio vintage on etsy, vintage t-straps from pretty penny vintage in oakland, l.a.m.b. fall 2012 mini bag in ponyhair houndstooth, radiant cosmetics lipstick in peony

calivintage: houndstooth
calivintage: houndstooth
calivintage: houndstooth
calivintage: houndstooth
calivintage: houndstooth
calivintage: houndstooth