…and play dress up! today it is cold and rainy again and i just wasn’t in the mood to go outside. so, i put on extra makeup and did my best olivia newton-john impression. actually, that was not the intended outcome at all, but while my boyfriend was shooting these photos, he kept singing that song, “you’re the one that i want ooh ooh ooh honey…” so if i don’t look very tough, it’s because these were the shots we got in-between laughter. wow, i just took the glamour right outta that one, didn’t i?

anyway, i was just going for something that i wouldn’t normally wear, while still plucking all of the items right from my own closet. it’s not a complete 180 or anything, but my boyfriend brought up a good point: since i always dress really sweet and cute, then i will always look like a good girl trying to be bad when i change it up a bit. the only funny part about that is that i think i might surprise you if you were to know me in real life!

oh my! bare legs in winter? thanks to the gray and cloudy weather in between rainstorms, it’s actually surprisingly not cold. i wouldn’t say it’s warm, but it’s totally bearable. anyway, after feeling a little inspired to dress up and get pretty today, i decided to try out a few new things. this is the first time i’ve scrunched up socks and worn them with my ankle boots: i owe that to the j.crew catalogs that show up in my mailbox every week. and i am wearing a necklace! and not just a necklace, but a necklace with sequins! i don’t think i’ve ever actually worn sequins before. and for that, i can thank glitzer on etsy.

i’ve been meaning to incorporate jewelry into my wardrobe for a while now, but i just didn’t know where to start. i didn’t want to go buy cheapy stuff from f21, but i wasn’t willing to run to a real jeweler and throw down $100 for a simple necklace. so i’ve found the perfect solution: bib necklaces. they’re like training wheels for adults who want to be more fancy. and well, that’s that.

oh and one last thing. i wear silly smartwool socks like these almost every day. they’re very warm and practical, but today was fun because i actually incorporated them into an outfit. i like that they created a little ombrÁ© effect with my booties. i guess you can’t tell, but they’re charcoal and gray. details, details.

this series of family photos is neverending, so i hope you all are enjoying them ok. this time i’m focusing on some fun shots of my grandmother and her brothers and sisters. this photo up top is one of my absolute favorites. they’re all having a little barbeque in the park.

man o man, the christmas spirit has finally hit me today. as in, i’m seriously grumpy today. i hate to be a debbie downer, but i have to say that today is just not my day! i’m not sick, nothing bad happened, i just don’t feel 100%. one of those days, as they say. whoever they are.

so i actually wore this exact outfit last week, but i never got around to taking pictures of it. since i wasn’t in the mood to think of an outfit today, it was an easy choice. it’s just a mix of this outfit, which i wore a few weeks ago, and this outfit, which i wore last monday. and because the lovely ms. lulu letty totally rocked some red tights with a pair of salvatore ferragamo flats the other day, which is what i wish i had instead of these old flats. but more than anything, it was just an excuse to wear these 110 denier tabio tights yet again. they are my most favorite pair of tights right now. better than my merino wool wolfords. they’re just such a thick, comfy knit, a dream to wear… and i want them in every color. hm, that is actually enough to lift my spirits just a tad!

and now i am off to do video editing because i really want to be able to post the first calivintage field trip tomorrow. oh, the anticipation!

i know my last post was about bike style, but i did not turn around and hop on my bike today. (though i do think this would be a nice outfit for a ride on a warmer day.) but instead, i had some super fun and super secret business to attend to. i’m back from that, and now i get to spend the rest of my afternoon getting work done so i can premiere my first calivintage field trip, complete with video. weee!

anyway, in honor of the unseasonably cold weather we’re experiencing here in california, i decided to go out and stand in front of some interesting cacti and succulents. they look so pretty, but i’m sure they’re feeling just as cold as i am out here. though i do have an extra layer of smart wool socks hidden underneath my riding boots, so i’m doing just fine. the only thing i wish i had was a nice pair of vintage gloves. maybe in a lipstick red, no?

i kinda really need to do some shopping. hopefully this weekend! besides looking for new clothes and accessories, we really need to get some heavy curtains for the apartment. like most buildings in the area, our apartment has zero insulation and the same creaky old windows that were built with the house back in the 20’s. this means that when it actually does hit freezing here like it did last night, we all get a little too chilly indoors!

no, i did not take anyone’s suggestions for today’s outfit. i tried and tried and made a big ol’ mess in my bedroom, but in the end i decided to go for a plain old jeans and t-shirt look. well, now i’m wearing a t-shirt, but i did wear the lace shell for a couple of hours and will probably put it back on when i go out tonight. but really, i just couldn’t help myself. i had to wear the new custom jeans i got from indidenim! they are exactly what i asked for: high rise skinnies with a 12″ leg opening and a slightly longer length. they fit like a glove. especially since i gained a few lbs while eating constantly during my long thanksgiving weekend. seriously. but those will drop off in a few more days anyway. and i’m not complaining. the food was delicious.

anyway, i actually went on a little field trip to the indidenim offices as part of a new feature i am going to be introducing to the blog. i’ve decided to start a series in which i go on various field trips to local small and independent businesses that i love (vintage shops, boutiques, etc), take a few behind-the-scenes shots, and report back to my blog to tell you all about it. it will include video. think of it like mister rogers’ neighborhood when he went on tours of factories, except i’ll be showing you how to pick a custom pair of jeans instead of how crayons are made. more on that very soon.

but in the meantime, i will be trying some new outfits with the suggestions and ideas you gave me. i might even wear leggings. who knows? such mystery, such intrigue…