and just like that, it’s spring! so i’m shedding my layers and prancing about in this skin that hasn’t seen the sun in months. it feels good. i’ve been tending to my garden, which is something that my mom always did when i was a kid growing up, but nothing i’ve ever tried on my own. mainly because i’ve never had a yard! but we’ve been living in our house for almost four years now, and between moving-in, having another kid, massive renovations… i hadn’t gotten to that big patch of dirt until now. so perhaps it’s fitting that the first springy look i’m sharing this year has a bit of a utilitarian vibe. the straw hat for sun protection, a fanny pack for easy access. but fashion, so you know, a crop top and a high rise skirt with these mules that i think i’ve pulled out of my closet for the third year in a row?

and this is a pretty solid example of how i’ve been dressing most days lately. easy separates, so that i can swap out whatever bottoms i’m wearing with an old pair of levis so i can head out to take care of my baby plants. but also some really cool brands that are worth sharing. if you follow my blog, then you probably already know about elizabeth suzann, they have a pretty solid reputation for their approach towards garments, from their design to their made-to-order production in their nashville studio. this simple linen tank top is something that i wear year-round as a base layer in the cooler months beneath wool sweaters, or on it’s own when the weather is pleasant. this straw hat was created by my friends at fauxgerty, a st.louis-based brand dedicated to sustainability and the environment. i’ve been working with them on an ongoing bases and will be sharing some new designs very soon!

but one brand that you may not have heard of is label by three. though their selection is small, this arizona-based brand caught my eye with their beautiful product photography featuring a variety of models, so you can really get an idea of both their design philosophy and commitment to creating clothing for all sizes and all people. not only that, but as a mexican woman myself, it’s also incredibly inspiring and uplifting to see a fashion business run by women of color, dedicated to sustainability and versatility. this skirt and everything in their current collection is on sale to make way for new stock, so if you were on the fence, now is the time to snag something!

wearing:
fauxgerty woven straw hat
elizabeth suzann petra crop
label by three vela skirt in black
vintage leather fanny pack
maryam nassir zadeh mules

back to the blog after a lot of time off, and i’m so excited to be announcing my latest giveaway with rachael harrah! she designs the dreamiest linen garments, sewn right in los angeles, and her latest launch is this fun pair of overalls! i love the way she styled them with a chambray blouse so much, that i did the exact same thing for my own shoot. what i love about garment like these is that they really are all-season. the weather is still a little chilly most days, so i’ve been pairing them with my trusty babaa cardigans to keep warm. and of course, these will be awesome worn simply over a t-shirt with a pair of sandals when the weather heats up!

to enter to win $250 to rachael harrah, simply visit this post on my instagram and follow the directions to enter!

giving gifts is always very tricky. you have to balance your own taste with that of the receiver. you have to know them well enough in the first place to even know what they might like at all! and even then, there’s still that looming fear that you’ll either miss the mark or you’ll get it so right that they already own the darn thing. i’m already having flashbacks to the last time i had to buy birthday presents for adam’s classmates. i spent over an hour at the local toy store trying to find the most thoughtful and well-curated gift only to throw my hands up and buy gift cards so that those sweet kids can just get what they really want. i mean, what’s better than that?

so when brass reached out and asked if i would be interested in trying out the kit gift, i was there for it. because seriously, who doesn’t love getting to pick out exactly what they want? so of course, i got myself a kit to try out on my own. but you know who else would appreciate the kit gift? my sister. and my sister-in-law! probably my mom. the list goes on! when you place an order, they send you:

the kit gift from brass

the closet kit gift card: a gift card that allows them to create a closet kit of their choice: 3 foundation pieces plus the clean out bag – a pre-paid mailer that sends old clothes directly to a recycling facility. ($310+ value)
the black everyday sweater: the brass clothing best-selling sweater that they’re guaranteed to love. ($98 value)
a facetime appointment: 1-on-1 time with an expert stylist to talk about upgrading their wardrobe and how to style their new clothing. ($50 value)
free shipping: a code to use through february to get anything else they might want! ($20 value)
(total value: $478)
YOUR PRICE: $348

and i can now tell you why the everyday sweater is their top-seller. it’s a dream! super soft and comfy, i’d be hard pressed to find anyone who wouldn’t like it. it’s a great introduction to the brand and a perfect starting point for building a more thoughtful closet. from there, you can schedule your face-time appointment with a stylist who can help recommend what to get with your gift card. a quick browse through the site pulls up a selection of really great basics to add to your wardrobe, so you really can’t go wrong for even the pickiest gift recipient– myself included haha.

get free shipping on all of your orders at brass with code CALIXBRASS now through the end of the year!

it’s official. the festive season is here and i’ve got mariah carey christmas songs playing in my head on repeat. i don’t really go over-the-top for the holidays, but i do enjoy a lot of the traditions. we went out and got a christmas tree the weekend after thanksgiving, we strung christmas lights on the house the other day, and i even made some wooden ornaments after i saw a diy whole scrolling through pinterest haha. and today, i pulled out this perfect kimono jumpsuit from milk & thistle that i’ve sort of been saving for this time of year. i love it because it’s so comfortable and easy to wear, yet it really has a high impact with that beautiful paprika color. the type of thing that you can wear on christmas day and then turn around and pack for a vacation the day later– which is exactly what i’ll be doing this year. we’re heading to hawaii for our first family vacation in quite some time. i think the last time we packed up the whole family and went somewhere on a plane was when edie was only a few month old! so this year, i guess you could say we’re going a little bit christmas, a little bit resort. not sure exactly how it will all pan out, but at least i’ve got the right jumpsuit for it!

wearing:
milk & thistle kimono jumpsuit in paprika (also comes in chalk and blush)
clare v. pot de miel
mari giudicelli leblon mules

now that the holidays are upon us, my solution to “dressing up” has been to add a blouse with big, puffy sleeves. done.

case in point? i could have easily worn these coveralls with a t-shirt and sneakers. and i have done just that. but when times are festive, you gotta turn things up a notch. add heels and lipstick and you’re ready for a proper party. unfortunately for me, most of my parties invites actually require me to be a chaperone for toddlers at venues such as school plays, indoor playgrounds, and chuck e cheese. but that’s where the coveralls come in handy, right?

wearing:
doen o’keeffe blouse (past season)
loup dark indigo rhoda coveralls
clare v. petit alistair in cuoio leather
nisolo ecuador huaraches (this link will take you to a 10% off code)

at some point in the year 2008, i started the calivintage blog as you see it today. i don’t remember the exact date i started, because at some point i went back and deleted some of my first posts out of sheer embarrassment. i’m not sure how many of you have been around since i started (or even before i started, when i was on weardrobe and chictopia and lookbook.nu), but if you have been around since the beginning, i started by sharing daily outfits of myself inside my old apartment in oakland. at a certain point, i graduated to the tiny balcony outside our house, and most notably, to the rooftop of our apartment building overlooking the grand lake neighborhood. i remember getting comments from people who were afraid i might fall off, but i promise it was safe!

it was and still is a creative outlet for me. at first, it was because i really didn’t know anyone who had the same interest in fashion as i did. then it actually catapulted me into a legit career in fashion, which was totally unprecedented and such a wild ride. i was going to nyfw every season, meeting with designers whose clothes i only ever dreamed of wearing, partnering with brands and getting paid to basically just wear pretty clothes?! my blog actually got me a job in the fashion industry, and then later became enough to sustain me independently so that i could quit said job to stay at home and raise my two kids who are now nearly 5 and 2.5-years-old. it was and is way beyond anything i ever could have imagined. and i know i’m not in the “big leagues” over here, either! these days, my “fashion blog” isn’t a whole lot like it was in the beginning, but then again, neither is anything! it’s been 10 whole years!

but here i am. still in this space, still doing this blog thing. still learning, experimenting, stumbling, and getting back up again.

i actually snapped these photos this morning without any intention of even sharing them. it’s a format that i never use for my “outfit posts” and the look isn’t anything i would normally share, i don’t even know why. but this is me. on a wednesday morning without my hair and makeup done. finishing my cup of coffee and getting ready to style a shoot in this exact room for a client that i’m really excited about. i don’t really know what the next 10 years will look like, but i can only hope it will be as amazing and challenging and rewarding and complicated as the last 10. and i hope you’ll stick around for the ride with me!

wearing:
babaa knitwear sweater
elizabeth suzann petra crop in ivory
jesse kamm sailor pants
mari giudicelli leblon mules