calivintage – Page 47 – mom jeans + puff sleeves

outfit: one step at a time

September 15, 2014 16 Comments

just last week, we celebrated adam’s eight month birthday. i seriously can’t believe how quickly these past eight months have flown by. i’ve mostly been focusing my energy on taking care of this little guy and adjusting to our new life here in redlands, but i would be lying if i said that i never thought about myself. i don’t know if i ever talked about it on my blog, but seeing my body right after adam was born really threw me for a loop. this kid was not small. he clocked in at 9lbs. 14oz., and that unplanned c-section was no joke. needless to say, it was difficult coming to terms with the fact that i was never going to go back to my pre-baby body, and that it would probably take a long time for my body to recover after everything it had been through.

i mean, that little guy grew to massive proportions inside of me over the course of nine months, he stretched my body to the limits and smashed all of my internal organs. then one day he was born, and i literally ballooned up into this giant pufferfish while my body adjusted to the drop in hormones while recovering from major surgery. then two weeks later, i hopped onto the scale at my doctor’s office to discover that i had literally dropped 35 pounds, leaving me with all of this strange, loose skin, and a scar that severed my abdominal muscles in half.

fortunately, i had more pressing things to worry about. like, you know, my precious little bundle of joy. so like any person trying to keep their sanity post baby, i did my best to be kind to myself. instead of dieting, i focused on taking my vitamins and eating healthy so that i could breastfeed my baby and provide him and myself with the best nutrients possible. and instead of going to the gym, i focused on holding my baby in my arms and rocking him to sleep, and taking him on long walks around the neighborhood.

and now it’s eight months later. i said goodbye to the baby weight months ago, but it’s not like i was a fitness model before i got pregnant. shoot, i had an office job and i wasn’t getting nearly enough exercise. if anything, i feel myself getting stronger than i was before. and i’m more motivated than ever to be as healthy as i can be so i can run around and chase after my little dude who’s frighteningly close to taking his first steps. so when jawbone asked if i’d be interested in partnering with them to try out their UP system, i was definitely on board. i just got my bracelet in the mail last week and have been wearing it for a couple of days. it’s been recording my sleep at night and my activity during the day, while providing me with realistic goals for both. turns out, taking care of a baby is actually a pretty good workout in itself! i’m still getting to know how it all works, but i’m going to be sharing a few updates here and there, and will be reporting back in a month to tell you how it’s working out for me.

wearing:
chambray boatneck shirt courtesy of eileen fisher
asos farleigh mom jeans
coach bucket bag courtesy of twice
sven clogs
giantlion for of a kind aquamarine ring
rose gold pinch cuff courtesy of nashelle designs
runwell watch courtesy of shinola

this post is sponsored by jawbone. thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!

fashion, fall 2014

ayr fall 2014

September 11, 2014 2 Comments

one of my favorite pieces of clothing this season was a simple japanese seeded cotton blouse from ayr. at first glance, it may not look like much, but it is absolutely my favorite top to pair with jeans or to layer with various dresses and skirts. i honestly don’t know what my summer wardrobe would have been without it, and it’s exactly the reason why i’m keeping my eye on ayr. they released their fall collection a few weeks back, and while the styling in the look book is a bit sporty for my taste, when you pare it down to the individual pieces, they really do have a great selection of luxurious basics. i’m particularly excited that they’ve introduced high rise denim, and i’m glad to see that they have plenty more shirts, sweaters, and outerwear for cooler weather on the horizon.

photos courtesy of ayr.

my style

outfit: earning stripes

September 10, 2014 9 Comments

as i write this post, i can’t help but find myself getting a little nostalgic for the summer that, as i said so myself, isn’t even over yet! but it has been a summer of so many firsts: my first summer with a baby, my first summer living in la, and then smack in the middle it became my first summer living in redlands again after being gone for over 13 years. the weather has been hot and sweltering, but i’ve been happily carting around the babe on outings around town to rediscover places old and new, and most importantly, on visits with family. together, we’ve watched him grow and develop each day, we’ve seen him learn to sit and to stand and to crawl, to clap his hands and bob up and down. to incessantly demand for mama mama mama. oh, and he waves hello and goodbye in the most deliberate way. we call it his pageant wave, and it kills me every time.

so of course, looking at these pictures, i see a mom. a woman who has grown and learned so much this summer alone. i’m forever a changed person. and yeah, that sounds cheesy, but damn if they aren’t cliches for a reason. the clothes barely matter, but even that has evolved. my style has matured, it’s become more practical and pared down. these clothes have been worn and torn and loved. and i’ve lived this summer like i never have before.

wearing:
a.p.c. crop top
kingsley dress courtesy of curator (the short version of this dress is on sale here)
swedish hasbeens peep toe high
benah for karen walker handbag
jasper sunglasses courtesy of warby parker

fashion, fall 2014

elizabeth suzann fall 2014

September 9, 2014 5 Comments

oh man, you guys. it’s a crazy time of year because fashion month is in full swing and we’re being bombarded by all the new spring 2015 collections, but there are also so many amazing fall lookbooks being released! as is the case with the new elizabeth suzann fall 2014 collection that just came out last week! and boy, is it a good one! at first glance, i was already sold on this perfectly slouchy cropped linn sweater in a beautiful rich moss color. there is just something so elegant and effortless about the half sleeves and dolman shape! and of course, the entire collection is filled with even more beautiful pieces in luxurious natural fibers. lots of beautiful textures and interesting silhouettes, lots of things that i want to be wearing like right now.

photos courtesy of elizabeth suzann.

my style

outfit: summer’s not over

September 8, 2014 9 Comments

i know it’s getting chilly somewhere out there, but the temperatures are pretty damn hot around here, and i’m still holding onto these last days of summer. i’ve kinda been trying to play around with transitional elements, but it’s actually been so hot that i can just barely get away with wearing jeans. this shirt by california tailor, on the other hand, is cool gauzy perfection.

and yes, i brought the fanny pack out again. i’ve been seeing a few of them popping up on the spring 2015 runways, so i thought i’d give it another spin with this super simple outfit. it also happens to be especially convenient for weekends spent hitting estate sales and flea markets. i’ve been doing a ton of that lately, actually. it’s one of the sneaky little benefits of moving out into suburbia. lots of untapped resources out here!

wearing:
shirt no.1 in sunset blue menswear stripe courtesy of california tailor
asos farleigh mom jeans
j.crew kiki ballet flats
vintage coach belt bag
the runwell 41mm watch in brown courtesy of shinola
jasper sunglasses courtesy of warby parker
audacious lip stick in natalie courtesy of nars

kids

adam: 31 weeks

September 7, 2014 4 Comments

here’s my little guy at 31 weeks. the week prior, we discovered that he could pull himself up into the standing position on his own! if you ask me, it’s a little soon for all that business, but this boy really wants to walk! he’s hated tummy time since he was born, but give him a chance to hold onto the edge of something or assist him with a few steps, and he’s all smiles.

wearing: gap cable knit beanie, smock shirt courtesy of willaby, koala baby pants, handmade moccs courtesy of freshly picked.

fashion, shopping

want: j.w. hulme west end collection

September 6, 2014 3 Comments

the new west end collection by j.w. hulme was inspired by the hardware used on their first travel bags from the 1930’s. i love it when heritage brands look deep into their archives to bring back old styles, and i’m especially smitten with the james handbag, which appears to be fashioned after a cool vintage binocular bag. i had a friend long ago who carried a bag similar to this that she’d found at a thrift store, and i’ve always wanted one, even after all these years!

my style

outfit: simple style

September 3, 2014 8 Comments

jut wanted to pop in for a quick outfit post as i head out to nyc! i’m currently (hopefully sleeping) in an airplane en route to the event i’ll be hosting at shinola in collaboration with scout la. if i hadn’t been shamelessly promoting it enough the past few days, you can find the details right here. it’s going to be a super fun event with lots of awesome american designer vintage and beautiful detroit-made watches. it was a bit of a last-minute decision, so i’m only going to be in town for one whirlwind night, so if you live in nyc, i hope you can make it out!

but now onto more important stuff: i got a hair cut! i’d been sporting longer locks for the past couple of years, and while i did really love my longer hair, i never really not stopped dreaming about going back to the bob. every time i’d visit shannon (he’s currently cutting hair at refuge salon in echo park), he’d ask me if i was ready to go back. this cut is probably the style that i’ve worn the most throughout my life, and it’s always the look i go back to time and again. it might be silly to say it, but i just feel the most like myself when i have my hair this way. in fact, i think my favorite look is an even shorter bob, but i figured i didn’t want to lose too much hair in one sitting!

wearing:
ayr the everywhere top in seeded cotton
vintage linen dress
jennie kayne d’orsay flats
benah for karen walker bag

fashion, press

shinola

September 2, 2014 No Comments

no, i didn’t go to detroit to visit the shinola factory in advance of our event tomorrow night, but they did kindly send me a ton of great pictures so i could get a better look at the workmanship that goes into their beautiful handmade watches. i’d actually been lusting after one of their classic runwell watches well before they got in touch and asked me to host their event. i’d eyed them at steven alan and had been thinking about getting one for brendan. but of course, i wouldn’t mind getting one for myself, too!

besides their really beautiful designs, i love the fact that they are all handmade right in detroit. their production line is one of the most modern in the world, and adheres to swiss quality standards. everything is done by hand, from building their own movements, to the final assembly. their watch straps and leather goods come from horween of chicago, one of america’s oldest tanneries, in continuous operation since 1905. they’re one of the last tanneries in america still undertaking the full production process in-house, from raw unprocessed hides to fully finished leather in a process that is impressively labor-intensive. their craftspeople are incredibly skilled and proud of their work, and it’s exciting to be able to buy such a well-made watch, and to support such an awesome detroit-made company. honestly, there’s so much that goes into the entire process, that you really should head to their site to read more about them, because i can hardly do them justice in this little blog post.

and of course, if you’re in new york, i would love it if you could come out to the event i’m hosting at the shinola flagship store tomorrow night from 7:30 – 9:00pm! we’ll be unveiling the american vintage collection by scout la, and fun times will be had by all.

fashion, press

behind the lens: a visit to scout la

September 2, 2014 2 Comments

in advance of the event i’ll be hosting at the shinola flagship store in nyc this wednesday, i decided to make my way to los angeles for a quick trip to scout vintage boutique. the owner, joey grana, has pulled together an amazing collection of vintage pieces by american designers for the event. he’s got impeccable taste, as you can see by the photos. and of course, i was blown away by the selection of vintage designer pieces alongside his own small in-house collection, and a tasteful selection of jewelry. i even nabbed a cute new vintage top which i may or may not be wearing to the event!

if you’re in nyc, be sure to come to the event from 7:30 – 9:00pm at the shinola store in tribeca to shop the american vintage collection and to browse some seriously beautiful, detroit-made watches.