4th trimester – calivintage

outfit: true blue

July 18, 2016 6 Comments

if i could only wear one color for the rest of my life, it would probably be blue. looking at my clothing rack, it is dominated by this indigo hue. even when i consciously try to avoid it in favor of something different, i inevitably fall back on it. so when i saw this jumpsuit by heinui i had to have it immediately. the only problem is that at the time, i also happened to be six months pregnant, so i’ve been patiently waiting for months to finally try it on! fortunately for me, it was worth the wait. it makes such a stunning statement, especially with this abandoned turn-of-the-century train station as the backdrop. and i just kept the outfit simple so that none of my accessories would compete with it.

it also comes in a few different options: short or long sleeve in indigo or chambray, and there is a dress version as well. they are all currently on sale along with a bunch of other amazing pieces, so you should go check it out!

wearing:
heinui ernesto indigo cotton jumpsuit
brookes boswell cortland straw hat
claire v. kenya bag
swedish hasbeens braided high in natural

my style, giveaways

enter to win $200 to wol hide!

July 5, 2016 136 Comments

it’s been a little while since i’ve posted a giveaway, so i’m really excited to share that i’ve teamed up with wol hide to offer you a chance to win a $200 gift card! if you’re not familiar with the brand, wol hide was founded in 2014 by knit designer leah d’ambrosio in 2014. the line focuses on clean, soft yarns knit into relaxed silhouettes inspired by the ease of everyday clothes. the collection is all made in the usa, with all sweaters hand loomed in philadelphia. for the spring 2016 collection, they teamed up with sally fox, who has spent years researching and growing organic, color grown cotton. the chenille yarn in the lounge set comes directly from sally’s farm, and the color is completely natural. in addition to the beautiful chenille sets, i’m wearing one of their incredibly soft a-tanks made with cotton yarn from a small family-owned mill in italy. it’s one of my new favorites and i just love the folded collar and swingy shape.

want to snag a piece for yourself? simply visit wol hide and leave a comment in the section below telling us which item in the shop is your favorite.

bonus: click here to earn an additional entry on instagram!

this giveaway is open to international readers, so anyone can enter. only two entries per person, one via calivintage.com and one via instagram. giveaway ends on july 12, 2016 at 11:59pm p.s.t.

wearing:
wolhide a-tank
brookes boswell straw cortland hat
martiniano glove shoes
vintage jeans and bag

my style

outfit: summer linen

June 29, 2016 5 Comments

we’re in the middle of a heat wave here in southern california. on the first day of summer, the high was 112 degrees with wildfires blazing so bad that ashes were literally falling from the sky. on days like this, all i can really do is keep sipping on my iced coffee and make sure i’m decked out in nothing but linen if i have to leave the house. i just got the new friend linen shirt by canadian-based brand, power of my people, and i could easily see myself wearing it every single day. it’s a perfect summer weight linen, slightly sheer so that you can breathe, but with two strategically placed front pockets so you don’t feel like you’re revealing too much. a simple shirt like this is so perfect for any wardrobe, especially if you live someplace hot. and i’m a huge fan of linen lately, not only because it’s such a beautiful textile, but because it’s also a more sustainable option than cotton because it requires no pesticides to grow the plant. which is made even better by the practicality and versatility of all of the offerings made by power of my people. for this outfit, i tied it at the waist to show off the high rise on a pair of vintage linen pants and finished it up with some fun accessories for a kind of 1950s vacation vibe. but it’s also just as cute worn simply with a pair of jeans and sneakers. and i’ve teamed up with the brand to offer a discount, so go check them out!

get 20% off at power of my people using code “calivintage” now through july 12!

wearing:
the friend linen shirt courtesy of power of my people
vintage flax linen pants
indego africa palm tote bag
guatemalan straw hat
greek sandals
brass hair pin by begoodshop

my style, maternity

4th trimester: the caftan

June 23, 2016 1 Comment

it’s officially caftan season, and this new caftan by storq is so perfect that it almost makes me miss being pregnant. fortunately for me, i still have a postpartum belly to contend with and an 8-week-old baby nursing on demand. oh, and i’m human. so yeah, this caftan is awesome. it was designed to be worn before, during, and after pregnancy, so i’m basically gonna be wearing it every single day. the fabric is super soft and sturdy, while the cut is generous and forgiving while still having some interest. i really love the subtle shape of the collar and sleeves, and i appreciate that there’s a button front, which is pretty much necessary for breastfeeding.

speaking of clothes to wear during the “4th trimester,” i was thinking about creating a guide on what to wear during recovery, breastfeeding, and babywearing. but instead of holding out on you guys for one big lookbook, i thought i’d just start sharing some of my favorite looks as outfit posts and then rounding them all up into one post at the end. i’ve definitely learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t after having two babies, but i’m sure there are tons of great brands out there that i haven’t even heard of, or styling tips that i haven’t considered, so please let me know if you have any tips or recommendations while i go along!

and in the meantime, you really should check out storq if you haven’t already. lots of really great basics for maternity and beyond!

wearing:
brookes boswell cortland straw hat
storq caftan
marais usa jardin heels

my style

outfit: summer style with teva

June 7, 2016 8 Comments

as someone who lives halfway between los angeles and palm springs, the only season i truly know how to dress for is the summer. the temperatures around here have already spiked to 100 degrees, and all of my sweaters and jackets have been tucked away in storage for the next several months. school is out next week, which means that the kids will be out en masse, celebrating their fleeting three months of freedom, wandering about with reckless abandon. and while my school days are well behind me, there’s something about the warm nights and the hot breeze outside that makes my heart swell with the same excitement as it did when i was a kid.

it’s also officially festival season. coachella is already past, bonnaroo is coming up this june, outside lands will round out the end of the season. and maybe it’s because i’m too old to understand, but if we could put it to a vote, i’d cast my ballot for a slightly more subdued festival look than most of what we’ve been seeing for the past several years. if i were headed to a festival this season, i’d keep it super simple and functional. a cool linen top (literally, it will keep you cool because it’s a breathable fabric), a classic pair of jeans, a straw hat to shade your eyes, and a pair of tevas because they’re totally functional while still offering up a wink and a nod to their ’90s counterculture origins. updated in natural leather because it’s 2016 after all. then you can avoid looking like you’re trying too hard (because you really aren’t), but you’ll also be conjuring up a bit of an ironic touristy vibe so the kids will still think you’re cool. except you might give yourself away when you decide to leave before the end of the night because your feet are tired and there’s a bar at the hotel calling your name.

wearing: elizabeth suzann georgia tee in linen, vintage levi’s, brookes boswell cortland straw hat, universal slide in tan leather courtesy of teva

my style, food

summer groceries

May 27, 2016 18 Comments

this post was sponsored by ALDI as part of influencer activation for influence central.

it’s been quite a while since i’ve shared a recipe, or even written about food, but i certainly haven’t stopped cooking! in fact, in more recent months, i’ve been making a very concerted effort to cook most of my meals at home. it’s almost too easy to order takeout, especially with a rambunctious toddler and a newborn to take care of. but those two growing babies are exactly the reason it’s so important to cook healthful meals at home. and while it certainly is a time commitment, we’ve found a lot of value in getting adam involved in the kitchen while we prepare our food, and we all feel really good about what we’re eating. the only catch is that it’s surprisingly expensive to buy fresh, high quality and organic food. so when ALDI got in touch and asked us if we’d like to visit one of their 25 new southern california locations, i jumped at the opportunity.

i have to admit that i wasn’t entirely familiar with ALDI before they got in touch. they’re new to southern california, so this was my first visit to one of their 25 newly opened locations. i had a vague idea that they sold products at an affordable price, so i wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. but as i started to browse through the aisles, i was really surprised to see that they had lots of fresh produce, and a really great selection of organic products. it’s memorial day this weekend, so i focused on some of my summer favorites: ingredients for ground beef tacos, chicken tortas, lots of guacamole, and a big pitcher of white wine sangria filled to the brim with fresh fruit.

one of the ways that they’re able to offer such affordable prices is with their own ALDI-exclusive brands like SimplyNature, which includes usda certified organic and non-gmo verified items, liveGfree gluten-free products, and NeverAny! products that are free from added antibiotics, hormones and animal by-products. and since they forgo the typical flashy marketing of other grocery stores, the savings are passed on to customers. seems like a pretty smart business model to me!

so i thought i’d share a little peek at my ALDI haul. i went in with $100 and despite filling up my cart, i still didn’t manage to spend the whole thing. everything you see in the photographs totaled $60, that includes the extra produce that didn’t fit into the photos, a bottle of organic wine, organic meats and cheeses, tons of produce, and a few name brand items as well. so i guess this means i’ll be heading back for more soon!

lifestyle, kids

tiny moments with aveeno baby

May 25, 2016 2 Comments

about a week after edith was born, i was surprised to discover that her precious baby skin started to peel! my only experience was with adam, and this never happened when he was born. it was a little disconcerting to see so much of her skin start to flake and peel off, but i talked to her pediatrician who reassured me that it’s completely normal for most babies. she recommended that we take care not to bathe her too frequently, and that we could apply a very gentle lotion to help keep her skin moisturized. so when we got home, i decided to incorporate a daily moisturizer into her routine.

when babies are so tiny, their skin is sensitive, so i was thankful when Aveeno got in touch and asked if i’d like to try their Baby Wash & Shampoo and Baby Daily Moisture Lotion. i especially love the moisturizer because it’s a hypoallergenic formula that is free of fragrance, harsh chemicals and allergens. i’ve been using their products since i was a kid, so i felt more than comfortable using it on edie, and i’m so pleased with the results. her skin is baby soft, just the way it should be.

this time around, when it comes to bath time, my trick is to wait until her belly is full and she’s been napping for a few minutes before i gently pick her up and very slowly dip her into a luke-warm bath with the water running. with the temperature just right and the white noise of the water, it’s such a soothing experience that she actually stays asleep or just flutters her eyes a little bit during the entire bath! she stays completely calm and relaxed, even as i gently remove her from the water and quickly wrap her in a warm towel. then it’s the perfect opportunity to moisturize her skin with some lotion while i give her a baby massage. it’s great because i can tend her delicate skin and enjoy some special bonding time with my baby while i rub her little fingers and toes. it’s tiny moments just like this that i know i will cherish forever.

share your #TinyMoments and tag @AveenoUS to show off your #AveenoBaby.

i partnered with Aveeno® on this post. all opinions are 100% my own.

my style, lifestyle, kids

getting out of the house with munchkin latch

May 17, 2016 2 Comments

believe it or not, adam never took a bottle his entire life. shortly after he was born, i made the decision to work from home, and i was all in. i didn’t know it or plan it beforehand, but i ended up being a total crunchy mama. i was all about attachment parenting, baby-wearing, breastfeeding on demand, co-sleeping, night-nursing. sure, there were a few times when i tried to get him to take a bottle or a pacifier, but in the end, i was never away from him long enough to even warrant the need. i have no regrets with how i chose to do things with him, but in hindsight, my dedication came at a cost. i often wore myself thin and pushed myself to the limits. i didn’t take as much “me time” as i should have, and i probably made it harder on myself than it had to be.

now that my little edith is here, i still intend to parent the same way, but i am definitely feeling more comfortable letting go and giving myself a break more often. in fact, this time around, i’ve already gone on a date with brendan, and she only turned three weeks today! i don’t even think i had left the house at this point after adam was born. not kidding. and over the weekend, our entire little family packed up our bags for a picnic in the park, and i didn’t sweat it at all. i pumped a few ounces of breast milk, and took it as an opportunity to get some fresh air and to let brendan and adam get in some much-needed bonding time with the tiny new addition to our family. and it just felt so good to get outside.

obviously, i want the best for both of my children, but i think that this time around, i’m learning to strike a better balance around taking care of myself so that i can truly take the best care of my baby (and toddler). so of course, it was really great to have the opportunity to team up with my friends at munchkin to try out the munchkin latch bottle. the idea behind the design is to help baby transition from breast to bottle and back again. the accordion-style nipple stretches and bends like the breast, allowing baby to latch on correctly. and it has an anti-colic valve to keep air from traveling through your milk. and i’m happy to report that edie took the bottle on her very first try and had zero issues going straight back to breastfeeding after we got home. it went so well, that later that evening, grandma was on duty while brendan and i went out on our date!

this post was sponsored by munchkin latch.