Incorrigible

Spencer is a lousy photo subject; he won't sit still and inevitably whatever cute thing he's doing that makes you reach for the camera is immediately ceased as soon as he figures out what you're up to. This one was the best of the bunch, and as you can see he had quickly gotten bored and figured he'd just take a break.

This was a weekend outfit; in fact, I wore it for my birthday brunch. I realized that day just what makes me so uncomfortable about maxi skirts: they just feel too breezy and casual for the office. I love wearing this skirt on a weekend, and I got loads of use out of it when I was vacationing in Aix-en-Provence, but at the office it feels awkward, not to mention the fact that I roll over the hem with my office chair. I think this one may just need to be relegated to my days off in order to get the full enjoyment of it.

It's been awhile since you've seen Spencer; he's fully grown now and weighs about 75 pounds. I'm sharing this photo just so you can appreciate how much larger he is than Georgie now, but it shows off one of Spencer's bad habits: yes, my dog is an incorrigible crotch-sniffer. It makes for a lot of embarrassment and apologies at the dog park.

Top: LA Made
Scarf: Rapsodia (Argentina)
Skirt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Cole Haan

Awkward

There's something about wearing full length skirts or dresses that always makes me feel a bit awkward, so pairing this skirt with the leather vest and studded boots was a great way to counteract that sensation. Maybe it's just that long skirts make me feel sort of hippie, even though they don't necessarily look that way. I always love the way this skirt looks in photos, but I still find it hard to get used to when I have it on.

Do you ever wear things that you know look great but make you feel a bit awkward or 'off' somehow?

Vest: Cotelac
Top: a gift from Sal
Skirt: Anthropologie
Boots: All Black
Bracelet: Betsey Johnson

Free Days

What a couple of weeks it's been. Last week (I think it was last week, anyway) I had a last-minute work trip that took me out to the east coast, and this week I've been scrambling around trying to get everything caught up before I head off to France again. What's great is that I was able to stop in Manhattan just long enough to meet someone I'd long wanted to meet in person, Ally of Shybiker. What a delight! Ally is every bit as thoughtful, articulate, and interesting as you'd expect, and we chatted for hours over dinner about an incredible array of topics. I even coaxed a bit of the lawyer side out while discussing the constitutional aspects of the current battle for marriage equality, and how the Supreme Court has become increasingly politicized in recent years. I do so love a lively and intelligent conversationalist, and Ally really delivers.

As I mentioned, I'm off to France again for work on Saturday, and this time rather than spending my free days in Paris I'm heading to Aix-en-Provence. I was completely inspired after meeting up with Deja Pseu the last time I was in France, and this time of year should be just perfect weather-wise. I only have about 3 days there, but who can argue with 3 free days in Aix-en-Provence?

Cardigan: Cynthia Vincent
Top: Asos
Skirt: Anthropologie
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Shoes: Cydwoq
Bag: Boktier

Shaping

This sweater is probably at least 10 years old, and even though I don't wear it so much anymore, I still love it. Mostly I don't wear it because it's just scratchy enough to require an under layer, and it rarely gets cold enough here for that. In fact the day I wore this it wasn't quite cold enough, and I ended up carrying my jacket so as not to be too warm.

I wanted the shaping to be the main focus of this outfit, since both the sweater and the skirt really hug my curves. To that end I kept my jewelry simple and highlighted my hips by wearing the low slung belt. Hidden under the skirt were leggings for warmth, and my super comfy pair of Romika boots. Between those and the stretchy skirt it felt like I spent the day in my pj's.

Sweater: La Redoute
Belt: thrifted
Skirt: Anthropologie
Boots: Romika

Amazon

I felt like an Amazon in this outfit, what with the sky-high heels and the long, floor-skimming skirt. I actually want to hem this skirt to ankle length but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. If I were several inches taller, like the Asos model, it would look like this:

And isn't that cute? The shoes are fully visible even when she's standing relatively straight; i.e., she isn't thrusting one leg out to show off her shoes, like I had to do. Lopping off about 3 inches ought to do the trick; that way if I ever want to wear it with flats it won't be dragging on the ground. I also won't step on it when I climb a flight of stairs. Did I ever mention that falling down a flight of stairs and knocking my teeth out is a huge phobia of mine? Don't think I didn't have visions of that phobia being realized when I wore this outfit.

This was one of my last outfits at the old job, and I got lots of compliments on it. Other than the shoe-hiding and the stair trampling, oh and the rolling over the bottom of the hem with my office chair every time I moved around, and the wind picking up the skirt like a huge sail when I was outside, I really loved the outfit. Yeah. Time to look into that hemming.

Top: Michael Stars
Cardigan: Express (a gift from my aunt)
Necklace: Wendy Brandes
Skirt: Asos
Shoes: Pour la Victoire

Fluttery

This outfit felt very elegant to me, and it was the first time I've worn this skirt with the top tucked in. I wasn't sure about wearing it this way because the top part of the skirt is so clingy, but the striped pattern as well as the angled panel at the waistline is in fact very figure-flattering. Adding the fluttery top and elastic belt also helped to give my waist definition. My legs felt a mile long with my waist being moved so far up my torso.

Top: Asos
Necklace: from a glass shop in Venice
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Bangles: Amrita Singh
Ring: Manu Lizzaralde
Skirt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Fly London

Cuteness Overload

Wow, new puppies are a HANDFUL. Our little guy is curious about everything, and we have to be ever vigilant to make sure he's not chewing on random items or jumping up and knocking things over. But he is one sweet, gentle boy alright, and very eager to learn and to please. We found out that San Francisco Animal Control was about to put him down, because they deemed him too "mouthy." Uh hello, ALL puppies are mouthy until they get some training. It just goes to show that the bias against pitties is staggering, even here in San Francisco where they're a very prevalent breed and we have so many great breed ambassadors. Hats off to Grateful Dogs Rescue, who stepped in just in time to save our pup!

The outfit is from last week. I'd been wanting to wear this top/cardigan combo again, but had struggled with how to make the outfit look different from the first time I paired them. The maxi skirt offered the perfect solution, though to be honest I think I still prefer the original outfit, and would probably wear it again verbatim. Hard to believe the original outfit is nearly 2 years old.

Cardigan: H&M
Top: Red Dress Shoppe
Skirt: Anthropologie
Shoes: Born
Bracelets: Cost Plus World Market

Mark and I are suffering from cuteness overload these days.

Tweaks

This was one of those cases where having a daily wardrobe blog can be so helpful; I simply went back through my recent posts and found a comfortable outfit that I really liked, and quickly tweaked it into a new outfit by changing to a different colored tank and swapping the scarf and jewelry to match. This was my baby shower attending outfit. I wanted something relaxed and casual that still looked put together, and the weather was warm and breezy, but likely to get chillier as the day progressed. The light layers were warm but not overly so, and the scarf could be removed and replaced as needed. The stretchy garments made it easy to load up on all sorts of yummy food; this was carefully planned, since I knew that the baby shower's host is a caterer. She made all sorts of children's book-themed food, such as tobiko-topped braised pork belly for Green Eggs and Ham, and wild mushroom ragout for Where the Wild Things Are.

The only thing this outfit couldn't do is save me from all the horrific pregnancy and childbirth talk. I really, really didn't need to know those things. I dearly wish I could un-know them.

Top: Asos
Skirt: Anthropologie
Scarf: Rapsodia (Argentina)
Shoes: Fly London

Sneaky

I'm completely in love with this skirt, especially with the weather being as shitty as it's been lately. The swirl and movement of the skirt gives it a breezy look, especially when combined with this gauzy, cape-like cardigan, but its length sneakily hid a couple of extra warmth-providing layers. First there was a pair of cotton leggings which served to keep my legs warm, and over those was a full length slip to keep the leggings from sticking to the skirt, and also to add extra insulation. It doesn't really come through in these photos, but the outfit really did have a lightweight and summery feel even though it kept me toasty.

I'm also clearly smitten with the scarf, and love the way it adds an edgy touch to even a soft, floaty outfit like this one.

Thankfully this was the last day before I got my hair cut; my hairdresser had been away on vacation and I simply couldn't bring myself to go to anyone else for a touch-up. In the meantime my gray-streaked roots had grown out to a shameful degree, and my hair had gotten to an unruly length that required a great deal of wrangling in the morning. For some reason I don't mind putting a lot of time into my makeup, but I hate spending a lot of time on my hair. The new 'do will make its debut next week!

Top: Ann Taylor
Skirt: Anthropologie
Scarf: Alexander McQueen
Cardigan: Twelfth Street Cynthia Vincent
Shoes: Fly London

Artsy Cousin

While Jess was in town we made a trip to Anthropologie. I pretty much only shop there on the rare occasions I make it downtown (which is about once a year), because I feel like many of their clothes are often WAY overpriced for what they are. They unquestionably have some gorgeous things, but if I'm going to spend Anthro prices for fairly basic pieces, I want to make sure I try them on and that I really love them. This skirt, along with the top and cardigan I posted yesterday were the 3 items I brought home from there, and I love them all.

I felt like I was headed out for a picnic at The Hamptons in this outfit. In fact I wondered if I could pass as LPC's Artsy Cousin. What do you think LPC, can I be your Artsy Cousin? I promise I'll bring plenty of champagne for family picnics at the beach.





Black top: Asos
Tank: not sure, just a basic layering tank
Scarf: Express
Jacket: Tulle
Skirt: Anthropologie
Shoes: BC Footwear
Bracelet: Nicole Miller Jewelry