casual style

Studs on studs for spring

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged banana republic / casual style / chloe / outfits / rocker chic / spring 2016 / winter 2016 by

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Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Stephen Dweck / Lipstick: Chanel Mighty / Top: Banana Republic / Cuff: Compass Rose Design / Leather wrap bracelet: Tory Burch / Jeans: COH (petite)/ Handbag: Chloe / Nail Polish: Chanel Sunrise Trip / Booties: Sam Edelman

There is something a little bit rock and roll about studs. When I spotted this top at Banana Republic with tiny little studs, I thought it would be fun to wear with my Chloe Inez bag; after all, who doesn’t love studs on studs for the spring season!

A few years ago, studs were all the rage. Then, they disappeared for a hot minute from the fashion scene. It appears no-one really wanted studs to go away! They have quietly been on the runways, and store shelves, ever since. Since I love me some rock and roll, it is only natural that I love studs!

This little pouchette from Chloe is a fun bag to wear casually, or for a night out on the town. I love it as an alternative to a clutch for dinner, or an evening show. With the strap adjusted as a single shoulder strap, the bag has a more casual feel. When I adjust the straps into a double shoulder strap, it has a dressier, evening feel. Love that!

I love how the handbag looks with this studded top. The studs on the bag are large, and vary in size. The studs on the top are small and evenly distributed. I feel like the two pieces compliment each other, and add a little dimension to a casual look. Of course, this top could be paired with leather legging or pants for a chic, evening look. Oh! New outfit idea!

The combination of studs on studs in this outfit makes me smile; and makes a few AC/DC songs roll through my head. What do you think of mixing studs this spring? Are you up for a little rock and roll in your wardrobe?

Classic casual outfit and pop of turquoise

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged casual style / outfits / proenza schouler / sweaters by

classic black turtleneck sweater outfit classic casual winter outfit idea pop of color with black turtleneck sweater proenza schouler medium tote in turquoise proenza schouler tote and turtleneck sweater proenza schouler tote with casual outfit

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: Chanel Melancholie / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Sweater: Banana Republic / Scarf: Monki / Ring: Beau Bijou / Nail Polish: Nars Night Creature / Handbag: Proenza Schouler / Jeans: Gap / Booties: Rag & Bone

The weather this winter has been on the cool side. It has been so refreshing, after all the drought weather we had experienced here in the San Francisco Bay Area over the past few years. I look back at last January, and I was already wearing some spring pieces! There were even a few days when I wore short sleeves, a skirt, and sandals! Yikes! Not very wintery 😉

Since we have been enjoying cold weather, and rain (yes!!!), I have been reveling in the chance to actually wear warm clothing! In our long, lost winter, I have found a turtleneck sweater, jeans, booties, and a blanket scarf, make the perfect go-to outfit on a casual day. The classic casual outfit above, has been getting quite a bit of a workout lately!

Although I love having the chance to bundle up this winter, sometimes the constant cloudy weather can be a bit dreary. In order to combat the grey days, I have been wearing this Proenza Schouler tote from their resort 2016 collection quite often. The bright turquoise really pops against the dark colors in my winter wardrobe. I love being able to wear a little bit of sunshine on a grey day. That is the great thing about accessories, you can wear the next season without sacrificing comfort. Love that!

I am the type of person who will purchase something in multiple colors if I love it; a shopping trick my Mom taught me when I was a child. This turtleneck sweater from Banana Republic is comfortable, classic, cozy, and comes in a ton of colors! So, I splurged and purchased it in the pale pink, black, cobalt, and light blue. You can see the light blue styled here. If you are looking for a classic turtleneck sweater at a fabulous price, I highly recommend this one!

The jeans I am wearing are Gap’s skinny jeans. I own a pair in regular, medium wash, and also black. They are comfortable, offer a great fit, and are great quality. If you are looking for go-to skinny jeans for your closet, this is the pair! I love that they are priced waaaaaaaay under $100. It is hard to find great quality jeans, that fit well, under $100. I hope they come out with more color washes for spring!

Lastly, these booties are so comfortable! Rag & Bone makes this pair of booties every fall. They have classic colors, and variations of neutrals which are fresh and interesting. My pair is from fall 2014, and is a dark charcoal with a vintage wash. You can invest in these booties knowing they are in style every year, since they are a classic style. I love owning classic pieces I can find on store shelves every year; it makes them feel new every season! If you order a pair, order a half size up from your usual size. I ordered my pointy toe shoe size, which is 9.5. I usually wear a 9.

What are some of your favorite classic casual outfit pieces for cold weather?

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in the winter

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged banana republic / casual style / lifestyle / outfits / tory burch / winter 2016 by

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Outfit: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: c/o Laurel Burch / Lipstick: Chanel Mighty / Sweater: Banana Republic / Ring: Kendra Scott / Nail Polish: Chanel Sunrise Trip / Handbag: Tory Burch (on sale!!) / Jeans: Gap / Shoes: Rag & Bone (sold out, also love this pair and this pair)

Over Christmas break, we took the kids to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Winter is a great time to go to the Boardwalk because there are less crowds, significantly lower lines, and you can really maximize your day; since you are not spending it in long lines!

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in winter has reduced hours, and not all of the rides are open. On the day we went, the Boardwalk was open from 12pm-5pm. We arrived at noon and stayed until about 5:15pm. It was a full day, and loads of fun!  There were about twelve rides open, so in addition to going on rides, we played mini golf, and a few carnival games.

The food at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is always fun too. Can you believe the potato on a stick my daughter is holding in the photo above?! It was like potato chips on a stick, but fresh! They make the potato on a stick right there in front of you, so you can see it is fresh; and I would like to think it is healthier than potato chips from a bag at the super market. The kids also ate french fries; and I enjoyed a delicious hot cocoa made from Ghirardelli Chocolate, yum!

The favorite ride of the day for my kids were the bumper cars. I think they went back on the ride close to ten times! There were a lot of people riding the bumper cars, yet there wasn’t a line, so it was easy to keep going back on the same ride. It was the perfect amount of people!

If you are interested in heading down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in winter, be sure to call first and see how many rides are open. You will also want to check the hours. They do offer a reduced daily rate during the winter, which is nice.

What are some places you like to go to in the winter because there is less of crowd than in the summer?