Military gone soft...

Kind of adoring this feminine take on military jackets... Over florals? What a sweet way to transition from the sun-dresses of Summer to the darker palette of Fall.

Oldies but (major) goodies, by Scott Schuman:

Photo source

Moving on up...

Today's high temperature was 92.4°.

Though it's unseasonably warm and we're in for a bit more rain, I'm officially saying adieu to Winter. I won't miss anything about it at all, but I figured this might be my last opportunity to post some favorite Wintery ensembles.

'Til next time...

Photo source: 1-4

Advanced Style: Age and Beauty...

I can only hope that at their age I am owning my style and personal character the way these extraordinary women are. I hope I'm rocking bakelite eyeglasses like Iris Apfel, and an out of-this-world silvery, Bauhaus bob too. I hope I'm still a bike rider, and on a sweet-ass Bianchi at that!

Inspiration doesn't even begin to cover all that I get out of this amazing short. Fascination, endless intrigue and the utmost respect... Well done, Ari Seth Cohen, well done NOWNESS. Well done, seasoned beauties.

In Cohen's own words...

"When I first moved to New York [from Seattle] I attended a screening for the documentary Hats Off about Mimi Weddell, who in her 60s became an actress and model for the likes of Louis Vuitton and Burberry. I photographed her, and her attitude and approach to style was a big influence on me and the start of the blog.

Walking around New York taking photographs, I noticed how many young girls are appropriating style from older women: leopard print, fur, turbans and hats. In general, the older women wear these things naturally, with more confidence. With the blog I not only want to show that older women are vital and creative, but also to show people [they need not be] afraid of aging—and personal style is a great way to showcase this."

Yes, I have a countdown clock...

123 Days seems so far away! Although, I'm trying to appreciate this calm before the storm. No diapers, no crying, no spit-up... but every day I get more and more uncomfy and it gets harder and harder to sleep. And I feel like I get to know this baby better and better. There are definite routines happening in there now, and I'm starting to anticipate the sounds that will and won't initiate cartwheels in my tummy. Kicking and punching is much more forceful, and direct sunlight is a new favorite thing in womb-land.

When I'm feeling gigantic, cumbersome, achey, and irritable, I open up the little drawer full of teeny tiny t-shirts, pants, diapers, and socks- and it puts things into perspective again. I only have 123 days of selfish one on one with this little person, before world and outside and danger and element and people become a reality for him or her. Right now it's just heartbeats, warmth, tummy rubs, familiar voices sending it love, and the occasional sunbeam.

I choose Bobo Choses!!!

"Once upon a time there was a friendly clothing brand
that spoke the language that children speak..."


I can't even explain how in love I am with these pieces from the Spring line of iconic Barcelona childrens' brand Bobo Choses. With each new collection, designers Laia Aguilar and Adriana Esperalba build around a whimsical tale by Felipe Cano. This season marks the first illustrated companion to the collection, Bonjour Camille.

"On Sunday mornings, as soon as the sun comes out,
Camille opens her eyes and puts on her battle dress: a tutu and a top hat.

She has so many things to do: Jumping on the bed until her mummy says
THAT’S ENOUGH!

Eating loads and loads of cherries. Hiding all the umbrellas.
Choosing a new favourite colour. Giving names to the waves.

Asking the wind in a whispering voice to tell her a story....
But then Camille hears a voice from the other side of the door. Stop that jumping!"

Of course we sometimes see adorable little things for children and think "I'd totally wear that!" In that scenario, Bobo Choses is as close as I could possibly get to actually seeking out a tailor and saying "MAKE ME THIS!"

It's precious and whimsical and amazing. I kinda NEEEEEEED IT!!! Thankfully, I have an outlet for this obsession, their names are James, Evelyn, and (as yet un-named) teensy baby.

Last Season's story was based around the darling French lobo, Bobo... And yes, I'm in love with him too.

Once upon a time there was a wolf called Lobo Bobo who loved Paris and pretty things. Lobo Bobo the Wolf lived in a forest near the city but, whenever he could, he used to slip off into Paris looking for pretty things that would make him happy, such as

an old camera,
a fluffy little cloud,
and a ball of emerald-coloured wool...

He always wore a disguise on his trips to the city so as not to frighten the mammies and the daddies. But whatever the disguise, he could never fool the children. They all knew well that underneath the figure in the gabardine, the tortoise-shell glasses, and the Napoleon hat...

there lurked a wolf.
Lobo Bobo.

Lobo Bobo drove around in an old blue car, and chatted away to the car as if it were a friend. On rainy days he enjoyed the sound of the rain, and on sunny days he enjoyed the heat of the sun.

The wolf was a generous creature. He loved choosing presents and he never forgot anybody’s birthday. He gave his friend Little Red Riding Hood a new hooded cape and he planted an apple tree in her grandmother’s garden. He always used to give his brother wolves a present of coloured pencils so that they could make

fierce drawings
of fierce wolves
doing fierce deeds...

After spending the whole day rummaging in the street markets of Paris, Lobo Bobo liked to stand on the Pont des Arts and watch the sun set over the River Seine, while he munched a juicy apple and nibbled a freshly-baked baguette.

As night fell, he would load up his old blue car with all the pretty things and drive back to the forest where he was sometimes afraid of his own shadow. The shadow of a wolf.

Springing foward...

No matter how long I live here- in the continental US, I don't think I'll ever get used to the idea of manipulating clocks. I hate daylight savings. I do, I'm sorry... I think it's outdated and ridiculous. Benjamin Franklin was brilliant in so many ways...

But this shit is whack.

This was just too funny not to share...

Cold weather cuteness, Helsinki-style!

Amber sent me an email today about her friend Eri, who was shot for this amazing Helsinki street-style blog. It took all of ten seconds to get sucked in, and now I've gone through about a year of shots. I feel like even after (oh my gosh) almost SIX YEARS of living in weather with actual seasons- I'm still kind of at a loss when the temperature dips below 65. I've finally accumulated a decent volume of appropriately warm clothing, but looking cute in the cold is still a big, elusive animal for me. These girls make it look so easy! I love that they're warm, and adorable, and individual, and realistic! Sometimes the Sartorialist gives me low-end amnesia. Meaning, I forget that I do not need to drop a couple grand on myself to leave the house looking good. I like that these Helsinki girls are so obviously having fun with their ensembles. I love that there's the occasional high-end item thrown in here, with lots of great Japanese and Nordic design, mixed in lovingly with thrifted, recycled, borrowed, or High street. The more I learn about winter dressing, the more I think it's all about maintaining balance and comfort, while never covering up who you are underneath all those layers.

A few of my favorites...

“I'm wearing my grandmother's old scarf, my mother's old coat, knitted leggings made by Estonian designer Liina Viira and a bag made by my aunt. I like to mix colours and prints. I make clothes myself, too. Kirill Safonov is my favourite designer.” -Allii-Liis, 21

“I'm wearing a coat from Mango sale, Vagabond shoes, pants from H&M and a bag from Lindex. I like extraordinary and funny looks like an ordinary sweater mixed with a fur collar. I like to wear transparent clothes and showy jewellery, especially rings. I admire Rachel Zoe.” -Tiina, 22


“In winter I get a bit depressed and start wearing black which I normally avoid. I like to wear dresses and would like to find a perfect pair of leather jeans. Now I'm wearing a second hand jacket, a H&M jumpsuit and shoes from Din Sko.” -Petra, 20


“I like to wear vintage hats and clothes. I collect and sell them, too. 40s dresses are my favourites. Now I'm wearing a vintage Lanvin hat, a leather jacket from a sale and second hand Yohji Yamamoto shoes.” -Leena, 24


“The cape is from Vintage Ansa and it's also called Anna. The beanie is a gift from a friend, the scarf is self-made, the pullover and the bag are second hand. I like nude, beige and other down-to-earth colours. I like loose, comfortable and droopy clothes like big pullovers.” -Anna, 23


“Today I wanted to wear a comfortable outfit. My current favourites are my Chloé bag and dark lipstick. And you cannot go wrong with a biker jacket. Tokyo inspires me. Next I would like to get something in the spirit of Indians. I almost chose to wear feathers around my neck.” -Ann-Marie, 20


“I like second hand, brown, army green and outfits with feminine elements. Sweden, indie bands like The Kooks, sea and sailing inspire me.” -Mona, 17

Pendleton's been around for 140 years... Think they're gonna make it?

Let me preface this little tidbit by saying I love David Bowie. Love him.

Two years ago I read a quote from Bowie in response to the question: "So who do you see some potential in musically today?" Admittedly, now I can't remember if he said Radiohead or Coldplay (so I might be losing some of the impact here- what else is new?), but he followed one of them with: "Yeah, they seem to be pretty talented. I actually think they'll make it big."

Ummm...

1. Radiohead had made it "big" while I was still in high school.

2. Coldplay has been Coldplay for more than a decade.

Granted, Bowie is BOWIE, so his perception of making it "big" is likely a tad skewed. But regardless of which band it was, this observation of his was so hilarious to me at the time, that it still makes me giggle when I think about it. And I think about it a lot. I fixate like that. Anyway, that's the inside-joke behind this blog title.

End embarrassingly unrelated tangent.

This is about Pendleton. Did your dad have some of their wool shirts when you were growing up? If he did, he likely still does. When I was 16, old Pendleton shirts were the absolute pinacle of cool. Well, figuratively- because when you grow up on a friggin' tropical island, you have absolutely NO BUSINESS WEARING THEM. Tell that to the 10th grader in vintage 100% virgin wool- sporting a terminally uncool sweaty upper lip. :(

I knew that this incredible heritage brand had been chugging along forever, and I've kept a watchful eye on their recent contemporary collaborations (Pendleton for Opening Ceremony, anyone?! WHOOO!). However, until their recent announcement of an in-house contemporary line, I hadn't actually obsessed over them since the good ol' sweaty lip days. Under the (unexpected) guidance of their fellow Portlanders, Nathaniel Crissman and Rachel Turk of cult-favorite, Church + State, along with John Blasioli- stylist behind indie legends' The Decemberists' stage gear, "The Portland Collection" was born.

Targeting the “bridge market” (that’s 25-45 year-olds with disposable ca$hola to you), and building upon Pendleton's refined and timeless aesthetic, this capsule adds an air of urban sensibility to the classic. Pendleton's hallmarks- never-fail wool plaids and Navajo prints, are re-imagined in contemporary ways, with cuffed shorts, oversized pullovers and trim day dresses-gone saucy with cut outs, the collection features both men’s and women’s capsules alongside unisex accessories. Says Mort Bishop, president of Pendleton Woolen Mills: “It’s more progressive in fashion. The fit is trimmer, for a younger customer — and it’s made in America.”

As though we needed another excuse to buy domestic, Mort... I edited an order for these pieces this morning- and as far as I know, NO ONE in SLO is picking it up. I think that's just crazy cakes. I'm betting that The Portland Collection is going to be on everyone's lips (sweaty or otherwise) come Fall.













Though it's the saddest of photos (a great example of what we work off of post-market), this was my very favorite of the Fall preview.




*Lookbook images c/o Pendleton.
**All sketches by Nathaniel Crissman.

Back Porch Bakery...

This morning we had the great pleasure of visiting the Berkeland family, and enjoying their absolutely incomparable home-baked goodies. Dan and Caroline, are incredible bakers and have generously opened up their kitchen to the community- aptly dubbing it the Back Porch Bakery. This was my first visit, but good gracious am I hooked! Their cute little home sits on a corner lot, in a quiet neighborhood (you're well-advised to look for the purple door), and entrance is literally through the back porch. A large tray full of bagels, scones and freshly baked bread greeted us first, followed closely by warm offerings of "Coffee, juice, water? What can I get you to drink?", and the curious pitter patter of 14 month old feet on the floor. The Berkeland home feels like the kind of place you could just curl up in and take a nap. It's cozy times infinity. It even SMELLS cozy... Whatever that means.

I think the baked goods absorb all of the cozy goodness of this house and this family too. To call them mere bagels, or bread, or scones would be falling flat. Dan gave us a sneak peek yesterday when he dropped off a couple of Pane Siciliano loaves. To give you an idea of how great these are, allow me to set a scene... Upon slicing into it, alone in my kitchen, knife in hand, I said a single word aloud... "Beautiful". And it is. In every sense. The crisp, fresh, hollow softness of that first break into it? Heaven. I stood over my sink eating slices with fresh tomato, salt, and nothing else. Beautiful, indeed. This morning's array was no different. Imagine the genius of chopped dates mingled with thick bacon pieces, and all snuggled up in creamy, crumbly, perfection. That's the Berkeland scone. But my favorite? The absolute highlight of my day? Can a bagel be a pièce de résistance? These are. These unassuming little treats are actually the bagels to end all bagels. I saved mine until I got home, sliced it in half, toasted it flat for about two minutes, and spread cream cheese thin across each one. My first thought aside from "Holy... Oh my gosh, are you kidding me?" was "biali". The flavor, the texture, the PLEASURE of this little food... amazing. It harkened childhood memories of bialis, fresh out of the oven, eaten warm, in an open-air courtyard. Nothing I've eaten since has come close to those until now.

Thank you Berkeland family, thank you Back Porch Bakery, thank you bagel Gods.

Amen.

Things I miss...

As much as I adore the little wiggle worm in my tummy, I'll be awfully happy to cuddle it in my arms instead.

In the meantime, I miss...

- Not having to do a little jig just to get my pants over my butt
- Doing dishes, or walking past restaurants without gagging
- Vacuuming without needing a nap afterwards
- Having a belly button
- Laying on my tummy if I feel like it
- Laying on my back without feeling crushed
- Having energy
- Pants with buttons and zippers
- Walking up stairs without breathing like a fish out of water
- Reaching my legs to shave them
- Reaching my toenails to paint them
- I miss SLEEP
- I miss normal clothes
- I miss brushing my teeth without throwing up in the process
- I miss not having a ton of saliva and snot
- Being able to breath with my mouth closed
- The occasional espresso
- Staying up past 10 PM without feeling like death the next day
- Peeing like a normal human
- Feeling like I was in control of my bladder and bowel system
- Walking for more than 5 minutes without feeling dizzy
- Bending over to pick something up
- My memory
- My abdominal muscles (this refers to sitting up, rolling over, getting out of bed without help or groaning)
- My small boobs
- My favorite bra that no longer fits :(
- My underwear fitting correctly
- Feeling cute when I get ready in the morning
- My favorite pair of jeans
- Having an appetite and room in my abdomen for food
- Taking a very hot bath
- Not being in constant pain
- Not being able to smell absolutely everything
- Being able to bend over!
- Being comfortable for more than 10 minutes at a time

End rant.

GILTY!

Sooo... last week Gilt Groupe* featured an M.J. sale.

What began unassumingly at 9:00 PST, was by 9:01 a virtual bloodbath of page refreshing, cart adding, sale-starved, shopping frenzy. It took me a good 15 minutes of said frenzy to finally get my greedy paws on the style I wanted in the size I needed. I think I probably refreshed the item page 200 times- waiting for availability.

For those unaware... once an item is added to your cart at Gilt Groupe, the buyer has 10 minutes to either make their purchase, or see it thrown back into the feeding frenzy- thus rendering it "available" to other shoppers once again. The tick tocking countdown clock sits ominously alongside any item in your cart. And that clock is not messing around. It's f'ing scary. Seriously... a sale like this one is the online equivalent to the rib elbowing, passive shoving, and outright tugging hysteria of a showroom sample sale. Hideous. But in Gilt's defense, at least these items haven't been molested for months by grimy, cranky buyers. *shudder*

Ok, back to the sale...

I've got my cart up and ready to go. I have two items in it, because in the chaos- I kept vacillating between two dresses, hoping to catch at least one of them and then luxuriously decide between the two at my (10 minute countdown) leisure.

Miracle of miracles!!! I land BOTH OF THEM! IN MY SIZE!!!



The Marc Jacob's "Looking Back Logo Law", which beckons "TO MATERNITY and BEYOND, dummy!!! HELLO?!?!", and the "Looking Back Logo"- which screams "You will love me and wear me forever! I'm freakin' JERSEY COTTON, YO!".

Decisions, decisions... Ok, now it's crunch time. For real... Anyyyy second now...
CHOOSE!
DELETE!
Edit, Coral, EDDDITTT!!!!

Back and forth, back and forth, clicky click.

Ticky tock...

Damn that little clock.

Damn it to hell.

My two new friends.

Aaaand... a Gilt Groupe invitation for anyone needing and lacking. xo

*They should really just do us all a favor and spell it with the "u", because really it's a guilt group.

Trying to keep this in mind...

Now I want to read a book dedicated to shopping like a Japanese girl. They always look comfortable, but never in a frumpy way. Heck, even the loony "FRUiTS" girls are weather-appropriate! And their ability to play with color blocking and pattern mixing while maintaining some dignity... I'm kind of in awe. But that's a whole other story. This post is dedicated to the unparalelled mentality of French women when it comes to dressing and stocking their closets. They manage to skirt that beautiful line between classic and unassuming, while never blending in completely. Can't you just pick them out of a crowd?! The way they hold themselves... as though everyone nearby is blessed to be in their orbit- and yet, it's with the most subtle sprinkling of "I might be in love with one of you"; so you can never quite fault them for arrogance, as you're too busy either winning favor or taking notes.

"the way to shop…

If she can’t afford it, she won’t buy it. If it doesn’t fit (or make her feel good, or flaunt what she’s got), she won’t wear it. If she can’t find it, she won’t compromise. If she loves it, she won’t toss it. She reuses it, rethinks it, lets it age.

When a French girl shops, it isn’t a solitary act of buying something new. It’s part of a lifelong process of editing her environment, making small but meaningful additions to her home, her closet, her life.

When you shop like a French girl, you buy only one of anything – and make sure it’s the best quality you can afford."

- from Entre Nous: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl