Sunday, October 1, 2017

It's Fall Y'all: Summer Break is Over

If anyone noticed my extended break this summer. I have a truly wonderful reason for it.  My husband and I found out in May that we are expecting our first baby together! I initially planned to continue blogging throughout my pregnancy, but too many complications arose and dressing for my new shape was not even one of those.  As you know, I am an older lady and so my pregnancy is already considered high risk, but you add my weight, pre-existing medical conditions, and the fact that all of our screening tests kept coming back "no result" or "inconclusive" and I was at one point wrapped up in a funnel of anxiety, panic, and angst at each and every doctor's appointment. Blogging or even taking outfit photos was simply the farthest thing from my mind for about 3 months.
Once we finally got answers and were able to relax and enjoy this pregnancy, we began a whirlwind tour of visiting friends and family and getting away just us to celebrate our coming baby.  I am still not very good at dressing my new shape, but I have found a few items that have gotten me dressed through the last 6 months and I will do a few posts over the next few weeks about the items that I think everyone should have.  That said, I really hope to not become a pregnancy or later a mommy blog as one of the reasons I love blogging is that clothes are at once both superficial and very important to me on a personal level and I hope to not lose my identity as I become a mom. I hope to very much remain a woman, daughter, sister, friend, wife, and human being who loves clothes, but only time will tell what I will or will not be able to manage with a new baby.

In the meantime, here are a few photos of my growing baby bump. Thank you for sticking around in the meantime. I look forward to sharing this new and so happy chapter of my life.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

San Francisco Highlight Tour

Morgan and I spent the weekend in San Francisco. Saturday, we went and tried an "easy" hike around Land's End that somehow went much longer than I intended and we managed to go off trail and across a golf club on our way to the Legion of Honor Museum where we stopped at the Holocaust Memorial before finding our way back to Land's End.  We then headed over to Tres for lunch before spending the afternoon at the SF MOMA museum.  While the museum had amazing exhibits, Morgan and I were mostly juvenile and spent most of the time giggling inappropriately and rolling our eyes at some of the "art."
Sunday we hit all the spots that are musts on every tourist list. We drove across the Golden Gate Bridge and up to the Marin Headlands where all the parking was blocked off. I ended up dropping her off so she could get photos since I have plenty and I drove up and turned around to pick her up afterwards.  Then we had lunch in the Fisherman's Wharf and walked around the area before driving to Lombard Street and driving down the crookedest street in the world. We stopped at Coit Tower and then finished our San Francisco adventure at the Embarcadero where we walked around the Ferry Terminal Building and had dinner and drinks at La Mar Cebicheria.  It was such a great trip and I already miss my girl! Come back and visit me soon! Love you, Friend!

I Am Wearing:

Top: J. Crew (similar)

Sweater: Tory Burch (option)

Denim: J. Crew

Crossbody: Tory Burch

Flats: Neiman Marcus (current in gold cap-toe)

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Napa Day Trip

Morgan was here for the Memorial Day weekend and we had a fantastic time! We woke up early last Friday, picked up our coffee, and got on the road to Napa as soon as we could.  We arrived in time for a tour of the Mumm Napa Winery, which I had never done even though this is one of my favorite vineyards and I take everyone who visits me there.  We were the only people that signed up and showed up for the 10AM tour so we basically had a private tour of the winery.  It was very informative although Morgan and I both declined to hear the portion about the SF Giants and their partnership because we are Texas Rangers girls forever!  The best part was that they start the tour with a glass of wine and they refill your cup as you go.  After the tour, we wandered through their Fine Photography Gallery that features photography by Wayne Levins and the legendary Ansel Adams before ending up in their Oak Terrace for a private tasting.  The entire morning was super relaxing and just fun! We had a reservation for lunch at Farmstead at Meadow Ranch which I've always heard wonderful things about and I was excited to finally get a reservation. While the food was AMAZING, I don't know if it warranted a 30min+ wait (with a reservation!) but the ambiance was definitely cozy, private, and posh.
After lunch, we headed to Alpha Omega Winery, which was beautifully landscaped just like all of Napa. I had never been here before and it did not disappoint. It is just a gorgeous property and every single wine was wonderful.  We finished our day at Chandon where we picked up our flight of bubbly and wandered around the estate and sat to look out over the vineyards from the little hilltop.  Wine was a great way to spend the day and we were happy to head back to the Bay Area for dinner with my guys.

I Am Wearing:

Dress: Suzi Chin (similar)

Belt: Halson Heritage (from another dress) (option)

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Everyday Jewelry: Apple Watch | Tiffany & Co. Bracelet | Cartier Trinity Ring

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Gingham & Stripes

You win some, you lose some.  This outfit was super comfortable in the very warm (I would call it summerish) weather we've been having lately so that was a win.  But these pictures are so unflattering that I can't claim it as a victory. I still love this cute off the shoulder top, but I think it worked so well in this post because the slacks were very structured and high waisted.  These jeans were neither of those things and I look so frumpy! So this might end up in the loss column.  I wore this around town to do some shopping and go grab lunch with my husband on a rare "work from home" day for him. These espadrilles are so comfy to walk from our house to downtown and back again and I still think they are so cute.  I was so glad they were re-released again this year.  I am out of pocket for a few days while I show Morgan all my favorite places around town, but I will be back just after the weekend.

I Am Wearing:

Top: WhoWhatWear for Target

Earrings: Macy's (option)

Sunglasses: Nordstrom (similar)

Denim: J. Crew c/o Nordstrom (current distressed option)

Espadrilles: c/o Soludos

**This is a scheduled post. I will be traveling for the weekend and will respond to comments upon my return.**

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Blue Houndstooth

After we left our friend's ranch in Napa, we headed to Healdsburg and had breakfast at the Oakville Grocery where we gorged on the largest chorizo burritos we've ever seen.  We then refilled our coffee and I grabbed a yummy apricot bar and we wandered around downtown.  We hadn't been in the Healdsburg square since in years. In fact, this post was the last time we had made it out to Healdsburg and that had been for the same friend's wedding as well. I still love that entire area.  The square is gorgeous and there is so much shopping in the area.  As a self-professed bookworm, I love their bookstore and the cute little library just a few blocks from the square.  After we finished my bar and coffee, we got back on the road and started to head home.  Once we arrived, we picked up our kid and went to lunch together and it was a great end to a relaxing weekend.  I love this cute dress by Banana Republic Factory.  I was looking for an older pattern Banana dress that I missed out on and this houndstooth pattern caught my eye.  I love the easy knit fabric and the v-neck. It was perfect for the very warm morning we had up in Napa.  And I am so excited because Morgan is finally coming to visit me this weekend! Two years after our move, she arrives tonight and I am taking her back up to Napa and all around San Fran this weekend. I can't wait!

I Am Wearing:

Dress: Banana Republic Factory via eBay (similar)
Handbag: Coach (current option)
Wedges: J. Crew (exact dupe at J. Crew Factory)

Monday, May 22, 2017

A Day at the Ranch

My husband and I were invited up to Sonoma to visit friends at their ranch this weekend.  It was so great to get away and unplug.  We drove up Saturday, spent the afternoon tasting their new vintage and playing with their beautiful baby girl before we got treated to a delicious steak dinner out on their deck with a gorgeous view of the Alexander Valley. It was the first steak we'd had in over a year and it made us miss home because they were just so well cooked! The accompanying grilled veggies definitely added and my husband was in wine heaven.  I wore this on the drive and to walk around their vineyard when we arrived, but I changed into pants and a wrap as the evening cooled for dinner. It was exactly what we needed after the last several weeks of non-stop work for my guy. I felt like I hadn't seen him in several days even thought he came home every night.

I Am Wearing:

Top: Who What Wear for Target

Shorts: Mossimo for Target (current)

Sunglasses: Balenciaga (current)

Sandals: Unisa (cute option)

Friday, May 19, 2017

A Stripe of Yellow

I bought this yellow striped tee during a sale a few months ago. It may have been after my sister threatened to confiscate all my navy stripes if she caught one more.  Since I could't buy navy stripes, I rebelled by picking up this yellow striped tee and I did buy her a red striped long sleeve tee at the same time.  At some point, I will convince her to obsess over stripes as much as I do.

I Am Wearing:

Top: Saint James x J Crew (on sale in Navy!)

Denim Jacket: Ralph Lauren (option)

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Earrings: Macy's (dupe)

Skirt: T by Alexander Wang

Tote: Calvin Klein (similar)

Sandals: Cynthia Vincent for Target (option)

Everyday Jewelry: Cartier Trinity Ring | Tiffany & Co Bracelet | Apple Watch

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Cool Neutrals

I have really enjoyed the cool weather this late Spring.  In Texas, there is simply no way I would be wearing jeans and a sweater in the middle of May.  This pair of skinnies is one of my very favorite pants because they easily stand in for khakis or jeans.  And a sweater is the easiest way to pull yourself together and go about your day.

I Am Wearing:

Sweater: c/o Missguided

Earrings: LOFT (similar)

Sunglasses: Balenciaga (current)

Denim: J Brand (current)

Handbag: Sam Edelman (Splurge | Steal)

Sneakers: SeaVees (current fabric)

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Mismatched Suit

I spent the day picking up donated items for our upcoming charity event at the end of summer and wanted to look put together, but not too formal.  I love this linen shirt, I wear it everywhere and with everything because it is just so comfortable! I also decided to break up the formality of a black pencil skirt with navy blue because it's against the rules and I think stripes are always just the right amount of irreverent.  But mostly because I hate walking into a place of business even just to pick up something in yoga pants. It's like I didn't even make an effort.  So in this case, I made a very conscious effort in my mismatched suit.

I Am Wearing:

Linen Top: Zara (similar)

Blazer: J. Crew (really cute option)

Necklace: BaubleBar (Splurge | Steal)

Clutch: Vintage Envelope Bag (similar on sale)

Skirt: Adrienne Vittadini (option)

Pumps: Zara (similar)

Everyday Jewelry: Apple Watch | Tiffany & Co Bracelet | Cartier Trinity Ring

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Cold Snap

Just after the great weather of the last week, we had a really cold snap a few days ago.  I really miss the days of being able to "put away" my winter clothes and then my summer clothes.  Here, my closet has to always be ready for anything.  Pulling out leather leggings and a cashmere sweater just a week after shorts and knits is not at all surprising anymore.  We spent the days wandering around the park and walking trails near the bay close to our house this weekend.  After my travels last week and my husband's the week before, it was really nice to spend some time together with our kid.  The really long walks are the ones that always get him to "overshare" with us and I love hearing his unfiltered thoughts about everything from school to friends to family stuff.  Especially his plans and where he sees himself in the coming years.  We can tell he misses his big brother and hopefully, we can get our family all together soon. Especially now that he is just a few weeks from the end of this school year.

I Am Wearing:

Cashmere Sweater: J. Crew

Earrings: c/o Amorium Jewelry

Sunglasses: Nordstrom (similar)

Necklace: Rosa De La Cruz

Leather Leggings: c/o Paige Premium Denim

Bag: Kit & Ace shopping bag

Sneakers: SeaVees (current fabric)

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Basic Stuff

I call the weather on the Bay "sneaky." You never know how you will need to dress for anything.  Unlike Texas, the weather in one day here can range from lows in the 50's to highs in the 70's.  It can be roasting in the sun and frigid in the shade, at the same place on the same day.  While I often try to dress in layers, it is annoying to me to constantly be putting on or taking off additional layers and I vastly prefer the days when I will only be in one spot for the majority of the day.  And what is more basic than jeans and knits? This was pretty perfect for end of year meetings at school and lunch at my husband's office. I really should buy a pair of pants and get them tailored to capris, but I like rolling these up when the weather allows and then rolling them back down when I am cold.

I Am Wearing:

Top: Cable & Gauge

Necklace: BaubleBar (Splurge | Steal)

Denim: Joe's Jeans

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik (similar)

Everyday Jewelry: Apple Watch | Tiffany & Co Bracelet | Cartier Trinity Ring

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Hot Shorts

I call this my Texas outfit this Spring because I wore it when we visited Dallas 6 weeks ago and then again this weekend when I visited my family in South Texas. I first wore it to hang out with friends and their darling 2 year-old twins.  Their mommy was so funny and she said, "Oh, look at you! You look so clean and shiny. I promise you won't look like that when you leave!" but the boys weren't at all interested in me and they spent all their time playing with their toys in the backyard.  Then I repeated this exact same outfit to avoid passing out from heat exhaustion while I spent time with my mom running errands and eating my favorite foods (hello, tamales!) while I could.  And when I returned to the Bay to a heat wave, I knew it was perfect to wear it again. As summer gets closer, I rely more and more on the knits in my closet.  This top I found at Heavenly Couture in town several weeks ago. I love knit tops because they are fairly inexpensive and I don't mind when they inevitably develop tiny holes in the weaved fabric or the seams start to pull apart and I have to toss them at the end of the season.  I love this pretty color and the easy way it drapes over my curves. I paired it with rose gold jewelry to stay in the pink tone family.

I Am Wearing:

Top: Heavenly Couture

Necklace: BaubleBar (option)

Earrings: Rose Gold Diamond Hoops (similar)

Tote Bag: Banana Republic (current)

Shorts: J. Crew (Splurge | Steal)

Slides: J. Crew (cute dupe under $20!)