Dark and Stormy Lady

Top: thrifted

Necklace: My So Called Vintage on Etsy

Skirt: thrifted

Shoes: Jessica Simpson
Lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Crème Lipstick in Love That Red

Yesterday was a typical Friday at work, which means last minute emergencies and getting home after sunset. I didn’t feel like taking photos in the hall, though, so I decided to just use flash outside.

I found this Guess top at ACTS Thrift Store lately and pulled it out of my closet on a whim yesterday morning even though I had told myself it was too low cut and “mee-OW” for work. Then I thought about where I work and the kind of clothes we sell and what I’ve seen other people wear there and realized it wasn’t too sexy at all. And then I realized this cool necklace from My So Called Vintage would look pretty good with it. I ended up liking the sort of gothic ’50s housewife feel.

Flop It

Sweater: H&M

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: thrifted (in the package)

Shoes: Naturalizer

Lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Crème Lipstick in Blackberry

I realized today that this sweater is probably supposed to be worn flopped over above the ribbed hem. It looks better on me this way at least. I like how it has a slight Edwardian or ’20s look to it flopped over...or maybe I’m imagining that, but anyway, I think it’s kind of a nice relaxed effect.

Are you sick of this green skirt yet? I wonder how many times I’ve worn it. Probably 100 by now.

Saturday Ritual

Sweater: Sally Jane Vintage on Etsy

Dress: Leifsdottir

Tights: Target

Bag: Tignanello

Shoes: old Seychelles
Lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Crème Lipstick in Love That Red 

On Friday I worked an 11-hour day and didn’t get home until 8:45 pm, but this morning I made up for it with my favorite Saturday morning ritual: thrift shopping at ACTS (you get 30% off your purchase until noon on Saturday) and buying a box of pastry and bread from Euro Pane on Colorado. That’s it. I’m easily pleased. Wearing a comfortable, swingy dress or skirt with a pullover sweater for this ritual makes me very happy too. However, now I have to go have my taxes done, which is scary because I did a bunch of freelance copywriting last year for J Brand and ShoeDazzle and didn’t have any money taken out of those paychecks.

Gap Pants

Sweater: thrifted

Pants: Gap

Bag: American Vintage

Shoes: Jessica Simpson
Lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Crème Lipstick in Love That Red 

When my friend Natasha told me these pants from The Gap were amazing, I was skeptical of course. I’d been trying to find some perfect black cigarette pants forever, though, so I decided to try them out. And wow, they really are incredible. They’re just so perfectly fitted and stretchy without being jeggings. They’ve totally changed my perception of Gap pants. I have about an 11.5-inch difference between my waist and hip measurements and hardly ever find pants that fit, but these do! (They’re the “Slim Cropped” trouser style, by the way.) I won’t be giving up my trusty skirts any time soon, but I’ll definitely be wearing these to work a lot.

Preppy Patterns

Sweater: Forever 21

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Target

Shoes: Naturalizer

Lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Crème Lipstick in Love That Red

It’s the first day of spring, so of course I’m wearing a cable-knit sweater and argyle tights. Even though we don’t have a real winter in Southern California, it seems like the seasons lag in a weird way...like it’s warm all through the winter months and then overcast and cool for a lot of the spring. Then it finally gets really hot in August and September. I feel like I’m always behind with my blog outfits when I dress for the weather.

Hearts and Flowers

Sweater: Mars Mercantile

Skirt: thrifted

Tights: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Cherish

Lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Crème Lipstick in Rose Velvet

This outfit would probably be more appropriate for Valentine’s Day instead of some random day in March, but I just bought the sweater when I was up in Berkeley visiting my sister and really wanted to wear it...and then after I put it with my skirt, I realized these floral pink tights that I got on sale at Urban Outfitters a long time ago but have never worn would look kind of cute with it too. Well, actually, I’m not sure about the tights since they almost look flesh colored on me. They remind me of taking ballet classes when I was a kid. I had to wear them, though, since I’ve never figured out any other outfit that they work with at this point.

I also just decided to start listing what lipstick I’m wearing in my outfit posts because I wear some kind of lipstick almost every day and thought it might be helpful. I love how easy it is compared to eye makeup (in my opinion), and mascara kind of irritates my eyes, so lipstick is the only makeup I really use to look “finished.” I put on tinted moisturizer, blush and then whatever lipstick I think works with my outfit.

Thrifted Thursday No. 35

Blouse, skirt and shoes: thrifted

Socks: Hue

You know what I really want? A whole day to do nothing but read books, magazines and blogs and watch ridiculous YouTube videos of cats and shopping hauls. Yep, that would be so nice, but I don’t think it’s going to happen anytime soon. At least tomorrow is Friday! I think Jasen and I are going to see our friends’ ’80s cover band at a bar in Downey on St. Patrick’s Day. I also need to sell some clothes at Crossroads. Fingers crossed that they take at least five things from me.

Odd Ones Out

Top: Susina

Skirt: thrifted and shortened

Bag: Tignanello

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

You know how sometimes there are articles of clothing you hang onto because you love them even though you hardly ever wear them? I’m pretty disciplined about cleaning out my closet and letting belongings go in general, but I’ve been keeping this top and skirt for a long time without wearing them much at all. The top used to be a favorite, but now it doesn’t seem to fit as well into my wardrobe. And the skirt is comfortable and pretty cool, but I tend to avoid it because the print is so odd. I mean, I like it personally, but I kind of feel like a weirdo whenever I wear it to work.

Well, today I discovered that these two odd pieces look good together. I felt a little Southwestern, a little bit ’50s in this outfit, plus it was comfortable since the skirt is soft and lightweight. And it doesn’t wrinkle easily — a big plus for work. I think this outfit would also look nice with some vintagey espadrille shoes. I actually don’t own any and would love to find a cute pair of espadrille wedges for summer, preferably in white or cream like the ones Naturalizer has out right now. I have a pair of Naturalizer Mary Janes that I love and probably wear more than any other shoes I own (if you look at this blog regularly, you’ve seen them for sure), and I generally prefer heels that aren’t super high since I’m already a little over 5’6”.

Sister Time in San Francisco

After spending Friday in Berkeley last weekend, my sister Hillary and I headed over to San Francisco on Saturday.

Photo credit: Hillary Law

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

 

We walked down to the BART station from Hillary’s house near UC Berkeley, taking a detour through the university campus. This squirrel practically ran right up to me, and for a second I thought it was rabid, but Hillary said all the squirrels on campus are tame and approach people for food.

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

 

If only L.A. were so easy to navigate by public transportation.

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

 

I’d been wanting to take Hillary to Yank Sing near the Embarcadero for dim sum for a long time. Jasen and I have come here twice before, and it’s soooo good. Yes, I know it’s not actually in Chinatown, but this place is amazing, and they even have xiao long bao, the Shanghai steamed soup buns that explode juicy broth in your mouth.

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

 

After Yank Sing we took the BART down to Powell Street for some shopping in the touristy area. We went into the giant Westfield mall with circular escalators so we could use the nice bathrooms at Nordstrom, then crossed over to the huge Forever 21, where we got sucked into the vortex of cheap clothing.

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

 

Once we were shopped out, Hillary and I hiked up to North Beach for some fettuccine carbonara.

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

 

Hillary took a photo of this cool building while we were walking to the MacArthur BART station from North Beach. (That’s the closest station to North Beach, but it’s still a little bit of a walk.) We rode the train home and woke up early the next morning for...

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

 ...breakfast at La Note in Berkeley with our dad, our brother Jeremy and Jeremy’s girlfriend Ariana, who had driven up to the Bay Area to meet us! Those are Jeremy’s lemon gingerbread pancakes with poached pears and Hillary’s creme fraiche pancakes above.

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

I keep ordering Les Oeufs Lucas when I come to this restaurant, which are eggs with goat cheese, chives and roasted tomatoes. I love tomatoes with breakfast. I think this dish is named after the owner’s son or something.

Well, I guess that’s it! In conclusion, Berkeley and San Francisco rock, Hillary rocks and Hillary and I clearly like to be as indulgent as possible.

Sister Time in Berkeley

This past weekend I took Friday off work and flew up to Berkeley to visit my sister, Hillary! We always have the best time together. I feel so lucky to have a sister who is a real sweetheart...one of the kindest, smartest, most thoughtful people I know. It was hard to say goodbye to her yesterday and come back to work today in snooty West L.A.

I’ll be unloading a bunch of photos below. These are all from Friday, which we spent in Berkeley, and tomorrow or the next day I’ll post photos from San Francisco, where we spent Saturday. Some of these were taken by me, and some were taken by Hillary with her super fancy camera, so hers are credited.

Hillary lives in a huge old house with 30 other students. Her bedroom is supposed to be a double, but the owners of the house haven’t found a tenant for the other bed in her room yet, so they were kind enough to let me stay there for free! Aside from the slightly ick bathroom requiring flip-flops in the shower, it was an awesome setup.

Hillary made up the "guest" bed for me with her pretty comforter and a bunch of pillows, awww!

This is Hillary’s desk with a photo of her and her boyfriend, Martin, a photo of our grandma and an orchid from our Aunt Judy.

The house Hillary lives in has this crazy kitchen with a cubbyhole for each tenant.

Berkeley is full of incredibly gorgeous houses like this one. I could have just taken a bunch of photos of houses, there were so many pretty ones. (This isn’t Hillary’s house, by the way.)

Photo credit: Hillary Law

Our first stop in Berkeley was the vintage store Mars. This place is so freakin’ sweet. I dream of owning a shop like it one day.

Photo credit: Hillary Law

I actually wasn’t wearing any vintage or thrift store clothing this day, but instead a DKNY sweater, bebe jeans, my Tignanello bag and red Soda flats.

Photo credit: Hillary Law

Photo credit: Hillary Law

Photo credit: Hillary Law

Photo credit: Hillary Law

I ended up buying a sweater with hearts and this swingy ’60s shift! Don't I have a crazed look in my eyes? When you buy things when you’re on vacation, it doesn’t count toward your budget, right?

Photo credit: Hillary Law

Hillary took this hilarious photo on the street near Mars. It makes me think of the movie Now and Then for some reason...these young girls with backpacks consulting a psychic.

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Next up was Moe’s books, one of my all-time favorite bookstores. I think there are four stories, or maybe five or six, of mostly used books. They have a linguistics section, guys. Geek moment: How many bookstores have three shelves dedicated to linguistics? Isn’t that rad??

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Hillary had to take a photo of this for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’s sake.

Photo credit: Hillary Law

Photo credit: Hillary Law

We finally ended up at Ici, the most delicious ice-cream parlor I’ve ever visited. Every time I stay in Berkeley I have to go to Ici, preferably at least twice.

Hillary ordered the Star Anise Ice Milk flavor, and I ordered Banana Curry. So delicious, but every flavor I’ve ever had there has been bomb.

I liked how the ice cream looked with my outfit.

Also, this adorable dog was tied up outside Ici. What a cutie!

Photo credit: Hillary Law 

Speaking of pets, Hillary snapped this shot of a guy carrying parrots on the street. Doesn’t it look a photo from Glamour’s Dos and Don’ts?

We ended our Friday with a box of Tagalongs bought from Girl Scouts outside UC Berkeley and a few episodes of 30 Rock.