ymc fall 2012

i’m really loving the bold colors and easy simplicity of the ymc fall 2012 collection. as i sit in my apartment dreading the chilly outdoors, i can think of no better formula for dressing in the fall. i would love nothing more than to pull on warm and cozy neutrals with that bold green twiggy coat, or step into the office and remove an outer layer to reveal a bright yellow silk dress. a perfect contrast to the gloomy weather outside.

you can see more of my favorite fall collections here.





peter jensen fall 2012

as you can see, i’ve been browsing through my fall inspiration folders lately. one favorite that i can’t believe i hadn’t yet shared is the peter jensen fall 2012 collection. at first glance, i found myself overwhelmingly distracted by the grey wigs, but that quickly faded as i focused-in on the beautiful pieces and impeccable styling. jensen always has a muse for his collection (i was in love with his resort collection inspired by a 1970’s meryl streep), so i did a bit of sleuthing and discovered that his latest collection was inspired by the fashionable milliner, thelma speirs. while the reference may have been a bit lost on me (shame for having never heard of bernstock speirs before), i still found myself completely obsessed with this quirky collection.











betina lou fall 2012

oh internet, how i love you for constantly introducing me to new designers! my most recent discovery came in the form of the betina lou fall 2012 collection. this montreal-based designer launched in 2009 with a timeless aesthetic rooted in menswear and inspired by female icons of the past. the result is a very wearable collection with classic pieces that mix and match perfectly. and the easy styling is so spot on for this season with that little brown beret and that casually tied neck scarf. the online shop hasn’t launched just yet, but you’d better bet that i’ll be first in line once it does!

you can see more of my favorite fall collections here.





thom dolan fall 2012

it will come as no surprise that i am absolutely in love with the thom dolan fall 2012 collection. the prim and proper pieces are perfectly schoolgirl-inspired without being the least bit girlish. the looks are much more grounded in a menswear aesthetic with a nod to the uniform in the form of button up shirts and preppy plaids.








wayward daughter fall 2012

have you seen the new wayward daughter fall 2012 collection? the lovely cait has done it again with this darling collection of handmade pieces perfect for a girl with a weakness for peter pan collars and pinafores. when i first laid my eyes on the collection, i fell into a bit of a trance and immediately started dropping every single piece into my shopping cart… i can honestly say that i want it all! i’ve actually had the pleasure of modeling one of her spring pieces for a lookbook earlier in the year, and i was struck by the incredible quality of the garment. and you really can’t beat the feeling of owning something that has been lovingly handmade.





a.p.c. fall 2012

as a person who grew up shopping in thrift stores, i’ve always been fascinated and drawn to looks pulled from a mix of different decades. as much as i am obsessed with everything from the ’60s these days, there’s always some other element coming in from another era. perhaps it’s for this reason that i’m so drawn towards the a.p.c. fall 2012 collection. there are plenty of sweet ’60s styles, but it’s been mashed up with a healthy dose of late ’70s, early ’80s preppy vibes. i love the mix of heritage pieces and stiff tweed with more youthful ’60s silhouettes, and of course, the styling is pretty much perfect. definitely a collection i wouldn’t mind wearing all season long!













mona fall 2012

yesterday i received a very sweet email from moriah, the talented lady behind mona. and as to be expected, i fell in love as i scrolled through her latest fall 2012 collection. we’ve never met, but i just have this feeling that we would be the best of friends, frolicking around in peter pan collars and pinafores, haha! the collection was inspired by doll clothes and school uniforms, which are two things that definitely influence me when getting dressed. i’m particularly smitten with the wednesday addams-esque double collar dress and the pale yellow gingham suspender skirt!

family affairs fall 2012

i know it was only a couple of weeks ago that i was giving you a sneak peek of the upcoming family affairs spring collection, but today i’d like to step back and enjoy our current season with a look at family affairs fall 2012 which has just launched online. i am particularly infatuated with the super ’60s leather frankie skirt, and am also eying that darling lourdes tunic (which conveniently for me will work as a dress)! this whole collection is so pretty and easy to wear. i love her introduction of quirky animal prints and i’m happy that she brought back a few favorites in updated colorways. all in all, another beautiful collection filled with cozy pieces for fall.

photos by nadine ottawa courtesy of family affairs.











calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012 lookbook

calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012

today i am excited to announce the release of the new swedish hasbeens fall 2012 collection. i can’t believe it was last fall when they contacted me and asked if i’d like to style a few looks for fall 2012! i think the hardest part was keeping it a secret all these months because i was so pleased with how they turned out! the pictures were shot by my talented friend, diane vo, and edited by me. and the whole thing would not have been possible without the help of my partner, brendan, who carted us around northern california in the middle of a rainstorm chasing after clear patches in the sky and holding an umbrella over diane’s head as she snapped my photos. i love how you can’t tell from the pictures that it was absolutely one of the most dreary and rainy days, but it was still a pleasure to get to enjoy the lush scenery while shooting these looks.

the inspiration for the collection was outdoor life in the ’40s and ’50s. postwar times when women hiked up their skirts and set out to explore the world around them. it was a lot of fun doing research to see what types of clothes women wore while hiking before the onset of r.e.i. and gortex fabric. not every look is an exact depiction of the outfits i found, but it really isn’t far off! women would pull on men’s sweaters and button-up shirts and pair them with skirts or jeans, and the shoes were hardly practical! of course, the swedish hasbeens fall collection is only inspired by said styles and is much more appropriate for trekking around the office than on hillsides, but it was still fun to show the shoes in the natural setting that inspired them.

calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
wearing the swedish hasbeens envelope bag and chunky loafer with a madewell sweater and marc by marc jacobs skirt.

calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
wearing the swedish hasbeens forest pump with a nadinoo blouse, american apparel pants, and family affairs jacket

calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
wearing the swedish hasbeens bird watchers bag and shoes (coming soon) with a vintage liberty print blouse, nadinoo pinafore, and j.crew tights

calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012
wearing the swedish hasbeens highwater boots with an opening ceremony x deyrolle fox print blouse, dear creatures pinafore, tabio tights, and vintage brooch

calivintage for swedish hasbeens fall 2012