my style, lifestyle

outfit: up and away

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it’s been a month since i started using the up system by jawbone, which means it’s time for me to share an update about how it’s been working out. i have to admit that i was a little skeptical about how a simple little bracelet could really do anything for me. i mean, it’s essentially a really fancy pedometer, right? well, yes and no. it records your steps during the day and your sleep at night. but the interesting part is what happens once the data is collected in the up app (which, by the way, you can use to record your information even if you don’t have a bracelet).

when i first put it on, i was a little concerned that it would somehow make me feel bad. i didn’t really know how much i walked in a day or if my activity was up to snuff. and i have a baby and, you know, a life. sometimes these things are out of our control, and the last thing you need to hear is a little voice in your head telling you that you aren’t good enough. but much to my surprise, it’s actually an incredibly helpful tool. instead of telling me that i needed to reach some unachievable goal in order to be healthy, it began recording my activity and smartly creating incremental goals to help me inch towards higher goals. i wasn’t getting enough sleep at night, so it would give me a mini challenge now and again, providing me with a suggested bed time that might help me get the sleep i need to function during the day. it even provides tips and tricks to help you get a better night’s sleep, and links to relevant studies about sleep. i was skeptical that these tiny suggestions would really have an impact, but after a month, i’m actually getting better sleep! for the first time since i started using it, i’ve been reaching 100% (or more!) of my goal.

and even more interesting than that: over time, the data gets smarter. the app started to look for a correlation between how much sleep i get at night and how active i am during the day. and wouldn’t you be surprised to know that since i’ve been getting more sleep, i’ve been way more active during the day? no, i haven’t suddenly become a marathon runner, but i am very surprised to say that a funky little bracelet and a smart little app have actually been helping me to make some pretty positive lifestyle changes. so while my one-month challenge is over, i won’t be giving up on up any time soon.

see all of my posts featuring up here.




this post is sponsored by jawbone. thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!

my style

outfit: playing hooky

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i hadn’t really stopped to fully acknowledge it before now, but boy has my life changed over the past year. i mean, i know it goes without saying since i had a baby, quit my day job, and became a full-time caregiver and whenever-i-catch-a-moment freelancer and blogger. i’m really happy that i’m able to pull it off, but i would be lying if i said it wasn’t without it’s challenges. last week, i realized that things were starting to get a little monotonous around here, and that i really needed to shake things up if i wanted to break free from the usual routine and get myself into a better headspace. whether you have a traditional 9-t0-5 or not, sometimes you just gotta play hooky.

so on monday morning, i started things fresh. the night before, i resolved to hide my phone from my bedside so i wouldn’t be tempted to mindlessly stare at that glowing screen until some ungodly hour of the night, a habit that i’m embarrassed to admit was really causing me some major sleep problems. and isn’t it funny how that works? the next morning, it was almost as if that one seemingly tiny change caused this little ripple effect to ever so gently push me through the day unencumbered by my usual routine. instead of checking my emails first thing, which i’m apt to do most mornings, i turned on some music instead and gave my dad a call to invite him on our morning walk around the neighborhood. of course, this meant that when adam drifted off for his morning nap, i wasn’t at my computer to answer endless emails and publish my usual blog post. and i actually felt this little twinge of guilt knowing that i’d shirked off a day of responsibilities, but sometimes that’s exactly what you’ve got to do.

so i’ve been out and about, embracing the last couple of days and enjoying the change of the seasons. on monday, i took adam with his great-grandparents to the pumpkin patch to enjoy the festivities. rows and rows of pumpkins in all colors, a hay maze, a petting zoo, pony rides, and even a little train, all spread out on a little farm complete with dogs lazily roaming around. my 82-year-old grandfather, proudly carrying adam in his arms to show him around. we’ve been to the playground several times just to sit and watch the kids run around, and to push adam on the swings. and i’ve been dutifully keeping my cell phone out of reach, so i’m not tempted to peek at social media in every free moment. i’m already feeling more energized and ready to embrace the coming months, complete with plenty of work, but remembering not to skimp on play.

wearing:
thrifted t-shirt, altered by hand
time zone necklace courtesy of academy jewelry
thrifted vintage linen pencil skirt
peep toe high clogs courtesy of swedish hasbeens
coach bucket bag courtesy of twice
horseshoe ring courtesy of erica weiner
gold scoop ring courtesy of giantlion
up24 courtesy of jawbone (read more about it here)




my style, giveaways

zoë miyori fujii giveaway!

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today i am very pleased to announce my latest giveaway courtesy of zoë miyori fujii. this los angeles-based designer creates all of her own original prints and lovingly hand sews each piece in her shop. in addition to this fun picnic print shift dress, she’s created an array of easy tops, skirts, and accessories in all sorts of cute prints! i’ve had this particular dress since the spring, and i love the way the apple red color easily transitions into fall. and today, we are super excited to offer you the chance to win any one item in the shop, valued up to $125!

to enter: simply visit zoë miyori fujii and tell us which item is your favorite in the shop!

the fine print: this giveaway is open to international readers, so anyone can enter. only one entry per person. winner will be randomly selected and contacted via email after monday, october 13. winner may choose any one item in the zoe miyori fuji shop valued up to $125.

wearing:
poppy picnic print dress courtesy of zoë miyori fujii
vintage oversized denim jacket
swedish hasbeens peep toe high
vintage coach belt bag
rayban round classic sunglasses courtesy of sunglasses shop
up24 courtesy of jawbone (read more about it here)



 

zoë miyori fujii would also like to offer you 15% all orders with code “calivintage15” now through nov. 6!

my style

outfit: black and blue

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i am fully aware that for the better part of a year, my entire wardrobe has been almost entirely blue. i remember several months ago, as i was rebuilding my wardrobe post-baby, i kinda laughed when i looked into my closet and saw that the whole damn thing was filled with white and cream and blue on blue on blue. i knew that i would need to start adding in other colors eventually, but here i am months later, and most of my outfits are still centered around that inky hue. it’s funny, too, because i saw somewhere that indigo is a top contender for the color of spring 2015. i’ll just say i was ahead of the curve… haha!

and while i am slowly picking up fall clothes in other colors, i’m still fully immersed in my “blue period” for at least a couple more weeks. so naturally, when wink & winn offered to let me design my own handbag, i went straight for the navy suede. the site is basically perfect if you’re one of those people like me who tends to be obsessive about every last detail. i’m especially picky about bags because i like simple, classic styles without logos or branding or too many colors. a quick browse around, and i got to work building my bag. you start by choosing your shape, then move on to customizing the leather, color, lining, hardware, and accessories. i went for the classic appeal of the small duffle in navy suede with black smooth leather accents, a black lining, and gold tone hardware. you can actually get pretty wild with the colors and textures, but i always find that i have the hardest time finding simple things for every day. then you simple place your order and patiently wait 3 – 5 weeks for it to be made before it is delivered to your doorstep all wrapped up like a christmas present!

wearing:
thrifted vintage shirt dress, hand-dyed in natural indigo
customized small duffle courtesy of wink & winn
peep toe high clogs courtesy of swedish hasbeens
asos wool felt fedora
the runwell watch courtesy of shinola
horseshoe ring courtesy of erica weiner
aquamarine pebble ring by giantlion for of a kind
gold scoop ring courtesy of giantlion
rose gold pinch pure cuff courtesy of nashelle
up24 courtesy of jawbone (read more about it here)





my style, lifestyle

outfit: one step at a time

16 Comments

just last week, we celebrated adam’s eight month birthday. i seriously can’t believe how quickly these past eight months have flown by. i’ve mostly been focusing my energy on taking care of this little guy and adjusting to our new life here in redlands, but i would be lying if i said that i never thought about myself. i don’t know if i ever talked about it on my blog, but seeing my body right after adam was born really threw me for a loop. this kid was not small. he clocked in at 9lbs. 14oz., and that unplanned c-section was no joke. needless to say, it was difficult coming to terms with the fact that i was never going to go back to my pre-baby body, and that it would probably take a long time for my body to recover after everything it had been through.

i mean, that little guy grew to massive proportions inside of me over the course of nine months, he stretched my body to the limits and smashed all of my internal organs. then one day he was born, and i literally ballooned up into this giant pufferfish while my body adjusted to the drop in hormones while recovering from major surgery. then two weeks later, i hopped onto the scale at my doctor’s office to discover that i had literally dropped 35 pounds, leaving me with all of this strange, loose skin, and a scar that severed my abdominal muscles in half.

fortunately, i had more pressing things to worry about. like, you know, my precious little bundle of joy. so like any person trying to keep their sanity post baby, i did my best to be kind to myself. instead of dieting, i focused on taking my vitamins and eating healthy so that i could breastfeed my baby and provide him and myself with the best nutrients possible. and instead of going to the gym, i focused on holding my baby in my arms and rocking him to sleep, and taking him on long walks around the neighborhood.

and now it’s eight months later. i said goodbye to the baby weight months ago, but it’s not like i was a fitness model before i got pregnant. shoot, i had an office job and i wasn’t getting nearly enough exercise. if anything, i feel myself getting stronger than i was before. and i’m more motivated than ever to be as healthy as i can be so i can run around and chase after my little dude who’s frighteningly close to taking his first steps. so when jawbone asked if i’d be interested in partnering with them to try out their UP system, i was definitely on board. i just got my bracelet in the mail last week and have been wearing it for a couple of days. it’s been recording my sleep at night and my activity during the day, while providing me with realistic goals for both. turns out, taking care of a baby is actually a pretty good workout in itself! i’m still getting to know how it all works, but i’m going to be sharing a few updates here and there, and will be reporting back in a month to tell you how it’s working out for me.

wearing:
chambray boatneck shirt courtesy of eileen fisher
asos farleigh mom jeans
coach bucket bag courtesy of twice
sven clogs
giantlion for of a kind aquamarine ring
rose gold pinch cuff courtesy of nashelle designs
runwell watch courtesy of shinola





this post is sponsored by jawbone. thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!