for today’s outfit post, i would like to give you a little sneak peek at a photo shoot i did with jt paradox of the sf style for the local lifestyle magazine 7×7. we ran into a bit of a time crunch, and of course, the moment we met up for the shoot, it began pouring rain. so we headed off in the car going nowhere in particular when i remembered how lovely it is inside the conservatory of flowers in golden gate park. we both agreed that the turn-of-the-century architecture was the perfect match for my vintage boater hat, so off we went! it’s such a cool little spot with different rooms of varying temperatures and humidity to accommodate the lush greenery.

i have to say, this was a particularly daring outfit, but i decided to have a little fun with it since we were shooting for a magazine. i think i would wear this exact same outfit for a nice outing, only with a black vintage camisole underneath so i wouldn’t look quite as “pin-up.” but it was definitely fun and i can’t wait to see the feature in 7×7 magazine.

here’s a shot of what it looks like from the outside on a sunny day, via the conservatory website.

all photos shot by jt paradox of the sf style.

today was one of those days where my head was full of mixed bizness. as in, while i was uploading my photos, i got that beck song in my head… because i was wearing a leather skirt. anyway, this outfit was originally influenced by my love for marc jacobs spring 2009 and miu miu spring 2010 (see: blouse with birds and unicorns on it), but once i actually got it on, all i could think about was nicki grant from big love. perhaps that’s because i’m just as obsessed with that show as i am with miu miu and marc. seriously, did you see the latest episode? steamy! i also kinda think i slightly resemble a hot dog in this outfit. and now i am hungry. ah, the inner workings of my mind…

one thing i’ve noticed about my style is that it isn’t clearly marked by the four seasons. i live in the temperate san francisco bay area. we don’t really have seasons, though we do have very interesting micro-climates. it can be warm and sunny and then turn cold and chilly within a few hours time or within a few blocks, so you can never really be certain just how to dress! today it was warm enough to go without a coat, and winter dressing has just gotten so boooring, so i decided to try out two of my “spring” items: a vintage boater hat and a vintage liberty of london print blouse, complete with little birds in a garden of flowers and berries. i felt like wearing them, spring or summer or not!

speaking of spring, i don’t think i’ll be so bold as to start forecasting the big trends, but i do know one thing i’m looking forward to: prints! i’ve already started collecting a number of button down blouses with interesting prints, especially if animals are included in said print. i think this influence is strongly stemming from the amazing miu miu cat, dog, and bird prints of spring 2010.

i also think this will be the year that i actually wear my boater hat. after falling in absolute love with the charles anastase spring 2009 collection last year (and of course marc jacobs and lover), i scoured ebay for weeks waiting for the perfect straw boater to pop up. low and behold i snagged this beauty for quite a good price. i wore it once or twice, and it soon became another decoration atop my dresser. i thought perhaps they would become passe and that apparently i wasn’t bold enough to take the plunge, but after seeing plenty of new spring collections featuring the boater, i think i’ll still have my chance to incorporate them into my wardrobe. what spring/summer trends do you see in your future?

wearing:
vintage boater, ebay
vintage liberty of london print blouse, sunny day diggs on etsy
vintage liz claiborne skirt, estate sale
brown stockings, target
platform oxfords, courtesy of seychelles

aha, rare candid shots of calivintage seen in her native bay area habitat with diane of darling darling and dyanna of thesfstyle as photographed by jt paradox, also of thesfstyle. and what’s this? possibly the first photos i have ever posted on my blog that reveals smiles and silly faces. i suppose it might come as a bit of a surprise that i’m actually quite camera shy (considering that i post pictures of myself almost every day). i wonder what we were chatting about here, anyway. i have such silly expressions on my face.

to explain, i met up with thesfstyle while they were photographing diane for a fun project on bay area style bloggers. i actually did my photo shoot with them earlier in the week in a cute little sf bookstore. i can’t wait to show you the outtakes and reveal the whole project!

and this is my casual weekend outfit, which i wore on both saturday and sunday to enjoy good times in sf with diane and friends, bar hopping in the mission and chatting away about blogging and our mutual love of tumblr and eating late night nachos. we even had a big feast of a breakfast, complete with mixed vegetable frittatas, chocolate chip pancakes, and plenty of mimosas. you know you’re doing what you love when it feels like you’re on permanent vacation. i know i have tons of obligations with a full load of college courses, my blog and etsy shop, but there’s definitely something very liberating about being your own boss. i really hope that calivintage continues to grow because it really is a wonderful life! and for that, i definitely thank my wonderful sponsors and readers!

this is the first time i’ve worn leopard print. ever. in my life. crazy, no? but there’s a first time for everything! i found them at the drug store a few months ago and decided that it would be the least expensive way for me to incorporate an animal print into my wardrobe. problem is, they just sat there in my wardrobe, staring at me. i have to tell you, i have this issue with half of the clothes in my closet! in fact, this vintage pendleton actually belongs to my boyfriend. granted, i bought it at the thrift store as a gift… but there i go again, raiding his closet. oh well, it makes for good entertainment: when i get dressed in one of his shirts, i usually parade out of the bedroom and introduce myself to him in a silly voice and try to do my best impression. today he was grumpy, so i crossed my arms in front of my chest and said, “hi, i’m brendan. i’m gruuumpy.” at least i got a chuckle.

as you may or may not know, my birthday is coming up very soon… on january 20th to be exact. and i had a little birthday party on saturday to celebrate, along with some other lovely bay area bloggers and friends, new and old. the celebration was tons of fun and while i didn’t bring my camera, several of my blogger friends did. we were all a bit of a hot mess, so it shall be interesting to see if any photos pop up on the internet!

and this here is the outfit i chose to wear for the event, knowing that it was going to be a cold and rainy night in san francisco. it’s basically the same as this outfit dressed up with this awesome vintage fur collar that my mom gave me for christmas and my new remix vintage shoes. i am in love with the selection at this site and i am beyond excited about this particular pair, which are a replica of a pair of shoes from the 1940s. what makes them so special is that the little bows are actually removable shoe clips, which means i get to have fun finding new and different clips of all sorts, like pom-poms and rhinestones and ribbons galore.

in other news, it is a rainy day today. i have stayed inside listening to the likes of bert jasch, nick drake, and cat stevens, which is absolutely perfect for a gloomy day such as this.

well, it’s friday, folks! and i still have heaps of laundry all over the floors because i’m super lazy and still haven’t finished. so instead, it’s the easy as pie jeans and t-shirt look for today. but i do try to keep it a little interesting with high rise jeans, a vintage t-shirt, and red flats for a little bit of color. it’s one of those outfits that’s perfectly appropriate for many needs: laundry, grocery shopping, digging through musty old clothes at the thrift store, going to a friday night class, and then going out for beer and pizza. i wont get any, “hey, you’re dressed up.” or, “woah, fancy.” comments from any of my friends or passers-by and i’ll be able to casually go about my business without worrying about getting wrinkled or dirty. it’s that kind of a day.

haha, i should turn this into one of those posters that says “i hate mondays.” though even with my bedhead and snuggie, i think garfield might still be a better representative of that sentiment! anyway, my mom gave me this vintage blanket cape for christmas along with another one in a brown hounds-tooth. i have to say, they certainly come in handy on those days when you would prefer to just stay in bed all day! i feel perfectly self-sufficient in this: invite me over to watch a movie, and i come with my own blanket, ready to curl up on the couch!

and why am i so tired, you might ask? well, i have been having the worst trouble getting to sleep these days. i find myself still awake with my mind racing a mile-a-minute at 3:30am. i have to force myself to lay down in bed and try to calm my mind. i think my brain is in overdrive with this whole new year ahead of me. what will come next? life feels so unpredictable sometimes. we never really know what lies ahead, even with all of our goals and hopes and aspirations. but i will say, that i am very excited about a lot of what’s in store. calivintage has been growing and changing and there are tons of new collaborations, promos, and events coming up! plenty to look forward to.

oh, and one last thing about my little outfit today: i decided to balance out the laid-back feel of the cape with some nice designer duds from steven alan. a sophisticated wool herringbone pencil skirt with a pretty little ascot blouse. i find it always helps to temper something casual with something a bit more structured. too bad i forgot to get a picture of it!

oh, hi guys! i’m just chillin on my roof with none other than the super awesome and totally adorable diane of darling darling. no big thing. she comes over sometimes to visit and get her hair cut by my friend and hairstylist, shannon dean of indie industries. we hang out and drink beers and talk about blog stuff. you know, the usual.

anyway, i thought it was a nice coincidence that we were both decked out in furs yesterday. i had actually already done a photo shoot for my outfit post before she came over, but when i saw how well our outfits went together, i dragged her up to the roof for more pictures. so yes, this post will be very heavy on the images. i couldn’t help myself! also, i hope diane doesn’t mind that i’m writing this, but i am going to tell you a fun little fact: you might think that i am tall looking at these photos, but i am only 5’5″. diane is 4’10”. many of us bloggers are a very small and rare breed.

so onto my outfit: i have still been slowly recovering from winter vacation/ a gnarly cold/ excessive new year’s festivities/ etc. and whenever i’m feeling less than capable of getting dressed, i find myself digging through my boyfriend’s closet to look for something comfy to wear. i am currently in love with his vintage levi’s blouse, and have been styling it up in slightly androgynous and super comfy looks. at the last minute, i decided to throw on this vintage raccoon fur that my mom gave me for christmas. i was a little hesitant to wear it at first, but it’s vintage, and i have to say it is the warmest and most comfortable thing i have ever wrapped around my neck.

oh yeah, and in other news, i got a new haircut. i guess it’s more of a trim, but i’m prepping myself to try out more of a bowl cut and then possibly transition into a pixie cut. i haven’t really decided. for some reason, i have the hardest time committing to a new cut!