General Fashion


Classic casual outfit and pop of turquoise

classic black turtleneck sweater outfit classic casual winter outfit idea pop of color with black turtleneck sweater proenza schouler medium tote in turquoise proenza schouler tote and turtleneck sweater proenza schouler tote with casual outfit

Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Lipstick: Chanel Melancholie / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Sweater: Banana Republic / Scarf: Monki / Ring: Beau Bijou / Nail Polish: Nars Night Creature / Handbag: Proenza Schouler / Jeans: Gap / Booties: Rag Bone

The weather this winter has been on the cool side. It has been so refreshing, after all the drought weather we had experienced here in the San Francisco Bay Area over the past few years. I look back at last January, and I was already wearing some spring pieces! There were even a few days when I wore short sleeves, a skirt, and sandals! Yikes! Not very wintery 😉

Since we have been enjoying cold weather, and rain (yes!!!), I have been reveling in the chance to actually wear warm clothing! In our long, lost winter, I have found a turtleneck sweater, jeans, booties, and a blanket scarf, make the perfect go-to outfit on a casual day. The classic casual outfit above, has been getting quite a bit of a workout lately!

Although I love having the chance to bundle up this winter, sometimes the constant cloudy weather can be a bit dreary. In order to combat the grey days, I have been wearing this Proenza Schouler tote from their resort 2016 collection quite often. The bright turquoise really pops against the dark colors in my winter wardrobe. I love being able to wear a little bit of sunshine on a grey day. That is the great thing about accessories, you can wear the next season without sacrificing comfort. Love that!

I am the type of person who will purchase something in multiple colors if I love it; a shopping trick my Mom taught me when I was a child. This turtleneck sweater from Banana Republic is comfortable, classic, cozy, and comes in a ton of colors! So, I splurged and purchased it in the pale pink, black, cobalt, and light blue. You can see the light blue styled here. If you are looking for a classic turtleneck sweater at a fabulous price, I highly recommend this one!

The jeans I am wearing are Gap’s skinny jeans. I own a pair in regular, medium wash, and also black. They are comfortable, offer a great fit, and are great quality. If you are looking for go-to skinny jeans for your closet, this is the pair! I love that they are priced waaaaaaaay under $100. It is hard to find great quality jeans, that fit well, under $100. I hope they come out with more color washes for spring!

Lastly, these booties are so comfortable! Rag Bone makes this pair of booties every fall. They have classic colors, and variations of neutrals which are fresh and interesting. My pair is from fall 2014, and is a dark charcoal with a vintage wash. You can invest in these booties knowing they are in style every year, since they are a classic style. I love owning classic pieces I can find on store shelves every year; it makes them feel new every season! If you order a pair, order a half size up from your usual size. I ordered my pointy toe shoe size, which is 9.5. I usually wear a 9.

What are some of your favorite classic casual outfit pieces for cold weather?


Favorite skirt of the season

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Pictured: Sunglasses: Chanel / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Lipstick: Chanel Mighty / Necklace: Kendra Scott / Sweater: White + Warren (so soft and comfy, love!!!) (last seen here) (less expensive option here) / Skirt: JCrew (last seen here) (also love this one and this one, more at the bottom of this post) / Handbag: Givenchy / Ring: Beau Bijou / Nail Polish: Dior Lilac / Shoes: Prada (sold out, also love this pair and this pair)

Have you ever had a piece in your closet you find yourself reaching for over, and over again? That is this skirt for me! I purchased this skirt for fall near the end of summer vacation after I instantly fell in love with it when I saw it in the JCrew catalog for fall; so I jumped up and ordered it!

I have been styling it with different tops since late summer. When I first got the skirt, I was pairing it with basic tee-shirts, and tops, so that I could wear it during the awful heat we experienced in late summer, and early fall. When our weather finally cooled off, I started to pair it with light sweaters, and now heavier ones, such as the turtleneck sweater I wore it with last Sunday; shown above.

In this outfit, I mixed last year’s color of the year, Marsala, with one of this year’s colors, pale blue or “Serenity,” because I think they look pretty together. I love Serenity for 2016, any shade of light blue is beautiful; and easy to mix so many other types of colors!

I am looking forward to continuing to style this skirt into the new year; and pairing shades of blue with other colors in the new year too!

My beautiful nine-year-old daughter took these photos after church on Sunday. I think she did a pretty good job! She is learning her way around a DSLR camera, and really enjoys photography. It seems like a natural hobby for someone who wants to be fashion designer, an interior decorator, and an automobile designer when she grows up! With three careers, she will be quite busy 😉

Do you have any pieces in your closet this season you feel like you are reaching for all the time? If so, what are they?

Laser cut skirts:

Outfit details:


Fitness gear for the new year

fitness gear for the new year

From left: white hoodie / purple leggings / purple tank / sports bra / duffle bag / running shoes / lavender tee / jacket / loose yoga pants

 I have always been a fitness buff, but for 2016, I am completely revamping my workout routine in order to lose fifteen pounds! In my quest for fitness success, I want to spice up my almost-all-black fitness wardrobe, and get some new fitness gear for the new year!

If you are heading to the gym for your new years resolution, you might be looking for new fitness gear in the new year too! I have a few basics I like to stick to, but for 2016, I would like to add some brighter colors, and less conservative styles to my fitness wardrobe.

The basics are simple. I cannot live with out a Nike sport bra. No other sports bra offers the support, and the comfort, Nike’s classic staple offers. If you have not found the perfect sports bra yet, I highly recommend this one!

I love capri leggings for spin classes, step classes, and cardio kick-boxing (BodyCombat) classes. They offer smooth range of motion, and are not too warm since they hit below the knee, and do not extend to the ankle. I attend a step class every Saturday morning. This year, I want to commit to getting myself down to the gym every Friday for BodyCombat and every Tuesday for Spin. They are all such great workouts for both the legs, and the core.

When it comes to yoga, I just don’t go. Not this year! As I age, I have found I need more recovery after working hard at the gym, and I also need to stretch more in order to stay injury free! So, as part of my new years resolution, I plan to add yoga into my schedule. I already do fifteen minutes of Pilates three times per week after working out, so I feel like I get enough Pilates on my own. My favorite type of Pilates is simple mat Pilates. It is a great way to strengthen the core, and stretch muscles you didn’t know you had!

I don’t like wearing tight clothing for yoga or Pilates, so the loose pants pictured above are perfect since they are not constricting, and they can easily be worn to run errands before or after a yoga class. Love that!

When it comes to shoes, I am a Nike girl! I have been wearing Nike since High School and swear by the brand. These shoes are my favorite running shoe style. I wear running shoes for running, or walking on the treadmill. For fitness classes, I prefer a cross trainer such as this pair, and for tennis I wear good old fashioned tennis shoes such as this pair.

I like a no-nonsense duffle bag for the gym. I don’t like using a designer tote, or an overly fussy bag. I feel like a gym bag should look athletic; not like it is pretending to be something else. This duffle bag is perfect; and very sporty looking! Love that!

What are your current fitness goals? Do you prefer classes, or do you workout on your own?

Fitness gear for the new year wish list: