Daily, Fashion

How to wear white into Fall

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Header-Santana-RowSantana Row is a place I frequent many times in the run of a week. On Friday I drove over and wanted to check out some of their new Fall Fashion pieces.

Rather than showcase the new clothing items on racks, or holding them up to show you, I thought I’d try something a bit different, and try everything on. That way you’d get a sense of how things fit. Plus, you guys seem to like my OOTD posts (those get so many hits!).

So I think it’s only fair to say the age old rule of never wearing white after labour day is thrown out the window. Style is what you make it, whether you wear white in September, or not. I am personally ALL for it, because I love the laid-back feel to a pair of white jeans.

I popped into a few of my favourite stores at Santana Row to give you budget-friendly, and feeling-spendy items to pair with your white jeans this fall.

Let’s get into it!

Marine-LayerMarine Layer
Marine Layer is a brand new store that opened two weeks ago at Santana Row. They have 19 stores across the nation, but they were founded in San Francisco (hey hey, support local!), originally as a mens t-shirt line. Everything in the store is so unbelievably soft. I wanted everything I tried on. In fact, I’m probably going back for that striped long sleeved (and it’s only $48). You can definitely feel the quality in the clothes. It’s definitely my kinda style, I’ll be back shopping at this store for my husbands birthday too.
[Shop: Harriet Utility Jacket $145 | Long Sleeved Crew Neck 3 for $100 | Slub U-Neck in Hot Sauce $39 | Kirby Striped Scarf $58] Bonus: I was told they have free shipping online, too! 

scotch-and-sodaScotch & Soda
I love the layout of Scotch & Soda’s clothing. They only have 3 sizes of every product for sale out on the floor (if one sells of course, they have more in the back). It’s an awesome store with a cool California vibe. I really love that Nordic sweater I tried on, a little itchy, but it would definitely be sufficient in the San Francisco ‘winters’. And swoon at the distressed jean jacket: has that lived-in look. The “grandad sweater” which is just a thick henley, is amazingly soft! And definitely thicker than your average long-sleeved. I’m digging it.
[Shop: Nordic Pullover $149 | Grandad Sweater $79 | Denim Jacket $149]

AnthropologieAnthropologie
I’ve been told many times by my Mother that I have expensive taste. Anthropologie is one of my favourite stores for unique looking pieces that are often convo-starters. They always bring in the best looking pieces for each seaon and I look forward to checking them all out. Most of my wardrobe, when I was working back up in Canada, was from Anthro. Just love their stuff!
[Shop: Colourblock Horizon Dress $158 | Denim Jacket $138 | Sotra Tank $148 | Bella Pointelle Cardigan $98 | Primula Cocoon Cardigan $98 | Peasant Top (Similar $118)

HnMH&M
H&M is such an affordable option if you’re looking for trendy pieces but don’t want to break the bank. So many of these finds were under $20! If there’s one thing I’m going back for this week, it’s definitely this v-neck cami. It fits perfectly, and has a slit on either side by the hips, making it fall perfectly. Although I do love white-on-white, I would probably pair the v-neck with a jacket and blue jeans.
[Shop: V-Neck Camisole $17.99 | Faux-Suede Biker Jacket $69.99 | Embroidered Top $9.99 | Bird Jersey Top $9.99]

Free-PeopleFree People
I don’t think I’ve ever tried anything on at Free People. But I always see people walking around with these off the shoulder cool-casual-vibe to them. I’m gonna guess they only got them from Free People. I love every.single.one I tried on.
[Shop: Lovers Rib Thermal $68 | Black Boucle Slouch Cardi $128 | La Brea V-Neck Sweater $108 ]

UrbanUrban Outfitters 
My most favourite item of all the Fall Fashion pieces I picked out at Santana Row, has to be this lumber-jack style flannel. I’m not sure I’d like it paired with anything else but a pair of crisp white denim. I love how this look turned out.
[Shop: Flannel Button-Down $49 |  Project Social T Textured V-Neck $34 | Ecote Guinevere Open-Back Frock Dress $69] 

MadewellMadewell
Madewell is bringing back the peplum style blouses! I think these are incredibly flattering. I’ll be picking this up once it goes on sale. And their basic tees/sweaters are just as comfy as they look.
[Shop: Riverside Texture Sweater $79.50 | Ruffle Tank Top $79.50 | Seabank Cardigan $88 | Anthem Scoop Elbow-Sleeve Tee $38]

kenda-scottKendra Scott
Another new store at Santana Row. Kendra Scott opened a lovely store along the main street of Santana Row. You might’ve recalled I went to one of their events before the store even opened! A lot of Kendra Scott jewellery isn’t my style, but I found a few pieces that definitely went with the outfit I was wearing on Friday. I’m really into that chocolate brown stacking bracelets.
[Shop: Samantha Necklace $130 | Blake Bangle Bracelets in Chocolate Druzy $120]

I’m obsessed with my white jeans, and a lot of people ask me how I’m so brave to sport them often. Let me tell you my number one tip: don’t buy an expensive pair!

I guess what I’m saying if you’re spending a ton of cash on the white jeans you’re most likely going to be afraid to wear them, or spill anything on them. These were $30 from JC Penny two years ago. I wear them a ton, don’t mind if they get dirty, and if they do wash them immediately when I return home. That, and carry around a resolve stick with me constantly (that stuff is unreal… I love it).

Will you be picking up some new pieces for Fall to add to your wardrobe? What kind of items are you looking for? Now that I window-shopped Santana Row, I definitely want to go back for the white H&M cami, and the lumber-jack flannel at Urban!

And after your Fall’16 Fashion shopping spree, pop by the new restaurant Roots and Rye for a bite!

SantanaRowSantana Row
377 Santana Row
San Jose, CA
95128
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Being social again

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berry-headerI’ve been pretty anti-social (minus the press trips) in 2016. Even the lack of Pomeranian Fridays! I miss doing those. I’ve been saying no to hanging out with friends, and going to beauty events in San Francisco. I haven’t particularly felt too down the last month or so (about my father’s passing back in January). But I just simply felt content at home. Maybe that’s where I needed to be.

swanson-berry-farmJessica invited me to go to Davenport with her yesterday to go berry picking with her and her sons. Finally for once, I said yes. And wouldn’t ya know it I had tons of fun. I even stated that I needed to get back into taking Alfie on adventures again and post them every Friday like I used to. I don’t want to get into a comfortable routine or staying at home and not socializing. I like the adventure part of living here in California, especially at this time where I have completely free days due to the lack of work.

no-parking

walking-away

picking-themI want to start being social and saying yes to all these adventures again. I think I’m done the hard part of my grieving process, and I’m ready to get my life back on track.

red-ripLittle did I know where Jessica was driving us to go pick some strawberries. It was a little under an hour drive south of San Jose, kinda the same route I’d take if I were going to Santa Cruz. I had never really heard of the town of Davenport, but also not really surprisingly because the town’s population when we passed it along the road sign was 408! Teensy. Love going to little places like this.

strawberries

my-strawberries

berryWe stopped at Swanton Berry Farm, which has an organic u-pick field where it’s an honour system where you pay by the pound, and pay for it yourself (no cashier). Jessica was also telling me that they do apple picking here in the fall! I cannot wait to go back and grab me some Honey Crisp apples. They’re the best.

slow-5mphOne of the workers there when we arrived mentioned that the strawberries were a bit of a slim’pickin’s, and I have to admit. It kinda was! I suppose it’s all due to the fact that we arrived to pick them late in the season, but I still had loads of fun with her and her boys!

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His 7th Ironman & The Lexus Adventure Continues…

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HeaderConsidering the Lexus GX460 is the most expensive vehicle I’ve ever had the pleasure of driving (although I did take the LX570 off-roading in Oregon a few weeks back), it’s safe to say it’s the most comfortable.  My first reaction upon driving it around with Alfie (as he’s always my first passenger in any review vehicles), is that I felt like I was literally in a nice comfortable lazy-boy chair, while I drove around.

Lexus-GXLuckily I didn’t think it was too huge to manoeuvre around, as I was in large Lexus LUVs a few weeks prior and I was used to the size. Plus, those backup cameras help a ton when parking. In fact, I parallel parked this beastly when I drove to the second leg of Misters Ironman race. I was pretty pumped about the success of that in one go!

Lexus-GX460-trunkThe main reason I got the GX460 to review the past week was because I wanted something large and in charge, not only to allow enough room for Alfie, my Husband and I to pack our belongings in for a weekend, but to comfortably fit his tri-bike in it as well. Oh, and so it did.

parkedIt was definitely a practical sized to drive 2-3 hours north (it took 3 hours driving up to Sonoma area due to traffic, gah!) up to wine country for my husbands 7th Ironman Race, I knew the GX460 would fit everything we needed, plus a little more. The thing is a beast! Although, I’m sure it’s built on an older platform, I did notice some semi out-of-date things when I had it for the week. In other Lexus vehicles I’ve had in the past, the nav system had a touch screen and one of mouse-like buttons to scroll (on the console area) but this one was touch screen only. The parking brake was also one of those stomp-on ones rather than the push of a button, again minor. Though, we did notice was that the cooling seats weren’t as aggressive as previous Lexus models we’ve reviewed. I didn’t even notice that they were on, and I was then driving for an hour already. Strange! Usually it’s too cold for me to have on for more than 5 minutes. That’s fine with me, because I hate being cold and more often than not, the warm air is blasting on my face haha.

Alfie-waterAlfie guzzling down the water.

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