Tag: Outfits

Ever since I was a little girl… I have loved swing sets.  I had already spent part of my day at the zoo… so I figured my childish antics might as well continue.  I drove over to my kindergarten playground to spend a bit of time reminiscing.  As I stepped into the tiny sandbox, I found that I remembered it vividly… it was as if nothing had changed.  I ran over and jumped on the swings.  I swung as high as I could.  At the peak, I realized how high I was… or how high it seemed… and I got familiar scared/happy butterflies in my stomach.  It was the exact same exhilarating feeling I had experienced at this exact same spot 20 years earlier.  As my “childhood” themed week came to an end, I was hit with the happy realization: I was still that same five-year-old girl. Just taller.

The theme of this week… for me… is childhood.  Getting back to what it’s all about… when things that mattered… actually mattered.  To get in the right mindset for this portion of my journey through life, I visited my elementary school.  It felt so small! (that could be because I’m older now… or because I’m a little over 6’1″)… My inner child is all about patterns, colors, and texture…  A fuzzy leopard print coat with hot pink satin lining, skinny dark denim jeans, a punchy purple floral mini-dress, a spiked black belt, purple sunglasses, and sky-high teal heels (with a bow!) made me feel like a child playing dress-up.  And, ironically, I haven’t felt more like my authentic self in quite some time.  It was a beautiful feeling and a beautiful day.  Channel your inner child. I dare you.

Every once and awhile (or, if you’re like me… often), you need a break from reality.  I was ready to go out to dinner and drinks with the crew… but for some reason, I didn’t feel the presence of my typical fashion forward instinct dictating the choice of my outfit.  My instinct at the moment (likely fueled by incessant work obligations and an unbelievably full schedule) was telling me to channel my inner child.  So I did.  My camo pants, fur lined puff vest, sheer thermal, and plaid/skull embellished sneakers were all accentuated by a set of pigtails.  I was happy.  A hodge-podge fashion disaster/success… and nothing could have made me happier than my pigtail and cocktail filled evening that I spent with truly fascinating people.

The sun finally decided to make it’s first appearance of Spring.  Sunshine makes me productive… so I decided to get some serious work done (my business, Elysium of Santa Barbara, has been keeping me busy!)… but the first sunshine of Spring also mandates the wearing of a mini-dress…you can keep the look soft and classy by wearing a dress with a loose fit and covering up  with some boots (the boots do double duty: 1. with a Spring breeze in the air, they keep you warm and 2. boots add a bit of attitude to your look… no need to be too sweet!).

The first day of Spring is full of flowers in bloom, light showers, dappled sunlight, and baby birds… right? Wrong. Santa Barbara had a rainstorm (flash flood warnings and all) in mind.  Without much of a real excuse all Winter to break out my cozy clothes, I saw this as an opportunity to wear a knit cap and playful cardigan.  Wearing (mildly im-)practical puddle jumping boots, a pinstriped oxford, leggings, and layered necklaces helped to distract from the drizzly chill in the air. I love how you can almost feel the crisp cold in these photographs.

The most fabulous part of hitting mid-week? Mid-week Happy Hour with the girls.  For an occasion that’s not quite an afternoon affair… and may or may not trickle into the evening… it’s best to keep the look light and soft… but with a bit of edge.  The chiffon, pastel print, and baby doll cut of the dress are balanced with the black vest and black patent leather shoes… both all tied up with black cords.  Soft makeup and hair with volume show that you put in effort to look good for your {gorgeous} friends!