Shimmy Into Some Printed Denim!

Don't you think those denim designers have gone beserk as of late? Beserk in the best of ways, I mean. Take a look around-- styles upon styles of printed denims are popping up in shops, and we're not just talking leopard and polka: there are floral prints, loud prints, painterly prints, tropical prints, tie-dye prints, fruity prints, you name it! Not to bash on my true blues, but this is just so refreshing! The universal sartorial staple has been redefined once again! And this is coming from me...

...I've managed to make it through my life without ever having worn a pair of printed jeans. At 5'4", no one has ever told me I have "legs for days", not even the occasional "nice stems!" Nope, they're just a short, unassuming, standard-issue pair of legs. So I never thought I'd be able to pull off the whole calling-attention-to-the-lower-half-of-my-body thing, but I have asked the Internet for some some tried and true pointers, and the Internet has provided! Now I'm starting to rethink my anti-printed-denim stance. I've boiled it down to three easy-to-follow guidelines:

1. Know thyself. There are no hard and fast rules here-- when the jeans are clashing with your body, you'll recognize it. Just listen closely to your intuition, and if it protests, put those duds back on the hanger and move on.

2. Make sure they fit. Duh, right? But be sure to bring along the one friend who really does tell you when your butt looks big in those jeans. Since patterned pants draw the eye toward your bottom half, the way they fit is extra important. You want the pair that hugs your curves without bunching up. If you're a shorty like me, factor hemming and alterations into the price tag.

3. Be playful with your choice of top and accessories. While a simple, solid-color top will definitely work, the real magic of the printed jean comes alive when you have fun with some unexpected combinations. Good ol' Pinterest offers some great inspiration here.

Ok, enough with the rules already! Armed with your new 3-step plan, you'll be a pro at sifting through the heaps of printed jeans until you discover the pair you were always destined to look fabulous in.

If you're looking to channel your inner new-wave hippie, the Nebula Jean by Hudson or Asos' Electric Rave Skinny Jean offer up some psychedelic vibes. Both of these would look great with a tough, worn-in concert tee and some statement metal jewelry.

For those who don't yet want to fully commit, try the subtle tone-on-tone chevron pattern by 7 For All Mankind, or this delicately antiqued floral pair by J Brand. Dress these pairs like you would a basic blue jean-- they'd look equally cool with a striped hoodie, a flowery tank, or a silky blouse.

For the real deal on printed denim, it doesn't get any bolder than the cherry pickin' print or the island paradise photo print by Mother Denim. And for those who like rainbows (and really, who doesn't?) this fluorescent pair might be your dream come true - the Jordan Skinnies by NastyGal. When dressing, give these pants the limelight by coordinating with solid colors that provide an interesting contrast-- a soft pastel peach blouse would look spot-on with the cherry print.

Though not for the faint of heart, BlankNYC's Hooky Jeans possess the art student mentality of "whoops, I spilled paint on my pants but I like the way it looks so i'm gonna keep wearing them anyway to make a statement", which is kind of cool, if you dig that. But if you'd prefer a toned-down version, a subtle tye-dye wash like the Jade Verdugo Ultra Skinny by Paige or a dreamy pastel watercolor like Nasty Gal's Beanpole Skinny Jeans may be right down your alley.

And finally! A super-flattering jean for those who, like me, may be more or less entrenched in a solid-denim rut. The wavy pattern on Current/Elliott's Stiletto print jeans deceives the eye as a slightly cropped hem grazes the ankle at just the right spot-- voila!

May you go out into the world and find the pair of your dreams!

What do you think about the printed denim craze? Which pairs are the most wearable? Could you see yourself sporting printed jeans this summer?

Sunday Hike through Harding Canyon

Though it was admittedly difficult to wake up to the alarm on a Sunday morning, our brisk hike with friends was super-refreshing and well worth the grogginess! We started our hike down by the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, then followed the trail as it wound upstream.  

We admired the fog as its tendrils crept through the crevices in the hillside.

A cloudy, moonless night had allowed dew to settle delicately on a spiders' web.

Spring had sprung! Pristine wildflowers were blooming all around us.

Purple bells-- these were our favorite!

The trail was shaded by old live oaks.

Courtney rescued a friendly salamander from the footpath!

More wildflowers... they were everywhere!

Midmorning sunshine was quite warm as we headed back. 

I would certainly recommend this trail-- it's not too difficult, but all the creek crossings keep things interesting and fun. I would also recommend Googling "poison oak" before hiking anywhere in OC, just so you know what it looks like! We saw lots of wildlife-- birds, rabbits, squirrels, salamanders, and geckos were all out to play, and I hear they become even bolder as the weather warms up! What a great way to start a Sunday morning.

Now, for the next trail: does anyone have a suggestion of where we should hike next?

Garden at Sunset

I just can't think of a better way to spend a spring evening than unwinding with your honey in the garden! We got a chance to snap some glamour shots of my freshly watered plants, relax on our new rocking chairs (credit to my man for the assembly!), and watch as all the birds hurried home for the night. Le sigh!

new growth on a baby prickly pear



craspedia - what a magical bloom! must plant more of these...



blissfully relaxed!

sunlight glows golden as it leaves

he was watching the sunset too

 

Something about this dress...

The Aurora Dress

…reminds me of a rooftop party on a warm night. After an afternoon in the sun, I’ve donned this garment and suddenly all the promises of the night are held in my hands. Climbing up the last flight of stairs, I let go of my skirt, letting it billow behind me as I approach the gathering. A tall handsome man appears in front of me, a glass of champagne in hand. He offers it to me; his lilting accent I find charming. I have become very aware of the triangle-shaped cutout of my bodice. He leans closer in, and – Oh, my! Are you still reading this?! I better, uh… get back to the dress.

Australian cult-favorite label Bless’ed are the Meek have nailed it with this dress. The more I look at it, the more I like it. Everything about it. It’s flowing, yet commanding. Its tough, dominatrix bodice is tempered with a peach so vulnerable and feminine that the juxtaposition has a very emotional quality to it. That’s what impresses me most about this up-and-coming group of designers—they are infusing fashion with a psychological twist. Using pattern to play with the eye, their collection is full of double meanings and innuendo, like their playful interpretation of the Rorschach ink blot test, below.

Dali Skirt

For Bless'ed are the Meek, what isn't there is as important as what is-- like this daring number:

The Entity Dress - Winter 2011

Bless'ed's mission is to “push the boundaries of meekdom”. One of their goals was to keep prices modest so that they could clothe the average twenty-something woman-- while maintaining a status at Australian Fashion Week. Do you think they succeed in achieving their goal?

Oh Hi, Ojai!

(I’m sure they loathe it when people say that. But it’s just too tempting to resist!) Though short, our first trip to Ojai was delightful-- it’s just far enough away from home to feel like a real escape, and the whole town has this permeating free-spirit vibe that makes all your worries melt away… I mean, what worries? All in favor of feeling like your whole body is made of sunshine, go to Ojai!

I believe the Sunday morning Farmer’s Market is where all of this hippie energy is radiating from. A bluegrass band plays as you wander down aisles of fresh flowers, hand-picked citrus, organic vegetables, artisan breads, Ghanaian picnic baskets, gluten-free vendors, rustic cheeses, and more, and more, and more. While I could have easily walked out with something from every stall, I limited myself to what I could fit into my newly-acquired Ghanaian picnic basket: purple haze carrots, a loaf of buckwheat bread, goat cheese, fresh-squeezed apple cider, a sage-scented beeswax candle.  The real highlight was sampling the loquats and chatting with the grower (behind me in the photo, with a T-shirt to match his produce!).

Loquats, as I’m finding, are winter fruits distantly related to apples. They’ve got a nice mellow flavor that reminded me of apricot and mango, while Jed was transported back to his childhood—it was his first encounter with a loquat in quite some time. Delicious! After so much grazing, we were ready for a walk. So we headed to Meditation Mount, a serene garden overlooking the Ojai Valley. Here we admired the view and took in our peaceful surroundings.

Reluctantly, we left Ojai to spend the rest of the day visiting friends. Had we stayed longer, I would have loved to try some of the restaurants… Ojai Beverage Company and Hip Vegan Cafe were calling my name! Until we meet again, Ojai; until we meet again.



Florence + The Machine = Soul-Moving Magic

My ears are still abuzz after hearing Florence Welch's trance-inducing performance on Saturday at the Santa Barbara Bowl. What a show! Her music is so full of emotion. Florence has said that she wants her music to make the listener feel as if they have just thrown themselves off a tall building.  Well, while her songs didn't leave me feeling suicidal, I can relate to the falling feeling she describes as, maybe, a leaf floating slowly from a tree, or a feather in the wind, like, you know, that one in Forrest Gump. Anyway, it was a foot-tapping time and I'm glad I get to show you what fun I had with my camera while there.

Dinner at Sakana Sushi Bar was nothing short of perfect! They've got a great fusion thing going on and a very trendy vibe-- we would highly recommend it!

 Chevron nails, yellow cocktail ring, and Forever21 collared dress-- 

fancy for Florence!

The coconut curry shrimp press box - this was certainly the most memorable bite!

Her voice was so haunting.

 Loved the backdrop behind her - the lighting made the hanging pieces look sinister, or translucent as stained glass windows in a gothic cathedral, depending. 

 Experimenting with my camera in the cool lighting...

Florence says that she writes her best music when she's either drunk or hungover. “You’re lucid,” she explains, “but you’re not really there. You’re floating through your own thoughts, and you can pick out what you need. I like those weird connections in the universe. I feel that life’s like a consistent acid trip, those times when things keep coming back.” Yeah-- er, me too! 

What about you-- do your best ideas come to the surface when you're three sheets to the wind? And the next morning, do you find yourself scribbling down a stream of genius thoughts? Are you capable of doing anything besides making a giant sandwich and crawling back to bed?

Strawberry-Mint Spritzers

Well... back to the grind after a relaxing weekend. The warm weather yesterday was perfect for gardening, so gardening I did- and lots of it! After a day out in the sun, there is nothing quite so refreshing as a cold drink. Mom's delish wine spritzer recipe is easy, light, and very drinkable! Just slice a few strawberries, muddle with a sprig or two of mint, pour a dry white wine (anything works here, we went for a New Zealand Sauv Blanc), and top with a splash of sparkling mineral water. It's perfect! Eating the strawberries at the bottom is my favorite part, of course!

Anthropologie collab! Swoon...

Once upon a time, a younger me would get excited to the point of lightheadedness while browsing the latest American Girl doll catalog. Now, it's the Anthropologie catalog that seems to have that effect on me. And they've done it again, with their new designer collaboration called Made in Kind. Rad new designers! Cool Textiles! Sustainable, organic fabrics! And prices that aren't even exorbitant! Although the whole collection strikes gold, Samantha Pleet's designs take the cake for me. Her dresses manage to make me swoon just like a brand new outfit for my Felicity doll used to back in the day. Now if I just sip on wine until I can rationalize this purchase....Click, click...oops! Did I just buy that? Hello, new spring dress, we shall become great friends. (Ah, well, what's done is done).

A Weekend in Joshua Tree

Last weekend was the most peaceful, relaxing weekend I've spent in quite a while! We drove out to the desert and camped in Joshua Tree National Park. Once your eyes adjust to the barren starkness of the landscape, all of the interesting beauty this place has to offer really comes alive. We set up camp at Jumbo Rocks, an area of the park known for its-- you guessed it-- jumbo-sized rocks. After an afternoon of playing on giant outcroppings of stone, we started up a campfire and took in the luminous night sky... three-quarter moon, shooting stars, the works! Following an admittedly troubled night of sleep (we made sure to drink a bit more wine the next night), we grabbed the trail mix and went on a fantastic hike through Lost Horse Valley, the fabled land of horse thieves and gun-slinging cowboys. What a nice walk-- early spring in the desert means wildflowers are just starting to bloom and the weather is breezy, mild and not too desert-like. The landscape was so picturesque, the photos look like they could be paintings! I'd recommend this experience to anyone--  It was immensely refreshing to be so far away from my iPhone for a couple days! Some memorable photos from the trip: