#fashioninspiration Archives - Northern California Style

On this weekend post -cool readers, spring things, rustic scones, J Crew’s new direction, a little about my mom and more..

Hope your week was good. We had more snow and rain and the cold just keeps on coming here. I do believe this has been the coldest winter in California.

We haven’t been able to get back up to Tahoe as every weekend, some sort of bad storm has been either on or imminent! I thought you might like to see the current state of the cabin which I have already had cleared and dug out twice this year.. I’m hoping it’s still under there ..and maybe the igloo our kids built too..

That is the driveway view and right the porch camera. Another storm on way this weekend!

We did get some sun this week and had sunshine streaming in the front window..

Marlo loves the sun too. By the way my Alamere Rug that I adore is 20% off now.

On my radar this week

I am obsessed with this Cocojune coconut milk yogurt. It feels like eating whipped cream and is so yummy even plain. If I add a smidge of honey, walnuts it feels like a treat. This has all the probiotics and they are the first certified plastic neutral yogurt company in the U.S.-no plastic containers- all organic. More about them here. I buy mine at Whole Foods and you can get them here too.

Anthropologie has lovely new hand washes with the softest scents. ( I smell tested them all for you in person.) I LOVE the glass bottles which I would reuse afterwards. They make a sweet gift and I just bought the violet one for a friend’s birthday. A nice luxury for $24 . The Violet and Lily scents were my favorite and they also have the prettiest matching candles in a tortoiseshell glass.

I just got Colorscience Total Eye Renewal Therapy with SPF 35 for my sensitive eyes. I have the fair color which brightens the eye area and applicator helps with puffiness. I am going to a tennis tournament next week and need sunscreen -which can make my eyes water, and this does not. I am linking to the Dermstore because it’s 20% off there now ( and 20% off sitewide if you need skin things it’s a good time to buy.)

Ballet flats are having a big comeback and I think the look of a feminine flat is especially good contrasted with the bigger and wider jeans and pants. I have had my eye on this metallic pair- Sea by Chloe, love the look and the buckle. I envision a pretty white blouse and jeans with them.

Tangelos are in season and my dad’s tree is having it’s best year yet. I love them for the sweet/tangy taste and they are amazing in a Gin & Tonic, which I made last weekend ( took pic almost after the fact.) They also are great just a big wedge in fizzy water or as a snack with dark chocolate. We need all the Vitamin C we can get this cold winter!

I have Caddis frames and love them, but these aviators readers look a bit lighter in weight than their usual lenses and pretty in the slight blue and pink versions.

The Piazza small shoulder bag in Sandy Shore is a great light bag for spring, a nice update and alternative to the crossbody bag. Such a luxe color too.

J Crew’s New Designer Olympia Gayot

I loved reading this article in Bazaar about J. Crew’s new head of design Olympia. She has really has brought back some of the best of the older J. Crew and put her spin on things. She posts selfies of how she wears a lot of the clothes on her own Instagram which is fun to follow and includes vintage Crew catalog inspo as well.

Some of her best ideas have been the lady jacket that she has brought out in all sorts of versions and like this pink above with the white jeans, socks and loafers.. This look below is also so good. Olympia’s picks of the month are on this page.

Lemon almond scones

I was craving a scone and tea on one of the darker rainy afternoons this week and modified my favorite scone recipe from Rose Bakery in Paris by adding Meyer Lemons and almonds. This is the recipe, taken from their wonderful Breakfast Lunch Tea book. To this I add the zest and juice of one large or two smallish lemons and also one cup of sliced almonds. I also have a Instagram post with it.

A little about my mom Suzanne…

February is a bittersweet month for me as my mom passed away 8 years ago and she was also a February baby born on Leap Year. I recently found some of her high school pics. She was always telling me high school would be the best years of my life. While I liked high school, it wasn’t the same for me as it was for her!

My mom went to West Milwaukee High School, which no longer exists. She was a sporty person, playing volleyball, was the star of many of the school aquacades ( synchronized swimming, but they called it water ballet), and was on all the homecoming courts and prom things. These pics were from her senior year book.

Mom played on a night volleyball league with friends when we were kids. We had a pool and she tried hard to teach me her synchronized swimming tricks like dolphins and dives. I was never as good as my mom at holding my breath. She always wore nose plugs and could go for a long time under water. Both my parents were water people, my dad a water polo player and a lifeguard.. Neither my brother nor I became as sporty as them.

When I look at the photos I think of all the friends my mom had back in Milwaukee and how she gave them up and said goodbye to her family, (she was one of eight kids), to come west. She drove out here with girlfriends to see California, got a job working at a lab at Stanford, and never went back except to visit a few times. She was adventurous and wanted to join the Peace Corp..

She met my dad who lived in the apartment below she shared with her friend Karen in San Jose. Dad lived with his cousin, and they both married the boys downstairs!

My parent’s 1964 wedding. Reception was in my grandparent’s California backyard.

Mom below and with Griffy when he was small..

We only went back a few times as a kid to visit Wisconsin. Travel was expensive and that was the 70’s. It was rare for people to fly places. We went twice on a train and later twice made the trip across country driving. I wished we had been able to see Wisconsin when we were older with her and know more about her time growing up there. She wasn’t one to dwell on the past though, and loved her life in California. She missed her family very much though.

I just had to share this little bit about her on her birthday. Hope you don’t mind.

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Next week I have Signature Style on Tuesday with Cindy, so check back in for some ideas on resort and travel dressing… I am leaving Wednesday to go to the BNP Tennis Tournament in Indian Wells, so I hope to have some cool things to share! If anyone you know if going – this post has tips.

On last weekend’s post, I shared home books that are inspiring me, a pretty spring blouse, a rattan lamp, a foundation you will love..and better options for your purged clothes.

Wishing you a great weekend !

Kim

Please visit my pals Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs..

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

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I am going to try for a weekly fashion post as you all seem to like them. Today I thought I’d kick it off with someone who has been killing it right now in the style department, Katie Holmes. The girl recently split from her longtime boyfriend Jamie Foxx and she’s been upping her game big time. They say looking good is the best revenge, etc. Just check out this outfit above! I love the plaid, the t-shirt, long coat and messy updo. If you look at photos of her from a year ago, it’s like she’s a different person. Her skin and hair look luminous and she just looks chic and confident. Maybe she hired a stylist, but she’s always had an eye for fashion. Let’s check out some looks we can get pointers from..

I love this cinnamon blazer for fall and the off white flare jeans with the mules are a nice fall transition… The cute bun and glasses give it that throwaway chic look. Everlane just came out with a cinnamon coat in a similar color and Madewell has a modern car coat and this double breasted version. Try adding a coat or blazer with a color this fall to your rotation. This is a super daytime outfit.

I find New Yorkers the most relatable when it comes to everyday style to emulate. It may be that they get photographed frequently doing everyday things, not just for events.

Katie has a great way of mixing current fashion into her very achievable look. Again case in point here -cool boots, cute small bag – the rest is basic, but see how those two things elevate the whole picture?

Recently, she blew up the internet wearing a sweater set with a matching cashmere bra.

Sweater she’s wearing here from Khaite. I think I need those mules, especially here in California. These are Acne slide which are impossible to find now, but I see similar ones on sale now Nordys and also at Trina Turk in suede and these, a Frye version, which may be the closest to hers and are 40% off. I just ordered the Nordstrom mules to replace my sandals as it’s getting cooler her in Northern Cal!

Katie throws a little twist into basics with cool bags, unique shoes and chic sunglasses which make her stand out. She also has a new sexiness with her longer hair which looks great on her tall frame. As it’s already pretty chilly in New York, there’s a lot of good looks here to get fall inspiration from and a few items that could update what you already own such as..

She adds a cashmere poncho/sweater to a pleated skirt. A pleated skirt is a fun and easy piece to pick up and add a sweater to. A close version here at Zara.

Leather leggings or faux ones can be a luxe look for evenings out this fall and winter. This brand is supposed to be the closest to leather looking and I love these by Emerson Fry.

As I mentioned in the last blog, a pair of high waisted jeans, like they have perfected at Madewell, is worth investing in. I especially love this vintage pair and I own these and these are similar to Katie’s. They look great with a tucked blouse or swingy cropped top or sweater. Once you try a pair, you’ll see they hold the tummy in and make your butt look good too. They give you a nice defined waist. You just have to get used to wearing structured pants in the tummy. It does make you conscious of what you are eating, I’ll say that.

Long coats, dusters, and plaid. Houndstooth is having a moment. Here she uses a basic T, and evening heels to change it up. Plaid oversized coats are so cute and remind me one I had in the 80s. A fun version here, here at Nordstrom and a cute Topshop look.

Basic straight leg jean, sweatshirt and a cool bag to give it some flair. Some cute oxfords like this here

Add a double-breasted jacket to your fall look over a basic t-shirt. Extra points for camel color which always has a rich girl look. Pop on a pair of pumps with your basic denim jeans when you go out. Pretty simple, but looks like you’ve got style.

Think about adding a trench to your wardrobe. I have three and wish I had more. Nothing looks so Audrey Hepburn and you can throw it over anything. The little bag and leopard loafers with the hair back are perfect, but converse would be just as cute. Katie’s trench is Burberry’s classic Kensington Trench and this is a more moderate Sam Edelman version.

Another simple look, longer distressed jeans, sweatshirt and these are Zara pumps. The white pumps are a rock n’ roll addition and I love the little shoulder bag which is a Phillip Lim Alix bag. A little high, little low here.

Weekend in New York look. Try any long jeans in your closet paired with heeled boots, and a slightly sexy oversized sweater, again the glasses, the bun-perfection!

LOVE this look for the ballet. Prada suit with ostrich feathers. It’s fun and feminine. For a holiday party, consider a suit and jacket with nothing under it, add strappy heels and some feather embellishment, you’re done. So French and very hot.

A pretty short evening dress look with the dotted stockings. I wore these in the 90’s. This looks elegant and a bit more demure than the bare leg for a holiday party, still super sexy and cool. I think these are the same tights.

I love her modern mix of necklaces here. She wears a lot of dainty jewelry. Try a mix of fragile looking pieces and dangly earrings. Her makeup is basic eyeliner, bareish face, bronzer and a neutral lip. Simple chic.

If you don’t have necklaces like this you can find layered necklaces here, and tiny ones here and here and many choices at Madewell. These Kendra Scott earrings and these are similar drops.

You can get more Katie inspiration from her fun Instagram..

Hope you liked this fashion post! Let me know your thoughts and any other candidates I should feature. Kerry Russell is another one to emulate that I’d like to share.

Kim

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