#anthropologie

SIGNATURE STYLE – FALL DENIM REPORT

September 9, 2021 By kimwheeler 23 Comments

Can you believe it’s September? As much as I love summer, I am ready for the change to-fall and warm clothes. Denim is always uppermost in my mind when I think of my fall wardrobe. Here in California it’s our uniform so much of the time, so I was excited that Cindy and Sarah wanted to do denim for our Signature Style series this month. I do get a lot of inquiries throughout the year from readers who want flattering jean recommendations. Hopefully this post will help and I’ll share my personal favorite brand and a few new discoveries for Fall 2021.

This year it looks like the straight leg is gaining more traction, and as women embrace more comfortable clothes after a year plus at home the momentum for them is just getting stronger. The challenge is finding the right pair that suits your body type. I prefer the straight legs that are cropped and have a more slim cut as a petite person. The ankle flair is also a strong second to the straight leg and that jean shows off your sneakers and booties. Wide legs and mom jeans are also trending, but you have to find what feels good and flatters you. I think we can all agree the skinny is slowly going out.

Before buying any jeans, I urge you to look at what you already own. It takes 1,800 gallons of water to grow the cotton to produce just one pair of denim jeans. The manufacturing processes also use toxic dyes. Many companies, especially those who manufacturers premium denim in the U.S., are using uprecycled cottons and less toxic chemicals and less water in manufacturing. Buy mindfully and consider denim from places like Crossroads Trading and other consignment stores that have great denim collections. Upcycling is what all the young people are doing, and we need to get onboard. I have found one of my coolest pairs of jeans that way.

Take some time and bring all your jeans out, try them on by a full length mirror and see what you still love. Keep only what feels and looks good. You can also have some altered to be ankle length or ankle flair, which is great with booties. If you’re brave, take a pair of sharp scissors and cut them to be ankle grazing if you want a change.

Assesing my jeans I have 12 pairs, including an almost 17 years old pair from Gap. I don’t know how it kept making the cut, but it’s a straight leg, mid-rise and no stretch classic pair. I would say most of my jeans last me at least 5-6 years and are a mix of Frame, Paige, Anthropologie, and a few other premium brands, and some found at consignment.

Right now the pair I love best is from Frame and I have had at them 6 years, and they still sell the style, Le Garcon . They feel great on and don’t have too much stretch, are slim at the lower leg, but not tight at the waist and hips.. That’s a great cut that is slimming, but doesn’t feel like a skinny jean. About a year or ago, I realized they would look more updated with the hem cut and a bit shorter so I carefully cut them.

Here I am wearing them back in 2016 on a trip to SFMoma..

Frame is considered premium denim, is made in California with higher standards and sustainable practices and materials. They have a section of extra sustainable styles- like the straight leg here (below left)and I especially love this slouch pair, (center), and this gorgeous pair made in Italy , (right.)

I also did a trip last weekend to Anthropologie to see what they have as I have bought a few of their house brand denim, Pilcro and like them. I tried three pairs and the Slim Boyfriend Jeans below, were my favorite. I bought these in regular, but they have petite, tall and plus sizes in these.

I appreciate that they are 32% recycled cotton which is good for the earth. If you’re on the short side like me, or are short-waisted, consider petite as the rise is 2.5 inches shorter, so they won’t feel like the waist is too high. The regular size has 9.5 inch rise, which wasn’t extreme. The gauze blouse is new from Cloth & Stone, one of the best brands. I loved this color for fall!

Another way to style these same jeans is with the cuffs pulled up instead of rolled. I especially like this look with boots. Try it if your jeans are usually rolled for a more structured look.

This rose cashmere sweater was another item I fell in love with at Anthro. I’m a sucker for florals.

Also by Pilcro, Anthro’s in house denim brand, is The Wanderer Jean, which I would call a painter’s pant back in the day, and are deemed ‘relaxed’ fit, but they also say ultra high rise. Those two don’t go together in my mind. Still, they are cute and new and will give a updated look to the wardrobe for sure. I’m still thinking about them.

It looks much cooler on the model and I like how they have clogs with it. A perfect transitional autumn look and feel!

This jean comes 3 different washes, and petite and plus sizes, and the cotton is from a special mill in Turkey that is dedicated to environmental practices. Many of the Anthro jeans are coming from places like this. Look at the details in the description before you buy!

I also tried the Selvedge Borrowed Boyfriend Jean by Pilcro and it’s made at a mill in Milan, which is called ‘the greenest mill in the blue world’ and does not use any toxins at all in their process, which can pollute waterways. I love that so much. It comes in tall, petite and plus and is what I would call an old school jean, not much stretch, but won’t sag on you and I think will soften up over time. It’s a classic straight leg and because of this special mill and cotton, this jean is a bit more expensive.

The super soft Pointelle Cardigan was another good find and a classic I’ll wear a lot this fall. I’m thinking of getting another in black while they have them..

Speaking of cost for denim, an Instagram friend read I had my old Gap jeans and she remarked she still had her Guess jeans! Do you remember those? They were quite pricey back in the 80’s, like near $100. I remember saving for them. That was nearly 40 years ago. You know what’s remarkable about that? Costs of denim haven’t gone up much in 40 years. You can still walk into Gap and buy jeans for $50 or less. Is that a good thing? Not necessarily. Beware of cheap denim, the labor may be child labor or people working in horrible conditions for low wages and it may be made with polluting chemicals.

Since I called out Gap here, out of fairness I checked out the denim they did have that was made with their new Washwell program which saves millions of liters of water. No initiatives yet for the chemicals or information on factories and labor practices, but it’s something. The Mid-Rise Girlfriend was a decent jean with almost no stretch, but a classic look and unfitted leg. I think these had a lot of extra fabric in the hip area, so you can size down, but actually felt okay on and comes in petite and tall and run $48 (online), or $69 regular price in store.

I liked the wash and with their classic Gap Organic Button-up shirt button down you could do worse. The Deconstructed Mid-Rise Girlfriend (center), is also cute and I like the raw hem. High Rise Vintage Slim Jean (right), which wasn’t at my local Gap, but looks like a chic simple cut too.. All below are using the Washwell technology.

Gap has a lot to choose from, but still had a ton of ‘jeggings’ at my local store. I’m not sure why you would buy those, but they have truck loads. They could also give the store a good vacuum and clean the fitting room mirrors, but I digress..I was kind of saddened the brand is not being cared for like it once was.

In other news, Vogue just has an article that Old Navy will be the first retailer to integrate plus sizes into the regular women’s up to size 30. Old Navy already has done this and so you can shop for the denim in all sizes which will be helpful and more equitable as half of women in America are considered plus and now their sizes will be with all the others, not off in a corner.

J. Crew is also expanding their denim and has up to size 23- 37 in jeans. These Vintage Slim Jeans seen like a perfect straight leg look… I’ve been wearing their white jeans all summer and plan to continue.

Please share your musings on denim in the comments. Do you like the new straight legs or are you still a skinny jean person? What brands are your favorites and have you shopped thrift or vintage for upcycled styles? I’d love to hear.

Please visit Cindy Hattersley and Sarah London with their own takes on Signature Style for denim on their blogs today!

Kim

For more inspiration and more ideas for to style denim, you can follow my Pinterest Board, Jean Love.

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Spring Dresses

April 20, 2021 By kimwheeler 20 Comments

A bit of news for those of you who have liked fashion posts… I will be joining Cindy Hattersley and Sarah London on their monthly fashion collaboration. Those ladies have so much style so I hope I can be a valued contributor to their wonderful series!

Today the theme is spring dresses and as there are more possibilities for leaving our homes this spring, dresses suddenly hold more excitement than last year. This year we might be seen a bit more and just the few times I’ve been out the last week or so, people absolutely seem to be stepping up their style game. I for one, am enjoying seeing people who aren’t in their sweats and comfort clothes!

So, in the name of research here, I did some surveying and tried on spring dresses from an array of retailers. As I have stated in previous posts, I am trying to purchase less and shop thoughtfully. What I do buy I want to LOVE, I mean really love. I also want it to be quality. I’d rather have one nice dress that I can wear over and over than 4 cheaply made dresses. That said there is a place in the warm weather wardrobe for a few light dresses that can be housedress/coverup/ market run frocks for those dog days of summer. My go-to for that last year was the light sundress with pockets dresses from Target. They still have a version. and Anthro has almost the exact copy I bought last year, below (more colors too), a bit nicer quality and fit. Most everyone looks great in this and it’s light and versatile..

Spring dresses need to be light and comfortable ! That should, be a given, but doing my investigations, one of the biggest issues is so many dresses are constructed of heavy stiff fabric with overdone layers. It was sad because many cute dresses just felt oppressive on, something we all want to avoid on warm days. Given I’m 55, this hot thing takes on new significance. I know others can relate..

So here’s what I think we can all use and maybe you can use this as a guide shopping:

-Something of quality to wear daytime everywhere, is versatile, can be casual or dressed up.

-Something floral and pretty, a skirt would be versatile.

-Something for dinners out and social gatherings (when they happen.)

-Something for a special dinner or a holiday trip.

Of course those dresses can overlap and do duty in the other categories too. With three or so quality dresses, you can sail through spring and summer with just a few changes of sandals and pretty accessories. Shop well, buy less, and remember better things will give you a lot of pleasure to wear. Once you decide to choose higher quality, you realize you need less, as slipping on that perfect frock makes everything else seem not as necessary. It’s kind of the same when you splurge and get a nice bag. You don’t need a lot of the others and it simplifies life.

You can run out the door feeling polished.. Have fun with the add-ons. The goal is to have all the things in your closet be items you have a crush on. Nothing sub-par should be in there. Make that your goal- a pretty capsule wardrobe for spring and warmer days. Get rid of the extra bulk in your closet gathering dust. Let it go to another home to be loved and have only what you are crazy about.

Dress 1- A nice quality T-Shirt Dress. This is the Tory Burch’s Basket-Weave Dress. I love this as it is comfortable and cute fabric. It’s a bit upscale for a t-shirt dress and I like that. You can wear it everyday, or out for a dinner date. It’s also a nice vacation dress as it doesn’t wrinkle. I bought this on one of her sales and I deliberated about a more fancy dress, but made made myself buy something I’d get a more wear from and this dress will be worn a zillion times this spring and summer, it’s so easy, so pennies per wear.

Dress 2- This dress is called the Daily Practice Dress by Anthropologie and it is a well made dress for casual and could be dressy too. It’s a very comfy and super breathable stretchy cotton that feels great to wear. It could double as a cute cover-up and comes in more colors, some pretty prints as well. It does have a lower open back, but with a black bra, it wasn’t really noticeable. (My tag sticking out you can see, but you get the idea.) Everything in Anthropologie’s new Daily Practice Line is made for the California casual lifestyle and I want all the pieces! They fit the easy life we all have now, but with dresses and feminine top, etc.

Dress 3- An Satiny Embroidered Dress. This is the Viveka Dress from Anthropologie. It’s a dressier look, but still light made of cotton with a layer on the skirt. I like the embroidery and I love a white dress summer dress. This is a creamy white and it’s comfortable too. This would be a vacation dinner dress, for special gatherings and date nights go to – nice to have in the closet. Flattering, not too short or too tight.

Dress 4- An easy little black dress. This Ramy Brook Jo Dress is light and the way they are constructed they are very flattering. These dresses have a casual California vibe to them also. This Jo dress is on sale at the Rack now and I haven’t seen this version before with the gathered adjustable 3/4 sleeve. This dress feels so soft on and I will wear it any chance I can. It’s also light enough a slim black pant or leggings could be worn with it for a chic daytime look- maybe trip to the art museum or a day in the city? They have some other colors and versions on sale at the Rack here. I’m tempted to grab another with those sale prices.

-5- In the floral group, because it is spring and we all need a little flower, I love a skirt that be worn in so many ways. This Free People skirt fit the bill for me as it was nicely made, super comfy with an elastic waist and pockets- and I was crazy about the print. I am wearing a XS here as they are roomy. I paired mine with one of these new Daily Practice T-shirts from Anthro and a sweater over the shoulders for cooler mornings and nights. ( By the way the sweater over the shoulder look is back and so practical.) I also loved the new Daily Practice Boy Meets Girl T, and the Richie V-Neck T.

My Perry Bombe Cross-body here is my favorite small bag- so light, holds a lot, with two separate zip compartments and is still a best seller at Tory Burch. I’ve had mine a few years now and it still looks great. It’s the right length and adjustable. Cute new versions in canvas and woven and the taupe is lovely.

I also have several versions of the Miller Tory Burch sandal on in these photos. I can highly recommend the newest their Cloud version with super comfy soles! I have the light blue. Love them! All of my sandals from her I am still wearing many years on!

I hope you enjoyed this spring dress chat! Please pop over to Cindy’s blog, Cindy Hattersley Design and Sarah’s Sarah London Style to see what they are sharing for spring dresses. I can’t wait to see what they have for us with dresses today!

Kim

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Spring and Easter Styling Ideas

March 24, 2021 By kimwheeler 8 Comments

Well it certainly doesn’t feel like Easter is just a few weeks away. This week has been chilly and wet here in Northern Cal. I wore my sleeping bag jacket to the grocery store yesterday, but that hasn’t stopped me from thinking about my Easter table and decorating a bit in the house too.

Right now there are a lot of fun Easter and spring looks everywhere. I add just a few things to the house for spring with natural elements and a couple of whimsical bits or a bunny or basket. This look caught my eye on the Crate & Barrel website. Love the pretty cherry blossom branch. You could forage your yard for these or something in the blossom family.

They also sell these faux branches, which look very realistic and could be good in a glass vase too mixed with some real branches and flowers. I like the fringe napkins and the light grayish blue plates.

At my local Anthropologie I noticed these darling ceramic berry baskets in the kitchen area. Imagine them with dyed eggs and the rest of the year to hold berries or lemons.

They also have these stripe/gingham kitchen towels in sets of three. Perfect Easter tones and they would work also as napkins on a brunch table too! I like the idea of mixing the three different patterns on white or pastel dishes.

Anthro also has this gingham table runner in a tan and citron tone or a orange/pink version. Something about gingham is so appealing to me in spring. I think this would be pretty with many small vases of daffodils.

The addition of nature on your table and it is the easiest and cheapest way to bring spring to your table. We usually use my mom’s vintage pink plates, and I look in the yard, or the grocery to see what inspires me.

This is one of my favorite inspiration photos from an old Juliska ad. The fern and plants in the glass with the moss could be easily replicated with different jars and glasses and fern or small flowers with a the moss. Of course the blue dishes are beautiful and might work for a Passover Seder too. I don’t own any Juliska, but I might start collecting some. Gorgeous.

Etsy is a great place for Easter tablecloths. Hand blocked linens are very popular now and have that feminine look that is perfect for spring and summer tables. I love the tones in this one..

This is also a lovely look..

This is one that can be a tablecloth/pareo/or wrap.. so pretty !

Love this too...

More Easter color tablecloths here and more hand blocked tablecloths here.

More inspo..these cute cupcakes from the Firmdale Hotel website? You could copy this look with little eggs and candy flowers!..

What about Easter clothes? Are you inspired to get something spring-like this year? I am definitely wearing a dress of some kind. When we were small, my grandmother loved Easter and my grandparents would always take us out for dinner and a pair of Easter sandals and those would be our shoes until school started again. I would always ask for a small white purse to match too. Sometimes I would get one if I was lucky. Easter dress used to be a big thing and I still love the tradition.

Maybe you can start with a cute mask to get in the spring feeling? I love this set of three in spring greens from Terrain.

I also just bought more masks from my talented friend MeiLei who gives her proceeds to charity. The quality of her masks is so good and she adds a pretty lining that always contrasts well with the front fabric. You can browse her Instagram account .

These floral slides are just so spring I had to share them…

I’m considering this Tory Burch gingham tunic on sale now. It’s a bit sheer so it would make a good coverup as well as a light dress for summer.

I just spotted this bag on sale at Bloomingdales… Very sweet in linen! I can see using that all spring and summer and especially for trips to the beach.

I’m also kind of obsessed with this Bamboo Ring bag.. It’s nice to have a basket purse with a Easter or spring look.

Tory Burch has this adorable cross-body on her spring event sale now. The lining thrills me!

It seems like longer tired dresses and puff sleeves are big this year. There are a lot of cute versions of what Bloomingdales calls the ‘housedress.’ Really? Is that because we are in our homes now as much as our mothers and grandmothers once were thanks to Covid? It hasn’t been so bad, but most of us are not wearing housedresses! Here’s my picks of the best longer looks..

Here’s a versatile look similar to the one with the yellow bag above by Aqua for Bloomingdales. You can dress this up for Easter Brunch or Passover Seder and also wear it with casual slides and a bag like above for summer. I’d add a fun necklace or whimsical earrings.

Also love the straps of this gingham number by Lucy Paris and can be paired with a jacket or a wrap if it’s a cooler day.

Toile is always a favorite and cute in this blue look. I love the neckline.

A sweet floral on this Aqua floral midi look..

This cutie by Wayf would be closer to a housedress to me, but also good for spring with a cardigan and in summer as a coverup or with flip-flops for everyday.

Another by Lucy in Paris again.. Would you feel like a character in Bridgerton? Something about it is appealing, not sure about on someone of my age.. I’d wrap a soft shawl around this.

This more structured look by Rebecca Taylor..

And Target has this smocked dress that is very cute and many colors worn in teal by Juliet of Make Mine a Spritzer on her last post.

This block print dress looks like the easiest thing and you can dress it down or up..

This from Tuckernuck is a great spring look..

This Zimmerman dress is a bit more money, but perfection for Easter or anything special this spring or summer.

This maxi is from Anthro and love the embroidery..

And I just had to finish with these darlings by Jeffery Campbell…

Hope you find something you love or to inspire you!

Happy Spring!

Kim

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My Black Friday Picks and Holiday Gift Ideas

November 27, 2020 By kimwheeler 4 Comments

I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving. We had a small one with my dad in the yard and though it was small, it was still nice. I know this year is an exceptional one. Most people will try to do as much shopping for the holidays this pandemic year online from their homes. I also encourage everyone to shop small in your own town, instead of the mall, so these small businesses can survive. Many have curbside pickup and personal shopping hours. I will share some more of them on my Instagram stories during this next month.

The fact is, the less we are in crowds and with people, the safer we all stay right now. I have already told my family that we are doing less which helps. Expectations have to be lowered this year. Focus on better made items and buy fewer. It’s better for the planet and all of us. How are you all approaching this holiday season with the pandemic? Have you also been thinking smaller this year? I think in 2020 we can all give ourselves a pass on going all out as we might usually right? It’s the one upside maybe of this whole year!

In the better and less, and shopping from home theme, I have a few Black Friday shopping deals for you to check out and some gift ideas too. Sorry this is coming late on Friday, but many of these last through the weekend. Check to be sure.

Of course I have to share my favorite Serena & Lily which is having their best sale of the year, 20% off everything- INCLUDING SALE ITEMS! This never happens so check it out if you have been needing a nice item for the home… something I consider a gift for myself. I would often prefer that over a lot of smaller gifts, and something like a lovely lamp or throw lasts years and decades. Use the code TOGETHER to get 20% off – plus FREE SHIPPING!

My favorite S&L items: -The Porto Linen Pajamas are stylish and cool in summer and very warm in winter too. – I love the look of these Wood and Marble coasters, the Dot Baskets, the Tahoma Pillow Cover, and the Blantyre Alpaca Throw are just a few on my own wishlist. It’s also a great time to pick up one of their beautiful rugs or lamps for your home that will last years or a chair like my Edgewater Lounge Chair so many of you have asked about! Free shipping ends on 11/30 and the sale goes until December 2.

Tory Burch is having a 30% off this weekend (use code THANKS), on selected items some of her classics which always look chic or dated including her Simone Cardigan wool cardigan which comes in the prettiest colors. I love this layered for winter, worn backwards for evening or even over the shoulders with a sundress when warm days are here again. This will last you and upgrade your whole outfit.

Also on this sale is these marked down Brooke Ankle Boots in black leather and a pretty suede.

Some cute heeled boots on sale too, but lately all I buy is comfort shoes and flats. Another great buy is the tall Miller Lug Sole Boot– darling with leggings and big sweaters! Markdowns have the an additional 30% off reflected when you check out. These things go fast so don’t wait too long. Ends on 11/30.

Anthropologie has so much to love and is offering 30% off everything this weekend only with free shipping on items over $50. Standouts are this Nancy Eyelash Cardigan made in California, the Eleanor Velvet Tunic Dress, the Love Textured Sweater, this Sundry Vera Lounger Set (comes with matching scrunchie!) also made in California, these Florence Balducci Flannel PJ top and pants, these darling Elephant Pjs and these Sorel Mail Run Slippers.

For the guys in my life, Nordstrom is my go to for the hubs, my dad, and sons. A few ideas for the men in your life.. marked down right now are the Nordstrom Brand Quarter Zip on sale now $44 dollars, this green cotton/cashmere version in 6 colors, the Marc New York puffer for the cold (I’m thinking my Univ of Utah kid will need this), and this water-resistant puffer in oxblood and in black, these Adidas Soccer pants my younger guys love, and a hoodie in three colors for the younger men, and the Faherty Baja Beach Hoodie, which is a great quality brand.

Also good gift ideas that aren’t on sale, but go fast this time of year, are the men’s UGG robes (my husband loves his), and these Barefoot Dream’s full-length zip up robes for women. I have that on my own list!

Trina Turk has 25% off full price, 45% off certain styles, and 35% off sale. Love this cheeky champagne sweater, the Palm Springs Merino Crew Neck, this coat, and their Birkenstocks are an extra 25% off -something you never see.

Other sales to check out this weekend…

Bloomingdales– 25% off most things this weekend (exclusions apply) and an extra 50% off clearance. Uggs Short Zip Booties are the Deal of the Day at $109.

J.Crew is having 50% off all styles and 60% off sale items. Use code FRIDAY.

Madewell is having 50% off selected styles.

Athleta is having $20 off tights and also 20% off your purchase until 11/29.

Lou & Grey has 50% off everything plus free shipping. Use code BESTWEEK. I love their sweats and soft clothing!

Loft- the parent company of Lou & Grey has the same 50% off offer and free shipping with BESTWEEK.

Banana Republic has 50% off everything no code needed. I especially love this cute fuzzy beanie that’s 50% off now. Sale ends 11/28.

Williams-Sonoma is having 50% off many items and other great specials throughout the weekend. They aren’t on sale, but their gorgeous frames are always a great gift for a special anniversary, house warming, marriage or birthday. Some of their pretty rugs are marked down and I just spotted this amazing Breville/nespresso Espresso machine half off- a fantastic deal.

I’ll add more shopping ideas as I see them this weekend and in the next few weeks.

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving weekend and use the extra days for some quality time- whether it be a walk, reading a book, time with family or dear friends, or just a few moments of zen.

Take care!

Kim

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Friday Fun Things

September 25, 2020 By kimwheeler 34 Comments

Well hello. I know it’s been too long. Got a little preoccupied the past month with things like looking out the window and complaining about the air quality, stuck indoors while getting little done. My youngest went to college and already came back for a week and is now off again. I don’t know what has been taking up my time, but I blinked and it’s been weeks since I posted so apologies..So much strife going on I thought let’s talk fun things today…

Fall clothes shopping is always my favorite, but with all the home time, I have begun thinking about what I truly need this year. I need very little with this pandemic, but these Sanctuary camo cargo pants popped into my radar on a quick Anthropologie visit. These work for home and for going out. The elastic drawstring waist which makes them a comfy alternative to sweats and leggings and everyone is dressing them up now too. Every wardrobe needs a little camo/khaki it’s a wonderful neutral and transcends the seasons.

I also have these satin cuff jeans in my cart as they are just so pretty and different.. I can see them with sweaters and loafers.

Speaking of sweaters, I am a sucker for ruffles and I bought this cutie at Madewell this week. I wandered down there after a lunch with my dear blogger pals took me out for a birthday lunch at Santana Row. I have not shopped there since the pandemic, but Mary Ann and I popped in there and this sweater just spoke to me. I will wear this with a moto jacket and a long floral skirt or those camo pants. I like the little feminine/ little rocker mix. Madewell is having a 20% off if you’re an insider or sign up. I bought a medium in this in the off white color. The red is also cute and the neckline is a bit more ruffly than shown. It’s very comfy on.

Here are my sweet friends. I could not be more grateful for them in this year of Covid. I have been fortunate to do a couple birthday things with friends this month and after not being together much this year it made me feel so happy. LOVE them so much and I have to show their cute outfits. I think right now any chance to dress up is exciting. Mary Ann and Cindy matched in the cutest black skirt from CP Shades and pretty white tops. Those CP Shades cotton silk skirts are gorgeous- made in Sausalito. CP Shades is a 40 year old California company and the quality of things are so nice. Cindy wears a lot of their cool things.

Elizabeth, aka Contessa wore one of her signature caftans and this stunning one was from Provence and she gave it the Elizabeth treatment with a paper flower, one of her woven bags, arms of bone colored bracelets and a big ring and gold espadrilles.

Her Instagram account was hacked and she is recovering it. Her dress is from Luxe Provence. More about that dress and the woman behind the company on Elizabeth’s post about her. She also just wrote about her new closet her husband built her that has space for all her caftans and woven bags. It is gorgeous!

If you follow my Instagram, I shared photos from an anniversary getaway to Carmel Valley. We stayed at my favorite spot, Bernardus Lodge. We had not the greatest air quality, but we still enjoyed being away and found their amazing gardens we hadn’t seen before. We also had some great meals at their Lucia restaurant.

We were so crazy about their potato leek soup we decided to try to replicate it at home. The best recipe I found is here from a cute blog, Once Upon a Chef with many yummy fall recipes. It is written by Jenn Segal, a former chef. The soup is easy and delicious. Did you know leeks are a super food with so many benefits? The French also believe they help you lose weight! Photo below from Jenn’s blog…

On the health subject, my friend Aimee recommended a great show Max and I have been watching every night, Down To Earth With Zac Efron. He travels the world with wellness expert Darin Olien. I have already learned what kind of water to drink, and what those who live the longest eat, and some other intriguing things. Each episode explores a country and the changes they are making to better on earth. The Iceland episode is stunning and the Paris episode- how they make the best drinking water and dispense it for free all over- is just amazing. Really fun show and motivating to do better things for your body and the planet!

On the way home from our Carmel trip we finally stopped at the new David Kinch restaurant in Aptos, Mentone . They are operating in their parking lot now, but it’s cute and the food is SO GOOD! They have pizzas, spritzes and salads – my kind of food. We split a radicchio Caesar salad that was incredible.. Very cute with a Euro vibe. A fun weekend lunch spot.

One other great discovery I have to share with you all is Olaplex No 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Conditioner. One of my best friends gave me these U.K. gems as a birthday gift! I have always been curious about these products that have a patent and are supposed to repair the bonds of your hair and keep working even days after your shampoo. So far after a week of using both, I am totally a convert. My long fine hair feels thick and soft and I also think it looks a lot healthier. I didn’t have time to blow dry the other day, and ran out which would normally look really bad. I didn’t do a thing and had a few compliments on my hair which is crazy. You are supposed to use it each time you shampoo. You can find them at the Nordstrom link above and also at Sephora.

Lastly, this week has been a rough one. Losing RBG was like gut punch at this point in the election year.. The contentious atmosphere could not be worse. I loved this new post on Cup of Joe that shares a lot of ways we can still help in the upcoming election if we are feeling hopeless. We are not powerless. We still have a vote and our voices…

Hope you all have a lovely weekend and more coming soon on fall fashion and home.

xx Kim

A Few Things…

May 14, 2020 By kimwheeler 8 Comments

How is your week going? After the Mother’s Day chill, it was back to the routine for me. I had a few errands and one was Whole Foods for a few family must haves. I dread the line, the shopping and I do my best to fly through and avoid aisles where there are people. I sometimes struggle to see my list through my mask and I was head down when a sweet woman, I think she was European, chatted me up by the liquid soap. My first thought was to back off a few feet, but she told me the French hand soap I was buying was very good in the orange scent and that it doubled as body wash nicely. I took a breath and I thanked her for the tip and she added, ‘You know we have to do what we can and improvise now.’ I responded, ‘It’s not so bad is it?’ She lamented about her out of control curly hair, which I thought was beautiful, and we both agreed that this pandemic has taught us what we really need and what we can live without.

I walked out of the store with a good feeling after that. I’ve rarely exchanged with anyone shopping since we’ve been doing this social distance thing and it felt nice. I like how we concurred on what we truly need now and what we don’t. It’s not by choice, but right now is a trial of sorts. Maybe we don’t have to get our nails, hair, eyelashes, fillers and all that done so frequently to look beautiful. We get a chance to see the real us for a bit, something we can’t when we regularly get colored, manicured, etc. In seeing the results we may be horrified- OR we may see more natural lovely version of ourselves and lose some of those high maintenance habits. Maybe we don’t need as much polish as we think?

I get frustrated with this pandemic and then try hard to look at the lessons it is teaching me. Maybe less is sometimes more. Natural is good. Did we need to shop that much and were we sometimes just shopping to shop? I know I did, but now I have found time for things like gardening and reading instead. Life was too convenient, too frantic and was lacking quality of another kind. That quality is only what can be found at home, with ourselves and our family. It’s everything the slow movement embodies and we are all getting a taste of it. You are either a fan of it at this point or you aren’t and though I miss many things about my previously busy life, there is a lot right now that is good.

Last week I noticed two things I have experienced in Europe only. First, there have been a nice amount of people reading and picnicking in our neighborhood park. In most European towns and cities you can find people reading the newspaper or books in the parks and in any green space and it always makes me appreciate their ‘slow’ kind of life. More than a few days I saw people stretched out with books or leaned against a tree with them. I also saw families on blankets having picnics. It was a nice to see and yes they were distanced from others.

Photos from Sorrento and England I snapped during past vacations of people enjoying slower pursuits.

Max and I have also noticed during the dinner dishes, the clinking sound we only hear in France when it’s dinner time. We have rented apartments in France and always noticed the wonderful sound of dishes and flatware clinking during the dinner hour that you don’t hear any place else. It means people are cooking and taking time to enjoy their lives and food and I love that. I’ll admit it can be a slog and some nights I am burnt out with it all, but most of the time the four of us share in the cooking and clean up and that has made it enjoyable along with the conversation -another unexpected gift. If this pandemic hadn’t happened we wouldn’t have had these leisurely dinners. The guys always had homework and Max was many times exhausted from his commute to San Francisco, or home quite late. Everything here has moved to the 1970’s kind of pace of my childhood and it is nice. Has anyone else felt the quality of life go up with slowing of things?

How are you managing shopping with the mask? I have a few good ones and still I struggle to breathe sometimes while doing errands. My neighbor Abby, who is a talented sewer and junior in high school made me a custom one from vintage fabric I gave her to use for donation masks and I love it…

I also found Lime Tree Designs, from a friend so bought a few there and I can highly recommend them as they arrived quickly, look, feel and fit terrific- and have a place for a filter or paper towel if you want added protection.

I thought this was a very hopeful article this week about the powerful impact of wearing masks when 80% of us comply. This study was based on Japan’s high compliance and they have a tightly crowded society and have not done quarantine. They have had a very low death rate that is just 2% of the U.S. with just 577 deaths to our almost 80,000.

If we want to get back out, we should get used to wearing them for the protection of others and for ourselves all the times we are out doing errand or interacting with others. Exercising in the open may be the exception. We need to stop worrying about what we look like and just make it what we do. The first step is having a few masks that you like wearing and feel comfortable in. The cloth ones are much preferable to paper I can tell you that having had both.

Anthropologie has the biggest collection and choices I have seen. They carry these below by Sanctuary that are 3 for $24 which are cute, have an adjustable nose bridge and a removable polypropylene filter. Antho will donate $5 (the cost of a mask) if you tag #sliceofhappy, @anthropologie, and @getusppe each post to GetUsPPE. Founded by physicians and medical researchers, GetUsPPE works with communities to get PPE to the healthcare workers on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic. I think that is a win-win purchase.

They also carry this bunch by Sanctuary that include a few my guys would wear..

Anthropologie has huge choice of masks from many companies with beautiful fabrics- so you can find your own style here.

Madewell has a pack of three that uses their fabric leftovers and comes with a filter. They are backordered until June 3 right now. Madewell and it’s partner J. Crew have donated 75,000 single use masks to Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

Masks can be found at every price point like these made of vintage Hermes scarves. All 100% of the proceeds go to buy an assistance dog for a diabetic child. You can also send in your own Hermes scarves as a donation and she will make you two masks and keep the rest to sell to raise money.

There are also these very cute Liberty of London fabric masks.

And this version..

You can find a page full of Liberty of London fabric versions on Etsy.

Some of you have made your own and some are wearing scarves. Whatever you do make it easy and something you will get in the habit of wearing. Everyone in your family needs their own designated masks and it is good to have more than one -you need them for the car, your purse, at the front door, so you can always grab it or have it with you.

Finally, have you been finding some good shows and books to chill with? I am wondering if anyone has watched this series, based on the very popular My Brilliant Friend – aka Neopolitan Novels which follow two friends in Naples throughout their lives. I never finished the books, but this looks very good. This is the trailer for the second season..

I love it for the backdrop of Southern Italy. If we can’t travel now maybe we can do it virtually?

On that Italian note, I have it on good authority (thank you Contessa), that this book, The Mother-in-Law’s Cure, is a good escape and funny so and I have just ordered it.

My all time favorite film, which always makes me dream of Italy and travel is Room with a View. If you haven’t seen it or just haven’t in a few decades, it’s one to watch again with the family or all alone absorbing its beauty. Just look how young Maggie Smith and Judy Dench were – mere babes, and Helena Bonham Carter? We played some of the soundtrack for my wedding. Dreaming of Italy…

Ciao for now

Kim

Photo on top from Vanity Fair article linked above. Some links on this post may generate a small commission. Thank you for supporting the blog.

Wallpaper Dreams

January 22, 2020 By kimwheeler 4 Comments

I just got my February issue of AD and am in love with this cover home, a gorgeous California gem in Altadena, California. The whole thing is stunning- the yard and every detail ( cat included.) It renewed my interest in wallpaper and choosing it for the house.

I’ve always planned to wallpaper after the remodel and even had some walls prepped for it. When we first moved in I was all ready and then I got overwhelmed with all the final choices and I just had to put the breaks on making one more decision. I just couldn’t go there with the holidays coming and all. Now that I’ve finished the last bathroom, we are about to get the media room started and I’m feeling ready. I’ve even had dreams about putting it up and not getting it to stay up. Is that a bad omen?

Oh man there are so many choices, too many. I know I want something fun with punch in the new entry, something neutral on the long wall leading into the house that wraps around the dining room, and something floral and romantic in the bedroom. A few choices I’m considering below…

Love this Wave Wallpaper from Anthro.

I think this Lattice Paper is nice for the bedroom- the mint would be pretty with an all white bed, no?

Serena & Lily has many choices and one favorite is the Granada Wallpaper in the Fog/Smoke color. I can see it on my long wall with these tones. Fun, but in this color, a bit chill.

I also adore their Palm Wallpaper which would be cool in the black/ white in the entry and make a statement.

Alternatively in the white/sand for the bedroom..

The other thing Serena & Lily has is grasscloth and I have always loved the look of that. My mother had our living room covered in cocoa colored seagrass growing up and it was very pretty. Just coming back from Hawaii, It’s been on my mind, especially for the entry and long wall. I also like the ability to hang things wherever and not worry too much about wall marks and holes, as I change decor up a lot. Fixing the walls makes my husband nuts, so that’s a plus. Just a few of the pretty grasscloth they offer..

Anthro also carries Farrow & Ball and I’ve had a crush on this Helleborus from Farrow & Ball for a long time. I think in the bedroom this would be so pretty..

Silvergate by F&B is so cool. Would I get sick of this dark color on a long wall or would it be the pop of color this house needs and some fun? It could go only in the entry as another idea.

Truth is I want my house to have that English country house feel – AND a California look. Maybe I’m asking too much!

Obviously I am hiring a pro for this. I am not good with this kind of thing- precision has never been my strong suit.

I have to ask you all- have you done wallpaper and how are you liking it?

Kim

P.S. In that new year, home refresh thing..come back tomorrow for a fun pantry organization collaboration with some friends!

Links on this post and others may sometimes generate commission. Thank you kindly for supporting the blog.

Brocade Baby.. & Other Cool Holiday Fashions

November 24, 2019 By kimwheeler 6 Comments

I saw these J. Crew pants and memories came rushing to me of watching my mom getting dressed for dad’s holiday work parties! It was always a big thing to my mother and I loved when she dressed up. I noticed there are many darling vintage looks out for the holiday season and just had to squeeze a post in about it. I am crazy for these brocades, jacquards and other fabrics that are woven with gilt threads. At some point in my life, I want to wear something beautiful like this to a holiday party!

These jacquard pants are so 1968 I can’t stand it. My mom would have completed this look with her big crystal bracelet, teased hair (thank you Aqua Net),and frosted pale coral lipstick back then. Why not recreate that fun this holiday season with some of the cute offerings right now in the way of brocade, jacquards and other lovely pieces that give a retro feel to holiday looks? I feel like these are things you can keep and wear in many ways year after year for the holidays, New Year’s Eve and other times you want to kick it up a notch.

These cigarette pants are 30% off now with code BRRR. I love them with the sweater for a casual chic look and some big crystal earrings or..

…the whole look! With the gold top, it is the best holiday hostess look ever in my book..

This gold jacquard comes also in a strapless dress, and a pencil skirt.

This cherry blossom top is also ADORABLE and cute whether it’s paired with jeans and drop earrings like here..

Or with the pencil skirt plus a faux fur chubby in a wonderful color!

Something about this little coat I really love and this color spicy jade! What a great name. I’d wear this with jeans more than anything.

The pretty buckle detail of these J Crew sandals is so fun.

The satin slip skirt is back from the 90’s and it’s as flattering and versatile as ever. The J Crew version is on my list especially this adobe color…

The nice thing about these skirts is they can go from easy daytime to night with just the change of a top. The vintage burgundy color is also a great look. These have an elastic pull on waist and are so easy to wear. All the colors here.

They also make a full length version of this skirt and I love it with the turtleneck. Isn’t this a gorgeous color?

The cute retro vibe of this daisy jacquard skirt is another one you could wear so many ways. The zipper is everything.

Another pretty brocade skirt – love the colors!

This Anthro multi-colored mini is fun. You can wear it with a silk blouse to a sweater and always feel festive.

I’m in love with the flowers and colors on this maxi dress from Anthro.

Anthro also offers this swing dress with brocade accents. I love that they have a large amount of its dresses in petite to plus sizes.

Anthropolgie has some darling brocade heels like these with the cutest flowers..

I am in love with these two strap Mary Janes..

They also made them in the prettiest pink..

This navy and gold swing dress would flatter a lot of shapes.

How about this cute gold blouse that has the same 60’s vibe? I’d pair it with cropped pants and flats.

If you want to play it casual, but still look holiday, these gorgeous jacquard pants with tiniest sequins fit the bill. The pattern and color are TDF and this could go with a soft sweater or a simple white button up and big vintage earrings…SO PRETTY!

Trina Turk always does beautiful jacquard and this pant outfit does not disappoint with its graphic design. Top here and pants and there is even a matching clutch! Trina is always a great destination for holiday looks. My brocade clutch I adore and use year after year, is also from Trina.

Madewell has their own version of the gold holiday pant in their signature crop and high waist. It could be very chic with a boxy cashmere sweater.

Accessories are always the most fun part of holiday dressing!

These Jeffery Campbell slides look like something from Dynasty- love it!

They also come in a magical purple..

If you need a higher heel these Jeffery Campbell sandals are Vegas fabulous..

They also come in a lower heel and other pretty colors..

Anthro also has these velvet mini clutches with a pretty chain for $58 if you need a evening bag. It comes in many colors.

Everyone needs a good drop earring for the holidays and it is nice to have a few of these in your jewelry wardrobe. These are $48.

And these hoops , at $38 are a little more on the modern side..

Another wardrobe basic is the sexy, strappy evening sandal. These Jeffery Campbells (he is clearly killing it in the festive shoe category), come in black...

and gold of course…Make sure your pedicure is pretty with these!

Try mixing these looks with vintage costume pieces if you are lucky to have them. This is a great time to add a brooch to a shoulder of a jacket or a top.

This year the holiday season is shorter, so it helps to be thinking what you might need and if you shop early, and pull a look together, you may be able to use it for multiple occasions.

Have fun mixing it up and look to vintage photos for inspiration if it helps! I love these.

Kim

P.S. If you missed the recent holiday dressing post, a group of us shared holiday look ideas with a lot of different looks and thoughts. Links on that blog post for more inspiration!

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Fall Transition Pieces You Need Now

October 24, 2019 By kimwheeler 6 Comments

It was almost 90 degrees in parts of Northern Cal today, and yet last week I had my fireplace on and wore jackets! Fall clothes are especially my thing. I cannot wait for sweaters, scarves and boots, and to prep I cleared out my closet last week. For the first time ever, I stored my summer clothing to make more space and I highly recommend trying it. It’s easy to see my fall faves and to shop what I already own. I organized by color on some shelves..

I was all ready to kill it with my jackets, boots and wraps, then California decides to have a late Summer. Shakespeare actually refers to something called Halloween Summer, meaning the warm time when late October gives way to November. Clothing drawbacks aside, it’s a magical time that makes you want to get outside and capture some of those rays while you still can. It feels like a last chance at summer which I love, but what to wear? I can’t possibly wear boots or a sweater. I’d die by lunchtime on these kind of days at my age, I’m already warm.

So today I did this…Black denim and a plaid blouse-with leather sandals.

This blouse is an Anthro one from years back, still in the closet. For fall, my go-to will be these black Cali Denim from Madewell. I’m in love with the fabric of these jeans and the high waist works with all the shorter boxier tops, and with longer blouses you can try a half-tuck like I’m doing here. To me, they hold you in without feeling tight. I also like the baby flare and ankle length with my slides, sandals and mules. Another similar cute pair is these Everlane Cheeky Straight Jeans in Washed Black.

It’s warm enough that I will probably wear these Everlane sandals another few weeks off and on. In black leather, they feel more back-to-schoolish, if you will, and have been nice with the black denim and my other fall closet staple- grey jeans.

I’m loving the return of black and grey and that almost 90’s monochromatic look to fashion. The grey and black jeans work with so much. I bought this Paige pair for my London trip and they’ve been perfect for now. I paired them with a Grayson white button-up and the same sandals again on a warm day in Pebble Beach.

Something about these Paige brand Transcend denim jeans helps hold their shape better than regular denim and make them very comfortable. They don’t get baggy. They also do the grey Transcend denim in this style as well.

When you aren’t ready for boots, but it’s too cool for sandals, mules are the perfect transitional shoe. I’ve had my eye out for a good suede pair, including these from Jenni Kayne, but at The Rack the other day I found these below that looked good and felt well made for the cost.

Sometimes I can’t wait to wear my new sweaters. If it’s too hot, use it as a accessory! I bought this camo sweater back in August, but I wrapped it loosely around my waist. I also have on the shoulders in the photo above. I love the blue in this sweater which makes it kind of different and it’s also very soft. Sometimes I just have my sweater tucked in my bag, hanging out a bit for color. The if the weather changes, or your out for the evening, your set!

If you can’t do a full jacket try a sweater jacket with shorter sleeves. This Anthro sweater jacket was a find thanks to a meet up with my blogger pals, Mary Ann and Cindy last week at Stanford. (Photos on my Instagram. )

It’s bell sleeves and soft material made me like it right away. It’s also the perfect transition piece for California fall days and evenings. You can let longer sleeves peek out for a different look. Most of all, it’s just super cute on everyone- who tried it. Below I wore it with some of the same pieces for dinner out.

The top is also an Anthro top I bought more than a year ago, but they still carry, now with flutter sleeves. It’s a nice gold/silver tone that everyone comments on and is a fun piece to have in the closet for evenings and when you’re feeling festive.

My earrings are my Ippolita Jet Set earrings I bought at her show last year. I don’t own a lot of earrings, but these dress up anything and can work day or night. I pretty much wear these or my small diamond studs now. I’m trying to simplify and got rid of a lot in the last year with the two moves. It feels good to have less and just a few nice pieces that look good with most everything.

Lastly, Anthro brought back the most worn item I’ve ever owned. I originally bought the Colette Silk Cami, in a deep green version years ago for under a jacket at the holidays. Since then, it’s become something I love to sleep in and it feels amazing against your skin, under sweaters or blouses. I often regretted not buying others and then this year they brought it back in taupe, opaque white and black. I am tempted to get more than one color.

If you buy this, I promise it will be a wardrobe staple and for $68 it more than pays for itself. I am usually a 6-8 and bought a size medium which is very flattering the way it skims the body. It’s the perfect thing under a small cardigan or jacket when it is autumn! I just wear a regular bra with pretty straps with it and let them show if I remove a jacket or cardigan.

Two other very ‘fall’ items that popped up on my feed today and would work now…

Loving this plaid popover at Madewell, reminds me of my Anthro top I keep bringing out each fall, and you could dress this up with boots and a skirt beautifully.

How sweet is this Sydney Lace Blouse for any fall gatherings? I am a sucker for these autumnal colors. I noticed they paired this with black jeans also.

Looks like black jeans are big for fall!

I’ve really missed doing fashion posts with all the house stuff. This is how I’ve felt the last few months…