California Winter Coat + Count Your Blessings

Today, I was planning on telling you guys about this pretty Winter white coat that I recently bought, or maybe writing about the fun weekend we had planned with friends...but life decided otherwise. 

These photos were taken on Valentine's Day, after the rain had subsided a bit. By California standards, it was freezing cold. 

Wearing // Old Navy coat, Wit & Wisdom jeans, Sam Edelman flats

Last Friday, Nate injured his hand at work. That wasn't the bad part though. After seeing the blood, he fainted and went down hard on the concrete of his shop. He lost consciousness for a few seconds and them came to with a circle of terrified co-workers surrounding him. I got the call around lunchtime, and by the sound of his voice, I knew something had happened. 

We spent the rest of the day in the emergency room, where thank God the doctors told us that his cat-scan was normal. He had a concussion and a cut on the back of his head from falling, but luckily nothing too serious. It could have been much worse. We spent the rest of our weekend mostly lying in bed listening to podcasts. We were supposed to go up north for a festival with our dear friends, but obviously that didn't happen after doctor's orders for strict "brain rest." My big outing was taking Nettie to the dog groomer. 

I don't mean to make things sound more dramatic than they were, but the whole episode scared me and it's definitely forced me to put life into perspective (yet again). I mostly feel like I stumble and wander through my days, constantly taking things for granted. It's sad that it takes something like this to re-focus on the things that matter, the blessings we all have that take a backseat in daily life. 

I counted my blessings all weekend. I'll talk about my coat some other time 💗

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Blush On Valentine's Day

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and while the general consensus this year seems to be one of indifference, I'm actually looking forward to it!

Nevermind that I'm 34 and married 5 years.

Or that it sorta feels like a made-up holiday.

I still enjoy any excuse for Nate to bring me flowers, even if it's mandated by the greeting card industry.

This is what I'll be wearing tomorrow, whatever we do! Usually we go out for dinner and drinks, and this cozy blush sweater will be perfect. I ordered it from Revolve last weekend and immediately fell in love with the color.

Wearing // Heartloom sweater on sale, Wit & Wisdom denim, Steve Madden shoes on sale

I know I've told this story before, but I met Nate in 2003 when I was 18 and he was 21. We had a mutual friend that set us up to go on a blind date. It was supposed to be on Valentine's Day, but I postponed the date because I had prior plans with my girlfriends. Looking back, I can't help but admire my chutzpah. I mean I no longer know some of those girls because we parted ways after graduation...but I was in no hurry to ditch my friends for a guy.

We instead went out a couple nights later and it was like at first sight. We continued seeing each other for a few months, broke up for a couple years, then reconnected again, and the rest is history. This is probably why I enjoy Valentine's Day, as it brings me right back to 18 and all those fun, crazy emotions of first love. Luckily for me, my first love became my forever love - and now I'm blushing, so I'll stop there.

Do you celebrate at all? Either way, Happy Valentine's to you 💗

Linking up with Gina and Amy Ann

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Building a classic wardrobe

As I get older, I approach style very differently than I used to. I used to dress mostly to please others, and to convey an image of who I wanted to be. Now that I'm in my thirties, I dress mostly to please myself, and to convey an image of who I am presently. In other words, what you see is what you get. And that makes getting dressed everyday so much more enjoyable.

Whatever your style may be, there are certain classic pieces that look amazing on everyone and are sure to save you time and effort. Consider them the building blocks of a practical, thoughtful, and yes even chic wardrobe. 

Wearing // Old Navy jeans, Similar striped shirt, Similar soft trench coat, Sam Edelman flats, Similar bag, Gorjana sunburst coin necklace

Beauty // Oribe anti-humidity spray

Key Pieces For Building A Classic Wardrobe

Neutral-colored soft trench coat: A soft trench coat is obviously less structured than a traditional trench coat, but it still looks just as polished. The one I'm wearing is a few years old from Macy's, but brands like Express and Asos have had versions every year. I find the draping of these coats extremely flattering.

Stripe t-shirt or top: Who doesn't own at least one striped top? Put it to use as often as possible!

Perfectly lived-in denim: There's nothing like your favorite pair of perfectly soft, slouchy, lived-in jeans. It doesn't matter the brand, as long as they fit like a glove. These are my most-worn pair of Old Navy rockstar jeans, and I wear them weekly. The lighter wash and (very slight) distressing make for an instant classic pair.

Red bag: Red is such a power color, and a great leather crossbody bag can take you from day to night and from the office to happy hour. It really adds instant polish to any look.

Pointy-toe flats: Not everyone likes flats, and not everybody finds them comfortable, but I've been a pointy-toe flats girl since Stacy London championed them on "What Not To Wear" about a decade ago. They're great for lengthening your legs when you're not into heels.

Wear all of these pieces together, add a current trend to break up the look, or mix them in with your other wardrobe favorites. Classic doesn't have to = boring!


I hope you had a great weekend! Linking up with Pink Sole

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The Monthly Edit // January

"Style should be seasonless"

I've decided to begin a new monthly blog series where I share my favorite beauty, fashion, or lifestyle picks for that specific month - anything that stands out! This month I've focused more on beauty treatments, and I freshened up my hair color as well. I know I have zero room to complain about the weather, but it's been one of the coldest Winters I can remember here and getting dressed every morning has been challenging. Not because "I don't have a thing to wear" but because my only objective at the moment is keeping warm. True style should be seasonless, but that's easier said than done! 

The January Edit:

L'Oreal Rouge Signature Lasting Matte Liquid Lipsticks in "I Rule" and "I Create." I was sent these courtesy of Influenster and I can't get enough of these two shades. I Rule is the perfect dark nude that doesn't wash my pale skin out. I Create is my comfort zone shade, a beautiful rosy mauve. Both apply like a stain and last for hours. I just add a lip balm on top for moisture and the combination is perfect for Winter. 

My hair stylist (whom I adore and consider a friend) brightened up my balayage and I just love the outcome. She understands what I want - low maintenance, shiny, and natural looking color.

Things I loved in January: 
I started following this funny animal account on Twitter.
Began planning our road trip to Wyoming in the Summer.
Got together with my blogging bestie for her birthday.
I wore these white slingbacks almost daily. 

Things I didn't love in January:
Nettie got surgery on her left hind leg. She's fine but the whole process is exhausting.
I didn't want to get dressed this month. My daily look consisted of denim and a pullover sweater or cardigan.
All kinds of crazy clickbait, whether it was a blogger's post that had nothing to do with the title, or headlines that were inaccurate.

So tell me, what would your January edit look like? Any major highs or lows?

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