Must Have: Wide Brimmed Hats

Wide Brimmed Hat Love 

Besides my ever-growing & unhealthy obsession with stripes and plaid (I think I need therapy), I have been called by a higher power to find the perfect wide brimmed hat.  Dramatic.  Yes, indeed.  But, I have been looking for that perfect hat to add to my collection (I have a lot of hats).  Hats are an essential accessory to any outfit in my opinion.  In fact, I feel naked when I am not wearing one!  I love them so!  It takes a certain quiet bravery to rock a damn good hat, ya know what I mean?  I totally made that up, but I love a girl in a hat.  Sigh.  I also have an image of the perfect wide brimmed hat that I am seeking in my head: felt or wool, maybe a little worn & roughed up from years of use, a thin leather band wrapped sweetly around the magical hat, a deep chestnut or dusty gray hue and a nice wide brim.  End of story.  I have yet to come across it on my thrift store jaunts and may have to pay a little more for one somewhere else-eek.  My obsession with the wider brimmed hats is obvious if you follow me on Pinterest.  Ridiculous and out of hand I tell you.  The hats & the stylish ladies donning perfectly wide brims above are my current favorites.  That blue one is dreamy!  So, is a wide brimmed hat a must?  Duh, of course!  I'd love to know how you would style yours?!!

xo, B   

Tomboy, Polka-Dots & Stripes #4

TPS Winter 

I am really feeling that girls style above-super classic basics (hello white collared shirt & fitted navy blazer!) paired with casual sneakers, bright red sweater and a chunky beanie.  It's what I want to wear everyday when it's a tad chilly out (So-Cal winter).  

My picks for polka-dots this week combine my love affair with beanies and Chucks.  I wear one or the other almost everyday (I have a lot of bad hair days it seems).  So two of my favs splattered with dots?  Yes please! 

Finally, the striped duffle/overnight bag is what I have been looking for in a weekend bag.  It's simple and practical, but very stylish.  It's a little out of my price range, but I am on the lookout for a bargain version.  And I think the polka-dotted Converse sneakers could be DIYed!  

This That These: Winter Edition

This That These: Winter Edition

Sharing some of my recent obsessions today.  I am so smitten with all of the cozy beanies I see everywhere!  But I am even more in love if the beanie has a poufy pom-pom adorning the tip top-such a sweet whimsical detail!  I have also rekindled my romance with vintage (or vintage inspired) sweaters.  I have dug through my closet to find a few of my dearest ones & especially like the ones that are a wee too small & have funny graphics.  The Poler one above is a new fav, with such a great fit and color.  I really dig anything that reminds me of camping or has camping references-perhaps due to my desire to find myself in Big Sur sometime soon.  My other crazy obsession is day packs!  I mean, my Pinterest is filled with rad day packs that I would love to own.  Out of control!  Day packs are such a lifesaver-fitting everything you need into one convenient and stylish pack.  Sigh.  I have my heart set on that kaki Poler one above!!

In other news, I still have an unhealthy obsession with anything Pendleton and socks.  I am the kind of girl who would spend a lot of money on socks if you let me.  So bad.  And lastly, I am on the hunt for an awesome overnight/duffle bag.  Traveling over the holidays made it very clear to me that my current travel bag situation is no good.  I really like the new Baggu weekend bag.  Any thoughts?  

Ahhhh, it's good to get bloggin' again folks!  

Tomboy, Polka-Dots & Stripes

TPS: Layers 

I am endlessly inspired by all of the super cozy autumn/winter tomboy layers I am seeing everywhere!  Keeping it fresh, strong, classic and cool while adding just the right amount of wooly coats, chunky socks, leather boots, thick scarves and piled on cardigans.  I dig this ladies slouchy beanie, which dresses down her chic camel coat and slick boots.

I am liking my polka-dots wickedly girly lately, with sweet feminine details like the lace collar and fuzzy cashmere above.  Pair it with a motorcycle style boot and a felt hat and you are golden. 

Finally, the striped bow tie is the perfect mixture of two of my fav style elements, combining tomboy prep with those luscious pops of stripes, to make your collared button-ups dazzle on those dreary days.  This outfit is making me excited for those foggy and chilly days ahead!  Our firewood is drying out & will be ready for a sparkling fire any day now-eeeeep!  

Model/Real Life: Autumn Overalls

Model/Real Life: Overalls 

Welcome November!

A dress?  Overalls?  It's both!  And it's so 90s cool that I was taken back to my junior high days just like that.  I found this great little dress at the Goodwill in Oxnard a while back and was instantly drawn to the autumn color pallet and funky tribal-like design.  Then I saw that it was a dress that looked like overalls and had buttons down the side-totally whimsical details that I adore!  Sold.  Oh, and breastfeeding friendly to boot!  

So the Hub, Mister Boy and I made our way up to Ojai one sunny & super warm Sunday to hit up their beautiful Farmer's Market.  I threw on my overall dress, since it's such an easy piece to just throw on (those 90s pieces were oh so breezy weren't they?!!) and paired it with my newly thrifted leather lace-up boots (another 90s gem from Nine West-holla!).  The boots added the perfect Fall detail while I kept pretty cool in the easy, breezy dress.  The overall outfit ended up looking like a bohemian-90s-grunge-My So Called Life dream.  Amazing!  

Our day was great too, with yummy butternut squash bought to make soup and a baby who cooled off in a water fountain.  Maverick loves the water and was so brave, just sitting right in the middle of the fountain and trying to climb atop of it!  He was quite the little entertainer.  I am so thankful for lovely Fall days spent outside under the warm sunshine.

This That These: Sweater Round-Up

Sweater Love 

I have been dreaming about these lovely sweaters for a while now, even though the weather here in Southern California is confused.  It's Autumn, by the way!  Just making sure you know that, So. Cal.  It's sunny, bright and warm here still-which I love and appreciate.  However, I wouldn't mind a stormy cool day here and there.  I enjoy layering up & became quite the master at it when I lived in San Francisco, so I would relish in a chance to put those spiffy skills to use.  

These sweaters are the perfect Fall companion, right as rain (see what I did there) paired with skinny jeans and ankle boots for our version of Fall in Ventura.  No need for scarves or beanies.  Just an easy light sweater to throw on once the temps dip a bit.  I am particularly smitten with that vintage pink polka-dotted one!  Time to choose a cozy sweater or two to enjoy the Fall season in! 

♥

Check my Pinterest for more stylish sweaters! 

Tomboy, Polka-Dots & Stripes!

TPS #2 (click here for item details)

Tomboy---I really dig preppy styles that are a bit messed up looking.  And, those socks with those loafers are where it's at.

Polka-Dots----a simple, work-horse cardigan gets a little whimsy when you add polka-dots.  I have a vintage Gap dotted cardigan that I wear with everything!

Stripes----basic flats in classic navy and white stripes are perfection with jeans and tees.

xo, Happy Monday! 

Tomboy, Polka-Dots & Stripes #1

Getting back into blogging has been so much fun!  I have been working on what sort of things I really enjoy writing about and what features I want to make a regular thing around here.  I am slowly getting my groove!  I think that my posts on Motherhood, Model/Real Life and Mister Boy updates will all be regular features.  As well as my weekly roundup on Friday's, I will also have my "This That These" post and my newest feature, TPS (Tomboy, Polka-dots & Stripes).

This feature combines two of my favorite style elements, showcasing my newfound love for classic, chic and comfortable fashion.  It also includes my love for women who have the confidence to wear menswear or masculine-inspired women's-wear: adventurous & cool tomboys!  I think this fun feature represents my aesthetic very well!  Of course, I will always add a little whimsy!  Enjoy!

TPS #1 

1. Grandpa gingham never looked so cool rolled at the ankles & in such pretty colors!  The cut-off tee is the perfect everyday, "I don't care" tomboy element.

2. Cashmere sweater in two-tone stripes-perfect fall colors and for layering.

3. Polka-Dot lace up flats can be worn seamlessly with boyfriend jeans & leggings (does anyone know the source for these?)  

Which one is your favorite?

A Few Things...

A Few Fall Things (click here for item details)

Just a few lovely things to make you cozy...

xo, Benicia 

Model/Real Life: Ikat

Model/Real Life: Ikat 

A friend of mine told me that Ikat means "to bind" in Malay.  I think this meaning is beautiful and I smile to myself whenever I see the Ikat pattern.

I found this amazing Ikat printed skirt at one of the downtown thrift shops and was instantly taken with the colors.  I love the combination of the warm mustard and the deep plum.  Perfect colors for Fall.  This skirt has amazing texture and I was delighted to discover pockets once I got it home!  I wore the heck out of it this summer, pairing it with woven sandals.  Today I decided to test it out with my new favorite pair of boots.  Ikat is a pretty bold print and a little goes a long way, so I downplayed my outfit with a basic tee and minimal accessories.  I also included a very special model in this one! 

After looking at these, I realized that this skirt might look even better hemmed a bit...what do you guys think?  Oh, and please forgive some of the awkward poses and such, my husband thought it was funny to crack me up while snapping photos!  

What do you think of the guest model? 

The Details:

Vintage Skirt-thrifted

Boots-thrifted ($5!!)

Grey tee-thrifted

Woven Hat-belonged to Toby's Papa

Handmade Cigar Necklace-made with love by Faith 

Model/Real Life: Seeing Dots

Model/Real Life: Dots 

I absolutely adore polka dots!  I mean, like totally am in love with them.  I would wear them from head to toe if I could-who am I kidding, I probably will!  Polka dots simply make me smile.  They have the ability to make an everyday outfit fun and in turn, can be clean and chic in subtle doses.  

I found this simple vintage tank top at the thrift shop for $2 the other day and squealed silently in delight when I spied the little polka dots on it.  These dots remind me of Wonder Bread, since they are yellow, red and blue.  This top is comfy and easy to throw on, which is a priority for this mom.  I like how it adds a little color and jazz to basic jeans, which I wore because we were running around doing errands & eating Indian burritos (epic!)  And it would look cute with a denim button up layered over it or with boyfriend jeans like how the pretty lady above rocked her dots.  Had to include Mister Boy because he made me look ten times cuter!  

The Details:

Vintage 80s Top-thrifted

Jeans-thrifted skinnies

Vintage woven sandals-thrifted

Vintage wool hat-passed down from my Nana 

Gold "Love" necklace-handmade by Faith

Backpack-Baggu

Baby-made by me!

Model/Real Life: Turban Into Fall

A little style post to get the weekend going.  Since I cut my hair into a shorter bob, I have been revisiting my scarf collection and tying my favorite ones into chic turban styles.  This style looks so cute with short hair and gives you some versatility.  It's also a wonderful layering accessory that helps transition any outfit into fall!  I love the model's thicker, interlocking turban paired with a messy bun in back.  Hair scarves are always classic.  And with fall upon us (I weep for the loss of summer), I will be sharing more go-to transitional pieces and styling to get you set!  In the meantime, keep rockin' those breezy summer cut-offs and Saltwater sandals.

Model/Real Life: Double Denim

I have finally felt confident enough to do an outfit post!  And, it wasn't so bad.  I really missed doing these, especially since I did one a few times a week over on the Love Fox blog!  Here is one of my favorites from the past if you're interested.  I didn't get too many shots because I was all sorts of awkward and dorky feeling-ha!  

The Hubs, Mister Boy and I took a day trip to the whimsical and cute as a button beach town that is Carpinteria and this is what I wore.  I have been completely inspired by all of the great denim looks I have seen online & out on the street.  Double denim is especially rockin' my world right now.  The model version above is so effortless and cool.  My real life version includes my go-to sleeveless denim top that has been a summer staple of mine.  I love those snap buttons-great for breastfeeding on the go-holla to the mama's out there!  And, I cut my hairs while I was in San Francisco!  A shorter bob.  I think I really love it!  

the details:

Denim top-thrifted vintage Gap

Skinny jeans-thrifted

Vintage braided belt-thrifted

Vintage straw sun hat-thrifted ($2)

Woven tote-thrifted

Friendship bracelets-found these at the Fair!! I know, so awesome!

White Worishofer's-thrifted at the Salvation Army for $3.50!! A steal! And, yes they are the most comfortable shoes eva! 

Pattern Love

Lovely prints & color from around my home & the Farmer's Market...

I am a big fan of patterns and prints.  You usually won't find me just wearing one solid color (I can't do the whole color block thing, I tried, but I ended up with a print somewhere).  There are so many delightful patterns at every corner!  I have filled our little home with all sorts of pretty printed textiles and I recently noticed the similarity between some of those prints and those I spied in nature (or, in this case my local Farmer's Market).  I spied more contrasting yet complementary patterns on my go-to inspiration boards on Pinterest.  Those shoes and that chair are pure magic together!  And the Mexican blanket pouch plays off that amazing girls boldly printed scarf and brightly colored bird perfectly.  It's amazing how certain prints can evoke a mood or feeling...these are filling my heart with blissful summer wonderment and a restless sense of adventure!  

xo, B

➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣➣ 

The Ultimate

For me, the ultimate go-to piece this summer has been a sleeveless denim button up.  I am actually pretty obsessed with denim looks right now.  Denim is so easy to wear & can be easily altered from preppy fun to worn in cool.  I am currently loving my denim with a little 90s messiness  or 70s bohemian flare.  Denim button ups or men's collared shirts are perfect for layering, look so cute tied up front with a maxi skirt and double as a cover-up at the beach.  Here are some of my fav looks from around the web...

Look 1/2/3/4

Here's my ultimate summer go-to outfit.  I have been wearing some variation of this all summer long!  It's just so easy, comfortable and chic.  Cheers to summer! 

The Ultimate Summer Essentials 

What I'm Dreaming Of...Apricot & Butter

Summer Outfit #4

Summer is slowly winding down and before we know it, fall will be here.  Gotta enjoy the the slower pace and simplicity that summer brings before it slips through my fingers!  Here is my dream summer outfit for the week...something I'd wear while spending a day in sunny LA, browsing at the Melrose Trading Post and eating cupcakes.

These embroidered Mexican style dresses are a breeze to throw on and looks chic when belted.  I love the classic accessories this girl is rockin', like the large mens watch and leather cross-body bag.  Here is my version in my favorite summer hue-apricot! 

Vagabond sandals

Ray Ban Clubmaster sunnies

Nixon watch

Topshop skinny belt

I'm Dreaming Of... A Deserted Beach (Summer Outfit #3)

This is my favorite summer dreaming outfit so far.  I love the simplicity, easiness and the desert inspired colors of this photo.  It's what you wear to the beach on one of those foggy, cool early mornings.  Bring along a warm wool blanket and a thermos of hot coffee and listen to the waves.  That's all.  And that's perfect.  

I rarely wear white, even though I appreciate the cleanness and freshness of it.  So, I'd wear a chambray sleeveless blouse instead or roll the sleeves up on the men's collared chambray top I have in my closet.  And a large blanket scarf does double duty as a cover up for chilly shoulders and as a beach blanket.  This image is from Kinfolk, found via my Pinterest.  And, it is an outfit that can be worn after the beach at an intimate dinner gathering-easy to lounge and relax in.  Here's my take on this lovely tomboy style...

What I'm Dreaming Of...My Summer Outfit

Images found in my Pinterest

Summer is all about easy-easy days lounging on the cool grass, easy treats like ice cream and easy dressing.  Easy is especially good when you are a mom.  Lately, I have been a much simpler dresser-opting for comfy tees and flowing maxi skirts.  When the weather is warm and sunny, I like to get outside as soon as I can.  That's where a simple, comfy and cute go-to outfit comes in handy!  And, I found my dream summer outfit: a pair of high-waisted shorts, a cropped tee, boater hat, cut-out style oxfords and a classic leather satchel.  This outfit works for warmer days by the ocean and as something I can really live in while walking with my little guy everyday.  Here is my version of this super versatile summer look!

  

I opted for a floral pair of high-waisted shorts, freeing my inner 90's girl, but I would also rock a simple linen or cotton pair in that amazing rust color!  A striped, cropped tee would also work well with these shorts for some cooky pattern play.  I also choose a felt boater hat, since it's still pretty cool by the ocean during summer so I can get away with it.  But, a cute straw-like one would work great for warmer weather.  I love the idea of a pair of leather oxfords with cooling cutouts for summer & a classic leather satchel like the Madewell one above is all you need on your sunny adventures. ♥

Whimsical Mama Style

Ok Mama's out there, this one is for you.  Especially if you insist on remaining true to your style roots even while pregnant, with a growing belly (among other growing things) and all.  When I blogged for Love Fox Vintage (my previous vintage shop's little blog), I began weekly style posts on styling non-maternity clothing during pregnancy.  You can check out a few of those posts here and here.  

It was a fun challenge to see what I could come up with without spending money on maternity clothes that I would only wear for a couple of months.  Well, I'm still pregnant and still the same old Benicia who loves fashion and way too many accessories!  And if you are also pregnant and love to look stylish, chic, on trend or simply cute-I have some tips for you & a fun look to inspire your bulging belly dress up days!  Hooray!  

Who said you have to wear maternity clothes while you are pregnant?!  Not I!  First of all, they can get quite pricey & you won't wear them forever-something about that combination drives my recycling/frugal self crazy!  The solution?  First, look in your closet-you may be surprised to find some forgiving shapes & fabrics that can accommodate your growing bump for a while.  I found vintage shift dresses, empire waisted dresses & tunics, stretchy maxi dresses and anything flowy & hippie especially fitting.  Second, hit up the thrift stores and look for larger sizes (this one is fun too because you still get to shop but at way less the price tag).  I found lots of comfy, basic tees and dresses for a few dollars here and there.  Finally, do invest (moderately, of course) in a few great pairs of stretchy, trusty yoga pants and leggings-they will be your best friends!  And, if a rad friend gives you a couple pairs of those funky maternity jeans-take them!  Because lord knows, sometimes you just want to wear a pair of jeans, even if they are pull-up style.

This tip comes in handy when all you wanna do is wear the same comfy leggings everyday!  All you gotta do to take that "everyday" outfit to new heights, is accessorize!  This tip is true for all of life's fashion challenges, pregnant or not.  Adding a brightly printed scarf, a pair of leather & metal earrings, a bold statement necklace, chunky knee-high socks or a great pair of beat-up leather boots will bump your bump up so many levels!  Plus, it's cheaper to invest in on-trend accessories than the whole outfit-so you can still look foxy all 9 months.  I also tried my hand at fun hair styles, pretty lipstick and hats.

Here's my look, incorporating most of the little tips (minus the maternity jeans-yep, I am wearing a pair) above and going for a 70s vibe.  I had this pretty lace top already (a gift from my mom) and it's the perfect length to cover up my bum while wearing leggings & it just looks lovely peeking out.  The floral 1970s wrap top is one of my favorite pieces that I bought right before I knew I was pregnant, so I didn't get to wear it all that much.  Well, I decided to wear it anyway, tying it in the front since it won't wrap around my expanded waistline!  I love the sleeves on the blouse & the layers of pretty florals & lace.  And, I wore my hair in milk-braids with pieces of leather here and there-so cute!  A dangly pair of boho earrings and my moccasins and I am set!  All pieces found in my closet already-hooray for mama style!