This past week I celebrated my thirtieth birthday and it was a pretty spectacular experience that included a family dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco (restaurant review upcoming), a trip to Sonoma, wine tastings, and a weekend in Glen Ellen with my family & friends.
Here are some highlights from my birthday weekend!


{My colleagues are so amazing – I’m a lucky girl!}




{Wine tasting, delicious food, fabulous views – Living the DREAM}

{We’re a fashionable crowd}







{Speaking of lucky…}
Thank you to all of my friends & family who helped make my 30th birthday weekend so amazing & memorable – I appreciate it more than I can say!
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November 7, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, Fitness, Food | Tags: Apple tart, Audelessa, Autumn, b-day, Benzinger, Birthday, birthday celebration, birthday dinner, Birthday dress, Birthday flowers, Birthday gifts, Birthday party, Blogger, Blogger birthday, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, bouquet, California, California fashion, California style, chocolate cupcakes, Cookies, cupcakes, Dairy-free, Desserts, Fall, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Dress, Fall 2012 Dresses, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 Street Style, Fall 2012 Streetstyle, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Styling, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall dress, Fall dresses, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall Style, Fall Styling, Fall trends, family trip, family vacation, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger birthday, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, Ferry Building, Ferry Building Farmer's Market, Ferry Building Market Place, Figs, flowers, fruit tart, Garden Court, Garden Court Cafe, gifts, Glen Ellen, Glen Ellen Cottage, Glen Ellen Inn, Glen Ellen Inn Cottages, Glen Ellen Restaurant, Glen Ellen Vineyard, Glen Ellen Wine Tasting, Glen Ellen Winery, Glunte-free Food, gluten free dessert, Gluten intolerance, gluten intolerant, Gluten-free, Gluten-free bar, Gluten-free cookie, Gluten-free cupcake, gluten-free desserts, gluten-free diet, gluten-free menu, Gluten-free muffin, Gluten-Free Pastries, gluten-free restaurant, grain-free, Greens, Greens Restaurant, Halloween, Holiday season, Holidays, Long Weekend, Mariposa, Mariposa Bakery, milk-free, Northern California, Pardon My French, Pardon My French Sweater, Restaurants, San Francisco, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco restaurants, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, San Francisco Vegan, San Francisco vegetarian, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF gluten-free restaurant, SF Restaurant, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SF Vegan, SF Vegetarian, Sonoma, Sonoma restaurant, Sonoma Square, Sonoma Vinea\yard, Sonoma Wine Tasting, Sonoma Winery, SunFlower Cafe, Sunflower Caffe, Three day weekend, trip, vacation, Vegan, Vegan Bakery, vegan cookies, Vegan cupcakes, vegan dessert, Vegan fruit tart, Vegan life, vegan lifestyle, Vegan living, vegan muffins, Vegan Pastries, vegan restaurants, Vegan tart, veganism, Vegetarian, Vegetarian Bakery, Vegetarian life, vegetarian lifestyle, Vegetarian living, Vegetarian Pastries, Vegetarian restaurants, vegetarianism, Vineyard, wine tasting, Winery | 7 Comments
So far I’ve gotten around to sharing with you my adventures at the IFB Conference in New York last week, as well as what I wore on the first day of the festivities, so today I’m here to share my outfit for the second day of the conference.

{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Leather Trimmed Skirt – See by Chloe, Leopard Print Collared Blouse – Zara, T-Strap Heels – Zara, Gold Spiked Bracelet – Asos.com & Gold Studded Bracelet – Forever 21}

{If you like this look you can HYPE it on Lookbook.nu}

Check out more outtakes from this shoot here – just log into Facebook to view
I actually flew home in this and was impressed by how comfortable the whole outfit was – That’s not an easy flight and an uncomfortable top or bottom can make it all the more miserable. I’ve definitely regretted more than one outfit over the years!
Do you dress up when you travel? It’s something that I’ve always done, because of my old-school love of formality and because I used to have to dress up to travel for sports. I like to be comfortable, but I definitely put in some effort, what about you?
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September 11, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, MCLV Style | Tags: a-line mini, Asos, Asos Fashion Finder, Asos.com, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, blogger style, button-up back, California, California fashion, California style, Chloe, Collared blouse, East coast style, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Style, Forever 21, IFB, IFBCON, Independent Fashion Bloggers, leather trimmed, Leather trimmed skirt, leopard print, leopard print collared blouse, Lookbook.nu, Mini skirt, neutral skirt, New York, New York City, Northern California, NYC, NYC fashion, NYC Fashion Blogger, NYC Street Style, NYC Style, personal style, San Francisco, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco style, See by Chloe, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF Street Style, SF Style, Spike bracelet, Spiked, Spiked bracelet, Spikes, Street style, Streetstyle, Studded, Studded bracelet, Studs, Style, T-Strap heels, T-Straps, tan skirt, The Outnet, West coast style, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara shoes | 5 Comments
For this Summary Saturday I want to share some of my Instagrams from the past week or two with you all. Everything from jewelry and clothes to snacks and vegan recipes – Enjoy!

- Instagram – You can follow me on Instagram @moicontrelavie
- Twitter – You can follow me on Twitter @moicontrelavie
- Pinterest – You can follow my Pinterest boards here
- Facebook– You can LIKE my Facebook page here
- Lookbook – You can see my Lookbook looks here, you can FAN me to get an email update when I post a new look, or you can HYPE my looks if you like them!
Have a great weekend!
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July 28, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, Fitness, Food, MCLV Style | Tags: Asos, Asos.com, bangles, BCBG, bling, bracelet, bug jewelry, California, Catstagram, chicken, coffee, Farmer's Market, Fashion, Fitness, Food, fresh fruit, fresh produce, fruit, health, Instagram, jewelry, Layering, Necklace, new shoes, Northern California, physical therapy, Pleated Skirt, pleats, Prada, produce, ring, Sacramento, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco style, SF, shopping, stacking, Street style, Style, Sugar Plum Bakery, Summer style, Vegan Bakery, vegan recipe, Veuve, working out, workouts for beginners, Workoutsw | 1 Comment
I’m here today to give you a Week II breakdown for Definitely RA‘s 2012 fashion challenge – Mission: Put Together (similar to Freckles In Aprils’ 10 Day Style Challenge from earlier in the year) – my initial post on Week I post was published on May 15th. Clearly I’ve had a hectic Spring, but I’m glad that I’m finally sharing these fun pictures.
Ready for some color?

Week #2 was about one thing – Prints Prints Prints! I went from a solid black girl to mixing patterned pieces like a pro, the very reason that I wanted to take on this challenge in the first place.
Summer Stripes:
I feel like I should preference this by saying that this is the first time I’ve worn shorts since JUNIOR HIGH.

Striped Top: Zara, Royal Blue Shorts: Zara, Sandals: Vintage, Black Bag: Chanel, Sunglasses: Christian Dior, & Jewelry: JewelMint
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.

I traded in my vintage sandals for MaddenGirl heels to grab a glass of wine outside at a cafe.
That’s right. Junior High.
And of course I paired these too-cute bright blue Zara shorts with fun zipper details with a basic striped T-shirt. We all know how much I love stripes!
Polka Dots:

Polka Dot Blouse: Zara, Pleated Chiffon Mini Skirt: Zara, Black Blazer: Aqua, Clutch: Chanel, & Nude Heels: BCBGeneration
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
I was totally mad for this outfit! Every once in a while I put something together that makes me just plain excited to go outside. And this is an example of that. I was bouncing around like a sugar-crazed little kid while Sean and I were waiting to meet my parents for dinner that night. I couldn’t even wait until after dinner to take pictures, we ran across the street from the restaurant after placing our orders to take these shots.

People were definitely stopping to stare at us while we were taking these pictures in Washington Square Park. I think trying to figure out who I was and why I was posing for photographs on a bike path…
Graffiti Girl:
When I saw this dress I knew it had to be mine.

Geometric Print Dress: Mango, T-Strap Heels: Zara, and Handbag: Zara
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
I have a bad habit of wearing dresses that aren’t ideal for my body type. For example, I absolutely adore 6o’s mod-inspired styles and shift dresses, which are better suited for someone with a boyish figure – a la Twiggy.
Flower Child:
What do you wear when it’s gorgeous out on a lazy Sunday morning? Go hippie of course! And since I wanted to stay true to the challenge, I made sure to pick a fun floral printed dress to run errands in.

While I adore this print, what really made this dress stand out to me was the crocheted strip around the middle. Such a fun, unique detail.

Floral Dress: Vintage, Sunglasses: D&G, Cross-Body Bag: BCBGeneration & Floral Cuff: Vintage
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
Print On Print:
Who would have ever guessed that me, the girl who wore nothing but solid black for years, would be involved in something as crazy as pattern mixing?

I love this dress and I’ve worn it a few times this season, but it was really fun to try to pick out a great patterned bag to pair with it this time, something that I wouldn’t necessary choose during a random wearing.

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer via Bloomingdale’s, Sandals: Vintage, Striped Tote: Forever 21, Charm bracelet: Juicy Couture, Flower Ring: Forever 21, & Turquoise Ring: Asos
You can HYPE this look on Lookbook.nu, shop similar pieces on ASOS Style Finder, or click the hyperlinks above for some comparable pieces that you can buy.
Color. Prints. Mixing patterned pieces. This was a big week for me, I definitely stretched my sartorial muscles. I’m sure that you also noticed that these are all weekend after-hours looks. I included a number of work outfits in Week I and wanted to try to incorporate more street style type looks this week.
Do you like the idea of a fashion challenge that forces you to make new and interesting fashion choices? Are you getting inspired to try out some fun new looks for Summer?
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June 20, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, MCLV Style | Tags: 10 Day Style Challenge, 60's, 60's fashion, 60's style, 70's, 70's fashion, 70s style, Abstract print, Accordion-pleated chiffon mini skirt, Alice + Olivia Jewel Floral-Print Dress, Alice + Olivia Mina Button-Down Blouse, Alice+Olivia, Aqua, Aqua Shirred Three-Quarter Sleeves Blazer, Asos, Asos Fashion Finder, Asos.com, Avengers, Badgley Mischka, Banana Republic, Banana Republic Striped Double Layer V Neck Tee Shirt, BCBG, BCBGeneration, BCBGirls, beach tote, Ben Amun, Bird by Juicy, Bloomingdales, Bohemian, boho, Bottle Cap Restaurant, brights, California, Chanel, Charm Bracelet, Christian Dior, Cole Haan, Cross-body bag, D&G, D&G Sunglasses Square Oversized Square Sunglasses, Definitely RA, Diane Von Furstenberg, Diane Von Furstenberg Women's Oversized Logo Arm Plastic Sunglasses, Dolce, Dolce & Gabbana, DVF, European fashion, European retailers, Fashion Challenge, Flat sandals, Floral dress, floral print, florals, flower child, flower print, Forever 21, Foxy Originals, Foxy Originals Multi-Strand Leaf Necklace, Freckles In April, Free People, Gaia Too, Gap, Gold Coral Colored Stone Cuff, Graffiti, H&M, Halston, Halston Heritage, Heeled sandals, Hippie, I Propose a Coast Shorts, Jackie O Sunglasses, Jenna Shoulder Bag, JewelMint, Juicy Couture, Kat&Bee Marcia 14ct Gold Skull & Turquoise Bead Ring, lace, Lace insets, Love 21, MaddenGirl, Mango, Metreon, Mission: Put Together 2012, Mod styles, Multi-Strand Leaf Necklace, Neutral pumps, Neutral sandals, North Beach, nude pumps, Nude sandals, Oversized Logo Arm Plastic Sunglasses, oversized sunglasses, Pattern Mixing, polka dot blouse, Polka Dot Top, Polka dots, prints, Retro, Retro dress, Retro style, Rock Steady, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco style, Sensuality, shades, sheer stomach, Shift dress, Shiny Black Bag, Shiny Black Handbag, Shiny handbag, Shirley Evening Bow Clutch, Shop the Look, short shorts, Shorts, silly putty pumps, Spanish fashion, Spanish retailers, Spring 2012 trends, Spring/Summer 2012, Spring/Summer trends, Steve Madden, Street style, Street style fashion, Striped tote, Stripes, summer 2012 trends, summer trends, sunnies, Tan sandals, Tibi, Tibi Amber Snake Flat Sandals, Tibi Sandals, TopShop, Turquoise Ring, twiggy, Union Square, vintage, Vintage dress, Vintage style, warm weather clothes, Washington Square Park, Whiting and Davis Studs & Snake Convertible Hobo, Z Spoke ZAC POSEN, Zac Posen, Zara, Zara Basics | 14 Comments
Coachella 2012 is days away and it has been the topic de jour online the past few weeks. What should you pack, what should you wear, which shows should you see, where should you stay… Well, with all of this hippie-lovin’ going on I thought I’d share some inspiration and suggestions for those of you lucky enough to be heading to Southern California for the festivities.

Whether you’re shopping for accessories, trying to put together a new and interesting boho inspired look, or trying to style a long weekend’s worth of daily outfits, MCLV’s got you covered for 2012.
Inspiration:
Not sure where to start? Winter Kate’s Spring 2012 lookbook shoot is a great place to get some ideas.

Who’s your favorite hippie to take inspiration from? Do you love old school hippies like musicians Janis Joplin and Aerosmith? Fashion icons like Bianca Jaggar, Ziggy Stardust and Iman? Or modern hippies like Nicole Richie, Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Johnny Depp?

{This is such a phenomenal photo I had absolutely had to include it. Flowy vintage maxi, faux fur, felt hat, polka dots AND the Alexander Wang Rocco bag I’m obsessed with? Absolute hippie perfection from Gary Pepper Vintage!}
You can also take inspiration from street style and fashion blogs:
Clothes & Brands:
Whether you’re in the market for flowy skirts, maxi dresses, draping cardigans, faux fur vests, beautiful embroidery, tie-dye, harem pants or anything else, the brands and stores below can meet your every need.

Some great brands/stores/websites to check out are: Free People, Akiko at Revolve Clothing, Urban Outfitters, Haute Hippie/Haute Hoodie (personally, I’m MAD for this dress – swoon), Of Two Minds can be found at Revolve Clothing, and of course, ShopBop.
Handbags:
Not only are crossbody bags are all the rage this Spring, they’ll keep your hands free AND you can leave your giant, back aching bag at home! Mama’s a Rolling Stone recommends the tooled leather crossbody bag by Free People that’s pictured below.

Zappos carries the Linea Pelle collection filled with fringe-adorned hobos and clutches, Piperlime has crossbody bags galore, and Macy’s has a fun selection of patchwork Fossil bags and boho-style Lucky Brand bags. Or you can also check out Etsy for a collection of one-of-a-kind, handmade, and vintage handbags to fulfill all your needs.

Hats:
Are you a fan of the floppy boho-style hats that fashion insiders and celebrities, including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Lea Michele, have been sporting since the Fall of 2011?
Me too.
{Top Left: 70’s Floppy Felt Hat – $45 @ Asos.com, Top Right: Camel Felt Hat – $50 @ TopShop, Center: Lauren by Ralph Lauren Floppy Wool Hat – $80 @ Lord & Taylor, Bottom Left: Jessica Simpson Solid Knot Floppy Hat – $30 (sale price) @ Dillard’s & Bottom Right: Staring at Stars Cross-Tie Floppy Felt Hat – $10 (sale price) @ Urban Outfitters}
Mama’s A Rolling Stone tracks the felt hat trend here – Following the likes of Vanessa Hudgens and Jessica Szohr. Or you can check out the always fabulous OnTheRacks, who gives us the perfect California Hippie Chick look here. Her boyfriend even took the pictures in Haight-Ashbury, the San Francisco hippie epicenter – How authentic! 🙂
Accessories:
Vintage and hippie-inspired accessories have always been my favorite part of this type of style, from headbands and feathered earrings to scarves, layered necklaces, and fringe fringe fringe.

If you needa little bit of jewelry inspiration than look no further than The Sartorialist, who captured a gorgeous pair of wrap around fringed earrings on the streets of Paris. You don’t even need to have your ears pierced to rock these bad boys.

Low Luv Jewelry, created by model Erin Wasson, includes pendants, rings, and bracelets. Or you can shop Nicole Richie’s jewelry line, House of Harlow 1960, which is well-known and adored by those who admire the starlet’s personal style. And if you like a certain celebrity’s hippie-inspired style, for example Nicole Richie or Alessandra Ambrosio, you can shop “closets” inspired by them on the website Boutique To You.
Shoes:

Shoes are incredibly important when you’re pulling together a look. The perfect finishing touch. The cherry on top. Whether you want to go a little Western, keep them casual and comfortable, or go for full on glamour, there’s the perfect shoe or boot for EVERY occasion.
{Top left: Caballero Ankle Boots – $330 @ Free People, Center: Braden New Charcoal – $110 (sale price) @ Vince Camuto, Top Right: Slouchy Ankle Boots – $33 @ Forever21, Bottom Left: Hunter Lace-Up Heeled Rain Boot & Fringed Lace-Up Bootie – $340 & $150 @ Neiman Marcus, Right Center: Takohoe Moccasin – $70 @ Steve Madden & Bottom Right: Koolaburra Women’s Kythira Feather Dip Dyed Flat – $125 @ Endless.com}
Since its expected to be warm and there’s lots of standing, walking, and dancing involved in a Coachella weekend choices like sandals, moccasins, and flat boots are both comfortable and fun.

Still not sure what you should pack? See what the writers at FabSugar, Refinery29, Modelinia, and Harper’s Bazaar are bringing for their weekends of fun in the sun.
Need some more? Check out last year’s Hippie Chic and Hippie Love for more options and ideas.
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April 5, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 1960's, 1970s, 60's, 60's clothes, 60's fashion, 60's style, 70's, 70's clothes, 70's fashion, 70s style, Aerosmith, akiko, Alessandra Ambrosio, Alexander Wang, Alexander Wang handbag, ankle booties, ankle boots, Annawii, Best Dressed, Best looks, Bianca Jaggar, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, boho hat, booties, boots, Boutique To You, Caballero, California, California fashion, California style, Coachella, Coachella Fashion, Coachella Festival, Coachella Street Style, Coachella style, Coachellaland, cowboy, Cross-body bag, Crossbody bag, Cuff earrings, David Bowie, Erin Wasson, Etsy, Fabsugar, Fashion, Fashion inspiration, fedora, felt hat, festival fashion, Festival favorites, festival street style, Festival style, floppy hat, Fossil, Free People, French fashion, French style, fringe, Fringed accessories, Fringed earrings, Fringed jewelry, Frugal Fashionista, Garance Dore, Gary Pepper Vintage, Haight-Ashbury, harper's bazaar, Hat, Haute Hippie, Haute Hoodie, headband, high boots, Hippie, Hippie Accessories, Hippie bags, Hippie boots, Hippie brands, Hippie celebrities, hippie chic, Hippie handbags, hippie hat, hippie headband, hippie inspiration, Hippie jewelry, hippie models, Hippie musicians, Hippie shoes, House of Harlow, House of Harlow 1960, ideas of how to dress for a music festival, Iman, inspiration, inspirational looks, Janis Joplin, Jessica Szohr, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, Knee-high boots, LA fashion, LA Fashion Blogger, LA Street Style, LA Style, Lea Michele, Linea Pelle, Lonneke Engel, Look of the Day, Look of the Week, Los Angeles Fashion, Los Angeles Fashion Blogger, Los Angeles Street Style, Low Luv Jewelry, Lucky, Lucky Brand, Macy's, Mama's A Rolling Stone, Maxi dress, maxi skirt, mid-thigh, midi, midi length, midi skirt, Model fashion, Model street style, Model Style, Model website, Modelinia, Motiviation, music festival, music festival chic, music festival fashion, Music festival favorites, music festival street style, music festival style, Music festivals, New York City, New York City Fashion, New York City Fashion Blogger, New York City Street Style, New York City Style, New York Fashion, Nicole Richie, Nicole Richie for Macy's, NYC, NYC fashion, NYC Fashion Blogger, NYC Street Style, NYC Style, Of Two Minds, OnTheRacks, Organice Your Life, over-the-knee boots, over-the-sholder bag, Paris fashion, Paris street style, Parisian fashion, Parisian Street Style, Parisian style, Piperlime, Rachel Bilson, Refinery 29, Retro style, retrov, Revolve Clothing, Rocco duffle, Rocco handbag, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Scott Schuman, shopbop, short boots, Sienna Miller, Southern California, Southern California Fashion, Street style, Streetstyle, Stud, Studded, studded Alexander Wang bag, Studded bag, Studded handbag, studded purse, Studs, Style, Swedish fashion, Swedish fashion blogger, Swedish Street Style, Swedish style, tan rocco duffle, The Sartorialist, The Trend Diaries, ThreadSence, Tiffany's peace sign, Tom & Lorenzo, Urban Outfitters, Vanessa Hudgens, Victoria's Secret Angel, Victoria's Secret Model, vintage, vintage clothes, vintage clothing, vintage hat, Vintage style, western, WhoWhatWear, Winter Kate, Wrap around earrings, Zappos, Ziggy Stardust | 5 Comments