A big Thank You to The Factory and The Evans Group for the unbelievable trip to Marrakech last week – Who knew that in the streets of SOMA you could escape to the market stalls of exotic Morocco?
Voyage To Marrakech is an evening inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s glamorous 1970’s lifestyle in Moroco to showcase their Spring 2013 Collection. An illuminated nighttime Marrakech marketplace, with cocktails, food, and music, and live photoshoot presentation, featuring live vignettes inspired by iconic YSL iconic photographs.

Stylish San Franciscans flocked to our own personal Marrakech last week to celebrate The Factory’s new collection inspired by the love affaire that YSL had with Marrakech.

{The looks that evening ran the gamut from ultra modern to vintage inspired to came-straight-from-the-office}

{Cocktails, mannequins sporting Yves Saint Laurent-inspired frocks, friends reuniting, fortune tellers…}

{And the models showed off a phenomenal Spring 2013 collection filled with sleek, shimmering fabrics, vintage patterns & prints, luxurious metallics, faux fur, relaxed silhouettes, and fun accessories}

{I wore a long-sleeved, high-neck vintage shift dress, Zara ankle strap heels, and a fabulous gold necklace from Sasha Maks Vintage}
{Check out more photographs from this event here – Just log into Facebook to view}
This was the fifth event that I’ve had the honor of attending at The Factory, check out my posts on the previous events below:
Like this:
Like Loading...
November 21, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, Moroccan market, Morocco, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Pim + Larkin, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Present giving, Presents, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent Paris, San Francisco, San Francisco Blogger, San Francisco Designer, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, San Francisco Vintage, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show, Secret Santa, Secret Santa Gift, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Blogger, SF Designer, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF Shopping, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SF Vintage, Shift dress, shopbop, Shopbop.com, SOMA, SOMA designer, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, SOMA Shopping, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Styling, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, The Factory Label, The Factory Presents April Howard, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, trunk show, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, Vintage elephant necklace, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage gold necklace, Vintage inspired, vintage inspired fashion, vintage jewelry, Vintage jewelry trunk show, vintage necklace, vintage pearls, vintage shift, vintage shift dress, WWD, YSL, Yves Saint Laurent, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara heels, Zara Skirt | 5 Comments
This outfit is an oldie, but a goodie!
Things have been so hectic and non-stop since the beginning of September that I never got a chance to share with you the outfit that I put together for the pre-Fashion Week Fashion Mixer at The Factory in lovely SOMA.

{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Floral Blazer – Pim + Larkin from Piperlime, Pleated Black Mini – Zara (one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe, true story), Ankle Booties – Rebecca Minkoff from Shopbop.com, Floral Top – Anthropologie, and Jewelry – All from Sasha Maks Vintage}

{You can view this outfit on both Lookbook.nu and Pose}

{Check out more outtakes from this shoot here – just log into Facebook to view}
Despite the fact that I put this outfit together over a month ago it actually looks pretty Fall-ready with the black accents and these too cute Rebecca Minkoff booties. I love wearing skirts and dresses during the Fall with layers on top and cute tights on the bottom. I’ve got a pair of black & grey skull-print tights that are in my closet begging to be worn!
Do you like printed or colorful blazers? Are you strictly a pants person once the weather turns colder or do you like to wear skirts & dresses in the Fall?
Like this:
Like Loading...
October 23, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, MCLV Style | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Pim + Larkin, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, San Francisco, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, shopbop, Shopbop.com, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage inspired, vintage jewelry, vintage pearls, WWD, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara Skirt | 3 Comments
Before heading to New York at the beginning of September I was lucky enough to start fashion month out right with a trip to The Factory for a Fashion Mixer with the lovely Sasha of Sasha Maks Vintage.

I was beyond thrilled to wear some more amazing vintage jewelry courtesy of Sasha Maks Vintage – Oversized pearls, thick gem encrusted golden strands, and animal head bangles {see other phenomenal pieces from this shop in the collaboration series Styling 101}.

{Check out the MCLV Style: Factory Girl post for more on this look!}
The evening was fun and festive with a DJ, open bar, photographers, and a group of people ready to enjoy themselves and learn a little something about The Evans Group’s Collection Developement Packages.

My favorite part was, per usual, the oh-so-cool atmosphere of The Factory – I love the exposed brick and being surrounded by racks and racks of gorgeous clothes while I’m socializing.

Such a great start to Fashion Month!
Like this:
Like Loading...
September 8, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Pim + Larkin, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, San Francisco, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, shopbop, Shopbop.com, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage inspired, vintage jewelry, vintage pearls, WWD, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara Skirt | 2 Comments
Everyone seems to be in the mood for lists right now. A handful of bloggers that I adore have published list posts lately: The Life & Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson’s What I’ve Been Eating, What I’ve Been Reading, What I’ve Been Writing, What I’ve Been Wearing, Holly Would If She Could’s 16 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Me, and SnackFace’s This Week’s Sounds, Scents, Sips, Snacks & Sights…

And with my hectic schedule lately, both at work and personally, I’ve been living and dying by my daily To Do lists. First thing in the morning I make a list of all the things that need to get done that day and before I leave the office for the day I take the list of tasks and put them in chronological order. Don’t worry, I’m not going to share my daily To Do lists with you. I thought I’d take a cue from my blogging idols though and share some of the details of what’s going on in my life these days.
What I’ve Been Eating:

I didn’t do a great job following a healthy diet in April or May, as I confessed, so I’ve been doing my best to rectify that over the last few weeks. Tons of fruits and veggies, and smoothies galore. Green smoothies, berry-based smoothies, and even peanut butter smoothies. Yum!

What I’ve Been Reading:
My boyfriend’s mother insisted that I read The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato, and I ended up reading all 544 pages over the course of a weekend because I couldn’t put it down. Botticelli’s Primavera has been my favorite painting of his since I saw it in Florence when I was 21 so I was especially drawn to the storyline. I’ve also just finished Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink and was stunned by how much I related to each and every study that he discussed. Definitely keep an eye out for a Book Report on this! I’ve also just started Add More -Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness by Gabrielle Bernstein, which isn’t a self-help book – I swear – it’s a self-transformation book. 🙂 I’m looking forward to seeing how it impacts my daily approach to life as part of my #1 2012 goal to Be Positive.
Oh, and I have a serious fashion magazine problem. Like a – I need a 12 step program type of problem.

What I’ve Been Writing:
One of my goals for 2012 is to publish a piece of my writing and while this has been a personal goal for years, this is the first time I’ve officially written it down. Not to make excuses, but as a result of my spinal injury and my laptop dying earlier this year, I haven’t worked on this goal much so far in 2012. Hopefully this post will serve as motivation for me to start editing my first novel, I started writing it when I was 20 and wrote a large chunk of it while I was traveling around Europe by myself when I was 21.
What I’ve Been Wearing:

During May I submitted a handful of looks to a fashion challenge run by Definitely RA, you can so you can check out some of those looks – Mission: Put Together 2012 – Part I and Mission: Put Together 2012 – Part II. The challenge was great and I wish I’d had time to participate more, but even putting together a few looks was fun. And as part of my goals for June I wanted to make an effort to wear less black, especially on sunny weekends, so that’s been a major factor in choosing my daily looks. Definitely an adjustment not to automatically reach for the black pieces!

Some Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Me:
- I don’t actively follow astrology but I’ve always believed that I embody many of the traits of my Scorpio sign – Determined, loyal, suspicious, discreet, introverted, dramatic, passionate, possessive…
- I originally hurt my back springboard diving in college when I was 18
- If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would be sweet potatoes. There’s an endless number of ways to cook them… Chips, fries, baked, mashed, in pudding. They can be sweet or savory. Hmmm… Now I kind of want to spend a weekend eating only sweet potatoes and blog about all the recipes I come up with! 🙂
- Sometimes I forget that I don’t really “know” bloggers. I begin to feel like I’m friends with people whose lives I read about every day. Does that happen to anyone else?
- I have three tattoos.
And so that we can continue to get to know each other, I’m going to re-start my short-lived Les Confessions series, where I post some “confessions” about myself and my life on a regular basis.

Sounds:
I’ve been listening to 70’s and 80’s music non-stop. From vintage Bon Jovi, Kenny Loggins, and Twisted Sister to fabulous 80’s movie soundtracks – Footloose, Pretty In Pink, Breakfast Club. The upside is that it’s really upbeat music that wakes me up and makes me smile every morning, the downside is that I dance at my desk. A lot.
Scents:
I’m a peppermint junkie! Candles, air fresheners, essential oils… Whatever I can find. I’ve also been baking up a storm and I love the scent of raw cacao and carob powders as their heating up.
Sips:
Peppermint tea – duh – and I have to confess that my guilty pleasure these days is Cherry Coke Zero or Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper. My boyfriend is horrified by the red color from the syrup but I treat myself to one a week! I’ve also rediscovered the Synergy Kombucha drinks, and I laugh every time I get carded buying them!

Snacks:
I seem to have almost forgotten about hummus when the weather was cooler but now that it’s warming up I’m craving hummus daily. Carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, and radishes dipped in spicy hummus is favorite after-work snack. I’ve also been eating my bodyweight in fruit on virtually a daily basis – pounds of grapes, cherries, apples, and bananas. Just can’t get enough!

Sights:
This Spring was amazing with weekends in Sonoma, San Diego, and Sea Ranch, but June has been a gorgeous month in San Francisco and I’ve been really enjoying spending time in my favorite city. Walking everywhere, trips to the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, lazy days spent shopping and wandering around the sun-drenched streets… Amazing!

So tell me, what have you been up to? Do you like to make lists to ensure that you get everything done that needs to be done each day?
Like this:
Like Loading...
June 27, 2012 | Categories: Fashion, Fitness, Food | Tags: 10 Day Style Challenge, 70's music, 80's movies, 80's music, Add More Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness, Apples, Astrology, Bananas, bangles, Be Positive, Berkeley, Bohemian, boho, Bon Jovi, Braids, Breakfast Club, brights, calendar, Cherries, Cherry Coke Zero, Cherry Diet Dr. Pepper, Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie, Confessions of a Fashion Blogger, Definitely RA, ethnic prints, Fashion Challenge, fashion magazines, Ferry Building Farmer's Market, Floor-length dress, Footloose, Freckles In April, fresh produce, fruit, Gabrielle Bernstein, gold jewelry, Grapes, Green monster, Hippie, Holly Woodcock, Holly Would If She Could, How to make lists, June goals, Kailey, Kenny Loggins, Kombucha, ladylike handbag, Laguna Beach tattoo parlor, Les Confessiones, List Making, Lists, Low-Intensity Fasted Cardio, Madden Girl, MaddenGirl, Marina Fiorato, Maxi, Maxi dress, maxi skirt, Mission: Put Together 2012, Navy handbag, Neutral sandals, Nude heels, organizing your life, Patterns, Peanut Butter Smoothies, peppermint tea, planner, Positivity, Pretty In Pink, printed maxi, prints, Rachel Wilkerson, REO Speedwagon, Resolutions, Retro, San Francisco, Scorpio, Smoothies, SnackFace, stacking bangles, stacking bracelets, stacking jewelry, Steve Madden, Structured Handbag, Summer clothes, Summer fashion, Summer jams, Summer Lists, summer produce, Summer style, summer trends, summer updos, Sun Warrior Protein Powder, Synergy, Tattoos, The Botticelli Secret, The Life & Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson, To Do Lists, Twisted Sister, updos, vacation maxi, Vegan diet, Vegetarian diet, Victoria's Secret, vintage, walking, walking as exercise, warm weather clothess, wearing less black, What I'm Eating, What I'm listening to, Zara, Zara Basics | 4 Comments
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?
Like this:
Like Loading...
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
You had me at vintage jewelry…

Amirite?

I’ve mentioned The Factory in the past, I attended an opening last spring where I purchased one of my all time favorite coats, and I also joined them to celebrated the April Howard Capsule Collection this past December.

The setting is great – an airy, brick-walled loft space in SOMA, and this past Thursday it was once again crammed to the rafters with beautiful clothes. And swoon worthy jewelry.

{Oh, there were people there too. I think. I was busy.}

A special trunk show featuring Sasha Maks Vintage jewelry and all designs featured June 24th in Dior: A Life in Pictures. Shop the unique vintage costume jewelry collection that includes the best of 20th century designs by Dior, Chanel, Schiaparelli, Lanvin and a myriad of unsigned statement pieces.
Unfortunately I had been unable to attend the June 24th Christian Dior exhibit so this was a great chance to catch up on a few of the designs that I missed out on earlier. Beautiful clothing, vintage magazines and photographs, and a phenomenal layout.
I walked down to SOMA to photograph the event and browse the trunk show. And what does a girl wear to a trunk show?

{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Striped Pocket Sweater – Everyly via the seriously adorable North Beach boutique Annabella’s, Pleated Black Mini – Zara & Studded Peep-Toe Booties – Vince Camuto}

{Black & white + vintage jewelry, of course!}
After admiring the eye-candy and taking pictures, I dove head-first into the gorgeous collection of jewelry. I tried on Chanel charm bracelets, costume jewelry earrings, animal cuffs, giant enamel pendants… And then I was lucky enough to stumble upon a phenomenal tassel adorned lariat necklace designed by Jean Vendome.

It was love at first sight!
I couldn’t wait to take it for a spin so I threw together an outfit on Friday so that I would have an excuse to wear it immediately. I wanted something simple so that the drama of the necklace would be the central part of the look.

{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Maxi Dress – BCBGeneration, Nude Sandals – Vintage, Wrap Ring – JewelMint, Gold Wrap Bracelet – Forever 21 & Necklace – Vendome}
You can even check out my new necklace in this Elle Girl Japan editorial below.

Do you like to wear vintage jewelry? What’s your favorite vintage piece that you’ve collected over the years?
Like this:
Like Loading...
June 12, 2012 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Annabella's, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, BCBG, BCBGeneration, BCBGirls, black & white florals, Black pleated mini skirt, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Dior jewelry, Christmas gift, Christmas present, classic fashion, classic vintage fashion, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Corocraft, Designer April Howard, Dior, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Elle Girl, Elle Girl Japan, Evans Group, Everyly, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, Fashion event, fashion gifts, fashion jewelry, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, fashion sketches, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Forever 21, French designers, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, Gold lariat, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jean Vendome, Jean Vendome jewelry, Jean Vendome lariat, Jennifer Evans, JewelMint, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, Lanvin, Lariat, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Mini skirt, Models, Moroccan, Moroccan market, Morocco, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, North Beach shopping, NYFW, Oh Land Music, OhLandMusic, Old school glamour, pearls, Peep toe, Peep-toe booties, peep-toe heels, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pleats, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Present giving, Presents, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, Saint Laurent, Saint Laurent Paris, San Francisco, San Francisco Blogger, San Francisco boutique, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco shopping, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, San Francisco Vintage, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry Trunk Show, Schiaparelli, Secret Santa, Secret Santa Gift, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Blogger, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF Shopping, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SF Vintage, Shift dress, snake bracelet, snake jewelry, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Stripes, Style, Styling, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, tassle, tassle necklace, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, The Factory Label, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, trunk show, Vendome, Vendome jewelry, Vendome lariat, Vendome necklace, Vince Camuto, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, Vintage Christian Dior, Vintage designer jewelry, Vintage elephant necklace, vintage fashion, vintage French jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage gold necklace, Vintage inspired, vintage inspired fashion, vintage jewelry, Vintage jewelry trunk show, vintage necklace, vintage pearls, Vintage sandals, vintage shift, vintage shift dress, Washington Square Park Shopping, WWD, YSL, Yves Saint Laurent, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara heels, Zara Skirt | 10 Comments
Have you ever seen the bolts of fabric that are used to make the clothes that you love? Or gotten a chance to look through the black & white sketches that become your favorite pieces? Or sorted through the jars of buttons that will be sewn onto your favorite coat? A dear friend has given me the unique opportunity to witness this initial stage of the clothes making process as he works with the talented Jennifer Evans of the The Evans Group.
But, what do you do when the clothes are made? You celebrate of course! And to celebrate The Factory and CODE Salon hosted a cocktail party to show off their new collection in collaboration with April Howard.
Debuting in 2010 during New York Fashion Week at the Lincoln Center, April Howard earned praise from national press including WWD, Seventeen, and The Bristol Observer.
“My organic shapes and details are representative of discarded items, melting plastic, and rubber found around us in these urban wastelands we find ourselves in,” Howard says of her aesthetic.

So what’s a girl who loves fashion to do when she receives an invitation like this one? She gets all dressed up, finds a taxi, and drags her extremely accommodating boyfriend to SOMA for some eye candy.
Oh, and she takes LOTS of pictures.




{I mean… Gorgeous clothes, a chic salon, beautiful models and vino? I’m there!}




The clothes from April Howard’s collection of original pieces under The Factory label were phenomenal {seen above in sketches & photographs} and the young ladies modeling them were stunning. The Factory is on the ground floor and filled to the brim with sewing machines, dressmaking mannequins, and rack upon rack of clothing. While the second floor of the building is occupied by CODE Salon, a cool SOMA loft space that last night was filled with models, make up artists, hairdressers, photographers, patrons, and one hardworking DJ.

Overall it was quite an evening. As a fashion lover I can say that I was not disappointed by my first chance to get up close and personal with the photographing of a collection. A big thank you to The Factory and CODE Salon for including me last night!
{You can see my initial post about The Factory here if you’d like any additional background}
Like this:
Like Loading...
December 9, 2011 | Categories: Fashion | Tags: 2010 New York Fashion Week, Animal bracelets, Animal head bracelets, ankle boots, Ankle strap heels, Ankle straps, Anthropologie, anti-sweat shop, April Howard, April Howard Capsule Collection, black & white florals, blazer, Blogger, Blogger fashion, Blogger Street Style, Blogger Streetstyle, blogger style, Bohemian, bohemian chic, boho, boho chic, booties, boots, California fashion, Capsule, capsule collection, casual summer, Christmas gift, Christmas present, cocktail shift dress, CODE Salon, colorful jewelry, colorful vintage jewelry, Designer April Howard, Elephant, Elephant Necklace, elephant pendant, Evans Group, Factory Fashion Mixer, Factory Girl, Fall 2012, Fall 2012 Accessories, Fall 2012 clothes, Fall 2012 Clothing, Fall 2012 Coats, Fall 2012 Collection, Fall 2012 essentials, Fall 2012 Fashion, Fall 2012 Jackets, Fall 2012 Must Haves, Fall 2012 necessities, Fall 2012 Outerwear, Fall 2012 RTW, Fall 2012 Style, Fall 2012 Trends, Fall accessories, Fall clothes, Fall Clothing, fall coats, Fall Essentials, Fall Fashion, Fall jackets, Fall Must Haves, Fall Necessities, Fall outerwear, Fall separates, Fall Shopping, Fall Shopping Guide, Fall skirt, Fall skirts, Fall Street Style, Fall Streetstyle, Fall Style, Fall styles, Fall Styling, Fall trends, Fashion, Fashion Blogger, Fashion Blogger Fashion, Fashion Blogger Street Style, Fashion Blogger Streetstyle, Fashion Blogger Style, fashion collaberations, fashion gifts, Fashion Mixer, Fashion party, Fashion show, Fashion Week, Floral blazer, floral tank, Floral top, Gift certificate, Gift guide, gifts, girls night out, Gold, gold jewelry, gold necklace, high-neck cocktail dress, Hippie, hippie chic, Holiday gifts, Holiday present, holiday recipes, hot summer night, Jack Evans, Jennifer Evans, jewelry, Jewelry Trunk Show, LBD, Little Black Dress, local designer, local designers, Local seamstresses, loft space, long sleeved cocktail dress, Lookbook.nu, low boots, Market, Marketplace, Marrakech, Marrakesh, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Models, Moroccan, multi colored jewelry, multicolored jewelry, nighttime fashion, NYFW, Old school glamour, pearls, Piperlime, Pleated mini, pleated mini skirt, Pleated Skirt, pose, Pre-Fashion Week, Rebecca Minkoff, Rebecca Minkoff booties, red hair, redhead, Retro, retro-inspired, San Francisco, San Francisco designers, San Francisco Fashion, San Francisco Fashion Blogger, San Francisco made clothing, san francisco manufacturing, San Francisco SOMA, San Francisco Street Style, San Francisco Streetstyle, San Francisco style, Sasha Maks, Sasha Maks Vintage, Sasha Maks Vintage Jewelry, September, Seventeen magazine, SF, SF Fashion, SF Fashion Blogger, SF SOMA, SF Street Style, SF Streetstyle, SF Style, SOMA, SOMA salon, SOMA San Francisco, SOMA SF, South of Market, Spring 2012, Street style, Streetstyle, Style, Summer blazer, Summer clothes, Summer clothing, Summer fashion, Summer nights, Summer style, summer trends, The Bristol Observer, The Evans Group, The Factory, The Factory Group, throw back, Tinley Road, Tinley Road Blazer, Tinley Road Floral Blazer, vintage, Vintage Animal Jewelry, vintage gold, vintage gold jewelry, Vintage inspired, vintage jewelry, vintage pearls, WWD, Zara, Zara Basics, Zara Skirt | 2 Comments