In Spades

Style... in abundance

The State of Now

In Spades Keynote Speaker

These are surreal times.

My family has been on a self-imposed quarantine for 4 days, and sadly I don’t see this letting up anytime soon.

When I started In Spades 7 years ago, my goal was to share what inspires me.  The fashion that makes my heart sing.  The pieces that make me realize I can be anybody I want to be in the right outfit.  I hoped it would inspire you to realize the transformative power of fashion and contribute to the conversation too.

And in the 7 years since, I can say it absolutely has.  I’ve dialogued with readers from all over the world.  Met Fashionphile’s at NYFW.  Shared my insight with like-minded individuals and found ways to educate, further inspire and use this medium I hold so dear to story tell.

So… I’m going to continue to do so.

And I’ll be the first to admit, it feels really weird.

I know there is SO much more going on right now.  So many more important things to focus on.  Family to take care of.  Friends to look out for.  I don’t want to distract from any of that.  Or diminish it.  Or pretend like we’re living in a bubble.

I DO want to provide a safe space for you to feel joy.  A space to feel inspired.  To learn something.  To reflect.  To dialogue.  To feel community.  I have ALWAYS done this through clothes.  So I will continue.

Our small, local businesses are really feeling the stress of what COVID-19 is doing to our community.  So I’d like to take this opportunity to shout out my favorites.  As the week progresses, I’m going to highlight them in more depth.

My Favorite San Diego Local Businesses

Stay well.  Stay strong.  Support each other.  Together we’ll get through this.

Photo by Justice Photography

Fashion Friday

Petra Collar Necklace

With the Coronavirus pandemic, not much is happening in the business of fashion.

Italy has shut down its retail operations, the stock market is struggling, and everyone is just trying to figure out how to best handle the situation.

What this retail stall means for you as a consumer is continued sales.  I noticed Net-a-Porter still has their end of season sale going (unprecedented for this time of year) and many other retailers are discussing starting their Friends & Family and other spring sales early.

I picked up the jeans and necklace above in recent sales and LOVE them both.  Those black snakeskin sandals are calling my name thanks to the block heel.  Bonus points that they’re under $70.

Other than What I’m Coveting, I’m sharing an interesting topic in today’s Fashion Friday on Instagram.

Did you know luxury brands incinerate unsold goods?  What’s your take on this?  What do you think they should do with unsold merchandise?

Shop the Post

What I’m Coveting

AGOLDE Parker JeansAGOLDE Parker JeansMaje leather jacket (similar here) // Madeworn tee (similar here) // AGOLDE jeans
Quay sunglasses // Golden Goose sneakers

Ah, straight leg jeans.  I’m obsessed.

In January I shared my favorite straight leg jeans at all price points, and today I wanted to continue the convo by showing you how I style them.

These straight leg jeans are my hero pair.  Why do I love them so much?

  1. They’re SUPER comfortable.  No standing room only jeans.
  2. The cropped length gives you endless footwear options.
  3. The high rise isn’t too high, so you can easily tuck in shirts or wear more cropped length tops with them.
  4. They are 100% cotton.  They won’t stretch out, look baggy, and all of the washes they come in will be super high quality (you lose quality and wash variation when you add stretch to denim).
  5. They’re so versatile.  I can wear them running errands, playing with my daughter AND to a night on the town.

Today I styled them casually with my fave sneakers and vintage tee, but you can easily add boots and a cropped sweater for something dressier.  If you want to go even more elevated, I’d pair them with stilettos, a silk top and a leather jacket.

I’d stick to your normal size in these jeans.  If you are in between sizes, go with the smaller of the two.  This style is a staple pair for this brand so they continually make them season after season.  Shop the post below for some great sales on other washes!

Shop the Post

Denim’s New Trend: Barrel Leg Jeans

Barrel Leg JeansBarrel Leg Jeans Barrel Leg JeansNaadam cashmere sweater // Levi’s barrel leg jeans // Prada mules (similar here)
Gucci sunglasses // Bottega Veneta bag

Denim trends change all the time.  And honestly, I love it.  I wear jeans more than anything else and love experimenting with different styles.

The 80s and 90s have played a huge role in the types of denim trends we’re seeing now.  Hello, Mom jeans.  We’re also moving away from skinny jeans in favor of a true straight leg.

The newest take on straight leg jeans is a high waist, cropped style that tapers at the ankle.  Barrel jeans and balloon jeans are super flattering because they elongate the legs. While skinny jeans draw attention to your hips, barrel leg jeans even out the ratio from hip to ankle.

I love the stitching and wash on this pair, but they also come in lots of other washes and colors.

If you’re looking for a more 90s inspired style, try balloon leg jeans.  These tend to be longer in length and wider through the leg, so if you have long legs, definitely give them a try (or be prepared to wear heels or platforms).  I tried these on over the weekend and adored them.  Be sure to go up one size.

Cropped sweaters and tops are an ideal pairing with these jeans because of the high waist.  I paired my Naadam cashmere sweater (on sale for $100!) with these babies (you MUST check out the brand – read my review here).

Oh, and I got a new handbag.  Teehee.

Shop the Post

Top 5 Favorites – February 2020

Your Top 5 Favorites from February were all about matching sets.

Knit Skirt Set

I did an Instagram Story wearing this knit skirt & sweater set and got so many responses.  You loved how sophisticated it looks, and bonus points because it’s super comfortable too.  This is a core set that Tibi releases season after season, so you can always find past colors on sale.

Bermuda Shorts Suit

This Bermuda shorts suit first made an appearance in What I’m Coveting.  I also shot it as one of my NYFW FW20 looks.  Another sophisticated piece, I love its fun vibe.  Plus, it’s the perfect set to pair with amazing footwear.

Bermuda shorts suit

Which brings me to… boots!

Snakeskin Boots

I shared two pairs of snakeskin boots in February and you loved them both.  One is a statement, designer pair and the other is a more practical, affordable pair.

Vintage Band Tee

Vintage band tees are a wardrobe staple in my book and you loved this one.  Shopbop is having a spring sale and tons of these band tees made the list.  Here are my sales favorites.

Band tee & Vintage Levi's

Little Black (or White) Dress

Finally, if you’re looking for the perfect summer dress, look no further than this one.  It comes in black and white, runs TTS and is SUPER flattering.  While it is short, the mini length means every kind of shoe will look great with this dress.  Try it with flat sandals for a beach day or statement block heels for a night on the town.

Bonus points: it’s on sale at this retailer.

Loveshackfancy Natasha dress