In Spades

Style... in abundance

30-day Shop Your Closet Challenge

Pink bell sleeved topWearing a top I haven’t worn in years, paired with my go-to jeans and sneakers.

I’ve always been a fan of “shopping your closet.”  It’s a great way to breathe new life into pieces you may have forgotten about.  As we come out of the year of sweat pants and loungewear, this is a great exercise for redefining your personal style.

If you’re doing some spring cleaning or want a refreshed wardrobe at no cost, follow these tips:

  1. Choose 6-10 items from your closet you haven’t worn in 6 months+. These pieces will be your capsule wardrobe for the month.
    1. Make sure they’re seasonally appropriate and aim for roughly 2 bottoms, 2 tops and 2 dresses or jackets.
  2. Hang them front and center in your closet or on a rolling rack/other location where they are “on display.”
  3. Each day when you get dressed, choose 1 item from your capsule collection.
    1. Challenge yourself to build different looks around that 1 item.  How many can you come up with?
  4. At the end of the month, assess how each piece in your capsule made you feel.
    1. Did everything fit appropriately?  Was it all comfortable/appropriate for your lifestyle?
    2. Does anything need a slight alteration or repair to be a “hero piece” again?
    3. Which ones were the winners?  Losers?

At the end of the 30-day challenge, you’ll know which pieces to sell/donate and the wardrobe categories where you might have a void to fill or an abundance to be mindful of.

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Life Lately

Pangaia cropped t-shirtPangaia cropped t-shirtTop // Jeans // Sneakers // Sunglasses

I’ll be honest.  The past two weeks have kicked my butt.  I am SO ready for the weekend.

Instead of my normal Fashion Friday, a Life Lately post feels more appropriate.  There is so much in my head that I want to get down on paper… er, screen.

Workouts

I’m super proud to say that I have completed 90 consecutive rides on our Peloton.  Since it arrived, I haven’t missed a day.  It truly is my daily moment of peace, clarity and grit all rolled into one.

Once I reach my century ride, I’m considering changing up my schedule and working in the BBG program.  Cardio-wise I’m SET.  But I’m feeling the need for some strength training (even though I do work in an arm interval on some of my rides).  I really think it will be just what I need and get me to the next level on the bike.

What workouts are you loving right now?

Indulgences

The long coveted item that I teased on Instagram has finally arrived.  My plan was to post a review for Fashion Friday, but I haven’t had time to film.  Rest assured, it’s coming!

Speaking of cult items, I’m curious.  When something is super trendy, how do you react?  Are you intrigued?  Do you wait for the hype to die down before you really assess whether you’ll purchase?  Or do you avoid it altogether?

I never been one to follow the pack when it comes to fashion, but I can’t resist a piece that goes against the grain.  And this item I’ve been coveting for 3 years is certainly not conventionally “pretty”.  It definitely goes against the grain.

Fashion News

Transitioning to fashion that IS breathtakingly pretty, you must check out Valentino’s couture collection.  While Dior went miniature, Valentino went larger than life.  It was haunting, heart wrenchingly beautiful fashion.  I found myself sitting up taller, pulling my shoulders back and tearing up while watching.  It was 12 minutes of escapism; the silhouettes still flashing like vivid memories in my head.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  Pierpaolo Piccioli could not be a better choice for the house of Valentino.  I just adore him.

Just for Fun

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I am a total nerd at heart.  Film is my other deep passion when it comes to creative mediums and action, adventure and sci-fi are my genres.

Each year my husband and I attend Comicon.  We cosplay, attend panels, take pics and bash around the Gaslamp like the eternal kids we are at heart.  Of course there will be no Comicon this year, but to commemorate the occasion I’ll be posting my favorite moments from over the years.

Join me on Instagram!

Life Lately

AGOLDE Parker Black Jeans AGOLDE Parker Black JeansAGOLDE Parker jeans // Pharaoh tee // Roxanne Assoulin necklace // YSL bag
Golden Goose sneakers // Le Specs sunglasses

Like the rest of the world, my daily scenery consists of the rooms in my house and a dog walk/toddler nature excursion.  Despite the change in schedule, I wanted to give you an update on my life lately.

Binge-Worthy Shows

I finished The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and adored it.  If you love fashion, comedy and New York City (three of my loves) you’ll adore this show.  I love how meticulously put together Mrs. Maisel is while also serving up some loose-cannon zingers.  Her father, played by Tony Shalhoub, has me rolling on the floor laughing.  My husband said it’s been so nice to see me laugh while watching this how.  If you need some refreshing escapism, this show is for you.

I also tried Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn’s new show, Making the Cut, and sadly had to scrap it after 3 episodes.  It’s Project Runway 2.0 without the grit.  The producers obviously identified a favorite in the first episode, and I don’t think I need to continue watching to know who will have the next global fashion empire.

Next on my list is Cheer and Schitt’s Creek.  What are you watching?

Workouts

I’ve been consistent with BBG (the Bikini Body Guide).  I do four resistance workouts per week – legs, arms, full body and abs.  They are 7-minute circuits that get repeated 4 times for a total of 28 minutes of exercise.  You need minimal equipment – I use 3 lb weights and resistance bands – and it’s done through the Sweat app.

The cost is either $20 per month or $120 for a yearly membership.  Clearly, I went with the yearly membership and think it’s SO worth it.

My husband and I also decided to invest in a Peloton because we don’t think we’ll be able to return to the gym anytime soon.  It arrives on April 25, so once I’ve had a chance to test it out, I’ll write a review.

The Peloton app (which has yoga, meditation, dance classes, etc.) is free for 90 days.  You don’t need the bike to do these other workouts, so jump on the freebie while it lasts!  You must sign up by April 30 for the 90-day free trial.

Fashion

I’ve honestly only put on jeans once since self-quarantine began.  These jeans are my hero pair.  I wrote about them here.  They run TTS (size down if you are in between sizes) and come in several different washes.

I recently upped my loungewear game because my collection only consisted of two pairs of joggers.  Clearly with life as it is, I need more!

I’m going to update this loungewear review once all my new picks arrive.  Stay tuned!

New Obsessions

Okay, I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say I’m obsessed, but I am really enjoying Tik Tok.  I started creating videos.  Check them out here.

No, I will not be doing sexy dance videos.  I do have some ideas for a twist on my Fashion Friday series, so stay tuned!

Life Lately

This was the last photoshoot we did before self-quarantine began.  We shot right outside Copa Vida coffee shop, which is adjacent to Petco Park.  I remember feeling so excited for opening day at the Padres (I love a sunny day of baseball, beer and good friends).  It still blows my mind how much has changed.

Interestingly, I ran into two friends while doing this shoot.  It was so nice to randomly run into people and chat for a few minutes.  I long for the days when that reality starts again.

Yes, this is a hard time, but I know we’ll get through it.  Let’s continue to support each other, open the lines of communication and be thankful for the many blessings we have.  Sending you all well wishes for health, happiness and comfort!

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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!

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Levi’s x Star Wars

Levi's x Star Wars Levi's x Star WarsLevi’s x Star Wars trucker jacket, 501 cropped jeans & Storm Trooper t-shirt
Gucci sunglasses // Golden Goose sneakers (tons on sale here)

You guys know I love a good Levi’s collaboration.

Two of my greatest pop culture loves – Stranger Things, and now Star Wars – collabed with Levi’s for exclusive drops in 2019.

While I posted about this Levi’s x Star Wars collab on Instagram, I completely forget to share it here on the blog!

The galaxy print looks so good when you pair the jacket and classic 501’s together, but I wear them separately all the time and they look just as rad.  I love that the print is subtle enough to make people look twice, but still a great homage to the series.

Ah, the series.

Of course I saw Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker the day it opened.  And of course I wore this outfit to the premiere.  But I have to say – and this has been discussed ad nauseam in our household – I was disappointed with the way the series ended.

Was it a good popcorn flick?  Sure.  But did it properly conclude 40 years of character development and story arcs?  No.  It fell really flat.

Here’s the thing about brand DNA.  It’s unmatched.  It has a legacy.  It’s how we identify its creative narrative.  So if it gets changed, it’s no longer the brand.  Its direction always has to sync up with its core components.

Take fashion, for example.  When a design house appoints a new creative director – let’s say Valentino Garavani retiring and appointing Pierpaolo Piccioli as his successor – the new guard has a duty to carry on the brand traditions and DNA.  If not, the brand dies.  If Pierpaolo decides to eschew Valentino’s signature red for blue… well, it’s no longer Valentino.

Star Wars had a lot of false starts, director change-ups and corporate exec interference over the course of the new trilogy.  The result is that it lost its brand DNA.

I love learning about brand history.  I talk about this often in my Fashion Friday Series on Instagram.  As I mentioned in my New Year, New Goals post, I’ll be bringing Fashion Friday to the blog starting this week!  Stay tuned.

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