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

Gold Footprint Necklace

Marrow Fine Small Disco Diamond PendantI’m a sentimental person by nature.  Whether it’s cards, letters or even movie stubs, I save everything with a special memory attached.  I’m especially connected to clothing and jewelry (no surprise there).  With Marie Kondo’s Netflix show sweeping the nation, the question of whether something sparks joy is pretty laughable when it comes to my closet and jewelry box.

No occasion has made me more sentimental than the birth of our daughter.  When she came into our lives I collected anything that bore her resemblance – initial necklaces, t-shirts, you name it, I bought it.  While I love all of the ready-made pieces I acquired, I knew nothing would come close to something created specifically in her image.  A custom piece was essential.

Marrow Fine Small Disco Diamond Pendant

When it comes to capturing sentimental moments in gorgeous packages, I knew I had to contact Marrow Fine.  You may remember Jillian from our Vogue-style Q&A interview and the gorgeous Montana sunstone ring she created with my grandmother’s diamond.

Beyond her stunning rings, she also has a full line of necklaces, earrings and bracelets.  I’d been wanting to add a necklace to my collection and her disco diamond pendant was the perfect fit.  To personalize it, she created a mold of my daughter’s footprint and cast it inside the disc.  I’m so happy with the way it turned out and have been layering it and wearing it solo almost every day since I got it.

Marrow Fine Small Disco Diamond Pendant

For someone who places a ton of emotion into clothing and accessories, this piece is truly like wearing my heart on my sleeve.  I’ve been doing that since the day my daughter was born, and this just makes it all the more special.  I can’t wait to pass this down to her someday.

Jillian engraved my daughter’s moniker on the back side of the pendant.  It’s so dainty.  It almost feels like a secret feature.  I love that I can switch it up and wear it either way depending on my mood.

Jewelry is already so personal, but this pendant truly is one of a kind.

Marrow Fine Small Disco Diamond Pendant

Marrow Fine custom gold necklace // Low Classic dress

Special thanks to Jillian and all the Marrow Babes (can’t forget Hot Dad) for their creative magic.