Skintastic!

In what can only be described as a cluster eff of epic proportions yesterday evening I was rear-ended at a stop light in my less than a year old car (that I saved forever for) by a handicapped hoarder.  Yes, it's a mouthful and a run on sentence, but it's the truth.  No jokes and his admission.  He bent over to pick up a "relic" from the floor, took his foot off the brake and while rolling into me looked up, panicked and hit the gas instead of the brake.  WHAM!  And ouch!  So while I had a great blog planned that would expose one of my favorite jewelry designers, instead you'll have to take a not-so-fancy picture of me as I reveal my greatest skincare secret. 

Within an hour of being hit last night I had a pounding headache and a pretty stiff upper neck and back.  This morning the lower back was in rough shape too.   Whenever I have any joint or muscle stiffness I head straight to acupuncture.  Back when it was first recommended to me I made some smart aleck remark about crazies putting needles IN their bodies to relieve pain.  Cut to present and I'm still digging my size 6's out of my mouth.  Today when my acupuncturist so graciously fit me into her schedule for a round of needles in the back, she gave me an ancient treatment that allowed me to also lie on my back after the needles had been inserted so that I could have some other meridians cleared with needles in the front of my body...including what she calls the "face lift" AKA my big reveal!

Bear in mind I was not going to a fashion show when I went to the appointment so it is what it is.  But you get the point of what the treatment entails and I kid you not my skin is in great shape.  The needles do not hurt at all; she just puts them in and then I take a nap for half an hour or so and ta-da!  (will take a before and after next time)

Like I said I'm looking a little torn up in general, but it's been a rough 48 hours or so...In any event, I highly recommend acupuncture for the face if you have crow's feet or fine lines.  It completely works and aside from that is very therapeutic in general.  I live in the LA area and the acupuncturist I see is in Santa Monica.  She is completely wonderful so if you are interested just leave me a comment and I'm happy to share her information with you...if anyone is out there reading this.

James Perse: The Holy Grail of Cotton T-Shirts

...and cashmere too.

To me, James Perse is synonymous with amazing t-shirts.  I fell hard for his t's about 7 years ago after running my hand across one while walking through Nordstrom.  It was definitely a stop, drop, and roll out your credit card moment, and the beginning of the end of all my other relationships with basic t-shirt brands.

Cut to present day and my t-shirt drawer is almost exclusively James Perse with a peppering of T by Alexander Wang, Kain, and the occasional Gap tank.  It's not that I don't wear other t-shirts; it's that I prefer Perse above all others because they have the best fit and are the most versatile.  So whether you are looking to invest in the perfect v-neck or a few tanks for layering, I would highly recommend this brand as a good place to start.

In addition to standard basics, each season James Perse offers a mix of simple ready-to-wear pieces that can easily be worked into any wardrobe.  In the Fall and Winter the line typically carries, amongst other things, amazing cotton/cashmere pieces that include tunics, sweaters, jackets and sweatpants.  In the Spring and Summer you can always find the breeziest sun and maxi-dresses as well as skirts, shorts and pants that can take you from lunch straight to the beach.

I refer to it as a collector's addiction.  Some people have stamps; I have James Perse apparel.  What's your guilty pleasure?

Below you'll find (from L-R) the Jersey Bolero, the Double Layer Rouched Skirt, and the Fitted Long Sleeved T-Shirt - and of these 3 all I have to say is "Yes please!" (and thanks for bearing with me while I get the hang of putting up these pictures to match the post...still can't quite figure out how to lose the white space. ugh).

Best Boyfriend in All the World

And no I don't mean my own, although he is pretty good too.  :)

In this case I am referring to Current/Elliott's Boyfriend Denim.  The first time I set my eyes on a pair of these I instinctively knew it was the beginning of a long and meaningful relationship.  Working for Gap, Inc. over a period of years instilled in me a great love and respect for denim and Current/Elliott has, in my opinion, cornered the market on premium denim.  Their jeans are worn, super soft and distressed in all the right places.  My closet has more than a few pairs that are definitely the ones I reach for whether I'm going for a casual look with a t-shirt and flip flops or something dressed up with a boyfriend blazer and heels.

Among my current favorites are The Boyfriend Mid-Rise Jeans, The Boyfriend Jeans in Super Loved, and The Long Boyfriend Jeans in Treasured Destroyed.

Feast your eyes on these babies and treat yourself to a pair if you haven't already!

Welcome

I have always had a love for clothing.  When I was a wee little girl and the other girls were collecting baby dolls pretending to be moms, I was to the brim with Barbies and begging for more outfits.  Superstar Stage Show anyone?  And that was just the beginning. 

8 years ago I found myself making a career transition to Los Angeles from Seattle.  I was not exactly happy about it, but believed the job would be a good experience and, when done, I could always move back.

Suffice it to say I am still here, no longer with the job and a lot more content than when I arrived.

But it took some time to get this way.

Ultimately I decided to start this blog for a couple of reasons.  Arriving in LA was a shock to the system.  I mean I knew it would be having visited several times, but it was much more than I ever could have anticipated.  The traffic alone, coming from an island and growing up on the Prairies in Canada, was a lot to overcome.  Even more than that was the instant overload of self-expression; it caught me off-guard.  Not being a SoCal native, I didn't know where to find the good stuff - the nooks and crannies, the boutiques and hidden brands.  Once I embraced the search for said good stuff, and had more time to have fun with it, I began to like living in Southern California.  I got more familiar with the neighborhoods, more comfortable with my surroundings and felt more at home.

And then something else happened.  People started to stop and ask me where to find certain things I was wearing - which was really fun and flattering because I knew exactly how they felt - on the quest to find their fashion groove with not enough time to get it done.  After having this happen a lot, a blog is born.  I'll start simple with my go-to favorites on everything from apparel, shoes, jewelry and skin care and take it from there.  Along the way you might find a gluten-free recipe or two mixed in because I got diagnosed with gluten-intolerance 3 years ago after suffering misdiagnosed for over 5 years.  And honey let me tell you, there's nothing worse than a world without homemade chocolate chip cookies.

As an aside, this blog is also a bit of a memoir to my niece Kaela.  You might see her on here from time to time.  She is super special to me and, at the tender age of four, already showing all the tell-tale signs of a fashion girl at heart.  We live thousands of miles apart and Skype keeps us together.  In the event her love for shoes holds fast, I want her to see in twenty years that everything re-emerges...and there's a reason for all the crates in my attic with her name on them.

I hope you'll come along for the ride...and that you'll share your favorite finds too.
-Carrie