Today’s post is equal parts fashion inspiration and personal style journey. For years around here, at the start of each week, I talked about Monday Workwear. It was the perfect way to shake off the work week doldrums – I used to love getting excited about getting dressed. Then came the 10 months where I couldn’t fit into anything in my closet. And the two and half years it’s taken me to get back into everything in my closet, but now I’m too tired half the time to actually change after my morning workout. But this fall, I’ve felt a shift. I actually want to break back into my wardrobe again and my timing couldn’t be better, as it appears one of my old staples – blazers – are coming on hard this season. So without further ado, I give you some Monday workwear inspiration – even if your only job is to make it through today.

updated way to wear blazers on apartment 34

Proof that all things come back around, since I’m pretty sure I saw this blazer on an episode of Designing Women (anyone with me?), but I’m digging the vibe of those puffy sleeves right now.

updated way to wear blazers on apartment 34

This look is definitely my style. Loads of layers (love it buttoned up to the neck), a heavy menswear touch and some mighty mom jeans. I gotta say, this is my jam right now.

updated way to wear blazers on apartment 34

I’ve never met a giant pant I didn’t like. Realize it’s not the friendliest silhouette, but if you feel like you can pull them off, seriously try them sometime – it’s so fun.

updated way to wear blazers on apartment 34

The oversized sleeve detail on this look (which I actually rocked pre-pregnancy in this post), combined with the cropped pant and beanie make a matching blazer and pants feel anything but up tight. Seems like it’s high time to give the style another go.

updated way to wear blazers on apartment 34

Does this look remind anyone else of Angela from My So Called Life?? And yet, I really want to add that blazer to my collection.

updated way to wear blazers on apartment 34

Who says you need to head to an office to rock a suit? Maybe I’ll just feel really polished during my morning coffee run.

What’s the saying? Dress for the job you want? Well, today, I’d like the job of badass, thanks.

For the entire Monday Workwear archive, CLICK HERE.

images via zara

Hi Friend! Since it’s the first day of Fall, I figured you deserved a bonus Friday post. This has always been my favorite season for fashion after all. The coats, the boots, the layers! It’s when getting dressed gets interesting again. But at the same time, I love the concept of the capsule wardrobe and uniform dressing – but how to do you combine the two? A beautifully edited closet and clothes that make you feel fabulous when you put them on. Well, I found the solution and it’s called Kamperett. You can consider all of your fall shopping done, right now.

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I’ve shared Kamperett collections before (like right here). Designed and made in San Francisco by two women who understand great style, but also know the needs of the modern, multi-tasking mom, Kamperett has taken their fall collection to new wearable levels. You have stunning pants, the perfect bodysuit, amazing coats, a sweet blouse – virtually everything you need to create a complete closet. Everything is simple and classic but also head turning. Dresses have sheer panels. Pants have the perfect kick hem. The dresses drape just so. And course so much of the fall collection is in my favorite black & cream color palette. Mmmm, my happy place. These are the pieces you’ll love wearing now and will keep for years.

the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34the only fashion line you need this fall is kamperett on apartment 34

Every single one of these pieces is calling my name – including the dresses! I know – me in a dress – but I actually already wore one right here and never felt more fabulous. So feel free to stop your online shopping for the random piece that everyone will have this fall and instead, think about emptying your closet and only adding back what’s special. This line certainly fits that bill.

For more fall style inspiration, CLICK HERE.

images c/o kamperett

10 things to try before summer is gone on apartment 34

Even though thoughts of fall are creeping ever closer to the top of my mind (see yesterday’s post), I’m still not quite ready to give up on summer fun. There’s still so much I want to do. Below are 10 things I’d highly recommend trying before the season changes. Think you can cram all of this in before Labor Day?! I’m certainly going to try.

Hit the beach (obvi)

Try something totally new – you just might find the secret to happiness.

Have you yet to try frosé? What are you waiting for?!

Serve your frosé with the ultimate cheese board.

Travel somewhere near.

Travel somewhere far.

Throw a party outside.

Then throw another party.

Add a cool shirt to your wardrobe.

Hit the road, killer playlist in hand, no destination in mind.

 

I could probably still add more to my summer wishlist. What must-dos do you have left??

 

image by bembien via honestly wtf

Is anyone else as ready for an escape as I am?! From everyone’s jaunts to Palm Springs, jetsets to the Amalfi Coast and the never ending stream of Tulum pics I have gorgeous, warm vacay on the brain big time. And then I stumbled upon this gorgeous clothing. All white, all linen, all tropical getaway perfection. I’m immediately transported.

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This stunning line by Etsy shop FoolDost is made of sustainable fabrics including linen and raw white denim to beautiful effect. Even if I’m not dashing anywhere exotic for the long weekend, I think if I had one of these looks I’d feel like I was on vacation!

I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day xx

For more of my favorite summer fashion trends, CLICK HERE

Having established that I can only get dressed by relying on a minimalist uniform, I have been hunting for a few easy ways to switch my look up a bit. But I’m not a massive jewelry person, you can’t wear sunglasses indoors and hats are often hit or miss. But I’m intrigued by a trend I’ve seen popping up just about everywhere right now: tying on a neckerchief! A staple of the 50’s – you know Pink Ladies style – these girls are making the look feel modern.

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A classic Pink Lady-like tied scarf,  but the retro vibe is balanced with a modern denim bomber.

neckerchief trend on apartment 34

A timeless leather bag and belt make the classic bandana look anything but western.

neckerchief trend on apartment 34

A brightly colored silk scarf is a unique way to mix prints. The hair tucked in lis a nice touch.

neckerchief trend on apartment 34

Loving the look of this loose knot.

neckerchief trend on apartment 34

A neckerchief is the perfect way to add a pop of color to a classic look.

neckerchief trend on apartment 34

Polka dots feel cheeky, but chic.

neckerchief trend on apartment 34

It doesn’t get more Parisian than a striped shirt, a wide-leg pant and croissant! The silk scarf is just the icing on this very stylish cake.

So what say you? Would you be willing to tie on a neckerchief this season?

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One reason I’ve stuck with this whole blogging gig for nearly a decade now is the talented, passionate people I’m lucky enough to meet along the way. I’ve profiled many on da blog over the years (you can check a lot of them out here) and my latest discovery is no exception. As I finally weaned myself from fast fashion (thanks pregnancy!) and have committed myself to a more long-term view of my closet, I like to look for people who are doing really cool things with fashion. The local Bay Area clothing line Eight + Sand – a collection of impeccably tailored basics such as T-shirts, hoodies and button-down shirts – is doing wonderful things in spades. Things like turning how women’s clothing is measured and made on its head. Like sourcing sustainable fabrics that don’t fall apart with the first wash. Like making everything locally. Like jumping into an industry they knew nothing about because they wanted to follow a dream. I recently visited Hawthorne boutique in Oakland to meet Eight + Sand founders Noushie and Ronda to learn all about their journey to create the perfect shirt.

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How did you get started in the apparel business?
Everything we do grew out of a real need that we, or friends of ours, had. We were living in the Bay Area, surrounded by gorgeous, local food prepared slowly, by local wines and craft beers and so much attention to source and ways of making that it was almost cliché, and yet the clothing we were all buying was falling apart after a few washes. We were all going to the same stores, buying the same stuff: made overseas in terrible conditions, treated with dangerous chemicals, produced at dizzying rates, and worst of all, filling up the landfills with waste. Even among people who really participated in monitoring their footprint in other ways— what they eat, the car they drive, who they vote for— clothing was a total blind spot. We were like, “What is wrong with this picture?” So we walked away from our old careers and started building Eight + Sand, hell-bent on doing things differently, on offering people something obsessively sourced, painstakingly crafted, super durable, and totally classic; something where every step of the process, every hand than participated in it, is known and honored.

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What do they think really sets the line apart?
Two big things: One, while there are a few companies gesturing at the idea of the problems we mentioned above, very few people are tackling all of the components. Say, they’re making inroads in terms of educating consumers about the true cost of what they buy but not working with truly exceptional materials, or they’re very artisanal, offering  high-quality goods, but they’re mostly accessories and the conditions of making aren’t really discussed. We’re doing it all: we use some of the finest textiles available from only ethical sources, obsess over craft, prioritize fit with custom grade rules, and do all of our manufacturing locally where minimum wage is the highest in the country and we can actually know the women making our clothes. We use only ecologically sustainable dyes and packaging, organic textiles, discourage power-consumption, and focus on gender-neutral styles that serve all kinds of folks. And lemme tell you something, there’s a reason we’re alone— it is SO hard to do all of this. It’s a whole lot easier to just bend your ethics and triple your profit. But that’s not how we roll. We got into this business to serve people and the planet and that’s what we mean to do, even when it’s an uphill battle.

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What should women know about proper fit?
The most important thing women should know about fit is that it has nothing to do with them. Clothing companies use sizing charts that contradict each other all day long; they don’t correspond and are not based on bodies, they’re based on algorithms or in some cases, just really old math. Also, fit is subjective. Yes, there’s clearly a point at which something is just categorically too big, but usually fit is much more nuanced than people think— something might “fit” but feel too tight for the amount of curve you like to show. Or maybe your mom thinks it fits but you like things to accentuate your shape more— whose to say? So we don’t trade in “proper” fits. What we do is measure large groups of real women and come up with real, data-driven averages to build our clothes around. This allows us to offer sizing charts (one for every piece) that not only work, but make room for sizing preferences so women can reliably decide what best suits their needs and wants. Everything is based on our customers’ own measurements, so they can easily find their preferred size for their preferred look and feel. No returns. No trips to the tailor.

meet the maker on apt34 meet the maker on apt34meet the maker on apt34 meet the maker on apt34
What would we be surprised to know about how clothes are made?
There’s a lot— it’s a shocking industry— but we’ll stick to three heavy-hitters:
Your clothes are ALL made by people. Often folks think that only “sweatshops” have rows of sewing machines attended by humans at work, and that at “ethical” places, things are automated. This is not true. There are no automated clothing-making machines out there. Every piece you buy was sewn by a person. The issue then is not that those people are doing the sewing, it’s how, how are they treated, how are they paid, how old are they, how are they protected. For example, many manufacturers pay their employees by the piece, which contributes to exploitation and low quality goods. So things aren’t as simple as you might imagine, there’s a lot of research involved.

Those little holes you get in that super-soft Tee from J Crew aren’t from your jeans button, they are the result of a chemical enzyme that wears the fibers of low-grade quality down until they soften, allowing companies to buy extremely cheap materials and make them feel supple in-store. The only trouble being, the fabric is destroyed in the process, making it prone to holes after just a single wash. So you waste money and your near-disposable clothing ends up in a land fill very quickly.
And lastly, there is no reporting required on any of this. Unlike your food which the FDA and other agencies require people to report on, the garment industry is like the wild west. It’s where food was in the middle of last century. And that should worry people very much, but right now, it doesn’t, because people don’t think of clothing as agricultural products, but they are.

What is your greatest source of inspiration?
These days, we’re all about fighting the good fight. There is so much junk in the world, so many objects of poor quality circulating around and messing up our planet, we’re inspired to do better, to be better and help people have another option. To us, making objects that last, that can age and patina with you, that can start well and grow into something like an heirloom, with history and beauty and time, that’s a way to change the world. It’s a small way, but it matters, just like all the other small ways. We believe in working well, on behalf of the planet, on behalf of the incredible people who supply our cottons and threads and buttons, on behalf of a world we want, where rampant consumerism has been replaced by measured, intentional collecting of objects that last.
That’s what inspired us and keeps us going, even when this project gets really hard, and it sure does, we remember what we’re working for.

eight + sand on apartment 34

What do you hope to do next?
In practical terms, we’ll be launching a new “Heritage Collection,” a small-batch collection of pieces made from textiles so special, we could only make around 30 of each piece. It’s all about honoring the rarity and gift of a truly unique fabric, even if we can’t get enough to make as many as we can in our Classic Collection. It lets us spread our wings, experiment with new styles, and bring our customer something nearly one of a kind. We are also experimenting with thoughtful ways to use fabric scraps created during manufacturing which we hope will get us closer to our zero-waste goals.

In more existential terms, we hope to keep educating people on the realities and woes of the fashion industry and encouraging them to think more and better about what they buy and put on their bodies. Slow fashion is new, but it is happening, and we’re proud to be on the bleeding edge. We want to do our best to not only support our own work, but the work of the other talented people working for a paradigm shift in the garment world. We are little but we are mighty!

I am so inspired by Noushie and Ronda. With my love for minimal, timeless style (as you might have spied here) they’re speaking my style language and they’re attempting to make the world better too. One perfect shirt at at a time.

As we prepare to shake off the winter doldrums, I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling very ready for a wardrobe refresh. After a season of nothing but puffy jackets and heavy boots (or in San Francisco’s case rain boots – there’s been so much rain our freaking crawl space flooded out killing our furnace – but that’s a different post), I want to put on things that are light, bright and most importantly easy to wear.

While I used to troll street style blogs for innovative outfit inspiration, I now look at street style and simply wonder what the heck they’re thinking! Fur lined slides, a kaleidoscope of colors and a mishmash of 80’s and 90’s trends?? Blech. I’m sorry, I dressed through those decades, I don’t need to do it again. I might be dating myself or have simply become boring, but this season I’m ready for timeless, classic silhouettes and quality wardrobe staples that I’ll wear for years to come. Minimalist style all the way baby.

minimalist style on apartment 34 minimalist style on apartment 34 minimalist style on apartment 34minimalist style on apartment 34minimalist style on apartment 34 minimalist style on apartment 34minimalist style on apartment 34 minimalist style on apartment 34

The formula for minimal style is fairly straight forward. Step one: pick a monochromatic color palette and stick with it. White is my favorite pretty much all year round, but then comes camel, black, gray and navy. Right now I’m actually into a light putty, even so far as going with a blush piece or two, for spring. And a good striped shirt is a nice change from the classic white button down, but can still function as a neutral.

Denim is my closet’s foundation, but I’m ready to say see ya to all the skin tight and overly-distressed jeans that have been the look du jour. Wide legs are having their day. Extra long and high waisted or cropped at the ankle, either way, they look stellar. And kick that stretchy denim to the curb. Raw denim, though a bit more finicky, is really denim at its best. You just need a good fit in the waist and butt (cuz they will stretch out) but that crisp straight leg is a good look on anyone.

Since becoming a mom I’ve (sadly) kicked virtually all of my heels to the curb. My shoe wardrobe now consists of the following; a good slip-on sneaker, a loafer, an ankle boot and a sandal. Done.

And even though they’re called basics, minimal pieces can be anything but. If you invest in high quality fabrics – think cashmere, Japanese linen, good chunky knits, supple leathers – the craftsmanship is going to stand out in the fast-fashion crowd. And the details don’t hve to be boring. I’m obsessed with the oversized cuff of Anna Quan’s shirts. Levi’s and Citizens of Humanity are doing some very cool vintage denim. High waists, good tailoring or dramatically oversized pieces keep your look feeling fresh.

So as spring gets in full swing, attack that closet. Set aside the 5-10 things you actually wear and then gather everything else in a giant pile. Do you see yourself wearing anything in that pile in the next six months? If not, out it goes. Consign the good stuff and donate the rest. Then you can fill in any gaps with the aforementioned minimal basics. Trust me, you’ll feel ten times lighter and ten times happier every time you get dressed.

 

images in order of appearance could i have that / blog and the city / we the people / fitgny / pinterst / pinterest / 9 to 5 chic / fitgny / sea 

FOR MORE SPRING STYLE IDEAS, CLICK HERE

I’ve always said that lingerie is NOT a Valentine’s gift for you. It’s for him. I mean, come on – do you ever actually wear the stuff other than the day it was given? Exactly. But my attitude has shifted a bit since I discovered Madewell just launched an intimates line. Because this is purdy underwear I actually want to wear.

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It looks cute, it looks comfy and it has the perfect amount of sass.

I’m particularly into the bralette situation for something I might want to show off. But I also really like I really the mesh bras. Padding is so 10 years ago. I’m tiny and proud dammit. There are some cute and casual color blocked styles. Great boy shorts too.

I haven’t refreshed my personals drawer since finally returning to my post-baby body (did I mention it took nearly two years to get there? Yeah f*** Crissy Tiegan and all those models who look perfect in 4 weeks. But I digress). But now that everything has shrunk back down to its pre-baby size and I’m no longer stuck wearing nursing bras, it seems like the perfect time to invest in a few lovely little things, just for me. Why should I have to wait until someone else buys them for me?? If the husband likes this little gift to myself, added bonus.

You can shop the entire Madewell Intimates Collection HERE.

It’s been a little while since we’ve talked about fashion around here. So I thought it high time I round up some winter style inspiration. If you’re like me, you’re probably ready to look at your winter closet with new eyes.

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Oversized scarves are my fave.

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Inspired to try the turtleneck-under-shirt look.

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Rocking a hoodie as day-wear.

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Giving culottes a winter vibe.

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Scarves as belts – easy way to sass up a classic pair of wide-legged denim.

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Neck scarves are having a moment. Pairing one with a sweatshirt is a particularly interesting idea.

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Pulling out some pattern. Love the checks on checks in competing neutral tones.

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Slip-ons with sweater dresses.

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A classic blazer, another jumbo scarf and a retro belt still feel very current.

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You can rock virtually any style of jeans these days – but how about rolling them? The key is a good ankle-hugging heel or boot.

It’s not about running out and buying the latest trends – but instead simply tweaking the classic pieces already in your closet. I’m going to see if I can put together a fresh look everyday this week. Who’s with me??

For more style posts, CLICK HERE

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