California: What I Brought and What I Bought

Hi everyone! Lisa here, and I’m just back from sunny California! This month Jillian is writing about the One Room Challenge makeover of her daughter’s bedroom, so since it’s going to be a little while until you hear from me, I thought I would check in to say a quick hello to tell you about my trip and talk a little fashion!

First off, lest you not recognize the brunette in the photos below, it is in fact yours truly. I know back in this post, I mentioned I didn’t want to give up my blond highlights, but despite my best efforts at salvaging my damaged golden locks, in the end, my over-processed tresses were begging for a break from the bleach, so brown I went. But so much for blondes having more fun, because this brunette just had an AMAZING time in California! My husband Stew and I have taken a couple days away here and there without the kids, mostly to one of our favorite places, Nantucket. But this time we went further afield to California, for four glorious days. We missed the kids terribly of course, but it was such a wonderful, relaxing, and romantic trip that I feel totally refreshed. Plus, early spring in New England can be rather raw and dreary (which explains my complete lack of a tan), so the sunny, balmy weather of Southern California was just what the doctor ordered. We spent most of our time taking in the sites of breathtaking Santa Barbara, but we also went wine tasting at the vineyards in the picturesque and bucolic Santa Barbara wine country, did a little shopping in swanky Montecito, drove down the dramatic coastline of the Santa Monica Mountains and Malibu, and finished our trip with a stroll down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. It was a dream of a getaway!

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Anyway, I love an excuse to pull out my fancy heels and fun accessories and specialty clothing items, but when I travel, I definitely like to keep things simple. I pack shoes that are stylish but practical and versatile, keep accessories to a bare minimum, rock my favorite sunglasses (similar), and don easy breezy clothes that pack a style punch with minimum effort.

Since you will see the same three pairs of shoes in the pics below, here’s the 411. I should preface this by saying the word “comfort” appears many times in this paragraph. Stew and I like to walk A LOT when we’re exploring someplace new, so comfort is of paramount importance when it comes to shoes when I’m on vacation. For traveling and the more active parts of our trip, I wore these super cute and comfy street sneakers by Ugg in the hot color of the season, blush. For sightseeing and strolling around town, I wore these incredibly comfortable sandals by Eileen Fisher. I like the sporty look of them, the color of the super soft leather goes with everything, and the tread and cushy sole are great for walking around. This trip was the first time I wore these shoes, but there was no need to break these babies in–total comfort from the moment I slipped them on. Finally, I brought a trusty pair of cork and metallic Kate Spade wedges (similar) to dress up my outfits without sacrificing comfort. I was not going to let sore feet slow me down, but who said comfort can’t be cute?!

For clothes, I packed minimally, choosing pieces that could be dressed up or down, which meant there would be extra room in my suitcase to fit my inevitable purchases! So below check out what I brought and what I bought!

BROUGHT

For sightseeing around Santa Barbara and dinner out, I brought this great navy dress from Gap. It is flattering and effortless, with pretty embroidery to give it interest. I think it’s going to be a favorite go-to dress for me this spring. To dress it up for dinner, I just switched out the casual sandals for my wedges, and I was good to go.

BOUGHT

I have had my eye on this beautiful dress by Calypso St. Barth for some time now, so when I saw it on sale in Montecito, I gladly snatched it up. In the Q&A section of our About page, I mention how I love a bohemian flair in my personal style, and this dress totally embodies what I’m talking about. It’s fluttery and feminine, in a breezy linen with a pretty print, and it works equally well by the beach with sandals or out for drinks with wedges.

BROUGHT

For taking in the scenery of the rugged Santa Ynez Mountains, I wore this cute blue and white gingham top from Anthropologie (it has buttons all down the back and a longer hem in the back as well), these gray ankle-length jeans also from Anthropologie, and my blush sneakers.

BOUGHT (AND BROUGHT)

The casual vibe of California definitely calls for a pair of shorts. I brought this favorite pair of bright pink Lilly Pulitzer shorts (similar) and paired them with this flowy navy Joie top that I also bought in Montecito. The lightweight, gauzy material of this top is perfect for a hot day, and the crisp white, contrasting embroidered embellishment has that bohemian feeling that I love. Are you noticing that I have penchant for blue and white?!?! More colors coming up!

BROUGHT

For wine tasting in the vineyards, I went for comfort in a Tory Burch t-shirt dress (here is a similar striped version). Coral/orange and blue is one of my favorite color combinations (you can see my coral and blue home decor picks here, and see how I used that color combo in my house here and here), and the pretty vine print elevates it from just a plain old t-shirt dress into something special. Plus, doesn’t a vine print seem appropriate for strolling around a vineyard?

BOUGHT

I made my final purchase at Marine Layer in Malibu and wore it to our last dinner out in Beverly Hills. I have had my eye on this adorable romper for a while, so it was a total score to find it on the sale rack. I absolutely adore the fun banana leaf print (it reminds me of this favorite throw pillow), and despite the super cazh design aesthetic of Marine Layer, I totally think this romper looks super cute dressed up with wedges!

Alas, it is back to the predictably unpredictable spring of New England. We might have a warm day here and there that lifts the spirits and offers a glimpse of what’s to come, but then the next day we could get dumped on by snow. Sigh. But I was so thankful to have some quality time with my husband, and ample gorgeous weather to hold me over for a while. Soon enough I will be pulling all these great items out of my closet again, and I’m looking forward to those days! Check back soon to see my photography of the beautiful California scenery, and if you haven’t already, check out Jillian’s One Room Challenge here! 😎