Gaudy by Nature

Happy Wear Something Gaudy Day!

Maybe you weren’t aware that October 17th is Wear Something Gaudy Day, but it is. Teh interwebs say so.

I celebrated the day by tapping into my inner Liberace and donning a metallic copper floral skirt, sequined top, and Rainbow-Brite-inspired shoes. Not to mention sparkly earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Oh yeah, and a Ring Pop!

Gasp! How FABULOUS! (Photo by Julie Murrell.)

So what’s your favorite fashion item that verges on gaudiness? Or maybe one that blatantly crosses the line and is all out AWESOME?

What I wore:
Top: Nordstrom Rack
Skirt: Songs by the Fire Skirt, Bettie Page via ModCloth
Shoes: Rainbow Road Wedge, Poetic License via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted

[Photo by Julie Murrell.]

What to Wear to the Polls

This morning before work, I headed to the polls to vote. And of course I couldn’t wear just any old thing to the polls. So voilà, my election-inspired outfit:

All decked out at the polls, in red, white, and blue. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

And my necklace? A nod to my favorite political movie, which prominently featured a certain political catchphrase. Bonus points if you know the catchphrase, and double bonus points if you can guess the movie!

A nod to my favorite political movie. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

P.S. Just because elections are important doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun with them . . . and involve your pup, too!

Rocky gets into the spirit. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

So, did you cast your vote?

Top: Zara
Skirt: Streak Clearly Skirt by Rock Steady via ModCloth
Necklace: vintage watch fob
Bracelet: Nordstrom (a gift)
Shoes: Hit the Rodeo Heel by Miss L. Fire via ModCloth

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman]

A Gatsby Summer Afternoon

On a warm, sunny day in September, Pat and I headed out to a picnic. But this picnic wasn’t just any old picnic; it was a step into the Gatsby-era world.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

The Art Deco Society of California (which I previously mentioned in a post about their Deco Ball) hosts a “Gatsby Summer Afternoon” every year at the end of the summer season, at the historic Dunsmuir Hellmann estate in Oakland. The dress code calls for 1920s and 1930s day attire for men and women, and period-appropriate accoutrements… right down to real glasses and porcelain, wicker baskets – and even a gramophone or two!

Pat decked out in menswear to evoke the deco era.

A working gramophone at the Gatsby Summer Afternoon.

And in keeping with my usual style, I decided against the straight silhouettes of the 1920s in favor of the somewhat more body conscious style of the 1930s. But finding a proper ’30s day dress isn’t easy, so I bought a vintage pattern and sewed one up myself!

My 1930s dress pattern (photo taken when I was working on the muslin mock-up).

The end result: decked out in a 1930s day dress.

Prepping for this event was almost as fun as the event itself… but nothing quite beats dancing outside on a beautiful day!

Dancing at the Gatsby Summer Afternoon.

For those of you in the Bay Area, I heartily recommend checking out the Art Deco Society! In addition to this event and their annual ball, they host walking tours of art deco buildings and publish information about related events put on by other organizations.

What I wore:
Dress: made by me from a vintage 1930s Simplicity pattern
Hat: ModCloth
Bracelet: vintage deco-era silver bracelet
Clutch: a gift from my husband

[Photos by me except where otherwise noted.]

Additional photos available on Flickr, here.

Twinsies!

The thing about working at ModCloth is that you’re surrounded by a bunch of people who share a similar aesthetic. And everyone has an employee discount. And so, invariably, one day you come into work and you’ve got a twin!

Hannah, Rocky, and me. Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

This was totally unplanned, but funnily enough it was about a week after we had a “Seeing Double” day, where Hannah and I purposefully wore the same outfit as each other (but a different one from this).

My outfit:
Skirt: Sunday Diving Skirt, Eva Franco via ModCloth
Shirt: Learn the Basics Top in Navy via ModCloth
Shoes: Vintage 1950s Pamela Heel by Joseph La Rose via ModCloth

Hannah’s outfit:
Skirt: Sunday Diving Skirt, Eva Franco via ModCloth
Shirt: Thrifted
Shoes: 10 Things I Love about Shoe by BC Shoes, via ModCloth. (For the record, I also have those shoes and previously wore them in this post.)

Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

A City Statement

A cool but clear and sunny summer day called for bold colors and accessories.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

This black maxi dress was the perfect backdrop for color blocks of blue, yellow, and pink. The neckline is quite low cut, so I started with a blue bandeau. Then I added the necklace, which I love for its bright yellows and the gold-tone hardware. And topped it off with a pink cardigan, tied rather than buttoned for a more casual, summery look.

Statement of the Art Necklace in Yellow. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

I mixed in a few bracelets, in colors that echoed my cardigan and accessories.

A mix of blue and pink (and orange) enamel and gold bracelets. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

And my laptop bag happened to fit in beautifully (These pictures were taken right after work).

Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Computer Commuter. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

My goal was to look as summery as possible while still keeping warm on a cool San Francisco day. Success?

Color blocking with bright colors over classic black. I even added sandals – that makes it summery, right? (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Dress: A Grecian Turn Dress, Rubber Ducky via ModCloth
Bandeau: Très Sleek Bandeau in Cobalt Blue via ModCloth
Cardigan: Charter School Cardigan in Raspberry via ModCloth
Bracelets: Nordstrom (blue bracelet), Talbots (orange and pink bracelet), and vintage (gold bangles)
Necklace: Statement of the Art Necklace in Sun via ModCloth
Laptop Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Pretty Nylon Computer Commuter via Nordstrom
Shoes: Faryl Robin sandals

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman.]

Style Challenge: Neon!

Aloha! It’s Friday, which means another style challenge! The theme this week is neon. And where better to wear neon colors than on a sunset cruise?

Neon and navy, with my soon-to-be-lost plumeria blossom. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I grabbed this bathing suit at a super-tropical store: Old Navy. And I paired it with a jersey knit chevron-striped skirt and a jersey knit navy cardigan when the breezes picked up. Plus a pair of pearl earrings.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

The effect was tropical meets nautical – which meshed well with the scenery!

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Happy Friday!

Bathing Suit: Old Navy
Skirt: Old Navy
Cardigan: Final Touch

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman]

Check out the rest of the style challenge crew this week, and join us or follow along on Twitter: #stylechallenge :)
Meghan of Voilà!
Rebecca of Thirty-Five Inch Inseam
Adiel of It’s Because I Think Too Much
Angie of The Hotness Your Momma Warned You About
Amanda of Fashionablee Me
Carlina of Allergic to Vanilla
Nic of Manners and Moxie

Gone Fishin’

I went camping with a few friends at Plumas National Forest. We found a spot by one of the creeks to set up our site, then enjoyed a low-key weekend of fishing and hanging out.

North fork of the Feather River at Plumas National Forest.

We saw all sorts of fun nature-y things . . .

Look at that nature stuff over there! (Photo by Odelle.)

. . . like tiny flowering succulents in the moss:

Tiny flowering succulent in a bed of moss. If you look closely you can see a couple of spiders!

. . . and a giant banana slug!

Ahhh!! A banana slug monster!

And then – well, I’m not sure I should tell you this, but . . .

Uh oh! (Photo by Odelle.)

. . . it turns out when you go camping with a couple of environmental engineers they teach you how to do crazy things, like melt glass bottle in campfires. Okay, not that crazy, really – and actually very cool looking!

A blue bottle in a campfire. What will happen next?

It’s melllllltiinggg!!

What’s your favorite way to spend a summer weekend?

What I wore:
Kitschy Kitchen Dress by Heartbreaker, via ModCloth. Nothing like a cotton halter dress to keep you cool on warm, sunny days. And since I don’t really get to wear sundresses in San Francisco, I take full advantage of wearing them when I head off to warmer destinations outside the city!

[Photos by me except where otherwise noted.]

Jewel Tones and Polka Dots

Perhaps you’re starting to notice I have a thing for polka dots. What can I say, they’re just fun!

I recently bought this silver grey polka dot Bettie Page skirt from ModCloth. It’s the same cut as the B. Jones Style Skirt (styled here), though made from a light-weight, taffeta-y fabric.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I paired it with a jade green tee, sapphire blue cardigan, and amethyst heels – with a sheer scarf to pull it all together.

And I won’t lie – I chose the colors to complement my mani, which had been inspired by this pin on Pinterest. (For the record, the design is super easy to do!)

Manicure (with Julep nail polish), bracelets, and rings. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

As you can see in the photos above and below, I decided to add contrast to the silver grey of the skirt with some gold jewelry.

Heirloom-inous Earrings from ModCloth. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Oh, and Jasper made his debut in an outfit post! (Though if you’ve been following me on Instagram – @katealamode – you’ve probably seen him several times already.) He’s an apricot blond poogle (a poodle/beagle mix) and such a sweetie! I don’t take him to work because he gets separation anxiety, so during the day he stays with my husband, who works from home.

Jasper and Rocky showing their moves. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Jasper and Rocky are best pals, so when Rocky comes home from work there’s much play and wrestling. But they can chill out from time to time too. :-)

A perfectly poised trio. Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Skirt: Give Us a Spin Skirt, Bettie Page via ModCloth
Shirt: Learn the Basics Top in Green via ModCloth
Cardigan: Charter School Cardigan in Computer Science via ModCloth
Scarf: gifted
Bracelets: Sparkle an Idea Bracelet via ModCloth and a Victorian mourning bracelet
Cocktail Ring: family heirloom
Earrings: Heirloom-inous Earrings via ModCloth
Shoes: I Want to Bow What Love Is Heel in Purple, Jeffrey Campbell via ModCloth

Manicure: Marisa (dark blue) and Anne (violet), both by Julep. Inspired by this pin.

[All photos by Pat Zimmerman]

Urban Rooftop

I love living in the city. In addition to the easy access to great cultural activities and fantastic restaurants, as well as being surrounded by lots of people, I love the urban landscape. And I’m lucky enough to have an apartment with good views — especially from the roof.

Turns out the roof is a pretty good place to take outfit photos. :)

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

The skirt is a BCBGMAXAZRIA Power Skirt, which I first wore (and posted an outfit post for) in February. I really liked it, but the problem was that I didn’t have the right kind of shirts for it (except for the one featured in that earlier outfit post – and I try to mix up my outfits at least a little!). All my other skirts are a-line or full, so I tend to wear them with more form-fitting shirts and sweaters. But wearing a form-fitting top with a form-fitting skirt was a little too much for me.

I set out to find the right kind of top for this skirt, and finally found the perfect blouse at Nordstrom Rack. I love the rich cobalt blue color, the decorative buttons, and rolled tab sleeves. (The button details continue to the back, with functional buttons, but I forgot to take photos! So I’ll have to do that next time I wear this shirt.) Also, the sheerness of the blouse help keeps it light and fun.

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

I accessorized with a silver statement necklace from ModCloth and my favorite silver cuff (a gift from my husband).

Photo by Pat Zimmerman.

Do you have other ideas or tips for how to wear body-con skirts?

Shirt: Daniel Rainn via Nordstrom Rack
Skirt: BCBGMAXAZRIA Scarlett Power Skirt in Black Combo
Necklace: ModCloth
Bracelet: gifted
Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Hoover’s Beef Palace: The Best Darn Breakfast in California

Earlier I blogged about my trip south to San Luis Obispo for wine tasting with Threadless peeps. My husband, Pat, and I had driven down for a brief weekend trip — on Sunday we drove back up to San Francisco. And since it was a Sunday, we decided we should get brunch on the way back home. We ended up at a place just off 101, in Templeton, called Hoover’s Beef Palace.

Presenting Hoover’s Beef Palace! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Now, the place is called a “Beef Palace” – but it only serves breakfast and lunch. So you better believe breakfast there is hardcore. And AMAZING.

Pat ordered the green chile omelet, and added sausage to it. What he hadn’t realized was that the green chile already had shredded pork in it — and it was awesome. Savory, hearty, and absolutely delicious (I know, because I stole a bite or two)! The home fries that came with it were perfectly cooked — tender with crispy edges.

Hoover’s Green Chile Omelet

I ordered the corned beef hash with eggs over medium and a biscuit with gravy. Everything was scrumptious – the corned beef hash was tender and flavorful, the eggs were beautifully cooked with runny yolks but fried whites, and the gravy was rich and meaty. I love biscuits and gravy, but too often it tastes just like a whole bunch of flour with a little broth & some sausage thrown it. This one was creamy and tasted like it had been made with meat drippings. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Hoover’s corned beef hash and biscuit with gravy

The food alone is worth the detour to Hoover’s if you’re in the area. But I enjoyed the atmosphere — not just for the cattle brands on the wall, but also for what I can only describe as a ranch-does-diner feel. And I also loved the fact that most of the clientele clearly knew the staff, and vice versa. So there may be a few random passers-by coming through (like my husband and me), but this is a local favorite.

And I only wish I lived a bit closer! I’m not kidding when I say it was the best breakfast I’ve had in California. It definitely ranks among my fave breakfasts ever.

What can I say? Hoover’s is the best! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman.)

Hoover’s Beef Palace Restaurant
401 N Main St
Templeton, CA 93465
(805) 434-2114

What I wore:
Dress: Blogging Molly Dress, Effie’s Heart via ModCloth
Cardigan: Trusted Essential Cardigan via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted
Shoes: Hot for Hemlock Heel in Crimson, Chelsea Crew via ModCloth
Tights: Hue
Sunglasses: Kate Spade