Tiled Patterns

Patterns! I like ’em.

Patterns on patterns on tiles. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

Patterns on patterns on tiles. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

I have a special fondness for tiles, too. And this building had some particularly lovely ones. Can you believe this is a public middle school?!?

Posing outside Everett Middle School. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

Posing outside Everett Middle School. (Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

Pat and I were heading home from the Mission-Dolores area and happened across this beautiful building – Everett Middle School. Perhaps I risked pattern overload, with my geometric-print dress and black & white chevron shoes, but it seemed too good of a photo op to pass up. (Even if I only had a cell phone camera available – alas!)

(Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

(Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

Dress: Sugar Cubed Dress, Leota via ModCloth
Cardigan: The Dream of the Crop Cardigan in Black, Mak via ModCloth
Purse: Cole Haan
Shoes: High Hopes Wedge in Chevron, Seychelles via ModCloth

[Photos by Pat Zimmerman]

Le Geek, C’est Chic!

I don’t talk much about my day-to-day job at ModCloth on this here blog. I guess my love of ModCloth’s clothes is obvious, and I love/hate that I have an employee discount that encourages me to fill my closet to the brim. But what I’m truly thankful for is that I’m doing work I enjoy, for a customer-centric company with a truly awesome community of customers.

Before ModCloth, I was a grad student studying psychology & behavioral decision research. Basically, I was looking into why people make the decisions they do and what affects their judgments. I’m still passionate about that area of study, but academia can be rather isolating, and I often felt like I was floundering with no real impact on the world around me. Fast-forward to today, and I’m still studying psychology & decision making – but in an applied way, with a collaborative team of coworkers.

And then, once or twice a year, I get to play in ModCloth’s hackathons. Our hackathons include a mix of people who work on website & app development, user experience, analytics & customer research, along with colleagues from other parts of the business (like marketing and buying/merchandising). We form small teams and spend 3 days building a new feature or proof of concept. The goal is to spark creativity and build something to enhance the ModCloth user experience. Last year, for example, a team developed a prototype that became “Fit for Me” – a feature on the ModCloth iPhone app that enables customers to browse products based on their measurements.

Alright, but this is a personal style blog, and you gotta know there’s an outfit in here somehow. At our most recent hackathon, we got these fab hoodies designed by Amy Luo and Steph Monette, user experience designers at ModCloth. Check out the sweet print:

ModCloth's hackathon hoodie, designed by Amy Luo and Steph Monette. Yes, that's a nyan pug!! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

ModCloth’s hackathon hoodie, designed by Amy Luo and Steph Monette. Yes, that’s a nyan pug!! (Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

And in the spirit of celebrating creativity, I paired it with a Harold and the Purple Crayon tee. Plus polka dots and fuchsia tights because I like ’em. :)

(Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

(Photo by Pat Zimmerman)

(Oh yeah, and I actually do wear glasses – they’re just for long-distance, which is why they don’t normally show up in my photos.)

As for my team’s hackathon project – we’re working on getting it implemented, so it’s still under wraps for now. But I’ll let y’all know if it goes live!

Top: Novel Tee in Harold, Out of Print via ModCloth (Out of stock, but also available on the Out of Print website)
Skirt: modified from a ModCloth dress
Hoodie: Print designed by Amy Luo and Steph Monette
Tights: Nordstrom Rack
Shoes: DKNY
Glasses: Eye’DC v837 in purple

[Photos by Pat Zimmerman]

Black and white and dogs all over!

When Pat saw me take this sweater out of my latest ModCloth box, he said, “I can’t believe you bought that!” But how could he believe I wouldn’t buy it?! I mean, it’s covered in Boston Terriers!

And Rocky completely supported my decision.

(Of course, as long as it means he's getting attention, Rocky supports any decision.) (Photo by Krystal St. Julien)

(Of course, as long as it means he’s getting attention, Rocky supports any decision.) (Photo by Krystal St. Julien)

As I’m wont to do, I paired the sweater with one of my go-to skirts and my red Calderon belt. Black fishnets layered over red tights completed the ensemble. Perfect for a day at the ModCloth office, with Rocky by my side!

Rocky and I strike a pose (Photo by a helpful passerby!)

Rocky and I strike a pose (Photo by a helpful passerby!)

What I wore:
Sweater: Champion the Paws Sweater, Moon Collection via ModCloth
Skirt: Essential Elegance Skirt, Moon Collection via ModCloth
Belt: Calderon, thrifted
Tights: Nordstrom Rack
Shoes: DKNY

The LBD Gets a Colorful Spin!

San Francisco weather is all over the place. This weekend it’s been drizzly and chilly. But not too long ago it was sunny and warm . . . and I took out one of my LBDs for a spin.

Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

This is one of my go-to dresses when I want to wear something easy. It’s made of a polyester jersey knit (of the late 70s/early 80s variety), so it never wrinkles. (It happens to be a great traveling dress for that reason — and because it’s super easy to accessorize!) I picked it up several years ago in a Chicago vintage store for about $20 – a steal considering how often I’ve worn it since!

This dress can be worn for work (with a camisole to keep the neckline more conservative) or for a night out dancing — it’s got great twirlability! (That’s totally a word. Or it should be, anyhow.)

And I ADORE color, so I paired the dress with a fantastic scarf/shawl from ModCloth and a vintage gold Anne Klein belt that I recently scored on Etsy. I also added one of my favorite pieces of jewelry — a Victorian mourning bracelet that used to be my aunt’s. She wore it all the time, and I think of her every time I wear it.

Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

The color didn’t stop there. In fact, this outfit was actually built around my shoes: rainbow-hued wedges by Poetic License.

Rainbow Road Wedges. Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

Rainbow Road Wedges. Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

When I saw these shoes a year or two ago, I knew I had to have them! They remind me of Rainbow Brite, one of my favorite childhood cartoon characters.

And check this out:

Walking on rainbows!

Sunlight shines through the heel, casting a mini rainbow on the ground!

So when I wear these shoes, I’m always somewhere over the rainbow. Literally.

The whole ensemble. Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

The whole ensemble. Photo by Santina of Style by Santina.

Dress: vintage (late 1970s/early 1980s)
Scarf: Neon Summer Shawl,Twist and Tango via ModCloth
Belt: vintage Anne Klein belt, via Etsy
Shoes: Rainbow Road Wedge, Poetic License via ModCloth
Bracelet: Victorian mourning bracelet