Tag: wardrobe

Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 3

Designer Courtney Skott

When Courtney was in Spain, she visited this Desigual coat obsessively before finally splurging. Courtney has always been budget minded. We agreed during the shoot that spending $100 on something is a whole deal. If I’m spending more than $25 on an item, I tend to think it over. Thrift shopping makes you a crazy person that way. Lately I’ve begun to realize that it’s better to come home with one perfect investment piece rather than a garbage bag full of not-quite-there second hand stuff, so I’m trying to be better about looking for clothes that are bargains, but maybe not steals.

Courtney says the coat splurge was worth it, because people stop her on the street to compliment her whenever she wears it. I love that, because the whole point of going shopping while you travel is having the “Where’d you get that? conversation afterward. “This? Oh! I picked it up in Barcelona.”

Designer Courtney Skott

These Cartonnier herringbone trousers from Anthropoligie are technically supposed to be “ankle length.” No hemming for the petite girl, hooray! This is a pretty typical work outfit for Courtney.

Designer Courtney Skott

The Dolman-sleeved sweater is from Crossroads, a second-hand resale chain that has so far featured prominently in the Mighty Closet posts. I dig the proportions of this outfit. Easy, but not baggy, with a well-defined waist.

Designer Courtney Skott

The necklace is from Crossroads too. Clearly we all need to spend more time at Crossroads.

Lace Up Oxfords

Staid lace-up oxfords by Biviel from Gimme Shoes. So sexy librarian.

Tomorrow, Courtney channels Dixie Carter circa Designing Women. Stay tuned.

Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 2

Courtney Skott in her San Francisco apartment

Courtney is a champion thrifter and, shoes aside, this outfit is all second hand. The nautical-stripe dress has a ’50s vibe, but it’s actually a Vicky Vaughn piece from the ’80s. Perfect for standing purposefully on the bow of a ship, fisted hands on hips, grinning at the horizon.

Courtney Skott at her desk

Also, how enviable is her office nook? So tidy!

Red Striped Belt on a Blue Striped Dress, Courtney Skott

Courtney found the belt on the sidewalk in the Western Addition. I know that mighty sound alarming to some of you, but be ye not scandalized. People in the city just leave bags of belongings on the curb instead of lugging them to thrift shops, and decent stuff rarely sits outside for more than an hour or two.

Courtney Skott's White Necklace

The painted chain is from a white elephant sale. The moony eyes are from her mama, who did some catalog modeling in her day. Thanks for the good genes, mom.

mccc2shoes

These are Courtney’s go-to eyelet flats, which she realized she wanted to replace just as I was aiming my camera. San Francisco is a walking city, so flats get heavily abused. Comfy flats are by Rocket Dog, and she got them on Zappos.

Tomorrow, Courtney’s favorite jacket, which she purchased in Spain. Olé!

Mighty Closet: Courtney Skott, Outfit 1

Courtney Skott

This is my ludicrously talented friend Courtney Skott. Fear her! She is a force. Courtney is so smart and creative, I’m always kind of surprised to know her. She has style, is a genius interior decorator, and can make gorgeous things with a table saw. Courtney is a furniture designer who currently works with Steelcase, though I’m continually lobbying for a line of Courtney Skott originals. Please sign the petition below.

This outfit is Courtney’s “cute daywear,” she wore it to a friend’s baby shower brunch recently. Jeans are Gap, but I forgot to ask who makes the jacket (Courtney, will you let us know in comments?). I know you guys will ask about that amazing red shelf, which is by CB2. Lacquer red is a signature accent color, as you’ll see in lots of these photos, which were all taken in the San Francisco apartment she shares with her husband Lane.

Courtney Skott

Speaking of signature reds, Courtney’s lipstick is Mac’s Ruby Woo. Her earrings are Forever 21, and the necklace was a Rare Device purchase — it’s a resin encased vertebrae by Faryn Davis.

Courtney Skott

Courtney is also a marathon runner, which explains that body. My lord, people. She could look good in a paper sack. In fact, if I worked that hard on my body, I wouldn’t even bother with a paper sack. Courtney, why are you spending money on clothing? Is it an office dress code thing? Shirt is by H&M.

Rainbow Shoes

Her versatile rainbow shoes are Very Volatile, and she got them at Piperlime. Little Leprechauns follow her everywhere.

Tomorrow, please tune in for office casual day! Man, I love doing these.

Packing Light: Puerto Rico Edition

This is every item of clothing I packed for eight days in Puerto Rico, minus my traveling dress and sweater, which somehow escaped my camera.

Regular readers know I like to pack light, so my goal for this trip was to fit everything in a carry-on suitcase and my laptop backpack. This is relatively easy to do if you’re going somewhere warm and casual, but Melissa was still surprised by how much I managed to cram into my bag.

This is a green dress I bought at H&M shortly after I had Hank. I love it, because the front pleat is very tummy forgiving, and that’s the area I worry about most, especially post-baby. When it’s not belted, it’s a comfy, loose shift. The purse is a thrift find; it’s lined with a spectacular hunting scene.

These peacock feather earrings are from Claire’s, and I love them.

The skinny gunmetal belt is J Crew. Versatile, ladies.

These simple, functional flats are my sneakers. They’re ideal for travel because they go with everything, you can step right out of them at airport security, and they flatten completely in your bag. I don’t like blisters while I’m out exploring, and you don’t need to “break them in,” which is really just code for “my shoes are defective.” What other item of clothing could make you bleed without giving you just cause to return it for a full refund? Girl shoes piss me off.

Anyway, I’ve gone through three pairs of these magic flats, and I’ve raved about them before on Mighty Goods. They’re by Navid o Nadia.

I bought this BP dress for Blogher very early in my pregnancy. It has a subtle stripe of blue and green that you can’t see in the photo, and it has proven to be a great layering piece. I can do tights (or slim pants), boots and a little jacket if it’s cold. On warm days, wearing this is like pulling on a T-shirt and walking out the door without worrying about finding pants. Dresses are magic.

This skirt is a vintage piece begging for a West Side Story dance number — quintessential Puerto Rico. The ribbed tank is from Old Navy.

These are my indestructible Saltwater Sandals, which I grew up wearing. I’ve had this pair for years. They come in tons of colors, and again, zero blisters. They’re made for walking on the beach, so sand isn’t an issue — so much more pleasant than flip-flops thwacking sand against your calves.

These earrings are also from Claire’s. You definitely have to dig, but they have some great deals in there.

I bought this dress years ago in New York to supplement what I’d packed for a Morning News retreat. It’s Club Monaco, and I got it on super sale. It packs down to nothing, so I always throw it in to wear over my suit, which you can see in this photo.

Claire’s again, all from the same shopping trip. Can you tell my accessories were getting outdated?

I haven’t worn shorts in a hundred years, because of the glare. People gasp on the street and throw bottles of sunscreen at my head.

These shorts have little bronze sailor buttons up the front, which is spectacular. I’ve contemplated wearing them as bikini bottoms, because they’re kind of short for shorts, but very demure as swimsuit bottoms, eh? I forget the brand, but I had to seam-rip an enormous metal tag off the back, seriously the size of a belt buckle, so we’ll let them work their marketing magic elsewhere. The shirt is Banana Republic.

This is the very best swimsuit in the entire world. It’s by Donna Karan, and I’ve had it for three years. When retro suits made a tentative comeback, I checked in every day online until it went on sale, because I can’t justify spending over $100 on a swimsuit. Which is silly because I wear them for like a decade, but still. The most awesome thing about this awesome suit is, if you’re having a crisis of thigh confidence, you can pull down the outer layer to make it into a very short dress, like so:

Action wear! Actually, this shot makes it look a little shorter than can go. This is more illustrative:

I love it because I can wear it with a T-shirt in the hotel elevator while I’m heading to the pool, and I don’t feel totally naked. In this photo, I’m heading out to pick mangoes from the hotel fruit trees with Melissa. We made Mango cocktails to enjoy in the pool. Sounds amazing, right? But they were actually terrible. I have no idea what we did wrong, but we did it all the way. The bag is Envirosax. I have a set I use as travel totes if I can’t fit a big purse in my suitcase.

Not only did Intel sponsor my trip, they also sponsored my jammies. Leggings are from H&M, the shirt was a gift in lieu of the apparently rare Ajay Bhatt rockstar T-shirt that haunts my dreams (watch for it here at 14-16 seconds).

I’ve mentioned before that I try to pack PJs that can double as an outfit. This is what I packed in lieu of jeans, in case we got a chance to go horseback riding. We didn’t end up doing it, but I did do a lot of napping, so no harm no foul.

Regrets? Holy, holy, I should have packed a second swimsuit. We almost never left the water while I was there. I ended up with angry chafing on my side that looked like something laid eggs under my skin. I showed it to Melissa.

Melissa: GEEEEZE!
Me: I’m not going to worry unless it hatches.
Melissa: Signs your Prozac is Working too Well.

Also, it’s great to have flip flops to wear as slippers. I always regret not throwing in some flip flops.

Next trip I’ll tell you what’s in my toiletries bag too. It’ll be like sneaking a look at my medicine cabinet when you’re drunk at a dinner party, but without all the dental floss. See you then.

Mighty Closet: Margaret Stewart, Outfit No. 4

We photographed a lot of upscale outfits, so Margaret insisted on one “what I’d throw on to meet you for brunch” set. Fair enough.

The jeans are Gap, shirt is Paul and Joe for Target, and the jacket is Proenza Schouler for Target. She got it on super sale for $6.

This, again, is why I take Margaret with me when I go shoe shopping. She purchased these boots at Paolo in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley.

These are actual Girl Scout patches, which Margaret ordered according to her interests — design, nerdery, color, sewing, cooking, and photography. I said:

-“They just let you order them?”
-“YES! I know. I was kind of scandalized. I guess they figured people old enough to have credit cards have no use for Girl Scout patches.”
-“Wrong!”
-“Dead wrong.”

Hello, cutie. Get a load of those eyes. Hat by Boden, which we both agree has grown a little bit ho-hum of late. Reinvigorate, Boden! We want to love you. Help us love you again.

On Monday, we conclude with a peek at one of Margaret’s ludicrously good evening dresses.

Mighty Closet: Margaret Stewart, Outfit No. 3

Margaret layers with divine inspiration. I would never think to pair a Grecian sheath with a pinstriped, tailored vest. It’s genius, because the dress is a little loose, but the vest defines her waist beautifully.

So many of us wear clothes that don’t fit, but Margaret has really figured out how to use clothing to bring balance to her figure. Her pear-shape requires higher waists and fuller skirts to flatter her tiny waist, and skim over her hips. She tries to emphasize her torso and defined arms, and the effect is lovely.

The dress, which is by Target (!) , is my favorite shade of purple, and so flattering on her. The banker vest is Gap.

(By the way, Target and Gap are both Mighty Girl sponsors, and apparently well-placed ones, but this post isn’t part of any campaign. As always, I’d tell you if it were.)

These shoes are Stuart Weitzman as well. I sense a pattern here. By the way, who rocks iridescent sandals? Margaret Stewart, that’s who. Also, I didn’t get a full-body shot of this, but the orange toenails look great with her clutch.

Margaret got this necklace from a street vendor in Buenos Aires. I got a few hand-painted butterfly brooches by the same artist. I know lots of you are travelers, does anyone know her name?

This clutch is a Martin and Barnett makeup bag. Do you see her working that out?

Margaret doesn’t worry much about the matchy-matchies. I lean a little more Doris Day, and used to be confused by artistic types who used surprising color combinations in their wardrobe. For me, it’s good to remember to loosen up once in a while. Hence, I’m carrying a clear ziplock bag as a clutch from now on. I can go from Day to Airport in no time at all, and that’s pretty much my entire goal in life.

Tomorrow, Margaret’s roll-out-of-bed wear, and her scandalous Girl Scout bag.

Masons on Fashioni.st

Bryan and Hank made a Father’s Day appearance on the San Francisco street fashion site, Fashioni.st. Awww.

I was also on the site a few months ago when I ran out of the house to take some quick Bay to Breakers photos, so I was featured in one of my favorite dresses and zero makeup. Mai’s photo skills saved me from looking like I’d just recovered from a bout of stomach flu, and so I owe her lunch.

Mighty Closet: Margaret Stewart, Outfit No. 2

Chalk is hilarious!

Actually, this is the first outfit we photographed, and Margaret wasn’t totally at ease yet. So I think I’d just asked her something penis-related in the above photo. For whatever reason, male genitalia references really throw my friends for a loop. Also, this totally counts as Margaret’s casual wear. I told you she was a fashion superstar.

Shirt by Banana Republic.

Penis.

How great is this photo? Oh, Isabel, you’re always in the right place at the right time. Margaret’s skirt isn’t vintage, by the way. Shocking, right? She purchased it in Boston, and the brand is ½ Un-Demi. That crisp tie in the back kills me.

These are Margaret’s Lego earrings. I suspect she bought them as a nod to all the engineers when she was working at Google proper. Also, because she’s a nerd. (Fist bump, nerds.)

The earrings are by *eo*ware.

These shoes? Yes.

I’m hideous at shoe shopping, so I try to drag Margaret along when possible. She’s responsible for my pink boots, and my bronze cowboy boots. She’s always right when she insists you buy something.

These straw-soled wedgies are also by Banana Republic.

This is where the sexy part of secretary comes in. She’s erasing so. very. slowly.

Tomorrow she uses a cosmetics bag as a clutch. Be still my heart.

Mighty Closet: Margaret Stewart

Hi, all. I’ve decided to post these outfit by outfit, because posting all five at once was too overwhelming. Also, you’ll to want to savor this particular closet. This is my friend Margaret Stewart with her very fun daughters Beatrice and Isabel. Margaret is one of my fashion heros.

She’s a mom of three (Charlie wasn’t around when we were getting glammed up), and also the User Experience Manager at You Tube. You may recognize her from past posts — the Stewarts are around a lot, and even traveled to Argentina with us. In fact, Margaret bought this dress in Buenos Aires after many pouty faces in front of the dressing room mirror, and much encouragement from me.

She said, “I love it, but where will I wear it?” I said, “It has a tutu skirt! This is quintessential San Francisco formal. Too casual on top, ballerina on the bottom. It’s gonna come up.”

A while later she wore it to a Sex-and-the-City themed 30th birthday bash. See? Perfect. The genius dress is made by Veronica Alfie for Veroalfie. They didn’t have it in my size while we were there, but I’m still coveting it.

This enamel cuff is a recent purchase from the Maker Faire craft market. I love the colors. It’s by leighelena, who makes those rings I covet.

Shoes are by Stuart Weitzman, they were a hand-me-down from Margaret’s equally fashionable sister.

I wish I’d gotten a photo from behind, the tank is racer-back. Ooo-la-la.

But you must pay the rent!

Margaret’s beloved mustache necklace is from a Swedish Museum Shop. She doesn’t remember the designer’s name, but you can find all kinds of similar ones on Etsy.

So that’s day one! Tomorrow, casual wear. See you then.