The Tiny Closet

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays.  Like any observing holiday - like Mother's Day or Thanksgiving - for me, it's a day to celebrate my love for my family and the amazing people in my life.  

Valentine's grumps, beware!  Love is in the air!

But anyway, 

this year I wanted to play with the style of "love" for a moment.

 Feeling nostalgic - and needing a nicer bandeau than my trusty lycra ones, I grabbed the bandeau from my Max Mara wedding dress.  I've been on a gypsy pant kick lately so I made another pair out of a gorgeous drapy material leftover from when I made this Summer dress.

It was actually a bit by accident.  During the fitting, I realized it looked kinda cool without the sides sewn up.  So I left it as is.  It's cute, yes?

tee: Tiny Closet Collection / jeans: American Apparel / wedges: Santee Alley 

Instead of a bra, I went with a simple white bandeau since the sides are completely open.  I put on my high waist jeans and some wedges and was off.  A minimal outfit that is just outside of "basic".  So for the warmer weather days, this is a creative alternative to jeans and tee.

Yesterday was a big day and it ended with an even bigger evening.  My hometown football team, The Seahawks won the Super Bowl for the first time in history(!!)  Needless to say, the city of Seattle was pretty pleased.  The streets were alive with dancing and cheering and my husband's voice grew hoarser by the minute from hours of yelling.  

Anyway, getting into the spirit of the events to come, I found this cute, vintagey looking Seahawks sweatshirt in my roommate's closet (thank you, Chris!!).  Put it with my favorite pair of dark denim and some very old nude heel faves and voila!

I would see this a lot during Fashion Week and it always looked so natural together.  So it's a about time I finally tried heels and a sweatshirt.

This Chanel hand-me-down from my mother is so cool!  I love the huge letter charms and the 4-leafed clover on it makes the gift extra special.  Like a good luck charm for the new year from my best friend.  It's a beautiful, fun piece that I cherish. 

top: Robert Rodriguez (Wasteland) / pants: Santee Alley / heels: Santee Alley / bandeau: Heavenly Couture / bracelet: Chanel

tee: Tiny Closet Collection / dress: Urban Outfitters / boots: Santee Alley



And with my new hair styling, it's inspired an inclination to a more bohemian, artsy style.

Pairing two faves together, my Tiny Closet Collection jersey tee and a chiffon tank dress, it was perfect for hanging out in all afternoon in the Arts District last week.

I've been in Seattle for the past week enjoying my sorely missed friends and family.  It's funny, this ensemble actually makes me nostalgic of the style here. 

I'll be sharing some photos from my hometown beginning on Monday so come back next week to check out my Northwest-vaca style!  
It is after all, where The Tiny Closet all started :)

From day 1, I was a girl who absolutely had to be comfortable.  Coco Chanel certainly said it best when she spoke of comfort.  One quote that I will never forget is 

"If it's not comfortable, it's not luxury."  

I couldn't agree more.

Everyday of my life in fashion is a process of clever schemings.  New ways to be fashionable, feminine and compelling - all while being... comfy.
Comfort must be where I exist, otherwise, my clothes become a cage.  

I must be free!

This buttery lambskin leather midi has an incredible drape and fit.  It's easy, versatile and last week I realized it aint half bad when ensembled with some sneakers and a button up.  Listening to M.I.A. during a night-time photo shoot, I did what I do best in my clothes: dance.

I also got some awesome new basic nail colors from American Apparel Factory store down the street.  That place is like 7 American Apparels under one roof.
I adore these colors for everyday wear: navy, yellow, and white.

With Winter in full swing (as much as it can be, here in Southern Cal) I reunited with my fancy for jackets during a shopping trip to The Wasteland.

I definitely fell out of touch last year with the "jacket accessory" as I was just so caught up with, well not wearing a lot of clothing.  I've acclimated myself to the constant high temperatures here (at an alarming rate actually), but the recent nippy/freezing weather has had me searching for something chic, warm and layer-able.  

Having a blast with my new letterman jacket the other day, I also found another gem: this silk, batwing, muted dark purple jacket with zipper detailing! 

*sigh*

It's simply perfect, yes?

jacket: Zara / tank: FIDM / necklaces: thrift / harem pants: American Apparel / heels: Deisel

Putting together some jersey-stretch basics (harem pants and an oversize racerback tank top), I threw on this drapey jacket and glossy heels.  Heels will always upgrade a casual look, of course but this jacket really gave the style a more finite direction in my personal style.  My casual basics instantly turned into a chic fashion-forward look just with one piece!

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Theo and I took a spontaneous trip to Seattle yesterday!  I'll be enjoying friends and family for the next week and excited to share photos of being back in our hometown.  

Have a great weekend and I'll see ya back on Monday!

 

Thrown over my "uniform" made up of a James Perse scoop neck tee and jeans, a letterman jacket really stylizes a basic ensemble.  I had fun with this themed look because I realized pretty quickly, it's kinda for the boys.  I've never received so many compliments from men during a shoot.  And by compliments, I mean hooting out of their car.  Ridiculous.  This would be fun for a Friday night movie date or happy hour at a sports bar.  

shirt: Zara Man / jeans: American Apparel / belt: Zara Man / heels: Forever21 / vest: Tiny Closet Collection



I love borrowing Theo's cognac hued croc leather belt.  It's regal and classic.  Perfect for high-waist bottoms of any kind. 

And with these new jeans, I swooned over the combo in both texture and color!

I longed for some short cowboy booties but that would've been overkill.  To keep the style fluid but unexpected,

I decided to top off the look with tan leather cage sandals.  One of my faves.



After all that contemplating, I ended up with two cute little plants.  A succulent and some mini cactuses.  They will look adorable on our nightstands!



Here's to a brand new start!


Over the last part of 2013, I started experimenting with new styles, new hair, new looks....  I am a hopeless perfectionist.  In front of my mirror,
testing and studying like a teen I prepared for a permanent change!

We Geminis love change.  In fact, change is something we kinda have a knack for.  So around this time of year, I'm in my element.

Ah yes, the exhilarating feeling of reinvention is addicting.  But this time, it was evident that I needed a major change.
In my routine, in my habits and of course, a change in my mirror.

Cosmo says the first thing a woman changes when seeking a new look is her hair.  They're right on that one.
Nearly my entire Instagram feed has been full of new hair styles from girls all over the world changin' up their do!

Including my own....

I have been layering a lot lately.  Something I don't tend to do as I am a minimalist and don't care to wear a lot of clothing normally.  

But with 80-degree days and 50-degree nights, I have been utilizing all corners of my Tiny Closet to be adaptive as possible!  On my daily run to the Garment District I spied this gorgeous wool plaid.  I don't usually see plaid in purple, navy and yellow so I cut a yard and a half of it and was on my way.  A perfect scarf! 

This cargo jacket was a fun thrift find and goes nicely over so many items.  Who knew I'd look half decent in a cargo jacket??  Thanks to its excellent tailoring, it fits like a charm. 

My all-season linen tunic that looks like a man's shirt is also a great layering piece for California Winters.  In the summer, I leave the buttons undone -
and come Winter, I'm all buttoned up from wrists to neck coverage.

Looking at my Tiny Closet with an all-new perspective, I am so incredibly inspired and excited about this year.  I am taking the entire month to celebrate all the change, growth and strength my friends and I have taken on.  And to all of you who are braving a new chapter, I say congratulations, good luck and have yourself a damn good time :)

~Happy New Year~