Dreaming of a California Fall

You can take the girl out of California, but you can’t take the California out of the girl.

Never has a truer statement been made. I haven’t lived in California for close to thirteen years, but its where I was born and raised. We moved to Nevada about five months after we got married and then moved to the East Coast in 2012. But its really hard for me to let go of the sense of style that I created when I lived on the West Coast. Most of it is just because we have some of the best weather ever. I mean Northern California is pretty darn awesome. You drive two hours in any direction and you can find yourself in a different climate – Forrest, lakes, ocean, city, coastal towns, desert….whatever you’re looking for we’ve got it close by. And we don’t have to deal with snow or earth quakes. It’s about as amazing as it gets. 
So when I get the occasion to bust out some of my west coast style I jump on it. There are very few weeks here where I can combine my fall and summer looks to create “California Fall”. You know flip flops and jeans? It’s the classier, and less basic, version of Uggs and skirts {don’t get me started on that one}.  Thankfully I have Old Navy close by which never disappoints when I need some California inspired love. Where else can I purchase a cute tank top, and go one rack over and find a boyfriend Cardi? The key is color and confidence. Combine some Summer and Fall colors together, throw on some Rainbow flip flops and some cute sunnies are you’re good to go. And while you might not be able to afford the Ballenciaga handbag pictured below, its the perfect Summer to Fall purse color!

California Fall

What I’m Wearing
Sandals: Rainbow Braided Flip Flops (Tilly’s Gives a Military Discount In Store)
Sunnies: Palm Eye Wear – Bocca

 Rheanna
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Just like Mommy {Mother/Daughter Fashion from Old Navy}

I love that she still thinking dressing up like Mommy is fun! It’s my favorite thing to do – color coordinating, matching with my kids. I’m kind of a succor for it. It won’t be long before she won’t want to do this, or at least she won’t think its fun but will probably (hopefully) just roll her eyes and humor her mother. But for now she thinks its fun so I’m going take advantage of that. 
When I saw that Old Navy had some ‘Mommy and Me’ outfits in their collection I was thrilled and I high-tailed it over there. Old Navy is the perfect place to get your ‘mom-trend style’ on. It stays on trend for the most part, it still carries classic work pieces and its within my affordable range of clothing prices. Who wouldn’t love to shop at a boutique or Nordstorms? I frequently stroll past Lord and Taylor with longing eyes. Walking by all these adorable boutiques where I live, staring longingly (never mind they almost never carry clothing in my size!) almost always make me sad. But one quick trip over to Old Navy with their bright colors, great sizing, and affordable price tags and all is well with the world. Shop the looks down below!

Old Navy, you missed a great opportunity with this mother/daughter line of clothing! It proved to be kind of a frustrating shopping trip because the girls/baby sections is so far away from the women’s section. None of the collection was grouped together and there was no cheat sheet board or poster advertising. I heard later from some friends of mine that they too starting taking clothing off the racks and hauling it back and forth between the sections. I probably would have bought more had it been easier to match the stuff together. So mentally prepare yourself when you go in the store. And no, going online won’t save you any stress. It would also have been even more amazing, and would have sucked more of us mom’s in, if there had been more identical matches! We mom’s love that kinda stuff!! But, I got some adorable clothing and matchy pictures with my daughter…so, it was a win!

Cardigan – similar 
My Pineapple Tank (you can get a shirt version online, which I didn’t see in store)
Ami’s Pineapple Shirt – sold in store


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That Time I went to Target and Bought Nothing…..Almost

Perhaps no one loves Target as much as me….really it’s true. Second only to IKEA, is my love for Target and how much of my household decorations, furniture and clothing comes from here. The holidays are the best….my favorite Air Force Nutcracker that stays out all year long, my amazing bookshelves, the pillows on my couch and the amazing famous buildings that are framed in my room from my wedding ten years ago.

When Stephanie Giese posted her article in Huffington Post, (and her blog..read it, she’s great!) about the situation of girl clothes at Target I ate it up in shovelfulls.  Heavens above, was she reading my mind? I knew the day was coming and I was terrified. I had sort of prepped for it in mind.  What I was most worried about was dresses, and feminine things that were age appropriate. The tightness of shorts and pants, and the length of them I sort of started to combat already and was pleasantly surprised with what I was able to score at consignment sales. Labels like Gymboree, The Children’s Place and even Old Navy have been good to me so far in that category, but only at consignment prices. Her issue is with the Toddler Section (although I’m sure her issue will go right through like mine does the day she starts shopping at the 6-16 section. *dun dun dun* ~ insert 80s horror movie music ~

The Picture Day came.

Apparently something happens at the age (or size) of six.  I’m not sure what goes through a designer’s head when they decide that my kindergartener should be wearing what a jr. higher might wear. A vice versa really.  What Jr Higher wants to look like a kindergartener? On the same hanger you will find xs all the way to xl. Really? I found almost nothing and left the store with a shirt (which I didn’t actually end up using and returned) and a maxi skirt, which had nothing to do with picture day but was just something my daughter wanted to match me. I found one dress that I almost considered buying before I went through the catalogue in my head of her closet. I eventually determined that I thought I had something there for her so I left.  I was mad and sad. Nothing? Really? I even (yes I really did this) went upstairs with the XS from the “Girls” section to see if I could find a more age appropriate dress in the Toddler section that I could “wing it” with leggings. Nope.

 one of the dresses I had to chose from? Really Skulls? For a six year old. I think I’m both lame and
probably better suited to be living in the 40s or 50s I’m sure. So uncool of me I know.
 This is the dress I almost bought, but then I realized its from a tv show called “Ever After High” that no my
daughter doesn’t watch. Why do they have a cartoon geared towards young children set in high school? Again, I’m totally lame I’m sure. So the most feminine and girly, old-fashioned looking outfit, is of course associated, and printed with the name, with a tv show that my daughter doesn’t watch.

Some of the other dresses were again, okay, but not exactly what I had in mind for my six year old to wear to church or to a party. Their Circo Halloween dresses, oh man, adorable and I will purchasing that for her since Halloween is so close to her birthday…but why can’t they carry that adorableness over to all year long. Where Target does do a decent job is with their Penelope Tree by Miss Behave line; but here’s the kicker – not sold in stores and some of their most expensive stuff. I might has well go to Gymboree or Crazy 8’s and get more age appropriate stuff. And its not just Target, Old Navy is fairly guilty of this as well. They have a section dedicated to “Girls”.  That’s all relative though. Girls to these two stores are six 6/6x (S), all the way to 10/12 (L/XL). We aren’t even talking the same planet in my opinion. If you check out Old Navy’s dress options for little girls its slightly better and definitely more up my alley then Target. Thank you Old Navy!

How I long for the days of shopping in the Baby/Toddler section. I actually persue it and wistfully finger the clothing.  Maybe I could rip out seams and re-purpose them?  And while I love places like Gymboree and Janie and Jack, frankly I can’t afford them.  At least not on a regular basis and not without gymbucks or major clearance. This is one of the reasons I’m a die-hard consignment shopper. Its days like this I’m thankful my boys outnumber my girls.

That day I basically walked out with nothing and I haven’t been back. The next weekend I went to the big consignment sale and bought all of my daughter’s winter dresses (Gymboree, Matilda Jane, Macy’s brands and the like). None of the baring the label of a more affordable clothing store.
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