Orange Twist

I love the simplicity of this long sleeve dress and how the knot adds a fun twist. I always think these types of knots help clothes drape better and are so flattering on all body types.

p.s. I just answered a survey and said my favorite colors are coral, gold and camel, but this week I realized I wore this orange dress to The Lab event, my nails are currently orange and we have orange towels hanging in the bathroom. Someone's in denial.

(Photos by Michelle Daily)

Wedding Themes

Over the weekend, my sister Sophie and I went to The Lab Event in San Francisco's Ferry Building. A group of talented, California-based event designers, florists, photographers, calligraphers and bakers collaborated to fill the space with pin-worthy wedding inspiration. Here's some of the goodness if you'd like to see...

{a lucite box filled with glitter and mini cheese board favors}

{my friends Going Lovely's space—how cool is the honeycomb installation PJ made??}

 

{Sophie wore a pretty purple lipstick. It's YSL's glossy stain :)}

 {At the end of the night, a man rode out on a bicycle pushing a wooden flatbed of baby pizzas!}

 {modern cakes and romantic tablescapes}

 {on the right: a fun twist on pb&j—peanut butter milk and strawberry pinwheels}

Cancer & The Case of the Sometimes

Life lately has been emotional. Sometimes I feel totally fine, and sometimes (especially when it's quiet) my thoughts race ahead of me like a crazy train about to fly off the tracks. Sometimes people will ask (like ordinary people do) "how are you?" and my customary answer of "good!" now feels like a bit of a lie. Sometimes I think about saying "not good" but because it'll just be the clerk in the grocery checkout line asking, I feel I should spare her the details. Lately, I've settled on "okay" for an answer. At least it's a little bit closer to the truth. Because the truth is sometimes we'll have pizza for dinner—perfectly blistered, thin-crust pizza—and we'll watch a movie on the ridiculous bean bag Alan bought that swallows up the living room, and things will feel perfect. Sometimes, in the very early mornings when our dreams still feel real, we forget and it's fine. But then sometimes, I can't seem to get the train back on the tracks.

This weekend, Alan said, "It's a wild ride, and I just have to hang on." So I rolled down the car windows so we could feel the wind in our hair. Sometimes that helps.

I Just Wanted To Say...

...you rock. Happy Valentine's Day :)

p.s. 3 DIY ideas for homemade valentines

Wardrobe Essentials: My Favorite Basics

Today, I'd love to share a few of my favorite basics, including the best thong underwear, black leggings and grey t-shirt. These are the things I find myself recommending to my friends the most. They make me wish I was Oprah so I could buy one of each for everyone.

The Best Thong: Victoria's Secret The Lacie

The Lacie is my favorite underwear because it's so comfortable (especially for a thong!) and there are no unsightly lines underneath skinny jeans or workout clothes. The lace sits flat against your skin without any weird pinching so it feels like you're not wearing anything at all.

The Best Black Leggings: Zella Live In Leggings

After trying a few different brands, I've found that Zella leggings are still the best. They're great for both working out (no sheerness to worry about) and lounging (I'll wear mine tucked into boots with a chambray). I did a review on Zella capris last year but the long version are nice for winter weather. They're a lot like Lululemon's popular Wunder Unders but for half the price! Sizing tip: I'd recommend sizing down as they tend to run large.

The Best Grey T-Shirt: Truly Madly Deeply Scoopneck Slouch Tee

I've had this t-shirt for a few years now, and it's still on heavy rotation in my closet. It's soft and drapey which makes it feel more like a blouse than a plain tee. It also comes in white (if you're more of a white tee kinda gal).

What are your favorite basics? 

New Things To Try: A Grocery Shopping Tip

A few months ago, I was feeling overwhelmed after Alan's surgery, so my friend Lauren offered to help by running to the store. Even though I just needed milk, she thoughtfully dropped off two big bags of groceries. I'm obsessed with this Creamy Toscano cheese (which "combines the robust nutty characteristics of aged parmesan with a creamy farmstead cheddar") she bought from Trader Joe's. Even though it's my go-to cheese now, I'd never even noticed it at the store! It made me think of a fun idea to switch things up: ask a friend to do your grocery shopping while you do hers. Just swap grocery lists (with generic items like cereal, bread, cheese, etc.) and let your friend buy her favorite version of each item on your list, and vice versa. Chances are you'll get to try new foods you wouldn't normally buy that you might really love (like Creamy Toscano cheese!)

What do you think? Would you try it? It would be really fun to do with a foodie friend. 

First Kiss Wedding Photo

Have you ever had a photo of yourself go viral? My friends PJ and Andrew's first kiss wedding picture has been Liked and pinned nearly 500,000 times! Some of PJ's friends have even pinned this picture long before they'd ever met her. I asked her what it's like to be famous :) Here's what she said...

On the big kiss:
I actually had no idea that Andrew had made a fist pump until I got the photos back from our photographer! We didn't discuss beforehand what we wanted our wedding kiss to be like. He decided to dip me, which I didn't expect. I was focusing on making sure my strapless dress stayed put!

On going viral: 
I hadn't signed up for a Pinterest account until after we got married. I remember signing in and having a couple notifications from friends commenting on our wedding photo and alerting me it was on Pinterest. I was totally surprised and also didn't expect it to get re-pinned or blogged as much as it has! We've been married for almost 3 years now, and it's still going around.

On comments from strangers:
I think it's crazy how much people look into that photo. The comments are on total opposite ends of the spectrum! I've seen captions like "Every girl deserves a photo like this" or "I will have this at my wedding."  But it's also sad how negative people can get just from looking at a wedding photo of people they don't even know. Lots of people also commented on Andrew's arm being really long!

(Ed. note: PJ told me some of the negative comments people left—they really were so mean! One person wrote, "I bet they're already divorced." (!))

On real-life marriage:
The funny thing is that none of those captions or comments describe our relationship. Yes, I think that the photo is indicative of the type of husband Andrew is to me (romantic, silly), but in no way is our love "perfect" as some of those captions describe. We put in a lot of work in our marriage! It's not always easy, but it is always worth it!
--

PJ and Andrew are one of the funniest couples I know (with thicker skin than me!), and I love that their first kiss was so them. Thanks for sharing, PJ!

(Photo by Emily Blake)

Crème De La Crème Sweatshirt

I've been a longtime admirer of Zoe Karssen's Creme De La Creme sweatshirt, but at over $125, it was always too splurge-y for me. So I was happy to find this affordable version at Nordstrom. It's so cozy (I never want to take it off!) with the right amount of cheekiness to brighten any outfit. It's awesome for lounging in, but I'm also excited to wear it to work layered with a button-down and a pencil skirt. I'd highly recommend it for all the other cozy-time lovers out there.