fitforafemme.com

As good a way to start a new post as any, eh? Behold M and her Knob Creek flask. I have lost count of all our flasks. There are many. Some leather-bound, some traditional, some all aerodynamic, one bedazzled with skulls…I think the only addition ours needs is one vintage, slender and ladylike flask, for yours truly. I’d like it to be silver and embossed with an elegant design. Simple. 

Remember how I thought the Habitat for Humanity fiberglass incident would be the end of cargo pants for my beloved? Well, of course she ran out and got herself a new pair, and wore them tree-huntin’, naturally. She also wears them when she doesn’t feel like getting dressed. They’re like sweats or pajama pants, in her mind. Anytime she puts them on, it’s a silent act of defiance.

This saw was way more dangerous than it looks! Very sharp. Last night we met some friends of ours in Oakland at a place called Dogwood. It’s on the same block as the Fox Theater, just a lovely, dark little nook on a corner, and they specialize in cocktails and charcuterie. We loved the long, loose wooden community tables, and especially the big pheasants adorning the walls. Though the cocktail program could have used a bit of refinement, they were still pretty tasty, and their gin and bourbon selections extensive and pleasing. The grilled cheese I was fed was incredible. I daydreamed about it today! It was a fantastic night.

Here are the details:

Shirt, Calvin Klein
Puffer, Polo Ralph Lauren
Cargo Pants, Target
Boots, Mark Nason
Belt, H&M

Here are some lovey-dovey pic of the tomboy and I; she really wanted to take some by this plantbutchthingy plantbushthingy. Does anyone have any idea what it is? They’re not cattails and they’re not foxtails, I don’t think. They’re our favorite.

This morning I woke up (a bit fuzzy, I’ll admit) to the most wonderful early Christmas surprise – Eleven Objects, New York-based makers of exquisite, ultra-luxe detachable collars, picked me to win one of their special styles for Louis Exposure! It is easily the best thing I’ve ever won, I’m so honored and can’t wait to have it in my hot little hands!

Hope y’all are having delightful weekends, can you believe we’re already down to 12 days ’til Christmas? Bananas!

Love,

SBJ & M

This week seems to be quite the clusterfuck for many of us. I won’t even get into it. I couldn’t be more glad that M took the day off tomorrow, and we’re off to Half Moon Bay again. It’s still super hot out here, so I’m not sure what I’ll wear, but I’m sure it’ll be farm-worthy and there will be more epic petting zoo photos. (Perhaps we’ll continue the tradition with a video, too!)

I’m so proud of the fact that I am now – at my age, good grief! – capable of doing a fishtail braid. It’s something that’s haunted me since the 5th grade, when I first tried, and only with repeated YouTube tutorials was I able to finally accomplish it. This has been the year of conquering braids; earlier this year my hair got long enough to do some milkmaid braids, the BFF taught me how to French braid a few months ago, and now this. YES.

So many accessories! Meet my gorgeous new calf hair wedge booties. I’m completely in love with them. They’re from Adrienne Vittadini and I can’t find them in this awesome leopard print online, but apparently they sell them in black suede and a rich, honeyed leather, too. For $139. Mine are SUPERIOR, and were only $80 at Marshall’s. Whomp whomp! I realize I sound like a commercial, but BARGAIN SHOPPING, FTW!

You probably recognize my leathery leaves necklace from Mariele Ivy and my horse-y watch from Asos, and a gold pyramid bracelet from Sears, I think. Sears. Ever since Friday Night Lights came into my life, I’ve been down with Sears.

This is just a casual little outfit I threw together for I don’t know what. Errands? Hanging out? It was probably a nice and cool day from last week and I was just overeager to LAYER already.

Pants: Asos
Metallic Shirt: Calvin Klein
Denim Jacket: Old Navy
Clutch: Hobo International
Earrings: Asos

Last but not least, showing off my awesome DIY manicure – a little two-tone action achieved (and quickly) with Zoya nail polish, Seche Vite for quick drying, and some scotch tape! I promised M that I’d do candy corn nails for Halloween, so I’ll make sure that I get those on film, too.

Hot tip: Please go OnDemand if you have it and watch Melancholia. Or wait for it to hit theatres and then report back to me. We watched it last night and I have SO MANY FEELINGS.

PS. I got this dress and can’t wait to wear it. I’m gonna boss M to take me dancing, or maybe I’ll wear it to see Wild Flag. Ooh!

Welcome to Fort Funston!

It used to be a real live military fort until 1963, but now it’s mostly known for being THE place to take your dogs off-leash, and besides, it’s bloody gorgeous, isn’t it? Our New England friend was astounded by the dramatic terrain and sights of all the hang gliders preparing to take flight where we descended a bajillion stories of uneven, sandy, log-and-cable-made steps to the beach. Such a long way down, but definitely worth it.

Once again, I forgot my camera (it was a kind of unexpected detour after brunch, after all – hence the suede heels!) so these are sub par cell phone photos, courtesy of our HTC EVOs. M was determined to find dead stuff, which she did (a HUGE dead bird, piles and piles of dead crabs), so she moved on to looking for live crabs. No such luck!

Tomboy + femme footwear. Hers are Asos brogues, mine are suede Franco Sarto pumps in maybe the most perfect shade of red I’ve ever seen. M discovered that her RSQ skinny jeans are way too snug for being doused with salt water, then a hike, but they sure look cute with her plaid Alfani shirt and vintage cardigan. I paired a Calvin Klein skirt with an old camisole and denim vest, plus an antique gold rope chain necklace M got for me recently. I also love the wrap dress our friend wore – such a bright, beautiful print!

The next day we drove along the Pacific Coast HWY to get to Half Moon Bay, and we were all very intrigued when we passed this cove. It’s called Grey Whale Cove. It’s also more widely known as Devil’s Slide, and we decided to stop and explore it on the way home. It was another beach requiring quite a hike up and down many sets of wooden stairs (at least these ones are level).

Devil’s Slide is also more locally/commonly known as a particularly terrifying stretch of the 1, where people plummet to their deaths in M’s own personal worst nightmare, and terrible landslides that cause impossible road closures for days and days at a time. They’re building a tunnel, but nobody’s holding their breath because they’ve been at it for decades.

See that thing down there? It’s what remains of an old military observation station last used in WWII. You can even hike up there, and I plan to before the year ends. It’s goddamn awesome.

Lovely, no? We’re also all ignoring the creepy nudist strolling around 25 yards or so behind us. As far as I can tell from the beach’s official website, it’s not that kind of beach! No idea what this giant concrete thing is, probably some sort of unfortunate drainage malarkey, but it looked like a good place to hide a dead body so naturally I went to check it out. M made me climb down (I’d been on that top ledge at first) and having discovered zero corpses, I made my way gingerly over a rusted, broken down wire fence and ran around like a chicken with its head cut off!

Running ’round the barnyard
Fallin’ in and out of love

Poor thing’s blind as a bat
Getting up falling down getting up

My heart’s runnin’ round
Like a chicken with its head cut off

I’ve got on some Banana Republic plants (sounds better than jeggings), a fun deer print top from H&M, and a vintage sweater from IndieMart. The black canvas + brown leather boots are by Seychelles, so comfortable and I love them. 6pm has ‘em for cheap in all three color combos!

Pumpkin patch, rodeo, YES RODEO, pics coming soon! M is taking me TO THE GRAND NATIONAL RODEO tonight, surprise! They’ll be announcing Miss Grand National and it happens to be “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” night, plus cowboy mounted shooting. Can’t wait!

Love,

FFAF

Has it been awhile or has it been awhile, dear readers? While it’s true we returned late last Thursday night, we both headed right back to work on Friday, and it’s been a whirlwind weekend of readying the petite for summer camp and entertaining the MIL, who was sweet enough to let us fly her up to manage the dog- and house-sitting duties while we were on our epic family vacation.

She’s already flying back home tomorrow, so today we brunched at the amazing Serpentine in SF’s Dogpatch district, and road-tripped up the coast to see the magical Muir Woods and soak up some sun at the very sweet and quaint Stinson Beach. It was a glorious day, all blue skies and stolen patches of delicious warmth in between brisk sea breezes.

We came home, utterly exhausted from a 12-hour day out and about, and stuffed ourselves with carnitas nachos and strawberry lime margaritas. I figure after all that hiking and not crying over goodbyes and not dying on HWY 1, we earned it!

If these photos have a familiar ring to them, it’s because they’re the companion pics from FFAF’s earlier Mother’s Day post! (Yes, yes, way back in May. Good grief!) I’d forgotten about them, which is ridiculous because M looks amazing and her pattern-mixing is kind of epic. It’s also interesting to note that it was perhaps warmer in May than it’s been in June thus far.

Anyway, enjoy, and keep an eye out for lots of on-location FFAF posts from our holiday!

Blazer: H&M
Madras Shorts: Ralph Lauren
Shirt: Calvin Klein
Striped Tie: Tommy Hilfiger
Tie Clip: Vintage
Sunglasses: Dickies
Boat Shoes: Payless

PS. Here are some gratuitous loverbird shots. Tender!

I’ll just let y’all drink that in for a second (but only just). I can’t even begin to imagine what I might have done, as a tender young femme, if I saw a sight such as this strolling along the beach at sunset one blustery May night years and years and years ago. At the very least, I would have pinched myself.

Tonight, we are celebrating the solar eclipse, the beginning of M’s birthday month, and the eve of summertime as marked by the petite’s last day of school, which is tomorrow  - but mostly the beginning of M’s birthday month. I found 10 of the most incredible vintage cocktail glasses during a lunchtime jaunt to a nearby thrift store, and upon coming home I promptly mixed up a round of Chapel Hill beverages, with a bottle of Hudson Manhattan Rye, Grand Marnier, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. (We haven’t got any oranges, so the orange peel garnish was missing, alas.) I made her favorite meal and we dove into a tiramisu for dessert.

We’re now into a completely impromptu cocktail comprised of bourbon, triple sec, Domaine de Canton, a splash of orange mango juice, and a tiny little float of lemon soda. It tastes like something we’d order at Smuggler’s Cove. In short, it’s delicious.

If you haven’t yet figured it out, these are the butch companion photos to Sunday’s post! She’s wearing her Dior glasses again – something is wonky on the prescription with the Warby Parkers, so we have to get them fixed – and a very natty outfit, why I can almost see her fishing off the dock if only we had a tackle box and things with which to fish. She would fish in a tie the same way I’ve shown up to camp in stiletto boots.

How do we feel about fishing? I used to fish quite a lot when I was younger. In rivers and lakes and sometimes even wading for crawdads very many years ago. By far my favorite place to fish was tucked into a great lot of big rocks teeming with snakes on the Stuart Fork River in the Trinity Alps. Why am I even talking about this? Maybe because M’s favorite new thing is that ridiculous fool on River Monsters.

Pants: Zara
Shirt: Hurley
Sweater Vest: H&M
Tie: Calvin Klein
Shoes: Aldo
Eyeglasses: Dior Homme

Remember that amazeballs heatwave we had last week? Yeah, it’s super long gone. Fickle, fickle San Francisco. Fickle fog, fickle winds, fickle bay. Here’s M enjoying a tasty beverage poolside during the near-forgotten heatwave. Doesn’t she look dapper? She makes an excellent poolboy, and despite the fact that she’s not the best swimmer ever, she and her mischievous eyebrows can save me and my polka dot bikini any old time.

I’ll let her take it from here. - SBJ

First of all, this is a terrible outfit for poolboy-ing. Don’t ever try to clean your pool whilst wearing a tie. Also? Don’t try to clean a pool full of ducks. Baby ducks are adorable, but grown-up ducks are just rape-y bastards, and I have no idea why they think it’s okay to drink pool water. They flew away after they realized we weren’t going to leave their territory, ha!

Once the ducks move out, and someone does actually clean the pool, this will be an excellent place for pool parties. We have already spotted an acrylic booze barrel thingamajig we must acquire and fill with sangria. Classy. No idea how we’ll get a barrel full of sangria a quarter mile down the road, but we’ll figure this out. (Duh, bebe, we need a wagon. Like one for babies, but booze babies. – SBJ)

This won’t be like our last pool party — which was mostly indoors, and more porn than pool — it will be far superior. You are cordially invited, but, please, don’t wear a tie clip. – M

Denim: RSQ
Shirt: Calvin Klein
Madras Tie: Penguin
Tie Clip: Courtesy of the femme!
Boots: Mark Nason
Belt: H&M

The bright and vivid hues you see here, my doves, are no more. Can you believe that blue sky or those magical yellow and purple flowered hillsides, all that full green grass? I long to be back in the balmy arms of this day! It was only Sunday last, on the drive out to my best friend’s house on a lovely late afternoon. After a little visit, we headed to a nearby path to take the rest of these photos. The light was incredible. We hope you enjoy them!

Lo! as the wind is, so is mortal life
A moan, a sigh, a sob, a storm, a strife.

-Sir Edwin Arnold, “The Deva’s Song”

Alas, we are having some major weather out here now. Hence this beautifully dreary quote. I suppose that’s what we get for boasting. How was everybody’s Valentine’s Day? Sweet, I hope, and full of love and light or perfectly executed snark on the Hallmark holiday du jour.

We had the day off and spent it at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. It was wonderful! We had a swanky lunch in the museum’s more elegant dining option, the Moss Room, complemented with classic cocktails. M had the Aviation and I tried a prosecco number with elder and Hangar One vodka. My lunch was divine: local, organic pork sugo with house made pappardelle, spinach, and grana padano. M went with lighter fare, the chilled soba noodles with sesame, cucumber, and a ginger chili vinaigrette. I am absolutely in love with the museum, and can’t wait to go back. We went from the humid, tropical 4-story rainforest to a faux-igloo, where we watched a short movie about the Aurora borealis, and then got faux-snowed on!

It started to drizzle just as we were leaving, so we started a fire back at home, all snuggled in and spent with a bottle of champagne, cooked an early dinner and exchanged treats. I’m sure you’ll see it here soon enough, but M gave me a gorgeous watch for Valentine’s Day! I adore it – it’s all sleek stainless steel and Swarovski around a stormy mother-of-pearl dial, and it complements my engagement ring perfectly (fun FFAF fact: I’m very much left-handed). I’m one lucky lady.

M was a VERY bossy photographer the day of this impromptu shoot! She rushed me down the path so that the train was in some of the shots (after the freight train passed, two Amtraks went by, but they’re not nearly as romantic). She made me stomp through all the tall, tall grass to a little pond. She demanded that I climb back up the hill and stated that I absolutely must roll down it, like in the Jack & Jill nursery rhyme. After that, she spied the little foot-long section of a tree trunk just in the water there, and she stood watching like a hawk until I was balanced atop it on one shaky foot.

By the time we finished, there were dozens of burrs trapped in my tights, the hem of my skirt, and on my long sweater vest! I made her pick them all out on the side of the road while I hopped from one foot to the other, scolding her. It was really, really hilarious.

I’m wearing:

Gap skirt
Converse One-Star shirt
Calvin Klein sweater vest
Nine West boots
Vintage purse
Le Tigre shades

with:

Tiered necklace from Banana Republic
Lipstick bullet by Culp Baubles
Earrings from Isla Mujeres, Mexico