If there was ever a perfect contrast between butch/femme outfits and how they can be so alike and yet so many universes apart, this is one. Same color scheme, similar textures and casualness, but that’s where it ends. This funny thing happened the other week when I, in a Twitter-broadcast hissyfit about seeing something online, wrote: “Dear brides, just a thought: Maybe don’t ask your dyke/androgynous/butch/boi/whatever friends to wear dresses to your fucking wedding. #jerk”

SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, AM I RIGHT?!

Some poor tomboy was either asking the internet for advice or sighing over what to do about being put in that position, I think, and I blew a (protective mama bear) gasket. It’s just so inconsiderate, in a way that goes far beyond a Bridezilla’s god-given right to every little thing being her way on her special magical unicorn day. Can you imagine someone giving me a stern look and saying, “I’m going to need you to wear pants and tie to this event, Jonesey. And don’t even THINK about wearing makeup.” They’d have a big old black eye in two seconds flat.

We took these on Mother’s Day (which was fantastic). I had to change my outfit because M got the worst allergy attack during our picnic, and afterward we raced home and peeled our outfits off in case we were covered in invisible pollen and took a nap and then put on new ones so that M could treat me to a relaxing mani/pedi at my favorite little nail salon in Potrero Hill. So sweet! She kept me company and they served up some ice cold, delicious sangria!

The chambray shirt is from The Gap, the tailored shorts are vintage from 40 South Street in JP. I super duper love that store. It feels like the kind of vintage spot where if you’ve got a little coin to spend, you will certainly find something to love that’s a perfect fit anytime you stroll in, unlike other vintage boutiques which can feel a lot more hit or miss. The strappy canvas sandals with the tiniest wedge are by Tommy Hilfiger. I don’t know what it is lately, but this Spring/Summer I’ve purchased these shoes and two pretty amazing shirt dresses from old Tommy. I think what they have in common is a kind of nonchalant preppy feel, which I’ve been into this year.

Necklaces! I snuck a Culp Baubles lipstick bullet onto this edgy little chain from JewelMint, which has some pretty neat stuff from time to time, and I encourage you to check it out if you’re a jewelry hound like I am. The bronzed disc earrings were a wonderful little birthday surprise from the lovely Nadarine, a lady of exquisite taste and remarkable…skills with cava.

The creamy enamel bow bracelet seems quite old and was thrifted in JP, and the smoky blue ring I’ve got on is from the magical Pretty Penny in Oakland (an airier, slightly larger version of 40 South Street, actually).

What else is new? Well, we’re officially in escrow, our loan has been approved, we’ve got our cross country route all mapped out for early July, and we’re just keeping all of our fingers and toes crossed for the last little bits – a smooth appraisal, title transfer, things like that. The packing has begun and while there’s still seven weeks before Moving Day, we know time will fly and we’d rather get an early start!

It’s so exciting and bittersweet, too, knowing we’ll have to bid adieu to our family and friends while we set sail on this new adventure in our lives…

That’s all for now, dear readers! Hope you’re all well and gearing up for an excellent summer – can you believe it’s nearly here already? 2012, hold your horses!

XOXO,
FFAF

PS. One last one – this one’s got the San Francisco Bay in the background, with good old Oakland and Alameda off on the other end.

I’m afraid this post is a misnomer, but let’s don’t talk about it. HOW ABOUT THIS LITTLE DRESS?! It’s so fun and witchy and easy to wear. I got it from a website called tobi awhile back and have worn it a few other times (it’s especially killer with my Sheeba belt), but hadn’t gotten around to posting it yet. Thankfully, we squeezed in a few shots before heading off to see Wild Flag at the Fillmore in San Francisco back in April.

That was an amazing show. It was the second show of theirs we’ve seen and it’s just killer every time. Carrie wore tiny black pants and a very sexy, sheer sleeveless blouse in strawberry red (I wish I knew where she got her blouses, they’re always so nice). She was maddeningly hot, as per usual – there was one new song that is a TOTAL panty-changer, I wish I could find it!

Mary had seriously stepped up her stage presence and was a million times more exciting than she was at their show in November. That was really awesome to see. Fillmore tradition meant there were gorgeous Wild Flag posters handed out at the end of the show, and I can’t wait to get one of ours framed! (Being super bummed about not getting a poster after a Fillmore show should be one of those You Know You’re A San Franciscan When… things.)

We should be talking about Rufus Wainwright’s show at the Fox in Oakland last night, though, because that’s where we were in our fancy 7th row seats. He was resplendent. Though this was the least favorite of the four times I’ve seen him, it was still an amazing performance. (To be fair, you can’t beat the Release the Stars tour outside at dusk with actual fireflies twinkling on a perfect summer’s night, or All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu in the tiny, intimate space of the Uptown in Napa.) Of course, that’s got more to do with Mark Ronson’s hand in things, and he I can easily give or take – I think it’s evident in about half the songs on the new album, and even more so when they’re played live. (M thought the band was “cheesy,” and preferred the older material, having not heard the new album yet. I’ve given it a dozen or listens since it was first available on NPR’s First Listen.)

Thankfully, the show was peppered with older tunes like Art Teacher, Poses, April Fools, The One You Love, and 14th Street. One Man Guy was sung with two guests – one of his opening acts, Teddy Thompson (he’s got a beautiful voice) and a very saucy backup songstress – and it was phenomenal. Really, really wonderful.

from the Lulu tour

He opened the show by candlelight with, of course, the song Candles, and it was exquisite. Rufus shows often have this quality at one point or another of having really sacred, holy moments, ones you wish you could live in and feel blessed to get to even if only for the time he’s on stage or that they grip you by the throat in your everyday life, and that was this show’s divine, untouchable moment. Montauk, too, which M refused to believe was off the new album. His mother’s songs were lovingly covered by his supporting acts, and those were a nice reprieve as well.

From the new album, in addition to the ones I mentioned above, I think these are the standouts:

Rashida
Song of You
Respectable Dive
Sometimes You Need
WWIII

In summary, it was a fantastic night (with just a touch too much debauchery), and we bought a beautiful handmade, autographed poster. I’ll show y’all soon!

Outfit stuff!

Dress: Tobi
Leather: Zara
Gold Pyramid Tights: Anna Sui
Grosgrain Ribbon Pumps: Christian Siriano for Payless
Vegan Studded Clutch: Matt & Nat
Necklaces: House of Harlow 1960 (triangle), Jewelmint (long mixed metal chain), Madewell (dainty gold chain)
Earrings: Asos

Wow, that’s a whole lot of…stuff.

Mother’s Day is tomorrow and I am a mother! It should be nice. We have a four-generation extravaganza planned – a morning champagne toast at my grandmother’s in Cole Valley, followed by a mimosa brunch picnic with my mother nearby, and finally, a relaxing evening at home – M and the petite are going to cook coq au vin for me! I can’t wait!

XOXO,

FFAF

Is it seriously May already? I’ve been busy getting an exciting event off the ground with Miss Rep, buried under real estate – we fought and won our first bidding war ever just yesterday - and of course dealing with the things that come with wrapping up a school year for the petite and trying to get started packing for a move that’s bearing down on us like a freight train.

These photos are actually from March 31st, plus my hair’s been cut for two weeks and it’s kind of funny to post these – there’s just one more in the queue before we get to the new style – I barely recognize myself! When my hairstylist stepped back to check out her work, she put her hands on her hips and exclaimed, “I can’t even IMAGINE you with long hair anymore! It’s crazy!” and it is, a little bit. All the light and painted bits have been hacked away for the most part.

These printed jeans were one of those “I’m not sure about this, but I’m doing it anyway” Target purchases (I know you know what I’m talking about). Since then I’ve gotten two black Everlane belt (hush) and no longer have to steal the tomboy’s belt for my tomboy femme outfits. I certainly have seen snazzier, still affordable pairs of animal print skinnies at Zara, but oh my god are these soft. Like pajama soft. Basically, these pants = my sweats. Just thinking about them makes me feel snuggly and cozy. That’s the real reason I’ve held onto them!

I cannot for the life of me remember what brand this camp shirt is, but I got it Sports Basement I think. I have a similar gauzy white one as well and they’re fantastic because they’re loose and slouchy but unfussy, breathable cotton. Sometimes it’s nice not to fuss over silks! Pairing it all with the tough suede ankle boots (Trouvé) and my Cynthia Rowley bag were easy choices, and so were the Asos earrings and my leathery Mariele Ivy necklace. I added chunky rings and a silly leather cuff with a bullet on it that I got in Portland two years ago, and that’s about it. Hope you liked it!

Now please tell me all of your outstanding weekend plans – Cinco de Mayo, Derby Day – because I’ve got nil. The tomboy is in Boston (it’s her turn – apparently, we’re taking them now) and has a derby party to go to with friends and I’m green with jealousy (though I won’t envy her marching off to a parade of open houses come Sunday). They’ve been infusing bourbon with mint! So fancy! Another friend of mine has pledged to reveal a DIY derby hat so fantastical that we’re all going to fall over in awe, and I can’t wait to see what she and her crafty little hands have done this time.

I’m just hoping I can take a break from the 300 pages I have to read for a Sunday book club brunch to see that big old super moon rise over the Oakland hills!

XOXO,

FFAF

Despite today’s coast-to-coast temps that felt a lot more Summer than Spring, one-and-a-half weeks ago I woke up to a rather chilly day in Boston – hence the cozy black sweater dress (H&M), snuggly moss green tights (H&M), and tough girl leather jacket (Zara). Isn’t this room lovely?

Our friends recently painted up their warm, roomy rowhouse, and the accent wall you see is a super versatile rosy brown that changes hue with the day’s light, looking plummy at dusk, or like melted chocolate in the morning. It was so inspiring for thinking of how to fill up the blank walls at our soon-to-be new home in New England. So many ways to play with color, and we want to experiment with them all: paint, wallpaper, re-staining the wood floors, whitewashing cabinets, etc.

I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS NEW LEATHER JACKET FROM ZARA.

I cannot tell you how many months I’ve been searching for it. At least a year, probably longer. I picked a vintage motorcycle jacket up at Afterlife in the Mission last April, but the shoulders were too broad and overpowered my frame, so I let it go in a clothing swap (after wasting months telling myself I’d take it to be altered somewhere – ha!).

I wanted something and true to the motorcycle jacket look – the heavy, wide lapels, a narrow collar, all the zippers and snaps and especially the built-in belts that could be left hanging loosely or snapped tight – but at the same time I wanted it to be fitted, as if it had been tailored just for me, and of course I wanted it to be gloriously soft, supple leather.

I kept bemoaning the insanely expensive jackets I loved at Reiss and AllSaints, pouting at the so-so offerings from Topshop and Asos, telling myself it wouldn’t  be that bad if I settled.

But then! Wandering around Newbury Street on my birthday, we couldn’t ignore the siren call of their lovely Zara store and walked in to have a peek. It’s the last place I’d expect to find exactly the leather motorcycle I desired, but there I spotted it, tried it on, and it was a match made in heaven. I was totally in love, but then came that decisive moment – I checked the leather: lambskin (phew) and then the price tag – not exactly a steal, but not highway robbery, either. Oh dear.

There was a bit of handwringing on my part, but because it was my birthday the tomboy very sweetly and lovingly and happily insisted on treating me, and who was I to resist? I couldn’t possibly. It was perfect! (Did I say it was perfect?)

Anyway, if I had to pick an article of clothing as my spirit animal, this would be it, and if any unauthorized persons come anywhere near it, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I CARRY A BLADE. It’s very sharp.

Let’s chat about some of the other accessories happening with this outfit – serious riding boots (Etienne Aigner), an earthy necklace (Mariele Ivy), a friendship bracelet from IndieMart and vintage ring complement a simple but thoughtful cold-weather look. Hope you enjoyed it! I’ve actually got quite a few posts in the queue, so they should be coming along a bit more regularly now that I’m back home. I have a new haircut to debut as well!

Cheers,

FFAF

HOWDY. I am going on week two of what was supposed to only be Spring Break in Boston, MA. After a week in a hotel, our dear friends kindly opened up their home to me in Jamaica Plain when it was evident that I needed to extend my stay. I somewhat dramatically sent the tomboy and petite back home on their scheduled Saturday flight over a week ago! (Don’t ask. Real estate is a strange and messy, often rather annoying world.)

WELCOME TO UNIFORM, a men’s boutique in Boston’s South End. 

Time has warped and bended and it still takes me a good moment to know which way is up when figuring out what time it is where depending upon whomever I am speaking with, or emailing, etc. and I don’t think I’ve ever been away from the tomboy for this long! I’m pulling my hair out, I can’t stand being away from my girls (and those wonky pups), but I’ve gotten so much done that I can’t honestly complain. Jamaica Plain is a lovely distraction, though, with its sweet little boutiques, incredible food, thrifting and vintage, and the super friendly, small town feel.

Alas, these photos are from an outstanding shop for men (and tomboys) in the South End. My friend Fancy (above) got an invite to a special event they were having yesterday – a tasting of expertly mixed St.-Germain cocktails and a storewide sale! Apparently, shops like Uniform are few and far between, and this one is really special.

It feels very Bay Area (read: Castro) to me, and M would love it – once we’re settled here this summer, I’ll have to bring her back to check it out! So many handsome goodies, and those cocktails were very refreshing on such a warm day. Once we were all shopped out, we snagged a table outside next door at Picco, where I had the best peanut butter chip ice cream ever. (Craving some right now, actually, but I’m pretty sure the cake batter ice cream at trusty old JP Licks will do for tonight.)

The forecast for the first week we were here called for cooler weather, and we packed accordingly. Of course, this weekend’s weather report predicted high temps, which gave me a perfectly legitimate excuse to take a day off from house-hunting to peruse JP’s thrift stores, vintage shops, and boutiques. This was the first day of warm weather (before I had the chance to shop), and the best I could do was a crisp, white, short-sleeved blouse by DKNY paired with James Jeans rolled up at the ankle. My vintage brogues, Asos bag and pony belt brought it all together, and I love the dainty touch of my citrine yellow cocktail ring dangling from a Madewell chain.

Photo credit: Fancy Pants

Photo credit: Fancy Pants

Last but certainly not least, how cool is this pirate kitty below? SO COOL. Such a cuddly and ferocious one-eyed beast. We didn’t know this one, but I’m having a blast snuggling up with the three gorgeous ragdoll cats my friends own. That’s all for now, folks. XOXO!

Did somebody order a party in a box? Booze, snacks, citrus, mixers, ice…anyone?

This is going to be a carefree, to-the-point post, considering the fact that I am on a plane to Boston from San Francisco and ever so slightly buzzed from a few friendly  mimosas. I guess you could call this a companion post, as it picks up with the tomboy where the last post left off – same day, same round of festivities with friends, a lot more masculine. Welcome to M’s “Did somebody say ‘brunch’?” ensemble.

She takes a pair of khakis from Men’s Express and makes them all kinds of handsome, and as far away from the dull, lazy Silicon Valley stereotype as a person could get, I think, by pairing them with an Elie Tahari dress shirt (a soft, bluish grey) and cardigan bought new from Crossroads – she can’t remember whatever obscure brand it is, but she found it at their College Ave. location and wishes she’d snagged the grey version as well!

All brought together by a haphazard, undone bow tie (of course, it didn’t start that way, but you know us…plus, a lovely member of our group felt under-dressed, so being a gentlemen, she graciously undid it on the spot to help her feel more at ease). No idea where this bow tie came from, btw. We’ve racked our brains and not much can be done about it, as we are 36,792 feet in the air. Whomp.

The shoes are from Aldo and this was their last hurrah, actually, she’s currently eyeing a pair from Mr. B’s Gentlemen’s Boutique, in case any of you dear readers have words on their quality and whatnot – apparently there are three shops in Boston where we can find them (compared to just two in SF). You’ll recognize her Dior Homme glasses, although soon I imagine you’ll be seeing her new prescription pair of Ray-Ban Cockpit sunglasses.

That’s it! And just for fun, some mushy loverbird photos at Jack London Square, taking by Autostraddle’s fearless leader herself, the incredibly talented Riese!

We’ll keep you posted on our New England house-hunting trip, kiddos! Hopefully, there will be time to sneak in a few shoots.

XOXO,
FFAF

Spring is here, or so I’m told. It doesn’t look it from where I am – there’s still quite a chill in the air and our skies have that diffused, bright grey overcast I have always found to be the most irritating of all our Bay Area weather quirks. We’ve had bits of unseasonable warmth here and there, and were hit with a great big walloping storm last weekend, but I think my thick black tights underneath the frothy, pleated pink of this sweet dress (despite the sunshine) tell the whole story!

I’ve definitely been quietly collecting Spring essentials, though – another pleated dress in a bold, sunny yellow, two pairs of skinny jeans in bright teal and magenta, a breezy, grass-green camp shirt, wedge sandals color-blocked with a soft dove grey suede and lemon chiffon patent leather (and a clutch to match), and a few preppy cotton shirt dresses – but I’m most excited about the necklace I’ve got on here – a punchy H&M steal at $12.95 – and some new additions to my makeup drawer from MAC.

Several years ago I took my BFF to one of her initial visits to Sephora, and one of the MUA grabbed a tube of Nars lipstick, popped it on the BFF, and the effect was amazing. It was a really simple color, just a dusty, rosy pink, but it was one of those transformative shades with my friend’s complexion. It looked so beautiful! Foolishly, I tried on the color immediately, and of course it wasn’t the same.

Well, last week I wandered into the MAC pro store in the Marina (please don’t ask me what I was doing in the Marina) and the MUA helping me came at me with this horrible, frightening orange lipstick. I was instantly suspicious, but I tried it on anyway.

EGADS! Glory, thy name is Korean Candy, and the perfect companion blusher is Optimistic Orange. 

The effect of either/both with my skin tone is kind of miraculous. The lipstick is a glossy, super lightweight and wearable orange-y red, and the blush is a creamy shock of bright coral. The latter requires a very light hand, but even when the MUA painted on two big, bratty stripes over my cheekbones, it was still kind of cool. I love both shades so much it makes me want to eschew the rest of my makeup for Spring! Just a little foundation mixed in with sunscreen, tons of mascara, and my orange-y babes right here.

I’m still on the hunt for the following – let me know if you’ve seen anything good lately:

• a full skirt in a deep tan shade
• grass-green pumps or wedge sandals
• a proper leather motorcycle jacket
• a sweet, girly blouse or tank in yellow

We should chat about this outfit! I got this dress on a whim from an odd little boutique in Emeryville called Lola. There are only about a half-dozen of them in the states, by the makers of BCBG. Between the swiss dots, pretty blush color and pleated skirt, I couldn’t resist. The bow belt, necklace and faux leather jacket are all H&M. The studded boots are Trouvé, the studded clutch Matt & Nat. My watch is Citizen, and the talon ring and thorned cuff are by Made Her Think. The faux bamboo shades are vintage!

I CAN’T WAIT TO WEAR THIS DRESS BARE-LEGGED WITH A PONYTAIL AND SWEET LITTLE BALLET FLATS. HINT, HINT. 

Also, I would just like to add that these photos were taken by M at Jack London Square in Oakland. We really love Oakland and were so happy to spend a breezy, carefree day there with friends recently. So many outstanding memories from when we lived there, and it’s kind of amazing how much of our history still seems to float and crackle in its air, still very much alive – we would look at one another and the remembering was almost a physical sensation between us! How is that possible?! We don’t know, but we are sure we’ll lay down roots there again someday.

Who else is counting down the days until The Hunger Games movie?! We have tickets to the midnight showing (I may have mentioned that before) and I cannot think of anything else.

XOXO,

FFAF

Welcome to Day 2 of World Peace, everyone! J/K.

Mixing blues is nothing new, I’ve done it here before, but I’m excited to share a bunch of newer stuff with y’all! Above is a lovely double-breasted wool coat from Laundry by Shelli Segal, it’s wonderfully heavy and skirted and has a great deal of personality for a basic camel trench. Of course, with this very mild winter we’ve had so far, I haven’t had the chance to wear it yet! Such a shame, but I’m sure it’ll get a ton of wear sooner or later.

These fantastic green leather gloves were a Christmas gift from M, and so was the Fossil leather wallet with the little keyhole. I’m in love with these gloves. The color is incredible, and they are so soft, and the fit is perfect. I’d been needing a new wallet for a little while and this one, even though it’s basic black, smells divine and looks great! I still have lots of feelings for my oversized scarf from H&M, but like the coat, it’s hardly been cool enough to wear it much. Grr!

Kicked up the outfit this time with my Adrienne Vittadini calf-hair leopard print wedge booties. The jeans are Ralph Lauren and I thrifted the belt – the stripes and vintage pearls brought a little East Coast prep to the table, too. The shirt is H&M’s L.O.G.G. brand, and the sweet little fox ring is from there as well. I kept the shirt half-untucked with the sleeves rolled up to keep things loose and breezy (like my hair). The crowning glory of this tomboy-influenced outfit is this new tortoiseshell watch. It was yet another gorgeous gift from the tomboy for Christmas – she knew I’d been lusting after an oversized watch to add to my collection, and she nailed it with this Michael Kors chronograph beauty. So good.

That’s it for now! I will say I just came back from a really magical clothing swap last Friday night, and have lots of new goodies to share with you. For now I’m focused on an exciting new opportunity to volunteer with an amazing organization (meeting with them tomorrow – more on that later) and a weekend for l’amour – we’ve got a date to celebrate the 7th anniversary of the night we met coming up, the BFF and I are going to sneak whiskey in to see The Vow, and of course Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! XO!

Hey, y’all! I wanted to trot out my new bag and a fabulously floppy hat for these crisp, sunny days we’ve been having lately, so I threw on a reliably pretty vintage dress in a neutral print, some tights and a pair of peep-toed shoes that took the look to a fun, sassy level. Also, we found a massive dead tree branch on our little walkabout! YAH!

You might find it amusing to know that I first tried to sit on that smaller branch I’m leaning on up there. It broke after about 2 seconds and I fell right on my ass in a big pile of dead leaves, while M had herself a good bellyaching laugh in the safety of the manicured green lawn you can’t see. You can see where it disappears below, leaving only a jagged stub behind. I managed to recover…

I’m trying to think of what’s new since I last posted!

• lovely visits from friends at home – one involved baking shortbread and another very in-depth lessons in eyeliner!
• football madness – since I was raised on the 49ers, the NFC Championship Game was a BFD – sadly, we lost
• finished reading Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex for book club (not for the faint-hearted)
• began reading The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Get, written by a Norwegian author and given to me by M
• attended my sweet cousin’s delightful baby shower sans tomboy, only to find the soiree dotted with them after all!
• dove into a new bottle of perfume, Crystal Noir from Versace – but more on that later
• received copies of Luca Turin’s perfume guides as well as After Claude, which is deliciously mean (so I hear) – can’t wait!

So, I said I was going to get back into the business of discussing perfumes soon and here we are. This newest bottle of Versace Crystal Noir was a Christmas gift from the tomboy, more or less. (She originally bought me a bottle of Bright Crystal, which she’d already done before and somehow forgot. I’d been admiring it from afar and so handily swapped Bright for Noir and called it a day!)

First things first, I love the absurdly dark, heavy, gaudy bottle. It looks fantastic on my perfume tray, lurking moodily among slender Kenzo Amour or the austere Chanel No. 5  and Serge Lutens Chene, towering over a suddenly wan-looking bottle of Flowerbomb (which is of course shaped like a crystal grenade). Its contents are another story entirely.

Perfumes: The A-Z Guide, says that Donatella Versace provided creative direction for this scent, and proceeds to dismiss it as a “trashy white floral” (an improvement, believe it or not, upon Bright Crystal’s two-word assessment: “hideously screechy” – ouch!). The notes are gardenia and tuberose, as well as amber. Out of the bottle, I suppose the florals do exit the vehicle with a somewhat jarring crotch shot, teeter a bit, and then – at least with my skin – hit their stride on the drydown, which becomes a wonderfully creamy, soft dusty musk. A hint sweet. Folks are split on this – either it’s bug spray or bombshell mystique, but to me it’s like snuggling up to the tomboy in a fancy dress, murmuring dreamily while half-filled glasses of champagne sit neglected on the bedside table, sunrise teasing the sky lighter by the second. A cozy, familiar sort of ravishing. Lovely especially in cold weather.

Do tell me if you’ve got new loves in the fragrance world, I want to hear all about them!

Dress: Vintage
Tights: Hue
Shoes & Belt: Elie Tahari
Bag: Cynthia Rowley
Hat: Kathy Jeanne
Earrings: Silver Crane Sterling
Thorned Cuff: Made Her Think

Howdy, strangers! There are no words for my excitement over this new addition to my wardrobe: the puffer vest. While some things can be plucked from the tomboy’s side of the closet, the femme tomboy puffer isn’t exactly one of them. (Believe me, I tried. Shh, don’t tell! She’s very possessive of hers.) When I saw this one by Ralph Lauren, I fell in love. It was the perfect outdoorsy shade of green, and really doesn’t betray itself as being for her aside from being quite nicely fitted. It makes such a difference! With the campy finishing touches of the chunky wood and rough rope toggles, who the hell needs fleece?! (Answer: Bloody no one, that’s who.)

Then…at the risk of sounding like an advertisement, when I spied two little boy’s shirts for $20 apiece over the weekend (also Ralph Lauren), I snapped them up, too! LAYERING! With weather that’s finally started to behave like a proper winter, any day now I’ll be tucking my fully lined leggings into rain boots and traipsing through city streets like a real live lumberlady! Hooray!

Two of my favorite things: Tornado Recovery t-shirt from My Shirt Helps (I made some minor modifications) and the Otter-Messer sailor’s knife M slipped into my stocking this Christmas. It’s German, has a carbon steel blade and brass anchor inlay. I use it all the time. I get so mad when I reach for it and realize it didn’t make it through the last purse change or it’s still sitting in my jeans pocket on the bedroom floor at home, etc.!

True story: When M first met me, I carried a knife everywhere. I slipped it into a boot or my clutch or a pocket,  and while I still have it (it’s a lot bigger than this one), it’s been awhile since I’ve carried it. It feels good to have one on me again!

The outdoorsiness of the outfit required rigorous testing, obviously. I adore the huge green ring, which is a total treasure I found at the Crossroads in Rockridge (Oakland). My manicure goes with it quite well, too – a few coats of Zoya’s Cynthia (“smoky, blackened peacock teal” blue) with a layer of OPI Gold Shatter on top! Close-up you can see the different colors, but from a distance it looks like a gilded green.

What else is new? The petite and I did mother/daughter manicures and pedicures at a cute little Potrero Hill salon on a lovely sunny day, both M and I had routine haircuts at our respective places of grooming (Watermelon Sugar and F.S.C. Barber), and we’ve had a few dreamy little dates and nights out and about. We saw Pariah, which was really so good and well done and I urge you all to see it if you haven’t already, and we’ve surrendered to the charms of Downton Abbey, a new addiction on PBS.

After a bit of research, we’ve also added a handful of towns to our Massachusetts shortlist, should the final decision lean that way – we’re supposed to commit one way or another exactly two weeks from now!

Denim & Vest: Denim & Supply Ralph Lauren
Tornado Recovery T-Shirt: My Shirt Helps
Tartan Poplin Shirt: Ralph Lauren
Suede Ankle Boots: Trouvé
Necklaces: Culp Baubles (lipstick bullet) / Lisa Galibardy (winged crow skull)
Pony Watch: Asos

How’s 2012 treating you so far?

XOXO,

FFAF