It's Summer Somewhere

It's summer somewhere -  mainly San Diego. Despite my disappointment, I don't think I'd really be prepared for fall until the Santa Anna Winds roll through. And since the air remains more or less still, I'm happy to wait for autumnal weather. 

A weekend away before school starts up again is essential. It's cooler in San Diego, and my default makes it seem as if Thanksgiving is closer than it really is. 

I'm also happy to announce that I have found, in all possibility, the most comfortable semi-boots ever manufactured. These Zara numbers have plenty of thick white rubber to pacify even the most enduring night on the town. 

My sweet little Phillip Lim x Target bag completes a careless, industrial look. Little did I know when I snatched it from a hiding place within the racks of polyester sweaters how rare a find it was. Nevertheless, its light enough to be comfortable to carry and large enough to fit all of my essentials. 

This ever-lasting transitional period allows my closet the time it needs to turn over to warmer and thicker garments. Instead of tattered jean shorts and t-shirts, I can now happily wear my black leather Helmut Lang shorts without discomfort. Also, the attractively heinous fupa it allows tells me that I'll have plenty of room to stuff myself when the seasons come around. 

Following this baseball hat trend, this wool cap from JCrew is color blocked and throws a euro-sport-chic vibe on my whole demeanor. Plus, worn with a dark pair of sunnies its very useful for people-watching. I also feel like I'm being pro-active about sun exposure, despite the striped A.L.C. tank I wore. 

In theme with this whole industrial thing, it was only appropriate to shoot on a roof that is directly below the San Diego Airport landing path. 

By Lizzie Furlong

West Coast

School Spirit Vision

Being at school is the last thing I want to be doing in August, let alone high school (I think we can all vouch for that.) However, when I received the pair of platform loafers in the mail, I had a vision. Bouncing on football field bleachers and pretending to skip class appealed to me in a whole new way. 

First, I'd like to brag about my triumph in the Zara sales. Online a few weeks ago I saw the same pair of said loafers that blog prodigy Chiara Ferragni wore in a few photos. When I got all my funds together to make the purchase, the shoes were gone. I kept my calm and said my nightly prayers that, along with good health, I would find those shoes again. And then, on a chance browse of the sale shoe selection, I found the same loafers I had been panting for weeks before. And 70% off no less!

The pants, by Vince, are a school staple. When I was actually in high school I probably would have rather filled my mouth with acrylic poster paint than wear khakis. But now, looking back on such naiveté with a cultured and open-minded outlook, I scoff at my prejudice. They're softer than jeans, more versatile, and with a clean pressing look a lot more crisp. The top, a breezy number by Helmut Lang, is soft enough and thin enough to be completely bearable in the summer heat. 

I accessorized with a duo of gold cuffs, a Jennifer Zeuner lariat Rayna necklace, and a few more gold chains. My sunglasses, Ray Ban, are perfectly dark enough so that if I was still in grade 12 I could keep them on during Calculus and comfortably snooze. 

By Lizzie Furlong

West Coast

Can I take a rain check?

Winters last efforts of shuddering this slice of the Pacific have finally materialized in the form of mild rain. Because of this little weather movement, I was forced to throw on a jacket and warm fabrics. I guess this could be winters last hoorah, and my last hoorah of winter dressing to match.

It is laughable (for those holed up under a heater blanket with drifts of white outside their front doors) to say that this post is about winter dressing. To be honest, I feel like a neophyte spouting the ABC's of cold-casual. I get chilly when it's below 68 in my own home. But winter here is much different and translates into a very unconventional wardrobe.

Out at the Malibu Country Mart today, the windows of Intermix and Lanvin already displayed the expected wardrobe of incoming spring. Why in such a rush to switch seasons, CA? Let's savor the last few rain clouds and go out with a bang wearing our most ambitious Moncler parkas (yes, that's an ironic reality) and all-weather boots. Why force jean shorts when there are still Starbucks seasonal drinks to be had? We have enough damn sunshine, let clouds and rain have their last stand.

All hyperboles aside, I do enjoy those days when winter-dressing actually feels credible. Today I was able to put on my knitted turban from Anthropology and adorn it with a beetle brooch. My sweater, a voluminous turtleneck knitted creation, is by Staring at Stars. Over top, to match the brooding sky above, is an moody-green Helmut Lang sport coat. Really in no mood to flatter any sort of figure, I pulled on a pair of silk Leifsdottir draw-string trousers that feel more like luxurious pajamas than pants. A pair of clunky Dolce Vita boots was the my only real preparation for temperamental weather patterns. The purse, by Marc by Marc Jacobs, held the gloves I so desperately wanted to wear but felt absurd donning. 

I'm very interested to know - how does everyone else prepare for the elements?