WHAT I ROARED, 8/19-8/22

by Amber on August 24, 2012

WHAT I WORE:
1960s By My Side Top, 1960s Navajoa Vest, 1970s Nyoka Dress

WHERE I WORE IT:
Road tripping from Los Angeles to San Francisco

My cousin Rachel has been in California visiting for about a month now, and we’ve been having more fun than two people should be allowed to have. Earlier this week, we took a three-day road trip to San Francisco and back via The Pacific Coast Hwy 1. It was perfect, except that it was just too short. Tori and I will be repeating this trip together in the near future, but we’re going to need a week at least.

On the way up the coast, I wore our red polka dot By My Side top.

Why I love this top: It’s so stinkin cute. I’ve never been a fan of polka dots until this top. The red is the perfect red, the dots are the perfect size, and the wide collar sits perfectly whether it’s zipped or unzipped. Its lightweight polyester kept me warm enough in the shady parts of the coast, but didn’t get hot in the direct sun. It’s a little too big for me, but it doesn’t matter because it has a flattering shape and hangs nicely. You can use its matching belt to give it as much or as little shape as you need. This is one of those tops that will look good on any girl.

We spent all of Tuesday sightseeing and shopping in San Fran. I thought allowing two hours to visit shops on Haight street would be plenty of time…but I was sorely mistaken. We could have spent the whole day. We managed to scratch the surface by visiting Held Over, Haight Ashbury Vintage, Mystery Mister, Decades, and Relic Vintage. Held Over and Decades were my favorite, and I came home with a couple pieces from both shops.

One of these three dresses came home with me. Which one would you want?

I couldn’t take photos in Decades, but it was to die for. The building is two open stories, packed floor to ceiling with exquisite vintage and costumes. I was a real struggle, but I managed to reign myself in and only leave with three pieces.

For our day in San Fran, I wore our 1960s Navajoa Vest.

Why I love this vest: First, some sad news. This rainbow baby was for sale on our shop, but I fell so completely in love with is on this trip that I decided to buy it for myself. Sorry everyone! I had worn it out once before with my husband and he begged me to keep it…but I still wanted someone else to be able to have it. After wearing it around San Francisco all day, I realized I couldn’t let it go. It fits me perfectly, and kept me very warm in the chilly San Fran winds without making me sweaty. I also received compliments from five different people throughout the day, so I must look pretty good in it!

On our way back down the coast, I wore this 1970s dress for the first time. I confess I’m in love with this one now, too. I don’t think I’ll keep it, but…be advised. I could change my mind…trying not to make it a habit, though.

Why I love this dress: Long sleeves and a short skirt were just what I needed for the trip home! Its chilly and breezy all the way down the coast, so this dress kept me warm. But as soon as we reached the warmer parts of the coast, the shorter skirt let the breeze in, so I never got hot. The fitted waist, wide collar, and framed v-neck are super cute details that make this dress interesting, flattering, and unique. The bright aqua green color definitely made me stand out everywhere we went, but not in an obnoxious way. What a great dress.

These bear sculptures were at an amazing garden shop in Half Moon Bay. I wanted to live in that place. Look what else was there!

Mariachi band!

Roosters and chickens! So cute.

Rachel having fun with the dinosaurs.

Here are a few spots on the coast that were breathtaking. There are views like this for about five hours of driving starting around Pismo Beach/Morro Bay. If you’ve never been, you better go! Words and photos can’t capture the marvel of mountains meeting the ocean. You need to go see it for yourself.

A private beach on Hwy 1. All the barbed wire fence and “No Trespassing” signs kept us from checking it out on this trip because of our limited time. But maybe Tori and I will be adventurous and pop down there on our next trip…hehe.