How about this heat wave, California? You will never hear me complain about SUNSHINE and WARM weather. Well, actually…never say never. As I type this, my ankle is starting to swell and my pitting edema is kicking in…which always freaks me out. But at least the June gloom has subsided (for now). The day I took these pics, the sun was coming and going and let me tell you…trying to change the settings on my camera in-between each shot (while using a tripod & remote) was testing my patience. But I kept my cool in this super light gauzy dress. It is listed as a “slip dress” and since I personally find Free People to run small, I sized up to a medium. The skirt of the dress is a little see-through but I wore black spanx underneath and you really couldn’t see anything.

Outfit Details: Free People Slip Dress c/o Shopbop (available in baby blue or mustard yellow here and in ivory/cream here), Espadrille Platforms c/o Andre Assous (available in cream or cognac here), Deux Lux Fringe Clutch, Madewell Panama Hat, Madewell Bracelet

I am born and raised in Southern CA, but at the age of 30 I decided to pick up and move to NYC (read about it here). It didn’t take me long to snag the nickname “California”. It may or may not have had something to do with the fact that I actually went out in the middle of a snow storm with open-toed heels on. So apparently you can take the girl out of CA, but you can not take the CA out of the girl. Obviously I found my way back home but I did leave a piece of my heart in NYC. If only I had this t-shirt back then. It would have been perfect for the days I was homesick and my NYC friends would have got a kick out of it too.

P.S. The Home T (yes…the one that was on Shark Tank!) is available in any of the 50 states, made in the US and REALLY is insanely soft! The Home T also donates 10% of their profits to Multiple Sclerosis Research. I know Father’s Day is this weekend, but if you are looking for a last minute gift idea…The Home T makes for a perfect gift for Dad too!

Outfit Details: CA Home T c/o The Home T, Thrifted Levi’s Denim Cut-offs, Madewell Bracelet, Elizabeth Stone Necklaces, Crossover Ring c/o LAGOS, Target Fedora (similar), Steve Madden Booties

I took these photos several weeks ago, back before our wildflowers completely died off. They lasted longer than usual this year because of all the rain we’d been having but still not long enough if you ask me! Now my husband has weed wacked them all down and this location will soon be home to our new chicken coop. Although my hubby is planning on building it himself so it will probably be a year before he gets it built. Add that to the 767657657658 things we want to do around here.

Outfit Details: Cold Shoulder Dress via Swirl Boutique, Free People Sandals (old), H&M Floppy Hat, Marc Jacobs Oversized Sunglasses, Nasty Gal Bag, Madewell Bracelet, Teressa Lane Jewelry Necklace

I saw this dress on Lulu’s Instagram feed over a month ago and immediately purchased it. It is almost an exact dupe of the Reformation dress that I fell in in love with last Summer…only it was a fraction of the cost! But being the bad blogger I am (oops!), I never get around to wearing and/or posting things until they are sold out. The good news is, Lulu’s is very good about emailing you when something comes back in stock. So if you love this dress as much as I do, you can click here to be notified when it comes back in in your size!

Outfit Details: Striped Midi Dress via Lulu’s, Lemon Clutch via Lulu’s (last year), Kate Spade Hinged Bangle Bracelet and Teressa Lane Jewelry Necklace

SHOP SIMILAR OFF THE SHOULDER FAVORITES:

Back in April, myself and a handful of bloggers were invited to attend Cabi’s first-ever #CabiBloggerDay held at their home offices in Southern CA. We kicked off our morning with a pink champagne toast and then had the most delicious welcome breakfast with Cabi’s CEO Lynne Coté & the Cabi executive team. It was so inspiring to hear each of the women’s unique stories/situations of how/why they decided to become Cabi stylists. Then we were off to tour the shipping warehouse and meet with the Cabi design team. The whole day was truly a blast but I think meeting Kat Woodside (Chief Design Officer) and Becky Jantzen (Fashion Director) was a highlight for me. You could absolutely tell that these women are doing what they love to do. I seriously wanted to put Becky in my back pocket and steal her to be my personal stylist! I am so envious of her effortless ability to make even the most basic pieces look super chic and stylish! Oh, and we also got a sneak peek of the Fall 2016 Collection which btw, you guys are going to LOVE. Next up was an inside look at the making of the Notion and Look Book with Cabi’s Executive Creative Director, Daniele Trussardi. The Notion and Look Books are great marketing pieces that Cabi stylists can give to their clients so they are inspired with fresh new ways to style their new Cabi pieces. Then we got to attend a mock Cabi fashion experience hosted by none other than one of Cabi’s co-founders, Kim Carpenter. We got to sip wine and see & shop the clothes just as you would if you attended a real show. I mean, what better way to shop than in the comfort of your own home with friends!?! And did I mention wine? Ha! And last but not least, we were introduced to the Heart of Cabi Foundation which encourages and empowers women in need. From donating clothing to empowering women entrepreneurs in third world countries to work their way out of poverty, Cabi is passionate about investing in women across the globe. To learn more about the Heart of Cabi Foundation, click here. At the end of the day, we got to raid the Cabi sample racks and were treated to mini-makeovers and a professional photoshoot wearing our favorite Cabi outfit of choice! Don’t forget to watch the short video highlighting the day at the end of this post!

Outfit Details: Cabi Fresco Dress, Cabi Cobblestone Cardigan, Elizabeth Stone Crescent Necklace (I didn’t get the brand of the belt/shoes as I borrowed them from the Cabi styling closet!)

Behind the scenes snapshots from my day:

Be sure and check out this fun little video documenting our day:

Disclaimer: Thank you to Cabi for kindly sponsoring my travel expenses so I could attend this event. To learn more about Cabi or to find a stylist near you, click here.