Shakespeare Garden

My recent trip to California yielded many interesting fashion finds. Before this March, I had never been to the West Coast before. The furthest West I had ever been was Arizona, which almost counts but not quite. My 10-day stint included visits to Berkeley, San Francisco, Napa & Los Angeles. Needless to say, I enjoyed it immensely and will continue to exude the West Coast style influence indefinitely.

The trip also provided so many photo opportunities I could barely contain myself! This and the following series were taken at the Shakespeare Garden in San Francisco.

Dress: UO, Necklace: Madewell, denim jacket: Crossroads, Tights: Nine West, Boots: Bata, Aviators: Aldo, Leather shoulder bag: vintage Coach from Treasury

The Shakespeare Garden is a lovely little place in Golden Gate Park on the outskirts of San Fran. We walked through it when venturing from car to De Young Fine Arts Museum and were compelled to stop for some photos. The trees were miraculously in bloom and birds were chirping. This is the type of place that makes you want to dance and sing and pretend like you're in The Sound of Music. It was a cloudy day, but the sun shone through at unexpected moments and gave us some gorgeous, glittering light to work with.

The jacket is a fantastic recycled piece I scored at Crossroads in Berkeley for $15. Can you believe that, $15! And it fits like a glove. Oh boy, this is my kind of store! I went in there on a time crunch because my brother just needed to go to the ATM and then I was supposed to meet him to catch the bus. But I got stuck like a kid in a candy store in this place! We had to catch the next bus a half an hour later and I was still crunched for time as I checked out in a mad hurry to catch the bus.

Everything is so cheap and there is so much cute stuff to be found! I got stuff I can wear to work and streetwear and hybrid pieces that I can easily transition like the denim jacket. And I could have found and bought much more had I not been being telephonically harassed with threats of missing the bus. I believe they also buy used clothing and trade, which is so great for people like me, who really like to participate in fashion and interact with their vendors.

We just don't have stores like that in DC. Crossroads, I beg you expand to East Coast pleeeeeeaaase! Alas, I discovered in Cali that wholesale vintage/resale is my Mecca.

And the dress is one of those rarities that can really be worn year-round. I plucked it from a sale rack at UO back in January and rocked it in the winter with textured wool tights, a brown cardigan and camel ankle boots. And here I am in early spring with lighter tights, knee-high boots and a fitted jean jacket. And I'm certain I'll wear it this summer with nothing but some cute sandals and a tan (God-willing).