Skippy Says: Cannonball (OOTD)

When Ryder was a little puppy, he refused to go in the water. No amount of sticks, balls, or even throwing his favorite treats for him to swim after could coax him in. I was convinced I got stuck with the only labrador (fine, labrador mutt if you're going to get all technical) in the world that was terrified of swimming. Out of desperation, I once proposed getting him a doggy life jacket and throwing him in. My dad proposed having me committed to a mental institution. Well played papa, well played.

I remember the first time Ryder finally went in. He was about 6 months old-- there was a group of pups playing in the water, and he wanted in on the action. Bad. I saw the tension in his eyes: I want to play, but I don't want to die. Play, die, play, die. And suddenly death was worth it. In he went, and we haven't been able to pull him out ever since.

This weekend, Ryan and I took him up to Lake Sonoma for a day so he could swim his little doggy heart out. My favorite is when he does cannonballs into the water. What's a cannonball you ask? See for yourself...

Yup, he was so excited he cannonballed in before I even threw the stick. If you couldn't make out what Ryan said on the video, it's "well that's an embarrassing trip back." Touché. Once in a while he could contain his excitement enough to wait cannonballing until I actually threw the stick...

And of course, every time he got out of the water he got as close to one of us as possible to do a little bit of this:

On the way home, I did just a little bit of trespassing to snap a couple shots in a vineyard. Then, I heard a car coming down the private road and ran as fast as my little heels would carry me. 

g

Shop:
- Anthropologie top (bought on sale, no longer available online. May still be in some stores. Buy similar on sale here)
- Gap white cami underneath top (bought on sale, no longer available. Buy similar here)
- Urban outfitters green jeans (buy here)
- Anthropologie shoes (bought on sale, no longer available)
- Earrings borrowed from my mother-in-law

Skippy Says: My Babushka (OOTD)

I was lucky enough to have all four of my grandparents alive until I was almost 20 years old. Unfortunately, three passed away in a very short time span thereafter (all within 1.5 years), but I still have one grandma remaining. She lives in Germany, but I always call her for our weekly chat. And every week without fail, we have the same conversation. Since she's pretty old school, she asks if I'm doing my job of cooking and cleaning the house well. I lie, and she proceeds to praise me. She tells me about all her friends she showed my wedding photos too, asking them if I'm not the prettiest bride there ever lived? They lie, and she proceeds to praise them. The conversation ends with her asking me if Ryan is still tall. Ryan's almost 6''2 and at the ripe old age of 26 nowhere near shrinking age yet, but I think my grandma is terrified I'll have short children. Being barely 5'1 myself (in the morning on a good day when I stand up really straight), I'm not offended at all. Really.

My grandma is the kindest person you'll ever meet. Whether it's for people or animals, the amount of love she has in that little body of hers never ceases to amaze me. When she flew out for my wedding last year, she spent hours massaging my dog with her arthritic hands every day. I bet she would have loved this dog that randomly wandered into our photo shoot.

Shop:
- Anthropologie top (bought on sale, gift from my mother-in-law. No longer available)
- Urban outfitters skirt (bought on sale, no longer available. Buy similar amazing version here or more affordable versions here or here)
- Anthropologie shoes (bought on sale, no longer available)

Skippy Says: Lessons In Pattern Mixing (OOTD)

It's no big secret that I love the pattern mixing trend (trend?). Trend or not, I'll keep mixing patterns until the cows come home. And since I live in San Francisco, that's probably going to be a while. Lately, I've seen all sorts of "rules" about how to properly mix patterns on other blogs, and maybe I'm just dense, but I have to admit they don't make much sense to me. Instead, I employ the following 2 step foolproof strategy:

1. Pick out two pieces with different patterns that I think I want to wear together and lay them out on the bed. Look at them and, wait for it, decide if I think they look nice together. Tada!

If the answer to step 1 is "no," move on two step 2:

2. Angrily throw one of the pieces on the floor and pick out another one I think might work better. Tada! Ok, I lie. My OCD would never let me do that. Neatly but still angrily hang up one of the pieces back in my closet and then pick out another one. Repeat until satisfied.

Shop:
- Mango top (bought on sale, no longer available. Buy similar here, here, here, or here)
- Banana Republic factory store skirt (bought on sale circa 2006 or 2007? No longer available. Buy similar here or here)
- Purse from SF vintage sidewalk sale ($5!)
- Banana Republic Factory store scarf (bought on sale circa 2010, no longer available. Buy similar here or here)
- Target tights (buy here)
- Shoes from random little store in Germany
- Earrings from random little store in cape cod circa 2008

Skippy Says: Deep Thoughts (OOTD)

I decided to change up my usual routine yesterday and spent the day getting some work done in one of my favorite San Francisco cafes, Simple Pleasures. The one not-so-pleasant thing about that cafe is the ridiculously claustrophobically small bathroom. Combine that with my pea-sized bladder and you've got a recipe for a minor panic attack about every hour or so. At least there's stuff graffitied all over the wall that I try to distract myself with so I don't hyperventilate so hard that I end up passing out and falling into the toilet. Today's favorite was someone that wrote "acting tough is the result of fear," with "fear" crossed out and replaced by "beer."

- Modcloth dress (bought on sale during the last 70% off cabin fever sale circa 2010 or early 2011? No longer available)

- Banana Republic lace shirt (bought on sale- no longer available online but I've still seen it in several stores. Buy similar here or here)

- Anthropologie booties (bought on sale circa 2010, no longer available)

- Huge diamond grid tights in brown (buy here)

- Treasure Island flea market earrings

Skippy Says: Fool Me Once, Fool Me Twice (OOTD)

During my second ever blog post, I noted that skirts and windy days do not a good combo make. Well, the wind and I were at it again today because either 1) I am dense and it takes a while for a lesson to sink it or 2) I subconsciously like showing off my undies. Now that I think about it, I was wearing a particularly cute pair today, so I wouldn't be surprised if my floozy subconscious wanted the world to know. At least that meant Ryan was entertained while taking these photos. I think he deserves a little somethin' somethin' for all that hard work.

Shop:
- Anthropologie skirt (bought on sale, no longer available. Buy kind of similar here)
- Banana Republic Factory store top (bought on sale circa 2008, no longer available. Buy kind of similar here or here)
- Shoes from random little store in Germany (circa 2010)

Skippy Says: Takesy Backsy (OOTD)

Ok, I know I just complained about how warm it is in San Francisco and how I am envious of other bloggers getting to experience Fall, but I'm going to pull a temporary takesy backsy here. Although I'm still yearning for my sweaters and boots, the warm weather meant I went to the beach this weekend. On both days. It's October 24th. That's right, suckas. 


Side note: Did you know when you google takesy backsy the first thing that pops up is a question someone posted that reads: "The contract clearly stated no takesy backsy - I do not understand the meaning of the last word. Can you help me? Thank you very much." If only that had been the final exam in my Contracts class, I would have aced it. Oh, and for all my former Contracts classmates that read my blog, "ah, well." 

                  

  

 

I guess the warm weather can hang around a little longer after all...I mean, if it insists. Oh, and when I wasn't frolicking in the water? Why I was flexing my big guns for Ryan and posing in a random field of crops along highway 1 of course. Now that's what I call a good weekend.

Shop:

- Banana Republic Factory Store top (bought on sale circa 2010, no longer available. Buy similar here or here)

- BCBG outlet shorts (bought on sale for $9 circa 2009, no longer available)

- Anthropologie shoes (bought on sale, no longer available)

- Earrings (borrowed from my mom) 

Skippy Says: Fall Envy (OOTD)

I'm a little bit of a control freak. Ok, a lot bit. So when there are things I can't control, like, you know, the weather, I'm not too happy. Here's the thing: the weather in San Francisco has been gorgeous lately. Like 80+ degrees. And while I know I should take advantage of this very rare occasion, seeing all the other bloggers in their comfy knits and boots is making me a little bit jealous. Ugh, fine, a lot bit.

Since the weather doesn't seem to care that I'm green with envy, I decided to to Fall-ize (quiet you, it's a word now) a summer outfit. I recently scored this top on sale, and the colors in it are perfectly Fall. But it's light and airy, meaning I don't have to walk around sweaty and smelling my armpits all day to see if I need to apply more deodorant. It's a win-win people.

Shop:
- Anthropologie top (bought on sale for $15, no longer available online. May still be in some stores)
- Anthropologie shorts (bought on sale, gift from my mother-in-law. Buy similar one sale here or here or really cute Marc Jacobs ones here)
- J Crew shoes (bought on sale for $60, no longer available)
- Purse (gift from my best friends from my birthday a few years ago)
- Earrings from a random little store on Haight street ($5!)
- Necklace borrowed from my mom