chinatown

I live in a city for unexpected adventures. Whether it’s the crisp, perfectly worn-in, vintage linen smock of your dreams — or a full blown parade, complete with lion and ribbon dancers, moon cakes, bubbling tea and, of course, hundreds of bright paper lanterns — you never know what you’re going to find around any given corner of the urban landscape.

City life may not always be for me — lately I’ve been dreaming of a Spanish or Craftsmen bungalow with a lot of cats, a back yard, and a view — but for now this is where I’m happy. I love how routines or plans can so quickly be transformed. Today’s unforeseen event was the Autumn Moon Festival in Chinatown — how romantic is that? I used to play this crazy game called ‘Harvest Moon’ (I won’t reveal when I played this game, but let’s just say it was definitely in the age before smart phones) and I was immediately reminded of the pastime managing my little farm of pixels — I harvested peppers and tomatoes; foraged in the wintertime; wooed the local villagers to my side. I wonder what a life like that would really be like (I say as my peppers and tomatoes are totally giving up the ghost to fall’s oncoming chill).

What I Wore:
James Rowland Shop Vintage Smock
THML Top (worn here)
Eric Michael Shoes (worn here)
NEUW jeans (worn here) Where I Was: Chinatown, San Francisco What to Do There: Just stroll the streets and soak in the sights of the markets and gift shops, then take the elevator up to the top floor to drink and watch the sun set at Empress of China.

This fantastic linen blazer was another reward from SF – Voyager shop on Valencia has always been one of my favorite haunts, and on one Friday afternoon they just happened to feature a pop-up from a vintage boutique based on Berkeley. It was love at first sight. Actually, I thought I was dreaming — yes, some of my wildest fantasies involve a room where everything is made of linen — overalls, jumpsuits, button-ups, coats, trousers, smocks and skirts; it looked like a fashion week wet-dream, but this collection wasn’t pre-designed for each other, they were just gathered by a really, really smart curator. Somehow I managed to constrain myself from taking out a loan and buying everything; leaving with this one treasure instead. It may seem like a silly purchase for this time of year, but October can be our warmest month, and this light-weight jacket is perfect for nights like these of exploring North Beach and Chinatown — the chillier sides of the city.

Thanks as always for reading! I hope you enjoyed this mid-week outfit inspiration — I find myself more and more reaching for something simple these crazy days, but I’m waiting for fall to really hit and the layers to get out of control. I love hearing from you, so please leave me a comment if you have the time, and until my next post, stay in touch with me over at pinterest, twitter, instagram, and/or facebook.

Ciao!

Photographs by MB Maher