What I Wore & What to Wear in San Francisco

Happy Tuesday! I got a couple questions on what I wore this weekend in California so I thought I’d round up my outfits as well as share packing tips for what to bring and what to wear on a trip to San Francisco. 🙂

My outfits

When I landed Saturday I headed up to Sonoma Valley to meet my future sister-in-law Elizabeth and her other bridesmaids for a spa day and dinner in downtown Sonoma. The weather was gorgeous: mid 70s during the day and 50s/60s in the evening. Because it was long sleeved, this top was perfect for both the afternoon and evening. The floral trend is huge right now but large prints aren’t generally “me”. This top was a way to incorporate the trend but stay true to my style; the darker background makes the print a little more subdued and the pattern is a bit smaller than other floral tops I’ve scoped out recently.

Top // Jeans // Block heels (similar here and here) // Bag

Elizabeth asked me Saturday, “How do you wear heels so much?” I told her my strategy is opting for brands with more comfortable heels (in other words, you’ll probably never see me in Louboutins- even if I’m someday able to afford them!). My go-to for tall shoes is Vince Camuto. In fact, about half my heels bear his stamp. The block heels I’m wearing are VC’s and they’re a stellar all day shoe because of how comfortable they are.

Sunday we spent the day wine tasting in Sonoma at two gorgeous wineries, Benziger and its sister winery, Imagery.  Napa is stunning, but I like Sonoma better because it is less commercialized. Benziger is a gorgeous, unique winery that uses Biodynamic and organic farming methods. I planned my outfits before the trip and created this one because it felt very California to me. Yellow earrings and nails remind me of the sunshine, and casual flip flops and ultra-distressed jeans echoed the laid back vibe I knew I’d be feeling around me. Oh, and the hat was practical given the sun.

Top // Shorts // Earrings // Flip flops // Floppy hat

Monday I spent in Oakland and then San Francisco. Because I was going out to SF, I wore this leather jacket. This jacket has been incredibly popular since it came out, and now that I have it I understand why: the belt detail and oversized hardware make it super stylish, it’s good quality real suede for under $200, but most important it looks great on all body types I’ve seen it on. I got it in brown because it’s the most versatile color, and am so excited to pair it with dresses, tees, delicate blouses, or even a baby doll top! (Note: this jacket runs small, so I recommend going up one size.)

Jacket (available in 8 colors)// Jeans // Shoes (under $25!) // Tee // Bag

Today I caught an afternoon flight home. The last two nights I stayed with my good friend Amber in Dublin, which is in East Bay. Since it’s about 30 miles inland from San Francisco, it’s warmer and usually sunnier. The top I’m wearing today is actually a dress I tucked in because it was short enough to do this. (Always love finding ways to stretch my wardrobe!) Back on the scene today was my new favorite bag from Goodnight Macaroon. This bag is a fantastic dupe for the Chloe Faye that’s everywhere right now, but at under $100 regularly  (currently on sale for $69.99!) for genuine leather it’s also a fantastic value.

Top (well, really a dress!) // Jeans (similar) // Bag // Floppy hat // Block heels (similar here) // Bracelet

What to wear

Ok, for those of you contemplating (or perhaps already planning!) a trip to the San Francisco Bay, below are items I recommend bringing. I consider myself incredibly blessed because I was able to live in this beautiful area of the country for four years. (I lived in Pleasanton/Dublin, where my friend Amber is now…these past two days were such a trip down memory lane!). From living there I learned what clothes are important to have on hand:

1. A light to medium jacket. This is especially important if you’re going to be in San Francisco itself, because the weather fluctuates so drastically. It can get down to the 40s in the evening but during the day it ranges from the 50s to high 70s. A jacket is great because you can wear it zipped when it’s cold, open when it’s breezy, and tie it around your waist when it’s warm.
2. A lightweight shirt. Because of the weather fluctuations, you don’t want to get caught with a heavy shirt or sweater. Layering a jacket over a light shirt is a great way to adjust your outfit to the weather in real time
3. Walking shoes. San Francisco is a pretty compact city, which means it’s possible to get a lot of places on foot. I learned flip flops aren’t ideal for walking in SF, but walking shoes are perfect for logging miles (as well as tackling those crazy hills!). Oh, and if you want to fit in with the SF crowd, grab your Chuck Taylors. Every other person I saw had a pair of All Stars.
4. These are particularly practical if you’re going out to Napa or Sonoma because it gets so much warmer out there.

I love that famous quote from Mark Twain, “The coldest Winter I ever spent was a Summer in San Francisco”.  It doesn’t matter what time of year it is: San Francisco is famous for its fluctuating weather.

And that’s it for today, pretty ladies! Stay tuned for a post where I’ll be sharing the best things to do in the Bay Area, what tourist attractions are worth skipping/seeing very quickly, and a couple of the area’s best kept secrets.

I hope your week is going well! Did you get hit by the east coast snow storm? Ridge was sending me photos this weekend….I can’t believe South Carolina got snow in March!

XO,
Terra