Tie Front

I couldn't totally plunge into fall without first talking about my favorite game-changer from this summer: The tie front shirt. Cotton, slouchy, casual, cool. I've been pairing this Bobi tank with dressier pieces for that elusive French-girl-don't-give-a-f*ck vibe.  

I might be building this up a little high. It's not going to vacuum your house while you drink wine and eat cheese. A tie front shirt will not revolutionize your life, but it will radically change your look and take you from overdressed to badass, fast. Just pair with something decadent like fringe or leather or lace, and suddenly, you don't give a f*ck.

Limits

You wanna know what's better than Spring Cleaning?

Fall Cleaning. 

You wanna know the best part about Fall Cleaning?

Pulling boots, leather and suede out of storage. 

I know we're still 90% in summer. I know. That's why my hemline is so short, and my booties are open-toe, duh. But there's a 10% chance of cool cloudy skies that makes a suede dress sort of okay, so push the limits. Add some texture to that cotton-sundress life you're living.

Here

It all started on Easter. The reason I've been away. An old, old chronic injury that has low-grade been a part of my life since a ski racing accident when I was 16. 12 years, low-grade dictating most movements, but I wasn't listening. It grew high-grade. I ignored it. I went for a run instead. It slipped. 

It's not super cool or super fun to write an outfit post about a back injury. I know that. But I have a point here. Stick with me. 

I was forced to become the worst version of myself. Inactive. Unsettled. Stationary. Sensitive. I hate. being. sensitive. I had to wear tennis shoes to work. I had to lay down a lot - No seriously, I had to lay down in meeting rooms. At work. On a beach towel. I had to move skinny jeans to the back of my closet. I had to figure out some sort of strange corporate-yoga-tennis shoe look (they call it "athleisure", and I'm annoyed by it). And I also had to stop being so sensitive about it all and just deal with where I was at. 

Which brings us here. I am no longer "a runner". I am "sort of a swimmer". I smell like chlorine. But my back is healing, and my goggles are sort of cool. My body is not its strongest, and I am certainly not my most confident, but I just sort of deal with where I'm at, and throw on a crop top anyway. And pro-tip: Also a jean jacket around my waist. What booty?

So, hi. We're here. I'm here, not wearing heels and swimming. Where are you? 

Lighten Up

Right now I'm loving this long and lean white button down (with stretch!) from Athleta. Comfortable, light, and the best hint of wrinkle after machine washing. So fresh.

To be honest, I have a hard time transitioning to spring clothes. I hang on to tall winter boots with a death grip. Everyone is all about light, bright, and new, and that just feels like the opposite of strong. So here I am, pairing light and bright with coated denim and chain detail booties just to make sure you know I'm not a wuss. Or something like that. Anyway. This button down has really become a power house on those "What the heck do I wear to work" mornings, and it's lightening up leather while I hang on for a little while longer.

Links to shop at the bottom.

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Boot up

I really hate to break it to you, but it's not spring yet. Not in MN. If you're looking for some fresh bright spring style inspiration, look elsewhere. No off the shoulder tops and no peep toe footwear here. Here in Minnesota, March means we're still in the thick of sweaters and boots. We'll get an occasional 50 degree day, sure, and that's when all the weirdo's wear bare legs at the office. And the next day, its back to sweaters and boots. So what's the good news? While everyone is out paying full price for spring duds, the winter cuties are all. on. SALE. This is my favorite time of year. Sale season. Stock up. 

Most people sing Sorel's praises around holiday time, and they should. Their boots and booties will get you through the snow and around the city without looking like you just came out of the northwoods. But Sorel's are great this time of year, too. Come rain, sleet, and slush, their line of waterproof leather boots get you where you're goin'. Lots of styles are on sale right now, and bonus: Sorel's offering $25 off a purchase of $100 or more through the month of March. It's the perfect time to scoop up some boots and sweaters for a deal. I've linked some favorites below.

Happy deal hunting! 

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Balanced

It was New Year's morning when I slipped out of bed in the tiniest room down the tiniest alley in Ho Chi Minh City. I dressed in a quiet fog, the haze of last night's festivities hanging near - clinking glasses, wild dancing and laughter for days. I stepped into filtered morning light and made my way to a café, on a mission for Vietnamese coffee and French pastries. Sitting and solitarily sipping, the fog cuts, last night slips further away, and the brightness of the new day -the new year- makes its way in. 

Pause. 

I want to hit pause. I am forever moving head-first and forward, but right here I want to hit pause.

I want this coffee to last longer, I want the sun to drop a little lower, I want the clock to tick a little slower, and I want to sit wistfully, precariously, in this balance in between. I decided then and there that finding moments like this one would be my New Year's resolution. Turns out, hitting pause is a lot easier to do while on vacation in cafés on the other end of the world. Turns out, hitting pause is really quite impossible when your everyday's don't start out sipping Vietnamese coffee and eating French pastries. When you're unrolling curlers with one hand and zipping up booties with the other and kicking un-hung clothes to a corner on your way out the door, there is no pause.

Well, shit.

So I've been sitting on this one for a while, this failing resolution. Turns out, this year of pause is less about quiet coffee sipping and more about seeing balance between contrasts. Find the extremes, and sink into the little space between: The Vietnamese coffee and the French pastries. The story of a long war from the other side. The foreign language you don't understand and the body language that you do. The chatter filling a café while last night's bright lights fill your head. It's a precarious balance between, one that feels heavy to hold at times, and at other times it can be quite light. Like balancing a look between really girly embroidered booties with black-on-black masculine suiting for Valentine's Day date night. Turns out, this resolution could be just about clothes if I wanted it to be. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is, for every nuanced extreme, whether it be cultural, political, or fashionable, there exists not only its contrast, but also a delicate difficult space between where you can hang on to both sides.

Jeez, 2017, you're shaping up to be real REAL. 

In other news, statement booties are having a REAL moment and they come in crush-worthy patterns and colors and textures that are perfect for a mid-winter pick up. For Valentine's Day, skip the predictable red dress and throw a masculine jacket with these girliest booties for a balanced look that won't have you freezing your bare little shoulders off. 

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Chill

We stepped out early one frosty morning and I'll never forget the feeling: Silent streets, rosy cheeks, a hand swinging in mine. I bundled not against but for the fresh chill. For now, I'll welcome it. Winter is unapologetically sharp, relentless and remorseless, and I love it's honesty. Summer will lure out your wildness, dangling rooftops and cocktails and the blank slate of long, bright nights. Winter asks you to get yourself together. Bundle up. Have fun but not too much because your coffee will get cold and you just might freeze your fingers off. 

But this is Minnesota. Team North. We all know what we're in for, so we do things like wake up early and head out just to feel the chill. I walked my favorite corner of the city before anyone else was up, and my coffee got cold, and I smiled, and held a hand, and burrowed back in the furry bundle I'd so preparedly wrapped myself in. Because I had myself together. Because this is winter.

My favorite corner of the city is the North Loop. Home of the cute shops, and the coffee shops, home shops, and the favorite things shops. I found this jacket at Ribnick Luxury Outerwear- one of those favorite things shops. They've been here supplying Minneapolis with the best fur, shearling, leather, and down around for over 70 years - and at all price points: This headband is under $150, and Bonus: Also so cute worn lose around the neck like a scarf. Double Bonus: Now through Dec. 24th, Ribnick has loads of coats up to 60% off. Triple Bonus: Coats purchased before Dec. 24th are eligible for full refund if the snowfall is 7 inches or more on Jan. 1 2017.

Add some items to your Christmas list, and pray for snow. This is winter. Get yourself together.

Bad Boyfriend

I was coveting a black, double-breasted, slouchy, structured, boyfriend blazer for a while. In a bad way. Even in the midst of #1yearNoShopping, when will power was at its all time high, I craved one. Envied others who had one. It was like a bad boyfriend bringing out the worst in me, but we weren't even dating yet. A bad almost-boyfriend. We've all had one of those. 

So, I added the double breasted blazer to one of the twenty rolling lists that live in my brain, waited, scoured online sale sites (that's my other bad boyfriend, except we're in a long-term open relationship), and snagged one of the last of this particular blazer; it's now completely sold out. But, in the spirit of this coveted find, I've scoured the web again and linked some other double-breasted, bad boyfriend beauties below - and bonus: They're all on sale! Shop your hearts out. 

Speaking of shopping: I've been getting one question a LOT lately, "Are you really only buying one thing per month?" (See a refresh on the post-#1yearNoShopping resolutions here.)

Short Answer: NO

Long Answer: January - June, YES. July - Today, kind of. It all broke down when I was packing for our Europe trip, and realized I hadn't shopped for real real since 2014 (scream!), my summer clothes were all frankly worn out, and I badly needed to replace some favorites. So, I've been replacing, not shopping, okay??

But back to this blazer: An oversized blazer is always at risk for looking like you walked out of a 1990's board room, so styling is important here. My favorite look is to contrast with light, distressed denim and a paper thin tee. Boots also keep the bottom half looking streamlined, in balance to the oversized top. Basically, contrasts of texture, lines and size. Mix it up, sisters. 

 

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Anticipate

This is going to sound annoying, because it's not even Halloween yet, but I am getting really excited for this holiday season. I'm not singing Christmas tunes (yet), it's just a little butterfly in the bottom of my belly that wants to eat drink and be merry with all my people. This year I'm feeling extra excited about spending time with my parents since they moved out of town, jetting off to see my twin cousin in Thailand over Christmas, and all the special holiday pieces to pull out of the closet. 

This sleeveless turtleneck is nothing new (you might remember it from this post last year), but it's one of those special pieces. It was my mom's and it's probably as old as me. I feel so fancy when I wear it because I remember my mom wearing it for holiday dinners and I remember wanting to be as grown up as her. 

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Alp Me

We're still working our way through the mountain of photos we took in Europe, but I came across these quick pics from Garmisch and smiled because I was so. happy. here. But before we get to the happy, lets take it back a few minutes. 

It was actually all quite a disaster. We woke up at 6:15am, in separate bunks, in a tiny sleeper car on an overnight train from Berlin - which was advertised online as being a whole lot more spacious and clean than it was in person. Anticipating a 7:30am arrival in Munich, we soon found out we were 4. Hours. Behind. Schedule. German countryside is beautiful but it's not 4 hours beautiful. Fast forward to Munich central station, and our rental car has been given to someone else. Fast forward a 1.5 hour drive to Garmisch, we're out of time for our hike, and the mountain is socked in clouds. It was going to cost us 50 Euros a piece to get to the top to see nothing but clouds, and I didn't even have an alternative because I had totally counted on Plan A. And we were leaving at 9am tomorrow. And I don't even remember the last time I showered. 

But this disaster of a day ended up being one of my favorites of the whole trip. 

Our car had been given to someone else, but because of the 4 hour train delay, we shaved off a rental day, upgraded to a turbo diesel wagon (holla), and still saved cash. We drove 1.5 hours fast and fun in a German car you can't even buy in the US. Nearing 36 hours without a shower, we thew on every single layer of clothing we had with us, and then sped off to the base of the highest peak in Germany, 45 minutes before the tram closed. Everyone told us not to go. 50 Euros a person, for 45 minutes, and zero visibility. But if there's one thing we know, it's that we are our best selves when we hit the top of a mountain together, so up we went. We tromped around the top, we saw a glimpse of a peak, I collected some rocks, Ben snapped some photos, we drank a beer and ate a pretzel and stood together in the cold silence, all alone, kissing clouds. 

This beautiful disaster of a day ended with the best Bavarian food of my life (roast duck), and here I am on our way to that dinner. Still in my hiking pants. With still-unwashed hair. Without any makeup. And still very much embracing that layering thing. Maybe if I get it together soon we'll share some shots from the mountain top. It was pretty amazing once we looked at the clouded views for what they were, and dropped our expectations of what they weren't. 

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So the Echo

Okay, okay, you caught me. The leaves are not nearly this golden in the city yet. Yet! 

We snuck away to my family's cabin in northern Minnesota for the weekend and got a head start on fall. The colors are beautiful, but fleeting. The sunshine is warm, but momentary. Fall is impermanent, the strangest mix of bright but fading. Like our summer tan: Bright but fading. 

I recently came across the proverb: "As the call, so the echo", and I loved it the minute I read it, and here's why:

I was lucky enough to grow up with the sort of parents who take you out into the wilderness and point out the colors of the trees, how the forest changes quietly from green to gold to snow. But, I was the kind of kid who could not be quiet in the forest. I step on sticks to hear them snap, and I call across the water to hear my echo. 

Like the forest, there is inevitability to our change; even our brightest calls will fade into an echo. And there is also some permanence to our actions. The echo sticks with you. A snapped stick is forever broken. Most of us do not change quietly. We call out and wait for the safety and permanence of our echo. We step to hear the snap.

As the call, so the echo.

Kobenhavn

We've been home for nearly 3 weeks, but my days still feel a little lost. Not jet-lagged lost, but without rhythm. I usually never skip a beat. I'm an over-planner; I worry about the details. I want to nail a process before we begin, and I also want to know plan B while we're still in plan A. I'm super fun at parties.

Copenhagen wasn't plan A. It wasn't even plan B - I know plan B. Copenhagen was plan C and D and it felt fragmented and aggressive and impressive and also, weirdly, like I wanted to blow my 401k on dishes. That city is full of beautiful housewares.

Unlike the steady stream of your plan A life, your life in transit exists in starts and stops with the low boredom of a long overnight ferry slamming into the high of a new day when you wake up in a new city, surrounded by a new language, and oh it's almost noon so let's try a new beer and some new food. 

We have some beautiful pictures from that overnight ferry, but the truth is that ferry sucked. Plan A: Ferry. Sleep. Plan B: Swim? Plan C: Straight-line to the duty free shop and buy all the chocolate and wine because you are trapped. 

So I guess I've been sort of waiting for Plan C to reappear with lots of excitement and chocolate. But really, I'm back to my Plan A life, and the rhythm of bouncing from A to C with chocolate in between is still finding its way back to the Plan A steady stream. Like, I'm supposed to go to work and STAY THERE for 8 hours. I barely stayed anywhere for 8 minutes. And as proof of that, here is a very fragmented collection of pictures from Copenhagen that do NOT tell a cohesive story, but do show evidence of chocolate and wine on a ferry. I also linked some cool things I wore there at the bottom of this post and some of them are on sale. Plan C: Purchase now.

Travel Mini's

I was in Berlin and sleepy, waiting impatiently for Ben to bring coffee. Impatient and restless, excited and sleepy. The myriad mix of things that can only happen when you're hitting day 11 of travel. Or is it 12? Let's see... we're going to the wall today, and after that we still need a spot for lunch, or... I never did find that one coffee shop... ugh, coffeee. I noticed myself foraging the same little pile of favorites as I tried to orient my day. When packing, I hadn't anticipated I'd consider these such a lifeline, yet most days they were either on my body or in the backpack. The four things I used more than anything else in my suitcase. And I'm sharing them with you.

1. Michael Stars Skinny Scarf  This got thrown in as an afterthought, really. Then I wore it my first night in Oslo and never looked back. You can wear it long, you can wear it doubled up and tied like a bandana, and you can even wear it when you're on a really scary night train and a scarf around your neck is the next best thing to a hug from your mom (guilty). Anyway, it's super lightweight, provides a little warmth when needed, and it's chic. What more do you want? Moving on. 

2. Urban Undercover underwearables Yes, I'm going to talk about undies. But I have work friends reading this so I'll keep it PG: Urban Undercover rules. They are fast-drying for the wash-wear-repeat cycle of long term travel. They are supremely comfortable. And to keep you organized, these fold up into their own little pocket, and then fold a different way when they need to be washed. And that little pocket? Perfect place to store a key, or emergency cash. And they look good. And you'll look good in them. And they also make a sweet bralette. And I'll just end it with this: Have you ever looked at the underwear section of REI? Urban Undercover is a major upgrade. Watch this video to see how it works. 

3. Patagonia Ultralight Down Vest  This gets an A+ for form and function. Perfect for everything from a day hike hitting new altitude, to a chilly cafe in the shade. I love the look of the shiny ripstop and narrow quilting; you can throw this on over anything and still look good. And besides looking good, it really will keep you warm despite it's lightweight: Elastic at armholes and waist trap heat, and it layers easily under a rain jacket. Bonus: It folds into it's own pocket to create a travel pillow. 

4. Josie Maran Argan Oil  This little miracle bottle will keep you lookin' good on the go. I don't pack conditioner or body lotion when I travel, only this liquid gold. Run it through the ends of your hair to keep it looking healthy, or put a little in before you braid. When you get out of the shower, put a few drops in your hands and distribute down your limbs while skin is still damp. Put a drop or two on elbows and toes. There's really a million ways to use this stuff. But be warned: A little goes a very long way. Which is perfect.  

So that's it! The 4 things I would have died without, and brought everywhere. Auf Wiedersehen!

Oslo in love

I know, I know, you've been waiting on pins and needles for the pics from Oslo.

No? That's just my mom? Okay mom, here they are. 

If you've been following along on instagram, you know by now that since Oslo we have been to a little Norwegian fjord town (now THOSE pics you should be holding your breath for...), Copenhagen, and currently, Berlin. 

But, back to Oslo... as I said in the last post, Oslo really put me in my place. My uncool place. So, here's the dress I pulled out that I had been saving for Berlin, just to keep up. If you're less interested in style, and more interested in Ben's ever-improving photography, just keep scrolling. He has captured the city in a remarkable way. For the more style-inclined, here are the important, travel-friendly pieces: Low block heels (sturdy). an easy suede jacket (more comfortable than leather), and for heaven's sake, braid your hair all day for waves all night. I'm really missing my hot rollers, but it's a small price to pay to see the world. 

More to come. Enjoy.

Tied Up

Hello from Oslo! Or, as they say here, Hi Hi!

These pictures aren't from Norway, they're from the weekend before we left. I never got around to posting them because I was a little tied up with packing and making lists and triple checking all my reservations and documents like a maniac (breathe, Lisa). Anyway, I have some time to kill here at the Oslo airport, so here we are.

If I've learned one thing style-wise during our short stay in Oslo, it's how uncool I am. How uncool we all are. Americans… As I walked all around this design-heaven of a city, I took some notes. And I’m sharing them with all of you. Lucky Americans…

1. We need to step up our sneaker game. I. Am. Serious. Because I love lists more than almost anything, I have started a Stupid American list, and at the top is "Buy more tennis shoes". I suggest you add it to yours, too. I will try to take some stealth stalker pics and add them to instagram soon.
2. Trench coats. All the trench coats. Buy a light, flowy trench coat, preferably in a pastel or neutral and wear it over everything. All the time. With your sneakers. All the time.
3. Wear your good clothes; don't save them. Wear them while you run errands, with your trench coat, and your sneakers. You've got things to do, so just show up and look good. Insert Oslo socialite now saying, "Seriously, it's not that hard". I ended up pulling out my nicest dress for a casual dinner because I felt so inadequate. I was "saving" it for Berlin. Why?
4. If you think your sunglasses are big, they're not. Buy bigger.
5. Being a mom is not an excuse to wear bad clothes, or an excuse to stay home. Put that baby in your expensive stroller (The strollers here! Feats of engineering!), put on your good clothes, your trench coat, your sneakers, and get walkin'. Also, bring that baby out to dinner. Because your Norwegian baby is miraculously unfussy, and you look super chic drinking wine with your super chic stroller parked next to you. Seriously. It's not that hard.
6. Lastly, every man in America needs tighter pants. Are you going for a swim in those things?

Stay tuned for more notes, Americans. We are flying north to a little fjord town called Andalsnes for 3 days, then coming back through Oslo on our way to Copenhagen. You can follow along on my Instagram @lucidandblue where we're walking that precarious line between documenting and sharing, and just dropping the camera and living, breathing.

Lace Down

Confidence, reach, grounding, and character.

With summer hinting at it's close, each cool night a reminder of another season passing, I needed a check in with my 2016 resolutions. What did you promise yourself this year? It's ok. Promises wander wayward in summer. It's just the wild way of those long days. But as the light leans sideways and shadows drop in, offering sanctuary in their smoke screen, we can safely pick up the promises. Lately I've been thinking that we are not defined by our seasons, but by the way we manage the transitions in-between. More on this another day, but while we're on the topic of transition: This olive lace skirt has reach. I picked it up because the geometric lace feels airy and fresh, and the texture will also transition straight to cozy knits and cool nights. It's a perfect go-to for the in-between.

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Black Out

I've been away from the blog for a while. At a bit of a dead end. Uninspired. Bored.

In the spin of planning for 2 different international trips (rough life, I know how I sound, and I'm annoyed by me too), project ideas for Lucid have slowed, momentum on real work projects has stalled, I've had a hard time digesting some change in the worlds around me, and my carefully constructed life balance has fallen. Flat. And hard. It was kind of like a two week black out, where I just went through the motions. Why am I sharing this here? Because people are inquiring about the lack of blog activity and I only know how to be too honest, and because you might be feeling a little dead end, too. So, here we are together. 

For reasons we can psycho-analyze later, it usually doesn't take very long before I can't handle the chaos and I start putting up walls of hard rules, steps, processes. I tend to over-do it, so I started small and began Project: Get It Together. A simple Monday, Wednesday, Friday promise to run. 2 miles. That's it. Like, seriously, get it together. Put the wine glass down, go to bed, and then get up and run, girl. 

The metaphors here are over-done, so I'll spare you language of what we're running away from, things we are running towards, and just simply call those satisfying 6:30 am footsteps rhythm in rules.  

In other news, we will be feet-on-the-ground in Oslo in exactly 3 weeks. Ben has been a little (ok, a lot) less dramatic about his life and is methodically and meticulously getting his photog equipment and processes down to a science so we can share the adventures with you all as seamlessly.  And, I haven't been entirely catatonic: I've got some good, good travel outfits packed. Stay tuned, friends.

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Broad Stripes, Bright Stars

Even in the same week that we celebrate our beautiful country, live our independence, and dance with freedom under the rocket's red glare, we still wake up day after day to turn on the news and hear the shootings, feel the uncertainty, and see the bombs bursting in air.

"I'm tired." 

"Me too."

The dialogue of our country and our world is one with the tint of anxiety, the lean of fear, and the undertow of un-thoughtful words fueled by the wild winds of social media.

Rarely at a loss for words, I don't actually know what to contribute to the dialogue other than to say that we need you. We need you to share your every day moments of clarity and joy. We need to read your kind words. We need see your hard work, your little triumphs, and the world you are creating around you. Share it, and remind us all for a moment that there is good. There is good coffee, there is good food, there are good friends and good sunsets and things in the world for which it is worth coming up for air, fighting through that undertow, and dancing under the rocket's red glare. 

And, if what you need right now are some good links to good shoes and ideas for your own good style, I've got you. Links below. Happy Saturday, bright stars.

In Transit

Can we get real for a second? I'm totally envious of boys with backpacks. There. I said it. A boy with a backpack walks by, and I just. Stare.  

I see them all around the city. Work clothes, workout clothes, it doesn't matter. They've got their shit on their back and they mean business. They're so efficient! Their hands are free!

With some big travel plans coming up, I've been toying with this backpack idea. Can I make it work? Can I use it day to night? Will I look like an overgrown kindergartener? 

The minute this Herschel Supply Co. pack stepped into my life, I couldn't stop using it. I use it for work (there's a laptop sleeve). I bring it to the pool. I use it for weekend trips. On a busy day, I fill it with all the snacks, all makeup touchups, and even a pair of heels to swap in at night. A full day is totally not stressful with this thing. I'm a super hero. It's like all the super hero books were written wrong. They all just really had backpacks.

So here's some real-life backpack use for anyone else on the fence. This was a Sunday full of errands, then coffee, then straight on to dinner with a shoe change. Full days are fun, and with the longest summer days here we can really load 'em up. But, an unexpected perk of the backpack is that you can hang it up on the hook. Leave it there for a different day. When you're ready, there is ease and adventure waiting.

Backpack c/o Herschel Supply Co.

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Bikes & Brews

When summer in the city hits, there's only two things we do: bikes and brews. This post is just a quick hit to share what we've been up to. (No really, this is all we've been doing.) Our favorite MN brewery to ride to is Surly - they're right off a trail, have amazing food, and the best beer in town. It's a little bit of a haul, but so worth it!

Plus, when you live in a land-locked state, salty bike hair > salty beach hair.

I've recently discovered One Teaspoon bandit cut-off's and I hardly take them off. Size up for a slouchier look, and pair with a mid-height block heel. Yes, you can bike in them ... The heels and the shorts. Don't be a baby.

p.s. Order the cacao bender.