OOTDs: California. 2015.

I realize I actually have a California, the Outfits, post or two, here at the blog.  I guess since I travel there so much I now have to start just naming them by years.  Of course I didn't think I would have a 2015 version, but as many of you know, my great aunt passed away on July 5, so I ended up traveling back to my birth state to say my last goodbyes.  It was a great visit, and her funeral service and interment were very beautiful, just like she was.  It was also nice to see friends and relatives, of course, and even though there was a loss bringing us together, it still brought us together, which is something my great aunt loved.  :-)

I will post the California: Photos post later, but those are still all stuck in the phone and camera for now. 

I am going from most recent to furthest in dates for these outfits, starting with the outfit I wore to fly home. 

Day: Tuesday, July 14, 2015.

Where: Flight home from CA, with three airports in between.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Any outfit is going to be uncomfortable after twelve plus hours of wearing it (barring pjs, let's be real), but considering I had this on for that long and with a very unexpected change of flight plans, with a long shuttle ride to another airport, this outfit was as easy to wear as can be without looking too sloppy.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Pants, J. Crew here; Tee, J. Crew (but I found it at Marshall's for $16--who knew they had current J. Crew stuff); Sandals, Target here; Sunglasses, Costco; Necklace, Gift.

Anecdote of the Day:  I discovered my phone can take selfie shots on timer when propped up just so on a tall bottle of San Pelligrino (those are the shots with the white background).

Our flight plans were originally Long Beach--Phoenix--DC (National) but then the little plane set to get us to Phoenix was unable to shut its door (not good, obviously), so that flight was canceled and we ended up going to LAX (SHUDDER) to fly nonstop to Dulles (double SHUDDER).  But, meh, once on the way it was fine.  I should complain less.

INSTAGRAM of LGB here.
INSTAGRAM of LAX here. 

This is my lovely cousin, K. Isn't she super cute?

Day: Monday, July 13, 2015.

Where: Knott's Berry Farm's Soak City.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  A swimsuit, a lightweight a-line teeshirt dress coverup, and a pair of flip-flops?  Definition of ease.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Soprano (found at Marshall's); Flip-Flops, J. Crew; Bag, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Costco; Swimsuit (not pictured--but it's the yellow one), J. Crew.

Anecdote of the Day:  Soak City was so much fun.  I usually am so absorbed with going to Disneyland every time I visit CA that I always neglect Knott's, even though as a kid, we went there quite a bit too.  Soak City is the water park for Knott's and not the amusement park, but that was more than fine by me.  I should have worn more sunscreen, though, my very pale skin burned.  Eek.

INSTAGRAM of the other outfit I wore that day here, definitely more dressy than the outfit above.

Day: Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12, 2015.

Where: The funeral on Saturday and mass on Sunday.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Garnet Hill's tiered maxi dress is one of my favorite summer staples (I have this version and this version, too).  So unique, very presentable, exceedingly packable (doesn't wrinkle), and comfortable to the max (groan, bad pun there).  Add a pair of sparkly, fun, casual flats, and it's a winner outfit.  Can you blame me for two days of wear?  (Well that and the fact that I packed very little.)

Outfit Details:  Dress, Garnet Hill here; Sandals, Target here (they are true to size); Bag, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Costco; Necklace, tru.che.

Anecdote of the Day:  My aunt is buried next to my uncle, and whenever I go to the cemetery, I am overjoyed that their final resting place is on such gorgeous grounds.  Nestled in the hills in between Los Angeles and Orange County, it is verdant, full of light, and in a position to see the mountains to the east. 

We stayed in Downey for the visit, and my dad, though raised in Downey, had never really taken me there as a girl.  Walking around the downtown area after mass I fell in love.  It is an absolute mecca for fun mid-century architecture.  I especially adored the Masonic Lodge.

INSTAGRAM of the outfit here.
INSTAGRAM of my cousin and I here after mass.

Day: Friday, July 10, 2015.

Where: Marshall's (where I got the tee and dress above from), In and Out, and one of my many visits to the hotel's Happy Hour.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The day after traveling I always feel ugh, so I wasn't surprised to wake up and feel a bit bloated and under, so no matter what I wore, it wasn't go to be awesome, but I figured a brisk walk (our mode of transport to get to Marshall's) would help.  I wanted to show some pride in the gorgeous palm trees of CA, so I decided to wear this Madewell linen tank with one of my favorite pairs of shorts.  The outfit was comfy enough, and got comfier as the day wore on.

Outfit Details:  Tank, Madewell; Shorts, Bandolino Blu (THEY ARE SO OLD); Sandals, Target here; Sanibel Reversible Pendant Necklace, Stella and Dot here.

Anecdote of the Day: I cannot believe how much my family enjoyed happy hour.  Embassy Suites has free drinks from 5:30-7:30 nightly, and the drinks kept coming.  The first day I was jetlagged (you'll see evidence of my fun while jetlagged in the next ootd), but by the second I was more clear, so I enjoyed it more.  By that point, all the relatives had come to town, including my once super bratty boy cousin, D.  He's not bratty anymore, more like an enabler.  I have to massively detox this week to make up for my CA sins at the bar.  :-/

INSTAGRAM of the outfit here.
INSTAGRAM of the shenanigans with boy cousin here.

Day: Thursday, July 9, 2015.

Where: Flight to CA from VA, El Torito for lunch, Happy Hour, and thankfully bed thereafter.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I made that tee you see the day before and dang, it's super comfy.  Granted it is two rectangles sewn together and made out of stretchy rayon knit, but it was so comfy, I made it work as pjs later that weekend.  And leggings, I mean, really.  It barely counts as an outfit.  ;-)

Outfit Details:  Tee, handmade; Leggings, J. Crew here; Sandals, Target here; Necklace, Madewell here; Sunglasses, Costco.

Anecdote of the Day: This day was fine, but remind me never to start the weekend of drinks before my family gets to me.  If I had known what they were capable of, I would have waited (I had a glass of wine on the plane and a beverage of choice at El Torito).  I fell asleep easier than I have ever fallen asleep before.  AND--I slept better than I have in a long time, so there's that.  :-)

INSTAGRAM of the no makeup Dina here.
INSTAGRAM of the shenanigans with girl cousin here.

Okay, that's all for now.  Armchair travelers, some more atmospheric photos to come.  (And for those of you interested in more shenanigans, those are coming, too.)