Our Holiday Weekend Guide

Happy Friday everyone! Team Canvas is taking advantage of the holiday weekend to spend time with family and friends. We hope that you all are doing the same! If you're still hunting for the perfect brunch spot, you can find some of our favorites here. 

No plans yet for the weekend? No problem. Check our some of our favorites places around the city to to enjoy a sunny day outside. And just in case the weather is right and it does on Sunday, check out our favorite indoors activities in SF.

Whatever you do, have a fabulous weekend!

Stay Stylish,
K&M

Valentine's Day Prep: A Shopping Trip At The Ferry Building

Whether your sweetheart is a little one, your better half, your Galentines or yourself make sure you treat everyone right this year. Growing up Valentine's Day was a day to cherish and gift your loved ones with a surprise card, small token or sweet.  That's something I've continued into my adult life and frankly couldn't everyone benefit from a little more love and kindness these days??

Megan and I headed down to the SF Ferry Building to shop for some goodies that suit the personal style of all of our Valentines. We both love this San Francisco marketplace for it's fun mix of foodie delights and unique local gifts. Here is a list of some of our favorite shops in the Ferry Building --perfect for picking up a small a token of love.

Kimberly is wearing Ann Taylor Loft Shift Dress, French Sole Flats, Zara Cropped Jacket (old staple)

Meitte We love this storybook bakery that is every bit whimsical and it is sweet. In addition to baked goods, they import an amazing mix of specialty candies from across the globe. Not sure if sour puckers or raspberry drops are the best gift? Ask for a sample before you buy. Their chocolate sables (shortbread) are NOT to be missed!!

The Gardner Looking for the perfect note to say it all or a small trinket for a green thumb? We can't get enough of The Gardner's cheery selection of stylish small house wears and curated giftables.

Magnolia Bakery Love a good pastry, but can't handle the gluten? This is Megan's go to place to shop for something sweet and scrumptious.

Acme Bread If gluten isn't a concern and flavor is, you won't find a better place to buy a baguette or pan eppi to accompany a special meal. Make sure you swing by Cowgirl Creamery to finish off the spread with a locally made cheese like Red Hawk.

Stay Styish,

K&M

Our Bah Humbug Holiday Travel Playlist

Megan and I love the holidays, but every year around this time we reach a little mental burnout on the seasonal music (keep in mind we've been listening to it in stores since October).

So as a treat for all of you heading out of town this week, we are offering up A Bah Humbug Playlist- featuring our favorite non-Christmas songs of 2016 . Ok... maybe we threw one or two holiday songs in there!

 

Listen Now:
CANVAS BAH HUMBUG PLAYLIST

Enjoy, safe travels and wishing you all a beautiful holiday season,
M&K

Megan's Destination Wedding Weekend Getaway Capsule

Start Prepping What To Pack

When I found out I was heading to Jamaica for a close friend's destination wedding, I was excited for two reasons. One, I've never travelled to the Caribbean and two, this would be my first real vacation in almost 2 years. Since we would be on the beach during the day and doing casual dinners at night, I knew that I wanted to keep my wardrobe simple. The bride requested that all of the guests wear white, so finding a white dress that could hold up in the heat and humidity was a priority.

Now here's a secret you may not know about stylists (or at least myself) - since we spend so much time pulling and scouting clothes for other people, we rarely take the time to shop for ourselves. It's true! But I ended up getting lucky and finding a gorgeous white lace dress at Bloomingdales one afternoon when I was prepping for a client. 

Left to right: Anthropologie beaded clutch, Kate Spade earrings, Bardot dress, Enzo Angiolini espardilles, Banana Republic chambray shirt, Old Navy flip flops, woven beach bag, Banana Republic shirts, sarong from Italy, Kate Spade bracelet and earrings, Missoni sunglasses, Steve Madden sandals, Helmet Lang dress, white cotton dress, Nine West sandals, Old Navy striped bikini

Use What You Already Own

The rest of the items I pulled from my own closet and added in a new denim dress and bikini from Old Navy. Since we don't have much opportunity in San Francisco to wear hot weather clothes, I didn't want to invest in pieces that I wouldn't wear often. I had actually paid full price for the dress in the store and then found it on sale online for 60% off. Shopping tip: if you buy something in the store always check to see if there's a sale online. Usually can you get it at a better price!

Resist the Urge to Overpack

Kimberly helped me pull all of my outfits together. She is a pro-packer and knows how to keep things down to a minimum, whereas I tend to want to add extra things in at the last minute just in case. In this case, I only ended up wearing about 1/3 of my clothes. My days were spent in a bikini and wrap and at night I threw on a dress and flip flops.

Always Remember To Pack Sunblock

My recommendation for packing for a beach vacation is to keep it simple and easy. Less is definitely more and you don't want to wear anything that is overcomplicated... especially when dealing with 90 degree heat! Oh, and pack lots of sunblock. I may have learned that lesson the hard way.

Stay Stylish,
M

Made in Spain: Our Summer Shoe Favorites

Admittedly, one of the main reasons I was excited to travel to Spain this past spring was the chance to pick up a few pairs of well made shoes. Italy is known as the spot for fashionable leather shoes, but Spain also has a long and beautiful history of shoe making. 

Here are some of my favorite Spanish shoe brands and styles. Most European everyday shoes are designed for walking and keep comfort and quality top of mind. Because they are designed for the carefree Mediterranean life style, they are perfect for Bay Area Summers.

Stay Stylish,

K

Castell

Castell is a Spanish shoe manufacturer based on the island of Minorca. I picked up these while in Sevilla this May and instantly fell in love with how comfortable they are. The classic unisex Menorquinas style is designed for boating (they grip and will not scuff) and walking on cobblestones. I love the camel color that matches with just about everything, but they also come in fun fashion shades and stripes.

Castell Menorquinas in Camel leather, $114

Pikolinos

Known as a high quality Spanish comfort brand, these pair of Pikolinos are the lightest weight wedges I have ever owned.  What I loved most about these shoes is that they required no "break in" time. They were comfortable enough to wear on long walks across town and easily packed up in a day bag.  Pikolinos also makes wonderful fashion forward shoes for men!

Pikolinos Bali Sandal, $108 currently ON SALE

CASTAÑER

A family owned company started in 1927, this brand is recognized around the globe as a mainstay in espadrille design.  Fashion mavens have been sporting these lace up styles in full force this season.  Fringe and pom poms have made their way into the fashion styles and add a fun touch of whimsy for summer. We love that Castaner espadrilles come in several different heel heights for comfort, hello happy feet.

Paulina Espadrille, $115 ON SALE

Carpia 8, $245

Camper

The wild child of Spanish shoe brands this company founded in 1975 is not afraid to march to the beat of its own drum. Another great brand devoted to comfort, Camper is known for its quirky and unique designs. We love these summer sneakers for guys that are a lighter take on the high top.

Andratx, $95 ON SALE

Minimalist Travel Special Edition: The Beauty Bag

As a follow up to my minimalist travel blog, Megan and I thought it would be fun to include the beauty products I took abroad.  These were also subject to my strict "less is more" travel philosophy.  While traveling I like to have fun with the beauty products I bring, because when you are away from home and "roughing it" by SF standards a little luxury is nice.

Stay Stylish,

K&M

Tips for Travel Toiletries:

1.) Save Your Samples for Traveling! Stop by Sephora or local beauty department and have them make you a sample of your go-to foundation and primer. The small containers are perfect for getting through security, lighten your load and should last a week or two. Sephora is also great for more substantial samples on your birthday--so this year I opted for the Fresh duo to save for traveling. 

2.) Ziplock Snack Bags Keep You Organized These are perfect for keeping your toiletries clean and sorted. I usually group toiletries by end use. All my eye make up goes in one bag, moisturizer and foundation in another so getting ready is easy.

3.) Look for Multi-purpose Products A friend got me hooked on the O'ccitane Almond Shower Oil which hydrates as it cleanses--but it also acts as a great shave gel.

4.) Say NO to Bad Hair Days After years of using drug store shampoo/conditioner miniatures or hotel offerings I've upgraded products. Water quality is different around the globe. Having a good conditioner to combat harsher environments is a nice luxury to have. Enjoy is my current favorite mini that I refill with larger bottles at home.

5.) Try Something New I make it a habit to try out a new scent sample or rollerball when I take a big trip. When I return that smell always reminds me of my vacation and it's a fun way of extending the memory. Spain meant citrus to me, so I got a Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Rollerball. I found it was pretty light, so I recommend layering it with their lotion.

**Photo thanks to Kelsey Johnson

How To Pack Your Suitcase for a Weekend Vacation

We've talked a lot lately about how to curate a capsule wardrobe for your summer vacation. And now, In Style is sharing the secret of how to pack your suitcase for a weekend getaway. The first step, place all of your shoes in small bags and line the bottom of your suitcase with them. Learn other tips and tricks here, plus watch their quick video for detailed steps.

Happy travels,
K&M

Jetlag Style: What I Learned from Traveling Abroad with Less

Enjoying the royal palace in Sevilla

A few weeks ago I shared with all of you that I would be challenging myself and traveling abroad with a small travel capsule (see the post here).  Now that I'm freshly back, I've been reflecting on the experience. Would I do it again? Yes. Would I change anything? Mas o menos.

Here are some of my learnings along with the outfits I had on repeat (and continue to wear post trip). 

Embrace the Awkward- Limited options and fluctuating weather means odd combinations at times. Wearing sneakers with some "looks" was not a natural choice, but comfort was key when walking all day. A slightly sporty look dominated my days, but I was a happier camper for it.

Focus on What Really Matters to YOU-Were there times when I wanted to breakdown and run into the nearest Zara to pick up a new top or add in shorts? Yes--and that would have been okay, but at the end of the day what I found wasn't worth its weight (literally).

Choose Bulletproof Items-Life happens and in my case it was a full glass red vino poured on my lap. Thankfully 90% of it came out of the four key pieces I was wearing....my blue poly blouse came through like a champ. Had it been silk, my top would have been toast and I would have lost a good portion of my capsule. Leave your delicate items at home.

Spain is the Perfect Place to Have a Shoe Breakdown-I had planned to buy a pair of sandals or espadrilles in Spain. This idea was expedited when my one pair of sandals broke walking across town. A few hours later I was re-heeled and ready to go with two new pairs of Spanish shoes.

Stay Stylish,

Kimberly

***a special thanks to Kelsey Johnson for making my outfit shots shine!

Start Packing: Kimberly's Takes on The Minimal Travel Capsule

Last July Megan and I challenged ourselves to explore a month of capsule dressing. For those of you new to the concept, a capsule is a smaller selection of items in your wardrobe to be used in mix and match fashion. They can be designed for seasonal dressing or travel. Click here for our July post.

This year we decided to focus on travel capsules knowing that I would be traveling for two weeks in Europe. Once again, we are testing the limits of fashion on ourselves first. This idea was also born out of the reality that I had a very tight connection in London and checking a bag would be risky.

Kimberly's Packing List - 18 Items for 16 Days!

Thanks to my tight international connection, I decided to simplify what I could.  That meant no checked luggage for my 16 day trip to Portugal and Spain.

Photo Thanks to Kelsey Johnson.  Capsule Contents (starting at top left): J.Crew checked shirt, navy trench, GapBody tie-back tank, grey cashmere wrap, Letterpress denim jacket, Gap striped scarf, J.Crew orange linen tank, Banana Republic black and white muscle tank, Tahari white tank, Brooks houndstooth sneakers, Cole Haan sandals, Kate Spade crossbody, AG natural jeans, AG denim jeans, Blue tassel blouse, Madewell silk dress, Splendid jumpsuit, Jigsaw natural cardigan (late add) 

Week #1 Travel Update

Hello from Spain! I am a week into my trip and wanted to update you on how my capsule is working for me.

Top Five Take Aways: 

1.) A Small Suitcase on wheels is a beautiful thing--it's liberating to pack up quickly and go.

2.) Capsule wardrobing is not scientific or fool proof--the weather at the start was unexpected and I had to be okay with a tighter repeat of my warmer pieces. 

3.) Sticking to basics helps-the same color palette and layering options make mixing and matching easy.

4.) Consider what you will be doing- I've ended up devoting three pieces for evening options and limiting their day use. For the second portion of the trip I'll be using them more often during the day.

5.) Plan For Laundry- with repeating items more frequently laundry is a must. Many cities have wash and folds or hotels/air bnb have onsite options.

Now off to find some Spanish style! 

~Kimberly

Blue Illusion: A Travel Capsule for All Ages

The moment we saw Blue Illusion's spring/summer fashion launch we knew we had to do a capsule collection with the Australian-born brand. They are the cure for fun timeless dressing. The brand hits a sweet spot with contemporary designed pieces that fit a mature woman's body whether you are 37 or 77. This is truly a brand that "celebrates the spirit of women, their passion for life and generosity of heart."

So, we decided to do what we do best and create a travel capsule based on their latest collection. Focused on a long weekend away, we curated a 17 piece mini-wardrobe that can be endlessly mixed and matched to keep up with all of your adventures.

From bottom left to right: Charcoal Marle Boiled Wool Vest, print pants (available in-store), Limelight Layer Silk Top, chunky bead necklace (available in-store), black and white print scarf (available in-store), yellow and red print scarf (available in-store), Sapphire Wedge, Felicia Panama hat, Asymmetric Linen Tee Black/White Stripe, Sylvie Necklace, Washed Denim Jacket, Black Coated Ponti Pant, Scoop Neck Cami White, Noir T-Bar Heel Sandal Black, Long Denim Bengajean Clean Denim, metallic tote bag (available in-store).

During the shoot we couldn't help but feel the energy of the bright pops of color contrasted with sophisticated urban silhouettes. These outfits belong on the streets of Europe, but can quickly transition to resort wear. Whether your next trip includes a casual weekend in wine country or a city escape, capsule dressing will make packing much easier.

Special thanks to our model, Kendra for her darling energy and making everything looking oh so beautiful! She may have added one of the pieces for her own wardrobe during the shoot.