Father's Day: Our Favorite Picks For Dad

Megan and I agree that the best gift is time spent together, but sometimes that's not always possible.

Here are a few of our favorite gifts to celebrate the dad in your life and treat him to something practical and personal this Sunday.

Stay Stylish,

K&M

Grooming- Keep Dad looking sharp with a membership to Dollar Shave Club. They deliver high-quality razors and grooming products every month, including face moisturizer with sunscreen.

Tech - Help Dad stay focused and get motivated to be with Fitbit Flex—a slim, stylish device that tracks all-day activity like steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned and active minutes.

Taste - Send dad a subscription to a beer club and he'll get a selection of beers each month from Craft Beer Club. If he is local, four bottle shops in San Francisco offer an alternative to this mail order club, including Healthy Spirits and Plumpjack Wines.

Style -We love the nod to traditional tortoise shell glasses but updated in a modern steel color way. These shades from Jack Spade are perfect for keeping Dads of all ages smart and squint-free this summer.

Blog Roundup: Who is Inspiring Us Right Now

If you're following us on Twitter, you know that we find inspiration everywhere from a latte at Reveille to a new exhibit at the de Young. We also love observing street style and seeing what other people are wearing and how they are wearing it.

So to get you through hump day, we've compiled a list of our top blogs to go to for inspiration. They range from home decor to style and photography. Enjoy and let us know your favorites too!

• Garance Dore - The visual diary of fashion photographer, writer & illustrator Garance Dore.  
• Girl With Curves - Tanesha Awasthi serves up outfit inspiration, makeup turorials and style advice. 
• The Violet Fog - A daily online publication based in the Bay Area for busy women who are big supporters of other women.
• The Glitter Guide - A lifestyle website dedicated to inspiring you to shine brightly in everything you do. 
• Fashion Mews - One-part SF, two-part NYC, Fashion Mews is a visual diary full of style, photography and travel.

Stay Stylish,
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!

Travel Essentials: Our Non Negotiable Carry-Ons

The Canvas Team has been on the go lately traveling domestically and abroad. Traveling can be stressful with unknown delays and last minute gate changes. We recently sat down to share what's in our carry-ons to keep us polished and ready for the next adventure. 

Stay Stylish,

K&M

Megan:
After wanting one for awhile, I finally committed to getting a backpack. I chose Everlane's new Dipped Zip Backpack because I liked the built-in padded laptop pocket and the all black body. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?!? I usually travel with my dog, and this backpack made carrying her and my essentials a breeze. Plus it fit right under the seat and was easy to access. Inside I always carry my:

• Earthlust resuable water bottle
• Arbonne shea butter hand lotion 
• BareMinerals Jack of all Trades lip balm
• Sephora herbal rose blotting papers

Kimberly: My carry-on has gone through a major revamp after my last trip. I used to carry too much due to a fear of lost luggage. Now that I'm all about carrying on my suitcase, I don't need to carry as much in my allotted personal bag. Here are my favorite items that make flying much more enjoyable.

• Contigo water bottle with hook
• Aesop hand balm
• Eucerin lip balm
• Noise Isolating earphones
• Herban Essentials lavender antibacterial towelettes

Write here...

Fade Out: How to Get Rid of Sun Spots

The title of this post really should have been "Sun Spots Suck" because, well, they really do. The most frustrating part is that the little dark marks that are starting to show up on your face aren't a result of how you care for your skin now. It takes years for melanin clusters to form, so they've been in the works for awhile.

There's a spectrum of products on the market to help fade sun spots and hyperpigmentation, from drugstore brands to prescription-only creams. We talked to a dermatologist who advised us to look for products that contain at least 2% Hydroquinone, known for its fast-acting ability to fade spots, as well as Vitamin C. 

Murad Rapid Age Spot Serum, $60

Skinceuticals Phloretin CF, $163

Verso Dark Spot Fix, $150

Peter Thomas Roth De-Spot, $75

Here are a few tips for treatment:

• Start early-the pigmentation of spots moves deeper over time. If you start treating new spots early, they will diminish in as soon as 2 months.
• Be diligent & patient- Results from treatments can take up to 6 months to a year for older spots. If you are looking for a quick fix, ask your derm about laser treatments.
• Wear sunscreen- UV exposure only makes the spots worse. Apply SPF 50 every morning and more if you are outside for extended periods.
• Avoid rough scrubs- you can't scrub a sun spot off (we wish!). In fact, using gritty scrubs can irritate your skin and make the spots worse.

Have a great weekend,
K&M

Memorial Day Weekend: Swimming Into Summer

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer! Kimberly is in Spain soaking up Spanish style and I am in Ohio soaking up time with my family. What I didn't anticipate for this trip was needing a swimsuit.

Finding the right bathing suit is not always the easiest task. Do I want a one-piece, two-piece, boy shorts? After spending a significant portion of my night looking online, I think I have it narrowed down to a bikini from Athleta. I can play with my nieces and nephews at the pool and still feel stylish and comfortable. While I head to the store to pick one up, here are a few of my favorites from last night's online shopping binge.

Stay stylish & have an amazing Memorial Day weekend with your family and friends!
M&K

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

Shoe Shine: Our Metallic Love Story

As personal stylists we are on our feet--A LOT! Add in San Francisco's terrain and that means we have a healthy flats collection.  This season we've both gravitated to adding a little pop to our step with silver--Megan is sporting it's a modern take on the oxford and I've kept a tasseled silver loafer on repeat.

We love how these shoes can instantly dress up any look and add a touch of fresh modernity to your style. Below we've included our favorite mix of Spring dressing + Metallic flats.

Stay Stylish,

K&M

A Live Take on Three Cheers for the Grad

This past week Megan and I shared some of our favorite locally themed Grad Gifts on KTVU Mornings on 2.  We thought it might be fun to share a part of the segment with all of you.  

Happy Friday and Stay Stylish,

K&M

Three Cheers for the Graduate: Our Modern Gift Guide

This morning Megan and I got the opportunity to mix up our schedule and shop for the viewers of KTVU Mornings On 2.

We love working with clients of all ages as they move through transitions in life. One special group we work with frequently is new graduates.

For the show we put together some of our favorite gift ideas that balance practicality with modern luxury. They are perfect tokens for celebrating your grad and sending them off for success in their next chapter of life.

Be sure to read below, some of the brands are offering limited time promotions based on the feature so you can gift generously.

A big thanks to the KTVU family for the warm welcome and making everything so fun!

Stay Stylish,

K&M

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Washio

• An on-demand dry cleaning and laundry delivery service. It's great for new grads living in a city, especially when so many apts. don’t have laundry facilities.

• How It Works: A Washio ninja will pick up your laundry and dry cleaning and in as little as 48-hours will return your clothes cleaned and ready-to-wear. 

• Washio offer gift cards perfect for a recent college graduate price range $25-250. 

• Available in Boston, Chicago, LA, Oakland, SF, and DC 

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Blue Apron
 

Instead of gifting your grad with a grocery gift card why not give more. We love that Blue Apron delivers step-by-step recipes and seasonal, pre-portioned ingredients to your home. They make it easy, fun and you learn the basics of cooking along the way. 

• Two person ($9.99/serving or $59.94/week) for three meals a week
• Audience Gets Two Free Meals with mention of KTVU feature

 

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Chamilia Stacking Rings

A modern take on the charm bracelet. We love that this gift is personal and celebrates milestones in life. For example, a birthstone ring can be given on a birthday a crystal pearl representing Wisdom can be given at graduation.

• Part of the Swarovski brand, 100% sterling silver and great quality
• Can be worn different ways to reflect personality
• Amazing price point ranging from $35-$70

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Cuyana

This brand is in line with our “Less in More” approach to style. You don’t need a million things to look stylish, just a few quality beautiful pieces. 

Classic Leather Ziparound Wallet, $125 is made with 100% Italian pebbled leather. 

Travel Wallet, $185 designed to be a thoughtful travel accessory for the grad on the go --It transitions from a passport and ticket holder into an effortless evening clutch. 100% Argentine pebbled leather.

• If YOU mention KTVU you will receive complimentary live monogramming in their Union Square Shop through May 15 (this Sunday)                                                    

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DODOcase
 

Our other Leather Pick is from another great San Francisco company, DODOcase. Their SF made designs have a vintage feel with book cloth detailing reconfigured for a modern use.

Lorna iPhone Wallet Case $64.95
Combines what you want in a wallet while protecting your phone. 
It's perfect for High School Grads with space for holding ids, and transit passes.
The Lorna is made out of premium Pergamena Leather which comes from animals who have died naturally or been raised for food in North America. The leathers are vegetable-tanned using natural and biodegradable dies in an environmentally sound process.  

iPad Pro 9.7" Two Tone DODOcase $64.95, Protection + Functionality
Built into the book-bound cover, this case features an elastic loop to secure the Apple Pencil or other stylus. The DODOcase for iPad Pro is sleek, slim, and durable - the perfect case for your professional & creative needs. 

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Everlane

Based out of SF, Everlane has a “less is more” philosophy that we love. The company designs and produces all of its own goods so you can get quality products for less without the middleman. 

Modern Snap Backpack, $68 (most like this retail for $180+) is a dependable companion for all of your graduates journeys, this bag is:

• Water-resistant 
• Leather detailing
• Two side slip pockets for easy access to a water bottle, sunglasses, or other on-the-go items
• Plus, padded interior to protect your notebook laptop compartment fits 15” Macbook
•  Smaller version can comfortably fit a 13” Macbook