Cheryl Shops

Here we are, five months into the Covid-19 pandemic, and since things are not getting better, more than 30 states are now requiring that masks be worn in public. Yes, they are slightly uncomfortable and not as easy to breathe in as you'd prefer, but wouldn't it be nice if everyone just wore one for the next month or so and then we'd have the virus contained and life could go back to normal? Since April, I have been wearing a mask every time I leave the house—even to walk my dog or ride a bike—and while I keep trying new ones in search of my holy grail mask, I've found that the key is figuring out what's most comfortable for you. Here's what I look for in a face mask. 

Let me guess: you're thinking, "You don't look dressed for summer," which could be true if I lived anywhere else in the country but San Francisco, where summer means fog, wind, and temperatures that hit the mid-60s if we're lucky. Earlier in the day when we shot this, it was glorious and sunny (we ate brunch outside and I actually got a little sweaty), but sure enough, late afternoon rolled around and so did the clouds. So long story short, always bring a sweater, which thankfully I did. That said, even if you don't live in San Francisco and, say, have to deal with blasting air-conditioning all season, this outfit will also work. While it's definitely a little dressier than what I've been wearing lately, it's also incredibly comfy (and can be even more laid-back with a change of shoes). Here's how to put it all together.

When I was a kid, we mostly went to the beach or lake for vacation—my family was not super outdoorsy, and we definitely weren't campers. I still love a good beach vacation, and living in California, it may seem like a pretty obvious choice, but with all the Covid craziness still in full effect, we wanted to stay away from people and be outdoors as much as possible. Neither Sean nor I had ever been to Yosemite, so when it reopened with limited capacity, we decided to tack it on to our Big Sur trip. So while we got a week-long pass, we ended up going only three days; you could definitely hit the major sights all in one day if you got an early enough start, or you could spend an entire week in the park—there's so much to see and do there. Oh, and did I mention how insanely beautiful it is? It's kind of surreal to see in real life things you've seen in so many photographs and movies—sort of like the first time you go to Paris or New York, but it's all nature. Now that I sound like a total city slicker (which, of course, I am), here's how we spent our three days in Yosemite. 

I recently heard someone refer to jeans as “hard pants,” which made me literally laugh out loud. We’ve obviously been wearing a lot of “soft pants,” i.e. leggings and sweatpants, the last few months, and if you’ve been eating and drinking like I have, the thought of putting on anything without a lot of give may seem daunting. So today I’m not only sharing the most flattering (and comfy!) pair of jeans I’ve put on in ages, but also how to gloss over the fact that you may have put on a little weight. Yes, you should love yourself at whatever weight you are—and I do—but I think it’s also important to feel confident because you look good. So here are my tips on how to accentuate the positive. 

House dresses are having a moment, which makes sense, because we are, for the most part, literally housebound. But as I noted in Monday's post, just because you're staying at home doesn't mean you can't look pretty. This month's most repinned look from my Outfit ideas for ageless style Pinterest board manages to feel both comfy and feminine, which pretty much explains why it's so popular. And who can say no to a little white dress at this time of year? 

For most of the year, I'd like to think that I dress in a pretty polished, minimalist-classic-yet-casual kind of way, but in summer, I've always gravitated toward a more boho look. There's something so effortless and appealing about light fabrics and a carefree vibe. This year, of course, things are a little different—for one, life is not so carefree, and pretending it is feels like a state of denial. But on the other hand, I'm dressing more casually than I ever have before, now that I don't have to go into an office, and while comfort is typically my number-one concern, I still want to look and feel pretty. So I've found myself gravitating toward midi and maxi dresses. They're super flowy and thus comfortable, but I don't feel like I'm letting myself go or succumbing to wearing athleisure all day (which I do do sometimes, so no judgment). I had hoped that this dress would arrive in time for my vacation, while it unfortunately did not, I found it worked just as well as a daytime dress to wear while working from home. Here's how I wore this boho dress out to dinner on Friday night. 

In spite of the fact that I'm not a textbook outdoorsy person, Big Sur is one of my favorite places on earth. I've day-tripped or driven through it multiple times, but had never actually spent the night there. So when my company announced that we had to take a mandatory week off—and flying anywhere was out of the question—Sean and I decided to take a road trip, and Big Sur seemed like the perfect place to hit first. Depending on traffic, it's about three and a half hours by car from San Francisco, and I highly recommend taking the scenic route, Highway 1, which goes along the Pacific. Big Sur is a magical place; it's surrounded by mountains, heavily forested, with a river running through it, and it stretches along some of the most gorgeous parts of the coastline. It's also incredibly peaceful and relaxing; on a usual vacation, it generally takes me a couple days to totally relax, but I felt completely mellow by the end of our first night. We spent four nights in Big Sur, but whether you're spending an entire week or only one night (considering we had a different neighbor every night, I think that's what most people tend to do), there are a gazillion things to do. Here's what we did in Big Sur.

I will preface this post by noting that it features a much more casual vibe than you're used to seeing here. I obviously like to bring more low-key pieces into the mix on a regular basis, but I rarely tend to wear them all at once. But when you're on a road trip, comfort is truly key, and when you're choosing to stop in very outdoorsy locations like we did, function and practicality are essential. My general packing philosophy is that (almost) everything you bring can ideally be worn together, so you have multiple outfit options out of fewer pieces (more on this here)—you'll see several items repeated throughout this post. We didn't capture every outfit I wore (you'll see a few more in my travel diaries, coming soon), but here are some of my favorites from our California road trip last week.