(Stylemint tee, Mango leather jacket, Hallelu shorts, Rebecca Minkoff studded bag, Tory Burch flats, Saint Claude dove skull necklace)

So I’m back with some red lips, lots of leather, and a bucket full of STUDS. This classic boat neck Stylemint tee is so Parisian chic that I thought I’d toughen it up a little bit. Nothing beats some blue nautical stripes to cheer up the dull gray skies. Speaking of which, I’m in need of a change of weather. Therefore, I’m off to LA this week for the holidays and I’m beyond excited! I hear it’s sunny, and hitting 60. It’s going to be heaven. I look forward to reading on my front porch, working on my music (it’s time for a video, eh?), speeding around town in my Prius (beep beep), and lots of bike rides by the beach. Another thing I can’t get off my mind is IN-N-OUT burger. “Animal style with fries please!” In my suitcase? Old summer clothes that I’m dying to erase from my now bundled NYC winter wardrobe, which happens to be complete with one giant puffer. YIKES. Out with the old, in with the new! I’m also packing all of my simple Stylemint tees for the trip. Everyday this week I will be featuring a new tee! Perfect for grabbing and going, I’M OFF TO CALIFORNIA.

Also, receive 15% off your first Stylemint purchase with the code: NATALIE

(Free People blouse, shorts and hat. Dolce Vita from Dear Fieldbinder boots, Carol Marie necklaces/ Saint Claude dove skull necklace/Ax+ Apple choker/Samantha Wills bracelet)

During my styling session at the Free People offices in Philly, my good friend Naomi of the marketing team, swung me around to the back of the building to snap these photos. With the grungy setting just off the water of the Navy Yard, I couldn’t feel more inspired. The more I visit the offices, the more of the relaxed Cali girl comes out in me. Here I layered chunky necklaces and rings onto this simple, yet beautiful blouse. This look felt very “me” the moment I put it. It’s completely basic, but if you look close, the small details and accessories make it anything but! And I am definitely getting back into hats, especially big floppy ones over a head of messy locks. After that train ride, and a full day up and out since 6am, a girl could use a hair brush 🙂

Just the other day, I took the train out to Philly for a fun, casual styling day at the Free People offices. I traveled with my two buds Claire and Christina…it was their first time ever to visit the city! As you can probably tell from my snapshots, the offices are super cozy and feel very much like home. I’m obsessed with all the wood details, exposed brick, quilted storage boxes, and comfortable couches. It’s like this fairytale dream world where everything is handcrafted and just super adorable! Doub, the FP creative director, along with the marketing team, set up a room for us to display the pieces from their latest catalog. Focused on a grunge, thrown-together vibe, it was right down my alley. Immediately I became inspired, gathered all of my favorite pieces and threw them on. I’m swooning over the little one piece romper. I believe that everything is always better with a leather jacket! This little playdate got me thinking about a few more holiday wish-list additions. What I’m craving? Those mini denim shorts, faux leather pants, and velvet intimates. In between our style session and exploring extravaganza around the building, we also met up with my sister, Dylana, and one of my very good friends, Cheryl, both of whom work in the home office! We eventually did lure them away from their desks for a quick coffee break just to catch up. It was such an awesome day in Philly…a place I go to almost every weekend and never ever get tired of thanks to all my Philly friends. This is just a sneak peek at my day, as I styled many more looks and took even more photos! For now, take a little behind the scenes look at my day with Free People on the Free People blog!