This sweater has put some serious SPRING in my step.

Truth be told, I typically have an aversion to blue tops paired with denim. It hurts my eyes. So not-my-thing. Maybe its because my mom wears blue on blue on the daily. But when I first laid eyes on this fabulous mint color, I knew I had to have it.

I love how it contains understated blue hues, without actually being blue…in a nutshell: Pure pastel perfection.

These pictures depict two ways I have already styled this sweater. I love that with both outfits, my accessories and sweater are the same—yet each look uniquely its own. In both looks the sweater evokes a bit of a casual chic feel, while the denim maintains an overall approachability.

It’s no secret that I am a huuuuuge sweater lover. Like, over-the-top. It’s the sole reason I love fall over summer. The best part of this lil diddy is that it has the same lightweight feel of a simple long-sleeved cotton tee. This means it can be worn year-round as opposed to seasonally…Say what?!

Seriously, this beautiful sweater is as soft as it is versatile – SCORE! There’s really no telling just how much I’ll be over-wearing this bad boy.

This sweater is handmade upon order from Wooden Ships, an incredibly inspirational, ethically & environmentally sound, family-owned company founded in 1992. Not only do they go beyond fair wages and conditions by providing their employees with extensive training and opportunities for growth, they also donate to numerous charities and give back to the community. I love sweaters, but I am loving this sweater more than usual after knowing where it came from. I appreciate companies that set such high standards, and I truly wish more strived to do so.

Wooden Ships also just released an ‘Earth Day Capsule Collection’. With every sweater sold from this special collection, they donate $10 to the Rainforest Alliance Network. This is very important to Wooden Ships, and further demonstrates their genuine love of giving to causes that touch their hearts. See, don’t you like this sweater even more now?!

// sweater // denim // black denim // bag // shoes // rose gold ring // rose gold bangle // rose gold knot bangle // rose gold knot earrings //

No Coachella for this Mama. I just don’t think I’m cool enough for it and that is perfectly ok with me. 

The closest I’ll probably ever be to this crazy music festival is when we used to live a few miles from the polo fields. Yup, you read that right! When Occasionally Family was just three members strong, we lived in La Quinta. We enjoyed that triple digit heat while learning how to be parents. I have to say, I dreaded moving to the desert when our first babe was six months old. I didn’t want to leave my family in Orange County for what I assumed would be a boring retirement community. But, boy oh boy was God tricky and did I eat those words right up. I ended up meeting the most amazing young moms and creating lifelong friendships. I can’t tell you how comforting it is to bond so deeply with other first time mamas. They were the greatest support system I could have never known to ask for and to this day, I feel so very grateful for their love and companionship. 

But, I digress. A lot. I was talking about my love of Nochella. Yes, I love not going to Coachella. Why you say? Honestly, at this stage in life a three day party even with the most amazing live music festival sounds exhausting. I’m not sure when I even got this old, but three days of too little sleep, too much drinking, too little clothing, and too much sun seems a bit out of my league. Who knows, maybe one day, Occasionally Fashionable will get her groove back. But, until then, I’ll enjoy my glass or two of wine at home in comfies after the babes are asleep on my couch. Boring? Maybe for you. But, right now, that sounds like a little bit of heaven to me. To each their own right? 

However, when festival season is upon us, Nochella or Coachella peeps, it’s hard to not be affected by the easy breezy style that floods the scene of these well know events. Casual style is my favorite – are my SoCal roots showing? These events that involve looking uber cute while being comfy are major sources of fashion inspiration for me. So even though I’m content with my mama home life, that doesn’t mean that my closet is not living vicariously through the constant stream of festival fashion. 

Wait. I don’t think anyone at Coachella is doing multiple loads of laundry a day, and they are wearing some pretty dreamy clothing….. Hmmmm maybe I could change my mind about Coachella one day. Until then, cheers from my couch to yours.

Why did I start Instagram a year ago?

A DARE.

Yes, I basically started this adventure of fashion and images on a dare from my best friend.

It went something like:

Asha: “Kristina, you just need to do it. You need to start a blog, an Instagram, anything. Just do it.”

Then, I’m all like: “Nah. I’m good. I have two kids and I’m pregnant!”

Asha: “No. No. No. You need to. I dare you to try!”

Me: “……… {pensively thinking in my head “Well I can’t turn down a dare!”} ……… Ok, I will if you pursue your dreams without fear or hesitation.”

Asha: “Deal.”

Friends right?! They push you. They inspire you. They live your dreams with you. They catch you when you fall. They hold you when you are breaking. They pour you wine when your glass is empty. They make you laugh until you pee your pants (wait is that too much info?). They remind us of the good in the world. They are so much a part of you we sometimes forget where we end and they begin.

So why did I start Occasionally Fashionable? Because Asha dared me. And, ALL my other friends supported and believed in me. They told me to do it time and time again. Then, I was dared, and well I can’t chicken out. I guess I’m proof that sometimes peer pressure isn’t such a bad thing.

Now, only if us two super sleuths didn’t end up causing trouble when together… And, by trouble I mean not coordinated and totally unplanned photoshoots….. You believe that right?!

“I pray, do tell me Miss Watson, what is this thing called a pocket and whatever is it for?” – Super Sleuth K