Packing For Japan: Shoes And One Pretty Accessory

As I said in my last post I'm bringing only two pairs of shoes for our 9-day trip. This is not a large number of shoes, am I right ladies? So I had to make sure they were both super comfortable and as versatile as possible.

Obviously I needed a pair of lace-up sneakers for all the walking we'll be doing. These Born shoes are a few years old and I got them when I was on the hunt for shoes for Europe (back when we thought that's where we would be honeymooning). It's getting easier to find sneaks that are cute and can be worn with dresses and skirts in addition to jeans (love these from Everlane) but it's still a tall order. I love the "oxford" style of these which gives them a menswear-inspired look but the fact that they're light-colored keeps them feminine and pretty. Plus the arch support and padded soles means I can wear them all day. (I bought soft no-show socks to wear with them.)

(Here's a photo from my Instagram of me wearing them, and also the olive pants I'm packing.)

For lighter walking days, evenings when we are getting a bit more dressed up, and for temple-hopping which will require us to be constantly slipping our shoes on and off, I have these Franco Sarto leather flats. You know how some ballet flats barely cover the top of your foot at all, just your toes? I love these shoes because they come up a bit higher on the foot which makes them ten times more comfortable. I also popped these on the inside heel and now they feel just like slippers. 

In Japan there's a lot of taking off of shoes that happens, and not just in the temples. Apparently a lot of restaurants require it too and bare feet are a no-no. (A friend of mine warned me of this—thanks M!) So I plan to keep a pair of socks in my purse at all times so that I'll never be caught barefooted. Phew! Potential cultural crisis and general awkwardness averted.

I don't plan to bring any jewelry except for my wedding rings and the gold studs I always wear, so I'm counting on this scarf to lend me a little flair when I need it. It can be wrapped around my shoulders if I'm chilly or tied around my neck and it looks good with everything I'm bringing. Japan is a country of vibrant colors and I figured I needed something bright and floral to complement my neutrals. This will do the trick!

I'm almost done with these packing posts. I hope they've been fun/informative/helpful or that at the very least they've indulged your nosy side. (I love seeing how people pack for trips!) I've got one or two more posts planned, so stay tuned and thanks for reading.

Packing for Japan: Pants/Skirts/Dresses

I've heard from several sources (friends, travel guides, websites) that you should pack a bit on the dressier side for Japan. One friend told me she didn't seen anyone wearing blue jeans when she was in Japan last year and advised on nicer pants and skirts and dresses instead. A dressier society is something I can get on board with so I'm happily taking her suggestion!

Here's what I'm packing for bottoms: two pairs of pants, a pair of nice shorts, one casual day dress, and one fancy black skirt.

I've never had a pair of pants that fits better than these Paige jeans. My sister-in-law found them at T.J.Maxx and they were too long on her so she gave them to me! Best gift ever. These are the kind of stretch jeans that don't lose their shape even after multiple times wearing them which is great for travel. They will go with all of the tops I'm bringing (perks of neutral colors!) and I can roll up the bottoms if it gets hot. I think I'll wear them on the plane too. They're as comfy as leggings.

These Gap olive khaki pants hit mid-calf and have sort of a tomboyish fit. They make me feel a little rugged-chic, you know? If Japan had safaris, these are the pants I'd wear.

These shorts (with pockets!) are not your typical pair of shorts. They're a looser cut and almost look like a skirt. One day we're hiking up a mountain to see a castle and I'll probably wear these so that I don't completely melt.

This is the one dress I'm bringing--it's a casual daytime shift dress that's made of a nice sweatshirt type material. Not everyone likes to wear shapeless dresses but for my fairly straight figure it's one of my favorite looks. This one also has pockets and looks cute with the sneakers I'm bringing. (The dyed pattern sort of reminds me of Ace and Jig's prints--partly why I got it!)

I'm so excited about this high-waisted knee-length black skirt. My sweet mother-in-law got it for me when we were shopping at Banana Republic together. This is my replacement for a little black dress and to me, this is better--I can wear it with any of the tops I'm bringing (tucked in or tied in a knot to the side), swipe on some red lipstick, and instantly I'm ready for dinner or a night on the town. It's pretty and light and I feel good in it. This is my only "fancy" piece of clothing but I know I won't get tired of wearing it and changing my look a little bit each time.

This is it for clothing! I made one small addition to my tops pile--a thin long-sleeved emerald green shirt I'd been intending to pack but forgot about because it was in the laundry--so my total clothing count is now at 11 and it's staying at 11. I actually put everything in the bag I'm bringing and it was shocking how light it was and how much leftover room I had. Hooray!

Next up, shoes. (This one is a record for me. I'm bringing only TWO pairs.)

Packing For Japan: Tops

This weekend I spent a few hours in the bedroom prancing around and trying things on and finalizing the list of things I'm bringing to Japan--and guess what? I'm packing only TEN pieces of clothing! For a ten day trip! Ask me if I'm proud of myself. (Enormously.)

I wrote last week about my plan to come up with a basic, neutral, mix-and-match-able wardrobe for this trip. Once I decided on that it was surprisingly easy to come up with the actual pieces I'd bring. Here are the tops I picked.

A simple, comfortable drapey black tank. This French Connection top goes with everything and can be dressy or casual. It's also super lightweight and breathable which is a must for the warm, humid weather we're expecting.

The three tees I'm bringing are all loose and flowy, which is my favorite and the most comfortable for travel, especially in hot temperatures. This Banana Republic striped tunic top is so soft and the cut is flattering and elegant which dresses up the fact that it's a t-shirt.

Of course I'm bringing my favorite Everlane Ryan tees in charcoal grey and white. These look so weird on the hanger but I can assure you they're very cute when you put them on. They're comfy and go with everything and can be dressed up when you tuck them into something pretty and high-waisted (hint hint) or tie a scarf around your neck.

This is the one pair of long sleeves I'm bringing. This sweater is cozy and a little boxy in a chic way and is loose enough that it can be thrown on over anything. I imagine I'll need this for flights and in the evenings if it cools down. I'm a little worried about the cream color being susceptible to stains but a black sweater just feels so wintery and formal.

And that's it for tops! 4 tees/tanks and one sweater. I may cheat a bit and wear my men's flannel button-down for the long 30 hours or so we'll be traveling before landing in Tokyo--I'm just thinking that whatever I wear for that initial travel I probably won't want to wear again, and all of these things need to be worn at least twice. So we'll see.

Next up are pants and shorts. I hope this is interesting/fun for you guys too? I'm just so excited about planning a travel wardrobe and packing lightly and efficiently. Thanks for humoring me as I share and count down the days until we go! One month from tomorrow!

Packing For Japan: The Plan

I started thinking about packing for Japan just after booking our tickets and checking our safe to make sure our passports were still where I thought they were. With that important business out of the way my mind turned to more exciting things. How many Japanese words can I learn before May 21? What activities will we plan and which ones will we daringly improvise as we go? And of course, what should I wear that will make me both comfortable and cute?

Packing intentionally for big trips--i.e. packing lightly--has never been a strength of mine but I'm determined to turn over a new leaf. Partly because we are traveling internationally and hopping between two cities and I want to be mobile and not bogged down with stuff. Partly because the friends we're traveling with are super low-key and the opposite of high maintenance, and I'll be darned if I slow down the group because I was the pathetic one who over-packed. Partly because it seems like a fun challenge. Partly because I need room to bring home at least one kimono.

I've slowly been coming up with a plan. The first challenge is to mostly bring clothes and shoes I already have and buy only a few select things in preparation. The second challenge is figuring out the vessels I will use to transport everything and use daily while we're there. And overall my goal is to bring a small amount of carefully selected neutral basics, which can be mixed and matched and re-worn in different ways and sneakily modified depending on our circumstances. Comfort is high on my list of requirements for each piece of clothing, but I also want to look nice and put together and be able to dress up any of the outfits I bring.

In essence I'm creating a wardrobe for this trip--one that is simple, flexible, stylish, comfortable, and very much me--and I'm having a terrific time with it.

Stay tuned for more soon!

Earthy Linen Napkins

I've been on the lookout for some beautiful cloth napkins, soft and faded in a deep color that hides imperfections, a rich mocha or grey-blue slate or inky charcoal. I stumbled on these stonewashed hemstitch linen beauties and they perfectly mirror the ones in my imagination. They are simple enough for everyday but sophisticated enough for special dinners. Wouldn't it be lovely to mix and match several of these earthy tones or maybe create an ombré palette? 

(p.s. They also sell these without the hemstitch, but I love the homemade quality that pretty stitching lends.)

DIY Leather-Wrapped Vase

Working creatively with your own two hands is so therapeutic, isn't it? My favorite supplies for my DIY projects are ones that look and feel natural and earthy--copper, marble, leather, milk paint, rope, paper.  So I was thrilled to get this lovely leather cord in the mail last week from a German company called Endless Leather (they were kind enough to send me this pretty sampling of their wares for free). This Regaliz leather cord is serious--I haven't seen anything like it in the craft stores I normally go to for materials. It's thick and sturdy and as soon as I saw it I had this vision of a slender leather-wrapped glass vase, sort of a modern, masculine piece.

So I hopped on Amazon and bought a glue gun. I can't believe I didn't already have one! I typically use some sort of super glue for projects but I knew this leather cord would need something stronger to hold it in place.

I already had this glass vase which ended up being the ideal size and shape. It was tricky going at first but once I got the hang of the gluing and wrapping, gluing and wrapping, I sort of zoned out and let my mind wander. The best sort of relaxation.

I decided that some muted green eucalyptus stems would be the perfect contrast to the rich, cognac leather, and I am loving the whole effect. It's rustic yet elegant and those two words together in the same sentence never get old for me.

Happy weekend, friends! Make it a creative one.

Wandering Into The Men's Section

This post is about wandering into the men's section. No, not to buy your husband or brother or dad a Christmas gift. This particular wander is a bit more risqué than that. 

The first time I did it was at Target and it wasn't planned. A perfect-shade-of-blue and white pinstriped collared shirt caught my eye and I found myself ducking through the stands of polo shirts to get to it, trying not to be seen. I grabbed a size small and admired it. I mean, they just don't make women's collared shirts like that! The fabric was heavy, it was surprisingly well-tailored, and the length was sort of a tunic top length, hitting right around my hips. And it was masculine without being overtly manly. Which, in my opinion, is the whole point of a woman wearing a collared shirt, anyway. No thank you, darts and pearly buttons. Collared shirts are meant to be adorably tomboyish.

So I bought it. For myself! From the men's section! I wear it constantly.

The next time I did it I felt like an old pro. I shamelessly sauntered right across the line from the women's department to the men's, no ducking necessary. And this time, I even brought my mom with me.

We were at the Gap and my mom was on the hunt for a comfy flannel shirt for winter. She'd recently spotted a woman on the street wearing boots, leggings, a flannel shirt, and a fur vest (all of which my mom has in her wardrobe, except the flannel) and was inspired to recreate the look. So I said, "Ok Mom, I know just what you need, but you have to trust me." 

(Shameless sauntering.)

"So Mom, these are men's shirts. But! I grabbed the smallest sizes, and look at how cute the cut is! Loose and boxy but not at all shapeless. And they're nice and long, perfect for leggings."

She loved them! We both did, actually. They were on sale and my mom insisted on buying one for me too. 

I consider myself a very feminine person. I love feeling pretty, I love skirts and tights and dresses and jewelry, I love lipstick and getting dolled up. But when it comes to fashion I'm a firm believer in contrast. Black paired with white, flowy on top and fitted on the bottom, edgy mixed with sweet, and above all, a hint of the masculine to offset the feminine. 

(Tip: the first step is to try on your husband's clothes. I wear this sweater of his more than he does.)

DIY Fall Wreath

We sometimes call our home our Little Cottage In The Woods. There's a slightly overgrown stone pathway in the yard, plenty of creeping, elegant ivy, a built-in bench on the front porch, painted shutters, green foliage on all sides, a tree with red berries that we can see from the bedroom window. And it just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter the colder it gets and the more we need her four walls to keep us warm and dry. 

It is my belief that come October, every Little Cottage needs something charming for the front door. 

At my husband's suggestion I first tried gathering things around the yard that I could fashion into a homemade fall wreath. What I ended up with was crooked and not at all sturdy, but I loved how simple and earthy it looked when I was done "weaving" (more like willing things to stay in place). It was quite pretty but by morning--no surprise--it looked wilted and sad. Ah well. It was mostly just a fun challenge anyway.

The next day I went to Michaels and bought some supplies that would stand up to the weather--a grapevine wreath and an assortment of faux flowers. Not as authentic as the last wreath but the grapevine at least is the real thing. It's super sturdy and it was easy to wedge the stems of the flowers in between the dried vines. 

This DIY is as simple as it gets but it's cozy and cottage-y and it makes me happy! Maybe it will inspire you to make something charming for your front door, too.

Happy Friday, friends.

Pretty Dried Things

I'm not much of a seasonal decorator. I prefer to mark the shift from summer to fall with things like thicker comforters, extra cups of hot tea, glowy candles on the coffee table while I read, chili and cheese quesadillas, wool sweaters and my favorite pair of red leather boots.

But a few days ago as I enjoyed a crisp walk around the neighborhood, I was inspired by all of the cozy little changes I noticed on front stoops and in windowsills of the houses on and around our block. Plus nature herself was in absolutely lovely form, showing off orange berries on deep green bushes and golden leaves that danced through the air.

DIY Leather And Beads Necklace

Meet my newest necklace! I can hardly even call this a DIY because it was so very simple, but it was a fun project nevertheless and I like its quirky, handmade feel.

I had some leather cord from this project left over and I was surprised by how lovely the material is. It's nothing fancy (I got it at Michael's) but it's real deer skin leather, super soft and surprisingly supple. After my dresser redo I used a length of it to tie up a fall wedding gift and I thought that the rest would make a cool necklace. The beads are also from Michael's (on sale!) and just for fun, I spray-painted one of them ivory. It's a bit unexpected and funky and to me, way more interesting than five matching beads. (I was inspired a little bit by the necklace in these photos--scroll down to the last photo in the post and you'll see it.) My husband kept saying, Oh I get it, you're going to just take that extra bead on the right and move it to the other side so the ivory one is in the middle, right? I just smiled and said I intended it to be asymmetrical. We agreed to disagree on this one. :)

Anyway, I think it'll pair nicely with boots and sweaters and I plan to wear it a lot this fall. What do you think?

p.s. I'm wearing this tee.

DIY Dresser Redo

We've got a funky attic space in this new house and I'm so very thankful for every odd inch of it.

Most people put guests in their guest room. (Our guest room has been taken over by pianos.) And have closets in their bedrooms for nice dresses and suits. (Our closet is teeny and fits only seasonal essentials.) And have an extra shelf in a bathroom or maybe a hall closet for linens. (We don't.) But our attic has come to our rescue and taken on these challenges and more and it does a beautiful job with all of it. It's part guest getaway, part storage area, part linen closet. The layout is sort of odd and the blue carpeting isn't my favorite but it's as cozy as can be up there and we (and our guests) love it.

This old dresser at the top of the attic stairs is where we keep our sheets and extra blankets and comforters. It's a really roomy piece of furniture and fits our linens perfectly but the finish and hardware were just the worst. It needed updating in a desperate sort of way.

I decided to paint it white and there was no way I was going to lug this downstairs and outside in order to paint it, so I grabbed some drop cloths and milk paint (which is non-toxic and isn't harmful to breathe in, even when painting indoors) and got to work. I chose a color called Grain Sack, which I know looks uniformly white in these photos but in person the color has amazing dimension and depth. It sometimes looks more grey, other times more beige, occasionally more ivory than white. It's a brilliant color and I really enjoyed working with it.

A Favorite Pairing: Masculine Against Feminine

I love stealing my husband's clothes. He has this grey cashmere v-neck sweater that I wear with the sleeves rolled up and it still looks enormous on me but in a deliberate, effortless sort of way. I pull it on over my head when I'm in need of some serious coziness and comfort.

Ironically, I think there's something so feminine about wearing men's clothing or clothing inspired by menswear. I'm really not a tomboy at all (although I do know how to handle myself at the shooting range) and of course, wearing clothes meant for the guys requires careful balance. Skinny jeans under the slouchy sweater, gold studs in your ears, some delicate shoes. Something feminine to offset the masculine and provide that delicious and confident contrast. (Because getting mistaken for a boy is not the goal here!)

I would compare this to my love for old against new. Contrast is everything when it comes to style. Aged wooden furniture paired with the most dainty, white porcelain china. Boxy, masculine oxfords with a flouncy dress. Bright white walls and a worn, cognac leather chair. A loose white tee tucked into fitted black pants. It's the layering, the mixing, the balancing act--you could even say the contradiction--that makes these pairings so chic.

Do you or would you wear men's clothing? Do you agree that menswear can be (counterintuitively) quite feminine? I'd love to hear!

Image Source

An Afternoon Like This

I was folding laundry yesterday and putting things in their places when I got the itch to do a little change-of-season organizing. Yesterday didn't really feel like fall weather-wise, aside from the acorns falling (surprisingly noisily) on the neighbor's roof. But our bodies have clocks and mine has always been especially in tune with seasons, the shifting of tides, the subtle newness that starts gradually and then happens all at once in a rush. It's why I feel unsettled living in places that have less than four seasons--my body and mind anticipate and crave these regular, predictable, natural movements and without them I feel a little adrift.

With fall comes my desire to tidy up and reorganize my drawers and hangers and make our home feel simpler and softer. We have only one small closet (which we share) in our bedroom and the rest of our clothes that need to be hung are in a closet in the attic. I was initially bummed we didn't have a larger closet and that our clothes had to be separated but now I'm ok with the setup. It means that I have to regularly rearrange and rotate my wardrobe, edit out the clothes I no longer wear to make room for the ones I do, and be efficient with space. Positive things.

It felt good yesterday to tuck away my sleeveless tops in exchange for wool dresses, to make a pile for the dry-cleaning and a pile to bring to a local consignment shop. I rebelliously kept my long white linen dress out and day-dreamed about pairing it with leather booties and a chunky sweater this fall. I folded and tried things on and reflected on how neutral my wardrobe is (just the way I like it). I made a mental note about two pairs of shoes that need some help from a cobbler. I listened to the acorns falling.

There's something about the quiet pace of an afternoon like this. The sun streaming in the bedroom, small improvements that are just for you, not talking just thinking, doing it all not because you have to but because it's satisfying and makes life just a little tidier. Pure therapy, I tell you.

A Case For Doing It Yourself

I've learned that my penchant for DIYs is not especially common or normal. And I definitely get it--painting furniture, making things from scratch, shopping for supplies at the hardware store, it all takes time and effort and energy. I myself love to DIY because it fuels my creative juices and stimulates my brain and brings me joy but I understand that isn't the case for most people.

Under certain circumstances, though, I do think there's a pretty good case to be made for the DIY route regardless of interest level. Let me use my recent project as an example.

Our bathroom was in desperate need of a place to store shower supplies. I have mentioned before that clawfoot tubs, while charming, do present some technical challenges. I've been mulling over different options for the past few months and finally decided we needed a wall shelf on the curved end of the tub (as opposed to the shower head end).

I looked at a few shelves online and was shocked at how expensive some of them were! First point for DIY--it's almost always easier on your wallet. I also didn't want to settle for a style I didn't love. I had a vision for this shelf (that fit in with the rustic ski town spa style our bathroom reminds me of) and I was finding that what was in my mind didn't exist out in the real world. (Surely this happens to you too, right?) Doing It Yourself is wonderful because you can choose the colors, textures, materials--every inch of the design is purely your call.

And a final reason for why a DIY made sense for this project (even for someone who dislikes DIYs): it was so painless. Certain projects do take a little skill, or special tools, or might be frustrating, but this one truly was as easy as putting up curtains or hanging a piece of art. I did add an extra step by spray painting the aluminum brackets a copper color, but other than that all I did was drill them into the wall and rest this beautiful piece of floor tile on top (similar to my plant stand, where the marble is heavy enough to sit on the pipes without any actual adhesion). The tile also had to be cut to size but my trusty friends at Lowe's did that for me for free.

So that's my case for Doing It Yourself. When a purchase is prohibitively expensive. When what you have your heart set on just isn't out there. When making is as easy (or almost as easy) as buying. And maybe, just maybe, you'll discover you even have a little fun. I can just about guarantee that your pride in the final product will make it all worthwhile.

House Tour: Bathroom

Phew! Almost done with this house tour. I hope you've been enjoying it! One of my motives all along has been to demonstrate (hopefully) that renting a house doesn't have to be limiting. We've been able to make ours feel like home in no time. I think the key is not to be shy about hanging art, making (temporary!) changes, putting up your own curtains and window treatments, and not holding back from settling in and allowing it to become "yours."

House Tour: Living Room

Our living room is the beating heart of our petite little home. It's a fairly large room that you walk into as soon as you enter the front door. It's a lounging space, a writing area, an entryway, a waiting room for students and parents, a library, and a hangout/conversation space for guests and visitors. We love this room and its many purposes and the great light it gets (hard to tell from my photos, but it's been an overcast few days) and its overall comfort and coziness.

One thing that I'll mention only because it's something a lot of guests have noticed: there's no TV in this room or anywhere else in the Harvey household! A little known fact about me (on Something Ivory anyway) is that I grew up without a TV. My parents are not extremists and I had a very normal childhood, they just decided that they wanted to raise their kids sans TV and believed strongly that it was a healthier way for us to grow up.

As a result I've never had any interest in having a TV. Interestingly enough, while my husband did grow up with a TV he's never had one of his own in his adult life either, not in college or afterward when living by himself. We use our computers to watch shows and even have an awesome projector screen setup in our basement for movie nights. So while it might seem weird to some, we've both arrived at our TV-less state in a very natural and organic way and we never even needed to have much of a conversation about it (by that I mean that I didn't have to convince him of anything or lead him over to my side of the tracks). We both believe that our home is healthier and more wholesome without a TV, and our computers provide all the digital entertainment we need (thanks, Netflix!).

Because we didn't have to design around a TV we were able to put this room together in a way that really encourages conversation, intimacy, connection. We're lucky enough to have two couches and putting them opposite each other makes for a great chatting setup when friends, family, or potential students of mine come over. I love having our books displayed and within easy reach in the corner, and of course you know how I feel about my writing nook.

There are so many stories to the things in this room, so many personal and familiar elements and it would take far too long to talk about them all. Suffice it to say that everywhere I look in here I'm reminded of a family member, a friend, a memory, a fun project, a specific moment in our lives, a funny story, a loving gesture. This room makes me happy.

  

(As much as I love it I do have two small wishes for our living room: a working fireplace and white walls!)

Thanks for letting me share. What's your favorite element of your main living space?