Field Trip: Shopping Abbot Kinney Boulevard

For those of us who love the West (possibly Best 😉) Coast, here are some shopping destinations on one of the coolest streets around: Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California. I’m sending a huge thank you to Denise Restauri (see more on her below)—my awesome guide. From sweats to workout gear to beading to denim and everything in between, check out these great shops next time you’re in LA. Or, click through on the links below to shop/browse/be inspired from home.

STORES TO KNOW

Heist for high-quality and a wide variety of styles. This corner spot is just the start of your shopping on this street. Beautiful pieces—don’t forget to check out the loft.

A few stores down is RYU. Awesome workout gear in refined colors and super-sleek styles. And their mascot is the cutest!

Cross the street and pop into Flannel for feminine shapes and fabrics. These Australian silk and lace pieces are deeee-licious. For my Connecticut peeps and the New Yorkers reading this, there’s a Flannel in Soho, too.

Aviator Nation is on the same side of the street as Flannel. Soft, So-cal cool for the whole family. Sweats, T-shirts, ski jackets, etc. Yummy fabrics! And surfboards, too 🌅

Did you say ‘leather jacket?’ For some of the coolest washed leather pieces (jackets to dusters to skirts, etc), head into Burning Torch. The vintage vibe is awesome here, but the pieces are new and fresh—clothing and shoes, jewelry and home accessories/art.

With a wider range of price points, Principessa is a great place for the young and young-at-heart. Think colorful and romantic along with great denim and sweet/sexy pieces.

Guild is chock-full of high quality, fun and funky pieces. If you like ‘the mix’—from tweed blazers to Tenderoni sweatshirts—then Guild is for you.

Cross back to the other side of the street, just past Med Men (!), and head into the salon-like interior of Satine. Curated with a great eye, this shop makes each piece feel special and wearable at the same time. So much goodness here!

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Denise Restauri—Forbes podcast host and author; Girlquake founder and CEO; What’s Under Her Coat founder—style icon and women’s mentoring guru. Thank you, Denise! Xoxo—Maria

A Week of Casual Summer Work Outfits

If you work in a casual-dress office setting, then you know that sometimes casual is the hardest look to get right.  A T-shirt is casual, but often just not professional enough.  Put on a dress and heels and you can look like you're trying way too hard. Particularly in the Summertime, when casual can mean shorts and flip-flops to some people, dressing for the office can be confusing. Here are 5 outfit ideas from Monday through Friday.  Use the templates as daily ideas and adjust the looks based on your personal style.  All details below…

Give Mondays a boost of energy using color and pattern. These are red linen cropped trousers with a drape-y, back-printed tank plus gold geometric details on the necklace and sandals.  Notice the silhouette of the tank—long and loose; it is still Monday, after all.

For Tuesday, a simple dress with an espadrille wedge and feminine drop earring looks polished yet easy.  Keep a pair of flats under your desk for running to lunch.

Wednesday calls for another dress.  This one is more structured and worn with classic silver hoops and a more refined cork slide/sandal.

On Thursday, a pretty tank and colored cotton pants look fresh.  Add nude patent leather flats and classic gold ball earrings.  When stepping into a meeting, create a ‘casual suit’ by adding a linen/cotton chambray blazer.

Summer Fridays in a casual office call for denim.  Rather than wearing typical blue jeans and a white top, flip that idea with a blue denim popover and white brushed-cotton jeans.  The metallic flats and colorful bracelet pull the look together while keeping it comfy and ready for the weekend.