california christmas

a PCH princess packing list

I’ll be spending the holiday in not-so-sunny (we’ve had rain all week) California, with my family traveling from Florida to provide my husband and I with some free babysitting celebrate Christmas with us. We’ll be heading down the coast for a few days and I can’t wait to get away. Below is a packing list of sorts, and hopefully some inspiration for your holiday travels. Also- I’ve had an influx of subscribers this week thanks to my friend Jess Graves, so if you came here via The Love List, thank you!

First off- a chunky sweater is a must, this one specifically is a stunning investment piece and I can’t wait to get more mileage out of mine over the holiday. I’ll be pairing it with these perfectly washed grey-ish black jeans and red heels for a festive vibe. Another gorgeous knit I’ve had my eye on is this one by the insanely talented Christopher John Rogers. I cannot wait to brag to my daughter one day that I went to SCAD with him (though this newsletter is a good place to do so as well).

(wearing the interior sweater & jeans post massage earlier this week)

I mostly wear sneakers when I’m in mom mode chasing my 14-month old around and definitely should have put these very cool Loewe x On Cloud sneaks on my wishlist for….a chic playground moment?….. nevermind, that’s an oxymoron, I’ll find a way to justify their price tag later! These Loewe sunnies, were, however, on my list and with good reason. They're clever and remind me of the Gustaf Westman plates all the Pinterest/TikTok girlies are obsessed with. In Sunday’s letter, My friend Dawn shared that she bought herself this Ben Amun necklace which I own as well but have you seen the gold bracelet stack they did? I love it!

I’ve been really into a good crossbody bag with a twist, lately. The ones pictured above are the Jil Sander dumpling bag (btw, very cool in silver), and the Simone Rocha bow bag. These bags are both fun but fairly practical in size and in my opinion could definitely transition from a daytime errand run to evening drinks. The compartments are an added bonus for anyone who likes to stay organized (I’m looking at you, my Virgo friends).

Lastly, I bought this red knit dress a few months ago and am forcing myself to wear it over the holiday, likely out to dinner with my husband. Also- a reminder not to sleep on TheRealReal!! I found a Miu Miu blazer for 90% off retail this week. If you want to read more about my Miu Miu obsession, click here. But anyway, create your saved searches and check the app frequently if you’re looking for a particular past season item!

(If you want to follow along & see these looks, I’ll be sharing here and here during the aforementioned free babysitting breaks)

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worth noting..

• These fabulous gold boots (I bought a pair so if you’re keeping track that’s my second pair of boots purchased this week).

• If you have a pup, you must browse the Sandy Liang x Little Beast collab! Too cute. I bought this for my 9 year old welsh terrier, Gigi.

• Tibi Founder Amy Smilovic’s substack, The Rough Draft, is 100% worth subscribing to if you don’t already. She recently noted the importance of compliments from strangers on everyday outfits (in my opinion, the best kind of compliment!).

• This VOGUE article really stuck out to me this week, not only because the topic of invisible labor feels extra relevant this time of year but also because it offers insight on when the term ‘invisible labor’ was coined (30 years ago!) and the toxicity of social constructs for women, especially mothers.

Lastly, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday season with your loved ones. Bad Influence is officially one month old this week and I’ve been amazed by all your support. Thank you for clicking, reading & subscribing. Please forward to a fashion-loving friend if you feel like it and as always, DM or e-mail me to chat!

xx, Liz