Sweater Weather at Mount Tamalpais

This post features so many of my favorite things, including Northern California and an outfit from my new capsule closet. I’ve wanted to visit Mount Tamalpais on so many different visits to San Francisco and we finally made it happen this past fall when we traveled to wine country for a wedding (see here). Unfortunately, our trip coincided with dry season and the terrible Camp wildfires, so the normally rolling green hills were more yellow and shrouded in smoke. I’m so glad we still ventured out, though, because the smoke actually filtered the noon light perfectly for photos and I was so excited to feature some of my new favorite brands.

Jump to: How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe | How to Get to Mount Tamalpais

Outfit Details: Sezane Sweater (similar here and here), Sezane Gingham Scarf (similar here), TopShop High Waisted Skinny Jeans, Polene Bag, Dolce Vita Booties (similar here and here)

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe

This past year I made the decision to toss all of my old worn out fall clothes and invest in a capsule closet. Living in hot and humid Houston has enabled me to go most months without even a jacket, so my closet still consisted of old college pieces and those initial work wear pieces I bought in 2012. If you’re not familiar, a capsule wardrobe is a minimalist technique of collecting a few classic items of clothing that do not go out of style and can be worn in a variety of outfits.

To start my capsule wardrobe, I started by setting a budget and making a list of those classic pieces I wanted to add or replace in my closet. This worked out to about twenty items (ex: cream sweater, nude pumps) and kept me in check when I shopped throughout the season. If I found something that wasn’t on my list then I had to really love it before purchasing! San Francisco was the perfect place to test out my cold weather capsule wardrobe because it actually gets cold there.

One of the key tricks to building a capsule wardrobe is knowing where to find those quality, classic items that will last for years. I found several brands that prioritize sustainable and quality clothing, one of which is French darling retailer Sezane. They offer limited releases of new designs and a small collection of classic seasonal pieces like the Dwee Knit Jumper I am wearing here and the insanely popular, reversible Barry Jumper which has become my favorite sweater to wear while traveling.

Another staple in my closet is a good bootie to wear in the cooler seasons or while traveling. Dolce Vita has been my go to for booties for years, especially when I can get them on sale at Off Saks Fifth. They are so comfortable and last for years.

I needed a new pair of white skinny jeans, but did not want to spend too much since white jeans are so hard to keep white. I opted for these TopShop high waisted skinny jeans when they were on sale for $35 and have worn them over and over this season.

Finally, I fell for the Polene crossbody bags I saw all over Instagram. I am not a huge fan of designer bags, so I have to absolutely love a bag to be willing to splurge. It’s no surprise that I fell for another up and coming Parisian brand. I purchased the Number One Mini crossbody in Camel and have loved the quality and how easily it goes with all of my outfits

Do you want to see more from my capsule closet?

How to Get to Mount Tamalpais

Mount Tamalpais was just as beautiful as I hoped, even in the dry, smoky weather. The views are incredible with rolling hills upon hills into stunning coastal waters. It’s the perfect place to get out of the city for some usually fresh air and a picnic. In fact, we were the only ones there that day. If you’re visiting San Francisco, you could easily make a day trip across the Golden Gate Bridge. Start at Kirby Cove for the best view of the iconic bridge with a city backdrop (see my post here), then have lunch in Sausalito at Bar Bocce for a view of the Bay or Copita for delicious tacos.

To get to Mount Tamalpais, set your GPS to the Rock Spring Trailhead on W. Ridgecrest Blvd, where you can easily park in the picnic area leading to the trailhead. Depending on how long you spend at Mount Tam, you could continue north to Point Reyes National Seashore to see the lighthouse and the Cypress Tree Tunnel.

Feel free to ask me any questions about visiting San Francisco and the Northern California area. While I’ve never lived there, it is truly one of my favorite cities and regions in the world to visit!