Save Your CASHmere

Cashmere Sweater: Reformation (more sweaters here)

Denim Shorts: Oneteaspoon

Booties: Jeffrey Campbell x Nasty Gal

There's a reason why the word 'cash' is in cashmere...it typically costs a lot of money. So when you splurge on a cashmere item, the last thing you want to see are moth holes in it. In the past when I would bust out the cashmere for sweater weather during the fall, I would find holes everywhere! So I did some research and decided to save my cashmere and save some cash on the holes I'd have to mend due to those pesky little moths. Below are some tips and tricks on how to care for your cashmere (and wool) goodies.

Cleaning & Storing your sweaters properly when winter is over is key to keeping your threads looking nice and new.

Clean: Make sure you clean your sweaters before you pack them away for spring and summer because any bit of sweat will attract moths and other bugs. Plus, the smell of the detergent or dry cleaning chemicals will help keep the little pests away. Some people prefer to dry clean their cashmere but I like to hand wash mine because I find that the cashmere gets softer after every wash (and it's a lot cheaper than dry cleaning dozens and dozens of sweaters lol). If you're like me and want to hand wash, remember to wash with mild detergent, never wring out excess water, and lay flat to dry.

Wash: Use lukewarm water to dissolve your mild detergent, turn your sweater inside out, and just squeeze the soapy water through the sweater. Rinse with more lukewarm water.

Dry: Instead of wringing out the water, I put my sweater in between 2 towels and roll the towels up gently from one end to the other. Repeat this until you get as much excess water out as possible and then lay out to dry. Remember to NEVER HANG wet cashmere because it'll stretch out. Just let it air dry naturally.

Store: Store the washed and dried cashmere in a clean and dry space. In order to keep the moths away, there are plenty of products you can find at stores like cedar balls. But my favorite thing to do is tuck some sachets of lavender in the drawers where I store my cashmere and wool. This not only repels moths, but it also leaves a pleasant smell on your clothes instead of that nasty chemical stink from moth balls.

Let me know if you have any other tips to share! 

Urban Ninja

Leather Jacket: J.A.C.H.S Girlfriend

"Fuck Forever" Sweater: Reformation x Baron Von Fancy Collaboration

Pants: Romeo & Juliet Couture

Booties: Dolce Vita

Clutch: Valentino

This all black ensemble makes me feel like some sort of urban ninja just ready to kick some butt lol. I simply transformed my outfit from daytime to nighttime by slipping my flats off, slipping my badass booties on, and layering on a leather jacket. The jacket was just the touch needed to pull the boyish & badass look together because it added an extra toughness to the look.

A Peasant Surprise

Leather Jacket: DOMA Leather (here)

Cashmere Sweater: Enza Costa (here)

Maxi Skirt: Daniel Rainn (Nordstrom here)

Booties: Sam Edelman (here)

Versatility is key to a successful wardrobe. It's important to me that I'm able to wear most of my clothes year round (but that's only possible because I live in Southern California where the weather is typically beautiful all year long). I usually try to buy pieces that can be worn simply as is and then creatively layered for the chillier months. That way I can get the most bang for my buck! I mean...if you're going to spend a pretty penny on something, you should be able to wear it more than once a year!

I love to get creative and restyle my spring/summer pieces for fall/winter. And I find that maxi skirts are surprisingly perfect transitional pieces in my closet. 

This Daniel Rainn maxi already doubles as a dress so it really is the ultimate versatile piece! During the summers, I'd pull up the skirt to my chest over my bikini and simply belt it for a casual day by the pool or at the beach. For the cooler months, I style it as a skirt with a light cashmere sweater, a leather jacket, and some little booties. If it was colder, I probably would have thrown on some fleece-lined tights for an extra layer of warmth.