Into the Wild

Every Sunday my mom and I hike up Montana Avenue with our pack of wild dogs alongside us--well actually they're all quite domesticated (Bella, the Malte-poo, sits in a stroller), but I like to pretend. Just like I like to pretend I'm Kristen Stewart in the movie Into the Wild where she's in love with Emile Hirsch's mysteriously rugged character, torn jean shorts and life on a barren hippie commune in the desert.

This kind of daydreaming, admiration and a bit of window shopping makes the walk go by in a flash. Jill Roberts first, then a couple of no-name boutiques, then Planet Blue, which sometimes I walk by and say, "ehhh...not crazy about anything," even though I can't help but notice there's always a tantalizing selection of dresses.

The problem I have is that the super trendy Southern California-based chain often takes its cues from the likes of Vanessa Hudgens, or worse, Lindsay Lohan, playing the, "I wish I could look like a hungry celebrity sipping my Starbucks" card. But last Sunday, I was particularly intrigued when I spotted a new trend that stopped me dead in my Nikes, running-with-the-animals photographic prints. So very Stewart, the buffalo-print Lycra bandeau top got me super excited. It turns out it's by As Is, a label that uses recycled photographs, sublimation printing and eco-friendly fabrics that go far beyond just plain ol' cotton. Very non-Urban Outfitters, I promise.

Therefore, I've decided I'm taking you out of the moist tropics and gardens and into the dry deserts and tundras where the Arabian horses and buffalo roam because all the must-haves, Crop tops, tent blouses and one-piece bathing suits, now come with half of the cast from Dances with Wolves on them.

I happen to be totally into this trend; I can't tell you how sick I am of florals already. So join me, let's try it out and give the garden variety a rest for a while. If I see one more Brenda Walsh getup, I'll scream. I committed the crime too, so now it's time to repent by doing time in the tundra.

I was going to look up a recipe for Bison burgers to go with the post, but that's just wrong. Have a great weekend!

As Is' Buffalo Roam Hook Bikini Top; As Is' Beauty and the Beast Blouse; As Is' Companion's of the Hunt Batwing Top; We Are Handsome's The Arabia Bandeau Bathing Suit