Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman for Nike Flyknit Lunar2

Yesterday in Seattle was incredible. Our Seahawks secured the NFC Championship after an amazing game against the Niners, and are SUPER BOWL BOUND! The energy in this city was (and is still) electrifying. Everyone seems so happy. It's like Christmas all over again! I had a hard time going to bed, and woke up super early still on cloud nine from the game. Although I'm making solid efforts to not be on social media so much, I couldn't help myself from devouring all of my friends' updates and photos of their own 12th Man excitement.

Of course, the whole world seems to be focused on one post-game interview by one Richard Sherman. If you didn't know who he was before last night's game, you definitely do now. We in Seattle know and love our extremely intelligent, quick-witted and calculated cornerback. Rather than add another thinkpiece to the quickly overpopulated pool of opinion on the interview, I just want to kick off the road to the Super Bowl with his latest campaign for Nike. One of my favorite boys and my favorite brand? You know I gots to. RS joins Kobe Bryant and others for Nike's latest iteration of the Flyknit Lunar - the 2.

Richard Sherman-Nike Flyknit Lunar2

Richard Sherman-Nike Flyknit Lunar2

Heyyyyy

The commercial:

You can also peep behind the scenes at InsideNikeRunning's YouTube.

In case you couldn't feel it from the rest of this post, the next two weeks will be very Seahawks-heavy on this blog. If there's anything I've learned about the Seahawks, it's that the rest of the country outside of Seattle hates them for reasons they can't even explain. No one knows how amazing this team is outside of our wonderful city - so I'm going to help make it easy for you to see exactly what we see in the days before the Super Bowl. 

GO HAWKS!

Fresh Style: Thankfulness & Wool Sweatpants

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Every day I'm thankful for your support and readership, as well as for the love and light from my family and nearest + dearest friends. Deuce, the lost bulldog in Seattle and the survivors of typhoon Haiyan are still on my mind every waking moment as well. I wish a safe homecoming for Deuce, and peace for those in the affected typhoon areas. My heart is with you on this Thanksgiving day.

Had a fun conversation on Twitter yesterday when I tweeted "Trying to decide which fancy sweatpants to wear tomorrow." Thanks to current fashion trends and my undying love for Nike and other sportswear, I found I'd actually procured a few pairs of fancy sweatpants this year of the leather, harem, ruched, bamboo fabric and other variety. I met the beautiful L.A.-based designer Piper Gore through a mutual friend, and Piper was kind enough to gift me with one of her favorite winter essentials - the wool Too Cool sweatpants from her A/W '13 collection.

Piper Gore Wool Sweatpants

These beauties are basket-weave wool with leather trim and satin lining. The cream and tan juxtapose well with all of the olive and brown tones that take up a good part of my closet. This Zara sweater is in regular rotation, while the Nike SB beanie is my latest procurement for my never-ending beanie collection. It's cold, alright?!

Nike Sky Hi Dunk Premium

The Nike Sky-Hi Dunk Premium is the crown jewel of my sneaker collection at the moment. A trip to Portland for some shopping at the Nike employee store coincided with the release of Nike's holiday guide, Give the Gift of Sport. After writing about these then spotting them in the flesh, I knew they had to be mine. Waterproof toebox upper with olive suede and orange socks? Have a seat, regular Dunk wedges!

Piper Gore Wool Sweatpants

Nike SB Beanie

Piper Gore Wool Sweatpants

Nike SB Beanie

Piper Gore Wool Sweatpants

Piper Gore Wool Sweatpants

HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y'ALL!

Piper Gore 'Too Good' wool sweatpants / Nike Sky-Hi Dunk Premium / Nike SB beanie from Alive & Well / Zara sweater

Fresh Style: Old West/Coast w/ Ariat's Saratoga Boot

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ariat. 

I've always wanted a good pair of cowboy boots, but the perfect pair has always eluded me. How to incorporate such an iconic style into my normally urban style? Enter Ariat.

This classic American footwear brand has roots deep in the equestrian culture. Like the sport, Ariat boots and apparel are driven by world-class design, innovation and technology. The brand was kind enough to gift me the Saratoga boot in Old West Black, and to my surprise, these fit seamlessly in my footwear rotation.

Western boots are fun because they’ve got that distinct stitch print and Old West flair that make them a statement unto themselves. I thought about pairing them with a silk sheath dress, romper, or maybe even some cutoff shorts and tights. But hi it’s freezing, and the most natural thing to come out of my closet were layers on layers of my tried & true Pacific Northwest street style. Throw a beanie on top and a hemp milk latte in my hand, and voila! Pretty much my every day outfit before your very eyes.

The Saratoga boot is amazingly comfy and sturdy; an easy choice for all-day wear. I went a half-size up and recommend you do the same! Take a look at all the different boot styles at 

Ariat

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Ariat Saratoga Boot / Topshop Joni high-waist jean / AllSaints tank / Hurley plaid shirt / Zara moto leather jacket / Charlotte Ronson olive studded jacket (similar) / Alive & Well pom beanie

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ariat. To learn more about Ariat and enter their fabulous giveaway on Facebook, please visit:  http://bit.ly/1hQteNk.

Fit & Fresh: Outdoor Refresh with adidas at Mason Lake

In the summer, many of us do everything in our power to take our workouts out into Mother Nature. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have no shortage of options, from paddleboarding and diving to running and hiking the hundreds of trails lacing the various mountain ranges surrounding us. My boyfriend and I took to Tmber this past weekend and chose Mason Lake as our trail hike of choice. 

Mason Lake sits about 4200ft. high between Bandera Mountain and Mt. Defiance in the Snoqualmie National Forest. It's a small and secluded lake accessible only by the Mason Lake / Ira Spring Trail, a 3.4 mile hike up almost 5000 feet then over and down through the forest to the lake. We wanted to hike a trail that had access to water, wasn't too long, and not too far out of the city. Mason Lake isn't nearly as popular, but fairly comparable to, Rattlesnake Ledge or Mt. Si which are also just off interstate 90. Mason Lake is just a few exits past North Bend, about a 35min. drive out of Seattle.

As you can tell, it doesn't take a long drive to get out and truly immerse yourself in all the beauty the Pacific Northwest has to offer. We're so fortunate to get a great workout in against such amazing scenery! Enjoy our trail photo diary below:

What adventures lie ahead?

I'm wearing the adidas Women adipure Trainer 360 shoes, which I quickly found I really liked! I often get raw or bruised ankles and toes from trail running or hiking, and haven't experienced any of that with these shoes. There's a lot of cushioning for a light (mesh upper) shoe.

Look closely and you can see a peek of one of many waterfalls on this hike:

Happy to be here!

Breathtaking views the entire way

As we got higher up, the fog got denser and the temps a bit colder. It was chilly once we got over the mountain (out of the sun) and almost to the lake!

We made it!

Fog cleared just enough to capture the picturesque lake.

Getting some rest & appreciating the beauty we live in.

Wearing the adidas Women TechFit molded cup bra in Blast Purple and the adipure Trainer 360 in Red Zest.

adidas Women designs innovative performance products to help women commit to their best self and conquer their fitness goals. We inspire women to look and feel their best - be pretty, be tough & be confident.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by adidas via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of adidas.

30Fresh Style: Birthday Balloons

I had the vision for my final 30Fresh look before I even knew if it existed. This editorial was all about getting girly & frolicking in front of a Seattle's new home for the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI.) I didn't know if a long walk way was actually there, but it worked out! MOHAI sits on the tip of South Lake Union, which is basically the neighborhood I live in. I brought a couple of props with me to play up the birthday theme and my Prabal Gurung for Target dress. Shouts to Red Balloon Company for their beautiful balloon umbrella bouquet and to Bella Umbrella for one of their beautiful vintage pieces. Gene Juarez brought some serious volume and waves to my hair, and a natural look that played up my cheeks and lips.

If Seattle was warmer more often, I might don beautiful frocks like these all the time. This is a side of me that rarely comes out to play, but I love this silhouette! I'm a big fan of the tea dresses with the fitted bodice and full skirt - vintage and vintage-inspired. This dress was by far my favorite piece in the Prabal for Target lookbook, and I wanted to enhance the beautiful colors as much as possible.

Super special thanks to Sarah Lovrien for working her photographer magic on me for this and my other 30Fresh shoots. Can't wait to work with you again!

Prabal Gurung for Target dress / necklace gifted by my aunt, from a market in the Philippines! Similar here / Report Shoes strappy platform heels (similar)

30Fresh. 30 days of posts celebrating 30 years - and 5 of Fresh Jess!

20 Hrs in Portland for 366 Days of Kicks

On the first day of my detox, I thought it'd be a brilliant idea to take a road trip to Portland with my bestie to celebrate my friend Amy Jo on the completion of her blog project, 366 Days of Kicks. The party was so high-energy, with dance performances from dance troupes in Portland and beyond (the Monsters of Hip-Hop workshop was being held the same weekend just up the road in Vancouver, WA.) 

I love that Portland has this sporty, laid-back style to it. Being in Nike's backyard makes for a style that's distinctively Pacific Northwest yet very different from Seattle and Vancouver. Amy's party definitely had the streetwear stylish in attendance that night. I can't remember the last time I've been in the presence of so many incredible pairs of sneakers. I definitely felt right at home!

Nike Sky Hi Dunks in black / Zara leather jacket (similar) / Topshop cargo trousers / Feel the Piece deep v-neck striped tee / H&M chambray shirt (similar)

Lynn Quan had her Obsessionism wares on sale at the 366 Days of Kicks shindig, and I couldn't help myself in the face of this spiked beanie. Lynn crafts these beanies, snapbacks and jewelry when she's not busy designing for Nike. Thanks & great to meet you Lynn! Find her on Instagram at @Obsessionism.

We capped off our 20 some-odd hours in the City of Roses with some shopping at the Nike employee store and Pearl District. I'd say it was another successful day trip!

Saw this quote in the bathroom at Prasad's cafe. Such a great line of mantras to take with you on the rest of your day.

Fresh Style: Sky Hi

When I first noticed the Isabel Marant sneaker wedges grace the paws of some of my favorite bloggers, my style antennae perked up. The price tag is way out of my league, but I always told myself that if Nike got into the sneaker wedge game, it'd be on like Donkey Kong. Much to my delight, Nike not only got into the game, they re-upped on my favorite Nike sneaker of all - the Dunk. You don't put almost five years into working at Nike without the brand leaving its imprint on you. You can take the girl outta Nike, but...

Nike Sky Hi Dunks in black / Zara leather jacket (similar) & printed corduroy trousers  / Feel the Piece long-sleeved grey draped tee (similar) / gla.MAR.ous chain headband / various necklaces

"Why Jess, you did your hair all fancy!"

Thanks for noticing! I spent some time on Wendy's Lookbook's YouTube channel this past weekend and just fell in love with this messy French twist. It's very simple and takes just a few minutes to do.

Fresh Style: NYC Outfit Diary

I had such a fun week in New York for Lucky FABB, the Independent Fashion Bloggers conference & Fashion's Night Out last week! I'm catching up on real life and will crank out these NYC posts as quickly as I can. I took in the sights of the Big Apple, so I've got some posts coming about boutiques, markets and restaurants I enjoyed there. First off, the outfits:

Though I didn't attend any shows this season, I stopped by the tents for an obligatory photo after a blogger lunch one day. Trina Turk for Banana Republic top (similar BR top here)/ Vintage mandala print high-waist shorts from Everybody's Buying Vintage (similar here) / TopShop velvet studded flats / Vintage sunnies / J Project  wrap bracelet

My IFBcon outfit! Vintage orange hi-low tuxedo blazer from Kippy Ding Ding / Reconstructed vintage sheer print top from Moksha / Forever 21 faux leather shorts / Nine West strappy heels (similar here)

The perfect maxi for a low-key night out on the town. IntiMint black maxi dress & Flirt Catalog aqua skinny belt w/gold plate c/o Bollare / Dolce Vita t-strap leopard sandals / gold jewelry via Lucky FABB  

My Lucky FABB outfit: Yellow tiered tank w/lace back from Moksha / Forever 21 leopard print pants (similar here) / Julian Louie for Aldo wedges

After traipsing the streets of Manhattan & Brooklyn all day, I decided to keep it super casual for Fashion's Night Out. Quiksilver Women tank (similar here) / High-waisted harem pants from Moksha / Triangle necklace from Strut (Portland)

Sunday brunch in Williamsburg followed by Brooklyn Flea browsing & MoMA Quiksilver Women tank / Forever 21 necklace / Vintage Levi's cutoff shorts

Leopard flats & floral top for shopping with fellow bloggers in SoHo!

Floral print tee from Moksha / BCBG high-waisted leather shorts from Sell Your Sole / Dolce Vita leopard oxfords

Exhausted but loving life! Jack by BB Dakota Harland jacket / Report Shoes boots

Fresh Jess loves Report Shoes!

I'm back! The sun is FINALLY shining here in Seattle and everyone is blissfully enjoying summer in the Pacific Northwest. Report Shoes was kind enough to supply my summer wardrobe with two new sandal styles, and a sweet gift card for me to share with all of you! Details on my gift card giveaway after the pics.

The Hayek sandal is already in heavy rotation in my summer wardrobe. I'd been searching for new, flat sandals that were loaded with style but still comfortable to walk in at the beach, in the park or to a poolside barbecue with my family. I've worn them with dresses and jeans, but this time paired them with some thrifted Levi's I turned into cutoff shorts and one of my favorite tanks.

Obey tank / TOMS sunnies / thrifted Levi's turned DIY cutoffs / vintage Dior belt /  Report Shoes Hayek sandal

The Ray is a spring collection carry-over but will be my go-to shoe for all of the summer weddings. It's a rich coral color, and the floral platform & heel are just the sweetest detail. It's on sale for around $50 right now!

Roxy jacket / In God We Trust sunnies / Lush Clothing tiered tank / thrifted Levi's turned DIY cutoffs (different pair!) / Report Shoes Ray platform sandal

I got four pairs of old Levi's at this sweet rummage sale that I'm saving for a later blog post. I kind of love them all. They fit so perfectly!

Birthday Steez

For someone whose closet is vomiting clothes, shoes and accessories and who takes a ridiculous amount of pictures with her damn iPhone, I sure do not do enough outfit posts. Shame on my style blogging! Here are a few from my birthday HollyHood last month.

One of my dear friends, Jaymee, made sure I got the royal treatment & dolled me up for my birthday. I'm in a Pencey bandage dress and she's in Badgley Mischka:

Nails done, hurr done, everything did...

My gorgeous friends

Rings x coral Shellac mani

I got a weave from the I BeWeave Hair Salon

Super bummed I didn't get a pic of my shoes from that night, but I copped these sweet wedges from Aldo. I saw them at NYFW in February and had been dreaming about them since!

Fresh Features: Yoogi's Closet

I'm a horrible vintage shopper. I don't have the time nor the motivation to give due diligence on finding rare, unique and authentic designer pieces to elevate my vintage wardrobe game. It's especially hard buying pre-owned designer goods online, when some sites are rife with inauthentic pieces and clever tactics to convince the buyer otherwise.

I first heard about Yoogi's Closet earlier this fall. Yoogi's buys

and sells everything I don't have time to go looking for - the rare, unique, authentic designer bags, jewelry, shoes and accessories that have been hiding in closets just waiting to be resold. They've got everything from Prada, Gucci, Cartier, Balenciaga, Hermes, Marc Jacobs and Chanel. You can find some gems on Yoogi's for up to 70% off retail, and almost everything on the site is close to new! If you're not happy with your purchase, Yoogi's has a very generous 30-day return policy.

Yoogi's is based in Seattle but spans the globe with its buying and selling reach. Sellers enjoy a 70/30 split on the items they consign, and can try out the selling process before they commit with a mock sale reqeust. Yoogi herself inspects every item on the site for authenticity, rarity and saleable condition - and usually gets back to sellers within 24-48 hours of receiving items.

As far as rarity goes, Yoogi's found herself with the most amazing limited edition items, including this Louis Vuitton Embossed Monogram Calf Skin Polly Bag. Lucky buyer!

These are some of the bags I'm coveting from Yoogi's right now:

the Yves Saint Laurent Violet Patent Leather Majorelle

Gucci Beige/Ebony GG Fabric Abbey Pocket Tote

Fresh Faves: Melody Ehsani

I first saw Melody Ehsani's stunning creations on HighSnobette.com and immediately fell in love with her standout jewelry and vibrant shoes. After reading up on her, I appreciate her so much more! Miss Ehsani came up in a Persian family. Rather than adhering to her culture's standards for women, Melody was inspired to follow her dreams of design. As a result, she creates powerful, edgy pieces meant for the independent women with the inner fire to make things happen. In her words, "We are sexy, classy & bold, with a deeper, unshakable driving purpose." I feel that!

Miss Ehsani has upped the style factor for artists like Rihanna, Keri Hilson, Angela & Vanessa Simmons, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys & Amber Rose. Her three-finger rings and gigantic matrix earrings are all over the place! I think I might need to add a custom necklace to my own collection here soon. (See Rihanna's)

Melody just released her fall/winter 2010 accessories collection last week. Shoes are coming soon - for now check out her latest!

My favorites from Melody's latest lookbook. All images via Melody's Tumblr:

this is so awesome

i saw this on both female sneaker fiends and kanye's blog

...the nike burger!

‘in the tradition of material innovation of AM(air max) 90, I constructed a running shoe using the most powerful, must durable and most delicious material known to man: hamburger.‘- Swedish designer

Olle Hemmendorff

LOL! those crazy europeans