Style: Casual, Comfortable, Cool Me and D

I first discovered Me & D at a small boutique in Southern California. Although, I couldn’t tell you the name of the store, I will never forget Me and D’s lovely designs. I fell in love with a simple, hooded sweatshirt-coat made out of the softest material I had ever felt. I bought it and then purchased another from them directly because I adored it so much. Me & D are a mother-daughter team based out of Northern California. They hand-make each item, which are made of soft, pre-washed cotton. Their designs are uncomplicated, hip, and meticulously sewn. You can feel the passion the duo has for their work in every garment. The mother-daughter team have recently launched a beautiful leather line that includes luscious handbags, wallets, and rock 'n' roll cuff bracelets. Details: http://www.meandd.net/

Style: Threadless—Exceptional Tees with a Sense of Humor

In a society where you can buy so-called vintage tees at Old Navy, replica Arts and Crafts pottery at Target, and duplicated art prints at Poster Plus for all under 10 bucks, it's no wonder that most of us stick to big box store shopping. After all, time is precious and spending extra cash on extraneous possessions is simply not doable. Right? Not necessarily so. Sometimes the greatest joys in life involve spending a little extra money and time hunting for the eclectic, local, vintage, or special, one-of-a-kind item.

The MCMs have been longtime fans of a local Chi-town t-shirt company by the name of Threadless. Members of the "Threadless community" submit t-shirt designs online, where each one is voted on by the public. Selected designs are printed in limited supply and sold online and at their Chicago locations. After sporting our own Threadless tees for ten years, Threadless has finally introduced Threadless Kids. Now MCM children are able to wear and enjoy these shirts just as much as their parents do.

No matter who the artist, each Threadless design displays a keen sense of humor, designed with kids in mind. The kid’s tees include everything from a sausage hugging cheese to a cow that attempts to jump over the moon but manages to get stuck. These whimsical images are sure to put smiles on faces, giggles in throats, and spawn conversation between you and the little person in your life. In addition, Threadless offers art prints that can be framed or stretched on canvas for an additional opportunity to showcase their wares. Threadless has brilliantly proved that not every t-shirt is alike and sometimes it's just as easy to seek out something distinctive and creative instead of ordinary and accessible. Details: www.threadless.com

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Obsession: Spread Holiday Cheer, Great Gifts for All

The Mod City Mom’s are taking a brief hiatus over the holidays. Before we saunter off to eat, drink, and be merry, we wanted to recommend some of our favorite websites to purchase gifts. Many are from previous obsession articles, others are newly discovered, but all are sure to satisfy that special someone in your life. Peace and joy to all of our readers over this holiday season!

Gifts of Wine
www.pelotoncellars.com
This small vineyard makes quality wines from lush soil in the Paso Robles wine region located in California. Order 4, 6, or 12 bottle shipments.

www.robertsinsky.com
Organic vineyard located in Napa delivering terrific wines, recipes, and cookbooks. Order a bottle or join the club.

Gifts of Yummy Eats
www.zingermans.com
Delicious deli and bakery food gifts including their famous Reuben sandwich making kit.

www.boccalone.com
Tasty salted pig parts…who wouldn’t like that? You will salivate just looking at their website. YUM!

www.loumalnatis.com
Chicago pizza delivered right to your door!

www.mrspeters.com
Smoked Fish…delish!

www.graeters.com
Irresistible, creamy ice cream since 1870 delivered and packed on dry ice. Perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth!

Gifts of Relaxation
www.smallflower.com
Unique herbal remedies, homeopathies, and natural bath and body care.

Gifts of Clothing, Accessories, and Textiles
www.sosillystuff.com
Darling, one-of-kind graphic shirts for the little ones.

www.heathceramics.com
Beautifully handcrafted tiles and tableware for the pottery enthusiast in your life.

www.twotreedesigns.com
Whimsical, practical, unique bags at mind blowing prices!

Gifts of Playfulness
www.littleotsu.com
Our favorite small press shop, delivering one-of-a-kind journals, zines, and prints.

www.mimoco.com/shop/mimobot-designer-usb-flash-drives/c-3po.html
How about a USB flash drive in the shape of Hello Kitty or C-3PO?

www.etsy.com/shop/pixelparty
Pins, cufflinks, and barrettes for the digital geek! Don't miss out on the Yoshi and Pacman-featured items!

www.breadandbadger.com/glassware/mustachepint.html
For the person who has everything but a mustache and a pint glass.

Style: Niche Apparel with Broad Appeal

Although my sister and I are full-blooded relatives, we couldn’t be more different in size and shape. I’m a big-boned 5’9” and she is a small-framed 5’4”. Needless to say, we have never been good clothing partners—not because we don’t share similar tastes, we simply don’t fit into the same styles.

…until we discovered Neesh by DAR.

Neesh by DAR has been around for about 10 years; “DAR” is the designer and manufacturer, Denise Allen Robinson. Denise has created beautiful, individual pieces that can be mixed and matched with almost anything—elegant enough for a night on the town or relaxed enough for a PTA meeting. As she describes her clothing, “every item features couture construction in a youthful, vintage yet modern look designed for a woman of any age.” Her skirt designs are particularly special—each one consists of unique patterns, colors, and fabrics. And, more importantly, they complement almost any shape and size.

Although Denise doesn’t offer online purchases (yet), you can find a boutique that sells her designs in almost each of the 50 states. In addition, Denise is affiliated with half a dozen retailers that sell her clothing online. Although my sister and I still don’t wear the same size, we can now easily sport the same skirt when it’s from the broad-niche, Neesh by DAR collection. Details: www.neeshbydar.com.


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Style: Comfortable, Cool Fashion Found at C & C California

Since becoming a mother and quitting my corporate job, my wardrobe has changed immensely. I retired my sleek, black pants, stylish tops, and stilettos to trade them in for cotton tees, jeans, and my ratty Converse. Not that I have anything against jeans and t-shirts, but I also love interesting, eclectic pieces, as well. The problem is that the more "inspired" fashion styles are "dry clean only" and are made of fabric much too delicate for my newly acquired active lifestyle as a parent. Hence began my quest to find comfortable, washable clothing that is still stylish and hip. I can assure you, this is NOT an easy task. I have, however, found several brands that fit the bill—one of my favorites being C & C California.

C & C California was created by two women who grew up on the beaches of Southern California during the 1970s. The collection is a tribute to "California Chic” and designed specifically for women who are looking for comfortable, wearable fashion. C & C’s goal is to offer the perfect pieces that can be worn during the day to run errands and continue into an evening dinner.

The company makes terrific tees, turtlenecks, maxi dresses, leggings, and tunics. With the exception of sweaters, most items are washable, made from soft cotton, and manufactured in the U.S. They offer fun stripes and solid basics. Each piece has unique sleeves and interesting stitching—all with flattering shapes for all sizes. The C & C fabrics retain their color, shape, and texture even after countless washes. For terrific comfort, quality, and style, pick-up something from C & C. You and your wardrobe will not be disappointed. Details: www.candccalifornia.com.

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Style: Learning to Cut Loose

When I first moved away from Chicago, I was terribly homesick. I missed the over-abundance of unique shopping opportunities, the boutique on every corner, and the independent clothiers, all within walking distance from my home and from each other. After countless hours of researching neighborhoods and local shopping on the web, I would grudgingly get in my car and drive and drive (and drive some more) until I found a place here or there, tucked away in some remote corner of some distant neighborhood.

Now that I'm settled, I realize my initial response was, perhaps, a tad on the dramatic side. Sure, I still need to drive everywhere, but San Diego offers quite a few independently spirited store options. And, once you find one that you like, another isn't far behind.

During one of my little adventures, I discovered the perfect shopping stretch in Solana Beach, located in the heart of North San Diego County. Not only did this quarter of a mile stretch offer store after store of one-of-a-kind shopping opportunities, for the first time in a long time, I was more relaxed and a bit more myself. Here, I found stores where I could buy unique clothes, housewares, and gifts that wouldn't break the bank and I could meander and browse in a way that I hadn't experienced in a long time. Nowhere did I frequent more often than in a little, comfortable find, Cut Loose.

Cut Loose, founded in San Francisco, offers clothes made of natural and garment dyed fibers. As their motto states, clothing for the real world—they're comfortable pieces for real women. It's the type of store that your mom, your daughter, and you could all, collectively, enjoy. Each of you may be drawn to different items, but all would leave with a purchase in hand. Their colors and collections change with each season, but their quality and comfort never alter. And, most importantly, you don't have to live in San Diego or San Francisco to buy a Cut Loose design—their line is sold in boutiques across the country.

It may seem shallow, but, for me to feel at home in California, I needed to discover good neighborhoods, exceptional shopping, and beautifully made clothes. Stumbling on Solana Beach provided me with the first opportunity to unwind, enjoy, and truly cut loose. Details: www.cutloose.com.

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