Bring It Home

Hi everyone, happy Wednesday! And happy 2024!

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll notice WIWO has undergone a slight redesign — no better time to debut one than a new year, right? I just figured the logo I made in Canva back in 2019 was due for a refresh, plus my pink hair has been a thing of past for a while now, so I felt it was a bit misleading!

After going home to California for the holidays, I stepped off the plane in New York only to be greeted by lashing rain, gusty winds, and treacherous slush, and my initial elation to be back swiftly dissolved at the prospect of grinding through another few months of winter. The brands below all have a distinctly Californian sensibility, and I’m hoping that they’ll be a helpful reminder, for you and for me, that sunshine and blue skies are coming.

Sparks Fly

ADIVINA RING - CALIFORNIA DIRT ($190)

As a kid doodling in my notebook during math class, I always preferred drawing sparkles like this ✨, elegant and elongated, instead of the more standard stars or asterisks. I’ve even adopted them as personal calling card of sorts (peep them in the new logo 👀.) So when I saw this Adivina ring from LA-based jewelry brand California Dirt, I knew I had to have it. I love brand founder Carmen Kelly’s fluid, nature-inspired designs, from this tiny sunburst pendant to these water droplet earrings, but the ring was the clear frontrunner. It feels like a little bit of magic nestled on my pointer finger.

High and Dry

THE POPPY TOWEL - CALIFORNIA NATURALS ($50)

A couple years ago, lured in by the flashy colors like a simple-minded guppy, I bought this ultra-vibrant Turkish towel from Bathing Culture. It’s held up wonderfully as my go-to post-shower towel and I’d love to get another as a back-up for laundry days, but owning two of these towels will make it look like a rainbow exploded in my bathroom. This black-and-white version from bath and body brand California Naturals, however, would make for the perfect understated companion, with a complementary pop of brightness to boot. (And while I’m at it, I might as well throw in some of the brand’s body wash and moisturizer, which are made with earth-friendly ingredients and scented with an invigorating blend of bergamot and dreamwood.)

Think Tank

BOY TANK - OZMA OF CALIFORNIA ($134)

Around the time I started this newsletter, I was going through a raw silk kick, having acquired a pair of trousers and a dressy blouse in the material. Now, nearly five years later, I’ve sold the pants and worn and washed the blouse less than 10 times, because I realized raw silk is a pain to clean and pills dreadfully. Which is why it’s likely inadvisable for me to buy this Ozma of California tank, but a cool tank has always been my kryptonite, and this one, with its boyish silhouette and nubby texture, is so cool. Of course, I always yearn for summer clothes in the middle of winter, so perhaps I’ll be more level-headed once spring rolls around.

---

Tried one of my recs and loved it (or hated it)? Wanna get something cool on my radar? Drop me a line at kittylguo@gmail.com!