Cozy and Stylish Outfits to Beat the Chill in the Wilderness

Hi! in my last post, I shared an outfit I wore to the Mideast California mountains.  Through that post I've received many positive feedbacks, so I am encouraged to share my other looks during the course of our trip to the chillier part of California.  You will also get to see places we visited and stayed along the way.  And of course toddler outfits styled by my little man, hope you like them!

 E is ready for our adventure in the wilderness

 Stopped by this cute little Swedish town (Kingsburg) on the way to Fresno.  I am not sure if this was a working train station but they had restrooms in there, just what we needed after driving for almost three hours.

This was their main street, it was literally just one block but they had very cute tiny shops.  It was a nice resting area before getting back on the road.

I dressed very casual being on the road most of the time, just a simple cropped sweat shirt with a gingham check button shirt underneath. These black skinny jeans and buckled boots were my outfit staple throughout the trip.

E taking a peak at the toy display through the glass window

Our accommodation for the first five days in Fresno: Country Inn and Suites By Carlson.  I picked this hotel for their proximity to both Yosemite and Sequoia National Park.  Their rate was the best in the area, I think we only paid about $300 for a four night stay.  Continental breakfast was included.

         

I didn't have a chance to take pictures of the room but it was very clean and spacious.  The lobby was cozy and there was always coffee and tea, even during after hours.

On our second day in Fresno, we ended up going to their local zoo because roads up the mountains were closed due to a snow storm.  I have to say although this zoo was not world class but it was just the right size for little kids to walk around, they even had zoo lights which we got to enjoy for free because we were already there during the day.  Admission was $17.50 for 2 adults and 1 kid.  The picture above is their new African Adventure, a bit similar to San Diego's Wild Life Animal Park.

Here I am wearing my most reliable military parka with a hood that is just perfect for sprinkling rainy days.  I think I wear this jacket way too often because you will see me in it throughout most of this trip.  Some of you might find it boring but I love to own a piece of clothing that is versatile and can be paired with almost any outfit.

A part of their zoo light displays.  In this picture, E is in his most reliable hooded jacket (London Fog) and Osh Kosh B'gosh duck boots for walking in the rain.

This scarf from Target is another versatile accessory that I wear over and over with my outfits.  In my opinion, you don't need to own a lot of clothes but you do need to buy classic, versatile pieces that can be paired with your other clothes in the closet.  Trust me, I have had my share of buying clothes on impulse and then they just end up in the corner of the closet collecting dust.

This was the third day on the way to Kings Canyon National Park, where some of the giant sequoias reside.

Here I am wearing a blanket scarf from Old Navy, my other reliable high waist skinny jeans from Hollister and Report buckle boots.  Blanket scarves were so popular this season, mainly because they can be worn many ways: as a scarf, a wrap, a shawl, a cape and even a poncho cardigan with a belt cinched on the waist.

Another reason why I love this scarf so much is the color!  The print definitely is on trend with all the right colors.  The material of this scarf is very soft and warm too!

 

A close-up of me and the scarf.  Those white flakes on my hair is not dandruff!  It started snowing right when we were getting ready to get back on the road.

Arrived at Kings Canyon and this is our first site, those trees are really giant!

Here is a closer look of the sequoia in comparison to the pine trees next to it.

And in comparison to E standing in front of it.

The little man was having so much fun with the snow that even though his pants were soaking wet, he didn't even notice it.

Yes, that's a tree trunk with a tunnel in the center.

It really was breathtaking

The weather for some reason was a lot chillier up here due to the high elevation and the fact that it was surrounded by trees.

I could not have survived the cold if it were not for this down puffer coat from Hollister, see a similar one here and here.  I paired it with a black turtle neck underneath to stay warm and cozy.

Faux fur hood was a bonus, providing extra warmth.

This was on the fourth day: sledding near the southern entrance of Yosemite.  This snow play area was completely free, you just need to have tire chains installed prior to entering the road.

 E being his silly self

Here I am just remixing the few clothes that I brought along for this trip.  I added a pop of color to the outfit with the burgundy beanie.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?"  Lyrics from Frozen that E always hums when he sees a snowman.

 E enjoying the view in the woods with a beanie from Target and the London Fog jacket he wears almost everyday.

We checked into this quint little inn on our fifth day of travel.

The room was a bit smaller but still a good size.

View from our balcony

One thing I really enjoyed about this inn was this courtyard next to the office, it provided such a nice backdrop for photos.

The other side of the courtyard.

This often happens when I have my outfit shots, E trying to post behind my back when I am not looking.  See more of this outfit Here and E's other outfits Here

This Sugarpine Railroad is right next to the inn.  It's closed for the winter but in the Summer they have train rides and BBQ dinner packages.

Restaurant within the inn.  Their free breakfast was served here, we had sausages, waffle, garlic herb potatoes and juice.

Thank you for reading!

 :: On Me ::

OLD NAVY Military hooded parka (similar Here and Here)
HOLLISTER Black skinny jeans
REPORT Ankle buckle boots (similar Here)
Faux Leather back pack (similar Here)
Mossimo Scarf via Target (similar Here)
HOLLISTER Dark wash high rise skinny jeans
Beanie via Target 
OLD NAVY Blanket scarf (similar Here)
HOLLISTER Hooded puffer jacket with faux fur (similar Here and Here)

Photography: Herman Lee and Lily