The Edit With Caroline Diani

As a business owner and creative, I'm always looking for new designers, products, and anything that can enhance people's lives. Ethically made, kind to the planet and to your body are at the forefront when I'm selecting. While I'm traveling, I'm exposed to so many incredible craftspeople and one of the fun aspects about my job as a curator is distilling it all down to what I feel are the very best in any given category. And, since I have three stores encompassing clothing, shoes, accessories, home and wellness, I buy into a lot of different categories. I've always been drawn to beautiful things, from a well-tailored jacket to the nostalgic scent of a candle or the soft hand of a cashmere throw. And once I find a new favorite, it becomes a fixture woven into the fabric of my life, whether it's in my closet, on my body or in my living spaces. Since time is often so limited for people, I thought I'd create an "Edit" story once a month featuring some of my favorite goodies... and here they are!

When I put collections together in my closet, I’m looking to be able to create as many outfits as possible. In the collection above, I can seamlessly create a casual look with the leopard cycling shorts and the red tee or dress the shorts up with a black tank, the blazer and a black heel. I can wear the red tee and red sweats everyday with the sneakers or sandals and throw on the blazer for a meeting. The dress is one I wear frequently around the farm... it's lightweight, comfortable and the color palette lends itself to fall and winter where I'll be adding the blazer and boots. The earrings are my new go-to add on when I need to elevate and the crossbody bag is perfect for me needing to be hands free for my dog or working on my phone while walking. Oh, and the hat that you've all seen me wearing in every post and blog it seems... yes, I really do wear it that much!

I’m very particular about what goes on my skin. After reading a book many years ago about the negative effects of chemicals like parabens and sulfates in skincare on women’s hormones and overall health, I'm now aware of every ingredient. That doesn’t mean that all clean products are created equal. Some simply don’t cut the mustard when it comes to performance and results. The products above, however do what they say they’ll do and I use them all religiously. And the nail polish is vegan, cruelty free and contains zero harsh chemicals... and this color is my number one go-to. It’s a really versatile, non-boring neutral. 

As we’re all finding our way through the pandemic, one thing I’m seeing a lot from my customers is that they’re buying more of our wellness essentials. As our assortment grows, this selection is what I love for myself. The SuperYou supplements and Sex Dust powder have really helped stabilize my mood and hormones. I’m so hooked, I can’t imagine ever not having them on the daily. And another mood and stress booster has been finding time to workout which I do most days at home (with @isaacboots for those of you who haven’t heard my constant chatter about how great he is) and I’m either in the skull print or these leopard print leggings and matching top. You’ve all heard me raving about the hand sanitizer after I tried it on our cross country road trip and now it’s my all time favorite smell. I highly recommend it! Crystals, sage and incense have become a weekend ritual for me... I try to take an hour to myself to create a sanctuary in my bathroom. I’ll draw a bath, sage the room then light incense and soak with a good book or some soothing music (have you heard Taylor Swift’s new album? It’s really great!). 

There are so many things that I have at home that are available at my store, so it’s very hard to create an edit (so I'll do another one next month), but the bedroll and head pillow have been following me everywhere… they were on our bed in the RV across country, they come to the beach with us, they get laid out in our garden when we have a picnic. I love them so much that I’ve just ordered more for the house. The dandelion paperweight might be in the top 10 of my favorite objects in my home. It speaks to my affinity for nature and all the magic it holds. The DIANI Mazuri candle is something I'd been dreaming about creating for years. I wanted a fragrance that embodied my origins in Kenya, England and California and I believe the scent evokes the beauty of all three places. My good friend and artist, Gail Bryson, helped me create the packaging that illustrates the national flowers from those three places - the Kenyan orchid, the English rose and the California poppy. The box is made from recycled paper and the candle pot is ceramic and both are great for repurposing! We use the pot for flower arrangements and the box for odds and ends like nails and screws which we have an abundance of these days at the farm. If I had to pick just a few kitchen essentials, the platter, the salad bowl, the measuring cups and the dinner candles truly are on constant rotation. A day doesn't go by where I'm not using most if not all of them. 

It's been so fun for me to curate these edits. I hope they inspire you to further explore what defines your style choices, wellness routine and living spaces. You can never have enough of a good thing. If you want to stay in touch, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at the bottom of the page.

Sending lots of love,