Josie’s forest sunset from from Nepal, Free People, and Autumn Teneyl

Part of my ritual for dropping friends off at the San Diego Airport includes a stop at James Coffee Co. in Little Italy. Tucked away in a transformed warehouse at the very end of the India Street shops, it feels like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. As we wandered inside, I looked around to see the usual coffee goers, hunched over and typing away on their laptops. Almost everyone around me was adorned in all black, adding to the urban environment of wood and metal.

On the way up to order my latte, I caught a glimpse of bright pink to my right. A long skirt stood out from under a table, next to a calm, white Husky lying on the ground. I was drawn to both the woman in the floral skirt and her fluffy companion. I approached her and discovered that her name was Josie and that it happened to be her last day in San Diego, as she was packing up and moving to Boulder, Colorado.

Josie had just finished up her Masters in Arts, Peace & Justice. She’s part of the OneNation social and political movement, working to save the world through changing the political system. Her rebellious spirit was reflected in her clothing, starting with her pink silk skirt from Nepal ($40). Her equally flowing, forest green jacket was from Free People ($100), which has been on a journey with her for quite some, she explained while pulling away at the fraying pieces of string lining. I glanced down at her shoes. She told me they were a hand-me-down from her sister, an actress living in Hollywood.

Her outfit was complete with a simple black shirt that tied around her waist (Autumn Teneyl, $40), a beautiful mala necklace (A gift), and of course, her lovely Husky, Caleb. She kneeled down to introduce me, and I caught a glimpse of Caleb’s piercing blue eyes, which seemed to match Josie’s blues.

Before we parted ways, I asked Josie if there was anything in particular that inspires her every day outfits. She smiled and said, “I like to feel like a free person and dress like nature. Today is a sunset in the forest.”