Olivia Joffrey lives a golden life in sunny Santa Barbara creating limited-edition dresses, art, and stationery that propose slow sensuality.
Olivia is an Instagram friend. Her 1970’s California references lured me in having strong memories of that time myself. She created a business as a tribute to her mother and her ex-pat years in Spain. Dresses are sensual rather than revealing. Hand-painted orbs pair with witty sayings. Her Stanford-educated brain adds an intellectual aspect to this venture. The business is far more than just selling clothes. It is a look back into an analog time where people connected over long slow dinners discussing literature and listening to songs playing on the turntable. The chairs might have been humble, but the cultivated table was set with white linens and glasses to hold the wine. Olivia takes you on a wonderful journey. Her website is a visual feast with vintage photos of her mother and other beautiful caftan-donned people, images of Spain, her lovely illustrations, and intoxicating quotes.

My favorite, the Cordoba dress.

My other favorite, the Capitola in white swiss cotton with black dot.
The California beauty shares what she finds gift-worthy below.
Gifts that delight the senses are a must.
As a gift, I like to give Wonder Valley olive oil and soaps. My favorite is Two Desert Soaps. It’s a heavenly scent, beautifully packaged, and I love the company’s ethos.
For my daughters, classic holiday pajamas from my friend Emily’s company Petite Plume.
Gifts to add subtle beauty to the home.
If I were to receive an extravagant, meaningful gift it would be anything from Adam Bray’s 1st Dibs shop. He has an extraordinary eye for antiques: from midcentury lamps to Tudor tables to antique African textiles.
One of my favorite photographers is Matt Albiani. His book Lifeguards captures the romance of California beach culture. This book make a wonderful gift. It can be bought at Mate Gallery, which he Co-owns with his partner Ron Brand, super-stylish CA-NY couple.
Casa V Interiors is an interior design firm in Orlando, Florida.