pretty. little. world.

Dream Rooms: Bathrooms That I'd Kill You For

2012-01-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

{ All Images Are Linked }

Seriously. I would probably murder people (multiple people!!) to have one of these bathrooms. And then I'd never leave (of course, the police would probably drag me away. you know, for the murdering and what not.).

But aren't they just gorgeous? The first one is my favorite. So much prettiness!

Haunted

2012-01-26T05:49:00.000-08:00

{ Wendy Bevan for Italian Marie Claire }

I know this shoot (the rest of which can be seen here) is simply mimicking an older style of photography. But to me it seems more like an incredibly fashionable group of ghosts hanging about and having parties.

The Last Week (or so) In Instagram

2012-01-25T10:28:00.000-08:00

♡ a very blustery day ♡ crème brûlée ♡ butternut squash soup w/extra vegetables ♡ a trip to market ♡ mosaic glass mural ♡ shopping ♡ green beans w/garlic, salt, and pepper ♡ arm candy ♡ arm candy ♡ thai food ♡ Nico, bird watching ♡ a pretty package from Sally Jane Vintage ♡

P.S. - Is it bad that most of last week seems to be food?

Striking

2012-01-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

{ 1 } { 2 }

I've had these images sitting on my desktop for awhile now, waiting for the perfect post in which to share them. Well, I haven't figured out what that post is, so I'm just sending them out there for people to see!

I hope that everyone's Mondays went okay! My day was strange and random:

- woke to all of our snow melted
- had coffee
- went to Staples for bubble wrap
- packaged orders
- watched a few episodes from the final season of Secret Diary of a Call Girl (I could watch this show a million times over - sooo good!)
- went to the post office
- went to the grocery store (fifth day in a row! ugh.)
- picked up the dry cleaning
- came home to find that boy had actually (and accidentally) made me decaf coffee in the morning. seriously. no wonder I was ready to rip people's heads off!!
- made REAL coffee
- listed some pretty vintage kimonos
- now: going to make the boy pick up Thai for dinner. Hey - he's got to make up for the coffee mishap somehow!

Neon

2012-01-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

{ 1 } { 2 } { 3 } { 4 } { 5 }

Neon is still looking like it will be quite big for spring, and while neon is probably not what you'd call "classic", I'm certainly glad that it's sticking around for awhile longer.

Neon brights are flattering on absolutely everyone, no skin tones excepted. When thinking about what neon color to choose, you want to stick with the same color palette that you'd normally wear: if you have paler skin / hair, and yellow isn't normally great on you, neon yellow isn't going to look any better. (Notice how in the last two pictures, you notice the brunette first & then the sweater, whereas on the blonde, you almost only notice the dress.)

If you have a lighter complexion and hair: pinks, reds, and blues.
If you have a darker complexion and hair: greens, yellows, and blues. and reds. and pinks. (you can pretty much pull off anything.)

P.S. - I'm hoping to snag a pair of these Audrey Silk Mules, also from Acne.

The Finer Things

2012-01-16T11:02:00.000-08:00

I don't have a lot of what you would call "nicer jewelry." I almost always go for piling on costume pieces - especially when it comes to earrings, as I lose those like mad. Every now and then I have the inclination to grow the nicer part of my jewelry box, but, you know, it's expensive. So I thought that I'd introduce the handful of fancy pieces that I do have.

This first two are my favorite and also most special. This is my engagement ring:

The boy did really well with this one (of course, he knew ahead of time that I just loved this ring - but he remembered! sooo important.) It's a Deco Style platinum diamond ring from Tiffany & Co. It's not traditional, but I love the design and the way that it sparkles.

The next is my maternal grandmother's engagement ring:

It's so delicate and pretty. Sometimes I pair it with my own engagement ring.

Then there are my "still nice, but not diamonds" jewels. This necklace is a one-of-a-kind necklace from Ayala Bar. I bought this at a teeny jewelry store when I was in Stratford, Ontario ages ago:

The beading on this is just exquisite - it looks marvelous with a simple t-shirt and a dark blazer. The next piece also comes from the same jewelry shop in Ontario, though it was purchased a year earlier:

It's a floral cuff from Israeli designer Michal Negrin. It was even custom made to fit my wrist! The brand's service is also impeccable - if one of the Swarovski crystals were ever to fall out, I'd need only to send in the bracelet, and they'd repair it for me!

The two rings also quite special. The first is an amethyst geode and sterling silver ring that I got out west:

The second is a ring that I got in Insadong, Seoul, South Korea. Except for a few other trinkets, this was really the only thing that I bought while we were there:

P.S. - This post was meant to be up earlier, but when I Googled my grandmother + grandfather's wedding date for the post (1946), I ended up finding loads of genealogy information on my mother's side of the family -- I got all of the way back to 1735!! It was super interesting to read about - I may do a post on it down the road, when some of it's a little more organized.

Nestled

2012-01-13T08:13:00.000-08:00

This pretty little house is tucked away in the hills somewhere in Australia, and it's kind of wonderful. The house has clean, simple, and chic design. But then you toss in those views - I mean, amazing, right?

If I don't stop looking at real estate listings in Australia, I'm going to have my bags packed and be on a plane before I even know what's hit me.

Kimono

2012-01-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

Country Living recently had a feature on how you should be lounging around the house in a pretty kimono instead of an old bathrobe. Most of the pieces in their story were new, though I can't help but be drawn to the feel, patterns, and look of antique silk kimonos instead.

1920s

2012-01-10T20:33:00.000-08:00

Vintage Perfection:

Get the Look:

{ Mink Stole } { Vintage Arm Band } { 1920s Dress }

This or That

2012-01-09T16:37:00.000-08:00

DIY

or

Metalware

What's your poison??

Bag Closet: Alexander Wang

2012-01-08T18:03:00.000-08:00

While I occasionally wander into other obsessions - like with these and these - handbags are my first and last accessory craving. The right color or style can completely change an outfit, and what fun is fashion if it isn't a bit changeable?

My purse collection isn't as enviable as some people's - I mean, Victoria Beckham probably has an Hermès Birkin for every day of the year - but it's not a bad little grouping either. So I'm starting a new feature - "Bag Closet" - in which we'll take a look at my own and others' bags, as well as some tips for starting and growing your own collection!

First up: Alexander Wang

The craze around AW bags started a few years back when MK and Ashley Olsen started carrying a black studded Rocco, but no one knew what it was, as it hadn't been released to the public yet. Of course everyone went all cray cray, and when people found out who made the bag, mile-long wait lists began.

I think that AW bags are pretty to look at, but their real appeal is the leather. Bubbly. Smooshy. Buttery soft. A little distressed. Perfect. If you've never seen an AW bag in person, run to your nearest Barney's NY. Just to touch one. Seriously.

I have a "Diego" in Forest Velvet Cut Leather and a new-to-me "Rocco" in Ocean. (Both special release colors sold only at Barney's). I have both basic black and brown bags that I use more regularly, so the AW purchases seemed like great places to add color to my collection.

Alexander Wang bags are also not a bad place to start a designer purse collection. The price point isn't cheap ($450 - $900 for bags), but it's not as bad as Chanel, where you're basically deciding between a car or a bag (Jumbos are up to a whopping $4300).

You can find AW bags in a variety of places online (the designer's own site, Barney's, and Shopbop all have great stock). As well, you can find some really good bargains (or out-of-stock colors) on eBay. Though when you're shopping second hand for designer anything, you always have to be careful about authenticity. Before clicking that "Place Bid" button, make sure to post any AW auctions in the "Authenticate This Alexander Wang" section at The Purse Forum. The lovely ladies there will help to make sure you don't walk away with a counterfeit bag.

I hope you enjoy the new feature, and happy bag shopping!!

Couture

2012-01-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

via I Know What You Wore Last Season

Most beautiful ad campaign I've seen in some time. Plus, those dresses! Swoon...

(The images in this post are large/long; depending on your monitor size, they may look best if you use the command/minus keys to toggle out.)

Want It Now: Vintage Afghans

2012-01-04T22:03:00.000-08:00

{ Vintage 70s Afghan Blanket } and { Vintage Multi-Colored Crocheted Afghan }

Whenever I come across pretty vintage afghans at antique markets, I want to scoop them up and take them home. They're a little broken in, so the yarn is super cozy; the colors are always crazy good; and (as I imagine it) they've been lovingly made by someone's little old grandmother. They're also typically inexpensive - especially when compared to new knitted or crocheted blankets - and a great way to add bits of brightness and warmth to rooms in the fall and winter.

Room to Outfit (literally)

2012-01-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

Today I wore my new Charlotte Taylor moss green snail print blouse with my chunky stone necklace, both from Anthropologie. I stopped while we were in Cleveland, and it's just so difficult to leave that store without a little something. I mean, everything is wonderful in that place. I was particularly excited about this blouse, as it's the exact same print that I'd seen on wallpaper from their online site. Though I really wanted it, I couldn't think of place in our house for snail wallpaper, but a blouse? That's a whole different story!

The blouse is no longer available online, but you can still find the wallpaper here.

New Year, New Resolutions

2011-12-29T09:09:00.000-08:00

{ 1 } { 2 } { 3 } { 4 } { 5 } { 6 }

I figure that most resolutions ends up by the wayside due to a couple of things: (1) they're really difficult to accomplish; and or (2) they're really unpleasant / things you don't actually want to do. So I'm simply choosing things that are manageable and fun. Well, mostly.

✔ Head over to Iceland this summer
✔ Keep my closet organized
✔ Take more photos
✔ Shop smarter, appreciate what I have
✔ Read more (anything)
✔ Play more games with people, not computers

Et Voila! A list that I'll actually want to get through, so that by this time next year I won't be agonizing over the things that I was *supposed* to do, but didn't.

Blog about your own resolutions? Leave the link here so we can all come and visit you!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Holiday

2011-12-26T08:31:00.000-08:00

The past several days:

❤ went to Ann Arbor ❤ finally saw Melancholia - it was beautiful.haunting.sad.epic ❤ went to Frankenmuth to see family ❤ missed out on dinner w/Santa + karaoke ❤ went antique shopping ❤ had Christmas at my parents' house ❤ watched True Grit - John Wayne marathon on - and opened a few small gifts ❤ went w/mom to feed shelter kitties ❤ played Trivial Pursuit ❤ sat around with a happy belly full of Christmas cookies ❤

... How was your holiday?

Dream Rooms: Industrial Light

2011-12-19T12:33:00.000-08:00

{ 1 } and { 2 }

We have a reasonable amount of light that gets let into our house, though I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to have an entire wall of windows|light.

Dreamy.

Thomas Crown

2011-12-16T12:32:00.000-08:00

{ 1 } { 2 } { 3 } { 4 }

Aren't these images of Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway from the original The Thomas Crown Affair just smoldering? I could watch this movie over and over again. I actually liked the remake, but I'll take Steve McQueen over Pierce Brosnan any day.

This semester is almost through, so I'm looking forward to some days that can be taken up with nothing other than old movies and good books. What's standing between me and that time: a holiday party, a long overdue visit from a good friend (both of these, obviously go in the "good busy" category), a little stretch of grading, Christmas shopping (no, I'm not done), an auction, and a short non-vacationy trip up north.

Doable, right?

Breakfast at Tiffany's

2011-12-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

Holy real estate jackpot! The townhouse where Holly Golightly lived in Breakfast at Tiffany's is up for sale!

Beautiful brownstone with elegant stoop divided into 2 duplexes located off Lexington Avenue. The upper duplex consists of a sunny living room with wood burning fireplace and sweeping staircase, powder room, dining room with a wood burning fireplace and a renovated kitchen with laundry. Upstairs are two bedroom suites each with its own renovated bath. The garden duplex apartment with a separate entrance has a living room with a woodburning fireplace, full bath, kitchen and glass enclosed solarium with backyard perfect for entertaining. The upper level includes a front library/office with wood burning fireplace and powder room and a rear large bedroom with wood burning fireplace and bath. (Corcoran)

Between this place and The American Horror Story house being up for sale, my money tree dollars are going to be stretched quite thin. Though when I tire of good old-fashioned haunting on the west coast, I can jet out east to spend some time on the fire escape with my guitar and cat.

Want It Now: Vintage Home Style

2011-12-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

{ Air Plant in Blue Bird Cage } and { Vintage Glass Brass Box }
{ Antique Composition Doll } and { Vintage Wooden Chairs }
{ Vintage Industrial Metal Paperweight } and { Clay Horse Head Bookends }

I'm rather an impatient shopper. Once I decide that I want something, I want it right then and there. New shoes, a coat, a good cup of coffee, pancakes, a different bedspread... whatever. Yes, I realize this is not the most admirable of qualities. But I fear at this stage in the game, I'm probably stuck with it.

This kind of a desire to have something right away is a problem when it comes to home design though. For most things I really prefer vintage pieces, but it's not as though you can run to Target and find that great antique bookcase that you've been pining for.

It takes time. Sigh.

Working part time at an antique store helps with a bit of expediting, but for everything else there's ETSY. In the last year of so, a pretty incredible crop of sellers of great vintage design pieces have popped up. I'm always cooing over some strange.precious little porcelain doll or metal.wood industrial furniture.

Do you have any favorite home design stores.sites? If you have a post about design goodies, I'd love to know -- you can share your link using the widget below!!

Dream Rooms: Workspace

2011-12-13T06:23:00.000-08:00

{ Gail Rieke }

I don't entirely know what kind of work goes on in this space, but I'm certain that I want to be there, making things. Or just to breathe in a little bit. You can for sure be creative anywhere, though I suspect that situating yourself in a space with so many amazing tidbits around you helps with that, just a smidge.

Want It Now: Indoor Pool

2011-12-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I popped by the second day of an estate sale that was just a few minutes from my house. 50% off days are kind of great - there's not really the pressure to be there as early as possible + no having to fight people off for something specific you might want.

There were a few good things that I picked up, though the best was just getting to be in the house itself - they had an a.mazing indoor pool! Like, just add people + drinks and you'd have the coolest parties ever.

The house had already been sold - and only for a few hundred thousand above our budget - but now an indoor pool is on my "things I didn't know that I wanted but now absolutely need to have" list.

New Additions

2011-12-11T05:38:00.000-08:00

Ever since I got my Fox dress form for the shop, I've been looking for an older version that's got some distressing to it. Though unless you're very lucky, they're typically a pinch on the expensive side, especially as more and more people look to use them to sell online.

These two Bauman dress forms were being sold as a pair, and I purchased them with every intention of selling one. So they arrived, and of course, they're both gorgeous.gorgeous.gorgeous in person, each with its own unique pattern of water stains and wear.

Then the hemming + hawing + lip biting started: which one do I part with?

Well, there's no harm in both of them just *resting* at my house for awhile, you know, while I choose, right?

Dream Rooms

2011-12-09T06:04:00.000-08:00

{ From Greenwich with Love }

I adore wallpaper. Especially busy wallpaper. Especially this busy wallpaper. There are trees, and flowers, and birds, and ponds, and I think even some happy little fish. I can see this working in just about any room, save for maybe a kitchen.

The only thing is that you'd be stuck choosing furniture + accessories in solid colors -- unless you were looking to give your guests seizures, that is.

Is It Time to Leave Yet?

2011-12-06T10:11:00.000-08:00

{ 1 } { 2 } { 3 } { 4 }

One of the nicest perks of working in academia is that every now and then a conference comes along that is in the most perfect location ever. For instance, the next World Congress of Philosophy, in August 2013, is in Greece. Yes, you heard that, Greece.

Greece, of course, is an incredibly expensive place to visit. So for a conference to pop up there, it's really as if the travel gods have smiled directly at you.

We have a year yet to submit papers / proposals for the conference, though this is certainly an opportunity that will be difficult to pass up!

Have any of you been to Greece before, or is it someplace that you'd like to escape to as well?

Currently On: Street Style

2011-12-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

{ here }

The colder temperatures are officially here and staying - at least in Michigan - which means no leaving the house without lots of cozy layers. I love how these girls are all bundled up, but still super cute.

Want It Now: Kilim Drawstring Bags

2011-12-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

These handmade Kilim bags from A Kind of Guise are perfection. The folks over there have taken some of the rugs that they'd brought back from a trip to the Middle East, and made limited run of bags for what they're calling The Kilim project.

I'm smitten with the fact that they're not only "recycling" vintage materials to craft their goods, but also that each of these bags would have it's very own origins story behind it. While most products have country of origin labels, it's far cooler to be able to know where exactly the materials from your bag came from, when they were gotten, and who made them into something wonderful.

Here Kitty Kitty

2011-12-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

{ Glamour Spain via Fashion Gone Rogue }

Headed to Church

2011-12-01T05:49:00.000-08:00

{ For Sale here }

Currently there are a number of churches in our area that have closed - due to the economy, I suspect - and the vacant brick buildings sit, sad little "For Sale" signs perched out front. Were it in my budget, one of them would be mine, mine, mine. It would be pretty marvelous to remake the inside of a church into a living space, such as the property above (located in Australia).

Outside Inside

2011-11-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

{ vintage animal prints } { x-rays: here, here, and here }

Most of B.'s whole family is comprised of artists: his mother is a painter, one brother makes installations and is a craftsman of sorts, one sister is a painter and and clothing/accessories designer, his brother-in-law is painter and designs houses, another brother-in-law was a photographer, B. draws and plays the guitar.... There's so much creativity in that family that it's depressing.

In my head, I can imagine a lot of interesting projects, but then there's this whole part about having to actually execute something: while in my mind it may look like Picasso, on paper it comes out as advanced stick figures.

So I may just stick to mashing things together here. Though I also have to add, I'm recently obsessed with making things with all of my new graphics collections!

Want It Now: Vintage Cat Eye Glasses

2011-11-29T06:01:00.000-08:00

{ 1 } { 2 } { 3 } { 4 }

When I was younger, I had to have braces, and I had five years of allergy shots. It seemed to me that the one thing that I didn't need to have help with - vision - was really the only thing with a pleasing solution. Nearly all of my relatives were (as I saw it then) blessed with the need for glasses.

Thankfully it doesn't seem to matter any more whether or not you have less than perfect sight - pretty frames have become accessories in the same way as jewelry: a little extra ornamentation never hurt anyone, right?

Dream Rooms

2011-11-28T13:56:00.000-08:00

{ source }

I'm not saying that people should go back to living in tents or anything, but there is something makes people want to have spaces that feel as much like being outside as possible, no?

Me & City

2011-11-27T13:41:00.000-08:00

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld in Me & City's AW 2011 Lookbook. I think the collection is filled with gorgeous 1960s throw-back pieces, and the shoot is lovely. Though I'd also wager you'd be able to snag yourself an actual 1960s leopard print coat that would be equally as cool.

Vincent Street

2011-11-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

I didn't buy any lottery tickets this week, though if I had, and I'd won a huge chunk of cash, I'd have a pretty little place in Australia coming my way. This particularly attractive property is located smack in the middle of two places that also sound irresistible: The Lost Children's Reserve and The Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens.

Construction . Zone

2011-11-26T12:55:00.001-08:00

Excuse the mess! Pretty Little World is currently undergoing a renovation!

Black Friday . Small Business Saturday . Cyber Monday

2011-11-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

Pretty Little World is having a sale!! Come and see!!

All . Caps

2011-11-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

Technically speaking, I probably should just stop looking at shoes altogether. If I don't look, I won't covet quite so much. But since that's probably not going to happen, I'll just post when I find especially good shoes, and you all can covet with me!

These remind me of Tinker Toys, but for your feet. I think I like the nude/peachy version best, as you're drawn to the crazy wooden heel rather than the straps.

Get them from Solestruck

Get the Look: Coffee Date

2011-11-22T05:50:00.000-08:00

Similar T-shirts: here and here
Similar Cardigan: here
Similar Skirts: here and here
Similar Platforms: here

No . More . Leaves

2011-11-21T16:09:00.001-08:00

Arcana . Minor

2011-11-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

Wearing my new Leather + Silver Studded Cuff from Arcana Minor. The little studs have embossed flowers and it has ginormous silver grommets as well. Today I'm wearing it with a long silver cuff from Forever21 and a vintage rhinestone bracelet.

The leather cuff is pretty versatile though, so I'm also imagining it with my gold watch or with a slew of vintage colorful plastic bangles.

A Vintage Outfit for Working in a Vintage Store

2011-11-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

Cozy

2011-11-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Photo: Seetal Solanki

This bedroom is kind of (okay, really) messy. My cats would wander through this and in like two seconds have knocked over half of the things there. But it's also the kind of room that I'd never want to leave.

I'm shortly off to teach, and then afterward headed to meetings, and then back home to package orders, then clean about the house for a bit. So I'll send everyone "Happy Weekend" wishes now!

Watching this is something that may never get old.

All vintage is marked 15% off through tonight!

Super neat article about nanomaterial.

Brianne's good thrifting karma came through again with these amazing finds for her new house.

If your feet are small enough, these amazing vintage platforms should be snatched up immediately!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Model . Crush

2011-11-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

This here is not just any model crush though. As reported on The Fashionisto, John Hein has recently been signed by Ford, which is crazy/amazing.

Why, you might ask?

He's my friend Theresa's son! He moved to California not so long and was spotted walking around at a flea market. And now he's a model. For serious.

11/16/11

2011-11-16T14:15:00.000-08:00

More kimonos for the shop

Lazy Gerdie

Hike in the Woods

Stop at the City Market

The . Beauty . Department

2011-11-15T06:35:00.000-08:00

Not too terribly long ago, we got a new Ulta store in town. I must confess, not having been in one before, my impression was that it would be a bit like a Rite Aid, but you know, just for beauty supplies. I don't know how I came to that idea, but I did.

Thankfully - as I'm sure some of you will know - that couldn't be further from the truth. Ulta has a pinch of Rite Aid to it, but mostly it's like a less intimidating version of a department store beauty section.

They have Tarte, and Benefit, and Bare Minerals, and well... a lot of good stuff. My first purchases: Butter London nail color in "Knees Up" (a shade I'd been coveting since this post) and Tarte Cheek Stain in "Flush".

I've been dying to try this cheek stain for like, forever, and finally took the plunge. I'm normally a bronzer girl, but this is cheek color perfection: easy to apply, lasts a long time, isn't sticky at all, and looks just like you have cheeks flushed from the cold!

Model . Crush

2011-11-13T16:45:00.000-08:00

Brazilian model Cintia Dicker. Who do I have to kill to get this girl's hair? Stunning.

All pictures: The Fashion Spot

Fur . Accent

2011-11-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

This was our weather yesterday: overcast, snow, sunshine, clouds, hail, sunshine, blizzard, clouds.

Since Wednesday was sunny most of the day and 60 degrees, yesterday's weather was: (a) unwelcome; and (b) tricky to dress for. These fur accents seem like the perfect compromise for strange weather days - you're not in full-on winter mode, but you won't be all freezy either.

Photos: Stockholm Street Style, and Street Peeper

Move . It

2011-11-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

Today was filled with frustrating people and meetings. So now I only want to look at pretty things. More of this kind of pretty thing here.

Plus, when, oh when is someone going to buy me those glittering Miu Miu booties? Sigh...

Fully . Repurposed

2011-11-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

I've been working on ways to display my jewelry for ages now, trying to find a method that's both practical and pretty. This past week I got the final piece I'd been looking for - a great ring display. And the best part about all of it? Absolutely everything has been re-purposed! It's kind of magical what you can do with some old items and a bit of paint. Plus maybe a staple gun.

The jewelry "area"

Vintage test tube holder spray painted black + glass test tubes to hold the rings

Antlers draped with rhinestone bracelets

A vintage postcard fence holder for earrings -- it even works for clip-ons!

My earlier made necklace frame, created from an antique frame + metal mesh sheeting

A tiny pony, for good measure

Ideal

2011-11-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

via, Sweet Home Style

Question: When you think of your ideal home, what does it look like? Do you think in terms of aesthetics? For instance, yellow siding, Victorian style, pretty windows and doors.... Do you think in terms of features? Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, large yard.... Or is it all about location? In the country, near a park, in the middle of a bustling city....

I must admit, when we were housing hunting about three years ago, I thought of an ideal house almost entirely in terms of features: We need to have two bathrooms. We should have an enclosed front porch. Etc.

Looking back on this, I wonder if this perspective comes from only ever being a renter. As when you're renting, space is the thing that you're concerned most about: how much room are we getting in relation to how much rent we're forking out each month?

Now, while I love the interior space that we have - and our features - I think about houses almost entirely in terms of aesthetics. Of course, with the market such as it is, we won't be selling + buying anytime soon. But it is something that may affect the choice we make whenever we do end up moving.

What about you??

Bedazzled

2011-11-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

{ all }

I seriously couldn't be more thrilled that people are starting to drape themselves in even greater amounts of sequins during the day. Sparkle = the more the merrier! I tend to temper my use of sequins a bit around here, as most girls on campus seem to acquire their entire wardrobes from Victoria's Secret Pink. (True story: at the local grocery store, my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw a college girl wearing VS tap pants as shorts. Look it up ladies: it doesn't matter how good your legs are, those are underwear.)

Anyway, if you're like me and want the shimmer but need to lessen the glitz a bit, here are some options:

☆ A Very Little Bit of Sparkle: { Revlon Gold Coin Nail Polish } + { a gold glitter polish, like Deborah Lippmann's Boom Boom Pow }
☆ A Medium Amount of Sparkle: { Miu Miu Gold Glitter Pumps }
☆ Like, a Lot: { Alice & Olivia Sequin Mini Dress }

Boo!

2011-10-31T15:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone!! We're tucking in with some spooky movies this evening! What are you all up to?? Whatever it is, I hope it's spooktacular!!

Photos: Roll It, my newest favorite Tumblr to browse

Sunday . Morning

2011-10-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Spicy Bloody Mary

+

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast w/Cream and Potato Gratin

= the perfect Sunday Brunch!

Colorway

2011-10-28T05:56:00.000-07:00

I'll take one of everything. Please. Thank you.

{ Top } Fashion Copious and The King is Dead
{ Bottom } Anthropologie and Vogue Paris November 2011

Pale . Blue . Eyes

2011-10-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

{ Top } Fashion Magpie, Tara Sloggett
{ Middle } This Pretty Space, ffffound
{ Bottom } Tara Sloggett, House of Turquoise

Swing . Time

2011-10-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

First of all, no, not swing time like that. Get your mind out of the gutter!

Swing time as in, "Hello my newest vintage coat acquisition." A Lilli Ann Striped Swing Coat! I wasn't really looking for a new coat, but happened upon this on eBay and just couldn't pass it up.

I was on my way out the door and asked B. to quick take a photo with my iPhone. Of course, he tried to make me laugh, and I tried my very very best not to, which resulted in kind of a scrunched up half laugh. Ce la vie...

Looking for a similar coat? Try: {1} A different version of the same coat here from Brown Fox Vintage; {2} A mohair swing coat here from Pretty Little World Vintage; or {3} A leopard swing coat, newly listed on eBay, here

Lacquer

2011-10-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

I go through cycles (cycles = more sophisticated way of saying "phases") where I want to go out and get a lot of one kind of things: coats, bags, shoes, kitchen gadgets, whatever. And then I do, and then move onto the next thing.

Currently I'm a bit obsessed with nail polishes. For at least a month or so, I did nothing with my nails (other than just keep them up, of course). And then recently there's been a little "New colors! New colors!" voice. So I've been changing my nails every couple of days + collecting many new shades.

The Metallics: Revlon's {1} Gold Coin {2} Silver Dollar {3} Copper Penny

The Reds: {1} Chanel Vamp {2} Revlon Frankly Scarlet

The Neutrals: {1} Essie Mamba {2} Chanel Beige Petale {3} Revlon Sheer Nude {4} Essie Marshmallow

The Blacks: {1} Chanel Steel {2} Revlon Black Lingerie {3} Chanel Noir Ceramic

The Neons: {1} Chanel L.A. Sunrise {2} Face Plum Forgot {3} Chanel Mimosa

The Pinks: {1} Revlon Innocent {2} Essie E-Nuf is E-Nuf {3} Chanel Morning Rose {4} Chanel Riviera
{5} Urban Outfitters Pink 1 {6} Chanel Mistral {7} Chanel Melrose

The Glitters: {1} Wet-N-Wild Party of Five Glitters {2} Sally Hanson Strobe Light {3} Maybelline Pink Stars
{4} Maybelline All I Want Is Purple {5} Sinful Queen of Beauty {6} Revlon Facets of Fuchsia

Some of these I've had for some time now (Chanel's Noir Ceramic is my ultimate holy grail polish, and I was lucky enough to find one in Chicago when it was first released), and some are brand spankin' new.

I do also clean out my collection from time-to-time. Sometimes colors catch my eye in the store, but they're not for me. For instance, those pretty little blue colors look oh so lovely in the bottle, but I kind of can't stand them once they're on my nails.

I also know that some people are a smidge intimidated by the cost of the Chanel polishes (they're up to $25.00 a pop), but Chanel makes some seriously drool-worthy colors + the colors don't separate like cheaper polishes do, so you can hang onto them for years and years.

I'm currently coveting "Knees Up" by Butter London, but would love to hear what shades all of you swoon over!

Yeah, so...

2011-10-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

...I've been a very bad blogger this week. Each day I've thought, "I need to write a new post today." And then, clearly, that hasn't happened. I haven't even been particularly busy with other things -- it's just slipped away from me, with no real excuse.

But there's always next week, no?

P.S. -- Has anyone else been watching American Horror Story on F/X? If you haven't been, you should be. It's one of the most ridiculously wicked/dark/creepy/funny/fabulous new shows in awhile. I'm constantly ready for more, more, more.

Photo: Roll It

Calypso

2011-10-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been obsessed with trolling through the fall/winter lookbook at Calypso St. Barth. The site makes winter seem as though it's going to be created by the Sugarplum Fairy. (Which, by the way, if anyone knows how to make that happen, lets get on that!) Somehow sequined maxi dresses and lounge pants make the coming cold weather seem a little more bearable.

Antique . Harvest . Festival

2011-10-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Antique Harvest Festival was lovely, fun, and challenging all in one. The show is spread out across the grounds of a centennial farm - the main home is a completely redone Victorian - with some vendors in the redone farm buildings, and some outdoors.

We were outdoors, as typically in October, you have beautiful sun, a little bit of cooler fall weather, and lots of colorful foliage. We did indeed have all of that yesterday, but as well: 20 - 30 mph gusts of wind. That made for some unique challenges: holding up garment racks of clothes; picking up (again and again) pretty floral decorations; and grabbing up vintage metal tins that would occasionally scatter off of their tables.

All in all though it was a lovely show. I sold a lot of vintage lab ware, + some coats went to new homes! My favorite sale: an older women, probably in her late 70s, who tried on a 1950s wool boucle coat with a ginormous fox fur collar, and then promptly nodded her head to declare that that was "the one."

Home . Lust . Heart . Attack { x2 }

2011-10-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

raking leaves + then jumping into giant leaf piles
martinis outdoors in the evening
taking the dog for walks
reading in the yard on a plaid flannel blanket
going to a nearby orchard to pick apples for pie
morning jogs
having bonfire parties

=

things I'd do if I lived in either of these amazing houses.

Photos: Cape Cod Collegiate and Kezwan on Flickr

Vintage . vs . Runway

2011-10-12T14:11:00.000-07:00

A recent issue of Marie Claire magazine had a fun spread on really vivid pieces for fall. I was immediately attracted to a gorgy bright kelly green sweater coat... until I saw the price tag. The coat, by Les Copains, was listed at $2895.00. Not gonna happen.

The coat was especially a tease as I'd remembered something very similar from a vintage shop in Cleveland... something very similar that I had, of course, not purchased.

Though as luck would have it, it was still there on this last trip!

Mine has a little wear ("character") to it, though as it's virtually the same coat, and substantially less $$$, I'll take it.

Unpacked

2011-10-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

I've had some time this afternoon to unpack and hang a portion of what came back from Cleveland this past weekend -- coats and sweaters galore! A lot of this is headed to a show this coming Saturday & Sunday, so if something catches your eye (and you want more info + photos) let me know -- it could be gone come this weekend!

Cleveland - The Weekend in Instagram

2011-10-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

a late night start // fall, outside the post office // shortcut to the neighbor's
Dali, in a box // giant stuffed animals, enjoying the weather // pretty plants, still in bloom
Cambodian for dinner // glitter skeletons = party! // outside a community garden
vintage heaven // the dresses in vintage heaven // the house where B. grew up

killing . me . softly

2011-10-07T04:48:00.000-07:00

Photos: Emily Carlin, Interior Decline, and tFS

DIY { Metallic Antlers }

2011-10-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Don't really ask me why, but whenever I see antlers going inexpensively at auction, I buy them. If my parents are with me, they're always, "What are you going to do with those?" And my typical response: "I don't know."

But I want them and buy them anyway. So I have kind of a lot of small sets of antlers sitting about my house. Some are in my bathroom -- I drape bracelets over them as a means of both storing and displaying the jewelry. Some are in boxes.

Yesterday I was at the Hobby Lobby looking for stamps, and as happens in all good craft stores, I wandered, at some point ending up standing in front of a whole slew of spray paint. Spray paint that was ON SALE.

Well, what can I spray paint? Antlers. Of course.

What You'll Need: Some old newspapers, ads, paper, etc. + 1 can of glossy spray paint (I used metallic gold) + 1 set of antlers. Total cost: $5.00.

Step 1: Make sure that you've got about an hour - two hours of sunshine on a relatively warm day. Spread out the newspaper outdoors (it's not really a great idea to spray paint inside, fumes what they are and all) and place the antlers on top of the paper.

Shake the spray paint can for about 1 minute, hold the can 10" - 12" away from the antlers, and then spray, trying to cover all of the nooks and crannies.

Step 2: Let the first side dry to the touch, about 20 minutes. Flip the antlers over and repeat step 1 on any unpainted areas. Let dry about an hour.

And there you have it! Shiny antlers!

Other uses for the antlers: wall hanging, holiday tablescapes, secure them to a wall and use as a coat + purse hook.

Emerald

2011-10-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

There's loads of pretty emerald green in the shop now -- the perfect fall color!!

The . New . Feminine

2011-10-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today + tomorrow may be a little light posting-wise; I'm ridiculously sick and doing as little as humanly possible.

Though I did want to pop in and share the new issue of Motif Magazine with everyone. The issue, titled "The New Feminine," is brimming with all kinds of great things about fashion, film, and food, including an interview with yours truly!. (pages 21 - 22.)

The lovely ladies at Motif asked if I'd like to participate in their fall issue, and of course I jumped at the chance!

Happy Monday everyone!

Self . Service

2011-10-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

Lara, Lara, Lara. Gorgeous, as always.

Photos: Self Service Magazine, SS 2011

Favorite . Fall . Street . Style

2011-09-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

Photos: Victoire de Samothrace Tumblr, Le Fashion, Scent of Obsession, and Baby Blackbird

Rose . Byrne

2011-09-29T06:10:00.000-07:00

Rose Byrne is one of my favorite actresses today. I love her on Damages, plus, unlike a lot of other starlets, I think she takes different sorts of roles, so we're not just seeing her as versions of the same thing over and over.

Photos: Muse #27

Fenton . Fallon

2011-09-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

So these crazy//beautiful//ginormous earrings and necklace from Fenton Fallon's spring 2012 line are statement pieces from heaven and I want, want, want them.

Wide . Open . Spaces

2011-09-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

Photos: English Muse, AMM Blog on Flickr, and Walking Around Where the Sidewalk Begins

Grey

2011-09-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

Photos: Grey Magazine, Fall / Winter 11.12

A . to . Z

2011-09-21T05:59:00.000-07:00

Questionnaire time!! I'm pretty sure that I could fill out lists and questionnaires all day, every day. If there were a job that asked you to do that, I do it. This one comes from the lovely Shrimp Salad Circus -- as always, feel free to copy, and leave a link to your answers // posts!

A. Age: If I told you, I'd have to kill you.
B. Bed size: A double-bed from Ikea; + we use the foldout in the living room sometimes when we’re watching a movie and sleepy all at the same time.
C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning the bathtub. If it weren’t for the boy, I’d have to pay someone to come in do just this single thing.
D. Dogs: I have no dogs but really, really, really want one. (Everyone chime in and tell B. how much we need one!)
E. Essential start to your day: Coffee.
F. Favorite color: Blue, today.
G. Gold or Silver: Both. Sparkle.
H. Height: 5'8"
I. Instruments you play: I used to play the clarinet. I was first chair without ever really trying, though I gave up at the start of high school. Queue: missed opportunities and lost chances.
J. Job title: (1) Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures Faculty. (2) Vintage Proprietress (I could just say “store owner,” but it doesn’t have that ring to it)
K. Kids: Nope, nope, nope.
L. Live: Michigan
M. Mother’s name: Cynthia
N. Nicknames: I had the nickname “Muffin” when I was really little, but I’m thinking we’ll leave that one where it lies.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Twice for different surgeries.
P. Pet peeves: People who are rude for no reason - like at the grocery store. What is it about the grocery store that brings out the nastiness in folks?
Q. Quote from a movie: I’m not sure I get this one. Is it just to see if I can remember any quotes at all? Because I’ve got a ways to go before senility kicks in.
R. Right or left handed: Right.
S. Siblings: One brother. Story: I saw him the other night at BluesFest and was talking to a friend, Gail. I told her I hadn’t seen him since May, and she was all, “Oh you should show him around!” And I was like, “He lives here.” Yes, we live 10 minutes apart and I see him every 4-5 months or so.
U. Underwear: Yes.
V. Vegetable you hate: Beets, maybe.
W. What makes you run late: My significant other.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: I’ve had cat scans, and then the super obnoxious ones that they take at the dentist.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Macaroni & Cheese!!!
Z. Zoo animal: Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!

Photo: AngelY on Flickr

kimonos . and . coats

2011-09-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

All in the shop now + more of both coming soon!!

Like . Love

2011-09-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

Photos: My Quilted Heart, and ffffound

Camel

2011-09-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Recommended { save }

Left | JCrew Academy Coat in Sandstone | $325
Right | JCRew Wool Icon Trench in Camel | $325

Recommended { splurge }

Left | Thakoon Wool Blend Trench Coat | $1970
Right | Joseph Wool and Cashmere Blend Coat | $1095

I know that everyone is falling all over themselves to be the brightest and most colorful this fall, but I really think that you can't go wrong with a classic pairing, like a wool blend and soft camel color. Almost any style or silhouette - trench, shawl collar, cape, swing - is going to be the perfect polish to any outfit. Besides, you can always toss on a pair of jewel-tone pants (I like the yacht blue or the bright dahlia) to brighten up the look.

Tip: Look for a vintage fur collar - like this one - to add to your coat in the chillier months. This saves you the $$$ you'd spend on a new coat with fur // you can transfer it easily to other sweaters and coats // and you can find a variety of real or faux, plush or sleek, light or dark

Prague { Mini Post - The Charles Bridge // Karlův most }

2011-09-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

We made it back to Michigan late Friday night after what turned out to be a very long day of traveling: Leave for airport by 8:30am Prague Time // 2.5 hours at the airport // 1.5 hour flight to Amsterdam // 3 hours in Amsterdam // 7.5 hour flight to Detroit // 2 hours in Detroit // 1.5 hour bus ride to Lansing // Arrive at 11:45pm Lansing time, 5:45am Prague time = 22 hours of travel.

Yesterday was pretty much a do-nothing recovery day, though now I'm fairly certain I'm expected to be a productive member of society again. Sigh...

So over the next couple of days I've got a few mini Prague posts that I'll throw up. These photos were all taken on The Charles bridge on our last day in Prague. The bridge is easily one of the most touristy and crowded places in all of the city, but also one of the most beautiful. The statues that line the bridge tower over everyone, and it looks incredible from afar - whether a cloudy day, or lit up at night, there's a reason that everyone flocks to it.

Prague { Part 2 }

2011-09-07T00:05:00.000-07:00

Our hotel - Vila Lanna - from the grounds

Yesterday B. was in conference sessions all day, so I was left to my own devices. I did a pinch of shopping - my favorite was this little antique store. The woman didn't speak any English, and it was just lovely to listen to her talk about these beautiful vintage clothes in Czech.

I also walked about the city a bit more, going through the Old Jewish Quarter, the main square, and then spending some more time along the river.

This morning is filled up with more conference sessions for B., though then I believe we're going to wander up to the castle. The castle is supposed to be impressive in and of itself, but apparently there are magnificent views of the city from high on the hill as well. I've also heard that there's a monastery, + a little restaurant with excellent Czech beer!!

Prague

2011-09-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

+

Blue Cheese & Walnut Quiche // Mushroom & Brie Quiche

So the reason for my busyness and hence lack of posting last week was not only the start of the semester, but also that we were preparing to head to Prague! We just arrived yesterday, and so have only had one day of walking about, but it's difficult not to be impressed with even the little that we've seen.

Prague is beautiful. Everything. Is. Amazing.

All of the streets are cobblestone. There are old churches, copper-topped buildings, stone carvings, and gorgeous bridges everywhere you look. The Senate of the Czech Parliament has tall hedgerows, ornate murals, and walkways lined with the sculptures of Adrian de Vries. Even the Starbucks here is better - they serve ridiculous pastries (apple torte and raspberry cheesecake) + the one we stopped by was housed in an old church.

We only have a few more days - it's a relatively short trip - but if the start is any indication, they'll be wonderful!!

Hot

2011-08-31T16:53:00.000-07:00

Might as well end the hottest month of the year with a sizzling photo // look. Because - while wearing clothes - I don't think it gets much hotter than python cigarette pants, a leather tee, pointy black pumps, and red lipstick. Love all of it.

P.S. -- As you may have noticed, this is my first post this week, and as this week has turned into a whole big commotion of craziness, it may be all that I can squeeze in. If so, I hope everyone's week is going well, and I'll see you next week!! xoxo

Picture: I Know What You Wore Last Season

Night Sky + Cat

2011-08-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

Since Saturday's post was filled with images of a sunny blue sky, Sunday's might as well move to some really lovely nighttime photos of a sneaky little kitty cat.

All photos from the newest blog that I'm reading, A Cat, A book, and A Wardrobe. As well as these pictures, she also has a post on probably the best skirt ever found at a flea market.

Friday . Favorites { but on Saturday }

2011-08-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was mostly taken up with a day long retreat // meeting, and then my ability to do pretty much anything after that was sapped away. So unfortunately blogging fell by the wayside.

On Thursday, however, I went with my mother out to a friend's house in the country to drop off some things, and was pretty stunned by how lovely a simple blue sky with clouds looked. I'm probably not much for country living, but every now and then it seems kind of wonderful.

Coco + Venice

2011-08-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Venice - Behind the Scenes from Coco Rocha on Vimeo.

Some of the flicking back and forth between different moments is a bit spazzy for my taste, but overall this behind the scenes video of a shoot that Coco Rocha did in Venice is just peachy keen.

Re-purpose

2011-08-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

I always love when people take things and use them in ways that are slightly unexpected // certainly not what they're intended for. (One favorite: Theresa's re-purposed cake stand // plate holder.)

The above wooden pallet-turned-succulent garden is something that I've seen in a few different places, and I love. First of all, I adore succulents - they're kind of tiny and you just want to run up and touch them. Secondly, someone has painted this particular pallet shiny black. Shiny black = good.

But I've also read about how to make these (in such a way that neither your plants nor dirt fall right out the bottom), and they involve many steps and garden-y items, and well...

I start to feel a bit like Lorelai Gilmore in the episode where she goes to make instant potatoes from a box, and then is like, "Add water, stir... nope. Way too much work."

... and so I don't have a pallet garden yet. But maybe someday.

Photo: Recycle Art

Up . Close

2011-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Jak & Jill, Street Peeper, Sex Before Bed, and LA Moxie

48 . Things

2011-08-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

I borrowed (see: stole) this questionnaire from newly discovered The Wiegand's. I love lists. I love questionnaires. Love. Feel free to steal it as well, and leave me a link to your post // responses!!

Happy Saturday everyone!!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 10 am

2. How do you like your steak? I don’t eat meat

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema: Crazy, Stupid, Love. Meh. Though between this and Blue Valentine I have a nutso crush on Ryan Gosling.

4. What is your favourite TV show? The Vampire Diaries. ( Can I admit that? )

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Bora Bora or Key West

6. What did you have for breakfast? Special K w/granola, walnuts, raisins, and strawberries

7. What is your favorite food? Sushi or Macaroni & Cheese

8. Foods you dislike? Beets. Sorry beets.

9. Favorite place to eat? Sansu (best. sushi. ever. except for this place in Seoul, but that’s kind of far away.)

10. Favorite dressing? ranch

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? Prius!!

12. What are your favorite clothes? Maxi skirts // dresses

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Cambodia

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Empty.

15. Where would you want to retire? Bora Bora or Key West. Hello redundancy!

16. Favorite time of day? Not the morning. See: question #1

17. Where were you born? Lansing

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Boxing.

19. What is your favorite fragrance? Very Irresistible Givenchy or J’adore Dior

20. What is your favorite face cream? Chanel
** Admission: I read this as "What is your favorite ICE cream?" and didn't realize my mistake until I got to the actual "What is your favorite ice cream?" question, and was like, wait, what? I am currently trying to go sans dessert for awhile, and clearly it's affecting my brain.

21. Favorite baby/kids products? No children, so....

22. People watcher? yes.

23. Are you a morning or night person? See: question #1

24. Do you have any pets? Gerdie, Ivy, and Nico (our kitties!!)

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Fingers crossed but -- I just started saving money to rent a house for a month in the Caribbean next year!!

26. What did you want to be when you were little? An actress or a marine biologist. Obviously, neither of those worked out ;)

27. What is your favorite memory? Hmm... too many to choose from.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? both.

29. Are you married? kind of

30. Always wear your seat belt? yes

31. Been in a car accident? yes. (I’ve had three cars totaled by drunk drivers!! Knock that shit off people!)

32. Any pet peeves? rude people at the grocery store

33. Favorite pizza toppings? tomatoes, feta, asparagus, broccoli, tempe, onions, pineapple....

34. Favorite flower? tulips

35. Favorite ice cream? Cappuccino, but I probably wouldn’t turn many away either!

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? I don’t eat fast food

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? none

38. From whom did you get your last email? Barneys

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Barneys

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? not really

41. Like your job? job #1: meh. job #2: love. I’ll let you figure out which is which.

42. Broccoli? yes!!!

43. What was your favorite vacation? summer trips to the lake. all of them.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? B.

45. What are you listening to right now? Jordi Savall

46. What is your favorite color? green

47. How many tattoos do you have? none.

48. coffe drinker? it’s 8:22pm and I’m still drinking coffee, so, yes.

P.S. -- If you really like questionnaires - which I do - Courtney at My So Called Denver does Fill-In the Blank Friday. She also encourages list stealing :)

P.P.S -- Just added! Links to others' "48 Things" { Karen at Small Earth Vintage // here } { Owlet // here } { Charisse // here }

Friday . Favorites { Random }

2011-08-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Photos: Beauty in Photography, Luce Solare (a now closed Tumblr), Anna Malmberg

Fall . Fashion . Inspiration

2011-08-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

Technically I'm not thinking about fall yet - summer temperatures in Michigan typically last through the beginning of October, so there's very little use in planning out full-on jeans and boots combos. Also, summer could last all year as far as I'm concerned.

But since climate change won't totally kill off all of our seasons for at least another 10 years or so, there's no harm in having a pinch of fall on the brain.

Jewelry: Kelly Wearstler
Street Style: Pinterest ( *If anyone knows which street style blog this came from, please let me know! The Pinterest links just kept looping. )

Focal . Point // Color Explosion

2011-08-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

Photos: Absolutely Beautiful Things, The Girls of Lincoln Park, Small Place Style, and Turquoise, Tulips, and Bliss

Family . Album

2011-08-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

I popped over to my parents' house earlier today and spent some time sneaking through the family album...

Where it all started: my parents getting married! How fabulous is my mom's white suit?! Love it.

Mom + Me at our house on Bates Street

Dad + Me

My mother + her crazy.cool sports car... that she sold!! Boo.

Me sitting with my grandpa Ted. Worried that my parents were letting me drink a can of soda at such a young age? Don't worry. It's beer.

Almost...

Little brother comes along! This is my favorite photo of him - even as a wee tot, he found a way to open the refrigerator.

The bangs, the natural blonde, the perfect messy hair... where are you now hair?!

More . Kimonos

2011-08-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

I can't seem get enough of vintage Japanese kimonos lately. This new group will be photographed promptly and stuck in the shop over the weekend!

Wouldn't it be kind of magical to have a brick & mortar that just had racks and racks of vintage kimonos? Daydreaming...

The . Loot

2011-08-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

I did my share of shopping in Montreal, but really only a teeny pinch of buying. There were things that I saw, but with another big trip on the horizon, travel is certainly more important than things.

That said, I could hardly come home entirely empty handed!

My purchases were limited to jewelry from a couple of different stores in Old Montreal ( a little trinkety store tucked into a cobblestone alley ) and in Downtown Montreal ( the chain, Aldo Accessories ). My favorite is easily the gold armor ring. It runs the whole length of a finger, and I've been wearing it pretty much non-stop!

In . the . Details

2011-08-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

When I've seen photos of couture collections before, I've always been moved by the beauty of the pieces - the fit, the movement, the color, the glamour - all stunning, all works of art.

Yet until I saw the Gaultier collections up close, "work of art" really just meant "very pretty." Without seeing close-ups, it's nearly impossible to appreciate how much work goes into making every.single.garment.

The dress above contained one of my favorite surprises. From even a few feet away, the dress looked as though it was crafted from fur. But no. The entire thing is beaded. All of it. Beaded. How long that would take even the more seasoned couturier, I can hardly imagine.

Another wonderful detail was on this pair of tights - someone had taken a regular pair of tights, and then cut out teeny leather pieces and then stitched them to the tights to make them look like real python skin. My eyes go wide just thinking about it.

Raccoon . Time

2011-08-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

In the middle of Montreal, there is a smallish mountain - Mount Royal. There is an amazing amount that you can do up there: hiking, biking (if you're in, like, triathlon shape), there's a huge old cemetery, a bunch of parks, and then at one outlook, raccoons.

I think you're probably not supposed to feed them, but as they're tame as house pets, + hordes of people go up there with food, that doesn't seem to be a real steadfast rule.

B. and I went up with just a few leftover crusts of bread from lunch and passed out a few morsels. The raccoons sit on their hindquarters and ever so gently take the little pieces from your hand. They're not shy about being grabby either - they'll lean right on you in hopes of getting some more!!

Note: Apparently the city puts out food bait that's been laced with rabies vaccine, as I suspect that "Montreal: Home of Rabid Raccoons" isn't the motto they'd like to have for themselves.

Friday . Favorites

2011-08-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

Both hot tea AND Guiness for brunch. For serious.

Unexpected.Kind of cool shots you get walking on a highway overpass.

Botanical gardens. I want these leafy things everywhere in my house.

Fan.tastic signs all over the place.

A mountain right smack in the middle of a pretty big city.

Teddy Suicide.

Random

2011-08-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we came across a guy in the park doing push-ups. Like, "What do I do with my afternoon? Push-ups in public."

Montreal . et . Jean . Paul . Gaultier

2011-08-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

If my post on Tuesday was a bit lacking of photos, the number of photos that I took yesterday (429) will make up for it. On top of it being a lovely day to walk around the city, we took in the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts at night.

Plus, best surprise of all surprises - yesterday was the start of the Montreal Festival of Fashion and Design, which kicked off with... A Jean Paul Gaultier runway show!!

Getting to see the show meant standing in a very large, very cramped group of people for some time, but good gravy it was worth it. They walked pieces from the couture collections, as well as Fall 2011/12 menswear, and the Fall 2011/12 women's RTW line. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.

I'll have to post photos in batches, so as not to go too crazy all at once though.

The top photos were from the first room of the exhibit. Many of the mannequins throughout had faces projected on them. All of the faces moved (a lot or a little) and some of the mannequins were also speaking or singing. Loved it.

Montreal . Part . Deux

2011-08-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

Today was another lovely day in Montreal. We started out with a slow morning around the house, in which we filled our time with many cups of coffee and cappuccino muffins from the deli around the corner. (Calorie free, right??)

I then (according to him) tricked B. into going shopping at my "fashion-y stores" - I scooped up a couple of inexpensive pieces of jewelry from H&M, but otherwise came away empty handed.

Then we took the Metro back up to Mont-Royal and found some ridiculously well-stocked record stores. I forgot my fancy camera, and so had to make due with the iPhone (a few pictures coming later) and so my prime catch of the day is a snippet of this kind.of.perfect.kind.of.amazing street music - someone playing a jawbone + someone tap dancing? Yes please!!

I hope that everyone else is having a week that's just as smashing! Happy Tuesday!