Instead of Sweet Obsessions this Friday, I just wanted to pop in to share one delicious obsession I have…with toast. Oh wait, that’s not right – I meant with Toast. As in, that marvelously inspiring UK-based clothing & home decor company that completely swept me away with their new Spring ‘10 catalog! It makes me feel so much better – fresh, inspired, optimistic – to gaze into the pages of the Toast catalog while the winter is dragging on endlessly outside my window. It reminds me to take note of the travels and adventures I hope to have. So before we part ways for the weekend, would you like to join me in a little day-dreaming?
Don’t these images – the clothes, the mood, the scenery – make you want to pack a suitcase and head out the door for a trip to a far-flung place right this very minute? Sigh. I feel very lucky to already have many delightful travel memories to savor, and yet there are still so many places I want to go!! You can view the entire Toast collection right here, and do check out their new Toast Travels section, which includes articles, podcasts, and other fun stuff.
So I am signing off for the weekend a wee bit early as I have lots of fun things planned! I’ll be going to the cinema with my sweetie (doesn’t that sound so much more romantic than the movies?) – I’d like to see this, which looks like a visually gorgeous film (the costumes! the scenery!) – enjoying a few nice, leisurely meals, and generally puttering around and relaxing :) Have a lovely weekend, and I thank you so much for choosing to spend a bit of your time here with me; your sweet words and emails really make my day!
Today I am feeling inspired by the offhand, deceptively simple chic of Françoise Hardy, Audrey Tautou, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kirsten Dunst, Audrey Hepburn, and Sofia Coppola. The look is always pulled-together, but a bit relaxed and sometimes rumpled around the edges, as if you just roll out of bed in your Paris flat looking like this every day ;) Are you ready for a little trip through my inspiration board? Oh good, let’s go…
Françoise Hardy doing the trench thing perfectly (image found here), lipstick-red London Sole ballet flats, and a vintage Hermès clutch from Decades.
Audrey Hepburn, Queen of gamine chic (image via Barcelona Cycle Chic), Sofia Coppola’s Louis Vuitton bag (via naebyrd), layered striped top from Anthropologie, and a very chic little girl spied on Burberry’s Art of the Trench.
The charming Audrey Tautou (via A Chick Named Hermia), Charlotte Gainsbourg (via Dress, Design, Decor), gorgeous top and trousers from Lyell (I am drooling over every single piece here, by the way – so, so perfect!), and my ideal jeans, from A.P.C.
So, are you ready to pack a little suitcase and meet me in Paris? He he. We can hunt for treasures in the flea market, visit our favorite museums and little handmade shops, and take plenty of breaks to nibble pastries and sit at chic little sidewalk cafés. Or you can perhaps at least close your eyes for a few minutes today and take a little mental vacation ;). Sound good?
edit: oops! How could I forget this? That classic French nautical striped top above is from Brittany Boutique – they have espadrilles, pea coats, and chic scarves, too!
{images: linked to individual sources above}
Do you love Morelle as much as I do? I have been a fan of her Truffle bags for quite some time, and now Katie, the designer behind Morelle, has a fresh batch of luscious bags ready to ship from her studio in Greece – and a brand new (totally gorgeous) photo shoot to show off the new designs…
…like this amazing multicolored patchwork bag with an across-the-body strap, also made in solid colors like rich forest green or vibrant teal…
…and the new version of the Tulip bag (in the shop soon)…
…or perhaps you are pining for one of the Morchellas in a lovely new shade…
And just as an aside, I was so pleased to see Morelle mentioned in the November issue of InStyle Magazine (Best of the Web) along with some of my other favorite bloggers (oh, like Creature Comforts, for instance – yay Ez!!) and handmade artisans. It just makes me so happy to see passionate, creative individuals like these ladies getting some mainstream media attention. And keep an eye on the Morelle blog – Katie will be opening a new website/shop soon, and I just know it will be gorgeous!
{images: Morelle}
Oh my. Excuse me while I lift my jaw off the table – it’s just that the new collection of home decor, clothes and shoes from UK-based Plümo is simply amazing, and I’ve been sitting here drooling over my keyboard trying to decide which photos to include in this post. Far too many, as it turns out – I literally could have included every single item from their shop, but I was able to edit myself a bit in the end. Plümo has the same exquisite, worldly-feminine kind of vibe as Anthropologie here in the States, but with their own unique flair. And fortunately (or unfortunately, in the case of my wallet) they do ship internationally. Let’s take a look…
Don’t you love that crescent-shaped leather cushion? And the curvaceous coffee pot? The clothes look amazing, too – delicate lacy boleros, silky dresses and all sorts of other goodies for dressing up to the nines. Coming out of the summer months, which are all about casual, outdoor living, I am finding myself looking forward to getting all gussied up and going out on the town this fall and winter – do you know what I mean? And having gorgeously long, flame-red hair like the model in these photos wouldn’t hurt, either! LOL
Some of these things are so unique and lovely, I am very tempted to order something even with the steep cost of shipping to the US! I could see that chubby little faux fur jacket being a staple for tossing over party dresses throughout the fall and winter. See? the rationalizing has already begun! And this whole shop obsession began with those shoes (thanks to Melis), which could jazz up just about any outfit. *sigh*
And then there are the cozy knitted slippers and chunky boots and perfectly roomy leather bags – so unique and lovely, don’t you agree? If you haven’t pined enough, go to the Plümo site for more temptation inspiration.
{images: Plümo}
Yay! If you click over to Melissa Loves right now you can see a peek inside my bag, which I shared for her weekly feature It’s my bag, baby :) This is such a fun idea, and I have really enjoyed reading this feature each week. Below is not my real bag…at least not yet! But I have been drooling over this, so I thought I would share…
It’s the Truffle bag in Plum from Morelle – doesn’t this just look luscious and perfect for Fall?? My awesome sister-in-law, A, recently purchased a Morelle bag, so I got to see (and touch, and drool over) one in person – and let me tell you, they are just as gorgeous and well-made in real life as they look online! Anyway, go visit dear Melissa to peek in my summer bag and do let me know in the comments if there is a bag you are drooling over for Fall – leave links! I would love to see!
{image: Morelle}
Happy Friday, dear friends! I just noticed a little trend forming among my recent favorites – many of them are handmade by artists and crafters living in Australia, so I thought I would pull together a little roundup to share with you. Sound good? Australia is high on my list of places I would love to visit (though I have to admit, there are many, many places I want to go!!) – between the gorgeous beaches and coral reefs, vibrant cities and dramatic landscapes, I’m not sure where I would begin planning a trip! And hello, I love Australian accents! But for now, let’s have a peek at some lovely wares from Sydney, Newcastle and Melbourne…
First up, we have 23rd avenue designs made by Michelle in Sydney. I love the vintage-inspired fabrics she chooses to trim her sweet little purses and button brooches, and her card designs are some of the cutest around. There is one card (not pictured) that reads “Good on ya mum” – any of you know what that means? I’m guessing it must be a typical Australian phrase? And her logo is a silhouette of a girl blowing bubbles – too cute! Go check her out here.
Next we have Vida Style, created by Melissa in Newcastle. Aren’t those cushions tempting you? She uses some really yummy fabrics, like those happy orange ducks which remind me of a vintage British print, and the pink zigzag from Rubie Green, which I love. And that Matryoshka Doll tote would make such a sweet little book bag for a child to carry to the library, don’t you think? You can visit Melissa on Etsy or her website, and peek behind the scenes at what inspires her on her blog.
Finally, we have a sweet jewelry shop by the name of Pretty Peonies based in Melbourne, which is filled with delicate, feminine styles. I adore all of the unique charms used in the jewelry: roses and tiny keys, the Eiffel tower, miniature teapots and mirrors and bows…but I am completely over the moon for that teeny tiny postcard necklace. If you can’t see the writing in the picture, it says “I love you” and there is even a little stamp carved into the brass postcard! Dreamy! You can go see more right here.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this, and I’ll see you back here in a bit with Sweet Obsessions Friday!
{images: linked to individual sources above}
Good morning! I am feeling so much better today, thanks to my afternoon off. I took a nap, tidied up the apartment, and in the evening cooked a nice dinner and enjoyed a glass of wine with B. I think it is really important to recognize when you are not feeling your best, and give yourself permission to have a little down-time instead of feeling the need to runrunrun nonstop, do you agree? And then this morning, I opened the sweetest package containing a gift from dear Michelle – thank you, thank you! Getting packages in the mail makes me feel like a million bucks. So, on with the blog of the week! My pick this week is Emma Thorn of Emma’s Corner – Emma has an amazing sense of style, so if you enjoy street style or are looking for new, original outfit ideas this is a fantastic place to visit. Let’s take a look…
I read a bit about Emma’s background in a recent interview with Antler Magazine and was fascinated to learn that while her mother is Swedish, Emma was born and raised in Spain – so her outlook is a blend of both of those cultures. Even though we are so much more connected these days and many people around the world have access to the same types of things, each culture still has its own unique aesthetic sense and I love seeing how people dress in parts of the world far away from where I am!
I think what I adore most about Emma is that she obviously has a lot of fun with fashion and style – definitely not a “fashion victim”! Each outfit seems to tell a little story, and the photos are completely dreamy. Her blog is mostly in Spanish, but she does post bilingually in Spanish/English quite often, so I’ve found that I can follow along most of the time. And if you took Spanish in school, why not use this as an opportunity to brush up? Much more fun than a textbook!!
Always original, Emma tends to pull together outfits with a mix of vintage pieces, cheap & chic items from chain stores, and a few really special accessories. She reminds me of what fun it was to be a little girl playing dress-up – how nice it would be to capture that feeling again as an adult!
Oh yes, and how can you resist her giant, slobbery dog? So cute. You can check out more at Emma’s Corner.
{images: Emma Thorn}
Beth had the opportunity to start fresh in a new town. Who’s to say she didn’t always call herself Elisabetta and dress in pencil skirts and heels to go to the market? She decided from now on, she would be a woman of mystery.
- Pristine porcelain leather shoes from Dear Golden Vintage
- Softly draped and ruffled pencil skirt from Anthropologie
- Dark amethyst jewelry for your cupboard; also from Anthropologie
- Eccentric colors and classic shapes at Kate Spade
- Slick oxfords from Toast
- The perfect “Why yes, I am visiting from the Sorbonne” outfit; also from Toast
{images: linked to individual sources above}
The new August J. Crew catalog just landed in my mailbox and I was pleased to see that they shot most of it in gorgeous Monterey county, not too far from where I used to live in Santa Cruz. Looking at the lush rolling hills and quirky little cottages that form the backdrop to the catalog made me miss weekends drives up and down the California coast…but it also has me seriously craving a great big Harry Potter-size trunk full of J. Crew clothes (and jewelry, and shoes, and bags, oh my…)
I would literally love to scoop up everything pictured here and then some – well, maybe not the bright pink ankle socks! Cozy coats, crisp little blazers, ruffles and tassels and jewels…
The quality and creativity of the clothes and the styling of the catalogs keeps getting better and better at J. Crew, thanks in large part to Creative Director Jenna Lyons (pictured below, in her office), who just oozes style and vision. If you are at all curious about Jenna (or just want to see more photos of her cool office), check out this interview with the Huffington Post – thank you Jennifer of MadeByGirl for pointing it out :)
So, what do you think of J. Crew lately? Any thoughts? What’s on your wishlist?
{images: Jenna Lyons photo Huffington Post; all others J. Crew}
I came across a lovely Etsy shop yesterday (see: the pajamas in last post), and I want to share a bit more with you today. Sohomode is a vintage-inspired clothing line designed by Louise Hedley in NYC, and if you love vintage fabrics and shapes with a modern touch, I think you will really enjoy this…
There are finished dresses for sale, but for about $20 more, Louise will sew you a custom dress to fit you perfectly. I love the detail and workmanship that goes into each dress (the dresses above and below are all versions of her “tea dress”, which is my favorite), and the sweet vintage fabrics Louise pulls from her stash to create them make me smile.
Oh, and I can’t forget the summer coats! How sweet are those? Lined in emerald satin, they look like just the right weight (not too heavy!) for covering up on a breezy summer night. See more in the Sohomode shop.
{images: Sohomode}
