imlovinit: HEARTS!

 Did I tell you I recently got my ears re-peirced? It was corrective. And, it was very strang to sit at a Claire's Accessories, watching some gump lady botch the job (she really did, but I'm ok) because it was almost exactly like the first time I got my ears pierced, also at a Claire's, 17 years ago, where they botched that original job (hence the correction)... only this time I drove myself, and also, I had my own sweetbabychild with me, who spent the time unwittingly perusing One-Direction merchandise. It was a little surreal--the members of 1-D weren't even born yet when I had my ears pierced the first time, you guys! Anyway, then Chase gave me these most sweetest little baby earrings for my birthday:

Aren't they darling? I put them in and have yet to take them out. Because, I'm pretty sure they go with everything! Especially the sweatpants I wear to work everyday (more on that later). That's the thing about hearts. Depending on the context, they can be sweet, girly, preppy, or non-chalant. And so positive they are! Very summery in the form of lolita-esque heart shaped sunglasses, they've also got a bit of a back-to-school vibe for some reason--maybe they remind me of notebook doodling? Which makes them perfect for this time of year. And what's more, they're everywhere! For example, all over the Burberry a/w 2013 collection:

But alas, I find that hearts follow the same rules as stripes, in terms of wearability: the larger the heart, the more deliberate the print, and the less attractive I find it. The Burberry hearts are all a little... Betty-Boop to me, especially in burgundy and white. You can't have big hearts and a valentines day palette--it's too literal! For me, anyway. That trench is way more wearable, thanks to its neutral tones. Navy is another good way to go, as I find it hard for anything to look silly rendered in that particular, universally appropriate shade. And you have to be careful where you put them: for dresses and accessories, I like a ditzy, dappled application; for tops, I like one heart on its own, in place of a monogram, à la Comme Des Garçons, of course. They're just so sweet, here and there, as a patch or the tiniest jewel.

And, obviously, they're perfection with a stripe!

sort-of-clockwise from top left:

j.crew silk boy shirt; comme des garcons tee and cardigan; jcrew girl's gold locket; juju stud earrings; dorothy perkins beanie; lc lauren conrad skinnies; rochas heeled loafer; comme des garcons eau de toilette; asos jelly coin purse; alice+olivia pony hair clutch; mango dress; mela loves london sundress; alphabet bags washbag

runway images via style.com; collage by me on polyvore

poisons, potions, and pistachios

Have you ever been obsessed with an ingredient? For me, right now, its Pistachio Paste, though in truth, its more of a syrup--which is important, because its liquid glossiness is mainly what I find so compelling (its hard to imagine being enamored of an actual paste) The combination of aforementioned translucent syrup-iness and an evil, disney-villaness shade of emerald is something I find altogether enchanting. Like molten green glass. Like some deadly delicious poison anyone could be tricked into eating, by magic or persuasion--and was there ever anything tastier than an Essence of Nut? Pistachio, praline, almond... O to be a pastry! But, more on that later. Back to the paste. I want to call  it "lurid" even though I know that's not the word at all. And how disappointing! It sounds exactly right, so why can't it be? "Verdant" won't do; its the difference between vegetal and toxic. 

painting, tobias tobera; collage, ben giles; watercolor molecular illustration, david s. goodsell;

japanese lithograph illustrations of Louis Vuitton a/w 2012, jules julien 

Isn't it funny how texture can affect our perception of a color so dramatically? The reason this substance seems sinister must have something to do with my subconscious reaction to the particular combination of sheen, viscosity, and hue.  In an interview I read recently about his new line of cosmetics, Marc Jacobs says that "shiny" is his favorite color. That guy! Though, given my obsession with a can of green syrup, I think I can relate. But why are shiny things so captivating, really? I've got this theory, which I'm sure is not original, that when you break it down, we find most things beautiful because they look like babies, sex, or the food we ate when we still lived in trees (namely, fruit). If that's true, I've answered my own question. Actually, it may even explain why that shiny green seems evil to me: to to my ancient primate brain, the texture says sap, honey and nectar, but the color, even though I'm attracted to it, gives me pause. I mean, maybe, right? Color theory sure runs deep. And, also, its tricky!