I wish this was real!

I love this editorial! It's featured in the December issue of French Vogue, by far the best Vogue of the Vogues when it comes to creative fashion editorials, imho. I'm assuming these dolls are meant to be barbies, but it reminds me of the pleasant company catalogue that always came around christmastime when I was a kid. "Valentino" looks just like my dining room! Which one would you choose?!

via trendland

giving the gift of holiday spirit

Now that cyber monday is over, its important to be aware of smart, affordable gifts for one and all. Usually, I just think about all the things that I've wanted to buy all year, for myself and for others.  But now that I have my own home I really love the idea of gifting holiday items. It's fun and jolly!

The first thing I want to mention is the lovely advent calendar, pictured above, that my mum sent for Felix. She got it at the National Gallery in London, and each door opens to a different painting that hangs in the gallery. So sweet! It's nice to have special things you only put out during the holidays. It also makes sense to me that seasonal housewares and decorations make perfect host gifts. Things like this:

nativity nesting dolls $29

felted wool radish ornaments $10 for set of 3

noel, by crabtree and evelyn: the perfect seasonal combination of cedar and spice  (the incense is the best, but they don't even make it anymore)

rim cookie cutter $6.50 for 3

glass oyster ornament $8.99 

striped taper candles--similar here, $24 a pair

the classiest of all christmas albums, about $15 on vinyl

midcentury paper ornaments $8 for set of 2

the most delicious tin of biscuits  

I'm working on some more of these, but it's also coming up on finals week.
In the meantime, here are some gift guides from last christmas past:

the gift of gold
the gift of organization
gifts for the little ones
gifts for the kitchen
gifts for the gentleman 
gifts for the special lady 

like seven inches from the... well, you know

Blimey! It sure is a hot one out there, folks! The whole world is shimmering like a looney-toon desert and I find myself seriously contemplating the prospect of shaving my head approximately once every five minutes. And today seems like it'll be the worst one yet! But because we can't all live our lives in a Light Blue commercial (alas!) allow me to recommend the products that, over the past three months, have become essential to my summer beauty routine, such as it is.

Having indiscriminately sampled an array of dry shampoos (including some higher-end varieties at my local Sephora) I can confidently tell you this one is The Best; very effective as a mid-day refresher, adding mermaid-y volume while combating the adverse effects of sweaty-forehead. Gross. To address your forehead directly, I can't say enough about this toner, you guys! I've been using the rose petal variety for years, but only recently learned that it comes in other flavors: lemon, peach, lavender, medicated... Cucumber (plus aloe!) was an obvious choice for summer, and one I have yet to regret. Supes refreshing, not at all drying. I use it all day long!

But the main problem with which I'm confronted in weather like this is how to reconcile my aversion to antiperspirant with my need for deodorant. I'm not into the application of pore-blocking, potentially toxic aluminum found in every antiperspirant I've ever met, yet it's nearly impossible to find an effective, stand-alone deodorant that isn't made, and scented, specifically for gentlemen. Ten out of twelve months of the year, this delicate english rose can get away with skipping it altogether... unfortunately, this is not one of those months. And so I've adopted a handy trick shared by a dear, well-travelled friend, which is simply to use Tiger Balm! The positive results of this are twofold: not only does its minty, eucalyptus-y scent effectively function as a deodorant, it's has a lovely, tingly cooling effect that really beats the heat! I highly recommend it!

top image from US Vogue July,1993

emoji gewgaw

Oh, hello again. I guess you haven't heard much from me in a while. I think I maybe hate the internet now? But it's more than that. Like, motherhood, you guys. Lately, I'm so busy playing Wendy, Moppet, Blue, or Elly to Felix's Bob, Tom Kitten, Steve, or Pocoyo that it's like I've lost my own point of view. These recent turns as supporting actor, along with my much-earlier-than-most-people's morning work schedule and the disorienting June humidity have together destroyed what remained of my attention span. Which may also explain why I've been increasingly dependent on Emojis as a means of digital expression of late. But I suppose I'm just another product of my own shamefully distracted generation. The People are demanding more and better emojis, and the sundry handful of wingding adaptations recently proffered by the Unicode Consortium apparently isn't enough to sate them; there's a surprising amount of energy being spent campaigning for symbols of hotdogs, cupcakes, and tacos to be added to the collection--even a Petition to Add More Diversity to the Emoji Keyboard, which I find somewhat more credible, as I myself bemoaned a lack of jewish symbols during my stint working with the hasidic community last winter. Pretty serious, I know. Not that I possess the wherewithal to campaign for such things--afterall, we do have letters when pictograms fail us. Still, I find the Emoji library a charming source of aesthetic inspiration. And I'm not the only one! See, for example, last December's Emoji Art & Design Show; my favorite halloween costume from last year; or Alison Chemla's emoji-inspired jewelry line Alison Lou, whose soon-to-be-released 2015 "Coney Island" resort collection perfectly captures the summery, teenaged vibe inherent to the world of emoji, imho

When texting, I prefer the cat-faced emoticons, so for me these circular smileys are more evocative of the silly tee-shirts I wore in middle school in the mid nineties. Similarly, the beach ball charm reminds me of a key chain I had as a girl (only this time, in a good way). My fav is the "ok" gold charm necklace, but at $475 it's still one of the more affordable items in the collection, which has all but sold out already. Who has this kind of disposable income these days?! Teens?!?!?!

forget everything I just said!

All of those ideas were stupid, these are the most magical earrings I've ever seen, and the best mother's day present of all time! Mainly because they're on sale right now at Leif for 55% off their original price. Honestly, even at a discount, this much to much to spend on a mother's day gift (how much are people really supposed to drop on this holiday anyway?) but, aren't they oh so beautiful? 

mothers day gifting, 2014

Mother's Day is a week from tomorrow, you guys! What are you even going to do about it!? Welp, Here are some ideas of mine!

I struggle with the notion that mothers day gifts ought to be domestic, and I don't know if many Modern Mothers truly have time to hang around baking these days. But, Chase gave me one of these pie birds for my very first mother's day, and I thought it was the sweetest most perfect gift! You'll know from personal experience if this is the sort of thing your mother would actually need... $10, Le Creuset

So she isn't the pie-making kind? Rather than suggesting that she prepare you a pastry, how about something a little more functional? I use my Keep Cup every single day, and I bet if she had one, she would too. You can design one in her favorite size and color-combo, or choose the somewhat chicer limited edition cork-and-glass model. Include a gift card to her favorite coffee shop for a more comprehensive offering. From $9.80, KeepCup

Or how about my good old fall-back suggestion, the zippy pouch! I turn to them again and again because, well, ladies love them! There's one for every taste and pricepoint, of course, and you'll have no trouble finding one to suit, but I'm particularly taken with the ones my friend Ogechi makes by hand in Chicago. So chic!  From $50, eyeofthesunoa

I'm so excited to see that Garance Doré has released her own line of stationary! Something about it strikes me as particularly appropriate for mothers-day--so feminine, so stylish! From $4.50, Rifle Paper 

Speaking of feminine and stylish, I just discovered this Etsy site that offers the loveliest hand-made underthings. Sexy and comfortable in equal measure. A floral print always says 'mothers day' to me!

From  $24, Egretta Garzetta

Or tell her she's beautiful with the gift of her own face! Etsy is a great place to find vintage hand mirrors and vanity sets, and you can basically name your own price--I like these ones!

For something a little more modern, this water-resistant sunnylife spearkerbox beach radio is perfect not just for the beach, but for picnics, patios, or anywhere the summer takes her! Keeps smartphones and mp3 devices safe from the elements while allowing you to play your own music anywhere, all summer long! So handy, so cute! $49.99, anthropologie

How about her very own picnic throw blanket to go with it? These are striped to perfection. Go the extra mile and have it monogramed for a mere $8.50, with her initials, or even "mom"! Currently on sale for $39, West Elm

Make it a picnic she'll remember with a box of sea salt caramels from Goumas Confections. You can't possibly go wrong! 

But if you really want to knock her socks off, spring for tickets to that show she's been dying to see. Both paul mccartney and fleetwood mac are currently touring; either are sure to be a hit with mothers across the land! (this mother anyway...)

p.s. Some ideas from last year, and the year before!

a hat for one season

When worn purely For Fashion, I find hats silly and pointless. I don't mean to make blanket statements, but as far as I can tell, the only people who can pull them off are frenchies (see: Jane Birkin, Brigitte Bardot, Clemence Poesy...)

 and the olsen twins, obv.

But there's a time and place for everything, and with summer fast approaching (and with it, my last twenty-something-th birthday) I feel it might be time to take every single magazine's advice and start wearing a sun hat, strictly seasonally, in order to protect my own delicately youthful visage. Because I don't know about you guys but I plan on sunning all summer long--I need it! Only, finding Just The Right Hat isn't always easy. Shape-wise, I'm pretty particular. I look ridiculous in baseball caps, so those are out. I'm afraid anything too nautical would be overkill with the stripes I will invariably be wearing all season long. Fedoras are too structured and indiana-jone-y for my taste, and I feel I'd need considerably more hat-wearing experience to feel comfortable in anything very floppy or wide-brimmed.  It should be made of straw, or raffia, in a neutral color, with as little adornment as possible; something utilitarian, but more safari-goer than gardener.

So to recap, I'm in the market for something understated, summery and soft (but not too soft), with a brim wide enough to block the sun, but not so wide as to make me conspicuous. And wouldn't you know it? The aforementioned Olsen Twins have hit the nail on the head with their recent collaboration with Yestadt Millinery, the results of which topped off The Row's s/s 2014 collection.

A cloche! Of course! Part bee-keeper, part Coco Chanel, equally dramatic and understated, it's everything I could ever want in a hat, and more. Trouble is, these don't appear to be for sale anywhere in the whole internet (though something tells me I couldn't afford it even if they were...) You can buy a similarly-shaped canvas fisherman hat, also by Yestadt Millinery, for $220 at Nordstrom, but that's obviously not going to cut it. So what's a summer girl to do? Googling 'straw cloche' resulted in few tenable options. I did find a couple that might suit, provided that their ribbons are removable, here and here. But by far the closest thing I've been able to find is this pleated straw cloche by Kangol.

Not sure how comfortable I feel spending $46 on a hat, especially one that isn't quite right (the ones for The Row are slightly more belled and asymmetrical, their straw braiding considerably more refined) but I suppose you can't have it all. And wouldn't this look great with my sunglasses? It may just have to do for now. But, I'm still on the lookout for Just the Perfect Thing. Please let me know if you find it! 

omgshoes

speaking of shopping, and fashion, and everything...

Oh, you like my new shoes? What's that you ask? Is that a $495 pair of Jenni Kayne suded D'orsay flats, as seen recently on the likes of such stylish celebrities as Beyoncé, Jessica Alba, and Leandra Medine?

No, but they might as well be! Pretty excited about all of the new-very-favorite items I've acquired on mega-sale recently. Too bad it'll be at least another six weeks until it's warm enough to wear these. And who knows when it will be dry enough!

drop til we shop

 I guess a lot of us have one retailer that seems to 'get' what we're going for, sartorially. For some it's Zara, or Anthropologie, or L.L bean, or whatever. Personally, my love of tidiness and stripes combined with my subliminal urge to overcompensate for my extremely modest upbringing propel me towards J.Crew. It's funny because I don't want to like it, as I sort of see it as a betrayal of my thrifty childhood, not to mention my present-day budget. But I can't seem to help myself... maybe it's just me, but for me, they get it right nearly every single time! Like, a little too right. Like how zeitgeisty can you be? I love it, I hate it. It's a complicated relationship. Because the nearest brick-and-mortar sits a mere two blocks down from (one of) my current places of employ, that's where you'll find me window shopping with an alarming and unwarranted regularity. Though not entirely futile, because I've managed so snag some pretty sweet deals while stalking the sale racks. Like my new very favorite shirt, this surprisingly warm crêpe baseball top, originally $110, which I purchased for the low-low price of something like $26 I think? 

Just my size and everything! Lucky! Most of the time, however, I'm forced to limit myself to knick-knackery (tortoise-shell hair accessories, tortoise-shell phone cases) or nothing at all... did I mention that top was originally $110? But I can't not go in, in case I miss the next Great Deal. It's a frustrating and time-consuming way to shop, and especially stupid because I don't have any money. I guess a lot of people feel the same way, because J.Crew Chairman and CEO Mickey Drexler's recent, vague announcement that we can expect to see prices that are "much more friendly this year" has taken the blogiverse by storm. Only, they were just joking, and we shouldn't expect that at all, because apparently they're not lowering prices, despite a 20% loss in sales last year. Who even knows anyway? If it does happen, I'll be there. I mean, I guess I'll be there anyway. Ah, le Sigh.

What about you guys? What's your retail weakness? Do you even have one??!!?

gifts for the special lady

Because special ladies deserve extra special presents! Don't you agree?

Perfume is sort of a cliché, but that's because it's a luxurious gift that ladies love! Choose her signature scent, or find a new one that captures her personality. Byredo's Gypsy Water, by the super-sexxxy Ben Gorham, is at the top of my list. Starting at an unfortunate $110.

Pajamas are another classic christmas gift. Just pick some especially nice ones--wouldn't she look adorable in these? Very Coco Chanel. $98 

And to keep her from changing out of them, try bringing her her breakfast in bed on this handy reversible acacia serving tray. It doubles as a lap table when you flip it over, which is perfect. $42.88

Top it with one of these super cute one-cup tea sets--or an equally jolly infusion coffee pot, if she prefers! $35-$36. 

Speaking of coffee, isn't this combination bag clip/scoop so handy? Meant for sealing and dispensing coffee grounds, but also good for bags flour or sugar, if she bakes. A perfect stocking stuffer! $8.56

If she's in to stationary, these gold-embellished zodiac birthday cards are just the thing, and so so magical. Set of 12 folded birthday cards (one for each sign) with matching inserts, $36. 

Not sure why this girl looks so glum... this faux-fur snood is the most luxurious thing I can think of, and looks just about as warm as can be! $70 at Topshop (find similar styles for $24.50 at Circles of Softness). 

The Portable Dorothy Parker is a must-read for every modern woman, so if she doesn't have it already, you should buy it for her. No one is wittier or more hilarious--a true role model! This is one of my favorite books of all time! $17.59

This Donna Wilson wool throw is the perfect thing in which to wrap up while she reads. Admittedly pricy, but it is hand knit--in Scotland, even! And so cheeky! $298

Lily Dawson grew up across the street from my grandparents, and guess what: she's making jewelry now! Her pieces are super on-trend, totally affordable, and best of all, absolutely gorgeous! Choose from a range of handmade rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, starting at $10, at Lily Dawson Designs.