cosmic cartography

So Im reading Planet Narnia at the moment, which, without going into too much detail, covers not only my favorite literary chronicles by one of my favorite authors (have you ever read Til We Have Faces??) but also the poetic and mythical purview of a pre-copernican cosmology. Needless to say, its fascinating. Add to that my ongoing obsession with the Zodiac, the recent change in daylight times heralding the approach of spring, and the fact that, over a month after my most recent viewing, I still think of Carl Sagans Cosmos on at least a daily basis, and you will understand why Im currently consumed by thoughts of the heavens. But were it not for all that, I think I would still find these illustrations from Ludwig Preyβingers Astronomic Picture Atlas  completely mesmerizing. 

 Isnt the internet magical? I want these to be everywhere in my life. Believe it or not, this book was published in Germany in 1851; the images were uploaded to The Net by Michael Stoll, a german design professor with a formidable flickr  photostream, who must have used magic (or at least some creative license) because look how glowy they all are! But I first saw them on 50 Watts, an amazing source of bizarre, book-related illustration and design, and one of my favorites to browse of an afternoon. Its the best!

images via here

electric slides

While the outfits themselves are a little too Susie-Bubble-meets-Gwen-Stefani-Circa-1998 for me to imagine actally wearing them, the best part about this editorial--which I saw on the Wildfox blog but about which I know nothing (except that thats Anniek Kortleve with the cool hair, looking sullen)--are, obviously, those nike slide sandals! This may sound stupid, and may actually be stupid, but Ive secretly always wanted a pair! Such a nonchalant, sporty rich-kid afterthought of an accessory, but so appealing to me for all the reasons I just mentioned. I assume it was my (very) modest upbringing that leads me to covet these logo-beladen accoutrements, but thats fodder for another post entirely. Actually, the kids at my jr. high school (the last place I remember seeing these shoes worn with any regularity) favored the adidas equivalent, but it makes no matter to me. But I think I prefer the Nike. 

These belong on the list of effortlessly, confidently, so-what-theyre-ugly cool-girl shoes, alongside Celines hideously controversial fur-lined pool sliders and Ashley Olsens trusty leather birkenstocks, the latter of which Ive also always secretly wanted, albeit in a different model. Sort of an emperors-new-clothing situation, wherein, in this case, the perceived ugliness of a piece belies its retail value, baffling those who couldnt afford it and awarding an apparently higher, more refined sense of aesthetic appreciation to those who can. You know what I mean? Though of course, comfort and function both have a part to play in the decision to purchase any of these. And not that either birkenstocks or nike slides are exorbitantly expensive (good luck convincing my parents to spend twenty-to-fifty dollars on an unnecessary pair of brand-name sandals fifteen years ago) but you get the point. Also contributing to the appeal of these shoes are their pseudo-Zori vibe, which I obviously dig, and the charming, shuffle-y gait they impose when worn. 

images via i♥wildfox, style.com & capture the castle

On Motherhood

One of the hardest parts about being a mother--apart from my apparent inability to talk about anything besides Felix on facebook--is the lack of the kind of solitary alone-time I took so for granted pre-parenthood. Growing up as I did in a house full of siblings (seven, even!) I could at least always go outside, on a walk, or eventually, to the room I got all to myself when my oldest sister moved out. Then after I moved out, even with all the roommates, I always had my own room, or the library, or the coffee shop, or the park, or wherever I wanted--in fact, I almost prefer feeling anonymously alone in public, you know? But having a baby is different. Even though our household currently comprises just the little three of us, my only proper alone time is won after beebeeboy goes to bed (later and later, thanks to daylight savings) and before husboyf gets home from work, if I can even stay up that late (I was fast asleep by 9:30 last night). And forget about losing yourself in your pretend-studying at a cafe of an afternoon; despite Felixs exceptionally well-developed toddler manners, I assume restaurant visits will be a production for at least the next five years. A white-people-problem if ever there was one, to be sure, but one which is amplified by the cabin-fever of late, latest, almost-but-not-quite-yet-springtime winter. Its for these reasons that I respond so strongly to the painting of Clare Elsaesser, who captures faceless females in moments of solitude and reflection. Of course, recurring motifs of vibrant pinky-orange flowers and oceans of green and blue, at once comforting and inspiring, resonate on an aesthetic level, as do titles like Summer Girl, Favorite Place, and My Home is the Sea. Apart from making me miss the ocean, her work reminds me that inner peace and quiet arent reliant on the company you keep, rather the care you take in calming your mind--a good and valuable sentiment always, but for this time of year in particular. 

Doesnt that last one remind you so much of The Poppy Field? Her work is all very evocative of the french impressionist movement, so I think I would like it regardless of subject matter. Also, homegirl obviously appreciates a good stripe, which makes me feel that we must be kindred spirits. Some of Ms. Elsaessers original work is available via her Etsy site, tastesorangey, but she also offers more affordable giclee prints, or even this set of five art-print cards, which as Ive said before, really do make for the best stationary. Check it out!

Red and Blue and Valentino

The other day I mentioned that in my mind, the colors Red and Blue not only evoke nautical associations in my mind, but also somehow have a sort of fairy-tale, mythical vibe. Im not sure quite why this should be, except for that both these colors feel old to me--older, as colors, than any of the rest, and, representing fire and water as they do so clearly, the most symbolic. I spoke earlier of the immortality suggested by the color blue, and I believe that red, representing fire as a momentary phenomenon, shares in that timeless quality, for similar but opposite reasons: fire either is or it isnt--that is, it doesnt age, and as such its representative color must exist, symbolically, outside the passage of time, just as blue does. Theyre both just so cardinal. Do you know what I mean? Anyway Im not sure quite where Im going with this, beyond the meandering conversation Im clearly having with myself at the moment. But as a visual, and to support the point Im making about fairy tales, consider the red and blue looks at Valentino. The whole collection had a wonderful and richly fanciful vibe, and included gowns for ice queens, regal ladies, fair maidens, and the schoolgirls who read about them. And while I still cant quite put my finger on why, Im sure the color palette has a lot to do with establishing the mood .

The braids the models all wore, which of course have their own richly mythical connotations, only reaffirmed the fairy-tale vibe. Its all so Hans Christian Anderson to me (moreso than the Brothers Grimm, in this instance, for reasons I cant explain) and I cant stop looking at it! So Disneys Sleeping Beauty, no?

Purely Magical!

 images via style.com & here

babealertx1000000

Speaking, as I seem to be quite often, of blue.... Freckly prepster schoolboy may not be your ideal boytype, but its sure one of mine. Unlike the rest of the world, I never saw Eddie Redmayne in Les Mis this christmas. But I did see him star as a tragically heartbreaking Angel alongside megababe Gemma Arterton several years ago in a very well-done BBC miniseries adaptation of Tes of the Durbervilles--written, if you didnt already know, by Thomas Hardy, one of my favorite authors (have you ever read Jude the Obscure? I highly recommend it)

Anyway, I believe him to be very dreamy--a sentiment evidenced by his work over at Burberry, especially alongside Cara Delevingne. But did you know about this? Before earning an Art History degree from Cambridge, he wrote his entire undergraduate dissertation on Yves Klein Blue.  

How dreamy is that??? I ask you. Alas, despite his ideal academic background, our love was truly never meant to be--firstly because, as you may know, Im already married. And secondly because I hear hes dating some bitch named Hannah, anyway. Plus he looks like he could be a real jerk, though in my mind he isnt--but I can tell you from experience, you just never know with Cambridge grads!

Its like my grandmother always said, Never Trust a Blonde Boy. It really is good advice--they always break your heart!

images via here, here & here

we need a vacation!

I hate that its always 73 and Sunny on my iphone weather app icon; opening it to get the real forecast is always a disappointment. Why does winter weather make everything so hard? And turn us all into sniveling wet blankets who can only talk about the weather, as if thats all there is. But thats what it feels like, doesnt it?! After approximately a year and a half of living in both seasonal and artificial winter, Ive become obsessed with the weather, with hating the weather--and how terrible, to be obsessed with something officially and notoriously the most boring subject of all time! I feel like, if only it would brighten up I would be so invigorated. A new girl. Ready for anything. Like a normal days work, for example; these days snow and clouds make me want to stay in bed forever. But even after a long and jolly weekend (my work week begins on sunday) and facing a delightfully surprising and completely seasonal warm and sunny forecast today, all I can think of, still, is how Id rather be lounging around at home in my jammies! 

Whats wrong with me???? 

image via wildfox

my blueside

This, the J.Crew March Style Guide, is the perfect argument in favor of wearing all blue, just blue, all the time. All of this stuff is perfect! My favorite thing of all is that quilted floral jacket; I would wear that forever and ever, especially with that little dotty chambray shirt underneath. And the matchstick jeans are also, the perfect thing--oh how I love a Liberty Floral! And what about that silky blouse with the white pipped trim? And the stripe-on-stripe! And the golden pumps! So often blue is paired with silver but I find it looks so much more dynamic and majestic with gold. I kind of hate that J.Crew thinks they can tell us what to wear but also, they always get it right! Fuck those guys!

PS, thanks to all this talk of blue, I cant get this song out of my head. What a welcome blast from the past (for me anyway? I think Chase feels differently)

images via here