Throwback or Throwout?

I am sorry, but I totally called the return of the baja.  It may not have sounded like a fantastic idea, but I was scouring an incense laden lair near Brown University just last October for a striped baja like the one I had back in 1987 (and that my mother threw out as soon as she could).  I didn't find one that met my standards of nostalgia.  Is it possible Tory Burch was in the same store and heard Genevieve and I discussing the baja?

For the record I didn't discuss wearing them with metallic trousers. I'm teetering on the border about this one.

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

'tis the season for a little Spring to reign upon us with the whistle of the first falling leaves...

 Ah yes, It Is Fashion Week.  

Ralph Lauren Spring 2011

 Sadly I am just now taking a gander at what has been gracing the runways of New York for the last few days.  September is a busy time for me; I would love to be bubbling amidst the hub-bub at the epicenter of all creative draping! But I can only for now take a moment to share a little here and there.  Mostly notes for myself about what tricks I appreciate and what I will experiment with later on the pages of my closet and sidewalk runways.

Ralph Lauren Spring 2011 Finale Dress

 Ralph is at it again.  Reinventing and reinspired by all that is American.  Go Ralph.  He has a vision, and it is crystal clear.  Although some of his looks for this Spring 2011 are a touch Annie-Get-Your-Gun, I do love the all-white (love all white all the time); the little Stevie Nicks meets Bergdorf's in the Wild West handmade lace with brown tassled leathers; and always RL's well-practiced juxtapositions like that of a metallic ball gown with gaucho silver belt. Just don't forget our Right to Bare Arms, but do leave the shotguns at home.

Predictable Favorites

Dominic Jones Claw Ring

A few of my favorite accessories right now...always a claw, love something punkish and a Union Jack (brilliant as only McQueen can do R.I.P.), and an animal/insect jewelry piece.  I am predictable. 

Alexander McQueen Union Jack Stud Miniaudiere

Bottega Veneta Scarab Earrings

Fashion Topsider

Alas, the end of summer is creeping in...it is not reflected in the thermometer just yet, but I am longing for some crisp days simmering down into yellowy light. 

With that crispiness comes some great wardrobing options.  AHN sent me these gems tonight and I immediately thought of my friend Michael-Francois who wears a brilliant pair in-season made of grass green canvas. 

The Autumn Deck Shoe

But the distinctly autumn deck shoe assisting in making the transition from necessary summer sporting fashion of topsider to just plain Fashion Topsider? Such subtle brilliance. 

Cutest Chilly Bear Ever

White Bear with Red Scarf

This could be the cutest thing I have seen today.  

It is a brooch, available on etsy by an Irish artist whose username is ememem.

Ahhhhh, I LOVE him. And his little rabbit friends.  Check out her pages on etsy to see more adorable felted wool friends.

Pink

I adore the color pink.  It is my favorite color.  Sure I have had bouts with yellow and orange, and green here and there.  I always come back to pink.  It seems that I choose pink as my favorite color during the happiest times in my life.  I try on other colors as my favorites when I think I need a little break from myself.  

Alas, I always come back to pink...

sign not from the Pink Elephant in beloved Boca Grande, FL...

 In the late 1600s "pink" was used to describe a yellowish pigment, then the most expensive color you could purchase.  George Washington promptly painted rooms at Monticello in vibrant yellow tones.  Eventually "pink" was used to describe a combination of red and white, and therefore was considered a masculine color due to its red origins. No one really knows why the switch occurred in the1940s to pink being considered a "feminine" color. I love a man in a pink shirt, blazer or pants.

"I adore pink. It is the navy blue of India." -Diana Vreeland*

(*I borrowed this from another blog, thank you. I wanted to share it with my blog friends.)

Hello! A pink typewriter is 1000x more chic than a pink Mac!

Reaching Out

Daniel Villegas Opal Ring

How gorgeous is the gold work on this ring?  I feel slightly how this ring looks, more in the abstract jellyfish sense than the elegant, interesting, glowing, solid sort of way...

Eternally Appropriate

I love this skinny little ring.  I have always been partial to the notion of wearing a very thin gold band instead of a stack of this-and-that plus a thumping big stone (personally).  If there are going to be diamonds involved, I think this great little ring by Zoe at Barney's is gorgeous.  $2,200.

...and for the right hand...this ring by Alice Cicolini on Kabiri. 

Love of Paisley

Favorite color? Hot pink, fuschia, neon pink...

Favorite artist? Alexander Calder.

Favorite designer? YSL for handbags, Miu Miu for shoes, Marc for everything.

Favorite jewelry designer? Solange Azagury-Partridge.

Favorite pattern? Liberty of London paisley (below). If I was a pattern, this would be it.
I insisted on paisley wallpaper in my bedroom when I was 15. It was brilliant. The room was reworked before the house was sold. Damn shame what they did to that wallpaper.

Tudor with Liberty Lining, Please

I really love Liberty of London...It seems that Mr. Blahnik has smartly collaborated with Liberty. He will have a pop up shop inside the store selling his divine creations improved only by using Liberty fabrics. Good idea. And you know what? If I was Manolo, I might just live in the store for a bit.

The Art of Observation

I haven't written in a while...but I have the intention to write more starting...now*.

It is my goal this late summer, that will undoubtedly melt into early fall which will feel more like a never ending Indian Summer, to spend a little more time observing. I want to document the details of color, pattern, texture, and composition that inspire me. Most importantly these careful observations, or distractions, cause me to slow down and enjoy where I am...now*. My friend Ali (AHN) took this photo yesterday and shared it with me while we were driving to one of our favorite haunts, The Matouk Outlet, a concrete-floored garden of bed linen splendor. I loved her observation and conscious effort to capture this bed of thread. Ali's observation of detail in a seemingly average still life evokes in me the remembrance that I want to spend a little more time in the present, and some extra time sharing beautiful details.

As for the asterisked now*, consider the word. Now. As soon as you say the word "now" it is already "then". This sounds like a ludicrous rant from Spaceballs the Movie, but Dark Helmet's subordinate (Col. Sandurz) had a good point.

One Way To Use The Perfect Color, Neon Pink...

The utter perfection of this Chanel bag leaves me nearly speechless. Three words: Neon Pink Piping. It is all together 80s flashback and also CBGB punk luxury. As most wonderful treasures are, it is vintage, although I am not sure from when. AHN, a little assistance? I know this gorgeous speciman would not escape your crosshairs...

If This Were My Bed I Would Have No Problem Lying In It

I would get rid of my bed and sleep on this if I could have this incredible ottoman. It is brilliant. Anthropologie, 50th Street, NYC

<...>

I love the words, the font, the paper, and especially the message and the feeling of calm that it evokes in me. I have nothing else to say.

Clean It Up

Part I - Trend topic: tie dye.

On this Earth Day I think it is important to acknowledge the fact that we don't necessarily want to be dirty hippies. It is nice of us to recycle (a law in NYC), hug a tree, be nice to a bird, etc. I love tie dye. I'm going to go ahead and shamelessly say that Vieve and I called this trend in the Fall of 2007. I love it when done in moderation, not in rainbow or with peace signs, and of course when someone brilliantly uses it like the Marni tie dye rug for The Rug Company (cannot find a picture of that yet).

Here is my warning. Use tie dye sparingly. Moderation is key with any trend; let's not waste tie dye or paper. When embracing the trend, be sure to wash your hair, wear shoes in decent repair, maybe don't pair the tie dye tunic with the cut offs (also back in style thanks to Vieve and I speaking it into existence)...

Part II - Clean it up, folks.

My forecast for the next 4-10 months is that we begin to shed the messier looks and go for more tailored pieces. Is it a coincidence that the people whose personal style you admire most are almost always wearing a jacket? The framed bag in all shapes seems fresh compared to the slouchiness of leather trash bags all around us. Stripes, a cousin to tie dye, are always clean and orderly. This look above is great. Comfortable, casual, yet clean and concise. Trend is not driven by some mysterious inspiration (well, some of it is). It is born from boredom and necessity.

Designers are exhausted by the collections they have poured themselves into and often either: a) do it better a second time giving us two+ seasons of similar looks; or b) swing the other way in order to maintain interest in what they are doing.

Necessity plays the part when what is readily available/affordable/interesting becomes a street trend and takes on a life of its own. Please refer to Malcolm Gladwell's fantastic book The Tipping Point for incredible examples of trend and epidemic. He discusses the rise and fall of the Doc Martin trend that will make you see life as a consumer in a whole new light.

Ikat! U-kat! We All Kat for Ikat!

This chair is really wonderful...and wait until I tell you the details! 1. It is from Urban Outfitters online.

2. It is available in four Ikat color combinations total.

3. The delivery charge on it is only an additional $35.

4. The chair is a mere $325!

I really want two of these for my undecorated apartment in Brooklyn. It would be a good start. I'm on the fence because of a slight space issue. Right now if I cannot sleep on it and/or the item does not store something (like oversized sweaters!) it might have to be added to the ongoing "if only" list.

A Texturally Soft Grrrr

Bear rug. Knitted (brilliant). With fangs, also knitted (brilliant and not scary). This is exactly the kind of whimsy I admire the most. I got this off of an email blast, so I don't know who did it, or who owns it. But it is really funny and deserves a little share and a shout out.

Flash Me (Part Deux)

I love lightening. It's beautiful, and the phenomenon is amazing.

(I am also afraid of it although there is some kind of adrenaline high you get during a good boomer) This is just a cool picture...that makes me want to see a good waterfront storm blow around. Happy Spring.

I'm Late! I'm Late!

The new Alice In Wonderland movie has been out for over a month now (I still haven't seen it), and I just discovered this Tom Binns for Disney Couture necklace inspired by the movie. This necklace is a "couture" piece, priced over $1,000 and available I'm-not-sure-where. There are other more affordable and slightly more mainstream Alice jewelry options by Tom Binns available under $250.

I would love to wear this to the tea party I am attending next week. Is there time to assemble such a collection? I may end up teetering on the fashion risk wire and wearing a broken teacup around my neck on a chain.

I Heart Paris, But Brooklyn Is More Affordable

This ring by over-the-top jewelry company Tournaire is also over-the-top in it's pricetag. $13,000 American Dollars. I suppose no one can "own" Paris for less than $13K. The ring could be a bargain depending on how you argue. You have to admire the craftsmanship, and the creativity. I think I would rather be sporting the Brooklyn Bridge ring by Noir as a don to my new 'hood...for the low price of $250 American Dollars.
Back to Tournaire. I'm on the fence about this company. It seems that they will immortalize, in precious metals and gemstones, a McMansion (oops, I mean "dream home") or PowerYacht so that the Trophy Wife can wear a three-dimentional image of the other trophy on her dainty polished hand while she and her Keeper strut about town/resort to remind themselves and others just how important their material possessions may be in the grand scheme of the world economy. Again, I don't really know what to think about this other than it being rather entertaining on this rainy evening. It is a cool concept...I just...more "homes" pictured below.