Goodie Goodie Gumdrops!

February- What a Strange Month

2009-02-03T19:32:00.012-06:00

Ok folks- I've gotten moved in, but it's still going to be a crazy couple of weeks. I have my birthday coming up, my boyfriend's got a HUGE (read: turning OLD) birthday coming up, there's Valentine's Day, I might be having dental surgery- anyway, posting will be a little bit less than regular for the month of February.

I didn't post my inspiration folder for January and it is bursting at the seams. Get ready for a very image-heavy post of awesome.

Karlie Kloss took a while t0 grow on me ( I hated her her first season on the runway), but she's gained range over the past few years and now I'm really impressed. I also just realized she's in Rodarte in both of these, which may explain the love as well.

Maybe it's the influence of couture week, but I'm loving big poufy dresses lately.

Fantastical settings. If you haven't seen the editorial from Vogue UK that this Helena Bonham Carter photos is from, you should search for it ASAP. It's based on Roald Dahl's children's stories, and it's one of my favorites in a long time. I highly recommend it.

What Are You Doing Here?

2009-01-26T22:57:00.005-06:00

IT'S COUTURE WEEK.

Take yourself over to style.com

Oh, and I'm moving this week, so posting will be sporadic.

Thought for the Day

2009-01-23T13:48:00.004-06:00

I hate snakes. HATE THEM. I live in an area where snakes are fairly common, and my reaction on seeing one is to go into full crying hysterics and scream things like, "Kill it! Kill it with fire!". I even have a hard time looking at pictures of snakes. I recently found two pieces that are snakeskin that I actually coveted though. Can I actually have snakeskin that close to my body without turning into a shrieking mess? Will somebody buy these for me so that I can find out?

VBH python bag

Prada whipsnake and python heels

I Smell Like a Man

2009-01-15T21:33:00.008-06:00

Note: GAH! I wrote this post almost a week ago and pressed Save instead of Publish so I've just been twiddling along congratulating myself on posting more regularly and generally being a dummy!

I've been wearing the same perfume for about four years, so when I had a little extra money after Christmas, I decided to head to Sephora to try some new ones out and maybe pick up some new makeup while I was at it. As I was wandering around looking for Dior mascara (note to ladies with green or green-flecked eyes: Deep Plum Diorshow Mascara is your new best friend), I decided to play in the men's cologne. It was my Goldilocks moment. John Varvatos cologne smelled like a very manly library on the test strip- too woodsy. Hermes Terre d'Hermes smelled like the forest- too outdoorsy. When I sprayed Prada Infusion d'Homme on the test strip, I was instantly intrigued. It smelled clean and fresh. I'm no expert when it comes to fragrance "notes" but this review on Now Smell This really gives a great summary for those who understand those kind of things better than me.

So there I was, wandering around Sephora, trying to figure out what guy in my life was going to be lucky enough to get some new cologne, when all of a sudden it hit me- dude, I wanted this cologne! I put a little on my skin, cruised around Sephora for a little while longer, and then took a sniff- perfection! It was everything I like in a scent: a little citrus-y, a little water-y, very clean, and yet not overly manly (or even worse in my book, overly girly) at all. I had to have it!

I got home, and there lay the real test- what would the boyfriend think? Generally I don't wear perfume very often, and he's not a cologne guy either, so I knew that a new smell on me would garner a reaction. But would he think I smelled like another man? Or would he even suspect I was wearing cologne? Within moments of our first hug, he commented that I "smelled nice". Once we had settled in a little, I made him smell my wrist- and then couldn't get him to quit sniffing it! He really liked the smell that much. He was a little confused when I told him I was wearing cologne, but was still really into it.

Lesson for my ladies- go play in the men's aisles. Don't be afraid to try on their smells. Yes, some would have you smelling a little too much like your dad, but give it a shot- you may find your next signature scent there.

I've Been Gone WAY Too Long

2009-01-14T21:53:00.010-06:00

Sorry for the unintentional extended absence folks- I got the stomach virus around Christmas time and then went to visit the boyfriend's family for the first time at the end of the year. (Note to self: thirteen hour roadtrips in the backseat with two large Labs are not so fun.) Anyway, there's a whole lot that I want to write about now that I'm back, beginning with an editorial from a magazine that is more practical than aspirational.

InStyle Magazine really hit the mark with its styling of Keri Russell in their January issue. I'm pretty bummed nobody gave me what I really wanted for Christmas (an unlimited lifetime shopping allowance- seriously guys, where were you on that one?), because if they had I would definitely dress like this all the time. It's the perfect mix of masculine touches with an overall girly feel. I'm going to try to look to this shoot for inspiration for my winter wear since its finally gotten slightly colder here in the Deep South. Keep up the good work, InStyle! Maybe you'll finally tempt me to get a subscription this year.

Christmas Presents of Inspiration

2008-12-25T16:35:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas Everybody! My inspiration folder for December is really full, so I thought y'all would enjoy getting to take a peek at what's been exciting for me this month.

Amazing black and white photos.

Beautiful makeup photos. I love the big experimental makeup looks.

Childhood Daydreams Come to Life

2008-12-15T03:11:00.007-06:00

This may be too obscure for some people, but did anyone else read Maurice Sendak books when they were a kid? Holy hell was I obsessed with these books! I think I had every one ever written, and some of them are still on my shelves today. Every last one of those books is absolutely on its last legs from being read and re-read so often. If you have not read these books, I'm telling you right now, add these and this to your Christmas list now. I don't care how old you are, and if you think you're too cool for kids' books- you probably read Harry Potter, and these books are so much cooler than Harry will ever be.

When I found out that they were making a movie of Where the Wild Things Are, I was ecstatic. When I found out Spike Jonze was directing it, I did my happy dance with glee. And then when I saw these stills from the movie that were recently released- well, I almost passed out with

giddiness.

I don't think I've been this excited about the release of a movie ever. I will be there on opening day to see this one.

The only thing that concerns me (and kinda makes me laugh a little) is that at screenings, evidently kids were running out crying and screaming. Obviously, this makes the studios a little nervous, so the film has supposedly done some reshoots and editing to make it more kid-friendly. But I don't want kid-friendly. These books are intentionally weird- that's what I loved about them as a little weirdo kid, and that's what makes me return to them as an adult. I hope that there will be a DVD release of the original version, and I really hope that the new version hasn't been too kiddie-fied to make it unrecognizable to its original fans.

In short, buy Maurice Sendak books NOW, and get yourself educated in the awesome weirdness before this movie is released. I'll see you on opening night- I'll be the one yelling "Let the wild rumpus start!" and wearing my crown.

Burberry Pre-Fall 2009

2008-12-09T21:44:00.007-06:00

Christopher Bailey KILLED it with this collection. Usually I don't do pictures from just one collection, but this one was too good not to share. Plus he included more of the pants like the ones I'm coveting from this post, but in a great fall fabric. He also made those weird bucket hats from the spring show work. What have been your favorite pre-fall collections so far?

Inspiration Folder for November

2008-11-19T01:56:00.011-06:00

I keep an inspiration folder on my desktop that I fill with images that I pull from all over the internet. They're from websites, emails, ads, editorials, basically anything that I can find. Anyway, to make some space I've been trying to organize them, but I thought that I'd show y'all what has caught my interest lately. These have all been pulled over the last month.

This photo is currently my background on my computer. It reminds me of the place I went to camp as a kid.

Getting in the holiday spirit.

Moody glamour. I never realized the similarities in color and lighting until I put these all together.

Devon Aoki and Daphne Guiness in Chanel.

The Lion, the Witch, and Stuff I Need in My Wardrobe

2008-11-14T01:24:00.007-06:00

The other day, someone on another blog posed the question, "What five things do you wish you could add to your wardrobe this fall?" I thought about it, and came up with more than five, and I thought I'd share them with you.

This looks like a pirate took on the ubiquitous fall blazer. I mean that in the most awesome way possible.

Coming Soon by Yohji Yamamoto

The chicest sweater/sweatshirt combo you'll ever see.

Hogan by Thakoon

I love the hood on this jacket.

Ever

This may be the coolest purse ever. That's not hyperbole either... COOLEST. EVER.

Alessandro Dell'Acqua

If you saw these on the runway, you know they make your legs look a gazillion miles long. When you're 5'3", that makes them a must-have.

Burberry Prorsum

Could these be any cooler? I dare you to find a way.

Christian Louboutin

I need a black tie event that I can wear this dress to ASAP. I'm not sure I'd ever take it off.

Alexander McQueen

Thank you, America

2008-11-05T05:31:00.003-06:00

Random, but Funny

2008-11-02T20:23:00.002-06:00

If you have a dog, you will understand why this is so funny. FYI, this dog is eleven months old.

Why, Topshop, Why?

2008-10-28T00:27:00.004-05:00

For Christmas, my dad and stepmother are taking my brother and I to New York City. I'm really excited about this for lots of reasons, but I was really excited that the US Topshop would be open in time for my visit. Instead, Topshop in New York won't open until spring 2009. Why must you break my heart?

Instead, I'm stuck e-shopping the topshop.com website. Look at these two beautiful booties I found.

I realize that this are total Louboutin wanna-bes, but they're also beautiful, so I'm trying to tell myself I don't care.

These are YSL-esque in the best way possible. I think I'm in love.

Ladies and Gentlemen...

2008-10-17T15:14:00.002-05:00

May I interrupt your day to bring you this HOLY CRAP THIS IS F*ING GORGEOUS moment.

That is all. Resume your activities.

Quick Notes....

2008-10-16T20:49:00.002-05:00

Sorry folks, I know I've been absent lately, but I've been having some medical issues that are pretty much taking up all of my time getting figured out.

However, big news:

1. I'm getting my camera fixed. While I refuse to turn this into a "what I wore today" blog (mostly because you'd see a lot of t-shirts and jeans- I don't feel like getting glamorous when I'm sick), lately I've had the urge to take some snaps of stuff around my house for you to check out.

2. I'm going to learn Photoshop so that I can collage stuff for y'all. Does anyone know of good tutorials online? I'm looking at probably using Photoshop Elements, if that helps any.

An awesome picture to tide you over until I can get my ass back in gear, from Vogue China (not sure of the issue, but it was this summer prior to the Olympics):

Two Quick Questions...

2008-09-24T21:21:00.003-05:00

1. I'm slow with the updating lately because I've been having a hard time getting the pictures on style.com to load. Is anyone else having this problem, or is it just my computer?

2. I feel like such a loser for asking this, but does anyone have an invite for the Fashion Spot forums? There have been several occasions where I've wanted to ask questions that I feel like could be best answered there, but I don't know who to turn to other than my favorite readers! I'll send you something awesome in return... although I have no idea what it will be yet.

Thanks to you all!

Edit: Thanks Wendy!

The Story of My Disappearance

2008-09-17T23:43:00.003-05:00

If you follow this blog, you may have noticed that I dropped off the map for a couple of days towards the end of New York Fashion Week. I didn't gush about the Oscar show (classic and flawlesss, as usual) or tell you about my favorites (Boy, Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs). If I could, I would spend the next few weeks going through the detail and beauty shots of all of the shows (and if you haven't, you must go through the detail shots of the Marc show because there is so much to look at and take in and it's all gorgeous!), but instead I took a break for something special!

I was lucky enough to grow up in BB King's hometown, and so I've been able to see this amazing performer in concert since I was barely old enough to walk. This weekend was the grand opening of the museum built in his honor, and I went home to celebrate. It was an especially big weekend because, once upon a time, I worked for the museum when it was just in its infancy.

Let me tell you, a lot has changed. People, this place is amazing. Indianola, Misssisssippi is a town of about 12,000 people, but the museum could easily stand next to any museum in Atlanta, New Orleans, or any major city. Everything is absolutely beautiful, the displays are all fascinating, and you really come away feeling like you understand the story of his life and how incredible it is that a man who started in smalltown Mississippi has millions of fans throughout the world. Check out this article in USA Today about the opening of the museum..

We also got to go to the gala opening, where we saw Keb' Mo' , Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and others share the stage and play an incredible, once in a lifetime performance that absolutely blew everyone away. It's truly a performance that I will be telling my grandchildren about one day.

I hope that if you are a fan of the blues, or just of music in general, that you'll go check out the museum. Find out more about it here.

Congrats on your opening, L!

Has This Ever Happened to You?

2008-09-17T01:49:00.003-05:00

I can't be the only one who has spilled nail polish on their carpet? It's truly a moment of panic, especially if you're like me and you rent your house. I just dumped about half a bottle of dark plum polish on my (rented) cream-colored carpet. What did I do? The same thing most of my generation would do... I Googled! And guess what? IT WORKED! Plus, the ingredients used in the stain remover can be found around your home.

If this ever happens to you, here's a solution that worked on my carpet:

1. DO NOT APPLY NAIL POLISH REMOVER. This will only smear the polish around your carpet. I would have had much less to clean up if I hadn't immediately tried polish remover.

2. Coat the stain in rubbing alcohol. If you have a spare toothbrush laying around, use it to scrub the liquid all the way down to the base of the carpet weave. If not, you can also use your finger.

3. Blot the excessive liquid up with a towel.

4. Spray the stain with Windex (I used Windex brand, so all I can do is guarantee that this type of window cleaner works), then scrub it in with the toothbrush/finger. Blot up the foam with a towel.

5. Cover the stain with hot water, and blot.

6. Alternate between Windex and hot water until the stain is out!

Tomorrow I'll be back with an awesome post about why I suddenly disappeared in the middle of Fashion Week! Something unusual but special for the music fans.

*I can only vouch for this method working on a light-colored carpet. I'd try this in a tiny little corner to be sure that this doesn't cause discoloration on your carpet!

** If you're curious, I spilled about an hour ago. My carpet had a deep purple stain. It now looks like this:

WOOHOO!

A Plea to NY Desginers...

2008-09-10T09:09:00.002-05:00

Can you please quit messing with the model's eyebrows? So far I've seen metallics, blues, and completely bleached eyebrows on the runway. Really, it's quite distracting, and it's not a trend that many (if anyone) is going to try off the runway. So stop. Thanks!

P.S. Quit with the jumpsuits while you're at it.

OPI for Sephora

2008-09-08T02:16:00.007-05:00

It'll be a quick post tonight because I've got an early doctor's appointment in the morning. I've added some more pictures to my lookbook since yesterday. I really loved all of the Boy by Band of Outsiders clothes, so if anyone wants to buy me early birthday/Christmast presents, that collection would be great.

I do want to rave about the Sephora by OPI polish. I bought two bottles this past week because of the great color selection. Right now I'm wearing Run With It! on my nails, which is a a really beautiful neutral with an an edge and works surprisingly well with fair skin. I've also got Meet for Drinks on my toes. It reads as a metallic purple against my skin, which is great for fall. While the colors are fantastic (I'm dying to try Metro Chic once it's back in stock - in the meantime I'll be using You Don't Know Jacques! as a substitute), it's the longevity of the polish that amazes me. I usually get chips in my polish within the first eight hours of giving myself a manicure, but I've had this polish on for going on five days without a chip in my tips or toes. I used my regular base and topcoats, so it seems that this polish is a good one. Is anyone else using this polish? Did anyone get their hands on Metro Chic? Let me know what your thoughts on this polish is.

P.S. Congrats to Rumi over at Fashion Toast for her amazing Fashion Week luck! Erin Wasson for RVCA party, Alexander Wang's show, and then being featured on the Sartorialist... what awesome luck!

NY Fashion Week

2008-09-06T21:14:00.003-05:00

This season, I'm doing something different. Instead of describing all of the things that I've been lusting over, I'm going to start a lookbook on style.com. If you're interested in checking out what's looking good to me this season, you can search for gumdropsdaily under public lookbooks.

As far as things I'm seeing this season:

-While the models are still mostly white, it seems like I'm seeing a few more models of colors on the runway this season. I'm hoping that this will continue as the major names start their shows and into Europe.

-I'm seeing more rompers and jumpsuits on the runway. Did these really sell well enough to make them worth showing again this season?

-Colors are back! Yay! Things seem to be either brightly colored or black/grey and white/cream. Very few pastels (except for at Erin Featherston) or the neutrals we saw last season.

-Blazers and leather jackets are the new cardigans. Blazers are worn with the sleeves pushed up towards the elbows. Leather jackets are shrunken bombers instead of the biker jackets that we saw in the fall.

-Big, chunky, sternum-length necklaces are all over the place.

I'll be back tomorrow with more reports. Enjoy!

It's About Damn Time

2008-08-20T00:42:00.002-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I am BAAAACK!

And just in time for fashion week... how lucky are you?

I'll be back tomorrow with official reporting - mark your calendar.

Taking a break

2008-06-26T13:37:00.001-05:00

So my computer is fried and I'm forced to rely on computers at the public library right now, which means that I'll be back up and running as soon as I can! I promise to return as soon as I have a reliable, PERSONAL computer, so keep checking back periodically. In the meantime, check out some of the links on my page for other good reads!

Sex and the Clothes

2008-05-31T23:44:00.013-05:00

No, I haven't seen Sex and the City. Yet. In fact, I probably will wait until I can Netflix it. To be honest, I kinda feel like it's being shoved down my throat everywhere I go - the TV ads, the write-ups on the blogs... it feels like everyone's losing their shit over this movie. I can't imagine going the first week either. I don't want to sit in a theater with a bunch of what Jezebel has dubbed "Scary Sadshaws" (you know, the girls who watch the show and say "I am so a Samantha! This is so like my life!" even though they're all of seventeen and think that Juicy Couture terrycloth pants count as designer gear). Let's be honest... the whole point of SATC was that it wasn't like anyone's life. Nobody could live on Carrie's salary and afford all those clothes. Nobody's sex life involves that many "zany hijinks". In my opinion, what people really responded to was the frank discussion of sex (yes, girls do kiss and tell) and the relationship between the girls. But why people really watched was the fashion. And to be honest, I could care less about the plotline to the movie. I'm pretty sure I could watch the movie on mute. I just want to see the clothes.

Now that I've told you about how I'm tired of hearing about that damn movie, here I am writing about it!

What I was really impressed by, however, was the styling for the Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie in Vogue in Sex and the City (try to keep up!). I think Andre Leon Talley did the styling, and I know Annie Leibovitz shot the photos. They're fantastic. Take a look at some of my favorites.

Nina Ricci (who also did SJP's gorgeous NYC premiere dress)

Alexander McQueen (who also did her London premiere dress, which I loved... and yes, I adored her Philip Treacy hat too- it was a great Isabella Blow nod)

Marchesa (who can do no wrong in my book)

Dolce & Gabbana (who I've been really impressed with lately)

If these clothes are an indicator of the fashion in the movie, then I'll be really impressed.

Thought for the Day

2008-05-30T23:58:00.006-05:00

I saw this chair in a magazine (Elle?) forever ago and haven't been able to get it out of my mind since. It's from Anthropologie, which means that it's way out of my price range. It also goes with nothing anywhere in my house. Yet it's calling me to buy it. Help?

I found it!

2008-05-25T00:47:00.005-05:00

Remember when I said I was searching for the perfect T-shirt dress? Well, I found it... in theory.

I haven't tried this on yet, but I think that it could be perfect! Target strikes again with the awesomeness.

Amelie, the Badass

2008-05-22T00:42:00.008-05:00

I always thought superheroes were awesome. They get to have two identities that get two very different types of outfits. There's the everyday wear, and then there's what I like to think of as their badass gear. That's why this year's Met Costume Institute gala's theme "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" was so awesome. I'm really hoping to get up to NYC to see it before it closes in September.

My fashion sense seems to have an alter ego. I talked about her a little bit in this post, but she would be called Amelie and she's a Parisian risk taker. She's the one who can rock the leather. She's the one who wants to mix Rodarte with Balenciaga and would look awesome doing it. Amelie is the one who thinks Prada can totally be wearable in Mississippi. She thinks Georgina Sparks' wardrobe from Gossip Girl is the epitome of cool. And she once considered the feasibility of lame leggings in a Southern summer (luckily I stepped in and told her that was not a good idea).

So when I was searching through the Shopbop sales the other day and stumbled across these shoes, Amelie was the one who lusted over them.

SO friggin COOL. They remind me a lot of the AW08 Givenchy collection. I can totally see these worn with the Parisian outfit from my earlier post. I can also see Gwenyth Paltrow's walking the red carpet for Iron Man in these shoes (the girl has been wearing amazing shoes to the premieres lately!). They also come in a nude color that is equally as fierce.

Personally I (I mean Amelie) think that these would be hot with this outfit.

The girl who can rock this outfit is my hero.

So from now on, Amelie will be making guest posts occasionally. Get excited. She's pretty awesome.

The dress, finally

2008-05-20T21:52:00.006-05:00

I'm back, finally.

The dog has made his triumphant return to my boyfriend's. He's feeling much better and is up and about now. He's lost a lot of weight and is still a little shaky on his legs, but he is ready to take on squirrels just as soon as we'll let him. Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes.

So now, about that dress:

I'm typically not a Roberto Cavalli fan. I'm not one of those people who can pull off the luxe hippie look, and I'm certainly not somebody who can wear clothes that just ooze sex from every seam, so usually his stuff is a little too much for me. However, he seems to have read my post about Chihuly-inspired dressing with this dress.

Same color scheme, same long brushstrokes, same nature-inspired theme (Chihuly's is based on reeds, Cavalli's is based on the interior of a flower)... I kind of love it, even though I don't want to. Here's another picture:

While I hate the cut of the top (there's no way that can be flattering on anyone), the bottom is just so damn great that I can't stop obsessing. Would it be blasphemy to cut up a designer dress and rework the top?

Roberto, you're welcome for the inspiration. If you'd like to refer to me as your muse in the press, that would be just fine by me as long as I get an in-house discount. That sounds like a fair exchange, right?

GOOD NEWS!

2008-05-16T02:13:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes to our dog. It seems to have helped! We are expecting to bring a much healthier (if not totally mended) puppy back to our house late this afternoon, and we could not be more excited. I even bought doggy ice cream!

I should be back to our regularly scheduled blogging tomorrow with a report of a Chihuly-esque dress from a designer that usually makes me shudder.

Apologies and favors

2008-05-13T01:55:00.004-05:00

Guys... I'm sorry I've been away so long and I promise to return to posting as soon as I can. The boyfriend's dog has been extremely sick and so we're going down a really difficult road right now.We're starting to see hopeful signs, but not quite the turnaround that we've been hoping for yet.

I'm not one to ask for prayers, but I will ask that you will keep us in your thoughts over the next few days. This dog means a tremendous amount to my boyfriend, and I've become very strongly attached to him as well. Please send him good wishes and a full recovery.

Obsessing over Obsessive Consumption

2008-04-22T01:15:00.010-05:00

I buy a lot of stuff. You know, the stuff that you don't need, but then you get to the endcap of an aisle and there's this amazing product that you didn't realize you needed until THAT VERY SECOND and suddenly it's in your basket and then OH GOODY there's another thing that you hadn't planned on buying and suddenly you're at the register and you just stopped in to buy butter but somehow you've spent $200? That happens to me. A lot. In fact, I think i just described every trip to Target ever (unless I'm with the boyfriend, who I think would go through there at a dead sprint if he could).

Anyway, I'm not alone in this. Kate Bingaman-Burt buys stuff too, but instead of just freaking out over it later, she draws it for a monthly magazine, Obsessive Consumption.

I first found Bingaman-Burt's work through 20x200.com. She chronicles all of her purchases for a month and then binds them into tiny 'zines that she sells on her Etsy store. For example, when she bought Girl Scout cookies (yum!), she drew this:

Then when she filled up with gas the next day, she drew this:

And so on until she gets to the end of the month (PS remember when gas was $2.36? Ah the good old days!).

I think her whole concept is really cool. It's an interesting way to look at where all our money goes, because like so many of us, a lot of hers goes to stuff.

Look around her website and tell me what you think. Oh, and if you purchase anything off her store remember this - You are not buying more stuff, you are buying art.

P.S. She's also totally kickass because she's currently living in Mississippi!

GO GO Target GO!

2008-04-20T21:38:00.006-05:00

Hello, my name is Emily, and I am a Targetaholic. No, really, it's an issue.

For example, I'm addicted to the GO International collections. I have stuff from the Paul and Joe collection, the Behnaz collection, and I bought a TON of pieces from the Libertine collection. However, I've not been super-impressed with the quality of the most recent collections.

So then the other day I ran into Target to get a razor (because when you gross yourself out, it's time to shave), and I ran across the latest collection. This collection was done by Target's in-house design team, so I hadn't really given it a whole lot of attention up until that point. Let me tell you this now: it may be my favorite collection so far.

And now for show and tell about the stuff I got!

This top may not look like anything special, but let me explain why it is:

1. This picture doesn't do justice to it, but the color is a really beautiful, slightly-darker-than- royal blue.

2. Pleats along the chest are difficult for those of us with....ahh.... bountiful chests to wear. Sometimes they manage to make your boobs look like shelves that you could serve meals off of. Sometimes they make you like pregnant. This manages to do neither of the above, and also manages to conceal a bit of a tummy.

3. My favorite part - the racerback!

I truly believe that the racerback is the most underrated sexy back to a piece of clothing. It's also incredibly flattering to almost everyone - very few people think that they have fat shoulderblades.

I love, love, love this top! I've written about how much I love ombre before. This shirt also reminds me somewhat of Rodarte's S/S collection. This picture does a bad job of showing it, but there's a really beautiful sea green on the right side that then fades into a light coral/peach, and then the grey. It's just an amazingly beautiful shirt.

Seeing this collection makes me hopeful for Rogan's collection, which should hit stores May 15. Plus it's eco-friendly!

Finally, if you're as Target-obsessed as I am, know that we are not alone. Check out Slave to Target for moral support (or shopping inspiration).

I'll be back tomorrow...

2008-04-19T23:22:00.005-05:00

In the meantime, let's all fawn over this library:

I think that this is the national library in Amsterdam, but I'm pretty sure that with the addition of a comfy chair, I might be tempted to move in.

Back to regularly scheduled fashion overload tomorrow!

My life is a sitcom

2008-04-10T21:47:00.009-05:00

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes on meeting the boyfriend's dad. Things went well and I hope that he liked me as much as I like him.

I promise to return to our regularly scheduled blogging soon, but let me give you an idea of what my day went like:

I got sick, then

My brother's cat kicked my ass (I'm covered in scratches and puncture wounds), then

On my drive home, my brakes (which have been acting shitty for a while) made it clear that they must be repaired tomorrow or else (and no, I didn't hit a tree, thank goodness). So THEN

There's a fifty foot tree down in my backyard. And it's taken out two hunks of my fence.

So basically I have a few minor crises to deal with before I can tell y'all about my recent beauty purchases and such. I promise good stuff when I return though!

Art and News

2008-04-01T23:19:00.005-05:00

When I turned 21 (once up a time...) my mother gave me this painting as my birthday present. I had seen this painting (River Reeds by Dale Chihuly) many many years ago, and so I knew when I picked this piece as my gift, it would be a gift that I would enjoy for many many years.

It's hanging by my couch in my den now. As I was thinking about what I wanted to write about today, I looked over at the piece and was struck by how on-trend it was. I've written about how art-inspired fashion was very popular this season, and while I can identify many designers who were directly inspired by Piet Mondrian and Richard Prince definitely influenced Marc Jacob's Louis Vuitton collection, I think this print would also be a great inspiration for a designer who isn't afraid of color. Marc, could this be for you?

Now for some news from me: I will be spending the rest of the week meeting the boyfriend's dad for the first time. I'm really nervous but also really excited. Unfortunately, this means that I will be taking a temporary break from the blog. I have been thrilled by the feedback that I've gotten from y'all and I hope that you will continue to leave me sites and notes while I'm gone. I will be checking in when I can. I should be back early to mid-week next week, so I hope that you'll at least come back then!

Changes

2008-03-31T23:21:00.002-05:00

I'm obviously doing little bit of a revamp around here. I've swapped over to a new template, I've added links for you guys, and I've added comments. Please, please leave me comments so that I know what you think about the new look. Also, please leave me your links so that I can tell more folks about you! I'll be back to the regular fashiony stuff soon, but keep an eye out for more changes to come.

ALSO... I've just downloaded GIMP so that I can make the pictures prettier for you. If you're familiar with it and wouldn't mind answering some questions for me, please send me an email and earn my undying love.

Warning: Long and Rant-esque

2008-03-28T22:30:00.011-05:00

I want to preface this post by saying the following things: First, I really try not to get too serious on this blog. Usually this is where I come talk about things like shoes and artwork that take my mind off of the real world at the end of the day. Secondly, I have been a loyal Vogue subscriber since about 2005, and although I have disagreed with their magazine several times, every month I trot down to my mailbox and am excited to see that month's issue taking up my entire mailbox (seriously, the September fall issue is huge).

With that being said, this month's issue pissed me off.

April is the yearly Shape Issue. This issue is the one that irks me every year because it features five body shapes: tall, pregnant, thin, curvy, and short. And every year the curvy girl is still just a slip of a thing! Let's check out one of this year's curvy girls, shall we? On the right is Shaila Freyer.

Now let me say this: Ms. Freyer is a beautiful woman. And she does have a bit of an hourglass shape. But if you asked me to describe her body type, I would not call it curvy.

Because I'm a bit of a packrat, I went back to last year's Shape Issue to check out the former "curvy" girls. This is what I got:

Ah, Scarlett Johansson. I have a bit of a girl crush on her. However, either she or JLo gets brought up anytime the idea of curves in fashion/entertainment/Hollywood. While both ladies are curvier than the standard body shape in those circles, they are waifs compared to most Americans.

But wait! Occasionally Vogue does give us a real-life curvy girl! I even have proof!

Ladies and gentlemen, I present exhibit A: Jill Scott has curves, and she knows how to use them. They even gave us a real life curvy girl with Scarlett last year:

Exhibit B: on the left is Ashley Graham, a plus size model and lovely lady if I may say so.

So you may be asking yourself, "Emily, they balance out the faux-curvy with real curvy, why are you so pissed?" Good question. I was even excited to hear that Queen Vogue herself, Anna Wintour, had made the following statement:

"I wish I could say the same for the young women who were just on the runways of the New York fall collections. Overall, they were pale and thin, and entirely lacking in the joyfulness and charm that once defined the supermodel. This, of course, is not their fault: Designers now near-uniformly favor a non-vivacious, homogenous ideal."

Queen Anna made this statement on page 98. Two hundred thirty-eight pages later, Vogue put these ladies on a diet.

If you follow fashion at all, these ladies need no introduction. They are the Mulleavy sisters, creators of the label Rodarte, which in my mind is one of the most innovative and interesting lines today. The first time I saw the sisters Mulleavy, I loved them. Finally, there was someone in fashion who looked like the people I live next door to, who hung out around models and trendsetters all day long and didn't look like the they were made out of the same mold. They were unique. They made me miss the days when Karl was chubby and Marc was an adorable dork. Then Vogue waltzed in with their magic skinny wand and made everyone shiny and pretty again!

Don't get me wrong: if the girls genuinely wanted to lose weight, then hooray for them. I am by no means advocating that everyone sit around and eat Twinkies all day. What I am saying is this - wouldn't it be nice if instead of sweeping in with a diet team, Vogue had instead taken the girls out shopping for beautiful clothes for curvy girls?

So listen up Vogue: I understand that fashion is aspirational. I understand that models are meant to accentuate the clothes and not the other way around. I get your point. My point is this- America doesn't look like you. And while we're cutting you some slack, how about giving back a little bit? Have an issue without a diet article. Show us clothes that come in sizes over an eight. And please, when you say you're gonna show us a curvy girl, make her actually curvy, ok?

Oh, and if you're listening... I wouldn't turn down a free purse if you wanted to send it my way.

Hooray for... Veggies?

2008-03-28T00:52:00.005-05:00

It's finally beginning to feel like spring around here, which is exciting for lots of reasons (allergy season - hooray!). Driving home from work today, I was reminded of one of my favorite things about spring... the farmer's market! I'm really lucky to live in farming country around this time of year because it means that I can get fresh produce weekly. I in the neighborhood of a small farm stand that carries the basics (tomatoes, watermelon, flowers, etc.), but what I'm really looking forward to is the reopening of the two major markets here: the Mississippi Farmer's Market and the Greater Belhaven Market, which reopens next week. Both are awesome: the Mississippi Farmer's Market is the larger of the two and tends to have the bigger variety, while the Belhaven Market also carries crafts and has more of a community feel to it. The boyfriend also lives near to the Agricenter Farmer's Market (catchy name, right?), so I'm sure we'll be hauling our butts out of bed early on Saturdays to get some fresh produce there too (good thing he's a morning person!).

Last weekend, we didn't make it to the farmer's market because both of us had colds, but we did still manage to make this big batch of deliciousness:

You cannot look at that and tell me that it doesn't look delicous. And let me tell you, it was. I've had pasta primavera before, but never this good. We got the recipe from one of my favorite sites, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I like it for two reasons. 1) She gives step-by-step pictures, so if you're a learning cook like me, you can make sure everything looks the way it should. 2) She lives in BFE like me, so she has to use unfussy ingredients that you can buy at your local Kroger instead of needing to head to the gourmet grocer for some fancy spice you'll never use again. She's revamping her website right now so it's a little confusing, but to get to the recipe, go here and then scroll down to the very last recipe on the page.

Let me give you four suggestions for the recipe that we learned. 1) When she says cook the vegetables al dente (until just warmed but still firm), she means it. The crispness of the veggies really makes the meal that better. 2) She'll try to tell you it's a girly meal. It's not. It's cream sauce for god's sake! If you want to tempt your man even farther, let me make a suggestion for you: pancetta. Get six-ish slices of pancetta, cook them like you would bacon on the stove (we did them before any of the veggies), and throw them in the mix. Then you have cream sauce and pancetta. If your guy says no to that, then he's not worth keeping. 3) If you're headed to the farmer's market and looking at the produce and something strikes your fancy that's not in the ingredients, buy it and throw it in there anyway. This dish is really about using what's fresh and delicious. You can also omit anything that you're not a fan of easily. 4) I'm number's dyslexic, and so I bought one large zucchini and three small squash, and I felt like this was the perfect ratio. I'd recommend doing the same.

If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out for you. Grab a loaf of French bread and a bottle of white wine and it should make a fabulous supper with oodles of leftovers.

P.S. If you're unsure of where your local farmer's market is located, check Google or this list. Happy eating!

Walk Tall

2008-03-26T22:49:00.003-05:00

I'm typically not a fan of platforms. As a short girl, I'm all for shoes that make me taller, but I feel like sometimes they make my legs look stumpier than they already are. That being said, I'm slightly obsessed with these shoes from Nine West.

I'm telling myself that since the colors are fairly neutral, they won't make me stumpy. Hopefully I'll try them on soon. Stay tuned for a verdict.

I feel... inspired?

2008-03-08T00:06:00.008-06:00

I'm not usually one to look at photo shoots in fashion magazines and feel the urge to seek out the photographer. I'm often inspired by the clothing, or the styling, and occasionally a single picture will stand out, but I've never had an entire shoot really stand out for me... until today.

I've been reading through a backlog of fashion magazines this month, and so I just got through March's Elle today. I was 90% through the magazine, flipping through, jealous of clothes I'd never be ale to afford, when this image stopped me in my tracks:

I had no idea who the model (actress Laura Ramsay) or designer was (Giles), and the location is nothing stunning on its own, yet something about this photo floored me. I immediately pored over the rest of the photos.

Jena Malone, Balenciaga gladiator boots, and Rodarte? I never would have combined these three, but it works here.

Who knew that a trailer park would make Junya Watanabe's designs look so wearable? And is anyone else getting a little Sienna vibe from this photo?

Now, I realize that a lot of the credit goes to both the stylist and prop stylist for this shoot. But I feel like the lighting really makes a lot of these shots. The clear desert lighting in the first two shots absolutely brings out how delicate the dresses are (petals on the Giles dress are made of rubber people... rubber!). Then the strand of Christmas lights in the back of the bottom photos really emphasizes the draping of the Junya dress. Noticing details like that really requires an incredible eye.

The photographer for this shoot was Carter Smith. She's got a movie called The Ruins (starring the girls above) coming out soon, and I'll be interested to see if she can retain that eye behind a video lense as well. She also shot the cover shoot for April's Elle with Natalie Portman, so keep your eye out for that.

How friggin' cute!

2008-03-05T22:44:00.004-06:00

I've had a less than fabulous day. Ok, it's been pretty damn crappy. And then my dog ate my biteplate (I grind my teeth. Go ahead, mock me.). So I was in a super grouchy mood and had no clue what I was going to blog about tonight. Probably about my love of whiskey. Then I read this, and suddenly I feel better. I hope it has the same effect on you.

I tried to resist... I really did...

2008-03-04T22:46:00.014-06:00

... but now that NYC/London/Milan/Paris fashion weeks are over, I have to at least talk a little bit about some things that I like!

From Chanel:

First of all, let me just say how happy I am that the "it" Chanel polish will be silver because I already own a great (inexpensive!) silver polish so I will not be fighting the masses for the Chanel version when it hits stores in the fall.

Unfortunately, this means that I'm now coveting something more expensive! I think these shoes are funky enough but can still be really classic. I even kind of like the heels, and I'm usually really particular about heels.

from Sonia Rykiel:

I liked the clothes at this show fine. That's not what I got excited about. Sonia's shows are known for looking like fun. The models actually smile! Plus the finale always looks like a party. Last spring the models skipped barefoot carrying feather boas. This year was all about sequins and hats.

Irina can juggle and work the runway!

Rose-colored glasses... maybe that's the secret to her smile!

I'd smile too if I got to wear a crown and a party dress!

They even got Karlie to smile! Oh my god... I had forgotten she was fifteen!

Finale Fun!

The saga of the light

2008-02-28T22:39:00.005-06:00

I promise that I'm going to get that stupid (but oh so pretty!) light up, but it still didn't happen today - more technical difficulties. I also know I won't be able to get to it this weekend because I'm taking the boyfriend home with me for the first time... yikes! This is the first guy that I've "taken home", so I'm really nervous but also really excited for him to get to see my funny little hometown!

On with the fashion...

If you aren't checking out The Sartorialist's website, then you're missing out. I have to admit that I didn't learn about his work until a few months ago, but since then I've become a huge fan of his photographs of street fashion. Being in Mississippi, I'm not exactly living in one of the fashion capitals of the world. Since I'm not going to move to NYC, Milan, Paris, or any of the other chic metropolitan cities of the world, I go to the Internet for my inspiration. There are about ten fashion sites that I check on a daily basis, but The Sartorialist (along with Susie Bubble's fantastic Style Bubble) have really expanded my ideas about fashion.

Currently, I have two favorite pictures from his photos. (Note: during international fashion weeks, he not only posts photos on his blog, but also outside/inside the tents for Style.com - these pictures are from that site). This one makes me wish I could pull this kind of fashion off:

This would be my style if I was Parisian. My name would be Amelie, and I would be studying art history at universitie. I would spend all of my free time at the Louvre or in the St. Germain district ogling the fashion. I would be trying to sneak into the runway shows this week. I would be a huge fan of dry shampoo, and would wear no makeup other than concealer with a slash of red lipstick or kohl black eyeliner, although never at the same time, of course. I'm going to stop now before I start looking at plane fare and updating my passport.

This is my other favorite photo. When I have kids, can I have the kind who can sit through and appreciate a Viktor and Rolf show?

If she is bilingual, I'm totally kidnapping her.

Fakeout!

2008-02-27T23:09:00.003-06:00

Whoops... so I had planned on installing the light fixture today, but my drill wasn't plugged in, so it's got to charge overnight before I can do anything. Tomorrow there should be pictures (of something, at least).

In the meantime, I have a mission for you folks... I'm looking for something very simple, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere. I want a very simple, loose-fitting V-neck t shirt dress. I can find either super grandma-esque dresses or designer versions that are waaay out of my price range. I promise that if you send me a link to the dress (and I'll know it when I see it), I'll send you something in return. I don't know what it is yet, but I'll think of something good.

In the meantime, here's a picture of my cutie-pie doggy:

She's so sweet when she's asleep.

I'm baaaaaaack!

2008-02-26T23:51:00.003-06:00

Sorry for the long break... things got a little crazy around here. Anyway, I'll be back to my regularly scheduled posting tomorrow. In the meantime, here's some things to look forward to:

-I got a camera for my birthday! Now I can actually take pictures with a flash and stuff. I'm still working on learning Photoshop, but expect to see some good stuff soon.

-The wonderful, fantastic boyfriend bought the Tord Boontje light garland for me for my birthday- yes, he is awesome. I'm hoping to install it tomorrow, so look out for pictures of that ASAP.

-Puppy pictures! According to some, she looks like she has a drinking problem. Whatever, I'll let you be the judge.

Look forward to posting soon!

Hiatus

2008-02-08T01:13:00.001-06:00

I'm still alive.

However, I plan on taking a break from posting until next week so that I can recover from near death-by-tornados and prepare from my birthday on Monday. In the meantime, go check out Oscar de la Renta's fall collection and try not to drool over how beautiful it is.

Thought for the day

2008-02-04T21:14:00.003-06:00

This dress makes me want to buy all of the sunscreen in CVS and go frolick on the beach. Who's with me?

Fall/Winter things I want: the black button-front dress from Alexander Wang, the Grecian draped dresses for Juan Carlos Obando, Sari Gueron's girly dresses, the chunky knit sweaters and grey striped coat from ADAM. Diane von Furstenburg's classic print dresses, belted layers, and blue silk plaid skirt, DKNY's fantasic coats, wide-leg trousers, red brocade dress, and ability to mix fabric prints and textures. Lela Rose's rich fabrics and jewel-toned ladylike looks, Tracy Reese's silk prints and grey oversized sweater with pockets.

Art to Art

2008-02-03T00:04:00.000-06:00

When I was in kindergarten, we had a class play where I played an artist. I don't remember much else about the play, but I distinctly remember my costume: an oversized men's button down shirt that was splattered with paint. I thought that it was quite possibly the coolest shirt ever. I remember even after the play, I wanted to wear that shirt everywhere. My mother was opposed to this idea, for obvious reasons, but I still remember that shirt today.

That shirt seems to be still influencing my fashion tastes today: I love the classic tailoring of a white button-down and menswear-influenced style. I hadn't given much thought to the paint splatters until recently though. Lots of designers sent paint-inspired looks down the runway for their spring and resort lines. Dolce and Gabbana showed a number of dresses with bunches of tulle and what appeared to be layers upon layers of paint around the waist and bodice. While this may sound more like the insanity you'd be used to seeing at a Heatherette show, the results were surprisingly feminine and wearable, if a bit daring.

These dresses remind me of what would happen if Betsey Johnson got to play in Marie Antoinette's wardrobe and then decided to repaint Versaille.

Yves Saint Laurent decided to continue with this theme of artsy fashion for his resort collection.

This collection seemed to be more influenced by Jackson Pollock. Stefano Pilati took his collection one step further by integrating the brush strokes into his accessories:

My personal favorite art-inspired collection was by Rachel Roy. Rachel hasn't been designing for very long, but so far her collections have been spot-on (I even raved about her fall 08 collection earlier this week). Her spring collection seemed to have been influenced by the artist's smock and watercolors, and was so light and beautiful, but also incredibly versatile.

While this might not work for the office in a conservative law office, this could work as a shift dress (with more sensible shoes) in an artistic field, and would work for anyone as a night-out dress.

This dress is perfect on so many levels, but let me just say this: pockets make my world go round.

Oh, and while I still may love that paint-covered shirt from my childhood, I wouldn't recommend making this a DIY fashion project. Leave this one to the pros.

Fall/Winter things I want: BCBG's structured jersey dresses and fantastic belts, Erin Featherston's ability to mix florals with heavy winter fabrics, the burgundy silk formal dress from Nicole Miller, the menswear-inspired double-breasted cardigan from Rag & Bone, and the green party dress from Sue Stemp.

My Fair Lady

2008-02-01T00:51:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the sporadic posting lately. We're having really nasty weather down here, and I've been without internet because of it.

I'll also be adding a new feature starting today. In honor of fashion week, I'm going to add a list of things that I'm coveting from the new collections at the bottom of the page. I'm not going to link specific pictures, but head over to Style.com to check out the new collections.

Enough with that. On to today's blog:

I mentioned this in the previous post, but I'm incredibly fair skinned. And not what makeup companies call fair either. This, my friends, is what Cover Girl calls fair:

Not even close. I wish that I could be that tan. Instead, I'm closer to this:

very obviously not me

This means that certain clothes make me look like the living dead. These include all clothes that are stark white. Which makes me very sad, because I'm obsessed with this dress:

Absolutely gorgeous, understated dress by Pringle of Scotland, who sent an incredible collection down the runway for spring. Check out this detailing at the shoulder:

Such a tiny little bit of tailoring, but the asymmetry along with the fold are enough to make a difference. Plus, they expose the nape of the neck and shoulder, which I think is a subtly sexy body part on every woman. No woman has ever said, "I have fat shoulders." Or at least no sane woman.

Neiman's is trying to tell me that this dress is "oyster grey", but it's close enough to white that I know that it wouldn't work. Which is a damn shame. If you're not like me, then skip yourself over there to pick up this dress. Just be sure to send me a picture of yourself having a grand old time in it so that I can live vicariously through you.

Fall/Winter things I want: Rachel Roy's Native-American inspired collection (especially the pumpkin silk sheath), big cuddly sweaters coats from Elie Tahari, grey tone-on-tone plaid pants and shrunken vests from Boy.

Light bright, part deux

2008-01-29T01:07:00.000-06:00

I seem to be obsessed with lighting lately. I think that this might be because although I've altered almost everything in my house to look the way that I want it, the light fixtures haven't been changed. The ones in my house are hideously generic. These would be so pretty instead, don't you think?

Although these lamps are lined with copper, they also give off the color of rose gold, which is a big trend in fashion right now. I like to think that these would give off an incredibly rosy glow, which would be so flattering for a dinner party (if I was the type to throw dinner parties... or cook, for that matter). I love the look of having a grouping of these like the picture above, but I also think that a single lamp would look great centered over a Saarinen table like this one:

Perfection, right? Shit, now I want to redecorate my entire dining room. Y'all are a bad influence!

Thought for the day

2008-01-29T01:01:00.001-06:00

The boyfriend wants to retire to Costa Rica. Because I'm incredibly pale, this sounds like a sunburn of epic proportions waiting to happen. I might cave if he let me build this room:

Rings and Things

2008-01-29T00:17:00.000-06:00

I'm not a huge fan of jewelry as a Valentine's present, just like I'm not huge on the generic red rose bouquet.

However, if you are the type of girl who's looking forward to something sparkly on the fourteenth, isn't this a lovely ring? I love the contrast of the chunky ring with the delicate micro pave diamonds. Plus, I've always thought that the mathematical sign for infinity is such a gorgeous representation of love. If you're not in the mood for a ring, Love Rocks NY (which was featured in February's Lucky) has some unique necklaces and earrings as well.

I'm blue... but in a good way!

2008-01-28T02:21:00.000-06:00

I'm constantly broke.

There, I said it. Like most of you my age, I don't have a whole lot of money to be throwing around at trendy beauty products. Not that I don't want to, and not that I don't do it regardless from time to time, but I have to make up for it by eating lots of peanut butter and honey sandwiches (which are delicious, just so you know). So when I come across a bargain, I get really excited. And then, if you're lucky, I share my finds with you!

Navy nail polish was a huge trend on the spring runway. Now, you're thinking to yourself, "Nailpolish? Shit, even I can pay for nailpolish." Really, smarty pants? Let me show you the "it" nail polish/beauty product for Spring '08:

That's right, it says Chanel on the bottle. That should have been your first hint that this way probably way too expensive. This is Chanel's Blue Satin polish. I found a bottle for sale on Nordstroms for $19.... that's right, almost twenty bucks for nail polish. And while Nordstroms (seems to) still have some for sale, it's selling like meth all over the country. It's already hit Ebay and is selling for almost $40. Now, who out there thinks that forty dollars for a bottle of nailpolish is reasonable. Not I!

Usually we can count on good old OPI to give us the trendy polish colors for the season at a less expensive price. They didn't let us down this season with their Russian Collection (which comes out on Feb. 6th). Here's Russian Navy:

It looks a little bit more purple than the Chanel polish, but OPI is usually pretty good being true to color. OPI polish tends to run about $8 for a bottle, which, at more than half the price of the Blue Satin, is a steal.

I thought I was going to have to fork over the eight dollars for a bottle of Russian Navy, and then fate intervened - I ran to the local Kroger at about ten thirty at night two weeks ago to grab the new US Weekly and ginger ale (yes, I make impulsive late night decisions like that). I was walking past the organics section when a display of nail polish caught my eye. "Organic nailpolish?" I thought to myself, "I must investigate!" So it turns out that it wasn't organic nailpolish, but I discovered this instead (sorry I couldn't find a better pic):

If you're a slave to things being "this season", I'm afraid that this won't be the polish for you - it's a Sally Hansen polish from Fall '07. If you're like me and you could give a damn, then this shade is perfect for you. It's called Navy Venom, and you can buy it at Walgreens/CVS/ Walgreens for $6. That's right, six bucks! Plus, Sally Hansen's Salon line is great - two coats give you plenty of coverage, it's hard to chip (and this is coming from somebody who usually fucks up a manicure within two hours of getting it), and it's free of all the bad stuff (toluene, DBP, and formaldehyde).

So what's the moral of the story? Make impulsive beauty buys late at night at the grocery store, and save yourself from paying designer prices!

Light Bright... light bright... turn on the magical shining light!

2008-01-26T21:35:00.001-06:00

I may be the only person you know who hopes to one day have a house with bare lightbulbs. Like this:

Have I lost my mind? I don't think so. Thanks to the genius of artist Tord Boontje, there's a really beautiful, reasonably inexpensive way to turn these into a work of art. Behold:

The Garland Shade Light ($80 at the MoMA store).

I can't begin to tell you how beautiful this thing is in person. Imagine the most incredible Christmas garland ever, cut delicately out of brass and coated in silver or gold. The light filters through the garland (which can be wrapped as loosely or tightly as you choose, as well as in any shape you can imagine), casting a beautiful warmth over the room. The garland is also so delicate that it moves with a breeze - check out the Studio Tord Boontje website linked above for an example. And, oh my god, at night:

Amazing, right? If you're more traditional and prefer a more shade-like shape, then the Midsummer Night's Shade is right for you:

(again at the MoMA store, $85)

This one would be great over a dinner table because you'd get a more concentrated light source. Although this may be a more traditional shape, the white color gives it a modern twist.

And for those of you sitting at home thinking to yourself, "Eighty bucks? That's a lot!", think of it this way: these fixtures give you the grandeur of a chandelier. Think about finding a chandelier for eighty bucks, and then think about the fact that you don't have to pay anyone to come install these pieces. Seems a lot more reasonable now, right?

His studio also works with textiles, furniture, and other medium. His other projects aren't quite as affordable, but are all statement pieces that merge modernity with delicacy. If you're decorating your bachelorette pad, Tord Boontje could be the one for you.

*By the way, if the style of art looks familiar, then you're probably a Target junkie like me: Boontje designed the Christmas decorations for the store in 2006, as well as a limited-edition holiday line.*

Jukebox Hero

2008-01-25T21:29:00.000-06:00

It's cold here. And rainy. I'm in sweatpants and slippers. Even the dog seems a little melancholy. This kind of day calls for laid back, bluesy music. Thankfully, I've got the perfect soundtrack.

Cat Power's new album, Jukebox, came out on Tuesday, and it's pretty much been on repeat on my iPod all week. I started listening to Cat Power (real name Chan Marshall) beginning with her CD The Greatest, but wasn't originally drawn to the music because of her. Let me explain:

I grew up in the Mississippi Delta. The Delta's probably not known for a whole lot, but one thing that it is famous for is its blues musicians. My hometown is actually gave the world BB King, who many would argue is the greatest living blues musician. He returns every year for a homecoming concert, so as long as I can remember, I've gone to see this living legend play in our town park (jealous yet?). Since I've been exposed to blues music my whole life, I have a real appreciation for the musicianship involved. What really drew me to The Greatest was that the backing band would be some of the most talented studio musicians from Memphis, who she called the Dirty Delta Blues Band. So while I was originally excited to hear the work of the backing band, it was Chan's vocals that drew me back.

Jukebox is an album of covers (Chan's second, following 2000's The Covers Record), but this record is far about as far from sounding like bad karaoke as you can imagine. Still backed by the Dirty Delta Blues Band, she puts her sexy, bluesy twist to songs ranging from "New York, New York" (which she calls simply "New York") to a gorgeous version of Janis Joplin's "Woman Left Lonely". These aren't your cover standards either - my personal favorite song (which is only available on the deluxe version of the album) is the the Roberta Flack standard "Angelitos Negros". If you thought that making Latin music sexier was impossible, you need to check this song out.

As great as this song is for just lazing around the house on a gross day, it is also an incredibly sultry album. I can picture sitting in front of the fire with a cuddly blanket and a glass of red wine with your significant other with this as your soundtrack. In fact, I'm going to break out a bottle of Merlot right now. Enjoy!

Personal Chef Wanted

2008-01-25T01:16:00.000-06:00

I just got done watching Ratatouille (which, if you haven't seen, you should) and so I have food on my mind.

Oh, and Paris... but that's another post entirely.

I'm not a very good cook. I'm a great recipe follower, but you can't throw me at a refrigerator and tell me to make something out of the contents without watching me have a total meltdown. The boyfriend, however, is a fantastic cook. The Food Network website is his porn. And while I can stare (and drool) at the lovely pictures on their site all day, sometimes their recipes get a little overwhelming.

That's why, when I feel the urge to be domestic and make a romantic meal, I rely on this:

That's right, ladies and gents, The Joy of Cooking. You've probably seen it in your mom's kitchen, your grandma's kitchen, and, if you're married, you probably got it as a wedding gift. There's a reason it's everywhere - it's absolutely fantastic. This cookbook has something for everyone, from the most kitchen-clueless novice (me) to the pro about to graduate from culinary school (my ex-boyfriend, who shares my love of this book). Need to know how to boil pasta? It's in here. Want to learn how to properly get the marrow out of beef leg? Yup, that's in here too. Best of all, the instructions are really clear and there are illustrations (don't pictures make life so much easier?).

So next time you want to impress your honey with a home cooked meal, or you just can't live another day without making a pot roast, go raid Mom's cookbook stash for this one. Life's much better with a full belly.

Cheapy Art

2008-01-23T22:23:00.000-06:00

First of all, big apologies for no post yesterday. I burned the shit out of my fingertips last night making cornbread (which turned out crappy anyway) and it hurt way too bad for me to be able to type. Luckily my fingertips are okay and I'm back!

Secondly, I know that couture week is going on. However, I feel like I've been writing about fashion too much lately and thought that I would change it up a little bit. I may write a little bit about fashion weeks in February, but I'm staying out of this week's action other than to say breeches, Karl? Really?

So now for something completely different...

I love art, but as a broke twenty-something, I don't have the money to have a crazy collection. I have one nice Chihuly painting that was a twenty-first birthday present, but everything else in my house is a nicely framed poster of artwork that I love (Miro's Blue II hangs over my TV) or inexpensive pieces by local artists. I'm always on the lookout for places that sell great affordable art, which is part of why I think that Etsy is so awesome.

Another site that I love is 20x200.com. I discovered this site thanks to the awesome bloggers over at Modern Art Obsession, which is a great read if you're a fan of the contemporary art scene. The idea behind 20x200 is this: each week, two pieces of art are contributed - one photo, one work on paper. They're then printed in three sizes. The smallest size is printed in batches

of 200 for $20. A medium size is $200 for an edition of 20, and for serious collectors, an edition of two in the largest size is for $2000. Pretty cool, right? The range of artists is pretty impressive too - no huge names, but lots of up-and-comers. Plus if you don't see anything that you like one week, you only have to wait another week until a new batch is printed. Also, they

continue to sell the older editions until they're all sold out.

This is one of my favorites from an artist named Linzie Hunter. It reminds me of some of the folk art that I've grown up with. This series is based on the subject line of spam emails that show up in her inbox. I love the idea of making something so fun out of something that annoys so many of us every day.

Here's another example of something beautiful out of something ugly. This photo is called Brooklyn Morning, and it's by a photo- grapher named Youngna Park. While I love to think that these are multi-colored balloons after a crazy party, I'm afraid that it's multi-colored latex of another sort. However, the color contrast against the gritty pavement is striking.

New editions are posted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 2 PM EST. Check it out next week to see what's new.

All My Friends Are Getting Married... I'm Just Getting Drunk at the Open Bar

2008-01-21T22:38:00.000-06:00

I never have an excuse to wear pretty dresses. I always see gorgeous summery dresses and think, "That would be so cute!" and then realize that I have no reason to spend that kind of money on a dress that I would only stare at in my closet.

Luckily, this summer I have a great excuse to stock up on girly, flowy dresses: I have about a zillion weddings, rehearsals, and engagement parties to go to this wedding season. I think that this dress from Derek Lam would be so lovely for a summer wedding. I even think that I could pull off this color!

Thought for the day

2008-01-19T21:50:00.000-06:00

Can someone please invite me to an event where I'll need shoes like these? Please? I'm a really awesome date....

Bootyful Boyshorts

2008-01-18T20:24:00.000-06:00

I love underwear. Ever since I travelled to Paris in high school, I've had this crazy fantasy of being the kind of person who wears fantastic lingerie under even the most boring outfits. It's like having a little secret pick-me-up under your clothes! Unfortunately, I'm not that kind of girl, mostly because I just can't afford to be.

Instead, I try to wear semi-nice panties almost ever day. Don't get me wrong, I still love a good pair of cotton granny panties, but I feel like I have a little more bounce in my step when I wear a great pair of silky boyshorts instead.

First off, a word about boyshort undies... I know that thongs are the traditional "sexy" undies. But ladies, seriously, how sexy do you feel with a piece of string up your crack? Not very. I understand. I love my Hanky Panky thongs as much as the next girl because they're adorable and they help avoid panty lines, but as much as people try to convince you that you will never get a wedgie with these, they're wrong. A thong is a thong, and eventually it will end up in your bum. That's why boyshorts are so amazing- they're wedgie-proof. Plus, they make your butt look great. Plus if you're trying to impress a new guy (not that I would know anything about that, Mom and Dad...), they're sexy without trying too hard.

So while fantasy shopping on Figleaves the other day (Sidenote: Am I the only one who does this? Pretends to shop like I have an unlimited to budget, fills up a cart with pretty things, and then doesn't buy anything in it?), I found these Mary Green boyshorts that I'm currently lusting after. Each pair says I love you in a different language (Engligh, Chinese, German, Spanish, Italian, French, and Hebrew). I can pronounce all of them except for the Hebrew, so if anyone wants to send me an email or comment about the pronunciation, that would be awesome (and for those who are curious, the Chinese pair's pronunciation sounds like "whoa aye knee"). Anyway, I think that they would be absolutely adorable for Valentine's. Unfortunately, at $105, they're a little too much for my limited budget.

In the meantime, I've been buying these panties from Target like I'm stocking up for a war - because seriously, who wants to be wearing old underwear when you're under attack? Anyway, here they are:

A word about these panties: If you have not discovered the wonder that is Gilligan and O'Malley underwear, run, do not walk, to your nearest Target and immediately buy some. They will change your life. Honestly. These pair in particular are amazing. They're a microfiber material, so they're really comfortable, they stay in place (aka out of your buttcrack), and they look way more expensive than they really are. Not to mention that they have been guy approved (again, Mom and Dad... I only know this because somebody told me so).

So go out and wear boyshorts today. Your butt will thank me.

A Little Yadda about Prada

2008-01-16T18:14:00.000-06:00

I'm just going to come out and say it: I love Prada. Especially the accessories.

Miuccia Prada is definitely a love her or hate her type designer. She definitely doesn't design the type of clothes that I look at and think, "I know exactly where I'm going to wear that outfit." Honestly, in a lot of cases I don't know that I ever even would wear some of her clothes. Her clothes definitely challenge you. For example, this outfit:

Ok seriously, where the hell am I going to wear this? In Mississippi? That's right... nofreakingwhere. But then you look at the accessories. Here are the shoes:

Now, you may disagree with me, but I think these rock. They're a great basic black sandal, but the ombre detailing towards the toe and the elastic band at the top of the foot adds some really interesting touches. Plus the heel actually looks sturdy enough to walk in, and what girl doesn't love that?

Now here's a bag from the same collection (which, in

case you can't tell, really focused on texture and color):

Again, a fantastic, classy bag. More great ombre on a super-lush leather, and the longer strap and side zipper add some cool hardware.

As you can see, I might be a teensiest bit in love with Prada at the moment. SO I was amazingly excited when I checked out what would be coming for spring of 2008.

Lately I've been digging things that are kind of whimsical and fantastical, but also a little twisted - think the original Willy Wonka (tangent: how awesome is Gene Wilder?). Evidently Ms. Prada's been thinking the same thing because her designs were covered in these hippy chick/fairy sketches and looked like they had been dyed in watercolors.

While I loved the concept, the clothes were a little too pajama-esque for my taste (you can check out the collection here), I absolutely loved these bags!

*To see these bags better click here

I know! Gorgeous, right? First of all, I love that off-white/nude/ecru/whateverthefuck seems to really be one of the big color trends for the spring. Secondly, how great are the doodles on the purse? This is definitely a purse that you could carry that would have every girl in the room wanting to know where you got it.

Now, if only it was in my price range... *sigh*. Oh well, a girl can dream!

The Black Apple

2008-01-15T23:37:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I mentioned a super awesome Etsy artist named Emily Martin. Well today I'm going to rave about her a little bit more!

First of all, if you don't know about Etsy, let me fill you in. It's an awesome site where artists can buy and sell their creations. You remember that artsy kid that you sat next to in high school that drew the incredible sketches instead of paying attention in 8 AM algebra? Yeah, he's probably selling his pictures on here now. You won't find any "major" artists on this site, but you may discover the next big thing. There's paintings, jewelry, arts and crafts... pretty much anything you can think of you can find here. Best of all, most of stuff is uber-inexpensive. My adorable hedgies? Twenty-two bucks - what a steal! The most expensive thing that I've stumbled across on the site has been $275 for a custom oil portrait, and even that's a deal.

Okay, enough about Etsy... I'm sure that I'll be raving about other artists as I wander across them!

Emily's fantastic site is called The Black Apple. She has anything from original prints to custom-made stationery to hand-sewn dolls. This girl is super-crafty. I'm pretty sure that she could make just about anything she wanted to. So here's a few of my favorite things off her site:

This is an ultra-cute package of postcards that she calls As Long as I Have You. Lately I've become a huge fan of old-school snail mail. Remember when checking the mailbox was fun and it wasn't stuffed full of bills? Me neither. But I'm in my first long-distance relationship, and I think that these would be perfect for sending sweet love notes to my adorable boyfriend. PLUS, if you look in the bottom right corner, there is... that's right... a hedgehog! How perfectly moi!

This adorable collection of four prints is based on Alice in Wonder- land. We have Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, and the Queen of Hearts. I love this because when I envision Alice in Wonder- land, it's not super cutesy Disney Alice, it's the way that I feel like Lewis Carroll would have wanted it to be: slightly off-kilter and a little eerie. I mean, let's be honest about what the Caterpillar was smoking - this might not be the kiddie story that Walt Disney had in mind! That's what I love about Emily's artwork - it manages to have an innocence to it, but there's always something a little... odd... about the characters. So I think this is awesome, and I'm kinda thinking I might send it to my friend who's playing Alice on a Disney cruise right now... don't ask!

This sweet little sketch is called I've Learned to Clip My Wings. I can't figure out how to make it any clearer, but the text coming out of her pigtail reads "I've learned to clip my wings and soften my ways." It comes from a song called It Amazes Me that everybody from Tony Bennett to Liza "with a Z!" Minnelli has covered. Now, I kinda have a thing for angel wings and so I think this little girl's shedding wings are amazing.. Plus j'adore this quote. I feel like Angela Chase (Claire Danes in My So-Called Life... god I miss that show) would have drawn something like this after having a fight with her parents and dreaming about Jared Leto.

Okay I have to stop now or I'm going to buy out her store!

One of the things that I will tell you about Emily's Etsy shop - she sells out fast. Of course, I have the inside track to help you out - she has a blog! She's pretty good about updating when she adds new things to the shop, so if you check regularly you should be good. She's also pretty fashion-y too... and has another blog for that! What can't this girl do?

Enjoy!

The first

2008-01-14T20:24:00.000-06:00

I want a hedgehog.

Seriously, how can you not look at these things and not think that they are absolutely adorable?

However... I can't have one because a) my hound doggy puts everything in her mouth, and this would be the best chew toy EVER and b) they're nocturnal and I would want it to play with me during the day.

That never stopped me from asking my parents for one every single Christmas. And of course, they said no. So a few years ago, my mom started getting me a collection of hedgie figurines that I keep around my house and they make me

super happy.

*Note: I may be the last person that you know that doesn't have a digital camera. HOWEVER, I have a birthday coming up in t-minus less than a month and am expecting one then. In the meantime, deal with the fact that I'm using Photo Booth to take my pictures and they aren't of the greatest quality.*

This is the toy that started it all. This is Señor Hedgehog. Why is he Spanish? I'm not exactly sure, other than the fact that my brother decided that he needed a Spanish accent, and I just went with it. Thus, he was dubbed Señor Hedgehog. He's been very well loved on by my puppy.

Here's a super cute little chubby hedgehog. It's got a little groove on it's bottom that makes it so that it could sit along the edge of a potted plant, but since I've managed to kill every houseplant I've ever had, he just chills on a side table and looks fat and happy.

This was last Christmas's hedgie. It's supposed to be a Christmas tree ornament, but I leave it out year round. It's got an apple stuck to its spines because there's a Roman legend that hedgehogs would climb apple trees, shake the fruit off the branches, then roll around in the fallen fruit, getting them stuck on its spines, and then taking the apples back to their dens. Hedgehogs can't climb, but it's a pretty cute image, right?

This is the latest addition to my hedgie family. It's called Little

Hedgehog Goes Fishing and is hanging in my bathroom and makes me smile whenever I get out of the shower. It's by an awesome Etsy artist named Emily Martin. Check back tomorrow and I'll tell you more about the awesomeness of her artwork and her Etsy site!

Welcome!

2008-01-13T21:59:00.000-06:00

Hi everybody! Welcome to my site!

I'm new to this blogging thing, so this will be my first attempt at writing something on a daily (I hope!) basis. I hope you'll stick with me while I learn through this whole process, and I hope that you'll have fun with it and maybe learn something too!

What's this site all about? I'm constantly finding new things that I fall in love with on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. I love sharing my new discoveries with people! This is going to be a little bit of everything. Sometimes I'll write about fashion that I love, sometimes about a new book or movie that I've checked out, and sometimes, when I'm just feeling lazy, I'll send you over to somebody else's website to check out their stuff... hey, I'm not totally self centered!

So that's about it from here. I hope you'll love this site and check me out on a regular basis!

XOXO, Em