changes ...

not sure if i'm going to continue updating this blog, but i'll keep it up for reference at least. or maybe i'll keep it as my fashion notebook, who knows.

we'll see how things pan out in 2011 ...

pre-fall 2011: pringle of scotland

yes, it's cuddle up in blanket time

picture from: style

let's pretend it's winter

reminds me of walking to class back east ...

silence rug by norwegian design studio permafrost ...

soon...: hair

seriously getting real bored and annoyed by long hair. my next haircut (likely after my cheeks de-chub some) ... and come to think of it, i think i had this cut back in high school ...

... from the neiman marcus christmas book ...

fall 2010: hair

getting a little bored and annoyed by my long hair. not quite down to my elbows, but just about there. perhaps i'll play with a couple looks from the fall 2010 runway ...

... 3.1 phillip lim ... fendi ...

pictures from: style

spring 2011 paris fashion week: valentino

it may be a little early to say, but i think i've found my favorite show of spring 2011 ... valentino

picture from and more at: style

spring 2011 paris fashion week: chanel

ok, karl, why don't you just fill the stage with labrador puppies while you're at it ...

picture from: style and more here

spring 2011 milan fashion week: prada

super fun bags from prada

pictures from: style

spring 2011 new york fashion week

after sifting through 4,944 runway pics from new york fashion week (i didn't just randomly type in that number, i actually kept track, believe it!), i decided to share 12 looks, focusing on stuff i'd actually buy and add to my closet right now. eeks, that's a 0.2% yield.

i also definitely saw a bunch (not tons, but a good number) of pretty things, especially frothy, flowy, sparkly gowns, but figured i have no occasion to wear any of those and real fashion blogs cover the pretty stuff already, so anywho ...

first, some wearable dresses: alice + olivia ... ADAM ... lela rose ... ports 1961

and some fun tops: ADAM sweater ... lela rose cardi ... marc blouse ... tracy reese jacket

and a couple outstanding skirts: bibhu mohapatra ... DKNY

ok, i lied. one gown i'll pretend i have occasion to wear: donna karan

and this. i could wear this year-round: derek lam

pictures from: style

oh so pretty calligraphy

the other day, my friend and i were talking about how our dads have really nice penmanship. and how they both know how to do calligraphy really well. we came to the conclusion that it was because it was actually a required course back in their day. not so for us when we were in school. i remember one summer though when i asked my dad to show me how to practice calligraphy. i'm pretty sure i still have those pens.

anyway, coincidentally, i saw this piece of mail just the other day. how pretty! i couldn't stop staring at it. it literally stood out from all the other mail. and it was actually featured on oh so beautiful paper and put together by lucky luxe. well, not this particular envelope, but the suite. these were done by holland wilson. really makes me want to pick up calligraphy again!

and another fun detail. the couple had the invitations hand cancelled with a rubber stamp that was a really close match to their custom stamp on the back of the envelope. cute!

fun find: more!

i'm seriously hyperventilating over here from the cuteness ... forget the other miu miu flats. i want these. shoot. i need to go home now to double-check my size so i can order already. i'm so serious.

these are fun too, but still with the 4.5-inch heels! boo!

t-strap ... scalloped

fun find: should i gets?

just spotted this pair of miu miu two-tone patent leather pumps on mrs lilien...

too bad the heels are 4.5 inches. effectively 4 inches with the hidden half-inch platform, but still too high for me. i'm so done with anything over 3.5 inches.

so perhaps these cute flats instead. they have my size!

looking forward to fall

flipping through jcrew's fall lookbook ...

look 8 of 18: this coat looks super fun. super me.

and so i'm on the lookout!

adulterated cotton

i have a fondness for sweaters, cardigans particularly. but it's been pretty difficult to find a fun one that also fits well. so i decided to check out places that i don't typically look at. like talbots.

so the other day i went to the local mall and tried on a sweater. and it was amazing! i don't know if i even own a cardigan that fits as well as the one i tried on. and then i checked the label. cotton/rayon blend. ugh. what's wrong with just plain cotton (or wool or silk)? why does rayon need to be thrown into the mix?

i was really looking for something 100% cotton or 100% wool. or i'd consider a little bit of lycra or spandex. so i stood in the dressing room for another minute or two, deciding whether i should ignore the rayon since the sweater had such a great fit. i couldn't do it though. instead i proceeded to check every single style of sweater in the shop. and they're all cotton blended with rayon or nylon. why? does it really make a difference with the feel and/or color? i don't know the answer.

so i ended up buying a 100% cotton sweater from jcrew. not as colorful or fun, but totally me.

gray and ruffles

i really like the feel of this room. i don't know if it's necessarily the pink and gray combo, although it is nice. and it's meant to be a kid's room, but i'm seriously considering getting those gray ruffle shams.

that miu miu dress

so fun to see at least a couple editorials with my favie dress from miu miu fall 2010.

pictures from: elle uk, c magazine, style

resort 2011: stella mccartney

if i could pull it off (i.e., if i were at least 6 inches longer in the neck/torso area), i'd totally wear this

picture from: style

resort 2011: erin fetherston

i'd like to add this to my regular rotation of party dresses

picture from: style

my treehouse: the chandelier

i mulled over buying this nuevo bulle chandelier for at least a week since it was a little more than i wanted to spend. but i ended up getting it since i figured i would be able to bring it with me even to my next place.

so here it is installed. just the shell. took only 40 minutes to uninstall the ugly standard issue ceiling flush-mount fixture and install the pretty new chandelier.

then i had 187 of those little acrylic balls to attach to the frame.

another hour and a half or so later, all done! i considered getting a ceiling medallion to hide the paint circle, but realized it didn't bother me too much.

looking at it makes me smile =)

my treehouse: the slipcovers

in my head, making the slipcovers was only supposed to have taken a few days. instead, i think it took me 2 or 3 weeks to finish it all. way more involved than i had expected, particularly since the pieces of fabric were so huge. but i'm really happy with how they came out. and i got to spend some quality time with the sewing machine, and practice some stitches.

those little slits at the bottom corners are where the side rails of the bed hook into the headboard.

the awesome cream tweed from britex. and the clean corners i was so proud of.

and the blind stitch at the bottom hem, a stitch that i tried for the very first time.

so happy with it!

my treehouse: bedroom

didn't realize how different my bedroom looks until i looked back at the original pictures. so this is what it looked like when i first moved in. just a little too much of the dark details for such a small room.

so i made a slipcover for my headboard and footboard with cream tweed from britex fabrics. and installed my nuevo bulle chandelier.

and to soften the plantation shutters, installed some sheers i made with 100% silk with silver metallic polka dots from satin moon. and added another linen wing chair.

i love lying back on my bed and staring up at my chandelier, especially after a long day of working or running around the city.

my treehouse: the living room

i think i'm finally more or less happy with how my living room looks. for now. even though i still don't have dining chairs, which i don't even want to get into (60+ back-and-forth emails, calls and texts and still nothing!).

so i started out with just my sofa and desk the first week i moved in.

since then, i added an ikea expedit bookcase along the same wall as the desk. to fit all my random books and boxes. all that stuff got put into the empty bookcase on the right.

then added a 42" round pedestal dining table against the wall opposite the backyard double doors. and had the living room like that for 2.5 months. until my restoration hardware french wing chairs arrived! at which i point, i had to pretty much swap everything in the living room except the desk.

very happy with the layout now.