rocker chic | alt adoration

“forget the trendy designer labels. jeans, a sweater or a t-shirt worn under a jacket that seems welded to you. when it’s just right, when you don’t see the effort, it’s irresistible. " | e. alt     

everything alt: jak and jil 

 

step it up | osborn shoes

i have a secret weapon (named joan) who periodically sends me 2 line emails about funky companies with great business practices. (always look forward to them). her most recent email directed me to osborn shoes: a quirky shoe line run by a team of designers based outside of guatemala. the business was co-founded by aaron osborn in 2009. (his family runs one of the biggest orphanages in guatemala.) each eclectic oxford shoe is hand-crafted, hand cobbled, and signed by the person who designed it. check out the entire collection here. or an article about how the line started.

                                                                                              images | osborn  shoes

blog travels | wearing your music taste on your tee

 

makes conversation 10x simpler doesn't it? 

via | kenaanddanadesign

cheap n chic | thread sence

big fan of these inexpensive accessories from thread sence. really liking this mix of black, wood, and turquoise hued faux stones in the abstract stone statement ring ($15). also ensnared by this carefully coordinated bangle mix of tribal, animal print, pewter and mint. can you tell i'm prematurely longing for summer?

                                                       via | thread sence

closet building blocks | funnel neck sweaters

generally dislike sweaters. they are bulky, baggy and when created badly make you like a crocheted potato. it's always refreshing to find one with some element of design interest. enter the funnel neck sweater. love a great sweater with an oversized funnel neck. and it has 3/4 length sleeves to balance out the volume on top. it's casual done correctly. loving this cute eggplant? royal purple? (take your pick) sweater by bratislava. comes in ash white, navy, and black as well.

                                                                    image | bratislava

label love | lesa wallace

the inspire bag by lesa wallace.
beautiful.
the buttery camel color can successfully transition through every season with you.
right now i picture it with a red plaid button down shirt.
dark skinny jeans.
flat boots.
maybe a grey blazer?
yes.
definitely a grey tweed blazer.
                                                             images | lesa wallace

blog travels | danielle

 love this sartorialist shot of danielle and h. danielle was one of the models for the paris onyx feather shoot. it’s brilliant how he captures them in their element—casually put together without even trying.

via| sartorialist

blog travels | new orleans swagger

during a recent trip to alexandria was lured into two nineteen—a swanky new orleans-style creole restaurant—by the infectious musical notes spilling out into the streets. the ambiance of two nineteen is reminiscent of the french quarter; their victorian décor and hungarian crystal chandeliers will blow you away. and if those won’t, then the ::divine:: jazz band playing in their basin street lounge definitely will.

this image is from the bloomingdales marc by marc jacobs campaign. it perfectly embodies the atmosphere at two nineteen.   more images from the campaign here.

the eyes have it | indie nation eyewear

   raw wood eyewear + affordable prices = accessible innovation

check out more frames at indie nation.

via | design milk

writing’s on the wall (paper) | hygge & west

 does this image nurture my unquenchable wallpaper obsession? ja!

       can you check out more sublime wallpaper designs at hygge & west? ja!

helloo

image | hygge & west

how to | mix in menswear

introducing menswear into a outfit without looking like a female linebacker may seem daunting, but it's actually easily achievable in 3 simple steps:

1.  important: your clothing must fit properly. (this might involve a tailor—worth it if it’s an investment piece.)

2.  clash and complement.  mix patters or textures that are different, but make sure they have a complimentary common denominator. (example: a dark-gray herringbone skirt will most likely complement a light-gray plaid shirt.)

3.  add an element of brazen femininity. bright  lipstick. or colorful heels. or a statement clutch. or a fluorescent belt. just one though.  in the image below lucy meets this criteria by showcasing a lot of leg with her mini dress.

 here's an example of how a purse and open-toe summer booties  can make a traditionally masculine outfit seem more feminine.

images via | lucylaucht

blog travels | vintage velvet

presenting the roberta di camerino yellow velvet purse...

never thought a merger of yellow + velvet could create such a hot commodity.

buy it here.

anchors away | nautical inspired totes

can i interest you in the striped tokyo tote? made with organic cotton, undyed full grained leather, and nickel straps. perfect for running around town,  or cavorting to the beach, or using it to lug books/a laptop to class, or even as a stylish diaper bag.  rib and hull has a great selection of organic canvas totes in the 40 dollar range and they let you customize your materials.

via ribandhull | creature comforts

blog travels | vintage-inspired shades

can't tell if its the actual tortoise shades or the photography of the tortoise shades that make these so enticing?

via | 13 bees | norma kamali

substance + style | falling whistles

loving the engraved gunmetal whistle necklace from falling whistles. 100 percent of the proceeds go to rehabilitate and advocate for war-affected children in Congo. wear your protest. be a whistle blower for peace.

 

the eyes have it | stylish + affordable frames

5 reasons you should get warby parker frames

1. really funky vintage-inspired frames.
2. their rebellion against the eye industry: all eye-wear is under $100.
3. their social responsibility: for every pair you buy they donate a pair to someone in need.
4. they offer free shipping, free home try-ons, and free returns.
5. the story behind their name....

 via | warby parker

label love | mika organic

mika organic: an organic clothing line that donates 5 percent of their profits to organizations that support endangered species and their habitats. have slowly grown fond of this weird sheep shirt. wear it with black skinny jeans, gold flats...yes? no?.....too much?

how to | wear high-waisted shorts without looking like humpty dumpty

tips and tricks

--------------

*average/long legs are helpful but not completely necessary. 
*high-waisted shorts with a cuff minimize heftier thighs. 
*heels. heels. heels. (wedges, gladiators, pumps…as long as there is a heel to elongate the leg!) 
*juxtapose them with a fitted shirt. (no baggy, or awkward-fitting shirts.) 
*don’t do them in denim. (please!) only seen it done successfully once and she was part human, part android.

below are some sample high-waisted shorts combinations from polyvore for creative inspiration.

blog travels | contemporary vintage bikes

been obsessed with antique bikes since the onyx feather paris line photoshoot. the main concept behind the onyx feather line is mixing unique, vintage pieces with sleek modern pieces. the result: every necklace is an unusual piece of art that unifies the past and the present.

it's cool to see this concept reflected in other mediums and businesses like bertelli, an endearing new york-based bicilette assemblate. to create customized bicycles the owner combines new bike parts with vintage parts he finds at bike shops, flea markets and suppliers. the bikes are wicked. in the words of a friend: the images of them made him chirp like a school girl.

off to nyc for a long weekend. hope to return with unconventional ideas, new pictures, and a trunk full of more inspiring vintage pieces in time for the launch!

images |  bertelli

blog travels | convertible cover ups

stumbled upon the princess tam tam swim collection while browsing through dress, design & decor and fell in love with the beach cover-up featured above. nothing about it said beach cover up. everything about it said "i can also function as a funky halter dress." so after stumbling through all the french on their website (very rusty on the french these days) an attempt was made to purchase it. until i realized: it wasn't even a dress. it's just a rectangle of extremely light-weight patterned 100% cotton and some clever stylist whipped it up into a halter dress.


{light bulb goes off!}

{followed by footsteps as i run to the fabric store}