fashion: role models

Most areas in my life benefit from choosing succinct role models.  I have my "mothering" role models, my "homemaking" role models, my "wife" role models, my "brilliant use of language and learning" role models, blogging role models, and more.

But choosing succinct "personal style" role models?  That just feels like such a big commitment.  My "style", aside from not technically existing, would probably have multiple personalities if it did exist.

But here are a few I'd consider if you asked me today:

Caitlin Wilson manages to make globe-trotting with a baby in-tow look effortless and chic.  I can't even make taking a nap look effortless and chic.

And Tollipop's Caroline manages to wear what she loves and make it look good just because she loves it. I'd love to look that happily uninhibited. (Am I allowed to turn to the under 12 set for fashion inspiration?)  

My friend Vanessa is always inspiring.  The girl just glows, and seems incapable of making a fashion misstep.

I try to stay away from celebrity-worship.  I by and large don't care what really rich or famous people buy or wear or do.  I'm perfectly content to not have the troubles that so much fame or money tend to bring with them.  But, every time I've bumped into a photo of Olivia Palermo, I've had to concede that she's gorgeous.  I have the consolation of knowing that most of the world thinks she's a shark.

And since I was 10, I've always felt safest when I tried to emulate the irreplaceable Audrey.   Too bad there are no similarities in our body types. I am short and curvy where she was long and lean.  Her only real curves were her hips against her amazingly small ribcage, and I have nearly no hips but plenty of curves everywhere else!  Now more than ever I appreciate how she made motherhood look good, and how she shamelessly prioritized it.  

Speaking of flowers

I saw a Martha Stewart tutorial for making poinsettias out of bump chenille.
Possibly the cheapest, easiest diy flowers ever.

Roundup: flowers to wear

I am not immune to the overwhelming trend toward embellishment.  In the seas of frills and flowers superstars like Emersonmade and MissRubySue have appeared.  But there are still a few original ideas out there.

PetalMix

Fabric Flowers

Good Florist

Begurple

Bieneaimibeloved

Bits and Barley

MissUnbridal

All Things Tinsel

Interiors: Blue on Blue

I am not alone in craving dark walls lately.  But something about the light blue details in this dark blue room has me tripping over a smile I didn't realize was there.  Okay, the salmon pink is pretty happy too.

LGN

Been recreating it in my head:

One of my favorite parts of this room is the chandelier.  Naturally it's "vintage" meaning "good luck finding anything like it."  I tried anyway.

Foremost is the Ochre "Light Drizzle Chandelier"  Available only to the trade, and probably thousands of dollars.

There's also a small knockoff on ebay - looks like a knockoff though.

I'm wondering how hard it would be to DIY something like this with teardrop chandelier crystals?

The rug in the photo is "Bright Flame" from Dash and Albert, and is no longer in production (of course).  But these two are comparable:

Rainbow Seashells

Steps

Or you could easily go with a more traditional rug like a Kilim with a similar color scheme.  It would un-retro the feel of the room considerably, but could still work.  

Haystack Needle's Ebay find

I love the white credenza in an otherwise color-filled room.  And it wouldn't be hard come up with one if you were willing to replace the hardware yourself.  With a little imagination all sorts of statement pieces could happen.  

style of design

pepper

LGN

cococozy

house beautiful

left coast luxe

Faux bamboo chairs are becoming ubiquitous, and are pretty easy to paint, I'm a fan of these variations:

bakati

Midcentury Design

V and M

kaboodle

The Brick House

Elements of Style

Cover the seats in something fabulous and you're set. 

All by Schumaker

Myy favorite think in the room may be the little decanter and glasses.  Something about them makes me feel spot-on.  And luckily such a thing is not hard to find.

Nancy's Vintage

ioffer

Nonna's Keepsakes

The Artwork I love, but the Anthurium and vase, while perfect in color for this room, are also a little personality-less.  Why not a container more like this: 

Maison Luxe

With some hanging amaranthus:

flickr

And the pale blue tapers in the lotus candlesticks top it off perfectly!

1st dibs

creative candles

AND... time to stop.  Neglected children alert!

Quote(s) of the Week: Women

"There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women."
  ~Madeleine K. Albright


"The torment that so many young women know; bound hand and foot by love and motherhood, without having forgotten their former dreams."
  ~Simone de Beauvoir


"They may talk of a comet, or a burning mountain, or some such bagatelle; but to me a modest woman, dressed out in all her finery, is the most tremendous object of the whole creation."  ~Oliver Goldsmith


"Women deserve to have more than twelve years between the ages of twenty-eight and forty."   ~James Thurber, Time, 15 August 1960


"A woman who cannot be ugly is not beautiful."
  ~Karl Kraus

Kids Stuff: Kick Legends and Oxfords

Somehow or other I want nothing more than to have little boys running around in solid leather shoes.  I haven't made it happen yet, other than some used saltwater sandals.  Something about how they grow through shoes so fast makes it hard to justify.  I hope someday I do this one without trying to justify it, but for now I just look and like a lot.  What's your philosophy for kids' shoes?

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Wish We Wore: Sensibility Patterns

Did I need another reason to pine for little girls?  I didn't think so.  But I found one anyway.  Sense and Sensibility Patterns.  Created by a Stay-at-home-mom (my favorite kind of small business), the site has some lovely period clothing patterns.  Lots of detail and lots of research in each, and a perfect forum for users to share their finished products and tips.  Oh, AND online classes for people like me who need to be walked through every little step.  And yes, they though to make coordinating doll patterns. Genius, I tell you.