make magic

yesterday i went for a walk in "nature," and by "nature" i mean a water reservation in cambridge, part of the suburban boston area in new england.  for me, nature is anything where my feet actually touch dirt (!), and not the paved sidewalks of nyc.  i gotta say, sometimes it's both meditative and rejuvenating to just stop and take a breath of fresh(ish) air. it's not something i do very often. my weekend goal is to make one thing magical & a dinner picnic in the woods would suit me just fine. anyone care to join? so my darling style cuddlers, make it a magical one for me this labour day weekend and find your own spot of fresh(ish) air and stop to smell the wild flowers.

top image via here and bottom image via my instagram feed (see! my feet are touching dirt!)

see it/ shop it 03

01 target nolan sofa 

02 michael kors mary jane 

03 warby parker winston revolver black

04 dorothy perkins black skater dress 

05 ruche polka dot tights

love clemence poesy's style. parisian perfection, mais non?

image: clemence poesy for tatler, 2010 image found here

music monday: (mini flashback) high places

this song is a bit of a flashback for me. high places' 'head spins' was (is) one of my favorite songs. i've been listening to it a lot lately. this is a video of high places performing at the market hotel in brooklyn, a venue in bushwick that i used to go to all the time back in 2008 & 2009 for the occasional todd p, etc show. memories! 

my kind of outfit!

i'm loving the latest gap styld.by series, especially this look styled by lookbook.nu. lately i've been wearing a lot of 'mixed prints but same color scheme' in my outfits and am loving this black & white combination.

get the striped t shirt here and am loving these woven shorts (which happen to be on sale (!) - they'd be the perfect transition item to wear with tights in fall)

weekend whimsy... party down

weekend whimsy: attend, or throw, a summer bash!

01 kenneth jay lane tassel earrings 

02 bauble bar sunny serpent cuff

03 bauble bar violet teardrop bib

04 dara ettinger chelsea ring

05 highstreet market vintage silver plate ice bucket
06 steve madden loafers

and of course, bollinger rose

happy friday

i love that feeling of possibility, don't you? don't ever let it go.

image found here

see it/ shop it 02

perfect outfit for... running errands! 

01 madewell desertmoss pullover

02 moto super soft skinny jeans

03 nars lipstick 'heatwave'

04 asos waxed canvas satchel

05 french sole patent ballet flats

inspiration found here

three strikes

 last night i need to shift my mood & what better way than to go bowling at one of my favorite brooklyn places, the gutter? i even scored three strikes which is a good luck sign, or what?! 

this past week i had (another) one of those head spins that startled me into appreciating how life is so very precious. so make it, love it, live it.

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." - louisa may alcott

image via kate

music monday: pussy riot

as some of ya'll know, the biggest style cuddle of them all is free speech. today's music monday has gotta be pussy riot. today the guardian released a new single by the russian punk band convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred." three members have been imprisoned for two years after being arrested earlier this year for performing an anti-putin song at moscow cathedral.

via pitchfork.

see it/ shop it 01: kiera knightly in atonement

 01 stila eye shadow set "french riviera"
 02 nars velvet lip pencil "dolce vita"
03 topshop willow print pussy bow shirt
04 madewell silk flowermade skirt

image via here

weekend style

now is this the cutest weekend style or what? right on, marion.

image found here

weekend whimsy 01

01 topshop toile dress

02 asos borders & frontiers tote

03 accessorize straw panama hat

04 dorothy perkins mint spotty 1950s dress

05 l'oreal cotton pink lipstick

06 forge blue beach bike

friday!

the other day i was calling a client and got her voice mail message. with her texan drawl, she ended with "make it a great day." my head did a mini spin. by substituting the ubiquitous 'have' for 'make' - grammatically and cognitively shifting from a passive verb to an actionable one - i realized that hey, great days don't just happen - they are made. by me. i have the power and ability to really make a great day happen. i know this is a simple realization but don't you think making is far more fun that having? so make it a happy weekend.

 image found here

judge a book by it's cover

at the book cover archive, it's okay

 image via here

music monday: blur's no distance left to run

this summer, blur celebrates the 21st anniversary of the release of their first album. last night they played in london and am totally jealous of all my friends who went - they do a killer live show. in honor, this music monday is one of my favourite songs - no distance left to run. totally gorgeous.

watch the video here.

ryo takemasa

between last year's royal wedding, the queen's jubilee and the most recent olympic games - i am feeling a lot of london love.  this time, i've diggin this sweet illustration by ryo takemasa.

those sliding doors... style cuddle gets emo for a moment

 i am gonna be candid for a moment. and excuse my emo, existential moment.  

i've been thinking a lot on the "end game" - that where do you see yourself, who do you want to be, and what do you need to do to get there. here is the thing, i've never had an end game. if i had an end game, i don't think i would be where i am now. not having an end game or a 5 year plan has taken me on the biggest adventure (and at times, misadventure) ever.

5 years ago if you told me in 2012 i'd have completed an MA, assist on an award winning documentary, teach 2 undergrad classes at nyu, guest lecture, go into pr to help launch one of my favourite brands in the USA, work in fashion, create a blog, go work in a blogging tech start up... let alone all in new york city, living in the heart of brooklyn(!) - i would not have believed you.  maybe the MA part (cuz i am a nerd times 10), but the rest? definitely no. no way. 

i often wonder those "what ifs" and those sliding door moments (remember that gwyneth paltrow movie from the 90s), where decision making meets fate and rationale interacts with chance. i can't even think about it for too long without freaking out.  but this is life (woah!) and i really couldn't be luckier, misadventures and all.

watch it, wall it: timouros beasties

i recently stumbled on this interview with timorous beasties on the v&a website. i was researching toile du jouy cause i thought a little oh la la retrospective could be fun, but i thought this is wayyyy edgier (aka cooler) than writing up one of those faux-frenchie posts you know i am a sucker for.

aren't they cute? watch their video here

and check out their wall papers. it's all in the detail:

shop the timouros beasties wall paper and fabrics here

in print: september issue, vanity fair

a few years ago i went to an event where (at the time) vanity fair creative digital editor michael hogan (now with the huff po) claimed the magazine to be the most accessible piece of luxury you can own. for $4.99 an issue (or $19.99 for the year) i couldn't agree more as i dip into their september style issue.
....and the best dressed list? hashtag totes amaze. some faves:

 the september 2012 vanity fair is on newsstands now.

music monday... tUnE-yArDs

music monday is the tUnE-yArDs' song "my country" - merrill garbus' reaction to funding being cut from arts programmes in many public schools. in an interview with pitchfork, garbus explains how she and music video director mimi cave show kids in trapped situations to illustrate the songs powerful point (read the full interview with garbus and cave here).

watch the video:

let's hangout!

how cool is this hammock in the ooda-designed "227 flat" in porto, portugal?

image via here

eating for gold

british designer sarah parker and photographer micheal bodiam collaborated to artistically re-imagine sports nutritionist dan benardot recommendations what olympian athletes need to eat to perform their best at the games.

for the runner

for the gymnast

for the triathlete

images found here 

and speaking of sports, i am thinking of signing up for a soulcycle class or two... any tips from fans slash converts out there?

happy weekend

image via we are the rhoads (i am currently loving all their photos!)

what i'm style cuddling...

 

i've got a lil bit of a style cuddle crush...

1. warby parker eyeglasses 

2. asos drop earrings

3. sparkle! topshop beaded tank

4. madewell denim cut offs, on sale!

5. repetto union jack and american flag ballet flats, exclusively for opening ceremony

6. um, victoria beckham guest editing the september issue of usa glamour (wwd)