clutchable

I have a new little purse, unlike any other purse I've had before.  I suppose you could call it a clutch, which is what they're calling it over at Zara, but it's pretty big for a clutch, and it also comes with a perfect little shoulder strap.  So it's a purse.  That you can clutch.  It's some magical size that works both in hand and on shoulder, and I'm totally enchanted.

I've never been much of a clutch gal, but after picking up this little guy last winter I've seen how useful they are when you're just running out the door and only need a few things.  But this, this fabulous hybrid, this is going to change the way I do things for sure.

More details...

archival clothing

You may remember I have kind of a soft spot for beautiful backpacks.  An oxymoron, you say?  I think not.  More and more we're seeing brands that specialize in these super sturdy, super functional, super thoughtful, and yes, super beautiful everyday backpacks.  One of my favorite discoveries of late is from Archival Clothing, a label that actually started off as a blog where founders Lesli Larson and Tom Bonamici researched, field tested, and reviewed heritage apparel.  They eventually decided to start their own line, one in which every product would be up to the standards they used to evaluate everything on the blog, and thus Archival Clothing was born.

 More Archival...

skirting the issue

A simple outfit that's becoming my go-to uniform for summer weekends: a T by Alexander Wang classic pocket tank, a jersey maxi skirt from Zara, Rag & Bone Vespa sunglasses, Hawaiana flipflops (invisible, but there), a great big silver cuff from a market in Peru, and a solid leather tote I picked up at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul many moons ago.  Most of that's not available anymore, but you can come pretty close.

Some options, and some secrets...

packable

Remember I was looking at Herschel backpacks a while back? (Oh, and these too.)  Well I still haven't gone and splurged on a beautiful canvas bag, but we desperately needed something for traveling around Mexico, and I came across this little guy.  It's super lightweight ripstop nylon, and despite the fact that it feels like it's made from air, it holds quite a bit, both in weight and volume.  I love those smartypants designers at The Herschel Supply Co.  Why?  Cause it also does this:

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you must create (again)

So sweet and so simple, this may just be a perfect white dress.  It's from british label YMC, short for You Must Create.  I talked about them ages ago but I am revisiting them now because their minimal designs and simple lines are just what I'm craving.   In their own words:

       "Where others are increasingly concerned with the fleeting, the transient and the contingent, YMC follow the Corbusian precept that form follows function. The results, free from fads and fripperies, are as close to timeless as clothing gets."

More timeless goods...

eastpak

We all know Eastpak, right?  In my mind they're right up there with Jansport for your classic, solid, durable, no-nonsense backpacks.  But did you know they had a more whimsical side as well?  I saw someone on the metro the other day with this one and had to run home and google it instantly:

 So cute, right?  So refreshing and light-hearted.  And there's more...

tweedie

This is my new tweed clutch.  I made it myself.  From a pair of pants.  Seriously.

I'm not kidding.  Check it out... 

clutch me

I stopped into Oysho yesterday to grab some pretty undies on sale, and inexplicably walked out with this clutch.  Of course I picked up some sale items as well.  Please.  As if I could resist.

See the details...

dear santa

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Sometimes shopping for others leads to certain, ahem, distractions.  So in the process of putting together my gift guides and getting my christmas shopping done, I've come up with a little wishlist for myself.  These are the things, great and small, that would make me extremely happy to find under the proverbial tree this year.  Hope Santa reads my blog. 

The details...

last minute lite

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Still doing your christmas shopping?  Yeah, me too.  And if the last gift guide seemed a little too dignified and mature, if you want a little more frivolity in your choices, here's another bunch of ideas to make sure everyone on your list ends up smiling...

counting sheep

I am smitten with this cozy sheep sweater from Oysho.  I'm not usually a fan of cutesie animal prints, but this one got me.  Also love the boyish boxy shape, I think it would be perfect for layering over a button-down (with a pop of color on the lips)

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A few more greys from what is easily one of my favorite spanish fast-fashion labels...

herschel

I'm back from my trip to Vancouver and I have to say the city is truly stunningly beautiful.  I'm organizing my thoughts (and the few photos I managed to take) for more posts next week, but wanted to start sharing with you some of my big discoveries.  Like local backpack company Herschel Supply Co. Brand.  I've seen their goods online and always been intrigued, but in person you can see how really special they are.  Built super solid and sturdy, they are also ridiculously comfortable on, and beautifully designed. 

Usually when a lookbook is this tastefully done it tells you something about the brand ethos, and Herschel is no exception.  Way to make a utilitarian backpack sexy and totally covetable!

more beautiful lookbook shots and my favorite bags after the jump...

hakei

Hakei is a spanish brand that started out as a small family leather-working business in 1946 and has since grown into a large brand with stores all over Spain (plus a few in France).  They do clothing as well as leather goods, nice solid basics, but to be perfectly honest, I always sort of gloss over the clothing because the leather pieces are just so stellar.  Buttery soft, solidly made, it's hard to go wrong with Hakei leather.  I have a number of shoes and a handbag from these guys and I'm sure I will own many more.

After the jump, some of the best bags, shoes, belts and jewelry from Hakei this season, (in a post that's taken me a week to prepare due to my achingly slow, but ever-improving, photoshop skills learned here) ...

not just pj's

It's no secret around here that much of my favorite clothes come, inexplicably, from a store that specializes in underwear and pajamas.  It doesn't make much sense to me, but I can't help it, I just love Oysho's easy-going, super comfortable, totally wearable pieces. 

maxi dress and asymmetrical hem dress

More on my Oysho wishlist after the jump...

krackin' krakoff

He's done it again.  In fact, it's the same shoe that I lusted after before, but now it's dressed for the summer.

Reed Krakoff's raffia oxford seems like the perfect slightly dressy shoe for these gorgeous spring days, and it would take you nicely through the summer and fall too.

After the jump, a few more Krakoff pieces that I wouldn't say no to...

pleather pleasure

Today I went and returned the sleeveless coat (please, it's cold outside!  I need sleeves!  What was I thinking?!), but of course I couldn't come home empty-handed.  This little baby came home with me from Zara.

I got it in black.  Honestly the photos on the website don't do it justice.  I know it's pleather, but it's high quality pleather with a decent feel to it and not nearly as much sheen as you see in the photos.  In person it reminds me a bit of an A Wang bag, like a Rocco-Brenda hybrid or something.  Maybe I'm just kidding myself here, but I'm pretty pleased with it.  Also love that I can put my camera (by which I mean my husband's camera) in it with plenty of room to spare.

Of course, a few other bags caught my eye...

stash

Looking for a new way to store your ipad?  I am.  I bought myself an ipad last month (loving it, in case anyone had any doubts) but refused to spend money on a cover.  I know, ridiculous.  Wrapping it in a t-shirt is far from acceptable.  So now I'm hunting.  I found this wonderful etsy store called Stash, and they have beautiful cases for all sorts of technological items.  Like ipads.

Gorgeous, right?  Something about the heavy textured fabrics and the somewhat masculine design just makes me want to hold them.  As in, own them.

See options for laptops, ipods and cameras after the jump...

mohawk general store

Spent my sunday morning browsing at the Mohawk General Store.  That's the beauty of the modern age, you don't have to actually leave your house to waste away your hours, you can do it from the comfort of your home, still in your pjs and fuzzy robe.

This over-sized wool blend motorcycle jacket by funktional was the first thing that got me.  It's all the toughness we want in a moto jacket, plus a ton of soft and cozy and a dash of extra large masculine.  Perfect for winter.  And such a good price too!  Seriously contemplating this one.

And while we're talking cozy, how about this snuggly Raquel Allegra dress?  Seems like it'd be the perfect winter layering piece.

See tons more covetable pieces, including bags and shoes, (excluding a few standouts that merit their very own post tomorrow) after the jump...

zipped into zara

On my way home from class today (yes, class, on a saturday) I ducked my head into Zara for a few minutes.  I found myself taken with the oddest assortment of items, most of which are totally impractical and irrelevant to my life.  Leave it to Zara to make you think you might just need a sequined blazer.

Or a snakeskin clutch.  Cause I totally need one, right? 

This scarf, on the other hand, I might actually get a ton of use out of.  Never mind that I have an entire bookcase at home filled with scarves.  The weird combination of the heavy tweed-y print and the lightweight gauzy texture is screaming my name.

Coming tomorrow, more Zara.  I just can't help it.

our satchel

I know, I know, these bags from Cambridge Satchel Company have been all over the fashion blogs and magazines for ages now.  I liked them, but I honestly couldn't get all worked up about them.  That is, until I was in London a few weeks ago and saw the special collaborations available at Pedlar's in Selfridges.  They had them in silver, gold, a beautiful robin's egg blue, and the one that really blew us away, black patent leather.*   I say us because my husband fell madly in love with it too.  So of course, we had to buy it.  We're "sharing" it.  I'll let you know how well that works out, I have a sneaking suspicion one of us might abscond with the goods, though I'm not sure which one.

*image here is of a special collaboration with asos, a slightly bigger version of the one we bought