toms

One of the top items on my List of Things to Buy While In the States is a pair of Tom's.  I know I'm late to the game on this, but in spite of the fact that everyone raves about them and they give away a pair of shoes to kids in need for every pair you purchase, I always just sort of thought they were glorified espadrilles or what we used to call 'chinese shoes' when I was a kid.  But then recently I tried on a friend's pair, and I was instantly seduced.  These bad boys are beyond comfortable; they are like little attachable clouds of support for your feet!  So I'm getting some.  For sure.  The question now is, which ones?

Something basic:

Or something striped:

more options and a special Toms collaboration after the jump...

first things first

My first day home has been filled with lots of catch-up time with my mama, watching crappy tv curled up on the couch with the boyz, coffee from Starbucks, a naked burrito from Qdoba, and trips to Target and Walgreens.  Some of you may laugh, but really truly, these are the first things I want to do/eat/shop when I get here.

I found some great stuff at Target including a super supple t-shirt that feels ridiculously expensive and a fun printed cropped blouse that is unlike anything else in my closet.

drapey modal t-shirt (got mine in black) and cropped boxy floral top

a few more of the day's all-important purchases after the jump...

homeward bound

No wishful thinking here, I actually am homeward bound!  I cannot wait!  In 5 hours I'll be on a plane, and in 25 hours I'll be on the other side of the world nestled on the couch with the boyz and my mama, surrounded by the wet green smell of Madison summer nights.

We may not have an ocean, but our lakes almost make up for it. 

Don't let these pictures give you the wrong idea though, truth is, most of my vacation will probably be spent on the couch!  Oh, alright alright, I'll do stuff too.  Just let me rest for a few days...

images from wikipedia, and planetware

perfect styling

 

I came upon this outfit while browsing helmut lang sweaters, and I have to say, I am smitten with all three pieces and the sum of them together is simple perfection to me.   To whoever does the styling over at La Garçonne: well done.  I am a fan.  And please send me one of each of these.  Thank you.

 

individual pieces in all of their glory after the jump...

missing...

...is what I'll be for a few days. Sorry for the temporary absence, but this shoot is taking all of me and then some. Tomorrow's the big day, so everyone, wish us luck! I'll probably be back posting in a day or two, but for sure by friday I promise I'll be back up and running.  In the meantime I leave you with the current front-runner for tomorrow's makeup:

photo from pinterest

thoughts for tuesday's shoot

Here's some images I've been pinning today, all inspiration for the hair and makeup for tuesday's shoot.  I'm so exhausted that's all I can think of to say.  Must.  Rest.  Now.

for image sources see pinterest

dip-dyed maxi

Sort of along the lines of my tie-dye post the other day, I found this maxi dress ridiculously on sale at Oysho.  It's really just a dip-dyed knit cotton sheath with a bell-tipped belt, but it makes me feel like a greek princess.   I jingle when I walk, like a cat with a bell around its neck, but somehow, that's totally ok with me.

futile obsession

Is it lame that I'm completely obsessed with a jacket I can never have?  I don't mean just because of its prohibitive price (I'm sure we've all done that many a time), but because it's gone and done with and I didn't know about it until it was out of stock everywhere and unless someone decides to sell theirs on ebay and send me an email letting me know, I will never have a chance to buy one even if I do win the lottery.

It's the 3.1 Phillip Lim two-toned motorcycle jacket with peek-a-boo trench coat sleeves from his Fall 2010 collection.  And it's sort of killing me.

images from otte, style.com, and net-a-porter

 
I ran into it the other day over at purse 'n boots.  She has tons of pictures of herself wearing it and I'd like to thank her for ruining my life.  Yes, ok, fine.  I'm exaggerating.  But for a girl who has a thing for jackets and coats in general, leather jackets in particular, and is addicted to layering, this thing is like perfection incarnate.  It was, once upon a time, available at Neiman's, Net-a-porter, and Otte.  Not that it matters, because like I said, it's no longer available.  So forget I said anything at all.  If you can.

bald mountain

Last night we had a heads-of-department meeting for our current project, and on the suggestion of our director of photography we all squished together on the couch and watched the bald mountain scene from Fantasia.  Sometimes I am hit with a wave of joy at what my job consists of.   Not that that's all I do, mind you, and right now it feels like in addition to the usual endless hours of rehearsals and classes, I'm also doing a gazillion other jobs.  But even in the midst of all this frenzy and anxiety and exhaustion, I'm still pretty damn happy.  And in a week or so, when things calm down, I'm going to make a point to re-watch all of Fantasia, because it truly is amazing.  As a kid I remember laughing at Micky and being terrified of this mountain devil, but if you haven't watched it as an adult I strongly suggest you do, because you can appreciate it for what it is - pure visual creative imagination and interpretation of music.  Absolute freedom.  

the boyz

Just 8 frenzied days until I'm home in Wisconsin hanging out with these beautiful boys.   I cannot wait to curl up with them on the couch and do a whole lot of nothing.

tie me up tie me dye

Seems like tie-dye has finally seeped in to a profound level of normality in the fashion world.  While once reserved for dead-heads and psuedo-hippies, now it is ubiquitous and I am falling for it completely, surprising even myself.  It feels like the same thing that happened with leopard print a few years ago.  And while maybe some of the attraction of this trend is that we can DIY (did you check out my foray into reverse tie dye here?), there are also some pieces that are so gorgeous that I'm almost willing to shell out big bucks for them.  Here's some of my current favorites.

bcbg max azria halter tunic, and above, T dress by Corey Lynn Calter

more after the jump...

glorified sweats

I think I'm going to be living in my T by Alexander Wang tanks this summer.  They're perfectly lightweight without being sheer and clingy, and the fabric feels both deliciously soft and sturdy enough to handle real everyday life.  This outfit's basically sweats, I'm not gonna kid you, but sweats done in a way that I think actually looks pulled together and pretty damn cute (if I do say so myself).

 tank: T by Alexander Wang, pants: H&M, bralette: American Apparel

continue to see my newest colorful accessory...

protection

It's a billion degrees and the sun is shining 14 hrs a day; is everybody using adequate sun protection?  Just checking.  My favorite this year (and last) is Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50.  Even though I only see about 20 minutes of sun on any given day, I never leave the house without slathering this stuff on my face and neck (especially my neck which can literally burn in 10 minutes if I'm not vigilant!).  It feels lightweight, not too greasy and it never breaks me out.   Oddly enough, I can't seem to find it on the Kiehl's website in the states, and I wonder if this is only available in europe.  Wouldn't that be strange, for a nyc-based company?

sunday brunch

In case anyone out there was wondering what to make for sunday brunch, may I offer up a suggestion of blueberry pancakes?  I posted them this week on our food blog, but I thought it was worth mentioning here too.

I think most people don't realize how wonderfully quick and easy making pancakes from scratch can be.  This recipe is super simple, and I use whole wheat flour and agave syrup (instead of sugar), so they really are pretty healthy too.   So if you're thinking you might want a little something extra at breakfast tomorrow, give these a try.

madewell wishlist

Madewell has a similar effect on me as its sister store J. Crew - I want to be as easy-going and casually beautiful as the effortlessly styled women in the catalogues and lookbooks, but when I actually get into one of their stores I find myself sort of at a loss; nothing seems nearly as tempting.  At least, that's what happened to me last year in nyc when I hit Madewell for the first time.  Maybe this year will be different since I've developed more of a covetous relationship with their goods online.  Here's some of the items I am currently craving:

silk shutterbug top, and above, silk maxi dress

more after the jump...

mystifying magnum

Have you guys seen these Magnum ice cream ads directed by Karl Lagerfeld?   What the hell is going on here?  Is this for real?  Are these tongue-in-cheek?  After watching these I feel lost in an alternate reality, and can come up with no reasonable explanation for the existence of these strange commercials. 

there's two more surreal ads in the series...

make lemondae

One of my favorite quick fixes for the heat is this instant lemonade.  No, no powder mixes (please!), but I do use that plastic lemon-shaped bottle filled with lemon juice, you know the one I'm talking about.  I fill a glass high with ice, squirt almost an inch of lemon juice in it (I like it really sour!) and top off the rest with plain sparkling water.  Throw in a cherry or two for color and a sweet bite at the end, and I tell you, it is heaven in a glass, and it takes all of 30 seconds to make.  I probably drink 4 of these a day in the summer.  So if it's 100 degrees where you are, or 80 and humid, give it a try!

more photos after the jump because I can't stop playing with my husband's camera...

green sleeves

There is no beach or pool anywhere in my near future, but I bought myself this new bikini top to trick myself into feeling like the possibility existed. As if I could just pop over to the seaside at any given moment, cause you know, I am wearing a swimsuit after all.  In reality I just love the blue on blue ikat pattern, and I think it's a great alternative to a regular bra for the summer.  Paired here with my Zara T-shirt worn backwards, which seems to me to be the better direction for it.

T-shirt: Zara, bikini top: Oysho, pants: H&M, bracelets: DIY, Oliphant, and from a market in Santa Fe

blackbird

As part of my quest for a more balanced life, I've decided to construct the clothing for our latest project myself.  I'm thinking tail feathers, though I don't want it to read "bird" too literally.  I'd rather have the overall effect be powerful feminine post-apocalyptic futuristic gargoyle.  So I guess it's easy to see why I'd have trouble finding something ready-made. 

Oh and in case you're wondering, no, I have no idea what I'm doing.  I don't even own a sewing machine.  This is yet another blind journey into the complete unknown.  For now I'm just fraying fabrics and playing with draping shapes.  We'll see if in a week I have an actual skirt.  If it's a success I'll let you know, if not, we'll just pretend we never had this conversation, ok?

reinhard's hats

Last month I showed you his clogs. Now feast your eyes on these hats by Reinhard Plank. Why had I never heard of this guy before? These are some of the most beautiful hats I think I've ever seen.