Recent Addictions

I know this post isn't riveting for a Monday morning, but my life has me holed up on my sixth floor studio in "down city"(why not downtown ?!) Providence. Whoa is me -- just have to persevere a bit longer and I can at least come up for air. The last week or two has me spending an inordinate amount of time at the RISD Store + our local branch of Utrecht. Two things I can not get enough of, no matter how little I need them, are Moleskine notebooks, and Micron pens. I know neither is new to the scene, but it's just amazing how once you pop you can't stop. Moleskines come in all sorts of sizes and beautiful colors, and somehow the company has gotten the basic notebook dead on. I can't imagine them being better. Same goes for micron pens -- I love how I write with them, I like drawing with them, and best of all -- they remind me of my grandmother -- because she always uses them. Okay... Back to work.

Pendleton

I've been in love with Pendleton ever since I first discovered them through their collaboration with Opening Ceremony. They're prints you're familiar with your whole life, but maybe never know the name.

But ever since drooling over a big wool circle skirt in a turquoise Native American print a few years back I've been in love.

As the rain teems outside my open window, Im daydreaming of cuddling up in one of their beautiful blankets (and I would have loved one of these at the beach this past weekend!) ...

Loving

How cool are these vases ? I bought one last night at Sprout in Williamsburg for a friend's birthday. He received the top one in an army green color. The top is a motor oil container cast in porcelain. I think this shape was definitely the greatest (obviously, or I wouldn't have chosen it), but I like the soap containers too. These pieces can be found online at Leif, and were created by collecting trash in Holland. Love. And PS, they're even better looking in person. Happy weekend !

Fall Nails

I take a long time deciding what color to paint my nails. I can (embarrassingly) stare at a wall of colors for 10 minutes before deciding what moves me. I hate picking something I'm not happy with. My one fool proof color for my fingernails is "Fed Up," shown above. It is soft, with just enough color that it isn't clear, but just little enough that its not a cheesy white or pink... And it's still feminine. Joanna Goddard was talking about the perfect color the other day, and I thought I should share this one. I mean, its been fool proof since High School. High School. There isn't much else that has carried through since then.
I also thought I should note that I saw these "Les Jeans de Chanel" limited edition colors recently on Because Im Addicted. I've never imagined myself saving a date to get online and order nail polish... But me and blue ... I am loving Blue Rebel and Blue Boy. Im thinking I can even get away with them on my fingers during the winter (and because Im an art student, the perfect excuse for anything whacky ;).

J Crew Collection

Is looking very sharp for fall. Very sharp.

A Meeting of the Minds

Current Elliot + Kate Spade ? All things trendy hipster + all things quirky preppy ? Yes please. I was so happy to find Westward in the Kate Spade store on 5th Avenue today. I was hopelessly drooling over the beautiful "Westward Curiosities Satchel" (Yes Al, Satchel). Navy perfection. Kudos to Deborah Lloyd (Creative Director of Kate Spade) for seamlessly expanding her market with this unexpected union.

Big News.

Huge.

Zara will be selling online as of September 9th. This comes as great news to a Providence resident. Hope you're excited too ;). Happy back to school shopping.

Circles + Stripes, Circles + Stripes

My Apartment could greatly benefit from 1, 2, 3 and 4 :).

I Must Have This.

If ever there was a dress that was made for me ... A caftan marrying boho, preppy + maxi is it. Emersonmade hit the nail on the head again. Counting down for this to hit the shelves.

Rise + Shine + Give God Your Glory ! Glory !

Guys. I start school next week. How crazy is that ? When I moved out of my last apartment in January I made a bold statement and threw out my alarm clock. Not because I didn't need an alarm this winter, but because it was so ugly I had to take a stand. Basta ! I said. And threw it in the trash. And now, for the last five months I've been setting my phone alarm. And now, for the last five months I have despised my wake up call. I liked waking up to NPR or 106.7 Lite FM thank you very much. Prior to that I enjoyed a nice Bugle and "a wakey wakey Camp Matoaka ! Eggs + Bakey !" over the loud speaker at summer camp, and a nice back rub from my mama at home. The buzzing or "antelope" as they misleadingly call it on my blackberry, I could do without. But alas, we're back to the age old problem :: Pretty radio or ipod alarms are, excuse my french, effing expensive. I love this one above from Horne, but at $199 ? I just can't (and that's on the cheaper end of nice radio alarms I've spied). Antelope it is for now... The search continues. Happy weekend ! x

Madewell

I can't get enough of their store styling or their clothing lately.

Calypso For Target.

I've sort of gotten over the Target/Designer collaborations. They do them so often it feels less special than back in the day when there was mass hysteria for Stella McCartney for H&M, or when my roommate got up in the middle of the night to buy Vera Wang for Kohl's at the product unleashing. I think having no close Target store hasn't helped either, but this factor will be remedied with a move to Providence + a car.

Anyway, despite all of this, I was excited to see an ad in this month's Lucky for Calypso for Target. I love me some Calypso dresses (feminine, bohemian, maxi -- sigh), and I adore their home products too. Looks like the line will have everything from long skirts to metallic poufs and it goes on Sale May 1. Seems like a good season opener to me :).

Canvas Registry

If I'm being honest ... A lot of people's registries bore me. I know this doesn't matter. The gifts are for them after all, and you can't argue that it's good to start a home with a base of classic + useful pieces. But I've often thought part of the problem with the snooze factor is that more interesting places don't offer registries. So I was happy to see an email pop up in my inbox recently announcing that Canvas, one of my favorites, now offers a registry.

Get creative brides.

Coral + Tusk

How much do you love these Pillows by New York City (and RISD Grad :) textile designer Stephanie Housely for her line Coral + Tusk ? I'm pretty much obsessed with all of her design, the name, and her logo.

I Want.

Its a beauty. A rehearsal dinner dress for upcoming wedding season perhaps ? I have the perfect shoes :). Trying to figure out how to justify the price. Leave it to Marc.

I Heart Details Week :: WF + The Andi Score.

Cat's out of the bag that I have an unhealthy (pun intended :) obsession with Whole Foods. I give them a lot of credit on a lot of levels. I've heard it said that their market is finite and they're nearing their expansion limit. I disagree. I think they're morphing themselves into a lower priced market (365) in an age when eating whole and nutritious and local is a national trend, and that this will keep them growing for years to come.

Anyway, I digress. As with everything else this week, one of the levels I admire is Whole Foods' attention to detail. A few years ago I first noticed the Andi Score (not sure how long it's actually been around). The Andi Score which is short for "Aggregate Nutrition Density Index" is described on their site and in their stores as being "...created to help consumers quickly and accurately identify foods with the highest nutritional values. No need to memorize the best source of this or that vitamin. ANDI takes the most important nutrients into consideration including: Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin E and even phytochemicals that are potent antioxidants vital for optimal health.And the best news is that you don’t need to count calories or obsess over fat. The ANDI formula is very simple: ANDI = Nutrients divided by Calories. So the highest scoring foods have the fewest calories and virtually no fat. Foods are ranked on a scale of 1 to 1000. Kale and collards receive the top score of 1000 while cola lands at the bottom of the scale with a 1."

I LOVE checking out the Andi score of all the yummy produce stocking their shelves. It's not only informative for me and my choices, but it makes me feel like Whole Foods cares about my choices. I love it so much, that when a friend and I first discovered it we used to text each other high Andi scores that surprised us.

I was reminded of this attention to detail as I walked by the bulk bins at the Whole Foods on Bowery the other day. Sitting out for the taking were these little (well designed) booklets full of all sorts of information on beans, rices, flours ... Things that I can buy at a desired weight but might not know how to treat. Or maybe I just want to know about them, and there is that info too. I might never know what Amaranth Flour is, but this booklet lets me know that their is no gluten in it (great for me !) and that it is "A strong, spicy, nutty-flavored flour. Best used as an accent flour to waffles, pancakes, cookies or muffins." Intriguing. Thanks Whole Foods, for your attention to detail + sharing your knowledge.

And P.S. they have a great recipes section on their site as well.

I Heart Details Week :: Lulu

Lulu Lemon is a company that made their name on details. I knew from the first pair of yoga pants I bought of theirs about 6 years ago (in Greenwich, Connecticut when they had no east coast retail stores and were privately owned), that they were going places. The pants were reversible, so they made the label a perfect tear out. Every piece I've bought of theirs has had a little insight like this that screams, whoever designed these was missing that perfect detail one morning when they went out for a run, when they stretched out into their first downward dog of the day, when they were cold on their way to the gym. They think of thumb holes in long sleeves, elastic just where you need it, and their logo understated but everywhere.

And then along came these pants. They had the perfect zipper in the back for keys and money. Sort of a given in workout clothing these days. A few months after purchasing them however, I was playing with the waist band and realized there was an opening at the seam, creating the perfect little basket for my ipod. On both sides. Details don't get much better than that....

I Heart Details Week.

I love thoughtful + well designed products. It usually isn't in looking at a whole that we see this, it's looking at some tiny piece. For example you wouldn't know a duvet cover was well made or thought out until you saw the stitching or closure. Dresses and skirts seem so much smarter these days because they have pockets. Funny quotes on tags make us like companies more. Etc etc etc...

I'm like a giddy school girl when I notice a detail that I'm impressed by. I love picturing a creative team deciding on it after a group pow wow, or one designer having a light bulb moments. I thought this week I'd share some. Do you notice great details too ? Or am I a little cray cray ?
For example :: I bought this Patagonia off of their web specials after my NOLS. A similar jacket was my happy place on the trip, and I knew wearing one around the city would make me feel warm and safe. When I got it though I was most excited about the matching baby stuff sack it came with. How cutie is that ? And I've already used it traveling. I would never doubt Patagonia to be spot on with details (all of their pockets are so very useful), but this was just one more that got me.

And the Rest ...

Those three dresses are the tip of the iceberg with Steven Alan's Spring Lookbook. I want it. All.

Steven Alan Dresses

And more predictability a la Lizzy. Steven Alan's Spring Dresses are to die for. I just know I would live in all three of these.