Vintage Mint

These Spring pieces from Toast remind me of the summers I spent in southern California {we’re talking a stone’s throw away from Mexico, southern California}. Now if only I could dress this effortlessly in the scorching heat during California’s summer months — the “other” half of the year {May to mid-October}.

{I think I can make this necklace…}

{and definitely this rope “necklace” (noose?), too}

I can’t wait to see Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. I’m a novice fan of his film style and imagery. {As well as cooler than cool, Mr. Cheekbones himself, Johnny Depp.} These are not promos for the movie, but I love how these photos capture the Carroll-ian essence of the story’s characters and events {and fashion!}. They’re kind of dark, somber, macabre — and I l-o-v-e it!

{model: Natalia Vodianova}

{designer: Nicolas Ghesquiere}

{designers: Stephen Jones, Christian Lacroix}

{designer: Marc Jacobs}

{designers: John Galliano, Alexis Roche}

{Best Tweedle Dee + Tweedle Dum ever}

{Photo by prodigy photog, Eleanor Hardwick}
{Photos by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue 2003}
{Photos via Ragazza, thanks to Style Amor}
{Photos by Lorenzo Agius}

I’ve always admired the art direction in Kate Spade advertisements {especially circa 2004}, perhaps more so than the collection of clothes and accessories themselves. But these cute Spring outfits are changing my mind. These retro-chic outfits, similar to her Fall 2009 line, actually look wearable {and not too pop/op art “loud” like previous seasons}.

Not all these fashionable ladies hail from the City of Lights, but they definitely emit that style {or maybe it’s just me?}. Major swoon…

{I’ve been desperately on the hunt for some beige-y nude less-than-3-inch heels/flats for a good half of a year now…}

{love the cheeky charm the black bow adds to her outfit}

{LOVE this outfit; there’s just something so refreshingly casual about cropped trousers, nautical stripes, and leather flats. Ahem, minus the cig.}

{Photos via Stylesightings}

One of the {only} productive things I managed to do during my brief vacay was lounge around making some of these Anthro-esque floral brooches. They were surprisingly easy to make and you only need fabric scraps, needle + thread, and a pin backing. {Instructions from the wonderful diy/craft-loaded blog, My Mama Made It}.

I swear, they — the retail clothing gods — better be churning out cute/hip kid clothes like the {limited} Stella McCartney line for Gap Kids by the time I finally have one. Stocking up on cool clothes for my yet-unborn, future children isn’t too irrational, right? Right??

I love everything {EVERYTHING} about this Gap kids holiday line: the soft pinks, grays, cashmere, military jackets {major swoon}, even the yellows {!} — and I am not a fan of yellow.

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I love it when I find cool {and easy} DIY projects amongst talented crafters in the blogosphere. Say hello to DIY ruffle v-neck. Fabulous and practical, no?

DIY instructions from say YES to Hoboken {and another ruffle DIY shirt, here}.

{Found via, Design Mom}

Wow! I can’t believe I didn’t think of this gem-of-an-idea: exchange the clothes in my closet that are in really good {somtimes, um, not even worn — that’s impulse shopping for you} condition with others in the same boat {and size}, ONLINE! But, thredUP got the leg-up on this concept. Makes sense, given that — according to their website — we use only 25% of the clothes in our closet.

Um, I’m 100%  guilty of this; sad, considering I have a completely stuffed closet, with tons of clothes in storage and yet I feel like I wear the same outfits every week.

{Jenna Lyons’ enviable closet}

{Photo via Domino Magazine}

I want to go home and make this simple DIY bead necklace, right now! It looks fairly easy to make, and the materials are simple enough: beads, thread. Good mix of muted colors/shapes yet bold enough to be considered a statement necklace.

{a la Martha Stewart, of course}

Directions, here.

{Photo via Martha Stewart}

*Update: Bought the the Black Tie Optional shine gloss and LOVES it! Surprisingly it doesn’t mute or gray-out my lips {with lipstick on}, and it definitely gives off a more complex hue. And the gloss is huge (!) and a little goes a long way, so in all, great product.

For the past couple years, each Fall I’ve been on the hunt for THE perfect shade of dark vampy red/violet lipstick. Don’t know if it’s the constant makeup propaganda from the Fall fashion runways year after year, or my inner goth crying out “be a big girl already and try a dark merlot lip color!” Last year, the closest I could get was Chanel’s Rouge Noir {a darkened purpley red}, but this year the makeup gods must have heard my secret prayer. Chanel now has 3 black-tinted lipsticks to choose from {part of the Noirs Obscurs collection}: Maniac {black-red}, Obscure {black-brown}, and Hysteria {black-violet}. Although, I think I’m going to try out Lipstick Queen’s Black Tie Optional {either in lipstick or gloss form}. It’s supposed to be like “black lace stockings for your lips” — it’s a smokey sheer color that goes over your {insert color here} lipstick or can be worn all by itself. Either way, it gives your lips more depth and intensity.

Not just for Halloween anymore!

{Lipstick Queen lipstick: $18; gloss: $22}

{Chanel lipstick: $30 –sold out!}

Vampy lips done right.
{Of course, it doesn’t hurt if you already have a flawless face to begin with…}

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