Jean Shrimpton in New York City,1964

My love of a good coat is well-documented on this blog.  Fabulous, teddy-bear inspired coats have been appearing in street style photos for a few months now, and the style is still fresh.  The only thing better than cozying up to a teddy bear is wrapping yourself up in its plush, textured fabric.  With the snowy weather and estimated 18 to 24 inches of snow headed to New York City, there isn’t another coat that I would rather be cuddling.

Carine Roitfield in Max Mara

Alexa Chung wearing an Isa Arfen coat constructed from Steiff teddy bear material.

Some of the best runway iterations of the coat came from Burberry, Calvin Klein Collection, and the Queen of the Camel Coat, Max Mara:

 Burberry Prorsum Pre-Fall 2015

Burberry

Calvin Klein Collection

 Max Mara

Carven

Orla Kiely 

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel

 If you want to find a cuddly coat in stores, there are still some options remaining.  The Orla Kiely coat above was one of my favorites.

This coat, by Trina Turk, is similar in texture and hue to the Orla Kiely version:

Other viable options for keeping the cold out:  a luxe textured cocoon coat by Adam Lippes, a brownish gray version from Asos, a beyond bright Carl Donoghue coat, a fluffy light pink topper from Asos, or a light pink confection of a coat from French Connection, a light beige H&M version, a Freda taupe gray shearing coat, an Ashley B. Mongolian fur coat at Barneys, a Collection B. coat from Nordstrom in either light pink or white, a super furry Zara coat on super sale, an MSGM light pink faux shearing coat, an extra nubby white J.O.A. jacket from Nordstrom, a Bar III shearing coat, a Joseph pea coat, an extra plush Whistles faux fur in pink, a Ganni coat with big pockets, or a Sam Edelman topper in a variety of colors.  Or, for warmer climates, an open jacket from June at Shopbop or an inexpensive version from Forever 21.

You might also try the Trouve faux fur topper from Nordstrom;  I did.  I loved it but it didn’t do me any favors.  I also found that the low neckline would require some serious scarf tricks to keep out the cold.  The only catch I see with this style is that the coats are often cut into a “blobby” form that can be unflattering.  A belt could solve the blob problem.   Try a belted option like this gorgeous Edun coat, an Isabel Marant or Isa Arfen with a contrasting belt, a belted white Rochas, a Carin Wester, or add a belt yourself.

My prediction is that these furry friends will return next year.  Teddy bear coats from the Pre-Fall 2015 collections are already available for pre-order:

Carven

Stay warm and enjoy the bear hunt!

 Image Credits from the top of the post: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 11. 12. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

Links: 1 2 3 4 5 6

 Sometimes I notice that my pins on Pinterest create a pattern.  This is just one example.  I’m typically not a red person, but these items are appealing to me.  Maybe it’s the season.

What patterns of inspiration are you finding yourself drawn to these days?  Are you a red person?

Jean Shrimpton in Vogue Paris August 1965.  Photographer Guy Bourdin.

This summer seemed to go faster than any other, and my plans to share my summer fashion favorites have been scrapped to make way for autumn styleaspirations.  I plan to spend the next several posts sharing some of my favorite fall fashions.

First up is the pink coat.  I’m sure that you’ve been spotting them.  I have a special attachment to the pink coat because I’ve had one in my winter coat collection for the past 7 years.  Mine is another Lilly Pulitzer find, a beautiful pink wool coat that I believe that I purchased for 50% off at a boutique in the midwest.  In the months following my purchase, I saw Meredith Viera wearing the green version of my coat on The Today Show.

Readers, I have received more compliments on this pink coat than any other piece of clothing I have ever worn.  When I get dressed, I’m not looking for compliments (though they are always welcome), but I relish the fact that this piece of clothing has garnered me more compliments than any other because it’s the only piece of clothing I own that my husband complains about!  So when a man on the subway asked to take my picture because he wanted to show his sisters who love pink (Do I really believe that?), not exactly the type of attention I want, I couldn’t wait to share this anecdote with my husband.

Here is a little pink coat inspiration to push you into fall:

Via Pinterest

Via Stylecaster

3.1 Phillip Lim 

Carven

Leslie Tessler

Via What Do I Wear? 

Kate Spade

JCrew

Paul Smith

 Harper’s Bazaar

I particularly love how this pink coat adds just the right amount of punch to basic black and white.

Here are my Top Picks for Pink Coats:

Femme 

Rochas

French Connection

Carven

Victoria’s Secret  (A steal!)

Simone Rocha

And one of my favorite pieces for fall…

Red Valentino

Are you thinking pink when it comes to coats these days?  What is the item of clothing that has fetched you the most compliments?

Image via Diner en Blanc- New York Facebook page

Before I leap full force into fall, I want to share how I ended the summer.

On Sept. 18, I joined approximately 4,000 others clad head to toe in white and carting white chairs, tables, fine china, candles, and flowers for an organized yet impromptu picnic in a secret location.  The partygoers met in different locations and then made their way to the once secret spot, Bryant Park, located directly behind the New York Public Library (NYPL).  I loved the choice of location.  It is classic New York.

My photos are somewhat blurry, but in a way I feel that only adds to the magical feeling that the evening bestowed.

This spectacular event, Diner en Blanc (DEB), started 25 years ago in Paris.  It has no fundraising aspect or political or social agenda.  The only goal is that participants experience an elegant evening complete with live music, dinner, and dancing.  The challenging part of DEB is the preparation… finding a table in Manhattan that meets the required specifications is a particular challenge.  To make the dressing aspect stress-free, I wore the white Lilly Pulitzer dress that I posted about here.  Next year, I look forward to planning my outfit and table decorations well in advance.

One of the best parts of DEB is the people watching.  I loved that the event was filled with a crowd diverse in age, race, demeanor, and style.  Below are a few of my favorite styles I spotted at DEB.

While dancing and smiling with strangers, I realized that I wish for Baby Boy to grow into an adult with the ability to have similar experiences; to put aside everyday routines and stressors, surrender to the magic and the joy of being alive, and recognize the beauty and uniqueness of a particular moment.

I can now say that I’ve danced on the steps of the NYPL.

I hope to carry a little DEB style into the fall.  White has always been elegant, and recently, it has proven to be seasonless.

Harper’s Bazaar

How did you end the summer?  What are your styleaspirations for the fall?

Picnic season is in full swing.  We’ve enjoyed a picnic in Central Park for the past two weekends in a row.  A picnic can be impromptu or carefully planned, a beachside event or a gathering on a bench.  I find picnics to be one of the most enjoyable activities.  For a history of the picnic, visit Cassandra Considers.

Pinterest

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Rooftop picnic via 7 Year Wedding

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Tumblr.  I’m loving the vintage plaid lunchbox.  I used to carry one myself!

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And let’s not forget the food!

Le Figaro Madame

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The Enchanted Home

Pinterest

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Pinterest

Our picnics typically include a few good cheeses, salami, garlic stuffed olives, and fruit.

The key to any great picnic is packing a mix of savory and sweet items:

Crostini with peaches, bleu cheese, and honey via Bev Cooks or Pear Walnut and Ricotta Crostini

Avacado and tzaziki sandwich via Pinterest

Corn, tomato and cheddar pie via Clockwork Lemon

or a simple prosciutto, mozarella, and basil sandwich on crusty bread

via Linzer Tart.

A refreshing salad always complements a picnic:

White House Salad via ivillage

Avocado chicken salad via Becoming Betty

Blood orange and fennel salad via Kiran Tarun

Other ideas:  seashell pasta with basil, tomatoes, and garlic, a simple fruit salad with honey lime dressing, or melon and prosciutto skewers.

For an alternative to packaged chips, try:

Baked beet chips via Martha Stewart

or

Crispy Edamame

Store a tasty thirst quencher in leftover jam jars:

via Parents.com

How about filling the jars with…

Peach summer sangria via Pizzazzerie

Blackberry Bourbon lemonade via Runchickenrun

A champagne grapefruit mojito via Style Me Pretty

Sparkling strawberry limeade via bless her heart

or

Basil Limeade via Celebrating Everyday Life

For dessert, may I suggest:

Salted caramel brownies via A Spicy Perspective

Smores cookies via Martha Stewart

Shortbread caramel sandwiches via Dust Jacket

or

Olive oil, yogurt and lime cake via Simple Provisions

or

Strawberry shortcake in a jar via Honestly Yum

For more picnic food inspiration, check out 101 20 Minute Dishes for Inspired Picnics.

I definitely love picnic food, but naturally, one of my favorite aspects of a picnic is the accessories!  For a stylishly accessorized picnic, here are some products that get my stamp of approval:

Yield picnic bag that folds into a blanket via Cup of Jo.

From Kate Spade, picnic basics that pack a punch of color:

Kate Spade picnic basket

Kate Spade champagne box.

For a more modern take on picnic accessories, uncommon goods has a great selection of clever products, including a picnic backpack.

For those seeking a more traditional picnic basket, Picnic World and Dann-Online offer beautiful selections:

Sutherland Classic picnic basket

Canterbury fully stocked picnic basket

Sutherland Nottingham picnic basket

Sutherland Doppio Vino Picnic Basket

For the most aspirational of picnics, a vintage Rolls Royce picnic basket fits the bill:

via Luxist.

Ready for a picnic?  What will you bring?

I wanted to pop in and share some Fourth of July inspiration…

Vogue February 2013, photographed by Annie Lebovitz.

Tabitha Simmons

Photo by Leombruno Bodi

Chanel ensemble via Into the Gloss

Chance

Pinterest

Wishing you a safe and splendid Fourth of July!

Image via SHELTER

I continue to have great excuses for not being present here, but I’m hoping that this is the start of easing back into a regular blogging routine.

Tonight I cleared out all of the starred items from my Google reader, quite a job.  Yes, I waited until the last minute to complete this task, but it wasn’t a top priority until it had to be.  I starred a lot of the items as inspiration for future blog posts.  After taking about 22 pages of notes in a Word document, patterns of inspiration have emerged.  Out of all the hundreds of posts I browsed tonight, one hit me in particular:  this post from SHELTER, one of my favorite interior design blogs, on pink upholstered seating.

I thought of my grandmother’s pink chair, similar to the one pictured above, that sat proudly in her living room with another matching chair.  The elegant pink upholstered chair now sits in my parents’ bedroom, one of the rare furnishings of the past century in a home filled with antiques.  Tonight I thought of my grandmother and how she cared about the furnishings that filled her home, just as she cared about what she wore.

I  have always admired that chair, but it has become dearer to me in the past couple of years after sitting in it to nurse Baby Boy in the middle of the night.  It was in the early hours of the morning that I gained a greater appreciation for its comfort and its beauty.  And I couldn’t help but think that my Grandma would be happy that I was enjoying her chair in such a profound way.

Something else that’s hereditary is my curious list making/note taking habit.  I have a need, a compulsion, to compile lists of things that inspire me.  My mother does the same thing.  She keeps lists of things that she reads or hears about for future reference.  Sometimes she shares these items with me.  She reminded me recently that her mother did the same thing.

Some compulsions are in the blood.

Images via Le Blog de Betty

Sorry for the silence around here lately.  Other priorities have asserted their dominance over my time, but I look forward to sharing a lot of content with you that I’ve had planned.

For the past week or so, my mind keeps traveling back to these images of Paris-based style blogger Betty Autier photographed in Florence.  She seems like she’s ready to jump into the weekend.  At least that’s what I like to think.  You could certainly do worse for weekend wear than a  Rochas dress with Thierry Lasry glasses, Valentino rockstud heels, and a Lulu Guiness clutch, no?

Kate Spade opened its new flagship store on the Upper East Side last Friday.  On Monday, I took advantage of a rare day off from work and toured this Madison Avenue jewel box of a store.  I enjoyed exploring the four floors of colorful merchandise and snapping photos on my iPhone.

I tried on this fabulous bow blouse, the first of many Kate Spade Madison Avenue store exclusives to come, but unfortunately it didn’t fit me correctly.  I’ve found other Kate Spade items to be ill-fitting, so I’m always pleased when a Kate Spade piece that I love works out.

I love the black trimmed roman shades.  Chic!

A cash register is accompanied by a delightful bar set up.

 
Excuse the poor photo.  My dream home won’t be complete now without these tiles arranged like a bow.
 

 

So not only did I find the colorful merchandise inspiring, but I also felt inspired by the store’s interior design and location.  Pedro, one of the lovely sales associates, shared the view from the store’s pink hydrangea decorated balcony overlooking Madison Avenue.  We both remarked that, “It doesn’t get much better than this.”
 

Photo via Instagram

I loved my tour of Kate Spade and look forward to returning.  Special thanks to Pedro and the other sales associates who were extra welcoming!

To Visit:

Kate Spade

789 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10065

Are you a Kate Spade fan as well?  Have you had issues with Kate Spade’s sizing?  Do you plan to visit the new flagship store?