1.  Makeup as Art

Images via We See Beauty

I’m not a makeup person.  I wear it but I don’t find it to be the most exciting topic.  When makeup is photographed this artfully, however, I find it captivating.  This makeup is from the We See Beauty’s makeup line, MAKE, which I first spotted on The Atelier.  The We See Beauty Foundation describes itself as a “non-profit organization dedicated to incubate and accelerate women-led, worker-owned cooperatives to drive large scale change.”  1/3 of sales from the We See Beauty shop, including MAKE products, go to support the We See Beauty Foundation.  Check out the We See shop, which offers a carefully curated selection of beauty items, accessories, print materials, films, and home goods.  We See Beauty is a fascinating organization with great aesthetic sensibility.

2.  Old School Ski and Lodge Vacations

Amanda Brooks wrote about her skiing getaway to Samoens in the French Alps on I Love Your Style this week.  I adored the European ski lodge photos and the tales of igloo building.  The above photo from her blog reminds me of a Massimo Vitali photograph.  Speaking of Massimo Vitali, I also enjoyed his photographs of Brazil in the New York Times magazine this week.

Elements of Style posted on another relaxing getaway, The Point at Lake Saranac.  The photos below are from her blog.

Images via Elements of Style.

The Point is a destination that combines a love of the outdoors with gracious accomodations and traditions; Wednesday and Sunday night dinners at The Point require a tuxedo.  This sounds like my kind of place!

3.  Elsa Peretti

Image via Time.

I enjoyed reading about the career of Tiffany’s most famous jewelry designer, Elsa Peretti, in Time Style & Design.  For more photos of Elsa Peretti, including a few from her modeling career, visit Habitually Chic.

4.  Styling with Marble and Fresh flowers

Image via notetoself.

This vignette is just delicious.  I love the combination of the orange peonies and succulents with marble, a simple framed sketch by notetoself, and just a simple votive and some nail polish.  Sometimes elegance lies in the corners of a room.

After viewing this beautiful photograph by Alice Gao on notetoself, I stumbled upon the photographer’s visually compelling blog, Lingered Upon.  I love her tagline:  “Photos and Accumulations of Small Realities.”

5.  Neighborhood shopping & services

Image via Travel Managers.

I love my neighborhood.  When one lives in a city of over 8 million, most of the people one encounters are strangers, but NYC still manages to impart a neighborhood feel.  After all, the city is a collection of neighborhoods.  One night last week, I ran a few errands after work (card shop, bakery, dry cleaner, and wine store, all within less than a few blocks of our apartment).  The man behind the counter at the bakery smiled like he knew me (this probably isn’t a good thing), the man at the dry cleaner did in fact call me by my first name (again, maybe not a good thing), and the owner of the wine store offered me and my husband tickets to a performance that evening (once again, this indicates that I might frequent the business too much; in truth, it was a rare, perhaps twice a year, stop for me).  Humor aside, my point is that even in a large city, we are not strangers in our neighborhood.  And, I appreciate that I can frequent small businesses that are not part of a larger chain and be recognized and valued as a customer.

6.  Perservering through Personal Challenges

Image via The Bronx High School of Science

I read about this boy, named Santiago, a few days ago in the free daily paper that I read on the subway each morning.  His story is part of a new photo exhibit at the UN that documents the journeys that children around the world take to school.  I was inspired by Santiago’s perserverance in the face of his personal challenges, especially how he takes his 2 hour commute to school in such stride, and recognizes that, compared to others, he is quite lucky.

Ruffles from Gucci, Chloe, Balenciaga, and Givenchy via Instyle.

Ruffles are making a big impact on Spring 2013 fashion.  It has been awhile since the ruffle flounced its way onto multiple runways; the last time that ruffles appeared in such numbers, they were more of the prarie variety than today’s modern, sculptured masterpieces.  It seems like the ruffle is this season’s extension of the still popular peplum trend.  My best advice for buying ruffles that will have staying power is to buy a piece with a smaller dose, perhaps a classic sheath or skirt with a ruffle on the bottom.

Here are some of my favorite ruffled pieces:

Giambattista Valli

Valentino

                                                 Erin by Erin Fetherston

Ralph Lauren Blue

                                                           Halston Heritage

Zara

                                                              BCBG

                                                  Laundry by Shelli Segal

                                                        Halston Heritage

Nicholas Kirkwood

See by Chloe

What’s your history of wearing ruffles?  What is the likelihood that you’ll don ruffles this spring?

Source

My first purchase of the year was technically purchased in 2012, but it didn’t arrive until 2013 (Important information to know in case I end up going one item over my allotted 25 items for the year!).

For over a year, I’ve been jonesing for a pair of flat brown riding boots.  I have a pair of J.Crew brown heeled riding boots that are about 8 years old and still beautiful, but these boots are not the most comfortable and removing them requires a hard pull with both hands since they don’t have zippers.

Flat brown riding boots are probably the item that I’ve been missing most in my fall and winter closet.  Too often I’ll find myself thinking, “If I only had a pair of flat brown boots to go with this outfit…”  I considered splurging on a pair of gorgeous Ferregamo Fersea boots this fall, but I ultimately decided that the lack of a zipper would drive me crazy once again.  So I settled on a pair of Corso Como boots on sale on Amazon, as pictured above in coffee burnish.  This color is now sold out on Amazon.  Now for a little tangent on my love of Corso Como and Amazon…

I randomly purchased a pair of Corso Como black riding boots 5 years ago at Nordstrom because they A. Looked great and B. Fit comfortably.  I often have difficulty finding shoes that fit well because my feet tend to be long and narrow.  These boots have turned out to be the best pair of shoes I have ever owned.  At the time, the over $300 with tax was the most I had spent on a pair of shoes.  I’ve also invested in the upkeep of the shoes (new heels a few times, insoles, etc.), but the money spent has been worth it.  I’ve worn these boots hundreds of times; I’ve walked all over NYC and Paris in them, worn them in court, and I’m even wearing them as I write a draft of this blog post.  In fact, any time the temperature dips below 65 degrees in September-March, there’s at least an 80% chance I’m wearing these boots.  I’ve received a ton of compliments on them.  The funny thing is, despite their age and wear, everyone thinks my boots are new.  Often, the same person will compliment me on them more than once, believing each time that they’re new boots!  If you’re interested in a similar pair, try the Corso Como Rena boots, available at Amazon.  Before this purchase, I was unaware of the Corso Como brand, but ever since, it has been on my radar.  These days, the prices are even better than the price I paid for my first pair.

I’m a huge fan of the breadth of merchandise on Amazon; we buy homeware items, books, and everything in between from Amazon.  The Amazon Prime Membership is worth the annual fee to receive free 2 day shipping on Super Saver items!  I recently read that by 2023, Amazon will surpass Walmart in sales, but I believe that this will happen even sooner.  Any time my husband and I need anything we head to Amazon first.  We must order items from Amazon at least twice a month.  I did all of my Christmas shopping for my son and husband on Amazon.

Here’s hoping that my purchase of the new brown riding boots proves to be just as successful and enduring as my black riding boot purchase!

Do you wear riding boots?  Are you an Amazon shopper like I am?  What is the best pair of shoes that you have ever owned?

It seems like just yesterday that I was sharing my Midweek Inspiration from last week.  Between recovering from a sinus infection, celebrating Valentine’s Day with Baby Boy, and taking a long weekend trip to visit family (in addition to all of the regular commitments), the past week has flown by.

Here are some items that have inspired me in the past week:

Photo by Slim Aarons (1980) via Pleasurephoto. The view from the terrace of Il Canile, a villa owned by Umberto Tirelli and Dino Trappetti.

This breathtaking photo makes me long for a return to Capri.

If you’re in NYC, don’t forget to drop by French fashion darling Vanessa Bruno’s pop up store before it closes on February 26.  Extra points if you pick up macarons from the store’s Laduree cart along with a Diptyque candle and bouquet of fresh flowers for yours truly.  And while we’re on the subject of French boutiques in New York, you can read about the French boutique invasion in New York here.

K. Jacques triton sandal in navy.

I’ve had K. Jacques sandals on my list for a couple of years now as a classic item to add to my wardrobe.  Preston of Keep it Chic, a blog that captures my fashion aesthetic, shared that these sandals are now available in navy, causing these babies to skyrocket even higher onto my style priority list.  These would be the perfect shoe for a scene like the one pictured above in Capri.

Interior via The Girls of Lincoln Park.  Original source unknown.

I’m always drawn to black and white, but here my eye focuses on the mix of gold, silver, and crystal in this room.  I wouldn’t think to pair the three together, but somehow it works here without looking too staid.  Maybe it’s the orchid that gives the combination a literal fresh touch?  I also love that (probably faux) Hermes coffee table tray.

If you’re watching the Oscars this weekend or enjoying another screen marathon, you might want to try this tantalizing sea salt and honey butter popcorn recipe from Domestikated Life.

Image via The Sartorialist.

I love the casual mix here.  A sleek leather-trimmed coat, motorcycle boots, and Prada tote are softened up by a peek of lace and emerald green (hello Pantone Color of 2013).  This shows that a chic way to wear color and frill is to temper it with basic black.

Image source

“You’re never going to get everything done.  So get the right things done.”  Mike Vardy via The Happiness Project.

“Let’s all decide to no longer hide behind the excuse that  we “don’t have time.”  The  truer response would be “I don’t care enough  to really protect the time.”  A Design so Vast.

I read these compelling quotes in the past week.  Sometimes it takes a restatement of the simplest truth to cause us to more deeply understand something we know to be true.  Time is our most precious resource.

Becoming a mother changes priorities.  It happens both instantly and slowly, over time.  Lately I’ve been reexamining how I spend my time.  All of it is so precious and as a mother with a career, I feel the need to have the time apart from my child be well spent and purposeful.  There are many events I’d enjoy attending or people I would like to see or catch up with over the phone more often, but I don’t.  It comes down to the fact that I have to make sure that the right things get done and that my time with my child is protected.  I’m going to arm myself with these quotes for times when the deluge of opportunities threatens to impede on my time with my child or my other highest priorities.

Sometime in the past year, I read that the greatest skill of our time is the ability to sort through all of the information available and focus on what’s important.  This too is something with which I struggle, particularly when it comes to media and consumer goods (fashion!).  The above quotes have also inspired me to become more mindful of the media I consume and narrow my focus.  One of my great pleasures in life is consuming books, blogs, magazines, and catalogs, and it’s difficult for me to find the time to keep up with all of the media I find deserving of attention.  I also have trouble keeping this blog updated with all of the noteworthy things I’ve encountered (There are so many things!), and that’s one reason why I’ve started this Midweek Inspiration series.

What do you think of my picks?  What has been inspiring you this week?  Have you found any quotes lately to arm yourself with in the face of life’s challenges?  Do you share the same struggles with prioritizing or media consumption?

Since it’s midweek, I wanted to share some things that are inspiring me this week.

Image via The Sartorialist.

This article, video, and photo shoot of Lee Radziwill, sister of Jacqueline Kennedy, and a fascinating woman in her own right, has been all over the internet this week.  I’ve found it completely inspiring; you should check it out if you haven’t already.  I especially enjoyed getting glimpses of her chic Parisian apartment.

I tried this simple dessert recipe for blood oranges dipped in chocolate and sprinkled in sea salt.  It was a delight to my tastebuds!

Meg Braff Interiors.

I appreciate interior designers who can inject color and a bit of unpredictability into rooms with classic foundations.  Meg Braff’s interiors have me excited about creating similar spaces in my own home someday.

The final item that has inspired me this week is a quote from Nate Berkus’ interview in Matchbook Magazine’s latest issue, in which he describes his process for selecting rooms to feature in his latest book, The Things that Matter:

“The truth is I had one requirement and that is that the spaces really told the stories of the people who live in them.  I took all the labels off what I thought was ‘good design.’  I wanted to get a collection of beautiful spaces together, but more importantly than that, I wanted to make sure that these people had the capacity to talk about why they chose the things they live with every day.”

This quote really resonates with me.  It sums up what I would like to do in this space:  inspire others to “talk about why they chose the things they live with [and wear] every day.” 

What stylish things are inspiring you this week?

Image via The Sartorialist.

Have you made New Year’s Resolutions? How about Style Resolutions? This year I resolve to:

1. Complete a 25 Things Challenge (More details coming!)
2. Sell items I don’t use on eBay.
3. Repair and tailor existing items that I’m not wearing.
4. Try to come up with new outfit combinations.
5. Attempt to take photos of my outfits each day (This will aid with #4).

Please share your 2013 Style Resolutions with me and I’ll be back soon to share details of my 25 Things Challenge!