breakfast at tiffany's

but for the real deal. this adorable couple took the best engagement photos, recreating the iconic movie. i have the actual movie poster with audrey hepburn hanging above my bed so needless to say, i'm obsessed.

heart's a flutter

these images are from almost two years go, but when i stumbled across them i couldn't help but share. backstage at Sonia Rykiel's Spring 2008 runway show in Paris, i'm dying to figure out a way to time-travel so i can transport myself there! are you? playful, fanciful, and carefree, there seems to be an estatic energy in the air. the models look absolutely effervescent. i would be too, if someone was paying me to frolic around in feather couture!

According to Style.com you can always count on Rykiel’s finale to “deliver the feel-good moment of Paris fashion week.” ain't that the truth!

watching the world from the brightside

jane birkin

jane birkin in the 1970's carrying the basket that inspired the single most sought after bag in the world. the bag that commands tens of thousands and is produced in such limited quantities, you have to be put on a five year waiting list to attain it. this photograph captures her effortless beauty, that is now immortalized by hermes. fur and pastries, can she get more fabulous?

rain, rain won't you stay?

unlike most of my friends, i'm relishing this cloudburst. gloomy weather makes for an easy excuse to put off my lengthy to-do list and not feel one bit of guilt for pampering myself. and the smell and general atmosphere of rain always makes me feel all shiny and new.

living in la provides for little to no opportunity to dust off those umbrellas we hide in the back of our closets. but done right, umbrellas can be quite the eye candy!

Bella Umbrella boasts a breath taking collection of vintagey parasols that would make mary poppins proud.



the best part is, aside from the rainbow of color combinations and patterns available, the handles are like teensy works of art that are interchangeable!

but we'll always have paris

good morning! i'm sitting in my dinky apartment, sipping on an extra-large cup of coffee, perusing blogs (aka procrastinating actually attending class), and daydreaming to be anywhere but here. maybe it's because the holiday is approaching (well not really since it's only mid-october. i'm just as bad as those department stores that have christmas stuff up already) but my wanderlust is getting a little out of hand. i stumbled upon this sweet short film that should help tie me over for now. it's from the J.Crew shoot in paris fall 2007. enjoy behind the scenes footage and set to a jazzy french ditty!



must...go...now!

rasta love

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"Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life."

-Good Ol' Bob Marley at it again, a little lengthy but heartwarming all the same. and now i have an urge to watch my childhood favorite My Girl, but i'll just settle for a picture of the adorable twosome instead

ça me plait

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leopard+chanel= can do no wrong

past in present

the annual poster sale was taking place on campus. the beginning of a new school year, with sparsely decorated apartments to fill. at first i was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of posters that were there, and let me tell you flipping through those poster bound catalogs is no easy feat (those things weigh a ton!), but after discarding the perennial pink floyd album covers and godfather movie posters, i found some diamonds in the rough.

albeit cliche diamonds, considering i adhered to every twenty-something year old girl rule and selected black&white photographs of audrey hepburn and marilyn monroe. however the marilyn monroe picture in particular, it was the one where she was putting on makeup in a bathroom, made me want to look for more photos of women caught candidly on film while simultaneously capturing the very essence of being a woman. here's what i found:

“Lillian Bassman: Women,” is opening October 10 at the Peter Fetterman Gallery in Santa Monica. Bassman was the Art Director of Harper’s Bazaar and her "...own fashion photography is renowned for its elegance..." Her book comes out this fall!

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through the looking glass mirror

there is something hauntingly beautiful about this picture. it's as if she is trying to pry past the seeming perfection of her glamorous life, beneath the glossy exterior. is this reality? has she chosen this for herself or are we all just actors on a stage fulfilling our ascribed roles?

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i've got sunshine, on a cloudy day

when it's cold outside, i've got the month of may


this lemon-lime door says "come on in!" better than any welcome mat ever could
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his&her's matching mosaics

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eclectic yet electric

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play me a new tune

the library table is supposed to be the main focus, and i do have to say it does contain a certain country charm, but for me the piece de resistance is the grand piano tucked away in the nook. i've never seen this done before but it's such a welcome idea! especially with how bright this room is, i can just picture someone (okay fine, maybe me...oh wait, i'm void of any musical talent. dang it, i guess a girl can dream.) practicing in the early mornings and then getting up for a cup of tea.

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rub a dub dub

what i wouldn't give a bubble bath in one of these luxurious claw-foot tubs right now. just imagine, scented candles (i'm leaning towards lavender now), relaxing music, and all the time in the world.

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these baths harken back to a romance of a different age, when chivalry wasn't dead and ladies powdered their nose. i'm a sentimental sap and i'm not even embarrassed about it!

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heart of gold

in the wise words of neil young, i've been searching for a heart of gold. well, lucky me, looks like i've found it! in the literal sense but hey, that'll do for now.

called the "sweetheart ring" i love the simple, hasty d-i-y look of this ring. sweet but with hard edges to keep it from looking sappy, and best of all at $35 it won't break the bank!

buy here

i'm also loving this unapologetically glitzy necklace, its a 24 karat golden nugget but somehow not gaudy or overpowering. even though its bold, i think it would make a great everyday necklace, it could quickly turn into "your thing": that signature piece everyone will be envious off.

buy here

phone home

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old fashioned phones are making a comeback whether for function or fashion. i personally like the rotary dials the best. they give a delightfully classic detail to any room, and are an unconventional way to add an eyecatching pop of color or contrast. tres chic, love!

straight off the catwalk: resort 2010

fendi

versace

last week in milan fendi, versace, and prada to name a few, swept the fashion critics off their feet with their displays of ultra-feminine, sorbet-colored, whimsical collections. just the way i like it! of course, right when i was getting giddy for fall weather, ready to snuggle under my covers while it rains, fashion week has been wishing for summer again. releasing the spring resort collections in october is just plain mean. i'll be restless until i can wrap myself in one of those confections!

all photos courtesy of style.com

today's the day

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a to-do list for the heart&soul

sugary sweet europop

french music has become my guilty pleasure, in particular yelle, carla bruni, and uffie. all completely different but equally addictive.

the curious case of benjamin button

the future seems daunting doesn't it? growing up, growing older, clinging to the idealism of youth when faced with adult responsibilities. what decisions will you end up making? how will they determine your life? will they even make a fraction of a difference or are we all pre-determined to a destiny?

personally, with graduation looming, these questions are constantly in my mind. i'm learning to test my limits, figuring out what really matters to me, who i want to be. it's been proving to be quite challenging which leads me to the question of whether or not i want to be more than i am, or if it's just fear of uncertainty telling me otherwise. i found this comforting quote from the charming movie the curious case of benjamin button, from a letter he's written to his daughter:

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"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

one love

who knew bob marley was such a hopeless romantic? this is almost unbearably sweet.

You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She’s not perfect - you aren’t either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don’t hurt her, don’t change her, don’t analyze and don’t expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she’s not there.

-Bob Marley

new york i love you

that's an understatement. i can't wait to live vicariously in the city that never sleeps through this movie! new york, i love you has an ensemble cast that weaves together finite stories of love, life, and romance through a series of short films. hopefully it will capture the elusive energy of the empire state, we'll have to wait and see. ah, chills!

alice in wonderland, with a twist

oh vogue, you've gone and done it again! like in this septemeber issue's little red riding hood editorial that practically oozed crimson off the pages in a edgy take on the fairy tale, this photoshoot is from 2007. alice is all dolled up in designer frocks and the designers themselves are dressed as characters from the lewis classic. i love when haute couture ventures out of the dark inaccessability and has fun with fantasy!

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and this makes me even more excited for tim burton's alice and wonderland to come to theaters, the promotional posters have been positively frightening, but in the best way possible!

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dapper gentlemen

"clothes make the man. naked people have little or no influence in society"
- mark twain

i absolutely love seeing well dressed men, whether they're in their 20's or 80's, personal style is key to exuding confidence.

all images via