{summer fashion inspiration: white magic}

. . . and now that the magnolia trees have long flung their petals to the wind, there is such excitement for days of belted short-sleeved sweaters and sexy city shorts, for long, elegantly chic jersey dresses and bare shoulders, and most of all, chantilly lace and sunkissed skin . . .





{p.s.} the lace dress in the first is by brioni, the top, belt & shorts in the second is by max mara, and the stretched jersey dress in the last is by chanel

......................................................................................................

{editorial: white magic; heather marks by max abadian for flare, june 2011; styled by elizabeth cabral via noir façade}

{style inspiration: bright whites & bits of colour}

. . . while in theory, may love the thought of stepping out in vibrant spring hues, in actuality, much more likely to dash out the door in pale & pretty neutrals . . . and so, was delighted to happen upon a perfect compromise: a crisply tailored white coat accented with an elegantly thin fuchsia belt and pale yellow clutch, or long layers of lace and cool colour-block sandals, or perhaps, floor-length in warm whites, cinched with a perfectly preppy band of kelly green . . .


{images: anna selezneva by mariano vivanco for vogue russia, june 2011 via fgr}

{lookbook: 3.1 phillip lim spring 2011}

. . . buttercream-coloured wrap dresses and light linen blazers, pretty pantsuits and delicate sheer trenches -- spring's elegant neutrals go from an early start at the office to a late lunch or a dashing dinner date with ultra-stylish and perfect ease . . .

{p.s.} can hardly wait for bare legs again

{3.1 phillip lim spring 2011 lookbook via rdujour}

{mid-week musings & plans for paris}

. . . a classic trench with skinny jeans and open-toed sandals, or a belted blazer and café au lait on the terrace . . . there so many lovely things to look forward to . . .

{p.s.} travel plans to new york to attend a previous engagement tonight were thwarted by weather conditions, but all is not lost, as there are now new and beautiful plans for a return to paris before month's end . . .

{images: tumblr; dead fleurette; tba; matchbook}

{runway inspiration: bally, new york}

. . . skinny belts and elegant high-waisted pencil skirts, toggle coats and long leather opera gloves -- graeme fidler and michael herz for bally's pre-fall 2011 collection is pure lady-like perfection . . .

{p.s.} yellow & grey in the home

{style.com}

{fashion stylist: fer decartaya}

. . . crazy for the perfect styling, by london-based fashion stylist fer decartaya, in these hopelessly lovely shots by photographer xavi gordo -- high-waisted and romantic lace shorts paired with structured handbags, stylishly messy side-braids and thick-rimmed glasses, delicate seafoam silk chiffon blouses cinched with ultra-thin teal-coloured belts, and the beautiful layering of tartan and ruffles, . . .






{alexandra vittekova by xavi gordo, styled by fer decartaya via miss at la playa}

{runway inspiration: elie tahari, new york}

. . . at the moment a little time off, but when it's back to business, it will be belted blazers and high-waisted trousers, gold leather opera gloves and cozy capelets, elegant knee-length hemlines and always classic trenches . . .

{p.s.} more pre-fall picks:
* burberry prorsum
* fendi

{images: elie tahari pre-fall 2011 collection, style.com}

{style inspiration: knotted belt}

. . . have an inordinate amount of cardigans, from lightweight and summery to cozy and cashmere, hand-embroidered and trimmed in velvet ribbon to embellished with crystal fasteners or mother-of-pearl buttons; perfect for any season and any weather, and nearly always layered over bow blouses, silky camisoles, or the softest brushed cotton . . . but suddenly quite smitten with the idea of wearing them on their own, buttoned and belted in a simple and easy sophistication . . .

{p.s.} the belt is from asos

{image: photography by ben weller for british vogue, november 2010}

{a new week + happy monday}

good {late} morning! monday, monday . . . and hope you've had a perfectly stunning weekend -- here it's been afternoon drives and magical turning leaves, dazzling nightskies and romantically cozy cashmere nights . . . but now, it's back to work, and since we're still away for one extra day, it's strong coffees and out of the office, laptops and iphones and that wonderful feeling of being on holiday while working, although must confess that being immersed in such beautiful things hardly feels like work at all . . .

happy, happy monday! hope your week is off to a perfect start,
xo


{p.s.} for those that may have missed:
* this week's give-away: a simply exquisite crystal & 24 karat gold tray

{images: originally published on march 28, 2010 at a glamorous little side project}

{runway inspiration: monique lhuillier, new york}

. . . a longstanding love affair with monique lhuillier for as long as can remember, and couldn't possibly choose between such a stunning array of beautiful things from the spring 2011 collection, and so, not one, but two glimpses, the first, strewn in magnolias on silk and chiffon and belted in gold . . .

{style.com}

{hello & a few things . . .}

. . . hello! a quiet evening after a busy late-summer day, a little exhausted and beautifully so, after an amazingly productive start to the week and already it feels as if time is slipping away . . . and drowning, drowning in e-mails and a little overwhelmed -- if you have written and have not received a response, please take no offense, and click here . . .

hope you're having a perfectly wonderful week so far,
xo

{photography by tommy ton for jak&jil via apartment 34}

{back from nyc + hello!}

hello! home again and so lovely to see you -- sincerest apologies for being suddenly m.i.a. the past few days -- an unscheduled and dramatically last-minute trip to new york city late last week, and it's been a whirlwind of romance and strawberry cocktails, long dinners and late nights, beautiful shops and sunrises over the water, early morning swims and menus filled with the most delicious things, like wild blossom salad with champagne vinaigrette . . . much to tell and many, lovely photographs -- but first, a few moments to catch my breath . . .

{images: natalia chabanenko by serge leblon, styling by styled by mattias karlsson for harper's bazaar uk, september 2010 via picsandmodels, also seen at a dustjacket attic}