2.22.08 // BOSTON // Thunderdome XI / Greek American Political Club

Girls Want To Ride Pretty

A logistician is usually not a good descriptor for me. But here’s how my logic works.
Riding a bicycle gets me freed of driving the car, which reduces carbon emissions, which gives me carbon credits, which also gives me healthy exercise…all good so far. I live in an urban community where most everything is accessible by riding a bicycle to get there. All good, good.

Where the resistance comes is how goofy I feel I look if I join the club and adopt wearing the jeans or even less appealing to me the typical bicycle women’s wear (which equals mostly lycra). Then on top of that, put on the aero-dynamic, alien looking helmet that is 90% of what most any bike shops will sell you.

So to start with, what a chore it was to even learn that a multi-sport helmet can be worn for skateboarding, the BMX bike shenanigans, and YES pleasurable bicycle riding of the non- speed racing type. The helmet is a half helmet, rounded, or rounded mullet style helmet …. A-Okay to wear! Still, not too many bike shops offer them unless they support skateboarding and BMX riders.

Even so, I thought I still looked goofy even if I paint flowers on my pink helmet! Here is where I want to add that I absolutely love my brain. I have these two pet hobbies, totally layman; neuroscience and quantum physics. My BF freaks if I even think about riding without a helmet. Our friend suffered some brain damage WHILE wearing a helmet and would probably be dead otherwise. So you get the picture.

Girls want to ride pretty!
I see so many girls who like me, absolutely shirk away from wearing lycra and typical bike wear. Instead they wear chic little outfits on their stylish vintage, European (think Amsterdam bikes) and/or their highly coveted esoteric, customized bicycle. First of all I am happy to report there is a revolt against jeans (even if they are 7 for All Mankind or lemon yellow drain pipes, ect.). Even more dreaded, the lyrca race type wear. So Revolt!!! Girls want to ride pretty!

So that’s the back story of how all this came to be. My solution is to give you absolutely wonderful ways to change the way your helmet looks.

p.s. I am so ready to launch this. I will be directing you to esty.com and my own site so you can purchase. You will love it.

{spring things}

{3.1 Phillip Lim Citron silk pleated Grecian dress with boned bodice; Mimi Holliday by Damaris lace bra; Jimmy Choo yellow patent leather sandals}

While memories of Valentine's Day still linger, Spring is around the corner and I'm dreaming of canary yellow and the promise of warm breezes . . .

{via desire to inspire}

{grange ad campaign}

{photography by James Merrell for Martha Stewart Living}

{Miu Miu Floral Carved Sandals}

{andreas sjödin}

{Photographs by Andreas Sjödin; Styling by Harriet Mays Powell; via nymag.com and love made visible}

{photographer: tim walker}

Tim Walker is a London-based photographer whose career began while working at Condé Nast, where he set up the Cecil Beaton archive. A graduate of Exeter Art College, he worked as a freelance photographic assistant before working as Richard Avedon’s assistant in New York. His career as a photographer was launched when he came third in the Inpependent Young Photographer of the Year Award, and has gone on to contribute to high-profile magazines including Vogue, W and Harper‘s Bazaar.

You may also recognize his work in Kate Spade's ever-popular ad campaigns.

{cherry cordial}

My friend Mark sent me this great image of the creative window display at the Kate Spade store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, {below}, from Unbeige/Media Bistro. The display features life-sized paint chips with shades with dreamy names such as emerald city, pink champagne and cherry cordial, that correspond with the label's Noel Coal Bags, jauntily displayed on metal paint cans.

Naturally, I thought to coordinate the vibrant display with the wonderfully saturated hues in this image from their site {above, and also at {frolic!} and Black Eiffel}.

{And while we're on the subject of colour, if you haven't yet had a chance, click here to read Joanna from A Cup of Jo's recent article for New York Magazine.}

{with a flourish}

I'm quite taken with the idea of using wallpaper to create a charming statement panel, as seen here, using Pomp 3500 wallpaper by Brian Yates.

{images: Living etc. February 2008; photography by Mel Yates; styling by Portland Mitchell}

{natalie portman + té casan}

Good news for vegans {like my sister} searching for stylish shoes: the always beautiful Natalie Portman has teamed up with Té Casan to design a line of footwear.

"As a vegan, it's been challenging finding designer shoes made of alternative materials. This collection offers a great selection without compromising quality or style."

Not surprisingly, all proceeds are donated to the Nature Conservancy, a non profit organization that protects ecologically fragile lands and bodies of water.

2.16.08 // BOSTON // Cheap Thrills A Go Go / Jamaica Plain