{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

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{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}

{favourite five: artist photographer romina shama}

It is true that a picture can convey a thousand words through just one still image -- but what if that image is so divine it simply takes your breath away and there are no words?

Romina Shama is a Swiss-born, Egyptian-Italian fashion photographer and film director whose works will leave you utterly speechless, for she does not merely photograph her subjects, but rather, it would almost seem that she is illuminating their thoughts. Romina, who lives and works in Paris, combines the raw beauty of natural light along with the classic style of an analog camera to produce a strikingly delicate and cinematic effect in her photos. Her photography leaves us wondering about the romantic daydreams of her subjects and makes us long for the heavenly, dream-like escapes portrayed therein.



Having studied film in addition to photography at Central St. Martin's School in London, Romina and the work she produces have undoubtedly been impacted by aspects of cinema. This week, we asked her:

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{what are the five most intriguing ways the study of film has influenced your photography?}

1. Roland Barthes wrote: "... an image produces death while trying to preserve life". This very feeling is exactly what attracted me to photography. I started thinking that in avoiding life, I may be able to portray it. I started focusing on capturing "absence", or the "let go" feeling in all my subjects and landscapes. I decided I wouldn't "take" them.

2. There's a cinematographic feel to my photographs and a very photographic feel to my films. They are linked. Together they help me avoid the fact that we perceive time as linear.

3. Films that are made for the sole purpose of creation inspire me very much. To me, they make time feel dimensional. Sometimes, they make me want to capture every frame of them.

4. The timelessness of great films.

5. The fact that I always wished I could pause life and rewind it at times.

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{p.s.} previous favourite fives:
* interior designer: tricia foley
* jeweler: camille eddera
* artist: kimia kline
* actress & fashion muse: chloë sevigny
* floral stylist: denise porcaro
* entrepreneurs: rent the runway
* designer: rachel ashwell
* fashion photographer & illustrator: garance doré

~ laily

{images: all photography by romina shama}

{late spring + a new month}

"The world's favorite season is the spring.
All things seem possible in May."

~ edwin may teale

. . . bright mornings and starlit nights, shades of green and lily of the valley, breakfast on the terrace and afternoons in lacy dresses . . . the month of may is filled with promise and drifts closer each day to summertime . . .

happy may! wishing you a month lost in happiness & beautiful things,
~ roséline xo

{p.s.} more spring greens: here & here

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{images: country home via greige; mocking bird; martha stewart via snippet & ink; valentina zelyaeva and andreea diaconu by david burton for elle russia, may 2011 via oh fashion models}

{wedding inspiration: lovely, lovely lace}

. . . and suddenly, a longstanding love affair with lace that has been {unknowingly} not fully realised until now . . .

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{image: elizabeth fillmore bridal via one lovely day, more of this collection at a glamorous little side project}

{weekend inspiration: bar carts & blossoms}

. . . for the weekend, a perfect bar cart with cut crystal decanters, gilt frames and fuchsia roses, champagne and cobalt stemware . . . and flowers in your hair . . .


{images: 1 - from atlanta homes & lifestyles, jennifer boles' bar cart, photography by david christensen; 2 - the bottom of the ironing basket}

{happy st. patrick's day & spring things}

May you have warm words
on a cold evening,
A full moon on a dark night,
And the road downhill
all the way to your door.

~ irish blessing

. . . a little wish for this stunningly beautiful, warm and sunny day, and whether you're traipsing about in quaint and charming pubs or have plans for a quiet and cozy night, wishing you a happy st. patrick's day, and hope you're having a lovely week so far xo

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{images: 1 - country living via french by design; 2 - saipua for sunday suppers; 3 - scan by this is glamorous, ad campaign: claudia schiffer for jones new york from vogue; 4 - photography by katie quinn davies; 5 - lopp; 6 - mixr; 7 - a glamorous little side project; 8 - bloom magazine via pinterest; 9 - lappen; 10 - zara; 11 - house & garden may 2006 via habitually chic; 12 - a glamorous little side project}

{décor inspiration: ruffles & lace}

. . . one of the guestrooms in p's parents' home has the most luxuriously lovely floral bedding trimmed in yards and yards of ruffles, and always seems to be enveloped in a perfect slant of dusky sunlight; and ever since the waking up in such loveliness the very first morning, have had a new-found fondness for ruffles, whether floral, or enchantingly dreamed up in the most breathtaking lace . . .

{image: elle decoration uk}

{style inspiration: sexy scallops}

. . . bright, sunny afternoons that seem to last a little longer each day, and thoughts are drifting, drifting to enchanting spring & summery things -- whimsical notecards with sweetly scalloped edges and palest pink shorts with layers light as air, french rattan baskets and pretty lacy parasols, sexy eyelet tops and romantic bed linens and soon, there will be picnics and early evenings at the beach . . .


scalloped notecards, papermash | chloé scalloped triangle bikini | french rattan basket, summerill & bishop | pale pink shorts, h&m conscious collection


marc jacobs embroidered dress, barneys new york; also seen here


scalloped bed linens, adore home magazine



retrosun vintage gucci sunglasses | white emma battenburg lace parasol, brollies galore | chloé scalloped bikini, 305.861.1909 via terra black | macarons, martha stewart via elaina keppler | aurélie bidermann fortalezza 18-karat gold-plated shell drop earrings

{images: top, vogue uk via jamaica byles via charles cherney; seashell, here; teacup here; dogwood cake, peggy weaver's baking corner; flatware, here}

{white lace + sunny mornings}

. . . a love affair with lace for as long as can remember, and this pretty underthing is just the thing for lounging about on an early march morning, just before coffee and croissants and a brand new day . . .

{p.s.} more here

{image: zinke design, photography by emily johnston anderson}