Loving {Forever}: Red Red Lips

photo by Lieke Romeijn


Erdem runway show SS12 via Vogue

Recently, a friend asked me how I always keep my lips looking so red. I don't have any big tricky secret but I am a loyal Nars lipstick-wearing gal. I have four shades that I tote around with me, depending on my outfit: Heat Wave, an orange red; Jungle Red, a truer red; Funny Face, a pinky red; and Schiap, an all-out pink.


Hair and make-up by Danijo via Dustjacket Attic

Model Jessica Stam in Vogue Italia shot by Steven Meisel via Retty Priddle

When you wear red lipstick, you don't need a lot of other makeup- I just do a light tinted moisturizer, a little bit of mascara, my glasses and poof! i'm done. I don't even mind if it's a teensy bit smudgy, like the shot above from the Erdem show.
What's your make-up routine? Do you have one look or do you mix it up?

Loving {Forever}: Dot's Nice

When I was a kid, I vividly remember reading a magazine with my mom and flipping to a spread about polka dots entitled "Dot's Nice". I'm not exactly sure why but my mom and I thought it was the funniest thing ever. We still sub "Dot's Nice" for "That's Nice" in our daily chit-chat.
I'm not sure if this formative memory made me love dots or the other way around but either way, dots are a forever favorite print in my book.


Sabine Finkenauer Painting


Bleach Polka Dot Chuck Taylor from Karmaloop

Top right: Lynchburg Lemonade necklace by House of Kami Bottom right: French Bull Containers Bottom left: Marimekko Rasymatto Coffee Cup

Left and Right: Paintings by Lecia Dole-Recio

Print by Castle


Denisa Dvorakova for Elle Uk photographed by David Slijper


Left: Tim Walker for Vogue Italia Right: Vintage polka dot blouse by Dirty Birdies Vintage


Installation by Yayoi Kusama


Shokoladnica coffee cups design by Grisha Sorokin

Loving {Forever}: Downton Abbey

Yes, friends, I have been struck by the Downton bug. In fact, it's all I can think about lately. The scandal, the romance, the hats. Oh god, the hats! The Mr. and I have been clocking some long hours at our day job and we have done nothing at night but eat leftovers and get lost in the stories and the spaces of Downton Abbey. It's kept me going (Ack! What will I do until season 3 comes out?) so I thought I would do a little Downton round-up to give all the other addicts out there a fix till next season.


All images from Downton Abbey are stills from PBS




On the left: Uniqueness FW 2012, on the right: Mary, in one of her favorite outfits
Clearly, Downton mania has hit the runways too: the series came out a little late for a full-on Edwardian fashion to happen this year but mark my words, by spring we are all going to be wearing eyelet blouses and feathered hats. I've already made vintage fan hair pins one of my new eBay searches!
The key is in mixing vintage pieces with more modern edgy pieces: a blouse with a pair of skinny jeans and boots, a long skirt with a tee for instance. And don't forget to look to the men for inspiration! Military jackets, mixed tweeds and ties are always fun to pair back to more girly shapes.

On the left: Chris Benz FW2012, on the right: Temperley FW 2012


A huge fashion tide shift on the series: Lady Sybil wears pants! What a wonderful moment.


On the left: Codie Young by Alice Rosati for Please Magazine, on the right: Mary loves stripes too!




Ralph Lauren is so into the show that he played the theme song on the runway!


These silhouettes are very "Downton: The Wartime Years". On the left, Burberry Prorsum FW 2012, on the right: Altuzarra FW 2012


On the left: L'Wren Scott FW 2012, on the right: Rodarte FW 2012




I doubt anyone will go full-fledged Edwardian mansion in decorating but I dare you to look at the colors in this room and not get inspired. And the minty greens and pinks against a crimson oriental rug is an oddly modern color palette. And that red couch is kinda to-die-for.


Hysterical Downton paper dolls by Kyle Hilton (maybe you can make up your own stories while you wait?)


Kelsey Garrity made this amazing illustration to show how much she loves Downton.

The Lamps of Downton Abbey, a very witty tumblr, all told from the perspective of, well, the lamps.

A few more nerdy Downton links:
Dollshouse Downton- a video made by two girls, reinacting the show with Silvanian Family dolls.
Some Downton Abbey drinking games
The history of Highclere Castle, where almost all of Downton Abbey is filmed. I love that it's on location!

And finally, if you could be anyone on the show, who would it be? I'd pick Lady Sybil but sometimes I can be a bit of an Edith.

Loving {Forever}: Taking the Cake

Cake brings people together. It's a symbol of fun, celebration and the nostalgic sugar rush of chldhood birthday parties. We all have quite a few memorable cakes in our past.
On my fifth birthday, my mom made me a cake that looked just like a hamburger, with ketchup jam and sesame seeds on top of the big frosted cake bun. My grandmother Jane only made only onekind of cake: yellow with the richest chocolate frosting ever, perfect when washed down with the iciest glass of whole milk. After a bad college break-up, I spent a Christmas break making cake after cake after cake. It was the only thing that made me feel whole.
Cake makes people happy and it transcends trend. Cupcakes may be overdone but cake is eternal.


Cake painting by Martha Rich


Teal and white chevron cake from Once Wed by Sweet Sensations


Maple cake pedestal by Herriott Grace


Cake painting by Paul Ferney


Leah Rosenberg's Cake of a Painting and Painting of a Cake. Genius!


A cake alphabet!


photo by Amy Stevens


and last but not least, who else wants to make a rainbow cake?

Loving {Forever}: Words of Wisdom

When I think of motivational words, I can’t help but picture that “hang in there” cat that graced the walls of every junior high guidance counselor office. As far as positive thinking, I tend to balance on the awkward precipice between jaded cynic and kool-aid drinker. Like Mulder, I guess you can say “I want to believe”, but it can be hard for me to swallow all the fluff.

Lately though I have noticed a much more artful approach to the ubiquitous affirmation poster (some aren’t even poster!). No more serenity prayers or cat posters, these speak to me for reals.


art by Katie Licht


photo by Max Wanger

art by Mark Johns


duvet by David Shrigley from Third Drawer Down


from the Imaginary Foundation


another piece from Mark Johns, this one a temporary tatoo!


print by Wasted Rita


papercut by Mr. Yen