NYE in a Blue Stretch Velvet Mini Dress: To Do, or Not to Do?

Since spying it in the window at American Apparel, I had planned on making this little stretch velvet number my New Year's Eve dress. However, a few minor flaws are giving me pause:

1) It's unbearably hot. I was burning up just trying it on in the dressing room. This does not bode well for dancing.

2) The neckline is very wide, which makes it slip off the shoulders every now and then. Again, not good for dancing.

3) There is just too much fabric under the arms, which irks me so.

Why, after reciting this list of faults, do I still want to wear it for NYE? Well, because what is more awesome than royal blue velvet bodycon?

Stretch Velvet Double U-Neck Long Sleeve Mini Dress, $42. If it looks familiar, it's because I posted it in black back in November. I've since fallen in love with the royal blue (shown), though it's only available in store. It also comes in teal, red, and black, which are all available online.

Photo: www.americanapparel.net

Photos from an Imaginary Christmas

Hope everyone had a lovely holiday with loved ones. Though mine was Christmas-free (tear), I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing in the company of my parents, brothers, cousins, and an adorable nephew. Nestled in the snow-covered suburbs of DC, thoughts far removed from my day-to-day, I slipped into warm, fuzzy reverie, reflecting on the scene before me. The fireplace roared as laughter rang, comfort food and sweets were devoured, current affairs discussed, movies watched, and baking plans outlined for the remainder of our vacances. Despite the fact that my family doesn't celebrate Christmas, we love that the holiday gives us an excuse to get together like this. The sentiment can't really be articulated, but I've come across some photos that do a great job of capturing what it feels like.

Elements of an imaginary Christmas:

Over at A Field Journal, the amazingly talented Livy constructed a Christmas village inspired by vintage glitter houses, and the results are just breathtaking. Go on and head over for the full story, more pictures, as well as instructions for making your own.
The cutest little church

A lovely pink forest

A wreath made from a bottle brush

A shot of the village

Danielle Thompson's candy-colored stockinged fireplace scene, via Design*Sponge.

This fun yarn ball wreath from Pickles, via Black*Eiffel.

The perfect tree, via Design*Sponge:

And ornaments I might have decorated it with, from Curious Girl via Apartment Therapy LA:

Happy Holidays!

Plans to make my way back to San Francisco for the holidays fell through, so I'm now DC-bound. Before I brace myself to enter the bowels of hell that is Penn Station on Christmas Eve, I wanted to send out some holiday love to SF. Until we meet again . . .

Followers of my old blog will be familiar with this, but here it is again -- a video of my all-time favorite SF song, "San Franciscan Nights" by Eric Burdon and the Animals:

Bonus: Undiscovered Land has a time machine that takes us back to late 1950's SF.

And for the rest of you, I leave you with my holiday e-card, which I scanned from the a 1970 issue of French Vogue ( I forget which -- I'm assuming December?). It perfectly captures my vision of what  Christmas Eve should look like, if I happened to be a French Mrs. Claus.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Xo,
M

Note-orious: Vibrant Journals for 2010

Despite having an iPhone that allows me to jot down to-do's, look up directions, and record voice memos, I still am and will forever be a notebook person. I always have one within arm's reach. There is one that has taken up permanent residence on my bed (because I only ever remember the things I was supposed to do until after I've climbed in), and various others lay scattered about on my bedside table, tucked into a handbag or desk drawer, and lets not forget the pile of journals (recordings kept since the age of ten) hiding under the bed. I'm a scrawler, a jotter, and everywhere-note-putter.

The contents of these notebooks are far too inane and/or embarrassing to discuss in detail, but a synopsis might include grocery lists, travel itineraries, art history notes, business ideas that never came to fruition, long-winded adolescent polemics against strict parenting, and a hand drawn diagram from that year when, knowing absolutely nothing about college basketball, I decided for some unfathomable reason to make my own NCAA bracket.  It used to be that an old spiral bound school notebook would suffice for these sundry needs, but as I grew older, its large size proved to be a hindrance for an on-the-go lifestyle, and my developing tastes demanded a prettier solution.

Tired of the ubiquitous Moleskine and unable to find the Mackinaw Autumn Field Notes collection online, I turned to the internet in search of other notebooks. Some contenders:

These Postal Co. notebooks are so cute and portable. $12 for the smaller guy and $18 for the large @ auto. Also available in blue and yellow.

Doane Paper's pocket-sized Utility Notebooks feature both grids and lines. These colors are part of their traffic light series $9.50 each.

For a splurge, these colorful, leather bound Smythson books are great. With fun titles stamped in fancy silver lettering, they'd make a chic addition to any desktop or bedside table. From top to bottom: Notes, Yummy Mummy, Me Me Me, and Blah Blah Blah. $67 each.

 

 

Photo credit:
1) www.thisisauto.com
2) www.doanepaper.bigcartel.com
3-6) www.smythson.com

More Downloadable DIY: Mad About MCM

Curbly's Make It! Mid-Century Modern makes the perfect inexpensive, last minute gift for an MCM aficionado who's down to get crafty. The downloadable manual is chock full of DIY projects to bring the aesthetic to life with design details. It contains twelve projects, including a Calderiffic Mobile, George Nelson Glowing Globe Lamp, Eames Coat Rack, and Mondrian pillows --  plenty to keep a crafter busy in the new year.

The $9.99 download can be delivered electronically to the recipient, but if you have time, I suggest printing out the pages yourself and binding them in a book or sleeve. Some highlights:

Girard-Inspired Ottoman

George Nelson Atomic Ball Clock

Eames-broidered Cocktail Napkins

Cover

Photo credit: www.curbly.com

Beauty Without Pain

Few things are more terrifying than entering a Sephora or walking through the cosmetics floor of a department store in full holiday mode. There is a very real danger that it will swallow you whole and you might never make it out alive (well, most likely you will emerge an hour later, caked in product and reeking of perfume). Overwhelmed by the dizzying array of products and choking on the fumes created by a thousand girls spraying a thousand different fragrances in unison, the thought of having to carry out your mission makes you want to bolt for the doors, shrieking in terror. Daunted but not deterred, you quickly scan the pathway to your intended target, and make a run for it as if you're in an obstacle course (no, video game!), dodging the frighteningly eager, commission-hungry salespersons and the eau de parfum they wave about to distract you. You somehow manage to shake off the upsell and decline those sneaky add-ons, emerging triumphantly with your preferred brand of moisturizer . . . only to discover you've forgotten to pick up a lip gloss.  Damn. Before you reenter that dangerous den of maquillage and go cross-eyed from trying to choose from among the endless color options, consider a few surefure hits you can order from the comfort of your living room or office cube, far from the madding, holiday crowds. Here are a few magic wands any girl would want to have in her bag of tricks:

Bobbi Brown Extreme Partying Mascara. Newly released and already wildly popular, the densely packed brush delivers a dramatic, falsh lash effect. $22 @ Saks Fifth Avenue.

The girls over at The Cut are raving about the new Nars Easy Lover gloss, a universally flattering pink from the Spring 2010 collection. Though it looks bright pink in the tube, the effect varies from subtle to sultry, depending on how many layers you apply. It's not due out until January 15th, but you can opt to have Sephora notify you when it becomes available. Here's how it shows up on different skin tones:

I got to sample Australian Scent's Gloss Pot this weekend at their booth at the Brooklyn Flea's Winter Pop-Up Flea. It's a non-sticky, nourishing organic lip balm with an amazing, yummy taste and just a hint of rosy color. $16.

I've turned more people on to this champagne gold shadow than I can count. It looks amazing on all of skin tones, from the fairest to the deepest of complexions. It's also buttery smooth to the touch and supremely blendable. Since I can rarely be bothered with eyeshadow and am extremely picky when it comes to shades, I really appreciate that one quick sweep is all I need to light up the eye area. It's one of the only eyeshadows I own and the one I reach for most often.   My friend Hillary actually invented it and it's now sold as part of The Balm. Mischievous Marissa Eyeshadow, $16 @ Sephora.com

Photo credit:
1) www.saks.com
2) www.nymag.com
3) www.australianscents.com
4) www.makeup.com

Stocking Stuffers for Her: Lovely Neutrals

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Gift Wrapping Made Simple: Eat Drink Chic's DIY Designs

I think I love wrapping presents almost as much as I love giving them. Whether it's creating my own gift tags or crafting an impromptu motif out of supplies found around the apartment or office, I always prefer challenging myself to come up with a creative presentation rather than going the pre-made gift wrap route. However, I'm totally open to borrowing the adorable DIY stylings of Eat Drink Chic's Amy Moss. You can download the adorable designs and get instructions for these and other projects from her website.

Mail stripes tags

Jumbo deer tags

Bags

Photo credit: www.eatdrinkchic.com

Stocking Stuffers for Him: Favorites from Blackbird and In God We Trust

You've got one week to go. Time to wrap up any loose ends and make sure those stockings are stuffed with the finest of goodies. Every year, without fail, Blackbird and In God We Trust prove themselves to be the best of the best go-to's when it comes to finding trinkets for dudes. Here are some of my favorite selections from their gift guides:

Let's start things off right with the perfect stocking. Pendleton wool stocking, $48 @ Blackbird. Other colors available.

In God We Trust Shaving Kit, $30 @ Refinery29. The pocket-sized compact makes it perfect for travel.

Hallelujah! At long last, a chapeau to fit your large-headed beau. These Filson hats come sized, from small through XL. Mackinaw hat with concealed earflaps you can tuck in or wear down, $40 in red/black (shown) or hunter green.

Double Mackinaw hat, available in hunter green (shown) and charcoal, $57.50. Tie flaps up or wear them down to keep ears toasty.

 

Love the look of this brass lighter from In God We Trust, $30 @ Refinery29. It can also be customized with a monogram or message for an additional $10. UPDATE: It's backordered and won't ship until 12/21, so if you can't get to one of their NYC locations, you won't get it in time for Christmas.

Okay, I haven't actually smelled this so I can't vouch for it, but it sounds yummy, and I'm a sucker for black candles. Baxter of California Cassis Noir candle, $45 @ Blackbird.

Photo credit:
1, 3-6, 8) www.blackbirdballard.com

2, 7) www.refinery29.com

Books to Gift: Clothbound Beauties, Congolese Dandies, and Fancy Dictionaries

It seems that with every holiday gift I buy for someone else, I've also been picking up a little something (or two) for myself. This year, I've gone book crazy. Though my little bookshelf is already bursting with titles I decided I mustn't live without, and a pile stacked precariously on the radiator threatens to spill over at any moment, I couldn't resist picking up these lovely tomes.

I've decided that classics look best clothbound, in a manner befitting the era of their original printing. Penguin Classics continues to turn out lovely versions of some of the worlds most celebrated works. Designed by Coralie Bickford Smith, they're as pretty as they are transporting. I picked up The Picture of Dorian Gray, Great Expectations, Sense and Sensibility, and Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Since I read these several times over as a teen, I wanted them purely for sentimental value. Due to space constraints, perhaps I'll stack them under a bedside lamp in the new room (I'm pretty sure y'all are sick of hearing about things I'm going to do in said new room, and I haven't even moved in yet). They're usually $20 a pop at bookstores or specialty stores like Anthropologie, though they can often be found for less on Amazon.com.

 

I also got a few of these brightly colored paperbacks from the Harper Perennial Fifty-Two Stories collection. $10 each. They feature some of the lesser known (but totally amazing) short stories from literary greats such as Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, and Oscar Wilde.

And some to covet:

I came across this one on Paul Smith's very awesome blog. Gentlemen of Bacongo is a collection of photographs of some of the dapperest dandies you've ever seen, all of whom reside in the Brazzaville district of the same name in the Congo. $30.92 @ Amazon.com.

I'm in love with these colorful leather bound dictionaries. Hot pink, anyone? You can choose to have them monogrammed, too. $170 @ Ballard Designs. Pick from brown, pink, yellow, and gold. Sadly, the beautiful robin's egg blue is no longer available.

Photo credit:
1-3) www.anthropologie.com
4) www.amazon.com
5) www.fiftytwostories.com
6) www.paulsmith.co.uk
7) www.ballarddesigns.com

Holiday Shopping: The Great Soap Spectacular

Holiday shopping tip: no one needs bath salts, which is why they're usually regifted as Secret Santa gifts at your office holiday party. Luxurious, beautifully wrapped soaps, however, are a completely different story.  Here are some of my faves, broken down by category.

Vintage and vintage-inspired:

Royal Swedish Jubilee Soap has played official "soapmaster" (yes, there exists such a designation and it sounds fabulous) to the Swedish Royal Family for nearly 100 years. The Swedish import has a light, musky scent and comes beautifully packaged in a rather fancy teal box. $13.95 for a set of two @ Le Train Bleu.

Savon de Marseille’s olive oil and palm oil soaps have been around for 600 years. Prices vary, depending on the size of the brick.

Soaps on ropes:

Dr. Harris's Soap on a Rope, $25

Tom Ford for Men Cleansing Bar, $18

Pretty Packages you won’t want to unwrap:

Lucia soaps from Shoestring Home, via Design*Sponge. $11 each.

Claus Porto Favorito by LAFCO, $16.

And of course, you can never go wrong with anything from Fresh, $12-$13 each

 This is totally weird, but I used to eat soap as a baby. My mother would always discover tiny teeth marks in our bars and had to hide them from me. Though the habit left me long ago, I’ll have to quell the urge to bite these good-enough-to-eat varieties:

Gingerbread joy soaps, $4 for a pack of three.

Lemon squares soap, $4 each

Sweet Orange Peppermint Soap, $5.50 each

Photo credit:
1) www.letrainbleu.com
2) www.frenchsoaps.com
3) www.bigelowchemists.com
4) www.saks.com
5) www.bluemercury.com
6) www.barneys.com
7) www.etsy.com/shop/sonatasoap
8) www.etsy.com/sunbasilgarden
9) www.etsy.com/catherinefilippelli