stylebook

floridays, part iii

2012-02-29T07:00:00.002-05:00

given the option, i will ALWAYS order a fried egg on my veggie burger.

floridays, part ii

2012-02-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

floridays, part i

2012-02-27T07:00:00.015-05:00

i worked really hard to figure out the best way to ~~depress~~ INSPIRE you this monday morning. these beach photos from last week oughta do it. i sent the second picture (the sunrise on valentine's day!) to a friend that morning and she replied, "why don't you want to live there again?" still haven't given her an answer.

more florida snaps over the next few days!

neon neon

2012-02-26T08:15:00.001-05:00

yes.  yes.  yes.

{alba prat}

talkin' shop

2012-02-24T07:56:00.000-05:00

hugely successful buying trip this week!  

lots of fun vintage pieces added to the shop- go see!

have a beautiful weekend, babydolls.

coffee & tv

2012-02-21T19:10:00.000-05:00

my fabulous florida vacation is over and this photo does nothing to convey its illustriousness, but you're stuck looking at it anyway. (although, if we want to get technical, i did score that anthro sweater at a vulgar markdown while there, and i'm way into the ten-days-with-my-man glow i've got going on. just indulge me.) have you spent any time in south florida? sunshine and warm weather are constant, there's more leopard print on the elderly community than in your local hipster dive bar, and the bagels. THE BAGELS. i ate about three times my weight in carbs on that trip, and when i overheard a couple retirees gab about living half the year in new york and half the year down there, i realized how very brilliant that is. i spent hours staring at the ocean, and watching the sky as the sun rose and set above it. and seriously you guys, the food. that sundae was worth the line we stood in for a table, and i feel it's important you know that i experienced tempura-fried pickles and am forever changed. i've decided i'm a gastrotourist, you know. (albeit a vegetarian one, so anthony bordain'll want nothing to do with me.) and now i'm back home, eating watery canned soups and celery, feeling happy and in love with the memories of the past week and a half, but sort of deflated too. (the canned soup.) and downton is over?! though bethenny swooped in to take its place on my DVR, i feel a little less classy without the 'masterpiece' bit. and the two pairs of leopard print jeans i was obliged to buy in sofla definitely aren't helping.

more week

2012-02-17T09:27:00.000-05:00

here's to the weekend!

55+

2012-02-15T20:51:00.000-05:00

portrait of a boca raton retiree-in-training.

valentine time

2012-02-14T08:00:00.014-05:00

told ya. happy loveday- love you guys for reading!

hindsight

2012-02-12T08:51:00.000-05:00

sneaking in a quick hello from my trip to tell you that it's been the BEST kind of week; another fantastic one for 2012's record books. and sitting here on sunday morning knowing the coming week will be even better? i've never felt luckier! only slightly bummed to miss this weekend's snowstorm up north, but i do get to go strawberry picking in sunny south florida this afternoon, so i think i'll manage a smile. :)

soul plane

2012-02-09T07:00:00.003-05:00

at this very moment i'm flying south to eat the world's best veggie burger (or three), show my saltwaters a good time, and tend to some very valentine-y business. i'm excited! seemed fitting to show you my new favorite etsy find while i'm 30,000 feet in the air. how precious is this custom long-distance love pillow from diffraction fiber? (infinitely less creepy than this one!) hope your holiday (if you believe it's one) is lovely; eat lots of candy and wear your cutest red shoes. xo!

miss manners

2012-02-07T20:01:00.000-05:00

how many of your dates look like this? in the last four years all of my mother's rigorous lessons in table manners have been blown out of the water by the iphone. oh, but i used to be so good! only pulling my trusty palm magician out to settle "what movie was she in?" debates, or to shazaam a catchy tune from the privacy of a gap fitting room. then things happened. like, my boyfriend started looking extra cute every time we sat down to lunch. and then i'd bat my eyelashes and ask him to check movie times, so i could sneak a photo to remember his cuteness always. this of course led to instagramming his unreasonably handsome iphone glance, and next thing you know? i'm rude. a really rude date who can't seem to put her phone away. i tried to earn his forgiveness by choosing a few favorite instagrammed-for-posterity moments we've shared, and turning them into magnets for valentine's day. i've already given them to him though, because in addition to being rude, i'm also impatient.

i've made so many fanciful stickygrams that they sent me my own special discount code to give to YOU, so you can get $2 off your order and apologize to your date too! use code stylebook456 at checkout, now til february 18th! it's the polite thing to do.

that 70s show

2012-02-06T19:05:00.001-05:00

the best stuff ever, if i do say so myself.

in the vintage shop now!

quick & dirty

2012-02-03T08:29:00.000-05:00

it's one of those weeks over here- a swamped week- and i'm only halfway through the craziness. this is so so good for me, but not good for z'blog. i'm pretty sure i sufficiently inundated you with nonsense last week though, so probably you need a break from me anyway. i'm just checking in to show you the bags under my eyes, and the editorial eye of my brother. nevermind the fact that he annihilated my sacred mail before i got to it, and probably could go to jail for such an offense!!!

{these instagram posts of mine are really cheaty, but we all do it.}

love(sick)

2012-02-01T07:46:00.000-05:00

{1/2/3/4/5/6}

hello february, all 29 leaping days of you! february's a good'un: so many sweet friends' birthdays, superbowl commercials, and valentine's day! say what you will about the 14th's right to claim holiday status; i freaking love hearts. the second target dumped all their crazy lovey $1 garbage onto the sales floor last month, i pilfered through it. (i've been uncomfortably into doilies lately.) i'll never have too many heart-shaped containers, love-emblazoned socks, or red stationery. i have no expectations of significant others to embrace this stuff the way i do (bless their hearts). i'm super happy with a few extra kisses, and a smidge of leeway when i transform a corner of his universe into the majesty depicted above. {LOTS more ideas on my pinterest. ahem, mini heart pizzas.} now keep your eyes peeled for that groundhog!

annoying

2012-01-28T18:14:00.000-05:00

busy but lovely week of working and thrifting, adding new pieces to the shop, and relishing the beautiful weather.  treating myself to a lazy saturday of laundry and a kourtney & kim marathon.  that girl says "annoying" as she pops some fried somethingorother into her mouth at least 7 times per episode.  yikes.

hiss again

2012-01-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

{1/2/3/4/5}

some more purrfect pins i've collected over the last few months.  all SO good, right?!  fieldguided and leah goren consistently reign supreme in the dreamy feline department.  and now that i have your attention, i need you to see this.

also, that mind-blowing necklace up there? i knew i had a keeper when my guy surprised me with it back in september. i further knew so when he wasn't fussed about me breaking it, in front of him, a week later.

m'lady

2012-01-25T18:51:00.001-05:00

mark: "are you in a downton abbey k-hole?" 

uh, yeah i am.  

but it's better than the rock i've apparently been living under. 

weird virginia

2012-01-25T07:27:00.000-05:00

i'm pleased to report that 25 days in, i'm making good on my promise to love even the smallest moments of 2012. there's been a lot of beauty-seeking and fun-having in my little world lately! the discovery of the best pancakes i've ever tasted? a tough contender to beat in the early rounds of my 'year's best' list. how's january been treating you all??

winter sale

2012-01-24T07:35:00.000-05:00

psst!  most vintage in my shop is just $12 right now!

(i'm still ridin' high on this new year thing.)

xo!

little bits

2012-01-23T06:59:00.000-05:00

kids of my own... SO not on the horizon for me. but my friends' little guys are the sweetest rays of sunshine imaginable, and my instagram 'like' policy is as follows: cats, babies, bagels. your photo falls into any of those categories and you're a shoe-in. if you've been around this blog for any length of time you know i love LOVE crazy cute clothes for the under-5 crowd, so you won't be surprised to know i've got a pinboard devoted to lovely ideas for my ohsovery distant future ankle-biter. i'll probably start sharing favorites here from time to time; don't start whispering. like that time melissa noticed i ordered water instead of beer two nights in a row. (really it's all for katie!) doth i protest too much???

{1/2/3/4/5/6/7}

frozen ocean

2012-01-22T09:25:00.000-05:00

this time last week i was heartily grateful for that puffy coat i went on and on about.

friday night texts

2012-01-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

do you too find yourself texting photos as answers to the question, "what are you up to?" sometimes you've gotta spice up an otherwise mundane response. (please note the discrepancy between his eating habits and mine.) thanks again, catpaint. thanks again.

january's finest

2012-01-19T21:09:00.000-05:00

i did not fall off the earth!  i've been having all sorts of cute adventures (the best kind) for the last week, entertaining a handsome mister in the state i'm told is for lovers.  i'll share photos soon, so you can feel like a third wheel who also went whale watching and ate too many pancakes.  for now, i'm chiming in to wish my rad dad a very happy birthday (tomorrow!).  he's been scanning hundreds of 50+ year old family photos lately, and they're so phenomenal.  i'll share some of those soon, too.  don't give up on me-- I'LL BE BACK!

*hell yeah. 

blythe

2012-01-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

brilliant images by photographer liz ham.

party things

2012-01-06T08:00:00.020-05:00

i've got my sights set on throwing the fantastic 30th birthday party of my dreams (er, his dreams) for someone i like who'll turn 30 in six measly months!  he's a boy so i figure things will need to be less glitter, more beer; nonetheless, i present to you some pretty party things i've pinned lately.  now's also a good time to rally a few supporters for my very important initiative: JANUARY NEEDS MORE PARTIES.  who's with me?!

{1/2/3/4/5/6}

the 'burbs

2012-01-05T20:24:00.002-05:00

it's been COLD this week. like, go to the mall to get my daily walk in, cold. dangerous exercise that results the very mall-ish purchase of one of those puffy black coats with the fur trimmed hood. the sort of coat that will look just heavenly over a vintage dress. :rimshot: the sort of coat that is the new love of my life. bring it, snow. this lioness is ready for your ass.

auld

2012-01-03T09:50:00.000-05:00

new year's sale all week!

(i just added a bunch of rad vintage shoes.)

use code HELLO2012 at checkout for 12% off!

xoxo

2012

2012-01-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

it absolutely is.

welcome!!

2012-01-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

lovin' it

2011-12-30T07:00:00.013-05:00

i'm feeling a tad sentimental this morning, so i thought it'd be fitting to drag my laptop back to the very mcdonald's depicted above, to grab coffee and write about this last year. the plan is backfiring since their coffee is just so-so and they play the sort of weird top 40 pop ballads i try to avoid, especially when reflecting on a rough year. this particular image emerged victorious when i pored through my photos from 2011, trying to select my very favorite. it was taken on a morning in august after that highly anticipated hurricane meekly meandered up the east coast. the beach got hit hard enough to lose power (air conditioning necessitates power, you know), and my brother and i bravely drove through flooded streets and around fallen trees to find the nearest free wi-fi and wall outlets. this moment marks a pretty monumental shift in the year for me. i'd spent the summer laying low, mourning the blurry end of a very long relationship, missing my catbaby who stayed in florida with her dad, changing my mind every three days about where i really wanted to live, and generally feeling unsure what to do with all the new found freedom and possibilities i was blessed with. so that morning i sat there with my decade-younger brother, each of us nursing hangovers, and i found myself so happy to be with my favorite person on the planet. i allowed myself to appreciate the moment i was in. i felt surprisingly free of stress and sadness, and i took stock of all the things i did have, instead of wasting away lamenting the things i didn't. since that magical greasy breakfast, my life and attitude have been in steady upward climb. i am so excited about 2012. i hope you guys are too; life is really really beautiful. happy new year!

sayonara, 2011

2011-12-29T08:42:00.000-05:00

scarves & stripes

2011-12-27T08:00:00.002-05:00

new vintage trickling into the shop all this week!

use code HELLO2012 for 12% off your total order!

you know, new year's and all.

home for christmas

2011-12-26T07:55:00.001-05:00

first family christmas at my parents' where all us kids are legally old enough to drink beer with dad.

prettiest

2011-12-25T08:00:00.004-05:00

favorite tree of the year: this giant light sculpture right by the ocean in delray beach, florida. finally, the big day is here! a very merry christmas to you. xoxo!

off-season

2011-12-23T16:50:00.001-05:00

virginia beach is a completely different animal in the winter! my family and i walked along the boardwalk this afternoon, braving a crazy cold wind as it came in off the ocean. it's funny to remember the summer months; sipping from my brother's flask and burrowing my toes in the scalding sand. in florida, i'd still be wearing sundresses right now! i'm a fan of this whole seasons thing.

an ode

2011-12-22T08:25:00.001-05:00

i'm up bright and early waiting for a very important phone call about a very important christmas gift.  did i procrastinate on my holiday shopping or shipping?  no!  but always, there's that ONE gift that requires multiple steps to perfect.  step one: ordering it from spain?  no sweat, did that in early november!  nonetheless, if all goes as promised (knock on wood), i'll get this gift wrapped (see above!  i did that!) this morning and drive only five miles over the speed limit to... THE POST OFFICE.

on the subject of holiday shipping... allow me to vent. oh no, not about how my mailman, who usually drops the mail off by 2pm, isn't arriving with my christmas cards and nylon until well after sundown this week. and not about how the post office parking lot incites riots, or how once you make it inside, you're welcomed by a line that twists every which way. because hello america, IT IS CHRISTMAS. and guess what? every single year of your life, christmas has fallen on the same day! you totally knew it was going to happen. yet, all my avid people watching catches snarls, moans, gasps of shock and surprise, and even profanity from customers upon entering the hallowed halls of shipping??? so today, i will anticipate spending two hours braving the parking lot, waiting in line (it's why we have words with friends!), and placing my already-packaged-correctly* parcel on the counter, and i will do it with cheer! [*biggest pet peeve!] might i be greeted by a disgruntled face at that counter? you'd think so, they're certainly entitled! but nope- every single u.s. postal service employee i've seen and interacted with this week has been a smiling, helpful, patient beacon of christmas light. man, can you even fathom what their days must be like?! i surely cannot. so THANK YOU, lovely postal workers. because getting this gift to someone i love would not happen without you. if it arrives on the 26th? no sweat, i waited til today to ship it.

ps- this should go without saying.

countdown

2011-12-17T13:33:00.001-05:00

this week is going to be busy-busy and really fun!  i've unearthed all the red and sparkly gold vintage i've collected throughout the year thinking, "oh! i'll wear this for christmas" and i'm making good on my thrift store rationalizing.  my sister and brother-in-law are en route to the east coast (hopefully for good!), and i'm looking forward to some adventurous vegan holiday meals and lots of photo-snapping.  all my gifts are wrapped and under the tree, and i can just kick back: old movies in front of me, crackling fire to the left.  have a fun week, kittens!

{banner by the amazing caitlin!}

(not) gospel music

2011-12-14T16:47:00.001-05:00

i'm a horrible friend!  i should have shouted from the rooftops weeks ago when my pal owen's record was released, but now i'll put a holiday spin on it so maybe i can be forgiven?  did you finish all your christmas shopping?  if not, i've got the perfect gift idea for you!  if so, i've got the perfect reward for you!  the new gospel music album written, sung, and strummed by one of my very best friends (and favorite writers), in and about the city where our mamas birthed us!  the city in which we started college, and had our first boy-girl sleepovers and first hangovers, the city i left six months ago and miss terribly every day.  do you guys have it yet?  (this guy at mtv.com liked it better than rihanna's new joint!  damn!)  sometimes i'm so proud of my amazing friends i get all verklempt.

the song that maybe just might be my age 18-23 personal anthem? this town doesn't have enough bars for the both of us. lucky you, you can download it free on amazon... then buy the rest of the record, duh. i would never ever lead you astray.

something old, something new

2011-12-14T08:33:00.000-05:00

i ship the day you pay!  just sayin'.

don't forget to pop in the vintage shop while you're doing that holiday shopping! xo

a tradition is born

2011-12-12T18:15:00.000-05:00

this is the time of year when i make the biggest messes in the kitchen. truth be told, as if you haven't already noticed, i only go into the kitchen to bake desserts or pour myself a bowl of kashi. and though you shouldn't trust a skinny baker, i'm sort of a whiz with an oven! promise! a new friend (who happens to be my mom's age) mentioned that she needed to bake, oh, 25 pumpkin rolls like she's done every year for decades. my world came to an immediate halt and i asked, "WHAT is a pumpkin roll?!" yadda yadda yadda, all i care about is pumpkin stuff, we know. so long story short, i spent my saturday learning new friend's tried and true rolling technique, and single-handedly baking nine of these bad boys. i think i've found my holiday thing. my future kid(s) should be really pumped. so delicious. try it!

twinkle GBs

2011-12-11T23:20:00.000-05:00

pretty sure my phone's going to explode this month thanks to all the photos i'm compelled to take when sparkles and red abound. those pretty white lights stuffed into jars up there? that was a display at the gap. i probably need to reign it in a bit. but, i'm not kidding when i tell you this is how my days are looking lately. merry and bright!

christmassy bits

2011-12-07T18:26:00.000-05:00

typically i like my christmases nice and 70s. thrifted vintage decor that i can take right back to goodwill in january; the kitchier the better! i decorate in a day, then spend the rest of december planning my annual holiday rager. this year, something's shifted. maybe it's because i'm now 30 and therefore an adult, or maybe it's because nearly every blog i follow is that of a married mama (the most stylish and witty ones, of course!), but i find myself caring about new things. like, ornaments? i spent a really long time scouring the net for the perfect ornament to gift my special someone. that thing's sticking around for years to come, it's not a decision to be made lightly! also, crafting? i'm not big on the crafting, never have been. i admire really nicely handmade things for sure, but stuff that screams CRAFT! has never been my bag. except in december! in december i check martha stewart's site before i check the day's news, and if this past weekend's any indication, i'll be clocking an average of 60 trips to a.c. moore this month. i suddenly want to slap paint on everything. and i've shoved all sorts of materials into my sewing machine that surely don't belong there. aaaaaand let's not even broach the subject of festive baking, you guys. i'm still recovering from last year. here are a couple sweet ideas i've pinned lately. we're only a week in, i'm sure i'll have lots more to share soon!

{1/2/3/4/5}

hansel & gretel

2011-12-04T16:48:00.000-05:00

the first of the gingerbread houses; a sunday night well spent.  honestly, it's a dope date activity because it takes hours, teamwork, and you can measure your OCD levels against his!  looks pretty good, right?!  after consuming half of this little cottage's construction materials, keep your sugary christmas treats away from me because i swear i'll yak .  i mean... joy to the world!

safari

2011-12-02T07:47:00.001-05:00

as i sit here bundled up in funny layers that my own mother refers to as my 'homeless grandma' look, it's hard to believe it was just tuesday that i was on a sunny safari with some of my favorite people. but it's true! i fed giraffes! i rode in my first hot air balloon! and i decided that zebras are second only to cats for my favorite animal! (hanging out with some further fueled my desire to outfit my future kid's room in the scalamandre wallpaper i ogled in sprinkles.) lion country safari rivals coney island for best tourist attraction i've clomped through this year! and i've clomped through many. aaaaand now back to my regularly scheduled shivering and teeth chattering.

month twelve

2011-12-01T08:52:00.000-05:00

december! already?! i swear just yesterday i was elated the moment the clock struck midnight and i could yelp: october! but alas, 2011's final month is upon us and i'm super into it. (i'd say it'll be a december to remember but i think there's some sort of car dealer embargo on my use of that phrase.) to properly usher in the next 25 days and all their festive splendor, i caught yet another airplane and landed in 40 degree weather last night. a far, far cry from the tropical paradise i spent thanksgiving in. (the photo above says it all; i was bare-legged when i took it!) pretty excited by the possibility of a white christmas, and until then i'll shower you with photos of every christmas tree i walk past, from whatever city i happen to find myself in next. happy december, friends!

posh

2011-11-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

yes! victoria: victoria beckham, s/s 2012.

full

2011-11-28T09:08:00.000-05:00

gracias, merci, aragato, THANK YOU for this past week.

and vacation's not over yet!

thankful

2011-11-21T20:00:00.001-05:00

last week i walked along the 30+ block virginia beach boardwalk at dusk, the one evening of the season people are allowed to cruise through the annual light festival on foot.  i loved it.  giant, multi-story animated light sculptures as far as the eye could see.  one for each of the twelve days of christmas!  a couple elves and sugarplum fairies, a lonely looking menorah.  appropriately themed nautical bits: sharks ready to attack, fish spitting water in an arc you walk right under, santa on a pirate ship?  why not!  oh, and my favorite- a curiously placed twinkling tyrannosaurus rex, without so much as a candy cane in his tiny claw!  they're the same every year, and i'm stoked every time i see them.

tomorrow morning i'm headed south to a much warmer beach for holiday hugging, the world's most delicious bagels, and palm trees adorned with twinkle lights.  i've got a serious thing for those.  i want lots of holiday kitsch this year, and i want it bad!  have a very lovely thanksgiving, friends.  i know i will.

whoa ho ho

2011-11-20T14:18:00.000-05:00

i like a good sale too, girlfriends. 

50% off everything in my vintage shop!

use code HOLIDAY at checkout!

do it

2011-11-19T20:44:00.000-05:00

doesn't this time of year just make you wanna hug on your family? 

go find your 9 years younger, whole foot taller baby brother and do just that.

j. cute

2011-11-16T21:35:00.000-05:00

i generally stay away from j. crew's website because I'M NOT MADE OF MONEY, though i do feverishly tear through the catalog when it lands in my mailbox every few weeks (no one really makes purchases from paper catalogs! only collages!). but tonight i saw that center image floating around the internet and clickity-clicked on over. ugh, so good right? i'm divulging an embarrassing secret by telling you that i'm almost completely packed for my ten-day vacation; the one that doesn't commence until next tuesday. but the point of all of this? those are my colors, dude. copious layering options in these very colors- the salmon (ew?) coat, red shoes, shrunken blazer- all of this is in my to-go pile! all ready for delta to lose my suitcase in crazy, home alone style thanksgiving transit! 11 more cute looks here. (feel free to buy this for me, in navy, while you're at it.)

mustard forever

2011-11-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

cutest cuties pies, all in my favorite fall color!

{photo: anne bernecker}

it's happening

2011-11-13T13:30:00.001-05:00

i grinched about it for a week, but now i'm officially ready to embrace the holidays.  things are about to get severely festive in this life of mine.

{beautiful photo by oliver sscwartzwald}

red all over

2011-11-11T08:49:00.001-05:00

anyone wanna take a stab at guessing my favorite color?!  don't forget: all vintage is 30% off in the shop this month.  use code THANKS at checkout!  {i'm also peddling this on ebay this week if you're cold!}

babydonuts

2011-11-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

surely you know how delicious babycakes cupcakes are and how adorable their little broome street nook is. i put in a few good vegan years in my early twenties, and though i now eat every egg in sight, vegan baking still excites me! i gave my mom this bookfor her birthday last month, and yesterday i rolled up my sleeves to bake some gluten-free donuts for her poor, bread-deprived soul. truly just as delicious as the back dustcover touts! this book rules. vegan and gluten-free recipes for every sweet treat under the sun, photos of cute bowtie-clad ladies, and witty commentary to boot. pineapple upside down cake's next on the agenda!

adventures in thematic eating

2011-11-08T08:41:00.001-05:00

i'm laid up in bed with one of those colds that has you feeling nauseous; it's been trying to fully attack for an entire week now, and this morning it has won the battle and i'm officially sick. the rational part of my brain says, "hey- i bet frolicking through that crazy new york city snowstorm for hours last saturday did this to you!" the other weird part of my brain, however, is certain the pumpkin did it. THE PUMPKIN. skinny lattes of the steamy and iced varieties, muffins, cupcakes, bagels, an intimidating gluten-free birthday cake, frozen yogurt, a gas station donut?! i mean, i didn't eat it all at once; i promise there was some sort of moderation in there. but maybe not enough. absolutely, unequivocally, no more pumpkin... until thanksgiving. i swear, guys. now pass those pumpkin-scented tissues.

oh, and for the record, though i tore across town to buy peppermint-flavored everything once i heard it was in stock at trader joe's, i sent most of it to a joe's-less boy in florida. i quite literally CANNOT even go there.

gourd-geous

2011-11-05T12:02:00.000-04:00

already!  inundated with christmas decorations and coffee cups and commercials and  SHOP FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST!  stresses me out!  (although i did just buy my first christmas gift this morning; the advertising totally worked on me.)  but!  november's only just begun, so i'm going to dress pilgrimish on the daily, find the world's best pumpkin pie recipe to impress the table with on thanksgiving, and give you a little incentive to buy one last thing for yourself before you empty those piggy banks for loved ones only.  code THANKS gets you 30% off everything in the vintage shop all month.  because seriously, thanks.  you guys are z'best.

my turn

2011-11-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

now that it's actually fall & winter and i'm ready to layer, let's look at these so-five-minutes-ago images from rodarte for opening ceremony's lookbook again.  you know how i do.  i've stared at these for 2.5 months and they're still toothache-inducing.  HURTS SO GOOD. 

sprinkly

2011-11-03T11:28:00.000-04:00

can someone please teleport me back to monday at approximately 4:15pm? to the land of rainbows and zebras, pumpkin cupcakes and cute cupcake-eating boys? if so, there's a box of confectionery magic with your name on it. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

oktoberfest

2011-11-02T07:24:00.001-04:00

best weekend in ages! perfect finale to my favorite month.

slush

2011-11-01T23:06:00.001-04:00

{still funny.}

didn't dress up for halloween this year, but definitely looked pretty silly trudging from the natural history museum to shake shack in inadequate footwear amidst a freak snowstorm. out-of-towners.

mount up, part iii

2011-10-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

i was WAY into this, guys. not pictured: complimentary hot apple cider awaiting pickers' return from the orchards, and freshly baked apple pie that i devoured in no more than 45 seconds the moment we drove away. you all need three days in the mountains of virginia, trust. next up for me: long weekend in the BIG apple (sorry, had to). have a festive, leaf-crunching, any-sort-of-cider-drinking, happy halloween!

mount up, part ii

2011-10-26T09:38:00.000-04:00

mount up, part i

2011-10-25T08:00:00.004-04:00

i just dug out the first fleet foxes record and skipped to track #10. corny? don't care. i wanted to go to the mountains, to confuse my ears as they popped, to lose cellphone reception, to hike until my legs ached, and mostly, to see these colors. and lately, i've been living by this mantra that seems so simple but is actually pretty tricky. when i want to do something, i do it.

etsy: supayana

2011-10-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

a hundred years ago i was asked to walk in a little fashion show. (apparently my really serious ebay vintage modeling reputation preceded me.) this is hilarious because i am short. but a friend of a friend's friend was coming to orlando from brooklyn to show her latest collection, and i said yes as soon as i heard the name: supayana. i'd seen her pieces go for oodles on ebay, and loved her girly aesthetic and unique knack for piecing tops and dresses together in ways you wouldn't expect. i met yana the day of the show and we really hit it off; i've loved watching her career blossom ever since. the other day when she linked her newest endeavor on facebook, i immediately told her that i almost wanted to get pregnant just to stick my baby in these adorable pieces. instead! i'll show you all. {supayana baby on etsy!}

pumpkin party

2011-10-23T14:16:00.000-04:00

happy birthday, mama! so very happy to oblige her one request: a gluten & dairy free pumpkin cake. my iphone photo friendlies can tell you, this'll be the twelfth pumpkin thing i've ingested this month. i've been chronicling. and we've still got eight days of pumpkin-eating potential! (how i've still got friends... hard to say.) happy sunday, bundtcakes!

purrr/brrr

2011-10-22T09:07:00.000-04:00

it's chilly this weekend!

perfect time for some silly new additions to the vintage shop!

add us to your etsy favorites or follow on twitter to be in the know!

for lovers

2011-10-20T19:14:00.000-04:00

sorry i've been m.i.a. all week! i convinced these two chuckleheads to traverse through the mountains of virginia with me. they dragged their florida girl over hill and dale ('dale' being a term i just wiki'd, i'll have you know) to see insane autumn leaves, breathe in cool fresh air, and appreciate some serious southern hospitality. i've been wanting to do this for ages; i love honest to goodness octobers! lots of photos soon.

peekaboo

2011-10-12T21:28:00.000-04:00

{1/2/3/4/5/6} 

sensing a serious theme in the garments i find inspiring lately! i love the idea of demurely showing some skin; most of my recent clothing purchases have nodded in that direction. and girls! i'd get married in either of those bottom two numbers so fast...

shop to it

2011-10-11T19:37:00.001-04:00

pretty new additions to the vintage shop! and don't forget! code PUMPKIN gets you 10% off your total order at checkout during the month of october! (doesn't that cardigan remind you of this?!)

100 flavors

2011-10-09T15:18:00.001-04:00

last week might have been the slowest of my life!  lots of sugar (have you SEEN those crazy touch screen soda machines?!  100 flavors!  {don't be tempted to ruin your diet coke with the addition of vanilla AND cherry like i was}), lots of shuffling piles of clothing to different suitcases or different countries, lots of lovin' on other peoples' pets.  it was a wonderful week; the weather is so phenomenal in virginia right now... just seems like each day was 72 hours long.  but so much good television, right?!

let's

2011-10-06T08:40:00.001-04:00

{1/2/3/4/5}

it's thursday! totally cause for celebration. so how about this? he wears those pants, she wears that dress (colors of their choice- i'm not a complete dictator!), and they sip soda while playing tic-tac-toe and hangman under some crazy rainbow garland? i'm into it.

october morn

2011-10-05T18:42:00.000-04:00

in the words of rachel zoe, pumpkin bagels are everything. 

crisp

2011-10-04T09:18:00.000-04:00

lots of new autumn pieces in the vintage shop.

use code PUMPKIN for 10% off your entire order during the month of october.

jungle

2011-10-03T18:02:00.002-04:00

recently i saw a video made by someone i really admire, and it was simply every photo ever taken on his iphone, flashing in time to ten minutes worth of good music. so much of his everyday life was captured, and i loved watching it even though there was no narration. i'm feeling a lot less wordy these days. maybe it's writer's block? maybe i'm retreating to a more private place for a bit? for awhile i might just show you guys what my life's looking like. (sans instagram, promise!) i'm feeling super inspired lately, but with colder temperatures comes a weird need to bundle up and lay low. i'm working on some good things. you'll see soon!

getaway

2011-09-30T14:01:00.000-04:00

real life boards at 7:15 tonight. not looking forward to it.

(almost) autumn

2011-09-21T11:11:00.002-04:00

i have been so busy the last several days, and i love it! summer is officially coming to a close this week, and i'm so pumped to welcome my very favorite season. i'm a northerner now; i'll get to see leaves change for the first time in twelve years! crazy! i got a bit overzealous and ordered a venti pumpkin spice latte two sundays ago. (no one in the world needs a venti anything.) it's holding me over until october, which in my book is the appropriate time to commence my annual pumpkin mania. until then, i'm going to try and cram one more tropical adventure in before kissing my sundresses goodbye for six months. ciao for now, my friends!

winter sigh

2011-09-16T00:33:00.000-04:00

i am a SERIOUS winter coat junkie. this used to be super irrational because i lived in florida, but not anymore! if i wasn't guaranteed to dribble hot cocoa all over this delicious winter-white burberry coat, i'd twirl around in it all day. (yeah, it's my clumsy drinking habits that's deterring me, not the $3,595 price tag. you're cute for letting me pretend.) so as is the theme with much of what i share here, let's just look at it.

missoni

2011-09-13T13:49:00.000-04:00

it's no liberty of london, but some of it is pretty freakin' cute! here's hoping none of you urgently need to refill a prescription since missoni has crashed target's site today. i'm presently in a city that is perhaps uninterested in a fashion phenomenon such as this one, so i had no problems grabbing the pieces i wanted, and a couple extras in case you wanted them too. (here. no scalping! i priced what i paid!) did you guys get everything you wanted? let's do our best rain dance so i can puddle jump in my ugly new boots!

sweater weather

2011-09-12T07:00:00.002-04:00

classy? tacky? i will satisfy your vintage sweater needs, girlfriend. boys are helpless but to hug a girl in a cute sweater. actually, me too. i'll throw my arms around anyone in that scottie cardigan. check the shop!

icebox

2011-09-09T09:43:00.000-04:00

i've subjected you guys to so many instagram photos all summer; about to plaster memories all over my refrigerator now too! stickygram magnets arrived in the mail a couple weeks ago. so cute. make some!

yes. ma'am.

2011-09-08T16:11:00.001-04:00

i wonder if this girl will be my roommate. she can just sit in different corners of the apartment depending on her mood, and i won't have to bother hanging any of my art! i'll email her. (twenty-seven names, winter 2012)

coney

2011-09-07T10:45:00.000-04:00

;

baby's first trip to coney island saturday was truly the perfect finale to my ramblin' summer. i'm so lucky to have best friends who indulge me when i decide to do these sorts of things (which is always)! summer, i bid you a fond farewell. you were strange yet wonderful and ultimately the most important season i've had in years. thank you for everything. i mean it. and now if you'll excuse me, it's time to trade in my fruity umbrella drinks for pumpkin lattes. autumn's going to be so good.

endless summer

2011-09-05T16:03:00.000-04:00

i've got a week's worth of work to catch up on, and i'm even further behind on sleep. i've been busy braving pansy hurricanes, playing with best friends, and falling back in love with my life. and as if on cue: it just started to rain and i couldn't be more grateful. time for some zzzzzzzzzzzz's. more soon, cupcakes.

un

2011-08-29T15:10:00.002-04:00

yesterday was the blog's birthday!  one year of boycotting capital letters!  one year of kitsch imagery!  i think we're going to pump things up around here during year two.  thanks for sticking around.

i'll be away from the computer all this week. funny, since i've been extraordinarily glued to my iphone the last few days. that once-overpriced kate spade case has a secret message inscribed inside that i peek at often. have courage. i'm going to muster up all mine, and share some good adventures with you when i return.

susan

2011-08-25T10:13:00.001-04:00

time for another round of 'movies marissa could watch a zillion times'! today's special? desperately seeking susan. i was a preschooler when it came out, and frankly, that was madonna's heyday. (thought you guys would enjoy my young mother's choice of halloween costume for her four-year-old that year.) i can't imagine that anyone out there has never seen this gem, but if you haven't, pour yourself a class of wine and settle in for a home pedicure while it's playing. you'll become wistful for 1980s new york and increasingly interested in overweight earrings. i'd give you a strong plot summary, but i've got amnesia.

rosey

2011-08-23T12:45:00.001-04:00

some really sweet new additions to the shop this week!
oh yes, vintage sweater season is on the horizon.
(i live for a decades-old sweater.)

mcq

2011-08-22T11:17:00.000-04:00

i was recently telling someone about a certain dress from alexander mcqueen's spring 2005 ready-to-wear collection, and how i've thought about it every day for the last six years. (it's this beauty.) i'm sure you're thinking, "every day, marissa? come on." dude, when you don't have kids you have the luxury of sugarplum visions dancing through your head all the time. (although coincidentally, when i was nannying a few years ago i kept mistakenly calling lightning mcqueen by said designer's name; it did NOT go over well with my 4-year-old charge.) so when i went to see savage beauty at the met last month, i was hoping upon hope that my dream dress would be there. it... was not. but what was there, i lack the words to describe. you've either seen the exhibit or seen the photos online, so you know. it was dark, intense, magnificent, and my stomach was in my throat for the duration of my slow crawl through each room. my friend brie forewarned me, "take your time. there's so much to see." and jason, who waited in the hour-long line for a second time just to keep me company, leaned down to whisper in my ear, "marissa, people are going to push you. hold your ground." grateful for my new yorkers' advice, i soaked it up and took all the time i wanted. at the exit, i did a little indecisive dance, but finally passed the point of no return once i saw that for a mere $45 i could take the entire show home with me. this girl's a sucker for a coffee table book. it's a bit nicer than the crappy printout of dreamdress that's been taped to my last four refrigerators.

homebody

2011-08-20T13:23:00.001-04:00

oh hello friends! what's that? you've been patiently awaiting a tour of my new place? i'm not in it just yet, but here's a pinterest rendering of what i fully expect it to look like. i'll go ahead and take those housewarming wine bottles off your hands now, since you carried them all this way.

{1/2/?/4/5/6/7/8}

the week

2011-08-19T08:20:00.000-04:00

some work, some play. (don't forget that thrifting all this cat stuff is work, people!) and in case you missed it: i talked about sibling summer 2011 over on my girl katie's blog wednesday, and the half-off vintage sale is still going strong in my shop! (use code 'fifty' at checkout!) and in equally important news, this is my new favorite television show. have a lovely weekend!

oh come ON

2011-08-18T06:53:00.000-04:00

these photos from the herfst winter 2011 lookbook are rivaling these for highest ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! quotient. i can't take it. i quit!

surf's up

2011-08-16T07:20:00.003-04:00

yay!  brother-in-law is back from liberia! we're having as many beach adventures as he can stand before he whisks my sister back to california saturday.  this week is pretty jam-packed, but it's worth it; who knows how long it'll be until we're all together again.

ps- see that 'no swearing' sign?  they're all over the beach!  this motley crew has no business in profanity-forbidden zones...

halfsies

2011-08-14T15:56:00.001-04:00

i've had an amazingly fruitful summer where my wardrobe's concerned. treasure hunting multiple days every week for the last twelve? you can't imagine what i've scored. when you're into vintage the way i am, constant closet shuffles are imperative. as i bid adieu to my sweaters or sundresses to prepare for a new season, i spend a little too much time with each piece, deciding if i should pack it away or send it to a new home for someone else to love on. years ago my little etsy shop was born from a need to purge my 75+ vintage dress collection (i wish i were telling you tales) before fleeing to a land of smaller closets. but because i love the hunt so intensely, i'll probably never close up shop. it's never been my full-time job and never will be, but it's my hobby and i'm pretty darn good at it. i love one-of-a-kind pieces with history and secrets and staying power. i love-love finding gems that other girls are excited to wear.

that said, i've got nearly 100 pieces in the shop right now... 100 pieces that are not part of my own wardrobe. i'm loathe to haul an extra wardrobe's worth with me to a land that's closetless entirely, so guess what? you pay what i paid. nothin'! between now and whenever i change my mind, everything in the shop is half off. that means: $5 tops, $10 dresses, and smiles all around. use code FIFTY at checkout!

and hey, thanks for reading. you guys get sweeter by the day, i'm convinced.

some things

2011-08-12T13:51:00.000-04:00

1: last month while in ghent for my familial birthday dinner, we drove past this giant mural.  i hesitated for a moment then yelped, "dad!  go back around the block!"  the second i saw that crazy painted wall, i envisioned a very specific framed photo hanging in my new apartment.  a two-minute photoshoot, 8x10 snapfish print, and $3 janky old thrift store frame later- and it's happened.

2: somehow i didn't even know this book had ever been written?! this will only carry significant weight when i tell you that if forced to choose just one musician to fill my ipod with for all eternity, i'd load that sucker up with philip glass scores without a second thought. i love him. unhealthy love. (don't you clap every time you think about he and ira glass being cousins, too?!) fate brought this first edition into my life and i'd spend all day reading it poolside if i weren't doing 600 loads of laundry today (hello, sheetless mattress).

3: this tote. are you seeing this? three fieldguided totes in and i'm convinced anabela has some window into my soul. multilingual cats, KB, and now boats? (BOAT should be a blog tag of mine at this point.) it's so heavenly and a perfect accompaniment to the 95% of my wardrobe that's nautically-rooted.

(A, maybe your next design should incorporate philip and ira glass embracing in front of the big frank mural? just bouncin' some ideas around...)

what's new?

2011-08-08T15:32:00.001-04:00

some great vintage pieces to transition you from summer to fall,

in the shop now!

tea party

2011-08-08T08:00:00.004-04:00

if it was up to me, our week would look like this.
happy monday.
{1/2/3}

queen of hearts

2011-08-07T14:26:00.000-04:00

recently i found this incredible vintage bill blass evening dress, and a sneaky fitting room iphone google told me it retailed for $440 in the 90s. it's got a full crinoline slip, and the sweetest heart belt, detailed here. (i can see cher horowitz sporting this, f'real.) nothing about it is my size, but after my covert google i tried it on anyway and stared in the mirror, pouting. i love it. buying things that don't fit me is my curse; i can only hope that i might answer the vintage prayers of another. waaah wah.

mary

2011-08-05T07:00:00.004-04:00

party girl is my go-to answer when anyone asks, "favorite movie?" i could watch it a zillion times and never tire of cute 1995 parker posey in her crazy mismatched outfits, raving through a new york city library, and eating falafel after falafel in an effort to woo the fox manning the cart. i first saw this when i was 14 or 15, and while its message is probably supposed to be 'party girls grow up too!', i took from it the notion that i can wear whatever ugly ensemble i want to as long as i own it. TRUTH, 14-YEAR-OLDS.

hiss

2011-08-04T11:24:00.001-04:00

 {1/2/3/4/5}

yes i have an entire pinboard entitled meow... DON'T JUDGE ME.  i am perfectly capable of maintaining self control; nearly every catcentric item i've shown you over the last year has gone unpurchased!  (it's the beauty of pinterest in general, huh?  i've saved so much in online shopping!)  the shoes... aren't going unpurchased forever.  i don't care.  i can wear those to work.  anywhere.  okay, and the blanket?  i found it at a thrift store over the weekend; it's already mine.  who's not going to want to jump into bed with this?! (the cashier was a legit cat lady and sort of salivated when she rang me up... i questioned the entire transaction, promise.)