Second Look: The Bow

I love a good grown-up bow and designers like Kate Spade have done an amazing job of bringing the bow into the sophisticated, chic woman's wardrobe. When done right, bows are so playful and can serve as the signature detail on an otherwise classic, simple piece. 

Here a little red dress goes from vamp to ladylike with the addition of shoulder bows. 

Tribute Tuesday: Rupi Kaur

The inspiration section of Pinterest can move very quickly from some nice reminders that Beyonce Wasn't Built in a Day to that special breed of Pinterest Perfect that would make Mary Poppins feel like a 3rd rate au pair. 

However, I recently ran into the work of feminist poet Rupi Kaur and was absolutely blown away. I'm working on hunting down a copy of her collection Milk and Honey. I love the simple font and the winding little black and white sketches that accompany each piece.

For now, enjoy the reminder on this delightful Tuesday that you are (or are surrounded by) strong, independent women, and that not all poetry needs to be overwrought, embellished or wordy. 

Decorating the Nest: Mirrors

If you wanted to lighten up a dark room, or expand the boundaries of a space, mirrors are your best bet. I love mirrors because regardless of the exterior framing, they really perform the same function. Plus they are one of the easiest thrift store grabs out there. Your closest Goodwill definitely has a few in stock and from there it's a simple afternoon craft project to alter the frames. 

Just  keep the angle in mind when you're hanging them and go for extra points by pairing one opposite a window or a bright colorful piece of art.

The mid-century modern starburst style is extremely popular and actually lends itself well to DIY. A few coats of metallic spray paint with a series of dowel rods to form the starburst pattern, and you're spending about 10% of what a mid-century modern piece normally costs.

Tribute Tuesday: Zodiac Fashion

Vogue Japan Dec. 2015

 Zodiac and constellation embroidery has been popping up for the past year in haute couture, which means it can't be long until it trickles down to mass fashion. I'm a huge sucker for embroidery already, and navy and gold are just so captivating together. This is a trend that I'm going ca-ray-zay waiting to see on the mass market level!

Sampler 5.7.16

Happy Sampler Saturday! This week we're hitting Culture, Science, New England Locals, and throwing in some book recommendations!

Culture:

Why Finland's Mail Carriers are Mowing People's Lawns by The Atlantic

This is almost too good to be true. As snail mail usage declines across the world, and the American Post Office continues to dig a giant financial hole each year, Finland is getting creative! Their postal delivery staff will be following their mail routes this summer, but on a day when they have lower mail volume, they'll be dabbling in tax deductible lawn mowing as well. And the best part is that because it's Finland, of course the mail carriers came up with the suggestion themselves. Love the ingenuity!

Fashion Crush Friday: Clemence Poesy

Clemence Poesy is one of Paris's It Girls, most recognizable as Fleur Weasley from the Harry Potter films. When a movie producer selects you to play a being of supernatural beauty, that's a pretty high compliment. But it's her fashion sense that has earned her Muse status for Chanel and keeps the blogs fascinated. 

Decorating the Nest: Antique Rugs

Let's talk rugs. This seems like a weird topic for someone who's obsessed with hardwood (umm, herringbone hardwood my coffin someday please!) but I am loving the look of really intricate Persian and Kilim Rugs on hardwood. In New England, it's just practical to have some soft, warm ground cover, and they can really anchor space to avoid that "floating furniture" feeling. 

Tribute Tuesday: The Charm Bracelet

I love fashion pieces that seem to ebb and flow in popularity naturally over the years, appearing reincarnated in different forms for different decades. The charm bracelet is a fantastic example of a piece that has survived for almost two centuries because the idea of having meaningful jewelry that charts milestones in our lives is just too much to give up!

In recent years we've seen the traditional dangling charm bracelet fall out of favor with the rise of Pandora and more recently Alex & Ani for the younger crowd.

Love the simplicity of this A&A cornucopia bracelet

Architecture: A Frame, Best Frame

So much open space!

You may have heard that I have a recent obsession with A Frames. It stems from the Tiny House epidemic that is sweeping the nation (err... nation of practical Millenials that is) and follows a lot of the same principles. If I'm going to own a house, it's got to allow for expansion as approach, offer tons of natural light, give me a wide open floor plan, and stay small in the spirit of the Tiny House movement.