Happy Friday!

It has been a long week and I am tired, but I spent a little (in reality: way too much) time on Society6 looking at iPhone covers and they cheered me right up! There are sooo many cases on that site, from tree bark graphics, to sloths, to dancing breakfast food and more chevron and ikat patterns than you previously knew existed. They put me in such a good mood I had to share a few:

I love the PaperFashion illustrations of Blair Eadie and Jessica Stam, the cacti cases remind me of back home and the little bird reminds me of my talented friend Emily and her love of photography, watercolors and birds. Check all of them out on the Society 6 site if you are in need (or in "want") of a new case....How did you pick your phone case? Was it all about form or function or a little of both? I hope you have a great weekend!

Happy In Helmut

Helmut Lang is one of my favorite labels. Minimalist but sculptural and the colors are always wonderfully neutral backdrops for my crazy-bright accessories and jewelry. But HL is cost-prohibitive at regular retail price, so I sadly own only one piece of that brand. (It is a grey silk top that is perfectly draped and body-conscious-but-not-remotely-tight so I want to wear it ALL THE TIME but don't want to look like a crazy person so I take a break from it now and again...AKA-- when it is at the dry cleaners... hehe)

Having subjected you to my ode-to-Helmut-Lang, you can imagine my excitement when I saw an email this morning from Shopbop announcing the new, more affordable HELMUT line from Helmut Lang! If you are in to drapey minimalism or just need some great basics to use as a foundation for more flashy pieces, check the collection out online.

Here are a few of my fav's:

Kinetic Jersey Racerback Dress

Overdye Skinny Jeans

Kinetic Jersey Racerback Maxi Dress

Kinetic Side Slit Maxi Dress

Are you a Helmut Lang fan or does the line get boring with season after season of muted colors and simple silhouettes? Any other new diffusion lines you are excited about?

Hello, Again! Come Shopping With Me!

I took a break from blogging these past few weeks, (I know, I know, from posting once a week, big deal), but things have gotten crazy with work, out-of-town guests, a wedding to attend in another state and a trip to Chicago. Now that I am back in my usual day-to-day routine, I have obviously started thinking about shopping! (One track mind? Yes.) I have been searching for work appropriate dresses and finding a knee-length option that hits at or below the knee on a tall girl is not the easiest task, but that is not to say I haven't been enjoying the search :)

I love Pixie Market for finding items that are a little outside the box and, as I should have guessed, my search for work dresses quickly disintegrated into finding other cool things:

Stripe side pants from Sass and Bide

 

Graphic print shorts

Mykonos dress

Geometric maxi dress

Martin Lamothe "The Artist" dress 

I think "The Artist" is my favorite. See how quickly I get distracted?! Well, if I do find some summery work dresses I will certainly update you, but do I have any tall ladies out there who have had success at certain retailers? Hope you are all having a wonderful summer and that you aren't completely overheating!!!!!

The CDFA's: You Can Watch It If You Missed It!

I am a little behind when it comes to the latest fashion updates, but it is partly due to the new job and partly because I have been spending a lot of time in the garage on a new DIY undertaking. I hope to complete that project in the next week or so and will share it as soon as I am done!

In the meanwhile, I am catching up on the fashion scene and was pleasantly surprised that the CDFA fashion awards program is available for viewing on style.com! I looked at Tommy Ton's photos of the designers and other notables arriving at the awards, check out two of the snaps:

Ashley Olsen in The Row (natch)). I love the color.

Karen Elson and Tabitha Simmons, both in Proenza Schouler, with Arizona Muse, in Diane von Furstenberg. Is it just me or is Arizona Muse so cool? I don't want to like her because everyone else does, but I can't help it! ;)

There are more pictures here, too! Have you already watched the awards and/or checked out the pictures? Are you ecstatic or outraged that the Olsens are rocking at life even more these days? ;)

Summer Is A Rumpled Tunic

I am back from a much-needed mini haitus. I took a quick trip back home to look for a reception venue and spent some quality time with my wonderful family and then started my new job the day after I got home! It has been busy, but I am very happy and content....I am sure in part to the warm weather. 70 degrees = bliss. My summer daydreams look a little like this:

crochet skirt, garden patio, printed shorts, toasted coconut vanilla limeade, rumpled tunic

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day. And smile, it's almost Friday :)

Top of My List...

At home in the desert this week-- sorry for the lack of posts but I am having too much fun playing hooky from life to do anything productive. I did not pack a hat for my trip, so the 105 degrees of blazing sun have me pining for a fedora, panama or wide-brimmed topper. Any kind will do, but here are a few of my favorites from the web:

Another topic that seems to come up this time of year-- any new and amazing sunscreen finds? The Cetaphil SPF 50 facial sunscreen that I used last year did not cause any breakouts, but it did leave my face shinier than acceptable standards of dewiness allow... in my book anyway. Which is a crazy read-- but I digress. If you know of any sunscreens that leave a matte finish, especially in a humid climate, I am all ears! (And face)!

Current Decor Obsession: Succulents

Plants! We eat them, wear ugly shoes to hike on trails in the middle of them, buy them in mass quantities at extraordinary prices for Valentine's Day and (perhaps best of all) we decorate our homes with them. Mother Nature can be the best source for decor when you want something fresh and alive in your home. And Mother Nature made Flora Grubb the fairy godmother of greenery so we can all have cool-looking indoor plants. I love FG's work, her shop and the general idea of indoor succulents- so have a look:

The cafe area of Flora Grubb's namesake shop in San Fransisco

Inside the FG shop, featuring one of her hanging installations

A historic home in San Fran with one of FG's vertical succulent gardens

Another shot of the Flora Grubb store. I want this to be my backyard!

DIY instructions for making and framing your own vertical succulent garden!

Not the work of FGrubb, but this event space has an awesome "living wall" with giant succulents!

Would you add a few more plants or a vertical garden to your home? Do you already have one? And am I crazy for thinking these are cool?! Also, I have started an herb garden but planting won't start until temperatures are a little warmer here, so in the meantime, does anyone have any herb garden advice? (or for plants in general since I can only keep succulents alive and that is only because succulents are indestructible?)