I'm pretty good with a bow...

Bows are great. They toe the line between sweet and cheeky. For the spring, tough military looks are in (cargo pants, etc.). A great way to soften up the look is with bow accessories. (Remember yin yang outfits?) There are lots of great bow accessories out right now. Here's a couple of my favorites:

Tote bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs Available in department stores like Nordstrom.


Necklace by Tiffany & Co.

Pattern

Patterns, both of the floral variety and ethnic inspired prints, are having a moment (Although, they are timeless. Some things are always fashionable, but it's like a bunch of people get excited about the same thing at once.). I'm really happy about this. But when you're used to wearing solids and very subtle patterning, it can be daunting. I loved watching The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency on HBO because it takes place in Botswana, Africa where patterns are layered and mixed with gorgeous results. It's inspiring.


A single patterned item is a great way to enliven an otherwise neutral outfit. I am in love with these shoes. I would wear them with cropped pants and a slouchy t-shirt.


You can get them from Osborn Shoes.

Clothes should be fun. If your closet is feeling a bit stagnant, inject some pattern which will change how you look at everything else.

But I LOVE it.

In a recent post in the Stylephile blog on Boston.com, Courtney Hollands used the following picture to illustrate how shag carpeting is a 1960s nightmare.

But all I could think was: Where is this place? Do such wonders still exist? Can I move there? A balcony? You know there's at least 3 wet bars in that room.

It seems like it's in a swanky New York high-rise or in a Hollywood mansion . But what if it was the interior of a cabin in the woods? Or if you stuck it in the back of your property as a sort of grown-up fort/studio? Your living space needs to be, well, livable, but if you're designing a camp for example, you should be able to have fun.

New Year...

New Earrings.

I just picked up these beauties for 50% off at Swarovski.
Love them! They were featured in the January Lucky Magazine. The thing that makes them unusual is that they're clip ons!

Clip ons are coming back. The good thing about clip on earrings is that your ears can hold more weighty earrings without getting that saggy earlobe look.

Check out these beauties by Siman Tu:


You can buy similar ones at Vivre.

In addition to awesome clip on earrings, another trend I foresee for 2010 is:

Friendship bracelets!!!

You can buy them, like this gorgeous one from Etsy (here), but you should break out your stash of embroidery floss and make your own.

Trends should be fun and these two definitely are. Happy New Year!

The list is up...

Again, I'm not on it (shakes fist at Linda Pizzuti Henry).

The Boston Globe's 25 Most Stylish Bostonians 2009 is out. Some I thought we dull, some expected, but some were inspirational. My favorite, far and away, was Marie-Claude Mendy. I just love fuchsia in the fall!

Another great one of the 25 was my favorite blogger, Martine Severin of Beyond Boston Chic.

Who was your favorite? Did you get any inspiration from the list? How the hell do I get on it? Discuss.

Maine Inspiration

On Labor Day weekend Eric and I went up to York, Maine to get away. It was gorgeous.


This it the Nubble Lighthouse. I love the colors in this picture: Clear Blue, Khaki, Red. If we had come here in June instead of September, I think I would have worn nautical outfits all summer.