ilovelovely

Mint Green Sink

2009-07-17T09:01:00.003-04:00

I was in Asheville last Tuesday and found this beautiful mint green sink at the Antique Tobacco Barn. It was $85 and in great condition. The only thing that needed to be changed was the pipes- they were the original lead. There were so many other things there that I loved! I ended up just getting two milk glass vases, but the place is massive and there is so much more to admire. Can't wait to go back. Then I'll definitely get the sink if it's still there. :)

The Catnap Cottage

2009-07-12T00:16:00.007-04:00

Lately I've been scouring the internet for vintage tablecloths and I came across The Catnap Cottage on Etsy. In addition to tablecloths, there are some beautiful vintage chenile quilts and pillows, salt and pepper shakers and china.

Loveliness from my past

2009-07-11T23:48:00.003-04:00

My Caboodle. Still filled up just as it was in my tween years. Although every last Bonne Bell Lip Smacker now smells disgustingly waxy and every Hard Candy or Wet 'n' Wild nail polish is gooey or separated, I hate to throw a single thing out. Each lip balm was a short-lived obsession of mine (Sugar Plum and Star Fruit had the best scent, Dr. Pepper had the best color). I would always carry about 10 Lip Smackers with me in a small metallic lavender bag in my backpack. And do you remember Kissing Koolers? I had the watermelon one. I still have a penchant for flavored lip balms, but I've given up on glitter nail polish.

Diane Kruger in Jason Wu Dress

2009-06-16T19:13:00.003-04:00

I love this Jason Wu dress Diane Kruger wore to the CFDA awards last night. I always like what she wears! This image was from WWD.

Returning to ilovelovely

2009-06-12T11:46:00.005-04:00

Ok, it has been FOREVER since I posted anything. I miss it, and now that the professional void is returning to my life, I am going to start again. In a week and a day, I will be leaving New York for Jacksonville, FL to be with that sweet boy I blogged about over a year ago- Payton (who I "love love love"). I am exchanging one set of dreams to live another. Parting truly is sweet sorrow, but the happiness to come will make it all worth it.

Hobo Belinda Wallet

2008-03-31T21:43:00.004-04:00

Continuing in my penchant for the super brights trend, I love this neon yellow wallet called the "Belinda" from Hobo. I am not typically a fan of the line, but this has just the right color for the season. It would make the perfect clutch if it were just a few inches wider. I would probably use it that way anyway.

Bright Pretty Patent Shoes

2008-03-31T21:40:00.009-04:00

The colors of these shoes are so beautiously shocking. The first pair are Christian Louboutin's Passmule Zeppa in orange! Ashlee Simpson wore them to the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards recently. The next pair is Chloe in turquoise...so very Chloe with the thick criss-cross straps.

Coven Tank

2008-03-31T21:39:00.007-04:00

I love this Coven racerback tank sweater I saw at Intermix a few weeks ago. There are so many brilliant colors, and the texture of the knit gives the tank great structure. Coven is a Brazilian line designed by Liliane Rebehy Queiroz, an architecture student who realized her passion was in designing clothes instead of buildings.

Bokja

2008-03-09T21:08:00.004-04:00

About a month ago, I decided to roam around ABC Home and Carpet dreaming up how I would furnish my future home. Located on the traditional furniture floor were beautiful chairs, settes and chaise lounges upholstered in the most vibrant, embroidered fabric I had ever seen. The line is called Bokja and is based in Beruit. The styles of the furniture range from French to fifties, and everything is covered in different variations of the special embroidered fabric. Each Bokja piece is custom made by local artisans. Here is a sample of some pieces from their website.

Payton

2008-03-09T19:51:00.003-04:00

The sweetest boy ever who I love love love!

Madewell Skinny Zip Jeans and Scarves

2008-03-09T19:33:00.004-04:00

This weekend I stopped in the Madewell store just for a looksie. It's lent right now and I have (GASP!) given up clothes shopping, but all the fun colors and soft fabrics at Madewell certainly presented me with a challenge. I did not try them on, but really liked the look of the skinny zip jeans in a rainbow of summer brights. They also had tons of pretty scarves. My favorite, which I didn't see online, was blue and white striped with white fringe.

Jane Austen Fix

2008-03-09T18:59:00.004-04:00

I can never get enough of Jane Austen's books, which is unfortunate since she is dead. If her writing isn't for you (my friend Katie calls the style "hither-tither" and just can't get excited about it), then read no further. For those of you who agree with me, we are in luck! First, a couple of Christmases ago, my brother gave me a trilogy of books by author Pamela Aidan entitled, from first to last, An Assembly Such As This, Duty and Desire and These Three Remain. They are told from the perspective of Pride and Prejudice's Fitzwilliam Darcy! Second, this Christmas my sister gave me The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James. This book is written from the perspective of Jane Austen and tells us all about a secret love affair that inspired revisions of her book Sense and Sensibility. Both books were wonderful and helped me get an extra Jane Austen fix!

Objets Trouves by Kate Linstrom

2008-03-06T20:44:00.008-05:00

The latest issue of Lucky mag had a selection of shift dresses. I LOVE the black silk dress with rainbow stripe color blocked sleeves. Well, they are all cute, but the black one is my favorite. I've scanned the magazine page because I couldn't find a picture of the dress anywhere online.

Painterly Prints

2008-02-19T16:53:00.005-05:00

It seems like Spring 2008's painterly florals (see earlier Thakoon and AKA New York Resort Dress posts) are persisting for Fall 2008 with black as their backdrop instead of white or bright color. FabSugar had a link to Refinery 29's overview of London Fashion Week trends. They referred to the trend as "blurred vision".

NOHO Modern

2008-02-19T16:34:00.004-05:00

For the most beautiful and unaffordable selection of modern furniture available, please go to the NOHO modern site and attempt not to drool over the functional objets d'art that I can only dream of putting in my living room one day. In particular, the seating and storage sections have items with gorgeous wood finishes.

O-Gloss

2008-02-11T16:17:00.000-05:00

I am breaking the mold a little bit with this one...I actually don't know if this product is lovely or not. Two of my friends recommended Smashbox's liquid cheek stain O-Glow to me last Spring. It goes on clear and transforms to your natural blush. I really love the look...although immediately after applying it the hue is more intense than you would like, it gradually fades to a pretty pink flush. The idea behind this product seems logical to me because people blush naturally. Now that Smashbox has created O-Gloss, the logic behind the product is less clear. Our lips don't blush or change in color in the same manner our cheeks do, however, the product reacts with our chemistry to transform into a custom shade. I need more information...what custom shade? How does it differ between users? Have any of you tried this? Interestingly enough, I participated in an online marketing survey for O-Gloss prior to the product launch and my questions were the same. Apparently, my curiosity is best addressed by going out and buying the product, which leads me to the conclusion that their advertising is more effective than I give them credit for.

White Carrara

2008-02-11T16:05:00.002-05:00

Keeping in theme with my penchant for white...I prefer white countertops with the grey veining as opposed to darker or rosy colors. This one above is my favorite. It is an entire slab called "white carrara", and I think it comes from Italy. My brother noticed that I always contrast darker colors with white, whereas he tends to pair darker colors with more darker colors.

West Elm 'Elliot' Sofa

2008-02-06T14:46:00.000-05:00

West Elm just sent an email out today introducing this sofa. I love the tufting and velvet upholstery matched with the clean, modern lines.

Havana Blue

2008-02-06T14:02:00.001-05:00

My friend Caryn recently got married in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and the trip was fabulous overall. Caryn and her husband Curtis hosted an afterparty with champagne and desserts at a restaurant called Havana Blue. The decor and setting were fantastic, although I couldn't find any pictures of the impressive chandelier in the center of the room. Just looking at the picture makes me want to go back to the beach!

High Rise Jean Shorts

2008-02-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

It's the beginning of February and I am already searching for the perfect pair of denim shorts for the summer. I think these Levi cut-offs from Urban hit the super-casual mark: the worn-in wash and the slightly higher rise give them just the right dose of 'Dazed and Confused'. Of course, you could probably find something similar at the thrift store for $2.

The Paris Apartment

2008-02-04T17:07:00.000-05:00

The online boutique has some of the most beautiful furniture. Her mirrored and lucite collections are gorgeous!

Home Decor Fabric Inspriation Boards

2008-02-03T18:12:00.002-05:00

I googled designer fabrics and the first site that came up was this great Canadian store with a wide selection of modestly priced fabrics (around $15 to $50 a yard- nothing compared to the prices you typically see in magazines). The URL is http://www.designerfabrics.ca/shop/scripts/default.asp.

I put together some fabric inspiration boards for home decorating and would like to share them with you and hear your thoughts. There are multiple fabrics on one board. Ultimately I would narrow the fabrics down to a selection of about four, and perhaps include more sheer or solid fabrics.

AKA New York Resort Dress

2007-12-12T14:50:00.001-05:00

I LOVE THIS DRESS! Uh-huh. There you go.

Thakoon Spring 2008

2007-11-05T17:00:00.002-05:00

This collection is so versatile, I feel like there is a little bit of something for everyone. The colors, prints and styles vary from sleek and tailored to flowing and vibrant. What's amazing to me is that I can actually appreciate the loveliness of every piece despite the extreme variety. Here are two of my favorites.

Cropped Blouses

2007-11-05T16:10:00.000-05:00

Ok...I haven't found any pics online yet, but on a recent trip to San Francisco I found some perfect cropped blouses that would look so neo-70s chic paired with high-waist jeans. First, at a boutique called Dylan, I fell in love with a blue silk chiffon top from Corey Lynn Calter. Meanwhile, Two Skirts, a boutique on the same street, had a great indigo cropped blouse from Annelore. Both of these blouses had an even hem line, however a second take on the trend includes hems that are cropped in the front and longer in the back. H&M had a very 80s neon tribal print crop top made of knit jersey in this style. The silhouette was perfection but unfortunately the print was not. Pictured to the left is a Jill Sander top that doesn't quite hit the mark, but might give you a better idea of where I am going with this. I'll post better pictures if I find them.

A New Kind of Quilting

2007-10-29T16:24:00.000-04:00

I have noticed something in the season's handbags that I love: panelled quilting on patent and matte leather. I first noticed it in the Isabella Fiore clutch that I posted in September. Now I am also seeing it in Chloe and MiuMiu handbags. No doubt there are more out there. Take a look at the pretty examples pictured above. From top to bottom: MiuMiu, Chloe and Isabella Fiore.

Loeffler Randall Blythe Bootie

2007-10-08T16:18:00.000-04:00

These booties' sleek versatility makes them a personal favorite. The cut out on the top of the foot emphasizes their pump-like characteristics, yet their bootie-ness is still undeniable. Although available in black as well, I prefer the taupe. The color is especially perfect when offset by black tights. Buyer beware...the shop girl wearing these booties was secretly taking them off behind the counter in a surreptitious attempt to relieve her aching feet, but then again, what shop girl hasn't been in that position after 7 hours of standing?

Trina Turk Fitting Room

2007-09-24T16:02:00.000-04:00

This photo has been featured in a number of decorating blogs. Apparently it is a fitting room in a Florida Trina Turk store. Isn't the wallpaper so great? I think I am finally starting to come to terms with my preferred color palette. LOTS of white contrasted with bold bright accents of blue, yellow, green and sometimes pink. Now picture those colors with dark wood, white and mirrored furniture. And for those of you who know how much I love purple, never fear, that color I am saving for the exterior of my dream house!

Chloe Sevigny and my ultimate groupie moment

2007-09-21T15:32:00.002-04:00

So. Cool.

Overlapping Squares Headboard

2007-09-21T14:12:00.001-04:00

When I was moving to New York, I had every intention of purchasing the Overlapping Squares headboard from West Elm. Since then, I have settled for my friend Katie's queen mattress on risers. Nevertheless, the headboard is still a favorite. It is an affordable option in the oh-so-trendy world of Moroccan themed, ornate wood cut-out furniture. Furthermore, investing in a headboard seems to be incredibly worthwhile. Afterall, you probably spend more time in your bed than you do in any other place. My color of choice is white, although it also comes in chocolate, which is the more popular option.

Neighborhood ♥ Loves

2007-09-19T17:02:00.000-04:00

I have been living in Nolita for nearly three months now. Although there are so many more places to explore, right now I have a few clear favorites.

Restaurant- Barmarche. Relaxed and quaint with delicious food and casually elegant decor, this restaurant makes me happy in every way.

Boutique- Poppy. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is something I would want in my closet. Beca Rory, Madison Marcus, 18th Amendment, J Brand, Karta, Rebecca Minkoff and much much more!

Dessert- PinkBerry (in the picture). MMM...all natural frozen yogurt with fruit. Or, if I am feeling skinny (when might that be?), I will go fat at Rice to Riches where there are a gazillion different flavors of rice pudding, one of my favorite desserts!

Sharon's Sorbet

2007-09-13T13:40:00.001-04:00

I was feeling sorry for myself on Monday night, moping on the couch in my pajama t-shirt and watching my 3rd episode of Law and Order, when I decided living vicariously through Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy just wasn't enough. Where would I turn to fill my Monday night void? The answer is food, naturally. So I scuffled to the local grocer and decided upon Sharon's Blueberry Sorbet. WOW! This sorbet is so delicious that I even ate the Raspberry flavor for breakfast this morning. It is all natural...made with pure, raw fruit, and fat-free. Aside from Blueberry and Raspberry, you can get Mixed Berry, Dutch Chocolate, Mango, Lemon, Strawberry, Passion Fruit or Coconut. I plan on sampling all of them, and by sampling I mean eating the whole pint by myself.

European Collection at Gap.com

2007-09-07T12:44:00.001-04:00

In an effort to boost U.S. sales, Gap is offering a new "European Collection" only available at Gap.com. The clothes are actually very stylish, and the price points are equivalent to their other merchandise. The collection is full of chunky knits, cotton cashmere and refined silhouettes in shades of blue, gray, brown and black. This dress is my most loved piece.

Fall Color

2007-09-06T17:06:00.001-04:00

Ugh, I feel so over gray already. Fuschia and purple I still like, however, the most refreshing color in my opinion is pictured here. Although it may not be the most flattering hue for every complexion, Spring and Summer's Canary Yellow has turned deep Amber for the fall. (Top to bottom: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Brooklyn Industries, Erotokritos)

Anthropologie Towels

2007-09-06T16:43:00.001-04:00

Has anyone else noticed that Anthropologie has the best selection of towels lately? They have a great mix, especially since I am starting to move away from strictly modern design. While the lava swirl towel (middle) is definitely contemporary, the other two seem to be a revision of the shabby chic that was so popular in the late 90s, early 2000s, using bolder brocade and bright blue and yellow to keep from appearing too cutesy.

Porthault Linen

2007-09-06T15:54:00.001-04:00

So we have seen my aspirational clutch, now check out my aspirational linen. What could be more lovely than a bed made with Porthault sheets? My only hesitation (besides the fact that I'll never afford them) is that they only come flat, not fitted. Is that ethnocentric of me?

Lime Wax

2007-09-06T15:45:00.000-04:00

Ok, this one comes straight to you from Domino mag's Nick Olsen, who writes the Deal Hunter's blog: http://www.dominomag.com/daily/blogs/dailydose/the_deal_hunter

I couldn't resist reposting it. Check out this lime wax and the pics he took after he used it. Such a cool finish!

Black Clutches

2007-09-06T14:42:00.000-04:00

In the name of clutches, the top one by Isabella Fiore is the King Kong. Not just because it is big and black (it's 13" wide and 11 1/2" high), but because it must be one of the most unique I have seen so far this season, and it's selling out fast.

The Marc Jacobs clutch at the bottom is aspirational. Ahhh, one day...

Foley for Foley and Corinna

2007-09-06T14:26:00.000-04:00

In a desperate attempt to establish street cred, I am posting this picture I saw in perezhilton.com of Kim Porter wearing my New Year's dress at Diddy's White Party in the Hamptons. After crazy popularity in the Fall Winter 2006 season, the dress, designed by Foley for Foley and Corinna, has made a comeback with a higher price tag for 2007. Eventhough I am over the sequin trend, I still love the dress and will try and squeeze a few more wears out of it this Fall.

Plaid & Le Mont Saint-Michel

2007-09-06T14:01:00.000-04:00

Plaid is back...again. I have noticed the reoccurance of plaid for the past three seasons, although undoubtedly it appeared prior to being caught by my bourgeois fashion eye. It started out with a few accents, like plaid scarves and clutches, and has now grown into full-blown plaid-o-rama. At the moment, I am craving a plaid silk taffeta dress to celebrate Chistmas. I still haven't found the perfect one, but you'll know when I do.

While I was in France last winter, I was immediately enthralled with every piece I saw by French label Le Mont Saint-Michel. Unfortunately, I have had difficult time finding anything about the label anywhere until the NY Times mentioned these sweaters in a piece entitled "Secrets of the Stay at Home Jetset".

Hmmm....plaid and Le Mont Saint-Michel, what's not to love?

Josh Goot

2007-09-06T12:04:00.000-04:00

I don't know much about Australian designer Josh Goot, but my first glimpses at his Spring Summer 2007 and 2008 collections have me obsessing over his color-block assymetrical mini-dresses. To top it off, apparently all of them are made with super-soft jersey. Perfect for my January vaca in St. Thomas (thank goodness for the Dyson-Lester nuptual fiesta!)

S.W.O.R.D.

2007-09-06T11:13:00.000-04:00

Ok, so this is old news to a few but this blog just started and I have a lot of catching up to do!

S.W.O.R.D. leather jackets, made by a Milan based design duo, have been selling faster than my boyfriend can spot a Cracker Barrel on the highway (that is lightening speed for those of you who don't know Payton).

My favorite is the LUCCA bomber in a super dark chocolate brown. Shopbop.com has been reposting different sizes sporadically as items get returned. Blaec.com is also selling three different styles on their site, including the fitted motorcycle jacket in both black and brown pictured here.

Martha Stewart Collection for Macy's

2007-09-05T17:40:00.000-04:00

I love so many items from Martha's collection for Macy's, but here are a few of my favorites:

The "faux bois" towels- a masculine and modern wood grain print is softened by an elegant color palette of aqua, taupe, honey and cream
The "coral spray" sheets in seashell and stream
The "bloomery" tufted lilac rug - demure yet edgy

All these items give me a clean, cozy and comforted feeling. So lovely.