Haute Sixties

It’s that time again. The couture shows are in full swing in Paris and I would be very surprised if any couture collection surpasses the brilliance of John Galliano’s for Christian Dior. Posted on Style.com today, the collection is a total visual overload. Inspired by John Singer Sargent’s Madame X and Gustav Klimt, one couldn’t expect less from the mind of a creative visionary. Voluminous chiffon dresses embellished in sparkles, plastic flowers (the title of my current song obsession by “The Wake”), and embroidery. Lime green, mint green, magentas, purples, yellows, reds – a whirlwind of colors and oversize silhouettes that cocoon the body are enough to take you on fantasy. It doesn’t stop there, however. My favorite details of the show: the makeup. Peggy Moffitt meets the Bride of Frankenstein meets nymph-like beauty. The eyes were decorated heavy with eyeliner hinting at the sixties (Peggy Moffitt), and were also covered in candy colored dots, vibrant feathers, and sequins. Immaculate up-dos topped with saucer hats and lamp shades courtesy of milliner Stephen Jones were a little space age, although Galliano said the inspiration behind the hair was Diana Vreeland in her Vogue years.

Overall, the show exuded a sixties glamour that left me wanting more. Below, some photos taken from Style.com.

A Bohemian Honeymoon

Those who know me are well aware that when it comes to packing for a trip, I can’t seem to pack enough. My suitcase always exceeds the amount of weight allowed on a plane, yet I continue to pack enough clothes and shoes to last me two weeks, even if I’m only staying somewhere for 5 days. In the past year, I’ve gotten better at narrowing my choices down. But each time a trip is near, I can’t help but visualize what I’ll want to wear to each and every place I plan on eating, drinking, or shopping. I attribute this behavior to some type of fashion fantasy in my head. I’ve always been a daydreamer and I don’t know anyone who has more nostalgic feelings than I do, and I can relate a good amount of items I own to memories of the past.The past few days I’ve been planning my honeymoon to Kauai in May. Darryl and I have never been to Hawaii so you can imagine the excitement and curiosity that is filling our brains. Of course, I’ve been thinking about what I’ll want to pack. What I envision myself wearing every day are caftans. Of course, only when I’m not snorkeling or hiking. I imagine myself lounging around on the beach and on the deck of our rental cottage wearing colorful caftans with a book and a big coconut at close reach. I’ve always admired the bohemian chic vibe they give off and they manage to make every girl who wears them look like an individual with her own sense of personal style. Maybe it’s the bright colors or the kaleidoscopic prints that most have, but they exude a 70’s glamour that I can’t resist. Talitha Getty comes to mind when I think of frolicking in the sand wearing a caftan. A style icon, she wore caftans beautifully and embodied the bohemian lifestyle. She was one of the first to inspire the words “bohemian chic” and “hippie chic”.Below, a photo of Talitha Getty and some caftans I wouldn’t mind taking on my trip to Kauai.A famous photo of Talitha Getty and husband, Paul Getty. Taken in Marrakesh, Morocco January 1969.A Mexican inspired caftanDashiki caftanHawaiian inspiredMexican hippie

Here Comes The Bride

With only 132 days until my wedding, you can imagine the amount of work being done right now to get everything in order. Flowers, food, vows, music, etc. Even if you’ve always been one of those bride-to-be’s who says “I want to keep it simple”, there are still many little details that eventually build into big details, and then eventually your planning turns into something not so simple. But, that’s a good thing! Because can you imagine planning an extravagant wedding and then those big details turning into huge, overwhelming details? I can’t! I’m happy with the way our plans are coming along and it’s been lots of fun organizing everything. Style.com recently did a “society brides” story and I thought I would show a few of the photos that I found to be really beautiful, classic, and full of personal style. To me, the bride’s dress should reflect her style. These three photos embody each woman’s sense of taste and demeanor.Wallis Duchess of Windsor June 3, 1937 – Once the mistress of Edward, Prince of Wales who she eventually married after his accession of King. She was a twice divorced American with two living ex-husbands and a reputation as an opportunist which caused a constitutional crisis in the U.K. , which ultimately led to the king’s abdication in order to marry “the woman I love”. Scandalous!Grace Kelly April 15, 1956 – Grace Kelly exchanged vows with Prince Rainier of Monaco III in front of 600 guests, calling him “everything I’ve ever loved”.Gloria Vanderbilt (date unknown) – I love everything about this photo. The dress, the flowers, and especially her pose which is so graceful and serene. Known to drive a man to distraction, she ended her seven year union to filmmaker Sidney Lumet, leading him to attempt suicide by overdosing on pills.

Happy New Year

Spending time with friends and family over the holidays was the absolute best. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for my awesome friends and family, including Darryl (my best friend and my husband-to-be!) Here are a few highlights from holiday parties.It’s 2008! This is going to be a great year full of amazing opportunities for everyone. Do something!Starting our Christmas party off right.Becky and her beau. The male version of herself.We played the white elephant game. Always a good time with a big group of people. These headphones that Lymi is holding were a coveted item. She took them away from people a couple of times and was the proud owner in the end.Cuzzy Shannon and Drew.Rob got a Britney Spears tour book. Here he is showing it off with delight.Coolest reindeer ever.Katherine The Great.Christmas Eve at Uncle Peck and Meg’s place. Group photo of Drew, Shannon, myself, Darryl, Dave, Moral, Siobhan and Miles.Darryl is cute.Treat table. I made a red velvet cake with nuts. Except I didn’t eat any because I ate too much of Siobhan’s mac and cheese and went into a major food coma.Cuzzy Love.Moral and Dave got a robot vacuum cleaner. Everyone thought it was funny.Ta-da!Uncle Peck is the coolest. Seriously, I can’t imagine anyone cooler than him. 100% uncle awesomeness.Siobhan got a Sonicare toothbrush from Miles. She was stoked.