hell is empty, and all the devils are here

Lately, I've become kind of obsessed with the Kindle App. Did you know that you can have the same book on your iPod, iPad, Droid, and Kindle all at the same time and wherever you pick it up to start reading, it will sync with the last place you left off?

(yes, i'm fully aware that my device ownership is outrageous, i listed the kindle on ebay today, and you can buy it HERE if you want)

Anyway, this has led to mass readership on my part, especially of the classics, which are shamefully FREE in all their perfection. Did you know that Shakespeare, Bronte, and Fitzgerald are considered to be worth NOTHING in Amazon's store? (For the dead authors' souls sake, I'm instead going to think of the works as "priceless.")

I can be sitting somewhere pretending to be sending a text on my phone or whatnot, and really I've just been reading a book the entire time, which is highly convenient, and wonderful to someone who, as a child, use to carry a book everywhere and pull it out at every chance, something that just makes me look bored and rude as an adult.

This assortment of pictures has no particular relation to my topic of discussion, although the post title is my favorite Shakespeare quote - from 'The Tempest' - other than they're what's been inspiring me as of late. Lots of rings, sparkle, dark clothes and boots have been my uniform, and mostly as a result of seeing these magically mysterious images keep popping up.

You can't limit your sartorial recommendations to magazine pages anyhow, there's so much else to light a creative fire.

As Tim Gunn says (in his awesome book, something I read a few weeks ago)

"there is no excuse not be inspired."

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

i am the combined effort of everyone i've ever known

i'm fully aware that this may be the least original thing i've ever posted, but like everyone else, i'm really obsessed with giant antique rings right now. love these finds from

ebay and lowluv x erinwasson.

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

Maybe the most perfect outfit ever, with black skinny pants.

I was never that invested in the denim shirt trend, but this one may have changed my mind.

Perfection From the Gap, $59.50

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

Winter is the time for comfort, for warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.

I've started to sort of feel that way about the clothes I've been collecting and wearing as of late - if it isn't cozy, oversized, and soft it holds no interest for me! Here are a few things I'm pondering buying and maybe have already bought...all very budget friendly of course.

from top to bottom:

Fringe Velvet Burnout Wrap - QVC, $50

Intarsia Cape - ASOS, got it for $38 with my 20% + free shipping code

Plaited Headwrap - Anthropologie, $24

Ethnic Fringe Poncho - eBay, (sadly, i lost)

Leather Twisted Headwrap - Etsy, $19

Web Ring - eBay, going for $4

Navajo Poncho - Spotted Moth, $38

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

Pretty Quotes and Leopard Coats

I did not have a good Monday morning, so in the interest of keeping it positive, I'm going to leave you with a pretty quote, and my outfit from yesterday....which I loved.

wearing: hat-forever21, wedge boots-alloy, jeans-gap1969, shirt-bittensjp,

leopard coat-topshop

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

effortless: calling for, requiring, or showing little to no effort

You know what irritates me? I am not one of those spontaneously stylish people who wears piles of jewelry just because they feel like it. I buy it, love it, hang it up in a pretty places and admire it, but almost never wear it. No jewelry in these pictures. Zilch. Probably hasn't been for the last 10 posts. And because I absolutely can't stand to sleep in jewelry I don't really have any "signature" pieces or anything that I never take off. Apparently effortlessness isn't very me.

Another non-effortless thing I do: I totally lay out my outfits the night before, because if I don't I'm almost ALWAYS late. Maybe I should start laying out the jewelry too hmmmm...

Basically, I put a lot of work into looking like I didn't try very hard, which is a ridiculous oxymoron. Soon I'll be having to PRACTICE doing that ultra-cool thing where you just wear your jacket sitting on your shoulders...

wearing: cape-asos, dress&sweater-forever21, tights-commando, boots-gojane

gatsby dog-blogger's own

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.

I'm sure the last week of no posting needs no explanation - i've been celebrating thanksgiving with my family....well, families. I count my boyfriend's family too : )

After a way-too-big meal, failing at 4 am Wal-Mart black friday shopping (but I made it too the gap for 50% off before 10am) , and finally getting all but one person on my list the PERFECT gift, we are finally decorating the family tree with our mismatched, children made ornaments and then heading off to St. Louis to celebrate a holiday well-done.

Although Thanksgiving is a "break" and a very welcome one from work, I think by tomorrow I'll be ready to return to my little house with Darrell and collapse on our couch .

Although I'm always sad about a holiday ending, there is one light to Thanksgiving being past us: I now consider it completely legitimate to blast Christmas music at all hours. My favorite!

plaid shirt, fur vest, and boots-f21, jeans-gap

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

"That is your fur coat?" "It is." "Kramer says you need it cause you're desperate for attention." "That's true." - Seinfeld

You know, I understand that fur is a little extravagant for the everyday. Hell, I understand that it's a LOT extravagant for the everyday.

Sure, there are other options for truly frigid weather. Parkas, pea coats, hoodies, fleeces, trenches, they're all fine. But they're not l-o-v-e-l-y.

There is nothing as soft, as warm, or as pretty as a really fantastic fur.

images-tumblr

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.

So despite the autumnal nature of these photos, I spent all day today thinking about Christmas. I made Christmas music playlists for my iPod, my office was decorated for Christmas today, and I actually made my Christmas shopping lists! I love to buy presents, and half the fun is trolling around for the perfect gift on the internet - I am not a mall gift shopper.

What will I be going to the mall for? A sparkly frock. I'm going to two Christmas parties for sure, and I'm going to have to find the perfect dress - it will ideally be totally covered in sequins.

wearing: dress-charlotterusse, aviator-forever21, boots-jeffreycampbelllitas

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun.

I know my boyfriend hates the time I've got him waking up, but it's hard to deny that there's any other time of day that better suits capturing a beautiful image. I may hate the darkness that begins at just 5 pm, but I don't hate the bright, glittery sunlight that comes in the window so much earlier that it did before. It certainly beats being woken up by a buzzing alarm clock.

Today we have one of those fantastic Sundays where there's really nothing we NEED to do. Sure I have laundry going, and we'll probably take the dogs on a walk later, but other than that it's likely that I'll fill my day with coffee, reading blogs, and catching up on my DVR.

wearing: flare jeans-gap1969, bird blouse-charlotterusse, felt floppy hat-forever21, clogs-poppybycoach, jewelry-forever21&limited, "daisy"dog-myown

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

"action is character. i think that means that if you never do anything you'll never be anybody."

So after a few months of obsessively following the photography on my favorite blogs of late (song of style & late afternoon) and being bitter that their boyfriends took their lovely pictures every day, while I was stuck with a self timer camera and my front door, I finally struck up a deal with my boyfriend. I do the dishes - his absolute least favorite chore - and he wakes up an hour earlier and takes my blog pictures before I go to work at 8. I figured it was a fair trade, an hour of sleep for 10 minute of dishes every day....in the long run, I really think I made out well, but don't tell ; )

Today's weather was sort of hilariously bipolar: 40 degrees when I woke up, 65 by lunchtime, 70 this afternoon, and down to 50 again by nightfull, hence the fur vest, cardigan, scarf, and t-shirt I layered up.

wearing: fur vest-ebay, oatmeal cardigan-dkny, tshirt-trulymadlydeeply, chinos-americaneagle, scarf-nightmarketinchina, booties-forever21

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

Allure & Warmth

Was there ever a more alluring piece of outerwear than a cape? Sure, coats are lovely, but capes are so elegant. Coats make me think of nothing but cold, while capes inspire images of Russian spies a la Bond girls, their intentions hidden behind their dark hoods, a satchel hanging from a leather gloved hand.

My favorite affirmation from the day I wore it? An older (well...much older) co-worker of mine said as I passed by "I love a cape. I had a cape when I was a girl.." in a wistful, reminiscent way, as though she was picturing herself in the early 50s, probably in something quite similar to the one I had on. I had to suppress a giggle, but not a smile.

wearing: cape-asos, jeans-gap1969, boots-gojane, bag-chinese night market

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

Fads are the kiss of death. When the fad goes away, you go with it.

Wonder of wonders, I actually managed to sleep through my jet lag haze last night and get dressed like a human being this morning! Most of the outfit is comprised of clothes that I got while on my trip to China. My favorite newly acquired piece would definitely be this jacket. A camel coat is something I'd been contemplating for a while, and when I saw this version in the window display at H&M in Hong Kong I literally marched in, tried it on, and got in the checkout line!

The booties are my low-budget answer to the perfect shearling Burberry booties everyone's been obsessing over. Honestly, they're as comfortable as my Litas, and have a rugged quality that's perfect for marching around in the cold.

I realize this outfit is a little bit of a trend overload, but in my opinion, all the 'trends' that are so in style this season aren't really so "un-classic." Camel? Regardless of its ubiquity at the moment, it's not like camel won't be cool ever again. Military? It's popped up so often that I hardly think it's fair to say it'll soon be "out." A shearling aviator jacket is arguably a completely classic style

As for this Mulberry Alexa look-a-like? Well, let's just say that I hope someday it WILL be timeless. I love the style that much.

wearing: coat,dress-h&m, boots-gojane, bag-night market, scarf-f21

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

So tomorrow morning at 3:30 am I'm heading off to the airport for a LONG flight to Shanghai. From there - Yiwu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and back again, and to say that I had a hard time packing into a carry-on sized bag would be an understatement. My dad thought lugging my giant suitcase from trains to airports to cabs would be a pain (and he was probably right). Even with my lack of clothes, I'm so excited, China was the most amazing place to visit the first time around, and I get to go even more places with more of my family (and my boyfriend) this time around. Sadly, I had to leave my new coat behind - too much tropical weather and not enough suitcase space. But when I get back to the November cold I doubt you'll even see many of my actual clothes through the fuzzy, leather exterior.

Penny Lane eat your heart out...

jacket-nastygalvintage, plaid shirt-f21, jeans-gap1969, pumps-stevemadden

(PS : the winner of the giveaway was Tiffany Christie - expect an email from CSN Stores' marketing department with your gift code)

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse

Glamour & Giveaways

photo source: the vogue diaries

If there ever was a girl who embodied the spirit of Audrey Hepburn in a modern way, I'd think it would have to be Olivia Palermo. Her impeccable style is more inspirational to me than anyone else's, and I'm trying to recreate a few of these looks in my China packing plan.

One more thing I'd love to have to finish off my wish for glamorous travel wear is a certain DVF weekender I've had my eye on from Luxe by CSN, and one lucky reader could be well on their way to owning it, since the lovely people at CSN stores have gotten in touch with me to do a giveaway for one of my readers.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need, whether it be a chic bar stool, a stylish handbag (like the one I'm coveting HERE) or even cute cookware!

Just leave a comment on the post with your e-mail address, and CSN will send the winner (picked at random by me) a $35 gift card code that works at any of their online stores.

"Maybe if they all could be combined - art, rock and fashion. Those were always my favorite things."-Stephen Sprouse