I want...

Familjen Wallpaper!

I always start focusing more on my home during the winter and what better time to redecorate than the start of the new year? Lauren has already rearranged her bedroom and I've been looking online for interior design inspiration.

I found this wallpaper on The Style Files. I can't afford even a yard of the stuff, but it's so creative that I wanted to include it in the blog. Designed by Lisa Bengtsson, the wallpaper is really meant to be used as a photo album. To purchase a roll or read more about it visit Souk Shop.



C.L.

Resources

I love finding new websites that stock amazing - and perhaps unnecessary - items that I can fritter away my hard-earned cash on.

Miss & Lady's Boutique

This website has a great assortment of home accessories and fashion items: lace coasters, oil and vinegar dispensers, and, best of all, hairy armpit t-shirts.



The Shop Floor Project

I'm not sure if this website ships to the U.S. Nevertheless, it's fun to look around. The site design is set up to look like you're entering a cute London shop located in a city flat.

My favorite items are the handmade scarves and a set of four instruction pamphlets that take Ikea items and turn them into fictional products.


Design My World

A lot of the products on this website are reasonably-priced. Clock-wise from top left red illusion table, translucent illusion table, illustrated dinner plates, creamer and sugar jar.

C.L.

Embracing Orange

I mentioned before that I want to include more orange in my wardrobe. Lauren does it nicely with this turtleneck dress from American Apparel (cardigan and belt from H&M, boots from Tarjay). For those of you who are curious, she's standing in my parents' laundry room - they're not scared of color!

Here I am trying on a cardigan that I eventually bought at American Apparel (turtleneck from H&M, Cheap Monday jeans and Payless boots). My favorite thing about this cardigan is the contrasting buttons. It's a little frumpy around the waist so I'll have to wear leggings or skinny jeans with it.
C.L.

Merry Christmas!

We hope everyone is having a very Merry Christmas! To celebrate the day we've included a few images of our Christmas decorations.

A 1.5 ft tree in Lauren's room:
You can never have too much glitter during the holidays:
Our Frida Kahlo tree:
Close-up of the Frida tree:
C.L.

Home for the Holidays

Our slight respite in blogging can all be blamed on coming home for Christmas and cramming in as many family and friends get-togethers as possible into a short period of time. After six hectic days of shopping, eating and catching up with friends in Maryland I finally have the chance to sit down and post a few photos.

We spent a day shopping in D.C. Notice how I didn't say we went Christmas shopping; instead the day was spent more selfishly - buying clothes for ourselves. A trip to the H&M on F and 10th St. is always on the itinerary when we come home since cheap, trendy Swedish-wear isn't available in Atlanta - at least not until this spring.

Lauren made plans to meet up with some friends on Capitol Hill for lunch after a successful morning of H&M shopping:
One of my purchases - a paisley extra-large scarf. Note the tag dangling from the end as evidence of it being recently purchased:
A poetic truck parked outside the shops. The owner sells scarves and hats from a nearby sidewalk stall - no good Kate Spade knock-offs unfortunately:

Me smiling because Lauren has told me we're going to get lunch :
C.L.

Inspiration for the week of 12/16/07

There's nothing like spending a Sunday evening scrolling through Oslostil, Stockholm Street Style, Face Hunter, The Sartorialist etc. to get the creative-outfit-juices flowing for the week ahead. Below are just a few images that struck a cord with me tonight. I would include more, but it's getting late and I have to wake up early enough for work to pick out a street-style-blog worthy outfit.

Autumn colors: These two photos made me realize that I have absolutely no orange in my closet - except maybe for one American Apparel scarf that hasn't been worn in ages. For the most part, I shy away from the color because it usually seems a bit too Halloween-ish, but this Dylan look alike and Scandinavian girl prove me wrong.

The Sartorialist/ Moderniteter

Ear Flap Hats: Now that it's become cold again in Atlanta I would dearly love to purchase a furry hat with ear flaps. Not only would it be a very practical purchase, it would also pull a winter outfit together very nicely.

Face Hunter/ Oslostil

Walkable Heels: I pulled out these two outfits because they're easy to recreate with what I already own (lots of black!) and because I love the short, thick heeled shoes. The height is practical, but it still adds some femininity to the outfit.

Frugal Fashionista/ StockholmStreetStyle

Long Cardigans: I've been wanting to buy a long cardigan for some time now but have held off because I can't find one that isn't too frumpy. These two images give me hope because they prove that there are non-frumpy, long cardies out there. So the search continues...

StockholmStreetStyle/ Sally Jane Vintage

Scarves: I've been trying to withhold from buying anymore scarves because I feel like I have more than enough. However, after looking at these two photos I now have the sudden urge to run over to the local thrift and dig through the scarf bin.

Sally Jane Vintage/ Oslostil

I also love the yellow cardigan in the last group. Maybe once I build up enough courage to add orange to my wardrobe yellow will be next.

CL

Sneak Peek: H&M Spring 2008

Atlanta fashionistas can get a glimpse of what's to come this spring when the city's very first H&M opens in Atlantic Station. For more images of the store's Spring '08 line visit the website www.hm.com.

CL

Gypsy Camp Returns

For all you metro Atlantans, Decatur's Gypsy Camp will be open to holiday shoppers this weekend Friday-Sunday. As we've mentioned before, Gypsy Camp is an amazing place. For those of you who aren't in the metro Atlanta area, trust us, it's worth the drive/train ride/flight here.

A preview of Gypsy Camp's goodies:

Visit www.gypsysale.net for more info.

Ikat + Zara

My first purchase from Zara in Atlanta is this Ikat dress. Lately I've been noticing that Ikat patterns are everywhere and have been desperate to get my hands on something Ikat-ish. So you can imagine how happy I was to find not only a somewhat affordable Ikat jersey dress, but one that's kind of Balenciaga inspired.

This photo was taken while helping out at the Wren's Nest Christmas party. (I have no idea why I posed that way - it looks like I'm attempting to do a jig). Sunglasses: Target, dress: Zara, bracelets: from Brazil, leggings: American Apparel, flats: Delias.

Evidence of the current Ikat trend:

Balenciaga RTW Fall 2007 and Oscar de la Renta RTW Spring 2008 (photos from style.com)

Ikat couch (www.wallpapernews.com) and a swatch of fabric from Hancockandmoore.com

C.L.

Just In Time for ... Summer!

For those of you in other parts of the country muddling through ice storms, floods, and power outages, we in the south east have been given a respite from the cold (cold to us is 50 degrees and below... "below" meaning 30 degrees... it doesn't actually get colder, right?). Today was a balmy 75 and sunny (it no longer rains in this part of the country either).
Listen, I'm really not trying to be a snot and rub it in that we live in paradise (not usually... remember humidity?) because I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed in this Global Warming peep show. The reasons for being disgruntled about blissful weather are 1) I can't get into the holiday spirit in a tanktop and flip-flops and 2)I've finally found my perfect (but momentarily defunct) winter coat!
I apologize for the blurry pic above. See below for the catalog shot.
And, yes, this coat is from the Victoria Secret's catalog which made me fairly wary of what kind of quality it would be, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I particular love the patent pipping and the bell-shaped selves. Now if only it would dip below 60 degrees... (le sigh).

LL

Ain't it Dandy

Found this charm of a website in Domino Magazine. A British company that sells posters and t-shirts with Warhol-worthy graphics. They don't ship to the states yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time.

CL

An Evening Out

On Lauren: dress from Forever 21, Issac Mizrahi for Target shoes, necklace is secondhand from Rag-o-Rama in LP5

On Catherine: Dress from Urban Outfitters, shoes from Delias, secondhand belt

2 Things that Go Together: Bad Baby Pie and Amy Sedaris

Cath and I just discovered "Waitress" this past weekend. We love cynical comedies that turn out to be unconventional love stories... especially if there is pie involved. The movie wasn't a treasure trove of fashion goodies (it shouldn't be. That's what the Sex and the City movie is for), but I do like the crinoline enhanced waitress outfit that Keri Russell wears at the end. And no, this is not a throw-back to pre-women's "liberation" - Russell plays a very independent, confident young woman... and wears a poufy skirt while doing it. That's the way to keep a baby and just throw out the bath water.
And who else would come to mind when thinking petite, spunky, crafty, crinoline-wearing females? Amy Sedaris of course!

(excerpts from Amy's effervescent entertaining book "I like You: Hospitality Under the Influence").

Amy's apartment is featured in this month's House and Garden magazine.
Photo courtesy of designsponge.

LL

'Tis the Season

We apologize for the unexpected mini-break from blogging. We are sure, dear Reader, that you too are facing the end of the year and it's mountains of work (academic or otherwise), the frantic search for the perfect gifts, and the more enjoyable task of attending a number of seasonal social engagements.
This past weekend we attended our first of said engagements at a lovely little penthouse off Luckie Street owned by Mr. Ted Turner himself (who did not attend this particular soiree). Exciting, right? Long story short, Cath knows people who knows people who knows people. We had a terrific time and have of course told everyone within shouting distance that we've been to (one of) Ted Turner's house(s). Obviously we are quite used to dining at famous people's homes (note: there has been no earlier blog entry or entries on other homes of famous people. Another clue of hypocrisy: using the phrase "famous people" repeatedly).

LL

Candid Cath

book: Praying for Sheetrock by Melissa Fay Greene
scarf: Urban Outfitters
peacoat/jacket: second hand
hoodie: American Apparel
jeans: Target
boats: Payless

LL

NY Times Sees ATL

Recently the New York Times online featured a slide show entitled Browsing Atlanta. It really should be called A Quick, Limited Look at Little Five Points in Atlanta, but I suppose that's not really as catchy. Check out the six other images here.



CL

Sunday in the city

We spent the holiday weekend acting as tour guides for our parents by taking them to some of Atlanta's brilliant (in our opinion) jewels: the Wren's Nest, the Margaret Mitchell House, Oakland Cemetery (see two entries below), Watershed, Babette's Cafe.
On Sunday we were downtown at 990 Peachtree Street, and found some time to mug for the camera.
(Left) Lar:
hat: Dresscodes
scarf: h&m
bomber: Delias
bag: Ashley Watson
sweater tunic: h&m
leggings: Old Navy
boots: Target

(Right) Cath:
fedora: asos
scarf: streets of newyork (?) london (?)
jacket: h&m
bag: second hand
jeans: Cheap Mondays
boats: Payless

Broken English

There's nothing like sitting around watching movies all day during Thanksgiving vacation. I have been off work for a total of four days and am enjoying it immensely (especially since Lauren and I have decided not to go shopping on the busiest weekend of the year).

One of the movies we rented was Broken English starring Parker Posey and a good-looking French guy (he was also in Le Divorce). The movie itself isn't great - the plot is unoriginal and the main character isn't likable - but we still love Parker Posey.

The best part (or only good part) about the film is the clothing. Posey's character has a very feminine wardrobe with full-skirt dresses, flow-y tunics and silk tank tops. Even the French man's good looks are enhanced with his straw fedora and light blue jacket.

These are the only images I could find online, but if you're into fashion I recommend renting the movie. If you're into good movies, I would stay away from this one.

CL