A lovely New Hampshire New Years

I have been away, I apologize! My computer is at the apple hospital. it's sick :(. But hopefully I will have it back by Friday!

Tonight I will be spending New Year's Eve with my family at home, but we have stocked up on my favorite champagne,Sofia (It also comes in little pink cans with matching pink straws, how could you not love it??)




Cheers lovelies!

Little Red.

Last night we braved the storm to go out for dinner. And then we did doughnuts in Malainie's car because there was no one in the parking lot. I decided to dress up, however I had to switch the heels out for my winter boots. There is something that I just love so much about black and red together. I love this skirt, however it really needs to be hemmed. Pleats scare me, though.....

Tonight we are finally decorating our christmas tree! I will post pictures from our adventure to Pepperell, Mass. to get it, because it was quite comical.


Sweater- H&M (it has a big bow at the neck however it is on the other side. you can see it if you click the picture!)
pleated skirt- thrifted/altered by me
ombre tights- target
peep toe booties- nine west
knit cap- f21
Red Riding Hood Memorabilia- courtesy of 20 years of collecting by Mama Rose :)



PS: Everyone should listen to St. Vincent, because she is lovely and mesmerizing. This entire album is a gem!

How to Stay Warm & Pretty

How to Stay Warm & Pretty by SecretlySimone

Ostrich Feather Bolero- Topshop
Grey Terry Thermal- bunnyhug.co.uk
Long Leather Gloves- UO
Beret- Dorothy Perkins
Double Wrap Scarf- Wet Seal

OH and why can I not buy this bolero (and matching skirt too!) on TopShop? It will only let me buy from the US site, and the US site does not have it. I nearly cried.

Baby It's Cold Outside...

I am definitely back in snowy New Hampshire.

Today we decided to finally go and cut down our Christmas tree, however the weather was not on our side. It has been blizzarding all day, and so it was too snowy to drive too far. Instead we just went to Mcdonald's because the Germans were craving greasy American food. Then we came right back home, made hot chocolate, and sat by the fire.







PS: it is supposed to snow another 10 inches by tomorrow! But I am ok with that because I have nowhere to go. So, as they say...Let it Snow! :)

I hope you are all enjoying your holidays!

Hanging by a thread....A Blue Flannel Thread

I have two more exams tomorrow, and then I am done with school for an entire month! I am anxious to get home, despite the fact that my family has not had power since last Friday. I hope it's back by Wednesday night, but who knows. Oh New England. My camera is falling to shambles, although its my own fault. I don't deserve it...I keep dropping it/losing it in my parking lot and letting it get run over. I swear, though, it has nine lives. It still works perfectly about 90% of the time...and then sometimes I just have to tap it on something to get the lens to come out....

This is my favorite shirt lately, a little boy's plaid button up from the Gap (although I found it at Goodwill). I have so much to blog about, so many pictures to put up, and I will have lots of time once I get back to New Hampshire. yay!


skirt- Erin Fetherston for Target
belt- thrifted
bow clip- H&M
disgusting bland dorm room- compliments of Belmont ResLIfe


P.S. everyone should listen to Cat Stevens, he is quite lovely.

Velvet Obsession

Velvet Obsession by SecretlySimone
Bubble dress- Gargyle.com, derby hat - hatsinthebelfry.com, Copper Key Headband, Erin Fetherston for Target shorts, pumps, lagarconne.com

All my life I have had secret obsessions over lots of little things, things that other people find weird, but I mostly keep them to myself. On Saturday while at the Venus and Mars open house, I came across this amazing black crushed velvet blouse, with ruffles and a low neckline, victorian, mmm. Mackenzie thinks I'm crazy for my intense love affair with anything velveteen, but I can't help it. I'm just drawn to it. I guess it kind of reminds me of holiday parties as a child, dressed up in black or red velvet jumpers, velvet hair bows and headbands are a MUST, and any kind of velvet accents on shoes make me swoon. (PS going back to Venus and Mars briefly, my crush on Karen Elson might just reach stalker level, especially with her right across the street from me at any given moment. kidding...kind of....)

So since it is the holiday season, and while others are pulling out their sequins and glitz (although I have nothing against a nice sparkly new years dress!), I will be reverting back to my inner child and prancing around in a tiny velveteen dress, with some pretty tights, a hair bow, and maybe some mary-janes. OH how lovely.

Love Simone Babydolls.

When I was home for Thanksgiving I sewed my little heart out, and Shanelove was awesome enough to take some pretty pictures with me and my loves for the myspace.













now I am going to study forever and ever and ever for buying and accounting and math. ick. But hot chocolate tonight with loves!

Childhood Dreams

Every time I come home, I always forget to take pictures of my room. It is the epitome of "stuff". Layers and stacks of trinkets, magazine scraps, dresses, ribbons, bright pink walls. My life the past six or seven years. my parents are about to redo it, but I made them promise that they would not touch the wall I am collaging. It's my baby. Even though I hardly live there anymore, I couldn't bear to see it gone.

The Much Sought After Leather Jacket

I was finally able to locate the perfect faux leather coat that I have been pining over. The one I got on ebay several months ago just wasn't doing it for me, I felt kind of like madonna circa 1985, but this one is adorable. Especially with the little hood. And for only $40! I made the plaid dress that day, I've gotten quite good at these little tunic dresses. Not hard to make at all. I think I will be adding pockets, though...








Plaid dress- handmade
leather jacket- f21
tights- macys
peep-toe booties- nine west
wool hat- f21


PS happy day after turkey day, or black friday if you please. Did anyone brave the shops? I sure didn't, I slept nicely til noon, and then mama surprised me with breakfast and coffee in bed :)

Cheap and Cheerful

I'm home in good old New Hampshire for the rest of the week. It has gone by too fast already, though. Nashville is lovely but I have gotten so much done while I've been home. I've sewed many pretty dresses and made a handful of precious headbands. A photo shoot soon, I hope! On Monday we drove down to Natick, MA to go to the mall, which was lovely except for the general lack of funds. Oh well, I found not one but 2 coats!! Pictures of both in the next post I think.




Oh I had just straightened my hair and those pesky little hairs sticking up are quite noticeable in this photo. oh well....My mama made the adorable wool covered headband :)



Cheetah Print dress- Kenzie
tank- target
leggings- f21
Boots- delias

A tie...no, a noose.

Something that I have been seeing a lot of lately, and that is irking me entirely, is the appearance of loose ties on girls' necks. On Gossip Girl, on the streets, on nylonmag.com, ick. I am all for the prep school look with the blazers and the plaid and the knee socks, albeit in moderation, however, there is something just so Avril Lavigne about it. Don't you think? Especially wearing it loosely, it just looks very immature. I much prefer the menswear inspired looks with even a cheeky bow tie or something.

So....

not this:



Try this:


(Undercover's Spring 2007 ready to wear)
Even though it is from last year, I think this is still a very doable look for right now. Especially if you are just testing the waters for the menswear look. Pairing a bowtie with a shirt-dress inspired piece is adorable, or you could do something like this metallic mini-dress, from Fendi's ready-to-wear (also spring 07). A pretty party dress with a little tie. cute.



(photos from style.com)

Inspiration: Marie Antoinette

I am still trying to get well so I stayed in again. I decided to watch Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette while I sewed a skirt. Every time I watch this movie I get so inspired by the costumes, the music, everything about the film. And I love how as she grows more and more saddened by her plight her hair gets bigger and her spending habits worsen. Some things haven't changed, have they?








"isn't it divine?"

Bow-Bows

With all of this chilly rainy weather, I have finally caught a cold. So now I am sipping echinacea tea and watching Amelie until I fall asleep.

Absent!

I have been so behind on my blogging, and I feel bad. But I have never been so stressed/busy in my life. School is kicking my butt and I'm even getting behind on things I need to do for the store. Thank goodness for employees that will run across the street and buy me coffee, lovely girls that buy all my headbands within one week, friends that make me pancakes (or, mackenzies that make me pancakes:), inspiration from people like Whitney Dunn and Casey Stribling of Perfect Pair, and the famous couturier Manuel (full posts coming on these later, promise!). But until I am done my last major accounting project this week, studying for exams, among the other million things i have to do, I will be taking a bit of a break, but not too long of one, don't worry :)

Kidding in Plaid

An outfit post just before my camera died. and the debut of my wonderfully trashy faux fur coat that realllly needs to be dry cleaned...








top- La La Lovely from Local Honey
skirt- Erin Fetherston for Target
tights- macys
peep-toe booties- nine west
feather headband- handmade
faux fur coat- vintage

Mijn Schatje

Flipping through an old issue of Zink magazine, I remembered how much I was struck by this artist's illustrations. So doll-like and a slightly anime feeling to them, which is interesting because I am usually not drawn to anime-like art. Look how lovely they are.....

To Fur or Not to Fur?

So lately I've been having this awful moral dilemma. Everywhere I go, class, on the street, online, I am surrounded by beautiful fur coats and vests. mink and rabbit, gorgeous and soft. Up until now, I would have never even thought of buying something that is real fur, because I am an animal lover to the core. However, when learning about how furs and leathers are made, I started to think a bit differently. I mean, I'm not a vegetarian, I wear leather shoes and purses. I don't know. But then again, I could cry every time I see or hear about someone with a chinchilla fur coat, especially when I think back to my lovely chinchilla babies just a few years ago. And I started to rationalize the fact that the only way I could ever buy fur is if it is vintage, because it was made so long ago. I have old hats that I have taken apart that are fur to make headbands, and I am Ok with that. I don't know. And I'm perfectly fine with wearing faux fur coats and such, I'm just trying to figure out where I stand on this... Thoughts, opinions????! I need help...

I want I want:

Here are some things I am pining over at the moment:




This bow scarf/collar thing from mousseauchocolat.




this just screams warm and cozy and perfect for winter. I think I am going to challenge myself to make one.....



booties with bows on them. mmm. these lovelies are from F21.




more bows :) surprise!


DEERHOOF tonight :)