Archive for the ‘ROOM TO OUTFIT’ Category

There is nothing new under the sun(including this sentence). But duh- it’s no secret that fashion and design are cyclical and that different eras are often revisited and drawn upon for inspiration time and time again. We are experiencing so many of those moments in fashion and design right now: The general aesthetic of the 90′s- which included recycling fashion trends- mixed with the primness of the 50′s and the luster and forms of the 20′s.  But what makes a trend more palatable (or less- depending on who you are!) the second time around  in my opinion is the reference point. You aren’t just wearing something bright, you are recalling in peoples’ memory a time where round sunglasses  and neon were worn without irony and without the smirk of “I can’t believe this is back”… It feels cool. It’s the same with the peplum: It’s coy and ladylike and sexy because it’s referencing a moment in time when people were ladylike- or at least pretended to be.

One of my favorite things to return in fashion and decor is Art Deco. No kidding, look at my choice of header, right? What is Art Deco? It’s an extremely eclectic artistic  and modern design style that began in the 1920′s in Paris. Unlike the preceding Art Nouveau period-  during the Deco period linear symmetry and geometric shapes dominated and drew inspiration from Aztec and Egyptian forms. Art deco represented elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity.

F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said that the distinctive style of Art Deco was developed by ‘all the nervous energy stored up and unexpended in the War.’  Every design period ultimately reflects the zeitgeist of the time- the deco era reflected a move from a war torn world to optimism and Jazz Age extravagance.

Deco was widely considered to be an “eclectic form of elegant and stylish modernism,” because it was influenced by a variety of sources. During the Deco period, travel became easier and more widespread, and an interest in archeology in the 20′s as well as far flung countries influenced designers and artists. The era drew inspiration from the world at large, while using war-created machine age technology to create them. Some of the defining features of Deco era design are the chevron, stepped forms and geometric curves (as opposed to sinuous curves).  The use of luxe materials like shagreen, inlay wood, lacquer and stainless steel became popular. The deco influence is completely apparent in current decor trends- from the modern/eclectic aesthetic and the popularity of high gloss everything,to the ever present chevron.

My friend Stephanie, the fashion blogger The Mixtress – a new blog about mixing high end and low end fashion pieces to create fun fashion looks-  put together the above mood board of her favorite deco-inspired fashions for you, and I put together my favorite Deco- inspired DECOR pieces for you, which you can go check out on her blog HERE and to hear her spin on the Jazz Age and Art Deco.

Skirt: All Saints $275
Oscar de la Renta top: $2250
 Zara shoe: $70
 Lanvin Golden Dream Swarovski Crystal Embelleshed Metal Box Clutch, $4,500, Lanvin Stores (not available online)
Art Deco Chandelier Earrings $22
Low Luv by Erin Wasson Deco Ring in Gold, $49

Check out Stephanie’s blog, The Mixtress! 

Dessert Jazz photos via Vogue Turkey, March 2012 Photography: Phil Poynter

I’m sorry but it was just too good of a match up! They are twins! It scares me a little bit that my painting looks so much like those pants and the way she paired it with a heavy dose of a white top: YES, well those match the chairs. The sunglasses in the deep purple even correspond to the darker blue paint at the top of the canvas. She should have worn an Edie Parker black and white clutch with that though, then she would have picked up the striped stool.

The outfit pic is via Refinery 29′s Australia Fashion Week coverage HERE, the painting and room is obviously my own. 

…this mornings post didn’t really count as content.

Sometimes I go into neon+primaries+++ color explosion splatter mode… like yesterday, I painted a branch of a tree that Cookie brought home, along with ten other things that people have asked me to splatter.

But then I come home, and the house is a place of cool, calm and collected non-color. There are textures, and reflections and wood tones and warm, but the only real color comes from the art I put in it, (FINALLY hung a new piece in my kitchen area! Wait till you see it up, so fab!), so the general vibe is very monochrome.

This post is a little mental break from the excess of neons, floral, pastels and color blocking with abandon. BLECH! Well, not really a full on BLECH, I like all those things, but  sometimes my mind needs a rest! (Or it could just be that I’m still hung over from my friend’s birthday party a few days ago! SHEESH!) So feast your eyes: white tones that feel like the cold of marble, curls and plastic and the feeling of sun on your face, the smell of wet paint, the way a thin cotton shirt grazes your skin, angles, pebbles, leather…

Soothing, isn’t it?

Photos: Tumblr, Artist Reena Spaulings at Sutton Lane, Le Dilema,Vogue Loves Me, An Eddie Cohen photo of one of my paintings, Tumblr, Desire to Inspire, Black and White 5 by Jim Keaton, Prabal Gurung, Tumblr

I hope you all had a beautiful holiday weekend! I know I enjoyed watching all of you celebrate Passover and Easter via Instagram.

It’s actually kind of beautiful- the fact that we all celebrated holidays that are over 2000 years old and that we read a book that we have been reading for over 2500 years. Traditions are what make life rich, and give continuity through the generations… This was the first time I ever really got to see Easter up close. The eggs, the pastels, the hats, the grass, the flowers, the children… it’s really too beautiful to be true!

Pastel Blocking:

Rocky:

Bright Rows of Windows:

Pink and Green Classic:

Exposed:

Bright Clean Lines:

Photos: 1. Le Fashion 2. Jennifer Sanchez  3. Art Hound 4. Shiny Squirrel 5. Cinque Terra  6. KIM FROHSIN 7. Grace Kelly, 1972 8. Sally King Benedict 9. Pinterest 10. Photo by Me 11. Matt W. Moore 12. Who What Wear

How was your holiday everyone?