Let's Go CREWzing!

Shop It

There is nothing, I repeat, NOTHING about J.Crew that's doesn't make me want to literally pee my pants from head over heels, purely obsessed love. Give me anything with their name on the tag and I'll treasure it like it's the last donut on earth.

This Spring it's worth the minor splurge required to gain a closet full of timeless pieces I swear you'll still be rocking when you're 65 looking 35.

Do you see these sequins! Ah-Mazing!  $495

The Belstaff Roadmaster Jacket in Washed Waxed Cotton $695

paired with denim shorts, dark skinny's, a cotton mini or sequined mini and I'm pretty sure this jacket will make you a few friends. Just don't let them borrow it! 

A few faves... crewz the shop here

Til the next story or trend....

-CK

Home Sweet Home

I can't even explain to you the degree to which the stars can mezmoize you here. The night is so clear. And when you cast your eyes up to the heavens, past the tree tops towering so high, past the mountain peaks so dramatic against the blackness, you can't help but tremble at the awesomeness of God's creation. The stars, what a masterpiece. Tonight they truly stun. I can make out Orion with just a glimpse, the dippers are composed as clearly as I have ever seen in my life. Then I look ahead, the house I grew up in, surrounded by acres of wood and miles of stars. It's good to be home.

...and the stories have already started rolling in, apparently my grandad has it in for the neighbor's cat... More on this tomorrow.

Tutus!

Summer is coming and I'm head over heels for tutu dresses right now. Maybe it's the whole whimsy of Alice & Wonderland still in my head or the fact that summer always makes me feel like a kid again, whatever the reason, these dresses are charming beyond words and there are so many ways to wear it. 


Ala' Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City the movie. Carrie's tutu here was a $5 vintage tulle purchase the costume designer found in Sarah Jessica Parker's own wardrobe. 

I survived an entire class of ballet when I was a child. Actually, maybe not even the entire day. I think at some point I waited by the door, slippers already off and LA lights back on thinking in my little head, "mom, when will you ever get here!? You said if I tried it and didn't like it I could play tee ball with my brothers, well, a deal's a deal!" (in secret I still danced around my room in my tutu and read Angelina Ballerina every night).

Now that I've matured (cough) I'm making up for those tom boy days in a major way. Dresses please! And the more layers and lace the better! 

Alice & Olivia 

Etsy

Haute Hippe

And if you are shopping for your little one, please visit Dear Lillie for the absolute cutest little girl's tutu's in the world. They are designed by 3 gorgeous sisters from the east coast with flawless taste and style. Make sure to check out their women's wear as well. The Adeliene Dress is already in my shopping cart!

DearLillie 

Til next time! 

-CK

March Madness...Hatter Style!

"I die", according to Rachel Zoe, when I see a film with costumes done right, I mean absolutely out of this world, you have to be insane to even come up with this stuff but man, it looks amazing under lights! I literally drool over the fabrics, colors and textures, and lose myself completely in daydreams when productions like Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (premiering in 3D in just 4 days!) come to life through couture creations the average individual wouldn't dare to go public in. It is however, my sincere belief that we all want to play dress up in layers of tulle, strands of satin and oceans of lace. At least for a photo shoot right? 

So what would the average person, then, you know, like you and me (who swear by j.crew because they are always socially acceptable) and who do not have the excuse that Colleen Atwood dressed us for a film with Johnny Depp and we're on our way to our next Oscar? Let's try these: 

I usually steer clear of Etsy (90% crap and 10% I not sure if it deserves a golf clap or a caddy smile - except for my friend Jamie's esty, which I promise to share with you sometime) and frequent Regretsy (where you can find anything and everything you would never want) but in the spirit of dress up, this is actually kinda fun...fun as in I like the looks of it on my dresser but not as a giant top hat on my hand. 

 Mad Hatter Ring

NEXT: You can't have a MaDnEsS!! and a tea party - without tea (cups)! 

Thanks to a fabulous blog I've stumbled upon time and time again: Oh Joy!  for posting the perfect paris market tea cups for the occasion: 

Limoges teacups  Oui! Oui! 

And now, if I were the Hatter, or perhaps even if not....

Shop this selection here, Do It. Seriously, you can't leave that leather jacket without a home, that would simply be inhumane! 

Happy March Madness! And happy shopping - I mean buying! 

-Chels

Go Green!

I for one have had it up to here (this is me pointing to the top of my 5ft frame... but imagine it's more dramatic than that) with the black and grey restrictions of winter. My closet is looking rather drab in the warm clothing category. A splash of lapis here, a burst of fuschia there, but oh, so, so much black and grey! Oi Vey! Time to ditch the grayscale and move into Spring. I know it's coming! In eager anticipation of it, let's talk GREEN!

There's Rachel Green: 

There's Tom Green (no thank you):

And then there's a wardrobe full of green! 

Keira Knightley in Atonement. Dress design by Jacqueline Durran. 

It's the dead of winter and I swear if one more snow storm hits Ohio I'm gonna toss all caution to the wind, crank up the heat, put on a swimsuit, lay out a towel on my living room floor, whip up a smoothie, flip on some Margaritaville and have myself a beach via apartment party. Now where's that kiddy pool Brittany and I used to keep around for times like this? 

Angelina's gorgeous Lorraine Schwartz emerald earrings and matching cocktail ring

Something to put your green in: The Gramercy Patented Large Wristlet from Coach 

Emerald Silk Ruffle Wrap from BCBG Max Azria

Dive in! Accommodating Maillot at Anthropologie

Go get some color in your closet! 

The Jackie Ohh's!

Question: Who of you wants to be able to pull off sunglasses like these and take a photo like this? I'm sure I'm not the only one.  

So let's talk, where did these come from, why did it take me so long to figure out they aren't my mother's sunnies (although my mother does have phenomenal taste now that she's done with her "Fresh Produce Phase" -sorry, mom, I had too! And I know you'll call me out when I put on something as horrid too.) and where, oh where, do I get them!? 

 They're called the Jackie O. Sunnies! 

They are a design that has poked its head back into the fashion world and is well known all over.  The Onassis Glasses, or the Jackie-O design sunglasses were popularized by the former First Lady Kennedy. After becoming Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, she flaunted this oversized style of sunglasses all over the globe. The style was so closely associated with her, that it has shared her name since the late seventies. After fading from the public eye, the Onassis Glasses lay dormant for about thirty years. However, poised for a comeback, these sunglasses have begun making waves on red carpets and runways all over. The women credited for bringing back the infamous sunglasses are Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton. Since then, Jackie-O’s have been seen on the faces of famous women and trendy-but-average Janes everywhere. So what are you waiting for? Go get some! 

Discover my favorites at Ray Ban . 

Stay Warm, Look Great & Keep Your Dignity.

Just because it's the dead of winter and we're all suffering from the "Snow-torious BIG" of 2010, doesn't give anyone the excuse to forget how to be fashionable. Hang onto your dignity and please dispose of the full face masks and those awful boots you've been kicking around in for God-only-knows-how-long because you think it doesn't matter what you look like so long as you are kept warm. WRONG. It does. For the love all Michael Kors and all things human, it does! Here is a small collection of some of my favorite winter wonderland apparel brands. We're actually not talking high-end fashion here but as a girl who grew up in snow for 8 months of the year, I know a thing or two about being toasty warm on the inside and wicked adorable on the out. Take these tips. Trust me, you'll instantly be transformed into a popular specimen, worthy of conversation and advice on "how to look so darn cute", and possibly even mistaken as a professional athlete. (And if you aren't into sports, now is not the time to tell people you're an Olympian because those people are competing right now and that would make you 1 of 2 things: a liar or a has been and no one likes either of those). On to the gear!

Erin Comstock for ROXY

Fashionista in the pipe: Gretchen Bleiler

When in doubt, grab your snow gear tips from this chick. Dress like her and everyone will think you're the bomb-digity. 

 

A Glipse at the Gretchen Bleiler Collection for Oakley

...and she put out a collection with Oakley that's siiiick.

   

Burton

My favorite brand of all, just like maple syrup, ben & jerry's and myself, this legit line comes from the great state of Vermont and we know how to do winter. 

Until next time, kids....stay warm and don't dress like this chick: 

The Art of Letter Writing....

Live The Dream Stationary

A Note To The Stylish & To Those Who Wish To Become More So:

The art of the hand written letter seems to be losing it's place today. This travesty came to my attention after asking my best friend and confidant if she had any topics she would like to contribute to in this blog. It is my wish that after today you will be excited to invest in some stationary (there are so many types just begging to be scribbled all over and sent off for a friend to love! Of course I have included a link to my personal design, available for purchase, above. I'm telling you, the paper quality is simply luxurious!) and realize the power of your personal words transfered from pen to paper. 

For years now Joanna and I have mailed one another a particular kind of card, establishing quite a collection of them by now and in the process capturing so many stories! It is my pleasure to introduce you all to Joanna Brock, epistolary queen, and her thoughts on the lost art of the letter: 

Chels,

You are so kind to indulge me on this blog post!  Here are my thoughts on letter writing:

Style is far more complex than the clothes on your back, the shoes on your feet and the gems sparkling on your fingers.  Style is not fashion.  Style is a way of life.  It affects everything about you and it comes from the depths of your being.  Anyone can wear couture, anyone can follow the fashions of the day, but style is bigger than that. Style is class before it is fashion.  Classy stylish women have an air about them.  They know how to treat their family, friends, acquaintances, strangers and "enemies" in such a way that makes those people feel special (maybe it makes the "enemies" feel uncomfortable - like they need to watch their back, or something.  but really it's just class).

This seems like a rather involved introduction to why I love writing (and receiving) letters, but it matters.  I applaud anyone who can facebook everyone on their birthday and never miss.  The dedication it takes to tweet a response to all your friend's comments everyday is impressive.  But when was the last time you wrote a letter to a friend just because you wanted to?  I don't mean a quick email or even a text (that's long-hand for "txt"), I mean a full out paper and pen, cursive (or not) note that gets an envelope, address, and a *gasp* 44cent stamp.  

Chelsea, the freshink cards that we have written to each other over the last decade have meant a tremendous amount to our friendship.  It always made my day to get a card from you while hundreds of miles away at school.  It always made me happy to sit down and write a card to you - it is a peaceful moment in a very busy life.  Not to mention how much fun it is to go to Hallmark and sift through the cards until you find just the right one (though now, I tend to lean toward LibbysLine cards).  I fully believe that those cards helped cement our best friendship-ness.  

I think classy ladies realize the importance of taking a few moments to write a note to a friend.  When a loved one passes away, those cards are tangible bits of love and support that a person can hold on to and read over and over when needed.  I have shoeboxes full of engagement and wedding cards.  I have piles of cards from you, Chels (which, I fully intend to publish into one of those fun little books someday).  Classy ladies can pick the right card or paper, they can decide which pen suits the situation (is this a ball-point card or an ultra-fine sharpie card?).

Long story short - a classy lady realizes that writing letters is STILL in style and should not be ignored!!

I'm not trying to write the blog for you - though it kind of sounds like it - but this is just a bit of what I think about it.

Love you! -Joanna P. Brock

Joanna helping with the floral placement on my wedding day.

Beautifully said, Joanna! Let us celebrate Snail Mail! 

With Love, 

Chelsea 

Bringing the Runway Poolside

Dear Females,

It's that time of year when we wish the snow would hurry up and just melt already so we could stop waking up early to jump start the car, hope the heat works, and jet off to work in hopes that the coffee actually has more coffee than water in it and all the other employees haven't sucked it all up before you get there. It's also the time of year we begin to worry about weight - because we've all stuck to our new years resolution for a whole 5 minutes - (if this is the case, you and i need to talk, my friend, Kayce, just took a genetic test that tells you how you need to be working out and what you need to be eating based on your genes, not the diets of society, she's dropped a size, pretty cool huh?) so we can fit in the swimsuits we google while we are suppose to be acting as busy little bees in our cubicles. I myself am on a new jim, I mean gym, routine and i'm not gonna lie, i'm pretty darn excited about a pretty new suit in the future...a new smaller, slimmer, cuter suit....and this year there is no other way to go than retro. Here are my top picks.

Burda Style 

for the fashionable seamstress: whip up your own with this glam pattern

Michael Kors

Jantzen Vamp Retro

you simply cannot done the suit without the hat

Anthropologie

how do you pick?

The ancestors to these poolside beauties: 

    

Don't forget your sunnies and your heels! 

-CK

My Fair Lady

Audrey Hepburn Vogue Cover November 1964

Ever since I saw Breakfast At Tiffanies when I was a teenager I fell in love with the elegance, sophistication and slightly "so-what" attitude that Audrey and her characters shared. May there be many more ladies like her, gushing with charm, stylish beyond words and beautifully brilliant.

[about her "comeback" in 1976] "Whatever happens, the most important thing is growing old gracefully. And you can`t do that on the cover of a fan magazine."

"There are certain shades of limelight that can wreck a girl`s complexion."

"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone."

-Audrey Hepburn

Nationwide Runner Ashley Kumlien of MS Run the US  for Fortrias and Live The Dream .