Looks from Life - Paintbrushes

Today's Looks from Life inspiration comes from one of my favorite up-and-coming photographers, honey.huckabee:

brush.brush.brush.brush.brush by honey.huckabee

Focus on the little bit of shine and the little bit of matte, and you get this dress! A perfect rendering, I must say:

TFNC Tara Zip Dress, approx $74; Dolce & Gabbana Patent Stiletto Pumps, $439

And the black patent leather pump gives the right amount of glossiness, reminiscent of the black ferrule of the paintbrush.

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Grande Cafe Latte

Even though I'm from Seattle, I'm not a huge coffee drinker; but I can still see the beauty in the beverage. This late foam art absolutely stunning!


It's truly an impressive talent, and I felt I should honor it with an outfit! Simple, yet sweet:

Ballet School Flats via Mod Cloth, $28;
French Connection UK wrap playsuit, $40;
Furla Printed Tote, $545 (or $85/month as a member at Bag, Borrow, or Steal)

*swoon*
Paige

Photo by baristahands.

Looks from Life - Harbor

The colors of the sky, water and grass, and the contrast of their drastically different textures, really drew me in to this photo. I knew they would make a great outfit.

Harboring Secrets by transcendency

Personally, I wouldn't necessarily wear such neon colors; but seeing as how I liked the colors, I altered the tones, muting them a bit, and came up with this:

(click to enlarge)

I love the woven look of the dress' fabric, and although the textures of the shoes and the clutch are similar, they are different from the dress, echoing the textural differences in the photo. The dark straps and clutch clasp match the dark row of boats in the distance.

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Dandelion

The photograph on the right of the dandelion (by kiddishlycute) has been in my favorites file on Flickr for quite some time now. I stumbled upon this dress from Christian Dior's Spring Couture 2009 line yesterday and realized it captures the dandelion perfectly:



Her hips wavers slightly, like the flower's stem; and who could ignore that tufted, feathery hat?

Oh, how I love when fashion and nature collide!

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Graffiti

I know most people are still away on vacation, and most likely are not sitting in front of their computers reading blogs on a nationally-recognized three-day weekend; however, I thought I would create a Look from Life because I haven't posted one in awhile.

Today's look is inspired by the colors of this piece of graffiti:

Matr - photograph by Franco Folini

I know some people (a lot of people, actually) have negative feelings towards graffiti - that it's just vandalism, that it stems from gangs, and instigates further violence in certain neighborhoods; but if you take a moment to look at it simply for its artistic value, it is truly amazing, and there are some incredible artists out in the world who might not otherwise get the opportunity to display their work.

I admit, the outfit inspired by this photo does not capture the same sort of grit present in the piece above; however, I did take into consideration the muted atmosphere, and tried to create a more casual look than most of my Looks from Life. I also wanted to keep it crisp and well-coordinated, trying to echo the attention to detail in the graffiti piece.


*swoon*
Paige

P.S. If you haven't seen the renowned, often politically-charged, works of street artist, Banksy, I highly recommend visiting his site.

SoulCal Tank - via Republic
Serpentine Shimmer Headband - via Anthropologie
Venice Beach Bolero - via Baur
Motorboat Trousers - via Anthropologie
Raf Simons Eastpack Messenger Bag - via Browns Fashion
Kenneth Cole New York Clean Cut Flats - via PiperLime

Looks from Life - Stove Burner

Today's Look from Life title may have you a bit puzzled, but I found this photograph of a stove burner and immediately fell in love with the contrast of grit and grunge and the bright, shiny white enamel:

Tick-tick-tick-tick by Tian

How do you turn this image (in need of some serious Mr. Clean) into an outfit?


The heavy, dark grey-green cotton of the dress has the same weighty feeling as the grit on the stove. While I'm generally not a huge fan of booties, I think I could handle these; plus, the strappy cut-outs echo to the gas flame holes of the stove. For the white enamel, I chose a beige belt with white patent leather and silver detailing. The beaded clutch might otherwise be considered too dainty, and not fit in at all; but it has a beaded, "gritty" texture to it, and the colors tie in with the belt, making it feel like it actually belongs. This look could use a bit more of a brownish gray, though. How about a cardigan when it gets chilly at night?

Happy Friday!

*swoon*
Paige

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Greek Dress
Nude teardrop clasp waist belt
Booties (via geekshoes.com)
Vintage beaded clutch (via shopcurious.com)

Looks from Life - Light

I came across the photo below awhile back, and just recently found the accompanying dress in Jaeger London's Spring 2009 ready-to-wear collection. The concept of light is truly amazing, not just for how it brightens dark corners, but for how it floats through the air, and how it really is made up of many different colors like the dress below (have you ever played with a prism?).

Patience by PavlaEva; Dress by Jaeger London, Spring 2009 RTW
(click picture to enlarge)

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Perfume Bottles

Scientists say that smell is the strongest sense linked to memory. To this day, I can walk into my first grade classroom and it still smells the same; or I will catch a whiff of someone and they smell nearly identical to my first crush. Funny how just a quick inhalation can trigger such strong memories.

Now that warmer weather is on its (slow) return back to Seattle, I'm more likely to wear perfume. Whenever I put it on, it immediately puts me in a good mood. Maybe it's because I'm already in a better mood due to the weather, who knows. But a spritz of my favorite fragrance always brightens my day.

I wish I could say that I were judging today's looks from life based on smell, but to be honest, I picked these perfume bottles because I think they are absolutely beautiful!

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle; Miu Miu

Chloe; Jasmine De Milo

Guerlain Vol de Nuit; Ella Moss

The Body Shop, Vanilla Eau de Toilette; Bottega Veneta

24, Faubourg, Hermes; Giambattista Valli

Which combination is your favorite? Have you tried any of these fragrances?

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Daffodils

I didn't get home until around 9pm last night, but as soon as I walked in the door, I noticed two daffodils in a vase of water on our coffee table.

The boyfriend had picked them for me on his way home from work (this is where you either awww or throw up a little).

They were the cheeriest yellow; so yellow that the color alone almost made me as happy as the fact that he had brought me flowers.

That yellow got me thinking...

Searching for more daffodils...

Like these, from Flickr photographer Monika Jansch.


I had forgotten how many different shades of daffodils there actually were, that the spectrum is far wider than simply yellow!

...which inspired me to make these various looks highlighted with the other colors of the famously yellow bloom:


Which is your favorite look?
Which is your favorite springtime flower?

*swoon*
Paige

Look #1:
J.Crew blouse
Yellow skirt (via Forever21)
Miu Miu heels

Look #2:
Lanvin t-shirt dress
Frye Fundamental flats (via Anthropologie)

Look #3:
Coral blouse
Woven cream tulip skirt
Yellow court shoes (via Debenhams)

Looks from Life - Red Peony

You may have noticed my slight obsession with peonies, but I really would have picked this photograph no matter what kind of flower sat sadly in that bowl of water. It's the beautiful red-orange that really caught my eye.

Spring had better be here soon, otherwise I'm going to get pouty, just like this little flower. Yesterday morning was filled with the most beautiful light we've had here in Seattle in quite a few weeks; but, unfortunately, the sun pulled the clouds over its sleepy head again and left us with the same cold gray. This flower, however, despite its mopey tone, energized me and made me optimistic for spring again.

"Not For Sale" by Petit Poney

Even though this gray is probably going to stay around awhile longer, I've made an outfit very much inspired by late-spring, moving into the warmer days of summer.

The t-shirt and shorts create a bit of a too-cutesy look, but the brown tones in the other pieces bring it back down to earth. A comfy, casual look, great for a flea market trip (and the bag is big enough to fit all of your great finds)!

*swoon*
Paige

Brown cardigan - J.Crew
Peach t-shirt - James Perse
Honor Roll tote - Kenneth Cole
Extra-long tigerwood beaded necklace - Via Nativa
Red button tab linen bow shorts - (via TopShop.com)
Huarache sandals - Blue Asphalt

Looks from Life - Vintage Hairspray Cans

I love perusing Flickr to get inspired... today's inspiration? Hairspray.

Hairspray, really?

Well, sure, the actual hairspray product itself may be a little random, and some people may have simply passed this photograph by; but the color palette is what immediately jumped out at me! It screamed spring, so I decided to go on a little hunt of spring wardrobe items inspired by these colors...

(click to enlarge)

I wouldn't combine these items into a single outfit, but I wanted to pick out a few pieces that incorporated the photograph's colors. I love, love, love the dress at the top, especially when accented with the little belt! And I just had to add a yellow umbrella to accompany the red trench. You never know when you'll need one with these rainy Seattle springs!

*swoon*
Paige

"Vintage Cans," by Saida da Concha
Peach belted dress, Red trench, Light blue cap toe flats, Dark blue blouse

Life in Plastic, It's Fantastic!

I know Barbie's 50th anniversary is so last week, but I still wanted to post about it today. First off, you can see the entire Barbie portion of February's New York Fashion Week below (it's like their own version of "Looks From Life"!):

I swear I had a Barbie & Ken duo from the late '80s that looked just like this (except my Ken had a white tuxedo with rhinestone-laden lapels).


I would put them together, naked, in a shoebox and shove it under my bed for awhile. Soon after, Barbie's tight top would be stuffed with tissue, and minutes later, out would pop a couple of impeccably-clothed twin Barbie babies! Oh, the mind of a four-year old...

Remember my jumpsuit post?


The hair on all of the models is just too perfect. And the pink stilettoes? Oh so classically Barbie.

I'd also like to leave you with this hilarious tidbit. Hopefully it will make for a better Monday! I hope your weekends were fabulous (I climbed a bunch of stairs!).

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Books

I love books - not only the words within, but the colors and textures of each cover, and how they sit together on a shelf. I may not have much time to read, but I can at least admire their exteriors!

I thought the colors of the stack below would make a lovely outfit...


A little yellow, a bit of burgundy, and some cobalt & orange, all laid on top of some gray. How's this for a casual outing to the library?


There's quite a bit of beige in the photograph (and you all know how much I love beige), but I decided to focus more on the other colors in the picture. I tried to echo the soft texture of old books by incorporating softer materials such as corduroy (pants), cashmere (cardigan), and weathered leather (messenger bag). The colors may be more of an autumn palette, but the top and flats say spring is on the way! Wrap the cardigan with the blue belt and you're all set.

*swoon*
Paige

Gray cardigan - Miu Miu
Red-orange flats - Dolly
Blue belt - Bottega Veneta
Yellow lace collar blouse - Milly
Burgundy corduroys - Alvin Valley
Leather messenger bag - (brand unknown)

Looks from Life - Something Blue

Some may find this look to be boring, but me? I think it is perfectly classy and put-together.

I tried my best to track down the blouse from Brigitte Sire's photograph from earlier this morning, but the closest I could come up with was the Lydia blouse from j.crew (seriously, people, where would I be without my j?).

As I mentioned before, I don't think I could handle the hot pants (I had a very bad experience in high school during a dance performance...), but this black high-waisted Alexander McQueen pencil skirt provides the same feel while being a bit more modest.

Sure, the beauty in the photograph is barefoot, but these black patent leather Miu Miu slingbacks work perfectly if you plan on actually getting out of bed (but who would ever want to?). I'm a huge fan of different variations of black flats, and these are a great complement to the rest of the look.

For the tote, I looked for a color reminiscent of the bedroom walls in the photograph, and one that would go well with the muted tone of the blouse. It's also made of a soft leather, similar to the bed's comfy sheets.

You could easily spice up the look with a bright silk scarf tied around your neck or the strap of the tote. For a more winter-appropriate version, wear some black tights with some black flat boots these (from the Celeste post - I changed my mind) and a cozy pea coat.

What do you think?

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Winter Sky

I found this lovely photography from Flickr user elly.bastiaanssen...


...and decided to turn it into an outfit.


I may be using a more wintry palette, but I still keep hoping spring is tomorrow!

*swoon*
Paige

Lady Cadet Skirt
Seychelles BC Araxi Sandal
TenThousandThings turquoise earrings
Python clutch
White blouse (via Browns Fashion)

Looks from Life - Peonies

I'm still hooked on the whole "spring-is-tomorrow" idea. It's too bad, though, because the rains really started here in Seattle yesterday. It cleared up for the most part by the end of the day, but I have a feeling this is the beginning of the time of year when it rains until June. *sigh*

Well, I'm just going to keep naively daydreaming. Imagining beautiful outfits you're planning to wear once the clouds clear never hurt anyone!

Today's Look from Life comes from this calming photograph of peonies (one of my favorite flowers of all time) from Flickr photographer honey.huckabee.


I love the little details hidden throughout the photo: The little bird on the vase, the corner of the silver picture frame, and the pop of orange from the center of the pink peony. It also incorporates a lot of one of my favorite colors, shades of "boring" beige (although what makes it more interesting is the fluttery texture of the flowers contrasted against the almost cold, linear wall panels).

Once again, I was unable to choose one look (I just couldn't turn down the pink dress, and the skirt was too perfect!), so I made a couple of similar looks which are rather versatile and can share similar accessories.



The only thing you need now is some sunshine!

*swoon*
Paige

Peonies #1
Miu Miu cotton shift dress
Boden flats
Balenciaga giant city bag
Vera Wang scarf (to tie on the strap of the bag, or to drape glamorously around your face a la Audrey)
Swallow studs (via TopShop)

Peonies #2
J.Crew Kya cami
L. Erickson silk Dupioni-wrapped headband
Dooney & Bourke patent leather fold-over clutch
Acne full knee-length skirt
Feathered earrings (via Forever21 - my secret place for the best unique, cheap earrings!)
Cream patent leather flats (unfortunately, I don't know the brand or the original source of these; if you recognize them, let me know!)

Looks from Life - Springtime Flowers

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! The cabin getaway was absolutely perfect. And to top it all off, we didn't get a chance to make s'mores in the fire at the cabin, so we made them over the stove when we got home last night! We can be silly like that sometimes...

The weather this weekend couldn't have been more perfect, and the sunshine has continued into today! I am convinced spring is just around the corner, even if the groundhog said we would have six more weeks of winter (*sob*).

And it's pictures like this one below that keep me from remembering that it's still February. That it's still in the 30s and 40s outside. That it SNOWED last week. I'm just going to remain naive and keep pretending spring is almost here...

Photograph by Code Poet on Flickr

ALLDRESSEDUP Silk habotai halter dress; Balenciaga Hortensia print bag; J.Crew Marjorie flats

I'm usually not a huge fan of purple, but this dress captures the picture perfectly without being too "Barney." The ruffles at the bottom give it a nice flowery touch. And the bag? Definitely not an everyday item, but I can see myself toting it along to the market on a sunny spring day. The flats were kept super simple because there's so much going on with the bag I didn't want to overwhelm you! All you need now is some blue sky, some white fluffy clouds, and you're set!

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Architecture

The various colors and lines of some of these looks reminded me of some architecture I had seen recently on Flickr... Do you see each connection?

Photograph by --James-- / Dress by Abaete

Photograph by Alvazer / Dress by ADAM

Photograph by Thomas Hawk / Dress by Monique Lhuillier

Photograph by *atrium09 / Dress by Valentino

Photograph by Thomas Hawk / Dress by Zac Posen

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Sparkling Cocktail

While perusing Flickr, I discovered a beautiful photostream by Flickr-user *Cinnamon. Not only are her photographs wonderfully composed, but many of them have great titles (like this one).

When I stumbled across this one below (titled, "Sparkling"), I knew I had to use it as the basis of a post. The fizzy bubbles, the tiny lemon seed on the far right - they were simply perfect; but what caught me the most were the lovely muted colors... I just had to turn this photo into an outfit! Or two...

Sparkling by *Cinnamon

Just like the cocktail in the photograph, the first outfit starts with a base (in the drink's case, lime cordial; in the outfit's case, this sweet strapless number). Mix in something a little heavier (vodka; shiny leather clutch). Finish it off with a lemon wedge & 7-Up: Tie the beaded sash around your waist for a dash of color and sparkle!

Dress: Threeasfour - Sash: J.Crew - Clutch: Franchi

I created this second look because I honestly couldn't choose between the two. At first I wanted to stick with the cocktail look, but who could ever say no to this dress! The texture perfectly captures the bubbles fizzing in the glass, don't you think? And for the lemon wedge? These hot yellow satiny stilettos peeking out from underneath (just like a drink that sneaks up on you a little faster than expected)! Surprise!

Gown: Threeasfour - Shoes: Pedro Garcia

Drink it all in!

*swoon*
Paige

Looks from Life - Ballerinas

This past weekend, one of my best friends went to Pacific Northwest Ballet's production of Jewels, George Balanchine's tribute to the three golden ages of ballet (Emeralds, Rubies, and Diamonds, of course!). Her descriptions of the show triggered daydreams of the years I spent on-stage, flouncing around in tulle dresses and pointe shoes under the bright lights.

I love how these looks echo the ballerina style.

(Left) Unknown; (Right) Photo by Paola Kudaki

(Left) New York City Ballet; (Right) Dolce & Gabbana

(Left) "Yellow Ballerina," by Edward Degas; (Right) Charles Anastase

(Left) Alexander McQueen; (Right) Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg
(Check out the hair on both of them!)

*swoon*
Paige