Tuesday, November 29, 2011

3.1 Phillip Lim Spring 2012 Bags

How amazing are Phillip Lim's Spring 2012 handbags? They are modern, minimalist and completely his own. If the popularity of the Pashli satchel is any indication, these will be flying off the shelves as soon as they hit.

Via Purseblog

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Photo Diary: Thanksgiving in Atlanta

Just a few snapshots of my Thanksgiving weekend in Atlanta including the Delta Skylounge (Atlanta is brought to you by Coke), raking more leaves than I've ever seen before with Mark, browsing old photos of my mom, visiting the High Museum and seeing holiday lights at the Botanic Gardens. I'm so lucky to have a family that always gets together even though we are scattered across the US.

All photos from my Instagram (@ebmonson) and Mark's (@markiantosca)

P.s. Walking through those ferns was like living J.Lo's "Waiting For Tonight"

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Need: Veronique Leroy Shearling

Last year I discovered that there is no better solution for a frigid winter than heavy duty shearling. The only down side to shearling is that chic adaptations are few and far between. I have a vintage '70s menswear style coat, but aside from that you are pretty much limited to toggles and alpine styles. Or so I thought. Enter Belgian designer Veronique Leroy's modern reversible shearling styles. I am really feeling convertible clothing lately and I love the idea of wearing the fuzzy side out. Slightly less cozy, but all the more huggable.

Veronique Leroy Reversible Shearling Coat and Jacket, via Opening Ceremony

Yves Saint Laurent Resort 2012-Inspired Nails

The sweet vintage poppy print on this Yves Saint Laurent Resort 2012 dress screamed nails to me. I knew the bright abstracted red and yellow flowers would lend themselves to the inexact science of nail art. For the look I started with a base of Essie Chinchilly, then created polka-dots of various sizes with Sally Hansen Lightening yellow and Essie Vermillionaire. Black seedpod and petal details were essential to differentiate each flower. There's something about these flowers that still make me smile.

Photos by Mark Iantosca and Vogue.com

Oh, and you can buy my amazing bracelet and others here!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Proenza Schouler Pre-Spring 2012 Handbags

Proenza Schouler's Pre-Spring handbags look to be a nice experimentation with patterns, textures and textiles. Their branding knowledge really shines in these instantly recognizable versions of their PS1, PS11, tote and keep all bags.

I also can't help but smile that I found these pictures from a Tweet linking to Proenza Schouler's new Google+ page.

Via Google+

Trend: Convertible Boots

Solid winter boots are an investment to say the least and once you find a reliable pair, that's all you want to wear. In my case, this usually means wearing L.L. Bean boots with jeans, skirts and dresses. That is why I am smitten with the idea of convertible boots that go from ankle to knee-high. These options from Ugg Collection and MM6 Maison Martin Margiela are perfect examples of two-for-one. I would wear the shearling-lined Uggs trampling through the snow and the high-heeled Margielas to work.

Uggs originally seen on Honestly...WTF

Friday, November 11, 2011

Need: Tartan Pants

Last year I saw the perfect pair of tartan motorcycle pants and though, there's no way these will last in my closet. Sure enough, a year later they remain one of my big shopping regrets. The good news is that there are a ton of options to fill that void from McQ to Rugby to Etoile Isabel Marant. Now the only question is when they go on sale.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Givenchy Resort 2012-Inspired Nails

When I heard that Sophie from The Illustrated Nail was in town, I knew I had to get an appointment. My nail doodles don't even compare to the nail art that she creates. For the special occasion I chose a collection that I've been coveting for a while, but didn't think I could due justice on my own: Givenchy Resort 2012. Riccardo Tisci knows his way around a print and for resort he created surprisingly sophisticated optical tropical prints and one floral camo. Sophie recreated the orchids, birds of paradise, and camo to a T. It was super fun to get my nails done by someone else and I couldn't have been happier with the results.

Bonus: I ran into Matt from Style.com while I was getting them done at Seagull Salon in the West Village and my nail project got a mention on their Beauty Counter blog.

Photos by Mark Iantosca and Vogue.com

Monday, November 7, 2011

Etoile Isabel Marant Spring 2012

Today two things are going right. One, it is not frighteningly cold. Two, I woke up on the right side of the bed thanks to daylight savings time and early morning sun. These images from Etoile Isabel Marant's Spring 2012 collection sum up that feeling; exuberant and also easygoing. These looks won't be out until spring arrives in store, but I'm all about having this attitude right now.

Via Moodboard