The Chloe Showroom is My Kindred Spirit And Other Random Lovely Bits

Chloé showroom via Porter Magazine's instagram

I've been a (very) bad blogger of late. So bad, in fact, that I've actually pondered stepping away from this space in a more formal way for a while. But every time I'm ready to pull the trigger, farewell post composed in my mind, I chicken out. Blog, I just can't quit you. Sure I'm unreliable and half-assed, but I'm still here. And that's what I'm going with for now...

So no excuses, no long-winded laments about the things that have kept me from this space... Instead let's just go with some lovely things, shall we?

First there's the fun fact that the top of my television cabinet in the den is looking an awful lot like a corner of the Chloé showroom. Oh groovy, wonky, drippy pottery. My love for you knows no bounds.

I'm also smitten with Appointed's canvas notebooks. In fact, Suann's just killed it with the entire Appointed enterprise. She's making the Chicest. Work. Supplies. Ever. The whole thing is just total and complete perfection.

Another obsession: the shoulder baring frocks that went down the runway at Litkovskaya Tbilisi and  Nino Babukhadia. I somehow feel like this is an age-appropriate, smart girl way to do sexy, yes?

And while we're talking perfection, there's the matter of this bedroom situation at Swedish hotel Ett Hem via the genius Ilse Crawford. (Really the entire hotel is just crazy gorgeous.)

And because I'm all about coming full circle, how about we close out this bad boy where we started with some pottery action. Feeling like one of these Clam Lab beauties needs to join the television cabinet line up. Just sayin'.

Recent Work (And The Totally Disconcerting Warp-Speed Passing of Time)

I know it's not especially compelling or interesting to talk about how quickly time goes by. In fact, on the scintillating conversation scale, I would put it up there with chatting about the weather, traffic, and how busy you are... (All three of which I regularly discuss, clearly it's time to up my conversation game.)

But banality of subject matter notwithstanding, I'm going there. Friends, time is flying by. Zooming, racing, in full turbo mode.

Part of this, I suppose, is due to being heads down on a slew of branding and interiors projects at the studio (i.e. the action happening in those images above). There's nothing like an abundance of interesting, compelling, creative work to make you look up from your computer and wonder how the hell it's already the end of the day.

But I think the bigger "time warper" is how quickly my girlies are turning into young women. I feel like yesterday we were reading board books and watching Yo Gabba Gabba and now we're dealing with leg shaving and what have you (the what have you being the particularly alarming part).

Oy vey.

The good news is that while I miss those little kid years, the big kid years are pretty darn amazing. I am so smitten with these girlies of mine... They are becoming such interesting, witty, thoughtful people. They amaze me every day with what they notice, their small gestures and grand moves. I am in awe. Sure, they can also be total pills (what kids aren't occasionally?) but mostly we're in a pretty good groove. I'm marinating in it, for sure.

I'm Into Old Art Lady Style (And Other Awesome Things Sopie Buhai Recently Said)...

image via  into the gloss

I'm currently in the midst of a rather significant girl crush on Sophie Buhai... The former Vena Cava co-founder recently moved back to her home state of California where she's launched a killer line of sculptural jewelry, is selling a curated selection of artful objects, and is doing interiors projects. (She's a triple threat that one.)

Her aesthetic, at once minimal and warm, is utterly compelling...as are several quotes I've come across in recent interviews (see: girl crush).

Herewith my faves courtesy of Ms. Buhai...


On old art lady style via into the gloss 

"So I launched my collection, which I sell from my own website and also wholesale to specialty boutiques, like The Line, but also the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and the Cooper Hewitt because I’m into museum women. I’m into old art lady style. I hope Georgia would have worn my jewelry if she were still alive. Maybe if I was cool enough to cross paths with her."

This one hits particularly close to home, as "old art lady style," besides being a brilliant description, also happens to me my current sartorial jam (i.e. black tunic tops, chunky bracelets, long-line cardigans, et al.)

image via vogue

image via Sophie Buhai

On the truth about California and creative evolution via vogue

"If you’re from California, it’s hard never to come back..."

"Designing clothes for ten years was amazing,” she says, “but what keeps life interesting is continuing to be challenged."

"

image via closet visit

On smart shopping via closet visit

"Never buy anything full price. There is always a sale or something cooler hidden on the Internet. Great style comes from the hunt, rather then how much money you spend."

image via the line

On the work/life ideal via the line

 "There’s no separation between life and work. It’s sort of blurred. That’s the ideal, if you love what you do."

Amen sister...

Perfed Part Two

A perforated Jenni Kayne dress that, while out of my wheelhouse, is immensely lovely nonetheless...


I spent the better part of the day at the mall overseeing Audrey and her posse as they embarked on some birthday scavenger hunt action. In between recording five tweens serenading a Starbucks barista (and other mildly embarrassing acts) and feeling super old, I was stealthily window shopping with my friend Christine.

Thankfully, Christine is not only one of my dearest friends but also the mom of one of Audrey's dearest friends (lucky break, yes?). She also happens to be one of the most. stylish. women. I. know. Full stop. So, no matter how  much I don't like the mall (and, friends, I really do not like the mall... see: old), somehow going there with Christine is wholly enjoyable enterprise. It also didn't hurt that I downed a bloody mary over lunch.

During said window shopping I found myself (yet again) ogling all things perfed. A giant black suede Pedro Garcia perforated bag and a buttery pierced suede bomber jacket were the two standouts. I'm still thinking about them hours later, so I thought why not dive all the way in and pull together a little perf wish list. Hey, I'm nothing if not committed...

Herewith seven object of my perforated affection:

1. Kelly Wearstler's gold perforated cuff goodness

2. Big oval perfed tights courtesy of Proenza Schouler via Moda Operandi 

3. Pine + Boon's perfect perfed convertible pouches via Vee Caravan. Christine was carrying the tan one today, and I'm fairly confident that it was what kicked off the day's perforated preoccupation.

4. Arizona Muse's perfed neckline photographed by Paolo Roversi for Piece d’Anarchive SS13

5. Madame Wearstler's perforated studs (I think it's safe to say that Kelly seems to dig the perf as much as I do).

6. The aforementioned Pedro Garcia perforated suede tote... This was even more stellar in person friends. It is officially on my wish list.

7. And last but not least, that perfed bomber jacket... all members only wit a buttery pierced suede twist via Anthro... Would be so cute over a black pencil skirt and a white men's T, yes?

Less Is (Most Definitely) More...

photos via Anne-Claire Rohe via the NYT

I loved this piece in T Magazine about designer Elizabeth Suzann's small collection of clean-lined, sculptural basics... I'm especially smitten with this quote from the article:

“Our brand isn’t about minimalism, although I do love minimal aesthetics,” she says. “It’s about not cluttering your life with things you won’t use.”

Truth be told, I'm a little smitten with the whole Elizabeth Suzann situation: the gorgeous, moody lookbook; the small studio in Nashville where each item is sewn by hand; the 20th-century artist muses (Eva Hesse and Louise Bourgeois) that inspire her designs; the desire to create lasting things so women will be compelled to buy fewer (but better) things -- all of it.

Well played Elizabeth. Well played.

Some Scenes...

The past few weeks have been a blur of client installs, quick road trips, projects, new kittens, swimming with the the girlies, pool-side dinners, accidents and mishaps (i.e.those previously mentioned stitches)... Summer has flown by. I can't believe we're in the last few weeks, tying things up before a last hurrah trip to Florida for shell foraging and turtle spotting and just general lazing about. 

I'm trying, amid the blur, to really soak in my girlies. Turns out the flying by actually isn't a cliche; it happens. Yesterday the girls were babes and now they are fully-formed little creatures, voicing surprisingly articulate observations (frequently), helping around that house (occasionally), and causing me to marvel at every turn (always). They are truly the most amazing people. I pinch myself every day that I get to walk through this world with them.

I'm trying to savor them... trying not to let the blur take over. I have to stay on my game friends. This is the good stuff.