Booty, er, Booby-licious

Shake Dat

Though best known for her delicate engagement ring options and Dali-esque Man Ray cuffs, Aussie Nora Kogan also offers cheekier accessory options - as pictured above. I shared my brilliant discovery with le huz yesterday, and needless to say, he expressed concern for my bizarre taste. BAH! Good taste is overrated.

These plump booties are scrumptious. 

Anything But Vanilla

Photo credit: Aileen Cheng

In my next life, I'd like to be reborn as either Tina Fey (I lurv her) or an incredibly chic gay man. For whenever I flip open an issue of Elle Decor, Architectural Digest (or when I'm feeling particularly "fahnnnncy", an issue of World of Interiors), I find it difficult not to fall in love with the fearless interior work of some gent with an eye for bohemian-luxe. Inviting rooms are layered with texture, color, print and evidence of a well-traveled life; yet nary in sight are the cheesy tchotchkes that fill up my everyday life. These fellas' lives are are carefully edited, and their homes are never short of fresh-cut flowers and fiddle leaf figs. I bet Ina Garten and Jeffrey would have me over at her Hamptons pad, like, all the time...

My natural design instinct isn't "more is more", but I'd like to think that I too, possess a personal style. Not just with respect to my closet, but my renovation and interior designs as well. I aspire to create relaxed, inviting spaces. I like embracing the traditional and old and peppering it with a little "sumthin' sumthin'". Yes. I just typed those words for the world (aka all 10 followers of my blog) to read. I appreciate clean lines, but I'm no minimalist. And not a work day goes by that I don't consider that Don Draper line, "Make it simple, but significant." That's right. I just quoted an imaginary man... 

While I have a look that I prefer, I ultimately look to my clients for final approval. I'm in the business of service, and unlike some of the fahnnnnncy decorators featured on Million Dollar Decorators (I miss that show so much), I actually care if the final product I deliver is sustainable for my clients. I can tablescape and style the heck out of a space for a photo shoot, but what good is it if my clients find their home un-liveable? 

Anyhow.... there really isn't too much of a point to this blog entry other than to share an image of my new business cards with y'all. The talented Aileen Cheng did all the dirty work after reviewing the Pinterest board I pulled together with images I felt best described the feel of my business. We decided to go with a palette of navy and warm white with matte copper foil text. I love the final outcome... hope y'all do as well.

Identity Crisis

Out of respect for other people's eyes, I actually put thought into what I put on in the morning. Like most people, I don't enjoy looking like poo. But my intentions are often lost in my execution, resulting in me leaving the house in kaftans, silk pajama pants, overalls and muumuus. The 30s are a confusing time for me - style-wise. I can't decide who I want to be, so I end up looking "Bohemian Lumberjack Waiter Gone Nautical." Hmm.

My father thinks everyone should adopt a uniform of navy and gray. I took this piece of advice back in college and was mistaken for a sales person while browsing goods at Barneys. My mother thinks one can never go wrong in a twinset. A lovely fashion tip if I were trying to blend in with the senior citizen set. And if the nugget could speak, she'd probably suggest a pink tutu.

As the old saying goes, it's what's on the inside that counts, but fact of the matter is, how I look on the outside affects how I feel on the inside. Lately, my insides have been feeling confused. And so, next week, my always-impeccably-dressed friend Sophie is coming over to help curate my closet over Thai take-out."* Every item that hasn't been worn in the past two years is being donated to Vietnam Veterans of America and Thredup no matter how beautiful the item looks on the rack or how much I remember paying for it. If it looks like shit on, it's gone.**

Clients of mine hire me to renovate and design their homes because I (supposedly) have acceptable taste and good judgment. I offer suggestions regarding what to salvage and what to demolish, and *gasp* they listen. They trust that I have a vision they don't, and their cooperation makes the final outcome that much better. Next Tuesday, I will trust Sophie and her vision. I just hope she doesn't toss my collection of East sider appropriate flannel and hole-covered jeans...

* Yes, I actually used the word "curate" as if to suggest my closet has items worth curating. I think I just "pulled a Paltrow" - as in Gwyneth Paltrow. Don't hate.
** Mantra for the remains of 2013.