Sylvie

If I had access to a magic time travelling phonebooth that would allow me to exchange wardrobes, hairstyles, make-up and teeth with a person of my choice I would... not be able to pick just one person! But on that great big list of figures past (who, in this case, are figures present too) Sylvie Vartan would be very near the top!

I nabbed all of these from a wonderful Sylvie Vartan themed tumblr, here. Read about Sylvie here and listen to Sylvie here!

See more of my style inspirations here.

So badly I need this catsuit.

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Shae Acopian Detar

You know when you meet somebody and something just clicks? And when you leave their presence you feel a little better about everything around you, a little spring in your step, a little creepy "I just fell in love" kinda grin on your face? There are a few women that I've had the extraordinary pleasure of getting to know better this last year who have each left me in this blissful state. Shae is one of those women. She's as perfect a companion as I could ever dream up. Unfortunately Shae, along with many of my loves (including my business), lives on the West Coast so our time together is sadly limited. I had the pleasure and the privilege of spending the morning with today and was reminded once again just how dearly I enjoy her company. So here is a post dedicated to her. The modern (and equally creepers) equivalent to shouting from the rooftops your love and admiration!

This is just a small selection of her fantastically gorgeous body of work. You can see her full portfolio here.

The artist!

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Visions of Arcadia

Paul Cezanne

Henri Matisse

Seemed appropriate, if not a little premature, to share these spring scenes given the unusually balmy (heh, 42) temperatures over here in New York. This colour palette has been haunting me since we visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the Visions of Arcadia show this summer. It was a beautiful and transportive show on the theme of earthly paradises that we viewed, fittingly, after eating the best philly cheesesteaks around (it was my first and totally unlike and way better than I expected), another variety of earthly paradise.

I want to wrap myself up in these in an attempt to combat the bleak cement grey haze that's been the city since the holiday's end. How delicious are these colours? Were I a clever blogger I'd have found all sorts of clever ways to incorporate these glorious colours into your own collections! Alas!

What pick-me-ups are you indulging in this dreary time of year? I recently picked up this handsome Canal House cookbook at Aimee's recommendation and am anxious to try and make my dinners taste as good as those pictures look!

Henri Matisse

Paul Gauguin

Henri Matisse

Edgar Degas 

Pablo Picasso

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Dolce & Gabbana

I think this might mark the first pure capital F fashion post on this blog since it's inception five years ago! Above are a handful of looks from the nauseatingly enchanting Renaissance inspired FW12 collection from Dolce and Gabbana. This collection has erupted in me the same emotional response that I remember having in highschool after seeing a Chanel presentation on Fashion TV (prompting me then to pick up a couple yards of tulle and start banging away on my mum's sewing machine for the first time). It has been that long since a show absolutely gutted me (Alexander McQueen shows aside). This is my favourite rooms of the Met and my textbook portraits of Tudor family members come to life. In my dreams where I have unlimited funds and skill this is what I sew for myself. This collection makes me want to cry and throw up.


See the whole glorious collection here.


Pictured with Jan Brueghel - Flowers in a Vase, Botticelli - Primavera, Quentyn Metsys - Elizabeth I & Nicholas Hilliard - Elizabeth I.


In other (related I think) news it is almost time again for The Borgias and Cesare's tight leather pants!

Marcel Dyf

The last painting has hung on our wall for the past three years and shamefully I only just recently discovered who was responsible for this favored flea market find (thanks Tumblr), Marcel Dyf. His paintings have such a perfect gracefulness that I find incredibly inspiring and I can't help but want to emulate the bouffant hairstyles of his model (wife, Claudine). Dreamy.

A new 8tracks mix for you :).

**I've had a lot of questions in emails regarding  the painting to the left. I think there are some rather real looking prints on canvas of this painting out and about in the world and folks seem to think that they have the original. While I would love to antiques roadshow your art collection I simply cannot as I'm not an authority on the matter! Though I will say it is highly unlikely that you've magically stumbled upon a Dyf original. Sorry, pals. 

La Bohème

Lillian Gish was an actress most popular in the 1910s and 20s (though her career continued up until the late 1980s when she starred in the Whales of August the trailer for which ran after the "little hershey's kisses" ad on The Princess Bride VHS). I was reminded of Miss Gish when I found an old disc of pictures that my brother had put together for me featuring a bunch of hilarious webcam pictures, drawings and videos from my high-school years (more on that another time) and I came across a drawing I had made of her. I remember falling absolutely head-over-heals for her adorable little face when I was researching silent films for a silent movie project I was working on in drama class (I wish I could find that video for you as it is mind blowingly silly and now far away enough from my present self that I'm no longer embarrassed by it but instead delighted). Her hair is pretty much my dream hair right now and fortunately, given my frizzy head of hair, quite achievable (must try that gorgeous up-do)!

Read more about Lillian here, here, and here.

I've never been in style, so I can never go out of style. - Lillian Gish

I've been slacking on the mixes, sorry! September was a crazy busy month but things have settled down for a bit and I'm spending this rainy night indoors with Landon, paint brushes and movies. Here is a mix I made a few weeks ago but have yet to post!

Man, you guys, I'm no good at writing these days, sorry (unless it's business emails, I'm brilliant at business emails. Maybe I will just start writing super formal business posts).

they gave themselves utterly to love

Tristan and Isolde,
by Rogelio de Egusquiza (my favourite story as retold by Joseph Bedier when I was in highschool, somehow managed to get away with writing a book report on it every year, hehe).

Paolo e Francesca,
by Gaetano Previati.

The Fisherman and the Syren,
by Lord Frederic Leighton

Just a few things to share with you today! First, my beloved friend Aimee is heading to Portland for a visit and has requested suggestions for spots to visit, if you have any I'd love to hear to pass on to her!

Secondly, I've finally got around to making a mini tutorial on curling your hair with rags! I hope it's somewhat helpful, I reckon you may have some luck hunting around on youtube as well though! Please feel free to hound me with questions regarding hair in the comments of that post, I'm more than happy to oblige.

Last, a few new items in the shop today! Don't forget to let me know if you purchase something and read this blog as I'd like to send a little drawing just for you! I could use the extra kick in the arse to start drawing again and will happily take requests at your order (portraits of you, dogs, babes, Eric Northman, whatever you please)! While I can't guarantee that that they will be great I can say that it will be a tiny amusement for both you and me!