Interior Design Love: Chevron

I know we've been seeing it all throughout 2011 but I think we'll still see plenty of chevron this coming year, only it will be used in even more clever and awesome ways!  I would LOVE to have a chevron accent wall in my home but I just don't know where.  Here are some of my favorite inspirations!

Good morning!  Sorry for the lack of posts recently.  My well meaning husband decided to update some things on our computer and it was on the fritz for a couple days! 

Okay but on to a little personal bitch time... Why is it so freaking hard to find an attractive winter boot you can actually wear in the snow?  Honestly, the boots with tread & traction, the boots with warm lining, the boots that will make your toes happy, are all SO ugly!

UGLY!

And the boots that look good, even the ones that are combat style and supposed to be rugged are actually ridiculous!  It looks like a combat boot but it has no tread.  It may be lined in warm sheep skin but the outside is made of suede?  What!?!   Whoever thought of that must not live where there is actual snow, salt & slush because, NewsFlash!, suede is not waterproof and in fact gets stained by water!  You want something that can survive some wet slushy stuff so you're thinking, "Okay I'll look for rubber, or at the least leather or vinyl."  Good luck because it's a sea of unlined, very unwarm rubber & vinyl boots out there.  Oh and did I mention all the fact that I'm on a budget?  If I wasn't I think these would be for me!  They are nearly $200 and currently only available in size 5.5, so that's lame, but just look and what a well designed boot it is!  Warm fleece lining, beautifully simplistic leather outer(reminiscent of an English riding boot), and a deep rubber tread!   Perfect!

Timberland Women's Mount Holly Waterproof Fleece-Lined Boot

I guess I will have to keep looking and hopefully I can find something before winter is over so I can actually get out and enjoy it!

Happy Friday + Happy New Years!

I won't be doing a post tomorrow so I'll say it now... So long 2011!   I hope you all had a good year but hope you have an even better 2012!   I reflected on my 2011 while I flipped through the years facebook photos (convenient right?).  I had a lot of wonderful changes & wonderful times.  If I were to go back in time to last Dec. 31st and told me where I'd be a year later, well I probably wouldn't believe it!  "Oh the places you'll go & the things you'll see!" I would say to me.
None the less, it's onward and upward in my perspective!   Bring it on 2012!  We're waitin' for ya! 

Workwear Wednesday: Gentlemen's Edition

With as much as I tend to focus on women's fashion, it's hard to believe that I got my professional start as a tailor specializing in menswear. I still love getting my hands on a beautiful mens suit and tailoring it to fit just right.  While I understand that many work environments are more casual today, guys should still know how to do it right when necessary, and SO many men don't!  So today's Workwear Wednesday is for the bros!  Specifically I am reminded of this quote:

"So okay, I don't want to be a traitor to my generation and all but I don't get how guys dress today. I mean, come on, it looks like they just fell out of bed and put on some baggy pants and take their greasy hair - ew! - and cover it up with a backwards cap and like, we're expected to swoon? I don't think so!" 

-Cher Horowitz, Clueless, 1994

To start on a friendly note, here are two of your icons, looking quite dapper!

A fedora, perfectly pulled off. Note how this man wears one while NOT evoking Kevin Federline.

Excellently executed mixture of patterns! (not recommended for novices)

These guys look more sophisticated in jeans than any man in a Men's Warehouse suit!

A denim blazer. Again, not for beginners. High attention to accessories makes this work.

Classic high quality oxfords. Throw out your square-toed dress shoes if you haven't already.

Plaid ties are always wonderful!  It's the width & colors that change style over time.

And speaking of ties, you should all know by now that narrow ties are in fashion. Look for ties that are no more than 2&1/4 inch at the widest point. If you are a slender man you can go much narrower, if you've got a broad frame, stick to the 2" width.  Have a sentimental attachment to a super wide tie?  Take it to a tailors to have it narrowed. 

A lesson in layering. Consider not just color but texture too.

He should be wearing socks, but otherwise a great outfit. Notice how the belt matches the shoes?

Very fashionable while still completely masculine. 

Oh boy, I am just loving everything about this guy!  A plaid wool sports coat & matching cap? Now there's something to swoon about! 

Tuesday Shoesday Featuring Shabby Apple!

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had a great holiday!  Today's Tuesday Shoesday is a little unusual because I'm going to be featuring a specific store, Shabby Apple.  I don't usually do this with the exception of Etsy, but I'll be honest and just tell you to expect to see more fashion posts about this shop, which I only discovered this morning, because it's seriously as though someone said, "Hey let's open a 'Stuff Laura Whitney Likes' store!"  In fact I just ordered my first Shabby Apple dress! (review to come later)  But it's Tuesday shoesday so I'll leave the super adorable vintage style dresses until tomorrow.  Today it's just super adorable vintage-inspired shoes!  Here are my favorites!

Away For the Holiday!

I'm outta here folks!  I'll see you all on the 26th!

Lucious Vermont Wedding!

Oh man, I'm sorry for the spotty posting lately!  To be honest though, it's probably going to be this way until Christmas is over.  There's just so much going on!  

Anyway, I had to share this wedding from Style Me Pretty because it's one of the best winter weddings I've ever seen!  I love it because there are no cheese snowflake motifs or Christmas-y things in sight.  It's just full of wonderful vintage details and winter-y wonderfulness!  I especially loooove the vintage fur wraps!  (remember when I predicted fur to the the hot new accessory for the season? Eh?)