Wedding Inspirations - Bride and Bridesmaids

Well, it's springtime...and with the flowers come weddings, and with my visual imagination that in turn entails dreaming of wedding fashions. Below are some drool-worthy inspirations, mostly courtesy of net-a-porter.com's designer fashion collections.

The Bridesmaids -



Left to right: Alice + Olivia beaded white lace dress, Alaia blush nude tie heels, Asos blush clutch, Erickson Beamon chandelier earrings, Kenneth Jay Lane cocktail ring, Pixi Cosmetics colour corrector and lip tint.

 And here are some inspiration pictures for the above collage -

And then, finally, the creme de la creme -

The Bride -



Left to right: Temperley London white lace wedding gown, Alexander McQueen gold clutch, Valentino bracelet, Giuseppe Zanotti flowered heels, Gaia Repossi double knuckle ring, Erickson Beamon mixed earrings, Lanvin stationery.

 So there you have it - the wedding dress I must admit, I would want some added drama with a long train etc etc, but here is the vague image that I at present would go for. But then again, right now these are just my imaginings - believe me, I am nowhere near the place in time where these are becoming a reality. The very thought of that brings guffaw from my lips.

Two Beach Looks

   It may be drizzlling and miserable outside, but that does not dampen my anticipatory enthusiasm for summertime. The sun, the beach, the smell of light perfumes and warm ocean rocks...All of these would be made only more perfect if they were to be accompanied by these two drool-worthy looks I've compiled.



Left to Right: Suno lace dress, Cutler and Gross sunglasses, Isabel Marant necklace, See by Chloe bag, Maison Martin Margiela flats, Norma Kamali lace onepiece, Anthropologie drop earrings, Anthropologie book cover postcards, St. Barth's photobook.

   These two looks have a very "Hitchcock Blonde" vibe to them - classic, beautiful, and feminely sexy. For me that is what the best beachwear is - women in the sun, un-self-concious, their incandescence reflecting the warmth of the rays upon their skin, with the sunlight drawing out relaxed confidence and good conversation.




Left to Right: Norma Kamali swimdress, Zimmerman bathing suit, Jimmy Choo sandals, Anthropologie hat, Wendy Nichol double spiked ring, Rag and Bone tote, The Gentlewoman magazine - issue #4.

    Ever since I was little this idea of the beach has been formed by such images as the ones from below:  



Grace Kelly circa. 1950s.



Grace Kelly in costume for To Catch A Thief - a movie that never ceases to give sartorial inspiration.



To Catch A Thief  film still.

                                     

Afterbirth Day

And so, here is a long overdue post about my birthday gift from my beautiful friend, (and also cousin - a strange coincidence if there ever was one!), Sally.



Tank from Sirens, necklace from Forever XXI, with the Kasabian concert ticket.

      There are some moments when you really realize just how much someone means to you with such a strong level of clarity that it stops all of your other thought processes in recognition of that emotion's strength. Oftentimes this happens to me at random, but with Sally it is quite regular. She truly has the most beautiful quality to her - in a word, she is special. Not in the way in which that word is usually overused, but in the sense that she is different, unique, better.
       Which goes to say that receiving such a well-thought out and loving gift from her really is so valued. I could not believe how much thought went into what she got me - it was quite perfect, actually. Below are close-ups of the top and necklace, but on April 9th shall be the day when the Kasabian ticket shall come to fruition, and a blog post shall be dedicated to that! We've both loved Kasabian for a very long time seperately, and to see them together is going to be one helluva concert.

   In addition, my Christmas gift was received at the same time. Since it was my choice of a candle, we decided to make a date where I could follow the delicate sensibilities of my well-flared nostrils and decide upon my scent of choice. What I came to love was the Voluspa "Black Figue and Chypre" scent - it is a deliciously sweet and musky smell....It reminds me of old books, firesides and bouquets of earthen flowers.

Birthday Sun

Recently I had my birthday- eighteen, I am now!
Eighteen! Not my favorite age, but certainly an eventful one.
I took these pictures on my birthday itself, but unfortunately I didn't have much time to celebrate because of copious amounts of studying. This weekend will be when I turn that around and celebrate officially!!

               Urban Outfitters lace top (under dress), Vintage sheer white dress, Joe shoes.

New In: Christmas Gifts

  Here are some of the highlights under my Christmas tree - my family really went all out with their gift-giving to me, and I loved everything I received. However, most importantly I value how much love they showed me and how much thought went into each present.


                    Anthropologie teacup, Betsey Johnson earrings, Anthropologie cotton lace blouse.

        This Anthropologie top is absolutely exquisite, and I am going to be wearing it for my graduation in Spring. I've always wanted to avoid the "prom" look of satin and sequins, and when I first saw this top I knew it was perfect. Bring forth The Virgin Suicides vibes of wheat fields and ethereal suburban surrealism! - I am ready for thee.

  Ah, the Betsey Johnson's! These are my first Betsey pieces, which make them all the more exciting. I love how youthful they are.

Material Girl studded blazer.

This Material Girl tuxedo blazer is extremely timely as I have had no black blazer these past months. I love the YSL le smoking vibe it gives off. I've always had a massive craving for the androgynous Marlene Dietrich look, and this blazer is definitely getting me one step closer to that.

Urban Outfitters checked dress, American Eagle studded coin belt.

My brother gave me this charming dress and belt, both of which items that shall be extremely useful and easy to throw on in a pinch.

Left to Right: Emporio Armani briefs, American Eagle earrings, American Eagle socks, Dynamite belt, Topshop necklace, Joe felt tam. Beneath: Chapters cozy faux fur and fleece blanket.

Topshop key necklace.

Chapters owl globe.

                                                     Joe lambswool neutral check coat.

                        This coat is one of those items that, when put on, is transformative. Its cut is effortless, and on the hanger it is done no justice.

Diana F+ camera.

My brother and sister gave this amazing camera to me! I cannot beleive they did this - it is the full Diana F+ set including each lense type, frame variation and extra. Not included in these photos are some of the kits various extended items, which shows just how vastly this camera and its abilities have been made available to me. I can't beleive how perfect this will be for developing my artwork, not only to draw from my own photographs now, but also when I head to Emily Carr University of the Arts in the fall. I shall be able to truly capture my visual inspirations in a much more minute form.

                        And so, those are my gift highlights. I am so lucky, and I love them all!.

The Christmas Season

So, here are some late Christmas greetings!
I was very blessed this year, both with gifts and with my family time.

                                                       Me on Christmas morning.

                                                    The Van Duzein Gardens in Shaunessy, a beautiful Vancouver area.

Editorial Inspiration - Suzie Bird by Thomas Whiteside

This editorial of model Suzie Bird by photographer Thomas Whiteside is one of the best editorials to come out all season. It isn't following any real trends, but rather it is recalling old-school beauty and fashion in a pure and fresh way. Look through the pictures and be amazed.

Inspiration - Casual Night Out On the Town

Left to Right: Rag + Bone rusty leather pants, Bottega Veneta cotton corset, Zara heels, Topshop fringe waistcoat, Valentino studded bag, Erickson Beamon earrings.

 Sometimes all you want is an outfit to go out at night in that feels attractive and yet does not capitalize on your assets by being all out with feminine sexiness.

The Vacancies of the Peppermints

 There is something about winter that is very nostalgic.

 This could easily be attributed to the holidays, or to the scent of dead leaves, or to the looming end of one year enabling the beginning of another. However, to me it is this way because of the empty spaces. The trees are lonely in the cold - isolated. Frost embalms the decayed plant life, and the sun lies only briefly upon their icy heads.

Vero Moda knit vest as scarf,  vintage boots, vintage oversized Alfred Sung coat.

This coat belonged to my grandmother. It is beautifully cut with menswear lines in its gracefully aged thick navy wool. When you put your hands inside the silk pockets you can still feel the crevices left behind from where my grandmother used to store crisp white peppermints in starched wrapping paper. She would slyly  deposit one in your hand as you stood by her, the secret between you shared with no one else. Not even  a  glance was made at the transaction, for she never made eye-contact with you as you suckled on the mint with delight.

Now that I feel inside the pockets I can feel the empty spaces, the vacancies of the peppermints. Their wrappings are gone, their saccharine clots swallowed, and yet I somehow feel happy about this absense. In this way the spaces of winter are familiar, and with familiarity comes the feeling that one is safe.