It’s Official

I’m currently addicted to flickr. I can’t stop looking right now. Soooo many beautiful and interesting visuals. Here are a few favorites from one of Martin Isaac’s sets:

Her Name is Piksi

Piksi, the impossibly well-dressed Fin. She’s like a superhero or something. Normally I’d think someone might be a little eccentric (possibly even a wee bit self-absorbed) if they posed in their favorite outfits and posted them on flickr for all the world to see. But dang, if a person looks this put-together and ridiculously stylish then I say they’re insane not to. (That skirt in the upper right is so adorable I can hardly stand it. I want to raid her closet). Via Dress of the Day.

As Far As Ads Go...

...This one is gorgeous. Flipping through CITY magazine (a pop culturish/style pub) I stopped and just gawked as it opened to this beautiful specimen of an ad. It’s nothing but a full bleed of a gorgeous old-world pattern (with a sweet looking logo in the bottom center of the page—see the detail below). In front of this page is a perf-out vintage style postcard that has a saucy burlesque Parisienne on the front and a cocktail recipe on the back. The ad is for St. Germain liqueur. I believe Sandstrom Design to be behind this phenomenal work. Very nice. Indeed.

Casino Royale

Mazzega, Venini, Murano...what have you. Sixties era Italian glass. Definitely some groundwork laid for Chihuly. The thing about it is this: it can have that aura of casino/cruise ship tackiness. OK, it does. But when done right it totally works. Pairing the excessiveness of this shameless sparkle with restraint equals amaaaaaaazing. If you’re feeling fancy and have upwards of 20K to spare there are some real beauties at 1st dibs...

Ephemeral Cruising...

On fabulous flickr. After finding those typewriter ribbons (previous) I couldn’t stay away. Here are a couple more little treasures...

Butterfly McQueen

This little bit of beautiful fashion genius is from last fall’s runway, by Alexander McQueen. I remember seeing it a few months back and not knowing who did it—and it’s a visual that has been lodged in my head this whole time. So when I happened upon it again, I had to know more about it. It’s actually McQueen’s tribute to Isabella Blow, (below), a British fashion editor and eccentric style icon, given to wearing insane (seriously certifiable, in fact) creations by milliner Philip Treacy. She passed away last spring and is credited with discovering Alexander McQueen.

Ribbons are Pretty

I had no idea how amazingly gorgeous typewriter ribbon packaging was. There’s a whole collection posted on flickr by UppercaseYYC here. It makes me think we should bring the typewriter back—if for no other reason than being able to go to soulless places like OfficeMax and see something beautiful.

Location, Location, Location

I’ve spent way too much time today drooling over and fantasizing about the locations listed at Shoot Factory. From manors in Lancashire, villas in Mallorca, lofts in London and palaces in Rajasthan, the site is flippin’ loaded with gorgeous places to rent for photoshoots. I will definitely be filing these under “home inspiration.” Note to self: buy lottery ticket.

Get Me DeMarchelier

Yeah, you may have heard Meryl Streep demanding to get him on the phone in “The Devil Wears Prada,” and with good reason. Case in point: Patrick DeMarchelier’s new photos for the Pirelli calendar (typically nothing more than an arty Eurotrash version of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition) are stunning. (via Love Made Visible). And you just know the old boys at Pirelli Tires were all hoping for women lounging around half naked with sand in their hair looking prone and disoriented and Monsieur D. was like, “screw that—I’m doing kimonos and kale!” Très chouette.

A Hole in the Market

Absolutely gaping, in fact. And I know I’ve alluded to it before, but for real, why doesn’t anyone do portraits that look and feel like this anymore? So quiet and beautiful and timeless. It wouldn't be hard to bring it into the 21st century—just have the subject show a little emotion. No wide gaping grins needed or anything. And throw in the leatherette paper frame with a foil stamped seal at the bottom and it’s a wrap.

Bathtime

If nothing else, winter is the perfect excuse for taking long soaks in the tub. Bath salts, a glass of wine and a good read (or if needed, a trashy tabloid magazine) is my remedy for getting through the cold, dark days of deepest winter. And someday I’ll add my perfect tub (and fixtures, of course) to the mix: Michael Smith’s Town Collection bath for Kallista. Mercy.

Letter Perfect

That nicely describes the wonderful type work of designer / illustrator / artist / sign painter Jeff Canham. Beautifully reminiscent of the CBS sculptural cafeteria wall designed by Lou Dorfsman in the 60s. (below)

Brilliantly Tasteless

I don’t know what it is about the cheesecake pin-up style that appeals to me (my feminist leaning sensibilities tell me I should know better) but there’s a beautiful sense of nostalgia in it that, when done well and with a sense of humor, is so perfect. This funny and naughty print by Mel Ramos is one I saw hanging in one of Jonathan Adler’s interiors and it made me laugh. Nakedness + fruit salad = brilliant. Ever since, I’ve wanted to have something like this hanging in my kitchen or dining room as a funny conversation piece just because it’s so tasteless, but I know I'll never be bold enough to actually do it. So I’ll do the next best thing and post it here.

Color, Please

I just checked out J. Crew’s new arrivals and realized how color-starved I’ve been lately, being in the thick of wintertime monochrome and all. There are clearly shades of Kate Spade and Kelly Wearstler in the oh-so-lady-like styles layered with brazen color. I need to go shopping...