{live it up in a delicate dress}

. . . have had this editorial, oh so pretty: live it up in a delicate dress by georges antoni for aussie magazine grazia on the inspiration board for a while now, most especially for the little white lace dress by alex perry, but also because absolutely adore delicate dresses and dressing up, and every once in a while and especially on dusky and daydreamy afternoons at home . . .

{p.s.} happy, happy september! while shall always love summer best, september is a rather beautiful month, with the last magical afternoons of the summer, and the first brisk mornings of autumn, moments after the sun has risen and there's a feeling of change and adventure in the air . . .

{images: editorial - oh so pretty, nika lauraitis by georges antoni for grazia AU august 2010; styled by mark vassallo via dustjacket attic}

{lookbook: lover the label}

. . . one of the loveliest thoughts is that somewhere in the world, soon it will be spring, just as our days will soon fall into dramatically overcast and blustery skies, slightly chilly and romantically melancholic mornings, somewhere, blossoms are set to bloom and wrap themselves beautifully around branches and there will be pretty shorts and the sheerest blouses, elegant blazers and lacy, champagne-coloured dresses, and since shall always hold on to the very last golden and fading rays of summer sun, lover's spring.summer 2010.11 collection may be just the thing for these last, languorous late-august days . . .

{images: lover the label via studded hearts}

{lookbook: lover the label, part two}

. . . and of course, in the even that you are ready for autumn, elegantly cut blazers with pleated & puffed sleeves, insanely stylish belted dresses, perfect trenches and the softest champagne-coloured cowl-neck sweaters . . .

{p.s.} if you've just arrived, see below xo

{images: lover the label; more of this collection at the side project}

{fashion inspiration: antonio berardi, london}

. . . after the beautiful nostalgia of revisiting the photographs of our countryside picnic once again, was happily reminded that there are still many perfect summer days left and still time to wear sexy summer whites, and what could be better than the elegantly cuffed trousers and tailored jackets, little white dresses with flouncy skirts and delicately sheer and lacy blouses paired with city shorts and strappy sandals of antonio berardi's resort collection?

{images: style.com}

{style inspiration: woven straw + hermès}

. . . have always favoured soft leather handbags, and more so as the days fall silently shorter each day . . .



. . . but this summer, inspired by the runways and the south of france, have been carrying around a charming straw handbag {above} from a local wicker shop tied with a silk hèrmes scarft and traipsing around town picking up pretty things here and there and bouquets of pale pink roses and whatever the desires of the afternoon, feeling as if every day were a picnic . . .

{images: bottega veneta via a glamorous little side project; straw handbag and hermès silk scarf by p. & this is glamorous with an iphone}

{have a gorgeous summer weekend}

. . . another few leisurely days and it's away, away again, out of the city and to the countryside, guests from out of town and saturday morning flower markets, champagne and the last of the world cup matches, wild strawberries and late dinners in the garden, and a little shopping & sunday morning lattes . . .

wishing you an extraordinarily wonderful weekend, and hope it's beautiful where you are,
xo

{a few lovely links:}
* travel: london, paris, copenhagen and stockholm
* beautiful rebranding: petite alma
* for dessert: jeweled macarons
* sequins: shorts & ponytail
* for wood nymphs: amazing tree houses {via lynn}
* a countryside picnic: here & here
* lovely, lovely: music box ballerinas
* summer inspiration: lake house

{as always, a few things you may have missed:}
* room inspiration: always de gournay
* shoes, shoes, shoes: sergio rossi
* hello: & a few things
* storage inspiration: pretty jewelry display
* two lovely things: mirror, mirror
* wedding inspiration: little white dresses

{new for the weekend:}
* in the bedroom: summer whites
* colour inspiration: shades of citron

{one last thing:}
. . . in the event you're arriving here for the first time, this week's glamorous give-away: a herman miller eames chair!

*** click here *** to enter xo

{image: a previous post}

{wedding inspiration: little white dresses}

. . . happened across this editorial by photographer olivia graham for instyle weddings, last week, and as always, fell in love with all the ruffles and lace and frilly flounces of all the utterly stylish & perfectly flirty little white dresses, but especially the first, which is unspeakably charming and positively made for late-afternoon ferry rides and blowing kisses and am quite certain is the same as the one zooey deschanel wore here . . .

{images: photography by olivia graham via dustjacket attic; more at the side project}

{runway inspiration: preen, new york}

. . . could hardly tear myself away from the preen resort 2011 collection -- it is just so, so good - perhaps it's that designers justin thornton and thea bregazzi took inspiration from brigitte bardot, or they easily and perfectly combined prim and sexy, with buttoned-up dresses and sheer, shimmery tops, pretty pleats and bits of lace -- or perhaps it is the slight nod to the wild wild west that is just too impossibly cool . . .

{images: style.com}

{have a sundrenched weekend + links}

. . . hello! hope you are well, and had meant send along a few lovely links on friday, but sometimes even the best-made plans can fall by the wayside, and now, away, away for a perfectly wonderful few days, but a quick hello to send along fondest weekend wishes . . .

hope it's beautiful where you are,
xo

{a few lovely links:}
* travel: to sleep in the open air
* recipe: nutella doughnuts
* fascinating: historic russian homes
* diy: photo wall {via creature comforts}
* summertime inspiration: going on a picnic & sunday in the park
* perfectly pretty: french nurseries
* design: maps that fit your style
* home inspiration: mirror, mirror
* celebrate: a summertime party
* just in time for wimbledon: love all
* fond farewell: last of the peonies {via prettygood}

{as always, some things this week you may have missed:}
* hello: out the door & thursday thoughts
* hazy summer days: play of light & shadow
* lace bangle set give-away: and the winner is . . .
* blog inspiration: linen & lavender
* a new week: happy monday!
* first day of summer: italian silk & manicured gardens
* at home with: freunde von freunden
* hello: & a few things

{& new for the weekend:}
* pure romance: a tiny victorian cottage

{images: laura ponte, laura hayden & oriol elcacho by manuel outumuro for marie claire spain, june 2010}

{runway inspiration: nina ricci, new york}

. . . and while we're on the topic of sexy summer dresses, peter copping's resort 2011 collection for nina ricci, inspired by jackie onassis and 1960's greece, is pure ultra-feminine gorgeousness, awash in pale and pretty neutrals -- shades of buttercream and blush intermingling with flourishes of ruffles and lace, perfect for early mornings in sunny cafés and late, starlit ferry rides . . .

{p.s.} favourite is the sweet sheerest lacy little white dress with a hint of august sunrise beneath -- so lovely!

{images: style.com, more of this collection at the side project}