{inspiration: grey + white stripes}

. . . the perfect late-summer look

{image: prue ruscoe for vogue australia via follow studio}

{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}

{light & shadow}

. . . quite the adore the beautifully atmospheric, nearly hazy tone of this summer editorial, the perfect play of light and shadow, and the feeling that something unbelievably romantic could happen at any moment . . .

{p.s.} lovely things on the side project:
* ruffles & blossoms
* tailored elegance

{images: sasha melnichuk by marcin tyszka for elle russia may 2010, stylist, ekaterina mukhina; hair, miguel viana; make-up, rita fialho}

{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}

{lookbook: by malene birger ts2010}

. . . very much looking forward to a long, beautiful summer of little white dresses and strappy heels, ruffles and bows and soft cardigans and silk blouses in alluring shades of lavender and fading twilight, mink violet and always glamorous gold for those sexy and moon-drenched midsummer nights . . .

{p.s.} more malene birger:
* home in denmark
* accessories collection

{images: by malene birger collection ts2010 via beautiful things to share}

{runway inspiration: erin fetherston, new york}

. . . utterly smitten with erin fetherston's resort 2011 collection, a whirl of blush silk crepe and perfectly draped knits, pretty silhouettes and a relaxed elegance made for a sunlit parks and rooftop lunches, afternoon shopping trips and dusky discothèques . . .

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

{give-away: diamond stacking band}

today's give-away is an exquisitely beautiful vintage diamond stacking band from paris hotel boutique, a beautiful online shop that celebrates the glitz and glamour of a bygone era and carries spectacularly luxurious things such as vintage silver leaf & silk upholstered settees and victorian mother of pearl & sterling monogrammed nut scoops and most of all, a stunning collection of diamonds, including this hopelessly romantic five-diamond band that's as perfect with breezy summer dresses on a sun-lit afternoon as it is with city shorts and a silk blazer on a midsummer's night . . .


1930's vintage diamond band is 14 carat white gold and set with 5 vs/1 diamonds; each diamond is approximately 2.5 points with a carat total weight of .20-.25; US size, 5.25 and is sizable; total weight 2.2 grams; ring box not included, middle ring only offered in this give-away

to enter, {click here} to visit the paris hotel boutique online shop, {here} to browse more estate diamonds, or {here} to browse the new arrivals, then leave a comment below

{bonne chance!/good luck!}


paris hotel boutique > shop | blog | facebook | twitter

* one winner will be randomly selected and contacted by e-mail after tuesday, may 25, 2010; if you do not have a blog or contact e-mail on your blog, please include it with your comment for notification; open to all readers; top image: philosophy resort 2010 collection

{inspiration: summer afternoon}

"Summer afternoon -- Summer afternoon . . . the two most beautiful words in the English language."

~ Henry James

. . . can hardly contain the floods of happiness on brightly beautiful days and now that it's headstrong into summer, have been more hopelessly drawn than usual to beachside things: bare shoulders and tousled, sun-kissed strands, shimmery golden skin and strappy high-heeled sandals -- and whether beachside or poolside -- pure languidness and sunlight all around . . .

{images: a glamorous little side project}

{fashion inspiration: sexy & summery}

. . . spring's rather unpredictable weather this past weekend has given way to sunny skies once again, and with it, come thoughts of summer and moving cashmere scarves and neatly folded stacks of cardigans to the back of the closet to make way for flounces of ruffle and flourishes of ribbon, for tiny pleats and shorts & heels and most of all, sexy and summery little white dresses . . .

{p.s.} photographer & model:
* more patrick demarchelier & here
* more edita vilkeviciute & here

{images: edita vilkeviciute by patrick demarchelier for vogue china april 2010 via [design] relevant, styling by nicoletta santoro; & more little white dresses here}

{time is fleeting + a new month}

. . . as if it were only a moment ago, we were welcoming the month of march and celebrating the first day of spring -- and through the beautiful flurry of everyday things, busy hours, lively lunch dates and happy news, time slipped away and before long, the beginning of a new month . . .

wishing you a happy april & hope it's off to a perfect start,
xo

{p.s.} more julia:
* perfectly carefree
* at the side

{images: editorial - spring in bloom, julia stegner by sanchez & mongiello for vogue china march 2007 via fashion gone rogue and dust jacket attic}

{pattern inspiration: stripes}

. . . always thought to have preferred crisp whites and soft, neutral and subdued tones -- this is -- before these strikingly bold black & white stripes came along and changed everything . . .


{images: photography by jonny valiant for elegant bride via perfectly put together & style me pretty; dress by alice + olivia via kate arends}