parkinson perfection

The Paris Collections, Queen, 1960
Norman Parkinson

After van Dongen, Vogue, 1959
Norman Parkinson

Parkinson always maintained he was a craftsman and not an artist. From his early days as a photographer up to his death, he remained one of the foremost British portrait and fashion photographers. His work, following the lead of Munkacsi at Harper's Bazaar, revolutionized the world of British fashion photography in the '40s by bringing his models from the rigid studio environment into a far more dynamic outdoor setting. Humor played a central role in many of his photographs, which often included himself. - Wikipedia

pb picks

Hello there!
I have been totally lagging on posts this week due to the fact that I am learning a new job and my brain on overload. Said brain was lazy going into this week to begin with, after my long holiday and a prior job that was not the most challenging job I've ever had. Needless to say, I was a bit overwhelmed at first, but now I'm feeling a rush of energy - the desire to work! We'll see how long that lasts.
Anywho, Pottery Barn has some excellent new offerings that I just had to share.....

Edison Chandelier

Um, this might be one of the coolest chandeliers EVER! I love the spider-like way that it hangs and the exceptional design. I really, really wish I could have this at my house, but our ceilings are too high...so sad.

Stretched Canvas Artwork
Now this one I can have in my house & I already do! I just love all three of these pieces, but the Eiffel Tower is my favorite. I ordered it last week & it arrived today. It's pretty big, 22 x 36, and very cool in person. Now to decide which wall it will live on...

York Headboard
This headboard is so fabulous and reminds me of a headboard that Jules at Belle Maison designed for one of her model home projects. I love the shape and the contrast of the piping. So dramatic!

the good ol' days

I sound like my parents when I say, "Music isn't what it used to be". But, it's SO TRUE!
My unending quest for good new music usually ends in dire frustration, so I find myself turning back to the good old days and gaining a new appreciation of the favorite bands of my adolescence. At the top of that list is The Cure (of the 80's). I'll never tire of their gloomy lyrics, gothic rock sound and my favorite album, "Staring at the Sea". Brings back memories of listening to "The Lovecats" while my high school goth friend crushed on Robert Smith. Those were the days, no?

back to work

Inspiration for...
the start of a new job,
the coming of fall,
and the end of a long summer.

Charles Nolan Fall 2008 rtw

Philosophy Fall 2008 rtw

D&G Fall 2008 rtw

Diane von Furstenberg Fall 2008 rtw

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!
I think I'm ready to start my new job, at least until my alarm goes off at 6am tomorrow morning....yikes.

friday fun

Are you kidding me?!

Some crazy person decided to make wigs for kitties and sell them here. An absolutely, beyond ridiculous idea, but the photos and descriptions are too funny not to post.

Silver Fox
Silver is all about sophistication. Indoors or out, this wig takes Flash to a special place - where everything is sleek and svelte, young and foxy.
Silver makes your kitty feel sexy and smart, like a cougar on the prowl.

Electric Blue
Blue is edgy and electric. In this wig, Chicken sports some serious attitude - she's thinking saxophones, smoke, and snapping fingers.
Blue gives your kitty a sharp look - jazzy and totally copacetic.

Bashful Blonde
Blonde is a magical mix of bashful and brazen. Fern shows off the many moods of a natural blonde: sweet yet catty, smart yet batty - where life is alluring and coy. Now all she needs is a bikini and a Swedish accent.
Blonde sets off your kitty's eyes and makes your kitty look tan.

Hilarious!
Found via NotCot.

gold medal

In honor of the 2008 Olympics, 12 fashion designers were commissioned by Lane Crawford (Chinese luxury retailer) to design a uniform for their favorite sport.

Via The NY Times Magazine.

Alexander McQueen - Fencing

Givenchy - Archery

Pucci - Gymnastics

Stella McCartney - Equestrian

Yves Saint Laurent - Track & Field

a book of laughs

If you need a good laugh or just a good read, then definitely pick-up I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloane Crosley. A collection of essays full of wit, charm, and honesty by a brilliant young writer. I laughed out loud throughout this book, and could relate to so many of her tales about mid-20s life. More, please!

boboniaa inspiration

More inspiration from my favorite member of Flickr's Wardrobe Remix group...
the fabulous Boboniaa!

Rainbow Greeting

Spicy Monday

Rose Babe

How does she do it?

working girl

J.Crew's offerings for Fall are oh-so-lustworthy and fill my heart with inspiration for my new working girl wardrobe.

Here

Here

Here

remembering mazzy star

Needing Hope Sandoval's weeping willow voice right about now.
Halah anyone?

my love, sweet love

Isn't she beautiful?!
Living in So Cal never seems to stop me from lusting after beautiful coats. Even if I only get to wear them twice a year. So pretty!

Charles Gray Wool Princess Coat

Yes, please!

shoe dreams

As real as it may seem, it was only in my dreams.

(for all of you Debbie Gibson fans out there)

If only...
Alexander McQueen

Guiseppe Zanotti


Alexander McQueen


Giuseppe Zanotti

furballs

The 2008 ASPCA Cat Photo Contest winners are in!

The contest was held in honor of Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month in June and the aim was to catch cats being cats.
These winners and honorable mentions definitely did that.
So cute, I want to squeeze them!

Honorable Mention - photographed by Beth Bolles

Honorable Mention - photographed by Kim McCullough

Winner - Cheeto photographed by Amy Bosteder

Honorable Mention - photographed by Kacie Maxwell

And, the winners of the cutest cats in the world contest, held at my house daily are....

Betty - photographed by me
Betty enjoys lounging in the sun, bathing, kneeding, playing, and hunting for bugs.

Missy Foo - photographed by me
Missy enjoys sleeping, eating, snuggling, and demanding food in the middle of the night.

New sheets = time to wrestle!

Adopt a shelter animal & support your local rescues and animal organizations!

when a picture...

...is worth a thousand words.

D&G Fall 2008 RTW

the lowdown

Junya Watanabe Fall 2008 RTW

Thank you all for your nice comments about my new job! So sweet! I'm excited to start a new chapter and am savoring every moment that is left of my holiday until then.
Since you asked, here are the details about my new joby job...
I'll be working as a Buyer for a restaurant chain at their home office, which isn't too far from my house. From what I know, I'll be buying the non-consumable items (everything that goes into a restaurant other than the food), which is good for me since I'm a vegetarian and not sure how it would work if I had to buy meat. I have worked in the hotel and design industries, but never in restaurants, so I'm excited to learn something new.
The dress is business casual with jeans days on Fridays (thank goodness!). In my last job, I was able to wear jeans everyday, so I do have some shopping to do to bulk-up my work wardrobe.

You don't think I wasted any time getting started on that, did you? Hooray for new job shopping!

Checkout the first of my purchases....

Gee Wa Wa Playa in Black Luster

Remember these from my make-believe shopping trip?! Oh yes, now they will be mine! That is, if they fit well and are somewhat comfortable. I ordered them from Zappos last night, and will hopefully get to try the cuties on before we leave for Peru.

Boys' Two-Button Schoolboy Blazer

Thanks to today's post by Miss Couturable, I discovered this handsome schoolboy at J.Crew Kids and scooped one up for myself (I will have it in 7-10 business days). I never had thought about looking at boys jackets to find the schoolboy of my dreams, but I think this might be it. And, because it's kids, it runs a bit cheaper than regular J. Crew prices. I think my frame will be small enough to fit the boys' XXL, although I'm not sure what will happen with the boob-factor. My fingers are crossed!

The mission continues...
Hopefully I can find some great jewelry and scarves in Peru to add to my collection. And, I plan to take a trip to Anthropologie and other favorite spots upon my return. More to come soon!