The Essence of English Style

Simply to be desired is not a high enough aspiration. Outfits that say little more than ‘look at my body’ should be outlawed from one’s wardrobe. English style has always been about expressing one’s intelligence, charm and views through one’s choice of image. Expressing who you are and what you want to be. If what you’re saying is just ‘be my boyfriend’ then you’re not saying much. Looking sexy should always come second to looking interesting - to look interesting is to look beautiful.

Luella’s Guide to English Style

(Source: girlsack)

You are sexy enough.

Let me talk like an old man. Young people, be careful. Beautiful things are disappearing every day. Be careful.…You don’t need to be [shopping at fast-fashion stores], especially young people. They are beautiful naturally, because they are young. So they should even wear simple jeans and a T-shirt. It’s enough. Don’t be too much fashionable.…The brand advertising is making you crazy. You don’t need to be too sexy. You are sexy enough.

Yohji Yamamoto, WWD , September 28, 2012 (via thebengalstripe)


On Socializing. 

Socializing is as exhausting as giving blood. People assume we loners are misanthropes, just ­sitting thinking, ‘Oh, people are such a bunch of assholes,’ but it’s really not like that. We just have a smaller tolerance for what it takes to be with others. It means having to perform. I get so tired of communicating.

Anneli Rufus

(Source: airplanes)

Source: That Kind of Woman 1 and 2

Curiosity & Life

I want you to tell me about every person you’ve ever been in love with. Tell me why you loved them, then tell me why they loved you. Tell me about a day in your life you didn’t think you’d live through. Tell me what the word “home” means to you and tell me in a way that I’ll know your mother’s name just by the way you describe your bed room when you were 8. See, I wanna know the first time you felt the weight of hate and if that day still trembles beneath your bones. Do you prefer to play in puddles of rain or bounce in the bellies of snow? And if you were to build a snowman, would you rip two branches from a tree to build your snowman arms? Or would you leave the snowman armless for the sake of being harmless to the tree? And if you would, would you notice how that tree weeps for you because your snowman has no arms to hug you every time you kiss him on the cheek? Do you kiss your friends on the cheek? Do you sleep beside them when they’re sad, even if it makes your lover mad? Do you think that anger is a sincere emotion or just the timid motion of a fragile heart trying to beat away its pain? See, I wanna know what you think of your first name. And if you often lie awake at night and imagine your mother’s joy when she spoke it for the very first time. I want you tell me all the ways you’ve been unkind. Tell me all the ways you’ve been cruel. See, I wanna know more than what you do for a living. I wanna know how much of your life you spend just giving. And if you love yourself enough to also receive sometimes. I wanna know if you bleed sometimes through other people’s wounds.

Andrea Gibson

Source

Cultivate A Kind Heart

When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted yet. You simply water them and clear away the weeds; you know that the seeds will grow in time. Similarly, just do your daily practice and cultivate a kind heart. Abandon impatience and instead be content creating the causes for goodness; the results will come when they’re ready.

 Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron  

Via the cool Kat

My fear in words

"The idea that you might end up in a job that doesn’t allow you to be who you are, over the course of a lifetime, is still one of the most chilling nightmares to me. It’s a good metaphor for fears I have about losing my soul in some accidental, mundane way. So, to me, these jobs that my characters have are very loaded. They immediately suggest a complex character to me, a woman who is, say, a secretary, but also a vigilante on behalf of her own soul."

Miranda July 

(Source: opwindvogel)

Rainy Days

Source: hautemamasfaves.tumblr.com via Caddy on Pinterest

I was all dressed up for work when I heard my phone beep and a text saying I didn't have to come in as the whole team wasn't. The Veep canceled today's planning session due to the CRAZY weather.

I'm now in my pjs with a full face of makeup on. But, seriously though this is insane weather. It's rained everyday for the past two weeks or so. Flood warnings are being issued.

The Last Line

Source: arcadianyc.com via Caddy on Pinterest

Life Longing

"All I want is good conversation."

I read this quote below and it resonated with me. Earlier this year I realized that one of the things I value in life and which I seek out in other people is great conversation. I want to converse and hear from others that they are thinking.

I’ve always loved intelligent girls, no matter how they look, to be able to hold a conversation with someone is so important. The moment someone acts dumb, I lose interest. I think about the subtext and layers of a person when I design. I design for someone who has interest in the space around her, who is aware of her relationship with the world, someone a little evolved, a little concerned. I think putting more women in power will help solve a lot of problems in the world. It troubles me that the media celebrate women acting like bimbos on TV — it’s not cute, it’s ridiculous. I call it ‘Paris Hilton Syndrome’; there’s a place for that superficiality — but it must neutralized by an equally powerful, intelligent counterforce in culture. I don’t want to perpetuate the wrong ideal.Prabal Gurung


Quote via That Kind of Woman via Editor-in-chic

Things I Need To Remember

Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.

— Kurt Vonnegut

Children's Books

I love children's books. I love the whimsy and possibility they have, how they shine with positivity and beautiful illustrations. Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom has a feature on her blog where she interviews children's book authors and I love the thoughtful answers they give. My favorite interview so far has been the author Dallas Clayton. I loved his answers and words of encouragement. Here are some below.

All images by Dallas Clayton

Advice

I think you can have anything that you want. Find someone who has a life that you want and figure out how they got it. Read books. Figure out what you’re passionate about. Pick your role models wisely. Find out what they did and do it.

Lana Del Rey (Vogue Weekend)

Source Rosie

A Tribute To Friends

I found these statements from Kate Spade over at Tulips and Flight Suits. I loved them and started thinking of which of my friends they matched.

Katrina

Abbey 

Tina

Annie

Chiara

Carla

Mariel

Rosie

All images via  Tulips and Flight Suits

2 Years to Cheer!

Today is the 2 year anniversary of our blog. Two years of blogging about what we love, what inspires us and what makes us happy. We hope that you all are doing things you love too!

Photos via Little Miss Dress Up and Bouncytrouncyfun

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

2011 was a wonderful year for me. I graduated from University, staffed a CISV village, made new friends, reconnected with old ones, spent three weeks in Europe with one of my best friends and started my own business, earning money doing what I love. Tonight I'm going out with my all my family for a nice New Year's Eve dinner, I'll probably dance a bit and watch the fireworks and cheer when we welcome 2012.

Here's to 2012, and to the joys it will bring. 

When the clock strikes 12, 

P.S. Here are two cute New Year's Eve videos. One is a song by Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt and the other is my favorite version of Aulde Lang Syne from the soundtrack of SATC.

Photos All from We heart it.

Things I Need To Remember

Via Pin interest and We heart it.

Advice I Need To Remember

Sources:Unknown (Meaning I forgot where) YMC, YMC, Swiss Miss and another unknown except I know its from tumblr.  

The Beauty of Brick Walls

Today, I experienced a setback in some plans I've been making for a very long time. It was a big blow, but then the words of Randy Pausch popped into my head:



"The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."
I want this.  Image: Spis Castle

Agree or Disagree?

I'd really love to know people's thoughts about this?
Me? I agree with some but not with all of what he says.


Image source: Wide Open Spaces

Double Chic

Derek Lam

Moschino

be polite, interested, and always in a good mood.
pretension is the worst. and never look bored.
it can be boring sometimes in the world of fashion

Karl Lagerfeld in The Teen Vogue Handbook

Source Eva Chen's tumblr

Just Some Inspiration

These are just some images I found and liked.
I'll be leaving this week for a month to staff a CISV Village so updates from me will be minimal to non-existent for next month or so. But of course Rosie will still be here.
See you all on the flipside!


Sources: We heart It, We heart it, We heart it