Bon Voyage and Go to Hell!

I'm going to be gone to Europe for ten days, everybody! Sadly, for the duration of these ten days, all of your lives will be Lovely-free. You'll have to try to manage without me somehow. Until I return, here are a few pretty items to keep your eyeballs from falling out as a result of loveliness deficiency. It happens, look it up.

Some very glitzy French Sole ballet flats, about $150. Would look great with:


Kimichi & Blue white pencil skirt, $68, which would match nicely with this:


Silk screened tee, Circular Accessories at Etsy.com, $25. On your way out the door, grab this:
Unreasonably price but undeniably perfect Mulberry purse, $895.

There! I have just created a nicely monochromatic ensemble for you to wear, complete with accessories. You're welcome! God, whatever will you people do without me for the next ten days?

Maddy

Midriff Bands and Mermaid Halters, Part I

I have just discovered the plethora of vintage sewing patterns available on eBay. Why didn't I know about this veritable treasure trove before now? There are so many and they are so cheap! I just bid on these three. The lot is going for $0.99, no joke.


The drawback of vintage patterns is that they don't come in adjustable sizes. Back then, you could only get one size out of each pattern. The busts on all of these are a couple inches too wide for me, but hopefully I can adjust that. I'll ask my sewing teacher, she's a freaking genius. Well, anyhow, the point I'm trying to make is that nowadays, you really can't get a cute dress pattern for less then $10, at least not at Hancock's. And, lo and behold, here I find three cute dress patterns for a buck. The moral of the story is: I love you, Internet.

Here are some more cute ones and the accompanying links, in case you are interested.


8 patterns from the 60's (only four shown), $4.


4 patterns from the 40's, $10.

15 patterns from the 50's, $15. I am blinded by all of the gorgeous. The cheap, vintage gorgeous.

Maddy

The Tea Partiers' Association

If there is one thing that I have always adored, it is tea parties. I love the girliness, the sense of decorum, and the very tiny sandwiches. It is so much fun to get all dolled up in a wide skirted dress and drink primly out of bone china cups with your equally well-dressed friends. Of course, the sophistication quickly wears off when conversation veers off into the territory of false mustaches and "If you don't stop hitting me, I will kill your dog." But it's still fun.


Etsy has a great collection of very cute tea cups, many of them vintage but most handmade. Don't you love the little vampire on the last one? It would have been perfect for my Halloween tea party.
Anthropologie is stocked with dresses ideal for the teapartier. Look for things with fun patterns, flattering seaming, and scant or nonexistent straps. I like to make my own tea party dresses; if you have the ability to do so, I highly encourage that you do this instead of buying one. It's very rewarding to get compliments on a frock you made, and besides, it'll already be tailored to fit you.
For tea parties, and Springtime in general, I like my nails to be a pinky-nude color. It goes better with the warm weather, and besides, when it chips you don't have to be so pressed to repaint as you would with my usual red or purple. Try OPI Malaysian Mist, it's my favorite.When it comes to footwear for these occasions, pretty much anything goes. I tend to favor either a sky-high wedge like this pair from Delia's, or I just go barefoot, but flats or flip flops can look every bit as lovely with your floaty frock. And you do have a floaty frock, don't you?

Happy partying!

Maddy

Madeline's Makeup Adventure

I have discovered a miracle, you guys. And this miracle is called Stila Convertible Color. I was browsing around Sephora one day and there was this pretty little compact, the description of which boasted that "This lipstick-and-blush combo will give both your cheeks and mouth a bloom of color!" Skeptical, I swiped some on my cheek, and was met with a glaring smudge of hot pink. I gasped, horrified, and blended like the wind. And, who would've guessed, it looked great! I then hit my friend very hard in demand of her opinion.
"Paige, look! Look at my face!"
"It's okay Maddy, it's still there."
Taking no heed of her annoying sarcasm (she was probably just jealous that she hadn't found the blush first), I proceeded to purchase it immediately. My friend Meagan remarked the next day that I looked lovely and very French. I just flipped my hair and shrugged, saying, "Darling, don't I always?"
So my babysitting money has been squandered yet again thanks to my frivolous shopping habits. The difference this time, however, is that I don't regret it. Seriously you guys? I love this stuff. It makes me feel like one of Renoir's blushing girls. And besides, the case is so pretty. It just feels so distinctly feminine to flip open a pretty compact and check your reflection, doesn't it? Well, anyways, I'm going to shut up now. Bye.

Maddy

*the pictured shade was not the one I purchased- mine is more of a ridiculously garish hot pink. It is called 'Petunia.' Buy it here.

Moschino Fall 07

How does nobody else love Moschino? It has such an earnest charm. And I like how they have a sense of humor that matches its sunny aesthetic perfectly. After a so-so showing last season, this season is a relief.


I would wear all of these things, with the possible exception of the uncomfortable-looking sequined ascot in the last ensemble.... but it still works for runway, right? And aren't those scalloped rows of pleats in the first dress just so charming?

On another note, I think I will be introducing pictures of myself onto the website wearing, you know, pretty things. Because I'm just a little narcissistic. I shouldn't speak too soon, though, because this whole new development will depend solely on my ability to work multiple pieces of technology at the same time, and that could get messy.

Maddy

Chloé Fall 07

Even before their exquisite Spring show, I have always adored the quintessentially quirky Frenchness Chloé embodies. And, with one particularly dynamic shade of orange and some very tall, very shiny footwear, this collection was no disappointment. Loved. It.



Jolie, assez jolie.

Maddy

Happy Birthday to ME

It was my birthday on Sunday! A few of my friends came over Saturday night. We watched Wayne's World a couple times and drank an ocean of strawberry soda. One of them gave me a package of adhesive mustaches, and this provided us with several hours of entertainment. For my birthday I finally got a much nicer sewing machine. Hurrah! Then a bunch of my relatives came over, from the crazy side of the family, and that's always a little nerve wracking. But it was okay, we ate tiramisu and they told embarrassing stories about me as a baby. Pretty much like every other year. My sister is coming home from college tomorrow, and then we will celebrate properly. And by "properly" I mean "with more tiramisu." So fourteen wasn't such a bad year, but I withhold my official opinion on the matter until I have fully experienced fifteen. It better be great.



Hey, I have the same birthday as Renoir!

Maddy