Inspiration: Purple Reign

You probably already know that purple has long been used to denote royalty, but just for fun, here's a brief lesson in costume history. Tyrian purple, used by the Romans to dye and denote royal togas, was a pigment collected from tiny snails found in the Mediterranean and was considered a great luxury. Luxury indeed; purple does always seems to communicate an air of just that. It is a bold color choice and makes a regal statement any time of year. I happen to think that this sort of a look would be most appropriate for a winter wedding, and when paired with gold it becomes even more luxurious, bordering on opulent. Something about the combination feels incredibly rich and warm. But while it appears rather ornate don't let this look fool you- there's plenty of room to incorporate DIYs and save some major money. Because both colors make such a big impact, you can make a statement with just a few well chosen pieces. And to accent your tables with leaves painted gold in lieu of vases teeming with flowers, aside from being incredibly striking, would certainly save you a bundle, especially in the colder months when a lot of the flowers you might be coveting are not to be had locally. Which is money that, you know, you can use to spend on other little luxuries. Perhaps by treating yourself and your partner to some pre-wedding pampering or by spoiling your guests with a few well-chosen details that will make them feel like royalty. Forget playing princess in pastels at your wedding... long live the queen!

clockwise from top left: Golden Branches with Seating Cards by Martha Stewart Weddings; Northern Lights Dress by Njur Designs on Etsy; Victoria Star Bright Hair Comb by KD Design Studio on Etsy; Gothic Lolita Cameo Ring by Ghostlove Jewelry on Etsy; Purple Bouquet by Martha Stewart Weddings; Priscilla of Boston wedding gown; Purple Fabric and Feather Bouquet by Jillians on Etsy; Golden Branch Centerpiece by Martha Stewart Weddings; Candle Arrangement from Elizabeth Anne Designs; Purple Letterpress Invitations by East Six

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT BEANTOWN BRIDE ON JANUARY 29, 2010

Inspiration: Parisian Pink

Oh, Paris... le sigh... le swoon... city of light, love, and unending aesthetic inspiration! Never having visited myself, it is on my ever-growing list of places to someday travel. My husband speaks a small amount of French, though as for myself the extent of my knowledge is almost exclusively limited to children's songs and a term of endearment that roughly translates to mean "my little cabbage." Romantic, no? Regardless of my common ways, Paris is a big pull for me... the art, the literature, the food, the fashion... it's all enough to inspire substantial allure. The hubby and I have been talking a lot about travel lately, and all the while we've been compiling a list of both domestic spots to travel in the next year and international places we dream of visiting father down the road. Paris belongs to the latter group, so until then I'll have to get my French fix through Proust, Godard, Parisian Vogue, and worldly friends who travel abroad. Rather recently, a friend who spent a long holiday in Paris gave me a striking deep pink scarf as a gift when she returned home. A classic piece in a surprising hue, the scarf has now become a wardrobe staple, and like any great accessory it seems to brighten up my most basic ensembles. As such, I thought a board in shades of deep, bright, and pale pink paired with smoky lavender would make for an utterly romantic day. It's sweet but not cloying. Lively and flirty, it makes no apologies for being utterly feminine. This look could work for a cocktail party that lingers well into the evening or even an afternoon fête. Either way, très magnifique!

Clockwise from top left: Eiffel Tower Photo via Trip Advisor; Pink Macaroons via NicNacManiac; Divine Deco Claudette Necklace by EMbridal on Etsy; Pink Bouquet by Martha Stewart Weddings; Boutonnieres by Martha Stewart Weddings; Daybed via Matters of Style; Tutu and Top Hat by Glamour via coco + kelley; Eiffel Tower Ring Box by Studio d. Sharp.

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT BEANTOWN BRIDE ON JANUARY 22, 2010

Sonic Joy

Just bought tickets for this!



And this!



Sweet! Who wants to come?

Handmade in Boston

Golly! I just read on my love for you is a stampede of horses, a Boston-based art blog, that there is a screening of Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design in the city on January 18th. Put it on your calendar! I will have to round up my crafty lady friends so that we can attend this together as a gaggle. Crafty ladies unite! Speaking of, I should host a 2nd Crafty Ladies Unite afternoon at the apartment sometime soon. I should mark both such things on my calendar.

If Looks Could Kill

How did I not know about this???

Mad Men has a fashion blog!

Oh! I die! It's great! Janie Bryant writes about the costume choices, fashion history, and, of course, there are oodles of lovely pictures. Costume and fashion history in popular culture! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! I can barely stand to wait until the next season starts. Until then I will pour over this.

New Year! New Happenings!

Beantown Bride is now live- YAY!!! The screen shot above is from my first post, an inspiration board inspired by the new year. Also of note is the fact that at the bottom of the image is an ad for my Etsy shop! Most excellent! This weekend I'll be having a tres chic photo shoot for my Flutes & Fabric designs on Etsy so that it can be fully up and running. I'll also be tidying up this place up over the next few days and preparing it to, er, well, I guess be a bit more public than it is already. All good things! So if you're joining me from any of these other places, hello there!

The Living Page

Just yesterday, over dinner and drinks (for me: a margarita, extra salt, for the boy: pumpkin beer), D and I were discussing dying magazines, newspapers, and the advent of blog culture.

I think the manner in which the Internet allows for new contributors to shimmy up to the table is a beautiful demonstration in democracy, and the fact that you can seek out anything and everything imaginable (differing points of views, new music, a new needle for my ancient Fisher Price record player), is incredibly empowering. Personally, I find myself increasingly turning to well-curated online sources over magazines. And when it comes to art and culture, stumbling down rabbit holes has been particularly beneficial for me, as I've found sites with aesthetics and outlooks that very much agree with my sensibility- a great joy indeed! This is especially the case since some of my favorites glossies bit the dust, Blueprint and Bust included. I do still get a few, ReadyMade, Vogue, and W are favorites, but then I stumble upon stunning, beautiful, images like these, and suddenly I'm convinced I need to pick up or subscribe to some of the international fashion magazines. Scratch the subscription idea... much to expensive...yikes. Wendy Bevan, whose gorgeous work is above, has done a lot of lovely shoots for Italian Marie Claire. These shots are from a shoot that is something of a swing era, beach-side, weekend-long party. I want an invite! (And there are even cheeky nude bathtub shots- reminds me of college- ah-ha!) And Tim Walker, who studied with Richard Avedon, has done work for Italian and British Vogue. While his images cannot be reproduced, rest assured they're amazing- they include baby elephants, balloons, oversized accessories, and exquisite composition. Both sites are a goldmine for stunning photography. And when it comes to such images, there is something to be said for real, tangible, glossy pages in front of you. Really, it's quite a way to showcase for stunning art and design.

But {shudder} don't even get me started on the topic of dying print in general. No, I am not ever getting a Kindle.

Dear Diary

Oh. Swoon. I love rabbit holes. I've somehow stumbled upon a beautiful blog, The Unicorn Diaries, the whole of which is something akin to poetry in website form. The author hasn't posted in a while, but everything that's there is beyond lovely. I've found myself repeatedly pouring through it over the last few days. Above is a book created by the author. Below another tiny treasure, a haunting video from the site. Love.

Small Joy: Happy Accidents

Today while at work I quickly lifted some papers off my desk, which somehow resulted in me clumsily knocking over my coffee thermos, which then rolled into my cell phone, which then tumbled off the edge of my desk and into my boot which was sitting on the floor below, the force of which caused the boot to fall over into my trash basket, out of which rolled a discarded apple core. It reminded me of this.

Rare Bird of Fashion

The Irreverent Iris Apfel exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum closes in almost a month! I must go soon! This is the sort of fabulous old lady I aim to someday be.

Inspiration: New Year

By now the countdown is long over, the confetti has since been swept up, and we should all be caught up on our lost sleep. But still, there's something about New Year's Eve that gives a girl great reason to wear ample sequins, statement jewelery, and fancy dancing shoes without apology. It's an occasion for counting down the minutes until you kiss your sweetie, thinking of the past, and looking to the future. And, while you're at it, add some bubbly, a bit of revelry, and several good friends to that list. So really, it already has all the makings of a fabulous wedding. And so to kick off the series, this inspiration board draws on all things fun about the holiday that is a herald of new beginnings. The design is celebratory, thoroughly modern, and a little bit irreverent, in shades of midnight black, platinum, and gold. 

clockwise from top left: Black and Silver Cupcakes by Crumbs and Doilies Cupcakes; Sequin Stripe Bubble Dress from Arden B.; Live What You Love Letterpress Print by Hijirik Studio on Etsy; Black Feather Fascinator by eeek.designs at Etsy; Polka Dot Room photographed by Tim Walker for Vogue Italia via Oh Joy!; Dorothy Gown by Vera Wang; Starry Champagne Glass from Anthopolgie;Starlight Friends Pave Star Ring by Marc for Marc Jacobs at Shop Bop; Reptilian Sheen Oxfords at Anthropologie

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT BEANTOWN BRIDE ON JANUARY 2, 2010