wish it was so easy.

'up & out.'
I wish it was so easy, beautiful & entertaining when I just can't decide to wear.
enjoy! from "NOWNESS"

http://www.nowness.com/day/2013/9/21/3352/up-and-out?icid=NownessLoves_1_3359

to inspire.

Sometimes we are seeking it, sometimes it finds us. Inspiration is everywhere today. Just open your eyes and let yourself see. 

And simultaneously, I feel that there is also less of an exclusivity factor today as well. I like that aspect. You don't need to have money to have the stuff you want (well, of course there are always personal limitations....) and you have access to vast information. Stuff is more available. Good design is abundant, so much creativity. The net is certainly a big factor, giving us all all kind of possibilities in seeing, doing, sharing and getting. But, I would like to add, I still have a need to buy paper form of inspiration, magazines have that tactile factor which completes a search & I can not resist.

I was browsing earlier and came across this picture. It comes from a blog: theminimalistnyc.com .

I love the clean freshness of it. As I looked further I saw that it was 'pinned' on my fav blogger's page,  http://pinterest.com/emmasdesign/pins/ . I could have kept on scrolling for-Ever. So many beautiful images. I loved the bedroom images simultaneously displayed along with the clothing images. One kind of goes/compliments the other. Although my personal home doesn't reflect a minimalist lifestyle (I think it would drive my husband crazy) I do try to edit my space so that it's the least cluttered, and lets face it, I love pattern and colour and so always give into my true nature, though do give into experimentation to renew myself. Which is my comfort zone. I admire the more streamlined looks, but live to reflect my true quirky self. A good formula.

Visual inspiration is ever present.

And so what is your life-style? What triggers your creativity? How do you define it in your home and within your clothes/dress style? Are you yourself when you look at the mirror? Sometimes we have multiple clothing personalities, especially when it comes to our work clothes vs our weekend attire. Often we must conform (well to a certain degree, ahem...). When everyone wears suits at the office, it's kind of hard to pull off those heavenly Diesel jeans you just feel fabulous in. You adapt but there is always room for your personality to make it's presence in subtle ways. Find it. Own it.

Here are some bedrooms pics on a minimalist concept and clothing shots from Emma's Blogg that I took away on a little high, with me after browsing. I love the way they inspired my brain's activity and have influenced my vision & my mind state when I stand before my closet. As much as they reflect how I dress & my likes, they are still unlike me. I am simply allowing inspiration do it's job.

Lately it has been barking....arfff.

try it this way...

I was browsing through Holt Renfew yesterday, checking out what was hot on the market when I came across a fab display. It was a Pop-Up Shop from K-Way. But all new, fresh, crisp and exciting! Besides their fabulous range of vibrant colours for the classic K-Way nylon jacket itself, they have also brought in some very smart accessories, namely nylon bags and totes. Oh man, they are so very nice and tempting, great for travel of all kinds and shopping, of course. Just need to pick a colour...

 

want it...

http://www.holtrenfrew.com

http://owtodozis.com/blog/10040

http://styledemocracy.com/k-ways-pop-up-in-holts/

the sum of it all.

spring.

Verb Move or jump suddenly upward or forward.

Noun The season after winter and before summer.

Synonyms verb.   leap - skip - bound - hop noun.   source - fountain - fount - well - leap - springtime

Crate and Barrel summed it up very well on their web page, start with a 'Clean Slate' as we inch forward into spring. And while it is still fairly grey out there, get your cleaning done and get organized before the sunny days whisk you outside to be lost in the vast green space, without a thing to wear....

1. get cleaning products
2. wash & fold away winter stuff
3. bring out summer stuff
4. throw out old stuff
5. acquire new stuff!

See all items to get you started:

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/SpecialOffers/CleanSlate

Room for a view.

Scary, no??

Hopefully it doesn't reflect your bedroom!! If it does, Please keep reading...

 

A room to be desired can be the room that will make getting dressed a joy. Beside the obvious uses to the bedroom, sleep and intimate happenings, consider it the relaxing inspirational room for easing yourself into your clothes and defining yourself. If you have a bedroom which you love to spend time in, it is obviously going to add to the pleasures of getting to your clothes, going through your closet and drawers. A beautiful room with good soft or bright lighting, great furniture and accessories and painted in a shade which together entices the need for lazy lounging, will be a great asset in your life. Truly. 

I was browsing through one of my favourite blogs, been a fan for years, Emma's Design Blog (http://emmas.blogg.se/), and decided to look through her images logged under her 'Design Hotels' section. Emma has a fantastic perception of and perspective on Scandinavian design, in particular the pure sublime beauty of black and white. Lots of incredibly awe-inspiring images. I am a fan.

Interior design is unbelievable today, design in general I would say, so much to choose from, endless resources on the net, heavenly inspirations for sure. Get yourself inspired to take a solid look at your own personal space. Does it create an inviting place to spend some surplus time indulging within your wardrobe? If not, make a few changes. it could be how you have arranged the room. Remember it costs nothing to move furniture around and you might be surprised how the layout affects you (might even improve your sleep!). Or paint it, again an inexpensive option to update your room. Neutral shades are a good choice because they are flattering on your skin and let you see the colour and patterns of your clothes more objectively, which will lead to a better coordinated look.

Of course hotels have it down to an art form when it comes to designing a bedroom for utter relaxation. Check some of my fav picks from Emma's Blog:

http://networkedblogs.com/Km2cX

I love them all, hard to choose between the pale vs the darker shades, but I must say below is vonderful!

To see more images of the 'scary bedroom' photo at top:
http://www.katewithacamera.com/2010/03/10/master-bedroom-scary-before-photos/

Runners up!

Runners, trainers, tennies, sneakers, sneaks, call them what you will, they are as staple in everybody's wardrobe as much as a pair of black shoes. But how do you wear them? And how many do you actually own? They have so many possibilities, take them to the gym or pair them with a suit to go the office. I do so admire those who manage to bring excitement into their look when they pull it off with non-gym clothing. From plain black Nikes to pop color sneaks that add a punch to your look. 

Unfortunately it's not a look I have mastered myself, but it definitely is a fabulous option for all to try if you are keen. I would definitely invest in a good pair if you want to wear them to the office or heading to an event (leave the smelly gym ones at home!), it will make all the difference.

http://www.gq.com/style/blogs/the-gq-eye/2012/10/the-gq-guide-to-sneakers.html

Age is not relevant.

 

http://www.thesartorialist.com/?s=sneakers

http://mypreciousconfessions.blogspot.ca/2012/01/top-10-fashion-blogger-sneakers.html

Khaki sensation.

I've talked about them before, the next best thing after denim: khakis.

They are all age appropriate (seriously, from babies to a mature gentleman), they kind of fade in & out of fashion, but always remain on the sidelines for men, always coming back to surprise us with their simple practicality. And they could look cool, as 'The Sartorialist' captures so well in these photos. Love them!

I guess I will have to get my husband a navy shirt...

http://www.thesartorialist.com/photos/if-youre-thinking-about-the-perfect-summer-outfit-for-a-man/


 Need more convincing reasons to wear them? See the Hudson Bay's link:
b-insider.com/2013/mens-essentials/

everyone is doing it.

It has become quite the concept: organizing your closet. You could do it alone, do it with a friend or do it through a valet service (ahemmmm...). Whatever suits your fancy. I just got a email update from Gwynith Paltrow's blog, GOOP. It's spring time and it is obviously a natural activity to get into as the season's change, sort of like shedding your winter skin.

I see Gwynith also likes the wallpaper in the closet concept, maybe she read my posting..(see "Make an impression" post).

http://www.goop.com/journal/do/216/the-edited-closet 

for heavens sake, where DO they go??!...

 Is there a sock heaven? Are you suffering from 'sock-osis?'

Sock-osis: an abnormal condition or derangement, refers to an abnormal condition of the mind, and is a term for a mental state often described as a "severe one sock loss state".  People suffering from sockosis are described as sockotic. Uber-Sockosis is given to the more severe forms of this psychiatric disorder, during which frustration, manic drawer raiding and where repeated disastrous dressing habits may occur.

I am be quite confidant in stating that everybody has lost a sock in their life. It's a universal phenomenon. I guess their small size comes into play, often falling behind a chair or bag or left behind at the gym or in the dryer at the laundromat, only to be found when you finally threw out the other single one that you were holding onto 'just in case'...huh.

The lonely sock is a necessity, yet at the same time, a thorn in our life. Personally I would love to go through life without ever having to wear them. I live mostly in flip flops when I can, but winters do make that challenging. Socks with flip flops, yeah done that. But since I need to have some I take a very practical approach. 

1. **RULE #1: After you do your laundry, match up your socks immediately! A fundamental rule. Throwing them into a drawer in single format is asking for senseless trouble, and frustration which you will face in the morning as you are rushing to get to work or getting your kids dressed. Though it might be more comical when a 5 year old is wearing mismatched socks :), adults?...not so cute.

How to fold basics: http://www.wikihow.com/Fold-Socks

Options for storing in drawers:

For those who are very organized and somewhat obsessive...:
a. Roll socks together. Separate socks by color, purpose & length using separators. Nice no?
b. Simply fold in half to keep socks in best store bought shape.

 

For the more average person:

c. Pair up & fold the open ends over & toss them in the 'sock drawer' !

2. I buy the most basic styles, multiple of the same style so that if ever one goes missing I keep it  anyways because another might go missing and I have a 'back-up'. I also stick to basic colors such as black and grey as well as basic mensy type stripes so that it's easy to match up with clothes. That makes getting dressed a little simpler too, less thought process. Of course there is room for fun socks for casual days, great with jeans & khakis.

Buy essential basics at larger retailers such, they offer selection and quality. (J.Crew)

3. Edit your socks. Change of season means bringing out the socks after a warm summer or heavier ones for winter days. Good time to throw out the solo ones or those that are plainly embarrassing with the worn heels and holes in the big toe area. I know it's painful sometimes to go and spend money on such menial items, but they do add to the complete look of your outfit.

 http://grungetogoddess.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/these-boots-were-made-for-talking/

How to wear socks? Ok, sounds like a dumb question but it's not. What's your style? What are you wearing & where are you going? Just remember it completes the look, so take some time to understand your dressing style and buy accordingly. If you absolutely love socks & are quirky, then go for it & be daring. And for those who just hate wearing socks, try going without, weather permitting. Just make sure you have the right shoes. And there are some 'faux pas' out there, check out the rules, especially for the gentlemen.

http://ca.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_300/345_fashion_advice.html 

http://artofmanliness.com/2010/12/15/guide-to-socks/ 

J.Crew has colors solutions!

No sock look. I like.

 

http://www.maurilioamorim.com/2011/03/are-you-ready-for-cuffs-high-waters-and-no-socks/ 

http://offthecuffdc.com/musings-sockless

coldacity...

This weather legally permits the creation of new adjectives to describe how cold it is out there.

Such as: COLDACITY.

The positive side to it all? You could stay home & not bother to change out of your pj's. Give your closet a break.