Five Favorites + The Future Perfect

For the first of my holiday gift guides for the year I am starting with one of my favorite NYC shops: The Future Perfect.

This store can always be counted on for things you won’t find anywhere else and their products always have a sense of humor and an element of sophistication.

Here are my 5 favorites gifts to give from their e-shop:

1. Gold Milk Jug $22.50 – For your favorite coffee drinker. Make his/her morning cup that much more precious.

2. Themis Mobile $27 – Playful and cool. For a new parent or a kid at heart.

3. Verre Rouge $59 – For a true wino. The glass will almost always be half full!

4. Right Wrong Gloves $58 – For those with difficulty making up their mind, or giving directions

5. Versailles Fluo Vase $199 – Gorgeous heirloom piece for someone classic but not too traditional

LGTM x Rugby: Holiday Style

Since we are on the subject of holiday style, I am so excited to share with you my guest post over on the Rugby blog today!

When the girls at Rugby asked me to illustrate my holiday picks from their line, I jumped right on board.

Rugby’s holiday collection is every bit as preppy and cool as the rest of the line. Everything from gorgeous velvet (I just love velvet!) to holiday plaid that’s sexy and fun.

Pair a plaid dress with a shearling vest,  this tuxedo shirt with velvet tap pants, or fishnets with an-ny-thing at all, Rugby has enough holiday goodness to see you through the whole season!

Click on over to the Rubgy blog for the full post with my complete list of picks, outfitting ideas and more!

And tell me your favorite Rugby holiday look is too!

Holiday Best

Hello! I hope you all had wonderful Thanksgivings.

I love making and eating food just about as much as I love fashion and I sort of let the holiday consume me.

I hope you all appreciated the pictures of our meal that I posted over on the LGTM Live Feed.

The holidays are my favorite time of year. All I want right now is to decorate our apartment with a tree and a wreath to bring the holiday spirit indoors a little.

When I saw these beautiful images from the Slow Fashion House Christmas Catalog I swooned. The subtle, woodsy holiday styling is just gorgeous and so sophisticated. Definitely what I want to emulate in my holiday decor this year.

I love the idea of repurposing things you already own with candles and greens to create a warm, wintry atmosphere. The departure from red and green is nice to see as well!

Get ready for some holiday style here on LGTM! I’ll be bringing back the Five Favorites gift guides with a whole new slew of stores and share with you a few things from my Christmas List. But first, here are a few more gorgeous photos to get inspired by.

Anyone ready for a cup of mulled cider? I definitely am!

All images from Slow Fashion House (via Trendland).

Fancy and Unfussy

Growing up, the holiday season always came with a red velvet dress with a giant lace collar.

As pretty as I remember feeling in my grade-school holiday duds, I think they can also be blamed for why I have avoided velvet for so many years since.

But no more! This season is turning up tons of shapes in velvet that are anything but fussy.

I love seeing the fabric in these beautiful, simple shapes that are casual and elegant all at once.

I think I may be ready re-visit velvet for the holidays, how about you?

Velvet pieces clockwise from top left: Anthropologie Ramona Headband; Dona Monroe Velvet Boat Neck Jumper (now also available at Steven Alan!); Kate Spade Deluxe Plush Scottie; Madewell Velvet Panel Top (via Shopbop); Opening Ceremony Slip On Flat (via LaGarconne).

Fashion Crush: Emma Watson

We just got home from seeing the latest Harry Potter movie and I had to take a few seconds to gush about how stinking great Emma Watson has been looking lately with her new pixie ‘do and killer clothing choices.

I’m sure after my recent post on Carey Mulligan you are going to think I am just a sucker for any actress who chops her hair but, you have to admit Emma wears it well.

You have to give the girl some credit. She grew up as a integral part of one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of our time (and wasn’t allowed to change her hairstyle for nine years–can you imagine?) She definitely deserved the chance to break out of the mold a bit.

It’s so refreshing when you see an actress push her limits in such a classy and cool way, don’t you think?

On top of that, the girl just knows how to wear clothes…

And I’m not the only one who’s noticed either, check out these gorgeous shoots with Miss Watson in this month’s fashion rags.

First and third images from Marie Claire December 2010, second and fourth from UK Vogue December 2010. All images courtesy of Fashion Gone Rogue (my new favorite website if you hadn’t noticed.)

You Bowl Me Over

Today’s illustration comes from super-talented Parisian illustrator Janelle Burger.

I LOVE her amazing collection of fashion illustrations up on her website and available for sale (!!!) in her Etsy shop.

I’ve been really loving bowl cuts lately (perhaps because I vowed not to cut all of my hair off before the wedding, now I of course want to cut all of my hair off, right?) so this illustration of Lady Gaga was an immediate favorite.

I know, I know, you’re thinking bowl cuts? Lady, you’ve lost your mind! But seriously, I’ve collected a few for inspiration here and you have to admit, they’re pretty sexy, right?

Definitely not a look for everyone but for those of you who can pull it off (or have a stylist living in your apartment), more power to you!

Photos from left: Patricia Schmid for Vogue Paris (via Fashionologie); Vanessa Jackman (via Lucky Magazine); Freja Beha Erichsen for Vogue Paris (via Fashion Gone Rogue); Amsale Bridesmaids S/S 11

Fashion & Furnish + Dace

Some of you may remember that Andy and I recently moved into a new apartment. We are pretty settled but the space doesn’t feel complete just yet.

By my own admission, I am not the best decorator.

Our place looks good but we both feel it is a few steps shy of great and we are determined to get it there.

Today while thinking about the Object/Outfit posts on LGTM–where I turn a photograph of a room into an outfit–I realized this…

If our apartment were an outfit, I would not want to wear it.

And I learned something: I need to take cues from what I know (fashion) when approaching things I don’t (home decorating).

It inspired me to create a new series for LGTM titled Fashion & Furnish. Instead of making an outfit inspired by a room, I will use fashion photography as inspiration to pull together home accessories that compliment each other.

My first post is inspired by Canadian brand Dace. I always love their clean colors and simple shapes. The moody, woodsy set of their lookbook combines rustic and earthy elements with cool colors and tones.

Here are my picks. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

1.) John Robshaw Indigo Dip Pillow 2.) Neo Baskets (via MoMA Store)  3.) Heath Ceramics Salt and Pepper Shakers 4.) Agate Geode Bookmarks (via VivaTerra)  5.) Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven (via Williams Sonoma)  6.) Saipua Saltwater Soap 7.) Ebbtide Day Blanket (via Brook Farm General Store)  8.) Roost Napa Candelabra (via Velocity Art and Design)  9.) Cast Iron Owl (via Canoe)

Gimmie!

I thought I could get through the lace up bootie trend without a hitch. I mean, I am pretty well set for boots this year; I’ve got black ones, brown ones and grey ones.

What more does a girl need really?

Apparently, she needs these.

Lace-up booties, they’re in my dreams, the elusive closet piece that would make everything look better (in my mind).

I love this J.Crew version because it is so pared down and simple.  Plus, a friend of mine who has them tells me they are super comfortable.

Hold me back people, hoooolld me back!

Open Letter to My Jeans

Dear Blue Jeans,

I don’t know what it is but lately every time I try to go out with you something goes wrong.

It’s not the same as when we first got together. I used to feel so good with you, all the pieces–tops, shoes, accessories– just came together more effortlessly. Now it just feels like work.

Maybe it’s not you, maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m the one that has changed.

Maybe I need to experiment with another pair or maybe, just maybe I need to take a break from jeans all together and go out with some pants for a change. Just to see what’s out there you know?

I really hope that we can still be friends. Maybe we can get together once a week instead of every day or even just on the weekends. Maybe after a little time apart we’ll understand how to work together again. I think I may have gotten too comfortable with you. It might be good for me to try something else on for size.

Yours truly, -Caroline

(I think I need some new pants.)

Sweet Paul Magazine – Holiday Issue is out! (with illustrations by LGTM!!)

I am so excited for Sweet Paul Magazine’s holiday issue featuring illustrations by LGTM! It was such a pleasure to work with Paul & I love this issue cover to cover!

Scroll down for a delicious Object/Outfit post inspired by one of Paul’s recipes! And check out the article with my illustrations right here.