Dreams Are The Seedlings Of Reality!
[ 24 January 2012, 08:51 ]
“If the thing you wish to do is right, & you believe in it, go ahead & do it! Put your dream across, & never mind what “they” say if you meet with temporary defeat, for “they,” perhaps, do not know that EVERY FAILURE BRINGS WITH IT THE SEED OF AN EQUIVALENT SUCCESS.”
...Jolly good stuff from Napoleon Hill’s Think & Grow Rich, written in 1937.
Super-love & magic-making,
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Radical Self Love Lifestyle Tip #2: Celebrate Everything!
[ 18 January 2012, 17:13 ]
The world is full of small wonders. Who can argue with the magnificence of baby teeth or big fluffy clouds? Who could deny the beauty of a pink convertibles, or a plane streaking its way across a blazing sky? There is so much beauty in small things, like discovering a stray sequin on the footpath, or finding a $20 bill in your pocket. What would life be without first kisses, & the first snowfall of the season?
These things are worth celebrating, & there are always more. Make it your duty to delight in the details.
Create altars in your home. Build devotionals to your charmed life. Decorate shelves & windowsills with photos, candles, flowers & little statues, & light matches every night. When you do, take a moment to think about your blessings.
Remember: When you feel stuck, ensnared, entangled & embroiled, you have a choice. You can choose to see the magic & the wonder — even though it might be difficult — or you can choose to focus on the problems. You’ll always get more of what you think about…
Choose to infuse your life with burning candles & birthday cake, whenever possible.
Photo of Christina Aguilera by Ellen Von Unwerth.
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the playgirls guide to radical self loveHow To Be A Bicycle Babe: The Ultimate Guide To Cycle Chic!
[ 11 January 2012, 13:04 ]
“I’ve had a good time! God, man, I rode around this country free as a bee.” (Jack Kerouac)
Let’s talk bicycle style! If you, like me, are new to loving bicycles, it can be a relief to realise that you don’t have to dress like you’re in the Tour de France! No, no. I will never — & you probably will never have to, either — pour myself into a pair of lycra bike-shorts, or wear a pair of those very ferocious-looking reflective sunglasses! For this, I am thankful.
It’s true that you can look just as cute on a bicycle as you do on two feet (if not moreso!), but I understand if you have some trepidation around the subject. I’m here to ease your fears! Here, then, is what I wear when I’m on a bike…
On hats, helmets, & not splitting your head open
Let’s begin at the top! As much as I value my hairstyle, I also value my brain. It sure would suck to fall off my bike & get my brain all over the pavement! So as soon as I got the phonecall that my bike had arrived, I went over to Adeline Adeline to pick up a Yakkay helmet.
Yakkay helmets are pretty fabulous. Instead of rocking regular old helmet style, they came up with the (genius!) idea of selling a helmet with interchangeable hats which you can slip over the top! BRILLIANT! I started off with a Paris black oilskin, which is super-cute while also being simple enough that it goes with practically any outfit. The selection at Adeline Adeline was a little on the slim side, but I was told they replenish their stock pretty regularly, so I’m probably due to go back & check it out! (I am kinda loving this psychedelic flower one!)
You can find some cool painted options on Etsy, too. Belle Helmets do hand-painted helmets — I especially like this tarot card one!
If you already have a helmet, but you’re looking to jazz it up, decoupage it! (Thanks, Kayla!)
Oh, & if you REALLY want to stand out, how about this bunnyhead helmet?! (Amazing.)
Got helmet hair? My solution to helmet hair has been to carry around a scarf or a little knit hat in my satchel. When you hop off, you can just tie the scarf around your head, or slip a beanie on for instant, simple “done-ness”!
On skirts, dresses & preserving one’s modesty
I love, love, love to wear dresses or skirts on the bike. I don’t really wear pants in my daily life, so why would I wear them when I cycle?!
If you, like me, want to rock vintage dresses on your bike, I think the best skirt shapes are knee-length A-line, & the top of the dress can’t be too tight. If your dress is very form-fitting around the shoulders & upper arms, you run the risk of ripping it open while you perform some kind of daredevil manoeuvre! You also don’t want a crazy long skirt, because it can catch on your bike — though you can always pull it up & tie it in a knot in your lap while you ride! If you’re still worried though, you can always DIY your own skirtguards!
Of course, the major issue with wearing a skirt or dress on a bicycle is that you run the risk of flashing innocent passersby. This is to be avoided if at all possible. No one wants to see your knickers, no matter how fancy they may be, & a little mystery is worth preserving. But don’t fret! I have a solution! BLOOMERS!
Where else could cute handmade bloomers be found but Etsy?! (It’s a no-brainer, really!) My favourites are black & white striped, these magenta ruffly ones from the 1930s (though honestly, too good to wear underneath anything!), black & white stars (I own a pair of these!), & these Victorian-inspired black bloomers. So cute.
I also discovered that American Apparel makes GREAT bloomers, which are actually quite flattering on (even though you wouldn’t think it from the photos they use!). I got a pair of the purple cotton seersucker bloomers & honestly, I don’t want to take them off… ever. Yes, you can be (relatively) modest & stylish at the same time! Let’s boogie!
On satchels, handbags & baskets
The type of bag you carry on a bicycle will really be determined by whether your bike has a basket on it or not. Mine has a sweet little wicker basket, which I adore — great for just throwing things into. It also means you can take any kind of handbag you please.
If you’re basketless, your best option is a satchel or anything with a long strap. You can hang it diagonally across your body, & it will essentially be out of your way while you’re pedalling. I have approximately 10,000 satchels but this raspberry metallic satchel from the Cambridge Satchel Company is reigniting my love for them all over again! I also love it in patent yellow, fluoro lime green & metallic gold! Zatchels, who are — from what I can see — Cambridge Satchel Company’s main competitor, do the exact same bags with a variety of patterns. I like the floral print, black & white polka-dot, & reptile print! (They have a lot of other options too — have a look.)
Another good choice is a backpack. This simple wool backpack is cute in an understated, minimal kinda way, while this spring floral backpack is totally on the opposite end of the spectrum! I’m a fan of this LeSportSac x Joyrich leopard-print backpack, & this one is so simple & chic.
On practicality, & riding in high heels
Practicality is overrated! I don’t believe in riding in so-called “sensible shoes”. Maybe this is because I don’t own any, maybe it’s because I have a crazy deathwish, or maybe it’s just because I am contrary. Whatever the case, don’t be afraid of riding in heels! It can be done!
In fact, I’ve found that it is no trouble at all to ride in heels. I can give my personal stamp (ha ha, ho ho) of approval to the Sam Edelman Zoe (as seen above!) & Irregular Choice’s Tea & Cakes shoe! I’ve also ridden in sparkly Converse (yep, of course this works perfectly) & Dr Marten boots with heels. My everyday boots — the Frye Carmen Harness Short — are fab on a bike too. (I absolutely love them. Favourite boots EVER!)
Mostly, the key is to have a heel which you can hook over the back of the pedal. Wedges are tricky, simply because the surface is totally flat & you can’t really feel what you’re doing. Avoid wedges!
I have to admit, though, I haven’t tried cycling in my fetishy polka-dot Mary Janes, or my pink sparkly Louboutins. Well, even I have limits!
On riding around the icy tundra (or, the winter-times)
When the temperatures start to drop, the temptation is to bundle up, hail a taxi & let your bicycle collect cobwebs. The truth is, you can ride your bike almost the whole year, if you’re dressed appropriately!
Here are some items I suggest in your keeping-warm-on-the-bike arsenal…
Leather leggings
A thick scarf you can pull up over your mouth
Cashmere-lined leather gloves, or something equally decadent & cozy. P.S. I like to buy gloves from places like Century 21 or T.J. Maxx, they always have great deals!
Cashmere leggings
Merino wool layering pieces , like sweaters, turtlenecks & long tunics to keep your lower back covered!
A cute blazer (love that one, so Willy Wonka!) or jacket
A faux fur gilet
Riyoko have fleece-lined leggings in cute patterns!
Really, the trick is to wear super-warm layers. They don’t have to be thick & bulky. I love merino wool & Uniqlo’s HeatTech pieces for this purpose — they’re the thickness of a regular t-shirt but keep you really toasty. If you can keep your torso warm, you won’t need to wear a trillion layers & look like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man! Hooray!
You also don’t have to go out & buy all new things just to ride on your bike! One of my favourite blazers is an old velvet thing, it’s got tattered sleeves but I love it for topping off a cycling ensemble!
You might also want to check some of those shops for outdoorsy, adventure type people. I don’t really know what they’re called! However, they’re great for stocking up on thermal underthings, stuff made of Thinsulate, really warm hats, scarves, gloves, etc. They also often have “athletic” sections, so you might even find stuff made specifically for intrepid winter biking!
P.S. I love the Winter B-Icicle Challenge! We can do it!!!
On lovely extras & fancy accessories
When I went for my first official ride — i.e., not the time I rode it home from the shop — I rode up & down the East River Promenade. It’s quite lovely over there. There were lots of other people on bikes, too, & one who stood out to me. She was wearing a massive oversized black floppy hat, & a leather motorcycle jacket covered in spikes. She looked amazing, & grinned at me as we passed one another.
There are so many ways to look great on a bike. If you’re in search of some inspiration, Copenhagen Cycle Chic — & its international counterparts New York Cycle Chic, Paris Cycle Chic, London Cycle Chic, etc. — are good places to start. CCC have a great motto which is that anything you wear to walk around in, you can cycle in. So true! There’s also a guide to riding in winter, if you’re still anxious about doing so!
The internet is dangerous, though. The more I look around, the more cute bike-related stuff I find! I love this t-shirt: I cycle NY!
This bowler hat helmet is fabulous, but the cost is prohibitive, to say the least. I’m sure someone clever could DIY their own!
These women’s riding pants look pretty much perfect, too. I wish they had more sizes, though! What’s up with that?! Actually, pretty much everything in the Outlier shop is gorgeous.
When it comes to locking your bike up, if you live in a city like New York, you can’t mess around. I picked up a Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit Mini Bicycle U-Lock (ha! “Fahgettaboutit!”), & it has done the trick. A lot of cyclists in Manhattan ride around wearing enormous chains, which they later use to lock their bicycles up. (Do you remember when The Sartorialist thought bike chains as accessories should be the next big thing?!)
I love this idea, too: Catherine Strassman has created reflective scarves for cyclists. You can buy them here! Genius, right?!
If you need extra inspiration…
Check out this DIY polka-dot helmet! (A big YES to that!) Here’s a piece on cycling & self-esteem, as well as some DIY bike decorating tips from Let’s Go Ride A Bike. If you’re in NYC, you might appreciate Ride The City which plots the safest — & most efficient — bike paths. Rides A Bike is a cool collection of pictures of awesome people cycling, &
this is a modern take on the idea. If you look at Fashionising’s bicycle tag, you’ll see a bunch of good-looking people making cycling look fab, too!
Real people on real bicycles…
Of course, now I’m dying to go for a ride! Won’t you join me?!
Photos by Lydia Hudgens!
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inspirationAn Assortment Of Spooky Goodies To Delight Your Inner Goth!
[ 9 January 2012, 15:25 ]
You know, if you grew up listening to Bauhaus & Sisters of Mercy, it never really leaves you. Even though you may have moved on from the dog collars, PVC & eye of horus make-up of yore, a certain dark sensibility still lingers…
Do you think back on your goth day with a sense of nostalgia? Did you read books by Anne Rice & Poppy Z. Brite? (An aside: you can’t possibly enjoy Twilight if you’ve previously been introduced to Zillah.) Do you remember sitting in your friend’s room underneath a huge Bauhaus poster? Did you carry a black bag containing cheap black lipstick, a tattered notebook & crystals from the metaphysical store? Were all your friends much older than you? Did they buy you a pair of padded leather handcuffs for your 15th birthday… ?!
Maybe teenage gothdom didn’t affect you, but it could have touched someone you know! Even if your friend with the impeccable eyeliner won’t admit to ever having flirted with a goth phase, here are some things that are a dead giveaway: An obsession with Rick Owens; a fondness for Dr Marten boots; excited sniffing of the air whenever anyone smoking a Clove walks past; owning not just MAC Cosmetics’ Carbon, but a whole assortment of eye-shadow in varying shades of black; a feeling of tenderness towards Robert Smith, & your accidental discovery of their secret stash of ankhs & crucifixes!
Like I said: it never really goes away.
Maybe it’s the winter-time & all those bare trees, but lately I’ve been feeling the urge to goth it up. Just a little. Here are some of my favourite things from my recent window-shopping adventures, & here’s something to listen to while you peruse…
Sources: Pamela Love Antique Silver Cross Dagger Rosary; Charles Albert Skull Ring; Jessica Kagan Cushman Sugar & Spice Bangle; Alexis Bittar Druzy Droplet Gunmetal Bracelet; Jeffrey Campbell Revel; Marc by Marc Jacobs Dotty Snake Little Ukita Bag; Effy Collection Diamond Ring; Jeffrey Campbell Night Nail; Betsey Johnson Skull Boss Zip Around; Tom Binns Bejeweled Small Safety Pin Earrings; D&G Dolce & Gabbana Black Short Sleeve Lace Top; Pamela Love Small Pentagram Earrings; Betsey Johnson Lace Skull Clutch.
Sources: Gaga’s Workshop x Erickson Beamon Crystal Dangerous Liaisons Bracelet; ASOS Zatchels 13” Satchel; Topshop Premium Black (Faux) Fur Chevron Coat; Yves Saint Laurent Square-Frame Acetate Sunglasses; ASOS Cross Charms Ring; CC Skye Pave Stud Bracelet; Wolford Lace Art Tights; Topshop Dark Square Ring; Helmut Lang Asymmetric Knit Sweater; Gaga’s Workshop x Erickson Beamon Silver & Crystal Spike Drop Earring; ASOS Star Hard Case Clutch; Topshop Angst Tee By Tee And Cake; Topshop Stripe Full Circle Skirt; Japonesque Criss Cross Eyelashes; Iris Van Herpen X United Nude Iris Shoe Laced.
Maybe this treasury of “haute goth” items will reinvigorate your desire to go back to black! It’s so nice to see dark done so well. I think that goth done properly can look irresistibly chic & elegant. (Don’t hold onto that fishnet shirt forever!)
P.S. If you’re hankering for some “grown up goth” looks to emulate, some of my favourite dark dressers include Nubby Twiglet, Alicia Hannah Naomi & Nadia Bailey. (Babes.) This Pinterest board is gorgeous, too.
P.P.S. If you still get excited every time you hear The Cure playing in a store or public place, don’t worry: you’re not alone!
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inspirationThe Home Shopping Network... On Quaaludes
[ 8 January 2012, 22:53 ]
If Betty Draper lived in an alternate universe, this is how she would shop for clothes.1 Perfectly coiffed & immaculately presented, she’d teeter on the edge of her armchair, eyes fixed on the television set & glazed euphorically. Later, over supper, Don Draper would tell her his office couldn’t get through to her today. She’d look down at her dinner plate & neglect to tell him that she was on the telephone with the home shopping network for five hours.
Vogue Italia have done an incredible job creating this video. IF ONLY the home shopping network was as wonderful! As tongue-in-chic (ho ho! Fashion pun!) as it all is, it’s quite brilliant to be able to see the clothes moving. It’s a transformative experience.
I also think we need to pause for a second & talk about THAT HAT at 1:08! Some other favourites include 1:38 & 1:45. IT’S ALL SO BEAUTIFUL! I haven’t felt so excited about clothing in a long time. You can click through for the editorial itself which was shot by — who else? — Steven Meisel, but I think the video is better. It’s the music that does it for me, truly.
I just love the 1960’s on Quaaludes psychedelic feel of the whole thing. It makes me want to drink a martini & backcomb my hair until my arms go numb…
You know I don’t just post a video by itself very often — only when the subject at hand is very, very special. This qualifies. Drink it in with your eyeballs. Sweet dreams…
[1] Maximum points to Ashe who came up with this!
P.S. If you’re viewing this via email, there’s a video above which probably won’t appear! Click the title of the post to see it all in its full-colour glory!
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