Smitten Saturday

♥Girl Talk Kitty cats, I’m well aware of the fact that one is supposed to write about their secret loves within the pages of a diary; but I am taking the opposite approach. It is not what is inside my diary which I am most concerned about at the moment, but what is printed on the outside. And that mes chéris are the Erdem Girls. For quite some time now I have been in complete and utter awe of the whimsically romantic line drawings put forth by designer Erdem, and now I have the chance to take the Erdem Girls home courtesy of Smythson’s Erdem Girl Diaries. Each illustration is engraved and printed upon pristine goatskin leather which opens up to reveal printed silk lining; while two pages full of fashion illustrations by the designer himself add a fabulous bonus to the receiver. I already plan on sticking the Panama Diary within the folds of my handbag and toting it along with me everywhere I go; the Soho Diary, on the other hand, will be reserved for the makeshift office residing in my bedroom. The only thing to contemplate now? How on earth to scrounge up enough money to afford these lovelies. Santa, can you hear me?

♥Clutch-22 Dolls please do me a very important favor…don’t ever allow me to forget how torturous it is to find the ideal black clutch to tote along with me on those occasions when I decide to paint the town red. I have spent the past week tearing my hair out for a clutch that fits the bill, and come up completely empty-handed. Now, you know me for my love of big bags; but even I must admit that it’s difficult to dance the night away, or flirt with a cute boy, when you’re attempting to keep your eye on an oversized bag, or prevent it from hitting your prospective suitor in the gut while getting groovy on the dance floor. Therefore, a black clutch is essential – but a royal pain to uncover. Do you go for a piece that transforms into a small handbag complete with cutout handles like Nine West’s Fold Em Small Clutch? Search for a petite pouch like Felix Rey’s Love Letter Clutch? Go oversized with Alexander Wang’s Tina Zip Clutch? Or, is it as I suspected, a complete Catch-22 – utterly impossible to find a bit that is both beneficial and beautiful?

♥The Nose No matter the situation at hand, I find that Coco Chanel is always brimming with a quote or observation that is spot on, and applicable to whatever predicament you find yourself plagued with. Case in point, her thoughts on perfume – A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future and “Where should one use perfume?’ a young woman asked. ‘Wherever one wants to be kissed,’ I said. It is impossible not to agree with her musings, and realize that perfume, while invisible to the naked eye, is just as necessary and important as the clothes one accouters oneself with. The trouble is, finding one that suits you and your personality to a T. You want something that is unique, and tantalizing enough to intrigue cute boys once you have vacated a room; while being slightly subdued so as not to overwhelm one’s senses. It’s quite the difficult task, to be completely truthful – one that I have fallen victim to time and time again. Thus, I thought it only fair to share my secret weapon for selecting sublimity…How to Pick a Perfume Just Right For You. Darlings, cast aside all semblance of confusion and simply soak up Nasreen Rehmat’s advice on all things related to smelling yummy. Your perfume problems? Solved. Coco would be so proud!

♥Legging Love I’ve tried to keep the urges at bay for quite some time now, but I’ve finally become one of them. The girls with the confidence to don leggings as their sole piece of legwear; who embrace stretchy fibers as their pants-style of choice and wear them with complete and total disregard to the shocked looks upon the faces of strangers. And why shouldn’t I? I remember in the fourth grade that I virtually lived in leggings. Denim was not a part of my fashion vocabulary at that time – I was enticed only by elastic, and in a constant state of euphoria whenever accoutered in such a look. Thus, I see it only fair to relive those glory days once more, and incorporate the design into my everyday way of living. Only Hearts’ Poor Boy Rib Leggings would look heavenly tucked into a pair of faux leather over the knee boots and topped with a newly acquired red v-neck sweater and motorcycle jacket. A night of enchantment is guaranteed with M by Missoni’s sparkling Metallic Leggings, played up with an understated flowy tank that hits at the hip. And Splendid’s Modal Leggings would work all sorts of magic coupled with an asymmetrical top from Blue Life. Tell me darlings…how do you wear your leggings? Do you allow yourself to don short tops when outfitted in them, or do you prefer topping them with a tunic?

♥Call Me My BlackBerry is my BFF. I feel completely naked if she isn’t by my side 24/7, constantly available to assist me in sending text messages, or keeping up on the latest idle chatter involving my girlenas; but my beloved CC has sparked a new infatuation within. Last week she posed a question to her readers involving land lines in CC Phone Home, and instantly I was brought back to the technology of yesteryear. Non, I am not in possession of a land line – why should I be, I’m hardly home? But that doesn’t stop me from adoring the vintage flair of old-fashioned telephones. Not to use, mind you – simply for decorative purposes. I can’t help but feel like a cast member on the set of Valley of the Dolls with Crosley’s Kettle Classic Desk Phone sitting pretty by my bedside. The Princess Phone, in a perky bubblegum pink hue, possesses just enough retro, Old Hollywood glamour to make one feel like a buxom starlet sashaying down the Red Carpet on her way to a swanky film premiere when so much as glanced upon. And really, who in their right mind could resist the elegance put forth via The Sultan Desk Phone? Call me, kittens!

What were you smitten with this week?


Thanks to Couture Carrie and Shopbop for the pictures.