Smitten Saturday

♥Minty Fresh Darlings, believe it or not, it was not Chanel who turned me on to mint green nail enamel. Despite the fact that the Fall 2009 runway was full of 407 Jade, I ignored its presence. It was not until my beloved Liz from It’s Unbeweavable! started gushing over Essie’s Mint Candy Apple that I slowly began to develop an obsession with the hue; and now I am convinced that if I don’t have a bottle of my very own my holiday season is destined to be a complete failure! After all, how can one truly enjoy the Christmas season without a minty marvel speckling her fingers? The problem now lies in finding the perfect peppermint shade. While I would absolutely adore to easily snatch up Essie’s lovely, locating a bottle has proven quite difficult; therefore, the hunt is on for a color just as jaw-dropping. Do we go pale with Barry M’s Mint Green? Get gorgeous with L.A. Girl’s Gleaming? Make ourselves magnificent with Illamasqua’s vintage Milf? Or, should we do ourselves a holiday favor and allow our brains to rest for a bit by simply taking all three for a whirl? Ready to get minty?

♥Sketchy Characters Do you remember the days, kitty cats? The ones spent behind the desks in grade school when you would doodle in the margins of your notebook to pass the time and keep your heavy lids from closing and permitting you to drift off to slumberland right then and there? I remember those formative years all too well myself. Though they didn’t dissipate from my life after grade school. They continued on well into middle and high school; and, to be quite truthful, even plagued me during my college years. I can’t say that I have ever had a fabulous amount of talent for such tasks – it was always little more than a hobby. But it ingrained an adoration for sketches in my mind which has stuck with me ‘til this very day. Now, however, I prefer to see sketchy characters displayed upon t-shirts that can be dressed up or down, as opposed to college-ruled paper. Like Heritage 1981’s Many Faces Raglan Top, which would look adorable coupled with Converse and skinnies; or Forever 21’s Allume L’action Tee which is just screaming to be topped with a cropped blazer; or, for a cuter than cute twist to your wardrobe, Charlotte Russe’s Ballet Princess Tee which serves as a fabulous way to add a pinch of playful to the sophistication of a black bandage skirt. Don’t you want to spruce your t-shirt collection up with a few sketchy characters of your own, loves?

♥Have Teddy Will Travel I see no need in delving into my adoration of New York City. It has been rehashed time and time again; and by now you are all extremely well-versed in my passion for the Big Apple. Perhaps, however, you are unaware of where my love stems from. The bright lights and culture, of course, play a large part; but one of my favorite aspects of such a stunning locale comes courtesy of the many venues of public transportation available 24-hours a day, seven days a week. In Southern California such a luxury is virtually nonexistent; hence the reason this offering thrills me to no end. But alas, I am not yet in New York City; thus I will have to experience the tempting transit system in another way – like via stuffed animals. I’m not playing a game here, darlings, there is such a thing. The New York Transit Museum offers two ambrosial teddies – the New York Subway Map or the New York Route – each of which are adorned with designs of the gritty underground transportation system. Now really, why should one splurge on the typical I ♥ NY t-shirt when you can take a cuddly teddy home with you?

♥The Caped Crusader Kittens, as a child I did not harbor secret crushes on superheroes; while I always dreamt of being swept off my feet in a fairytale romance with a cute boy on a white Stallion, when it came to Batman, Robin, and Superman I wanted one thing, and one thing only from them…their capes. I have always felt that there is a mysterious quality to a person donning a cape; a hidden aspect to their personality lurking under that cloak of darkness waiting to be revealed. Therefore, I find it only fair that I should have one myself – and now is the perfect season for such accoutrement. Organic by John Patrick’s Swing Cape with Leather Piping has been the star of many of my dreams as of late thanks to the charcoal gray color which meshes two neutrals (black and white) into one heavenly piece of splendor. Derek Lam’s Cape in Beige Melange seems fully appropriate for the lady looking to add an element of equestrian flavor to her style du jour. The Zipper Cape from LnA contributes modernistic touches to a Victorian aesthetic via sassy silver hardware. And really, what better piece to be styled in for a carriage ride through the winter white snow than Erin Fetherston’s Double Breasted Cape? Tell me…are you ready to channel the caped crusader within?

♥Petite Pastries Perhaps one of the things I love most about the holidays is the smell of desserts baking – especially of the pie variety. Waking up to the aroma of apples and cinnamon and pumpkin and vanilla is a magical experience; one that, sadly, rarely occurs in my house unless a scented candle is burning. I suppose you could say that baking is no one in my family’s forte; consuming baked goods would be a more appropriate thought. But whole pies are truly not my style; I far rather prefer personalized pastries that are petite in size, and downright adorable – case in point, the Mini Apple and Pumpkin Pies from Williams-Sonoma. A total of twelve two-and-a-half inch pastries come in each set – six made from scrummy, crisp Granny Smith apples, six crafted out of pumpkin puree, and all topped with festive fall leaves made from buttery flaky crust. Just pop them from the freezer into the oven, then devour! Voila! Yumminess in mere moments – and ambrosial to boot! Don’t you want a petite pastry of your very own, kittens?

♥Hem and Haw I am guilty of making ridiculous decisions all for the sake of style. Given the fact that I am not the tallest girl on the block – rather, one of the shortest – I suffer from an inability to find pants that fit me in a normal fashion. They’re either too long, or too short; never do they fall into the in-between category of actually fitting my frame properly. Hence the reason I may or may not have attempted to staple the hem of my pants to a more agreeable length just a short time ago; a decision which resulted in utter disaster, complete humiliation, and quite a few cuts about my ankles. Not to mention an unsolved problem, to be sure; which is why my discovery of Hem Tape has left me riddled with absolute glee. No longer must I forgo a splendrous pair of pants based merely on the length, or go broke attempting to scoop up as many different denim cuts and styles as possible to keep my wardrobe current. Want to go cropped without going shopping? Simply roll your pants up and stick a piece of Hem Tape in place. Desperate to make your jeans fit appropriately whether worn with flats or pumps? Hem tape to the rescue! Hem Tape is the broke girls answer to an expensive tailor; and that’s nothing to hem and haw over!

What were you smitten with this week?


Fashionably yours!


Thanks to Luphia Loves… and Shopbop for the pictures.


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