Smitten Saturday

♥A Tisket, A Tasket, A Darling Little Basket How on earth the summer has managed to almost completely pass me by without even a mere stop at the beach to hunt for seashells along the shore; a jaunt – if only a brief one – to a quaint bed and breakfast; or an expeditious shopping spree at a newly-discovered mall. But here we are, in the throes of August, the air sultry and sticky about us, the fireflies emitting the last bit of their ethereal light, and the ripples in the lake growing still as everyone returns to the stringent schedules put forth by work and school. It is this time of year exactly, just as the summer is coming to an end, and right before the hustle and bustle of the holidays begin, when I think of bike rides. That’s right…bike rides. They seem so fitting for a farewell to the warmer months, and a friendly welcome to the fall and winter. But no bike ride is complete without a little wicker basket to place freshly-picked wildflowers, friendly puppies, and love letters from secret admirers. Currently on my radar? The European Market Basket from Cynthia’s Twigs; the Bicycle Basket from Nantucket Gift Company; and the Cisco Handlebar Basket – Classic from Nantucket Bike Basket Company. A tisket, a tasket, when will I get a darling little basket?

♥Matte About You Blame it on all those Knott’s Landing reruns I watched as a child; but when it comes to lips, I’m all about a high-shine, glossy wet look. When it comes to nails, however, I find myself lusting over a flat color that adds a chalky, rebellious edge to my polished style. Now, let it be known that, up until this very moment I have worn only glossy nail colors, but mattes are sending shivers up my spine, leading me to believe that they are a part of my future. First, I will have a little fun with KnockOut Cosmetics’ Concrete. Next I will take OPI’s Russian Navy for a spin. And to complete my foray into the world of mattes, I will peruse Zoya’s Dovima to bring out the vampy vixen within. Let it be known…I’m matte about you!

♥Stick It to the Man I’m really quite embarrassed to admit this, but I had a little situation at a Japanese restaurant a few short weeks ago that is still reverberating in my mind. It involved chopsticks, and my lack of skill in using them. One thing led to another, and I practically had to use my hands to eat the California Rolls I had ordered. The humiliation was so great that I have decided to prevent such shame from ever attacking me again; thus, I am investing in a pair of chopsticks that I can practice with at home. Of course, you know me…a splintered wooden pair simply won’t do; I have my eyes on a fashionable set that will surely prompt me to learn the tricks of the chopstick-using trade. My favorites? The feline embellished Maneki Neko Chopsticks; the feminine Cherry Blossom Chopsticks; the lipstick red Geisha Chopsticks; and the sleek Black with Silver Rabbit and Moon Chopsticks. With a little bit of discipline and drills perhaps I will soon be able to stick it to the man like a pro!
♥One Shoulder Love I won’t write it off as an ephemeral obsession of mine; or chalk it up to a flitting trend I’ve decided to track that is here today, gone tomorrow. This isn’t a monetary like, but a true adoration for something that will reside in my wardrobe long after the rest of the world has cast it aside. The one shouldered look. So much more seductive than a lot of leg; quite a bit more demure than the typical low-cut eyeful of décolletage; a one-shouldered style is smoldering and sassy while retaining polished class and savoir faire; which is why my closet simply must be mottled with pieces that fit the alluring criteria. The cleverly-crafted Free People Drapey One Shoulder Top in Snow is the quintessential way to keep all eyes on you. LnA’s One Shoulder Dress in Crimson is the quintessential going-out frock that will have cute boys sending drink after drink to your candlelit corner table. Juicy Couture’s One-Shoulder Dress with its horizontal blue and white Bar Harbor stripes and rope-like tie-waist is a casual slip-on which simply screams for a posh Nantucket country club surrounding. And there’s no question in my mind that the Pencey One Shoulder Tee paired with a boyish straw fedora is a prerequisite for a day of fun in the sun. Go ahead, feel the wind on your shoulder, darlings!

♥Mark My Words Today I’m bohemian. Yesterday I was trendy. Tomorrow I’ll be rebellious. I have no one style. I go wherever my mood takes me, as does my wardrobe. In the morning I’m a fierce fashionista. In the afternoon I’m a Grecian goddess. In the evening I’m an old-fashioned screen siren. For so many varied personalities and ideations when it comes to outfitting my form, it’s nearly impossible to pinpoint one line of accessories that can jump from one dressiness to another while still making a statement. The Marquis & Camus Collection by Sarah Kang can. During my damsel in distress days I turn to the Victorian Romance Collection. My movie star moments are flecked with pieces from the Red Carpet Collection. My old-fashioned revolutionist is adorned with the Victorian Rebel Collection. The Lt. Camus Collection comes about during my combative phases. Modern Rebel is synonymous with my flashes of all-black ensembles and teased hair. And there’s no mistaking my happy-go-lucky instances, for it’s always dusted with pieces from the Joker Collection. There’s a Marquis & Camus piece for every mood or style…mark my words.

♥Stoop Sale I’m not a garage sale kind of girl. I’m much more in my comfort zone when skimming the racks at Forever 21 or the elusive Bloomingdale’s than when I’m on my hands and knees digging through a pile of someone else’s tainted goods. Regardless, I’ve found myself infatuated with a sale of a different type…stoops. Not to be confused with East Hampton’s pristine Scoop NYC; a Stoop Sale is the city girls answer to the quite common suburbanite garage sales that seemingly pop up each and every weekend. I’m not making this up either. I read all about them in New York magazine (be still my heart) in a piece by Sam Jewler entitled Put Your Stoop to Work, which has left me obsessed. There’s something so much more…exclusive; aristocratic; upper crust, about a Stoop Sale. Perhaps it’s simply the atmosphere, or the way the words Stoop Sale roll off the tongue and lead you to believe that you’re being invited into a chosen clan of sorts, but the idea has become emblazoned in my mind. Oh, how I long to attend one!

What were you smitten with this week?


Fashionably yours!


Thanks to Phil Poynter Photography and Free People for the pictures.


Don't forget to enter the Boys! Boys! Boys! Giveaway for your chance to win three (3) pairs of colorful boyshorts from Bjorn Borg.