Fiction to Fashion: Angelmaker

I just found this totally awesome website that uses books and their covers to create fashion inspiration boards. I just LOVE this idea. So I decided to create one for the incredibly badass book by Nick Harkaway that I finished a few days ago. Angelmaker is a little bit steampunk, a little bit art deco, and a lot of classy criminal cool (yes, that is a thing; read the book). I started working on a fashion board for the hardcover and ended up with one for the paperback as well.

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The Kensington Satchel | $198 at Madewell
Citizens of Humanity Corduroy Jeans in Cumin | $95 at Piperlime
Like a Boss-y Jacket | $180 at ModCloth
Bumble Honey Bee Entomology Earrings | $28 at Etsy
Sabine Boudoir Sequin Cami | $75 at Piperlime
Steve Madden Troopa Boots | $100 at Piperlime
Steampunk Clockwork Ring | $145 at Etsy

What I love about the era that Angelmaker inspires is its decadence, its boldness. Fashion of the time wasn’t afraid to wear black and brown in the same outfit or pair gold and silver accessories. Below is the fashion board I put together for the paperback edition:

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Tartine Satchel | $325 at J. Crew
Sabine Pear Shaped Drop Earrings | $22 at Piperlime
20 Gauge Thin Winchester Brass Bullet Necklace | $25 at Etsy
Rhyme Los Angeles Studded Vegan Leather Jacket | $89 at Piperlime
Chinese Laundry Danger Zone Cap Toe Pumps in Jade | $89 at Piperlime
Fan Favorite Dress | $53 at ModCloth

Nick Harkaway’s crime-filled adventure novel is sharp, innovative, and well-told. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, complex though it seemed at times, and some of the images were so clear in my mind, I felt like I was watching a movie (on that note, a movie version of this story would be killerrrr). I recommend it to fans of tommy guns, smart, sensual women, blind pugs, despicable Asian villains, clockmakers, trains, espionage, leagues of classy criminals, underground London, and automata. Yeah, I know.

Best Dressed at the 2013 SAG Awards

I’m not a huge awards show person, mainly because I’m not a huge TV/movie person… at least not in a timely fashion. I never watch TV actually on TV, and I go to 3 times the midnight showings than regular trips to the movie theater (the theory being if I’m not super excited to see the movie, then I can wait for it to come to Netflix).

However, I do enjoy the red carpet fashion, and the SAG Awards on Sunday, as usual, ran the gamut. My far and away favorite of the night, though, was Marion Cotillard. She is an unbelievably classic beauty no matter what she’s wearing, but her fashion sense appears to be impeccable as well. The Dior she wore was richly elegant and simple enough to look effortless. Her makeup, hair, accessories, and shoes flawlessly rounded out the outfit with subtlety and class, serving to feature the dress rather than detract attention from it. And the color of her eyes matched the color of the skirt perfectly, which just makes her all the more stunning. LOVE love love. (Especially the pockets!)

hair and makeup

the dress

Other winners of the night’s fashion parade in my opinion included Amanda Seyfried and her dramatic mermaid gown, January Jones rockin’ the Bowie hair, and Helen Hunt with her silver sequins.

BHLDN

I am a great lover of beautiful things, and I’m not very discerning when it comes to types of beauty – I love beautiful stories, beautiful words, moments, scenes, cuisine, landscapes, art, music, people, and clothes (to name a few). And I like to share the beautiful things I discover in this world. As they open windows onto my life and filter light into my world, I hope they can do the same for someone else.

So, I have no idea what it stands for, but BHLDN is my new favorite click-through-and-drool-over-things-I-can’t-have site. It’s mostly a wedding website, but the jewelry and shoes and dresses and things aren’t necessarily bridal, although they are still rather expensive, hence the looking and not buying (yet). As you may be able to guess, the first section that caught my eye was the shoes. And just look – beautiful.

young at heart

contrasting patterns/textures

fall-colored t-straps... yes, please

mad men(!)

And of course, the jewelry is lovely too:

oh-so feminine

ribbons, huzzah!

The dresses and gowns are incredibly gorgeous as well, but I’m not getting married, so I do my best to steer clear. Also, see their fascinators. Can’t. Get. Enough.

Additions to My Closet: Shoe Edition

I’ve noticed something about my frequent purchases lately… other than food, drink, gasoline, music/live events, and bills, the majority of what I buy falls into one of two categories: books or shoes. I thought I’d share (read: brag about) my recent acquisitions of the latter.

First, the Evergreen Essential heels, which came from the ever-lovely ModCloth. I am totally smitten with that color.

saving grace = hidden platform

Next are my new patent beige pumps. No, I did not have a pair of beige-colored shoes before now. Yes, I realize now how much I was missing. I wear these shoes practically once a week. These beauties are from Target.

my new go-to heel

And last are those I’m probably most excited about – the Earth Meets Sky Flats (from ModCloth as well). These guys haven’t even come in yet, but I plan on wearing them out.

is it possible to wear a shoe 24/7?

Fabulous May Footwear

My most recent shoe purchase was a particularly fabulous one, if I do say so myself. It was also made quite impulsively, late in the night and after a glass of wine or two. Needless to say, the fabulous part was a lucky break. And like many of my online footwear purchases, this one was also from the infamous and dangerously addictive ModCloth.

lemony and adorable

Now, if I had significantly more money lying around than I actually do, the following would be next on my list (all ModCloth, again (They really should be compensating me for all the horn-blowing I do for them.)):

quite Memorial Day picnic-y

a day at the beach, perhaps?

dinner for two; table on the patio, please

a Saturday morning stroll around the farmer's market

I just adore fashion that is so marvelously appropriate for its season. And summer shoes, well, they’re the best.