Thursday Purseday: In need of an outfit

How do you plan what you're going to wear for the day? Do you carefully lay out your clothes and accessories the night before?

I wait until I wake up, until I'm in danger of being late to figure out what I'm going to wear. This morning I woke up wanting to sport buttery carmel accessories, specifically these shoes and this purse.

Shoes by Joyce of California, circa 1970s, Purse by John Romain, 1967; More photos on Flickr.

The problem? I'm not sure what to wear them with. I've come up with a totally not work appropriate and very unique style (grey ribbed tank top with greenish Italian torn up jeans) that I might try another time, but so far I'm drawing a blank for work.

What outfit would you pair with these shoes and purse?

Tuesday Shoesday: Telling a Shoe Story

I'm a big fan of letting your girls choose their own shoes. There's just something about variation on a color theme that I like. For our wedding, it was great getting emails with shoe finds from the girls. Not only did I get to shop for my shoes, I was able to vicariously shop for theirs.

Credits: Dove gray shoes were designed by Jess, the bride, inspired by "Randee" from Badgley Mischka. Groom's shoes are by Salvatore Ferragamo. All shoe shots photographed by Rebecca of Docuvitae. Shoe story found on La Petite Coquin.

On the day of our wedding, I hadn't really thought about the shoe shots I wanted. If you're obsessed with shoes, here are some shots you might want to include on your list:

• Bride's shoes
• Bride's shoes with her maids' shoes
• Bride putting on her shoes
• Bride's feet
• Bride and her attendants' feet
• Bride and groom's feet
• Groom's shoes
• Groom's feet
• Groom and his attendants' feet

Any other shoe shots that should be on a bride's list?

For more #TuesdayShoesday goodness, check out these other blogs:

Bellwether Thoughts, Blush Printables, Brancorpa,

Demoiselle, La Petite Coquin, Landlocked Bride, 

Life in the Super Burbs, Magnolia Rouge, Marry You Me, 

Meant to be Sent, Merci New York, Niche White, 

Peach Bride, Postcards & Pretties, A Realistic Wedding, 

Santa Barbara Chic, Simply & Forever, and Swatchbook Weddings.

Thursday Purseday: Refined Straw

Is it Spring yet? Rain is good for an area with constant drought conditions, but I'm personally tired of the grey skies. My pick for today for sunnier, warmer weather.

The Finds: Floral Embellished Straw Editorial Natalie, Coach, $498; Kinetic Art Top, ModCloth, $39.99; Aviator Short, bebe, $69; Floral Patent-Leather Thong Sandal, Donald J Pliner, Neiman Marcus, $265.

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, 

Peach Bride, Pearls for Paper, A Realistic Wedding, 

Sparkle & Hay, and The Unreal Bride.

Tuesday Shoesday: A New Take on Cowboy Boots

I'm a sucker for boots so when I saw this shoe shot on Ruffled last week, I knew I had to share it.

Credits: Photographed by AbiQ Photography, spotted on Ruffled

And then I started thinking. About what? About shoe shots, specifically of his shoes - the groom's shoes. 

How many times in a recap do you see the groom's shoes? Often times a groom purchases new shoes for the wedding and care has gone into the choice. So today's Tuesday Shoesday post is for the boys. Here are some shoe shots that caught my attention.

Credits (left to right): Photographed by Carolyne Gerszegi Photography, spotted on Brenda's Wedding Blog; Photographed by Polly Alexandre spotted on Once Wed; Shoes by Nike ID, photographed by Morgan Trinker Photography, spotted on The Bride's Cafe. 

Are you planning on featuring your groom's shoes on their own? Why or why not?

Thursday Purseday: Papaya with Saffron

My passion for yellow - Saffron - in this case continues. Ever since I saw Kate Spade's Spring 2011 advertisements with Bryce Dallas Howard I've been loving the pairing of yellow and pink - in this case Papaya. How cute are these shopping bags by BAGGU?

Reusable Totes by Baggu (Saffron available from Endless or Tags.com)

Such a bright and cheery way to go shopping. I also love that they fold up into a 5"x5" square and can be easily tucked into a purse. With the ability to hold up to 50 pounds, bags tearing and eggs falling to the ground around me will be a thing of the past. I'm not sure if cubes would be willing to carry such vibrantly colored shopping bags for me though.

Maybe I should just satisfy my appetite for color with the bags from Kate Spade that Bryce is sporting? She's wearing the Melody dress, $445, with Essex Small Scout bag, $295, and Essex Scout bag, $395,
all from Kate Spade New York.

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, 

Peach Bride, Pearls for Paper, A Realistic Wedding, 

Sparkle & Hay, and The Unreal Bride.

Tuesday Shoesday: Put a Bow or Three on It

You know me when it comes to bows. Love them! When I stumbled across these beauties on Pink Lemonade (unable to find the credits), I was in love. After some Googling, I discovered they were designed by Chloé (and have since sold out). How gorgeous would these be on a bride's feet?

Bow Embellished Crystal Suede Shoes, Chloé
(retailed for $1,290  according to Net-A-Porter)

Image courtesy of Avenue7

For more #TuesdayShoesday goodness, check out these other blogs:

Bellwether Thoughts, Blush Printables, Brancorpa,
Demoiselle, La Petite Coquin, Landlocked Bride, 
Life in the Super Burbs, Magnolia Rouge, Marry You Me, 

Meant to be Sent, Merci New York, Niche White, 

Peach Bride, Postcards & Pretties, A Realistic Wedding, 

Santa Barbara Chic, Simply & Forever, and Swatchbook Weddings.

Well Hello Yellow

When looking for purses for my upcoming honeymoon I came across this basket weave handbag with mustard yellow leather accents. And last night at the mall as I walked by the Kate Spade store, the Hello Yellow window display brought it back to mind. I'm not typically a fan of yellow, but these sandals and accessories have me rethinking my stance.

What do you think about yellow? Take it or leave it?

The Finds: Amber Tantivy Thong, Cole Haan, $98, Zappos; 21" necklace, $12, Vintage Chics; Bakelite Bangles, $65, KatcherrFancy Vintage Jewelery; Solid State Travel Clock Radio, c.1960s, Aimor, $19.99,  Juniper Home Vintage; 9" long x 6" high x 4" wide, Retro Yellow Mustard Basket Weave Handbag, Amanda Smith, $39, Lilies of the Valley Vintage; 17.5mm Buttons, $3.00, Orit Dotan.

Crazy for Stripes

Today's Tuesday Shoesday post isn't really about shoes. It's about what goes on your feet before they go in your shoes: socks. More specifically, striped socks.

I can never have enough striped socks in my dresser. Or socks that come just below my knee. Why? Boots. I love boots. I wear them almost 90% of the time. Ankle socks in boots don't ever seem to stay on my foot. As I walk the socks start inching their way past my heel and towards my toes. I don't know why. New socks, as well as old socks, do this. And it bugs me. I can't stop, sit down on the sidewalk, remove my boot, and adjust my sock every block or so. Well I could, but I'd get a lot of people looking at me oddly. On second thought, in San Francisco no one would probably even notice, but the prospect of touching my bare feet on well traveled sidewalks just turns my stomach.

Today as I got ready for work I noticed that I was a little short on warm socks. Socks that would fit in my dressy boots - those boots I wear to the office, on a date, or around town. (I have tons of warm socks for my wandering boots - those boots I wear when foraging for mushrooms, working in a warehouse on an art project, and hiking through forests.) So I started searching for new socks. Stripes were on the brain courtesy of Design*Sponge's Best of Stripes post.

As I was searching, guess what I found? Those elusive purple and black striped socks that I'd wanted our boys to wear for the wedding. Even more perfect about these socks? They're unisex. I could have worn them and the boys could have worn them. Can you imagine the shoe shot? Bride flanked by a pair of boys on each side.

If you're looking for striped socks, here are some options. I regularly shop at Sock Dreams and Multikulti for my socks. I just purchased some socks from Fugwee and we purchased the socks for our wedding party from The British Apparel Collection, Ltd.. None of these vendors have paid to be mentioned, I've just been incredibly happy with the socks we've gotten here and wanted to share with you.

The Finds (left to right): Unisex Cotton/Lycra Stripe Socks, $11 ea., Fugawee; Men's Cashmere Stripe Socks by Punto, $45, The British Apparel Collection, Ltd; Men's Uma Regenerated Cotton/Polyester Stripe Crew Socks, $11, Sock Dreams; Women's Ixchel Regenerated Cotton/Polyester Striped Over the Knee Socks, $15, Sock Dreams.

Where do you shop for socks? Any tips for finding purple?

Thursday Purseday: Organizing One's Thoughts

A place for everything, everything in its place.

- Benjamin Franklin according to Quote Gallery

When we were planning our wedding, my organizer went with me everywhere. My organizer was a journal with lined paper, a few fabric and ribbon swatches, and a handful of 4x6 inspiration cards. Everything fit perfectly in my purse (I had a purse large enough to conceal a Canon 5D with zoom lens).

I saw this bag captured on the streets of New York and immediately thought how great it would be to hold my current journal/notebook, camera, colored pencils, and more.

Credit: HB Nam, StreetFSN, New York Fashion Week, Day 5

I don't know why well-loved, aka "Distressed," bags call to me. I think there's just a casual style that implies being able to pick and go at a moment's notice. (When I was single I had a bag with canvas, paints, and brushes, and a change of clothes stashed in my car. There were many a weekend I just picked a direction and drove until I found a spot that inspired me.)

What are your favorite bags for organizing your gear? 

Here are some of the bags that I'm dreaming of.

The Finds: Chocolate Brown Backpack from Trustfund 21, $38; Black Backpack from Trustfund 21, $52.

The Finds: Coach Station Bag from Omnia Wears, $75 (not pictured $42.50 from The Well Seasoned Nest); Rina Rich Satchel from Shop Thrifted, $50; Hunt Club Satchel from Skinny and Bernie, $60.

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, 

Peach Bride, Pearls for Paper, A Realistic Wedding, 

Sparkle & Hay, and The Unreal Bride.

Fashion Friday: High Society (1956)

Searching for inspiration to complete your 1950s vintage look? Settle down with a style icon for an afternoon. 

Last week I wanted to be Audrey Hepburn. This week I'm dreaming of being Grace Kelly. (Hint next it'll be Katherine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story. High Society is a musical remake of that film.)

Credits: Layered Chiffon Ball Gown with Rhinestones and Pink and White Embroidered Flowers, designed by Helen Rose (Source: Annie Couture's Fashion and Costume Designers of the Twentieth Century Hubpage) and sold in 2007 for $220,000. Grace Kelly and Bing Crosbie, High Society (1956) via Vintage Culture. Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra, High Society, (1956) via Style Matters. Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra, High Society (1956), via Vintage Culture.

Click here to see more of Grace Kelly's costumes as well as other clothing designed by Helen Rose.

Where do you go for inspiration? Who are your favorite mid-century designers?

Thursday Purseday: Pink Kelly Bags

I love adding a dash of color to my outfits. My favorite purse at the moment is a vintage pink purse I picked up for my trousseau. Here are some Kelly bags that I think would accent a going away outfit nicely.

The Finds: Hermes Kelly 22cm Pink Handbag, $235 (originally $376); Vintage A. Miss America by Smartaire Handbag, $84, from Mod Human Vintage; Andrew Geller Purse, $25, from Retro Impressions.

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, 

Peach Bride, Pearls for Paper, A Realistic Wedding, 

Sparkle & Hay, Swatchbook Weddings,
and The Unreal Bride.

Fashion Friday: Funny Face (1957)

I grew up watching KQED and more than anything I wanted to be Jo Stockton, the character played by Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face. I wanted my moment.

Which moment? This one when she's discovered her sense of style and grace and exclaims to a befuddled Fred Astaire, "Take My Picture! Take My Picture!" Of course, the moment I remember isn't really in the movie. You see, I merged dialog from a different part of the movie with this outfit.

Credits: mptv Images via IMDb: 38 and 36 of 98.

I hadn't thought of this movie for years. Then a few weeks ago, I found this vintage Christian Dior evening coat and imagined myself in it as Jo in Funny Face, sweeping down the marble staircase with the coat billowing behind. Since then I've been on the look out for the perfect dress which this week I finally found.

Credits: Black Satin and Stretch Lace-up Boots by Balmain, $1,036 ($1,295 Retail) from Bluefly;
Black Taffeta Evening Coat by Christian Dior, late 1960s - early 1970s, $5,800 from Vintage Textile; Pale Pink Chiffon Dress by Valentino, $3,450 ($5,225 Retail) from StyleBop; Camelia Ring in 18K White Gold and Onyx, Large Version, by Chanel; Elisia Necklace by Bulgari.

I envy fashion stylists and photographers. They get to create these dreams and bring them to life, even if just for a brief moment.

Thursday Purseday: An American in Paris

A couple of weeks ago I discovered Haleigh's blog, "Making Magique." Haleigh was "conceived in Canada; raised in California, and destined for Paris."

My pick for today is not so much a purse as her entire blog. I mean what girl doesn't dream of growing up and living in Paris? Gigi (Amazon link). Funny Face (Amazon link). An American in Paris (Amazon link). I want to be Haleigh when I grow up. Until then, I'm going to dream.

If you haven't seen Haleigh's blog, it's a visual delight, full of lots of ideas for engagement shoots.

Credits: Alice Les Metamorphoses for Making Magique

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, 

Peach Bride, Pearls for Paper, A Realistic Wedding, 

Sparkle & Hay, Swatchbook Weddings,
and The Unreal Bride.

My Favorite Things #4

Naomi's twist on her TuesdayShoesday post reminded me of the tangle of shoes I had tossed in my closet up until a few weeks ago. With statement shoes in vogue and more art than function why not display them?

Credits: Leon spotted on Enchanted Dream Weddings; Bolaget Fastighetsformedling discovered on decor8. 

This idea of displaying shoes, set my imagination in motion. I immediately thought of a Cinderella-inspired engagement session in a shoe store or cobbler shop.

Back to reality and to my "Get Organized. Stay Organized." resolution. A wall of shoes would definitely keep me organized. The downside? cubes would go crazy if I dedicated an entire wall of our apartment to shoes, but the neatly arranged column of shoes might work. I have some lovely vintage black pumps and slippers that need to be admired.

Tuesday night while dining at Puerto Allegre, I saw a television ad for a replica of Kate Middleton's engagement ring. So what's a girl to do? Start dreaming again of course.

The Finds: Pink Rosette Handbag from Windsor, $35.90, spotted on The Charity Wedding; Friedrich Blue Enamel with Gold Chain Necklace from Fashion Rerun,$34; Christian Dior from Sweet n Sour Vintage, $400; Ste. Lazare Angora Cardigan from Mademoiselle Coco, $75; Natural Fancy Pink Pear Cut Diamond Engagement Ring from Weston Jewelry, $21,999 spotted on Classic Bride; Valentino Bow Pump from Nordstrom $745.

Of course Cinderella would be wearing vintage Christian Dior when her prince slid the gorgeous fancy pink diamond on her hand. Anyone else out there create stories for outfits? Or is it just me? I love having friends get dressed up and play act while I photograph them.

We've got a lot coming up next week on the blog. On Monday, we recap our cocktail reception. On Wednesday, tune in for the second in our Pampering the Groom series. Thursday will have the long awaited DIY vintage-inspired stamps (had some technical difficulties with my scanner).

Thursday Purseday: Covered in Fur

First there were feathers. Then there was faux snakeskin. Now? Fur, of course. Mink. Weasel. And Rabbit.

Where to Find the Look: Christian Louboutin Eden Vision Fur Ball Clutch from Saks Fifth Avenue, $1,395, Fendi Black Velvet Fur Ruffle "Spy" Bag from BlueFly, $2,990 on sale for $2,032.99.

Where to Find the Look: Rabbit Fur Handbag with Pink Handle from La Vintage Amor, $45; Morris Moskowitz Mink Fur Handbag from Vintage Arcana, $74.99.

What's your stance on fur? Love vintage? Hate new?

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, Magnolia Rouge,
Peach Bride, A Realistic Wedding, Sparkle & Hay,
Swatchbook Weddings and The Unreal Bride.

Thursday Purseday: Feminine Wiles

Last week I fell in love with these booties with ruffles. When I saw this hobo from Tory Burch, I just knew the two were meant to be together.

What do you think? Does this soft neutral outfit work for you?

Amanda Hobo by Tory Burch, $465; Necklace by White House | Black Market, $58; Yes You Pecan Top by ModCloth, $69.99; Skirt by Robert Rodriguez, $385; Shoes by Charlotte Russe; $40.

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, Magnolia Rouge,
Peach Bride, A Realistic Wedding, Sparkle & Hay,
Swatchbook Weddings and The Unreal Bride.

Tuesday Shoesday: Pink for Valentine's

A little something for everyone - classic elegance and fun and flirty.

Where to Get the Look: RSVP Rozzee Zappos.com, $49; Valentino Bow Pump from Nordstrom $745; Burberry Check Ballet Flats from Bloomingdale's $250.

I could totally see an engagement session where the couple step out for a night on the town at Harry Denton's Starlight Lounge here in the city. Or spend an afternoon at the boardwalk.

For more #TuesdayShoesday goodness, check out these other blogs: 

Bellwether Thoughts, Brancorpa, Demoiselle, 

La Petite Coquin, Landlocked Bride, Life in the Super Burbs, 
Little Miss Bride to Be, Magnolia Rouge, Marry You Me, 
Meant to be Sent, Merci New York, Niche White, 
Peach Bride, Postcards & Pretties, A Realistic Wedding, 

Santa Barbara Chic, Simply & Forever, and Swatchbook Weddings.

Thursday Purseday: Electric Blue

When it's cold and grey out, who wouldn't want a little blue? This lovely faux snakeskin clutch and matching pump has captivated me since the White House | Black Market catalog arrived earlier this week.

Where to Get the Look: White House | Black Market Clutch $38, Shoes $98

For more lovely #ThursdayPurseday picks, check out these other blogs:

Brancorpa, Demoiselle, Magnolia Rouge,
Peach Bride, A Realistic Wedding, Sparkle & Hay,
Swatchbook Weddings and The Unreal Bride.

Tuesday Shoesday: Booties with Ruffles

I love ruffles, peep toes, and boots. Here are some of the booties that I'm envying right now.

The Finds (left to right): Unique Vintage $34; Urban OG $25.90; Charlotte Russe $40;
Nine West $89, now $49.99; and Wet Seal $29.50.

Anybody know if they make cute booties with a heel I could walk in?

For more #TuesdayShoesday goodness, check out these other blogs: 

Bellwether Thoughts, Brancorpa, Demoiselle, 

La Petite Coquin, Landlocked Bride, Life in the Super Burbs, 
Little Miss Bride to Be, Magnolia Rouge, Marry You Me, 
Meant to be Sent, Merci New York, Niche White, 
Peach Bride, Postcards & Pretties, A Realistic Wedding, 

Santa Barbara Chic, Simply & Forever, and Swatchbook Weddings.