this stuff ain't bad

both images via they all hate us

stuck in the middle

I've recently been obsessed with these envelope clutches I've been seeing out on the street. I'm not much of a handbag girl, so this is a grown up version of the simple, minimalist tote bag I usually carry around. Now I just can't make up my mind between these two beauties. What's your vote?

left: VellePurse, right: Patkas

rustic style

I love taking clean and modern design elements and adding a rustic touch. These items would do nicely to create a lived in, worn feel.

1. Vintage 1939 WPA poster, Vintagraph

2. Porcelain Kerr Jar Planter, Pigeon Toe Ceramics

3. Porch Swing Rock Collection, CoriKindred

4. Cowhide Rug, West Elm

5. Scavenger Pouch, Scout and Catalogue

small things

I'm going to be moving in a couple of months and am already tucking away little treasures for the new home. Here are a couple of things that will be making their way into my new kitchen. Looking at them just makes me happy!

top: LA CUCINA print. This old Italian saying translates to "A little kitchen makes a large home."

bottom: Christopher Stiles spinning salt and pepper shakers

footloose

My heart will always belong in the desert. Especially when spring and summer roll around, I get an itching for those open spaces and starry skies. For now I'll have to settle for infusing a little southwestern style into my wardrobe. These three babies are going to be landing in my closet real soon.

top to bottom: Vintage Darling, Santoki Vintage, Bygone Mister

DIY CHIC

I found this photo in my archives and it just made me happy. This was the result of a laugh fest at the office when my co-worker and I got this cheap bag as a free gift for our Teen Vogue subscription. Well, a little sharpie can make anything oh so chic. And now I have the Chanel handbag I've always wanted. Voila!

location scouting: Montana

Wow. I had such a great time in Montana over the holidays that I just can't get back into the swing of city life. No doubt these lovely picks will remind me of the beautiful Treasure State even when I'm battling the hustle and bustle of metropolitan living.

1. Pendleton Glacier National Park Blanket

2. Truly Madly Deeply Montana Tee

3. Montana sapphire

4. Filson wool tote bag

5. Sea of Bees Woodland Fantasy wolf ring

6. vintage Yellowstone National Park souvenir postcard book

what a cute couple

Currently wearing (and obsessing over) Butter London's nail lacquer in Rosie Lee. Would love to pair it with this sequin-fringe mini from J. Crew. to die for.

bike style: helmets

riding safely doesn't mean you can't ride in style

photo by The Sartorialist in University Place, NYC

Nutcase street helmet in Vanilla Sky, Bern Berkeley helmet in Matte Blue

what a cute couple

striped Tokyo tote from Rib and Hull + Cleo ring from Queens Metal

I want to hang this on my wall

Framework Poster

(via Swissmiss)

nerd alert!

I am hopelessly addicted to my iPhone. People with short attentions spans should not, under any circumstances, own an iPhone4. Yet I do, and I love it, perhaps too much, much to the chagrin of my friends and loved ones who are attempting to have human interactions with me while I'm texting, checking my email, online shopping...all at the same time.

Anyway, protecting my perfect little companion is crucial, since when I'm on the go I throw it in my giant handbag where it gets scratched by keys and pens. I recently lost my phone case, so I'm on the hunt for a new one. I have found so many lovely, stylish and unique designs that I'm having a terrible time choosing just one. Which is your favorite?

clockwise from top left: Pocketdogs cell phone case, wood engraved case from Grove Made,

Yellena James for Uncommon, leather Scandinavian case, gray wool herringbone case by Stash, Le Faust leather iphone cases in assorted colors

boys' club: bike style

As a companion piece to last week's bike style post, I decided to devote this one to the guys. Here are some bicycle related items I'm totally smitten with. There's nothing better than cute boys on bikes (except maybe cute boys with dogs, but I'll save that for another post).

clockwise from top left: Outlier clothing 4 Season OG Pant, Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne, Fjallraven Kanken Backpack, Knife & Saw Bike Shelf

bike style in los angeles

One of my least favorite aspects of Los Angeles is the lack of public spaces. Well, this Sunday, following the example of cities like New York and San Francisco, Los Angeles will shut down 7 miles of city streets in an effort to challenge the notion that automobiles rule the road. From 10 am to 3 pm, routes from East Hollywood into Boyle Heights will be closed to traffic, encouraging the community to reclaim these public spaces for anything from cycling to yoga to games of pick-up soccer. The event, known as CicLAvia, was inspired by the concept of the ciclovia, which is Spanish for bicycle path. Bogota, Colombia was the first city to host such an event three decades ago. Now each Sunday in Bogota, hundreds of thousands of people take to the temporarily car-free streets. Check out the CicLAvia map for the full route.

In anticipation of a day full of cycling without the threat of road rage fueled SUVs, I've been browsing my all time favorite cycling shop Adeline Adeline. Located in the Tribeca neighborhood of NYC, this shop eschews the high performance and fixed gear bike culture, instead focusing on "comfortable, relaxed riding for pleasure with an emphasis on the beautiful European city bikes that women ride in Copenhagen and other bike-centric cities." Before opening the doors to Adeline Adeline, owner Julie Hirschfeld was a successful graphic designer, and clearly she's translated her design expertise to the artfully curated selection of bicycles and accessories in the shop.

Whether you're a cyclist or not, it's impossible not to be enamored with these beautifully designed items.

from top to bottom: Pigeonco backpack, Brooks Hoxton wire basket, Linus Roadster Sport, Bicycle by David Herlihy, Bensimon canvas sneakers

hat's off

Someone once told me "I never trust a woman in a hat, chances are she's hiding something." While I can't attest to whether or not there's any truth to that statement, I can tell you that a good hat can make a woman utterly charming and irresistible, and a little mysterious. A recent trip to Oakland to visit my longtime BFF, and a quick glimpse of her growing vintage hat collection, and I was officially obsessed. Now I'm patiently waiting for the fall weather to arrive so I can bring out my favorite wide-brimmed felt hats.

from top to bottom: Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, Elizabeth Weinberg editorial shoot, Pierre Cardin Spring 2011 Collection, Jean Seberg in Breathless, musician Diane Birch, Alexa Chung, Urban Outfitters fedora, Jessica Simpson hat on Fashiontoast

bizarre love triangle

I've found myself in the middle of a love triangle of sorts: I've completely fallen for these two bicycle panniers...how is a girl supposed to choose?!

The Linus Market Bag has all the practical requirements. It's large enough to hold all my stuff, it rolls up when not in use, and it easily comes off the bike so it can do double-duty as my everyday tote bag. The Swiss Army panniers, on the other hand, just look soooo good, and they have so much character (I'm a sucker for anything vintage).

So...what's your vote?

four-eyes

When I first read about Warby Parker I thought it was too good to be true. I've been wanting a new pair of eyeglasses for so long, but just couldn't bring myself to shell out $500 for the pair of Oliver Peoples I had been lusting after. Warby Parker to the rescue! Now I can get stylish, affordable glasses and help out someone in need. Thanks to their innovative business model that eliminates the overhead of a brick and mortar retailer, Warby Parker offers quality frames and lenses in boutique styles for a mere $95. Plus, through their partnership with non-profit Restoring Vision, for every pair of glasses sold, Warby Parker donates a pair to someone in need.

me wearing my new Warby Parker Miles frames in Amber