There are a number of reasons that I miss England on a daily basis, but postage stamps don’t generally rank in the Top Ten–that is, until today.  These Great British Fashion Stamps from the Royal Mail are so good I wouldn’t want to post them–unless I had multiple sheets, [...]]]>

There are a number of reasons that I miss England on a daily basis, but postage stamps don’t generally rank in the Top Ten–that is, until today.  These Great British Fashion Stamps from the Royal Mail are so good I wouldn’t want to post them–unless I had multiple sheets, and even then maybe only to myself.  Oh, pretty, pretty please, won’t someone send me these?  I’ll love you forever!

Thank Goodness Fashionologie posted these large images–the details are just delicious

scanned from an old issue of Gourmet magazine*

I’ve had this old Mercedes Benz ad in the queue for awhile, but am only just getting around to posting it after being inundated by the Jon Hamm-voiced commercials that have been running during Mad [...]]]>

scanned from an old issue of Gourmet magazine*

I’ve had this old Mercedes Benz ad in the queue for awhile, but am only just getting around to posting it after being inundated by the Jon Hamm-voiced commercials that have been running during Mad Men.  This is probably the one I like best, with each new model over-taking its predecessor along the road (though after a half-dozen consecutive viewings trying to embed the thing I’m pretty sure I won’t need to see it again any time soon), but I have to confess I find it a little misleading; try as they might, I don’t quite think it’s possible to surpass the beauties above, any of which I would be all too happy to drive today.

Personally I’m partial to the 1955 300SL Gullwing (top left), with the classic 1935 500K (bottom right) to take out on weekends, but I’m sure I wouldn’t actually be that choosy (come to think of it, I wouldn’t object to the estate attached to the driveway either).  What about you–would you be able to play favorites among this distinguished group?

*The second page of this spread feature the “Next Generation” of Mercedes’ offerings at the time, but I’m really only interested in these golden oldies; I’m sure you’ll understand. And if you don’t, click through to see the full-size image. It’s pretty persuasive.
]]> http://www.stylingsltd.com/2012/05/15/the-elders/feed/ 0 http://www.stylingsltd.com/2012/05/15/the-elders/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stylings/~3/9gaSJzzHNHM/ http://www.stylingsltd.com/2012/05/11/a-little-offer/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 16:42:31 +0000 lvs http://www.stylingsltd.com/?p=3347

Over the last few days I’ve had the great pleasure of playing fashion matchmaker, finding happy homes for forsaken footwear.  This little enterprise sprang into being when, in the course my avid thrift-store prowling (it’s basically the only shopping I do here in the desert), I found a pair [...]]]>

Over the last few days I’ve had the great pleasure of playing fashion matchmaker, finding happy homes for forsaken footwear.  This little enterprise sprang into being when, in the course my avid thrift-store prowling (it’s basically the only shopping I do here in the desert), I found a pair of beautiful shoes that didn’t fit, but were too incredible a bargain to pass up.  I posted their picture to Instagram in the hopes that someone else might share my enthusiasm (if not my shoe size), and low-and-behold, people did.  I became convinced the thing was kismet when a later trip turned up another little treasure, which I was able to offer to an unrequited suitor of my first find.  Those little lovelies are already on their way to their new home.

Thus was born a beta-test for a potential business venture here at stylings: a boutique shopping service, specializing in luxury goods at unbearably low prices.  What do you think?  Would you be interested in such a thing?  What about participating in the beta-test?  Gals & guys, I’d really appreciate your feedback on this, so shoot me an email or leave your thoughts in the comments.

And of course, A Million Billion Thank Yous to my first two lovely beta-testers–I’m so jealous of you ladies, I can’t even say.

You may have noticed–if you’ve been here for more than 50 seconds–that we are kind of book people (see also: hard core bibliophiles). As such, we tend to have, well, quite a large number of [...]]]>

You may have noticed–if you’ve been here for more than 50 seconds–that we are kind of book people (see also: hard core bibliophiles). As such, we tend to have, well, quite a large number of books living with us at any given time, in any given domicile (ask P to tell you sometime about the percentage of his wardrobe that remained in England because our books took priority packing space on the move back). And while I’ve begun to get the impression that stacks and stacks of books are quite a popular idea for décor (thanks, pinterest), I somehow cannot manage to replicate these beautifully styled shelves in my own life. The reality is that I have too many books to make their pretty arrangement a priority; first and foremost, I have to just get them on the shelves. Though it pains me to say it–and goodness knows how I try–my shelves will simply never be pretty.

I know, I know–it looks charming here, but I’m told tubs aren’t actually for storage–apparently we’re meant to bathe in them?  No wonder I have a tendency to stinky…But truly: I have no idea how to hit the middle on this, to the degree that, after almost an hour of placing and replacing the literary fiction hardcovers and paperbacks, I had to just get up and walk away.  With books all over the floor, rather than the shelves.  The thing is, I want them to be ordered first, and that puts pretty second.  For example: British Cold War spy novels go together, but are adjacent to pre-and-inter-War British spy novels, beside which one will find inter-and-post-War Brit Lit.  [I'm not even kidding.]  Oh, and this is just in fiction; poetry and drama are separate, and non-fiction is its own section as well.  I’ve mentioned that I’m compulsive, right?  But then again, I also have to have a place to put my shoes.

So tell me, if you’re still here, how do you do it–how do you arrange your books & your shelves, and how do you make it look nice (if you do, or do you care, if you don’t)?  I’m desperate to know.

images: top via design darling / bottom via pinterest

It’s entirely probable that I’m biased, but I just love these pictures of my mother, caught up in crêpe paper, from the year I was born.  She always says she didn’t know it yet, but she was already pregnant with me, and she says it with that same smile.

My mom & I are taking the day off for a fiber arts field trip in Northern New Mexico, and I couldn’t be more excited. When I was in elementary school, she used to take off from work and we’d spend Friday afternoons playing; we’d go to lunch, go [...]]]>

My mom & I are taking the day off for a fiber arts field trip in Northern New Mexico, and I couldn’t be more excited. When I was in elementary school, she used to take off from work and we’d spend Friday afternoons playing; we’d go to lunch, go to museums, go shopping, go to book stores—basically all the things that are now my favorite past times. I’d love for you to keep me company over on Instagram & Twitter—where I’ll be posting as often as AT&T allows (these are the mountains, afterall).
Here’s hoping all of y’all have a colorful Friday!

Rainbow Brite and jellies were formative elements of my ’80s childhood so it’s only natural for me to match up these darling Moschino flats with Equipment’s vivid blouses for a more sophisticated version of those youthful trends.  I have to say, with the myriad cuts [...]]]>

Rainbow Brite and jellies were formative elements of my ’80s childhood so it’s only natural for me to match up these darling Moschino flats with Equipment’s vivid blouses for a more sophisticated version of those youthful trends.  I have to say, with the myriad cuts & prints available for these beautiful shirts, I had my work cut out for me trying to choose just one per shoe.  Ultimately I opted for consistency as far as the graphic goes, but I’ve included links to my favorite variations as well; fortunately, with almost every color of the rainbow on offer, there really is no wrong.

Equipment shirts, clockwise from top: Chinese Red (also tie front), Hot Pink (also sleeveless), Cedar (also colorblock & paisley), Star Print, Concord, Turquoise Tortoise, Turkish Tile (also solid), Steel Blue (also solid & python print), Baltic Blue (or a pajama set!), Emerald (also sleeveless & striped), Moss, Citronelle, Super Lemon (also striped & sleeveless); All flats at Moschino

My jaw just about dropped yesterday afternoon when, on a quick pass through my local thrift store I spotted this pair of seriously stunning Tod’s leather boots.  Seriously–I saw something hanging at the end of the aisle that was definitely different from the basic flat black boots that tend [...]]]>

My jaw just about dropped yesterday afternoon when, on a quick pass through my local thrift store I spotted this pair of seriously stunning Tod’s leather boots.  Seriously–I saw something hanging at the end of the aisle that was definitely different from the basic flat black boots that tend to always be there, but it wasn’t until I had taken them in my hands and turned them round five-or-eight times that I was able to breathe again; they were real, and they were gorgeous.  They were also no where near my size: I had a [few] wicked-stepsister-with-glass-slipper moment[s] trying to make it work.  No. Such. Luck.  Fortunately (for her!), my dear friend K responded immediately when I texted to ask her shoe size (this has happened before, so she knows to get back to me ASAP) and a fit was found.  A quick search when I got home turned up the page above, which I forwarded right along.  Personally, I couldn’t care less that they’re a few seasons old (and I don’t think K will mind); Tod’s trades in timelessness & these beauties will go with anything and everything.  I’m so jealous, I can’t even say.

Let’s take a minute to discuss the sheer delightfulness of this Victor and Rolf contribution to Luisa Via Roma’s Pug Dogs for Happy Kids UNICEF fundraiser. Obviously all the entries are awesome (I’m also inclined toward this week’s Giambattista Valli pug-in-pearls), but an avant-garde [...]]]>

Let’s take a minute to discuss the sheer delightfulness of this Victor and Rolf contribution to Luisa Via Roma’s Pug Dogs for Happy Kids UNICEF fundraiser. Obviously all the entries are awesome (I’m also inclined toward this week’s Giambattista Valli pug-in-pearls), but an avant-garde arrangement of ribbons and bows in my two favorite colors pretty much puts me over the top.  Do we think Tammy or Griffin would let me tie pink and red ribbons all around them, if I told them it was totally fashion, and all the cool dogs were doing it?  If I promised them lots of treats?