Easter on the Brain

I've always felt that purple is the colour of Easter. This week, everywhere I look, I see purple. I think the internet is sending me subliminal signals to anticipate Easter. I have no speacial plans for Easter yet but my friends are coming to visit and I have to get planning. Anyhoo, here's what interested me this week:

The pretty bag by Kate Spade, Japan which I feel sells far prettier stuff than Kate Spade, New York.

The story of this Australian artist who is 105 years old. It's never too late to pick up a hobby. Loongkoonan started at the age of 90.

I have hair envy and am actually thinking of getting some unusual colour in my hair and I love the matt nail polish too. I am all over pinterest looking for a new hair style.

This origami-looking thing is wall art from Acanthe.

The colurful room was shot by Nicolas Mathues for Elle Decoration which is not the same as Elle Decor.

Finally, Christies advises on signed jewellery, which of course is more valuable that unsigned jewellery. It's a great read if you are thinking about starting a jewellery collection.

Go Big or Stay Home

In case you are wondering what to do or where to go New Year's Eve 2016: my suggestion is to stay home with lovely friends and family and make a wonderful party night at home. Or, if you do go out, wear a giant piece of jewellery. Happy New Year!

Antiques and Interior Designers: The Battersea Antique Fair

 

Every year since 1985 the Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair is held in Battersea Park  in London and showcases everything from museum-quality items, collector's items, quirky antiques to unusual pieces for furnishing the home. The fair brings together antique traders and interior designers/personal shoppers. This year the fair runs from September 29-October 4.

 

I like that one of the exhibitors demystified the fair by saying that half of their sales are made to young people between the ages of 25 and 40. Young people love antique and brocante---if you want well-made furniture pieces that are affordable you may simply have to go to the flea market.

 

On the Continent especially, it is rather rare to find newly-made furniture crafted from good wood and with exquisite cabinetmaking skills for an affordable price (i.e. young person's budget). My dining table which is brilliantly made out of cherry wood came with me from the US and I couldn't ever find a similar piece of furniture in Brussels for the price I paid for it in the US.

 One of the things I love about these types of fairs is the inspiration. Wonderful ideas are found on how to upcycle old world objet d'art.
 

 Also you get to shop among some brilliant interior designers and learn from them right on the spot. Shadow them, see what interests them, chat them up, and ask about the value of buying one piece or another.

Do not be intimidated. For a long time I assumed that shopping for antiques was a wealthy person's pastime. In Belgium, especially, you can be cured of that belief. Think and ask about provenance--especially for art. Also don't forget to keep your eye out for jewellery!

Get more on the Decorative Antiques and Textile Fairs Here

Good Styling: Creating a Classic and Practical Outfit

When I look at magazines like Vogue and Marie Claire, pinterest or fashion blogs, I also look out for the manner in which different pieces of clothes are arranged and whether the pieces fit together to form a practical, yet striking outfit, that just makes total sense, and looks like it could be a lasting, classic arrangement. A skirt and jacket is totally predictable; and so is a handbag that matches the colour of the shoes. This is why even as I find the magazine spreads to be too high art, I still plough through to find ideas of shaking up a day's outfit. Here are some styling ideas I love:

1. Summery dress with Bolero/Cropped Leather Jacket:

2. This totally practical yet on-trend and fashion conscious vest-skirt-sweater combi fall outfit:

3. Belted faux fur vest over a dress. Makes total sense for October:

4. When you want to wear jeans and still look "dressy" and elegant:

5.A shirt instead of a cardigan:

6. I can never find a good pants suit. I am talking about one that is a simple pants with a matching shirt, as opposed to a tailored pants with a matching jacket. So I have been searching for a long sleeve jumper that I can belt right at the waist---so it dissects the jumper and it becomes a pantsuit.

7. Fancy-like jewellery on a casual piece or jewellery in unexpected places:

8. High-Slit shirt-dress with a skirt

9. Tiny shorts with a tailored shirt and dressy flats for a polished look:

10.Turtleneck sweater inside of a shirt dress or inside a flirty little sleeveless for added warmth:

Also, great options for transitioning into the Fall, no?

*Images sourced on Pinterest

Jewelry vs. Jewellery

In this September's issue of Tatler there is a beautiful advertising spread that may inspire you to wear more jewellery this Fall. Of course the Tatler ads were all Bulgari, Faberge and Chopard. But does it have to be? My pocket screams no. Whether you spell it the American way or the British way and whether they are made out of precious metals or semi-precious stones they are still meant to adorn and to adore. So I went on the hunt for rings and things-- antique,vintage and faux.