A few months ago (er, like six), I read this fantastic comprehensive biography of the Rolling Stones. And yes, those guys are musical legends, but the parts I enjoyed most were their off-stage, headline-making antics – in particular, the impressive girlfriend juggling they seemed to master pretty quickly. Even decades after their hedonistic heyday, it's all so fascinating and scandal-riffic.

There seem to be a couple of requisites to being a Rolling Stone girlfriend: 1) Have a very high tolerance for flings with other women (and occasional illegitimate babies). 2) Be devastatingly stylish. (And, okay, a penchant for drug use didn't seem to hurt much either.) I'm mostly fixated on the stylish aspect, and went trolling for pics of some of Stones' main squeezes during the '60s and '70s, especially Anita Pallenberg and Marianne Faithfull. They've both got that great shaggy blonde, big furs, rumpled glam thing going on, and I love it. Have a look.

Let's start with Marianne. That's her above – aren't the glasses fab?




Moving on to Anita, who was decidedly more rocker-y (leather! short shorts!):





And here's a gratuitous pic of a young Mick (with pre-Marianne girlfriend Chrissie Shrimpton). Because really, the man's style could fill a few posts of his own:

Happy Halloween!

Without any little kids to come by and push sugar on, I had to mark the occasion by doing the Thriller dance in my living room. I'm no Filipino prisoner, but the cats were still amused.

Around the Blogosphere!

Today I finally had some time to catch up on my regularly scheduled blog reading (my bloglines list clocks in at 159 feeds right now, which means it's also probably time to update the links list at the left). The amount of wonderful things out there always astounds me; here's just a few that caught my eye:


1. A Pez work of art! Created by One Good Bumblebee. I still buy myself Pez dispensers when I'm waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store – they're just so happy. Love.

2. How About Orange has a great how-to on How to Make Fabric Wall Art. I've been wanting to do this for ages with vintage prints. Did I know it was so easy? No, I did not. So now I have no excuse.


3. Ma Vie En Rose turned me on to this apartment makeover from Oprah at Home mag. I'm definitely digging some of the ideas.


4. I so love this entire house, but I especially love these metal tabletop sculptures. Oh, to be a minimalist! I suppose a girl can dream. And then she can go right back to acquiring Pez dispensers.

5. On a non-blog-related note (also a non-decor related note), I'm having strong urges to run around in over-the-top ensembles this week, a la Margot Tenenbaum's fur coat and intense eyeliner (top). Sometimes, just getting super-dressed up makes you feel that much happier. Plus, it is Halloween tomorrow, which calls for an especially extravagant outfit, don't you think?

Mark your (stylish) calendars, Singapore!

Ah… November. A time of wooly sweaters, autumn leaves and pre-Holiday shopping. Or, in Singapore, pre-Holiday shopping. Still, they do the pre-Holiday shopping thing really well here. Here's what's on our calendar so far this month. What's on yours?

*Sunday, November 4: Our lovely friends at Epitome tipped us off to an upcoming shopping fair at the equally lovely House at Dempsey Road. (Unfortunately, we cannot find proof of this event on the Internet – can anyone help?) We'll keep you updated – rumor has it there will be lots of great vendors, the famous Longest Sausages in Singapore and a kissing booth.

*Sunday, November 18 marks the return of the Zouk Flea 'n Easy flea market. Squeeze yourself in from 2pm-7pm at Zouk.

*Saturday, November 24: The fabulous Fash Bash is back with a vengeance. They've got a new location at the Gallery Bar at St. James Power Station (less crowding! whoo!) and a great holiday shopping-worthy lineup. It runs from 1pm-7pm.

*Sat-Sun, November 24-25: Finally, the kids at Yebber.com are organizing the Yebber Fashion Fusion event, featuring some fun local designers and indie labels (sorry, vintage lovers, it's new stuff only). Looks like fun!

What am I missing? Share with the group!

Back. And in love! (With shoes!)

Well, that was kind of an impromptu little break, wasn't it? So sorry for the complete drop-off-the-face-of-the-blog moment. One day, I was just puttering along, doing my thing; the next thing I know, I'm juggling 15-hour photo shoots and looming deadlines and a packed schedule of activities (er, like hanging out with adorable puppies at Pawtobello Cafe and the Halloween bus bar crawl, which was just. so. awesome). It has been a lot of work and a lot of fun and not a lot of free time to ruminate about fashion, unfortunately.

{As further proof of insane busyness, I offer this: The new Vogue arrived yesterday and I had not even finished the last one. This has never, ever happened before. See what I mean?}

But not to worry: I have also been shopping. (Er… probably a bit too much shopping, but that's neither here nor there.) I have recently developed a new obsession, and that obsession is the Calvin Klein fall collection. It features exactly the kind of sleek, dark, inventive styles that I was fixated on in my last post. I've been to the store in the basement of Ngee Ann City at least three times in the past week just to visit and drool over my favorite items (the long sweaters, mostly) and enjoy Francisco Costa's lovely, simple designs.


I've barely paid attention to Calvin Klein in recent years. (If by recent years, I mean since I was about 17, which is longer ago than I care to admit.) The company fell victim to the whole let's-put-our-name-on-everything boom of the 1990s, and I've never gotten over the stigma of all the Calvin Klein crap you used to find at discount department stores. What changed my mind? It was a skirt. A gorgeous, draped, pencil-y skirt that another editor had loaned for a photo shoot we did last week. I slipped it on just to try and it was so beautiful. It felt beautiful. Next thing I knew, I was a instant, total convert to the brand.

Oh, and their shoes! The shoes are amazing. I was so completely adoring them in the store – where they only carry up to a 38, which is three sizes smaller than my feet, and which is also much more expensive than in the U.S. – that I may have immediately went on the internet and bought these. And, okay, maybe these.


And that's what I have been up to. More to follow – much sooner, I promise.

{Update! Update!} So, the new shoes arrived. The pewter ones are pretty cute and seemingly very comfy. The black heels are gorgeous, intense -- and waaaay too high for me. There's something about the wedge-ish heel that makes them *appear* to be of a reasonable height, and yet they are not. After trying them on, oh, about six times in hopes of suddenly developing a tolerance for 4-inch heels, I'm returning them. I just purchased the slightly less fabulous (but also much less high) Steve Madden black patent Stich version as a hopefully suitable alternative. Sigh.

(A small declaration: I'm sitting here looking at the collection slideshow on style.com, trying to pick out some pictures to show you, and I can't. Not one of the pictures shows the subtle loveliness of the pieces. This is why I hate runway pictures. I've always felt like a bad fashion person because I really dislike watching the runway recaps after the collections, because they are boring and flat and just never convey the drama and detail of seeing the clothes in person. It's always felt like cheating myself of fashion – I'd really rather wait the six months until the pieces show up in stores and beautiful magazine editorials than see the styles right away. And so, I am absolving myself of this guilt and admitting it publicly: I hate runway recaps, and I will continue to avoid them at all costs. Phew. What a relief.)

{the meager amount of pics I have found are from the Calvin Klein site, except for the shoes. isn't the first one – from the fall 2007 runway rehearsal – just gorgeous?)

Un croissant, s'il vous plait*

Maybe it was my recent trip to France, or maybe it’s just all my current fashion obsessions converging into something logical, but I'm supremely influenced by Paris –-and more specifically, the Parisienne look -- this season. Which (in my book) includes all of the following: smudgy liner; shaggy, slightly-in-your-eyes bangs; long scarves; skinny jeans tucked into slouchy boots; flushed cheeks; trench coats; aviator sunglasses; leggings with flats; lots and lots and lots of black and gray. The women of Paris seem to have perfected the notion of slouchy glamour – clothes are fitted, but not too tight; they are stylish, but never too shiny-new or overly matchy or ultra-trendy. In Paris, one of my favorite things to do was grab a coffee and sit outside and watch the style go by (actually, it's my favorite thing to do in any city, but Paris was particularly rewarding).

The other day, I reorganized my closet and set aside all the bright vintage sundresses that have been my staple for the past few seasons (not that I'm throwing them away or anything, just giving them a little rest). Most of the pieces I'm wearing now are much more European-sober, if you'll permit me to invent that adjective (hmmm… eurosober?). Here's a list of my current wardrobe favorites:
+long skinny black-and-gray striped scarf;
+slouchy brown flat books ($3 at U.S. thrift store);
+a variety of tunic-length button-down shirts from the always amazing Soon Lee (in fact, I recently declared Sharon and Wei Loong to be "better than Topshop!");
+oversized aviator sunglasses from Mango;
+Black Karat eyeliner from the McQueen collection at MAC (dark with just a hint of gold shimmer – subtle but very cool);
+menswear vest (frequently worn over aforementioned extra-long tunics);
+ruched Topshop booties;
+billowy off-white scarf;
+skinny dark, dark jeans from the Gap;
+gold Topshop heels with braid detailing;
+black and white squirrel print Svensson scarf from Billet Doux (yep, I'm totally all about scarves right now);
+silver H&M hip-length pouch;
+slouchy Muji button-front cardigan (er… in case of freak cold spell);
+piled-on thin copper bangle bracelets;
+an oversized vintage frame bag in black patent;
+my amazing Zubair Kirmani tunics;
+leggings (yes, really! This development will soon get a post of its own.)



I'm still throwing in some colors and patterns -- and adding in a good dose of random eclecticism -- but in a more subtle way, like with bold belts and vintage scarves (as discussed). It's always a bit tricky doing fall/winter over here, as too many layers will have you sweating profusely in no time (unfortunately, "dewy" is not part of my look at the moment). What's on your must-have list right now? Please share!

{Photos from the ever-enjoyable Korean Vogue Girl.}

*Pretty much the extent of my French, but a fine phrase to master.

In Which I Was Forced to Leave the House "Looking Like That"

Even those of us who take some pride in putting our daily ensembles can be instantly humbled by a fashion challenge. In my case, that devastating challenge was my first golf lesson this weekend. Reading over course rules about 20 minutes before I was set to leave, I realized that golfers have serious dress codes to contend with. Such as: a requirement for collared shirts, belts and – the dreaded k-word – khaki pants. I am not opposed to many things in fashion, but recently I have become pretty opposed to khakis. (Seriously: Even the cutest khakis are never all that cute -- at least on me. I sometimes wonder what I was thinking during the years 1988-2000, when they were a regular wardrobe staple.)

I have kept one pair of baggy khakis from the aforementioned preppy stage of my life, and gamely pulled them on with a navy golf shirt and a stripey ribbon belt, in keeping with club rules and all. At which point Mike promptly started laughing at my get-up. (I believe his exact words were, "Now I know why you never wear khakis.") I scrambled around a bit and came up with slightly more acceptable gray shorts and a white oxford, along with a commitment to find some cute golf clothes. Which is way harder than originally anticipated. I'm thinking ostentatiously preppy -- a la Cameron Diaz -- might be the way to go. Where does one find argyle nowadays?

Wow. It's been a long time since I've been really stuck to find something to wear.

Getting all Gossip Girl-y in my Closet

Subtitle: Yes, I aspire to dress like the characters in a teen dramedy and I'm not ashamed to admit it


So, I am still completely digging Gossip Girl. Earlier this week, I had a lengthy conversation over how Blair's fabulous raven hair made me happy to be a brunette and how she really got screwed, wardrobe- and makeup-wise, during the bar scene in the pilot episode, when she looked like a fashionably challenged prostitute, and gosh darn it, it was one of my most enjoyable conversations all week.



I was inspired by some of Serena's style elements from the first episode and came up with this ensemble a few weeks ago. I'm so feeling the little necktie – really, just a long scarf tied in a bow – right now. It's a great alternative to investing in the tie-neck blouse. It also isn't actually something that she wore, but the first picture above did convince me I could tie a scarf around my neck again without looking completely 1998/suburban soccer mom.

Chanel's Jacques Helleu

Allow me to be a bit uncharacteristically somber for a moment. I was quite saddened to see that Jacques Helleu – Chanel's artistic director that I met earlier this month and just blogged about just last week -- passed away on Friday. The news was a bit shocking: He was incredibly vibrant and energetic in person, very dynamic, very funny. (Susie recounts one of my favorite moments of the meeting as well: After his cell phone kept repeatedly ringing, he answered it by yelling "Impossible!" and then promptly hung up.)

He was also quite candid, telling us insidery details about various Chanel campaigns he had worked on over the years (the one above from 1986 stars onetime Lagerfeld muse Ines de la Fressange, whom he declared "the most difficult person to take a picture of").

He also shared a story of the much-discussed red dress from the Keira Knightly campaign, which apparently was director Joe Wright's vision. Karl Lagerfeld wasn't too keen on the idea at first, especially when Joe started giving direction on how he saw the dress being designed. "Joe Wright was the one who wanted the red dress, and he came to see Karl with me," Helleu told us. "Karl was not too excited… [Joe was telling him,] 'No, it should be like this'. Karl is the king; he does not like advice." Guess they eventually worked it out.

Helleu worked at Chanel for more than 40 years – he first joined in 1956 as the "Manager of Good Taste" – and collaborated on campaigns with everyone from Richard Avedon to Baz Luhrmann. He is also, not unremarkably, the man behind the Chanel J12 watch – quite possibly the only super-identifiable designer product that I desperately covet (in glossy white ceramic, please!). His legacy is undeniable—even if his name isn't immediately recognizable, his ad campaigns have been remembered and referenced for decades. Here's another one of his famous commercials, starring Vanessa Paradis:

So. Much. Color!

One of my colleagues was just in South Korea, and she brought us back some amazing fashion magazines, including the incredible local edition of Vogue Girl. It wasn't hard to gush over their inventive fashion spreads—some really fun and creative stuff. Luckily, my favorite shoot is online so I can easily share it. Isn't it so wonderfully quirky? Really, if this doesn't help cheer up your Monday morning, well… I tried my best.

L is for the Way You Look at me…

I still have about five more posts on Paris (including a detailed description of the best new slouchy boots), but I'm interrupting them for a moment to post the Coco Mademoiselle video, which I saw for the first time on TV last night during the commercial break for The Bourne Identity (actually, it came on twice during the first 30 minutes, before I retired to my bed to watch the pilot of Gossip Girl, which you can download free on iTunes and which – surprise, surprise – I seriously loved. But I digress.)

Anyway, the launch of this Coco Mademoiselle commercial was one of the reasons we were all invited to Paris; we sat in artistic director Jacques Helleu's office and watched it (no joke) four times together at all its various lengths, dissecting every little detail (Why does she look a little sad at the end? What was the decision behind the Joss Stone song?). Truth be told, at the time I was a little meh about it – I thought it was okay, but it all seemed somewhat intensely overdone, so much so that it eclipsed the airy lightheartedness it was trying to convey. But actually, when it came on TV last night, it was just perfect – a breezy, distinctive, instantly noticeable song and a lush, detailed little film amidst the otherwise humdrum mix of shampoo commercials. Shows you what I know about advertising.

Actually, I think the only thing that really bothers me about this commercial is (and we're going to get nitpicky here) the dangling diamond necklace that hangs over the top of the higher-necked dress. I have very ingrained views on how necklaces and formal dresses should go together, and every time I see this, I was to yell (as I imagine Karl might), "No! No! No! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!"

Am I crazy to think a diamond choker would be a better fit with this dress? Or that a plungy v-neck would be a better fit with this necklace? It's annoyingly distracting to me.


Warning: The Joss Stone tune will get into your head, and it will rattle there incessantly until someone around you starts singing Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" and then that will plague you for a good 3-4 days.

Also note: Gossip Girl! I'm seriously hooked, if only for the fashion. Serene's slouchy-yet-sophisticated ensembles are infinitely copyable. In fact, I'm planning on channeling her striped tee, men's vest, and shorts action today.

Final note: Is it wrong that I am getting fashion inspiration from a show on the CW?

We interrupt our negligent non-blogging for an update

Yeah, I know, I'm a blogging disappointment right now. Would it help if I said I've been at the office past 11pm every night this week? (Ah, the glamorous life of a fashion mag editor...) More pity points: I haven't seen Mike or the cats at all either.

I'm taking a break to post this sneak preview of the very first Vogue India cover. You know how I'm a big India fashion follower – the hotly anticipated magazine debuts this weekend and I'm really excited to finally see what they've done.

More on Paris (and Hong Kong and the best high-waisted wide-legged pants ever) to come soon…

Paris, Part 2: Meet the Bloggers

You bring a bunch of bloggers together and excessive photographing inevitably ensues


The object of their interest: chanel's historic hq at 31 rue cambon…


…where karl was allegedly hard at work in the top floor atelier.

When I got the invite to Paris, I admit – as a fashion industry follower – to being completely intrigued by the concept. Blog-focused marketing campaigns had worked well in other industries, like gadgets and books, but this was the first time anyone had made such a massive attempt to reach out to the motley group of fashion, beauty and trend bloggers from around the world. Leading up to the trip, I was curious to see who else would be chosen.

It was a truly fun group. The first to show up were the international bloggers, and they threw us all together at dinner and gave us a go at getting along. There was Seth and Ami from Coolhunting, who let me play with their iPods and animatedly discussed the finer points of bbq pork buns and which actresses were "smokin'." The lovely Annie from Blogdorf Goodman dispensed helpful beauty tips (regarding the navy blue nail polish craze, she recommends skipping OPI's Russian Navy and instead opting for Zoya Indigo. She also turned me on to the Sephora blog.) Professional blogger Jane from the Notcot juggernaut impressively oversees four sites now, including the supercool Notcouture (an instant new bookmark for me) and the delicious Tastespotting. Adorable Austin from Fashion Verbatim was perfectly, impeccably dressed for every event – we nicknamed him our own little Yves Saint Laurent (the resemblance is pretty remarkable). Liya from F.A.D. was just as sassy and frank and fun as you'd expect anyone with that URL to be. The Chanel team rounded us up for dinner overlooking the Louvre, where I accosted a darling young marketing employee: "So, how often do you see Karl, really?" She admitted that she'd only seen him in passing and not actually met him yet, somewhat unfortunately.

We swapped blogger stories and Chanel tidbits, mostly about Karl Lagerfeld – apparently, he owns one hundred iPods – before returning to the hotel and our enormous, exceedingly fluffy beds. The European contingent of bloggers would be arriving in the morning, and then the fun would really start.

Part 2 of Part 2: More bloggers!

Friday morning we were joined by the European bloggers, including London-based Jamie from BellaSugar (who let me read a rather ridiculous e-mail interview with Paris Hilton on her Blackberry. Apparently, Paris' new fragrance is called 'Can-Can by Paris Hilton,' which amused me greatly.) There was Susie Bubble, who is definitely the Internet Rockstar of the fashion blogosphere and who thrilled everyone by breaking out some crazy Balenciaga that we took turns touching, which she allowed us to do rather gamely. The fab Mary from Stil in Berlin took everyone's pictures (including a slightly goofy one of me on Coco Chanel's famous mirrored staircase). Julia made up the Spanish contingent, and the French crowd—Geraldine, Brian and Deedee—were as charming as could be and gave me pages of fantastic recommendations on everything from where to shop to where to eat steak frites. [More on that soon.]

We met, we shook hands, we complimented some very cute outfits, and then we were ushered into a fleet of Mercedes sedans--our own little Chanel motorcade that took off up the Champs-Elysees. It was not unamazing.

More to come… so much more…

Paris, A Love Story: Part 1

So the backstory on the impromtu Paris trip goes something like this: A few weeks ago, I got a funny little note amidst all the spam in my inbox (baby slings! eco wine coolers!). It said that I had been chosen as one of a handful of bloggers plucked from around the blogosphere, and would I be interested in flying to Paris for three days, courtesy of Chanel? Thought #1 went something like: "Paris! Paris! Paris! Cheese… omm… Paris!" Thought #2 went something like: "Oooooh, business class. Oooooh, Karl Lagerfeld." Thought #3 was more like: "I wonder if Susie Bubble could possibly be as cool and charming in real life?" (Answer: Yes. Yes, she is.) And so, I packed up all my prettiest dresses in the bag I usually use for two week trips – not, uh, three day trips, but you never know when you're going to need that fifth pair of shoes – and off I went.

I suppose that is goes without saying that Paris is incredible. We (my delightful Singaporean traveling partner K. and I) arrived in the city early Thursday morning and had the whole day free to do as we pleased. After grabbing ham and cheese baguettes from a little café near the Place Vendome (our airport driver claimed it to be among the very best in Paris), we went out separate ways – K. to the Louvre and around the centre of town, and I on a long walk through many of my favorite areas of the city (lesson #1: those Keds aren't made for walking, no matter how spritely Mischa looks prancing about in them. After seven hours traipsing around town, I thought my battered feet were literally going to fall off.)

Still, it was fantastic. I saw an amazing exhibition of slightly wacky and incredibly cool installations from French artist Annette Messager at the Pompidou, hands down one of my favorite museums ever, and not just because it looks like a weird giant pipe factory. Their permanent collection is equally amazing, with snippets of fantastic works from a variety of international artists. I sat at Notre Dame and watched the wide range of tourists come and go and have their picture taken. I ducked in and out of the tiny shops of the Marais, such a fantastic little neighborhood of boutiques and galleries. I visited the charcuteries and the patisseries and the fromageries that line the Rue Mouffetard, one of my favorite streets (at least easting-wise) in Paris. I had an ice cream cone while walking past the Tuileries. I got my H&M fix on the the Rue de Rivoli.

And that was just day one! By mid-afternoon, I was completely exhausted and had to head back to the hotel for a short nap (and a foot soak). The real action was just about to start: Bloggers were beginning to trickle in from all over the world, ready for 24 hours of pure Chanel. Stay tuned…

{Renowned fashion photographer Melvin Sokolsky's wonderfully whimsical Paris pictures totally capture how I feel about the city. I found this one here.}

PS) On a completely unrelated note, Imelda and I are totally hoping some of you in Singapore will want to sign up for NAFA's Tuesday night "Print Your Fabric" course. It's 10 weeks, S$400, and by the end, you should be custom-making t-shirts with the best of them. Um, or at least, with them. We need four more people for the class to start on the scheduled date of September 18 (next Tuesday). Imelda's got all the details. Hope to see you there! Hurrah! Sounds like we've got ourselves a full course! Prepare to get artsy and craftsy, starting Sept. 25.

Will Someone Pinch Me Please?*

This will be short, because there is brie nearby. But, just a quick note to say hello! And! I am on my way to Paris! (Hence the brie: It seems the lovely Air France airport lounge lets you get your cheese fix on even before departure.) It's been a whirlwind week, starting with three days in Bangkok (quite possibly my favorite shopping city in the world), two jam-packed days of work, and now this: Paris! I arrive early Thursday morning and already have a day of intense shopping, walking and macarons planned.

And so, regular updates – like the items I've been stocking up with for fall – will have to wait until I am free from the distraction of cheese and wine. You understand. In any case, I've got two cameras packed and so: Exciting Paris fashiony pictures should be coming soon!

*To be sung Annie-style, if possible.

{photo found here}

Kimono Crazy!

I've been stockpiling funky vintage kimonos ever since I moved to Singapore (see, for example, here) and have slowly transformed -- with the help of a tailor -- a few of them into cool wrap dresses… that I haven't actually worn yet. (For no particular reason, other than I just hadn't been in the mood.) But, I'm inspired to finally break them out by Hope Atherton's vintage kimono mini, as seen on Style.com's weekly best-dressed list. The length is what's key—if you're looking to convert an old kimono, take it to the tailor and get it chopped pretty short to balance out all that fabric up top. And, be sure to have them make a long belt out of the leftovers to help cinch it into something shapely and less bathrobe-like, a la Hope.

I'm looking for a photo of Hope's dress from the front, if anyone's seen one – I just haven't quite nailed the neckline and I'm wondering how she wore it. Domo arigato for your help.

Today’s Mass Transit Read: Take Your Pick

Well, hey! I’ve been seriously under the weather for the past week – and feeling quite a bit overstretched these days – but seem to finally be on the road to recovery (also the road of not needing to go to bed at 8pm). And so! As I wean myself off the cold medicine and get back into the swing of things, I highly suggest you take this time and catch up on some of the following enjoyable articles:

1. New appreciation for the Olsen twins' innovative, if unusual, style can be found here.

2. Also: Despite the large amount of voluminous pieces still in stores, magazines continue to claim that the pregnant look is totally dead. Which is sort of a shame, because it really made getting through those “fat days” so much easier (not to mention large meals).

3. Not fashion-y per se, but I’m completely excited about the arrival of Gossip Girl. Teen dramedys aimed at 15-year-olds! Now that's my kind of show.

4. And for you fashion biz types: A lengthy look at Francois-Henri Pinault, the man behind PPR and Gucci Group, and also Salma Hayek’s baby daddy.

Oh, and for those of you off to see Marie Antoinette tonight: Unfortunately, I won’t be there due to last-minute work commitments (as opposed to the last two screenings, where I could only drag myself out of bed long enough to do the seating assignments. Blergh.) But, the Pitch Black team is under strict instructions to take good care of you. Enjoy!

Things that made me smile today

1.This wonderfully happy illustration by Singapore artist Kuanth.




2.Amazing works from Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life, via Random Inspiration


3.Snippets of the work of Richard Avedon. {Plus: more here!}


4.Eleanor Grosch's new Keds designs, especially the Bluebird Print Mary Jane.

5.The 1-click award site, via Wooonderland. Be sure to scroll your mouse over the circle and stop from time to time. You'll see. {Actually, this one made me giggle out loud.}

I'll take that in Vomit, please!

As a teen, I used to get so excited whenever a new J. Crew catalogue would come in the mail. I just could not get enough of their roll-neck sweaters, which always came in ultra-descriptive (if slightly over-the-top) color names like "petal," "tomato" and "storm."

Now, Marc Jacobs' line of basic men's polos – sold under the label Stinky Rat -- has reinvented the color wheel again. Among the more tame options (mocha, ocean blue) are evocative hues such as "vomit" and "pollution." Which takes it to a whole new (sorta gross, but pretty funny) level.

Where, oh where can I find this amazing green bag?

I was at the airport newsstand yesterday and, for the first time in my life, exclaimed "Oooh! The newest Oprah magazine!" (Mike looked slightly taken aback; I usually reserve such glee for various Vogues and the occasional Lucky. I, of course, totally blame Gala.) But really, I was lured into buying it by an inspiring-looking article called What Do You Want to Do With Your Life? (which apparently, I could have just read online, and spent my money on Glamour instead. But oh well.)

Anyway, flipping through O's fashion section, I came across the photo of "Commando Shopper" Erica Reid, who is holding just the most amazing oversized kelly green bag. Annoyingly, there are no fashion credits, and while it's quite possible that Erica is dressed in her own plaid cape and oversized tote ensemble, I have a feeling these might be new fall pieces courtesy of O's fashion department.

And so: Has anyone seen this bag? Enlighten me, please! (Prada Miu Miu has a really similar version out now, but it doesn't look quite the same -- this one seems to have a slightly longer handle and toned-down hardware {I know, because I actually stood at the shop window and held up this picture in front of the Miu Miu bag}, though perhaps I am wrong.) I'd really like to be able to lust after it through the right shop window.