SUPERB FUJIYAMA

Amy Merrick's Valentine's Day Pop-Up at Castor & Pollux // A Détacher A/W 2012

These two events had absolutely nothing to do with each other, but their colors look pretty good together don't you think??

Anyways, it's Spring now, and that's great. Capital "S" ya daaaamn right, that's my #1 all-time favorite season you're talkin' 'bout. In retrospect, it wasn't quite yet Spring back when I took these photos, but we were all doing our best to pretend.

I realized this week that I have a lot to learn about working from home. Tonight I'm very thankful that tomorrow I get to work in someone else's studio instead.

THREE FOR THE END OF JANUARY

1) January/polyvore 2) Meghan Collison by Michael Donovan for Vision China 3) "Early wake ups. My parent’s home. Disposable camera. Sometime, December, 2011" by Francesca Zmetra

Warm colors and soft fabrics to help me shake off all these wintery feelings. This week I am busy getting ready for a shoot that is just about the antithesis of all this--but that's cool, too.

IN THE COLD, COLD NIGHT

My pal Frankie has been blogging on the regs again over on her site Lawrence, and I couldn't be happier! Recently, she asked me to contribute to a roundup of little things that help get us safely and sanely through the winter months--and I'm in mighty good company! If you're feeling blue, or if that's just the color your toes have been turning lately, click over for a sneak peek at a few well-loved pick-me-ups.

THE CLEMENT GREENBERG COLLECTION

wenvrsleep Fall 2012 Collection Lookbook: Clement Greenberg Collection
Photographer: Dustin Fenstermacher
Stylist: Siri Thorson
Jewelry: wenvrsleep/Sarah Beaver
Model: Laura O. @ Commence Quest
Clothing: Ermie, Ilana Kohn, vintage, stylist's own

Hard to believe that it's already been a week since I had the pleasure of helping out Sarah with the lookbook for her fall 2012 jewelry line. It was a long, roller-coaster ride of a day, but in the end we got the model on the phone, tracked down the space (thanks Frankie!), caught the last of the day's light and pulled it all together. And then we ordered pizza.

If, like me, you fell pretty hard for Sarah's first collection, be forewarned: you are about to have your socks blown clear into next week. The craftmanship, the attention to detail and color and proportion, are all stunning. Combining sheet metal, hand water-colored paper, glass, heavy cord, and meticulously sourced findings, I can honestly say that the Clement Greenberg Collection is quite unlike any jewelry line I have ever seen. "Special" might be a worn-out cliché of a word these days, but there is truly no more fitting a way to describe every last one of the pieces I handled that day.

The line is set to drop imminently, so be sure to keep an eye on Sarah's shop. You can also follow her tumblr for a peek at what influences her designs. Big things are in store for Sarah, I can feel it, and I wish her every success!

THE LONGEST WEEK

The past week has been equal parts exhausting and exhilarating. Being booked to work all day every day during Fashion Week (on a non-fashion week related project) meant long days followed by long (for me, anyways!) nights and a weekend spent meeting many new yet familiar faces for the first time.

I also attended my very first proper fashion show, having only worked presentations before, and had a taste of that particular magic that exists only for a few minutes, when the lights come up and the music swells and the girls come marching one by one (hurrah, hurrah.) A Détacher S/S 2012 was a thing of beauty, and I can't thank Caitlin enough for inviting me!

(Photos borrowed from Domahoka and Zimbio)

FNO=GTO

I was a bit of a humbug about Fashion's Night Out this year, since it's always felt to me like a mix of all the worst parts of Halloween and New Years combined with, uh, shopping that I can't afford to do. But this year I made the wise decision to stay in Brooklyn and meet up with some extra fancy friends, new and old. It felt pretty frickin' fantastic (and surreal) to be strutting around town in a pack with none other than Ashley, Emily, Hannah and Frankie, even if some dude did refer to us disparagingly as a "five person lookbook". Oh Billyburg, don't ever change.

(photo swiped from Fancy Fine!)

FADE TO PINK

How long has it been now since we first set eyes on Dree here and her cotton-candy ombré mane? I left New York for the West Coast last summer determined to return with pink tips. Bought the Manic Panic and everything. But somewhere along the way I lazied out and slunk back east still not having lived my thirteen-year-old dream. A year later and first Kate Foley, now Lauren Conrad (ha!) are in on it again and I've got rainbows on the brain...

It's no coincidence that I've also had this ombré dyed sweater by Tara Lynn on my mind since she launched her beautiful new shop, Goodnight, Day. It's so chunky and tactile that I'm literally aching to touch it. Come to think of it--the last time I went home this past winter, I also vowed to learn how to knit beyond the confines of the ubiquitous, endless scarf. Ha!

In six days and counting I'll be home once more, and this time the tips are HAPPENING. If I end up feeling more like a six year old who got crazy with the Kool Aid than a rebel without a cause, I'll just lop 'em off and start fresh. I might have to wait until winter to figure out the whole knitting thing, but in the meantime, Tara-Lynn is providing me with wishlist-worthy inspiration.

(Photos of Dree Hemingway by Craig Arend for Altamira)

BOWS & BANDITS SUMMER LOOKBOOK

Back in May, I got to spend yet another beautiful day with my friend Eva from Bows & Bandits Vintage shooting another little look book for her site. Little did we know when we set out to the Brooklyn Botanic gardens that no less than 40,000 bluebells in full bloom were waiting for us. Bluebells almost as far as they eye could see! It was pretty incredible, and played right into my pastoral English countryside dreams. You can visit Bows & Bandits on facebook to see the rest of the photos, taken on a Fuji Instax camera (jealousss) by Mr. George Denison.

I really feel like I earned this weekend, and I plan on spending it lounging, reading, buying flowers and avoiding anything that even so much as resembles a garment bag. Hope you have a good great one!

All photos by George Denison for Bows& Bandits, feel free to repost as long as you provide proper credit :n )

HEAVEN by KAILA C. NILES

Though I've yet to have the privilege of meeting her in person, Kaila C. Niles (the C stands for Chanel, ya heard) is someone whose taste and style I've admired from afar through the magic of the internet for a good long while now. Kaila is an amazing, Oakland, CA-based artist whose interest in textile dying and design clicks completely with my love of tie dye and shibori. A few of her gorgeous pieces, all created from reused vintage and second-hand garments, have just become available on Mother's Daughter (one of the best curated and styled online vintage shops I know of!) Pretty, soft, abstract, and perfect for summer--I honestly want EVERY LAST THING.

WENVRSLEEP

I first became aware of the amazing Miss Sarah Beaver many years ago now, back in our wardrobe_remix days. Since then, I've eagerly followed her career--not only as a stylist, but also as a person with extremely excellent taste in basically everything. Her latest venture is no exception: We Never Sleep is a line of beautiful jewelry hand crafted from artisan-made and deadstock materials. Her first collection draws inspiration from such seemingly disparate sources as Constantin Brancusi and the Free Masons, but in context it all makes perfect sense: rich, earthy woods and semi-precious stones combine with elegant metal findings and Czech glass beads to create pieces that are as wonderfully simple as they are substantial, all shrouded with a touch of the mystic. Not only am I crushing hard on everything in her shop at the moment, but I'm incredibly excited to see what wondrous direction Sarah's creations take next...

Fabled Dream

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to preview my friend Caycee Black's S/S 2011 collection. In a word, it is GORGEOUS. I've always admired Caycee's prints (which she designs herself) but I think this might be my favorite season yet. The colors are incredible, the fabrics luxurious, and as always, there's a touch of humor and whimsy to everything. Instead of relying on my janky old camera for snaps, I thought I'd share with you a few of my very favorite shots from her lookbook (the whole of which can be viewed here.) It's all perfectly dreamy and hazy, and was shot in Texas on and around her family's ranch, which is apparently some sort of museum of great mid-century taste!

I also thought it would be fun to ask Caycee a few quick questions, outside of the standard "where do you get your inspiration" kind of stuff. I'd kinda maybe like to make this into a more regular feature, so let me know what you think! Anyways, here are Five Questions for Caycee Black:

What was your favorite outfit in high school?
Ahhh my favorite outfit in high school was my pale blue plaid kilt that I wore with a cream baby tee and shrunken blue cardi. I paired that with cream knee socks and my platform short boots. I wanted to be Liv Tyler really badly. On a casual day I'd go with the chucks instead that had my boyfriend's initials Sharpied on them!

What fictional character has your favorite style?
This is a great question...probably a mix of Wednesday Adams, Nora from the Thin Man film series in the 30's and Polly Magoo in Qui êtes-vous, Polly Magoo?

If money was no object, what's one item you would buy?
This is hard...hmmm I would go with an apartment. Rent just always gets in the way.

What's the best item you've bought for less than $20?
I have a little crop top from the 1930's that's plaid which I'm pretty proud of finding.

(Wild Card!) What's something you miss abut Texas that you can't find here in New York?
First would be my Texas thrift stores, riding horses, and the way time just passes slower there.

Thanks Caycee!! You can also check out my photos of Caycee's Fall lookbook shoot here, and see me in BUST Magazine wearing a cozy Caycee Black sweater right here!