Du Er Ikke Alene (You Are Not Alone) Screencaps

Just watched this 1978 Danish coming-of-age film, Du er ikke alene (You Are Not Alone), and loved the set and costume design. You don't get much more covetable than 1970's Dansk / Scandinavian design these days and this movie is brimming with that authentic minimal / modern style.

(The movie was good-natured and takes many very cool moral stands, but was a little shocking to my North American sensibilities in other ways, which you'll likely understand if you've seen it.)

Mad Men Screencaps, S. 6 Ep. 9

Just a few inspiring scenes from this week's Mad Men, including:



Megan on set...

... Peggy's office decor ...

... Betty's formal wear ... 

Megan & Don's table setting and apartment

Joan and Margaret

Uninsightful Fashion Tip!

I read a lot of fashion magazines, and one thing I tend not to enjoy is when there is an article on "remixing your wardrobe" or "shopping your closet" or "get more out of your outfits!" because usually all the tips are the same and most are, for lack of a better word, like DUH. Yeah yeah, wear a blazer "for night" instead of for day. Wear a t-shirt for a fancy thing. Wear a scarf as a belt. Groundbreaking! (Actually, irrelevant - like, all those tips are from 2003 but I still see them in these articles - and condescending.)

I find it is usually tips from fashion designers that are the most condescending. I'm pretty sure I once read Tory Burch recommend wearing things inside out - if you're such a poor plebeian that you can't afford her $800 tunics in order to mix things up, well, jeeze, I dunno, maybe show off all the seams and tags of that Old Navy t-shirt, that will be so tasteful!

(On second thought, it might've been Isabel Marant, but I could see her actually doing that so it's not as condescending. Or it might have been Kelly Wearstler and that is pretty much the same as Tory Burch.)

Anyway...

I do have one of those tips that I just needlessly ranted about. I found this 90's dress at work and thought it was just so almost cute, but not quite what I'm looking for... until I turned it around! The front is just a little too My So-Called Life, but the back is kind of dreamy fifties, no?

 Could it work? Well, let's take that Dalmy's tag off first and find out...

Verdict: yes, it works. A lot dressier than wearing it the conventional way - as Pete says, good for a wedding reception!

I love the high boat-neck neckline and the 1/2 sleeves, and even the little shoulder pads. Plus, the back is now a deep-v with lace, and it buttons all the way down. Kind of blah as a front, but quite pretty as a back! 

And finish it off with a little belt (found at Ardene) 

Remixing is fun! Looking forward to an occasion to wear this dress!

Playing around with Sea Glass

I've been enjoying making jewellery for myself a lot lately, and naturally I have begun to look for new tools and materials for such exploits. As I have noted before, I am a huge fan of Dreamboat Lucy's sea glass jewellery, and I will totally buy some, when I am ready to decide which pair to get! To tide myself over until then, I tried making some very low-rent versions, and for all intents and purposes, they're kinda pretty.

Like I said, low-rent, but the effect (green, shiny, glowy, natural) is there. Might make a few more... and before I know it, I can buy the real ones! Even better, I'm using up this huge bag of sea glass I've been collecting for no reason. Win win!

Off to more crafting! xo

Nesting

Just thinking about homes right now. A handful of faves from Pinterest - follow me!

What a real Premier sounds like!

"We, in this province, are caught between these two cultures. The culture of the past, with its problems of back-breaking labour, disease, child mortality, premature ageing, inadequate medical facilities and limited educational opportunities, and the culture of the future, as represented by modern industrial states ... 

We must be careful not to over-romanticize the past with the result that we only recollect or think of the finer aspects of an earlier Island life and reject to recall the more grim aspects of living in Prince Edward Island ... Similarly, we must not forget that many Islanders today are not leading a particularly rewarding life ... 

What we must endeavour to do is to identify those advances which have helped in the past and can help in the future to eliminate a number of the debilitating and crushing problems we face and, at the same time, not lead ourselves into the mindless repetitive and de-humanizing aspects of the affluent society. 

Balance, to my mind, is the key word."

- Premier Alexander B. Campbell, 1973

Spoiler Alert! Gossip Girl Finale Screen Caps

Six long years of Gossip Girl, all wrapped up... Well, I guess at least I can say I loved Blair's wedding look. Just stunning!

Chuck also looked particularly dapper. Love the lapels!

Another dress close-up, love the little oyster/rosettes. I am sharing Blair's expression right now, though... There's always 90210. Sigh.

XOXO

Twenty-Something Days of Xmas: Happy to be home

Well, it's been a long, busy week, including a whirlwind weekend trip out of province. Long, busy, but great! But now here I am, home in Charlottetown, in sweats, on the computer. No shopping, the parties are done for the night. In honour of being home, how about some house and home gift recommendations, then, shall we? Six days' worth!

This recommendation is less for a gift than it is a store. Cottage Industry is a cool modern home decor shop downtown, on Grafton near the CIBC, that carries hip Canadian furniture lines and funky odds and ends. I'd love to outfit my space in modern stuff like this Gus sectional. (Someday!)

Moving Designz, also on Grafton, is another spot to check for neat household items and furniture. They've got lots of smaller items, like coral, vases, and toiletries if you're looking for cheap but stylish home buys. Their esthetic is more fresh, cheery and feminine than Cottage Industry, which leans more to the modern-rustic-industrial.

I am also a big fan of Cattails Woodwork by Brenda Watts, out of Hermitage, PEI, where you can get a badass Burled Maple Charcuterie Board, above, famous flamed French rolling pins, and cute wooden acorn-adorned things. Brenda also has an Etsy store that you can check out if you can't pick up her wares in person!

For your nerd friends who have homes, and empty walls measuring fifteen feet or more, you can get them this Entire First Level of the original Mario Bros poster from Packmania. 

My mom got a sheepskin for me as a baby, and I still have and use it. You should do the same for a baby you might have (or someone else's, that also works). Springwater Farm has great sheepskin products of all sizes, available at the Charlottetown Farmers Market on Saturdays.

And, for the last of the six days, MacAusland's classic, famous wool blankets. People debate whether or not you can be an Islander if you weren't born here; maybe you should only earn your status as a true Islander once you own one of these beauties from Bloomfield.

Whew, six more days along in the Twenty-something Days of Xmas. Stay tuned, especially if you procrastinate and still don't know what to get!

Emerald!

Yay! Pantone actually picked a perfect 2013 Colour of the Year: Emerald! (I might have gone with mint or peach, but I guess that's sooo 2012). But this is pretty much my favourite colour, so I'm good.

Sightseeing in Amsterdam

Sightseeing in Amsterdam by milk-and-amber featuring a cashmere sweater

Ganni cashmere sweater
$250 - youheshe.com

Old Navy black jeans
oldnavy.gap.com

Vera Wang Lavender Label ballerina shoes
piperlime.gap.com

Chanel quilted handbag
lindelepalais.com

Bride earrings
1928.com

Wool floppy hat
windsorstore.com