happy holidays...see you next year!

I'm taking a break to enjoy the holidays! Be safe and warm and happy! See you here, next year!

xoxo C

nora charles...my hero

Have you ever seen The Thin Man? It's a comedy/mystery movie made in 1934, based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett. The main characters in the movie are Nick Charles, a former private detective, and his wife Nora, a much younger, wealthy socialite.

Nora Charles (played by the lovely Myrna Loy) is beautiful, smart, confident, witty, chic and sophisticated. She is always well-dressed, has impeccable manners, and wields a razor sharp sense of humor. She's also gracious, charming, kind, and compassionate; a lady from head to toe. Nora is the whole package, tied up with an elegant silk bow. And her husband knows it...

The quality that makes Nora special is her authenticity. She's wealthy; she has always been wealthy; and she makes no attempt to play that down. She loves expensive clothes, furs and jewelry, and enjoys the finer things in life. But she's not a snob. She goes with Nick to the racetrack, eats hot dogs at boxing matches, and tags along with him to seedy clubs and boarding houses searching for clues on a murder case. She plays poker with her husband and a friendly group of hobos in a boxcar, perched on a steamer trunk, perfectly coiffed and groomed, and dressed to the nines. And she thoroughly enjoys herself...

Nora does everything with class, however she's far from prudish. She delivers her share of zingers and double entendres, but her risque remarks never veer off into tacky or tasteless. And she can drink martinis and still maintain her decorum...

When it comes to Nick, Nora is game on; loyal, monogamous, and dedicated to her man. And he absolutely adores her. They flirt and banter with each other on a daily basis. She loves and accepts him, warts and all; and he does have his flaws, from drinking just a little too much, to socializing with his colorful, but somewhat shady friends. Through it all, Nora never whines or complains, but she clearly defines her boundaries and holds her own. She manages to be a wife, lover and pal, while retaining her allure and a bit of mystery.

Nora Charles was one of my first role models for "what I want to be when I grow up," and she is fabulous!

xoxo C

thought for the day .05

"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree."

- Roy L. Smith

and now, for something different...

I rarely wear colorful clothing, preferring to stick to the basics; black, brown, gray, ivory; solids and neutrals; very few florals or prints. But occasionally I get the urge to dress up in something a little more frivolous; like one of these dresses from Topshop; so fun for a party, or a night out on the town...

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shop dresses here  1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

quaintrelle...

 

images via tumblr

A perfectly kept house is the sign of a misspent life...

A perfectly kept house is the sign of a misspent life, is one of my all-time-favorite books. It's a collection of essays and photographs by Mary Randolph Carter on how to live creatively with collections, clutter work, kids, pets, art, etc.

One of my favorite lines from the book, along with the title, is "don't scrub the soul out of your home." My sentiments exactly...

Mary Randolph Carter, or "Carter" as she is known by family and friends, is an author, photographer, and longtime creative director for Ralph Lauren. She is also a self-professed "junker, " and has written several books about collecting and living with junk/treasures.

Check out her website here

ten books that shaped my life

JAMESON'S BOOKS

1. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
2. Island Of The Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell
3. Sixteen, by Beverly Cleary
4. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. The Good Earth, by Pearl Buck
6. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
7. Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
8. Giant, by Edna Ferber
9. On The Road, by Jack Kerouac
10. Happy All The Time, by Laurie Colwin

I was an avid reader as a child, and I've never lost my fascination with books. My daughter is also a book lover. My grandson Jameson is following in our footsteps, and already has quite the collection of books.

If you have children, please encourage them to read. Reading stimulates the imagination in a way that television and computer games will never do. Give the kids in your life books this Christmas. You won't regret it...

xoxo C

photo via Jennifer Martin

jil sander - spring 2014 ready to wear collection

absolutely sublime...although I think I might go with a sexier shoe...

images via style.com

thought for the day .04

"Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars. Learn how to drive a stick shift. Go so far away that you stop being afraid of not coming back. Say no when you don't want to do something. Say yes if your instincts are strong, even if everyone around you disagrees. Decide whether you want to be liked or admired. Decide if fitting in is more important than finding out what you're doing here. Believe in kissing."

~ Eve Ensler

image via telusers

come on baby, light my fire...

Entertaining outdoors is a little more difficult when the weather turns cold. However, these fire elements by Menu Design, a Danish design company founded in 1976, make me want to throw an outdoor party; or at least hang out around a fire, roast marshmallows and make s'mores. Menu Design "collaborates with some of the most talented designers in the world, to deliver high quality design with an aesthetically Scandinavian look." These are a few of my favorites...

Shop the Menu Design website here

inspirational interiors - loft apartment/ kungsholmen, sweden

I love...and I mean...LOVE...this loft apartment in Kungsholmen, Sweden. It's spacious but not cavernous; neutral but definitely not boring; and modern and clean-lined, but not cold and soul-less. I could be so happy living here...

Check out the rest of the apartment here
image via FRESH PALACE

rumpled beds are best...

I read somewhere that making up our beds in the morning is a bad idea, because bed linens need to "breathe" after soaking up moisture from our bodies all night; makes sense to me, and it also makes me very happy because I hate making up the bed every day. I am not "Miss Hospital Corners" (see When Harry Met Sally). I prefer rumpled beds, and there is nothing better than these soft, rumple-able, pre-washed 50% Egyptian cotton/50% Italian linen blend sheets from Au Lit Fine Linens. Cotton and linen are both natural fibers; the cotton is silky soft to the touch, and the linen wicks perspiration away from the body, making for a cozy, comfortable sleeping experience. Fabulous!

shop au lit fine linens here

origins calm to your senses...relaaaaaax....zzzzzz

I've been using ORIGINS Lavender and Vanilla Body Souffle for a while now. I like to put it on in the evening, after a long, relaxing bath and right before going to bed. It's super moisturizing and absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving it smooth and soft instead of greasy and sticky. Lavender and vanilla are known for their calming and comforting aromas; I guess that's why they call it Calm To Your Senses...

 

 

style inspiration - black and brown

Many people believe that you can't wear black and brown together, but I am not one of those people. I love the combination, and wear it often. Brown softens the black and provides just enough contrast to add depth and interest, without the drama of...say...black and white or black and red. Here's my idea of a winning black/brown combo...with a tiny bit of bling.

SHOP THIS OUTFIT:  jacket: haider akermann net-a-porter / sweater: haider akermann net-a-porter / bag: kendall conrad / boots: acne / leather cuff: kendall conrad / cuff ring: kendall conrad 

the wisdom of a young girl - anne frank

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles."

- Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

photo via annefrank.com
read about anne frank here