Through our dear friend, David (proprietor of one of our all-time favorite Chicago stores, Hazel), we have discovered a new love: Molly Yestadt and her beautiful hats. David saw the line recently in New York and was instantly smitten. Knowing that the line wasn’t the perfect fit for his store, David is sort of on a mission  to find it a loving, appreciative and appropriate home — basically, someone who can share his love of these gorgeous works of art, but also sell them. To this end, he practically chased me down the street to give me the Yestadt Millinery lookbook and linesheets. He couldn’t stop gushing about the beauty and workmanship of each individual piece — Molly hand-blocks every single hat (which basically means that each hat is a like a little one-of-a-kind hat sculpture). With headgear like this, I can’t say I blame him for his enthusiasm. 

I love a hat – so much – so it is very refreshing for me to see someone out there so dedicated and passionate about making hats and keeping them current. I first fell in love with her hats, but then, after visiting her website, I kind of fell in love with Molly. 

Her blog totally sucked me in. It is filled with all things hat. From behind-the-scenes to old Hollywood to new Hollywood to the runway and absolutely everything in between, I am a devotee for sure. 

Long live Yestadt Millinery and long live the Hat!

all images lovingly and respectfully borrowed from yestadtmillinery.com

I was flipping through the April issue of Nylon Magazine and came across an amazing shot of an Emma Cook rain poncho studded with Swarovski crystals. I am more than a little obsessed.

Not sold on the shoes, but I would happily rock out one of those jackets. Bring on the rain!

Photos courtesy of WWD.com.

Arlene and I were recently shopping at one of our favorite Chicago boutiques, Hejfina, and we were absolutely drooling over all the Margiela ligne 6, Isabel Marant and Vanessa Bruno (among others). The MM6 is what really got me, though. My birthday always falls during final spring markdown time and I usually score some pretty sweet deals (last year, it was an MM6 dress for $86!), so I’m hoping that one of these babies will still be around come summer…

Spring in the city…..Spring is why we endure the snow, the ice, the wind, the sleet, the slush, the no parking, the WINTER!  Yes, all this for spring in the city…spring here feels like love is in the air.  

I couldn’t wait to look at spring again after all these weeks of fall shows.  I immediately started perusing S09 lookbooks and I’m falling for Lover.  What a great vibe…

Fall in love with Lover here

Dear Hat,

You have always been there for me. When I truly had no idea what to do with my style, when I didn’t know what to wear, when I had an enormous crater on my face, when I was trying to be sexy and mysterious. You always lifted me up and gave me confidence and encouragement to just be me.  Thank you!

Love,

Brandon

Burberry SS09

Style Bubble

Garance Dore

Childhood Flames

My recent obsession is due to an adorable new hat purchase. Goorin makes the most irresistible — and affordable — hats.  Tons under $50. Check them out…

Goorin hats available at Hazel. 

many thanks to Style.com, Style Bubble, Garance Doré, childhood flames, and Goorin for all of the above images.

Isabel Marant is what I call Real Life.  Do I love Stella McCartney’s sheer electric blue onesie…YES, but would I run my kids to soccer in it??  NO.  Enter…Isabel Marant.  Isabel Marant lays low on the radar when it comes to the glossy magazines, but she’s high on every francophile’s go-to list for solid casual pieces infused with some streetstyle and confidence.  She knows what’s going on….what feels better than walking down the street feeling great? Can’t wait for spring….

more about here

and check out this blogger’s love of Isabel Marant

photos courtesy of WWD.com

It’s funny that we never talk about shoes because they are truly an all-consuming obsession with us. A beautiful shoe is like a work of art. The first pair of designer shoes I bought were a pair of Christian Louboutins from his trash series. They’re mules and I can’t wear them, but I will happily put them in a lucite box and hang them on my wall. A designer that we’ve been watching lately is Brit Nicholas Kirkwood. While his pieces appear to be art first and footwear second, he is a master of construction. Regardless of that infamous fall at Rodarte, I contend that his shoes are sturdy, wearable, and utterly fabulous.

The infamous Rodarte shoes

I do love a hot pink shoe!

Although, I get excited about every new designer collection that comes out for Target’s Go International series, nothing gets me more excited than Alexander McQueen.  Just saw the lookbook on The Cut. I. Can’t. Wait.

See the lookbook here:

McQueen for Target lookbook on the cut

We love a great jumpsuit and I’ve fallen hard for the romper trend this spring.  It’s everything I LOVE LOVE LOVE in my busy lifestyle…easy and chic all in one little effortless piece.

Rachel Comey

Trovata

Loeffler Randall

VPL

Alexander McQueen in Oct 2008

Hi. I’m Brandon. I’m a girl, but I have a boy’s name. I am one half of TWENTYTHIRTYFORTY.net. I’ll let my partner introduce herself in her own time. Unfortunately, that will probably be never because she is insanely camera-shy. Like, she’s seriously terrified of attention. And the funny thing is that she — hands down — is the most stylish person I know. Anyone who knows her will tell you exactly the same thing. And amazing, effortless style does garner attention. We’ll see what happens.

Anyway, we launched this site back in October of 2008. Our idea took its initial breath a year before, in Paris. Which we love. Our goal is to be able to go to Paris in the fall and bring back some incredible Parisian designers for spring. Think Sonia Rykiel, Vanessa Bruno… 

Sonia Rykiel homepage

Sonia Rykiel’s home page has always been an inspiration to us. It always looks like the cover of a fashion magazine. We love fashion. Obviously. But we are not Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda or Samantha. We are midwestern, middle-aged, family women who work for a living (and live in a place where the ground is covered with dirt-laden icepiles 4-5 months out of the year). So what? Does that mean that we can’t wear a $600 dress with $450 shoes when we’re hanging out at Starbuck’s on a Saturday? I’m not talking about a silk dress with heels. I’m talking about a dress that you wore the night before to a black tie event but now have on over a t-shirt and jeans with riding boots. To us, that is what fashion is about. You always have an excuse to buy something new because you know that you are going to wear it. ALL. THE. TIME.

So, we decided to create a place where we could indulge our love for fashion and make it all accessible to the masses. Fashion just shouldn’t be that hard and it shouldn’t be intimidating and it shouldn’t be confusing. It should be fun. Long live fashion. Long live wearing it just because you love it. Long live the bunny suit.