Party season is here, which means that it’s totally acceptable for me to embrace my love of sequins, satin, feathers, jewels and all things shiny, sparkly and festive!

This is the perfect time of year to bring out all of those items in your closet that you can’t seem to work into your everyday wardrobe. It’s not every day that a gold sequin platform and sheer blouse seem appropriate. So what are you waiting for? Break out the shine, break out the sparkle, and let’s party!

{image sources: Image 1 and 2a (left) by Phil Oh via Streetpeeper; image 2b (right) via Gary Graham; image 3: Miu Miu collar via Netaporter; image 4a (left): Miu Miu pumps via Netaporter; image 4b (right): Young Frankk collar via Miss Moss}

Wanna take your outfit to the next level and achieve a true sense of originality? Just add a great hat.

{image sources: 1. twentythirtyforty.net; 2. Streetpeeper; 3. Easy Fashion; 4. Vanessa Jackman; 5. Vanessa Jackman; 6. The Sartorialist; 7. ModernHepburn (original source unknown); 8. Vanessa Jackman; 9. The Locals}

One of my fave stores to visit in Chicago is the unique and special Robin Richman. Robin has a terrific eye and it always feels just a little bit like walking into an art gallery when you walk through her door. On a couple of recent visits, I discovered 2 new obsessions:  jewelry designer, Jean-François Mimilla, and clothing designer, Marc Le Bihan. I fell in love with each of them on a different visit and came to find out that these 2 are actually a couple. And from their design aesthetics, it seems to be a match made in Heaven.

Jean-François’ jewelry is a little bit like clothing — decadent and ornate pieces that beg to be the focal point.

I died over this piece at the recent jewelry show at RR. It felt so good when I had it on, I was kind of prancing.

And on the clothing side, Marc Le Bihan creates pieces that are really a lot like accessories — sheer detail, tulle, collars, and tons of drape — just begging to be played and experimented with.

I actually scored a really awesome Marc Le Bihan piece that I absolutely adore. It’s a black tulle dress with a drawstring waist and endless styling possibilities. I’ll try to remember to have Arlene snap a picture the next time I wear it (which will probably be tomorrow, since I’m wearing it all the time).

Now if only I could figure out how to get that feather collar…

{image sources: all images by Cécile Guyenne (except the ones of me, obvs, taken by Arlene) }

Marc Le Bihan and Jean-François Mimilla available at Robin Richman in Chicago.

It is no secret to anyone who knows me, I love to shop. I love things. And it’s not a materialistic thing, I just love things that are beautiful or unique or awesome in some way. I buy things because they speak to me, generally with absolutely no thought as to what I will do with them.

I also really enjoy the art of shopping. And there definitely is an art to it. (I actually know a number of people who say they don’t like to shop. What? That is so foreign to me.) Shopping is like a hunt, an adventure. To find the perfect item, the perfect bargain, the hidden gem, that one little something special. I think it gives me endorphins or something, because it definitely gets my heart pumping. I joke that I could actually enjoy shopping at CVS (the local drug store). I could, though.

So here’s just a few of my latest acquisitions:

For the office we picked up another dress form, a couple of Argentinian mid-century chairs and the most awesome pony hair ottoman…

FInally found the perfect "trying on shoes" pouf

for home, I picked up another ottoman and a vintage hat box for my boudoir…

And maybe my favorite new item of all, the new crown jewel of my accessories collection, this amazing and unique vintage collar…

I see amazing things just about everywhere I go, so I think I’ll make this Favorite Things post a regular feature. Tune in next week to see what else I’m obsessing over

{vintage wire dress form, pony hair ottoman and tapestry ottoman from Revision Home; leather and metal chairs from Architectural Artifacts; vintage hat box from Study Vintage; vintage collar from Hazel }

I am a big fan of anything unique that makes a statement, so it was love at first sight when I first laid eyes on New York-based jewelry line, Falconiere. A collection filled with collars, cuffs, leather, feathers and chains, there isn’t a piece with which I’m not obsessed!

Loved seeing the entire collection at the showroom. So fun to try it all on!

And with some help from the lovely ladies at the awesome Maryam Nassir Zadeh showroom, we were able to get our hands on a few of these babies for our latest punk/grunge-inspired editorial shoot.

It was so much fun to play with it all and figure out all the different ways to style it.

Can’t wait to share it all with you in our July cover story, so stay tuned.

Falconiere: that’s what I call fashion!

An extra big shout-out to Jen at Maryam Nassir Zadeh Showroom for giving us the hook-up. Thanks, Jen! Love you and love that awesome showroom!!

{all images by twentythirtyforty}

Once again we have to thank David at Hazel for hunting down yet another amazing line…this time out of Taiwan, Hao Shi design studio.  Hao Shi is a collection of amusing rings & necklaces (and one merry-go-round clock equipped with all the classic carousel animals ).   I was immediately intrigued with the knuckle ring…a piece I’ve never owned.  When it comes to jewelry, rings are my drug of choice.  We are either styling or typing or playing photographer and I just thought a knuckle ring would be too constricting.  Constricting, pahstricting…who cares!  It’s too cool not to wear!  Or enjoy!

feels really great on too!

there are other cuties...like piglet.

LOVE the beautiful packaging....gift ready :)

oh, hello!

Surfed a ton of black this week for our next featured Style It…the Little Black Dress.  Wanted to share a few of my favorites.  Black has that magic & power like no other color, no??   Because of black we have the LBD, the perfect black pump and we all have lots & lots of it in our wardrobes..so this week in streetstyle, let’s hear it for black!

It's the perfect backdrop for all your great accessories

all you need...a fabulous black dress (ok, and a great shoe!!)

my favorite way to wear the new pant...black

I love texture especially in all black

images via Stockholm Streetstyle, Vanessa Jackman, All the Pretty Birds, The Sartorialist

So after a few weeks of fall, I have to proclaim here & now that my Demylee sweaters are the bomb!!  I’m already living in the Tommy and it’s only October.  Not just me either….Brandon too!   We’re both hooked.  It’s the fit, it’s the style & it’s the cashmere.  If you have not yet discovered Demylee, go discover!  Before it gets any colder!  You’ll thank us later :]

My coveted Tommy pullover here with my Daryl K leggings/mini, LD Tuttle pumps

A cozy stack of Demy's

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I’ve always been a fan of borrowing from the boys.  They have such great wardrobe pieces like the trouser pant, a cozy cardi or my favorite, a great button up shirt.  The Parisians may stake claim to the striped tee, but we have this americana classic…the button up shirt.  Funny but not an easy basic to find.  I like mine either shrunken or oversized and I rotate between my reverse seam Steven Alan’s and a couple of vintage Ralph Lauren’s. There’s also Band of Outsiders and just the other day I come across another boy to borrow from Baron Wells.

and the button up looking great out on the streets….

what's easier to pair back to leather??

there's always an assortment of button up's in our styling closet

images via All The Pretty Birds, Baron Wells & Vanessa Jackman,

Well here in the studio, at least. New fall merchandise has been arriving at a rapid pace for the last month. We’ve been styling and snapping and cropping like crazy to get it all up on the site, which means that we’ve been staring at all our new goodies for hours on end. It’s truly not glamorous, but it sure is fun to play with a bunch of amazing clothes every day!!! Some of my favorites so far…

First, 3 of my favorites all in 1 outfit! The dress makes me feel… well, ethereal is the word that comes to mind. And the booties are so light that I’ve even been wearing them during our incredibly humid weather. But the leather shirt. The leather shirt just makes me crazy. So soft, so versatile and just so freaking cool. LOVE it.

SFRD leather shirt vest, Gary Graham pintuck dress, Rachel Comey Memo booties

The Ruse dress from Rachel Comey. I ordered this, but it doesn’t fit SOOO disappointed.

I am always on the lookout for a great pair of pants, and these Vanessa Bruno Athe pants are just the best pair EVER. I wasn’t supposed to own these, but fate — and my dog, Kuma — lent a hand. Arlene and I were trying them on when they first landed and were in the process of telling ourselves and each other that they weren’t for us and that we needed to save them for our customers when over walks Kuma (he doesn’t like to be left out). He looks up at me and then gives me a giant lick on the leg (he’s a black lab, so his licks are pretty big), leaving a giant stain on the — now mine — pants. BAD dog.

Vanessa Bruno Athe soft trouser, Gar-de leather jacket, Sophomore tee, Loeffler Randall pumps

And the coup de grace, the Navy faux fur from SONIA by Sonia Rykiel. Knocks me out, it’s so good. Arlene and I actually both bought this, which might be a problem since we do everything and go everywhere together. We’ve had matching outerwear before, but nothing like this. But how could we resist? It feels so delicious when you’re all wrapped up (and you don’t even have to worry about those pesky animal activists!) And it’s navy. I mean, come on. How many times in your life do you come across a great navy fur???

SONIA by Sonia Rykiel faux fur, stripe tee and zipper leggings, Prairies de Paris pumps

So many other amazing things, but if I list them all here I won’t have time to actually do my work! We’ll be back, I promise.