GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAFY

{Adriana Lima & David Boreanaz photographed by Pamela Hanson via Yunta D}

Been a hectic few months, and long overdue for some down time, so we're off to Paris {flight leaves tonight!} for a little adventure and a dash of fun, leaving our cares and BlackBerrys behind . . .

{See you in two weeks! À bientôt!}

{"Through the Looking Glass" photographed by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue US December 2004; model: Natalia Vodianova; via style.com}

This week's {top five} is all about ruffles, since they're fun and flirty, and that's the kind of mood I'm in . . .

Also, still crazy about Balineum's ruffled Catherine shower curtain, and this week, there's a chance to win one.

Good news is, the UK-based company ships anywhere in the world, so anyone anywhere can enter: just leave a comment below, and a winner will be randomly selected by the curtain's designer, Sarah Watson, and announced here on Friday, June 13, 2008.

bonne chance! / good luck!

{top five:}
1. this shower curtain
2. this tablecloth
3. this girl at Cannes
4. this photoshoot
5. this bikini

Recently came across more images {above + below} of fashion designer Jacqueline Appel's lovely, lovely home . . .

The custom Pucci scarf pillow shams, Murano chandelier, lacquered ceiling, and polished floor make her living room one of the rooms I always come back to . . .

{images 1 + 2: H+H January 2006; 3: from an earlier post & Flare September 2007}

Also check out Felicity's lovely Ballet post at All Things Bright and Beautiful for more images of Jacqueline's home.

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{Jacob Hertzell, stylist; via emmas designblogg}

Looking forward to a little down time this weekend, especially time outdoors on our recently refurnished patio . . .

Not certain if anyone still uses bar carts, but sitting and dreaming en plein air for a few moments somehow made me think a moveable place for water and lemons and fizzy drinks and wine would work out beautifully . . .

{via i suwannee}

{Hazelnut Lovejoy Vodka; label design by ID Branding; via Ruby Press and Design Crush}

{photography by Deborah Jaffe for domino}

{Watercreek Carafes from the American Summer collection at Ralph Lauren home}

{Hanover Bar Cart from Restoration Hardware; via Apartment Therapy Los Angeles}

{Lovejoy Vodka; label design by ID Branding; via Ruby Press and Design Crush}

{photography by Patrick Van Robaeys for Coté Est}

Never imagined falling for a wood interior, finding the overuse of wood to be, at times, dark and a little out of fashion . . . That is, of course, until I happened upon this beautiful ancien hôtel particulier, a home overflowing with French style in the English countryside, where everything feels comfortable and inviting, and infused with warmth and a wonderful mix of French glamour and English country charm . . .

You know by now that we love spotting lingerie in high-fashion photo shoots. We were thrilled to find our favorite model, Claudia Schiffer, featured in a shoot for German Vogue by Mario Testino.
In this spread Claudia models lingerie looks from Fifi Chachnil (of course), lingerie line Nuits de Satin, Chantal Thomass, and Dior.
It's a mixture of pin-up and naughty girl (but we're only featuring photos that show lingerie). We just wanted to share how the right combination of lingerie creates something classy, eye-catching and beautiful.

{photography by Juliana Sohn}

Always new and exciting things happening, including a new feature, Top Five Tuesdays: discovering fun and intriguing things about fun and intriguing people . . .

First up is the very cool and down-to-earth Monika Eyers, Contributing Editor, London, for domino magazine, who shares her list of the Top Five Things She Can't Live Without . . .

{iPod Touch}

ipod touch to organize my life: I tried desperately to go the pen & paper diary route but there is something so useful about having everything there at the click of a button. Calendar, contacts, google maps, music, etc. I never leave home with out my ipod touch (I'm waiting for next year's improvements before upgrading to the iphone). Now I scribble out the dates on my gorgeous old Smythson diary and use it as a notebook instead.

{must confess that I also love my iPod Touch, relying on it to catch up on the latest runway shows through video podcasts . . .}

{Peugeot herb chopper}

Moving to London has miraculously domesticated me in the kitchen. I am borderline obsessed with my wooden handled Peugeot herb chopper. It does the trick in seconds and makes me feel like a bona-fide chef!



{Dyptique Chene candle}

There is something so lovely about walking into a home that smells good. It's like being in Paris where every shop and hotel exudes a sultry fragrance. Dyptique's Chene candle is my scent of choice and rarely a day goes by where the candle isn't lit for an hour. I recently found out they are soon discontinuing the Chene room spray (eek!) and have since stocked up on that as well.

{Peonies in May}

Peonies are my absolute favorite flower. They smell as gorgeous as they look and as all good things must come to an end, they have a torturously short season. For this reason, come the 1st of May, I make sure to have a constant supply of fresh bunches at home for as long as possible. They always make a room feel just a little bit more special but run, don't walk, they'll be gone in just a few weeks!

{Waterworks baskets}

I have a bit of a reputation for being a hoarder when it comes to papers, magazines, newspapers, etc. Without my trusty natural abaca baskets from Waterworks, my husband would surely divorce me. They keep the chaos neat and tidy and I especially love that they have handles for easy transport - you never know which room you'll want to settle down in and getting sorting.

We wanted to let you know that we've re-stocked Faire Frou Frou with new pieces from Belabumbum.
Belabumbum (pronounced 'bella boom boom) is portuguese for "beautiful bottom", and you know that's a perfect name considering how amazing the Copa Boycut Panty makes you look!
This longtime favorite brand (founded in 2001) features innovative cuts and fabrics, imported from Brazil, that accentuate female curves in new ways.
We're just starting to add the new pieces to our online boutique, starting with the Copacabana group. These pieces are all about figure-flattering shapes, and incredible comfort.
Slip into these intimates and channel your inner 'Girl from Ipanema' (you know the bossa nova song...about the sexy girl on the Brazilian beach).

Love Sarah Watson's pretty new shower curtain designs, made by traditional weavers in Italy, Lithuania and Portugal. There are four designs in all, including the charming and ruffle-trimmed, Catherine.

{from Elle Decoration May 2008}

The panels of Sarah Dorkenwald and Ruth Spitzer's Wallfurniture LC2 wallpaper {above} will instantly open up a small space into a view of an ultra-stylish and modern lounge . . .

{photography by Ben Dearnley}

This is not my refrigerator. It looks like it could be, but I live with a {rather charming} Brit, so ours is large and stainless steel. If you happen to visit Rachel’s lovely blog, BlackEiffel, you will find a sneak peek inside our refrigerator, as well as those of other bloggers . . .

Continually impressed with Loeffler Randall, who are inspiring me to reconsider my entire summer wardrobe . . . {flutter dress, olivia boot}

{hard to believe they've only been around for 4 years}

{flutter sleeve jumper, romy suede platform bootie}

{dropwaist dress, eleanor gathered platform + really adorable socks}

You've invested quite a bit into your beautiful lingerie collection, and you want to make sure it stays fresh and lovely for years to come. With the proper care, your lingerie collection can remain in gorgeous condition.
We prepared a list of what you should (and should not) do in order to properly clean your delicates. In this post we focus on caring for Silk lingerie...

• Unless an item says “Dry Clean ONLY”, you are able to wash the item yourself (typically a lukewarm hand wash).

• There are a lot of delicate laundry washes available. Probably the best out there is Woolite, and there are other fragrance options available from brands such as Soak, Eberjey, Hanky Panky, etc. You can even use colorless or baby shampoo as a wash - that was first recommended to us by an associate at Carine Gilson's boutique!

• NEVER put your lingerie in the dryer as it damages the item’s elasticity.

• Hand-washing silk will rejuvenate and refreshen the fabric each time you do so. This is one of the many rewarding qualities of silk lingerie. Although it may not be a good idea to wash your silk lingerie too much, it is a good idea to wash it at the first sign of a stain or spill.

• While silk is a very strong fabric, it is delicate when wet so care must be taken with hand washable garments. Using a mild soap, silk wash or colorless shampoo (never detergents or bleach as they will "strip" the finish), soak the garment in lukewarm water for five minutes. Move it about gently, do not wring or twist. Rinse well in cool water to which a teaspoon of vinegar may be added to remove all traces of soap. Roll in a towel to absorb excess moisture and lay flat, straightening out seams. Iron while slightly damp on warm setting. Tailored silk garments such as robes and pajamas require careful pressing in order to maintain their look and dry cleaning is highly recommended. (via Patricia Fieldwalker)

• Styles that can be ironed "flat", such as collarless pajamas and gowns can be hand washed and pressed on the wrong side with a warm iron. If you must wash dark colored or printed silks, wash very quickly in cold water and mild soap. Move continuously and do not soak or colors may run into one another. Rinse with cold water and a little vinegar and lay flat to dry with a towel between layers to avoid colors bleeding into each other. (via Patricia Fieldwalker)

• Like most natural fabrics, silk wrinkles! Run a tub of hot water in your bathroom and hang the garment for an hour or so to eliminate the worst creases. Smooth finish silks like charmeuse, look fresher if pressed with a warm iron rather than steamed. (via Patricia Fieldwalker)

• What NOT To Do:
• Never expose silk lingerie articles to strong direct sunlight. Silk lingerie will fade.
• Never spray perfume or deodorant on silk lingerie
• Never soak silk lingerie in water for a long time.
• Never try to clean a "spot" or soiled area with water.
• Water leaves a ring around the wetted area that even Dry-cleaning may not remove.

A perfect way to do the dishes side by side . . .

{from Colonial Homes, via Classic Style in the City}

Have always been fascinated {and often inspired} by the workspaces of others, such as this pretty and remarkably calming and creative space . . .

Have a borderline obsession with stationery and office supplies and have been known to use only my own pens, in any given situation.

Love the Japanese styling of this assortment -- bright and cheerful, with the perfect combination of work and play . . .

{images: 1: a.n. on flickr via Creature Comforts; 2+3: stationary products from Japan from So-En Magazine via Scout-Holiday}

When we mention brands like Carine Gilson and ID Sarrieri, usually it follows with a description of a product that has handmade lace or lace that is hand-stitched. It wasn't until recently, with the prompting of one of our very good customers, that we began to wonder exactly what goes into creating a 'handmade lace' as opposed to the lace we see on less expensive products that are mass produced (say, for instance, the lace we see at one of those chain lingerie stores in the mall). Is lace actually handmade?
We know that Chantilly lace (or any handmade lace) makes a product considerably more costly to produce and sell, and we figure it must be a labor-intensive process to create it, but we wanted to learn the nitty gritty details of the process.

{photography by Mark Seelen for Elle Decoration UK}

Not normally fond of green plants, preferring numerous bouquets of fresh-cut flowers in vases scattered about, but there is something about these oversized splashes of green against fresh white interiors that seems to exude a relaxed easiness and tropical elegance.

{ photography by Laura Resen for Domino April 2008}

{via classic style in the city}