Eye Candy of the Day

I am absolutely charmed with these gorgeous illustrations by Iris Olschewski! The talented graphic designer from Germany offers an array of beautiful, sophisticated and feminine designs - I can't decide which ones I need most!

Check her out here.

Shoe of the Day

Isn't this just the perfect, elegant most festive shoe for a New Year's night out?!... 

Pair it with black stockings and a simple dress. Ready, steady, go. Spotted at www.zara.com

The Sound of the Day

It's a windy, rainy, grey Sunday afternoon - time to calm down, relax, drink tea and enjoy some good music. 
A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure to witness Randy Crawford live on stage - this lady has an absolutely amazing repertoire and a serious vocal talent. So happy I just found her album "No Regrets" - this is just the right sound for today!

Mr Boddington #2

Make sure you check out Mr Boddington's holiday selection of boxed cards and wrapping paper - fabulous, as always. 
Look at that envelope lining! Looking forward to receiving my goodies soon! Ah!

www.mrboddington.com

Gaggle Pump

As winter holidays are approaching with a remarkable speed - it's December already! - it is time to work on a festive outfit for the holiday season. Since this year has been full of color so far, I am committed to resist to the greyness outside of my window and add - at least a minor - sunny element to my wardrobe. Don't you think these utterly chic, elegant and sunny pumps are just perfect for such an occasion?!

Spotted at www.topshop.com. Bow included.

Cape time

As it gets chillier and windier and it is time to pack away dresses and sandals, I am looking forward to turn to one of my favorite pieces of clothing - a coat, or jacket, or blazer or trench. There are so many ways to keep warm these days - and I am loving them all! This year, however, another alternative is available to us, ladies.  The elegant, classy, flirty little cape.

Capes go back to medieval times and have made multiple entrances into the world of fashion throughout the history ever since. If you ask me, I think there is something extremely mysterious and romantic about them!

www.asos.com

www.coach.com

Matchbook

The newest issue of the digital Matchbook Magazine is finally online! The founders of this new electronic magazine have the most exquisite taste in ALL and I can't wait to dive into the charmed life they write about! 

Bonne nuit, les filles!

www.matchbookmag.com

Literary

It's a public holiday here in Germany and I have a day off - what a delight!

Everything is closed today so there is no temptation to go out to shop - which makes up for a perfect sunny afternoon on a terrasse with a great book. Luckily, I am armed with two great ones at once!

The first one is a discussion of "two great men - Umberto Eco and Jean-Claude Carrière - about our digital future" - about the past, present and future of the book . 

The second one is Chanel's biography of Justine Picardie.

I have flipped over both of them and confirmed the good choice I had made. Look forward to my latte & a great reading day! Have a good one y'all - working and not-working ladies!

The loafer

Although I love high-heels on other people - let's be honest, they make you look so chic! - I rarely wear them myself, except on really special occassions. As a consequence, I prefer following trends around flat shoes rather than chasing another pair of glittery Loubutins or Manolos - which, as a matter of fact, I would not really know where to wear. 

I work in an office, so pretty, practical, comfy and flat shoes is more my-kinda-world. Sooo, as an alternative to the always-beloved ballerinas, I collected a number of preppy loafers which I had recently found on Asos and Topshop. I think most producers are offering these nowadays, so they are just examples. I love how they can be combined with  jeans; cropped pants; and even skirts and dresses!

See for yourself!

www.asos.com

www.topshop.com

Some of my favorites...

Check out my new favorite piece to accompany me on my travels - a little pochette (not sure I am using the right term) to shelter some of my most precious jewelry on the way. I love the color combination - there is something about grey and pink, isn't there?! - completed with the most divine velvety fabric. Can't wait to take this on my next trip!

Oh and by the way - this one is from Fragonard!

Top Three from this year's French pharmacy visit

As already confessed here, a visit to a French pharmacy is something I truly and passionately love.

I think the French just have the best selections of cosmetic and healthy products, that make these usually boring places much more than a mere drugstore. I love coming back to favorite oldies but discovering new ones to broaden my apothecary horizon is almost a bit more fun :)

Every year, I have a couple of discoveries that become my absolute must-haves. 

These are this summer's top three!

Nuxe: dry oil to moisture, nourish and repair both skin & hair.

Its subtle scent reminds me of a lazy day on the beach - I think it really smells like sun. Who would not want to smell like that during the grey month of october?!.

Bioderma: one of the best make-up removing lotion ever. 

Works perfectly for sensitive and allergic skin.

Noreva: one of the best products I have ever tried to treat acne prone skin. Noreva has a large range of products targeted especially at impurities - one of the few ones that produce really effective results!

Bowed beauties

So this year summer wedding season is slowly coming to an end - BHLDN is nonetheless surprising us with a new collection of beautiful bridal attire and accessories - among which the impeccable Paramount D'Orsays - pretty much the reason this blogs exists. Oh my!!!!

www.bhldn.com

                        

Hansel from Basel

Where I reside, nature has not been too generous this year and gave us a mere couple of really sunny, friendly, warm weeks. This is why I have been longing to write this post for quite a while now. However, having readers from very different parts of the globe, I resisted the urge and waited until a more apropriate time of the year to report about this particular piece of clothing.

So now September has finally arrived, it has been getting chilly and I figured it is finally that time of the year when you start considering wearing tights or socks. So, I am thrilled to write about these ultra-stylish legwear I found online!

Hansel from Basel is a company from California and produces the cutest, uniquely detailed socks, tights and leggings!Check them out!

www.hanselfrombasel.com

Instagram colors

Ever since I started to work, I have the feeling that my summer has pretty much schrunk to a couple of weeks of vacation, which does not happen until Mid or even End of August, usually.

When you work every day, you do not really benefit from summer days as much as you do when you are free as a student as a bird and actually have the time to do so. As a consequence, these precious 14 days are always longed for badly, especially since our yearly tradition to head off to Southern France.

Although it might seem somewhat boring to go to the same place every year (which believe me, is not when this place is Côte d'Azur, but I admit that some may think so), there is just something comforting about going to familiar cafés, markets and shops and finding the lovely things you missed the whole year because you can't get them home.

Like these.

Delicious Amorino ice-cream: they use organic eggs and fresh milk. My personal favorite is chocolate, vanilla, mango and raspberry.
www.amorino.com

Home Made ice tea with different herbs. The perfect refreshment at  a beautiful family-owned place called Volupté Anytime in Cannes.
www.volupte-cannes.com

Having already confessed my love for Compagnie de Provence products, I simply had to visit their beautiful boutique in   Rue St Francois de Paule in Nice.

Lenôtre is a very French place and offer great food for breakfast and lunch along with  a range AMAZING  desserts.
These are raspberry, chocolate, coffee eclairs. I did not eat them all. Well, almost. They also offer cooking classes which I wanted to attend, but which were unfortunately on vacation during the month of August. This did not stop me from consuming many of their sweets.
www.lenotre.fr

And these are simple candies. I love returning home and unpacking stuff bought on vacation - and these bring special colorful memories from yet another fabulous 2 weeks.

Paul & Joe

Paul & Joe - a brand most commonly known for its sophisticated fashion - is also a producer of an exclusively distributed cosmetic line under the same name. 

If you asked me, I think these products are a perfect complement to the elegant and playful world created by the beautiful Sophie Albou - the designer behind this ultra-successful brand. 

What may sound as a British brand name, is actually a tribute to her two sons - Paul & Joe. Each and every shop is a perfection in itself - pure elegance combined with tasteful kitsch. The same applies to the beauty line - see for yourself:

www.paulandjoe.com