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Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Easter Inspiration

Easter Inspiration

I loved Easter as a kid, mostly for the color palette, but, as I gold older, it's significance dwindled. Then, I married into a Catholic family and learned that Easter doesn't have to be just for kids. Now, I make homemade pretzels, spend the day with family, and daydream about chic ways to decorate eggs. 

Easter Inspiration
Easter Inspiration
Easter Inspiration
Easter Inspiration
Easter Inspiration

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Baby Bangs Inspiration

Baby Bangs inspiration

Lately, I've been feeling the need to change up my hair, and not just because my bangs prefer to spend their summers plastered to my forehead in a flat mass of sweaty grossness.

But I don't want to stop having bangs. Enter idea: get baby bangs! It's been one of those ideas that won't stop pestering me. I'm a little worried about how they'll look and how easy they'll be to style, but I think I'm going to go for it.

In looking online for inspiration, I've discovered that the way to keep them from looking too retro, severe, or Girl-with-the-Dragon-Tatoo-ish, is to get punky jagged bangs rather than straight-across Bettie Page bangs.

The first time I noticed jagged baby bangs was in the early '00s when Phoebe got them on Charmed. At the time, my brain could barely conceive of them as intentional, much less enviable. But times have changed (it's what they do) and I'm totally feeling the look now.

What do you think?

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Monday, July 15, 2013

Words to Live by

Fashion is Evolution Célèste Brott's Words to Live by

After reading Emily's manifesto in February, I've been thinking a lot about the words that I live by.

I compiled a list of pieces of advice; some of them are important and inspiring, others are practical if not life-altering, and still others are a bit silly but, nonetheless, good words to live by.

What words of advice do you try to live by?
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Friday, March 8, 2013

Wedding Pinspiration: the details

Even though things like locking down a venue and finding a caterer should take presidence over tiny details, sometimes a girl can't help but imagine all the little things that will make a big impact at her wedding. Details I'm considering (DIY time permitting) include . . . 

Place settings that involve cable-knitted napkin rings, or possibly (faux) fur ones, to add wintry coziness to the table. 



Wedding Pinspiration


Wedding Pinspiration


DIY mason-jar snow-globe favors or baby evergreen trees tied up with burlap. Or maybe a mix of the two.
Wedding Pinspiration



Wedding Pinspiration


Personalized water-color portrait invitations

Wedding Pinspiration


Special decorations on the back of Ryan's and my chairs: ribbons, Mr. and Mrs. signs, an ampersand, or wintry wreaths


Wedding Pinspiration





Wedding Pinspiration





Wedding Pinspiration




Wedding Pinspiration

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Wedding Pinspiration: the party

Arguably, the biggest part of a wedding is the reception. As I thought about the overall look and feel of our wedding, I found myself asking an important question: what kind of party do we want to throw?

Luckily, Ryan and I are on the same page about all of the major things. We want our ceremony to be secular, personal, and meaningful. We want our reception to feature good food and good music, which, to us means no rice pilaf and definitely no "Chicken Dance."

We want the party to feel cozy and to be festive without being overly fancy. We also want it to be super small and intimate so that we can actually make time to visit with all our guests. 

After making all the big decisions, I started picturing the layout of the room:

50-75 guests sitting at one long, rectangular table. Ryan and I at a small sweetheart table nearby. 

Wedding Pinspiration







Wedding Pinspiration


A desert table with a festive, DIY backdrop. Possibly featuring cake (maybe a naked cake); possibly a tower of powdered donuts instead; possibly kitschy plastic deer and evergreen trees perched on donuts, cupcakes, etc. 




Wedding Pinspiration



Wedding Pinspiration




Wedding Pinspiration

Source: bhldn.com via Célèste on Pinterest


Wedding Pinspiration


In addition to the dessert table, I like the idea of some kind of comforting, cold-weather, make-your-own-something bar, be it a full-fledged s'mores bar with gas stove for toasting, or a more simple hot toddy or hot cocoa bar. 

Wedding Pinspiration




Wedding Pinspiration



Wedding Pinspiration




Wedding Pinspiration


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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Wedding Pinspiration: the style

After the decor, the next thing I found myself picturing, was the style. What would I wear? What would Ryan wear? What would my bridesmaids wear?

As you know, I bought a gown at BHLDN in Chicago. The gown is top secret (mostly because Ryan wants to be surprised), but I can say that it's full length, romantic, and has a vintage feel while still being youthful.

With gown in hand, I've been spending all my time imagining what kind of headpiece, shoes, and accessories I want. I didn't think I wanted a veil, but, after seeing myself in one at BHLDN, I now think I do. It just made me look . . . so much like a bride.

I also really love bridal caps and 1920s-inspired headpieces, but don't want to overpower the gown. I'm also concerned about looking too old-fashioned. Maybe with modern hair, I can get away with a vintage-looking gown and headpiece. I still need to experiment.

I'm also thinking about textured tights and fun shoes. I think I want flats or something with a low heel. And, of course, I want a pretty manicure with an extra-sparkly "married finger."







Wedding Pinspiration


Wedding Pinspiration


Wedding Pinspiration


Ryan told me, soon after we got engaged, that he wanted to buy a nice suit for the wedding. Something slim cut and gray that would fit him perfectly. 

When I think about walking down the aisle next winter, I picture him in a 1960s-inspired gray suit with a skinny black tie, and his favorite Chelsea boots. 

Wedding Pinspiration
Source: Uploaded by user via Célèste on Pinterest


Thinking about Ryan's dream suit got me thinking about gray as a primary color for our wedding. 

I've decided I'd like my bridesmaids in gray. I know that it's a strange color for a wedding, but it's one of my favorite colors, and I think it's so perfect for winter. Also, they like the idea, so score!

I'd like their dresses to be full length, like mine, and for them to carry simple bouquets of lavender, an almost gray flower with an unmistakable scent that will always bring me back to my wedding day. 

Wedding Pinspiration
Source: bhldn.com via Célèste on Pinterest


Wedding Pinspiration


Surprisingly, the element of style and, in fact, the DIY project that I find myself getting most excited about is the boutonnieres. I'd like to make them not just for Ryan and his best man, but for all of our male family members.

I have so many ideas, that I can't decide what I like best. Lavender, of course, would match the bouquets, evergreens would be nice with details like pinecones or mistletoe. I also love the idea of raw cotton because it's so rustic and it looks like little snow balls. 

I might make a slew of mismatched boutonnieres (a unique one for each unique man) or maybe Ryan's will be unique and the rest will be uniform. Maybe I can incorporate all (or near all) of my favorite elements into one boutonniere design without it looking like too much is going on. 

Another opportunity for experimenting. 

Wedding Pinspiration


Wedding Pinspiration


Wedding Pinspiration


Wedding Pinspiration







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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Wedding Pinspiration: the decor

The inspiration behind the theme of our wedding comes from the winter that we fell in love. Ryan and I chose the date, January 24th, because it will be our 5th anniversary. And we want our wedding to bring to life all those snowy memories as a way of sharing our love story with our family and friends.

Therefor, the visual style is going to be all snowy, wintry, and cozy.

One of our favorite memories from that first winter is of kissing under a snow-covered evergreen in front of his apartment, so I want to incorporate lots of evergreens into the decor. Apart from them, however, I want to keep to a color palate of winter white, dove gray, and metallics. 

The first thing I was sure I wanted (after choosing the date) was an evergreen chuppah. What better way to recreate the kissing-under-evergreens memory than to share our first kiss as husband and wife under an evergreen chuppah? I'm going to partner with my parents to make one that is an unique as Ryan and I are.



Wedding Pinspiration



Wedding Pinspiration


I want the decor to be a mix of elegant metallic details (like gilded fruits) and rustic touches (like burlap table runners). And, of course, I want all the decor to have a DIY bend.




I also feel drawn over and over to the festivity of flags, ribbons, Christmas lights, pomanders, and various garlands. I'd like to create a very three-dimentional space with lots of things strung though the air.






And, you didn't think for a moment that my wedding wouldn't involve tiny flags in food did you? It's an obsession!






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