Pre-Departure Purchases: Week One

So, I can't believe it but I leave for Paris in a little under 15 weeks. About once a week I have an ah-ha, revelation moment where the reality of my adventure sets in. It's usually at work and I will suddenly blurt out "Oh my god, I'm going to Paris in three months!" As I prepare for the amazing adventure that lies ahead I am collecting things that will be necessary while I am romping around Paris. First thing that I checked off of my checklist: a new wallet. I love my sparkly, gold wallet that I bought in NYC last summer but I broke the zipper about two weeks after returning to Santa Barbara. Lame. However, I found a darling, vintage French travel wallet that I absolutely adore. And it was only $17 on Etsy! Check it out: 

I can't wait to put my passport, train tickets and Euros in this beautiful clutch/travel wallet while exploring Europe. I'll have more pre-departure goodies each week so stay tuned! 

XOXO.

Haut Pants

My new favorite (and budget friendly) hobby: transforming vintage Levi jeans into high-waisted denim shorts. After two trips to the Goodwill, I have accumulated quite an impressive wardrobe of cutoff shorts. It feels great to recycle clothes and bring an 80's dimension into my summer wardrobe. 

Red denim Levi's transformed into high waisted shorts. Bring
it on summer. 

Down Time

About a month ago, I went wild with online shopping. After having my appendix removed and therefore being confined to a bed or couch for ten days, scouring the internet for new items was about all I was able to do. Luckily, I was up and about within two weeks to sport my finds. These are two of my newest, favoritest items: Urban Outfitters Ruffle Mini Dress and Seychelles Hawke Wedges.

This dress is unbelievably comfortable and flattering. And I lasted all night in these sky-high wedges while we celebrated darling Sam's 21st birthday. Moral of the story: some down time can lead to a great dress and perfect dancing shoes, adding up to an ideal outfit for ringing in 21 years with amazing friends. Who could ask for more?

For the Love of Lace.

Things that I am drawn to: sparkles, leopard print, and lace. 

I love the versatility of lace-y pieces and the many shapes they come in. I would love to have lace culottes and a white lace dress. I'm feeling confident that spring lines will deliver. Until I have more lace-y items of my own, here is some eye candy that has me day dreaming about sunshine, moving to Paris and sipping margaritas with my girlfriends on summer nights. 

Girls in Socks.

As mentioned previously (and will continue to be said) knee socks = adorable. Anytime, anywhere, I love 'em. And these girls are rocking them well. 

Ooh La La Lingerie

This set has been on my radar for the past year (its difficult to be surrounded by such beautiful, dainty things all day and not create a never-ending list of things to buy). But today, I finally took the plunge. It's mine all mine. 

Absolutely darling. Elle Macpherson rarely disappoints. 

Feels quite Parisian, right? It was a must have!

Nostalgia & Inspiration.

Tonight, I found a treasure hiding in my desk: my high school sketchbook.

 After flipping through the worn pages, I became nostalgic and envious of the days I was able to sit around, painting or drawing for hours. Seriously. That was the best part of my day. Sitting in Mrs. A's intermediate painting class was the most therapeutic, entertaining (it was impossible not to overhear a very dramatic male student's thoughts about his flavor of the week) and by far the quickest hour of my long school day.

After finding this treasure I started thinking about how important art and creativity are to me. While my future ambitions include working in the fashion industry, I have never seriously considered designing for a career. I'm not sure I have the patience to create fashion from thin air. But tonight's find reassured me that I need to find a career that encompasses both intellectual and creative input. I'd like to think that I use my creativity often, however I have not given the right side of my brain the exercise it was given in the past. School and work really do consume me!

Two of my favorite sketchbook finds:

Splenda Ad, May 2007

Bell, May 2007

There is nothing like breaking in a new sketchbook. I see this in my near future. :)