Apple Picking!

Tomorrow I'm taking a much-needed break from the city and heading off to Stone Ridge Orchard to do some apple picking. 

 I'm imagining the perfect rustic-cute outfit for the day.  In my fantasy land I'd have a fabulous Hermes scarf to wrap around my head a la Jackie O. 

But in the spirit of being outdoorsy and in the spirit of not spending money I don't have, that will have to wait.

The perfect slouchy, casual plaid shirt.  It's just made for layering.

Joe's Jeans sexy western plaid shirt, $98, piperlime.com

Slightly worn-looking straight leg jeans.  No need for anything fussy.

Acne Kex Le Blue skinny jeans, $250, net-a-porter.com

I love, love having a chunky scarf with me at all times.

Two tone lurex scarf, $32, topshop.com

A classic boot in a classic color for tromping through the mud.

Hunter original rain boot, $115, madisonlosangeles.com

Klein bags are amazing.  They're actual tool bags so they're incredibly hard-wearing and really affordable.  Plus, the camo is rather cheeky I think.

Klein powerline cordura camoflage tool bag, $55, mytoolstore.com/klein

Tiny Post Earrings

I have a love for all things tiny--if it's miniature or petite in any way, I probably have a crush on it.  This definitely holds true with this collection of tiny stud earrings.  They're subtle enough that they could easily be worn every day, but are a fun, whimsical departure from my staple pearl earrings (I haven't taken them off since high school graduation...literally).

Rachel Leigh gold bows, $44, Revolve Clothing

Me&Ro 10K tiny gold studs with diamond eyes, $655, Me&Ro

Juicy Couture bow stud earrings, $40, Nordstrom

Jennifer Meyer Jewelry circle stud earrings, $150, Shopbop

Giles & Brother tiny horseshoe studs, $78, Shopbop

Giles & Brother skull stud earrings, $90, Shopbop

Giles & Brother tiny wishbone studs, $78, Shopbop

Bop Bijoux pyramid stud earrings, $60, Shopbop

Charm Necklace

Everyone at the magazine seems to have one of these brilliant little charm-holder pendants.  These simple pieces (please stay away from the gaudy dolphin or grandma themed versions) are a refined way to wear more than one pendant at once.  Plus, I wouldn't mind an excuse to start buying a few gold charms here and there.

The basic pendant holder.

Gold pendant holder, $49, Amazon.com

I think this is the sweetest charm.  It looks like a simple letter, until you slide them apart to reveal the hidden love note.

Spread the Love, $140, Charm Co.

The most adorable way to mark a special day.

Custom Calendar, $375, Charm Co.

I'll add the charm from my favorite new necklace to the collection as well.  It's simple, dainty and will add just a bit of sparkle to the assortment.

Emma Jane & Tan diamond initial necklace, $450, Max and Chloe

You can engrave the inside of this passport with your favorite travel spots or a special message.

Engravable passport, $250, Charm Co.

The oddest charm I came across...a gold rotisserie chicken.  Wow.

from Ebay

The complete effect

charms from Ten Thousand Things

Exotic room

I was feeling inspired by Tony Duquette's over-the-top exotic rooms and decided to try to conjure one of my own.  I'm feeling the need for a lot of color, texture and pattern with a few more modern pieces to keep it playful.

I've long had a fascination with cork wallpaper.  Not the thick chunks that used to line walls in the 70's, but thin paper-like sheets with interesting colors peeking through the crevices - or, better yet, a metallic bronze twinkling just enough to keep it from feeling too rustic.

from designyourwall.com, $24/yard

But I am also in love with all things Gracie - this hand-painted wallpaper is decadently beautiful (and expensive), and I might have to sideline the cork dreams for this.  An entire room wrapped in this orange would feel just magical.

Gracie wallpaper SY-233, $1,275/panel 

This carpet is totally '80s Dynasty and borderline ugly, but I think the bold emerald is fabulous (especially against a dark wood herringbone floor...sigh) and it is such a good quality piece that it will fall into the kitschy-cool category rather than the kitschy-crappy one.  Plus, it just makes me smile.

Climbing Leopard, Diane Von Furstenburg, The Rug Company

By all rights this belongs in a bedroom, but I love the idea of using this marble-topped masterpiece as a bar during a party or a station for hour d'oeuvres. 

Syrian chest of drawers, $6,500, 1st Dibs

The mix of classic Louis XVI and bold zebra stripe have great tension.  It feels wild, but stuffy/proper at the same time.

Sophie lounge chair, $2,750 Oly Studio from Tonic Home

A kilim is a must in any 'exotic' room, but it gets new life when repurposed on a sofa.  Though I'm not sure how comfy this would be with all of the scratchy fibers...just another excuse to buy lots of soft and cuddly throw blankets!

Kilim sofa, George Smith

Stuffed with pillows draped with fabric, this wedding bed becomes like a hidden cocoon, a room within a room.  I always wanted one of these for my bed when I was a little kid in Singapore and now I feel like it would still be the coolest addition to my grown-up living room.

Chinese wedding bed, Black Zebra

This table is intricately carved and totally unique - the little drawers open all the way around and are the perfect totally decadent place to hide keys, sunglasses, you name it.

Camel bone console table, 1st Dibs

I would pair these two tray tables side by side as an oddly paired coffee table or flanking the sofa as playfully mis-matched, but stylistically similar pieces.  The python piece seems to define 'exotic' and would be great as extra seating and the vibrant lacquer adds a nice modern punch to the room.

Faux python bench, $475, Two's Company from Tonic Home

Antelope tray and luggage bench, Dransfield and Ross

Moroccan poufs are a must and this lovely turquoise hue adds more great color to the room.  Maybe a cluster of three would be pretty - turquoise, metallic gold and a pink shade?  Amazing.

Moroccan pouf, about $140, Kazzbar

I saw a mirror just like this in one of the Ralph Lauren stores and wanted it immediately.  I will admit the bit of zebra mane at the top is a bit macabre, but it's mitigated by the clean lines and seemingly mitered corners.

Zebra mirror, $1,850,  Jayson Home and Garden

A wall of odd and interesting prints lends a certain museum-like quality to the room.  Plus, who doesn't like to check out pictures of Narwhals?

Prints, from $145, Panteek

I'll add these to the mix just because I love the color and because they feel like a new adaptation of the ubiquitous, but still cool, foo dogs.

Pair of 1940's ceramic cats, $1,200, 1st Dibs

Ikat is madly trendy right now (actually, it may be waning...), but I think used well, this fabric is a luxurious staple that never goes out of style.  I would layer these on the Kilim sofa (I think the crazy patterns would actually be really cool together) and carry them over to the zebra chair as well.

Ikat pillows, $56, Pillow Pagoda

Hand-painted and beautiful, this cushion feels regal but is toned down by the simple canvas fabric.

Painted elephant pillow, $218, Anthropologie

This mammoth lantern would only work if I had a towering ceiling (it's around five feet tall!), but imagine the statement this would make hanging in the center of the room.  Or positioned in a corner like an unexpected floor lamp.

XXL Rustic lantern, $1,400, Just Morocco

Riding Boots

My love for riding boots is no secret, and after months of unsuccessful searching, I've decided to go straight to the source.  Admittedly, they're more expensive than an 'off the rack' pair in a department store,  but I think they're infinitely more chic and refined.  Hopefully one day I'll splurge for a custom pair.

Der Dau New Market Field Boot

from derdau.com

Der Dau Master's Hunt Boot

from derdau.com

Der Dau Embellished Field Boot

from derdau.com

Brogini 3000 Dressage Riding Boot, £285

from stoneybrook.co.uk

Custom Newmarket boot, $800

from dehner.com

Custom Bulcher field boot, $950

from dehner.com

Ariat Bromont tall insulated long riding boot, £164

from trot2.com

Runway Swag

The front-row gift at the Alexandre Herchcovitch show during Sao Paulo Fashion Week.  So jealous.

from Refinery29

Birthday List

So today is my birthday, the not-so-big two-three, and I let myself have some fun with a fantasy wish-list.  I'm hoping to add these goodies to my repertoire as I get up there in age and salary.

It's not really a celebration without a bottle of Veuve.

I love that this LV cashmere leopard stole can look formal for cocktails or casual coiled around the neck with jeans.

My friend Diana, in her infinite style wisdom, bought the Goyard St. Louis in white.  I wasn't sure I was into Goyard, and especially not in white, but she made me a quick convert.

I've had a love-affair with the Fendi mini spy bag for years (especially in the light tan color), it's not as prevalent as its full-sized cousin but is still amazingly textural and unique.

When the BF and I were prepping for the big move to NYC, I had my heart set on a steamer trunk as a coffee table.  Unfortunately, that didn't materialize and now my taste has upgraded, specifically to a vintage LV steamer trunk.  Bonus points if it happens to have my monogram.

The most affordable item on my list - I have fantasies of taking amazing, moody, beautiful pictures with this Diana camera and displaying them in tiny frames on my wall.

One of my girlfriends wore the most amazing pair of high-heeled oxfords on a trip to, yes, Oxford, with her boyfriend and looked incredibly chic.  I'll wear this D&G pair with wool tights in the winter and rolled-up-to-the-ankle khakis in the summer.

I'm quite tiny and long-waisted, so finding a classic white blouse (or any blouse) that fits me well has thus-far escaped me.  Skinny fit Polo oxfords are about as close as I've gotten, but they still miss the mark.  I can't wait to get a few amazing bespoke shirts that will last forever.

Sleek black pumps - high heels, not-too-pointy toe, leather.  I die when I imagine these with dark skinny jeans and my future bespoke shirt.

Maybe it's the dominatrix in me, but I love boots and particularly crave a slim-cut, knee-high black leather pair - one that's refined enough to keep it out of the sketchy porn-star realm.

Who doesn't want a few strands of Chanel pearls?

Classic. Classic. Classic.  Love it.

Custom riding boots.  I'm really going through an equestrian-esque phase at the moment.  I would love to wear these with black spandex, my white blouse and a great blazer...and to be totally over the top I'd sport a scarf around my neck.  Ideally, it would read as Annie Hall meets National Velvet.

Not very original, but I'm a supporter of a few investment pieces rather than tons of costume jewelry.  My parents gave me Mikimoto pearl studs for graduation and I haven't taken them off since, I don't think I'd schlep this around every day, but it would be the perfect addition for a night out.