Monday Style: 150 Years Of Fashion

I wanted to start this new week with the incredible book, Fashion: 150 Years of Couturiers, Designers, Labels, by Charlotte Seeling, which I received this past holiday season as a gift. A perfect coffee table book and an excellent reference for history of fashion and style, it keeps on giving endless inspirations.

When my friend Rhea Calpeno of Photosynthesis brought me a beautiful bouquet of White Irises, I immediately decided to include one flower in the collage. Its intricate shape is so reminiscent of many elements in fashion!

Photo of Gilbert Adrian (middle), the American couturier who designed for Hollywood during the fist half of XX century. Famous for his big-shouldered styles, he adapted the 'long white dress' which looked so much more glamorous on screen than the 'little black dress'. He also designed the legendary ruby slippers Dorothy wore in Wizard Of Oz. Joan Crawford (left) and Jean Harlow (right) both wearing his stunning designs.

Friday Arts & Crafts: You Are My Valentine

Valentine's Day Ornament

Woodland Valentine Birds

Felted Hearts Slippers

Love Birds

Mabel Hedgehogs

Eames Love

Wednesday Decor: Guest Post: Industrial Chic

Today I am honored to have my first guest blogger, Jessica, who is going to share with us some of her interior inspirations. Thank you so much, Jessica!!!

``````````````````````````````````````````````

Hi there! I'm Jessica, a writer for Arcadian Lighting. Every day I get to write about the latest interior design trends and light fixtures, and then I share them with lovely, inspiring blogs like Navy Blue Shoe. I'm delighted to be guest posting here today because I'm going to be sharing some industrial chic spaces. I love the contrast between industrial and chic styles because it's a combination of weathered furniture and surface with expensive, high-quality décor. Enjoy!

I love the wide factory-style windows in this corner loft. Exposed bricks and a concrete floor are rustic and industrial compared to the leather upholstered furniture and eclectic artwork.

The heavy duty sink and line of bare bulbed lighting are decidedly industrial, but the dark blue tile and grey slate floor are crisp and polished in this bathroom.

The heavy, polished steel drum pendant lights hung by chains over the well-worn wooden table give this room a beautiful shine and texture. These two features take centerstage for the chic grey walls and modern leather chairs.

The white gilded china hutch and sparkling glassware are very chic accents in this spacious dining room. The welded metal chairs and wing-shaped metal artwork are wonderfully eye-catching details against the red brick wall.

I love the exaggerated size of these commercial pendant lights in this all-white apartment. The mix of plant life and carved wooden figures are fun, natural accents.

This home office is perfectly rustic, industrial and chic. The desk is constructed out of pipes and reclaimed wood, giving a utilitarian feel to the room that inspires work. Adding table lamps to office spaces provides excellent task lighting.

The stainless steel sink in this laundry room is heavy-duty and industrial, but the combination of clean white tile and black and white photography dresses up the room rather beautifully.

The heavily distressed surfaces throughout this loft dining room are gorgeous for their rugged simplicity. The rows of Italian ceramics are a fittingly smooth and polished contrast. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

What do you think of the mix of industrial and chic elements in these rooms? Is the contrast inspiring or too disparate? For more interior design styles and beautiful lighting fixtures, stop by Arcadian Lighting!

Monday Style: Fresh From Fiorentini + Baker SS 2012

Happy Monday! Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. I did enjoy mine, even though it was rainy and gray outside. I am starting to look forward to spring, in need of sunshine and warm weather. The forecast from Fiorentini + Baker's Spring/Summer 2012 collection promises a lot of amazing styles. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Eternity 7040 boots: look like a million bucks
2. Carnaby - Casper: the Italian take on cowboy boots
3. Nico - Nancy: dress it up with sandals that are pure Gold
4. Alida Bag: amazing carry-all in soft buttery leather

Letters From Home

It was way before Skype, when we used to write each other letters, my Mom would include a little surprise inside, something sentimental, something that meant so much to me. She would dry a flower or a leaf and place it between pages of a hand-written message, her beautiful cursive, nesting between each line, one-of-a-kind. Just like her writing, each plant would dry in its unique way.

The other day I re-discovered my little Herbarium collection in a long forgotten book. The red flowers belong to a plant that I believe may be a part of cactus family. It has long rose-like stems with thorns, and it blooms very often. Very colorful little flowers pop atop every stem, making it look very festive. I cannot recall its name.

The green leaves of Adiantum, that is commonly called maidenhair, are so delicate and pretty. It is one of my favorite indoors plants.

This beautiful artwork of blooming cacti by Lisa Rivas makes me smile.

Friday Art: Maharam Calendar Cover

I was so excited to get the new Maharam calendar this year, the one that every interior designer gets from their local rep. Especially since I missed the one from 2011. Every year it is a surprise. While they keep the same format, the cover is embossed with a new pattern & texture, white-on-white, satin & matte. Something that reflects the aesthetics of their beautiful textiles. The year color also changes. A bright satin ribbon inside serves as a bookmark. Quality paper, beautiful font, page-by-page. Hard not to get excited!

The 2009 was my first one. I embellished it with a drawing of a bright red flower. It turned into sort of a surprise of its own: the texture and the quality of pattern took the marker in a different way, disappearing from the glossy parts, creating something totally new.

Then there was the 2010, to which I added a simple navy-blue flower.

The 2012 is my favorite! I love the two colors I selected for the illustration of a rose.

Graphics by A4 Studio for Maharam

Photos by navyblueshoe

P.S.: If you have one of these and wanted to submit your drawing, please email me at: navyblueshoe@gmail.com

Wednesday Decor: Shopping For A Rustic Dining Table

Moving away from home and gaining new home and new friends at times doubles the amount of visitors we host for dinner. Our old dining table is getting too small. It no longer fits all of the gourmet dishes we have been learning to prepare. As we to run out of space, more and more often I think about getting a new dining table. It has to be big, it has to be rustic, it has to be farm-ish, perhaps from reclaimed wood. The one that will never go out of style or run out of space. Here are some of the ideas I love:

1. Emmerson Dining Table from West Elm
2. Country Manor Dining Table from Sundance
3. Lindo Dining Table from Anthropologie
4. Plank Dining Table from YLiving
5. Man Made Dining Table from Moss Furniture
6. Modern Farmhouse Dining Table from Anthropologie
7. Longmont Table from Sundance
8. Baroque Dining Table from Terrain
9. Kayu Teak Dining Table from Design Within Reach
10. Heritage Trestle Table from Broyhill
All photographs are by the vendors mentioned above.

Monday Style: Spectacular Retro Hats

Art Deco Weddings

I would like to begin this new week with a fresh inspiration from Behida Dolić. The beautiful clean lines of each hat are breathtaking. A modern take on Art Deco style, these high quality products are created following traditional guidelines of millinery.

Clementine

Retrovival

Dream Hat

Lady In Purple Hat

Mary Lou Blue

Art Deco Blog

Winter White

Friday Art: Drink More Water

Fashion Illustration by navyblueshoe, ink on paper

Shop the look: similar turtleneck available at Revolve Clothing, skirt at J.CREW, shoes at Ruche

Wednesday Decor: Fields Of Gold Furniture

I have been smitten by the painted gold cross of this funky Painted Bias Armchair, the beautiful lining of the Kitamura Cabinet & the amazing transformation of a vintage Eames armchair, Eames Golden A Shell

Brand New Week: Matilda

Meet Matilda, my new dress form that I received as a gift over the holidays. I will soon have to polish on my sewing skills, but for now Matilda looks great in my studio, adding something very sculptural to the interior. Similar dress forms available here.

Cork flowers by yozhikstudio. Both photos above by navyblueshoe

The above decorating ideas are from Urban Nest

These vintage-inspired Infused Veneer Wall Panels are so beautiful! I imagine I am this incredible seamstress, like Coco Chanel, and my workshop has them on the back wall; I imagine being all inspired and cool, and super successful, like Coco Chanel, of course. Photo by B&N Industries, Inc.

Friday Art: Painting Du Jour: Lemons

Sometimes I end up keeping artwork that I intentionally create as a gift for a friend, like Two Pairs of Pears I did for a friend of mine. I feel ashamed, I admit. This drawing of Lemons was the replacement. You see, the pears were long gone by the time of the birthday. I was in a rush and the only fruit we had at home were lemons. Hence the drawing.

Pastels on watercolor paper.

Brand New Week: Take Me Out Dancing

Not only it's a brand new week, it's a brand new year; so take me out dancing..!

Missed Connections

Garance Doré

Erik Johnson

Caricature Of Dance

1000 Danzones

Let's Dance



Rock & Roll

Graphics In Mind

De La Valse, Au Cha Cha Cha

Eric Ennion

Will You Dance With Me