Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Cupcakes! And Other Pretty Things.

First off, Martha Stewart attempting to pole dance. No other way to describe that little piece of amazing/awkwardness.

Crumbs Cupcakes in Red Velvet, Tiramisu, and Chocolate Snowball, $4.50 at crumbs.com: To make up for that first clip, here are cupcakes. But not just any cupcakes. Oversized Crumbs cupcakes. OVERSIZED cupcakes. There are more than 30 types of cupcakes, and frankly they all sound delicious. I went to Crumbs this past weekend, and OMG, brain explosion. First off the store is really, really cute in a slightly retro way, and second their cupcakes are really well done. They use good ingredients and come up with really thoughtful flavors, like Tiramisu (vanilla cake filled with vanilla custard topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting sprinkled with cocoa powder and soaked in coffee. YUM), Red Velvet, which has ridiculously yummy cream cheese frosting and is filled with said frosting as well, and the Chocolate Snowball (chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting topped with chocolate mousse covered with chocolate ganache and edged with chocolate sprinkles). I'm drooling right now. Personally, I like these cupcakes better than the famed Sprinkles, which can taste a little artificial. You can get Crumbs cupcakes shipped all over the country, and I'm seriously considering it right now.


House of Harlow 1960 Key Cocktail Ring, $45 at shopbop.com, Peacock Locket Necklace, $120 at shopbop.com, Abalone Sunburst Cocktail Ring, $70 at shopbop.com: I know I say this a lot, but I really have to give Nicole Richie props for House of Harlow 1960. She's managed to construct a lovely jewelry brand with a concise and consistent vision that in no way resembles Nicole on The Simple Life. How clever is that ring? I have a serious key fetish (hence my five key necklaces), and this is a really unique take on the statement cocktail ring that would also work perfectly for daytime. I just bought a $25 version of this necklace at a flea market, and it has a fantastic Marie Antoinette vibe to it. This version really looks like a heirloom, and the locket actually functions. It would be perfect to jazz up a basic outfit, but wouldn't look out of place at a formal event. The abalone shell on this oversized ring looks fantastic--almost like an oilslick, and then the sunburst pattern of the gold adds such an organic, folksy vibe. Plus this ring is legitimately oversized (like gigantic), that it's making a serious statement.


House of Harlow 1960 Enamel Sealed Cuff, $220 at shopbop.com, Leather Stack Bangle with Stones, $114 at shopbop.com, Joie Alicia Racer Tank, $128 at shopbop.com: This cuff is genius. The embellishment looks like a wax seal with little feathers! So cute in a nerdy historian kind of way. Giant cuff bracelets have such a gladiator feel to them, and add the perfect finishing touch to basically any outfit. Plus it's hinged, so it's actually easy to put on and take off. And leather bangles! Leather bangles! This brand is killing me. That's combining two of my favorite things in one, and the textural contrast is so interesting. Imagine stacking a bunch of these on your wrist. Amazing. I have a serious craving for florals right now (I blame all these Liberty of London collaborations), and while floral skirts and dresses are always a good option, I think a floral tank would be a fun alternative. I like to mix fun tops with basic bottoms (mainly because nice jeans and skirts are more expensive than nice tops), and printed tanks are so versatile. The floral print is a nice mixture of kitschy floral and slightly abstract, and the tiny pocket is such a cute, unexpected touch.


Balmain Chain-mail Jersey Dress, $6,225 at net-a-porter.com, 3.1 Phillip Lim Cotton Polka-dot Babydoll Nightdress, $150 at net-a-porter.com, 3.1 Phillip Lim Embroidered Lace Skirt, $450 at net-a-porter.com: I think this is the first Balmain dress that I could actually justify paying six grand for (theoretically, of course). It's a combination of an Herve Leger bandage dress, a bodycon long-sleeved mini, and awesome chain-mail insets (no, really). You get a lot of bang for your buck here, and the best part is that it's really on-trend but not overly trendy. You could wear this dress in different seasons for a couple of years, which helps justify the price a lot more. There's just something so appealing about the chain-mail insets, but that's coming from a girl who was Joan of Arc for Halloween when she was six. I had no idea that Phillip Lim made lingerie/sleepwear! Which has probably been good for my wallet, but still. How adorable is that slip?! It has a slight French Maid feel to it, but in a very chic way. The cut is actually really tasteful, and the multi-sized polka dots liven it up. This skirt has a definite lingerie/boudoir feel to it, and would tie perfectly into the inner-wear as outer-wear trend. A lot of times black lace over lighter fabrics can come off as tacky, but the off-white underlayer here comes across as really polished. I really love the pattern of the lace (slightly floral, not too sweet), and the way the lace layer is longer than the underskirt. High-waisted mini-skirts are also always fab, and super versatile, and again, Phillip Lim = genius.


The Spring Alberta Ferretti ads popped up online today, and they are gorgeous. Very woodland Cirque du Soleil fairies frolicking in the darkness. It's a little awkward, but kind of awesome at the same time, and makes me want to dig out those ribbons I played with in fifth grade and twirl around in a fairy princess dress. The last one with all the purple is my favorite--there's such a great combination of the lightness of the fabric and heaviness of the ornate detailing. Bravo.




Image Sources:
Crumbs cupcakes: crumbs.com, House of Harlow cocktail key ring: shopbop.com, locket necklace: shopbop.com, abalone ring: shopbop.com, cuff: shopbop.com, Joie tank: shopbop.com, Balmain dress: net-a-porter.com, Phillip Lim slip: net-a-porter.com, Phillip Lim skirt: net-a-porter.com, Alberta Ferretti ad: fabsugar.com.

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