Hot Pink Flats

Last week as I was running through the streets of Manhattan on my way to work I spied a young women in a pair of bight, almost neon, pink, ballet flats. They looked great against the gray of the NYC streets and made her whole ensemble really pop. As I have mentioned before in previous posts I have problems wearing ballet flats thanks to a hereditary trait of my second toe being longer then my first toe. When I wear them to size, my toes which are also long, are squished. When I go up a half size they flop off my feet. In addition, they almost always give me blisters. I thought of tying peds with them but they can often be seen and I do not care for this. When searching for a possible solution to this problem I came across this thread on Pop Sugar, not sure how practical cutting peds would be, but that panty liner trick, THAT one I must try! 

In the mean time I found these hot pink ballet flats at The Gap. They are leather and already super soft, sort of like wearing a really thick pair of socks. They are only $39.95 and come in nine colors. Funny, the website says they are not available in stores but that is where I purchased them. So if there is a store by you, can't hurt to pop in and take a look! And if anyone has similar problems wearing ballet flats and slip on shoes and has any solutions let me know!

Top image via Pinterest. 

Bobby + Etsy

One of my favorite fashion bloggers Bobby Raffin is currently collaborating with Etsy Canada. I love Bobby's style and the wonderful photos he posts on his blog. I wrote about him in this post on male fashion bloggers.  He is truly inspiring and a breath of fresh air, so hop on over to his blog to check out his Etsy Canada recommendations. I also pulled together a few shops as well. I think this iphone case is just stellar. I love it, and would even like it for myself! And wouldn't it look great with this neutral toned, pulled together, spring look? This hand crafted shirt is a bit on the pricy side. But every guy needs at least one or two really well made shirts. It is worth the extra money for the quality and luxury of owning an article of clothing that was crafted by hand. And speaking of hands, are these cuff links spot on or what? Perfect for the Great Gatsby trend! Granted these ship from England, not Canada but they were just too cool not to post. 

1 Bobby Raffin  : 2 Rayceytay : 3 Bookity :  4 Oliver Green

Rustic Black & White

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. Yes it is Monday and I am off to work. But before I go I just wanted to brighten eveyone's day a bit with these chic and light filled interiors. I love the balance of the over all sleek black and white themes with the softer more rustic pieces. As I have mentioned before in previous posts like this one. I am a big fan of mixing aesthetics – what some might call eclectic. I was so inspired by these interiors I prowled the internet looking for possible pieces for my future home. I know they may not all appear to go together, but I just adore the unexpected in home design. So what do you think? What about this pillow with this couch? Or this Parson's metal wrap table? Do you like to mix aesthetics, or do you prefer things to be a bit more matchy matchy? And sticking to one theme or era?

Top three images via MyScandinavianHome 

1 Norwalk Furniture Kira Sofa : 2 Surya Pillow : 3 Society 6 Leslee Mitchell Print  : 4 Pacific Coast Lighting Lamp :  5 Parsons Table  : 6 Istanbul Rug

LBF-Sainte Courtisane

Oh La La today's LBF comes to you with a French twist. Sainte Courtisane is a lovely little shop I found on Etsy. The designer is based in France but her garments will ship to the US as well as other countries. I love the simple lines and the retro aesthetic. So pop on over to this fun and chic little shop and have a wonderful weekend.

All images via Sainte Courtisane 

Pretty is as Priti Does

A coworker who was pregnant a number of months ago was chatting about a new line of nail polish she discovered that she could use while pregnant. Why? Because it is %100 organic and toxic free! The line was founded by Kim D' Amato, an Australian former model who also wanted to be able to wear nail polish while pregnant. She could not find anything at the time that met her needs so she decided to create what she needed herself. You know what they say, "Necessity is the mother of invention!" And I am so glad she did. 

The PritiNYC line of polishes are 5 free and they are vegan. 5 free means that the polishes are free of toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, and camphor – all of which have been linked to cancer.  All of the polishes are safe for moms-to-be and children. In fact there is even a children's line of polish called, if you haven't guessed – Priti Princess! 

In addition to nail polish the company makes a soy based nail polish remover and a recycled glass nail file. But the benefits to using this company's products does not end with the products themselves. Priti NYC is also active in working with various groups that support environmental as well as women's issues. Donna Karen's Urban Zen Foundation and East End's Ecofabulous are just two of the charities the company is involved with. And they are currently working with Teens Turning Green to create a private label nail polish that will be sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market. I wish all companies could be like this. And I love when you hear such positives success stories. So if you want to look "priti" and ease your concious stop by PritiNYC.COM

All images via Priti NYC

Model Behavior – Taras Sereda

I just love multi talented people. And Taras Sereda  is one such person. He is a successful model and an accomplished artist. Born in the western Ukraine in a town called Kharko, he originally studied industrial design but became frustrated with having to spend the majority of his time sitting in front of a computer.  After leaving the Ukraine to model he also began to seriously pursue his passion – art.  He compares his work to Egon Schiele and credits his grandfather who is an artist himself with inspiring him to become an artist. He works with watercolors mainly and uses fellow models or friends as subjects. And art is not just a hobby for Taras, he shows his work regularly and he is part of an exhibit currently on display at Clic Gallery here in New York.  Lucky me, I live in New York and will be popping down to the gallery to see the his work in person. I know, don't hate me because I live in New York!  If you do not live in New York you can visit Models.com to see more of Taras's work, read an interview with him, and watch a video of Taras discussing his work. 

Taras Sereda is represented by Re:Quest Model Management

Editorial images of Taras via Re:Quest Model Management. Artwork images and snapshot of Taras via Models.com. 

The Flat – Animal Charisma

I love this interior I came across over at Lonny Magazine. It is from an article on how to create a gender-neutral room. I have spoken about this topic before on the blog – the balance of creating a space you enjoy being in, without causing your significant other to break out in hives. To read more  from this article please visit Lonny Magazine. And some of you may be familiar with the Animal Print Shop, but for those of you who are not, it is a lovely online print shop featuring intricate and whimsical illustrations of animals. The shop was founded by illustrator and artist Sharon Montrose. From woodland creatures to barnyard animals and adult reindeer to baby bunnies Sharon's true to life representations will add charm and interest to any space they are hung in. 

This illustration of two lambs could certainly be considered "feminine" but placed in a room of light neutral tones accented with more masculine wood furniture gives this space the perfect masculine-feminine balance. This room is simultaneously calming and serene while also invigorating and inspiring. I would love to wake up in this space, wouldn't you? 

Sharon recently added a series of baby animals to the shop for children's rooms. The options are endless with her prints. So stop by her shop at TheAnimalPrintShop.com where you can see all her prints as well as examples of how they have been used in real life homes. I dare you not be inspire!