Scarf Tutorials by Liberty London

I inherited my grandmother's collection of silk scarves a number of years ago, and wore them as headbands for a brief period, but they have been tucked away in my closet ever since. These tutorials from Liberty London are definitely making me want to unearth them - their 'scarf stylist' Lauranne Plat makes it look so easy (and so effortlessly chic).

Deep Silk Georgette Scarf, Christopher Kane for Liberty

Hermes for Liberty Scarf

The Chiffon Knot:

The Oversized Knot:

The Bow Tie:

Crazy For Peter Pan Collars

The Peter Pan collar is evocative of children's clothing from the 1950-60s. As Peter Pan never did wear a collar (in the book that is, in the Disney cartoon his tunic had a pointed collar), I'm going to go ahead and make the claim that his namesake clothing feature must be so-called because it is The Collar That Will Never Grow Old.

Its recent revival into mainstream clothing lines (below, versions from The Gap and Topshop) adds an element of vintage charm, no doubt influenced by the likes of Alexa Chung who is frequently photographed in collared blouses, and whose fall 2010 collection for Madewell included dresses and blouses with these sweet rounded collars.

Then:

(source)

Now:

(source)

ad for fall 2010 - alexa chung for madewell

(source)

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Prepping For Summer: The Summer Drinks Edition

To preface, it is hardly even spring-like here and the sun hasn't shone in over two weeks, but I'm not letting that get in the way of my optimistic outlook for June, when I surmise that Summer will arrive with a vengeance to make up for the major let-down that was/is Spring.

Here are some drink options to help get the Summer Menu ideas churning -- 

[and let me just say in reference to the beer cocktail suggested below, that I once had beergaritas at a summer bachelorette party (margaritas made with Wildcat beer - a super cheap beer that I would never consider drinking on its own), and they were wildly delicious (and dangerous)]

1. Raspberry Beer Cocktails

3/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

3 1/2 (12 oz) bottles of beer, chilled

1 (12 oz) container of frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/2 cup vodka

lemon and lime slices to garnish

Stir together the first 4 ingredients. Serve over ice, garnish with berries and citrus slices.

Recipe and image via The Kitchn via MyRecipes.com

2. Spiked Lemonade (or Vermontucky Lemonade)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 1/2 cups cold water (plus more if desired)

1/4 - 1/2 cup maple syrup

bourbon

ice

Mix lemon juice with 2 1/2 cups water and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Taste for sweetness and either add the remaining maple syrup if desired or add an additional 1/4 cup cold water. Stir to mix. This will yield 1 quart of maple lemonade.

Fill a glass with ice. Pour your desired amount of bourbon over the ice (1 or 1.5 shots), fill the glass the rest of the way with maple lemonade. 

Recipe and image found on Smitten Kitchen

3. Apricot Juleps (image source)

3-5 springs of mint leaves, torn into pieces

2 ounces of apricot puree

1 ounce of freshly squeezed orange juice

1.5 ounces of bourbon

.5 ounce of apricot brandy

.5 ounce of simple syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and then strain into a glass, topping it up with club soda and garnish with mint.

Recipe courtesy of Style at Home

4. Infused Vodkas (image source)

There are a million and one flavour variants that could be used to create this DIY drink - seasonal fruits and herbs being the most obvious (I saw bacon infused vodka in my searches, though, so really anything is possible). Design Sponge has listed these herb pairings based on the book The Flavor Bible:

• Cilantro Pair with: ginger, chile peppers, figs, cucumbers, cumin seed
• Basil Pair with: strawberries, cucumbers, orange peel, peaches, pineapple
• Lemon Verbena Pair with: apricots, blueberries, cherries, cinnamon stick, red currants
• Lemon Balm Pair with: fennel bulb, honeydew melon, black tea, nectarines, blackberries
• Tarragon Pair with: lemon thyme, celery seeds, lemon peel, pink grapefruit, bay leaf
• Dill Pair with: cucumber, coriander seeds, cilantro, capers, lemon balm
• Mint Pair with: apples, cardamom seeds, whole cloves, grapes, peaches
• Rosemary Pair with: pears, lemon peel, orange slices, apricots, plums
• Thyme Pair with: whole allspice, bay leaf, celery stalks, cranberries, sage
• Lavender Pair with: peaches, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, lemon peel

What could be more delicious and summery than a drink made with any of the above vodkas as a base?

Scout & Catalogue

I've been eyeing the bags on this etsy store for a while now, and I feel I may crack soon because they're too beautiful to resist. Scout & Catalogue's collection of scarves and leather bags are made by Toronto-based designer Breanna Musgrove, and are largely influenced by her sojourn in Mexico in 2009/10. If I had the cash money, I'd order up a nesting doll of bags: the cream lace pouch nestled inside the purple clutch, which in turn would be nesting perfectly in the blue tie-dye tote.

the libro plum leather clutch

scavenger pouch in pink stripe (up-cycled fabric)

scavenger pouch in pastel navajo (up-cycled fabric)

la dama cream lace and leather pouch

the traveler tote in constellation

Check out Scout & Catalogue's blog here for news and updates (and in particular this post to see the limited-edition bags that are making me hesitate to order anything should she get more material like this and re-introduce this style). 

190 Bowery, NYC

This cozy little kitchen with the cobalt-blue pressed tin wall has plenty of character and loads of charm. Shocking that it's actually one of 72 rooms in this downtown mansion in New York City's Lower East Side. According to this article in the New York Magazine, most real estate experts had pegged the building as abandoned. In reality it is occupied by a family of three - photographer Jay Maisel, his wife, and daughter - who bought it for just over $100,000 in 1966. Maisel uses the first two floors as gallery space, and has kept the architectural features intact - it was once a bank. Quite a spacious family home with its six floors, roof top patio and garden, and apparently rooms still being discovered...

all images via new york magazine: "the 72-room bohemian dream house"

Spring Into Summer With A Flourish

These looks from Steven Alan and Club Monaco's Spring/Summer 2011 lookbooks have a bit of everything I like for summer: lots of stripes, pleats, drapy fabrics, and a dash of sparkle. Throw on some canvas slip-ons, a leather saddle bag and I am more than ready for warm weather. And sun. Another week of this rain isn't doing the general morale any good.

Steven Alan (source)

Club Monaco (source)

Crazy For Scalloped Edges

"Show frills and femininity this season" - so said an advertisement from 1940 for a dress ("frock") pattern with scalloped details at the shoulder. It seems as though anything goes this season, but there is a definite trend towards a more ladylike silhouette with lots of feminine details.

1. chloe scalloped trim oversized sunglasses 2. coral crop top 3. bright floral tee 4. petite mustard crop tee 5. suede clutch (all by topshop) 6. see by chloe poya leather satchel 7. blue scalloped hem shorts by topshop 8. chloe scalloped ballet flat in cream

image sources: costumes from here and the Pittsburg Press, March 11, 1930, chloe sevigny, lauren santo domingo, camilla belle, polyvore