Style Crush: Giovanna Battaglia

Giovanna Battaglia is everywhere, in all the magazines, on all the fashion blogs. I think she's every fashion photographer's fantasy come to life. A former model, the editor of L'Uomo Vogue and contributing editor to W magazine, Giovanna has it all. The legs, that Italian flair, the hot fashion job, the hot fashion-y boyfriend (former French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld's son Vladimir - how 's that for fashion royalty?) and obvious access to the best that fashion has to offer. Plus, this woman knows how to accessorize (case in point above)!! Apparently she's also a freelance stylist. How cool would it be to have her come over before a girl's night out - I'd finally leave the house feeling 'just right'!

These are some tricky pants to wear, and the shot isn't the best, but she really pulls off this look!

I love this ultra-feminine dress with those kick-ass shoes - what a combo!

You know me, I love a bold print!

The written word

I know it's all about eReaders these days, and I should be more on board than most seeing as my better half actually works in the electronic books industry, but if I'm to be perfectly honest, I still prefer the written word. Print on paper, baby! Call me old fashioned, but I love the smell of books, the texture of the covers bending under my fingers, the crispness of the paper, and that feeling of ownership of an object that informs and/or entertains for years. No wonder then that I love a good library. And what's better than a kick-ass home library filled to the brim with books? What tells you more about a person than that individual's collection of books? They add colour and personality to any interior and will forever be a source of pleasure to me. So join me and drool over these gorgeous home libraries.

All images via Pinterest

To tie-dye for

Blumarine

Tie dye. Calls to mind images of the Seventies. Peace, free love, the Doors, and a very dodgy sense of style. I'm a child of the Seventies, so it's very little wonder that the Arts & Crafts process of tie-dying reminds me of fun elementary school projects, where we all got to take home a t-shirt of our own design (by that I'm obviously referring to the random act of sticking pieces of tied up material into cups of colourful ink). It certainly beat making ashtrays!

But tie dye is no longer the domain of the hippie. In fact, it has featured in a fair amount of contemporary fashion collections, even including Christian Dior haute couture. If that isn't a stamp of approval, I don't know what is. And I've found quite a few examples of tie dye adorning some extremely stylish homes. And although it may not feature in the list of trends for this fall, it's clear that this is a print that keeps coming back. So what's your take? Chronic good taste or just plain ol' chronic?

Chrisitan Dior Couture 2012

Elie Saab Couture 2010

And there she is again, our favourite fashionista Olivia Palermo

Source unknown

Source unknown

via Etc-andalltherest blog

via Little Green Notebook

Source: Vogue

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via The Wellbuilt Company

Source unkown

Goosey Gander

Via VeryVerve.com

Lately, I've been a little obsessed with Golden Goose sneakers. These (rather pricey) gems really are very comfortable, versatile works of art. A number of my friends are already big fans and are working on expanding their collections, because every one of these pairs is so different and unique. Some are low-key, almost Converse-esque, but then there are the ones with glitter and colourful swipes and leopard print. It took me a while to get off the fence about them, but I just got paid and the very ones I wanted (glitter, colour and leopard print all included) showed up in the window display of a store in the town where I live and they were exactly the right size!! It was fate. You don't understand, I searched for this version on internet and every pair was sold out! So, fate, right?!

A small number of celebs have caught on, but I really like the fact that you don't see them everywhere. I like feeling a little bit exclusive, and let's face it, it's not often that I'm actually on trend as opposed to following behind a little. So, you like? Check out the website if you do.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Hillary Duff via Just Jared

via Show and Tell Me

The following shots are different views of the pair I just got today. I think I may be a little bit in love!

What's your uniform?

Angelina Jolie

The other day I was standing in front of my closet and wondering what to wear that day. It wasn't a work out day, so no work out gear and no excuses to don the same old ratty t-shirt, stretchy black pants and Nikes. It was a regular day, with work followed by coffee with a friend, followed by errands, school pick-up, swimming lessons for my boys, cooking, drawn-out bed time, meeting at school with new parents, then crashing. So, basically, not dressy, not sloppy. And what did I end up with? A pair of distressed jeans, white t-shirt, cardigan, oversized military-style jacket and sneakers. Always the same. It's my go-to outfit, the one I feel comfortable in, but that doesn't particularly scream sophistication. Not that I care too much. My priority is comfort. If I wanted to dress the outfit up, I'd probably wear heels and add chunky earrings.

I've noticed that I'm not the only one who has a daily uniform. Angelina Jolie seems to wear all black in absolutely every candid shot of her; US Vogue's Anna Wintour turns to fur, big sunglasses, twin sets, Manolo's and a statement necklace; Karl Lagerfeld hasn't been photographed in anything other than his wing-collared white shirt, black jacket and skinny pants, black sunglasses and driving gloves; Jenna Lyons of J Crew fame almost exclusively wears patterned pants, stand-out separates and those trademark black-rimmed glasses; French Vogue's Emmanuelle Alt always dons a pair of black or white skinny jeans, baggy T-shirt or men's button-down, with or without a blazer, and sexy heels. 

No matter what, personal style - that uniform, if you will - does not bend to the will or dictates of the trends espoused by fashion designers and editors. It has taken me a long time to accept that I will always dress/look a certain way, that my style is not to please others, only myself. I may not always be on trend - I regard it as simple luck when something I've loved for years, like my leopard print scarf, is suddenly hot - but I feel like myself, and that's what counts.

So how about you guys? Do you have a uniform? And what exactly is it?

Anna Wintour

Emmanuelle Alt

Giorgio Armani

Jennifer Aniston

Jenna Lyons

Karl Lagerfeld

Kate Moss

Rachel Zoe

Paris in 48 hours

We just got back from a lightening visit to Paris where we hit up Maison & Objet and I've been reeling from exhaustion ever since we got back on Monday night. I'd never been to Maison & Objet before, though I'd always wanted to visit and the vast size of this trade fair blew me away. I've been to my fair share of trade shows, reporting on trends in fashion being how I used to make my living B.C. (Before Children). These events are always big-scale, so I thought I knew what was ahead, but M&O was just crazy! 

Our favorite hall was definitely Ethnic Chic; plenty of ikats, suzani's, Berber rugs, amazing tapestries, small decorative elements, glamorous lighting, pottery and exotic arts and crafts. The Actuel hall, with its contemporary designers, was a breath of fresh air, light and fresh, with some surprising design elements.

We also met some great people and saw some inspiring brands, including our compatriot, artist Mariska Meijers, whose colourful, graphic designs are bold and fun. After international success with her throw pillows, wall paper, tables, lamp shades and trays, she is now also venturing into accessories (bags, yesss!) and even jackets like the one she is sporting below.

Mariska Meijers

On Sunday night we had a fabulous dinner at La Societé, a very hip restaurant on the Place Saint Germain in the 6th arrondissement and part of the Costes Group. The food was great, the waitresses seriously gorgeous, the clientele sophisticated but un-stuffy, the ambiance perfect. It was a perfect evening, one where you conspire to ditch the drudgery of daily life more often and escape to the glamour and beauty of Paris on a regular basis. I honestly don't know why we don't? It's only two and a half hours by train from Rotterdam to the Gare du Nord! Hop on the metro and it takes you straight to Saint Germain where there is much shopping, cafe-hopping and people watching to be done. You could even do it in a day!! It's definitely in the cards, that much I know for sure!

Interior view of La Societé