hints

if you don't know about weltenbuerger, well, you should.

(especially if you live in the la area)

if you don't know about the palatines, well, you will.

(especially if you watch this space)

stay tuned!

fly away / home

i've lived in los angeles for just about a year and a half now.

in many ways, i still feel like a total newbie.

but, it's pretty amazing how easily and quickly one adapts to the weather here.

(i'm sure that's hard to imagine.....)

next week, i'm leaving for a work trip to italy, and if i'm lucky, i'll have a little mini break in london.

the trouble is..... what the heck is the weather like in those places?

for those of us who have been living in perpetual mild temperatures, any trip to a location with real seasons is a bit of a challenge. 

how cold is cold, again?

how many layers go under a wool coat?

is it weird to wear a wool hat with bare legs?

etc.

but i find it particularly challenging to pack for this upcoming trip, since the weather in both places is kind of in flux. it's springtime!

so, at least in london, i think that means it cold be a nice freezing rain, or a mild, grey day....

but in bologna? milan? 

here's the current weather in bologna:

and the forecast for next week is much warmer, with some sun.

but obviously, mother nature could change her mind entirely, and dump some snow, or decide on tropical, balmy weather......

since it's been so long since i've been able put together a layer-ladled outfit, i've been really inspired by some of these looks, from the blogs:

(photos courtesy of de quelle planète es-tu?)

 

(photos courtesy of the sartorialist)

but i'm afraid that i'll wind up wearing my l.a. uniform of jeans, t shirts, sneakers and some brass jewelry..... and carrying an umbrella everywhere.

have i mentioned that i never ever check my luggage? so, over-packing is not an option......

so what do you think? should i fill my roll-y suitcase with black tights, smart wool skirts & jackets and my favorite, neglected +j beanie?

or my new pierre hardy sneakers and a trench coat?

or what?

look, i'm leaving in a week, so i'll pretty much be spending every non-working moment figuring out the nuances to packing.

if you've got some tips & tricks, let me know!

much better/follow up

ok, with all the discussion around wedge sneakers, and my dislike of them, a week or so ago, i found myself revisiting my love for pierre hardy sneakers, which i consider the best alternative to the isabel marant wedgies.

and so i bought some.

and i'm feeling much better:

see how my feet & body all look nice and normally proportioned!? 

i feel much more like i have feet, and less like i have hooves.

fancy french sneakers.

no icky, weird feelings. hooray!

too much time

i'm starting to work on designing spring 14 shoes. at the moment, it feels like i have too much time.....

so the greatness is just not coming.

harumph.

i tried, i tried.

as a lot of you already know, i am not a fan of wedge sneakers.

really, not at all.

but i found myself at barney's the other day, with a few minutes to spare before a meeting.

so, i thought, in the name of research, i'd see what all the fuss is about:

the review?

much, much, much more comfy and less weird feeling than i'd expected.

i still hate the proportions and how they look on the foot.

so there you go. i still hate them, but i hate them in a more informed way.

gesundheit!

are you serious, jimmy choo??

man over matter

it's up!


go here to "buy" (for free) a copy.




that's me on the cover, and also singing back-up-hippie-chick vocals on the track ny/ca.






--------------

my terrific husband has just about finished recording a lovely album, called the lens & the screen.

he did it as part of the rpm challenge.

and somehow, i wound up on the cover:

and you might even hear my voice on one of the tracks.

it's really good, you guys! i'm sort of the opposite of biased- i'm super critical of everything.

so, you can pre-order it now, or just wait until march 1, and download it for free!