by Elsa Termenon on January 27, 2012
Back in November or so, when the news hit me that center city Philadelphia would finally get its own Free People store I was simply jumping for joy! Walking past the covered up windows of the new store almost on a daily basis I couldn’t wait for the opening to come. Now it’s here: today, my friends, the store on Walnut street is officially open and yesterday night I had the pleasure of attending the store opening which was a fun and festive event with live music, fashion and friends.
I love how they have finally brought it back to the place where it all began… yes, Free People started out in the 70′s with a small boutique in downtown Philadelphia and has expanded from there. To create the new store they worked with local artists to create Philadelphia-inspired art, something you could see wherever you laid your eyes. I’ve never in my life seen fitting rooms with hand painted murals, they were just so beautiful (hey, that’s a word you don’t use to describe fitting rooms very often!).
Now to the clothes, you already know how I feel about them, saw some really great stuff for spring ; ) and all I can say now is that it’s gonna be very nice, yet very dangerous for my wallet, to have this beautiful store within a short walking distance from my home.
Live music by Former Belle
Spring had already come to the ceilings in form of an explosion of flowers and light
My favorite… Original artwork by Lizza Janssen, Lital Gold and Beth Garvey
The framed artwork is actually for sale… and shopping for fashion and art is a great combination in my opinion : )
Hand painted mural in pale pastels. Have you seen a more beautiful fitting room?
“Love Notes” and art installation of love letters by customers and fans from all over the world
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by Elsa Termenon on January 25, 2012
When the February issue of Vogue came in the mail last week I instantly fell in love with its cover of country singer Taylor Swift in a very bohemian look. It seems like she has gone and become my hair twin these days! I rarely post editorials but I just had to post these gorgeous photos taken by Mario Testino today. The whole vibe and styling feels very little like Vogue US… maybe that’s what I like about it. The Rodarte dress on the photo above is just breathtaking, don’t you think?
You can see the rest of the photos and the cover here.
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by Elsa Termenon on January 23, 2012
Last weekend in New York I spent my entire shopping budget on one single piece – this amazing winter coat from Burberry Brit. I had tried in on months before on the same store in West Village but decided to pass up because of the somewhat heavy price tag, but now seeing it marked down 30% I just couldn’t leave it behind. It’s the perfect winter coat in so many ways, it has a the classic shape and the typical Burberry military trench feel, the quality of a well tailored piece and a slightly unidentifiable color (is it gold, brown or olive?). Anyway, I just couldn’t be happier, because it feels like this is one of those coats that you’ll end up wearing for decades. And when the snow arrived in Philadelphia this weekend I was well prepared and stayed warm in style!
What do you guys think about it?
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by Elsa Termenon on January 20, 2012
Here we go, today it’s time for #4 out of 30 in my 30 Posts blog challenge! “Style advice” I thought… how difficult, when it’s something so individual it’s often complicated to give any advice. But I’m gonna give you an advice that I feel has helped me to actually find and develop my own personal style even more and not to mention to have more fun dressing up…
If I had to give a style advice I’d say… think out of your style box!
Yes, you should stay true to who you are… you should not wear something just because it’s the latest trend BUT never stop challenging yourself!
Step out of your comfort zone and try new things! Mix colors in an outfit that you never would have thought about matching together, or different prints. If you’re stuck in your same uniform every day start to explore new options. Mix different styles together – something causal with something luxurious or something sheer with something very heavy like denim.
Style is something very personal but it is also something that change over time, as we change as persons, and if you never try new things your style will soon belong to a person that you’re not anymore.
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by Elsa Termenon on January 18, 2012
Last weekend we decided to ignore the chilly weather forecasts and head for a mini getaway to New York City to do some shopping. We had a really great time despite the cold as it was sunny most of the weekend. On Saturday morning we headed to 5th Av for some errands and to have a look at the Barneys Sale, I just love the sales here… so many goodies! Then we spent the rest of the day in West Village doing some sale shopping and brunching at The Spotted Pig. It was my first time there and what can I say.. I just love it! My husband couldn’t stop talking about the food for days afterwards!
We stayed at the newly opened The Standard East Village this time. As you all now I’m a big fan of The Standard (Meatpacking District) and this sister hotel did not disappoint my high expectations! I love East Village and all of its cozy restaurants and bars. In the evening we ended up having a delicious Italian dinner at Gemma – a place several bloggers has recommended me and which was only two blocks from the hotel. I really liked Gemma, the food was incredible and the ambiance very nice. It was almost as good as my favorite East Village Italian Supper – almost ; )
On Sunday we headed for Soho and wandered around in the sunshine doing some more shopping and window shopping before returning home. What goodies I came back with deserves a post of its own…
5th Avenue
The Spotted Pig, West Village
I think I have a Virgin Bloody Mary addiction. It just isn’t Sunday for me without one of these!
The Standard Hotel, East Village
A sunny but chilly Soho
Falling in love a little with this day bed at the gorgeous furniture store Orche in Soho.
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by Elsa Termenon on January 16, 2012
What are you more into right now – crispy whites or a burst of patterns and colors? The later of the two always had the prime spot in my heart but in winter time there’s something about white that I can’t resist. The lightness and brightness of different shades of cream and white makes my heart beat a little but faster…
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by Elsa Termenon on January 13, 2012
Feeling very comfy in colors and hats...
This is the 3rd of my 30 Posts Challenge and this headline was a tricky one I have to say! Luckily I feel comfortable in most everything I want to wear and I had a really hard time coming up with something that could fit under this headline. I think as I’ve grown older I have much more accepted how I look and the body type that I have and I am pretty relaxed about getting dressed. One thing that came to my mind is wearing an all black outfit – that’s really something I do not feel comfortable wearing, because it’s just not me… but so, I can’t really say that I wish I felt comfortable in it, either…
A few years ago I might have answered this question with - high heels. I’m 5’10″ (178 cm) and I used to feel very uncomfortable wearing 4 inch heels being at least a head taller than my friends. But that insecurity about my height is something that I’ve also grown out of and now I wear heels all the time without such silly thoughts…
What do you wish you felt comfortable wearing?
by Elsa Termenon on January 11, 2012
A few weeks back when I was on my way to Paris I made a brief stop in Malmö in southern Sweden. There I was fortunate enough to be able to drop by my blog friend Minna and see the showroom of her newly opened online vintage store Odd Lovin’. The blogosphere is so strange and fantastic, because you connect with people you might never had met otherwise, and even though Minna and I had never met IRL it instantly felt like we had known each other for a long time.
She showed me around among all those vintage pieces and I was like hypnotized as you can imagine by all of the 70′s knitted ponchos, paisley patterned dresses and glamorous maxi gowns. That girl really has an eye for selecting great vintage pieces! Don’t forget to visit the shop here and also check out the Odd Lovin’ blog here. Now here are a few snapshots I took during my visit.
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by Elsa Termenon on January 8, 2012
If there’s something I love in winter it’s long sleeved dresses in warm materials. That’s why I fell in love with this heavy orange winter dress in 100% wool when I was in Paris. It’s from Swedish brand COS which I always make sure to check out on my trips to Europe since we don’t have it here in the US. But not only did the thick material and structured look convinced me to get this dress – the color of deep orange just was unlike anything in my wardrobe. I love how it kind of feels both like a dress you could wear for work or for a fancy party depending on the accessories.
And speaking of accessories – this beetle necklace from Spanish brand Bimba & Lola is a Christmas gift from my husband. I absolutely love it! It can make any dress or top so much more fun and interesting, don’t you agree? I first discovered Bimba & Lola in Madrid about a year ago and was really amazed by their beautiful accessories and shoes. They also have a full collection which was just so pretty! If you ever go to Spain, make sure not to miss this brand.
I’m wearing:
Orange wool dress – COS
Beetle necklace – Bimba & Lola
Bag – Chanel
Mary Janes – Vintage
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by Elsa Termenon on January 6, 2012
Even though the sky was grey and the rain was in the air we took a walk along the Seine one day, wandering small streets at Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité until we reached Notre Dame. I love to just wander around in a new city, with no particular plan, stopping at a bistro refueling with hot cocoa and just watch people pass by. And what better city do do exactly that than Paris?
Everywhere I looked I just wanted to reach for my camera to catch its beauty. Yes, I am already missing Paris so much, to the extent that I might just go to my local French bistro tonight and treat myself to a nice bouillabaisse. I wish you all a nice Friday evening and a great weekend!
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