Design Darling

NEXT UP...

No. 71 on my 101 in 1001 list is to go camping which, as you might imagine, is not a strong suit of mine. In fact, I really only want to go if it looks something like this...

I won't hold my breath ;) Have any of you been (and enjoyed!) camping? Teach me your ways!

*all images by Sarah Kehoe

INSTAGRAM UPDATES

J.Crew ballet flats (now on sale!) // Bloch ballet flats (also on sale) via Rue La La // Tuckernuck espadrilles // Cole Haan loafers (also on sale)

An old inspiration board // Design Darling packaging // Bumblebee matches // A walk in the park

Tortoiseshell highballs (kind of obsessed with these...)

Zara striped peplum jacket // An afternoon in Rowayton // Gratuitous picture of Rory // Times Square as seen from the top of the Empire State Building

The most darling birthday present from K. Slademade (in my favorite colors no less!)

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I have a little more than a year left to accomplish everything on my 101 in 1001 list and I'd say it's officially time to kick things into high gear! This summer I've been able to cross off the following...

{Monogrammed notecards}

18. Buy my parents an Apple computer. (They love it!)

22. See all the Harry Potter movies. (Super important, right?)

23. Send fifty handwritten notes. (I include a handwritten note with every Design Darling order so this should have been crossed off a long time ago!)

37. See a new Cirque du Soleil performance. (Michael and I saw Zarkana in June!)

{Recycled leather notebook}

48. Take a cooking lesson. (Remember that?)

50. Invest in at least ten coffee table books. (I have way exceeded ten thanks to amazing sales on Joss & Main and One Kings Lane!)

76. Go to the top of the Empire State Building. (One of my birthday presents from Michael and so much fun!)

79. Go zip lining. (A birthday present from my parents and also a blast, especially in the rain!)

{To do list}

90. Upgrade to a DSLR camera. (A birthday present to myself!)

99. Participate in a flash mob. (My sister organized one to say good bye to her best friend who moved to the midwest and it. was. awesome!)

That comes to 39 completed tasks and — eeek! — 62 to go. Check out the rest of my goals here. Is anyone else working on a similar list? Leave a link in the comments!

WHAT'S ONE THING YOU WISH YOU KNEW...

...before moving out and living on your own? I mentioned in Monday's post that so many friends are making the move to New York which is making me all the more eager to do the same. I'm crossing my fingers to make it happen in early 2013 which means I have a few months to save my pennies and soak up all the advice you have to give...

{Lynn Nigro in Lonny}

What's one thing (or two or three) you wish you knew before moving into your first apartment?

BORROWED FROM THE (LITTLE) BOYS

One of my favorite styling tricks lately (seen here and here) is to take an oversized shirt and tie it at the hem. The best part? It's easy to do with a slightly boxier boys' shirt like these...

Brooks Brothers gingham shirt // Crewcuts tuxedo shirt

Ralph Lauren big pony shirt // Ralph Lauren stripe shirt (on crazy sale!)

Crewcuts gingham shirt // Brooks Brothers tennis shirt (also on sale!)

The fit is perfect for scrunching up the sleeves and knotting the bottom! You'd be surprised at how generous the fit is (particularly with Ralph Lauren where the fit goes up to size 20!) and how much lower the price can be relative to comparable women's designs. Just be sure to check the size chart before you order! Have any of you ever worn boys' shirts before? Don't knock it 'til you try it! :)

BAR CART DETAILS

Isn't it funny how pretty packaging on certain items totally makes the look? I'll never look at a bottle of Absolut the same way again ;)

P.S. On the subject of beautiful bar carts, did you see that Society Social's manifesto magalog launched today? Check it out for great entertaining tips and styling ideas from some of my favorite bloggers.

*Photo from Ivy & Piper

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TRENDSPOTTING: COLORED SOLE OXFORDS

For me, a key component of honing great personal style is knowing how to pick and choose which trends work for you. Cleaning out your wardrobe and starting fresh every season isn't really an option so it's important to invest in basic pieces you'll love forever and sprinkle in on-trend pieces that are still true to your taste. Lately I've been seeing lots of oxfords with colored soles and — while they might be "in" right now — they're the perfect updated classic for this tried-and-true prep...

(1) Crewcuts suede bucks — size K4 is equivalent to a women's size 6! (2) Del Toro suede wingtips (3) Splendid oxfords — a way to test out the trend for less than $100!

What do you think of this twist on classic oxfords? Is this trend for you?

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KATE MIDDLETON'S OLYMPICS STYLE

I'm not usually one to ooh and ahh over celebrity fashion but this look was too perfect not to recreate...

Kenneth Jay Lane studs // J.Crew schoolboy blazer // Alice + Olivia side peplum dress

K. Slademade navy foldover clutch // Diane von Furstenberg suede pumps

This combination of classic navy and hydrangea blue is pretty much all I want to wear right now. Anyone else?!

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KATIE ARMOUR'S HOME IN MATCHBOOK

I was delighted to contribute to Matchbook's August issue with an interview of the über-talented Lisa Salzer of Lulu Frost. Equally delightful were these snaps of editor Katie Armour's darling San Francisco abode. Does she not make you want to recover everything you own in navy blue buffalo check? Cute as it is, I'm quite happy to have her on the east coast now! See the complete tour here and read the issue here.

CITY NIGHTS

It's crazy how many people I love have moved to New York lately. It makes me that much more excited to make the move myself in a few months! In the mean time I find myself hopping on the train to the city ever more frequently, which calls for easy outfits that are comfy for the commute but cute enough for dinner...

Acne dress // J.Crew earrings // Kate Spade bow belt // Dani Notes monogrammed iPhone case

K. Jacques leather sandals // Barneys New York clutch

Tonight I'm off to meet Alex, Jane, Katie, Sarah, and Sarah for dinner in the West Village. Matchbook girls unite! ;)

PREPPY STYLING

You'll rarely see me in red (red jeans being the exception) but there's a lot to love about Mango's fall campaign: oxford shirts layered under blazers, leather belts over polka dot skirts, and trench coats on top of cable knit sweaters. I'm excited for the temperature to drop 30 degrees so I can start pulling fall basics to the front of my closet...!

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HAPPY SUNDAY

Wishing you a fun-filled day with friends, sunshine, and striped beach towels.

*Photo by Amanda Pratt

WEEKEND WARDROBE

We had so much fun zip lining yesterday and now I can cross that one off my 101 in 1001 list! My sweet aunt also gave me five Audrey Hepburn DVDs so I can get cracking on that task as well! Here's a classic look that seems right up Audrey's alley...

Loren Hope earrings // Madewell oxford shirt // Tory Burch sunglasses // Topshop skirt

By Malene Birger pearl necklace // Charles Philip striped slippers // Longchamp medium tote

Classic studs, a strand of pearls, and the Longchamp tote I carry with me everywhere I go... The definition of classics and the very pieces I want filling up my wardrobe! What are two or three of your favorite closet classics?

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GOOD BONES GOOD PIECES GIVEAWAY WINNER

Thank you for all the birthday wishes yesterday and to everyone who entered this week's giveaway! The winner is...

Renée of Crossed and Dotted! Please email me so I can ship you your new book. Thanks to Suzanne and Lauren for the generous giveaway! I'm taking today off to go zip lining with my family (a birthday surprise from my 101 in 1001 list, eeek!) and I couldn't be more excited. Have any of you been? Tell me all about it!

I'M 23!

Today is my 23rd birthday and I want to celebrate with all of you! Today only you'll get 23% off all designdarling.com orders with code BIRTHDAY at checkout. Offer is not valid for any previous orders and expires tonight at midnight EST. Shop to it!

INSTAGRAM UPDATES

Favorite snaps from last week's trip to Nantucket...

A new read I'm loving // My new favorite ballet flats (now on sale!) // Bangles from Design Darling and J.Crew // Carrying Coach onto the ferry

Exterior inspiration // Waking up to this little guy // The needlepoint belt my grandmother is making for me!

Flowers, lobster, and my grandmother's lightship basket

Iced coffee // Rachel Pally dress // Shopping in town (loved this picnic basket and this bedding)

It's funny how many pictures I take when I'm out and about! Believe me when I say my daily life looks more like me in front of my laptop wearing pajamas ;) Do you have any summer trips planned?

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MINNIE MORTIMER'S HOME TOUR

Still smitten with this home tour from APT with LSD... a year later. That's how you know it's good, right?!

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SO TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF (PART FOUR)

I participated in a Twitter chat over the weekend about reader engagement and remembered that one of my all-time favorite features is this one where I get to learn all about y-o-u!

*image source

Your style in three words:

Highlight of your summer:

Favorite thing about fall:

A recent splurge:

Something you’re looking forward to this week:

Something you want to do in the next three years:

Copy and paste to leave your answers in the comments! Here are my answers:

Your style in three words: Classic, picky (ha!), preppy
Highlight of your summer: Weekend trips to Nantucket
Favorite thing about fall: Dressing in layers — my idea of perfect weather!
A recent splurge: Tickets to Alt NYC and IFB
Something you’re looking forward to this week: My birthday on Thursday!
Something you want to do in the next year: Get into a regular exercise routine

Now go ahead and tell me about yourself! I can't wait to read each response :)

SHOPPING FOR BASICS

My August calendar is quickly filling up with blog conferences, dinner dates, and trade shows and it's hard not to want to buy a new outfit for every occasion. Instead I'll be investing in and replenishing my wardrobe basics: a few solid pieces that can be worn myriad ways. Case in point:

Madewell blazer (a must on my wishlist for fall) // J.Crew t-shirt

Design Darling tortoiseshell necklace // Diane von Furstenberg skirt (similar here) Cleobella card holder // See by Chloe bag // Loren Hope cocktail ring // J.Crew ballet flats

The blazer would work just as well with my go-to skinny jeans and the skirt would be adorable with a classic blue oxford tucked in. And yes, this is the way I justify all my purchases ;) Do you shop the same way I do?!

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GIVEAWAY: GOOD BONES GREAT PIECES

I love a good mother/daughter duo and Suzanne and Lauren McGrath are no exception. I've been reading their blog for years and they've become my go-to girls for classic interiors with a modern twist. I'm thrilled to be giving away a copy of their first book Good Bones Great Pieces this week! It's a great read (with lots of pretty pictures!) on seven pieces of furniture "that will carry you through a lifetime." What's not to love about that?!

To enter, please become a follower of Design Darling and leave a comment below. For extra entries, do any of the following and leave a separate comment for each:

- Like Design Darling and Good Bones Great Pieces on Facebook

- Follow Design Darling and Good Bones Great Pieces on Pinterest

- Follow Design Darling and Good Bones Great Pieces on Twitter

The winner will be announced on Friday morning. Good luck!

DESK DU JOUR

Elizabeth Blitzer in Lonny

Fresh flowers, a pretty candle, and stacks of books make for a super cozy workspace, don't you think? I'm also coveting her Sharpie collection ;)

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WEEKEND WARDROBE

This is the first weekend in a while that I haven't made any plans and I plan to power through lots of laundry, packing and shipping, etc. — probably in pajamas most of the time. But if I had my way I'd be donning something more like this...