Obsess: Miriam Salat Apricot Earrings

A few weeks ago, I was cruising around Walnut Street in Philly and I came across a store that had a gorgeous pair of earrings in a case.  It was as if I went into auto-pilot when I saw them- I immediately asked the saleswoman to open the case so I could touch and feel (and almost smell, but the lady was standing right there...) these earrings.

Weeks have gone by and the desire to see again is almost insatiable.  Luckily, I am an expert Googler and can find pretty much anything on the internets.  So I present to you, the earrings:

They're SO LOVELY!

After the initial shock of how stunning these were, my eyes moved down to the tiny little hang tag on the back at a pricey $495.  Doesn't stop me from being obsessed with them completely but it did stop me from pulling out my wallet.  They're by Miriam Salat who has a lot of earrings that follow this same aesthetic- straight up girly glamour.  I'll dedicate this post to the Princess List because these earrings look like a lovely and delicate princess would wear them to a beautiful fall, don't you think?  Eek!  If you're feeling like a princess today, you can pick these earrings up here on her site, MiriamSalat.com.

Birthday Week: Day 4 Ogle, The Perfect Leather Jacket

Sometimes I think trends are going to go away and sometimes I'm totally wrong.

I was wrong about leather jackets.  I thought they'd be a two-season and done kind of thing, but they weren't.  They've been here for a few years now and every year that leather jacket weather comes around (you know, it's in the 50s outside and it's just a little cloudy), I wish I had the perfect one!

I've resisted buying one now for a couple years because I have a really rad one that my mom passed down to me- the epitome of the motorcycle jacket from the 80s (shoulder pads and all), I think it's time to get real and get one that feels a little more like me, though I totally give my mom props for being so damn cool back in the day.

Here are the ones that I really love:

love the asymmetrical zip and the simplicity of this one by Surface to Air

Variation of the Surface to Air one, but with a little more neck by Veda

BUT THIS ONE.  THIS ONE IS PERFECT.  Of course, it's the most Ogle-able and by Rick Owens.

It's almost summer and I can't wait for summer to get here, yet I'm writing about something I want for the fall?  The brain works in mysterious ways.  Go figure.  

Birthday Week: Day 3 Ogle, Paris

Since the tender age of Kindergartentry, my parents had me enrolled in French classes.  I happily learned French from then up through college where I minored in the language.  Where has that skill taken me?  No where.  Not even to France!

Well, I've had enough.  I want to go to France.  Not just anywhere in France- I want to go to Paris, the world's most romantic city.  I want to see the Eiffel Tower.  I want to experience the nonchalance of real French people.  I want to drink fancy wine.  I want to walk through a fresh market.  I want to eat a whole French baguette with real butter.  I want to do it ALL!

When do I want to go?  In the summer, of course, when everyone else wants to go...when airfare is upwards of $1,000 for a 6-hour flight.  Insanity.  And Ogle-worthy.

Photo by Tone <3

Ay, mes cheries....peut-être un jour...mais ce n'est pas ce jour-là....mais, j'espère un jour très prochainement. Une fille peut rêver!

Birthday Week: Day 2 Obsess, Jenni Kayne Orsay Flats

I had never heard of Jenni Kayne until Pinterest, and thank goodness for Pinterest!  I was cruising around one day and found a beautiful monochormatic shorts suit and had to go down the rabbit hole.  I clicked through the images until I found the image's source which was the Jenni Kayne site (Which has e-commerce!  Yay!).

It was then that I found these awesome shoes, the Orsay Flat:

They are such a great shape with a slightly pointed toe.  It's just something that's a little different from the usual flat.  They come in lots of joyful spring colors, too.

My favorites are the Chambray and the Nude ones.  It's very hard to choose favorites, but sometimes it has to be done.  LOVE THESE.  AH.

These would also make great Summer to Fall transition shoes!  So birthday dream-worthy...

Birthday Week: Day 2 Super Ogle, Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra

In Day 2, the daydreaming continues....with Van Cleef and Arpels.  While I'd love to have everything and anything that is Van Cleef and Arpels, the Alhambra is what I truly covet.

Amazing Rose Gold Bracelet from the Sweet Collection

Diamond Pendant from the Magic Collection (ahhhh it IS SO MAGICAL)

Classic Alhambra necklace from the Vintage Collection

I hate to choose something so cliché, but I've loved this collection from Van Cleef and Arpels for a while...a very long while.  You've seen it- it's the clover wrapped in gold.

Last year, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum featured an exhibit that put years of Van Cleef and Arpels jewels on display.  They were incredibly lavish, uber-decadent and some, even gaudy (it pains me to say that, but it's true).  The bling in that exhibit was SO serious.  They displayed jewels that had been donned by the infamous Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Grace Kelly.  

While the exhibit faced some harsh reviews, I think that I got out of it what was intended- a feeling of amazement and joy seeing all these glittery gems all around me.  It was like I was five again, dreaming of all the beautiful things that princesses had (literally!).  Millions and millions of dollars worth of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and the like surrounding me- I mean, I don't think there will be another time in my life when I can lay my eyes on such extravagant jewelry.

I think that the Van Cleef and Arpels brand is so beautiful and classy.  So many luxury brands out there have given away their prestige to make an extra buck (Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi..you get the idea), but I feel like Van Cleef and Arpels has been able to keep themselves elevated and maintain a level of luxury that so many brands have sacrificed.  God, that sounded so snobby, but if something is expensive, it should BE expensive.  It should be reserved for those that can afford it not priced at $600 for a fabric bag that can be easily knocked off.  I'm just saying.

Anyways, I'm really starting to like this business of blogging just about crazy things that I can't have.  It doesn't make me want them less, but at least I can get it off my chest.