The City Sage

Outfit to Room: Victorian His 'n' Hers

Here's the dish. It's been a loooong while since I had the time and patience for an outfit-to-room post. But ever since I happened across this speco editorial in Marie Claire's March issue (which is especially strong on the whole, by the way) I've had a bee in my bonnet about it. And I've gotta get that bee out, so why not with a strategic pairing of fashion and interiors. Scram, bee!

The theme here? Gender bending ensembles with a Victorian flair. Think masculine pieces like collared shirts and natty trousers (both of the stovepipe and the Bowery B'hoy variety). Then layer in feminine softness with textiles like organza and fishnet; colors such as petal and buttercream; details that bring to mind a seamstress's shop filled to the gills with finery and frills.

Then take it on home. Mix patterns--your stripes with your plaids with your florals. Mix shapes--your slim straights with your wobbly curves. Most importantly, don't be afraid of excess. What the Victorians lacked in exposed skin, they made up for in knicknacks, gewgaws, and falderol. I'm not saying buy a gross of antimacassars, but indeed, a shelf laden with much-loved trinkets never hurt anyone.

How will I put my own advice into action? For starters, I might hunt down a pair of striped or floral skinnies to wear with this blazer. The top of my piano could use a tasteful doily, or two, or twelve. Even the idea of mixing my sheer silk blouses with decidedly boyish silhouettes (as I did today!) seems to fall right into this camp, no? Now tell me: What style bees have you had in your bonnet lately?       

Fashion Images: Tesh for Marie Claire, March 2012. Interiors Images: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Outfit to Room: Anthropologie August 2010

It's here! At last! No, not the month of August--though that suddenly is upon us as well. I'm talking about the newest Anthropologie catalog, and as usual it's bee-yoo-tiful! Whenever mine arrives in the mail, I drop whatever I'm doing and dive into a deep warm pool of Outfit to Room goodness. 

Don't you love how Anthropologie makes you want to shop and travel at the same time? They have a magical ability to capture the essence of a place and make you feel like you are RIGHT. THERE. This time we're carried away to a quaint English village--and I can almost smell the Earl Grey brewing.

All the requisite fashion statements are here: long granny cardigans, ladylike floral day dresses, lace-up oxford shoes and casually upswept hair. Brush up on vocabulary words like 'natty', 'tweedy', and 'jolly'. Order chips instead of fries, crisps instead of chips--or don't, seeing as how you'll probably want to slip into these hip-hugging wool skirts.

This is a kind of cozy, humble Anglophilia, one that I especially ascribe to. It stores sewing pins in dented biscuit tins; it loves Nestle Quality Street chocolates at Christmas; it collects books in dusty stacks around the room and presses flowers between their pages. It's England's answer to the American ideal of 'the girl next door'.

Of course even the girl next door has secret weapons in her arsenal. A pair of sensible heels that nonetheless make her legs look kilometres long. A jumper--aka a sweater--with a plunging neckline and a slightly ratty fur collar. A worn leather chair that has seen more than its fair share of fireside snog sessions! (That means kissing for all us Yanks!)

P.S. The Huz has been writing a series of articles for GOOD Magazine. Sometimes I'm in complete awe of his brain. Well done him!

Outfit to Room: Swimsuit Edition

Would you believe that although it's nearly August, I've not worn a bathing suit once this summer? Between a heavy workload, the chilly San Francisco weather, and a Huz whose attitude towards sunshine is positively vampiric, my shabby old bikinis languish at the back of my drawer. How I would relish an excuse to pull them out--or better yet, buy a chic new one!

With no beach-worthy days on my horizon, some swimsuit-inspired Outfit to Room action will have to do. I've yet to brave the 60's vibe of a retro one piece, especially one with a v-cutout this deep; it's a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen! But a mid-century bedroom suits me just fine.

If I were to purchase a new suit, I'd definitely explore this year's fun floral options. There's something about this sensibility that reminds me of laid-back days at an ocean-front cottage, lounging about munching on fresh fruit and reading epic novels from sunup to sundown.

And while it's not my personality at all, I do wonder what it's like to be that girl: the one who hangs out poolside in Vegas, wearing towering heels with a psychedelic halter maillot. I'll have to convince the Huz to take me to the Bellagio for a weekend. All in the interest of 'research', of course!

Tell me: What's your bathing suit style?

Image Credits: 1. Olivia Graham 2. Inside Out 3. Anthropologie 4. Inside Out via You Are My Fave 5. Riccardo Tinelli 6. Perfect English Cottage 7. Anthony Edwin for Cosmopolitan UK 8. Elle Decor So Chic

Outfit to Room: Anthropologie July 2010

By now I'm sure your copy of the July Anthropologie catalog is tattered, dog-eared, and chocolate stained. Maybe even spotted with drool? Mine is for sure, so I had to take to the InterWeb and swipe some images for these Outfit to Room pairings. It simply doesn't get better than this, folks.

At this stage I'm beyond matching only the outfit to the room. Because Anthropologie does such a brilliant job creating an environmental mood, I'm drawing inspiration from the image as a whole. My challenge? Create a seamless pairing that segues flawlessly from one shot to the next.

I'm utterly captivated by the dreamy, Atonement-esque sensibility here. It's unexpected to see deep hues, shadowy light, and velvets and paisleys in a July catalog, yet the effect is a complete success. I feel like I've been transported to a crumbling English estate on a lazy, hazy summer afternoon.

I wasn't kidding yesterday about papering my bedroom walls with a glorious pattern, so there's some major ideas to sink my teeth into here. I adore the impact of stripes paired with traditional florals, and I have some vintage French ticking pillows waiting for the perfect wallpaper mate!

This soft blue pairing has me longing for an airy retreat from my busy schedule. With everything on my to-do list lately, I'm trying to cultivate peaceful moments throughout the day--a walk around the block, coffee with a friend--and the soft mood here provides perfect inspiration for us all! Just two days 'til the weekend, everyone!

All fashion images courtesy of Anthropologie. Interiors Images: 1. French Country Style at Home 2, 4, 5. Homes and Gardens 3. World of Interiors

Outfit to Room: Anthropologie + design*sponge = Lurve!

 While scouring design*sponge in search of inspiration for an exciting new project, I realized that a) I do not exploit that blog's archives nearly enough and b) It's time for another edition of Outfit to Room! After all, what better way to plumb the depths of design*sponge's fabulous home tours

Everyone who's anyone knows that color blocking is all the rage. I might not get behind the neon brights featured on the runway, but I can appreciate these swaths of subtle twilight hues. (Bedroom from the home of stylist Irina Graewe.)

Doesn't this pairing make you want to move to Alabama and bake pies for a living? While I could never wear a skirt that length (hello cankles!), I might be persuaded to paper my walls in this lovely retro pattern. (Bedroom from the home of blogger/stationery designer Sarah Hicks Malone.)

Since we're heading down south and becoming pie mavens, we might as well include this summery housewife dress in the mix. An entryway with broad plank floors and plenty of rustic textiles will greet us when we come in from the orchard bearing cherries for our latest tasty creations. (Foyer from the home of Spool No. 72 founder Heather Paul.)

One of the most killer home tours of recent months, the seaside abode of the entrepreneurial couple behind Emersonmade has stolen my heart. I can't resist the raw linen table runner, the cheery flower petals, the casual bistro vibe. And don't you love the brick hearth in the background?

Holy rug, Batman! You know I love me some stripes, but this pink and black number takes it to a whole other level! Given the fantastic layers and depth of this living room, it comes as no surprise that it belongs to a textile designer. Artisans always have the best homes, don't they?

P.S. If you're in NYC today and tomorrow, don't walk--RUN!--to the Lauren Moffatt Sample Sale and let me shop vicariously through you!

All fashion images courtesy of Anthropologie. All interiors images courtesy of design*sponge.

Outfit to Room: Toast Summer 2010

Here in the States we're just one day away from a holiday long weekend! So enjoy a little Thursday afternoon eye candy to rocket boost you through. No one lends themselves to an Outfit to Room feature quite like Toast--their catalogs simply beg that the clothing be paired with interiors!

Of course we love stripes. Of course we do! And do we love them in shades of raspberry, blueberry and lemon, circling a skirt or spiraling on a toss pillow? Um, do bears crave honey and do my kittens poop in the tub? Yes, yes, and yes!

I could have gone for a nautical inspired beach house to partner with this flowy maritime skirt. But I decided to throw you a curve ball and go more cottage than coastal. After all, a summer afternoon at a breezy B&B in the Cotswolds sounds pretty darn sweet!

The moodiness of these scenes reminds me of the sultry, sexy tension in the movie Atonement. Dark, 1930's inspired plaid, echoing hallways, shadowy twilight hours just perfect for a make-out session with James McAvoy. Where do I sign up?

Cropped, nipped, cuffed: proof that suits can be feminine and springtime appropriate. The dusky pistachio hue looks equally relaxed on a mantle surround, and when teamed up with salmon it puts a bubbly twist on a traditional fireside scene. Now take a deep breath and say it with me: The weekend is almost here!

Image Credits: Fashion Images, Toast. Interiors Images: 1. Elle Decoration France 2, 3. Perfect English Cottage 4, 5. Perfect English

Outfit to Room: Beach House Style

'Round about this time of year I start to long for an escape, and my daydreams inevitably lead me to the beach. I don't care where in the world I land, so long as there is surf, sun and sand. Give me a gauzy sundress, a skimpy bikini, and some SPF 500, and I am golden (well, pasty white, but you get the idea). Bonus points if there's an airy beach house for midday naps.

Seaside stripes get a girly tweak with a ruffled tank. Crisp white linens--whether in the form of a man's button down or freshly washed sheets--flutter in the breeze. I always wear sunglasses outdoors, but with the equinox drawing near, I sometimes take them off and revel in the squinty quality of the sun.

Blue and white are not the only maritime colors this girl can get behind. Mix rattan and natural linen with the greens and taupes of beach grass and a juicy pop of semaphore red. Madras plaid looks fresh on a broad-brimmed hat--and is reflected in the oversized brown gingham of the chairs.

Another unexpected twist! Sailor stripes are the hero of blogland, and here they get a graphic update in black and white instead of the traditional blue. Golden hues, from a nipped-in belt to bent cane furniture, call to mind a colonial veranda.

Turquoise and coral versus periwinkle and peach. The former is a tried-and-true combination. The latter, a softer twist on the classic. The former brings to mind a vivid tropical paradise. The latter pays homage to the flat, scrubby isles off the coast of Georgia. Either way, you can't go wrong.

One of my favorite summers was spent in Nice before my final year of high school. Sunbathing (topless!) every afternoon; visiting the homes of the great artists (Matisse! Chagal! Picasso!) and witnessing firsthand the incredible light that was their inspiration; learning from the French that simple (a sublime dress! a bare window!) is always best. Am I right or am I right?

Image Credits: 1, 9. Toast 2. Elle Decor June 2010 3. J. Crew 4, 10. House Beautiful 5, 7. Anthropologie 6, 8, 12. Country Living 11. Urban Outfitters

Outfit to Room: Current/Elliott Spring 2010

Are you as ready for this weekend as I am? I have to work both days, but it's the good kind of work, involving butterflies and petits fours! These images from the Current/Elliott Spring 2010 lookbook perfectly capture my ideal weekend vibe: laid-back and playful no matter what's on the agenda!

I'm probably biased because Current/Elliott has been my go-to weekend wear for two years running. Their boyfriend jeans hold a permanent place of honor in my wardrobe, and last year's shorts saw so much action that it might be time to replace them with a new--yet perfectly pre-distressed--pair.

It also helps that these pics boast an undeniable 'nautical with a twist' appeal. A cross between 1920's seaside postcard and slummy dockworker, they make me want to abandon my landlubber life and take up residence on a houseboat. An extremely well appointed houseboat, of course...

But most of all it's the textures. The impossibly soft denim that I know to be Current/Elliot's claim to fame; the breezy, sun bleached cotton voile, the linen and canvas that scream 'Put down that computer and go find an adventure!' Is there anything more Saturday appropriate than that?

So bring on the weekend! In addition to butterflies and petits fours, mine will feature marbled paper, vintage teacups, and pinstripes galore. Mysterious, right? Don't worry, it will all be revealed in due time! Tell me: what's on your to-do list for the weekend?

P.S. More Current/Elliott and nautical inspiration, the best banana bread you'll ever eat, my favorite springtime flowers, and Fair Trade shopping on eBay. Enjoy some glorious R&R my friends!

Fashion Images: Current/Elliott Interiors Images: 1. Elle Decoration UK April 2010 2. Perfect English Cottage 3. French Country Living 4. Etcetera 5. New Farmhouse Style

Outfit to Room: Anthropologie April 2010

Well, it's that time again! A new month, a new Anthropologie catalogue, and new outfits to drool over. April's offerings are rife with delectable patterns and prints, florals and frills--just right for some spring-inspired outfit to room pairings. I think the above diptych is one of my all-time faves!

Soft sky blue and fresh leaf green whisper quietly of a morning spent puttering in the garden. A blossom bedecked granny flounce is reined in by solid construction, whether it be with clean white pants or a tidy row of built-in cabinets.

It seems that every year, nauticals are proclaimed the 'next big thing', and you won't hear me complain. Of course the standard red, white and blue look charming, but so does the golden yellow of vintage seafaring maps. Add a braided rope accent and you'll be shipshape indeed!

A simple silhouette gets an ornate update in crisp delft blue--perfect for a day of sightseeing or running errands downtown. Similarly, the uncomplicated lines of a spartan bedroom put the focus on an elaborately painted armoire. It's the interiors equivalent of a slow, deep breath!

Lately I adore florals on a dark background, particularly when teamed up with modern accents like architectural tailoring or a blocky sofa. The effect is romantic and dramatic all at the same time; it proclaims a confident femininity that knows its own mind and isn't afraid to express it.

Finally, a buttery cardigan cardigan creates a baroque, ladylike effect when trimmed with ruffles and ruching. Show off your sexiest assets in a refined and elegant way; open an extra button to display a stretch of collarbone, or position your prettiest settee right by the front door where it won't be missed. After all, if you've got it, flaunt it!

P.S. Very honored indeed to be named #14 on a list of the Top 100 Interior Design Blogs!

Fashion Image Credits: Anthropologie Interiors Image Credits: 1, 6. Architectural Digest Russia 2, 4. Italian Country Living 3. Etcetera: Creating Beautiful Interiors with the Things You Love 5. Marie Claire Maison

Outfit to Room: Spring 2010 Trends

Blushing Beauties: This spring a rosy glow is everywhere. Channel the rush of new love--or the flush that comes with scoring a killer pair of shoes. Dust on pinched-cheek color with a super soft cashmere sweater in warm rose, or try linen toss pillows in pale petunia.

Outrageous Florals: No fainting violets need apply--these blossoms are large and in charge. Saturated reds, greens and blues look fresh on a backdrop of white or black. Delicate accessories will get lost in the fray, so choose chunky jewelry and statement shoes. At home, nothing less than your biggest, boldest vase will do.

Femme Militaire: Khaki and dun, leather and canvas, all with a ladylike twist. Invest in a ruched trench or gathered shirtdress. Find your most proper tea party chair and re-cover it in rough burlap. The colors and materials might say 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy', but the shapes and lines sing soprano.

Confectionary Concoctions: Marshmallows, meringues and macarons. Cotton candy colors and puffy, fluffy textures that beg to float in the breeze. A full skirt takes on an even tastier vibe in shades of mint or nectarine. Baroque upholstery gets an extra dose of sugar with orchid and sherbet hues. It's sweet indulgence without the calories!

Global Layers: Ikats and suzanis are still going strong. Pair patterns of different size and scale but keep the look harmonious by sticking with a single palette. Or you know what? Go crazy--mix and match colors too! In this case, the more the merrier, and I'm feeling very merry indeed because it's Friday. Happy weekend everyone!

Image Credits: 1. T Magazine Spring 2010 2. The Well Dressed Home 3. Max Ferago for Elle March 2010 4. Kristin Perers 5. Serge Leblon for Elle March 2010 6. Elle Decoration France January 2010 7. Salvatore Ferragamo 8. Elle Decoration France April 2010 9. Lachlan Bailey for Harpers Bazaar March 2010 10. Domino. Sponsored Links: Guaranteed JN0-350 exam preparation with self paced 642-655 study guide and practice test. Also get free demos of MB2-631 test.