Lot of Link Love: Friday the 7th

- Aesthetics in your organizing? Hipster Book Club seems conflicted and many just say "no."
The strong aversion of the members to organizing books by color strikes me as peculiar, and I can't help but wonder what the deeper reasoning behind it is. Are we too conditioned to accept organizing, especially of books, as one thing (genre, author, size)? Or are books viewed as the antithesis of vanity, and making them such is demeaning to their supposed value?

Some of these comments I found particularly intriguing:

"This might be ok for books that exist only as "accessories" but if you love your books, well, I can't imagine any other way but alphabetical by author, with maybe side groups by genre and then alphabetical by author."

"I think these pictures are appealing, because books are nice and pretty colors are nice, so therefore the combination of the two results in a very, "oooh, shiiiiney!" response. But this isn't terribly practical, and it feels a little demeaning to the books themselves."

"Well, that's the thing - it's practical if you think in terms of color, shape, spatiality - that sort of thing. Give me a book, I can tell you what color it is and then, where it is on the shelf. I can probably sketch the book cover before I could find it alphabetically - and that's exactly what's I'm doing in my mind. Saves me time. Would it work for a city Public Library? Probably not, but then again, it is fun to see which books end up near each other (and then again I don't run a city public library)."

Inspired by the Color + Design Blog

- I'm totally loving The Pin-Up Shop Blog! A modern woman's take on pin-up art. The blog combines the cheesecake and glamour of traditional pin-up imagery, while also discussing modern topics, conflicts, and patterns in pin-up art. Check out pin-ups & Diversity and The Veil Fetish Pin-up, along with The Bare Facts about Pin-Ups.

- This braid twist posted by (Into) the Fray looks amazing & easy. Perfect since I haven't figured out how to french braid around my head yet.

- Itty Bitty Kitty Committee! If you're not subscribing to this blog, you're missing out on some of the sweetest, most charming kitten faces in the world.

- We Love Hijab is an Islamic fashion blog. It's amazing to see the fashion & style opportunities that Muslim women make for themselves, and how unified they can be with American style. Check out these amazing gloves and Project Hijab: Project Runway made for the Islamic lady.

Trashy Diva Does Spring Right

I about choked and cried last night when I saw the new Trashy Diva design for this spring. Turquoise and red is one of my favorite color combinations ever (right up there with hot pink/black or grey). All I could do was bemoan the cost and plan how I could get a job there.

This combination has kick and pop-- and lots of it. It's incredibly vibrant and beautiful, and perfect for business wear and Spring. Generally, I think of Trashy Diva as the supplier of my 40s Glamour Girl needs; sometimes I tend to forget the subtle versatility of their pieces. While they epitomize a soft sexuality and sophistication, they're also designed to take you from Business to Barfly.



What I liked most about these two sets is that they contain three common pieces: a tuxedo-esque jacket, the Trashy Diva 1940s blouse, and a pair of red Manolo Blahniks that I was already dying for (and now paired with this shirt or a dress, may die twice for). I love how the accessories and bottoms completely change the outfit from a Day-At-The-Office to Slinkster-Sister-At-Your-Local-Dive-Bar.

I'm very much coveting both of these outfits.

Color of the Year: Blue-Iris [#18-3943

Color Authority Pantone reveals the color of 2008-- Blue Iris, or No. 18-3943.

In a statement, Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, said: “Blue Iris brings together the dependable aspects of blue, underscored by a strong, soul-searching purple cast. Emotionally, it is anchoring and meditative with a touch of magic.”

Later, in a telephone interview, Ms. Eiseman said the selection process had been very thoughtful, based on various influences, and that indeed the final choice reflected a “need for thoughtfulness.” Five individuals were involved in the selection process. “With blue iris, we felt that it answered several needs, hopes, desires, that kind of thing,” she said.

This article intrigues me and piques my curiosity. From the claims of the absurdity of such a statement, to the relief that fashion professionals felt when hearing, it brings to question the role of color therapy, and whether or not dedicating a color to a year can influence the minds of the masses.

I have my own thoughts and appreciation of color therapy; I think colors can stimulate, inspire, and challenge a person's emotional and mental conditions. There are reasons that fast food restaurants are colored in yellows and reds.

But how far can one hue go though? Will blue-iris really answer "several needs, hopes, desires," or will it simply be thought of by consumers as another shade of blue? Will it inspire people to find the magic in the world, or will they carelessly put on their blue-iris sweater with no concept of its reason? Did 2007's color, chili pepper red, play any role in your life? Did you even notice if it did or didn't have a role in your surroundings?

Orange you glad...

While orange is not a color that dominates my wardrobe or accessories, it's a color that can be boldly spotted in my abode. There is something about the color that, when in the right hue, I find very friendly and inviting. This color works perfectly for what I feel my living room should say to visitors: I'm open. I'm friendly. I'm inviting, and my home is strangely comfortable. Orange coordinates well with equally vibrant and lively colors (such as those featured in the throw above)-- pinks, blues, greens, chocolate, and cream.

There's a nice quality to orange that I find invites a playfulness to how it's used with geometry and design. This orange lamp that I got at Target so many years ago is exaggeratedly round, and the stripes around it encourage that shape. This coaster that sits alongside it is made by a local New Orleans artist (pre-Katrina), who creates pieces that reflect the advertising and signage of local establishments. Once again, I'm drawn to the way that the orange+turquoise+lime create a visually dynamic and intriguing geometric intersection of so many shapes in the various colors.

While orange isn't a color I can reclaim on my own physical body often, I appreciate that I can have it represented in my home. When people enter my apartment, I'd like to think that they're affected by the subtle, but vibrant colors that surround them and it leaves them with an upbeat attitude.

Rose Red and The Peacock Queen

In dramatic contrast to the soft innocence of Snow White and the dew-kissed freshness of her sister, Rose Red, this is a blood red, voluptuous rose, velvet-petaled, at the height of bloom. Haughty and imperious, vain, yet incomparably lovely to the eye, but thick with thorns of jealousy, pride and hatred.

This is a description of my favorite Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab scent, The Peacock Queen, but I can't help but think of the imagery when I think about my relationship to the colors red and turquoise/teal/peacock blue. Both are colors that evoke passion, decadence, luxury, and vibrancy. Both are colors I'm attracted to as soon as they catch my eye, and tantalize my senses. They express my arrogant side, my haughty side, the rarely seen vain and proud self, but a side that is equally jealous and sometimes passioned by my emotions.


Both are colors that I naturally become attracted to, especially when accessorizing myself. Luckily, I find that the two colors coordinate rather well, which makes it easier for me to mix and match them. Above is some of my every day basics, along with a few new pieces I've picked up in the last week:
Rainboots from Urban Outfitters (they match all of my umbrellas!).
Turqoise Leather Wallet from TJ Maxx (replacing my old red patent one).
Laptop Bag, in an Alexander Henry print, by Janine King Designs.
Red Bag, by Nine West.
Red Leather Organizer from Barnes and Noble.
Peacock Fluevog's from John Fluevog (Chicago).

While I go through phases where I crave particular colors in my wardrobe (such as navy, eggplant, kelly green), red and turquoise are two colors that I seem to always crave. Color Therapy would suggest that my attraction to peacock tones indicates a need for creative expression, while red suggests passion and determination. Combined together, it's easy for me to see where the weaknesses and strengths are in my life; over the past few years, I've let my creative outlets fall by the waist side, and I have not partaken as much in them as I need. By using these two colors in my accessories and surroundings (as most of my kitchen is in lime and turquoise), I feel that I'm in an environment that is more conducive to stimulating creativity, passion, and my ambitions.