{things to treasure) vintage accessories

Moving makes for fun re-discoveries. These vintage handbags and gloves have been buried in the closet but they deserve to be in the spotlight. All of the bags (except the gold metal mesh pouch) were given to me by my mom who acquired them while working with several older and very stylish women. Some pieces date back to the 1920's and 1930's, can you believe that?!?

I realize that I have a seriously legitimate collection going so I'll try to do it proud while vintage hunting abroad :) See more photos here!

{worth watching} "...every era builds character"

My friend Laurie came over to say goodbye and being the professional style consultant that she is, she eagerly asked if she could see my closet. A mini-consultation later and I had several outfit ideas and a clearer picture of what clothes to take with me to London. However, one of the things she said that struck a chord was "you are so much more chic than this!" She was referring to my ho-hum collection of tops that I'll admit, has barely been updated since Freshman year in college (it's a work in progress).

We discussed how inspiring Europe will be for the style senses and how the beautiful and romantic backdrops seem to grant further permission to play dress-up. I can already feel my wardrobe changing just thinking about it.

After Laurie left I was reminded of a video, Advanced Style: Age and Beauty, that has been making the rounds in the blogsphere. It's fun, inspiring, and fabulous. These women know who they are and they celebrate it every single day through the clothes they wear. One woman said that dressing up is "an exercise in creativity" and I couldn't agree more.

I will be the "more chic" me, Laurie. I promise!

(almost) goodbye, LA

It finally hit me. I'm moving. I'm leaving my beloved Los Angeles.  It all came to me while at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, a quintessential LA locale.

As excited I am for the adventures - and even trials and tribulations - that await in London, I'm really going to miss LA. I'll miss towering palm trees lining the streets, the Downtown LA skyline that I grew up admiring and then called home for one incredible year, reliably delicious In-n-Out cheeseburgers (add pickles), and putting on my baseball cap to cheer for the boys in blue.

I requested a window seat for Thursday's flight. I want to savor every last bit of the city, even if from a birds-eye view. I love you LA.

::photos via Instagram, follow me (AtotheM) for more::

happy friday!

This week was a busy one.  Between having my last day at work, the Anamu moving sale, and running necessary errands (ie. a very last minute dentist appointment) I am ready to get on that airplane and watch back-to-back movies for ten solid hours. Operation Do. Absolutely. Nothing. But since I'm not out of the woods yet I thought I'd  kick the weekend off with something bright and energetic. This photo is of a Frank Stella piece at the Norton Simon's new exhibit,  Surface Truths: Abstract Paintings in the Sixties. When I walked into the room - and literally gasped in awe - I knew I had to know more. Stella, welcome to my google stalk list.

Here's to moments that take your breath away. Have a joyous weekend everyone!

music video girl

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fndeDfaWCg&w=480&h=390] My office is tuned in to March Madness and its turned me into a gambling gal. I drew University of Kentucky out of the hat and felt pretty damn good about it. I've visited Kentucky before and thought it to be a beautiful place but more important is that my tween-age crush is from there: Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys. Omg. Yes, I was a total lunatic fan in middle school.

When I was 14 years old I stayed up 3 hours past my bedtime on a school night to win a spot on their new music video from a local radio station. My dedicated re-dialing worked and my older sister and I found ourselves on set the next day with our hearts jumping out of our chests (she admits she was just as excited!).

Can you spot the crazed 14 year old me in the "I Want It That Way" music video?  Hints: my hair is pinned up with the then-trendy butterfly clips and I'm holding an "I love you Kevin" sign (haha!). Such a fun time to reflect on. This song still makes my heart skip a beat.

Oh what the heck, I'll just show you a picture!

Was anyone else a former BSB fanatic???

let the bright in

When it comes to color, my wardrobe is a little dull. Don't get me wrong I love my black, gray, and neutral go-to's but a girl could use some brights in her life right?

I decide to start with the basics so I snatched up a comfy J. Crew tee that was on sale. The actual color of the shirt is much more neon than the photo shows so before buying it I thought "do I risk being mistaken for a crosswalk guard?" Yes, absolutely. Let's live a little.

sf

Hola! I'm back from a chilly and rainy weekend in San Francisco. Despite the weather, every bit of my time there was fantastic. My friend Christine and I played tourists, ate a ton (what else do you do when traveling?), and had enough girl-talk to hold us over for another year. Will post more photos and details tomorrow <3

happy friday!

The weekend is here and I'm headed out to the bay area to spend time with a dear friend and enjoy San Francisco. This will be the first Saturday in a long time that won't involve errands and chores so I'm extra excited to unwind, do some sight-seeing, and have fun. The forecast calls for rain through Sunday but I'm totally okay with that. It gives me a reason to play with beloved layers and wear my new Bottega Veneta boots (thank you Clothes Heaven!). Have an awesome weekend everyone. SF pics to come next week!

the things you see with just a few extra steps

During a recent lunch break I stopped near a quiet alley to make a phone call. While on hold I decided to walk a bit further to check out some brick buildings on the left hand side. Several steps in, I look to my right and discover a collection of bright murals that seemed completely out of place yet incredibly inviting. I wanted to have my Canon on me so bad! I learned (via a plaque at the end) that the murals were done by artists from a non-profit called ArtStorm that "provides canvas, paint and safe and legal locations for young people to pursue their art called Masterpiecing (graffiti art)." How awesome is that? You can see the work in action via this time-lapse video or see it for yourself in Old Pasadena just off of DeLacey Street and next to Forever 21. It's a perfect dose of art amidst the hustle and bustle of the surrounding shops and restaurants.

{worth watching} french lesson as eye candy

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_QO8LoGNpc&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3] I first came across this video via Black*Eiffel and instantly fell in love! What a beautiful and entertaining way to get a feel for Paris and the French language. I barely know a few words but this teaser has certainly made me excited to learn more....Paris is only a two hour train ride from London, after all!

As a side note, I love love love all of the different fonts used throughout the piece. I wish I were a cool typography nerd who knew all of the font names but I'll have to content to being an admirer for now. To see more videos for other countries and languages check out the Live the Language campaign. They just make you want to travel forever!!!