i had intended for this entire post to be dedicated to bow ties, but when i went searching for inspiration pictures i’d collected, i couldn’t find too many of them! which is really too bad because bow ties are such an easy and inexpensive way to add interest to a collared blouse! i really see no reason why these little pretties have been reserved for people like dr. seuss!

but since it is a rather bold statement, i have pictured some loosely tied ribbons and bows as an other example of a more casual way to pull off the look, which would only require a quick trip to the fabric store.

anyway, the saddest part of this post is that my mom has given me several different vintage bow ties over the years, which i have stashed away so well that i can no longer find them and fear that they might be gone forever. i will never forget a particular pink and maroon striped tie with little rhinestones on it… but now i have something to rummage for on my thrift store and antique shop outfits!

what do you think? would you sport a bow tie?

column a: the sartorialist, some girls wander, our paper moon
column b: torunn, alexa chung, copenhagen street style

i can no longer resist the urge to make x-mas lists! i was trying to avoid it because looking that list in the face would be like coming to terms with the fact that i might have a problem. seriously, the list is incredibly long and never-ending and well, sometimes i don’t like to think about how materialistic i can be. but i’m over it. so here is something very high on my wishlist this year: a satchel.

let me start by telling you that my number one splurge would be in a mulberry bayswater, which is technically more like a shoulder tote, but seeing as how i’m not quite ready to drop $950 on a purse just yet, i have taken comfort in the multitude of satchels i’ve been seeing around lately. they have such a simple sophistication and are obviously a classic. i’ve been keeping my eye out in the thrift store, but no luck just yet. so instead, i’ve got my sights set on the much more affordable and fashionable cambridge satchels. i’ll take a batchel (satchel with a top handle) and a music bag, please!

column a: alexa chung, copenhagen street style, style clicker
column b: hel looks, clever nettle, lah lah is here

cambridge satchels.

i thought it was pretty fun to tell you all about my past as a cake decorator, so today i thought i’d tell you another little known fact about myself: i’m an avid cyclist. i don’t race or compete in any fashion, but instead, i enjoy going on long bike tours to explore beautiful places. though i do have to admit that i haven’t been riding my bike nearly as much as i’d like to lately… but that’s ok because i have plenty of neat trips planned. and there’s nothing like pretty girls riding cool bikes for a bit of inspiration!

some of my most notable and favorite rides include the california coast! one summer, me and my boyfriend rode from here in the bay area to southern california along the highway one, which winds along the coastline. at night, we camped in state parks. we thought it was so fun that we decided to turn around and try another part of the coast the next summer and we rode from arcata, ca (up near the northern border) back down to the bay area! that stretch along highway one was even more epic and glorious than the first ride, especially when we did a detour through the lost coast. amazing.

we’ve also done shorter rides and combined biking with hiking as well. it’s a pretty economical and fun way to travel.

column a: audrey hepburn, ricor, sea legs snapshots, julie michelle photography.
columb b: allister ann, melbourne street fashion, nike rebekah, shorpy, sergey komarov

the above images were all taken from copenhagen cycle chic. a really cool blog with daily updates of fashionable people on bikes. weeee!

all above images found via styleclicker.

column a: garance dorÁ©, turned out, the sartorialist

column b: hel looks, ida on lookbook, easy fashion in paris