Still Loving >> Vintage Suitcases as Decor

I'm not sure if this qualifies as an actual trend or just a personal fave, but either way, I'm definitely still loving it.

Above, from the home of Obedient Sons and Daughters couple Swaim and Christina Hutson, photographed by Todd Selby, posted on his blog The Selby.

 

Sometimes the line between trend and personal obsession is totally unclear for me, as I will have an obsession that I justify by making a mental note of every time I ever see it done, so to me, it starts to seem like it's everywhere, when in reality, it might just be because it's on my personal radar, ya know?

Then, this gets even more peculiar when I feel like I've seen something too many times and I hit my personal saturation point, and I feel like I'm over that obsession because then it seems like an overdone trend.  And all the while it might not have even been a real trend, I was just primed to seek out examples of it.

The two above are from the current issue Cottage Living magazine. Interestingly, I'd already written this post and saved it as a draft about three weeks before when I came across these images (thanks Ali!)-- so maybe it is a trend...

Finally, the apartment of Deborah Lloyd, the createive director of Kate Spade (is it possible to have a crush on a company?? Also, did you know Kate left the company in '07 and Lloyd has never even met her?).

I love not only the old suitcasees, but also pretty much everything else.  The art propped everywhere, the globes, the zebra touches, the hate box, even the pink.  And it's pretty brilliant that the pink is only on pillows, so if you got sick of the pink and switched out the pillows, the place would have a totally different feel.

Trends I Love, V. 2

#1:  Old-school barbershops for men.

I don't know why, since I'm not a man, but I really love the idea of old-fashioned barbershops for men.  I've mentioned this before, but I have an unexplained nostalgia for an era I didn't live through when routine daily activities were glorified.  Like shaving.  Here, a barbershop in London called Murdock that is along the lines of Freeman's (below) in New York. 

And for me, this begs a question.  I would say the female equivalent to getting a shave at a barbershop is getting a manicure-- it could easily be done at home, but it's nice to have someone else do it for you.  So why aren't there classy manicure joints like there are men's barbershops?  They're all tacky!  Even the new trend in nail salons is the ultra-girly look (not feminine, girly, there's a difference) where everything is pink and sparkly.  Ick.

This reminds me of the J. Crew Men's store vs Women's store issue... to me the men's version is just so much cooler.  Why can no one get a grip on what classic, old-fashioned (but updated) femininity looks like? 


Trend I Love #2:  Anything apothecary-looking. 

Here, Portland General Store's REALLY well-packaged skincare products.  Love the brown glass and please someone tell me, who designed their awesome labels??

In addition to cool packaging, the recipes for these products actually came from an old apothecary's book listing the ingredients of all their products.





Would make a good Valentine's gift for a guy, no?  Although I guess it's a little late now... birthday?  (And actually, I will say from experience that their shipping is not exactly prompt, so order ahead when you want it!)

Downsizing (the good kind) >> Trends I Love, V. 1

Karl Lagerfeld's Off the Record, his personal collection of photos he took from 1986-1994.

When I was little, I spent tons of time at bookstores with my dad.  (I asked my mom recently what I liked to play with when I was little, because I didn't remember having dolls or anything, and she said "you liked to go to bookstores and read." haa).  So I was genuinely sad when small, focused bookstores packed with hand-picked treasures old and new started to die off, and hence, I'm glad they are reemerging (slowly).  Compared to that kind of bookshop, there's nothing magical about exploring a Barnes & Noble-- it's impersonal and sterile.  It's like buying groceries at Walmart vs a farmer's market.

In Williamsburg, High Valley Books is helping to bring back the small bookshop scene with interesting off-the-beaten-path books like these that have long-since been pushed off the shelves of B&N.  With a small selection, you're more likely to find these gems...

A funny little (snobbish, in the fun way) book about "the two kinds of collectors" with chapters like "The Confession of a Collector"

In general, I have to say I love the direction the world is going in as regards mass production (or rather the demise of its popularity).  Everything became SO available (any food any time of year at the grocery, any book on Amazon, etc), and now things are shifting back to local, antique, and handmade.  And stores that focus on curated, carefully selected collections of things. I think I could have a happy life based on farmers markets, old books, and antique textiles, furniture, etc.  Maybe next I'll get into vinyl records?

Kate Spade's Contents, a book of photographs and descriptions of the contents of famous people's handbags.  Love the concept!

So back to the bookstore, it's actually not even really a bookstore, it's better than a bookstore.  It is one guy's personal collection of books about art, fashion, architecture, etc., many of which are out of print or signed, and he has his inventory listed online.

A now rare chronicle of 20th century fashion houses and personalities

You can, by appointment, go to the "store," which is actually more like the front room of his Brooklyn brownstone, stacked floor-to-ceiling with books.  Though there doesn't appear to be an organizational system, you can ask him about any book or author subject, and he'll know exactly where it is.  ...The perfect place to browse on a rainy (or snowy!) day.


PS- these kinds of bookstores are great places to find unique gifts for friends with really specific interests.. I got some great Christmas presents from this one.