elie saab.

thanks to rachel's pinterest, i can't get these magical emerald beauties by elie saab out of my head. my favorite is the green on left, but i also love the way the yellow one is cut.

oh, those sequins. all dresses should be covered in sequins. always. for everything. like marilyn's in 'some like it hot.' always.

it's calendar swap time again!



it's time again for the wildly popular DESIGN CRUSH + GREEDY GIRL calendar swap. can you believe this is the fourth year? i started the swap back in 2008, and it's only gotten bigger and better since kelly and i joined forces two years ago. fifty of you signed up in 2008, and last year we had close to 130. so, now, we're back at it. for more calendar swap amazingness. 2012 style.

don't you want to be a part? don't you want to blow the other years out of the water?

i thought so.

here's what you need to know:

+ by oct. 29 (that's a saturday), email calendarswap@gmail.com and tell us the following:

... your name.
... your email address.
... the name of your blog and, also, the name of your favorite blog.
... your snail-mail address.
... whether you prefer an international swapmate or a swapmate within your country. or does it matter?
.... AND, are you interested in sending (and receiving) more than one calendar (from different swappers)? if so, how many? it's ok if you're greedy.

+ we'll pair you up and send your swapmate's details on or around nov. 2.

+ you must have your calendar sent by nov. 23 (that's the day before thanksgiving).


here are some things to keep in mind:

VALUE. keep your calendar between $20 and $30. and, since there are some perfectly lovely and super-affordable calendars out there, you might try throwing in a few small goodies if the calendar's value doesn't quite add up. also, handmade is great—just remember the suggested value.

SHIPPING. if you choose to have an international swapmate, don't forget it will cost you a little bit more (a few dollars, maybe) to ship your calendar. i prefer the thrill of air mail, personally.

CONSIDERATION. check out your swapmate's website or blog, or consider getting to know his or her tastes via e-mail, to get an idea of what he or she might like.

TIMELINESS. please, please, please send your calendar on time.

THE FINE PRINT. this is the part we hate to have to mention, but it has to be said. though it's rare and has definitely gotten better over the years, it never fails that at least one super swapmate sent out the most amazing calendar and received nothing in return. and that pisses us off. if you've dropped the ball in the past, we know who you are and we'll be watching for you. you're on a list. a black list.

OK, so now that the formalities and threats are out of the way, go type up that email and get to shopping/creating. kelly and i will be featuring calendars of all sorts starting today, so if you're looking for ideas, be sure to check back in.

if you have any questions, ask them in a comment down below in case someone else might be wondering the same thing.

big thanks, guys. i look forward to another successful swap!





alternative apparel.

have you taken advantage of october for an opportunity to wear pink? it's not a color i own a lot of, but the cause is close to my heart. and seeing this photo makes me think i might to add a little more pink to the closet.

alternative apparel is giving 10 percent of the retail price of its pink ribbon style pieces. i'd love to pick up the top in the center, but i can't find it here... maybe you'll have better luck?

lauren moffatt.

as usual, there's way too much to love over at lauren moffatt.

jasmine shokrian.

how beautiful is this dress from jasmine shokrian? amaaaazing. oh, to be so tiny...

it's a party!

i usually don't like to sign on for guest posts (i'm sorry! i'm bad with commitment!). but when ms. pink got in touch with promises of something new and exciting, i figured i couldn't miss the party. after all, i imagine that katie knows a good party.

katie and megan, of the fresh exchange, have come up with something that—katie wasn't lying—is new and exciting. and, the best part is, it's for everyone. no VIP invite required.

i hope you'll put on your dancing shoes and head on over there to get the scoop.

while you're there, check out greedy girl's joan holloway-inspired party look. and tell me if you don't just die over those earrings.