Getaway Essentials
As mentioned before, I don’t know what it is, but I’m a sucker for reading lists of other people’s favorite things (so much so that I’ve started asking other people to answer those things for this blog), so I was so happy to see that The Coveteur did another “Essentials” post with Vogue.
Last time it was NYFW essentials, this time, summer getaway gear. In addition to their essentials, the contributors describe where they like to getaway to in the summer and a bit about why these are their essentials, which you can read on the original post here.
Top left: Emily Weiss of Into the Gloss; top right: Chloe Malle, Vogue Social Editor; and above: Claiborne Swanson Frank, photographer.
Katie Ermilio
Dear Wonderlusters, I’m so excited to bring you this interview with the darling designer Katie Ermilio. I first came across Katie when her apartment was featured in Rue Magazine (the shot above, left, was the cover- isn’t she adorable??), and I instantly fell in love with her style.
As it often happens, when you love someone’s taste in interiors, you’ll probably love their taste in clothes, and vice versa, and that’s definitely true of Katie. Love her apartment, love her collections.
I was not surprised at all to learn that she cited Funny Face in the interview below– her designs clearly channel classic Audrey-esque ladylike inspirations, with their crisp tailoring and bold solids. But one glance at the collection proves she’s not stuck in the past– the fun silhouettes and details reflect the figures, and more daring sensibilities, of a modern girl. (The image above is too small to tell, but that navy dress has a very sheer top that I love!)
Katie has a heritage in fashion as well– her father has a bespoke menswear shop in Philadelphia, and her grandfather was couturier to Grace Kelly! You can read more about her here, but I’m going to skip over some of the details so we can get to this fun interview… I love how her cool New York City girl vibe comes through…
(And thank you Katie for doing this interview!!)
Where do you go when you need to experience wonder? I’m in love the Rizzoli Book Store on 57th Street in New York. Every time I go I usually end up sitting there for hours flipping through books.
What blogs/sites do you visit when you need to experience wonder? Net-A Porter, The Coveteur, Jak & Jill, and Intothegloss
Source of wonder in your daily life? My job – because I never know where it’s going to take me each day.
Best gift you ever received? My little sister Megan gave me a scrapbook one year for Christmas. She was so young when she made it and worked so hard putting it together. I look at it often and it’s something I’ll keep forever.
What music do you listen to when you want to feel inspired? I’m feel like I’m constantly switching up my playlists – but recently there’s been a bunch of Andrew Murray remixes, jj, Tim & Jean and Robyn in rotation.
A film or person whose style made an impact on you? Funny Face
Essential item(s) you will buy over and over? Love, Chloé Parfum – I’ll wear it forever. I love it so much I spray it on my pillow at night.
A visual memory you will relish forever? My first trip to Italy, riding on a water taxi into Venice.
Ideal picnic? A warm day at Sheep Meadow in Central Park with all of my girlfriends, a big blanket, and my friend Caroline’s famous cheese plate.
Ideal vacation? Hmm, right now? Anywhere warm sounds ideal!
Go-to outfit or must-have accessory or beauty item? My go-to outfit is always a blazer with a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and my Chanel ballet flats.
Must have beauty items are Clarins Beauty Flash Balm and Chanel Blush in Orchid Rose. I’m a total beauty junkie, but these two products I’ve remained extremely loyal to.
One surprising thing about you? People always seem surprised to learn that until I started working on my line fulltime I’d never really considered a career in design.
All-time favorite shoe? So hard! So I’ll go with my Chanel ballet flats and Stubbs & Wootton velvet slippers, because they’re two shoes I’ll always own and wear.
Guilty pleasure? Heath Bar Cookies from Hope’s
Item you will always splurge on? Nail polish and Shoes
Always in your handbag? iPod, plenty of Muji pencils, a notebook, some sort of snack and my Blackberry.
Could I Have That?
I’m excited to introduce y’all to Samantha Hutchinson, who blogs about style and other fun stuff at Could I Have That! Sam and I met in Santa Barbara, where she writes for Santa Barbara Magazine, amongst other fun freelance gigs, and I love her style (that is her on the above left!), so I asked her to share with us a bunch of her favorite things and inspirations. You know, one of those “my essentials” kinda things I’m strangely addicted to… So here’s our Q&A!
Where do you go when you need to experience wonder? The desert. There’s something about the dry heat and vast open spaces. I love going to The Parker or La Quinta Resort & Spa for a weekend of R&R. [elc: I've been obsessed with the idea of a dessert vacation ever since hearing this from Sam...]
What blogs/sites do you visit when you need to find inspiration? Garance Dore, Jak and Jil, We Live Young, P.S. I Made This, Smitten Kitchen, and Dress Design Decor [elc: these are some of my faves too!]
Favorite daydream? I daydream a lot. But I have to say the one that pops up the most is playing the piano (or any instrument) really, really well.
Best gift you ever received? My red hair. I have my parents (both gingers) to thank for that one.
What music do you listen to when you want to feel inspired? Depending on my mood, I’ll turn on anything from Sigur Ros, Ray LaMontagne, La Roux, Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Bon Iver, Avett Brothers and Ryan Adams.
A film or person whose style made an impact on you? Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. The clothes, the music, the setting and the story I just can’t get enough of. Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo are a few that always know how to look effortlessly chic. [elc: agree all around!]
Essential item(s) you will buy over and over? J Brand Jeans, OPI’s Bubble Bath (it’s the perfect pink nail color), Moroccan Oil, YSL under eye concealer
A visual memory you will relish forever? I was a ballet dancer for 16 years and I’ll never forget the view from performing on stage.
Ideal picnic: location, food, company, etc. The Figueroa Farmhouse in Santa Ynez is so beautiful especially during wildflower season. I’d set up my giant striped picnic blanket in the meadow overlooking the valley and pack tri-tip sandwiches from the Los Olivos Market, a bottle of wine and chocolate dipped strawberries.
Favorite words? Electric, demure, stellar, amour, fringe
Ideal vacation? Somewhere in Baja California with the beau in our own casita next to a deserted, white sandy beach. Days would be filled with catching some rays, reading (me), surfing (the beau), margaritas, carnitas tacos, swimming and exploring.
Go-to outfit? I have a few go-to outfits that are in heavy rotation. But it usually goes something like this… skinny jeans or an oversized dress, short boots, an oversized mens oxford shirt, a scarf or sweater and my aviators. Here’s a few favorites…
Favorite house or room you’ve ever been in and why? Last summer we stayed at a house for a week on Martha’s Vineyard and I fell in love with it. Between the paint colors, cozy living rooms and quiet surroundings I felt like I could have moved in and lived there forever. Since we had all kinds of weather during our stay (rain, thunder, 80º and sunny) we took advantage of the pool, fireplace, beach access and beach cruisers parked in the barn. The design of the house was that of a simple country home with crazy cool antique pieces and custom wood work. I think my most favorite thing about this beach home was the amount of light inside. A few pics of the house and our trip… [elc: I love these pics!]
One surprising thing about you? I eat a lot! People are always so surprised by how much I can actually eat.
All-time favorite shoe? My Ash cutout platforms. I always wear these when I need to up the ante. Seen here.
Guilty pleasure? Junior Mints
Item you will always splurge on? Handbags. I love good quality leather that will last and get better with age.
Always in your handbag? Tom Ford’s Blush Nude Lipstick, my Moleskin notebook, hair pins, aquaphor, an antique silver mirror compact, Girl Meets Pearl by Benefit, usually some sort of candy, cash and a sharpie or two.
Check out more of Sam’s style and favorites over at her blog!
NYFW Essentials
Even though they are a inherently a little bit sickeningly bit self-indulgent and send me into a crisis over my own star-struck and/or voyeuristic tendencies, I cannot resist the “What are your essentials” features with celebs in magazines.
It’s a total love/hate situation. Every month when I flip to the page in Vanity Fair that chronicles a famous person’s list of must-haves, I inevitably go through a chain of thought similar to this: “Who cares what stuff you can’t live without??” … “Is that an Aston Martin? You seriously can’t live without an Aston Martin?” … “Oh wait, what skincare line does she love?” … “While I’m here I might as well see what her favorite brand of sheets is…” and I end up reading the whole darn thing. With interest.
I can’t explain it, but getting a peek at other people’s essential goods is oddly enticing. It’s like getting personal recommendations from someone and getting a little snapshot of their style/vanities all at the same time.
For NYFW, Vogue teamed up with The Coveteur to check out various fashiony people’s essentials for “getting through fashion week.” (While we’re sharing usually unshared chains of thought, I know it’s a busy week for those in the industry, but I have fairly little sympathy for industry folk when they talk about what they “need” to “get through” fashion week… despite the hectic pace, it still sounds pretty darn fun!)
But back on topic, I loved, without shame, these little vignettes of the subjects’ essentials, as much for their content as for the styling. As I’ve said before, anything in a collage looks more appealing, but these compositions are particularly well-done.
Is there a set of “essentials” that would capture your style?
[From top left, essentials of: Gucci Westman, Prabal Garung, Jessica Sailer, Kate Young, Stephanie Wolkoff, Laura Bellafronto]
