Lotta from Stockholm

At first glance, you might think these are Swedish Hasbeens. You'd be wrong! They fooled me too. They are still Swedish clogs, but are offered from Lotta from Stockholm. I can never seem to find the open toed sandals in my size from Swedish Hasbeens but Lotta seems to have all sizes in stock. Plus, the price is quite a bit friendlier. I'm putting these on my summer wish list.

Spring Fantasy Outfits

Topshop dress & sunglasses, Modcloth cardigan, Swedish Hasbeen flats

In the interest of self preservation I have a strict no outfit photos rule on any day when the temperature doesn't rise above the freezing mark. It's 14 outside right now (that's -10 for you celcius folks) and I'm planted firmly on the couch in pajamas.

Staying indoors has left me with plenty of time to do some fantasy spring shopping. Most of these items are well out of my budget so I'll be scouring thrift stores for vintage alternatives. I'm really, really loving the new spring shoes from Swedish Hasbeens! Those perforated flats are seriously on my list.

Chloe Sevigny for OC dress, Topshop straw hat, Modcloth necklace, Rachel Comey clogs

Modcloth striped top, Topshop shorts & bag, Steven Alan loafers

Steven Alan dress, UO straw hat, Swedish Hasbeens sandals, Topshop tote

Topshop blouse, Steven Alan skirt, UO hat, Rachel Comey clogs

Kdikio Vintage Giveaway

photos by Tom b.

- UO floral chiffon dress
- thrifted little boy's Brooks Brothers blazer
- Swedish Hasbeen clogs
- vintage Bond Street bag
- Kdikio Vintage brooch



This afternoon Tom and I headed out for a little walk around our neighborhood. Even though we've lived here for nearly a year, there are still out of the way places we're still discovering. A friend told us about a hand made furniture warehouse just a couple of block from us that we'd never heard of before and we wanted to check it out. It turned out to be really great! It was an old tobacco warehouse that had been converted into a business with living space up above. I love those kinds of spaces where the light pours in through big warehouse windows!



Today was also the first day I've ventured out of the house in my new Swedish Hasbeens. Even though I've seen them on other gals on street style sites and always love the way they look, I wasn't convinced I'd like them on me. I still think I'll like them better in the fall with tights.

And I've saved the best part for last! Kristen from Kdikio Vintage was sweet enough to send this beautiful vintage rose cameo brooch to me for a giveaway! It's a really lovely piece and perfect for wearing on a blazer or jacket to class up any outfit. Even better, it has a little loop on the back so you can string it onto a chain and wear it as a necklace as well.

If you'd like a chance to call it your own, just click over the Kdikio Vintage and have a look around. Then leave a comment on my blog letting Kristen know what you see in her shop that catches your eye. I'll pick the lucky winner in a week!

And a quick congratulations to Eliza from Mess Your Hair Up for winning the Yellow Birdd Giveaway!

FashionSquad by Carolina Engman

Hello Friends, happy mid-week!
Well, the Blogger Portrait for today is of my swedish friend Miss Carolina Engman.
She has moved location to

www.aperfectguide.se/fashionsquad


Carolina has a great blog and is a wonderful person.
Please check it out.
Hope you all like it! :)

The Death of Lewis Peska - Inspiration Friday on Tuesday

Hey Friends i back!
Sorry for the delay!
This last weekends, Friend-cation (that is friend vacation haha) was so good and so needed.
I will fill you in on it in the next few days :)
But Now this week is going to be one crazy one!
Trying to get organized before my brother and i leave for NYFW.
i had prepared this Inspiration friday for you but didn't have time to post it,
so here it is! :)
I wrote a little bit in the images titles, so the pictures kinda tell a story.
i hope you like it!
As I got so much to tell you!
Just need to get some work done today and then i should have some really fun News for yea!
Hope yawl are having a wonderful day!
- D


P.S. Images are by Brassai, Lina scheynius, John Loengard. The Last Picture and the kissing picture not sure who took thoses pictures?

A Sneak Peek of what's coming....

Hey Friends!
Well, I have some fun things for you today!
This is only half of my Shirt Collection for Forever21 ...
To my surprise Teen Vogue & Refinery29 Posted a few images of the Tee's
so i thought i would post them for you too. ;)
I'm so excited for you to see all the shirts,
and excited for them to be in the stores.
But you know what is by far my favorite thing about this collaboration?
I get to share it with my friends!
Looking at the shirts on Teen Vogue today it hit me,
I was like "oh my gosh that's Geri Hirsch, Louise Ebel, & Carolina Engman all on Forever21 shirts!"
Haha its so awesome!
I think the friendships i've made blogging are the best rewards ever!
Oh, and there are a few more friends on the other shirts...
So excited for you to see! ;)
Hope you like them.

P.S thanks Teen Vogue and Refinery 29 your amazing, i love you both! :)

Miss Carolina Engman

Morning Friends!
Well spent yesterday experimenting with developing tons of new techniques and new mediums...
I have to say, i don't remember the last time i've been this excited about a project.
I love learning & experimenting and so far the experiments have turned out amazing.
I'm still not ready to post them yet, but I'm dying for you to see it!
I thought i would post a picture of my good friend Carolina Engman of fashionsquad,
Who had her birthday last week.
This picture is from when my bother David, Carolina, Mattias, Team Bloglovin, and I had breakfast at my favorite breakfast place, "Le Pain Quotidien".
Have you been there? Oh my! There is this fruit tart that i always get there that is seriously the greatest thing i have ever tasted in my life! Shoot, now I'm really hungry....
Whelp, i hope you're doing great :)

If you want to see high res version of these pictures, go to my Image Diary.

I want to wear this...

...to the farmer's market to buy fresh flowers & vegetables. (Monki top, Topshop skirt, Libris Lunaris tote, sandals)


...on a Sunday stroll around my neighborhood. (Rachel Comey dress, See by Chloe purse, Topshop hat & oxfords)


...to eat crepes at brunch with my girlfriends. (Topshop skirt & sunglasses, Secret Squirrel top, Madewell sandals)


...to walk on the boardwalk in a seaside town. (Secret Squirrel skirt, Topshop blouse, Swedish Hasbeens clogs, Topshop tote)


...exploring a new part of the city. (Modcloth dress, Topshop loafers, Steven Alan hat, vintage backpack)

not-so-secret Santa

(Curious? Just click the photo to find out where it's all from.)



Hi guys! Siri here from Ringo, Have a Banana! First, can I just stop and say: hot dang, you ladies are a tough act to follow! I wish I had an outfit post for you all (and access to nature, that would be awesome) but a)my camera batteries just died and b)I'm too busy freaking out about how cold it's supposed to get here next week to wrap my mind around anything but tracking down one of these babies. So instead, I thought I'd throw down a bit of Christmas gifting inspiration since, judging by the general muzak situation on Fifth Ave. yesterday, it 'tis indeed that time of the year again...



Above are a few things I'd love to be able to give to my friends and family (though honestly I wouldn't mind receiving just about all of them myself, eheh!) I've always loved giving gifts (and gift wrapping, oooh) and I feel like the older I get, the more interested I am in giving than receiving. That said, let me just point out that providing a stand mixer to a friend who bakes is really just the gift that keeps on giving back, am I right??





(You know the drill: click away!)



Still, as much as I love to give--I have needs too! Well ok, more like silly, frivolous wants, but hey, tomato/tomaaaahto. A girl's gotta dream: of fancy drawers, Swedish boots, snuggly sweaters (though this one has been sold out in the size I need for weeks #$%@ it!) and the joys of having your favorite magazines appear at your doorstep instead of pounding the pavement month after month trying to pry their whereabouts out of tight-lipped newsstand Nazis. One thing I do always gift myself each year is a big pot of paperwhites. Their smell reminds me of home, and it really is such a wonder to have a little plot of flowers blooming in your bedroom window.



Anyways, all this fantastical consumerism aside, I do firmly believe that homemade is best. Most of my family will probably be receiving care packages of cookies and peanut butter cups, and I'm already looking forward to coming up with my own Christmas card design. So, aaah...anyone know a good DIY manual for how to build your own Canon 5d???



<3

Ringo!

My Line with Forever21 is out Today! :)

(Images Via Forever 21 & The Skinny)

Hey Friends, how are you doing today?
How was your weekend?
And for you who live in the U.S. how was your extended weekend?
Haha mine was pretty long...
But I am really happy to say my Collaboration Line with Forever 21 is in stores today.
I still haven't seen them in real life, but I can't wait to!
It's funny how life kinda comes back around on you, huh?
I mean when I was 13 I started a little tee shirt company,
and I sold them to my friends and kids at school.
I never really thought I would kind of be doing that again.
But now sitting here and looking at all the shirts & tanks together,
I'm fully having flashbacks! haah :)

As for the art work, 5 of the shirts are from my Blogger Portrait Series,
which I started almost 2 years ago...(wow can't believe it was that long ago.. hah)
It's been fun to share the opportunity with my friends,
Carolina Engman (FashionSquad), Geri Hirsch (Because I'm Addicted), Agathe Molvik (Style Bytes), Alice (AlicePoint), and Louise Ebel (Miss Pandora).
I think one of the most amazing things about the internet is that
people from all over the world can collaborate, and inspire each other daily... so amazing!
Well, I really hope you like the Collection!
You can Check it out Here at Forerver21 :)

P.S. On a side note I know back when I posted my portrait of Agathe she was finished with blogging,
and I couldn't get a hold of her. Since then i have talked with her and she is doing great. She is an amazing person ;)

P.S.S. Thank you so much WWD for the Article :)

Lisa Place Cheerleading

Hey, hey, hey Friends,
Wow, it's early in the morning,
Thank you all for all the lovely comments today, kinda overwhelming,
and thanks for you who added the bloglovin code to the blog.
It was a trip to click on your sites and it was there looking back. ;)
Just finished up this painting of Lisa Olsson of the great blog Lisaplace.
i think it was a week or two back that she posted a picture of her and her friend at a cheer competition.
And I'm not sure if it was how interesting the picture was to draw, that caused me to want to draw it so much,
or it might have been the fact i did Cheer many, many moons ago,
but i really like how it turned out.
i hope you like it. :)

p.s. If you don't believe i was was a cheerleader for a brief part of my life,
click over to my Image Diary to see the proof... hahah

Frida Gustavsson Makes Flights More Enjoyable

Well Hello Friends!
I'm back from my 18 hours in NY!
Prom was amazing!
Thank you Sophie for going with me,
and thank you Claudine for having me come out to it!
It was a blast! :)
I posted a couple pictures of it on my image diary

Well, on the flight i drew for the first time a model that my friend Alice showed me.
Her name is Frida Gustavsson!
I have to say, she is currently my Biggest Model infatuation right now!
I love Drawing her, she is amazing.
So elegant & sweet.
I ended drawing like 6 or 7 pictures of her on the flight. This is one of pictures i did.
i was on a roll. hahaha
Well, i hope you're all doing amazing. :)


P.S. I posted this video of this 6th grade kid covering Lady Gaga Song on "Inside my Brain".
Check it out. It's mind blowing! haha It is!

Hide N Seek

When was the last time you all played Hide & Seek?
This image reminds me of playing that game.
How was your day?
Mine was great, drawing grid suit Croquis (Fashion sketchs) all day.
Got like 25-30 drawn now.
i decided to quit for the night when my eyes started to hurt and get all hazy... haha

The picture today is from Volume 2 of my Character Sketchbook.
The original picture is of Swedish model Mona Johannesson.
I love the picture, i feel like the image captures Intimacy & Love perfectly.
At least, whenever i think about love, that image pops into my head, not sure why.
It's just so playful.
I'm not sure if my picture has that same feeling, but i sure tried... haha.
Well, i hope you all are doing wonderful, and hope you like the drawing :)

Floating Back In Time - Inspiration Friday

A Midsummer Nights Dream, Lina Scheynius, Barbara Cole


Morning my Friends!
Happy Inspiration Friday!! :)
Wow i've had way too many late nights this week!
But it's been good learning so much.
I'm so excited for you to see what i've been working on! :)
Most of the images in the Inspiration Friday set are from one of my favorite movies, A Midsummer Nights Dream (1935).
The movie is magical so i thought i would throw a set together based on it.
I hope you're having a very inspirational day!

P.S. What are your top 5 collections of this season?