Author: thesteelemaiden

In all the years I spent growing up in Pennsylvania, I’m not sure I ever heard the state described as trendsetting.  And yet, against all odds Topshop has chosen my home state of PA as inspiration for one of their Fall ’12 collections.  Sure, the styling may look like a cross between a member of the Amish community and an extra from an M. Night Shyamalan movie.. but it may be the only time the state receives this semi-honor so I think it’s worthy of a mention.  Plus, I’m not totally against that hooded cape coat they’ve got going on…

(all: topshop) 

My weekend via Instagram – most of which was spent recovering from a summer cold meaning little was accomplished.  Besides of course scoring these fall-ready Steve Madden studded loafers, getting paid to play with a pair of pretty pups and replicating a print I had seen online by artist Jennifer Ament (my own knockoff is just a pointless doodle, but seriously go buy something from her – all of her stuff is gallery wall worthy).  Hope your weekend was well spent. 

Happy end of the (shark) week!  Celebrate with a pretty little pendant, sweet salutation, or a daring addition to your wall.  And make sure to catch the tail end – pun intended – of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel.    

(1. shark tooth necklace; 2. shark week card; 3. shark head faux taxidermy; 4. embroidered shark tooth pendant)

As summer dwindles to an end (seriously how did this happen.. again?), I can’t help but wish for lazy days soaking up the last of the sun.  How perfect would it be to wake up to that classic New York view from the Mandarin Oriental?  Then spend hours in bed reading ‘The Beautiful Fall’ (a book frivolous enough to be ‘summer reading’-worthy, but substantial enough to make it one of my favorites). And finally, spend a long afternoon window shopping wearing these beauties from Anthropologie (perfect now with a floaty dress, and into fall with skinny jeans and nubby sweaters).     

(p.s. this is my first installment of Lust, Must, Trust.. but I’m hoping to make it a regular series!)

(Lust: Mandarin Oriental; Must: Anthro Boots; Trust (me): The Beautiful Fall by Alice Drake)

Just a little mid week mash up of a few pretty things I’ve come across since the weekend including: Miranda Kerr (posing for Harper’s Bazaar in boots and a smile), this color shock Amy Sia print, and a little sketchbook practice on drawing paper planes I did awhile back.  (Collage, my own).  Here’s to making it past the hump!