Chic Camping in France at the Les Ormes Campground~ "Thank God for the Country" by Mrs. Major Arnold

Thank God for country, the vast stretch of land,

Sun kissed and by Heaven's sweet breath ever fanned;

Blue skies overlooking the grass and the trees,

The singing of birds and the humming of bees.

'Twas man made the skyscrapers, towering so high,

That shut out the sunshine from all who pass by;

The fields and green pastures, the brooks and the flowers,

Were fashioned alike by omnipotent powers.

'Twas man built the tenements, crowding the poor,

Where women and children foul air must endure;

But God gave the open, the fresh country breeze,

Where children may frolic and play as they please.

'Twas man made the city, apartment and street,

Where riches and poverty closely now meet;

But, God gave the country, the rich fertile soil,

And the fat of the land for all who will toil.

Thank God for the country, the quiet and rest,

The peace and the plenty with which it is blest,

The ground and the grass for over pavement-tired feet,

The honey and cream and the good things to eat.

Thank God for the country, thrice blessed are they

Who bathe in its glories and beauties to-day,

Oh, short is our span in the city's fast life!

But hoary heads crowneth the farmer and wife.

~Mrs. Major Arnold

This place truly seems like a little heaven here on earth.

You can find out more information regarding this magical camping place on their website at the Les Ormes Campground. I found all photos and information from the lovely blog Belle Maison 23.

I must add this special place to my bucket list. Anyone else with me, been here or another camping ground that is similar in flavor?

Weekend Read~ A Stylish New World~ Links a' La Mode Weekly Top 20 Fashion Roundup

A Stylish New World

Edited by Jennine
Here we go with this week’s round of stylish links. Editing this week was quite difficult as there were so many great links to choose from and everyone had some fantastic news on the fashion front. One of the great things about the internet is that we can all find out what the smaller labels are doing and thinking. This week we have great interviews from 39th and Broadway, Fabulous Finds Gal, Style Gourmand and A Typical Atypical. We also have a brilliant DIY project on what to do with your fabric scraps on Brick My Lane.

Links à la Mode : August 13th

• 39th and Broadway – Designer Interview; Delirius
• A Typical Atypical – The wonderful Every Little Counts! With 15% off for readers!
• Bobbins and Bombshells – Vintage Finds of the Week: Mad Men Secretary Accessories
• breathe design – Enter to win accessories from the eryn brinié Fall 2009 collection!
• BRICK MY LANE – DIY: putting scraps of fabric to good use by turning it into a ruffled neckpiece
• ClandestineChic – Interview: Patricia Valery of Evil Needles
• Denimaniac – Wood Wood’s S/S 2010 collection – a bit of street, a dash of fash and a whole lotta style!
• dramatis personae – Quality vs. Vegan/Environmentally Sustainable
• Fabulous Finds Gal – “Gardens in Grey” By Fashion Photographer Julia Pogodina And An Inspiring Interview
• Fashion Pulse Daily – What was Your Favorite Summer 2009 Trend?
• Fasshonaburu – A review on the now purchase-able Under.Ligne, the diffusion line by Doo.Ri.
• Fete a Fete – Dancing all night and your 5-inch stilettos killing you? Bring some Rollasole emergency ballet flats with you!
• Independent Fashion Bloggers – NYFW SS10 Schedule + tips on getting in
• Market Publique – Art Class: Vintage Abstract Prints
• midnight feast – The Jean Genie
• Retro Chick – Win – Reese Witherspoons first fragrance for Avon
• Sterling Style – New York’s Rachel Antonoff Holiday 2010 Collection
• Style Gourmand – Ag Kij of Net-a-Porter discusses Net-a-Porter’s new iPhone app and how technology and fashion co-mingle.
• Style Mom – STYLEMOM holds it down for fashion bloggers as one of the only IFB members at Blogher 2009 in Chicago
• Stylish Thought – Cats with Style: Boxing Kitten
• THE COVETED – Mummy Dearest: Iris Van Herpen taking inspiration from the macabre
• Unfunded – Vintage sequins, sparkles and sprinkles

Geometry of Mind Editorial for Pastaiga Magazine by Photographer Nils Vilnis

Hang To Your Grit!

Don't give up hoping when the ship goes down,

Grab a spar or something~just refuse to drown.

Don't think you are dying just because you're hit,

Smile in face of danger and hang to your grit.

Folks die too easy~they sort of fade away;

Make a little error and give up in dismay.

Kind of man that's needed is the man of ready wit,

To laugh at pain and trouble and keep up his grit.

~Louis E. Thayer

Flower Power and "Just Keep On" by Clifton Abbott

Just keep on a-livin' an' keep on a-givin',

An' keep on a-tryin' to smile;

Just keep on a-singin', a-trustin' and a-clingin'

To the promise of an after while.

For the sun come up and the sun goes down,

An' the morning follows night.

There's a place to rest like a mother's breast,

An' a time when things come right.

Just keep on believin' an' a-hidin' all your grievin',

An' keep on a-tryin' to cheer.

Just keep on a-prayin', a-lovin' an' a-sayin'

The things that we love to hear.

For the tide comes in an' the tide goes out,
An' the dark will all turn bright;
There's a rest from the load an' an end to the road,
An' a place where things come right.
~Clifton Abbott


First photo from Velvet Dreams, Third photo from Live Glam or Die, Fourth and Fifth photos found from Lovelle

Sunday Is A Magical Day

Sundays can be Magical.

Whether you do something Quite Unexpected...

Or, just take time to Relax & Reflect...



Or, Go Exploring with a Special Friend...




Or, simply enjoying a Glass of Wine and taking a Well Deserved Nap...






Or, Spending Time with a Best Friend and taking in all the Beauty the World has to Offer...




Whatever you decide to do Today,
May it feed your Body and Soul.
Happy Sunday to You.

Weekend Read~ "Feminine Mystique" Fashion Links a' La Mode Top 20 Independent Fashion Bloggers List

Feminine Mystique

Edited by Debutante ClothingThe caliber of blog posts amongst the IFB members never ceases to amaze me. We run the gamut of style and fashion here. This week’s picks definitely appeal to the dueling femmes in me – the old fashioned gal and the powerful feminist. The debutante in me loved all the lovely posts about pearls including modern choices from Fashion Hippo, as well as the history of Mikimoto pearls by Fabulous Finds Gal. But nothing makes me clutch my pearls more than affordable Chanel looks by HiFashion. The feminist in me was thrilled to see smart posts about smart girls and smart fashion. Threadbared talks about academia and fashion, while 39th and Broadway explores the continuing inequality even within such a female driven industry like fashion. Enjoy!

Links à la Mode : August 6th

• 39th and Broadway: – Women are the backbone of the fashion industry, yet inequality reins supreme


• A Few Goody Gumdrops: – lets out her inner rockstar with Alexander McQueen’s Skull Knuckle Duster Whipsnake Clutch in Red! To-Die-For!


• A typical Atypical: – The Phenomena of “The Sale”


• Debutante Clothing: – contributes back to school style for “Hot for Teacher” at Style Sample Magazine


• Dramatis Personae: – reviews the B&Lu Femme Dress.


• Fabulous Finds and Co. – Mikimoto Pearls – The Story Behind The Cadillac Of Pearls.


• Fashion Hippo: – Modern Pearl Necklaces that aren’t your grandma’s pearls


• Fashion Talk by Lovely Lovisa: – I am the Resurrection


• fête à fête: – Get plumper lips with Givenchy Le Makeup’s new Gloss Interdit collection. Also, lip gloss giveaway to three lucky readers!


• Hi Fashion – Coco avant Chanel – how to get the Chanel look for less


• Individual Chic: – What makes a good ballet flat


• Retro Chick: – Iconic British Union Jack style.


• The Capitol Fashionista – Arise Magazine – the magazine that keeps you informed about what’s happening in Africa and around the globe.


• The Coveted: – Review of the New Bobbi Brown Nude Collection with Video Tutorial


• The Demoiselles: – Elle gets bombarded with subversive, negative advertising by Estee Lauder, and decides to take action.


• The Fashion Planner: – shows you how to build your back to school wardrobe


• The Recessionista: – Happy 80th to Jackie and Mad Men’s Casting Call for that 60’s look


• Threadbared: – Pondering the mutual near-exclusivity of academic fashion studies and style blogs


• Unfunded: – unveils Creative Recreation’s new women’s line.


• Work Chic: – get 10% off Fit in Clouds foldable flats

"Gardens in Grey" By Fashion Photographer Julia Pogodina And An Inspiring Interview

Original interview found at Paper Flowers.

How did your career in fashion photography unfold?

On July 15th, 2006 I quit my job as a foreign associate at Sidley Austin law firm in NY and started doing photography full-time.But I guess it all started much earlier. As a child, I stayed up all night with my Dad in our homemade darkroom watching him develop b&w pictures from our family trips to the Black sea. Then it was my first camera, a 35mm Lomo compact that I received for my 8th birthday. And lots of art books in my parents library, weekly trips to the museums and exhibitions with my parents, beautiful art pieces & pictures on the wall of our apartment in St.Peterbsurg where I grew up. My parents always encouraged my artistic beginnings (my Dad himself is an antique restorer & jeweler) but the harsh reality of post-Soviet Russia didn’t allow the luxury to pursue your inclinations when it was time to choose where to go to school. Instead, stable income and prestige were the criteria in choosing your future career. The latter together with my excellent grades in school brought me to St. Peteresburg Law school at the age of 18. It took me 9 years to realize that it was a mistake. Without regretting the past I moved on to a very uncertain future and started a new career, fresh, without proper education, at the age of 27.Honestly, there was no smooth transition between being a corporate lawyer and becoming a fashion photographer. I guess there couldn’t be. It was abrupt, unexpected, scary, and very exciting. I’m not sure I’d be able to do it again if I had to... It takes not only guts but also some kind of blind fearlessness, courage and sense of adventure. It’s like jumping with the parachute for the first time. I loved it! But I would be very cautious to recommend anyone to repeat this path.2.5 years later everything is different now starting with my self. The way I look, the way I spend my day, my circle of friends and acquaintances, the place where I live. Elegant suits and high heels were replaced by jeans and converse sneakers. My tiny studio in a fancy building in the West Village was abandoned for a spacious loft in East Williamsburg. But the biggest changes happened in my head. Living your dream is a difficult thing. Dreaming about being an artist is easier then becoming one. It is not an overnight process and I still have a long and exciting journey ahead.

How does a collaboration with stylists, makeup artists, models, etc... work?

In fashion photography – opposite to fine art photography, for example, - team is a key. A glossy picture that you see in a magazine is always a collaborative effort – of an art director, photographer, model, stylist, set designer, make-up artists, hair stylist, photo retoucher, layout designer, etc, etc. It’s a huge production, and each level of it is crucial.I personally always liked that part. I love working with creative people and this is one of the reasons I’m in this industry. It’s different from the type of team work people talk about in the offices – here it’s not as technical. It is a mix of creativity & different personalities. Magical in a way, and very powerful. Sometimes you feel that you have no control over it; this is when beautiful things are happening – when each team member is in love with the project and you see everybody’s unique touch in the final outcome. There are no rules in this process, I believe. With my team I’m usually the one throwing initial ideas on the table. Some inspiration, a couple of reference pictures, a short description of a concept. Then each member of the team starts working on his yourself.

What inspires you?

Lots of things. The people around me. The places I used to live or visit. My childhood memories. Literature. Movies. Exhibitions. Music. Sometimes inspiration is very directional, for example, I can watch the Pillow book by Peter Greenaway and my head starts spinning with ideas about a fashion shoot inspired by the style of the film. But usually it’s more complex. Ideas come as a mix of experiences and aftertastes, dreams and fears, sounds and quotes, flashbacks of emotions.

What photographers, artists, books, fashion designers, or mentors, etc. have influenced you creatively?

If I ever need to write down all the acknowledgements that will constitute a whole book which will be interesting only for those mentioned in it. And this list continues growing every day.I am blessed to be surrounded by incredibly talented, wise, creative, big-hearted people who always inspire and encourage me. At first it was my Dad who taught me to draw way before I could read and write; my childhood was filled with color pencils, watercolor sets, and canvas paper. My Mom was the one who cultivated a taste in fashion in me; she was the one sewing all my clothes since I was little, and always making me “the-best-dressed” girl in high school. Then it was FTV channel – one of the first foreign channels in post-Soviet Russia along with MTV. I was 16 and I was addicted. I could watch show after show all day long (skipping classes in school, of course). I knew all of the designers and their collections by heart year after year. The first fashion photographer I met was Andrey Borichevskii, my good old friend from St.Petersburg. He was the one who introduced me to names like Mario Testino and Nick Knight. He also showed me Italian Vogue for the first time. There were many others later on: photographers, artists and friends, each of whom added his or her little touch & inspiration to forming this passion in me .As of now I’m breathing editorials and ad work by Steven Meisel & Steven Klein, Craig McDean, Marcus & Piggot. They are my virtual mentors when it comes to style and quality in fashion photography.

What does the medium of photography mean to you - and why did you choose it?

I like photography for its immediate and true results. I’m not fascinated by the process of depicting a subject (for example in painting) but instead by the subject itself. In my case, it’s beautiful people - and the moment they live in. In a way it’s all about pre-production – my team and I are spending days prepping for the shoot and hours creating a look for the camera. This look usually lives for just a couple of minutes. The camera gives me a chance to capture it imminently, intimately, as I see it - and deliver the message to the viewer later on. I think only video can compete with that, but that’s a different story.

What do you like best about what you do or create?

The most difficult part is the people. This is also the part I like the most. This is the only part of the job that is always unpredictable, always out of control. It makes it challenging and magical.

What do you like to do when you're not shooting photographs?

Sleep. Read. Watch movies. Travel. Cook. In random order.

What is your dream project?

My dream project is to shoot the Pirelli calendar. Or to travel on assignment from Vogue to an exotic location – like Africa or Iceland – with my team.

What words or philosophy do you live by?

The sky is the limit!

Julia Pogodina moved from Moscow to New York in 2005 to pursue her dream. After 7 years of being a corporate lawyer she quit her office job and became a freelance fashion/beauty photographer. Her pictures stand out for their saturated colors, dynamic compositions, profound lighting and dreamy locations. Julia's commercial and editorial work, along with a list of publications can be seen at http://www.nymfea.com/.

Mikimoto Pearls~ The Story Behind The Cadillac Of Pearls

For me, pearls represent love, special milestones in life and achieving womanhood. I received my first pearl gift from my parents when I graduated, a gorgeous classic single strand of pearls my Mother had received from her high school sweetheart. My second gift was a unique vintage double strand necklace as my wedding present from my husband. The man gets me. I was also lucky enough to receive a beautiful double strand pearl bracelet with a diamond clasp as a wedding present from my parents at the same time. All these gifts are treasured by me, remind me of special times in my life and are worn as much as possible. I have been known to wear one of my precious pearl necklaces alone or layered with a skull T-shirt, jeans and ballet flats, while tooling around town. I doubt very much that Coco Chanel would approve of my outfit, but definitely of the pearls.

When I think of pearls, the first company that comes to my mind is Mikimoto. My curious mind wanted to learn more about the cadillac of pearl companies. I have appreciated their gorgeous ads in the past and exquisite designs.

In 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto successfully produced the world's first cultured pearl. Through mastery, aesthetics and a consuming fascination with quality, Kokichi Mikimoto made cultured pearls one of the world's most prevalent fashion accessories.



It was Mr. Mikimoto's dream "to adorn the necks of all the women of the world with pearls."

In 1927 he met with Thomas Edison, an avid Mikimoto collector who said, "There are two things that can't be made at my laboratory-diamonds and pearls." Thank goodness Mr. Mikimoto was a determined man. Without him, there would be a definite number of pearls available and they would not be affordable for most of us.

Mikimoto aimed at the top, in quality, design and techniques. He choose to be a pace-setter. Once, in 1932 to demonstrate his interest in quality, he BURNED shovelfulls of imperfect pearls. That must have been quite a sight. He was a clever businessman since the foreign journalists spread the word.

Mr. Mikimoto not only grew his own pearls, but made exquisite Mikimoto jewelry. They have the most classic, unique, and modern options. They have even created designs where the pearls move on the chain for a fresh look. They offer a special design for every type of woman.


Above is a great Mikimoto jewelry fashion show that is definitely a feast for the eyes. The quality of the pearls and exquisite designs make watching the short video worth it!

You can acquire your very own exquisite, high quality, and unique Mikimoto pearl jewelry at JR Dunn's. Every gal should have a strand of pearls. Or, several, like Coco Chanel believed in. I love the new layered look with chains and pearls combined. Loads of necklaces and wearing classic black and white. Especially with just a white t-shirt. It's so Chanel. You know, even Sex & the City mentioned Mikimoto's pearls. They are haute and classic at the same time. I don't think pearls will ever go out of style. Do you?

What's your special memory or milestone from your precious pearls? If you don't have pearls yet, what would be your favorite type of pearls?

Sunday Is A Magical Day

Stay in Bed for As Long as Possible...

Image from CoteDeTexas

Read a Good Book in The Summer Air...

Take in The Sights With Someone Special...

Lay By The Pool and Soak Up The Rays...

Whatever you do today,

I hope it is restful, soothing and feeds your soul.

Ellen Von Unwerth's Racy What's Your "Happily Ever" Ad Campaign. Just Too Much Sex?

Watch the hot and steamy "Happily Ever" Ad campaign here.

Fitness Center Chain Goes Provocative in New Campaign

By STUART ELLIOTT of New York Times

Published: January 14, 2008

"A campaign for a chain of fitness centers is raising eyebrows -- and perhaps pulse rates -- with a sexy take on the traditional finale to fairy tales.
The campaign, which began this month, promotes the Equinox Fitness Club chain by promising patrons they can achieve their "happily ever."
"What's your after?" asks the campaign, the first work for Equinox from its new agency, Fallon Worldwide in Minneapolis, part of the Publicis Groupe. The campaign retains a theme that appeared in previous ads for Equinox, which had been created internally: "It's not fitness. It's life."

To turn up the heat, the campaign is photographed by the fashion photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, who has shot ads for brands like Chanel, Diesel, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger and Victoria's Secret. She presents images that are provocative as well as playful, meant to illustrate themes like inner beauty and fantasy.
These are the sensual situations, some erotic, some voyeuristic, all featuring scads of well-toned skin:

• Nuns in an art class sketch a hunky naked model who resembles Michelangelo's David.
• A buff hottie chooses a naturally fit woman over her rivals, who have opted for cosmetic surgery and too much makeup.
• A young man bends over backward, literally, to please the guests at a costume party, by serving as their table.
  
• A beautiful older woman in full "cougar" mode celebrates her birthday, surrounded by men of various ages who are vying for her attention.
  
  
  Equinox has long been known for campaigns that celebrated the fit human form, presenting gorgeous models of both sexes in as little clothing as possible. And it is not surprising to find a marketer that owns fitness centers using sex to sell memberships. Still, the campaign is already drawing attention for the frank approach of some of the ads, which can cut both ways. "

Do these ads motivate you keep your bod in shape and join their gym? Is it memorable and you appreciate the creativity? Or, is it just too much sex? What do you think?