Summer into Fall

The first few yellow leaves have begun to fall when the wind picks up. It's also been cool enough in the mornings & evenings to remind us that autumn really is on the way. But it's still late summer & it will be while until summer clothes are put away. Tights, scarves, blazers, & sweaters keep favorite skirts & dresses out of storage. For Antipodeans, it's probably much the same in reverse, no?

For some general guidelines, this is a good slideshow (though some fashionistas will disagree). If you went neon this summer, here are some excellent ideas.

Saturday update: Back on Monday. Meanwhile, flowers inspire (get some). Halloween prep (yes!). Also a very happy Rosh Hashanah to our Jewish friends. If you're scrambling for a terrific honey cake recipe, here's the best. xo

(photograph via Lawrence)

Flower Power

Whether you wear flowers on your head or elsewhere, florals are big this season. GG's editor suppresses a giggle, though, at breathless declarations that flowers are making a comeback. Really? Where did they go?

The influence of Mad Men is also everywhere in style & fashion this spring & will continue as the fifth season airs here in the States. There are plenty of beautiful pale lipsticks available for those tired of red lips or who are convinced (incorrectly) that they cannot wear any shade of red. Megan Draper wore Nars Belle de Jour in Sunday's MM premiere. Bella. If that is too expensive, Revlon has some great pale shades. (For those wanting an eyeliner tutorial, here's one. It really is not difficult.) Finally, a short post with thoughtful comments on mod fashions in "A Little Kiss."

ciao-meow/GGCM

(Jean Shrimpton by Bert Stern)

Summer Reading

We don't subscribe to the light-reading-for-summer program. Mix it up. Check in with Tina at the English Muse. She regularly asks her readers what they're reading; the comments are full of good ideas. Us? We're reading a great biography of Oscar Wilde, rereading Anna Karenina & The Bay of Noon. New-to-us reading: the latest from Andrea Camillieri & Donna Leon.
For ideas for children, visit the excellent children's site on The Guardian. There's a cute video for making art.

ciao-meow/GG Summer Central

(photograph credit of Emma Stone in her swim cap, we're still looking - via automatism)

Stylish Summer Cool

Just wow. This is Julia Sarr-Jamois, editor of Wonderland. (Here are some more photographs of her; here is an interview.) Julia lives in London but is half-French, half-Senegalese, all stylish. (Psssst, Julia. Drop the cigs.)

ciao-meow/GGCM

(photographs via Vogue Italia & Coco & Creme)

Let's Bring Back Swim Caps

GG's editor wears one anyway but we have the style-blahs presently. Our mum has told us that these let the water in but honestly, water creeps into the excellent quality cap we wear now. (She calls these 'bathing caps' btw.) Our hair has grown so crazy-long that the flower appliqués might hide the weird lumpy-bumpy look, too.

There are two cute & affordable caps available on The Vermont Country Store site. Here are some cute caps at Headcovers.

ciao-meow/GG Swim Central

PS: Here's Jeanne Moreau looking fabulous in her cap. We're convinced. C'mon, join us!

(photographs via Pinterest)

Summer in the City

It seems inadequate to say, "It's hot." Because it's more like "Wowsers, it's HOT!"

Giulia's editor just returned from a long walk with visiting friends. It's tempting to stay inside but try to get out...maybe before noon or just as the sun is setting. Plan an urban hike - this means along the trail of coffee shops, gelato carts, & the like. You don't have to rough it.

If you visit Washington (or are new here or just need a few ideas), visit Washington Walks. If you're in London, check out Best Summer Walks. For NYC, try Walking Off The Big Apple. We can't list everyone's town, so do a search for "summer walks."

ciao-meow/GGCM

PS: Don't resist The Lovin' Spoonful video. It's still so catchy!

(photograph by GG fave, Nina Leen/LIFE)

Sunday Styles

What to choose what to choose: Golden Globe nuttiness or Downton Abbey. Oof. Have a little fun & dress up for the Golden Globes via E's Rock Your Red Carpet game. You'll see that Giulia's editor chose a classic look. (Some would say boring; we say 'keep it to yerself') And who are we with? A relation by law -- see Downton Abbey, these things used to be much more important. No we're not telling you who but he is very cool & will be at the Golden Globes ce soir.

ciao-sparkly-meow/GG Sunday Central

(lovely Romy Schneider via gala(dot)fr)

Damson & Slate - A Breath of Welsh Air

We're awfully floopy here at GG Central. So, here's a recent post from GG's editor's blog. (To avoid the first-person pronoun--oh it's exhausting, truly--the text is here.)

Looking at the Vogue Knitting Holiday 2010 magazine + Dylan Thomas birthday + hand-washing Laura Ashley Welsh knit scarves & lacy cardigan = Damson & Slate website gazing. Just about everyone on US design blogs talks about Toast. (They are terrific, but here is a site that actually toots their Welsh horn.)

ciao-cariad-meow/the Mgmt.

(image via Damson & Slate)

Daring to Design - Week's End

You don't have to be designer, nope. Visit Shabby Apple's website & learn all about it. GG's editor loves Shabby Apple & thinks that you ought to consider some creative activity this weekend. The contest opened on August 15 & closes October 15. It's really, really not too late. You can find out more on their blog An Apple a Day.

As loyal readers know, Giulia does not need a dress--she has the perfect outfit every single day. She's incredibly chic. It's also very chic to have good manners & care about others. That's why we are pleased by the following from Shabby Apple Dresses website:

We at Shabby Apple Dresses love to help women dress but are also commited to helping women live as well. Thus we are supporting the fight against global poverty by partnering with Unitus-a non-profit organization that accelerates access to life-changing financial services for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Shabby Apple donates 5% of its net sales to support work in India (where Shabby Apple Dresses has sourced many of its dresses and the textiles used to manufacture its dresses). In addition, each Shabby Apple Dresses customer has the opportunity to donate an extra five dollars to Unitus every time she buys a dress. Shabby Apple Dresses and Unitus are involved with 10 of India's most promising microfinance organizations that provide financial services to more than 1.6 million hard-working women and their families.

Every $100 donation from Shabby Apple Dresses provides at least 20 women with access to financial services - and the chance to live a life without poverty.

Each new Shabby Apple Dresses dress features a unique hang tag with a micro-credit success story.

Now, isn't that fabulous? Go forth & design!

ciao-chic-meow/GG Central

(Christina Hendricks of Mad Men via AMC; Shabby Apple dresses collage)

Made4Aid Monday - An English Spin on a French Twist

Made4Aid Monday begins...Sunday. GG's editor bid on this darling bag but we're featuring it--to be fair. (Care to make it interesting?) This bag reminds us of our days in France. But we never carried a vintage-fabric lined string bag...with a little inner purse, yet. From those stylish artists at Made4Aid:

"This auction is for a hand-knitted string bag, with a twist - the twist being the lining. The bag is lined with vintage lemon/gold satin fabric, in a textured and two-tone leaf design....

"The string bag itself is knitted in black mercerised cotton, using two strands together - this is strong yarn and shouldn't stretch too much, although the knit pattern has some stretch in it, as string bags normally do. This is a really nice pattern, fun to knit - and you can find it here."

For more information (such as dimensions, bidding info, etc), please see here. Bidding ends 9am (New York time) on Wednesday, 21 October. You might also like to bid on other items up for auction, here.

ciao-meow/GG's personal shopper

[photo collage/Made4Aid photographs used by kind permission]

Flowers On The Windowsill

We like flowers on windowsills, too, & have a fondness for doing just as seen above (even if friends & family rolled their eyes behind our back. They were just behind the design curve, that's all).We don't have the camera to show our windowsills so we leave that to the talented Christine Gill who does lovely work with her windows {& other subjects} here on flickr, & also on Imagekind. Also, a nice post on DesignSponge featuring Christine.

Today's plans call for a walk/search for more berries, holly sprigs, & the stray flower. So be inspired by Christine. GG is asleep but will direct design production later this evening. We've also taken out the fairy lights to string around our windows {we can't wait for the tree, in hard times, lights work wonders for one's mood...}

bisou to all...
GG Central Mgmt.

Centerpieces for tough times

Real Simple has some lovely ideas for 60-second centerpieces. Go here to see the slideshow. We are taken aback by some prices quoted. There is a nice idea for carnations (again!) in a wooden bowl. We've done something similar with a terracotta bowl & one need not purchase eight bunches of carnations--that is not inexpensive. Use these as guides, only. Galvanized tin buckets & other containers are available at hardware stores, at IKEA (& possibly already in your possession). Pine cones are outside lying on the ground...run out & pick up lots of different kinds (as available). Purchasing them is a last resort. Have fun!

bisou,
GG's editor

Fresh Flowers for Tough Times

OK. In really tough times, flowers are out except for the single stem--try any lily with several buds. GG's editor places bouquets of parsley (only .99 cents) & other herbs in old jars & sets small inexpensive blooming plants in cachepots & painted tin pails. Rosemary, catmint, thyme, & sage are lovely anywhere. Real Simple's website featured these supermarket bunches recently, as wedding bouquets; but they needn't be limited to that happy occasion. Look for sales & use the same culling technique...let the flowers floop a bit in the container, of course. Look at their entire gallery & be inspired.

ciao-meow,
GGCM

Hang on to your hat!

It's turned so windy & cold that we had to go hat shopping at home. We love this designer. GG would look best in the modish burnt orange. Her editor loves the side flip on the sleek, stylish ivory hat. These & many more charming chapeaux are at Tomokotahara shop on Etsy. The Japanese designer, Tomoko Tahara, lives in Vancouver, BC nowadays. Most important--to GG--TT loves cats & goes for walks just to visit the neighborhood felines. Tomoko is a featured seller on Etsy this month, though we've admired her work before now. Congratulations to her.

bisou, xoxo
GG & her editor

Scarf Chic, la sixième partie...meow!

It's all in how you tie it, how you work it. Thanks to Birmingham-based (UK) Scary-Canary shop on e-Bay for the adorably named Vintage Pussy-bow neck scarf. Silver-cream, 1940s, Deco. What more could you want? You want more? There are more. GG is entranced by the moving slideshow, the bird logo, & the idea of slinking about adorned with a pussy-bow scarf. She was thinking about flower pins & scarves this past summer. Lately, she's been watching videos of Mireille G (& others) twirl pieces of fabric into stylish magic.

If you're chic & self-assured like GG, wind one 'round your head like this charming London girl.

Ciao-meow, bisou...
GG's editor

Scarf Chic, la cinquième partie...clouds of warmth

These have a different function (keeping warm in style) but they remind us of Renaissance ruffs. Again, these are from the Canadian shop knittles on Etsy. Instead of a new coat, they zip up what's already in the closet; it could serve as a signature piece. There are short scarves, along with the cowls, here & elsewhere on Etsy's site, called 'scarflettes.' The knittles artist refers to them as 'clouds of warmth.' Poetic, non? Naturellement, GG wants one & her editor admits that it would be chic. However, we intend to pick up the knitting needles soon for a scarf (to be worn by a human), not an Elizabethan cat ruff. GG Central Management expects & is prepared for a protest, GG-style.

ciao,
Giulia's editor

Rose & Azure & Autumn Bloom

Knitting & knitwear still on the mind (head). These are lovely & new on Etsy's Canadian knittles shop. One can buy a copyrighted pattern [in PDF format] or have something custom made. These are chic, flattering, & easy-to-wear simultaneously; not always the case. [As for the title, our Canadian artiste named the hats Rose & Azure & Autumn Bloom. GG's editor loves those very words & they popped up in an Etsy tag search.]

Redheaded Lily Rose. Visit Garance Doré

This is an excuse to put in another photo of the legendary Lily Rose, the Redheaded Cat. It's also to urge everyone to visit Garance Doré's site. She has extraordinary photographs & a post titled Early Winter today (September 22). GG's editor feels better just looking at her work.

bisou!
GG Central

Autumn jackets...vintage or new?

Giulia is so fortunate to have a gorgeous, flattering, well-fitted flame & white fur coat. Always stylish, clean, & suited to every occasion. Alas, GG's editor is not a well-loved domestic cat & in need of an autumn/winter jacket/coat. A few things above from Vogue patterns... a swing coat is a style we like. The search continues. Happy first day of fall.

GGCM

Flamenco chic

GG & her editor love these accessories from Flamenco World. GG Central has read the newsletter for years & still only daydreams about a flamenco class. GG likes to stomp around on her pink paw-pads, & has done so for several hours. GG covets a pair of Spanish earrings. Honestly, can you see how she would be able to wear them? No? Didn't think so. The GG vs. editor power struggle continues...

Ciao-meow,
GG Central Mgmt.