In The Trenches

Posted on 02/27/2013 by Slim Paley

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Carolyn Murphy

So, I’m in London and it’s lovely to be back

but it’s cold. I mean rhilly, rhilly cold.

Like there’s no chance in hell of me trotting out my new “Joseph” trench coat COLD

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or asking my husband to take a photo of me for a blog post I’m writing about “cute trenches”

However…

with Spring around the corner, it was now or never for this baby.

234468724319519004_40Q19iQY_c photo by Signe Vilstrup

Besides, what city in the entire world is more famous for trench coats than London?!

And I just love a good T.C., don’t you?

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So does Lady Mary.

sniffle. I miss Downton already.

breakfast-at-tiffanys

Breakfast at Tiffany’s” double sniffle

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Burberry Prorsum

Oh oh. lost credit.

Karlie Kloss in the trench I was really coveting this year.

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Oh lovely leather & khaki trench, spectral sylph of my rain-lashed dreams, where art thou?!

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I kind of really want these shoes too, but we won’t get off topic will we.

Super Styling the trench

Do you think her husband/boyfriend took the photo? Me too.

Do you think she has those leopard flats in the pic above? Me too.

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Constance Jablonski

Studdy Trench

Kate. Trench. Done.

Model of the moment Cara Delevigne in Burberry

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Two Classics of Fashion & Film in one photo

The Not Trying But Really Trying Trench

Jean-Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 2013

Rosie Huntington-Whatever, I mean Whiteley in the gorgeous Burberry lace trench

Fierce Trench

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Frothy Trench

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Chicest Trench

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Bureaucratic Trench Warfare

(Prada)

Pop Goes the Trench

Cheeky Trench

(Both Burberry)

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and the darling teeny weeny trench I bought for my adorable God-daughter at Phillip Lim.

(A little worried Suri ??)

Tinier still, there’s even one for your iPhone by Moschino

I know. Shut The Door!

I think we’re all kind of hoping for just a little rain now, aren’t we??

( Vancouverites don’t all answer at once )

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Just not in…

Humphrey Bogart

CASABLANCA

My next stop!

Alright, Marrakech, but so close. Who knows, we could end up in Casablanca-

“What in Heaven’s name brought you to Casablanca?”

“My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.”

“The waters?? What waters? We’re in the desert!”

Ciao for now

xoxo

PS. Don’t forget to follow @Slimpaley on Instagram where I’ll hopefully be gramming daily from all the gin joints in Morocco

and a few gardens too

(uncredited photos via Pinterest or Tumblr)

Copper Light

Posted on 10/06/2011 by Slim Paley

Slim Paley photo

Ahhh…it’s here.

The stunning copper light of Autumn.

There’s nothing quite like it. I follow the glow as it filters through the house until slowly fading to black through the windows of my bedroom office ( where I’ve craftily cropped the chaos of my desktop out of the photo)

As you can see, my climbing rose is still happily keeping me company, no more blooms, but plenty of foliage.

You’ve gotta love Southern California!

A few more copper beauties for your viewing pleasure;

Christo wrapped trees

Coppery make-up at Chloe

Copper is such a great hue to really bring out the colour of your eyes. As a green-eyed girl it used to be a favourite, but try finding copper eyeshadow that doesn’t have a lot of metallic (metallics are no longer my friends )

Copper wood fired oven for pizza making at Medlock Ames in Sonoma via Remodelista

I love the simplicity of this copper fireplace by Antonio Lupi

Copper decadence by Anoushka Hempel

Gaultier mixes metals in his Spring 2012 collection

Honestly? Your guess is as good as mine. I had the photo in my “Copper file”

Insert caption here;________________

Elie Saab Spring 2012

Bottega Copper tumblers $99 for set of 4 from Napa Style (via Remodelista).

Something about these bathtubs makes me want to put on cowboy boots, get all dusty and clomp up the staircase of a saloon to have them pulled off.

They make me feel very…Rooster Cogburn

I admit, not the best visual, but there it is.

Lara Stone

Love this copper penny floor- what a fun idea for a small room on a small budget

Just not sure about how one would go about keeping it clean.

Phew- that’s enough budget talk…

Let’s visit Carolina Herrera

All Carolina Herrera Fall 2011

Slim Paley photo

I have a small touch of copper in my kitchen sitting room.

The patina changes with the weather, but never turns green in Santa Barbara.

Slim Paley Photo

Look at that beautiful evening light, after the rain

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Copper bike via Van Heesch Design

Copper paint by Behr

Hand hammered copper sink by Frida

“The 19 Series” Copper plates by Omer Arbel

Watch how the bowls are made here. Very cool.

Jean Paul Gaultier SS 2012

A penny for your thoughts

Tartan Around With Plaid

Posted on 01/05/2011 by Slim Paley

.Max Doyle

Louis Vuitton Winter

Happy New Year Everyone! I’m back from Cold Mountain. Expecting my frozen feet to warm up again any day now. I actually invested in an electric foot warmer, which just arrived today, but I’ll save that for Friday Favourites if it works well. For some reason (possibly that I haven’t made any yet) I’m not ready to talk about New Year’s Resolutions, new starts or becoming a better human in 2011 yet. I don’t want to suggest that my New Year began inauspiciously but when I removed the fur slippers I’d been wearing in Sun Valley all day, there was a mouse turd stuck to my foot.

I think I read somewhere that’s a Scottish sign for Good Luck.

How’s that for a smooth segue into a post about Tartan?!

Slim Paley photo

Sunlight streams in over vintage wool blankets, Sun Valley

British Homes & Gardens

Slim Paley Photo

A corner of our mudroom, Sun Valley

Photo Roland Bello

Vivienne Westwood rug

Slim Paley photo

Vintage chaise, Ralph Lauren olive green corduroy & plaid blanket, Sun Valley

Dior Winter

A gift from the Highlands

MAC

MAC Winter/Holiday collection

Commes des Garcons on the runway…

and…uh…~~camping~~ glamping (sometimes I worry I don’t make enough of an effort :()

Lynn Yaeger – She always makes the effort

This is one of my most favourite pieces in my closet- a layered tartan kilt by Jean Paul Gaultier. Had it forever and a day.

Ruffled tartan wallpaper by Vivienne Westwood

Karlie Kloss wearing Celine jacket, Carolina Herrera dress

Carolina Herrera

Ralph Lauren

another great Scottish import.

Slim Paley photo

I warned you I’d recycle my Sun Valley dining room table in the Plaid Post

Holiday window at Bergdorfs via Habitually Chic

Ralph Lauren eyewear

Ralph Lauren

Just trying to compile a comprehensive post

Tulle skirt Ann-Sofie Back, Jeremy Scott boots

Commes des Garcons

Maybe I just need to make a little more effort avec mes chapeaux

My Holden Caufield hat

Polo

Photo via The Gardener’s Cottage .

.Or get wheels on my heels

.Via Design Fetish

I hope your first week of the New Year got off to a great start!

PS. Go see The King’s Speech if you haven’t already.

Can’t Quite Let Go of The Stripes…

Posted on 07/07/2010 by Slim Paley

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Slim Paley photo

From My Garden

These candy-cane striped roses are growing like mad in my garden this year. They don’t have much scent and even though the colours really go with nothing in my home, I still love them because they make everyone smile!

Which is a good thing right now as we haven’t seen the sun in Santa Barbara since 1982. OK, I might be channeling my mother and exaggerating just a bit, but seriously- enough with the gloomy skies already. I don’t know what the temperature’s like in your part of the world (unless you’re in NY of course. JEALOUS!!) and I know you might be slightly stripe-fatigued, having just finished the July 4th weekend and all, but it was actually cold and rainy here today (and I got a driving violation) and this Red & White Stripe post made my day just a little bit brighter. Hope it does the same for you

Some classic “White Stripes” Music to shop by;

Cote Sud

I love a touch of red & white stripe in a room- so happy, so alive, so FRESH!

Primrose London, UK

Ashwan Caban by PeterSorrell.net

Anouska Hempel

Chanel Cruise 2010

Sexy Clown?

Oberto Gili photo

I could live in Oberto Gili’s photographs

His book 2003 book “Luxury of Space” is a classic.

Sim Paley photo

Roman Pastries

Vogue

Slim Paley photo

From The Chelsea Flower Show

Jean Paul Gaultier’s “Classique Summer 2010″ Limited Edition

Gap Varsity Sweater $49.50

Pottery Barn (on SALE now!! in blue & white also)

Red & white tents make me happy too

Visconti & Co..

Jason Loucas

Sorry I have no credit for the photo but whoever did this room- LOVING

Love, Love, LOVE!

Country Living

Zastavki.com

Tom’s

Vogue

White Stripes Wife, Red-head Karen Elson

Mui Mui Cruise 2010

Slim Paley Photo

Liberty London

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My Little Man

Sorry- I couldn’t resist including this…maybe this is why I really love red & white stripes so much

Gap $24.50

Claggettwilson.com

So charming and American! (oh- The Gardener’s Cottage – This is for YOU!)

Skonahemma

Slim Paley photo

More buds coming!

And coming for Fall… Dior Couture 2010/11

Carrera glasses (available on Net a Porter)

Dear Powers That Be;

Do you see these sunglasses?? Did I mention it is July 7th and I am located in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA but today I had to light the fire, wear a jacket and use my umbrella?!

Are you aware that you might possibly be OVERDOING it just a wee bit in NY and it might possibly be a good idea to spread the Climatic Love around a little?

No pressure…

Love,

Slim

(unless you’re the motorcycle cop who gave me the ticket- Hellloooo, Mr. No Sense of Humour – No love for you :()

Oh, and PS. My Twitter page has been broken since Friday night- Anybody else having issues??

Indebted To Denim

Posted on 04/28/2010 by Slim Paley

Slim Paley Photo ………………Denim Skies over Austin Texas at SXSW10

Photo by jewelry designer Erin Balint

What, pray tell, would we ever have done without our jeans?? Ever since that first pair of “Little Boy” Lees with the mortifying vinyl instead of leather patch (Leather patches started at 27″ waist and had only a single instead of double orange thread inseam. Forever burned on my psyche; the important stuff the “Mean Girls” took note of in high school), never has one single item of clothing in my closet been reached for so often. From the days of sneaking jeans to school in a brown paper bag, to wearing them with sky high heels in nightclubs (finally a leather patch- take that Mean Girls ) to my more demure phase of slitting seams and adding antique lace panels- I’ve always loved my jeans!

I’ve cut them, rolled them, painted them, patched them…made so many slashes in one pair it was like trying to get my legs through a slinky… Oh those were the days! From Lees to Levis, Calvins to Gucci (but never, God forbid Jordache), Seven for Mankind, Earnest Sewn, Citizens For Humanity, True Religion, A.P.S., Paper, Denim & Cloth, Bishop…how many pairs of jeans have we bought over the years?!

Don’t we all have our “Fat” jeans and “Skinny” jeans, “Weekend” jeans and “Look Good But Can Only Hold my Stomach Like This For a Few Hours” jeans? Let’s get real-who needs a scale if you have just the right pair of jeans to keep you honest?!

And how many times have we answered the eternal question “What are you wearing?” with “Just jeans“??

I rest my case!

Herewith, some cool dungarees;

.The Tell Tale Leather Patch

Chloe

Didn’t we all do this, much to our parent’s horror? (and of course, much shorter in the back

Our tanning regimen was pure baby oil, iodine and album covers wrapped in foil, held up to our faces to bake like so many frozen french fries propped against the hot brick of the school wall (No, it was lunch time…really!)

The intense scent memory of melting Yardley lip gloss, clove and violet gum, and broken Pixi sticks leaking sticky powder into the minute rolled up “pockets” of cut-offs floats back to me like the notes of a song (“Brandy” perhaps?!)