Just Because.

Sometimes you just need a little pick-me-up — a little pop of color, a little indulgence — to get you through the day.  (And often those “sometimes” fall on Wednesdays, the toughest day of the week in my opinion.)  All I can say is that when I saw this photo of a Kate Spade – Cheree Berry collaboration card posted on The NeoTraditionalist’s blog last week or the week before, it was enough to perk me up for the remainder of the afternoon:

Inspired, this post is devoted to pure whimsy.  These are the items on my current lust list that may just have to be impulse purchases on otherwise drab (Wednes-)days in the future.  First up: this porcelain-inspired blue-and-white print dress by “Built by Wendy” (currently on sale for $135, Built By Wendy):

Funny that this dress caught my attention — I learned after that Chinese couples traditionally receive “happiness pots” in the conventional blue-and-white porcelain pattern (like the version below — $59, Wisteria) just before their wedding!

But back to the dress: aside from potentially signifying happiness in marriage, its slightly boho aesthetic coupled with the bracelet sleeves make it a slam dunk.  Perfect with a lived-in belt, whether thrown on over a bikini or worn to work on a steamy summer-in-the-District day.  And speaking of bikinis — I am absolutely bananas over a new swimwear discovery: Palma-NYC.  Absolutely love their BRIGHT pinks, corals, and reds and had to snap up a set with the honeymoon in sight.  (You’ll have to order via email — info@palma-nyc.com.  The sisters that run the operation are absolutely darling — a delight to work with!)

I ordered the above “bandeau” style top (adore the slightly nautical style the rope tie introduces) with the classic “palma” bottom (each piece is $65) in a caliente red color.  Can’t wait for it to arrive in the mail!  While on the subject of vacation-wear, however, I’ve got to gush over another recent lust-list entry: these cashmere striped wraps from Seaton Surf ($348 apiece).  Love the idea of snuggling into one in the cooler evening air:

I’m super obsessed with coral/orange at the moment (hence my recent Essie Geranium kick), so the orange variation above speaks to me in particular.  This may explain why I’ve been routinely wearing my Tarte cheek stain in “Tipsy” (a glowing apricot-coral color, $30, Sephora)…

and it may also explain why I’ve been placing these coral-orange Louboutins in my shopping bag at FootCandyShoes (on sale for an almost affordable $339)…but then withdrawing at the last minute  (too much extravagance the past few months…):

Have you ever seen a more perfect shoe?!  The proportions, the glossy, candy-colored coating?  Die.  I would spruce up an otherwise all black work outfit with these puppies or slip into them with a fun LBD for a night out with the girls…but before I go too far off the deep end with my coral-color obsession, let’s return to the more general subject of footwear I (nearly) can’t live without.  And the designer Tila March’s merchandise certainly falls into this category.  I love their rope sandals above all else (around $200; comes in multiple colors, but you’ll have to contact them to find a retailer that carries them!).  Aren’t they the perfect fun-in-the-sun accompaniments to a splashy bikini?

I’m equally as nuts over their “Papillon” style, which I think would look adorable with a freshly painted pedicure (and yellow is so unexpected!):

Die.  (The above sandals also come in a super-cool and tres of-the-moment “greige” patent color that would be right on trend for this summer’s neutral kick.)  Also die over this easy-on, honeymoon-ready Madame A Paris dress, now on sale for only $99 at Calypso — just perfect for lounging around on the beach, cocktail in hand:

Maybe splash it up with these simple Tory Burch Thora sandals in (you guessed it) sunny tangerine — I just can’t get over my obsession with orange at the moment.  (On sale for $69 at FootCandyShoes.  I’ll admit that I snagged a pair once they dropped in price and then stowed them securely for the honeymoon.  I feel as though unpacking my suitcase will be like Christmas — so many new goodies!)

Ah, the honeymoon — I just can’t get it off the brain.  All I want is to pack up and ship out…especially if I’m able to afford this chic luggage ($1,885-$2,335, The Conran Shop):

…but if you can’t afford those globe-trotting classics, let this excellently styled print from Simply Hue take you places ($22, Simply Hue on Etsy):

I’m especially looking forward to debuting my new married name — such a strange concept, but so exciting!  In eager anticipation, I went ahead and ordered one of these hand-crafted hangers featuring my soon-to-be new name as a Mrs. ($25, Lila Frances on Etsy):

Perfect for hanging my wedding dress.  Love any way of customizing the Big Day — and beyond.  I’m preparing to order a set of these precious little personalized note cards from Rifle Paper Co — they will actually draw a sketch in your likeness if you submit a photo of yourself — how adorable?!  I can’t wait to get a little cartoon version of my (magpie) self drawn up above my new MRS. name!

Other customized goodies that have caught my little magpie eye recently?  These Ex Libris sets (bookplates) for my library.  I own hundreds of books and have them stacked everywhere — under my bed in my current apartment, in the basement and garage of my parents’ house, on my shelves, on my parents’ shelves…ay.  I would love a way of ordering them all or at least stamping those strays currently residing elsewhere as my own.  And how perfect are these engraved versions from ThornWillow ($28 for 16, ThornWillow)?  Love the old Latinate version — so old-school.

Now, it wouldn’t be a Magpie post without some oversized jewelry of some kind or another, so let’s hop to it.  You know how I’ve been pushing the mega-bling, oversized-crystal look lately (thanks, in part to some awesome vintage Kenneth Jay Lane finds I’ve scored on eBay and to J. Crew’s kindred styling in this season’s jewelry)?  I’ve found some awesome (and affordable) baubles at Henri Bendel that will just knock you dead.  Love these slightly vintage-looking sets of danglers (the first — $128, Henri Bendel; the second — $138, also Henri Bendel, and comes in several stone colors) for a BNO (big night out):

I feel like I’m having a glam time just looking at them.  Meanwhile, these Ylang23 Vintage stunners have been on my mind for long enough — into the eShopping bag they’ve gone, and onto my credit card they will go ($120, Ylang23):

They remind me of my favorite flower in the universe — the peony:

(Photos courtesy of A Creative Mint)

And while I’m typically more of a costume jewelry (with oversized everything) I will occasionally stumble across a delicate little wisp of a thing and find it totally arresting.  This Kiel Mead “Forget Me Not” ring is so disarmingly sweet, I just can’t get over it ($200, Kiel Mead):

But the REAL indulgence — the MAJOR item on my wish list?  A puppy.  My sister just bought her own (a golden retriever) and it is the most precious thing I’ve ever seen in my life.  My fiance and I have talked about getting a dog together for some time now, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can get ourselves together and buy one this year.  (We’ll see!)  We’ll be getting a French Bulldog and naming her Lady Brett, after my favorite character in all of literature (she was the impossible wanderlust of a woman from Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, perhaps my favorite book in existence — certainly one of the few I’ve read and re-read with consistent eagerness and investment…just wait til the dagger of a line she delivers to Jake at the very conclusion!)

Dying?  In the meantime, I’ll just satisfy myself (ha) with this quirky little sketch by PopPopPortraits ($10, PopPopPortraits on Etsy):

Just because.