oh how

i love you, michelle obama.

"Women, wear what you love. That's all I can say. That's my motto. It's nice to have on a nice suit, but it's a lot nicer to change a generation in terms of their health. It's a lot...better use of my time to focus on rallying this country around our military families. I mean, there's so much that I hope to do in this role that makes a difference in people's lives."

(in response to oscar de la renta's criticism about her choice of a british designer for the state dinner).

well played, m.o, well played.

{read it here}

not to

get too product obsessive (although who am i kidding), i felt as though i had a duty to post these lip balms.
in addition to the fantastic packaging, these balms come loaded with ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, and jasmine flower. perfect for soothing chapped lips. not to be outdone by the ingredients, the flavors are also scrumptious: absinthe, clove cigarette, and (my personal favorite) salted caramel.

two nights ago, my bottom lip cracked and started bleeding. i think that is a perfect justification for a splurge on one of these guys, no?

$7 here.

in today's

email from gwyneth paltrow's extraordinary silly series goop, paltrow listed a bunch of her favorite beauty goods. just because her whole goop idea is rather ridiculous doesn't mean she doesn't know her products.

here are my three top choices of the bunch that i've either used (and can vouch for their loveliness) or have read about their stellar quality in multiple places.


a. embryolisse creamthis brand is used by makeup artists the world over and with good reason. made with natural ingredients, unbelievably moisturizing and does. not. cause breakouts.

check out their entire line at www.embryolisseusa.com. then go to amazon and see if you can buy it for less.

b) savon de marseille
simple soap (for the kitchen or bath) made lovely. you get packaging, delicious not-too-strong scent - my favorite is the fig or the grapefruit- and a soap that's antibacterial. it is a lovely treat. there are also hand creams that are just the right heaviness. both available at amazon.

c) nuxe huile prodigieuse
this oil is available in regular or a slightly tinted, gold-flecked version. i've tried both (in beauty stores - i've never used a whole bottle, just sampled) and actually prefer the non-tinted, original version. this is a jack-of-all trades product. use it on your face in the super cold months (NOW) or a teeny bit in your hair for frizzies. mix a drop with your foundation to have a glowing effect. you can also put it in the bath although i would slather it on right after a bath for a serious skin treat. read more about it here.

what a

lovely dark office.


from elle decor.

can i

have a bathtub like this when i grow up?

please?

{photo found here, originally from lonny}

of course

i love this. art made of a toilet roll tube. what's not to love?


find out more about the artist here.

this looks

sort of like a vintage club monaco purse i just snatched up at the thrift.except this one is about a thousand times more lovely.and about a thousand times more expensive.

if you have $1595 to spare, might i suggest this beautiful blush bag.

no i

am not kidding.

this stuff is magic.

better than clarins, which is basically liquid gold and costs me about half a day's work as a law clerk.

super lightweight, smells good, doesn't clog your pores, and impossible to mess up. i use 1 spray on a cotton ball/square and then wipe it all over my face.

use it on your face to look healthy (if you're pale like me) or super bronze goddess (if you're already tannish).

i found it for $6.95 here. (shipping is a bit of a bitch, but it's worth it, i promise).

can i

have a wall like this in my next apartment?

or make that several.


i love these walls.

{photo from here}

i finally

found a place to go for some pretty - but not cutesy - stud earrings.

stella & dot.

while they don't have an abundance to choose from, they have a couple of styles i could easily sport, and feel good in, both to work, to school, and just kicking around.

i'm liking:
and


and


and since they're all under $50, they aren't totally out of my reach!

see more pretty gems here.

someone i

know recently questioned my interest in discrimination law. his (poorly articulated, even more poorly argued) stance was that discrimination doesn't really exist anymore, so why waste my time.

really?

listen to martin luther king jr. deliver his 1963 i have a dream speech.

here.

completely relevant today.

i don't

even love cats.

but this one is just wonderful.


{more great photos here}

"no winter...

lasts forever; no spring skips its turn."

{hal borland, found here}

i don't

know how i feel about her overall (especially her extremely questionable choice of mate) but i do think i kinda like this look.


read more about katie holmes for ann taylor here.

i can't

quite express how much i love this watch brand triwa.

forget over the top watches (like those featured in a certain revolution magazine...)


made out of plastic, and not at all overpriced, the brand is based in stockholm and has a whole collection of simple but fun designs.

or, design one yourself, here.

was there

any doubt about whether i would love this?


honestly.

this is fantastic.

{photo found here from here}

knee length

skirts will always sit well with me.

these two are perfect examples.


you just have to muss the hair up, or pair them with some serious platform heels to make sure the look isn't too goody goody.

expensive, but lovely dresses and skirts available here.

although we

still have a while to wait, target has announced its first collaboration of 2011...with calypso!!!

i am a huge fan of calypso and torture myself regularly by perusing their online goods here.

calypso has managed to capture my aesthetic of schlumpy chic oh-so-well and while i don't love every.single.item that they produce, i am eagerly awaiting the target line. it's coming may 1st. read more about it here.

still actively

hunting for sweet petite earrings.

these little puppies sure do the trick for me.


bow earrings, $32, from here.

there is

something inherently abhorrent about stockings. itchy, clingy leg casings? ughh.

but tights with cashmere in them?


i'm game.

$28 here.

if anyone

is in the baltimore area, i highly recommend vogue revisited, a fantastic consignment shop with lots of inventory, gobs of accessories. and an owner who adores dogs as well. one of my favorite consignment shops i've come across, which is saying something.

read more about it in urbanite's article here.

2011

here we go...
{photo from here}