The Sartorialist

A mecca for style and fashion junkies, The Sartorialist is an amazing and inspiring website run by New Yorker, Scott Schuman.
In short Scott takes his camera on his way through the über fashionable cities of New York, Milan, Paris, London, Stockholm (and the rest) and photographs those on the street who catch his eye with some outrageously 'real' styling. It's sort of a celebration of style, fashion and the guts to wear whatever you like with worldwide recognition in tow. The result is a mish mash of styles and tastes, and a great source for all kinds of inspiration. I guess that's why it was ranked the most influential blog of2009.

I find that the simplicity and the reality of the shots are what really makes it work, It's a form of people watching I guess, I can totally relate to the shots - they're so believable. You could easily slip yourself into the scene- sitting in a cafè in Paris on a sunny Summer day and watching that girl across the street parking her bike in her chic white shift dress and candy coloured heels. It's like that double take, captured to be admired.

The extravagance of some of the ensembles and styling never ceases to amaze me, do people actually get around in these amazing clothes in everyday life? I can honestly say looking at all the photos makes me re-think my own sense of style every single time without a doubt.


Looking at all the pictures really makes me appreciate the layering and the combination's people manage to pull together, sometimes exquisite and other times so very clashed and wrong that it becomes eerily beautiful.

The other great thing about the Sartorialist is that Scott not only features women but also men; in an array of suits and everyday wear. Mixed up and mis-matched in ways you've probably never seen before. I love the endless colour, patterns and texture combinations that men manage to bring out in the formal and informal suits in the photographs.


I've been coming back to the Sartorialist every month or so now for about the last two years and for me the captivation and inspiration hasn't stopped. I still find myself pouring over all the new photographs like I did the very first time.

So all I have left to say is check it out www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com
You won't be disappointed!

Missoni: Amorè!

So i've always, always, always loved Missoni!
UK's What not to Wear's Trinny and Sussanah rave about Missoni's knack for flawless colour matching, juxtaposition and blending, and I can honestly agree.
How can you look at these beautiful, colourful patterns and not be inspired? The simplicity captivates me every time and the use of such vibrant colours makes me ga-ga!


I always love those bits in styling magazines (they even have them in sunday paper supplement mags too now!) where they show the inside of someone's home. I've always been so curious as to how people choose to decorate the space in which they inhabit.
But in one of these magazines a woman had Missoni hand towels in her bathroom, which automatically caught my eye. Her sneaky tip was to buy smaller (and lower priced) Missoni items such as the signature pattern hand towels and blend them in with the rest of her neutral/ white coloured bath towels. It automatically brightened up the whole set with that little designer touch and still looked fab! I suppose it's a little more boyfriend friendly too. Orson & Blake sell a range of Missoni towels in store and online, last time I checked handtowels started at an affordable $32 and bath towels $88. With beach towels at $299 - totally extravagant but definitely on my 'I want' list!



The other thing I love about Missoni's bold patterns is that they translate so well from homewares to fashion and almost everything inbetween. I guess it comes down to the simplicity of the pattern, but there's something so chìc about a little wrap dress in that signature print or their swimwear which is simply stunning. Needless to say when I found this Missoni swimsuit I fell in love, and I guess Giselle wearing it makes it just that little bit more breath taking!


I don't think I could possibly skip mentioning Missoni's range of Margherita dinnerware. I don't think I can put into words how much I love these pieces! They are just so gorgeous and it simply just makes me happy looking at them, it might be the joyful bright colours and patterns used but all I can say is that to me its a few dollars splurged- but well spent.



All this Missoni dreaming has really inspired me and i've been designing some Easter cards with eggs on them with a Missoni-ish print. Funnily enough I can clearly remember as a child loving to draw zigzag patterns over and over again in all my favourite colours, and here I am all these years later still doing the same...
I'll try to get some photo's of them up a.s.a.p

Until later...

Danielle x

I Heart Blush Designs is Born!

Welcome to Blush Designs via the web!
I intend to keep everyone posted and up to date with my latest designs and creations as well as a few stories about me along the way!

Enjoy!

Danielle
x x