my dream closet

i unfortunately had to clean out my closet last night. it got to the point where i had so many clothes, i couldn't even fit them all on hangers in my eentsy-teensy south minneapolis closet. yeah, anyone who lives here knows how small the closets are. i went through with reckless abandon...not even thinking about what i was getting rid of. if i hadn't worn it in a year - gone! i was so proud of myself. at the end of it all, i had about 50 empty hangers. however, i still had a full closet.

so now i have a dream project. we have this furnace room. it's a typical basement room, concrete floors, lath and plaster ceiling (that crumbles just a little every time the kids jump off the couch upstairs), white walls - ugly. i want to make it my dressing room. sure, my clothes and shoes will have to share the space with a furnace and some christmas ornaments, but it sure would beat the five-foot closet that i have now. i've been thinking a lot about this project, and here is my dream closet...

it all starts with this...i have a great leopard chaise that i got many years ago. it hasn't been in use for the last six years, but i think i just found the perfect closet for it.

of course, if i'm going all old hollywood, i guess i need a little breakfast at tiffany's paint. so here's the wall color:

and then for the accessories. i have to glam it up a little. while it might just be a place to put my clothes, i definitely need to fancy it up with some fun vintage finds.

even if i don't use a great vintage dress form for dresses, it's a great place to store belts, jewelry or scarves. i might buy a few, they won't go to waste!

again, another beautiful vintage piece that is stylish, yet practical. suitcases are great for storing scarves, belts and shawls. stack them on top of each other to create an end table to set a mirror or jewelry on. multi-functional and so beautiful!

i'd be fooling myself if i said i needed anything smaller than this for my shoes. how gorgeous is this? i am officially on the hunt for a vintage shoe rack. must have!

anyone who was at Mighty Swell last weekend saw rae's beautiful way to display jewelry. i was inspired and decided an old chicken wire and wood gate would work beautifully. i'll just buy some s-hooks from the local hardware store and hang necklaces from this great architectural piece. it can hang on the wall as art work, or i might build a stand for it to sit on the ground.

i can't forget about a place to hold my rings...and add a little whimsy to the place, too! i might need more than one for all of my rings!

to decorate the walls, i plan on using some vintage wedding photos of my family and framing them in beautiful antique gold frames. i will hang them all over the wall. they will inspire me.

then of course, i will need a place to store and hang my clothes. the dresser is so perfectly vintage and girly. top it off with some milk glass vases and a mirrored silver tray with perfume on it. and this rack is great because it also has the bins on top to store hats, shoes or scarves.

so, chris, if you're reading, this is what i want for christmas. it might sound like a lot of work, but look at it this way: if you build it for me, you can have your closet space back in the bedroom!!!


images via here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here

Nike Shoes

Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area. It is the world's leading supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment with revenue in excess of $18.6 billion USD in its fiscal year 2008 (ending May 31, 2008). As of 2008, it employed more than 30,000 people worldwide. Nike and Precision Castparts are the only Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the state of Oregon, according to The Oregonian.
Nike Shoes for Girls

The company was founded in January 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight,and officially became Nike, Inc. in 1978. The company takes its name from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. Nike markets its products under its own brand as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+, Air Jordan, Nike Skateboarding and subsidiaries including Cole Haan, Hurley International, Umbro and Converse. Nike also owned Bauer Hockey (later renamed Nike Bauer) between 1995 and 2008. In addition to manufacturing sportswear and equipment, the company operates retail stores under the Niketown name. Nike sponsors many high profile athletes and sports teams around the world, with the highly recognized trademarks of "Just do it" and the Swoosh logo.

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fall trends

there are a lot of new trends this fall that i love. i love them, but can i wear them? runways are constantly filled with great new trends that no one will actually wear in their day-to-day real life. but i think i might give a few a go this year. why not?

here's a few of my favorites.

socks with heels

it's a cute and flirty look. especially with some fun polka dot socks and a pair of vintage heels. 

high-waisted, pleated pants

who knew these would come back in? i never thought a pleated pant could be flattering or cute...but somehow they did it. i love this look and i will try it for sure.

head-to-toe color

at first i thought this would be a difficult one. i am not a huge fan of colored pants. then i realized i could just as easily do a colored tight with a fun dress. it doesn't have to be all the same color, it just needs to look good together!

metallics

who doesn't want to try this trend? how fun! you don't have to go totally crazy, try just one piece at a time...a gold shoe, a silver legging or a sequin shirt. 

blousy 70s tops

this is such a pretty, feminine look. and to create this outfit, you could use four of the five trends listed; the outfit above has the pants, the metallic, the head-to-toe color and the pretty shirt! even without all the trends, this style shirts works great tucked into a pencil skirt, a pair of tuxedo shorts, or a nice pair of wide-leg trousers. it's so flattering on anyone!

i'm going to try all of these trends this fall. i think they are all doable. plus, the great thing about them (besides being such cute finds) is that you can find all of these looks in vintage stores. you can get all the trends, save some money and recycle some fabulous clothing!

images via here, here, here, here and here

pretty package

oh my gosh! i love this necklace and the pretty box in which they put it! would someone please tell jim??? *wink wink*

mad men style

Mad Men is not only one of my favorite television shows, but i would also like to steal every single piece of clothing and furniture from that set. amazing.

images via here, here, and here.

Louis Vuitton Bags

Louis Vuitton Malletier commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton, commonly Anglicized or shortened to LV is a French fashion house founded in 1854. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes, watches, jewellery, accessories, sunglasses, and books. Louis Vuitton is one of the world's leading international fashion houses. Louis Vuitton sells its products through small boutiques in high-end department stores, and through the e-commerce section of its website.
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