Today I'm loving...

this new online store called Heart Shaped Products that I found recently. They only sell the cutest things, all with something heart shaped on them. What an adorable idea!

Today I'm loving...

This adorable vintage Cartier ad from the 1950's.

(pic from Another Mag)

Today I’m loving…

These gorgeous photos of Dakota and Elle Fanning. Both so incredibly talented and beautiful!

(pics from Sibel’s blog)

The cruise wear I have bought so far

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am currently loving planning my up coming cruise, and so far I have managed to get two bathing suit sets with matching cover ups. They are both from Fantasie, a brand I am familiar with already, since I really love their underwear.

This is the Puerto Rico set:

And this is the Goa set:

Not that I am going to Goa during my cruise, but I am going to Puerto Rico!

I've always went for bikinis only, but I just thought a bathing suit seemed more cruise-like, since you probably spend so much of your time in a bathing suit on a cruise, so it's nice to be a bit more covered up. And after wearing bikinis only for so many years, it will be nice to try something else for a change. Because yes, believe it or not, these are actually my first bathing suits EVER! So I hope they're good!

(all the pics are from Ebay)

Some amazing pieces from the Gottex 2012 collection

As some of you know, I am currently looking for cruise wear. And boy, did I ever run into some gorgeous bathing suits and cover ups on South Beach Swimsuits, who sell the Gottex 2012 line!

I know it sounds kind of weird, but at the moment looking at cruise wear is simply making me so much more excited about my upcoming cruise!

Today I'm loving...

... leggings. Or actually that's not true. Because I love them pretty much every day. They are so comfy and as long as you wear them right, they can look so good too.

But when wearing leggings, I have to say there are two important things to keep in mind:
1. Always cover your behind with a top, cardigan or tunic. Leggings are NOT pants, so you can't wear the same tops you would wear if you were wearing real pants either.
2. Only get leggings in neutrals. I know they make patterned ones and all kinds of fun stuff now too, but leggings only look good in neutrals if you ask me. I personally only wear black and denim ones. (I do have a dark grey pair too, but I rarely wear that pair)

I have to admit there are occasions where leggings are not the best choice though, since it is kind of hard to make them very formal. But for every day wear they are definitely great, if accessorized right.

Today I'm loving...

Moschino's cute holiday sweaters (that are not supposed to be holiday sweaters, I think, but they sure look like them to me!), even though I normally think holiday sweaters are the tackiest things ever.

Not sure I love them enough to actually get one, I think you get tired of them pretty fast, but they are adorable!

Another ASOS buy

I've always loved black lace. I don't know why. Perhaps I was a Sicilian widow in a previous life or something? But either way, even though black lace comes and goes in fashion, it's always a good look for me, so I tend to buy pieces with black lace almost every year.

But something I do not have so far is a simple skirt with black lace. So when I saw that ASOS had one on sale, I knew I had to get it.

I'm not sure how often I will use this skirt, my other black lace pieces do not tend to get worn very often either, but I can keep them for years since this material never goes out of style for me, so I still think it is a good long term investment.

(I wore a black lace dress I bought almost 8 years ago just a week ago for instance)

As far as ASOS goes, I know I have really been shopping way too much there lately. I need to find a new favorite online store to bore you with instead!

What I'm doing right now

I am not sure if I have mentioned this here before or not, but I am going on a cruise for the first time in my life in January. So I am currently looking for cool cruise wear for the cruise.

It's kind of nice, actually. I love summery clothing, and while I could just grab some of my regular summer clothes when I go, it is nice to plan a whole wardrobe for such a special occasion.

Have any of my readers been on a cruise? If so, what did you bring? And do you have any tips for a first time cruiser? (Wardrobewise, of course)

(pics from Art.com, Something to Cheer About and A Beauty Tip)

How anyone can get their dream wardrobe (yes really!)

We all dream of stuff we want to have in our wardrobe. At least if we are at all interested in fashion. But getting there seems hard, because most of us have more expensive taste than we would like. I know this problem well, I always tend to crave only the most expensive things. And while this is annoying, there are things to be done about it.

I believe everyone can get their dream wardrobe, it is just a matter of planning for it, and being patient.

This is why it is extremely important for your dream wardrobe to consist of things that you know you will like for a lot of years, and not just now. Most of our dream pieces are so expensive that we have to justify getting them by knowing that we will wear them for more than one season, preferrably for a lot of years.

So how do you go about getting your dream wardrobe? Here are my best tips:

Save for it
Boring, I know, but it works. I have saved up for many of my dream pieces, and I honestly think it made me appreciate them more when I finally got them. Plus, saving for items for a while gives you the chance to think about if you really, really want them or not.

I know it can seem hard to save up for some, but the good thing about saving is that it gets easier, the more you do it. And no-one says you have to save a lot. Save what you can (I personally save all my change, and while that sounds weird to some, it does add up!), or set up an automatic savings plan for whatever amount you think you can spare. If you decide not to use the savings for clothing in the end, I am sure you can find some other way to use it instead, so you are really not taking any big chances by doing this.

Plan for purchases
Many dream pieces go on sale. This doesn't always make them cheap, but it does make them slightly more affordable. So if you've always dreamed of a specific piece, see if it ever goes on sale, and if so, when. And then start saving up for the next sale.

Look for sample sales
These used to be available only in London and New York, but these days, you can find them in many more places as well. Plus, there are online sample sales too! So take advantage of that!

Keep an eye on things often
By being in the loop and checking for deals in your favorite stores, on Ebay and in other places, you increase your chances of finding those steals we all dream about. So be active and don't just sit around and wait for the great deals to find you!

Consider vintage and second hand
I have personally found amazing things this way, from Yves Saint Laurent jackets and dresses, Dior handbags and Moschino skirts. Not everything vintage is gross or in bad condition, so this is really worth looking into!

Consider alternatives
If you've always loved the look of the classic Chanel jacket, try to decide how important the label is. These days, you can find many lookalikes as well, in many different price ranges. So don't get too obsessed with labels, consider well done alternatives too.

Have it made
This is a great tip if you travel to countries where tailors are cheap and easy to find. (A lot of Asian countries are amazing when it comes to this)
I save pictures of pieces that I love, but can't afford or can't find anywhere, and when I travel, I try to find a tailor who can make something similar for me, for a fraction of the price!

(pics from Single Minded Women, Well That's Just Me and Amelies)

Another Missoni for Target buy

Being a big Missoni fan, I really find the Missoni for Target line hard to resist, even though I realize I have probably bought way too many pieces from it already. But I just can't help myself! That's why I decided to get another thing from it, a Missoni for Target bedwear set with the classic Missoni stripes, on Ebay.

I've always wanted to have Missoni sheets, you see, but since they are rather expensive otherwise (and not very cheap in the Target version either, this set cost me almost $200 with shipping, and it doesn't even come with sheets!), I have never gotten around to getting any.

If this set is actually of decent quality, I might get another set as well, some of the other sets are very pretty too. But since this is the first Target bedwear set I ever get, I need to check the quality out a bit before I buy anything else. I have been very pleasantly surprised by the other Missoni for Target stuff I ordered, though, I got most of it already (except the shoes), so I am keeping my fingers crossed that that's a good sign for the bed set as well.

(If anyone has any experience with Target bedwear, I would love to hear from you!)

(the pics are from Ebay)

Today I'm loving...

the colors Roksandra Ilincic used in her capsule dress collection for Matches. The shapes of the dresses themselves do not appeal to me as much, but the colors are just gorgeous!

(pics from Vogue UK)

Thoughts on the H&M The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo line

Being Swedish, I am a huge H&M fan, and most of my wardrobe is from H&M, since I love their basics (which I've basically been wearing all my life), and their cute trendy stuff as well. Their stuff usually mixes well with high end designer pieces, and while you do need to replace the stuff every once in a while, some of it lasts for many, many years as well. (I have a tank top for instance, that I have had for 13 years and still wear! It just fits me perfectly)

But lately, I feel they may have lost the plot. Here are some pics of their latest collection, inspired by The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which was a great movie in it's original Swedish version, and while the character Lisbet Salander was pretty cool, I am not sure a lot of people would want to dress like her.

Nevertheless, H&M decided to design a whole line inspired by her look, and I must say, I am not very impressed. It just looks like the kind of stuff people who are into punk wear anyway. And a lot of it looks like shrunken men's clothing, to be honest. Since there is already so much stuff like this out there, is it really necessary to create a whole line like this? I would say... no! I really hope H&M goes back to their usual fun and up to date collections after two disastrous ones (the other one being the Versace for H&M one, mentioned here).

What do you think, my dear readers? Does Lisbet Salander deserve a whole line or her own and do you like the look of the clothes?

(pics from Fashionista)

Great news!

By now you probably know how much I adored the Missoni for Target line, since I've mentioned it several times, and also got some pieces from it.

So I am thrilled to hear that they want to do another lower priced line, for instance with Macy's.

Fingers crossed that it comes true! I would love to get some more affordable Missoni pieces!

(I think a collaboration with H&M would be a great idea for them as well)

(Pic from Fashionista)