service & devotion

You heard it here first (maybe). Black is officially over. Taupe is in.

I just had my nails done in OPI “You Don’t Know Jacques”
It is the most gorgeous taupey grey brown.
I feel so sophisticated! YAY. I have been droopy because of the harsh Texas heat for a few weeks and a spa mani pedi was just the ticket yesterday.

Margeaux picked the color first for her toes while I opted for a pale neutral for my nails (I never tend to go dark on nails..) But midway through the process, I changed my mind and decided to go for it.

This morning it occurred to me as a gazed at my beautiful hands that I didn’t catch the name of the color while I was at the nail salon… So I looked it up on the OPI website today..

The website has a  neat preview application where you can check out every color on a virtual hand and customize details- including changing the length of the nails and skin color to match your own tone and length.

Here is what “You don’t know Jacques” looks like on virtual hands:

and also on my hand:

I know my nails are short, but I think it’s part of it’s charm! I feel like I’m on a 1980′s YSL safari!

On the website a vistor can browse color by collection or the entire OPI range.

I’m totally diggin’ the entire French collection which is all subdued purple and grey based tones like “Tickle my France-y”, “Baguette me not”, “A Oui Bit of Red”, “I’m Fondue of You”, and “Bastille my Heart”.

I remember seeing a 60 Minutes report on the OPI company and what a great family run business it is- all levels of employees  get to brainstorm and come up with the witty colors and then are voted on by the staff. Names like  “Kinky in Helsinki” certainly beats a “Berry Pink” any day!

Along the lines of the Taupe trend that I PROMISE is going to take the fashionistas by storm is Butter London’s Fash Pack and Tramp Stamp. Nonie Creme/ Butter London has done nails for the coolest of cool runways shoes like Alexander Wang and Vena Cava.

fash pack and tramp stamp by Butter London

I’m also interested in trying the OTHER next big thing in nails- Matte finish nails! Debuting in July, thankfully OPI has me covered on that too… they don’t last as long… but none of my manicures really do. A little birdie told me that Butter London’s contribution to the up and coming Matte nail trend is a top coat that will mattify the cult line of 3 Free formula nail products.

I think I am going to have to go buy a bottle of “You don’t know Jacques” for my in-between nail jobs when the salon just doesn’t seem like an affordable luxury. Hello signature color!

I would LOVE a MADSEN Cargo Bike and hopefully I will win one.

cargo bikes for everyone!

I have a strict policy when gift giving- only give something that I want to keep for myself. I consider myself a good gift giver. Thoughtful, resourceful, innovative, sometimes thrifted, sometimes expensive… but the bottom line is that everything I give away I (secretly) want to keep. Maybe it’s some sort of deep seated Buddhist side of me about letting go and riddng oneself of all want. Or maybe it is a twisted form of narcissism where I love my own taste so much that I will inflict it on others. Whatever- I will let Sara agree or disagree on my own self proclaimed gift giving skills, but here is the promised second installment of VBG (Virtual Beach Gifts).

The Swimsuit- A $325 swimsuit?!?! PSHAW you say? Well it’s only the best for you dear sister. Malia Mills is the most inspirational swimsuit company ever! All handmade in America this company embraces- and not just paying lip-service- but seriously EMBRACES women of every size. One perusal of their site and you see gorgeous ladies in every proportion. I hand picked this crisp cotton Damsel mailliot in a black and white check. (a cute haphazard contrast to the bright stripey cover-ups and kinda Annette Funatello sexy under the long grey maxi dress..  and it ZIPS up the back. *SWOON*. Kind of think it’s worth every penny! And with that much style, support and adjustable cup sizing, you will be the hottest mommy on the beach!

retro fab mailliot by Malia Mills $325

Sara is going to the beach with her whole family; Husband, kiddos, our parents, her husband’s aunt & partner, and her brother-in law and his pregnant wife and their 2 kids. She is a brave and organized soul with patience to boot.

I was invited, but also unemployed; so natch it seems like a wiser move to stay put in HTX, where the mosquitos love me, the bar owners know my name and the cazadores and soda runs freely.

When I travel with anyone on airplanes or trains (any mode of transportation that serves drinkies and has sky mall ) , I like to play a little game of “imaginary shopping spree”. Where each participant has like $3000 in Sky mall bucks to hypothetically spend on each other. You each make a list and then present the goods to one another!  This game is obviously more fun than seeing Baby Mama again or picking the slimy lettuce off your deli sandwhich.  I like to pick out fun and thoughtful things for my traveling companions like super duper well lit magnification mirrors for my girlfriends to see their clogged pores with, or an artsy copper arthritis bracelet to maybe help my mom’s achy wrists. I love giving hypothetical gifts! It takes quite a bit of time to spend that much money (unless you blow it all on some Lord of the Rings memorabilia chess set. I think one time when flying  back from Chicago I got Brett to play- I got him some silly things like light-up slippers and a super duper spectacular hammock. I can’t remember what he got me.

brightfeet

badass hammock

Another time playing the sky mall game, on a train ride back from Seattle to Portland (where I used to reside) on the tail end of a weekend getaway- a visiting paramour gave me a hot dog cooker. Thanks dude. Needless to say after he returned to his home state,there was no more heat in that kitchen.

romantic at home hot dog cooker.

Since Sara is road-tripping it to her awesome Florida bungalow vacation- and we aren’t trapped in a airplane cabin together. I thought I would bedeck and bedazzle her with my picks for her vacation-wear. Kind of like the skymall game- but with a much better selection of fabulous items from the internets. Today’s selections: the basics: the bag, the dresses, the sandals and the throw. Coming up: the swimsuit, the sunnies, and the beach baubles.

recycled sail cloth beach bag by Reiter8- Sara's lucky number! $75

K Jacques sandals from St. Tropez. $207

personally collaged dresses from Swell.com

54x68 garment washed quilted throws from Utility Canvas

So what do you think Sis?

Some people knit, or collect stamps or go hiking for past time pleasures. I thrift shop. I think I am pretty damn good at it if I do say so myself. I have the patience of a buddhist monk looking for transcendental enlightenment. Not too many people can accompany me because my will to keep digging is kind of unsettling and primal. The thrill of the find is enhanced when I find a real vintage gem that is not only an awesome cut, but amazing materials by a notorious designer, and then I go through my mental list of the gals I love who also love clothes- and a sartorial match is made.

I gave Lauren the Ungaro silk blouse with the scribbled jungle animals and the vintage metallic red woven leather Bottega Veneta purse.  Margeaux was thrilled with the plum cashmere Jil Sander drapey sweater with the mother of pearl wrist buttons and also a stunning sweeping Prada black wool skirt. The Louis Feraud wool challis pencil skirt had Jessica’s name all over it!  Just the other day I just picked up the most GLORIOUS pair of aztec printed no label (possibly escada?) silk jersey harem pants (NINETY CENTS)- and my very petite friend Margeaux also received those. I give most of the best scores away mainly because of the joy it brings a few of my fashion loving friends and also the joy it gives me to see them appreciate and cherish one of my lucky but cheap finds. I need to start taking more photos of my lovely and gorgeous friends wearing some of the lucky scores.

I have been thrifting for quite a while. I don’t give everything away. Some things I stash aside hoping that I will get around to wearing it, (or will fit into my lifestyle or across my hips)! Closet cleaning time normally that means it’s ebay time!  Here is a sneak peek of some of the things I will be saying goodbye to selling soon.

Lanvin

Flora Kung

Diane Von Furstenburg

Emilio Pucci for Formfit Rogers

The Lanvin skirt looks like it could’ve been a Tory Burch creation from almost any of her seasons, and the silk Flora Kung is the most gorgeous vivid palette. I always passed on Flora Kung looks untill I saw them styled and worn by Judy of Atlantis Home. Another example of Judy wearing Flora Kung here.

These things are fabulous- but none of them seemed to match the personality or body type of myself or my friends- so they need to find a new home.

If you happen upon our burgeoning blog in the next few days- I will be happy to provide details on measurements or pricing.

One of my recent obsessions is vintage needlepoint pillows. I love the 60s & 70s color pallets and geometry, the handmade nature of these exceptionally wrought pieces and the subtle influence of female textile designers in the Bauhaus (like Gunta Stolzl). The pattern is called Bargello. (or sometimes referred to as flamestitch), others are straight- up geometric designs.  I am kind of in the stalking stage of my future collection of needlepoint pillows. This picture from flickr was one of my initial inspirations.

My first (and only) bargello pillow came from a local charity thrift store. Mint condition with the ever popular coordinating velvet, it matches my living room & stands alone with or without needle-pointed pillow friends.

Room view in the faux eames chair.

Close up with Kareem napping in front of it

Collage of needlepointed items from ebay.

I am about to embark on a sofa project that might send me in a different direction with my living room decor… (more on that soon!) And frugality has been winning the battle to own more needlepoint pillows lovingly stalked on ebay or etsy. Outside of home decor- these color palets are really inspirational and some of the designs are fascinating.

natural woman dolly

dolly and cher.

The name “service & devotion” was gleaned from the lyrics in the seminal Dolly Parton song “9-5″. Who doesn’t get filled with excitement and joy when the introductory drum beats start thrumming… the essence of the song is about the futility of working for the man and how the daily grind does not pay off.  However, the energy exuded in the song is infectious and joyous. Doesn’t Dolly Parton imbue the essence of “life is too short for this crap”?  My sister and I (with maybe contributions from friends along the way?)- aim to break away from the mundane and banal and embrace all the things that we love.

Dolly in Disneyland Sing-A-Long!

9 to 5 lyrics
This blog is dedicated to sisters everywhere who work hard and deserve the best in life!!

We’re two sisters with different lifestyles and different tastes but we share a keen eye for style, for value and for the little things that make life FABULOUS.