OSCARS 2011 ~~~Whimsical Dresses~~~

OK so I know that pretty much everybody is probably posting something about the Oscars today and for that reason I tried to resist and post about something completely unrelated...

BUT

Clearly, I failed.

I just couldn't resist featuring some of the amazing dresses of the night.

The Oscars overall, this year, were a bit of a bore.

I only caught the last half so maybe thats an unfair judgement but nothing really impressed.

I'm glad that Natalie Portman won for Best Actress

and I haven't seen "The King's Speech" yet, 

but I'd like to because I'm sure it will be very good.

NOW ON TO THE DRESSES!

Black Swan actress Mila Kunis ’ wore my favourite dress of the night.  

She wore a hyper feminine (very flattering) Elie Saab couture lace gown that exuded pure romance in an unexpected colour.

Cate Blanchett got a little flack from some people for her dress of choice. 

She rocked a complex yet elegant crystal-and-pearl-embellished Givenchy Haute Couture gown.  

It's a little different but I absolutely love it!

Halle Berry wore a whimsical beaded tulle Marchesa gown.  I love that this look is becoming so trendy right now.  Only because that means that I get to see more amazing dresses like this.  It is soft and feminine.  

This gown would make a lovely wedding dress.

Hilary Swank wore a  Gucci ombré sequinned gown which, like Berry's, is whimsical and very "of-the-moment" with it's feather and sparkles.  It looked beautiful on her.  

I love the "colour fade."

These three lovely ladies made some excellent choices as well!

 Hailee Steinfeld in an amazing tulle Marchesa gown.

Michelle Williams in white beaded Chanel gown.

Mandy Moore in a pretty sequined and tulle Monique Lhuillier gown.

Florence Welch (of Florence and the Machine) wore a Valentino couture tiered gown.  I can't commit to loving this dress as is, only because I'm not a fan of the colour with her skin tone.  BUT the dress itself is fantastic.  If it had been in a different colour (violet, a light icy blue, or even a deeper, richer shade of yellow) I think I would have loooooved it.

So thats it people.  I gave in.  Sorry.  

I promise the next post will be less mainstream.

But can you blame me? These dresses are to die for.

*Sigh* To be a celebrity....

(All info and photos courtesy of elle.com)

~*Dreaming of the Circus*~ by Rosanna Anson.

I'm not sure why, but I have recently felt drawn to all things 

CIRCUS INSPIRED.

San Francisco based Photographer Rosanna Anson 

has captured the dreamy surreal feel of the circus 

beautifully.

I didn't write much about these photos because, well,

they speak for themselves pretty well...

HOWEVER

I couldn't just leave this as a photo only, or circus only post.

As I was browsing her collection I stumbled across

 another amazing series very reminiscent of 

TIM WALKER

So of course I had to include them :)

This last photo, in particular, reminds me of the house from the documentary

GREY GARDENS

"The film depicts the everyday lives of two reclusive socialites, a mother and daughter both named Edith Beale, who lived at Grey Gardens, a decrepit mansion at 3 West End Road in the wealthy Georgica Pond neighborhood of East Hampton, New York."

If you haven't heard of these two, google them.

Their story is fascinating.

There is also a remake in which 

Drew Barrymore plays "Little Edie"

 and Jessica Lang plays "Big Edie." 

I recommend watching the real one first so that you can 

fully grasp how well-done the remake is.

Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lang did a fantastic job.

I love a good train of thought that can go from the 

CIRCUS to DECREPIT MANSIONS.

Dita Von Teese. RETRO Style Icon.

DITA VON TEESE has amazing style.

She keeps it GLAM in Vintage or Vintage Inspired fashion.

muffinmumblings

I decided to pick my top 10 Dita Von Teese looks for todays post.

In no particular order....

These two dresses are completely different but I am loving them both.

The top is a mix of retro and modern 

and sweet and sexy

The neckline is so detailed and perfect!

The bottom is ooooozing icy sweetness.

Love it.

The shoes give the look an extra kick though.

profashionelle

swindlemagazine

I love this dress the most, I think. 

(although pics #2 and #7 almost got that title)

justjared

Who am I kidding?

I LOVE THEM ALL.

choosystyle

In fact, there were many more dresses/looks that I could've included.

So by narrowing it to my fave 10 was already hard enough.

fashion

This purple number is super sexy and super 40's Glam.

Love a good loooooow dip in the back of a dress.

harpersbazaar

This little pink number reminds me of COTTON CANDY.

iheartthat

So polished and pin-up.

psychoticstate

I had to think about this dress for a moment before

 including it.

I couldn't decided whether I love it or hate it....

Clearly I came to the conclusion that

I LOVE IT.

It's not the type of dress that the majority would love, I think.

BUT

I have a soft spot for soft wispy fabrics 

and one shouldered dresses.

So, how could I not?

Pictures that make me smile. Part 4

It is unbelievably mild out today, for February

spring breeze

But I am suck inside

pink blossom

At work

speckled in blue

So I collected these pictures

round and round we go

To make me feel better

new growth

and they are

lying in lavender

but I know that it won't last

spring in your step

because the snow comes again tonight

whispering wind

and the cold returns tomorrow

blossom garland

so as it turns out

paris petals in pink

this was only to tease us

buds everywhere

AND NOW I WISH FOR SPRING.

Botanical Inspiration.

As I was searching for the perfect  

ANTIQUE BOTANICAL PRINT

I came across a lot of other Inspiring Botanical Photos.

One of them was of 

THE BOTANICAL GARDEN OF CURITIBA

It was such a beautiful glass building that I had to include it in today's post!

"Opened in 1991, Curitiba's trademark botanical garden was created in the style of French gardens. Once the portal of entry, may be seen extensive gardens in the French style in the midst of fountains, waterfalls and lakes, and the main greenhouse of 458 square meters, which shelters in its interior, copies plants characteristic of tropical regions. It rolls out its carpet of flowers to the visitors right at the entrance. This occupies 240.000 m² in area. The principal greenhouse, in an art nouveau style with a modernmetallic structure, resembles the mid-19th century Crystal Palace in London. The Botanic Museum, which provides a national reference collection of native flora, attracts researchers from all over the world. It includes many botanic species from the moistAtlantic Forests of eastern Brazil."

"The native forest is filled with paths for strolling. Behind the greenhouse is the Museum of Franz Krajcberg, the Polish Brazilian artist who took up the cause of environmental conservation; with 1,320 square meters of area, divided into multimedia classrooms, an auditorium with 60 seats and lounge with several exhibitions of works donated by visual artist, represented by sculptures and reliefs, as well as photographs, videos, publications and educational materials."

"In the other side is the Botanical Museum, a wooden building which entrance using a bridge made of wood also. Actually, the Botanical Museum of Curitiba has the fourth largest herbarium in the country. In front of the construction there is a pond with carp, turtles, teal,herons, etc., and offers a lake, an auditorium, a library, an expositions area, a theatre, tennis courts and a cycle track."

So this is one of the prints that I love...

Then I got looking into Botanical Inspired Design...

 Jewellery...anything I could find :)

ehomee.com

Botanical prints on the couch, the curtains 

and even on the lampshade..

Click on the link below the pic to see the rest of this amazingly cute little house that was redone by countryliving!

This stunning necklace was from an etsy store called 

Botanical Bird

Check them out for other pretty flowery things!

This sink from Kohler was actually the first thing that inspired 

me to dedicate an entire post to botanical prints.

It's the perfect way to add an unexpected pop of 

floral "retroness" to any washroom.

An elegant master bedroom from a house featured in home & design

 makes botanical prints sophisticated by having them on the curtains and embroidered on the wall.

I don't actually remember where I came across these two pics...

BUT they look gorgeous against each other.

LOVE that Raspberry colour.

LOVE the printed table.

This FRESH Conservatory was named #1 in 

housetohome's top ten conservatories.

This is what they had to say about the room:

"It's easy to go overboard with a botanical scheme in a conservatory, but this room gets the balance just right. The leaf-print is tamed with the dark wicker sofa andneutral flooring."

AND here are some more great BOTANICAL 

ways to adorn yourself and your house!

Hunter Wellingtons

Throw Pillows

Shirtdress

So there it is folks....BOTANICAL INSPIRATION.

Now if only it were spring.