pastel prints by leah reena goren

As much as I'm loving the crazy moment neon is having, I'm equally enthralled with the amazing pastel palettes that everyone's loving for spring. One local Brooklyn artist/designer/soon-to-be graduate of Parsons who just happens to be killing this trend is leah reena goren. She is a super talented illustrator (who's done work for a range of clients including etsy, evian, dailycandy, LA-based food truck fruitland + more) and also creates lovely patterns + prints for textiles - including a range of handkerchiefs, headbands, dresses, tanks + T's that immediately caught my eye.  

Her illustrations are crazy-cool (scroll to the end to see a few of my favorites) but it's her selection of light, flowing silk scarves that are works of art themselves - and still on my mind for spring:

Each scarf clearly showcases her unique aesthetic and amazing ability to combine color + pattern to create something romantic, whimsical + fun. The ones I've featured here are all available in her etsy shop, though from her blog it seems that she's constantly coming up with new designs. One of my personal favorites is the black cursive text that's printed on sheer, white silk chiffon and features selections of poems about California written by Chelsey Pettyjohn. Adorable.

...and I just couldn't show you her work without also including a few of her insanely cool illustrations. I picked a few of my favorites to feature below, but definitely take a look at her blog if (like me) you just can't seem to get enough.

enjoy! xo

[all photos + illustrations chosen from LRG's etsy shop, blog + site]

friday's one-of-a-kind find: textural knits from celapiu

With the weather on the east coast finally feeling like February, I've been (happily) breaking out my beloved winter warm-up gear.  And as the temperature drops, the size and scale of my neck wear seems to grow. We already know that I love giant, dramatic knits, so it's no surprise that when I came across the independent Polish label celapiu, I fell fast + hard.

And it seems I'm not alone: they have tons of devoted fans gushing about their designs on facebook - where they also showcase the latest + greatest in creative, chunky knits. There's something about the structural yet soft aesthetic of each piece that is so, so appealing - and totally unique. Out of the dozens of styles they offer, these three are my hands-down favs:

>> one <<

>> two <<

 

>> three <<



[all photos chosen from celapiu's etsy page]

I must warn you: if you're with me on these, you should act fast - their bestselling woven cowls (the first item featured above) are an amazing 36% off right now on their etsy page, making them just $35 each! Definitely worth it for such a chic + practical piece. Plus, they really are one-of-a-kind --- each one is handmade and customizable in over a dozen gorgeous shades.

Perfect for the next few weeks of winter + even better for the still-chilly transition into spring.

Enjoy the weekend... and stay warm! xo

winter warm-ups

This winter has definitely been more bearable than most in NYC weather-wise ... but the temp is finally dropping and I find myself looking for accessories that will do double-duty: both dress + warm me up this season.

Scarves are my go-to accessory year-round, but I especially love to switch them up--kind of like a pick me up over my (same old) go-to winter coat. Etsy is absolutely amazing for hand-made and one-of-a-kind scarves and wraps - the kind you will want to leave on long after you've shed your gloves and hat.

This EcoShag "super chunky" infinity is my most recent favorite find . . .

. . . while these wool + leather combo snoods from RunSystem63 are perfect for adding a touch of style to an otherwise drab look. Plus they're made out of 100% soft wool and can be unsnapped, wrapped once or twice (as they are shown in all the photos here).  

I love the ingeneous designs and amazing textures, and (with winter knits, it's actually true) the bigger, the better.

Speaking of which, I cannot get over these giant handknit scarves by Tallulah G. She had me at "100% super soft chunky merino wool," but what really made me fall in love is the leather buckle detail.  

This one is ten feet long and hand made to order, with a real leather clasp that makes the whole look totally customizable. The neutral yarn and leather color combinations mean there is definitely one ready to complete your winter ensemble.

If you love the look but not the price tag, or are just looking for a cool + practical DYI this winter, you need to get your hands on a knit kit from Wool and the Gang - the coolest thing to happen to knitting like, maybe, ever. They have everything you need - and need to know - in order to knit yourself everything from sweaters to scarves to headbands and every thing in between. Check it out:

[via]

 [via]

It sounds like such a good idea, and judging by the success of WATG, it definitely is.  Just don't get too carried away ... and, of course, have fun! Grandma would be proud.

[via]