January 2012
Golden Globes 2012 Red Carpet
Best Dressed: Emma Stone in Lanvin; Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace. Both just a little bit odd; both close to perfect (although I don’t love the sleeves on Emma’s dress or the hem on Angelina’s, the amazing slashes of color on both gowns make them unforgettable).
Honorable Mention: Dianna Agron in Giles, who gets an A for Effort. I don’t really like the dress, but I do really like that she’s a relative newcomer and nevertheless refuses to play it safe.
Best Beauty: Salma Hayek. Her Gucci dress may have disappointed some - it’s simpler and less va-va-voom than what we’re used to seeing Salma in (which is actually a big plus in my book; I thought she looked chic and modern) - but I don’t think anyone would argue that she nailed it from the waist upwards. Those earrings!
Most Yawn-Worthy: Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang. We’ve seen her in this silhouette countless times, and yeah, it works on her, and yeah, she’s beautiful…but I’d love to see her try something ’70s-inspired with a loose updo. Or anything else. Anything.
What was your favorite look of the night?
Pretty Flatware Picks
Q. Hi Jordan,
I am shopping for new spoons/forks/knives for my apartment. I want a set with some character, but nothing too crazy. What are your favorite flatware styles?
- Amy
A. Really, a lot depends on the look of your plates, but you can’t go wrong with simple styles infused with a unique detail or two.
I love gold sets lately (like this one), but that’s quite a statement and not for everyone, so here are some more favorites that are traditional with a little twist:
Clockwise from top left: Lenox Flatware ($190/65-piece set); Kate Spade Abbington ($70/5-piece set); Williams-Sonoma Laguiole ($89/5-piece set); Kate Spade Belle Boulevard ($70/5-piece set)
And here’s a romantic, vintage look (Pottery Barn Maxfield, $99/5-piece set), if that’s more your style:
And finally, if all of these are too pricey, try Ikea. They’re not going to last you a lifetime, but they have lots of cute, extremely well-priced sets; I particularly like the Rustik ($30/20-piece set) for a retro country look:
x
J
Jordan's Place / Home Decor Scrapbook
I’ve been meaning to start keeping all my home inspiration photos stored in one spot for easy access/reference.
So: Jordan’s Place.
Follow along, if you like!
Update: OK, OK - all of you said I need to use Pinterest instead. Working on getting an invite; will let you know when it’s up!
Update 2: Pinterest = up.
Help Stop LGBT Bullying
Senator Al Franken, who also happens to be my good friend Thomasin’s father and a man for whom I have enormous admiration and respect, is fighting to pass a bill that would require schools to protect LGBT students who face threats and bullying (while students are presently protected from harassment based on race and gender, there are no protections in place for children who are bullied based on their gender identity or sexual orientation).
Check out Senator Franken’s message above, and then please take a moment to call the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121 and urge your Senator to sponsor the Student Non-Discrimination Act.
For Those Kinds Of Nights / Facial Cleansing Cloths
Q. I read your blog and decided to start using Cor soap because of your rave. I’ve never had anything even out my skin tone and make my skin feel so good. I even raved about it on my own blog.
Do you have any recommendation for facial cleansing wipes that might give me similar results for those few times it would be nice to wipe the makeup away and just go to bed?
- Ronja
A. Right?! Cor is just awesome. Ridiculously expensive, but - and I mean this - totally worth it. Both because of how well it works (full review here), and because it lasts forever. I’ve had the same bar now for so long that it’s starting to get weird (and if you just want to test the waters, those little sample size bars also last a bizarrely long time).
Anyway, I hear you on occasionally needing to keep emergency supplies by the bed for the nights when you are simply not moving in the direction of the sink. I keep a stash of Proactiv Makeup Removing Cloths ($15) in my drawer, and they’re great - very soft and thick, and get everything off without drying your skin or leaving residue.
Read about my Winter Skincare Solutions here.
John Derian for One Kings Lane
My friend Stephen (whom you might remember as the guy who taught me this awesome lampshade refurbish trick using graphic wallpaper fragments) just gave me the heads-up that craftsman-with-a-cult-following John Derian is launching an exclusive sale of framed prints inspired by 18th-century French wallpaper patterns on One Kings Lane today. Gorgeous stuff starting at just $99.
The sale launches at 11AM EST, and goes for 72 hours. Check it out here.
Lemon-Brown Sugar Breakfast Cake
Or: how to eat cake for breakfast and feel pretty good about it (not that you should ever feel bad about such things).
Click through for recipe.
What you need:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup poppyseeds
What you do:
1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate large bowl, cream together butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, blending well between additions.
3. Mix dry ingredients into butter/sugar/egg mixture.
4. Add milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppyseeds; mix well.
5. Bake at 350F approximately 30 minutes (use a toothpick inserted in the center to check doneness).
Serve with cream cheese icing (not pictured).
P.S. You can also make this into muffins; go here for general baking time rules.
Accessible Decor: Floor Poufs
How to keep a black-and-white palette from looking cold: just add texture, splashes of green (exposed brick and wood balance out the look nicely too, if you’ve got ‘em), and cozy things like floor poufs.
Love floor poufs; wish I had them (both because they’re cute and because I spend a large amount of time every day perched on the floor next to a bouncy seat). Of course those oversized Missoni ones are The Dream, but there are lots of affordable options out there. Por ejemplo:
Product info after the jump…
Clockwise from top left: Tazi Designs ($240); Urban Outfitters ($149); Neiman Marcus ($199); E Kenoz ($99); World Market ($49.99); Urban Outfitters ($109)
