Today, I am loving...

There was something about the Hermes FW 2011 Collection that captivated me. At first, I wasn't sure what it was. I looked at the clothes more closely. Sure, there were some striking wearable pieces with leather trim details that I loved, but that didn't seem to be what I was drawn to.

As I clicked on the detail photos of Vogue, I realized it was the caps that captivated me.

Today, I am loving... these leather hats Christophe Lemaire used to style Hermes' FW 2011 collection.

I love the very Hermes, equestrian feel. I find the slightly lopsided tilt charming. And how it subtly covers a part of the woman's face... mysterious.

And as I was trying to figure out what was so entrancing about this collection, I chanced upon some alluring color-blocking stripe details. Styled not-so-monochromatically, I can see myself with this clutch or this wrap-jacket.

This one, I absolutely love...

The simple cape with the leather trim... The fun yet sophisticated pop of print & color... And the simply elegant hat! Today, I am drawn to... the leather hats in the Hermes FW 2011 collection.

Photos from Vogue.

Click here for previous posts from the Today, I am loving... series.

some polka dots i spotted...

Aren't these polka-dotted animals on Etsy absolutely adorable?

I can't even pick a favorite! What about you? Which one is your favorite?

Etsy photos from here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Click here for previous posts from the Some Polka Dots I Spotted series.

Color Obsession: white

This Christmas, for the very first time, the iconic red Coke can is wearing white as part of a campaign to raise awareness and up to $4M for World Wildlife Fund's polar bear conservation efforts. Donning an image of a mother bear and her two cubs making their way across the Arctic, Coke's campaign aims to help conserve the Arctic habitat of the polar bear - a beloved Coca-Cola icon since 1922. The white packaging - allowing American and Canadian consumers to make a $1 donation per can (which the Coca-Cola Company intends to match) - will be in stores from November 2011 to February 2012.

Even the Fall/Winter 2011 Collections showed that white, generally associated with Spring/Summer, will brighten up Christmas just like Coke's white cans.

Off the runway and on the streets, white capes and envelope clutches are also making the scene.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Photos from here, Vogue and streetfsn.

Click here for previous posts from the Color Obsession series.

Whimsical Wednesday!

I am chuckling at how this drug company describes the unique benefit of their sleeping pill. "No pain medication, and no pickles." Hilarious!

Help is a drug company with a clever philosophy of promising less in the midst of competition that talks about more, bigger, faster, maximum strength.

They talk about taking less gibberish as each Help product is named after the specific symptom it can help - which is extremely helpful right?

Had they NOT thought out of the box and just created fantastical words that are ownable, marketable and memorable (read: brands) like all other drug companies do, they would have looked like this...

Pretty awful compared to their pretty packaging today, right? I just love that Help's crazy sense of humor and curiousity got them to go to the trouble of renaming and repackaging their products as if they were an ordinary drug company.

I am chuckling at the wit and sense of humor of Help. Clever out-of-the-box thinking really does lead to wonderful things!

Have a whimsical Wednesday!

Photos from helpineedhelp.

Click here for previous posts from the Whimsical Wednesday series.

a different perspective



In his book, Attitude 101, John Maxwell tells the story of two shoe salesmen who were sent to an island to sell shoes. The first salesman, upon arrival, was shocked to see that no one wore shoes. Immediately, he sent a telegram to home office saying, "Will return home tomorrow. No one here wears shoes." The second salesman was thrilled by the same sight. He wired home office saying, "Please send me 10,000 shoes. Everyone here needs them."

Maxwell also tells the story of how in ancient Israel, when Goliath came up against the Hebrews, the soldiers all thought, "He's so big, we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and thought, "He's so big, I can't miss."

Isn't it amazing what seeing the glass as half-full can do? It's really about perspective: seeing things differently.

Finally, Maxwell talks about his friend in Ohio who drove eighteen-wheelers for an interstate trucking company. Knowing the hundreds of miles he logged weekly, Maxwell once asked him how he kept from getting extremely tired. "It's all in your attitude," he replied. "Some drivers 'go to work' in the morning, but I 'go for a ride in the country'"

So on this first day back at the office this week, hope you see beyond just 'going to work'.

Photo from sparklesandpretending and everythingfab.

Click here for a previous post about seeing Mondays differently.

Noah says...

Over 2 years ago, I was trying my hardest not to laugh out loud as I watched Noah play Twister. The then-little Noah was stretching himself as best he could to reach the right circle with the right body part. It was the most amusing sight! Then suddenly, Noah didn't want to play anymore. When I asked why, he said, "Eeeets [It's] so bery [very] ouchie. Ma-be-break na yung leg ko [My leg will get broken]." Poor Noah! If only he could just pull out his leg like the Potato Heads in the photo, right? 

Then a year later, while trying to do the yoga pose from Jaden Smith's Karate Kid movie, "My foot is makulit [importunate]!" as he tried to pull his foot towards his body.

Hilarious photo of the potato heads playing Twister from here. English translation for "makulit" from Google Translate. :)

Click here for previous posts from the Noah Says series.

sweet serendipity

Am loving the music video of Lee DeWyze's Sweet Serendipity. He leaves typography cut-outs throughout the video on the night before... which his girl picks up as she goes through the same streets in New York the morning after.

The song is also a pretty good feel-good song. :)

Photos are screenshots from the video. Layout by moi.

The cut-out letters remind me of the mystery T from 101gramsofeyecandy. Click here for previous posts on typography.