Own the hat!

If you're reading, thank you! I know it's been a while since I updated and that's really annoying. I've taken some time off to keep up with the business and I've missed being in blogtown! Also, my Instagram has really taken a chunk of my social media energy. And while I love Insta, nothing compares to the full-size images and in-touchness of the blerg.

Lots of stuff is happening, I continue to snap pics around the studio (just rarely get to posting it.) But here's something great: Westbrook Maker. If you haven't heard of them yet, you will soon, they're about to be the milliners of choice. The girls above are not wearing Westbrook as far as I know, they are just fabulously chic ladies Casey has pinned to our CV Pinterest boards. And they are perfect examples of women owning the hat and not the reverse, if you know what I mean. There is something so very chic about a brimmed hat. I've put them here to remind you that you may want to consider wearing a proper, brimmed hat this fall/winter.

Westbrook Maker hats are handmade in Venice, California.

We just got our first delivery of them to be sold at the CV shop soon, I cannot wait.

I even love their western logo and hatboxes. 

They are beautifully crafted pieces of art, made with the highest quality felts, silks and leathers, which you will own forever and will only get better with age.

Cocotte, on the arm of Nicolas Fouquet, the designer behind Westbrook, is the nickname he has for his sister, Charly. I'm not showing you all of him, because I don't need to take your attention away from the hats, but let's just say he's tall, blond, blue eyed and he speaks French. In other words, 100% dream boat. But lest you get get ahead of yourself, he's dating a pro-surfer. :)

I will post more images of the hats or people wearing the Westbrook hats asap. 

In the meantime, remember, my best piece of fashion advice - Own the Hat. Whatever your hat may be. :)
p.s. I just found this great post from Lizzie at Tomboy Style on Westbrook.

Fashion Acronyms: CFP, HBT, JK & JDR

CFP

Chic Fanny Pack. 

On our spring line - this will be your next summer staple. Or ok, it'll be our next summer staple.

It's part of our Spring Summer '13 collection.

Here's Jocelyn looking so super cute trying on our sample.

IWIN for I want it now. There's a new one for you.

HBT

 is for Heather Beth Taylor, gallery owner, blogger, fashion influencer, and just simply one of my besties, she's a force with which to be reckoned. And with all of her new projects coming down the pipes, including a series on YouTube (click here to see the one on our new CV store!!) I have a feeling more and more people will be familiar with these three letters over the coming year.

I LOVE these pics of her with her CV leopard duffle, wearing Wren and (Prada sunnies, above) from Refinery 29

JK

is for Jesse Kamm.

Clothing designer JK stopped by the studio last week to grab a weekender for her trip to NYC.

We offered to monogram it for her and she chose the light blue with I think was such a beautiful choice.

These pictures of her bags and hat packed up and ready for the solo voyage to the big city are from her great blog.

I love this picture of her new weekender on the country road as she was about to embark on her own after having dropped off her boy at her parents house in the midwest. I've done that with Oscar a few times too on my way to NYC. It's called babysitting at a distance. Good thing Delta stops often in MN.

Working mamas, we do what we can. :)

JDR

is always for Jessica De Ruiter. She's a stylist and a friend and speaking of working mamas, I'm pretty sure these pictures of her at fashion week NYC were during one of her first trips without her sweet baby daughter James.

Jessica stopped by the CV store before she left and picked up a black basket weave fold over clutch. 

And I love how she doesn't fold it over. Just a chic square clutch for her. She pulls it off with unparalleled class. Muah!

Monogram happy + A Market Tote

Heading to New York for a few days. As usual, when heading to New York, there was the prerequisite shopping spree at Lake boutique in the neighborhood yesterday. A pair of shoes and leather-like jeans, and cute vest later was all I could rustle. However, at the studio today, I was able to make a few old things new again with a little monogram magic.

 I will be very happy to walk the streets of New York with my grey suede simple tote which got a pick-me-up with gold CV today.

 And my well-loved & beat-up navy iPad case looks amazing with red mono.

 One of the things I'll be doing while in New York this time is attending this party at Steven Alan's new store in Chelsea on Thursday night:

And in honor of being invited to this party as a featured designer, we've made this special edition chain print market tote with undyed leather handles and bottom. 

This is what a picnic looks like at the CV studio.

Please stop by the party on Thursday, enjoy the music, the Steven Alan Spring '13 film and introduce yourself! Would love to meet you. :)xo

Friday workday attire

 

Scenes from CV HQ while I was away

While I was away, Jocelyn, Saehee, Tran, Greta, Krystle, Casey, Erica, Sophie and Jordan held down the fort! (Our little team over here is growing and it is so exciting.)

They emailed me some pics while I was away, so I thought I'd share.

We spend so much time together, I think that we start having certain tendencies in common. No, not that kind of tendency! I'm talking about the fact that we'll often wear similar outfits with one another on the same day - without planning (as I used to do with my girlfriends in 3rd grade). 

Here's Saehee and Greta wearing matching neon shorts on that kind of a Thursday.

Here's Krystle, Jocelyn and Saehee on a boy shirt kind of Tuesday. 

 Greta sent me pictures of the store because new merchandise came in while I was away.

In a dream come true, I now have a store that sells my favorite magazine! CV sells French Vogue people, come and get it!

 Our Steven Alan hats flew out of the store, with none left from them to re-order, we decided to carry the beautiful Reinhard Plank hats from Italy.

 Grace Lee colorful cord necklaces are in

 

as is the magazine I Love You.

 and Le Feu De L'Eau candles made by Wendy Polish and her partner Jo Strettell.

And we also have the amazing hard bound French magazine Self Service.

You are my favorite moment

It's my last day in France. I head back to LA tomorrow solo, my French boys will stay for a real European vacation - no less than 4 weeks for them - while I head back to CV hq to look after Spring '13 collection and a million other things. But I wanted to share a few random favorite moments from Paris, Italy, and the French countryside of the Vivier compound.

 Oscar jet lagged with the sun in his eyes, but a walk to the Eiffel Tower never gets old.

 Me, jet lagged and lounging, at the beautiful Parisian apartment of my sister in law.

The blue on these K. Jacques sandals is divine (and matches the sky next to the eiffel tower.)

A cozy spot at Casa Cambi in Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena, Italy.

We just had to take a picture of this guy getting a ticket in his red Ferrari in Italy. I love how the polizia man is staring right at me as I take the photo out of our moving car!

This Italian woman at the Milan airport was quite enchanting: Necklace, bag, dress, hair, sandals. Check.

This is how ladies travel.

 My new boots purchased in Italy. I was happy to see this just after I bought them. I know it will be awhile before I wear them in LA, but when autumn finally rolls around, I'll be prepared.

Oscar's cute hands prepping a fishing lure.

 His lips under the stripes of his hood under the rain.

Love the hand painted signs at the local tennis club in town.

 You must pass le filet or drag the net, after each match.

 My favorite hand painted sign we pass going to tennis everyday. 

Love this facade of a building in town with the layers and layers advertising things of times gone by.

Sounds funny, but I love the wrists of my chic Parisian sister-in-law. She always has an assortment of cute baubles and strings that she'll swear are nothing at all, but somehow look so elegant on her. Le petit je ne sais quoi, if you will.

Oscar fishing in the little river next to the house with the very cute Vivier Milk bucket on hand for any live ones. Every year I think about how I could get one of those buckets into my suitcase. It just never seems like the most practical idea.