Wit & Whistle has an easy-to-follow DIY Chalkboard Mug tutorial up at their site. What a cute idea – I’m sure these would make inexpensive yet amazing gifts.

Ruby Slipper Journeys visited the Salvador Dalí museum in Figueras, Spain, and photographed some of the beautiful (and surely invaluable) jewelry that he designed.

It’s not often that I post about Tumblr blogs on here, but Anca Gray is one of the most beautifully-curated blogs I’ve encountered on the web. Anca Gray features photos from fashion, art, landscapes, interior design, nature, and more – and combines them to create a visual collage of purely neutral colors for a stunning effect.

Travel-astro-photographer Anton Jankovoy took a series of breathtaking photographs of the Milky Way over a mountain-enshrined village in Nepal.

You guys already know I’m a lingerie addict, so when I discovered Fortnight Lingerie via Miss Moss, I swooned. Beautiful, lacy, Canadian-crafted, and available in sizes ranging from 30-38, A-E – there isn’t much more one could ask for. Their pop-up shop is open right now, so hurry and order! (I’m pining after the Lola set pictured above.)

What are some links you’re loving at the moment?

Row 1:

1. A bottle of wine and/or tumblers. I loved the typography on this With Love bottle of red wine, but certainly you can find a much cheaper (and equally good) wine at the grocery store. And Gilt is selling these lovely tumblers in a set of 4 for $12, and Target has some nice ones for around the same price!

2. Madewell Foxtrot earrings, $18. Adorable and whimsical – perfect for Christmas, and stylish year-round.

3. A Faux Fur Collar with ribbon, $18 on Etsy.

Row 2:

1. Burt’s Bees. Friends don’t let friends have chapped lips. Perfect for stocking stuffers or small gift bags, everyone loves Burt’s bees – guys included (not to mention they’re a very affordable gift)!

2. A good book. 1Q84, the latest Haruki Murakami book, is available now at Barnes & Noble for $15. A perfect gift for a friend who loves to read, this is a book everyone is talking about right now.

3. Thick, warm, cheerful socks. Socks are one of my favorite things to get for Christmas, in part because they’ve usually disappeared by the same time the following year. (What is it with dryers eating things that come in pairs?) I love these fairisle crew socks from Sock Dreams, $12. Also, Sock Dreams offers free shipping all the time!

Row 3:

1. Tuberose scented balm pocket watch from Modern Alchemy, $35. Okay, maybe this one is on MY wish list. Still, it’s a beautifully-packaged personal scent “watch” that I think any woman would love to have.

2. Fuzzy boudoir slippers from Faire Frou Frou, $46. One of my philosophies about gift-giving is to buy things for people that they wouldn’t normally buy for themselves. And while I know many ladies who would love a pair of these slippers, I don’t know many who would treat themselves to a pair.

3. Sleep mask by Hopeless Lingerie, $20. These beautiful sleep masks by Hopeless Lingerie (one of my favorite independent brands) can be ordered in custom colors. And for crafty gift givers who don’t want to shell out $20, this could be a great DIY present idea!

I’ve been wanting a long-line for a while now, partially because I love vintage-shaped bras, and also because I love lingerie pieces that can transition to outerwear. I’m obsessed with the way Alix of Cherry Blossom Girl rocked her D&G bra over some shorts, and I’ve been wanting to try the same thing; I’m even considering splurging on an American Apparel petticoat to go with my bra. What do you think?

I’d never heard of Gossard (because it’s a UK brand), but a quick Google search turned up many positive reviews, so I decided to take a chance with it. I’m glad I did! This particular bra is made of an exquisite floral lace and has a beautiful satin trim. The cups are full and round in shape, and they are about one size smaller than US cup sizes. (Check this size conversion chart) The removable padding in the cups is just enough to give shallow breasts the right amount of lift.

Boning along the sides and underbust provide a lot of support – almost too much. My one complaint about this bra is that the underwires tend to dig into my sternum. Since this bra functions as a strapless, support is definitely necessary – but for those of you who, like me, have a very bony chest, you might find this bra a bit uncomfortable as I did. (This problem can be remedied by stuffing a small piece of fabric between the wires and your sternum. Voilà! Problem solved!)

All in all, the Gossard Ooh La La! long line bra is a beautiful addition to any lingerie collection, and at the price of $54.16 USD, it’s a great steal. I want to thank LingeriePlease for their generosity and fast shipping. ;)

(Source: gossiping @ TFS)

Lingerie as outerwear, black nails, bold stripes, smart hats, thigh highs, cable knits, and clumsy furs. If only I could find a retailer that carried D&G’s good clothing – then I could pretend that I could budget for it. I’m dying for their current fall collection.

Yep, I have an addiction – there’s simply no sense in denying it at this point. Agent Provocateur is my Achilles’ heel. However, as someone who spent the latter part of her life searching for bras that actually fit an A cup properly, I feel justified in splurging whenever Agent Provocateur has a sale. This time, I bought a bra that I’d been wanting for years:

As soon as I opened the box, I fell in love with the soft satin and beautiful, retro structuring; however, after putting a shirt on over the bra, I was disappointed to find that it was actually quite… pointy. After a few days of debating, I’ve finally decided to keep it simply because it is extremely comfortable and well-made, but ah, it was a tough decision.

French Connection Scalloped Shirt

Embroidered Tulle

Drawings, Drawings!

Vacance de Monsieur Hulot

My twenty-second birthday is this Monday, and I look forward to celebrating it with my friends, family, and twin sister. I wish I knew what to ask for, but the Stella McCartney bodysuit I’ve been eyeing on Net-A-Porter sold out in my size already.

Two years ago, I moved to Los Angeles (for a short six-month stint) and landed a job working at Nordstrom in the lingerie department. Prior to holding this job, I cared very little for lingerie, let alone anything that cost more than $60. Within a few weeks, however, I quickly developed a soft-spot for high-quality lace, unlined bras, and oh yeah, Agent Provocateur, after visiting the store on Melrose for the first time.

While its price point is high, Agent Provocateur lingerie is by legions the most comfortable, well-constructed, durable, and gorgeous lingerie I’ve yet to encounter. For the past two years I’ve amassed 5 bras, one bodysuit, and a few other extraneous items and I hardly ever wear anything else. When Agent Provocateur announced its winter sale, I couldn’t resist picking up a few extra pieces.

Sadly, this Aliyah demi-bra is going back! It just didn’t fit properly, which turned out to be a huge disappointment. I love the leopard-print tulle and the black elastic trim. I also just realized that I photographed this one inside-out! Oops!

This snakeskin lace bra is so intricate, and the fit is so snug and comfortable! My boyfriend commented that it looks itchy, but I’ve been wearing it for well over two hours now and can’t feel it at all. The lace is beautiful, intricate, and most importantly, soft.

My favorite piece out of my new loot, however, is the Maschina bodysuit. The entire thing is a dark nude tulle with a thick (it almost feels embroidered) barbed wire pattern. In one word, it’s “hardcore.” I have a penchant for things that juxtapose the macabre and the delicate, and this bodysuit embodies that aesthetic perfectly. I’m heading out to Target tomorrow to buy a long black cardigan (if they have any?) to throw over this so I can wear it out as a top!

I also love the faux leather (pleather?) bow! The perfect touch.

When it comes to lingerie, my largest pet peeve is when I hear girls say they can’t justify buying nice things because they “don’t have a boyfriend” or “have an a-cup.” Ridiculous! I don’t think everyone should go out and buy an Agent Provocateur bra (though I highly recommend it!), but I do believe that gorgeous underwear is ultimately meant to only be enjoyed by one person, and that’s the wearer. In the end, it’s about comfort and a new kind of confidence that comes only from yourself- that under your business suit, or Zelda hoodie and sweatpants (my current ensemble), you’re wearing something simultaneously comfortable and beautiful, and only YOU know it. There are those who can only understand confidence gained from others’ approval, and then those who understand that confidence can also be gained from keeping your own secrets.

Winner of the Google contest from below was Oren! Congratulations!