Pull Yourself Together:
Cold Feet Cure February 1st, 2012 By

And by “cold feet”, I’m not talking about anxiety. Believe me, no website holds enough space for my anxiety stories. I’m talking about having feet that are literally cold all the time. Elise is known to suffer from this problem, I know. We’ve talked about it at length, which is why she was forced to buy Ugg Boots once and I was forced to make fun of her until the end of time. However, the issue of cold feet was no laughing matter when I lived in Chicago briefly last year. The idea of a place being unbearably cold is sort of unfathomable right now, since NYC basically feels like Spring Break in mid-January due to global warming. But I have seen and experienced freezing cold first hand, and nothing is worse. I tried every kind of sock and shoe combo, until I found “the one”—my feet stayed warm in -10 degree weather. I chalk it up to the geniuses at Muck who lined these water proof boots with faux shearling and the makers of WigWam socks (based in the very cold state of Wisconsin). What I most appreciate is that they still looked good and I can also wear the boots when it rains. I got double the use out of them: They’re my all weather boots, if you will. Most importantly, they’re not Uggs, my dear, frigid Elise.

l-r: ORIGINAL MUCK BOOT COMPANY WOMEN’S RAIN BOOTS, $84.95, Online Shoes; WIGWAM EL PINE SOCKS, $13.95, Shoe Mall.

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Obviously, I’m Buying This Shirt January 31st, 2012 By

It’s seemingly named after me! The Loehnen Stripe! Best thing that’s ever happened to me. Not only am I ordering it, but I’m getting it monogrammed too, one of the biggest upsides of ordering men’s shirts from J.Crew online. I know I’m not alone in having a deep and vested relationship with J.Crew. Growing up in Montana, my only outlet for wardrobe acquisition was either the pawn shops downtown (awesome shopping, truly) or the Benetton (I still don’t understand how we came to get a Benetton, but I had every single United School of Benetton t-shirt, as well as tube socks, leggings, and jersey skirts galore). We didn’t have a Gap. And we most definitely didn’t have a J.Crew. Twice a year, we would drive through Idaho to shop at the Nordstrom in Spokane, Washington, where they also had a Limited, and a Gap. But still no J.Crew.

The J.Crew catalog was my other version of Sassy. I loved that thing: The models, the clothes, the copywriting, the order form with line spacings so tiny you really had to cram the order number in. Tabulating the shipping? Sigh. After I went to boarding school—when the mailman would literally drop off boxes and boxes of J.Crew catalogs at the entrance to the post office— I petitioned my very-far-away mother to let me order frequently—for my birthday, for fake school holidays…even for Valentine’s Day.  Clearly, I’ve spent many an hour wandering through J.Crew shops all over the country, but I still love flipping through the catalog and then ordering online best. (I’m too impatient to mail a slip in.)

SECRET WASH SHIRT IN LOEHNEN STRIPE, $64.50, J.Crew; MONOGRAMMING, $10.00, J.Crew.

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Introducing…
Olivia Villanti January 31st, 2012 By

Like most of the contributing editors here at Beso.com, Olivia has a deep shopping past: After all, we sat just a stone’s throw away from each other at Lucky, where she was the online fashion editor for many a year. When it comes to navigating the web’s myriad offerings, there’s nobody quite as fluent as Olivia: We used to host weekly Facebook chats, and when it was my turn at bat, I always needed her full-attention so we could search in tandem…whether it was for size 12 shoes, or really specific lace tops, or the perfect dress for one particularly stressed-out mother-of-the-bride. She used to surface 10 spot-on results to my two. Or maybe my one. She just owns the web.

And besides her quick fingers, she’s got a great sense of style: She can wear 10 layers at once and not look bulky, she always looks elegant without every looking over-dressed, and she never pays too much for anything. I.e., she can make a $10 necklace look really expensive. You’ll see her touch on many things over here at Beso—including the blog. And I couldn’t be more thrilled about it.

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Put This On. Now:
Lofty Parenting January 30th, 2012 By

Modern Child is pure unadulterated parenting porn. I have no recollection of how I came upon the website, in the way I imagine men trolling the web for a cheap thrill via some vague search term happen upon something titillating beyond their wildest imagination. Okay, the thrill of this high design-minded boutique isn’t cheap but it does peddle in a pared-down family aesthetic that’s a fantasy for me. For instance, a Modern Child would be raised in a huge open loft where there would be no need for physical boundaries. A Modern Child implicitly understands a parent’s need for privacy and for quiet. A Modern Child is very, very quiet. A Modern Child wears light-colored linen.

Aside from that small disconnect for me, there are some stunning things I could see welcoming into my home. Like these minimalist fairy tale prints by Christian Jackson and/or a pair of Roberta Settels sandals in my size.

The item that I’m most smitten with, however, is the Pelikano Junior fountain pen. Imagine a world where penmanship wasn’t being phased out of schools and where kids learned how to handwrite their own names before knowing how to text it? That’s a fantasy I can get on board with.

clockwise, l-r: MATTEO HOBO LINEN COVERALLS, $125.00, Modern Child;  ROBERTA SETTELS WOMENS ROMAN SANDALS, $375.00, Modern Child; PELIKANO JUNIOR FOUNTAIN PEN, $12.95, Modern Child; GOLDILOCKS & THE THREE BEARS PRINT BY CHRISTIAN JACKSON, $32.00 (medium print), Modern Child.

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Pull Yourself Together:
On Soft Skin January 30th, 2012 By

Surprisingly, I have very soft skin. I don’t know how that is, since I drink enough wine & vodka to suck my skin dry like a cactus. And I never drink water. In fact, I hate water. Hate the taste of it. The only thing I can drink that is remotely similar to water is seltzer. So, my secret to soft skin is either genetics or bath products, and since I don’t like giving my parents too much credit for anything, why don’t we go with the latter. An ex-boyfriend once referred to my hands as being “as soft as his grandma’s.” Needless to say, we’re not together anymore. However, my relationship with the products/brands below has remained tried and true—after all, they’ve been much gentler on me than my ex.

clockwise, l-r:  SUPERBLY RESTORATIVE ARGAN BODY LOTION, $35.00, Kiehl’s; OLE HENRIKSEN RUB N’ BUFF SPA SALT SCRUB, $48.00, Beauty Bar; PERLIER WHITE ALMOND MOISTURIZING CREAM BATH, $16.50, Fragrance Net.,p/>

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Pull Yourself Together:
Built By Wendy January 27th, 2012 By

When I was living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn many, many years ago, I used to go to a shop called Mini Mart on Bedford Avenue. At the time I wore colorful barrettes in my hair, platform shoes and baby-tees. I basically looked like a Bratz Doll. Mini Mart sold a lot of what my aunt would call “funky” things, which is probably how she referred to the blue streak in my hair at the time. On one particular day I decided to shop for a pair of classic, form fitting, black pants. I WAS GROWING UP. That’s officially when my love for Built By Wendy started. I wore those pants until they were ripping at the seams. Then I bought another pair, and another pair. And today, it’s one of the only brands that has stayed with me throughout all my wardrobe phases. Built by Wendy has been around for 20 years now. It’s a great DIY story. I was later lucky enough to know Wendy Mullin, its founder, personally. She is one of the most stylish and nicest people I know. That’s probably why so many great musicians love and wear the brand—It’s classic, but with an edge. Don’t you kind of agree?

clockwise, l-r: PAINT SPOTS & STRIPES LONG DRESS, $360.00, Built By Wendy; BOUCLE OVERCOAT, $415.00, Built By Wendy; SOLID GOLD DOT KNIT DRESS, $275.00, Built By Wendy; CAVALRY TWILL ZIP TROUSER, $165.oo, Built By Wendy.

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Pull Yourself Together: Let’s
Call Them Splotchy Glasses January 26th, 2012 By

I’ve owned a pair of brown Ray Ban Wayfarers for a few years. The thing is, I’ve never been too bold when it comes to sunglasses because I don’t like drawing too much attention to my face. The things that come out of my mouth already do that for me. However, the other day I stumbled across a pair of sunglasses with a classic shape (still stuck on Ray Bans) that had a hint of something different: A pattern that was what I describe as “splotchy.” It was kind of like tortoise shell, or my skin after drinking a bottle and a half of white wine. Now that everyone—including my mom and all of my aunts—have the same Wayfarers as me, I figure there’s no time like the present to get out of my comfort zone and try these on for size. Maybe something louder on my eyes will force my mouth to be more understated.

clockwise, from l-r: RAY BAN WOMEN’S SUNGLASSES RB 4132, $131.99, Best Buy Eyeglasses; VERA WANG COSMO RETRO SUNGLASSES, $150.00, Nordstrom; RAYBAN CLASSIC WAYFARER IN TORTOISE, $150.00, Nordstrom; JUICY COUTURE WOMEN’S SUNGLASSES ERA/S, $87.20, Best Buy Eyeglasses.

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Put This On. Now.
Rachel Craven Linens January 25th, 2012 By

As if I needed something else to covet at Heath, the modern-rustic ceramics Mecca is now carrying table linens by Echo Park artist Rachel Craven. The stylist-turned-textile artist block prints Native American motifs like arrowheads and circular symbols by hand onto Italian linen: It’s a really nice juxtaposition of earthy and elegant. I love the pretty palette of soft pinks and greens. They remind me of what a Joshua Tree sky around sunset might look like (never been) and would look super with our everyday sage and brown plates. But, realistically, the dark blue tablecloth will hide spaghetti stains better. Sigh. If you happen to be in L.A. on Saturday, February 4th, go meet Rachel, have a glass of vino, and ogle her goods at the store from 5-7 p.m. (Heath Ceramics, 7525 Beverly Boulevard; 323-965-0800.)

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Pull Yourself Together:
On The Road January 23rd, 2012 By

I was on a road trip for the past four days, which explains why I haven’t posted anything/bathed. This was the first road trip I’d been on in a while and it reminded me how they’re a lot like belly button piercings: They both seem like a good idea when you’re a teenager. Nonetheless, I made the most out of it: I’ve been constipated for a total of five days now but I had my first meals at both Applebees and Cracker Barrel, so I guess I broke even. And yes, I’m sure the two are linked. The other thing I came away with on my road trip is knowing how to pack for one. The trick is to travel light and warm. Coffee is a must, sweatshirts are a way of life, and having snacks and personal belongings readily available is key. I would also suggest carrying extra Baggu bags (not pictured) just to have extra space to organize and lug back any and all thrift store purchases made on the road. I’m pretty certain all the shopping I did is what turned what should’ve been a 15-hour drive into a four-day journey.  It was well worth it—the $2.00 Unicorn artwork and rainbow sweater I bought proves that.

clockwise, l-r: ALADDIN TRAVEL MUG, $10.49, Target; LIGHTWEIGHT FLEECE SWEATSHIRT, $110.00, James Perse; ABINGDON TOTE, $88.00-$98.00, J.Crew; RAINBOW SWEATER & UNICORN PAINTING, $amazing.

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With a Little Help
From My Friends January 18th, 2012 By

I’ve done a fair amount of dinner party polling in my day—all official, clearly—about whether people prefer to shop alone, or in roving packs of friends (who all maintain voting rights in the dressing room).

There are two distinct camps, and both seems to have an equal number of adherents. Online, it seems to work in the same way. There are those who dart from site to site, covertly and clandestinely, who sneak their packages into the their homes and closets and are loathe to share their finds with a wider audience for fear they’ll be copied—or mocked. And then there are those who put every potential purchase in front of a panel, whether it’s through e-mail, text, or Facebook.

I  believe in a world that hangs out somewhere in between these two extremes, where you can take recommendations from trusted friends—in a lowkey way—while still following the pitter patter of your heart. After all, when I decide I want printed floral jeans, I don’t want to be told that they’re insane! (it’s sort of like announcing the name of a child that’s not yet born—if it’s not signed, sealed, and delivered, everyone feels welcome to offer an alternative that they prefer…whereas, if it’s a done deal, they hold their tongue!)

We try to keep this balance in mind when putting together stories for Beso, because as much as we want to surface products you all might not otherwise find, we want to provide a space where it feels safe to just like what you like. To that end, I’m pretty excited to bring a host of my friends (and former magazine colleagues) on as contributing editors to Beso. These are women I turn to for shopping advice almost daily, whether it’s for a vacuum cleaner recommendation, or a tip on a designer I should look to for a truly inspired necklace. Because I trust them through and through, I’m hoping you will too!

And speaking of social shopping, I’m pretty thrilled to announce that I’ve just joined Opensky as a curator! Please, please FOLLOW ME, not only to get access to my sales (all things I love so much I would, or have, bought them in bulk!), but also to be nice. Because, let’s face it: I don’t want to be the least popular one at the Opensky party! I’m up against supermodels like Molly Sims and Veronica Webb and Top Chefs galore (including Padma Lakshmi and Martha Stewart). And while you’re at it, follow Kim France, too: As the founding editor of Lucky Magazine, she pretty much taught me everything I know about being an editor (I love her Opensky tagline, which acknowledges that Lucky was the first magazine to democratize style). Kim is also a friend with excellent, and relatable taste. Going shopping with her is one of life’s greatest pleasures…she can truly intellectualize and justify anything—to that end, she’s arguably one of the only people I’d listen to, should she tell me I’m not allowed to wear floral print pants.

P.S., I love the last round of emails from you guys—please keep them coming at elise@beso.com.

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Weirdly Good:
Table Lamps January 17th, 2012 By

One of the downsides of a big, cross-country move, is that invariably, things get broken. Like lamps. I bought this Jonathan Adler lamp in white at a sample sale when I was 23, and at the time, it was one of the nicest things I owned. Rob, well, he never really took to it, and so when we unpacked it the other month and it had cracked in-transit, he was actually secretly happy. In the interest of trying new things, we started canvasing Los Angeles and the web for the perfect bedside table lamps that didn’t require mounting, because,  we’ve installed enough stuff in our rental without sinking more cords into the wall. We already own a Tolomeo floor lamp, so as much as Rob would have liked to acquire two more, I thought it could be worth mixing things up, and finding something less clinical—albeit clinical in a beautiful way. And so I found these, which somehow we have both come to love: They’re slightly futuristic, but a little traditional, too—and they come in tons of  bright colors for me, and basic black for Rob. Done and done.

clockwise, l-r: HAVENHURST LAMP, $425.00, Jonathan Adler; TOLOMEO MINI TABLE LAMP, $300.00, Y Living; ROBERT ABBEY “DELTA” TABLE LAMP IN BLACK, $150.91, Lamps Plus; ROBERT ABBEY “DELTA” TABLE LAMP IN EGG BLUE, $150.91, Lamps Plus.

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Pull Yourself Together:
As Bought From TV January 16th, 2012 By

I don’t watch a lot of TV. Not because I don’t want to. But simply because I’ve had to make a conscious decision to not own a TV because of the black hole that can be basic cable. The minute I turn it on, I revert back to toddler years, where anything shiny and moving takes the form of entertainment. Example: I was house-sitting for my friend the other day when I realized that I had been watching an infomercial for a cleaning product for 30 minutes—I probably thought I was watching a rerun of The Nate Berkus Show. In any case, this is isn’t the first time I’ve been stuck in an infomercial vortex. In fact, I’ve often taken it one step further and bought whatever product they’re trying to sell me. Which brings me to “As Seen on TV” products that I fully endorse. See, not all of them are Pajama Jeans® (Google it and be horrified). Some actually have good use and work. Starting with the product that is near and dear to my heart (and face and legs and underarms), the No!No! hair remover system. IT WORKS AT REMOVING MY ITALIAN SHAME. And if your cat has the same problem, so does the FURminator.

clockwise, l-r: NO!NO! HAIR REMOVER SYSTEM, $270.00, Neiman Marcus; FOOD SAVER VACUUM SEALER, $141.29, Amazon; MAGIC BULLET, $49.99, Target; FURMINATOR DESHEDDING TOOL FOR CATS, $52.99, 1800PetMeds.

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