Photos by Anne Schwalbe for Pugnat.

I'm almost ashamed to admit that Lizzy turned me onto Guy Bourdin, only recently.  He's one of her faves.  This masterful French fashion photographer was ManRay's protégé, a contemporary of Helmut Newton's, and landed Charles Jourdan as both collaborator -- he shot Jourdan's ad campaigns between 1967 and 1981 -- and benefactor.  How did I not know this? good question.

Posted by: Dani

All images courtesy of Amanda Friedman, www.amandafriedman.com

So, I'm finally getting settled in my digs. There's tons and I mean tons of work to do. Painting, unpacking, arranging . . . all the ings might just do me in. Of course, in true procrastinor style, I'm thinking about the little things. Where to score french striped hand towels, organic peppermint handmade soap for the bathroom, rocks to fill in the unplanted garden . . . you get the drift.

And even though the walls have to be covered in a coat or three of white paint, I can't help but rearrange our art collection in my mind. We have huge wall that's just dying for some sort of gigantic image and I'm itching for a landscape print by Amanda Friedman. I had the pleasure of meeting the photographer on a shoot yesterday, and in addition to being supremely talented, she's also one of the most lovely people. Which just makes me throw money at her, if I had the duckets to do so. I'm saving my pennies as we speak.

posted by: lizzy

Ok, ok. So I've gotten into the pickling./canning thing too. I love pickles. Maybe it's because I love a good brine. Pickling is fun, takes little to no culinary skill whatsoever, and the result is delicious snack that you can enjoy on its own or add to dishes to puch up their flavor. I love adding pickles to spicy dirty rice with a fried egg for a savory brunch treat.

My beloved and I pickled everything: shitkes, shallots, apples, watermelon rind, broccoli slaw (shredded broccoli stems with a little shredded carrot), grapes, carrots, peppadews, fennel, and of cukes.

Here's a recipe for basic pickling, picked out of the pages of the Momofuku Cookbook. It's as simple as simple can be. Generally, when we pickle we like to add garlic, chile de arbol and lots of different spices from coriander seeds to curry and sometimes, we switch up the type of vinegar we use. Of course, it's the experiementing that makes pickling so fun and creative. I dare you to give it a go.

1 cup very hot water

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

6 tblsp. sugar

2 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Mix vinegar, sugar, salt (and spices if you are choosing to add) in the very hot water so that all ingredients are thoroughly dissolved and combined. Pour the brine over your veggies/fruit that are packed in sterilized containers. Refrigerate. The pickles will taste good about half an hour after brining. However, they are done and ready to go about 4 days into the process and will keep for about a month in the 'fridge.

posted by: lizzy

Stand and Deliver Teaser Video from Stand And Deliver on Vimeo.

Fashion videos are fun, no? Besides, this baby features my favorite Adam Ant song and the clothes, crafted by Stand & Deliver, the latest offering courtesy of Yohanna Logan and Corey Parks is exactly what you think of when LA style comes to mind: luxed-up and decon-downed rock gear. I wouldn't mind that studded jacket in the first frame. Is it odd to think of rough-and-tumble style as fetching? Somehow that's the word that springs to mind.

posted by: lizzy

Check out the whole collection of block printed notecards at Love and Reason.

I've been on the prowl for a stylish way to store my daughter's toys -- although, I'm not sure the point, my house looks like a volcano of vintage clothing erupted in the living room -- but the bins have been too blah, and the baskets too country.  

Emmas design blog is a fave so I dashed in for a bit of inspiration and voila!  A wicker basket and some spray paint -- so easy.  

The Swatch palette has put this relic of my teenage years back on my radar.  If muted is more your MO click here.

These are some of my favorite ladies of style.

From top to bottom: Joanna Hillman via Mr. Newton, Kate Foley via Mr. Newton and Taylor Tomasi Hill via gastro chic.

arm candy via the man repeller

Every gal east of La Brea has been spotted rocking a pair of Beatrice Valenzuela's handmade moccasins (see pics above). And, it's easy to understand why. Crafted in supersoft skins, Valenzuela's offerings sport boho inspiration that would satisfy any lady of the canyon.

So, when Apartment Therapy decided to feature Valenzuela's interior digs on a recent home tour, I couldn't help but check out how the fashionable footwear fabricator decked out her abode. The environs were lovely (of course) and I found myself particularly drawn to a custom stained-glass window in Valenzuela's hammered metal front door. I just moved into a new place in Echo Park and have an open space in my garden that's begging for some stained glass décor. Just another wish to add to my home design list . . .

photographs courtesy of apartment therapy

I'm SOOOOO ready for fall!

Photos via Vanessa Jackman and Stockholm Street Style.

Hand printed textiles are our weakness, over her at Ladiess.  This collection by Willow Ship is just the right amount of earthy and edgy -- they're graphic and colorful, but not too cute.  Love!

Top two photos via Harpers Bazaar, bottom photo via Citizen Couture

I'm obsessively shopping for my fall shoe favorite, the loafer.  I want a flat and a heel.  Suddenly, the perfectly preppy footwear is all I can think about!

The above editorial for Vogue Japan -- styled by Giovanna Battaglia -- has me reeling with inspiration.

Images via fashion gone rogue

Calling all biker babes. This is the best key fob I've ever seen. Hands down.

image courtesy of style.com

Um . . . a perforated leather handkerchief? I'm in!

photo courtesy of garance dore

Living in LA has its many perks: sunshine year-round, Point Dume and the cute surfers who congregate there, delectable avocados that literally do grow on trees, but one thing us Angelenos miss are the tents at Bryant Park. Sadly this season, we were homeward bound and just couldn't make the trek cross-country to check out what designers have in store for us this coming spring.

So, we were thrilled when Ryley Tice, a stylist, blogger, fashion doma with a capital F and all around lovely lady, called us to say that not only would she be attending many of the shows, but that she would do a little guest blogging for Ladiess. What a score! It's almost like we were front row (and backstage!). Thanks so much, Ryley! How we do love our ladiess. Here what Ryley had to report:

"Backstage at Girl and Boy for Band of Outsiders was like something straight out of a fashion film: half-dressed models scampered about, artists applied a delicate wash of natural and fresh make-up and when the curtain finally raised, "Street Hassle" by Lou Reed flooded the stage.

Scott Sternber may not have received the greatest praise for his collections, but I wholeheartedly disagree with all the negative press. Maybe it's because I firmly believe that Chanel makes the world go round, but Coco's favorite pairing: black and white, are a duo that always go together, are always perfect, always and forever.

Many of Sternberg's looks were cast in this classic combination. The first two looks opened the show with Sternberg's sophisticated take on classic Parisian chic, which carried through the enitre show. A crisp white poplin dress? Oui. A dark navy raw edged-pleated skirt and sleevless white cotton patchwork pullover bib shirt? Parfait. (And as much as I love white and black together, a navy and black collaboration always melts my soul a little . . .)

Following in his basic color palette, Sternberg gave us a must-have white coat that I'll be reaching for well before Memorial Day. A leather bandeau, which showed the stomach--a super sexy fashion move--was a bit risky given the classic nature of the show yet it saved the some of the pieces as being a little Ralph Lauren, especially a white to blue wash over a toile pattern, which seemed straight out of the Tuileries on a summer day (this thought occured to me about fifty times during the show).

And the prefect accessory for the looks? A black boating hat and black skinny suspenders, bein sur. I'm researching the purchases of both as you read this . . .

And for the show close? Confetti. Of course."

 To get more of the Tice sartorial take, be sure and check out her style blog

For Tar Magazine.

Photos via Autumn De Wilde.com