J.B. Taylor

Thank you, Easter bunnies!

Love and organic Cadbury Creme Eggs (a girl can dream),

— J.B.T., Andy & Edie

And if not familiar with what this post title is in reference to . . . watch this unfortunate pop culture artifact.

Photo: Jean-Jacques Bugat, Rue Princesse, c.1966

Don't be a drag. Participate.

Above: New years eve at Studio 54, circa 1978

A rumor has it that
It's getting late
Time marches on
Just can't wait
The clock keeps turning
Why hesitate
You silly fool
You can't change your fate
Let's cut a rug
A little jive and jitterbug
We want the best
We won't settle for less
Don't be a drag
Participate
Clams on the half shell
And roller-skates
Roller-skates

Good times
These are the good times
Leave your cares behind
These are the good times
Our new state of mind
These are the good times

Good Times, Chic (1979)

Here's to an inspiring love and disco-filled 2013 everyone! XO, J.B.T.

Did you ever see a dream, walking?

My sister & I grew-up loving our family tradition of walking down Fifth Ave. at Christmas time to check out the spectacular holiday windows. My parents were both in the fashion 'biz, so we were brought up with the sense that retailers were like temples . . . sacred places to feed our aspirations and show us glimpses of the divine. And just like midnight mass at St. Patrick's, every Winter these stores give passerby a gift of beauty, free of charge . . . brilliantly conceived portals to something magnificent. Also adding to the excitement, is the fact that all these retail temples are falling over backwards, in a competition for your love and devotion.

So as a gift to those who won't have a chance to stroll down 5th this season, I've taken snaps of the two holiday displays that really left me dazzled. First (naturally), is Bergdorf's Busby Berkeley-inspired BG Follies, with each window displaying a decadent vignette of Art Deco boudoir dollies & mini-mannequins moonlighting as chorus girls, jazz babies, Ziegfeld cuties, and mini-Earl Carroll-esque beauties holding Sally Rand-style feather fans.

Also swoon-worthy were Tiffany & Co.'s windows, which featured delicate miniature scenes of romantic Winter moments a-la Uptown Manhattan. Ingeniously conceptualized by my dear friend, Christopher Young, each scene exhibits a mind-bending attention to detail . . . from the nearly-microscopic Tiffany blue ornaments on the Christmas trees, to the tiny blue box placed in the fluffy snow on the steps leading up to an ornate little Brownstone. Each vignette, an emotional fantasy bringing me back to that wondrous feeling of wiring a dollhouse lamp into a shoebox diorama in 4th grade, and having it actually light-up, making me feel like a magical wizard of electricity. Forget the diamonds . . . through these windows you'll view passion, creative vision, and pure love.

Photos: J.B. Taylor

Thanks. Merci. Tak. Gracias. Danke. Grazie. Toda. Mahalo . . .

Giving thanks for everything and everybody in our lives today, along with sending strong vibes of abundance to those who are having troubled times. Hoping you have a wonderful, inspiring and warm dinner with family and friends tonight, and please be sure to comment about what you cooked! As for my man & I, we're doing something totally new this year . . . heading off on an orphan's Chinese-themed Thanksgiving date. Organic Peking turkey and sweet potato dumplings at Red Farm in the West Village!

I'm also very thankful for all the devoted subscribers who've put up with my lack of posts this year. I've been building two separate companies, one of which is launching this holiday season (announcements soon!). There are dozens of posts I'm dying to share, and will asap, but in the meantime, if you'd like ot keep up with my up-to-the-min. shenanigans, be sure to follow me on Twitter or Instagram <3

Skull With Broken Pot, c.1943.

Spooky painting from the gothic gatekeeper of Ghost Ranch, Georgia O'Keeffe.

Happy Hallow's Eve!

Cake Walk.

On June 19th I turned the ripe ol' age of 37. Officially making this the first birthday that has totally freaked me out. I'm not sure why 36 didn't have me hiding under a blankie and pondering self-medication, but a few weeks ago, when I said my new age out loud, it just felt like a clerical error. How can I be this close to 4-0, especially if I still get carded at bars, and my soul sends signals that it's still nineteen. Yet I also know that if I continue to stress about the inevitable, I'll get wrinkles. So, I'm choosing to celebrate my years on Earth with a retrospective of something that makes me happy . . . cake! Here's a timeline of birthday sweets I've scarfed (though sadly no cakes were documented during my punk or goth years, as I was too busy dieting for my wedding to Nick Cave and fantasizing about impending doom to think about anything having to do with birth). My late-90s and most of the 2000s are also absent due to a tragic harddrive theft years ago (hypnotism may be the next thing I try to get over this). Thanks mom & Dad for always singing Happy Birthday to me, even as I rolled my teenage eyes.

Top and above: Stuffing my face at my 1st birthday party c.1976, Woodland Hills, CA (loving the round mauve sunnies and my mum's striped sailor tee). Below: My holy childhood trinity of Mickey, Snoopy, and Hollie Hobby (1977-1979).

Above: Party at McDonald's (which I had to cry and beg my mom to let me have, as she hated for us to eat fast food) c.1980. Below, Left: An ironically tacky pink cake held by high school friends Kelly & Jill, at a '70s themed birthday beer fest (thrown while my parents were out of town, and also in celebration of our friend Pat joining Nirvana), c.1992. Right: Celebrating and pouting through My 18th birthday, N. Hollywood, CA, 1993 (during a Jean Harlow obsessed period).

Above: With stylist Scott Free and designer Pegah Anvarian in my coconut bra and Betty Grable 'do during a luau themed pool party at Chez Brandt, c.1995 (I did feel a little pissed when Gwen Stefani copped this hair/make-up vibe later on). Note the giant glitter paintings of Dorothy's ruby slippers, Boy George, and a Big Top Pee Wee posters adorning the walls of my parent's kitchen.

Above, Left: Family party for my 19th, in our old Valley Village, CA dining room. I'm wearing a Cynthia Rowley denim halter dress, and cherry barrette adorning my Madonna "Rain" video/Edie Sedgwick inspired hair cut. Middle: Brief pink juicy sweatsuit phase after breaking-up with a longtime beau, and pretending all was normal. We went to Casa Vega in Studio City for the first of many birthday flans. Right: Another flan at El Compadre (followed by one of their epic flaming margaritas), Hollywood, c.1998?

Above, Left: Another party at my parents old house on Morrison St. in Valley Village, c.2005 (with what is still one of my favorite cakes . . . Raspberries & Creme from Urth Café). Right: With the lovely Christina Caruso at the legendary Elaine's in NYC (R.I.P.!), c.2010. Below, Left: Plastered on Nigori at a sushi joint in Westchester, c.2012. Below, Right: Blowing out the candle on my most favorite dessert of all time . . . the warm nutella, olive oil & sea salt pizza at Pulino's, NYC, c.2012.

And a hip-hip-hoorah too all my fellow Geminis! Most especially; Marilyn Monroe, Gena Rowlands, Cyndi Lauper, Walt Whitman, Laurie Anderson, Josephine Baker, Prince, Siouxsie Sioux, Irving Penn, Sandra Bernhard, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Jamie Oliver, M.K. & Ashley, Boy George, Isabella Rossellini, Michael Cera, Sun Ra, Jacques Cousteau, Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, Nick Drake, Carey Mulligan, Queen Victoria, Modigliani, Rosalind Russell, Isadora Duncan, Harvey Milk, Ann Wilson of Heart, Brian Wilson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Bob Dylan, Peggy Lee, Roger Ebert, Brooke Shields, Judy Garland, Vincent Price, Dashiell Hammett, Levon Helm, Angelina Jolie, JFK, and Nicole Kidman.

Above: Another shot of the long dreamed about nutella pizza at Pulino's with fave ladies, Christina Caruso & Hayley Kaufman, c.2012.

Ghost Flower.

I've been reading Portrait of an Artist, Laurie Lisle's inspiring biography of Georgia O'Keeffe, who was born on this day in 1887.

So, wherever you are Georgia, up in that pink and turquoise Southwestern sky, I'd like to thank you for all the organic artistry you've inspired us with, and wish you a peaceful birthday. Here's hoping that you and Stieglitz are together, setting up the ultimate art gallery in the clouds.

Above: O'Keeffe inside her beloved Ghost Ranch home in Abiquiu, New Mexico, as photographed by Karsh, 1957.

I was a teen-age goth.

Each and every October, when Vincent Price movies are projected at midnight in local revival theatres, Siouxsie & the Banshees songs slink out of the radio, and historic cemeteries begin to give spooky night-time tours . . . I'm reminded that I was once a 15 year-old, clove cigarette-smoking, Munsters lunch-box carrying, kohl eyeliner addicted, goth.

During this chilly time of year, whenever I wake to a rainy grey sky, I'm filled with nostalgia for lazy days spent lying on my bed in tattered '30s silk-velvet gowns (once so cheap and easy to find), listening to Love and Rockets LPs, drawing spiderwebs on my school notebook, and talking on the phone to my vintage hearse-driving, Robert Smith look-a-like beau.

So, when I spotted Tabitha Simmons's perfect pointy death-rock booties, it took me back to a day, circa the early-90s, when I sold a garbage bag full of dresses at Claudia's Boutique in the Valley, and hopped in a cab to a rock n' roll supply shop on Hollywood Blvd., so I could hand the Nikki Sixx wannabe behind the counter $100, and buy a long-coveted pair of black patent stilettos with skull buckles (photographic evidence above).

My parents would have keeled-over at first glance of these treacherous heels, so I kept them hidden in my Mary Poppins needlepoint doctors bag, and the moment I was in the clear, out they came, ready to ghost-dance the night away to Sisters of Mercy.

So, in homage to my inappropriately dramatique after-school shopping ensemb's of spike-heels and floor-length velvet gowns, here are some stylish vintage finds to achieve this sinister Fall look . . .

 

Above: Antique handcrafted diamond and ruby snake bracelet, Tabitha Simmons Early boots ($1,130), me at age 15 browsing on Hollywood Blvd. in my skull buckle stilettos, rare antique sterling lion claw necklace ($3,950) c.1900

  

Above: Victorian Whitby jet and silver buckle bracelet ($850) c.1860s, Dova needlepoint handbag c.1950s ($99), blood red silk velvet and chiffon déshabillé coat c.1920s, Radley of London moss crepe and satin gown c.1970s ($825), midnight blue silk velvet bias cut gown ($1,250) c.1930s

Passover/Make-Over.

A major Vintager make-over is currently in the works, so please pardon both my absence, and my dust. The official unveiling will occur within the next few days, so stay tuned! Its also been quite mad over here at Chez Taylor . . . with lots of dancing around to '70s Italo-Disco in our socks, after receiving a wonderful write-up last week in the New York Times style mag, about our design/letterpress co. (mon Dieu)!

More updates soon, and a warm and Happy Passover holiday to all those who celebrate. L'chaim!

Artwork: Shlomo Katz, c.1979

Songs for Sweethearts.

Hope everyone had a swoony Valentine's eve. As a romantic gift to you, I've created a soundtrack to love . . . for all those currently in the throws of it, and on hiatus from it (and regarding the latter state, make sure you're enjoying every moment and getting lots of projects done, since solo-time never lasts for long). Here's the playlist:

1. Seabird ~ Alessi Brothers

2. Sweetheart ~ Marianne Faithfull

3. Prisoner of Love ~ James Brown

4. Willow's Song ~ From The Wicker Man

5. I Found a Reason (Demo) ~ The Velvet Underground

6. I Don't Know Why (Alternate Take) ~ Nat King Cole Trio

7. Pardon my Heart ~ Neil Young & Crazy Horse

8. May This be Love ~ Jimi Hendrix

9. I Dig You ~ Cult Hero/The Cure

10. Le Petite Fille De La Mer ~ Vangelis

11. My Only Love ~ Bryan Ferry

12. Hypnotized ~ Fleetwood Mac

13. I'm Making Believe ~ Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots

And speaking of love hiatuses, if you are now in-between relationships, and feeling blue about it, know that true love is just around the corner, and it does indeed arrive when you least expect it. My relationship is evidence of these cliches . . . as i'd been single for four years, and after a stream of ill-advised crushes, tearful Friday nights alone with Turner Classic Movies, and dozens of awkward blind-dates (I actually went on one with the creator of the show Blind Date. Meta enough for you?), I had totally given up. Then . . . on the very morning that I woke up feeling totally empowered and inspired, vowing that I was finally happy on my own, able to focus all my attention on the book I was writing, and that i'd be much more content as an un-married muse, a-la Stevie Nicks or Garbo, I walked into my publishers office for a meeting and POW . . . I met my forever dude.

See . . . it really happens. Especially when you stop watching Netflix movies, and actually leave the house once in a while (great advice which only took me four-years to actually put into action).

Wishing you love, love, love, and hoping you adore the tunes!

Love Letters.

I can't think of a better Valentine's gift than a vintage red Olivetti Valentine typewriter (hint, hint, Mr. Taylor). Designed in 1969 by Ettore Sottsass and Perry King as an "anti-machine machine," for use "anyplace but an office." It came with a hard-case and a handle, which made it easily transportable, so if you wanted to write erotic poetry whilst laying on the beach in Mustique, you could (c'mon . . . this was an epic concept, pre-laptop).

Above: Three groovy promotional posters for the Valentine, designed by Egidio Bonfante, c.1970. Below: Milton Glaser, c.1969, and Ettore Sottsass, c.1969 (i'm currently on the hunt to find an original of this, preferably in orange). To view an archive of  more fab promotional posters for the Valentine, go here.

Yet if the Olivetti proves too difficult to find . . . Zuni turquoise rings, Cecil Beaton's Art of the Scrapbook, or '20s kimonos from Illisa's vintage lingerie, would also be much adored ; )

Happy Valentine's Day!

. . . and many more!

Please raise a fancy champagne flute, as it has been brought to my attention that The Vintager is now officially 200 posts old (mon dieu)! I'm looking forward to bringing you much more vintage inspiration, along with dusty-yet-dazzling discoveries, for many eras to come. ~ J.B.T. ~

New Year. New You.

May 2011 be an absolute Heaven.

Much love and vintaging in the new age,

~ J.B.T. ~

Image: Postcard illustrated by Kathryn Elliott, c.1912 (New York Public Library collection)

Have a very merry vintage holiday, my snow bunnies. See you in 2011!

Snowflakes and Seventies Saint Laurent,

~ J.B.T. ~

Above: Yours truly, c.1977-78, Woodland Hills, CA (and i'd still totally wear that).

There's a Moon Out Tonight.

I'm off for vintaging and visiting with loved-ones in D.C. for the holidays, but before I split, I wanted to give a gift straight from my heart . . . click here for a compilation of cozy tunes I created just for you, dear fellow vintager. May it inspire you through your Wintertime hibernation, or be the perfect soundtrack for making angels in the snow.

Playlist as Follows:

1. A special message from Marc Bolan

2. It's Raining ~ Irma Thomas

3. Coldest Night of the Year ~ Vashti Bunyan

4. I Don't Intend to Spend Christmas Without You ~ Margo Guryan

5. Evening Star ~ Brian Eno & Robert Fripp

6. A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid ~ Fats Waller

7. Winter Wonderland ~ Darlene Love

8. Stormbringer ~ John Martyn

9. If There is Something ~ Roxy Music

10. There's a Moon Out Tonight ~ The Capris

11. Wintertime Love ~ The Doors

12. Christmas Wrapping ~ The Waitresses

13. Walking in the Rain ~ Walker Brothers

14. Walking in the Rain ~ Grace Jones

15. Starlight ~ Electric Light Orchestra

May the moon and the melodies be with you in 2011 (and always),

~ J.B.T. ~

 

Tinseltown.

I've decided to make everyone's holiday gifts this year by hand, so as you can imagine . . . i've been working my digits to the bone. Loved ones will be recieving a variety of prezzies; decoupaged vases, seashell jewelery, CD compilations, moon & star-shaped cookies, fresh-baked granola, and custom journals.

I'm also in the process of designing our holiday card, which i'll share soon, but for now, here is a totally adorable and inspiring Christmas card, created in 1964 using sparkly tinsel and special effects, by surrealist photographer Angus McBean:

Bon Anniversaire!

Happy birthday to my beautiful, kind, and inspiring mother, who raised me to be the vintager that I am today. I've been planning an epic post about her amazing personal style and colorful biography for eons, but for now, here are some favorite shots of the très chic Madame Moira, throughout the years;

How totally Debbie Harry is she in the above photo, c.early-1980s? The braid!

Love to you Mom, here's to fun cocktail-filled evening!

~ Me, Mr. Taylor (& Ali Baba too!)

Boo who.

Being that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, i've decided to share a mini-history of costumes i've worn on ghosty night . . . and I say mini-history, since many photos of bebe J.B.T. were sadly lost in a fire years ago (real-life spooky vibes!). So here is the best (and worst) of The Vintager on Hallows Eve:

(Above): My sister Lizzie and I were Broadway performers (natch'), and I remember crying lots because I really wanted to show off my sequined bow tie vest and my mom wouldn't let me leave the house without a cardigan. During this time I was also obsessed with A Chorus Line, and would force Lizzie to "rehearse" One . . . Singular Sensation over & over & over (apologies, Lizzie). My big finale during these performances involved holding my cane and top hat in the air and jumping on my dad's exercise trampoline.

(Left): Lizzie as Strawberry Shortcake and me as Lemon Meringue (sadly, the photo was damaged in the fire mentioned above, which ignited due to a bad fuse on my dad's giant '80s black lacquer salt-water fishtank = dangerous decor!). (Right): Broadway babies, again.

(Above): As a "New Waver", c.1983 (love the white lipstick, Snoopy: Feed the World tee, plastic music note tote, I also recall that my hi-tops were silver lamé).

(Left): We lived down the street from a professional make-up supplier to the film industry, so they helped Lizzie out with some pretty realistic horror-movie effects and I just went as a ghost bride, which wasn't a stretch since I was a goth at this point and probably would've worn that out dancing. (Right): Beatnic chic, inspired by my first viewing of Funny Face, c.early-'90s.

(Left): If this isn't the most '90s photo you've ever seen, I hereby challenge you to prove it. First of all, i'm at a rave, secondly i'm a go-go dancing alien and my beau at the time was dressed as Elvis-as-inspired by Nicolas Cage in Wild at Heart. Not to mention that in this pic alone, there is a grunge guy, a girl with dreads, and a dude with one suspender strap down. (Right): As a bunny for a screening of Suspiria in Downtown L.A., c.late 1990s, where my beau at the time and I were the only people in the theatre.

(Left): With my beloved friend Heather Porcaro (who dressed as an Eliza Doolittle-esque magical street urchin), and me as the St. Pauli Girl, c.early-2000's. (Right): As '70s Jerry Hall at Canter's Deli in L.A. (nice pickles)!

(Above): DJ-ing D.L. & Co.'s Halloween soirée as a Moulin Rouge dancer, c.2003.

(Above): As Tippi Hedren in The Birds, c.2005 (where I rigged little crows behind my jacket, bobbing up & down on wires so they looked like they were flying in the distance). Such a fun get-up to create!

(Above): At MTV's 2007 Halloween party in NYC, as Janis Joplin (they wouldn't let me bring in my bottle of Southern Comfort, which I felt really completed the look).

Happy Halloween, you glamorous goblins!

L'Chaim (To Life)!

Happy Yom Kippur (Jewish New Year) . . .

Now off to nosh . . .

The Birthday Party.

Your truly in my favorite stripey bikini and Holly Hobbie lunch pail (Malibu, c.1978).

Today I became 35 years of age (Geminis represent!), and it actually feels good. Since I usually get pretty contemplative on my special day, I decided to lay low this year, so the mister and I celebrated by going to the legendary Elaine's for dinner, followed by a 'teekin'/record hunting trip around our 'hood in Upstate NY. Vintage angels must've been casting their bargain hunting beams down on us today because we scored tons of treasures . . . like a 1930s scrapbook full of rare Hollywood star photos, a wicker suitcase from the 1940s, a 1920s black cast iron ashtray in the shape of a whale that says "Sag Harbor", and about 30 records from a great vinyl shop that was sadly going of business.

And as i've found out through various emails people have sweetly sent, June 19th happens to be an historically awesome day . . . it was the day that the Statue of Liberty arrived in NYC, the day that Congress officially prohibited slavery in the U.S. (1862), and the very first nickelodeon opened (1905), showing The Great Train Robbery (no wonder I love film so much).

Also, many fabulous people share this day of birth with me, so I will now send those people b-day wishes as well . . .

Gena Rowlands, who a few years back was celebrating in the same restaurant as my family and I (apparently a favorite of hers), and as we were getting up to leave, she came up and hugged me warmly while saying "happy birthday". So I told her I grew up in L.A. and had frequently spotted her in my favorite lunch spot, to which she replied, "well then, we'll have to celebrate together next year!". She's the ultimate Gemini goddess, and her in-person luminosity could knock you over with a feather.

Nick Drake, who was sadly gone too soon, but whose magical, timeless tunes will be loved forever.

Ann Wilson of Heart, who my sister used to dress up as in the '80s and sing These Dreams into a hairbrush, while i'd dress as Nancy, and pretend to play guitar on my dad's tennis racquet accompanied by attempts to do her patented guitar solo high-kick. We love you, Dreamboat Annie!

Good birthday vibes also to; Pauline Kael, Wallis Simpson, Louis Jourdan, Pier Angeli, Mia Sara, Paula Abdul, Kathleen Turner, and Salman Rushdie . . . hope you had a nice one.

And kisses to everyone that sent me gifts and messages for the occasion . . . I love you.

Happy Day 'O' Peeps!

With much Easter love, every bunny!

~ J.B.T.

God Jul.

Have a happy, magical holiday and an inspiring 2010!

Gingerbread and Yule Logs,

~ J.B.T.

Jive Turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving, vintage friends!

 

Love & cranberry kisses,

~ J.B.T. + That Girl! ~

Calling all my ghosty boos . . .

Happy spooky, kooky, cozy Halloween!

Gothic clove-scented kisses,

~ J.B.T. ~

Nice Sparklers.

Happy 4th of July, lovelies!

Free to be you and me,

~  J.B.T. (& Ava Gardner) ~

*And if anyone happens to be in upstate NY this weekend, we will be selling fabulous antiques, (from our cross-country travels), vintage home decor items, as well as our new Thunderwing line of letterpressed cards and hand-bound journals, at the Cold Spring River Festival, tomorrow, July 5th! Hope to see you!

Your Mama.

I'm incredibly lucky to be able to say that I have not one, but two amazing moms. Both of which I
love with all my heart and soul (and really miss seeing on a daily basis). So to my mommy, Moira, and my "milly" Louise . . . have a Happy, Lovely, Mothers Day (can't wait to see you both soon)!

Kisses from your adoring kids,

~ J + N + A.B. (the grand-Pug)

Here are some favorite photos for all to enjoy, of my two fabulous, gorgeous madres . . .

 

Lookin' Fine in 2009.

Here's to a happy, inspiring, creative, and peaceful 2009!

Love, love, and more love ~ From  Mrs. & Mr. Taylor

P.S. More posts to come this week . . . promise! We've been traveling like mad, and have many rad discoveries to share with you.

XO's from Upstate NY (where it's snowing like crazy)!

Happy Easter, every bunny!

Vintage postcard: "riptheskull" on flickr

Won't you be my Valentine?

I want to wish everyone a happy, flirty Valentine's Day!

And if you happen to be flying solo this evening, and are a made to feel sad about it when you see  anything with the tag-line "a diamond is forever", keep in mind that you will soon meet someone special, since love appears when you least expect it, and then you will no-longer have any awesome alone-time when you can wear crappy PJ's all day, and watch Rock of Love marathons without feeling guilty.

So make the most of this night!  . . . go to dinner with a funny friend, eat a big cupcake, do a tacky arts & crafts project, redecorate your living room, just whatever you do, DO NOT listen to Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me by The Smiths, because that will just lead to sobbing, boozing and gothic-teenager-esque melodramatic thoughts of offing yourself (I know this firsthand). If you're going to listen to music, listen to Stevie Nicks, or Marianne Faithfull, who are both smart, smokin' sexy, single broads, who are totally content and empowered by the fact that their most enduring relationships have been with their art. Or read online about awesome sculptress Beatrice Wood (Aka; the Mama of Dada), who preferred not to be tied down by marriage, and had young lovers up until the ripe ol' age of 105!

My list of perfect movies to watch on Valentine's eve:

~ Pretty in Pink
~ Harold & Maude
~ Minnie & Moskowitz
~ Bell, Book and Candle
~ Sixteen Candles
~ Slaves of New York
~ My Man Godfrey
~ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
~ Paper Moon

And, if you LOVE vintage Valentine cards, your heart will swoon at the wonderful archives here and here.

P.S. Don't forget to check out the two new photo galleries I posted (right column) of Anna Sui's last two collections. At the recent Fall 2008 collection, stylesight.com snapped a photo of me in my favorite leopard coat and '40s tilt-hat, alongside my gorgeous friend Christina Caruso (the fabulous jewelry designer), which you can see here.

XO's + heart shaped boxes to everyone!