Girl Crush: Uma Thurman

I originally saw the incredible series of Polaroids by Hollywood casting director Bonnie Timmermann on Model's Own blog, and I was literally left breathless by this photo of Uma. This shot was taken at the very beginning of her career! I have always loved her -- lanky, sensual, and beautiful without being overly perfect. She is so sexy in her early films: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Henry & June, and Dangerous Liaisons are some of my favorites {probably because I saw them when I was young and impressionable}. And Quentin Tarantino was certainly justified in making her his muse: Pulp Fiction is incredibly memorable, in part because of her quirky character; but, her role as "The Bride" in Kill Bill is just...well, killer. Have you heard there's a third Kill Bill in the works??

Enough gushing for now...

Current Obsession: Dreamy Chiffon Dresses

{All dresses via Net-a-Porter}

If the new spring selection at Net-a-porter is any indicator, the general vibe of spring/summer is going to be a combination of Stevie-Nicks-ethereal and edgy-Greek-goddess. I'm not typically a flowy dress kind of girl, but after a few seasons of seeing hard edges, zippers, spikes, and uber-body-conscious looks everywhere, I'm ready for softer lines, longer hems, and CHIFFON -- lots and lots of chiffon! Stevie would approve...

Now, I just need to find some options that are a bit more price-friendly -- any suggestions?

::And what about you, dear readers? What trend are you ready to say "au revoir" to, and which are you ready to embrace?

Blog It Forward...

Hello, my peaches. I wanted to let you all know about a fun project I will be participating in -- and you should, too! The Blog It Forward Mashup is headed up by the talented lady behind sfgirlbybay. Check out the details on her site, and drop Victoria a line if you want to take part. We’re going to share a connected stream of blogger posts on ‘what inspires us the most’ on our individual blogs, but link back & forward to the other blogs participating, a bit like a chain letter (but, hopefully a lot less annoying!).

This should be fun...

A Little "Ta-Ra--Ra-Boom De-Ay" for Your Mon-De-Ay

Tell me this fun little ditty doesn't get stuck in your head the rest of the day! I've been envisioning myself Cancan dancing in a big pink dress ever since I found this on Youtube. Here's what the historian Holbrook Jackson had to say about this all-too-catchy tune:

"In the 1890's the chorus song "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay" spread like a dancing flame through the land, obsessing the minds of young and old, gay and sedate until it became a veritable song-pest, provoking satires upon itself, even in the music halls of its origins. No song ever took a people in quite the same way: from 1892 to 1896 it affected the country {England} like an epidemic..."

The version above is from the 1940's film "Happy Go Lucky," but the original songstress that took the popular American song and turned it into a hit in England, was singer/dancer Lottle Collins. While touring in vaudeville in the United States in 1891, she heard the song "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay!" After she sang it at the Tivoli Music Hall in London in November 1891, it became her signature piece {source}. And isn't she divine!? No wonder the song was such a hit...

::More about the lovely Lottie Collins here.