How to Wear Cashmere by the College Kids

Coming home from Capri was a lesson for me in how the younger generation throws on a cashmere. I LOVED seeing the Three in cashmere they have collected over the seasons from my shop. NOW, for me, this is what it is all about. Nope, not a new sweater from this season, but beautifully worn-in favorites from past seasons. Their appreciation for proper care-taking of their cashmere impressed me. As they are all three away in college, each one has their method for cleaning.....Isabelle and Tatiana hand wash and lay flat to dry.......Francois sends his to the cleaners. Crimson is proud to have them as customers.

Francois loves Crimson's cardies. He throws them on with his jeans and a t-shirt, but explained that for evenings out, with a great white oxford shirt, he feels dressed up.

Isabelle is wearing Crimson's cardigan with gros-grain trim around the neck and on the pockets. The scarf was her pick for the new Fall 2011 season. However, she mixed it well with her summer shorts.

Tatiana never leaves home without her hoodie. Must say even I get tired of seeing it morning, noon and night!!! Whatever........she LOVES it........and I LOVE her.......

My summer vacation with them is over and I just wanted to tell them how much I enjoyed being with them. Tatiana and I are leaving for NYC tomorrow and I will be driving her back to school at Smith in Massachusetts. Francois and Isabelle are packing up and leaving for their respective colleges in Boston. Guys, I love you and wish you a wonderful year at school....

For you, my readers, I will post from NYC .......Now, that Hurrican Irina has travelled on through........xxxxxxxx's Linda

Isabelle in Capri

Isabelle has been my daughter's best.........and I mean BEST...........friend since they were three years of age. They can be in different countries and separated by seas, but this has never kept either one of them from calling at least once a week. It is the most beautiful of friendships.

Isabelle is undoubtedly one of the most chic and certainly one of the most stylish young ladies I have ever had the pleasure of knowing..........If I had to sum up Isabelle in one word........GRACE.

Kisses from Capri, Linda

Off to Capri

Last week of summer vacation in Capri. The nicest part is I am spending it with my daughter, Tatiana and her best friend Isabelle and her brother, Francois.

Isabelle and Francois have a lovely family home in Capri, and this is where we are.

Have been without internet for a few days, but now we are up and running.....So, first day's post after first day out on the sea.......

On a very personal note, I will admit to you all, that by the sea is where I always feel my best. Have never been able to figure that one out. Afterall, I grew up on solid ground in West Texas....

Must have been in another life..........Meanwhile, I am loving my life this week.......

The end of summer is always so nostalgic. Think I will go have a last Bellini (champagne and fresh peach juice) in Capri this evening. You know......just to toast the summer goodbye.

Cotton voile top is vintage Marni

Liberty cotton print short by Crimson

Straw beach bag at Crimson

Envelope Lobster Purse by Anya Hindmarch

Tropezienne sandals by Rondini

Sunglasses by Bottega Veneta

Ave. Montaigne in my Black Mac

I have lunch everyday of the week at the same restaurant.....Hanawa......the best Japanese restaurant in Paris. Everyday I cross ave. Montaigne on my way to Hanawa from my boutique.

It is a lovely avenue.....tree lined and with the prettiest boutiques in town. I cross over at Harry Winston, pass by Nina Ricci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and Dior and then turn the corner between Chloe and Chanel. There is also, Pucci, Gucci and Prada further up. Ralph Lauren and Marni further down. By the time I arrive at my table my head is full of beautiful images. These boutiques always have the most wonderful windows. Right now everything is turning to fall. There are gorgeous fall colors in rich textured fabrics. I noticed great neckaces for Dior thrown around the mannequins necks. The new Nina Ricci collection is so girly. Fendi has a new color selection in their Peek-a-Boo bag (this has been my obsession for a year now...still have not justified the puchase). Chanel boots in grey, chocolate and black. Silver and Bronz metallics for the 2.55 Chanel or otherwise known as the original Chanel. This week I will take pictures of the new fall windows for your viewing pleasure. You would like this, right?

My original reason for this post was to express my love for the raincoat I am wearing. Mackintosh still handmade in Scotland after a million years.......or something like that. I love my summer purchase of these Alaia suede and leopard sole shoes. Note the leopard lining in my Mac. I got matchy-matchy today.

Oh, and look at my necklace, girls. In fact I put three bracelets together and made this a necklace. Two silver link bracelets and my YSL shell bracelet from last summer. The YSL bracelet was not working on my wrist........too awkward for the computer. I am such a practical girl!!!

Another rainy weekend...........xx Linda

Merci and Me

Uh, this is a very random posting, but whatever........

I liked what I had on this day, but maybe you will say what is the BIG deal. There ain't, except I liked it.........So why, you are asking (or not asking or not caring)? Here is the deal......I am wearing a vintage seersucker pant from Ralph Lauren, a vintage cashmere cardie from Crimson (yea, boring), a vintage cashmere navy blazer from Arthur and Fox and a vintage grosgrain belt from Crimson (yea, really boring), T-shirt from 45 RPM, and my Chanel bag is this year.......Yay!!! Anyway, once again, what is the big deal? I love the fushia in the sweater that picks up the fushia in the belt. That's all.......does not always have to be fancy stuff, does it?

There is a wonderful place in Paris called Merci........located in the Marais.......

It hosts all sorts of things........oh yea, fancy people call this a Concept Store. Once again, whatever......There are clothes, there are tea towels, there are books, there are sheets........I bought sheets.........washed linen in delicious colors.........pale pink, cream, white, pale grey, darker grey, mint green, faded turquoise.......I bought a pale pink duvet cover and a pale pink sheet set and then got nuts and bought a cream colored oversized sheet to put under my mattress to make do as a bed ruffle sort of thing........Got home and decided that was all wrong and will take it all back tomorrow and go for all pale grey and do the bed ruffle in pale pink.

Aren't you glad you clicked on today..............

TOLD you this was all random..........Love you, too.........Linda

Joelle - Style is her Job

You might remember when I mentioned Joelle about a year ago? She had just invited me to a lovely house she had redesigned and redecorated in St. Remy de Provence.

Joelle has worked as a longtime collaborator for many important people in the fashion and interior design world. She worked along side Christian Liaigre in the beginning of his important career. Karl Lagerfeld called upon her to revamp Chanel accessories and his private homes. Joelle was responsable for bringing Karl from 18th century to the present with her impeccable eye for what is beautiful NOW.......in the PRESENT.

There are a lot of people I admire in the way they dress themselves or their homes. However, if I had to name one for whom I could follow as my guru, that would be Joelle.

She is modern without being mode........she is classy without being boring......she is STYLE in every sense of the word. Her world revolves around it. One week she is in England deciding on the right woods with the right veins for a brownstone in NYC, another week she hops a plane to Pisa to visit a marble quarry. Let me see, now........oh yes, how about those oversized japanese bonsai plants she insisted on finding for a terrace in Cannes. The client in Biarritz wants to redo the pool, so Joelle starts visiting the "best" stones in France. Those beautiful linens she found for me in Belgium!!! Endless is her research for every detail. Personally, I am embarrassed for my inquisitive looks each time I see her. Oh yes, I want to know where she gets everything. She is generous........she gives with pleasure all her favorite addresses. Now that is STYLE.

Sweater - Lucien Pellet Finet

T-Shirt - Marni

Pant - Current Elliott

Sandals - K Jacques

Bag - Prada

Bracelets.........from around the world

Hair Barrette - Odile Gilbert for Colette

Eye Glasses - Tom Ford

Raining in Paris........Too wet for my jogging in the Tuileries...........GREAT, I will go have a Mocha Soya at Rose Bakery.............

Love you, Linda

Blonde Babe from Bourges

You see this guy? Well, this is typical of a guy's reaction when they see Agnes.

Tu vois ? C'est toujours la reaction les mecs quand Agnes est la.

What is it about her? That million dollar babe smile?

Cest quoi au juste? Son sourire qui vaut des milliards?

The fact that she wears killer Louboutin heels everyday and walks as if she were born in them.

Le fait qu'elle porte les talons de Louboutin tout les jours et est tellement naturelle que on pense que elle est nee dedans.

She is non-stop positive energy all day. I pity the poor guy who walks in Crimson's door and thinks he might walk out without a purchase. Ain't gonna happen. He will melt when he meets her eyes. DO NOT ever leave us Ne Nes (my pet name for her)........

Elle est non-stop energy tout la journee. J'ai de la peine pour le monsieur qui rentre chez Crimson et pense que il peut partir les mains vides. IMPOSSIBLE!!! Quand il a vue les yeux d'Agnes, il dis Oui a tout.........Il faut jamais nous quitter, Ne Nes ( je l'appelle comme ca)

Sac du Jour

Day bag is her black Birkin

Pour porter ses baskets pour le sport

Her gym bag is just a Goyard (Jeez Louise, girlfriend)

Talons avec le semelle Rouge? OUI, on sais.

Those heels with the red sole? Yea, we know.

Beautiful Black Poncho is so very CRIMSON

Jean? Sais pas, et je m'en fou..la fille a fait du sport depuis toujours et Ca Se Vois. Je recommence demain mon sport.........jamais trop tard, no?

Jean? I do not know and I do not care. The fact is she looks good in anything.....could be the fact that she has been exercising her whole life and IT SHOWS. Think I will start working out tomorrow. Never too late, right?

So you have now met Florence and Agnes. There is one other girl who works with me at Crimson, but she is on vacation. We will catch up with Natacha in September.

Maintenant, vous conaissez Florence et Agnes. Il y a une autre fille qui travaille avec moi. Comme elle est en vacances, on verra Natacha a la rentree.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer. Kisses (Bisous) Linda

Je m'excuse pour toutes les erreurs que j'ai pu faire en Francais. Je voulais juste pour une fois faire plaisir a mes lectrices dans votre langue. J'ai honte, mais je vous aime.

I have just apoligized here for all the errors I have made in my written french. However, I wanted all my french readers to know I care to try.