Style speculation

I have a love-hate relationship with the shoes I wore today.

Love the way they look.

Hate the way they feel.

But, as always, love over-powers hate!

By Erin na'Marie Lester

Quotes to live by

Fashion Inspiration 7/10/2013

Today my fashion inspiration came from Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl, portrayed by the beautiful and stylish Leighton Meester.

Outfit #3

A statement so true

It doesn't have to be trash yet..

Round one of jewelry fixing i complete! Necklaces happen next week.

It's nice to have some old friends back!

Just because you break it, doesn't mean you have to throw it! Salvage some of your treasures, and show them off! They deserve it for how beautiful they are..

My necklaces will be a harder task to complete. But I'm hoping with the help from my mom and Hobby Lobby, they will not be a lost cause.

Never give up hope on fashion.

And the treasure hunt to find the best jewelry armoire continues.. I have all this beautiful jewelry, and I need to find a beautiful way to store and display my collection!

Try something new year's resolution

So this year, I decided to try new things.

I really would like to try water and snow sports this year. My roommate Kimmy's family has a house on a lake, and they have a boat of course. So this goal is doable, and I hope I will finally gather up enough courage to just do it, as Nike says.

In the meantime, I have been broadening my horizons with food that I have scared myself from trying. Most have been to my expectations. Meaning, I didn't like them, as I had imagined. But some have surprised me. For instance, today I tried sushi, and it was quite enjoyable!

Also today, my friend and co-worker Dawn took the girls on our team and her daughter Camryn out for pedicures. It was a gift for handling her work while she was on vacation. A Disney cruise, the lucky family!

Now that I got my nails done, I'm ready for summer! I'm ready for the lake. I'm ready for the pool! Unfortunately, it is freezing out today. Oh well, something to look forward to.

I decided to go with a coral. Or orange, as Janell put it. And can't forget the diamonds! (The picture doesn't do them justice..)

Just do it

I don't remember having cool kicks like this when I was a little girl!

Snow better time for flats

So, the day after the big snow storm was somewhat nice. I decided to wear my cute, comfortable houndstooth flats with my red skinny jeans.

One of my neighbors saw me, and could not believe I was wearing these shoes in the winter time. She exclaimed, "You must be a local!"

It turns out that she moved here from Arizona. And although she lived in Colorado at one point, she has still not adapted to the colder environment.

It is true. I was born and raised in South Dakota. Where, once the temperature starts hitting 40º we wear a jacket or a sweatshirt outside.

I must say though, that I have braved the snow and much colder temperature wearing flats or heels. It's not like I'm going for a hike! Just a short walk from my car to the bank or my apartment, or vice versa.

It's a small price to pay for fashion.

The shoes: Famous Footwear $19.99 on clearance -- However, at the time I bought them, clearance items were "Buy one, get one." So they ended up being around $15.99. Got to love a good deal!

It's a colorful world

I love black and white photos, black and white movies, etc. Ted Grant, an award-winning photographer, once said, "When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!"

I agree with this quote, but I also take advantage of our opportunity to enjoy color.

One of my favorite novels is The Giver by Lois Lowry. It is about a different time, one we have not yet seen. One much different than that which we know now.. and then. This one takes place in the future, where everyone is chosen a job, or "gift." We live through Jonas's story in this novel. He has been chosen to be the "Receiver of Memories." He learns what life used to be before (or now, as we live). He lives in a black and white world, where no choices are his own. His story is written for him, his choices made for him.

Black and white photos may be beautiful, intense, emotional. 

But color is magical 

... and powerful. 

Pencil replica by Erin Lester

"The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!" Coco Chanel

Timeless beauty

I had so much fun today, surrounding myself in beauty.

My favorite writer, Ralph Waldo Emerson quoted, "Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old, but of the natural."

Many people find me odd for loving this style of furniture. Some, like my friend Edward, call me an "old soul," which I find flattering.

There's nothing like finding a 200-year-old-plus piece of furniture, clothing or artwork that takes you back to a much more beautiful and elegant time period.

I own several cloche hats, a few classic movies such as Casablanca and many haranguer pieces my great-grandmother Ferne created.

I agree with Margaret O'Brien because she once said, "I was always fascinated, even as a child, by antiques and ancient times. I always felt I should have been born in the 17th or 18th century."

Thankfully, antique stores have allowed this style of furniture to be timeless. Time periods such as the Victorian Era, the Renaissance and Gothic cannot be forgotten or destroyed. They must remain to be admired and cherished, and I plan to do just that!

I could seriously spend hours in antique stores. That's the greatest thing about them. Sometimes you have to dig to find the true treasures.

Here are a few that I found:

This marvelous work of art was the most beautiful piece that I came across today. I kept getting drawn back to it. I really wish I could afford it right now. I might have to wait another paycheck ... or two.

Can you tell that I love gold? Here is another lovely piece. French and fabulous!

Beautiful brown velvet settee. 

One of my dreams, once I find my love and get engaged, I want to find some beautiful pieces of antique furniture for  engagement and wedding photos. A velvet settee such as this one would be gorgeous, but I'm thinking more of a Victorian-style chaise, such as the one pictured below.

http://furniturevictorian.com/

Can't you just picture a beautiful bride in a beautiful wedding gown posing on this beautiful furniture?

I had to get a photo of this beautiful chandelier and silver set.

Next are a couple photographs of my second favorite piece of furniture:

I hope you enjoyed this blog as much as I enjoyed browsing through all this beauty. I can't wait to go again!

Furniture Victorian is a great web site for anyone who enjoys this style. Another one of my favorites is http://www.antiquefurniture.com/.