Here are two books we think manage this tricky feat:

A Natural History of the Senses, by Diane Ackerman. This Amazon review will give you a sense of this beauty:

“‘One of the real tests of writers,” notes Ackerman in this liveliest of nature books, “is how well they write about smells. If they can’t describe the scent of sanctity in a church, can you trust them to describe the suburbs of the heart?”

Ackerman passes the test, writing with ease and fluency about the five senses. Did you know that bat guano smells like stale Wheat Thins? That Bach’s music can quell anger around the world? That the leaves that shimmer so beautifully in fall have “no adaptive purpose”? Ackerman does, and she guides us through questions of sensation with an eye for the amusingly arcane reference and just the right phrase.”

Woman: An Intimate Geography, by Natalie Angier.

This is biology written about beautifully, passionately, and with humor. The New York Times called it “A tour de force … a wonderful, engaging, and informative book.” From Publishers Weekly:

“With wit and verve, Angier discusses such topics as ovulation, conception and birth; the social and physiological functions of breasts; orgasm, mate selection and child-rearing behavior; the complex workings of estrogen; hysterectomy; muscle strength; and female aggression and bonding. Her wide-ranging celebration of the female body engages the intellect but, more importantly, also offers a rigorous challenge to male-oriented theories of biology.”

Are you engrossed in a must-read these days? Send it our way!

“The other day I was trying on shoes and asked the salesman which pair he thought said Contemporary Grace … apparently they both did, so I bought both pairs!”

Christine

In your search for shoes this spring let your Style Statement be your guide. Ask yourself, “What am I drawn to? What makes my heart sing?”

You’re getting dressed in the morning, aware you have an important meeting.  You’re thinking, “I need to look professional and successful.” You dress the part — tailored trousers, crisp blouse, black pumps, and your grandmother’s pearls. Then you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and shriek, “Who the hell is that?”

There’s no way around it — being out of sync with your core feels awful. So before you walk out the door,  pause, take a breath, and ask yourself, “How do I want to feel?”

Proud and elevated

Comfortable

Noticeable and unique

This is so me!

Now go change into that simple yet bold dress and shine!

And let’s have no more, “All day I wanted to go home and change my outfit.”

Photo: Agnes B

Fabulous Olympic athlete illustration

JCrew’s hip “real models” series

The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work – added to my book list

Diane Keaton’s keen design sense in T magazine

The coolest waste bin

It’s our pleasure to feature an interview with Canadian-born, LA-based designer Heather Heron, whose environmentally inspired and friendly handbags and accessories fuse inner and outer beauty.

Heather uses organic European hemp and hemp-silk blends — which she sources herself to ensure the utmost in sustainability and quality — as foundational materials for her creations. She then collaborates with local artisans to introduce fine detailing and other touches that elevate her designs to unique and elegant objets d’art. Her creations are ultimately expressions of what she believes in: beauty, nature, collaboration, and love.

Heather’s couture is showing up in the most exciting places (um, Vogue!) and on some rather well-known people (e.g., Mila Kunis, Reese Witherspoon, Alanis Morissette, Gwyneth Paltrow). It’s a great testament to where passion and determination can get you …

Here’s our interview with the lovely Ms. Heather Heron.

S. Statement: A Style Statement fundamental is “communicate who you are in all you do.” How does your work help you to express yourself? In other words, what parts of yourself are you manifesting in your work?

HH: I have the most beautiful opportunity to express myself through designing pieces that reflect my lifestyle. Specifically manifesting the parts of me that are modern + hippie, feminine + masculine, dreamy + practical, my activism for hemp + my love for adventure.

S. Statement: When you think of style … say someone very original and charismatic, or some place you’ve been that felt refreshing, new, and real … what comes to mind?

HH: My most incredibly chic friends + colleagues. I feel very blessed to have this circle of inspiration as my tribe.

S. Statement: What’s a completely outrageous thing you would like to own?

HH: A tipi.

S. Statement: What’s something you have right now in your life that you love passionately?

HH: My Leica camera … loving getting back behind the lens again after all this time.

S. Statement: When you need energy, what do you do?

HH: Schedule FUN into my week … if I have time, space, adventure + fun scheduled I am immediately energized.

S. Statement: When you crave calm and peace, what do you do?

HH: What I am doing right now … go to Canada + rest + snowboard + … slow it all down … and then go slow it down some more … until everything looks and sounds different.

S. Statement: At your most comfortable, what are you wearing?

HH: My husband’s Carhartts all rolled up + Loup Charmant scoop tanks layered and Le Labo perfume.

S. Statement: At your most glamorous, what are you wearing?

HH: My 1920s wedding dress … insane couture gown that I have enjoyed many glamorous evenings in beyond my wedding night.

S. Statement: If you could only wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be?

HH: Loup Charmant dress, gauze scarf from the Environment by Heather Heron Collection, Rick Owens sweater, Fiorentini Baker boots + dripping in Kathy Rose jewels.

Thank you, Heather!

When’s the last time you received or sent a personal long-form letter or handwritten card?

Odds are it was an occasion: a birthday, Valentine’s Day, or maybe Mothers’ Day. These are all lovely times for thoughtfulness, but it is such a treat to get a card or letter out of the blue — just because someone was thinking of you or missed you. It’s also an amazing feeling to write something sweet, thinking of one person, on beautiful paper or a gorgeous card.

Here’s our invitation for this weekend: pick a person to whom you want to send a card or letter.  It doesn’t have to be a close friend — you could say thank you to a drama teacher from high school … let your kids’ teacher know you admire their work … tell your neighbor how lucky you feel to be friends … write a postcard to a childhood friend … create a collage for a faraway grandparent … The point is to let someone know you’re thinking about them and appreciating them.

One of the most thoughtful and unique cards I have ever received was created from a page torn from a fashion magazine with a message scribbled over the image. I felt like the sender got me!

So there’s no “right” way to send a letter. Be creative, be goofy, be loving, be yourself. And as you drop your letter or card in the mailbox, spend one extra moment thinking of the person you’ve written — wishing him/her all the best in the world.

Guaranteed, you’ll be making two people very happy.

For years, I’ve loved the magazine Real Simple–its ingenious combination of elegance and simplicity, and the way it delivers on its promise to make readers’ lives easier. So it was incredible to be asked to contribute to a big design article in the March issue (on newsstands now!) called “3 Steps to Naming Your Style.” Real Simple did a fabulous job on the art for the piece, and I am so proud to have been a part of it.

Here’s some advice I provided for the article:

“Imagine that real-world constraints don’t apply. Picture your dream home. If you could live anywhere in the world, would you choose a loft in New York? An English manor? A tree-house in the tropics? Then think outside of the home: if you were invited to the Oscars, what would you wear? This moves you beyond the limitations of your own lifestyle and budget and into a new realm of creativity.”

Check out the full article here.

And check out Real Simple online, too–great daily advice for simpler living.

Thank you so much, Danielle Claro of Real Simple, for the wonderful collaboration.

You’ve pored over the luxurious profiles.

You’ve completed the exercises.

But you’re stuck. You’re thinking, “Can my Style Statement be three words? Or even four?” You’re wondering, “How on earth can I narrow this down?”

Let us guide you to discover and understand your Style Statement with a Style Statement Jumpstart Session.

What you receive:

• Guidance that will move you to your two magical words
• Carrie’s wisdom and experience from working with over 1,300 clients
• An intimate discussion that reveals longings and dreams you might never have told anyone (including yourself!)
• Inspiration and coaching for how to use your Style Statement in your wardrobe, lifestyle, business, or other passion
• An emailed confirmation of your Style Statement direction
• More ease, clarity, and focus in your life and a compass for making powerful choices

How it works:

• You email us (hello@stylestatement.com)
• We give you a time and a phone number to call
• Jumpstart is $150 for aprox 45 minutes, to be paid upon booking
• We’ll email you a PayPal invoice (+tax for Canadian residents)

Email hello@stylestatement.com a few lines about your Style Statement journey and a photograph of yourself. It doesn’t have to be a glamour shot; we’re not checking out your style – it just helps to build a closer connection.

Depending on what’s going on in our lives, we need different things to keep us in balance. Sometimes it’s a boost, sometimes it’s a release, sometimes it’s a balm for frayed nerves.

More often than not, turning to music can provide just the right tonic to help us achieve a desired feeling. It can be so powerful that it can take us out of ourselves and out of the normal patterns of our world for enough time that we can gain perspective and a sense of our greater purpose and direction.

Today, ask yourself if there’s a song that could help you tackle the week in the best spirit possible. Is it something you haven’t listened to for a while, something recent and addictive, or something new you want to find through an iTunes search or browse through a local music store?

I asked Carrie what song came to mind when we were talking about this post:

“KD Lang singing the poetry of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, which she did at the Vancouver Olympic opening ceremonies. I feel rich heartache and raw tenderness. The unity of past and present – my history and a declaration of my future. I listen when I feel melancholy, yet the song also makes me trust that all is good.”

For me, and in a completely different vein (as much as I also love Carrie’s pick), it’s Metric right now. Emily Haines’ seductive vocals and the band’s hypnotic yet urgent pacing helps me when I’m in “am I still a person beyond a mom?” moments. My muscles relax, I sway, and I abandon thought and logistical planning to just … feel.

Who is it for you this week?