The Abstract 10.17

Jennifer Fisher’s studio on my current favorite blog A Standard of Living – a site dedicated to small details that enhance common experiences.

Exposed Zippers interviews Betty Halbreich of Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorfs fame
“What do you love most about your job?
Love is about loving a man. As for my job, I like that I can put my legs over the bed, rise, dress and arrive here. I still have tremendous motivation without being driven.”

An interview with Emmanuelle Alt… my absolute woman crush
“First, I think a good attitude for a woman is to be confident, and to be confident is to be natural. I don’t want to be an image.”

9 Rules for Emailing from Google Exec Eric Schmidt
It’s somewhat bizarre that we’ve become a culture that accepts and excuses unresponsiveness and I’m disappointed in myself for letting my inbox get inexcusably out of control over the last few months. In my old job I managed several hundred emails a day so there is really no excuse for my current inbox! Inbox zero, here we come.

The Secret Journey of a Fashion Piece
Lauren Sherman’s series for BOF is a great overview of the process an item goes through from initial concept to purchase.

Second graders eat a 7 course tasting dinner at Daniel
Totally unrelated but this was hysterical and got me through a long day.

Talking luxury with the branding experts behind MADE and Milk Studios
“Do what you love, appeal to a smaller group of people, be bespoke.”

Inside Pinterest, the coming ad colossus that could dwarf Facebook and Twitter
“If Facebook is selling the past and Twitter the present, Pinterest is offering the future. “It’s about what you aspire to do, what you want to do down the line.””
Pinterest does feel more voyeuristic than Instagram if you pay attention – I’ve accurately predicted some pregnancies, moves, and breakups just by seeing what people I know (even just virtually!) pin… it’s a little creepy, if you think about! However… I recently purged old boards and am now re-addicted to pinning – but I’ve got nothing to hide – so follow along if you’d like! Pinterest: The American Edit

Have a wonderful weekend!xR

[image via A Standard of Living]

The Introduction: The Arrivals

A new exciting brand to watch out for – The Arrivals.

Launching today, The Arrivals will focus on “redrafting outerwear with modern silhouettes and elevated design details.” Designed in New York and made in America, the brand is following the Everlane direct to consumer model, allowing the founders to create high quality, incredibly designed outerwear at a more accessible price point ($245-685). I obviously haven’t seen the products in person yet, but the incredible materials and design details (including removable fur lining and collars) definitely have me intrigued. The leather jacket is one of the best I’ve seen this season and the modular parka with removable lining is an obvious choice as we head into winter.

Read more about the launch on Fashionista and Cool Hunting.

Follow The Arrivals:

The Edit: Buttondowns & Blazers

Lately all I want to wear are button downs and a great blazer. I’ve been stealing Matt’s oxfords regularly so it’s time to stock up on my own… luckily his favorite brands make perfect options for women as well.

Some of my favorites… which happen to be 25% off through October 16th with the code: FAMILY25!

While I do my best to shop small businesses and local boutiques first, Shopbop will always be a favorite site because of their amazing customer service and clear, easy to find country-of-origin labeling.

See more American made blazers and inspiration here!

1|2

The Abstract: 10.10

Room & Board has always been a favorite of mine (it’s based in MN, so not only are the products primarily American made but it is also a local business!) and I love the transparent approach to product origin they are taking on their website these days…

Hackwith Design House Brooks Jacket
The new HDH jacket collection is too good. It has been so fun to watch these pieces come to live at the COMN!

Reading My Tea Leaves: Growing a Minimalist Wardrobe
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying Erin’s series on growing a minimalist wardrobe – minimalism is a buzzword these days and I appreciate Erin’s authentic approach at a time when so many people seem to be buying an entirely new wardrobe and then calling themselves minimalists for wearing only those pieces. Minimalism isn’t something I talk about that frequently on TAE b/c the entire purpose of this site is to bring you new brands and products, but I absolutely ascribe to the idea that you should buy less, but better and have a fairly small wardrobe that aligns with that mission.

Rebecca Atwood Designs: Naturally Dyed
Becca’s overview of the natural dye process used in her most recent collection is fascinating… again, I love her transparent approach to her production process.

Ray Eames’s Unsung Influences on Modern Design
‘Ray and Charles both espoused an approach of curated independence. “It’s about what you want and making it work for you”’ YES.

Marbled Porcelain plate
by a new-to-me maker!

The Nobel Peace Prize
Children must go to school and not be financially exploited. I’m embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t heard of Satyarthi’s work before but I cannot think of a better, more meaningful pairing for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Never Permit a Dichotomy to Rule Your life…
An important reminder via La Dolce Vita

Happy weekend!xR