Business As Usual In France

For a while now I've been thinking that I wanted to sneak in a little vacation this month, after all, I've only taken one week off during the last 12 months.  For some reason, this particular Autumn, I've been thinking of travelling to Paris for a little antique shopping and museum going.

But, Paris as the rest of France, is on strike.
This isn't a little greve where the metro shuts down for 6 hours, this is a major strike.

Don't the French do this about once every decade or so?
I understand that a big part what this is about is the raising of the retirement age from 60 to 62.
Yes, that is certainly devastating, for the French.
And as we all know France, the idea if not the actual country, is all about quality of life.
Who wouldn't want to retire to a life of pastis and tarot at their country house at the age of 60?

Last night I had dinner with a group of  friends who travel often.  One was just back from Paris, another from London, and another had just returned from two months in Australia. She raved about how wonderful the quality of life is there. 
So now I'm starting to think to myself, maybe that 20 hour plane ride over the Pacific wouldn't be so bad, if Australia was on the other side of it....
And on that topic, thank you to Faux Fuchsia my favorite Australian blogger for mentioning BHB on her blog. If you are not already reading her blog, you need to start reading it today. As she would say, run don't walk.

When Blogger Goes Bad

Why have I been having problems uploading my images...and where did the rest of my posts disappear to?

Credit Where Credit Is Due or We Heart ELLE.com

I take back my little rant from a previous post.
The very busy women at ELLE were off in Paris and there was a change in the NY staff,
thus the credit oversight.
Everything is as it should be now credit wise
and
We heart ELLE.com

Estate Jewelry Look Of The Day - The Arts & Crafts Amethyst Necklace

You know, it's not just all about parures of precious gems around the office we love our period jewelry too
especially the pieces which are both historical and romantical
such as this handcrafted antique Arts and Crafts silver necklace with amethysts and freshwater pearls

I would totally wear this piece

Here it is in the original length but I would probably prefer to wear it a bit shorter

Arts & Crafts jewelry design, like its stylistic sister Art Nouveau jewelry, was heavily influenced by the neo Gothic and Romantic images of the Pre-Raphaelite painters, Rossetti, Millais, Burne-Jones, Hunt et. al.

Tassels, swagging, opaque stones and intricate metalwork are all aspects of Arts & Crafts style.

Sadly, so much of Arts & Crafts jewelry has disappeared over the last 100 years or so.

I am always happy when I can find an authentic piece, especially one that is as detailed as this necklace.

Paris 2010 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

New York Magazine has compiled the 17 Best Looks from Paris Fashion Week
So we have the good such as this Betty Page style 1940's glamour girl look by Dior
I always appreciate Galiano's historical references and his fashion in jokes
and the dress is actually wearable

And the bias cut beaded 1920s Flapper Style dress by Louis Vuitton was fun too

But what was going on at Chanel and how did these outfits come off as being in the Best list?
If they aren't bad then I'm blind

And I'm also not too impressed with Pilati's pieces for YSL

But getting to the downright ugly we've got Lanvin

OK, the navy blue dress on the left is totally minimalist chic and I would wear it any day (if I could afford it)
But what is going on with that outfit on the right, I can't even figure out what the material is
It is as though Lanvin's 'art project' jewelry from a few seasons ago has been morphed into 'art project' clothes
And this look is supposed to be one of the best of the Paris 2010 season?