Holiday Chic Gift Guide: Gold

I wanted to do a gold themed gift guide but wasn't sure what book would work with it until I saw Megalomania: Too Much is Never Enough on Style.com. I have to say that I'm not exactly sure what the book is about exactly but at least the cover fits the theme perfectly. Kind of also reminds me of Dictator Style which is a favorite of the design world.

I don't know why they don't make gold cell phones and PDA's and the ones they do make are ridiculously expensive. I wear gold all the time and would love it if my technology matched my jewelry. It's really too bad that Vertu is priced way over most people's budget's because they are perfect. Maybe if we're lucky they will come out with a Tar-jay line since there might not be anyone left who will be able to afford them soon!

I read somewhere that the tradition of hanging wreaths on doors began when athletes of the Greek Olympics would take their laurel wreath prizes home and hang them on their doors. This gold bay leaf wreath from Jayson Home and Garden is so beautiful and simple that I think I might have to buy one for myself and leave it up past Christmas.

I already have my gold rimmed china and stemware but I love Gold Aves from Royal Crown Derby. It's a little Versace but you could tone it down by mixing it with some simple white pieces. Also reminds me of a fancy version of a Thomas Paul design.

I love the gold Piggy Bank by Harry Allen but it costs more than the money you could fit in it so my new favorite is the Doggy Bank by Ototo for $57 that I saw on Coco & Kelley! Not only is the price right but you could also tell your friends that it was designed by Jeff Koons and they might believe you.

Another kitchy piece is the gold bar door stop designed by Arik Levy from the Conran Shop. Looks like something a bachelor would have in his apartment or Bart Bass would keep in his safe. Could be the perfect gift for the man who has everything...or perhaps in this economy...nothing left.

I have a fabulous chunky gold bracelet that I bought on J. Crew for $37 that everyone thinks is vintage but unfortunately the "gold" is rubbing off and now it looks pink. I would love it if I could put this Diane von Furstenberg for H. Stern bracelet on my wish list but at $9,700 it seems a bit extravagant or crazy. Maybe someday.

I hope the gold doesn't rub off the shoes too because these little metallic gold flats from J.Crew would be perfect with jeans. Is it crazy that I consider gold a neutral?

The ultimate gold standard has to be the Portofino vacation home of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana who obviously live la dolce vita there but then again, who wouldn't! Maybe you can make friends with their friend J. Lo and she can help wrangle an invitation. I hear she may be on the market again soon so she might just need a getaway or a babysitter. Buon Natale!

Habitually Chic Gift Guide: The Art Lover

I liked Domestic Art: Curated Interiors so much that I actually paid for price for it at Archivia books in NYC because I wanted to take it home and read it right away. Not only are the interiors beautiful but the art collections are too. It's definitely worth picking up for yourself or your favorite art lover.

For the art lover who needs a new daily planner, Smythson has launched the limited edition art diary. John Baldessari, Gary Hume, Ed Ruscha, and Rachel Whiteread have created these collectible works of art that are available separately or as a complete set of 8 for $2,800. I just wonder if they lose their value if you actually write in it!

Mrs. John L. Strong's Collector Diary and Directory seems like a bargain at $295 compared to Smythson and also lists all of the world’s most important art fairs, antique shows and auctions. And as my art advisor friend says, it's a buyers market right now so this could come in very handy.

Sometimes people wonder what an artist was thinking when they look at a painting and now Calvin Tomkins has come to their aid with The Lives of the Artist. Tompkins spent time with the 10 artists he profiles so the resulting essays are more intimate and personal than most over books. This would be a lovely gift for any art lover from a beginner to the serious collector.

One gift that keeps on giving is a museum membership. For the modern art lover, the Museum of Modern Art would be perfect. In addition to the regular memberships, the MoMA also has great affiliate groups such as the Junior Associates for the younger set and The A&D Circle for those interested in architecture and design.

Always a classic is The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Few people know that admission to the museum is actually free, but it's still nice to support them with a membership. They also have a great group for the young art enthusiast called The Apollo Circle.

Cire Trudon has a candle that's perfect for the art lover. The Dada candle celebrates the creativity and artistic expression of the Dada movement "with a touch of tea and vetiver, dressed up with crumpled mint leaves and eucalyptus." Of course, not many people can explain Dadaism so you can just tell them "ceci n'est pas une pipe."

If all else fails, just buy them a box of Marie Belle chocolates since each one is like a little piece of art. Just don't try to hang them on the wall!

It took me 40 years to find out that painting is not sculpture. - Paul Cezanne

Holiday Chic Gift Guide: Marie-Antoinette

My gift guides got a little waylaid by last minute holiday shopping and traveling so I'm going to see how many more I can get in before the big day. Maybe they will help the last minute shoppers out there. As I mentioned before, I wanted each guide to be themed around a book and this time it's Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles. The photos by Francois Halard are amazing! (To see them click here.) I think it is one my favorite books of this year and instead of buying your friend or loved one just one book, why not make it a special by including a few others.

Marie-Antoinette: The Journey is the bestselling biography of the doomed Queen by Antonia Fraser that dispels the myths and legends without boring the reader to tears. I think it would a great companion gift to the beautiful photos from The Last Garden of Versailles.

Look at the photos, read the story and then see them both come to life in Marie Antoinette the movie. Sophia Coppola was inspired by Antoinia Fraser's book and the lavish costumes and stunning scenery definitely make it a perfect stocking stuffer.

Another fun book to wrap up with the rest if the Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber. It examines how fashion played a role in not only her life but also her death. And what girl doesn't want to read about fabulous frocks!

You may not be able to dress like Marie-Antoinette but you can burn a candle made by a company that used to supply Versailles. The Cire Trudon Trianon Candle is an homage to Marie Antoinette so when you burn it, you can also pretend that you living a simple country life!

If you are looking for something more dramatic, you can always buy the bust candle of Marie-Antoinette by Cire Trudon but for $85 I probably wouldn't want to burn it.

I think once you've done your homework and read all the books and watched the movie, a trip to Versailles is in order. That way you can see the Queen's actual bed chamber above and the bust that inspired the candle.

Of course, you will stay in Paris so while there, make sure you stop in for some macaroons at Laduree. They are divinely delicious and worth the calories and will make you feel like a queen.

If all that is just too expensive, you could always just wrap up some Let Them Eat Cake Bon Bon Lip Balm by Tokyo Milk and call it a day. But if you buy them a book too, they'll learn that Marie-Antoinette didn't actually say "let them eat cake!" Joyeux Noël!

Holiday Chic Gift Guide: YSL

What better why to treat the fashionista in your life than with an Yves Saint Laurent themed holiday. The first place to start is with the new book Yves Saint Laurent: Style which chronicles the designer's 40 years of fabulous designs through photos and drawings.

To learn more about Yves and also Karl Lagerfeld "and the glorious excess in 1970's Paris, I would also add The Beautiful Fall by Alicia Drake to the gift pile. It is the ultimate inside peak into the pursuit of fashion perfection and decadence of the lives of two of the world's most talented designers.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was little and was obsessed with Yves Saint Laurent and his designs so seeing him in action and talking about his life in this double feature of His Life and Times and 5 Avenue Marceau 75116 Paris was heaven. I think I might have to buy this myself or ask for it in my stocking because I would love to watch it over and over again, especially since he is no longer with us. And at only $24 it's a great bargain.

I'm surprised that the Yves Saint Laurent jewelry line is so reasonably priced and this $295 Opium Collection Necklace is as chic as it is cheap. Ok, it's not that cheap but when you think about how much a dress costs, it's practically free!

My mom loves receiving make-up sets for Christmas and I'm sure she would love this YSL Beaute Christmas Set for $60. The tuxedo pouch might actually be large enough for all her products. Now you know where I get my love of products and fashion!

The ultimate carryall all for all the goodies above would be the YSL Patent Downtown Tote which would set you back $1895 but it's already a classic so it could be used forever. It could also be used as a chic carry on bag for a trip like the one below!

In order to properly pay homage to Yves Saint Laurent, then a trip to Marrakech, Morocco is in order. YSL and his long time partner and companion Pierre Bergé bought The Majorelle Garden in 1980 and restored it. It a very special place to the designer and thus his ashes were scattered in the garden which is open to the public.

But the pièce de resisitence would be an IOU and a promise to buy your loved one a little something from the sale of Yves and Pierre's amazing art collection at Christie's Paris in February. Les Coucous, Tapis Bleu et Rose by Henri Matisse above would set you back about 15-20 million Euros but maybe there is a little bargain nestled somewhere in the sale. I know I wouldn't ask for a Christmas present ever again for the rest of my life if someone bought me a painting...and maybe a bag. I could definitely use a new bag. Happy Holidays!

Holiday Chic Gift Guide: Chinoiserie

As worried as I am about the future of art, I'm even more nervous about the future of books. I've been hearing rumblings that the publishing houses aren't doing so well which scares me. I love my reading and can't imagine pulling out a Kindle instead of a real book. And what will happen to all the beautiful coffee table books? You definitely can't read or enjoy them on a Kindle so my Holiday Chic (get the play on words?) Gift Guides this season will all have a theme based on a different book beginning with Chinoiseries. I've tried to include a fun range of ideas, some reasonably priced and a few purely of the Neiman Marcus Fantasy Catalog variety because sometimes it's just fun to dream! Hope you enjoy them!

As a designer, I thought I should add a few examples of Chinoiserie inspired furniture and the Chinoiserie Laquer Etagere from Hollyhock would make a lovely over the top present and a perfect place to display many beautiful books. My favorite part are the gold fish and hanging tassels!

This beautiful gilt Chinese Chippendale Style Mirror from Deadwyler had it's price cut in half to $1900 but while it's still not cheap, you would be getting a gorgeous bargain.

Pieces in Atlanta is one of my favorite stores and I think that this Red Pagoda Chandelier would look very smart over a breakfast table or in an entry hall.

If home furnishings are too expensive for your budget, then perhaps a $32 candle would be a better gift idea. I love the Pagoda Box Candles of Seda France and luckily their candles smell as fabulous as the packaging looks. My personal favorites include Hyacinth and French Tulip but Chinese Mandarin Vanille clearly fits the Chinoiserie theme perfectly!

The best part of Christmas is unpacking all the old ornaments and remembering the stories behind them so I was think an ornament makes a lovely present. While you could get something cheaper at Hallmark, this $115 L'Object Pagoda Ornament would certainly be treasured for a lifetime.

Everyone knows that Mrs. John L. Strong makes the most luxurious stationery and paper products and I especially love them for their Chinoiserie motifs. These Pagoda note cards and lined envelopes would have to be saved for only the chicest correspondence though since they cost $135 for a box of 20.

If you really wanted to blow the bank, then I suggest a trip across the pond to have a drink in the "deeply glamorous" Artesian cocktail lounge at the Langham Hotel designed by the fabulous David Collins. I mean, who couldn't use a few drinks these days! It's just the kind of place that Auntie Mame would love.

And speaking of Auntie Mame, it's one of my all time favorite movies. I not only love it for it's hilarious madcap mishaps and divine interior design (Chinoiserie inspired among others) but for it's heartwarming story part of which is set at Christmas during the Depression. It's also actually based on a book, Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade by Patrick Dennis which I think I'm going to put on my Christmas list this year. I have a lot of time on my hands now for reading and this is just the sort of story I need! Happy Holidays!