Inspiration – Holly Whittlef

March 19, 2018 — Comments are off for this post.

Spring Things

The snow is thawing into dirty puddles of garbage water, and twice now I've left the house ankles exposed without suffering immediate frostbite.

That can only mean one thing — spring is nearly here!

I do live in the Midwest, so spring can also mean a snowstorm will come barreling across the plains and attack us with a foot of the white stuff at any moment. But my sunshine-yearning heart is ready for sandals, warm breezes, farmer's markets, green grass, leisurely bike rides and all the things that promise summery days ahead.

I've been digging oranges, yellows and dusty pinks lately, and the warm palette seems appropriate for the official start of spring. While I'm currently on a shopping ban (more on that soon), I do see myself digging into a pint of Jeni's with a glass of orange wine while signing up for a CSA share with my local Waxwing Farm very soon.

// links

jumpsuit
orange wine
purse
CSA sign-up
scarf
calendar
tahini pistachio buns
sunglasses
sour orange candies
ice cream

Published by Holly Whittlef in Inspiration, Random

September 17, 2016 — Comments are off for this post.

Catastrophe + Pattern Mixing

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm obsessed with the show Catastrophe. It's about an Irish woman (Sharon) + an American man (Rob) who have a week-long stand, discover Sharon is pregnant and decide they're not getting any younger, so they might as well give the whole family thing a go. It's hilarious and highly-inappropriate and I literally laugh out loud every episode.

But my favorite part of the show is, perhaps, Sharon's wardrobe! She has killer style. It's colorful, bold and impeccably put together. Every outfit she wears manages to mix and match loud colors, unexpected patterns + contrasting textures in the most perfect way (see more here).

After a few years on the closet minimalism track (+ building towards a good wardrobe of neutral basics), I'm ready to bring color + pattern back into my life. Fashion should be FUN, and I think I forgot that while trying so hard to curate the "perfect wardrobe."

Plus, the older I get, the less I care what others think. Leopard dress + sparkly black jacket, why the hell not??

As we head into the fall—aka the best fashion season—you can bet I'll be putting together a few of these bright and quirky combos to wear myself.

top photo / bottom photos 01 / 02 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08

Published by alphablossom in fashion, Inspiration

February 14, 2016 — Comments are off for this post.

Getting Inspired / 04

Sunday mornings are my favorite time to spend a few hours getting inspired. Some mornings that means browsing books or the internet, while others it's a walk outside or trip to the art museum. This morning, I cozied up under a fuzzy blanket and made an online trip to Moglea.

Moglea has long been one of my favorite design inspirations. Meg—the girl boss + designer behind the company—has such a great eye for color, pattern and hand-lettering. What sets their work apart is that every piece is either hand painted, hand dyed or letterpress printed ( often, all three! ). It's some of the most original stationery in an admittedly oversaturated market.

Last August, I was lucky to visit Moglea's studio and meet Meg ( + the rest of the gang ) in person. Naturally, they're as lovely as their work, and put so much thought + effort into every printed piece they make. If you're a greeting card hoarder like myself, you're going to find it nearly impossible to resist buying one of everything.

A few of my favorites: this card, this card, this sketchbook, this daily jotter + all the gift wrap.

[ all photos courtesy of Moglea ]

Published by Holly Whittlef in Inspiration