Dress of the Day: Dorothy Perkins Butterfly Dress

 

Swing into summer with this '50s style cotton dress from UK high street store Dorothy Perkins. The breezy, universally flattering dress comes with the skinny belt shown and can be thrown in the washing machine at the end of the day. A no fuss addition to your warm weather wardrobe. Available in Orange (shown) and Blue in sizes 6 to 22 (UK sizes) for £40.00 (about $66).

$40 Beauty Bar E-Code for $20

HauteLook has a deal today where you pay $20 to get an electronic code worth $40 to use at BeautyBar.com. Beauty Bar stocks high end brands such as Jemma Kidd, Butter London and Deborah Lippmann so this is a great opportunity to pick up something you normally would hesitate on due to price. I have my eyes on the Jemma Kidd Duo Eye Shadow Brush ($24) and the Jemma Kidd Duo Eyefine Brush ($24). Minus the discount, that's essentially four quality eye brushes for $28.

Deal purchase is only available until tomorrow evening. The code includes free 2 to 3 day shipping and must be used before July. It can't be combined with other offers. But Beauty Bar is currently offering $15 off $50 for new customers with code BBGIFT15. If you've never ordered there before, you could make your first order with the $15 off code then make a second order with the HauteLook code and save $35 off $90 overall.

Not yet a HauteLook member? Joining is free. Click here to join (affiliate link).

(HauteLook also has NYX cosmetics on sale today, but steer clear unless you want bulk orders of 20 plus products.)

Eco Friendly Earrings from The Harbinger Company

Large Cloud Earrings ($44) by The Harbinger Company

Celebrate Earth Day with a pair of eco friendly earrings from the indie design line The Harbinger Company. The retro swirls of these Large Cloud Earrings are created by laser cutting bamboo, a sustainable and durable material. The earrings are 3" tall and feature hooks filled with 14k gold. The Harbinger Company is a one woman operation, ran by urban planner Yvonne Huang from her San Francisco workshop. Available from Moxie.

Sneak Peak: Calypso for Target

Target is set to launch a collaboration with luxury resort designer Calypso St. Barth on May 1. The line will offer home wares and clothing for adults and children. The boho style clothing line is bursting with vivid colors, tie- dyed patterns and minimalistic metallic jewelry perfect for a day at a beach-side cabana. The materials include high quality cotton, linen and canvas. Prices for the entire collection range from $1.99 to $79.99. If you want a sartorial slice of summer, you'll have to act fast. The Calypso St. Barth for Target collection is only in stores until June 11 and online until August 15.

1. Multi-Chain Earrings in Silver ($14.99)
2. Women's Linen Espadrille Wedges in Tan ($29.99)
3. Tankini Top in Pink ($24.99)
    Fan-Print Dress in Turquoise ($36.99)
    Linen Espadrille Wedges in Tan ($29.99)
    Three-Layer Medallion Shell Necklace in Gold ($29.99)
    Rope Bracelets in Green, Turquoise and Pink ($14.99 each)
    Long Nugget Chain Necklace in Gold ($22.99, worn as bracelet)
4. Embroidered Canvas Tote in Khaki ($16.99)

Gal Stern Wildlife Tights

The tights line by Israeli textile designer Gal Stern includes a Wild Collection, five pieces based on various elements of wildlife. The hand printed designs are remarkably detailed, adding color and the allusion of texture to cotton and nylon blend tights. The Fish and Eagle designs are each printed on only one leg which makes the print stand out even more. Gal Stern's line also includes a Classic Collection, an Urban Collection and a Shoe Flower Collection. Prices start at $25. Available through Etsy.

1. Gal Stern Fish Tights ($49)  2. Gal Stern Eagle Tights  ($49)  3. Gal Stern Shark Tights ($49)

Two Ring Circus

I was browsing through Style.com's Fall 2011 Accessories Index and was pleased to see represented two styles I adore: double rings and animal shapes. Here are five of my favorites that incorporate both of these fall trends. That owl ring(s) is an absolute steal at $18.  (The Marc Jacobs bird is a bit hefty for my taste but I included it because large gems are also in for fall.)

1. Beyond Tortoise and Hare Double Ring ($45)  2. Lydell NYC Copper Tone Owl Two Finger Ring ($18)  3. Betsey Johnson "In the Navy" Open Two Finger Ring ($45)  4. Alexander Beth Iguana Double Finger Ring ($90)  5. MARC By Marc Jacobs "Save the Birds" Double Ring ($64.90)

"No More Waity, Katie" Gloss

I'm sure that Prince William and Kate Middleton are lovely people, and I wish them happiness in life, but if I hear another thing about their wedding I may well scream. But at least the upcoming nuptials have inspired Butter London to create a new limited edition lip gloss. Named "No More Waity, Katie" (as was the nail polish), the gloss will be a sheer lavender color with subtle flecks of lilac glitter. That description might sound horrid but I currently own a lip product with duochrome purple flecks and the effect is very subtle but gorgeous when the light hits.

"No More Waity, Katie" Gloss ($18) by Butter London will be available online and at Nordstrom's beginning Friday, April 15th. 

Vintage Map of Malta Compact Set

Have you watched Lisa Eldridge's new video on vintage makeup yet? Eldridge, a top makeup artist from the UK, shows off some of the cosmetics packages she keeps in her inspiration boxes in her studio. There are intricate 1920s compacts on a purse-like chain, packed with cosmetics that still give color payoff (and probably loads of bacteria). There are deco style powder boxes from the 1930s and a garish rhinestone compact from the 1980s (of course).


The video sent me scurrying through the Internet, looking for vintage pieces I would begin collecting if I weren't on a self-imposed spending freeze (boo). This Map of Malta Compact Vanity Set caught my eye. I'm unsure when it was made, though I'd guess the 1970s based on the tones of shimmery gold. Not as quaint as a compact purse from the '20s but definitely unique.

The gold circle in the center is the mirrored compact featuring a map of Malta. The comb at the bottom says "You Can Part With This- But DON'T", which is so precious it makes me smile. The short gold bit to the left is a lipstick tube. The beige fabric circle behind the compact is its pouch and there's a small powder puff inside the compact. The item listing says that it was likely a gift from a hotel, as the unspecified hotel's name is imprinted onto the back of the comb. It's all tucked into a storage box with a gold almost-animal print to it.

This was apparently made by a UK cosmetics brand called Melissa (or MELISSA, not quite sure). I don't have loads of free time at the moment but my basic Google-fu failed me on information about that particular brand. Regardless, this set is delightfully quirky and something I wish I could justify owning at the moment. If any reader happens to buy it, please email photos of yourself holding the compact, looking blissful. I'll live vicariously through you.

Purchase the set for $125 through DECODAME.

Saddle Up

Saddle shoes experienced peak popularity in the 1950s but have, in recent years, been reappropriated (ska musicians got there first). The sight of saddle shoes stirs within me troubling childhood memories of little frantic hands digging to bury a pair of standard black and whites in a large gravel pile at a construction site. No, I hadn't murdered a classmate for his pouch of Capri Sun. I was operating on the naive notion that "losing" the shoes would prevent my father from sending me off to elementary school in them Each. And. Every. Single. Day. My craftiness only earned me a shining new pair of saddle shoes and a lecture on responsibility. (It's important to note here that I was a child in the 80s. My father wasn't even alive in the 50s. I blame Happy Days.)

That said, I find myself drawn to these pink and creams from the Rachel Antonoff (née half of Mooka Kinney)  collection for Bass. They look like shoes Barbie would wear bowling. They look like shoes Barbie would wear bowling if she were full sized and inhabiting the Black Hole Sun universe. And, yes, this is a positive review.

 

Odette Pink/Cream by Rachel Antonoff for Bass ($109.00)