Style Inspiration: Light in the Dead of (Romantic) Winter

I've said it before, I'll say it again: I'm a Winter Girl. I'm the one disappointed at the measly dusting DC got from Juno. I'm the one happily digging out her hand-me-down fur hat on a bitter cold day. I'm the one looking forward to a cup of hot chocolate - while sitting outside at a café on that brilliantly sunny January afternoon.

But it hasn't been sunny, really, and January brings an onslaught for me at the DayJob. It's all I can do, some days, to keep my head above water (never mind wash my hair). Our annual weekend down tha shore over the Presidents' Day holiday couldn't feel farther away.

In between deadlines and dance class (the Bean's, not mine), though, I sneak a hungry peak at facebook and Instagram, following along with others' adventures - and their daily lives. I love seeing the normal, the regular, through others' lenses. I also love seeing the beautiful and striking. I've discovered a few new folks to follow recently, though, and thought I'd share. Maybe you'll find a little inspiration - style or otherwise - in their snaps of their worlds.

Kirsty Larmour's images of her family's travels are stunning. Breathtaking, even. For me, the aesthetic (how does she capture that light?) heightens the connection. I can only dream of taking my two Beans on the travels she and hers are experiencing. Of course, being based in Abu Dabi doesn't hurt. I discovered her just as they were traipsing through Armenia, H's - and therefore my Beans' - ancient homeland. And in case her Instagram account (@kirstylarmour) isn't enough for you, you can follow along on her blog, too. Image via her Instagram account.

I met Simon Alcantara before I knew his work. In the whirlwind of my first trip to New York Fashion Week, Jessica Quillin introduced us over lunch at Henri Bendel. But really, that isn't the important part. His Instagram account (@simonalcantara) is as delightful as he is - and as his work is elevating. Like Kirsty's travel's Simon's jewelry designs are aspirational for me. This silver and cotton (yes, cotton) creation from his Odyssey Collection was the first thing I saw online one dreary morning. It's stuck with me. Image via his Instagram account.

Ulyana Sergeenko's Instagram account (@ulyana_sergeenko_moscow), my newest guilty pleasure, is splattered with celeb sightings at her Moscow atelier. She is married to a billionaire, afterall, and is a couture client and couturier. But it's these deliberate shots (sometimes part of a film shoot, sometimes a photo shoot) that have me longing for this life gone by (or perhaps that never really existed). The feed captures a rich, velvety sense of the most decadent Russian salon you can imagine. Given I carry a copy of Anna Karenina around on every major move (both my years in Austria and Germany, college, group house, you get the picture), it's no wonder I'm drawn to these pictures. Image via her Instagram account.

I discovered Champagne Tarlant's Instagram account (@tarlant) after a World Champagne Day (yup, that's a day. for realz.). I suppose I have Polly Wiedmaier to thank for that (and her kind invitation to join her at Marcel's for a tasting a few years back). While I can't drink champagne every day (or can I?), I can certainly lose myself in the elegant mists floating over the French countryside and between the vines. I suppose my not-so-secret Romantic is showing. Image via their Instagram account.

What are some of your favorite Instagram accounts? Where do you find online inspiration? I'd love to hear more.

And if you're on Instagram, and not following along with me, join me (@dcceline). It's a pretty real life. I hope there's a little beauty and fun in it.

Personal Style: Who's That Girl?

I get it all the time. PR pitches addressed to "Celine." People seem shocked when they find out that my name isn't. And it isn't even close. But there is a story to it, one that I actually hold very near and dear to my heart.

And so, on this day when I'd have loved to post a new style dilemma for you, or told you about some event, but didn't get to it, well, I figured I'd answer that question, "Who's That Girl?" So head on over to that ubiquitous "About" page, here, and find out.

Image via

Then, if you like what you see, and this blog is the only place you've come across me so far, well, then, get on the social media wagon and follow me elsewhere...

DC Celine on Facebook - I don't read as many blogs as some, but I do have my favorites. I share links, photos, and other interesting fashion and style things that pop up in my own feeds here. And, for those not on Instagram, I periodically post my Instagram pics (at least from my #twitterfashionshows) here, too. Have a question about something you see on my facebook page, just comment, and I'll track down the answer!

DC Celine on Twitter - 140 characters of fashion and style focused chatter. Fairly regular tweets on what I've been #wearing. I also share where I've been that relates to my own fashion, style, and personal journey (no, I'm not "mayor" of the Starbucks and the yoga studio, I swear). Have a style dilemma or a "where do I eat in DC" question? Tweet at me, and I'll give you my (solicited) opinion!

DC Celine on Pinterest - For those who follow the blog, you know that, even when I'm too swamped to post regularly, I can usually find a few minutes to pin. I've got boards for everything from seasonal clothing (Winter Girl) to aspirational fashion (Pie in the Sky) to #healthyme to my travel desires (Where My Heart Wants to Go). And if you contact me with a style dilemma, and are on pinterest, we can do a collaborative board, like we did to find City and Sand's reception frock.

DC Celine on Instagram (@DC Celine) - Some don't get the "filters." I, on the other hand, love them for Making My Pictures Look Better. And since I'm not an Outfit of the Day #OOTD poster, but sometimes want to share at least the concept of what I've thrown on, I find it easy to make a simple shot shine. Also, The Beans. And H.

Weekend Style: Weekend at Home

This weekend is the first we've had all together at home in a month. It's also the last we'll have all together at home until September. Therefore, despite us being "at home," it was jam-packed with all sorts of domestic tasks - and a fair amount of indulgence. Both exceptionally necessary.

First row: (Not pictured: The approximately 73 hours we spent at IKEA before) The Bean and I (she in her Janie & Jack, I in my picked-out-by-The-Bean-in-NYC pinkyotto), before heading out to a celebratory dinner at Marcel's; The Bean and her rainbow trout with spinach and roe (the roe weren't so popular); the scotch H and I needed at Jack Rose after our amazingly indulgent and delicious-as-always dinner (cooked by Chef Wiedmaier himself, and who charmed the pants off of all of us when we met him after dinner)

Second row: Sunday morning birthday party; spicing cauliflower for roasting, inspired by her favorite part of our Marcel's dinner, "Meeting the chef;" one of the first "We're Cleaning Our Bedroom Thoroughly" discoveries of the day: the sheepskin rug we found in an old duffel bag underneath our bed and now keeps our tootsies comfy on our bedroom floor

Third row: Part of our newly clean and reorganized bedroom wall unit: my grandparents' engagement picture, our wedding day, Budda; Romanian, Greek, American, English, German, and French literature, my grandmother's orchestra binoculars; the books we won't ever give up, because

Fourth row: a basket hiding the family cameras from Bean No.2, my mommy's lamps awaiting shades, my puppy in brown paper; art books, atlases, and 1989 newspaper articles on the trials of Nicolae and Elena Ceaucescu; our major going-out-of-business-sale rug score, in all of its 80s porntasticness

Fifth row: my grandmother's finery, including - literally - kid gloves; Mom-Mom's compact and slide-out purse comb; rouched-wrist gloves I need to wear soon

Sixth row: a gloriously plaid 70s satchel that had been under our bed; our bed, newly decked out in IKEA linens, a vintage accent pillow, and my great-grandmother's crochet work; Mama's Monday morning's joyful tears of a first day of kindergarten

Also, in case you're not following me on Instagram, please do! @DCCeline there, as well as on Twitter.

Style Debate: Can You Judge a Person by Their Shoes?

In lieu of a full-fledged post today (there was no time to work on posts over the weekend when you're busy meeting childhood heros like, you know, Ernie), I'm going to simply direct you over to a conversation I hope I started (ok, Kassie started) on the DC Celine facebook page.

Click here to join the discussion.

In the interest of that, you know, SEO thing, and, well, the fact that my graphic design abilities don't let me put a screen shot in that's big enough to read, here's the text of my status post on the fb page.

"DC Celine is going to start a conversation prompted by a medical study. Kassie Rempel, founder of SimplySoles, posted this article this morning. I will admit, I haven't read the article yet. But I will also readily admit that I 100% agree with the headline.

I will also state that I firmly believe should have made a hiring decision a long time ago based on my reaction to a candidate's shoes. Not listening to that reaction - and my gut - cost me a lot of heartache (that, yes, made me stronger and wiser, but that's beside the point, isn't it?).

[Link to the article on Medical Daily about personality traits and shoes.]

Discuss."

Also, please do jump over to that facebook page and "like" me. I often share articles, posts, pictures, and thoughts that don't make it into full posts here on the blog. Please join us. Then there's Instagram (via webstagram, too) and Twitter, too. All @DCCeline, of course.