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.

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 Reboot: Finally Bringing It All Out

Way back in March, I posted about rediscovering what's already in my closet.

It's August.

I finally got around to cleaning out my accessories cabinet. Two weeks ago.

The day H and I were planning a Sushi Ko date (and on which I debuted my new Oscars), the afternoon was stormy. We were also planning a Big Dinner at a Fancy Restaurant for The Bean as a belated birthday present, so we unabashedly deployed the DVD player and on-demand to show movies and keep her quiet and rested. We hoped it that would yield a not-over-tired-child for her Marcel's dinner.

But I digress.

I dashed out to Ace Hardware, then The Container Store while they were napping and resting, and brought back what was probably intended as a hobby or hardware case with drawers. I wanted clear drawers so I could see what baubles were in there, but needed it to fit inside of our IKEA cabinet where I store my accessories (and my baking supplies. Yes, we live in a condo with limited storage space.). Fingers crossed. Because why would I do something logical, like measure the cabinet and its shelves? Caution, meet wind.

Home again, and young active things scrambling at my feet, I tried to distract them from the Pretty Sparkly Things emerging bit-by-bit from the shelves. I de-jumbled my chains, matched up my earrings, and remembered long-lost favorites. To The Beans' delight, I ditched every single one of the boxes in which my jewels had lived. I emptied out purses of the last bits of change, mints, and lipsticks I thought I'd lost. I wiped down the shelves. (Yes, Mommy, I am your daughter.)

My hobby-bins-turned-jewelry-box works perfectly. I can see what I have, and am unexpectedly enjoying, oh, I don't know, putting on different pieces each morning. Because I can now see what's there, and don't have to dig, I can easily find something different than the same 3 cuffs and 2 necklaces I'd been sporting for the last 4 years.

My Newly Organized Accessories Cabinet. And The Bag's Place of Honor, moved happily from atop my shoes in my closet.

Then there's The Bag Shelf. I've already carried 3 more purses than I had in those same 4 years: Mom-Mom's vintage monogram clutch, an adorable wicker Fornash clutch, and my beloved Furla (as H brought it to me from Italy, after my inability to shop while In. Italy., he was thrilled to see it again) all made it back into the rotation.

Next up? The Baubles I Need to Wear (Discovered in The Big Cleanup)