Prints Charming

When you have a friend like designer Cornell Collins, there are many fringe benefits, not the least of which is access to a treasure trove of exquisite, one-of-a-kind pieces. Cornell and I met over a cool glass of Pinot Grigio at the Chateau Marmont when I was editor of Angeleno magazine and he was the hottest up and coming designer in Los Angeles. Our friendship was immediate and I’m happy to say, long lasting. This dress was one of his earliest pieces and I think it, like our friendship, has withstood the test of time beautifully.

With love,

Amanda

This whole shoulder baring thing is growing on me, and Olivia Palermo, and Marlien Rentmeester of Le Catch, and pretty much any street style star worth her front row seat. If you haven’t already scooped one to call your very own, now’s the time. The one I’m wearing is from Zara and it fits the bill (and my budget) nicely. There are lots of ways to wear this trend but I love it with a cigarette length denim (mine are Frame), and a ballet flat (these are from Target, thank you very much). Scroll down for a few more pretty options that will highlight your humerus and showcase your scapula just in time for summer.

With love,

Amanda

More to love… Pixie Market Balloon Sleeve Off The Shoulder Top; Mango Boat Neck Blouse; Rag & Bone Kacy Top

Changes

I do not deal with change very well. This is not something I like to admit. In fact, for most of my life I would have said the opposite. I was restless and I thought movement and change kept life interesting, and in turn kept me happy. But in truth, I like a little predictability, and when I find something I love, a circumstance, a friend, an artist who makes life better, I want them to stick around forever. Alas, life doesn’t work that way, and in order to thrive, it helps to be a little flexible, a little Zen, and to learn to recover from goodbyes. We have lost more than a few great artists this year, David Bowie, Prince, Alan Rickman… and the world is the worse for it. Is this the time for retail therapy? Though it’s a superficial and temporary panacea, it is panacea nonetheless. So I shopped. This Zara dress is the result of my therapeutic spending and I admit it did ease the sting, if only a little. So I try and accept change and goodbye, and maybe a little uncertainty, in my own way. In the words of Mr. Bowie, “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I know it won’t be boring.”

With love,

Amanda