rent the runway.

if you're like me, you absolutely love designer fashion but can't exactly afford to splurge on this season's hottest looks. rent the runway has the perfect solution... a website packed with tons of amazing designer dresses, handbags, and accessories that you can rent for a fraction of retail price!

if you've got a special event coming up and want to knock 'em dead with a gorgeous, stylish look, you've come to the right place. rent the runway will send your choice of dress in two sizes, so a perfect fit is almost guaranteed. when you're done, just toss the dress into the pre-paid shipping envelope and you're done! how easy is that?

dress rentals start at just $50, so now you have no excuse not to look fabulous! click here to sign up.

here are some looks i've put together to help you look amazing for your next party, holiday, or date night...

dress by temperley london. retail: $1,550 rental: $200

earrings by badgley mischka jewelry. retail: $65 rental: $25

ring by erickson beamon. retail: $408 rental: $45

dress by badgley mischka. retail: $510 rental: $75

earrings by miguel ases. retail: $400 rental: $50

clutch by lauren merkin. retail: $195 rental: $25

dress by carlos miele. retail: $1,100 rental: $150

necklace by gemma redux. retail: $680 rental: $50

clutch by judith leiber. retail: $995 rental: $100

dress by brian reyes. retail: $1,250 rental: $150

cuff by kara ross. retail: $395 rental: $40

clutch by kara ross. retail: $975 rental: $45

emmaline bride.

i'm not planning a wedding (hubby and i have been married for almost 4 years!)... but if i was, my first inspiration stop would definitely be emmaline bride. it's billed as "the wedding guide for the handmade bride," and they have tons of gorgeous, unique ideas to make all the details of your big day just as special as they should be.

the future perfect.

the future perfect just might be my new favorite place to window shop online.

from top:

zig zag poufs by donna wilson for scp, $365.

crayon rings by timothy liles, $50.

one color subway map by triboro, $110.

trip trumeau chest of drawers by selab for seletti, $1,054.

meg and beardy man plates by donna wilson, $35 each.

virtual shopping @ h & m

i've always been kinda bummed that h&m doesn't offer online shopping in the states... but i've just discovered a fun tool on their website that almost makes up for it. h&m's fashion studio enables you to virtually "try on" tons of great pieces to come up with outfits that suit your personal style. the outfits i created are so cute, it makes me want to run to the nearest h&m and try them on for real!

paris 26 gigapixels

if you can't visit paris... this is the next best thing!

paris 26 gigapixels is a stunning, high definition aerial tour of la ville-lumière... accompanied by some quintessentially french music from the amelie soundtrack. zoom in to get up close and personal with some of the most beautiful churches, monuments, parks, and residences in the world. this is where i go when i'm feeling "homesick" for paris :)

xoxo,

lesley

street peeper

if you love street style websites much as i do, street peeper is guaranteed to be an instant favorite. the site shares photos of real people in their everyday clothes from paris, london, new york, tokyo, and more. here are some of my favorite casual-cool street looks...

xoxo,

lesley

street style @ chictopia

i just discovered chictopia... an amazing website for fashion addicts like myself to upload and browse pictures of outfits, chat about the latest trends, and shop for looks based on your body type and personal style.  

my favorite part about the website is looking through all of the amazing street style photos uploaded by users... i'm a bit too shy to upload photos of my own outfits, but i love getting inspired by others!  here are some of my latest favorites.

xoxo,

lesley

wedding times!

i'm so excited to share my latest project with you... i recently started guest posting for a brand new wedding planning blog called wedding times.  i've been married for a year and a half now, and i had so much fun planning my wedding... i also love sharing tips with brides (and grooms) to be!  my articles cover everything from eco-friendly wedding fashion to cheap honeymoon destinations to alternative gift registries.  click here to read my posts, and be sure to check back every week for my latest!

xoxo,

lesley

free desktop wallpapers by ryan mcginness

so i might be a little (or a lot) behind the curve, but i just discovered the amazing artwork of ryan mcginness.  he makes these phenomenal sculptures, paintings, installations, and even garments... all with his bold, graphic, iconic style.  they are insanely good... if you haven't seen his work yet, you must check out his website immediately.

my personal favorite part of the website is the downloads section, which features seven fantastic desktop wallpapers that you can download for free.  so those of us who can't afford to spend thousands on an original piece can turn their desktop into a digital art gallery.  my imac is currently sporting number one, "four cats my way," and it has never looked so fabulous.

xoxo,

lesley

new website launch!

after keeping it a secret for months, i am very pleased to announce that my new online shop is up and running!!!  please visit 

www.315thomas.bigcartel.com

to shop for an assortment of modern paper goods with a vintage-inspired twist, all handmade by me!

the photos you see here are a preview of what you will find on my new website... hand printed notecards and journals, petite notecards, sketchbooks, and gift tags galore.  i have been working really hard over the past few months coming up with new designs and products and i am so excited to finally reveal them to the public!

as a thank you to all my blog readers, i am offering 15% off your first purchase between now and december 1st.  all you have to do is enter the code 315LAUNCH at checkout and the discount will be automatically applied to your order.

                       
i hope you enjoy my new website... thank you so much for visiting and happy shopping! :)

xoxo,

lesley

help a struggling entrepreneur...

i wanted to share this amazing website i found through kate's blog today. it is called kiva. basically, they find entrepreneurs all over the world struggling to make a living and list them on their website. all you have to do is choose the person you would like to help out, and make a $25 donation - which is actually a loan. once the person of your choosing makes enough to pay the loan back, you can either withdraw your funds or re-invest them in another entrepreneur. how cool is that? read more about kiva here.

some other fun ways to help people:

free rice
help the UN donate rice to hungry people all over the world by playing a fun vocabulary game

pangea market
shop online for handmade goods from artisans in developing nations

toms shoes
buy a pair of toms shoes, and a pair will be donated to a child in need

xoxo,
lesley