Sponsor Spotlight + Giveaway: Via Montebello

La Dolce Vita is pleased to welcome Via Montebello as our newest sponsor! Making it a veritable shopping destination, shop owner, Lauren Dietz has curated a thoughtful collection of chic European accessories, gifts, and vintage finds. Lauren spent several years living “la dolce vita” in Italy. Naturally, she fell in love with the lifestyle she observed while living there and traveling throughout Europe and sought to create a means for people to add a touch of Europe to their daily lives, not matter where they live and so, she founded Via Montebello. The shop features everything from stylish cashmere scarves and authentic Murano jewlery to all of the essentials one would need to entertain the European way.

Via Montebello is generously offering a special 10% discount to anyone who signs up for an account on their website—simply click on the “My Lifestyle” tab. In addition, Via Montebello and La Dolce Vita have teamed up to give one lucky reader a versatile Elena Braided Wrap—perfect for the jetsetter you are! The wrap is valued at $110 and is available in several colors: anthracite, Cocoa, Ink, Milk, Nero (black, and Rosso (red). The winner will have the option to choose whichever color they like!


1. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this blog post telling me which color wrap you would choose.
2. Leave ONE comment on this post between today, Thursday, March 8, 2012 and Thursday, March 15, 2012. A winner will be announced on Friday, March 16, 2012.
For Extra Entries:
3. Follow La Dolce Vita on Facebook and leave a comment about the Via Montebello giveaway.
4. Post about this giveaway on Twitter with a link to this blog post for another entry (follow La Dolce Vita on twitter in order to show me your tweet). It is up to you to return to this post to enter your additional entry after tweeting about the giveaway.
5. Anonymous entries will be ignored, so please include your e-mail in your comment. Your e-mail address will never be used for anything other than to notify you if you are the winner.

The Luxe Report: Monochromatic Suits

Hello, lovely LDV readers! It's Rebecca from Young Sophisticates, back again with another installment of The Luxe Report. Monochromatic suits make a major style statement without requiring much thought (in terms of styling) on your part... which I think is perfect for the busy fashionista!

 

This trend is easy to try, and looks ultra-sophisticated and classic. A tailored blazer worn with matching pants feels fresh again, after seasons of mix-matched suit separates. How fabulously polished and fun is the Tibi short suit pictured below?

The color you pick doesn't matter - just stick to a solid hue that you're pleased with, and try wearing a monochromatic suit in the color of your choice.

 

{Photo Credits: Preen Spring 2012, Givenchy Spring 2012, via thevintash; Marie Claire via flyoverfashion; Tibi Spring 2012 via bcxrr}

Design Under the Influence: Art Deco

Hello again, it's Erika from small shop, here to cover a bit about Art Deco influences and motifs. I had honestly been avoiding tackling this massive topic simply because the vast amount of deco influences seen in today's design world is overwhelming! To streamline my efforts, I'm going to talk about the historical context, the main motifs, and those seen in modern day examples in decor and fashion.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Art Deco movement of the late 1920's to the early 1940's included all principles of design, from architecture to interiors, to product and textile design, to art and literature. You could sum up the factors that most influenced the birth of the movement into three:

#1: Post-WWI/Depression Era From the horrors of war grew a need for a sense of progress, practicality and sophistication, and a recall of a past glamour lost.

#2: Archaeological Finds of the 1920's The unearthing of Pompeii, Tut's Tomb, Troy, and Mesoamerican sites created an excitement for all things Roman, Egyptian and Aztec/Mayan.

#3: The Machine Age Later, with the invention of modern aviation, cinema, large ocean liners and electric lighting came man-made materials like aluminum, stainless steel, chrome and plastics. Out grew a simplicity in form and construction, and an aerodynamic aesthetic.

ART DECO MOTIFS

When you consider the above, it's no wonder that geometric patterning and mathematical shapes reigned supreme, such as these major motifs:

MODERN DAY DESIGNS

While the countless examples of Art Deco motifs in decor and products can be found, I was particularly struck by the quite literal interpretations seen on the S/S 12 runways:

But we definitely have seen a resurgence of late in interiors and product design!

Mary McDonald

Osborne & Little "Minaret"

Jeff Andrews for Khloe Kardashian

Kelly Wearstler "Grand Ziggurat"

House of Harlow 1960

Maison 21 for Joss & Main

via Design*Sponge

Mark Chamberlain via Lonny

Charles Hollis Jones

FLOR

Christian Louboutin

Osborne & Little "Volte" and "Minaret" Arts & Crafts UK "Manhattan" / "Shand Kydd"

Mary McDonald

Atmosphere Interior Design

designstILes

Molly Luetkemeyer

I looked around my home, and didn't realize how many Art Deco-inspired pieces I've incorporated as well! Take a look around, you may be surprised too.

Do Tell: Where is your “happy place”?

My husband, Fabian and I just returned from a quick little weekend getaway to Los Angeles, (mostly) compliments of American Express Member Rewards. We arrived in L.A. on Saturday and were back home in Houston yesterday afternoon. The short two days went by in the blink of an eye, but they were exactly what we needed. We returned home feeling rested, recharged and motivated—let’s make things happen! I enjoyed this trip so much because I’ve traveled to L.A. quite a bit and have fallen in love with the city, but Fabian had never been there, so it was pretty special to show him my favorite places in the city and see him fall in love with it, too. We spent time in my regular stomping grounds of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills and ventured out to beautiful Malibu where we spent most of Sunday afternoon. While we’ve been fortunate to travel to many beautiful places, there’s just something about L.A. that makes me so happy. I joked that it was my “happy place”—the sunshine, palm trees, hills, ocean, delicious food, and abundance of fabulous design speak to my core and I feel right at home. There’s no stress of traveling internationally and things are different enough to be exciting while being familiar enough to feel like it could maybe be home one day.

Do tell—what is your happy place?

This Week’s Quote

{Image Source}