I woke up sad. and then this happened:
It’s by stylist Emily Chalmers. And i love her. like a lot. She was the first trendsetter that gave me permission to display my crazy hoarding collection of vintage floral and fauna. I had been collecting from 14-26, secretly obviously…sure i would put a few out here and there, test the waters, but in general it was just my own little treasure. As long as it was bright, feminine and one of a kind I hoarded anything i could. But it was considered weird, my friends just thought it was random, and when I saw Emily’s apartment in Elle Decor like 5 years ago, it gave me permission to own my love of baubles. Sometimes, especially when you are young, you feel like you need ‘permission’ from somebody you admire to really love what you already love. (of course this is just in your head and you don’t actually need permission) And in this case, it was Emily.
Remember when Vern Yip told me on the glass house challenge that i was ‘one whisker away from being a crazy cat lady’? I remember thinking, ‘its not for everyone, but it is for me, and Emily Chalmers would get it’. Also, WHAT IS WRONG WITH LOVING CATS??? Cats are dope little creatures and i hate that you have to apologize for having them. Which i never do, btdubs.
You know what i think about this person? She probably drinks champagne in bed. And reads teen love trilogies, and watches Sound of Music, and wears vintage 60’s turbans around the house.
She probably wears bright lipstick, throws impromtu dance parties, listens to Sara Barrealis, celebrates the weekend like its the last weekend in her life. She goes to brunch in her pajamas or a maxi-gown, depending on her mood, she buys what she feels like is too many magazines, and only allows herself to watch her favorite movie twice a year so she doesn’t get sick of it. And she rarely takes herself seriously, and when she does she regrets it immediately. Oh, and she has a sh*t ton of fun.
Some people might consider this style messy and unrefined, but all i know is the person that lives there is rad. I have no proof of that, i’ve never met Emily, but based on her style we would be best friends.
(full disclosure, all those hobbies described above might be mine (or my fantasy version of me), but you get the idea).
Here’s my general philosophy: Your house should be an amplification of your favorite feeling. I know i sound like i’m 6, and i’m all ‘mrs. johnson my favorite feeling is ‘happy’, but whether you want it more calm and comforting or loud and engaging, it should be a strong version of that.
For me its totally ‘happy, with a little bit of the crazy’.
And yes, probably weird and at times not totally sophisticated.
But if Emily Chalmers can do it, so can we, right?
So, friends, what is your ‘favorite feeling’? That’s the most ridiculous question i’ve ever written, i sound like a little kid pretending to be a psychiatrist, but you know what i mean….
Also did you love anything secretly until you got permission to come out with it?