Glitz and Glamour

Move over, beige—washed gold is my favorite neutral for autumn. Why? Paired with simple standbys like black and silver, washed gold takes on a whole new life. It combines the sheen of a metallic with the versatility of a neutral. It's luxurious, rich, and a welcome update from the typical khakis and chocolates that usually accompany fall fashion. What do you think? A little too frou-frou or just the right amount of fancy?


[photo cred here and here]

Sweater Weather

When I was in high school and working in a clothing boutique, I had to unpack and tag a box of Lauren Conrad duds. No offense to LC...but compared to the Nanette Lepore and Robert Rodriguez, her line was no match. Since then, I've been wary of celebrity designers.

Claudia Schiffer's new cashmere line, available at Net-A-Porter.com, has changed my mind (although let's be honest, my wallet is having a nervous breakdown). Plus, the concept hits my weak spot: I'm over this heat and into autumn—and sweater weather. The cozy combination of warm knits, skinny jeans and boots...are you as ready as I am?


[photos courtesy of net-a-porter.com]

Summertime Reds

One of my favorite paintings ever is that on the top left. I met Elisabeth de Cherisey at a perfume launch—she's the great great great great great great great great granddaughter of Marie Antoinette's best friend, as well as a fantastic artist. I'm obsessed with her work. Her paintings make me want to wear a red dress, or a red sunhat, or a casual pair of red sneakers. There are oh-so-subtle pops of rouge that just seem perfect for the long and lazy last days of summer.


[photo cred, clockwise from top left, to Elisabeth de Cherisey, 2 and 3]

Easy Chic

I adore this Clémentine Levy fashion story for Grazia Italia, shot by Vanessa Jackson. It seems so perfect for the summer-to-fall transition, with dark colors and easy tees and simple jeans, dressed up just the right amount with a great pair of loafers. (Full disclosure: I hate loafers. Give me a pair of ballet flats any day.) But I definitely want to steal the effortless chic that Clémentine sports here. It's not that I'm over summer, per se, but why bother trying to figure out which sundresses are sheer and which aren't when I could just slap on a pair of not so see-through pants? Is this laziness or just a personal style preference?

Nudes & Neon

And my new favorite pairing is...

                        Try a tasteful pochette in classic Tiffany blue     +     Rachel Zoe dress

(if you're a little more demure)

                           Pair an eye-popping fuchsia clutch            +             Dolce Vita dress

(if you're afraid of just about nothing)

Now I just need a bright, neon bag. I'm thinking a

Claire Vivier foldover clutch in in a vivid royal blue is just the thing.

[photo cred to 1 and 2]

Monday, Monday

I went home this weekend—it's nice to get out of the city for a bit and lounge around my house. My little sister made cupcakes and bought me cookies, so really, the past two days have been one long sugar-high. I also went to Crazy Stupid Love (and adored it). Have you seen it? The trailers (or, to be honest, a well-dressed Ryan Gosling) had me hooked.


As for the winner of the Estée Lauder giveaway, congrats to Sara of Sara in Le Petit Village (#13 of 17 eligible posts on random.org). Thanks so much to all for reading and participating!

Happy Monday!

[photo cred here]

Nailed It + A Giveaway

You know what feels great? Getting a fresh manicure and

waving your hand around like you're the Queen of England.

You know what also feels great? Persuading 200 poor Google followers/fellow bloggers to read my endless prattling about my life and/or objects that I find pretty. To celebrate, I'm throwing my very first giveaway: two fabulous Estée Lauder nail lacquers. The first is Metallic Sage, a very of-the-moment green-grey hue, and the other is Purple Passion, a vibrant lavender shade.

To enter, you must a) be a follower of Mellow Fever and b) comment on this post with your email (if it isn't available in your blog profile). If you Tweet about it, tag it with @deannapai and a link to this post for a second entry. A winner will be randomly selected on Friday. Bonne chance, mes petits choux!


(open to US residents only, sorry!)
[photo cred here + courtesy of Estée Lauder]