Trunk Show Today at Rē in North Kingstown

Heidi at Rē is lovely enough to host a Heidi Brueggeman trunk show today - if you're in the area stop by for discounts on gemstone and vintage jewelry as well as designer cashmere by Fjall at wholesale!

The Snow Belt

It's been a while since I've been through a proper winter (sans palm trees). As the temperatures drop and the sun sets a few hours after it has risen, I have been scurrying like a squirrel to get winter gear in order. Seeing "ice melt" and window scrapers set out for sale reminds me that the possibility for an epic whitewash is inevitable. Do I need to buy a scraper?
The last winter I endured was in Brooklyn. Even though everything one does in NYC involves being outside and walking in the elements for a longer period of time than suburban dwellers, I thought it was easier to live through snow there. I didn't mind piling on six layers and grippy boots to shuffle four blocks to the store. It was simpler than cleaning off my car and waiting for it to warm up. Parallel parking over poorly cleared snow banks on narrow streets in Brooklyn is another story.
I feel as if I endured a lifetime of winter battles that would carry anyone through the nostalgia of missing a White Christmas. I grew up in the great tundra of Northeastern Ohio. From late October until nearly April we endured ridiculous mounds of perfect snow. There was no point to the colossal quantities of lake effect snow we would get in an afternoon. No skiing hills in sight, and too much snow to clear a bumpy leaf-ridden pond puddle for ice skating. I am not a fan of winter sports. But I do have the gear to look cozy and cute while shivering six layers deep.
I find myself again in the great northeast. Fortunately not NE Ohio where The Snowbelt is not a chic looking Nanook of the North strip of deerskin with an antler buckle. I am situated back on a little island protected by the temperate waters of the Atlantic. It gets cold here, and foggy, and rains, and will snow...don't get me wrong. I still have to gather warm fashion nuts for my layering needs. But when the temperatures dip down and start with a 3...38, 32, lower to 26...I kind of wish for snow. It's cozy and romantic, it makes everything quiet and pure. It reminds me that even though my tan is fading faster than the sunset, there is still beauty in what may seem uncomfortable. I just need to be prepared and have my layers ready to protect me until I can molt again in the embrace of the summer sun. Without the cold we cannot truly appreciate the fleeting perfection of summer.

Chilly 1946 Fashion Shoot.  Love Winter White...

Gorgeous.  And about the quantity of snow we would receive in Ohio on a January afternoon...

Contemplative path = serenity now



I love love love it when the snow sticks to the trees.

Costumes for Everyday

I'm perplexed about what to wear today/tonight. I'm not going to annual raging Halloween parties like I used to...no one is throwing any! How times change. I'm not terribly upset about it. I prefer to get my costume on at theme parties, there's less pressure to have a cheeky intellect-provoking set of glittered cardboard cutouts defying gravity while wearing matching go-go boots... Give me a 70s throwback shindig any weekend of the year.
That said, I spend more time on my daily gear. Combinations of texture and accessories excite me far more than donning ears and a tail at the end of October. Taylor Thomasi Hill (shown below) is a favored subject of street style photographers at fashion weeks around the northern hemisphere. Her looks are easy to use as inspiration and apply to my Thursday morning.
Happy Halloween. It doesn't mean you have to be someone else today, you can experiment with a different version of yourself.

Boo

Happy (almost) Halloween! It's also "mischief night" in Newport tonight. I don't know how serious that is down here in the Nickel, but my whip is tucked in for safety. I'm really looking for a chocolate high tomorrow night without having to put forth an excessive costume effort. I think there are some ears and tiaras lying around here somewhere...

Richard Scarry, thanks to DMK xoxo

Cozytime

I adore this rainy Sunday morning...a chance to avoid the stare of the early autumn sunshine in favor of some putzing around with candles going with the flick of magazine pages.
Isn't this photo divine? Give me your cozy spotted paw. Ahhh. It's brilliant.

Best Intentions...October

I always have the best laid plans at the beginning of a month..."I need to blog everyday!". The fact is that time whisks me away like whitewater in a rainstorm. Before I know it another season has passed and I'm treading water again.

I've had a great summer. With each season, layers of life peel away. I've been happy to relive some of my favorite days with fresh eyes. The perspective that lessons provide can be the most poignant moments. The days are shorter and the mornings are certainly much cooler, but I look forward to the next round of season. Happy October!

Trunk Shows with Summer Color

Long time no post!
This week I am happy to have a trunk show at a private home in Newport. Thursday, July 25th. If you're interested in attending please send me an email at heidibrueggeman@gmail.com.
Next week I will be participating in the White Elephant Trunk Show on Nantucket. More details to follow - but please don't hesitate to email me!