Coveting for Autumn / A Dream Birthday List

After my parents cancelled their trip to Berlin and our Bailey-dog got diagnosed with cancer, I was ready to let my birthday go the way it's gone for the past two years: postponed. Since I luckily got the flu out of the way this week, at least I won't be sick for a third year in a row, but there will definitely be some toning down of the festivities. Hey, when my girl needs chemo, that's the way I'd rather it go anyway.

All that aside, who says a girl can't dream..? I mean, that's what birthday wishes are all about anyway, right? Did anyone ever get that pony they wished for as a child? Plus, autumn for me has always represented the start of a new year (I was the nerd who liked going back to school), so my birthday always coincided with this time for reevaluating what I had and possibly a little reinvention as well (with hopes of becoming the cool girl that never quite materialized). These days, as I inch closer to 40 (*gulp*), I'm definitely more about investments than frivolous wants. Yes, any 'want' is by definition frivolous, but you know what I mean. Things I could love forever rather than just a flash in the pan. So, if money were no object and someone could wave their magic wand, here's what I'd wish for this year...


A perfectly simple black dress | All about the black in recent years, it has come to my attention that I do not own a Little Black Dress. Well, I own one that's not-quite-right for my body and will likely be eBaying soon in an effort to raise money for pricy canine chemotherapy (stay tuned for more on that!), but more importantly, it's limiting in its uses (read: it's sexy vibe, all the way). When I slipped on this 3/4-sleeve oversized dress from COS, it was classic/modern/chic, all at the same time. Equally at home at a party, or a wedding, or on a date, this little black number is classic Audrey from the the front, but the swooping back fabric and roomy pockets feel a bit avant-garde. It's everything a girl could want in an LBD, including a really reasonable price tag.


A tattoo from Sophie Lee | I was introduced to artist Sophie Lee's work through Australian friends who are also looking to get inked by her and I must say, I was immediately drawn to her slightly New Yorker-esque kind of style. Plus, working at the acclaimed AKA Berlin, it's hard not to be impressed. I wanted to start with another small piece on my arm and then work with her on perhaps a larger floral piece for my back. I was warned after my first one, once you start... and here I am, nearly two decades later, plotting more. Art is addicting folks.


Matte red lips | The more I use my Bite Beauty products kind friends and family have brought me from the States (mercilessly gluten-free and food grade!), the stronger my belief in lipstick has become. With a warm pink lip crayon, a mauve-y lip gloss and a brick red sheer lipstick already in my arsenal, I'm ready for the big guns: a matte classic red for fall and winter. Aside from all the creepy chemicals and lurking gluten (who knew?), most lipsticks dry out my perma-chapped lips and I abandon them at the bottom of a drawer before they're even half gone. Not so with Bite Beauty. I'm a hard-core fan and will camp out in anticipation when they finally bring this amazing line to Germany.


Clear eyeglasses | I am so in love with my peachy-pink Lucca's I bought earlier this year (and I've never had more compliments on a pair of frames, let me tell you), but as we slip into fall, something about the petal-like color feels rather out of the place for the season. Ace & Tate's clear-framed Hudsons keep it light yet neutral, a perfect pairing for say, a crimson lip and a little black dress. I mean, have you seen Anne in her clear frames? Sold!


Mother of pearl hair | I first stumbled on this hair color while looking at my hair stylist's website earlier this year and heavily debated between this and the pastel pink I had been wanting. Ultimately cotton candy hair won out, but now that I see this popping up more on lovely heads, I'm convinced this should be my next foray into this soft color trend. Subtle, Different. Love.


Simple {real} gold jewelery | In addition to these lovely Another Feather earrings, I'd like to repierce my closed-up second holes to put them in. After all, they're just sitting there. As my friend Kat mentioned while she was buying up lovely gold rings during our trip to Copenhagen, it's time to invest in grown up jewelry. I love the trendy, quick-fix just as much as the next person, but her determination to invest in something better for herself resonated with me. Might as well add the Crest cuff and Curve ring while I'm at it.


Zip-top leather tote bag & wallet | Totes are definitely having a moment right now, but like Birks, hasn't this classic really always been around? While Madewell totes have become something of an Instagram epidemic - because they're lovely - they fall prey to the same issue I take with most leather totes on the market: the open top. I suppose that's convenient for easy access while your hands are full, but in rainy, big-city Berlin, I'd rather my items inside stay dry and un-pick-pocketed. San Francisco-based Cuyana just released its new zippered tote in this buttery, butterscotch-hued version and even though I have yet to see one in person, I'm confident this is the bag I've been searching for. Add to that a very grown-up gold monogram and a chic black wallet to go with, and dreams would be made, people. Here's hoping by the time I can afford these, they'll start shipping to Germany...


Black brogues | Good black oxfords are hard to find, apparently. I've been on the lookout for years for just the right thing, with no luck. Mostly, I blame my Sasquatch feet, but really, the styles just didn't appeal. These new-for-fall ones from Clarks hit just the right note with an on-trend platform that isn't runway ridiculous and perforation details that keep them from feeling stodgy (read: too manly). Bonus? They are light and crazy comfy. I tried the blue pair on in the store (in a 42, which is unheard of for me in closed-toe Clarks, so err on the smaller side if you pick them up) and it was like walking on two little clouds. Okay, two big clouds, but you get my point.



What are you dreaming about this autumn...?



Sophie Lee's tattoo photos via her Instagram
Mother of pearl hair photo via Jenna Perry