spruced by marlene

As it was unlikely I’d find the time to continue writing „a week in fashion“ regularly, I’ve decided to… rename it „a month in fashion (and other stuff)“. Which, yeah, I could’ve spent more time coming up with a better title. Instead I used the time to watch, read, listen, shop and generally fall in love with the following things (starting with the ones in the picture).

| If I’m going to wear sweatpants all the time, I might as well wear nice ones. These black wool ones are from Stefanel, have a great cut, are super soft and currently still in the Sale (also in grey and a light caramel colour).

| How much can you say about Women in Clothes? So much. Authors Leanne Shapton, Heidi Julavits and Sheila Heti examine our relationship with fashion through interviews, essays, pictorials and a whole load more. Mind-blowingly comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining.

| Got some fancy coasters from Bolia. Because it’s never too late to grow up and get fancy coasters.

| New year, new calendar. After being faithful to Moleskine for years I found a new love in the Leuchturm 1917 weekly calendar (which I find much better divided for the to-do-listing I like doing).

| One day, I will live like the heroine in a Truman Capote story and really need a set of cards that are engraved “regrets his/her behaviour” from the divine Mrs John L Strong fine stationery company.

| The hand soap with sweet orange, cedarwood and sage from Grown Alchemist smells so lovely that handwashing suddenly feels like a special beauty treatment.

| Not a new buy, but I’m so glad about my June Ainscough brush every winter, because it’s very gentle on brittle and dry hair.

| Perhaps my favourite beauty product for winter: the Drink Up Intensive overnight mask from Origins, which is like a giant smoothie for the skin (and a great recommendation from Okka).

| Crème Abricot nail cream from Dior. Can I admit that I bought it primarily because I loved the delicate jar it comes in? Good. It has also improved the state of my finger nails considerably.

| Lovely Daria from kid’s online shop Walking the Cat has found a permanent location in Berlin and opened her store on Mulackstraße 7. I recently got Arlo a pair of Tocoto Vintage pants there.

| Himbeer Magazin have updated their Berlin mit Kind cityguide. So useful during these months when you’re not sure who has a worse case of cabin fever: you or the kid?

| Buying a kaftan in the middle of winter might seem counterproductive. But! I already own the Agave kaftan from Rodebjer in one colour and I’ve never been happier about a piece of clothing in the summer. Ever. So how about a new one in this print before it sells out?

| Here’s a new favourite fashion blog: Wide Eyed Legless.

| And another one, the endlessly inspiring Jean Stories.

| You know what? Sienna Miller is funny.

| So is Victoria Beckham.

| I’m a huge fan of the Guardian’s fashion writer Jess Cartner-Morley, even more so since she started her new series “What I wore this week”.

| So I decided to not buy any more beauty products until I’ve used the ones overflowing from the bathroom cupboard. And then Sali Hughes, who is my guru, published her best products of 2014 and so there goes that resolution.

| It’s only January, but it’ll be difficult to beat Wild for the most magical and moving movie this year. I could’ve walked with Reese Witherspoon for another five hours after the film ended.

| That song in the trailer? Turn Away by Beck. The rest of the album Morning Phase is as good.

| „Wild“ is based on the memoir by Cheryl Strayed. She’s also the author of „Tiny Beautiful Things“, a collection of her essays as advice columnist Dear Sugar for the Rumpus. My advice to you: get that book. I go back to it about once every month, especially to her perhaps most famous column Write Like A Motherfucker. I’m so excited that Strayed decided to bring back Sugar, together with Steve Almond, as a podcast this January.

| I love Amy Poehler. I love her even more after reading her memoir Yes Please. It’s so funny and smart and encouraging and makes me want to hang out with her and get sloshed and basically I wish we were friends (Amy is hosting the Golden Globes again this Sunday with her actual friend Tina Fey. Brilliantly, Vulture has a history of their friendship).

| I didn’t know I had a dream of seeing our home in the New York Times one day. But it feels like a dream come to true to see the table I built with my dad in a feature about genius home exchange website Behomm. In the freaking New York Times!!!

| Stop whatever you’re doing right now and read The Haters Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog. Although maybe not if you’re in bed next to someone already sleeping. You will wake them up with your laughter.