9.23.2010

Spot On

For the
of
Leopard
but first, let us delve on
how NOT to wear this exotic pattern.
And what not to do part-2
Rockers can have cat-power too
Norman Norell was one of the first noted designers to begin the cat craze in the 1940's

Powerful female characters in cinema wore some amazing leopard.

and nothing is more tasteful than a touch of leopard in our homes.



the key is knowing when to stop
Themed animal print rooms are forever outlawed.
no excuses unless your decorating a wild animal park.
'Everything in moderation' is life's best rule, period.
On the streets
on the runways here and far..
on the famous
on the young
or the young at heart
or on dumbwit
{go forth and shop responsibly}
everyone needs a little feline fashion
* I hope to get back on blogging track here fast & back to commenting and reading all my favorite blogs. I deeply appreciate your kind comments & taking your time to read dumbwit tellher.

All my best to you for a fabulous first weekend of fall
Cheers my dears x

image credits; cheetahisthenewblack.blogspot; abovetopsecret.com; lifemag.; kateblogsworth.blogspot; thirdwave-websites.com; mirror.co.uk; gettyimages.com; dailydivadish.com; madamelolo.com; thefedoralounge.blogspot; mr.droolfiles.wordpress; gardenweb.com; eddieross.com; apartmenttherapy.com; bunnywilliams,designer; abcdesign.com; milesredd, designer; becomegorgeous.com; millionlooks.com; southernaccents.com; elledecor.com; housebeautiful.com; decorpad.com; erikadayla.blogspot; lonnymag.com; marymcdonald; tendy.com; peden+monk;

53 comments:

Erica Cook said...

All so very yummy! Love your new acquisition! xo Erica

Fabulous Finds Gal said...

This is one seriously fabulous post, darling! I am inspired to get my leapord coat out again.

xo,
Christina

Averill said...

Love your coat, Deb. And I love a spot of leopard (or leopard's spots, rather). Even just the hint can perk up a whole outfit. Kate Spade has a tremendous black dress w/ leopard print belt out right now. If only I weren't pregnant!

Dianne said...

I think you're right
~ just a whisper of cat~ that's all is needed, anymore is non chic!
Love your post- keep blogging!
~Dianne~

Unknown said...

Love it! Gorgeous fall find for a GORGEOUS Lady! xo D

French Basketeer.com said...

Deb, LOVE it. Love each and every photo...and what a find, that coat! I searched for one for 13 years in NYC and alas I have to settle for living room pillows and a Kors skirt :) btw somewhere there exists a pic of Lacroix with his mother in his chateau in France on an ocelot sofa with stuffed ocelots (I think) on the sofa table behind; only the French could get away with that. GREAT post! All best, A

Renae Moore said...

Great photos! I like a little animal print here or there...actually have 'cheetah' on a settee!
Cheers to you toooooo, lovin' your ebay find!
xo

24 Corners said...

So fun! Maybe we could see a picture of *you* in your new amazing coat...whatdy'a think? ;)
The closest I have to anything leopard is the picture of one that my four year old nephew just drew for me...it's so cute but I can't wear it.
This is a fabulous start to getting "back on blogging track"! I'm trying to do the same...
xoxo J~

Unknown said...

You need my glasses! They would be fabulous with your coat!

Julia Christie said...

Love your coat and love this post! So very POSH!

Smiles

Splenderosa said...

Fabulous! Absolutely fabulous. I am doing trend posts for Fall, now all I need to do is point everyone to this post, you have leopard completely covered.

xx's

Splenderosa said...

Fabulous! Absolutely fabulous. I am doing trend posts for Fall, now all I need to do is point everyone to this post, you have leopard completely covered.

xx's

Kelly Frances Dunn said...

Impressed and loving all your well edited selections! Have a lovely day, weekend and go buy yourself something leopard for heaven's sake!! You deserve it :)

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

I got a kick out of the bad examples...too funny! Love a little leopard print, have one little sweater and it is a favorite! Like you new header! Janell

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Dearest Deb,
I'm afraid that leopard print, or any animal print, has never been at the top of my fashion list.....to wear or to have in our home !! It's actually a throw back from years ago when it was always downmarket to wear it and I just can't move on !!!! Mind you, in a few weeks, you will probably find me dressed head to toe in it !!!!
Hope all's well with you and yours. Lots of love. XXXX

James said...

Fascinating as always. I love the chairs with leopard covers.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Beadboard UpCountry said...

Hi Deb!
First a great big thank you for hooking up the trunk show......AND what a fabulous new frest gorgeous header!!!!!!!!!I just love it! I also loved this post......They are even doing some of the velvet pumpkins in leopard!!!!!Hey I can't find your e-mail....Can you give me a shout???????xoxoxMaryanne

Anonymous said...

Dear Deb, Leopard, Cheetah, Tiger...spots or stripes, I have never yet been tempted to either wear them or furnish my home with them. I have toyed with a Tiger rug but could not in the end quite place it. I have a Boar's head on my inner hall wall in Budapest but that is completely spotless and stripeless so does not really count. Will autumn 2010 see me in animal print? Well if anthing is going to tempt me, your delicious pictures might.

Your purchase certainly is going all out for the leopard look and will, I am certain, look wonderful on you. As for short little me, I have an awful feeling that I might resemble a feline footstool!!

Unknown said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE this post!! Was just looking at Budget Babe and she managed to find a cute pair of Franco Sarto Leopard Print heels at Marshalls for super cheap. I think I might have to snag a pair!!

SO love the jacket. Great pick mom!
LOVE YOU

http://www.thebudgetbabe.com/archives/3127-Off-the-Rack-TJ-Maxx-and-Marshalls-September-Finds.html#extended

SpryOnTheWall said...

Love your purchase!!! This post was just for me wasn't it - LOL! You know how much I love leopard!!!! Great job!!! xoxo

quintessence said...

Came over via Splenderosa - fun post! I also had leopard on the brain a couple of weeks ago. Everyone can use a bit of spots - at home and in their wardrobe!

La Petite Gallery said...

All Right! I loved this fantastic post. Anne Bancroft,a fantastic Actress. Jackie O well if it's OK for them it's rite for me. That camel back sofa w/ the pillows was perfect.

yvonne

lisa golightly said...

Oh Deb, I can't get a thing done now til I decide which is my favorite, Jackie O or Anne B ? So while I ponder, could you please just hand me those 50's shooties ? That's right, over here ! LOVE this !!! Happy weekend.. Rrrerrr !!!

Renée Finberg said...

how true, how true my friend.
the key is knowing when to stop.

even i have a bit of cheetah on a very old gold banquette chair.
this chair sits in front of a small scaled formal french desk.
it just perfect.
and just enough.

xxx i would love that same jacket as you purchased.

xx

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Dear Deb, what a cleverly written post; your word choice and photos were witty and fun, and SO TRUE! Oh dear, just a touch of spots is quite chic, a WHOLE ROOM FULL or complete ensemble, even on the young and beautiful is too much. You have a keen eye and quick stroke of the written word! THANK YOU FOR COMING BY TONIGHT! I so appreciate your comments and I see you also visited my sweet Ruben. So good to see you back on the saddle...do come back!!! Anita

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Hey Deb
Well I always thought it was not my thing.. then one day bought a leopard print scarf.... I loved that scarf.. and when it got old and tatty it was reinvented as a lampshade cover... wonder where it is?? hmmm.. Now i've read your wonderful post thinking it might be just what i need around here..

Have a lovely new week dear Deb.. and thanks for your sweet comments.. and yes... all shots taken on a disposable.. although spruced up with photoshop so I can call them 'art'.. hahahah... ciao ciao xxx Julie

Rattus Scribus said...

Hi Deb. Great post. I like the pictures and how you wrote on them and not just under them (I've never done that; don't know how). I also like your word choices: "the young and the young at heart" (instead of just "old," which of course might not make some people feel good). Moderation (knowing when enough is enough) is right on the mark. Of course nowadays any new leopard products SHOULD be artificial.

Thanks for your visit and comment on my latest post. You got the main purpose of my post: heroes are those who get "the greatest of these is love" and seek to put it to practice in normal, everyday ways.

Blessings,
Ruben

Easy and Elegant Life said...

Great eBay find. A touch of the wild is a fine way to go forth into winter.

I had a leopard bedspread as a teen. The matching curtains were a bit too much though. As you say, knowing when to stop is the key to a tasteful scheme.

Francine Gardner said...

Love your new coat!! My grand mother was so chic in her leopard furcoat...As for me, I love leopard prints and does own a scarf, shoes, a dress, a sweater....almost enough to dress up a zoo... Hope you are having a great week end, Francine

Haute World said...

Love your new purchase! Leopard is so timeless, though I'm always wary of overdoing it. The how not to wear it pics were hilarious!

Gwen Driscoll said...

Love leopard in small doses. These pictures are amazing. Such a beautiful collection. Hope you have a great week.

Barbara said...

Such fun to look through all your leopard photos!! (Your "what not to do's and hilarious!)
My mother had a leopard piano bench. We thought it was tacky...perhaps she was in style and didn't realize it. :)

Christy said...

Wow what a score for you! LOVE it! Great post Deb! xo

North of 25A said...

Hello, my dear! So good to see you. I love your new coat! I actually have leopard carpet on the stairs and on the landing, which I hated when we moved in, but since it was brand new we held off replacing it & now I am quite fond of it.
Best,
Colleen

annechovie said...

If anyone could rock leopard, it's you, Deb! Thanks for the sweet message - not cool here yet, but it's coming....maybe in another month! lol> xoxo

Kellie Collis said...

I so agree with the moderation part! Animal prints looks so elegant when you do it right. Kellie xx

Privet and Holly said...

As I walked into
church last Sunday
in my leopard dress,
I couldn't believe
how many tops, bags,
etc. in leapard that
surrounded me! So
yes, if its popping up
in church, then it must
be a big trend : ) Though
I hate to call it a trend,
since really, as you've
shown here, leopard is
timeless. This is a fun
post and looks like you
spent a lot of time searching
for just the right images.
Loved it!
xx Suzanne

C.J. said...

hi Deb, been thinking of you lately and wondering how your world is going... house? sold? relocating? come on girl give it up.
Love and best,
Carol

lucitebox said...

Hi Deb! I love this post. You're going to love your new coat. A bit of leopard print really makes cold weather dressing a lot more fun!

Parisbreakfasts said...

Well you beat NYTimes Bill Cunningham to the punch on this!!!
WOWZA
impressive
merci
carolg

DolceDreams said...

Fabulous post! I have missed you...HUGE leopard fan I am, but yes moderation is key........
Hoping life is treating you right!
Nathalie

Sanity Fair said...

sooooooooooooo awesome. Especially the "what not to do" parts one and two!
My fav from last season (posted on SF) was a leopard print top with the bottom half RED. It looked like the wearer had been mauled! Eww!
But, I do adore a leopard coat - I have one similar, and I've been wearing it for years. Can't wait to don it again for 2010!
-SF

Pinecone Camp said...

I see animal prints lots these days when I shoot interiors. Always love how it looks, but I just don't think I could pull it off. Love all the pics you pulled together for this post!

Red Boots said...

I have a hard time wearing leopard print. It just doesn't suit me. But I do have some leopard print ballet flats that I adore!

My boyfriend won't let me use any leopard print fabric in the house!!

Cashon&Co said...

those rooms send me over the edge. looooove the leopard, always have. just unpacked a brand new leopard cardigan in the mail last night. my second one☺
great images too ...i'd put an explanation point on that but it's broke on my keyboard. now i sound drab everytime i write a sentence. hah.

My Dog-Eared Pages said...

Deb, I love your new coat. I have one. It's Revillon, 1960s. I rarely wear it because it's real. The collar stands about a foot tall turned-up in back. 3/4 length sleeves. Silk lining... a beauty. I almost turned mine into a Fireplace Fender! Love the post ; ). B

Unknown said...

I LOVE that first picture. I have the magazine that it came from and I mainly bought it because i loved the picture so much. So glam!
Have a wonderful weekend.
*kisses* HH

Brabourne Farm said...

Fabulous post Deb! You've proved "purrfectly" what a fine line there is when wearing and decorating with leopard. Love your coat - photo please! Leigh

debra@dustjacket said...

Oh I just read Leigh's comment...I love the purrfectly!!

I have a beautiful scarf in leopard, it's been with me most of winter!

Great post and hope you are doing great.
xoxoxox DJ

Sarah Klassen said...

I admit, I never used to like it, but now, really like leopard -- especially in small quantities, such as a clutch. Great post :)

xo

Scribbler said...

I love, love, love this post! I had to laugh because somewhere I have pix of younger me, in a Jackie O version of a faux leopard coat! I've gotta find it!

Anonymous said...

God I love your blog!