French Toast

How to make a Monday more bearable? Why, starting with a delicious breakfast. Trust me, it's completely worth waking up an extra half hour early. I know Sunday is traditionally the morning of large, lazy brunches, but there's no better way to jump back into the week than fueled with a tasty mix of fruit and carbs. Since Lent begins this week, why not start the week with a breakfast appropriate last hurrah to sweets? May I present, chocolate french toast.

Chocolate French Toast (via Cooking Cache)
Ingredients

3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of salt
12 slices day old bread, crusts removed
3 milk chocolate candy bars* (1.55 ounces each), halved
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
confectioner's sugar


Directions
1. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Pour half into an ungreased 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
2. Arrange six slices of bread in a single layer over egg mixture. Place one piece of chocolate in the center of each piece of bread. Top with remaining bread; pour remaining egg mixture over all. Let stand for 5 minutes. 3. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Fry sandwiches until golden brown on both sides. Dust with confectioner's sugar. Cut sandwiches diagonally; serve warm. 

Image via Jenny Jones

Mary's Scarves

About a week ago, I wrote about Mary Katrantzou's A/W 2011 collection. Of course, like most other items shown on London Fashion Week's runways, her collection is significantly out of my price range. With this in mind, my delight at hearing that Mary Katrantzou had designed two silk scarves for Topshop hardly needs explanation.

(Topshop, $100)

(Topshop, $100)

I'm glad to see Mary Katrantzou's gorgeous prints splashed across as many mediums as possible. Factor in the high street prices, and I'm sold.

Tea for Three

While Jessica Simpson has more or less dropped off the celebrity radar, I do remember hearing she had branched out to fashion design. Being a celebrity designed collection, I had low expectations and generally didn't pay much attention to her pieces. I happened to come across her spring dresses and I can't help but admire the sweet creations.

 

My current orange kick is rather well documented here, but how gorgeous is this geometric poppy print? The buttons on the skirt give the otherwise girly dress a bit of quirk. (Jessica Simpson, $148)

This is my favorite of the collection. I love the demure tea-dress length, and the graduated print is sweet. Not to mention the smocking at the waist gives it a super flattering shape. (Jessica Simpson, $128)

I really like the colors of this dress. I'm not crazy about the ruffle at the waist, but the applique detail at the hem is divine! (Jessica Simpson, $148)

I'd love to wear any (or all?) of these to high tea or a garden party. Perfect for spring.

Converse and Marimekko

It's no secret I love bold bright prints. I also have a slight Converse obsession (I even own a sequined gold pair... words cannot describe how amazing they are). So you can only imagine my delight, no extreme euphoria, when I heard about the collaboration between Marimekko, the incredible Finnish textile design house, and Converse, the classically quirky American shoe brand.

Unikko, an iconic Marimekko print.

For those unfamiliar with the brand, Marimekko was founded in 1951 by Viljo and Armi Ratia. Armi asked some artist friends to apply their graphic designs to textiles. The fabric was then made into a collection of simple dresses. Jacqueline Kennedy, ever the purveyor of style, made the line famous in the United States when she wore eight Marimekko dresses during the 1960 presidential campaign. Today, Marimekko is known for its bright, cheery prints appearing on a range of clothing and home furnishings.

A video explaining the history and creation of the collection.

The collection, entitled 'Converse ♥ Marimekko', is available here. Picking just one pair's the hard part. If only they could all magically appear in my closet...

Images via Marimekko and High Snobiety

ASOS Shift Dresses

Dear ASOS,

I would be perfectly happy to live in your shift dresses all summer long.

Seriously... before I finish penning a gushing love letter, take a gander at these beautiful examples.

 

I'd start off with simple neutral pieces... ($50.20 and $50.20)

 

... before transitioning into punchy brights ($43.03 and $53.79).

Just throw on some colorful sandals or ballet flats, fun bangles or a chunky necklace, and you're set to enjoy warmer temps! Now where was I?...

Soft Skirts

Call it an over romanticized version of spring, but March always finds me itching to shed the bulky layers of winter and twirl around in soft, easy clothing. Realistically, it will still be another month until that fantasy becomes reality, but in my daydreams I'm wearing these light, draped skirts.

(Alloy, $15)

(Banana Republic, $45)

Technically it's a dress... but I'm loving the bright bodice! (ASOS, £35)

Prime Prints: Jonathan Saunders Fall 2011

While many designers excel at prints, London Fashion Week seemed to have more than its fair share of talent. While my overall impression of Jonathan Saunder's Fall 2011 collection was a bit underwhelming, his print placement was spot on. I'm still astonished how the bright colors almost seem, well, restrained.

I love the unconventional orange and turquoise pairing that quite accurately bridges summer and fall. I know the cardigan is menswear, but the combination of the color and print makes it seriously covetable.

 I love the blouse on the right and the skirt of the dress on the left. Who am I kidding, I love the skirt on the right as well... just not the head-to-toe styling. The waist defining silhouette of both looks is incredibly figure flattering, and the flutter sleeves and length are ladylike and elegant. At the same time, the fun print and unexpected colors keep the look very youthful and fun.

This final look doesn't showcase Saunders' prints, but I love the juxtaposition of the flirty hemline and large, graphic overlay. Very minimalist and modern.

Images via Style.com