The term Modern Furniture can mean different things to different people. I belong to those who consider it a style of furniture influenced by modernism, designed and produced since the late 19th century. Most of you will recognize some of the modern classics below representing this style. It is hard to believe that some of these pieces have been around since before your parents, your grandparents, and in some cases even your great-grandparents, were born!

Egg Chair by Arne Jacobsen (1958), LC4 Chaise Longue by Le Corbusier (1928)

Noguchi Coffee Table by Isamu Noguchi (1944), Monte Carlo Bench - Eileen Gray (1925)

If you are lucky enough to find an original, and have the money to buy it, I truly envy you. But for those of us who are not so lucky, there are companies offering replicas of these modern classics for a cheaper price, so we can still enjoy owning one.

If you have a favorite modern classic, please let me know about it in the comments

You know Lori Naon as our very own Handbag Designer, but in her other life, she’s busy growing her up-and-coming business, Hardware Handbags, based in Seattle.

She’s known for bags that are roomy, durable and cruelty-free, and her new designs are no exception. In celebration of her new “Tumbled Steer” and “Patent Croc” collections, Lori is offering a 20% discount on all of her styles, just for StyleFeeders and the Tastemaker community. Just enter code “sfwwd20″ upon checkout to take advantage of the special savings.

Here are some of my faves from her new work. I love the Addison in red:

And I’m totally coveting the Small Tote in teal green patent croc:

Thanks, Lori, for making your work accessible to other Tastemakers!

I had my first internship last summer. As I scheduled interviews and prepared my portfolio, do you want to know my biggest fear and the source of my nervousness?

I had no idea what to wear.

Washington, D.C. is about 90 degrees in the shade come June, and it only intensifies from there, ending in a blaze of glory about the end of August/beginning of September. How ironic that this is also the time when interns descend on D.C., slaving away for the good of their resumes.

I didn’t want to show up sweaty and gross for the interview, and neither did I want to seem underdressed. What a problem!

But it’s not a problem for you. Experience has taught me the “do’s” and “don’ts” of dressing for internships…and interviews…and I’m happy to share my knowledge.

The Stuffy Interview

Working as a government intern? Or at some generic federal outpost? Or a law firm?

Etiquette dictates a more modest, professional attire for jobs or internships in areas such as those. Note, however, that modest and professional does not have to equal boring.

See the clothing above? It’s all from Victoria’s Secret. How illicit of you, young lawyer or government worker, to dress in Victoria’s Secret for a strictly dress-coded career!

But, you can get away with wearing a Victoria’s Secret label when the clothes look as classy as this. The french-cuffed shirt is a perfect staple piece for a more modest work wardrobe. Play up the shirt with interesting cuffs…just don’t leave the top button undone too far. It is supposed to be modest, after all! The pencil skirt above has a great little bow on the back, so although you may look staid from the front, you’ll show off your playful side from the back. The best deal is on the far right, with the skirt suit. Victoria’s Secret has a whole host of suits you can buy for less than $99, so take advantage of that offer. To add a bit of spunk to your suits, wear a brightly colored oxford or a blouse with an unusual ruffle detail.

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The charismatic couple of Conscious Living TV, Bianca and Michael Alexander, show us “Urban Fashion At Its Finest” in this eco fashion tour de force. From our sustainably fashion forward neighbors in Montreal to the funky vintage shops of Hollywood, Conscious Living TV takes us coast to coast uncovering edgy and retro designs, useful green wardrobe tips, and Michael’s bootilicious dance moves. Relax and enjoy the show-the fun (and the funk) of these two is infectious.

I am a bona-fide, vintage-loving clothesmonger and shoe fiend. I’m not sure how it happened, exactly, but dollars to donuts says it’s as much defined by my love of a great deal as by my love of my grandparents. In edging ever closer to actual adulthood, though, my bargain-loving ways have taken the passenger seat to some longer standing and, dare I say it, practical characteristics: quality and utility. Because while I love looking at bias cut, floor length evening gowns and strappy patent leather monster-platform heels, I don’t have the requisite rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle to get a lot of wear out of such things. Even if your vintage gaze falls a little lower on the Crazy Meter, there’s a distinct flavor that your wardrobe assumes if you’ve got your cat eye glasses predisposed to looking in the past. There’s a lot of variation to account for what “vintage” is: it can mean a little or a lot, 20 years ago or 100 years ago, chunky bracelets and an occasional purse or head-to-toe non-stop rehashed vintage glory.

This is all well and good, you may be commenting to yourself, but how does this affect my fashion-conscious persona and/or lifestyle? Well goody gumdrops, I’m glad you asked. Because I really believe that a distinct understanding of the past can catapult you onto a higher plateau in the present. When knowledge comes full circle and blossoms into understanding, it morphs into a fluid, transferable and deliciously variegated strength. Fashion especially is susceptible to this layering, where the whole of your fashionable appearance can benefit from that which you claim only superficial knowledge of: old picture books and magazines, movies from the 1940s, even trite and boring old illustrated history textbooks. Maybe it just means that when you wear those peep-toed FarylRobin “Fenway” pumps, you can glide down the street knowing that Ava Gardner probably wore a pair almost identical to them; and who wouldn’t want to channel a bit of Ava Gardner every now and then? It’s like evolution to bring you the most fantastic looking shoes possible, I mean, *drool.*

For me, the best thing about vintage is its flexibility. What is vintage? It’s whatever you want it to be. Wide-brimmed straw hats and clompy cork wedges with palazzo pants; wearing your great-grandmother’s wedding gown; knee-length dresses with full circle skirts that fit at your natural waist instead of whatever the mags are telling you is more flattering this season. For me, it’s about achieving a well-designed and personal style—and this year’s list of what’s hot isn’t a rich enough palette for me to choose from.

I’m always on the lookout for backwards glances, in shoes and dresses especially, from the roaring and liberating 1920s through the make do and mend 1940s on up to the funkalicious art deco revitalization in the 1970s. Thrift and antique havens, consignment shops, fabric stores both chain and indy, Fall 2008 runway shows, Target, the mall—I look at it all. Whatever will I find next?! Stay tuned and I’ll keep you posted.

So we’re all carrying around digital cameras… whether integrated into our phones, traditional digital point-and-shoot cameras, or digital SLRs. We are taking more photos than ever before, so at least some of them are bound to be good, right? Now the question remains: how can we best display the wonderful visuals that we have captured? The answer is: personalize your space with them!

First let me make one thing clear: I am not talking about a regular personalized photo-mug or mouse pad that you can order from any online photo printing service. Think bigger and bolder! I am talking about making your photos the focal point of a room, proudly displaying your best snaps and giving them the attention they really deserve!

Your Photo Blinds

Don’t have a room with a view? Do something about it! Get your favorite photo printed on window treatments like blinds or shades. Balcony Vacations is one of the companies who offer this service, and some of them do customized sizes as well. With the daylight spilling through your blinds and illuminating your photo of a French meadow you can bring a little piece of nature into the city and pretend it’s summer all year long…

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Spring is finally here — at least, in name. You’ve felt it, no doubt — those slightly-warmer-than-usual temperatures that tease you into thinking that you might be able to wear a skirt and a pair of wedged sandals. Then you do, and you’re fine, until the temperatures get a little too low for comfort. I know, I’ve done it too many times!

The perfect shoes to wear during fickle weather? Flats and skimmers, of course! Unlike sandals that might give your feet a little too much exposure during the low temperatures of the day, and unlike boots that scream “winter!”, flats and skimmers give you comfort, keep your toes warm, and many are cheap enough to snap up a good number to give you different looks (most of those I’ve included here are from Payless or Target).

Flats and skimmers for the spring should be freshly light-colored and made of material that can weather the occasional rainfall (meaning no suede or velvet — those are materials for the holiday season!).

I’ve never had a reason to wear boat moccasins (seeing as a trip to the water to me means a beach trip rather than a trip to the lake), but I still find this twist on the traditional boat moccasin incredibly cute. Obviously these would be worn on a casual (or whimsical!) day.

Pewter flats are incredibly versatile and can be worn during any season for nearly any look — with black tights and a mini in the winter, with a pair of jeans in the spring, with a dress or skirt in the summer. And because of the neutral color and metallic sheen, you can also match them with any color you choose to wear.

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Like most Stylefeeders, I love visuals. Discovering beautiful shapes, great colors, and interesting designs really makes me happy! I admire designers and artists who are able to create objects and compositions I cannot stop looking at. I secretly hope that I would be able to do the same if I only had more time available

My style can safely be called eclectic. The kinds of things that catch my attention are interesting and pleasing to the eye, make me smile, and have that unexpected extra dimension that gives them character. This includes modern furniture, ethnic antiques, artsy wall decor, silly gadgets, stylish recycling, and ingenious designs. I blame traveling and having lived in a handful of different countries, picking up aspects of various cultures and making them part of who I am.

Almost everything you’ll find in my Stylefeed are things I would love to own if I only had enough money to buy them and enough space to put them in. But who needs 27 beds, 54 lamps, and 32 couches! In future posts, I will share some of my favorites with you, and I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do!

I have always loved the look of wood in accessories . I think it started in childhood ,watching my grandma casually placing driftwood pieces in her garden, which might seem a bit strange if she didn’t live on the beach. The memory of those organic sculptures peeking out from her flower beds is etched forever in my mind. Real wood and especially faux bois (that’s French for fake wood) is all the rage in home accessories right now, so it would make sense that the trend is crossing over into jewelry design, since the fashion and interior design industries are so intertwined. Wood accessories certainly aren’t new, but they seem to go in and out of fashion depending on what month it is; I for one think wood or “faux bois” should be more of a classic that’s here to stay. It has a certain “je ne sais quoi,” don’t you think? If the answer is a resounding “Oui,” read on:

This first piece is one that I can’t seem to forget after adding it to my Stylefeed over five weeks ago! It’s so beautiful and organic, yet modern at the same time. It’s made by Amy Moore of Honey Bee (a seller on Etsy). She refers to her pieces as “wearable sculpture inspired by nature,” which is so spot on. This cuff of solid sterling silver is cast and impressed with the texture of a peeled hickory branch. She then oxidizes it to enhance the pattern and brushes it for a matte finish. I must not be the only one hankering for this beauty because, the hand-cast piece is back-ordered for 6-8 weeks, but I think it’s totally worth the wait.

One designer that is known for her modern wood inlay pieces is Amy Bengtson. She is a fellow Northwest girl and one talented designer. Here are just a couple of her new pieces:

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If there’s one trend I just can’t get behind this season, it’s ombre. It’s made appearances everywhere from the Fall 2007 runway to the awards season red carpet to the pages of fashion mags, but I can’t recall ever seeing a real, live person wearing such distinctive shading.

Ombre items are making an appearance on StyleFeeder’s wishlists, however, so it’s quite possible that I’m wrong about the wearability of this trend. Let’s take a look at some of the options people have bookmarked recently:

StyleFeeder leanneshain was the first to add this sherbet-hued confection by Michael Kors. I can definitely see the appeal of ombre for a special occasion; graduated gowns are both glam and flattering. And since you’re only likely to wear a gown like this once or twice, you’ll seem entirely of the moment.

But when it comes to high-end accessories, is ombre a good investment? Will you possibly be able to get away with wearing an ombre heel or handbag next season?

These Charles David Beatriz pumps are stunning, but I don’t know if I could bring myself to part with $195 unless I had the perfect outfit in mind for these beauties.

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