Lisa Borgnes Giramonti, whose endlessly chic blog, A Bloomsbury Life, is a
longstanding favorite of W editors, is
back for a second stint on our Editors' Blog. (See her previous blogs here.)
This time around, she's sharing her resolutions for 2010—and the elegant
accoutrements she's found to help her achieve them. Check back here every
Friday for Lisa's weekly installments.
Part One: I resolve to be more organized.
This impassioned statement came tripping off my lips sometime mid-cocktail on December 31st and since then, I've done zilch to follow it up. As a result, the past few weeks have been slightly shambolic (and not in a tousled, sexy "I'm working it" sort of way). To that end, I've scoured the internet for the best new items that I am hoping will add a little tidiness to 2010.
This gold necklace pen feels very Mad Men meets Nancy Mitford to me,
but more important than its soignée, old-school aesthetic is the fact that
it promises to eliminate the clumsy fumble through the dark recesses of your
purse for the pen you swear you tossed in this morning. (It's even
detachable, although if your brain cells are like mine, I don't recommend
it.) I’m itching for my next opportunity to sign on the dotted line. catbirdny.com
Speaking of purses, this copper leather transfer bag keeps all your
essentials (cell phone, credit cards, money, makeup) in apple-pie order so
that switching between purses becomes a five-second operation instead of a
chaotic scramble. I'm always forgetting to carry over something I tossed
into a side pocket and only realizing it when the officer asks to see my
driver's license. Hopefully, those days are now over. joannhuth.com
It takes a visionary to make household chores sexy...and thankfully one has.
Designer Celia Birtwell (muse to David Hockney and Ossie Clark) has turned
her keen eye onto the domestic front and I recommend we do so as well. Her
kitchen drawer kit holds a utility knife, a pair of scissors and a tape
measure, all festooned with a colorful, iconic print that will definitely
motivate you to measure curtains, trim wallpaper or clip coupons. wheredidyoubuythat.com
Every morning, it's the same routine at my house: 1. Get dressed. 2. Eat
breakfast. 3. Embark on frantic search for keys. These crown hooks are a
regal solution to a commonplace problem. Mount them side-by-side on the
inside of a door near your entrance and you'll have five more minutes to
sleep in each morning. hooklady.com
I'm honing in on my quest for the perfect urban bicycle (watch out, Electra
Amsterdam Royal 8i) but I've already chosen the perfect willow basket to
adorn the front. It's simple, sturdy and an example of classic design at its
best. Retire your back-breaking messenger's bag; this is the perfect
receptacle to securely corral all your Sunday farmers market goodies and
still maintain a ladylike posture. acientindustries.com
Running a close second to my love for England is my love for containers.
These Emma Bridgewater nesting tins bring a bit of the beloved sceptr'd isle
vibe stateside and are perfect for decluttering your pantry, your closet,
your office or anything else for that matter. joannehudson.com
For years, I've resisted buying a laptop case because they were all so,
well...boring-looking. As a result, my iBook has been bumped and banged and
hasn't always lived to tell. However, leave it to Paul Smith to come up with
the perfect cheeky solution. His screen-printed laptop case features vintage
speedometers and makes me want to Netflix Le Mans (1971) with Steve
McQueen immediately. bloomsburystore.com
My accountant makes me save my receipts, but the heap of crumpled credit
card slips gets to be so unmanageable that I end up losing half of them
anyway. NeatReceipts scans everything, converts them to instant digital files
and even organizes them for you into specific categories so taxes are a
snap. Now that’s sexy. store.neatco.com
I have a well-known India fixation, so this mango wood jewelry box solves my
tangled necklace situation and satisfies my urge for all things Hindi.
Handcrafted in Jodhpur using traditional techniques, each piece is highly
labor intensive (which makes the price all that much more remarkable). britishmuseumshoponline.org
Despite the best intentions, it's folly to think that there won't still be
days when it's all you can do to get out of bed in the morning. Despair not.
These divine-smelling hair powders from Lulu Organics (tuberose, jasmine,
lavender and sage, patchouli and amber) refresh your tresses on those
mornings when shampoo is not in the realm of possibility. luluorganicnyc.com
Finally, this Rick Owens jersey tunic makes getting dressed a no-brainer.
It's elegant, looks seriously comfortable and I can see myself wearing it in
any situation, from school carpool to afternoon pitch meeting to dinner at
the Chateau Marmont. farfetch.comJoin W magazine on Facebook and we'll let you know when Lisa's next installment to the Editors' Blog is up.


















