April showers bring May flowers...

...So here's a little wish list to get us through monsoon season.



I bought one of these bubble umbrellas from Urb's last year and rattled on and on about how precious it was - until the Chicago wind tore a nice, neat rip in it the very first time I took it out. LAME. Despite the fact that this parasol is better suited to misty garden strolls than gale-force gusts, the seafoam color is springy and inviting, yet neutral enough to complement any outfit.



Also topping my spring wish list: this princess trench from Kenneth Cole Reaction. Only $99 on Bluefly.com, it brings a feminine (yet not overwhelming) touch to a rainy-day classic.



And what wet-weather ensemble would be complete without a pair of Hunter wellies? Cut slim enough to flatter but roomy enough to house a foot clad in your standard ballet flat or sneaker, a pair of rain boots is a beautiful alternative to soggy toes and tired mukluks. No better place to experiment with color than in the item of clothing more likely to see April showers than clash with May flowers - the boots are available in everything from hunter green to sunny yellow, but this red strikes the perfect balance between punch and panache.

So ooh, so ahh, so cool.

This Is Alphabeat is European synth-pop at its finest, my current obsession being jaunty puppy-love anthem "10,000 Nights." Also worth a listen: "Boyfriend," "Fascination," "Public Image," and "Fantastic 6." Or, you know, the whole album. If you're feeling ambitious.

The best ad campaign I've seen in a while:

I came across this spread in Elle the other day and literally started freaking out. It jarred me out of a six-month blogging hiatus, if that's any indication. The whole thing just makes me want to roam around Paris in a gauzy dress and ballet flats, with a balloon in one hand and a croissant in the other.







And Sofia Coppola's film interpretation is no less delightful: