Name: April
Age: I never share three things: My age, my dessert and my husband.
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Online homes: Just Verte Style.
Favorite Karina dress: I don’t own one because no boutique owner in Georgia has discovered Karina Dresses yet. We need to correct that!
How you know Karina? By way of a fellow blogger, Bella of Citizen Rosebud.
What are your every day, must-reads, online or off? First thing in the morning, the Wall Street Journal, just to make sure the world is still in operation and no one has blown up the Eiffel Tower. Then the local papers, then the New York Times online. Then, I check my blog and my list of fellow bloggers’ latest posts. It is now 6am and time to jump in the shower and get my own world in operation.
You write about fashion for the 40+ set. Do you think there are any trends that should be limited to the 20-somethings of the world?
Anyone over 21 should avoid: skirts that end 4 inches below the crotch; tops with necklines so low they make a sailor blush; 5-6 inch heels and wedges that force you to walk like Frankenstein’s monster; tri-colored hairstyles; or tattoos of anything that will embarrass you when you’re fifty.
You work as an antiques dealer. How do you spot a great find?
Lord, this is a hard one to answer in just a few words. It’s like any other skill…time, study, patience, research. I learned what I know (and still am learning today) by reading books and magazines, visiting museums, and stopping into the best antiques shops in New York (my home town) and talking with the dealers there. Back in the day, many of them were kindly, elderly English or French gentlemen who were delighted to talk to a young girl eager to learn. Dealers are treasures. They love what they’re doing, love what they’re selling, and most love to talk, too! Don’t be intimidated by the up- town address or the beautiful antiques. They’re put there for you to enjoy…and perhaps purchase. Dealers love that! Trust me.
If you could give your 16 year old self advice, what would you say ?
Learn French. It might come in handy in twenty years. And listen to your parents. Turns out they were right and really DID know what was best for you.
Your perfect day. What would it look like?
It’s early May. I’m in Avignon in Provence at 7am in the morning. The sun is just rising the clear blue sky. The market is open, and I’m strolling among stalls, basket over my arm, sampling and buying cheese and bread and fruit. Another vender is opening dozens of boxes of espadrilles, in all the colors of the rainbow and they’re all only 8EU! I buy six pair. Suddenly, a heavenly scent teases me. Fresh ground coffee! A little café off the square is serving café au lait and croissants. I settle down for a leisurely cup and contentedly lean back in my chair. People pass by, pigeons gather on the ground begging for crumbs…and my darling husband sits across from me. We’re relaxed, we’re in love, and we’re in the South of France!