angelica is the mother of three boys and still manages to always look stunning. and i think i can count on one hand the number of times i've seen her in flats. she's one of those people that always makes your day a bit better - whether it's the compliment she gives you or the joke she tells you, you can guarantee you'll either be smiling or laughing all day long. 

tell us a bit about the pieces you picked and who the designers are. 

i chose:

chan luu "turquoise and gold" bracelet and fiona paxton bracelet--really cool and fun to wear in multiples.

calleen cordero "chain link" belt—I love her stuff--so beautifully made!

stuart weitzman "once" cork sandals--really really comfy and of course the extra 4 inches is great, too!

serpui marie "annabelle" bag--so bright and happy

tom ford sunglasses--no explanation necessary

melissa joy manning "sunstone and peach druzy" necklace--every mjm that comes in is SO unique and beautiful!

you have one day to be a tourist in charlottesville. how do you spend the day? 

I would spend the day at the downtown mall people watching and drinking cocktails.

where do you go for visual inspiration? 

currently i LOVE pinterest.

what's in your dream wardrobe? 

nothing but great jeans and great shoes……

best piece of advice you've been given? 

sage words from my mother: “always wear nice undergarments” (or something close to that).  a lesson learned in the Lohman’s dressing room (they used to be open so you could see everyone in their undies-often shocking for a little girl)

what's the accessory that makes you feel the most confident? 

high heels!!!

if there was a fire at your house, what would you take with you? 

my iphone, macbook pro, and my paola dangond crocodile clutch.  my kids are old enough to get themselves and our dog sparkey out safely.

what's your favorite thing about working at scarpa? 

working for and with great women—and jake too, of course (he’s pretty great).

A little bit about botkier: people always ask me how I started and I love telling the story because it still inspires me. You can achieve dreams you didn't even know you had if you follow your gut and work with passion. I decided that the designer bags out there were not functional enough and too expensive so I took the leathers I had intended to bind my portfolio books with and found a manufacturer to bring my bag sketches to life. It wasn't until a few years later that I found out my Russian grandfather surname Botkier manufactured handbags 50 years ago.

What's next for botkier: Lots of amazing projects and collaborations coming out late this year and early next. Swatch watch collaboration out this coming Fall. Botkier is the 'statement piece for everyday' and we love our Botkier Babes!

Favorite beauty product: NARS Velvet matte lip pencil in 'pop life' - the perfect bright and wears well.

Favorite clothing item: Blazers complete any outfit and are perfect for day to night. Tess Giberson, Philip Lim, Rag & Bone are a few of my faves.

Favorite shoe: Botkier wedges, Loeffler Randall booties and Lanvin flats.

Favorite bag: Botkier VALENTINA shoulder in all colors!! It's a crossbody that acts like a satchel, chic AND practical.

Favorite accessory: Layered gold rings in various fingers.

Favorite place: My home in Brooklyn.

Favorite inspiration: Travel and interior design stores in the city.

Favorite drink: Aloe juice and the occasional glass of champagne.

Favorite snack: Chilled peeled oranges and yogurt pretzels.

Favorite artist: Guy Bourdin photographer.

Favorite music: The Black Keys (at the moment).

Favorite designer: Barbara Bui, Isabel Marant.

Favorite person: My kids (3).

Favorite book: Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

if you're curious about botkier, you can see a few pieces here or feel free to stop by the store and we'll show them to you in person! 

our favorite airstream is on the move again! carlo will be at the virginia horse center in lexington, va this weekend. he'll be in attendance at the lexington spring encore show this saturday and sunday, may 5th and 6th. we'll have carlo stocked with all your favorites from scarpa as well as snacks and drinks to keep you refreshed. we hope you'll take a minute in between events to come and see us! 

we just got our spring shipment of lucky fish. you can see a few of the pieces here. i'm personally loving the glow in the sun tees, which not surprisingly, instead of glowing in the dark, glow in the sun. 

tell us a little bit about lucky fish and why it's awesome:"Handmade in Brooklyn" is what we are, stubbornly and authentically. All our products are handprinted in small batches to order. We custom-print everything, and enjoy collaborating with buyers to design and create a Lucky Fish range unique to each store. We work with a printshop that enjoys the challenge of artisanal printing as opposed to mass-produced machine-printed tees. Happily, these days there is a groundswell of support  for that model of local production. We really enjoy working small-scale and keeping control of the whole production process. So don't expect to ever find a "Made in China" label behind the Lucky Fish one. 

favorite beauty product: Lorna's Naturals! The classic hand and body cream is wonderful! I found her products ata farmers' market in the Catskills. Made with coconut and vegetable oils, beeswax, well water, and geranium, tangerine, lavender, patchouli and rosewood essential oils. I love it and have the essential oil version as well! When I wear it, everybody comments how good it smells.

favorite clothing item: linen skirt !!!makes life so easy!

favorite shoe: Project no 6 clog boots have gotten me (and perhaps every other girl in the city) through this winter. For summer, maybe I have my eye on some hippie studded Calleen Cordero sandals. 

favorite bag: Tracey Tanner, my friend and neighbor, makes great pouches, too. But as I am a bit of a bag lady, I need to tote as well and I love the Lucky Fish Linen Tiger Tote. Although now I've changed to a silver foil elephant for spring. Coming soon.

favorite accessory: I couldn't function without a scarf!!! Maybe it's the thing I couldn't live without!!

favorite place: Cape Town, South Africa - my hometown!!!

favorite inspiration: people-watching

favorite drinks: coffee, tea. (got to be PG tips)

favorite snack: papaya with lime and hotsauce 

favorite thing (thing you can't live without): yarns and beads. I'm obsessed with making necklaces at the moment... I just love the colors of these acrylic mexican yarns I've been using with seed beads in endless combinations. 

favorite artist: Yayoi Kusama. princess of polka dots-her boundary-less work is amazing.

favorite music: been streaming.....http://www.novaplanet.com/radionova/player radio nova! keeps me mostly happy!

favorite designers: so like the textiles... http://www.tsumorichisato.cc/ and http://www.eleykishimoto.com/index.php if i could buy from one designer only would be...Isabel Marant 

favorite people: my friends and family, of course! 

favorite book: whatever is next to my bed.

here's the formula: 

1. sunglasses - essential for any great outdoor outfit. i swear by my tom fords.  

2. dress - simple in shape, could actually be a romper or poncho. something by t luxury or lilla p. 

3. shoes - weather dependent. be prepared with hunters, cowboy boots, and funky flat sandals. 

4. accessories - here's where the mix comes in. you could go for a hat if that works for you, a jumble of bracelets, a funky belt, a statement necklace, a jacket, or a scarf.  

5. laid-back attitude. trying to hard is just not cool. 

this is the inside of my christopher kon zip wallet. i love this wallet. mostly because of how much stuff i can fit into it at once, and then still be able to zip it up and hide it all. plus the metallic color lets me stop for a drink with a girlfriend after work and look like i planned ahead for an evening out when i definitely did not. 

here's a run down of everything currently inside:

1. temporary motorcyle license

2. scarpa business cards

3. keys 

4. change

5. debit card, driver's license, metro card, hotcakes card 

6. becca lipstick and gloss from neroli

7. earrings gifted from susie 

8. money

9. random receipts

10. iphone 

i love that i can carry a few more things than just the essentials. in fact, more often than not, i end up just taking my wallet out of my purse and carrying this around. it's easier. plus i think there is something infinitely chicer about carrying a small bag around in your hand rather than toting your life on your shoulder. 

what kind of wallet do you use? how do your accessories multitask for you? 

if you've been following scarpa on facebook, you know we love our new miss trish sandals. they are over-the-top awesome. but what we love even more about miss trish is that they have outfitted a truck as a luxury showroom. it's almost as cool as carlo. i encourage you to take a tour of the showroom and follow along as miss trish goes to see vogue during new york fashion week.

i really enjoy when style books go into the practicality of style. i like when they answer the basic questions : how should i split my funds? or which pieces should i invest in? for instance, in parisian chic, ines de la fressange suggests that you should split your budget in two and "use half for quality basics and half for impulse buys that will brighten your wardrobe (a bag, a belt, costume jewelry)." and more recently i was having a conversation with a customer who suggested we carry a certain line. while talking about the line, she mentioned that she bought herself one piece from this designers collection every season. it was her big ticket item.  you could also tell this woman understood her own style, and the designer she had picked was perfectly in line with her style. picking a piece from this designer gave her an elevated level of luxe to her already refined look. 

as i mulled this conversation over in my head i began to wonder: does this fit into high quality basics or impulse buys? i decided that it didn't fit into either. in fact, i think one should split ones budget three ways per season: 

1. one big ticket item from a designer or line that is in line with your personal style statement

2. high quality basics 

3. impulse buys 

using the above image as a jumping off point - i chose a great dress from a designer i love, some simple tees i've been eyeing, and some bracelets i might pick up from a street vendor. that way, whether you have $1000 to spend each year or $1000 to spend each month, you'll be able to both cover the necessities, while also leaving room for the things that inspire you. it's a way to ensure you create a rich, layered, and personal style. 

i'm getting so excited for our sip & shop tomorrow. it's going to be a blast! in honor of child abuse prevention month, foothills child advocacy center has planned several great events to raise awareness and funding for the local center. on monday, foothills partnered with the boys and girls club of charlottesville for an event called kids helping kids. watch the video above for a sneak peak of the decorated posters that will be on display for the sip + shop tomorrow.

tomorrow's event is hosted by four north wing barracks road boutiques: j. mclaughlin, creme de la creme, pink palm, and scarpa. from 5-8pm tomorrow, 15% of all proceeds will benefit foothills. it's the perfect time to round out your spring wardrobe or go ahead and get that dress for foxfield. we'll also be offering a variety of drinks and nosh as well as raffle for attendees that make it to all four stores. click here to see the exciting raffle prizes. we hope to see you tomorrow! 

The Office of Angela Scott believes in the importance of relationships and authenticity. It's not just about selling a product but about cultivating creativity. Boutiques with your impeccably curated view of style & sophistication do just this-cultivate creativity. I look forward to working with you and building a great relationship, please let me know if there is anything else I can provide you with. Thank you again for your order and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

how will you cultivate creativity today?