Wishful Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

"I wish..."

I had Saks Fifth Avenue as my personal closet to shop from each day!

You thought I was going to say Lilly Pulitzer, didn't you?

Well, here's why I didn't.

Lilly Pulitzer is my favorite designer, but I love so many other designers, as well. I do not wear Lilly exclusively because then I wouldn't have my own style. I love to mix&match other designers with my Lilly items. & as I have only been buying Lilly apparel for myself for about a year (my Lilly addiction started in my home); there are often days when I am Lillyless head-to-toe until...

...I pick up my agenda...

...or put on my eyeglasses...

(I have those Saylie frames in tortoise/lime, in case you cared to know.)

...or throw my Pandamonium tote over my shoulder...

...etc.

I am consistently amazed&wowed by everything new that the geniuses at Lilly Pulitzer come up with, so I doubt it could ever happen...

...but I love Lilly too much to ever risk growing bored with their selection by limiting myself to only wearing Lilly.

Saks was the first place I ever really began buying designer clothing.

Sure, I had accumulated a few designer items here&there over the years - mostly handbags. But I grew up in a small enough Southern town that dressing well only required consistent attention to coordinating, & occasional attention to updating.

I was aware of brands&labels from an early age...

(Did any of you also have to have those denim Guess? shorts with the triangle on the back pocket, in fifth grade?)

...but my mama was generally happy to buy most of my clothing from GapKids, & then the Gap; & I was generally happy to wear mostly classic preppy-casual basics - with the occasional

armful of random bracelets

(most of them handmade),

or pair of black Dr. Martens Mary Janes

(well, you know, I had to portray the deep intellectual),

or pair of overalls

(though I can't recall ever wearing them with one strap unbuttoned),

etc.

I certainly paid attention to fashion. My mama can attest that I had a serious magazine addiction that began, oh, probably in about the fifth grade. My Prince can attest that I have not kicked the magazine habit.

(In fact, it's now grown to include cooking, entertainment, fitness, home, parenting, regional...)

Then I didn't really pay more attention to fashion in college, but I found I had more reasons to dress up. Having more opportunities to wear more luxurious styles of clothing was fun. But since I worked at Gap, a good number of my purchases did come from there & from Banana Republic.

After I graduated, though,

I got a "real" job,

went to graduate school for a while,

& then went to law school.

I lived in bigger cities than I'd ever lived in before, & I discovered the joy of shopping in boutiques. Then when I began commuting from the newlywed home I shared with My Prince, to my law school classes, I found myself passing Saks almost every day.

& I fell in love with Saks. It all began with that pair of Citizens of Humanity jeans, which I had tailored. I began to truly understand that

classics are always better than trends,

(except during those lucky periods when the trends are your personal style),

quality is better than quantity,

you feel better about yourself when you are good to yourself,

& you generally get what you pay for.

(& by the way, that pair of jeans is still, to this day, my favorite go-to pair of jeans.)

I have paid ridiculous sums of money for designer clothing, & I have gotten unbelievable deals on designer clothing. I don't know if anybody has ever used the phrase, "Once you go designer, you never go back..."...but that has sort of been the case for me. I definitely still incorporate finds from

department stores,

"mall stores,"

outlets,

& even Target.

But I would much rather buy one designer dress that fits me perfectly & makes me feel great, than eight or nine random finds off of a rack at TJ Maxx. I prefer the "splurge" to the "steal," in most cases.

(Not that I don't occasionally make a great random find at TJ Maxx!)

So for me, Saks Fifth Avenue would be my ideal "daily personal closet." I could still choose Lilly Pulitzer pieces, but then I could rotate them with other great designers, like

BCBG Max Azria,

Diane von Furstenberg,

Michael Kors,

Nanette Lepore,

Ralph Lauren,

Tory Burch,

etc.

& I could accessorize from collections from

Jack Rogers,

Kate Spade,

Longchamp,

Rebecca Minkoff,

etc.

But y'all knew I couldn't leave it at that, right? Y'all know I can't do a post on anything without sharing some retail eye candy...

(Yep, that's why I always end up late publishing my posts. I write them on time! But then I will search&search&search until I find the perfect images&items to share with y'all. I hope y'all don't mind my punctuality issues too badly. I am sorry, but I do have a life to live before I can blog about living it, & I know y'all can all relate to how that goes! ;))

Admittedly, right now my life is a bit less glamorous than what Saks is prepared to outfit me for. But I love my life as a stay-at-home-mama, & I am not inclined to "let myself go..."...so let the fashion show begin!

Material Monday:

Nettie Poplin Combo Dress in Aquamarine by Lilly Pulitzer at Saks, $168
Navajo Palm Beach Sandals in White by Jack Rogers at Saks, $96
Turquoise Earrings by Bounkit at Saks, $240
Small Foldable Basic Tote in Graphite by Longchamp at Saks, $145

(Ideal for a typical Monday...take the White Dog to the groomer, go check out bargains at the semi-annual kids consignment sale, take Pretty Little Bare Feet to a momfriend's house for playgroup, spend the afternoon cooking supper for a momfriend with a newborn...)

Traditional Tuesday:

Poplin Print Day Dress in Cocoa Combo by BCBG Max Azria at Saks, $218
Canary Crystal, Sterling Silver, & Yellow Gold Bracelet by Judith Ripka at Saks, $500
Canary Crystal, Sterling Silver, & Yellow Gold Necklace by Judith Ripka at Saks, $450
Vitello Shine Zip Wallet in Beige by Prada at Saks, $520
Capri Platform Sandals in Cognac by Jack Rogers at Saks, $198

(Perfect for a usual Tuesday...share special time with Pretty Little Bare Feet in the morning at the library for storytime, go to lunch at Chili's with our playgroup, take Pretty Little Bare Feet to a park later in the afternoon with momfriends, go to a dentist appointment, attend a friend's baby shower in the evening...)

Well-Groomed Wednesday:

Lace-Up Flats in Black by Prada at Saks, $295
Willow Top-Frame Messenger in Black by Alexander Wang at Saks, $1,095
Pyramid Stud Grey IP Watch by Burberry at Saks, $595
Cashmere/Silk Shibori-Print Shell in Cadet Combo by TSE at Saks, $495
Freedom Bell Bottom Jeans in Night by Citizens of Humanity at Saks, $279

(Excellent for a conventional Wednesday...go to our MOMS Club monthly social, head to the farmer's market, pick up some of Pretty Little Bare Feet's photos, go on date night later with My Prince...)

Todgy Laccetto Barca Loafers in Red, White, & Blue by Tod's at Saks, $297
Personalized Foldable Tote in Navy by Longchamp at Saks, $145
Sharma Strapless Knit Top in Bright Navy by Lilly Pulitzer at Saks, $151
Carmen Denim Shorts in Navy Salva by Rag&Bone at Saks, $144

(Fitting for an average Thursday...go to book club in the morning at Panera Bread, venture out to Pretty Little Bare Feet's toddler gymnastics class, take Pretty Little Bare Feet to a well toddler check-up...)

Fashionable Friday:

Samantha Belted Dress in Khaki by Milly at Saks, $315
Nelson Studded Open-Toe Wedge Sandals in Royal Tan by Tory Burch at Saks, $295
Diamond & White Gold Circle Necklace by Roberto Coin at Saks, $520
White Gold Bracelet by Roberto Coin at Saks, $960

(Right for a characteristic Friday...visit a custom children's clothing home show, have a fun playdate with friends at the toddler play area at the mall...)

Smart Saturday:

Foresta Print Beach Tote in Turquoise by Emilio Pucci at Saks, $635
Turquoise Bracelet by Bounkit at Saks, $625
Petra Knit Maxi Dress in True Blue by Lilly Pulitzer at Saks, $278
Mallorca Thong Espadrilles in Natural by Jack Rogers at Saks, $198

(Practical for a classic Saturday...go shopping, followed by our weekly lunch date out with My Prince...)

Stylish Sunday:

Patent Leather d'Orsay Sandals in Bubble Gum Pink by Brian Atwood at Saks, $255
New Lock Small Flap Patent Bag in Framboise by Dior at Saks, $1,700
Diamond & Yellow Gold Cross Necklace by Sydney Evan at Saks, $425
Pearce Shift Dress in Classic White by Lilly Pulitzer at Saks, $278
Diamond & Gold Bracelet in Yellow Gold by Marco Bicego at Saks, $1,670

(Sweet for a common Sunday...go to church together, get my eyebrows done, participate in a garden tour in the afternoon...)

(Okay, so no, I am not usually that busy every day. But days that busy do happen occasionally, & we almost always have something going on each day. & I do have Pretty Little Bare Feet with me for pretty much all of it! But if I had a big ol' Saks closet, these are just the types of things I'd pull out of it, & the types of places I'd be wearing them to!)

(Sorry I'm even later posting than usual...as y'all can clearly see, I struggled with Polyvore. Going to need to play with it more to hone any ability for it!)

Wishful Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

"I wish..."

I hadn't lost my Bobbi Brown cosmetic brush collection.

Basic Cosmetic Brush Collection by Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

I don't think you can even buy the collection that I had anymore. I bought it 2008, after I had a Bobbi Brown makeover done at my favorite boutique in the city we used to live in.

Concealer Brush

Powder Puff

Eye Brow Brush

Blush Brush

Eye Shadow Brush

Eye Shader Brush

Eye Blender Brush

Eye Liner Brush

Foundation Brush

(all available at Bobbi Brown cosmetics)

The collection that I had contained all of those brushes, & they were all full sized. It also had a lip brush that is apparently no longer available (mine doesn't retract). I think there was a bronzer or powder brush of some kind that I hadn't used either - I don't remember because I didn't use it! I had also purchased the powder puff, separately from the collection, for applying the sheer finish loose powder from my creamy concealer kit. The brushes came in a black faux-leather zip-around case that had a billion little pockets for brushes, even more than the brushes it came with.

The last time I remember having the case was back in March. I know that I had it to apply makeup while My Prince was driving us to a party. I think I remember having it in my vehicle that following Monday morning, when Pretty Little Bare Feet & I were going to&from our playgroup.

(She often sits on the master bathroom counter, & plays with my [unopened] cosmetics while I am getting ready, & I *think* I remember taking the case from her & putting it in my tote...)

Anyway, I am not sure if I misplaced the case somewhere, or if Pretty Little Bare Feet got it & put it somewhere...but after a month or two of looking for it, we gave up & decided to replace the brush collection. It pained me, though, as I hadn't really looked at the cost of the collection when I first bought it - I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had thought about it! & there were a couple of brushes in the collection that I didn't even use. But when we looked for the collection that I had, we couldn't find it available anywhere. & just replacing the brushes I used, a la carte, was going to end up costing more...

Sooo...I ended up putting together

a random hodgepodge of cosmetic brushes,

some from Bobbi Brown,

some from other brands.

It was kind of a big pain to put a cosmetic brush collection back together piece by piece, & I had just bought conditioning brush cleanser to clean my old brushes when they got lost! So that is why I wish I hadn't lost them!

So here is what my new (but sadly, not improved) "collection" consists of:

Professional Retractable Travel Powder Brush #51 by Sephora Collection

(Mine is actually green, but whatever, I guess that's different now, too! I use it for my HD microfinish loose powder by Make Up For Ever, which is seriously some of the best stuff ever created!)

Eyebrow&Eyeliner Brush by Shiseido at Macy's

(I use it for my brows.)

Cosmetic Bag by Bobbi Brown Cosmetics

(I got this little baby from somewhere - Neiman Marcus, I think? Anyway, when I got it, it had a mini brush collection with it, which included the blush brush, eye shadow brush, & eye liner brush that I had before I lost my collection. But they're mini-sized, which makes me kind of sad. *sniff*)

Mini Eye Applicator Set by Sephora Collection

217 Blending Brush by MAC Cosmetics

I also bit the bullet & replaced the full sized original versions of my concealer brush & eye shader brush from Bobbi Brown cosmetics. I was lucky enough that neither my original powder puff nor my original lip brush was in the case that went missing. So I still have both of those.

Sunshine Cuties Clear Pencil Case by Harajuku Lovers at Sephora

(Well, you know...since that little Bobbi Brown cosmetic case that I got couldn't hold the full sized brushes, I had to get a new pencil case to hold all of my brushes&pencils.)

Page in Hip Hop Hooray Print by Lilly Pulitzer for LeSportsac

&...

*Drum roll, please!*

Today My Prince went & picked up my beloved, long-awaited Lilly for LeSportsac train case.

Hip Hop Hooray! Guess who's reorganizing her cosmetics tonight!

(Now...to do a post on the actual *contents* of my makeup collection?! Or is that OCD overkill?!)

Wishful Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

"I wish..."

I could be the one&only Charlotte in Sex & the City 2!

Like Charlotte,

I am...

(or hope to be!)

• all-American
• always wishing for the best in everyone
• cheerful
• chic
• classic
• conservative
• cute
• fabulous
• a housewife
• motherly
• nice
• overwhelmingly feminine
• personable
• playful
• polished
• preppy
• put-together
• quiet
• straight-laced
• sweet
• thoughtful
• traditional
• very proper

& I love...

• bows
• bright green
• Burberry
• floral sundresses
• gingham
• girly patterns
• houndstooth
• monograms
• pastel colors
• pearls
• pink
• plaids
• Polo sweaters
• turquoise

"They were supposed to say, 'I'm sorry; I love you.' Not, 'You're dead; let's disco!"

(Upon seeing the tacky floral arrangement at Miranda's mother's funeral.)

"I promise I won't become one of those mothers who can only talk about diaper genies."

"Everyone needs a man. That's why I rent. If you own, & he still rents; then the power structure is all off. It's emasculating. Men don't want a woman who's too self-sufficient."

"Harry, I'm a bad wife. I ordered Chinese."

"I'm nice. I'm pretty, & smart! I'm a catch!"

- Charlotte York MacDougal Goldenblatt

& if you love Sex & the City, go check out the Sex & the City giveaway at the Life of a Suburban Princess! Or...if you just love to find a fun new blog to read, just go check out her blog!

Wishful Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

"I wish..."

I could go to bed in a master bedroom like one of these each&every night...

(source: Better Homes&Gardens)

(source: Coastal Living)

(source: HGTV Rate My Space)

(source: HGTV)

& if you're curious as to how we are realistically approaching our current master bedroom's design concepts...you can read this post.

(But as y'all know, my mind is currently in my kitchen!)

Wishful Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

"I wish..."

I wish I were fluent in another language, & it would be German!

Really.

Mostly because that was the first foreign language that I studied. If I were fluent in it, it would mean that I had actually applied myself & studied hard enough to master the language.

Honestly, I find learning foreign languages really challenging. To make a long story short, I spent a semester of my junior year of high school at a boarding school. But I moved back home & transferred back to my old high school at home.

(The academics at the school were fantastic. I just wasn't ready for the independence, or the peer pressure, that came with the environment. Intellectuals can be weird.)

My boarding school offered German. My high school at home did not.

So I only got to take one semester of German. But I really, really liked it.

I ended up taking two years of French in high school, but my high school French did not prepare me for college French at all. I had to have an intermediate level of foreign language to obtain my college degree (liberal arts colleges, good grief), so I switched to German. Big mistake - one semester of high school German, even taught well, did not prepare me for college level German either.

(It didn't help that there was such a gap in time from when I first started learning it!)

I withdrew out of both of those language classes while I was still in the "withdraw passing" period of the semester. Meaning that I got out without damaging my GPA.

I ended up doing quite well in college Spanish. This is mostly because I opted to follow in my friends' footsteps & do an intensive summer language course abroad in Mexico.

Not only did I absolutely have the time of my life!!!...I also took care of a year's worth of intermediate Spanish that summer. & I still speak pretty good conversational Spanish when I'm drinking.

(Seriously...our Mexican teachers drank so much, & we college students drank so much, that I learned Spanish with a higher blood alcohol level than what I normally have. ;) So when I start drinking, it all comes back to me...I am not making this up!)

Anyway. It would have been nice to have learned German properly the first time. We had the sweetest "Frau" teaching the class. She was a native German. My roommate from boarding school went on to live as an exchange student with the Frau's family in Germany for part of her senior year.

Oh, & I would love to go to Germany! I have been to several countries in Europe, but I have not been to Germany yet. It is high on my list of places to go!

Pretty Little Bare Feet is "learning" German now. Have y'all heard about Little Pim?

We love him! We have the German gift set with the DVD three-pack & the plush toy. Granted, Pretty Little Bare Feet is fifteen months old, so she's not really doing a great deal of speaking in English yet. But it is easiest to learn languages, foreign or otherwise, when you're little & soaking up knowledge. So maybe she'll get a foundation & want to study it more seriously as she gets older!

(Oh, & I wanted to thank PaperFlora for bringing it to my attention that I had not fixed my button issues like I thought. I am so sorry! I had everything renamed properly & resized properly. But I had failed to properly change the HTML code for you! So please add my button to your blog! Everything on the right-hand sidebar should be perfect for you to copy now!)

& in closing...

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

jalapeno margaritas

(yield: 1 pitcher)

*Make a big batch of margaritas with a twist.

*Pulse 1 thin slice jalapeno, a handful of celery leaves, 6 ounces fresh lime juice, & a spoonful of confectioners' sugar in a blender. Mix with 16 ounces tequila & 8 ounces orange liqueur in a pitcher; chill.

*Serve on the rocks in salt-rimmed glasses.

(source: Food Network)