The Perfect Fit

For the last few days, in between taking my children to various appointments, I have been doing the most dreaded type of clothing shopping.  That's right, I've been looking for some new jeans.  (O.K., maybe this is the second most dreaded type of shopping.  Bathing suits might rank higher.  Maybe.)

I don't know about you, but I find jean shopping to be incredibly difficult.  I always end up feeling like I must have the oddest body shape on earth because so many pairs just do not fit.  At all.  Not even close.  So when I finally find a pair that not only fits, but is also flattering, I get a little excited.

Such was my experience with the Lucky Brand Sweet 'N Low jeans.  After trying pairs from Seven, Rock & Republic, and some other Lucky's, I had my hallelujah moment with the Sweet 'N Low cut.  They are listed as mid-rise, bootleg, and easy fit.  The mid-rise is plenty low on me.  Now, I know that some of you are wondering why I am buying bootleg jeans when the skinny cut is all the rage.  Let me say that I don't think the skinny cut is for everyone and while I tried a few pairs, I have not found any that I like on myself.  A slight bootleg is my comfort zone for now, although I reserve the right to change my mind later!

What about you?  What jeans are your favorites right now?  Do you favor the skinny leg, the bootcut, or something else?

The End of an Era

After five fun years, the Lilly Pulitzer store in San Antonio closed its doors for the final time yesterday.  I think you all know how much I adore Lilly and can imagine how sad I feel. I will truly miss this store and its wonderful staff, who were always so friendly and so willing to help locate an item they didn’t have in store.   What a tremendous loss for our community.

Lilly Pulitzer at The Shops at La Cantera

A few of the amazing staff members on the final day

(Notice how sadly empty the store is in the background.)

Kim and me

Of course, I couldn't leave without one last purchase!  I brought home the Jonah Dress in Don’t Be Koi, the Janet Dress in Off the Hook, the Lexie Crew in Lilly’s Pink (to pair with some of my skirts) and an Original Tote in Flowey Wowey.

My final haul from the Lilly store at La Cantera

As sad as the day was, I came away with one exciting surprise - a sneak peek at Lilly's upcoming Resort Collection.  All I can tell you is that it is SO FABULOUS that I may just have to make a trip to Austin.  (Don't forget, I have three children under the age of four.  I do not routinely schlep to Austin, but for this new collection, I WILL.)  You will see some of your favorite styles from recent seasons returning in to-die-for prints, along with some gorgeous new styles, and a lot of pieces that will be perfect for that long-awaited vacation.  And of course the names of the new prints are so cute, so tongue-in-cheek, so Lilly...

Coat Check

A coat is often our most visible article of clothing throughout the winter months. Shouldn’t it be a showstopper?

I'm enamored of this Asymetrical Ruffle Coat from Tulle, which retails for a mere $98. This fabulous shade of blue could jazz up the most dreary winter day.

PSA: Similac Formula Recall

I'd like to take a moment away from my usual style commentary for a public service announcement.  If you are a parent who happens to feed your infant Similac formula, you should be aware that certain Similac products have been recalled because they may contain beetle parts or larvae.  (Yes, I know.  Ew!  And to think the FDA doesn't consider this to be a big deal... Don't get me started.)  To find out more about the recall, visit www.similac.com/recall. 

I will warn you that their site is running incredibly slow.  Apparently they did not prepare for the amount of traffic that an announcement of this nature generates.  (Of course, this is a company that didn't manage to keep beetles out of its infant products in the first place, so should we be surprised?)

For the Love of the Cardigan

Have I ever told you how much I adore a classic cardigan? Outside of the perfect white shirt, and quintessential little black dress, a wonderful cardigan may just be the most versatile and timeless item in a woman’s wardrobe. Imagine it thrown over a tee and worn with a fabulous pair of jeans and boots, or paired with a gorgeous pencil skirt and pumps. What about topping that wonderful sleeveless dress on a chilly afternoon, or just tied around your shoulders for an extra pop of color?

Now that we're heading into fall, my cardigan obsession is in full swing. I have been snapping up the discounted colors of J.Crew’s Jackie Cardigan like my life depends on it. ( I realize that a three-quarter sleeve cotton cardigan may not constitute winter attire for many of you, but it’s quite a nice option here in San Antonio. And as a mom of three small children, washable wardrobe solutions are key.)

Here’s is a small sampling of the cardigans I've recently added to my collection. The top four are the Jackie by J.Crew in Bright Seaside, Fresh Melon, Soft Seashell and Hyacinth. The bottom is the Heritage Cardigan from Lands' End Canvas in Cherry.

More lovely choices:

Anthropologie Love Letter Sweater by Laureate Lane

Kate Spade Beeline Billie Cardigan



Anthropologie Pick a Bunch Cardi by Tabitha



Trina Turk Sylvia Cardigan

For more sublime cardigan inspiration, be sure to check out the wardrobe of Glee’s Emma Pillsbury.

The new season of Glee starts tonight on FOX at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. Central). Additional details about her wardrobe can be found at the popular fan site, What Would Emma Pillsbury Wear, which celebrates Emma’s every cardigan-clad move.

Pumpkin Patch

Although the temperature here is still hovering around 84 degrees, I’m in the mood for fall.


What better way to acknowledge my longing for a change of season than to indulge in one of my favorite autumn flavors: pumpkin. I adore anything made with pumpkin and spice. (Anything, that is, but the old standby, pumpkin pie. Strange, I know.)

A recent trip to World Market yielded some fabulous pumpkin flavored goodies.

Today I am enjoying some Pumpkin Spice Coffee. With a little milk, sugar, and an extra dash of cinnamon, it is absolute heaven. (If I had some whip cream, I would add a little on top.  Hey, as long as I'm indulging, I might as well, right?)

This Pumpkin Ale also intrigues me. It's next on my list of things to try.

And last, but not least, some Pumpkin Bark. Chocolate and pumpkin? Sounds like a winning combination to me!

Do you enjoy pumpkin? If so, what are your favorite products?

Sale Alert: 75% Off Lilly Pulitzer Spring and Summer

If you're like me, you may have over-indulged in spring and summer's gorgeous Lilly Pulitzer prints, but now at the end of the season find yourself still wishing for a few items you neglected to purchase.  Well, I have just the remedy for that.  The Pink Bee, a Lilly Pulitzer Via Shop in Greenville, SC, has marked down their spring and summer Lilly to a whopping 75% off!  (Yes, you read that correctly.)  Their website doesn't reflect their entire stock, so if there's an item (or two or three) that you're interested in, give them a call. (The phone number is 864-271-4332.)

I spoke with Barbara when I called and she couldn't have been sweeter (even when I got distracted and forgot to include part of my order the first time).   I can't wait to receive my Merianne top and the swim trunks I ordered for my oldest son - both in the Fresh Catch Toile, naturally.

Wishing you a very Lilly day!

A Vintage Find

My love affair with vintage style is no secret. You may recall a post earlier this summer in which I mentioned that I was considering adding some vintage looks to my own wardrobe. Soon after that, I came across a fabulous first piece at my favorite upscale resale shop. It's a vintage Lilly Pulitzer skort, which I believe is from the 70’s (though I’m not absolutely certain).

Believe it or not, the proprietors of the shop said they almost didn’t accept it because they weren’t sure any of their clientele would be interested in “something so old.” (I KNOW. What were they thinking?) Two days after it arrived, I walked in to browse their selection of Lilly and asked if they ever get any vintage pieces. Thank goodness I did, because it did not have a size tag and they put it in with the mediums, where I may not have seen it.

Here it is in all its glory:

I paired it with a simple white tee and a necklace from Talbots.

A close-up of the print. Can you see the hidden “Lilly” signature?

The vintage Lilly Pulitzer label.

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

O.K., so it’s not actually raining at the moment, but we've had several days of torrential downpours this week. After ruining my favorite flats wading through the puddles, getting children in and out of the car during preschool drop-off, it’s become clear that I need to invest in more appropriate wet weather footwear.

One obvious choice is the ubiquitous Hunter Rain Boot that would make any preppy girl swoon.

Hunter Original Rain Boot

But there are a wealth of other cute options as well.

Tretorn Langta

Tretorn Kelly

Sperry Topsider Pelican

Kamik Heidi

Bean’s Wellies by L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean Coastal Rain Skimmers

Sperry Top Sider Mallard Skimmer

Now, if I can only decide…

Cloche Call

It seems that amazing hats are appearing everywhere I look. Try as I may, I can’t help falling for the vintage-inspired cloche, which is reminiscent of 1920s flapper attire.

Cover photo from the Talbots Fall 2010 Look Book,
 featuring their Felt Cloche

Eric Javits Cloche, Available at Saks Fifth Avenue

Nine West Cloche, Available at Macy’s

Picture any of these with a cardigan, a pencil skirt and a skinny belt. Or how about a thin turtleneck sweater, some skinny jeans, fabulous pumps and a layered necklace? You’ll be the talk of the town.

Beautifully Aged

I am more than a little taken with the weathered, farmhouse style dining tables that are all the rage at the moment. Last week when I was at World Market, I was surprised by the loveliness of their new Provence Dining Collection. (This photo from their website does not do this justice.)

Provence Dining Collection from World Market

In person, it reminded me a lot of Restoration Hardware’s divine reclaimed wood dining room furniture.

Farmhouse Collection from Restoration Hardware

Avignon Salvaged Dining Table from Restoration Hardware

Do you like this look?

A Fun Third Birthday

The last few weeks of summer were a whirlwind of preparations for preschool (which began today), having portraits taken of the twins, and party planning, as well as catching up with friends I haven’t seen in a while.  It's been fun, but I'm happy to finally have a moment to update you on everything that's been happening.  In the time that I've been absent, I've come across a lot of fabulous items that I can't wait to share!

Today I thought you might enjoy seeing some photos of the setup at my tot’s third birthday party, which we held just over a week ago. Like many boys his age, he is more than a little obsessed with Thomas the Train, so naturally we celebrated with a Thomas the Train party. (Although I personally don’t adore character-driven themes, I would do anything for my little boy!)

I wish I could claim that the door sign in the top photo was an original idea, but admittedly I “borrowed” more than a little inspiration from this party that was featured on the Hostess with the Mostess Blog.  I saw this less than two days before our celebration, so I created my own version in Adobe Photoshop. If I had more lead time, I could have ordered the exact sign she used, and other adorable items directly from WH Hostess.

All of our young guests had a wonderful time, although I’m sure their parents will be paying me back for the whistles I included in the goody bags!

Sources:
Cake and Balloons: HEB
Clear Goody Bags and Curling Ribbon: Michaels
Red Table Cover: Hobby Lobby
Thomas the Train Plates, Napkins and Stickers, Birthday Penant Banner, Whistles: Target
Door Sign: Made in Adobe Photoshop, but a similar one is available from WH Hostess