rain drops keep fallin on my head

It won't stop raining.

If only all rain were so romantic.  If only we all looked as stylish as Audrey in the rain.

I can't find "Fred" so I'm settling for some practical hunter wellies to keep me warm and dry.  

word eating

Spencer in some of his favorite digs.

Oxford Eagle

31 July 2009

Clothes for kids: Pick your battles

The one thing harder than getting myself dressed: Getting my 7-year-old dressed. 

When he was a baby, I envisioned dressing him in smocked, bibbed overalls until he was at least 10. I mean, my mom made me wear smocked dresses until I was at least 14; I thought 10 was a great compromise. But potty training brought an abrupt end to the overalls, and after age 3, he wanted nothing to do with smocking.

It’s funny, because I remember talking to a friend years ago about shopping for her first-grader and how he would not wear button-up shirts. Not having a child of my own at the time, I thought to myself and probably even said out loud, “Well, there’s an easy cure for that — make him wear them.” 

I had always heard that, in parenting, you have to pick your battles. But it wasn’t until I became a parent (of a 7-year-old who doesn’t like to wear button-up shirts) that I fully understood that concept. Needless to say, I’ve been doing a lot of “word eating” lately! 

For us, the simple act of getting dressed in the morning is hard enough without complicating it by trying to force my child to wear something he doesn’t want to wear. 

There is a possibility we may never make it to school — at least, not without a fight — so right or wrong, I’m laying the guns down on this one. 

Of course, I’m still the parent — the one who buys his clothes. I haven’t relinquished all control. But I’ve learned to let him chime in on the things I buy. 

This still sometimes backfires, but at least I can say, “You, my son, have picked this out. Now you must wear it.” That always works better if I use my “Darth Vader” voice to say it. 

When I have tried to go out on a limb and buy something without his input, it usually ends up hanging in his closet. For example, I bought a pair of simple khaki shorts with a elasticized, drawstring waist and pockets, all to his specifications, only to find when I brought them home that shorts had to come below your knees. 

That rule came from out of the blue, and I’m still questioning if that is truly considered a short. But after consulting several of his friends’ mothers, it was confirmed that this in fact is the current “style.”

Whatever. I just know I now have several pair of brand-new shorts available if anyone is interested — but beware, they come above the knee!

I suppose it is because my fashion choices were inhibited by a strict dress code at the school I attended and by my mother that I appreciate the freedom of choice that our schools allow. 

Not to say that there is no dress code, but it is within reason and age appropriate — and, for me, it’s nice not to have to contend with a child’s rules and the school’s rules on “what not to wear.” 

I hear as the kids get older the dress codes stiffen, like requiring a collared, tucked-in shirt with a belt — all issues HE will have to face in choosing his clothes in time. 

Certainly there are occasions that insist that my son step out of his comfort zone and spiff up a bit. More often than not, he easily obliges, even wearing the dreaded dress shoes. But day in and day out, I leave it up to him. 

For me, I feel fashion is a form of creative expression, and when I like what I have on, I feel good about myself. Call me crazy. So, why wouldn’t that be the same for a child? 

I give my friends with daughters much of the credit for my embrace of this attitude as I have watched their precious girl children express themselves by changing clothes as many as five times a day — happy kids, happy mom. 

Inherently, this trait of fashion opinionatedness is stronger in girls, and although it seems commonplace for mothers of boys to complain that there are more clothing options out there for little girls, I can only imagine this thickens the pot. So to all the moms of female fashionistas, my hat is off.

And to all you parents, remember my friend whom I much too quickly admonished for not forcing her child to wear what she wanted? Her son is now grown, and I spotted him just the other day wearing what else but a button-up shirt — which simply goes to show that choosing not to fight every little battle doesn’t mean you won’t ultimately win the war!

all the pretty dresses

So nice!  What a refreshing and unassumingly sexy alternative to the bear-it-all notion we here in Oxford have become all too familiar with.  

I'm thinking October wedding (for me...as a guest, of course)?

Dress by Heidi Merrick...AMAZING!

I came across sundaybrunchdress.com in the August issue of Lucky...a specialty on-line dress boutique.  Perfect if you, like me, find some of the mega-sites a bit overwhelming.  

Everything about it is lovely.

still feeling blue

sara jessica parker in the 

current/elliot boyfriend jean

A love story in denim

In search of the ‘boyfriend jean’

Oxford Eagle

12 June 2009

It’s summer and it’s hot, yet I just can’t seem to give up wearing my jeans.

I’ve made previous mention that denim is a staple in my closet or better yet part of my daily uniform. My history with jeans goes way back. The dress code at my high school only allowed us to wear jeans on “special occasions,” possibly adding fuel to my fire to wear them every other chance I was given. 

As a child of the ‘80s, my jean selection at the time consisted of men’s Levi’s-bleached, holey and often tight-rolled. The styles have changed, but my dedication to denim has remained. 

They’re comfortable. They go with almost anything and come in so many different styles that anyone who makes an effort can find a pair to suit them. 

Imagine how excited I was when jeans made their formal debut — when some genius designer said I’m going to pair these jeans with that sequin top and now you can wear them to a cocktail party.

Nowadays there are very few occasions that I don’t at least pose the question “Can I wear jeans?” They are my “old faithful,” and if I can get away with it, I’m probably going to wear them even in the summer. 

Not the best fashion rule to follow, but it’s mine. 

Comfy style

It seems there’s a resurgence of women wearing men’s jeans, and this time around, they’ve even given them a name — “the boyfriend jean.” 

Oversized, cuffed and most likely distressed, not completely flattering but super comfortable, these are the same jeans I had in high school just styled a bit differently. 

Now they’re being paired with fitted tees to offset the bagginess, or feminine tops to offset the boyishness. But make no mistake: These jeans may look like your stole them from your significant other’s closet, yet they are selling for top dollar. 

It is no secret that over the past 10 years, the trademark of the hard-working man has become a luxury item for us ladies, and I have been guilty of paying the price. 

I have my ways of justifying the expense, such as the “price-per-wear” formula, but this time the equation doesn’t add up. Buying a pair of ripped-up men’s jeans for more than I spend on a couple of weeks worth of groceries is where I’m drawing the line. But still, I want the look. 

So I checked my closet: I’ve got the distressed part covered. I have worn my favorite jeans until they are practically thread barren; they just don’t have that roomy menswear look I was trying to get.

Thrift-store finds

Being somewhat resourceful, I felt certain could find myself a pair of old jeans. I first went through my boxes in storage to see if by some miracle my Levi’s of days gone by had been spared. No such luck. 

But as I continued to ponder my options, this image of neatly aligned blue jeans prominently displayed in the window of Carol’s Thrift Store kept popping into my head. 

Carol’s, located at the four-way stop right across from the Three-Way Grocery, was the answer. So this morning I went in to see what I could find. 

I literally looked through every pair — they were so organized. I pulled out the ones that looked promising and headed for the fitting room. 

I ended up with two pairs of jeans that fit the bill quite nicely. The Levi’s were a little more pricey at a whopping $12, but worth it for the name — after all, Mr. Stauss did invent the blue jean. 

The best part of it is, if I get them home and decide they look ridiculous (or the trend only lasts five minutes) I’m only out $22.98.

And if I just can’t stand the heat this summer, I can always turn them into the even hipper “boyfriend short” — better known to us down here in Mississippi as “cut-offs.” 

jessie

it started with her haircut when i saw her in Lucky...

now i'm a little obsessed with her music...

check her out...Jessie Baylin...good stuff!

POWER shortage

the bermuda done right, j.crew

love this loose ensemble, shopbop

Baring Legs- the long and short of it

Lauren Moffatt blouse and Anlo shorts available at Cicada.

Oxford Eagle

8 May 2009

So I left you with my thoughts for covering up, but as the good book says there is a time for everything under the sun...and believe me the sun is coming.  

Face it, we live in the deep south and what we have to look forward to is 95 degree temperatures with heat indexes of 105 (which I never have completely understood) and humidity levels soaring higher than the clock tower on the courthouse.  The time for uncovering is quickly approaching.   

Favorite Season

Summer truly is my favorite season, but it’s also the time of year when I bring myself to do one of my least favorite things...show my legs in public.  

Soon after college I resolved to the fact that shorts, for me, should be reserved for exercise and other similarly drastic activities.  In a time when the style seemed to be the shorter the better, shorts were all but removed from my fashion repertoire.  

After suffering through a few summer days in my trusty blue jeans, I gave in to long, flowy linen skirts and eventually, the tragically misinterpreted capri pant to combat the heat.  Credit maturity or global warming, but more recently my intolerance of summer’s sultriness has forced me to reconsider my ban on shorts and fortunately the fashion world is cooperating.  

  

Balancing Act

Shorts have come back on the scene from runway to retail.  It seems the short game has become more about making an overall statement and less about showing leg.  They’re being placed in more sophisticated situations paired with pretty blouses and blazers, tights and heels.  

These looks may not be for you but definitely a move in the right direction for the short itself and a blessing for those of us who chose not to compete in the “how short can you wear your shorts” competition.  It presents options for wearing shorts that don’t necessarily put all the focus directly on the leg.  

Just the other day, I spotted a true Oxford style icon wearing a solid white short with a long-sleeved, floral peasant top and flat sandal.  The result was a well put together outfit...and I thought to myself, I can do that.  I was even inspired to buy a pair of “all-the-rage” gladiator sandals for the sole purpose of pairing with shorts.  

Even Robert Randolph (the musical headliner of this year’s Double Decker Festival just in case you’ve been under a rock) was sporting his own short ensemble, a plaid short over some kind of athletic tights.  Here’s to him for doing his own thing.  The key is to decide what works for you by creating a careful balance that accentuates the positive.

Great Lengths 

Another great thing about shorts these days is that almost any length goes from 3 inch inseams to the classic bermuda.  So if you’ve got gorgeous gams by all means show them off.  And even if you don’t have the legs of a gisele don’t altogether discount a shorter length...that may be just what you need to help create the illusion of longer legs.  Go to the store; try them on!  You might be surprised.  Take a couple of pairs of shoes with you-a flat sandal, a wedge, a heel, if you dare.  Different short lengths look good with different heel heights on different people.  

And if you still can’t bring yourself to go with “real shorts”, go longer.  These aren’t your grandma’s bermudas.  Today’s bermudas are young and hip and definitely more sophisticated than yesterday’s daisy dukes.  You have to experiment and trust your judgement...you know better what looks good on you than the shop girl trying to sell you something.

Exciting Challenge

This year, for the first time in years, I’m actually looking forward to donning a pair of shorts and creating some ensembles that I might not have considered in the past.  I’m not nearly as concerned with showing my legs as I used to be.  I suppose I could be walking the thin line of complacency, but I’d like to think that I’ve replaced self-consciousness with comfort in my own skin.  

So join me in kicking the fear of showing your legs in the pants.  Wear your shorts with confidence.  Do a little “leg-work” and learn to recognize what looks best on you...which, in my opinion, is the long and short of effortless style