Now the Holidays May Most Merrily Commence!

I've been very stern with myself about the "Christmas Creep" but Thanksgiving was yesterday and we paid it due respect with a terrific day of food and family. Now I can all the holiday festivities to take over! This is one of my favorite J Crew images from the past. Anouck ( I think that's spelled right) was always my favorite of their models and I love her bright smile and enthusiasm. I've never been able to copy this exactly but I have a bright red coat from them and if I had a yellow skirt? I'm off for peppermint mochas!

Thanksgiving Pledge

I have been resolute in my fidelity to enjoying Thanksgiving before allowing the Christmas crush to take over. Not a peppermint mocha not gingerbread latte has crossed my lips. My pumpkins and scarecrow decorations are still up. I'm taking an even further Thanksgiving pledge, I am going to really enjoy the things I am thankful for tomorrow and that means family. No black Friday web cruising, no working just family, food and fun! Over the weekend I will throw myself head first into carols and Christmas but it has to wait! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Sisters

As we get closer to Thanksgiving, it's time to think about people we are thankful for in our lives. I have to be thankful for my sister. She is three years younger than I but we are very close. She lives about 20 minutes away so we see each other a lot. As you can see from the above picture, that's me in the red dress) we look nothing a like. Our personalities are quite different too. I'm a very preppy, traditional lawyer, and she is a more casual, elementary school teacher. However, I know that if I have a problem, of any sort, I can call and she will do her best to help and she know she can do the same. Truly, everyone needs someone who will truthfully say, "yes that makes you look fat", in their life.

Holiday Frocks

While not officially entering into the Christmas spirit until the day after Thanksgiving, I do admit that if you are going to be prepared with the perfect "frock" for holiday fun, a bit of planning is in order. I like the word "frock" as opposed to "dress" don't you? It sounds like so much more fun! I don't have as much call for holiday "frocks" as I used to. Most of my holiday fun involves girl scout caroling, gingerbread house decorating and other more casual events. Still a girl can dream, can't she?

 

 This perfect LBD is from Banana Republic. This is truly one that could pretty much go anywhere and could possibly even transition from desk to night out with a change of shoes, hose and jewelry.

 This silk and cashmere beige/gold dress is from Brooks Brothers and looks both comfortable and elegant.

 I adore this dress from Anthropologie and if I had any place to wear it, it would already be in my closet!

This dress from J Crew is similar to the one above. Looks slightly high waisted to me but I have that problem with a lot of dresses from J Crew. Sill looks fun though.

 

So what are you wearing for your holiday fun?

Seasonal Cocktails

I think everyone in the world of preppy blogs loves Sarah Vickers and her blog Classy Girls Wear Pearls. I know I do. I always think she looks just perfect and like she is having so much fun. I also love the Vickers bow bracelets and think there are lots of cute things I haven't tried yet on the Kiel James Patrick web site. They posted this delicious sounding seasonal cocktail, the cranberry culprit, on their lifestyle section of their web site last night. I think I'm going to have to try this. It sounds perfect!

Lands End Love

I've long loved Lands End for kids clothes. They hold up forever, are reasonably priced and I find them perfect for my daughter. She is very tall for her age and they are fun and appropriate with out the "hoochy" factor that creeps in about size 12. I never really brought clothes for me there though. I have really been impressed by their recent looks though. I think it's the same thread I keep coming back to. I don't know exactly who J Crew's target customer is these days but it's not me. Nothing in the most recent J Crew roll out spoke to me and don't get me started on the increasing prices and decreasing quality. I love all the looks below and could totally see myself in them. What do you think?

 

 

Life in the Land of Flats

I've always been a ballet flat kind of girl, for casual days and weekends that is. To the office I have tended to wear heels with either pencil suits or dress slacks. My office, I'm an attorney for a very large national bank, isn't formal but it's above business casual if that makes sense. However, I have recently been sent to the land of the flat full time. What was a small bump that the doctor thought was a bone spur on my right foot developed into a full blown bunion literally over night. Sorry, gross I know. I also have arthritis in my right foot from a long ago accident cause when a horse I was riding slipped and fell, crushing my foot between her body, the stirrup and the ground. Suffice it so say, right now I can't get my heels on, let alone even walk to the car. They Ashley flat above from Banana Republic is one of my favorites. It's got some inside support and cushioning too. This camel and gold combo is getting out a lot but I'll be investing in a few more pairs. I've been wearing hem with slim ankle pants, blouses and a blazer. How does that sound? Any other thoughts about office attire with flats? Or even great flats?
Thanks!

Opening Meet

The first weekend of November was our opening meet. We had 2 days of riding and family fun. My parents are joint masters and both my sister and I were whips before we had kids but now we ride with the girls. 

 

 CMB (10) with her cousin, MKO (5) in their work wear getting ready for the first day trail ride.

 CMB with Dancer

 Gloves? Check, helmet? check, Stirrup cap? check!

 A "cup of courage" we ride off

My sister and niece (on the big black horse and pony) and CMB and I on the bay gelding and red mare. 

Defintion of Style

Now we all have an idea of what style is and it's slightly different from person to person. But I have been thinking a lot about what style really means and what it means to me. I came across this quote in a book about Jackie Kennedy, a true style icon.

"Style is not a function of  how rich you are, or even who you are. Style is a habit of mind that put quality before quantity, noble struggle before pure achievement, honor before opulence. It's what you are. It's your essential self"

 

 

That idea really reached me. The idea that style is more than how you dress or what you look like. It is a part of self and a way of life. So I have been thinking about style differently. For me it encompasses my job, my family, my volunteer activities. It's what makes you strive to do more, do better. Your clothes are but a reflection of this. Does that make sense? What do you think?



Thank You!

On this special day we honor and say thank you to the men and women who have served our country, protecting it and us throughout the years. Thank you!

Signature Tartan Love

I think I posted a while back about the "Signature Tartan" they have now at Brooks Brothers. I really love it. It's a very nice camel, green, navy and burgundy tartan that does not scream "Christmas" as some tartan prints do so it could be worn more fall/winter long as opposed to just in December. My family isn't crazy about matching clothes but I am thinking about sneaking these touches in for our family picture on the Christmas card. 

 The boys bow tie for OPB!

 Vickers Bow Bracelets for CMB and I!

Regular ties for Hubby and AGB.

 

Picture that with white shirts for everyone, khaki pants and navy blazers on the boys and khaki skirts on CMB and myself, her with white knee socks and loafers, me in tights and pumps. Or would that be overkill?



Hold on one moment please!

Now that Halloween is over there is the temptation to dive head long into the Christmas holiday season. There are already Christmas items in my Target and I suspect if (alright when) I go to Starbucks this morning there will be red cups. But please, everyone hold up one moment. I love the festive holiday season as much as anyone but when did Thanksgiving stop being a holiday to celebrate? In a lot of ways, I like it better than Christmas. The focus is on family and food and fun, with a little football thrown in, without the pressure of creating the perfect card, dinner, party, gifts or memories. Sometimes I think of Thanksgiving as Christmas, without the pressure. That doesn't mean I don't love Christmas, I just want to enjoy Thanksgiving first. There is also something great about having a more limited time to be festive. I can't keep that going fro 2 months. December is plenty of time. I do put my tree up and decorate the house, the first Saturday in December but not till then. What do you think?