Urban Renewal: Part One

Society Girls are ones who trade secrets, exchange ideas, inspire and encourage each other. Libby is a true SOCIETY GIRL! I received an email from her last week informing me of an Urban Renewal contest going on over at Urban Outfitters.

Urban Renewal, you know the section of the store where they sell reconstructed vintage clothes.

Anyway, Libby thought I should submit something and I thought that was a great idea. It couldn't hurt, right. Urban Outfitters will be selecting 20 new designs to sell in their store and I would love to be one of them.

My idea comes from all my years of thrifting. What can you find in every single thrift store in America? Mu Mu's!!!!!!!!! There they are, every old woman's discarded house coat. I have to say they are fun for the days you just don't want to accentuate the body, throw these suckers on and nobody knows what lies beneath. But, they are a little frumpy.. don't you think? Society Girls don't really go for the frumpy look, so I thought of a way to take these brightly colored frocks and make them into a dress that stands out in the room.

Here are my design sketches.. don't worry the finished product will be unveiled this Friday.

A Weekend in the Life of a Bridesmaid

The guests have gone, the music has faded and the bride and groom are off discovering true bliss. The wedding week flurries are over and it's time to reflect on the wedding weekend wardrobe.

Like I said before, any event that gives me an excuse to change outfits two times a day is FABULOUS!

The weekend started with a backyard party at my home, which meant running around all afternoon finding the perfect center pieces. Yes, this day did involve long hours going store to store, trying my hand at mowing the lawn (that was comedy) and standing on ladders hanging blue crystal chandeliers in the tree. I know, I know. This outfit is not conducive to all those activities - but what can a girl do. What if a disaster strikes and guests arrive before you have had a chance to freshen up and change clothes? You might as well put on a cute outfit... just in case. (No disaster and I did change, though there was no time for a photo... oh well)

The next morning arrived and my head was clouded from yesterday's tricks, I pulled myself out of bed and headed off to the Bridal Luncheon. Tea, Scones, and a spinach salad was just the beginning a grand tea served in a little red cottage. What's more perfect to compliment the tea than a burst of a green polka dot dress. Oh... being a girl is so much fun!

For the second change of the day, I readied myself for the Rehearsal Dinner. This time I chose a dress that truly embodies my "vintage glamour" style. A 70's disco dress in a cream colored slinky fabric. It felt like butter! I think Marilyn would have been proud.

The last of my own personal style (before I donned the bridesmaid dress with nine other girls) I slipped into something casual and comfy for the morning preparations with all the girls. A perfect few hours of hair, makeup and chatter.

It is all over and I am back to blogging more consistently. There are many adventures to come... the TARGET challenge, my style consultation Part II with Madelyn and much more.

Guest Column: "What to Wear on Holiday in Mexico"

To mix things up, I asked my friend Sara (a designer) to write a column every other week. You may remember her from the Forever 21 challenge. (oh.. and we have scheduled our Target challenge.. we will keep you posted.)


I must admit that I pondered for many hours – days even – as to what to write about in my first “guest columnist” gig. I finally concluded that I would focus on “What To Bring On Summer Holiday In Mexico (Or Any Other Weekend Getaway By the Beach).”

How, and more importantly, why did this thought occur to me? Well, I just happened to overhear my boyfriend as he was chatting with his parents on the phone, who just retired to Mexico and now live in a small community that is about an hour and a half south of San Diego. We go to see them every few weeks, and it never fails that I will struggle and agonize over what to pack. Every. Single. Time. Even though we’re only there for 2 nights, what if a cold front moves in? What if it rains? What if I decide to work out? (Ha!) What if the electricity goes out and I need a flashlight to read with? What if the dog pees in my shoes? What if I get bored with the book I’m reading and wish I had brought a different one? What if we decide to go out to a fancy dinner? What if I eat to much at the fancy dinner and my tight jeans are TOO tight? Should I bring my baggy pants too? And so on and so forth. To sum it up, here’s what I usually pack:

• 3 pairs of shorts and/or pants
• a couple of dresses
• 5-6 tops
• 2 swimsuits
• 2-3 pairs of shoes, and my Uggs (it gets chilly at night)
• a couple of sweatshirts and/or coats
• 2 books
• 3-4 magazines
• stationery in case I decide to hand-write letters to my friends and loved ones
• 4 big bottles of water in case my boyfriend’s parents don’t have any bottled water
• snacks
• sweatpants
• Scrabble

Though it will still probably never be easy for me to narrow down my packing list and lighten my load, I know that if it came down to the wire, I could live for days in Mexico (and still feel cute and stylish) by only bringing the following:

• 1 pair of shorts
• jeans (my favorite old Levis)
• sweatpants to sleep in
• 2 swimsuits (it’s awful to get into a wet swimsuit) – I’m really into mixing and matching cheap separates from Target, Old Navy or JCrew. Also, check out princessetam-tam for amazing vintage-style suits.
• a couple of tank tops or dresses (right now I’m loving guys tees with tight jeans and a shrunken wrap or vest)
• a long sleeve shirt or light jacket (I can’t live without my JCrew light-weight plaid oxford with ruffles at the neck and cuffs) to throw over you when it’s cooler at night
• 1 pair of sandals
• the water
• 1 magazine
• Scrabble

- Sara

THE SOCIETY GIRL OF THE WEEK

Can I just say... this week's society girl seriously makes me speechless. Many of you have probably noticed and been in awe of her as well.

The work of The Sartorialist brings out the eccentric beauty of this woman. He was able to capture her, and for that I am thankful.

Our Society Girl of the Week... is The Sartorialist's Muse..









All photos are taken by THE SARTORIALIST

Real Brides

The wedding bliss continues around my home...

A wedding is a reflection, a reflection of who two people are as one. What they love, where their passion is and the life they surround themselves with.

I am always stunned to see brides who step out of the ordinary, into the extradordinary. Ones who don't conform the same silouhette, but reach out for something unique and exquisite.

This beautiful bride and amazing photographer made me lose myself. I was pulled into their lullaby.









If you are looking for an amazing photographer and you live in the southern states Bryan Johnson is a great choice. To view more work like this one visit www.abryanphoto.com

June Bride

The big day... the dress... the flowers... the groom .... the bride....

No, it's not me. I had my big day (oh what fun it was!). It is my big brother's big day. He's getting married this weekend and there is a buzz of activity around our home here in California. Friends and relatives coming in, parties, and along with that excuses to put together fun outfits! Yippeee! Love those.

Since my days are filled with wedding flurries ... I thought I might inspire thoughts of your someday or memories of the your remember-when days.

Brides are always beautiful, it is the moment every woman waits for, it is a dress of a lifetime. This week I will be featuring different brides, and today it is the classic brides that caught my eye.

Workin the Trends - Vintage Style Part 2

On to the next trend: "So Eighties"




Tonight I was headed off to a baby shower at a beautiful home in the newport beach hills overlooking the ocean. I thought, "hey, evening shower... I will wear a beautiful vintage 80's dress to this oh-so-fabulous shower!" I liked the combination of the black dress with a spark of 80's around the waist. The drop pearl necklace has a silvery luster that added a raw element to the ensemble.

Now back to my thoughts on wearing this outfit to a shower... um I was a little mistaken. I showed up as the most dressed-up person at the party - most girls were wearing jeans!

Oh well, shrug the shoulders and embrace the "Carrie Bradshaw" in myself, right! At least I was "So Eighties".

NEET!

Well I have been saving he good news for you until it actually happened, I was covered in NEET MAGAZINE! If you haven't read the magazine, you should definitely mark it as a favorite.

NEET is a magazine that deals with fashion on the grassroots level and features readers with great style. Check out the June issue and the article!

Workin the Trends - Vintage Style Part 1

I challenged myself to take the current trends and translate them into Vintage Society Style.

"Get Sporty" was my first inspiration.





Intially, I was not drawn towards this look, but I recently found the perfect 80's windbreaker. I started with the jacket and built the outfit around it. I loved the yellow-ness and wanted to pair it with a short preppy skirt. Of course, I threw on the "un-sporty" shoes cause the vintage-glam girl can't be without a heel!

Workin the Trends - Vintage Style!

I don't why, but I love a challenge! I spent some time this week reviewing the current trends on the Vogue website.

It is always fun to refresh the perspective on how to tweak your wardrobe this way or that with each new trend that pops up.

Designer style is fabulous and maybe someday I will have the budget (yeah right) to purchase some of those beauties that walk down the runway, but for now I will stick to what I know. Vintage!

Vintage can work the current trends just as well... I'm out to prove it!

"So Eighties"

"Pin Up Girl"

"The New Romantics"

"Get Sporty"