26

Nov

The Look: Luxe for Less

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 “I know a little bluebird/I sure wish [h]e would sing for me/[He’s ]been flying around so long/I wish [he] would land in my tree…” 

-Little Bluebird/Johnnie Taylor

I had my eye all set on this vintage top from RummageVintage – alas, I spotted a similar look by Tracy Reese in the upcoming Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection. Both blouses make trend-setting Art Deco-esque statements, providing a pop of color and sparing no amount of bedazzle, which means they’re both right up my alley.  It’s proof that what goes around definitely comes back around in fashion, and sometimes you really can get a luxe look for less.

And if you see me making a mad dash for Tracy Reese’s section next month at Target, don’t judge me and get out of my way. Please and thank you.

13 years ago Short URL Comments

Champagne Taste Beer Budget/Love That!/Shopping is My Cardio

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12

Nov

Get ready to shop The Market!

The Junior League of Birmingham has had the tradition of changing the lives of women and children in our community since 1922. Now the organization is encouraging the residents of the Birmingham area to be a part of this mission! 

Shoppers can give back by purchasing for themselves and others this week at The Market. The annual three-day shopping extravaganza will be held on Thursday, November 14 through Saturday, November 17 at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center located off U.S. Highway 280.  

All funds raised support the JLB’s community projects that address some of Birmingham’s most critical issues, including literacy, domestic violence prevention, health education, and life skills for families in transition.   This three-day shopping event begins with The Market’s Sneak Peek Party on Wednesday, November 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  Shoppers will not want to miss the opportunity to be the first to shop the great finds The Market vendors have to offer!  

Whole Foods Market of Mountain Brook will offer fabulous wines and Good People Brewing Company will provide beer tastings.  The evening will feature a Diamond Giveaway sponsored by Diamonds Direct where attendees will have the chance to win a one carat diamond with the purchase of a glass of champagne.  Shoppers can conclude their evening by bidding on incredible silent auction items or trying the new “Market Mystery Boxes”, where everyone is a winner.  Martie and the Market on November 15 will offer brunch with Alabama’s own “Food Network Star” finalist Martie Duncan.  Martie will be sharing some of her best party tips while displaying Bromberg’s beautiful serving pieces.  

And that’s not all; read about other events scheduled at The Market this week by clicking HERE!  All general admission tickets are $12 and can be purchased in advance or at the door.

WANT TO WIN TICKETS TO THE MARKET? SCDD is giving away a pair to one lucky reader!  Enter to win by posting “Send me to The Market!” in the comment section below.  One winner will be selected on Wednesday, November 14th at noon.  Enter with a valid email address, as that is how the winner will be notified.  All decisions final.

***This giveaway is now closed; congrats to Sara, who won two general admission tickets to The Market!***

Special thanks to Holly Lollar!

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Birmingham Live!/If We Weren't There It Didn't Happen/Love That!/Shopping is My Cardio

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18

Oct

The Secret of My Success

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The ballerina bun I’ve been rocking has gotten so many unexpected compliments that I thought I should come clean.  I use a very nifty bun-maker made by Conair, which I purchased at Ulta for $4.99.  The kit contains a ponytail holder, 4 hairpins, and the bun-maker (It looks like a fake donut. Seriously. But it’s actually magic in a box.).

All you do is brush your hair into a ponytail, then slide the bun-maker over it until it meets your scalp.  Wind your hair around the form – tucking it in as you go – secure with a pin, and voila!  For extra volume or to try the messy bun look, tease your ponytail with a rat-tail comb, then wind, tuck and pin.  This makes a great protective hairstyle if you’re avoiding heat, and seriously, it takes less than five minutes to do. It’s perfect for Monday mornings or when you have very little time.   And it just looks polished no matter where you’re going. I’m wearing my bun in a topknot, or sometimes at the nape of my neck.  Apparently you can buy even larger hair donuts at beauty supply stores; I can’t wait to style even more height-defying buns!

(And for some #Throwback Thursday fun: I’m the one with the bun in the last photo, circa 1986. Thanks Mom!)

Images via conair.com

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C'est Si Bon/Love That!/The Look

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17

Oct

Fab freebie from Ebony!

I heart Ebony. I really do.  Not only because I (sort of) got my start in print there, grew up flipping through the copies on my parents’ coffee table, and stopped at the Fashion Fair counter for my first compact, but I’m really loving Ebony after its recent redesign. What’s even more fabulous?

Not only is the legendary magazine offering scholarships during next weekend’s Magic City Classic, it’s also offering a free, year-long subscription in honor of the Classic!  Get yours now by clicking HERE.

And Amy DuBois Barnett: if you’re reading this: hire me!

 Image via Ebony.com

13 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

Birmingham Live!/Love That!

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31

Aug

That’s Haute: Gee’s Bend quilt inspires resortwear

Celia L. Smith shares something quite interesting in her Designer Inspirations piece for Essence.com:  BCBG Max Azria’s Spring 2013 pieces were inspired (at least partially) by Gee’s Bend, Alabama quilter Annie Mae Young.  The Design Inspiration: Layers that Bond the Eye references Young’s  “Center medallion strips with multiple borders” quilt (pictured above).

I checked out BCBG Max Azria’s Resort 2013 pieces, and they are fabulous.  The vibrant colors and intricate patterns make me excited to get shop for next spring/summer! And what an interesting way to draw inspiration from Ms. Young’s work, which has toured the country and been featured as part of a Smithsonian exhibit.  The work of the Gee’s Bend quilters, according to  “New York Times art critic Michael Kimmelman, “turn[s] out to be some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.”

To see more Gee’s Bend quilts, click HERE.

Image by Annie Mae Young, via Essence.com

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C'est Si Bon/Love That!

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27

Aug

Free!Grechen offers fab giveaways

If you’re a savvy shopper or just love a freebie or giveaway (or if you’ve had visions of a Prize Patrol visiting you with designer goodies), then you need to check out Free!Grechen!  The blog features links to daily giveaways and contests from independent bloggers and boutiques. Prizes including clothing, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and more from well-known and new designers and brands are just some of the items up for grabs.  Just as fab: Grechen’s coupon codes.

*On a sidenote: we’re tossing sequins and tapdancing in our stilettos today; this is our 300th post! Thank you for your support!*

Image via Free!Grechen

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C'est Si Bon/Love That!/Shopping is My Cardio

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24

Aug

‘Overdressed’ takes readers behind the seams of fast fashion

What savvy shopper with some mileage on her stilettos hasn’t remarked (or heard their mother or grandmother sigh) “They just don’t make [coats, shoes, dresses, etc.] they way they used to anymore!” while shopping?

Elizabeth L. Cline’s eye-opening read, Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, takes readers behind the seams of the fast fashion industry and the financial and environmental implications of accumulating “disposable” clothing.  Readers follow Cline as she examines the Chinese garment industry (by pretending to be a buyer), learns to sew with low-wage seamstresses in the Dominican Republic, and chats with “haulers” (i.e. shoppers who purchase huge quantities of fast fashion and blog about their finds).  Cline reveals just what happens to all the clothes that go unpurchased at charity stores, and contrasts her findings with the “slow fashion” movement, which emphasizes ethical construction, ecofriendly materials and sustainability (meaning pieces are well-made and will last for seasons). 

This was an interesting read (I recommend reading it because it highlights a lesser-publicized side of the fashion industry), but to be honest: I love my fast fashion.  I love being able to sample trends selectively without investing a lot of money in them, but it’s also important to understand that you often get just what you pay for.   It’s key to know how to recognize a high quality garment or accessory and when to purchase one (for example: my go-to handbag has lasted about six years).   Shopping vintage and consignment stores are also excellent ways to participate to support “slow fashion,” as is sewing your own garments (more to come on that later).

Have a fabulous weekend!

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Image via Amazon

14 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

Champagne Taste Beer Budget/Love That!/Reading is FUNdamental (and sexy!)

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27

Jul

On repeat

“But, besides all these things, [clothe yourselves with] love, for it is a perfect bond of union.”-Colossians 3:14

How lovely the world would be if we all put on LOVE every day…have a fabulous weekend! XOXO Alexis

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C'est Si Bon/Love That!

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29

Jun

To Have and To BHLDN

You didn’t think we’d let June slip by without an ode to the most popular wedding month of all, did you? Pish posh! And because we don’t like anything boring and ordinary, we dreamed up a wedding wardrobe worthy of only the most daring, most imaginative bride, using the lovely pieces at BHLDN.com, a division of Anthropologie.  The clothing, footwear, and accessories featured on the website invite brides (and those who hope to be, one day) to dream away.

Our vision is inspired by brides who throw caution to the wind and let their personality shine through.  This fantasy bride skips a ball gown or body-conscious fit and flare for her big day, choosing something short and chic instead.  Yoana Baraschi’s Arabesque embroidered silk organza sheath ($300) or Tracy Reese’s bell-sleeved ‘Persephone’ shift  ($400)let her show off her buff-colored Beverly Feldman ‘Côte de Blancs’ peep toes ($220).   She carries the Bountiful Bliss clutch by St. Erasmus ($425) in one hand and Jihan Zencirli’s Geronimo! Balloons in the other ($180 for 2).

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And after the festivities are over? No run-of-the-mill, farewell suit for our bride.  She’s headed to a farflung location for her honeymoon, perhaps to the French Riviera.  This navy and white knit macrame Leeward jacket and short suit by Orla Kiely ($425 for the jacket; $315 for the shorts) is perfect.  Bon voyage!

P.S. This savvy bride doesn’t come home facing a mountain of thank-you notes to be written.  She consults Something New: The Bride’s Complete Guide to Writing Thank You Notes by chic sisters Emily Wood Smith and Rachel Wood Daniels!

All images via BHLDN

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Love That!/Random Acts of Fashion/Shopping is My Cardio

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28

Jun

LOVE That! Oui brooch by Jennifer Loiselle

Oui, oui!   Sometimes, life just needs more “yes”…this gold mirror brooch is perfect for days when “no” is not an option.

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Images via etsy.com

14 years ago Short URL Comments

C'est Si Bon/Love That!/Random Acts of Fashion/Shopping is My Cardio

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