Summer essential: the espadrille

Looking for the perfect summer shoe? Slip into an espadrille! It’s not a sandal, and definitely not a stiletto; I like to think of it as a smoking slipper that went on vacation, but didn’t turn into a pair of Toms. *wink*

There are so many easy, breezy ways to wear this shoe. Whether you choose lace, leather, leopard or classic canvas by Soludos, you can experiment with color, texture and pattern and add a little pizzazz to your maxi dresses, shorts, denim and palazzo pants this season. Here are some options to think about (of course I had to find a sequined pair!):

Lace by H&M, $15 on sale;
Leopard “Lanii” by Steve Madden, $72.99;
Leather “Mara” by Loeffler Randall, now $136.50;
Sequin “Mischa” by Tory Burch $105 on sale

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Don’t forget! The Bloganista Mini-Conference is this Saturday!

Calling all Bloganistas!

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Are YOU a Bloganista?

If so, please join me at the Bloganista Mini-Conference from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19! I will be the morning keynote speaker at this one-day conference for fashion, fitness and lifestyle bloggers. The conference will not only cover best blogging practices, but also how you can use your blog to land freelance writing gigs, speaking engagements, and other opportunities. We’ll also discuss how to dress like a fashion blogger even if you’re not one.

In my keynote, I will be sharing the not-so-so glamorous side of fashion blogging and discussing all the hard work I put into my blog and my brand. But I’ll also tell you why the hard work is worth it!

The Bloganista Mini-Conference is a production of See Jane Write, an organization for Birmingham-area women who write and blog. Javacia Harris Bowser, the founder of See Jane Write, is extending a special discount for readers of Same Chic Different Day. Get $5 off your ticket by visiting thebloganistaconference.eventbrite.com and entering the promotional code SAMECHIC.

Note: today is the last day to purchase tickets and receive the Urban Cookhouse gift card!

Hope to see you there!

Tune in to Studio 10’s ‘In the Kitchen’ tomorrow!

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Darlings,

I’ll be WALA Fox 10’s Guest Chef on “In the Kitchen” tomorrow (July 1) between 8-10 AM CDT! If you’re not in the Mobile/Pensacola viewing area or won’t be near a tv, you can watch via the Live Stream link (see below).

WALA is the news station I grew up watching, so it’s an honor to have been invited. I have never cooked in public OR on live tv, and it will truly be an adventure! 🙂 Please pray I don’t burn down the set, and if you use social media, please shout me/WALA Fox 10 out on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram so they know you’re watching!

Web: http://fox10tv.com/category/studio10/in-the-kitchen/
Live Stream: http://fox10tv.com/video/live-streaming-video/
Twitter: @SameChicSouth / @Fox10News / @Studio10WALA
Instagram: @samechicdifferentday
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fox10News / https://www.facebook.com/Studio10WALA
Hashtags: #WeLoveLex #IntheKitchen #WALAFox10 #Studio10

Thanks for your support!
Alexis

Want to dress like Olivia Pope? It’s handled.

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Gladiators, we may have a bit of a wait until Season 4 of Scandal returns this fall (at a new time: 8 PM CDT!), but we can at least console ourselves by shopping The Scandal Collection at The Limited! And from the sneak peek provided by the sketches, expect statement coats and sleek separates!

Haute off the press (release):

“KERRY WASHINGTON, LYN PAOLO TO DEBUT “SCANDAL” COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE HIT ABC SERIES AT THE LIMITED

Look for Fashion Created by Style Icon, Actress Kerry Washington and Emmy® Award Winning Designer Lyn Paolo Starting this Fall

Columbus, OH (June 25, 2014) — Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress Kerry Washington and costume designer Lyn Paolo, in partnership with Elliot Staples, head of design from The Limited, have developed a new fashion line exclusively for The Limited inspired by Shonda Rhimes’ top-rated ABC drama, Scandal, which airs Thursdays at 9pm EST and premieres its fourth season this fall.

“By creating a line inspired by the show, we are introducing a collection that embodies the elegance and power of the Scandal aesthetic for real-life gladiators and everyday fashionistas,” said Washington. “The collection is a nod to our devoted fans, to fans of fashion and to women everywhere who are inspired to boldly pursue their passions and look good while doing it.”

Breaking new ground in Hollywood-inspired fashion, this is the first-ever design collaboration between a national retailer, a top-rated network TV show, its costume designer and leading lady. It is also the first design collaboration for Washington and Paolo, the duo credited for creating powerful looks for Scandal’s protagonist, Olivia Pope, and for inspiring millions of fans to call themselves “Gladiators in Suits.”

“The whole team took great care in creating a collection that reflects Olivia Pope’s unique style. We believe the collection tells a story of confidence and professional sophistication as well as maintaining a strong feminine point of view. It has been a joy, as always, to collaborate with Kerry and now also with The Limited team who have been amazing,” said Paolo. “I am so excited and hopeful that our Gladiators are as excited about the collection as we are; it has been such tremendous fun and such an honor to design for the amazing characters that Shonda Rhimes has created and now to help make their style accessible to all.”

A leader in specialty apparel retail, The Limited has long been the destination for runway-inspired fashion tailored for the needs of modern and sophisticated women. The Scandal collection is the retailer’s first Hollywood collaboration.

“Our collection evokes the striking and aspirational style that has become synonymous with the Scandal brand and its heroine Olivia Pope. Bringing a quintessential neutral palette together with soft feminine color, the collection is outfit driven while remaining easy to mix and match – creating effortlessly modern and powerful looks,” said Staples. “Olivia Pope’s signature wardrobe is well represented by tailored wide leg trousers, separate jackets with strong lines & signature trims, chic feminine blouses, and heroic outerwear pieces. Our plaid round collar cape seamlessly translates television to reality and captures the true essence of the consistent sophistication and style that Olivia Pope represents for confident women everywhere.”

Washington, Paolo and Staples collaboratively developed each piece in the collection, which is characterized by its authenticity, originality and unique details and trim. Tops, pants, jackets and outerwear are included in the fall collection, with prices beginning at $49. The Limited Scandal Collection arrives in The Limited stores nationwide and online.

Join the conversation with @TheLimited and @scandalabc using #scandalstylethelimited”

Images via TheLimited.com and Glamour

Lupita Nyong’o covers July Vogue

Artisans: Enter Garden & Gun’s ‘Made in the South’ Awards

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Haute off the press (release):
GARDEN & GUN’S MADE IN THE SOUTH AWARDS CALL FOR THE BEST OF SOUTHERN MADE PRODUCTS AND ADDS A $10,000 GRAND PRIZE

CHARLESTON, SC–Garden & Gun kicks off the fifth annual Made in the South Awards entry process with an exciting development—this year the grand prizewinner will receive a $10,000 cash prize in addition to a prominent feature in the magazine’s December 2014/January 2015 issue. The Made in the South Awards were created by Garden & Gun to celebrate and encourage Southern craftsmen making products in one of five categories: Food, Drink, Style & Design, Outdoors, and Home.

“The Made in the South Awards continue to be a wonderful way to shine a spotlight on the talented artisans and entrepreneurs throughout the South. It’s been extremely gratifying to watch some of our past winners launch onto the national stage, and as we enter our fifth year, I’m delighted to offer a $10,000 prize for the overall winner. It’s a great addition to the attention the print coverage brings these brands,” says David DiBenedetto, vice president and editor in chief, Garden & Gun.

Click here to see Garden & Gun’s kick-off VIDEO.

This year’s judges will include Chris Hastings, owner and executive chef, Hot and Hot Fish Club, as well as a James Beard Award Winner (Food), and Natalie Chanin (Florence, AL), founder of Alabama Chanin, a design company with a strong commitment to using sustainable practices and local production in fashion, and winner of the 2013 CFDA/Lexis Eco-Fashion Challenge Award (Style & Design).

In addition to boosting the grand prize, Garden & Gun has partnered with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), a leading art and design university headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. SCAD will host the first-ever Made in the South Awards Gala, to be held on the SCAD campus in November 2014.

“Partnering with Garden & Gun on the Made in the South Awards is such a natural fit for SCAD. It’s the latest chapter in a great friendship between a trend-setting magazine and an art-making university. Like Garden & Gun, SCAD is dedicated to creating opportunities for designers and entrepreneurs to elevate their visibility and showcase their work,” says Paula Wallace, SCAD president and cofounder.

Who should enter: Any Southern artisan or business with a product in one of the five categories (Food, Drink, Style & Design, Outdoors, Home) that will be available for sale through January 2015 may apply.

How to enter: For entry forms, category descriptions, and rules, visit gardenandgun.com/madeinthesouth. First-round judging will be based solely on photos and product descriptions. Please do not send product. Entries are being accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET on August 1, 2014. Winners will be announced in the December 2014/January 2015 issue, which hits newsstands on November 25, 2014.

To follow the conversation on the awards, use #madeinthesouth on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on gardenandgun.com.

Spend the #SummerinLilly

 

 

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Thank you to Belk for having me host the Lilly Pulitzer fashion show last Saturday! I am a huge fan of Lilly’s whimsical, distinctive prints and classic silhouettes (as well as the story behind the brand), and it was a treat to wear this Biltmore Maxi Dress ($298).

National Wear Your Lilly Day is June 21, which is the first day of summer! The line’s iconic resort wear and accessories are perfect for lounging by the pool or at the beach and can be worn by jazzy ladies of all ages!

Image via Lilly Pulitzer

That’s #SoSwoozies

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If you follow this blog on Instagram (@samechicdifferentday) then you know just how much I love Swoozie’s! Seriously, go by there to check out the amazing items I found there for grads, babies, brides and of course – hitting the beach or pool this summer! My most recent excursion into Swoozie’s was for the following items by Kate Spade, all of which add a little something extra to my day.

Clockwise:
Rain Check umbrella, $38
Break the Ice insulated tumbler, $18
Rotating stamp, $24
Treat Yourself reusable shopping tote, $16

Because I want you to enjoy what Swoozie’s has to offer (and get your long weekend off to a great start), I’m giving away a $20 gift card to one reader!

There are three ways to enter:

1. TWEET “I’m #SoSwoozies!” and tag @SameChicSouth;

2. FOLLOW @samechicdifferentday on Instagram, THEN COMMENT “I’m #SoSwoozies!” on ONE giveaway announcement; and

3. COMMENT “I’m #SoSwoozies!” on this post.

Entries will be accepted through 12 PM CST on Monday; the winner will be announced on Monday at 2 PM.

Swoozie’s Summit store is located at 305A Summit Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35243.

Happy shopping!

Images via Swoozie’s

 

In which I am made over…

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What else would have me at Saks Fifth Avenue with a makeup-free face?

When Trish McEvoy artist Kimberly Black-Crawford offered to give me a fresh face before The Birmingham Chapter of The Links, Inc. gala fundraiser last Saturday, I was a little nervous (although she’d previously gotten me to try the lippie seen HERE). Confession: I haven’t had a makeover since I first bought makeup with my mom, at Gayfer’s Fashion Fair in Cordova Mall! Now, I’ve definitely had my makeup professionally applied since then, but I hadn’t had a custom makeup session.

After trading some messages and a picture of my chosen outfit for the evening  – and with a little trepidation, a freshly washed face and a big pair of sunglasses – I headed to Saks. Kimberly immediately put me at ease and gave me a look that literally made me teary-eyed! I didn’t realize I could look so…glow-y! You know how you have an image of you’d like to look in your mind? For me it’s dewy skin and dramatic eyes, and Kimberly brought that to life.

She also skillfully introduced me to products I’d never considered by Estee Lauder, Chanel and Yves St. Laurent (I’d gotten into a product rut.). Kimberly used the following to craft my look:

To prep my moisturized face, she applied Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Cream ($90) as a primer on my cheeks and Laura Mercier Secret Finish Mattifying ($27) on my nose to eliminate shine. Then for sheer coverage she used  Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay in Place Makeup ($37), Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Powder Makeup SPF10 in “Rich Caramel”($36) to absorb any oil, Yves St. Laurent Radiant Touch Highlighter to brighten my eyes and lightly contour my cheekbones, ($41) and CHANEL Joues Contraste Powder Blush ($45) in 89/Canaille to highlight my (newly-contoured) cheeks. She used Estee Lauder’s Bronze Goddess eye palette for shadowing(for a similar look, try Estee Lauder Pure Color Intense Eye Shadow Trio in “Amber Alloy,” $36), and applied lashes I’d chosen. Kimberly’s tip for applying them? DO NOT use hair glue! If you’re doing that, STOP! Use Duo lash adhesive instead! I finished with my own MAC lipstick in Freckletone later.

Three peole stopped toask me where/who I’d gotten my makeup from that evening, which NEVER happens. And yes, the look lasted all night long! I was sad to wash it off at the end of the evening. What I loved most was I still felt like myself, not like an overly-contoured caricature. As Kimberly says “Blend, never beat!”

She is available to do your makeup too (seriously, go check her out!), either at Saks or at your home. To schedule your session, email her at kimcrawford88@gmail.com or call (205) 612-9788.

(Wondering what I’m wearing? Remember THIS dress?)

When life hands you lemons…

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…throw your lipstick, ID and money inside one and head out for some fun.

This whimsical “Vita Riva” wicker clutch by Kate Spade is the perfect pick-me-up for your summer whites.

Image via Kate Spade

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