Day 23: Boy Mom, Girl Mom

A year ago I couldn't imagine being anything but a "boy mom." Even at two, Mac seemed every inch a boy; it was hard to envision our house with anything pink in it.

Today, I find that the balance (at this age, at least) is pretty easy to maintain.



In one corner of our house, Mac finds a handy spot to stow his preschooler-sized basketball.

In another room, I'm squealing as Mary Brooks tries on her first bow.

I get a little bit of everything these days, and it's pretty darn fabulous. I hope MB enjoys my massive scarf collection one day; it will make me feel far more justified at having so many.

One of my very favorite "see, I tried!" scarves.

(My everyday uniform is jeans with flats or boots and a tee topped off by a scarf. It's my "look like you care but you've actually just peeled yourself off the sofa" trick. Not sure if it's working, but it's the best I can do...)

If scarves are out of style when MB's a teenager, this poor girl will inherit absolutely no accessories or noteworthy pieces from her mom's closet. Maybe I should start diversifying?

*This post is day 23 in my 31 Days of What Matters.

We Have a Winner!

I'm so excited to announce the winner of The Beaufort Bonnet Company giveaway! I tossed in all the comments that made it up by 10:00 am, and the winning entry was....

Congratulations to Ashley of @TheStratPack! I'll put you in touch with The Beaufort Bonnet Company so you can design your little one's newest accessory.

So much to monogram, so little time!

For those of us who didn't win, The Beaufort Bonnet Company has offered to extend their $1 monogram promotion with the code AnneSays$1Mono. 

 

The discount will be valid on any TBBC bonnet, bucket hat, gift or clothing item until next Wednesday, October 24, at noon EST.

I hope to snag some monogrammed pieces for Christmas gifts; you know I can't pass up a good coupon code! There are lots of spirit bonnet options for your tiny fashionistas to sport at tailgates this fall, too.

Not my team, but I do love the houndstooth!

Many thanks to The Beaufort Bonnet Company, and thank y'all for participating. Ashley, we want to see a picture of your little man in that Beaufort bucket hat!

Now get to shopping and monogramming, girls!

Day 16: My First Giveaway!

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Today marks my first, and likely my only, giveaway ever! I'm tickled pink to share something I'm crazy about: a line of timeless children's products made here in America with young moms at the helm.

MB goes after jewelry already...

Have you heard about The Beaufort Bonnet Company? This summer an insanely stylish friend of mine bought the company, formerly known as Susu & John, and has made its products cuter than ever.

The heart of the collection is the Beaufort bonnet, named after the Lowcountry South Carolina town where the style originated generations ago. Mary Brooks got to try on some precious Beaufort bonnets recently, and I was smitten!

MB was cursed with given the same fair skin I have, so neither of us strays far from wide-brimmed hats or SPF one million. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the Beaufort bonnet is that it combines a timeless baby style with a truly practical purpose - and it's washable to boot.

This fishtail monogram is my absolute favorite! And a corduroy bonnet for fall? Love.

Boys aren't left out; they look just as stylish in a Beaufort bucket hat. I adore the monogram you can place on them: vertical or horizontal, one or three letters.

TBBC also offers clothes - jumpers, john johns, bloomer sets, pinafores, diaper covers - and giftables, from bow-tied swaddle blankets to this precious seersucker bow holder, which comes already stocked. Add a monogram and you are in "best gift ever" territory.



The Beaufort Bonnet Company's hats run in sizes from newborn to 3T, so even if your little ones aren't quite as tiny as Mary Brooks, you can still top them off adorably.

As soon as I saw this pic, I ran out and got a haircut.

The Beaufort Bonnet Company is giving one reader a custom bonnet or bucket hat of her choice! You choose the fabric, the monogram and the lucky baby who receives it. Corduroy, seersucker, gingham, college spirit bonnets - the possibilities are endless!

For the rest of us, The Beaufort Bonnet Company is offering $1 monograms on their hats with the code AnneSays$1Mono. Bonnets can be monogrammed on the back or the brim, and each piece is interchangeable, so you can mix and match.

To enter, just leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you! Entries will be accepted until 10:00 am on Friday, October 19th, and I'll announce a winner by noon.

In the meantime, take a peek at TBBC's new website and their Facebook page. Many of you have had sweet things to say on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram about Mary Brooks wearing their bonnets, so I'm thrilled to be hosting this giveaway.

A big thank you to my friends at The Beaufort Bonnet Company for sharing a little pint-sized style with the rest of us!

*This post is day 16 in my 31 Days of What Matters. 

Copy-Kates

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Duchess Catherine, formerly known as Kate Middleton, has been a style for some time now, even before that big, sparkly sapphire was on her left hand. Add in a title and an over-the-top royal wedding and you've got a formula for a full-on fashion plate.

Some disagree, calling the former Miss Middleton more style follower than trendsetter. In fact, Nordstrom's fashion director Gregg Andrews has suggested she wouldn't turn heads in New York City if she wasn't on Prince William's arm.
I may be the wrong person to ask, as I've never aspired the style of Kate Moss, someone Mr. Andrews finds to be the epitome of a style icon. In my opinion, though, the return of "princess style" is a wonderful thing.

She's only 29, sure, but Catherine's style can apply to just about anyone. Especially her habit of recycling memorable ensembles with just a few small changes. We can all implement that idea, whether our outfits are cocktail dresses or white jeans and cardigans.

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Would I wear everything Kate has? Probably not. A few of her nautical and military ensembles (the two on the left above) look fabulous on her, but just aren't up my alley.

Lower hemlines, nipped-in waists, nude heels, classic coats, timeless jewelry and appropriate attire for every event - to me, that's the height of style. I don't rush to try new silhouettes or rebuild my entire wardrobe each season, so I take comfort in a stylish young royal whose taste seems so understated and tailored.

Call me a Copy-Kate, but had I the budget and the occasion to duplicate most anything Duchess Catherine has worn before and I'd be all over it.

Do you find Kate's style to be too staid and demure, or are you hopping on board the Repli-Kate train as well? Has she worn anything you adore - or would have to pass up?

Is this REALLY a question?

Subtitle: Not a fair fight.

Evidently, while I was visiting family the other weekend there was a little ceremony in LA. An intimate affair otherwise known as Kim Kardashian's circus wedding.

Guests were asked to wear black or white, in keeping with the nuptial "theme," and each of the bride's sisters (and mother) wore white and carried white bouquets. Someone was taking this "our royal wedding" concept a little far.

I could rant about the wedding, the lack of a groom in 90% of her pictures (true love!) and the beyond excess of 31 carats on your ring finger and $65 million in borrowed jewels, but I won't. I won't even borrow pics from People, a publication that paid a hefty price to cover the event exclusively.

I will, however, question their sanity in posting this when rating wedding guest fashions:

PIPPA vs. LINDSAY

Really? Is this even a question, People?

In one corner, Prince William's sister-in-law wearing Temperley of London on the way to her sister's evening April reception. Regal, classic and relatively covered up for such a black-tie affair. Dressed to be in the presence of royals and family members alike.

In the other corner, an actress whose only credit that comes to mind is easily is a Hayley Mills remake - a far cry from her appearance these days. (Day Old News calls her "baby grandma;" now I see her as a prematurely aged twenty-something with a knitting needle and a rocker at home. No offense to pretty, sweet grandmas everywhere.)

Y'all, there's no question; this fight was fixed from the beginning. Pippa might be insulted that this is up for discussion.

Lindsay, find your natural hair color, a qualified therapist and a new manager. Then lie low for moment. If you want to emulate Pippa's style in the meantime, do so with a touch less peroxide and perhaps a pashmina. You're too young to look this desperate!

P.S. I miss your face. Your natural face. And especially your face circa your Hallie Parker/Annie James days:

Yes and No

Yes, of course Anne Hathaway admires Duchess Catherine's ladylike style. Who doesn't? (Well, one could argue many in LA probably don't. Too much fabric and not enough peroxide...) One brunette beauty appreciating another - I love it!

I love you, Reese, and I'm glad you're so happy about it, but that stomach tattoo? No - just no.
(source)

(source)

Yes, even a little exercise can lengthen our lives! Just the reminder I needed when I find it's too hot to get motivated for a full-on gym showdown.

No, I don't understand why Kevin Federline is still considered news-worthy. Any baby is a blessing, but do we need to celebrate this guy's in People?



Yes, I feel old when I think about how many recruitments have passed since my sorority days.

But no, I don't regret finishing college before every last moment was recorded and shared via the magic of social media.

Ah, the things we do for Greek life. I've sung many a "reworked lyric" in my life and I can assure you they were quite special. Not as special as the rap above, but I admire the dedication of these University of Alabama Panhel Exec members.

(What is it about being in a sorority that inspires us to take the lyrics of popular tunes and shift them around to include our favorite Greek letters? We need to do a post about the most egregious offenses in this category. Surely this number would be included somewhere.)

You know they're getting just as much ribbing in real life as they are online...

And yes, I still have my sorority and Panhellenic t-shirts. Boxes of them. Thankfully I don't have boxes of video like this, though! Whew.

A Royal Change of Pace

William and Catherine's conquest of the Western Hemisphere continued yesterday with a final day of Canadian adventures. We're used to seeing them glammed up for their daily "duties" in something like this:



Beautiful, elegant and far more suited up than I've ever been for a day of work.

Imagine my surprise when I saw Cowgirl Catherine and her prince sporting these ensembles yesterday:

Get it, girl!! Cowboy boots, designer bootcut jeans and Alice by Temperley shirt, a sizable belt buckle and a custom-made hat gifted to her by Canadian officials.

And Prince William, I daresay, has never looked cuter. I know a passel of Southern girls who are fanning themselves upon seeing royalty in gear most often sported by Nashville stars and genuine cowboys.

Evidently he wanted to try out his bucking bronco-wrangling skills but his wife put the kibosh on that instinct. (Read about it here.)

Can't say I blame her, but what a cute peek into the newlyweds' relationship. This well-dressed wisp of a girl certainly has the prince wrapped around her sapphire-and-diamond-encrusted finger. (And who can blame him?)

Back to their wardrobes: I can't imagine how much thought and effort was put into preparing each and every outfit for the Duchess in particular. It's not as though she can run unnoticed into Target and grab something quickly if a hem falls out of her intended skirt....

I was tickled by the change of pace in their wardrobe and can't wait to see what they have up their sleeves for the quick trip to LA that began this morning. Stay tuned!

(Photo credits to the Daily Mail.)

The Cuteness in Canada Continues...

(I could have thrown "Cambridge" in the title for a little more alliteration excitement, but I didn't want to go overboard. My obsession is intense enough.)

So close, Wills! Good thing playing hockey isn't your day job.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

You know it's love when a prince holds your umbrella. Chivalry!

Waving to her new husband as he demonstrates his helicopter flying skillz.

Catherine loves Anne of Green Gables too! Shall we start a book club, Duchess?

A post-race squeeze for the newlyweds

Another post-event hug from the Duke and Duchess in denim.

(All photo credits to the Daily Mail.)

Crazy for Catherine!

Darling, they adore you!

After weeks of buzz, wardrobe suggestions and speculation, the royals have arrived!! Prince William and Duchess Catherine's long-awaited visit to North America is being widely covered, and from the looks of things our neighbors to the north are no less crazy about the royal newlyweds than we are.

I've had so many Kate-related blog posts (obsessed, yes!) rolling around in my head, but I've got sixty seconds to finally plop down and do one, so herein please find even more reasons to adore the former Kate Middleton.

1. She shops her closet.

Of course, it helps to have an itsy-bitsy figure and a pretty fabulous wardrobe to start with, but you've got to admire any gal in the public eye who restyles previous favorites and re-rocks them in front of the paparazzi's glare. Hats off to you, Kate.

Today in Canada Catherine sported the same white dress she wore for her official engagement portrait with William. Adding a red maple leaf hat, statement heels and a sparkly gem of a brooch from the Queen's collection, Kate reworked the look and even gave a nod to the country's celebration of Canada Day.


Yesterday, in one of her three outfit changes, Kate also wore a dress she has been photographed in twice before: once the day before her wedding and once five years ago (how's that for a flashback of your fashion life, Kate?) by paparazzi.

It says a lot about a girl when her choices from five years ago still suit the person she is, and the title she has been given, at such different time in her life. (Below in Canada and, at left, when she was still Will's "long-suffering" girlfriend. Who's laughing now, tabloids?)

If that wasn't enough, the fabulous slingback espadrilles she's wearing are also recycled. Nicely done, Kate!

Totally obsessed side note: It has been speculated by What Kate Wore that the pendant necklace Catherine is wearing above may be a charm bracelet her mother-in-law gave her (we'll get to that!) reworked as a necklace for the day. Clever!

2. She styles herself.

As the wife of the future King of England, I am sure she has room in the budget for a stylist - but she doesn't have one. Evidently Kate works with personal shoppers at her favorite stores and puts ensembles together herself.

Makes her taste all the more impressive! Can I steal this adorable wicker clutch - already sold out online - for the summer?


3. She supports local designers.


After a seven and a half hour flight from London to Ottawa, Duchess Catherine strolled off the airplane wearing an entirely different outfit than when she boarded. And this classic navy lace overlay number is the work of a Canadian designer. As if the locals weren't Kate crazy enough already...

4. She wears monogrammed jewelry - from her mother-in-law!


I notice Catherine's prettily engraved bracelet in a snapshot of her last week and thought, "How nice to wear something with a crown on it when you actually own a crown!"

When I realized the bracelet was a gift from Camilla, Prince Charles's wife, and it had a differently-engraved "C" on each side to represent both women, I was even more touched.

I'll be Team Diana forever, but a girl who loves her mother-in-law and sports monogrammed jewelry would fit in remarkably well around these here parts. We'll make a Southerner out of the Duchess yet!

5. She carries polka-dotted, affordable luggage.

In the picture below, you'll see Kate's polka-dotted overnight bag. While I'm sure she has trunks upon trunks of her wardrobe traveling with her, I love that she carries a non-Louis Vuitton (hear that, Hollywood elites?) canvas British bag.
And if it were still in stock, believe me, I'd have snatched it up by now. I've never met a navy polka-dotted anything I didn't like...

Wonder if she'd monogram that? (And what would it be cWm? cWe? Or just "I'm a Duchess, don't worry about my monogram?!")

Okay, that's enough Catherine-related gushing for one day. We're about to enter a long holiday weekend of patriotism. Soak it up, friends!

xoxo

Kate Spade must be a Clemson fan!

Why else would she inject her playful sense of style into so many Tiger-friendly pieces? And put them on sale, to boot!

I am practicing self-control (hear that, B?) and not clicking "Buy," but that doesn't mean you should do the same. Tailgate season is just around the corner - 72 days, if you're counting - and, in case you haven't heard, orange and tiger stripes are always in fashion.

Fan Court Stevie bag

Striped Gwen tunic

Striped Kay top
Worn with orange accessories, obviously.
This pattern is also available in a dress, an adorable jacket and several bags!
Mott Street Riley bag

In the runner up category, Kate has several sweet coral (not quite Clemson but totally acceptable on a hot game day) pieces on sale. I particularly love the Terrazzo Audrey dress, Terrazzo Sandra skirt and Villa Pineapple top. Happy shopping!

Side note: I couldn't help but notice how much the model above looks like Bryce Dallas Howard. Then I remembered the actress is the star of Kate Spade's first celebrity campaign. I guess they're doing a bit of typecasting in their product photos? Gorgeous, no matter who she is! My mom is a redhead, so I've always been a teensy bit partial - and I love to see redheads rocking orange.

Rent the Runway Coupon Code!

I got a lot of emails and tweets when I blogged about Rent the Runway the other day, so I am thrilled to share a 24 hour coupon code I found!

Until midnight tomorrow, Tuesday the 29th, get 25% off any RTR rental when you use the code "FBTHANKS" at checkout.

That makes a lot of their dresses under $40! I was giddy to make my first rental and get such a great deal.

If you haven't joined, head on over and take a peek. Click here to sign up!