Packin It Up: New Year's Eve Nuptials

While New Year's Eve is usually considered the most overrated holiday, this year actually has something fun in store around here. My best pal from growing up gets married this weekend and I can't think of a better way to end one year and start a new one than with old friends and my family. Of course, special attention must be paid to the outfit choices, it being a holiday and my bff's wedding. My spray tan currently prevents me from actually trying these clothes on before packing so I leave it up to you to determine if I'm in good sartorial shape or not! My goal is to not over pack, for once, but have everything I truly need. Therefore, I'm going to try to swing this weekend with one handbag and two pairs of heels...we'll see if this plan succeeds or not.

Here goes!

Bridesmaids' Luncheon 

 Adam fuschia top and amethyst skirt

Tory Burch envelope clutch (Thank you, Santa!!) and platform heels

Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner

3.1 Phillip Lim top and Loeffler Randall silk pants

Attempting to wear same clutch and heels as worn at Bridesmaids' Luncheon

Wedding Day Luncheon

Lela Rose dress with turquoise beads

Attempting to wear same clutch and heels from previous day

Wedding!!!

 Bridesmaid's Dress

Stuart Weitzman lucite wedges

And for when it gets chilly on NYE, I can't forget...

Mom's vintage mink! 

I never get to wear it, and to be honest would not buy real fur, but Mom's mink is very special to me and it only gets worn on the most important occasions. 

Thanks for helping me pack. Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year!!

So Long, Honeysuckle

To Honeysuckle, we bid you aideu...

Vogue and Coffee via Pinterest

 via Martha Stewart

Apartment Therapy via Pinterest

via Tory Burch

It's been fun, our feisty friend, but there's a new color in town. Tangerine Tango has entered the universe as the Pantone Color of the Year for 2012 and it's taking over. Appearing in everything from fashion to home decor, it's not your 70s hue anymore. Use it to punch up otherwise dull color schemes. It plays well with grays, punches up a bright white and unexpectedly surprises against hunter green.

Tasteologie via Pinterest

 Richard Chai in New York Magazine via Pinterest

 Haute-Couture-Merci via Pinterest

 Amber Interiors via Pinterest 

If you're not into it yet, be patient. This tone will grow on you. And remember that it's "tangerine" not "orange!"

Holiday Make-Up and Manis

Fashion Fades We Stay The Same via Pinterest

The holidays always offer up opportunities to play with one's make-up. But lately, all I want to do is dabble in liquid eyeliner...

Something about a liquid liner is so classic. A neutral, matte eye shadow with black liquid liner conveys that doe-eyed look, perfect for an ingenue during the day. At night, it's so easy to up the sassiness with smoldering dark shadows and glittering hints. 

The chart below documents the runway eye make-up at several of the high end fashion shows this past fall. My favorites include D&G, Stella McCartney and Giorgio Armani. 

 Create This Look for Less via Pinterest

 Honeybees via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Queen of vintage sexiness, Christina Hendricks, works the cat-eye look especially well in the photo above but you don't have to go that dramatic to make an impression. Limit the wing effect if you prefer but do keep your skin dewy and lip color neutral. That way, all of the focus will be on your beautiful, intense eyes.

***********

In case you're not a fan of liquid liner, here's another gift for you. This week, I'm rocking the asymmetrical glitter mani and loving it! Sometimes a girl just needs a little glitter. This pale pink and silver version is a little less obvious to me. Most people have done a double take and then realized what was on my nails. The photo below was my inspiration...my glitter nails don't look as fun as hers but it's a start!



via Love Meagan


personal photo- obvi

In The Navy

 Design Stiles via Pinterest

Soooo...how do you feel about a dark but glossy navy wall? To me, it sort of feels like the sassy younger sister of light blue. The pale blues of the world are safe, smart and always welcoming but the glossy navies are the equivalent of the friend who has traveled the world, dating rich men and coming home with unbelievable stories and souvenirs. In other words, something about a dark navy feels glamorous and a bit unexpected but without taking a dive way off the deep end.

After mulling over my current dining room situation, I've decided that a little glamorous risk might be just what my house needs. Currently, it's the safest color possible, a sandy beige. My PLAN, though it may go unexecuted, is to paint below the chair role molding white so that a good half of the room contrasts with the darker hue. Adding the glossy finish will help keep the already small-ish room from caving in on itself by reflecting light. Plus, another shine never hurt...unless it's my forehead doing the shining.

 Justine Taylor via Pinterest

Plush Palate via Pinterest

via Palmer Weiss

So what do you think? Do you have dark colors painted in your house? Did you do it with a little sheen? I would love to know about your experiences!

How to Dine

Now that my living room is (mostly) complete, it's time to update the dining room! I'm not quite sure how to tackle it since a large arch adjoins the dining room to the den. I don't want the rooms to look completely identical but I do think the dining room should somehow be a glamorous extension of the living room.

This update is a ways off yet- it's time to focus on Christmas and family and friends. But after New Year's Day, it's on!

What do your favorite dining rooms look like? 

 Jenna Lyons dining room via Habitually Chic

 via Southern Living

 via Veranda

via ienerations interiors

via EJ Interiors

via Palmer Weiss

CLEARly

Versace via Talk Shoes

Ladies, we need to talk about shoes and I'm not sure how you're going to react to my proposal. I'm writing to you today in hopes that you won't immediately scoff and close out this page, completely disregarding my opinion forever.

But lucite shoes are back and they are big time. Many of us, especially nice Southern gals, have relegated the lucite heel to "working girls" whose places of employment include Thee Doll House and Crazy Horse. You know what I'm talking about- the kind of working girls where the shoes' heel height must be six inches or higher or else you ain't performin' tonight. But I hold a certain affection for the lucite heel. My momma had a pair of what I always called "acrylic" heels in the '80s. They were fab slingbacks with a lucite heel, clear plastic toe strap and '80s fab silver rhinestone with copper adornment. They were her big night out shoes when dad donned a tux and she was in sequins. In college, I made those puppies mine and wore them proudly around Chapel Hill, receiving tons of compliments (oddly enough).

Stuart Weitzman via Denim Therapy

Maybe for sentimental reasons or maybe because I can't refuse a good deal, I recently purchased this $298 pair of Stuart Weitzman wedges for $20 at our Junior League's Bargain Sale. Logically, they were my size, they were comfortable, they were a STEAL and I could wear them in my friend's NYE wedding under a long sapphire blue dress. Ironically, lucite heels paraded down fall runways and made cameos in resort collections from Fendi to Dries Van Noten. It seems I've just made the ultimate good call! 

Dries Van Noten via Runway Hippie

Chanel via The Gloss

Now the rest of us girls can also join in on the look! Dries Van Noten made lucite eclectic and slightly bohemian on their runway while Chanel takes a conservative classic spectator pump and adds a little sass. Even the Man Repeller paid a little homage recently. Whatever your taste, there is a clear choice for you. (Ba dum ching!)

In short, I can't wait to break in my lucite heels on Dec. 31 and hope to wear them in the warmer weather with a little Stella McCartney Hawaiian print...

via My Theresa

Final Pre-Fall Post

Did you enjoy your break from my Pre-Fall goodness? Or were you chomping at the bit for more?

I hope you get as excited about this last collection as I have been. Oscar de la Renta debuted this collection days ago but I have been too busy ooh-ing and ahh-ing over it to actually share it...I'm sorry- I guess I wanted it all to myself!

Oscar de la Renta:

Red Carpet worthy

Warm with corals and glittering with gold

Nods to black and white Parisian chic

No one needs to tell you that these pieces are timeless and transcend the bounds of time, seasons and age. Couldn't you just as easily see the finale coral dress on Sarah Hyland as you could on Julianna Margulies? We'll be eagerly awaiting the Red Carpet at the SAG Awards thanks to Mr. de la Renta.

Sorry, Mom

Derek Lam via Harper's Bazaar

Stella McCartney via Style.com

Lela Rose via Net-A-Porter

10 Crosby via Style.com

I'm sorry, Mom. I made you throw away all of your patterned pants a few years ago. Now, they are back with a vengeance. Sadly, I must admit that I now want a pair myself- the Lela Rose black and white scribble print from Net-A-Porter to be exact. You had it right all along, it seems. Apologies for making such a harsh adjustment to your wardrobe.

On top of the apology, might I add a few style tips when it comes to the updated patterned trouser?

Richard Chai via Tumblr

- For the younger set, don't be afraid to mix your prints. Just keep in mind balancing the scale and trying to find a common color like the Richard Chai look above.

- If your lower half is not your favorite part, opt for a relaxed fit- a wide leg or bell trouser (a la Look 1 or 4) will flatter hips and thighs better than a tapered cut.

- A cropped pair can be cute on petites, especially with a pointy toe heel or flat (Look 2 and 3). Bonus points for a nude hue. Don't think you can get away with a boxy sandal though. You'll fall shorter than you really are.

Sasha Pivovarova via Fashion Sing

- Pair patterned pants with furs and knits now. Later, swap out the knit for a lightweight blouse or brightly colored tank.

So would you rock a pair of patterned pants?

Living Room Before & After

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had wonderful weekends. I FINALLY wanted to show you what I've been working on every weekend since Thanksgiving...my living room!

Aside from the hallway at my house, I never repainted a single room. The paint colors were nice and neutral and I just sort of settled for them. The sandy beige of my living room looked nice enough during the day but at night, it had a horrendous puke-y green undertone that drove me bonkers.

Aside from despising the nocturnal paint color, I also have never bought a new piece of furniture for this house. Everything I own came to me secondhand, whether it was a hand-me-down from family, a purchase from one of Wilmington's wonderful consignment stores or a steal from one of my show's set dec sales. I made do and lived like this for three years...

The living room was fine the way it was. I tried to liven it up with glossy black paint, Trina Turk pillows, a cowhide rug and black and white photography. But the couch- THE COUCH! It drove me insane.

Then one day, I found this sparkling Lexington gem at Custom Home Furniture...literally, it sparkles.

And so the games began...after coddling "Santa" and putting in a few $$ of my own, the couch became mine and the living room became a new space...

After MANY paint colors tests and lots of compromise, I finally painted the room Ben Moore's Ocean Air. What a breath of fresh air it has been! Do I think the room is perfect? No. The blue chair could stand to be recovered or replaced entirely and I need end tables to flank my sofa and sit next to the coral (ahem...orange) chair. But that stresses me out much less than a big ticket purchase.

The dogs still enjoy the furniture as well- what can I say, I like cuddling with them- but we cover the upholstery with a king sized comforter to keep dirt, drool and dander far away from the gorgeous tweed and brass nailheads.

So what do you think of this make-over? I refrain from showing you the dining room right now as it stands in a state of transition. But it's amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do...hmmmm...