Boots McBlog

Yesterday was the day.    I’m talking about the maiden voyage to the pool.   Years past,  I would throw on my swimsuit, dash off to the pool, not give a second thought to my suit or my skin.   I wanted to splash with my friends and have fun.   That was a long long time ago.   Before  I was old enough to compete in the swimsuit portion of the competition.   Before sunscreen.   Before diet battles.  Before running or riding a bike that stayed in one place.  The good ol days.

Today, there are two words that can breed fear in me like nothing else.   Yes,  I’m talking  ”swimsuit” and “wrinkles”.   As women,  there is a certain courage we muster to fight the fluorescent lights and  the not-so-there fabric dueling with the having-more -to-cover body.  The battlefield is a cramped room with what I’m convinced is a circus mirror.  (and I’m not talking about the one at an angle that makes you look taller.  Those are down at  Banana Republic).  It never fails my dressing space is usually placed next to a pair of 16 year BFF’s whose young perfectly taunt bodies are thinking (out loud), ” Oh.My. Gah!   Ma stomach is  like sooo bloated because I like ate that fry…..two days ago.”    Worse than the Battle at Waterloo is  the battle to find water wear.     In my quest,  I’ve  finally found an unlikely ally, I will share with you.      Wrinkles.     Yes,  wrinkles.

Well,   technically,  it’s called “ruching”.  Ruching is a repeated pleat or ruffle used to embellish attire.  The word literally means “beehive”.   When you think about it, the gathering of fabric (ruching) looks very much like the lines of a honey home.  Fabric en masse is  THE perfect weapon to transform any  pooh bear shape into a sexy Queen Bee.      Here are just a few of my faves…

 

 

I love this coral hue from Carmen Marc Valvo.  Delicious!   ( I have this suit in RED)

 

 

Speaking of red,  va va voom!   This is not your mother’s swimdress.

 

 

Bring a little vintage glamour to the beach with this gorgeous suit from Anthropologie

 

 

This  asymmetrical suit would be perfect for a little nighttime poolside glam or  in daytime pair w a huge straw hat  to prevent asymmetrical tan lines

 

 

I adore the sunny day hues and cross directional ruching of this suit.  gorgeous.

 

 

For those blessed bodies  who look less like pooh,  can still bare your middle, and adore wrinkles…  (I hate you.  just kidding…  kinda)

 

 

Who knows,  a few more hours on that bike that doesn’t move  + a few more cupcakes avoided and I may just be wearing the above suit…

like this

 

 

See, ruching works for swim cover-ups, too.

Who knew wrinkles + swimwear could be so chic.    It’s  like the medici effect of fashion.   Now, what are you waiting for?   Get out of your hive, don a little ruching, and flaunt your queen bee self this weekend.

 

Cheers, y’all!

 

 

~  Enjoy a few Voice of the Beehive  tunes from my High School poolside days ~

 

 

My freshman year of college one of my favorite things to wear was a light weight cotton, navy and white, boat neck sweater.  It had a Parisian / nautical  / Jackie-O feel about it.    I thought I was ever so sophisticated with my GAP purchase.   Paired with  white jeans and  a little bit of red lipstick, and voilá,  I was ready for the world.      While I thought I was Kennedy chic,  one of my dear funny girlfriends always felt it necessary to sing Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” each time I wore the sweater.

Skip forward a few years and I am still mad for navy and white stripes.  I still think they are tres chic.   And I still pair them with white jeans and red lipstick.    I’ve snatched a few pieces for this season.  Just a few weeks ago, I posted a collage of a few of my favorite stripey flairspirations on my BOOTSMC TUMBLR .

Turns out  Madge and I aren’t the only one preaching stripe love.   Bloggers and fashion enthusiasts all over the world  are showing their stripes.    While I’m  usually the type of blogger who stays in my own minuscule part of the blogosphere,  I’ve decided to join the fun today with  Decor8 ‘s Blogger Stripe Mania. Holly of Decor8  is asking bloggers who love stripes  to post a pic of themselves in  their stripes.  Lo and Behold,  The Angler just snapped a shot of me last weekend in my new favorite stripey T.     Feel free to join the fun!

If you are having a hard time deciding where you fall with stripes and need good advice,  check out Holly’s Blog for more ideas.  I think Papa would give his blessing.   After all, we are in LOVE…with stripes!

 

Stripes on the Water

 

Stripes with Flare

Stripes Head to Toe

Stripes on Madonna

 

 

Stripes on Moi

Simple Daytime Lace

Every Easter from the time I was four until I was twenty six,  I wore a hat.    Once I began attending a less formal worship service, hats lost their place as part of my spring holiday attire.    Although I may  not wear hats as readily,  I have  remained mad for them. One of my favorite events in the last few years  - the First Lady’s Tea held each spring – has given me a new reason to top off my wardrobe with a dash of folly and fancy.

Thankfully with the Royal Wedding and surrounding festivities,  hats are enjoying a resurgence amongst women of all ages.   To top it off,  the new Duchess’s easy, whimsical headpieces called facinators  have me and others completely fascinated.   Whether it’s a derby, a day wedding, a tea, or just wanting to be the peak of chic that is on your dance card,  a hat or facinator can be the piece de resistance of any outfit.   Here are just a few of my favorite facinator finds spotted in my search for a signature topper this spring.

 

This red facinator is absolutely divine….and steal at $59 from ASOS.

 

Perhaps for the crafty sort,  a pouf fasinator can be made of bright organza using the crepe paper flowers pattern we used as girls.   LOVE this!

 

 

I’ve always said, “Everything looks better with a bow”   This jade green bow is no exception and  would seal any outfit in style.   This tres chic  find comes in many more colours via an etsy shop:  Hats by Cressida

 

 

 

Yet, another Hats by Cressida find,  this gold metallic hat would be quite a statement for a wedding with a slim ivory dress.

 

The more I search these facinators,  it is clear I would be guilty as Princess Eugenie and Beatrice of going over the top.   Who can blame them?   I especially adore the chaotic twists of this one.    These are just too fun!

Here are a few from the  RTW collection of Phillip Treacy the Designer who made many of the royals look so festive  last Friday.

 

Call me mad,  but I would gladly wear any of these.   Tea, anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lady is never fully dressed without a light layer of fragrance.   After shoes, fashions,  I believe fragrance is the final insight into a lady’s personality and mood.  When I find a scent I adore,  it becomes my signature scent for years to come.  I love how the power a simple concoction of floral oils can transport me to another time and place filled with  happy memories.    Just a whiff of Tiffany Parfum transports me to New York City and the adventures I shared with my dear friend Kat.  It reminds me of the year The Angler and I become engaged,  the fun parties we attended in celebration, and our wedding day.   Over the years,  I discovered a few more scents that are always on my vanity.

About 10 years ago,  Quelques Fleurs L’Original became my “signature” scent for all occasions.   The blend of soft, uses over 250 different raw materials and more than 15,000 flowers to create just one ounce of Quelques Fleurs eau de parfum. To this day it is still produced in Grasse, France, where Jean Francois Houbigant first created his perfumes in 1775.   A scent of this always soothes my troubled soul.  Not to mention the number of times I get stopped on the street with inquires to my parfum.

 

When Summer arrives,  it’s time to break out the white flower madness with Fracas.  This floral extravaganza of jasmine, lilies of the valley  headlined by the sensual tuberose debuted in 1948.  Starlets such as Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe were rumored to wear this classic scent.

For fun I usually have a variable scent, either Chanel Chance or Miss Dior Cherie.  Both have playful, vibrant bouquets mixed with a sensual sweetness that remains youthful and not overbearing.

I’m now in the mood for something NEW.    I’m always intriqued by the well respected Creed line or the Fun Bond No.9 options.    I’d love to hear from you  - what is your signature scent?

Cheers  and Happy Weekend, Y’all

boots

xxoo