welcome white season

I am enjoying a day off today and taking a moment to thank God for servicemen and women and their families. 

We've been wearing white in the south since Easter, but now it's officially the season for everyone to wear white. 

Friday was an important day because Dan became mine! I had been fostering him for over a month, and the time finally came for me to adopt him. My mom's good friend's daughter runs a fabulous rescue organization called Saving Grace. I had been checking their website for months by the time "Jackson" showed up. I'm so glad I adopted with them! Since Dan is a rescue dog, I don't know much about his history. He is definitely a hand me down, though ;) His name is also HMD because my mom's family had a dog named Dan when she was growing up. You can find Dan at #handmedownDan on Instagram. 

Moon and Lola Gidleigh earrings // HMD belt from Granny // Moon and Lola Preston charm bracelet // Jack Rogers Napa Valley Navajo

on Dan: Over Under Huntsman Collar

spring things

Our yard is in full bloom. It's looking like spring!

I've always been a pearl girl, but I thought I was set with my classic short and long single strands, single strand bracelet, and simple, small studs. Now that I've played with some Waccamaw Pearls, I want even more, fun pearls. 

This triple strand, mixed texture necklace is the perfect combination of classic, fun, and affordable.

I found this floral square in a box with one of my grandmother's clutches and felt it would go perfectly with our blooming yard. I think pocket squares are a nice touch on men, and I've had fun folding them to go in a man's pocket. The pocket on my blazer is much smaller than on a man's blazer, though!

Moon and Lola Hartford block monogram earrings // Triple Threat necklace on loan from Waccamaw Pearls // HMD pocket square from Granny // J. Crew schoolboy blazer // Loren Hope small Sarra cuff // H&M dress (old) // Stuart Weitzman shoes (old)

sweater gold

Is it time for some more Pirate football yet? My ECU pals may remember this sweater from that time I insisted that the game was a "gold out," yet I was the only one wearing gold. 

Ray Ban aviators // Mary Kay True Dimensions lipstick in Firecracker // Moon and Lola Compton earrings // HMD Ralph Lauren sweater from Granny // Lacoste dress // Michael Kors small Layton watch // Moon and Lola Preston charm bracelet // Frye pull on Billy boot

fire on a smile

Ray Ban Wayfarer Square // HMD sweater from Granny // Moon and Lola medium metal script monogram necklace // Moon and Lola Preston charm bracelet // Joe's Jeans // Hunter Original Tall rain boots

black as coal

Moon and Lola medium metal script monogram necklace // HMD scarf from Mom // Michael Stars shirt // HMD sweater from Granny // Moon and Lola Preston charm bracelet // Michael Kors small Layton watch // HMD belt from Mom // Joe's Jeans // Sam Edelman Alvin flat

distracting

Moon & Lola Compton earrings // HMD Ralph Lauren sweater from Granny // HMD belt from Mom // Moon & Lola Preston charm bracelet // Anthropologie tights (gift from Lindsay) // Stuart Weitzman shoes

all black and gold

Moon & Lola Stockholm earrings // Moon & Lola medium metal script monogram necklace // HMD Ralph Lauren sweater from Granny // Moon & Lola medium Preston charm bracelet // HMD bangle from Mom // Michael Kors skirt // Christian Louboutin pumps (similar) 

glitz and menswear

This is the second of two looks I've posted with the fabulous Lyra necklace that I won from Loren Hope and Monkee's of Raleigh. See the first look here.

I've been reading Social Primer for as long as I've been reading blogs. I fell in love with the line when I watched a video of K. Cooper Ray talking about starting his brand, and my love grew deeper when I saw debutantes in cummerbunds and the video from the SP Smoking Winter Formal 2013 show. I just can't let the boys have all the fun. A few months ago, I ordered this cummerbund set during a flash sale; it was supposed to be for B, but before it even arrived, I knew I wanted to wear it first.

My mom was a lot more high fashion as a young woman than I am; she wore this St. John skirt thirty or so years ago with a matching top. The skirt is proof that vanity sizing exists: before I got it tailored, it fit like a 6 or 8 despite a size 12 label. I asked my tailor to reattach the label since it reads "made in USA."

This new year's eve, I'm planning a casual night at home with a few friends. Of course, there will be punch.

Loren Hope Lyra necklace // HMD tank from Mom // Social Primer cummerbund set // HMD St. John skirt from Mom (similar) // Christian Louboutin heels (similar)

pirate tailgating

Our parents taught us how to tailgate and cheer on the pirates many years ago.  

I have a bigger chair now, but the cooler I tailgate with is still the same.  

My mom bakes awesome cookie cakes, so I use her recipe or just take some of her dough from the freezer and bake it.  I made icing with my own special recipe and added added added and added food coloring to get the right pirate purple (like with my cornhole paint colors).

These girls went through tough times and great times with me in graduate school.  It's so nice to have fun together now without feeling like we should be studying!  

After the game, we ate more of our tailgating food, went to hear Emily Minor sing, and just enjoyed each others' company.  Jessica and I ate at Sup Dogs (part of my Greenville list) and shopped at Catalog Connection before heading home on Sunday.  The temperatures were absolutely perfect the whole weekend, and the pirates won by 50+ points.  I could not have asked for a better weekend!