fossil feature: what's your vintage

Back in the summer, Fossil asked me to share my favorite vintage pieces for a fall feature they're sharing on their website, and I was thrilled to do so. Excitedly I noticed this weekend that the post is up! You can check it out here (thanks, Fossil!).



Fossil recently released a fall 2012 catalog, and you can view my top picks from the collection in the article as well. While it's always been a brand I admire, lately Fossil has really upped its game by offering classic staples with modern, fresh takes - like the Harper silk top in offbeat prints or the Austin small flap purse (which I use religiously now). View the latest fall catalog here.

brooklyn and midtown manhattan

On our first full day in New York City, we woke up late and took the train directly from Times Square to Williamsburg with the intention of exploring Brooklyn. The difference couldn't have been greater between the mad streets of Times Square and Brooklyn's two-story town homes.. even after such a short time, it was a welcome change and the neighborhood almost felt familiar.

At Blue Bottle, we waited in line and ordered New Orleans style iced coffee and some espresso from their 50 year-old machine (which Neil was pretty excited about) and sat at a counter beside the window. We moved onto Pies n Thighs for brunch - huevos rancheros for me, chicken and waffles for Neil. That might have been my favorite meal of the trip, to be honest.. although it's hard to top the pork buns at Noodle Bar.

The rest of our Brooklyn day consisted of a stop at Brooklyn Flea (thanks to Hannah's suggestions) - where we snacked on cinnamon sugar donuts and dug through unbelievable vintage stalls - and a leisurely exploration of Brooklyn's brownstone-covered streets. Even after leaving that night to experience more of New York, knowing our time was short, we wanted to be back in that borough again.

Back in Manhattan, we had dinner at Katz's Deli (the biggest pastrami sandwich I have ever seen in my life plus a plate of pickles), and one morning we spent wandering about midtown - checking out the Ace Hotel and drinking Stumptown Coffee before surreptitiously slipping into Soho and doing some (window) shopping, although Neil did leave with a pair of A.P.C jeans and I found some peplum tops and brocade pants at Topshop. Waiting on one more roll of film to come back from the lab, this time in black and white action.

It wasn't until our last day in New York that a lovely girl working at the A.P.C store suggested we go back to Brooklyn and check out Prospect Park, yet another commissioned work designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted back in the mid 1800s (meaning this is the fourth place we've visited in the last six months designed by Olmsted - including the Boston Public Garden, Biltmore Estate, and Central Park.. we've become a little obsessed with him lately and just checked out his biography at the library today). Within an hour or two of leaving A.P.C, we grabbed a train back to Brooklyn. We explored the Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch and walked down a path bordering the park's edge, taking in a neighborhood park that, while not as grand as Central Park, certainly had a more approachable charm to it.



Wearing a vintage wool hat, navy polka dot dress c/o Sugarlips, thrifted loafers, and my birthday dress in these photos. More film shots here.

Revisiting these photos makes me miss New York - but at the same time I'm glad to be home, especially in time for fall weather. This weekend marks the annual Southern Fried Festival in my parent's hometown. My mom helps coordinate the event every year, so Neil and I are driving out to show our support and eat an apple cider donut (or ten). Happy weekend!

central park and the metropolitan museum of art

For as long as I can remember, New York City has been a place of myth to me, long veiled in images of films I've seen that take place on busy Manhattan streets.. movies like Midnight Cowboy, Citizen Kane, Rear Window, Annie Hall. It was one of the last cities to hold mystery for me, despite all sorts of expectations and preconceived notions I had built up in my mind, and the place I wanted to visit most in the world.

So needless to say, Neil and I were eager to catch a glimpse of the real New York. And we loved it. We loved its similarities as much as we loved its startling differences to the images in our heads. It felt like the liveliest city I've ever been to, surprisingly friendly and not too difficult to navigate - just one big, booming, bright, sprawling metropolis.

We arrived late on a Friday night to take a train to Penn Station and a cab to our hotel on Times Square, so our first real glimpse of New York was a wall of neon advertisements and bright flashing signs. Even well after midnight, Times Square was very alive, and we dropped off our bags at our room and went right back out to experience it. We ended up grabbing a drink at Beer Authority and watching the mayhem from a comfortable spot at the bar before hitting a small sketchy diner for some late night pizza and chicken wings. Excited to get away from the pandemonium and visit calm-in-comparison Brooklyn the next day. But more on that later.

My birthday was that Sunday, so we took a train to Central Park to spend the afternoon. We ate at nearby No. 7 Sub in the Plaza Hotel (I had the broccoli sandwich with ricotta, Neil had the cold meatloaf with bacon mayo) and relaxed on some bedrock, visited the boathouse and watched the boats go by on the lake at Bethesda Fountain. Catching glimpses of the skyscrapers above the trees was the only way we knew we were still in the city. We strolled along the Literary Walk before making our way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

We spent a few hours in the Met - not nearly enough time for a first visit, but we still got around. The American wing was surprisingly good with a Frank Llloyd Wright exhibit and the Temple of Dendur in the Egyptian wing nearly took my breath away when we walked into its expansive space, with its background of the city skyline, but my absolute favorite gallery was Arms and Armor. Growing up, I always had a soft spot for medieval and renaissance history and secretly harbored a desire to become a knight and run off to some unexplored territory. Plus they have a full set of armor that belonged to Henry VIII, and that is awesome.



Finishing my birthday festivities meant Momofuku Noodle Bar for dinner (worth visiting for the pork buns alone), Rattle and Hum beer break, and a midnight run to the Empire State Building.. the crowd-less halls made the abandoned art deco atmosphere a little creepy, but the lobby with its gilded images and marble floors was almost better than the view up top.

I wore a marble-dyed velvet drop waist dress I made, a Fossil small flap saddle bag and thrifted fringe loafers, Neil wore his Billy Reid linen shirt and red chinos. When we planned our trip I expected coat weather, but the weather was too warm and perfect to allow layers of any kind until well into the night.

More photos here, and many more photos to come of our Brooklyn and Midtown exploits.

And last but certainly not least.. you may have noticed some major changes around the blog! The new design has just launched and is getting completed today. Everything was put in the very capable hands of Natasha of Paper Crowns, who built it all herself and worked with every one of my quirks and demands with true professionalism and kindness, resulting in a wonderful layout. If you're looking to redesign your own site, I recommend her wholeheartedly - just visit her blog and click on the design tab for more info. Thanks Natasha!

morning glory orchard

Vintage white top (from a shop trade with Melissa)
Topshop floral tapestry trousers
Vintage Bass saddle shoes, via Etsy
Vintage turquoise cuff from the Nashville Flea Market
OPI gray nail polish

Goldenrod has taken over Tennessee, choking up entire fields with their yellow buds. Neil and I made the drive to Nolensville to visit Morning Glory Orchard early Friday morning and with the yellow flowers and southern hills, the ride was beautiful.. we passed old antique storefronts and abandoned houses swallowed in ivy vines, pastoral scenes with horses and cattle grazing and white fences stretching for miles across rolling hills. Hard to imagine it's only a thirty minute trek from our Nashville home. Just when I fall in love with New York City and Brooklyn especially, I'm reminded of the magic the South has to offer.



We took little Bloom out for a walk around the orchard, and I wore one of my NYC purchases - cigarette pants from Topshop in floral brocade. I'm actually wearing them again today to a friend's bridal shower and a dinner date in the evening with a black peplum top I bought from Topshop as well - new favorite fall trousers.

Winesap apples in our fridge.. now what to make? We've never made fried apples and I'm tempted to try out making our own cider for the first time.

Happy autumn!

vintage shop update

We're home! We flew back to Nashville a day or so ago and my mind is still spinning from New York. One of the best birthday celebrations ever, for sure. Still waiting on film to develop so I'll share photos in the next week definitely - until then, here's a transitional summer-to-fall shop update I've been working on. Plenty of vintage hitting the shop in the next couple of days, starting tonight.. beaded brocade tops, polka dot blazers, leather skirts, a classic Etienne Aigner trench coat circa 1970s, plenty of silk - blouses and trousers - and more.


Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

new york wish list

TBA top, Topshop boucle skirt, Modcloth earrings, Topshop dress, ASOS earrings, TBA coat, Madewell sunglasses, Lover dress, Madewell leopard flats

Well, we're at the airport minutes away from boarding a plane to New York! Super excited for our first NYC trip - comfortable shoes and ten rolls of film in tow.

On our tentative agenda is a day in Brooklyn, birthday dinner at Noodle Bar, an afternoon in Central Park, plus some inevitable (window) shopping in Manhattan - where I hope to catch a glimpse of some of these pieces while looking around Soho. Oh man New York. We've been watching Mean Streets and Manhattan to prepare for you. See you guys next week!

drop waist layers

Vintage polka dot blouse - thrifted
Vintage coral silk slip, worn as a skirt - thrifted
Suede wedges - Dolce Vita
Silver metal collar necklace - Forever21

Maybe it's all of the spring/summer 2013 collections coming out or maybe it's just my reluctance to let this summer go or maybe it's something as simple as the heat in Nashville, but I'm still wearing bright colors and lightweight fabrics. Usually around this time of year, I'm trying to sneak in velvet and dark neutrals into my outfits. Oh well, this will probably be my farewell to summer outfit post, because it should cool down soon and autumn will take over.

I found a coral silk slip while thrifting earlier this month and thought it would make a great layering piece, especially for longer tops since putting them together gives a drop waist effect. The metal necklace is from Forever21 and works with just about anything.



Typing this on my iPhone, which is interesting.. Messing with HTML on a phone isn't the easiest. Neil and I are on the road, taking a last minute trip to Illinois to be with his family before we fly to New York tomorrow. Neil's uncle passed away yesterday after a long struggle with cancer. Thankful that we can be with his family and give our support - at times like these, it makes you appreciate what you have.