A Touch of Southern Grace

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Bow Accessories

In the South we are all about our sweet tea, mint juleps, Southern gentlemen, pearls, and bows. When I was growing up I would wear hair bows or ribbons 24/7, I even wore them to bed and to the pool. I love bow accessories now that I am older, that add such a feminine touch to an outfit. A bow cocktail rings, earrings, or even a simple black bow, can just tie an outfit together and add a little touch of sophistication or an element of fun depending on what you are aiming to achieve with a bow accessory. Here are a few of my favorite bow accessories that are classic and fun! Click on the name of the accessory located at the bottom of the picture.

{Kate Spade Bow Belt/J.Crew iPhone 5 Printed Case/Tiffany & Co. Bow Ring/ Ted Baker London Bow iPad Sleeve/Kate Spade Skinny Mini Pearl Drop Earrings}

What To Do With A Dorm Room

For the finale of college related posts I have being doing periodically throughout this month I have decided to share some dorm room ideas with you. I remember my freshmen year of college I walked into my dorm room for the first time, I saw neutral walls, one window, two beds, two desk, and two dressers; I thought to myself what on earth am I going to do with this room to make it feel homey, cozy, and something I’d like to live in. I ended up doing my room in pink, green, white, and blue accents {all my favorite colors} my bedding was pink and white shabby chic, I had tons of pictures, books, art and vintage movie posters, and some twinkle lights. One thing I learned about a small room is that lighting and mirrors give a smaller room the illusion of being larger then it really is. Also organization and storage is key to a dorm room; having extra storage gives you more room to work with and live in. So if you are stumped and still trying to figure out what to do with your dorm room here are a few ideas! Enjoy!

Saturday, August 24, 2013

How To Have A Better Morning

Sometimes one of the hardest things to do in the morning is just get out of bed! Getting out of a warm, cozy, comfortable bed and resisting the temptation to sleep just 15 more minutes {which for me usually turns into 30 more minutes} is no easy feat. A Southern Belle or any woman for that mater always wants to be energized, look fresh, and be ready to take on the day. Here are a few tips to help you rise and shine to wonderful morning and productive day!

1. Getting a good night’s sleep is the first step to a great morning. You should at least get 8 hours of sleep each night, nothing is worse then going through a day tired. Avoid eating a late dinner, watching TV, and using the computer. You want to give yourself a chance to unwind and mentally prepare for bed; reading a magazine or uneventful book is a great way to do this. Set your alarm 15 minutes before you have to actually get up so you won’t feel rushed. For more sleep remedies and ways to have a great nights rest read my Beauty Sleep post {click here}

2. Plan Ahead: Pick out what you are going to wear to work/school, have a morning schedule that works for you. For example: my morning schedule usually consist of making the bed first thing, brush my teeth, do a few stretches, take a shower, fix my hair and do my makeup, get dressed, and eat breakfast.

3. When you first get out of bed make your bed so you won’t be tempted to climb back in your oh so comfortable bed.

4. Splash some water on your face and brush your teeth; nothing feels better in the morning then the sensation of clean water on your skin and fresh breath. Drink a glass of water as well, the water will kick-start your metabolism therefore waking you up faster and causing you to be alert.

5. Take a few deep breaths to help wakeup then think of something that you have to look forward to – this will help give you a positive outlook for the day.

6. Exercise: Some people, like me, prefer to workout after work or later in the day, but working out in the morning for 30-45 minutes helps you feel energized and ready to take on the day

7. Shower: This will help wake you up and put you in a good mood. Nothing is better then a relaxing shower! 15 minutes is the recommended time for a morning shower

8. Get dressed: I prefer to get dressed before I eat my breakfast; I always rush through breakfast if I plan on getting ready after. One thing you definitely want to avoid in the morning is the sense of having to rush.

9. Listen to some upbeat music and have a wonderful breakfast! Upbeat music will help wake you up and put you in an upbeat mood {bad pun, I know…}! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; Breakfast plays a role in your mood and energy level; oatmeal, fruit, and eggs are some great breakfast items to fuel you for the day ahead.

10. Allow yourself enough time to get to work/school in the morning, I usually allow 10 – 15 minutes.

The morning sets the tone for the rest of the day, so come up with a routine that works for you and will lead to a fabulous day!

What is your morning routine?

Friday, August 23, 2013

Happy Hour Time

Well…Hello Friday, fancy meeting you here; where have you been all week! Congratulations! You made it through the rain, the hot weather, the first week of college/school, a hard/slow/busy week at work, give yourself a pat on the back! Now it is finally time to hangout, relax, and have a good time. Happy Friday!

“Never let the sadness of your past and the fear of your future ruin the happiness of your present”

~Kushandwizdom

Drink Special!

Robinson Crusoe

1 ½ ounce Rum

1 ½ ounces pineapple juice

Ice cube

1 coconut shell

Stir the rum and pineapple juice together with ice, pour into the coconut shell {or cocktail glass} and serve.

Around Town!

Nashville, TN: Best Buddies 5K at Healthways, Saturday, August 24, 7:30am

Memphis, TN: Live at the Garden Summer Concert Series: The Band Perry, Friday, August 23, 8:30pm

Atlanta, GA: Summer Shade Festival at Grant Park, Saturday, August 24 – Sunday, August 25

Austin, TX: “Right On!” Funk & Soul Friday at Mohawk Austin, Friday, August 23, 8:00pm

Birmingham, AL: Big Country at WorkPlay Theatre, Saturday, August 24, 8:00pm

25% Off At J.Crew

I cannot get over all the wonderful sales going on this week; first Lilly Pulitzer and now J.Crew! I’m not quit sure if anything will compare to the great deals Lilly Pulitzer had…but 25% off at J.Crew is a great way to end the week! Lilly Pulitzer, Anthropologie, and J.Crew are my top three go-to shops, and two out of three of those stores are having a terrific sale this week! As y’all know Southern girls love to shop and we absolutely love a good deal; that we can rationalize buying more things. Here are a few of my favorite items to get while they are 25% off! Remember the pass code to get 25% off at checkout and free shipping is Fallstyle*. Click on the name of the item, located under the image, for the website.

{Cashmere Button-Back Sweater and Merino Tippi Sweater in French Knot}

{J.Crew Chiffon-Trim Shirt and Painted Jewel Sweatshirt}

{Tie-Waist Tweed Mini and Fluted Skirt}

{Crystal Shimmer Earrings/Minimergency/Metallic Stripe Scarf/Getaway Tote}

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Totes For Back To School

Totes are so versatile; they can be used for work purposes, as a carry-on, an everyday handbag, or even to carry around pens, pencils, books, and a laptop. I noticed when I was in college that totes were becoming increasingly more popular than backpacks amongst the female college population. The trend of using totes instead of backpacks still seems to be the trend! So whether you need a tote for work, school, or just because…here are my favorite picks for this fall season! Click on the name of the tote, located at the bottom of the following image, for the link.

{Kate Spade Barrow Street Bon Shopper/Forever21 Striped Woven Tote/Tory Burch Theresa Tall Tote Bag/Michael Kors Tote}

And of course I had to include a backpack…this is a back to school post, and I have to admit I was a backpack girl! Love the Herschel Heritage backpack!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Pamela Keogh Books

Although Pamela Keogh is not a Southerner, I just love her books; they are so well written and attractive. A little fact about me: The early 1900’s – 1950’s is my favorite time period in American history, and I absolutely love the Hollywood Golden Age! I love reading about Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Jackie Kennedy {yes, I realized she wasn’t an actress} all these women were such style icons {and still are}, determined, and ahead of their time. Pamela Keogh’s biographies are some of the best I have read. How she is able to write and portray someone’s life though fashion, pictures, and interesting information and stories sets her biographies apart from others. Keogh brings these books to life by drawing on original interviews with Hubert de Givenchy, Nancy Reagan, Ralph Lauren, Steven Spielberg, Oleg Cassin, Valentino, John Loring, family members and friends, just to name a few. If you have not read a biography by Pamela Keogh I highly recommend you do so, you won’t be sorry!

Audrey Style with close to a hundred color and black and white photographs, and original designer sketches from Hubert de Givenchy, Edith Head, Vera Wang, Alexander McQueen, and Manolo Blahnik, plus some more, “Audrey Style gives measure to the grace, humor, intelligence, generosity, and inimitable fashion sense that was Audrey Hepburn.”

Jackie Style contains a hundred beautiful rare photographs, and sketches, and “never-before-published personal letters, memos, and essays”. Jackie Style re-creates both Jackie’s history, wonderful sense of fashion and style, and the world she came from.

What Would Audrey Do? is the book that answers what would the woman do who epitomized grace and style, not only in fashion but within herself, in modern times. This book contains insight from the people who knew her best and Audrey-inspired lessons in “loveliness, including: Dating advice, how to travel and what to pack, helping others, and so much more useful advice.

Are You A Jackie or A Marilyn? contains advice based on the details of Jackie’s and Marilyn’s private and public lives. “Any woman who has aspired to Marilyn’s sultry allure or Jackie’s unstoppable elegance will love there entertaining lessons on channeling your inner Jackie or Marilyn in any situation”.