Playdate with a Picnic Lunch

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Playdate with a Picnic Lunch by shf41081 featuring nylon handbags

T shirt
$38 - bodenusa.com

Old navy
$25 - oldnavy.gap.com

Steve Madden metallic flat
$90 - nordstrom.com

M Z Wallace nylon handbag
$345 - nordstrom.com

Nixon tortoise watch
$150 - nordstrom.com

Girls' Take On Ribbon Metallic (Toddler/Youth)
$45 - piperlime.gap.com

Welcome to my new series! I am having a little technical difficulty for some reason with my polyvore sets, so bear with me.

The point of the new series to remind us all to have fun getting dressed in the morning. Just because you're trudging through your typical day to day, doesn't mean you can't look great. I'm going to occasionally (weekly) put together accessible outfits for a casual lifestyle. I call the aesthetic "Put-together playground." Sound fun? I think so. I will also throw in some luxury items just for fun. Take these ideas and run with them. Getting dressed in the morning should stimulate your brain. Don't just throw on your yoga pants and that old t-shirt! You never know who you'll run into in Target. This is my small effort to fight the "slouchification of America" (thank you, Tim Gunn, for being awesome).

Hope you'll enjoy this! If you have any request for outfit ideas for specific outings, please leave a comment.

PS- The links aren't working for few items: toddler t's and owl jumper are from Mini Boden, the spotty lunch thermal is from Land of Nod.

Need this haircut-stat.

Photo via Anthropologie and Ah Bon!

Spring Things I Want

1. New art for my house. Any and all of these would do.

(top to bottom: Jeanne Bessette, Sharon Bass, and Pat Pilkington. All through Art Source in Raleigh.)

2. This Gucci bag. The $2500 is pocket change.
3. Super cute dress from Anthropologie. The back is adorable.

4. Doesn't this stretchy denim pencil skirt from Garnet Hill seem like a great idea?

5. I really want an insulated ice bucket, and I want to custom design and monogram it. This one is from Dabney Lee at Home, and my friend Jamie can also cook one up at Furbish, sans monogram (as far as I know).

Clearly, I could add some things to this list like shorts, new shoes, a curling iron (I know, super random), and more. Maybe I'll be back with some more fun ideas.

Maybe I just want spring to hurry up and get here :)

Must Watch

Do you know if you get the Sundance channel? Because I didn't realize that I do or what a gem it is....Two shows you should add to your DVR.

1. This guy has the best job ever- globe trotting buyer for Anthropologie. Do hear sighs of jealousy? Oh wait, that was me.

2. Girl on the Run- for all you fashion fans, take the opportunity to follow around Madamoiselle Agnes through her various high profile escapades. Really interesting and non-romantisized perspective on the ebb and flow of fashion. I just watched the Winter 2010/2011 Paris Fashion week issue, and it may have opened my eyes to see all of this in a new way. Plus I love her for wearing real fur when no one else has the guts. Sorry animal lovers. I love them too, but I'm not opposed to wearing them. Sorry. At least my pieces are vintage...doesn't that make them more friendly? I think Rachel Zoe says that...
Thanks to Sundance.com and to widespreadlife.wordpress.com for the pictures.

Today's Obsession

Let's talk about aviator sunglasses, shall we? If I were cool, I wood own these. Pun completely intended. Too bad I don't have $350 to drop on sunglasses. These eco-friendly shades are from iWood (a Louisville based company, by the way- you go hometown)

iWood also has some super fun cat eye shape glasses. Cat eye is hot for the Fall, FYI.

Pressing on. Aviator sunglasses. Plastic aviators. These aviators, please. Thank you Michael Kors for bringing these into the world. And thank you for making them not so ridiculously expensive. I actually have hopes of owning these.

Maui Jim is also bringing some heat. Finally some polarized AND fashionable glasses. How did it take so long? It's like I could still wear my Oakley's from 1996 and they'd look new. Sidenote (mortifying sidenote): My Oakley's were silver with mini leopard print. Yes.

Back to the attractive glasses...

My other obsession...

She's back! I have a love/hate relationship with this show. Right now its love. The season kicked off last night with lots of drama about Taylor. Yikes. And Brad looking BAH-nanas in short shorts. I just love seeing all the fabulous clothes and shoes and bags and jewelry.

Yes please!

The hair cut, the glasses (really would like to have those), the clothes, and definitely the fatty coffee drink with whipped cream (been totally craving one of those lately)!

Thanks to The Sartorialist for the photo. I'm sure Scott reads my blog and wants the credit for the photo :)

Best of the Best

Does it get any better? Honestly. I heart White Christmas. I could probably watch it everyday during the holiday season. Really I like any movie with singing and dancing, but this is a masterpiece. I religiously watch So You Think You Can Dance (hooray for Russell!), and they always talk about Bob Fosse the choreographer. I recently learned (through the show) that this is one of his earliest projects. Now I know (and so do you- whether you wanted to or not).

I digress. The point of this post is to discuss the brilliance of Edith Head, costumer extraordinaire. How do I even pick my favorite costumes from the movie? The coloration of each fabric is flawless, the tailoring and details, perfection. Let's talk specifics. I love that the men always have on suede oxford shoes dyed to match their pants. Oh, and the socks are the exact color as well. Judy's casual outfit with the full houndstooth skirt and the wide red patten leather belt is so classic. Edith always makes women look like women. I love that. I recently decided (about 98% sure) that if I could be any woman in any movie, I'd be Rosemary Clooney in White Christmas just so I could wear this dress:

I couldn't find a picture of the back- it's incredible. The brooch alone makes me drool, let alone the art deco inspired edging. Sidenote- how about the interiors at the Carousel Club where she wears this dress? The carousel horses make me laugh, and the pink stripe chairs make me excited. The Swiss Chalet ski lodge is also noteworthy.

And this just makes me laugh. Danny Kaye is such a squirrel.

I probably should have asked for this book for Christmas...

I feel like I'm a little all over the place with this post, but let me leave you with this: