I don’t want to oversell this…

Article Posted on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 10:40 am

But I am absolutely, 100%, head-over-heels in *LOVE* with the Florence Broadhurst for Kate Spade collection.

*LOVE!* Seriously, don’t you want to put a pink streak in your hair and buy that cute little clutch?! (Oh, and please check out the spade watch! I haven’t found it for sale anywhere, but I want it!)

Styling by Brad Goreski : Photos by Daniel Jackson

See more of the collection here.

My Picks:
Japanese Floral Suitcase /  Pants /  Glasses /  Bangle

Happy Monday!

Article Posted on Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 12:51 pm

{ Warning: This week’s links are very, *very* random, but I think you’ll love them all! }

: Listen :

I read Blaine Hogan’s blog; If you don’t, you should. (Have you read his book yet?) Anyway, last week he posted about this project a friend of his  is working on called A New Liturgy. It’s beautiful. Think of it as a personal worship service that you can participate in anytime, any place. It’s perfect for your car ride home, your time on the treadmill, or your lunch hour. I’ve found it really rejuvenating and a great way to start the week off in the right mindset.

: Read :

Last week, Elsie had some really great sewing tips on her blog, A Beautiful Mess. Between her guide to seams and Husband’s encouragement to make a few things for the house and for ourselves, I have a feeling I’ll be dusting off my sewing machine this week. ‘Bout time, huh?

: Dress :

If you saw the Bill Cunningham documentary, or if you’ve ever seen his curated photos in the NYTimes style section, I’m sure you too *heart* Bill Cunningham. So how great is this tee from Barneys?

: Live :

Just try and tell me that looking at these pictures of Martha’s Homekeeping Room doesn’t make your little heart skip a beat. From the organized labeled bins to the wrapping station, these pics make me want to organize, organize, organize. What better way to brighten things up on dreary January days for free? First on the docket this week: organizing the kitchen cupboards.

Happy Monday to all! Make it the best you can! xo* Hannah B.

Lessons to be Learned from the Golden Globes

Article Posted on Monday, January 16th, 2012 at 10:41 pm

1.) If you’re going to be on a major awards show, get your roots done. (I’m looking at you, Ms. Witherspoon.)

2.) “Sit up straight!” “Shoulders back!” By the grace of God, I was raised as a Southern Belle, and as such these words will forever be ringing in my head. With that in mind, it pains me every time I see a gorgeous girl in a thousand dollar dress with her shoulders slumped… such a waste. (I’m sure Husband got very tired of me yelling at that poor little Paula Patton all night.)

3.) Accents are sexy! (But we Belles already knew this, didn’t we?) P.S. Thinking of watching Modern Family from the beginning (we never got NBC before cable) just because I adore Sophia Vergara!

4.) I *loved* the headbands this year! Who knew my signature style when I was 8 years old would ever be so cool again?

5.) When Daddy Von Trapp thanked his wife so beautifully at the end of his speech, I must admit a little tearing up. What a sweetheart!

…and lastly, a lady called Elaine, my wife of 43 years,
whose bravery and beauty haunts me still.

6.) Black and White is always a great go-to palette and last night was no exception. Although, my favorite color last night may have been emerald and Laura Dern’s sequins just took the cake in my book!

*Finally, if the Golden Globes teach us nothing else, it’s Drink More Champagne!*

Confession: I used to hate 1 kind of shopping…

Article Posted on Wednesday, January 11th, 2012 at 6:52 pm

Can you guess what it was?

A little background: I’m 5’9″ish.

I’ve been 5’9″ish since middle school.

Until junior year of high school, I was taller than all but one guy in my class.

When I walked down the hall in middle school, there were classmates that would sing the Green Giant jingle. (My last name was Green at the time.)

Give up? Shoe shopping. Can you imagine how large the Green Giant’s feet are? Size 11 to be exact. But Husband *loves* shoes. For him, the shoes can make or break the outfit. What was the only item to grace his Christmas list this year? Shoes. And, I must admit, that I’ve become a little obsessed myself. Did you know that in the city there are magical places, like Nordstrom Rack and DSW, that carry rows and rows of size 11?

Needless to say, my life has been changed forever. So today I thought I would share a bit of what I’ve learned with you. There are basic shoes that every woman should own for the cool weather months. (Along with your tennies and Sperrys, of course!) Buy something of a little better quality, with a little quirkiness, and you can take any outfit from good to *Gorgeous!* One of my New Year’s Resolutions? Wear better shoes. You should never under estimate what a good pair of heels can do for your booty.

Wondering where can you find these particular shoes?
1 /  2 /  3
4 /  5 /  6
7 /  8 /  9 /  10

And remember, you need the basics but get things that are unique! Buy something with glitter, look for things with funky colors or embellishements, and wear unique combinations…
Why not pair a glitter black stiletto with jeans and a tee?

Do you have a shoe that you can’t live without?

It’s *Giveaway* Time!!!

Article Posted on Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 at 11:36 am

As I’ve mentioned before, this year I’ve been thinking a lot about living a life with purpose. One way that we’ve been trying to do that around our house this year is with our Christmas gifts. We aren’t giving as much as we have in years past, but we are really trying to give gifts with meaning. My favorite gift to give thus far? Elva Fields jewelry! Gorgeous baubles made by one very talented Belle: Emily Wheat Maynard! I was lucky enough to ask her a few questions this past week about her background, her inspiration, and the local charity that she supports called Backpack Buddies.

As with most Belles, while Emily is moving into the future as a well-respected artist and entrepreneur, she never forgets to honor the strong, powerful women in her family. One of the most apparent ways she’s done this is by naming each of the 3 Elva Fields lines for a different lady…

The three women for whom our collections are named are (or were) each dynamic, cheerful, and engaging southern ladies.  Elva Fields, my great-grandmother, was born in 1900 and throughout her 95 years remained a strong and independent woman who enjoyed gardening, painting, baking, and reading–she was the true matriarch of our growing family.  June, her daughter and my grandmother (we call her Nana), is as stylish at 90 as ever.  She loves a fun party and truly never meets a stranger…she charms the bank teller, the doorman, and the refrigerator repairman as easily as she does her doting friends and family–a fashionable social butterfly in the truest sense of the word.  My mother, Deb, embodies the best of both of these lovely ladies, as she is one of the most creative people you’ll ever meet and the kindest, to boot.  From interior design and oil painting to sewing and catering…we’ve yet to find a project she doesn’t tackle with wild success, a gracious manner, and beautiful style.  At this point, I’m just hoping I have a tiny bit of each of their genetic contributions!

The gorgeous pieces in Emily’s collections are  designed with lots of care and attention to detail. If you’ve read a bit about Emily you know that she had the opportunity to study French & Art History before ultimately getting her masters with a fascinating study about the relationship between Italian Renaissance and ancient Greek and Roman jewelry, but I couldn’t resist asking what she might have done if she hadn’t gone the jewelry route.

If I had to pursue another focus, I often think it would be amazing to have formal training in Fashion Design…I’m a nightmare on the sewing machine, and I’d be over-the-moon to know how to make my own clothes.

Perhaps owing to her background, one of the most unique qualities of Elva Fields jewelry is how vintage pieces are incorporated into these new treasures so I couldn’t resist asking if there were any cities in particular she loved to visit for good thrifting. Surprisingly, the answer hit very close to home!

The South is full of antique and vintage haunts–from giant malls to holes-in-the-wall–and I always discover some amazing finds in the most unexpected of places.  (Not to give any go-to’s away, but there are some fantastic shops in the tiny town of Clinton, Tennessee!)

And while we’re in the South, I suppose I should mention that though Elva Fields is now everywhere it seems, (Have you seen its collaboration with CWonder?) Emily actually calls Kentucky home.

I’m a southern girl born and bred!  I was born in Florida, and we moved to Kentucky when I was seven, so the Bluegrass has been home for me since (with the brief departures for school in my 20s.)  It’s a wonderful place to raise a family, and the pace suits us perfectly.

It must! Because Emily has decided to make giving back to her local community one of the priorities of Elva Fields. For every purchase you make from the shop, a percentage goes back to the Backpack Buddies program. (In fact, for the holidays, there are a few pieces that will send a larger portion. Click here for the details.) Needless to say, I asked Emily how she got the idea to give back.

Our family has always made philanthropy a priority, and I suppose that “giving” has just been a part of my life forever.  I volunteer and am a Board Member with a charitable organization in Louisville, but when we moved outside the city a few years ago to the more rural town of Taylorsville, I wanted to contribute to our new community somehow.  My husband teaches at one of the two local elementary schools and told me about Spencer County’s Backpack Buddies program–he sees the need firsthand in his classroom–and it seemed like such a simple solution for Elva Fields to donate a portion of each sale to aid in their mission to feed underprivileged children who live where we do.  We’ve seen the program’s outreach double in the two years we’ve contributed to their cause!

Finally, I couldn’t resist asking such a hard-working Belle what she does for herself  when she gets a free evening?

Though it’s a rare evening indeed, I’m a fairly simple gal: a good book or magazine, a cozy spot, and a glass of wine (or hot tea, depending) is my idea of a perfect indulgence these days.  Otherwise, I love taking a walk down our country road in warmer months…fresh air and some quiet are definitely a treasured indulgence.

Isn’t she such a sweetheart? And the best part for you? Emily’s been kind enough to give away a pair of earrings to one lucky reader!

There are 2 steps:

1.) Become a fan of Secrets of a Belle on Facebook.

2.) Tell me your favorite bauble from the Elva Fields site below in the comments section. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

The contest will end on Friday at noon and, my apologies, but this contest is not open to readers outside of the USA.

Good luck! XO* Hannah B.

P.S. Need more Elva Fields? Check out the EF website for fabulous gifts, the tumblr for a little inspiration, and the twitter for fun tweets!

Dress for It and Autumn Will Come

Article Posted on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 at 9:50 am

Here in the South, Fall seems to be coming and going. It looks like Fall, but it doesn’t always feel quite like it. Nonetheless, my wardrobe is definitely getting in the spirit… is yours?

{ All images are further linked from Pinterest. }

5 Random Things

Article Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2011 at 8:46 am

I admit, I have been a bit absent this week. Blame it on Birthday Week. or work. or fun outings with friends. or cleaning the house. or whatever other number of things there are. However, today I have quite a few fun Random Links to share so here goes…

1.) We have been cleaning like maniacs trying to get our house back in good shape after the dust storm that was our AC installation. So when I saw this on Valet last week, it was a good reminder to share a tip: Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap is one of the best products ever. I started using it as face wash when I stopped using ProActive this Spring with great success. It is gentle enough to use on our old wood floors and also strong enough to get off that grime that builds up around the stove from splattering oil. Every Belle has a trick or 2 up her sleeve, and Castile Soap is mine. If you haven’t tried it, you must!

2.) This week Sweet Paul’s Fall 2011 issue was released, and I am totally in *love* with the feature called Black Halloween. I also can’t wait to try some of the recipes. Fall seasonings are just the best!

3.) Kiel James Patrick just released a collection of belts perfect for Fall called the Peyton Heritage Collection. The fabrics used inside and out are beautiful and would be perfect for you or your sweetie. I’ve got my eye on a couple myself.

4.) I recently saw the work of Becca Stadtlander somewhere around the interwebs and completely fell in love. There’s a tension between a feeling of old warmth and a sort of untouchable moment in time in her paintings that I really enjoy.

5.) I saw this list of the 100 Best 1st Lines put out by the American Book Review, and it has added a few novels to my reading list.

What’s your favorite 1st Line?

Mental Vacation Anyone?

Article Posted on Thursday, September 15th, 2011 at 7:54 am

If I could pick one place to be right now, it would be in this house… what about you? I am such a fan of Gant, and while it does seem strangely familiar (think a more realistic version of the Hilfigers campaign), I can’t help but love the feeling one gets when watching this short.

1st Off Let’s Talk Fashion Week!

Article Posted on Monday, September 12th, 2011 at 8:08 am

Like any good junkie, I have been following Fashion Week from afar. Rather than post Spring clothes here on the blog where I’m attempting to get in a Fall frame of mind, I’m posting everything to my *Runway Candy* pinboard on Pinterest. Click here to see some of my favorite picks for Spring.

[ graphic from the WSJ ]

Also, while you’re in the Fashion Week state of mind, you may find this article in WSJ magazine fascinating as I did. In it Joshua Levine‘s focus is on Wintour’s signature flawless taste as well as how she wields her power in circles that extend well beyond the fashion industry.

Part II: There’s a Difference Between “Don’t Give a Damn” Dress & a “Go-to-Hell” Ensemble

Article Posted on Friday, September 9th, 2011 at 8:00 am

In a world where jogging shorts and a tshirt are the norm for every female under the age of 25 despite the occasion, and those over the quarter-century mark are often not outfitted any better, I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to write about intention. You see I sort of look at *Birthday Week* as a new beginning–each Autumn it’s like the whole world changes as we prepare to get back to reality after a summer of vacationing and relaxing every weekend. Fall is a great opportunity to refocus your wardrobe as we prepare for all the textures, layers and colors the season brings, which brings me to the title.

About a year ago Husband really started to get adventurous with his wardrobe. He had always been particular but never adventurous. He got braver with color and pattern and suddenly his clothes became a reflection of his inner confidence. Suddenly, he wanted to wear things that reflected who he was, his fun personality, his love of color and his eccentricities. It was also around this time that we really started to talk about living a life of intention. Why do we  do what we do? What purpose do our daily patterns serve and what do they say about our goals? Suddenly, our wardrobes started to take on a different meaning.

It makes me sad to hear women say that their wardrobe is 100% based on ‘comfort’ and has nothing to do with ‘confidence and caring’–an exchange I had with a girl in her mid-20′s just the other day. The clothes you choose are a signal to your brain about the type of person you want to become. I would direct you, as I have before, to my favorite Cary Grant quote:

I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until
I became that person.Or he became me.

“Don’t Give a Damn” dress may be comfortable, but what does it say to your inner mojo? You see a “Go-to-Hell” ensemble isn’t about wearing a certain style of clothing, it’s about wearing an attitude that says, “This is who I am and who I want to be. Take it or leave it.”

The term “Go-to-Hell” was originally paired with a description of upper-class Bostonians vacationing on Martha’s vineyard by the writer Tom Wolfe (I know, right?) in an 1976 article for Esquire:

[Bostonians on Martha's Vineyard] had on their own tribal colors. The jackets were mostly navy blazers, and the ties were mostly striped ties or ties with little jacquard emblems on them, but the pants had a go-to-hell air: checks and plaids of the loudest possible sort, madras plaids, yellow-on-orange windowpane checks, crazy-quilt plaids, giant houndstooth checks, or else they were a solid airmail red or taxi yellow or some other implausible go-to-hell color. They finished that off with loafers and white crew socks or no socks at all. The pants were their note of Haitian abandon… at the same time the jackets and ties showed they had not forgotten for a moment where the power came from.

It is this attitude of dressing with intention that is often associated with the Preppy lifestyle. Preps are known for carrying an air about them characterized by how they dress. However, please note that Prep-chic isn’t the only style that applies here. On Saturday, I saw a girl in jean shorts with messy hair that just as intrinsically exemplified the “Go-to-Hell” style. Once again I’ll say it isn’t about dressing up or down–it’s about dressing as the person you desire to be. For example, Mark Oppenheimer wrote an article in the 80′s that was a ‘Meditation on Snobbery’ and in one passage he contrasts himself, the snob, with his friend:

Somebody who truly does not care what other people think—we might call her an eccentric—is not a snob, even if she bears traces of elitism. My friend George, for example, is famous for wearing bowties and blazers everywhere, even to casual brunches. He attended all the fanciest schools, was a fencer in college, and is a partner in a white-shoe Boston law firm. But he is so clearly more interested in self-expression than in what other people think of him that nobody would dare call him a snob. He’s not trying to prove anything by how he lives; he just cannot imagine living otherwise. A man who wears a bowtie to brunch on a Sunday morning is almost inviting derision, and it is a sign of his supreme self-confidence that he persists in doing so. The snob, by contrast, can never quite forget what other people think of him.

Speaking as a Southern Belle, I would also add that a true Belle always dresses in “Go-to-Hell” fashion– though she’d probably never call it that. A Belle dresses with intention. She dresses in her own style. She wears her pearls proudly to signal that she knows where she comes from, and she plays with bright colors and bold styles to signal to her brain that life is fun and her future is bright. And most of all she’s not trying to prove anything by how she lives, she just can’t imagine living otherwise.

[ For this post Ralph Lauren's signature Go-to-Hell style seemed perfectly appropriate.
To see more examples of bold fashion visit some recent postings on my tumblr. ]