“I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” but 1st…

Article Posted on Monday, December 12th, 2011 at 9:00 am

:: Listen ::

Every year we decorate our tree while watching one of 2 movies: White Christmas or Holiday Inn. This year, I had to replace both DVD’s (I’m really thinking about never loaning anything out ever again.) and totally lucked out with footage we’ve never seen before of White Christmas! New or original cut, you can’t go wrong with either movie. Also, as a side note, I’d *love* everything Rosemary Clooney wears for Christmas please!

:: Read ::

One of my very *favorite* finds when it comes to Christmas books. Niall Edworthy’s The Curious World of Christmas is just a book I picked up solely based on the cute cover a few years ago and now find myself re-reading the quirky facts and stories of Christmas past again and again. It’s very amusing and makes a fun little coffee table read.

:: Dress ::

This time of year you should never be without that *perfect* shade of ruby lips. I am a huge fan of Mac because it stays on so well and feels great. My color? Russian Red with Brick liner!

:: Live ::

Get out of town! We are so excited to be heading to Chicago this week and the timing couldn’t be more perfect! Feeling a bit overwhelmed with buying gifts, sending cards and visiting family. Why not take a quick jaunt to your favorite city? Booking last minute, we found an *amazing* deal on tickets and a hotel this time around so how could we pass up the opportunity to take a quick escape?

Hello, Gorgeous!

Article Posted on Tuesday, November 29th, 2011 at 8:58 am

Please excuse me for taking an extra day but between the holiday, the turkey, the family and the alcohol (much needed after the former), it was very necessary. Are you too feeling slightly hungover from the holiday? Are you not quite ready to jump into Christmas full force just yet? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you.

I’ve always loved the Muppets, but in the past week I have been on a bit of overload. Late Wednesday night, Husband took me to see The Muppets, and it was even better than I’d hoped. Thus, I bring you a holiday detox full of furry little creatures, fabulous music, and, of course, the Belle of the pigs.

:: Listen ::

If you’re planning on seeing the movie, I’d highly recommend listening to Jason Segal and Nick Stroller, the creators, talk with Terry Gross on Fresh Air. You can tell how much fun they had doing the film, and it cues you to pay extra attention to certain parts. You’ll also most definitely want to download the soundtrack. Although, I’d recommend waiting until after the film so as not to take anything away from the surprises. The super-catchy music was done by Bret from Flight of the Concords, and we have seriously sung the tunes all week.

:: Read ::

When I was little I studied my mother’s copy of Miss Piggy’s Guide to Life as if it were the Bible of being a Belle. Who doesn’t love a beauty queen who lifts mugs of hot chocolate and does pin-up poses to work out? Depressed? Avoid listening to composers whose last name starts with ‘D.’ Need style advice or wondering what to wear on your next international trip? This book has you covered.

:: Dress ::

While we’re on the subject of Piggy (because, let’s face it, you totally knew that’s where this post was headed), why not talk about a key element of her style that we can incorporate in our wardrobes right now? The leg warmer. Perfect for both Miss Piggy’s Aerobique workout as well as her Snackcercise routine.

:: Live ::

Finally, looking to add a little more Belle to your correspondences this holiday season? Why not take a cue from Miss Piggy and use a little French. (Note: Using it correctly is not all that important, as long as you do it with confidence!) Incorporate words like trés, moi, and teensie weensie (not French, but you get the idea) into your Christmas letters to keep readers on their toes and make them feel blessed by having such a classy friend!

Bonus! An extra little moment in which Miss Piggy plays the ultimate Belle of Tara…

A Very Happy Birthday to Princess Grace!

Article Posted on Saturday, November 12th, 2011 at 9:00 am

It was on this day in 1929 that our very own American princess was born! I couldn’t resist a little bit of a celebration. Here are a few links to some Grace-filled posts from the past year…

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Style File: To Catch a Thief

Wedding Inspiration from Princess Grace

Grace Kelly’s Holiday Style

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She didn’t do too many films, but her magic captured the hearts of millions. I did not fall in love with her in her films, I fell in love with her in pictures, but I have to tell you her last film is one of my absolute favorites! Here’s a little trailer…

Finally, here’s one other little tidbit you may find fascinating–an interview with the Princess in 1982 on ABC’s 20/20 just a couple months before her death. This is part 1 of 6…

Yes, I am still fixated…

Article Posted on Thursday, November 10th, 2011 at 1:06 pm

I know–The obsession continues. I just can’t help myself! Have you ever seen Sabrina? It came out in October of 1954 so I thought a little Style File would be quite appropriate this time of year. But first, I have always been especially in *love* with this particular scene… just a little something to put you in the mood!

And now for the main event–there are quite a few things we can learn from
Sabrina…

1.) Smile like you mean it! And remember, you are never too old to jump on a bike and go for a ride to brighten up your afternoon.

2.) However, Sabrina was a girl of many faces, and when she needed to be quiet, demure, and let those doe eyes do the talking, she did.

3.) One brother? Why not 2?

Fun Fact: Audrey actually fell in love with costar William Holden during the filming but broke it off when she found out he couldn’t have children.

4.) A little black dress is essential, but don’t forget the accessories: gloves, head dress, cocktail!

Fun Fact: There was quite a bit of drama surrounding the costumes for this film. Hubert de Givenchy was actually responsible for the clothes, which Audrey herself hand-picked from his latest line prior to filming. However, Paramount designer Edith Head won an Oscar for the costume design–the name “Givenchy” was nowhere to be found in her acceptance speech.

5.) It’s not just about accessorizing the little black dress, what about the little black weekend wear? Well, for starters, you could certainly pick up a pair of embroidered slippers!

6.) However, as every Belle knows, your most important accessory is always your pup… or pups as the case may be!

Happy 111th, Margaret!

Article Posted on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 at 11:20 am

Today marks the 111th ‘birth anniversary’ (as they’d say on NPR) of authoress Margaret Mitchell, a sacred day for Belles everywhere. Not only was Ms. Mitchell responsible in many ways for shaping the picture in many minds of what the quintessential Southern Belle was during the era of the Old South, but she was also quite the scandalous, Southern heroine herself. Leaving college after her mother’s death to take care of the house, taking a job as a journalist in a time when that just wasn’t ‘done,’ performing a sensual European dance at a charity ball to cause a stir among Atlanta society, and separating from her 1st husband after a matter of months only to marry his best man a few years later… things like that may seem commonplace in an era of The Real Housewives of Atlanta but not during Mitchell’s day! And to think she did all of that and won a Pulitzer Prize to boot! To this day, Gone with the Wind remains one of the best-selling novels of all time selling 30 million copies at last count. If you haven’t read it before, perhaps you should this month in honor of Ms. Mitchell! Or, at the very least, watch the beautiful film adaptation…

A *little* Happy Birthday Tribute

Article Posted on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 at 10:15 pm

Do you know what today is? It’s the 50th birthday of the release of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s such a beautiful film that I couldn’t resist a little post. Think of it as a little, virtual birthday card…

No. The blues are because you’re getting fat and maybe it’s been raining too long, you’re just sad that’s all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you’re afraid and you don’t know what you’re afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling? … Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany’s. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that’d make me feel like Tiffany’s, then – then I’d buy some furniture and give the cat a name!

. . . . .

You could always tell what kind of a person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you. I must say, the mind reels.

. . . . .

I don’t want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I’m not sure where that is but I know what it is like. It’s like Tiffany’s.

For further reading…

Capote’s classic //  I got this book as a birthday present from my art school Husband!
VF: Article by Christopher Cerf (the son of B@T’s publisher)  //  HB: Article by Sam Wasson

Lessons on being a socialite courtesy of 1936

Article Posted on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 at 8:00 am

I am a huge fan of William Powell so the other night when I realized that My Man Godfrey was available on Instant Netflix, I just couldn’t resist. Powell costars opposite his ex, Carole Lombard, who he actually recommended for the part of eccentric socialite Irene Bullock. However, as with many Hollywood films around this time, the costumes nearly steal the show…

1. There is a uniform for people of a certain class. Whether it is a night on the town or a party with 300 of your closest friends, a lady of status is expected to wear shine, silk, and fur. This same rule applies when she is going to a city dump to look for a ‘forgotten man’ (or for that matter a goat).

2. While we’re on the subject, one’s silk pajamas should also be chic and versatile… lest one is forced to get up in the middle of the night and meet the queen or go to a 2a.m. cocktail party.

3. Speaking of cocktails, if your new butler knows how to make a good martini, he really needn’t know anything else.

4. After all, it’s a joy to help with the dishes for a socialite. One really should try something new every day.

5. A pouty face is always in the lady’s back pocket. Just in case something terrible happens– or she finds herself in need of attention.

6. Finally, at the end of the day, the lady knows how to get what she wants. She can talk sense into her man simply by properly executing ‘the look.’

xo~ Hannah B.

It’s Style File Time!

Article Posted on Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 at 8:51 pm

The other night, Husband and I curled up to watch an old classic I’d never seen before: Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. As it so happens, it was also my first Hitchcock movie–although I was absolutely in *love* with his pen-drawn silhouette when I was little. The cinematography was absolutely incredible and with 2 icons like Grace Kelly and Cary Grant I couldn’t resist doing a little style file.

1.) I’m pretty sure this particular outfit may have changed my life forever. In one simple outfit, Edith Head, the film’s costume designer, proves that fashion never takes a break. Personally, I too have a fondness for espadrilles (or even dock shoes) in contrast to $2 flip-flops, but what really sends this outfit over the top are the layers. A beach cover-up is what separates the full-time fashionistas from the slouchy beach bums.

2.) Two words: Costume. Jewelry. If it’s good enough for Grace Kelly, it’s good enough for you. I *love* using it to add a bit of something to any outfit–be it a party dress or a glow-in-the-dark tshirt.

3.) As a general rule, I don’t recommend a neckerchief to any man… ever. However on Cary Grant, it is perfection!

*Also worth noting, the adorable classic lamp in the restaurant’s office. Husband needs that in his study.

4.) Whatever happened to men dressing as if every day were an occasion? Of note are Mr. Grant’s tassled loafers, nearly white pants, and oxford with the top unbuttoned to leave a peak of ascot…*sigh*

5.) As much a part of the film as any actor was the scenery. Anyone up for a trip to Cannes?

Hello, gorgeous!

Article Posted on Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 at 10:01 pm

It has been such a busy summer, but regular posting will commence soon… promise!

:: Listen ::

Around this time (July 25th to be exact) in 1788, Mozart finished his Symphony No. 40 in G minor, one of my personal favorites. I was listening to it on WUOT while driving to work yesterday, and it’s just so uplifting–the perfect thing to listen to first thing in the morning!

{This light, mod poster above was created by Iskra Print Collective for the 2010 Vermont Mozart Festival. I hope they have an extra copy laying around somewhere because it really would be the perfect addition to my new office.}

:: Read ::

I enjoy buying books as souveneirs when we travel instead of meaningless tzotchkes and on one of our last trips I picked up a copy of The Selby book. It’s full of great inspiration. My 2 personal favorites? Karl Lagerfeld’s large room of books and the humble (*note sarcasm) abode of Simon Doonan and his husband, Jonathan Adler.

As a side note, if you have an extra minute be sure to click over to the NYTimes website and read a lovely editorial written this weekend by Mr. Doonan about the day he wed Mr.  Adler. So sweet.

:: Dress ::

This week, in honor of Grace Kelly’s gorgeous baroque costume you see above, put on a little touch of gold. While I personally don’t have any all gold outfits in my wardrobe, after watching To Catch a Thief this weekend I’ve been reaching for the gold bangles for days! Something else to try? Gold nails… the perfect match for sunkissed skin.

{Also, keep your eyes peeled here tomorrow for a To Catch a Thief Style File!}

:: Live ::

While we’re in a *golden* state of mind, I just had to post this picture of our mirror (or at least the corner of it). When I was little, my parents inherited this chintzy gold mirror, and I totally fell in love with it. It was just so over-the-top! Well, a few weeks ago while he was busy redoing our house, Husband painted it purple… and it is super cool!

Back to the Real World with a little Style File…

Article Posted on Friday, July 8th, 2011 at 10:39 am

I think it must be all the weddings. Or maybe it’s the reading I’ve been doing about all those socialites in the 50′s that made a living of being beautiful and having a certain last name. Whatever it is this movie has been running through my mind non-stop, which I can’t really complain about. So how about a few lessons in privileged gentility from Princess Grace…

1.) Stripes are essential, flowers are abundant and a *lovely* accent (plus a little crazy) are essential in Newport…

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2.) The staple of every home is hidden bar. This one pictured happens to pop out from among the library books… that is, if you know which one to choose!

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3.) One never just walks from the dressing room to the pool in their swimsuit. Instead, one glides in a robe that makes them seem like a goddess and disrobes to reveal a suit that is just revealing enough to make  one seem untouchable.

Also of note: Bing’s 2-tone brogues with matching tie and pocket square. That reminds me, if you haven’t seen Mr. Crosby’s dressing room in this movie, you should…

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4.) If you are going to get drunk at your engagement party with your ex-husband, be sure to wear something fabulous and act so charming that no one can resist you. After all, you’re “sensational, everybody says so…”

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5.) Eventually you will have to go home and sober up. This is best done while wearing a yellow silk kimono and lounging in your impeccably decorated boudoir.

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6.) Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when you do get married the next morning. Be sure you pick the Mr. Right. (*The wedding march jazzed up by Louis at the end of this video never fails to make me smile!)