Mid-Week Random Links

Article Posted on Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 at 1:23 pm

Hello & Happy Wednesday to you and yours! Today I thought I’d share a few things that have been capturing my interest around the interwebs lately. Hope you enjoy!

1.) This article in the New York Times offers a fascinating question. How much “authenticity” is too much? How should art meet the consumer? What does it mean when everything becomes handmade and nothing is left to just be?

2.) I could not be more excited about this collaboration between one of my favorite food journalists: Michael Pollan and one of my favorite illustrators: Maira Kalman. They have offered a brand new, illustrated and updated version of Food Rules, a book which I have shared with friends and family since the first edition came out. My favorite new food rule? “Place a bouquet of flowers on the table, and everything will taste twice as good!”–a Southern Belle rule if there ever was one!

3.) Are you in the market to buy a house? For a mere $3.75mil, you can live like Jenna Lyons! Do you think if I add this to my Amazon wishlist someone will buy it for me? This Belle is ready to relocate to the big city, and I think this may be just the way to do it! (P.S. Alaina Kaczmarski has some really interesting angles of the house posted on her blog that I’d never seen before. I also had no idea how large it is… 7 bedrooms and a terrace off the master?! My goodness!)

4.) Husband and I are huge fans of Charles and Ray Eames, and now I just can’t wait to see this documentary due out later this month…

5.) It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Martha, and I found this interview she did with Google fascinating.

Weekend-ing Like a Belle

Article Posted on Sunday, September 25th, 2011 at 10:00 pm

Secrets of a Belle is a blog devoted to teaching you how to live a life full of all the things that make a Southern Belle’s life beautiful. On that note, any true Belle knows just how to spend the 1st weekend of Fall: out in the mountains with her man, of course! So this weekend Husband and I got the Impala out of the garage and set off to the Parkway.

Weekending Checklist:
convertible
fuzzy dice
grandmother’s quilt
wicker basket
veggie wraps
wine glasses & a nice light red
a breathtaking view

How did you spend the 1st Autumn weekend?

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. ]

Part I: Some Things Just Have to be Said

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

Do you remember when you were little and your mama told you not to pull your skirt over your head? No? Maybe that was just me, but let’s go with it anyway. It’s not like pulling my skirt above my head was a particularly big deal. It didn’t hurt anyone. I was always wearing an adorable little crinoline underneath or, at least the very least, lacy boy shorts that I got to show off. Plus, everyone looked at me! And who doesn’t want to be the center of attention? However, a lesson my 2-year-old self quickly learned is that not all attention is good–sometimes people are just laughing at you because you’re crazy. “Bless her heart, maybe she doesn’t know any better.” “Well for Heaven’s sake, do you think she’s been working so much she doesn’t know it’s Fall?” There are rules for a reason. It may not be hurtful, it may not have consequences, but it will most definitely separate the women from the ladies–or ‘Belles’ if you will.

I was reminded of this numerous times over the past week as I walked by grown women wearing maxi dresses and cork wedges in the pouring rain on September 6th. They weren’t hurting anything––but my soul. When Lisa Birnbach tweeted this week about her desire to perform a ‘citizen’s arrest’ on a girl wearing a summer frock and espadrilles, I could hold my tongue no longer.

There are rules for a reason. In the old days the ‘No White After Labour Day’ rule may have been a clear way to segregate those that had been on summer holiday from the blue collar workers. Up North it is just a matter of practicality–white reflects the light and therefore doesn’t draw in the heat so it’s worn in the summer. However living in a region that can stay brutally hot well into the Fall, Southern Belles pack away their white shoes, linen, and seersucker (neatly with tissue paper in a sealed garment bag, of course!) for a different reason. As K. Cooper Ray pointed out earlier in the week, the fashion-literate Southerner needs a way to delineate the styles from one season to another. It may not feel like Fall when it is 95F on opening day of the SEC season, but it most certainly won’t feel like Fall if you’re wearing your white capri pants in the middle of September.

However more importantly to me, my mother always told me, “Ladies put away their white shoes the day after Labour Day and don’t get them back out ’til Easter Sunday. Who wants to be caught with a sweater while shivering in their seersucker?” So as a Belle that’s here to share her secrets with ladies far & near, I’ve made it really easy for you.

P.S. Yesterday I was tagged in a blog post as well as called out on Facebook by one of my favorite guys in high school who enjoys wearing his white shoes year round. Thus, tomorrow’s “Secrets” post will address that…

A taste of Milk & Sugar…

Article Posted on Friday, June 17th, 2011 at 1:13 pm

Here in the south, Summer is in full force and is the uniform of summer when it is 90-something and humid below the Mason-Dixon? Seersucker, of course!

Seersucker:
from the Persian ‘shir o shekar’ meaning ‘milk and sugar.’
A thin, all cotton fabric characterized by the juxtaposition of rough and smooth, thin blue and white stripes.

One would assume that all Southern children are trained in the art of seersucker, but it has become increasingly evident lately that this is not the case. (i.e. Instead of seeing Seersucker in the market to keep Southern ladies cool, I’m seeing more and more skanky dresses.) Therefore, I’m considering it my civic duty to offer a little guidance.

Let’s start at the beginning.

{ Gant //  Brooks Brothers }

Every man Southern Gentlemen *must* have a seersucker jacket (although a suit would be better) and every Belle needs to have a seersucker skirt in her repertoire. Also worthy of a mention: a nice seersucker dress and short.

{ NineWest at Macys // JCrew }

Next comes the classic question of how to accessorize. For the Belles, this is simple: Think pearls & pretty shoes!

{ Pearls  //  Bakers // Ralph Lauren //  Kate Spade }

For Men: shoes with personality. Beware that 2 issues may arise from this:
1.) It is hard to find men’s shoes that are bold and have a lot of personality unless you know where to look. In our house, the go-to store is usually Cole Haan.
2.) Men are not always confident enough to wear bolder shoes. If your man isn’t confident enough, I suggest dumping him for a new one. Shoes speak volumes about a person.

{ Cole  Haan… *note: ‘Go-to-Hell ankles‘ are especially attractive with seersucker}

Other ways for your man to dress up his seersucker…

{Noteworthy: The Madras pocket square and Madras belt… Husband just got a fun one from Brooks Brothers. }

Finally, since we are modern Southern Belles it  is worth noting that there are some designers (not many) that add charm and edge to seersucker without taking anything away. My favorite examples this season are both from Gant.

{ Gant //  Gant }

I hope you wear your seersucker to a fabulous function this weekend! I know I will.
xo~ Hannah B.

*Swoon* :: “Do the Charleston” in the June Vogue

Article Posted on Monday, June 13th, 2011 at 10:30 am

In the latest issue of Vogue there is a unique feature called America the Beautiful featuring styles from around the country, and I just couldn’t resist sharing the flowery dresses from here in the SouthEast. The short 4-page feature is on Charleston, one of the South’s most romantic getaways and begins with a reference to the ultimate staple in every Belle’s library…

…Rhett told Scarlett he was going back to Charleston seeking “something left in life of charm and grace”…

A Belle never forgets…

Article Posted on Thursday, May 19th, 2011 at 5:45 pm

… to bring something to a housewarming party
& preferably that something is alcohol.

Our very 1st Thanksgiving after getting married Husband and I hosted family and friends at our house for the very first time. In fact, we’ve made it a point not to have an empty house for too long since then! On that day, one of our most thoughtful friends brought a bottle of Beaujolais. He told us that it was a wine of celebration and the perfect way to kick off the entertaining in our home! Ever since then, it has been my go-to gift for any house-warming event–to some it may just be a bottle of wine but to me it is a *beautiful* sentiment and always brings good luck!

In honor of Fat Tuesday…

Article Posted on Tuesday, March 8th, 2011 at 6:02 pm

I went to see this movie as soon as it came out with one of my best friends in high school. We’d both read the book, and we were totally into absolutely everything about the movie. We even had our own YaYa names and crowns that we made after an impromptu trip to Hobby Lobby. All that to say, when I turned on this movie the other day, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I still love it just as much. If you don’t have the soundtrack, I’d highly recommend downloading it… it’s one of my very favorite things to listen to no matter my mood. On this Fat Tuesday, I couldn’t stop listening so I thought that was definitely a sign that a Style File was in order! Without further ado, a few of my *favorite* things about the Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood:

I’m not exactly sure, but I think this quote is in the Southern Belle Bible somewhere…

If not, it should be. If there’s one thing a Belle should know how to do, no matter where she’s from, it’s make a great Bloody Mary. Perhaps I need to post my own recipe sometime? (*Things of greatest importance: hot sauce & horseradish!)

The images of the actual scrapbook are absolutely exquisite. Note to the reader: Buying random sheets of paper and stickers from Hobby Lobby do not make this kind of scrap book. Do the work/embellishments/glitter yourself so that it still looks cool in 20-40-60 years.

Every Belle needs a great convertible…

…& pretty under-things.

Red lips, red nails, sparkly bow (Essentials.)

Old Southern summer homes are the best!

Things of great importance:
-outdoor fireplace
-screened in porch to keep out those pesky bugs
-outdoor patio with comfy furniture in case you decide to say, ‘To hell with the bugs, I’m sitting outside this morning!’
-big trees (honeysuckle wrapping around the trunk doesn’t hurt either!)

The comfy bedroom in said Southern Summer home is of equal importance.

Things of note:
-old, worn in floral sheets
-numerous quilts on a white iron bed
-colors and curtains from another era
-grandpa’s old washstand would make a great nightstand
-a rocker… these are innumerable throughout the Southern Summer home
-plenty of tchotchkes scattered about (in the South these are called ‘trinkets’)

Every princess needs a crown that is quintessentially them. Get one.

In the South we know how to party! I just love this parade and, I have to tell you, it is giving me all sorts of ideas for our next big party! Never underestimate the power of a New Orleans-style band, hats and sparklers!

Here’s wishing you a great Fat Tuesday!
xo~ Hannah B.

Keeping that New Year’s Resolutions

Article Posted on Wednesday, January 12th, 2011 at 5:30 pm

I know many of you are still working away at those New Year’s Resolutions–oh, the dedication! Well, in case you were wondering what a *true* Southern Belle’s exercise routine includes, I thought I should post the following…

And since this is a lifestyle blog (and I may or may not have spent my afternoon working and watching Designing Women clips), here’s a little more about Southern ‘lifestyle.’

For one more clip, and to learn the new excuse I’ll be using anytime I’m bored, visit the Secrets of a Belle facebook page and become a fan!

xo~ Hannah B.

Big *Orange* Getaway

Article Posted on Thursday, December 30th, 2010 at 10:00 am

Well kids, throw on your best orange outfit because tonight we will be in Nashville for the Music City Bowl! Our big *orange* Volunteers will be taking on the Tarheels and for at least 2 quarters I will be interested. Let’s face it, the only reason I go is because it’s a good excuse to throw on a fun color and watch the band in their pretty uniforms march around & play *Rocky Top.* By the 3rd quarter I may or may not be reading a random book (or, god-willing, blogs on my google reader if I can get a signal) but for now, you can enjoy this…

She actually sang this live at my graduation last year, but I couldn’t resist posting that awesome 1970′s hair! (Btw, if you’re in the mood for more Dolly, click here for a little style file on my *favorite* East Tennessee belle!)

Also, we will be spending Thursday night & Friday with this crazy guy… it should be an entertaining little jaunt to say the least!

See you on the other side!
xo~ Hannah B.