What I Wore- Amelie G MidSummer Party

Here in the South a lot of us practice a reverse hibernation. Instead of snow days we get intense rain and heat but unfortunately those aren't reasons to get to stay home from work. Instead most of our social calenders are lightened and indulging in air conditioning becomes top priority. I did however find a reason to get dressed up last night thanks to the Amelie G Midsummer Jet Set Party at the Ogden Museum.

  Amelie G is a New Orleans fashion magazine that recently gained a national distribution at Barnes & Noble and Hastings and can be purchased at other places around town. They have monthly online magazines and a quarterly print edition. This was my first time attending one of their events and it was sort of a who's who in the small yet growing New Orleans fashion scene. I had fun running into old friends and meeting new ones.

I didn't take as many photos as I would have liked, which is normally the case. I usually end up enjoying myself and forget to snap some shots. You can check out the rest of the photos by clicking here.

Her

 Dress Classique via Fairy

Earrings gift from Rahya

Shoes Vince Camuto via Buffalo Exchange

Bag Botkier via Buffalo Exchange

Him

Shirt Ermenegildo Zegna via Buffalo Exchange

Pants Theory via Buffalo Exchange

Shoes Hugo Boss via Nordstrom

What I Wore: Horsin' around

I like to get out of town as often as I can, which unfortunately isn't as much as I'd like. My husband and I recently took a trip to Bush, Louisiana to a little place called Splendor Farms. For a complete recap of our adventures at the farm read my recap at the excellent website NO Adventure and check out the full set of photos on my Facebook page. Even though we only stayed one night we came back to New Orleans completely refreshed.

All I've got for y'all today is a goat and what I wore. It's important not to look like a fashion victim when petting goats and baby horses so I kept it simple with a tank top, shorts and sandals. Seriously, don't overdue it; you can't become one with nature wearing stilettos and a mini skirt. Y'all can check out some of my previous adventures by clicking here.

Help Ship Island through Nautica's Colors of the Coast

Having grown up in the Gulf Coast area and lived here the majority of my life I've always enjoyed the beach even though my pasty white skin may say otherwise.

Image thanks to www.noadventure.com

 One of my favorite spots is Ship Island, just an hour ferry ride off the coast of Gulfport, Mississippi. It is a neat little island and it isn't uncommon to see dolphins swimming near the pure white sand. Don't believe me? Check out Mike Kennedy's cool site NO Adventure and his snorkeling video for evidence.

Image thanks to www.noadventure.com

Ship Island received heavy damage after Katrina and has been struggling to come back ever since.You can help build up the beach by purchasing one of Nautica's deck shirts. For every polo they sell Nautica will donate $50 to Oceana to help revitalize the island. The purchasing process is done entirely via their Colors of the Coast Facebook App. Simply click the square that you want to "adopt" then purchase your t-shirt and that's it! You even get a reusable water bottle, beach towel, and bracelet. I suggest treating yourself to a weekend beach getaway to use your new accessories and enjoy Ship Island after doing your part to help save it.

Southern Street Style: Freret Street Friday Night Fight

 This week is a different sort of street style, Freret Street style that is. Every month I look forward to Freret Street Gym's Friday Night Fights. I'd like to admit that while I could probably hold my own in a fight (I once fended off a purse snatcher in the French Quarter) I've never been in a fist fight in my life. So while I'm clueless about boxing Friday Night Fights is probably the coolest, weirdest, funnest, and most unique way to spend your weekend. Besides the boxing there are local rappers, drag queen queen performances, dance troupes, and whatever else they figure is entertainment. A couple of the Freret Street restaurants serve up things like burgers, fish tacos, red beans, and of course cold beer.

 The images below were shot by Sabree Hill. Read more about this monthly event on Uptown Messenger and I'll see y'all at the next one!

Summer to Fall Transition

Slow Southern Style is going to be featuring a few guest bloggers each Monday to liven the place up and get some fresh voices on a variety of subjects. This week Meghan Wright of Fashionably Meg is filling in. Interested in guest blogging? Contact me at nolagurl at gmail dot com.


Summer to Fall Transition: Southern Style

    Transitioning your wardrobe from Summer to Fall is a bit different in a warmer climate. Down here it goes from "Sooo hot," to "Hot." The key is to have Summery pieces, but in Fall colors; and to start shopping for those items around July so you can phase out your Spring and Summer pieces. I've included pieces that are wearable, affordable and trendy for the coming season:
Easy to Layer Dresses - 

Summer dresses in darker colors and patterns that are still comfortable on a hot day are perfect for going into Fall. Wear them alone while it's still a scorcher out and play around with layering as the weather gets cooler.

Topshop - Forever 21 - Topshop - Modcloth

Anything but Black Tights - 

Black tights are too Winter and at the end of Summer/early Fall they can appear too formal. Colored tights are becoming increasingly popular; so go for colors like dark green, mustard yellow, maroon, or a even pretty cream color.  Or get creative with the tights above.

All - Modcloth

Lightweight Cardigans/Vests/Sweaters & Such - 

This one is a given, they are the ultimate layering piece.  They're easy to carry during the day when it's still warm, and perfect to throw on at night when it cools down. They aren't just Summer-Fall layering pieces, but perfect day-night pieces as well.

They are also must-haves down here because once Winter approaches you don't need layers of chunky sweaters and coats, you need one of the following and a good jacket.

Forever 21 - Nasty Gal - Forever 21

Ankle Boots - 

90's grunge is making a huge comeback, and I personally love a cute dress with some great some boots. That's of course if you're willing to put up with boots in July, but I promise it'll pay off! Invest in a good pair, nothing too high (keep it ankle length or go for a fun cowboy boot) or you'll be jumping ahead a season. Add a little edge to your look by wearing them with a dress or skirt, then add some jeans or tights once the temperature drops.

Jeffrey Campbell - Rachel Comey - Rachel Antonoff by Bass - Maurie & Eve

Colors to Look For:
Olive Green
Orange
Maroon
Navy
Cream
Teal
Rust
Grey

What I Wore- Citrus in the Summer

During the summer I'm more prone to wearing loose, light clothing to help keep cool, or rather less miserable in this heat and humidity. Saturdays are my only day off with my husband so normally we sleep in and I'll make coffee and breakfast when we roll out of bed. And when I say we I mean two cats, a dog, and two humans. It's a mammal party every morning!

This outfit saw me through an early afternoon meeting with Ben of NOLA Bow Ties and a comedy act in the evening. If you like to laugh (and if you don't well you are probably an awful person) consider helping Hell Yes Fest to get going in New Orleans.

My feet are festive, to say the least. Sometimes people think my tattoos are socks. I'd never wear clashing patterns, unless I can't avoid it. D'oh!

Emma & Sam tank top via LF sidewalk sale

Everything else via Buffalo Exchange

Wig Party at Eiffel Society

Y'all know that I love a good wig. Check out all of my costume posts here if you don't believe me or read my guide on how to style a wig. So when I found out about the Wiggin Out Party at Eiffel Society I thought "what a great way to spend a Friday night!" Now the real question is which wig to wear. Don't own a wig? Shame on you! Mention the Eiffel party at Fi Fi's and get 10% off the wig of your choice.

Three from my *ahem* vast collection.

Yoga For A Good Cause

Every Tuesday in July Life yoga+boutique is hosting a class to benefit the New Orleans Dress For Success career development and employment retention programs. Dress For Success assists disadvantaged women with not only supplying them with a professional wardrobe but also supplying them with tools the tools and resources they need to be successful in life and in the workforce.

“LIFE yoga + boutique is very excited about our partnership with Dress for Success New Orleans,” said Suzy Rivera, LIFE yoga + boutique Owner. “It is a great organization that focuses not only on empowering women in the workplace, but also encouraging them to focus on health and wellness.”

The Vinyasa Yoga class is $9 per person for a drop-in session, while package pricing varies. Interested in participating? Learn more about LIFE yoga + boutique or register for a session at www.lifenola.com, or call 504.627.0380.

 What:          LIFE yoga + boutique Vinyasa Yoga to Benefit Dress For Success New Orleans 

 When:         Tuesday, July 12, 19 and 26                                         

                                9:30am – 10:45am

Where:         LIFE yoga + boutique

                                    5422 Magazine Street

                                    Between Jefferson and Octavia Streets

Jess Leigh Jewelry

Slow Southern Style is going to be featuring a few guest bloggers each Monday to liven the place up and get some fresh voices on a variety of subjects. This week you'll meet Jess Leigh of Jess Leigh Jewels. In addition to designing her own line of jewelry Jess also works at Lola Boutique here in New Orleans. Stop in, pick up a piece and tell her you saw her here on Slow Southern Style!
-Christy


Jess Leigh Jewels are uniquely inspired, one of a kind jewelry created by Jessica Leigh. Independently designed and locally handmade, each piece is crafted with love and a passion for a beautiful life. Finding antique pieces that have been neglected or just out of style, Jess Leigh takes these babbles and jewelry apart to breathe new life and style into them. Most of her line is made up of one of a kind pieces by using this method of deconstruction and reusing of materials. With a wide range of items starting with fun, costume pieces and extending to beautiful, semi-precious stone pieces, there is something for every girl. Wear a pretty little thing and know you are very special and loved, just like your Jess Leigh piece. 

          When I am asked what inspires me, I immediately go completely blank. Communicating my inspiration has long been plagued by stage-fright! It never fails and it is these moments I wish that talking in pictures and colors were appropriate for someone my age. Since it is not, I have to really dig deep to find what appeals to my creative side in order to express it in actual words.

           Beauty. I grew up in rural Ohio and have rich, vivid memories from that part of my life. Dandelion bouquets, barefoot summers, the smell of fresh cut grass, lightning bugs in jars with tin foil lids, the local ice cream stand, spending time on the lake with my family, all still course through my veins like it was yesterday. I can see the echoes of my childhood enthusiasm in the pieces that I make. Now that I'm a grown-up, I am still quite captivated by the beauty of everyday life. Adoring the flowers while walking, driving down the lakefront or riding my bike along the bayou, admiring my neighbor's butterfly gardens, and embracing the true love of friends are all examples of day to day inspiration my jewelry reflects.

          Adventure.  A fresh shipment of stones just begging to be transformed into something unique for someone to cherish inspires me. My close friends know this very well. I start toting my little kits everywhere and I'm pretty sure a few of them have found a bead or two after I have left their homes. Other times, I will work non-stop at my little cottage until the entirety of the stock is new jewelry to behold. The search for a dusty old gem buried in an antique store that I can rescue and make sparkle again is one of my favorite pastimes. I get a rush when I see something I know will be amazing if used another way and my mind starts spitting out ideas! My appetite for a new outcome and the desire to see what a few hours can create keeps me coming back for more.

Photo by Mark Gholston 

          Strength. I am a transplant to this beautiful city. I have called New Orleans my home since December 2009. My journey here has had many twists and turns, but I somehow know this is where I was always supposed to end up. I have felt more alive and more at home here than anywhere I have ever been. I love everything about New Orleans. This city has also had to suffer hardships and through some miracle has only grown stronger and more beautiful. Hope and love have prevailed. The human spirit cannot be defeated; and I too, have grown and healed here. Thank you New Orleans, you have given me more than inspiration!

Photo by Mark Gholston

          Life. I believe in feeling immersed in the things that make us happy.  There are so many wonderful encounters, new friends to meet, and beautiful things that I have already experienced, it is hard to imagine there is more. The best part is that there is! I look forward to more inspiration. I am thankful for everything and all my precious loved ones that have been inspirational to me. More than anything I am happy and that inspires me the most. 

Southern Street Style- Meet Liz, the photographer

Slow Southern Style welcomed Liz Beeson to the team as the resident street style photographer in May so it is high time y'all get a chance to officially meet her. This week's installment of Southern Street Style is less street, more backyard.

Favorite Piece in this outfit: My ring. Given to me by an old boyfriend during a weekend trip in Asheville, NC. The boyfriend leaves, the ring stays!

Top: Target
Necklace: thrifted
Pants: Funky Monkey
Shoes: (literally) Old Navy
Ring: craft fair in North Carolina

Photos and text by Liz Beeson

A Trip to Saint Charles Vision, Part Two

I'm really excited to share with y'all this two part series in partnership with Saint Charles Vision. This week we are picking out frames but in case you missed last week's post where I take everyone through the eye exam check it out by clicking here first. 

Phew! That wasn't so bad was it? Now that I got the eye exam out of the way here comes the fun part, picking out new glasses! Selecting the perfect frames is important since your glasses aren't just vessels of 20/20 vision, they become a part of your look. Your eye wear is the one accessory you'll wear day after day so take care in figuring out what you want your frames to say about you. Are you a traditionalist? Looking for something trendy? Avante Garde? Want to downplay the shape of your nose or highlight your baby blue eyes? Saint Charles Vision makes finding new frames a breeze with The Optrics system.

Optrics is a personalized fit consultation developed in house by the Saint Charles Vision team. They take into account your lifestyle, skin tone, hair color, and face shape to help you find the perfect pair for your peepers.
Just one little trick that I learned is a back color, or the underside of the glasses, can really bring out the color of your eyes. Now lets play with a few styles!

These Bevel brand metal frames have a slight cat eye that achieve a sophisticated look that retains an element of fun. Let's see what happens when the wrong color or frame size...

Oooh those are unfortunate choices right? The wrong shade or frames that are too big for your noggin can be really distracting.

The olive Paul Smiths help balance my skin tone.

While these red Oliver Peoples help soften lines and help achieve a more feminine look.

For more help with frame fittings or to schedule your own consultation visit one of the six Saint Charles Vision locations in the New Orleans area and tell 'em I sent you!

Guest Post: A Trip To South Carolina

Slow Southern Style is going to be featuring a few guest bloggers each Monday to liven the place up and get some fresh voices on a variety of subjects. This week kicks it off with one of my favorite sweet Southern gals, Lindsay of Penny Loves Charlie whom I had the pleasure of meeting in person this past year when she came to visit New Orleans.
-Christy

Hi y'all, I'm Lindsey from Penny Loves Charlie, and I am so excited to be guest posting for Christy today!  Since Christy writes about local NOLA people and happenings, I decided to do the same, except "local" for me is Columbia, South Carolina.  My husband and I live and work in downtown, so I thought I'd show y'all some of our favorite hangouts on Columbia's Main Street.

My very favorite place is the Columbia Museum of Art.  Right now, it has a super cool Rembrandt exhibit, but it also has some really great Southern art as well as other big names like Monet and Boticelli.

Just down the block from the museum is the brand new Mast General Store.  It has tons of old-school games and toys (like Wooly Willy) and old fashioned barrel candy, which I cannot get enough of.

After we stocked up on black jelly beans and Bits-O-Honey at Mast, we headed over to The Rooftop bar at the Sheraton hotel.  It's high up enough so that there's a breeze even on the hottest evenings, and if you can get a table near the ledge, you'll have a great view of downtown, including the State House.

When you're walking around in the crazy, stifling Columbia heat, comfort is key.  I really loved this outfit because it kept me covered for the crazy air conditioning in the museum and in Mast, but it was still cool enough for sitting outside at the bar.

Thank you so much to Christy for having me!  If any of y'all ever come through Columbia, let me know.  Christy was my first blog-friend meet up, I'd love to do another one some time.  And in the meantime, stop by Penny Loves Charlie to say hello.

What I Wore- When Neutrals Attack

Ask me a few years ago if I'd ever wear white jeans and my response would have been "never in a million years." Not only could I not keep white jeans pristine but I'd imagine my legs would look like pearly little sausages. So I'm not quite sure what attracted me to these cream colored skinny jeans but I can't stop wearing them despite the heat. I've also never been huge on taupe but lately I can't get enough of it. I picked up this Sanctuary t-shirt from United Apparel Liquidators for a steal. The shirt was originally $85 and I got it for a measly $25.  My friend Dorothy also loves getting quality clothes at a bargain and has the tank top version.

The best part about these Citizens of Humanity is that I bought them already distressed so if I happen to stain them it will only add to the charm. 

Y'all like how I injected some words on top of the next picture to distract from the blurry hands and my rain barrel in the background? There's 55 gallons of unfiltered acid rain sitting in there. Thirsty?

Southern Street Style: Chambray Kind Of Guy

I love a good chambray shirt, especially one that is worn to perfection. There is a certain ease to it which makes for the perfect button down to throw on in the hot summer months. Did y'all know that the origin of "blue collar worker" comes from chambray being used as a work shirt? I like how stylish our street style subject looks just by throwing his shirt on over a t-shirt and jeans.It's definitely a cool look and an easy way to layer during summer and not risk a heat stroke.

Photos by Liz Beeson

A trip to Saint Charles Vision, Part One

I'm really excited to share with y'all this two part series in partnership with Saint Charles Vision. Tune in next Tuesday for part two, with a how to guide on getting fitted for glasses. Enjoy!

Can I share an embarrassing secret? Promise you won't make fun of me? I have to admit that I'm afraid of the eye doctor. The thought of putting drops in my eyes and getting little puffs of air blown on my retina is about enough to make me jump out of the exam chair and send me running through the waiting room. However, since I am a quasi responsible adult  I squirm through the process while the staff patiently pries my eyeball open Clockwork Orange style to get drops in there.

All joking aside eye health is really important, especially if you have a history of cataracts in your family like I do. It had been three years since my last eye exam so when I found out that Saint Charles Vision offers state of the art technology and that dilation doesn't necessarily mean "weird, evil little eye drops" I booked an appointment without a sweaty palm in sight. 

While I still had to endure one set of drops I dodged the second round  by opting for the Optomap, a machine that takes a quick scan of your eye and affords the doctor a 200 degree view of your retina. I admit, it was pretty neat to see a picture of my eyeball on the computer and not having to endure eye drops at the same time. Dr. Jeanne Herman  took the time to explain what we were looking at on the screen and how they can take this picture and use it for comparison on my next visit to see if there have been any changes. With such an easy, anxiety free visit I'll be sure to come back and this time it will be sooner than three years!

To learn more about all of the technology that St. Charles Vision uses go to their press page on eye care technology. Be sure to stop back next week when we get to the fun part, shopping for frames!

What I Wore- Scarf As A Top

Sometimes taking an old favorite and reinventing it breathes new life into an otherwise tired staple. While I still love this safety pin printed silk scarf I was getting a little bored with just draping it around my neck all the time. I randomly stumbled upon a video on how to turn a square scarf into a halter top and I've been obsessed with the idea ever since. Unfortunately I can't find the original video as it was posted on one of the 4,543,943 blogs that I keep up with but if enough people want to learn I might make my own to share. Just leave a comment if you are interested!

The great thing about this look is how easily you can customize the fit. I'm wearing mine loose over a strapless body suit but you can make it less blouse like and more fitted with a tighter knot. Initially I wasn't sure if the print was too busy since I'm so used to wearing the scarf folded over but thanks to a few encouraging words I decided it made for a good enough outfit for a Sunday brunch outing followed up by a trip to the library.

Silk scarf, Zac Posen via Buffalo Exchange

Sunglasses via Buffalo Exchange

Jeans, DL1961  via The Blues Jean Bar

Clutch and shoes previously seen here