A year's worth of adventure in clothing

Whew! 2011, where did you go? It seems like every year the months just zip by that much faster. Still, it's always fun to look back and reminisce on the good times, the not so fun stuff, and reflecting on how to make next year even better. I'm proud to say Slow Southern Style had some milestone moments, minimal embarrassments, and damn it I had fun.

 From curating an art show to meeting Natalie Chanin and her team, I couldn't have predicted that this year would turn out so great. I'd like to give a big, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has kept Slow Southern Style on their reading list, see y'all in 2012.

Urbandillo Needs Your Help

When you live in the south you become accustomed to layered dressing. On any given winter day you could start out wearing a t-shirt and end up in a coat, all in less than a 24 hour time span. But how do you stash that cumbersome jacket? Throw it in the car, tie it around your waist, or do you awkwardly lug it around and deal? Enter Veronica James and her clever clothing line, Urbandillo. Inspired by the way an armadillo rolls into a ball, Urbandillo is a line of compacting clothing that folds up into itself and can easily be carried around in its own handy carrying case. From classic fleece jackets to stylish trench coats Urbandillo is not only functional buy stylish as well. 

What I Wore: Black Velvet Little Black Dress

When you work on your feet all day, dressing for comfort is paramount. Since my shoe choices are largely influenced by avoiding to have a podiatrist on speed dial, I really enjoy occasions to dress up and dust off the high heels, not to mention the cocktail dresses. I've owned this velvet little black dress for four years now and for some reason never I got around to wearing it until two weekends at my company holiday party. Silly because it fits like a glove and hits at the perfect spot right above the knee.

Fashion Week New Orleans Top Designer Competition

With Christmas come and gone and New Year's Eve, the Superbowl, and Mardi Gras all in the near future who's thinking about March already? If you're an aspiring fashion designer, maybe you should.

Holiday Shopping and Dress For Success

What's better than shopping local while buying holiday presents? Buying gifts that give back to the community. Several New Orleans businesses are selling gifts that benefit the local Dress For Success, a non-profit organization that helps disadvantaged women by providing them with work appropriate clothing and career development assistance.

What I Wore: Jangueando con Lianamar

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of being a guest on Lianamar Davila Sanabria's radio show, Jangueando con Liamar. This bilingual show comes on every Thursday at 7:00pm and discusses a wide variety of topics, including a biweekly NOLA Eats dining segment from my friend Leslie Almeida.

Handled the mic like a pro...maybe

This past week I was on the show to talk "shop" about Slow Southern Style, my wardrobe consulting business Slow Southern Styling, my full time job at Buffalo Exchange and we even managed to squeeze in what to wear on New Year's Eve. Hemline Boutique in the French Quarter was nice enough to play host, which made chatting about fashion on live radio a breeze. The complimentary cocktails from Kru Vodka didn't hurt either.


See all of the photos from the night on the Jangueando con Lianamar Facebook page and listen to the show by clicking below.

Listen to internet radio with JangueandoConLianamar on Blog Talk Radio

Now Hiring a Stylish, Southern Intern

Due to the overwhelming (in a good way!) response, I have all positions filled. All applications will be considered for the next round in the spring.

Come be a part of the team! Slow Southern Style is looking for a good intern or two.

Do you love fashion, writing and/or photography? Are you currently in a sordid love affair with Southern culture? Slow Southern Style is seeking to hire some truly awesome interns who are passionate about fashion on a deeper level than just what's being offered at the mall. 

Haute and Handmade: A Recap

Make no mistake, I'm certainly not a model. I'm about a foot too short, my cheekbones weren't chiseled by the hands of a Renaissance sculptor and the only way I'd fit into a sample size is if it were socially acceptable to wear a dress around one's upper thigh.  Aside from my prototype setbacks I was pleased and quite honored to model Alabama Chanin's intricate designs as part of Haute and Handmade this past Friday. Each of Natalie Chanin's pieces are hand stitched with nary a sewing machine in sight. You have to really get up close and personal to inspect and appreciate the labor and love that goes into each garment. They are truly a work of art with needle and thread.


 Along with six local designers, Andrea Loest, Grayson Gold (he's 12 years old!), Lorna Leedy, Kerry Fitts, Amanda Loest, and Rebecca Rebouche the Ogden Museum of Southern Art served as a pantheon of handmade looks, all designed below the Mason-Dixon line. I'm told there were over 400 people in attendance that evening, a great testament of support for southern based fashion. It was interesting to see which the similarities and stark contrasts of each designer but the common theme throughout the evening was a commitment to quality and originality. 

For more photos go to the Slow Southern Style Facebook page and many thanks to Leslie Almeida for taking pictures of the evening while I was backstage being prepped.

My friend Chanel wearing a Bayou Salvage dress

Giveaway: Holiday worthy dress with Shabby Apple

It's always exciting picking out dresses for special occasions, and the holiday season is certainly a time when there are plenty of reasons to wear a special frock. Finding multiple outfits for a plethora of end of the year celebrations can be a daunting task, so Shabby Apple is helping to keep you in the holiday spirit by giving away the Moon River dress to one lucky reader.

Outfits for the great outdoors

Make no mistake, I'm a city girl girl in the sense that I prefer to have everything I need within walking or biking distance. I enjoy the comforts of having a coffee shop a block away and making a quick jaunt to my neighborhood corner store.  However I also crave the woods, and the luxury of solitude, if only for a few days.  My idea of a vacation is getting away from it all, whether it's a romantic weekend getaway or a strenuous hike, I enjoy both equally. I shared an outfit post a few weeks ago from our Thanksgiving weekend at Forest Retreat, a magical little spot tucked away in the Homochitto National Forest in Mississippi. While what I was going to wear was the last thing on my mind that weekend it's always nice to feel confident in what you are wearing, whether you are in town people watching at a big event or enjoying some solo star gazing with a cup of hot chocolate.

Poppin' up in Memphis with Le Saispas Vintage

If you are in the Memphis area looking for something different and fun Slow Southern Style favorite Kristin Irene of Le Saispas is having a pop up shop December 14th-24th at Hoot + Louise in downtown Memphis.

The joke is on me thanks to the New Movement Theater

You know that old saying "We aren't laughing at you, we're laughing with you?" Well this Thursday night you can laugh at me all you want, yea, that's right you don't have to do it behind my back any longer! Tell it to my face! Okay, that might be pushing it but seriously my friends from The New Movement, who produce the funniest comedy shows in town, have asked me to be their guest monologist for the evening. I will be telling stories based on my life, observations around New Orleans, and I'll probably share something pretty embarrassing just for your enjoyment. In turn the comedians will base their entire improv sketch on my musings, pretty neat idea right?

Guest Post: Wedding Cake and Custom Made Cavortress

Today I'm very pleased to share some space on Slow Southern Style with Katie Thompson, a furniture designer based in Charleston, South Carolina and newly wed with an eye for beautiful clothing designed below the Mason-Dixon line. Katie was sweet enough to share with y'all the story behind her custom made wedding gown, the designer who created it, and her beautiful wedding pictures. Enjoy!

Fun at Freret Market

If you are a long time reader of Slow Southern Style then it's probably no surprise that I'm not a frequent big box store shopper. I think I go to Target maybe six times a year max and I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart in about eight years. I prefer to shop close to home thanks to equal parts sheer laziness and wanting to give my money to small businesses.

Haute and Homemade: A Showcase of Southern Contemporary Couture

Words can't even begin to express how excited I am not only to attend Haute and Homemade at the Ogden Museum on Friday, December 9th but also be a part of of the show.  I was positively giddy when I first found out about this event a few months ago and was beyond thrilled when I received an e-mail asking me to model. Well maybe I wasn't thrilled that I gorged myself all Thanksgiving week before sashaying down a runway but hey that's my own fault.