Author Archives: Hannah B.

Fun Fact: On This Day in 1868

When I was 12, Aunt Vangie got me my first copy of Little Women. Since then, the story has become a part of me. Do you have books like that? I reread parts of it every winter, often finding myself subconsciously relating things to parts of the book. It’s like an old friend.

little-women-1949

By middle school, I’d fallen in love with the movies. While I am normally a Katharine Hepburn devotee, I will forever picture June Allyson as Jo. Although, I confess my love for the 1949 version probably has more to do with my crush on Peter Lawford than anything else. And Liz Taylor as Amy? I mean, how could you picture anyone else? (Sorry, Kirsten Dunst.)

When I was in high school, I started collecting copies and also read Alcott’s books that followed: Little Men, Jo’s Boys, An Old-Fashioned Girl. I couldn’t help being fascinated by Alcott, her transcendentalist parents, and her influence on female writers in the late 19th century.

An illustration I did for a colored pencil, paper doll assignment in college.

An illustration I did for a colored pencil, paper doll assignment in college.

Louisa Alcott was quite a pioneer: she was an abolitionist, a feminist, and a critically acclaimed author by the time she was my age. And although, she was at first hesitant to write a story for girls when asked by her publisher, on this day in 1868 the first volume of Little Women was released. So I’d suggest pulling out your own copy and giving it another read.

And if you aren’t a fan of Little Women, perhaps there’s another book you consider to be an old friend that could use another perusal?
What do you think?

 

 

Setting New Goals

I know most people think of Spring as the time of new beginnings, but I am the exact opposite. I *love* Autumn! With the leaves changing colors and a little chill in the mornings, I suddenly have an inexplicable burst of energy. We must clean out the closets, dust the baseboards, and think about all the things we’ll do to prevent cabin fever this winter.

Last week it started. In a way, I took my momma’s advice. She always says, “Change your hair–change your life!” If that makes you skittish, she says the same thing about shoes.

new-do-sept-2013

So I decided to go blonde. I blame it on turning 28. Suddenly I realized I was 12 years away from 40, and I should probably start getting some of the weirder things out of my system now. Then, I sat down and did what I do every year around this time. I set a few goals for the year ahead.

fall-goals

2013 Fall Goals:

1. Get out the sewing machine and learn to use it (again).

Disclaimer: I’ve known how to sew since I was 6 or 7. (My mom’s an incredible seamstress so that was sort of a given.) However, when one’s momma is not around to thread the machine, the whole undertaking becomes quite overwhelming.

2. Read more books.

3. Bake the perfect loaf.

Husband is a fantabulous baker. I don’t hear timers. 

4. Doodle and paint more.

So tell me…

What are your Fall Goals?
Do you set goals each season?
Have you ever gone blonde on a whim?

Fall’s Simple Pleasures

Cue Ella & Louis singing “Autumn in New York”…

Saturday morning Husband & I woke up with the windows open. There was a crispness in the air that was unmistakable: Autumn is on it’s way! It’s my very favorite time of year, and here are a few reasons why…

Our dining room table early this morning.

Our dining room table early this morning.

 

1. Buying candy for the sole purpose of making adorable decorations.

2. Having an excuse to order boots online.

3. It’s the only time “peeping” won’t get you arrested.

4. Having an excuse to say “bouquets of sharpened pencils” any time you go to the supply room.

5. The inexplicable urge to watch old episodes of “Coach” (and perhaps crush on a young Craig T. Nelson or fawn over Shelley Fabares 80s hair).

6. Apple Cider… Wait… Caramel Apple Cider.

7. Afternoon drives in the mountains.

So, tell me, what’s your favorite thing about this time of year?

 

Hello, Gorgeous!

If you’re a new reader, “Hello, Gorgeous!” posts are a round-up of beautiful, random links that are making me smile this week. Enjoy!

Jackson Pollock, Modern Art was CIA weapon

Why did the CIA support them? Because in the
propaganda war with the Soviet Union, this new artistic movement
could be held up as proof of the creativity, the intellectual freedom,
and the cultural power of the US.

Without getting terribly political (at least for the moment), let me just say that I alway knew art could be used to change the world. The Independent ran a great article on how the CIA did just that during the Cold War.

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Mica Hendricks

“If she gets bored, we’ll do something else.
Yesterday, she wanted to be a superhero…”

Earlier this week, I heard an interview with artist Mica Angela Hendricks. She’s the mom who has gained some recent popularity by collaborating with her 4-year-old daughter on some really funky portraits. As it turns out, she wrote about the experience for Huffington Post that is worth a read. I especially love the lessons she shares at the end.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dr. Seuss "Nerd"

Did you know that Shakespeare invented the word “swagger?” Or that “Wendy” wasn’t really a name until J.M. Barrie? If not, you’ll love this article on HelloGiggles: 8 Everyday Words Invented by Famous Authors.

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If you’ve ever attended Fashion Week, you know these people. In fact, you may have been these people. After my week’s commentary on the runways, it seems only appropriate to share…

 

 

 

Spring Fashion, Already?

While I have spent the majority of the last week talking about Fall collections, I’d be remiss not share a few of my notes from the Spring lines that were revealed this week in NYC.

Looking for outfits that may already be in your closet? Check out JCrew. 

closet-jcrew

While some designers aren’t reinventing the wheel, we should take a moment to be thankful that Oscar is Oscar again.  (For context, see notes on his Fall line.)

Oscar de la Renta, Spring 2014

For resort wear with a modern twist, I’m digging on Altuzarra.

resort-altuzurra

For the Mother Nature types: Marchesa will make you swoon…

mother-nature-marchesa

…and Anna Sui will get you ready to head out on the open road in search of the nearest native reservation.

mother-nature-anna-sui

While I knew Barbie had it right all along, this Spring Honor will be proving me right.

barbie-honor

If you ever dreamed of playing Elvis’ mother in a 60s movie: check out Kate Spade. 

gidget-kate-spade

For those with a collegiate sense of humor: the humping balloon animals of Ostwald Helgason are for you!

balloon-otswald-helgason

Pamella Roland’s clothes are good–her hair is *Fabulous!* Also, that first outfit may be my absolute favorite.

hair-pamella-roland

Do you imagine yourself vacationing with Cary Grant in Italy? You should think about packing some Tory Burch.

italy-tory

Going for that Southern Belle meets Blossom look? Check out ZAC by Zac Posen.

belle-blossom-zac-posen

Auntie Anna

While Spring styles are debuting in NYC for Fashion Week, let’s take a look at your Fall wardrobe.

Auntie Anna | Anna Sui, Fall 2013

Auntie Anna is *that* aunt. You know the one. Your mother resents her because she’ll always be the fun one, your grandparents talk about her as “our little lamb that went astray,” and you have idolized her every move since the first time someone explained Woodstock.

She moved to Berkley at 18 and has since only come home for weddings and funerals, but each summer you beg your parents to take a little vacay to Cali. When they finally say yes, you pack your bags and head West to find Auntie Anna living your future dream. She entertains artists and musicians, throws lavish parties (think Auntie Mame), and teaches you how to make the perfect martini: no olives–they take up so much room in that little glass!

Then, that day finally comes: she lets you raid her closet. This is what you choose…

 

 

Suzanne Sugarbaker on Exercise

Looking for a new routine to keep that back-to-school weight at bay? After giving a shout-out to our favorite Southern beauty queen this morning, I just couldn’t resist giving you a little workout inspiration to mix things up a bit. Please note that all exercise should be done wearing a specific uniform: leggings, silk, & espadrilles wedges. Trust me ladies, your booty will thank you!

Oscar de la Renta: Pageant Queen Needs a Happy Pill

While Spring styles are debuting in NYC for Fashion Week, let’s take a look at your Fall wardrobe.

Oscar de la Renta | Fall, 2013

In case it isn’t obvious, I often wonder what designers are thinking when they put together their collections. The stories and inspiration fascinate me to no end. So when looking through Oscar de la Renta’s Fall collection, I couldn’t help but do the same. I pictured a beautiful woman traveling around the world, there were bright colors and playful hats–and then the evening gowns hit.

Pageant Queen Needs a Happy Pill OR Oscar de la Renta | Fall, 2013

I am not kidding; my reaction was visceral. I hated these gowns. But why? The cuts weren’t outrageous, the billows mimicked the rest of the collection… and then it hit me: the makeup, the big shoulders, This was Suzanne Sugarbaker gone mad!

It was if our favorite Southern beauty queen had dropped her basket, gotten on pills, dropped 75 pounds, and decided to walk down Oscar de la Renta’s runway.

Then, I found out John Galliano was backstage. That’s ok Oscar, he’d make me crazy too.

Muffin’s Favorite Fall Collection

While Spring styles are debuting in NYC for Fashion Week, let’s take a look at your Fall wardrobe.

a young Muffin

When Muffin was little, her parents worried about how much time she spent in the backyard. After spending mornings at St. Joseph’s, she’d come home, grab a book, and run outside where she’d spend the remainder of the afternoon reading and rescuing the occasional cat who’d found its way up a tree. At night, she’d play with the globe in her father’s study and dream of all the exotic places she’d visit and people she’d meet when at last she could bust out of the walls surrounding the family’s estate.

At 18, she lost an argument with her parents over joining the peace core and eventually ended up at Harvard where she studied Ancient Civilizations. When it was finally possible to take a year abroad, she took it very seriously and this is obviously what happened upon her return…

Muffin grows up. | Electric Feathers

This Fall you may spot Muffin reading in coffee shops around Cambridge and showing off her new threads to friends.

“This cape is modeled after one given to the great chieftess Gitchi-gooni on her declaration day.” 

“What–this old thing? Why my theatre teacher, the great stage actress Mae Farecenot, gave it to me just before she departed for the nudist colony.” 

“While in Norway, I learned to knit my own caps from the grandmothers in the village who gathered around the fireplace of a local shop and told me tales from Norse mythology.”

Don’t get me wrong, I want every piece of Electric Feathers’ Fall collection. Every single piece.

Why This Belle Covets Veronica Beard

While Spring styles are debuting in NYC for Fashion Week, let’s take a look at your Fall wardrobe.

Fact: When I laid my big brown eyes on Veronica Beard‘s Fall collection, my little Southern heart went aflutter. There are several things a Southern woman looks for when choosing her Fall wardrobe aside from the obvious fashion-foward considerations…

1.) We like cuts that give a little tip of the hat (or coonskin cap as the case may be) to the past.

2.) We love having at least one element that makes us feel ultra feminine–whether it’s a touch of pink or a silk skirt.

3.) There must be sass. Every Southern girl has an attitude, and we’re proud of it. We’re strong, we’re opinionated, and we’re self-reliant. The most important accessory a belle wears is that glint in her eye that tells the world not to mess with her.

So, with that in mind, it should be easy to guess why I’ve been swooning over Veronica Beard‘s Fall collection since it’s debut. These girls may be in Manhattan, but they have enough soul for a gal from Tennessee.

Veronica Beard | Fall, 2013

A girl that wears Veronica Beard know how to shoot a gun. 

She loves her daddy.

Her childhood crush was Davy Crockett himself.

I heart Davy Crockett.

She can forage for her own food, and knows how to season an iron skillet.

She may even possess the ability to talk to animals. 

The phrase “…wild as a mink but sweet as a soda pop”? That was written for her.