You can thank me later…
Life Magazine, 1942
A Valentine’s Week PSA
Author Archives: Hannah B.
When It’s Sleepy Time Down South
A few weeks ago, I acquired a Jawbone UP, mainly because I was interested in the sleep tracking but also because I’m hoping it will eventually inspire me to get up and go to the gym. Yes, I’m one of those people. (Sadly, that perk has yet to be realized.) The sleep tracking, however, has been fascinating! It’s amazing what an effect sleep has on our mood, our appetite, everything. Which has also got me thinking about my bedtime routine. So today I thought I’d share a few of my Must Haves…
And, of course, a little mood music! (P.S. If I were trapped on a desert island and could only bring one recording, it would probably be this song by Louis Armstrong.)
What about you? Is there anything that helps you get a perfect night’s Zzz’s?
Snapshots from Saturday
Yesterday, the Slaughter family took a quick road trip to the mountains to relax, read, and shoot our Valentine’s Day card.
Fashion Week? Blizzard Nemo? I’ll take a little mountaining over those any day!
Hope your weekend was equally as delightful!
Style File: Myrna Loy
I’ve heard there are two sides to every woman, and Myrna Loy is the perfect example of that fact. Before she was dubbed ‘the perfect wife’ in the 1930s, Ms. Loy was often cast as ‘the exotic.’ And who are we kidding? Don’t we know that the best wives always have an exotic side? So today, let’s take a few cues from Myrna, shall we?
Lessons to be Learned from ‘the Exotic’ Myrna Loy…
Lesson #1: If you have a back worth showing off, show it!
Lesson #2: It pays to be a bit eccentric, in dress & in action. In short, don’t be afraid to wear crazy-cool outfits and play with tinsel-wearing reindeer… does that sound like the *perfect* day, or what?
Also worth noting: The *gorgeous, funky* head wear in this picture! Don’t you just *adore* it?!
Lesson #3: That whole ballerina-chic fad can be really fantabulous if you play your cards right.
Lesson #4: Every woman should own a white coat… It can (and will) instantly transform you into a classic beauty that looks uber regal.
Lesson #5: Always remember: there are 2 sides to every story…
Lessons to be Learned from ‘the Perfect Wife’ Myrna Loy…
Lesson #6: Take your adorable puppy with you. No, I am not endorsing a doggy purse for your trips to the grocery store. I would say that a pet worth showing off is a well-trained, well-bred sort of dog like Asta… take him on trips, take him on walks, just don’t take him to dinner with you.
Lesson #7: When traveling, carry cute luggage. That hat box has some serious style.
Also worth noting: Every woman should have a silk robe. A stylish belle should have 2 or 3.
Lesson #8: If you are going to curl up with a book while on vacation, look good doing it. No sweats & Snuggies please; stick to a well-planned outfit and drape with a beautiful throw like this Tartan.
P.S. I’m pretty sure that leather bound isn’t 50 Shades of Grey. Pick your reading material carefully.
Lesson #9: Surround yourself with dashing companions.
Need a little more inspiration? Perhaps a martini or 3? Check out this post.
Belles Like to Boogie Vol. 1
Looking for a little Tuesday pick-me-up? Well, you’re in luck. Today I created a little playlist sure to make you boogie!
Click here to subscribe to this playlist on Spotify… xoxo*
Jayne Mansfield, 1964
Belles Like to Boogie Vol. 1
Fever ~ Peggy Lee
One Mint Julep ~ Ray Charles
Chain of Fools ~ Aretha Franklin
Trick or Treat ~ Otis Redding
I Just Want to Make Love to You ~ Etta James
I Got You (I Feel Good) ~ James Brown
Dimples ~ John Lee Hooker
Seventh Son ~ Sly & the Family Stone
Shakin’ All Over ~ Wanda Jackson
Hello, Gorgeous!
Hello and happy Monday! Today your random links are really just one link. Might I suggest you click on over to The New York Times and read The Author Himself Was a Cat in the Hat.
- This fantabulous photo is from the New York Times.
In retrospect, it is really no surprise at all that Dr. Seuss was a hat man. A hat is, after all, the most whimsical of all accessory choices. I especially loved this quote from his wife….
“Believe me, when you get a dozen people seated at a fairly formal dinner party,” his widow, Audrey, said in an interview… “and they’ve all got on perfectly ridiculous chapeaus, the evening takes care of itself.”
Doesn’t that just make you want to change your dress code for all house guests now? Looking for a fab new hat for yourself? I found a few that I particularly love over at Anthropologie. They have just the right amount of quirky, don’t you think?
Looking for a little more Dr. Seuss inspiration to bright up this February Monday?
To learn more about the man: Watch this.
To find out where Seuss got his inspiration: Read this.
Want to hear a really great story? Listen to this.
Black & White
On Monday, one of my friends that is an amazing photographer captured this moment at the Knoxville Zoo. Fast forward a few hours, and I came across these amazing pictures of AnnaSophia (new favorite name) Robb from Teen Vogue.
Needless to say, I am now caught in a frenzy of black & white. Who said the starkness of January couldn’t be inspiring? Winter whites tend to make me sleepy, but pair them with a bold black and I’m all over it. Here are a few ways to bring this contrasting combo into your own home this week…
Misia Vase / Sonia Kashuk / Black Lilies
Style File: Lisa Douglas
I am a lifelong fan of Green Acres. I know; you’re shocked! Small town. Big City. Great accents. (Come on, you know you love her accent too, dahling!) So tonight, if you are in need of a little inspiration (to fix up the house or to buy a new outfit), I’m sharing a few lessons I’ve learned over the years from Mrs. Oliver Wendell Douglas.
1.) Your home is your castle. Wallpaper… art… a leopard print sofa… anything to make it yours!
2.) Have a signature dish.
3.) When working around the house, be sure to wear the proper attire. Lace muumuus and pale pink gloves make any job seem glamorous!
4.) Don’t be scared to embrace modern conveniences… be it an electric coffee pot or a Grabwell Washer.
5.) Finally, keep the romance alive, Dahling!
5 Things I Learned Last Week
1.) Always dress for the Occasion… Even Husband’s coffee mug was ready for inauguration day.
2.) Even dudes (as Laurie March would say) love Ikea. I would pay astronomical amounts of money to go back in time and tape Dad’s first experience with the Swedish super store. It was pretty epoch.
3.) Sometimes a Southern girl just *needs* Cracker Barrel.
4.) Husband knows a lot of 90’s music that I apparently missed during my sheltered childhood including an inordinate amount of Ace of Base and some Shoop song? Trust me, no one is more surprised by this than me!
5.) It really is worth it to actually *do* one’s hair. My friend Liz is my hair hero, but I’m getting better & better with my hot rollers so Watch Out, World!
Snapshot of a Sunday
First of all, please let me apologize for my absence. This past week, Husband & I ended up in Ohio after the very unexpected death of my very favorite aunt and 2nd mother, Vangie Hughes. We spent the days with family and friends overwhelmed by the love and support that came from everyone we talked to.
She was truly one-of-a-kind. We heard story after story from people who credited her with being the reason they had a relationship with Jesus, praised her love & acceptance of each person she met, and talked about how she was ‘their very best friend.’ She was the embodiment of mercy, and the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of people that showed up to celebrate her life with us on a very snowy Friday afternoon testified to that.
All that to say, today I wanted to share one of my favorite snapshots of Aunt Vangie taken just before her senior prom. Is that dress not killer? (Sidenote: why don’t we wear gloves anymore?)
Aunt Vangie & Mom on their way to prom, 1969
I was trying to think of how I could share Aunt Vangie’s spirit here on the blog before getting back into my regular weekly groove when several friends sent me a message to read her “About Me.” You know that part on Facebook that most of us either never fill out or post something utterly ridiculous? Well, Aunt Vangie’s “About Me” was pretty fantastic because it really is exactly who she was. So here goes…
I am happily married to Gary Dean Hughes, my best friend and a wonderful pastor!
He has encouraged me to do more than I ever thought I could do and has been my cheerleader!!! What a wonderful support he has been for me. It’s a joy to serve in ministry at his side for the Lord Jesus Christ! I want my life to be remembered as a prayer warrior and dedicated woman of God. I love God with all my heart and I’m totally surrendered to the Holy Spirit and His guidance! It’s a joy to think about all that God has yet planned for Gary and me.
And then she proceeds to list all of her family & favorite people… for 3 more paragraphs.
I know this post could be a bit of a downer, but I hope you take as an encouragement to reflect, as I have this week, about what you are known for, how you treat people, and, most importantly, how you love people. Thanks for indulging me. xo* ~HB
