Falling leaves in shades of red, orange, and yellow, country walks, apple orchards, mulled wine, heirloom chrysanthemums, cornucopias, cozy sweaters, planting bulbs, Thanksgiving, pheasants, afternoon naps, sheaves of wheat, plaid everything on these “soft-dying days” as Keats called them…
We hope you are enjoying these November days…
Cheers!
Holly and Brooke
Town or country, I love a scarf. When I see a woman wearing a scarf, I notice. I remember my mother in a scarf. And my grandmother and aunt. Perhaps in old photographs. Somewhere along the line I picked up the habit. My first scarf was a triangle of material (flimsy and trendy) that matched the patch of fabric on my t-shirt (also flimsy and trendy). I loved it. I wore the scarf on my head, tied behind my neck to cover my ears, which I thought were too big. My sister wore one too (a different patch of fabric).
I suppose there is an art to the scarf, though I don’t think it has always been this way. At some point scarves got complicated and intimidating. They became a fancy accessory, when once upon a time they were practical, for protection, warmth, and keeping our hair out of our face. In a very chic way of course! Maybe we should go back to that way of thinking.
Here’s another way of thinking about the art of the scarf: This fall, Talbots has released six beautiful scarves designed by six female artists with twenty percent of the proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The designs are bright and bold. If this is not your style, one of these scarves would make a very nice gift.
Whatever your mood (a timeless silk Hermes scarf mood. Or a charming cotton Liberty of London mood), I hope you will embrace the art of the scarf (just don’t overthink it) and enjoy these scarf wearing days!
Cheers!
Holly
Just a quick weekend note that I have been meaning to write while summer is in full swing which means weddings and garden parties and other kinds of soirees. Laura Ashley has teamed up with Urban Outfitters to create a selection of clothing and home goods. The result is a fresh, urban take on the English countryside Laura Ashley look of the past (her story is quite interesting—she began by making Victorian head scarfs). You might say this collaboration is a Millenials refresh on a Gen X favorite. If you grew up in the 80s, you were sure to have owned a Laura Ashley dress or had Laura Ashley bedding or wallpaper in your bedroom. For us, it is nostalgic, for the younger generation it is chic now (I think!) to dress in florals and ruffles and toile. I’m very pleased that this casual, romantic, and feminine look is making a comeback. The Victorian high collars have mostly loosened up and in some cases a bit too much for a middle-aged woman like me, but I do like the revision of this classic style for the younger set. And I would definitely consider the toile midi-dress, the small floral pocket book, the toile sheets and removable wallpaper, and the statement making organza pieces. Have a look below!
Cheers!
HS
I thought today would be a good day to repost this essay…just in case it’s pouring where you are like it is here!
I’ve never worn a rain hat (unless as a child my mother put one on me, which is how I used to think of rain hats, as something meant for children sloshing about in the rain, unable to and uninterested in holding onto an umbrella). Then, not long ago on a particularly gloomy Sunday in the pouring rain, I met a woman (we happened to be at the country estate of Harvey Ladew) wearing a charming, colorful rain hat. I remember thinking how useful it was for country life (she folded it and stuck it in her rain coat pocket), much more so than an umbrella. Since that day, I’ve misplaced or given away or left behind all of my umbrellas, and we have had record rainfall and what has seemed like endless days of rain and dreariness. So—the rain hat has stayed in my mind. Continue reading “rain hats (and why you need one)”
I have never been to Tucson, Arizona, but whenever I get there I’ll be heading to Bon Boutique right out of the gate. And even though there is nothing like the real experience of being in a shop like this (you know the feeling), for now, I’ll have to be satisfied with their website and Instagram (they sell a limited selection on their website so visit we must). This mother-daughter team has been on my radar for some time now (they had me at the straw hats and red lipstick). Their aesthetic is an artful blend of nostalgia, minimalism, and simple elegance, then they strike the perfect offbeat note. Just look at the photo of them walking down the dirt road saying…”We like a mix…new and old, rough and refined, dark and colorful, east and west, fun and serious…the beauty is in the way it’s all put together.” Indeed!
A
Cheers!
* All photos from bon-boutique.com
Elegant Country Style 