Chloe

Eccentric Glamour Link-Up: Carousel of Color

Hopelessly delayed, I bring you this month’s Eccentric Glamour link-up. In the back of my closet I found this cashmere light pink V-neck, and really went beserk pairing it up. In St. Augustine, there is a carousel at the intersection before you turn towards old town or take the bridge to Villano Beach. The carousel runs almost all day every day and is only a dollar per ride. I think it’s kind of a fixture of the city, and was happy I could pay homage to it with this rather carnival-esque outfit.

Due to the state of my wifi (and the relatively small feedback anyway), please share a link to your link up in the comments below- and I’ll try to get an in-linkz in the next day or so.

Conservatory

When it gets to be bitterly cold like this, and the snow flurries more like soap flakes and less like frozen rain, I am reminded of Miss Minchin’s Seminary for Young Ladies (I’m talking the ’90s movie version). I don’t know if it’s because of the–spoiler alert–window scene where Sara and Ram Dass have their dance-in-remembrance-of-India moment, or Sarah giving the buns to the rose lady in the blustering cold, or maybe the girls bundled up walking, olive-colored dropwaist dresses and ties rumpled underneath. Regardless, I have adopted the dropwaist and tie at my very own private school to survive the miserable snow and have named the weather Lavinia.

Pictures by: Leigha Crout

Eccentric Glamour Link-up #2: Southern Aristocrat

Welcome to the second link-up of Eccentric Glamour, a forum specially designed to get together and showcase forgotten, yet fabulous articles in our closets! This month’s post strikes me as a curious cross between Desperate Housewives of Atlanta and Blanche Dubois. While both of those comparisons make for dubious company, it was fun to dig out my fur (generally so superfluous in Georgia) and try to tweak it to represent a Southern staple. And what could be more Southern than getting all dolled up to sip almost-lemonade on the front porch? I hope you had just as much fun making your posts as I did in mine!

If you’d like to regularly contribute, please take a moment to follow my blog (links can be found on the sidebar).
Please confine posts to those which showcase some spectacular article of clothing. It doesn’t have to be crazy, but just a bit in line with our theme of “Eccentric Glamour” (although choosing one half or the other of that mantra will also suffice). However, if you choose to post, please provide a link back to the Eccentric Glamour link-up somewhere in your post.
Try to check out a few other bloggers posts to build inspiration and community!

Pest

I am so happy I went to Budapest. At the time, I felt like exams should take precedent and that I was wasting valuable study time. Now, as I write this, I still feel in awe of that beautiful city. We began the morning at the Szépmûvészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) in Pest. However, before we got to adventure over to the Varosliget Castle, we whisked ourselves away to the marketplace. Before my trip, the only thing I had heard about Budapest was the quality of the marketplace. As it closed at 3:00 (and we had a late start), I didn’t want to take any chances. It was well worth the talk. It had all the groceries, souvenirs, and traditional food I could have wanted in one place (I tried langos- the nearest fried thing, like a good Southerner). Because we were so close to the bridge, we went ahead and walked over it, visited the fascinating cave church (a quick Hungarian history lesson), and then climbed up to the liberty statue. Once back down the hill, we went over to get a daylight look at Parliament (sadly missing the last tour by minutes).

Between Friday and Saturday, I spent so long walking around and were so cold that I decided to take a nice long coffee break and watch the sun go down over Parliament. Then, rejuvenated, I decided we should go to see at least one bath while in Budapest. Budapest is famous for its baths since hot springs flow through the rocks under the city. The waters are said to be very medicinal (though they looked quite normal to me. Next time I will probably pony up the money to swim at Szechenyi, but since I didn’t even have my swimsuit, the bath included in the Budapest city card did the trick. From there, I went to back to Varosliget Castle (which offered an ice skating rink beside it for the season) and explored it by night. It reminded me of the beginning music of Beauty and the Beast. On that account, I made sure not to get too close to any windows, as who knew what might lay inside…

Two quick things:

1. Neon orange stuck out like a sore thumb in Budapest. It worked well in that my friend could find me, but I did not look like a local.

2. For anyone travelling to Budapest in November, regardless of the fact Hungary looks like it is southern of England on a map, you can expect similar weather. In other words, a blazer on its own is not going to cut it. Bring a scarf! gloves! heavy coat!

It Happens to Hepburn – It Happens in Venice!

Our second day in Venice was quite eventful. Between St. Mark’s square and a tour of the Basilica, wandering through the Doge’s Palace, witnessing a full-on bread attack by itinerant pigeons, falling in love with the Marchesa Casati exhibit, and a dreamy never-ending walk that ended in a candlelit dinner, it was very full but equally fulfilling! Personally, I could have taken a few more coffee breaks, soaking in the city, basking in the sun, languorous in little cafes, but I have no regrets. There is only so much you can do in a weekend away from school!

One of my biggest inspirations on this trip was Katherine Hepburn’s performance in David Lean’s Summertime. The movie itself is rather drab, as she walks around Venice sad and single, looking for love, finds love, drags it out, and is still sad. Luckily, her wardrobe doesn’t share the same fate, making her scarves, knee-length skirts, and button-ups on point. You’ll have to see if you feel the same way about mine.

I do not own the rights to these pictures.

St. Mark’s Basilica

Lunch and a Walk

Doge’s Palace

Evening (Finds a Hat)

For more pictures of Katherine Hepburn in Summertime, see this old Hollywood Reporter set.

Oh Holy Sites

Due to a series of farcical miscommunications, my outfits in Israel weren’t exactly up to par for a fashion blog post– “colder” in Israel does not equate to “colder” in England; “modest dress for a holy site” doesn’t mean hide the cleavage, it means hide your shoulders, knees, and cleavage. That being said, despite the fact I was constantly burning up, Israel was fantastic. I’m going to spare you any outsider commentary on the political/ religious tensions, as more than ever I’m convinced I’m not equipped or informed enough to comment, but I can’t help but share a gratuitous number of photos. We divided our time between Haifa, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, and I’ll tell you a little about each below.

Haifa

This is a northern city (about an hour and a half from Jerusalem) known for its Baha’i Gardens which you can see here. The University of Haifa is also one of the only schools that offers a masters in underwater archeology.

Jerusalem

And many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Micah 4:2

We spent most of our time in Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. This was particularly nice as the view up there is spectacular, the olive groves are refreshingly peaceful, and there is an adorable church we wandered into which had the Lord’s prayer in (nearly) every language. When we climbed to the top, a few of the things we wanted to see had closed for lunch, so we ended up camping out on top of this roof. We were the only ones there, and it felt like we had all of Jerusalem at our fingertips!

Diagram of Girl After Long Day Walking:

Bethlehem

Going to Bethlehem is a pilgrimage for every Christian. As we crowded into the area where Jesus was supposedly born, the energy was effervescent, and there was an overwhelming feeling of the pending majesty we all anticipated around the corner. What you may not realize about Bethlehem, and what I was also unaware of at my arrival, is that it is one of the only remaining Palestinian cities. With my ignorance as to the situation, it could only be more of a shock at the fact that Bethlehem was part of the area directly walled from Jerusalem. I have to say, with this trip coming directly on the heels of Berlin, there were some uncomfortable parallels to be made.

Here is, as the owner claimed, the only Starbucks in Palestine, and of course we had to stop. Regardless of the, er, unique branding, the service and the coffee remained excellent. Afterwards, we made some typical purchases, meaning I am the happy owner of a very colorful rug (which is still perplexing me in regards to my future travel arrangements).

Thanks for reading this post. I have tried to remain largely non-confrontational and neutral, but should anything be cause for discussion, please feel free to message me privately, and I will try to respond as quickly as possible.

Oh the Posh Posh Traveling Life, The Traveling Life for Me!

Say it with me: Newsh-von-schteen. You might want to try again, and a third time. To be honest, you might want to give up altogether and just gaze at the Bavarian view, or you could adopt my all-too-American approach and call it the “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang castle” (after being corrected by about a hundred Germans).

See those familiar headlights peaking into the picture?

Well, considering the fact that I couldn’t dress like a doll on a music box to visit, I decided to channel the Baron and Baroness Bomburst (of Vulgaria) and Ludwig II’s outlook on glamour and drama, generally in epic proportion.

However, there’s a limit to personal pizazz when a 40-minute walk up a mountain is involved with a very full suitcase (the consequence of back-to-back overnight train/ bus rides). Still, the view surpassed any struggle involved. Bavaria is like the fantasy backdrop of any pastoral landscape. Blue skies, fields of green, mountain silhouettes, endearing chapels, and little red roofs dotting the area next to the water. It’s easy to see why land prices are so high. It’s a veritable paradise.

And at the top of the hill? A fairy tale castle surrounded by the terrible legend of the eccentric and reclusive prince who could not face the reality of his diminishing power. In its stead, he built himself an edifice, a makeshift temple to his majesty, ready to receive his subjects when they should come (or it would have been, to this day it remains unfinished). Unfortunately, we were strictly prohibited from taking any pictures of the actual inside of the castle, but here’s a promotional photo of the reception area:

Check out the view!Once outside, there was a path to a wooden bridge. Word to the wise, if you want a picture of the castle as a whole, this is the place to get it (you’ll just have to fight the rest of the tourists for it). I’ve included a helpful map

What I wore:
Headband: Primark (old)
Sunglasses: Chloe
Earrings: Vintage
Fur: estate sale boon (shown here)
Blazer: DKNY
Blouse: Yves Saint Laurent- Rive Gauche
Skirt: New Look
Tights: Wolford
Heels: Chloe
For more information on Ludwig and Neuschwanstein, you can go here (or of course wikipedia). However, the more involved your research gets, be sure to look out for this guy:

–Shared to the lovely Patti’s Visible Monday (it’s good to be back).

London Calling!! Chelsea boots in Chelsea.

This post marks the first of my new European, though decidedly British, adventures (rather pathetic, I know considering, as of today I’ve been in school an entire month). Nevertheless, worse things happen at sea. And from here on out, I promise not to ruin any more National Gallery side shots. The week I arrived, I was lucky enough to share my “holiday” with my father and sister. We quickly found that we particularly enjoyed the Notting Hill and Kensington area. Of course, whether or not this sentiment revolves around a certain literary figure’s rendering, it is not a very profound one, as the price tags in the area suggest. Daddy found it particularly peaceful walking through the lines of white houses (each accompanied by well-placed trees).

Though everyone seemed to warn us otherwise, I can’t help but love Portabello Road. It’s the source of my tea kettle, opera glasses, meerschaum pipe, crochet parasol, and tweed deerstalker. It was on this road of all places, Daddy discovered the wonder of Tesco (a British value-chain grocery store), and had a minor Baptist revival in the drink aisle when he saw prices listed in pence. All the sudden, his generosity was unbounded: “Girls, you can have anything you want for lunch from this store.”

However, I made us trek onwards to the fabulously eccentric and oh-so-endearing, sinus threat of the century: The Churchill Arms. Covert Thai restaurant extrordinaire. The decor in this place ranges from walls coated with the royal family to bunting and lanyards (and bunting as lanyards) across the ceiling. While I am hardly a Thai food connoisseur, I have always enjoyed theirs and would definitely recommend it if you’re hungry and in the area.

From there, we walked to Kensington Gardens (and subsequently through Green Park and St. James Park, which are connected) in hopes of “walking off our lunch.” While we may not have been successful on that account, we did manage to secure some gorgeous weather (at first). This being Britain, the mere dawning of a new hour brought with it several poignant changes in the moisture level.

The Albert Memorial

The Italian Gardens

The area around South Kensington backs up to another area called “Chelsea,” named such because it is next to the Chelsea Bridge (or so wikipedia says). The Chelsea area encompasses a little bus stop named Sloane Square, and if you walk there, you will find nearly any upscale clothier you may hope to peruse. Chelsea is touched on its other side by Knightsbridge, probably most noted by foreigners for being the home of Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Between Kate living in the area and the Queen shopping there, you can guess it’s pretty nice.

The sidewalks are nice; the stores are nice. The people dress nice (though they are mostly sheathed in black), but there’s an unusually high number of inhabitants that wear flat ankle boots. I couldn’t tell you why this is la mode. Still, accepting that it is, these sort of boots are colloquially known as “Chelsea boots.” Before I found out this sliver of information, I fell in love with the Tommy Hilfiger ones I’m wearing in the picture below. Say hello to my shiny new Christmas gift y’all!

The Boots. The Boy.

Besides the boots, I’m wearing:

Sunglasses: Chloe (you’ve seen before)
Necklace: Native American Gallery here
Shirt/ Dress: American Apparel
Trench: Tommy Hilfiger
“Trousers”: The Row
Satchel: Fossil

It was so fun having my Dad and sister along! It really made for a joyous and entertaining vacation.

Counter Culture: White Provision

One of the “rules” that most annoyed me as a child was the unspoken mandate that white was unacceptable after Labor Day. Seriously, why did half of my wardrobe become unnecessarily moot when Fall in Georgia doesn’t begin until November? While the ban on whites acted as a good excuse to buy new shoes, I never liked wearing off-white (let’s be honest– it’s not “off” it’s dirty), or really changing my routine at the behest of some old lady’s exaggerated interpretation of Emily Post. If we don’t wear black for two years anymore when someone dies, why hang on to the rest of the Victorian eccentricities to dress?

By now it’s probably clear that this post offers an example rejecting this rule into Fall, and in order to show you how, I went to a neighborhood in Atlanta, affectionately (and somewhat jarringly) called the “White Provision.” The name comes from an old shirt factory building that remains in the area (though no longer making shirts).

A lot of great food places line the opposite side of the building, including Atlanta’s number one rated resturant Bachanalia. However, if the 5-course prix fixe menu is out of your budget, the operation has an adjoining cafe/ bakery called Star Provision, where you can sample the kitchen’s fares before commiting to the date night. In my case, I shared a charcuterie and a box of sweets (go for the ginger cookie!).

As for my outfit, I’m wearing knock off Ray Bans, a Talbots white linen blazer (thrifted), a Chloe sequin tank top (Ebay), vintage Givenchy purse (Ebay), Gap white skinny jeans, Primark heels, and a ribbon literally taken from an Agent Provacateur box. My necklace is thrifted as well. As far as carrying white into Fall, I think that jeans are a great way to go. While seasonally appropriate, they still make enough of a statement, but will pair well with Fall separates. The blazer, I think, is a harder sell, especially this one since it’s linen….

A quick word on blazers: if there is one item that you look for in a thrift store, try blazers. I think they are a very good intro. to the art of effectively shopping for used clothes. Most generic blazers will run you somewhere in the range of 40 dollars, which is a disgruntling price to pay for a glorified cardigan (unless of course it has elbow pads.. in which case do what you have to do). Most blazers are going to look less sketchy on the rack than a lot of the other hand-me-downs, and a lot of times you can score on some great brands you might not have been able to find otherwise. I know I’ve found DKNY, Pendleton, Brooks Brothers, Talbots, and Ann Taylor to name a few.

Alright. It’s your turn. Go on out there and crush some Victorian sensibilities, and when you do, be sure to share in a comment below. I’d love to see your interpretation of “Winter White.”

Nationally Acclaimed- Georgia Born.

This entry will begin the first on a few from Athens, Georgia- home of my alma mater, aka my stomping grounds for the better part of my coming of age. I say “better” because I don’t think it was until I got to college that I really got in touch with my exploratory side and started looking outside the peripheries of the corners of a book.

Now for those of you who don’t know, Athens is home to the University of Georgia, UGA for short, a bulwark of a research institution that still retains enough Southern charm to call themselves the bulldawgs (notably not bull “dogs”). UGA’s colors are red and black, so I tried to channel that for the spirit of this post, switching between my new Chloe heels and my much-loved Lanvin tuxedo flats + straw hat for walking around downtown.

The arch with its three symbolic pillars is a popular image of UGA. Local legend says that if an undergraduate walks under the arch before completing classes, they won’t graduate!

I will be writing a post soon on my favorite hotspots in and around Athens, but I felt the need to specifically spotlight one or two. Now, the nicest restaurant in Athens is probably Hugh Acheson’s Five and Ten. Rumor has it that Atlanta Magazine extends Atanta’s border all the way out to Athens just so they can include this culinary extravaganza on their list of the Top 50 Best Restuarants (where it sits at number 5). But for those of us who don’t expect oysters and caviar on a given Tuesday, I prefer Acheson’s sister restaurant The National for dining.

Specifically, on that Tuesday, The National runs the cutest date night deal. 3-course dinner and a movie at Cine (the fab adjacent indie theater, offering the best selection of films this side of the The Plaza)

If you’re still looking for that date to walk into your life (or waiting for the movie to begin), you can post up at the National’s bar for libations. Rest assured, a very intentionally-groomed hipster will kindly prove to you that you have no idea what you are talking about and then serve you something delicious that includes simple syrup.

As for outfit details, I tried a twist on the tuxedo look (that all the sudden seems so pervasive), unbuttoning this Haute Hippie dress into a long vest. With it I wore a GAP red and white stripe tank top, vintage Givenchy purse (which goes for about 15 dollars on Ebay), a plain black H&M straight skirt, and some statement business jewelry necklace, that probably made its way into my closet from the clearance section of Kohls. Regarding the dress/ vest, this look went easily from day to night, when I threw on a bandeau and went out Tuxedo chic, as shown below.

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My Best Nixon Impression– Photo by: Katie King.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more from Athens!

The Clothesline

Style for people blowing in the wind