Wedding Guest Hat-astrophe

The latest wedding invitation calls for "Kentucky Derby hats" in honor of the bride's home state.  Hmmm.... I haven't been to Kentucky since I was a kid, and have no idea what's stylish at a horse race.

A quick Google search reveals that
1) Kentucky Derby hats are the size of UFOs
2) They are best worn with sundresses or linen suits,
3)  It's hard not to look matronly in a huge hat unless you're British, and
4) All the best Hats are made in the UK.  When we threw off the yoke of monarchy, we also lots a fair bit of our style.

I quickly concluded that I would not be purchasing a full-on Kentucky Derby hat that would get worn once and gather dust in the closet.  Maybe a fascinator is the way to go, but the ivory one I wore nearly a year ago screams wedding.

I turned to my best friend Etsy, which did not disappoint......  For brides who embrace color, some of these could be fun.

CherylatHatLover

 Amazing!  And British.  Like I said....

Hatsbycressida

 Oooo, even more fun!  I love the wild festiveness of this one!  But, with a week before the wedding, I don't think it will get to California from the UK in time.  Maybe for the next party....

The closest thing I found stateside was this lovely from Pegasusmaiden.

Pegasusmaiden

Flowers could be nice...

lovelygifts

This would be lovely for an ethereal forest nymph style wedding.

CastleMemories

Finally, I remembered that Satanica was all over the Interwebs when I was looking for wedding finery.  And not everything they make is white.

Satanica

Satanica

In a similar vein, for only $13, I like this headband from WeeGardens.

WeeGardens

More peacock feathers at LovMely.

LovMely

The Disco Flower is always fun, too.

Handle & Spout

What about you?  Are you wearing fabulous headwear?  What's your favorite source?  Have you done the hat/ fascinator look for a night out?

Recap #7: From Inspiration to Reality

As I was cleaning out the no-longer-needed wedding inspiration files on my computer and browser, I was pleased to see how the inspirational images I'd saved - mostly, I think, from that bottomless jar of eye-candy, Style Me Pretty* - were born out in reality.  Though I despaired of ever creating a wedding that could live up to the ethereal images on SMP with a down-to-earth budget, these show that a little ingenuity, and a great photographer, can converge to bring on the pretty.

Inspiration

The relaxed, familial, beach-party feeling of this was just the vibe I wanted...

Reality

We rented enough chairs for all the adults, and spread out beach blankets for the kids.  They got to have fun digging in the sand during the ceremony.

Inspiration

Oooo... the way the blue flags pick up the moody water of the sea....

Reality

Yes, with some bamboo poles from the hardware store, and some flags stitched by Mom (one of our few DIY - or DIFMP [for me, please] - projects), the flags define the wedding space without an altar or other religious symbol.

Inspiration

Sweet, simple bouts.  I'm not so much a fan of roses, and lavender wasn't allowed on the beach because of invasive species restrictions, so we ended up with rosemary (for remembrance) instead.

Reality

Inspiration

I'm a big fan of bright, non-matching wedding party outfits.  My Women of Honor decided that they wanted to match.  For the rest of the ushers and readers, we suggested the wedding colors of persimmon, pomegranate and cobalt blue.  They looked great!

Reality

Inspiration

Bright, bold blooms would energize the rustic setting, and echo the wedding party's bright colors...

Reality

Dahlias were lush, local, and seasonal!

Inspiration

Reality

Ok, one big difference between a SMP wedding and a DIY/ DIT one is the bushels of flowers.  I think we vastly under-ordered on the flowers, but they just weren't important enough to spend gobs of money on.

Inspiration

Reality

 In the final analysis, though, I like my bouquet even more than the inspiration photo!  Even more so because our florist adapted to the strict National Park restrictions to ensure that non-native plants could not invade the park.  (It occurs to me that I have absolutely no idea what happened to it after the wedding - flowers are so ephemeral.  Against all bridal tradition, we might have composted it!  Hopefully, the nutrients are returning to the soil, so that they and the love of that day can nourish flowers for someone else's wedding.)


*I no longer have the links or correct attributions for the inspiration photos.  If one of them is yours, please let me know and I'll post a link or remove, as you request.

Furla Fashion Fumble

After two weeks in Italy - which included four days in Milan, the fashion capital of the WORLD, and home to the flagship stores of such luminaries as Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Versace and Emilio Pucci - I came home empty-handed. Somewhat unbelievably.

When we left for Italy, my plan was to buy a decent handbag to upgrade my professional image, and more than likely, a pair of shoes, because, well.... I love shoes and Italians make wonderful shoes. With a plan and a full day on my own while Eric was lecturing, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that I would score some stylish Italian accessories.

But: NOTHING!

My tour of the "Golden Quadrangle," Milan's fashion center, left me feeling a bit out of my element. If Gucci and Prada don't fit my lifestyle at home, what was I doing at these glitzy stores in Milan? When a $1200 evening gown at Valentino began to look reasonable (because, uh yeah, I have so many black tie events to go to...), I knew I had to get out of the neighborhood.

On the way to yet another cathedral, Eric and I passed a Furla shop. Angels were singing and a beam of light landed on a perfectly balanced, stylishly simple handbag. Laaaaaaaaaa!

I lust after these Italian handbags, but at $400-500 in the US, they're quite a bit out of my price range. When we stopped to admire the bags, I noticed that they were around 200 Euros. Still expensive, but far less than at home.

Much to my dismay, I paused. I choked.

My shopping karma deserted me.

We kept walking. I didn't throw down my credit card for one of those buttery-soft leather confections.

Now I see delicious handbags everywhere,

patkas, via Simply Lovely

Morelle, who is sadly closing her shop.

or maybe it's still open here.

but they do not measure up to my Furla dreams.

Today's travel lesson: Know your exchange rates inside and out, so you can quickly calculate in your head (200 Euros = $247, fully half the price of a Furla bag purchased in the US!).

Also, know the approximate cost of things you are thinking of buying, easy to research on the web. I didn't fully realize the price differential between a Furla purchased in Italy and one purchased in the US until I got home and checked Furla US's website. Had I been aware of this difference, I might not have choked!

Irony: Defined

14K gold and diamond on Gilt

Just add giant hair flower

Short, simple and sweet.

 

Tocca at Gilt

I'm seeing this at a casual beach wedding, maybe in Mexico, with some sparkly flip-flops and an arm full of bangles.

Or with killer colored heels at the courthouse.

The best part: it's less than $100!

Yours today at Gilt!

I have no official association with Gilt.

Your wedding dress on Gilt

Filed in If We Did It Again: I'd totally be stalking Gilt* for a cut-price, re-wearable, luscious silk designer gown.

Though I love, love, loved my dress, it is purely polyester organza, not amenable to dying, re-shaping, or re-wearing. The magic is all in the architecture and cut, not so much the fabric.

But these....

Reem Acra

All for far less than a designer gown in a bridal salon, and eminently re-wearable.

Lucky size 4, this one's calling you!

Shimmering silk! Designer elegance! And the beading!

Spectacular Reem Acra

How cool would it be to through a fancy party on your tenth (or first!) anniversary and pull out one of these classically cool gowns. Yeah. That's style.

*Awesome designer fashions on sale, by invitation only. Email me if you need an invitation, and I'll set you up. I've gotten killer deals on a couple super cute summer dresses.

Infinity engagement ring

I love the idea of an engagement (or wedding) ring that represents the infinite.

This one is engraved with a line from modern poet Montana Wojczuk:

"Quietly now, the dreams are sleeping now it is time to live."

Could there be a more fitting sentiment for embarking on a life together?

Whither spring?

Another rainy weekend. Following on a too busy week. Many, minor professional ups and downs for the Mr. and myself, all part of our crazy, wonderful lives in academia. The fabulous - and frustrating - thing about academia (or is it life?) is that it's always in flux, never predictable. Opportunities arise and fall away. Decisions are ever pending, ever changeable.

I learned about an amazing post-doctoral position across the country. Was it the sublime opportunity to do months of uninterrupted writing that would result in numerous published articles and a book, catapulting me to academic fame - or at least tenure? Or was it a siren song, threatening to draw me away from all that I love: my home, my friends, my job, the Bay Area, and most of all, my new husband? Husband wants what's best for me; I want what's best for our marriage.

My dissertation advisor and current departmental chair encouraged me to apply, suggesting that the prestige of a postdoc could only enhance my future career success. Another advisor, who knows me better, discouraged me, pointing out that I've 'got it made' with a job and husband in a place I love.

It's hard to know what to do. Initially, I planned to apply, thinking that the chances of getting it are relatively slim anyway, and I could sort out my decision if and when I came to that. On the other hand, there's nothing in me that wants to move across the country right now... but is that just exhaustion, following on the heels of a year full of transitions?

One more week until spring break - to be spent catching up on home and work tasks. Including getting hooked up with my new doctor and dentist, because, according to this stress test, via 2000 Dollar Wedding, I have "High susceptibility to stress-related illness." Yikes.

Spring break, and even better, SUMMER, can't come soon enough.

If it were sunny, I'd be wearing this

or this

with this, via Oh Joy!


or this

Your heart on your sleeve

Happy Valentines Week! Though I know that there's a lot of cynicism about this made-for-Hallmark holiday, it's become pretty important to Mr. Barefoot and me, as it marks our first date, three years ago. Who knows whether we were shot by Cupid's arrow that night, absorbed the romanticism in the air, or finally got our timing right (like finding an empty taxi with its light on, in the midst of a downpour) - we'll surely be savoring our good fortune all week.

Remembering the carved heart cufflinks I posted about - but never purchased - for my sweetie nearly a year ago, I wondered what other goodies were out there to go with the French cuff shirt.


Leaving your prints all over your partner is one sure way to mark him/her as "off the market." I like the subtlety of these silver hearts.


You could take the more literal route, with this anatomical heart.

Add color, for a slightly more gothic look.


Or go for the old-fashioned wood cut.

Rings from Nature

Ooops! Somehow I stumbled into jewelry while Christmas shopping for other people.

Though my rings are fairly traditional, even vintage style, I'm loving the organic shapes, raw diamonds, and architectural balance of these designs, along with the artists' commitments to "right relationship with the earth, people and our natural and social environment as a whole."

These are great options for someone looking for designs a little more fashion forward than what's offered at Brilliant Earth (and further fodder for the files of "if we did it again, but slightly differently."*)

Shibumi Gallery, in Berkeley, is another stylish source of sustainably crafted, artisanal rings, as is the blogosphere's much beloved Beth Cyr.

Wouldn't this be a great ring for a surfer girl?

Seafoam ring

A stunning non-traditional engagement ring...

here

Todd Reed

Todd Reed

Todd Reed

*Or, recalling the advice from my niece to get one engagement ring for each finger, perhaps these are required as part of our marital contract ;-)

For the treehugger who's been nice, very nice

Oh my. I'm supposed to be finishing up my Christmas shopping online before we wing off to Pataogonia, but instead I've stumbled across a new Etsy love: nodeform. The balance and design of swirly architectural/ organic shapes is just amazing.

Maybe Santa's reading...

here

I'd love to wrap my arm in leaves...

Leaf Cuff bracelet

Or bark...

from nodeform