Episode 16: Mad About Plaid

Burberry has been a fixture in my life for as long as I can remember.  As a child, as soon as the cold weather swept through Boston, I can still recall my style savvy grandfather bundling up with a bit of signature plaid around his neck.  Yet, it wasn't until years later that I was able to recognize Burberry's timeless style and wanted some pretty plaid of my own.  I finally scored my own Burberry scarf in my later teenage years, and I have been thankful for Burberry plaid ever since.


Sometimes I feel like no one can do proper or timeless quite like the British, and Burberry is absolutely evidence of this fact.   While I held on to my original Burberry scarf for years, a couple of Christmases ago, my beloved Daddy gifted me a new scarf, and so I traded in my old stand-by for Burberry's Giant Check Cashmere Scarf.  I am absolutely mad for the camel toned nova plaid; I mean, does it get more classic?  Plus, the oversized check pattern of this scarf adds a contemporary spin, and because it's cashmere, it is soft soft soft like you wouldn't believe.


Not only is it a winter staple, but on a more personal note, while I would have forever treasured my scarf anyway, that was my Daddy's last Christmas so my scarf's sentimental value makes it even more important to me.  So not only am I thankful for the gift of plaid and its timeless elegance, but I am grateful for the reminder of my amazing father, his generosity, and--of course- his eye for style.

Giant Check Cashmere Scarf in camel check,
by Burberry

Episode 13: Loving Wallis

Without a doubt, butter London is one of my favorite nail polish companies.  Not only is it fabulously British, but the colors are splendidly unique--and always well named.  To me, the name counts, and I'll admit to being sold on one nail lacquer over another simply on the basis of a cool name.  In fact, naming the colors of cosmetics would be my dream job (anyone hiring?).  So I was pretty excited when my amazing friend, Annie Rose, gave me a bottle of butter London's Wallis lacquer for my birthday a couple of months ago--and I am thankful for the surprising opportunity it provided for me to learn about the namesake of this fabulous color.

Wallis Nail Lacquer, $14
by butter London

I had read a while back that Wallis was all the rage during London Fashion Week--and one look tells you why.  I have yet to see a color quite like this one, and that's really saying something because I get my nails done a lot.  Back in the summer, I was all about gold glitter polish on my toes, but Wallis is more than basic gold.  Rather, to steal the words straight from butter's website, Wallis is a tarnished metallic olive gold that heralds from butter's Fall/Winter 2011 collection.  According to butter's Founding Creative Director and color trend expert Nonie Creme, the collection as a whole was designed to “reflect the 'luxe-grunge' moment, and burst of new era, ‘dirty’ jewel tones prevalent on the catwalk for Autumn/Winter 2011.” Indeed, there is a certain rich darkness to Wallis that makes it sophisticated yet irreverent--and I absolutely love it.


The butter website's description of Wallis adds that the color is as mysterious and regal as its namesake.  This got me thinking, what namesake?  Not being a Brit myself (shame--I would love the accent), I thought that maybe there was some trendy royal that I didn't know about.  After some investigation, it turns out that there's a good story behind the name of this amazing nail lacquer, and I'm so thankful that a nail polish--of all things--pushed me towards a juicy little history lesson.  It also turns out that my original suspicions weren't totally off the mark...

The original Wallis:
The Duchess of Windsor in 1936
Photo thanks to Wikipedia

Born Bessie Wallis Warfield in 1896, Wallis was was an American socialite whose life story reads practically like an episode of Gossip Girl--though I venture to say that the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite have got nothing on Wallis.   Her first marriage to US naval officer, Earl Winfield Spencer, Jr. ended in divorce, though she soon married again.   It was during her second marriage, to shipping executive Ernest Aldrich Simpson, that Wallis was rumored to have become the mistress to Edward, Prince of Wales.  It wasn't until two years later, after Edward's ascension to the throne as King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the Dominions, that Wallis divorced her second husband--and Edward proposed to her.  


Of course, Wallis's checkered marital past was a red flag for those proper Brits; that is to say, the King's intention to wed a woman with two living ex-husbands threatened to cause a constitutional crisis in the United Kingdom and the Dominions, and so lucky husband number three ultimately abdicated the throne to be with his lady love. Following the abdication, the former king was titled Duke of Windsor by his brother George VI, and after their marriage, Wallis was formally known as the Duchess of Windsor (not quite the same ring as "Her Royal Highness"--but still).  And then they lived happily ever after.  Okay, maybe not--but they did hop back and forth across the pond, living the high life as society celebrities, surrounded by controversy and intrigue.  If US Weekly had been around then, I'm sure they would have covered the story.  


I never thought I'd learn all that from a bottle of nail polish, but knowing what I know now, the glittery darkness of butter's Wallis lacquer seems totally befitting its namesake.  So thank you, dear Annie Rose, for my amazing nail color--and for the opportunity to learn a thing or two about history and scandal.  Love it.






FYI: Nonnie Creme quote from butter London's website.  Information on Wallis from Wikipedia--so feel free to correct any unintentional historical inaccuracies!

Princess Pucker

I have a confession to make: I just don't care about the Royal Wedding (gasp, I know). Sure, Kate Middleton seems like a lovely young woman--and how exciting to be a real live Princess--but what's it to me, really? Nevertheless, when I received an email from butter London, the name of the shade of their NEW lippy No More Waity, Katie was just too cute and clever to resist.

Lippy is apparently what we "Yanks" know as lipgloss, and it is butter's first--and long awaited--departure from their line of amazing nail lacquer. The soft, sheer lavender gloss with tiny flecks of lilac glitter promises to help you land a prince of your very own. But don't feel that you have to pass on No More Waity, Katie if you're already living happily ever after with your Prince Charming! The light-reflective glitter will supposedly make your lips look fuller and more snog-worthy, and what girl (regardless of her bloodline) can pass on a claim to fame like that? So the truth is, while I could care less about the upcoming Royal Wedding, a princess pucker is definitely something I can get on board with.

Image: No More Waity, Katie Lippy $18 by butter London, available online (www.butterlondon.com).

The British Are Coming!

Sound the alarm, the British are coming! If you're not already familiar with Jack Wills, allow me to make a proper introduction... I was recently tipped off to this fabulously British company, whose design inspiration follows British military history, British sporting traditions, and British country pursuits. The overall effect is irresistably preppy with a twist of the eccentric that is as fashionable as it is proper.

While Jack Wills has its roots in the UK (obvi!), they've since expanded to Ireland and the US. However, if your summer travels haven't taken you the Vineyard or Nantucket, you've likely not seen an actual Jack Wills store. Never fear, there are rumors of further expansion in the works! But in the meantime, thanks to the miracles of modern technology, immediate gratification is available at Jack Wills online, where preppy purchases for ladies and gents, as well as home and lifestyle, are but a mouse click away!

Perhaps because I'm just soooo pregnant these days, I was immediately drawn to the Wills' lounge wear collection. No question about it, I simply must own the Torrisholme Hoodie! The striking JACK is printed in blue on black, a color combo that works for just about any lounging situation--and clearly I'm not above a little name dropping. After all, as you may already know, comfy chic goes quite a long way in my book.

Of course, a fashionista must always consider accessories--and there are indeed a few choice pieces that I'm just slightly obsessed with. For one, the Shawbury Spectacles in navy/pink are adorably girly, yet alluringly academic (and can you really argue with a duality like that?). Plus, I would be absolutely remiss if I didn't also call attention to the Brimslade Canvas Barrel Bag; it's basically perfect for a weekend getaway--or the gym, if we want to be practical about things (sigh).

As you can see, there's no shortage of great buys where Jack Wills is concerned. Fortunately, the price is right--and not for nothing, how often can you honestly say that when it comes to fashion? I encourage you test this fabulously British company for yourself, and I'm fairly confident that, like me, you will also want to shout it from the rooftops: the British are coming!

Special thanks to the always fashionable Chi-Chi for sharing the good word about Jack Wills!

All images from Jack Wills (www.jackwills.com), in order of appearance: (1) Jack Wills logo; (2) Torrisholme Hoodie in black $89; (3) Shawbury Spectacles in navy/pink $174; (4) Brimslade Canvas Barrel Bag in emerald $89.