Just Another Manic Monday....

I spent half the day yesterday planning what I wanted to do today; none of it got accomplished. Mind you my day was well spent (as am I at this hour), just not on the tasks that I set out to do. Isn't it funny how Monday seems to be the universal dracula of well intentioned plans? Anyway, I did not want another day to pass without writing something, so here it is.

I'm busy turning the seasonal leaf for three different wardrobes. For LS this is quite simple, for though she is oblivious to style and fashion, she has an innate since of self that allows her to rock whatever you put on her with an undeniable cuteness and air of confidence. PS, on the other hand, has her own unique sense of style, and so because of my wanting to nurture her developing individuality, I try to be sensitive as I pry her favorite articles of clothing from the summer out of her vise like grip. My wardrobe, however, is a different beast all together.

My Nana was a pack rat. She held on to everything. I think it was a psychological manifestation common to her generation resulting from living through or shortly after the Great Depression. Experiencing the loss of so much, and having to make due with too little, made it so that when one acquired something (anything, it seemed in her case) they held on to it, forever. Every nook and cranny of Nana's home was jam packed with goodies. I mean floor to ceiling, from the garage to the attic. We spent our childhood summers with her and it never got old. Every year, every day spent with her in that house was an adventure, a treasure hunt just for us. She was an amazing woman, with impeccable taste, and the talent and ability to create beautiful things from scraps. She taught me to knit and crochet. Though she has been gone for longer than I even knew her, I can only speak of her briefly, because her absence still pains me to the point of tears.

Anyway, Nana must have passed down the pack rat gene to me. I have clothes from high school (before two bebes when I was a size zero) that try as hard as I might, I will never fit into again. But I can't seem to let them go. Clothes, shoes, accessories... they're kind of like music. Just like you can hear a song and it instantly takes you back to a moment in time, certain items of clothing can serve as a mental DeLorean, heralding back times from long ago. I look at a pair of jeans that my daughter can fit into now, remember the misspent youth i enjoyed in them, and I just can't take them off my shelf.

So what about you? Are you like my mother, ridding herself of any excess at very regular intervals (partly so she can make space for new acquisitions)? Or like me and my Nana, holding on to the stuff... and the memories? What do you have a hard time letting go of and why? I'm determined to make space in my closet for new pretties, so I will let go of those unnecessary things. I just have to embrace the fact that the best of my past will always be with me and my future will be even better...


Fashion Forever...



Quinn

My Cup Runneth Over

Oh. My. Goodness. What a time I have had over the last couple of days. There has been torrential downpour, resulting in flooding and school cancellations all over the state. I mean it was raining lions and wolves, you guys (as opposed to cats and dogs, lol)! But during this grey and wet time, I've gotten so much accomplished. Twitter is officially my new best friend. Anyway, I've been communicating with so many wonderful, creative people and I hope that the fruits of my labor will soon be evident for you all to see!

Until then, enjoy LS rockin' her daddy's favorite D&G sunnies!





Fashion Forever...



Quinn

Post Script (otherwise known as PS)

Did I mention i'm posting via blackberry? Have mercy please. I'll fix all grammatical, technical, and spelling errors as soon as I can. I can assure you, I have an excellent grasp of the English language and most nuances of written grammar, but the screen is so tiny and my thumbs don't move quite as quickly as my brain. I will make amends soon. ; P

Fashion Forever...

Quinn
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

"Fashion fades, style is eternal."-Coco Chanel

So I'm in the process of educating myself on the fashion industry and its many different facets, not just for me, but also for my daughter. She's an aspiring fashion designer and I want to do all I can to support her dream. She's only 9 years old but whenever she's asked "what do you want to be when you grow up?" she's says with all the conviction she can muster "a fashion designer." Then she goes on in detail about her around the world journey to success. Its quite cute and I'm going to nurture it. When she came and told me that she really liked fingerless gloves, I said "Ok. Bring home good grades and conduct reports at the end of the week and we'll try and find you some." She said that was cool and skipped excitedly to her room. She came back about 15 minutes later with a surprise. She had gone all DIY on a pair of old Hello Kitty mittens and snipped off the fingers. It was a bit sloppy and uneven but she was so proud, I couldn't possibly criticize her efforts. She proceeded to wear them to school the next day (mind you, we live in Georgia and most days the temperature resides in the mid 70's). My girl was fierce and fearless. How many 9 year olds have the vision to appreciate such a mature trend AND the courage and conviction to pull it off amongst their less savvy peers?

So every weekend, we go to the library and check out books on drawing and design and the history of fashion. I get books on style and interior design and together, we immerse ourselves into a world of visual beauty. Today I checked out (we're in a recession yall, the library is a book lovers best friend!) Nina Garcia's The Little Black Book of Style. Immediately I was struck by the beyond cute illustrations that decorated the inside cover. Upon further inspection, I was delighted that the entire book is littered with these adorable illustrations (by Ruben Toledo). So then and there I decided that Amazon or Barnes & Noble is about to get some of my money, because I have to have this book. I must possess it and collect these sweet pictures and do something with them (as of yet, I still don't know what exactly).

In other words, if you happen to pass your local public library or book store, I promise you, its worth it to try to find this precious gem of a book. Plus, if you're anything like me, every time you see the cover you won't be able to help but to hear Heidi Klum in your ear, repeatedly saying "Nina Garcia."






Fashion Forever...


Quinn


Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Testing, testing 123

Rock it left, right, and center. I'm officially adopting that "Zoe-ism" into my vocabulary (perhaps one of these days I'll post a glossary of her best catch phrases; she has so many good ones!).

My lap top is on the fritz (fashion fairy godmother, please wave your sparkly wand and make a mac book appear) so I'm attempting to post this via my beloved bb. I just had to write, because my alarm woke me up in time to watch a marathon of The Rachel Zoe Project, so of course inspiration hit me (and big belated congrats to Shrimpton Couture for having vision enough to catch the attention of a visionary).

I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with the creative mastermind behind Twisted Silver Jewelry (http://www.twisted-silver.com) yesterday, and now can list Debbie Mitchell in the rank of women that are not only inspirational stylistically, but also as a business person and amazing human being. Thank you for calling and conversing with little ol' me. You truly made my week! I can't wait to rock you gorgeous pieces left, right, and center!

So, I pretty much have a grip on what this whole blog thing will be about. But the lack of photos/pictures is kinda keeping me from taking off. The thing is, I guess I need to get over myself. I truly believe if you look good, you'll feel good, so I don't leave the house without looking fab. But I'm not gonna lie, 15 months later, I'm still carrying baby fat (and to be completely honest, most of it is from my 9 year old). So the idea of immortalizing my less than stellar figure for the consumption of the world wide web (I'm not being egotistical, just dramatic) is a tad bit daunting. Part of the point of doing this blog,though, is to prove that the average woman, especially stay at home mommies like myself, can be stylish and fashion forward. So I guess that along with hitting the gym and putting down the cookies (not just to be cute, but in order to be healthy), I need to embrace me. And hopefully, you will too. So you'll be seeing me soon... Till then...



Fashion forever...



Quinn

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Will write more later (or at least plan too!), but for now, I must, must, must thank Elle for the fabulous header, and Greta, Jessica, and Jessie for not only graciously replying to my "fangirl" emails, but also for just being wonderfully intelligent, stylish, inspirational women. Thank you all for taking time from your busy schedules to converse with little ol' me. I truly appreciate it!


Fashion Forever...

Quinn