Time to Chillax...

What a little hipstamatic snowbird my girl is going to be on the slopes this winter. These funky snowpants from Hanna Andersson are just what the proverbial snow doctor ordered. Enough of the solid color bib overall blues with those (yawn) "fast" flames that seem to epitomize edgy in kids' outerwear these days. Whether your little darling is skiing, building a snowlady or sliding down snowbanks, who says she can't make a little fashion statement while doing it?

The snowboarder pants from Hanna Andersson are water repellant and insulated with Thermolite. The cool, bootcut style gives some extra flair and room to move, while the reflective detail covers all the most important bases for safety-conscious moms. I first spotted them in the Hanna Andersson holiday catalog that just arrived, where they listed for $68. Fortunately for me, I happened to be in the Kittery Hanna Andersson outlet today and there they were, just as cute as ever, for the most adorable price of $27 on sale.

Lest we forget the boys, a rad plaid. Righteous!

Photos courtesy of Hannaandersson.com 

Something to live in...

I love a cozy sweater. Perhaps it comes from having grown up in a state like Maine. It's chilly for much of the year, and one is always in need of an extra layer or two. Of course, there is nothing quite like cashmere to make one's day more comfortable. Especially in its most basic form.

My earliest memories of appreciating the feel of cashmere didn't come from my mother, interestingly enough. It was my father who loved his cashmere sweaters and wore them, often with a shirt and tie, to work, and of course on the weekends. Cranberry, gun metal gray, Bermuda blue, soft yellow and the loveliest shades of teal, my father always had an enviable collection. V-necks and cardigans. His five daughters would beg for his castoffs, to no avail. He kept them in clear plastic boxes and stored them on the top shelf of his closet. I used to gaze up at them as a little girl, admiring all of the colors and counting them as if to keep track. 

I associate cashmere with comfort in the literal sense because of my father. I used to amble up on his lap as he read the Wall Street Journal in his den after dinner. It was my chance to have some time with my dad. We very rarely said anything. He was serious about reading his papers, but I would nestle myself in there and just listen. To the Henry Mancini in the background. To the turning pages. To the distant sound of my mother, cleaning up the kitchen. And I will never forget how soft his sweaters were...

Maybe because of his inspiration, I have always gravitated toward the more polished, yet comfortable men's styles when it comes to wearing sweaters ~ v-necks, boxy turtlenecks, roomy cardigans. There is something infinitely richer and more stylish to me when a sweater with a little weight to it is worn with casual ease. Elegant even.

That's an extremely tall order in the contemporary women's market today. Everything is over styled and under fitted, if you will. There is nothing worse to me than the indulgence of cashmere in a fitted, trendy piece. It's just not for me.

J. Crew, bless its heart, has finally answered my clarion call. The cashmere Boyfriend Sweater is a v-neck with a roomy cut. In other words, room to breathe and room to move. I love it ~ it's so much less uptight than its traditional counterpart, with a deep neckline that is wonderfully flattering and feminine. Available in basic colors like black, heather gray and camel, it's also available in great bursts of color like deep poppy and heather emerald, for $228.

Photo compliments of JCrew.com

Another delightful option is J. Crew's cashmere Isabel Sweatshirt. This is casual at its most deluxe, but with such yummy fabric and wonderful drape, it can jazz up any ensemble with ease. Available in an eclectic array of colors like caramel, dark poppy, navy, classic pine and heather nordic blue, it retails for $248.

Sweatshirt? Says who....

Photo compliments of JCrew.com 

Spare the monotony....

It's called icing on the cake, and no one does it better than Kate Spade.

These adorably eye catching iPhone cases are just perfect for our most treasured little hand held devices. Imagine ~ such style, such fun, such good cheer, all at your beck and call...

These little numbers are delicious eye candy that won't break the bank and are guaranteed to make you happy. You might even have to treat yourself to two.

"On The Dot" iPhone 4 case by Kate Spade, available in hot pink at your neighborhood Mac Store for $35. Turquoise and lime green, also $35,  available at Kate Spade.

"Sprinkles" iPhone 4 case by Kate Spade, available at Kate Spade for $35.

"Charm Magazine" iPhone 4 Case, retails for $40 at Kate Spade.

A Girl's Best Friend....

I know what they say. Diamonds are a girl's best friend. And though I suppose it's true, for me, it's all about my pearls. Portia's pearls, to be exact. I reach for them in darkness and in light. In celebration and in desperation. They give me color. They give me light. They enhance. They illuminate. They comfort. They help me put my best foot forward... and yes, they've been known to turn a few heads ~  which is never a bad thing. I can wear them to an evening fete, and I can wear them to the grocery store. Which, let's be honest, is most often the case. But whether I'm at the deli counter or sipping champagne, they flatter me always. I love that.

Delightful little baubles, and the closest of friends. We were made for each other. I knew it the first time I laid eyes on my very first strand.  All 52 inches of it. It was back in 2003. I was working in advertising and moonlighting at Helene m. in Portland on the weekends. Helene and I were putting a mannequin together, and out came this gorgeous little number with my name all over it.

"What is that?" I exclaimed to Helene, giving her my "stop the presses!" glance of complete awe.

"You like it?" she asked, not entirely convinced. "A woman came into the store the other day and asked if we were interested in selling her pieces. I told her we'd give them a try."

"Who is she and where does she come from?" I asked, determined to get to the bottom of this fascinating creation.

"Her name is Portia."

 

And the rest, as they say, is history. My husband surprised me with those freshwater pearls on pink silk Christmas morning the same year, and I never took them off from that moment forward. They became my signature, and I became her most ardent fan. And along the way, we became very dear friends.

Photo courtesy of L.L. Bean

Her pearls now grace the necks of some very fetching women, including Katie Couric and Maggie Rizer (for L.L. Bean) and have been featured in many a fashion magazine, including Allure and the New York Times Style Magazine. And of course, her pearls, though still very much available at Helene m., are also now a part of L. L. Bean's Signature Collection. 

Great strides for a woman with a fabulous eye and big heart.

A girl's best friend, indeed.