Thinning Out

In an effort to make a Fall move a bit easier I am yet again thinning out my closet. Below are a number of items it is time for me to part with. I did not include every single measurement as some of the items are rather generic, however please do email me should you have any questions. If you are interested in an item or if you have another offer please email me. Shipping is $5 per item, but as always I am of course willing to combine that. I will send all invoices via Paypal and can ship items as soon as tomorrow! Shop away!!

J Crew Gingham Seahorse Pants- 8

Waist: 16, Length: 41 (32 inseam)

$15

NWT ($138) Harrold's Sundress- 2

$30

NWT ($128) Lilly Pulitzer Kimber Polo- Small

$20

Well the surprise it out, I was in the Dallas Morning News yesterday!! Enjoy the article found in my local paper!!

Blogger stays prepared for parties with hostess gifts
10:39 AM CDT on Saturday, August 29, 2009
Jamie Knodel

Showing up at someone's house empty-handed is out of the question for Dallasite Helen.

"If they're going to the trouble of making dinner or having you over, a little gesture is the least you can do to let them know you're excited to be there," she says. The style blogger has a few go-to items she loves to share with hostesses and keeps a gift closet stocked.

And making sure the package looks good is just as important as the gift itself, she says. So in addition to keeping gifts on hand, the Monograms and Manicures blogger has a hearty supply of ribbons and wrapping. She says that in most cases, she doesn't spend more than $15 on a gift to show a hostess her appreciation.

If you invite Helen over, don't be surprised to receive any of the following:

Paper napkins. You can find napkins that will work for any hostess, she says. She looks for prints or patterns that match a hostess's home or personality. Her favorite brand is Caspari.

A pretty box of matches. A patterned box adds personality to a practical gift. Helen is a huge fan of the matchboxes from Lilly Pulitzer. She often pairs this with a basic candle before tying the hostess gift up with a bow.

Trinket dishes. Small silver pieces can work in any room, she says. Don't be surprised to see a hostess later using it to serve nuts, holding knickknacks on a desk or placed on a bedside table.

Measuring cups. Look for kitchen gadgets with a fun twist or theme.

Jamie Knodel Where to shop

So where does style blogger Helen shop for hostess gifts?
•St. Michael's Women's Exchange, 5 Highland Park Village
•Ivy House, 6925 Snider Plaza
•Anthropologie, Highland Park Village and NorthPark Center
•Dougherty's Pharmacy, 515 Preston Royal Village
•Madison, 45A Highland Park Village

And where does she stock up on ribbons and wrapping?
•Paper Affair, 5710 W. Lovers Lane
•Paper Source, NorthPark Center

My Backseat

Can you tell I LOVE pink and Lilly?!

What is in the back seat of your car??

More $5 Magazines!

Amazon is offering more $5 subscriptions to some of my VERY FAVORITE magazines! Through August 31st, 2009 you can subscribe to Town and Country (my number one!), Country Living (great ideas and recipes) and Harper's Bazaar (fun fashion) for about the same price as the coveted September issue of Vogue. Here you can see all that is being offered at this amazing price (please note the list price is not accurate and the extra discount will be applied when items are placed in to your cart as noted). Enjoy and let's all subscribe and get reading!

This is one of my current favorite songs; in fact I am listening to it on repeat right now.

Listen to the lyrics, they are so powerful. One of the reasons I love this song is that it can appeal to so many people. It is not a song that is only played on Christian radio stations, but on pop too. God works in mysterious ways, but He is calling each and every one of us!
Come down to the river
Come and let yourself in
Make good on a promise
To never hurt again
If you're lost and lonely
You're Broken down
Bring all of your troubles come lay 'em down
All you sinners
And the weak at heart
All you helpless
On the boulevards
Wherever you are now
Whatever evil you've found
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down
We're all tied to the same old failings
Finding shelter in things we know
We're all dirty like corrupted small towns
We'll bring our troubles
We'll bring our troubles lay 'em down
All you rich men
And the high above
All those with And without love
All you burdened Broken down
Bring all of your troubles
Come lay 'em down

WASP Wednesday: WASP Vehicles

In this week's addition of WASP Wednesday Muffy and I celebrate WASP vehicles! Just like everyone else in the world a WASP also must get around town. However, unlike many a WASP does not always have to have the newest model car in the most exclusive color. As we all know WASPs love classic and the longer something will last, the better. So, when it comes to driving WASPs never steer clear of the classic cars.

Just as with home goods and hair accessories WASPs like to go back to their roots when it comes to vehicles so they tend to buy European. Merecedes are WASP favorites. Not only to they have the classic lines, but they can last for ages (with just a handful of mechanical issues here and there). Mercedes can be bought when the youngest WASP hits middle school and last into the WASP grand parenting years; they just get better and better with age!

Like their British counter part, the Sloane Ranger, WASPs also love Land Rovers...especially Range Rovers. You can fit the entire WASP entourage in the Rover and speed off for a weekend in the country. Even the WASP dog can tag along in the back next to the onion souffle, bacon crackers, squash racquets and anything duck hunting related.
Finally, much like the Rover the Volvo wagon is also great for the busy WASP. The extra two back seats are great for WASP carpool from the country day school to the country club, but they can be folded down for Yale/Harvard tailgates. Again, the wagons last for ages upon ages so of course the WASP wife cannot leave the lot without one!

Your Look for Less

It is so easy to get carried away and spend, spend, spend on decor. We all want our living spaces to exemplify our taste and style so we often spend lots trying to achieve that. However, there is SO much out there that can speak you at a price that also is you if you are willing to look!

Recently, when flipping through one of my home magazines I came across a darling gold accent table. I took a good look and quickly noticed it was not just gold, but gold bamboo! I simply adore bamboo home items (I have a gold bamboo desk chair that I cannot get enough of) and love the sophisticated look gold can bring to a room. I was so shocked to find the table mentioned was under $200 too. The other items I had seen that were similar were well over $500 so I just had to head over to The Mermaid Hut and make sure the price was not missing a zero. Well, it most certainly was not and nor were any of their other prices! I found loads of darling gold bamboo tables under the furniture tab and some other fun home accessories throughout the website. The prices are most certainly right for me, now it just comes down to picking just one of the following three items...this is going to be tough!

Butler Table ($179)

I love the classic lines of this piece. I can just see it in front of a lovely sofa!

Nesting Tables ($399)

These are tres fabulous! You could use them in a Living Room or a Den or even an office!

Two Tier Table ($249)

This would be so darling set up with party drinks and canapes, wouldn't it?

Texas Weekend

Phew, it is hard to believe I am already sitting here watching Mad Men. My life has been jam packed since the end of last week and I have just been going, going, going! I had dinner/events everyday of the week last week, Friday night I worked at Lilly to kick off TX no tax weekend, I went on my Junior League retreat, saw Julie and Julia today, ran errands and then had a very exciting and fun interview afterwards (more to come on this soon)! The Junior League retreat was LOADS of fun! I knew four other girls going, but met so many kind, fun and sophisticated women. We had such fun chatting and I cannot wait to see everyone again later this week!

Some of the items on my to-do list this weekend include making a few calls- one to the Lilly townhouse and another to Neiman Marcus. I am THRILLED to admit both calls were incredibly successful. The townhouse had everything on my list (tax free none-the less) and I also met the cutest new associate who happens to be moving to Dallas next week. Nothing like expanding the Dallas Lilly circle!
I made my first call to NM during a retreat break yesterday and it was far from successful. However, I was not about to give up the search for my pink Manolos so I called the downtown store and talked to the most wonderful clerk. Not only did she find my shoes, but she found the last pair in my size and they were on sale!! I am not talking a small sale, but think more than half off plus an extra Last Call discount! I could hardly believe my luck, wow! It looks like I am all set and ready for Fall now! I cannot wait to wear all of my new items in the coming months!

Think Pink Times 2!

Ever since mother sinfully sent me a note briefly mentioning the Pink Quilted Manolo Ballerinas I have been in LOVE!

What true beauties these are! I wish these has been available when I bought my black pair, but alas that was not the case. I will just to covet these and continue the debate of giving in later this Fall. They match just about everything I own so it would be a win for my feet, my closet, NM and the economy!

Think Pink!

As you know I am all about the color pink. It has been my favorite color for as long as I can remember (except for the one month of Junior Kindergarten when I was obsessed with orange and begged mother to get me an orange smocked dress) as it just always makes me smile. With that being said I love to collect the basics, but always am sure to check if they come in pink before making my purchase! I have a pink mixer, a pink tennis racket, pink flatware and now pink mace!

Yes, you read that correctly, I am now the proud owner of mace in a pink case! This is the first time I ever bought mace, but with the crime towards women really picking up in Dallas I thought there was no better time to invest. I of course researched mace brands first, but after I selected what I felt was the best I had to see if it was available in pink. Lucky for me (and for you too!) it was! The Sabre Red key chain is available in pink from Amazon for just under $6- what a steal! Unlike many other key chain canisters, this one actually has 25 sprays so you will hopefully not have to refill...ever! It attached easily to my other keys and looks just like it was meant to live next to my needlepoint pink and green fob. Predators stay away because Hopsy is now ready to spray!
Another pink item I cannot live without is my Emile Henry pie dish. I actually got this as a graduation gift from the cook of the family, but fell in love with it long before I owned it. Now, while I do not bake pies, this dish is still used frequently in my apartment. It is perfect for my onion souffle, but also works for cooking vegetables and rosemary potatoes. The best part about this must-have item is that you can pick it up for just $22 through Saturday!!! The wonderful One Kings Lane has it one sale for next to nothing. Even if you have one of your own buy your new neighbor one and welcome them to the neighborhood in style! If you are not already a member of One Kings Lane I would be happy to invite you to join in on the home warehouse sale fun, just email me at kappaprep@gmail.com.

Now it is off to bed, but remember, wearing (or cooking with) pink will certainly make the boys wink!

Lilly Partnerships

Lilly Pulitzer has had their fair share of great partnerships over the years. I still remember walking through Dillard's at the Fayetteville mall when mother pointed out the DARLING Lilly Keds that has just come out. To this day I wish I had bought a large pair so that I could wear them with shorts and a summer polo!

Then there was Kate Spade. This is my favorite partnership of all time as it combines two of my favorite brands. Look at that fun tag too! Gosh, it is a mystery as to why I always let these bags go on eBay. I am just waiting for this one style in my favorite print to go up I guess...at this rate I think I might be waiting another eight years!
Then of course we had all the Jubilee partnerships: Monopoly, Steinway, Jeep and or course Florida's Natural (which still has yet to make its' debut in Dallas). Well, just because Lilly's 50th will draw to an end in a few short months does not mean the major partnerships have to fall by the wayside. As you many of you know Lilly has partnered with Lesportsac to kick off the 'Lilly Loves Green' campaign!

Though the actual campaign will likely launch in November the bags will not be available until February, March and April. Not only are the bags green in that they are reusable (I am for sure picking up the below bag for grocery trips), but they also feature endangered species (you know how I love the exotic animal prints)!
Just when you think you have enough Lilly comes out with something new! It is going to be hard to resist going green with a little bit of pink!!

The September Issue

I can hardly wait for this movie to debut in Dallas! I have had it on my calendar for over a month and will be in line early at the theater come the second week of September! Fashion movies seem to be quite the rage, remember Valentino earlier this year??

WASP Wednesday: WASP Hair Accessories

This week on WASP Wednesday: hair accessories for the WASPiest WASP! Muffy and I both adore hair accessories so what a perfect pairing if I do say so myself!

The well groomed WASP always completes their look with a finishing touch like a hair accessory. However, before you can put the barrette in place or put the headband on you must tidy up with a brush. Now, their are many options out their when it comes to hair brushes, but I think every WASP can agree that the very best is of course a Mason Pearson.

While other children are receiving Barbie's and Power Rangers from Santa the little WASP is finding their very first MP hidden somewhere in their stocking. This brush is so well made it will last them until the first year of prep school when they are finally forced to upgrade to the larger size (the female WASP will keep her original small size for purse use in years to come). The Mason Pearson is the ultimate brush and just like the WASP it too finds its' roots across the Atlantic.Also finding its' roots across the Atlanic in a country where the college WASP buy study abroad are the famed Ferragamo headbands. WASPs made the grosgrain bows classic wardrobe staples long before Gossip Girl came to be. These headbands are perfect for every type of WASP hair; they give a little height to the thinnest and keep the thickest out of the face. Also available are Ferragamo barrettes. These are great for pulling hair back while traveling or on a hot summer's day. The available colors are classic and match the majority of the WASP wardrobe. Plus the best part is they can be worn year after year. Like anything in a WASP's life the classics, hair accessories included, never become old in the WASP world!

Cakeballs

Ever since I posted I was baking cakeballs on Twitter I have gotten a number of comments and emails for the recipe. Now, please be advised that this recipe was taken from the famous Bakerella and just tweaked to my liking- I did not come up with the concept!

The first time I attempted to make cakeballs was for the 4th of July. I had NO idea how time consuming they would end up being, I thought it was a fairly straight forward process judging from the simple instructions I printed off. However, when all is said and done there are really not too many steps involved just quite a bit of time.

Follow the instructions for your favorite boxed cake mix (while I like the Red Velvet cakeballs, Funfetti have by far been my favorite). I would suggest substituting milk for water and melted butter for oil- this makes the cake taste much more like a homemade cake, it is by far SO MUCH better! I have also found that baking the cake in two round tins works much better than one large tin; just another detail you can play around with. Once the cakes have 100% cooled (be patient and let them cool COMPLETELY) crumble them up in to a bowl. The smaller the crumbs the better I say! Then- here is where things get messy- add in a tub of frosting. I use Vanilla Funfetti (without the sprinkles, so just vanilla I suppose) with the Funfetti and Creamy Vanilla with the Red Velvet (I am just not a fan of canned cream cheese frosting). I actually do not use quite the entire tub, but most of it.
I start by missing the frosting in with a wooden spoon and then finally resort to using my hands. Mix/stir/knead until the frosting and the cake crumbs become one. Now, form balls out of your batter (this was a bit messy so I forgot to photograph). It works well to use your hands or a sorbet scoop. I use the scoop to measure the amount and get the base shape and then perfect my balls from there. Be your own judge of size, but be warned that these are rich treats that you want to be able to bite in to! Once you have used all your batter up put the balls in the fridge for an hour or two to let them cool.
Once your balls have chilled melt your chocolate. I have found that while chocolate almond bark coats well, white chocolate almond bark is a bit of a bust and ends up being somewhat transparent and too thin. I suggest using white chocolate chips instead of the white almond bark. Dip your balls into your chocolate of choice and then transfer them to a wax paper covered baking sheet.
Now comes the fun part: decorating! While I adore sprinkles, I have found I prefer stripes on my cakeballs. Place your left over chocolate or almond bark in a pastry bag (or a Ziploc with a small hole cut on one corner) and quickly go to town! If your heart desires add some food coloring or colored melting chips to your white chocolate for bursts of color! Once you are done decorating place the cakeballs in the fridge overnight.

You can either serve them on a platter or package them up to gift. I suggest keeping cakeballs in the fridge (packed or un-packaged) until you are ready to serve them.

Phew, cakeballs do seem somewhat time consuming now, don't they? However, the end result is well worth it! Take these to work or school or make them as birthday party favors. They are cute as can be and not to mention, simply delicious! Happy baking all!

More Ribbon!

Yesterday I was running errands and could not resist popping into Hobby Lobby since I was in the vicinity. I have always loved Hobby Lobby (there is just something about craft stores) and I tend to find far too many things. However, yesterday I stood strong and passed up the pink and green 'Boo" yard sign (I do not have a yard so this was probably best, but it was SO cute), all the fun Fall and Winter items and decor and the frames. There was one thing that was too good to pass up though: the preppy pink and green ribbon at 50% off! I was in ribbon heaven and loaded on up on all my favorites of course. Now I have plenty of ribbon for gifts, crafts, swaps and maybe even those pillows!

Business Doing Pleasure

I LOVE this song and have a sneaking suspicion that these were likely the words going through father's mind last weekend as I packed up a 75 pound suitcase to send to mother in India!

Grosgrain Ribbon

It is no secret that I LOVE grosgrain ribbon and just about anything and everything made out of it. I have two super darling J. McLaughlin skirts and enough headbands, belts and flipflops to outfit a small army. Something I however do not have are many grosgrain decorative accessories.

When I worked at Serefina in Edina we had these beyond darling monogrammed grosgrain pillows. They were huge and had large monograms adorning them. In other words they were pure eye candy and I always wish I would have bought one. However, I have ended my regret by deciding that I would order loads and loads of ribbon in my colors (to match my apartment) and then get mother to have pillows made that will match my decor 100%! This should be a fairly simple process that should hopefully work perfectly (or so I hope!).

Some other darling grosgrain items I have come across in my search for the perfect grosgrain pillow are bathroom accessories. Who knew you could display your perfume on a grosgrain tray?
Or throw your trash in a grosgrain bin?

Ah, lovely and EXTREMELY preppy indeed! Add some fun and prep to your bathroom or powder with grosgrain bath accessories!

Not Soap Radio

Some time ago I received a delightful package from Laura (a fellow art history major) of Not Soap Radio. It included everything and anything I needed to make 'bath time' more refreshing and relaxing! While I had checked out the Not Soap Radio website before I received the products I still had no idea who they would actually smell or if they would compare to what I was using. However, these did not let me down! I have always been a fan of Philosophy (Amazing Grace and Falling in Love bath gels were my favorites), but Not Soap Radio's Say It With Suds may now take the cake. The scent I received is pearberry and it is SO delicate and fresh smelling; I love it! My other favorite product which I received were the lip glosses. I received a three pack as well as a larger single gloss so I really got to experiment with the colors. I loved these so much that I took them all on my one month tour in June- Not Soap Radio has been around the world with Hopsy! The glosses are not too thick and sticky. They go on smoothly and hold the color (so important for us busy bees!)- it would be hard to find something comparable for such a great price! The trio of lip gloss I hold near and dear to my heart as it is Kappafied! That is right, Not Soap Radio has a wonderful Greek line!

(Not sure why this photo is sideways- whoops!)

I wish there had been a quality beauty product line like Not Soap Radio when I was a Kappa! I would have ordered loads and loads of items, but I will just have to leave that up to you college girls now!

Not Soap Radio has so many fabulous products! They just added their new holiday collection (I want the Merry Christmas body suds for December!) to the site and I hear they are also hoping to launch a pink and green line in the very near future. Load up your card with swap items and gifts today!

WASP Wednesday: WASP Food

Welcome to WASP Wednesday! This, just in time for the boarding school send off parties, week bff Muffy and I are sharing WASP recipes!!

Like everyone else on the planet WASPs too love good food! WASPs love to dine at the club and the top restaurants in the city, but home cooking done by the actual WASP is kept a bit more simple. In the WASP household easy recipes tend to be best as they can survive being passed down through generations (from Mimzie to Sissy or from butler John to butler Charles). The fewer ingredients and steps the better chance that the recipe will continousy turn out.

An easy recipe that mother taught me at a very young age is her Onion Souffle. The recipe is nothing special, but it is as delicious as ever! Mother has made this all over the world and it is always a hit. Mother did actually make this for my Taft send off party way back in 1999 (ten years ago this September little Hopsy was headed off!) and ever since I left home I have continued to bake onions souffles for events and no one ever tires of it. Follow this simple recipe and have a hit WASP dish at your next gathering!

3 (8 ounce) Packages of softened Cream Cheese
2 cups Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise (WASPs tend to find MANY uses for mayo!)
1 Package Frozen Chopped Onions

Lay onions out on paper towels and press to remove all access water. Immediately after mix all ingredients in a bowl until they are well combined. Transfer them to a pie or casserole dish (passed down from mother or grandmother!) and transfer to the over. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes- make sure the souffle is heated all the way through before removing it. Serve hot with Ritz crackers and enjoy!

Lilly for the Holidays!

Who is going to have the cutest and preppiest tree in all the land?! Me! I just bought six Lilly glass ornaments to add to my collection! They were just $5 each, $5 can you even believe that steal of a deal? I found out through Jack on Twitter that the Aventura and Madison Townhouse had a handful of these so before they were gone I made the call! Call either store asap if you want to preppify your tree this year!

Oh, and before I forget I purchased the darling Lilly Santa Lion fabric a while back and will be incorporating this in to my look too.
It may only be July, but you cannot not start preparing for Christmas too early, especially when Lilly is involved!

Grocery Bought Flowers

Grocery stores often have the best flowers. Like floral shops they are still fresh (the Dallas stores get Monday and Thursday deliveries so go early!), but they are not overpriced. Depending on what chain you are going to you can be as lucky to find three hydrangea stems/bunches for just $8.99! While hydrangeas are lovely by themselves I always find it a bit more visually pleasing to add a few small flowers in. Try baby roses or tulips for a great look that can work for a brunch, luncheon or dinner party. Above is the arrangement I worked up yesterday. As you can see, you most definitely do not need to be a florist to have access to great product or to create a dainty arrangement!

Home!

This weekend I went home to MN to visit the grandparents, cousins and see father! He was in the US for meetings and extended his trip over the weekend so that we could all get together. We checked on our house, enjoyed a BBQ with family, did loads of shopping for mother and celebrated his birthday (I gave him the Lilly elephant tie that matches my dress below)! I had a magnificent time catching up with everyone and will give a more in depth update later.

Shower Caps!

Recently I have gotten a number of inquires about shower caps. Below is an edited re-post of my original April 2009 post on fun shower caps! I am a HUGE fan of shower caps. I have extra thick hair that I am lucky enough to only have to wash twice a week so a cute shower cap is a necessity in my life. While in boarding school I came across the CUTEST shower caps at Floris on Madison. I bought a darling show cap with pink and white picot bows and wore it for years. The shower cap lasted for a while, but it was accidentally thrown away while living in Kappa. Luckily, I was going to NYC for Thanksgiving a few weeks later and picked up this pink and green polka dot shower cap:
Sadly, Floris is now gone and Hopsy is in need of a new shower cap. I have searched high and low for my beloved bow shower caps on the internet and even tried making my own (this did NOT work). Well, I kept hitting a road block until recently. I FINALLY found the website of the company that makes these bath treats: Creative Associates. Guess where they are based? DALLAS! They have SO many options on their site, but the sad thing is they do not sell them online. However, a contact email is listed as is a phone number. Several bloggers had luck calling them and placing orders after my last shower cap post so you should have lots of luck too! Creative Associates has so many fun options to choose from. Of course I always tend to lean towards the pink and green, but they have floral ribbons, solids, black and whites and even a novelty section. You MUST check them out, I mean everyone needs to add a little flair to their shower so these are clearly the way to go!

Lilly does Couture

This past week I added two pieces of Lilly couture to my closet. While I love my everyday Lilly I have always loved the party line. The styles are always classic, yet still fun; they are very me in other words. This year I was so excited for the release of the very first Lilly Jubilee line and it did not let down. It truly is much more like couture in my book. As you all know the pieces are much for detailed and intricate thus making them much more unique. Lilly can do everyday, but they can do couture too!

I had been eyeing the Saemus dress for months, literally months and months. It looked wonderful on everyone that wore it at Martha and in the blog world too. I tried it on right before I left for Europe, but wanted to make sure I had to have it so I held off and intended to sleep on it. Of course I returned to Dallas and there were ZERO Saemus dresses in our store! Well, luckily Jack at Lilly Service came to my rescue and saved the day. Now Hopsy can look just like the amazing Brook Shields! I plan to wear the Saemus to a Kappa/SAE wedding at the end of the month and I will be certain to take photos!

Saemus Dress Silk Twill

Another amazing dress I have loved is the Brennan. I saw this dress at the Lilly Townhouse with mother the evening before Martha. She kept telling me it was stunning on the hanger and it was the type of dress I could have forever; aka it would be a no regret buy. Well, of course Hopsy did not jump on mother's advice (bad Hopsy, I know) and I almost lost out! However, Jack once again came to the rescue and found me the impossible! The Brennan is simply DIVINE! All the beading does make the dress heavy, but it is nothing short of beautiful. Mother was 100% correct when she said I could have this forever (fingers crossed I am disciplined enough to stay in shape to be able to wear it forever!). I have no exact occasion in mind for this of yet, but am thinking either my Cotillion or Slipper Club galas could be possibilities. I might just have to throw it on next week and have a mini photo shoot just for you!

Brennan Dress Embellished

If you are in the market for some more affordable couture be sure to check out the early Jubilee dresses on the Lilly site. Many are still available in select sizes so you had better jump on this boat asap!

The Porch!

Tonight was the second Dallas blogger gathering! We met at The Porch for a fabulous dinner and far too much fun and conversation! Tickled Pink and Green, Champagne and Cupcakes, Kim, Weasel's Journey and myself were all able to attend this three hour long event and it was certainly the most fun I have had all week! It was so wonderful to meet Kim, a fellow Kappa, after having emailed a bit and of course I loved catching up with everyone else. All in all it was a FABULOUS evening! If you live near other bloggers (or travel somewhere where a blogger or two live) I HIGHLY encourage you all to look in to getting together, internet friendships can be life long!

WASP Wednesday: WASP Footwear

Welcome to WASP Wednesday! This week Muffy and I are going to 'examine' WASP footwear. As with many things WASPs always tend to lean towards the old brands and so it goes with WASPs and their shoes. WASPs like to stick with the classics. Two brands that immediatly come to mind when thinking of WASPy footwear are Belgian Shoes and Stubbs and Wootton.

Belgian Shoes were designed by Mr. Henri Bendel in the 1940's. Like all good shoes they are handmade by some of the world's best. There is one style that comes in an aray of colors (you can find up to three colors on one pair!) and types of leather. The oh-so-classic bow can also be replaced for a crest or crown from the companies collection. My very favorite is the initial crown, but the maroon and blue pair also called out my name as it would be perfect for Taft sporting events in the years to come!

If you have not ever stopped in to the darling, little Belgian Shoes store in the city you must pop in on your next visit, it is not to be missed!

Stubbs & Wootton is another NYC store WASP footware shop you should NEVER just walk by! They too have been making classic loafers and slippers for years and years. Their needlepoint shoes are DIVINE and every WASP should own a pair. However, their velvet slippers are also true WASP classics.

The wonderful thing about Stubbs and Wootton is that they come out with new motifs every season, but the wonderful style never changes. They will sometimes bring back old WASPy classic too (I believe the chandelier currently on their site is one of these)!

(For the WASPy Kappa!)

Stubbs and Wooten has boutiques in all the WASPy locales, so even if you are not in the city often try the Palm Beach or Southhampton store. Who knows, you might even be as lucky as I was last November and hit them up on a day when the entire store is 50% off!!

This pair would not only match WASPy mother's closet, but the India condo as well!

Isn't this bow pair just DARLING?

Both Belgian Shoes and Stubbs and Wootton are wonderful house shoes, but they work well for travel too. They are most definetly a must addition for any WASP closet!

The best thing about the WASP lifestyle is that it never goes out of style. WASP shoes are classics that will last for ages and they will always be 'in'. You can buy a pair today and still wear it in 2080!