Wooed by Wu

Ever since Jason Wu emerged onto the scene with his stunning gown for Michelle Obama at the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Ball, I have been a huge fan of his work. He has a fresh style that manages to be both feminine and classy, whether it's a wear-to-work sheath dress or a gorgeous frock for a special occasion.

But his designs will cost you - usually several thousand dollars.

That's why I was so excited when he paired up with Target back in February 2012. I was there at my local Target store very early on Sunday morning, February 5th, 2012, so I could have my pick of the best styles in my size. I think I arrived at the store about 15 minutes after it opened - and even by then, everything had already been picked through. The one dress I wanted, a cute navy blue poplin dress with red and white accents, was no longer on the rack in the my size. I was so upset (disappointed).

Dress and Purse: Jason Wu for Target

I tried on a few things, and ended up with a purse and a shell in a fabulous aquamarine color that I knew I could wear under a suit. But THE DRESS eluded me. As I emerged from the dressing room with my new items, I spotted the dress on the rack of discards that hadn't yet made it back into the store. I quickly looked through the sizes... no size 4. But I would not give up hope yet!

I stood my ground, and a few more people came out with the dress, but not in my size. Finally... hope. A young woman came out of the dressing room with the dress, and I quickly saw it was in my size. However, another young woman had the same idea I'd had, and we reached the dress about the same time. I was adamant, though - I'd been standing there much longer than the other woman, and I wasn't about to give up that dress. I could see the sales girl wanting to side with the other woman, because I was very clear (and truthful) that I had been waiting there longer. I knew the sales girl had seen me, too. Finally, the other woman gave up, and the dress was mine. I grabbed it and ran to the register. I did not want to spend any more time there. I'm not a violent person, and I HATE confrontation, so that took a lot out of me. I guess you could say I just really wanted that dress.

In recent news, after the success of his Target collaboration, Jason Wu will be launching a new line called Miss Wu that will hit Nordstrom stores in January 2013. According to the news articles I read on the announcement, the line will start at about $195, which puts it much more in my price point that his high end, thousand-dollar designs. I am super excited to see what he will come up with for the lower priced line.

Check Out This Author

I've mentioned before on this blog how much I love to read, and one of my favorite authors is Australian Liane Moriarty. I recently finished her novel, The Hypnotist's Love Story, and if you are looking for a fun, fast read that's a perfect complement to poolside lounging - look no further.

Last year I wrote to Ms. Moriarty to tell her how much I enjoyed her 2011 novel, What Alice Forgot, and to my delight and surprise, she actually responded. So, like the dork I am at heart, I decided to write her again when I finished The Hypnotist's Love Story. And, again, she wrote me back. How cool is that?! I've included our recent correspondences below, and definitely check out all Ms. Moriarty's books on Amazon's Liane Moriarty Page.

Happy reading!

July 10, 2012

Dear Ms. Moriarty,

Hello! I don't know if you remember me, but I wrote to you last year while I was reading What Alice Forgot. I am such a huge fan of your writing, and eagerly awaited the publication of your latest novel in the US. In fact, I almost ordered it from an Australian site before it was even out here! I just finished it today, and it was another hit. I loved the character of Ellen - she was so real! - and it was interesting to see another side of a stalking case like that. I wasn't sure about Patrick and Ellen until the end, and then, of course, I'm glad they ended up together. What an intriguing idea for a book - not just the hypnotism side of things, but the whole story.

Australian Cover

I'm sure you hear praise like that all the time! You are fabulous, and I just wish I had a new Liane Moriarty novel to look forward to more often. Do you ever think about going on a book tour in the US? I tell everyone I know about your novels, but more people should definitely know about you.

My husband and I were recently on a vacation in Italy, and we met up with so many Australians. One couple was seated right next to us at a dinner in Milan, and so we got to talking. The wife loved to read, and I told her all about you. I was shocked she hadn't heard of you! :)

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for another wonderful read.

Best,

Michele

Dear Michele, 

Who was that Australian in Italy who didn’t know my books? What sort of Australian was she? Thank goodness you were there to set her straight. (Actually, I am extremely envious – a trip to Italy would be wonderful right now, although I have to admit I don’t even have a valid passport at the moment, that’s how home-body-ish I’ve become.)

I’m so glad you enjoyed The Hypnotist’s Love Story and I’m VERY grateful that you’re recommending my books to people. I’m sure a book tour in the US will be on the cards some day, although I think need to write and sell a few more books before my publisher will feel justified in bringing me out, so in the meantime I’ll have to depend on you to keep telling your friends. When and if I do get there, I will look forward to meeting you and thanking you personally for all your wonderful support.

With very best wishes,
Liane Moriarty

PS. Hope your George is not being as naughty as mine is right now...

La Dolce Vita

Chapin and I recently traveled to Italy, a dream vacation a decade in the making. We spent ten wonderful days exploring Milan (fashion capital!), Rome, and Florence and all their culinary, artistic and scenic wonders.

My wonderful husband, Chapin, waited to give me my 34th birthday present so that we could pick something out together on our trip. He ended up buying me this beautiful Dolce & Gabbana Stretch Crepe and Lace Dress at the Dolce & Gabbana store in Rome, Italy.


Chapin took this picture of me at home in Atlanta. It was a windy evening in June, and -- surprisingly for Atlanta in summer -- it wasn't too hot yet. I really love the juxtaposition of the city and the dress in this photo, because it seems to mirror the combination of the crepe and lace in the dress itself. This dress is just the epitome of cosmopolitan chic.

Plus, I love how the fabric hugs my curves. These two men sure know how to dress a woman's body.

I was thrilled to discover as I was writing this post that several celebrities have been spotted in the dress:

The actress Liv Tyler wore the dress to the 2012 Golden Globes InStyle and Warner Brothers After Party. Liv was more demure, pairing the dress with a wrap. She is seen in the photo posing with actress Kate Beckinsale.

Actress Deborah Ann Woll also wore a tricked out version of the dress for Entertainment Weekly's 2012 cover shoot of the True Blood cast. I think the dress is perfect for a vampire, don't you?

At least I'm in good company wearing this sexy dress!

Polka Dot Print

If you liked Natalie Portman's Dior Haute Couture polka dot dress at this year's Oscars, then you will want to check out the Nanette Lepore Want Me Dress.

This Nanette Lepore dress is on sale now ($328 reduced to just $131.20) and comes in two different color options: black/white and black/violet. Hurry, though, because only limited sizes are available. I prefer the black and violet version, because -- like on Natalie's dress -- the polka dots seem a little more subtle.

The dress is also available at the following retailers:

• Cusp (on sale for $115)
• Bergdorf Goodman (on sale for $196)
• Revolve Clothing
• PiperLime

I did not think polka dots would work for an event as elite and elegant as the Oscars, but Natalie pulled it off. I love her whole look here, especially the gorgeous Harry Winston diamond v-shaped necklace she sports around her neck. Now where can I get some bling like that?

Nanette Lepore Want Me Party Dress

Baby Shower Fashion

My sister, Gail, and I recently threw a baby shower for our little sister, Laura, who is expecting her first child -- a boy! -- this March. My nephew, Reid Payne, is due to enter the world on March 17th, and my family is so very excited about the new addition to our family.

Me (left) posing with my pregnant sister, Laura

My mom was integral to the planning of the shower. With work being so crazy lately, and Gail doing what she could from Nashville, I think the baby shower was such a success because of her dedication and arts and crafts savvy. (I wish I could be more like that... but I'm terrible with crafts and any kind of homemade project.)

Highlights from the baby shower include:

Food

• Zaxby's food! Laura had a craving for Zaxby's chicken fingers, so we served them, along with Zax Sauce, and a selection of chicken sandwiches and salads.
• Blue frosted vanilla cupcakes courtesy of my favorite cupcake place, CamiCakes.
• A beautiful chocolate jungle-themed cake with koala cake topper to match the shower invitation and nursery theme from KT Kakes (and my best friend since 1994, Katie K.). Katie has her own blog, and writes about the experience of creating this cake here.

Decorations

• Tables: We decided to use stuffed animals as table decorations so that Laura could keep them for the nursery after the shower was over. We included a pug -- Laura has two of her own -- along with a giraffe, elephant and monkey.
• Diaper Cake: My mom created a beautiful diaper cake with a koala on top that matched the real cake. Laura's nursery is koala themed, so we wanted to included koalas in some of the shower decorations. It's also great because Laura gets to keep all the diapers!
• Party Plates: We also found plates and napkins with a cute jungle theme print to match the decor... at The Dollar Tree! (I couldn't find the exact ones online, but they are included in the picture above and feature an elephant, lion and other animals.)
• Baby Clothes: My mom found some clothes that Laura wore as a baby, and strung them on a clothesline along with some new clothes for Reid.

Entry way featuring the Diaper Cake

Games

We had a few fun games that we played during the shower:

• Trivia: I had fun creating the entertainment, history and baby themed questions for the trivia game. Do you know what 1988 movie starred Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern as a couple trying to have a baby? Could you pinpoint the year that Mother's Day became a national holiday? Do you know where Katherine Heigl worked in Knocked Up? Could you name the original Gerber baby? If so, you may have done well during the game.
• Guessing Game: Guests saw a jar of animal crackers when they came into the venue. They had to guess how many were in the jar! 
• Onesies! To make the present opening time a little more fun for guests, we had them each guess how many onesies Laura would receive as presents.
• Belly Measuring: Guests had to take a gander at the measurement of Laura's pregnant belly. This picture is probably my favorite shot from the day:

Measuring Laura's belly

We think Laura's guests had a great time!

As for the fashion, Gail and I decided that we both would wear shades of blue in honor of the baby boy shower. I chose my new Nanette Lepore Local Vine Dress in Teal, which I am completely in love with. For some reason, the bodice started rippling, and I'm wondering if it may need some boning to keep the shape. Perhaps that is something I will attempt to add one day! You can still buy the dress on NanetteLepore.com. It was originally $378, but it's available for $151.20. I fortunately got it on sale with my Christmas money! The dress also comes in black and raspberry, as well as a dark gray.

This dress would work on a variety of different body types due it's A-line design. The belt helps showcase a tiny waist, and the cap sleeves help slim the arm. The teal and raspberry are my favorite colors... I love bright colors because they can work on so many different skin tones.

The dress is exceptionally well made, too, and definitely worth the sale price. You can find so many great deals on Nanette Lepore's dress sale page. Happy shopping!

Posing with my mom and sisters

Dressing Up in 2012

My Mom drew my name in Secret Santa, and since she knows me so well, she bought me a dress! (I'm really not that hard to please when it comes to gift giving.) The dress, from the designer Vince Camuto, features a side zipper and came in this beautiful burgundy color.

Vince Camuto Zig Zag Seamed Sheath Dress:
It's on sale now for right around $50, marked down from $140, at Dillards.com.  You can also find the dress in select sizes at Belk.com for the low price of just $35! That's quite a deal, so scoop it up now while you can!

A Toast to 2011

New Year's Eve

My sisters and I, as married ladies, have to take turns spending Christmas/ Thanksgiving with our parents and family in Alpharetta. In 2011, we were all with my parents for Thanksgiving and our in-laws for Christmas. On the years we are not all together for Christmas, we usually try to get together for New Year's Eve, and this year was extra special because we also waited to exchange gifts until December 31st.

We did a Secret Santa gift exchange so that we could all buy a gift for just one other person. The dollar limit was $50. I drew my sister, Laura's, name, and since she is expecting her first child in March, I wanted to get her something that was really meaningful, to help her understand how excited and happy I am about the impending arrival of my little nephew.

I decided on this Tiny Name Charm Necklace from Three Sisters Jewelry Design by Zoe. Not only do I love the name of this website (Three Sisters!), but this necklace was the perfect price at right around $50. I also had "Reid," the name of my upcoming nephew, engraved on the charm. Laura loved the gift, and tells me she wears the necklace everyday. I'm glad I could get her something so special.

I had heard about the company through People's Style Watch Magazine, and had been wanting to buy something from the site for quite awhile. The craftsmanship on the necklace was top notch, so I most likely will buy again. I love finding unique gifts for my friends and family, though most of the time, I end up getting a gift card, sweater or purse or something typical like that. My friend from college, Laurin, is probably the queen of unique gifts. I will always treasure the Izzie necklace she gave me for my birthday in 2010, and every year she surprises me with something totally unexpected. I wish I could be so creative. Some years, she even makes the gifts. I could never do anything like that.

Magret Duck from di Paolo

After we opened gifts, we spent the rest of the afternoon snacking on appetizers and cookies leftover from the Cookie Party the day before. We also played games, including Bananagrams, and after Laura and her husband went home to tend to their pugs -- we are a pug family -- Chapin and I dressed for our dinner out. We had planned to eat a nice meal out with my other sister, Gail, and her husband, Rich, at one of our favorite Alpharetta eateries: di Paolo Restaurant.

I wore the Royal Purple Nanette Lepore Still Free Shift Dress (no longer available), which I paired with my new Kate Spade New York Women's Gina Platform Pumps in Gold and Kate Spade Sparkler Coin Purse (that I use as a little clutch).

We ordered a bottle of wine (or two), the special bruschetta of the day, and then dug into our entrees. Chapin and Rich both had the duck special: Magret Duck with roasted sweet potatoes, pancetta and an orange duck demi glace. (Check out the picture on the left.) Gail opted for pork and I had fish: the Pan Roasted Grouper with Corn-Mascarpone Risotto. It was just a wonderful meal, as it always is at di Paolo, and I loved getting to try out the risotto. It was delicious!

We ended the night with a game of Taboo with my parents, and drove home just in time to see the ball drop in Times Square. Happy New Year 2012 to all!

With my sister, Gail, on New Year's Eve 2011