billy reid spring 2011 collection

Neil and I have been fans of Alabama-bred designer Billy Reid ever since we moved to Nashville and checked out his store here. The attention to detail in every heirloom-quality piece and loyalty to the designer's classic southern roots make the shop so easy to frequent (not to mention, the fried chicken and bourbon parties they throw every now and then). Contrasting patterned lining, hidden pockets on the insides of suit jackets, tailored vests and cuffed denim jeans meant to last forever.. clothing intended to pass down to your children and grandchildren. In an era of disposable everything, the concept is a breath of fresh air.

While Billy Reid focuses mainly on his men's line, his women's wear is generally just as exquisite. This spring, it's no exception. The mid length pleated navy skirt (with saddle shoes!) is my favorite, but the linen overalls are not far behind. And menswear for women is even better when it involves suspenders and double denim.

PS.. today's the last day to enter the peter pan collar giveaway!

sonia rykiel resort 2011

Sonia Rykiel's Resort 2011 collection is a genius combination of menswear, sheer tops, 1940s era silhouettes, and Art Deco geometric shapes. And I love the mix of chestnut brown and black.

My favorites? The chestnut suit with the matching tie top, sheer blouse and high waisted crop pants, and the black suspender trousers with the loose feminine bow blouse.

You can view the entire collection here.

Sewing Saturday tomorrow!

a prairie look.. railroad overalls and liberty print in the spring

Photos by Neil!

Vintage Striped Denim Overalls - Local Honey Vintage

Vintage Liberty Print Dress (worn as a blouse) - The Cat's Pajamas Vintage

White Thigh High Socks, Wide-Brimmed Straw Hat - Forever21

Cutout Lace Up Heels - Urban Outfitters

Here are the overalls and the dress I've been talking about.. and I love them both. Jessica and I made an Etsy trade (her shop is adorable.. check out this mohair cape, it's pure awesome) and I've been wearing the liberty print dress ever since.. even as a blouse sometimes, as you can see in these pictures. I wore it on its own to my fun blogger meet up that I'll post about in the near future, and I'm probably going to wear it out tonight to the movies with friends. I've seriously been wearing it too much.

And the striped overalls are another favorite, from Local Honey in Nashville! They might be the first pair of overalls I've ever owned. Like I said before, I've been searching for the ideal blouse to wear underneath (a white button up with ruffles, but not too ruffle-y, and three quarter length sleeves and maybe a high neck), and I haven't found it yet. So I improvised with this outfit because I loved the contrasting patterns. It's very Little House on the Prairie.

Imagine my surprise when Neil and I go to Borders the exact same night that we took these pictures and I find an awesome Nylon spread all about liberty prints and overalls. It was really beautiful and if I had caught it before we took pictures, I would have cited it as inspiration.. check it out, before the next issue comes out! Katy Perry's on the cover, but don't let that scare you away.

When we were at Borders, I also caught a glimpse of the latest British Vogue with Alexa Chung on the cover. It had great articles about a couple latest trends.. lacy, feminine items and a lot of whites/creams/nudes.. all so beautiful. The article on Alexa Chung was written by her and featured denim. I read most of it. I don't know. When people talk about jeans I lose interest, even if they throw in stuff about dungarees and chambray in the process.

I think I've gotten so sick of the prevalence of jeans.. sure, there is something elusive and kind of magical when you find the perfect pair of jeans simply because all jeans are shaped so differently and frankly, so are we.

But jeans are everywhere. Men and women and kids wear them to work and to church and to the movies and the grocery store and everywhere in between (I don't buy into the comfort myth.. I am a million times more comfortable in tights and an oversized button up or romper than I am in jeans). If you wear a dress or tailored trousers or a suit jacket or a skirt outside of a wedding, people ask you why you're dressing up. I remember in high school (and much of college), I had about seven or so identical pairs I cycled through. Long sleeved shirt, jeans. Cardigan and tank top, jeans. Different long sleeved shirt, jeans. I wore brightly colored socks just because I was desperate to add some personality to my wardrobe. I'm not vehemently against jeans, they can look spectacular and sometimes, a certain top or jacket calls for them. And everyone should probably own them. But they don't need to be an outfit staple every single day of the week, like they used to be for me.

I think that's enough ranting for today. Hope you guys are having a great week!