Summer to a T

T-shirts. Not the first thing that comes to mind when someone says, "Preppy!" Let's be honest: there are those days when you reach for your polo and decide, today is a t-shirt day. And then you pop on the tee, walk out the door, and feel oh-so-hipster in your white (or grey, pink, navy, orange, striped, etc.) tee.


This summer, I decided to take a walk on the wild side and purchase, you guessed it, a plain white V-Neck t-shirt (don't worry, I didn't go too wild. It's from J. Crew. I still needed to stay a little preppy). Let me tell you, this shirt has been a staple in my wardrobe! Polo's are great, don't get me wrong, but there's a certain "beachy" feel with a v-neck made of oh-so-soft cotton. I wore my tee for about a week and I realized I needed to buy a few more to keep on constant rotation. I am now the very proud owner of not 1, not 2, but 3, yes, 3 white v-necks.







With those tee's constantly in rotation, I've managed to swap out white tank tops, white polo's, and a few other shirts with a white tee. Now, I'm not saying replace every shirt in your closet with a white tee, but for a casual day or night look, or you plan on beachin it later, this is the shirt to grab. For days, I pair it with shorts (usually a light salmon color or bright pink to get my pink in my outfit), a navy sweater and navy Sperry's. Nights include dark denim, a navy sweater, statement necklace and pink shoes. Beach time is my pink, orange and white Lilly Pulitzer Bikini with matching shorts and pink sandals. You get the idea.


Ever heard the expression, "jeans and a tee-shirt kinda girl" or "I'm having a jeans and tee shirt day"? It doesn't have to mean you look sloppy. On the contrary, as long as you keep the rest of your outfit polished and preppy, the white tee can add a bit of laid-back cool that everyone wishes they could do. Well, now you can, with the help of a fabulous white tee-shirt.

G & T: Summer at the Country Club

The hot topic for any and all country clubs has and will always be "Do you prefer G or T? For all of you non familiar with the country club lingo (it took me about 8 years of living at a country club to know what it meant), G stands for Golf and T stands for Tennis.



On top of the figuring out the confusing country club conversations, which iron to use (golf) or which court top you prefer (tennis), the real dilemma is what to wear. Golf and tennis both have rather strict guidelines on what to wear, especially if your country club strictly enforces the dress code and has their staff ride around on little golf carts inspecting your outfit before they allow you to proceed to the next green (yes, it happens).


Golf is Bermudas, Capri's (rather unflattering) or pants, a polo shirt and golf shoes (preferably pink!) Today I went off to the driving range (yes, summer has begun!) wearing khaki Bermudas and a pink polo shirt with my pink golf shoes. Bermudas are the bottom of choice for the summer, whether you prefer the classic khaki or a fun Lilly Pulitzer print to add a touch of pizazz! Lilly has some wonderful prints this season for the lower half. A polo is always necessary when playing golf. I prefer colorful polo's (bubblegum pink, turquoise blue, orange) especially when I'm just wearing my plain khaki shorts. Now, when it comes to golf shoes, don't settle for just any common brown and cream golf shoes. I'm talking about the pink and green golf shoes that make any pretty preppy pink-loving girl swoon. They stand out and show the world that you take pride in your appearance, are a unique individual, and are more than just a pretty face: you can shoot a birdie and still pose for the paparazzi.

Tennis, on the other hand, has much cuter outfits (don't deny, you know it's true). The tennis skirts, the cute tops, and lets not forget the allure of being able to play it in less than five hours! I like crisp white tennis skirts and bright tops in the summer. However, sometimes a dark tennis skirt is needed, whether you want to camouflage your less-than-toned derriere or just need something dark to wear down there. Navy or black are fail-proof options. Just be sure to pair with a brightly colored top to snazz things up! Pink, white, white with pink stripes, argyle, any pattern is acceptable.


Whether you decide to wear Lilly prints or a black skirt, a popped collar polo or a straight collar, or golf or tennis shoes, just take a break, sit back and discuss the greatest question of all time (at least in the country club world): golf or tennis?

Yacht Jaunt

A few weeks ago, received an invitation. It said that I was invited aboard Sunseeker Superhawk 43 Yacht (more commonly known as the James Bond Quantum of Solace Yacht) this weekend. After I got over the initial giddiness of the situation (I don't know about you, but I am not asked on a frequent basis to go on a yacht jaunt), I thought of something very important: What should I wear? I instantly imagined myself in a darling little yachting outfit, a navy nautical dress with white and gold accents. Then I wandered into my closet and was jolted back to reality. I have nothing that is a navy nautical dress. I have a few things that could give the essence of the idea, but I didn't want to appear too "done". Another aspect to keep in mind is the pesky weather: It's June, which means it's hot at some points during the day, then June Gloom crawls in and casts a misty marine layer over everything, making the temperature drop by about twenty degree's.


My first instinct was to reach for the Lilly Pulitzer catalogue to find the perfect outfit. Wow, was that a good call! Personally, I love to add pizazz to my outfits, and with these Lilly Pulitzer pants, it's just like a never ending party! The patterns and colors are enough to brighten even the gloomiest June days. I love the patterns, however, if you are a little afraid of all that color (i.e you don't like pink and orange flowers all over your bottom half for what ever reason), I would also say stick to the classic white shorts and fun, patterned top (be sure to keep a sweater, scarf and blanket nearby just in case the weather turns). A few wonderful options of these pants and shorts are:

Lilly Pulitzer Pants:

I created a few options that still capture the essence of a carefree jaunt on the yacht yet are still pulled together and look fresh and effortless. However, in regards to the weather, I came up with one key phrase to keep in mind: layering



My go-to items for layering include J. Crew sweaters (typically navy) and scarves. Layering is a key element when it comes to dealing with Southern California weather, especially in June. You might be rocking that fabulous orange skirt and ruffle tank top, but if it's drizzling outside, you'll just look like you're freezing cold. And believe me, looking like an ice cube is never cute, especially in June. So, layers!! Sweaters (sometimes more than 1) are wonderful ways to either dress up or dress down an outfit. One particular sweater I know I will be living in this summer and next year is the "Piped and Twisted Cardigan" from J. Crew's new collection. It's DARLING!






The best part is about all of these outfits is you can take any piece, whether it's the crisp white shorts or the hot pink and orange flower capri's and pair them with a tee, polo, top, or sweater and they'll all work! Take those white shorts and pair them with a patterned top, like this:

A crisp nautical navy and white striped top would look fresh and polished when paired with white shorts and brown Sperry's (see Hello Summer blog for more on Sperry's). Those fabulous pink pants would look smart with a white polo or tee and sweater. The most important bits about this look are:

a) trying to stay warm as soon as the sun goes down

b) everything in moderation. For example, hot pink pants and an aqua chiffon confection? Not so much. But hot pink pants and a white polo? Perfection

c) effortlessness. It should look as if you look this fabulous anytime and are always prepared and up for going on a little yacht jaunt.

Whether it's the cute white shorts and brightly patterned top or the flowered pants and crisp top, you'll look fabulous on any yacht jaunt. Bon Voyage!