Category Archives: fashion forward

calling all bootie-belles…a much-needed friend-1-1 tip

01 Friday Jan 2016

Posted by in fashion forward, friday friend 1-1, just sayin', what's ringin' our belle

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Okay…it’s time for a tip.  Ankle booties are everywhere and they are here to stay. We love them as much as you do…what we don’t love is seeing your white or mismatched socks ….the ones that show when one can see straight down!  We love the glimpse of ankle, the hint of skin.  But any sock that hits above the ankle can be seen from a downward angle where the booties open.  

 
Via Pinterest 

Zee solution??? Grab a pair of these footies and never fear again. They would make great stocking stuffers for all the belles in your family as well.

No need to thank us…that’s just what belles do.  Just sayin

a&a

what’s in, what’s out…get ready for ’16, belles

31 Thursday Dec 2015

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According to WhoWhatWear as well as our other “sources”, here are some suggestions for being on-trend in the new year. 

 

from ghostlygoingson.com

 
To be soooo 2016…

Time to embrace…
  
Turtlenecks…like this one from Vince at Nordstrom

  
Mary Janes and kitten heels…like this Kate Spade cutie at Nordstrom

  
Florals/jewel tones for spring/summer…like this stunner from Alice + Olivia at ShopBop

 

from exit977.org

 
And here’s what’s sooo 2015

Time to retire…

  Peplums

  

Clunky shoes.  Go for a more girly look. 

  
Hi-low hemlines. Decide on a length and stick to it in 2016

Stay tuned, belles…this is just a start. And Happy New Year!!!

a&a

shoppin’ local…gifts to grab-n-go (augusta road edition)

16 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in fashion forward, the organized belle, what's ringin' our belle

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Over the last couple of weeks, we have shared some of our favorite gift-worthy items from retailers near and far.  Because time was on our (and your) side, we were focused on the lazy-belle way of shopping…online. Now that “the big day” is only a little more than a week away, we decided to scour local shops to find the very best they had to offer in the grab-n-go category (no sizes needed, easy to wrap – or have wrapped – and not too hard on the wallet).  

  
 From Muse Shoe Studio…where the selection goes far beyond shoes…

hair ties in the form of jewelry to adorn that ever-present ponytail (in our case). $6 individually-$44 for the set (from “by Lila”)

  

a huge selection of Hobo wallets

scarves galore

  

“BootKeepers” to protect that investment

  

these sets of studs will suit young and old (and the multi-pierced)…$30 for the set

  

Morse Code bracelets (so clever)…$45

  

this Dolce Cabo faux-fur vest…just $98

 

  
From Gages… 

these Conditions are Perfect flasks make for perfect conditions…just sayin’

  

a conversation piece with a noble purpose…one belle-husband must have! ($135)

  

doesn’t every nest need a holiday scent right now?

  

for the teacher…for any belle on the go…we must all be prepared!

  

every belle likes to snuggle up…Lands Downunder can help

  

to help keep track of those keys…only $19.50

  

and back to always bein’ prepared…never know when you might have to have a Moscow Mule!!

 

  
From Twill…

an impressive selection of Graybill and Downs candles and body lotions…a scent to suit all noses

  

keep her ears fashionably warm…$75

  

quite a selection of blanket scarves

  

Baggu pouches…like butter…only $64

  

this edgy, pink Rebecca Minkoff…only $95

  

a large selection of Gigi New York…always a winner

  

keep her organized with these fun cosmetic bags…$45-$55

 

 
From Savvy …

assorted beanies to suit all tastes

  

what belle doesn’t need a fashionable hand??

  

oh-so-popular felt hats …$38

  

THE earring from Sheila Fajl…she needs multiple sizes, of course

a Melvin race to the elbow will make her happy ($27-$45)

a bargain of a tassel necklace…only $32…you can put every color in that stocking, just sayin’

  

and a brand-new shipment of blanket scarves…get ’em now…they go fast!

 

  
From Monkees of the West End…

 

oh-so-chic and earth-friendly “Sew Few” bags…made right here in Greenville!

  

every belle needs to stay fashionable…even in soggy weather (from the Fillmore)

  

Hunter boots and more Hunter boots…a no-brainer!

  

Furrrrrr vests…just yummy ($285-$335)

  

T Marie necklaces would make any belle happy

  

YOU get a Sylvia Benson…and YOU get a Sylvia Benson…wait for the screams

  

über-fashionable Daniel Wellington watches for him and for her!

  

IMG_6404

Mary Kate & Ashley have scored with their Elizabeth and James line…she needs a piece (or two)

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So…there’s your first installment of shoppin’ local. We’ll take a right on Main Street tomorrow!!

Ho, ho, ho!!

a&a

for her…gift-giving brainstorm for the belles

23 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by in Beauty belle, belle of the ball, fashion forward, what's ringin' our belle

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It’s coming…ready or not!  Christmas is just a few short weeks away, and those gifts aren’t going to buy themselves!  We figured we would brainstorm some kick-ass ideas for you…’cause that’s what belles are for…

We have some ideas for him, her, the techies, the hostess…and we will share them all this week as we prepare to enter the “vortex”.  First up:

Some ideas for her…

Ya know how we are always saying, “remember who you are and where you came from”??  These will help with that:

From A. Jaffe:

 

the 14k gold version

 

Choose any location in the world and A. Jaffe will engrave the map and place a diamond where “X marks the spot” for where her heart is (or should be)…(there’s a less expensive sterling version as well)

And from Coordinates Collection (above…we’ve told y’all about these before) use the coordinates of that special place to create a piece that will be all hers

For a comfy, daily-wear bauble, from Mark and Graham, this Ariel Gordon Semi-precious Stone Necklace will be sure to please

 How about polishing up that  ponytail ? Comes in gold or silver . A great stocking stuffer from Nordstrom.

And from BuDhaGirl…we are still big fans of these all-weather bangles…for a bit of mindful glamour!


From our fave belle-friend-owned jewelry store, Croghans, in Charleston, this crowning glory of a ring (above) is perfect for the princess or regal matriarch.


From Nordstrom she will love these Stila “sweet kisses”…an excellent stocking stuffer!

 

in “pebble”

For the travelin’ belle, Longchamp’s Le Pliage (also available at Nordstrom) is a classic that she will surely love!

and this lux face brush from Tory Burch will be treasured


The Lenora Dame Polar Bear or Orange Puff bag charms from Shopbop will add some whimsy to her adventures


From Shopbop, the Shrimps “Abatha” faux fur coat will keep her warm


And the feet stay warm with these Foxy Sox (also from Shopbop)

Stay tuned…there’s more to come!

a&a

fifty shades of grey, belle-style…and fashion loves

12 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by in fashion forward

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We are creatures of habit and both of us prefer a neutral palette in our wardrobe.    Grey in all of its many hues and tones is a key player in our closets. It holds its own monochromatically, embraces other neutrals beautifully, and handles any pop of color with ease.

Here are fifty or so of our favorite pieces in no order of preference….we adore it all! 

1.

  Fuuuurrrgettt….it……!!!

2.

Time to get felt up!!!
3.
  

Gloves off belles!!!
4.

 
Because belles can relate……  
5.

  For rainy day puddling…

6.

 
Real shades of grey….
7.

   
Show off your shoes with these pants…

8.

  
Show off that pedi…. 
9.

 
And that’s a wrap….except it’s not!!!
10.

 
Stay hydrated!!!!  
11.

 

 Grey can be so chic…… 
12.

 Dress this little number up or down….
13. 

 
It’s time to pump you up!!!
14.

  
Pearls before swine , belles…..
15.
   
Belles are boss….just sayin’
16.

 
Nothing dreary about these leathers…
17.
    
But you might need to stay fit in order to fit in them!!!
18. 

 
Step worthy belles…..
19.

    
These will fit your frame perfectly.
20.

  Layering grey is always a great idea….
21.

 
Wrap yourself up ….you deserve it. 
22. 

  Subtle shades of sexy…

23.

 
A clean polished Jean….

24. 

 Belles need to bag this!
25.

Let this jacket wrap itself around you  

26.

 
Sweater weather…
27. 

 
Hats off to all the belles!!!
28. 

 
Sometimes it’s okay to get screwed….
29.  

  Go ahead and cuff us…just sayin’
30.

  
Belles love sweater weather!
31. 

 
These boots were made for walking…
32.
 

Stylish grey Jean …check  
33. 

 We do like to make a statement…

34.
  
 Time to bundle up.

35. 

  

Belles are swell….
36.

 
Cardigans are cool….just sayin’
37.

   
Bootie-licious
38.

 
We’re so fancy…but you already know
39. 
 Totes for real…  

40.

All bundled up! 

41. 

 
Invest…
42.

   

Feel free to pull one over on us!
43.

 
We’ll keep our ears crossed…
44.

   
A ring around the collar we can live with!
45.

  
Belles dig tees.
46. 

 
Fashionably fit….duh
47. 

 
Slipper love….
48.

 
Sometimes it’s ok to skirt the issue….  
49.

 

We want to frock you up….
50.

  
Time to tuck in….

That’s all belles

a&a

10 essential shoes for every belle…a shoe fetish friend-1-1

06 Friday Nov 2015

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We’ve been helping a dear belle-friend get her closet in order after three moves and three years of being “unsettled” (poor dear). In the process, we realized that every belle could be reminded of what we deem to be the shoe collection top ten. In other words…the ten pairs of shoes that we couldn’t live without.

If you have ’em all, you’re a savvy belle (or a shoe hoarder…takes one to know one…just sayin’). If you don’t have ’em, we’ve given you some options so that you can fill those holes, pronto!

We started at our favorite local shoe haunt, Muse Shoe Studio, with some picks to fill every belle’s needs…and we’ve added some online options for our far-flung friends…


1. A simple black pump 

Above is an Ivanka Trump design…classic and affordable…available at Muse and Amazon.


And this Christian Louboutin “simple pump” is a high-end no-brainier (its price-per-wear will make it a bargain!)  Find it HERE.

 2. A nude heel

A nude shoe goes with virtually everything…this Corso Como (above) from Muse fits the bill. Also available here.

And the Louboutin “simple pump” also comes in nude…just sayin’ ( at Nordstrom)

 3. An evening heel

Above…this metallic, strappy Pelle Moda from Muse adds a bit of bling to your festivities.

And the Jimmy Choo “Lang” (find it HERE) is another great (albeit more pricey) choice

4. A fun print

From Muse, this Sam Edelman combines two trends that are on-point now…and won’t be “out” anytime soon…animal print and the pointy-toe flat. You can also order it from Amazon.

and we have been long-time fans of the calf-hair, animal-print “Elsie” pump from J Crew. Pretty indispensable in our book!
 5. A ballet flat 

The quintessential staple for any stylish belle, this Vanelli (above) from Muse combines a bit of brown with the basic black for extra versatility .
 We are quite partial to this little  beauty as well….may even have to get it in all three colors!! Order here now for 20%off!!


6. A sneaker/espadrille.

This fashionable flat  from Sam Edelman will keep you chic and comfortable. Stop in for a pair at Muse… Or you can order here.


7. Booties/boots

Muse has an incredible selection in this category!  Wish we could include them all!  This basic bootie combines that of-the-moment shape with a comfortable heel-height and classic black. You can also find it here.

And we’ve touted the comfort and style of Rag and Bone booties before…but we are always willing to get preachy…the “Margot” at Nordstrom won’t let you down.

8. A sleek, all-weather street boot

We’ve sung the praises of Aquatalia boots before, belles…and we will do it again and again!  This “Gael” all-weather riding boot will be a staple till the cows come home! (We’ve been known to wear ours every…single…day while on trips to NYC, Paris, Chicago…). Absolute perfection!


9. A pair of Wellies/rain boots 

For walking the pups in style…or just surviving in this rain-soaked home we used to call the “sunny (hot, muggy) South”, this Sam Edelman bootie from Muse will keep you dry and happy.  You can also order it here.

And the “Original Tall” Hunter boot ( find it here) is a classic…and perfect for entertaining yourself by jumping in puddles (we have experience 😉

10. A neutral sandal

Tory Burch offers great options each year. The Kieran is a favorite of the belles.


And this Gucci “Marmont” stunner…of a sandal will ring belles for years to come

Inventory time, belles!!  Let us know if you have any additions. Wouldn’t want to miss out!

a&a

a belle-ringin’ shoe with options…

01 Thursday Oct 2015

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So…if you haven’t guessed…we love a good shoe.  You might say we both border on obsession, like that’s a bad thing or somethin’!  Anyway, we ran across one the other day that really rang our belle!!

Ya know how you find a great-looking shoe, but you are in need of bronze and it only comes in black?  Or you need basic black but it only comes in snakeskin?  Well…this little stunner comes in all of the above!!

May we introduce…The Via Spiga Leesa sandal available at Nordstrom.

Take a gander…

in bronze


in black & white snake


in fuschia snake


in gunmetal


in black patent

(and additional options are black satin, black snake, cobalt snake, merlot, nude…we grow giddy from excitement!!)

With a classic heel…not too high, not too low…and a price that isn’t outrageous ($195), this one (or two or three) should be ringin’ your belle as well!!

Get clickin’…the UPS man is just lookin’ for something to do!

a&a

tie one on…a new shoe fetish friend-1-1

18 Friday Sep 2015

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Believe it or not flats are back in!  The pointed-toe lace up is the trend du hour, but it’s a bit of a challenge to find a faltering pair..  Well, we have found several for y’all to consider.   These are wearable, attractive, and  affordable…because, let us be clear…while fun, we see this as more trendy than timeless.

Without further ado:

The Atrium from Jeffery Campbell.


The next option is an adorable version from Top shop.


These next ones makes us giddy… Loeffler Randall from Nordstrom


And we adore this new line of shoes…soo chic..from m.gemi

Okay belles…which is your fave? Time to get tied up!!!!
a&a

time to leather up belles…fall uniform gear

27 Thursday Aug 2015

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Belles love a uniform…jeans and a tee have been, and will continue to be, a go-to.  But sometimes an upgrade in the uniform is called for…and we have found just the thing:  leather leggings that are comfortable, flattering, travel well, cross over seasons and can take us from day to night. 

Now…they aren’t cheap…but we figure the price-per-wear comes into action as these are sure to be a permanent part of the uniform. 

They come in two colors : black and latte. Wear them now with a light-weight top and sandals.  For fall, add a tee, cardigan and or jacket…and why not throw on a scarf? Winter sees them paired with boots and sweaters and coats. 

Wolford makes these ever-so-wearable and chic stunners…
Here are the colors…

   
Via Pinterest 

We got ours at Cone and Coleman a favorite local chic boutique. They have both colors and all sizes right now. We did size up because we wanted them to fit more like a jegging and we prefer that our ankle can breathe a little  .  They feel great and look even better! 

You can also get them at Saks Fifth Avenue, and Amazon. 

Here they are styled with a tee and sandals…because even though it’s 98 degrees outside, we are dying to wear them ! 

   
 
Forgive the pic quality…the color is way better in person…promise! (Not gold at all…a true latte!)

We know there is a sticker shock factor here but still think the quality can’t be beat. But since we love to find thriftier versions of a particular trend….you can get a similar version by Jack for BB Dakota. They have a little snakeskin pattern which makes them look more genuine. They are very comfortable and the price is right…64.00!! So you and your junior belles can sport this trend that is going to be everywhere! Holla!!

  
Via Savvy

These just arrived, so get them while you can at Savvy

Gear up belles…fall is around the corner!
a&a 

calling all shoe mavens…a shoe-fetish friend-1-1

07 Friday Aug 2015

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One of our junior belles is getting ready to head off to college, so we have kicked up our shopping to warp speed. 

Of course, to cover our footwear needs, we hit our favorite local shoe haunt, Muse, to see what we could find. Well, we are here to tell you that we found three winners!  We are so excited we can’t even stand ourselves!!!

Now, we believe in footwear that you can carry over into seasons, and all of these fit the bill (shout-out to  Jeffrey Campbell who designed all three. Bravo!). 

The pair we started drooling over first was this sandal.

   
 
These shoes look so sexy and edgy, yet they are comfortable with a great heel height. They look like nothing on the shelf, so it took some convincing for us to even try them…but when we did, we loved them so much we walked right out wearing them.  Poor junior belle has to wait on this pair because we decided we needed to take a lap or two in them!! They also come in a very sexy black…

  

Next up is the cutest pair of gladiators you ever did see…and for those of you with longer feet, these actually make them look dainty!  They zip up the back, so they are super-easy to throw on, and they transition perfectly from summer to fall when it’s still hot but you can’t get away with a summer skimmer.  

 
Muse has these in black and a beautiful saddle color. This is a shoe that makes any outfit, so get them while they are in stock! 

The next little shoe is super on-trend for fall, and junior belle eyed them as soon as she walked through the door. This is the perfect color, style and shape to keep you fashionable all year!  

   
If y’all don’t get these, then you are plum crazy…just sayin’. And please note that the cut-out and the tassels are very flattering to all feet!! 

Muse has an excellent selection at quite reasonable pricepoints, making our tootsies happy and our pocketbooks are even happier!  These beauties and many more are fresh off the truck, so call or stop by soon before you miss out!

a&a