Christmas Style

My two daughters, 25- and 23-years-old, are the most stylish women I know. I am constantly in awe of them and have no idea where they picked up their fashion sense — not from their mom, that’s for sure.  Take Younger Daughter, for instance. Now, she didn’t knowingly pick out a dress that’s identical to her sister’s shower curtain — she just  recognized style and creativity when she saw it. Her look is the perfect expression of who she is: A smart and funny young woman who’s her own individual self. Older Daughter, mom to 21-month-old Capt. Adorable, excels at chic budget-friendly and I’ve-only-got-two-minutes-to-myself style, such as these skinny jeans, high-heeled ankle boots and black top accented with a chunky and easy-wearing necklace. (Also, please note the Captain in his Christmas pajamas — I couldn’t resist when I saw them at Target! — topped with a striped Gap hoodie. Seems as if he’s got his mom’s fashion intuition — at least until he can dress himself.) I love hanging out with my daughters — they make me up my game from my preferred winter uniform of jeans and boring black turtlenecks. I just wish I could fit into their clothes. I’ve never understood why they can borrow mine and look great but it does not work the other way!!!

P.S. Don’t forget to send me your funny and creative New Year’s resolutions for my Jan. 1 newspaper column. E-mail to cathylwood@gmail.com and include the way you’d like to be identified. You can be anonymous if you’d like, but I have to be able to tell the paper that you’re a real person. I’ve already gotten some great resolutions, but I want yours!

Shopping and Style

Oh my goodness. My husband always cautions me against turning into a blubbering grandmother and overwhelming you all with photos and praise of grandson Capt. Adorable, but I just can’t help it. And you know I think all of y’all’s children and grandchildren are adorable, too. I really do.  I always want to hear more about their cuteness. And I’m not posting these pics because I think my grandson is the most adorable and cute of them all. Oh, no. You know that’s not the case here, I promise. I’m just posting these pics because … well … let’s see … uh … hmm … because I want to talk about children’s clothing. Yes, yes — that’s it. I want to have a completely objective discussion about little boys’ clothes and how they wear the exact same thing that big boys and men wear but somehow it just looks so especially adorable on their little 19-month-old selves. I mean, have black sneakers, dark cuffed jeans, a white untucked oxford shirt and a knitted sweater vest and matching scarf ever looked so cute? Somehow even though a grown man could wear the exact same thing, it just wouldn’t look the same, would it? Baby Gap and Old Navy excel at this look – translating grownup style to toddler chic at affordable new-parent prices. Until I had a grandson, I always thought that little girls’ clothes were far more fun than little boys’, but now I head straight for the T-shirts and cargo pants and don’t even notice the pink lace and ruffles across the aisle. See, now we’ve had our discussion about children’s fashion and I didn’t once mention our model, Capt. Adorable. It’s just a coincidence that he’s wearing the exact same thing I wanted to talk about, really it is.

Journalism — and Jewelry

Younger Daughter and I recently were browsing through an antiques mall in Florence, Alabama, when she called me over to where she was standing. “Isn’t this your story?” she asked, pointing to a framed story from the local newspaper — the TimesDaily — about pins that was next to a display of wonderful vintage pins. And YD was right — there was my byline from my former days as a staff writer for the TimesDaily life section, before I retired almost two years ago to become a financially challenged but incredibly happy columnist and freelance writer. I have to say that it was sort of a strange feeling to see such care taken with a story I didn’t even remember doing — one of several hundred, probably, I don’t remember doing throughout the 10 years I worked in the TimesDaily newsroom. Yet there was my story, years later still stuck in black and white (well, sort of faded beige) and still influencing folks to think about buying a vintage pin because “brooches update fall wardrobes.” I have to admit it was a strange sensation to see this — a kind of out-of-body, did-I-really-write-that experience. Sort of makes you think. Sort of makes you hope you did a good job. Sort of makes you wonder how many other things you wrote are floating around influencing people to do things. Sort of makes you promise yourself to Write Only Good Things From Now On … beginning, maybe … tomorrow.

Shopping

Homewood, Alabama — a small town that’s virtually indistinguishable from adjacent Birmingham — is one of my favorite shopping destinations. Seems as if something new and different always is popping up there — such as the store White Flowers. Owner Diana Hansen recently relocated her gift and clothing boutique to Homewood from nearby Mountain Brook Village, and the all-white window displays immediately grabbed everybody’s attention — in a quiet and serene way, of course, because that’s how you feel as soon as you open the door and are surrounded by all things white. Hansen sells  jewelry, candles, home decor and clothing as well as T-shirts, nightshirts and baby clothes that feature her own designs inspired by art and gardens — all in varying shades of white and natural neutrals. Be sure to visit the White Flowers Web site, http://www.whiteflowers.com – it’s as graceful and peaceful as the shop.

Fashion

You all know that I am naturally cynical, suspicious and contrary, but even the sweetest among us, I think, would scoff at these “Weekend in the Country” clothes from a popular fashion-shopping Web site.  I mean, seriously? Are you kidding? Look, I’ve lived in the country before (at least, I’ve lived in a house where you could see cows across the road) and mainly what you wear on the weekends are 8-year-old tennis shoes, baggy T-shirts from 1980s concert tours and jeans that are ripped and torn not because you spent $300 for them to be that way but because you caught them on a rusty nail. Or maybe that’s just me. And anyway, the “country weekend” looks touted by this e-mail ad — plaids, tights, boots — are pretty much what we Alabama folks wear all winter and fall, whether we’re in the country or in the busiest bustling metro downtown. (Don’t laugh — have you ever been in Birmingham at rush hour? ‘Nuff said.) Look, in all honesty, I know this ad is about the eastern seaboard upper-class tradition of vacating the work week city for a relaxing New England country weekend. I know that. I’m just amused and slightly annoyed at this latest example of the New York City-centric retail-fashion industry once again forgetting that there are other women in other parts of the country who enjoy shopping for trends but don’t need to be condescended to with some sort of Vermont-country-inn fantasy. On the other hand, now that I look at those lace-up stiletto suede booties, I kind of like them. Wouldn’t they look great as you tromped through a beautiful fall forest wearing a denim mini-skirt, plaid jacket and tights? Curse you, American advertising machine!!!

Jewelry Part 2

 Younger Daughter is one of those people who has an eye for color and texture and she puts together the most gorgeous earring creations. Every time I wear her designs, people ask me where I’ve been shopping. She just made

Pair No. 8 -- icy lavender and green drops

some new ones and I told her I’d be honored to put them up in the blogosphere for worldwide admiration. So here you go. Each pair is $15 including postage — I’ll just wrap them up and mail them to you in a first-class envelope if that’s OK. E-mail me at cathylwood@gmail.com and I’ll send you payment info. All earrings are sterling-silver findings and most of the beads are glass. She can do special orders, too. And because I can’t figure out how to do all these pics in one post, be sure to check out Jewelry Part 1. Click on any pic to enlarge it.

Pair No. 5 -- my favorites -- love the green patterned glass bead at the bottom

Pair No. 6 -- beautiful shadings of lavender and green

Pair No. 7 -- classic navy and white -- the blue color practically glows

Jewelry Part 1

I don’t mean to brag here or anything, but I pretty much have the most creative and talented daughters ever. Ever.

Pair No.4 -- classic brown and black for fall

Older Daughter is a wonderful dancer and can construct the most incredible costume  you ever saw out of the most mundane fabric and a random pile of assorted beads. Younger Daughter is equally skilled at making earrings. She is one of those people who has an eye for color and texture and she puts together the most gorgeous creations. Every time I wear her designs, people ask me where I’ve been shopping. She just made some new ones and I told her I’d be honored to put them up in the blogosphere for worldwide admiration. So here you go. Each pair is $15 including postage — I’ll just wrap them up and mail them to you in a first-class envelope if that’s OK. E-mail me at cathylwood@gmail.com and I’ll send you payment info. All earrings are sterling-silver findings and most of the beads are glass. She can do special orders, too. And because I can’t figure out how to do all these pics in one post, be sure to check out Jewelry Part 2. Click on any pic to enlarge it.

Pair No. 1 -- classic black and white

Pair No. 2 -- Beautiful blues and greens

Pair No. 3 -- a fun mix of color, shape and size

Shopping

This past Saturday, I did what every self-respecting Alabama woman did: I hit the Belk’s sale in the morning and was done in time for football in the afternoon. And there was plenty of “scoring” in both efforts (sorry, couldn’t resist). Usually, I’m leery of so-called department-store “sales.” I scorn the 15-, 25- and 30-percent off claims and don’t really pay attention until the discount approaches the half-way mark. But Belk’s season clearances are famous for good buys in the 70-90 percent-off range. Cashing in on the bounty — literally — depends on your luck in locating cute items in your size. And yesterday I hit the jackpot: Six adorable finds that would have cost me close to $550 but I brought them home for less than $100. Touchdown!!! Here’s what I got: A 3/4-sleeve pullover Madison dress I can wear now for early fall, a linen leaf-print Rafaella shirtdress, a cool and comfy pullover Calvin Klein sundress plus two Kenneth Cole and one Rafaella summer tops. Whoo-hoo! And the best thing is that I would have wanted these things even without the sale prices. Earlier this week I couldn’t wait for fall and now I want 90-degree July days again so I can try out my new summer clothes. This just capped off a great week of bargain-hunting — earlier I snagged a lightweight blue floral scarf at Gap for $7 and a trio of intriguing black-patterned clear-glass vases at T.J. Maxx for less than $10 total.  I think that this trifecta of good shopping is karma for when I walked out of Anthropologie the other day without buying a thing. Thank you, shopping goddesses!

Fashion

I am pretty much the messiest eater ever. I literally cannot get up from a table without a shower of crumbs, I carry stain removal products with me at all times and my husband begs me not to drink my favorite strawberry-flavored drink mix in the car because I leave splatters of red everywhere. This problem led me to create the Cathy Wood Method of Wardrobe Selection, or, How to Coordinate Your Clothing with Your Food So You Don’t Look Like the Slob You Truly Are and Your Family and Friends Will Eat with You Again. Intrigued? It really works! No more hastily pulling on a sweater to hide the coffee dribbles. No more holding your purse in front of you to distract from the gravy droplets. You will be free to eat and enjoy without fear! Read more at http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090826/SW/908259959/1085.

And while you’re there, read other Shoals Woman articles, such as the story on Halloween food, http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090826/SW/908259955/1085 with my friend Kara Sams, and  another story I wrote — a guide to retirement planning, http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20090826/SW/908259973/1085.

Shopping

You all know that shopping for almost-17-month-old grandson Capt. Adorable is one of my most favorite things to do — and this outfit is one of the reasons why. I love little-boy clothes! I think it’s because little-boy clothes look almost exactly like real big-boy clothes — with the cuteness factor upped by about 100. For instance, how cute is this pirate-themed shorts and T-shirt? I spied it at Janie and Jack children’s boutique at the Summit in Birmingham, Alabama, this past weekend and I had to have it. Didn’t even stop to think. It’s from the Treasure Explorer collection that has all sorts of appliqued and embroidered pirate details such as parrots, maps and treasure chests. I don’t know why this appealed to me so much — calling Jack Sparrow! — but I do know that Capt. Adorable will look … well, adorable in it.  And now that I’ve check the Janie and Jack Web site, http://www.janieandjack.com, I notice that all the pirate things are on sale. Dear husband, look away.