Holtwood Hipster

Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Coveted White Suit

I need to come clean - literally. I was standing on the lawn talking to the neighbors just the other day, a loose knot I had tied in my hair hours before was hanging awkwardly at the back of my head and I remember becoming suddenly aware of the film of dirt I had covering every inch of exposed skin. Of course, we were right in the middle of our landscaping project. But I couldn't help but think back to all the times we had stopped to talk or waved hello and I looked, well... about the same. The two years I've spent working on our home has left little room or time for fussing with myself, or at least I've prioritized myself behind all the renovations.

Suddenly embarrassed, I swore to them that I had real clothes hanging in my closet and that one day soon, they'd see me back to looking like a proper lady. We are after all, nearly finished with the big, dirty projects at this point. One of the things I'm most coveting for the day when I finally clean myself up again, is a white suit just in time for summer.

It's been nearly a decade since I owned one and I remember the one I wore (very often) back then fondly. I'll need a slightly updated cut - sans 90's vest- for the look I'm after today.

I'll pair it with either a graphic T or simple white tank. A black blouse will stand fill-in for days when I feel like mixing it up.

Though I initially found a selection above what I was willing to spend, I remembered that Express had some good options in the suiting department and I was able to find a solution there that fit within my budget.

Here's what I'm thinking.

Jacket and pants from Express | Sandals and Wristlet found at Zara

Other images found here : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Wishing For // Summer 2013

I like to keep things pretty simple come summertime and though it is the season of color, it's always funny how I manage to stay true to my two constant hues - black and white. Here are a few little luxuries that have made my wish list for Summer 2013.

.01 This ASOS Peplum Frill Jumpsuit would be perfectly chic and comfortable for a warm night out. .02 I've been on the hunt for a white bicycle like this Twin City Step Over Derailleur .03 Not everyone's cup of tea, but these Fiction Gladiator Sandals and I are a match made in summertime heaven .04 Cocktails around the home bar would be even more fun with these personalized coasters .05 The Tala Necklace by Margot & Me would dress up even a simple tank and shorts .06 We've been hunting for two seasons for just the perfect float- sans design or decal and this all white float by Sunsation is just the one we've been after .07 Summer weather calls for light (and friendly!) layers like this sheer Printed Modal T-shirt

Magic Tricks

Sometimes, it's really better to begin a story at the end. Contrary to the process of all the great magicians, it's how I typically approach some grand scheme around the house. For me, it always starts with the illusion and then I set to work on all the components. It also helps set The Mister up for all the work that lies ahead for such said scheme. See, getting a glimpse of the final act that will eventually unfold keeps our eyes on the magic, not the twists and turns of the trick itself.

This past Memorial Weekend, we might have pulled off one of our greatest magic tricks yet.

Remember this former plot of dirt clods? Over the course of just several weekends, it had taken shape into what you see above. The original idea was to lay in stabilized DG (decomposed granite) and fill in the entire area. But by the end of last week, we had decided that the area needed a softer look and a little more color. A happy consequence of that decision was that splitting the section up to allow for a greenbelt of sod would also end up being less burdensome on our pocketbook. Win, win.

So we had 2.0 cubic yards of non-stabilized DG delivered and got to work lining all the beds on the property with it - front and back before finally focusing in on the area immediately around the fire bowl.

Climbing into bed on Friday night, I could barely move.

We rose early on Saturday morning and loaded up on 125 sq. feet of sod, which resulted in a great little trick itself. We pieced it all in and ended up with absolutely zero waste. We couldn't do that again if we tried.

By 10am on Saturday, most of the sod work had been completed. We worked a bit more on the fire bowl that had been installed earlier in the week, but was not working properly. By dinnertime on Saturday, we were fire ready and our landscape design was finally complete.

Sunday brought a few more feats of magic. The beautiful sod we had laid in was still going strong. I had half expected it to be brown and withering away by the end of day two. But somehow, we managed to keep it alive through the weekend by standing guard over it with the water hose in 80 degrees + temps.

Additionally, after two seasons of beer spills around the bar, we managed to revive the outdoor carpet on the patio with a little steam cleaning. Magically, it looks as if we just installed it.

I also squeezed in a little more handwork on the patio awning, which polished it up and readied it for all pool time fun to come.

We were also shocked at how much the plants around the yard came to life once the ground cover went in. Set against both the rocks and decomposed granite, we really saw all of the colors in the garden reveal themselves this weekend, a happy surprise considering all the dirt we've stared at for months and months while we made our backyard landscape plan a reality.

The Landing Pad

Today I'm back over at Young Sophisticates with my bi-weekly column Homes That Work, sharing some thoughts on softening up your home's Landing Pad.

Your entryway is the first space you see walking in from a long workday. Why not outfit it with some cushy comforts that are big on both style and function, so that this often overlooked area works a little harder for you.

Here, I've some taken inspiration from the spaces spotlighted today at Young Sophisticates and pulled together a shopping guide that will help you achieve some extra style beyond the threshold.