FASHION :: Girl Crush: Emma Watson

Riddle me this....

How did this little girl

turn into this stunner?Hermione has got it going on. Brains and beauty! When I grow up, I want to be like her. I'd also like to sit in 1950s soda shops, drinking milkshakes, dressed in an updated sweater-set and have a great British accent. Oh, and if I knew a few thousand spells, that would be a plus.

FASHION :: Inspiration: The Hollywood Black Dress

A-listers have always been commended for their fashion know-how both on and off the red carpet. Hollywood darlings have been responsible for new trends in fashion since the silent films of the 1920s. More important than the trends that celebrities spark are the fashions that stars turn into classics.

The black dress has become the epitome of class and sophistication. Here are some of my favorite black dresses from film:

Audrey Hepburn's black sheath dress in Breakfast at Tiffanys is often emulated (but I really don't think any one has pulled it off quite as well as Ms. Hepburn)

Check out the back of the dress. Gorgeous.

In a more recent film, the Ugly Truth, Katherine Heigl sported an Armani LBD.

Another great back! I want an LBD exactly like this (though not with the Armani price tag)

Ava Gardner evokes classic Hollywood glamour in The Killers (1946)

Ava Gardner was also a North Carolina native! There is an entire Ava museum in Smithfield, NC.

While I'm team Jen, you can't deny the sexual chemistry between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I bet it was the black dress.

I adore Jennifer Connelly's black dress in A Beautiful Mind. Such an interesting neckline.

Which dress is your favorite? Are there any iconic black dresses that you think belong on this list?

FASHION :: Beachwear

I may not be heading to the beach any time soon, but I am planning on going to the pool with some friends tomorrow.

Here are my beach/pool essentials for 2010:

Victoria's Secret, Top $24, Bottom $18
(now, if only I looked like her)

Classic Critter Flip-Flip, J Crew, $16.99

Lilly Pulitzer Elina Embroidered Coverup, Bebo.com, $98

Sunglasses, Target, $16.99
(I'm a huge proponent of cheap sunglasses...probably because I ALWAYS lose mine)
Reisenthal Picnic Basket, Amazon.com, $39.99

Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer, all drugstores, $9.99
(As a red head, sunscreen is an absolute necessity. It would probably be SPF 85 though!)

What are your beach basics?

FASHION :: Lilly Pulitzer on RueLaLa

I love, love, love sample sales. Long, long ago in a land far, far away (New York City), I stumbled into a sample sale in SoHo and it changed my life. Where else can you find designer clothing at up to 90% off? It was heavenly. I became a very well-dressed middle schooler after that fateful day (Until two months later when I had a growth spurt and had to return to buying my clothing at Old Navy and American Eagle).

Unfortunately, North Carolina isn't known as the sample sale capital of the world. In fact, I don't know if there has ever been a real sample sale in the Tar Heel state.

I would lament over the sad lack of sales in the NC area.... if it weren't for RueLaLa!

RueLaLa has daily online sample sales! What? I can get my fashion fix while I'm sitting in my pajamas watching Regis and Kelly?! Life = complete.

Tomorrow, at 11:00AM ET, the Lilly Pulitzer boutique sale will be on RueLaLa. I've purchased a brand new Lilly shift dress at one of their previous sales for only $59!

There is a preview of the sale on RueLaLa and it looks fabulous!




Not a member of RueLaLa? Well, it's your lucky day. Click here for an invitation!

I'm on the look-out for a new Lilly purse/tote. Do you plan on buying anything?

LIFE :: Happy (Belated) Mother's Day

Mother's Day at the Davis household was excellent this year! Really, it is up there on the list of best Mother's Days ever.

Mama Davis is not only my mom, but one of my closest friends. We have a unique relationship that is often closer to a friendship than the typical mother/daughter roles. She can always make me laugh. Even though we've had some mom-umental (haha get it? Man, I'm cheesy) fights, I appreciate that I can talk to my mom about anything under the sun.

Mom, since I know you read this, I love you!

Yesterday morning, we had a family brunch at our house. My grandma and aunts came to enjoy the delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and grits that my dad made. My job was to provide the parfaits.


I think they turned out nicely, don't you? They were also 100% scrumptious.

I got my mom a binder from NoFo, a great restaurant in a converted Piggly Wiggly. The binder, titled "Keeping Coupons", provides an organized way to house and use all those coupons that we always seem to forget to use. Maybe this will help...


They have an entire collection of organizational binders for keeping house, holding dine-in menus, and keeping recipes. We may need to start a collection.

After we stuffed ourselves with breakfast food, we all went down to the farmer's market. I love the farmer's market. I got myself some fresh strawberries and some local honey. A couple people have told me that eating a tablespoon of local honey a day helps ease allergy symptoms. I've had awful allergies this year, so I'm willing to give it a try. Does any one have any additional allergy advice?


The rest of the day was spent watching Bridget Jones' Diary and Clueless. I couldn't ask for a better Mother's Day.

Here is a picture I found of my mom and I from.... 1994? 1995? Some time in the mid-1990s.
Last but not least, this is Mama Davis looking absolutely stunning. Wow.

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day!

Whitney