The Many Uses of a Fouta Towel!

When we were in Jackson Hole this summer, I picked up a fouta towel on our way to Jenny Lake as a last minute picnic blanket. Aspens Market is a really great deli/butcher/grocer in Wilson that also stocks brands like Rifle Paper Co, Cake Vintage, and Baggu. It's a good thing I don't shop there regularly :) I wasn't very prepared for our hike, so I ended up using my fouta towel as a nursing cover on the boat across the lake, knotted it as a sling for Lela, and then as a scarf! Multitasking at its finest! 

We went to the Matisse exhibit in San Antonio and I nursed my way through it too. I've never been able to maneuver nursing covers gracefully, but the fouta towel is big enough for you and baby to stay covered without causing a scene. The dimensions are 34"x68" so it makes a nice throw for the sofa too! Here's a few websites that carry them:  Scents & Feel, Turkish T,  Fouta Lifestyle, and I've found them on sale via Gilt and One Kings Lane. I also use this one backed in terry cloth from Serena & Lily. The best part is that they dry so much faster than regular bath towels!! 

Sunscreen 101

I was at the dermatologist recently, and I asked her what sunscreen she uses on her kids (SPF? Organic? UVA vs. UVB?) and she said, 

"We wear Rash Guards."

Crewcuts $40

Polarn O. Pyret $38

       

Old Navy $20

(She also recommended zinc sticks for the face and SPF 30+ spray, but most importantly RE-APPLY!!)

P.S. LandsEnd Rash Guards with Monogramming! ($24)

Tank Dress!

I'm embarrassed to admit that I just started cutting out the Wiksten tank dress I ordered last September! I'm kicking myself that I didn't start sooner because it's the ideal sundress to throw on with flip flops and a straw hat. I'm using a striped silk fabric I found in the $5 bin that's thin enough for this August heat.

 If you're interested in buying or downloading Jenny's sewing patterns click HERE. The tank dress has 6 pieces (including the pocket) and very simple directions with pictures. If all goes well, I'll have a new dress before the weekend!!

Currently Loving: Striped Blazers

September might be my least favorite month to dress for...it still feels very much like summer but mentally I've moved onto Fall. Enter the striped blazer: a total game changer! I can wear it with dresses now and jeans and boots if it ever cools down. I spotted this one at Zara, with it's little blue details and inside stitching, and it's completely brightened up my closet. I highly recommend trying one!!

Striped Blazers: Red and Navy, Lavender and Black, Solid with Striped Lining, Navy and White (I'd add gold buttons!)

Chic Cleaning

alice supply co.

All Grown Up, Part II

Ever since P moved out of her crib, I've been trying to make her room feel a bit more grown up. By introducing a few new fabrics, and using what we already had, it's finally starting to look like a little girl's room!

For the daybed, I made the 2 bolsters out of black and white striped fabric that I originally ordered for a tablecloth. The handmade doll and artwork were brought back from Uganda and the green blanket was mine as a baby. Since P is really, really into animals this crewel fabric from Clarence House was a big hit...

(I've been dying to use this gold and black trim on something!)

For the back of the pillows, I used 24" tea towels by Le Jacquard Francais. I wanted something durable that would look good on both sides since they'll be tossed around (as they should be!)

I cinched the end of the bolsters with gold buttons, to coordinate with the trim...

P's quilt and the Euro shams used to be cream, and stained, so we dyed them purple. (It took 2 bottles of Violet RIT in the washing machine.) And the orange paisley pillow case is an old favorite.

We haven't disassembled the baby bed yet so it's currently being used as blanket storage...

I'm working on some polka dot garland to add to her collection but I have yet to make two pieces alike!

Stay tuned!!

Stripes and Simplicity

Sleep Set

Classic Pajama

Wouldn't you love to wake up in these on Christmas morning? Chance has all the classic stripes you need in navy, white, and red. Like this striped boatneck...

"The striped t-shirt is the paper clip of personal style."

Chance

Stripes!

7, Rue de Berri

The Fouta Towel

I have a weakness for textiles. Especially ones that get softer over time and serve more than one purpose! These Fouta towels by Scents and Feel were traditionally used in the Turkish baths and are still hand woven the same way. Use them as towels after a bath or shower, at the beach, on the sofa, as a tablecloth, or wear it as a sarong. I'm even thinking about making mine into pillows. With a wide variety of colors in multi stripes, wide stripes and bicolor stripes, it's hard to narrow it down!

Scents & Feel SALE on One Kings Lane!

Inspired By: Oscar de la Renta

The Resort 2011 shows happened recently in New York and Oscar de la Renta put out an incredible collection. The looks are simple and wearable, which can easily be put together with a few bold basics. I love all the mixed textures like tweed, sequins, and straw with preppy whites, stripes, and jewel-tone colors. Très chic! The belts are cinched to emphasize the natural waist, which is always flattering. Even though the collection won't hit stores until the holiday season (and will be WAY out of my price range), here's a few looks you can pull off right now!

1. Asos cardigan 2. BR pintuck shirt 3. Vintage belt 4. Topshop swans sweater 5. J.Crew blazer 6. BR pencil skirt 7. Modcloth bubble dress 8. Modcloth belted dress 9. Modcloth striped dress

Accessorize with a pair of gold rope studs...

Watch the Oscar de la Renta runway show live!

Around the House

Stripes have been around forever: horizontal, vertical, on the diagonal, you name it. Even Picasso made them look chic! I've always loved stripes in my closet, but lately I can't get enough of them around the house. They're simple, classy, and make a bold statement no matter where you put them. From ceilings to plungers and everything in between, stripes are here to stay!

I'm not quite ready to do anything drastic, like paint the floors or recover chairs, but I have got to get some stripes around here! One look I am going to attempt is a striped tablecloth. I saw this tablescape in Elegant Bride months ago and still can't get it out of my mind. I just ordered this black and white fabric with 8" wide stripes that I can use on my round table. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Check out more about decorating with stripes at ElleDecor.com.

photos from Design is Mine, Little Green Notebook, Dress Design Decor