And Speaking of "Following" blogs...here's what I follow

Woman at Computer...blogging and following blogs: a PostModern portrait

Speaking of "Following" blogs...

On my blog's sidebar area, the blogs which I follow and check-in on from time to time and...occasionally post comments here n' there to... are listed under the My Blog Favorites section. (These are listed quite randomly, in no particular order and they all are definitely "favorites" :)

After perusing through tons and tons of the blogs existing out there which are related to Preppy, Southern Preppy, Aesthetics, Lifestyling, Gardening, Literature n' Art n' Fashion n' Culture-in-general and other such categories as these, I made a decision to continually fine-tune edit down to what were the most (to me personally and perhaps to my blog's readers as well) interesting, edifying, positive-toned, better-written and fairly frequently written-posted as well as having a touch of information/history/personal expression coming through about the author themselves but definitely not in any way being waaay-too-much-information if you know what I mean like how those tell all, show all blogs out there can (embarrassingly Jerry-Springer-like) be....and so I continue to be somewhat choosy as to what I read and as to what I recommend others checking into...

What's really great is when close friends of mine begin to set up and write their own blogs- how very exciting!

Here's one that's just out of the starting gates this week: http://www.guardnplanet.blogspot.com/

I am all-for gardening inspiration and information as anyone knows who has followed my blog along as I post here n' there about what's blooming out n'about on this island. My girlfriend's blog is about such things as well as including topics relating to Homesteading, Community Cooperatives, Art and such...really really neat and I hope that we all can both encourage and enjoy her blogging.

(The above graphic art image is credited to Wikimedia Commons)

Okay, getting back-out-there into the blogsphere and again, thank you my Followers! Best, Lachlan

Thank You so very much to my blog's Followers!

The Preppy Islander's Blog Followers are a sophisticated, well-dressed bunch!

WOW... it's wonderful to see now that there's 50 people following this blog :) Thank you so very much to my Followers who've signed-up to follow with me along this journeying of mine into all things Southern Lowcountry Preppy and then some...

I truly appreciate your interest, your post comments and the friendships n' support that my fellow bloggers and I give one other within this virtual realm of blogging.

What started out as a response to my wearing of a Preppy madras skirt to our island's annual Fourth of July Parade has turned into one of the greatest pleasures of my adult life...musing, researching and then writing about what it is to be a Southern Preppy living on a barrier island out here in the South Carolina Lowcountry culture. It has also been such fun to reminisce about my southern upbringing and the socio-cultural parameters which have shaped, and still do shape, my life. As well, I've tried to bring into this blog current Preppy information, fashions, news and musings which relate to our shared "here and now" life experiencing...

Each year as this blog grows and finds its way, I'm trying to post more frequently as well as sequence posts for a general scattering of musings, information and interests which will hopefully keep my Followers and other readers feeling that when they check out this blog every so often, there's always something which they personally can find relatable, enjoyable and amusing to look at and read through.

I am always welcome to your suggestions n' ideas and please do send them in...

Oh, and any time you want to reference this blog within your own blog, add it to your own favorites blog listing and just feel like passing it on to like-minded friends, please feel free to do so: I'm all about sharing all-things Preppy, pretty and positive around within our global blogsphere...

One of the things I can promise you all is that I am not going to commercialize this blog into one with lots of advertising in the sidebar, too many "look what you can buy" posts, constant here's another blogger's convention info link or such things like that. Mine's not consumerism-focused or professional-blogger tooled, it's rather an extension of my creative writing, sharing my very personal life-expression that's going on as well being overall a lot more cultural-creative driven.

Thank you all again and happy blog-reading, blog-posting and blog-writing out there, Lachlan

A Preppy's Car Interior... Ya' just can't hide the-Preppy!

Pink and Green is on the scene...of a car's interior!

I really had to laugh the other day... sometimes ya' just can't "hide the-Preppy" of yourself when it comes to the day to day living tableaus which define a person even when they're not conscious of this until, like I was, a Preppy setting caught my eye as I was getting out of the car yesterday.

Reaching into the passenger side of my car to get my water bottle and the shoes I use for physical therapy sessions lately with my back, I was struck with how the individual items I was ready to take out were so obviously Preppy. So it was a quick click of my cell phone's camera, a chuckle at myself and eventually, this blog post.

Hmm, this seems kinda' like it was when our family moved up north to Wisconsin for awhile for Dad's career and certain words I'd say would betray my Georgia-girl true roots and so likewise these few items are saying "Preppy" visually:

Glaring-white are my Tretorns but of course! I've worn this particular brand of tennis shoe since my junior high days of both playing tennis very-badly and also being a cheerleader. Replacement versions of these always-all-white Tretorns have followed me through high school cheerleading, college sorority days and on into adulthood. One of my favorite ways to wear these shoes are being paired up with kacki shorts, a white Ralph Lauren polo shirt, my short pearl necklace and smaller-sized pearl stud earrings and.....a deep, late summer tan to be sure.....

Next up visually perhaps is the quite-bright floral Vera Bradley fabric paperback book cover that's perched atop a Veranda magazine and our local fun-freebie lifestyle paper I pick up either at the grocers or our tiny local library. I have two of these Vera Bradley book covers: one's this particular one for spring/summer and the other one's more autumn/winter color toned. I've given these as presents to many girlfriends and wish that the company was still making them.

Finally, there's my "L" monogrammed water bottle that is my go-to hydration each day. Every morning I refresh the water in it and every night I take it back into the house to rinse out...a very practical and pretty answer to the plastic-bottles dilemma. When you put water into something like this from a water filter pitcher that's chilling in the refrigerator, simplicity reigns.

Oh isn't it all too true? Once a Preppy, ever always a Preppy?

Peer into the interior of a car upon occasion it seems......

February's Friviolities... Preppy, Pretty and Practical

A tableau of fine n' fun friviolities gathered this month to enjoy....

Where the calla lilly bulbs have been adding to the atmosphere here...

Remember my post about Cheerful Cash...the hundred dollars I am limiting myself to spending for just-for-fun fancies each month of this year? (See Spring Pretty and Pretty Thrifty Too! Perfectly Pretty from the Saturday, January 22 post)

Well, here's a snapshot of this month's "February's Friviolities": 8 days and $80.00 in so far.

It's funny that last month, it was towards the end that I cheerfully spent the budgeted cash fun-money and it only totaled up to $70.00...obviously each month will be different.

This month's tally so far is the following:

A great no-name-brand Trench Coat in a tuliped-purple hue that I wish I would have had with me while in Paris last spring! It has a detachable liner and hood and since I literally live in smart, structured lightweight jackets here in the late winter and early spring, this is a savvy buy at thirty whole dollars after the sale price plus my employee discount-yes, score!

Tucked in the trench coat's arm is a book I found at our small, locally-owned bookstore here in town which looks quiet interesting and for two dollars, why not? It's "Deep In The Familiar- Four Life Rythems" by Joan Cannon Borton. The author is a Benedictine oblate who leads workshops on writing and spirituality and if she's anything akin to one of my favorite writers within this genre', Kathleen Norris, then this'll be a very well spent two bucks indeed.

Placed on top of the book is an elegant Sterling Pin/Pendant that I've been espying in one of our local antique stores since December. Very vine scrolled n' intertwined William Morris styled, I can see me wearing this a lot since I like bright, bold silver pieces and do wear pins plus can pop this on a strand of smaller-sized pearls, my sterling necklace loop or a velvet band...tres' chic.

Set out next to the trench coat's sleeve is a large bottle of Cherry Blossom & Almond Oil moisturizing body wash by pure & natural. Having just used-up the body wash I already had this morning in the shower, I needed some anyway and this will be wonderful with it being moisturizing for the wintertime plus organic, biodegradable and in 100% recyclable packaging.

Right next to that are two O.P.I. nail polishes enclosed in the adorable glass cupcake display stand which I bought to set beside my plain glass cake stand in the baking-spot I have here in the kitchen. I really don't like cooking at all but I loooove to bake and so, for nine dollars, it's gracing our countertops now. The nail polishes are so spring-fun in my usual lighter ballet-pink tones I wear in this newest shade, "It's A Girl!" and then the funkier, deep orchid hue, "Pompeii Purple".

Finally, brightening up my interiors lately are these calla lilly bulbs now blooming so nicely- this group is in a small opaque glass floral urn I picked up at one of our local charity thrift shops for a whole dollar. Thank goodness for potted bulbs this winter!

And so that's the recap and though I only have twenty dollars left this month (if I so choose to use it) my cheerful cash friviolity so far will definitely be a lasting niceity throughout the month.

Preppy, Pretty and Practical...well mostly practical-ish... I'm likin' this cheerful cash project!

Spring Fashion 2011: Preppy Menswear goes BRIGHT

Spring 2011 Preppy Mens' "Brights" begin with...an Orvis shirt...

...and include a pair of chinos from Brooks Brothers as well as...

...the fresh "New Linen Shirt" so casual-classic from Vineyard Vines and...

...don't forget a Polo polo but of course in a rich, bold hue...

...and heck, a pair of swim sport shorts from L.L.Bean in orange too!

Combining in madras all-three of this season's brights is a Ben Silver tie.

Also, for a dash of wit, a needlepoint belt from Murray's Toggery Shop.

And...tah dah...a final pop of bold color via Sperry's "Bahama" topsiders....

The focus it seems for Preppy Men this coming Spring into Summer is glaringly obvious...as in lots of very eye catching "Brights"! WOW....

Many bright color tones are prevalent within the wardrobe offerings for the upcoming warmer seasons ahead regarding menswear although it looks like brighter hues of blue, orange and yellow are grabbing the spotlight.

As any Preppy knows all so well, nothing compliments bright tones like a good tan!

I just love it when my James gets tanner and tanner as he's out on the water kayaking and fishing away in between flying planes around. I've been buying him a whole lotta' bright-toned togs to coordinate with his spring/summer/autumn tan skin especially since we returned to the islander environs of the SC Lowcountry here and can happily indulge in wearing tropical-inspired Preppy Brights about year-round. From his beloved fishing shirts to his button-down oxfords to belts and ties, James has dashes of bright hues that I really enjoy seeing him wear.

One of the most recent fresh new trendings for menswear that I hope to purchase and add into James' wardrobe which I think will be great for all Preppy Menfolk to purchase this spring is the "new Casual Linen Shirt"! Less formalized than its stalwart predecessor, the proverbial classic Linen Shirt with its long sleeves and starched-stiff collar, this much more casual styling is just the ticket for topping spring and summer's lighter fabric slacks, shorts, jeans and swimsuits for easy yet still elegant wear. It's not often that one of the great old classics of menswear get nicely tweaked like this wherein a new classic arises for Preppy males to take note of, but I think that we do indeed have quite a catch with this...and I've included a really fun bright blue checked version of it in the above picture from Vineyard Vines' Spring 2011 offerings collection to illustrate how it can be found in not only solid tones but also checked, striped and such.

Go Bright this Spring guys....and don't forget to tan wisely with sunscreen when the weather warms up and you're all out there fishing, sailing, golfing, grilling steaks by the pool and such....

Spring Fashion 2011: Subtle Pleating is Perfectly Preppy

So pretty, so Preppy and so perfectly "pleats for Spring 2011"... Talbots

Pleats at the bodice with a Lilly Pulitzer blouse this spring...

Vineyard Vines offers up this sweet skirt with pleating at the waist

Pleats add to tassles add to white leather for a Brooks Brothers' spring

A pleated tote from Vera Bradley- such subtle pleating indeed... Pleating effects with a bow-cuff bracelet offered by Kate Spade

Amid all of the various Spring 2011 Collection trends n' trinkets sprouting up recently, one of the small but quite potent details I find most pleasing and perfectly fitting into the landscape of All Things Preppy is the subtle pleating defining many items this coming season...

Subtle pleating is pretty, feminine, quietly statementing and perfect for the mostly classic-tailoring so loved and so well-worn by Preppies everywhere.

It's the in-between embellishment that middles absolutely tailored and on the other side of the spectrum, ruffles. I absolutely loved the flat, French-inspired ruffles from last spring's fashion offerings and will certainly keep using the pieces I purchased with that trending last year for years to come since they're romantically classic. As will be with this subtle pleating...

Enjoy adding in this spring's fashion offerings to the wonderful wardrobe I know you all have....

Spring 2011 Fashion: How to Prep, How not to Prep

A Spring 2001 "Look" that's soooo incredibly Preppy-Don't!

A Spring 2011 "Look" that's a definite Preppy-Do!

Likewise for women...a Spring 2011 "Look" that's such a Preppy-Not!

And here's a Spring 2001 "Look" that's perfectly-Preppy indeed!

(The above photos are from Brooks Brothers and Lilly Pulitzers' Spring 2011 Collections)

So far, so good....everything I've seen so far for this Spring's 2011 fashion trends has been pretty, polished and a whole lot of it is wonderfully Preppy!

But there's Preppy and then there's, um, well, an interpretation of Preppy that's anything but!

Oh my, even the stalwarts of all-things-perfectly-Preppy can go amiss when they're trying to be a bit more fashion-forward, quirky, cutesy and all those other kind of descriptives that can become all too comical indeed as these "Not To Do" photos above showcase all too well.

Can you believe that these "Not To Do" photos are actually from the current Spring 2011 Collections of Brooks Brother's menswear and Lilly Pullitzer's womenswear? Shocking at first and then disappointing but thankfully, the other two photos of perfectly-Preppy looks are also from the same purveyors so we'll forgive them a slip-up every now and then. Thank goodness it's a rare enaction of "every now and then"!

The first photo of a menswear look just goes waaaay too caricature-Preppy to be believable. Too many all-too-distinctive Preppyfied elements are in play here and the result is quite garish indeed. Any real Preppy well knows that when one wears such an obvious wardrobe item as these pink whale-motif pants are, every other piece of this outfit should go "neutral" in deference to the bold statement these pants are making. Obviously, with this er, Spring Look from Brooks Brothers, it's just simply, and horribly, about piling on the statements galore'! This is wannabe/tourist Prep and no true Prep would be caught dead or alive wearing such a garish ensemble.......

However, from the same Brooks Brothers collection comes the photo just below which is exactly what a real Preppy male would put together this spring: clean, classic and with subtle undertones but still exuding Preppy to those who understand, and actually live our cultural vernacular.

As well, the photo duo above from Lilly Pulitzer illustrates how to spot the crucial difference between what is a messy, ill-suited and clashing interpretation of using a bold print for Spring within a woman's wardrobe as contrasted to a perfectly polished styling that is Preppy-pleasing.

One thing that so many Preppy wannabees don't realize is that, barring typical teenage angst and their all too typical protestations generation after generation, no true Preppy would purposefully go around looking disheveled in public. Now while busily gardening, when out on one's sailboat, walking along the beach, layering-up for a dove hunt, yes those are reasons for not being perfectly neat but otherwise, no. Yes, us Preppies do wear bold colors and layered patterns but this er, look is no look at all, it's just what looks to be some college student who woke up and threw on whatever was on her dorm floor before brushing her hair, hmmm. Pass!

In contrast, the other look from Lilly Pulitzer conveys the polished, proper and perfectly layered while wearing a bold print savvy we all expect from our fellow Preppies.

This Spring and every spring for us Preppies is not about over-kill or messy-fying our Preppy fashion classics, not at all.

It's all about enjoying the pretty and the handsome palette of springlike color tones, fabrications and tailoring and but of course, always being the true Preppies that we are.......

*Coming up....... an overview of the Spring 2011 Trends that work well into Preppy Wardrobing*