Why I Haven't Posted in Awhile

Substitute brown hair for blonde, and this is me - oh and throw in 2 little girls, 2 cats and one little ole dog and an equally frazzled husbin' and there you have it. Work is crazy, home is crazy and yes, we're going on vacation in 3 weeks so we're getting ready for that too. Gah.

I have some great posts in mind so stay tuned, I'll blog again asap!

Musings on Past Inaugural Fashions

I've had fun looking at the retrospectives of fashion worn to past inaugural balls and swearing in ceremonies. Huffington Post has a nice photo gallery here and I have to concur with most of the comments about Jackie having the most perfect sense of what styles worked best for her and best suited the occasion. I also agree on the comments about Lynne Cheney - yikes.

Someone whose sartorial preferences I actually admired was Marilyn Quayle. Not her politics to be sure, and not her choices in hairstyles or hats, but consider the rest of the outfit she wore on Inauguration Day 1989, the color and its shape:



She didn't make the mistake of wearing pastel and opted for one of the best colors a brunette could choose - cobalt blue.  The white turtleneck is flattering to her coloring and her figure while being functional.  Trust me, I was down on the parade route that day and it was coooold.

Here she is again in royal purple in a photo from the Marquette University's archives of Governor Tommy Thompson:



Her hair is pulled back and looks almost severe.  But this particular hairstyle works on her by playing up her thin frame and dramatic coloring and is a departure from the DC "helmet" hair. The dress is a bold royal hue that's anything but bland.

And Mrs. Quayle in red, what appeared to be a favorite:



A common choice for inaugural festivities and for women in politics generally but on brunettes again, an excellent choice.

I remember hearing way back she was an admirer of Jeanne Marc designs like this even having a vague memory of her wearing a black and white Jeanne Marc dress with a very abstract look to it, big shoulders, piping and a very inverted triangle shape. Not the usual style of clothing for a political wife or female officeholder but again, this look suited her.

I believe it or not, see similarity in Michelle Obama's choices of clothing - she likes prints and bold color and isn't shy about wearing less mainstream designers like Reem Acra or Thakoon.   She is also tall and like Mrs. Quayle, likes to exercise and work out.   I'm looking forward to seeing what she wears at the Inauguration and beyond.

Getting Better Acquainted With the Cole Haan Sirens

We might be sharing toothbrushes at this point. Seriously though, I have been looking for a nylon or microfiber shoulder bag in black, and my LeSportsacs, much as I love them don't look right this time of year - not with temps plunging tonight to cold enough to freeze a witch's nether regions. I want a lightweight bag that will look right for the remainder of the winter.

And look right when I go here in approximately four weeks. Can you say I'm too lazy to swap bags out between now and then? Yep, that's part of my motivation. But the other part is I want a bag that will hold all the necessary kiddie acoutrements I'll need while down there but that is lightweight enough I don't end up walking like the hunchback of Notre Dame by the end of the week. The flight bag will be as lightweight as my LeSportsacs but look more sophisticated, which means I get to be snarky about what other people are wearing and carrying there - ah the ubiquitous fanny packs -since I know my carryall will look good.

Like the green tote, this bag was on sale. The free shipping Siren has gone away so I had to pay for shipping but it still ended up being only about $145-ish. To me an affordable final figure when accounting for cost per wear, and I plan on that being about 1/100th of a cent before year's end.

Inauguration Weekend Shopping at Tyson's Galleria

Tyson's Galleria being ten minutes away from my house is a regular Preppycrat destination, especially with Coach, Cole Haan, and the J Crew stores there but it has another find I have blogged about in the past but it's such a beautiful and unique place I have to mention it again - Art With Flowers on the third floor opposite the food court.

Art with Flowers is primarily a floral design shop but as you can see from the pic below from the store, the vibe is very stylish and laid back:





You can find a little of everything here, just check out these candles and these flasks - Paris and LiLo. Too funny.





The back area is a comfy place to hang out and get inspiration both from the flowers in the shop and the nice assortment of bridal and home design magazines:



But Art With Flowers has treats for you, not just your abode. Among the many skincare and fragrance lines they carry are Burn, Serge Leutens, Etro, Santa Maria Novella, Aesop and Floris of London:



This is one of my favorite places to hang out but going in with my camera was a revelation because looking around, there was no bad angle or view in the store. Bill the owner is a genius in making the entire store inviting and a wonderful place to browse and take time looking around.

Last but not least, if you're a fan of hard to find teas and chocolates from around the world, Art With Flowers has them, and has lovely teacups and pots.



If you live anywhere in the DC area, this shop is a must see, definitely worth the trip to Tysons if you live on the other side of DC. If you're here for the Inauguration and staying in the Tyson's area, this is a must see before you leave town.

You can find out more about Art With Flowers here.

And What a Year it Was...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

As that great band from Chicago sang some years ago, it's Only The Beginning.

Xmas Gift

My pal C made these for me for xmas from swarovski crystals and sterling silver. They're unmistakably preppy pink and green but they have another style that I can't completely put my finger on. Goth? Romantic? I don't know what it is but I do know these are me to a T. Anyone who's been reading Preppycrat regularly has probably figured out when I do mention my own personal style, there are undertones to the preppy. Maybe it has to do with being a brunette with fair skin, a bit of goth can be flattering when you're a brunette. Maybe it's the 80s New Wave influence and color set against a black backdrop in clothes, shoes and jewelry - a look I always was complimented on even when the colors were the most vivid reds, jades, royal blues. Maybe it's that conversation I had with friends in NYC a few years back where we mused over the thought of a bermuda bag made out of black rubber and snapping to a metal frame instead of buttoning to a wood frame. Maybe it's all of these and more - sometimes what we wear is our life story. Anyway I'm wearing the earrings now and loving them, and thinking of the creative, cool person who made them for me. xoxoxo's to you, C!

But What Will the Bidens Wear?

There has been alot of happy speculation in the blogosphere about what the Obamas will wear on Inauguration Day and to the balls later that night. The Preppy Princess has been closely following what the Obamas and their daughters might be wearing on the big day and night and she has links to that eye candy that is the WWD slideshow of potential looks for President Elect and Mrs. Obama and their daughters. No doubt all of them will look great - all four of them wear clothes well.

I'm curious though about that other couple the day will be honoring - the Vice President Elect and Dr. Biden. It's pretty obvious the Vice President elect cares about dressing well and judging from the article from the November 2008 edition of Vogue, Dr. Biden likes clothes as well. Though I wish I knew both of them personally, I don't, but I think it's safe to say she is probably looking forward to choosing a gown for the inaugural balls and will want one that's fashionable but ladylike and flattering - hey, if I ran 5 miles daily, I'd want to show off my figure too.

I'm guessing the Veep elect will wear a business suit with a blue tie, a combo he's been wearing quite a bit of lately and that works for him, then at the balls, a traditional tuxedo. I'm thinking his wife might be interested in looks similar to these:



This Badgley Mischka is a gorgeous color and unfussy, elegant style.



Ah, red. And the interesting thing about this gown is it also skims the body but the sleeves make it ladylike, a little more "serious" and less Hollywood. Not that Hollywood is a bad place but the Inaugrual is not the Oscars.

Both lovely choices, but then I saw this from a designer called Helen Morley:



And thought that this would be the look I'd love to see Dr. Biden wear. When I went to the Helen Morley website and saw a simpler version of the gown above with a lace bolero - I wish I could have uploaded the pic but dratted Flashplayer kept me from doing so - I was convinced all the more. Her designs are beautiful without being froufrou, grown up without being dowdy or sack like. And the shapes are simple enough that anyone who's preppy at heart would feel great in them. I would love to see Dr. Biden in a gown from this designer, and for more people to get to know Helen Morley's clothes.