New Names and Second Chances

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

A last minute epiphany. Inspiration finally struck, courtesy of my fellow blogger comments to follow my instincts. My new blog will be called Knot Just Nautical and will chart my path through a life filled with all things nautical, preppy and classic.

I do hope you decide to follow me there as Knot Just Nautical is here to stay!

What.do.I.call.my.Blog 2.0

Oh dear oh dear. What a slow start to such a motivated blogging career! I have definitely decided I need to change my blog name buuuut have been unable to actually decide what name succinctly describes my blog intentions, whilst still being appealing, recognizable etc etc with the added parameter of not being taken.
I have tossed and turned for two days and have come up with 6 options. I am now sending these out into the blogosphere for a wish, a prayer... but above all input to help me make my decision.
I should probably confess at this point that it took me 10 years to commit to my first Barbour jacket and that I was only able to do after some very sound advice from EAS of LetTheTidePullYourDreamsAshore. *EAS, help? please?*

Ok so the options *drum roll* are:

• The Perpetual Wishlist  (because let's face it, I will never have everything I want...)
• Classic Knots (in reference to my love of all things nautical, classic and timeless) 
• Euro Prep (living in Europe, I consider myself a bit of a Euro version of American prep) 
• Quite Preppy (as in "we exude prep, don't we? quite, quite!" This one is my favorite, although I don't know why..)
• Indulgence meets Frugality (doesn't exactly roll off the tongue... but describes my lifestyle pretty well)
• A Gracious Indulgence (because it's softer than the previous option... ok, ok, this is the last option... my idea tank was depleted!!)

Please, oh fellow kind and generous bloggers, voice your opinions on these blog title options! Alternative suggestions involving the words nautical, knots, prep, classic or related... are welcome too, natch.


xx Much obliged, The future ex-Big-Stripe

Decisions, decisions & arm candy

So as a newbie blogger, I like to roam the interwebs to see what similar blogs are out there and what is connected to my blog name. On just such a trawl, I discovered that The Big Stripe is a name associated with a certain life-long type of inmate at prisons. Hmmm. This required further research. Remote in hand, cup of tea in the other, I watched Lockdown last night. One look at the sea of big black and white stripes definitely made my heart sink.
I am therefore considering - while my readership is (still) negligible lol - switching my blog name in favor of something with less errr criminal connotations.

While I ponder this move, here is a bit of arm candy I was sporting today:

Left to right: Ring - David Yurman
Silver bangle 1 - bangle made from an antique silverware handles and received from a family friend for Confirmation.
Silver bangle 2 is also made from an antique spoon or fork handle and this was a gift from my mother, who purchased it off the Grande Place in Brussels, Belgium.
Suede with studs wrist band - Charlotte Russe
Silver simple bangle - a hand-me-down from my cousin.

I wore a grey Rugby ruffle button down with a chunky navy sweater, so I needed to toughen up the look a little.

 Of course, Sherman had to give final approval.

Do you stack your bracelets?

Lilly Pulitzer Reveal Part II.

I was barely coming down from my LP induced high, when RueLaLa decided to deliver the final K.O. to my bank account a day or two later...

Lilly Pulitzer Sea and Be Seen tote

This actually matches a cardigan I forgot to mention from the LP sale... I plan on wearing both with skinny white pants and silver sandals, proudly waving the matchy-matchy flag!

I managed to snag a pink polo shirt and Roslyn skirt before all the best stuff was sold out in my size. Not that I should be thinking about adding to this collection... but should there be another sale... you know... in a decade far far in the future.... I shall be focussing on PJs, bags, shoes and cashmere. I think I've got the dresses covered for now :-)

What did you get at the sales?

Lilly Pulitzer Reveal Part I.

The final stragglers of my Lilly Pulitzer shopping extravaganza during the New Year sale have finally all arrived. I admit, I went a biiiiiit craaaaazy. Well ok, a lot crazy.
I wasn't prepared for all the nice stuff that would be on offer! Rookie mistake.
My funds were already depleted from the Christmas gift giving palooza. But when there are such important matters at stake, there is a determination (read: greed) that rallies from deep within, separates the lint from the dimes in your pockets and hits "purchase". Because if you don't, you regret it... in June.

I went in with a plan: Check out everything first, add to cart, review cart, then check out. Yeah... errr... force majeur ruled against that plan.

Lilly Pulitzer Delia dress

Up first: The Dalia dress. This baby was coming home to Mama! I have a few LP shift dresses that are slightly too big for me (ok, future maternity wear kinda big), so I ordered the Delia shift in a size smaller than my regular size and it fits perfectly.

I love this pattern so I didn't get much further down the page before I had another item to check out...

Lilly Pulitzer Evie dress

...and then again... (I bought it in blue)

Lilly Pulitzer Jacqueline dress

...and again...
...and again

Lilly Pulitzer Bowen dress

I realized my shopping frenzy was a bit one-sided, so I rounded out my loot with a Paley cardigan in pink, an Opening Ceremony clutch in pink and...a tie for hubs. That's right, I thought of others. *Hoping this earns me some brownie points with hubby for part II of the LP shopping reveal....*

Sunday Blues

Every Sunday, at some point, I run out of chores I want to do. I trawl the blog world for entertaining updates, only to find depressingly few new posts. So here is my vow: Every Sunday, I shall post an update to my blog of three things that are currently on my mind.

1. Nautical stripes in clothing
LL Bean French sailor 3/4 sleeve top

LL Bean have really stepped up to the nautical plate. I ordered the french sailor turtleneck for winter and was pleasantly surprised by the weight and quality of it. One wash down and it still looks brand new. So I ordered the 3/4 sleeve version in white/navy and it's equally nice. For Christmas I received two Petit Bateau nautical stripe tops and although they are softer on the inside than the LLBean version, the PB is slightly more fitted at the shoulder, which means if you size up you end up with very long sleeves and a slightly longer than ideal overall length. LL Bean offers 15% off your entire purchase right now using code JSK5165.

2. Chai

Starbucks Chai tea concentrate

I lurrrves me some Chai. A friend of mine back in the college days introduced me to it at Whole Foods, and I've been hooked since. I buy the concentrate since I refuse to spend shopping money on $5 lattes and would easily drink these all day, if they weren't so calorific and caffeinated. The clove, nutmeg and vanilla all meld together for a wonderfully peppery and warming beverage. It tastes surprisingly delicious "on the rocks" in the summer too!

3. Jersey Shore

Yes, that's right. JERSEY SHORE. There, I said it.
I refused to watch it. I balked at those who knew the names of the cast. I cringed when I saw pictures of them drunk on a beach at 11am in the morning. Now, I am one of them.
I can't wait for the next episode, to see if Deena manages to stay upright for 24 hours, to decide if Mike "The Situation" was better as a man wh*re with a soft side or a snitch with a crush on Snooki, to comment for the millionth time how Pauly D looks like Bart Simpson from the side and to inspect from all angles JWoww's plastic surgery results. Ronnie and Sammi can go away. Please. Leave the Ron Ron juice.

Thank you DEC for lowering my IQ in such an enjoyable way.

Introductions

Let me introduce my sidekick, Sherman.

Sherman, aged 1.

We are a package deal. My husband, DEC, and I had just reached California in our drive from Washington State to the East Coast, when my birthday came around. Even though my birthday happens every year (shocking, I know), someone was unprepared. Don't get me wrong. Jewelry, fancy clothing and accessories are always nice. As is a spa day. But I always wanted a puppy, and what better time to get one than while you are in a hotel, with about a month of road tripping still ahead of you, with your life packed up and being moved cross-country? Ahem.
Let's just say we took the house-training crash course. I'm sure the dog whisperer would not approve.

You'll be pleased to hear it all turned out just fine, thank you very much. Why? Because Sherman's not just any ole' cute pup. He's a trooper. He's a pleaser. And he's the best, most cuddly, lifelong gift I've ever gotten.

He is a piebald miniature Dachshund, who loves to dance....

... wear goggles...

.... play fetch...

... and recover for tomorrow's exhausting adventures by sleeping like a true weiner in his human bun.

Bonne nuit!

What's in a name?

What is in the name of a blog?
For late comers to this blogging world, probably not much. I tried a few variations that seemed to relate to me and where I wanted this blog to go. Taken! Taken! Taken! So I started coming up with really random names. Oatmeal. Taken. Big circle. Taken. Banc. Yep, you guessed it - taken! I wonder how many bloggers before me settled on a name that's just that: a name. No deep thoughts behind it, no intriguing connection to what is to come, just...

........ a big stripe. Sure, why not.

Thank you for stopping by and checking back, may our cyber-paths cross again.