After Labor Day, Before Easter...?

As we go into the holiday weekend and begin to usher in the wonder that is Fall, I've been thinking a lot about cool weather wardrobes.

I grew up amongst traditional Southern women who were committed to not wearing linen, seersucker, white shoes and pants, sandals, shorts and flip flops after Labor Day and before Easter.  To take it a step further, I distinctly remember not being able to wear shorts (no matter the temperature reading) before Memorial Day.

As an adult, I've kept true to most all of these sartorial mores but there is the matter of white denim pants.  I tend not to be afraid to wear them beyond September.  I've sported them with a wonderful heather gray sweater and a suede boot or cheetah peep toe.  I contend that gray, chocolate and black can warm up white denim.  Add a scarf and nice bag and you reek sophisticated chic.  I do not mind being a risk-taker in this regard.  Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever gotten a second glance.  Someone on Twitter said it best yesterday, "When it comes to fashion, do what you want."

Oprah's Creative Director, Adam Glassman, offers a few tips on doing white jeans well beyond summer.

What are some of your seasonal wardrobe change habits? What do YOU think of white jeans during Fall?

TBS's Shoe Closet Runneth Over...An eBay Coup!

What do I love more than life itself? (OK...maybe not that much) You got it...shoes!

I recently scored another shoe coup on eBay. If any of you are fans of The Rachel Zoe Project(LOVE her...I wanna be like her with assistants like Taylor and Brad to boot) and remember this week's episode, she styled a shoot on a budget. One of the models wore a pair of green Pour La Victoire platform sandals that were absolutely to.die.for.

Even TBS likes a little foot spice in her life so I started search the world wide web for a pair of my own. I had to go no further than eBay...much to Mr TBS's chagrin, they almost never let me down. Normally this shoe would have been too high-fashion for me but can't you see them with jeans or a cute dress this fall?

And you thought the mere find was the good part. Nope!

As you can see here, the shoes retailed for $330 and are now on sale at Endless for $181.

TBS's winning bid was $50 plus shipping! Yep...a savings of $230! Take that! I can't wait until they get here.

Don't you LOVE a great deal?

*swoons*

Tailgate Chic: The Wardrobe Essentials

Though we're still in the dog days of summer, football is in the air...can't you smell it? How could you not? The Broke Socialite absolutely LIVES for this time of the year! Pigskin, beer, friends and tailgating just tickle my fancy. I look at tailgating as an opportunity to picnic creatively.



There are a few elements to the perfect tailgate experience: food, beverages, the elements/ambiance and, yes, wardrobe! Because you might need to budget and it's likely the more pricey of them all, let's start with wardrobe (*happy dance, happy dance*).



Truth be told, it's time to move beyond wearing jerseys and sneakers when tailgating *clutching my virtual pearls* Stop your bellyaching! There are tons of ways to exhibit team spirit without looking like SpongeBob when wearing a mesh...ahem...shirt (if that's what you'd like to call it).

Having said that all, TBS is to the rescue. You no longer have to fret about how to be 'tailgate chic'. For maximum comfort and an effortless look, add the following pieces to your wardrobe:

1. A pair of great jeans: as we've all learned, it doesn't matter how much you spend on jeans, just make certain that you look and feel your best in them.
2. A pair of chinos (full-length or cropped): See rationale in #1.
3. Layering tanks and tees: Pick up a couple of different sleeve lengths to accomodate the change in seasons.
4. A wonderful, tailored lightweight jacket: Grab a one in denim and another in khaki. You can find great ones in Target, Wal-Mart, Gap, et al. I've even noticed nicely tailored blazers in TJ Maxx and Marshall's.
5. A layering vest: Only if you're the "vest" type (TBS certainly has been on occasion).
6. A white collared shirt: Tip...ask the dry cleaner to starch the collar 'up' (thanks, Monica. That suggestion changed my life).
7. A pair of Wellies: Be sure to check sites suck as Overstock.com. You can find Hunter Wellies there for more than 50% off.
8. A lightweight sweater or cardigan: For early morning or late evening socializing.
9. A pair of ballet flats or driving loafers with nice cushioning: Do ensure that your shoes will enable walking and standing for long blocks of time.
10. A cross body purse: No fanny packs, please. You'll need something to hold your ID, keys, lipgloss, business/calling cards (for networking with other alumni), cell phone and camera.

Rah, rah! Shish, boom, bah! You're all set!!!

Do YOU tailgate? What do you normally wear?

Ode To The Driving Moc: How Do I LOVE Thee?

My dear driving moc

How many ways do I love thee?

I believe I shall count the ways...

I love you with the perfect pair of jeans

With cropped pants even.

I love you when driving in stilettos

Would be brutal on my ankles....

If I've said it once, I've said it twice, the driving moc is so essential to the wardrobe. I am always on the prowl for a pair. Though I do have a couple of pairs in my repertoire, I thought I'd add to my collection. After all football season is coming up and it's muy importante to be athletically-chic, right?

I found the pair above at Overstock.com. Aren't they fabulous?! They should arrive any day now and I simply can't wait. What is the most glorious about them? Ummmmm...they were $39 including tax and shipping! YESSIR!!!

Did I say how much I LOVE Overstock? If you've never shopped there, you're really missing out. You can almost, always Google a coupon code, too. Follow them on Twitter via @overstock for some of the best deals.

What does your FLATS game look like? Driving mocs? Other Loafers? Ballet flats?

A Guide to Buying Wardrobe Essentials

A Guide to Buying Wardrobe Essentials