The Best Christmas Pajamas!
In 1823, Clement Clarke Moore first published his poem A Visit from St. Nicholas with the legendary verses,
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
And, basically, ever since, we've associated Christmas with snuggly pajamas that are perfect for late evenings by the fire and early mornings, opening presents. In fact, my goal this week is to wear Christmas pajamas as frequently as possible.
This year, I'm rocking these snow globe flannels from Nick and Nora at Target.
I've picked a few more favorites for y'all below!
5 Christmas Sweaters That Aren't Ugly
Ditch that Ugly Christmas Sweater for an elegant holiday knit!
'Tis the Season for Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties. I'm sure that most of y'all have been invited to a party or two where the dress code called for hideous holiday knits. Here in Louisville, there are so many ways to show the world that you have terrible taste in Christmas attire. Garage Bar is hosting an Ugly Sweater Brunch this Sunday, Hilltop Tavern and Maker's Mark are throwing an Ugly Sweater Party (with prizes!) next Wednesday, and there's even an Ugly Sweater Run tonight, if that's your jam.
As for me, I like my holiday knitwear to run a little more toward pretty and non-ironic. I like to stick with vintage L.L. Bean Sweaters or pretty knits paired with neutrals. Here a few great Christmas sweaters that will take you through the next week of holiday parties in style.
These Ralph Lauren corduroy leggings are seriously THE BEST for pairing with boots and oversized sweaters. They're so comfy and yet give you such a polished look. I LOVE mine!
This Lands' End Supima cotton cardigan adds holiday flair in an understated way. It would be just perfect paired with a pretty skirt and tights.
Image via Lands' End.
This Vineyard Vines Snowflake Fair Isle Turtleneck combines the season's snowflakes with some lovely neutrals.
Snowflake sweater via Vineyard Vines
This would be great with winter white leggings and neutral boots for a comfy yet sophisticated holiday look.
Talbots seriously knocked it out of the park with their holiday line this year. How cute is this sequin fawn tee?
Pair with black jeans and booties for a casual, festive look.
I've already told y'allhow much I love Fair Isle sweaters. This Brooks Brothers Red Fleece sweater is perfect for casual get-togethers with distressed jeans and duck boots.
Happy Holiday Styling, y'all, and just say no to the ugly sweater!
Fair Isle For Fall
Fair Isle sweaters are a traditional favorite for fall and winter. The traditional knitting pattern is named, obviously, for Fair Isle, the most remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom. This tiny corner of Scotland, one of the Shetland Islands, is perhaps most famous for knits that have a limited palette of five or so colors, use only two colors per row, are worked in the round, and limit the length of a run of any particular color. For those of us who aren't knitters, that basically translates to rows of small, intricate patterns.
Sir Paul in Fair Isle
The pattern was popularized 1920s when Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, took to wearing the pattern.
Prince Eddy in Fair Isle
Over the years, Fair Isle knits have become synonymous with leisure, outdoorsy activities, and a traditionally British aesthetic.
#squadgoals
I love that Fair Isle sweaters work well year after year. They never really go out of style. I may have a problem with collecting pink ones, though...
Modern Fair Isle knits aren't just relegated to stuffy sweaters. Here are some great Fair Isle pieces at every price point, ranging from traditional and preppy to modern and irreverent.
HerKentucky Shops! Capes & Wraps for Autumn
This time of year, I'm obsessed with capes and wraps. They're the ultimate layering piece for days when drastic temperature changes require multiple costume changes. They dress up jeans or leggings; they pull an outfit together with a pop of color or a fun pattern.
This weekend at the Breeders' Cup, I was thrilled that I'd accessorized with a sweater-knit wrap -- it was cool and rainy trackside, but warm inside the Bourbon Lounge. I was so glad I'd seen this awesome Talbots piece on two of my very favorite Kentucky bloggers, Authentically Emmie and Seersucker + Saddles; it was the perfect piece for an awesome day of racing!
If you have all the money to spend on a cape and wrap collection, then I'd suggest Burberry, as their colors are simply dreamy...
There are lots of amazing capes to be found at a much more realistic price point.
Of course, your favorite local boutiques are always a great place to find the latest trends. I love this one from Monkee's of Lexington.
Image Via Monkee's of Lexington Facebook
Monkee's also has a lookalike for SJP's amazing Burberry wrap -- you can even get your monogram!
And head to the Peppermint Palm in Lexington or Louisville for one of these adorable Lilly Pulitzer Harp Wraps. I have one, and can tell you that it's super-comfortable and functional!
What to Wear to Keeneland: October 2105 Opening Day
In the four years that HerKentucky has been exploring the lives, traditions, and stories of Kentucky women, there's one question that we get asked more than any other. It pops up, time and again, in y'all's tweets, Facebook posts, and search engine queries:
What should I wear to Keeneland?
The answer I always give is, "Well, that depends on where you're sitting."
Image via Keeneland
All seats in Lexington's storied Keeneland Race Course are not created equal. Basically, the closer to the ground (and the horses themselves) you are, the more casually you should dress.
If you're going to stay near the Paddock --General Admission, Grandstand, or Equestrian Room-- there's no need to dress up very much. Guys often opt for khakis and polo shirts, and women can wear slacks. You're actually dressing for a horse race in these sections. These are the areas nearest the track itself, and people are truly there to watch (and bet on) the horses. With that said, don't be surprised to see a lot of dresses and sport coats in the lower-levels. In recent years, a culture of dressy tailgating (think Steeplechase) has popped up among college students and twenty-somethings, and the second floor (General Admission) Sports Bar often resembles a campus bar or fraternity semi-formal. While the dress code says "casual", there's plenty of Vineyard Vines ties and Lilly Pulitzer to be seen.
Image via Keeneland.
If you'll be dining in the upper-level, enclosed dining rooms-- The Lexington, Kentucky, or Phoenix Rooms-- then expect to dress for a business event. The Lexington and Kentucky rooms -- dining rooms often reserved for business and social gatherings-- have a "business formal" dress code; these areas require men to don a coat and tie, and skirts/dresses/dressy slacks for ladies. The Phoenix Room-- another reserved dining room-- is "business casual", requiring collared shirts and slacks for men and dresses/pantsuits for ladies.
The members-only Clubhouse similarly requires coat and tie for men and dressy pants/skirts for ladies. I find that a skirt suit or a dress paired with a pretty cardigan or wrap is always appropriate for the upper levels. In general, if you'd wear it to church or a business meeting, you're golden.
Image via Keeneland.
Of course, some days at the track are a little more dressy than others. Weekends are generally for more high profile races, and Opening Day tends to bring out dressier clothing.
With the forecast in Lexington calling for rainy days and temperatures in the 50s, I'd suggest some traditional autumn layers with a feminine twist. So bundle up, look nice, and have a great time at the track!
National Lipstick Day!
Kentucky bloggers discuss their signature lipstick shades and offer readers a chance to win a $20 Sephora gift card.
Today is National Lipstick Day, which got the HerKentucky girls talking about our own favorite shades. Most of us have, at some point, found that perfect shade. The one that makes us feel confident. The one that matches our skin tone just so. The one that makes us stand out.
As Peggy Olson said in the brilliant "Basket of Kisses" scene of Mad Men,
For most of us, that's true. There's THE ONE shade.
En route to this year's Final Four. At least I looked good for a miserable game.
For me, it's MAC's Dubonnet. It's a creamy matte burgundy red. It can be worn with casual ensembles and dressed up by mixing in some gloss. It doesn't overpower my fair skin like many reds do.
Glenda's signature shade is also a MAC red; she goes with Russian Red. Coincidentally, this classic shade was Madonna's go-to favorite in the 1980s and 90s.
Julie, our resident Beauty Addict, opts for BeautyCounter lip sheers because they look great and contain no lead. For Julie, there will always be some beautiful memories tied up in a classic lipstick tube:
“I still have a tube of my grandmother Alice’s Revlon Moon Drops lipstick. The name of the color has worn off (it’s pink), but it’s bright and vibrant and not to be ignored— just like she was.”
Wendy's go-to is Indian Rose, a stunning dusty pink shade, while Jennifer of A Girl Eats World likes to mix it up. She says, "I love Clinique Black Honey (dark purple close to my natural color), Nyx Chaos (bluish red for my fair skin), and Revlon Lollipop (fun bright pink)--I'm all about lipstick!"
Over on Bluegrass Redhead, Sarah included this sage piece of advice as among the 34 things she's learned in 34 years:
“Red lipstick is all the makeup you need.”
Jennifer R. has us all running to the beauty counter at Louisville's CirceSWAG, where in-house makeup genius Sloan Winters's brilliant recommendation has become her signature shade: "I have a shade of red, Aphrodite Red, that Sloan sold to me. It's sort of cheerleader red. People stop me to ask about the lipstick, and Sloan says they come in Circe to buy it. Friends give it to me on special occasions."
In a bar or restaurant, says Nikki of Coal Miner's Bride,
“It’s not hard to find a Kentucky woman in a bar. Look for a put-together lady with a lipstick stained glass of bourbon.”
We want to know your signature lipstick shade, and we want to give you a little gift to pick up a new favorite or an old reliable. HerKentucky is giving away two $20 gift cards to Sephora. You can enter to win the first one using our Rafflecopter widget below, and the second on our Instagram page!
(This post contains affiliate links. Prizes are provided by HerKentucky.com and are not affiliated with Sephora, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.)
National Ice Cream Day
Quirky, ridiculous gear for people who REALLY love ice cream.
Happy National Ice Cream Day, y'all!
I assume y'all have your favorite scoop staked out for today's celebration; if you don't, here are some of our recommendations for Kentucky's best. Since it's too hot to do much of anything else, I thought it would be fun to dig up some of the cutest and most ridiculous ways to celebrate National Ice Cream Day!
If you have money to burn, or if ice cream is REALLY important to you, you could scoop up (see what I did there?) this vintage Chanel silk sundress.
This one from ModCloth is a little more budget friendly, retro, and kind of really adorable.
This cone-themed bikini is insane. And yet, it kind of works.
If you wanted to take it a little more subtle, this Alex & Ani bracelet is a good choice.
Or, you could just keep your love of ice cream confined to your serving ware. These Anthropologie serving bowls are quirky and fun.
Whether you choose to display your love for America's favorite summertime treat in big ways or small, we hope you have a great Ice Cream Day!
Shop The Look: National Ice Cream Day
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