Fabulous Festival Entries Due Friday

This Friday is the deadline for entries for the August 4th Fabulous Festival, which will be hosted here at dramatis personae.

Submit all entries here, and I'm looking forward to the goodies you submit, cher!

Yikes! The [Belated] Fabulous! Festival

While Meg is ever on-time, I appear to be [fashionably?] late in reminding everyone that the January Fabulous! Festival is up at All About Appearances. Meg was ever so lovely to include not one, but two posts from dramatis personae!

February's Fabulous Festival will be held again at All About Appearances ;the theme will be Valentine's Day. You can submit entries up until February 1st here.

The Fabulous! Festival Presents: Winter Holidays!

I've got a steamy mug of cocoa, chestnuts roasting, and a big roaring fire, along with some great posts about the Winter Holidays (or Summer Holidays, for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere!). Okay, maybe I only have the posts and the cocoa, but that's not a bad start for Monday morning!

To begin with, The Lemonade Stand gives a rundown of Oprah's Favorite Things for the Holidays. This list is so in-depth, you're bound to find something for everyone and in every price range!

At the Bargain Queen, we have why smaller IS better and an amazing $1 to $1 Billion Gift Guide.

The Fabulous! Festival's lovely organizer, Meg, brings us giving the gift of your musical talents and how to survive the holidays with STYLE.

Style isn't the only thing to be considerate of this holiday-- Are You A Beauty brings us a twopart series on how not to put on pounds this season (with tips that are really useful all year!).

And for the most challenging part of the holidays-- how to dress for ALL of those holiday parties! Icy at Individual Chic gives us a three part series on How To Make An Obi; she is also fantastic enough to provide some local gift options for the Australian readers. I can really get behind her idea of donating time and money for the holidays.

Jennine at the Coveted shows off her lovely new hats; Her holiday survival guide covers everything from fashion to food, and her post on Santa's Ghetto in Bethlehem, featuring the artwork of Banksy is beautiful and calls in to consideration the Christmas celebrations.

For an entry that's just cute, and oh so true, check out Blog Fabulous's Her Way Sucks, I prefer His. I used to wear boy drahs in undergrad, and boy are they comfy!

HATt astic Presents: The Fabulous! Festival [Hats Edition]

I know by the comments on my last post that you all are as enthused about hats (and especially cocktail hats!) as I am! So over at HATtastic enjoy the Fabulous! Festival as it brings you the All Hats Edition. There are tons of great links listed (I know I had too much to say on the subject!), and I know I'm certainly looking forward to the chance to read them ALL.

The next Fabulous! Festival will be returning back to Dramatis Personae with the reminder it's that time of year again and what better way to get in the spirit than with a holiday themed Fabulous! Festival.

As always, we're looking for great posts on fashion, beauty, shopping, and personal style. For this edition, preference will be given to posts that relate to the winter holidays. For example, what advice do you have for holiday shoppers? Do you have tips on what to wear to those holiday parties? We want to hear from you."

Submit all of your articles and entries here, guys and gals! I'm looking forward to survival tips, party tricks and gowns, wrapping ideas, holiday cookies and traditions, and everything in between.

Photography by Jim Curran. He has many vintage inspired images of women in hats. It is really worth drooling over.

NolaBird Tiny Top Hats

Everyone looks fancier with a tiny hat on their head!

NolaBird Tiny Top Hats describes the person she wants to meet as: Anybody who can give me a reason NOT to wear a tiny hat!

Designer J-Bird (also known as Jamie), along with the Marci (the owner the most glorious wig shop ever) designed the first tiny top hat in December of 2001 as a complement to their New Year's Eve costumes. In the past six years, J-Bird has perfected her tiny hat design and has been outfitting people with hats ever since!

I picked up my first hat in January 2006, as the final accessory for my Alice in Wonderland costume-- it was a crystal studded lace flower headband. In many ways, I wondered how I could spend so much money on such a frivolous accessory and worried I'd never have the opportunity to wear it again. But with something so lovely, I have since found many, many more chances to wear it!

It became no question that on my most recent trip to New Orleans I had one agenda in mind: To Get The Tiny Top Hat I Didn't Buy In the Past. My heart nearly broke when I went in to Fifi Mahoney's though, and there were no J-Bird hats that had struck my fancy! Certainly, there were a few that were lovely and cute enough, but none that screamed Ashe Mischief. The wonderful lasses and lads that worked at Fifi's assured me that J-Bird was bringing in more hats that weekend.

On Saturday, imagine my surprise when J-Bird herself came out toting not one, but two glorious tiny top hats that not only screamed my name, but threw temper tantrums to be on my head! One is the gorgeous turqoise one, featured on J-Bird below. It was made of a vintage evening gown, complete with beading and sequins on it (it was one of her personal favorites!). The second (featured on my funny face), is a delightful hot pink and black polka dot print one. When I saw it, I about nearly died in happiness-- imagine, finding a tiny top hat that would match one of my favorite pairs of shoes! The likelihood of something that incredible happening is absurd and rare, to say the least.

Travel Trauma

As you may have read, I recently returned from New Orleans. While the drive down was relatively smooth and uninterrupted, the trip back was far from pleasant! The Partner-In-Crime has finally had his car repairs finished, so I apologize for the haphazards that have gotten in the way of my posting.

While meditating on what wrong with the drive home, I thought of things that would have helped me look like I had mastered the art of "Grace Under Fire." How do you prepare for a dead cylinder and an unhappy distributor? How do you prepare for it, and look your best while doing it? I wish I had had a list like this to read myself, beforehand-- so let my mistakes be your guide.


How to Avoid Travel Trauma!
1. Wear Comfortable Shoes.
This was my biggest mistake. I wore my "lazy shoes," a pair of slip on mary jane esque shoes. They had completely torn up the back of my heels during the trip though, as they're new. I wore them because they were the best driving shoes I had with me, and I didn't anticipate walking. That is until the car broke down, and the Boy and I had to walk several miles to find a repair shop.

2. Keep Your Make-Up Essentials Accessible.
The last thing you want is to sit in a car repair shop for four hours, with smudged mascara, a shiny forehand, and pale cheeks. You'll go in to the bathroom, think of what a sh!t situation you're in, and feel worse because you don't look remotely healthy. I'd recommend keeping a few q-tips, and travel sized mascara and pressed powder on you, or within reach.

3. Fashion + Comfort = Not a Myth
I think it's possible to express your own sense of style, while remaining comfortable for hours of sitting, standing, and waiting. That day I wore a pair of red straight leg jeans with a black turtleneck trapeze dress. It was very basic, a little bit unusual (especially in the middle of Northern Alabama!), but still fitting my needs for the trip (well, other than the shoe issue). Plus, with an outfit *this* comfy-- I was ready and able to pull a "pregnancy" angle if it meant getting our car fixed sooner! (Even though I'm very, very not. But that's a hidden benefit of the empire/trapeze dress.)

4. Change is Inevitable.
While I recognized that my outfit was light enough for the warmer New Orleans day, and would transition well in to the New Orleans night, I forgot to consider what the Indiana evening weather would be like. Lo and behold, my jacket was in the trunk of the car, underneath all of our suitcases. When we got in to Indiana, the turtleneck trapeze provided insufficient warmth! Like your make-up bag, make sure any necessary layers are easily accessible.

5. Accessorize Well.
One of the few things I feel helped me stay stylish-- my everyday accessories (that are all chosen with special care). A great pair of sunglasses can frame and accentuate your face well, and perhaps make you look a bit mysterious (plus, it hides the tired, smeared eyes). My favorite accessory-- my black Macbook, provided me with entertainment and enjoyment during the wait. I'm sure it makes you look like you're together and managing your time efficiently during a crisis! A fully charged cell phone is your friend, and may become a better one than your travel companion.


In many ways, these are very basic ideas. While I employ many of them in other forms of travel (when flying, for example), I never think to bother with them when driving. Driving provides us with a different sense of security-- it's in the back of the car, it's not a hassle to get. But when you car is in the repair zone, and you're unable to access the car, let alone unpack it for whatever you may need, you'll be thanking me.

The Fabulous! Festival presents: Halloween!

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the delay in posting this-- yesterday I was returning from New Orleans, and ran in to some major car troubles on the way home-- so much than it pushed a 12 hour trip in to an 18 hour one! Now, on to the festival!

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My Favorite Tricks and Treats!
As I feel the very subtle changes in the weather, I have to realize Halloween is upon us! Coming from New Orleans, where Halloween is as venerated as Mardis Gras, I have to think about the great things that come from this holiday and all of the fond memories I have of it. So for this edition of the Fabulous! Festival, here are others who find as much joy and jubilation in the upcoming days as I do.

I absolutely adore The Bargain Queen's Last Minute Halloween Costumes. And if you've managed to let time slip away like I have, and Halloween has snuck up on you, then it's sure to spark some ideas!

Miss Janey has several Haunted October posts with glorious costumes, fantastic decorations, and tricks and treats galore!

Meg at All About Appearances covers all of the magical elements of Halloween; my favorite part is her section about giving out Candy! Yum! Similarly, Une femme d'un certain age waxes poetic about the greatest candy of all-- candy corn! and other great holiday delights.

Gilda at Holiday in the Sun revels about Patricia Field's Halloween display and talks about how excited she is to celebrate Halloween for the first time here in the United States (and in NYC nonetheles!). Gilda, I hope you have an AMAZING first Halloween!

At the Space Between My Peers, Rebecca focuses on one of my favorite parts of Halloween-- the COSTUMES! She discusses her process about making "Frankencoat."


Not Halloween Related, but Still Fab!

Girls Who Network talk about developing your personal style and "brand." I love the marketing approach!

Doris Goes Shopping features a beautiful tiara shop (which, coincidentally, could be easily incorporated in to costumes!).

For those of us who manage to miss the runway activities,Alexandra highlights the best and brightest of the Fall/Winter runway looks.

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The next edition of the Fabulous! Festival will be at Une femme d'un certainage on November 12th; the submission's deadline is November 9th, and you can enter them here. The theme for this festival will be Travel Style:

Do you have travel stories about fashion, beauty, shopping or personal style? How do you stay stylish on trips? What tips do you have for fellow travelers? Submit your posts on these fabulous topics!

Following this festival will be the November 26th festival, held at HATastic. The theme for this festival will be hats (naturally!). The Fabulous! Festival is seeking fabulous hosts for the upcoming carnivals, so if you are interested, please contact Meg here.

Be sure to check back here in the next week-- I do hope to have Halloween pictures up from my weekend trip to New Orleans, talk about favorite Halloween activities, as well as show off a costume or two of my own!

Many tricks and treats, bijouxes!

The Fabulous Festival! on October 29th

Greetings lads and lasses!
Just a quick reminder that the next Fabulous! Festival, scheduled for October 29th, will be taking place here! Since it's so close to the end of the month, the theme for this festival will be Halloween-- so send in your costume ideas and creations, your favorite snacks and memories, frightful stories, haunting happenings, and more!

I'll be getting in from a trip that day, so the post will be up late in the evening, just as a forewarning.

Send in your submissions using this handy form. I anxiously await your amazing entries, and can't wait to show you what tricks I'll have up my own sleeves for next week!

Halloween is v. fabulous!

Many, many thanks to Meg at All About Appearances for giving me the pleasure to host the October 29th Fabulous! Festival. The theme for this particular festival is going to be Halloween-- which will coincide delightfully with a surprise weekend trip of mine. So get ready for tricks and treats, costumes and candy, decorations and delight! I want to have all of your best Halloween related posts coming my way (or anything else that is really, truly fabulous!).

The next upcoming Fabulous! Festival will be held at The Space Between My Peers, and you can submit any fabulous topic here; the festival is scheduled to go up on October 15th.

In the meantime, check out this great post on Country Meadow Soaps Halloween Edition by my sister and sister-blog, Miss Malaprop. It's a great way to begin the first of October!

Orange you glad...

While orange is not a color that dominates my wardrobe or accessories, it's a color that can be boldly spotted in my abode. There is something about the color that, when in the right hue, I find very friendly and inviting. This color works perfectly for what I feel my living room should say to visitors: I'm open. I'm friendly. I'm inviting, and my home is strangely comfortable. Orange coordinates well with equally vibrant and lively colors (such as those featured in the throw above)-- pinks, blues, greens, chocolate, and cream.

There's a nice quality to orange that I find invites a playfulness to how it's used with geometry and design. This orange lamp that I got at Target so many years ago is exaggeratedly round, and the stripes around it encourage that shape. This coaster that sits alongside it is made by a local New Orleans artist (pre-Katrina), who creates pieces that reflect the advertising and signage of local establishments. Once again, I'm drawn to the way that the orange+turquoise+lime create a visually dynamic and intriguing geometric intersection of so many shapes in the various colors.

While orange isn't a color I can reclaim on my own physical body often, I appreciate that I can have it represented in my home. When people enter my apartment, I'd like to think that they're affected by the subtle, but vibrant colors that surround them and it leaves them with an upbeat attitude.

Rose Red and The Peacock Queen

In dramatic contrast to the soft innocence of Snow White and the dew-kissed freshness of her sister, Rose Red, this is a blood red, voluptuous rose, velvet-petaled, at the height of bloom. Haughty and imperious, vain, yet incomparably lovely to the eye, but thick with thorns of jealousy, pride and hatred.

This is a description of my favorite Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab scent, The Peacock Queen, but I can't help but think of the imagery when I think about my relationship to the colors red and turquoise/teal/peacock blue. Both are colors that evoke passion, decadence, luxury, and vibrancy. Both are colors I'm attracted to as soon as they catch my eye, and tantalize my senses. They express my arrogant side, my haughty side, the rarely seen vain and proud self, but a side that is equally jealous and sometimes passioned by my emotions.


Both are colors that I naturally become attracted to, especially when accessorizing myself. Luckily, I find that the two colors coordinate rather well, which makes it easier for me to mix and match them. Above is some of my every day basics, along with a few new pieces I've picked up in the last week:
Rainboots from Urban Outfitters (they match all of my umbrellas!).
Turqoise Leather Wallet from TJ Maxx (replacing my old red patent one).
Laptop Bag, in an Alexander Henry print, by Janine King Designs.
Red Bag, by Nine West.
Red Leather Organizer from Barnes and Noble.
Peacock Fluevog's from John Fluevog (Chicago).

While I go through phases where I crave particular colors in my wardrobe (such as navy, eggplant, kelly green), red and turquoise are two colors that I seem to always crave. Color Therapy would suggest that my attraction to peacock tones indicates a need for creative expression, while red suggests passion and determination. Combined together, it's easy for me to see where the weaknesses and strengths are in my life; over the past few years, I've let my creative outlets fall by the waist side, and I have not partaken as much in them as I need. By using these two colors in my accessories and surroundings (as most of my kitchen is in lime and turquoise), I feel that I'm in an environment that is more conducive to stimulating creativity, passion, and my ambitions.