Labor Day at the Redneck Riviera!!

Leopard print strapless maxi dress- Forever21

Sunglasses - Gucci from Off Fith Outlet store

Tote Bag - Longchamp

Pewter leather flip flops - Scoop sample sale

Sunscreen - Shiseido SPF 55 lotion

Happy Labor Day, everyone! I hope that every one had a safe and happy long holiday weekend. I know I did! I was in need of som true R&R this weekend and I definitely got it!

My Aunt and Uncle have a little place down on the Indiana side of the Ohio River. It's a little community of camping trailers and mobile homes right on the water. There are some actual houses that people live in full time, but the majority of them are just weekend places. I lovingly refer to this area as the "Redneck Riviera" because that's exactly what it is.. and I gotta say, I love it down there. Everyone parks their cars for the weekend and the main mode of transportation from one friend's cabin to the next freind's cabin is a golf cart. No one cares what they look like and everyone waves at you when you drive by. I think my outfit was more suited for Boca Raton than the Redneck Riviera, but I was cool and comfortable for the most part (I wasn't about to let these thighs see the light of day) which is what I was really looking for on this hot, sunny, and humid day.

I have to give a rave for this Shiseido sunscreen. It's a lower SPF than I've been wearing for the last few years, but after not being too pleased with the brand that I used last Summer after I wore it earlier in the Spring, I decided to give this one a shot. The results were good. After being in the sun for the greater part of the afernoon, I am not the least bit pink. I'm pretty darn impressed with it.

This is the only time you will see me post wearing a flip flop. The last time I tried to wear a non-rubber bottomed shoe on my Uncle's boat, he made me leave them at the dock. I can't be having my cute shoes unsupervised on the dock at the Redneck Riviera, so I had to cave under the pressure.

September Challenge...

NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION :) As we have been alluding to in recent weeks, it is time for the latest fashion challenge...ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!?!?!?!

Leslie and I attended the University of Louisville vs. University of Kentucky game Sunday and for those who do not know, it is always a true test of our friendship - given I bleed blue and Leslie is a Cards fan through and through. And of course this is not the forum to brag, but I will for one moment; C-A-T-S, Cats! Cats! Cats!

I digress - your challenge my fashionista friends is to dress in your favorite teams colors. This is a wonderful opportunity to mix it up and incorporate some incredible colors. This was always a challenge for me when I worked for the Bengals - 4 years of trying to utilize orange and black without looking like a jack-o-lantern. Feel free to not only work in clothing but accessories like purses, shoes, jewelry etc...Pets are also not to be left out, I know many of us are animal lovers and have some fabulous accessories to show off. Now some of our readers are from Europe, so we are certainly open for you to show off your favorite futbol colors! REMEMBER to let us know what team you are representing!!

Our challenge will last until Sunday September 14th and at the end there might be a prize be involved!

So go out and show us what you got! Be Agressive, B-E Agressive!

And please enjoy your manjoyment of Tom Brady!

Brew at the Zoo with Ally and Sparky

Last Saturday my dear, sweet Sparky was in town and we (along with Al and Tracey and some other friends) went to the Brew at the Zoo. It's a fundraiser for the Louisville Zoo and a win-win for me :) Zoos make me kinda sad, but the ample supply of beer and food got me over that very quickly.

It was going to be a hot one (95 degrees) and the event is outside, so lots of cotton, sunscreen, and prior planning was required.

I think we looked ready for a long, hot day!

This is the third year Tracey and I've been to this (or is it the fourth??) so we know how critical it is to either get a table under the tent (shade) or grab a table next to trees (shade). Either way, shade is key. I don't slather on spf 70 for nothing! Not about to sit in the sun and get burnt.






Dress: Target

Belt: Target

Shoes: Target (see a pattern?)

Hat: street vendor at Kentucky Derby Festival

Bag: Lands' End Weatherfield Plaid Tote (mine's pink/brown, but it's a discontinued color now)









The shoes were a very last minute purchase at Target earlier in the day. I needed some brown flats and these were not only super comfortable but they were under $10. However, they're not the cutest things in the world and I pretty much have a love-hate relationship with them. I love how great they feel and I hate how I wear them with anything other than jeans. Oy!

All good Kentucky girls (should) love a hat. I think they're fashionable and VERY functional. Nothing keeps the sun off your pretty face and shoulders better than a big hat. It helps your friends find you in a crowd too! I have this in black also (I wore the black one to The Oaks). Tracey has it in pink and brown (I think, right?). All I know is that between the two of us, we have four of them - and different colors too. Think we planned that? :)

When we saw these hats at the vendor, Tracey dragged me over b/c she said she'd seen the exact same hat online for $80+. The guy was selling his for $35 but we got him down to $30 since we bought in bulk :) Here's a link to a site selling the exact same hat for a little more. It's the raffia Madagascar hat.

And now, the part you've all been waiting for...our first guest post!!!

Here's Sparky!!!!!!!!!!

Ally took me to Target to get a non-black and non-menswear outfit for brew and the zoo and we found the whole outfit from the waist up. The halter top and sweater were claimed from the clearance rack at $13 each. I already owned the skirt, which is Eddie Bauer, obtained from a store closing last winter for a cool $15 (originally $50, I believe). The sandals are Haviannas and when I got them at Urban Outfitters, it was part of a buy 1 get 1 50% off and I picked up another pair in gold. I can't remember how much they were total, but one pair was 50% off so I'll call that cute on the cheap-er. Accessories were obtained from Target too - hat for $12 and bag for about $20. I see myself getting great mileage out of both pieces. Sunglasses were another already owned item, but they're from Target too, which means I scored them for less than $15.




Note the detail on the sweater and halter - it's very Daisy-Mae meets ladies who lunch, you think?











I love this pretty, summery outfit on Sparky. I'm sure the folks in Target thought I was nuts yelling "You're too pretty for that!!" every time Sparky held up a black, gray, or mens shirt above the racks for approval. :) But it's true - she's too pretty NOT to wear color, right?

Thanks to Sparky for contributing to the blog!