style: summer outfits inspired by country music's leading ladies

In case you couldn't tell, I REALLY enjoyed creating yesterday's style board in honor of the queens of country music.  Several of today's stars were represented in the Hall of Fame's museum, including Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and Taylor Swift... which got me thinking, which of today's leading ladies of country will be the Hall of Fame members of tomorrow?  And, more importantly, how can I dress like they do?

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Carrie Underwood's costumes from the "Blown Away" tour are currently on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  They are glamorous and mysterious, almost like something from a fantasy or science fiction movie.  I have heard that her concerts are amazing, and I can understand why.  I can see her wearing this ModCloth one-shoulder dress, drop earrings, glittery pumps, and Juicy Couture geometic cuff from ShopBop (similar from ShopAkira).  All that's missing is a blinged-out microphone.

Miranda Lambert is my country-girl idol, and this outfit was inspired by her quote, "I'll never dance around on stage in a halter top. I will always play my guitar" as well as the homemade baseball cap she donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which has a picture of her idol, Merle Haggard.  I chose a Merle tee from E-Bay and Current/Elliott cutoffs from The Outnet (similar from Tilly's) with a Fossil tri-tone bracelet from Macy's and Resistol boots from Country Outfitter.  The pistol necklace from Etsy is a nod to her side project, the Pistol Annies.

Kimberly Schlapman is one-fourth of Little Big Town and hosts her own cooking show on GAC.  Her style is really cool and current and she's not afraid to try trends, so I think she'd be happy in a J. Crew Factory chambray shirt, Newlook lace skater skirt, and Sam Edelman animal-print sandals from JulesB with a bright red Monsoon clutch.

Taylor Swift has a really unique personal style that was fun to base an outfit around.  I paired a Breton stiped tee from Calypso-Celle (similar from Jack Wills) with an AX denim skater skirt from The Hut, then accessorized with Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses from Piperlime (similar from Forever21), red lipstick from Cover Girl, red Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers from Finish Line, and a Kate Spade composition book tablet cover.

Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum is currently rocking the maternity wear and has been wearing a lot of black, so I paired a Miss Selfridge moto jacket (similar from Topshop) with a Merona lace-sleeved top from Target and Liz Lange for Target leggings.  Merona flats, Jane Hollinger drop earrings from Ylang23 (similar from Bluefly), and OPI nail polish in "Lincoln Park After Dark" complete an edgy-meets-glam look.

Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland is very free spirited onstage and her songs are full of heart.  I chose a True Religion tee from Stylebop (similar tees available from Tilly's here and here), topped it with an American Eagle fringed vest, and added a pair of Diesel flares from Farfetch (similar from Mango).  This outfit was begging for a Lucky Brand necklace, and I'm a little bit in love with the Wanted red ankle boots from Amazon.

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style: summer outfits inspired by the Country Music Hall of Fame

One of the coolest things about the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville is seeing classic country artists' stage costumes.  I was particularly inspired by seeing items that belonged to the women I consider the mamas and grandmothers of country music.  I decided to play around with the idea of country music's pioneering women, re-imagined for the modern girl.

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Kitty Wells, best known for the song "It Wasn't Got Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," was a Nashville native and is known today as the Queen of Country Music.  Every female country singer whose songs push the envelope follows in her footsteps!  Kitty's style was feminine and fun, so I chose a Modcloth polka dot dress, red Mango flats, a rhinestone hair accessory from Forever21 (sold in a set of 2), and Butter London nail polish in "Come to Bed Red" from Karmaloop.

Patsy Cline is one of country's iconic figures for her unique voice and sassy attitude.  Many of her stage costumes featured Western touches, but she also kept up with the fashions of the 1960's, so I paired an embroidered blouse from Ruche with Blank NYC capris from Lord and Taylor and a pair of Zara booties.  These floral wayfarer-style sunglasses from Delia*s are adorable, and Topshop's Lip Bullet in Rockabilly is a modern take on Patsy's signature red lipstick.

Loretta Lynn went from Kentucky coalminer's daughter to sparkling superstar, made history for writing songs with a feminist viewpoint, and has collaborated with Jack White - all of those things make her one of my favorites.  The Hall of Fame featured her quote, "I enjoy seeing me change from Loretta, the gal in jeans, to Loretta, the lady in the long gown.  It's a little like seeing one of the Hollywood stars appear before my own eyes."  I decided to create an outfit that was a little of both - a Ruche chambray shirt with the sleeves cut off paired with a tulle skirt from Modcloth, and Modcloth drop earrings and Dorothy Perkins bangles paired with simple sandals from LOFT.

Dolly Parton has gone from a very humble background to being a successful musician, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist.  This outfit was inspired by some of her early album covers - a plaid tie-front blouse from Delia*s, Topshop lace skater skirt, vintage cowgirl boots from Modcloth (similar Justin boots are available from Zappos), and a crossbody bag also from Delia*s.

June Carter Cash began performing when she was ten years old and was soon as well known for her sense of humor as she was for her voice.  Inspired by June's lace dress from her wedding to Johnny Cash, I paired a Ruche dress with lace TOMS, a Betsey Johnson necklace from Macy's (what says "I keep a close watch on this heart of mine" like a key necklace?) and Deborah Lippmann nail polish in "Mermaid's Dream" from Zappos for a little sparkle.

Emmylou Harris is an Alabama-born folk country singer-songwriter with an angelic voice.  Her style tends to be a little bohemian, so I paired a Modcloth lace cardigan with a John Lewis tribal print tank and True Religion jeans from MyTheresa (similar skinny jeans can be found at Forever21).  Lucky Brand booties from Piperlime, Dior aviator sunglasses from Saks (similar from Asos) and a Lucky Brand turquoise bangle complete this look.

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clicks of note: she knows she's found a keeper.

get your week off to a colorful start...

LISTEN.

• The band is Charleston-based Shovels and Rope, the song is "Keeper," and with honey-sweet harmony from a husband-and-wife team and lyrics about loyalty, it's perfection.  Fans of The Civil Wars and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes will love this one.  Once again, I'm linking up to Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos!

SWOON.

Troy Grover Photographers via Bridal Musings

• I think you'll love this stylish outdoor engagement session featured on Bridal Musings.
• Camille Styles shares summer shower inspiration from Antiquaria.
• Style Me Pretty features a gorgeous watercolor-inspired shoot in shades of peach.
• For our currently-planning brides, Southern Weddings offers sound budget advice.

INSPIRE.

• The brilliant Jonathan Safran Foer's "How Not to Be Alone," from the New York Times:

"We live in a world made up more of story than stuff. We are creatures of memory more than reminders, of love more than likes. Being attentive to the needs of others might not be the point of life, but it is the work of life."

FLASHBACK.

• Two years ago, I recapped the bridal shower my friends gave me, my final hair and makeup trial, and my bachelorette party.  I also shared a sneak peek of our townhouse.  Last year, I shared a few of my favorite blogs, an al fresco Sunday Simplicity, hot pink fashion inspiration, and a round-up of braided bridal hairstyles.

sunday simplicity #128: in spite of everything...

Autumn and Grace Bridal on Etsy

"She loves me in spite of everything, in spite of myself. She has saved my life 

more than once. She's always been there with her love, and it has certainly 

made me forget the pain for a long time, many times. When it gets dark 

and everybody's gone home and the lights are turned off, it's just me and her.” 

― Johnny Cash

vacation recap: Nashville at last!

When I found out that we were going to Tennessee for vacation, I immediately started campaigning for a day trip to Nashville, especially since the city is only about 120 miles from the resort where we were staying.  My sister-in-law, who is a musician and country fan, was easy to convince, and Mr. Q was happy to come along for the ride to a new city.  Not to get all mushy-gushy on you, but I love discovering new places with my husband by my side.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Before our day trip, I downloaded two Nashville visitor's guides.  They were really helpful in figuring out where the attractions we most wanted to visit were located - it would be easy to spend a whole week in Nashville, but we only had a half day!  We decided to zero in on the SoBro (South of Broadway) neighborhood and Lower Broadway, where most of the country music attractions are.  When we arrived in Nashville last Friday morning, we saw a blue sky for the first time in days and made the regrettable decision to leave our raincoats in the car.  Our first stop was the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

The museum's collections include items from classic country songwriters and stars like Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley (gold piano, anyone?)...

And continues through the timeline of country music to today's stars, including Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban.

Taylor Swift's glittering guitar and Jenny Packham dress, 

Miranda Lambert's "Fastest Girl in Town" costume and pink guitar

The self-guided tour ends with the building's rotunda, which houses the Hall of Fame members' plaques.  We were glad we got there early because when we left there were long lines to get tickets!  The Hall of Fame had a pretty awesome gift shop including some Hatch Show Print t-shirts and items - I am a design nerd when it comes to Hatch, but they didn't have anything I couldn't live without.

For lunch, we visited the Flying Saucer, which was recommended by our waiter back at the resort.  It's a cool, quirky gastropub with a four-page beer menu.  Mr. Q was in craft brew heaven.

Walk the Line shooting script

After lunch, it had begun to rain, but we started walking south anyway.  By the time we got back to Broadway, it was pouring.  It was still cool to walk by the restaurants and bars, like the famous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, and hear live music coming through every doorway.  Our destination was the brand-new Johnny Cash Museum.  I could probably write an essay about how much I love Johnny Cash - Johnny and June's story of love, devotion, redemption and grace gets me every time.  The small museum contains interactive exhibits (they used iPads really creatively) and artifacts from Johnny's whole life including handwritten song lyrics, letters, and poems.  I think my favorite item was Johnny's personal copy of the shooting script for Walk the Line (under the working title Cash) because if not for that biopic I might not have gotten into Johnny Cash's music and life story.  I got tears in my eyes several times in the museum, seeing Johnny's personality come through in his journal writing following his stroke, his handwritten poem written after June's funeral, and all of the awards he won for his last hit, "Hurt."

The view from the Ryman Auditorium stage

From the Johnny Cash Museum, it was on to the Ryman Auditorium, which is nicknamed the "mother church of country music."  The building started its life as an actual church, built to amplify a preacher's voice with its perfect acoustics, but found fame as the home of the Grand Ole Opry.  Though the Opry has moved on, the Ryman is where most of the artists associated with classic country music got their start.  Johnny and June met backstage!

An unexpected highlight of our Ryman tour was the gallery of signed Hatch Show Print posters that have advertised shows in recent years.  So many of my favorites!

David Gray's inscription sums up how I feel about my trip to Nashville

We LOVED Nashville and hope to visit again someday - hopefully in better weather!

vacation recap: Tennessee resort & the Cumberland Plateau

On the second day of our Tennessee vacation, we headed west to the Cumberland Plateau and the resort where we'd be staying for the rest of the trip.  Fairfield Glade is owned by Wyndham and the parents-in-law were able to use their timeshare points.

This is our little condo.  We had a 2-bedroom unit with a large living room, kitchen, and lots of deck space that would have been lovely if it had been a sunny week.

Here's a shot of the kitchen so you can see how nice the unit was inside - all the comforts of home, including pots, pans, and dishes!

There is a British theme throughout Fairfield Glade, with place names like Robin Hood Park and Kensington Woods, but the Stonehenge Country Club is where the British obsession really becomes evident.  I think golf is probably what draws most people to the resort because there are five different courses and the average resort vacationer seen on our trip was a 50 year old man in a polo shirt and khakis.  Stonehenge has a "sports bar" restaurant inside, where we met a disgruntled hipster waiter who was tired of being around retired people all the time, had put in his two weeks notice, and was moving to Nashville.

We didn't get to take advantage of most of the resort's outdoor activities, like horseback riding and tennis, but we did sneak in a round of mini golf between rain showers.  Mr. Q won, sister in law came in second, and I refused to keep score because most of the time I have to hit the ball more than five times.  That course was tricky!  We also managed to stay dry on an evening walk on the resort's trails on our first night, and visited the community's farmer's market on Wednesday morning.

Mr. Q brought his road bike on our vacation but was only able to get in one good ride because of all the rain.  He snapped this Instagram of Lake Dartmoor, one of the two big lakes on the resort.  We'd made plans as a family to go on a pontoon cruise during our trip, but the thunderstorms didn't cooperate.

Definitely the best picture of me from the trip!

The concierge at the resort recommended that we visit Cumberland Mountain State Park and eat at their restaurant, so we made the trip one rainy night.  The state park is beautiful, especially this dam/bridge built by the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's - the state park was designed as a recreational area for homesteaders in the region.  The restaurant had a great view of the water and a comfort-food buffet - if you don't mind being the youngest person in the room.  Our other rainy-vacation activity was visiting the wineries in the area.  Stonehaus Winery in Crossville had some awesome fruit wines and was probably the highlight of the Cumberland Plateau portion of our trip for me!

Not pictured: lots of time spent inside watching le Tour de France.  Tomorrow: NASHVILLE!

vacation recap: Tennessee... and the Titanic?

The Q family and I spent last week exploring Eastern Tennessee.  Despite the fact that it rained every single day of our trip, we made the best of it, and, to paraphrase my own mama, it's a good thing I love my in-laws because there was a LOT of family time.

Our first stop was Sevierville, Tennessee, better known as the hometown of Dolly Parton and the gateway of the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg touristy area.  I had been to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg before, both with my family and with the competition clogging team I used to belong to, but it was Mr. Q's first time.  I think he was a little overwhelmed by all the silver diners, wax museums, laser tag arcades, and fireworks stands, even though I had tried to prepare him by explaining that Pigeon Forge is like a redneck version of Las Vegas.  It is so delightfully tacky, complete with things like this brand-new Titanic Museum Attraction, which my sister in law and I could not resist dragging Mr. Q to on the second day of our vacation.  I mean, we are the family who had a Titanic dinner party.  We owed it to the ship.

The Museum Attraction is impressive looking.  Supposedly it's half the size of the actual ship and there's even a model ticket office outside where "passengers" receive boarding passes.  Each boarding pass features a real passenger from the Titanic and a bit about their life.  The attraction was surprisingly educational.  It is staffed by "first class maids" and a lookalike "Captain Smith," but the tour is self-guided.  As you enter the museum, there are dollhouse-sized models of the ship showing the different levels - even the Louis Vuitton luggage and Renault car in the cargo hold- and each part of the museum itself represents a different part of the ship.  In the first class stateroom, there's a real piece of smoking room paneling inset with mother-of-pearl, and a model of one of Lady Duff Gordon's fashion designs.  In the third class hallway, Irish music can be heard, there is a third class cabin with four bunk beds, and there is a glass door with an iron gate - right behind the glass, water rushes down the stairs over and over.  Hello, perspective.

What I did not expect was the impressive number of artifacts inside - heirlooms and photos from families that were on the ship, letters mailed from on board, items and photographs that were taken from the ship before it sank or recovered from the sea on the night of the sinking, including a deck chair and the violin that was played until the end.  Staff members can direct visitors to any special artifacts related to the passengers on their boarding passes and are very knowledgeable about the ship's history.

"It doesn't look any bigger than the Lusitania."

My inner history buff and inner seventh grader were both pretty happy, because there was also a room dedicated to the film, complete with hats and costumes worn by the actors, a model of the heart of the ocean necklace, and inside looks at the casting and special effects.  The most memorable parts of the museum attraction were the rooms replicating the ship's bridge (where "Captain Smith" told us a memorable story about Baptist minister John Harper, who helped a fellow passenger find faith in Jesus before he died) and deck, where there's a wall of ice, 28-degree water for visitors to try keeping their hands in, models of the different degrees of slope the passengers on the deck would have experienced, and models of the lifeboats with survivors' stories.  After leaving the deck, visitors can learn about the expeditions to the Titanic wreck site before entering a memorial area and learning the fate of the passenger on their boarding passes.  My passenger, a child traveling in third class, lived, as did my sister-in-law's.  She had Juliette Laroche, whose story was really interesting - her husband was the only black passenger on the Titanic.  Mr. Q's passenger was not so lucky - he had a kidnapper!

But the moment where awesome meets tacky is really summed up in this photo.  The attraction's reproduction of the Titanic's grand staircase, constructed from the original builder's plans?  Gorgeous, and fun to re-enact being Rose and Jack on (I really love my sister in law).  It really helped me understand just how opulent and luxurious the ship was.  Standing in front of a green screen to have this photo taken?  Definitely the "cheese factor" of the Titanic Museum Attraction.  But look how happy we were to oblige.  

I'll be back with the second part of our Tennessee vacation tomorrow.  But first, I've got to know... what's the strangest vacation destination you've ended up enjoying?

two years ago today...

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life.