Lily Pulitzer

Style Challenge-Catherine Walker London

Are my Lovely Readers ready for a new Style Challenge? I found these beautiful winter dresses on the "Catherine Walker London" website. I was looking for wool dresses and found coat dresses as well. I had a coat dress in the 1990's that I loved. I haven't seen them very often since then. #1 isn't a coat dress but I like its classic style. I like the collar and bow details on coat dress #2. The company makes several retro styles like coat dress #3. Please choose 1., 2. or 3.❄

https://www.catherinewalker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/catherinewalkerlondon?igsh=Z3czemNjN2s2MmIz

#kentuckyfashion 

#kentuckyfashionbypamelaowen

#stylechallenge 

#cathrinewalkerlondon

#coatdress 

#retrocoatdress

#womenover50 

#womenover60

2024 Suggestions

Instead of making New Year's resolutions maybe adopting some new habits will improve your life.😉

#kentuckyfashion 

#kentuckyfashionbypamelaowen 

#newyearsresolutions2024

Matching Plaids

I'm old enough to remember when manufacturers always made sure their plaid garments were matched at the seams. Things are different now and many buyers are unaware that their plaid purchases should match. I'm not going to reveal the name of this coat's popular clothing brand or the store that sells it. I'm using these pictures to illustrate how the plaids on all the seams have not been matched. If it opens in the front always check the to see if the plaids match when buttoned or zipped. Then check the side seams to make sure the plaids are matched there. On this coat it appears that the front plaids match but the side seams don't. Look at arms and see if the plaids match with the front and back of the coat unlike this one. The plaids almost match in front but they don't in the back. Look at the back of this coat and you can see that the back section of fabric hasn't been matched with the sides. The pocket flaps don't match on the front of the coat. Always check the shoulders where the plaids from the front should match the plaids from the back. Matching plaids when sewing a garment requires extra fabric and labor. It's much faster when you don't match them especially in a clothing factory. Often the higher priced brands make sure their plaid garments match. I would spend the extra money to have a better quality piece than one that is cheaply made.

#plaidcoat

Happy 12th Anniversary Kentucky Fashion by Pamela Owen!

Kentucky Fashion by Pamela Owen on Facebook is 12 years old today. It's been a fun fashion hobby and I never thought it would last this long. It's so gratifying to run into people in Louisville who follow me and play my Style Challenges. I appreciate the many compliments over the years and hope to continue for many years to come. 

I still have my Kentucky Fashion Pinterest and Instagram accounts. The links are below.

The first picture of me was taken in 2015 by my daughter Rachel Hood Barr, owner of RHB Photography. The business card is what I've used for my Cover picture for several years. The third picture was made by our friends at MKJ Marketing shortly after I launched this page. The last picture was taken last month at the The Monarchs Louisville Halloween dance. My husband David has been a vocalist with the band for 14 years. Our friend Bill Woods snapped this picture while we were enjoying a rare slow dance. We have been married for 45 years.❤️ He is always so pleased when one of his friends mentions Kentucky Fashion to him.😁

Thank you again Lovely Readers for supporting me on Facebook since November 5, 2011 when I sat at my computer with my finger hovering over the keyboard waiting for the "courage to launch" the page. I have never regretted it.💝

E-mail: kentuckyfashion@gmail.com 

https://www.instagram.com/pamela_owen/

http://pinterest.com/KentuckyFashion/

Thank You Lovely Readers

🌹 I had a wonderful surprise today. A Kentucky Fashion Follower named Dorothy L. saw me at a local fruit market and introduced herself. I was thrilled to meet her in person. She complimented my Style Challenges and told me how much she enjoyed them.😊 I saw my friends Judy D. and Patricia J. Saturday night who also follow my page and told me they love to play the Style Challenges.😍 My friend Teresa Q. never fails to compliment me whenever she calls.😘 I appreciate my personal friends and My Lovely Readers giving me positive feedback on my posts.👍I want to thank ALL of you for sticking with me since 2011 when I launched Kentucky Fashion by Pamela Owen.💝

Dina Merrill

My favorite film that she starred in was "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" in 1963. Dina's character is a fashion consultant and her fabulous wardrobe was designed by Helen Rose. This is from Dina's biography on IMDb.

"It would have been pretty difficult for willowy actress/model Dina Merrill to have pulled off playing a commoner on stage, film or TV in her day. She reeked of elegance and class. The epitome of style, poise and glamour, the New York-born socialite and celebrity was born Nedenia Marjorie Hutton on December 29, 1923, the daughter of E.F. Hutton, the financier and founder of the Wall Street firm that bore his name, and heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, of the Post cereal fortune. Although Dina made elegant, elaborate use of her upbringing over the decades, she handled it all positively and graciously without tabloid incidents, instilling these same refined credentials into a large portion of her characters."🎬

Click on this link to read more about her:  https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0581277/bio/

#dinamerrill

#helenrose

#oldhollywood

In Celebration of the "Forget Me Not"

This is how I styled our Teri Jon powder blue, chiffon evening gown from Glasscock Boutique. I was inspired by this beautiful "Forget Me Not" bridal bouquet. I styled the outfit suitable for a mother of the bride or groom. I chose the double strand pearl necklace with the Aquamarine stones because pearl accessories are classic wedding attire. I chose the Aquamarine and diamond earrings because they are a set with the pearl necklace. I chose the white heels for their blue stone and pearl embellishments. I chose the pearl evening bag with the crystal clasp to coordinate with the necklace. I like these classic accessories because they would be easy to wear with other special event clothing. Imagine them with a simple white dress in the warm months and a black dress in the cool months.💎

This second collage is how the majority of my Lovely Readers styled the evening gown.

Thank you again for playing this Style Challenge. The next time you need an outfit for a special event or the Kentucky Oaks or Derby please check out the selection at Glasscock Boutique and Glasscock Too. They will give you the personal service so lacking in most clothing stores today.

https://shopglasscockboutique.com/collections/teri-jon-1

#kentuckyfashionbypamelaowen 

#stylechallenge 

#terijon 

#glasscockboutique 

#motherofthebride 

#motherofthegroom 

#summerwedding2023

#aquamarinejewelry 

#forgetmenotbouquet

Susan Street Blog Photos

These collages show outfits styled by fashion blogger Susan Street. Her first blog, "Fifty Not Frumpy," was a huge hit. She has helped many women over the years update their personal styles to look more put together and chic. Susan's outfits are usually what she already owns. She has a knack for styling her clothes using the same pieces over and over. These collages show 18 of her outfits. I wanted to point out in each of the first seven collages how her outfits look very stylish (pictures on the right ) or not as stylish or slimming on the left. Of course her styling had a lot to do with her plans for her day or evening. The last collage shows her in white pants/jeans with four different black tops. For women who aren't comfortable dressing up, a black hip length top or tunic over white bottoms is perfect for evenings and special events. If you would like to visit Susan's website click on this link:

https://susanafter60.com/biography/

#kentuckyfashionbypamelaowen 

#fashionblogger 

#susanstreet

#over50fashion

#over60fashion 

#maturefashion

Hermès Handbags

A little Hermès (pronounced air-MEZ) handbag history.

The first two pictures are of Jane Birkin. In the most current one she's seen carrying her famous "Hermès Birkin Bag." She was often seen carrying a basket instead of a handbag even to semi-formal events. She would often wrap a scarf around the handle. I think the Hermès handbag was a great improvement and more secure. The third picture is of the "Birkin" named in her honor. They're very expensive and I don't know anyone who owns one. I found this account of how the bag was named for her.

"After an in-flight conversation with the chief executive of Hermès, Birkin became synonymous with one of fashion's biggest luxuries: the Birkin bag. The purse was designed specifically for the actress and encompasses her sophisticated simplicity."

The other famous Hermès handbag is the "Kelly Bag" named in honor of Grace Kelly. You can see by the two pictures of her how perfectly proportioned it was to her frame. I found this account of how the Kelly bag got its name. 

"Alfred Hitchcock has been credited with bringing the handbag into the limelight. In 1954, Hitchcock allowed the costume designer Edith Head to purchase Hermès accessories for the film "To Catch a Thief," starring Grace Kelly. According to Head, Kelly "fell in love" with the bag. In 1956 she became Princess of Monoco was photographed using the handbag to shield her growing belly from the paparazzi during her first pregnancy. That photograph was featured in Life magazine. Princess Grace was a fashion icon, and the handbag immediately achieved great popularity. Although the handbag instantly became known as the Kelly bag, it was not officially renamed until 1977." 

The other pictures show information about Hermès handbags that I thought you might find interesting as well as a list of designer handbags that have increased in value over the years. If you ever find handbags designed like these you should buy them. I'm not suggesting that you buy knock-offs, or fake designer handbags because that's illegal but bags made in similar designs might work well for you. 

#hermès 

#hermèsbirkin 

#hermèsbag 

#hermeskelly

#janebirkin 

#gracekelly 

#designerhandbags

Mr. Mainbocher on Memorial Day 2023

On this Memorial Day I would like to honor Mr. Mainbocher. He's famous for designing the uniforms for the Navy WAVES and the Coast Guard SPARS during World War II. Mr. Mainbocher is credited with the invention of timeless designs still worn today, such as the short evening gown, the strapless dress, and the sheath. 

"Though the moniker “Mainbocher” is more famously associated with the fashion capitals of Paris and New York, he was originally born Main Rousseau Bocher on October 24, 1890 on the west side of Chicago, Illinois. It was during the early years of World War II that his keen eye for functional, feminine designs caught the attention of a surprising client: the United States Navy. One of his faithful customers and former colleague at Vogue was Josephine Forrestal, wife of the then Undersecretary of the Navy, James Forrestal. In 1942, she was tasked as the “civilian advisor of uniforms” for the newly established Navy WAVES, and approached Mainbocher about designing the official uniform for the Navy’s women unit, which would also double as the uniform for the Coast Guard women’s unit, the SPARS. Securing a stylish uniform design for the WAVES and SPARS was critical, as it was not meant to be merely ornamental; the uniform was to be a vital tool in legitimizing the idea of women in the military. Many Americans were anxious that service in the military would upend traditional gender norms and diminish the femininity of the servicewoman, including prospective WAVES who had reservations about serving in a male’s uniform. The uniform had to be standardized to befit a military unit, but also highly practical and able to be worn well by women working both desk duties and manual labor jobs. The Navy was also interested in recruiting women who were educated and poised, and needed a flattering uniform that would attract such candidates. And overall, the uniform was needed to create a sense of pride and patriotism in the women who wore them, avoiding the negative feelings the Navy women reservists of World War I, more popularly known as the Yeomanettes, felt about theirs."

You can read the entire article here:

https://text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2022/07/26/mainbocher-designer-of-the-best-dressed-women-in-the-world/

#memorialday2023