July 29, 2010

Post #100 - An Ebullient Duke Summer's Day

Browsing some of Duke University's vintage photo albums on Flicker proved incredibly rewarding when I stumbled upon this little gem of a picture. Taken in 1986 by then Duke student Mark Estrada , this B&W photo manages to encapsulate the things that make me love Duke as much as I do: the incredible architecture that gives the campus an aged and mysterious feel, the great weather of the south and the desire for learning and bettering one's self that I see in so many fellow "Dukies". If you never thought you could get a tan and catch up on your reading, all the while being part of an amazing campus, this here picture will prove you wrong. I have been saving it for a special occasion and I couldn't think of one that would be more fitting than celebrating the 100th post on this blog.


To Duke and to many many more posts to come; I thank y'all so much for reading and following!








Fashion Forward #9 - To Summer Is A Verb

I borrowed this logo from the awesome blog Summer Is A Verb

Indeed, 'to summer" can be used as a verb and nowadays many a people frown when it comes up   in conversation. While it is indeed tightly bound to the Prep world, a degree of snobbishness and the whole summering in Nantucket habit, I like to use it just for, as one of my dear friends likes to say, "shits and giggles" to gauge my friends' level of abhorrence to the expression.

A gorgeous family on a beach on Nantucket
To come back to the idea that brought this famous Preppy Handbook mème into my mind, August, the month I consider to be the pinnacle of all summer gaiety and debauchery, is upon us and I realized I did not talk about summer accouterments at all.

Grown up in Europe, my image of swimwear was, how can I put it, dimensionally curtailed?! Though not as huge a fan of Speedos as was in my childhood, my opinion on size when it comes to any kind of shorts stands. The beaches of America are sadly laden with over-sized, monochromatically afflicted swim-tents. Even GQ saw the problem rising and decided to say something in one of their 2009 summer issues.

GQ featured a couple of guys that had some size problems with their swim trunks in June of 2009. What the sad part is is that so many guys with great bodies choose to hide them in these over-sized ugly board shorts, instead of showing off their hard work in the gym to the rest of the beach. If you've got it flaunt it is almost appropriate in this case.
Though it is a tad late on the summer timeline, here are a few swim trunks that veer away from the all too familiar and sometimes boring solid swim trunk. Summer is about being spontaneous and ebullient, so why not show your inner happiness through what you wear on the beach!

1. Ralph Lauren Molokai 6" Floral Trunk - Jacobian Floral - $59.99; 2. Parke and Ronen - Chilmark Bikini - $90; 3. Ralph Lauren Molokai 6" Floral Trunk - Blue Paisley - $59.99; 4. Lilly Pulitzer - Capri Trunk - Daquiri Pink - $90; 5. Parke and Ronen - SSI Sunset Ivy 4" Swim Short - $95; 6. Parke and Ronen - NDM Navy Del Mar 4" Swim Short - $95

I really hope all of your summers have been nothing short of amazing and I am looking forward to transitioning with you all into Fall, my favourite season!