Thrifting Palm Beach

Arguably, Palm Beach county FL has some of the best thrifting and consignment options anywhere. It helps being in close proximity to island estates whose mavens often redecorate and purge their closets. Many of these items find their way into thrift stores in mint condition with original tags never removed. Don’t even get me started on furniture and home decor. Here are my Top 5 picks for fabulosity of PB county thrifting:

1) World Thrift, Dixie Hwy, Lake Worth. Not for the faint-of-heart, this location is often noisy, crowded, and truly is a treasure hunt because digging is involved. Having said that, put in a little effort and you will unearth designer & high end fashions for literally peanuts. My best find: A navy Burberry blazer for Will. Online price $1,095 and at World Thrift $39.

2) The Church Mouse, County Road, Palm Beach. Benefitting my home church, Bethesda by the Sea, money raised here stays local and contributes to food banks, tutoring programs, elder care and so much more. You will find the most unique things here and at the end of Season cocktail dresses and formal wear abound. The Church Mouse closes in summer, so the week before closing involves some very deep discounts. My best find: 1960’s Helene Arpels yellow Cuban heel shoes $6!

3) Home Again Palm Beach, Military Trail, WPB. Furniture of all sorts, one of a kind pieces and the antithesis of big box stores. Lighting & art options will have your home looking worthy of a design mag cover. My best find: Navy velvet sofa, used as a dining banquette. I’ve consigned here too and things always move quickly.

4) City Girl Consignment, Dixie Hwy, WPB Palm Beach style lovers rejoice. Lilly Pulitzer, Tory Burch, preppy styles and beachy resort wear are all here, along with a large accessories section. Clean, friendly & well-organized shopping here is a pleasure and still quite a savings from retail, though you likely won’t have a $5 eureka moment. My best find: jeans for Scarlet retail $225, here $30.

5) Salvation Army, Military & Belvedere, WPB. This is a fantastic location if you are into DIY and would like to rehab some furniture. They used to have a separate “boutique” but now everything is mixed together. My best find: Side table for the kitchen, which happened to be 50% off the lowest price that day and sold for $13. It actually expands with a leaf and is counter height, so perfect for extra counter space.

Hope this list provides you with helpful info for your PB county thrifting adventures. I’d love to hear about your favorite find! Happy hunting!

When to say When?

Sooooo… I have this old pair of jeans (photo courtesy of Pinterest) and the knee ripped on it’s own. Seeing the 20 and 30 Somethings on Instagram, I decided to break out the scissors and shred them some more. But am I going to wear them around the house or venture outside?

Did you ever hear the expression that if you lived through that fashion fad the first time, maybe better to not wear it again? Oh, yeah, I remember the lead singer from Def Leppard in the “Pour Some Sugar On Me” video. Shredded jeans. Nineteen eighty something. I wore them then but should I do it now? When was the last time you had that thought, “Is this too young for me?”

The first time that thought crept into my head was at the ripe old age of 22… looking at a cropped top. Decided that was a No and have to say that was and has always continued to be a correct decision. But the ripped jeans are different. I always liked them and so decided to go for it, risking side eye with those jeans and my salt & pepper hair.

I figured I would either be out there at the post office or bank and feel ridiculous or not. But, do you know what happened? I felt cool, even dare say empowered. I think I may have walked with a little more swagger. So, I guess lesson learned and what I want to say is you just never know until you try. Give some “younger” trends a shot and see how you feel. Go for the boyfriend or skinny jeans instead of something safe. Rip ‘me up. But just stay away from crop tops. Those are only cute on 16 year olds. And let me know how you feel; I want to know!

Life Romancing

What differentiates a normal day from something more special…. memorable…. romantic…. I would offer a little thought and effort, and that extends beyond your significant other to your family, home, and most especially yourself. When was the last time you romanced yourself? (I don’t mean like THAT) 😳

Living romantically means taking a minute to prepare a more delicious dinner, clean behind the bed, get a bouquet of flowers for your home, have the nice coffee, organize your closet, give extra hugs, go to that yoga class, take a walk together (or with the dog, or by yourself with your favorite music), light the scented candle, do a little slow dancing in the kitchen, and just generally elevate the everyday. You may notice many of the examples listed are FREE and only require a little time or thought to make it happen.

We are all so crazy busy and this romancing idea may seem like another thing on the To Do List which is already too long… but it’s all a matter of perspective. If you see it as work then that’s what it becomes, but by telling yourself these things are full of fun and love; good for your soul and your life, it flips a switch.

Let’s take closet organization as the example: There is some work involved. For some, it could be an hour and others may need 2 days. Take EVERYTHING out of the closet and start trying things in front of a full length mirror. Imagine you were out shopping and trying this on in a dressing room for the first time. Would you buy it? Does it give you a rush or a meh? How much would you pay for it? Item by item, repeat and sort. How in the world is this romantic?! Dears, that is in the payoff!

When you are all done and you’ve dropped off your donation to the Salvation Army and disposed of a few things you couldn’t even donate (I had several paint-spattered T’s and sweats in that category. Really, how many “work clothes” do I need?) looking at your revised closet is a fantastic expression of self-love! And the feeling carries on because now you love everything you have and it all fits. You can save time getting ready and stress less. And you can quiet the nagging voices in your head that harp on about those old jeans being too tight to button. And then they remind you that you should diet or hit the gym. Those voices are decidedly NOT romantic!

I hope y’all enjoy your week and do at least 1 or 2 little things to add that dash of romance to your life. Love a little extra! ❤️💖❤️

Jackie Kennedy’s Love Affair in Capri

Certain locations have a particular style, and sometimes that style is so unique tables are turned and the town becomes synonymous with the item. Such is the case with Palm Beach sandals.

But what was that about Jackie? Let me back up and fill you in on how I heard it: Jackie Kennedy went on a holiday to Capri and fell in looooove! (with these sandals). She brought a pair back to her favorite shoe repair shop in Palm Beach and asked that the owner make some more. Palm Beach was different then. Wouldn’t it be so cool to embark on a little time travel and see for ourselves? When Worth Ave was only open for the Season & Lilly Pulitzer had an orange juice stand, wearing patterned dresses to hide stains. Jackie thought those shift dresses were so cute. Who could have guessed her fashion preferences would launch empires?

Old school Palm Beachers are fewer these days, but there is not one that doesn’t have these shoes, usually nicely broken in – they form to your foot as you wear them – and in many color combos. It is a bit of a uniform around here. Although you would never wear flip flops to church, you could wear these with no problem.

These are the Palm Beach sandals, not to be confused with Jack Rodgers as that is a different company. Apart from the label difference, PB sandals also sport a wooden piece in the arch that make these truly comfortable given some time. Ladies who may have sipped a cocktail back in the day with Jackie, Lilly, and the like may also refer to the sandals as “Luigi’s” or “Bananno’s” as a nod to the aforementioned cobbler.

Palm Beach sandals are not about being a wannabe. They are a nod to this beautiful place, the beach, coconut cake and afternoon cocktails, tropical colors, tanned feet, bicycles with baskets…. All of the things that make PB so special wrapped up in a sandal. Thank you for falling in love, Jackie.

The New Black?

I had a love affair with the color black. Having lived in the NYC area for many years, it is a uniform that works, looking chic and hiding dirt from streets and subways. We had some great times together. But I’m breaking up with you, Black. It’s not you, it’s me. And this has nothing to do with Me Too or Time’s Up; the ladies in black looked amazing and what a powerful statement for these worthy causes.

The fact is that when I go to put on something black, I change before leaving the house, and I’ve come around to the idea that it just looks too harsh on me these days. Are you finding that to be the case also?

Grey, navy and taupe to the rescue and are now my “neutrals” and if I do wear black it is on the bottom half in skirts or pants and far away from the face. Southern Florida is a world away from NYC, and this location adds to “the break-up” also, because if you see someone here in head-to-toe black they are either a snowbird or on their way to a funeral.

So, it’s over with me and Black but I’m not mad about it. What is your take?

My Most Essential

The Carmen clutch from India Hicks is the perfect size and has that rare ability to pair with jeans or a cocktail dress. Every time I have carried my Flamingo (orange) I have been asked about it by at least one like-minded accessories junkie. You recognize each other right away, because it’s that “love at first sight” sort of look and they zero in on that bag and HAVE to talk to you about it. They want to feel the leather and to see the zipper, the lucky beetle lining, and how the lovely tassel detaches in a snap. These are my people. So I’ll post this photo and let you know you can peruse the entire IH collection at http://www.indiahicks.com/rep/lynettebee The new Spring goodies will be unveiled in another week and I am practically giddy with excitement. Fellow Fashionistas totally understand; when the Carmen became available in the Carmel color she got a standing ovation, and I don’t mean that in a figurative sense: it was at Eau Palm Beach last September and the room erupted with rapturous applause. These are my people. Are you my person too? The adage says “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, ladies, I love handbags more than just about anything and partnering up with India Hicks has yet to feel like work. There is a place setting waiting for you if you would like to join us.

Life in a Small Beachy Town

Can you believe this is our City Hall?! I love our little town of Lake Worth, FL. It is the gateway to the tropics and the younger surfer cousin to Palm Beach and WPB, more about hanging out than taking things too seriously. Now that the “family holidays” are over, we have been suitably reminded we are artistic slackers and dreamers. So our richer and really successful cousins can go back to work and hit it hard.

We’ll be at the beach, or possibly in the Mayor’s backyard. It’s been known to happen!

Sunday Vibes

C43D754C-6D86-47B1-AFA4-5F173AA4CE4E.jpegAdding a dose of yellow brightens up a chilly day, and really liking the short-over-long sleeves combo here. It makes this outfit feel modern to me and a bit unexpected. Cozy & comfy for Sunday vibes and running errands.

The cardigan is New York & Co., plaid tunic is a Target find and skinny jeans are H&M. The Naturalizer shoes feel like slippers and are both pink and velvet, so feet are having a trendy moment!

This #ootd is just enough offbeat to keep it from being boring and that is the point, right? Why blend? This is just as easy as a sweatshirt & jeans, but way cooler!

Embracing the Grey

Streaks are racing stripes

Turning 50 last June, I decided the best present I could give myself was to let my hair go au naturel. This is not for everyone, but what sent me over the edge was the feeling of wanting to be free. I didn’t want to touch up roots every 2 weeks and I did want to swim in salt water without worrying about my dark brown turning orange-y.

Hats were involved. And bandanas, headbands, clips and hairpins. A new “messy, choppy, cool-French-Girl-vibes” haircut. Somehow my hairdresser thankfully understood. Now I’m only a couple more trims from having all the dyed hair gone. It feels…. freeing. Are you maintaining or letting it go? What is your frustration or favorite thing about it?