Right On White

As the summer begins to simmer, I find myself dressing more and more in white.

Gorgeous rumpled big linen shirts

Skinny white tee shirts

White jeans

I hope this July 1 finds you under a palm tree, or in an infinity pool or in a hammock on the porch.

I hope you wrap yourself in something white and gauzy and float through the day.

I hope you try white asparagus, just once, and enjoy every bite.

I hope you'll feel as cool as you look.

I hope you have given up getting a tan and appreciate the beauty of your natural skin.

I hope you call someone you love.

And I hope you will always remember this July 2009 as a special time of cool creative serenity.

xoxo

Marigail

My Boyfriend's Back

Recipe for the New Boyfriend:

BOYFRIEND JACKET
BOYFRIEND COTTON TEE SHIRT
SAWED OFF JEANS
THE SCARF

Mix with messy hair and a dash of attitude.

I like this look, all fresh and contemporary, a little bit brave.

The white cotton tee shirt is so now, so summer, so "I don't care."

The twist of fringed scarf is RIGHT NOW, and so spot on that it probably won't last too long in the US, although French women NEVER give up their scarves!

The jacket is skinny enough to show some sleek lines. Pushing up the sleeves gives the wreckless chic I aspire to.

And here's the genius part. Saw off those jeans that have had too many years and are inching their way to the back of the closet. So they don't fit very well? All the better! That's the point of "Boyfriend!"

Hoping this boy's for you.

xo, Marigail

photo from A Cup of Jo

PUMP PERFECTION

I am always looking for the perfect pump. One with updated style, that marriage of comfort and beauty and a touch of jazz. My customer is not boring, the pump should NOT be boring.

Voila!

We just brought this peep toe pump into the store and I am enchanted. It will be eye candy and I'll still have happy feet.

Bliss on a mini platform.


Here it is described by the designer: Our iconic and eye-catching optical weave now in a beautiful pump from Cole Haan with NIKE Air cushioning. In soft calfskin and patent. Fully leather lined. Padded leather-wrapped sock lining. Softly buffed leather sole. 3 1/4" leather-covered heel with mini platform.

Happy trails to you! xo Marigail

Mother and Child

A lazy Sunday afternoon drive in the local countryside yielded the beautiful sight.

It's was a delight to find this mother and child grazing in apparent serenity in the pasture.

I had never seen a white donkey before.

Hope you have a pretty surprise this weekend.

xo, Marigail

LET IT RIP

Although I have been in the clothing business for decades, it never ceases to amaze me. I consider myself a "pro", but I still cannot predict with any success where the jean biz is going.

At the Marigail store we sell jeans, lots of jeans, tons of jeans. It's important to have a sense of direction, so apparently I lost my compass and was blindsided by the sudden re-appearance of ragged finishes.

We are in the heart of the South which runs a little behind the coasts, as far as trends go. Some trends never stick here. This season, I'm doubtful about hammar pants (diaper chic is not our thing) and full length jumps suits involve too many bathroom issues.

So, I'm left with figuring out why my customers are jumping on jeans with rips, tears, bare patches. Is it a way to have something new without being ostentatious? Of course, stylish friends will know they are new jeans, but isn't that the point. It's the new fashion sobriety, just a little sip between friends.

Cheers, y'all! Marigail

Photos of Katie Holmes courtesy of 7 for All Mankind

Retail Details

It's lovely to report that the retail ball is starting to roll again. Slowly, but surely, people are coming back to the stores to purchase.

Consumers must consume to start the economy. Not the whole cash stash, but, little by little, money has to move to push the country out of a frozen state.

My store is in a small resort town in North Alabama, just a speck on the map, but representative of so many small towns that make up America. We hear so much (bad) news about the big cities and their huge problems. So it's nice to report that in little towns like mine, 90% of us are employed and doing fairly well.

By supporting the small locally owned stores, we are preserving the fabric of our lives. Without the independent sellers, we would all be buying out of one or two big box stores with limited merchandise and price dictatorship.

Thank you, shoppers in my town, and thank you all for indulging me in this moment reflecting "financial sobriety. "

There still should be a champagne moment in a balanced financial life.

Best love for the globe, Marigail

Dream On

Spring has me in a sweet state of suspension. I am so filled with peace and delight at the beauty of the Earth that I have not had a "spark" of conversation that would merit a blog entry.



So here I am, all appreciative of the green green blanketing my neighborhood, the splendid dogwoods blooming their pink and white bouquets of love, the birds chirping at dawn.



I'm good for nothing for a while, but I'll be back with an opinion about something, a picture that inspires conversation. Just bear with me.



Hope you have Spring in your heart, wherever you are. xo Marigail

Coming and Going

Once in a while I find that perfect little date dress that looks as good coming as it does going.

This jewel from our friend Max Azria at BCBG just does the trick.

You get the date, I'll supply the dress.

Magic happens.

xo Marigail

Pink French Accent

I am a lover of all things Pink and most things French. So imagine my delight when I found this marvelous party plan on a French Blog

I have imagined having a PINK PARTY and here is the menu that could pull it off!

Borrowed ENTIRELY from the lovely blog of Melanie, living somewhere magical in the South of France http://www.enseignedegersaint.typepad.fr/


Pink Menu :
Aperitif : pink champagne or vin rose with taramasalata , and radishes (or pink lemonade for me)

First course : pink shrimps and pink mayonnaise with velouté of carmine endives

Main course : salmon in papillotes with pink rice from Thailandia and pink potatoes with taramasalata on them

carmine endives salad with goat cheese aux baies roses (pink pepper)

Dessert : Framboisier (raspberry cake) with strawberry tea , pink cookies from Reims , pink Candies and a marvelous pink jam made with roses petals or strawberries

It's so much fun to find like-minded people across the globe. Melanie's pink party could be yours, too.

Have a rose petals and pink champagne day! xoxo Marigail

P. S. They don't call it "in the pink!" for nothing.

LET ME ENTERTAIN ME

I like lists.

I like words.

I like crosswords.

I am piled up in bed with too much time and not enough tasks and I realize how much I love lists. The book I'm loving is THE ONE HUNDRED - A guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia. You know, the darling girl for Project Runway.

You just dangle the word STYLISH out there, and you have me. I must know, have, aspire! to every word of a book with the word "stylish" in the name. Well, it's turns out to very aptly name, and although I am reading at random dashes, rather from front to back, I think she's absolutely right. I'm hoping you'll pick a bone with me if you disagree.

OK, now on to words. Twist 'em, tie 'em, run them up and down. Give me a crossword puzzle every Sunday, or Tuesday, or whenever one pops up on an inflight magazine and I'm happy. I love sorting out all those letters. The tougher, the better. I can't always answer every single clue, but then, the thrill is in the chase.

So...... back to me being tucked in bed...... I have the book, the puzzle, the remote control to control absolutelynothing, since I'm already doing a head swim and I think,

"I need a vacation." So now I'm shopping Caribbean cruises online. It's imaginary money, so I have no budget. This is fun.

Do try The One Hundres List by Nina Garcia.

Photo of my bed courtesy of Me.

Shades by EyeBobs

Celebration of Life

Last night we lit the flowering cherry trees called "The Ladies" who live on our lawn.

We love spring. We love these magnificent trees. We love life.

It was a rite of spring. It was wonderful.

Our neighbors strolled by with their kids and dogs. Lots of word of mouth drivers came by slowly, admiring our girls. We made memories for the little children and we applauded the change of season.

Thank you all for adorning our lives and celebrating with us.

xoxo, Marigail & Tommy

photo courtesy of Daniel Giles

Why Jeans Matter

"Ultimately, I like to think of jeans as the Holy Grail of a woman's wardrobe.

Jeans are no longer those things that you used to steal from your boyfriend. Today's jeans have been brought to a whole new level. They've been refinished and refined; they're cut differently, they fit differently, and when you wear them and you look all hot and amazing, you feel different. It's a badge of confidence you can't get from anything else--except maybe a 5 carat diamond." Jeans made from the finest crafted denims in the world deserve a smooth and excellent finish. "Not having the right wash and finishing on a great pair of jeans is like having only a primer coat on a Porsche or forgetting the coveted LV symbols on a Louis Vuitton handbag."

This quote from Mary Jo Matsumoto's blog TrustYourStyle just hit the mark. It all applies to white jeans, too. They are more important this season than ever!

I know jeans matter, I feel it in the confidence boost I get when we find the RIGHT ONES, but I have never seen it articulated so crisply.

xoxo, Marigail

Jeans above from Seven for All Mankind, one of our favorite brands at Marigail Mathis. We do jean therapy 6 days a weeks with hundreds of jeans for your selection. Also find Citizens of Humanity and AZI. Every fanny deserves the perfect fit.

Summer Cotton Dresses

I am enamoured of the washed cotton summer dresses from my designer Luna Luz. These breezy little body skimmers have such chic nonchallance that they THRILL ME. I become taller, thinner and, maybe, from the South of France. I can definitely speak French when I wear one.

That hat. You knew I was going to mention that big French hat that would be perfect in hand or sur la tete.

Or an outrageous belt. Suzi Roher my favorite belt designer has big bandolero belts that would be yummy, slung over the hips.

Ballet flats, espadrilles or any sandal. I can see these little dresses going high style or sporty.

A jangle of bracelets. I'm loving the liquid silver bracelets I have that are in groups of 30.

OK, not all this at once, but pick a shoe plus one and have fun.

I'm feeling the breeze.

Sun Salutation

When I awoke this morning I found Hemingway doing his matchless feline sun salutation: staring at the morning light pouring through the window in that tender light.

No yogi can surpass his poise and serenity as he starts his day, which, in turn, starts my day.

There's something about an orange cat meditating in crisp sunlight that makes my heart ache a little, in a good way.

I hope your day is filled with joy and serenity and maybe a glimpse of a cat enjoying the early Spring.

xo Marigail