APB (Absent Preppy Bloggers)

Tres Poshe Preppy got me thinking...where have some of our preppy bloggers gone?

I know a few have gone private recently (Hemstich & Hydrangea, Kimba, and the Happy Homemaker) and a few are "on a break" a la Grosgrain Garage.

Latter Day Lilly and Preppy Rider are two who come to mind...I know there are more.

If you're still reading us, we miss reading you!

Is there a 12-step program for madras?

Because I think I need one. I love it, and when I find good deal, I just want more. And more. And maybe a little more.

We're off to Hawaii next week, and (thank jebus) I am a different size than I was last summer. Right. I have a good excuse to pick up a few new things.

From ebay, a steal on a Cape Madras "Fun Skirt" in Crescent:

A pair of madras bermuda shorts from Aerie, that I found at Filene's for...wait for it...$1.50!

Then a friend recently told me about these shorts at Alloy, which I had never heard of before, but am relatively certain is a store that targets a completely different demographic than the one I currently am. Haven't gotten them yet, but am very tempted...

And then the things for kids! I must say, madras is the one style that is just as plentiful in the shopping ghetto that is the boys' department as it is in the girls' department. TCP Baby needed some new summer threads as well--obvs, as the 6 mo. outfits from last summer won't be cutting it.

The TCP Grandparents (truly authentic Third Coast-ers, 80+ years of living in the city!) got him a pair of green madras shorts from Old Navy...and I picked up a pair of the classic madras shorts for him.

With the massive Baby and Kids sale at ON, these were under $10 each!

Then I found him a swimsuit at TJMaxx, under $15:

So you see how I have developed this addiction. I can't explain it, but madras makes me happy. Madras + crazy good sales? Joy.

Now if I could just convince Mr. TC that madras would be a good look for him...

Two Items of Interest

LL Bean is coming to the Third Coast (ish). Read all about their plans for a new store in the 'burbs here.

And an extended trailer for the new Sex and the City movie is online here. I'm embarassingly excited about this movie.

Enjoy the Weekend!

With a view like this, I know I will! See you next week!

TCP Reads: Total Fluff

Tomorrow, I'm off on a much-needed trip with the girls. Twelve of my college friends are meeting up in Breckenridge for a weekend of spa treatments, cocktails, sleeping in, and catching up. Oh, and maybe skiing, if I can get off my ass (though, this is not looking likely, given how incredibly OVER winter and snow I am right now).

I managed to squeeze in a quick trip to the library earlier this week, and let's just say I have fallen off the wagon when it comes to reading the classics. These somehow found their way into my totebag:

• The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld
• The Yummy Mummy by Polly Williams
• Elements of Style by Wendy Wasserstein
• Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler by Wade Rouse
• Down Came the Rain by Brooke Shields
• Taste by Letitia Baldridge
• Mere Anarchy by Woody Allen

Sometimes, a girl just needs to read a little fluff! (Although, I think the Brooke Shields book is definitely not fluff, and probably something that everyone should read. I picked it up because a friend just shared her own story about PPD with me, and I wanted to understand it better. Very informative and well written, IMO.)

Completely Adorable

If TCP Baby didn't already have this exact stroller in another pattern, you can bet that I would be temtped to buy this Lacoste stroller from Maclaren. Available at babystyle.com with free shipping, it retails for a rather hefty $400, but it comes with a coordinating mini-Lacoste sportswear ensemble including a 100% cotton white sun hat and polo shirt in a classic Lacoste pique knit! I think it's too cute...but the practical mama in me is skeptical...A white stroller? Seriously? White? How is that going to look after a few goldfish crackers get smushed into the seat?

You Asked, I Answer

I don't know about you guys, but I am bad about going back and reading comments in other peoples' blogs. Part of it is because I use Bloglines and rarely click open the whole post unless I have to in order to read or respond. But I don't want to ignore peoples' questions either. So in case any of you are (lazy) like me, here are my responses to some of your recent queries...

Tickled Pink & Green asked why I dislike Chloe Sevigny....and I must admit that I have no good answer. She just bugs. I guess I've never seen her act in any movie that I really enjoyed, and generally see her posing in magazines wearing some godawful get up that is being heralded as edgy and fashion-forward. Blech. Also, TP&G, I would LOVE to borrow your book! Email me at thirdcoastpreppy@gmail.com to figure out the details! Thanks so much for offering!

Preppy Mom asked how I have time to read my book a week...the answer to that is easy--the CTA and it's interminable delays. I have a 40 or so minute el ride to and from work every day, and that's when I do all my reading. If I wasn't trapped in a slow-moving train every day, I probably wouldn't read even half as much as I do.

And lots of you asked about PayPal and the alleged protection that it offers to buyers. According to their website, if their "investigation team finds the claim in favor of the buyer, the amount of the transaction, if available from the seller, will be transferred back to the buyer" (emphasis mine) but for eBay transactions, "PayPal Buyer Protection covers eBay transactions paid with PayPal up to $200.00 USD and qualifying eBay transactions up to $2,000.00 USD. This program helps you recover funds if a seller does not deliver or significantly misrepresents an eBay item." Most of my paypal-ing (don't mind me as I make up new words!) in the past had been for eBay purchases, and I assumed the rules were the same for other transactions. Not so. So be careful out there, internet shoppers!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Because nothing says "I love you" like a plaid heart... Available at Gifts of Excellence.

TCP Reads: An Update

The Class and Love Story, both by Erich Segal. If you've seen the movie of Love Story, you've read the book. It was a great little novel, but there was nothing on the page that didn't make it to the screen. But I did like it. The Class was new to me, and I really liked it. It follows the lives of several members of Harvard's class of '58. It had enough drama to keep me turning the pages, but I also felt like I learned something reading this book, particularly about Israel. Definitely recommend.

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. It was well-written, deep, allegorical, etc. But the whole time I was reading it, I felt very much that I was completing "an assignment." Not a fun beach read, that's for sure.

The Last Days of Disco, with Cocktails at Petrossian Afterward by Whit Stillman. Eh. It was good, but I'd rather just watch Metropolitan. Same kind of feel to it, but with a slightly older cast, set in a slightly earlier time. It's also a movie, starring Chloe Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale. But I loathe Chloe Sevigny, so I'm not likely to watch it anytime soon. Although I bet it has a great soundtrack. I had to add a few things to my Project Playlist after reading that one!

Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh. Loved it. Always love Waugh, so no surprise there.

I know I haven't posted in a while (thanks for checking on me, Midwest Prep!), but I have been so crabby because of the weather that my posts would have been entirely Rant based and probably really boring. I can sum up the past week thusly:

Snow sucks.

Ice sucks.

Cold sucks.

Slipping on the ice and cracking your kneecap sucks.

I hate winter.

But don't worry, because it is STILL snowing. And it will continue to do so for the next week, apparently. Yay. Except not.

Also, the Etsy saga has reached its dramatic conclusion. The seller was banned from Etsy and paypal found in my favor, but I still don't get my money back because the seller doesn't have any funds in her paypal account. So I am s.o.l. unless I can get Visa to issue a refund. I was pretty surprised that it works this way...I always thought paypal offered more protection. Live and learn, I guess.

Enough of the Debbie Downer nonsense. Back to our regularly scheduled programming!

TCP Shops: New Finds

I haven't spent my entire day on You Tube watching political interviews and music videos, you know. I've also been doing some browsing online and have some new goodies to share with you.

First up, courtesy of Daily Candy, is Prep and Pauper. Men's ties in the vein of Vineyard Vines, but with a little more attitude. As you know, Mr. TC is generally not one for wearing preppy gear. But even he might like the Corporate Take Down Tie. And, thanks to Daily Candy, they're offering 30% off and free shipping.

Next up is Bugface Belts, NYC. One of my friends clued me in about this shop because she thought it was right up my alley...hmm, ribbon belts and tote bags, can't imagine why she thought I would be interested! I've got my eye on the Nadia visor, which would match my Tretorns and be perefect for playing tennis this summer. (Note to self: Sign up for lessons! You need a refresher.) I also kind of love the matching parent/child Baby Bug belts. You can bet that if TCP Baby was a girl, I would be ordering us a pair. As it is, I might order a belt for TCP Baby. Pants can be tricky when you're in the 90% for height, but only the 10-25% for weight. (Sigh...if only his mother had the same problem!)

Finally, a fabulous new Etsy shop to share with you. Now, given my recent bad Etsy experience, I was staying far, far away from that place. But Tin Lilly is run by a friend, so I can recommend her with no qualms! I've received her beautiful handmade cards in the past, and I can tell you that they are truly gorgeous. My current favorites? The valentines, especially the Silhouette card above. Free shipping right now, too!

Super Tuesday!

As we say on the third coast, vote early and often!

Enough with the snow already!

I love snow in November. It's festive in December. Still pretty in January. But by February? I'm so over it. Especially when I got Carrie Bradshaw-ed on my way into work this morning. So now my left leg is soaked in slush and god-knows-what-all from the street. Yick. And it's still snowing!

You see some pretty interesting things in Chicago after a snowstorm. Stranded cars, lawn chairs in the street to reserve a shoveled-out parking spot, parents pulling sleds down the middle of the road. But today I saw a new one. I live in the same neighborhood as the governor. (Yes, the capital is in Springfield, but he still lives in Chicago. I personally can't blame him for that, having been to Springfield, but his commute has become quite the controversy.) So I was walking by G-Rod's place this morning when I saw a Jeep Wrangler up on the sidewalk, plowing the snow. Now there's a way to make sure your path is clear! I was highly tempted to bribe him for a ride to the el station, but didn't.

On the bright side, I definitely got a good cardio workout during my trek to the el.