Barbour or Bust

I will be honest.
I find it somewhat annoying when what I've been wearing for years becomes a "trend."

I have dressed the same way since I was able to pick out my own clothes.

So when Lilly became wildly popular a few year ago,

I didn't have to look for white label Lilly on eBay because I already owned it.

And when the Jack Rogers craze started, I had already worn out at least a dozen pair.

So has anyone noticed there is a Barbour jacket epidemic?

I bought my first Barbour jacket about sixteen years ago.

Ladies Barbour Tennant Jacket

Here's a little story that separates the people with TRUE classic style

from the people who claim to be preppy and classic.

My first Barbour jacket was a black quilted Eskdale.

Last fall we were at a USNA football game and I let Caroline borrow it for the day.

The two women sitting behind us started a conversation about my jacket.

They were openly mocking my "fake" Barbour jacket.

They were discussing the fact that Barbour does not even make a coat in that style,

and if I was going to have a "fake" then this was a bad fake one.

This is what my old Barbour looks like...

These women are the kind of people that annoy me.

If they had ANY class,
they wouldn't be talking trash about what my daughter happened to be wearing right in front of her,

and they would recognize an older style Barbour jacket.

I don't buy for labels.

I buy because I love something...the style, the way the fabric feels, the way it's made, the color...

I am a believer in wardrobe staples and investment dressing.

Caroline in her Barbour jacket....

I have to admit that I'm quite happy 

that my daughters have chosen to adopt my wardrobe philosophy.

So for the two women at the USNA game mocking my daughter,

talking about being "fake"

you think you're classy....but you're busted.

Isn't it S'well?

If you are like our family,

you have about 2,845 water bottles of various types 

taking up a lot of precious real estate in the kitchen.

We have the Terves water bottles, the Camelbaks, and everything in-between.

Well here's the new frontrunner....

The S'well Bottle

They come in a zillion colors....

And of COURSE you can monogram them....

I have to say these are AWESOME water bottles.

They keep cold drinks COLD for 24 hours,

as in "there is still ice in your water the next day"

and they keep hot beverages hot for 12 hours.

PERFECT when I'm dying for a hot cocoa at the November USNA tailgates!

My girls all have at least one of these SWELL S'well bottles

and you should too.

Here's the website....

S'well

And they also happen to sell them at Tweed, 

a darling shop in Richmond, Virginia where Caroline and Katherine work.

Check them out!