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what i wore year in review

A year’s worth of adventure in clothing

Whew! 2011, where did you go? It seems like every year the months just zip by that much faster. Still, it’s always fun to look back and reminisce on the good times, the not so fun stuff, and reflecting on how to make next year even better. I’m proud to say Slow Southern Style had some milestone moments, minimal embarrassments, and damn it I had fun.

 From curating an art show to meeting Natalie Chanin and her team, I couldn’t have predicted that this year would turn out so great. I’d like to give a big, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has kept Slow Southern Style on their reading list, see y’all in 2012.

January
My favorite ultra cozy Lia Molly sweater 
February
Mardi Gras- What I live for

March

The skirt that got a mention in the Times Picayune
April
Billy Reid y’all

May

Tiger print sarong
June
Linen is a must in the summer

JULY

Just one of many of my turquoise pieces
AUGUST
Armoire anniversary party 
SEPTEMBER
Promo with Life Yoga + Boutique
OCTOBER
Top of the Halloween to ya

NOVEMBER

Sleeveless in November? Only below the Mason-Dixon line

DECEMBER

Outfits for the great outdoors
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southern fashion designer tennessee

Urbandillo Needs Your Help

When you live in the south you become accustomed to layered dressing. On any given winter day you could start out wearing a t-shirt and end up in a coat, all in less than a 24 hour time span. But how do you stash that cumbersome jacket? Throw it in the car, tie it around your waist, or do you awkwardly lug it around and deal? Enter Veronica James and her clever clothing line, Urbandillo. Inspired by the way an armadillo rolls into a ball, Urbandillo is a line of compacting clothing that folds up into itself and can easily be carried around in its own handy carrying case. From classic fleece jackets to stylish trench coats Urbandillo is not only functional buy stylish as well. 



James is hoping to get the line going with Kickstarter, but time is running out as their fundraising efforts ends on December 31st at 11:00pm. To learn more about the project go to their Kickstarter project page or watch the video below and support the cause however you can.

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holiday what i wore

What I Wore: Black Velvet Little Black Dress

When you work on your feet all day, dressing for comfort is paramount. Since my shoe choices are largely influenced by avoiding to have a podiatrist on speed dial, I really enjoy occasions to dress up and dust off the high heels, not to mention the cocktail dresses. I’ve owned this velvet little black dress for four years now and for some reason never I got around to wearing it until two weekends at my company holiday party. Silly because it fits like a glove and hits at the perfect spot right above the knee.

Necklace, Nelson + Little
Dress and rhinestone belt, J. Crew via Buffalo Exchange
Platform heels, Tory Burch via Buffalo Exchange
New bangs! c/o Paris Parker blogger party

My secret santa gave me a pair of handmade earrings from her aunt’s Lafayette based store, Bayou Bohemian. I love these black leather and driftwood earrings, they look substantial but are incredibly lightweight. 

The party was held at The American Sector and of course the food was incredible, but then again I’ve never been disappointed by any John Besh restaurant.. I had the shrimp in a cup, the mahi mahi entree, and for dessert we each had a peppermint patty. Last year we went to Domenica for the company party, not a bad habit at all. Did you have a holiday party this year? How was it?

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events fashion week louisiana new orleans southern fashion designer

Fashion Week New Orleans Top Designer Competition



With Christmas come and gone and New Year’s Eve, the Superbowl, and Mardi Gras all in the near future who’s thinking about March already? If you’re an aspiring fashion designer, maybe you should.



Fashion Week New Orleans (FW NOLA) is currently accepting applications for their Top Designer Competition, which is part of their fashionable festivities March 21st-25th. Ten designers will be given the opportunity to compete for the title of top designer and a chance to win a 90 day in-store presence at Hemline, a professionally designed website, and a photo shoot of the winning collection. Deadline for applications is January 15th, 2012 and judging by the talent from last year such as Anthony Ryan Auld (of Project Runway fame) you wouldn’t want to miss out on this chance.


Designer: Alicia Zenobia
2011 Top Designer Alicia Zenobia

Alicia Zenobia, winner of the 2011 Top Designer Competition, feels the opportunity afforded her served as a springboard to get her designs into the public eye.


“This was the best opportunity to showcase the uniquely wilder flavor of New Orleans fashion in a comprehensive and well produced fashion event. I was so happy that my out of the box creations were not only understood, but also celebrated by the judges and audience at New Orleans Fashion Week and consequently the press and people of New Orleans, and beyond!”




Designer: Alicia Zenobia
Alicia Zenobia’s striking designs
 FW NOLA’s primary objective is to showcase the skillful individuals that comprise the burgeoning New Orleans fashion scene. The Gulf Coast region is known as a destination for food, music, and an entire film industry, so why not fashion? We’ve got the fashion designers, make-up and hair artists, models and the boutiques willing to carry the clothing, so we might as well nurture it and show the world what we have to offer.

Interested applicants should contact Mallory Domingue at mdomingue@fashionweeknola.com



Fashion Week New Orleans 2012 Schedule and Locations:

March 21, 2012 kick off party, Twist Lounge inside the Lafayette Hotel
March 22 – 24, 2012 Runway Shows and Top Designer Competition, The Sugar Mill
March 25, 2012 Bridal Runway Showcase, The Westin at Canal Place
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charity holiday shopping

Holiday Shopping and Dress For Success

What’s better than shopping local while buying holiday presents? Buying gifts that give back to the community. Several New Orleans businesses are selling gifts that benefit the local Dress For Success, a non-profit organization that helps disadvantaged women by providing them with work appropriate clothing and career development assistance.


 Angelique,  The Blues Jean BarImelda’sMimi’s,  Weinstein’s, and Life Yoga and Boutique are selling perfectly preppy silk scarves, designed by Tommy Hilfiger for only $35 in which 100% of the proceeds will go to the organization.  In addition to the scarf sales Adler’s Jewelry is donating 10% of the retail price of their popular white pearls in 50″ or 100″ strands. 

Image courtesy of life yoga



The Dress for Success  boutique is located at 4304 Magazine Street. To learn more about this program To contact the New Orleans chapter at 504.891.4337 or visit them online at twww.dressforsuccess.org/neworleans.
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events interviews new orleans what i wore

What I Wore: Jangueando con Lianamar

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of being a guest on Lianamar Davila Sanabria’s radio show, Jangueando con Liamar. This bilingual show comes on every Thursday at 7:00pm and discusses a wide variety of topics, including a biweekly NOLA Eats dining segment from my friend Leslie Almeida.

Handled the mic like a pro…maybe

This past week I was on the show to talk “shop” about Slow Southern Style, my wardrobe consulting business Slow Southern Styling, my full time job at Buffalo Exchange and we even managed to squeeze in what to wear on New Year’s Eve. Hemline Boutique in the French Quarter was nice enough to play host, which made chatting about fashion on live radio a breeze. The complimentary cocktails from Kru Vodka didn’t hurt either.

See all of the photos from the night on the Jangueando con Lianamar Facebook page and listen to the show by clicking below.

Listen to internet radio with JangueandoConLianamar on Blog Talk Radio

Eyeing up the studded Sam Edelman loafers w/ host Lianamar

The gaggle of girls (and one guy) who were guests on the show
my outfit details:
cardigan, Coco Bourgeoisie
necklace, LF
bone and horn bracelet, c/o Macy’s Heart of Haiti
sheer blouse, American Apparel via Buffalo Exchange
skirt, Kenzie via Buffalo Exchange
thigh high socks, American Apparel via Buffalo Exchange
platform wedges, Buffalo Exchange
Twitter: slowsouthstyle Facebook: Slow Southern Style
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internship new orleans southern fashion bloggers

Now Hiring a Stylish, Southern Intern

Due to the overwhelming (in a good way!) response, I have all positions filled. All applications will be considered for the next round in the spring.
Come be a part of the team! Slow Southern Style is looking for a good intern or two.

Do you love fashion, writing and/or photography? Are you currently in a sordid love affair with Southern culture? Slow Southern Style is seeking to hire some truly awesome interns who are passionate about fashion on a deeper level than just what’s being offered at the mall. 





The ideal candidate is an individual who:

-appreciates personal style, not just recent trends or fast fashion
-has a desire to make connections within the fashion community
-has an eye for the Slow Southern Style aesthetic yet brings his or her own touch 
– has a knack for writing, photography, or graphic design
lives in the South, New Orleans preferred but not necessary
– desires to learn about blogging in general
-wishes to kick start a career in fashion and/or media
– can commit to a three month stint 
– has a sense of humor

If you’d like to learn more about the position please send a resume, one writing example or link to your work, and a brief statement why you’d like to work for Slow Southern Style to nolagurl@gmail.com.

SlowSouthernStyle.com is a love letter to Southern style, written by a native New Orleanian. Featuring a hodge podge of local and regional designers, events, boutiques, street style, and outfit photos. Founded by Christy Lorio in 2009, Slow Southern Style LLC has been featured in a variety of media outlets both online, in print, television, and radio. 

Twitter: slowsouthstyle Facebook: Slow Southern Style
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alabama events louisiana new orleans southern fashion designer

Haute and Handmade: A Recap

Make no mistake, I’m certainly not a model. I’m about a foot too short, my cheekbones weren’t chiseled by the hands of a Renaissance sculptor and the only way I’d fit into a sample size is if it were socially acceptable to wear a dress around one’s upper thigh.  Aside from my prototype setbacks I was pleased and quite honored to model Alabama Chanin’s intricate designs as part of Haute and Handmade this past Friday. Each of Natalie Chanin’s pieces are hand stitched with nary a sewing machine in sight. You have to really get up close and personal to inspect and appreciate the labor and love that goes into each garment. They are truly a work of art with needle and thread.


 Along with six local designers, Andrea Loest, Grayson Gold (he’s 12 years old!), Lorna Leedy, Kerry Fitts, Amanda Loest, and Rebecca Rebouche the Ogden Museum of Southern Art served as a pantheon of handmade looks, all designed below the Mason-Dixon line. I’m told there were over 400 people in attendance that evening, a great testament of support for southern based fashion. It was interesting to see which the similarities and stark contrasts of each designer but the common theme throughout the evening was a commitment to quality and originality. 


For more photos go to the Slow Southern Style Facebook page and many thanks to Leslie Almeida for taking pictures of the evening while I was backstage being prepped.
My friend Chanel wearing a Bayou Salvage dress

Fancy Ponyland

Fancy Ponyland

Bayou Salvage

Amanda Deleon

Alabama Chanin

some random girl

oh wait that’s me
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giveaway holiday

Giveaway: Holiday worthy dress with Shabby Apple

It’s always exciting picking out dresses for special occasions, and the holiday season is certainly a time when there are plenty of reasons to wear a special frock. Finding multiple outfits for a plethora of end of the year celebrations can be a daunting task, so Shabby Apple is helping to keep you in the holiday spirit by giving away the Moon River dress to one lucky reader.

 Inspired by the Jazz Age, this stretch sateen dress is party ready, with a nostalgic flair and feminine touches such as a ruffled waist and a wide boat neck. Demure enough for Christmas Eve with the grandparents yet chic enough for a New Year’s Eve fete the Moon River dress is the perfect vintage inspired holiday dress. In order to win simply leave a comment here stating where you’d wear this dress, and your name and e-mail address. Comments without an e-mail address will not be eligible for the contest.

As an added bonus from now until January 16th enjoy 10% off your purchase with the code “slowsouthernstyle10off” and be sure to check out Shabby Apple’s Facebook page for even more discounts and deals.
Twitter: slowsouthstyle Facebook: Slow Southern Style
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hiking mississippi outdoors vacation what i wore

Road Trip: Outfits for the great outdoors

Make no mistake, I’m a city girl girl in the sense that I prefer to have everything I need within walking or biking distance. I enjoy the comforts of having a coffee shop a block away and making a quick jaunt to my neighborhood corner store.  However I also crave the woods, and the luxury of solitude, if only for a few days.  My idea of a vacation is getting away from it all, whether it’s a romantic weekend getaway or a strenuous hike, I enjoy both equally. I shared an outfit post a few weeks ago from our Thanksgiving weekend at Forest Retreat, a magical little spot tucked away in the Homochitto National Forest in Mississippi. While what I was going to wear was the last thing on my mind that weekend it’s always nice to feel confident in what you are wearing, whether you are in town people watching at a big event or enjoying some solo star gazing with a cup of hot chocolate.

plaid button down & charcoal grey sweatshirt: J. Crew via Buffalo Exchange
 jeans: Seven for all Mankind via Buffalo Exchange
 Keen winter boots via REI
rain jacket: Land’s End Canvas
orange waterfall cardigan: Velvet via Buffalo Exchange
charcoal heathered tank: Alternative Apparel via Buffalo Exchange
sexy hiking pants: REI brand

For more photos from Forest Retreat go to my Facebook profile.

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