The Southern Living editors chose the top 10 based on specific criteria then opened the polls allowing resident and visitor voters to chose in which order the tasty towns of the south ranked. Louisville, New Orleans, Charleston, Charlottesville, Houston, Birmingham, Decatur, Baltimore and Raleigh were among the competition (in order of rank). From heirloom recipes to homegrown gumbos and excess of southern comforts “cayenne-spiked Acadiana” boiled over with success. Our unique food specific to our region, the influence of our food to our community, the variety of prices to eat a good hearty local meal, the practice of restaurants sourcing and supporting local, along with our bounty of festivals that celebrate our yummy cajun and creole heritage, were all the deciding factors that made Lafayette a winner.
Category: southern style
If you are a fan of good writin’ then you may have heard of Oxford American. Based in Arkansas, this quarterly publication touts itself as “The Southern Magazine of Good Writing“. To celebrate their latest issue, the OA is coming down to NOLA to host two events this Thursday. First up is a kick off party at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, then it’s on to the newly renovated Circle Bar. New Orleans native Kasimu Harris will be officially launching his new online street style column, Parish Chic. This isn’t his first foray onto Slow Southern Style- check out this snapshot from back in September at the Saks Fashion Night Out event. See y’all at the party!
Why The Hell Letterpress?
Contributed by Bourbon and Boots
If you’ve opened a magazine, cruised the Internet, or visited your local gift shop lately, you’ve probably noticed the abundance of letterpress prints being touted as the “next big thing” in home decor. I’ve certainly noticed. Rather than simply think about how cute these prints would look in my guest hall powder room, I started to analyze the artwork and the design concepts being played out in the prints.
They were…sparse.
They were also well balanced, textually based, and visually stimulating thanks to the use of color; but they were sparse nonetheless.
And then it kicked in: WHY did this very minimalist design make me so darn happy? Why did this print look so familiar? Why is every woman from here to Tuscaloosa snatching these prints up and plastering them all over their homes?
Naturally, I did a little research. It turns out that this isn’t the first lap around the block for these humble letterpress prints, nor is it the first time that Southern ladies have adorned the walls of their homes with textually based posters.
During the Civil War, letterpress prints were an affordable, fashionable, and patriotic way to decorate the home. A new kind of printing press that allowed the paper to be quickly rolled through and stamped with ink was being employed by Southern printers to produce books and pamphlets in a quick and cheap way. This was a drastic change from normalcy, since most informational materials were imported from Northern states. For the first time in history, Southerners had a way to let their ideas set sail into the world around them.
Both the North and the South used propaganda to rally support for their respective causes. Southern printers crafted a physical embodiment for the ideas that unified the culture of the region by inexpensively reproducing books, newspapers, and bold faced posters known as “broadsides.” These broadsides were sparsely decorated, textually based posters that communicated propaganda, announcements, and advertisements. Since the broadsides would be posted in town squares and street corners, the text had to be relatively large. The printers would use arrangements of metal or wooden blocks to set up a message and would use basic design concepts to ensure that the message was visually pleasing.
As the war raged on, the South began to run out of printing supplies. The inks and papers that were commonly used to print became entangled in Union Naval blockades. Southern print shops began to print on wallpaper, potato sacks, and old rags. Scarcity of supplies meant that the printing of books became nearly impossible. The Union recognized the threat posed by Southerners armed with the power of word, as demonstrated by General Sherman systematically smashing the printing presses of the cities he invaded. Even printing the shortest of pamphlets proved extremely difficult for the South.
However, the printing of broadsides lived on. They showcased the resourcefulness of entire communities. Southerners began to recycle old bank ledgers and other used paper products, which were collected by the publishers to re-use to create new prints. People began to purchase these broadsides, initially intended only as ephemeral community announcements, to decorate their homes. These disposable announcements weren’t just about the design. They were about the IDEAS and principles behind the designs and the pride that communities took in standing united in the face of adversity.
Now, printers such as Old Try and Roll & Tumble Press are bringing back these old-fashioned printing techniques. The answer to my “why prints?” question seems to be answered by recognizing the nostalgia and tradition that typeset prints pass on. In rough economic times, these prints are once again a testament to the resourcefulness of communities, the power of ideas — and the time tested fact that Southern Women have damn good taste in home decor.
Kelsey Winchester is a freelance writer and artist from Little Rock, Arkansas. She graduated from the University of Arkansas where she solidified her artistic voice and grew to fervently appreciate her Southern heritage. After a brief but very enlightening stint in law school, Kelsey now spends most of her time examining the Southern spririt (through both art and writing) and in the occasional baking of the best bourbon-pecan pie you’ve ever had in your life. Bourbon and Boots is a southern store that tells the stories and sells the stuff that make our region great!
Dang y’all where did the time go? Slow Southern Style turned two years old this month, damn they grow up fast. Thanks to all of the new readers out there, the people who have been here from the start, and the occasional lurker. Y’all mean the world to me.
Here are a few quick pictures from the past two years. Slow Southern Style started from humble beginnings and remains a culmination of the Southern based designers that I love, off the beaten path shops, and random personal style anecdotes. Thanks for all of the love and support and don’t forget to come out and meet some of the great designers featured on this blog for Objects of Adornment at Du Mois Gallery on October 8th. Even if you can’t make it to the opening the show runs through October. I hope to see a few of y’all on Freret Street!
Old bricks and new (at the time) tattoos |
Partner in crime and woman of many talents, Leslie J Almeida |
My version of preppy style, pink patent leather penny loafers |
The midi skirt that got a mention in the Times-Picayune |
This is how we do. Mardi Gras 2011 |
Andre Harris and I at Blink Boutique |
Back in high school I was in marching band which meant I went to every single football game of the season. I always chatted with my friends and flirted with the boys vs. actually watching the game so I never really learned what the heck was going on. However there are plenty of girls out there that paid more attention to the pigskin getting tossed around than I did and they all wanted to show school spirit by dressing the part. The only issue is most football related apparel isn’t cut for women; the jerseys are boxy, the styles aren’t cute or the only option is a men’s tee.
Dress For the Game currently stocks options for twelve schools including dresses and accessories. Friend them on Facebook, Twitter and check out their blog for updates on new inventory. So what school will you be rooting for this year?
In the summer time it is so hard to look presentable when the humidity and the temperature are battling it out for who has the highest digits. Suddenly a tank top and shorts seems like the only viable option, and even a leather sandal seems too heavy. Ladies and gents, summer in the south is a constant battle, and the only way to win is by stocking your closet with cotton and linen pieces that will help see you through to Fall.
I bought this 100% linen dress but needed to find a slip to go under it since it is completely sheer. I might be a little daring, but I’m not THAT daring. The sherbet slip is a fun alternative to a neutral underpinning and I like how it changes up the hemline of the dress. It’s also amazing how good my hair looked on this day. My big secret? I showered then slept on it then ran a pick through it to get the knots out. So why is it when I actually try to fix my hair that I can’t achieve perfectly wavy tresses?
Dress: Flax, Gae-tanas
Slip: A Common Thread, Buffalo Exchange
Scarf: Gifted from Armoire Boutique
Shoes and cuff: Buffalo Exchange
So not a Southern Belle
A friend and I were discussing how we can never achieve the perfect outfit. There is always a mustard stain here (her) or an untamed bra strap waiting to jump out at moments notice (me). This is why I am so not a southern belle. While I wish I could say that I’m the type of girl that never has a hair out of place it’s just not meant to be no matter how hard I try.
I’m going to admit something to y’all and promise you won’t disown me.
I didn’t have a big, fancy southern style wedding. I eloped and got married next to a waterfall on the Havasupai Indian Reservation inside the Grand Canyon. That’s right- in lieu of a guest list as long as the train on a wedding gown it was just us and a friend, the officiant and her son plus a random rez dog that came for the ceremony then promptly left when it was over. Instead of being met with a shower of rice out the chapel we got a blessing of cool water from Navajo Falls*
That’s not to say that I didn’t buy tons of bridal magazines or pine for wedding dresses before the big day. I poured over magazines looking for suggestions but nothing ever seemed quite right. We did end up having an intimate reception (under 100 people, intimate by southern standards) when we came back that was the perfect size and didn’t cost as much as a brand new car. Even though I’m already married I’ve been thinking about renewing my vows for our 10th anniversary which is a short 3.5 years away aka a great excuse to buy a fancy dress.
At first I was a little skeptical that the book could offer up anything of interest to me since after all I’m not exactly your standard southern belle. I’ve got big ol’ tattoos, I didn’t change my last name and up until two years ago we didn’t even have a joint bank account. So much to my delight when the guide arrived on my doorstep I couldn’t be more pleased with the contents. There is everything that a young, modern and (dare I say it) hip couple could need in this guide. If I had a copy of it back when I was planning my reception I would have been much better off. From tips on dessert tables to the proper way to do a toast everything that piques your interest is here.
There are plenty of clever, fresh decorating tips and easy and fun ways to personalize everything from the flower arrangements to the place cards. However my favorite part of the guidebook were the 24 couples that chose to let the magazine share their special day. I was impressed with the range of styles showcased within the guide’s pages. From the traditional church wedding to a Balkan gypsy band leading guests to the reception site there is a little something for every bride no matter what your taste is. Southern style is so much more than pearls and “Yes ma’ams” and I am glad that Southern Living Weddings mirrored that. So no matter if you are planning on honoring your alma mater or having your French Bulldog walk the aisle with you there is a little bit of inspiration for every southern gal here. Pick up your own copy before April 22nd. The wedding guide will be re-released on May 13th if you don’t get a chance to pick one up before then.
*Note that Navajo Falls is no longer in existence due to a flood that destroyed the waterfall a few years ago.