Keeping Your Tootsies Covered and Stylish on the Party Circuit!

There was a time when people didn't remove their shoes when they entered another's home. A horrible thing for carpets and rugs but definitely a more dignified way for a guest to prance around. It is hard to maintain an air of elegance when you feel like a kid sliding across a floor in your stockinged feet!

I always feel a little uncomfortable taking my shoes off at other peoples homes (especially in the summer time!). The thought of my well-manicured but bare feet slapping around on a foreign floor just doesn't do it for me. Sound a little anal?? Maybe but I just can't get over it and I figure if I am going somewhere to enjoy myself, I should limit my neurosis rearing its ugly head as best as I can.

Also, I will admit I am a vain gal. I love picking through my selection of shoes and deciding which ones will be 'just right' for my outfit. After putting all that thought into what will shod my feet, I feel shortchanged when I have to remove a pivotal piece of my ensemble.

When visiting a friends home, I occasionally travel with a pair of ballet slippers that I slip into when I have arrived at my destination. Something a touch more stylish than a house-slipper (and no, you should never be carting around your house-slippers no matter how cute you think they are!) and a comfortable alternative to bare or stockinged feet.  Unfortuately, it limits me when it comes time to choose what purse I will carry (my purse must obviously be big enough to hold that extra pair of shoes).

That is where Footzyrolls come to the rescue! I was recently at a holiday party where I came across a woman who was mingling from room to room wearing a pair of these adorable metallic ballet slippers. I happened to be in the front foyer getting something from my purse when this guest was running outside to retrieve something from her car and that is when I noticed her removing her 'shoes' and putting on a pair of thigh-high boots.

I usually don't like to ask people about where they acquire their belongings but my curiosity had been peaked and I just couldn't help myself. These little flats were just too cute not to be nosy. She told me she had seen them in a magazine and picked them up online at Footzyrolls. Then she showed me something that clinched the deal for me. She took these lovelies and rolled them into these tiny little balls that she tucked into a tiny little pouch and slipped into her tiny little purse! I couldn't believe that the slippers could fit into a purse that small but the proof was sitting there right in front of me.

She added that these slippers had also saved her on many occasions when she just couldn't take the discomfort of sporting a pair of sky-high stilettos for a minute longer. Who among us hasn’t experienced foot pain from walking or standing too long in uncomfortable high heels???

The slipper is made of a durable, skid resistant, waterproof under-surface and polyurethane upper that comes in seven great colors: Black As Night, Shimmery Silver, Glittery Gold, Wedding White, Pretty in Pink, Golden Gator and Black Magic (the last three listed being limited edition colours for the season). The heel is reinforced with extra padding for additional comfort and support. A drawstring shoe bag is included so that you can house the shoes that you have removed (big enough to house the highest of heels).

Click on any of the Footzyrolls links and you will be taken directly to their website.

All images courtesy of Footzyrolls

Spreading A Little Holiday Blog Love!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is enjoying a little relaxation after all the holiday hoopla!

Our blog roll hasn't been updated in awhile and I thought this would be the perfect time to do so, kind of ease my way back from not posting for a few days. (I took a little bit of a mini-break to wade through the crumpled wrapping paper and overwhelming amount of toys scattered all over my home. I am trying to bring some order back to our house but I am starting to think that I am losing this battle!).
I will be updating my blog roll on a regular basis and showcase a different blog every month with their very own post. I love to spread the word when I come across a great blog and I always love to hear about gems that I haven't stumbled upon yet, so feel free to post a comment with any suggestions you feel might be up Lily Lemontree's alley!

Some really great writers, a little something for everyone. So grab yourself some hot chocolate and a cozy spot and spend a few moments perusing these fabulous blogs.

 

Holiday Wishes from Lily Lemontree!

image courtesy of Martha Stewart

While we will be posting all through the holidays, we would like to take this opportunity to extend the warmest of holiday wishes to all of you!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

 

Look of the Day: Dita Von Teese

image courtesy of Norman Scott/Startraks

Ms. Dita Von Teese graces us this week with an absolutely stunning vintage Dior outfit as she strolls the avenue in Los Angeles. Luckily, there wasn't much debate between Giorgena and I on this point. Work and holiday obligations have left us with little time to argue about our choices.

I have to admit that Dita Von Teese is one of my favourites when it comes to her eye for fashion. I love the way she works the glamourous retro look. Not overly fond of her chosen profession but we are talking style here, not vocational choices and personal lives.

And while we are talking style, this lady has got it down to a science when choosing when and where she uses accesories.

Although similar in colouring, the purse with its slight basketweave pattern stops itself from looking too matchy with the shoes and by now, you must all know how I feel about gloves finishing an outfit.

Simply fabulous!

What do you think of Dita Von Teese's 'Look of the Day'?

For the Last Minute Party Hostess!

The holiday season is full of many surprises. Unpredictable weather, gifts you weren't expecting to receive and have nothing to reciprocate with, and as always, unexpected guests. For the hostess who has to whip up a fabulous soiree in a wink of an eye, this little goodie can at least guide you through the beverage portion of your gathering. I can also attest to it being a great last minute gift for the hostess who finds herself (that would be me a few nights ago) on the receiving end of a unexpected gift exchange.
Excellent ideas for delicious punches and festive drinks, it can be picked up at most bookstores or online at Amazon and Chapters.

Mr. Boston Holiday Cocktails has the perfect drink for entertaining in every season. From hot winter toddies to festive, refreshing punches, seasonal cocktails are all the rage in bars and at get-togethers. Now you can entertain your guests at home with drinks tailored for every holiday season, from the experts at Mr. Boston, America's favorite drink-mixing guide. Mr. Boston has been the go-to manual for bartenders and spirits professionals since the repeal of the Prohibition, and with this collection of stylish all-new drink recipes, Mr. Boston Holiday Cocktails puts the expertise of world-class mixologists at your fingertips.-from the book jacket

For those of us who just don't have an extra minute to hop into a local bookstore because our guests are en route, the very creative lady over at Pink Martini and Pearls has some fantastic cocktail suggestions for the holiday season and the great thing is she is only a click away. Just follow the link to her blog.

 

Look of the Day: Christina Ricci

We have been playing it a little safe here at Lily Lemontree these last few weeks and yesterday we were called on it. While discussing our potential picks for the Look of the Day, it was brought to my attention by none other than my partner in fashionable debate, Giorgena, that lately I had been prone to choosing beautiful, albeit safe looks.

No, I said to her, it couldn't be, me of all people, choosing 'safe' instead of 'fashion', but as the day passed and I started to mull over my choices of late, her voice started to resonate in my ears. Her words to me were " This is the thing, sometimes we go with nicely fitted, sensible, appropriate, etc., and that is all good stuff for the people we've become ( wives, mothers, working gals, housewives, what have you), but then you see something like that sharp coat Mrs. Beckham is wearing (another potential this week) and you think "ahhhh, fashion!" and also something like that intriguing dress on Christina Ricci and you think "ahhhh, fashion and art!" and all of a sudden everything else looks so, so lame and uninteresting. All of a sudden we're thinking not as the people we've become but as the people we once were in terms of fashion: daring and goddamn cool."

There is nothing I love more than a nicely-fitted garment and appropriate attire (I'll pass on the sensible!)  but sometimes, it takes a long-standing friend to knock you to your fashion senses with a gentle shove. Okay, it was more like a kick in the rump, but it was well-deserved, since I almost passed on this gorgeous frock worn by Christina Ricci. The material and colour give off some kind of ethereal allure, like she is floating on air while the dark edging sharpens it up a bit,  keeps it from being too dainty looking, definitely something to stay away from when you are as petite as Ms. Ricci.

What do you think of Christina Ricci's 'Look of the Day'?

Lily Lemontree Guest Blogs at A Femme d'un Certain Age!

image courtesy of Martha Stewart

I am very honoured to be in such stylish company today, as I do my part in a great three-way guest blog on last minute gift giving over at my dear friend Tish's blog, A Femme d'un Certain Age. For anyone who is interested in French style and elegance (and really, who isn't???), Tish's blog should be a daily stop.  She sure knows what she is talking about when it comes to the chic ways of the world (the French always do, even the transplanted ones!). A very gracious 'thank you' to her for allowing me the opportunity to share my last minute gift suggestion with the likes of LPC from -Privilege and Deja Pseu at Une Femme.

What is your go-to gift when you are caught at the last minute??

The Gift for That Special Foodie in Your Life!

I having been toying with the idea of getting a Kindle. I love books and I almost feel like I would be contributing to the demise of the traditional book by purchasing one of these gadgets which is really the only thing holding me back. While I have been doing a little light research on the Kindle, I came across the foodie's version of the electronic reader, the Demy.

Image courtesy of Demy

Now this is something I would love to have in my house. Available online at Amazon, Neiman Marcus and mydemy.com, this little baby can hold up to 2500 recipes and you can prop it up on your counter while cooking. It has a cool touchscreen that can easily be wipe down and it's completely kitchen safe, it will even withstand the occasional splash from a messy cook.

Image courtesy of Demy

Three built in timers, easy-peasy conversion tools, and a list of alternative ingredients that can be used as substitutions in your recipes, it practically cooks the meal for you. Well, not quite but you get the picture and speaking of pictures, you can even download pictures of your recipes right off of your computer to the Demy.

Click on any of the links above for more information on the Demy.

Stocking Stuffers with a Purpose!

I have my Christmas shopping done early in the holiday season, I am not a fan of busy malls. And nothing disappoints me more than surfing the web for my gifts only to find that almost everything I would be interested in, is "temporarily unavailable online".  I don't get stressed out about holiday shopping like I used to but one area of Christmas shopping that really gets to me is the little bits and bobs that go into our stockings. My friends tell me to not be so picky and find little things to stuff into the stockings, regardless of what they are but I just can't do it. Its not so much as being picky as it is that I find it a complete waste of money to purchase junk just to use as filler and I often think about all the junk we have in general lying around in our houses that I just can't contribute to excessive waste. (I have the same problem when it comes to what to put in loot bags for birthday parties)
Now then, since I have jumped off of my soapbox, I will tell you about these cute Snowman Kits I came across online at Restoration Hardware.

It comes with the basic essentials and you can still make the snowman your own with some personalized embellishments.

I know you can build one of these jolly old fellas with your two hands and a carrot but I thought this would be the perfect example of a stocking stuffer that had a purpose and was adorable at the same time.  Just click on the link and it will take you directly to the page.

Look of the Day: Victoria Beckham

I figured since the last post up before I got sick was the Look of the Week, it would be appropriate to come back with it this week.

Maybe I am still trying to shed the bad mood that seemed to linger with me from being ill but I was not really impressed with too much this week. One look I did love was Victoria Beckham sporting the cutest cloche hat and her fancy Louboutins leaving some hotel in London. I adore cloche hats, okay I am sure she has no idea where she is going but does it really matter when you look fabulous?!?

What do you think of Victoria Beckham's Look of the Day?

Forgive Me!

My apologies dear friends, for my lack of posts these past few days. I have been laid up battling a dreadful malaise. I am comfortably resting at home and hope to be up and about soon.

Yours Sincerely,

Lily Lemontree

Have I painted a pretty enough picture for you?? While I would love to be recuperating in as stylish a manner as the lovely Natalie Wood in her fabulous dressing gown, my grim reality has been closer to this for the last 5 days.

The dreaded H1N1 has ripped through my household like a savage beast! My kiddies seem to be on the mend but as for my husband and myself, we are down for the count. My husband was nice enough to find a cushion-y laptop desk for me and propped my head up on some pillows so that I could dash this off before I pass out again. I promise to be back posting as soon as I can!

Look of the Day-The Obamas

I am pleased as punch to have my dear (and very fashionable!) friend Giorgena S. doing a guest post today. She is a big fan of the First Couple, so even though we usually do the 'Look of the Day' together, I thought it only appropriate for her to do the post by herself.

While it's now old news that the President and Mrs. Obama honoured Prime Minister Singh of India and his wife Mrs. Kaur for their first State Dinner at the White House this past week, what left a big impression on me was the vision of the Obamas in their formal attire for this gala event. I happened to catch a photograph of Michelle Obama in the paper while riding the subway train the next morning and I thought to myself that this is the best I'd seen her look. For one, I am a fan of her hair upswept the way it was, but her gown and accessories were not just beautiful but so suitable to the occasion.

I quickly found some more pictures on line, which is when I saw this one of the First Couple. To be fair, any man in a well-fitted tux looks great to me. There's not much for a President to do to spice up a tuxedo so I'm glad he didn't try. His best attempt at an accessory was indeed his wife, who glowed in a shimmery gold and silver, floor-length strapless gown and shawl by Indian-American desiger Naeem Khan.

She also wore an arm-full of churis, traditional Indian bangles and very pretty but not overstated, long and definitely Indian-inspired, dangling earrings.

Besides the appropriateness for the occassion of choosing an Indian-American designer (and the dress was actually detailed by hand in India by the designer's family) and wearing something subtly influenced by traditional Indian dress, I thought the First Lady just looked stunning from head to toe. Some of the other guests wore traditional Indian sarees which is fine for the occasion but I'm not sure I would have liked it so much if Mrs. Obama did this too - for one it would not have been very outstanding or original for the event, but however respectful, it would have looked too costume-y and pretentious. As First Lady and hostess, I much prefer her looking like a beautiful American woman paying subtle tribute to her guests using style.

Together, the First Couple looked tremendous and brought back some of those great proud feelings of seeing them together the night of the election results and inauguration night, a giant step forward in the history of the USA, regardless of what side of the political spectrum one leans. It doesn't hurt either that they are charming and attractive. I saw lots of pictures of the event and, for the record- and not because of whom they are - they were hands-down in my opinion the best-dressed couple there.

Although Naeem Khan is not a household name (that might change now, right?) his designs are favoured by many celebrities (Katherine Heigl, Jeanne Trippelhorn, Taylor Swift, just to name a few!). In doing a little research I must admit I didn't see one dress I didn't like!

Here's another favourite picture of the two of them, capturing the moment.

What do you think of the Obamas' Look of the Day?

It Must Be Christmas Time at Rockefeller Center!

With a relatively young family to preside over, we are a work in progress when it comes to holidays and the traditions that go with them. I have chosen to pass along a few from my own childhood but the fun part for me is coming up with 'new' traditions to make our own. We always have new Christmas pyjamas that we put on before we go to bed on Christmas Eve. We make gingerbread cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve that we place on Santa's special plate for his stopover. We wake to an indulgent pancake breakfast Christmas morning. We even sit around and read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' together with some delicious hot chocolate (how storybook of us!).
I am not saying that we all sit still during our holiday reading (some of us have to be restrained!) or aren't complaining (okay more like whining) that we 'don't want pancakes this morning' but pardon my peppery language, 'gosh darn it' these are the traditions that this mother has chosen to make her family's future memories out of. So even in the midst of pre-schooler resistance and kindergartener chaos, I try my hardest to make the most of these traditions, even if they are still in their infant stages, knowing that one day my children will fondly reminisce over these memories. One of my favourite ways to mark the holidays with my family is to watch the lighting of the famed Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.

The christmas lights at Rockefeller Center officially go on tonight, marking the 77th year for this holiday tradition. Growing up, I always felt that the official start to the Christmas season was marked by the lighting of that special tree so I have tried to keep that feeling with me by making it a new family tradition of watching the lighting of that tree with my children, as we put up and decorate our own Christmas tree. Something about that tree makes me wax nostalgic about days gone by, childhood Christmases, and simpler times, maybe that is why I hold it dear to my heart.

The Christmas tree was first erected in 1931 in front of the RCA building, now known as the GE Building but it wasn't till 1953 that Americans witnessed the first televised lighting of the famed tree.

I have visited NYC too many times to count but being there to witness the 'flick of the switch' (so to speak) has always alluded me. Maybe I will have to pull out another 'family tradition' from my sleeve and make it an annual trip for my family to see this fabulous sight next year.
Post your comments and share your families past and present traditions to mark the holidays!

What Any Preppy Hostess Would Love!

Tis the season for gift giving and holiday parties and I am always on the lookout for something fabulous to bring along to all the shin-digs I am invited to. I am crazy for anything monogrammed so when I came across these adorable monogrammed soaps at In This Very Room, I was tempted to host a party myself, just in the off chance someone might bring these lovelies along as a hostess gift.

 The monogram (or whatever you choose to personalize these with) is hand carved into these luxurious 100% vegetable based soaps that smell absolutely heavenly.

A super fast shipping time (2-3 days) from Vermont and packaged in a keepsake box, these are the perfect go-to gift to cart to holiday parties or a great gift idea for your favourite teacher.

With a great selection of fonts to choose from and at a super price (always a bonus!), you can't go wrong when you bring these along to the next soiree you are invited to, you might even attract a few new invitations from fellow party-goers once they take a gander at these dandies.

All images via In This Very Room