Hats at horse races?

I want your opinion. Now, keep in mind we're not talking the Derby. I'm merely attending Steeplechase (the Nashville version). I've got some time to debate, but I am trying to decide whether to make my dress selection based on what it would look like with a hat. I know that hats may be an essential part of Derby attire, but you don't see so many at Steeplechase. My personal opinion? Love them. Steeplechase is the only time of year I can get away with wearing some odd monstrosity on my head...and getting compliments on it...so I tend to think why not wear one?

I think a hat like the one below is fabulous:

This next one, on the other hand, looks like a Tommy Bahama accessory from my grandfather's closet:

Clearly, there is the right way to do a hat and the absolute wrong way to do a hat. I will aim to look like picture #1. I'll take her hair and her body too, please. :)

Here is a pic of me (on the right) and two girlfriends at last year's Steeplechase. It had rained the night before/morning of, which made for a complete mess, translated: drunken mud fest. I was wearing a hat initially...until it blew off and into a mud puddle. My poor hat did not last very long. Hopefully I will have better luck this year.

Do you ever have one of those days where you can't stop eating? Yeah, this is one of those days. Unforunately, I can't justify my junk food intake with a run at the gym since I broke my ankle...I'll explain in a later post. Until then, there's birthday cake in the break room that's calling my name. :)

Spring/summer dresses

So I don't know about ya'll, but I am feeling the one-shoulder dresses for this season. I see a purchase in my near future. One look I have yet to make up my mind about is the 80's-style floral patterns that are back, like PIPM talked about. I could maybe do something like this:

I think this dress would be super cute with some strappy heels like these:

What are your thoughts on the one-shoulder look? And do I dare ask about the small floral patterns? In my opinion, they are okay in moderation. You would under no circumstance see me rockin' a maxi dress with an 80's floral design. Maxi dress + 5'3" tall = yuck. Now if I do happen to run accross a cute little mini dress like the one above, I might just have to fork over the cash. :)

A New - And Improved - BBSS

Lest you all thought I fell off the face of the Earth...I am back!!! I have kept up the reading of my favorite blogs, but so much has been going on in my life lately (i.e. the past 2 years!) that it just got the best of me. So, to give you a ~2 minute rundown of the past two years, here you go:

1. Out with the old, in with the new: New boyfiend (yay!), new house (yay unless you catch me on the day I'm making my mortgage payment :) new job (yay?)

2. I'm still a student...no, not a college student - those days are long gone, sadly. I am oficially a law student, with almost one year under my belt, I might add. Yes, I said I have a job too; yes, balancing school and a full time job is miz. Yes, it will all be worth it some day...at least that's what I keep telling myself. And you wonder why I have not posted in ages...

3. Still the same...in most ways: I still love fashion, family, and friends; I'm still living in the south. Did I just say that as though I would actually move away?!? While many things remain the same, I would like to think that I have wisened up in more ways than one over the past two years. For instance, I have realized that some things I thought were so important in college were really just trivial . Case in point: pleasing everyone. It's impossible, so why even try? More importantly, I have learned the value of meaningful friendships. It's amazing how quickly you can grow apart from people you spent almost everyday with in college. True friends don't stop calling just because they move to different states, get married, or become too busy. Unfortunately, I have experienced that. However, that makes me appreciate my best girlfriends so much more. Finally, I have learned that I don't need to be married at age 24 to be happy. Yes, most of my friends from high school and college are married or engaged. Me? Not so much. I knew it would be hard moving back to my hometown where most of my married friends live, and at one time, I began to envy them and to think that I needed to be in a serious relationship and start planning my wedding. Well, that happened. No, I didn't get engaged, but it got close to that point. The result? I finally realized that I just happened to be the girl he started dating when he wanted to get serious. It wasn't just me that was "the one." Any girl he had started dating at that point would have been the "right" one. That is not at all how it is supposed to happen. As a result of that relationship, I have learned not to force "future" stuff. Yes, it is tempting still at times. (Hello, I am a girl!) It's especially tempting now that I'm in a great relationship. However, I have learned to just be content to be in such a good relationship with such a great person, and to forget all else. It's not worth it to spend your time wishing/hoping/dreaming about an engagement, wedding, etc. I can just enjoy the person I'm with and know that the happiness that comes from that will only build a stronger bond. Wow, I sound like I'm on something. Time to stop being all sentimental.

So now that my 2 minute update turned into a bit of a saga, you know the "new" me. I can't wait to get back to blogging! Happy Friday!! I hope all of you ladies have a great weekend!