Fashion Friday: 10 nautical faves

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How ironic that I should post about beating the heat this week. Just as we were going to bed last night, we noticed that the thermostat was stuck at a hotter temp than usual. It got hotter overnight, so by the morning, we had to call the repairman, who, thankfully, had everything fixed (yay for warranties!) and cooled off by 10 a.m.

And now, as I sit here drinking my ice-cold Diet Coke, I can't help but daydream about a lazy summer day at the beach. The kind of days that mark so many of my childhood summers spent on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, frolicking and splashing and laughing. Well, nothing screams beach day more than nautical style, so I thought it would be fun to round-up 10 pieces I'm loving right now...

*Panama hat, $58
*Signature French terry dress, $15.99
*Linen anchor pocket tee, $49.50
*Striped bikini, top ($29.99) and bottom ($24.99)
*Ponytail holder (set of five), $5
*Sailboat button earrings, $38
*Anchor rope bracelet, $38
*Wondrous whale ring, $40
*Gold knot ring, $27
*DIY anchor tote

So, what's your favorite nautical-themed find, friends? Are you wearing a lot of it this summer? I'd love to hear! xoxo

P.S. Friday links are coming up shortly! :)

[Top photo via The Sartorialist]

Found: 7 ways to beat the heat

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As Nelly once said, "It's getting hot in herrre." And it is. Literally. The sweltering summer heat has finally arrived, and we're under a heat advisory for the next couple days. I stepped outside this morning, only to be greeted by a fiery-hot blast of air. You know what that means, don't you? There's only one thing to do: Conserve all your energy and find ways to stay cool. To help you in your search, here are seven ways to beat the heat...

Dip in the pool (here are 12 modern pools...).

Drink a sweet treat, like watermelon punch.

Slip into something light and breezy.

Put your feet up and let the cool air tickle your toes.

Curl up on the couch with a good movie (Netflix is offering a one-month free trial).

Let a melting popsicle run down your chin (here are four more popsicle recipes).

And...enjoy a cool summer supper, like the one my mom made last night. It was absolutely delicious!

Your turn, friends: How do you beat the heat during the summer? Any cool (pun intended...) tips and tricks? What's your weather like these days? Do you like hot weather, or not so much? Here's to staying cool... xoxo

[Top photo from LIFE magazine, via Pinterest]

Man Candy Monday.

FREE IMAGES Good morning, friends, and happy July! Ahh, July...one of my favorite months, after August, of course! Fun fact: July is traditionally the hottest month of the year in the contiguous United States, and with the Fourth of July this Thursday, I thought an all-American Man Candy was long overdue. This round-up highlights five men who left their mark on this great nation. They were trailblazers. They helped define their generation. And all that power they wielded? Well, that was just darn sexy, if you ask me...

MY TOP 5 U.S. PRESIDENTS!!!!!!!!!!

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

HARRY S. TRUMAN

JOHN F. KENNEDY

JIMMY CARTER

BARACK OBAMA

P.S. Don't forget: Google Reader is being shut down today. You can follow So About What I Said... by joining Feedly or by following via Bloglovin' and RSS. And as always, feel free to connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook and now Instagram! See you there, friends! xoxo

Man Candy Monday: The Do or Don't Edition

FREE IMAGES Breaking news on this Monday morning, friends: Scruff is the new buff, at least according to recent research from Australia's University of New South Wales. In the study, 177 men and 351 women rated photos of 10 smiling men in various states of beardliness (yes, I just invented a new word...): Clean-shaven, with five days of beard growth (light stubble), 10 days of growth (heavy stubble) and with a full beard. The men and women were asked to rate the men in the photos according to attractiveness, masculinity, health and parenting ability. The winning look? Heavy stubble.

"Our findings confirm that beardedness affects judgments of male socio-sexual attributes and suggest that an intermediate level of beardedness is most attractive while full-bearded men may be perceived as better fathers who could protect and invest in offspring," the researchers concluded in the abstract of their study. Translation: Facial hair, according to the researchers, makes men seem more mature and masculine.

So, in the spirit of this facial-hair breakthrough, I thought we'd explore our own preferences with some of our favorite gents...

JAKE GYLLENHAAL...

RYAN GOSLING...

JON HAMM...

BRADLEY COOPER...

CHRIS EVANS...

GEORGE CLOONEY...

There you have the evidence, friends. Do you agree with the results of the study? Are you a fan of stubble or not so much? Look for my pick in the comments! xoxo

P.S. Remember the Man Candy: Boy Band round-up?

Wedding do or don't: Colorful engagement rings

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My mom didn't save her engagement ring, but from what she tells me, it was pretty simple. Nothing too flashy, and most definitely not colorful. Well, it looks like times have certainly changed, at least when it comes to 2013 engagement ring trends. It's all about abandoning the traditional in favor of the unique. "The newest crop of brides-to-be want a ring that showcases their individual personality," says McQueen Jewelry CEO Yosi Elison in an interview with Yahoo! Shine. Just in time for spring, here's a fun round-up of my six favorite colorful gems from Etsy... 

*14K ruby gemstone, $475

*Sky blue sapphire in white gold, $480
*Cognac diamond in white gold, $400
*Marquis diamond ring, $500
*Green rose cut diamond in yellow gold, $810
*Purple sapphire in yellow gold, $380

Your turn, friends: Would you choose a colorful engagement ring over a traditional one? Did you? Did your parents? What color would you choose? Any favorites -- or least favorites? Let's chat! xoxo

P.S. Wouldn't this rainbow engagement ring be fun too? Talk about a POP of color!

[Top photo by Braedon Photography]

If you could have dinner with four U.S. presidents...

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...who would you choose? Remember when we talked about the six people we'd invite to dinner if we had the chance? Well, in honor of Presidents' Day today, I thought it would be fun to put a patriotic spin on the question. Truth be told, friends, I've always been a bit of a nerd when it comes to presidential trivia (Proof: Did you know that the Baby Ruth candy bar was named after Grover Cleveland's daughter? Or that William Howard Taft had to have a special, larger bathtub installed in the White House?), so it's not really surprising that it didn't take me long to decide who I'd want to break bread with...

*John Adams, who moved into the White House during his presidency.
*Theodore Roosevelt, because I've always been fascinated by his Rough Rider status.
*John F. Kennedy, because he represented a generation of dreamers and revolutionists.
*Richard M. Nixon, because I'd love to get his take on the whole Watergate scandal.

So, friends, now it's your turn: Who makes your list? Why did you choose them? Is there any presidential era that you find particularly exciting? Let's chat! xoxo

Fashion Friday: Heart rings

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Oh, you know, just some post-Valentine's Day heart-y goodness (pun intended...)...

1. Rose gold knot ring, $22
2. Gold vermeil band, $24
3. Initial ring, $25
4. Solid gold tiny heart ring, $75
5. Vintage bronze heart ring, $33.59

Wouldn't a heart ring make a beautifully unique engagement ring, friends?

Dream Home: 6 creative wallpaper designs

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Remember when my mom created a wall of family photos in our hallway last year? Well, she has two weeks of vacation for winter break this year, and she's bound and determined to tackle another home improvement project. This time, she venturing into our two bathrooms with a can of paint and a dream. I call it a dream because, well, we've had those little cats on the wall, above, for almost a year now, and there's no paint in sight. Me? I've always thought wallpaper would be a nice touch. Here are six beautiful designs I've got my eyes on...

Wall-to-wall wallpaper...

Seascape wallpaper...

Book page wallpaper...

Ombre wallpaper...

Lisa Congdon's fern pattern...

And just for fun, interactive wallpaper, like this framed wallpaper from Graham & Brown that lets you leave your mark -- literally!

Still, as gung ho as my mother is about her potential painting endeavors, I fear the entire experience may end up like one of my favorite scenes from Frasier...

We shall see what happens, I suppose. What painting tips do you have, friends? What works? What doesn't? Any tools of the trade you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them and pass them on to my mom! xoxo

P.S. Did I mention she also ordered a new dresser for her bedroom that also requires assembly? This should be interesting...

P.P.S. A special holiday-themed family photos and a new Letter To My Future Husband is coming up shortly! :)

Fashion Friday: Holiday nails

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We all know just how much I love the color pink -- see this post for proof. And when I got together with my friend Lexi awhile back for a little nail-painting fun, which color did I choose? Pink, naturally. But the closer we get to the holidays, the more I'm seeing bright, sparkly nails -- think glittery golds, blues and reds like those from Essie's latest collection. I find these bold, fun colors really inspiring and the perfect way to add some calm to holiday stress. So, in an effort not to be out-sparkled (Is that even a word??), here are a few of my faves...

Silver bell nails...

Bold red.

Christmas glitter...

Gold nails...

Black glitter...

Metallic nails...

Dark green nails...

Well, friends, what do you think? Are you a fan of glitter nails for the holidays? Will you be trying it this year? xoxo

P.S. In case you want to go the less-involved route, these real nail strips look great! :)