Super Bowl XLV – Packer Style

Go PACK Go!

If it can’t be my beloved Detroit Lions going to the Super Bowl (and I have a feeling that might be a while), then all of my cheers go to the Green Bay Packers, who will meet the Pittsburg Steelers on February 6.  I consider myself an honorary Packers fan as my dear friend, Sara Otto Shunkwiler (a Wisconsin native), allows me to cheer them on with her.

The Packers have arguably the best fans in the NFL.  They sport green and gold year-round and don “Cheeseheads” to support their Pack.  On game day it is nearly impossible to get anywhere near the stadium and during away games the area is a ghost town as fans are either at home or filling Packer bars to watch the game. 

Every home game has been sold out since 1960, with more than 80,000 names on the season-ticket waiting list.  When someone dies, they often will their tickets to a family member.

Sara tells me that Super Bowl Sunday will be like a national holiday in Wisconsin – every store will be closed and streets will be deserted as people are glued to their TV’s.  

 

I think that Green Bay’s “super fandom” is due in no small part to the fact that the team is owned by the public – their fans.  They are the only NFL team that doesn’t have an owner.  All money earned goes back into the club.  

They have a vested interested in their team and it shows. 

 

Founded in 1919 by Earl Lambeau  and George Whitney Calhoun, the Green Bay Packers are deeply rooted in the Wisconsin city where they began.  They were named after a local meat processing plant, the Indian Packing Company, which paid for the first uniforms.  Starting in the 1920s, the Green Bay Football Corp. made a series of public stock offerings.  In 1950, 1,900 local residents each put up $25 a share to buy the team.

Green Bay is the second-oldest franchise in the NFL and they have a rich history of championships, including winning the first Super Bowl in 1966. 

They’ve won twelve championships (more than any other team in the NFL) and are looking to secure their fourth Super Bowl victory next week. 

 

The team has historic rivalries with the Chicago Bears, whom they beat to get to this years “dance”; and the Detroit Lions, whom they have played since the 1930s.  The Packers also share a fierce rivalry with the Minnesota Vikings, ironically now the home of former quarterback, Brett Favre. 

 

 

They all belong to the NFC North, a.k.a. the "Black and Blue Division" due to the intensity of the rivalry between the four teams.

 

 

 

The Packers have no shortage of players to root for - Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has the tough job of leading his team to victory with a strong and accurate arm and also being the “boyfriend” of every lady in Green Bay. 

The guy must be exhausted by the end of the day!

 

Other Packers that are always fun to watch - Veteran Wide Receiver Donald Driver, Wide Receiver Greg Jennings (Western Michigan), Running Backs Brandon Jackson & John Kuhn and of course Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji. 

Rooting on the Packers and players begs the question – what to wear?  This post is filled with great fan gear from NFL Shop, Packers Pro Shop and Etsy (click on any photo for “where to buy”).   

But what I really want to know is how can I look like this guy?  I’m pretty sure there isn’t a single Packer fan that doesn’t own and proudly wear a Cheesehead hat.  Teasing them only increases their spirit as they cheer on their boys in green and gold. 

You don’t have to look far in Wisconsin or on the web for Cheesehead gear, but I found

Foamation to have a nice well-edited selection, including the fun earrings above.

It’s really too bad that Super Bowl’s can’t be held on a teams home turf because I can’t think of anything that would make Super Bowl XLV more exciting than watching it take place at the famed Lambeau Field.  I’ve never been there, but I love watching touchdowns in that stadium.  I will never forget watching Sunday Night Football on December 11, 2005 -  Packers vs. Lions. 

I knew that our friends, Ben and Sara and Craig, were at the game and sitting near the end zone, so I was looking out for them.  Watching, watching….and there it was - Lions wide receiver Roy Williams catches an incredible TD pass and jumps up for the infamous Lambeau Leap right into the arms of Ben and Craig (captured in the above photo – Craig is on the left and you can’t see Ben because he’s behind Roy Williams holding him up.  Craig snagged the ball).  I literally could not believe my eyes!  We lost the game that night, but Ben, Sara and Craig got the moment of a lifetime.

Hopefully, the Packers will continue their magic on Feb. 6 and capture another Super Bowl title for their beloved fans.  Go Pack Go!

2011 Golden Globe Report

 

Golden Glam

Can there be any way to describe Anne Hathaway in this golden sequin gown other than “Jaw-dropping”?  It’s no secret that she is a client of the revered Rachel Zoe, so she never misses.  BUT – her appearance at the Globes in Giorgio Armani Prive this year has got to be her best yet.  She’s never been in better shape, so she was a complete knockout in this sexy dress.

 

 

 

 

 

Front, side or back it was amazing.  I’m sure there was a collective gasp by passerby that night when she turned to reveal the back.  WOW!

Her make-up was flawless and her hair done to perfection to suit this dress. 

 

 

Angelina Jolie comes in second with a dazzling emerald green dress from Atelier Versace.  She was right on trend, as green and a return to 80’s chic seemed to dominate the evening.  As a child of the 80’s, I am NOT thrilled at the resurgence of any “fashion” from the period, but the first two dresses in this post seemed to do it well.  The color and draping of this garment are both vibrant and elegant and perfectly suited for the calm and cool Angelina.  To me, this is the type of gown made for the Globes…save the Princess Grace style dresses for the Oscars.

 

 

 

As lovely as Jane Krakowski is, she wouldn’t be considered a fashionista in most circles, which is why I was so pleasantly surprised by this stunning gown.  She looks radiant in the periwinkle color (make-up perfectly coordinated) and the draping highlights her well toned arms and adorable baby bump.  You could just feel the joy of impending motherhood jumping out of the screen…and how beautiful she felt too.  Well done, Badgley Mischka, Jane looked amazing.

 

 

Oh Sofia Vergara – do we not all want this bod?  And she KNOWS it!   She loves showing off her curves and you can’t help but not hate her because of that delightful personality. (I’m sure even Vera Wang herself couldn’t be mad at Sofia when she pronounced her name repeatedly as Vera Wong).

This gown was made for Sofia – the color was a standout, the black belt a perfect finishing detail and the cut followed every curve to a tee.  She chose to keep her hair down and flowing which added to the appeal.

 

My fifth pick is Leighton Meester in Burberry.  While I know this dress was not a fan fave and has taken a lot of criticism, I adored it on her.  Certainly, I understand why folks didn't care for it…it’s not a typical award show dress.  But Leighton is a style icon of her generation, which made this an amazing choice for her.  She’s got a drop dead figure – a must to pull off this look – and a unique indie style.  I love that she chose something that was fashion forward and set her apart from all others on the Red Carpet.  The Globes are about knowing yourself and taking appropriate risks to demonstrate who you are.  Way to go, Leighton, you’re an original and looked amazing in the subtly sexy dress.

Last but certainly not least, an Honorable Mention goes to Maria Menounos in a stunning dress by Michigan’s own Pamella Roland.  The blush tones were gorgeous and I loved the contrast of shabby frayed edges mixed with a sparkly neckline.  Her hourglass figure does a little something for the gown too.  Thanks Pamella Roland (DeVos) for making Michigan shine in Hollywood!

Stella & Dot

  Style Your Life

 

There’s a great jewelry trend sweeping the nation, and it’s called Stella & Dot.  Launched a few short years ago, the eclectic and often vintage inspired collection is led by Jessica Herrin and Blythe Harris.  The line was named for their grandmothers, Stella and Dot, and features pieces inspired by jewelry found in each of their jewelry boxes.  This really resonates with me because I often wear pieces from my Nana’s jewelry box – now my most cherished possession.  This necklace and statement ring are two of my favorite classics from Stella & Dot.

I’m also a big fan of brooches, which are seeing a huge resurgence in popularity.  Stella & Dot has done a great job of designing replicas of vintage styles as well as newer takes on them.  The beautiful styling in their lookbooks show a variety of ways to wear the classic piece – as a stand alone or with their La Coco necklaces.  After splurging this week on new jewelry for myself, I’m now the proud owner of these three pretty brooches.

The press and celebrities also have taken notice of Stella & Dot and the jewelry is popping up everywhere.  Giuliana Rancic, Jessica Lowndes, AnnaLynne McCord, Penelope Cruz and Jane Krakowski are all fans of the line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The February issue of InStyle magazine (pg. 134) features the Revival Tassle Necklace, which is one of my favorites from the new Spring/Summer 2011 “A Brave New World” collection.

 

The new collection features bold, colorful pieces inspired by global beauty from as far away as Morocco and Brazil to our beloved Palm Beach.

The first collection,  Destination Morocco, is all about a boho chic vibe, rich with textures and combinations of unexpected materials.  

The Viva Brazil Collection represents pure exotic sophistication with bursts of bright, festive colors with that great Brazilian sexy style.  

 

 

 

 

Finally, the Palm Beach Collection is full of fun colors combined with whimsical motifs and the perfect balance between vintage and modern. 

These pieces look best mixed with unexpected patterns and prints (like the Milly green and white strapless dress shown with the turquoise La Coco Bead Necklace and Paradise Brooch above.

 

 

 

The coolest thing about this fast growing company is that it is built on the idea of entrepreneurship.  Stella & Dot was created by two dynamic, enterprising Stanford grads that had a dream of creating a business that would help women thrive.  At the young age of 24, Founder and CEO, Jessica Herrin, began her career as the co-founder of the world’s leading wedding website, WeddingChannel.com and her business savvy has been recognized on Oprah, and in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Forbes.  Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Blythe Harris, has studied with artisans in Ecuador and learned jewelry making in Mexico before studying accessories design at Parsons School of Design in Paris.  

Together, they created a new concept that helps solve the modern woman’s dilemma of finding a successful career that you love and also allows for a balanced family life.  Stella & Dot stands apart from other direct sales companies because of its irresistible, on-trend product and low-pressure sales environment.  It is built on the social networking ideals of getting together with girlfriends, inspiring each other AND playing with pretty jewels.  

 

  Admittedly, I’m a little biased toward the line because my sister, Wendie DeLano, recently became a stylist.  A talented freelance photographer and amazing stay-at-home mom, this company has given her a renewed sense of herself.  Since starting this business, she has become reenergized in all facets of her life and I can see her entrepreneurial spirit shining through.  I’m really proud of her and excited to see her build a successful business with Stella & Dot, as well as using that same spirit of empowerment to continue building on her successful photography business.  Most importantly, I’m thrilled to see her share her excitement with her daughter, Lilly, who will benefit from the sense that she can do anything she sets her mind too. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Stella & Dot or live in the Southeast Michigan area and would like to host a trunk show, please contact my sister, Wendie: http://www.stelladot.com/sites/wendiedelano.  She would be happy to share great ideas and answer any questions you might have.

I’ll close w/another favorite from the new collection – love the layered look:

          

Whatever you do in life, make sure you love it, and pass on that spirit to other women in your life.  We can all be inspired and empowered by one another!    

Celeb Style: Reese Witherspoon

 

Reese Witherspoon’s

Ladylike Style

 Always chic and refined, Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon is one of the celebrities whose style I admire most.  Her look is always pulled together and consistent, whether she’s hanging with her kids, bumming around L.A. or attending a premiere. 

Happiness looks good on her too.  Recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she was all smiles wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress and Jimmy Choo peep-toes.  Her new engagement to agent Jim Toth probably has a little to do with that smile too. 

Reese is a shining example of effortless, ladylike style.  A few of my favorite looks: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

       

Reese’s best accessory..…her kids Ava and Deacon.