P&P Christmas: Playlists

via {this is glamorous}

One of my very favorite parts of the Christmas season? Easy -- the music! I'm a pretty staunch purist, waiting until the day after Thanksgiving (and not before!) to break out my carefully-put-together playlists. Here are a few of my swinging favorites:

(Everybody's Waiting for) The Man with the Bag -- Kay Starr
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town -- Bruce Springsteen
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm -- Dean Martin
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen -- Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLaughlin
Sleigh Ride -- Johnny Desmond
Skating -- Vince Guaraldi
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! -- Les Brown
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas -- Ella Fitzgerald
Merry Christmas Baby -- Lionel Hampton
Winter Wonderland -- Brian Setzer Orchestra
Swingle Jingle -- Lionel Hampton
Jingle Bells -- Glenn Miller
Ring Those Christmas Bells -- Peggy Lee
Santa Claus is Coming to Town / Jingle Bells -- Pete Fountain
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus -- Brian Setzer Orchestra
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer -- Jack Johnson
All I Want for Christmas Is You -- Mariah Carey

I take collecting Christmas music very seriously. Have any suggestions for me?

P.S. Want to listen to my playlist? Click here!

The 12 Days of Peach & Pearl Christmas!

{Image from J. Crew}

Many of you are aware of my now well-documented love affair with all things holiday. In order to properly celebrate the season here on P&P, I'm happy to introduce you to our very own version of the 12 Days of Christmas! I'll be posting something new in the series every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and today we're kicking things off with a playlist of my holiday favorites.

For those of you who come for the inspiration boards on Mondays, don't worry! They'll be a new winter-themed board every week, starting with today's palette of evergreen, cream, and coral.

Happy Thanksgiving!

{Image by Erin Hearts Court via 100 Layer Cake}

Amy Atlas Thanksgiving

She does it again! Don't you love the signage on the apple cider? See more of Amy Atlas' Thanksgiving dessert table here. And check out the rest of her lovely designs here!

Photos by Allan Zepeda for Mel Barlow Photography

NieNie

{Image by Nie}

I woke up early today to see Nie on the Today show. She is quite inspiring. One of many sreason I like her? She makes a silhouette of each member of her family every year. Isn't that a beautiful way to record change, especially in children? She's also recently resumed making silhouettes for sale. If you're interested, see more here! You couldn't be supporting a more worthy person, and I think one would make a lovely Christmas gift!

Board No. 5: Blue and Orange Thanksgiving

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Here's an oldie-but-goodie for you to enjoy as I am going a little crazy preparing for my trip home for Thanksgiving! See all of the details and the image credits in the original post here. Fun fact: This is one of the boards that gets me the most hits from Google Images! I guess there are quite a few brides out there planning a blue and orange wedding? Who would have thought?

Board No. 58: Hello Navy and Yellow!

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You all have surprised me in the past, but I'm going to take a guess and say that this board is going to be the favorite of the four. I'm pretty positive it's going to be Kate's favorite, since navy and yellow seems to be her top pick right now. To be honest, I think it's mine, as well. That was NOT the case at first, however.

When I first heard navy and yellow, I thought it was going to be nearly impossible to achieve the laidback picnic/garden party vibe we were going for which this color scheme. I thought of navy as too dark and stuffy, too elegant (though that sounds bad -- we want things to be elegant!).

But the more I thought about it, the more I think it can work. I took the navy a bit lighter in this board, which I think makes things feel more light-hearted. I also incorporated billy balls (or craspedia) as the main floral element, which are a naturally fun floral. Wood becomes an important element here, as evidenced by the driftwood arch. I'm picturing rough wooden boxes filled with yellow pom poms at the end of every aisle for guests to pass down the row and toss at the conclusion of the ceremony. Wouldn't that be awesome? And lastly, we'd still incorporate many of the overriding details, like a lemonade stand, lawn games, and fabric bunting hung all over the place.

So what do you think? Am I right? Do you like this board best? Or do you prefer a different one? Which is your favorite and why? To refresh your memory, here are the other three: Pumped Up Sherbet, Primary Picnic, Nautical Knots

The Details
First row, left to right: driftwood arch photo by Corbin Gurkin via Once Wed, ceremony programs photo by Erica Lyn via Weddingbee, yellow shoe portrait by One Love Photo via Once Wed

Second row: navy tie photo by Justin and Mary Marantz, craspedia centerpiece by Cori Cook via Style Me Pretty, maids photo by Erica Lyn via Weddingbee

Third row: jam favors, croquet photo by One Love Photo via Once Wed, craspedia bout, lemonade photo by Kate Webber via Style Me Pretty

Fourth row: directional sign photo by One Love Photo via Once Wed, blue shoes photo by Corbin Gurkin via Style Me Pretty, picture line

Board No. 56: Primary Picnic

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Our next option is pretty much classic picnic, without much nautical. It's got a strong palette of royal blue, tomato red, leaf green, and sunny yellow which I think would look gorgeous on a brilliantly sunny August day. Lawn games would be in full swing. Lemonade with fresh fruit mix-ins would be available after the ceremony for guests to sip as they walked to the reception site. Fabric-tied pencils would sit in a box next to custom crosswords for amusement during cocktail hour. And hopefully someone would wear a bow tie!

The Details
First row, left to right: croquet photo by One Love Photo via Once Wed, picnic blanket portrait and pie display photos by Tec Petaja

Second row: personal photo, boat locker portrait by Jenny Ebert, croquet photo by One Love Photo via Once Wed

Third row: mismatched china photo by Tec Petaja, blueberry jam favors by 100 Layer Cake, maids dresses photo by Sarah K. Chen via Southern Weddings

Fourth row: pencil photo by Union Photography via Snippet & Ink, bow tie photo by Jessica Claire, raspberry lemonade photo by Alison Miksch

Board No. 55: Nautical Knots

Whew!! So sorry for the posting delays. As I hinted, I've been working on four "finalist" inspiration boards for Kate and Cormac's August island wedding. I wanted to wait until I had all four ready to go before I debuted the first one so that you could see them all in quick succession, as I'll be asking for your opinions after all four go live.

The overriding challenge was this: the wedding is on an island, so a certain amount of "nautical-ness" is not only almost impossible to avoid, but desired. However, the vibe we're going for is really more upscale picnic/fun garden party. Keep in mind that the ceremony and reception will be in the afternoon.

Without further ado, our first option:


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This is pretty much your classic red, white, and blue nautical board. Kate really likes the idea of navy, so that's one of the dominant colors here. She also has decided on a smorgasbord of mini, upscale picnic food for the menu (hence the cheeseburgers). We also love the idea of rope boutonnieres and blueberry jam favors, and I'm rooting for red-and-white striped maids' dresses (as I'll be wearing one!). The pennants are an easy DIY and add a fun punch of color, while the getaway boat is pretty much perfect for the location, don't you think?

Thoughts below, please!

The Details
First row, left to right: slip knot boutonniere photo by Stacey Kane from The Knot, ceremony photo by Erica Lyn via Weddingbee, gallette photo by Alison Miksch

Second row: paper goods from Ceci New York, blueberry jam from 100 Layer Cake, cheeseburger photo by Thorsen Photography via Weddingbee

Third row: pennant photo by Kristen Marie Photography via Southern Weddings, maids dress from The Knot, boat locker portrait by Jenny Ebert

Fourth row: wreath photo by Melissa Schollaert, balloons, boat getaway photo by Browers Photography via The Bride's Guide

Birch bark chivaris

Loving this twist on the chivari chair. This upscale staple does rustic chic surprisingly well, no? It matches the birch bark so well. Photos by Aaron Delesie. See more on Style Me Pretty here.

Driftwood Ceremony

As someone who is currently helping to plan a summer wedding on an island (and someone who is a long-time lover of driftwood), this ceremony focal point immediately caught my eye. Kind of like this one did (upper right).

What do you think -- would this be super difficult to put together/transport? (Remember: we'll be on an island that's only reachable by boat.)

See more of this lovely wedding, photographed by Corbin Gurkin, here, here, and here on Once Wed. The driftwood piece was put together by Adornments Flowers.

Reader Mail: Sweater Dresses

After Monday's post, I received a reader mail request from Alyssa, who wrote:

I've recently become obsessed with sweater dresses and am determined to purchase one/wear one for Christmas (and beyond). I like the idea of long-sleeves, no turtleneck (to facilitate scarves), and a nicely-fitted shape (if that makes sense). I'm looking for guidance in terms of color (I get super pale in the winter and my hair gets significantly darker), style (casual is good), and price. I'm willing to spend up to $50 but would prefer to spend more like $30 (haha). Also, tights?

In terms of color, I think a navy, gray, or cream dress would be the best choice for Alyssa's complexion -- black might be too severe for a casual look, especially with her pale skin. Working (mostly!) within Alyssa's budget of $50, here are a few of my finds:


Old Navy Striped Sweater Dress ($24.99, available in pink and black)


Forever 21 H81 Novelty Sweater Dress ($26.90, available in black, gray, and pink)


Old Navy Scoop-Neck Sweater Dress ($29.99, available in black and cream)


Old Navy Cowl-Neck Sweater Dress ($36.50, available in white, black, and plum)


American Apparel Knit Sweater Crew Neck Dress ($65, available in heather gray and black)


Banana Republic Wool-Blend Sweater Dress ($98)

I hope this helps, Miss Alyssa! A sweater dress is a very versatile outfit base, so I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever you choose.

Thanksgiving table

Doesn't this image from Country Living just get you in the mood for Thanksgiving? It's absolutely my favorite meal of the year. I'm really digging those bittersweet/pepperberry branches (yeah... not surprising). If you don't have them in your yard, I like the faux version available here.

Cabbage bouquets

I am LOVING these bouquets! Is that cabbage I spy? Brilliant! Bouquets by Jesi Haack. See more of this wedding on photographer Sarah K. Chen's blog here.

Board No. 54: Blooming Navy

To me, this board is all about the romance: soft pink, soft blue, and dramatic navy and ruby all mixed together with swash-filled stationery, old cameras, and dusty books. And aren't those rose-filled ice cubes beautiful?

The Details
First row, left to right: bridal party from JL Designs, tuxedo strawberries from Martha Stewart Weddings; tie photo by Justin and Mary Marantz

Second row: guest book from MSW; tablescape photo by Docuvitae via Style Me Pretty; pomegranate dessert photo by Lara Ferroni

Third row: pom via Weddingbee; "Monogram" invitation by Mika78; rose-filled ice cubes

Fourth row: old books photo by Laurie Frankel; cake by Ngoc Minh Ngo; Gourmet Invitation via Style Me Pretty; vintage camera via 100 Layer Cake

Monday, Monday + Heart

{via Creature Comforts}

Good morning, friends! Inspiration board coming in just a bit. I was thinking, though: it seemed like y'all liked the outfits I put together last week, and I thought I might make it a regular feature. If you have an outfit conundrum you're puzzling over, just comment below or email me {peachandpearl [at] ymail [dot] com} and I'd be happy to help you out!

Party time! My dream look

And here it is... my dream outfit for this very Southern cocktail party (I thought that might explain the cowboy boots).



1. J. Crew Silk Taffeta Bow Monde dress

2. Vintage Cowboy boots

3. J. Crew Crystal Supernova bracelet

4. Via Bella Art Deco Bow Silk clutch

Party time! The Menswear Look

J will also be attending said party. Though he does an admirable job of dressing himself, if he were ever to ask for help, this outfit is what I would suggest: casual and fun, but still put-together.



1. XOElle Caramel Apple bowtie

2. J. Crew Bootcut Broken-in chino

3. J. Crew Original Sperry Top-Sider Chukka

4. J. Crew Cashmere V-neck sweater

Party time! The Runner-Up

I'm going to a party tomorrow! I have to say, I'm generally not a huge fan of parties unless it's a group of people (however large) that I know and love -- which is to say, I'm not always comfortable schmoozing with those I don't know -- but I DO love dressing up.

Usually I'm happy to repurpose pieces that are already in my closet, but for this occasion, I really looked hard for a new dress. Unfortunately, I was unable to come up with anything within my budget. (Which was, ummm, $50. Yeah, not too likely.) Just for fun, though, I decided to put together a few looks. This first one is what I consider the runner-up: colorful and fun, but a little more geared toward summer than fall. Also, probably not quite a fancy enough fabric on the dress.

[UPDATE! I found a dress! And for just $70! From Macy's! Man, I have good luck at Macy's. Thought you'd enjoy these posts anyway. Pictures of the actual dress coming next week!]



1. Amanda Archer Monarch Pleated Collar dress

2. Via Bella Tangerine Dream clutch

3. J. Crew Pippa Mirror ballet flats

4. J. Crew Infinity earrings

Apple crate side table

I'm currently on the hunt for a chic + cheap side table for our living room, and I love this idea from Chelsea + Tec's stylish house. How easy is that? The juxtaposition of the fancy-ish lamp on top makes it lovely, I think.

See more of their house tour here on Design*Sponge.

Love never fails

Wow. Possibly the coolest ceremony decor ever. See more of this wedding at Style Me Pretty here.

Board No. 53: Gilded Halloween

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One last look at Halloween before we move on to Thanksgiving (!) and Christmas (!!). Keep it classy by mixing metallics into the more expected black and orange and for an extra punch, try a fanciful head piece. What do you think? For the right couple, this could just be the perfect wedding look!

The Details
First row, left to right: front door from Country Living; calligraphed menu by Love, Jenna; ceremony photo and ruffly cake photo by Clifford Brunk via Style Me Pretty

Second row: invitation calligraphy by Calligraphy Katrina (photo by Meg Perotti) via SMP; arrangement by JL Designs (photo by Meg Perotti) via SMP; orange candy bar from Martha Stewart Living; coasters by Love, Jenna

Third row: gilded pumpkins from Country Living; hair accessory via Coco + Kelley; heels photo by Artisan Events via SMP

Monday, Monday + Pumpkins

{from Country Living}

I love this fall front door for so many reasons (not the least of which being I have a soft spot in my heart for black kitties!). Inspiration board coming up soon based on this image!

P.S. What were you for Halloween? I always love hearing about creative costumes.