Fashion's Forecasting 50 Shades of Grey

As the brooding skies and crispness of Fall rapidly approach, the fashion forecast is practically begging for 50 Shades of Grey. And if you've heard anything about the books, you're equally as anxious. 

Like the mercurial Mr. Grey, our closets know no boundaries! From classic grey houndstooth print dresses paired with delicious black patent leather boots, to sleek hug-you-in-all-the-right places slacks, we've got plenty of attention-getting options, 50 Shades and beyond.  Forget Ana Steele--with these chic silhouettes,  you will be the one commanding the attention of all those handsome Christian Grey's out there! 

Hurry Up and Live!: The Launch Party

Our Hurry Up and Live! event is shaping up to be amazing! So many wonderful people have joined the cause and we can't wait to see you there.

Join us June 14th, 5-8 pm, at The Cotton Mill for an evening of fun and inspiration.  There will be food, drinks, and an auction with fabulous items to bid on. Make sure to be present at 6:30 pm for a presentation about the Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation and all the wonderful accomplishments they have made helping the families of late-stage cancer patients to "Hurry Up and Live!"

                                       

The Cotton Mill on Channel 2: Steeplechase Style

Friend of the Cotton Mill and fellow blogger, Judson Aikens, stopped by with  WKRN Channel 2 News to film a segment on Steeplechase fashion! He had some great suggestions on tasteful color blocking, hat selection, and more. His best advice: Everything doesn't have to match, ladies! Mix playful and unexpected colors to stand out from the crowd.

As always, we are filled to the brim with gorgeous dresses and hats, perfect for a day at the races! Our hats are even 25%-50%...while they last. Happy Steeplechasing, Nashville!

The Cotton Mill presents...Hurry Up and Live! and The Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation!

We are excited to announce that The Cotton Mill is teaming up with two amazing charities, Hurry Up and Live!and the Jack and Jill Foundation to host an in-store event on June 14th.  It marks the launch of HUL!'s new lifestyle tee shirts, proceeds of which go to the JAJF.

The Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer foundation is dedicated to "treating families to WOW! Experiences, giving children who will lose their Mom of Dad to cancer a timeout to creat indispensable memories as a family...while they can."  Founder of JAJF Jon Albert lost his wife, Jill, to Stage IV breast cancer. During her illness, Jill and Jon realized the toll that cancer was taking on their children and their family as a whole.  They decided to make their last experiences as a family as positive and memory-making as possible.  After Jill's passing, Jon was inspired to share his family's experience with others, creating a foundation to make beautiful memories for other families dealing with Stage IV cancer.

Hurry Up and Live! was founded by Nashvillian Karen Dobbs after the loss of her husband, Chip, to cancer.  She, like Jon, recognized the toll that such an illness had on herself and her daughters.  She vowed to "hurry up and live"--to live and enjoy each day to its fullest, since we don't know what life has in store. Amazingly, she and Jon were introduced and shared their experiences.  After sharing her mantra of "hurry up and live!", she and Jon were inspired to join forces. Hurry Up and Live! now has a line of lifestyle tee shirts to encourage us all to follow that wise advice. Happily, Karen and Jon decided to hurry up and live...together! They were married last fall.

Join us at the Cotton Mill on June 14th for the launch of special Hurry Up and Live! tees shirts! All proceeds go to benefit Jack and Jill.

 Thank you to our sponsors NFocus and Allegra Printing. Also, a very special thank you to Cynthia Kelley of Cynthia Kelley Communications, will be donating her time for all Publicity, Marketing and Event Management for the event.



Yestadt Millinery Spring 2012

Every year, its the same struggle. The springtime hunt that is so familiar to the Southern girl...the search for the ever-elusive perfect hat! Whether it's for Easter, Derby, or Steeplechase, a chic springtime topper is a necessity. The trick is finding that perfect balance between fabulous and frump, church lady and beach bum.

We have a solution: Yestadt Millinery! Started in 2008 by Fashion Institute of Technology grad Molly Yestadt, Yestadt Millinery uses old-school millinery techniques with a modern twist. Each piece is hand-blocked on a wooden form, then trimmed by hand in New York City at their Lower East Side studio using the finest quality materials.

YM has already caught the attention of designers like Marc Jacobs, Vena Cava, and Thom Browne, all of whom have commissioned custom Yestadt Millinery pieces for their runway shows. Their hats have also graced the pages of W, Nylon, Italian Vogue, Interview and more. Style.com just featured their Spring 2012 video look book; check it out here!

 

Cotton Mill x Yestadt Millinery exclusive!

 

This little beauty is Japanese shantung straw, making it super light and airy.  The trim is a vintage silk taffeta ribbon with hand-sewn lace details from French lace maker Sophie Halette.

 

A jaunty striped hat made of hand-sewn toyo straw, trimmed with lovely silk Japanese grosgrain. This hat is "packable" and great for traveling; wear it to the races and then take it to the beach!

Another custom piece! The trim is more vintage grosgrain, trimmed with a Sophie Halette raffia flower and velvet ric rac.

Stand out from the crowd with these beautiful hats. Come see them before they fly out of here!

By SMITH Trunk Show!

Come by the Cotton Mill, Tuesday March 20th for a By SMITH trunk show! Designer Smith Sinrod will be in-store from 10 am-5 pm, showing the fabulous new Spring 2012 collection in-stock right now at the Mill. She will also be taking special orders for Fall 2012! Smith's designs are playful and chic, using gorgeous Thai silk in bright colors and often adorned with her trademark geometric motifs.  After graduating for the University of Alabama's apparel design program, Smith launched her line in 2010. Despite being a young brand, By SMITH  has already made a splash at fashion weeks all over the country. Come by the Cotton Mill and see for yourself what the buzz is about!

 All pieces bought on Tuesday will be 10% off; as a special bonus, the Cotton Mill will be donating another 10% to the Nashville Fashion Week's non-profit fund, the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund. Administered by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennesee, the NFFF is awarded annually to help kick-start the career of a local designer who has demonstrated experience in a fashion-related field.

Here is a sneak peek of what you might find on Tuesday:

Designer Smith Sinrod

All images via By SMITH

Nicole Miller FW2012

Nicole Miller is known for some fabulous design details.  Ruched dresses, metallic stretch material, an amazing understanding of a woman's curves, and some gorgeous graphic prints now and then. She brought them all and more in her Fall 2012 collection.  The prints this season were large digital motifs on silk and chiffon.  Bohemian band groupie plus flower child pretty much sums up the look; dissect each runway look and you have some very lovely separates that could be easily blended into one's wardrobe to fabulous effect.

Pair NM's suede t-shirts and silk blouses with some amazing skinny jeans and ankle boots. Wispy floral dresses will swirl beautifully around your mid calf boots and sheer stockings; add a Mongolian lamb vest on top for a more Boho style. Don't be afraid of the skinny velvet pants! So chic and luxurious, dare to wear them with a loose silk top and sky-high heels to balance the proportions. Jewel tones were key on the fall runway; rich mustards, teals, and purple create a gorgeous palette. Top it off with a velour felt wide brim hat to complete the look!