Home! Home! Home!

This is my hometown. It is crab pots, Old Bay, plebes, flip flops, American flags and hot dogs in the Summer. It is boat shows, the most magnificent trees turning, and Indian Summer, knee socks, Navy Football and colonial colors in the Fall. It is chilly, frozen anchors, quilted coats, Tall Jamaicans, heat all the way turned up and high school basketball in the Winter. It is shorts, boat shoes, the annual Sock Burning, .05K, and lacrosse in the Spring.

It is Annapolis, MD.

I am so unbelievably, ridiculously thankful to be home for a few weeks!

xxKatie

"Abandon all hope, ye who gaze upon these pants..."

For any of you who didn't know, Brooks Brothers writes a wonderful blog called "Of Rogues and Gentleman" (for all my fraternity readers out there, you BEST start reading this ASAP.) I recieved many comments about these pants via Twitter (P.S. edit: most notably that from Miss Skyler Elizabeth inquiring why there hadn't been a post about these yet. Well  sCe, consider this YOURS. I moved it up a few days just for you!) and email. As a native Annapolitan and transplant South Carolinian, these pants are nothing out of the blue for me. I'm used to critters all over, various colors like you wouldn't believe and the shirts that match. A boy in colored chinos or critter pants already has my heart--cue swooning.

Here they are, the infamous "Go to Hell Pants":

They have critters--and for those of you who don't understand the idea of critters, we don't mean bugs; it's a collective term for small embroidered "critters" on preppy paraphernalia, like these:

The "critters" can be anything from whales to rowing oars to skull and cross bones to life preservers. The chinos can vary in color too. I've seen green, pink, khaki, white, you name it!

My favorite section of the Brooks Brothers post was toward the end of the post titled, "WHY YOU’D WEAR THEM":

Usually this would be a “where to wear them” section, but the wearer of go-to-hell pants is usually more concerned with “why” than “where.” That’s because, aside from the fact that wearing them is just plain fun, wearing go-to-hell pants can be treated as a game of style chicken with your friends. Except instead of going over a cliff in a ball of flames, you’ll be seen as the most daring dresser around.

...And I couldn't agree more!

xxKatie

Bayside Bride LAUNCHES TODAY!

Today Bayside Bride launches! I am interning for this WONDERFUL company started by two amazing Annap gals! Anyone remember my senior pictures? One of my first posts! The photog who did them for me is one of the founders with another photog/web designer! I couldn't be prouder to be working with this team! Natalie says of the opening, "Bayside Bride is the comprehensive wedding planning resource for couples getting marries in the Annapolis area! With a top-notch vendor guide, DIY ideas and inspiration from real weddings and engagements there is a little something for everyone. Our mission is to provide Annapolis brides with the resources to plan their dream wedding, while also promoting the best wedding vendors and small businesses in Annapolis."

Here's a midshipman and his future bride! Just about nothing says "Annapolis wedding" like a midshipman and his future wife! I get chills just thinking about it!

Krista points out, "The design culture in Annapolis is incredibly unique and it's one of the things that makes this town so special! [AMEN SISTA!] My goal in designing the site was to incorporate the nautical preppy mix that is Annapolis."

Here are Natalie and Krista (respectively)--how adorbs are my new bosses?

TODAY IS THE DAY so be sure to head on over to BaysideBride.com and check out everything we have to offer! Talk about a dream internship! Add us on Facebook too, especially if you're in the Annapolis, MD area!

xxKatie

Croquet: The Annapolis Cup

Thanks to Skyler, one of my favorite people in the world back at home for reminding me of the fabulous Annapolis tradition of THE Croquet game of St. John's College vs. the Naval Academy. It is a hallmark event in Annapolis, as any native Annapolitan will tell you. It is a traditional event where everyone dresses to the nines and you strictly follow the Annapolis dress code. The St. John's College website describes the event for this year as:

The Johnnies and the Middies face off for this year’s 29th annual Annapolis Cup competition on Saturday, April 30, at 1 p.m. on the front lawn of the St. John's College campus.  Spectators picnic on the lawn, swing dance, dress in Gatsby-like fashions, and listen to the St. John’s Freshman Chorus and the U.S. Naval Academy’s Trident Brass Band.


Facts from St. John's College about the match:
1. St. John’s has won the Annapolis Cup 23 out of 28 matches; the Mids have taken the trophy five times.
2. The day before the match, the Johnnies have lunch with the Mids at the Academy mess hall, where the Imperial Wicket for the Johnnies formally challenges the Mids to a match.
3. Courtesy and good sportsmanship are expected of all players. No players may throw a mallet or hit a ball in protest or anger. No trash talk is allowed
4. The match opens with music. The St. Johns’ freshman chorus sings and the Naval Academy Trident Brass band plays. The Johnnies emerge in their surprise uniforms. At 1 p.m., the ceremonial first ball is truck and champagne bottles pop open.

Check out a FABULOUS slideshow with previous years' photos here!! The pictures are from my hometown newspaper, so I can't post them directly, but DEFINITELY check them out!!

xxKatie

State Bowties

Any local in Columbia has seen a Palmetto bowtie. It's navy (or garnet and black) with the palmetto/crescent all over it:

Ben Silver of Charleston

Just on Sunday though, I saw another flag bowtie for the OTHER state that has a special place in my heart. Good ole' Mary-land. Our flag is far more geometric than SC's, and if you aren't familiar with it, it looks like this:

I was lucky enough to stumble upon a friend's photo and her dad was wearing a Maryland flag bowtie. Naturally I popped onto google to do some investigating and found that a local herbadashery in Annapolis sells them!

Johnson's is a famous menswear store in Annapolis and has the best sign out front chronicling the change of military uniforms over the years. It is so cute and has little painted wooden figures in the different styles. They've been in Annapolis since 1926 and began as the Naval Academy's uniform suppliers. They still provide uniforms however specialize in civilian attire now. 

I love the idea of state bowties and all the pride that goes along with them!! So cute!

xxKatie 

Annapolis Heather

I was browsing the Ralph Lauren website over the weekend and I'm not sure if I've ever had such a big smile come across my face while online browsing. I was looking at a men's half zip (an essential in a boy's closet as I've been advised by the always sagacious Skyler) and one of the color options was "Annapolis Heather":

First of all, hello mister model. Second of all, how great is that color? Quintessential Annapolis summer sky right there in color.

Look at that WONDERFUL color choice! I was SO excited to see it!

All my Annapolitans out there have got to be just excited as me!! What a perfect color for a half zip too!

xxKatie

Annapolis Casual?

So, the other day I was talking to a co-worker at The Pink Crab in Annapolis about a wedding that she'd been invited to you. It was not a "Black-Tie- Affair" but the dress was termed "Annapolis Casual". Think about it, Annapolis Casual. Now what comes to mind?

Now anyone who has even been to Annapolis would appreciate the term "Annapolis Casual". As my co-worker explained to me, "Annapolis Casual" is defined as navy blue blazers, blue or white oxford shirts, preppy ties, khakis or the washed-out light-colored pants, and SOCKLESS boat shoes. Living in Annapolis myself, the sockless idea is not new to me. This look is seen throughout the catalogs of Vineyard Vines, showing the weddings where the groomsmen all picked the same tie to wear.

Not only is the "Annapolis Casual" look becoming more prevalent in weddings, but it is also seen more often at prom. Boys are wearing the cummerbund and bow tie set. This is much more formal than the "Annapolis Casual" look, but it is still very preppy! The casual look is becoming more popular these days. As I think about it, I myself have been to an "Annapolis Casual" wedding without even knowing it. It was held right in Annapolis, about six years ago. The men all had their blue blazers, maroon/gold/navy striped ties, pleated khakis and boat shoes. They looked very nice if I do say so myself.

Some weddings are even going as far as ditching the khaki pants for khaki SHORTS. The groomsmen still have the oxfords and ties and blazers but wear shorts instead of pants. These weddings are much more casual and most who choose this option will typically go for an outdoor wedding or a wedding on the beach.

But why "Annapolis Casual"? Annapolis does boast the title of "Sailing Capital of the World" but should it have the name "Preppy capital of the World" too?? Annapolis is on the water and full of photo opts, but is it becoming the preppy capital? There are kids here who were raised with a crabbing net in one hand and a lacrosse stick in the other and wore their first popped collar when they were two months old. Neighborhoods in the Annapolis area even have events where 98% of the girls wear Lilly dresses. So do you think it will be a new preppy capital?? In my eyes, probably not. (Things could change for the better...) Again, Annapolis can boast the Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store, and like 4 boating supply store within a half-mile, and a yacht club of its own but is it becoming the next Martha's Vineyard or sunny Florida? Vineyard Vines is HQ-ed there. Lilly Pulitzer is HQ-ed in King of Prussia, PA but began in Florida. Will Annapolis start a sockless boat shoe trend? Or a new casual wedding trend?? Well, we'll watch the Sailing Capital of the World, very closely for awhile and if anything shows a pattern, you'll hear it from the Annapolis native, here first!

xx Katie