Bundle Up!

If you absolutely HAVE to go out in this ridiculously cold weather, you better bundle up....and lately I've really been into scarves so that's my bundle of choice. It's been a while, but today's Fashion Find are these awesome scarves from local Lafayette artist SunshineyRain. First up: this super cute, sooo soft, crocheted pink scarf. This scarf is made of natural spun bamboo, looks super warm, and for only 14 bucks, is quite a bargain.




Our 2nd scarf is totally different and also really cool. This one is made of denim and what I love about this awesome scarf is it has a very retro vibe and is WASHABLE. In fact, it gets better the more you wash it. Very cool.

-jill :)

Nutria News

Anything with teeth that yellow just creeps me out. However, they're here, and they're eating up what's left of our wetlands, so something needs to be done with them. Enter, Cree Mcree, and her Righteous Fur line to the nutria arena. Emilie Bahr wrote this article for New Orleans City Business about Mcree and her partner Oliver Manhattan's efforts to establish a fashion line made, partially, from nutria pelts. Think of the message it will send to the nutria when they see us walking around wearing them as clothes. Maybe they'll think twice before eating their next helping of wetlands. Read the article here.

Photo by amboo who

Dangly Fun

Today's fashion find store had so many beautiful items, I almost couldn't decide what to feature! FireDance Studio is an Etsy shop by Lafayette artists Paula & Jim McDowell and they create really unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that are hand crafted with the finest materials: silver, gold, copper, bronze, brass, gemstones and glass. I love this particular pair of earrings because of the shape of the freshwater pearls and details in the bronze. Super light and cute! This pair of earrings are $40 and available here.

Ali Landry's Belle Parish Launches

If you happen to follow Ali Landry on Twitter, you would know that she just returned from Las Vegas where she debuted her new children's clothing line "Belle Parish." She recently told People Magazine that

“Belle Parish is classic, sweet, whimsical clothes that are rooted in our Southern upbringing....For us, it’s like the hometown department store that closed 60 years ago and the doors have just re-opened. It’s vintage and tradition with a modern twist.” Ali says that “...Belle Parish is about creating a lifestyle, but because I’m a mom I wanted to start with kid’s clothing. I also have a strong point of view about dressing children in age-appropriate clothes. I want to celebrate each stage of their life. We’re so excited about people’s response to our ideas.”

The little girls clothing line is very cute and very frilly with lots of bows, lace and embroidery....check it out here at belleparish.com

Super Fly

The new season of Project Runway finally started on Lifetime Channel so in honor of local fashion designers, this weeks Fashion Find is from Fly Tie Clothing, an independent clothing designer right here in Lafayette that specializes in one-of-a-kind custom made women's clothing. This adorable babydoll dress is made of navy blue poly/cotton fabric and features just a hint of orange peeping out from the bottom. Super cute and appropriate for many occasions. Hurry though, this one of a kind is on sale right now and won't last long at 1/2 price! You can also see the Fly Tie blog here.

New Boutique Coming to Mall of Acadiana

Charming Charlie, an upscale, chic boutique-style shop is opening later this month at the Mall of Acadiana and are looking to hire sales associates. The new store will feature jewelry, handbags, apparel, shoes, gifts and more. By year end, the regional boutique will have 30 stores located in Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee. Click here to visit CharmingCharlie.com

Beaded Treasures

Here's a super cute accessory that would go great with any outfit.....River's Bend Bead Studio is a Lafayette jewelry maker on Etsy with tons of really awesome one of a kind beaded earrings, bracelets and necklaces. This particular necklace is a double strand of pearls in varying colors with sterling silver, vermeil, and copper disks along with Swarovski crystals sprinkled in for some extra sparkle. This handmade treasure would look great all year round! Necklace shown is $45 and available here.

Virtual Jewelry

Ever wondered how that big ole diamond ring would look on your hand? Well, Stuller Settings has come out with a new iPhone app called 'Live Diamond Try On' that'll do just that....allow you to virtually try on jewelry and see how it looks. The technology is pretty cool - you pick out a ring you like, take a photo of your hand and the app will put the two images together for you. You can read more about this technology here on National Jeweler Network.com or on the Stuller Settings website here, where you can download the app.

How Cute!

Here's a Fashion Find for the little ones....Tookie Tots is a super cute Etsy shop from Lafayette that sells handmade clothes for little girls and boys. This particular dress would be perfect for birthday parties or just for summer fun. Made of blue cotton pique, this dress features a fun cake applique and ribbon. It's really adorable and made right here in Acadiana so click here to check it out!

Eco-Friendly Accessories

Today's fashion find features a local artist who's focus is Eco-Friendly jewelry, accessories, and home items. Haley Cox Williams from Lafayette describes her work as "a mix of old and new, modern and vintage and always relate in some way to nature" and she's got a fun Etsy shop called Grass is Greener. This cool button ring is silver plated, fully adjustable, is less than $10, and would go great with any outfit! As an added bonus: Haley puts a clever "Etsy Eco-Tip" on each different item page of her store. You'll find some good ideas and really cute accessories in this shop...check it out today!

Fun Summer Bag

This super hip, super fun bag just screams summer. Today's fashion find comes from Mimi Baxter Designs of St. Martinville and is available for purchase here. I just love this bag - it's large enough to carry everything you can think of, plus it's reversible and you can adjust the strap! It even comes with a matching cosmetic bag and eyeglass case. Not bad for $35!

Hand Dyed Scarf

Here's a great one of a kind accessory that would be a terrific addition to any wardrobe. This gorgeous hand dyed scarf is large enough to wear as a shoulder wrap or simply draped around your neck to add a splash of pizzazz to your outfit. And, the great thing about hand dyed clothing and accessories is that they are truly one of a kind items that are super fun and trendy. Today's fashion find is from a Lafayette artist and can be found here on Etsy. She also hand dyes tees, tanks, and wraps so visit this fun store today!

July Birthday Gift Idea

Suppose you have an extra $5000 or so laying around and you need to buy your gal a birthday gift. Well, there's not a person around that wouldn't love this Ruby and Diamond cocktail ring from Lafayette's own Wm. S. Nacol Jewelry (since rubies are July's birthstone you know...), and best of all - you don't have to leave your house to buy it because Wm. S. Nacol has a website that offers online shopping. Wedding sets, bracelets, rings, watches...lots of choices and really, they have a lot of great ideas in all price ranges so check 'em out here.

Crazy Business Brief

Crazy Charlie's Shoe Store will be moving from their current Pinhook location to a bigger store at 3814 Ambassador Caffery (the shopping center that O'Halloran's / Orleans Furniture is in). Crazy Charlie's is advertising that the new store will feature over 20,000 square feet of floor space and they hope to open in August.

Colorful Fragrances

Kiki , the accessory, jewelry, and fragrance store in River Ranch has a nice website you can shop from and while browsing, I noticed these incredible perfume bottles. Even though, no matter how hard you try, it's impossible to smell the scent online, I'd still buy it just to have this cool bottle sitting on my dresser. The brand, Bond 9, has quite a large collection of interesting bottles. Check them out here.

Sassy Fashion Find

I'm a sucker for handmade jewelry and while surfing around Etsy local I found the cutest summer earrings by a Lafayette artist. The store is called Sassafrassium and the earrings shown are jade beads and Chinese coins. They dangle 1.5 inches long for "maximum sass" and are only - get this - $13! View them here and for a kick be sure to read the artist's profile.

Fun Formal Wear

It may be a little hot right now for long formal dresses, but say you've got a big, fancy wedding to attend, or you want to get a jump on your homecoming or Mardi Gras ball gown shopping....well, Head to Toe Boutique, has a great website to shop from. They have lots of beautiful formals, pageant gowns and shoes. Plus, what's pretty cool, they note what school / event the dress is for, so that way, you won't show up in the same dress as 3 other people. They accept credit cards and PayPal. Visit their website at: www.headtotoeprom.com or you can go to their store the old fashioned way: On the corner of Johnston Street and Ridge by Michael's Arts and Crafts store and Bailey's Restaurant.

Dress shown is by LaFemme and is $400.

Father's Day Gift Guide

Father's Day will be here before we know it (it's in 3 weeks you know) so we decided to do the hard part for you with The Daily Meaux's Inaugural Father's Day Gift Guide. All these ideas are from local businesses and can be purchased online. So don't bother dad with another tie or pair of socks....this year click out what's available online from our area merchants.

Gift Card from Zea's Restaurant




FootJoy Performance Windshirt from golfballs.com: $59.95




Men's Belt from Ranch Outlet: $30




LSU Money Clip from Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry: $40




This one can't get away! Fish Sculpture by Coco Marie Brown: $45





Kawasaki Captain Watch from First Turn: $114.95






Blue Moon Saloon Logo Tee: $20

Little Town - BIG Style

Little Town boutique in the Oil Center has a lot of really great summer items right now listed for sale on their website at www.little-town.com. Very cute dresses, tops and jackets all in the fun, bright colors of the season. And if you can't decide, they even have a section of 'bestsellers' for you to browse and see what's popular. They accept all major credit cards and PayPal.

This adorable embroidered dress is only $48 and available here.

ShoeFits - Online Shopping Fun

It's great to see local businesses being innovative with new media and ShoeFits is one of those local businesses. Their brick and mortar store is a cute shoe, accessory and handbag shop in Lafayette in the Martial Shopping Center on Kaliste Saloom. On the web, you can find them at www.ShoeFitsOnline.com, where they offer complete online shopping and free next day shipping (except for Saturday delivery). Not only do they ship for free - they also feature a different brand of the month worth a 20% discount AND offer a free pair of Volatile flip flops for referring 5 shoppers to their site. Very fun and an awesome site. Check 'em out today.