Banana Republican Birthdays

There's nothing political about Banana Republican Birthdays. It's not a subliminal message to the universe that it's my birthday or that I'm a monkey Republican. I meant to to write Banana Republic and Birthdays. Sorry about the typo!

Today is crazy Laura's birthday--my favorite Girl in a Swirl--and she's having a give-away because for some reason she's super excited about turning 36. She's even got her excitement all broken down into percentages. How cute is that? But crazy nonetheless.

Guess what she got for her birthday? A darling blog make-over! But now she can't stop looking at herself, poor thing (we all know what she's going through). I'm predicting we'll soon see photos of her blog taking photos of itself in her bathroom mirror.

Happy Birthday, Swirl! (Even though I don't know you that well because you're just my cute neighbor who lends me onions and lasagna.)

In honor of Swirl's 36th birthday I'm going to talk about Banana Republic. Not because I want to but because it's boring to give tributes to people on their birthdays and because Swirl and I went to Banana Republic together a few weeks ago to get some classy digs for her much-ado-about-nothing photo shoot. (That was not an insult since I really love Shakespeare).

Swirl has been picked as Mother of the Month by Family Fun magazine.

Just between you and me, I don't see why she gets to be Mother of the Month just because she's a hockey mom with a Russian Doll collection. I saw her Russian Doll Collection when I went over to borrow some lasagna and it say's MADE BY HARRY POTTER on it. Wouldn't that be an English doll collection? Plus she's a ho-hum hockey mom who doesn't even wear lipstick.

So have any of you been to Banana Republic lately? Remember how it used to be all jungle/safari/khaki/outback?

Now it's totally vintage/glam/classic/romantic.

Alyson, you would have been having a stroke over the early twentieth century charm. I know you could have found something amazing to go with your killer boots.









Aloha World!

Picture the enchanting cuteness of these BR outfits multiplied by 10 because in Hawaii the BR has more plush swoop necks and cowl necks and double-breasted-bolero's-with-bows than mainland stores due to our high volume of Euroean tourists. (YaY for European tourists!) At least that's what the lovely fitting room attendant told me while I was waiting patiently for Swirl to finish her fashion show.


But remember these shoes from Old Navy?


The lovely fitting room attendent was wearing them! YIKES!

Besides these shoes everything about BR was sassy-cool. Except the music. They probably shouldn't be playing Disco if they're going for vintage. I would suggest something more classic/contemporary like Michael Buble. (I probably would have purchased that double breasted textured tweed jacket to the soothing sounds of Michael Buble.)

But other than that . . . the wood floors, the Pottery Barn toilet paper dispenser, the Glade plug-in's wafting delicious burnt ember flavors through the store . . . nice touch, BR!

They even display their ties on book shelves next to hardback classic literature. I bought the one resting on David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.

The hands-down, number one BEST thing about BR is their sizing system. If you're normally a size 10, you'll be happy to know you can fit into a size 6 at BR. And if you're a large in real life, you're a PS (petite small) in Banana Republic life.

Do they have psychological warfare down to a science, or what?

Anyway, everyone go enter Swirl's give-away and drop 36 birthday spankings in her comment box. I'm going to go make her a swirly, dum dum cake.



And btw, while you're at it go read Pat's last post . It was beautiful. MISS YOU, PAT! GWS, Jared. (Stop trying to figure that out. It's Get Well Soon, DUH!)