return of the jorts?!

are jean shorts (i.e. jorts) the new look for dressing up this summer? once reserved for redneck picnics and lounging on the beach, jean shorts have been making quite a fashion statement the past two summers. this year, it's all about dressing up the jean short for night: throw on a tee shirt, blazer and pair of swanky heels, and you're good to go.

bad tv

with memorial day just around the corner as the unofficial start to summer, it's time to once again indulge in bad tv. a phenomenon that takes over the airways from may to september every year, summer tv is full of big brothers, feuding lovers and countless american "talent" shows. although we generally eschew the vulgaraties of this type of entertainment, we have to admit that we have a soft spot in our hearts for the bachelor (or bachelorette, as the case may be). enter ali fedotowsky: abc's latest to take on the ultimate love experiment. will she find love? will he propose? find out tonight on the bachelorette.


the bachelorette airing at 9:00pm monday nights this summer on abc.

fashion follows furniture

good things happen in threes. we've recently been obsessed with anything ikat, and it all started with this chair by madeline weinrib:

then we saw this amazingly gorgeous (yet completely unaffordable) dress by gucci. perhaps it's just a coincidence, but we think gucci's frida giannini was inspired by weinrib's chair when designing this dress in a similar hue and accessorizing it with black.

and then today, this little number arrived from ulla johnson. while the ikat print is less exaggerated, you probably wouldn't want to walk around looking like furniture anyway. it's the perfect summer dress in a lightweight cotton that will keep you cool on sweltering days.

a perfect pair

we've loved rag & bone jeans for years, and it looks like we're not the only ones. the designers who cornered the market on the skinny jean have quite a celebrity following, including sienna miller, nicole kidman, drew barrymore and charlize theron. next week, poole shop will host its first rag & bone trunk show complete with the brand's signature skinny jean--in white for summer!--along with everyday tees and button-downs to complete your casual look (sunglasses optional).

tickled pink(berry)

everyone in hollywood's been doing it for years, and the pinkberry craze is about to hit charlotte! when we first heard the exciting news that this frozen yogurt heaven is moving south, we stalked the pinkberry website and harassed everyone we knew to find out if the rumors were true. we're happy to report that it's been confirmed that pinkberry will be taking over a space in phillips place shopping center close to poole shop.

if you haven't yet tasted the yummy goodness that is pinkberry, your head will spin with the thousands of combinations you can create with the fresh fruit, dry and liquid toppings to compliment pinkberry's original flavor or seasonal favorites such as mango, pomegranate and chocolate (we recommend mochi as a must-have topping: you've never tried anything like it). we're positive you'll be hooked after one taste, and you'll have a reason other than dean & deluca to stalk phillips place every day. see you soon!

the new robin hood

we hear all the buzz surrounding the upcoming cannes film festival has to do with a guy named robin hood. not wanting to be left out of the mix, poole shop has put together some fashionable sherwood forest finds that are sure to tame even the wildest rogue in robin hood's band of merry men (or women as the case may be).

we love the cargo pant's new look (as seen on rachel bilson) -- skinny, sexy, and perfect for blending in with the foliage while out on the hunt. pair them with a pair of strappy flat boots, like the pirate boot from vivienne westwood (below)--and you're almost ready to start swinging from the trees.

*check out the new current/elliott skinny cargo that just arrived at poole shop ($248).

when it's time to bundle up for a chilly night in the forest, look for a camo scarf (see hillary duff below) and fleece-lined cape, like the one from ralph lauren that blake lively is sporting.

but before you cock your bow-and-arrow, don't forget to accessorize with a band of leather bracelets wrapped around your wrist several times.

more is more

forget the old adage less is more. this spring and summer, when it comes to accessorizing, more is more. take a cue from the runways, celebrities and regular gals on the street who we've seen stacking bangles from wrist to elbow. start with a theme (such as the popular tribal look) by mixing and matching beads, wood and other textures; or go for a monochromatic look by focusing on one color and varying the size and shape of your bangles. the best part about achieving this look is that you really can't go wrong--you don't have to worry about the bracelets matching each other or even your outfit. just start stacking!

one hot mamma

she's 37, has seven kids, runs her own business alongside her husband of 15 years and manages it all while remaining stunningly beautiful and under control: courtney novogratz is a true supermom. if you haven't yet seen the series 9 by design--airing on bravo tuesday nights at 10:00 pm--you haven't caught a glimpse of what could be america's coolest family. not only are we obsessed with the amazing renovations that the couple completes to transform some of manhattan's most dilapidated properties, but we also admire the down-to-earth parenting that keeps their kids (with names like wolfie, breaker and five) relatively grounded while living in a $25 million museum-worthy property. perhaps it's a nod to their southern roots--courtney is from georgia and her husband, robert, grew up in virginia--that the couple is able to put family first and maintain such a laissez faire attitude in the midst of a bustling new york city. with a new book, downtown chic, that is currently available on amazon and a contract with ford modeling agency, the novogratz clan should remain on our radar for quite some time.


the novogratz family in their new york city home, photo courtesy of the new york times.

color me beautiful

for years we've been taken in by watercolor artist virginia johnson with her rainbow palette and one-of-a-kind designs that brighten up our summer staples of tunics, dresses, scarves and beach bags. the easy-breezy, laid-back look of virginia johnson is perfect for summer in the south, and poole shop received our latest shipment just in time for the 90 degree heat wave we'll be experiencing in the next few days. here are some looks from her latest collection:

ooh, ooh that smell

one question that we hear repeatedly at poole shop is "mmm...what's that smell?" wafting through the store at any given moment is your answer: kai fragrance. a perennial best-seller with its blend of gardenia and honeysuckle that is both refreshing and invigorating, we've known the secret of this hard-to-find fragrance for years. so we weren't surprised when we saw whitney port in the latest issue of people style watch touting the essence of kai. available in a perfume oil (our personal favorite) or spray and body lotion, butter or buffer for the shower, poole shop has the right kai for you. if you haven't tried it, come in and see what you're missing.

the new name to know

suno: collection started in 2008 by designers max osterweis and erin beatty, which is made by local artisans in kenya and infuses eclectic prints and pieces into a bold collection meant to be mixed and matched. when we came across this picture of kate bosworth (below) donning suno at the recent music festival cochella, we were immediately obsessed and beside ourselves when the dressed arrived at poole shop the following week. it's the perfect little summer dress with a bright splash of color and playful tie dye print.

photo courtesy of vogue.com

suno dress available now at poole shop ($598).

m is for the million things...

think of all the things you've put your mother through over the years (dirty diapers, tempestuous toddler--and teenager--years, questionable boyfriends and body piercings) and remember to tell her that you love her this sunday. in the meantime, here are some gift ideas for the last-minute shopper in all of us.



from the cash-strapped student: make up for all those years when you left a mess around the house with a sweet smelling candle from calypso ($45). with the new packaging, calypso has already done the work for you--no wrapping required.



from the nature lover: wearing a deer on your ring finger may be a bit out there, but who can resist little bambi nestled in a bed of flowers? this ring from matina amanita ($186) offers the perfect combination of quirkiness and love that a mother can appreciate.




from the beach comber: so you can't afford to send her on a vacation to the island of mykonos, but you can inspire a feeling of repose when she slips on these gold sandals from botkier ($225).

from the fashionista: as seen on the streets of paris, milan and new york and in the pages of every magazine from vogue to bazaar, stripes are the trend of the season. get your mom in the groove with a striped tank, tee or sweater.

all items currently available at poole shop.