Last weekend I had the honor of meeting and interviewing Southern Charm star Craig Conover.

He was at Belk in Southpark Mall to launch his new collab.

His brand Sewing Down South and Belk’s in house brand Crown & Ivy recently partnered up to bring us all things southern.

From clothing to home decor, Craig left his mark on them all.

Based in Charleston, his designs are full of pineapples, beach themes and nautical flares.

How did a personal injury lawyer become a designer?

Craig told his story from moving to Charleston for college to getting cast in the realty show Southern Charm.

He channels his excessive energy into creativity.

Starting with pillows, he has now expanded to an entire collection in his flagship store on King Street and location in Nashville.

When he’s not filming or sewing, Craig enjoys farming, and recently has took up beekeeping.

This super busy young man always makes time for his precious mama.

I asked him “Have you noticed a trend of other parts of the country adopting our style and decor as a way of finding a calmer more peaceful lifestyle.”

He responded “Yeah, I think that’s, like I’m going to steal that from you. Our brand is Coastal Chic. It’s just based on places I’ve lived and spent time in. I grew up on the Eastern shore of Delaware, then moved to Charleston and spent time in the Bahamas so you know what I’ve been trying to do is develop items for the rest of the country that might not fit that style but it doesn’t matter, anywhere we go in the country, someone has our stuff and they all love this line.

He went on to add “I think maybe it’s exactly like you said. It’s just, even if you don’t live in the beach with kind of that coastal relaxed style, I think the colors always bring people peace. When I was in New York, there was not alot of color. But down South, there is.”

He finished up by telling me “We are trending. The colors of the year are all comfort colors. Cozy earth tones. What used to be seen as a lazy color is now sophisticated and calming. So the calming, earth tones are in.”

He told me “I love the colors and I always will. I have started seeing it in other places. I’m always surprised that people decorate with some of our original patterns around the country and I think it’s the same with our clothes.”

Craig is such a charmer! And I appreciate him taking time to talk to me about his brand.

One of his most well known lines from the show is “What’s wrong with my sewing?”

I can answer that…Absolutely nothing!

The invite read “Coastal Cowgirl”.

The location…Nina’s Boutique in Cornelius.

That’s all I had to hear!

Nina’s Boutique has given some EPIC themed events. I was excited to attend this one because I had a pair of boots I’ve been saving for just the right occasion.

The rest of the outfit fell into place and off I went.

“Coastal Cowgirl” is a fashion and lifestyle trend that blends the ruggedness of Western cowboy style with the relaxed, breezy elements of coastal living.

Patterns and prints mix well with denim and turquoise.

Did someone say accessories??

How fun are these cherry red boots?

Of course there were cowgirl hats!

Bags and jewelry complete the look.

Nina’s Boutique also has the best food and drinks!

Ginger Lily Tallow, a NC based holistic skincare line, was featured.

We also got treated by music by DJ KDOT.

It’s always great shopping and a fun time at Nina’s Boutique

Well, to be honest, the day didn’t start out with sunshine.

It was actually storming. But I was not giving up my vision for this outfit.

My blogging buddy Reagan and I were heading out to a thrifting market.

We waited out the storm having brunch at 220C Banh Mi & Coffee

It’s so cute inside we decided on an impromptu photo shoot.

I was originally going a different direction with this fuchsia floral summer dress from Walmart.

But I remembered this yellow belt I’ve had for awhile and thought of pairing it with the dress and adding my yellow Chloe bag.

I tied a scarf from Chaan Lu in deeper tones of plumb onto my yellow bag and was impressed by the way it made the bag pop!

I love the contrast with the colors.

I summoned the sun with my fun leopard print sunglasses from Dolce & Gabbana.

I picked up this mint green denim jacket with my Queen, Dolly Parton, on back and it also goes well with the dress.

I found a mural of a butterfly. That’s Dolly’s symbol and also a remainder of my dear daddy.

I’m a sucker for murals, so of course I had to take a picture with this wall.

Fun fact: Daisys are one of my favorite flowers.

So even though the day started out dreary, I didn’t give up.

It’s hard for a redhead to wear yellow.

Using accents of yellow is a way for me to pay homage to my late father.

I’m writing this blog on his birthday and I miss him terribly. Yellow was his favorite color.

So I got to look fabulous, feel good and remember my daddy at the same time.

If you know me at you then you know two things I love are Dolly Parton and Kendra Scott jewelry.

Of course being from East Tennessee, Dolly is QUEEN!

And my very first blog was about Kendra Scott.

The Second chapter in the Dolly Parton x Kendra Scott collection is here!

These charms are soooo darling.

Butterflies are very sentimental to me as well as to Dolly.

Hearts are also big with Dolly.

How sweet is this musical note/hearts combo?

This antiqued bracelet reminds me of jewelry my mom and aunts wore when I was a child.

Another thing I love about Dolly and Kendra Scott is the way they give back to communities.

Dolly is big on reading and June 11-30 your purchase can help fund Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

My kids and grandkids have all received books from Dolly and it’s a great foundation to support.

Head over and shop this beautiful collection and help a child receive books!

Father’s Day is next week and I found some last minute gift ideas at Southpark Mall.

Clinique at Belk has skincare and Happy for men.

Ladies aren’t the only ones that need to take care of their skin.

L’occitane also carries a complete line of mens products. Give dad Luxury this year.

Psycho Bunny has some unique clothing ideas that will keep dad young at heart.

Give Dad the gift of time with a timepiece from Breitling.

Keep dad smelling great with a fragrance from Creed at Neiman Marcus.

Spoil dad this year with a gift from Southpark Mall.

The weather is getting warmer so it’s time to show off our tootsies!

Here’s my top five picks for shoes this summer.

Strappy Sandals:

The higher the heel and the thinner the straps, the better.

Jelly Shoes:

Yes, you read that correctly. Our favorite shoe from the 80s and 90s is back.

Ballet Flats:

They became popular in the 50s, resurfaced in the the early 2000s and have found their way back in 2025.

Gingham:

Fun, country nostalgia.

Memories of childhood picnics make for fashionable footwear choices this summer.

French Country Toile:

I’ve been seeing this classical print EVERYWHERE!

What’s your favorite shoe trend for the upcoming season?

We love a beachy look this time of year.

We love a beachy look this time of year.

But thanks to a huge showing at some of the spring-summer shows and some of our favorite brands, the natural material is shaping up to have a much bigger season than we’ve seen in previous years.

Brands from YSL to Zara are offering fun and functional options.

Some options provide structure to those that prefer it.

I love a whimsical piece!

I saw a bag trending on TikTok from House of Harlow and I was lucky enough to find the exact one at TJ Maxx.

It’s the perfect summer bag!

The Met Gala is a yearly fundraising event for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

To us fashion folks, it’s our Super Bowl.

The 2025 Met Gala’s theme was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style“. 

This year’s theme focused on Black dandyism, explored the evolution of tailoring and style in the formation of Black identities.

Here’s some of my top picks from the Gala.

Starting with the live stream host Teyana Taylor.

Taylor wore a custom Marc Jacobs suit and cape to the 2025 Met Gala, designed in collaboration with costume designer Ruth E. Carter.

Definitely one of my favorite looks of the night.

Zendaya once again blew me away in Louis Vuitton.

Marc Jacobs also worked his magic on a very pregnant, yet very Dapper Rhianna.

Sabrina Carpenter rocked this espresso Louis Vuitton look.

Simone Biles in this electric blue design by Harbison Studio is another top pick for me.

Coco Jones was a vision in lace in this piece by the Indian brand Manish Malhotra.

I love a good, dramatic reveal, and there were several this year .

Colman Domingo donned a royal blue Valentino cloak that paid homage to Andre Leon Talley, former editor-at-large on Vogue whom Anna Wintour called “a dandy among dandies.”

The cape later was removed to reveal a tailored black-and-white plaid ensemble, which consisted of a tweed jacket with a large floral accoutrement layered over a striped button-up and a polka-dot tie, paired with matching gray slacks.

Definite Wow moment.

Lupita Nyong’o was a vision in this monochromatic Tiffany Blue Chanel Suit and cape.

We were all watching Doechii as she made her Met Gala debut in Louis Vuitton.

Although I don’t feel it was an “On Theme” moment, I can’t and this blog without mentioning the show stoping look from Diana Ross.

The Ugo Mozie white ensemble, complete with feathers and a long train required at least two assistants.

She had the names of her children and grandchildren embroidered on her dress train.

Who were some of your favorite ‘Dandy Lions’ this year?

It was the first Monday in May.

Unless you’re a fashion lover, you probably don’t know what that means.

It’s Met Gala Day!!

This year, instead of watching from home, I traveled down to Columbia South Carolina for a Met Gala Viewing Party!

Colombia Fashion Week hosted this amazing event and launched their third issue of their COLAFW publication.

The event took place at The Venue on Main Street in historic downtown Columbia.

We were greeted with live music as soon as we walked through the door.

Then grabbed a glass of champagne.

Next stop, photo op!

Everyone was on theme.

The Dress Code was Tailored for You (Dandy Chic – sharp, tailored, and confident) and everyone understood the assignment.

The 2025 Met Gala’s theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

They explored the history and influence of Black dandyism. 

Attendees were encouraged to interpret the theme with menswear and tailored styles. 

Dandyism is a style that places a high value on personal appearance and grooming, often involving bespoke tailoring, bold colors, and carefully chosen accessories.

We enjoyed a live stream of the red carpet while we mingled with fellow Dandy Lions.

COLAFW also presented their two Top Models and reveled their magazine covers.

Shomari Diez Miller and Keyera Monae each received their own cover.

I was honored to meet a designer that I was preparing to write about soon.

I had no idea she would be there!

Minh Le has made the Lady Gamecocks and their coach Dawn Staley some of the most fashionable ladies on the courts. There will be an upcoming blog about Coach Staley!

Everyone was so welcoming and I truly enjoyed my night. I believe I spoke with everyone in the room!

Thank you Columbia Fashion Week for a Superfine time.

The beloved Shabby Chic brand Love Shack Fancy has landed in the Queen City!

I came out for their Grand Opening in Phillips Place.

We were greeted by the cute Wandering Social camper set up for photo ops.

Then grabbed a Crown Jewels Mimosa and started exploring.

Why is it called LoveShackFancy?

The brand was founded by Rebecca Hessel Cohen in 2013.

She explained “We were doing a shoot with a British magazine, and someone had said it’s love shack, but it’s love shack fancy.”

LoveShackFancy is inspired by the strength of femininity and a vintage-inspired aesthetic that transcends trends.

Clothing, fragrances and accessories all feature girly flowers and bows.

LoveShackFancy clothes are primarily manufactured in India.

The brand is known for its intricate lace and embroidery work, which are a key part of the brand’s aesthetic, and they utilize artisans in India to achieve this.

Girls young and old will find something they love!

They even offer in house monogramming.

They have items just for the Queen City Gals!

Bracelets perfect for stacking.

Their fragrance options look like floral bouquet.

I then enjoyed some lemonade and strawberry shortcake!

Love Shack Fancy Charlotte is currently a pop up until the Fall.

Here’s to their popularity making them a permanent fixture for us Fancy Queen City Queens!