Mrs. ABG Fashion

By Leigha Burnham
I'm well aware that most of you know what the curator of this blog, let's call him Mr. ABG, prefers to wear. He has talked about his affinity for bow-ties, Southern hats, and seer-sucker suits. But I'd venture to say that most of you have not a clue as to what I like to wear. Many of our readers are of the male persuasion, so if you aren't interested, you can stop reading now. (As a matter of fact, I'd highly recommend it, but not until after you give the post a "thumbs up" so Mr. ABG won't be too upset that I posted it.) For our female readers, those who love fashion and those who don't, this might be fun!

vintage denim

When not at work, jeans are my preferred pant of choice. They are actually my preferred pant of choice at work too, but I have to earn my "jeans days" at school! I won't post photos of my jeans because they are nothing special. I don't have a favorite brand or style. Dark wash, light wash, straight leg, boot cut, skinny (well maybe not-so-skinny) jeans are all my style! I do however want to post a photo of one of my favorite denim items that is not a pair of jeans....the denim jacket! I own four and I must say, I love them dearly! They can dress up a boring pair of jeans and t-shirt like nobody's business, but here in the South, we can wear a denim jacket over a maxi dress, add some boots, and wear it to a wedding! (I did that just last spring.) 

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vintage flannels bleach-dipped

When it comes to shirts, there is no contest that the simple cotton t-shirt is my favorite. Here in Georgia they are simply a must for most of the year. Even when it is cold outside, I just throw on a denim jacket or my favorite vintage flannels (mentioned next) and I'm warm and toasty. I won't bore you with descriptions of my favorite t-shirts, but the one I'm wearing the most right now is my "silos" t-shirt from, you guessed it ladies, Magnolia Farms in Waco, Texas. That Fixer-Upper show got me hooked! My flannels are a new favorite and they are so ME! I have purchased vintage flannel (nothing new) from Goodwill and antique stores for no more than $1-$5 in cost. I wear them as is, but recently I've been dip-bleaching them for an ombre effect that I think is just darling. Rolling up the sleeves to a 3/4 look works particularly well and suits my personal style. Love, love them!

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my junkin' hat

As far as accessories go, you probably can guess what I like. However, it may surprise you to know that even though I have a huge collection of jewelry, hats, purses, and shoes, I tend to gravitate to the same items over and over again. Those are the ones I'll share. In terms of hats, I own all sorts, but I am in love with a good baseball cap. I have my favorite brown one with an huge flower on it that was purchased at a vintage shop. The flower is made from an old men's tie and antique lace. I love it! I wear it every single time that I go junkin' with Mr. ABG. Some of my other hat favorites include old hats that I pick up in vintage stores for about a dollar or two. Older hats are just better. They are broken in. They tell a story. They almost always get a conversation going. I like that.

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Southern-style pearls

I wear necklaces a lot at work, but in my spare time, I rarely wear them. I'm not sure why. I do know that every Southern belle must own pearls and I am no exception. And I wear them. I wear them dressed up and dressed down. I have basic pearls, real pearls (given to me by my aunt on my 16th birthday), and even statement necklace pearls with rhinestones. The only other necklace gear I wear on a somewhat regular basis is the jewelry needed to cheer on my boys' at the sporting events they participate in at school. Our colors are blue and white, so I wear a chevron scarf or a blingy statement necklace to the Friday night ballgame. Other than that....I just don't wear necklaces on the weekends or summer time. I think it is because it is just too hot!

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wear these almost every day!

I keep my earrings simple too. Lately, I've gravitated to the same pair almost every single day. They are a pair of very vintage looking, although new, hammered gold earrings. They almost look like copper. I love copper. These are lightweight, go with almost any outfit, and are just an easy solution for a working mother of three. I also tend to keep my "arm candy" simple. I know you have seen the "arm parties" pinned all over Pinterest, and many of my Southern friends wear five or more arm bangles every day. I just can't do it. It might be because I'm at the computer during the day and those bangles BANG. I do love a few pieces in my collection and you can find me wearing at least one of these on a daily basis. I have two beautiful handmade bracelets (one of gold and one of copper) with stone embellishments. They are lightweight, look good alone or stacked, and were made by a local artist. I bought these for $12 each at my favorite local antique mall...River City. My other favorite is not really a bracelet. It is an old leather belt that was cut and fashioned into a cuff with snaps. I adore this thing!!! I wear it with everything and always receive compliments. I purchased it off Etsy several years ago for about $40. It was worth every single penny.

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As the post is getting rather long and at this point I doubt many of you are even still reading....kudos if you are with me, ladies.....I'm going to wrap it up with footwear and my purse. Yep, I said purse. I own many bags and use them all ocassionally, but honestly, there is only one bag in my collection that goes with everything, is fashion-forward-although-old, and is large enough to haul all of my mommy-gear. It is a faux leather Steve Madden bag that I purchased, you guessed it, at a local discount store. I do love bargains! I'm a thrifter!
Shoes are simple. I love a good pair of boots....I have tall ones and short ones. But, in all fairness, I wear flip flops most of the time. (Yes, even in winter, but inside only so as not to alarm anyone.)

So, I guess that is it. Jeans, t-shirts, flip flops....wow. Doesn't sound very fashion-forward, does it? Well, this is the South. Georgia to be exact. And if you don't like it, well you can kiss my biscuits. (Was that rude?!)