Favorite products ~ home decor, fashion and more

For a boutique-type of shopping experience for finding Coastal/Classic/Chic apparel, my favorite is Talbots. Between their classic designs that work in just about any decade, their good quality and great sales, I often will turn to Talbot's when I'm looking for something new. Their sizing also seems to be consistent across their product lines. 

Another favorite brand for casual coastal styles is Nautica*. I have found polo dresses, shorts, shirts and apparel for my husband that work perfectly for a coastal look. 

Another favorite clothing store of Southerner's is Belk. You can find name-brand clothing for great prices -- and they have great customer service. Belk also has frequent sales and deep discounts using their coupons, which you can find HERE. When there's a certain brand that I'm looking for, I'll first check to see if Belk has it. If you don't live near a Belk, they ship and have a good online store.

It's not easy finding stylish and comfortable shoes. But comfortable shoes are a must for lots of walking in our old Southern cities. My long-time favorite for stylish and comfortable shoes are Aerosoles. I also recommend Talbots for stylish shoes that won't go out-of-style anytime soon, and are high quality. 

If I'm going to walk for long periods of time my feet do best with Aerosoles,  ECCO Shoes, and Taos Footwear. 

Another favorite brand that makes beautiful shoes and luxurious leather goods is Brighton. I love just about everything at Brighton -- from jewelry to handbags, shoes and belts.

You will find an abundance of local gift shops in the our Southern towns and cities. But if you're not living close to purchase gifts locally, here is a list of favorite gifts that can either be ordered from the shops directly, or from Amazon and have them easily shipped. Some of these items are from Southern business owners and many are from all over the world. Unique gifts for men are: Anson Belts (a company from Beaufort, North Carolina) with belts that are fully adjustable with no holes and the straps and buckles are interchangeable. Fun board games, like Azul, artistic National Parks desk calendars from this artist at Etsy, Royall Lyme  of Bermuda Cologne, and leather wallets and other leather goods by Jack Georges.  

Great gift ideas for women are: healthy herbal teas from this shop on Etsy, tea and coffee subscriptions from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, handmade stationary, coastal art desk calendar by this Charlotte, NC artist, jewelry by Brighton, and wallets by Jack Georges,  

Finding just the right thing for my home often feels like a scavenger hunt. But here are the companies that I go to for inspiration and beautiful furnishings for classic, coastal and 

chic looks. 

The ultimate in Coastal Chic style is Serena & Lily. And other favorites of designers are One King Lane and Annie Selke. I also have found many items at Pier 1 (now only online), Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, World Market and Target. For furniture brands, I like Lexington and Robin Bruce. If you live in the South, Furnitureland South in North Carolina is the world's largest furniture store and can have the best prices. For a great local store in the Hilton Head area for home decor and furniture, Coastal Chic in Bluffton has competitive prices and offers design assistance.  

And don't forget vintage stores and estate sales. You can find estate sales near you at EstateSales.Net.

Every once in awhile you come across products that are so wonderful you never want to be without them again. Some of these little life-changers are: E-cleaning clothes that just require water to clean your home (no more chemicals), Swedish cloths that replace paper towels, heavenly-smelling cleaning sprays by Caldrea and a Keurig K-Mini for a guest bedroom or your master bath/bedroom. 

My favorite Eucalyptus sleepwear that is soft and cool is from SijoHome, and their Eucalyptus sheets are incredibly soft and cooling. The warm temperatures in the South call for cool pajamas and sheets.

And three apps I couldn't do without are YNAB, LoseIt!, and FiveSec Health. All three will keep you financially and physically fit!

Refreshing and nutritious smoothies are a big help for feeling and looking your best. For healthy, energizing smoothies, I highly recommend protein powder by Truvani, available in Vanilla, and Chocolate. Both flavors are plant-based with no Stevia.  For improving your skin and adding more protein to you smoothies without sweetness, Truvani's Marine Collagen Powder is the healthiest one I have found so far. For the best plant-based milk that has pure ingredients, I recommend Elmhurst Unsweetened Cashew Milk. Six 32 oz. cartons make it easier to store milk so that you're never without. And it's made with just filtered water and cashews. I also love to add this brand of Chia Seeds to smoothies after its been blended. Chia seeds contain omega-3s and 6s and add dietary fiber. They also can be soaked for an hour in liquid of your choice to make a delicious pudding. A favorite pudding recipe I found is this one for Pineapple Coconut Chia Seed Pudding. If you don't already have a favorite blender for making smoothies, I highly recommend this 1000 watt NutriBullet.