Happy Thanksgiving...

I love Thanksgiving Day!  It ushers in the magical holiday season with family and friends, the comfiest comfort foods and is the first day you can string up twinkle lights without incurring society's wrath.

My Turkey Day goes like this:

* wear leggings with an over sized sweater and cozy slippers
* lounge and watch the Macy's parade...I adore the marching bands and the always perfect Rockettes but loathe the lip syncing
* prepare the dish easiest to make and least likely to be consumed: cranberry clementine sauce
* cheer for the English Springer Spaniel during the National Dog Show
* snack on port wine cheese with crackers and drink Cape Cods garnished with lime (1 1/2 ounce vodka with 4 ounces of cranberry juice)
* dinner time...my plate is typically 80% mashed potatoes, 10% turkey, 5% stuffing, 4% green beans, 1% cranberry clementine sauce (just for a dash of color)
* football is next which means I do a bit of magazine flipping which quickly leads to...
* nap time (the best)
* wake up, make another plate, make another Cape Cod (and maybe another)
* watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
* pass out

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

ps - I am very thankful, as always, for my awesome husband, my sweet and funny little boy, a crazy but entertaining and loving extended family, amazing friends and for our new life in Indiana.  As much as I love clothes, shoes and jewels the people who support and love me are the biggest treasures in my life.

xx
JDF

tools of the trade on INsight...

After quite a few years working with many talented hair stylists, makeup artists and estheticians I've come to understand the tools, not just the products, can be incredibly important elements of any beauty regime.  Today on INsight I showed Emilie and Charity some key items that can make your daily routine a bit easier...click the links below:

Beauty Products to Splurge On

Beauty Tools of the Trade - Face

The makeup brush cleanser I showed is by Beauty So Clean and my favorite foundation sponge is called the Beauty Blender. 

Beauty Tools of the Trade - Hair

The soft diffuser for the blow dryer is the Hot Sock and the super strong hair clips for sectioning are called Grip Clips.

For product questions or recommendations email me at navigatewithstyle@gmail.com

Thanks for watching!!

xx

JDF

Prairie School...

Where is a girl supposed to keep her oh so stylish clothing, shoes and accessories?  In an oh so stylish home, of course!  For me, there are no homes as stylish as Prairie School or Usonian structures.  I am crazy for Prairie School architecture, particularly the Midwestern homes designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright.  The clean lines of his "organic architecture" are so stunningly beautiful to my eyes...

Since childhood, I have been obsessed with one home in particular right here in Fort Wayne, designed by Francis Barry Byrne, one of Wright's students.  I drive by the home as much as possible, imagining what the inside looks like and if the owners cherish every day spent there.

There is an actual Frank Lloyd Wright house in southwest Fort Wayne but that's another post for another day and another website.



I dream of living in a Prairie School home some day...maybe even one of Mr. Wright's homes...after all, what good is a dream if it isn't BIG?

Linda Evangelista...

There are no models as exciting and glamorous as the Supermodels of the 1990's...Linda Evangelista in particular.  She is my absolute, all time, hands down favorite model.  It's so boring of me to state how she's like a chameleon (because everyone does) but that is literally one of my favorite aspects.  I used to change my hair color, style and length almost as much as she did back then and her every move was an inspiration to me.  These days I'm not so daring with my mane but I love to watch old videos of Linda to relive the good old days.  Check out the video below that aired on MTV in 1991:

Veteran's Day...

Instead of a style post I'm observing Veteran's Day in honor of the fine military men from my family.

Colonel Steven Craig Dodds (Army) - my father who passed away after a tough battle with Brain Cancer 3 years ago.  He was intensely funny and charming and is the toughest man I've ever met.  While driving through the countryside one day he came upon a house on fire and with no delay ran into the house and saved the occupants.  A true hero...

Lieutenant Colonel Horton C Dodds (Army) - my paternal grandfather who we called Pop Pop.  He was an incredible cook and craftsman.  He made each of his granddaughters beautiful doll houses and his grandsons red barns.  For each Christmas he and my grandmother hollowed out, painted and adorned quail eggs and transformed them into ornaments and jewelry boxes.
side note: the C in his name doesn't stand for anything...it's just an initial that he added himself.  AND - he worked on the creation of Tang!

Captain Donn Langdon Ashley (Navy) - my maternal grandfather with whom I was extremely close.  His football teammates at the Naval Academy called him "The Barrel."  He was stationed in so many amazing countries and he was cultured and extremely intelligent.  He had the BEST sense of humor and made friends wherever he went.  He was a train buff to the max and I spent many hours chasing locomotives with him.  Today I chase trains with my son who is a train buff just like his great grandfather!

There are many more Veteran's in my family tree but the three above were passionately devoted to and spent their careers in the military.

The Veteran's coming home today from Iraq and Afghanistan need our attention and care.  Please visit the sites below to learn more about how you can thank those who fight to keep us safe and free...

Welcome Back Veterans

Veteran's and Families

Operation Homefront

Thank you...