For a delightful bit of fluff young adult reading I can't help but recommend Katie Crouch's Magnolia League series. I read the debut book last year and was delighted last week when I found the second book in the series, The White Glove War on the shelf. I live in new England, and am a Yankee at heart but I have to admit there is a certain amount of me that adores magnolias and moonlight, there is some thing timelessly seductive about the South. One can never see Gone With The Wind too many times, and even though you know its can be racist, full of kudzu, and a little bit backwards, yet you can't help but yearn for the land of cavilers and cotton fields. To sip mint juleps and dance at cotillions. Then you remember that in addition to Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans which all ooze Southern charm there are far less pleasant places to visit like Mississippi and Arkansas, which I'm sure have charms of their own, its just I never saw them while I was there. Souther hospitality does have its limits. Which I suppose is the whole point of Katie Crouch's books. They tell the story of a California hippie forced to move to Savannah after her mother's death and live the life of an aristocratic debutante in the Magnolia League. The League can transform you.... but for a price. The lovely League members with their ageless grace and charm all pay for the privilege, and the Buzzard family of hoodoo practitioners gladly provide it. I will never be a debutante and am certainly not a Southern belle, but reading about how the women dress for their society teas and charity fundraisers, never a hair out of place and head to toe in pastel inspired me to try and recreate my own version in a rather cold and nasty New England winter. Much to my surprise it seems I wasn't the only one longing for delicate spring florals and garden party worthy clothes. I got more comments on how happy my bright yellow dress made people. Then again these were swamp Yankees, I wouldn't last ten minutes with Scarlett O'Hara.
Sweater: Kenar thrifted via Salvation Army Family Store
Belt: off another sweater, Kohl's
Shoes: Steve Madden via Building 19
Purse: vintage Whiting and Davis
The books sound interesting. And being from Tennessee, I've lived all my life in the South. Don't recognize what you described but I'm sure it exists. I have to say, we have our problems down here but I love it.
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