Succulents: America's Sweetheart

Succulents are the little black dress of the gardening world.  The Jennifer Lawrence of potted plants, if you will. Always appropriate and always in style. The potted plant is resilient and super easy to care for - and absolutely perfect for brown thumbs like myself. ;) They can be placed indoor and outdoor, in window sills with limited sunlight, and in hanging displays. The best part is that succulents come in an endless variety of shapes, sizes, and colors-- just like people. Which means, you can find one that is uniquely you!

A HUGE trend we have been seeing in the floral industry is adding succulents into bridal bouquets. They add an interesting texture and color, not achieved with any other floral substitute. We are seeing them pop up in almost every wedding palette you can imagine, but are probably used most with coral themed weddings.

We have been collaborating with THE Hannah Katherine in these personalized hand-painted gardening boxes and pots. Our amazing floral designers have been working with these planters to create beautiful arrangements using herbs and succulent assortments. Hand-painted planters and flowers make a great custom gift for any special person in your life. In addition to these examples, we can happily accommodate any phrase, lyric, or name you might want (bridesmaids gifts, table numbers, mother's day). 

We placed a "Blue Giant" succulent inside of this teeny gardening pot with a personalized and cute message, bearing its oxymoronic name. Succulents are known for being able to propagate themselves when they drop leaves into soil - which then begin to sprout new rosettes. This is a perfect plant for starting a garden or an indoor display. Succulents will grow and expand to the home they are given, which make them a perfect small gift that will end up being a huge thank you.

~Abby, the Head Cheese

mixing & matching with flowers & fashion

 I know, I know.... our grandmothers taught us to never mix prints, don't wear white after Labor Day, and wearing more than 2 colors in the same outfit is flashy- but hear us out! Mixing prints with stripes and fun florals has become a huge trend this summer in fashion. The most successful way to pull off this bold look is through matching a striped pattern with a floral or tribal design. 

But of course, in true Blakemore's fashion, we wanted to push past the everyday, and be more fun and edgy with this look. We paired aztec shorts from Jealous Tomato and a tribal top by West 36th. We love this because it is an unexpected match, yet totally works. The orange in the shorts is loud, so it begs for a lighter color on top. The royal blue is complimentary in the bottoms, but is the focus in the blouse, which provides unity throughout the ensemble without being too matchy-matchy.  Staying within the same color grouping is the key to making this look stylish and not garish. Other ways to mix prints is to pair a neutral print with a more colorful pattern, so that the neutral acts like an anchor for the boldness of the bright and colorful print.

 Pictured above is another trendy way to match prints by having the same pattern in different scales and colors. These two tribal pieces (by Jealous Tomato) compliment each other in a way that makes this outfit a perfect ensemble.

Pictured above is Abby wearing our floral romper by Catch Me over a striped crop top. The smaller grey stripes work to tone down the colorful floral print. Wearing a solid white top would be too harsh of a backdrop for such a statement piece and pulling any of the purples or pinks from the romper would have been overkill. A neutral, lighter shade with stripes direct your attention to the outfit without trying to compete. This look is effortless and fun.

Above are different examples of popular looks using the mix and match trend. Don't be afraid to pair old favorites in your closet with a fresh item or two.  For more styling tips and some great new additions to your wardrobe, come check out what's blooming at Blakemore's Boutique!

~ Ashley the Amazing Intern

fashion in bloom

This summer season we have been seeing a lot of unique trends circling around the fashion and floral world. Our favorite is the 80's comeback of neon colors - we love the bright pops of neon added to a simple bottom, creating a bold, but fun look. Pictured above is a top from Flying Tomato that is splashed with pink, yellow, orange, and blue stitches of neon color.We combined this light and airy top with a pair of peach embroidered shorts from B_envied. The combination of a vibrant neon tank with peach bottoms creates a subtle contrast that goes together perfectly. This outfit is complimented with a brilliant plum dahlia plant - a classic summertime favorite, sought after for their bright and bold hues.

~Ashley the Intern

hey, can we go thrift shopping?

Blakemore's Flowers is starting a new process where you can bring in your old/unused jeans, or otherwise known as "mom jeans" and we will transform them into a new pair of trendy cut-off shorts. If you have gotten rid of all of your old high-waisted Levi's, go by your local thrift store (Goodwill has a wide selection) and purchase a pair for as little as $5.00! For an added touch, Hannah Katherine will be available to do hand-printed custom designs on any pair of cut-offs for an affordable price! Come by the shop and let us update your old and out-dated jeans to a hand-painted and unique pair of shorts!

~Ashley the Intern