The Life of My CKB Tote, By Arianne Berger

The new CK Bradley website is being created as we speak, and one of the parts of it will include Guest Writers, asked to write about all things from travels and where to go, to CKB stories worth sharing.

Arianne Berger, head of the CKB Cheerleading Team(in uniform on Left above) and CKB intern in NYC a couple years ago, is now recent graduate of St.Lawrence University and has sent in the following stroll down memory lane about the life and adventures of her CKB tote.

The Life of My CKB Tote

I once read that Elizabeth Taylor, when asked to comment on today’s fresh female faces in Hollywood, had responded by saying that they “don’t look like they own their clothes.”

In the era of publicists and Perez, the brevity of a style can last just long enough for trendsters to purchase and then pack away when a newer fad is deemed “must have.” In my opinion, the best clothes and accessories are those that are well-loved, and therefore evidently well-worn - sun-bleached fabric, tears, and the odd stain are proof that it belongs to you, and is tailored by your life’s adventures.

I spied my first C.K. Bradley tote at Rags, one of my favorite boutiques to frequent when I visited my family in Greenwich. On one such visit, 3 generations of Laidlaw women simultaneously invaded the store at the top of The Avenue. Clearly, I was oh-so-excited when my favorite (and always chic) Auntie Suzy (picking up on my hints), bought me one of the totes for my 14^th birthday. The blue floral tote became my favorite, and a quick part of my high school weekend uniform.

In college, the CKB tote still occupied my personal IT bag status, and luckily so, as on my first day at St. Lawrence, I spied my future best friend Samantha because of her equally well-loved CKB tote, and we sparked up an initial conversation due to the obvious commonality.

Later when I ventured to Costa Rica to work on a sea turtle conservation project, though I feel I can rough it with the best of them, I didn’t think twice about bringing my CKB tote with me along with my hiking boots, mosquito net, and lonely planet guide-book.

Over the past few years, an increasing collection of totes (I’m up to 5) accompanied me to the Uffizi as I gazed at Leonardo’s and Botticelli’s, to South African elephant sanctuaries, and on boats in the Seychelles en route to uninhabited islands.

Thinking about what has been “toted” is also an interesting reflection of my life’s adventures as I begin a mental list of the London tube maps, bathing suits, love letters, English reading assignments, carefully hidden to-go sushi and made-at-home kettle-corn smuggled into movie theatres, as well as the seashell treasures that I stashed in the inside pockets.

More recently, en route from London to Nantucket, I stopped by Newport to check in with the CKB gang. Of course, I couldn’t help but pick out a new one from Camilla’s personal archives in the warehouse.

You can bet that through bike rides to Sconset, ferry trips to visit my latest love interest, and autumnal quests to savor the last of summer on Great Point, the newest tote won’t look that way for long.

While I have yet to see it on the trendster pages of US Weekly and InTouch, my well-worn tote, though not a Kelly, Birkin, Louis or Marc, makes a statement of its own – and one that I much prefer to make.

Check out Arianne's blog

I'm just plain tickled. If you have stories about your dress or tote, email blog@ckbradley.com

-So Many Totes, So Little Time Bradley

Harriman Cup Strikes Again

With EVERY social event comes the opportunity to see who you can get to strip.

The Whomper made it's way to the Harriman Cup last weekend for the annual UVA vs. Yale Polo Match. I brought Stackle for the gamers, and Sonoma Dresses for the sneak peakers. In typical Camilla fashion, I changed outfits 3 times in a span of 1 polo match. Not exactly the usual way to introduce a new dress, but Why Not? I mean who needs Runway shows at Fashion Week when I've got a Polo Field filled with potential and repeat customers? No better press than that, although Oprah would be nice...

No changing rooms at the Polo Field. That's where the stripping comes in. Note the look on the guy checking her out...Yowzer!
Pull the Sonoma Dress over your head,
Squiggle out of your top,
Check yourself out in the nearest non aero dynamic car door

And Presto. New outfit. And what a great model she is!

Now not everyone stripped....This girl tried it on over her shirt and jeans...

Any way you slice it, good test marketing for the Solid Sonoma dress in Ponte Knit...perfect for Fall. More colors are soon to come, all made and sourced in New England we are happy to FINALLY report!

Even caught a beautiful sunset on the way back into NYC....
-Never a Dull Moment, Bradley

Inspired by Your Comments...

LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! Inspired me. I am now the proud owner of a Tory Burch Isa Tote.

And to give into shameless self promotion, imagine how cute it will look with the new Sonoma Dress that has just landed in CK Bradley Boutique!

We had 2 other colorways that have SOLD OUT already...Next time I'll be quicker about getting it up on the site before we sell out to our Wholesale Boutiques.

Here's to Tory Burch and CK Bradley looking good together...

-Never say Never, Bradley.

Spotted...with Tory Burch

Sometimes a Blog can really draw me in. Before I know it, I have spent an hour perusing other peoples lives. But that doesn't happen often...Having left NYC for salty air, I find myself enjoying other peoples accounts of the parties I used to go to, and the people I used to see. Melissa Morris is a great customer of CK Bradley, looks great in almost anything she wears...and has an adorable dog, Monty. Her Blog has accounts of nearly everything from eating to travel to..a day in the life of Melissa. Scrolling away, I came upon Melissa wearing CK Bradley with Tory Burch.

Love it. You look fabulous Melissa!
It made me do a little thinking about Tory Burch. CK Bradley had been around for a year or two when Tory decided to start her business. Tory hired my first employee, Meg Doepke to be her right hand woman. Meg was great at CK Bradley back in the day, and Tory was SMART to hire her. Meg actually still works for Tory today, and I run into her outside of the daunting orange walls they put up around the Tory Burch booth at the Coterie every year. The Coterie, for those of you who don't know, is THE show where boutiques and larger department stores come to buy lines for the following season.
This was CK Bradley's FIRST Coterie Booth in 2004. Tigger is in his kelly green cage in the right hand corner! All of our samples were in white fabric, and we had drawn the print on laminated paper for stores to pick and choose what color ways they would like. This will require another blog, since I am getting OFF topic reference Tory Burch.

So back to Tory. Who is the Tory customer? I don't own anything she makes, but that's not to say I don't like her taste, I do. So why don't I buy her stuff? Something to ponder. And it's NOT because I get to design my own clothes...my closet is full of Marc Jacobs, DVF and old Tocca.

-Any Ideas? Bradley.

What is Sexy

My Dad thinks a woman in a flannel nightgown is the cat’s meow. In fact, he adores a woman in a long flannel nightgown so much, he keeps a stash in our foyer ‘gift’ closet for his latest ‘lady friend’. Meanwhile, a Belgian baron I had the pleasure of sitting next to at a wedding in Marrakesh, nearly carried me to the nearby alter when I talked of having gone to cooking school and my ability to sew.

Wedding in M'Kesh (bridesmaids dress courtesy of CKB and Baron not included)

For others, stiletto’s paired with a flesh hugging leather pencil skirt (or kelly green pique skirt) is hotter than hot. Alas, we put sexy in the eye of the beholder.

The ooohing and ahhing of men for women in high heels and a tight skirt just plain confuses me. Wait, no, I GET IT. What I mean is, is it fun to be out with a girl that has to sit on the sidelines when the night calls for skipping and cartwheels? Is she willing to dump the shoes for bare feet and to rip her ‘oh so sexy’ too tight skirt? Is her ‘sexy’ ensemble going to kill the fun? Probably not for you if you're a guy...but for me, YES.

I like to think things gone wrong can sometimes make the fun. So sometimes, restrictive clothing adds to the fun…but only if the wearer is willing. At the Orange Ball a few Winters ago, surrounded by many a dashing Dutch man, I split the zipper of one of our CK Bradley sample dresses doing a dance move over the back of my very nimble partner. (This is just one of the MANY ways we test the clothing before it hits the racks at CK Bradley) Now I must admit, had I known the move my partner was about to thrust upon me, I would have rapidly swooshed off the dance floor in search of another lime for my libation, but my dance partner was just too quick. He had me up and over his back before I could blink. Over him I went, zipper ripping as fast as my mind was wondering where the floor had gone. I landed on my feet, (thanks to non-stiletto’s) and grabbed the front half of my dress that now lay around my waist before the whole party could see my bare breasts.

(there was a time when I didn't mind showing off my bare breasts...)

The rest of the night I danced about the Ball with a tablecloth wrapped about me like a Pashmina covering my top half. Now I realize this might not be sexy…but it sure was fun. (And to be honest, had it been a tight skirt that split, I would have had just as much fun wearing the tablecloth about as a full dress/toga)

Back to the ever popular sexy stiletto. At 5’11”, I don’t wear heels that often. No need to be taller than that on a day to day basis. So when I do decide to be out and about in heels, I am far from the hip swinging, hair thrusting diva that owns her heels and attitude while wearing them. Instead I feel like I am playing a video game avoiding all hazards from sidewalk cracks to subway grates to uneven asphalt. If someone sends me to fetch a Jack and Ginger at the bar, I walk like an 8 yr old playing dress up in her mom’s pumps and have to down half the drink before my return trip to minimize spillage. If the menu calls for heels, like some black tie party, I stick some flip flops in my usually large clutch. This makes me totally mobile if necessary. With a moments notice, I can outrun the other 10 people trying to grab a cab, run after the cutie who thought it was OK to leave the party without introducing himself, or flee at lightening speed from an old flame who thinks its time to break the ice, again.

Maybe sexy boils down to confidence. When you have it you can possess any mood you wish and present it to the world as you like. I suppose if you can ride piggy back on the cute boy you just met in your tight leather skirt and win a race up a Down escalator in your Manolos, you are sexy and are having fun. But its plain sinful to let sexy get in the way of fun.

-Barefoot and Fancy Free, Bradley.

Raingutter Regatta

Its the beginning of Goslings/IYAC Rain Gutter Regatta Racing season in Newport.

7 pm: All teams hover at the IYAC in Newport drinking beers while the judges gather to pass out the boat kits and list the rules for the Regatta. A lot of 'big talk' ensues...

The Rain Gutter table top is delivered by several strapping sailors...but that's not why we are here...

My team of lookers (referring to my boys of course) gathers outside awaiting instruction and materials.

Ashley, from another team, shows her bag o' tricks filled with special glue, hot sauce?, a paper plate and the ever important last season DVD of Gossip Girl, Ted on MY team organizes our 'car o' tricks' with power sanders, saws, heat lamp, tank for float testing, and just about every tool he could fit into his wagon. The pressure is ON. No way can we let a team ooohing and ahhing to Gossip Girl while they paint their nails and glue their boat beat us when we are armed with enough tools and power to build a small town.

7:27pm- Teams are given boat kits, and given rules: All boats must measure no more than 6.5" long by 3" wide. Hulls must be made of the wood supplied in the kits, and sail material may be made from anything. Teams have 1 hour to build. GO!
Outside, my team, hard at work.
Another team used the sidewalk for manual sanding...kind of brilliant, IF you don't have an power sander that is...
INside the IYAC, other teams glue, paint, drink...
Meanwhile, Tigger is trying his darndest to get people to come in and cheer for us...

Back at base camp, we've got outdoor lighting for night work, way to go TED...

Meanwhile, inside IYAC, Justin one of the Judges(who I buttered up with a slice of pizza...shhhhh!) is measuring the water level to make sure both gutter lanes are of equal depth.

Judgment time.
All competing boats lined up...yes, there is a Solo cup sail in there...but our red rig looks pretty fast...plus, I was counting on my 'pep socks' for distracting the opposition.

8:36pm. Races begin. First up, us vs. some kiwi boys. Now it does matter how fast your boat is, but in this particular regatta, the 'life jacket switch' can make or break you...each team member needs to remove the life jacket and put it on the next relay team member before they may begin blowing for the next lap.

If I thought wearing red hot knee socks were distraction, they were put to shame by the opposition next to me removing his pants only to showcase his Superman Underoos. It had been brought.

As luck would have it, we took home the Gold. Goslings that is..wait, what happened to that bottle guys?
Thanks to the boys Ted, Wade and Bob on the team for making me look good, since the only thing I had down was pizza delivery and removing layers (in this case the life jacket) FAST. And Geoff, thanks for taking the pics to remind us where we were last night.

-Is it Wrong that I want a Gutter Race Table in my Backyard, Bradley?

Viva la Fish Taco

I flew all the way to San Fran

Got in a Toyota Tundra with 3 others, (2 of whom I'd just met) drove 8 hours to the Tijuana, and began the Taco Tally Challenge to try and eat 50 tacos in 4 days.
We got through the border without even a passport viewing,

Followed the religious statues,

Checked out the Cacti on the 32 pit stops along Baja's Rt 1,

And stopped at as many Fish Taco stands as possible from Tijuana to Mulege.

At first, as a Fish Taco virgin, I was thrown of by the large piece of fried fish on a plain tortilla, but once you add the fresh cabbage, pickled onions, lime, avocado, pico de gallo, and special sauce there isn't many a meal that can top these for me now.
Taco Tally at the end of the trip? 47. So close.....

-Still Craving Fish Tacos, bradley

The Engagement Party

This Weekend was Jeff and Vieve's Engagement Party in Newport. Vieve basically runs the show and me at CK Bradley, (Probably shouldn't have admitted that...) so this week was a bit of a mess at Newport Headquarters as I tried to do her job while she prepared for the big week. No big upsets that I'm admitting to...
Friday Night was a beach bonfire and Barbecue courtesy of our friend Patrick at Preppy Pig BBQ.

Ummm...I had to get closer
You get to choose spicy or sweet, and let's just say both special sauces stop conversation.

I caught a glimpse of some CKB gear...

Louisa Ryan in CKB Spring 2006

Whitney Rugg spotted in a blue 'n pink CKB belt. Love a man in pink....
And if the pulled pork sandwiches weren't treat enough, someone must have paid big bucks for the Harvest Moon we got that night rising from water. I'm not sure cameras are supposed to be able to capture the essence of all sights...I know this picture does the moon injustice-

The next day was a Cocktail Party at Buddy and Suzy Hills house. As a committee member, I'd been asked to secure some more 'cornflower blue' Hydrangeas in the event that the ones delivered the previous day had wilted. Well, I fell asleep early Friday night, and missed the boat on my midnight stalking and snatching adventure...so on the way, we may have found some back ups....
This house was under construction, so we are pretty sure we did these flowers and owners a favor. Not only do Hydrangea bushes like to be trimmed to relieve them of their weighty baubles, but so too do they like to be oogled and ahhhed at. Thank you house on the left for these beautiful additions to the party...
And yes, Meghan, you look fabulous.
What's this? A Phoebe Dick spotted in The Bamba Dress? This dress has gotten a lot of blog press lately....and don't worry Kirsten, I am still on the lookout for the proper color thread for you...

And later on, a CKB purse was spotted...
All in all, a wonderful weekend in Newport full of sand, pulled pork and borrowed flowers. Jeff and Vieve, may your days be filled with laughs and smiles.

-Still craving Preppy Pig pulled pork, Bradley