With snow piled high, slushy roads and freezing temperatures, it’s easy to hole yourself up inside night after night. If you’re looking to break the cycle, Friday night’s 1st Annual Winter Blues Bash at Ochre Court is the perfect way to do it. Patch headed down to Kristina Richards to find the perfect outfit to brighten up your winter blues. A Gold Lace Three Quarter Sleeve Dress ($395) by Milly will make you shine all night long and through the rest of the year too. Kristina Richards, owner of the eponymous upscale clothing store, says this piece is “timeless” and “classic”. It’s the type of…

Going to the gym. Every year, it’s one of the top resolutions on the list. Whether you say you want to lose weight, exercise more or get in shape, they all mean the same thing. You need to hit the gym! And even though no one looks their best after a hard session, it doesn’t mean you can’t look good while achieving your New Year’s goal. Everyone has their own workout of choice and a lot of people like to mix up their workouts, but there is plenty of good looking gear out there that’s versatile enough to wear whether you’re doing yoga, Zumba, or hitting the treadmill. Patch headed down to …

You can never overdress for New Year's Eve and we think there's no better way to ring in the New Year than to go all out. While you often want to run out and buy something new for such an event, we suggest buying something "old" that will be a throwback to the times when gowns were exquisitely crafted by hand. Where would you find such a thing? Closet Revival, of course. There we found a decidedly unique vintage Hand Beaded Gold Floral V-neck Evening Gown ($275) with a pale blue background circa the 1960s. We paired it with a vintage 1960s Mink Stole ($250), which is accented with a Gold …

While I'm not a big fan of being "matchy, matchy" with my kids, there is something about Christmas that makes it so much more appealing. Perhaps it's because I know that it's not the type of thing you can pull off for very many years, and let's be honest, the holiday pictures are pretty cute when everyone coordinates.  We headed over to Michael Hayes for Kids to pick out the perfect coordinating outfits for the little ones and all of these picks will last well beyond the holidays. All of the clothing we selected is by Hartstrings. An excellent way to coordinate without going over the top is …

The opening of the Sovereign Bank skating rink at the Newport Yachting Center has finally arrived and it appears the weather is going to cooperate, at least for a little while. There is something magical and romantic about skating outdoors, whether you are a first-timer or have been doing it your entire life. We think the Newport Yachting Center is a great place for a winter date, but you'll need to stay warm while looking good. We headed to Island Surf and Sports in Middletown for a good looking, but highly functional, outfit for a skating date. Start with a pair of Jersey Jeans ($44) by O'…

Everyone's calendars are quickly filling up with holiday parties, so in addition to all of the shopping for everyone else on your list, it's time to make sure that you've got something to wear too! We headed over to Pink Pineapple and were thrilled to find a fabulous holiday outfit and jewelry that didn't break the bank. We love Esley's keyhole dress with floral accents for two reasons. The first is the deep green color instead of the little black dress we all tend to gravitate to. Second, it's only $78. Pair it with faux emerald and diamond earrings ($18), a pearl medalion necklace ($28), …

On your mark., get set, shop! The day after Thanksgiving has become the infamous Black Friday, where people get up well before the sun and knock each other over as they flood into stores to get unbelievable deals. While we certainly don't condone knocking people down to get the greatest toy in town, it's a good day  knock a few items off your holiday shopping list while saving a bit of money. If you are going to battle the crowds, there will be enough aggravation without wearing something uncomfortable to make the experience worse. As of Wednesday afternoon, the forecast for Friday was …

On Saturday, the first train of the season will pull out of the station for The Polar Express aboard the Newport Dinner Train. This popular seasonal attraction includes the reading of The Polar Express book by the conductor as the train travels along the west side of the island. Guests will enjoy hot chocolate and cookies along with a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Each child who truly "believes" will receive a special gift from Santa. Just as the children in the book who take an unforgettable ride to North Pole, children on Newport's Polar Express are encouraged to wear their …

Friday night will bring together members and supporters of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce for the Newport Chamber 2010 Annual Dinner Dance and Silent Auction at the Hyatt Regency on Goat Island. Because the Chamber of Commerce is a business organization, we think the perfect outfit should be something sophisticated, but still feminine and fun. We headed over to Karma, a designer consignment boutique at 13 Touro Street, to find just the right outfit. We had barely made it through our introductions to co-owner Judy Catuogno, who owns Karma with her twin sister Joy, before spotting a …

With our first frost this week, Mother Nature made it loud and clear that summer is well behind us. We'll be thinking about snowflakes soon enough. Of course, just because sundresses and sandals are now out of the question doesn't mean that our outer layer can't still be stylish. We hit the town looking for some of the best hats and mittens around. First stop: Kristina Richards in Washington Square, where we found a lovely collection of Free People gloves and scarves. These cable knit fingerless gloves ($28) are available in Ice Mint, Mole, and Amethyst and make it easy to maintain your fine …

Sure, you spend days, weeks, and sometimes even months prepping you and your kids' Halloween costumes, but what about your pup? If you have a dog that is friendly and won't get spooked by all the ghouls and goblins out there trick-or-treating, it's fun to get them into the Halloween spirit too. Plus, there is a special Halloween event just for dogs coming up, Wag Nation's Howl-o-ween Stroll. Unfortunately, I found that it wasn't that easy to find ready-made costumes for dogs in town, with the exception of a few very small dog costumes at Walmart, which included a hot dog, saddle and jockey, …

We all know Halloween is the perfect excuse to dress up, but not every spooky event this month has to involve a costume. Under the artistic direction of Miki Ohlsen, Island Moving Company's performance of Dracula at Belcourt Castle is the perfect reason to get all dolled up in an elegant way. The show will go on through Sunday, but tonight's performance is a special Masked Ball Fundraising Gala that will feature cocktails and dancing in addition to the performance, which brings guests through the halls and rooms of the castle. To find the perfect piece to wear, Patch headed over to Isoude at …

The 8th Annual Ballard Park Pumpkin Tour will draw thousands of people this Saturday to walk the trails illuminated by over 1,000 jack-0-lanterns at Ballard Park. The weather is only supposed to reach a high of 57 degrees during the day on Saturday and strong winds are expected, so dressing warmly will be essential. We headed down to Island Outfitters on lower Thames Street to find the perfect stylish, but warm, outfit. You can't go wrong with jeans on a crisp fall day, and we like AG's Mid-Rise Angel Boot Fit Jeans ($168) for both this event and as a staple in your wardrobe. Pair them with …

Without even crossing the bridge, you can get a taste of Bavaria at this weekend's International Oktoberfest at the Newport Yachting Center. It's supposed to be comfortable in the afternoons, and cool in the mornings and evenings, so comfortable layers are what you'll want to wear while your enjoying beer and bratwurst. Heck, you may want to jump into some of the toe-tapping dances with  the entertainment. To help you pick an outfit, we headed over to Newport's oldest clothing store, Potter & Co., which is always well stocked with cool, comfortable, and weather-appropriate options. It was …

One of the island's most anticipated events of the year — the Norman Bird Sanctuary's Annual Harvest Fair — is this weekend. If you have kids, it's a must-do event, and even if you don't, it's just a great way to enjoy a crisp fall New England day. Either way, you'll want to look good while tromping through the fields, and possibly mud. For the perfect comfortable, but stylish, outfit, we headed over to Laura Jean Denim on Bellevue Avenue. Skinny leg jeans are one of the hottest looks this season and can be worn with a boot, flat or heel. We like the James Jeans Twiggy 5-Pocket Jegging in …

Mouths will be watering this weekend at Rosecliff and the Marble House. The Newport Wine & Food Festival kicks off tonight with a special evening of music, food and vintage wine, then continues throughout the weekend with a number of other notable events sure to tempt your tastebuds. There may be no other country that knows wine and food better than France, and so it seems appropriate for this event to dress in the French-inspired (but New England-made) limited edition French Country Dress ($348) by Karol Richardson. Brenna McCauley, Executive Head of Sales for Karol Richardson's Newport …

If you haven't noticed yet, America's Cup Avenue has been abuzz the past few days in preparation for this weekend's 40th annual Newport International Boat Show. The show winds through the Newport Yachting Center, The Mooring parking lot, and along the  docks over to the Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina, with additional displays on Bowen's Wharf. Attendees need to be ready to go from land to dock, and of course hop on all the latest and greatest boats being showcased. Patch headed over to Team One Newport on lower Thames Street to find the perfect outfit for the four-day event. Celebrating their …

While many of our favorite summer activities disappear when Labor Day arrives, there is one that still has a few weeks to go. The popular Newport International Polo Series at Glen Farm take place on Saturdays at 4 p.m. throughout September and are always a nice, relaxing way to spend a weekend afternoon. Of course, going to polo and looking good seem to go hand in hand. For the perfect outfit, we headed over to J. McLaughlin on Bellevue Avenue. Many of their clothing options have an equestrian flair, while still being great everyday items. We chose pieces that could easily be layered during …

After spending Friday cooped up in the house trying to escape Hurricane Earl, head down to the Newport Yachting Center Saturday through Monday for the Newport Waterfront Irish Festival and enjoy Irish step dancers, Irish music, comics, kids activities and perhaps a Guiness or two. While I love to celebrate my heritage (despite my last name, I am about 80 percent Irish and my maiden name is O'Neill), I also want to squeeze in the opportunity to wear a sundress on the unofficial last weekend of summer. And I couldn't think of a better place to find one than CK Bradley on Bellevue Avenue. The CK…

If you're looking for something fun and free to do with the kids this weekend, there may not be any better, or cuter, option than the Teddy Bear Picnic at Aquidneck Park. Sponsored by Newport's Secret Garden Tours, the 2nd annual event starts at 4 p.m. and will feature storytelling, a Parade of the Teddy Bears, a "Well Teddy" clinic, Ben & Jerry's treats, and a special performance by "Johnny the K."  Pack a picnic and grab a teddy, but first be sure to dress your kids up in comfortable, yet stylish, gear. Patch recently headed down to Groovy Gator on Thames Street for some fashion inspiration…