SOUTHERN SIGNATURES
Well bless her heart, our own charming Southern influencer and contributing editor, Charlotte Kilborn Carey, explains just a few of our cherished traditions with those new to the area as it continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We think longtime locals will agree that these Southern staples have stood the test of time and bring a certain joie de vivre that’s unique to us. Since we can’t imagine it any other way, won’t you join us?
By Charlotte Kilborn Carey
As the Bay area welcomes new friends and families to our shores, I thought it wise to explain some of our signature behaviors and treasures to ensure our newbies are well versed. For starters, it’s crucial to understand that Southern roots grow wide and deep and our pride is as strong as the mighty live oak branches draped in moss stretching across our landscape. Never too shy to show that pride, certain traditions have been passed down for so long we absolutely refuse to let them go.
Residents south of the Mason-Dixon Line have the reputation of impeccable manners and boundless hospitality. This remains vital to our very existence. It’s only natural for us to welcome guests to our homes with full Southern regalia—it’s our love language. For example, holiday or not, outsiders must know we will pull out the family silver and china for most any occasion. When my father inherited his mother’s Limoges, he swore to use it every day and did just that. To us, this is a way to connect with and remember the past. Naturally, many busy hostesses will use their fine china even when serving take-out delicacies such as chicken fingers or barbecue. Don’t be alarmed, it’s just that Southerners agree everything tastes better when served on a silver platter.
As many of you may have noticed, we will monogram anything. Guests will always find beautifully monogrammed linen (always linen), guest towels in the bathrooms along with pretty little soaps nestled in porcelain dishes by the sink. Wildflowers Floral Design in Fairhope is a great source for these little treasures. Visitors might think we’re all convinced that were the main character in The Princess and the Pea by the way we dress our beds. The higher the better, and if a small set of steps are required, you’ve done a fine job. Regardless of the heat, we pile on layers of blankets, coverlets and duvets over crisp ironed (and monogrammed) cotton sheets, complete with a triple fold at the top (those who know, know). Don’t even get me started on the mass array of pillows on top ranging from standard to Euro and everything in between—also monogrammed of course. Naturally, there’s always a bed skirt, unless you’ve chosen an upholstered bed frame, another Southern obsession. To shop for sumptuous Matouk and Yves Delormes linens, try Eastern Shore favorite Living Well. My local go-to’s for monogramming are Bobbins Design, Embroidery Tyme, and Missy Bradley.
If you’re new to the area, it’s vital to understand that SEC football is a way of life. We are true to our schools and dress the part, too. We represent team spirit right down to our attire, accessories, and serving ware choices. Weekend Waterford, aka Styrofoam or plastic party cups, emblazoned with your host's team logo will serve you well if you’re invited to a game-watching event as hostess gifts are also a Southern tradition of the utmost importance. Fairhope’s Harvest Jewels even has the perfect mascot pendant to top off your gameday look and The Garage Studio has all the fun, school-themed cups and tailgating must-haves. It’s best not plan your wedding, or any event for that matter, on game day. If you do, guests will expect multiple big screen TVs or I promise the pews will be bare.
Not only do we love our seafood, we decorate with it, too. Lucky enough to be surrounded by nature’s treasures and with the “waste not, want not” mentality passed on to us by our grandmothers, we gild oyster shells, make seashell-framed mirrors, and craft Christmas trees out of driftwood. Midtown Mobile shop M.A. Simons has a beautiful collection of decorative oyster shells to keep and gift. I even have a friend whose marvelous powder room walls are adorned with a whimsical collection of seashells. Speaking of decorating, you’ll find that toile is king down here. When chinoiserie speaks, we listen, and local company Southern Toile has taken it to the next level with their Mobile and Mardi Gras toile patterns. You can pick up these beautiful textiles at Five Gold Monkeys on both sides of the Bay, one for me and one for you.
Dressing up is another Southern specialty, and not just ourselves but our little cherubs as well. You may have noticed every Southern child is adorned in a smocked outfit. For us, this begins at birth and for girls, the bigger the hair bow, the better. Tiny Town in Mobile and Fairhope as well as The Holiday in Spring Hill are great sources for the perfect children’s outfits. Local legend Toodles Dorgan is the Grande dame of handmade heirloom gowns. For the perfect chapeau to wear for a daytime Mardi Gras event or a sporty polo match, look no further than fave boutiques CK Collection and Debra’s, who bring the talents of milliners from across the country home so you can shop from the convenience of your neighborhood.
In every Southerner’s pantry, I can guarantee you will find two indispensable staples—cheese straws and pralines. They are the “break glass in case of a visitor emergency” that a good hostess always keeps on hand. I’m very particular about both of these staples as I like my pralines crispy, not sticky, and buy them at the legendary Three Georges Candy shop in Mobile and the iconic Punta Clara Kitchen in Point Clear. I love a spicy cheese straw like the ones from Savannah Grace but Betsy’s Classic and the Mississippi Cheese Straw Company’s Traditional are equally delicious options. When I’m being a very good Southerner, I like to make my own and add nuts. I use Martha Stewarts Cheddar Biscuits with Pecans recipe. She’d be Southern if she could, trust me.
While there are too many to list, I hope this introduction to Southern culture explains a bit about our way of life. Naturally, I’d need endless pages to even approach Mardi Gras. But the point is that I wish our new neighbors well and hope they come to embrace some of our traditions which mean so much to us all. Later, y’all, and pray for sun or the next time I see you on the Pink Carpet it will be with Noah and two of every animal.
