What’s Up

As a clerk at The Royal Standard, Hanley Poche helps maintain a popular, Best of 225-winning gift store. She also maintains an impeccable wardrobe. We asked this Baton Rouge native double majoring in biology and French at LSU to share with us her style picks for the spring.

“I see more monochromatic and backless looks that have a lady-like quality,” Poche says. “I would recommend blouses of different colors and silhouettes, a variety of printed shorts and a pair of strappy sandals.”

For her money, the best investment a woman can make is in a solid pair of jeans, a versatile purse and a quality watch. But what’s on Poche’s personal wish list?

“Nude platform wedges,” she says. “I had a pair, but I wore them so much they wore out.” For more spring looks. For more spring looks, click here.

—Erin Mehta

It’s the greenest parade in town rolling through one of our greenest neighborhoods. On March 16, the annual Wearin’ of the Green parade winds from the Garden District to the Perkins Road overpass area, with plenty of marching bands and floats along the way. “It’s a mythical culture of sorts that we’re celebrating. St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. has this great spirit about it,” says George Strain, who plays bagpipes and marches with the band Na Cait Dubh, Gaelic for “The Black Cat.” The parade, in its 28th year, begins at 10 a.m. on Hundred Oaks Avenue. For the full route and more, go to paradegroup.com.

TARTAN: What we’d often call plaid, the tartan adorns Irish, Scottish and Welsh kilts, and the varying colors and patterns typically identify specific regions. Louisiana even has its own tartan design, approved by the state Legislature with a bill signed by Gov. Mike Foster in 2001. You’ll see it in Strain’s kilt, which he says was hand woven in Scotland. The colors represent Louisiana skies and waterways (blue), agriculture and forests (green), rice, sugar cane, cotton and the magnolia (white) and petroleum and other natural resources (black).

you’ll find These things at LSU’s Parker Coliseum in the same weekend this month—just make sure you put down a mat if you’re planning to transport the first two inside a vintage car, please.

The 11th annual Baton Rouge Spring Garden Show takes place March 9-10, with individual vendors showing off thousands of plants and flowers for sale.

In front of the coliseum both days will be the 7th annual Louisiana State and Regional Chili Cook-Offs, with plenty of the spicy dishes and entertainment, benefiting Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital.

On Sunday of that weekend, the 4th annual Baton Rouge Spring Car Show rolls onto the coliseum grounds, benefiting the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. lsuagcenter.com