Sometimes a little silk floral dress and matching cardigan is all you need. Received so many compliments on this look, lost count.

Here’s the look:

Black leather long-sleeved blouse, goes all day and night, this would so be a t-shirt in warmer months

Skinny blue jeans, this time turned up at the cuff

Felted fur cape, I know a little glam, oversized chunky cashmere sweater would be good too

Flat boots, if you must a mid chunky heel at the most, growing grapes is agriculture

With all the gray black navy mixed in a camel bag and camel and gold bracelets

Dark eye makeup, make your statement there

Nude mouth, you will be tasting, dark lipstick on the rim you don’t really want to do

Every day dress, wine tasting in December.

Took the ubiquitous Christmas sweater, haha, and dressed it down with black Nikes.

December is total endurance training. If you too feel like you’ve been on the non-stop treadmill, the clothes you wear need to support all day sessions.

For two nights in a row of dining out in Sonoma CA, wore the same outfit. When traveling with family and friends I’m never shy about wearing the same outfit twice. They don’t even notice; everyone is more concerned with what you might be cooking them for breakfast or where that night’s dinner reservation is.

First piece of the outfit is a Wolford bodysuit, those things last forever and always look good and feel even better. On top of that goes leather and ponte pants (new this season) and then a belted jacket with sweater sleeves that packs and travels well, and is chic, warm, and comfortable.

New favorite shoe is hands down the Aquazurra black suede. Wore those into town last night and walked home in the dark on country roads two miles, no problem.

Hope everyone out there had a wonderful Christmas day with family, friends, and loved ones.

Tonight, in Sonoma CA, we’ll all be under one roof. Doesn’t happen all that often anymore, my blessings are infinite.

Wishing everyone the incredible feeling of under one roof.

For two parties, one in Buffalo NY and the other in San Francisco CA, wore the same outfit. Two different climates, both house parties, blue lace and blue velvet, fit the bill. Not the usual combination but the cutaway tank and the velvet pants have the same ease as a  t-shirt and skinnies. Life is busy, let’s keep it simple.

Four daughter’s have yet to catch on to wearing the same party clothes over and over, I think it makes sense.

Can’t wait to wear the macrame cutaway with white jeans, that’s coming soon. On the hunt for the perfect white shirt to wear with the blue velvet pants for downtime coming up. This Christmas thing is crazy. Haven’t found the white shirt yet, in the meantime might have to borrow husband’s or one of two son’s.

One outfit, two parties, every day dress.

Hang in there all, we’re almost there.

Blue Lace Cutaway, Blue Velvet Pant | Worth New York Winter 2013

Bag | Dior

Shoe | Aquazurra

 

Normally a carry-on only kind of traveler, really don’t like getting hung up in baggage claim, packed it all in for travel to San Francisco and Sonoma CA to celebrate Christmas with the husband and the six kids.

This travel thing is really getting kind of easy, clients ask me all the time for packing tips and I think I must write it down and get it out in 2014. For now the one thing that entered my head when packing and traveling was pack only what you love and wear. Why bother with anything else? If you don’t love it and you don’t wear it, leave it at home.

This Christmas trip required four pieces of the classic monogram Louis Vuitton luggage collected over the years and one foldable packable travel bag.  Two most recent additions: the Pegase 55 Louis Vuitton and the Boxford Travel Bag L by Longchamp Paris.

The Louis roller has been a great addition, fits in overhead bins and makes train transfers super easy. You can get enough in it even for a quick overseas trip and the front pocket is great place to stow the MacBook Pro for quick in and out for security check through.

The Longchamp travel bag, picked up last time in Paris by necessity to get some extra goods home, is here filled with Christmas gifts for the niece and nephew.

Travel outfit? I know, of course denim, black, and flat boots. You would think being in the business of dressing women I would come up with something a little more original, but, hey, it works, and makes getting on the road at 5 am to catch a flight doable.

Much to the husband’s dismay, he had to upgrade the size of the rental car, I packed it all in. Even had to bring the Christmas cards and wrote out many on the cross-country flight. Half were done before leaving town, half not. Keep on moving, it’s Christmas time.

xoxo

ps. Either of these bags would make great lifetime Christmas gifts for a special traveler in your life or for yourself. There’s still time, I’m just starting the shopping for the family today…

Louis Vuitton Monogram Pegase 55

Longchamp Boxford Travel Bag L

Santa does it, so should we. He invests in quality suiting and wears it year after year. Smart man, that Santa Clause.

For Friday night dinner out with two youngest daughters and dear husband, wore last year’s suit. Jacket, Blouse, Camisole, Pant. Honestly, had no time or creative mind energy to put together any other pairing. Like a dress, simply pulled last year’s suit. The only decision made was the shoe. It was snowing and cold, forget the strappy sandals, chose zebra print Manolo Blahnik suede pumps instead, valet parking helps for sure. Kind of liked the contrast of suede printed pumps and satin tuxedo pants. Finished it off with a satin Judith Lieber bag bought years ago at Bergdorf’s on sale and will probably soon be one of four daughter’s . When you collect bags, the next hand is always a thought.

Every day dress wears last year’s suit. Building a good wardrobe over time makes it easy to get dressed, especially in crazy busy December. If Santa does it, so can we. Last year’s suit.

Let’s believe.

all photos taken on the sly with the iPhone | you know those clubs don’t like the smart phone 🙂

This time of year, it’s about giving and receiving. A wise woman taught me to receive gifts with grace, it makes everyone feel good. For my favorite kind of gift giving shopping excursion, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery gift shop, wore a felt headband with appliqued flowers and stretch velvet gloves, those have flowers too, given to me by a friend on the first of November for hosting her at a fundraising luncheon. They felt great, thank you, friend.

Were these something I would have bought for myself? Probably not. That’s whats so darn pleasurable about them. When I put them on today I thought about our friendship, the fun we had at that lunch, and of good times to come.

So today I picked up a few pieces of wearable art for some special people in my life at the Gallery shop. It was enjoyable, not crowded, no big deal parking, and I was in and out and even revisited the Anselm Kiefer: Beyond Landscape exhibit with my fourteen year old daughter. A very good day.

Felt headband and Stretch Velvet Gloves | Everything Elmwood

Jacket | Zara | purchased in Seville Spain when it was unseasonably cold last month

Anselm Kiefer: Beyond Landscape at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery | Buffalo NY | through November 2, 2014

 

It’s been said that men are attracted to a woman in a red dress. While I’m not sure about that, I would say that this week and next is as good a time as ever to wear a red dress if you have one in your wardrobe.

TGIF everyone, may your weekend be merry and bright!

Dolce & Gabbana Fall Winter 2014