Yesterday I flew to Chicago to attend today’s Carlisle | Per Se fall 19 preview. I’ll be in workshops and sessions learning all about the clothes my clients and I will be wearing beginning late July. Fall clothes are great, it feels like back to school and a completely fresh start.
Packing, as usual, not the favorite part of travel. Once the stuff is in the case and you’re at the airport then the fun begins. Getting the stuff for the trip in the case can leave me standing in the closet thinking oh what to wear and oh what to bring.
A good dress never fails me, it’s one and done, and all you need is a pair of shoes and a bag. Shown here is a Per Se dress from spring 19 that I’ve been wearing on repeat. Of course, it’s striped, and of course it’s navy. The shirtdress style is so easy, it’s got a no pants feel. My second daughter loves no pants days, those are days for herself when she does what she wants and wears what she wants, and usually those days don’t involve pants. I think its brilliant.
When I’m struggling with what to wear or what to pack, throwing on or throwing in a dress solves the problem. For sure I’ll be looking for the best dresses of the fall season and placing orders. A great dress or three can be the lifeline of a good strong wardrobe.
boom, just as I got a little comfortable with my super simple French expressions, we were on our way out
Exactly as I was feeling somewhat confident third week in with my super simple French conversations, boom, we packed up and flew to Spain. Super thankful sixth child is French fluent, and four of our other kids can speak Spanish. Me, not so much, and definitely felt challenged and my brain had to work overtime.
Three weeks in the south of France surrounded by all of our kids, pure heaven, husband and I would go back in a heartbeat.
French dress, French handbag
While packing I threw in my one and only Chanel ready-to-wear piece, this dress I wore last summer for oldest daughter’s country-side wedding reception. Danced all night and put myself to bed, still wearing the dress. The next morning, I slipped it off, probably dropped it on the floor, and maybe the next day hung it on a hanger. There it hung, no steaming no cleaning until I just recently popped it in a large zip-lock bag and stuck it on the top layer of my case. Good clothes don’t need to be precious; I believe they are meant to be worn, loved, enjoyed.
Thinking I’ve got a pretty decent handle on French clothes and food, really need to spend some time concentrating on the language. Oldest son did some Spotify podcasts while driving before traveling, and he was spot on.
Now that I’ve waxed on about adding color, getting back to basics with a men’s white cotton button down shirt and wide-legged washed denim.
white shirt, white denim, white bag
Our house here in Provence while absolutely beautiful has spotty to no internet, and we have to leave the property to get any kind of service at all. No complaints, simply living our best French life.
Three days ago, while traveling to Ménerbes France we stopped roadside to photograph this fantastic field of poppies, I adore single color floral arrangements, and this was beyond.
blue painted shutters, white jacket
For the day-trip I wore black denim and tank, a silk hair scarf as a belt, and a white fringed jacket. It was okay, didn’t feel out of place yet didn’t feel the best. Travel is tough, you want to look good and like you fit in. Picking the right stuff to bring can cause anxiety.
All black always works for day of travel and layers up the success rate. You never know when and where you might find yourself.
on the road with this crew for four weeks
This trip we will be on the road for four weeks plus, so the packing thing was a big deal. First stop Spain, daughter and I packed two small bags. For the France leg we had two large bags sent via luggagefree.com and they were at the house when we arrived, genius. The two large bags were split between five of us, me, husband, and three of four daughters. We will ship them out ahead of our departure in mid-June to lighten up what we carry day of travel home.
all about blue
always inspired by blue and white
Back to the wardrobe: while walking about Ménerbes we took photos of this beautiful blue sports car. I love the blue and grey paint tones of the shutters and the limestone on the streets and the buildings. In this wide world of color why do I so often wear black?
While working black works, I’m surrounded by rails of garments in all different color stories and the focus is on helping my clients find what they should wear where, and I can’t be distracted by what’s on my body, I want to blend in.
Same with day of travel because I consider that work too. Getting to a place dependent on others means I want to blend in and not be distracted as well. Not in a haphazard or unthought of way, the black denim and the black sweater are usually pretty nice, and I always wear good enough shoes.
It’s in the countryside and the resort towns where I long for more color. For me black is default, and there’s so much more out there.
Two days ago, we went to Saint-Rémy, the village where Van Gogh had himself institutionalized for over a year. If I couldn’t wear color, there I’ve definitely lost my way.
greens and bluestrying out color
Went out on a limb and pulled from the case khaki green skinny jeans, a blue floral linen blouse, and a blue cashmere V-neck sweater. The blues didn’t match, that was the point.
buying asparagus, apricots, and cherriesmarket daymama and daughtersbought this blue ring from her, 20 euros
It was market day, and there was a woman with two young girls. She was selling jewelry of her design, from the back of her van. I bought a blue ring. I’m always inspired by women working alongside of their kids. I asked her if I could take her picture and she smiled and said yes.
So here in France I’m thinking about clothes and thinking about color. Travel makes you do new things.
Sure, we’re traveling, and one day runs into the next, never really ever knowing what day or time it is. I do know it was Memorial Day weekend, and had I been stateside I would have planted a zillion red geraniums to get the house & garden ready for summer 19, all the while giving thanks and thinking of those who served. This year we’re going for bold crimson red, last year it was all about white, black and shades of blue, all kind of patriotic. Love being able to switch up the mood with annuals.
red white and blue
As for the wardrobe, some things are perennials, like a good dress and coat. These photos were taken a few weeks ago by the husband, we had a fancy wine tasting dinner to go to. Both pieces are closet classics and have been around for a while. The white knit dress, Missoni, was a Christmas gift from him four years ago, bought in San Francisco CA. The navy coat, one of my favorite pieces from my time with Worth New York, comes in and out of the rotation and always feels timeless, classic, and fresh when brought out again.
The block heeled sandal, Gucci, I think maybe three seasons old now, absolutely love, and with cost per wear factored in along with mobility and stability from the solid heel, definitely a sound purchase. Red, navy, gold.
As a stylist I’m feeling more about clothes that go the distance, and ones that you can build a history with. I know at times we all love a quick little fashion fix and can get tempted by fast fashion, it’s really the pieces that endure we should spend our time and money on, just saying.
Now in Eygalières, and we’re settling in to life in the French countryside.
our very own gardenpool with a viewmorning coffee spotvery early morninghome base
First morning I took these photographs of the garden before anyone else was awake, and then did an hour of exercise, it was divine.
rolled neutralsbought a khaki green tablecloth and napkins in St. Remy and cut white roses from the garden.
Of course, I’m up to my usual, buying linens and candles, and these I picked up in nearby Saint Rémy. I was undecided between the khaki green or a very soft pink, and at the end chose the khaki, I guess if you look at my case of rolled clothes it all makes sense.
youngest of the bunch, she’s pretty good at speaking Frenchboth wearing a variation of florals
We are now a party of six and expected four more to come. Summer holiday in Provence, the light is absolutely brilliant.
Oh, packing and what to wear. A safe bet is a dress, and a sweater. I like to now wear a sneaker with a dress.
hotel lobby in Madrid Spain
It’s taken years to get here, wearing a sneaker with a dress, and now it feels right. This dress is a two-year-old, or is it three, DVF. The print sometimes makes me nervous, yet a black dress with a black sweater might be severe. The sneaker is by Golden Goose. I was first intrigued with this brand when in NYC while shopping at Barneys probably five years ago. Kind of loved the vintage look but at that time I always wanted new. Again, it’s taken years to get here too, wearing and loving something that looks and feels aged. Kind of think I better get used to that, hello wrinkled face.
I like to spend a lot of time on my feet and when traveling pack as light as possible. My clothes have to be multi-purpose. Footwear is the biggest deal, and I think a pair of boots in really any location is a good choice. I wear them on the plane and pull them out when the weather is cold or inclement or simply when I need to feel grounded.
A black V-neck sweater (first choice cashmere for softness and comfort) is a must have, I’ve been on the go for five days and this one has seen probably ten wears, maybe more, as sometimes it’s off and on all day long.
Black silk camisole takes up no space at all and can go it alone or be a layering piece.
We’re prepping to leave town for a month, heading to a writing camp in Spain and then three weeks in France. I’ve known this trip was on the horizon, of course doing all kinds of stuff severely last minute and will for certain leave some things undone, whatever. Not much hotel action happening, my second […]
