Winding down a long weekend can feel bittersweet: teenaged children scattered here and there, they have some of their own night-time plans now, and oldest son in DC and haven’t heard a word. Oldest daughter home for the weekend NYC based flying out to San Francisco first thing Tuesday, and second daughter and second son have their own lives now too.

So, husband and I wound it down by hopping in the car and driving out to ski country for dinner with friends and hill-side orchestra music and fireworks.

Two new fashion items in the rotation: Laurence Dacade boots and Tom Ford lipstick. If I could I would buy everything of both, all her shoes and all his lipsticks. Laurence Dacade, Parisian shoemaker, and a beautiful woman, says of fashion, ‘There is no need to suffer for beauty.’ Bought those boots a month or two ago and wore them for the first time last night. Slipped them on barefoot and good to go. And Tom Ford? Well, he needs no introduction. Thank you Tony Walker & Co. for picking up his makeup line.

 

 

Laurence Dacade Belen Leather Ankle Boots | MÓDA ÓPERANDI

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte | 06 | Flame

Every day dress, winding it down, hoping everyone had a good weekend.

As family, friends and lovers all do over long weekends, we’ve been making it a party ever since the kids have been babies. What used to be red white and blue beach blast all six in matching outfits with candy filled pinatas, is now a food & wine fest come as you are out in the country.

It’s pretty much down to a science: don’t think about it all until the day of yet invite everyone you’re fond. Hit the city market first thing in the morning before anyone else is up to tuck in supplies. Start prepping like crazy, make six scratch pie crusts and send entire family and two dogs out to the site. Trim and marinate a bunch of chicken, spice rub five racks of ribs. Double up the mac and cheese, one with lobster, one without.

Hit the country house dressed and running and roll out the crusts. Fill and bake, five in at once. Put favorite brother-in-law on grill duty and second son on ribs. Pour wine generously. Take the five pies out (not quite baked yet) and slide in the all the mac and cheese. Assemble bean salad. Dinner is taking a little longer than planned so to fill time have everyone take a walk for a free-form group shot. It’s kind of like an orchestra, when you make it a party you get to conduct, how great is that.

 

 

 

Put it all on the table, then slide the five pies back in. Everyone eats, and then whip the cream.

Dessert is served, and at about dusk have everyone pile into cars to head over the hill for local firework spectacular. Gorgeous day.

Wishing everyone a safe and sacred Independence Day. xoxo

Every day dress, make it a party. Love and peace.

 

For the weekend, why not celebrate our independence and wear a riot of pattern and print. A little stripe never hurt nobody.

Everyone loves a little stripe, so pull it out, put it on, and have a good and safe 4th.

Changed out of the skirt before heading downtown, that’s a sample and for sale.

We’ll be driving to the country house bright and early, and cooking ribs, chicken, mac and cheese and blueberry pie for about thirty plus.

Nicole, that striped skirt has your name all over it. Wore it for the blog shot only. Scarf as halter? That one’s mine and I’ll be wearing it to cook in all day long, shows nothing, arms are free.

We’ve been doing private wardrobing even during these first days of summer. Party season has just begun, what are you all wearing and cooking?

 

 

Women all over probably change clothes several times a day to meet the day’s agenda. These work clothes here we’ve collected and have had for years, the play clothes below are this season’s trend so let’s wear those with abandon. Wore both these outfits first day of July. Same shoe and bag, same lip color, keeping it bright with absolutely no eye makeup at all for the summertime.

Every day dress, work to play. Need to tag this stuff, Alexa, come back from Africa, miss you, need you. (Citizens of Humanity, Worth New York, Hermes, Wolford).

So simple style tip, invest in work cloths and wear when needed, pick up play clothes and wear with abandon. 🙂