March 2019 • Every Day Dress by Rebecca Collins

day 4

Running a little behind here yet self-employed and self-published so I’m the only one losing any sleep over this, big huge problem.

*won’t these look better than denim on warm summer days?*

In the interim I have found the summer pant: intricate textured stretch jacquard Italian style pant in yarn-dyed stretch cotton in an on-trend plaid and stripe combination. Tried them on in the studio with twenty-six-year-old daughter, she loved them too, added them to doctor client’s order this morning, and placed my order this afternoon. Thinking these are the perfect dress-up run-around version of denim pants that I default too way too often. These are 76% cotton, 20% polyamide, and 4% elastane, giving them incredible wear and ease. I’ll pair them with a white blouse or tee and navy cashmere something, crew or cardigan if needed.

What I was really wearing as it’s still cold was a navy cashmere turtleneck hello late March, current favorite camo jeans, black scarf, black coat, and combat boots. All wardrobe classics and things that will hang around. The coat is Celine from before Phoebe left, and the scarf is Fendi from before Karl passed, both gifts from husband, and both things I’ll keep and wear until threadbare.

We ate out that night at Billy Club, and I had market salad as you can never have enough green things and Bolognese as I make it often and am constantly trying to improve it, therefore trying it wherever it is served. Chef added rosemary, thyme, and a bit of lemon, three aromatics I’ve never tried. House made tagliatelle pasta was divine. Started with a tequila Three Stacks cocktail because I’m kind of wondering just how much wine I can drink…. It was a great meal and a fun night out.

Every day dress: clothes, fun plaid pants and kind of all black, food: dinner out at Billy Club.

Day 4, check.

food style at any age

day three

*satin olive pant, dark olive jersey shell*

I’m working trunk the entire upcoming month of April, minus a getaway to celebrate Easter and maybe a quick trip to Florida. Working trunk means being with women one to one in my downtown studio surrounded by 300+ pieces of luxury clothing items and helping them find styles that they love. This has been the professional piece of my life for almost nineteen years now.

Most women love having help in the dressing room. I think deep down we all have a need for affirmation in how we present ourselves to the outside world. For sure the clothes we wear speak about who we are, where we are, and where we’re going. As a stylist I help women refine their message with what they wear. I’ve been doing it forever, it’s always evolving, and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it. It’s in my DNA.

Wear good clothes, eat good food, love those around you.

Most days I’m in jeans and a tee, this is where I’m truly most comfortable, and as a creative it’s a look I can do. At the studio I tried on a pair of easy flowing satin and reverse satin pants in on-trend olive green with a little fitted jersey shell from the summer 19 collection, these two items definitely upgrade the denim and tee look.

*meatballs in watery tomato sauce, whatever*

Before I leave for the day, I like to have dinner prepped or planned out, it simply makes me feel good and gives me a sense of calm knowing what I’m feeding those I love. Yesterday it was meatballs in tomato sauce. Sauce was a little watery on the plate, whatever, we had five at the table, nobody complained.

Every day dress: clothes: olive green, food: meatballs.

Day three, check.

food style at any age

day two

Back to work day, of course a column of black.

*in a pan put some onions, garlic, tomatoes, garbanzo beans , and top top with poached eggs. Greens, always a good idea. And cheese.*

Onions, garlic, tomatoes, and garbanzo beans all sautéed up and topped with poached eggs gave a good start to the day. There was some cream cheese stirred in there.

*shopping list for dinner etc., toilet paper trumps all, or ketchup?*

Dinner came calling, and I gave a good try to this month’s cover of Food & Wine Italian Spring Garganelli with Speck, Peas, and Scallion Cream. Had to make some substitutions, speck got held up in customs, so I went with prosciutto. Couldn’t find the exact noodle, so went with another bronze die extruded noodle, extruded versus rolled is what I spent so much time online in culinary school for to simply learn the difference. The difference is big, once you go for extruded pasta you might not go back.

One thing I know, if you are into cooking you never regret time in the kitchen.

Every day dress, clothes: all black, food: eggs and pasta.

Day two, check. Nothing linked, sorry.

day one

I have a bad habit of making things harder than they need be. Here we go with day one and I’m supposed to post twice a day and maybe to Instagram stories and I still haven’t totally figured that out yet and supposedly it’s super easy so I’m going all old school with photos from the camera.

*just the beginning, needed to just start…*

It was Sunday, and the day before husband and I drove to buy pansies by the dozens as I just can’t wait for spring. Planted most of those pansies in pots on the terrace and cooked up this month’s Food & Wine Italian Spring inspired Stewed Chicken Legs and Thighs with Fresh Herbs and Olives, Sautéed Chicories with Chile Oil, and Pear Crostata.

*stewed chicken never really takes a good photo*

*plated up with the salad it looks a little bit better, it was really delicious*

*pear crostata, burned the first go-round, had to dump it*

Really didn’t know what Chicories were, and now I do: Chicories are closely related to lettuces, but heartier and with a bitter edge. Cool weather crops that come into season in late fall (and last in temperate climates through early spring), chicories provide a lot of flavor to seasonal fall and winter meals. Thank you to The Spruce Eats. I guess I sort of did because Food & Wine didn’t specify radicchio and I picked that up at market anyways.

*peonies and ranunculus, $3.50 a bloom from the grocery*

Planting and cooking took most of the day, also got in a long walk and some yard clean-up. Outfit of the day was denim on denim and vintage Bogner ski jacket.

Day one, check.

food lifestyle

twenty-one-day challenge

*black Eres swimwear, photo by @maxyny*
*Eres swimwear, absolute favorite*

I’ve been here, there, and everywhere, not really sure where to really land. Is it food, or clothes, or style, or simply life?

I used to be pretty fearless and fairly consistent with what we would throw up on social media, particularly the blog here, and now fearless the word is one of our zillion passwords yet not how I’m currently operating.

Anyways, I’ve been keeping on, kind of walking the walk, for sure making the bed, showing up, getting dressed, making dinner. No real blog record, we kind of got lost in the weeds, and that happens.

For sure I have goals, and I’ve been asked to write a mission statement, as I’ve called in some professionals for a bit of an overhaul. So here goes wear good clothes, eat great food, love those around you. Pretty simple, yet it took years to get here, with roundabouts all over. If pressed, and honest, my ultimate goal would be to write a book.

Williams Media, the professionals on board, have also challenged me to get back to the basic premise here at every day dress with a three-week posting schedule, Monday through Friday, of what I’m wearing and what I’m eating. Writing and photos all about clothes and food! If I had one last day on this very sweet earth, I would so want to be wearing a really good outfit while enjoying a really fine meal, heaven on earth, I love you all.

*starched white shirt, really a city thing, yet wore it boating, sleeves rolled up*

You see, when you’re running on empty the probably best way to refuel is to be solidly consistent. I’ve been challenged, and I just might fail, so be it. In the meantime, I’m going with daily outfit looks as I’m all about clothes, and daily food pics as I’m really at the heart of it all about clothes and food, and not necessarily in that order.

Williams Media, challenge accepted.

*lunch at Cabbage Key, Dolce & Gabbana phone case (last year’s version, similar here), Oliver Peoples sunglasses, Stella beer 🙂*

*started with the raw bar, and maybe there was a second Stella*

*I **always go with house special**, here you see Famous Black Beans & Rice with Blackened Mahi-Mahi*

*frozen key lime pie did not stand a chance*

Every day dress, twenty-one-day challenge. If you too love clothes and food, come on along for the ride, should be fun. xoxo

ps. does this count? hyper-linked clothes and accessories and food.

food lifestyle travel

white things and grilled cheese

*how about this white and black outdoor seating arrangement?*
*we visited Restoration Hardware Tampa yesterday, this is upstairs outside on their 4th floor*

It’s Monday and we heard it’s snowing again up northeast and we’re wondering what to write on the blog that might inspire, so we’re going with some year-round classic basics, white things, and grilled cheese sandwiches.

*making grilled cheese in cast iron with cast iron press wearing white denim, sliver tank, camisole straps are okay, it’s a good one*

*good olive oil and balsamic are always on hand….and butter is love*

*white* *denim, silver tank, black scarf, simple makeup, rooftop at The Canopy at the Birchwood, downtown St. Pete’s*

We love white denim twelve months a year, and grilled cheese. Here we added spinach to get those greens in and sliced figs to a simple green salad. We always love a tank; white, black, or even silver.

*grilled cheese on sour dough, mixed greens with figs*
*new votives I picked up at Restoration Hardware outlet*

White flowers are also are go-to. Husband and daughter are convinced these ruffled tulips are past their prime yet I’m holding on. Wrinkles and imperfection have got to be okay.

*white tank, same white denim, tweed duster*

*white on white and sorry some of these images are huge, remember cottage industry here and can’t figure out how to resize, eye roll…*

White denim and tweed from Carlisle | Per Se, heading back to work trunk show later this week.

Every day dress, white things and grilled cheese, our favorites. xoxo

food lifest style style at any age

a pinstriped dress

*my current day after day dress | Carlisle / Per Se*

If I could I might spend forever living in the Italian countryside wearing only clothes by Brunello Cucinelli, cooking and eating pasta with family and dear friends all the while drinking Brunello di Montalcino.

For now (or the month of March) I’ll live and be in Saint Petersburg FL, work and plan for upcoming trunk show, cook and eat pasta, maybe drink a beer, and perhaps gift my husband with a cashmere sweater or two, because I always borrow. Husband’s cashmere sweaters from Cucinelli are always the best.

Every day dress and a great pinstriped dress. xoxo

lifestyle style style at any age

stop and go

*honestly have no idea how he captures that car by camera*

*black, white and shades of blue, kind of our all time favorite combo*

*I’ve never seen so many tires: all over the place and they changed those things in like less than 2 seconds*

Family spent a hot minute at Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this past weekend. Sharing with you photos by creative son, as he’s shy to show his good work. Clicking on the link will bring you to next year’s fun and games 2020.

Super fun. Young kids and most wore shorts. I went for more coverage, camo jeans, blouse, and boots on Saturday, dress and sandals on Sunday. Jeans and boots felt best.

If you like what you see, you can find more of his work on Instagram @maxyny.

Every day dress, stop and go.

indycar

Dear Karl (Mr. Lagerfeld),

*new lipstick, #490 LOVER, and Chanel brooch I bought for Caroline’s wedding*

You took creative control of the House of Chanel in 1983, the year I graduated public high school, age seventeen. Honestly, I had no idea who you were, and really didn’t know the brand either. That was their plan, you were brought in to resurrect all that Coco did before, and you did.

BAM, at eighteen I wanted a bag, and at nineteen I bought lipsticks, the only part of the brand I could afford. On my lunchbreak from work I would walk to the department store when department stores were still a thing, put down a day’s pay for that tube of color with the interlocking double C’s. Oh, how I felt fancy.

Fast forward marriage, and kids, and I still wanted a bag. Now I can’t even remember how I got it, the classic black 2.55. It had a separate lipstick pocket in that gorgeous dark red leather interior, genius! A little impractical, where was I going, and I usually had diapers. I had to have that bag. It started a thing for me, collecting bags. They were like jewels, a piece of art, a thing to acquire, a Chanel bag was the ultimate.

Over the years I watched you from afar, the man and the legend. Chanel ready to wear was fantasy, and haute couture out of this world. I would buy bags, and shoes, and makeup, and those accessories gave me access to that rarified French air.

I remember you going on a diet, that was when I too was all about diets, and you lost a zillion pounds, 93 to be exact, so that you could wear the look and the clothes you held in regard, Hedi Slimane. We are all mere mortals, I suppose.

A decade goes by, and now four daughters are all about bags too. What is it about a Chanel handbag? High-end luxury. By carrying a luxury bag, we can easily identify (forget about the mortgage payment) with a luxury brand. Share with the world our supreme good taste, however simply symbiotic that may seem.

That first 2.55 has been re-furbished at The Leather Spa and passed onto the babe of the family, Mimi. Your legend lives on in the arms of my eighteen-year-old.

Mr. Lagerfeld, you the multi-hyphenate; creative director, fashion designer, artist, photographer, and caricaturist, worked into your 85^thyear. You could be critical, who really calls Adele out? Yet your uncompromising pursuit of excellence made things like that seem somehow forgivable.

Mr. Lagerfeld, like that first long-ago bag I had to have it was you that I wanted to wear for our family’s first wedding. Your waterfall collection was unveiled October 3, 2017, I was completely mesmerized.

Look number 57 of 90, oh, it was you. Husband and I traveled to San Francisco last June and at the Chanel Union Square I found you. Not you exactly Mr. Lagerfeld, but your dress, your design. My very first piece of Chanel ready-to-wear, it was completely transforming.

I’ll never forget how great I felt, wearing that dress, that August afternoon.

Thank you for creating so much of what modern women aspire to. Thank you for creating things of beauty, and dreams. Your Fall 2019 Collection was unveiled yesterday, posthumously. Your work will forever be in our hearts, and with a little luck, a lot of determination, and a large amount of bank, in our arms, and on our bodies.

Rest in peace, Mr. Lagerfeld, and thank you.

Yours truly,

Rebecca, and every day dress.

style

some simple things

*Alfresco pasture-raised Vital Farms eggs, Italian washed linen napkins*

*farmers market fresh flowers in brown paper*

*farmers market haul from Saturday morning*

*no salad spinner yet, hand washed the greens and wrapped them in dish towels to store in the fridge*

*vegetables, up close and personal. our goal is to incorporate them in all meals, 3 times a day*
*sometimes a chocolate croissant wins 🙂*

Even when we’re home away from home we keep our routine pretty much the same. Eggs, the best we can get our hands on, fresh flowers, farmers market vegetables, white denim and a black tank. These are some of our tried and true.

*these jeans are pretty see through so I cut front pockets out and sewed the seam closed*
*I also hemmed them just above the ankle, showing a slash of skin*

Simple style notes: white denim is best with a seasonal refresh. Sure, we can wear last year”s pair, it simply feels better when they are new. Last years white’s can do the dog walk and the garden tour. The pair you see here I cut the front pockets out and stitched the seam closed. It’s a cleaner look, especially if you don’t like to distract the eye with funny pocket linings that you can invariably see when wearing white denim.

Happy Monday, some simple things, and every day dress. xoxo

food lifestyle style at any age