Yeah, every time I travel, I buy a new pair of jeans. Always searching for the next best pair thinking they will somehow make life better. This time it was Mother, a high rise and an extra wide leg because you know about those extra wide legs. These are a little tight, probably could have […]
Continue readingPicked up two blue dresses while traveling: one from (shocker) Brooks Brothers, $118, and one from more of my go-to label Zimmerman. Sure, I shop around. Posting from my iPhone on last beach day, tomorrow back up north and back on brand and back working trunk. Every day dress, two blues. xoxo
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We’re still down south, heading north in a day or so, and if there is any place to add more color to your wardrobe it’s most certainly in a resort location. I’ve been so tempted to pick up some Lily, just haven’t done it yet. These shots were taken quickly before we left town, with […]
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Last Mother’s Day weekend we were in NYC doing wedding shower things and four daughters gifted me with some beauty things from Bluemercury. One of the products was a divine lip balm from La Mer. I absolutely loved it as it gave just the slightest hint of soft pink color, moisturized and conditioned, and gave […]
Continue readingCame for the weekend, staying for twelve plus or so. Husband says every day can be a Saturday, not quite there yet. We’ve been checked in at downtown Greenville SC Springhill Suites, and have yet to ride those cool retro bikes. Peloton yes, every morning in the hotel gym, and outdoor steps 12,000+. Bought a […]
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So, a few nights ago spent way too long in the closet packing for spontaneous weekend getaway. I decided very last minute to join husband for trip to see third daughter’s college theatre performance. That was Thursday for early morning Friday flight. Once in Charlotte connecting flight delayed, so we simply decided to rent a car to get there in time. Ended up packing the usual, two dresses, a black sweater, white jeans, black jeans, grey tee. Wore the usual, black silk blouse, blue denim, trench, it was raining. Packing drives me absolutely crazy. The ridiculous thing is that it always comes down to the exact same stuff. I’ve been asked repeatedly to do a packing post, and not sure why I hesitate. I guess it’s just that I dread the whole ordeal, and sharing the process seems so very personal. I get it done, and most always in a carryon, yet I sit on the floor and wonder why oh why. Once I get on the plane all is fine, it’s just throwing stuff in the bag that freaks me out.
While on said plane, I did a complete virtual wardrobe overhaul. Kind of fun as it’s just virtual and you can delete items at will. In the cart were wide leg white linen pants, and black cotton straight leg trousers, thinking and knowing I will totally hit send on those two.
Transitioning between seasons can leave gaps in the wardrobe for sure, and that closet sit-down when trying to get out of town was no fun at all. Pants are the hardest thing to get right. They require try-ons and most often some alterations. I think if you find some you love, buy in multiples.
Every time I travel, I buy a new pair of jeans, always trying to get them right. I have stacks of jeans.
In the meantime, here are some photos of my current other favorite pair, shot by my son, and of course paired with white stretch cotton blouse.
For the show wore black jeans and black silk blouse with white scarf, so very original. The Furman Theatre production of John Proctor is the Villain, a new play by Kimberly Belflower, was outstanding, and so relevant to the world around us. I laughed, cried, and was emphatically moved, in all three two hours runs. Here’s a screen grab of some of the cast, our Elizabeth second from left. She too likes to wear black. 🙂
Every day dress, clothes: plaid pants, white blouse, navy tweed cardigan, and need/want new pants.
Day eighteen, maybe. It’s now Monday, was supposed to fly out yesterday, that flight cancelled, and today’s flight cancelled too so who knows. One day runs into another, check.
Wow, putting yourself out there in the social stratosphere can feel pretty overwhelming at times. Even on the best of days there’s second guessing. On hard days it’s really hard. Talked with my twenty-six-year-old daughter this morning and she said ‘mom, I delete my Instagram app now Monday to Friday simply so I can focus on getting done what I need to get done. Then on the weekend it’s just that much more fun to kind of scroll through and catch up with everyone’. I say smart girl.
Are our lives really that interesting? Is there oversharing? Where’s the line? And what about me posting pictures of myself? Crazy!
Anyways, here is where we are, and this is what I do so moving forward. I sell clothes. I style clothes. I wear and style clothes. I wear clothes to sell clothes so therefore the posting. Sometimes all I want to do is wear old jeans and my kids’ old college hoodies, and I do. I also believe women feel better when wearing better clothes. We can do better work when we feel good in our skin. I think we all can spend way too many hours staring into our closets wondering what to wear and I try and help with that.
These photos were taken by my second son and he too has a fear of sharing, and he’s in the very social generation. He documents trips and moments and life with his camera and for all of us it’s like pulling teeth for us to see his work. I try and tell him, ‘progress, not perfection’. I think it’s slowly working. Moving forward with one small step at a time, even when that one step can feel so overwhelming, bring you to your knees, or maybe even a complete standstill.
So here I am, wearing clothes from my current trunk show, photographed by my son, and he shared his work. Inside I’m smiling.
The outfit is a riff on uniform dressing, army greens. Some of my clients would object as the colors aren’t exact. I’m okay with it. The voile blouse has soft jersey insets and an edgy concealed zipper front. I think this is genius for women that have trouble with blouses, no gaping and pulling like you can get with a buttoned placket. The pants have front and back pockets, light gold hardware. Most of us love a column of black to get out the door, this combo just edges the look up a bit. Shoes are old Gucci, and love the block heel, so much better for on-the-go.
Besides selling and styling clothes I like to cook. The other night was scratch chicken noodle soup. No photo, camera battery dead. It’s got to get warmer out there soon.
Every day dress, clothes: dark olive on olive, food: scratch chicken noodle soup.
Day seventeen, moving forward, and check.
Trunk show now through Monday, April 29th.
In an effort to minimize, so far to go with that concept, for new house down south furnished in a flash I stuck with a color palate of white, grey, and dark brown, or one of my favorite words chocolate. Mostly white and grey, and we moved fast.
At Rooms to Go we picked up two white leather pieces, a sofa and a loveseat. The rest of the haul came from Restoration Hardware, and not embarrassed to say Restoration Hardware Outlet. Husband likes to move fast, no time to wait for special orders.
First night in the new house we slept on a mattress on the floor, and second daughter Booie slept on a yoga mat on the floor. In a land of plenty it was fun in a weird strange way. Booie and I also spent a night with no power, and that was fun too. Candlelight and early to bed.
Kind of like building a wardrobe based on a cohesive color story, furnishing this place with limited choice made it so much easier to make decisions. Of course, you always need to mix things up or throw in a curve ball, hence the Hermes orange cushions for outdoor seating area. Really like that little pop in what is otherwise Zen-like and serene.
Today’s work outfit was tone on tone too. Black cashmere V-neck, black leather skirt, soft white scarf, taupe suede boots, keeping it all in the same family made it so much easier to get out the door.
Every day dress, clothes: neutrals, interiors: mostly grey and white, food: Prosecco in the office and take-out for dinner.
Day 10, check.
Started the day in the pool at 5:30 am for lap swim, something I’m uncomfortable with yet I know is good for me and feels incredibly good when done. Followed that wet half mile with an hour of spin (including very hard push-ups) and try to get that double session in once a week. Other days its Tracy Anderson or maybe walking lunges and sit-ups or maybe even just walking. It’s a good day when that MyMotiv ring circles in at 16,000+.
Went for the annual physical and passed, with pretty good marks. Had some problems with the close-up eye screen hahaha and the nurse practitioner told me I could use my readers and then we were just fine. I honestly think that good health is closely related with making your bed, wearing good clothes, and eating good food.
Tomorrow I’m meeting again with Williams Media for another go-round of blog overhaul and marketing talk. They too are making me uncomfortable, yet like those laps in the pool it’s a very good thing. Have I used the word ‘good’ too many times? Posting to Instagram Stories twice a day is where I’m not passing. 🙂
Anyways, today I was all about black leather jeans with a little kick at the hem, a striped cashmere ‘jumper’ like by blog crush Alyson Walsh of That’s Not My Age would call my sweater, and a good pair of sneakers. If you don’t know of her jump on over to her here by clicking on this link: That’s Not My Age. Her post today about what to keep and what to chuck so timely with the city house cleaning overhaul going on. She also wrote a few books, her most recent ‘Know Your Style‘.
In these photos here I most definitely know my style: jeans and knits and sneakers forever, whatever the textile may be. We should all get and be and feel comfortable with what we wear.
Every day dress, clothes: leather and cashmere, food: leftovers, ha!. 🙂
Day 8, or is it 9? check. xoxo
Last summer husband and I basically Marie Kondo’d the country house, nothing like having an on-site wedding to get you going, and now I’m feeling the urge to purge city-side too.
We were a family of eight living hard and large with kids doing all kinds of sports and activities. Most of them are launched, two come home this summer from college.
We built our house from the ground up and it was brand spanking new when we moved in. Like most things after fifteen years I’m feeling its age, and well-loved wear. I can’t do a complete overhaul, completely out of the question, so I’m taking whole days and some whole weekends and doing a clean-sweep.
It’s me doing the work, and it’s okay, and therapeutic. Started with the fridge and pantry because of course that gives immediate results. Clean fridge lends a cleaner mind. Actually, those are the first two things I organize when home from a trip. Kept on cleaning and last night I even washed down walls.
As for style when working at home I’m all about a favorite pair of blue jeans, these are boyfriend style, can’t really get on the high-rise kick, a tank for when it gets hot, and simple, easy cashmere pieces.
Every day dress, clothes: denim and knits, food: took my mom out to dinner.
Day 7, check!