on four letter words

When the mood strikes and usually among the same blood line, we here at every day dress can throw down four letter words with the best of them. You won’t see them digitally, in print, and hopefully never hear them at the dinner table.

IMG_1073IMG_1068

That said, there are some four letter words we just love and use regularly: food, real and good food; and wine, usually good wine and often enough fine wine. Butter counts too as we kind of weirdly believe that butter is love.

A couple four letter words it’s taken us about 49 years to get over: diet, lose. Those have occupied way too much head space and have never gotten us to any good place. Still get sucked in, loving fashion and great clothes always makes you want to be thinner, those two words just always lead down the wrong path. While clothes invariable look better on stick thin women, it’s so much more fun to embrace lifestyle too and know that undressed women perhaps look and feel better with a few well deserved curves.

As recently as 18 months ago 35-year-old male trainer that put me through really heavy weight training workouts knew my desperation with always wanting to drop 10 pounds or so. He recommended the banana diet. Yes, 30 freaking bananas a day. Being a believer in all things  actually tried it for about an hour and a half on a cold winter day while out skiing with the family. Result? Disaster and four letter words, not the good ones like real food and good wine, but the rough ones hurled out at two teenaged daughters when getting on the chair lift on a crisp beautiful morning was more complicated than usual. Way to set a good example. Those four letter words were so not right and were set up by some unrealistic diet plan. That banana thing I think was the turning point. Never again. Took that chair lift up, skied down the mountain, and fueled the body with what it needed and one of the paradigms of every day dress: eat some protein at breakfast.

Fashion and fitness magazines always have ways for us lose, diet, or move ourselves down a couple of dress sizes and they always promise it will happen fast. Now even the really good ones like Town & Country and Harper’s Bazaar have entered the email feed with ways to lose. While obesity is a huge health problem in our country and heartbreaking to see in children, that’s an entirely different conversation than what you’ll find here. We’re talking about moving our bodies as much as we can, walking over driving, stairs over anything that requires power to get you up or down, and knowing that life is abundant and setting yourself up with wishful restrictions is not much fun.

Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food is a slim book that’s kept on the nightstand to circle back to when the pull to believe in some magical diet plan or how to lose weight fast comes calling again as it does and will. His premise is sound: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

idof-3

Every day dress on four letter words, yes, sometimes it’s just the best way to express yourself, and usually only among intimates. On our favorite four letter words, food and wine? Yes, and often, and probably for both like Mr. Pollan says, not too much. 🙂

IMG_1094

Still in CA, heading back east tomorrow, Sunday, and jumping right back into helping women look and feel great with beautiful clothing. Trunk Show August 6th through August 13th.

IMG_1113

Wishing everyone a great weekend with some good, real food. And, if you like, some good wine too.

 

a rebel again

IMG_1015
IMG_1005 IMG_1011 IMG_1014 IMG_1026

When something works, let’s do it again. Clients sometimes say to me I’m not adding one more thing to my wardrobe that’s black. And you know what? We usually end up adding more black, or navy, or any other neutral they think they might be tired of. Updating your wardrobe with fresh pieces of what’s come and worked before can help keep the good mood and positive feeling going.

We’ve been traveling the CA coastline. Yesterday bought two things: yet another pair of white jeans and a new Canon EOS Rebel SL1 camera. The white jeans are a total wardrobe staple and will keep going into the fall. Always great to have a fresh pair and these are a slim boyfriend cut. The camera? The trusty old Rebel just decided it was time to quit. Just could not get that shutter to work consistently and after doing due diligence and even consulting the camera experts, took the plunge and bought a new one. Camera expert and I agreed that staying with what worked before, the Rebel, and simply updating, life would be easier, quicker, and better looking.

A good outfit, with many of the elements remaining the same, fresh white jeans, black sweater, silk scarf, bright bag, and walkable boots, is much like a good camera. Dependable and consistent results, until we need to do it again.

Every day dress, a rebel again.

sometimes a collar

IMG_8545IMG_8561IMG_8557It’s summertime and the living is easy. Spontaneous invites crop up, and we all like to live and dress casual. Sometimes a collar says we’re so happy to be here and so happy for the invite.

Writing this post from central CA while the photos were taken in upstate New York. Totally camera and tech and internet challenged here so kind of have to rely on some of the old stuff. Fourth daughter says mom theres’ no way you can blog from in iPhone but now that’s the only game in town. Casual here, casual back east. Wherever you may be, sometimes a collar makes you look dressed.

Here at every day dress we’re delighted when we’re served. Steaks on the grill or peanut butter and jelly, we are happy, thank you.

Last pop-up invite wore a striped collared shirt with same day blue jeans. Other guests said ‘my, you like nice’.

Every day dress, sometimes a collar.

stay true

photo

Like most women towards the end of July, days can be filled with travel, family, family, and travel. Schedules are hard to nail down, and usually time is not our own, and the place you land at the end of the day is probably not either.

All great and wonderful stuff. One way to keep it feeling good is by staying true to what makes you work for yourself and others.

NYC was Wednesday and Thursday. Family wedding with kids and dates and overnight guests on Friday. First flight out to LAX Saturday morning. Hollywood CA Saturday and Sunday, oh boy. Now were in Santa Barbara and this guy just doesn’t sit still.

To keep carrying on gym workout first thing at the W hotel did the trick.

Love my man, love my family, love my life. Stay true to what makes you work for yourself and those you hold close.

Every day dress, stay true.

travel

Sometimes it’s that what we find challenging is that what makes us really grow. Life and work have picked up the travel calendar, six kids, almost can’t call them kids anymore, the four of them in big cities are really young adults, a husband that is restless, and growing a fashion business can kind make you be on the move.

Travel? Once you get there all is good. It’s the getting ready and getting out of dodge that’s the big work.

photo

Woke up Tuesday morning out in the country and really didn’t want to go anywhere at all. Got the virtual office thing down but when you’re wanted at the home base for laundry and dinner detail and then the next morning in NYC for work stuff you’ve just got to move.

photo

Put off the details by cooking sauce and meatballs the hottest day of all July. Then packed it in the car with the dogs and the gear to serve it up later. Somehow making dinner for the family makes everything else feel okay. You know that procrastination thing? Anything but the hard stuff and the hard stuff here was packing and going.

Did the dinner thing, went to bed, set the alarm, 3 am, got up and got out of dodge.

photophotophoto

Here’s the fashion details: white denim all the way, corporate trip yes but it is July. White denim dress for travel out on Wednesday with a black jacket. White denim jeans with kind of sexy black silk blouse for dinner Wednesday night, no photo, don’t we all dress for dinner? And white denim skirt and silk blouse and cashmere wrap for office meetings the next day it’s always cold when they crank the air conditioning.

Handbag above not really relevant to this post but thinking it is really gorgeous. 🙂

photo

Shoes were black. Black Aquazurra for travel, you can really walk anywhere in those and black low heeled boots for dinner out. Have resolved that any shoe that is worn or packed when traveling needs to be able to move in.

Eden, Buffalo, NYC. Next up, Saturday LAX.

Every day dress, travel.  What we find challenging is really what makes us grow.

 

 

group like things

IMG_8612

IMG_8613IMG_8616IMG_8620IMG_8622IMG_8626IMG_8631Friday night and we’re in the country and I’m hanging with my two youngest daughter’s, you know, group like things. 🙂

Worked all week with luscious Fall clothes and now it’s time to get away. Snapped these photos quick upon arrival before 45 minute hill walk with the dogs and here’s what I’m thinking: even though it’s so simple we are all so busy it’s sometimes so easy to let it go. Life is so much easier when you group like things.

Plants of one species like to hang together and look their best when grouped. Only took me 30 years to finally get the Portmeirion in one place all together and now it sits nicely out at the country house above the stove. Been kind of collecting that stuff since the age of nineteen, lots of breaks along the way.

Clients have told me all week that it’s tough to make sense of their wardrobe and they kind of forget sometimes what they have going on. Here’s the simple every day dress solution: group like things. That way you know if you need some new stuff to fill in the holes.

Every day dress, grouping like things, out in the country after a great long work week.

 

 

accessories and dinner

photo

Shameless self-promotion post: selfie of accessories during Fall Trunk Show. Dress is seasons old, belt and fur tried on from the new collection.

When at home always LOVE a good apron. 🙂 This belt looks great while being useful. Stashed the iPhone in the right zip pocket, plugged in the head-set, and there you go, hands free talking forever.

Popped the fur on, and while fur isn’t for everyone, this one has stretch, can you imagine fur with stretch? Genius.

Maybe wouldn’t wear them both at the same time, but maybe might.

photo 1photo 2photo 3photo 4

Worked off-site all day. Moms with older kids know this, moms with younger kids probably can’t yet imagine it: when you cook for others eventually they cook for you.

Second son made dinner tonight, soup to nuts, happy day.

Every day dress, accessories and dinner.

denim and linen

photo 3photo 4

photo 5

Since the age of about seven have had a love affair with denim. It’s got to be the quintessential American fabric.

Linen, in the summertime, is quintessential, as well.

Paired together, denim and linen, and you’ve got an easy and workable summertime look. Denim skirt and linen shirt, both in dark indigo. Skip the camisole underneath, its way too hot and instead do a lacy black bra, La Perla we like, and you’re good to go.

IMG_9749IMG_9750

Fashion note: while it’s fun to show a little lacy black bra underneath a sheer top, showing a white garment tag is not. Missed that, photos of your backside reveal details. White garment tag will be carefully snipped out.

Denim and linen, dressed up a little in an asymmetric skirt shape and dressed down in an easy linen shirt. Every day dress, on the streets of Boston MA, summertime 2014.

For a First Look at Fall, meet me at The Buffalo Club, Tuesday, July 15th through Friday, July 18th. Call text or email for your personal consultation. Personalized fashion for your distinct look and lifestyle is the best.

Rebecca | 716-445-3033| rcollins@worthnewyork.com.

Denim Skirt Linen Blouse | Worth New York

Sandal | Valentino

Bag | Louis Vuitton

photo 1

 

 

new hampshire for the weekend

photo 2photo 1IMG_9712IMG_9711

So much fun to fly away and then road trip for the weekend. Thought we needed some face time with two daughters living in Boston MA. Flew in late Friday afternoon, they picked us up, off we went, six of us, for some rest and relaxation, to Wentworth by the Sea Hotel and Spa.

photo 3

photo 5

The public and private gardens in New Castle NH were beautiful. Made me think briefly about what I do all day long in upstate New York, perhaps there’s more digging to be done. 🙂 Didn’t take many photos, only had the iPhone, and we were busy. 🙂

Wore this new pant shape, one of four daughters gave it the thumbs up. The oldest, she thought they were great, the three others not so much. Some things take time, right?

photo

Back to work tomorrow, Monday, with the Fall line and thinking this shape will be big. So many women love something new, why not luxurious leather culottes to kick off a new season?

photo

New Hampshire for the weekend, leather in upstate New York for the week ahead. You’ll find us at The Buffalo Club, Tuesday, July 14th through Friday, July 18th. Call text email, Rebecca, 716-445-3033, rcollins@worthnewyork.com.

 

savory and sweet

photo 1photo 2photo 4photo 5photo 1photo 2photo 3IMG_8605IMG_8610IMG_8608IMG_8607
At the eleventh hour husband asked for a spread for his political fundraiser held at his Buffalo office proper. He wanted to net for the candidate more than what was gifted so obviously we obliged.

Kept it super simple: savory and sweet. Cooked off four whole beef tenderloins, sliced them up 1/4 inch thick, bought about a dozen baguettes, whole grain and white, spread them with truffle butter, topped off with arugula and shaved parmesan, sandwich picked them in thirds, sliced on the diagonal, all good to go.

The sweet was miniature strawberry tartlets with fresh dolloped fresh whipped cream. Homegrown strawberries from the Eden valley. Pate Brisee from the kitchen counter top food processor. Whipped the cream and transferred it in a chilled bowl.

Home stocked the bar with boxed wine glasses, a case of Montrachet, a case of Rose, some Cabernet and Pinot Noir. Some bottled beer, leftover from a weekend or two ago, a bottle of vodka, some mixers, and all set.

Savory and sweet, two things, that was it. A sandwich and a tart, haha, is there anything else?

Every day dress, savory and sweet, now a caterer as well. 🙂