To get good results we all know it’s the work up front that delivers. Sometimes years, sometimes weeks or months, and oftentimes because life moves so darn fast it’s a super concentrated six hours.

Here’s what happened yesterday at every day dress:

Saturday morning wake up, drink coffee, decide what to serve for dinner at seven for eight. All good friends, all part of what’s turned into our yearly wine tasting trip. Two times to California, last trip to Italy, and up next France September 2014. Make a list, hit the gym, make and serve breakfast for six, we now have two Costa Rica exchange students in the house, and off to the market by 1 pm.  Plan a French Bistro style menu: Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic, Moroccan Couscous, Salad with Warm Goat Cheese, Chocolate Orange Mousse. Actually wanted to do and bought the ingredients for Cheese Straws and Rosemary Cashews for hors d’oeuvres but never got there so fine wine was the only precursor. All recipes adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot in Paris.

Bring the groceries home and don’t leave the kitchen except to set the dining room table until 6:55 pm. At 6:55 pm run upstairs, take off the apron and throw it on the floor and slip on black one shouldered knit sweater with the skinny blue jeans that were worn all day, and the day before that. Light the candles, open the wine, guests arrive, and we all talk travel plans for our upcoming trip. Ed and Liz, Pat and Jennifer, we missed you guys, we look forward to more dinners like this with you when in France.

Decided on sunflowers for the table and cut them short and stuck them in three blue and white pots, anchored with believe it or not wine corks. Last minute decision, didn’t have any floral form or tape. We’ll be staying in the French countryside so wanted to set the mood. Was really getting into the wine theme as I hung actual grape-vine leaves that were preserved and dipped in copper, silver and gold on the chandelier and used them at the last-minute to serve as napkin rings. Picked those up in December at the fun and delicious winery Gundlach Bundshu in Sonoma CA. If you like them here’s the link: Grape Leaf.

When it’s prep work like this, it’s not really work at all.

One Shouldered Sweater with Cuff | looks great, feels good, easy to work in

Worth New York

Not fashion thighs, lifestyle thighs. They’ve been written about before, and yes, they stay. Women, love your body.

They’ve run and walked miles, been the base for carrying children and many things great and small, and hopefully have a long and strong history in front of them.

I’ve dressed women for over a decade and before that led infinite exercise classes. Your body is a very good thing. Love and respect, in every form, oh, those thighs.

xoxo

Yesterday, Monday, the last thing I felt like doing was cooking dinner for six. What did I do? Made it happen and cooked dinner for six. (Thinking I completely understand the need for animal hibernation during the month of January).

Women, I know, make it happen. After a full day of work and the runaround, roasted pork tenderloin, asparagus, red potatoes, caesar salad and cinnamon applesauce. Finished it off with a cake, birthday celebrations can go on all month, right? Wanted to do chicken parmesan with house made blue cheese sauce but for some reason there’s been a run on the organic chicken breasts. Pivot, pork tenderloin it is.

When you feed and clothe those you love, they’re yours for life. Go on out and make it happen. After the inertia it’s a good thing.

Primrose and votives on the table and the day is good. Every day dress. All photos courtesy iPhone.

Resolved: during the work week getting out of the blue. I’ve kicked the yoga pant habit for the runaround, now it’s time for the blue jeans.

Working from a home office is the ultimate luxury. And, when your day’s not full of client meetings but more administrative, it’s easy to get into the blue jean habit. I know only too well.

So, for 2014 trying for a bit more of a work look. Gray ankle trouser is just as easy as a black denim skinny and really looks and feels a bit more professional. My beautiful clients dress Monday through Friday, so should I.

Every day dress, getting out of the blue.

all clothing | Worth New York

Shoe | Aquazurra

Bag | Vintage Hermes | Heritage Auctions

Coffee | Dunkin’ Donuts | Half-off 3 – 7 pm 🙂

Many clients tell me I’m not buying one more black dress, jacket, skirt, pant, whatever it may be, I’m not doing it.

My thinking? If it works, why not refresh? Black dress, jacket, skirt, they are all good things. We’re not talking people, relationships, etc., simply the stuff you wear.

If it works, refresh. Shoes shown were worn with love and believe it or not chewed by the dog, gotta love him. The replacement? Purchased on sale, last month.

Leopard print flats, same designer, many years later. Wardrobe neutral, every day dress, refresh.

Shoes | Christian Louboutin

 

Blizzard of 2014, day 2, white out.

Recreating a look worn in Princeton NJ early December for our Regional Spring Preview meeting. Wore a suit as CEO was present. All white felt right even in winter. Kind of like the idea of wearing a suit. I think at times we might be getting a little too casual, myself included.

While in San Francisco getting ready to fly back east, Denver Broncos were checking in, all dressed in suits. Not sure if they won or lost but they sure looked great.

Every day dress, white out.

Optic White Ponte Pintuck Jacket and Skirt | Worth New York

 

 

It’s sweater weather, here’s current favorite: Black Dolman Pullover.

Wore this thing all weekend long and wore out it out tonight to a political fundraiser. Of course had it zipped up a bit more.

During the weekend wore it untucked over the skinnies, with the leather skirt tucked it in. This is a sweater for all women, all ages, all shapes. Sold this to my super-fit young friend and while she didn’t wear it four days in a row like me she loves it too. A little sexy, a little covered, a little easy. How can you not love it?

Ordered this back in October and had to wait for it but so worth the wait.

I’m thinking that off the shoulder is a great comfortable look and that this sweater will see me through to Spring with the white jeans.

Black Dolman Pullover and Black Leather and Rib Impression Reversible Skirt | Worth New York Winter 2013

It’s a New Year and I’m looking to grow my team of women that like to be busy and love wearing and sharing great clothes. If you’re interested, even just a little, let’s talk.

Every day dress. Every day is a great day.

 

With record low temps just about everywhere, keeping the mood up with bright lipstick and the warmest parka ever. Had to venture out to update the iPhone, now with all the snow we’re not going anywhere far for a while.

Back in the home office all this week working on Spring Summer wardrobes, moving samples, and growing the team.

Wishing everyone a warm safe place the next couple of days.

Lip | Chanel Rouge Allure 102 Palpitante

Parka | Parajumpers | available locally at Tony Walker & Co. and Après Ellicottville NY

To rouse the two twenty-somethings and two teenagers out of bed before the reality of Monday, cooked off a half-dozen breakfast sandwiches and garnished the plate with sliced strawberries. Cranberry orange juice cocktails to drink.

Here is a use what you have idea: as I spent far too much money last month, held back on the cut fresh flowers at the grocery, heck you have to start somewhere, and decided to ground the brunch table with five grapefruit spaced equally down the middle.

Next up: I’m off to make lentil ham soup with what’s left from new year’s day.

Relishing in all this cooking, back to the fashion passion tomorrow.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday.

Kind of wish I could say the outfit was great, the hair and house clean, the make-up on and the manicure and pedicure done. Not so. Took down the tree, the garlands, the wreaths, and all that goes with it.

We are easing into the new year. Traveled many miles, been many places, fed many mouths, east coast-west coast, and, like life, it goes on and on.

A few photos and notes from the last twenty-four hours:

Homemade croutons with butter, olive oil, kosher salt and garlic from day old bread are better than potato chips.

Kale is allover, I like it straight and for crowds mix it in with romaine for a more modern caesar salad. Rosemary Balsamic Chicken with wild rice and broccoli at the ski house.

You can cook and serve dinner in a leather shirt. 🙂 Leather gets better with age and you really only need to wipe it off with a little water and white vinegar to spot clean it.

Hydrangea can be rehydrated by recutting stems, soaking in bowling water for 3o seconds or so, and soaking in a sink.

Cook two tenderloin at once, you never know how many might show for dinner when you have kids, house-guests, etc etc. Then on a Saturday night after traveling all day again you can make the Barefoot Contessa’s Filet of Beef Bourguignon. I didn’t pan-fry, simply slice after the thing was cooked and re-heat in all that good wine broth. Put a little tri-color pasta underneath. Her’s looks better than mine, that’s okay, kept everyone happy at the table. Everyone at the table is good.

Even though this post is called easing into the new year, with other’s you love around you have to do that, I am also going with the feeling of make it happen. Make it happen posts coming next.

Wishing everyone the feeling of easing into the new year, and, come Monday or whatever day works for you, the feeling of make it happen.

Nothing like a camouflage tank, black bra, and long pendant when your cooking finally at home, and don’t have to go anywhere for the entire evening.

Every day dress, easing into the new year. Thank you all for reading. Husband tells me what happened last year or even yesterday doesn’t count. One of my hopes for 2014 is to inspire women to dress, cook, love, a bit every day.

xoxo

Last photo courtesy of Melanie Acevedo | Barefoot Contessa