family Archives • Page 4 of 5 • Every Day Dress by Rebecca Collins

showering linnie

Of course we’ve been watching all things royal, adoring her sartorial choices, and couldn’t be happier for the beaming bride and groom. Love too that it’s a modern-day fairy tale, and reminds us that with love, and persistence, all heights are possible.

the everything shoe

Honestly I don’t even know what day it is, as our own little wedding story has been wonderfully encompassing: in just under twelve weeks we’re bringing together two large and joyous families for a union that simply feels right, and good.

Peanut on the bride cookies

Stephanie on flowers and balloons, 100+

setting the stage

Last weekend (or was it the one before that?), twenty of us came together at Bobo in NYC for showering Linnie. We laughed, and cried, and shouted out a little with Taylor Swift, all in a glorious Saturday afternoon of celebration.

the bride arrives

Every day dress, showering Linnie, and loving everyone and every moment. xoxo

a mom in love

Linnie and her twin brother

sent as many guests as we could home with flowers, love you Taylor

I’ve been MIA as doing it all is seemingly not possible, so blogging slipped, sorry. Gotta do what’s necessary, and getting through the days is top of the list, even though settling in with the laptop and the keyboard is pulling, and consciously unsettling…

waiting on spring

brunch at The Obstinate Daughter | community table

Six years ago today we put our first post up here, and if we’re completely honest with ourselves we’re looking to reclaim some of our mojo. It’s kind of funny, no one is really out there waiting for a new entry. Yet when we don’t write I feel anxious, and let it go for a while, and then feel more anxious, and then it feels even harder to get back to it. Kind of like the gym, when you’re in the habit it’s a daily do, and you feel better, even when you don’t.

yeah, that’s me styling oldest daughter, pink bag, pink charm, pink scarf, floral shoe

So, here goes: writing and posting here keeps my brain engaged, even if it’s simply content about food and clothes. We’ve had a love affair with both for as long as we can remember, and we’ll need to be fed and dressed for as long as we’re here so content continues. If you’ve been a reader for a while thank you, I like sharing my space.

Several years ago through my professional work with Worth New York I heard Tom Black, entrepreneur and wine collector, speak. Motivational, yes, and since then I’ve subscribed to his Success Quotes for Daily Living. Yesterday, this landed in my inbox:

Ignore all hatred and criticism. Live for what you create, and die protecting it. – Lady Gaga

And with that, we continue. Every day dress, and every day cook. Food and clothes, in any order, with as much style as we can gather.

of the several group photos this one’s a favorite, as it shows love, laughter, movement, and no perfect posing

Photos here are of recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina. Easter Sunday we brunched at The Obstinate Daughter, Sullivan’s Island, and did a beach walk afterwards, thank you, Lucy. There were eleven of us in total, now ten of us are back in the northeast and we’re all waiting on spring.

Every day dress, waiting on spring.

family food lifestyle style travel

an easy dress

Recent Instagram posts feature a dress and a tee by JCrew, a brand I haven’t worn in years. JCrew used to be our family go-to for outfitting five of our six kids, one just didn’t get it and still doesn’t and probably won’t ever, talking about you, Booie. As it often goes we’ve circled back. During holiday time oldest daughter and I stepped in to their Madison Avenue boutique and picked up some sweaters, one cashmere, one not, and both of those sweaters have been regular players in each of our wardrobes. The recent purchases they made quite easy, with an email online thing offering a discount of I think 20% or 30%, so picked out a few things and hit submit. The box with a few tees, a dress, and a pair of sunglasses arrived a few days later.

Their tees don’t need any double thinking, they can be worn out, to they gym, and for coffee in the morning, and really don’t impact the clothing budget or the overall aesthetic. A dress, however, can be a game changer, and a commitment. Wasn’t sure I was going to keep it or not, and threw it in the carry-on for little Florida getaway.

Late yesterday afternoon we headed to St. Petersburg, and the dress offered the ‘what to wear’ solution, thank you, JCrew. In my idealized world I’d be living in the Tuscan countryside and wearing Cucinelli, yet in the now we’re living in upstate New York, wearing most often Worth New York and W by Worth, and traveling wherever, and life is good.

So, we kept the dress, because it was easy. And wore it with leather. A dress is one and done. We’re heading home tomorrow, and moving into trunk show mode. Here we come Worth New York and W by Worth, we’re so looking forward to our women and some new season spring clothes. Trunk dates: tomorrow, Friday, February 23rd – Thursday, March 1st, and Tuesday, March 6th – Monday, March 12th.

An easy dress, and so many good dresses to come.

family fashion for women over 50 style at any age style at every age travel

1955

Sixty years and two days ago dear husband arrived in this world. Celebrated, of course, with family dinner at home.

No Rolex, or fancy cocktails for a hundred or so, simply flew two Boston MA girls home for his surprise.

Osso Bucco was a whole day affair, that with work and all. Thankful for good clothes, never had a chance to think about what to wear. Printed silk blouse (black lace bra underneath, something needs to be fancy), sleeves rolled up, ubiquitous blue jeans and flat black boots, good to go.

Went without the cliché of fresh flowers, this was a man’s party, and put three small pots of ivy down the table. (So much less than fresh flowers too, being January and broke and all). White tapers, this time no votives.

You’d think with a milestone like this for the man I love deeply I would have it together a bit more. Knew what I wanted and needed to do, took a deep breath, anxiety and all, and went forward. Had visual memories of three photos from recent travels, at 4 pm dropped them in a thumb drive, headed to Kinko’s FedEx and printed them out, and then to Target, I know I know, to grab a frame. Here it is ready for the red room, haha.

This is how it looked at 5 pm, and dinner was at 8: carrot cake baked, cream cheese frosting on the counter, haricot verts blanched, veal shanks wrapped and on a tray, onions out for the risotto. One great thing about doing things time and again is that you don’t really have to measure things like chopped vegetables: simply feel the amount needed for onion, celery, carrots, tomato, garlic. Spinach and artichoke dip to go with the champagne, and caesar salad for some more green.

Green continued with wine bottle-shaped sugar cookies, hand embellishment with his birth year as vintage. 🙂

There were eight of us plus one, second son’s girlfriend, always make room for more love at the table.

Happy 60th dear husband. 1955 was a very good year. xoxo

family fashion food lifestyle

dialed down

After years of matching velvet and or taffeta dresses, black patent Mary-jane shoes, miniature red blazers, coordinated gift wrap and fifty plus relatives for Christmas eve dinner, we have now pretty much dialed it down.

For five of the last six years have flown all six kids out west, northern CA and this year for the first time southern CA, La Jolla. Rent a house with as many bedrooms as we can find, settle in and dial down.

So great after decades of fancy cooking, elaborate gift wrap, staged professional Christmas photos, we all now kind of just come together and get it done. Cards hand-addressed on the flight and in the restaurant, photo taken once when we’re all in town, (so what if they arrive after the perceived big day), and all hands on deck for wrapping and meal prep.

It’s really all about spending time with those you love. And while we can at times be all about fancy clothes and pressed starched linens, now it feels just right to be dialed down.

Every day dress, dialed down. Merry Christmas everyone. We’re keeping the celebration going. xo

family lifestyle

simple will do

One good thing about doing things many times is that you begin to understand that simple will do. This time of year, white lights, white flowers, (from her date’s mom, how nice!),white candles, fresh greens, good to go. A few ornaments and some glittered nutcrackers dress the table.

Youngest of six, high school date dance. Done this a time or two. 🙂

Even served super simple food. Punch, chips, dip, and cookies. They didn’t really eat a thing, it simply looked and felt special. Way too much excitement in the air, simple will do.

After the drive down, made some simple dinner and sat among the cranberry ginger ale topped with a cherry glasses.

One thing the chef talked about at Canyon Ranch cooking class was the single idea of keeping your oven at 400 degrees. Instead of adjusting the oven temperature, you simply adjust the cooking time. Much like perceived exertion when exercising, it’s really kind of a feel. Have been keeping that oven at 400 degrees this week, simple it is, simple will do. Cod, asparagus, tomatoes, all roasted, 400 degrees. (Not for baked goods, that gets more precise).

Every day dress, simple will do. Sister in CA messaged me at 4:28 am, ‘just caught the spirit – it always takes a little time but it’s good when it finally gets ya…

Love to all.

Style note: thinking all seven young women shortened their dresses with packing tape from the home office, how sweet.

This is what was ordered in afterwards, thank you Dante and La Nova Pizzeria, huge hit.

family fashion food lifestyle

three weeks ago

Back on the east coast and back at it at work. Doesn’t really feel like work at all when you get to be with great women and do things that empower others.

Three weeks ago put together a small runway show in support of the WNY Women’s Foundation, its’ mission is to invest in innovative solutions to issues and needs of special significance to women and girls in Western New York. It was their 11th annual Fall in Fashion Luncheon, and we were there.

Bonus? Not only got to work with amazing women and in support of a very special not-for-profit, third daughter was off from school and her being there made everything that much better.

Every day dress, three weeks ago, black sweater, black and gold belt, black pants, current go-to all day long outfit. Daughter seems to like the all-black too. 🙂

All photos | Joe Cascio Photography

family fashion lifestyle

and so it begins…

always keep moving…

From now until about the second week of January, it’s all systems go. Family, friends, food, home, we’re all about it in one way another, thinking that one of life’s greatest pleasures is sitting at table with those we hold close.

And so it begins, knowing to have great moments we need to put the time in up front. Creating special times can be hard work, therapeutic, often expensive, and sometimes downright exhausting. We had ten yesterday, not the biggest and not the smallest, simply right for this time. Celebrated second daughter’s twenty-second birthday as well, remembering that special day pushing three babies among the two of us down Delaware Ave in Buffalo NY, in America’s oldest foot race, the Turkey Trot, a 5k race/run/walk that now closes out at 14,000 participants. That day is like many of these days, long walks outdoors to nourish the body, mind, soul, spending time with loved ones, and cooking and breaking bread at table. Except that day twenty-two years ago finished with a trip to the delivery room to greet our fourth child, now there are six. Good habits. 🙂

Wishing everyone special days and special nights, with all those you hold close.

Every day dress, and so it begins…

xoxo

her first scratch pie

simple style notes: like a little black dress, white candles, linens, and roses always look good, now and later. Really don’t want to deal with gourds and leaves the morning after when we’re moving to all things green, silver, white. Hand-made glittered, ombréd place cards (second and fourth daughters made those day of) and personal salt cellars with small spoons make things personal and special. Let some things go, put fifteen year old third daughter in charge of setting table and buffet, she succeeded brilliantly. Leave the mess and dishes go, so much more fun to sit at the table hours on end sipping wine and naming all fifty states, the dishes don’t go anywhere anyways, table guests move on. 🙂

wool scarf worn as halter keeps things easy | Christian Dior

family fashion lifestyle

phone home

Kids think we’ve been out of touch: after a quarter century or so of doing it all every day, feeling okay with not always phoning home. After putting down a good solid foundation why not take off for a while, good for us, good for them. We’re here barely speaking the language, they’re home figuring stuff out without us.

For visiting French provincial hill-top villages, wore the same black jeans as the day before, black tank for when it was hot, flat boots, and of course, like the women of France, added a scarf.

New black leather quilted jacket came out later, love this new piece and it will get plenty of wear, maybe another quarter century? and it goes with absolutely everything. Fun to throw over a dress too.