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

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.

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.

Love in France, celebrating twenty-seven years of marriage, yes, we will phone home, and we’ll be back at it with you all sooner than you think. 🙂

Quilted Black Leather Jacket | Worth New York Fall Winter 2014

family fashion travel

this is my crew

Everyone was all in for the last week and it’s a wonder we’re all standing straight.

This is my crew: LOVE, feed, educate, house, and clothe them. Big team, big effort, big payoff.

Thanks, husband, you make this all work. xoxo

Every day dress, take care of your crew.

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off duty travel

Seems the more you go, the less you need, especially off duty. For west coast on the go trip, essentials included:

Cashmere wrap and silk scarf, blue jeans and white jeans, denim skirt, black blazer and black workout jacket, black boatneck sweater, white shorts and black exercise pants, tanks and tees, mostly on the black side, one pair of sandals, two pairs of sneakers but really only needed one, one pair of black boots. One bright handbag, and most important, handsome husband and two teenaged daughters.

Started in LA and drove up the coast and flew out of San Francisco. Temperatures ranged from 102 to below 60. Really into this carry on thing and keeping it light. Such a drag to haul so much stuff all over.

For off duty travel, cashmere, denim,white, and black. Easy.

Now it’s all on duty for Fall 14 Trunk Show. Starts tomorrow, Wednesday, and goes through next week Wednesday, August 13th.

You can do it. With the right stuff off duty travel for seven or eight days with only a carry-on is so possible.

Every day dress, off duty travel.

family fashion food lifestyle travel

group like things

Friday 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.

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new hampshire for the weekend

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.

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?

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?

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.

family fashion travel

oversold

With the 4th coming feeling a little like we’re off the hook. Had the big bash last weekend, and yes, oversold.

It’s a great feeling when everything seems to come together and the stars are aligned. Dear friend and I make a great team, we got progressive, wine beer booze at her place and BBQ here, across the street.

All hands were on deck and it was homegrown. Husband did the wine, French and CA, she did the first bar and organized the grill, BW’s, chicken, ribs, mac & cheese, baked beans, caesar salad, roll and butter. Her man worked overtime and took care of the zillion pounds of ice, what’s a party without the ice?

We had Negroni cocktails, so fun, and even each rang the old-fashioned dinner bell to signal end of the cocktail hour(s).

I baked 15 dozen chocolate chippers, she called up the bakery and had 15 dozen country cut-outs made up beautifully.

Her tip was the band, every day dress here made the call and was honestly a little nervous until they showed in the flesh.

Total mixed guest list, thirteen to eighty-plus, love that kind of thing, bonfire near the end.

Late stayers danced down to Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, and company.

BBQ was oversold, yippee, so much better than being overdone or overdrawn, haha. Now we’re overstocked, yay, with opened bottles of wine, glasses, candles, and ferns. No problem, have a party early and you’re all set up for the summer.

Happy Holiday Week everyone.

Every day dress, oversold. 🙂

family fashion food

stay with the plan

Saturday night in June with plans to have good friends out to the country for wine and casual steaks on the grill.

When you’re a parent your mood can often be determined by that of your children. One of six going through a rough spot. Feel the pain. Wanted to cancel the get together and wallow a while and simply pull weeds for hours on end in the garden.

Having a strong partnership with those around you is always a good thing. Husband said he could go either way, he understood, but was looking forward to our friends visit.

After coffee and clarity decided to stay with the plan. Friends visited, started with a nice Rosé, moved into Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, a California Cab, finished with a campfire side glass of port. So better than solitary wallowing and weeding.

Food and table simple. Local asparagus and tomatoes roasted in the oven with olive oil and kosher salt. Yellow beets and farm fresh eggs boiled, peeled, and plated. Kale caesar salad, sliced strawberries and drop cookies. Table was a compilation of things acquired over the years; a tablecloth bought in Calistoga CA, linen napkins from Italy, steak knives from a winery in Napa and the canning jar that held the lambs ear and garden flowers from late grandmother’s cellar.

Thank you friends, so glad we stayed with the plan. Love to all.

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