Suede Trench Coat

A trench coat is one of those pieces that always feel stylish and elegant. Create one from supple faux suede in taupe, and I am absolutely smitten!

I wore this fabulous trench by IC Collection from My Fair Lady to brunch on Sunday. Everyone, even my fashion-challenged Dad, complimented me on my coat.

I enjoy the mixing of textures in subtle colors. For example, I am wearing a long layered crepe tunic in black over faux leather front leggings and a crystal bead and gold chain necklace, all from Chico's. The coat's faux suede relates to the suede and animal print touches on the shoes, which are old from Nordstrom. The woven front black leather clutch from Saks Off 5th shows well against the faux leather of the leggings and contrasts nicely with the coat's suede.

The roll-tab sleeves are perfect for this time of year when the weather is just barely cool enough to need a coat. The hems are not finished, making the coat a bit edgier, but this also gives it a smooth hemline.

The epaulets and a back overlay are other lovely details that make this coat special.

We had brunch at the Blackthorn Club, which is always beautifully decorated with abundant flowers for each season.

There are so many fabulous pieces at My Fair Lady. I had a tough time choosing what to buy when I was there earlier this month. Thankfully, their website is easy to shop from. Jon and Julie, the owners, and their very professional staff are extremely patient and helpful.

The Birthday Dinner

Having dinner in the Dining Room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate is a special pleasure for us. The service is impeccable, and the food is always perfection.

Dressing for dinner is part of the fun! On this special evening to celebrate my birthday, I wore a jacket from IC Collection and a black tank from Clara Sunwoon, both via My Fair Lady. The palazzo pants are from the Black Label collection at Chico's. The sandals are old via Dillard's. The silver mesh bag is old from T.J.Maxx.

The orchids in the lobby are always breathtaking. Every detail has been meticulously addressed by the staff.

My personalized dessert was chocolate ganache with house-made mint ice cream. Divine!

We enjoyed a stunning mountain view from our table by a bank of windows.

Mr. Mickey looked dapper in his black and white silk jacket. His engraved gold handle walking stick is more than 100 years old.

As always, Mr. Mickey made me feel like a Queen during my special weekend.

Weekend Brunch

We always enjoy having brunch on the weekend.

The brunch in the Dining Room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate is fabulous!

The turquoise and amethyst stone necklace from Chico's goes well with my turquoise Sam Edelman shoes, so I wore them together again on Saturday morning. The royal blue cold shoulder top is from Clara Sunwoo via My Fair Lady. The pants are Travelers from Chico's.

There were so many beautiful flowers throughout the Inn, including a fresh rose on every table.

That's the Biltmore House off in the distance. 

We love being on the estate!

I get many emails each week asking how to eat out so often and not gain the weight back. The truth is, I do gain a few pounds when I indulge on these short trips. However, that being said, it is now Wednesday, and I am back down to 142 pounds. 

I taste all the foods that I want to try, but I eat only a small portion of each. I am never on a diet. My lifestyle is one of balance and pleasure. I thoroughly enjoy whatever I want to have in small quantities, and I am always mindful that food is fuel, not entertainment. I did have a croissant, a decadent dessert, and some lobster with pasta on this trip. After an occasional splurge, I return to eating some fresh fruit, lots of vegetables, whole grains, and raw unsalted nuts.

Sunset From The Loggia

We celebrated my birthday at the fabulous Inn on Biltmore Estate.

Panoramic views of meadows and distant mountains greet you as you approach the Inn.

Fall is starting to arrive here in the mountains. It is quite cool in the evenings now, so I wore a tunic from Monkee's of Johnson City with Mesmerize pants from My Fair Lady. The shoes are old by Sam Edleman from Nordstrom.

At the end of a wonderful day, we watched the sun go down from the Lobby Bar's loggia while enjoying a bit of fresh fruit and artisan cheeses.

Later in the evening, we sat in the Library and listened to the pianist play beautifully before it was time to turn in.

Hieroglyphic Jacket

In Los Angeles last week, I shopped at My Fair Lady, where I found this great looking IC Collection asymmetrical front jacket. It has an artsy single black large button closure, which makes the jacket even more interesting.

If you saw this jacket on the rack, you might think it was only for dressy occasions. I decided to give it a bit of an edge by wearing it with a black fitted tank, wax-coated black jeans, and strappy high-heeled sandals with studs on them.

Long silver geometric earrings, a smooth wide silver cuff, and a small silver mesh evening clutch completed the look. We joined some of our friends for a fun birthday celebration dinner, where I received lots of compliments.

Do you ever mix up your look by wearing pieces in totally unpredictable combinations?

The Monkee's Ribbon Cutting

It was such a delight to be part of this special evening! The ribbon-cutting and VIP party was held at the new Monkee's in Johnson City last evening. The store will be opening for business tomorrow, August 15th.

My beautiful friend Krista is the owner. She is cutting the ribbon surrounded by her family and staff above and hugging her mother below. 

This fabulous boutique includes shoes, clothing, and jewelry. Since only a few pieces of each item will be offered, there will always be a new arrival.

It was great to see so many of my sweet friends! We are all excited to have this beautiful new store to shop in. The merchandise has been carefully chosen to include modern looks for women of all ages.

A college friend drove all the way up from Atlanta to surprise Krista and her sister!

We had so much fun getting to be some of the first customers!

My dress, which is actually a skirt and top, is from My Fair Lady in Tarzana, California.  Women stopped me on the sidewalk today to ask me where I got it.

Mr. Mickey was also there to help us celebrate this special event.

An Elegant Dinner

My favorite evenings include getting dressed up to share an elegant dinner and fine wine with wonderful friends.

As yet another rainstorm was looming, we prepared to drive over to Banner Elk, North Carolina, to spend a lovely evening with our dearest friends at our favorite restaurant, Artisanal. 

I couldn't wait to show you this stunning asymmetrical front jacket from MyFairLady! It is by IC Collection, and it is perfect for summer. It also comes in white, so I had a difficult time deciding! I love the sculptural quality and texture of this mesh jacket.

The tank is also from MyFairLady, and it's reversible! You can wear it as a scoop neck or a V-Neck.

The Travelers pants are from Chico's. The bag is from Saks Off 5th. The suede shoes are by Sam Edelman via Nordstrom.

I will be in L.A. during the first week of September, so you know I will have Uber drop me off at MyFairLady as soon as possible. There are so many unique things there that I am excited to add to my basics.

Taste Of The Town

Last evening we attended the Taste Of The Town event to raise money for the Johnson City public art installments.

Throughout downtown, there are parks and benches, and art installments for the enjoyment of everyone.

Above is "Genisis," and below is "He Stopped and Turned to the Light," just two of the many rotating art installments here in Johnson City, Tennessee.

The event was well attended!

There was live music and a variety of dishes to try from downtown restaurants.

I was so happy to catch up with some of my sweet friends! Lynda, Sally, and Pam are shown me below. 

Can you believe Sally is 80? She always looks so elegant!

Lynda is mine across the street, neighbor. She makes us laugh so much! She may be only four feet eleven inches tall, but her personality is seven feet tall!

I wore more pieces from My Fair Lady, where they have just received lots of new styles. This open shoulder top is by Clara Sunwoo. They are so comfortable and sassy.

The pants are by Mesmerize. I love the fact that they are dressier, and they have a smooth waistband and zipper closure with no loops or buttons to show under smooth tops.

Both these pieces are made in the USA and offered by the shop My Fair Lady, located in "The Alley In The Valley" 6000 Reseda Blvd. in Tarzana, California. 

My shoes are by Nine West Style. The bag is from Stein Mart. The necklace is from Chico's.