dressing up

If you're reading this, thanks for putting up with my increasingly sporadic blogging. I have been super busy (all positive) but I love blogging and and I am so appreciative of everyone who takes the time to read The Elizabeth Letter. My hope is to get back to a more regular posting schedule this summer.  A topic that's been on my mind lately is dressing up. One of my mom's many virtues is that she always (and I mean ALWAYS) dresses up. She doesn't over-dress, or dress with any great expense, but she reliably dresses about 5 to 20 percent more formally than the occasion demands. Movie night? She's dressed for a nice-restaurant dinner in trousers and a fun blouse. Lunch? She's dressed Sunday-brunch appropriate in a sundress, cardigan and sandals. Church? She's dressed in clothes that some would reserve for Easter. You get the picture. She does not, however go all Dallas/Dynasty/sequins for a wedding. For a wedding, she just wears whatever is appropriate for a wedding, okay?   When I was a teenager, I remember thinking, "Geeze, can't we just be casual today? Will the world end if I wear jeans to church*?" Today, as a stay at home mom my life doesn't usually demand being dressed up. I strive to always look presentable, but I almost always chose comfort over style. My feet love flip flops, and I find shorts to be the best thing to wear if you have to chase down a 2 year old in a parking lot.  Lately, I've been making a point to dress up when I can. It's funny, the lessons we learn from our parents years after we are supposedly 'done' growing up; it has recently dawned on me that my mom dresses the way she does out of respect. No matter how simple the occasion, dressing up is her way of saying "thank you for inviting me, I'm thrilled to be here. I'm taking our time together during this workday/dinner/baby shower/etc. seriously." So in a world that has become rather callously informal, it's refreshing to be with people who care enough to dress appropriately.  Even though dressing up is a little more challenging in the summer (because most of the time I feel like a melted crayon and I like to dress the part...) here's what I'd love to be wearing this summer.  

dress | earrings | necklace | tote | bracelet | sandals | sunnies

What are you wearing this summer?   #dress

cheerful: pink and blue

 It's still hot hot hot here in Florida, so while all the blazers and corduroys and riding boots are fun to look at they aren't really a wardrobe reality for me. I'm obsessed with this cheerful Lilly Pulitzer elephant print, and here are  all the fun accessories I'd add. 

Also, speaking of cheerful: Gretchen Rubin's new book Happier at Home is fantastic. I'm about halfway through it, and I think it is every bit as insightful and 

optimistic as her first book about happiness The Happiness Project. 

top: Lilly Pulitzer // skirt: J.Crew // iphone case: J.Crew // shoes: Ann Taylor // clutch: Dareen Hakim // necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane // bracelet: C. Wonder // nailpolish: Essie // lipgloss: Nars // book: Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin // earrings: Loren Hope

What are you reading and wearing lately?