From white to champagne.... "party frocks" in middle age

After my recent posts in this blog about all-things-lowcountry-preppy regarding the various white dresses within my life signifying special moments, I naturally began of course to notice plenty of darling all-white dresses around in the stores this summer and even tried a few on. However, despite having a bit of a tan along with using more sophisticated accessories and shoes, these all-white dresses seemed almost "too sweet" for my now 40-something personhood. I do wear quite a few white blouses still: especially tailored, Irish linen ones with camisoles underneath for that effortless n' breezy islander style which helps get me through these torridly-humid months around here but I truly think that my all-white dress wearing days are officially o.v.e.r....

However... like any Southern Prepster worth her weight in gold, and the weight of her thin gold bangle bracelets, I've happily moved-on from the milk of youth so to speak to the champagne years of adulthood and frankly, what fun!

This year I've worn a delightful party-frock that's champagne-toned to 2 weddings so far and its garnered a few compliments here n' there. In February, I added a complimenting paisley shawl, pearls and champagne with bronze trim pumps to this dress for an afternoon wedding. Yesterday, I added my diamond earrings and strappy champagned metallic summer heels, via Talbots' wonderful recent sale going on. Need great shoes? Check out Talbot's website!

(Note: If one is a Southern Prep with a Scottish background, it is not only considered good judgement to wear special occassion clothing more than once, it's considered an honoring-one's-heritage cultural requirement. Men especially see how long they can wear-out their bespoke tuxedo before its inevitable fraying and fading has threads disintegrating into disrepair. My father STILL wears his HIGHSCHOOL tux...I literally kid you not! My husband's tuxedo gets dusted-off upon occassion as well.)

Speaking of Talbots (who I wished paid me for endorsements or better yet, outfitted me as a spokesmodel, haha)... my fellow-Talbots-groupie is pictured here in this photo of the "it's not all white dresses anymore" special occassion champagne dress blog post.

M is a great friend and "sister"in-law relative; with our husbands getting along so well plus their wonderful children whom we enjoy hanging around with, it's always so much fun to be together for family weddings plus of course visiting one another as we can throughout the years.

M, her husband W, James and I are perennially-Preppies in upbringing, style and lifestyle.

Ironically enough, at the family wedding this past weekend up in Charleston, SC... I was the only female in my family and extended family to NOT be wearing pearls...shock of shocks!

I had initially put on my pearls as a matter of ingrained-habit but for some reason, the sparkle of this champagne dress and the evening hours of the wedding festivities just seemed to call for yet more sparkle so out came the diamonds instead. I remember my Grandmother's maxium of, "a lady doesn't wear her diamonds until the evening hours except her engagement ring" and she would have been proud of me last night but...quite agast, that I also like to glitter-by-day upon occassion as well. Modernized times indeed! Bling in the sunshine, oh my.

Now that I'm happily sporting this "champagne sparkle" in party dresses and crystal flutes, the transition from white dresses seems natural and kinda' exciting in a way. Sometimes when we grow older, the additional wrinkles that show up all too well against the flatness of bright white can find a compliment instead in the glittering distraction folds of champange-toned silk...