Season in The Hamptons - Travel Diamonds & Bridal Jewelry

The historic east end of Long Island makes for a lovely destination wedding.

With June being our official "Bridal Season" and the time for so many destination weddings, anniversary parties and vacation plans, now is the time to pull together some stunning outfits and jewelry accessories.

Fall Travel Special - Orchard and Vineyard Tours

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy the harvest!

If you live in an area that has autumn leaves falling about, then you can appreciate the crisp cool change of the weather. This is also like a second spring to get out and enjoy that pumpkin patch or vineyard tour. You will most likely be asked to go to a local farm or orchard and enjoy the delicious apple cider on hand now. My father used to take us to Nettie Och's Cider Mill on Short Hills Road in Livingston New Jersey each year around Thanksgiving. It was not too far from our house still the ride and scenery were half the fun. The fresh pressed apple cider in glass gallon jugs was the most delicious I've ever had!

Apple & pumpkin picking time. Carve Designs outfit & Naturalizer Josette Leather Riding Boots.

Another favorite destination is The Hamptons for their vineyard tours. There are many lovely, established wineries on the Island especially heading out to The Point. A place like Channing Daughters Winery on the East End offer scenic tours and tastings of their vintage collections. I've personally been by Duck Walk Vineyard in Southampton. It is perhaps one of the better known vineyards out east as its name reminds me of the Long Island Duck farms I used to see on my vacations and visits. 

Duck Walk Vineyards is also known for its award winning wines so a day trip there is definitely worthwhile. Coming up at Duck Walk Vineyards is a Wine Pairing Dinner on November 21, 2015
Here you get the chance to have a full catered dinner and wine pairing at the vineyard.

DWV's tasting room set up for dinner.

Fall Travel Fashions & Accessories

Pack This: Ovan Fashion Eyewear & Wine Tasting Journal

Now for any fall walking tours and outdoor excursions, you'll want to dress "country chic". This means yes to jeans but they need to be a bit edgy and well-fitted. Figi Jeans gives you the best of both with their artist painted, European styling. These are standouts but perfect for the wine tasting crowd. If you are invited to dinner, simply add a pair of Hanes Silk Reflections hosiery with a black leather skirt. Ka-pow! I really like the black sheerness in these pantyhose and have worn them to elegant, red carpet events. Hanes and Leggs pantyhose also work under jeans for extra smoothness and warmth. Finish off the rustic fall look with a pair of Minnetonka or Crocs Moccasins in brown suede leather.

American Made Figi Artist Jeans, Hanes Silk Reflections hosiery and Suede Leather Moccasins.

Figi Jeans have a slight amount of stretch and come in European sizing. Tres chic! I paired these lovely jeans with one of their fitted, cotton Tees shown below. Add a leather or boiled wool jacket with a scarf and you are ready for anything. See all the Figi Jean Designs online.

My Purple Biaggi Tote holds all this and more

Hopping a Plane?
You can take the Long Island Railroad out to The Hamptons and then catch The Hamptons Jitney to get around. You can also fly out by private jet. Either way, you are going to need cabin luggage. I've not checked a bag at the airport in YEARS. I simply bring a large tote for my lap and a small wheeled carry-on for the overhead bin. That's it and I had enough clothes for over a week. This Biaggi Luggage Set is gorgeous and folds flat to stow when not in use. Has easy glide spinner wheels and storage space for all your needs. 

Biaggi Soft Travel Tote

Matching Biaggi Contempo 18" Folding Spinner Cabin Bag. Lovely Eye wear by Raen

TSA Friendly grooming products from Molton Brown

Accessories: Erimish Bracelet Stacks & Ovan Eye wear

Figi Jeans Tee

Clothing and fashion accessories c/o respective designers so featured here.

Little Navy Blue Dress - Resort Style with Designer Nora Gardner, NYC

Office to Beach - Alyssa Dress by fashion designer Nora Gardner, NYC

Resort Style means being ready for everything with a dress that packs well yet has a bit of structure for just the right amount of "polish". My go to designer is Nora Gardner, NYC who understands the needs of the professional or corporate woman who is in Manhattan at a board meeting in the afternoon but attending a resort event in the evening.

Easy to Pack
This is a feature I look for when choosing an outfit. I can pack this dress along with all of these accessories you see here and quickly hop a flight to The Hamptons. It is really very wrinkle resistant and fits inside of my pink tote you see here below in the room at Montauk. This is important to me because the last thing I want to do is iron once I arrive at my destination. The Alyssa Dress was lightly folded, packed and required little or no ironing before the cocktail party.

Yes, this dress plus accessories all arrived in that tiny pink tote----------^

I also specifically choose shoes and accessories which are lightweight. This is important when traveling by private plane as weight is going to be a major issue. Get even more helpful resort packing advice by reading "What's in My Day Bag?"

A shell necklace, jeweled sandals and a sea-themed clutch complete this resort look.

Accessorizing for the Occasion

As you can see here, I am on the beach at the Bridgehampton Surf & Tennis Club for the annual Party Under the Stars charity event. My accessories and even the dress in Navy Blue are a nod to the obvious nautical and ocean resort themed beauty.

Statement Necklace - Pearls would also work here but I wanted to go with the warmer golden tones of my evening clutch. My necklace is made from Mother of Pearl and shells native to the island of Maui, off  Hawaii.
  
Clutch - My evening clutch is by Loeffler Randall and has a beautiful sea coral bow on the front. Easy magnetic closure, a zippered inner pocket and stow away wrist strap made it the perfect cocktail accessory.

Sandals - My sandals are by Fergie (Fergalicious) and have sewn on gold-silver beads. Very comfortable suede foot-bed makes them a wear all day sandal. As you can see, I've kicked them off to enjoy the delicious surf and sand!

Bracelet - This is one of my resort favorites from the Horizon Collection in white calf leather with a rose gold icon (Natural Frequency Technology) by watch luxury designer Philip Stein.

RAPP Black's Lady Angry Dragon in Rose Gold

Watch - My lovely RAPP Black Lady Angry Dragon Timepiece is done in rose gold with an interchangeable pink patent finish strap. It has a chic chronograph or seconds sub-dial with Japanese quartz movement. This is a bold, yet chic statement watch that adds a pop of color and a bit of interest to the outfit.

Easy care, easy wear Alyssa in Navy.

The Alyssa Dress shown here in NAVY is made of a three season machine washable fabric and is a wardrobe essential. I also have this same dress in black and it's my go-to Little Black Dress. The V-neck is very flattering but not too deep and the hemline is just right. The Alyssa also has two pockets, is fully lined and has a generous zipper in the back. The dress does have a little stretch as well for total comfort. 

A beautifully sound investment for your business to pleasure wardrobe! See Nora Gardner's complete collection of elegant professional-wear at NoraGardner.com

Hamptons Chic

Dress c/o Nora Gardner, NYC
Watch c/o RAPP Black, CA
Bracelet c/o Philip Stein Watches
Hair by Christo 5th Avenue

What's in My Day Bag? Vineyard Tours, Dinner and Cocktails in the Hamptons

Essentials for a whole day out!

Summer is time for beach weddings, long vacations but also shorter day trips and 24 hour tours. Day trips can be more of a challenge as you don't want to bring too much to carry, but since you'll be away for nearly 24 hours, you'll want to have all the essentials.

Right now I am packing for a day in the Hamptons. I grew up vacationing in the South Fork villages of Sag Harbor, South Hampton and Montauk Point, Long Island. We had an A-Frame beach house right on the shore and I can remember the soothing sound of the loons and ocean waves. So restful! We shopped in the little hamlet of Sag Harbor which was originally a whaling village and mentioned in Moby Dick. This summer I've been invited to a VIP event hosted by Women's Health Magazine. We leave early from NYC and will be gone all day into the night. There is a luncheon, fitness activities, pool time, dinner and a cocktail party all planned for the day/evening. American Tourister Luggage has dubbed me "A Stylish, Savvy Packer" so this is what I plan to bring along.

 

Outfit, bag and accessories for pool time and a luncheon.

Hamptons Beach Time, Poolside Parties and Luncheons
If you have to transition from the beach or pool to a luncheon, you could wear this lovely long organic cotton tank dress from Indigenous. Add a pair of metallic strappy sandals and you are ready for lunch. 

My Courtney Allegra designer bikini.

Bring your swimsuit, flip flops and sunblock packed in this FitMark Sport Tote. It has a separate "wet bag" to keep your swimsuit apart from the rest of the contents. Has lots of lined, dedicated pockets to organize your electronics, sunglasses, makeup, shoes, swimsuit, an extra dress and other items. Lightweight and comes with a detachable shoulder strap too. Check them out at FitMarkBags.com

A Sport Tote carries everything you'll need for a day trip.

Day Trip Packing List
So a day at the Beach which may have a Vineyard Tour and then Lunch would include the following items in your Day Bag:

1 Pair Dressy Yet Comfy Sandals
1 Pair of Walking Shoes
Swimsuit
LBD for Dinner/Cocktails if you wish
Jewelry 
Sunglasses 
Sunblock (Obagi Medical Sun Shield SPF 50)
Sunhat (straw Fedoras are popular)
Cardigan or Cover Up
Makeup Bag with Rake Comb, Travel Hair Brush, Clips
Insect Repellent (The Hamptons are known for their horrible biting flies)
Minimergency Kit with 22 travel essentials in a tiny case.

Lump Crab Salad - from the beach to lunch

Going from Lunch to Dinner
There are a lot of "White Parties" in the summertime in the Hamptons so the design of the Indigenous tank dress here would be perfect because the length gives it a bit more formality and elegance. If you are attending a White Party, add a pair of white strapped sandals, a white hat and bag with jewelry that's white with accents of gold or silver. 

Otherwise, I would recommend dressing it up with a statement necklace or pearls if your day trip will include dinner and you don't want to bring another dress to change into.

I've simply accessorized this same white dress with a pop of color from the evening clutch and high heeled sandals in coral-pink tones. Your watch is also a fashion accessory. I like the pink accents of this lovely RAPP Black Lady Angry Dragon Timepiece in rose gold with an interchangeable pink patent finish strap. It has a chic chronograph or seconds sub-dial with Japanese quartz movement.

You can also play it "white" with a satchel in bone a la Phillip Lim for lunch but a clutch will work better for dinner and cocktails.

Dinner Table Tips: Speaking of dinner and clutch bags, after being seated, place your bag behind you in your seat. Never place your bag on the table (or floor) as it is considered bad manners. After that, take your napkin from your place setting and fold it in half, laying it in your lap. Below is a diagram of how to silently signal the wait-staff of where you are in the dinner service. 

Cocktail Parties
If you are invited to a cocktail party or a country club, a more formal LBD (little black dress or a little navy blue dress for ocean resorts) are both great choices. I like NYC Designer, Nora Gardner's dresses which pack well and I've worn to a formal charity dinner given by Crowned Prince and Princess HRH Alexander and HRH Katherine of Serbia & Yugoslavia.

Evening clutch and sandals for a beach party

Since it is summer, brighten it up with white pearls or shells, gold, diamonds and a bit of sparkle. Here I am wearing a Mother of Pearl shell necklace from Maui, Philip Stein White Leather Bracelet with Rose Gold emblem and the RAPP Black Lady Angry Dragon watch. My sandals are by Fergie (Fergalicious) and have little gold-silver beads sewn on. You may want to bring a pair of sandals with a heel but take note if the cocktail party is being held outdoors on an uneven lawn or on the beach. Otherwise a cocktail dress with little metallic accents would also work towards looking fabulous. So know your itinerary and pack these travel essentials for an enjoyable summer day trip that includes some evening fun!

Hamptons Chic: Nora Gardner "Alyssa" Dress in Navy at the annual "Party Under The Stars" - Bridgehampton Tennis + Surf Club

Timepiece c/o RAPP Black, Los Angeles
Eyewear c/o Jack Eyes, NYC
Tote c/o FitMark Bags