Brights and stripes, neutrals and whites — here’s our edit of the season’s must-have styles. It’s everything you need to get you through summer, from on-trend mini bags to instant mood-lifters to warm-weather takes on the fashion classics.
When Susan Gravely went on vacation to Italy with her sister Frances and mother Lee back in 1983, she expected maybe some sun, a little R&R and a souvenir or two — not to walk away with a new career and business. After falling in love with the plates at a hotel on the Amalfi Coast, the siblings founded Vietri, an Italian tabletop and home décor company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year with a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Here, Susan shares her advice on how to successfully work with family.
Artist Rosaria Pugliese, wearing the Tory tunic here, has two daughters in the fashion industry — Reed Krakoff’s Sales Director Bianca Dueñas (left, in the Izzy jean) and Elle’s Accessories Director Maria Dueñas Jacobs (in the Polina sweater) — so we know that creativity runs in the family. But what else? In our quick-fire Q&A, we learned where they stand on their favorite prints, accessories and hidden talents. See if you can figure out who loves yoga, who’s the chef and who’s a word-game fanatic.
Earlier this week Michelle Obama — a.k.a. the First Mom — was at a book signing in Washington D.C. promoting her American Grown book, which details the White House Kitchen Garden she planted in 2009. And we love that she chose to wear our Marygrace sweater, which comes with its own garden’s worth of cheerful blooms. She also stopped by The Today Show and talked about her ideal Mother’s Day. It starts off with waking up whenever she feels like it. The First Mom — a woman after our own heart.
Like mother, like daughter? We put that notion to the test in our quick-fire Q&A with designer Maria Cornejo and her daughter, photographer Bibi Borthwick (here wearing Tory’s Simon utility pouch and Ozzy sweater, respectively). We asked them about everything — from their go-to fashions to their design icons — and the result made for an interesting compare and contrast. To wit: They share the same penchant for pilfering footwear from each other’s closets, but hit different ends of the high-low spectrum when it comes to their lipstick of choice. So read on, and discover who loves what.
What’s the secret to balancing work, life and family? We asked model Veronica Webb who, in addition to designing her own Royalton collection with OpenSky, is now a mother-of-four after recently marrying longtime beau Chris Del Gatto. Photographed here with her daughters in Central Park while wearing Tory’s Marygrace sweater and Aileen sandals, Veronica gave us her advice and passed on her own mom’s words of wisdom. She gave us the back story on “Papadine” Alaïa, too.
If you need a little inspiration before Mother’s Day, we’ve put together a special Pinterest page celebrating some of the most stylish mothers (and mothers of style figures). We’re talking Jackie Kennedy, Jane Birkin, Christy Turlington, Gloria Vanderbilt, Catherine Deneuve…. To see the complete It’s All About Mom board, click here.
Here’s a playlist of songs we love — play after play, year after year. They’re the songs that connect us to the past and still live in the present, making this the perfect playlist to share with both mothers and daughters this Mother’s Day.
Hear it now on Spotify.
Among certain circles in New York, Palm Beach and Newport, it’s understood that the moniker Gubelmom refers to the mother of Marjorie Gubelmann, founder and CEO of Vie Luxe candles — and a chic front-row staple at the fashion shows. Here, wearing Tory’s Kamilla jacket, Marjorie (a.k.a La Gubelman) shares some tips passed on from one generation to the next, on everything from motherhood to entertaining and boys. As the saying goes, mother knows best.
Here’s an inside peek at Tory’s lunch menu on Sunday, a.k.a. Mother’s Day. It makes the best out of seasonal ingredients, like ramps, asparagus and rhubarb. The finishing touch? A vodka twist on a cocktail classic.
Designer Carolina Herrera doesn’t just head her own fashion house; she’s done so alongside two of her four daughters, Carolina Herrera de Báez and Patricia Lansing. We got her thoughts on what it’s like to work with family — plus, her advice on how to do it — and discovered her fairytale fantasy along the way.
As our special Mother’s Day issue continues, we speak with the Milan-based Giorgia Tordini. Not only does she design the outerwear collection Rêve, but she’s the brains (and beauty) behind Like My Mother, a line of lace dresses inspired by her grandmother. Here, wearing Tory’s Brigitte Blouse and Ninian Skirt, she talks to us about Italian style, Italian moms and her very own nonna.
Most people have their default scarf-tying technique. What we love about our stylist’s masterwork are the unexpected, off-kilter ways to tie one on. Knotting the ends, twisting it into a turtleneck, and — our favorite — playing up its unique details by fanning out its pom-pom fringe. Using your assets to your best advantage? Focusing on your greatest qualities and playing them up? Great little rules to live — and dress — by.
Shop this tie-dye scarf — or shop all scarves.
Whether your mother veers toward free-spirited bohemia or is mad for stripes, there’s an iPhone case for her. Why not pick one up for yourself, too? Think of it as an everyday reminder to call your mom.
A 40-foot-tall chandelier dripping with razor blades. Seventies CBGB recreated in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And more studs, spikes and safety pins than the Sex Pistols and The Clash combined. It’s just another Met Gala event, which, this year, celebrated PUNK: Chaos to Couture.
Tory hit the red carpet with actresses Jessica Alba (left) and Ginnifer Goodwin, both in custom Tory gowns. For the full back story on Jessica’s laser-cut leather dress, head over to WhoWhatWear. Meanwhile we chatted with Ginnifer, who plays Snow White (a.k.a. Mary Margaret) in ABC’s fairytale remix Once Upon a Time.
Just a few more hours before the fashion set gets an inside peek at the Costume Institute’s PUNK: Chaos to Couture exhibit tonight at the Met Gala, and dives into a world of studs, safety pins and deconstruction. We asked a few party-goers — including gala co-chair Lauren Santo Domingo, Vogue’s Sally Singer, Eddie Borgo and Amanda Brooks — for their favorite punk songs. And for our full punk playlist, click here.
Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein at the opening of Mirandy Gallery’s Blondie in Camera exhibition in London, 1978, photographed by Martyn Goddard/Corbis
Elsa Schiaparelli didn’t call this shade of pink shocking for nothing. It’s electrifying and adds a quick hit of punk playfulness to your look, especially when it comes to accessories, like this Neon Snake Crossbody that doubles as a clutch and can easily go from day to night to…late-night after-party. Plus, neon is surprisingly easy to style — whether fuchsia, hazard orange or super-saturated green. Just pair it with a monochromatic look for graphic contrast or try bright prints for a more dynamic jolt.
A few raucous, seemingly out-of-control years in the Seventies was all it took to turn the anti-establishment into one of the coolest sounds and looks ever. And people have been tapping into the spirit of the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Blondie, Patti Smith and the like ever since. As everyone fine-tunes their gowns in anticipation of tonight’s annual Met Gala theme — PUNK: Chaos to Couture — we offer this playlist. Warning: May cause anarchy.
Hear it now on Spotify.
C.Z. Guest was known for her elegant All-American style, her prowess in the garden and her love of horses. She was, and continues to be, a source of inspiration for tastemakers and designers (including Tory). To cookbook author, philanthropist and handbag designer Cornelia Guest, however, C.Z. was simply…”mummy.” Here, Cornelia opens up about the cozy evenings spent together, their shared love of practical jokes and her mother’s advice on life and style.
There’s probably nothing stronger than the connection between mother and child — but that doesn’t mean the relationship is always easy. Here, Dr. Samantha Boardman shares her advice on how to get the most out of that parental bond, plus the science to back it up.
Whether exploring Paris with Madeline, having tea at The Plaza with Eloise or getting into trouble with Curious George, there is no passport in the world for a child of any age — or adult, for that matter — quite like a book. If you’re wondering how to raise your very own bookworm, we got pointers from Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, who runs William Morris Endeavor’s Worldwide Literary Department, serves on the WME board and…is a mother of three.
If long, drawn-out sporting events aren’t your thing, then perhaps you would enjoy what many refer to as the “fastest two minutes in sports” — a.k.a the Kentucky Derby, which takes place this weekend at Churchill Downs. The front-runner this year? Orb, a horse out of Phipps Stable and co-owned by Stuart S. Janney III. We spoke to Daisy Phipps Pulito, whose grandfather founded the family-owned stable in 1932, to get her insider’s take on the event. Plus, to get you in the cheering mood, here’s a Triple Crown recipe, courtesy of New York’s 21 Club.
As Executive Chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt is more than equipped to discuss the next step of our increasingly digital lives, which is what he does in his new book The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations and Business, co-written with colleague Jared Cohen, Director of Google Ideas. Here, the tech Influencer gives us a primer on what to expect.
Mother’s Day is big around here. So much so that we begin celebrating more than a full week early and, today, we’re kicking things off with a special editors’ gift guide for the moms in your life — spotlighting our tried-and-true gifts and the reasons why. It’s our one-stop shop to spoiling mom (and you). Just click through the images above to shop.
As for the rest of our Mother’s Day issue on The Tory Blog, check back daily. We’ve got expert advice, playlists, insider interviews and more coming.