A Little Party Never Hurt Nobody

Dress and Necklace: JCREW Jacket: Kate Spade NY Shoes: MIA Sunnies: Franco Sarto

Today’s post takes it rhythmic title from one of my favorite reads, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. I initially became enamored with Fitzgerald upon reading ahead in my Literature book during my Sophomore year in high school. It was tenth grade, the parties were non-existent, the pace was dreadfully slow, the shows boring, the buildings shorter, the moral was looser and the liquor was…well it was 10^th grade! What liquor?!

During this time, my young, nerdy and not quite so fashionable self found small town life colorless and sought solace via her only escape…reading. Therefore, when this younger self stumbled upon Bernice Bobs Her Hair, a short story by Fitzgerald, she couldn’t pull herself away.  

More short stories followed…The Ice Palace, The Offshore Pirate, A Diamond as Big as the Ritz. I then read, The Great Gatsby. I will admit…I didn’t love it as much as I did the short stories. The novellas provided glitz and glamour and told of freshly pressed love stories and first loves. The Great Gatsby was a much darker tale and one my 10^th grade self couldn’t quite understand. Over the years, I’ve re-read Mr. Fitzgerald’s work as well as poured over tellings of his and Zelda’s tragic but glamorously exciting life. I’ve come to understand The Great Gatsby quite a bit more and my appreciation of it’s tale has deepened. 

When the movie directed by Baz Luhrmann, debuted last year, I was quite skeptical of its ability to live up to the grand story I kept captured in my mind. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the film and quite enjoyed it.

Oh my…this has turned from a fashion post to a “my love of reading” one.   Alas…I’ve digressed from my original intent to write about today’s party dress you see before you.

Really though…I must ask you…how can you wear a party dress without thinking of the grandest of parties during the most glamorous of days…when “too much of anything was bad but too much Champagne was just right”?!

And now a little about the dress I’m wearing.

I found this beauty at JCREW –heavily discounted and needing a friend.  (buy it here)

A little “love at first sight” occurred and the dress was mine.  

The task of dressing it down for work was not an easy one.  I do think this jacket is a nice accompaniment to it though and sets off the dress nicely.  

So, the next time you’re wondering what to wear…why not pull that old bridesmaid or formal dress from it’s dormant hanger and add a little party to your day!

xx…Cortneybre…