Speaking of Summer’s Simple Pleasures…

I’m going to say something funny and then I’ll move on to the post. When I was much younger, I started a catering business and I named it Simple Pleasures. I thought it was the perfect name and I had business cards made and stickers and just really believed I had nailed the essence of what I was trying to create. When I told my father, he said “sounds like a massage parlor”. I was completely devastated but kept the name. I’ll never forget the purple font on the branding…it was so pretty and professional, but every time I looked at it, I thought about the massage parlor. When I titled this post, the whole story came back and I just had to laugh and share!

I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. I wrote about it on my Substack this morning, and I’ve been thinking about it so much. I think we get it all wrong because we decide it’s all about “being grateful for what you have”…which it is, but there is far more to it. It’s simply paying attention to what’s right in front of us in the moment, while at the same time moving forward with desire.

Sometimes it’s an ice cream cone on a hot afternoon, sitting on the front steps for a few minutes with nowhere else I need to be. Nothing extraordinary, but these are the little moments that make up our lives, and I don’t want to be so busy that I miss them, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want more! I hope you’ll hop over and read my Substack…I think you’ll like it…and maybe look at gratitude a little differently!

And since we’re talking about life’s simple pleasures, let’s talk about this gorgeous dress (very similar here). I’ve always loved pink, and this soft shade with the orange embroidery feels so perfect for summer. It’s linen, loose and easy, and exactly the kind of thing I want to wear when it’s hot outside. The embroidery around the neckline, sleeves and hem is what makes it special. Dresses like this make me feel so pretty and that’s reason enough to wear them!

I paired it with flat gold sandals, lots of bracelets and a few necklaces layered together. You know I rarely believe in taking off jewelry just because the outfit is casual! The straw bag keeps everything relaxed and summery, and this is an outfit I could easily wear to lunch, at the beach, or just for an afternoon on the porch with strawberry ice cream. Yes please!

Now…what I have to tell you is that unfortunately this particular dress is sold out, but fortunately, I have linked some other kaftan style dresses that are also really gorgeous! Below I’m sharing a boutique filled with some fun options!

I hope this is a little reminder to enjoy the simple things while summer is still here. Wear the pretty dress, get the ice cream, sit outside a little longer and enjoy the people you’re with. Those ordinary moments have a way of becoming some of the ones we remember most!

Thanks so much for reading today!

~XOXO Suzanne