Jean Shrimpton in Vogue Paris August 1965.  Photographer Guy Bourdin.

This summer seemed to go faster than any other, and my plans to share my summer fashion favorites have been scrapped to make way for autumn styleaspirations.  I plan to spend the next several posts sharing some of my favorite fall fashions.

First up is the pink coat.  I’m sure that you’ve been spotting them.  I have a special attachment to the pink coat because I’ve had one in my winter coat collection for the past 7 years.  Mine is another Lilly Pulitzer find, a beautiful pink wool coat that I believe that I purchased for 50% off at a boutique in the midwest.  In the months following my purchase, I saw Meredith Viera wearing the green version of my coat on The Today Show.

Readers, I have received more compliments on this pink coat than any other piece of clothing I have ever worn.  When I get dressed, I’m not looking for compliments (though they are always welcome), but I relish the fact that this piece of clothing has garnered me more compliments than any other because it’s the only piece of clothing I own that my husband complains about!  So when a man on the subway asked to take my picture because he wanted to show his sisters who love pink (Do I really believe that?), not exactly the type of attention I want, I couldn’t wait to share this anecdote with my husband.

Here is a little pink coat inspiration to push you into fall:

Via Pinterest

Via Stylecaster

3.1 Phillip Lim 

Carven

Leslie Tessler

Via What Do I Wear? 

Kate Spade

JCrew

Paul Smith

 Harper’s Bazaar

I particularly love how this pink coat adds just the right amount of punch to basic black and white.

Here are my Top Picks for Pink Coats:

Femme 

Rochas

French Connection

Carven

Victoria’s Secret  (A steal!)

Simone Rocha

And one of my favorite pieces for fall…

Red Valentino

Are you thinking pink when it comes to coats these days?  What is the item of clothing that has fetched you the most compliments?

Image via Diner en Blanc- New York Facebook page

Before I leap full force into fall, I want to share how I ended the summer.

On Sept. 18, I joined approximately 4,000 others clad head to toe in white and carting white chairs, tables, fine china, candles, and flowers for an organized yet impromptu picnic in a secret location.  The partygoers met in different locations and then made their way to the once secret spot, Bryant Park, located directly behind the New York Public Library (NYPL).  I loved the choice of location.  It is classic New York.

My photos are somewhat blurry, but in a way I feel that only adds to the magical feeling that the evening bestowed.

This spectacular event, Diner en Blanc (DEB), started 25 years ago in Paris.  It has no fundraising aspect or political or social agenda.  The only goal is that participants experience an elegant evening complete with live music, dinner, and dancing.  The challenging part of DEB is the preparation… finding a table in Manhattan that meets the required specifications is a particular challenge.  To make the dressing aspect stress-free, I wore the white Lilly Pulitzer dress that I posted about here.  Next year, I look forward to planning my outfit and table decorations well in advance.

One of the best parts of DEB is the people watching.  I loved that the event was filled with a crowd diverse in age, race, demeanor, and style.  Below are a few of my favorite styles I spotted at DEB.

While dancing and smiling with strangers, I realized that I wish for Baby Boy to grow into an adult with the ability to have similar experiences; to put aside everyday routines and stressors, surrender to the magic and the joy of being alive, and recognize the beauty and uniqueness of a particular moment.

I can now say that I’ve danced on the steps of the NYPL.

I hope to carry a little DEB style into the fall.  White has always been elegant, and recently, it has proven to be seasonless.

Harper’s Bazaar

How did you end the summer?  What are your styleaspirations for the fall?