Newsletter Archive

After Christmas, Mummy gently, but firmly, encouraged me to write my thank-you notes for the presents I received from relatives. As I wrote, I longingly observed my friends playing outside… it felt like torture!  Yet, due to her insistence, gratitude became ingrained in me- it’s not innate. You are not born with gratitude; it is a learned mannerism. The Episcopal girls’ school in Richmond, Virginia, where I attended, has a motto: “What we keep, we lose; only what we give remains our own.” Expressing gratitude is among life’s paramount endeavors. Beyond a handwritten note, try to demonstrate to your gift-giver how you use their gift or express in person the joy it brings. This additional “nod of gratitude” is a kind and thoughtful gesture that will always be appreciated. Wearing a gift when anticipating the gift-giver’s presence or sharing your experience with a gifted item via email or phone call

For your Christmas dinner, consider the idea of repurposing a napkin ring by transforming it into a darling  “petite adornment” to enhance food on a tray or table, or even in a powder room. Slip just a few sprigs of holly, pine or some flowers into a napkin ring, and voila! You’ll have an attractive, Lilliputian-sized arrangement, and it only takes seconds to make. A little background about napkins rings: Napkin rings were created in France in the 19th century. Decorative napkin rings made of silver, porcelain, and other materials became popular in America, especially in the 20th century, and it continues today. Napkin rings were meant to identify napkins for family members and house guests so that the napkins could be used more than once before washing. Mummy only used her silver napkin rings for our family or her house guests, but never for a dinner party. She adhered

As the Co-Chair of the Salvation Army of Palm Beach’s “Christmas in Paradise” 2023 gala this coming December 16th, I believe it will be a magical evening, dancing under the stars to the sounds of Sinatra!  The dinner dance is set around the stunning Olympic pool, which overlooks the ocean at The Beach Club in Palm Beach. The color scheme? Well, you guessed it: pink & green! The invitation sets the scene with this description on the insert: “Once upon a time, old Palm Beach was a very glamorous place, especially in the 50’s!  While Sinatra and the Rat Pack sang, gentlemen danced in their white dinner jackets with elegant ladies bejeweled in flowing dresses… and hair perfectly coiffed.  This intoxicating party scene was de rigueur!” What is the dress code for this gala?  It is “white dinner jacket.” “What is the difference between “white dinner jacket” versus “white tie?”

For a special occasion and for the upcoming holidays, giving a handmade (or bespoke) gift is the ultimate expression of love! It doesn’t have to be grand- it’s the thought and effort that matters. So with that in mind, I have a “simple and meaningful” gift idea for you. It’s a gift that was given to me that I have lovingly used for over 25 years… a family cookbook! When my daughter, Alexandra, graduated from Trinity College, she lived at home for a month before she started her new job in Boston. Alexandra thought of a gift for me when she realized that she didn’t know where to look for my “classic family recipes” within my collection of dog-eared cookbooks. She asked me to find our favorite family recipes and dictate them to her. She had me include my tried-and-true notes, which I tend to scribble alongside the recipes of

Choosing fabrics with Maria Pucci of Gramercy Atelier for my Holly Holden Collection is always a delightfully rewarding experience! I am wearing the wonderfully detailed and Bavarian-inspired “Paley” blazer.  Photos by:  Vlad Larvin Photography NYC Dear Ones, Happy Thanksgiving! How grateful I am for you, my ardent subscribers… and thank you for the interest many of you have expressed in my wardrobe on Instagram.  On that note, it is with extra glee that I am able to share my newest endeavor with you and introduce my new line of clothing, The Holly Holden Collection,  in collaboration with Maria Pucci of Gramercy Atelier in NYC! I have been designing my wardrobe since I was 16, so it is truly a dream come true for me.  Maria and I share the same appreciation for classic, well-appointed fashion with stunning fabrics and detailed embellishments; our collaboration fits like a pair of white kid

Collecting a medley of pretty cocktail napkins through the years has given me a delightful selection to choose from for every type of party!  “Party time is ‘pretty’ time!” -Holly Holden The little details you use when entertaining are the elements that make your guests feel honored and comfortable. In light of this, with Christmas, and the holidays approaching, raise the bar by offering your guests pretty little linen cocktail napkins! Nothing says ‘welcome’ more than greeting your guests at the door with a glass of bubbly along with an elegantly designed cocktail napkin. Voila, the scene is set and the party commences! Mummy used to say that paper napkins are for picnics and linen napkins are for lovely guests. Linen napkins can be personalized with embroidered monograms or whatever is meaningful to you, whether the name of your house, family crest, horses, endearment names, your personal quote, or anything else. There are such clever