May 1st is not just a date on the calendar. In France, it is la Fête du Muguet, a centuries-old tradition of gifting lily of the valley to those you love as a token of luck and happiness. The custom is said to trace back to 1561, when King Charles IX received a sprig of the delicate, bell-shaped white flowers and, enchanted, decided to offer them to every lady of his court each spring. The tradition has never really stopped since.
For Christian Dior, the muguet was nothing short of a religion. He was never without a sprig in his buttonhole, his florist grew lily of the valley year-round in a specially heated greenhouse just to ensure that. He also kept some in a finely-wrought box in his pocket, and during preparations for his fashion shows, he would ask his petites mains to sew sprigs into the hem of a sleeve or a dress. A man who understood that good luck, like good style, requires daily commitment.
Anouk and I with Carlos Bueno, General Manager at Raffles Boston, a hotel I can highly recommend.
So what better flower to wear on a day like this? My dress and jacket are embellished with lily of the valley, which felt entirely right, not just seasonally, but spiritually. We were celebrating Anouk’s graduation, and if ever a moment called for a little extra luck and a lot of elegance, this was it.
The evening unfolded in the only way it should: drinks at the Raffles, my favorite hotel in the city, followed by dinner at the French restaurant Bistro du Midi where the night gently dissolved into laughter, good wine, and the kind of conversation that makes you feel like time is standing still in the very best way.
The Long Bar & Terrace is amazing place to enjoy drinks before dinner …
… with spectacular views over the Boston skyline during sunset. I recommend the Boston Sling.
Graduation dinner at Bistro du Midi, that has the best bouillabaisse.
And my bag? A frog. A little sculptural frog clutch that caused more commentary than any It-bag ever has. Let me be clear: this is the only frog I kiss. Because when you’ve spent enough time in fashion, you learn quickly, better a frog bag than the wrong prince.
Bonne chance à tous. And to Anouk, the luckiest thing about this day was you.
My look: Addison bow jacket, and Velia floral appliqué bandeau minidress, both by Alice + Olivia, silver-tone crystal necklace, and heart shaped earrings with pearls, both by Alessandra Rich, Aevitas leather platform boots in black by Versace, floral tights by Calzedonia, and frog resin clutch by JW Anderson.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
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Worn in Gala Episode 97 of MY STYLE ROCKS Season 2.
