a signature collection with elizabeth suzann.

This post is sponsored by Elizabeth Suzann, a women’s clothing label based in Nashville, Tennessee.

One of the greatest privileges of my work in this space is to introduce readers to people doing inspiring work. This spring, clothing label Elizabeth Suzann relaunched its Signature Collection. As a label known for a focus on thoughtful, long-lasting designs, tweaking an already good thing might come across as perfectionism. But it’s this kind of attention to detail that makes Elizabeth Suzann stand out. In taking the time to relaunch their signature pieces, the team there has taken a look at their designs, listened to customers’ experience of their clothes, identified what’s working and what could be made better and they’ve gone back to the drawing board, and the pattern-making, and the cutting tables, and sewing machines. The result is a new and improved foundational collection. It’s back to basics, and then some.

In writing about the re-launched collection, designer and founder Elizabeth Pape talks about the versatility and wearability of the clothing on offer. I’m especially intrigued by her thoughts on clothing as cultural artifact. She writes: “Clothing is so intimate, so closely related and influenced by how we live our lives each day.” I love this idea. For me, so much of keeping a pared down wardrobe has to do with this. The goal—whether I always succeed in it or not—is to maintain a collection of clothes that make getting dressed easy. To have a wardrobe filled with clothes I can work in and play in and feel good in whether I’m meeting a colleague for lunch, or dashing around on errands, or sitting for long hours in a café writing, or climbing on furniture to get the perfect shot. As Elizabeth says, the goal is for “clothing that enables us to live life fully, comfortably, without self-consciousness or doubt.” Amen to all that.

As part of the Signature Collection relaunch, Elizabeth Suzann has expanded its size offerings, changed some of the fabric choices, identified timeless, season-less pieces, and come up with a collection that women can return to, build on, and grow with.
For my own part, I’ve chosen pieces from the Signature Collection in fabrics that are hard-working and comfortable: linen and cotton twill won for ease in my book. In the photo above I’m wearing the Georgia Tee in ivory linen with the Clyde Work Pant in natural cotton twill. The Georgia Tee feels endlessly versatile. It looks just as sweet dressed up for date night as it does with a pair of jeans. It’s an elegant cut that’s still wearable. In an effort toward making this collection accessible to women of all sizes, what began as a one-size tee now comes in three different sizes. The Clyde Work Pant is the functional pair of pants you’ve always wanted, but with a high waist and playful side pockets to elevate them being only purely functional. They feel of this particular moment at the same time that they feel positively timeless. (These guys range from size 00-16 and come in three different lengths.)

Here, I’m in the Georgia Dress in navy linen. Like the tee of the same name, the Georgia Dress is designed for comfort, flexibility, and versatility. It’s designed to be worn alone or layered on top of and underneath other things. I’m looking forward to wearing it for days on end this summer, and really I can’t wait to see this dress years from now: soft and rumpled and every bit as classic as it is now.








Finally, here’s the sweet Tilda Pant in navy linen. This pocket-less pant fits slim on the hip and high on the waist for an elegant drape that feels comfy, but not frumpy. It’s already done duty at a dinner out and perched on the edge of the neighborhood sandbox. (The Tilda comes in sizes XS-XL and the same three pant lengths as the Clyde.)

If you’re in the market for adding something special to your own closet, Elizabeth Suzann is offering Reading My Tea Leaves readers a$25 discount with the code TEALEAVES25. The code expires May 5, 2016.

Photographs by Stephania Stanley for Reading My Tea Leaves and Elizabeth Suzann.

This post is sponsored by Elizabeth Suzann. All opinions are my own. Thanks so much for supporting the brands that support Reading My Tea Leaves.