by The Perennial Style | Jan 14, 2014 | Style, Uncategorized
No woman’s wardrobe is complete without a timeless black cocktail dress. I learned this lesson early on from my grandmother , Virginia Dawn Justice Gray. My grandmother was born and raised in West Virginia, so she was no stranger to the Greenbrier Resort. Dawn has always held a special place in my heart as I credit my creative side to her, as well as my middle name, Gray. Dawn always had impeccable taste, so I’m not surprised that her style would carry on over the years. I found my grandmother’s prom dress recently, and I was shocked to find that not only was it the perfect size, but also a classic style that I could wear today. I learned her senior prom was held at the Greenbrier Resort many years ago, so I felt truly honored to be able to wear her dress over the holidays this year in the same room she wore it over 60 years ago. The mix of lace and velvet on this dress, as well as the tea length hem, embody some of fashion’s newest trends. Like they say, you can never go wrong with a little black dress!
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by The Perennial Style | Jan 13, 2014 | Dwell, Hotels, North America, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, United States, West Virginia
This year we decided to spend the holidays at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Though I absolutely love going home to Destin, Florida any chance I can take a break from the office, something about the mountains feels more like Christmas than the white sandy beaches. If you are not familiar with the Greenbrier, I recommend you add it to your bucket list. Since 1778, the resort has been a desirable vacation destination for many with its fascinating history of the underground Bunker established by the US government during the Cold War (Learn more about the Bunker history here). What I love most about the Greenbrier is the lavish décor designed by the famous Dorothy Draper. Colors and patterns explode through the historic resort giving a one-of-a-kind elegance that guests have come to love about America’s Resort. Dorothy Draper is also credited for the interior designs of the Dallas Stonleigh Hotel penthouse suites (see our posts here and here), among many others. Since retirement, Draper’s protégé, Carleton Varney, continues to serve as the Designer/Curator for the Greenbrier Resort and as President of Dorothy Draper & Co.
The Greenbrier Resort is home of the Greenbrier Classic PGA Tour event, which is the oldest course currently used for a PGA Tour. This was the view from our lunch at Sam Snead’s at the Golf Club. The mountains and the horse-drawn carriage made me wish I could stay there forever! 
Christmas Eve after dinner at Prime 44 West
The Resort had endless hallways of boutiques, which led to a little a little retail therapy. The shoe store was obviously a favorite of mine, considering we stopped by everyday! However, our matching Greenbrier robes below definitely take the cake as my favorite purchase of the trip – who says we are too old to match? 
Like we mentioned before, Lanz gowns are a tradition in our family. Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without them!
We stayed busy all week with the numerous activities available at the Resort. My favorite was the bowling alley in the hotel. Other activities included ice skating, horseback riding, golf, swimming, croquet, hunting, falconry, tennis, and more. For those of you looking for a more relaxing vacation, I definitely recommend stopping by the spa for a little R&R followed by afternoon tea in the ballroom.
We were sad to say goodbye to the Resort at the end of the week, but the countdown until next year has begun!
For more information about the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, check out their website here.
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