Pantone Fall 2016 - Spicy Mustard

Of all the Pantone Fall 2016 color line up, Spicy Mustard is the one that surprised me most. I am not a big fan of yellow. I think yellow is a lovely color, but I don't tend to reach for it and don't have many yellow pieces in my wardrobe. Spicy Mustard, however,  seems to be a versatile yellow, one I keep reaching for. In fact as I write this I am wearing the same tee you see in this post, with a pink fly away cardi and flared jeans. Check out my Instagram post from Monday.

For today's post I decided to style the Spicy Mustard, 3/4 length sleeved tee with a snakeskin print skirt that I have had for a long time. The skirt itself seems to carry a bit of that same yellow throughout the pattern. 

Since the skirt takes on the role of pattern for the outfit, I decided to downplay my accessories and keep them a relatively neutral color. 

The bag and shoes are a pewter color, while the jewelry brings in the browns and creams in the skirt. 

It is hard to get a good picture of shoes when you are standing in grass and the ground is soft! Ha, ha. 

Here is a close up of the skirt snakeskin pattern. 

Be sure to check out Liz at With Wonder and Whimsy for her take on Spicy Mustard. 

What do you think of Spicy Mustard? Would you wear it? How would you style it in an outfit? Let me know in the comments section below. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to check back on Thursday and see which Beautiful Blogger inspired my polka dot outfit. Until then, have a great day. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping Options:

Spicy Mustard top - Nordstrom Rack - $34.97

Snakeskin pants (skirts available at Poshmark and other online used retailers) - Macy's - $35.99

Strappy Shoe - DSW - $39.95

Bag - DSW - $49.95

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Wednesday linking up with Allison of Sydney Fashion Hunter and Tania of 50 is Not Old. Thursday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Nicole of Hight Latitude Style. Friday linking up with JoLynne of JoLynne Shane, Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style.

 

Pantone Fall 2016 - Warm Taupe

When I think of the color taupe I think of it more as a paint color, not necessarily a color I would wear. However, over the years I have realized that taupe is another one of those colors that can be paired with many other colors. For this post, I decided to keep the look clean and classic, by pairing Pantone's Fall 2016 color Warm Taupe with black.

Here I am checking out what is left in our little grape arbor. Unfortunately, this year, we hardly ate any of the grapes. The squirrels were much quicker at harvesting them, than we were.

To keep my look classic, as I said, I paired my shimmery taupe top with my patterned black ankle pants. I kept the bag similar to the top and the shoes black to go with the pants. However, I could see this outfit taken up a notch with the pop of a red sweater or a teal colored bag or pair of shoes. The warm taupe would easily harmonize with many bright colors.

These two pictures show you more detail. The top is basically a tee shirt, having the tee material in the back and the shimmery material in the front. The other picture shows you the detail of the lace pattern on the black crop pants and the added dimension on the multicolored taupe bag.

The only other colors I added to the outfit was in a single strand of fall colored beads and the blush color of the bracelets. Here you can better see the sparkly detail on the top.

What do you think of my take on Warm Taupe? Is this a color you have in your closet? If not, would you wear it? I'd love to have your input.

Help me out. If you follow me, but haven't subscribed to my blog, do so today. If you are a subscriber leave me a comment either in the comments section below or on Facebook. You can also like and follow me on Instagram. I'm also starting to used Pinterest too. Any of my pics can be pinned to your Pinterest boards by clicking on the little red P button in the top left corner of the picture. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog and have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping Options:

Taupe top - Chico's - $79.98, Chico's - $34.99

Black patterned crop pants - Nordstrom Rack - $42.97

Taupe bag - Target - $34.99

Black block heels - Macy's - $80.00

Fall beads - Chico's - $45.00

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Tania of 50 is Not Old and Allison of Sydney Fashion Hunter. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style , Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots and JoLynne Shane on the Fashion Friday Link Up

Piece Perfect - Basic Cardigan

I'm pretty sure most of us have, what I would term, a basic cardigan. What makes it a cardigan is that it serves the function of a sweater and usually has long sleeves, along with a button up or zip up front. In today's fashion world, cardigans are anything but basic. There are sleeveless, short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve and long sleeved versions. There are buttons, snaps, toggles and zippers. There are also versions that have no closures, such as tie front and fly away. They vary in length from short to long and anything in between. However, I think a wardrobe is incomplete without the basic cardi.

Today I am styling a brown cardigan two ways. I will not admit to the number of basic cardis that I have, just as I will not admit to the actual number of sweaters that are residing on various shelves throughout my home. Just don't ask my hubby. Ha, ha. For me, brown is a fairly basic fall color, so that is what I chose for my outfits.

1. A Casual Look -

For this basic look I styled the brown cardi over a Spicy Mustard tee. You'll see this top again in the Pantone Fall 2016 color line up when I feature it in a few weeks. I added my comfy boyfriend jeans. 

My accessories included a large multi colored tote which pulls together the browns and the yellows. I also wore a bead and antler necklace that I found on clearance at Cabela's. In keeping with the natural theme I added a simple wood bracelet. To finish off the look I wore my leopard print flats.

2. A Dressed Up Look - 

For this look I kept the same Spicy Mustard tee and basic brown cardigan. Instead of boyfriend jeans I wore eggplant colored hose and a leopard print skirt

In choosing my accessories I went for the purple, gold and brown. My jewelry was mainly gold with a few clear beads. My ankle boots were brown and the small clutch pulled in the purple of my hose. 

Here's the two looks side by side.

Yes, the vine is trying to eat me! 

So there you have it, my take on styling a basic cardigan. I think a cardi is a great piece to invest in, whether you have a couple or one in many different colors. They are versatile and an easy addition to any outfit casual or dressy. 

I hope you enjoyed this piece perfect edition. Let me know what color cardi's you have in your closet. I love to have your feedback. Have a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping for Cardigans:

JCrew Factory - $32.50

Target - $15.99

Christopher and Banks - $24.00

H&M - $14.99

Saturday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb in the Saturday Share Link Up.

Pantone Fall 2016 - Sharkskin

When I think of sharkskin, I think of every range of gray imaginable from light to dark and everything in between. After all they don't call the ominous star of Jaws, the Great Gray, or the Great Blue. The shark that starts eating people near Amityville, NY is called a Great White. However, the color Sharkskin on Pantone's Fall 2016 color palette could be classified as the gray we often think of when we think of sharks. The range of shades within this color varies, just like the large fish that swim the ocean waters, from light gray to dark gray. 

When I first started searching my closet for a piece that would represent this color, I wasn't able to find just exactly what I was looking for. Every time I would compare a sweater or top to the shade found in Pantone's site, it just didn't match. There is a clarity to Sharkskin that speaks to clear fall days and bright new fallen snow. So what follows is my take, one that I am not completely satisfied with, but then that is all part of the learning process.

This popover top is from Loft, though I found it at a thrift store. The light gray background falls in the lighter shade of Sharkskin and is then pocked with white spots. I paired the light gray with a light pair of khakis.

Here's a close up of the top. I did a front tuck to give a bit of shape to the outfit. The pendant necklace is a simple ball which also mimics a darker shade of Sharkskin. I added a gold belt with silver rivets and buckle. For a bag I chose my cognac cross body. For shoes I went with my Sharkskin gray oxfords.

And, just so you don't think I forgot, here is my silly picture. I look like I am practicing for the opera. Ha, ha.

For another great post on Sharkskin check out Liz at With Wonder and Whimsy. She does a beautiful job styling this new neutral.

I hope you enjoyed this post on Sharkskin. Is this a color you would wear? How would you style this color? I'd love to hear your comments. Thanks for hanging out here on the blog. Be sure to check back on Thursday for a look at my Piece Perfect column where I'll be styling a simple cardigan.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping Options:

Popover top - JC Penney - $19.99

Khakis - Old Navy - $20.00

Cognac Cross Body Bag - Target - $27.99

Oxford Shoes - Macy's - $49.00

Ball pendant - Target - $15.99

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish and Tania of 50 is Not Old in the Ageless Style Link Up. Wednesday linking up Allison of Fash Packing by Sydney Fashion Hunter. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday Link Up , Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots

The Season of Fall

Today's post centers on the season of Fall. Autumn officially started a week ago to the day on the calendar and the weather has changed to reflect the beginning of this glorious season. My husband and I spent this past Saturday raking the leaves that had already fallen and enjoying a fire in our fire pit in the evening, while sipping on mugs of tea. It was cool enough that I threw on a hoodie. 

As the temperatures begins to fall our thoughts turn to changes in our wardrobes. As you can see from my Tuesday posts, the Pantone Fall color report included rich reddish brown and jewel tone green, as well as yellow and red reminiscent of the leaves that we will be raking out of our yards. But the colors are not the only thing that changes with the seasons. Our choice of clothing pieces change as well.

In the past we have usually put our whites and pastels away and opted for darker colors. Now anything goes. I have seen a number of articles and bloggers feature ways to wear white well into the season. Deborah of Fabulous After 40 shares three distinct outfits for wearing white into the fall in her article Can You Wear White After Labor Day?  JoLynn Shane, one of the many wonderful bloggers I follow, shared her take on wearing white jeans in the fall. Her White Jeans Outfit for Fall post is worth reading. You'll see me styling a pair of white jeans in an upcoming post in a few weeks. 

Since we are going to keep our whites out, we might as well rethink those pastels. Here is a good article from the site Bustle called 7 Ways to Wear Pastels in the Fall written by Emily McClure. While this article is from a year ago, her tips are just as applicable today. The one statement that really stands out to me is:

When it comes to styling pastels, it’s all about adding in different textures. Personally, I love pairing pastel pieces with suede or leather in the fall, as it’s such a lovely juxtaposition of sweet and edgy staples. However, if you’re into bold prints and colors you may want to add bits of pastels as well. Bold cranberry pieces mix great with mint and cool blues. Basically, pastels are for everyone, all the time.
— Emily McClure

I love that she talks about adding textures. That is something I am just learning how to do. I also like that she says, "...pastels are for everyone, all the time." Now, does every pastel look good on every complexion or skin tone, maybe not, but you can find the pastels that work for you, or as she says, mix textures. Choose a light pink top under a edgy wine colored moto jacket and maybe throw on a scarf that complements your skin tone. 

Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy, another beautiful blogger I follow, does a perfect job of pairing pastels with fall pieces in this post titled, Color Palettes featuring Pantone's Sharkskin GrayYou can see how she combines light blue and light pink with the darker, edgier Pantone Sharkskin Gray.

In addition to colors, we also think about patterns and how they change in the fall as well. This year in the stores and on the runways we are seeing animal prints like leopard, snakeskin, zebra stripes and tiger stripes. Leopard seems to be the rage right now. Here area a few of my own photos of pieces in my wardrobe.

As you can see in the above pics, I have a few things that have the snakeskin pattern. It is a fun pattern and can go with many different colors, depending on if you want to dress it up or dress it down. 

And just like on the fashion runways and in the stores, leopard print has turned up a few places in my closet. In addition to this fun skirt, I have a button up short sleeve blouse and a pair of flats which turn up occasionally in a blog post. 

Besides the animal prints I have mentioned, florals are also trending, but whereas in the summer the florals were light and backed by whites and pastels, the fall florals are darker shades backed by navy, wine and black. Check out Gemma's take on florals on her blog post The Cherry Blossom Midi Dress. This is the perfect floral look for transitioning to fall. 

Besides colors and patterns the other thing that significantly changes as we move into fall are the textures. Summer fabrics are usually light weight, breathable and moveable. The whole point is to keep you cool. As our weather changes, especially in the northern part of the country, our fabrics become heavier, bulkier and warmer. As women we still appreciate breathability and movement in our clothes, especially if you are menopausal, but we like textures that are soft to the touch and make us feel cozy. Cozy, after all, drums up images of roaring fires, hot cocoa and good books. 

One of the trending textures for fall is velvet. This jacket (which will be featured in a future post) is not real velvet, but it is so soft. Real velvet can be somewhat stiff, so I like this "faux velvet" if you will. It is moveable and fairly light weight.

There are so many other things we can talk about as the season of fall takes center stage. Our shoes transition into boots; our light weight sweaters transition into light weight jackets which transition into trench coats and we pull out scarves to accessorize and add warmth to our necks. Our sweaters become longer and eventually heavier and we begin adding hose or tights to our once bare and sun tanned legs. As I write this, I feel a little sad, but also excited because as you know I am a woman of layers and as the cool weather closes in, I get to create new and interesting outfits full of layers of texture, color and depth. And that will be fun!

Pantone Fall 2016 - Riverside Blue

I have plenty of blue in my closet. Blue just seems to be one of those colors that appeals to me in so many shades and textures and styles. So when I saw that there were two blues in the Pantone Fall 2016 color line up, I was excited to search my closet and see what I could come up with. I showed you how I styled Airy Blue in this post here. Today's post features Riverside Blue.

This blue is a medium blue and I think would look good on everybody. Never say never to a color. So often it is more about how you put an outfit together than whether it is a good color for you. It is true that some colors can make a person look washed out or even peckish, but a color can still be worn on the body while adding a sweater or jacket or scarf closer to the face to brighten up your look.

I found this 3/4 length sleeve tee at a thrift shop and found that it matched the subtle blue lines in this pair of dress pants that I've had for some time, making this an easy outfit to throw on for work. What I especially liked on this top was the embellishment around the neckline.

Here you can see the detail. The lines are raised and the blue threads are interspersed with silver ones. Because of that, I decided to keep my jewelry simple and opted for a cute cross necklace.

I decided to add a little pop of extra color with this mustard and white tote bag. We often think of yellow as a summer color, but it is a fall color as well, think leaves and goldenrod and sun flowers. 

Here you get a better look at my shoes. I featured this pair of oxfords in my Great Transitional Shoe post which you can view here.

Do you like Riverside Blue or Airy Blue better? I think blue is a great color for everyone to wear and because there are so many shades everyone can find a blue that suits them. I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know in the comments section below or leave me a comment on my Facebook page. 

You can also follow me on Instagram, though I am still working on doing more with that. I don't have a smart phone, so I have to take a pic and then send it to my daughter who posts it for me. I know, I am so living in a cave. Ha ha. At least I am a fashionable cave woman, don't ya think?

Check back on Thursday for a look at the changes our wardrobes make as we move into Fall. Until then have a great week. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping Options:

Blue Top - JCrew - $29.99

Plaid Trousers - Lord and Taylor - $89.00

Tote Bag - Macy's - $46.20

Black Oxfords - DSW - $59.95

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Tania of 50 is Not Old. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and JoLynn Shane on Fashion Friday link up and with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots

Pantone Fall 2016 - Potter's Clay

I absolutely love this color. It's earthy and edgy all all the same time. It reminds me of the fringe jacket my oldest brother used to wear back in the late 60's and early 70's. I always wanted one of those. It was suede, had fringe and was the color of late summer deer and it had that wonderful leather smell. Since I wasn't ready to go out and drop hundreds of dollars on a leather jacket with fringe, I got the next best thing, a thrift store vest with fringe. Ha, ha. Again, I try to find pieces that will closely mimic the colors that Pantone puts out, but they may or may not match perfectly.

This swingy dress, I discovered while thrifting a few years back. It is covered in a fun print of geometric circles that look a bit like mums or zinnias. The dress is sleeveless, so in keeping with the transition idea, I layered a dark brown lace tee underneath and added the duster length vest for a playful fall look. I kept to brown for my low wedge shoes and accessorized with orange.

And of course, being a girl, if it twirls, I had to try it! Who can say no to a twirly dress or skirt, even if it is not a huge twirl.

Here you can see the pattern on the dress, and the dark brown lace patterned tee, as well as my orange beads on my necklace and bracelet and my orange bag. I think these colors together give the whole outfit a monochrome look of sorts.

Here you can see how long the fringe is on the vest! Also, my low wedge brown shoes. These are a faux suede material and the elastic band/strap is great for easy on and easy off. 

And of course I had to include the pic where I am looking somewhat sultry. Ha, ha. You also get a closer look at the pattern on the tee and the texture of the vest. Texture, as I am learning from so many of the other bloggers out there, is a big part of making a stylish and interesting outfit.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do any of you remember the days of those fringe jackets like my bother used to wear? How many of you actually own one? I'd love to hear your answers. Also, let me know what you think of Potter's Clay. Don't forget you can receive emails letting you know when new posts are up by filling in your name and hitting subscribe. Or you can follow me on Facebook and Instagram. 

Thanks for reading. Thursday we'll be looking at mixing orange and red in my Color Crash Course column. Until then, keep stylin'!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping for Potter's Clay:

Faux suede vest - Maurice's - $39.00

Faux suede skater dress - Express - $50.99

Faux suede seems to be the closest color match to Potter's Clay that I could find. Finding an item you like in a certain color can be a fun treasure hunt. Enjoy!

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Tania of  50 Is Not Old, and Allison of Sydney Fashion Hunter. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and JoLynne of JoLynne Shane in Fashion Friday.

Beautiful Blogger Bests - Wearing Fringe - Accessories

This week's featured beautiful blogger is Jodie of Jodie's Touch of Style. Jodie's blog specifically caters to women ages 50 and over. She offers a multi-generational perspective on fashion by using herself (50's), her step mom, Nancy (60's) and her mom, Charlotte (70's) to model in all of her fashion posts. You can read more about Jodie and her two other beautiful family members and models on her About page. 

Jodie is a fantastic fashion blogger based in Colorado. She is down to earth, creative and honest, not only about fashion, but about herself. I anticipate Jodie's posts as she models everything from tee shirt dresses, to faux leather skirts, to wearable art, for all three decades. 

Today's post was inspired by a series of posts Jodie did last spring on wearing fringe. Jodie did a three part series which you can see by clicking on these links: Fringe 1 (On a Clothing Item), Fringe 2 (On a Necklace), and Fringe 3 (On an Accessory). 

I have decided to divide this up as well, with my first post today dedicated to fringe on accessories. Somewhere down the line I will dedicate another post to fringe on clothing. 

Fringe on a Scarf:

Fringe on a bag:

Fringe on a necklace - a tassel:

Fringe on a bracelet:

Fringe on a poncho:

I would also include shoes with the accessories, but my moccasin pics weren't ready, so I will include those in my next fringe post at a future date.

As you can see there are many ways to wear fringe and what was once a style statement of the 60's has made a strong resurgence and is probably here to stay. I will say that Jodie was really the inspiration behind my getting on the fringe band wagon. 

Jodie of Jodie's Touch of Style is a fashion blogger that actual women can follow and be inspired by. Be sure to visit her site and give her some love. 

Next Tuesday we will feature another of Pantone's Fall 2016 color choices and my Color Crash Course on Thursday will spotlight red and orange, just in time for fall. I hope you will be back for more fun on Stylin' Granny Mama.

Have a great weekend!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull (all except bracelet photos). Make up Rachel Christensen.

Fringe finds:

Scarf - JC Penney - $22.40

Bag - Kohl's - $36.00

Tassel Necklace JCrew Factory - $23.50

Tassel Bracelet - Nordstrom Rack - $12.97

Poncho - Macy's - $36.99

Pantone Fall 2016 - Airy Blue

This week's post concentrates on the Pantone Fall 2016 color choice of Airy Blue. When we are talking blue, it is easy to say, light blue is light blue is light blue and in all reality, if I am wearing a light blue item, I could tell you it is Airy Blue or I could tell you it is Serenity (from the Spring collection). I am not a fashion designer, nor an interior decorator. If I see two light blues side by side, I can tell you there is a difference and I might even be able to tell you one is more blue based and one is more red based, but over all light blue is light blue. That being said, here is my take on Airy Blue.

I have had this open weave poncho for a number of years. I have worn it occasionally, and was thrilled when I found it similar to the Airy Blue Pantone color. I think my poncho is a tad bit more blue, but it works. I styled this poncho over a sleeveless blouse with a similar color blue, as well as red and brown. Then I added red jewelry with gold tones, brown sandals and a brown bag. For the bottoms I wore a dark wash pair of jeggings that are soft and comfortable.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my take on Pantone's Fall 2016 color Airy Blue. Who remembers having a poncho like this when they were younger? Would you wear it now? Let me know what you think in the comments sections below. 

If you like my posts help me out, by subscribing to my blog. Go to bottom of the page and fill in the info to subscribe. That will get you an email once or twice a week letting you know about my latest posts. I promise to not fill up your mail box with tons of emails! 

Check back Thursday for my Beautiful Blogger Bests column and see who I'll be gushing on this week. Until then, have a great day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping the look: 

Blue Poncho - Chico's - $54.98 (more of an aqua)

Dark wash jeggings - Maurice's - $29.00

Sleeveless print top - Dillards - $39.00

Sandals - 6pm - $39.99

Bag - Kohl's - $48.30

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Tania of 50 Is Not Old in Wednesday's Wardrobe link up. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of a Pocketful of Polka Dots , JoLynn Shane in Fashion Friday and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. Sunday linking up with Allison of Sydney Fashion Hunter.

 

 

Denim Daze - the Denim Jacket

This is the last post in my Denim Daze series. If you haven't seen the rest of the series click on these links to see the Chambray Shirt, Bermuda Shorts, Knee Length Skirt and Flares

This final installment features a denim jacket. I have always owned a denim jacket for as long as I can remember, but I always had the kind that you just wore as a jacket, not one that I would say was stylish or girly. Over the years the look of the denim jacket hasn't changed much, but now it can come with embellishments, lining, dark wash, light wash, stiff or stretchy. I've seen denim blazers and denim dusters.

I found this jacket at a thrift store (where else) and fell in love with it. It is a crop jacket, meaning it is not as long as a regular denim jacket and it has a bit of stretch to it. I love the dark wash and the little bit of distressing here and there. It has 3/4 length sleeves which makes it a perfect jacket for summer or even the transitional days into fall. I even love that the collar is a little bit askew. It's quirky, just like me! 

This print dress is somewhat retro, maybe channeling the 80's, but I like its midi length, the colors and the fit. It is comfy and I can see wearing it in the fall like a jumper with a dark turtleneck and tall boots. I'm carrying a bright green and gold bag for some contrast with the monochromatic look of the outfit.

And of course I have to have some fun accessories. The fringe navy necklace is a fun piece I found earlier this summer. The beaded bracelets I've had for a while. And don't forget the comfy Keds!

To dress up the look, I changed into a long, light green maxi dress. 

This is one of those dresses I absolutely loved when I tried it on at Kohl's last summer, so I bought it. I have yet to actually wear it!!! One area I need to work on is getting out of my routine. I always say that I can't dress up unless I have a reason to, but I need to change my thinking to any reason is a reason to get dressed up. I doubt you'll see me wearing this to the grocery store, but maybe date night with the hubby? Could happen!

I wore a embroidered belt, instead of the simple green tie that came with the dress. The belt has just a little bit of pale purple, so I wore the necklace you see along with a silver and gold bracelet. I carried the sparkly pewter clutch that I have used in other posts.

I decided on the brown sandals to go with the brown belt, even though you couldn't really see my feet. 

Here are the two looks side by side.

Hope you all enjoyed the Denim Daze series. Be sure to check out Thursday's Piece Perfect post. Next Tuesday, I'll be starting a series on Pantone's Fall 2016 color choices. Thanks for stopping by.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Allison of Sydney Fashion Hunter. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots.

Shopping a similar look:

Cropped Denim Jacket - Kohl's - $32.99

Printed Midi Dress - Kohl's - $79.99

Maxi Dress - Macy's - $59.00

Navy Keds - Macy's - $40.00

Sandals - DSW - $59.95

Bags - Clutch - $31.50, Hobo - $38.50

Tassel Necklace - Loft - $24.99

 

Color Crash Course

The forth in a series of monthly columns on Thursdays, the Color Crash Course, will focus on color. Color is an important part of how we dress. Sometimes I pick my outfits according to color. Let's say pink. Maybe for a few days I pick something pink to center my outfits around. Usually it is a top or a cardigan or jacket. Now that I am learning more, I might pick a bag with pink in it and center my outfits around that bag, or maybe it is a statement necklace or a scarf. Color brings depth and dimension to our outfits.

Pantone is the gold standard in the fashion and interior design industry for determining seasonal colors. For example in the spring they came out with colors called Serenity Blue and Rose Quartz. You can see the outfits I designed around those colors here (Serenity) and here (Rose Quartz). Fall colors are now out and include names like Airy Blue, Sharkskin and Lush Meadow. I look forward to Pantone's seasonal color report because I like to draw on their ideas as a spring board for my own outfits. You might wonder how I do this without going out and buying a whole new wardrobe. Think small. I recently found a clutch at a thrift store in the green spectrum of Lush Meadow. I also own a number of items that would qualify as Sharkskin. My colors may not be exact matches to Pantone's, but again, they provide a spring board for my own fashion designs. Cyndi Spivey of Grace and Beauty did a great overview of Pantone's Fall color line up in her post Fall Fashion Color Report.

While I will be focusing in September on those fall colors put out by Pantone, this column will not be limited to those colors only. I want to use this 4th Thursday of the month to encourage you to try different color combinations as well as revisit some of the old classics. Have you ever thought, "I would never wear those colors together!" You know the saying, never say never! These days anything goes. Brown with black, red with pink, orange and green, you name it, it can go together. It's all about shades and undertone. Maybe you have also thought, "I'd never wear denim with denim or like color with like color." Again, never say never. Next month this column will feature a post on wearing denim with denim. If you can't wait that long, see what Janeane did of Designing From My Closet. She nailed the denim with denim look.

Occasionally, I will also look at pattern mixing. Mixing patterns is new to me, so I am still learning, but it will be fun to experiment. I would love your input. In the comments section below let me know what colors you like to wear, or what colors you have never thought to put together. Let's have fun with color!

Top pictures Pixabay. Bottom pictures Rebecca Trumbull.