Outfit Inspiration - Cottage Core with an Edge

May 06, 2023 by Amy Christensen in Outfit inspiration, Outfits from Instagram, Outfits with texture, Outfit from Pinterest, Blogging, Blogging on fashion, Blogging on style, Blogging over 50, Fashion inspiration, Fashion over 40, Fashion over 50, Fashion Blog, Fashion blogger, Fashion style, Faux leather jacket, Ankle boots, Women's style, Women's spring style, Women's fashion style, Women's fashion over 40, Women's fashion over 50, Women's fashion blog, Women's Fashion, White tiered skirt, Cottage Core style, Style blog, Style blogger, Style for spring, Style inspiration, Style over 40, Style over 50, Style tips, Styling a maxi skirt, Styling a moto jacket, Styling over 50

This week’s source of inspiration started with an Instagram challenge that I am trying to participate in for the month of May. The challenge, #mismatchmay revolves around outfit combinations that might seem unusual or outside the norm. It isn’t just a matter of putting different prints together, although that does have something to do with it. Every week has a different focus. For the first week we are to build outfits with the ideas in mind of character play, pose play and mix of hard and soft.

I thought I would focus, at least for one of the days on the mix of hard and soft. This would be combinations of fabrics like soft silks, tiered tulle, lace, and other feminine fabrics with moto jackets, structured vests or blazers, or leather and vinyl. As I began shopping my closet, I wanted to get a little more knowledge, which led me to Pinterest. There I discovered something I had heard of but didn’t know a lot about, Cottage Core.

Cottage Core delves into fashion that examplifies a romanticized version of pastoral life. You will find floral prints, feminine tiered skirts and maxi dresses, and oversized cozy cardigan sweaters. There is a focus on natural fibers, vintage inspiration and a closeness to nature. There is a Cottage Core aesthetic in the architectural realm as well with home decor turning towards English gardens, and rustic baskets and floral arrangements.

This outfit is my attempt to do Cottage Core (for the soft) with an edge (for the hard). There are two things in this outfit that fall into the Cottage Core aesthetic: the white tiered, lacy skirt, and the floral print on the sweater.

My floral pullover was a clearance find a few years ago from Maurice’s. It is a good piece for spring, as it is not the heavy weight of many of my pullover sweaters. Unfortunately, the weather has been cold and rainy, so my warm weather clothes are on hold.

I have had this skirt for a while. It is St. John’s Bay from JCPenney. I have styled it on the blog before. You can see it styled with a green blouse and jacket, with a pink striped pullover, and with a striped tee and navy eyelet jacket.

My brown moto jacket has been around for a while too. A thrifted piece it is Celebrity Pink brand and you can see how I styled it with an orange medallion skirt, a Grinch sweater, olive utility pants, a printed maxi dress, and a peachy monochrome look.

I added a bit of gold bling in the form of my layered necklaces and multiple bracelets. I addition I thought it would be fun to add another print, so I reached for my thrifted leopard print bag.

I chose a pair of hand-me-over ankle boots from my daughter to finish the outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? Are you familiar with Cottage Core fashion? Do you have tiered skirts, and florals in your closet? What about this style do you like or dislike?

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am including a few shopping links for Cottage Core types of pieces. These are affiliate links which means if you purchase something through the link, I get a little bit of a commission. These are brought to you at no additional cost. All opinions are my own.

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What I've Been Wearing Lately: Fall Edition

November 08, 2022 by Amy Christensen in Blogging, Blogging on color, Blogging on fashion, Blogging on style, Blogging over 50, Casual dressing, Casual fall style, Casual style, Dressing after 40, Dressing After 50, Dressing for a casual day, Dressing for comfort, Dressing for fall, Dressing modestly, Fall Colors, Fall Fashion, Fall fashion, Fall outfit, Fall plaid, Fashion Blog, Fashion blogger, Fashion inspiration, Fashion over 40, Fashion over 50, Fashion style, Layering, Outfit for an ordinary da, Outfit inspiration, Outfits from Instagram, Outfits with texture, Over 40 Fashion Blog, Over 40 Fashion Style, Over 50 Fashion Blog, Over 50 style, Plaid button up top, Style blog, Style blogger, Style for fall, Style inspiration, Style over 40, Style over 50, Style tips, Textures, Textures for fall, Texturized fabrics, Texturizing an outfit, Thinking fall, Thrifted fashion, Thrifted outfits, Thrifted pieces, Thrifted style, Thrifting, Women's casual style, Women's fall style, Women's Fashion, Women's fashion blog, Women's fashion over 40, Women's fashion over 50, Women's fashion style, Women's style

I have one more Pantone post to do, but I am going to save that for a later date. This week I wanted to share with you a few of my day to day outfits that I have been wearing this fall. As I have done before, I will give a bit of the philosophy behind my outfit choices, why I like it and a few style tips. I hope you enjoy this quick look into my every day style.

Outfit 1 - Colorful Flannel with Gold Chenille Sweater and Fall Tee

Inspiration - Instagram challenge prompt on favorite fall fabrics

Thrifted Pieces - Flannel tee, and combat boots

Style Tip - Don’t be afraid to layer over layers and think outside the box when it comes to color. Bright colors are our friends, especially in the dreary days of winter. In addition, flannel shirts make great shackets for those not so cold early days of fall.

What I like about it - It’s casual, cheerful, comfortable, and incredibly cozy. (Fun tee purchased at Love in Faith tees.)

Outfit 2 - Brown Velvet Blazer with Black Jeans and Gray Button Down

Inspiration - Pinterest Dark Academia Style

Thrifted Pieces - Brown blazer, black cropped flares, and gray polka dot button down

Style Tip - Don’t be afraid to try new styles. I came across the Dark Academia Style on Pinterest and instantly knew it was something I wanted to try. It combines dark pieces to make outfits that look ready for the college campus, or that could easily be translated to the work arena.

What I like about it - I definitely like the modest factor, at least in many of the pins I found, though there could be some very short skirts or shorts, but even there, the styles are often worn over top of dark hose or tights. In addition, this is a look I am comfortable in that makes me feel confident. I am excited to try more styles in the Dark Academia vibe.

Outfit 3 - Purple Tie Dye Top, Utility Vest and Jeans

Inspiration - Instagram challenge prompt on our favorite layer.

Thrifted pieces - Utility vest

Style Tip - Just like boots are made for wearing, so are vests. Don’t be afraid to wear them over dresses, sweaters and even sweatshirts. A vest can make a casual outfit look a bit more polished and dressier. Just add a heeled boot and a bit of jewelry for a fun date night look like this.

What I like about it - I like the way the vest pulls everything in the outfit together. The purple in the sweatshirt didn’t really match the blue of the vest, and yet when the whole thing came together it was perfect. The dark navy boots and the beaded necklace were the cherry on top.

Outfit 4 - Tulle Skirt, Tee and Cropped Denim Jacket

Inspiration - Instagram “Roctober Style Challenge” prompt For Whom the Bell Tulles

Thrifted pieces - Tulle skirt, cropped denim jacket

Style Tip - Get a tulle skirt! These things are the bomb. I have yet to wear it out in public, but just having it in my closet to wear for an Instagram challenge, makes me incredibly happy. I looked for a long time for one at the thrift store and when I found this I felt like I had won the lottery. Ha, ha.

What I like about it - What’s not to like? A tulle skirt combined with a kick butt Wonder Woman tee, denim jacket, and burgundy combat boots?? It is my description of pure fun.

Outfit 5 - Yellow Cable Knit Sweater, Dark Floral Scarf and Distressed Boot Cut Jeans

Inspiration - Instagram challenge prompt, add an extra accessory

Thrifted pieces - Yellow cable knit sweater, and distressed jeans

Style Tip - Layering accessories is a fun way to wear more of your pieces all at once and it adds texture and interest to your outfit. Using a long pendant necklace with a simple scarf wrap like this highlights the necklace, the scarf and the bright sweater backdrop.

What I like about it - I love the contrast of the bright yellow with the darker burgundy and green in the scarf as well as the bronze color of the necklace.

I hope you enjoyed this look at some of my every day outfits, or outfits I donned as part of Instagram challenges. All of these looks, except for the tulle skirt, I wore for the whole day and is very typical of what I normally wear. I like to be intentional about what I put on each day, because it reminds me that I am a special, and beautiful individual with a creative eye and a love for color, fabrics and fashion.

Let me know which outfit is your favorite, or which one you most identify with. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Have a great week everyone!

What I've Been Wearing Lately

March 18, 2022 by Amy Christensen in Blogging, Blogging on fashion, Blogging on style, Blogging over 50, Casual dressing, Casual spring style, Casual style, Casual transitional style, Clothing pieces, Dressing after 40, Dressing After 50, Dressing for a casual day, Dressing for comfort, Dressing for spring, Fashion Blog, Fashion blogger, Fashion inspiration, Fashion over 40, Fashion over 50, Fashion style, Layering, Outfit inspiration, Outfits from Instagram, Over 50 Fashion Blog, Over 50 style, Style blog, Style blogger, Style for spring, Style inspiration, Style over 40, Style over 50, Style tips, Styling over 50, Texturizing an outfit, Thrifted fashion, Thrifted pieces, Thrifted style, Transition outfits, Women's casual style, Women's Fashion, Women's fashion blog, Women's fashion over 40, Women's fashion over 50, Women's fashion style, Women's spring style, Women's style

I didn’t have the time, nor the energy to come up with outfits for a blog post, so I thought I would just share a few of my everyday outfits that I posted on Instagram. I know some of you follow me there, and on Facebook so these might be repeats for you, but to keep it interesting and fun I will be adding a few style tips and commentary on why I chose what I did and my thought process or the inspiration for putting it together. I also thought it would be fun to tell you which pieces are thrifted.

Outfit 1 - Tan Blazer with Striped Tee

Inspiration - Pinterest

Thrifted Pieces - Striped tee, blazer, jeans, belt and shorter necklace

Style Tip - Florals and stripes are an easy and quick way to print mix without getting overwhelmed.

What I like about it - It is casual, but a bit dressier with the blazer and jewelry. It adheres to my fashion style with the combat boots and floral scarf. The layers make it great for these transitional days as winter ends and spring begins.

Outfit 2 - Sunflower Skirt with Pullover Sweater

Inspiration - Style challenge on Instagram for #wearyellowtoendendo22 with @ldywhobrunches and @sarahceeraz

Thrifted Pieces - Sunflower skirt and gray faux suede boots.

Style Tip - Try choosing color combos that aren’t perfectly matched. It might go against your fashion sense, but it is good for your brain to think differently about how colors pair up. You might find color combos you never thought to put together.

What I like about it - I ended up wearing this outfit all day and it was extremely comfortable. It was just the right amount of layering to keep me warm and I didn’t feel overly constricted. I like the boho vibe of it, but it also says classy with the long flower pendant and the chic chenille sweater.

Outfit 3 - Plaid Jacket with Space Tee

Inspiration - My closet and my own creativity.

Thrifted Pieces - Plaid jacket.

Style Tip - Skinny jeans and straight leg jeans are the best for tucking into boots, so don’t get rid of all of your skinnies, no matter what is trending. Skinnies and straight leg pants give you a sleeker fit through the leg, but especially around the knee and top of a taller boot.

What I like about it - This outfit just speaks to my inner lumberjack persona. I love plaids and earth tones like brown and green. I like the contrast of the darker green tee, as opposed to choosing an olive green to match the tones in the jacket. Pairing the jacket with a scarf allowed me to wear the wool without doing all the itching.

Outfit 4 - Casual Blue Sweater and Jeans

Inspiration - My own closet and a desire for comfort. (You would be amazed at what motivates my fashion choices - Ha, ha.)

Thrifted pieces - Light blue sweater and light blue long sleeve tee underneath.

Style Tip - Choose a sweater with texture to minimize noticeable bulges around the middle. The eye is busy trying to follow the texture and pattern, rather than focusing on your bits. (I also size up, but that is a personal choice.)

What I like about it - Casual style is my jam and this is a perfect example of all the things I love: jeans, soft, roomy sweaters, pretty color and fun sneakers.

I hope you enjoyed taking a closer look at my everyday outfits, and hearing about where I draw inspiration from, and how I use my thrifted pieces. I also hope you are enjoying my style tips. Let me know what you think by leaving your thoughts in the comments, or on Facebook. I appreciate all your support.

Outfits with Sweaters

February 03, 2022 by Amy Christensen in Blogging, Blogging on color, Blogging on fashion, Blogging on style, Blogging over 50, Casual dressing, Casual style, Casual winter style, Christopher & Banks, Color, Color block, Color play, Colorful outfit, Dressing after 40, Dressing After 50, Dressing for a casual day, Dressing for a night out, Dressing for comfort, Dressing for winter, Dressing to be warm, Dressing modestly, Dressing to hide flaws, Dressing up denim, Camouflage, Fashion Blog, Fashion blogger, Fashion inspiration, Fashion over 40, Fashion over 50, Fashion style, Faux suede boots, Favorite Outfits, Fun with layers, Having fun with layers, Hiding flaws, How to build texture, Instagram, Knee high boots, Layering, Layering for warmth, Layering knits, Layering light, Layering with a scarf, Leopard print sweater, Maurice's, Kohl's, Mint Green, Navy ankle boots, Outfit inspiration, Outfits from Instagram, Outfits with texture, Over 50 Fashion Blog, Over 50 style, Rock & Republic jeans, Scarf prints, Scarves, Second hand shopping, SO, Sonoma, Style blog, Style blogger, Style for winter, Style inspiration, Style over 40, Style over 50, Styling a longer cardigan, Women's Fashion, Women's casual style, Women's fashion blog, Women's fashion over 40, Women's fashion over 50, Women's fashion style, Women's style

Hey everyone! I am trying to bring you content at least once a week, but time got away from me this past weekend and I wasn’t able to get pictures taken. I thought, instead, I would show you some of the the outfits I have been posting on Instagram. I know, not all of you have an Instagram account, and maybe not a Facebook account either, so you wouldn’t be getting that content.

Anyway, I recently styled four different sweaters and thought I would show you those outfits. I love my sweaters in the winter time. Anything to add extra layers on these frigid days is exactly what I want and need. We live in a drafty old house and over the years we have added insulation, new windows and things like that, but it is still a drafty, old, house. Ha, ha.

All of these outfits were made using a few of my longer cardigans. I love a long cardigan in the winter in our house, because my legs often feel cold, even with the extra bits on my thighs! Having a longer, cozy cardi makes me feel like I am wearing a blanket around my body.

After each outfit explanation you will see a new feature called a Style Tip. Be sure to check those out for easy ways to update your looks.

Outfit 1 - Mint Green Bubble Cardigan

This is a Christopher and Banks piece I bought a few years ago. The bubble texture is soft and cozy. For this outfit I decided to pair the sweater with a pale, lavender long sleeve top and a printed scarf which also had navy accents in addition to the mint and purple. That is why I chose my navy, SO ankle boots and a few navy bracelets. Here is a similar pair of boots at Kohl’s. My jeans are from Maurices. Click on the link to a similar pair.

Style Tip:

Trying pairing pastels with other pastels, then throw in a bit of a primary color like red, bright yellow or dark blue for an interesting contrast.

Outfit 2 - Leopard Print Cardigan

I found this great piece while thrifting and I grabbed it. I had been on the hunt for a longer, heavier, leopard print cardigan and this one was perfect. This cardigan, like the last one is an open front piece, with no zippers, buttons or snaps. I have grown to really like these types of cardi’s because they provide warmth, but still allow you to show off the top underneath, as well as any accessories like scarves or jewelry.

For this outfit, I chose my rusty brown, thrifted turtleneck, which happens to be Chico’s brand and is very soft. My jeans are my trusty old Rock & Republic brand from Kohl’s. My boots are clearance Sonoma brand, also from Kohl’s a few seasons ago. Here is a different gray pair, a brown pair, and a black pair.

Style Tip:

Adding a belt to a longer cardigan can give you an entirely new look, accenting your waist and making the outfit more streamlined.

Outfit 3 - Camouflage Waffle Weave Cardigan

This purple camo piece I found recently at my local Meijer. Not only was it on clearance, it was an additional 50% off. Yay! Being that is was such a different piece with the color and the texture, I grabbed it. I had just been thinking I want to add a few other purple pieces to my closet and this was perfect. In addition, it is a medium weight so I will be able to wear it for three seasons instead of just one. You can try finding a long light weight cardi here on Amazon.

This look was very casual, with a thrifted light weight pullover sweater, thrifted jeans and my sherpa lined ankle boots. Another clearance Sonoma pair. I wore this to go meet friends at a nearby BBQ place.

Style Tip:

Add layers of fun jewelry to a casual look to take it up a notch, making it social engagement ready.

Outfit 4 - Bright Blue Bubble Sweater

Apparently, bubble sweaters were a thing, but now they are not. I think I got the mint one, and this bright blue one the same year. This one I found at a local shop last year when my girls took me birthday shopping. My sparkly, red, long sleeve tee is a recent online purchase from Kohl’s. Tee’s are definitely a staple in my closet: short sleeves for spring and summer, and long sleeves for fall and winter.

The jeans are a stretchier version of my other Rock & Republic jeans. The boots are a hand me over from my oldest. Since her pregnancy her feet got a tad bigger. These are tight on me too and I almost wonder if they were mislabeled. I wear them around the house and places where I don’t have to walk a lot. Do you wear shoes at home? Many days I wear my slippers, but I will also get fully dressed, just to feel like I am not frittering away time. Since I am currently working from home with my little freelance jobs, it makes me feel like I am accomplishing something if I get dressed. Ha, ha.

Style Tip:

Color block an outfit by adding two, three or more different solid colors, then add a fun printed scarf for warmth and interest. Don’t forget to accent your scarf with a pretty pin/brooch.

I hope you enjoyed this post. These are a few of my every day outfits. I love to get dressed and to add interest and color to my outfits, even if I am just staying at home. I provided a few shopping links within the article that you can check out. Some of these are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great evening.

Instagram Review

August 09, 2018 by Amy Christensen in Fashion blogger, Fashion over 40, Fashion over 50, Fashion style, Fashionista, Women's Fashion, Women's fashion blog, Women's fashion over 50, Styling over 50, Summer clothing, Outfits from Instagram, Summer outfits, Instagram

I am going to be out of town visiting my mom for her 92nd birthday, so for today's post, I thought I would forego my usual Outfit Inspiration post and just show you some of the outfits from my Instagram feed. Now that I have a smart phone, and have been taught how to post pics and so on, I am enjoying the ease of throwing on an outfit and quickly posting it to IG. The thing I like about Insta is that it allows you to see a more realistic view of how I dress.

The outfits I post on my blog, are ones that I would wear, given the opportunity, but often real life gets in the way and I find it easier to just throw on a pair of skinny jeans and a pretty top in order to chase my grandson around, go grocery shopping, do laundry and so on. The following are just a few of those everyday outfits that I frequently reach for.

Plaid Dress with Skinnies

Today’s summer look. Off on a walk with a girl, her dogs and a boy! #stylingrannymama #stylish #stylingtips #styleblogger #fashion #fashionista #fashionable #fashionstyle #fashionover40 #fashioniver50 #fashionoftheday #fashionofinstagram #womenswear #womensfashion #womensclothing #summerdress #skinnyjeans #keds #beachywaves #walking #walkingthedogs #watchingthegrandkids #summerfun #summertime #wildwoodmetropark #summermorning

A post shared by Stylin' Granny Mama (@stylingrannymama) on Jul 30, 2018 at 6:24am PDT

Striped Tee with Embroidered Chinos

This is what I’m wearing today. Chino type pant are a great summer weight. These have embroidery on one leg, but you can’t see it in the pic. This top was thrifted and has a sequined eagle up in the corner. What does your Tuesday look like? #stylingrannymama #styleblogger #stylingtips #fashion #fashionista #fashionable #fashionstyle #fashionover40 #fashionover50 #fashionoftheday #fashionofinstagram #embroideredpants #stripedtee #thriftstorefinds #meijerclearance #suedeoxfords #summerfun #summertime #summeroutfit

A post shared by Stylin' Granny Mama (@stylingrannymama) on Jul 31, 2018 at 7:51am PDT

Yellow Ankle Pants with Multi-print Tee

Yellow is a color I now embrace thanks to Jodie @jtouchofstyle She inspired me to give it a try and these #talbots thrifted jeans are a new favorite! Have a good Wednesday! #thriftedchicstylechallenge #stylingrannymama #stylish #stylingtips #styleblogger #fashion #fashionista #fashionable #fashionstyle #fashionover40 #fashionover50 #fashionoftheday #fashionofinstagram #womenswear #womensfashion #womensclothing #summertime #summerstyle

A post shared by Stylin' Granny Mama (@stylingrannymama) on Aug 1, 2018 at 5:49am PDT

Eyelet Top with Skinnies

Today’s theme is Elegant Eyelet on the #simplystyledaugust challenge. What are you wearing today? #simplystyledaugust #fashionloveaugust #thriftedchicstylechallenge #copymyfashionnotes #megastyleaugust #liblooksstylechallenge #gbtlstyleup #closetshopaugust #stylingrannymama #styleblogger #fashion #fashionstyle #fashionable #fashionover40 #fashionover50 #eyelet #thriftstorefinds #summeroutfit #ootd #ootdfashion

A post shared by Stylin' Granny Mama (@stylingrannymama) on Aug 2, 2018 at 7:01am PDT

White Ankle Pants with Floral Kimono

Day 3 of the #thriftedstylechallenge Another entirely thrifted outfit except for my sparkly gray Keds. #stylingrannymama #thriftedstylechallenge #fashionstyle #fashionable #fashionoftheday #fashionover40 #fashionover50 #styleblogger #stylingtips #womenswear #womensfashion #womensclothing #whitecroppants #embellishedtank #floralkimono #graykeds

A post shared by Stylin' Granny Mama (@stylingrannymama) on Jul 25, 2018 at 5:06am PDT

Distressed Crop Jeans with Multi-print Top

Day 2 of the #thriftedstylechallenge These Simply Vera, Vera Wang jeans were my first distressed pair ever and I love them! Sonoma top and bright blue Keds. All thrifted. Have a great Tuesday! #stylingrannymama #styleblogger #styleinspiration #thriftstorefinds #fasion #fashionista #fashionable #fashionstyle #fashionover40 #fashionover50 #fashionoftheday #womenswear #womensfashion #womensclothing #summerfun #summertime #summeroutfit #summerstyle #simplyverawang #sonoma #keds #thriftedchicstylechallenge

A post shared by Stylin' Granny Mama (@stylingrannymama) on Jul 24, 2018 at 5:36am PDT

These are just a few of the outfits you'll see in my Instagram feed. Do you like this post? Do you follow me on Instagram? I'm still a work in progress and I appreciate all of you who have subscribed to my blog. If you read my posts, but haven't subscribed just fill in the info in the subsciption box and I'll put you on my email list. I only email once a week, because I know how full our in boxes can get. You can follow me on Instagram and I am also working on putting more things on my Pinterest boards so check those out as well.

Have a great weekend!