What's Trending for Summer 2017

Before I became a fashion blogger I never even thought about trends. I didn't pay much attention to how I was dressed, for that matter. I pulled on my mom jeans and a tee shirt or sweatshirt and I was good to go. I still find myself reaching for things that are comfy and easy, but I do give more thought to what I am wearing and yes, now I pay attention to the trends. I don't necessarily like all that is trendy during any given season, but it is worth taking a look at. We have the right to pick and choose the ones that we like and what works for us, while disregarding the ones that don't. That is the beauty of learning to dress in a way that you love and are comfortable with. What you put on should be an extension of who you are and make you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin.

Here are a few of the Summer 2017 fashion trends. These are not in any particular order.

1. Khakis or chinos.

At times fashion terminology can be confusing, especially if you are not familiar with the types of fabrics used in making particular pieces. I thought I would enlighten us by explaining the difference between khakis and chinos. Khakis are typically made of a heavier weight cotton, much like a regular denim, while chinos are a lighter weight cotton. The other difference is in the stitching. Khakis have stitching that is visible, while chino stitching is not. Khakis will give a more relaxed look, and are usually a little wider through the leg. Chinos on the other hand will appear dressier and typically fit closer to the leg. 

As far as color, we typically find khakis in colors from tan and beige, to olive and gray. Khakis are usually neutral. Chinos, on the other hand can be found in just about any color.

2. Seaside stripes.

Stripes seem to come and go, but they are definitely in right now. You can choose horizontal or vertical!

Maybe you already have something striped in your closet. Now you can pull it out and wear it and you'll be perfectly stylish!

3. Gingham

Much like stripes, gingham seems to come and go. Right now it is showing up on more than just summer table cloths. Check out fellow blogger Nancy Baten of Nancy's Fashion Style, looking absolutely lovely in her gingham dress. 

Nancy's Fashion Style

Isn't she adorable? I love how she paired the dress with the bright green bag and sandals. She looks ready for a number of summer activities! Here are a few other possibilities. 

4. Off the shoulder/cold shoulder.

This trend is really hot right now. I have never been all that comfortable with baring my shoulders. I'm not sure why. I have pretty shoulders and my hubby always tells me I have pretty collar bones. Ha, ha. This year was the first year I invested in a cold shoulder tee. I got the berry colored one below at Nordstrom Rack using the gift cards I had won from Jodie at Jodies Touch of Style. 

Do you like off the shoulder styles? How about cold shoulder styles? 

5. Retro swim wear.

I like that they are bringing a more modest swim wear back. These provide so much more coverage. Don't you just love the red with white polka dots? Too cute!

6. Wrap dresses.

There are loads and loads of pretty dresses in the stores right now. The wrap version can be extremely figure flattering on any figure. 

7. Slides.

I am not referring to the kind the kids have fun on at the park. These slides are a style of shoe.

I was wondering myself what the difference is between a slide and a mule. Talk about confusing. My husband always says, the English language is a really stupid way to communicate, due to the variety of meanings for the same word! For this post I am strictly talking fashion.

What I found when I looked it up, was that there is no real difference. I personally think of slides as being more casual with a low or no heel. Mules seem to be meant for more dressy occasions and while many come without heels, more often they come with a low or mid sized heel. 

8. Basket bags.

I talked a little bit about straw bags in my Awesome Accessories post on Summer Bags. These are so fun and while I wouldn't use them for all sorts of occasions, they would be perfect for a trip to the summer market or the beach! 

There are loads of other summer trends out there including white shirt dresses, micro florals, cowboy boots (yes, you heard me right) and bold drop earrings. 

I hope you enjoyed this look at the summer trends. If you found any of the pieces interesting you can click on it and it will take you to the retailer where you can read more about it or order it. 

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for all of your support and have a great weekend!

Friday linking up with Jo-Lynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Spring Trends - 2017

Every season we see a new parade of trends marching across the stage at all the up scale fashion shows. Many of the things we see on the runways are not necessarily trends that translate well to the everyday world of many women. We probably are not going to don our peek-a-boo tops for work (unless we work at a strip club...ha, ha) and our stripes may not be quite as gaudy or loud, however, there are a number of spring trends that are perfect for all of us actual women.

1. Stripes are stunning. You can wear them horizontal or vertical; seaside or oxford; wide or narrow; stripes are everywhere. Stripes are our friends. You might not think so, but let's do a quick review. Horizontal stripes have long been touted as making us look fatter, but narrow horizontals can actually make you look thinner. Vertical stripes tend to elongate our frames. My theory is this, you can wear whatever you like. I wear horizontals on the top and verticals on the bottom. However, If it is a piece I absolutely adore, I will forgo my usual way of doing things.

2. Florals are fragrant. Light florals, dark florals, floral dresses, skirts, tops, leggings, jackets and pants; basically you can easily find a bouquet of floral patterned pieces just about anywhere. I like floral patterns, but I am picky about how much, how large or small and what color combinations. There are patterns, that for me, are just too busy. I don't want to get dizzy looking at what I am about to put on.

3. Blush is beautiful. Pale pink is all the rage and is showing up everywhere from shoes and bags, to coats, tops and jeans. You won't have to look too far to see pale pink sneaking onto store shelves and clothing racks. Not all of you may feel you can wear this light color, but as with any color, never say never. Pale pink can show up as a cute cross body bag or a comfy pair of sneakers. Just a touch of it in your wardrobe can make you trend savvy.

4. Raging ruffles. They're back! Romantic ruffles. How do you feel about ruffles? I used to have a white silk blouse that had ruffles around the neck and down by the wrists. It was a regular pirate shirt. I loved it at the time, but once the trend came and went I let it go! I should have kept it. Ha, ha. I'm okay with ruffles, but I like to do them in moderation. 

5. Perfect perforations. Another trend that I like is perforations. These little decorative holes are showing up on bags, wallets, sandals and shoes. I also like to think of crocheted or knitted items as perforated clothing. They are basically clothing with little (or big) holes in them.

6. Cool khaki. Khaki is the new neutral, or maybe it is an old neutral, as it has been front and center before. This color works great as a pair of pants or shorts, or as a skirt or dress. The piece that I think of most often when I hear the word is the trench coat. 

I gave you a few samples under each category just to give you ideas. What follows are just a few outfit ensembles that I did by shopping my own closet. 

Blush jeggings, pin striped jacket, floral long sleeve button up, Pink Yarrow jewelry, gold sandals and clutch. Pattern mixing has gotten even easier with the smooth blend of stripes and florals.

Olive utility jacket, striped 3/4 length sleeve tee with embellishment, gold jewelry, frayed hem crop jeans, blush fold over bag and blush flats. Olive seems to be making a stand in the fashion world and will be sticking around as another versatile neutral. Distressed jeans are big right now too. 

Crocheted fit and flare sweater top, blush lace trim cami, fringe multi strand bracelet, gold floral necklace, perforated red bag, tiered floral tea length skirt, sandals. The fit and flare trend is back as well, meaning dresses and tops are more fitted through the bodice and waist, then flare out. The tiered skirt also seems to be making a subtle come back, which I love, as I have several of these. This is a great skirt for the summer, giving full coverage, but not needing a slip underneath. 

I hope to show you some of these outfits, in the flesh, at some point down the line. While I didn't cover all the trends, I hope that this was informative in letting you know more about what is going on in the fashion world this spring. 

Let me know what you thought of this post in the comments section below. Your comments help my blog to grow, so I appreciate the input. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means when you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of the links, I get a little commission. All opinions expressed are my own.

Monday linking up with Rena of Fine! Whatever...., Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb.  

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.