Beautiful Blogger Bests - The Feminine Masculine Look

One of the first bloggers I started following was Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Catherine lives across the "big pond" in England and has been nominated for the coveted UK Blogger Awards. She has a huge following and it is no wonder! She's got sass, charm and a "I don't care what you think" approach to fashion. As far as she is concerned a woman can wear whatever she wants regardless of age. She approaches fashion with a flare for combining nontraditional colors and pattern mixes and makes it look fabulous! 

Photo from Catherine's post with her permission. 

The post that inspired me for today's outfit was from January 25th and is titled:  Wide Leg Trousers: How to Get the Katharine Hepburn Look. In Catherine's original post which you can see if you click on the title, she styles a lovely outfit that has a "masculine chic" vibe. The plaid wide leg trousers and black longer coat have a menswear inspired feel, but Catherine adds a touch of the feminine wearing a peach blouse with white polka dots, pointy toed heels and a sweet box handbag. 

For my look, I took a pair of wide leg trousers that I thrifted and paired them with a sheer blue and pink top. 

When I threw this outfit together I didn't realize the blue in the blouse matches the thin blue stripes in the pants. Hey I'm a pattern mixing fool! Ha, ha. 

I kept my accessories similar, so the belt and the purse matched and the necklace and bracelet pulled together the pinky orange in the top.

It was a balmy 31 degrees with a wind chill of 25 when we were taking these pics. Catherine wears a black coat, which looks lovely with her outfit. I opted for my JJill velvet gray jacket. 

For my shoes I wore a simple black pump. I thought this bag a good mix of masculine and feminine. It kind of resembles a mini brief case. At least that was the idea I was going for. 

I think the look on my face is saying, "Hurry up! I'm freezing!" I think I need to take a modeling class. Ha, ha. I'm seeing my Dad's side of the family in this picture. Isn't that funny? Do you ever do things or look at yourself and think, "Oh my goodness. I'm doing just what my mom/dad does/did!" Or, "I know that face! That looks just like Aunt Mildred!" Actually, that is just the face I am displaying and I did have an Aunt Mildred! Ha, ha. ha.

Enough of my familial silliness! Do you think this outfit says, masculine chic? Is it too masculine? Leave me a comment in the comments section below. I love to have your input, good and bad! 

Be sure to check back on the blog tomorrow when Jodie and I will be finishing our series on styling a white blouse in a variety of ways. 

Until then, have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

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

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. Saturday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. 

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. 

Awesome Accessories - The Oxford: A Great Transitional Shoe

When it comes to shoes there are so many choices. From sandals and flats to heels and boots. At times the number of choices can be, well, overwhelming. There is also the question of what do I wear when it is not warm enough for sandals anymore, but not cold enough for boots? This week I want to look at the simple, but classic Oxford.

The Oxford shoe originated in Scotland and Ireland and was called Balmorals, after Balmoral Castle. Later the name changed to Oxfords after Oxford University. These particular type of shoes didn't come to North America until the 1800's. Women's Oxfords, which do not adhere as closely to the actual shape and stitching of the original have become a trendy fashion piece stemming back to the early 1900's.

Let me introduce you to my family!

As the assistant manager of a small university bookstore, I am required to dress professionally, and I also have to wear close-toed shoes. Trying to find shoes that are both comfortable for walking, standing or even receiving heavy boxes of books and that look nice is no easy feat (I know that's puny). The Oxford has provided me with a shoe that meets both of the aforementioned requirements.

Though this was not my first pair of Oxfords they are definitely one of my favorites. I found them at DSW on the clearance rack and as real suede often does, they fit perfectly. These are much less formal so I would call them my "casual" Oxfords.

This gray pair adheres a little more closely to the true Oxford form with the stitching on the toe cap. The open stitching makes the shoe less formal, so I would call these my "cute" Oxfords.

This black pair is much more formal and is reminiscent of the early men's wingtip shoe. The patent leather gives it a polished shine and the closed stitching gives the shoe a much more finished look. These are my "formal" Oxfords.

These were my most recent thrift store acquisition. The color is perfect for fall and the open woven look, make it a great shoe to transition from summer to fall. These are my "fun" Oxfords.

Oxfords are the perfect menswear inspired accessory and will go with anything in your wardrobe. There are so many lovely versions out there that you could find a pair to wear with pants, skirts or dresses and it won't break your bank account. 

I hope you enjoyed meeting my "family". Do you own a pair of Oxfords? How do you like to wear yours? Do you think they are a good shoe for transitioning from summer into fall? I'd love to have your input.

Have a great weekend and keep stylin'!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Shopping for Oxfords:

Suede - Zappos - $79.00

Cute - Aerosoles - $49.95

Formal - Nordstrom Rack - $46.97

Fun - Nine West - $89.00