Color Play: Building an Outfit Around a Jacket

It has been a while since I have done a Color Play post. You know I love color and finding creative ways to put colors together that might not be typical color combo choices. Today’s look revolves around a heavy weight plaid shacket that I got from Maurice’s last year when they had end of the season clearance. They always have such good prices on their clearance items, but you have to act fast because sizes and styles disappear quickly.

We are having such weird weather here in the midwest. It is February and it is acting like late March or April. Today as I write this it is supposed to be almost 70 degrees (F). I don’t like the drastic changes and they don’t do anything for headache and allergy sufferers, let alone for all the viruses and bacteria that keep making our grandkids get sick.

This plaid shacket has the shirt vibe, but it is heavy enough to wear as a coat on the chillier spring days. When I decided to use this piece for my color inspiration, I decided to lean towards pastels rather than the more primary blue, orange and yellow. You can see the colors better in this close up shot. Do you see the very faint minty green line?

With these colors in mind, I plaid with two variations, but the pastels won out. It seemed appropriate as we move towards spring.

All three pastel pieces are thrift store finds. The coral pants are Croft & Barrow. Theses are a light weight cotton blend, so they will be great for the warmer months.

The men’s button down shirt is Express brand. It has tiny white flowers on it, and I love how it goes withe the pale yellow and the coral .

The yellow pullover is a brand called Karen Scott. I her brand used to be sold at Macy’s and perhaps Walmart. Not sure if they still are. I don’t wear pale color too often near my face, but the minty green does the job of providing a border between my skin and the pale yellow.

Style Tip: I will never tire of saying, you can wear all colors. If a certain color doesn’t look good right next to your face, just add a scarf or some statement jewelry, or layer a collared shirt under or over it. That doesn’t mean certain colors won’t look better with your skin tone, but if you love a color wear it.

My navy blue bag was a thrifted Simply Vera by Vera Wang piece. Big tote bags are back in for spring, so dig around in your closet and find those larger bags.

My tan, ankle boots are Sonoma brand and were a pre-winter purchase online from Kohl’s.

I kept my jewelry simple with a blue bead, pendant necklace.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like pastels? How do find color inspiration for your outfits?

Thanks for hanging out on the blog. I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These links are brought to you at no additional cost. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week!

Summer Trends 2018

Still in the throes of trying to get caught up after vacation, I decided to finish off the month of May with a look at what is trending for Summer 2018. I'm picking the trends that I think are fun and interesting and won't be including things like transparent rain gear or outside the box sports gear. I like to include those trends that I think most women would find interesting, but if your into see through rain gear, by all means, go for it. 

1. Color

Color is one of my favorites, as you know by my seasonal Pantone series, and this summer is no exception to the color wheel. Everything from brights, like a Crayola crayon box, to pastels as soft and sugary as cotton candy, are gracing the racks and shelves of clothing retailers every where. 

2. Feathers and Fringe

Embellishment on a clothing piece is a great way to add texture to an outfit. Often, these little details can take an outfit from ordinary to extraordinary. Check out these fun pieces. 

3. Floral Dresses

The floral trend is here to stay and I am glad. Floral prints are pretty, feminine and everyone can wear them. Whether you like tiny prints or big and bold, there is a floral dress sure to suit any woman's taste. 

4. Tropical Prints

If you can't go to the tropics, why not bring it to you? This year there are all sorts of fun tropical patterns, sure to make you feel whisked away to any number of magical places filled with swaying palm trees and moon lit beach walks. 

If you think a clothing piece is too much, then choose a colorful bag. You still get the fun of the trend, without feeling like you are a walking add for a trip to Hawaii. 

5. Checks

Checks and plaid are another pattern that seems to be sticking around through all seasons. Gingham is once again a summer staple, but so are other plaids. 

These are just a few of the summer trends that will be showing up in the stores and probably on a number of blogs, including my own. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the pictures it will take you to the retailer that sells that particular piece. Your clicks earn me a few cents. If you purchase something through my blog, I get a little commission. All opinions are my own. I've tried to include a variety of pieces just to show you what is available, but there are lots of options out there. If you are like me, you may already have some of these trends in your closet. 

Have a great weekend!