Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Fuchsia Fedora, Leprechaun, and Coconut Cream

The colors I am showing you today were ones that surprised me a bit for a fall palette. The bright Fuchsia Fedora is not a color that I have very many pieces in, thus why I used it more as an accessory color. Leprechaun was also a different choice. I was thinking there would be a darker, more forest green color, but this bright, cheeky color is what appeared on the palette. However, that is one of the reasons I like doing this color series. It forces me to think outside the box.

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Even though I wasn’t particularly fond of these colors for fall, I actually liked the way this outfit turned out. Even though the light jacket looks nothing like Coconut Cream, these colors and their combinations are just guidelines for us. Not rules…and just for fun….

I loved The Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and that whole idea of rules versus guidelines was amusing as it kept coming up in the movie and was used according who benefited the most. I guess we could take a lesson from that when we look at our closets. The combinations you put together are for your benefit. You get to decide what you like and what you don’t. You make the choice of what colors or prints to put together, and whether you want to buy into the trends or not. I think we can safely say those fashion “rules”, are really more like “guidelines.” My job as a fashion blogger is to give you ideas of how to make these combinations and hopefully inspire you to think outside your own boxes.

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My LuLaRoe skirt was the perfect choice to build this outfit around. I actually had the thrifted striped tee already pulled out as a match for Leprechaun, and as I started figuring out which colors and pieces to put together, I remembered this skirt. I always have a little celebration party when pieces come together. When I try things on I do a little dance in front of the mirror and say, “This is it!” Ha, ha. The stripes in the tee are actually navy, but with the two prints taking center stage, you can’t really tell the colors are different.

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My cream jacket by Sanctuary is a thrifted piece you have seen before on the blog. You can see it with a leopard print skirt and with my bright blue pants. It is actually more of a canvas than a denim, but it works much the same as a denim jacket providing light weight coverage for cooler weather and adding a casual touch to a dressier outfit.

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You can see my Fuchsia Fedora necklace and bracelets. I think I have jewelry in just about every color under the sun, but you know, a girl can never have too many fun accessories! Is that a rule, or a guideline? Ha, ha.

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My bestie, Stacey, gave me this beautiful, leather the Sak bag last time she came to visit. I thought the berry color went perfectly with the darker berry color in the flowers on the skirt.

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These beautiful black suede heels never get to go anywhere, so I do like to bring them out and show them off on the blog. These are Aerosoles and I bought them a few years ago at a Clarks shoe outlet. I like that they are comfortable, have a reasonable heel, stay perfectly in place and look classy.

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What do you think of these colors? Do you like them for fall? Now that I am thinking about it, I might need to revisit the idea of fuchsia as a fall color. I could see it with other fall colors like golden yellow, burgundy and rusty orange. Hmmm. I may have to get a little further outside of my color box.

Let me know what you think. I’m including a few shopping links for things of similar color. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a link, I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through my site, I get a few more. I appreciate every click.

Have a great day!

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

A Look Back at 2020 - My Favorite Outfits

Before I launch into a short series on some of the current winter trends, i wanted to revisit my favorite outfits from this past year. 2020 was a year unlike any other with the Covid Pandemic, racial unrest and the election overwhelming our newsfeeds. There were times where I just didn’t feel like being a blogger any more. I just wanted to crawl into a nice, cozy hole and not come out until all of the bad news went away. Fortunately, I didn’t do that. I had a sense that every single one of you that regularly follow me, needed a brief respite from all the bad that was going on around us. The normalcy of looking at and talking about faith and fashion, just seemed to be a good thing to do, so I kept at it.

I have a feeling that 2021 is not going to be a whole lot different from 2020. Change is going to continue to happen and change is what often pushes us well outside of our comfort zones. However, my little blog is still going to be here, as long as God gives me the health, energy and brain power to continue, I will do so. Many of you have become like family to me. Those of you who have regularly commented or even taken the time to send me a personal email have been a great source of encouragement to me, so thank you.

Here is a look back at 2020. As I have done before, I go month by month and pick out my faves. I’d love to know which outfit really inspired you.

January

Actual Amy - Waterfall Cardigan

Actual Amy - Waterfall Cardigan

Why I like It: This whole outfit is very much me. I love the rusty textures of the waterfall cardigan and faux suede boots. As you all know, I love my jeans and the striped long sleeve tee is the perfect choice for this ultra casual outfit. I also like the subtle print mixing going on between the stripes, snakeskin patterned bag and the speckled bead pendant.

February

Seeing Red - Thrifted Thursday - Burgundy Skirt

Seeing Red - Thrifted Thursday - Burgundy Skirt

Why I Like It: In all honesty, I had three outfits, all together, that I liked from February. I decided to post this one as my favorite, because it was totally unexpected. I honestly did not think this outfit was going to look as good as it did when I started putting it together. I wasn’t sure about the color combo or the mix of smooth faux leather pencil skirt with oversized textured sweater, but I absolutely love everything about this outfit. The color combo was perfect and the unexpected mix of textures and lengths honestly works well. The only thing I might have changed is the shoes. I’m wondering if a burgundy shoe would have been a better choice, but overall it worked. The other two that I liked from February were, Seeing Red - Red with Tan - Velvet Jacket, and Seeing Red - Actual Amy - Plaid Jacket.

March

Spring Trends 2020 - Maxi Dresses, Psychedelic Prints and Vests

Spring Trends 2020 - Maxi Dress

Why I Like It: March was the month I focused on the Spring Trends for the year. I will do that again this year. I like the boho, hippy vibe of this outfit with the medallion printed maxi dress, the striped tee and the denim vest. It just presents a fun, eclectic mix that makes for a great casual date night look.

April

Transitional Spring Outfit

Photo credit Rachel Christensen

Photo credit Rachel Christensen

Why I Like It: Who doesn’t like a kimono? They are just fun, fabulous pieces and every woman should have one or two in her closet. I have many more than that, but there are so many pretty styles, prints and colors. This pink, burgundy and white piece is no exception. I especially like the fringe on the sleeve and bottom hems. Every since I learned about print mixing, I have become obsessed and nothing pairs better than stripes and flowers. The burgundy colored accessories complete the look perfectly.

May

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Sunlight, Flame Scarlet and Ash

Photo credit Amy Christensen

Photo credit Amy Christensen

Why I Like It: There is nothing special about this outfit, other than it is something I would actually wear. Though all of the outfits I post are things I actually own, I don’t necessarily wear everything that you see, exactly as you see it. The reason for this is, I am trying to show a varied audience outfits that could be used for every day, work, going out or traveling. Right now I am not working outside the home and we really aren’t going anywhere, yet this outfit is something I would still wear.

June

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Tanager Turquoise, Heritage Blue and Blanc de Blanc

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020

Why I Like It: This look is classic. It could be worn by any woman, anywhere. It is a great outfit for work, but could also be worn for a date night, or lunch with the girls. It also exudes spring and summer with the bright floral top, crisp white ankle pants and silver ballerina flats. The blue bag, beaded necklace and bracelets add fun matching elements to the ensemble.

July

Summer Outfit - Geometric Maxi Dress - Casual

Summer Outfit - Geometric Maxi Dress - Casual

Why I Like It: Honestly, I like this outfit, because I think it is fun! I love the hat, the tee and the geometric print on the maxi dress. The top is a light weight sleeveless tee material, so adding the other tee did not add bulk, weight or make it hotter. This would be a great look for traveling, going to the beach or on a picnic.

August

Outfit Inspiration - Dressed Up Casual Style

Outfit Inspiration

Why I Like It: What is not to love about this dressy casual look. The star piece is the thrifted kimono. It took a simple white tee and boyfriend jeans up to a new level of style. The fringe necklace compliments the purples in the kimono and the rusty orange bag the oranges. This was a nice transitional outfit for the waning days of summer.

September

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020

Why I Like It: September was another month where I had several favorite outfits, but this one still stands out as a winner. Once again, the combination of colors, as well as the print mixing, really goes a long way to making this dressier outfit perfect for the office. I also like how my last minute addition of blush accessories pulled everything together. Two of my other faves were, Pantone Fall Winter 2020 - Peach Nougat, Sandstone and Military Olive, and Color Play - Fall Mix.

October

Pantone - Autumn/Winter 2020 - London Palette - Samba, Tawny Birch and Sheepskin

Pantone Autumn Winter  2020

Why I Like It: I don’t wear neutrals all that often, but a combination like this really pops. The neutral palette colors of Tawny Birch and Sheepskin, combined with the bright Samba red makes an exceptional outfit. The added joy is that everything in this outfit is thrifted, except the pearls. When I can put a whole outfit together with thrifted pieces and it ends up looking like this, I am all for it.

November

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Harvest Tee and Distressed Jeans - Dressy

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfit

Why I Like It: This outfit is just very me. I love wearing tees, and jeans and throwing a nice blazer and a pair of boots on really levels up a very casual outfit. The addition of a fun statement necklace and a cute bag also provide a dressier look, even with the distressed jeans.

December

A Dickens’ Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Past

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Why I Like It: Out of my whole Christmas series, I think this outfit and these photos were my faves. Winter white is really trending right now and when I put these pieces together for my Ghost of Christmas Past persona, I didn’t realize how popular these creamy whites were. The outfit itself was cozy and in keeping with my love for pants and flats. Ha, ha.

There you have it, my favorite picks from 2020. What were your faves? I would love to hear back from you. Also, if there is anything you would like to see more of on the blog, or a different topic you would like me to talk about, please let me know.

I hope your New Year is off to a great start. Check back on Thursday for a look at some of the current winter trends.

Photo credit unless otherwise stated, Rebecca Trumbull Photography.

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

Red is not everyone’s choice of color, but this fall, both the New York and the London Color palettes offer a number of red shades that are sure to suit in one form or another. Whether you wear a whole outfit of red, red pants so they are not near your face, or just little splashes of red in your accessories, red is meant to be worn by everyone. I decided to pair these two different reds together, unfortunately the pictures don’t really pick up the Fired Brick stripes on my tee. They actually are a more brick red color. Oh well, this is about real life, so real life doesn’t always work out exactly as we planned. In fact, more often than not, it seems to be just the opposite. However, I do like this outfit, so let’s take a closer look.

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

I thought a little print mixing would be fun, so I pulled out these gray plaid crop pants from NY&Co. I’ve styled these on the blog before. You can see them styled with a brown moto jacket, with a silk sweater set, and with an asymmetrical vest.

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

My faux moto jacket is from Christopher and Banks. They do have some nice jackets, so I am always checking on their website to see what’s new. Right now they seem to have gotten away from the moto jackets, but they have this pretty plaid trucker jacket and this fun corduroy one.

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My thrifted striped tee is Levis brand. Like I said, in person, you can tee it is a different red than the jacket, but for some reason it looks exactly the same. So many factors are involved in photography as my daughter would tell you.

Since the gray plaid has a light stripe in it that could be blush or tan or cream, I thought blush accessories would be fun and an interesting choice for a fall outfit. The thrifted blush bag you’ve see on the blog before and is also NY&Co brand. The booties are also making another appearance. I found these on clearance at Kohl’s a couple seasons ago and had to have them because they have bling. Ha, ha. they are SO brand.

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet
Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

My jewelry is very simple: a bead fringe necklace and a gold bangle bracelet.

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - Samba. Fired Brick and Sleet

What do you think of these colors? I do have quite a bit of red in my wardrobe, both the brighter, bolder Samba and the darker, more moody Fired Brick. What about you?

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

I hope you are enjoying this series. I am going to forego my Thursday columns for the next few weeks so I can get through the Pantone colors before we head into Halloween and the holiday season. Hard to believe we are already thinking about that.

Here is another look at the entire New York Palette.

Pantone - Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette

Have a great week everyone.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Here are a few shopping links. Be sure to take a look. These are brought to you at no cost to you, unless you purchase something of course. Every time you click on a link, I get a few cents. I appreciate every click. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.




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Spring Trends 2020 - Maxi Dresses, Psychedelic Prints and Vests

If you have been following along as I look at the Spring 2020 Trends, then you are well aware this year’s trends are full of patterns and diversity. If your style is classic, you’ll find pinstriped suiting and button up shirts; if you prefer color, you’ll be amused with abstract florals and tropical prints; if boho vibe is your thing then today’s post is for you. When I think of boho style, I think of 60’s and 70’s inspired prints, fringe and maxi dresses. While today’s outfit has no fringe, it definitely calls to one’s inner hippy.

I got this flower power maxi dress last year on the clearance racks at Meijer. I was attracted to the large flowers, the rusty orange colored background and the crochet overlay on the bodice. The dress has spaghetti straps, but since it is still cold out, I decided to layer a long sleeve tee underneath.

I purchased this striped long sleeve tee just after Christmas at Maurice’s. I thought the navy stripe worked well with the blue in the dress and the rusty color is similar enough to the rust of the dress to make a fun print mix.

I’ve styled this denim vest from Christopher and Banks on the blog before many times. It is a workhorse in my wardrobe and is appropriate for all seasons. See how I styled it for spring, summer, fall and winter by clicking on the seasons.


A couple of simple jewelry items are enough to make a statement without being overdone.

You’ve seen this Simply Vera, Vera Wang bag on the blog before. I’m thinking maybe a cloth bag or something like my fringe bag would have been a better choice. I almost feel like this bag was out of place. I think it looks nice with the colors involved, but doesn’t really fit the vibe of the outfit as a whole. I feel the same way about my boots.

These Baretraps boot from DSW first made their appearance on the blog last fall. You can see that post here. I love having a variety of boots and these with their slouchy fronts, spat-type appearance and wood stacked heels are just plain fun. However, I don’t think they were the best choice for this outfit. Maybe a pair of my suede ankle boots or even some sneakers would have been a better choice. What do you think?

At the last minute I grabbed a scarf to wear as a type of head band. My daughter said I looked like Frankie from Grace and Frankie. Which of course made me laugh. Lily Tomlin is a great actress and comedian.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear a boho style like this? Do you like to wear maxi dresses or vests? Tell me your thought in the comments below. I always love to hear from you and thank you to all of my subscribers and those of you who take the time to follow along and make comments.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links which means if you click on a link, I get a few cents; if you purchase something through a link, I get a little bit more. Thanks to all of you who have looked at those shopping links. I really appreciate it.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.