cardigan — Fashion — Stylin' Granny Mama

Today's outfit combines the sass of Fiesta along with the beachy vibe of Limpet Shell. Add to the mix a cup of Iced Coffee and we are ready for a lunch date with girlfriends or and evening out with the hubby. Again, my outfit choices may not exactly match the Pantone colors, but colors are meant to give you ideas on how to mix and match outfits, so perfect matches are not necessary.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

I don't wear a significant amount of red, but I really liked this top. It could be worn long or, as I did, it can be tied at the waist for a casual shorter look. Here is a possible substitute at Kohl's.

You can see below that I styled the outfit with ankle boots, a bag that could be used as a cross body or a clutch and a statement necklace that layered Limpet Shell, cream and Rose Quartz beads for an eye catching look.

I love the Limpet Shell cardigan which I bought on clearance at Kohl's. It will be a great sweater for spring and summer. Oh, by the way, that is my husband having a junior high photobombing moment from inside the door. He's silly! Click on the links below for similar pieces for this outfit. These are not the exact same pieces and colors and sizing will vary.

Shop the Look:

Blouse - Kohl's - $29.99

Palazzo Pants - Target - $19.99

Cardigan - Target - $19.99

Boots - DSW - $34.94

Clutch - Kohl's - $54.99

Necklace - Kohl's - $18.20

Closet Clean Out - Tip 6: Shoes and Bags

The final installment in our closet clean out series has to do with corralling our shoes and bags. I know some of you out there have a strong psychological draw to purses and shoes. Would you call it an addiction? I have a shopping problem, but not as much for shoes and purses. That doesn't mean I don't have my share of shoes and bags. It is rather silly. I mean how many bags do we need to carry at one time, or are you really going to spend the time switching out purses every time you want a different look? I know women do. As far as shoes, well, how many feet do you have? Last time I looked I had two! Still, we are women and we have lots of shoes and bags, so the following are a few suggestions for organizing those items.

This is a nifty little bin and it holds plenty of pairs of shoes. This one has a number of my summer sandals, flip flops and sneakers. No, it doesn't look pretty, but it keeps them off the floor. These from Walmart are similar. The picture below shows what the bins look like stacked in my closet. Sorry for the poor phone photography!

There are also shoe boxes that can be bought at the store. I'm cheap so I use this:

These aren't as pretty and you can't see what's inside, but I really only use these for the shoes that are not part of the current season. I just stack them on top of each other in my closet. Often, I can get more than one pair of shoes in a box. Now boots are a different issue and right now I don't have a plan....maybe more on that next fall!

As for my bags and purses, most of them lay flat in my closet, but I don't have anything real expensive. If you are a Coach purse kind of girl, you'll need a better way of storing your bags to keep them in pristine condition. Here is an idea I thought of today.

A simple over the door hook can solve some of those bag storage problems. This would be good for bags you are currently using. Here are several possibilities from Walmart: multiple hooks and individual hooks.

There are so many ways to organize and store things. I hope that you enjoyed my Closet Clean Out tips and I would love to hear how you might have been inspired to organize and clean your closet. Let me know your stories and ideas in the comments section below.

Have a great day and keep stylin'!

Today I linked up with Jess at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish.

Since it is still winter in the midwest, I thought it would be beneficial to start our fashion walk with layers. I am a layer fanatic and I will give my daughters Rebecca and Rachel the credit for teaching me about layering and all things fashion. What is more fun that being able to wear as many of your clothes as you can at one time, and still look fashionable?

In today's post we'll start with the under layer or what I call the bedrock. This is your foundational layer. This layer should lay close to your skin. This will include your underwear. Now what sort of underwear you wear is entirely up to you. This blog is meant to help you feel comfortable and fashionable in things you are already used to wearing. If you wear cotton panties, by all means keep wearing them. If you wear a thong, you go girl! There are so many options out there and you are in charge of you. In addition to your underwear you can also consider hose, tights or leggings as well as slips and shape wear part of the bedrock.

After we have all our under layers on, we can think about actual clothing. I usually wear a tank top, but any type of cami or even a thin tee shirt will do. What you wear, might be determined by how you wear it. If you are layering a button up blouse over a long sleeve tee and want to coordinate the pattern on the blouse with the color of your tee then you might be wearing a crew neck. Maybe you are looking for simple practicality and just want to be warm, then a cami or tank top that doesn't show is appropriate.

The real trick to the bedrock is layers without bulk. If your under layer is too thick or covered in buttons or embroidery, etc. the over layers may look wrinkly, or, God forbid, make you look heavier. So always think layers without lumps. Think of layer cake. A beautiful cake will have frosting free of crumbs or blobs of unnecessary decoration. As we dress, we want to appear smooth, light and beautiful.

Obviously layering is not for everyone. I am a post menopausal woman and while I still have micro hot flashes I was one of the fortunate women who flew through the change easily; that's not true for everyone. My mother-in-law was thrown into menopause after having a hysterectomy and likens her hot flashes to panic attacks with your skin on fire. During that stage of her life she would not be found in the amount of layers I am used to wearing in the winter. If you are in the throes of the change then layering can be as simple as a short sleeve blouse under a cardigan. That way, when you are flashing you can take the cardi off and still look polished. No sweat! (Pardon my unforgivable pun!)

Next week we'll explore Middle Earth!

Spring Colors: Fiesta Red, Limpet Shell and Iced Coffee

Layers of Fun: Bedrock