Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Flame Orange, Blossom and Cuban Sand

Today’s colors are bright and light and make me think of late night bon fires and light pink peonies. The classic color of Cuban Sand makes me want to take my shoes off and walk on the beach. The combination of these three colors together makes for the perfect summer look, complete with my own version of print mixing and boho vibrations.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Flame Orange, blossom and cuban sand

This very casual look revolves around my bright orange Worthington pants from JCPenney. I have styled these slimming skinny trousers many times on the blog before. You can see them with a dress, a sheer summery top, a dark green cardigan, and a multi print scarf. They are such a different color from what I normally wear and I like that I have been able to use them for so many different outfits. The fact that they are skinnies makes pairing them with a dress a fun option that I never would have thought of before.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Flame Orange, blossom and cuban sand

My fringe, asymmetrical, open weave vest has been on the blog before too. You can see it styled with a pair of checked ankle pants. Say What brand is sold by a number of stores including Kohl’s, Target and Macy’s. I am not sure that this brand is as popular any more. Here is a fun shot of me twirling. In the second picture you can see the print at the top of the vest and notice the print mixing.

springpantonecolorfashionstyles-11.jpg
Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Flame Orange, Blossom and Cuban Sand

My thrifted, floral Croft and Barrow tee was really the inspiration for the outfit. Seeing as it had the orange and the light pink, I knew I could make this work. I am a sucker for floral anything. It is an easy place to find inspiration for an outfit and you don’t even really have to worry about accessorizing if you don’t want to.

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Flame Orange, blossom and cuban sand

You can see my Blossom colored necklace in the above pic as well. Another way I wear it is to double it so it looks more like a layered piece closer to my neck. I also chose a few light pink beaded bracelets to go with the necklace and bring more of the blossom color out.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Flame Orange, blossom and cuban sand

I went for my George bag again from Walmart. While it is not exactly Cuban Sand, the patchwork mix goes well with the tan colors in the top and the vest.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Flame Orange, Blossom and Cuban Sand

My little thong sandals were a thrift find a few years ago. I don’t wear sandals all that much, but I wanted to give you all a feeling of summer. I would wear them a lot more, but I am very self-conscious about my bunions and my varicose veins. I know, I know! Get over yourself. Ha, ha. I’ll keep trying to push myself out of those boxes that confine me, but on the other hand we should choose to wear what makes us feel good about ourselves. Right?

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Flame Orange, Blossom and Cuban Sand

What do you think of these colors? Do you have these in your closet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing your ideas.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Flame Orange, Blossom and Cuban Sand

I am including a few shopping links just for fun. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for following along on the blog.

Photos and graphic by Rebecca Trumbull.



Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Classic Blue, Beetroot Purple and Oyster Mushroom

I am now starting the Pantone Spring/Summer London color palette. Once again, as you saw in the intro post from last Thursday these colors vary across the spectrum from blues and reds, to greens and purples. I like the variety in the Spring/Summer palette this year. There really are so many ways you could combine and wear these bright colors, so let my combinations be a spring board for your own creative style. Try combining different colors that you already have in your closet, rather than going out and purchasing new pieces. In addition, if you are more of a classic color kind of gal, think of these brighter colors as accent colors for choices in your jewelry, shoes, bags and scarves.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Classic Blue, Beetroot Purple and Oyster Mushroom

Once again, I am starting the series with the Pantone Color of the Year, which for 2020 is Classic Blue. These Ruby Rd. pants are a bit more like royal blue, but I thought they worked well enough. These pants were from a friend’s closet when she no longer wanted them. I have styled these repeatedly on the blog. You can see them with a blue sweater, a pink sweater, a plaid bomber jacket, and a colorful kimono.

Pantone - Spring/Summer 2020 - Classic Blue, Beetroot Purple and Oyster Mushroom

My Beetroot Purple button up top is a piece I picked up from my daughter who was getting rid of it. It is A New Day brand. I would call this color fuschia, but I am not the one making up the names. Ha, ha. They can call it whatever they want, but basically it is a bright pink.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Classic Blue, Beetroot Purple and Oyster Mushroom

This light gray, or Oyster Mushroom moto jacket is another thrifted piece and Christopher and Banks brand. I love when I can find brands I already love at a thrift store. Especially older styles and colors that aren’t around any more. This is a simple, no frills jacket, which makes it perfect for this kind of outfit when the color is doing the talking.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Classic Blue, Beetroot Purple and Oyster Mushroom

I decided to do a mixed metals sort of thing with my accessories. The statement necklace and bracelet take on the gold hue of my shirt buttons, while my clutch and simple gladiator sandals go for more of a silvery look.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Classic blue, beetroot purple and oyster mushroom
Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Classic blue, beetroot purple and oyster mushroom

What do you think of these colors? Do you think the bright blue and pink is too bold? What would you wear these colors with? Leave me a comment or two below. I love to hear from you.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 - Classic Blue, beetroot purple and oyster mushroom

I hope you are enjoying learning more about the Pantone color palettes.

I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links which means if you click on a link I get a few cents. I blog for a hobby, but a few cent here and does help to defray the cost of my platform. I appreciate every click and purchase, but even more I appreciate your kind comments on the blog and the emails some of you send me. Thank you.

Photo credit and graphic Rebecca Trumbull.



Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Introduction: The London Palette

Tuesday I finished the New York Palette for the Pantone Spring/Summer 2020 season. I am not sure why they decided to start doing two palettes every season, but several years ago, they began posting both a New York and a London palette. I am sure it has something to do with the Fashion influence in both of these large metropolitan areas. Regardless, I like to make you aware of these color palettes, not to raise your awareness of the Pantone entity, but to show you how wonderful color is and to challenge you to think outside the box when it comes to combining and wearing colors.

Pantone Spring/Summer - London Palette

Today I am introducing you to the London Color Palette. Many of the colors, while similar have different names and somewhat different shading. The Classic color palette is similar in that it contains a beige, white, dark navy blue and gray. I was just thinking it would be fun to do a Pantone series where the focus is on the classic colors with the other colors used to accessorize and compliment an outfit. Unfortunately, for this blogger, I don’t have many pieces that are just classic colors. Yes I do have a few things that are tan, white, navy and gray, but probably not enough to create a whole series of outfits, but then, if those proponents of capsule wardrobes could do it, I suppose I could too. I’ll have to think on that over the summer and see what the fall colors looks like.

I will confess, I haven’t even started putting outfits together for this series. Ha, ha. Rather than making that a priority over the last week, I was changing out my seasonal wardrobe and purging some things from my closet. I am trying everything on. With weight gain and post menopausal weight distribution changes I am finding many things I have don’t fit any more. Rather than hanging on to things with the hopes of losing weight and changing how my body looks, I’ve decided it is a good time to pare down and reevaluate what I feel comfortable in and what makes me feel confident. Many tees and tank tops are too tight, not only around the waist, but through the arms. Isn’t it crazy what just a few pounds can do?

Because of my lack of planning I am posting a number of pictures from my photographer’s fine arts gallery to coordinate with the colors from this London Palette. You can visit Rebecca’s Fine Arts page here. Right now, through me, if you find something your want to purchase you get a 15% discount on your order if you use the code STYL2020. If you are looking for a colorful, natural photo to make a wall pop be sure to check out her site.

Classic Blue

RTP - Fine Art - Jelly Fish

Beetroot Purple

RTP - Beetroot Purple - Tulip

Blanc de Blanc

RTP - Fine Art - Blanc de Blanc - blossoms

Blossom

RTP - Fine Art - Blossom

Blueberry

RTP - Fine art - blueberry - water

Blush Beauty

RTP - Fine Art - Blush Beauty

Bossa Nova

RTP - Fine Art - Bossa nova

Cuban Sand

RTP - Fine ARt - Cuban Sand

Fiery Red

RTP - Fine Art - Fiery Red

Flame Orange

RTP - Fine Art - Flame Orange

Heritage Blue

RTP - Fine Art - Heritage Blue

Rose Brown

RTF - Fine Art - Rose brown

Storm

RTP - Fine Art - Storm

Tanager Turquoise

RTP - Fine Art - Tanager Turquoise

Yellow Iris

RTP - Fine Art - Yellow Iris

I saw an amazing Instagram post from Arnold Schwarzenegger just last week, where he was giving a speech to the graduates of 2020. It was about ten minutes long and I’ve included it with this post. It was so encouraging and up lifting. He said one thing that really stood out to me about having a vision and keeping that vision in our minds as we work, train, learn and grow towards obtaining it. He knowingly shared that there will always be obstacles to overcome, but it is in that overcoming that we grow and finally obtain our dreams or visions.

I really felt encouraged to take that idea to heart. I want to lose weight. The weight I am at right now, is not comfortable for me and I don’t feel happy with it. The excess pounds are hard on my joints and on my heart. I have a vision to be a certain weight and to be healthier, so I am trying to keep that vision in mind as I evaluate what I can do differently in my eating habits, exercise and mind set to achieve that goal. In addition, I want to make a living at writing. In the same way, I am envisioning being an author for pay and trying to develop a plan for how to obtain that dream. Both of these things will take work. I have no doubt that I will fail, repeatedly, but instead of giving up, I want to dust myself off and start over. I don’t want to slide into that mindset of, “I can’t do this, so I might as well not try.”

God’s Word says,

13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
— Philippians 4:13 (NASB)

I was also reading in My Utmost for His Highest the other day and Oswald Chambers said this:

It is a continual struggle not to listen to the moods which arise as a result of our physical condition, but we must never submit to them for a second. We have to pick ourselves up by the back of the neck and shake ourselves; then we will find that we can do what we believed we were unable to do. The problem that most of us are cursed with is simply that we won’t. The Christian life is one of spiritual courage and determination lived out in our flesh.
— My Utmost for His Highest - May 20 - Oswald Chambers

Moods are a huge thing for me. When I am up, I feel like I can get tons of things accomplished. When I am feeling down, I feel like am dragging my feet through sticky mud and can’t make progress in any area. Moods affect my productivity and my relationships to people and to myself. I think I need to do a whole blog post on just that idea, so maybe I’ll save that for later.

We don’t have to be failures. Yes we will fail. We will have obstacles thrown into our paths and for many of us that is a pretty regular occurrence, but they do not define who we are or what we can accomplish. Our perception and our belief have more to do with what we ultimately think about ourselves.

If the Pantone Color Institute can go about defining the color industry for thousands of businesses, fashion gurus and retail shoppers like us, than why can’t each of us have a vision for ourselves as to what we want to do and what we want to be? Let’s make it happen.

Graphic and photos by Rebecca Trumbull. Also see Fine Arts Page for purchasable photos for your home or office. Use STYL2020 for 15% off your order.

Check out this graduation speech from Arnold. It is well worth the watch. Have a great Memorial Day Weekend everyone. Stay safe.




Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - London Palette Recap

It’s time for a recap of the all the Pantone - Autumn/Winter -2019 - London Palette colors. There were things about these colors that I liked better than the New York Palette, but each of them had colors that I felt comfortable wearing. I’ll explain my favorite from this series after a review of the outfits.

Outfit 1 - Merlot and Antique Moss

Outfit 2 - Cranberry and Chicory Coffee

Outfit 3 - Summer Fig and Bluestone

Outfit 4 - Butterscotch and Grapeade

Outfit 5 - Crabapple and Forest Biome

Outfit 6 - Galaxy Blue and Hazel

I am having a hard time picking just one outfit from this series that I liked the best. I really liked Cranberry and Chicory Coffee. I have always been a fan of browns, but I just love the result when it is combined with the medium pinky red of Cranberry. I also like the long line of this outfit and I think the long Rutabaga open front cardi helped with the illusion.

My next fave would be the boho vibe of Butterscotch and Grapeade. If you would have asked me a few years ago if I would wear an outfit with these two colors together, I would have said no way. Yellow and purple? You have to be kidding, but there is something whimsical about this outfit and the color combination is only part of it. The colors are happy and fun, but the print of the skirt, the fringe bag and the fun textured boots really give this outfit its bohemian style.

Finally, I really like the last outfit. Even though, I wouldn’t necessarily wear a color like Hazel all on it’s own, I do like the way this color pairs so well with the grays and the blues in outfit. I also like the subtle plaid print mixing. It is obvious, but it doesn’t overwhelm the eye like some print mixing is capable of doing.

Well, I’ve told you my favorites, now tell me yours. I love to hear your feedback.

i hope you enjoyed this Pantone - Autumn/Winter series. If there is anything else you would like to see, with regards to the Pantone Color Institute you can check out their website. Just click on the link.

Have a great Tuesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.







Pantone - Autumn/Winter - Galaxy Blue and Hazel

I neglected to get my post done for Tuesday. Monday and Tuesday, my grandson had off from school. It was parent/teacher conference days. My daughter had her appointment right away on Monday morning and Quintin is doing very well. He is nationally high ranking in his reading ability and math, so this Grandma is proud of a certain nine year old.

This is the last outfit from the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 London Palette. Next week, I’ll have another recap post to show you all the London colors and then we will put the Pantone Institute aside until spring. For your information, the Spring/Summer colors for 2020 are already up on the website and have been for a couple of months, so if you are really curious, you can go the to the Pantone website and see what they look like. As for this blogger, you won’t get to view them here until spring.

Our last two colors are Galaxy Blue, which was also on the New York palette and a mellow brown called Hazel. This brown is not one I would regularly reach for. I like colors that are more rich and saturated. In the Crayola Crayon box, this color might be similar to Antique Brass. See the complete list of current crayon colors here. Talk about fun color names! Be sure to read some of those. They are not merely called red, pink or blue any more. Ha, ha.

I decided to do some plaid print mixing in this outfit, as you can see with my ruana and my pants. I must tell you how I came to own this beautiful ruana. My hubby and I were out on a date. We try to go out once a week, usually for dinner and then to Barnes and Noble bookstore. We both love spending time around books and we usually end up getting a hot drink and sometimes a treat. On this particular night we went out for Mexican. After we were finished eating he told me that before we head to Barnes and Noble he had to stop at Bass Pro Shop and get something for his trailer hitch. I don’t even think twice about it. I don’t mind going to Bass Pro or Cabelas, because they both have fun things to look at, like mounted animals and clothing that I like, but would never purchase, because it is out of my price range.

We walked into the store and were heading down the center aisle. On the right side of the aisle are all the women’s clothes. We got to this lovely display where this ruana was styled over an ivory sweater. It immediately caught my eye. My husband said, “I thought you might like this.” I was shocked. Not only had he thought of me, but he had picked out something he thought I would both like and look nice in. He let me pick out a few other things besides the ruana to try on and just hung out while I did. I picked out the ruana and a rusty orange sweater, that I haven’t worn yet, but that looks great under the plaid. My husband does not do things like this very often, but it sure makes an impact on me, when he does.

My thrifted blue tee is Charter Club brand. It is a bit brighter than Galaxy Blue, but once again, you get the idea. I like the detailing around the neckline.

These gray pants are also thrifted and you can see how I styled them with a faux leather jacket, and with a pink sweater set.

Here is a close up of my print mixing.

I kept my accessories simple since there was already so much going on in the outfit with the two plaids. A bright blue crystal pendant, a simple gray Rosetti bag, and these thrifted Lifestride maroon ankle boots.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like plaid? I’d love to hear your thoughts so be sure to leave me a comment or two. Your support and feedback mean a lot to me and help give me ideas and direction for the blog.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to peruse. With the holidays coming up maybe these will give you some inspiration for someone on your list. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.






Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Crabapple and Forest Biome

The next two colors in the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - London Palette are Crabapple and Forest Biome. I grew up with crabapple trees in our back yard and I thought they were one of the prettiest of spring’s trees. We had a pink and a white, and they had a glorious scent that just floated on the air. Obviously this Crabapple color is meant to mimic, not only the pinky flowers, but the tiny little fruits that hang from the branches. As for Forest Biome, we know that it is a dark green, but I had to look up the word biome, to fully understand it. A biome is an ecological community system, such as a rain forest or dessert. Forest Biome, then would refer to an area of forested land probably brimming with pines and cedars and perhaps a few deciduous trees. Wherever they come up with the names for the colors and just what meaning they had in choosing the name, we don’t really need to know, but it is fun to think about.

My Forest Biome is a little more blue and my Crabapple is a bit more pink than their colors, but again, you get the idea. I thought Evening Blue would be a good classic color to pair the other two colors with.

This was a neat little sitting area at the Toledo Botanical Gardens where we took the pictures for this series. I’d love to have a patio like this with an English type garden all around, and fun outdoor furniture, but I have neither the resources, the time or the energy. They always say you will find time for the things you really want to do, but I think it would be more accurate to say, we can always find time for the things we know we should do. Ha, ha. My Grandson is a priority. Picking him up after school and hanging out with him when he has a day off are priorities. Do those things cause other things to be put off or put on the back burner? You bet, but that is what I choose to do because I love him and my daughter. What we really need to do, is stop beating ourselves up for all the other things we are not able to get to.

My jeans are W62 brand from dressbarn. They are very comfy and contain a good amount of stretch. I wear these again and again for work or when I just want a different color skinny jean.

This thrifted, embellished, 3/4 length sleeve top is Dana Buchman brand. I do love the swirling pattern and glistening sheen of the front portion of the top. The sleeves and the back are more like a plain jersey knit.

The dark navy vest is really a belted dress that I found at a thrift store a while ago. It is Issac Mizrahi brand and if I was thin enough, I might consider wearing it as a dress, but it works beautifully as a vest. What do you think?

I went with a little metallic bling with my accessories including a rose gold pendent and bracelets, a Madden bag that I got on clearance at Kohl’s and my SO heeled boots, which were also a clearance purchase at Kohl’s.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear an outfit like this? I’d love to hear from you.

I’m leaving you with a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.








Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Butterscotch and Grapeade

Today’s outfit features two colors from the London Autumn/Winter palette that Pantone describes as a “deliciously appealing golden yellow” and a “notable muted mauve tone.” You might wonder why I would pair purple with yellow. There was just something about this combination that I loved and when I paired them with the printed maxi skirt, I felt I had a winning outfit. Take a look.

This outfit says several things. First, it says I’m not afraid to try unusual color combinations. Second, it says you can make up your own style. The short sleeve sweater with a cardigan topper is a more classic combination, but the medallion print skirt, beaded jewelry and fringe bag scream boho. Let’s talk details.

The purple short sleeve sweater is a thrifted Loft piece. I like the scoop neck and it has plenty of stretch, but still holds its shape. I also love purple, which is trending this fall.

The Butterscotch thrifted cardigan is a brand called Callaway. When I looked it up, it appears to be a clothing brand for golfing, selling things like polo shirts, pants, jackets and other golf related pieces. The brand also has their own website which features golfing equipment like drivers, putters and bags. Neither my hubby, nor I play golf. He calls it “cow pasture pool.” He’s always got a name for everything. You can see Callaway clothing on Amazon, and on their own website, Callaway Apparel.

I may not be a golfer, but I know a quality sweater when I see one. I love the women’s fit of this cardi and the ruffle treatment around the neckline. It makes the sweater very feminine and fun.

I’ve styled this medallion print Roz & Ali brand skirt on the blog before. I got this at Dressbarn a few years ago. While it is a summer weight skirt, it is fully lined, so good for cooler temps and if you pair it with leggings or heavy tights you could wear it all winter. You can see how I paired the skirt with both an orange tank and a gold top here, and with another lighter purple color here.

In keeping with the boho feel of the outfit, I went for a hand crafted look with my jewelry and bag. The necklace was actually made by my oldest. She was into beading as a teen and made some fun pieces, of which I still have a few.

This beaded bracelet was probably a Kohl’s or JCPenney piece from the clearance rack. I’ve had it for a while, so I don’t remember.

I found this fringe bag at a thrift store and knew I had to have it. It looks like it was hand made and there is no label inside. I like that it is a neutral color and long enough to be a cross body bag.

My ankle boots are another thrift store find and I thought paired well with the boho theme of the outfit. These are a brand called Rock Candy by Zigi.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have these in your closet? Would you wear yellow and purple together? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave me some love in the comments.

i’m including a few shopping links for things purple and yellow. The holidays are coming up. How many of you have started your Christmas shopping? I’m guilty! Life is so busy, I can’t afford to wait until the last minute. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.



Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Summer Fig and Bluestone

You’ll remember from the New York Pantone series the color Bluestone. This is one of only two colors that showed up on both palettes. I’m not sure how the Pantone Color Institute comes up with the colors they choose. Is there a committee? If so who is on the committee? How do they come up with the names for each of the colors? Yes, these are the things a fashion blogger wonders when she is tired and needing a burst of writing motivation. Ha, ha. I am speaking the truth when I say, I had to look up what a fig looked like to understand where they came up with this red color. This red coincides with the bright red interior of the fig fruit. I have never eaten a fig, have you?

This bright red tee is SO brand from Kohl’s. It is a few years old. I find Kohl’s and JCPenney my go to’s for things like short and long sleeve tees.

The Bluestone vest is a LuLaRoe piece. This particular style is called Joy. I like that some clothing companies name each of their styles. Not that I will remember what they are called, but I just think it adds another dimension to a retailer, that they have taken the time and effort to specify a certain line has a name. This is the only vest I have that is this length and I like how it looks in this outfit. The fabric has plenty of stretch, but doesn’t lose its shape.

Once again, I turned to the classic color of Olive Green for my pants, bag, and belt. Olive just seems to be an easy color to pair other colors with and it grounds an outfit and keeps it looking chic with a bit of an edge. These utility pants are Gloria Vanderbilt brand and I’ve styled them before on the blog. You can see them styled with an olive utility vest here and in a flat lay with a snakeskin jacket here. I got the tote bag from Charming Charlie a couple years before they went out of business. Belts are so expensive, I usually try to pick them up at thrift stores.

I kept the jewelry simple with a gold pendant necklace and a gold bracelet.

This old pair of Sonoma ankle boots has been with me for a while, but they are the perfect neutral finishing touch and the suede texture is just right for a fall outfit.

What do you think of these colors? They are very similar to the New York palette using Bluestone and Chili Pepper. Do you like to wear vests? Do you have a long one like this? What are some other ways you could style a long vest? I’d love to have your feedback.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.





Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Cranberry and Chicory Coffee

Hi everyone. The days are flying by and we are almost to Halloween. I haven’t even gotten out my decorations yet! That is how far behind I am. Maybe I should just skip Halloween and start decorating for Christmas. All the stores are doing it. Ha, ha . Well, I don’t think I’ll get that crazy, but this time of year does seem to go awfully fast. Do you get that feeling?

Today’s colors are what the Pantone Color Institute label a “vital red that adds a pungent punch to the palette,” and a “robust and tasteful” brown that, “introduces an element of heartiness.”

I was able to pull these pieces from my closet and decided to add the off white cardi that mimics Rutabaga from the London classic color palette.

This Cranberry cami was a recent thrift purchase. Most of my camis are pretty tight and I wear them as layering pieces under long sleeve tops and sweaters. I do not wear them to be seen, but it occurred to me that it would be nice to have something I could have more visible under an open sweater. It is Maurice’s brand. I am becoming a fan of Maurice’s. I see pieces every so often at thrift stores and recently I bought what has become one of my favorite pairs of jeans on the clearance rack. What really drew me to this cami was the pretty lace detailing.

These trousers are Worthington brand from JCPenney. Do you know how hard it is to find brown slacks? Now maybe that has changed. I have seen rust, and that more yellowy brown called cognac, but real brown is hard to find, especially a dark brown like this one.

The off white open front cardigan is Chaps brand and another clearance rack find from Kohl’s. Chaps has some nice pieces, but they do have a higher price point than I would normally pay, thus my reasoning for waiting for them to go on clearance. If I thought a particular piece is really worth paying full price for, I would buy it, but for the most part there isn’t anything that I absolutely have to have. I could shop my closet for months and come up with all sorts of new combinations, because I have so many clothes. Truth!

I kept the accessories minimal with my gold leopard print medallion necklace, a few gold bracelets, my snakeskin clutch, a brown belt, and brown boots. I thought this was a good outfit for complimenting with animal prints.

These are two colors that I can get behind. I love the combination and think these two work well together. What do you think? Do you have any of these colors in your closet? Do you wear camis a lot? Do you wear them more for layering or to be seen? I’d love to hear you thoughts, so leave me a comment or two in the comments section. I appreciate hearing from you and all your support.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to peruse. I hope that you find these helpful. Every click you do, gives me a few cents and I appreciate every one. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great day.



Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Merlot and Antique Moss

The first two colors from the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - London palette that I am featuring are Merlot and Antique Moss. As you can imagine, Merlot, like the wine is a rich burgundy red, while Antique Moss is a yellowy green. Often when we think of pairing red and yellow, we are concerned we will come out looking like an advertisement for McDonald’s, but let me reassure you these two colors pair in a perfectly un-Ronald like way and I love the combination.

The London color palette classic colors were just a bit different. Green Olive is comparable to Guacamole from the New York palette, with a little more of a gray tinge. My version of olive in my accessories is much darker, but you get the idea.

This Jones Wear skirt you’ve seen on the blog before. I styled it for the Pantone Fall 2017 New York Palette in a very similar fashion. I even used the same dark olive bag. Ha, ha. You can see that post here. I also used it this past spring for the Pantone Spring/Summer 2019 colors. You can see that post here. In addition you can see it with a green cardigan, here. I keep coming back to this skirt, because it works so well for these color schemes due to the reds and greens in the print of the skirt. I could easily used this printed skirt for a Christmas outfit as well, so you might see it come up again later this year. I love a versatile piece and when I purchased this skirt, I never knew how often I would use it for the blog.

We took the pictures for this series at the Toledo Botanical Gardens, which are just down the street from where my daughter lives. The gardens are beautiful in all seasons and with walking paths through the grounds, it is a lovely place to visit and I don’t do it nearly enough. In the picture below, I am watching several bus loads of kids scramble on to the grounds and thinking, “Oh boy!” Ha, ha.

I obtained this red scarf from a friend’s closet. It looked a little more like Merlot, when it was in the low light of my closet, but here it looks much brighter. However, It is not a true red, but more of a burgundy. My 3/4 sleeve tee, I’ve worn on the blog before too. It is a thrifted Sonoma piece and has elastic on the bottom, which allows for freedom of movement and bulge camouflage. Ha, ha. You can see the tee styled with boyfriend jeans and a leopard print skirt here, and with a snakeskin print skirt here.

As I said earlier, I opted for olive green accessories which included my necklace, bracelets, thrifted bag and SO booties.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear either of these? Would you wear them together? I’d love to have your feedback. Your support means a lot to me. I always respond to your comments. Just check back in a few days if you are interested in my reply.

I’m including a few shopping links for Merlot and Antique Moss if those colors got you excited. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents when you click on a link. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.



Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - London Palette - Intro

Past Pantone seasons, I have tried to combine both the New York and the London color palettes into one series. Most of the time there were plenty of overlapping colors, so I was able to take colors from both palettes to make my outfits. This fall there were only two overlapping colors, Galaxy Blue and Bluestone. It was for this reason, that I decided to break the series into two parts. We just finished the New York palette last week. You can see a recap of those outfits here.

Today’s post will introduce you to the London palette and give you a few sneak peeks at the upcoming outfits.

Both the New York and the London palettes included numerous fall yellows, reds and browns. They both included a green, some blues and hues with pink undertones, but the London palette is the only one to include purple, which I thought was interesting since purple is trending right now. Purple has always been one of my favorite colors, so I was excited to see it included on this palette.

In all honesty, I like this palette better than the New York one. I always veer towards richer more saturated colors, rather than pastels and I felt that I had an easier time finding pieces in my wardrobe that better personified the color palette. In this palette we find words like vital, fortifying, robust, delicious, rich, baked, arresting, mellow and distinctive to describe the colors.

I hope you will join me on Thursday as I take a closer look at the London color palette for this fall. Here are a few peeks at what is coming up.

I hope you will join me on Thursday for the start of this series and a look at the first two colors.

Have a great day.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.