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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

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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Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Blush Beauty, Bossa Nova and Blanc de Blanc

Today’s two bright colors might seem like an unlikely pairing, but then if you have been following me for a while, you know the crazier the color combo the more I want to try it. In some ways these colors combined almost make the outfit seem monochrome. Blush Beauty is a pinkish orange, so we might say it is like salmon or coral. Bossa Nova is a dark red with a little bit of a brown undertone. I added a Classic color Blanc de Blanc which is white by any other name. I know that there are shades of white, but for all intents and purposes, white is white. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

My paisley short sleeve tunic top is a thrifted Old Navy piece. It has a lace up detail that is just for show, but the print is what drew me to it. I have always like paisley. It just makes me think of the 60’s and 70’s and lots of my Dad’s old ties. Ha. ha. Here is a look at the outfit without the jacket so you get a better view of the top.

My pants are W63 from dressbarn. I’ve styled these on the blog before. You can see them worn with a coral sweater, a multi print jacket, and with a LuLaRoe perfect tee. One thing I noticed as I looked back at these pictures and the one above, these pants are always wrinkled when I wear them. Part of that may be the material as it sticks to my legs, and part of it may be my chunky legs. Ha, ha.

Here you can see the lace up detail on the top and the thrifted distressed Rue 21 cropped jean jacket. This is another piece that has gotten frequent wear on the blog. See it with a floral midi dress and a maxi dress, a high-waisted skirt, dark wash jeans, and with a leopard print skirt.

I thought the white accessories were a good compliment to go with the white in the top. The Jaclyn Smith bag was thrifted and the Keds were a Kohl’s clearance purchase a year or two ago.

What do you think of these colors together or even separately? Do you like Bossa Nova or Blush Beauty better? How are your clothes fitting these days? Ha, ha.

I hope you all are doing well and that you have a great weekend. Thank you all so much for following along and especially for your lovely comments. If there is ever anything you’d like to see or have me talk about on the blog, let me know. I have had someone suggest I do a video on how to tie scarves, so maybe I’ll try something like that in the fall.

I’ve included some shopping links to look over, so if you have the time, check those out. You never know when you might need something new. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Seeing Red - Outfit Inspiration - 4 Year Bloggiversary Giveaway

Happy Bloggiversary to me! This month makes four years that I have been writing about faith and fashion. Though my consistency hasn’t been perfect, I have tried to show you a variety of outfits that are meant to be inspirational. From the start my blog was meant to be encouraging. I desire to lift up the average woman, the ones who don’t always get the recognition, the ones who don’t always have a close friend to ask, “Does this make me look fat?” Ha, ha. I never was the popular one at school. I never got involved in student activities, other than a poetry club. I was shy and I didn’t fit the popularity norm.

The force that drove me to start a blog, was the desire to write. It really doesn’t matter what I write, but just the process of typing out words and expressing ideas through letters and sentences gives me a thrill. However, I knew as I was living life as a wife, mother and believer, I often felt alone. Even though we were involved in a good church, I still never felt like I quite fit in. Those are the women I am writing to and for.

I wanted women to know they were accepted. I wanted them to feel they could go into their closets and put together an outfit because I had shared something on the blog that inspired them. I wanted them to be able to read a faith post and feel that they had finally met someone who got it and who could encourage them to walk the walk. I hope I am succeeding.

Today, in addition to an outfit, you get a give away. Once again, I am offering a $30 Target gift card. The rules for entering the giveaway are at the end of the post. In order to be entered into the giveaway you need to be a subscriber and comment on this blog post. If you want an extra entry you can comment on the Facebook post of this blog post. I’ll announce the winner next Tuesday.

Today’s outfit was inspired by another ad that I received in the mail, this time from Christopher and Banks. The outfit featured a burgundy, plaid button up shirt, styled with some distressed jeans and a floral scarf. This is my take on the outfit.

My plaid shirt is Old Navy brand. I usually don’t shop at Old Navy, but a few years ago at Christmas I ordered some gifts online and got this shirt for myself. I love the color.

My jeans are a recent thrift find. I only have a few distressed items in my coset, but I wanted to add a few more. They are fun to wear for a trendy, casual look. This pair is Lane Bryant brand and have a slight boot cut.

The original model cinched in her waist with a simple belt, so I did the same with this thin, black patent leather one.

In the original ad, the model also featured a darker floral print scarf. I didn’t have anything that color, so I decided to go with the light, white floral print. I thought it went well with the shirt because of the white stripes.

I’ve read that large tote bags are back this spring, so I chose this thrifted Style & Co. bag. You can also see my fun bracelet.

My burgundy Spirit brand ankle boots went perfectly with the outfit. I know my shoes don’t have to match my shirt, but once in a while, I just love that they do.

Before we ran out the door to take these photos I threw on this double breasted wool blazer, just to keep me cozy, while we walked a little ways to where we were going to take the shots. It’s a an older thrifted piece, that I don’t wear a lot, but I like to keep it around, because it looks classy and I love how it looks with these distressed jeans.

Be sure to enter the giveaway to win a $30 Target gift card.

A special thank you to everyone who follows along and subscribes to my blog. I appreciate all of your support, comments, suggestions and prayers. You are what keeps this blog going.

Have a wonderful day and a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

First Dates After 50

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Now before you start worrying that my hubby and I are going to get a divorce let me reassure you there is nothing further from our minds. I was contacted by 2Seniors, a free dating website for people over 50, to write a post featuring tips for dressing for a first date as a senior. There is no guarantee that the one you marry when you are 24 will be the one you enter your later years with. Divorce and death happen, unfortunately at an alarming rate. While many of us could think, I will never date again, when we are suddenly faced with being single, our perspectives might change. This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Dating again after having a partner for many years can be a little intimidating. I want to offer a few tips and outfit ideas that might help you decide how to dress in a way that makes you feel, not only comfortable, but confident as you enter back into the dating arena. This post is specifically for women, but the tips themselves could apply to men as well. 

1. Accept your age. Let's face reality. We are not in our 20's any more. Most of us are middle aged or older. I stopped wearing short shorts and tube tops a long, long time ago. You are not going to do yourself any favors trying to look like the younger generation if that is not how you currently dress. Let me make a point. As fashion bloggers we are about encouraging others to wear what they want to wear and feel good about it. However, that being said, there are ways to look chic, fashionable and attractive without trying to squeeze our 50 year old bodies back into the jeans we wore in high school. In fact, that picture just makes me shudder. Ha, ha.

2. Know your style. Everyone has some sense of style. You might disagree with me, but even the people who don't look like they have any style are, in fact, promoting a certain style. Here is a great blog post from StyleWe - Ten Types of Fashion Styles. This article gives good descriptions of what each style is and also provides pictures. I personally draw from several different styles, including, Chic, Casual, Tomboy, and Preppy while pulling a little bit from Bohemian, and Rocker. Knowing your style can help you to dress for that date, whether you are single and looking for new love, or in a relationship and wanting to make an impression on your significant other. 

3. Be yourself, but add some change. As an older person who might be thinking about dating again you might think you need to reinvent yourself, but that can be an overwhelming task. It is better to remain true to who you are and your original style, but try adding something new or different to your look. Maybe you don't accessorize much. Try adding a statement necklace or a scarf to the outfit you are planning to wear. Go out and buy a great pair of heeled booties or a new bag. Not only will it bring your outfit up a notch it will give you a much needed boost. You may be recovering from a messy divorce or the death of your spouse. Treat yourself to something new that will flatter you and make you feel beautiful. Charming Charlie is a great retail place to look for a statement piece and not break your bank account.

4. Know where you are going on your date. Knowing where you will be going and what you will be doing is very important on a first date. Keeping your first date public is a good idea. Unless you are meeting someone that you have already gotten to know through work, church or other social gatherings, I think it is just wise to be out and about where other people are when you first meet someone, both for safety reasons and for your own well being. 

Knowing where you are going will give you the confidence to better choose the right outfit for that first date. If you are going out for dinner and to the theater, make sure you know what that means. Are you going to McDonalds and catching a movie? Then you probably don't need to reach for that black dress and heels. Are you going to a park to do some hiking? Better think about jeans and hiking shoes. All of these choices will be affected by what time of year it is as well. Winter will mean more layers and summer will warrant light, flowy fabrics so you are not embarrassed by sweat and body odor. 

5. Dress comfortably. When I say the word comfort I am looking at it from two different angles. First of all, you want what you wear to not be too small, too large, too hot, too cold, etc. The worst feeling is that you are going to melt because you are having another hot flash, or that you can hardly sit down after dinner because your Spanx are too tight. For the men out there, a button up shirt that is ready to pop is not attractive, and neither is your open fly. Have the courtesy to check yourself over, so you don't embarrass yourself or your date. 

The second meaning for the word comfort has to do with how you feel about yourself, the person you are meeting and the whole dating situation. If you normally don't wear low cut tops, then don't start now. If you hardly ever don a dress, then reach for those stunning black trousers that make your behind look fabulous. The point is you want to be confident in yourself and comfortable in your own skin. If you are not there yet, then maybe you are not ready for this jump back into the dating arena. 

The following pictures are from my blog and are just a few suggestions for outfits to wear on a first date. I've included a few shopping options for you to peruse as well. Just click on the picture and it will take you to the store site. These are affiliate links so I get a few cents if you click and a few cents more if you purchase an item through my site. Hopefully these will give you ideas of what might be in your closet and help you pull an outfit together that will not only make you look and feel fabulous, but make your date want to take you out again.

Dinner and the Theater (not McD's and a movie):

Meeting for Lunch and Small Town Shopping:

Meeting for Coffee then a Walk

Going to a Ball Game

Outdoor Summer Concert

Christmas Concert

These are just a few ideas. The key is to wear something that fits well, compliments your figure, skin tone and hair, and to wear a confident smile on your face. Be real. Be yourself. Plan and primp and you will be fabulous!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.