My Style: Bluer than Blue

Today’s outfit came from shopping my closet. My thoughts revolved around the desire to give you an outfit that is completely me, but also something you can easily replicate from pieces in your closet. Who doesn’t have a pair of jeans, a blue or chambray top and some sort of soft knit topper? Your outfit doesn’t have to use rolled up skinny cropped pants, use your simple straight leg jeans. Your outfit doesn’t have to include a sleeveless chambray lace up tunic top, grab that light blue short sleeve sweater top or that sky blue tee. Your topper need not be an open weave poncho, use that blue cardigan or long sleeve chambray shirt that is tucked away in your closet. Use my outfit and my style to create an outfit that is uniquely you!

There is no deep philosophy to what makes our style. It is simply what we feel comfortable and confident in. Ever since I was a young girl I was a tom boy. I didn’t like wearing dresses, and I loved my jeans. This still holds true today. I’m still a bit of a tom boy, feeling much more comfortable in jeans, tees and sneakers than in frilly dresses and heels. It is also practical and easier to dress this way. The few times I wear heels now I get cramps in the arches of my feet, and getting on the floor to play with my toddler grandson is so much easier if I am not wearing a dress or skirt. Ha, ha. Let’s look at the details.

This flowy chambray top is a brand called Earl Jeans and was thrifted. I never used to own anything that was chambray, but over the last decade I have added numerous pieces to my wardrobe. Chambray is basically a lightweight fabric that usually looks like denim. It is typically made from cotton or linen and its uses vary, but it is most often seen in the clothing industry for everything from tops, to pants, to jackets to shoes. Here is an interesting article on the fabric that is known as chambray, cambric, or batiste.

My cropped skinny jeans are old and are A.N.A brand. I believe I got them at JCPenney. Here is a similar style at a decent price.

My open weave poncho has been around for a long time. I have no idea where I got it, but it is a cute piece that I hang onto for just this type of occasion where I want a little extra texture, and it adds a little warmth in an air conditioned coffee shop (where my hubby went after I took these pictures). I can wear it with the two points down the front and back, which it a more traditional way of wearing a poncho. Or, I can wear it with the points extending down the length of the arms.

A few easy accessories and I was good to go. My crossbody wallet is a great piece for shopping and doesn't allow for all the weight a more typical cross body bag would. I found this on clearance at Kohl’s a number of summers ago. Jewelry is a hodgepodge of pieces I have collected over the years, and my Keds were also a Kohl’s clearance find.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you own any chambray? How do you like to wear it? I love to get your feedback. Your thoughts are always important to me, so thank you.

I hope you all are having a great week. Check back later in the week for a new Faith post revolving around those Wonderful Words of Life.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links brought to you at no cost. If you purchase something through one of these links I might get a little kickback. I appreciate all the support. All opinions are my own.

Color Play - The Grinch - Green, Red and Brown

When it comes to Christmas we are inundated with red, green, silver and gold, but today people are using blues, teals, purples and pinks to decorate their homes and wrap their presents. Check out Liz from With Wonder and Whimsy. I adore her whimsical style and her love for all things pastel. She does such an amazing job decorating for all occasions and Christmas in her home is simply beautiful. See her Holiday Home Tour by clicking on the link.

I love the red and green color combo for Christmas, but it really doesn’t work for many people in a fashion sense. I wanted to show how you could put together a fun, festive red and green outfit that could be easily worn for work and give a nod to our friend, The Grinch.

What could possibly be more fun, than styling my very “Grinchy” work outfit in front of something that looks like it was taken right out of Whoville? This colorful 3D mural is another of the fascinating places at the Toledo Botanical Gardens. This little scene is just outside the Unruly Arts Studio, which is a studio that focuses on providing a creative space for artists with developmental disabilities. Check out their site at UnrulyArts.org , their Instagram page @unrulyartsstudio or their Facebook page.

I have always loved The Grinch by Dr. Suess and my favorite holiday movie version is the animated one narrated by Boris Karloff. I think part of my affection for that version was that I was a fan of Karloff and his horror movies like Frankenstein and The Mummy. However, the movie that came out in 2018, where Benedict Cumberbatch plays our grumbling, green friend, is now my second fave. I actually was reluctant for a long time to watch the Jim Carey version, since I am not a big fan, but I finally did watch it and I was pleasantly surprised. I will say that Jim’s version which was directed by Ron Howard is much more geared toward adult humor, so not as appropriate for younger kids.

I got this Grinch sweater last year when I was working at Kohl’s for the holiday season. I knew I wanted a more typical ugly Christmas sweater and I thought this one was more gaudy with its candy cane stripes and the Grinch’s face plastered across the front, but I still thought it was cute.

My plaid trousers are a thrift store find and are Mossimo brand. I do love plaid in all its forms and while these slacks would feel a little better if I were a few pounds lighter, they still fit. I love that they have the green stripes throughout, and that they have a bootcut silhouette.

My brown, faux leather moto jacket was a thrifted piece from a few years ago and I have styled it on the blog a few different times. You can see it with a maxi dress, a maxi skirt and a pair of plaid crop pants. The name of the brand is Celebrity Pink.

You can see in the above picture I also added a little bit of red jewelry in my wrap around red beads. When these are not doubled they are more of an opera length string. I also threw on a red bracelet.

I decided to use brown for the bag and boots to add to the more grounded vibe. You’ve seen this thrifted brown, corduroy, hobo bag on the blog before. The ankle boots are a Nine West purchase from Kohl’s.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Which movie version is your favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to check back next week for the final two outfits in my Christmas series. I’ve included a few shopping links for you to check out. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit, Rebecca Trumbull.