Outfit Inspiration - Feliz Navidad

This final installment in my Christmas outfit series was supposed to end on Christmas day and what better song to end it with, than Jose Feliciano’s, Feliz Navidad? It simply means, Merry Christmas in Spanish. The song is upbeat and perfect for the joy of Christmas day. Jose Feliciano wrote and recorded the song in 1970, and it regularly remains one of the most downloaded and aired Christmas songs.

For a song with such an obvious party vibe, I wanted an outfit that was full of color. As you can see, I still kept the more traditional red and green Christmas colors intact, but went for an olive green rather than the true Christmas green. I also added my multi colored kimono and lots of colorful beads.

My kimono was a DSW clearance rack find and is a brand called Do Everything in Love. I styled this piece earlier this year in the Spring 2019 Pantone series. You can see that post here. It is such a fun, colorful piece and I am glad I added it to my wardrobe.

I love a soft turtleneck when the weather is cold, especially if my hair is up in a French braid or a bun. This thrifted one is a brand called Josephine Chaus and is a perfect Christmas red. It really shows off the array of colored beads quite well.

My green tiered skirt is an Old Navy thrift find. For some reason, I have always been drawn to the prairie skirt, or as you saw in my previous post, the prairie dress. The tiered skirt appeals to me as a somewhat casual skirt that offers comfort and ease of wear. I rather like the gypsy vibe of this tiered piece and the green color goes with many other things.

In keeping with the idea of Mexico and warm weather, I added my palm print clutch, which was also a DSW find.

While I wanted the outfit to represent a colorful, Mexican celebration of Christmas, I also wanted to keep it grounded to the reality of a mid-western winter where boots are a must, even if there isn’t snow. Boots are a great way to keep your legs and feet warm and when you are wearing a skirt, that is very important.

I found this pair of simple Sonoma rusty colored boots in the Kohl’s clearance area. Don’t be afraid to rifle through the clearance areas at your favorite stores. Between thrifting and clearance finds I rarely pay full price for any of my clothes. When you are on a budget as tight as ours and you like to shop, that is an absolute must.

I hope you don’t mind that I dragged out my holiday outfit posts. Working more, taking care of my grandson and Christmas gatherings used up most of the energy I had. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and will have a lovely New Year. I might try to post a Favorites from 2019 post some time this week, if I can.

I hope you are looking forward to a New Year. Happy celebrations and be safe!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - Let There Be Light

This series wouldn’t be complete without a contemporary song or two. Point of Grace is a Christian Contemporary group made up of three ladies, Shelley Breen, Denise Jones, and Leigh Cappillino. In 2005 they came out with a Christmas album called, “Winter Wonderland.” The song, Let There Be Light, became one of my favorites from that collection of both old and new Christmas songs. The song was sung by John David Webster with background vocals by the girls.

“From the beginning the Father
Had a magnificent plan
Revealed through the law and the prophets
To fulfill the redemption of man
You spoke after centuries of silence
In the midst of a still, starry night
And Emmanuel came down among us
And the Father said, ‘Let there be light’”

— Let There Be Light - Point of Grace

I love the imagery. We were walking in darkness, but God sent His son, the light. Indeed a magnificent plan. With those words in mind, I came up with an outfit full of shimmer and light.

My Hollister, Light up the City crop tee was a thrift find. I don’t typically wear cropped tees or tops, but when I saw this one and the one in my O Holy Night outfit, I knew I could afford to purchase them and give them a try. This one boasts dots that make it look like there are splotches of light on the tee.

I wanted to have my arms covered so I added this thrifted gold George button up under the crop top. Originally, I was going to let the gold top hang out the bottom of the crop top, but it is a little small and didn’t look quite right, so I tucked it, instead.

This pretty velvet skirt was a Kohl’s clearance find and is Chaps brand. I love some of the Chaps brand pieces, but they are typically a higher price point than I want to pay, so finding this on clearance was perfect. I really like the way the velvet has a light of it’s own and definitely takes the outfit up a notch. Once again, the dark blue makes me think of that night sky over the fields of Bethlehem, when baby Jesus was born.

You’ve seen these shoes a few times on the blog now. I think they are fun and classy and the black suede could be a first cousin to velvet, but without the shimmer and shine. These are Easy Spirit brand.

My accessories were meant to add further bling and light to the outfit. The multi strand bead and metal necklace, the gray stone and bling bracelet and the sparkly black envelope clutch all bring added light.

I love the light: sunshine, candles, Christmas lights, fairy lights, fireworks, fires in a fireplace, campfires, lamps in all their various shapes and forms. The light is so important to our lives and to our world. We couldn’t grow food without sunshine. We couldn’t see in the dark without a candle, flashlight or lamp, or at least the light of the moon. Light gives our lives meaning and purpose, especially the light that came into the world over two thousand years ago.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

— 1 John 3:1 (ESV)

“For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

— John 3:16 (ESV)

“Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

— John 8:12 (ESV)

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like to wear clothing that is luminous and reflects the light? What sort of light do you like? At Christmas do you decorate your house with lights? Where do you put them and do you have a lot of lights or just a few? I have enjoyed so much, reading your comments. People have been sharing their Christmas memories from going to get the tree with their family to Christmas caroling and giving out food. These just make me smile, so thank you everyone who has been willing to comment and share.

Here is the song, Let There Be Light by Point of Grace. Enjoy!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Here are a few velvet skirts to look at.

Have a great week!

Outfit Inspiration - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

One of my favorite Christmas tunes is Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee. When I was in high school I hung out with a girl a grade ahead of me named Sherry. We had tons of fun together and had a very special friendship. Though our ways parted after high school, we still keep in touch through Facebook. Sherry and I were in my church’s youth group together and often found ourselves with other church friends at local restaurants. One particular pizza/sub shop had a juke box. Seeing as it was that time of year, Christmas songs had been added to the playlist. Sherry and I chose a few songs, and one of the ones she picked was Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. The funny thing was, Sherry decided to be silly and kept going up, inserting more change and playing that same song over and over. We all had a giggle fest as we ate our food. Now, every time I hear that song, I think of my dear friend and all the fun we had together.

The song, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, was written by Johnny Marks and sung by Brenda Lee in 1958. The interesting thing about Brenda Lee was her age when she recorded the song. She was only thirteen. Her mature sounding voice lead her to a career in country music, but it is the blend of rockabilly and country style that makes this song a forever hit. To this day most radio stations from adult contemporary, to top 40, to country play Mark’s and Lee’s version of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree more than any other version.

Of course with the 50’s rock and roll feel of the song, I had to dress with a 50’s vibe. Rolled up jeans, a mismatched sweater set and a ponytail with a fun Christmas scarf brought in the 50’s details, most of which I got from watching shows like Happy Days. Ha, ha. Probably not exactly historically accurate, but you get the idea.

I hadn’t gotten my full sized Christmas tree up yet, but I wanted the pictures to look somewhat festive. When my daughters were both still living at home, we had gotten them each a tiny, Charlie Brown, type tree for their rooms. This one still resides at our house, so I thought it would add a touch of Christmas cheer to the pictures. Plus, how do you rock around the Christmas tree, if there isn’t one?

As you know, high waisted mom jeans are back in style. I had gotten rid of all of mine, not because they went out of stye, but because I gained weight and had to buy new jeans. Personally, I don’t really like the confines of high waisted jeans now that I have muffins to stuff into them. I prefer jeans that fall just below my belly button, but when I found this pair on clearance at Kohl’s, I thought I would add one pair of high waisted jeans back into rotation. These are Wild Fable brand. Target carries this brand and has a number of different washes, as well as various amounts of distressing.

You may think pink and red an odd color combo for Christmas, but it just makes me think of candy canes, Christmas cookies and wrapping paper. Both of these pieces were thrifted. The red cardigan is Merona brand and the pink pullover with rabbit fur embellishment is Emma James (a Liz Claiborne company). I am not a proponent of real fur, but if I have the choice of saving a clothing item from a land fill and part or all of its component are real fur, then I am a fan. Here is a pic without the cardi.

Since I wanted the outfit to be simple and fun I didn’t wear any jewelry. I don’t own a pair of saddle shoes, so the next best thing was a pair of Converse high tops. These are the only Converse I own. They typically do not fit my feet very well, but I found these on clearance at DSW. I popped on the white socks as a topper and it reminded me of how girls would wear their socks back in the 50’s.

Of course, in my opinion, no outfit is complete without a bag. What if you realize as you are rockin’ around the Christmas tree, baking cookies or decorating that you’ve run out of sugar or you’ve discovered another string of lights that won’t light (I swear, it happens every year)? You will need to run to the store. I chose this white, Jaclyn Smith satchel. This thrifted bag can be carried by the top handles and it also comes with a long strap to wear it as a cross body bag. This is also a thrift find.

My final addition was the scarf in my hair. Over the years I have collected a number of Christmas related pieces. I have a number of long sleeve tees, a couple sweaters and a few scarves. If you followed my Instagram feed last year, I featured most of those pieces in my “20 Days of Christmas series”. This cute snowman scarf is a narrow oblong scarf that works perfectly as a hair tie. I wore it to work yesterday around my neck, with a snowman pin.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like high waisted mom jeans? Is Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree a favorite song of yours? Do you think I did justice to the song with my outfit? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Here is Brenda Lee singing Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.

I’m including a few shopping links. I hope you are having a good month leading up to Christmas. I especially hope that you do not feel stressed out and that you are staying healthy. Take care of yourself. There is only one beautiful you. Have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - Oh Holy Night

When I thought about which songs to choose for this series, I wanted to include both festive secular songs and traditional Christmas carols, that carried the original message of Christmas. Yes, Christmas is a time for fun, frivolity and food, but it is also a time to reconnect with the original “why” that caused this yearly celebration. As a Christian I celebrate the date on December 25th as Jesus birthday. Was Jesus actually born on the 25th? Probably not. Over the course of time practices, both pagan and Christian blended together until in the early 20th century when Christmas became a secular celebration of gift giving and family gatherings. Whatever you believe about the origin of Christmas, in the Christian community it is a day on which to remember God’s gift to the world, the baby Jesus.

O Holy Night was composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem, “Minuit, chrétiens” (Midnight, Christians) written by Placide Cappeau. In 1855 minister John Sullivan Dwight translated the French version into English and it became the carol we know today. Here is a link to a Wikipedia article which shows each version of the song. I thought it was interesting.

Today’s outfit is my attempt at a holy night. The depth of a night sky and the twinkle of unending stars is part of what brought this outfit together.

I found this sparkly Wild Fable crop top at a thrift store and thought it would be fun to figure out how to style. I would have worn a long black tunic top under the crop top, but I didn’t have one, so I opted for a navy blue tunic button up from Christopher and Banks. The dark blue reminds me of the Midnight Blue color from my Crayola Crayon box when I was a kid. I always used that blue to color a night time sky.

I added the longer thrifted jacket over the top to keep the look a little more dressed up. This unique piece has panels on the bottom which are opaque and sheer every other. The sleeves are sheer and the bodice opaque. I styled this on the blog for another holiday outfit, which you can see here. In fact, the two outfits are similar in that they both show a more monochrome look and I used the same jacket, bag and pants.

I didn’t have a lot of time to work through the details on some of these outfits. My tunic blouse was a little tight around the bum. I probably should have tucked it in or tried a different approach, like a black turtleneck or long sleeved tee. Oh well, that just shows my authenticity. Nothing fake going on here. Ha, ha.

My black trousers are Daisy Fuentes brand from a while back at Kohl’s. They no longer carry her brand, but it looks like Walmart still does, and most of it seems to be more casual athleisure clothing.

I wanted to keep my accessories minimal and silver to go with the sparkles on my top, so my glittery clutch and a sparkly silver bracelet gave me some extra bling.

My black block heel Aerosoles are also thrifted and I have used those on the blog before as well.

Do you have a favorite Christmas song? How would you put together an outfit, using the inspiration you receive from that song? I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you get a chance leave me a comment or two in the comments box below. I like to hear what you are thinking.

Since it is the holiday season I am including a few shopping links for all thing sparkly. Enjoy shopping. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’m also including my favorite version of O Holy Night by Josh Groban. There is something pure and beautiful about his voice. and he doesn’t sing the song as though he is trying to take the attention for himself. I have heard plenty of versions of O Holy Night that sound less than holy. Enjoy!

Outfit Inspiration - It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas can truly be one of the most wonderful times of the year, but I know it can also be an extremely hard time for people who have gone through loss, are struggling with illness or things like financial strain and relationship stress. Often, the holidays become a mad race to get everything done that we feel we have to do and we end up feeling down and disappointed. Even amidst the struggle and the strains of life, I think we can still see Christmas as a very wonderful time.

Christmas is typically a time we reconnect with loved ones. It can also be a time to do things we find hard to do the rest of the year, like listening to special music, baking, attending holiday parties and other activities like Christmas shopping and gathering with friends. In the church environment there are also special services, kids programs and service activities like caroling and helping at the local food pantries and city missions. Yes, it is a very busy time, but I also believe that the basis for many of these activities is what makes it the most wonderful time of the year.

Serving others and thinking about that special gift we are going to buy for a friend or family member gets us outside our own boxes. It creates in us an others’ centered mentality and it is in that, that we find joy. Not only that, but the basis for Christmas from the very beginning was the unselfish act of an Almighty God, towards His fallen creation.

What I instantly think of when I hear Andy Williams’ It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, are shopping malls and stores all decked out in Christmas garlands and lights while Christmas music plays overhead. It also makes me think of loud family gatherings around the Christmas tree opening presents with laughter and joy.

For this outfit I wanted to look festive, but also like myself. I wasn’t going to see the King, I was going to the mall to shop for my family. Ha, ha.

This wonderful red plaid Requirements blazer was a thrift store find. I just love the treasures I find at thrift stores. I could never have the large wardrobe I do if it weren’t for thrifting. I still shop quite regularly at full price retailers, but I have found some of my most special, unique pieces at thrift stores. Many of them, like this blazer are by brands that no longer exist; the added benefit of thrifting.

The fit and structure of this beautiful jacket is perfect and will definitely get used long past the holiday season. I am excited to try it with various colors and pieces. It is a wool blend, but fully lined so I don’t have to worry about my skin’s aversion to wool.

My black long sleeve embellished snowflake tee was purchased a number of years ago. I believe it is from Kohl’s and is a brand called MCCC Sportswear. You can see holiday sweatshirts from this same brand at Kohl’s by clicking on the link. They also have long sleeve tees here.

You can also see my Believe pin. If you have ever watched Miracle on 34th Street, then you know the significance of the word believe. I have noticed over the last few years, the word believe is popping up everywhere. Whether you believe in Santa, the Spirit of Christmas, the person of Christmas, Jesus Himself, or in yourself, the idea of belief in someone or something is pretty important in our world.

I personally believe in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that is what I think of when I see the word believe, but I also love that this idea of belief has become a positive message to all of us, especially young people, who are often told they will never measure up or amount to anything. The beauty and simplicity of the Gospel message is found in this idea of belief. God’s word says,

“For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.’”

— Romans 10:11 (NASB)

At first I was going to wear knee high boots, but then I thought the pants didn’t really look right with them, so I opted for this pair of Sonoma booties from Kohl’s. I like the contrast of the gray, black and red with the taupe of the boots and bag. I didn’t bother with any other jewelry since I felt the embellishments on the top and bag, along with the pin, gave the outfit enough punch.

What do you like to wear when you shop? Do you dress up or do you prefer to just go out in your sweats? I’d love to hear your thoughts. What do you think about the word, believe? Is belief something that is important to you? Please leave me some love in the comments.

Here is my favorite version of It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams. I’m not so sure about the music video, but it is colorful. Ha, ha

I’m including a few shopping links of all things plaid, for you to look at. Maybe you still have some Christmas shopping to do and one of these links will inspire you. These are affiliate links, which means if you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of my links, I might get a little more. Every penny helps.

I hope these posts are inspiring you and bringing back memories of your own childhood Christmases. Have a great weekend and stay healthy for the holidays.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - We Three Kings

I have been listening to Christmas music since I was a toddler. Songs like Jingle Bells, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas and so many others have been permanently embedded in my brain. There are a few songs that I remember, not so much because of their catchy tunes, but because of the pictures they created in my mind as a young person. We Three Kings is a perfect example of this kind of song.

Over the years We Three Kings became an icon of American Christmas carols. It was originally written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. in 1857 for a Christmas pageant In New York City. He was the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, PA at the time. The song revolves around the three Magi who came to worship Jesus when He was a small child. You can read that Biblical account in Matthew 1:1-12. If I had more time, I would love to spend a little time discussing these interesting men and the gifts they bring the Christ child, but since this is a fashion post I won’t belabor the point.

You might be wondering, why did I choose this song. While it is clearly a traditional Christmas carol, it wouldn’t necessarily be a favorite of everyone out there. I love the story behind it. For years, these extremely wise men, who were obviously people of influence and wealth, but not necessarily kings in their own countries, studied the stars. They studied history and they may have even studied some version of Messianic prophecy. We can’t really say for sure, what caused them to take up their long trek to Bethlehem, but my imagination says it must have been a pulling of the Holy Spirit that led them to Herod and then to the baby Jesus.

I also love the dichotomy of shepherds on the night of His birth and these upper class men, some days later. It reminds me that we are all able to approach God, not because of our goodness and rightness, but because of Jesus.

I wanted this outfit to exude luxury, not that these wise men had all sorts of money, nor even dressed in a way that would attract attention, but the idea of kings, wise men and worshipping the King of Kings, made me want to dress as thought I was going to see the King myself.

This velvet jacket was a thrift store find. I was watching Merlin, a King Arthur series that was on a few years ago. When I saw this, I thought of Arthur Pendragon in all his finery and I knew I had to have it. I guess I should have taken the lint brush to it, before we took pictures. Ha, ha. I think the gold front closures are so fun. The brand is R & M Richards by Karen Kwong. It is obvious the style has an oriental flavor, which makes it perfect for my wisemen from the east.

At first I was going to go for a monochrome look, and pair the jacket with brown trousers, but then I thought of this Lauren Conrad skirt that I ordered from Kohl’s on clearance. It’s actually too big on me, so I had to safety pin the waist band for our photo shoot, but one of these days I will take it in. I thought the gold pleats and flowy feel made for a more luxe look.

In thinking about our three wise men, I chose gold to accent the entire outfit. My gold high-lo hemline tee, I got for Christmas last year from my husband. It is Dantelle brand from Marshalls. I tucked it in for this look and paired it with a wide gold belt that I found thrifting.

My jewelry and bag are gold with just a touch of bling. The little clutch with attached chain is also a thrift find.

I’ve worn these thrifted LifeStride brown ankle boots on the blog before and I thought they matched the jacket perfectly.

What would you wear to see a king? If we could afford it we would probably wear something a bit fancier than what I put together. Ha, ha. But that is part of the point of Christmas. The shepherds were able to see the King the night He was born and I’m sure they weren’t wearing their Sunday best. Jesus is happy to have us come as we are.

Today I am not going to include any shopping links, but here is one of the versions of We Three Kings that I like. For some reason I was not able to upload the video, so just click on the link and it will take you to the YouTube page with the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qmrRhVhKuw

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and welcome to my holiday series! This year my fashion posts leading up to Christmas will be inspired by a few of my favorite Christmas songs. I love Christmas music and I am guilty of starting to listen to it, the week before Thanksgiving. In my opinion, the season goes by so fast and I want to enjoy all the music, lights and trimmings for as long as I can. In addition to the outfit photos, I will also provide a few tidbits on the history of the song, as well as sharing a few of my own Christmas traditions. I also hope to connect my faith posts on Wednesday or Fridays (depending on which day I can get them done), to the songs that epitomize the original reason for the season. I hope you enjoy the series.

The first song I chose is It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. This song was written by Meredith Wilson in 1951. Mr. Wilson was an American flautist, composer, conductor, playwright and author. He is probably best known for the book, music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Music Man. This Christmas song is probably best remembered by us older folks as being performed by Perry Como, or Bing Crosby, but was also performed by Johnny Mathis. More recently Michael Buble did a version which has gained popularity over the last eight years when it first appeared on his album, Christmas.

As you can see, this first outfit and the setting are, indeed, beginning to look like Christmas. We were fortunate (?), to have snow for this first outfit. All the rest of them will be typical Northwest Ohio, browns and grays. Ha, ha.

This mid thigh length red sweater vest is a great piece for Christmas, or anytime the weather is cold and you need an extra layer over your core. This was a recent thrift store find and is a brand called one A. The vest has a full button front, roomy square pockets and a belt. For this outfit, I chose to leave it open and tied the belt at the back, so you could see my Joy sweater.

I’ve styled this cute, thrifted, Old Navy sweater on the blog in my Christmas series last year. In that post, I wore it with my burgundy pleated skirt. I’ve also styled it with a purple moto jacket. Just click on the links to see those posts.

Christmas is a season that brings me joy and that is part of the reason, I chose this song and this sweater. When I was a child, Christmas wasn’t about how much money we had, but about the traditions that went with the holiday season. My family celebrated Jesus birth. That was the central focus of the holiday. We would go to church, sing Christmas hymns and carols and enjoy good food with family. There were several things that brought me joy. The first was when my mother would begin to get out the Christmas decorations. We had a trio of red bells that lit up and we would hang those in our front door so you could see them from the street. I loved seeing those bells as they flashed, announcing to all the passersby that it was Christ’s birthday.

One of the other things that brought me joy was the Christmas tree. When I was really little, my dad would get the tree and he and my mom would decorate it after we went to bed on Christmas eve. My brothers and I would wake up to a magical tree complete with pretty wrapped packages from Santa under its scented pine boughs. As we got older we would go with my dad to pick out a tree and helped to decorate it after he put it in the tree stand. We have wonderfully amusing memories of crazy shaped trees.

These distressed cognac colored jeans were from Meijer a few years ago. They are a brand called Stitch Star. I’ve styled these on the blog before too. In that post they were a featured Pantone Fall 2017 color. I wore them in that post with a red sweater. I just love the combination of those two colors. This type of distressing is my favorite. No skin shows and they have added pretty embroidered embellishment.

For my accessories I added a Christmas scarf as a head band and tied it in a bow. I also grabbed my patchwork tote bag from Walmart and my SO cognac booties from Kohl’.s. The booties got a little bit snow covered. Ha, ha

Do you like Christmas music? What is your favorite song? What do you think of this outfit? Do you have Christmas traditions that you remember from your childhood? What sort of Christmas traditions do you have with your family? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two.

This last picture will hopefully bring you joy, as it is a photo of me being silly.

Since there is a few weeks until Christmas and because you might be stumped on what to get people on your list for Christmas, I am including a few shopping links and a few Black Friday deals. Be sure to check them out. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving Day. I had to work, but we are going to have dinner this evening.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Here is a link to Michael Buble’s version of It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. That is my favorite version of the song. I hope you like it as well.