Hello 60! A Woman of Faith

Out of everything in my life that is important, my faith in Jesus Christ is at the top. I was raised in a Christian home, attending a small Bible church from the time I was small. My mother still has pictures of her and I going to church in matching dresses that she made for us. It wasn’t until I was twelve that I truly committed my life to Jesus. I always felt a pull toward Him, from the time I was very small, but at twelve, the same age I began to write, I finally understood He wanted my whole heart, and He wanted me to commit to believing in Him.

I honestly believe God’s hand was on me, and it was Him who kept me from going down a much different path. Just as with most junior and senior high schools there were plenty of opportunities to get involved in activities that weren’t glorifying to Him, but for some reason, I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to party. I didn’t want to drink, smoke, or do drugs. I was boy crazy, but most of it was worship from afar. It wasn’t until I had graduated from high school and was looking to go to Bible college that I got involved with a guy who didn’t know Jesus. I met him at the grocery store I was working at in my home town. If it was a test, I was going to fail, but God. He protected me from going too far physically, and helped me to break up with him. I was going to Bible college. I was going to be a missionary, because I couldn’t outrun the burning flame of His love.

I would not trade my three years at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL for anything. All of the learning, and experiences are part of who I am today. I grew in my knowledge and understanding of His word and of Biblical history. I participated in ministries, and mission trips that stretched my ability to get along with others, and die to my own selfish desires. It was during my time there on one of those trips that I met my husband Mark. I never did end up on the mission field, other than a summer trip to Africa where I almost died from Malaria. Mark and I married after I graduated in 1987.

Becoming a wife, and eventually a mom, and now a grandmother has brought about growth in my Christian life that I may never have experienced on the mission field. There are certainly other struggles and challenges for missionaries in addition to marriage and family. Perhaps God saw that I would not have been able to handle it. Perhaps, I would not have been a good fit in an intense ministry situation. The only thing that matters is trusting that He has it all figured out, and that He knows what is best.

I continue to grow in my faith, and God is amazing. He daily meets me right where I am and I try to remember to invite Him in to whatever I am doing, and feeling. He is certainly capable of handling my “issues”, and He gives me the strength and help to handle them as well.

Today’s outfit is truly a tribute to what I deem important in my day to day outfits: comfort, warmth (in the winter), texture, and modesty.

My pullover, Fair Isle type sweater was a Maurice’s piece from a few years ago. I love the colors. I found the Chevron print scarf at a thrift store this past year. I thought the colors very similar to those in the sweater, so I thought a bit of print mixing might be fun. I also added the flower medallion pendant necklace as another nod to the 70’s decade.

Style Tip: Choose similar colors in prints for print mixing ease.

This lovely thrifted denim midi skirt is so roomy and versatile. I used it for my Murder Mystery birthday party when I dressed up as Jessica Fletcher. This is a piece I will be able to use all year round. Right now it is perfect to pair with tall boots, for a fun dressy casual vibe.

Style Tip: Basics always stay in style. A denim skirt is essential for any wardrobe, but you don’t have to have a voluminous circle skirt. Go for a simple a-line or even a pencil shape for a more narrow silhouette.

This Liz Claiborne bag was another thrift treasure. I love the rich green color and the brown trim. I may just fill this up in the next few days and use it for a while. It isn’t there just to look at. Although with all the bags I have you would think that is the case. Ha, ha.

Style Tip: Purses are expensive, even the ones that aren’t leather. Try shopping second hand, or wait for end of season sales to help take the hit out of your pocket book.

These brown faux suede Sonoma boots were on clearance at Kohl’s, again from a few years ago. These are one of my favorite pairs of boots. I like the color, the strap and buckle and the slouch. I think this skirt would also look cute with ankle boots and cute tights or knee highs.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear something like this? What is your go to style? I’d love to hear your thoughts so leave me a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. I hope you enjoyed this post.

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2023 - New York Palette: Rose Violet, High Visibility, and Doe

Today I am bringing you another outfit in my Pantone Autumn/Winter color series. I find these colors on the Pantone website. My renditions of their color palette may not always be an exact match, but I shop my closet and try to find the pieces that come as close as possible to their color choices. I want you to be able to shop your wardrobe as well. You may not have all of these colors in your closet like I do, but you will certainly have two or three. The idea is to take those colors and use them in new ways to make outfits you never thought of before.

I love the boho vibe of this outfit. The bright colors, tiered skirt and fringe bag are all indicative of many Bohemian outfits.

I was having a hard time decided which piece to use for the Rose Violet color. It is a bright, fuchsia pink and though I had my Button Front Maxi Dress from Closet52 (no longer in business), it was too overwhelming. I felt the bright pink and the bright yellow were needed in small doses, thus this fun, thrifted, tiered maxi skirt.

I added the old Christopher and Banks cat eye necklace to pull the Rose Violet color upwards, and I also wore make up allowing for a softer version of the bright pink on my face.

My Doe colored sweater was a fabulous thrift find. I thought the neutral color with the glistening, metallic dots would be great for the up coming holidays with a versatility that allows for dressing up or down.

High Visibility is certainly so. This bright yellow is so cheerful and definitely a pick-me-up on a cloudy, rainy day. Again, the skirt uses a paler version of the yellow to keep the outfit completely compatible through out.

Here is another way to wear the pashmina.

My accessories remained in the neutral shade to allow the bright pink and yellow to be the focal points for the outfit. The sweater is quite long, hanging below my bottom so I tucked it in and added the belt. It brings additional interest, texture and gives me a more refined hour glass silhouette.

I added the thrifted fringe bag, and my older suede ankle boots which have a low heel helping to keep the skirt off the floor.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like the combination of bright colors with more neutral colors? What would you do differently? I love to hear your ideas and thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed this outfit featuring the Pantone New York Palette colors: Rose Violet, High Visibility, and Doe.

No shopping links this week, but I hope you are having a great day and a good week. Check back next Tuesday for another outfit post.

Outfit Inspiration - A Spring Look

Spring is here, at least the calendar says so, even if the temps don’t feel quite like it yet. As I worked on taking pictures of this outfit I was glad for my long sleeve tee and bulky, longer cardigan, because, dang it, it’s still cold outside! The sun is shining brilliantly, but not quite up to the task of warming our northern states. It will come, so we just have to be patient.

While we wait I thought it would be fun to post a few spring outfits that cater perfectly to our crazy midwestern changing weather. Fall and Spring are our transitional seasons and our temperatures can fluctuate from below freezing in the morning to the mid 70’s during the day. In addition, we can almost always expect rain, rain, more rain and plenty of wind, all of which continue to make me feel cold and want to dress in cozy layers.

Today’s Outfit Inspiration comes from Pinterest where I have a board titled Spring Fashion. Do you use Pinterest? I find that it can be a great source of inspiration and ideas from everything fashion, to holiday decor to recipes. I get tired of the same thing all the time, and I can’t tell you how many times I walk into my closet and just feel overwhelmed. Pinterest and the challenges I participate in on Instagram help me to think differently about my wardrobe and help me rediscover the joy I get from creating a fun outfit.

Style Tip: Look to other sources for outfit inspiration. Instagram, Pinterest, bloggers, and other social media platforms can be overwhelming, but they can also keep things from getting stale and get you looking at your closet with new joy. If you are not a social media kind of gal, then look at the fashion magazines at a bookstore or grocery store. Even though many of those don’t cater to your average woman, many of them can still give you color combinations, acceptable trends and outfit ideas.

The pin, which I will show you at the end is from an influencer Get Your Pretty On. Founder, Alison Lumbatis has a classic, petite, feminine style that works perfectly for busy moms. You can check out her website by clicking on the link. However, it doesn’t look like she has posted anything since last July, so I am not sure if she is still current. Anyway, the pin is for a spring outfit and features a pink cardigan, light wash jeans, a white v-neck tee, a pink tote, and neutral colored flats or sandals.

This white long sleeve tee is just a basic Hanes tee shirt. Basics like this are good to have in your wardrobe, especially if you have a more casual style. You can see I did a bit of a front tuck and added a pink belt to complement the sweater.

I actually had these Signature Levi Strauss jeans from the clearance rack at Meijer in the bag to return, but when I saw this pin, I began to think about other ways I could style these wide leg ankle pants for spring and summer and decided to keep them. They are super comfy and have a high waist that actually fits over my bulges, making it a good choice for wearing with tees that I might want to tuck in.

My thigh length, open front cardigan is Old Navy brand and was a thrift find. I’d say this has been one of my favorite sweater finds while thrifting. I love the length, the pockets, and the cozy fabric. The fact that it will be useful over three seasons is an added benefit.

Style Tip: When using an outside source for outfit inspiration, think about ways you can change up or add accessories to make the look completely your own.

As you can see I did just that with this outfit. I added this thrifted floral silk scarf for a bit a warmth, chose a coral floral Sonoma bag instead of pink to go with the coral tones in the scarf, and chose my neutral Keds sneakers instead of flats or sandals.

Here is my outfit next to the outfit I pinned.

Let me know what you think? Did I do a good job using the pin as inspiration, and did I do a good job of making the look my own? What would you do with this outfit inspiration? I always love to hear your thoughts. You inspire me to keep posting my blog posts and to keep playing with clothes!

I have added some shopping links to give you more ideas.

Buy Me a Coffee.

Have a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2022 - New York Palette: Waterspout, Midnight and Loden Frost

Today’s Pantone Autumn/Winter colors include a bright blue, a dark blue and a light green. Waterspout is a bright aqua blue which seems an odd choice for an autumn palette, but the color gurus will do what they do, and actually it is rather nice to have a few brighter, lighter choices as the days get shorter and the skies begin to gray. Midnight is not really like the midnight blue crayon we all had in our big boxes of Crayolas growing up, but perhaps more like the night sky just after the sun sets, but before the stars start to come out. Loden Frost is a sage green with a little bit of depth and richness.

So far in this series, I think this is my favorite outfit. I like the combination of blues and greens and thought it was an appropriate look for a warm fall day.

I’ve styled this thrifted dress before on the blog. I have had it for years and it is getting a little snug since all my weight has done its post menopausal thing and moved to my mid section. Ha, ha. But that is the beauty of layering. You don’t notice it as much. This is a brand called Oliva Rose, however, there are numerous brands out there with that name, so I have no idea where it originated.

I found this Maurice’s brand sweater at a thrift store. I really like Maurice’s, but I try to stay out of that store. They have so many cute things every season. I like their tees, tops and jeans, but I wait for good sales and coupons, because things cost more now than ever. I am also really trying to curb my buying all around.

My sea turtle scarf is from the dollar store. Back when my oldest was pregnant and we were putting together the shower the theme was Sea creatures. I found a few cute scarves for game give aways and this was a left over. My necklace was a product of two different thrifted pieces that ended up breaking, so I put them together.

My olive Fossil hobo bag is also thrifted. It is another work horse in my closet and is continually in and out of rotation. Fossil brand is a good quality brand and while I never buy them full price, I do love when I can find one on clearance or at a thrift store. This one is a great utility bag with multiple pockets and compartments for everything you need.

I found these navy boots last year online at Kohl’s. They are Journee brand. I am not too adventurous when it comes to my boot colors. I like browns, black, and gray, but I thought it would be nice to have a navy pair, specifically of knee high boots, for a different vibe. Do you like your boots to be a more basic color, or do you like a bright, bold look for your feet?

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what you think of these colors. I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. When you click on a link, I get a few pennies. When you purchase the item through the provided link, I get a little bit more. I appreciate all you clicks. All opinions are my own.

I hope you are having a great week.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2022 - NY Palette: Harbor Blue, Dahlia, and Northern Droplet

These are the last three colors from the Pantone Spring/Summer 2022 New York Palette. Today’s colors are festive and fun, the perfect combination for a summer event. I always love a brighter, richer approach to color anyway, so these are probably two of my faves from this palette. Click here to see the actual Pantone colors.

Harbor Blue is a medium blue green giving it a teal vibe, but with a little less intensity. Dahlia is a beautiful shade of purple that reminds me of spring and summer flowers like Azaleas, Cosmos and Pansies. Northern Droplet is a light shade of gray much like an early morning fog over a mountain lake.

For my outfit today, I ended up using a slightly darker gray rather than a light gray. I don’t own a lot of light gray because it is one of those colors that doesn’t do me justice. It is also what I would term, a non color, meaning it doesn’t really do a whole lot for very many people. Certainly there are women who look wonderful in a light shade of gray, but it seems to me that a medium to dark gray is a better choice for most of us.

As of the posting of these photos it is still cool in the midwest. We have had so many gray and rainy days, I am honestly starting to think we are turning into the new northwest and joining our friends in Seattle. However, I did want to give you an outfit where I at least showed a little bit of skin on my legs, just to give the feeling of oncoming summer and warmer weather.

My Harbor Blue bomber jacket was a clearance purchase from ShopNational a few seasons ago. I love the floral textured pattern. The banding at the neck, sleeves and bottom makes it extra comfy to wear. It is a unique piece that I don’t wear a lot, but one that I will hang on to for its versatility and vibrant color.

My thrifted jeans are a brand called Stylus. This appears to be a discontinued brand that may have once been sold at JC Penney and Walmart. I like that they have a tiny bit of distressing near the pocket and above the knee.

My Bambi tee is a thrifted Sonoma piece. When I first got it I knew the print was of deer, but after closer inspection it is definitely Bambi’s silhouette. You can also see my silver necklace that my bestie gave me back in March when we were in NY visiting my mom. I opted for the olive canvas belt because there is a bit of olive in the scarf.

My beautiful scarf was gifted to me by a dear friend who was clearing out her home in preparation for their move to Tennessee. Every time I wear it, I am reminded of her and her husband who moved to be near their youngest daughter, her husband, and their first baby. I just love all the colors in this scarf and feel like it is the perfect piece for every season.

Style Tip: When you don’t know what outfit to put together, pull out a favorite printed scarf. Take cues from the scarf on putting the ensemble together by choosing pieces with matching or similar colors. It really helps for picking out outfits and I do this often, when I am going away for the weekend.

My Ked’s sparkly sneakers are quite old, and perhaps need another run through the washer. I chose my simple Aerosmith tote (a hand me over from my younger girl) for my bag.

Do you like these colors? Would you wear these colors together? Let me know what you think of this outfit by leaving me a comment.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Thank you for all of your support. Have a great weekend!

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - London Palette: Green Bee, Downtown Brown, and Olive Branch

Hi everyone! November is zooming along and I am still trying to get back into some sort of rhythm, not only here on the blog, but in life. Anyone who suffers from a long term illness can relate to what I am talking about. Not being able to sleep for such a long period of time and still dealing with unresolved symptoms make it hard to get back to what I would say is a normal routine. However, I know there are people who are struggling with much worse situations and I am thankful that I am able to do as much as I can. In fact, this past weekend, we were able to travel to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday with her, so that was good.

Unfortunately, there has also been other difficult things along the way. My son-in-law lost his grandfather this past week and I know that has been a great loss for the whole family. He was a dear man, a wonderful painter and loved his family, so he will be missed. As many of you can relate, it seems as we get older, we see loss happening around us at a more frequent pace. This too is part of life, and for me knowing God is holding me and my loved ones during these times, makes it a little less painful.

Now on to another outfit. As I said last week, while I am wildly behind, I decided to go ahead and show you these Pantone London Palette outfits as possible sources of inspiration for Thanksgiving Day wear. Many of you will be celebrating with friends or family and it is a good reason, to get out of those sweat pants and dress up a little bit, if just for your own mental well being.

You can’t go wrong with a pair of trousers, a pretty top and a fun scarf and bag. Obviously, you can pick your colors, but I chose to combine these earthy tones for a look that is a mix of military meets, moto chic.

My Downtown Brown moto jacket is a thrifted piece that I have styled on the blog before. It is a brand called Celebrity Works. I do like this medium milk chocolate brown. Browns can be tricky to wear, especially when they contain a little too much gray or a little more red, or well, you get the idea. A true brown is hard to find, but I think this brown hits the mark, so thank you Pantone for that one.

You’ve seen my Olive Branch pants numerous times on the blog as well. As I look at them in these pictures, I am thinking I might need to find a replacement pair. These are starting to look worn and really don’t look very flattering. Of course that may have had something to do with my chubby thighs. Ha, ha. These were Gloria Vanderbilt brand and I probably got them at Kohl’s.

For the Green Bee color I chose a thrifted Studio Works popover top that I did the front tuck on, which gave it the blouson effect. I also added the Green Bee paisley print scarf. The thought to add the Dana Buchman floral bag was a last minute addition, but I like how it pulled everything together. A fun floral bag is a great addition to your wardrobe, especially when it can serve multiple season duty. This one works just as well in spring, summer and fall.

I chose my trusty Olive Branch SO ankle boots for my shoes. My ankle boots definitely get used in these cooler fall temps.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear an outfit like this to your Thanksgiving celebration? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments below.

I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a few more pennies. I appreciate every penny! All opinions are my own. Please note, I am not familiar with all of the retailers I list in my links, so be sure to read and understand their return policies in case something doesn’t fit or isn’t to your liking.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Until next time, have a great day.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Pale Rosette, Root Beer and Olive Branch

I want to start off with an apology for my lack of consistency with the blog lately. It has been a rough couple of months and I just haven’t had the motivation to post as regularly. It seems every time I want to make more of an effort at getting more disciplined or being more consistent, I get blindsided by something. At the beginning of the summer it was a broken wrist. Mid summer, I came down with this stuff, that still has me coughing. I just have no idea if I will ever be back to “normal”, whatever that was.

There have been some good bits along the way as well. Early summer we were able to take my in-laws on a nice trip up through the Upper Peninsula, down through Michigan and back to our place where they enjoyed visiting family for a few days. I also got to see my mom, two different weeks and spend time with her. That also afforded me the opportunity to see my best girlfriend, and do some thrifting. On September 19th, our second grandson arrived. He is a doll and I am enjoying opportunities here and there to see him, even if I do have to wear a mask. He’s been born into a world of half blue faces, but that is okay, if we can give him a healthier start. He, my daughter and son-in-law are doing well.

Today’s outfit revolve around three colors on the Pantone New York Palette that I thought combined well into a work wear ready fall outfit.

I am still trying to get used to seeing pastels during the fall season. This year, they were quite popular and besides this pale pink, also included a pretty lavender. I guess, we like what we like right, so pastels for me might be more of a spring and summer color scheme, while rusts, browns and burgundies are the colors I reach for in the fall. While we still live in a free country, you are in control of what colors you wear when. Ha, ha.

The Pale Rosette, 3/4 length tee is a thrifted piece, and a brand called Suzanne Betro. It is actually a longer tunic, but I just tucked it in for this outfit. I love the detailing at the bodice.

You’ve seen my Olive Branch utility vest on the blog before when I did my series on olive pieces. This vest isn’t quite the right shade. Who would have thought there are so many shades of olive? Another clearance find from Kohl’s, I don’t have a ton of Mudd pieces as it typically has more of a junior’s fit, but the few that I have, I really like.

You’ve also seen these brown trousers when I talked about wide leg pants back in the spring. I am not a big fan. I have enough bulk on my bottom. However, I will hang on to this pair, as I like the color, and occasionally it is nice to have a different option when it comes to pants. These were thrifted and are St. John’s Bay brand.

I added the multi-print scarf to add an extra dimension of color and interest to the outfit. I like how it ties the whole look together.

You can also see the fun necklace I scored while thrifting at the local shop around the corner. I have found some great jewelry there. I goes perfectly with the pants.

Even though this little thrifted, Rosetti bag screams summer, I thought it was a great way to keep this outfit looking modern and updated, yet still in tune with the fall vibes.

My SO snakeskin print boots were a clearance purchase from Kohl’s last season. I haven’t really had the opportunity to wear them very much, so hopefully this season they will be out and about.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like them combined? Do you like them each separately?

I’d love to hear your thought, so leave me some love in the comments.

As I usually do, I am adding a few shopping links in things similar to these colors. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for following along on the blog. I hope you are having a great week.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Oh, Olive! Utility Jacket - Casual

I am back from visiting my mom and ready to get back to posting here on the blog. I wasn’t feeling well, the first couple of days after I got home, but I think most of it was fatigue and allergies. They seem to be beating on everyone this year. While I was at my mom’s I didn’t have internet, but I was able to get some photos taken and was pretty pleased with the result. I hope you will be as well.

I am continuing my look at a few of my different olive pieces and how they can be used with just about any outfit and any color. I do like to think outside the box, at least my box, so I hope you will find some of these outfits inspirational for your own wardrobes. The week before last I showed you a casual and a workwear look using an olive pair of pants. Today and Thursday, I want to take a look at ways to style an olive utility jacket. You can see how I styled this same jacket on the blog before with a striped tee and distressed jeans, another striped tee, and a polka dot chambray top.

Another thing, I decided to add to this little series, is to give you a few peaks at what is trending for fall. I’ll point it out as we go along. Let’s take a look at the olive utility jacket.

I have had this olive utility piece for a number of years now. St. John’s Bay brand, I got it at JCPenney. Since then I have accumulated a few other utility jackets in other colors. I like that they are so versatile. In fact, I may have to do a post on that at a future date. Most of my pieces, including this one are lighter weight, so a great topper for spring, summer and fall. While they do tend towards more casual, I will show you on Thursday how to make one look appropriate for work.

What makes a piece utility? I think it has to do with the pockets and the details like drawstrings, snaps and metal zippers. Next week I will be showing you an olive utility vest.

Fall Trend Alert - Denim on Denim

Once again, it seems denim with denim is trending for fall. While I wouldn’t wear this regularly, it does have a casual appeal. Monochrome is always a good way to get a longer, sleeker line. Most of what I saw on the runway were pieces of the same wash. See this post on Fall 2021 trends from Marie Claire. However, there is a sense of personal creativity in putting together pieces with different washes, as I did in this outfit.

My chambray top is a thrift find from earlier in the summer. It is a brand called Cremieux. Apparently, Daniel Cremieux started a men’s clothing line in Saint Tropez, on the French Riviera in the mid 70’s. It looks like he designed women’s clothing for a time as well. Both lines were sold at Dillards, but the women’s line is no longer available in the US. The fun things you find when you thrift.

You’ve seen my thrifted, distressed Simply Vera, Vera Wang jeans plenty of times on the blog. They are getting rattier looking as time goes along, but I guess that is the point. Ha, ha. If the holes get to big for my comfort zone, I may make a few patches, which actually could be fun.

I decided to add this floral mini print scarf just for a little extra color. I don’t use my scarves much in the heat of the summer. I sweat just sitting still on these humid days. Last night, I was working on this post and I was dripping with sweat. Of course we hadn’t turned our air conditioners on. Sometimes, we have to choose between a little bit of inconvenience and being able to pay the electric bill. My husband always runs colder, so he’s not as hot unless he is doing yard work or something. Today is supposed to be even warmer. I think the air will be on later, so this woman doesn’t get too cranky. Ha, ha.

If you follow my Instagram account, you may have seen that I rearranged my scarves. Just like with all of my clothes, I have way more than I need, but I am trying to make everything more accessible and visible, so it is easier to sort through and find. Do you have a special way of arranging your scarves?

My blue Converse are making another appearance. While I still think this brand of sneaker makes me look even more like I have ski feet, I am trying to embrace those long skinny things on the ends of my legs.

The last accessory I have is my white cross body bag. This was another thrift find. I like that it is a little bit larger than many cross body bags, so I can actually fit everything in it, without having to squeeze it in. I am not sure what the brand is, but it was still very clean and unworn, so I snatched it up.

Do you own an olive utility jacket? How do you like to wear it? I love hearing from you, so be sure to leave me some love in the comments. I hope your summer is going swimmingly well!

I’m including a few shopping links for denim pieces and utility jackets. I hope you’ll look those over. Every time you click on a link, I get a few cents and I appreciate it. All opinions are my own.

Have a great Tuesday!

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - NY Palette - Amethyst Orchid, Green Ash and Inkwell

Today’s combination of Pantone colors from the New York palette is a study in contrasts. The dark, moody blue of Inkwell, which mimics a night sky is a type of color disparity when side by side with the pale pastel of Green Ash. When I pair colors I often go for bold with bold, or light with light, but I wanted to experiment by creating an outfit with an eye catching difference in color. The addition of Amethyst Orchid gives the perfect compliment of medium purple color.

Let me start the outfit details by talking about this recently thrifted tee. I love the bold flower on the front and purple has long been a favorite color of mine, so I was glad it was on the palette. This tee is St. John’s Bay brand. The darker inner petals are actually separate pieces of material, which gives the tee added dimension.

To go along with the Amethyst Orchid color in the tee, I also added this recently thrifted scarf. I love the large gingham pattern. It was the perfect accompaniment to the whole look. Another interesting feature of this scarf is the ruching of elastic throughout its length adding texture.

These thrifted, Inkwell pants are a brand called Hydrant. A dark pant like this is great for making our lower halves look longer and slimmer. I really like these, but they are a lint magnate. Wearing them with a fuzzy sweater like this is probably not the best idea. Ha, ha. You can also see I added a wider, olive belt since belts are trending and did my usual front tuck.

My fuzzy Green Ash sweater might be a little light, but it is pretty close to the Pantone color. This was a Christopher and Banks purchase last year. Before I bought this piece I had very little of this color in my wardrobe. I have picked up a few things since then. It is a pretty pastel color to wear, especially in the spring and summer. I really like how well it goes with the Amethyst Orchid color.

I decided to go with white for my shoes and bag. White is definitely a go to in the warmer months. My white Keds will be on repeat. My white shoulder bag is a new thrift find. I have been searching for a different white bag and this one has plenty of room and can also be worn as a cross body bag. This is a brand called Bueno.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear a light pastel with a dark color like navy or black? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.

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

Photo and graphic Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Maxi Skirt and Pullover Sweater - Casual

To mix it up a little bit, I decided this week I would show you two outfits using a floral maxi skirt and a pullover sweater. I love maxi skirts, and I have a number in my closet, as you probably realize by now, because I am always styling them on the blog. When I was working, I would wear them every so often, but with being home, I don’t usually reach for a skirt. It is hard to clean and go up and down the stairs to do laundry if you are wearing a long skirt. However, I still like to show you options for styling a skirt, long or short. Today’s look revolves around two thrifted pieces.

For some reason I fell in love with this thrifted tiered maxi skirt the moment I saw it. Not only could I see the possibilities for spring and summer, but I thought it would be a wonderful piece for fall and winter. It is extremely sheer, and even though it has a lining, the lining is also sheer, so I do have to wear a slip under it. I imagined it with a dark sweater and ankle boots, so that is exactly what I did for this outfit. The floral pattern makes be think of greenery and berries for Christmas, but the gold speaks to the colors of fall, so why not wear it for Thanksgiving Day?

This thrifted olive sweater is the brand DIVIDED from H & M. It is simple, but soft and warm and I like that it is a little shorter than most of my other sweaters. Once in a while, you just need a different silhouette.

I also added this beautiful scarf with a watercolor type print. I used this scarf for my Color Play post on Seeing Red, last spring. You can see that post here. I thought the scarf went quite well with the floral pattern in the skirt as both of them have a similar color scheme. This is one way to print mix without getting too worried about whether the prints will clash. The prints are far enough from each other, but compliment each other with their similar hues.

Once again, I reached for my thrifted, leather, Fossil crossbody bag. It just goes with so many things and has held up so well. I just need to find a smaller wallet to use in it. Maybe I should add that to my Christmas list. Ha, ha.

My faithful, olive, SO ankle boots are making another appearance. I have no regrets for purchasing several pairs of these in various colors. They are on repeat in my wardrobe all fall and winter long.

The beauty of this outfit is in its simplicity and comfort. There are no zippers or buttons. The elastic waist on the skirt allows for plenty of Thanksgiving feasting comfort. The length of the skirt means you can go without hose or tights, but if you want an extra layer of warm you can add leggings or sweater tights to raise the cozy factor.

Is this an outfit you would wear on Thanksgiving Day? Have you ever created an outfit using the colors in a skirt? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. I know this week is one of the biggest shopping weeks of the year and with the pandemic situation many of us will be doing most of our shopping on line, so make sure you shop early to ensure your gifts get where they need to go on time.

Have a great week everyone!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Color Play - Fall Color Mix

What better time to play with color than in the fall? I love the bright hues of red, orange and gold, as well as the moodier tones of burgundy, brown and forest green. I have found many Pinterest pins on fall color combos, so drew some of my inspiration from those. The pieces I chose are perfect for this in between time where the days can still be warm but the mornings and evenings cool. Today, took a turn towards the cooler side and I am typing this post with a cup of hot cocoa at my side. I need the milk for calcium, but thought this morning I would add a little chocolate and pop it in the microwave. Yum!

When I started looking for my Warm Spice colors, I knew I wanted to used my burgundy SO sweater, which was a Kohl’s purchase last year. I have another one just like this in a light pink, which you will see on the Pantone series coming up. I also got two sizes. This one is a large and the light pink is an extra large. I liked the way each fit for different reasons, so I got both. Ha, ha. You can see the side detailing below.

Yellow was the next color in the Pinterest Warm Spice Pin, so I chose a thrifted short sleeve Sonoma tee with a small white pattern.

I also, knew I wanted this to be a cozy, casual look so opted for my Rock & Republic straight leg jeans.

The third color is orange. I wasn’t sure, at first, how I was going to pull that off, and then I saw this infinity scarf hanging in my closet. This was another thrift store find. I love getting scarves, bags and jewelry at thrift stores, because there are so many different choices and you can’t be the prices. I absolutely love athe fall vibe of this piece. It contains all those colors I think of when I think of fall and the pattern is reminiscent of the 1970’s. You can see I did a bit of print mixing as well.

With the mix of orange in the scarf, I thought it would be fun to add another pop of orange away from my face with the addition of this thrifted orange suede bag. It may be small, but this little number packs a powerful color punch.

It seemed the natural choice to also reach for my Spirit faux suede ankle boots, to balance out the whole look. I love all of my boots, but especially enjoy wearing these ankle boots in the late summer and early fall. Only 5 days until the first day of fall. Whoo, hoo. I have already noticed Halloween decorations in yards and Christmas items in the stores. Eye, yie, yie.

The only jewelry I added was a fun charm bracelet with a bit of fall color.

What did you think of this outfit? Would you wear these colors together?

I hope you are having a good week. I have been busy. My grandson’s 10th birthday was Tuesday. He was supposed to have a small friend party, but one of the boys got sick and with our #covidlife as it is currently we had to cancel. We hope to reschedule for a future date. My husband and I went over and I made a cake and he got to open some presents. This weekend, we are going out to Maumee Bay State Park for one night at the lodge as a part of the birthday celebration. Quintin’s mom and he will go with us and our other daughter and her hubby will join us for dinner. We find ways to make life work, even in our current circumstances.

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

I hope to get my faith post up tomorrow, so be sure to check back for that. Have a great weekend!

Transitional Spring Outfit

Before I get to my Pantone series I decided to do a few more posts featuring transitional spring outfits. If you are unsure what a transitional outfit is, let me explain by first giving you the definition of the word transition. Webster’s online dictionary gives several definitions for this word:

- passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another

- a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another

- a musical passage leading from one section of a piece to another

There are a few other definitions which are not as pertinent to our fashion content. The second definition seems to be the one that suits our needs the best, but I really like the third definition. Aren’t we a musical score, written by an Almighty Creator? The seasonal changes in our natural world and in the fashion world are akin to a piece of music changing and modulating from one section to another.

When it pertains to fashion we enjoy moving from one season to another just as much as we enjoy the change of the nakedness of winter to the covering bloom of spring. We enjoy moving our heavy, dark winter clothes to the back of the closet, or the bins in the basement and pulling out our bright, light weight tops and fun colorful maxi dresses. What often becomes a problem is that period of time when winter has not yet loosened its grip and the chill in the spring air is too cool for our light weight layers. The transition is this time period we, in the midwest, now find ourselves in. We still need our sweaters and our booties, but we crave our bright colors and layers that allow the sun to caress our skin.

Today’s outfit is another attempt at styling a look around a scarf. I have so many pretty, colorful scarves, so I thought why not use them as focal points for outfits.

The beauty of styling an outfit around a colorful scarf like this is it is so easy to do. This scarf has several colors including a light and dark pink, a light purple, a light blue and the orange. I wanted to stay away from pink for this outfit so I chose the orange, light blue and purple to focus on.

My Worthington orange pants have made many appearances on the blog. You can see them worn with a green sweater, a floral dress, and a print top. Worthington is a JC Penney brand and I find them to be a good brand if you are looking for durable, decent fitting work/dress pants.

My light blue Sonoma tee was a thrift find. I typically wear these crew neck or v-neck types of tees as layering pieces under sweaters or long sleeve button ups during the winter, but for a transitional outfit like this it was perfect to wear on its own, or in this case with a vest.

The above picture gives you a closer view of the scarf. It is a large square, which I folded into a triangle. The point point of the triangle is at the front. The two other long, narrow points fold towards the back and then around to the front. I tied those into a double knot over the bib part of the triangle.

I chose this open weave black marled vest to go with the black lines in the scarf. This vest is Croft and Barrow brand from the Kohl’s clearance racks a number of years ago. (I am not sure what was going on with my pants, but please don’t judge my crotch ailment — ha, ha! Probably because they are a little tight, bleh!)

This Nicole Miller bag was another Kohl’s clearance find a few years ago. It has appeared on the blog numerous times. I chose it for its purplish color. I also opted for a few purple bangle bracelets to add to the purple vibe of the scarf.

I chose my tasseled Dana Buchman loafers as I thought they went with the vest and as you learned earlier this year, loafers are back in.

Do I have you thinking about those pretty scarves in your closet? Do you have a few that you feel qualify as spring scarves due to their color and weight? I think it would be fabulous if you built an outfit around one of those scarves and told me about it in the comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts on how you put a transitional spring outfit together, using one of your scarves.

As usual, I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, which means when you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a few more cents. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

I hope you week is off to a good start.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for another post on my Faith page, where we are working our way very slowly through Romans chapter 8. In addition if you follow my Fashion pages, Thursday will feature another transitional spring outfit, this time with a new maxi dress I got from a local retailer before the stay at home order went into effect.

Have a good day!

Styling an Easter Outfit Around a Scarf - Dressy Look

This week I am using a spring scarf around which to build two Easter outfits. On Tuesday I showed you a casual look with blush pants, a polka dot denim shirt, and a utility jacket. That look was something you could wear to your kids’ Easter egg hunt, a spring picnic at the park or even to a more casual church service. Obviously, right now, we are not doing any of those things, but you could also use either one of these outfits for some other event later in the summer when, hopefully, things will be open again.

Today’s look still revolves around the pretty floral print scarf that was a gift from my daughter. It is the perfect piece to draw inspiration from because of all the beautiful colors. However, for this look I wanted to be more dressed up.

This long, silky, Jennifer Lopez dress was a Kohl’s purchase a number of years ago. I have styled this on the blog before with my cropped denim jacket and with a floral bag.

I wanted to add a belt and thought this recent clearance purchase would be a fun pop of color around my waist, and it went with the scarf.

Once again you can see a closer view of the scarf and all its pretty colors. The bright blue cardigan Is from Christopher and Banks.

You’ve seen this little blush clutch on the blog before and I thought it went well with the pink scarf and the dressy vibe of the outfit. I found this on clearance at Meijer, a few seasons ago.

My pretty blue bracelet was a Christmas gift from my hubby. I love the sparkle.

I went with my silver SO flats to go with the silver in the bracelet and on the clutch.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear something like this for Easter? What pieces do you have in your closet to build an outfit similar to this? What scarf do you own that you could build an outfit around?

With all that is going on right now to keep us at home, it is kind of fun to go rummaging through your closet for ways to style pieces you already own differently. Try it and find out. You might have several new outfits you didn’t know you had. Think outside the box.

I hope you enjoyed these Easter outfits and I hope and pray you are doing well, both physically and mentally. Hang in there and have a lovely Easter weekend!

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

Seeing Red - Color Play - Patterned Scarf

Color inspiration can come from so many different places. In this monthly column, I am trying to force myself to look in different places for color. The typical places we look to are our clothes. For instance a pattern on a top or sweater, might be the basis for the rest of your clothing piece choices. Last month I chose a watercolor painting and table center piece as the inspiration for my outfit. I am hoping to inspire you to look in places you never thought of looking for color inspiration.

This month, I decided to inspire you with something probably every one of us has in our closets; a scarf. This particular scarf is full of color and not typically colors we would want to put together into an outfit, but why not? Think outside the box. Most of us use our scarves at accessories, without ever really letting them inspire our whole look. I decided to give it a try, so be sure to let me know what you think.

This scarf is perfect for this month’s Seeing Red theme. It is full of burgundy, red, shades of purple and a yellowy green. Using this as my spring board, I dove into my closet to see what I could find. This is what I came up with.

These bright red Faded Glory pants are a recent thrift find. I like ankle pants as the weather gets warmer and I thought this color would be fun for spring and summer. I used to never wear bright colored pants like this, but I have decided that life is too short to not wear the fun pants. I still reach for my simple blue denim jeans the most, but a bright color once in a while is a good way to stretch ourselves, whether it be on the bottom or the top.

My lavender colored button up shirt is a thrifted Merona piece. The longer yellow sweater was a clearance find at the end of last winter season from Forever 21. I don’t shop there too often, because most juniors sized clothing, does not fit me very well, but with the advent of bigger, roomier fashion, I can find things once in a while that don’t make me look like I’m trying to dress like I am still 21; 39 maybe, but not 21. Ha, ha. The sweater is soft and cozy, the perfect topper for these very chilly winter days.

I know the fashion industry and many bloggers are already talking about spring and the upcoming fashion trends. I understand the need for being ahead of the game and often at this time of year we are yearning for the change of seasons and the warmer days of spring. However, the reality is, it is still, very cold! This morning when I checked the temperature, it registered at 18, but the “feels like” temp was only 9. Um, I’m still going to wear my warm, cozy sweaters, thank you very much. To even think about baring my ankles or talking about shorts and less layers makes me feel cold.

I’ve had this red and gold charm necklace for a long time. It is the perfect piece to add a pop of red color against any top. I love pendant necklaces and I am fortunate enough to have a long enough torso to wear them. I especially like these charm type necklaces with all their different fun charms, beads and dangles.

You’ve seen this cranberry colored bag just recently on the blog (you can see that post here), and I realized it would be a great color match for the berry color in the scarf. This thrifted Libby Edelman bag was brought to my attention by my thrifting bestie back in Buffalo, NY one time when I was back visiting my mom. As much as my hubby prefers that I never bring a purse into the house again, once in a while a girl has to bring it home.

My olive SO ankle boots are making another appearance. These ankle boots are the most comfortable, versatile pieces and are the one purchase I would strongly recommend. It doesn’t have to be the SO brand, but I have found Kohl’s carries SO and Sonoma boots and I have really liked both. They are comfortable, fairly durable and have a great price point, especially if you can get them on sale or on clearance. I’m including shopping links at the bottom of the post, so be sure to check those out. Now is a great time to get boots for next season as many of them are on clearance. The great thing about ankle boots is you can wear them well into the spring with cropped pants, rolled pant hems and even skirts.

Do you have a scarf in your closet that you would love to build an outfit around? Give it a try. It is always fun to challenge your fashion brain to think beyond your norm. Many people might say they don’t want to change the way they do things, but there is something fun and satisfying about doing things differently and having it turn out well. Give it a try and let me know how you did.

For some beautiful scarves check out Nora Minassian at The Jacket Society. She has some beautiful printed pieces like this blue and white multi, ivory, pink and orange, tan and orange, multi-leaf print, and many others. Nora’s scarves are large and can be used as a shawl too, which would also be perfect for an outfit like this.

I love to hear your thoughts and I really wish there was a way to get more people to interact on the blog. The reason I say this, is not just for my benefit, but you all can be an encouragement to each other. After all, isn’t that what this is all about? For those of you who do comment, thanks again. For those who don’t, I would never want you to feel pressured. I know life is crazy busy. I often delete posts from other bloggers, because I just don’t have the time to comment, but I always feel good if I do. I feel like I am reaching out and encouraging a friend I’ve never met.

Thanks again for all your support.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

The shopping links included are affiliate links. I get a few cents if you click on a link and a little bit more if you purchase something through one of my links. I appreciate every click.

Have a great weekend and I hope the sun is shining where you are.