Color Play - Peach and Sea Foam Green

My grandson was here for the weekend, so I asked him to give me an unusual color combination. First he came up with orange and purple, which is definitely on my list of colors to pair in the future. He also mentioned red and green, but when I said Christmas, he decided not that. Finally, he said, “Peach and Sea Foam Green.”

We proceeded to have a mini discussion about what peach and sea foam green or blue actually look like. I finally had to Google both colors to see what the internet said. Sea Foam green is pretty straight forward. It is akin to minty green, but with a touch more blue in it. Peach, however, is another story. There are so many versions of peach: yellow-pink, pink-orange, yellow-orange…the list goes on. When you open up the peach fruit, the center is a yellowy orange, but the skin can have shades of pink in it.

When I started looking for these colors in my closet I was leaning towards the pinky orange, but everything I have leans more towards coral than peach. I finally settled on this floral tee blouse. I call it a tee blouse because it looks and feels like a tee, but the sleeves and front have a sheer material, giving it a lovely dressy vibe. The sea foam green jeans were just right for this post.

Style Tip: Think outside the box when it comes to color. You don’t have to wear the same colors all the time, because that’s what the color gurus say you look best in. Try adding color in small amounts with a bag or shoes, or other accessories. I know I have said this before, but color is just too fun to not wear it.

This pretty floral piece is Alfred Dunner brand and was either a thrift find or a clearance find at Kohl’s. It has been a few years, so I can’t remember. Ha, ha. I like the water color feel of the flowers. Since peach is yellow, but also pink, I thought this blend of colors a good compromise. You might not think it looks very peachy, but the point is not about perfect matches, but color inspiration.

Style Tip: Let color be a guide rather than a prison. Maybe you don’t have anything peach, or orange or yellow. Maybe your clothes revolve around neutrals. Why not use beige or tan with your sea foam green instead?

These bright green jeans are a brand called NYJD. I found these thrifting, but they do have a website and it looks like a decent brand. I love the fit and feel of these jeans. They are a bit stretchy, but not so much so they get slouchy. Check out their website, NYJD. I am not receiving anything in exchange for telling you about this retailer, it just looks like a decent place to get jeans that fit well.

I decided to add a pinky-peach cross body bag to tie in the pink colors in the top. I also added my pale yellow Universal Thread sneakers, clearance from Target. Isn’t the embellishment on this bag so much fun? It looks like embroidery.

When you really pay attention you can see that this top isn’t really peach. You can also see that the green in the top, which is almost a citron green is nothing like the sea foam green of my pants, but I think the outfit works. Again, think in terms of inspiration rather than firm rules.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think these colors work together? What is the brightest pair of pants you have in your closet? Do you have anything in the sea foam color? I love hearing your thoughts so leave a comment or two.

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Updating Your Wardrobe

The thought that we have to buy new things to update our wardrobes is a misconception. There is nothing wrong with buying a few new things, or purchasing an item in a current color or trend to give our closets a bit of a refresh. However, I believe it is possible to take those older pieces in our closets that we might see as outdated and no longer wearable and turn them into something modern and up to date.

I had a friend contact me over the weekend who told me she was going through her closet getting rid of things that were either worn, no longer fit or that she thought were outdated. She had several pieces she didn’t want to let go of. Before she threw them in the box to donate she sent me a message along with a few pictures. She had a few pieces that were quality brands such as Evan Picone and Pendleton and wondered if there was any way to still make use of them.

Absolutely! (Peggy gave me permission to use the pictures she sent.)

Outdated Suits

While women still do wear suits, especially at a corporate level, there is less of a need when you hit retirement. True, vintage is becoming a big deal among thrifty fashionistas, as seen on blogs or Instagram, but not everyone is a fashion blogger. Most women just want to look nice and not like they just walked off the set of an old time movie (whether it be 1880’s or 1980’s). Most of us want to look like we care and that we put thought and effort into our outfits.

One of the things I love about fashion in today’s world is that anything goes. With so much emphasis on inclusion and being who you want to be and wearing what you want to wear, no matter your age, you can wear whatever you please, just please wear something as opposed to nothing! Ha, ha.

Here are some of the tips I gave Peggy for bringing those pieces up to date.

1 - Wear the blazers with other pieces. Jeans, dress pants, denim skirts, faux leather pencil skirts, or even a tiered maxi skirt can take both blazers from oh so 80’s up to 2022. The gray blazer would look stunning with a burgundy pencil skirt and heels, or try wearing it over a black velvet dress. The plaid blazer would look awesome with jeans and ankle boots, or with a pair of cream colored corduroys. I love things to match, but not too much.

2 - Use the skirts as springboards for updated winter outfits by adding chunky sweaters, and tall knee boots. Another option is to top the skirts with slim fitting cardigans and tees. A white tee, with some chunky jewelry and a navy blazer would make a whole new look for that gray skirt. Top the plaid skirt with a black tee, cream jean jacket and white sneakers for a great work wear option. You’ll be warm, comfortable and stylish.

Outdated Dresses

I had to wonder if a dress could really be outdated, but alas some of the add ons, embellishments and collars do make a dress look less than modern. Again, let me reiterate, big collars, shoulder pads and anything retro or vintage is all the rage for many younger people today. The trick is figuring out how we, as older women, can make it work.

This dress of Peggy’s is a beautiful color, so I can understand why she would not want to part with it. Part of the dated look of it has to do with the overlay piece at the top. If you are a skilled seamstress you could remove the overlay completely if the under part is made of the same material. A seamstress could also figure out how to attach the piece at the bottom and sides so that it looks like the dress was made that way.

If you are not skilled in the area of sewing, then there are other ways to make this pretty dress still wearable. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is add a jean jacket and a pair of trainers or low platform tennis shoes. You could also add a fringy earthy colored jacket and a pair of cowboy boots. This way the pretty embellishment is still visible.

On another occasion you might want to cover the embellishment, so throw on a sweatshirt or sweater. A printed pullover or graphic sweatshirt would cover the less modern top, but still give a shout out to the beautiful color of the skirt.

While hem lines do change according to the fashion world, I don’t really listen. I don’t wear mini skirts. They are just not my jam. I like skirts that hit at the knee or below, either in a tea length (also known as a midi) or a maxi which hits at the ankle. I say this, only to reassure you to not worry about the length of your skirt if you have older pieces.

Coats

I don’t think coats can ever be outdated. Sure the coats from the 1980’s and early 90’s had bigger shoulder pads, but shoulder pads are back. The other thing that I have noticed is the call for our clothing to be in pristine condition just isn’t a thing any more. We wear jeans with holes in them, why worry if our coat or shoes are showing a little wear. Again, this is your wardrobe, you make the decisions.

I think this coat of Peggy’s is perfectly lovely and I adore the creamy, winter white color. If you feel like a coat is no longer serviceable as a nice dress coat, think about wearing it with jeans to run to the store or sweats if you’re picking up coffee at the drive through. No one is going to notice if your coat is looking a little worn, especially if the rest of you is polished and put together.

I wanted to show you my own example with a blazer that I found thrifting a number of years ago. This Pendleton blazer is probably from the 1990’s or early 2000’s which isn’t that long ago. It seemed like the type of jacket that would have gone with a pencil skirt in the same color, probably sold as a suit. I have had it for a long time and don’t wear it very often, not because I don’t like it, but because being at home I typically reach for my flannel and my sweaters more often than a blazer. What I am showing you in this picture is how I took a professional looking piece and turned it into a casual date night look.

Sorry my pictures are so grainy.

The gist of this post is that your clothes can be more than what they were made for. Pieces have so much more versatility if you are just willing and able to think outside the box.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Next Tuesday I want to show you another older piece and how I made it work for me in a fun, updated way. Be sure to check out my Faith Page on Thursday for a new post. I hope you are having a great week.