Shopping Our Closets: Casual Fall Look with Print Mixing

I am honestly trying to get back to regular posting, but 2026 has been kicking our butts. I have been struggling with my health symptoms as per usual, but yesterday I felt like I was getting a full blown sinus infection. The problem with these types of infections is that they simmer for weeks before actually turning into an actual infection. Unfortunately during that simmer time I feel extremely fatigued and unable to do anything extra. Yesterday, besides the pressure and pain in my head and face, I also had the congestion and the fatigue was overwhelming. I actually laid on the couch at one point in the afternoon and took a power nap just to get through the day. I started using colloidal silver in my neti pot yesterday morning and today, I already am feeling a little better. Hopefully, the upward progress will continue.

For today’s post I am using an outfit I wore one day last week and thought to take pictures of. I was going to post last week, but we were just too busy, so I gave myself some leeway. When you are already stressed because of what life is bringing to the table, you certainly don’t need to add getting down on yourself for all the things you feel you are not doing.

Since my Autumn/Winter Pantone series is over I decided to get back to my regular monthly columns. Today we are shopping our closets for simple easy printed pieces that can be combined for a fun, casual and comfortable look that is perfect for watching the grandkids, running to get groceries, or just hanging out at home.

If you have been reluctant to get on the print mixing wagon, now is the time to try it out. Fall is perfect for layering, and fun fall prints like dark florals, rich plaids and holiday graphics are just waiting to be seen together. For this outfit I chose plaid and autumn leaves for a color clash that seems like it was made to go together.

Style Tip: When mixing prints try to pull similar colors from both pieces. Also, pairing a larger print with a smaller print usually makes a more eye pleasing mix.

For this look the first piece I chose was this fun leaf print tee that I thrifted at the end of the summer. This is a brand called Hybrid. I love the burgundy background color and the pretty red, gold and light brown leaves. It is a light weight, stretchy knit so perfect for layering under other pieces. Even though the front tuck seems to be on again, off again I still use it to help disguise my love handles. I lost those pesky things when I lost weight. Unfortunately, I have gained it all back so they thought it necessary to return. Ha, ha. Here are a few long sleeve fall tee options from Cabelas, Kohl’s, and Talbots.

Once I chose the long sleeve tee I remembered this yellow and burgundy, SO plaid that I thrifted a few years ago. I was so tickled that these two pieces when together so well. Here are some options from Kohl’s, Land’s End, JCPenney, Old Navy, Walmart, and Amazon.

As you can see in the above picture there are light blue stripes in the shirt, thus my reason for choosing light wash jeans, and light blue accessories. My jeans were a sale purchase at Maurice’s a few years ago. These are a great in between seasons jean as they are lighter weight, and quite comfortable due to the stretch factor. These pics are a bit washed out due to the bright sunshine. Usually the best light for my phone is deeper shade. Check out some of Maurice’s jeans.

You’ve seen these Converse sneakers plenty of times since I got them on sale at DSW. The light blue is a great color for spring, summer and into fall, but I will put them away once the temps decide to be more fall like. Boots are my norm for the cooler weather. Here are some Converse sneakers from DSW.

My bag was a thrift find. I like the distressed, almost denim look to the material. Cross body bags are my bag of choice since I like to have my hands free when I am out and about. Here are a number of blue crossbody bags also from DSW.

My jewelry was blend of pieces. The leaf necklace I purchased up north at an art gallery a few years ago. The bracelets are pieces I have collected over the years mostly clearance purchases.

If you are interested in a leaf necklace or pendant for fall here are some beautiful options from Etsy.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you be able to put something together like this by shopping your closet? I’d love to hear your thoughts so leave me some love in the comments.

Shopping links are included for you to enjoy. These are brought to you at no additional cost and I do not receive any money through these sites.

Have a great week.

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2026: Muted Clay, All Aboard and Poseidon

This is the last outfit for this Autumn/Winter 2026 New York Palette. Today’s look combines a grounded pinky orange called Muted Clay; a pretty light blue named All Aboard, and a dark blue called Poseidon. You can see the actual Pantone palette here.

I struggled to find Muted Clay in my closet, but then I remembered I had this Always Be Kind sweatshirt from Love in Faith. Yes, I do buy a lot of tees and sweatshirts from them, but I am always pleased with their quality and their designs. The prices are great too, especially when they have a sale. Be sure to check them out as they already are selling Christmas designs.

For All Aboard I decided on this blue gingham button down blouse that hasn’t seen a lot of wear. It is a very nice shirt and I got it on clearance from JC Penney. It is St. John’s Bay brand. I decided to roll up the sweatshirt sleeves by tucking the wrist band under, pulled out the collar and left out the tails to give a bit of checked whimsy to the look. Here is a similar long sleeve version from Walmart, a dark blue version from Land’s End, and another style from Shein.

My Poseidon jeans were a recent thrift find. They are definitely more of an ankle pant on me, but would look equally cute with ankle or combat boots in the cooler weather. These are Old Navy. Here is a wider leg pair from JCPenney, a straight leg pair from Kohl’s, and a slim leg pair from Chico’s.

I decided on brown leather accessories for my shoes and bag. My shoes are an older pair of loafers and are a brand called Etienne Aigner Luxe. My bag is new to me. I was immediately drawn in by the needlepoint print on both sides. This is a brand called Rivage Classic. Both the loafers and the bag were thrift finds.

My necklace was a Christopher and Banks piece back when we used to have a brick and mortar store here in my area. I used to love to shop there and was very sad when they closed. They still have an online store, but it just doesn’t appeal to me like the actual store did. Here is a look at their accessories.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have any of these in your closet? How would you put these colors together, or would you combine one of these with a few other colors? I always love to hear you thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to look at. These are just for your use. I do not make any money off of those links. I try to give you samples from retailers that have a more reasonable price point, but I also strongly recommend checking out second hand stores. Not only do you save money, but you are also helping to keep clothing out of a landfill which helps our planet.

Have a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2026: Green Envy, Foxglove, and Candied Ginger

Happy first day of fall! It looks and feels like an autumn day with clouds, wind and a chill in the air. If you hop on over to my Instagram account you’ll see I pulled out one of my favorite flannel button downs and am wearing it as a shacket, which is perfect for today’s temps.

Today on the blog I am featuring another trio of Pantone colors from the Autumn/ Winter New York Palette. Today’s colors are Green Envy, a darker yellow green than our early feature of Acacia; Foxglove, a pretty pinky purple that falls in the mauve category; and Candied Ginger, a soft neutral medium tan. You can see the original Pantone colors here.

Once again let me say my pieces do not match the colors exactly. My jacket is a darker green, and my pants are definitely lighter. My bag and boots are probably a little closer to the actual colors. Again, this is just for fun, to try different color combinations by shopping the clothes we already have in our closets.

I thrifted this Fieldgear suede jacket years ago. I have thought about getting rid of it, but it is really a well made piece and a pretty color so I keep it around and wear it once in a while. I use it more like a blazer than an actual jacket, although for this in between wear it is a nice weight. Here’s a cute wrap jacket from Old Navy; here’s a pretty option from Shein; and Walmart has this short blazer option.

I really struggled with finding a piece in my closet that was close to the Foxglove color. Everything was either too pink or too purple. However, I finally came upon this tee in my tee pile and had to change the whole look to work around it, but I really wanted this color to stand out. This is Pink Republic brand and I got it a few years ago at Kohl’s. Here are a few solid versions from Life is Good, LLBean, and Gap.

Originally I had a leopard print pleated skirt picked out for this post whose spots matched the Candied Ginger color perfectly, but as I mentioned above, I had to switch things out when I picked the tee. I chose this pair of Croft & Barrow pants that I bought from Kohl’s a few years ago. They definitely have a tan or beige vibe, but they look almost cream or white in these pictures. Oh well! Here is a pair from Land’s End; Old Navy; Maurice’s; and JCPenney.

I chose this leather ILI NY bag because it was a similar color. This is a great bag. I prefer a cross body shoulder bag so when I am out I can be hands free. To me it just seems more secure. This one also has a number of extra pockets. I would give you a few shopping links for bags this color, but they all top out at around $100. If you are interested in an odd colored bag like this be sure to check out the thrift stores.

I decided to wear this layered bead and antler necklace. I thought it was a good way to bring in the tan of the pants and the boots. Plus I thought it did a good job of grabbing attention against the stripes of the tee. I can’t remember where I got this, but it is a fun piece.

I have had these Sonoma boots for a long time. Made of real suede and leather with a block heel I keep them around as a way to dress up a pair of jeans in the cool weather. I don’t wear heels at all any more, but an occasional date with these stacked heels works well. Here is a page of options from DSW.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have any of these in your closet? What other colors do you think would look good with Foxglove or Green Envy? I always love to get your feed back so be sure to leave a comment or two. I appreciate it.

Shopping links are included for you. I do not make any money off of these links and they are offered to you at no cost unless, of course, your purchase something. Ha, ha.

I hope you are having a fabulous week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2026: Arabian Spice, Acacia, and Underworld

This week we are looking at three more of the New York Autumn/Winter Pantone colors. You can see the actual colors by clicking here. Today’s outfit is a color block style of sorts and uses the colors Arabian Spice, a warm, earthy brown with a little heat; Acacia, a green infused yellow, and Underworld, a medium gray. Let’s take a look.

I really had a hard time finding a piece in my closet that closely resembled Acacia. Greenish yellow is not a color that I lean towards. I don’t have a lot of light or bright yellow. With my coloring I typically lean more towards dark or sunny yellows. The first piece I picked out was too green, so after several more attempts I remembered I still had this thrifted, v-neck, short sleeve sweater by Gap. It still seems a bit lighter than the Pantone color, but you get the idea. Here is a possible long sleeve piece from Kohl’s, and a cardigan from Banana Republic,

I pulled out these Chico’s So Slimming Ponte knit pants that I bought on sale a number of years ago. Since I no longer have an office job I rarely wear dress pants, but this is a pair I hang onto because they are dressy, but easy to pull on and there are no belt loops or zippers. Those are sun spots on my pants, not bleach stains. Ha, ha. I had the worst time on this day trying to find a spot in the shade that didn’t have dappled sunlight. Here is a straight leg jean from Cabela’s, a pull on pair from JC Penney’s, and a corduroy pair from Kohl’s.

My Underworld vest was a recent thrift purchase. Again, I had to look through a number of pieces in my closet to find the gray that was closest to this color. Gray’s like olives have various undertones and shades. This is Relativity brand. I love vests, especially as the weather cools. The day I took these pictures was not cool!! If you don’t mind a higher price point this is a pretty one with a unique hemline from Coldwater Creek, a fleece one from L.L. Bean, a vintage waistcoat from Kohl’s, and this quilted one from a retailer called 32 Degrees.

I chose a simple silver, seasonal necklace that has a pumpkin, an orange bead, and leaf. I think I got this a couple years ago at Maurice’s.

For my shoes I chose one of my many pairs of SO ankle boots from Kohl’s. This pair has a black snake print pattern with a brownish background. Here is a page from DSW with a number of snake print patterned boots.

My Anne Klein bag was a thrift find this past spring. I love to look at purses and if you talk to my spouse he will tell you I have too many purses. What nonsense! Ha, ha. Unfortunately, it’s true, so these days I do try to steer clear of the purses so I am not tempted. However, I did grab this cute bag.

I would have never thought to put these colors together, but that is part of what makes this color series so fun. I hope you enjoyed learning more about Arabian Spice, Acacia and Underworld!

Leave me some love in the comments. I always like to hear your thoughts on these colors and on my outfits. I hope you have a wonderful week.

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - London Palette: Salted Lime, Fanfare and Chocolate Martini

We are well into October and the last four days have felt like the middle of July rather than fall. We are hopefully heading into a cool down in a day or two. Midwest weather has always been rather chaotic with fluctuating temperatures, times of endless rain, or months of drought. Right now things are very dry, the trees have hardly any color to them, and our cars are regularly covered with dust.

For today’s look I wanted to combine the two greens on the Pantone Autumn/Winter London palette. Just like I combined Lavender Blue and Crown Blue, today I am pairing Salted Lime, a medium, citrus green, and Fanfare, a tealy green. I chose Chocolate Martini for my classic color and I like the earthy vibe of this look. You can see the London palette colors by clicking on this link.

The star of this show is the Fanfare, velvet jacket that I recently thrifted. While not true velvet, it certainly looks the part. I found this piece and immediately threw it into my cart. When I tried it on, I knew it was coming home with me. It was obviously hand made as it still had the rough, inner seams with no finished edges, and no label of any kind.

Salted Lime is not a color I have a lot of. When it comes to greens I like the darker more moody hues of olive and forest green. I also like deep tones like emerald and jungle green. However, I do keep a few pieces that are this lime color. This thrifted, Jaclyn Smith, gingham button down has been around for a number of years. You can see this top as a shacket over a graphic tee, worn under a graphic tee, and worn with a plaid skirt,

My Chocolate Martini pants were purchased new when I was still working as an assistant manager at a university bookstore. These are Worthington brand and I got them at JCPenney. They have a wider leg and are a bit long so I like to pair them with something that has a small heel.

I chose my Nine West heeled ankle boots, which match the pants perfectly. A tip for making your legs look longer and leaner is to match your pants and your shoes. I got these a couple of years ago at Kohl’s.

I went for a layered jewelry look with a short wood bead necklace and a long beaded pendant necklace with fringe.

I wanted to add a pop of color and remembered this cute color block bag I had thrifted last year. It is just a cheap bag and has no brand name in it, but I thought it was extremely cute and fun. I think it works beautifully to add an element of extra color to this outfit.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have any of these in your closet? If not, which one would you like to add? Be sure to leave a comment or too. It helps my blog and it always encourages me.

This picture below, definitely needs a caption! What would you put on it?

I have included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. These are retailers that are available through the affiliate and I cannot speak as to the quality of the pieces offered, so just be sure before you order something that you know the retailer’s return policy. If you purchase an item through my blog using one of my links, I get a little commission. I appreciate all your purchases as they help me keep the blog going. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - London Palette: Poppy Red, Bronze Mist and Dark Gull Gray

Can you believe September is almost over? Here in the midwest it doesn’t exactly feel like fall. The leaves are changing, the sun’s angle is different and the days are growing shorter and shorter, but our temps have been summery. I really don’t mind the blue skies and high 70’s or low 80’s, but I am ready for the cool down, and the return to all that is cozy, including hot tea and cocoa, baking things in the oven and the sweet layers of sweaters and scarves.

We are looking at another trio of colors from the Pantone London Autumn/Winter 2025 color palette. You can see the colors in this Pinterest pin.

Today’s look gets a power punch from Poppy Red. You might remember this color from the New York palette. It is definitely a mood lifter. You can see the New York post here. Today I decided to pair this bright red with Bronze Mist, which is a similar color to the NY Bronze Brown, just a bit more yellowy green. I also chose the color Dark Gull Gray from the classic palette. I styled the shirt two ways, left out and tucked in, so I will include pictures for both.

I found this bright Poppy Red, Sandra knit shell at a thrift store and thought it would work perfectly for a knit vest. I paired it with a second hand Dark Gull Gray, Falls Creek button down. I believe this may be a man’s shirt as it is quite big on me for a large, but who knows. Sizes are so different these days.

This Jones Wear skirt I have styled multiple times on the blog and even though I don’t wear skirts very often, this is still one I reach for. I chose this for the snippets of Bronze Mist color in the pattern. It is fully lined, but light enough to wear in the warmer weather, and warm enough to wear in the winter with tights and a pair of boots. You can see it with a maroon cardigan, a green suede jacket, a yellow top, and a green pullover sweater.

Since I was using the Dark Gull Gray color I chose my Impo ankle boots that I bought on clearance at DSW a few years ago, to balance the look out. Even though fall is the time we put our flip flops away and get out our boots, it is still too warm here to keep boots on for very long…at least for me. I love ankle boots in the cooler weather, and when it gets really cold, then I pull out the taller boots.

I chose this thrifted Fossil bag, as I thought it gave a nod to the Bronze Mist color, even though it isn’t a perfect match.

Do you like these colors together, or do you think they are odd? Do you have this bright Poppy Red in your wardrobe? Which version of this outfit do you like better, tucked in or left out? I love to hear your thoughts so leave me some love.

I’ve included a few shopping links for a few of the pieces to give you some similar color choices, but it was hard to find any sort of skirt in a similar color. These are brought to you at no extra cost. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

I hope you are having a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - New York Palette: Bronzed Brown, Winterberry and Vapor Blue

I hope you are enjoying this Pantone color series. For the actual colors check out this pin on my Pinterest board. The Pantone Color Institute is the entity that people turn to for the trending colors for both fashion, architecture and home decor. I enjoy seeing what the colors are for each season, however, they have made it harder and harder to actually see the colors without having an account, so I appreciate those who do sharing their findings on Pinterest and other platforms.

Today’s colors are what I would call a little more reminiscent of what we tend to think of when we talk about the autumn season. Bronze Brown is a golden brown making me think of changing maple leaves and colorful sunsets, while Winterberry gives a nod to aromas soon to fill the air like cranberry and cinnamon, and Vapor Blue looks like wispy jet trails across a fading fall sky.

This seemed a bit of an odd pairing with the Bronze Brown and Winterberry, but after I put it together, I really liked how it turned out.

The Bronze Brown, Ophelia Roe jacket was a piece I got on clearance at Meijer. It actually had a pair of pants that went with it, that I bought at a later time. However, the pants seem to be a bit off. I should have taken them back right away, but sometimes you can’t tell right away something is cockeyed or sewn improperly. They are in the donation pile. I do, however, like the jacket with its utility, bomber style silhouette.

This Faded Glory floral blouse I have had for years. I don’t know why I don’t wear it more often, because I do like it. I just go right from shorts sleeves to fuzzy sweaters and sweatshirts and forget about the in between time. I honestly don’t remember if I bought it at Walmart, or if I found it at a second hand store.

You can also see my chunky berry and gold necklace, a gift from one of my daughters. I thought it went well with the casual vibe of the outfit. I also added a dark brown, almost burgundy colored leather belt that I recently thrifted. I know the trend has been no belts, but I always feel that a belt gives an outfit that finished feel, specifically when tucking a shirt in. Apparently the half tuck is no longer trendy and we are back to a full tuck or no tuck.

These Talbots jeans are also a thrift store find from this past spring/summer. If you look at the Pantone color for Vapor Blue, it really looks like a very light gray, but I feel that these jeans were representative of that faded blue sky we often see in the early morning or late evening. If the Pantone gurus say it’s blue, well okay, and this was my take! Ha, ha. I love the black and white pin striping down the outside seams of the legs.

Once I put the outfit together, I was struck by the thought that I actually could start styling boots again, so I grabbed these SO burgundy combat boots that I scored at Kohl’s a few seasons ago.

I just found this cute crossbody bag a few weeks ago when I was thrifting with my bestie back in New York. We always hit the thrift stores together, which is great fun. This is a brand called Modern Chic. I love the guitar strap vibe.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like how I put this outfit together? What would you have done differently? Please leave me some love in the comments. I appreciate my faithful few who try to comment on the regular. You always remind me why I keep doing this! Hugs to all of you.

I have included a few shopping links for you to look through. These are affiliate links which means when you purchase something through one of my links, I get a small commission. I appreciate all of your support, but most of all I appreciate that you stopped by the blog to hang out for a while.

Have a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - New York Palette: Lemon Grass, Chili Oil, and French Roast

This week brings you another collection of colors from the Pantone Autumn New York color palette. Remember, I am combining colors as they inspired me, but you can take any of the colors from the palette and put them together, or maybe there are only one or two colors that you like and plan on adding to your wardrobe. This is always about what you like and how you can be inspired to look at your closet differently.

Today’s outfit is a contrast of light and dark combining the yellowy green of Lemon Grass with the classic French Roast along with the spice of Chili Oil. You can see the actual Pantone colors here.

This pale yellow top, is not a true yellow, but has just a hint of green, making it the perfect selection from my closet for the Pantone Lemon Grass. I found this a few years ago while thrifting and it is a brand called Jess & Jane. I discovered that Jess & Jane is a California based wholesale clothing company who only sells to specialty boutiques, so who knows where this piece originated from. It’s kind of fun to think of the roads some of our second hand pieces have traveled. I like the asymmetrical hemline and the funky ink spray pattern on the front. I also like the sleeve length, which is perfect for the transitional days between summer and fall.

I remembered that I still had these rusty, Chili Oil, Chico’s So Slimming ponte pants that I had purchased on sale a few years ago. Ponte pants are made from a thick, stretchy, double-knit fabric called Ponte di Roma. They offer a more flattering line than regular leggings due to the specially made seams and more support. I don’t wear dress pants very often these days as I no longer have an office job, but I hang onto things for now, because who knows when I may have to go back to work outside the home.

To add a bit of texture and a layer for cooler temps I reached for this thrifted Crazy Horse by Liz Claiborne corduroy vest. It does a fairly good job of mimicking the French Roast dark brown color on the New York classic palette. I love this piece as it is structured, but also has a bit of stretch making it easier to wear.

I kept my jewelry simple, as the top, vest and pants do the talking. A long black and white, beaded pendant necklace, and a stack, bead bracelet with browns, creams, blacks and a touch of yellow threw in a bit more texture and interest. I didn’t think to swap out my blue Fit Bit band for a brown or white one. Ha, ha.

I chose black for my shoes and bag to tie to the black print on the top. My bag is a thrifted Fossil shoulder bag, and my shoes are Aerosoles that I purchased a number of years ago from DSW. I really like both of these. The bag is a great fall and winter choice, and the heels are comfortable (for as comfy as a heeled shoe can be when you don’t wear them very often - ha, ha).

What do you think of these Pantone colors? Would you wear these colors together? Do you like Lemon Grass, Chili Oil or French Roast the best? Which of these colors do you already have in your closet? Leave me a comment or two. It helps my blog to grown and reminds me why I do this!

I have included a few shopping links. Thank you so much for making an occasional purchase through my links. That gives me a tiny bit of income. I cherish all of your support. These are affiliate links brought to you at no cost. All opinions are my own.

I hope you are having a great week!