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!

Working Undercover - Battle of the Bulge - Part 2

For any of you who may have missed last week's post, I am doing a series on covering our flaws. Most of us are not completely satisfied with our own bodies, although it is good to try to accept ourselves and our flaws. I created this series for those of us who are still in the self acceptance stage. 

Last week I showed you my own bulges and a series of waist lines, specifically on dresses that help to cover those extra flabs. The waist lines would work on tops as well. If you want to read that post click on the link here: Battle of the Bulge - Part 1

Before I get to that here is another outfit from my Florida trip.

I'll talk more about this outfit after we discuss a few other things.

This week I want to show you a few other ideas for covering those stubborn bulgy areas. 

1. Banded pants.

Instead of jeans or trousers with a zipper and belt loops there are now pants that ride higher on the waist that are overall stretchy and cling more tightly through the hips and waist. You might wonder how something that is tighter can actually cover the bulges instead of making them worse. Take a look at this pair of pants from Chico's.

This is the So Slimming Slim Leg Pants. I happened to walk in, on a sale day, so I got this pair for $29.99 as opposed to the normal price of $89.00. They are definitely worth the money. This is the first pair I have had, and I love them. They pull on and they stay up. I have a few other banded waist pants and they have a tendency to sag throughout the day, but these stay put and are very comfortable. They are also made of a heavier bi-stretch fabric, so great for the cooler months. 

This type of pant works well under tighter fitting tops and because it rides higher it covers some of the those problematic tummy bulges. 

2. Waist bands that sit on top of your pelvic bones.

Another waist band to look for are those that rest just on top of your pelvic bones. Rather than cinching you right where the bulges pop, pants that rest just below that point, and are not too tight give a smoother look. These pants are a Kohl's clearance and are actually wide leg cropped pants, so i am excited to feature them in a future post. For now, you only get the waist band. Ha, ha.

Obviously, if your main problem is a tummy, you will be better off with a higher waisted pant, like the ones above. It really is a matter of trying different brands and styles until you find the ones that fit and work for you.

3. Two ways to wear tees. 

Tee shirts are always a conundrum for me. If I get them in my normal size they are usually too tight around my bulges. If I size up, in many styles they are too big on the top. I have come to the conclusion that when it comes to tees, I have to try different styles and different sizes in those styles. 

The next two tees i recently bought at Kohl's in the Junior's department. I usually stay away from that department, because so many of the clothes do not fit my over middle age body. However, I will be the first to admit they do carry cute things that you don't always see in the regular Misses department. If you read my Layering Love post last Thursday then you know, I found that cute duster vest at the same time I found these tees. You'll also see the first tee below in that same post. 

For these graphic tees I sized up. I can wear a medium with confidence at a store like Christopher and Banks. Those clothes are made for "average" sized women. In the Junior's department I size up to a large or in this case an extra large. This worked great for these tees. They run smaller through the bust and shoulders, but wider through the middle. This tee is Wonder Woman.

This next one is from Harry Potter. I love the color. It is a bit longer, so I could wear it long, or do a front tuck. I show you both ways. 

i'm glad I tried these on and I expect these will get some wear as the weather gets warmer. 

4. Wear a vest or a jacket. 

These are two easy ways to give yourself extra coverage when you are feeling less than confident. 

This brings me back to my Florida outfit.

This outfit includes a tee, which I'll show without the jacket next, and a jacket. It was a bit chilly in the Sunshine State while we were there, so a light jacket was appropriate. 

I love this top so much that I bought two of them. I think it is fun, romantic and figure flattering. The seams up the front give the tee shape, but it skims, rather than clinging to the bulges. Another clearance find at Kohl's. The tee tops my Rock and Republic jeans.

I bought this little purse a few years ago (Kohl's clearance....yes I have issues - ha, ha), and it is the perfect size for a day at the shops. I love the little bird and thought the colors went well with my floral bomber jacket from JC Penney. You can see wear I wore this jacket before in this post from fall. 

I also wore my layered bracelet and my chunky wood bead necklace. 

And of course, my blue SO flats. 

I hope you are enjoying this series and that you are finding it helpful. Obviously, there is so much information out there on how to dress and everyone is different. The tips I am giving might work for some of you, but not for others. The best advice I can give is try things on and see how you feel in them. 

I'll be back next week with a few more tips for working undercover. Be sure to check back Thursday for more layering love!

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish

Holiday Outfit - What Will You Be Wearing for New Years?

I don't know about you, but I am having severe Christmas with drawl. Do any of you experience the after Christmas blues? We had a great time with family, but all the work and anticipation leading up to that precious time is over. It makes me sad. Not sad that I had to do a lot of work, but sad that it is over. Our families are precious to us and time is a gift, so when it disappears in the blink of an eye it can leave me feeling like I just got the wind knocked out of me. I have found the best thing for me to do when I am feeling that way is be grateful, pray and move forward. On to the next thing. 

Christmas is over and the new year is on the way. My husband and I don't really do anything on New Years Eve, except go to bed early. Ha, ha. However, maybe one of these days we will get all dolled up and go to a party. You never know, what the future will bring. If I did go to a New Years Eve party this outfit, might be the perfect choice.

This gold skirt is a great piece to build an outfit around for New Years. It flows and shimmers. This is Lauren Conrad brand from Kohl's. I ordered it online at the end of the spring season so I got a good deal. 

For the top I chose a sparkly gray sweater from ANA. It's a loose weave, but close enough that I didn't need to wear a cami underneath. I also added my City Steets floral bomber jacket from JC Penney. I think it gives a fun, but casual vibe to this dressy outfit. You can see how I styled this jacket before on the blog here

I chose a rose gold pendant necklace and a gold clutch. When you see the clutch and skirt together, the skirt looks more blush or tan, than gold. 

These heels you have seen before. A simple pump in any color is a good way to dress up an outfit. Heels don't have to be complicated with straps or embellishments to add class to your outfit. A heeled shoe elevates your look regardless of how fancy it is.

What are your New Year's plans? Will you be going to a party? We will be traveling south looking for warmer weather. We hope to meet our kids in the Tampa area to spend the New Year's weekend together. 

Have a blessed week and a Happy 2018!