The Pantone Fall 2017 Recap

What I want to do for this week's post is give you a recap of all the Pantone Fall 2017 colors. Instead of taking up too much of your time, reviewing what was already said about each outfit, I think you are all smart enough to go back and revisit the original post on each color combination if you want to see and read more. 

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you already know my philosophy behind using the Pantone colors on my blog. For those of you who are new here, I love color and whether it be in God's creation, a painting or an outfit, I love to see how various colors combine and contrast to create stunning visual displays. Pantone gives me a spring board from which to choose color combinations for my outfits. That being said, here are the outfits from this year's fall colors.

The London Palette

Flame Scarlet and Otter 

Primrose Pink and Navy Peony 

Toast and Copper Tan  

Blue Bell and Lemon Curry 

Royal Lilac and Golden Olive 

Here is a look at the outfits side by side. 

What is your personal favorite? I'd be interested to hear. Mine is the Royal Lilac and Golden Olive. I loved the richness of both of these colors, the comfort of the outfit and the Bohemian vibe that I felt it portrayed. I also felt that I looked the best in these colors, which is a revelation since I have never thought of myself as looking good in yellow. So much for those ideas that we had in the past!

The New York Palette

Grenadine and Butterum 

Ballet Slipper and Neutral Gray 

Marina and Navy Peony 

Tawny Port and Golden Lime 

Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce 

Here are the outfits side by side. 

Which one of these color combinations did you like the most? Over all, I liked the New York Palette better than the London Palette. I felt the colors were deeper, richer and easier to find and work with than some of the London colors. If I had to pick one favorite I wouldn't be able to. I like the boldness of Grenadine and Butterum, the classic feel of Ballet Slipper with Neutral Gray, the perfect blend of Navy Peony and Marina, the tropical contrast of Tawny Port and Golden Olive and the fall perfection of Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce. 

What is lovely about these colors is that you could pair any one with a totally different combination than I have and come up with an equally awesome outfit. How about Grenadine with Marina, Neutral Gray with Shaded Spruce or Autumn Maple with Navy Peony. That is the beauty of finding inspiration in the Pantone color palettes. There is so much you can do with them, long after these colors become obsolete. The Pantone Color Institute has already put out their Spring palettes! Yikes! For a sneak peek at those just click on the one you want to see: London Palette or New York Palette. 

To see any of my original posts on this series just click on the link above the picture. I hope you enjoyed this series on the Fall 2017 Pantone colors. 

I have decided to postpone my series on camouflage until the new year, so I will be starting a series on dressing for the holidays, next Tuesday. On Thursday I'll be starting a series on layering, which is one of my favorite things to do. I hope you'll join me.

Piece Perfect - The Utility Jacket

When I began thinking about this month's Piece Perfect column, I was thinking about showing a traditional jean jacket. I have shown a dark wash crop style denim jacket in a previous Piece Perfect column, which you can see here. I thought it would be fun to show a post with a more traditional cut and wash of denim jacket, but for lack of picture taking time, I will save that for another day. Today I am going to focus on the utility jacket. 

Looking for some definition for the utility jacket I was able to derive that our modern day utility jacket was modeled mainly after the Vietnam era military jacket. The color is most often olive green, but now can be seen in gray, black and even orange (see my Pantone Spring 2017 post on Flame.) These jackets are typically light weight with both buttons or snaps and a zipper, as well as multiple pockets. Most of them have elastic or a draw string to gather the waist more tightly against the body.

Today, utility jackets are all the rage. I like mine because it is roomy, which allows for a few layers underneath if it is cooler, but can also be worn as a light weight jacket over a tee or tank top. This is the look I came up with for my jacket.

If you follow my blog, you might remember this outfit from a post called Spring Trends 2017. I used these pieces for a flat lay. A flat lay is simply a picture of the clothing laying flat on the floor, folded, rather than on a person. See below.

I had another blogger tell me she would like to see the outfits from my flat lays on me, to get a better idea of proportions and fit. I liked the way this looked in the flat lay and I like it even better on me! 

As you can see I started with a pair of distress crop jeans, and a breton type tee.

Here's a closer look at the detail, both on the tee and the jacket. 

I thought the blush accessories looked perfect with this outfit. It keeps the outfit summery and fun. I also like the raw hem on the jeans. I kept the jewelry simple and gold to go with the gold sequins on my tee. 

If you've never considered a utility jacket you might want to invest in one. It gives an outfit a fun casual look and can be worn with so many colors. Do you like this outfit? Would you wear frayed hem jeans? I didn't used to think I ever would, but then here I am! Never say never!

Below I've provided some shopping options. This post contains affiliate links. If you do a little looking and/or buying through my blog, I make a little bit of money. I appreciate all of your support, especially your feedback. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog and have a great weekend! 

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Recap

I thought it would be a good idea to review the whole Pantone Spring 2017 line up in one blog post. This gives you a review of what the colors were and what outfits I chose to put together to go with each color. This series gets to be rather long, so I thought a recap would be a fun way to see it all together. 

Primrose Yellow

Pale Dogwood

Hazelnut

Island Paradise

Greenery

Flame

Pink Yarrow

Niagara

Kale

Lapis Blue

For those of you who are not familiar with the Pantone Color Institute, they are basically the color gurus of the fashion and design arena. Twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, Pantone puts out a palette of colors around which fashion designers, graphic designers and architectural entities design fabric, paint, home furnishings and more. You can look at their website by clicking on the link here. 

My interest in the Pantone palettes began as a way to get ideas about color and how to use it in the outfits I put together. I love color and am very thankful that God designed a world full of colors of every hue imaginable. The reason I do the series is to encourage you, that no matter what the color is, you can somehow wear it, whether it be as a top, bottom, jacket or as an accessory. Never say never to color. 

I hope you enjoy these series that I do. Out of my above outfits which one is your favorite? Which color would you reach for on a regular basis? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. If you follow me on Facebook, you can also leave a comment there, but it helps my blog if you do it on the posts as well. 

Check back on Thursday for June's Piece Perfect Column (yes June starts in just a few days)! Also, be sure to look for my next series which starts next week revolving around our marvelous maxi skirts. 

See you then. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Sunday linking up with Rena of It's All Fine. Whatever....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.  Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm.

Pantone Spring 2017 - Lapis Blue

This is the final color of the Pantone Spring 2017 color series. The fall colors have already been out over a month, so I will try to get started a little earlier on those this time around. Lapis blue is another color that I think almost anyone can wear. It is bright, but not too bright, deep, but not so deep it washes you out and I think it is a color that will pair well with many of your other summer colors. For instance I think this color would go very well with the blush color that we are seeing everywhere right now. 

For my look, I decided on a more traditional, classic pairing with black and white. 

I have had this silky blouse from Worthington (here and here are pretty options) for a number of years and haven't really gotten much use out of it. I love the blue color and the floral print, both of which are now in style. I'll probably be pulling this out from time to time, now that I have an outfit in mind that I can use it for. The white jeans, by Gloria Vanderbilt, (similar here)  I have styled on the blog before. 

I added the black vest because when I took these pics it was still quite chilly. The outfit would look cute without the vest or you could top it with a dark wash denim for a more casual feel. If I went without a vest I would probably string some long  black beads to add more texture to the top. 

This Jaclyn Smith bag I found at a thrift store. Kmart has a cute version here. I like that this bag can be carried as a cross body or as a satchel. White clothing and accessories used to only show up between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but things have changed dramatically. White can be worn (and carried) all year round. This bag will get some use!

You can just make out my navy two strand necklace. The little beads are such a dark blue they almost look black and have a lovely iridescent sheen. Here is a different look from Etsy that includes the iridescent navy. 

No outfit would be complete without a fun pair of shoes. I love these black wedge espadrilles by Chaps. Kohl's has this same style here. Check out some of the other fun colors.

I hope you enjoyed this color. Do you have anything this color in your closet? I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. 

Below I have included a few Lapis blue items you might find interesting. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link I get few cents. If you buy something through one of the links I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Friday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Kale

Whether it is called Kale, olive, army green or dark green this color has been around for a while. It seems to be making a resurgence as a go to color for pairing with a variety of brights, pastels or darks. In a way this green is as worthy of being called a neutral, as khaki, taupe or gray. What exactly makes a color a neutral, you might wonder. A neutral color is a hue that lacks certain elements of color. Neutrals are colors, but they are often thought of in terms of base colors or back ground colors, rather than the color that steps to the front and shouts, "I'm here! Look at me!"

If you have read any number of fashion blogs you will see the term neutral over and over. Usually in the fashion world neutral colors include white, ivory, cream, tan, beige, gray, taupe, and our color for today, Kale. Neutral colors can be easily paired with almost any other color from hot pinks and bright purples, to soft blues and dark navies. 

For my outfit today I chose to go with a casual look. 

I paired a 3/4 length sleeve French Laundry tee (cute style here) with an a.n.a. military style jacket (black one here). Then I paired that with Apt. 9 light wash skinny ankle jean (distressed hem skinnies here) and rolled them up once. 

My accessories included a statement necklace and beaded cuff bracelet. For my main pop of color I chose this floral Dana Buchman cross body bag from Kohl's which I found early this spring. Here's a cute straw version. 

For my shoes I went with a steel gray flat. These are very comfy and slip on easily. These are Life Stride brand which I bought at a thrift store. (Here is a similar look from Eurosoft at DSW.) 

Here is a close up of the sleeves on my tee. I love the lace insets and the bling at the end. I didn't like the thought of hiding the sleeves under the jacket, but I wanted that monochrome look on the top. I will be wearing this tee for other occasions too! 

I thought I would throw in a silly picture, since I haven't done that in a while. I do not remember what I was doing, other than being silly. Ha, ha. 

What do you think of the color Kale? Do you own clothes that are this color? If not would you wear it? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.  I appreciate all your feedback. 

Below I've listed some shopping options. These are affiliate links which means when you click on a link I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site I get a little bit of a commission. All opinions are my own,

Thanks for hanging out on the blog today. Be sure to check back Thursday to see who this month's Beautiful Blogger inspiration is. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Niagara

It is hard to believe that it is May already, especially since the weather has been so cold and rainy. When I looked at the forecast for the next few days, at least the temps are supposed to get up into the sixties. Whoo, hoo. It's a heat wave! 

Today we are looking at a pretty blue color that the Pantone color gurus labeled Niagara. 

“Niagara is a classic denim-like blue that speaks to our desire for ease and relaxation.”

— Pantone Spring 2017 Color Report

For this outfit, I decided to stick with the denim theme since the blue truly is denim-like. I chose my lighter blue chambray shirt from Christopher and Banks. (Similar here.) I then topped that with my denim vest from Christopher and Banks. (Similar here. This one has some embroidery instead of rhinestones, which is very trendy right now.) For pants I pulled out my plaid Gloria Vanderbilt crop pants.

What drew me to this vest was the bling. I'm a bling sort of girl. Can we ever be too old for bling? Never! 

For a bag I chose my Niagara colored clutch. It goes perfectly with the denim and the texturing adds a different interest to the outfit. 

Since the pants have some brown in them, I went for brown accessories, both my ankle boots and my jewelry, to tie the look together. 

Niagara is a color everyone can wear. It's not too dark and not too light. It can be accessorized in many different ways and comes in a variety of pieces from tops and vests, to pants and dresses. What do you think of this medium blue color? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Or leave me a comment on my Facebook page or on Instagram. 

I've included some shopping options below. Because these are affiliate links, I get a few cents when you click on a link. If you purchase an item through my site, I get a little commission. All opinions expressed are my own. I appreciate all of your support. Please tell your friends about my blog and ask them to subscribe too. Your subscriptions help me to grow as well. 

Be sure to check back Thursday for a look another Awesome Accessory! Have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Pink Yarrow

To continue my series on the Pantone Spring 2017 color palette I am now looking at a deep, dark pink. While Pale Dogwood reminded us of the beautiful lacy trees that bloom in early spring, Pink Yarrow moves us into the deep, dark hues of mid summer blooms. 

I know that my outfit is not. very spring like, but if you live in Northwest Ohio, you know that the days are not always pleasant. Sometimes it is still quite cool with wind that makes the temps even lower. Add to that rain and you have the perfect combination for still wearing long pants and long sleeves. Yesterday was the first of May and our temperatures are barely breaking the fifty degree mark. I'll take that over the twenties and thirties any day, but I still feel like I need to put on layers.

For this outfit I pulled out an older Worthington piece  I have had for many years, my dark pink blouse. While this is not my first choice for a comfortable blouse because it has no stretch, I still wear it from time to time. It has held its color and shape so well. (Similar color here.)

The Kale colored skinnies, you have seen before. They are Gloria Vanderbilt brand and I am glad I got this pair from Kohl's. I styled these for our original Pantone Sneak Peek with Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy, back in February. You can see my original post here. (Similar pants here.)

Over the top I decided to add a bit of texture and fun with a long gray sweater vest from a thrift store. You can see how I styled that vest in this earlier post on Denim. The vest is actually a sleeveless sweater dress for a person thinner than me. Ha, ha. I decided to use it as a vest. (Here is a cool patterned version from Neiman Marcus on clearance.)

To add a touch of print to my, otherwise, solid outfit, I wore my leopard print ballet flats and a skinny leopard print belt. 

I decided to use my cognac cross body bag to go with the cognac color in my shoes. It is not always necessary to have your shoes and bag match, but sometimes I still like to go by that rule, not because I have to, but because I am a person who likes an outfit that looks polished and finished. However, it is good to mix it up a bit, so just for you gals that like to not match things this outfit would look great with a blush colored bag, which is on trend right now, or even a pretty blue bag. Challenge yourself to think outside the fashion box. That is what I am trying to do, at least once in a while.

For jewelry I wore a beaded necklace that has a bit of a taupe color and for bracelets I used simple gray beads with a little tassel. 

What do you think of Pink Yarrow? Do you have any clothing pieces that are this color? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Below I've included a few shopping ideas for Pink Yarrow pieces. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jennie in the Ageless Style link up, Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish and Shelbee in the Spread the Kindness link up.  Wednesday linking up with Hannah and Sara of The Perfect Storm. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Flame

If you follow the Pantone colors, you know that they come up with a palette every spring and fall that contains ten colors. This palette becomes the basis for what fashion designers and architectural designers use as their color schemes for clothing, accessories, paint colors and home goods, such as furniture, bedding and pillows.

Today's earthy hue is called Flame. This bold, deep orange is evocative of sunny days sipping iced tea and warm evenings sitting around a campfire toasting marshmallows. It also shouts of day lilies and fuzzy peaches warmed by the mid day sun.

Earlier in the year, Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy and I, did a collaboration sneak peek of the Spring Pantone colors. To see my post click here. For one of my outfits I styled the same pair of pants that I used in last week's post and called it Flame. Just for fun I want you to see the difference in these two oranges.

When we initially did our sneak peek back in February, I thought these orange pants were pretty close to the actual Pantone color. Turns out I was wrong! See, I do mess up! Ha, ha. It's all good. I am still learning about color. Perhaps that is the reason I enjoy doing this series on the Pantone colors. The first orange really is more of a pumpkin color and has yellow undertones. Flame has more red undertones. So we could say, orange is orange is orange, but in reality, it isn't. 

The reason, I am spending a bit of time on this idea of color, is that I often hear people say, "I can't wear that color. It just washes me out." In reality, I think we can wear every color out there. You just have to know which version of the color is flattering for you. I probably would not wear the pumpkin orange near my face, but Flame, I can. However, I can wear the pumpkin orange as pants and it is no problem.

On to my outfit. This Flame utility jacket I purchased at Nordstrom Rack with the gift cards I received from winning a drawing on Jodie's Touch of Style.  I fell in love not only with the style, but with the color. 

I wore my dark wash skinny jeans, although I think any wash denim would look good with this orange. This orange would also look great with brown, khaki, olive and white. I rolled the jeans for a fun look and the lighter colored cuff adds some interesting texture. 

Since stripes are in I decided to wear my navy and white Loft tee. I found this at a thrift store. It is a nice weight and has an elastic bottom. I love that it is a tee, but hides my flaws. The best kind!

You can also see I kept the jewelry simple. Gold seemed to be a nice contrast, but I think silver would have worked as well. 

My navy blue bag, another thrift store find, is a Vera Wang. I love the dual tone and texturing on the bag, and, of course, the roominess. 

This was meant to be a transitional outfit, taking me from winter to spring. In Northwest Ohio, for me it is still pants weather, so I will be wearing this again. I went with a pair of ankle boots, but it could be just as cute with a pair of fun canvas sneakers or cute flip flops. 

What do you think of this orange? Do you think you like the pumpkin orange of my pants or this Flame color better? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

I hope you are enjoying this series on the Pantone Spring 2017 colors. I love to read your comments. Right now if you make a comment you won't know if I respond, but I always respond to your input. Just check back on the original post a day or so later and you will be able to see that. I am so thankful for your support.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I get a small trickle of income if you click on a shopping link. If you buy something through my post I get a small commission. That means a lot to me. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Here are some possible "orange" options.

Have a great Tuesday!

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Nicki of Sweet Parrish Place, Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. Friday linking up with JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Island Paradise

When Pantone created their Spring 2017 line up, the over all force behind the colors was the idea of nature. As I described last week, Greenery speaks to everything that is budding out now that spring has arrived. Trees, bushes and even the grass green up to their fullest potential. Island Paradise also brings the natural world into our homes and wardrobes.

Island Paradise exudes my idea of sunny days, blue waters and white sandy beaches. While I am not a sun worshipper, I do like to be near the water, gentle breezes caressing my face and the feeling of sun warmed sand beneath my toes. It creates the perfect harmony of peace and relaxation. This Pantone color gives me that same feeling. Just looking at it makes me feel happy and helps my stress level to decrease. 

I don't own many pieces that perfectly match this color. I have lots of navy, cobalt and denim, but not very much that truly speaks to this sunny blue. I found this sheer top at a thrift store and hadn't really worn it much. When I saw it hanging in my closet, I thought it might work well to create the feeling of the summery tropics.

Due to the sheer nature of the shirt I decided to wear it open more like a jacket or cardigan. I opted for a white ribbed tank top underneath. The beauty of styling a tank with a shirt like this is the outer shirt can be removed outside when it is really warm, and it can be put back on when you go into an air conditioned store or restaurant.

To keep the look fun and tropical, I paired the top with my Worthington pumpkin colored pants from JC Penney (possible options here). Worthington pants are a good fit for me, allowing enough room for my thighs and bottom, while not gaping at the waist. These are a light weight polyester blend with a side zipper, that allows easy movement. 

The above picture also gives you a good view of my blush flats and cross body bag. While the bag is not actually a true blush color, there is enough similarity that I think it works. Mind you, you  don't always have to match your bag to your shoes, but once in a while, I think it makes an outfit look crisp and finished. 

I kept my accessories simple with a single strand bead and metal necklace and one beaded bracelet. With the busy pattern of the blouse I didn't think it was necessary to add too much jewelry. However, I wanted to have a little something to show off, in case the outer blouse was removed. 

Overall, I think this is a great resort outfit, meaning I would take this on vacation to a warm place. I could see myself in this outfit walking on the beach with my hubby, breeze blowing the flowy blouse, pants rolled up, flats in hand, feet in the surf. It's probably a sunset walk, after a delicious dinner out.....ahhhhh, how relaxing!

What would you wear to go to a warm destination vacation? Did you like this outfit? Let me know in the comments section below. Or you can leave me a comment on Facebook. I love hearing from you. Have a great Tuesday!

Be sure to check back on Thursday to see this months, Beautiful Blogger. Until next time.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a shopping link I get a few cents. If you purchase something through a link, I get a little commission. Having a blog does take time, so I appreciate any support you give. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. 

Awesome Accessories - A Spring Bag

I love purses, just like many of you love shoes or jewelry. I love it all, really! I just have to try to curb my buying for two reasons. I don't have that much money and I don't have that much room. It is a good thing that I live in a small house and that our income is not that of a Hollywood star or NFL player. Ha, ha. 

A fun purse can make an outfit even more interesting. Last summer I did a whole post on styling an outfit around a bag. The idea was inspired by Janeane of Designing From my Closet. You can see my original post here and her original post here. The thought is, if we can plan an outfit around a jacket, a pair of shoes or a scarf, why not plan an outfit around a bag. There are so many colorful, interesting bags out there, so why not make one the focal point of your outfit. 

I would first like to show you the bag, then I'll show you the whole outfit. 

Of all the places to find a bag, I got this cute little clutch on a Barnes and Nobel Bookstore clearance table. In all honesty I think it is supposed to be a case for writing instruments and other school type supplies, although B & N also sells Vera Bradley bags and wallets, so I guess this could have been an actual clutch. My thought is, there is plenty of room for a phone, wallet and a few other necessary items, so it makes a perfect spring bag. It even has a wristlet handle in case you need your hands free. Here is a look at the pretty pink lining.

Obviously, there are plenty of colors to chose from to plan an outfit. I decided to use the green in keeping with the Greenery color from Pantone and add my favorite color purple. 

I took these on Sunday, which was a beautiful day, but the wind was blowing, so my dress got a bit billowy. This is a maxi dress that I have styled before, in my Denim Days series last summer. The top and half of the skirt are lined. The sweater is a simple cardigan and the purple sash which matches perfectly was something I kept from one of my daughter's old pj's or bathrobes. 

Sorry that my toes aren't painted yet! I thought these sandals were the perfect foot wear for this type of outfit. Plus they have a purple tinge to them!

Here you can see the top of the dress without the sweater. I do have to wear a strapless bra with this one, although these days you could wear a natural colored bra with straps and no one would think twice. Or wear a bright colored bra and you'll be trending. I prefer the old fashioned no-bra strap look. 

For my jewelry I threw on this three layered gold necklace with beads that border on purple. The three layers all connect in the back. It is an easy way to provide visual interest to an outfit and with all three strands connecting in the back you don't have to worry about each individual one sliding out of place. 

Here is a quick close up of the sandals. These are your basic thongs, but I slip into them, then zip them up the back. Part of what drew me to them was the bling!

I hope this inspires you to think about that fun bag that is in your closet. You know the one. You loved the colors and how it looked, but now you don't know what to do with it. Plan your outfit around it. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you.

Have a blessed Easter!

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style.  Friday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up, and Laurie of Vanity and Me. Saturday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Greenery

I decided to put this color first before the Island Paradise, which was the one next in the Pantone line up, because I thought it made a possible Easter outfit. The Greenery color is one of my favorites from the Pantone Spring 2017 line up for its connection to nature. Looking out my window, I can see the first shades of green in the grass, trees and bushes. No two greens are exactly the same. I first talked about Greenery when Liz and I did our collaboration back in February. You can see that post here. I decided to use the same top, but paired it with a white skirt and a Greenery suede jacket that I found recently thrifting. 

I tucked the popover top in and added a belt that blends green and a bit of pink with the straw color. Tucking the top in and adding the belt give definition to my waist. I could also have left the top out and wore the belt over it. That would make another interesting look. 

Here you can see the belt better as well as the necklace and ring that I added for accessories. As always, I like to add visual interest to an outfit by adding texture. The belt, the skirt and the suede jacket all add their own texture. In addition to that the necklace with its gold metal sunbursts add a different but complementary element. 

I went for my pewter  tote bag and added my tan colored shooties. The subdued brown and tan shades add to the earthy look of the outfit, while the white skirt makes it stand out. 

You can also see a little of the detail on this fun maxi skirt that I found at Kohl's at the end of the season last summer. I love that this is a fully lined maxi, so I don't have to worry about wearing a slip underneath. As long as I don't wear red or black underwear this will be a great go-to skirt for a day of shopping, a night out with the hubby or a walk in flip flops on the beach. I love pieces that have that amount of versatility. 

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear something like this for Easter? What are you planning for Easter day? We will have a treasure hunt for my Grandson, visit with family and probably have the traditional meal of ham, deviled eggs and many other goodies. 

I always appreciate your input, so if you have the time, be sure to leave a comment in the comments section below. 

Have a wonderful Easter!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of the links, I get a little commission. All opinions are my own. I appreciate your support for my blog. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Shelbee in the Spread the Kindness link up and Hannah and Sara of The Perfect Storm Blog. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Hazelnut

The next color in our review of the Pantone Spring 2017 color palette is a soft, nutty shade called Hazelnut. To see all of the Pantone Spring shades for this year click here. Many of the shades from this spring line up are pastels. Pastels are softer, subdued colors. Often, we feel that unless we are a blonde, tanned sun goddess we can't wear pastels. However, remember, you can where whatever you want. A lighter color does not have to dominate your outfit. Try wearing a pastel colored tee under a dark washed denim jacket, or with a bright colorful scarf. This still allows you to wear the lighter color, making you look the vision of spring, but brings the darker, brighter colors closer to your face. 

For this look, I wore my chocolate brown skirt, a printed 3/4 length sleeve tee that boasts a number of like minded colors, including Hazelnut. I added my open weave cardigan. Since perforations are a spring trend I thought an open weave knit is a good compromise. 

Here's a closer look at the sweater and tee. The necklace actually does more justice to the Hazelnut color than anything else I have on. However, I think the outfit overall give the perfect mix of Ferrero Rocher....chocolate and hazelnuts!

I decided to go with a blush colored bag to keep the look softer with the darker brown of the ankle boots and brown hose. 

I think this outfit is a perfect transitional work outfit. It still bears the dark colors we often gravitate towards in the winter, but speaks of spring's emergence in the hazelnut sweater, jewelry and blush colored bag. Not only that, but the boots, hose and light weight layers provide coverage against the still chilly, often rainy days of spring. 

Would this be a color you would wear? How would you style an outfit around a lighter color like this? I'd love to hear your comments below. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. If you make a purchase through one of my links I get a little commission. All opinions are my own. 

Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Rena of It's All Fine...Whatever..., Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday Link up and Laurie of Vanity and Me. 

Spring Trends - 2017

Every season we see a new parade of trends marching across the stage at all the up scale fashion shows. Many of the things we see on the runways are not necessarily trends that translate well to the everyday world of many women. We probably are not going to don our peek-a-boo tops for work (unless we work at a strip club...ha, ha) and our stripes may not be quite as gaudy or loud, however, there are a number of spring trends that are perfect for all of us actual women.

1. Stripes are stunning. You can wear them horizontal or vertical; seaside or oxford; wide or narrow; stripes are everywhere. Stripes are our friends. You might not think so, but let's do a quick review. Horizontal stripes have long been touted as making us look fatter, but narrow horizontals can actually make you look thinner. Vertical stripes tend to elongate our frames. My theory is this, you can wear whatever you like. I wear horizontals on the top and verticals on the bottom. However, If it is a piece I absolutely adore, I will forgo my usual way of doing things.

2. Florals are fragrant. Light florals, dark florals, floral dresses, skirts, tops, leggings, jackets and pants; basically you can easily find a bouquet of floral patterned pieces just about anywhere. I like floral patterns, but I am picky about how much, how large or small and what color combinations. There are patterns, that for me, are just too busy. I don't want to get dizzy looking at what I am about to put on.

3. Blush is beautiful. Pale pink is all the rage and is showing up everywhere from shoes and bags, to coats, tops and jeans. You won't have to look too far to see pale pink sneaking onto store shelves and clothing racks. Not all of you may feel you can wear this light color, but as with any color, never say never. Pale pink can show up as a cute cross body bag or a comfy pair of sneakers. Just a touch of it in your wardrobe can make you trend savvy.

4. Raging ruffles. They're back! Romantic ruffles. How do you feel about ruffles? I used to have a white silk blouse that had ruffles around the neck and down by the wrists. It was a regular pirate shirt. I loved it at the time, but once the trend came and went I let it go! I should have kept it. Ha, ha. I'm okay with ruffles, but I like to do them in moderation. 

5. Perfect perforations. Another trend that I like is perforations. These little decorative holes are showing up on bags, wallets, sandals and shoes. I also like to think of crocheted or knitted items as perforated clothing. They are basically clothing with little (or big) holes in them.

6. Cool khaki. Khaki is the new neutral, or maybe it is an old neutral, as it has been front and center before. This color works great as a pair of pants or shorts, or as a skirt or dress. The piece that I think of most often when I hear the word is the trench coat. 

I gave you a few samples under each category just to give you ideas. What follows are just a few outfit ensembles that I did by shopping my own closet. 

Blush jeggings, pin striped jacket, floral long sleeve button up, Pink Yarrow jewelry, gold sandals and clutch. Pattern mixing has gotten even easier with the smooth blend of stripes and florals.

Olive utility jacket, striped 3/4 length sleeve tee with embellishment, gold jewelry, frayed hem crop jeans, blush fold over bag and blush flats. Olive seems to be making a stand in the fashion world and will be sticking around as another versatile neutral. Distressed jeans are big right now too. 

Crocheted fit and flare sweater top, blush lace trim cami, fringe multi strand bracelet, gold floral necklace, perforated red bag, tiered floral tea length skirt, sandals. The fit and flare trend is back as well, meaning dresses and tops are more fitted through the bodice and waist, then flare out. The tiered skirt also seems to be making a subtle come back, which I love, as I have several of these. This is a great skirt for the summer, giving full coverage, but not needing a slip underneath. 

I hope to show you some of these outfits, in the flesh, at some point down the line. While I didn't cover all the trends, I hope that this was informative in letting you know more about what is going on in the fashion world this spring. 

Let me know what you thought of this post in the comments section below. Your comments help my blog to grow, so I appreciate the input. 

This post contains affiliate links, which means when you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of the links, I get a little commission. All opinions expressed are my own.

Monday linking up with Rena of Fine! Whatever...., Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb.  

Pantone Spring 2017 - Pale Dogwood

If you have ever seen a flowering Dogwood tree you know they come in variations of white, pink and red. I love these lacy trees which bloom in the first weeks of spring before the mighty oaks and maples fill in the canopy. 

Today's Pantone color is called Pale Dogwood. It is a very light pink, almost a blush color. I will touch more on the blush trend for spring in my post Thursday.

For this outfit, I decided to go with a monochrome look. The pale pink jeggings are Chico brand that I found at a thrift store. I layered a long sleeved longer tee under my Gap pale pink pullover sweater, just to add some texture to the outfit. To make the outfit more interesting I added a rectangular scarf with a bold Southwest pattern on it.

To bring out the colors in the scarf I wore a turquoise pendant necklace and some turquoise bracelets. (These are not real...ha, ha.)

I could wear the scarf like a scarf as in the above picture.

Or I could wear it like a wrap or shawl, as in the following picture.

Here is a better look at the pattern on the scarf.

To finish off the look I grabbed my dark orange bag and threw on my combat boots. I thought the boots grounded the outfit and kept it from looking too much like cotton candy! 

I hope you enjoyed my take on Pale Dogwood. Would you wear this color?

Below are some shopping options. This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site I get a little commission. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Sorry that one of the items was sold out by the time this was published.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee in the Spread the Kindness link up, and Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Primrose Yellow

It seems almost silly to start a series on the Spring 2017 Pantone colors, as the Fall colors are already on their website. However, I have never been one to stick to the rules of fashion, once I discovered exactly what fashion is. Ha, ha. So for all of you who work on a "better late than never" mentality, this one is for you. 

I am starting my series on the Pantone Spring 2017 colors. These are being brought to you in the order they appear here on the Pantone website. The first color in this report for spring is the color they labeled, Primrose Yellow. 

Similar shirt at Jacket Society - here. 

When I saw this top and scarf on sale on The Jacket Society website, I knew I had to add them to my collection. We are seeing so many combinations of florals and stripes together and I think Nora was a bit ahead of the trend when she first posted this top on her site a while back. 

I love this combination of gray, yellow, black and white. I paired the top with my gray skinny jeans, yellow jewelry and pewter hobo bag. 

This baseball type top has an asymmetrical hem line being shorter at the sides and longer in the front and back. I tucked the front in and left the back out. I also wore my gray suede ankle boots to give the outfit added texture.

I used to think I couldn't wear yellow, but I think this bright, cheery color is a lovely addition to any wardrobe, even if you only get a few statement pieces of jewelry. It will bring a bit of sunshine to your outfit.

I hope you enjoyed this post on Primrose Yellow. Do you like this yellow? Would you wear this color or do you steer clear of yellows of any kind? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my post I get a little commission. Thanks for the support. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of in the  Spread the Kindness Link Up. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. Friday linking up with Jo-Lynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up. 

Spring 2017 Pantone Sneak Peek with Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy

When Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy contacted me back in January about doing a collaboration featuring some of the Spring 2017 Pantone colors, I was so excited. I featured Liz on my Beautiful Blogger Best column a few months ago. She is a fantastic blogger who offers her readers a wealth of knowledge about style. Both Liz and I love to play with the Pantone colors. The chance to actually meet up and enjoy having our pictures taken together was the perfect spring board to show you some of the new Pantone colors. Be sure you click on the link below to check out Liz's post on her blog. There you can see more details on her beautiful outfits.

After getting refreshments at the local coffee shop, we made our way out into the foggy atmosphere. Even though the air was thick with moisture, I feel it made our colorful outfits pop even more. Pantone's color of the year is called Greenery. This lovely spring green is meant to remind us of life, new growth and to connect us back to nature. In our first outfits, Liz and I tried to incorporate Greenery in a way that would say, "Hang on! Spring is coming!" Do you think we succeeded?

Liz's outfit boasted little pops of Greenery throughout, from the pattern on her skirt, to the cute tassels on her purse pom, to the stones in her necklace. 

I went for a darker look wearing a popover top of Greenery with white. Adding my navy eyelet jacket, distressed cropped jeans, navy heels and the navy fringe necklace really made the green stand out.

Here are a few details of my first outfit including my American Eagle cross body bag, which I donned with brooches, and my navy loafer heels. Yes, those are distressed jeans. I thought I would never get a pair, but I found these at my favorite thrift store. They fit, and the distressing was minimal. Sold!

I had to include more than one of these photos, because I think the grounds and buildings were beautiful, plus we look fantastic! Ha, ha. Liz is styling the Pantone color called Pink Yarrow. Her clutch and scarf also contain Flame, a deep orange. You can see, Liz added a blue bracelet and a pair of super cool earrings that also bring in the Pantone color Lapis Blue. 

Two other colors that are on the Pantone Spring 2017 line up are this olive green which they labeled Kale, and a very light pink called Pale Dogwood. These Kale pants were a recent purchase from Kohl's and will probably become a staple in my transition wardrobe from winter to spring. The Pale Dogwood flats were also a Kohl's find. What can I say? I had a gift card from Christmas and some birthday money. Ha, ha. 

Since I have very little green, when I found the other popover top, I also found this gingham button up with the same Greenery vibe. I love the fresh, crisp feel of this color and of these pieces. I wore a thrifted burgundy leather jacket and threw on two beaded necklaces which brought in the Pale Dogwood and Flame colors. 

Here is a close up of these comfy flats and the bag, which I also found at Kohl's, ha, ha. I love that this bag has, not only the Greenery color, but the Pale Dogwood and Pink Yarrow as well.

All seriousness aside, Liz was a great person to hang out with. Her hubby Kyle came along as well and my daughter Rebecca was doing pictures. Sometimes we both felt a little silly posing, which makes me love her even more! Ha, ha. For these two looks we both included Lapis Blue. While Liz made her focal point the blue, my focal point was my Flame colored pants. 

Here we are Charlie's Angels! We could so pull it off! 

I loved Liz's floaty top and those jeans!! If I can't find a pair like this soon, I think I might have a project to do in the future! Also, check out that cute bag. It provides the perfect pop of color and texture.

Once again, I found parts of this outfit when I was out shopping. These pants are from JC Penney. Don't you love that orange, or Flame, as the experts are calling it. The vest was another Kohl's find. I find most of this stuff on the clearance racks, just so you don't think I am spending oodles of money. The long sleeve tee was a gift from my mom for Christmas. The boots were another Kohl's find and so was the jewelry. The Kale colored bag was thrifted and the brooches on the bag were mine. Another shout out to Jodie of Jodie's Touch of Style for the pin inspiration.

It was fun to meet Liz and her husband and spend time working on our blogs together. I hope you will head over to her blog and check out all the details on her lovely outfits. Just click below. 

I hope you enjoyed this collaboration. Leave us both some love and let us know what you thought of these Pantone colors. I'll be doing a whole series on each of this Spring's colors soon. Thanks for hanging out on the blog.

Check out the shopping options below. This post does contain affiliate links which means if you click on a shopping link I get a few cents. If you buy something through one of the links I get a little bit more. I appreciate your support and input! 

Have a great day and don't forget to check back tomorrow for this month's beautiful blogger! 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. My makeup Rachel Christensen.

Wednesday linking up with Hannah and Sara in the Wearable Wednesday Link Up. Linking up with Shelbee in the Spread the Kindness link up. Friday linking up with Nancy's Fashion Style.  And Jennie of A Pocketful of Polkadots, and Laurie of Vanity and Me.