A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Past

Today’s outfit draws its inspiration from Charles Dickens’ ghostly apparition of Christmas Past. Before the visitation of the three ghostly characters, Scrooge is visited by the ghoulish presence of his former business partner in life, Jacob Marley. Jacob warns Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits, for the hopeful purpose of his redemption. The first of these paranormal beings makes their appearance when the bell tolls one.

The idea of drawing fashion inspiration from a ghost, might seem a stretch of the imagination, but I do like a challenge. If you have watched a version of A Christmas Carol, you probably saw the Ghost of Christmas Past as a being dressed in white garments, sometimes shining and sometimes in an unearthly, ethereal manner as if floating and flowing in some unseen breeze. Two of my favorite movie versions of A Christmas Carol are the 1984 drama with George C. Scott, and the 1992 musical, The Muppet Christmas Carol. Surprisingly, the Muppet version stays fairly true to the original tale by Charles Dickens. Both versions are filled with amazing scenery, typical old time London and excellent veteran actors, (the Muppet version stars Michael Caine as Scrooge).

We often shy away from white in the colder weather. It has long been a color we wear in spring and summer. Obviously, things have changed immensely over the last decade, especially as more and more women have access to fashion blogs and more reasonably priced clothing. White is now a year round color choice. It stands true to reason, that if we live in colder areas in the winter, our white pieces will have to be compatible for those frigid temps. This is where layering, fabric choices and textures all come into play.

My daughter and I didn’t have a lot of time for pictures, so we went, once again, to the Toledo Botanical Gardens. They have so many interesting sculptures, garden areas and small buildings used for various events. These metal arches provided the perfect backdrop for an other worldly vibe.

When I started thinking about an all white outfit, I knew that most of my pieces were not a true white. Not everyone can wear a crisp white near their face, but most people can pull off an ivory or a cream. All of these pieces, except the scarf, have more of a cream, or ivory tint to them.

My long, Apt. 9, chenille sweater was a piece my daughter was getting rid of. It wasn’t really her style, so when I saw it, I took it home, figuring I could always just wear it around the house as a cozy topper for casual days. As I thought about how to make this outfit look flowing, but also updated and fashionable, I knew this sweater would be perfect.

The blouse I have on under the sweater is a recent thrift store find and will be more useful in the warmer weather, but the color went well with everything else. The brand is called Mango, and when I saw the embroidery on it, I knew it was calling my name.

I also added this white scarf from The Jacket Society, that I bought a few years ago. You can’t see it in this photo, but the scarf has tiny silver threads through out, so I thought it added an extra element of texture and shine.

The silver snowflake pendant just seemed appropriate for a ghostly, Christmas outfit.

I chose silver for my accessories, to represent the shimmering appearance that many of the Ghosts of Christmas past seemed to have. Perhaps the shimmering details represented good memories from Christmases long ago; or maybe the light represents the idea that we can learn from our past, thus becoming better people. Whatever your interpretation of the details, I think silver looks very pretty with white.

My silver, sparkly clutch has been a regular on the blog. My SO ballerina flats are from Kohl’s.

My cream colored St. John’s Bay corduroys have been around for a few years and were an original purchase at JC Penney.

I really like this outfit. It is something I would feel completely comfortable and warm in and could be worn to a special Christmas outing or just a family dinner, where I don’t have to do the cooking. If I cooked in this it wouldn’t be white anymore. Ha, ha. Here are a few other fun pictures from our shoot.

The wind was helping me look a little more ghostly. Too bad we didn’t have fog. Ha, ha.

What did you think of this outfit? Do you think I pulled off showing how taking inspiration from the Ghost of Christmas Past translated into a chic, modern look that could be worn to work, out on a date or to a Christmas concert?

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Be sure to stop back on Thursday for another Christmas movie inspired outfit.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Wearing White - Long Pants

Today’s featured piece is a pair of white Gloria Vanderbilt jeans that I have had for a long time. They were a little big when I originally got them, so fortunately, they still fit. These are a heavy weight jean, so there is no fear of see through, but because they are white I still choose to wear neutral underwear. I find that a neutral color like beige or a light peach or blush are an even better choice under white garments, because they mimic the natural color of our skin. If you are a darker skinned individual a deeper neutral would still be the way to go when wearing white.

This is another classic look like Tuesday’s pairing with black and white, but this time I paired the white with navy. Navy and white always make me think summer, nautical and beach, for some reason. Isn’t it funny how we have preconceived ideas about color and color combinations? There is nothing wrong with that and sometimes it is good to embrace that which is classic, timeless and well known.

Another classic summer look is the striped tee with white pants. This Loft tee was a thrift store find. I like that it has wider stripes, just for a change of pace from my typical skinny striped tees. I also love the elastic bottom. Sometimes an elastic band can ride up, especially if you get a top that is too small. This is a large and in Loft wear, I probably could use a medium .5, ha, ha, if there was such a thing. However, for this top the large works well. The elastic keeps it in place and the extra room allows for less of my bulges to show.

To make this a fall worthy, transitional outfit, I added the jacket. This Sonoma navy utility jacket has its own unique appeal. I have five utility jackets. You might wonder why I need so many. Truth be told, I don’t need any of them, but each one had something special about it that helped me decide to buy it. This green one was the classic olive style. This orange one is a color I love. Of course the wardrobe wouldn’t be complete without a camo one and an embroidered one. As if that was not enough, (you can see the others by clicking on the links), when I found this navy one with the embroidered sleeves, I knew it was coming home with me.

I kept my accessories simple once again, but you could have jazzed this outfit up with a bright, colorful scarf or bag. I went for a simple olive, crossbody, bag that seemed in keeping with the utility idea. This was a bag my daughter was getting rid of, so I snatched it up.

I tried on several necklaces and while I could have got completely without, I chose this simple blue flower on a silver chain. Do you think this small charm works with this outfit? Why or why not?

Once again, here are my navy Grasshoppers. These are such a classy and stylish shoe, perfect for warm weather and can be worn with skirts, cropped pants, shorts or jeans and they are amazingly comfy.

Finally, a post from me wouldn’t be complete without a blooper picture when I have one. The wind had picked up a bit on this very warm day, when we were taking pictures. When I tried to put my jacket on it kept blowing back into me. When I finally got it on, I was trying to flip my hair outside the collar and everything was sticking to me. The combination of sticky, windy and silly resulted in the this picture.

Overall, I like this outfit. What did you think? Do you wear white pants? Do you wear them all year round, or just in the summer. I love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love.

I’ve included a few shopping links for utility jackets. If you don’t own one, now might be a good time to buy for fall. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots.

Wearing White - Ankle Pants

Hi everyone. Can you believe it is the middle of August already? It is still summer here in the mid west. I had a nice reprieve from the heat when I went to my mom’s which is near Buffalo. Sometimes being at the other end of Lake Erie can make a 10 to 15 degree difference. We had a few beautiful days to celebrate my mom’s birthday.

Growing up, my mom and I had a pretty good relationship. I think she was glad to have a girl after two boys. She used to sew us matching dresses and all through my growing up years she always made an effort to take an interest in what I was interested in, whether it was watching late night Sci-Fi Theater or prerecorded Alice Cooper concerts. We both love to read, watch birds and go for walks. My mom and I have seen plenty of sun sets and walked through blizzards just for the fun of it. At 93, she can’t walk as steadily anymore and has a harder time seeing print on a page, but we still watch the birds and television together.

My mom grew up in an era where wearing white was something you only did after Memorial Day at the onset of summer and only until Labor Day at the onset of fall. Usually that meant white shoes, white hand bags and an occasional white skirt or sweater. Obviously, fashion has come a long way since then and white is whenever and whatever you want it to be. Personally, I still like the lighter colors for spring and summer and the darker colors for fall and winter, but as I said, I am trying to get out of my own box.

Today’s white piece is a pair of ankle pants from Christopher and Banks that I have styled on the blog before. You can see these styled with a geometric print top, a gray studded tee, a neutral open front cardi, a bright floral top, and a chambray popover blouse.

Currently, I have two problems with these pants. First of all, I have gained weight and they have gotten tighter than they were. Second, when I stood up you could see all the wrinkles. I was a very warm day and everything was sticking to me, so I am sure that didn’t help either. Ha, ha.

My tee was a recent thrift store find. It is Disney brand and very silky and soft. I love the words and if you don’t remember, or have never seen Disney’s Cinderella, here is a refresher. There are times I wish I was a princess, or at least had the castle. I already have a lot of shoes.

To make the outfit transitional to fall, I added my Torrid olive military jacket. This was a Christmas gift a few years ago, from my younger daughter. I love the detailing on this piece from the cuff stripes to the double rows of buttons, to the pockets.

I opted to keep my accessories dark to go with the jacket and tee. These Clark peep toes shoes are a great transitional shoe with plenty of coverage for cooler weather, but still a peek of skin and toes.

My Rosetti leopard print bag is a new thrifted piece. Leopard print is always a winner and I didn’t have a bag with that print, so why not? I have a feeling I will be using it regularly in the cooler weather.

Since there was more going on in this outfit with the graphic tee, the added textures on the jacket and the print on the bag, I opted for a simple choker.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this outfit. Do you own a military jacket? I’m including a few shopping links for you to see. Every time you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. Every little bit helps. Thanks for all your support.

Have a great Tuesday.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Tuesday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge.

Wearing White - Embroidered Pants

I hope you are enjoying this series on wearing white. Most of us have at least something or other that is white, or at least cream or ivory (what is the difference really). I centered this series on pieces that I would classify as a true white, not cream or ivory or off white, however every outfit could easily use pieces that aren’t a true white. It’s all about wearing what works for you and what you are going to feel best in. Not everyone likes to wear white, top or bottom. It can make us look washed out or larger if it is on the bottom, but we are trying to break out of some of those fashion boxes right, and if I want to wear white, I’m going to do it. Ha, ha.

Today’s outfit revolves around pants that you saw earlier this spring on the blog. These pants are from Shop National and were gifted to me when I did the original post, which you can see here. I was excited to get to style these again and wanted to pull another color from the festive embroidery on the legs, so I chose yellow.

I have to tell you, my daughter and I had quite a time being silly on this shoot. It was hot and I was melting, so everything was sticking to me, as you can see here, my yellow tee was taking on its own identity with its ripples. Ha, ha. When we are taking pictures, I don’t remember to smooth everything out, but I guess that’s real life. When is life ripple free? Rarely ever. This tee is thrifted and is Basic Edition’s brand.

I thought it would be fun to show movement, so I told my daughter I wanted to take more shots of me walking. Here are a few. I must confess, I was having a hard time walking a straight line. Ha, ha. And I don’t even drink!

Because I wanted to make the outfits in this series transitional to fall, I added a layering piece to each one. For this outfit I chose my green faux velvet jacket that I found at a thrift store. This is a brand called Erika. It is soft and perfect for when the evenings start to get cooler.

Since this was a casual look, I kept my accessories simple. This pendant necklace I have worn before on the blog.

The embroidery on the pants contains yellow, green and a couple of blue shades. I brought in the yellow and green, so I thought blue would be perfect for my shoes and bag. These bright blue Keds are regulars on the blog, as you just saw on Tuesday. Isn’t it amazing how much more blue they look with the bright white pants?

Bright blue is also how my bag rolls. Bright blue like the summer sky.

I actually had this green tassel from another bag, so I added it to my blue bag. I just like that combination of colors and think it works perfectly for summer. I have several Rosetti bags and like each one for various reasons. Cross body bags are definitely my muse right now. They are perfect for hands free shopping and more secure than a shoulder bag.

I hope you liked this post and that this will inspire you to pull out those white pieces and creatively make an outfit that will take you into fall.

I’m heading off to see my mom this weekend. What are you up to? I love to hear from you and am very thankful for all of you who take time out of your busy schedules to comment.

Have a great weekend.

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. 

Piece Perfect - White Pants

White used to be a color only worn during the summer, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but now white has become a wardrobe staple for all seasons. When I thought about featuring white pants for this post, I didn't know I would be able to come up with three different length white pants. I even surprised myself by realizing, I really did like white as a way to brighten up an outfit. 

When I was growing up I never wore white. I have always loved color and thought of white as a non-color. Truth be told, however, I am quite clumsy, and knew if I wore white I would end up soiling it with, either tomato sauce in some form, or grease of the automotive variety. My father was an airplane mechanic who also loved to work on cars. It seemed there was always a car sitting in our driveway with the tires off or the hood up. Being the only girl in my family did not deter me from following Dad around as he rolled himself under the car fixing a break line or doing a rigged up muffler repair. There was no way, my mother was going to put white on this girl!

While both of my brothers followed my dad in the family business of airplane repair, the best I could do was change a flat tire. In thirty years of marriage I don't think I have ever had to change my own flat. My hubby has always been there to do the job. Still, it is reassuring that if I had to do it, I probably could. I just hope I'm not wearing white when it happens!

For this post, I decided to show you three different outfits using three different length pants. Unfortunately, all these photos were done indoors, as when I had the time to take the photos the wind chill was in the forties and it was raining. Spring in Toledo!

You might be wondering what the difference is between capris, peddle pushers, crop pants or ankle pants. JoLynne Shane did a great job of explaining this conundrum in a post from April of 2015 titled Capri Pants: In or Out?

Outfit 1 - Capri Pants 

My version of capris actually is rather taboo by the standard that JoLynne explains in her post. She says that the pants should not end at the widest point on your calf and these pants I have on pretty much sit right there or maybe a tad below. Tell me what you think.

The only thing in this outfit that is not a thrift store find are the sandals. I consider these capri pants as they end on the calf between the knee and the ankle. I think I got away with these in this outfit because I am wearing sandals that are neutral color which elongates the part of my leg that is showing. If I would have worn my Keds or other tennies, I think it would make my legs look stubby.

The top has a fun shark bite hemline edged with lace. I love the way the lace is inserted into the body of the tee adding more texture to an otherwise plain top. 

Since I kept the outfit simple I thought a printed bag would work well and the sandals which provide a cagey textured look. 

For my jewelry I went with silver tones. I had this necklace and thought it pulled some of the yellow in the bag, giving continuity to the whole outfit.

Outfit 2 - Ankle Pants

In this next outfit I am wearing my ankle pants. I define ankle pants as those that end at or just above the ankle.

For this outfit I paired the pants with a recent purchase from Kohl's. This Dana Buchman top also has an asymmetrical hem line, although this one only drops on one side. The fun ombre pattern is abstract geometric that reminds me of zebra stripes, so in keeping with the wild animal theme I carried my snakeskin bag. 

Here's another view of the top.

I wore my black wedge espadrilles to tie in the black in the blouse and my bag. 

Silver seemed to be my go to for jewelry with these outfits. A couple of silver bracelets and my silver cross necklace with a turquoise center work well with the blueish green of the top. I also added a beaded choker just for a delicate line of black. 

Outfit 3 - Full Length Pants

I own two pairs of full length white pants now, one heavier weight denim and then the pair I style here. This pair was another thrift store find and is J.Jill brand. Lighter weight material can be a problem in pants as it allows your underwear to show through. I don't know quite when women got obsessed with their underwear. Whether it is the question of wearing underwear or not, or the question of thong, hipsters, briefs, boy cuts or bikinis, we certainly have much to think about when it comes to our intimates. My solution is simple, white pants, shorts or skirt, wear white or nude underwear. Yes, I still might have panty lines, but the white will simply become part of your outfit, where as a darker or brighter color will become an accessory....an accessory to others noticing your panties! Ha, ha.

When looking for white pants, look for heavier weight with more structure. There are many good choices on the market right now as the push for white began a month or two ago. I'll list some options at the end of this post. I would suggest actually going to the store to shop for white pants. That way you can try them on and see if you are comfortable with the weight of the material and the amount your underwear can be seen.

For this final outfit I decided to go for a monochrome look. I feel it speaks of a fun summer get away to the French Riviera or some other magical destination.

The outfit formula is very simple: white short sleeve sweater top, white wide leg pants, copper and orange accessories. Done. If you missed my Mad About Monochrome post from last week's Color Crash Course column, be sure to check it out by clicking on the link. Going monochrome can really make getting dressed even simpler.

My wonderfully comfortable Sonoma brand sandals from Kohl's and a cross body bag. I think this outfit would have worked even better with a straw shopping bag and floppy sun hat.

Here's another look at the sandals. They actually zip up the back so are pretty easy to get on and they have a very cushy footbed, making walking a dream! A wedge heel always looks classy.

Cute neck scarves are in right now, so I thought this brown, white and orange version was the perfect accompaniment to the outfit. The orange bracelets add an additional pop of color.

Here are all three outfits next to each other so you can see the varied pant lengths. 

I hope you enjoyed this post and that you now have added inspiration for styling those white pants. Maybe you, like me, are very hesitant to wear white. I say give it a try. Find a pair on sale or at a thrift store, if you really don't like them you can always donate them!

Here are some shopping options. I provide these options as a way to show you what is out there and if you click on a link I get a little bit of a kick back. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

I cannot guarantee these options are see through. As I said before it is best to go and try them on before you purchase, so you can see how they will look.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! Have a great weekend. 

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots.  Friday linking up with JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday Link Up.