Spring Colors: Fiesta Red, Limpet Shell and Iced Coffee

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Today's outfit combines the sass of Fiesta along with the beachy vibe of Limpet Shell. Add to the mix a cup of Iced Coffee and we are ready for a lunch date with girlfriends or and evening out with the hubby. Again, my outfit choices may not exactly match the Pantone colors, but colors are meant to give you ideas on how to mix and match outfits, so perfect matches are not necessary.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

I don't wear a significant amount of red, but I really liked this top. It could be worn long or, as I did, it can be tied at the waist for a casual shorter look. Here is a possible substitute at Kohl's.

You can see below that I styled the outfit with ankle boots, a bag that could be used as a cross body or a clutch and a statement necklace that layered Limpet Shell, cream and Rose Quartz beads for an eye catching look.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

I love the Limpet Shell cardigan which I bought on clearance at Kohl's. It will be a great sweater for spring and summer. Oh, by the way, that is my husband having a junior high photobombing moment from inside the door. He's silly! Click on the links below for similar pieces for this outfit. These are not the exact same pieces and colors and sizing will vary.

Shop the Look:

Blouse - Kohl's - $29.99

Palazzo Pants - Target - $19.99

Cardigan - Target - $19.99

Boots - DSW - $34.94

Clutch - Kohl's - $54.99

Necklace -  Kohl's - $18.20

Closet Clean Out - Tip 6: Shoes and Bags

The final installment in our closet clean out series has to do with corralling our shoes and bags. I know some of you out there have a strong psychological draw to purses and shoes. Would you call it an addiction? I have a shopping problem, but not as much for shoes and purses. That doesn't mean I don't have my share of shoes and bags. It is rather silly. I mean how many bags do we need to carry at one time, or are you really going to spend the time switching out purses every time you want a different look? I know women do. As far as shoes, well, how many feet do you have? Last time I looked I had two! Still, we are women and we have lots of shoes and bags, so the following are a few suggestions for organizing those items.

This is a nifty little bin and it holds plenty of pairs of shoes. This one has a number of my summer sandals, flip flops and sneakers. No, it doesn't look pretty, but it keeps them off the floor. These from Walmart are similar. The picture below shows what the bins look like stacked in my closet. Sorry for the poor phone photography!

There are also shoe boxes that can be bought at the store. I'm cheap so I use this:

These aren't as pretty and you can't see what's inside, but I really only use these for the shoes that are not part of the current season. I just stack them on top of each other in my closet. Often, I can get more than one pair of shoes in a box. Now boots are a different issue and right now I don't have a plan....maybe more on that next fall!

As for my bags and purses, most of them lay flat in my closet, but I don't have anything real expensive. If you are a Coach purse kind of girl, you'll need a better way of storing your bags to keep them in pristine condition. Here is an idea I thought of today.

A simple over the door hook can solve some of those bag storage problems. This would be good for bags you are currently using. Here are several possibilities from Walmart: multiple hooks and individual hooks.

There are so many ways to organize and store things. I hope that you enjoyed my Closet Clean Out tips and I would love to hear how you might have been inspired to organize and clean your closet. Let me know your stories and ideas in the comments section below.

Have a great day and keep stylin'!

Today I linked up with Jess at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish.

Spring Colors: Snorkel Blue, Flash Green and Iced Coffee

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This week's color palate includes my attempts at Pantone's Snorkel Blue, Green Flash and Iced Coffee. I've noticed that Iced Coffee keeps showing up and I am thinking that color is like a good cup of coffee, great to have anytime and anywhere! You will see in these photos some of my pieces have been reused like the black chunky heel flats and the Lilac Gray bag. 

My version of Green Flash really does not do the color justice. The color is much more vibrant than the top that I have on. That being said, I think the outfit would be better with a brighter version of that green. 

I styled the outfit two different ways, so you could see a variation on a similar theme. The first outfit is styled with black crop pants that have a bit of a lacy texture to them. I like this look and would wear something like this to work. The lightweight leopard print scarf has an Ice Coffee background with black spots pulling in the black of the pants. For added depth and fun, I added a few green beaded necklaces over the scarf.

In the second look I removed the scarf and green necklaces and put on a silver and blue necklace as well as swapping the crop pants for a pair of floral Palazzo pants. I am not as fond of this particular look as it makes my hips and legs look wider. I love Palazzo pants as they are so comfy and fun, but you really do need to find a look that works for you. After viewing these photos I decided I am going to do a post or a series of posts, just on Palazzo pants, so we can figure out what works and what doesn't. 

Hope you enjoyed this week's fashion post and that you are inspired to see what you have in your closet that might make an outfit using some of Pantone's Spring colors. Next week, I'll continue my Spring color line up.

Read on for this week's Closet Clean Out Tip.

Find the Look:

Jacket Ideas - Khol's $44, Macy's $79.50

Top Ideas - Chico's $79.50, Macy's $69.50

Black Pants - Saks Off 5th $99.99, Khol's $36

Palazzo Pants - JCPenney $34, Kohl's $36

Shoe Ideas - Kohl's $65, DSW $49.95

Scarf Ideas - Kohl's $20, Etsy $38

Necklace Idea - Kohl's $18, Etsy $17

Closet Clean Out - Tip 5: Accessories

I love accesories! Necklaces, bracelets, scarves....you name it, I love it and enjoy wearing it. What I don't enjoy is trying to figure out what to do with it all. As with all my Closet Clean Out Tips, it is important to go through your accessories and purge. Are you ever really going to wear that black scarf? What about that necklace you got at Disney World back in 1983? Or what about that charm bracelet you have had since high school? If a piece has sentimental value, then by all means hang onto it, but unless is has some sort of value, or it is something you love and actually wear, you can probably let it go!

I am going to show you a few of my own organizing "tricks". These are simple and cheap!

This is a simple, adhesive hook. There are tons of these available at Walmart and other stores. Here is one example. These hooks are easy to apply and remove and they hold quite a bit of weight as you can see from the following picture. These hooks can be applied anywhere. These three are on a book case right next to my dresser, but I have three more in my closet on the wall.

Yes! I have too much jewelry and I am due for a purge! Ha, ha.

This is a simple plastic hanger, but with a little tying ingenuity it becomes....

A scarf hanger! I use this for my infinity scarves, but you could take any other type of scarf and hang it by tying it onto the hanger. Some of my scarves I fold an put in a storage cubicle like this one and then set it on a shelf in my closet.

There are plenty of other options for storage of jewelry such as tiered trays, hanging organizers, and organizers you can slip into drawers. 

I hope that gives you inspiration for organizing some of your accessories. Next week we'll focus on shoes and bags! Have a lovely Tuesday!

Check Out this Blogger's site: She is looking for other "Over 50" bloggers to collaborate with. She will choose and feature 50 bloggers to start with, and maybe more later. Just click on her link if you are interested.

Today I linked up with Catherine at Not Dressed As Lamb and Jess from Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Be sure to check out their blogs.

 
 

Spring Colors: Rose Quartz, Serenity and Iced Coffee

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Today I am stylin' rose quartz, serenity and iced coffee. My color palate is usually darker or brighter colors, but for the sake of showing off the Pantone color line, I paired this rose quartz blouse with a leopard print skirt. You might say the skirt whispers the iced coffee in its spots. I then added gold jewelry with just a hint of serenity in the form of bracelets and a necklace. The simple clutch is charcoal gray with gold trim.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

I like the clean look of black hose and black pumps with this outfit. It makes the outfit perfect for a night out with my hubby, a spring wedding or Easter morning church service. 

Find the Look:

Top Ideas - Kohl's $30, Loft $59.50

Skirt Ideas - Macy's $49.50, Kohl's $36

Clutch Ideas - Kohl's $40, Lord & Taylor $48

Shoe Ideas - Kohl's $54.99, DSW $29.95

Jewelry Ideas - Kohl's Necklace $28, Etsy Bracelet $15

I hope you enjoyed viewing this outfit. If you follow me on a regular basis, I would love for you to show me your Spring outfit ideas. Find a light pink top in your closet and pair it with those crop pants you just picked up at the store. I'd love it if you picked colors from Pantone's Spring color line up, but any Spring outfit would be fine. Send me a pic on Facebook, or to my email and if I get a few pictures I'll post them on the Sylin' Granny Mama Facebook page.

Now for our next Closet Clean Out Tip.

 

Closet Clean Out - Tip 4 - Pants:

You might feel that I am being repetitive, but that is because I am. A huge part of cleaning is organizing. If you already have a system in place then you may not need much incentive to get your closet in ship shape. But many of us, just need a plan. I have found, for me, the best plan involves organizing as I clean. 

I have my pants separated by style. I keep my pants folded in a bureau of sorts, but you may hang yours. I put my skinny leg jeans together in one cubicle; my boot cut or straight leg jeans in another cubicle, and dress pants in a third cubicle. Several years ago, I went through all of my pants. I tried on every single pair and got rid of many that didn't fit, or that I had a, "What was I thinking," response when I looked in the mirror.

Jeans and slacks should compliment, not draw attention to. Now, the world of pop and movie stars may disagree, but an actual woman wants to look nice, put together and once in a while sexy. A good fit will either lift and define or skim, depending on the look you are going for. If you have pants in your closet that make your thighs look like bumpy sausages, then put them in the donation box. Work pants should be appropriate for your job. I can wear many things because I work at a university bookstore, but we do have a dress code. If I wear leggings I have to wear a top or tunic that covers my behind (which is the only way I will wear leggings). I am sorry ladies, but leggings that look like skin may be comfortable, but they are not appropriate out in public. Do you really want everyone to know every curve of your bootie, where nothing is left to the imagination? If you want to be comfy that's great, but at least consider wearing something that covers.

As you go through your pants think about, where will I wear these? How many pairs of boot cut, straight leg and skinny jeans do I need to have? How many pairs of dress pants do I  need to own? Think about colors as well. Will you really wear all seven pairs of pink crop pants or would one or two be enough? 

Believe me, ladies, I am preaching to the choir. I love to shop and I am continuously paring down my closet. My method to the madness is if I go shopping and buy four things, I try to get rid of four items in my closet. It doesn't have to be match for match, skirt for skirt, but no less than four items. 

I hope these tips are helpful and that you are getting a great feeling of satisfaction as you clean and organize. 

Next week, Spring Outfit Number 4 and more Closet Clean Out tips. Enjoy your Easter!

Spring Colors: Lilac Gray and Buttercup

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Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

Today you'll see the second outfit in my Spring color series. The color emphasis is on Pantone's Lilac Gray and Buttercup. I found the button up at a thrift store. We had a hard time finding a similar color, but here is a possibility. The bag I found on clearance at JC Penney and I really like it. This purse is roomy, but not overwhelming. I have a tendency to put everything in my bag. The muted color enables it to be carried with many other outfits, and the gold chain gives it a classy look without making it heavier. We found a similar bag at Kohl's.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

The buttercup tee (another thrift store find) has an embellished neckline which goes well with the gold on my bag and shoes. We found a similar embellished tank top at Macy's. The skirt, simple black leggings, shoes, and yellow bangle are all second hand store finds but we were able to find you some inspiration from some other stores. Here is a skirt from Kohl's, black shoes from DSW, and a bracelet option on Etsy. As you can tell, I love to thrift shop. If I had been born in an earlier century, I would have been a pirate! Arrrrrrrrrggggg! I was excited to see that the low chunky heel is making a come back!

Obviously, the outfit could be retrofitted for summer simply by getting rid of the leggings and wearing a cute pair of sandals or espadrilles. Carry the button up as a covering for overly air conditioned shops or restaurants and you are all set.

Since, this blog is all about inspiration, I would like you ladies to start digging for treasure in your own closets. See if you have any of Pantone's Spring color line up. Throw an outfit together and have someone take a picture. Then send it to me via a Facebook message or you can email it to me. If you take a pic on your phone you can just text it to my email at guineapigtrekie@yahoo.com. I would love to see how I have inspired your fashion sensibilities and you might even get your pic posted!

Now it's time for our next Closet Clean Out Tip.

Closet Clean Clean Out - Tip 3 - Skirts and Dresses

I really do not know why I have so many skirts and dresses. I think it stems from my upbringing. Being raised in the church we always dressed up for Sunday service. As far as that goes, my mother used to make me wear dresses when I was in elementary school. Being a tomboy I grew to loathe skirts and dresses, although, I never stopped wearing them to church...until recently. However, I still do wear a skirt for work once in a while and if my husband and I splurge on a show I dress up.

Once again, I would say, start by organizing. You can arrange by color, length or type of skirt, or seasonal. The same goes for dresses. If you have room you might want to hang from shortest to longest. Organization is for your benefit, so figure out what is going to work for you. As you begin to organize take a hard look at what skirts and dresses you have. Do you love it? Does it fit? Is it in style?

Actually that is not a valid question any more. What isn't in style? Mini vs. maxi, plain vs. print, plaid vs. floral, a-line vs. pencil, pleather vs. leather.....anything goes! Style is what you make it. A dress you wore in the 80's may no longer be in style, but if you throw a chunky sweater over it, or add a black moto jacket and a pair of over the knee boots you can make it work. That's not something I have to worry about, since I can't fit into any dresses that I owned in the 80's. Ha, ha.

I have found that if I am unsure about a particular item, I put it in a pile, then when I have a significant number of items I try them all on. The item has to answer several questions: Does it have a slimming or smoothing effect? Is the pattern or color complimentary? Could I pair it with other items I have to make it work for me, like wearing a dress with a jacket or sweater over the top, or wearing a skirt with a wide belt and a tee shirt or tank top. How can I update my look if it is something I really love? I am getting better at putting things in the donation box if I am not absolutely convinced it works for me.

I hope as you reorganize your skirts and dresses you will be thinking about some of the things you have read here on my fashion blog. As you saw today, I paired a skirt with leggings, something I have never done before. Think outside the box, after all, you are women and we are more like spaghetti than waffles.

Be sure to come back next week. We'll have another Spring outfit and more tips on cleaning out our closets. 

All photos by Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

Spring Colors: Serenity, Buttercup and Iced Coffee

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Here we are! Ready for Spring! I just can't wait for warmer weather. While I am waiting I thought I would try on some of Pantone's Spring color choices.

My outfit this week emphasizes Serenity. It is the perfect name for this light blue that reminds us of warm, sunny days and gentle breezes. 

The light denim button up (similar here) is very close to the Serenity hue. Once again, I am layering and put the top over a summer dress (see Lord and Taylor version) that feels like a tee shirt. Underneath I have a pair of leggings that hit just about mid calf. The leggings are close to Pantone's Snorkel Blue. The outfit would be great without the leggings too. I opted for leggings as I currently have bad varicose veins. The boots (similar from DSW) and clutch (similar here), as well as the belt (seen below) are as close as I could get to Iced Coffee with what was in my closet. My choices really have more of a carmel edge than the Pantone color, but you get the point.

For my accessories I chose the color Buttercup. The vibrant yellow pulls in the yellow on the dress and adds a pop of sunshine to the outfit (Etsy option). Below you can see it all put together!

My hubby liked this outfit! Which says a lot! It would be great with sandals or flip flops for a causal beach vibe as well. 

I hope you enjoyed this week's post. Be sure to check in next week for another Pantone inspired Spring outfit! And keep reading for this week's Closet Clean Out tip!

Closet Clean Out - Tip 2 - Trim the Socks and Underwear

Have you ever noticed how full your sock and underwear drawer are? I have a drawer for socks and a drawer for underwear? Why? I mean I only wear one pair of socks per day and one pair of underwear. If I do laundry once a week that would mean I should potentially have seven pairs of socks and seven pairs of underwear. Heck, I could fit them all in the same drawer. But I don't! I have a whole drawer dedicated to socks and a whole drawer dedicated to underwear.

Okay, I get the need or let's say want, to have a variety of underwear. Casual, comfy, pretty, sexy, cotton, polyester blends, various colors, bikinis, boy cut, on and on the list goes, but a whole drawer? So let's trim down.

Dump out the underwear drawer and immediately discard anything with holes, fraying rubber, torn lace and so on. Next get rid of anything you cannot fit into, or that you do not deem comfortable enough to wear for more than a few hours. Of course it is okay to keep a few sexy items that might only stay on for a few minutes, but get your spouse/partner's input for what they like. The majority of us are wearing those items for them, not for ourselves. I know there are exceptions and many of you may like a lacy thong as your go to underwear. You decide what you want to keep....same rule as last week...try to get rid of ten items.

This goes for bras as well. Some of you girls collect bras like others collect purses or shoes. Do your self a favor, get rid of those ones you cannot wait to take off! If you have a little (or a lot) of excess weight like I do, buy a few new bras that have larger back straps that help smooth out and conceal bulges. Don't buy bras off the clearance racks unless you try them on. And don't be too proud to step up a size. For years I was a 36 B, now I get a 38 C, not because I am so much bigger in the cup, but because they fit better all the way around.

Once you have gotten rid of those items you no longer want, spend a few minutes deciding on a way to organize and keep your items looking neat and easily accessible. Bras really should be kept so the cups are out, not squashed together, which leads to wrinkles and pock marks in the cup area. A bra is supposed to make you look smooth, not like your boobs have indentations and bulges. Underwear is a little more versatile, so feel free to roll, fold, or toss, if that is your preferred method of organization. 

Use the same method for your socks. Dump out your drawer and get rid of any socks with holes. If you have two pairs of sock that are exactly the same and only one pair has a hole, keep the one sock without holes for a replacement for the other pair when one of them gets worn. Sort through your styles and colors. Obviously in the winter you will want a few pairs of thicker boot socks. In the summer you may only use a few no-show socks and the rest of the time be in sandals. Also, think about the colors of socks you have. I usually pair my sock color with my pant color, so most of the socks I wear are blue, because I am a jeans kind of girl. I seriously do not know why I have so many other colored socks. Maybe I am saving them to make sock puppets with my Grandson! Seriously, get rid of what you don't use.

Here you will see a few links for organizers that look cool. Personally, I do not have anything in place yet, but I am hopeful that someday utopia will be reached in my home and I will be organized.

Next time we will talk about dresses and skirts! Stay tuned!

 

*All Photos By Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup By Rachel Christensen