Oh, Olive! Workwear Look

Tuesday I showed you a casual look with olive pants and today I am showing you a workwear look that might be doable for the office. We are looking at the color olive as a neutral. I know many of us have olive in our wardrobes and are becoming more aware of what a great color it is. Tuesday, I showed you how well it goes with orange and white. Check out today’s outfit, which combines dark florals and black for a sassy look.

I found this fabulous dark floral Time and Tru dress while thrifting on one of our trips. I had started really looking over the dress racks at thrift stores recently after seeing Instagram gal, jbowenandcompany using a button up dress like a kimono. It makes a piece like this so much more versatile. When I decided to do this series on olive pieces, I knew this dress as a duster would be a perfect topper for a fun workwear look.

Once again, my olive Gloria Vanderbilt skinny pants are the focal piece. This time I paired them with another neutral, black. My black v-neck polo is a sleeveless piece that I found thrifting a few weeks ago. Black and olive has always been a classic combination. Throwing the dark floral piece over the top really makes the outfit pop.

You’ve seen these Clark peep toe shoeties on the blog before. They are great shoes, I just really have no place to wear them right now. I know many bloggers and Instagram babes who post outfits they are actually wearing, but some of us have a more laid back approach. I would wear these and this whole outfit if I had an office job, but right now I don’t. Still, it is fun to have choices, and to be able to show you all a few of my fun wardrobe pieces, even if I don’t wear them as often.

I thought adding the light blue bag would pull out the light blue in the duster and with the dark florals it still gives the outfit a summer feel. You could have done the same thing with the light pink, yellow, or white. For the same reason I went with the light blue pendant. Just that little extra pop of color adds more interest to the outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? Have you ever worn a button up dress as a duster or kimono? It is a great way to extend the use of your dresses. If you are like me, you don’t have too many excuses to wear a dress. I know some ladies wear them all the time, and if my legs were less blemished by veins, I probably would too, but using a dress in this way still gives me an excuse to get more dressed up.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am going to include a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend. I will not be posting next week once again, as I am going to spend the week with my mom while my brother and his family are out of town. I’ll be back the following week. Until then, take care.

Summer Outfit - Faux Lace Dress - Dressy

This week my summer outfit piece is a dress I bought at Kohl’s a while back on the clearance rack. I’ve had it hanging in my closet for a couple of years, I’d say, and it was time to either wear it or get rid of it. I hadn’t even taken the tags off. I’m sort of silly that way. Do you ever buy things and then they hang in your closet and you forget you even had them? I think I get into that dilemma, when I buy things on clearance at the end of a season, then I put them away, because a new season has started and I forget all about them until they are unearthed like some sort of ancient treasure.

This AB Studio dress is really nothing more than a fancy t-shirt dress with a lace pattern on it. It has a zippered back, but I can easily slip it over my head without even undoing the zipper. The other lovely thing about this dress is that it has deep side pockets which aren’t visible at all. I typically would not wear a dress this short, but I thought I would push myself outside my own box. Originally, I thought the dress would be cute with leggings and boots in the colder months. I need to try that too. I decided to wear black hose to cover my veiny legs and to give the outfit a leaner, longer look.

I chose a few pieces of jewelry that I wore to my oldest daughter’s wedding a few years ago. I also used my blingy, silver clutch to make the outfit look more dressy.

I thought my black Clark peep toe shoeties finished out the outfit perfectly, though you could have done black heeled sandals or even a heeled ankle boot.

My post wouldn’t be complete without a silly picture of me. I hope these bring a smile to your faces, because we all need things to keep us smiling these days. In reality, I was trying to adjust my glasses which tend, not only to slide down my nose, but also to be lower on one side than the other. Ha, ha. However, I think this is my stereotypical “librarian” face. Now, we all know that most librarians are very friendly and helpful, but for some reason all the old movies and shows always made them out to be older women with an attitude.

What length of dress do you like to wear? Do you like t-shirt dresses? I love to hear your thoughts.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Faded Denim, Orange Peel and Lark

I must give the creators at the Pantone Color Institute credit for coming up with interesting names for their colors. It is especially mind boggling when they have been doing it for so long. Coming up with new words to describe color has to be no easy task. The name Faded Denim is cute and evokes memories of well worn jean jackets and tattered jeans. Orange Peel, mmmm, can’t you just smell the juicy, citrusy goodness? A Lark is a type of bird and you can see a few images of one here. On seeing the images the color will make perfect sense. On to our outfit.

The Pantone version of Faded Denim is a more of a medium wash denim that has paled a bit from repetitive washing. I chose my light wash Christopher and Banks pop over chambray top, which is a bit lighter than the Pantone color, but it serves the purpose. I’ve used this top on the blog before. You can see how I styled it with white pants, and with a denim vest. Here is a picture without the sweater, which I’ll come back to.

This Lu La Roe maxi skirt has a fun multi-colored print that includes Orange Peel. I like a printed skirt like this because I can match it up with so many different colored tops or sweaters. Even in this situation where the top is not one of the colors in the skirt, it works because the light blue goes well with all of the other colors. You probably could do this with numerous other colors.

I found this Lark (or camel by any other name), colored sweater thrifting. It is Old Navy brand. It has a bit of a grunge vibe, which I like. I thought pairing it with this more dressed up skirt and top gave the look a cozy feel.

This chunky orange necklace was perfect for this outfit and the small little black clutch with heart appliques kept the whole look from being too overwhelming. Some times a big skirt and a big sweater and a big top with a big bag, just gets to be too much.

This black pair of peep toe shoeties from Clarks are so comfy and I like the zipper on the heel. They are very easy to get in and out of.

What do you think of Faded Denim and Orange Peel? Would you wear these colors? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

I’ve included a few shopping links, just for fun. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Graphic by Rebecca Trumbull.

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.

Spring Transition - Bomber Jacket Outfit

Last week, I started a series on transitional outfits that take us from winter to spring to summer. Last week's post featured a red jacket worn with a graphic tee, bootcut jeans and peep toe sandals. You can see that post here.

What exactly makes an outfit transitional? An outfit becomes transitional when it crosses over one season to the next or when it takes you from a daytime work wear look, to a night time date look. Usually, an outfit that transitions will incorporate different layers and things that can be taken off or swapped out easily for a different look. 

For today's look I chose another outfit from a Chico's catalogue that inspired me. This look centers around a summery dress, worn like a tunic over leggings, topped by a bomber jacket. 

I've styled this Simply Vera dress before on the blog, when we went to Florida, last December. You can see that post here. I found this cute piece on the clearance rack at Kohl's a few season's back. Here, and here are few cute styles for this season. 

This black bomber I picked up somewhere and I don't remember where! Ha, ha. It is an off brand, but I'll provide a few shopping links for jackets, bags and shoes at the end. 

These black leggings became mine, when I shopped a friend's closet. They are super comfy and thick, but not too thick. I am more inclined to wear leggings at this transitional time, as they are warm, but not overly warm. 

I chose my purply blue agate pendant necklace. I received this as a gift and it is one of my favorite pendant necklaces to wear because of its unique color and shape. Here are some very pretty options from an Etsy seller. i might need to buy myself another one, or two!

For my bag I chose this beauty that I've featured before on the blog. I really love the color and the texture of this pretty clutch, that my younger daughter gave me. It also has a strap so I can wear it as a cross body bag. It goes perfectly with the bluish green in the dress. 

I'm loving these peep toe shoeties from Clarks. They are not only cute, but comfy and the zipper up the back makes them pretty easy to get on and off. 

Here's a look at the outfit without the jacket. If it gets too warm, just take the jacket off and you have a light weight sleeveless dress. If it got real warm, you could take the leggings off as well. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have any light weight summer dresses that you are dying to wear, but don't feel that it is quite warm enough yet. This is the perfect way to extend the wearability of those pretty summer styles and still be warm and comfy. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog. Leave me some love and don't forget to check out my Instagram and Pinterest pages. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own. 

Tuesday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb, Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Thursday linking up with Jacqui of Mummabstylish.  Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. 

Piece Perfect - Summer Sweaters

Since I just finished my series on wearing vests in the summer, I thought it would be a good idea to write a post on wearing sweaters in the summer. Everyone has had that experience where it is hot outside, but the moment you walk into that overly air conditioned restaurant your teeth start to chatter. While our bulky winter sweaters wouldn't be appropriate for this warm summer weather, it is good to have a few light weight options for when we know we are going to be in the air conditioning. 

For these pictures I decided to wear two key pieces, a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and a navy shell. By doing this I am emphasizing the sweaters and the accessories, showing you how you can easily change a simple, monochrome look by switching sweaters, and adding different shoes, bags, jewelry and scarves. 

These are four of my favorite warm weather sweaters.

1. Navy cardi with bling.

Before you say my picture was off center I was trying to get creative with my photography. Ha, ha. For this outfit, I kept the entire outfit monochrome navy and added my blush SO flats and my blush bag. 

Talk about silly faces. I do notice when I am doing my own pictures, I am not always attentive to what I am doing with my face. Ha, ha. Oh well, it is entertaining. 

This 3/4 length sleeve cardi I found some years ago at a thrift store is very light weight and it has a spattering of sparkly sequins that embellish the neck area. 

2. Tan open front cardi.

I decided to pair this light weight cardi with a pretty scarf. The scarf has a tiny print on it with light yellow, blue and pink flowers. I added a long pendant necklace and a bracelet that pull out the blue in the scarf.

I matched up my black clutch with a new pair of Clarks peep toe heeled booties. I got these at an outlet mall on a recent trip back to Wisconsin. The store was having a buy one get one for ten dollars on all their clearance shoes. If you are familiar with Clarks brand you know these are not cheap shoes. They are well made, comfortable and have gotten more stylish every year. I was pleased to find these and another more casual pair that I'll show in another post.

3. Cream waterfall cardi.

This next sweater is a cream waterfall cardi with 3/4 length sleeves. That sleeve length is perfect for summer. It provides enough coverage for an air conditioned environment, but not so much that you forget what season it is. 

For this casual look I wore my flat black espadrilles, carried a black canvas tote and added a few pops of color with my turquoise pendant necklace and turquoise bracelets.

You can probably tell in this picture that I am seriously thinking about letting my gray grow out. The last time I went to my beautician I discussed the idea with her. She suggested I try a few highlights to make the contrast between the gray and my natural hair color less noticeable. I haven't decided if I like it or not. I like the highlighting, I'm just not sure I am ready for gray. What do you think? Do you color your hair? Are you letting yourself go gray?

4. Bright pink open weave cardi.

This last sweater I am sharing with you was a thrift store find. I have had it for a while and never seem to reach for it, so I decided I needed to pull it out and play with it, to see if I really want to keep it. 

I do find the handmade look of a piece rather appealing. I don't know if it is because I grew up with a mother who made many of my clothes when I was young and also crocheted beautiful afghans, or if I was inspired by one of her sisters who made all sorts of creations with yarn, or if it is just some of my bohemian gypsy blood, but I love pieces with this sort of texture and charm.

I was having a hard time figuring out how to style this, until I came across this sea foam green infinity scarf. I suddenly remembered this lovely tote that I found when I shopped a friend's closet.

See how the bag has both the green and the pink? I love when that happens. Never say never to a bright colorful bag. You might be surprised how many outfits you can design around it. You can read my posts on creating an outfit around a bag here and here. 

I wore my wedge espadrilles for this outfit. These are another very comfy pair of shoes and they look cute! Cute and comfy? The perfect combo!

I hope you enjoyed this post. My goal as a fashion blogger is not to get you to buy certain clothes, but to challenge you to look in your own closet for pieces that are underused. Do you have any of these types of sweaters that you neglect to reach for. How about taking them out and rethinking how you could wear them?

If you need some added inspiration, I've included a few affiliate links. These are possible shopping options for you. Maybe you don't have a light weight sweater like these and would like to purchase one. These affiliate links can give you ideas. If you click on a link I get a few cents. If you buy something through the link, I get a small commission.

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