Shopping Our Closets: Featuring Pantone 2025 London Palette Colors - Airy Blue and Passion Flower

I will no longer be featuring a series on the twice yearly Pantone color palettes, because it is no longer free to access. This year they have stopped showing the colors in their articles unless you sign up for an account. This was apparently due to an disagreement between Pantone and Adobe the platform that provided the color palettes. Pantone wanted customers to have direct access to the color libraries, but now it costs a subscription price of $15/month or $90/year. This is unfortunate for those of us who enjoy seeing the new colors. However, I was able to find a pin on Pinterest that shows the colors and you can see that here.

It is hard for me to show you warm weather looks when it is still so chilly outside, but I made an attempt with this outfit’s bright colors and fun denim jacket. It just happened that this purple which they are called Passion Flower is one of my favorite colors. I thought it paired well with the lighter Airy Blue of the denim and my vintage-ish shoulder bag. Let’s take a closer look at the details.

There are two stars in this outfit.

Star #1 - Embroidered Denim Jacket

You may have seen this beautiful, thrifted J. Jill Denim piece on the blog before. Click to see it styled with a head to toe denim outfit, a floral maxi dress, pink pants and a berry top, and a white maxi skirt. This is definitely a piece that I will be hanging on to.

Star #2 - Pleated Skirt

I bought this the last time I went thrifting before I started the #75hardstylechallenge . It was a tad tight around the waist, but I had started Weight Watchers and was hopeful that it would fit better as I lost weight, and indeed it does. It is still a tad snug, so no sit ups while I am wearing it, but who would be doing sit ups in a skirt anyway? Ha, ha.

This gorgeous piece is Pendleton brand, so very well made. I wish I could afford their clothing, but I will just have to keep my eye out when I start thrifting again. I did have two other Pendleton pieces, a blazer I still have which you can see here and here, and another blazer, here, which I do not have any longer.

I had this purple Time and Tru, thermal long sleeve tee from a previous thrifting occasion and it matches perfectly.

I added this pendant necklace and love how it pulls in the berry colors from the skirt. That also allowed me to add my Vionic suede combat boots, a clearance find at DSW, to pulled it all together.

Finally, my light blue shoulder bag, another thrift find is a brand called Sparrow True. On the label inside it says, “Inspired by Vintage Treasures of an Undiscovered Past.” I like that.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you own any Pendleton products? What has been your best find either at a thrift store or a regular retail store? I’d love to hear from you. Your input and feedback always makes my day and helps me to keep posting.

I’ve included shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week everyone and thanks for following along on the blog.

My Style: Denim Jacket Outfit for Spring - Two Ways

There is nothing that says warmer weather like a denim jacket. These warm weather pieces are the perfect weight when you just need a little something for the air conditioning or for a cooler evening outdoor event. Fortunately, there is no reason to wait until it is warmer. We can start wearing our beloved jean jackets during these transitional weather times as the temps fluctuate from 70’s one day to 40’s the next. “Oh my sinuses!!”

Style Tip: When styling a jean jacket for the cooler and unpredictable spring weather just look at them as you would a button down cardigan, a utility jacket or your favorite blazer. A denim jacket in any wash will make an outfit interesting, youthful and provide an extra layer when the weather isn’t quite ready to stay put.

I thought it would be fun, and beneficial to show you how to style a jean jacket two ways. The first will be for a dressed up look suitable for lunch with friends, a night out with your significant other, or even for the office or church. The second will be more casual for a day of chasing the grandkids, or getting the groceries.

Look 1 - White Button Down

I did some research this past week on styling white button down shirts. It seems these pieces that once were reserved for the work place or maybe church are now chic and elegant with any type of outfit. Listen to this YouTube Video which gave me some great ideas for styling a collared white button down. The thought to use it for this blog post on styling a denim jacket for spring seemed like the perfect way to introduce this idea.

This thrifted Christopher and Banks piece is actually an XL. Typically, the idea behind a classic white button down is that it be a bit more structured, but the fix for a bigger, boxier piece like this is to merely tuck it in.

Style Tip: Choose the white that works for you. I am not as much into stark white, and lean more towards an ivory, pearl or very light cream. Find what works best for your complexion.

I’ve had this basic denim jacket for a number of years. It is Massini brand and I bought it at our local Meijer. I have numerous jean jackets. Here is one in a military style, a cropped one, one with floral applique, a medium brown, a white one, and a yellow one with 3/4 length sleeves. I do have a couple more, but I haven’t taken outfit photos with them yet. I know! How many denim jackets does a girl need? A basic one is really all that your wardrobe requires, but you know me and my clothes horse issues. Ha. ha.

These hand-me-over slim cut pants are Chico’s brand. A few years ago my best friend was cleaning out her closet and let me go through the bags. That is always fun to do!

For my shoes, I grabbed these thrifted, Merona, wedge ankle boots. I thrifted them last year and hadn’t really had the opportunity to wear them. When I put them one, I was pleasantly surprised at how comfy they are. I definitely need to think of some more ways to style these.

My tote bag was from Charming Charlie’s back when we still had a store at our mall. I love this room piece and with the two tone color and gold rivets feel like it is great for dressing up.

Gold tones seemed the perfect accompaniment for this outfit. Layering necklaces is still a think so feel free to layer it on.

Look 2 - White Tee

The beauty of this type of outfit is that it is easy to swap out just a few pieces to make the outfit completely different for the changing aspects of your life. Swap out the dressier button down for a white tee. I chose a long sleeve, graphic tee.

I got this cute “love yourself” tee with the appliqued daisy before I started my #75hardstylechallenge . This is a brand called Ultra Flirt and I bought it at the thrift shop around the corner when they were having a 50% off sale which they do at the end of each month. You can also see, I swapped out my narrow metallic belt for this wider olive one, which also makes the outfit more casual. This shirt is a cropped piece, so could also be worn out with not belt.

I chose white my white Steve Madden sneakers from DSW. These are starting to show some wear, but I will clean them up with a bit of dish soap, baking soda and a toothbrush and they will get me through one more summer.

Since brown bags are trending, I thought I would pull out this thrifted Rafe for Target bag. I definitely want to use this for the summer. It is quite roomy and seems very durable and it has a pretty printed cloth liner.

Here are the two outfits side by side. What do you think? Do you have a denim jacket in your closet? Will you be taking it out for spring? Would you style it the same way as you would a blazer or cardigan to get more wear out of these fun warm weather pieces?

I hope you enjoyed this post. I’m providing a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Shopping Our Closets - Light Weight Jackets

I thought it would be useful to do a post on light weight jackets. As the summer draws to a close and fall meanders its way into our areas we all will be reaching for those light weight jackets to ward off the early morning or late evening chill. There will still be plenty of warm days ahead, but having a few light weight jackets, not only gives you something to throw on when chilled, but adds a touch of class to any outfit.

I have been blogging since 2016, so for 7 years I have been showing different outfits in this space. Instead of showing you a new outfit this week, I thought I would go back and cull my posts to find photos for the different types of jackets I am going to talk about. As I always tell you, make it your own. Shop your closet and figure out which light weight jackets will work best as the season of summer transitions into the season of fall.

Denim Jackets

I wanted to start with this one, because it is one of my faves and a regular go to. Denim jackets are much more versatile than in the day when they were thought of as work wear only for the farm, or a style worn by teens looking to get into trouble. Boy, times have changed…Ha, ha. Today jean jackets come in every cut, color and wash, and they are still relatively inexpensive.

Cropped:

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Embellished:

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Colored:

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Denim and jackets cut in a similar silhouette are great, casual choices for transitional weather outfits.

Utility Jackets

I love my utility jackets and they are the perfect light weight piece to add to your transitional wardrobe. Utility jackets, like denim, now come in assorted colors and prints. They are the perfect casual topper for spring or fall when the temperatures are beginning to fluctuate, and they offer a little more coverage than the standard denim option.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Blazers

I love blazers all year round, and they do double duty in making an outfit look stylish and providing a light layer of warmth for the cooler days of fall or the air conditioning of the office or retail store. The following are a few of my blazers. From solids to prints, a blazer is a fun option for adding interest to your outfit and keeping warm as the weather cools off.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

It was fun going through my blog looking for light weight jackets. Many of these pieces I still have, and a few I have gotten rid of. As we grow in our fashion journey, we realize what works for us and what doesn’t. Sometimes that has to do with what phase of life we are in. Losing my assistant manager job and coming home to help with the grandkids and dabble in the freelance writing arena has definitely changed what I wear on a regular basis.

I’m including a batch of light weight jackets in my shopping links. These are affiliate links, brought to you at no cost. If you purchase something through my link I get a small commission. Every purchase you makes helps me keep this blog going. I really appreciate it. All opinions are my own.

Have a great day!

My Favorite Denim Pieces

For the last few week I have been looking back at some older posts, due to scheduling conflicts and my own lack of motivation and energy to bring you a lot of new content. I do apologize for that, but this does offer you a look at different pieces that are worth investing in due to their reusability. Since we as fashion bloggers, thrifters and purchasers of fashion are wanting to be more conscious of how our choices affect the environment we are learning that sustainable fashion is important for the future of our world.

Sustainability at its finest starts even before the actual manufacture of clothing. While more companies are jumping on the sustainability wagon, we must admit there are literally tons of used clothing going into landfills, that could be part of this sustainability loop. Thrift stores are part of this loop and are helping to give new life to second hand pieces. Bloggers, Instagrammers and others are working their accounts to show you new ways to wear the clothes that are already in your closet, or at least encourage you to shop second hand.

This week I decided to focus on the favorite denim pieces in my closet. Denim has always been my go to fabric for every day outfits. Whether you like jeans, denim skirts, or denim jackets, everyone can get onboard with having a few work horse denim pieces in their wardrobe.

Piece 1 - Cropped Denim Jacket

This is one of the first cropped pieces I found that I really liked and still use repetitively. There is something about the silhouette of a cropped denim jacket that to me, makes it a little more versatile. I feel like it dresses up better than a standard jean jacket, but some of that might also be the wash. A darker wash will always look more dressy as opposed to a lighter or more acid washed piece. You can wear a piece like this with a casual dress, a classy maxi dress, leopard print, a longer tunic and jeans, and a pair of utility pants.

Picture by me.

Piece 2 - Denim Skirt

Since jeans are my first choice for most of my causal outfits, I am not going to include them in this post, but I will say, that most of my favorite jeans I have picked up at thrift stores. The ability to try on different styles, silhouettes and brands, many of which I wouldn’t have ever thought to shop, have provided me with several pairs that are on repeat during most of the year. If you are more of a skirt or dress kind of girl, then a denim skirt is a great casual alternative to jeans.

Just so you know, the first skirt is from a few years ago and I got rid of it, because I outgrew it. The last two pieces were just unique, so I picked them up, but my most used piece would be the darker wash pencil skirt in the middle number of photos. If you are looking for a denim skirt, that is the wash and style I would recommend. I recently thrifted a longer light wash one, so we’ll see how that gets styled this summer. Stay tuned.

Photo by me.

Piece 3 - Denim Vest

Another piece that I really love is a denim vest. So far I only have one and that is my Christopher and Banks piece, but I would like to find a few others including a longer one that ties and a more traditional vest shaped piece. These are things I add to my thrifting list and keep and eye out for. If I never find one, no big deal, but if I do, I’ll grab it.

Unique Denim Pieces

Since my love for denim extends to all areas of my wardrobe, I also wanted to include a few unique pieces with their own special embellishments or characteristics.

Embroidery

Any sort of embellishment on denim is fun, but I do love embroidery.

Chambray

While not technically denim, we group this with denim due to its similar washes and uses. Whether it is a button down, a popover or a dress, chambray is a great denim substitute for the warm temperatures of spring and summer.

I hope you enjoyed this look back at a few of my favorite denim pieces. I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit where not specified, Rebecca Trumbull.

Spring Trends 2020 - Thrifted Thursday - Head to Toe Denim

Today’s outfit revolves around the Spring 2020 trend of head to toe denim. While this may not be a trend that many women would embrace, I actually like it. Denim and I have been friends for a long time, whether it was wearing cut off jean shorts in the summer, overalls in the winter, bell bottoms or skinny legs, jackets or vests, denim has always been a part of my life. When I was younger, most denim was made with cotton. The beauty of the piece came out as it became worn. Jeans were often stiff, but after weeks of wear and washings, the fabric became like a comfortable sweatshirt, easy to wear and to take care of. Now denim is so versatile from the fabrics it is mixed with to the color wash, you can find denim to wear for lounging around the campfire, going to work or even for a night on the town.

Since I started doing these columns, I decided to use the columns as a way to show off the current theme with an added twist. today’s outfit is completely thrifted, except for the shoes and jewelry.

I saw on Jo-Lynne Shane’s Spring Fashion Forecast that wide leg pants were on the list. She did say, even though these are mentioned, she hasn’t been seeing them around much and you really have to have the right body type to pull them off. As I look at this outfit, I agree. I am carrying around about twenty more pounds than I really should be and maybe these thrifted wide leg Banana Republic jeans would look better with a little less puff around my thighs and butt.

The embroidery on this thrifted J.Jill - Out of the Blue, jacket was definitely a selling point for me. For some reason I have always been a fan of embroidered embellishments on clothes, shoes and bags. I used to embroider quite a bit when I was younger and had a number of denim pieces, including a vest my mom and I had made together, that I put embroidery on. I can see wearing this jacket with white pants or a skirt, as well as with various washes of denim cropped pants in the summer.

With this outfit I am using three washes; a dark wash shirt, a medium wash pant and a light wash jacket. You could just as easily pull it off with denim pieces all from the same wash. Part of the beauty of denim is even in the same wash a piece can look quite different.

My dark wash chambray shirt has 3/4 length sleeves, and two flap front pockets. I think it is good to have at least one chambray shirt, or in my case, at least one in all three washes. Ha, ha

Once again, I kept the jewelry simple and casual. I think rose gold is the perfect metal for dressing up or down and it goes beautifully with denim in any wash.

My fringe bag was another thrift find and I think it may have been hand made. It is suede and has no label inside. It gives the outfit a great hippy vibe and you will see, that many of my outfits in this series seem to veer that way, maybe because many of the trends are quite conducive to that vibe.

My shoes have made an appearance on the blog recently and while they are definitely a winter boot, in our area, spring has not yet arrived. They are Sonoma brand and I got them from Kohl’s.

I decided to add a colorful head scarf to the outfit, just to add a tiny element of color. It has some gold threads in it too, so I thought it went well with the jewelry and the outfit as a whole.

What do you think of wearing denim head to toe? Do you have pieces in your closet that you could put together for a look like this. I’d love to hear you thought in the comments section below. I really value you input.

Be sure to check back next week for a look at polka dots, pinstripes and leather. Until then, have a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Be sure to check out the shopping links for all things denim below. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Pantone Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Chili Pepper and Bluestone

Before I get started showing the outfits I put together for this color series, let me refresh what the Pantone colors are. The Pantone Color Institute is an entity that provides color related solutions across the industry for designers of graphics, products and fashion. It is their color choices for seasons and color of the year that influence the fashion and interior design fields. You can read more on their About Page.

When I began blogging over three years ago, I decided to include the Pantone seasonal color series as a regular feature of my blog. Many bloggers share their favorites with you, but I like to really explore how each of these colors can be combined to make creative outfits that are both fashionable and reasonable financially as almost all of these colors are already in my wardrobe.

This season’s outfits turned out a bit differently than some of the specific colors due to shade variances on different computers, phones and so on. However, the point is not to get perfect matches, but to broaden our thinking about color over all. I ask myself questions like, “How can I combine these colors into one outfit? How can I take this color I am not fond of and use it? How can colors in an outfit make us feel happier, more put together and more confident?”

Today’s outfit combines a cool grayish blue with a spicy red. Meet Bluestone and Chili Pepper. The third color is from Panone’s Classics palette, which I have tried to incorporate into each outfit.

This bright red top is most definitely not the exact same red at Chili Pepper. It was rather strange. I have used my phone before to look at the colors when trying to pick things out of my closet and for some reason I really thought this red was good. However, I think I just wanted to wear this Popsugar top from Kohl’s again because it’s so cute. Ha, ha. I styled this same blouse last spring in another Pantone series. You can see that post here.

My denim jacket is from Christopher & Banks and isn’t exactly Bluestone either, but I was having trouble finding that exact color.

For these pictures we went to Middlegrounds Metropark in downtown Toledo. What a beautiful park right close to the downtown area of our city. I just love the urban chic vibe that these pictures have. I don’t do a lot in the city, but there is a lot more there than I realized. Unfortunately, I may get more familiar with it, as I got summoned for jury duty in October and the Common Pleas court is downtown. Ha, ha.

I decided to pair my top and jacket with my dark blue printed St. John’s Bay, skirt from JC Penney. I thought it matched well with the Pantone classics color Evening Blue. This is a fun, easy to wear skirt with a wide elastic waist, and tiered layers which gives it swing.

Since I had a lot going on in this outfit with prints and textures I wanted to keep my accessories fairly simple. My thrifted Relativity loafer heels are a go to for a look that is classy and work ready.

I thought this pendant necklace a good piece that makes its own statement with this outfit.

Adding this Aerosmith tote bag was my way to show off my inner rocker. Ha, ha.

What do you think of Chili Pepper and Bluestone? Do you have these colors in your closet? How would you wear these?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

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

Photo and graphic credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Denim Daze 2.0 - Recap

I hope you have enjoyed this series on denim. Most of us have denim pieces in our wardrobes and it is helpful when we have new ways to style them. Denim is a versatile, easy to wear fabric and goes with everything. It is also easy to wash and typically doesn’t need to be ironed, although the lighter weight chambray can get more wrinkly than typical denim.

Here are all the outfits side by side.

Denim Vest

Ruffled Chambray Top

Denim Skirt

Long Sleeve Chambray Shirt

Denim Jacket

Do you have a favorite outfit? Were you inspired to style your denim pieces differently from reading the posts in this series?

I think the piece that I really had to think about how to style was the pencil skirt as a dressier piece. I think is is natural to style a denim skirt in a more casual way with tees and sneakers, but dressing it up, just seems to take more thought. As far as my favorite piece in this series, it would be a toss up between the ruffled chambray shirt and the embroidered jacket.

I hope this was a fun series for you. It is hard to believe we are almost done with July. With August comes a return to school and even though the temps will still be warm, our thoughts begin to turn to fall, and all the things that come with it, like football and changes in the trees and the weather. I’m going to do a few posts on wearing white which will include some transitional outfits, then I’ll be showing you all the New York and London Pantone colors.

Thanks so much for the support you give to me and my little blog. I appreciate all your comments. If you signed up for my emails and are not receiving them, please be sure to subscribe again. I have noticed a few emails are not going through and I am thinking it might be that the emails did not get typed in correctly. Also, if you make a comment on a post, be sure to check back a few days later, because I do respond to all of your comments, or at least I try to. Thanks again.

Denim Daze 2.0 - Denim Jacket - Dressy

We don’t often think of a denim jacket as being a dressy piece. If we are scheduled to go to the opera, or a special theatrical production, I wouldn’t usually reach for my jean jacket. All the more reason, to create an outfit around a piece that could be considered dressy enough to wear out on the town. You saw this Christopher and Banks denim jacket styled casually on Tuesday, now I want to show you the dressed up version.

A pleated skirt always dresses an outfit up a bit. There is something about these lined, swingy skirts that make an outfit look extra special. This gold Lauren Conrad skirt I ordered online from Kohl’s last year. It was on clearance and I was looking for something in a different color from my burgundy one I already own. I think this is a little big on me and need to take it in. It has an elastic waist, thus the gold belt to create a more polished effect.

I like the way the belt really brings out the gold buttons on the top. This bright pink top was a hand-me-over from my daughter. It is sleeveless and A New Day brand, from Target.

For accessories, I chose a little bit of an eclectic look. This time not everything matched. I often like my accessories to match, like my shoes and my bag, but once in a while it is fun to get outside that box and just pick a few things for the fun ratio.

I thought this gold flower necklace was whimsical enough to go with the fun embroidery on the jacket and the gold also went with the gold buttons and belt. In that regard, I did keep all the metallic elements gold, except for the buttons on the jacket. You can see, I also wore a few gold bracelets. Somehow, to me, I need an element in every outfit I build that brings the whole thing together. It might be one particular piece like a scarf or bag, or it my me as easy as having all my accessories having a common metallic color. Do you like things to match, or do you not worry about that so much?

I found this awesome palm print bag on the clearance table at DSW. Palm print was big last year, but I noticed it is still hanging around this summer. You can use this as a clutch or wear it on your shoulder or as a crossbody bag. The gold chain makes it dress up well, but this would be a great casual bag as well.

I went with my retro heels, for my shoes. I have this voice in the back on my head saying it would have looked better with a different shoe. What do you think? A bright pink heel or a denim flat? I don’t know. I’d love to hear your thoughts. I am always open to input.

If I looked a little wilty in these pictures, it was pretty warm that day and I was getting tired, hot and sweaty by the time we were done with these pics. My daughter and I usually have to plan a series shoot all at once, because we are both busy, so our schedules don’t always match up.

I hope you enjoyed this series. On Tuesday of next week I’ll post a recap, where you can see all these denim outfits side by side. After that I’ll have a few end of the summer looks and then we’ll be starting the fall Pantone series. Yup, that’s right, fall will be upon us before we can say, “Boo!” and “Happy Halloween!” Ha, ha. Have a great weekend.

I’ve included a few shopping links for A New Day tops and some pleated skirts. Have fun shopping. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Denim Daze 2.0 - Denim Jacket

The final piece in my Denim Daze series is a denim jacket. I have several denim jackets, all of which I love. For as long as I can remember I have liked denim jackets. Just like moto jackets, to me they seem cool and tough, but done up the right way they can be feminine and flirty. I own a simple jacket that has no embellishments in a light wash. I also have a cropped one in a medium wash that I have styled on the blog many times. A few others include a white, a light wash with white eyelet stripes and an orange one. This week I am featuring a newer one I acquired from Christopher and Banks. The characteristic that drew me to this one, was the embroidered detail.

I wanted this outfit to be casual, but still clean and fresh. These pinstriped light weight ankle pants are thrifted and Gloria Vanderbilt brand. They have become a go to summer option in my closet, when I want a little more coverage, but not the heavy weight of regular denim.

I thought this floral Croft & Barrow tee from Kohl’s went perfectly with the colors in the embroidery of the jacket. This tee was a recent purchase and has longer short sleeves and a medium weight. I love the cute pic on the front. If I had the time, and was more disciplined I would love to have more of a garden, a bit like an English garden with loads of different kinds of flowers that have some sort of uniform messiness to them.

Here is an up close of the embroidered detail. I can see wearing this into the fall with colors like rust, and maroon.

In keeping with the blue theme of my outfit, I opted for blue accessories. This cute cross body bag was gifted to my by my younger daughter for Christmas. I love the gold zippers and fringe detail.

Since I was on a floral kick I pulled out my floral SO flats. If you follow me regularly you know I love these flats and have them in four different colors. They are comfy and easy to get on and off.

I also wore a simple heart necklace with a pink stone. This was the perfect finishing touch.

Do you like to wear denim jackets? How do you like to style yours? What sort of washes do you have denim jackets in? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two below.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which means when you click on a link I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through my post, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own. Have fun shopping.