My Style - Blue Jeans and Plaid Blazer

Nothing says comfort and style like a good pair of jeans and a fun blazer. This is the kind of style I love and dressing like this always makes me feel stylish, and confident. An outfit like this can be worn on casual Friday’s at the office, out for lunch with your gal pals, or for a casual date night with your significant other.

In keeping with my month long attempt to use mainly Valentine’s colors in my outfits I had to showcase this recent purchase from Maurice’s. I got this red plaid blazer and a few other fun items at great prices as they are moving fall and winter stuff out to make room for spring and summer. This piece may just be wearable for at least three seasons if not all four. It is a medium weight knit, but still structured enough that it lays well. It has a double breasted feel, with a one button closure.

My jeans are oldies that I have worn for many blog posts and Instagram photos. They are a brand called Kikit, and like many of my favorite jeans are beginning to show their wear. Do you have a few pairs of favorite jeans that you always find yourself reaching for over and over?

I thought this Elle brand, Eiffel Tower sweater would be a good mix with the black and white in the blazer. While this interpretation of the French tourist attraction is by no means symmetrical, I like the way it is filled in with the black velvet paisley swirls, flowers, and lace.

Since I was going for a casual, fun look I opted for my thrifted black marled Converse sneakers. My jewelry was simple with a short chain necklace with blingy globes and the burgundy twist bracelet. Last, I chose my black top handle/cross body bag, which was from Amazon.

Do you like to wear a blazer with jeans? What is your go to style for a casual Friday look or going out with friends? Let me know in the comments below. I love to get your feedback.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents when you click on a link. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own and you are not charged anything extra to make a purchase through my links. I supply these links mainly to give you ideas and options for outfit pieces you may not already have. I appreciate all you clicks and purchases.

Winter Trend - My Take on Bold Checks

While I have always loved plaid for as long as I can remember, my affection for checks has come about more slowly. When I was younger I always thought gingham was meant for tables, not clothing. I thought it was silly to wear checks. Wouldn’t someone think I looked like a table cloth, or a cutesy picnic ground covering? As gingham evolved and grew, the types of clothing pieces adorned with a gingham pattern grew as well. Dresses, blouses, and now, even pants, tees and all manner of accessories can be found with these colorful little checks.

The checkered pattern has evolved over time and the popular pattern Buffalo Plaid really had its time this past holiday season. Perhaps that is partially due to the fashion trend that I am talking about today, that of bold checks. The idea of bold doesn’t necessarily refer to its color, although that is certainly part of what makes this pattern so fun. Bold references the check itself which is big and makes a statement, no matter what color it is.

My outfit today centers around a bold black and white piece that is perfect for the cold days still ahead of us. I would not wear this as an outer piece except, perhaps in the cooling days of fall. My thought is to wear it as a a layering piece for when I am at a coffee shop or even at home. Being a writer means I am often sitting for long periods of time and I do tend to get cold, so a piece like this is perfect for taking the chill off.

This black and white checked ruana is a heavier weight flannel. I honestly don’t remember where I got this, and I don’t know what the brand is, but it might have been Kohl’s on the clearance rack a few years ago. If you don’t remember what the difference between a ruana and a kimono, here is a quick refresher. A ruana is one piece of material cut into a t-shape. It typically has no sleeves, but simply drapes over the arms. A kimono is usually a longer t-shaped piece with side seams and sleeves. A ruana might be a little more like a poncho, except you don’t put it on over your head.

Here is a back view. You can see that this particular piece hangs a little longer in the back than in the front.

I decided I wanted to do something other than my typical jeans, so I went for a skirt. The fact that it was a denim skirt is a reflection on my love for this sturdy material that literally goes with everything. I’ve styled this stretchy pencil number on the blog before. You can see it style with a tee for a casual look, and with a asymmetrical tunic for a more dressed up approach. This was a thrifted piece and is a brand called NoFazeJeans.

My white sweater with the tour Eiffel on it is Elle brand. I like the texturized picture, which seems to be made out of something like velvet. I thought it was the perfect piece to go with the bold, checked ruana.

I thought the look would be cuter and more winter appropriate with knee high boots and black tights. Funny story. I bought these tights at Kohl’s and the way they were sized I ended up getting a plus size, because you know how tights and hose can be. I mean, it really is like trying to cram sausages into those skinny paper straws. Well, I thought I was safe with the size I chose and when I unfolded them from the package they were plenty long and the part at the top seemed plenty stretchy. When I went to put them on, it was hilarious. The top is very stretchy and they are very long, but the spandex ended when they got to the actual leg part of the hose. I could barely get them up past my knees. I managed to struggle into them and luckily the stretchy part at the top was also long enough that it stretched around my chubby thighs. It is absolutely ridiculous! Those tights were made for a very tall person with extremely skinny legs. No lie! They were not made for an average size girl, let alone a plus size one! Ha, ha.

These old boots, I have had for a while and are a brand called Rialto. I have worn these over many winters and about two years ago, the soles started separating from the rubber bottoms of the shoes. My hubby got some Shoe Goo (yes it is a real product) and glued them back together. They are showing a lot of wear, and I probably won’t be wearing them when it is really wet out, but I’ll get a few more years out of them.

My bright yellow bag was a birthday gift from my younger daughter. It is a simple tote bag, and I love the color. I was thinking about making this my go to bag for my writing stuff. It doesn’t have a label, so I have no idea what brand it is, but it will be used.

I added a few gold items for jewelry. A couple of gold bracelets and this fun large link, gold and black chain.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like the bold checks? Do you have bold checks in different colors? I’d love to hear what’s in your closet!

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

Print Mixing Mash Up - Printed Skirt - Outfit 1

This week, I’ll be styling a printed skirt two different ways. Remember, the goal of this series is to show you how you can take a printed piece in your closet and combine it with another printed piece for a print mixing mash up that will make all your girlfriends and colleagues envious of your print mixing panache.

Today’s outfit centers around a thrifted Gianni skirt I have had in my closet for a while. I love purple, so when I found this purple, blue mix, I thought it would be fun to work with. I like the a-line style. It is light weight, but fully lined, so easily wearable for at least three of our four seasons. You could probably extend its season into winter if you wore leggings or a heavy pair of tights. Since we are talking about and looking forward to spring, I wanted to make both of these outfits more transitional looks.

What I love about this skirt, is its ability to change hues. When you look at the skirt by itself, the purples look more purple and the blues look more like a denim blue. When I started looking for a piece to pair this with, I saw this Knox Rose top that I found at Bass Pro Shop a while back on the clearance rack. I thought, even though the colors weren’t exact, at least they were similar enough that it might work. Once I put the SO sweater, from Kohl’s, with it, I knew I had a winner.

Technically this print mixing, isn’t so much mixed, because the print on the top is not next to the print on the skirt. However, the whole point of trying to print mix is to think outside the box. I would have never put these two pieces together, had I not been thinking about mixing prints and colors. The top, which is more of a greenish blue, looks as though it pairs perfectly with the blue of the skirt, just as the more reddish burgundy color on the top and the sweater, look as though they combine perfectly with the purple. Isn’t color wonderful? Ha, ha.

It was so cold when we were taking these pictures. My daughter was running back into the house after each outfit was finished, and she had on a hat, coat, gloves and boots. Ha, ha. My face is set in defiance of the blustery cold! That is definitely not my most flattering face.

I decided to draw on the little bits of yellow in the top for my necklace and purse. Once again, I would have never thought to pair yellow with this color combination, but once I put it together, I loved it.

By the way, those are little fleck of snow on my sweater, not dandruff or lint. Ha, ha . Just thought I had better clarify.

I think this thrifted yellow Elle tote is a great number for spring. I love the shirring on the front, the sunflower yellow color and the metal rivets, rings and Elle charm. This just goes to show, you don’t have to spend lots of money to have a nice bag.

I have a tendency to get into a rut with my bags. Right now I am using my yellow thrifted cross body. It is so convenient for shopping. Often, if I am carrying a large tote like this one, which already has some weight to it, I overfill it and then wonder why my shoulder and back is bothering me. What kind of purse do you like to use?

These burgundy Naturalizer loafers were another thrift find. When I put the outfit together, I knew these would be the perfect casual finishing touch.

One of the things I like about thrift shopping is the ability to try different brands without spending a ton of money. I normally don’t buy high end. My hubby and I just don’t have the income, to support a shopping habit of that nature. Ever since I was a young girl, I have always been somewhat conscious of getting more for my money. My mom used coupons, made our clothes and made the most of what we had. Things were not always easy for our family, but I grew to appreciate the ability to save money by looking for cheaper options. Now when I thrift I am drawn to higher end name brands, because often they are a better fit and are well made. I still like my Kohl’s, Penney’s and Target clearance finds, but thrifting is always my first muse.

I hope you are enjoying this print mixing series. Let me know your thoughts. Have you done any print mixing in the last few weeks? Tell me about what you mixed. I love hearing from you and you are what keeps this blog going, so thank you.

I’ve included a few printed skirts to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Beautiful Blogger Bests - Cute Top, White Jeans, Skinny Scarf, Heels!

This month I am featuring a lovely lady who has been blogging for over ten years. Starting with a blog that was geared toward The Musings of a Housewife (her original blog name), Jo-Lynne Shane has narrowed her focus to style and fashion. Her blog, Jo-Lynne Shane: My Life and Style, is widely visited and subscribed to by thousands of women looking to learn about fashion. Jo-Lynne is sweet, intelligent and giving. A woman of faith she shares her life with her husband (also her photographer), three children and a dog.

Jo-Lynne terms her style as "casual chic". I love her casual, comfortable, yet totally put together looks. The post I chose to reinvent was from March 15, 2017 and is titled, Bell Sleeve Top and White Jeans with Floral Skinny Scarf. 

You can either click on the title of the Jo-Lynne's blog post above, or click on her picture and it will take you to the original post, where you can read it in full and leave her some love! What I love about this look is the comfort aspect. The top is not tight and binding, yet Jo-Lynne did a fabulous job of looking so chic and put together. The pop of pink of her heels and the cute neck scarf are the perfect accessories. The outfit is balanced, not being over or under done.

For my outfit, I didn't have a bell sleeved tee so I opted for a  Sonoma brand peplum tee instead. I found this tee on the clearance rack at Kohl's. Here, here and here (plus size) are some very cute versions.  My white crop pants are an older version from Christopher and Banks. Here is a similar pair, but in an off white. They are having a pretty good sale right now too, so take a look. 

I have a bit more going on in my outfit with the stripes on the tee, but I tried to tone down my accessories, so it didn't seem too busy or out of balance. 

Instead of tying the scarf short around my neck, I let the oblong pieces hang which allows for some print mixing. While the colors do not match, the yellows and browns in the scarf go well with the oxford gray of the top.

Jo-Lynne's blush bag looks so good with her bright pink shoes and the pinks in the scarf. I decided to carry this goldenrod yellow Elle bag which draws out the yellows in the scarf. As far as I can tell, Elle does not make handbags anymore, or at least not for regular retail. You can find a number of Elle bags on Poshmark, an online thrift store. 

Like Jo-Lynne, I kept my jewelry minimal, since the scarf adds visual interest around the neck. I wore a simple beaded cuff bracelet that picks up the browns in the scarf.  

This outfit would have been fun with bright yellow heels, but I don't have a pair in my closet. Ha, ha. These gray ones work just as well. DSW has a great selection of pumps. Here is a cute pair of Clarks, My shoes are a Payless brand called Comfort Plus. You can check those out by clicking on the link.

Be sure to hop on over to Jo-Lynne's great blog. She has her own board on my Pinterest account, because I love so many of her outfits. 

There are two reasons I started this Beautiful Blogger column on my blog. The first is to exposed my readers to some other really awesome fashion bloggers. The second is for purely selfish reasons, their sense of style gives me more inspiration to look great and feel confident. 

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

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

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

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, Jo-Lynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up, 

Color Crash Course - Blush and Pastel Orange

Color inspiration can come from anywhere. I love the bold greens of new plants and bright blues of summer skies.  I also have many fond memories of childhood trips to the corner store for candy, bubble gum and popsicles. All of these things, not only evoke memories, but also provide a spring board for fashion creativity. As with any visual creative venture, whether drawing, painting, photography, working with ceramics or fabric, color plays a part in our designs. Have you ever looked at a painting and wondered, "What were they thinking?" Have you ever thought that about a person's outfit? I've had that thought about pieces that I have brought home from the store that lay dormant in my closet, until some such time as I pull it out and that bell goes off. "What was I thinking?"

Intentionality is as important to outfits as it is to a painting, a story or a musical composition. I want what I wear to mean something, even if it is as simple as saying, "I feel attractive in this." Sure there is a time for improvisation, just like in jazz, a time to just throw on that comfy pair of jeans, a cute graphic tee and those fun sneakers and just wander around town, with no real intention at all. 

I think we can be intentional about the colors we choose in our outfits as well. My outfit today revolves around two colors that we often associate with summer, blush and pastel orange. 

I wore this outfit to work, one of my last days there. It was a cool day, thus the sweater. What inspired me to pull this outfit together was the top.

Have you ever had one of those mornings where you just don't know what to wear? Instead of pulling out the bottoms first, pick a printed top, then chose all your other pieces, including your accessories to compliment the top. In this case, this sleeveless top with a ruffle down the front heralds hues of pink, blush, orange and black all on a white background. I pulled out my blush sweater, bag and flats to go with the lighter pink. I added my pastel orange pants to emphasize the light orange and I added just a pop of Pink Yarrow for one of my accessories. 

This works great for planning a weekend getaway. Pick your favorite printed bag or scarf and build all of your outfits around it. If you are like me, the disadvantage of having a bulging closet is having too many choices. Building an outfit around a top, a scarf or a bag limits the options. See my posts on styling an outfit around a bag, here and here. 

Both the sweater and bag are from a thrift store. I don't know the brand of the sweater as, the tag was torn out, but I like its ribbed shawl type collar, open front and waffle weave. Here is a cute option from H&M. The cross body bag is a Vera Wang. Here is a more pinky version from Kohl's.  I love to use a cross body bag when I shop. It let's me have both hands free to peruse the merchandise! Thus my bulging closet! Ha, ha.

I picked up these SO flats from Kohl's this year. They are cute, comfy and were very reasonably priced. I have already worn them a number of times. They are on sale for $17.99 right now and come in a variety of colors. Now that I looked at them again, I am thinking I may want another pair. The floral ones are both cute and so are the light blue!

I hope you enjoyed this month's Color Crash Course column and I hope it will inspire you to think more about the colors you choose for your outfits. Any color combination can work. It is just a matter of intentionality. 

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by the blog! 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, and JoLynn Shane in the Fashion Friday link up.