A Month of Holiday Outfits: Inspiration - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

I thought it would be fun to style a few outfits around a few specific Christmas themed points of inspiration like movies, books, music or even colors. Today’s outfit revolves around a sweatshirt I found recently and couldn’t wait to style.

Home Alone is a series of movies revolving around Kevin McCallister played by Macaulay Culkin. Kevin has the misfortune of being left at home alone in the first movie while his family flies to France, not realizing he isn’t with them. While they are gone Kevin must defend his home agains two bumbling, but mean robbers who are trying to steal from all the homes left empty over the holidays. In the second movie, the family, once again, get separated from Kevin at the airport, where he unwittingly boards a flight for New York City instead of the proper flight to Florida. As in the first movie, chaos ensues when Kevin runs into the same two robbers, who have escaped from jail and are looking to steal from a unique toy store that is giving their profits to a local orphanage. I love both movies.

The quote on this sweatshirt was from an old black and white movie Kevin is watching in the hotel room he gets on his dad’s credit card. The movie wasn’t a real film, but was specifically created for the Home Alone 2 movie. Here is the scene containing the quote.

I think this is one of the funnier scenes from the movie and Tim Curry, does such a great job looking mortified and terrified.

I decided to pair the bright red Holiday Time sweatshirt with this Lu La Roe skirt that was gifted to me a number of years ago. I thought the bright red in the skirt went well with the bright red sweatshirt. I have a few of these pieces in my closet, but have not purchased any more. They no longer really suit my style, but I kept a few of the ones I liked, this skirt being one of them.

To keep this look more my style, I added the fuzzy, faux fur bomber. This No Boundaries jacket was a Christmas gift from my spouse a few years ago. It is a warm, classy piece and can either dress up or dress down a look.

I love the contrast of feminine and masculine, girly with and edge, so I also added my second hand Guess moto boots, and grabbed my sparkly Cosmopolitan clutch

I kept my accessories very simple with a silver cross necklace and a recently thrifted cross charm bracelet.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like the Home Alone movies? Do you like to wear red and green at Christmas time?

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it gets you thinking differently about items in your own closet. What pieces could you put together to create a similar look, but still keep it true to your own style?

I’m including a few sweatshirts and long sleeve tees for some holiday inspiration. These are affiliate shopping links. All opinions are my own. Enjoy and have a great week.

Thanksgiving Day Look

I wanted to give you a post this week specifically for Thanksgiving Day. It isn’t very often we need to get dressed up any more, at least for those of us who are not working, or who are working from home, so I thought it would be fun to pull out all the stops and show you a fun, semi-dressy look that would be perfect for Thanksgiving with the family, or a Friendsgiving with your besties.

I got this maxi dress from Nordstrom Rack back in 2018. I have little reason to wear it, but I thought it would be perfect for a Thanksgiving day gathering, or even a Friendsgiving get together. One thing I like about a maxi dress is the simplicity of it. It’s one and done. Slip it over your head and voila you have a whole outfit. Of course you can add a few accessories to liven it up. See how I styled this same dress for a summer look, and for a different fall look.

I decided on brown and golden accents, so my thrifted belt, boots, necklace, and bracelet give a bit of grounding to the dress. In addition, the dress is quite long, so the belt helps to hold up the skirt so I am not stepping on it or it dragging across the ground. The dress is gathered with elastic at the waist, so a belt also helps to cover that up and accentuate the waistline. This belt is made of wood, but has a stretchy aspect to it.

Style Tip: Think of belts, not just as a way to hold up your pants, but as a way to add interest to an outfit. In addition, a belt can help create an waistline where you might not have one, or gather a more voluminous piece in at the waist. Since belts come in all sorts of textures, widths, and colors they can definitely add a kick to your outfit.

I love these 80’s style slouchy, suede, Kelly & Katie boots with the low heel, and yes I did add a pair of leggings under my dress, because it is cold. Heavy tights would work just as well.

The final piece I added to this outfit is the over sized, knee length, Denim & Co cardigan. This piece was another thrift treasure, and I am using it a lot this fall, as a coatigan. It is a heavy weight chenille, and includes both buttons and a tie. I like how it looks open, better, but I am thinking I might like it closed with a different belt.

The final piece I chose was my green Wallflower purse. I chose the green just for an interesting color pop. this is a fun cold weather piece and I wanted to make use of it.

What do you think of this look? Is this the type of thing you would wear to a Thanksgiving get together? As always, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas, so leave me a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links for maxi dresses. These are affiliate links brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase something through one of my links, I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for all you support, and have a very happy Thanksgiving!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - Desert Sun, Magical Forest, and Wispy Clouds

This week we are looking at three more colors from the Pantone London Palette for Autumn/Winter 2025. Today’s colors include, Desert Sun, a rich, golden yellow; Magical Forest, a dark green reminiscent of the deepest woods, and a light, airy grayish white called Wispy Clouds. You can see the actual colors in this pin.

My Desert Sun cardigan is a brand called Callaway V and was a thrift find a few years ago. I love the fun details on this piece including the ruffle around the neck line and the tiny jewels at the center of each button. My phone does not do closeups well, so I didn’t bother trying to get a photo, but trust me those tiny jewels are there. Ha, ha. This golden yellow is a perfect color for fall. You can see how I styled this cardigan with a multi print maxi dress here.

It was hard to find any cardigans in this color so I added a few other Desert Sun items.

My Magical Forest tee is Sonoma brand and was a piece I found at Kohl’s a few seasons ago. Being a not-so-basic sort of girl, most of my basics have to have a few details like interesting prints and even a bit of bling.

I thought these second hand, Gloria Vanderbilt utility pants were a close match to Wispy Clouds. They are a lighter weight so will be put away for the winter, but they are a great pair of pants for a dressy casual vibe. The utility details of extra pockets and rivets make it more casual, but the wider legs give them a dressier trouser vibe.

I kept my jewelry minimal with my fall themed, silver pumpkin necklace. This is a fun piece, with an orange leaf and an orange bead, making it perfect to wear all fall long. I honestly can’t remember where I got this. Ha, ha.

I chose black for my shoes, belt and bag. Honestly, I like how matching a shoe and bag, or a belt with a bag makes an outfit look polished and finished off, but that is just my opinion. Matching is a matter of personal taste these days, so do what works for you.

My belt was thrifted. My bag was a gift from my daughter and is Aidebam brand. My shiny Oxfords are a brand called Sugar. I have had these for a number of years, because I used to wear them to work and I haven’t worked at the bookstore since fall of 2019. Yikes! It’s been six years since I lost my job. Wow! Where does the time go?

What do you think of these colors? Do you like this combination? What colors would you have combined with this golden yellow or this dark green?

I have included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links brought to you at no cost to give you possible shopping options for similar items or colors. Not every color is easy to find, so that is where your closet or a thrift store come in handy. You would be surprised how often I have these colors in my closet, or a close enough match to make it unnecessary to go shopping…although I enjoy that too. Ha, ha.

Thank you for following along on the blog. I appreciate all your support. Have a great day.

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - London Palette: Salted Lime, Fanfare and Chocolate Martini

We are well into October and the last four days have felt like the middle of July rather than fall. We are hopefully heading into a cool down in a day or two. Midwest weather has always been rather chaotic with fluctuating temperatures, times of endless rain, or months of drought. Right now things are very dry, the trees have hardly any color to them, and our cars are regularly covered with dust.

For today’s look I wanted to combine the two greens on the Pantone Autumn/Winter London palette. Just like I combined Lavender Blue and Crown Blue, today I am pairing Salted Lime, a medium, citrus green, and Fanfare, a tealy green. I chose Chocolate Martini for my classic color and I like the earthy vibe of this look. You can see the London palette colors by clicking on this link.

The star of this show is the Fanfare, velvet jacket that I recently thrifted. While not true velvet, it certainly looks the part. I found this piece and immediately threw it into my cart. When I tried it on, I knew it was coming home with me. It was obviously hand made as it still had the rough, inner seams with no finished edges, and no label of any kind.

Salted Lime is not a color I have a lot of. When it comes to greens I like the darker more moody hues of olive and forest green. I also like deep tones like emerald and jungle green. However, I do keep a few pieces that are this lime color. This thrifted, Jaclyn Smith, gingham button down has been around for a number of years. You can see this top as a shacket over a graphic tee, worn under a graphic tee, and worn with a plaid skirt,

My Chocolate Martini pants were purchased new when I was still working as an assistant manager at a university bookstore. These are Worthington brand and I got them at JCPenney. They have a wider leg and are a bit long so I like to pair them with something that has a small heel.

I chose my Nine West heeled ankle boots, which match the pants perfectly. A tip for making your legs look longer and leaner is to match your pants and your shoes. I got these a couple of years ago at Kohl’s.

I went for a layered jewelry look with a short wood bead necklace and a long beaded pendant necklace with fringe.

I wanted to add a pop of color and remembered this cute color block bag I had thrifted last year. It is just a cheap bag and has no brand name in it, but I thought it was extremely cute and fun. I think it works beautifully to add an element of extra color to this outfit.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have any of these in your closet? If not, which one would you like to add? Be sure to leave a comment or too. It helps my blog and it always encourages me.

This picture below, definitely needs a caption! What would you put on it?

I have included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. These are retailers that are available through the affiliate and I cannot speak as to the quality of the pieces offered, so just be sure before you order something that you know the retailer’s return policy. If you purchase an item through my blog using one of my links, I get a little commission. I appreciate all your purchases as they help me keep the blog going. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - London Palette: Poppy Red, Bronze Mist and Dark Gull Gray

Can you believe September is almost over? Here in the midwest it doesn’t exactly feel like fall. The leaves are changing, the sun’s angle is different and the days are growing shorter and shorter, but our temps have been summery. I really don’t mind the blue skies and high 70’s or low 80’s, but I am ready for the cool down, and the return to all that is cozy, including hot tea and cocoa, baking things in the oven and the sweet layers of sweaters and scarves.

We are looking at another trio of colors from the Pantone London Autumn/Winter 2025 color palette. You can see the colors in this Pinterest pin.

Today’s look gets a power punch from Poppy Red. You might remember this color from the New York palette. It is definitely a mood lifter. You can see the New York post here. Today I decided to pair this bright red with Bronze Mist, which is a similar color to the NY Bronze Brown, just a bit more yellowy green. I also chose the color Dark Gull Gray from the classic palette. I styled the shirt two ways, left out and tucked in, so I will include pictures for both.

I found this bright Poppy Red, Sandra knit shell at a thrift store and thought it would work perfectly for a knit vest. I paired it with a second hand Dark Gull Gray, Falls Creek button down. I believe this may be a man’s shirt as it is quite big on me for a large, but who knows. Sizes are so different these days.

This Jones Wear skirt I have styled multiple times on the blog and even though I don’t wear skirts very often, this is still one I reach for. I chose this for the snippets of Bronze Mist color in the pattern. It is fully lined, but light enough to wear in the warmer weather, and warm enough to wear in the winter with tights and a pair of boots. You can see it with a maroon cardigan, a green suede jacket, a yellow top, and a green pullover sweater.

Since I was using the Dark Gull Gray color I chose my Impo ankle boots that I bought on clearance at DSW a few years ago, to balance the look out. Even though fall is the time we put our flip flops away and get out our boots, it is still too warm here to keep boots on for very long…at least for me. I love ankle boots in the cooler weather, and when it gets really cold, then I pull out the taller boots.

I chose this thrifted Fossil bag, as I thought it gave a nod to the Bronze Mist color, even though it isn’t a perfect match.

Do you like these colors together, or do you think they are odd? Do you have this bright Poppy Red in your wardrobe? Which version of this outfit do you like better, tucked in or left out? I love to hear your thoughts so leave me some love.

I’ve included a few shopping links for a few of the pieces to give you some similar color choices, but it was hard to find any sort of skirt in a similar color. These are brought to you at no extra cost. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

I hope you are having a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - New York Palette: Brandied Melon, Hot Chocolate and Bright White

Today I am showing you outfit #5 from my Pantone Autumn/Winter New York Palette series. This is the last trio of colors from this fall palette, and hopefully next week I’ll start the London color palette. You can see the original colors in this Pinterest pin.

Today’s outfit revolves around a mellow orange named Brandied Melon, a soothing brown reminiscent of Hot Chocolate, and Bright White, mimicking the gorgeous clouds we see meandering through the late summer sky.

I chose this unique, thrifted patchwork top for the pops of Brandied Melon. I love the boho vibe and the variety of colors and print. I looked up this brand, Style & Co, and found that Macy’s was the original retailer. I always find it interesting that I will find a certain brand and then find more pieces of that brand as I thrift. I must be drawn to them for a reason.

My Bright White Gloria Vanderbilt jeans have been around for years. I purchased them new at JC Penney, and use them whenever I need a pair of crisp, white pants that are both casual and dressy. I have a hard time photographing white, or any lighter colors outside. Oh well, not worries. You get the idea. You can see these jeans styled with a yellow sweater, a floral kimono, a velvet jacket, a fall jacket, with a white top and sweater, a black vest, and a multi print top. There are more, but you get the idea. White pants are not restricted by any season and go with every color.

Since the top didn’t contain any browns, I added my thrifted Hot Chocolate corduroy bag. I love this roomy, casual bag, and the strap is long enough I can use it like a cross body bag.

I kept my accessories simple. My faux suede, SO ankle boots were from Kohl’s a number of years ago. My necklace was from a few years ago.

If the weather was cooler, I could easily add a longer cardigan for another layer by picking another color in the top. It would look great with olive, black, white, and even the Mauve Wine (see my first outfit in this series, here.)

What do you think of these colors? Do you wear white all year round, or just in the warmer months? Please leave me your thoughts in the comments or leave a comment on FB. I love to hear your ideas.

I included a few shopping links under each item. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I hope yo are having a great middle of September!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - New York Palette: Poppy Red, Lyons Blue and Crown Blue

Happy Uno Septembo! In other words happy September, happy fall and all the good things that go with it: pumpkin muffins, hot chocolate, changing leaves and football. Our weather here in the Midwest is already feeling more like fall, although there is sure to be a few more warm days before the official start of fall and even after. I have heard rumors that we are supposed to have a cold winter and these early chill days may be a forewarning to that.

Today’s outfit takes three more colors from the New York Palette and combines them in a bright, cheerful look that would be perfect for a drab fall day. Poppy Red, Lyons Blue and Crown Blue combined seamlessly when I was working on outfits for this Pantone color series. It was a natural progressions to put these three saturated colors together. To see the actual Pantone colors check out this Pinterest pin.

This whole look is thrifted, except the sneakers. It is always fun to shop my closet and find that so many of the things I bought second hand are easily useable for the current trending colors and styles. So what if a few things are slightly outdated, or not currently on as far as the fashion gurus are concerned. It’s my closet and my style, as it is your closet and your style.

Let’s take the outfit apart. The first piece I chose was this paisley button down that I have had for years. The blue colors were a good match for the Lyons Blue color which is a deeply tinted blue teal. This thrifted piece is Jones Wear Sport. I have thought numerous times of getting rid of this piece, but then I end up wearing it for some reason or other. I do love a good paisley print, just like I love my plaids!

You can also see in this photo I chose a teal necklace that leans a bit more in the green direction, but I like the contrast. In addition, for this fall statement belts are trending, so I decided to create my own statement using an old silver colored chain belt that I have had laying around for decades. It didn’t really help to hold my baggy pants up, but I like how it looks!

After the shirt I chose the pants. It seemed the perfect choice as this bright red pair are perfectly Poppy Red. I thrifted these this year as I had been looking for a red pair of pants. These are Bandolino brand. They are actually a little big now, but I don’t mind and the baggy look is another thing that is trending this fall for jeans, so get comfortable ladies!

I then remembered I had thrifted this blue jacket recently and realized it was a perfect choice for the classic color Crown Blue. This piece is Coldwater Creek brand. This is actually a petite, which I can sometimes get away with. It just gives the jacket a more cropped silhouette, which I occasionally like. I love the contrasting white stitching around the edges. I had a hard time finding anything in this exact color, but I’ve included a few links for darker denim jackets.

I decided to go with silvery gray for my accessories. I wanted something different from red, to match the pants or blue to match the jacket. I do have a bit of a matchy, matchy gene, so I was trying to push myself outside that box. While I did end up matching the bag, and the shoes with the belt, I like how it pulls the whole look together. The sneakers are Skechers and I got them a while back on clearance at Gabes. I hardly ever go into that store, but once in a while my daughter wants to make a stop there and it is fun to look. My bag was thrifted and has no label.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like them together, or would you like them each separately? It is fun to try new combinations and I hope these posts inspire you to expand your thinking on how you put colors together. Leave me some feedback in the comments.

Enjoy the many poses of Amy! Ha, ha.

I hope you are having a great beginning to the month of September! I have included a few shopping links, but these colors are hard to find, so I would say add a color you like to your thrifting list! These are affiliate links, brought to you at no extra cost. If you shop a link through me, I get a tiny commission for your purchase. I appreciate all the support. All opinions are my own.

Have a great day!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - New York Palette: Lemon Grass, Chili Oil, and French Roast

This week brings you another collection of colors from the Pantone Autumn New York color palette. Remember, I am combining colors as they inspired me, but you can take any of the colors from the palette and put them together, or maybe there are only one or two colors that you like and plan on adding to your wardrobe. This is always about what you like and how you can be inspired to look at your closet differently.

Today’s outfit is a contrast of light and dark combining the yellowy green of Lemon Grass with the classic French Roast along with the spice of Chili Oil. You can see the actual Pantone colors here.

This pale yellow top, is not a true yellow, but has just a hint of green, making it the perfect selection from my closet for the Pantone Lemon Grass. I found this a few years ago while thrifting and it is a brand called Jess & Jane. I discovered that Jess & Jane is a California based wholesale clothing company who only sells to specialty boutiques, so who knows where this piece originated from. It’s kind of fun to think of the roads some of our second hand pieces have traveled. I like the asymmetrical hemline and the funky ink spray pattern on the front. I also like the sleeve length, which is perfect for the transitional days between summer and fall.

I remembered that I still had these rusty, Chili Oil, Chico’s So Slimming ponte pants that I had purchased on sale a few years ago. Ponte pants are made from a thick, stretchy, double-knit fabric called Ponte di Roma. They offer a more flattering line than regular leggings due to the specially made seams and more support. I don’t wear dress pants very often these days as I no longer have an office job, but I hang onto things for now, because who knows when I may have to go back to work outside the home.

To add a bit of texture and a layer for cooler temps I reached for this thrifted Crazy Horse by Liz Claiborne corduroy vest. It does a fairly good job of mimicking the French Roast dark brown color on the New York classic palette. I love this piece as it is structured, but also has a bit of stretch making it easier to wear.

I kept my jewelry simple, as the top, vest and pants do the talking. A long black and white, beaded pendant necklace, and a stack, bead bracelet with browns, creams, blacks and a touch of yellow threw in a bit more texture and interest. I didn’t think to swap out my blue Fit Bit band for a brown or white one. Ha, ha.

I chose black for my shoes and bag to tie to the black print on the top. My bag is a thrifted Fossil shoulder bag, and my shoes are Aerosoles that I purchased a number of years ago from DSW. I really like both of these. The bag is a great fall and winter choice, and the heels are comfortable (for as comfy as a heeled shoe can be when you don’t wear them very often - ha, ha).

What do you think of these Pantone colors? Would you wear these colors together? Do you like Lemon Grass, Chili Oil or French Roast the best? Which of these colors do you already have in your closet? Leave me a comment or two. It helps my blog to grown and reminds me why I do this!

I have included a few shopping links. Thank you so much for making an occasional purchase through my links. That gives me a tiny bit of income. I cherish all of your support. These are affiliate links brought to you at no cost. All opinions are my own.

I hope you are having a great week!

My Style: Casual with a Graphic Tee

I have been struggling to get things posted on the blog. It seems our summer has been busier than I thought it was going to be, and the heat, and added responsibilities have made it hard to find the time and the energy to put outfits together or write on my Faith page. However, here I am trying again. This is a piece of advice my mental health therapist often says, “Begin again.” There is something freeing about those two words. The fact that I can start over and begin again reminds me that, not only am I not perfect, but that it is okay. The important thing is that I keep trying.

For today’s outfit I decided to show you an outfit that is very much me. I am pretty simple when it comes to my style, and over the years I have showed you glimpses of what style types I pull from and for the most part these styles are casual and practical.

I like this combination of teal green with salmon. For this outfit, the first this I did was pick the tee shirt. I got another order from Love In Faith. I love their tees and place an order about once or twice a year. The fall and Christmas ones are always hard to resist, but this summer they had a number of cute graphics and colors. As always they are faith based. I am not an affiliate for them, I just love their products and they are always having good sales and are a faith based company so I like to buy from them.

I love the words on this tee, and the picture, of course, but the colors are lovely and so summery. The words printed at the bottom say, “My sin was great, His love was greater….Joh 3:16:” Obviously, I could have gone for a more orange color, but there are also slight shades of the salmon in the tee as well, which don’t show as well in my photo. In case you are ever interested in purchasing from Love In Faith, I typically get a large, because I like the extra room, but I could wear a medium. Since I have lost a few pounds, mediums are beginning to fit better, but I still like my tops roomy, and they do not shrink.

I bought light weight utility ankle pants a few years ago from Kohl’s and they are Sonoma brand. I was looking for a good alternative to jeans. These are perfect for hotter weather and though I could wear them ankle length in the summer I like to roll my pants so they come half way between my ankle and my knee. It is my alternative to shorts.

I found this fabulous green gingham number a few weeks ago. While I can’t really wear it yet, because it is so hot, I am looking forward to bringing it out more often when it gets cooler. It is actually a men’s shirt from JCPenney It is a stiffer cotton fabric, almost like a smooth canvas, and at first I wasn’t sure I would like it, but I am glad I took it. The stiffer feel gives it a bit more structure, which is great when wearing a piece like this as a shacket.

I added a bit of silver bling just to keep the outfit from getting too casual. You can see a little bit of the pinkish color I was talking about on the tee above, thus I also added my embellished Bueno pink cross body bag. I love the fake embroidery on this bag. This was another gift given to me by one of my daughers.

For shoes I pulled out my platform sneakers. I bought these back when platform sneakers were just becoming a thing a few years ago. It looks like we will have a bit of the platform trend sticking around, so I figured I was doing okay to wear these. These are a brand called Roxy and I found them on clearance at DSW.

What do you think of this outfit? What do you like to wear in the summer to look casual but put together? Leave me a comment or two below. I always like to hear your thoughts.

No shopping links today. Just take this as inspiration to shop your own closet and see what you can come up with.

Have a great day!

Shopping Our Closets: Summer Trends - Pinstripes and Polka Dots

This summer two patterns that seem to be trending are pinstripes and polka dots. I thought it would be fun to mix these two patterns for a smart, casual style that can be worn for dress down Friday at the office, or a lunch date with your girlfriends.

The star of this show is the a.new day blazer that I got off the clearance rack at Target a number of years ago. I don’t wear blazer’s as much as I used to, but I love these structured pieces and keep them around. After all, every now and then a girl wants to wrap herself in a lovely jacket, just to make her feel fabulous.

My polka dot tee is a thrifted brand called maxcare. I have never heard of this brand. I did a little searching and the only thing I could come up with was a medical supply company offering scrubs, etc, and a cosmetic company. I supposed this could have been a tee for a medical uniform, but who knows. It is interesting to try to track down some of these lesser known brands that I find at second hand shops.

My jeans, which are also a very light pinstripe pattern are thrifted Gloria Vanderbilt brand and I have had them for a number of years now. They are great for summer as they are light weight. For today’s look I rolled the hems up, but you could easily leave them down. I think rolled hems give an outfit a more playful vibe.

At first I was wearing my white sneakers, but I just wasn’t satisfied, so I went with my denim blue Keds that are from Kohl’s a number of years ago. Keds are one of my favorite casual sneaker brands.

My bag is also old, and another clearance find from Kohl’s. This Sonoma tote is big and roomy. I like the rose gold threads woven in for extra interest and texture. Tote bags are back in as purses, so don’t be afraid to carry one around as your regular bag. I like to occasionally have the extra room a tote bag offers to carry a book, a notebook, or a sweater for those extra chilly air conditioned spaces.

I threw on a little bit of jewelry and was ready for fun.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you have pinstripes and polka dots in your closet? Would you wear them together? I always love to hear your opinions, ideas and thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

The included shopping links are brought to you at no cost. These are affiliate links which means if you click on a link I get a few pennies, and if you purchase something through one of my links I get a small commission. Every little bit helps.

Thanks so much for following along on the blog. I hope to get back to regular posting on here and my Faith page soon. Life, as usual has been dishing it out on us, so sometimes I am not able to get to it. For me this is a hobby started to encourage women like me and you on getting dressed and walking out our faith.

Have a fabulous day!

Color Play: Pantone Spring/Summer 2025 London Palette - Camellia, Windsor Wine and Garden Green

This week’s colors really seem more fall friendly, but it appears the Pantone Color Institute is taking to heart the idea of no more fashion rules. You know the kinds of things I am talking about: wearing white only between Easter and Labor Day, dark colors in the fall and winter, light colors in the spring and summer, and all the “rules” about age appropriate fashion. That last one is one I am personally glad we have more or less thrown out the window, but I still have my own opinions about what is appropriate to wear for any female versus what isn’t. However, I will save that rabbit trail for another day.

Today’s look revolves around a bright orangey coral, a dark burgundy and a deep green. These colors not only seem to be ready for Autumn, but I thought they would make an interesting combination, thus the reason I put this under my Color Play column. Welcome Camellia, Windsor Wine, and Garden Green from the Classic palette. You can see these colors on my Pinterest board by clicking here.

As you can see it was super windy when I took these pictures. The wind also made it chilly. I was intending to do photos for several outfits, but if you saw last week’s post you can see I finally went inside. Ha, ha.

I have had this orangey coral cardigan for several years. It is Sonoma brand and I got it at Kohl’s. It is a great sweater for the warmer weather as it is light weight. It also has the tabs and buttons on the sleeves so you can roll it up to make them shorter if you want. It also has patch pockets on the lower front on both sides.

My Windsor Wine colored pants are thrifted Westport brand. I really would like to say I will wear these again this summer, but I have so many other things to wear in the warm weather that I find more appealing to my desired spring and summer color palette, so these will, most likely, be lovingly packed away until fall.

You can also see I pulled out my similarly colored loafers. These are a thrifted pair of Naturalizers, called Natural Soul. I used to wear these to work, back in the day when I was employed. Ha, ha. I like that they are patent leather, but not the typical black.

For the Garden Green classic color I chose this St. John’s Bay top that I’ve had for a while. I didn’t get a picture of the sleeves, but they are approximately elbow length bell sleeves. I did want you to see a little bit of the pretty embroidery on the top. You can also see my layered necklaces. The top leans a bit more towards the olive direction, but I felt it worked for the Pantone color.

My bag is also green, but compared to the Garden Green it is a bit too bright. This was another thrift find and is Liz Claiborne brand.

What did you think of this color combination? Do you like darker colors all year round, or do you think there is a better time of year to wear them? Let me know by leaving some love in the comments.

I supplied a few shopping links. Please feel free to use these links to buy items for yourself or someone else. If you shop a link through my site then I get a token commission. I appreciate all your support!

Have a great week everyone!

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.

Spring Trends: A Look Back at What's Current

You might be reading my title and thinking, how does that work? How can we look back and see what is currently trending? The simple truth is, fashion, like so many things, runs in cycles. The fashion gurus would like you to believe that what is currently trending is new, and has never been done before. While it may look different and the models may no longer be normal women who wear a size 10, 12 or 14, or may not even be women at all, the reality is, as Solomon said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Drawing on that idea, I thought it would be fun to show you a few of the “current” Spring 2025 trends by using outfits that I have worn on the blog or on my Instagram account.

1 - Pistachio and Petal Pink - I already showed you pistachio green and petal pink last week. You can see that outfit here.

2 - Bohemian vibes - Once again we see things like tiered skirts and dresses, delicate florals, lace, fringe, and flowy fabrics, which not only embrace the 70’s boho vibe, but romance as well.

3 - Old School Elegance - This trend encompasses fabrics like tweed, traditional button down knit cardigans, pearl stud earrings, and pleated, tapered, high waisted trousers. However, it allows including your slim leg jeans or even a denim pencil skirt for a slightly edgier vibe.

4 - Nautical Vibes - There is nothing that says warmer weather than the look of sailor stripes and the color pairings of navy, red and white. I think adding a navy and white or red and white striped top to an outfit instantly gives it the feel of sandy beaches caressed by white foam waves.

5 - Work Wear Redo - Work wear has become increasingly relaxed, especially since the pandemic and so many working from home. Even with the migration back to the office work wear has taken on a more casual vibe, making it easy to transition from the office to dinner out, to the grandkids’ ball games. These are a few outfits I thought might fit into this category. Pieces included in this trend include oversized, roomy jackets and blazers belted at the waist; pleated skirts instead of pencil shape, trench coats, and straight leg trousers.

I will also include in this category wearing pants with a dress. This seems to be right on trend and I am hoping to try this out myself again soon. Here are some previous looks where I did the trendy thing, except it wasn’t trendy at the time. Ha, ha.

I have included a few shopping links throughout to give you ideas to create your own trendy wardrobe for spring. These are affiliate links. I provide them to give you inspiration and options if you want to purchase something. If you purchase an item through my links, I get a few pennies. I appreciate all your support.

I hope you enjoyed this look back at what is currently trending for Spring 2025. :)

Color Play: Trending Spring Colors - Pistachio and Petal Pink

I thought I would cover two of the spring color trends that are being talked about, because you know I love color. The thought that these two colors would look good together was obvious to me and certainly is a nod to spring. Click here to read more about Glamour’s 10 Key Spring 2025 Fashion Trends.

Pistachio is a light green that is a bit different from mint in that it leans more toward yellow, thought not as yellow as olive. I think it is a pretty color and, as with many colors, comes in differing hues and shades.

Petal pink is a pretty spring time pink with purple undertones.

Today’s outfit was built from thrifted pieces in my closet. The sweater is a bit more purple than the Petal Pink color, but if you could see the actual piece it definitely has pink undertones throughout.

My pullover sweater is an unknown brand as the label was cut off. It is a boxy cut, so I decided to try a trick I have seen a number of bloggers and Instagram gals use. I took a belt and put it over the sweater at about my natural waist. I then proceeded to pull the top half of the sweater up and fold the resulting extra over the belt. Voila, a peplum top, of sorts!

Style Tip: Don’t be afraid to try different things to make your clothes work for you. If you don’t already follow Jodie from Jodie’s Touch of Style, she is the queen of giving you tips and tricks to make your clothes really work for you. Be sure to check out her blog. Alterations are great if you know how to sew, but using a hair clip, or a belt like the above example, is a way to make a top, skirt or dress fit a little better without seamstress style alterations.

My thrifted maxi skirt looks like it was a bride’s maid dress in a previous life, but someone cut the top off and gave it a proper waistband with elastic in the back to make it a wonderful full length skirt. Silky skirts are in for spring, so this was a great find when I purchased it a few months ago.

Style Tip: Do you still have a bride’s maid dress hanging around that you just don’t want to get rid of? Why not think about making it into something new, like a skirt, a top, or even a vest. Be creative!

I decided to add this thrifted faux leather quilted vest to add an edgy element to an otherwise soft and feminine look. It is a brand called Selene Sport. In addition, with spring not officially here for a few more weeks and the warmer temps even slower to follow, a vest adds a warm layer around you core.

Style Tip: Use a vest to add warm and interest to any outfit. It is also a great piece to add when an outfit needs a bit of cinching in at the waist, especially the more fitted waist coat types of vests.

I kept my accessories relatively simple. The longer, pendant in a soft shade of pink, and the gold beaded bracelet keep the outfit feminine and refined. The tall, black, SO lace up boots add a bit more edgy vibe with the vest, and the floral, Dana Buchman bag is a direct nod to spring.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear something like this? Do you have any clothes that you have altered to make different pieces? I love to hear you thoughts and ideas so be sure to leave me some love in the comments.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links brought to you at no extra cost. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week!

Shopping Our Closets for Valentines's Inspiration

I know not everyone celebrates Valentine’s Day, and many do fun alternatives like Galentine’s Day and celebrate with friends. My hubby and I will probably do something at home on the actual day, because I have to clean that day and will be exhausted. Ha, ha. However, we can always get dressed in the wonderful colors that revolve around Valentine’s Day like reds, pinks, burgundies, whites and florals. I am doing that all week on Instagram, so be sure to check out my account on there for additional outfits.

I decided to build an outfit around a piece that is little used in the cold winter months, a kimono. While kimonos are not strictly for the warm weather, they do seem to cling and hold static in the colder months, so I don’t use them much. I thought it would be fun to style a casual, date night look using this pretty floral piece.

This thrifted kimono is a brand called Mason & Belle. I liked the floral print, the darker color and the shape of the piece. The lace trim was another fun detail.

I settled on my darker wash, newer Maurice’s jeans that I bought back in the summer. These are everflex, so they have plenty of stretch and are quite comfy.

Style Tip: A darker wash jean is a great alternative to dress pants for a dressy casual outfit or a work wear look.

I’ve had this thrifted Apt. 9 pullover sweater for quite a few years, and while it is showing a bit of wear, I really love the diamond shape open weave, and thought it went well with the kimono.

You can see in the above picture how I layered a few of my rose gold necklaces for a fun addition. Obviously the heart necklace, given to me by my younger daughter, is a shout out to Valentine’s Day.

Here are a few pictures of close ups of the jewelry I had on.

I decided to keep my bag and boots a similar color to the kimono. The bag was a thrift find from my bestie that she gifted to me, and is The Sak. My boots were a Kohl’s purchase from a number of years ago and are ESpirit brand.

What do you think of this outfit? Is this something you would wear? Do you do anything to celebrate Valentine’s Day? We certainly don’t need a significant other to shower love on others. Give a treat to your kids or grandkids; send flowers to a friend; or just take yourself out and celebrate the fact that you are alive!

I’ve included a few shopping links for bags and boots. These are affiliate links. If you purchase an item through my links, I get a few pennies. I appreciate all you support.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s week!

Outfit Inspiration: Pinterest - Winter Pastels

I turned to Pinterest again to search my boards for outfit inspiration. I finally chose this outfit. I typically use these pins as spring boards to build an outfit. While the outfit from Pinterest is lovely and I could totally see myself wearing something like it, I wanted to do something a little bit different. Unfortunately, I am not real thrilled with how this turned out. I decided to post it anyway, because we are ever changing human beings and we are not always spot on, no matter what social media influencers make you think.

I have always wanted to keep this blog real. I am a real person with health issues, mental struggles and emotional ups and downs. This affects my content. It affects how often I post and how put together my outfits look. This past weekend when I took these pictures I was really struggling with fatigue. Being still undiagnosed with what caused my health crisis back in 2021 my body seems to struggle with being at “full health” most of the time. It’s okay. This is life and I am thankful I can still do things and still bring you content even if it is not always perfect.

That being said, I am currently on a journey to do what I can to be healthier. At the suggestion of my digestive health doctor, due to a hiatal hernia, I am trying to lose a few pounds and eat healthier. I joined Weight Watchers and it is helping me to make better choices, as well as lose weight through tracking and portion control. I left in the picture of my pants, even though they look silly, but you can see they are a bit baggy and slouchy due to some of the weight loss.

I decided to use my pastel green, open front, Christopher and Banks sweater instead of a similar colored pullover that I could have used. I love this light colored, textured piece.

Style Tip: If you are getting tired of the darker colors we often reach for in the colder months try changing things up a bit by throwing in a few pastels or super bright colors to give your day a boost.

My thrifted Oxford gray, Sonoma pullover sweater is a light weight piece that works much like a long sleeve tee, but has the fun detailing of the ribbed bottom, boat neck, and wrists.

Style Tip: Look for light weight sweaters at thrift stores or end of season sales to add to your basics pile of layering pieces.

These Stitch Star jeans from Meijer are definitely showing their wear and will probably need to be passed along one day soon.

I wanted a similar scarf to the original pin with a touch of another pastel color. Theirs was more of a purply pink, so I pulled out a scarf that had the light green, but also some splashes of purple and pale pink,

I chose pale pink for my other accessories, except my necklace which is dark purple agate. My cross body bag and my metallic Circus by Sam Edelman combat boots are both thrifted.

I thought I would add pictures to show you a few other ways to wear the scarf with this outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? I think the overall concept is a good one: cardigan, light weight sweater, pants/jeans, scarf and accessories. However, if I did it again I think I would swap out the the faded jeans for a dark black pair. I am also still not sold on the metallic combat boots. I am not sure why. I think they are adorable when I look at them, but when I put them on I feel unsettled. Ha, ha. Yes I do have an emotional relationship with my clothes.

Let me know what your thoughts are. I always love your feedback.

No shopping links this week. Be sure to stop by the blog on Thursday for another Mulling it Over Post where I continue to dive deep into Romans 8.

My Style: Cozy Textures and Print Mixing Fun

When we think of winter, one print and one texture always come to mind: buffalo plaid and sherpa. Today’s outfit combines both the fuzzy, cozy texture of sherpa with the casual print mix of dark winter florals and buffalo plaid while still giving a nod to our winter color of burgundy. This outfit is one I might have worn to work back in the day, but would be perfect for lunch with a friend or a casual date night out.

My base pullover is one I got this last fall from Maurice’s online. It is so soft, and perfect to wear all winter long. I threw on a pendant necklace that also makes me think of snowflakes, but you can’t really see it. A shorter necklace would have been better.

My Gloria Vanderbilt, floral jeans were a Kohl’s clearance find a few seasons ago. I love dark florals in the fall and winter and with the burgundy color being popular right now I felt these fit in quite well.

I added this Sonoma sherpa jacket for the fun of print mixing, and it is a shout out to the wonderful textures of winter that keep us warm and cozy. This was another clearance find at Kohl’s a few seasons ago. It was marked way down and I think they were not very popular as there were a few left. I think the cut is a bit boxy and I got it more as a piece I could wear around the house on these polar vortex days. Ha, ha.

I decided on my thrifted, olive, hobo bag to go along with the bits of green in the pants. This is a great bag that I have had for a number of years. It is made of some sort of vinyl blend and really isn’t showing any sort of wear or pealing like so many of the fake leather hand bags show after just a few years. I added a fun snowflake pin for a bit of bling.

My ankle boots are the same ones I wore the week before last with the embroidered cardigan and burgundy pants. They are thrifted Forever 21 brand. Please excuse the dust and cat hair. Ugh! Real life.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you have a sherpa jacket? Do you like buffalo plaid? I always love to hear your thoughts.

I hope you are having a wonderful week.

I’ve interspersed shopping links throughout. These are affiliate links. I appreciate you taking the time to check out the blog.

Styling into the Holidays - Part 2: Holiday Work Party

It’s been five years since I lost my job at the university bookstore. As an assistant manager I was lucky to be able to wear business casual attire and sometimes went to work wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, especially if I was going to be book slamming - unpacking and shelving textbooks. However, once in a while I liked to get more dressed up to at least give the appearance that I was the second in command. Ha, ha. Today’s look is one that I might have worn during our holiday sales events.

When I was getting ready for my little photo shoot I decided to put volumizing powder in my hair. Unfortunately, I ended up putting too much in and I couldn’t even get a brush through my hair without nearly pulling my head off. Ha, ha, ha! I tell you what, us girls go through such feats to look beautiful. I tried to add some waves, but even the straight iron couldn’t make headway with my mess. So silly. There are times I really do feel like Lucille Ball. Ha, ha.

My thrifted, plaid Requirements blazer has been styled on the blog before. You can see that post here. It is a great piece, but doesn’t get as much love as it should since I only use it during the holiday season, which is very short. That is exactly why I pulled it out for this post. I really should try to wear it after the holidays. What do you think? Would you wear this before or after the Christmas season?

Denim skirts are trending right now, so I was glad to have another opportunity to wear this thrifted St. John’s Bay piece. This is a great pencil maxi whether you dress it up or down. My belt was also a thrift find.

I love this black turtleneck top that I found second hand. It is a brand called united.states.sweaters. It is soft and stretchy. A basic black turtleneck can be very flattering and can be dressed up or down. Just add gold or silver jewelry or a bright colored scarf and you take your outfit up a notch without really trying.

For my accessories I chose black for bag and boots and gold for my jewelry. My blag top handle hobo bag was a thrifted piece and a brand called Scarleton. You can find this brand on Amazon and they are very reasonably priced.

My black boots were a Black Friday purchase last year from Kohl’s and are Journee brand.

These gold tone jewelry pieces have been around for years, but always seem to keep their shine.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you have worn something like this to a holiday office party? What would you do with the pieces in your closet?

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it provided a little inspiration for your holiday get togethers, or just gave you an excuse to get dressed up to go to the mall or out to lunch with a friend. I have provided a few shopping links for similar items and I try to keep the price points more reasonable. These are for you to shop or to just draw inspiration from. These are affiliate links, brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a little kickback. I appreciate all of your support.

Leave me a comment or two. I always love to hear from you!

Shopping Our Closets: Cool Weather Basics

I think most of us veer towards certain pieces when the temperatures start to cool down. Even though our temps have been taking their time about cooling off, we know the chilly days are inevitable, and we will be reaching for our long sleeve tees and sweaters. Today I thought it would be fun to talk about these basic pieces and show you how I put together a simple, casual outfit that would be perfect for anyone’s busy lifestyle.

When I hear the word “basics” my mind automatically goes to things like underwear and socks, but everyone has their own likes on those so we’ll just leave that alone. The basics I wanted to talk about today are long sleeve tees, cardigans and jeans. Obviously, these basics can vary from piece to piece. Long sleeve tees can be v-neck, scoop neck, boat neck, crew neck or even turtle necks. The same is true of cardigans. Basic cardigans most often have crew or v-neck and buttons down the front, but cardigans come in a variety of lengths, styles, textures, fabrics and even embellishments. Maybe your basic cardigan is an open front knee length duster. Someone else maybe consider a sweater with a zipper and a fold over collar to be their basic piece. Basics really depend on your personal taste and what you are doing. A work wardrobe is going to be different than a casual, stay at home wardrobe.

As you can well imagine, I have cardigans in a variety of colors, but I chose red as a nod to the weeks ahead leading up to Christmas. It is coming whether we want it to or not. I personally love Christmas, but I also acknowledge that life is already very busy, then throw in the busyness of the holidays and trying to come up with outfits might be a bit overwhelming. However, when you stick to your basics you can’t go wrong. You will still look put together, and you can embellish with jewelry, scarves, bags and shoes and be ready for any holiday shopping or get together you need to attend. Here are a few basic cardigans from Kohl’s, JC Penney, Macy’s, and Amazon.

For this outfit I started with this thrifted red cardigan. I found this in the last couple of years. It is a medium weight, so great for these cooler days that are still above freezing.

Style Tip: When building an outfit around your basic pieces it really doesn’t matter what piece you start with. You could choose your tee first, your sweater, or even your pair of jeans and build your outfit around that. Mood is a realistic part of getting dressed, but instead of not getting dressed I think it is essential to take a shower and put on clean clothes. That is part of what makes having basics to important. If you are feel exhausted, or down if you can at least manage a tee, a cardi and a clea pair of jeans you are doing good.

I grabbed this red and white striped tee for my top. These basic tees from Kohl’s by Sonoma are perfect for layering under a cardigan. Here are a few other basic long sleeve tees from JC Penney, Maurice’s, Target, and Amazon.

These jeans were purchased at Maurice’s in the late summer. They are incredibly comfortable, a lighter wash and heavier so perfect for the cold weather. The mild distressing makes them great for both casual and dressier looks.

Style Tip: Once you have your basics chosen feel free to embellish as much or as little as you want. An outfit like this will allow your pretty necklaces and scarves to really pop and take center stage. I kept my look simple and casual with the choice of my Converse, but if I would have went with a low heeled boot it would have taken it up a notch taking it from busy grandma, to cute date night look.

I have been looking for an excuse to wear this layered bead necklace, so I was happy it looked so nice with this outfit. You can also see my Fossil bag which was another second hand score. One of the things I like about these heavier cloth bags is that you don’t have to worry so much about the issues with peeling that the nylon or faux leather bags have.

Do you like using basics like these to build an outfit? How do you most often use your basic pieces? How do you dress basics up to make them more work, or event worthy? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two below.

I’m adding a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link or buy a product through the link I get a little commission. These are brought to you at no extra cost. Thank you for all your support.

Have a great week!

Outfit Inspiration: Navy and Green Color Combo

Right now Pinterest seems to be the source of inspiration for many of my recent blog posts. I do use the occasional Instagram challenge to also find inspiration, and there are lots of places, people and things to inspire our clothing combinations. However, as you know, convenience often weighs heavily when life is busy or we are feeling tired. This is the pin that inspired today’s look.

Unlike the Pinterest pin, I used a vest, rather than a jacket, and there are other differences in accessories, and so on, but as I have said before, the point is to be inspired. I think something an fellow Instagram user posted makes sense. We want to be inspired, not influenced. Inspiration allows us to shop our own closets and put together similar looks without necessarily having to copy the look. Being influenced might include the pull to purchase pieces we don’t need or won’t actually wear.

This Christopher & Banks vest is from a couple years ago. It is a great piece and the quilting definitely gives it a warm, cozy feel. I like that it is a bit longer than many of my other quilted vests, and that it has buttons instead of a zipper. I rarely wear any of my vests closed, but it is nice to have different options.

Style Tip: Before you purchase vests or jackets think about collars. Ask yourself if you prefer the collar to lay flat or stand up, or be able to do both. Think about what you will be wearing it for and how you will be styling it with your other clothing. For today’s outfit, the stand up collar works great, but those are not my first choice. I typically like a collar to lay flat, or be something similar to a shawl type collar, or in the cold weather a turtleneck will do.

This minty green sweater is a thrifted Sonoma piece. The color and the texture were different than the other pullovers I have, so I snatched this one up. I added the reddish pendant necklace and bracelet, along with my bag as an after thought, but I think the darker reds help define the outfit as a fall look.

Style Tip: When it comes to transitional outfits, you may find yourself reaching for the same pieces which brings the option of pairing them together again. With a few easy adjustments you can make a fall outfit work for spring, or a spring outfit work for fall. To make this outfit passable for spring I would choose lighter colored accessories, possibly in a pastel pink.

These thrifted Sonoma utility pants look brown in this picture, but they are an olive drab. I thought they worked well for this overall casual outfit.

I played around with a few different scarves, one of which was a dark blue with pink and burgundy tones. I thought of pairing burgundy pants with the vest and sweater, but then decided I wasn’t quite ready for the darker colors. Thus when I saw this scarf and liked how it went with the other pieces I opted for burgundy accessories to still bring in the darker tone of fall, and I thought the burgundy went well with the pinks in the scarf.

My bag is The Sak brand and it was given to me by my thrifting bestie.

My ankle boots were purchased at Kohls and are SO brand. I have had them for several years.

Style Tip: Should you match your shoes to your pants, your top or not at all? I think variety is the spice of life, as they say, so why not do all three. Today, I matched my shoes to my vest. Other days I might wear shoes that look more like my pants to create that longer, leaner line from hip to toe. Still on other days, I might wear a basic brown, or black boot, or I might just wear sneakers and they don’t have to match at all. Your outfit, your way, so however you want to do it is fine. The point is to be comfortable, pulled together and confident in what you are wearing.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and that it inspired you to build an outfit that combines colors, textures and accessories to make you feel good when you are in it.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. Think ahead, and use these links to start your Christmas shopping. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!