Spring Colors: Fiesta Red, Limpet Shell and Iced Coffee

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

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

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

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

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

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

Shop the Look:

Blouse - Kohl's - $29.99

Palazzo Pants - Target - $19.99

Cardigan - Target - $19.99

Boots - DSW - $34.94

Clutch - Kohl's - $54.99

Necklace -  Kohl's - $18.20

Closet Clean Out - Tip 6: Shoes and Bags

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day and keep stylin'!

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

Spring Colors: Snorkel Blue, Flash Green and Iced Coffee

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find the Look:

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

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

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

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

Shoe Ideas - Kohl's $65, DSW $49.95

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

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

Closet Clean Out - Tip 5: Accessories

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 
 

Spring Colors: Rose Quartz, Serenity and Iced Coffee

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

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Makeup by Rachel Christensen

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

Find the Look:

Top Ideas - Kohl's $30, Loft $59.50

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

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

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

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

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

Now for our next Closet Clean Out Tip.

 

Closet Clean Out - Tip 4 - Pants:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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