Summer Outfit - Leopard Print Skirt - Casual

Hi everyone. How are you doing? I just finished reading an article written by a woman whose whole family contracted COVID. They are all struggling through it. Her husband was in the hospital, but now is home. Both of her kids got it, but they are slowly progressing. She has it as well, but is managing at home with oxygen. I also read another article this morning that yesterday was the highest recorded day of new cases in the US since April. It is very disheartening and discouraging, but it is, what it is. Don’t stop taking precautions. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. Okay, enough on that, now time for an outfit.

Tuesday I showed you my thrifted leopard print skirt in a more dressy, work wear friendly style. Today, I am showing off that same skirt, but with a more fun, casual flair.

If you didn’t read the last post, this thrifted skirt is a brand called Who, What, Wear. It is a very light weight material, but it did seem to get full of static when I put it on. I am going to have to see if washing it with fabric softener makes any difference, plus I dried it on the line, since I don’t have a dryer at the moment. As long as the weather is good, I like to hang clothes out in the warmer weather anyway, so I decided I wanted to get the dish washer, which we just replaced last month, paid off, before we purchase a new dryer. The joys of real life. Ha, ha.

I kept the same off white thrifted St. John’s Bay tank top, but swapped out the black polka dot blazer for my thrifted Rue 21 cropped denim jacket. This is one of my favorite thrifted pieces. It is so versatile and I pair it with everything. The fact that it is cropped with 3/4 length sleeves makes it the perfect piece for summer outfits, when you don’t really need a full blown jacket.

I changed my accessories to reflect a more casual vibe. Sometimes it is fun to wear multiple necklaces together, so I wore a gold and cream beaded choker with a longer gold charm pendant necklace.

I chose my thrifted yellow, Elle tote bag because I like the way it went with the skirt and I thought it added another dimension of texture and interest to the outfit.

My Mossimo sneakers were also a thrift find. One of the Goodwill stores I go to has multiple new items from Target. They must be items that are discontinued, but they are brand new with the labels still on. How fun is that! These are not sneakers I would wear for a long day on my feet, but I thought they were fun for occasional wear and for the blog.

What do you think of this casual interpretation for this skirt? Do you think it works? Would you wear a skirt in this way. Leave me your thoughts in the comments. I love to hear your ideas and thoughts.

Here are the two outfits side by side. Which one did you like better?

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

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great weekend everyone and stay safe!

Summer Outfit - Leopard Print Skirt - Dressy

I decided after finishing up my Pantone series, to do a few weeks of summer outfits, using pieces from my closet and showing how to wear them two ways; a dressed up version and a more casual version. Today’s summer piece is a thrifted leopard print, asymmetrical skirt that I scored at a Goodwill back before the pandemic ever hit. This is a Who, What Wear piece, which is typically found at Target.

These photos were taken at the beautiful Botanical Gardens here in Toledo, which are very close by. I tend to forget they are there, which is ridiculous, because they are so nice for walking, taking pictures, clearing your head and they even have a huge playground, which is now reopened. I may have to get my grandson over there on a day when it is not too hot.

Here you can see up close the uneven hem of the skirt. The skirt is very light weight, but unfortunately when I put it on, it became full of static. I ended up putting a slip on, which helped a little bit, but static was still an issue. I guess I need to add fabric softener next time I wash it.

Here is a better view of the skirt from the front.

For more of a dressed up work look, I added my polka dot Black Label -Evan Picone blazer. I have styled this on the blog before. You can see me wearing it with a burgundy tunic dress, a blue maxi dress, and a scarf print blouse. Because I knew we were going to be taking pictures at a location that might not have their bathrooms open yet, I decided to make my changes from dressy to casual as simple as possible so I could just do it at the car. When I was completely done with one outfit my daughter and I would drive back to her house where I would change into the next outfit. Yes, we get creative. Ha ha.

The thrifted, off white, St. John’s Bay tank top, was an easy top to just throw different jackets over without any fuss or muss. You’ll see that in Thursday’s post.

I kept my accessories fairly simple since I had some print mixing going on. My necklace used to belong to my daughter, and when she didn’t want it any more, I grabbed it. I like the ribbons and dangling beads. It makes for a unique piece. I opted for a simple wood bracelet and a off white clutch type cloth bag.

These Kenneth Cole - Reaction - black wedge sandals were also a thrift find and I have used them on the blog before. You can see them worn with two outfits styled around a bag. and an outfit with shorts.

Do you own a leopard print skirt? Is it one you could wear in the summer. I have two other leopard print pencil skirts. One is corduroy and great for cold weather and the other is a more medium weight, so could be worn in any season.

Did you like this outfit? Be sure to check back on Thursday to see how I used this same skirt and tank for a completely casual look.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Wearing White - 3/4 Length Sleeve Tiered Blouse

This is my final post in this wearing white series. I feel this outfit really epitomizes the fall feel and it also showcases some of the fall trends that are floating around out there on the internet and in the fashion world. There are so many trends, and depending on who you get your information from, you’ll see some overlap and some very different ideas as to what is currently trending for fall. I’ll be talking more about that for a few posts starting on Thursday.

Today’s outfit features a white 3/4 length sleeve tiered blouse that I found at a thrift store. Just disregard the snarky look on my face. Ha, ha.

Here is a picture without the vest, so you can get a better look at the top. This top is a brand called Spense. You can find this brand at JC Penney, Nordstrom Rack and a few other retailers.

I didn’t notice until looking at this picture that you can see through the blouse a little bit, so it might be good to wear a cami underneath. It don’t think it is a big deal with the sweater vest over the top. I love the detailing on this piece. Each tier and the flounce on the sleeves are edged with a crocheted embellishment, giving the blouse an extra boho vibe.

I paired the blouse with my Worthington leopard print skirt, which I have styled on the blog before. You can see this skirt paired with a pink blouse, a cropped denim jacket, a teal green sweater, and a white denim jacket. You know a piece was worth investing in when it is worn over and over. Leopard print is still showcasing its fierceness this fall along with other animal prints like snakeskin, zebra and more.

To pull the whole outfit together, I chose this crafted fringe vest. I honestly cannot remember where I got this. Ha, ha. No matter, I like it and reach for it often. Fringe is another trend that seems to be making its own cross seasonal stand in the fashion world.

Accessories for an outfit like this can varied and colorful. You could go classic black or brighten up the look with variations of burgundy, red, blue or green. I wanted the focus to be my white blouse so I kept the accessories more sedate going for gold and brown.

Why not wear a leopard pendant with a leopard skirt?

I’ve had this gold bag for a very long time. It was thrifted and is a brand called emilie. Metallics are another trend that are big this fall. Be on the look out for pieces that shimmer and shine. If you are like me, you already have something in your closet that has a fun metallic sheen. I’ll be talking more about that on Thursday.

I just got these boots from DSW. They are Baretraps and I think they will be getting plenty of use this fall and winter.

What do you think of this outfit? Did you like this series on wearing white? I hope that you found some inspiration here on the blog.

I’ve included a few shopping links, just for fun. Every time you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of my links, I might get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

I hope you are having a good week so far.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 - Toffee & Mango Mojito

I am continuing my Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 series with two more fun colors called Toffee and Mango Mojito. I was glad to see this lighter brown on the palette this year. Usually brown doesn’t show up until fall and often it is more of an orangey brown, so this brown is a perfect neutral. I absolutely love this pretty yellow and I think the name is perfect. It makes me think of sunflowers and sunshine and what could be more reminiscent of summer.

I didn’t really have anything that was this particular brown. As I have said before, when I talked about Brown Granite in the last Pantone post I did, I like brown, but it is not something I have a lot of in my closet. For this Toffee color, I decided to use my Worthington leopard print skirt. Animal prints are still in, so hang onto your snakeskin, zebra and leopard.

When I saw this Apt. 9 tee at a thrift store, I chose it for the color alone, not realizing how perfectly it would mimic the Mango Mojito color. Then when I chose the skirt, I knew this tee would be the right piece to pair with it.

As with any outfit, accessories can make everything even better. I’ve had this thrifted white jean jacket by Sanctuary, for a few years and pull it out every now and then for the warmer weather. I thought it was the perfect topper for this outfit.

I kept my other accessories simple and earthy in keeping with the leopard print. A black pendant necklace, a beaded bracelet and my woven basket bag with black trim seemed the perfect accompanying pieces for this outfit. Do you own a basket bag? They are fun, and much more versatile than I once thought, especially in the summer.

I decided to wear these thrifted loafers to keep the look more casual. You could easily take this outfit up a notch by adding a sweater instead of the jacket, a sparkly clutch and heels, along with some jewelry with a bit more bling. As is, it is a nice outfit for work.

We had fun taking these pictures inside a local mall that is no longer a “normal” mall.

What sort of photos do you like best? Outdoor or indoor? I’ve always been a fan of natural light, but I think these indoor shots are kind of fun, don’t you?

Do you like these Pantone colors? I think Mango Mojito is one of my favorites. I know not everyone will like it, because not everyone can wear it, but remember, you don’t have to wear a color that’s not really good with your complexion, you can always carry it in the form of a bag, wear it on your feet, or even tie a scarf in the color to your purse.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which means, when you click on a link, I get a few pennies. All opinions are my own. Thanks for all of your support. If you know someone you think might enjoy my blog, be sure to tell them about it. If you aren’t already a subscriber, please subscribe. It keeps my blog going.

Have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

My Favorite Animal...Print, I Mean

I thought it would be fun to show you some of my own leopard print pieces. I would say, out of all the different animal prints, leopard is probably my favorite with snakeskin print being the second. I have never been into zebra print. I love the animals and think it is very pretty in home decor, but the jazzy black and white stripes never seemed to appeal to my fashion preferences. But never say never.

Over the last few years I have been drawn to leopard print and have found a few fun pieces, some of which you have seen already. The first piece I acquired was a leopard print skirt. This was a JC Penney find and is Worthington brand. The first picture was from spring of 2016; the second is just this fall.

See original post here.

See original post here.

I also snatched up another leopard print skirt at a thrift store. Why do I need two leopard print skirts that are almost the same as far as shape and length? I could say the colors are a bit different and the second has a richer texture because it is corduroy, but in all honesty, I just forgot that I had the first one when I saw the second one in the thrift store. Ha, ha. This one is Jones, NY brand.

See original post here.

The next piece I acquired was a thrifted 3/4 length sleeve cardigan sweater. I liked the extra classy feel of the black band around the hem, sleeves and buttons. This is a brand called Karen Scott.

See original post here.

One of my favorite pieces you have seen recently on the blog and that is my leopard print blazer from JC Penney. This is a faux velvet piece and while it is not rigidly structured, it has enough shape to make it look classy. Thus far I have only styled it casually, but I think I will think about a more dressed up look.

See original post here.

See original post here.

If you are interesting in reading those original posts, just click on the links below the pictures. You might have fun seeing how different my hair was before I decided to start growing out my gray. Ha, ha.

I have a few other leopard print pieces for accessories including a pair of flats from Christopher and Banks and a scarf.

See original post here.

See original post here.

Those are my current leopard print treasures. I’m hoping at some point to acquire a pair of booties and a bag of some sort, but I’m in no hurry. I think leopard print is here to stay.

Do you have a favorite animal print? What ways do you like to wear those types of prints. I’d love to hear from you. Leave me some love or a few sassy remarks about my past pictures in the comments. Ha, ha.

Have a great weekend!

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

More Ideas for Valentine's Day

I thought I would put together a collection of looks from the last two years that would work for a Valentine's Day date either with your significant other or with your friends. 

I love the multiple textures involved in this outfit from the patent leather heels and the embellishments on the leggings, to the pleated skirt and fringe on the woven belt. The floral velvet top is a perfect piece for a romantic candle light dinner. See the original post here. 

I love the richness of the burgundy of this dress and it's perfect for those of you who don't like a bold crisp red or a light whimsical pink for your Valentine's Day color of choice. Since the dress has short flutter sleeves I topped it with a lacy romantic hoodie. See the original post here. 

This was one of my earlier posts. My daughter who takes my pics is probably cringing right now. I think it is neat to see how far we have come, both her and I! Anything leopard can be dressed up to look romantic. There is something special about this animal print and I think pairing it with this light pink top was a great way to showcase the skirt and add an additional feminine touch. See the original post here. 

For a more casual look choose black for your base pieces, but add a pop of berry, or red to really make the outfit Valentine's Day perfect. I like this melding of colorful feminine with edgy biker chic. See this original post here. 

This outfit uses the same pink top seen in the picture worn with the leopard print skirt. My favorite piece in this outfit is the velvet blazer. It is such a cozy, lux piece and the color is perfect for a Valentine's night out. The tote bag adds another dimension of fun and whimsy to the entire look. Original post here. 

This extra casual look would be great for a quick bite to eat and then a comfortable night at home watching a movie. Just kick off the heels and put on the fuzzy socks. Or skip the socks so your hubby can massage your feet while you cuddle on the couch. See the original post here. 

How do you pick out an outfit for a special occasion like Valentine's Day? Do you stick to the traditional colors of the holiday or do you reach for your usual go to look? This year, if you are doing something special, try picking out an outfit that wouldn't be your norm. Layer a dress  over jeans, add a moto jacket over a more dressy outfit, add a bright red hand bag or a pop of pink to a more monochrome look. There are all sorts of ways to up your styling game using what you already have. 

Have a great Valentine's Day everyone, whether you are with your hubby, significant other, kids or girlfriends. Make it an occasion to get dressed up for. 

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

Holiday Outfit - Casual - Skirt

In this series on holiday outfits I wanted to give you options that you can use for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Although, by the time this series is done, Thanksgiving will be over. I can't believe it is on Thursday. I just took out my turkey this morning to start thawing. How many of you are cooking on Thursday? I really don't mind the work. When I have a special occasion I like to cook. When life is busy my spouse and I will eat out a couple times a week, so when I get the chance to cook, I do enjoy it. The clean up, not so much! Ha, ha

For this week's post I took a leopard print skirt and designed a casual and comfortable outfit that still looks chic and festive. 

Like I did last week, I'll organize this in a way that will help you build a holiday outfit from pieces that you already own. 

1. Pick a casual skirt that you like to wear. I doesn't have to have a print, but prints are fun. In keeping with the time of year, maybe choose a piece that has darker colors or more fall-like tones. Length is up to you. Mini's, maxi's or something in between all work as the foundation for a festive holiday outfit. 

The thing that makes this Jones, NY leopard print, pencil skirt more casual is its texture. It is made of narrow wale corduroy. Corduroy is very close to a ridged velvet. The fabric has the same soft feel, so it is comfortable and movable. Another thing that makes this skirt more casual is the belt loops and front zipper. I have another leopard print skirt that I styled on the blog here, but I feel it is more dressy. It is a smooth chino type fabric with a structured waist that buttons on the side. i'll admit they look pretty similar and I will probably get rid of one of them at some point, but for now, I am guilty of owning two leopard print skirts. Ha, ha. 

Another great casual skirt that you could easily dress up for the holidays is a denim one. Denim is the perfect back drop for all sorts of pretty combinations that stay casual, but still say holidays.

2. Pick a festive companion piece. For my outfit I chose two companion pieces, an open weave pullover sweater with gold threads, and a denim vest with silver bling on the yoke. This sweater is Covington and the vest is Christopher & Banks. 

The bling gives the outfit a holiday feel without being a top that has the actual holiday on it. If you don't have a top with bling choose a vest or sweater in the season's color. A rich burgundy or maroon will work great for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Even a deep purple or rusty orange will give an outfit a holiday vibe. 

3. Pick your jewelry. If you have a more blingy top you might want to forgo the jewelry, lest you feel like a Christmas decoration, but if you think the more the better, then welcome to my world. The goal is overstatement versus understatement

I chose a brassy necklace that had a few beads that matched the Butterum color in the skirt. The brassy chain also goes with the brass buckle on my belt. Sometimes mixing metals can clash, but I think in this outfit it works because no one metal takes center stage. They all compliment and work together with other colors in the outfit.

If your outfit pieces have no bling, then you can layer on the jewelry. Try multiple layers of gold or silver necklaces, or mix them up. Gold and silver can look gorgeous on a backdrop of burgundy, dark purple or deep navy. Think about what you own and try different pieces until you find something that makes you say, "I really like how that looks." Chances are, other people will think so too.

4. Add a bag. To pull together the browns in the skirt and the necklace I reached for my Butterum hobo bag. It is roomy enough to fill with additional items for a trip to see the family for dinner or even to tuck a light weight shawl for someone else's cooler home. 

5. Don't forget your shoes. Once again I reached for my Impo gray suede ankle boots. You can see I also went for a dark brown pair of tights, for full coverage of my legs. 

I chose these as they are dressy, but not too dressy. They are warm and I thought the gray color went well with the gray sweater. You could also wear knee hight boots, over the knee boots or even a pair of Keds or Converse sneakers for an even more casual look. The classier your shoes are the more dressed up the outfit will look. Heels, to me always make a dressy statement. You'll see more of that in the next four posts as we get into dressier looks. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing this outfit in my holiday series and I hope it provided some inspiration for you to create a holiday look from your own closet. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Here are a few cute skirts and boots to shop for. This post contains affiliate links. All opinion are my own.

Piece Perfect - The Cropped Denim Jacket

I don't know about you, but I am thankful, January is over. It means we are a little bit closer to spring and the days are starting to get just a smidge longer! Yay! When thinking spring I start to think about outfits that can transition me out of winter. I still want to layer pieces because it is still very cold, but I want to get away from some of my heavier sweaters, jackets and boots and start thinking about lighter layers and brighter colors. 

Today's Piece Perfect post centers around a cropped denim jacket. 

I have worn this jacket in a number of posts and I will be including pics from each of those. I found this cute jacket at a thrift store, but they are very popular right now and you can find them just about any where. This particular jacket is a medium wash, has a good amount of stretch and has just a little bit of distressing. 

It has taken me a little while to warm up to the idea of clothing with rips in them, but when I found this jacket I knew it was perfect for me. The distressing is minimal and the "wounds" are showing threads, not skin. That is just my personal preference and has nothing to do with whether the clothing is appropriate or not.

For this post, I styled the denim jacket with my leopard print skirt, a gold button up blouse, black hose and black boots. I kept the accessories minimal with my gold woven clutch and my chunky pendant necklace. 

Now that I am looking at this picture, I am wondering if a black turtleneck would have been better. what do you think? I think the necklace would have popped more and black would have hidden my bulges. Ha, ha.

A medium or dark wash denim jacket is quite versatile. You can style it casually or dress it up. Here are a few of the other outfits I styled this jacket with in the past. 

Click here to see this post. 

See the full post for the above two looks here.

As you can see I styled this jacket in a number of different ways. Which one is your favorite? Here are all four looks side by side. 

Each piece that I have selected over the last few months in these Piece Perfect posts is meant to serve as a source of inspiration. The reason I like the cropped denim jacket as opposed to a normal length denim jacket is that it gives the wearer a plethora of ways to style it. If you prefer a light wash or a darker wash you can still style it in many unique and fun ways. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Tell me in the comments section which outfit you liked the best, or tell me how you like to wear a denim jacket. I appreciate all of your comments. I currently don't have a way of letting you know that I responded to your comments, but I do try to respond to everyone, just check back on the original post to see my reply. 

Be sure to check back next Tuesday for the start of my Romance is in the Air series. I'll be styling lace and velvet and other pretty things. Have a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping Options:

Cropped Denim Jackets

Macy's - $49.99 (on sale now)

JC Penney - $34.99 (on sale now)

Forever 21 - $29.90

Piece Perfect - Basic Cardigan

I'm pretty sure most of us have, what I would term, a basic cardigan. What makes it a cardigan is that it serves the function of a sweater and usually has long sleeves, along with a button up or zip up front. In today's fashion world, cardigans are anything but basic. There are sleeveless, short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve and long sleeved versions. There are buttons, snaps, toggles and zippers. There are also versions that have no closures, such as tie front and fly away. They vary in length from short to long and anything in between. However, I think a wardrobe is incomplete without the basic cardi.

Today I am styling a brown cardigan two ways. I will not admit to the number of basic cardis that I have, just as I will not admit to the actual number of sweaters that are residing on various shelves throughout my home. Just don't ask my hubby. Ha, ha. For me, brown is a fairly basic fall color, so that is what I chose for my outfits.

1. A Casual Look -

For this basic look I styled the brown cardi over a Spicy Mustard tee. You'll see this top again in the Pantone Fall 2016 color line up when I feature it in a few weeks. I added my comfy boyfriend jeans. 

My accessories included a large multi colored tote which pulls together the browns and the yellows. I also wore a bead and antler necklace that I found on clearance at Cabela's. In keeping with the natural theme I added a simple wood bracelet. To finish off the look I wore my leopard print flats.

2. A Dressed Up Look - 

For this look I kept the same Spicy Mustard tee and basic brown cardigan. Instead of boyfriend jeans I wore eggplant colored hose and a leopard print skirt

In choosing my accessories I went for the purple, gold and brown. My jewelry was mainly gold with a few clear beads. My ankle boots were brown and the small clutch pulled in the purple of my hose. 

Here's the two looks side by side.

Yes, the vine is trying to eat me! 

So there you have it, my take on styling a basic cardigan. I think a cardi is a great piece to invest in, whether you have a couple or one in many different colors. They are versatile and an easy addition to any outfit casual or dressy. 

I hope you enjoyed this piece perfect edition. Let me know what color cardi's you have in your closet. I love to have your feedback. Have a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping for Cardigans:

JCrew Factory - $32.50

Target - $15.99

Christopher and Banks - $24.00

H&M - $14.99

Saturday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb in the Saturday Share Link Up.

The Season of Fall

Today's post centers on the season of Fall. Autumn officially started a week ago to the day on the calendar and the weather has changed to reflect the beginning of this glorious season. My husband and I spent this past Saturday raking the leaves that had already fallen and enjoying a fire in our fire pit in the evening, while sipping on mugs of tea. It was cool enough that I threw on a hoodie. 

As the temperatures begins to fall our thoughts turn to changes in our wardrobes. As you can see from my Tuesday posts, the Pantone Fall color report included rich reddish brown and jewel tone green, as well as yellow and red reminiscent of the leaves that we will be raking out of our yards. But the colors are not the only thing that changes with the seasons. Our choice of clothing pieces change as well.

In the past we have usually put our whites and pastels away and opted for darker colors. Now anything goes. I have seen a number of articles and bloggers feature ways to wear white well into the season. Deborah of Fabulous After 40 shares three distinct outfits for wearing white into the fall in her article Can You Wear White After Labor Day?  JoLynn Shane, one of the many wonderful bloggers I follow, shared her take on wearing white jeans in the fall. Her White Jeans Outfit for Fall post is worth reading. You'll see me styling a pair of white jeans in an upcoming post in a few weeks. 

Since we are going to keep our whites out, we might as well rethink those pastels. Here is a good article from the site Bustle called 7 Ways to Wear Pastels in the Fall written by Emily McClure. While this article is from a year ago, her tips are just as applicable today. The one statement that really stands out to me is:

“When it comes to styling pastels, it’s all about adding in different textures. Personally, I love pairing pastel pieces with suede or leather in the fall, as it’s such a lovely juxtaposition of sweet and edgy staples. However, if you’re into bold prints and colors you may want to add bits of pastels as well. Bold cranberry pieces mix great with mint and cool blues. Basically, pastels are for everyone, all the time.”

— Emily McClure

I love that she talks about adding textures. That is something I am just learning how to do. I also like that she says, "...pastels are for everyone, all the time." Now, does every pastel look good on every complexion or skin tone, maybe not, but you can find the pastels that work for you, or as she says, mix textures. Choose a light pink top under a edgy wine colored moto jacket and maybe throw on a scarf that complements your skin tone. 

Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy, another beautiful blogger I follow, does a perfect job of pairing pastels with fall pieces in this post titled, Color Palettes featuring Pantone's Sharkskin Gray. You can see how she combines light blue and light pink with the darker, edgier Pantone Sharkskin Gray.

In addition to colors, we also think about patterns and how they change in the fall as well. This year in the stores and on the runways we are seeing animal prints like leopard, snakeskin, zebra stripes and tiger stripes. Leopard seems to be the rage right now. Here area a few of my own photos of pieces in my wardrobe.

As you can see in the above pics, I have a few things that have the snakeskin pattern. It is a fun pattern and can go with many different colors, depending on if you want to dress it up or dress it down. 

And just like on the fashion runways and in the stores, leopard print has turned up a few places in my closet. In addition to this fun skirt, I have a button up short sleeve blouse and a pair of flats which turn up occasionally in a blog post. 

Besides the animal prints I have mentioned, florals are also trending, but whereas in the summer the florals were light and backed by whites and pastels, the fall florals are darker shades backed by navy, wine and black. Check out Gemma's take on florals on her blog post The Cherry Blossom Midi Dress. This is the perfect floral look for transitioning to fall. 

Besides colors and patterns the other thing that significantly changes as we move into fall are the textures. Summer fabrics are usually light weight, breathable and moveable. The whole point is to keep you cool. As our weather changes, especially in the northern part of the country, our fabrics become heavier, bulkier and warmer. As women we still appreciate breathability and movement in our clothes, especially if you are menopausal, but we like textures that are soft to the touch and make us feel cozy. Cozy, after all, drums up images of roaring fires, hot cocoa and good books. 

One of the trending textures for fall is velvet. This jacket (which will be featured in a future post) is not real velvet, but it is so soft. Real velvet can be somewhat stiff, so I like this "faux velvet" if you will. It is moveable and fairly light weight.

There are so many other things we can talk about as the season of fall takes center stage. Our shoes transition into boots; our light weight sweaters transition into light weight jackets which transition into trench coats and we pull out scarves to accessorize and add warmth to our necks. Our sweaters become longer and eventually heavier and we begin adding hose or tights to our once bare and sun tanned legs. As I write this, I feel a little sad, but also excited because as you know I am a woman of layers and as the cool weather closes in, I get to create new and interesting outfits full of layers of texture, color and depth. And that will be fun!

Spring Colors: Rose Quartz, Serenity and Iced Coffee

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.

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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. 

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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

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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!