November Styles - Flannel, Denim and Fur

For the month of November, I decided to take a closer look at some of the prints, colors, and textures that are trending this fall. It is hard to slow down and not let our minds go straight from Halloween to Christmas, but I want to take a deep breath and just enjoy fall before winter sets in. We’ll have time for holiday vibes in a few weeks, but for now just sit back and enjoy the changing leaves as they begin their descent to the ground, and savor the scents and tastes that come back around this time of year, like cider, pumpkin, and the outdoor smells of the changing season.

For today’s outfit I am drawing on three pieces of inspiration from a few of the fashion gurus on what was trending for Autumn 2025: earthy plaids, full skirts and luxuriously textured outerwear.

Plaid always comes around for fall, at least in my closet it does. I love my flannel shirts, my wool blazers and my plaid pants and skirts. This year plaid is back in earthy browns and rusts on the runway. See this article from Glamour. I guess you could say I was going for the Town and Country Chic vibe with this outfit.

For this look, I started with the plaid, flannel shirt. It is a men’s Croft & Barrow shirt from Kohl’s. It actually belonged to my hubby, but he never wore it, so I confiscated it. Ha, ha. I love flannel, oversized shirts and while this one is not very feminine, I enjoyed the challenge of making it into a more feminine look by adding the skirt. The shirt has both the dark, earthy brown and the dark blue, so it seemed perfect for the look I was trying to achieve. I also added the silver and brown beaded necklace for a little extra femininity.

My dark wash denim skirt was a thrift find a few years ago. It is a Liz Claiborne - Liz Sport piece. What’s not to love about this full, midi length skirt? It even has pockets. It is a medium weight so easily wearable all year round, and perfectly twirl worthy. You can see this piece styled previously on the blog with a fair isle sweater, and with an olive military jacket.

My Emma James, (an older offshoot of Liz Claiborne) faux fur and faux suede coat is another second hand find. I nabbed this one four years ago as soon as I found it and tried it on. I love the way these types of jackets can be used dressed up or down and the neutral color means it can go with anything. You can see another outfit I wore this coat with here.

I kept my accessories minimal to keep the focus on the outfit. My b.o.c. bag was a hand me over from my best girlfriend in NY. She is an avid thrifter too, and always finds great things, some of which she passes my way.

My boots are thrifted. I find a lot of boots at second hand stores when I am not looking for boots. Right now I am looking for a few new pairs of combat boots and do you think I can finding anything second hand? Nope! I also haven’t been thrifting in a while so that might be another reason. Ha. ha. These are a brand called XOXO. The are faux leather, but still look pretty good so they were a good find. Apparently, you can find this brand on Amazon.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think I hit the Town and Country vibe? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two. I always appreciate your interactions with my little blog.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase an item through one of my links I get a little commission. I appreciate every think you do to support me and the blog.

Have a great week!

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!

Outfit Inspiration: Cool, Coastal Vibes

Another trend that is around this summer is one I feel is always on repeat. Whether you call it coastal or nautical this summer trend seems to be veering away from the traditional red, navy and white color palette and is leaning more towards soft neutrals and pastels, while still giving a nod to the more traditional nautical stripes. For today’s outfit I decided to stick with a neutral palette, leaving out the stripes for a soft, feminine outfit that would be great for a casual dinner out followed by a walk on the beach.

I looked at Pinterest for inspiration for this coastal trend, and I found a number of outfits with a similar color palette to what I have put together here. White, light tan, with a light version of blue often seen in chambray pieces like button downs or skirts. What seemed to dominate the looks I found on Pinterest were white tops and bottoms with layered pieces, bags, shoes and a bit of jewelry taking on the other colors. To make this look completely my own, I decided to use the neutral tan color as my overall grounding color and just add in a little white, and blue.

My knit ruana is a fabulous Sonoma piece I got a number of years ago at Kohl’s and use it every so often to help build an outfit with texture. You can see how I styled it on the blog as a work wear look, and a boho look.

My white tank is a thrifted Loft piece. It has a bit of an iridescent sheen, so it didn’t show up real well in some of the pictures. You can also see the simple pendent necklace I chose to keep the outfit more low key.

My pants have made the rounds and were a JC Penney’s clearance find years ago. They are Liz Claiborne brand. How could I resist these with their beautiful embroidery? You can see how I styled them on the blog with a yellow top and cardigan.

My gladiator sandals are older and Massini brand, and my bag was gift a number of Christmases ago from my younger daughter. I also added my woven hat as you can see in the final pictures below.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think it is giving off coastal vibes? How would you do it differently? How would you make it your own? I love to have your feedback, so be sure to leave a comment or two below.

I have included shopping links with similar items for you to enjoy. These are affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a little commission. I appreciate all your support.

Have a great week!

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: Monochrome Madness

I know I typically talk about color in my Color Play column at the end of the month, but this week I decided we should shop our closets for similar colored pieces to create a little monochrome magic. After all, I wouldn't go out shopping for same or like colored pieces to create a monochrome look, because generally we have pieces already in our closets that match.

The creation of a monochrome outfit in the fashion realm occurs when clothing pieces of similar or same color are combined to make an outfit that appears to be a column of a single color. Once you get started this is as easy as matching pants or skirts with tops or sweaters. An easy way to create a monochrome look is to use a dress, either short, midi or maxi with matching shoes and even, if you dare, matching hose.

Today I will show you step by step how I came up with this perfectly fall outfit.

I guess I should have taken these pictures outside because I am blending in with the cedar planking in our house. Ha, ha. I decided to use this cognac color to create my monochrome look. Here are the steps I took to put this look together.

Step 1 - Choose your color.

This might seem rather obvious, and for some this will be easier than it was for me, because I have so many darn clothes in just about every color. I thought this cognac brown a good color for fall, but I also thought about rust, burgundy and green. You can also use prints in a monochrome outfit as long as it stays mainly within the color scheme.

I started with my StitchStar jeans as I knew I had a pair of ankle boots that matched perfectly. My top is older and is Mudd brand. The idea that your shoes, pants, or skirt and top should all be pretty close to a match makes sense for a monochrome look.

Step 2 - Decide on a topper.

For my topper I chose an open front Tahari cardigan that I had found on clearance at TJMaxx a number of years ago. You could pick anything that matches your monochrome color from a pullover to a blazer.

Step 3 - Choose your jewelry.

I chose a piece that was in the same color scheme as the rest of my outfit, but you certainly don’t have to do that. Your jewelry can be whatever your choose and the outfit will still exude a monochrome vibe. My goal was to stay as close as possible to the cognac colors.

At this point you could be done with your monochrome outfit, but you know me! Why stop there? Ha, ha. While I love monochrome looks, I am too much a fan of color, texture and interest, so I had to add a few colored accessories.

Step 4 - Add a little interest.

I chose a scarf and a thrifted Liz Claiborne bag that matched the green in the scarf.

Step 5 - Finish it off.

Since fall is truly just around the corner layers are going to be essential, so I decided to finish this look with a recently thrifted Merona utility jacket. When I saw this cognac colored jacket I knew I had to have it. While it is a little snug for me, it works great as an open front piece and still allows the under layers to be visible.

Style Tip: When thrifting make sure to look at all different size racks. You never know what you will find if you think outside the box in how you wear various pieces.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it gave you quick and easy tips on building your own monochrome look. Shop your closets with new eyes. You will find new outfits you never knew existed. No shopping links today, because I know you are all running to your closets right now to see what you can create!

Until next time, think creative and be creative. Your wardrobe is yours to explore and have fun with.

Flat Lays in the Flesh - Animal Print

On Thanksgiving I will be starting a holiday series that I think you might find inspirational and interesting. That is all I am saying about that right now, just to whet your appetites. Until then I thought it might be fun to revisit a few of the Fall Trends 2019 that I talked about through the medium of flat lays. If you don’t know what a flat lay is, it is simply a way to show an outfit by laying out the pieces on a flat surface, rather than showing them on a person. I find so many flat lays look amazing, but I am always left wondering, what does the outfit look like on an actual person. I hope you don’t find this too repetitive, but I decided to take four of the flat lays I did for my Fall Trends 2019 series and show you what they look like, in the flesh. Let’s get started.

This first outfit features a snakeskin jacket that I found thrifting last spring. This was the flat lay from the original post, which focused on the fall trend of animal prints.

Photo by Amy D. Christensen

This is what the outfit looks like in the flesh.

It was only about 10 degrees outside and as much as I like to play the tough chick, I decided, forget that nonsense, so my daughter/photographer turned her spare bedroom into a studio. She is so good at being flexible and working with what we have. She does such a great job with natural light. There was no flash in any of these pictures.

This Liz Claiborne snakeskin jacket has a little bit of stretch to it, making it very easy to move in. I paired it with a thrifted Banana Republic sweater for this outfit, but you could easily swap in other pieces like a button up blouse, a graphic tee or a lighter weight turtleneck for all manner of stylish vibes. A jacket like this is a work horse in your wardrobe and can be dressed up with a skirt or dress and heels; or dressed down with distressed jeans and sneakers.

I went for a work wear look, pairing the sweater and jacket with my Gloria Vanderbilt cargo skinnies and my Impo wedge ankle boots.

I chose the yellow tote bag to enhance the sunshiny vibe of the outfit, making this a good combination for a cloudy, fall day. This was another thrifted piece.

I thought layering a few fun necklaces would make for an added statement. In the original flat lay I only had the shorter necklace, but just recently I found the long pendant necklace at JCPenney on the clearance rack. They don’t match, but I think the combination works well against the yellow back drop.

Do you think this flat lay turned out to be a good outfit? Do these pieces work well together? Why or why not? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two.

I’m leaving you with a few shopping links for fun animal print pieces. Remember Christmas is coming soon and there might be a person or two on your list, who would love an animal print piece. 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 few more pennies. Ha, ha. I appreciate every penny I get.

Hope you all have a great weekend and thanks so much for taking the time to stop by the blog.

Photo credit (unless otherwise stated) Rebecca Trumbull.

When Summer Doesn't Feel Like Summer

Since the beginning of January, Toledo, OH has gotten more days of rain than Seattle, WA. I have a feeling many other mid-west areas could make the same claim. Obviously, the rainy days do their own thing to make me want to feel comfortable, but in addition, the temps have been much cooler than normal. I can remember a number of years ago, when the girls were very small going camping in May at a campground that is only about 45 minutes away. That year, the average temperature in May was in the mid to upper 80’s. I don’t know that we have broken the 80 degree mark yet this year and it is now the middle of June.

The thought came to me this morning that it might be good to share a post on how to dress when summer isn’t exactly acting like summer. We all want to wear our lighter colors and lighter weight clothes, along with short sleeves, shorts and sandals. I see many people doing just that, rebelling against the weather, but I like to be warm or at least comfortable, so I still find myself wearing long pants and cardigans over my short sleeves. Today’s layered looks revolves around three key pieces: a pair of thrifted jeans, a bell sleeve top and a knit ruana.

When I saw these Banana Republic jeans at a Goodwill store, I tried them on. I almost wasn’t going to buy them, but they were 50% off, so I think I paid $2.50 for them. I like the wide legs, the applied pockets, the subtle distressing, and the lighter wash, but the right leg has a wonky seam. You know how it is, when the leg seam doesn’t stay lined up with the other leg seam. It isn’t too noticeable and for the price, I decided it was worth it.

This knit ruana was a clearance find at Kohl’s. If you learn nothing else from me, then I, at least, hope you have learned to shop clearance, or second hand. Ha, ha. The texture and feel of this piece drew me to it. I love hand crafted pieces and really wish I had the time to learn to knit or at least pick crochet back up, as I learned it from my mom as a child. This ruana is made of a very soft, almost silky yarn. It is light weight, so the perfect topper for a cool summer day or an air conditioned office. It gave me just the right amount of coverage, so I wasn’t uncomfortable in the cooler temps today. This one has a small seam at each side, which I think helps keep it in place, and runs a little shorter in front than the back. Here is a couple of back views.

I got this Liz Claiborne bell sleeve top last year at Kohl’s and today was the first opportunity I had to wear it. I like the design and colors and the bell sleeve is at just the right spot so I am not dragging them through my food. Yes, I am that clumsy! I liked the way the bell peeked out from the bottom the the ruana sleeve. I did the front tuck and wore a gold belt for a fun statement.

Since, I chose the gold belt, I thought to accent the rest of my outfit with gold as well, so grabbed this three layered necklace, and a few rose/gold bead bracelets.

The outfit was decidedly boho, so I went for my burgundy fringe bag, which I thought lifted the burgundy color in the blouse.

I had to think about shoes for a bit before I decided on my SO booties. It was cool enough today, that this wasn’t a bad choice. My little toes were happy to be warm and cozy in these light weight faux suede booties. I’m serious. It really felt more like a late September or early October day today. So sad! The other reason I chose these was that they have a little bit of a heel. These pants are long and as you can see were already hem worn by the previous owner. I don’t mind pants dragging a little bit, but I don’t want to be walking on them.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you own pants with wonky leg seems? Do you like bell sleeve tops? Do you like to knit or crochet and do you wear your own creations? I’d love to hear from you.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which gives me a few pennies when you click and a few more when you buy. All opinions are my own. Have fun shopping.

Remember to check back on Wednesdays for my Faith post and Thursdays for my second weekly Fashion post.

Until next time, have a great day.

Outfit Inspiration - Plaid Trousers with Green

This outfit is another product of perusing a Christopher & Banks add that I had gotten in the mail. The add contained an outfit consisting of a pair of plaid pants, a cardigan, a short sleeve tee and a button up blouse with a collar. Since I am such a layering fanatic in the winter, due to living in a drafty old house and living in the mid west, I thought this would be a fun and different way to add multiple light layers. This layering not only adds warmth, but creates visual interest and additional texture, for an outfit that is clearly work appropriate, and also date night ready.

Plaid is in again and seems to be a recurring pattern in the fashion realm. Whether it is the light and bright plaids of spring and summer checks or the more expected flannel and buffalo plaids of fall, plaid is a pattern everyone can wear. With plaid shirts, pants, skirts and jackets there are plenty of choices for your closet.

I found this pair of Mossimo brand trousers at a thrift store. I like the wider legs, but it was the plaid pattern and the bright green stripes that had me throwing them in my cart. The picture below was to show off my dark brown Life Stride boots, but it also gives you a close up of the plaid colors.

Seeing as the pants have both a light green and a dark green stripe I was able to draw from several different greens in my closet. The Sonoma tee shirt is fairly old and is often worn during the warmer months as it is relatively light weight. The long sleeve gingham that I am wearing underneath is Jaclyn Smith and was thrifted. The cardigan was also thrifted and is Old Navy.

Because the tee had that touch of purple I added the purple bead and metal necklace for a contrasting splash of color.

I really like these greens with the purple. Even though I typically would associate these colors more with spring or summer I think they work well for fall and brighten things up, which really helps on a dreary day.

This shoulder bag is another thrift store find and is Liz Claiborne brand.

I like when the strap on a bag is long enough that I can use it either as a shoulder bag or a crossbody bag. It’s okay to occasionally have it both ways! Ha, ha.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this outfit. Do you like to wear plaid? What sorts of plaid items do you have in your closet. In addition to my plaid pants I have a few tops that are plaid, including a few flannel ones. How about you? Not all patterns are liked by everyone, but there are other ways to embrace a trend like florals or plaid, just think less is more. Carry a plaid bag, wear a plaid scarf or even a pair of plaid socks and then roll your pant cuffs so the socks are just peeking out.Everyone will think you are so on trend and you didn’t have to make a big investment.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Until next time.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Is it a Kimono or a Ruana? Week 2

Last week I styled a short kimono. You can see that post here.  This week I am styling a ruana. What exactly is the difference between these two outer layer pieces? A kimono is more of a jacket. It has sleeves that can be narrow or wide, long or short. It is usually open in the front, but can come with or without a belt or tie to keep it closed. A bathrobe is really a heavy weight kimono. A ruana is one large piece of cloth that falls down the back, over the shoulders and down the front. It has no sleeve closures, rather just drapes over the shoulders and is kept in place with your arms, although I have seen and heard of people using a pin or a pretty brooch to keep them in place. A ruana is usually worn open, although the fashion police won't put you away if you wear it with a belt for a more cinched in look. 

This tasseled ruana was a spring purchase from Christopher and Banks. To make the look more streamline, I went with a tank top and a dark gray pencil skirt. Here is the outfit before adding the ruana.

You've seen this blush tank with bling before on my blog. I am an avid proponent of shopping and re-shopping my closet. The tank is Relativity brand and the pencil skirt is Liz Claiborne. Both of these pieces were thrifted. The black heels are Comfort Plus brand and the straw bag was thrifted as well. I opted for minimal jewelry with the beaded choker and a few beaded bracelets. 

The next two pictures show you the width of the ruana, which is typically a wider silhouette than a kimono.

Do you own a ruana? How do you like to wear it? Is it more of a summer weight or a fall weight? I am seeing fall styles beginning to fill the racks at most retailers. Kohl's was having some good sales on kimonos and ruanas and right now, you might find deals on the lighter weight ones that you could use for the rest of the summer and next season. 

I'd love to hear your feedback on this outfit. Would you wear something like this? I think this outfit is a great office look and the ruana would add a light layer for those overly air conditioned buildings. 

I've included a few shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog and be sure to check back on Thursday to see what I am featuring on my Old Becomes New column. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen. 

Outfit Inspiration - Bold & Bright

My outfit inspiration comes from many places. Sometimes it is a picture in a magazine or catalogue. Once in a while it comes from something I see in a book, but many times it comes from other fashion bloggers. This month my inspiration is coming from Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy. Liz has been a fashion blogger for a number of years now and specializes in outfits and styles for plus size women. She is sweet, fun and very knowledgable about clothes, styles, fabrics and working with retailers. I had the honor of doing a collaboration with Liz in the spring of 2017 on the Pantone Color palette for that year. You can see that post here. 

Liz has a whimsical, colorful approach to not only her outfits, but her life in general. This is a gal who is not afraid to wear pale pinks, purples and yellows, but she also knows when to take the color palette up a notch to make a statement. The post that inspired me for this month's Outfit Inspiration column is from June 1st and is called, Packing A Capsule Wardrobe for Summer Getaways.  You can see her original post by clicking on the link. 

I have never been a big fan of a capsule wardrobe, because I am a clothes horse and like to have options when I travel. However, I think it is an idea worth visiting so I thought I would give it a try for this post. I did not give too much thought ahead of time as to how I would put this together, but I chose four key pieces for my capsule wardrobe. At the end I will give you list of the extras I would throw in to make this a weekend worthy wardrobe. 

Outfit 1 - Casual But Cute

White pants whether cropped at the ankles, capris or longer are always a must have travel piece in the summer. They are versatile, going from casual to dressy and can be worn with anything solid or print. I have styled these Christopher and Banks ankle pants on the blog before.  Like Liz did in her post, I styled mine with a Simply Vera  - Vera Wang floral top. 

For this look, which would work well for perusing the shops in a cute little village and then having lunch or dinner with my husband, I chose simple accessories that draw on the colors in the blouse; blue heels, light pink clutch, silver bracelets and my new Marina Griffin necklace that I won in a drawing on Jodie's Touch of Style. 

I couldn't believe how perfectly the necklace goes with the colors in the blouse. Unfortunately, the necklace does get a little lost in the print of the blouse, so I'll be choosing a solid top next time to show off the necklace. This is a very pretty piece that is well made. Be sure to check out Marina's Facebook page by clicking on the link above.

Outfit 2 - Dressy But Comfy

When packing for a getaway it is nice to include pieces that will not wrinkle easily, especially if you want to get more dressed up. I chose my LuLaRoe maxi skirt for the bottom piece. these maxis are made out of a silky, stretchy medium weight knit. They pack well and you don't need to wear a slip as the material is thick enough to keep light from showing through. Any skirt that has some give and is made from material that won't easily wrinkle will be a good choice for your get away wardrobe.

For the top I chose another comfortable piece made from a similar material as the skirt. This knit peplum top is Liz Claiborne from JC Penney. 

This is such an easy top to wear. You just pull it on and go. there are no clasps or zippers or buttons. It's like wearing a tee shirt, but more dressy. As you can see I threw on a string of olive colored beads to go with the olive print in the skirt. 

I was also doing a fair bit of print mixing in this outfit. This works well, because the print of the top is smaller than the print in the skirt and it coordinates with the black in the skirt. 

Once again I kept my accessories simple with a little black clutch and a new pair of shoes I found on the DSW clearance rack. These may be my favorite black heels ever. I love the retro vibe and they are so easy to get on, as well as incredibly comfortable. Win, win! These are Aerosoles brand. They still have these in a number of sizes here. 

Here are my two outfits side by side. 

Now what would I add to these four pieces to make it the perfect weekend wardrobe?

1. One other shirt like a tank top that could be worn with either the pants or skirt.

2. A pair of flip flops or more casual sneakers.

3. A jacket or sweater that would go with either the pants or skirt. I think my dark wash, distressed cropped jean jacket would be perfect. 

Add to those three things a swim suit, sunglasses and a good book to read and you'll have just what you need for a fun weekend away. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, I love to hear from you. What is something you can't live without when you travel? Leave me some love in the comments. 

Have a great day and a perfect weekend!

Fun Fall Look - Floral Bomber Jacket

For the next few Thursdays, I thought it would be fun to show off some of my own fall fashion ideas, using some of the current trends. For each featured piece, I'll include a few shopping links for you to look at as well. That way if you are inspired by the looks I show you, you can find a similar piece for yourself. I try to keep the links connected to stores that offer clothing choices at a little lower price point and places, I feel, have trustworthy brands.

This week's look was one that I wore to my 35th high school reunion which was this past weekend. I graduated in 1982 from Alden High School in Alden, NY. I had never gone to any of my other reunions, as I was not all that popular in school and didn't think it was any big deal. This year, I decided to go and asked two of my closest high school buddies if they would go too. We had a great time and it was fun to give hugs and talk to people I had not thought about in a long time. Let's face it at this point in our lives we no longer care about the things that separated us when we were 16 or 17 years old. We are just glad to see each other and happy to have a similar connection in our history.

I opted to wear an outfit that wasn't real dressy. I was the girl in high school that always wore jeans and tees or flannel shirts.. I wanted to look put together and look my brand, without being fake. This is what I came up with.

I got this floral bomber from JC Penney. This is the exact one and it comes in a bunch of fun prints and colors and right now is on sale for $12.99. This is not lined and is not heavy. It really is a simple piece to throw over a tee or pullover sweater to add a trendy pop of color. The background is black and the flowers contain pink, green, blue and white. The cuff and waist are knit and it has a zip front closure. 

I chose my olive skinny cargo pants (Gloria Vanderbilt - Kohl's) and my Primrose Pink tee (Liz Claiborne - thrifted) as the basics with which to style the bomber. 

The only jewelry I wore was this layered beaded necklace in a shimmery dark navy.

For a bag, I decided on my medium blue, envelope clutch. I love the texture on this piece and while it doesn't exactly match the blue in the jacket, I think it complimented the outfit without being a distraction. 

And once again, my feet are wearing my SO flats. I bet you are getting sick of seeing these shoes, but I really can't say enough about their comfort and wearability for so many occasions and outfits. From casual to dressy to everything in between this little pair of shoes is a perfect choice. If you every are tempted to buy anything through my blog, this would be the item. 

I have a medium width foot, so if you are very narrow or have a wider foot, these may not work for you. The best thing is to go to Kohl's and try them on. 

I felt confident and comfortable in this outfit for my reunion. Some people were dressed up and some wore jeans, the point is to be yourself and wear an outfit that looks neat, clean and put together. 

How about you? Have you gone to your high school reunion? What did you wear? 

Have a great weekend!

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

Pantone Fall 2017 - The London Palette - Navy Peony and Primrose Pink

For this week's post I am looking at the Pantone London color palette combination of Navy Peony and Primrose Pink. The Pantone site describes Primrose Pink as a gentle shade and Navy Peony as a strong and dependable color that takes some of the burden off black for a fashion mainstay. 

Navy has long been touted as a neutral, pairing well will just about any other color, even black. Navy worn on the bottom can make us look long and lean, while navy worn on the top can hide a world of flaws. One of my favorite clothing pieces is my Ralph Lauren navy blazer. You can read my post on that here. 

For today's outfit I shopped my closet and came up with this navy skirt that seems to show off the Navy Peony color perfectly. This embellished skirt I got a while back from dressbarn. It is an a-line shape and falls just at the knee. 

For the top I am wearing a Liz Claiborne tee that I got at a thrift store. Primrose pink is a light pastel pink. It is a little unusual to see a color this light on the fall Pantone palette, but I think this soft pink can be a great color to help us transition from summer to fall. 

I thought the outfit looked a little bland with just the navy and pink, so I added a scarf with a variety of colors including blue and pink, to pull the outfit together and add interest. I styled this wide oblong scarf as a shawl. 

Here is a photo of what the scarf looks like open.

Because the scarf had just a touch of green in it I decided to carry my green clutch. Green is another color that will show up later when I do the New York colors. Be sure to check back for that. 

I chose navy for my shoes, and jewelry and I also wore navy hose. 

What do you think of these two colors? Do you have some of these larger scarves that you like to wear as a shawl?

I hope you enjoyed this look at two more of the Pantone Fall 2017 London color palette. Check back next week for two more colors. 

Be sure to check back Thursday for a look at a new retailer that I'll be featuring.

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