Color Play - Red and Orange Cream

As you know, the reason I like to play with color is to force myself to get out of my own preconceived box regarding color combinations. Most of us are familiar and comfortable with combinations like navy with white in the summer, or rust with yellow in the fall. We tend to stay away from those combinations that look like restaurant decor - think yellow and red (McDonalds), or team colors - yellow and green (Green Bay Packers), unless we are putting on our work uniform or going to a football game. However, I like the challenge of finding different or unusual color combinations allowing me to make better use of the clothing I already have in my closet.

Today’s outfit revolves around two new pieces I got in the last month: a red and white striped top and a creamy light orange eyelash cardigan.

I pulled out my thrifted St. John’s Bay wide leg pants. The only reason I chose these was so I could wear my knee brace without it being seen. Ha, ha. But I actually like the way the outfit turned out. Wide legs seemed to have jumped off the trend-go-round until next time, but that is no reason to get rid of them, if you have a pair. Every once in a while it is nice to wear something outside the trend box, just because it is comfortable and the right color.

My bright red striped mock turtleneck tee is from Maurices and was another great deal. I love stripes anyway. I have a few tops that are white with red stripes, but when I saw this red with skinny white stripes, I grabbed it. It is very soft and comfortable.

I also added a long pendant necklace with reds for a bit of fun.

This wonderfully fuzzy chenille eyelash sweater is the bomb. I love the fun texture and the luxurious softness of the knit. It is also extra cozy, so I have a feeling it will be popping up here and there throughout the chaotic weather of spring. I found this on the clearance rack at our local Meijer.

I used my red top handle bag again for the Valentine’s red color and added my SO ankle boots which matched my pants fairly well. However, silly me, didn’t think to put on my brown socks…ha, ha. Oh well, the little foxes match quite well.

Style Tip: To make your legs look longer and leaner match your shoe to your pants (and your socks :)). You can get the same effect with tights and boots of the same color.

What do you think of this color combination? I think it is fun and different, but not so different that it doesn’t work. Let me know what you think by leaving me some love in the comments.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own. These are provided for your benefit and do not cost you anything to click on.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Having Fun with Layers - Dressy Valentine's Day Look - 5 Year Bloggiversary with a Giveaway

Today I am showing you a more dressed up Valentine’s Day look. Although, so many of us are choosing to not go out very often, or at all, there still is the opportunity to dress up for a date night right in your own home. Obviously, this is harder for those of you who have kids, but those of us who are empty nesters can do this a little more easily. If you are a young couple, there is no reason you can’t have a fun Valentine’s party with your littles and reserve some of your own special time once they are in bed.

Today’s outfit revolves around a beautiful blouse I recently acquired from Maurice’s clearance rack. I love everything about this blouse from the high collar, to the pattern and the flowy, sheer fabric. Just like I did for my casual outfit on Tuesday, I am wearing the same under layers consisting of the black tights and black tank top.

Dressy Valentine's Day look

My long, black maxi skirt was a Meijer clearance find. It is a summer weight skirt of lighter material, but it is not sheer, so doesn’t need a slip underneath. The brand is Ava James. I like the textured pleats which gives it the look of crepe. It also has a comfortable elastic waistband and pockets.

Dressy Valentine's day outfit

You can see from the above picture that I drew on the gold, metallic splashes that are on the blouse for my jewelry inspiration. There is plenty going on, on the blouse, but I thought a few simple gold pieces would compliment the look just right.

Dressy Valentine's Day look

I added the metallic, blush moto jacket as my over layer piece. This jacket, I’ve styled before on the blog. I got it a few years ago at Nordstrom Rack and it is a brand called Coffee Shop New York. You can see how I styled it with a camo shirt and with a Mickey Mouse tee.

dRessy Valentine's outfit

In keeping with the gold jewelry and the gold flecks on the blouse, I decided to carry my small gold, clutch. This is a thrifted piece and perfect for those special occasions that require you to dress up. I don’t have very many of those any more. How about you? Do you still find occasions to dress up?

My shoes you have seen multiple times on the blog. They are Aerosoles and I got them on clearance at DSW. Again, I apologize for the dirty shoes. I didn’t realize how much cat hair is just laying around, and I have vacuumed several times since Christmas. Those darn fur balls. Ha, ha.

dressy valentine's day outfit

What did you think of this outfit? Do you like floral blouses? Do you prefer maxi skirts, midi skirts or a knee length or shorter? Are you doing anything special for Valentine’s Day? I don’t know if we are doing anything or not. As we get older, it has become less about the particular days and more about making every day special. Don’t forget about the giveaway. I’m including the rules again, below. If you haven’t entered yet, be sure you comment and subscribe.

Dressy Valentine's Day look

If you want to be entered into the drawing to win either a $25 Target card, or a $25 Amazon gift card, please be sure to read the rules and enter. Entries will be taken until 12 midnight on Friday, February 12th. If you are not sure how to subscribe, just click the link at the top of home page that says, Subscribe and fill in the information. Being a subscriber does not cost you a thing. It just allows me to sent you a once a week email, to remind you there are new posts on the blog. You can either comment on today’s post, or on this past Tuesday’s post. You can also earn more entries by commenting on Facebook and Instagram. Have a fabulous Thursday!

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Spring Trends 2020 - Maxi Dresses, Psychedelic Prints and Vests

If you have been following along as I look at the Spring 2020 Trends, then you are well aware this year’s trends are full of patterns and diversity. If your style is classic, you’ll find pinstriped suiting and button up shirts; if you prefer color, you’ll be amused with abstract florals and tropical prints; if boho vibe is your thing then today’s post is for you. When I think of boho style, I think of 60’s and 70’s inspired prints, fringe and maxi dresses. While today’s outfit has no fringe, it definitely calls to one’s inner hippy.

I got this flower power maxi dress last year on the clearance racks at Meijer. I was attracted to the large flowers, the rusty orange colored background and the crochet overlay on the bodice. The dress has spaghetti straps, but since it is still cold out, I decided to layer a long sleeve tee underneath.

I purchased this striped long sleeve tee just after Christmas at Maurice’s. I thought the navy stripe worked well with the blue in the dress and the rusty color is similar enough to the rust of the dress to make a fun print mix.

I’ve styled this denim vest from Christopher and Banks on the blog before many times. It is a workhorse in my wardrobe and is appropriate for all seasons. See how I styled it for spring, summer, fall and winter by clicking on the seasons.


A couple of simple jewelry items are enough to make a statement without being overdone.

You’ve seen this Simply Vera, Vera Wang bag on the blog before. I’m thinking maybe a cloth bag or something like my fringe bag would have been a better choice. I almost feel like this bag was out of place. I think it looks nice with the colors involved, but doesn’t really fit the vibe of the outfit as a whole. I feel the same way about my boots.

These Baretraps boot from DSW first made their appearance on the blog last fall. You can see that post here. I love having a variety of boots and these with their slouchy fronts, spat-type appearance and wood stacked heels are just plain fun. However, I don’t think they were the best choice for this outfit. Maybe a pair of my suede ankle boots or even some sneakers would have been a better choice. What do you think?

At the last minute I grabbed a scarf to wear as a type of head band. My daughter said I looked like Frankie from Grace and Frankie. Which of course made me laugh. Lily Tomlin is a great actress and comedian.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear a boho style like this? Do you like to wear maxi dresses or vests? Tell me your thought in the comments below. I always love to hear from you and thank you to all of my subscribers and those of you who take the time to follow along and make comments.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links which means if you click on a link, I get a few cents; if you purchase something through a link, I get a little bit more. Thanks to all of you who have looked at those shopping links. I really appreciate it.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Wearing White - White Sleeveless Sweater

As I shopped my closet for white pieces to use in this series, I realized I have some pieces that get worn more frequently and this sweater tank is one of them. I will pull this out time and time again, when I want something that looks more classy to wear with nice pants or a skirt. With that in mind I paired this top with a multi print skirt that I have had for a long time.

This sweater tank is a thrifted piece and I have had it for a long time. What drew me to it was the beaded embellishment around the neckline, which you will be able to see better in a later picture.

I just love the motion in this picture. My daughter and I have been working to get a little more variety in our shoots. It isn’t anyone’s fault, other than life being very busy and just trying to fit photos in around both of our schedules. For this shoot we went to one of the metro parks in our area that is along the Maumee River, called Farnsworth Metropark. All of the parks along this stretch of river are just gorgeous and make a great back drop for pictures.

This skirt was thrifted from many years ago and I hang onto it, because I love the swing of this a-line piece. I also like the pattern. You can’t see the colors too well, but there are greenish blue stripes mixed in with the white ones. Seeing as it is a light weight skirt, I don’t wear it much in the winter, but it is the perfect weight for a transitional outfit from summer to fall.

Once again, when I think about transitioning to fall, I think about layers. For this outfit, I wanted to bring in a more muted fall tone, so chose this sweater I found on the clearance rack at TJ Maxx. A simple open front cardigan, I think it adds depth and warmth to this more crisp and cool look.

Trend Alert: One of the trends for fall is layering knits. I found this rather amusing, because I’ve been layering knits for years. Ha, ha. I was trendy and didn’t even know it. Layering knits just means wearing knit type fabrics with other knit type fabrics, so go ahead and layer your knit shells with your knit cardigans, or your knit turtlenecks with your knit v-neck pullover sweaters. Obviously, if you are in the throes of menopause you do not want to be layering anything, let alone, heavy knits, otherwise layer away.

I found this white lariat type necklace on clearance at JC Penney. I like that it is both a choker and a longer necklace all in one, and that it is not the typical metal or beaded chain. The white piece is cording and every little way along it are a cluster of beads with the whole piece ending in two large green beads at the bottom.

I thought a retro vibe would be appropriate with this skirt so chose my chunky heel shooties which are thrifted Naturalizers. These are easy on and off due to the elastic inset on each side. I have found that shoes with these elastic type insets are very comfortable. You can also tell a good quality shoe, as I have had these for a while and they shoe very little wear.

I chose this very simple cross body bag to match the shoes and keep things sleek, rather than going for a bulkier bag. I got this on clearance at Meijer.

Of course things wouldn’t be complete without a goofy photo. In this one, my daughter was trying to direct me to hold my arms closer to my sides and look cozy. I ended up looking a little bit more like deranged. Honestly, I don’t listen to directions very well. Bah, ha, ha.

Other, than showing my silly side, what do you think of this outfit? Is this something you would wear? How would you change it up to make it more your own? I’d love to hear your ideas. I learn from you, just like you learn from me. It’s all good.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Have fun shopping.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Fall 2018 - Limelight, Mellow Rose and Meerkat

Of all the colors on the Pantone Fall 2018 palette, I felt Limelight and Mellow Rose were the least fall-like colors. Once again, I had to think outside the box when pairing these two light pastels together, to make the outfit seem more in keeping with a fall theme. In order to do this, I thought it would be best to pair them with Pantone’s classic color, Meerkat. Meerkat is a warm, orange brown and while it could be used in any season, It makes me think of fall leaves, bonfires and warm apple cider.

Mellow Rose is actually one of two colors that is only found on the London Palette. I am not sure why they added this and Crocus Petal, the two extra colors on their palette, but they are light, airy and more spring like. Maybe it was an attempt at bridging the gap between the seasons and reminding people that the old rules are gone and colors are seasonless.

All of the pieces in this outfit were thrifted except the bag and the boots. The Limelight colored jeans are Talbots brand and are really an ankle pant that I rolled up, so they stop at the top of my boots. The Mellow Rose button up is Izod brand and the long fringe knit vest is a brand called Sun and Shadow. I’ve styled this vest several times before. You can see those posts here and here.

I don’t remember where I got the belt, but I thought it tied in with the boots and bag quite well. I just did a front tuck with the shirt.

This bag I got at Meijer and I am not sure of the brand. It is a nice cross body bag and the embroidery on the front adds interesting color and texture. I think this can be used for all seasons.

These boots are a brand called Sugar and I got them at Kohl’s a few years ago. They are made of a suede type material and add a different look to an outfit because of the single, long, wrap tie.

I just added a simple bead and metal necklace and a bracelet for jewelry. This might be fun with a scarf or even some layered necklaces for a more bohemian look.

Here is a full length view of the vest from behind.

This is the second outfit in this series that I am not completely happy with. These colors are great, just not necessarily together, or for the season of fall. I know, I know, we can wear whatever, whenever, but if I’m not happy with it, then I’m not going to wear it. I’ve worn both of these pieces in the spring and summer. My color leanings are more bold and bright, but if you are a pastel kind of girl, then follow my friend Liz at With Wonder and Whimsy. She loves pastels and wears them all year round!

That’s all for today. Hope you are having a great Tuesday!



Is it a Kimono or a Ruana? Week 6

This is my final installment in this series on kimonos and ruanas. If you have been following along you know there is a difference between these two pieces, but often the way a piece is put together, makes it more of a hybrid, or something I call a "kiana". A piece like this has both the longer front drape of a ruana, but also the more formed sleeves of a kimono. Today's piece is a kimono and this one is a heavier piece that will take me well into fall. I found this cute little number at a Bealls store in Florida last December, when our whole family spent a few days together in the St. Petersburg area. It was cold, so shopping was a fun alternative to the beach for my daughters and I. 

I decided to pull my outfit colors from the flower embroidered on the front left of the kimono, thus the red and olive green. Here is a picture of the outfit without the kimono.

This olive top is thrifted and Chico's brand. The crop pants are from the Meijer clearance racks and is a brand called Stitch Star. 

Once in a while things get rather interesting when my daughter is taking my pictures. I think she gets bored so she was making rather suggestive comments about the flower on my chest, which elicited this response from me. Of course she had to get it all on camera!

Anyway, you can see the floral embellishment includes the deeper red like my pants and a lighter pink. I just got a pair of distressed pink jeans from H&M and I think they will look nice with this kimono. There is also just a hint of green in the leaves, thus my olive green top. The marled black knit of the kimono is a nice alternative to an all black look. 

i went for brassy gold in my accessories and grabbed my small heart embellished black clutch and black strap block heeled sandals to complete the look. 

Aren't the snaps on these pants a fun addition. I am looking forward to styling these pants more different ways this fall. 

Here is a back view, showing you the hi-low hem line of the kimono. 

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think the red pants are too bold? Would you where bright colored pants? Do you own a kimono? How do you like to where yours? I'd love to hear you thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments section below. If you are not sure how to comment, just read the instructions below. 

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Have a great day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

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Is it a Kimono or a Ruana? Week 1

There are numerous over layers that we can wear including sweaters, blazers and jackets, but what about kimonos, and ruanas? I'll admit, I had to look up ruana, because I wasn't sure exactly what that was. I am familiar with kimonos and have been seeing lots of bloggers showing off these stylish pieces over their summer tanks and shorts. I bought a few pieces from Christopher and Banks recently and realized that one was more like a kimono and one was more like a ruana. Needless to say, I now have acquired a number of these and thought it would be fun to do another series, before we have to start thinking about the reality that fall is coming. 

This first pretty piece is a short kimono I recently found at Meijer on the clearance rack. For each of these posts I'm going to show you a picture of the outfit before I added the kimono. For this week I chose my Sonoma (Kohl's) Bermuda shorts, a Sonoma tank (Kohl's) and my light blue Keds (thrifted). 

For some reason, tank tops seem to be the perfect under piece for a kimono. I think what I like about it, is that the kimono really takes center stage and there is no bulk or extra fabric to deal with when wearing a tank top. I won't normally wear just a tank top, unless it is really hot and I am doing yard work. However, a tank top under a kimono, shawl, ruana or other light weight piece is perfect. 

Here are a few other pics of the kimono. I love the color, the pretty blue flowers and the lace edging. I kept my accessories simple with a teal fringe pendant necklace. 

I'm carrying my navy Simply Vera Wang bag (thrifted), as I thought it went well with the colors in the kimono. 

Of course, the footwear had to be ultra casual as well, thus my bright blue Keds (thrifted).

Do you have any kimonos? How do you like to wear them? I have become more fond of them over the last couple of years and seeing how other bloggers style them really helps. They are a great piece to add pizzazz to any outfit whether dressy or casual like this one.

I love to hear your feedback. Did you like this outfit? Do you like this kimono? I usually think of kimonos as being longer, but I think this short one works and I'll be looking at more ways to style this in the future. 

I've included a few shopping links for shorter kimonos, Bermuda denim shorts and Keds, just for fun. These are affiliate links which means I get a few cents if you click on a shopping link. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Outside the Box - Styling PJ Pants

This new monthly column on my blog is going to deal with fashion ideas and trends that I don't really buy into. Most of the time, it will involve me trying a different trend that I would have never tried before. It will also, occasionally include posts about color, print and texture pairings that we wouldn't usually think about putting together. Once in a while, I might use this monthly column to discuss ideas in the fashion world that I find hard to swallow. I hope you will enjoy this new column and I would love to hear from you. If you have an idea of a trend or fashion style you would like me to feature as something you are not used to wearing or don't have any idea how to style, this will be a good platform for that as well. You can leave me your ideas in a comment here on the blog or send me a Facebook message.

This week, I decided to try a trend that I have seen come and go on the runways: wearing pajama pants as part of an outfit. I'm sure we are all used to the idea of pajama pants as something we put on before we go to bed, or something we put on when we want to lounge around the house, but wearing a pair of pj pants out in public...uh, no! Okay, so I get it. I see more and more people running to Walmart and the grocery store with their fuzzy pajama pants on, but that is hardly stylish, let alone, something a stylish 50 something year old would wear to work or out to dinner. Remember, we are doing a fashion blog to help ourselves and you look and feel better, not end up imitating a walking pile of laundry. 

I found these striped pajama pants at a thrift store. They are Sonoma brand and a size large. If I do this again, I think I will try to go down a size and see if I like that look better. Sizing really depends on what you want to do with them and what look you are going for. If the only thing you are going to do with the pants is watch tv and get cozy, then by all means size up. The roomier the better. But for a sleeker, more stylish look it might be better to have the pants fit a little tighter. Let me know what you think.

Look 1 & 2 - Casual

For this first look, I paired the pants with my Paris graphic tee, a Loft green cardigan, Keds gray sneakers and an olive American Eagle bag. Here is another option on the Loft cardigan.  I also added my pearl, velvet and silver choker as well as a pearl bracelet.

For the next casual look, I swapped out the graphic tee for a long sleeve Mossimo tee from Target. Here is a bell sleeve one.  I did the front tuck to give a little more definition to my waist. Over the top I have on a heavy weight Liz Claiborne button up, that works great as a light weight jacket. I am wearing my SO taupe ankle boots and carrying a Nine & Co. bright blue tote. 

I also added a silver and blue chain necklace as well as a green cocktail ring. 

Look 3 & 4 - Dressy

The next two outfits I dressed up a little bit more. These would be good for work or even for a date night, if your hubby doesn't mind being seen in public with you wearing a pair of pajama pants. Ha, ha. 

In the first look I am wearing a navy crocheted top that I bought a few years ago at Christopher and Banks. It is more of a tunic, but I decided to tuck the top in and add a belt to give me a more defined waistline. I think this is a good idea when your pants are more bulky or billowy. 

The belt is a simple crocheted number that is stretchy. For jewelry I just added a neutral beaded necklace to pull in the colors of the shoes, belt and bag. The bag was a recent find on the Kohl's clearance rack. It is Madden brand. Here is the same one from Nordstrom on sale. I got a better deal at Kohl's, but clearance is what it is. When it is gone, it is gone. 

These SO peep toe heels are another recent find from Kohl's clearance. Here is another pair from Kohl's that is very similar. I am looking forward to warmer temps (and painting my toenails, of course), so I can wear these more. 

Even though my top is navy and matches the navy in my bottoms, I've got some print mixing going on. See how I did that? Print mixing is not always about color. It can also happen with textures and the weave of fabrics. 

This second dressy look is, perhaps my favorite. This outfit uses a button up top from JC Penney and a thrifted suiting piece, that I'll just call a vest. It is more like a blazer vest. You'll get what I mean if you know what a coat vest is. If not, don't worry about it. For the purpose of this post it is a vest. 

I think this is one classy outfit and yes, I am wearing pajama pants. Ha, ha. In addition to the button up, which has fish on it (more print mixing), and the vest, I added a beaded necklace and bracelets with an olive hue. I also grabbed my velvet clearance find from Meijer. This is Wallflower brand. Such a cute bag, and I don't care that it is velvet, I'll be using it in the spring! My loafer heels were the last touch. 

Here are all four of the outfits:

What do you think? Would you wear pajama pants as part of an outfit? I think this is a great idea, especially for summer, when you need something cool and light. I think part of the process in figuring out if a pair of pj bottoms are good for style wear is to see how they fit and what sort of outfit you can make out of them. I personally would not wear my Eeyore pajama pants, but this striped pair or maybe a plaid, why not! 

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it gave you a new perspective on those cozy duds we wear to bed!

Here are a few fun options. How would you style these into an outfit? This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. Saturday linking up with Rena of It's All Fine. Whatever Tickles the Fancy. 

Layering Love - Using a Scarf for Added Interest

There is no end to how you can layer an outfit. While I spent the last few weeks looking at how you can add warmth in a functional way, there is also the idea of adding warmth, while adding a textural element to the outfit. A great way to add texture is to throw on a scarf. 

I wore this outfit to church on Sunday. I love to get dressed up, but it is also nice to be more casual. I like that more churches do both. The scarf I am wearing is a large oblong one made of a medium weight material. To tie it, I wrapped the scarf from front to back, then crossed both ends over and brought them back to the front. I tied the front ends together. You can do all sorts of things to tie a scarf. Check out this link that shows a video tutorial for 15 Chic and Creative Ways to Tie a Scarf. 

This dark purple Loft pullover sweater is soft and comfortable. In addition to the ribbing on on the sleeve cuffs and band on the bottom, there is a type of shirring across the yoke and shoulders. Here is a different one, but very cute. 

You can see that I kept the colors of the outfit simple by matching pieces up with those in the scarf. This dark purple sweater goes perfectly with the purple in the scarf as does the light pink or blush color of the waterfall cardi. This thrifted cardi is Jennifer Lopez brand. Here is a current one with fur trim at Kohl's.

While I used a different bag when I went to church, I thought this burgundy Massini saddle bag goes well with the casual look of the outfit and the colors in the scarf. You can see more about Meijer's Massini brand on Stacy London's blog

These are one of my favorite pair of knee high black books. They have a slight heel and the detailing of the buckle and shape of the boot give it a more dressed up feel. I would wear these with a skirt or dress. These are Croft and Barrow brand. These are very similar and not a bad price. 

My skinny jeans are also a brand called Angel that I recently found at Kohl's. They are very soft and hold their shape pretty well. These must have been some sort of a trial brand, because I do not see them any more on their website. However, here is a Lee pair and a Rock and Republic pair. As with most clothing, I recommend going to the store and trying things on. Every pair of jeans fits a little bit different. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. 

For those of you who follow my faith posts, I am a little behind this week. I am hoping to get my faith post up tomorrow. Sorry about that. 

Have a great weekend everyone.

InVESTments: Wearing Vests in the Summer - Long Knit

An open weave vest is perfect for summer because it allows air movement. Whether the fabric of your vest is yarn, lace or some other material, having perforations, or open weave will keep you cooler than a vest of the same material without the holes. 

This week's look was based around a long, open weave vest that I featured last fall in my Pantone series. You can see that look here in the post Potter's Clay. For this week's outfit I decided to pair the vest with a pair of crop pants, a button up short sleeve top and accessories. 

Everything in this outfit except the sandals and the jewelry was thrifted. These plaid Sonoma ankle pants are a combination of colors we usually think of for fall: brown, tan, orange and black. However, the light weight of this chino type fabric makes me think summer. To keep the look summery under the clay brown knit of the vest I chose a bright orange New York & Co. top that suggests more peaches and cream than pumpkin. This orange perfectly compliments the orange in the pants.

The above two photos show you more detail of the open weave of the vest. I love the fringe on this vest. It adds length, but also adds a fun bohemian vibe to the outfit. 

I added a gold stretch bracelet and a simple pendant necklace that I picked up at Meijer on clearance. I wanted the focal point of the outfit to be the vest, so I kept the accessories minimal. 

The cute black clutch and St. John's Bay block heel sandals complete the look. 

I know it might seem silly or at least not very practical to layer on a long vest in the summer. However, there are times and places for everything. For example, this would be a great outfit for work. Let's face it, most work places are overly air conditioned and usually you have no control over where the temperature is set. Wearing these layers will give you extra warmth without giving you extra weight. Also, this vest and others like it can easily take an outfit from day to night just by switching out a few things like shoes, your bag and jewelry. Exchange those black block heels for a pair of nude  or blush heels, add a blingy clutch or cross body and layer on a few long gold chains and you are ready for dinner and the dance floor. Ha, ha.

I hope you like this post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. I know you are very busy, but your comments help my blog to grow. Also, check out my Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. Once in a while there will be different things featured on those. As always thank you for your support.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

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

Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style