The Pantone Fall 2017 Recap

What I want to do for this week's post is give you a recap of all the Pantone Fall 2017 colors. Instead of taking up too much of your time, reviewing what was already said about each outfit, I think you are all smart enough to go back and revisit the original post on each color combination if you want to see and read more. 

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you already know my philosophy behind using the Pantone colors on my blog. For those of you who are new here, I love color and whether it be in God's creation, a painting or an outfit, I love to see how various colors combine and contrast to create stunning visual displays. Pantone gives me a spring board from which to choose color combinations for my outfits. That being said, here are the outfits from this year's fall colors.

The London Palette

Flame Scarlet and Otter 

Primrose Pink and Navy Peony 

Toast and Copper Tan  

Blue Bell and Lemon Curry 

Royal Lilac and Golden Olive 

Here is a look at the outfits side by side. 

What is your personal favorite? I'd be interested to hear. Mine is the Royal Lilac and Golden Olive. I loved the richness of both of these colors, the comfort of the outfit and the Bohemian vibe that I felt it portrayed. I also felt that I looked the best in these colors, which is a revelation since I have never thought of myself as looking good in yellow. So much for those ideas that we had in the past!

The New York Palette

Grenadine and Butterum 

Ballet Slipper and Neutral Gray 

Marina and Navy Peony 

Tawny Port and Golden Lime 

Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce 

Here are the outfits side by side. 

Which one of these color combinations did you like the most? Over all, I liked the New York Palette better than the London Palette. I felt the colors were deeper, richer and easier to find and work with than some of the London colors. If I had to pick one favorite I wouldn't be able to. I like the boldness of Grenadine and Butterum, the classic feel of Ballet Slipper with Neutral Gray, the perfect blend of Navy Peony and Marina, the tropical contrast of Tawny Port and Golden Olive and the fall perfection of Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce. 

What is lovely about these colors is that you could pair any one with a totally different combination than I have and come up with an equally awesome outfit. How about Grenadine with Marina, Neutral Gray with Shaded Spruce or Autumn Maple with Navy Peony. That is the beauty of finding inspiration in the Pantone color palettes. There is so much you can do with them, long after these colors become obsolete. The Pantone Color Institute has already put out their Spring palettes! Yikes! For a sneak peek at those just click on the one you want to see: London Palette or New York Palette. 

To see any of my original posts on this series just click on the link above the picture. I hope you enjoyed this series on the Fall 2017 Pantone colors. 

I have decided to postpone my series on camouflage until the new year, so I will be starting a series on dressing for the holidays, next Tuesday. On Thursday I'll be starting a series on layering, which is one of my favorite things to do. I hope you'll join me.

Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce

Believe it or not, this is the final installment in my Pantone Fall 2017 Series. Next week I'll do a recap of all the colors on both the London and New York palettes. After that I'll be starting a new series on camouflaging those problem areas, so keep coming back!

Originally I was going to pair the rusty orange called Autumn Maple with one of the blues, but after mulling it over,  thought what could be a better fall combination. mimicking nature, than orange and green; the very colors we see combined on the trees as they go through their metamorphosis. One of my favorite fall scenes is to see the dark green of pine surrounded by the bright oranges and reds of the changing leaf landscape. It is for that reason I combined Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce in this rather bohemian outfit for today's post. 

You've seen several of the pieces in this outfit before. I wore the tiered skirt here and the black vest here and here. I also used the bag in this post here. i like to show you that you don't always have to go out and buy new clothes, even though that is way more fun! You can shop you closet and find new ways to reinvent a piece you already have. 

Though this skirt is not a solid color, orange is really what you see when you look at it. I thought it was the perfect companion piece for my Shaded Spruce Sonoma popover top. 

Here you can see some of the pretty perforated detailing on the top. I added a brown belt and lots of necklaces. The belt is velvet. I like a belt with this type of outfit as I feel it adds a touch of class to a more casual look. I tried my hand at the multiple necklace look. Did I pull it off, or do you think it looks to chaotic? I have mixed feelings. I also grabbed my berry fringe drawstring bag. I like this additional pop of color. What do you think?

I topped the whole outfit with the quilted black vest, and my black ankle boots. I think this pulled the outfit together and broke up the differing color scheme. 

I hope you enjoyed this series on the Pantone Fall 2017 colors. Next week, I'll have a recap of all the outfits from this series. 

Check back Thursday for another Fun Fall Look.

Below are a few shopping links in case you are looking for Shaded Spruce or Autumn Maple. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Tawny Port and Golden Lime

This week's color combination is a blend of a dark maroon and a more subtle green. Tawny Port is described on the Pantone site as "Taking the red family to new depths..." I think of it as more of purple than a red, but then purple is made up of red and blue. Golden Lime takes on a more tropical hue, so I though pairing these two colors would make for an interesting outfit. 

These pictures were taken at Wildwood Metropark here in Toledo. This is an amazing park and so close to home. It used to be the estate of Champion Spark Plug magnate Robert Stranahan. The park boasts the original Manor house and outbuildings, as well as acres of trails, a covered bridge and boardwalk. It is used for everything from family picnics to all manner of photo opportunities. In December the Manor house will be decorated for Christmas and thousands of people will come to take a tour. 

For today's pics we just found a piece of trail to take pictures on.

I've had this skirt, which is Jones Wear Brand, for a while. Honestly, I don't even remember where I got it. Ha, ha. However, it is a fun skirt with it's whimsical pattern and colors. It is fully lined and would be considered either midi or tea length, depending on what chart you look at. 

This open waterfall cardi is ANA brand. It probably leans more towards purple than what Tawny Port actually is, but I think It works well. The Tawny Port splotches in the skirt actually are more red. It is amazing how you can pair something with a color that has both red and blue in it's undertones and it will lean toward the color of the piece you have on.

This faux lace top from Croft and Barrow appears more green in person, but you get the idea. I like these types of tops as they give the appearance of lace, but you don't have to wear a cami underneath. This one is a silky, stretchy material, so very easy to wear and wash. 

You can also see I added a gold belt to bring out that color in the skirt as well, plus it adds a point of interest and texture as well as defining my shape. I chose this bluish purple agate necklace as the skirt has just a little bit of this color in it too. 

My bag is thrifted and you can see I've used it before in this post. This dark olive bag from Talbots has two handles. One allows you to use it as a top handle hobo bag and the other as a cross body bag. It is nice to have options. 

I was really stumped when it came to what shoes to wear. My casual side won out in the end and I went for the combat boots. These are thrifted and are Falls Creek brand. Falls Creek is a brand sold at Meijer. 

I thought this was a fun outfit for fall. It is comfy, cozy and for cooler weather could be made wearable by swapping out the short sleeve stretchy tee for a long sleeve top and adding heavier tights under the skirt. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. I've included a few shopping links for Tawny Port and Golden Lime. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Have a great week and don't forget to stop back on Thursday for another Fun Fall Look.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. 

Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Marina and Navy Peony

I wan't sure about pairing the two blues together that appear on the New York palette, but after mulling it over, I decided to give it a try. Navy Peony is the only color that appeared on both the Pantone London palette and the New York palette this fall. While many of the other colors came close to being similar such as Grenadine and Scarlet Flame or Butterum, Toast and Copper Tan, Navy Peony seemed to be embraced all over. I have heard it said that navy is the new black and is a go to for styling an outfit that is classic and slimming. 

Marina is a lighter blue and reminded me of the beautiful fall sky on a sunny day. Going along with that idea, I decided to add white pants, keeping the outfit light and bright, but still filled with warm layers for a perfect fall transitional outfit. 

For my Navy Peony piece I chose an Isaac Mizrahi denim dress that I found at a thrift store. This dress was made for Target, but Mizrahi no longer has an affiliation with Target. I thought the dress, which comes with an attached belt would make a great jumper or, as in this case, the perfect cool weather longer length vest. It has a row of white buttons up the front and two roomy pockets at the sides. For this outfit I left it unbelted and open. Here is a navy longer length utility vest that would work. 

The Marina button up top is a thrifted Dana Buchman brand from Kohl's. I was looking for a few blouses that I could wear out or tucked in, but that didn't have a lot of bulk to them. This is a silky poly blend and layers well under the heavier vest. 

The pants I have styled before on the blog and are Gloria Vanderbilt boot cut jeans. I'll list a few other shopping links at the end for similar options.

We took these pictures at a local Toledo Metropark named Wildwood. We are very fortunate to have numerous beautiful parks throughout the Toledo area boasting great walking trails and historicbuildings such as this old school house which is still used for various events. 

To keep my outfit still connected to the changing colors of fall, I decided to add a few cognac or Butterum accessories. 

The boots are thrifted Aerosoles and the bag is thrifted New Directions. Here are a cute pair of similar colored boots from DSW. Here is a cute bag from Nordstrom Rack. This color is perfect for fall, not to too dark and not too light. It gives any outfit a warm, toasty feel. 

i also went for the browns in my simple bead necklace and hinged bead bracelet. 

What do you think of this color combination? Do you have many navy pieces in your closet? Be sure to take them out and start wearing them and you'll be right in style. I'd love to hear from you either in the comments section below or leave me a message on Facebook. You can also follow me on Instagram and Pinterest. I appreciate all your support.

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

Join me Thursday where I will be feature another Fun Fall Look. See you then.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Ballet Slipper and Neutral Gray

This week's color combo is a blend of soft shades of pink and gray. When I first saw the Pantone Fall 2017 color line up for both London and New York, I was surprised to see light pink featured on both palettes. Looking back I now realize that blush, which is all the rage right now, really is a very light version of pink. Light pink seems to be another neutral that can be paired with just about any color. For this look I chose to pair Ballet Slipper with Neutral Gray.

I really am in love with this neutral combination. There are so many shades of gray out there, think names like oxford, charcoal, heather and steel. The beauty of this gray is in its ability to go with any other color. It really is a neutral. I personally don't wear oxford gray very often. I feel it is too light. Steel gray is sometimes too blue and charcoal can be too dark for some people. Neutral gray seems like a perfect go-to choice when looking for a gray to pair with any color.

I put this outfit together thinking it would be a prefect choice for a work day. The Neutral Gray crop pants from New York & Co. are fairly light weight and work well for these still warm days that we are having here in the mid-west. I've styled these before here and here. 

To capture the Ballet Slipper pink I found this Neiman Marcus silk sweater set at a thrift store a few months ago. This is one reason I shop thrift stores so often. I would have never shopped Neiman Marcus as they are way above my pay grade, however I was able to find this beautiful set in a trending color for only a few dollars and it is in great shape. I have never had a sweater set before, For some reason they never appealed to me, or maybe I thought they weren't my style. However, when I saw this and then felt its smooth softness, I knew it would be the perfect addition to my wardrobe. 

To give the outfit more of a fall feel, I decided to add a bag and necklaces that herald a coppery orange color. 

Once again, I chose my SO ballet flats. For work I almost always wear a flat shoe. Heels just aren't as practical for moving heavy textbooks. Here is the same style and it comes in a variety of colors at Kohl's.

What do you think of these colors? Do you think they are too summery or do you feel they work well for a transitional outfit?

While we tend to move toward darker colors for fall, I think it is important to remain open to new ways of looking at our wardrobes and the colors we are used to wearing for each season. Either one of these colors would pair well with the rusty oranges, deep wines or dark pines that we are used to seeing in the fall. Be creative and try pairing your pink top with those burgundy skinny jeans. Or pull out that chunky neutral gray sweater and wear it over a dark green pair of leggings. You'll suddenly find you have even more outfits than you thought. 

I always appreciate your comments. Be sure to leave me some love below. Also check out my Instagram and Pinterest pages too. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

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

Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Grenadine and Butterum

I want to continue my look at the Pantone 2017 Fall color palette this week, but now we are venturing into the New York colors. Whereas for the London palette, I paired the two colors together that were directly parallel to one another, for the New York palette I decided to pick the color pairings that appealed to me. 

Grenadine is named after the bright red syrup that is used to make drinks. It traditionally is derived from the pomegranate. Obviously, when the Pantone gurus chose to name this color they hit the mark with this bright red. Butterum has many similarities to the London color Toast. I felt that these two colors made a fun pairing and enjoyed putting this outfit together.

My top is a simple button up cardigan that I have had for some time. It is Merona which is a Target brand. Here is a similar one from Macy's.  Instead of a necklace I added a silky fringe scarf.

My pants edge more towards a cognac color than the Butterum, but you get the idea. I purchased these pants recently from Meijer and they are a brand called Stitch Star.  I love that they have patches. It creates additional texture and interest to the outfit. Here is a blue jean pair from Kohls.

I kept my accessories minimal. My boots, which are Aerosoles, are a close enough match to the pants that it gives me that longer line. Matching your pants with your shoes can elongate your legs making you look leaner, and taller. 

Here is a similar color boot from Aerosole. Here is a fun pair from DSW. There are so many fun ankle boots out right now in every color and heel height.

My only other accessory is my snakeskin clutch. I thought this connected with the outfit well because of the color combination. I like this clutch because it has a short chain, so I can also put it over my shoulder if I need both hands free. 

Here are a few other fun bags. 

What do you think of this color combination? Red is trending this fall and whether it be Grenadine or Flame Scarlet or something in between, you will be stylin' if you are the lady in red. 

I've listed a few shopping options below. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Thanks for stopping by the blog!

Fall 2017 Trends - Mad about Plaid

When I begin my research on the new season trends, I do a goole search. Often I end up looking at sites like Elle and Cosmopolitan to name a few. One has to weed through numerous articles hi-lighting movies stars, and runway styles to find things that are really useful. I try to approach these sites with an open minded attitude, because there are many trends I do no agree with, nor would you ever catch me supporting them on my blog. However, there are plenty of ideas to glean from these fashion authorities.

For the month of September I am going to forgo my Thursday monthly columns to focus on styles that are trending for fall this year. I thought it would be fun to pick a trend then do a post with an outfit centered around each, as well as a few flat lays and possible shopping options. I hope you enjoy this series. Be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of each post. 

Today I am looking at plaid. Plaid is back and for a girl who grew up loving flannel shirts, I am glad. Plaid has been around since as far back the 16th century. The word plaid comes from the Scottish Gaelic word plaide which means blanket. My husband is Scottish on his mother's side. It is fun to look at the numerous plaid colors that represent each of the family/clan names from that time period. My hubby's great grandmother was a Robertson. The Robertson plaid is a bright red with navy and just a hint of forest green. This is a tie Mark's Uncle David got for him. It even has a tag that says Robertson.

I found this light weight plaid jacket at one of my favorite thrift stores, Savers. I make regular stops at this store as they have a great selection that is always changing. You can read more on thrifting in my two part series: Thoughts on Thrifting - Part 1 and Thoughts on Thrifting - Part 2. 

I love the vibrant red of this jacket. Red is trending for fall also, so look at me, I am being doubly trendy. Ha, ha. We'll look at the fall trending colors in a later post. 

To keep it simple and let the jacket do the talking I slipped on a red tee, my Christopher and Banks slimming slip on jeans, then added black beads, black heeled ankle boots and a black and gray bag. You could also draw on the white in the jacket or the red to bring out those colors as well. 

Here are a few other jacket possibilities:

In addition to jackets you can style an outfit with a plaid top. Here is a flat lay I put together to show you a possible outfit starting with a plaid top. This top screams fall for its lovely fall colors, but to keep it from getting to colorful, I went for olive pants, and a black bomber jacket. 

As a last thought I grabbed the Tawny Port clutch. See the Pantone site for a look at this New York fall color. 

Here are a few plaid button ups that are currently available.

The next look revolves around a plaid accessory. In this case it is a pretty scarf. Plaid scarves have always been a viable option for the cooler weather and this year is no exception.

I think this is a fun look for a date night with the hubby or a lunch date with the girls. Keeping the colors of the pants and top similar allows the scarf to be the center of attention.

Here are a few fun options for scarves:

What do you think of plaid? Is is a pattern you like to wear? Even if you don't like it in big quantities, even a little plaid can brighten up an outfit. 

Here are a few other plaid options:

As you can see there are plenty of options for adding plaid to your wardrobe. If you click on the pictures that show you other options it will take you to the site where you can see more details and tell you the prices.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link I'll get a few cents. If you buy something through the link, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own.

i hope you enjoyed this look at plaid. Be sure to check back next week, where I'll look at another fall trend.

Have a great weekend!

Pantone Fall 2017 - An Intro to Two Color Palettes

This fall, the color institute known as Pantone published their usual ten color New York palette. However, this year they also published the ten color London palette. So what is a fashion blogger to do? Why, feature all twenty of these colors. Don't worry, I won't be featuring one color a week for the next twenty weeks. That would take me into January. Ha, ha. 

For this series on the Pantone colors, I will be combining two colors a week. There are a few colors that overlap on both the London and the New York palettes, and many of the colors while having different names are very similar hues. 

New York Palette

I decided to start the series with the London colors. The graphic above and below was put together by Rebecca, my photographer, web helper and daughter, using Pantone's color coding. The way you see the graphic will be the way I pair the colors. For example, Flame Scarlet will be paired with Otter, Primrose Pink with Navy Peony and so on.

London Palette

You might wonder what got me interested in the Pantone color palettes in the first place. I love color. I love flowers in the summer, changing leaves in the fall, orange pumpkins at Halloween, Christmas lights at Christmas and the soothing colors of nature such as a blue sky, green trees and red cardinals. With my propensity toward color it was only natural when I became interested in fashion that an interest in fashion color choices followed. 

Pantone is the fashion and design industry's go to for color choice. I am not sure what the whole process looks like, as far as how they come up with the colors for each season and how those translate to fabric versus paint or graphic design, but if you start paying attention to the Pantone colors, all of a sudden you will begin to see those colors in the new season's line of clothing, home furnishings, graphics and even architectural designs for offices. 

Here are some sneak peeks at what I have coming up, starting next week, with the Pantone Fall 2017 London color palette.

You can probably tell from looking at the graphic that this was not the easiest grouping of colors to work with. There are lots of pale colors as well as yellows which many people cannot wear. This palette was definitely a challenge, but I find that even more fun. Besides, it is helping my brain stay active to try to figure out how to combine pieces and colors in a ways that will be pleasing to the eye. 

I hope you will join me the next five Tuesday's for my Pantone Fall 2017 London series on the blog. Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check back on Thursday to see who my Beautiful Blogger Bests choice will be. Until then have a great Tuesday. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, and Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Hannah and Sara of The Perfect Storm.