Shopping Our Closets: Casual Fall Look with Print Mixing

I am honestly trying to get back to regular posting, but 2026 has been kicking our butts. I have been struggling with my health symptoms as per usual, but yesterday I felt like I was getting a full blown sinus infection. The problem with these types of infections is that they simmer for weeks before actually turning into an actual infection. Unfortunately during that simmer time I feel extremely fatigued and unable to do anything extra. Yesterday, besides the pressure and pain in my head and face, I also had the congestion and the fatigue was overwhelming. I actually laid on the couch at one point in the afternoon and took a power nap just to get through the day. I started using colloidal silver in my neti pot yesterday morning and today, I already am feeling a little better. Hopefully, the upward progress will continue.

For today’s post I am using an outfit I wore one day last week and thought to take pictures of. I was going to post last week, but we were just too busy, so I gave myself some leeway. When you are already stressed because of what life is bringing to the table, you certainly don’t need to add getting down on yourself for all the things you feel you are not doing.

Since my Autumn/Winter Pantone series is over I decided to get back to my regular monthly columns. Today we are shopping our closets for simple easy printed pieces that can be combined for a fun, casual and comfortable look that is perfect for watching the grandkids, running to get groceries, or just hanging out at home.

If you have been reluctant to get on the print mixing wagon, now is the time to try it out. Fall is perfect for layering, and fun fall prints like dark florals, rich plaids and holiday graphics are just waiting to be seen together. For this outfit I chose plaid and autumn leaves for a color clash that seems like it was made to go together.

Style Tip: When mixing prints try to pull similar colors from both pieces. Also, pairing a larger print with a smaller print usually makes a more eye pleasing mix.

For this look the first piece I chose was this fun leaf print tee that I thrifted at the end of the summer. This is a brand called Hybrid. I love the burgundy background color and the pretty red, gold and light brown leaves. It is a light weight, stretchy knit so perfect for layering under other pieces. Even though the front tuck seems to be on again, off again I still use it to help disguise my love handles. I lost those pesky things when I lost weight. Unfortunately, I have gained it all back so they thought it necessary to return. Ha, ha. Here are a few long sleeve fall tee options from Cabelas, Kohl’s, and Talbots.

Once I chose the long sleeve tee I remembered this yellow and burgundy, SO plaid that I thrifted a few years ago. I was so tickled that these two pieces when together so well. Here are some options from Kohl’s, Land’s End, JCPenney, Old Navy, Walmart, and Amazon.

As you can see in the above picture there are light blue stripes in the shirt, thus my reason for choosing light wash jeans, and light blue accessories. My jeans were a sale purchase at Maurice’s a few years ago. These are a great in between seasons jean as they are lighter weight, and quite comfortable due to the stretch factor. These pics are a bit washed out due to the bright sunshine. Usually the best light for my phone is deeper shade. Check out some of Maurice’s jeans.

You’ve seen these Converse sneakers plenty of times since I got them on sale at DSW. The light blue is a great color for spring, summer and into fall, but I will put them away once the temps decide to be more fall like. Boots are my norm for the cooler weather. Here are some Converse sneakers from DSW.

My bag was a thrift find. I like the distressed, almost denim look to the material. Cross body bags are my bag of choice since I like to have my hands free when I am out and about. Here are a number of blue crossbody bags also from DSW.

My jewelry was blend of pieces. The leaf necklace I purchased up north at an art gallery a few years ago. The bracelets are pieces I have collected over the years mostly clearance purchases.

If you are interested in a leaf necklace or pendant for fall here are some beautiful options from Etsy.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you be able to put something together like this by shopping your closet? I’d love to hear your thoughts so leave me some love in the comments.

Shopping links are included for you to enjoy. These are brought to you at no additional cost and I do not receive any money through these sites.

Have a great week.

Outfit Inspiration: Winter Trends and Embroidery

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome back to the blog. After a couple of weeks off for the holidays I am ready to get back to sharing outfits through shopping my closet, sources of inspiration, and studying up on the latest trends and colors for each season. We are in the full throes of winter here in the midwest. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for many) we are only experiencing the cold and very little snow. Being a Buffalo girl I definitely miss the snow in the winter and would much rather have a full blown blizzard to maneuver than the psychological ramifications of drab gray and brown.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is real and many people are affected by it in the cold, cloudy months. The lack of sunlight drives us into our self made caves where we try to comfort ourselves with layers of cozy blankets and pillows, fuzzy sweatshirts and sweaters and snacks that all contain some amount of carbohydrates. If we, like bears, would hibernate in the winter we would be just fine, and all those treats we ate through the holidays would simply melt off as we slept the weeks away.

To counteract my own struggle with SAD I looked up what colors and patterns were trending for winter and came upon a few favorites, so this month I am going to put the color burgundy on repeat and show you outfits full of layers and textures that will be sure to make you think about your own pieces in a new, although dim and clouded, light.

I was having a hard time with pictures on the day I took these. It was freezing outside, with a wind chill of 9 degrees Fahrenheit. I did attempt a few outside, but the light was too bright even though there was solid cloud cover, so most of the pictures looked washed out. What you get is a blend of indoor and outdoor pics.

What inspired me to follow the winter trends for this month was this gorgeous cardigan my best friend gifted me when we went to New York the weekend between Christmas and New Years. She felt it was too big on her and thought it might look better on someone with a bit more height and with broader shoulders. I absolutely love it. It is a thrifted Christopher and Banks piece and what can I say except the embroidery is stunning, and contains a beautiful blend of burgundy, pale to medium pink, as well as white and gray. The sweater has a bit of luminous silver threads through out and is gathered in the back for a better fit. I’m adding a few embellished cardigans, though they may not have embroidery.

With burgundy being the color choice for this winter I rifled through my shelves to find these thrifted Westport pants. They are comfy and have a straight leg, which is one style that is always in. Whatever you think about wide legs versus skinnies, boot cut or flares, you really can’t go wrong with a classic straight leg pant. I know I have said this before, but that’s why I hang on to various silhouettes.

I decided to do some subtle print mixing with this plaid SO shirt that I got from Kohl’s a few seasons ago. Plaid is also in for winter, which makes me ask the question, when has it not been in? Ha, ha. I wear plaid pretty much all year round and flannel is my go to for cool weather days in fall, winter and spring.

My necklaces were thrifted and hand-me-overs, and I had a few silver bracelets on that I forgot to take pictures of, but you can add your own jewelry to your own outfit. One of the things I like to try is layering different pieces of jewelry, just to add a bit of fun and interest. Here you can see I did that with two different necklaces.

My bag was another hand-me-over from my best friend. It is a brand called The Sak.

My patent leather ankle boots are a thrifted pair and are Forever 21’s own brand. I do not shop at those stores as, for the most part, they are not using sustainable practices, and the turn over of product is rampant. However, when it comes to second hand, I am fully aware my purchasing it keeps it out of a land fill.

What do you like best about this outfit? Are you fond of the color burgundy? What would you do differently with these pieces? I always love to hear your ideas and thoughts, so be sure to leave me some love.

All shopping links throughout this post are affiliate links and are brought to you at no cost. These are provided to give you ideas or possible sources for similar items. If you purchase something through a link I have provided I get a few cents as a commission. I appreciate all you support.

I hope you have a fabulous Tuesday!

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - London Palette: First Blush, Ibiza Blue and Ultimate Gray

Due to my longer than usual absence from the blog because of my illness, I am going to bypass the wrap up of the New York Palette and the Intro to the London Palette for the Pantone 2021 color series and jump right into the London Palette, so that I can get this series concluded and get on with new content. I have been trying to give a more daily content on Instagram, which now also shows up on my regular Facebook account, but unfortunately, I have not been posting over on my Granny page. I guess I should start doing that as well. You would think all of these things would just be linked together. A few of the meds I am on are making my brain a bit dopey, so bear with me as I try to get things back into some sort of regular routine.

Here we are again, looking at a pastel pink on the fall color palette. I know pastels in fall are no longer taboo, but my brain still looks at this and thinks, “What a great spring outfit!” Maybe I should have paired First Blush with one of colors that seem more Autumnal to me, like Tomato Cream or Downtown Brown, but I liked the combination of blue and pink, so this is what you get.

My Ibeza Blue plaid shirt is a thrifted Faded Glory piece. I used this same plaid shirt in the spring for the French Blue color that was on the New York Palette. You can see that post here. You’ve seen these thrifted, distressed Lane Bryant jeans numerous times on the blog as they are one of my faves.

My First Blush jacket is also a repeat from my closet. Originally a Christopher and Banks purchase, this faux leather piece has some knit panels on the sides and under the arms to allow ease of movement and stretch. I added the scarf to bring in a little bit of added interest and additional color, plus with this being a fall outfit, the need for a scarf seemed more likely.

Ultimate Gray, once again makes its appearance on the London Palette, so I used this for my accessories in the metal chain belt, thrifted fold over bag and my silver sneakers. The only thing I did differently was the rose gold pendant. I just liked the way the color popped against the blue plaid.

While this look is certainly not what we would typically think of for the holidays, if you are more into pastel colors, this is a great casual look for that Thanksgiving celebration, especially if it involves a bit of shopping afterwards.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. Remember to order soon for Christmas. We have all heard how things are taking longer and some things are back logged so be sure to get your orders in, or even better, don’t deal with that added stress and try to buy local. That is what I am thinking about doing at least for part of my shopping this year.

These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.