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!

Chasing Away the Winter Blues - Week 2

My little series this month centers around styles and ways to chase away the winter blues that often accompany long weeks of cold and gray skies. For those of us who suffer with Season Affective Disorder, anything to give us a bit of a lift is well received. Last week I talked about wearing bright colors. You can see that post here. Wearing bright colors, not only gives us a lift because it makes us look light and cheery, but it reflects light into our faces and light is one of the essential things missing in these winter months. 

Another thing I like to do when I am feeling blue is force myself to get out of the house and do something different. Saturday was my 53rd birthday. My two daughters Rebecca and Rachel decided to plan a day out with me. 

We started our day, getting our make up done by my younger daughter Rachel, who is a make up artist. You can see her Instagram page here. 

The first pic is me getting made up and the second is my eldest. And yes I was taking the pictures with her fancier-than-mine, camera! Rachel was already done before we got there. While Rebecca was being done, I took a picture of another cutie. 

Rebecca added a few other cutie pictures of Rachel's pets.

Here are the three of us read to shop!

We went up to Ann Arbor, MI which is less than an hour away. Since it was lunch time when we got there we went to a famous Ann Arbor eatery/deli called Zingerman's. 

When you first walk in you see a typical deli with glass cases full of a wide variety of meats and cheeses. We didn't stop for a look, but continued further into a maze of walls, doorways, signs and displays, to the ordering station for lunch. The menu was on the walls up close to the ceiling and held every possible configuration of beef, pork, turkey, chicken, fish and so on. A bit on the pricey side we ordered the small size of our sandwiches and we were glad we did. 

Rebecca ordered the chicken while Rachel and I got turkey. It was amazing. It was all we could do to open our mouths wide enough to take a bite. The bread was grilled and crispy and the toppings varied from avocado and tomatoes to pesto and peppers. We certainly did not need the large size. Ha, ha.

After lunch we headed to Arborland Center, a strip mall that houses stores like DSW, Marshall's, Maurice's and Ulta. Recently I won $100 in gift cards from Jodie on Jodie's Touch of Style, for Nordstrom. Seeing as we do not have a Nordstrom in our town and the fact that I like to try things on, especially at a store I have never shopped at before, the girls did the online research and found a Nordstrom Rack at Arborland Cener. 

I did find a few nice things at Nordstrom Rack, which I plan on featuring in a later post. Rebecca even found a nice, warm winter coat to replace her old one and Rachel found some make up and a jacket for her son. Success!

After Nordstrom we ran across the street to a thrift store. My girls learned their love of thrifting from me. They both are trying to keep a budget and being able to get clothing at thrift stores really helps. Rachel found a cute stained glass lamp for $10 and I found a velvet, knee length jacket from J.Jill for only $6. 

Since we still had a few minutes before we had to head south to meet the men for dinner we stopped at Maurice's. I had never been in this shop and it was cute. The clothing seems to span generations which I like. There were things my daughters would wear and things I would wear and the prices weren't too bad either. Click here to check out their online site; Maurices.

This was one of the cute dressing rooms at the store. The clerks actually write your name on the door. Rachel got two pairs of pants for work. Rebecca and I didn't buy anything, not because we didn't want to. I will definitely be visiting this store again, either in person or on line. 

I had Rebecca snap a few more pics after we got back so you could see my outfit for the day.

The outfit consisted of black knee high boots, dark wash skinny jeans, charcoal gray cowl neck top, maroon fly away cardi and a retro styled fringe necklace.

I hope you enjoyed coming along with me and my girls on my birthday, chase away the blues, excursion. I had a good time with my daughters. And that night for dinner we met my husband, son-in-law and grandson at a favorite Italian restaurant for dinner. 

Thanks for visiting the blog and be sure to leave some love in the comments section below, or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram. 

Check back on Thursday when I will reveal an Awesome Accessory that I got for Christmas. Have a great day.

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. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Nancy's Fashion Style. 

Chasing Away the Winter Blues - Week 1

January can be a difficult month for many people. The days following the busyness of the holidays can be cold, dark and conducive to illness, depression and fear. How do I know this? Because I am a sufferer of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Probably more of us suffer from it than even realize. With the lack of sunshine during the shorter days of winter, especially in the north we can become reclusive, emotional and even fearful. I have already experienced that descent into darkness this year and I still find myself asking, "Why am I feeling this way?" However, now that I am aware of the issue, and have been for several years now, I can reassure myself, "This too, shall pass!"

There are numerous things that I, or you can do if you suffer with mild SAD syndrome. If your case is really severe you may need to see your practitioner who might prescribe light therapy or mild anti-depressants. I need to get my light out and put it to use! I find there are other things that help me through these gray days. Exercise is very important, if you can get out of bed! Eating well is also a plus, if you can pull yourself away from the carbs that your body craves during this syndrome. Another thing that I try to do is up the color factor in the outfits I pick our for each day. Thus, the outfit for today's post!

Once again I am taking my own pictures, so the quality is not great. Thank you for bearing with me as I continue to learn about taking my own photos. One of the issues I noticed is that when I try to focus my camera, I am not standing there to be the focal point for the lens. A good friend suggested I get a card board cut out of someone like Johnny Depp and have it be my stand in. Ha, ha. 

As you can see I opted for light pink. The bright color, not only reflects light up into my face, but makes me feel like spring might not be too far away. Seeing as it is winter, I layered a lighter pink long sleeve tee underneath and added an orange marled sweater vest over top. 

I added a multicolored scarf to add interest and texture to the outfit. The scarf with its orange and pink floral pattern drew together the pink of the blouse and the orange of the sweater.

I also had this silver and bead necklace that coordinated with the yellow green in the scarf.

I decided on a pair of dark brown jeans. I like the way these colors compliment each other. The dark brown still keeps me connected to the winter season, but the bright colors on top lighten up my whole visage. 

Because my pants are a little bit short I opted for dark brown ankle boots to elongate the leg and keep the eye from noticing the shortness of the pants. 

The thing I like about this pair of shoes is the elastic inserts on the back of the ankle. It makes getting into the shoes easy and it also avoids that cutting feeling that some stiff leather or non leather ankle boots can give.

To keep the colors bright I decided on my Lush Meadow colored bag. You can see it has a few defects like a missing rivet and a little wear on the bottom. But overall it is a lovely bag and makes a statement all on its own.

Next week I will share another idea for chasing away the winter blues. I hope you enjoyed today's post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Check back on Thursday for this month's perfect piece.

Have a great day.

Due to time constraints I am not including any shopping options in this post. If you ever have any questions as to where you can find a particular item, please leave me a comment in the comments section below and I will do my best to find something similar and let you know where to find it. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up.