Pantone Spring/Summer 2022 - NY Palette: Spun Sugar, Coca Mocha, and Perfectly Pale

Today’s Pantone colors are a blend of earthy and pastels. Spun Sugar is a light, airy blue reminiscent of hazy summer skies. Coca Mocha makes me think of a double scoop of chocolate ice cream and Perfectly Pale is the perfect summer alternative to basic white. See the actual Pantone colors here.

I think these colors are a great pairing for spring and summer. We often think of brown as a fall color, just like we think of white as only a summer color. Well, girlfriends, we definitely needing to change our thinking about color, as in all colors work at any time of year. I will forever love my darker browns, oranges, yellows and burgundies in the fall, but that doesn’t mean I won’t occasionally put them on in the heat of summer. God made color and color is good, all year round.

My Sugar Spun tee is a Sonoma piece. I don’t know that I consider myself wild, but I definitely am glad I live in a free country. That is something I never want to take for granted. I am thankful for all who have fought for so many years to keep our country the free nation it is. I have come to have a deep affection for graphic tees, especially those with words on them.

This outfit is all me. The colors work for me and the pieces are all thrift finds except the necklace, bag and sneakers. The Coca Mocha velvet blazer is a brand called SSA, and is definitely showing wear. I need to do some stitching around the cuffs as it has been wanting to come apart. But overall, I think the blazer still has some wear left in it. This is not something I would normally gravitate towards in the summer, but with our weather being so wacky, I think I will keep this available.

Style Tip: Don’t put your blazers away for spring and summer. Think of them as light weight jackets that you can throw on with cropped pants, capris and even shorts. They make any casual outfit look classy and put together.

My pants are Gloria Vanderbilt and a newer thrift purchase. I knew I wanted a few other lighter weight and lighter colored pants for spring, so this utility pair does the trick.

Style Tip: If pure white is not your bag, find light colored bottoms for summer in pale creams, tans and yellows. You’ll get a similar effect to wearing white and won’t have to worry as much about your colored underwear showing through.

Summer for me means less in the accessory department. I can’t wear most scarves as I get too hot and many of my jewelry pieces make me break out in the warmer weather. These warm months are where I turn to pieces with hippie vibes that use cording, or heavyweight string for pendants and bracelets. I am thinking about taking a few of my hubby’s metal detecting finds and turning them into jewelry, so I guess this would be the time.

My daisy necklace was a Christmas gift from my husband. I like the little quirk it has, because that’s me, just a little quirky. Ha. ha. I am also showing off my round Nine West snakeskin print bag, that I got a few seasons ago from Kohl’s on clearance. Last, but not least, I had to use my bright blue Converse again, since they went along with the Spun Sugar color.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like the colors together, or would you put them with other colors? I love hearing your thoughts and ideas. You inspire me too!

I’m including a few shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great day!

Meet Maureen and Mavis

I want to introduce you to two gals who are going to help me out on the blog every once in a while. They used to work retail, but lost their jobs last fall and now they live with us. They were kind of happy their retail positions got canned. Both of them really wanted to become detectives and solve murder mysteries. For the time being they said they would model for me, since they have nothing better to do and there haven’t been any murders in our neighborhood. Although, with a lot more husbands and wives having to spend loads more time together, would it really be a surprise if someone ended up dead? Ha, ha.

Mavis is the taller one. She has a more conservative, classic stye, and is the planner on the team. Maureen likes to mix it up, gets a little edgy with her clothes and loves to play with technology.

Today, our models are showing off a trendy style that is perfect for spring, leopard print and denim. Join me as we get to know the girls and their style a little better.

Mavis

Mavis is wearing a thrifted dark wash denim pencil skirt. This is a brand called No Faze Jeans. I’ve worn this skirt before on the blog and you can see it styled for a casual look and for a date night look. Mavis is dressed for a stop at the coffee shop to do some computer work on a case (or she would be if she had a client and their wasn’t a lockdown). She likes this skirt because it is comfortable to sit in, with a good amount of stretch.

This awesome leopard print bomber jacket was another thrift find. Another Christopher and Banks piece, I like the cognac colored background and the sturdy zippers on the front and pockets. Mavis likes that it looks cool, but still classy.

The brown top is a Faded Glory tee that I have had for a while.

This leopard and gold pendant necklace goes perfectly with the outfit.

Mixing snakeskin print with leopard? Why not! Mavis isn’t afraid to print mix. A private eye needs to have a cute bag to keep their necessities in: lip gloss, tissues, credit cards and a gun, of course. A girl needs to have some protection.

Mavis always goes for a more conservative shoe. She likes shoes that look cute, but also offer support and stay on the foot. You never know when you might need to run after a criminal. These thrifted Natural Soul by Naturalizer heels are perfect.

Maureen

Maureen loves to stand out and be noticed. She loves clothes that are more flirty and feminine, but also has no problem wearing motorcycle boots and leather jackets. Today’s look revolves around a light weight, silky leopard print dress, a brand called Forever (possibly from Forever 21) and also a thrift store find. the dress is perfect for warmer weather as it is light weight and sleeveless.

You’ve see this thrifted Rue 21 distressed denim jacket on the blog before. It is one of my favorite denim jackets and offers a shorter cut, than most. The fact that this jacket has 3/4 length sleeves and subtle distressing means it is versatile for casual and dressed up occasions. You can see how I styled it with a LuLaRoe dress, a midi dress and a maxi dress, a leopard print skirt, a sweater tunic and a high waisted skirt. Maureen loves her denim, especially with a dress.

Maureen and Mavis are both modest girls by choice, so Maureen wanted a tank top under the lower cut v-neck of the dress. This one is thrifted and St John’s Bay. I like the little sparkle detail along the scoop.

Maureen, like Mavis loves jewelry, but hers will typically carry an air of hippy vibes and boho. I found this beaded choker while thrifting.

Maureen loves a bag that she can throw her lunch in if she wants and just like Mavis, she usually carries a piece, although her’s is a bit bigger than her friend’s. This thrifted, slouchy, hobo bag is American Eagle brand and has two handles, so you can either use it as a cross body bag, or a shoulder bag.

These thrifted Falls Creek combat boots are definitely showing their wear, but I thought they would look cute with this dress. Maureen thought so too. You can see how I styled these boots with pink jeggings, skinny jeans, and a printed a-line skirt.

I hope you enjoyed meeting Mavis and Maureen. They will be around again in the future and maybe they will have some adventures to share. Until then, have a great weekend. Stay safe and keep looking up.

I’ve included a few shopping links for leopard print jackets and dresses. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Piece Perfect - The Navy Blazer - Part 2

Last month I showed you two ways to wear a navy blazer with a dress and a skirt (click on the words to see that post).

Because I found so many ways to style this navy Ralph Lauren blazer, I felt I needed another post to give it, its due! Today I'll be wearing the blazer with two different pant outfits. As usual I try to do one that is more casual and one that is more dressy.

Casual Look - 

Being a woman of layers, I took advantage of all the pieces I possibly could! I started with a gray tee with bling, put a rusty orange cardi over that, then threw the blazer over the top. I paired the tops with my white/gray snakeskin jeans and a pair of gray, suede mid-calf boots. Finally, I pulled the whole look together with an oblong scarf with similar colors.

You can see how I styled the gray tee, here and the snakeskin jeans, here in previous posts.

I am using my orange bag as well. 

Dressy look -

For my dressier pant look I wore these dark color dress pants. Sometimes they look gray and sometimes they look brown, so I will say they are brownish-gray. I wore my printed pussy bow blouse and threw on some simple, non-colored jewelry. 

There you have it. A good quality, fitted blazer is a must for every woman't wardrobe. Here are this week's outfit's side by side. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing all the ways you can style this versatile piece. A blazer can take your wardrobe from small to large and it can take it from dull to dynamic. Whether the blazer is blue, black, gray or red, it can be a great piece to have in your closet.

Be sure to check back next week for the start of my Winter Wonderland series on Tuesday. 

Have a great weekend!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Shopping for Pieces:

Blazer - J.Crew Factory - $79.00

Snakeskin jeans - Macy's - $21.99

Orange cardi - Target - $19.99

Gray Tee - Kohl's - $14.99

Oblong Scarf - Kohl's - $7.99

Gray/brown dress pants - Macy's - $69.99

Printed Pussy Bow Blouse - Lord and Taylor - $40.27 (clearance)

Pantone Fall 2016 - Spicy Mustard

Of all the Pantone Fall 2016 color line up, Spicy Mustard is the one that surprised me most. I am not a big fan of yellow. I think yellow is a lovely color, but I don't tend to reach for it and don't have many yellow pieces in my wardrobe. Spicy Mustard, however,  seems to be a versatile yellow, one I keep reaching for. In fact as I write this I am wearing the same tee you see in this post, with a pink fly away cardi and flared jeans. Check out my Instagram post from Monday.

For today's post I decided to style the Spicy Mustard, 3/4 length sleeved tee with a snakeskin print skirt that I have had for a long time. The skirt itself seems to carry a bit of that same yellow throughout the pattern. 

Since the skirt takes on the role of pattern for the outfit, I decided to downplay my accessories and keep them a relatively neutral color. 

The bag and shoes are a pewter color, while the jewelry brings in the browns and creams in the skirt. 

It is hard to get a good picture of shoes when you are standing in grass and the ground is soft! Ha, ha. 

Here is a close up of the skirt snakeskin pattern. 

Be sure to check out Liz at With Wonder and Whimsy for her take on Spicy Mustard. 

What do you think of Spicy Mustard? Would you wear it? How would you style it in an outfit? Let me know in the comments section below. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to check back on Thursday and see which Beautiful Blogger inspired my polka dot outfit. Until then, have a great day. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Shopping Options:

Spicy Mustard top - Nordstrom Rack - $34.97

Snakeskin pants (skirts available at Poshmark and other online used retailers) - Macy's - $35.99

Strappy Shoe - DSW - $39.95

Bag - DSW - $49.95

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Wednesday linking up with Allison of Sydney Fashion Hunter and Tania of 50 is Not Old. Thursday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Nicole of Hight Latitude Style. Friday linking up with JoLynne of JoLynne Shane, Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style.

The Season of Fall

Today's post centers on the season of Fall. Autumn officially started a week ago to the day on the calendar and the weather has changed to reflect the beginning of this glorious season. My husband and I spent this past Saturday raking the leaves that had already fallen and enjoying a fire in our fire pit in the evening, while sipping on mugs of tea. It was cool enough that I threw on a hoodie. 

As the temperatures begins to fall our thoughts turn to changes in our wardrobes. As you can see from my Tuesday posts, the Pantone Fall color report included rich reddish brown and jewel tone green, as well as yellow and red reminiscent of the leaves that we will be raking out of our yards. But the colors are not the only thing that changes with the seasons. Our choice of clothing pieces change as well.

In the past we have usually put our whites and pastels away and opted for darker colors. Now anything goes. I have seen a number of articles and bloggers feature ways to wear white well into the season. Deborah of Fabulous After 40 shares three distinct outfits for wearing white into the fall in her article Can You Wear White After Labor Day?  JoLynn Shane, one of the many wonderful bloggers I follow, shared her take on wearing white jeans in the fall. Her White Jeans Outfit for Fall post is worth reading. You'll see me styling a pair of white jeans in an upcoming post in a few weeks. 

Since we are going to keep our whites out, we might as well rethink those pastels. Here is a good article from the site Bustle called 7 Ways to Wear Pastels in the Fall written by Emily McClure. While this article is from a year ago, her tips are just as applicable today. The one statement that really stands out to me is:

“When it comes to styling pastels, it’s all about adding in different textures. Personally, I love pairing pastel pieces with suede or leather in the fall, as it’s such a lovely juxtaposition of sweet and edgy staples. However, if you’re into bold prints and colors you may want to add bits of pastels as well. Bold cranberry pieces mix great with mint and cool blues. Basically, pastels are for everyone, all the time.”

— Emily McClure

I love that she talks about adding textures. That is something I am just learning how to do. I also like that she says, "...pastels are for everyone, all the time." Now, does every pastel look good on every complexion or skin tone, maybe not, but you can find the pastels that work for you, or as she says, mix textures. Choose a light pink top under a edgy wine colored moto jacket and maybe throw on a scarf that complements your skin tone. 

Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy, another beautiful blogger I follow, does a perfect job of pairing pastels with fall pieces in this post titled, Color Palettes featuring Pantone's Sharkskin Gray. You can see how she combines light blue and light pink with the darker, edgier Pantone Sharkskin Gray.

In addition to colors, we also think about patterns and how they change in the fall as well. This year in the stores and on the runways we are seeing animal prints like leopard, snakeskin, zebra stripes and tiger stripes. Leopard seems to be the rage right now. Here area a few of my own photos of pieces in my wardrobe.

As you can see in the above pics, I have a few things that have the snakeskin pattern. It is a fun pattern and can go with many different colors, depending on if you want to dress it up or dress it down. 

And just like on the fashion runways and in the stores, leopard print has turned up a few places in my closet. In addition to this fun skirt, I have a button up short sleeve blouse and a pair of flats which turn up occasionally in a blog post. 

Besides the animal prints I have mentioned, florals are also trending, but whereas in the summer the florals were light and backed by whites and pastels, the fall florals are darker shades backed by navy, wine and black. Check out Gemma's take on florals on her blog post The Cherry Blossom Midi Dress. This is the perfect floral look for transitioning to fall. 

Besides colors and patterns the other thing that significantly changes as we move into fall are the textures. Summer fabrics are usually light weight, breathable and moveable. The whole point is to keep you cool. As our weather changes, especially in the northern part of the country, our fabrics become heavier, bulkier and warmer. As women we still appreciate breathability and movement in our clothes, especially if you are menopausal, but we like textures that are soft to the touch and make us feel cozy. Cozy, after all, drums up images of roaring fires, hot cocoa and good books. 

One of the trending textures for fall is velvet. This jacket (which will be featured in a future post) is not real velvet, but it is so soft. Real velvet can be somewhat stiff, so I like this "faux velvet" if you will. It is moveable and fairly light weight.

There are so many other things we can talk about as the season of fall takes center stage. Our shoes transition into boots; our light weight sweaters transition into light weight jackets which transition into trench coats and we pull out scarves to accessorize and add warmth to our necks. Our sweaters become longer and eventually heavier and we begin adding hose or tights to our once bare and sun tanned legs. As I write this, I feel a little sad, but also excited because as you know I am a woman of layers and as the cool weather closes in, I get to create new and interesting outfits full of layers of texture, color and depth. And that will be fun!