Color Play - Building Outfits Around an Abstract Print Skirt

I have been wanting to build an outfit around this pretty abstract print maxi skirt ever since I thrifted it a few seasons ago. In order to get a bit outside my normal jeans and tees kind of casual outfits, I have been purposefully meandering through my maxi skirts in an effort to build a few fun, summer outfits that would work for backyard bbq’s, dressy casual dates with a friend or significant other, work or a more casual summer wedding. Today, I am showing you two different outfits using the same skirt.

Outfit 1 - Dressed Up

This skirt is a brand called Maeve by Anthropololgie. The outer layer is cotton, and it has an attached slip, making it easy to wear with no show through. The wide elastic band is comfortable, and easily covered with a wide belt, as you’ll see in the next outfit.

My bright pink jacket is a Chico’s thrift find. It is actually a petite, but I don’t have a super long torso, so I occasionally can get away with a petite size. You don’t really notice, especially if the sleeves are rolled up.

My tank top was a St. John’s Bay basic that I got at JC Penney a few seasons ago. I was excited to see it matched the blue in the skirt spot on. Of course with this skirt you could use pink, orange, white or black, or even mix it up with a totally different color like mint green, or sunflower yellow. That is exactly why I like to call this monthly column, Color Play, to stretch our minds as to what sorts of colors go together.

The jewelry wasn’t made to go together, but they certainly work well together. The necklace I got a few months ago at my favorite thrift store around the corner. The bracelet was a clearance purchase probably from Kohl’s or Penneys.

I have had this Relic canvas tote for a number of years, and it is a great work horse for summer. While I regularly carry a cross body bag, I occasionally reach for a tote bag to run to the coffee shop or library, or when packing for a trip. Sorry about the bits of cat hair. You can’t have a pet without there being a bit of fall out, especially in these warm temps. Ha, ha.

Our silly curmudgeon, Plato Aristotle Radcliffe Christensen. A large cat had to have a large name!

I had to rummage through my shoe boxes to find these cute espadrilles. These are Chaps brand and were a Kohl’s purchase a few years ago.

Outfit 2 - More Casual

I couldn’t resist doing a bit of print mixing with this fun skirt, and polka dots and embroidery seemed a great companion for the abstract print.

Both of these pieces were second hand finds. Like so many pieces that I thrift, I don’t always have an idea in mind of what they are going to go with, but find I am pleasantly surprise when things line up. My button down is Jones New York Sport, and the embroidered vest is Van Heusen. I’ve heard of Van Heusen in men’s shirts, but this is clearly a women’s vest, although a man might like it as well, but it is cut more for a feminine body. Walmart and a few other stores carry this brand.

I decided to add a wide belt for this look. Another thrift find, this wide braided belt is a soft material that adds interest and texture. I thought the belt and my Vera Wang bag were a good match. You can also see I swapped out the black pendant necklace for my lovable owl, and replaced the metal and bead bracelet for some fun white and gold stretchies.

I chose my denim Keds as a way to compliment the vest and create more continuity to a busy printed outfit.

So which look do you like better? Would you have purchased a skirt like this? Do you have any skirts in your closet that you are just not sure how to style? I hope this post gave you a little inspiration for shopping your closet and thinking outside your color box.

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Thank yo for all you do. I hope you are having a great week.

Outfit Inspiration - Pinterest Summer Look

When looking for outfit inspiration I used to look at catalogues and adds that I would get from various retailers like Christopher and Banks, Kohl’s, JC Penney, and others that would send flyers with outfit possibilities to get you to go purchase various pieces from their stores. It seems these days there are fewer and fewer who do the paper adds, choosing to stick to online marketing with only occasional pushes via snail mail.

I have also used fashion magazines like In Style, Vogue, Elle and others to get inspiration, but lately I can’t even bring myself to look at those magazines due to the political and social agendas so many of them have. I’m all for human rights and treating one another fairly and with kindness, but I get frustrated when various entities try to shove it down my throat, when all I want to do is put an outfit together. The same is true of retail stores, but my purpose in this blog is not to create hate and controversy. My desire is to encourage and inspire.

That being said, I now frequently turn to art, as you saw at the end of June when I styled an outfit around the colors in two paintings. I am also trying to remember to look at my Pinterest Boards, after all, I pin those outfits, recipes, home decor and so on for a purpose. They are suppose to inspire me to try new things and give you styles that are fun and easily duplicated.

Today’s outfit is an easy style that can be replicated with any a-line skirt, tank top or tee, and accessories. You can make it completely your own, by using a different print and color skirt, adding black or other colored accessories instead of brown, and by switching in a graphic tee for the solid colored tank top. This outfit was inspired by this pin.

This thrifted skirt has been in my closet for a number of years and it is starting to show some wear. I don’t wear skirts that often, but this one is a piece I often reach for in the warmer weather. It is a brand called Outback Red. So, I did a little poking around on the internet and discovered that this brand used to be sold by The Limited. Do you remember that store? I do. It was very popular in the 80’s, thus the style of this skirt. Since the 80’s were over forty years ago, can we now say that item made in that decade are vintage? Ha, ha.

My white tank top is also a thrift find, along with the layered bead necklace, and belt. The skirt has no belt loops, but I think the belt adds a touch of polish to the outfit. What do you think?

Style Tip - Adding a belt to skirt or dress can add interest to your outfit and give the appearance of a narrower waistline.

I found two of these tank tops at different times thrifting. This one is a creamy white, while the other has a taupe vibe to it. They both have a banded bottom, which is nice if you wear it out with jeans in that it doesn’t show off the love handles like some ribbed tank tops do. For this outfit I tucked it in. In fact the necklace would go well with either of the tank tops I am talking about.

You have seen my bag on the blog before. This one I got a Walmart a few years ago when patchwork was the rage. I think it is a very classy looking, structured piece, and the low key tans and browns go with many outfits.

Style Tip - While bright colored handbags are fun to use (I have a number), bags in classic colors like neutrals, black or navy add a touch of class to any look.

I wanted a similar look to the pinned outfit, so I knew I wanted to wear sandals. I got these gladiator sandals last year, and when I want something different from my usual sneakers these fit the bill. They are easy to get on and off, with a zipper on the back of the heel. They are airy, comfortable and you don’t have to worry about them falling off. They also cover most of the varicose veins on my feet.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you use Pinterest for outfit inspiration? Where do you get your outfit inspiration from? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or you can also leave me a comment on Facebook.

(Pardon my arm flab! Ha, ha.)

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