Thanksgiving Day Look

I wanted to give you a post this week specifically for Thanksgiving Day. It isn’t very often we need to get dressed up any more, at least for those of us who are not working, or who are working from home, so I thought it would be fun to pull out all the stops and show you a fun, semi-dressy look that would be perfect for Thanksgiving with the family, or a Friendsgiving with your besties.

I got this maxi dress from Nordstrom Rack back in 2018. I have little reason to wear it, but I thought it would be perfect for a Thanksgiving day gathering, or even a Friendsgiving get together. One thing I like about a maxi dress is the simplicity of it. It’s one and done. Slip it over your head and voila you have a whole outfit. Of course you can add a few accessories to liven it up. See how I styled this same dress for a summer look, and for a different fall look.

I decided on brown and golden accents, so my thrifted belt, boots, necklace, and bracelet give a bit of grounding to the dress. In addition, the dress is quite long, so the belt helps to hold up the skirt so I am not stepping on it or it dragging across the ground. The dress is gathered with elastic at the waist, so a belt also helps to cover that up and accentuate the waistline. This belt is made of wood, but has a stretchy aspect to it.

Style Tip: Think of belts, not just as a way to hold up your pants, but as a way to add interest to an outfit. In addition, a belt can help create an waistline where you might not have one, or gather a more voluminous piece in at the waist. Since belts come in all sorts of textures, widths, and colors they can definitely add a kick to your outfit.

I love these 80’s style slouchy, suede, Kelly & Katie boots with the low heel, and yes I did add a pair of leggings under my dress, because it is cold. Heavy tights would work just as well.

The final piece I added to this outfit is the over sized, knee length, Denim & Co cardigan. This piece was another thrift treasure, and I am using it a lot this fall, as a coatigan. It is a heavy weight chenille, and includes both buttons and a tie. I like how it looks open, better, but I am thinking I might like it closed with a different belt.

The final piece I chose was my green Wallflower purse. I chose the green just for an interesting color pop. this is a fun cold weather piece and I wanted to make use of it.

What do you think of this look? Is this the type of thing you would wear to a Thanksgiving get together? As always, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas, so leave me a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links for maxi dresses. These are affiliate links brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase something through one of my links, I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for all you support, and have a very happy Thanksgiving!

November Styles - Flannel, Denim and Fur

For the month of November, I decided to take a closer look at some of the prints, colors, and textures that are trending this fall. It is hard to slow down and not let our minds go straight from Halloween to Christmas, but I want to take a deep breath and just enjoy fall before winter sets in. We’ll have time for holiday vibes in a few weeks, but for now just sit back and enjoy the changing leaves as they begin their descent to the ground, and savor the scents and tastes that come back around this time of year, like cider, pumpkin, and the outdoor smells of the changing season.

For today’s outfit I am drawing on three pieces of inspiration from a few of the fashion gurus on what was trending for Autumn 2025: earthy plaids, full skirts and luxuriously textured outerwear.

Plaid always comes around for fall, at least in my closet it does. I love my flannel shirts, my wool blazers and my plaid pants and skirts. This year plaid is back in earthy browns and rusts on the runway. See this article from Glamour. I guess you could say I was going for the Town and Country Chic vibe with this outfit.

For this look, I started with the plaid, flannel shirt. It is a men’s Croft & Barrow shirt from Kohl’s. It actually belonged to my hubby, but he never wore it, so I confiscated it. Ha, ha. I love flannel, oversized shirts and while this one is not very feminine, I enjoyed the challenge of making it into a more feminine look by adding the skirt. The shirt has both the dark, earthy brown and the dark blue, so it seemed perfect for the look I was trying to achieve. I also added the silver and brown beaded necklace for a little extra femininity.

My dark wash denim skirt was a thrift find a few years ago. It is a Liz Claiborne - Liz Sport piece. What’s not to love about this full, midi length skirt? It even has pockets. It is a medium weight so easily wearable all year round, and perfectly twirl worthy. You can see this piece styled previously on the blog with a fair isle sweater, and with an olive military jacket.

My Emma James, (an older offshoot of Liz Claiborne) faux fur and faux suede coat is another second hand find. I nabbed this one four years ago as soon as I found it and tried it on. I love the way these types of jackets can be used dressed up or down and the neutral color means it can go with anything. You can see another outfit I wore this coat with here.

I kept my accessories minimal to keep the focus on the outfit. My b.o.c. bag was a hand me over from my best girlfriend in NY. She is an avid thrifter too, and always finds great things, some of which she passes my way.

My boots are thrifted. I find a lot of boots at second hand stores when I am not looking for boots. Right now I am looking for a few new pairs of combat boots and do you think I can finding anything second hand? Nope! I also haven’t been thrifting in a while so that might be another reason. Ha. ha. These are a brand called XOXO. The are faux leather, but still look pretty good so they were a good find. Apparently, you can find this brand on Amazon.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think I hit the Town and Country vibe? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two. I always appreciate your interactions with my little blog.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase an item through one of my links I get a little commission. I appreciate every think you do to support me and the blog.

Have a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - London Palette: Salted Lime, Fanfare and Chocolate Martini

We are well into October and the last four days have felt like the middle of July rather than fall. We are hopefully heading into a cool down in a day or two. Midwest weather has always been rather chaotic with fluctuating temperatures, times of endless rain, or months of drought. Right now things are very dry, the trees have hardly any color to them, and our cars are regularly covered with dust.

For today’s look I wanted to combine the two greens on the Pantone Autumn/Winter London palette. Just like I combined Lavender Blue and Crown Blue, today I am pairing Salted Lime, a medium, citrus green, and Fanfare, a tealy green. I chose Chocolate Martini for my classic color and I like the earthy vibe of this look. You can see the London palette colors by clicking on this link.

The star of this show is the Fanfare, velvet jacket that I recently thrifted. While not true velvet, it certainly looks the part. I found this piece and immediately threw it into my cart. When I tried it on, I knew it was coming home with me. It was obviously hand made as it still had the rough, inner seams with no finished edges, and no label of any kind.

Salted Lime is not a color I have a lot of. When it comes to greens I like the darker more moody hues of olive and forest green. I also like deep tones like emerald and jungle green. However, I do keep a few pieces that are this lime color. This thrifted, Jaclyn Smith, gingham button down has been around for a number of years. You can see this top as a shacket over a graphic tee, worn under a graphic tee, and worn with a plaid skirt,

My Chocolate Martini pants were purchased new when I was still working as an assistant manager at a university bookstore. These are Worthington brand and I got them at JCPenney. They have a wider leg and are a bit long so I like to pair them with something that has a small heel.

I chose my Nine West heeled ankle boots, which match the pants perfectly. A tip for making your legs look longer and leaner is to match your pants and your shoes. I got these a couple of years ago at Kohl’s.

I went for a layered jewelry look with a short wood bead necklace and a long beaded pendant necklace with fringe.

I wanted to add a pop of color and remembered this cute color block bag I had thrifted last year. It is just a cheap bag and has no brand name in it, but I thought it was extremely cute and fun. I think it works beautifully to add an element of extra color to this outfit.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have any of these in your closet? If not, which one would you like to add? Be sure to leave a comment or too. It helps my blog and it always encourages me.

This picture below, definitely needs a caption! What would you put on it?

I have included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. These are retailers that are available through the affiliate and I cannot speak as to the quality of the pieces offered, so just be sure before you order something that you know the retailer’s return policy. If you purchase an item through my blog using one of my links, I get a little commission. I appreciate all your purchases as they help me keep the blog going. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - London Palette: Poppy Red, Bronze Mist and Dark Gull Gray

Can you believe September is almost over? Here in the midwest it doesn’t exactly feel like fall. The leaves are changing, the sun’s angle is different and the days are growing shorter and shorter, but our temps have been summery. I really don’t mind the blue skies and high 70’s or low 80’s, but I am ready for the cool down, and the return to all that is cozy, including hot tea and cocoa, baking things in the oven and the sweet layers of sweaters and scarves.

We are looking at another trio of colors from the Pantone London Autumn/Winter 2025 color palette. You can see the colors in this Pinterest pin.

Today’s look gets a power punch from Poppy Red. You might remember this color from the New York palette. It is definitely a mood lifter. You can see the New York post here. Today I decided to pair this bright red with Bronze Mist, which is a similar color to the NY Bronze Brown, just a bit more yellowy green. I also chose the color Dark Gull Gray from the classic palette. I styled the shirt two ways, left out and tucked in, so I will include pictures for both.

I found this bright Poppy Red, Sandra knit shell at a thrift store and thought it would work perfectly for a knit vest. I paired it with a second hand Dark Gull Gray, Falls Creek button down. I believe this may be a man’s shirt as it is quite big on me for a large, but who knows. Sizes are so different these days.

This Jones Wear skirt I have styled multiple times on the blog and even though I don’t wear skirts very often, this is still one I reach for. I chose this for the snippets of Bronze Mist color in the pattern. It is fully lined, but light enough to wear in the warmer weather, and warm enough to wear in the winter with tights and a pair of boots. You can see it with a maroon cardigan, a green suede jacket, a yellow top, and a green pullover sweater.

Since I was using the Dark Gull Gray color I chose my Impo ankle boots that I bought on clearance at DSW a few years ago, to balance the look out. Even though fall is the time we put our flip flops away and get out our boots, it is still too warm here to keep boots on for very long…at least for me. I love ankle boots in the cooler weather, and when it gets really cold, then I pull out the taller boots.

I chose this thrifted Fossil bag, as I thought it gave a nod to the Bronze Mist color, even though it isn’t a perfect match.

Do you like these colors together, or do you think they are odd? Do you have this bright Poppy Red in your wardrobe? Which version of this outfit do you like better, tucked in or left out? I love to hear your thoughts so leave me some love.

I’ve included a few shopping links for a few of the pieces to give you some similar color choices, but it was hard to find any sort of skirt in a similar color. These are brought to you at no extra cost. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

I hope you are having a great week!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - London Palette: Lavender Blue, Chili Oil and Crown Blue

As we start the London Color Palette this week you will recognize a few of the same colors that were on the New York Palette. Chili Oil and Crown Blue are two of those. You can see the London palette colors by checking out this pin on my Pinterest board. For today’s look and a one other look from this palette I decided to combine colors that fall into the same color category. Today I combined the pastel Lavender Blue with the classic Crown Blue, along with Chili Oil for a casual chic color block look.

The leaf is not part of the outfit! Ha, ha. Watch the following and you’ll know why. We have an immense Cottonwood tree in our yard and the leaves start to carpet the grass from the beginning of August. Even with all the leaves on the ground there are still leaves on the tree…and the sticks!! Eye, yie, yie. The stick shed from Cottonwoods is crazy.

You saw this Crown Blue thrifted Coldwater Creek piece just a few weeks ago. See the post here in case you missed it. This is a retailer that has many pretty and practical pieces, but they are a touch out of my price range, that is why I like to find different brands at thrift stores to try them out.

Lavender Blue is the London pallet’s pastel. I have two pullover tops in this color. It is a purply blue that is hard to match with anything, so an outfit like this allows it to stand on its own. This piece is Apt. 9 and was purchased at Kohl’s a number of years ago. I had to show off the beautiful lace inset on the back, even though it was concealed under the jacket. You can see how I styled this in another fall outfit with a white skirt.

My Chili Oil pants are Chico’s So Slimming, which I bought on sale a number of years ago. These are ponte pants. I never thought I would like a knit pant like this, but I do. I do not wear them often as I look at them more as a dress or work pant, but it was fun to get them out for this outfit. You saw them a few weeks ago when I styled them with Lemon Grass and French Roast.

I felt like keeping it casual, and thought it would be a nice contrast to the previous look with these pants which was more dressed up. It is amazing how accessories like shoes and bags can change a look. I chose my denim Keds as a nod back up to Crown Blue jacket. I also gave the pants a cuff, which in this look keeps it a bit more casual.

My corduroy axcess bag is very old, but I love the colors and keep it hanging around, even though my current go to’s for bags are cross body and smaller.

My jewelry is a simple pendant charm necklace. I like that the coppery color goes with the Chili Oil vibe of the pants, and makes the pastel top seem more fall appropriate.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like these colors? Do you like to wear a color block look?

I am including a few shopping links for you. These are affiliate links and are provided to give you ideas, inspiration and possible shopping options. If you use one of my links to make a purchase, I get a little commission, and believe me at this point in time, all the pennies count.

Have a super Tuesday!

Pantone Autumn/Winter 2025 - New York Palette: Bronzed Brown, Winterberry and Vapor Blue

I hope you are enjoying this Pantone color series. For the actual colors check out this pin on my Pinterest board. The Pantone Color Institute is the entity that people turn to for the trending colors for both fashion, architecture and home decor. I enjoy seeing what the colors are for each season, however, they have made it harder and harder to actually see the colors without having an account, so I appreciate those who do sharing their findings on Pinterest and other platforms.

Today’s colors are what I would call a little more reminiscent of what we tend to think of when we talk about the autumn season. Bronze Brown is a golden brown making me think of changing maple leaves and colorful sunsets, while Winterberry gives a nod to aromas soon to fill the air like cranberry and cinnamon, and Vapor Blue looks like wispy jet trails across a fading fall sky.

This seemed a bit of an odd pairing with the Bronze Brown and Winterberry, but after I put it together, I really liked how it turned out.

The Bronze Brown, Ophelia Roe jacket was a piece I got on clearance at Meijer. It actually had a pair of pants that went with it, that I bought at a later time. However, the pants seem to be a bit off. I should have taken them back right away, but sometimes you can’t tell right away something is cockeyed or sewn improperly. They are in the donation pile. I do, however, like the jacket with its utility, bomber style silhouette.

This Faded Glory floral blouse I have had for years. I don’t know why I don’t wear it more often, because I do like it. I just go right from shorts sleeves to fuzzy sweaters and sweatshirts and forget about the in between time. I honestly don’t remember if I bought it at Walmart, or if I found it at a second hand store.

You can also see my chunky berry and gold necklace, a gift from one of my daughters. I thought it went well with the casual vibe of the outfit. I also added a dark brown, almost burgundy colored leather belt that I recently thrifted. I know the trend has been no belts, but I always feel that a belt gives an outfit that finished feel, specifically when tucking a shirt in. Apparently the half tuck is no longer trendy and we are back to a full tuck or no tuck.

These Talbots jeans are also a thrift store find from this past spring/summer. If you look at the Pantone color for Vapor Blue, it really looks like a very light gray, but I feel that these jeans were representative of that faded blue sky we often see in the early morning or late evening. If the Pantone gurus say it’s blue, well okay, and this was my take! Ha, ha. I love the black and white pin striping down the outside seams of the legs.

Once I put the outfit together, I was struck by the thought that I actually could start styling boots again, so I grabbed these SO burgundy combat boots that I scored at Kohl’s a few seasons ago.

I just found this cute crossbody bag a few weeks ago when I was thrifting with my bestie back in New York. We always hit the thrift stores together, which is great fun. This is a brand called Modern Chic. I love the guitar strap vibe.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like how I put this outfit together? What would you have done differently? Please leave me some love in the comments. I appreciate my faithful few who try to comment on the regular. You always remind me why I keep doing this! Hugs to all of you.

I have included a few shopping links for you to look through. These are affiliate links which means when you purchase something through one of my links, I get a small commission. I appreciate all of your support, but most of all I appreciate that you stopped by the blog to hang out for a while.

Have a great week!

Shopping Our Closets: Print Mixing Style

It has been almost a month since I posted here and I do apologize. Our summer seemed to get increasingly busy and we had additional bumps along the way. In May I was dealing with another sinus infection and was back on antibiotics and steroids. In June my spouse was dealing with an old ankle injury from decades ago that has decided to act up. The end result of several doctor’s appointments and an MRI is an eventual invasive surgery that for the time being we are choosing to put off. He is doing okay as long as he doesn’t overdo. That also has meant taking on the responsibility of mowing the lawn for me. I honestly don’t mind, but it does take up another day and leaves me feeling pretty tired. However, God is good and always gives the strength I need to get the job done. Right now I am putting it off due to the increased heat. The grass will have to wait.

I decided to take a few pictures of the outfit I wore today and try to get it posted for this week. I have another very busy week coming up as I will have a few extra days of babysitting my grandson as his other grandma is taking the week off. I am hoping to do a few fun things with the three year old as these days of summer are quickly passing by.

Today’s look revolves around a few different prints that I think work very well together. I find it very fun to mix prints together, and it is much easier to do than you realize. The basic guidelines are as follows:

1- Pick similar color prints. As you will see in my outfit, the floral top has the some of the same coral shades as the pants, and it also contains the creamy white like my vest.

2 - Pair larger prints with smaller ones. This is not a rule, but for a beginner this makes it easier to decide which prints you will be comfortable pairing. For my look I paired the busy, larger floral print with the very small polka dots on my pants.

3 - If you are not sure about colored prints remember that textures count as prints as well. For instance, my crocheted vest is a print and pairs beautifully with the florals on the top and the polka dots on the pants. I could have just as easily paired the floral print with the textures of the vest and had a perfect print mix.

This floral tee was a thrift find this summer and is Loft brand. I love florals, especially dark florals, and this top caught my eye for the pretty colors, making me think of fall, and for the elbow length sleeves. I also like the neckline which gives it added interest.

Since the top is a little wide, adding the vest helped to give the outfit a little more shape. I was wearing this to church this morning, so I didn’t want to look too casual. Another second hand piece, this Jordache vest makes multiple appearances all year round. (I do not believe this manufacturer to be the same one that makes the jeans.) You can see the vest styled with olive pants here.

These polka dot Gloria Vanderbilt jeans were in a box to donate, but since I lost a little bit of weight, I decided to revisit the boxes that I hadn’t dealt with yet, trying everything on and setting aside things I still wanted to hang on to. I don’t wear these often, but I do like them as an alternative from regular blue denim. Plus with the polka dots it makes them a good choice for a print mix like this. You can see I folded the hems a few times to give them more the appearance of cropped pants.

My Aldo bag is the current one I use, and was another thrift find. Sorry about the stain. I didn’t even look it over before I went outside to take pictures. I have been using this one all spring and summer.

I added the charm necklace right before we left for church, thinking that it dressed up the outfit just a little bit more.

Finally, I wasn’t sure what shoe to wear, and still am not certain that these white and gold ones were the right choice but it seemed to work okay. I’m sure sandals would have been better, but I don’t wear those as often with my veiny feet. I found these at DSW on the clearance rack. They are Soul brand by Naturalizer.

What did you think of this look? Do you regularly print mix? What prints do you like to put together? Let me know in the comments. I always love to have your feedback.

I hope you are having a great week!

My Style: Casual with a Graphic Tee

I have been struggling to get things posted on the blog. It seems our summer has been busier than I thought it was going to be, and the heat, and added responsibilities have made it hard to find the time and the energy to put outfits together or write on my Faith page. However, here I am trying again. This is a piece of advice my mental health therapist often says, “Begin again.” There is something freeing about those two words. The fact that I can start over and begin again reminds me that, not only am I not perfect, but that it is okay. The important thing is that I keep trying.

For today’s outfit I decided to show you an outfit that is very much me. I am pretty simple when it comes to my style, and over the years I have showed you glimpses of what style types I pull from and for the most part these styles are casual and practical.

I like this combination of teal green with salmon. For this outfit, the first this I did was pick the tee shirt. I got another order from Love In Faith. I love their tees and place an order about once or twice a year. The fall and Christmas ones are always hard to resist, but this summer they had a number of cute graphics and colors. As always they are faith based. I am not an affiliate for them, I just love their products and they are always having good sales and are a faith based company so I like to buy from them.

I love the words on this tee, and the picture, of course, but the colors are lovely and so summery. The words printed at the bottom say, “My sin was great, His love was greater….Joh 3:16:” Obviously, I could have gone for a more orange color, but there are also slight shades of the salmon in the tee as well, which don’t show as well in my photo. In case you are ever interested in purchasing from Love In Faith, I typically get a large, because I like the extra room, but I could wear a medium. Since I have lost a few pounds, mediums are beginning to fit better, but I still like my tops roomy, and they do not shrink.

I bought light weight utility ankle pants a few years ago from Kohl’s and they are Sonoma brand. I was looking for a good alternative to jeans. These are perfect for hotter weather and though I could wear them ankle length in the summer I like to roll my pants so they come half way between my ankle and my knee. It is my alternative to shorts.

I found this fabulous green gingham number a few weeks ago. While I can’t really wear it yet, because it is so hot, I am looking forward to bringing it out more often when it gets cooler. It is actually a men’s shirt from JCPenney It is a stiffer cotton fabric, almost like a smooth canvas, and at first I wasn’t sure I would like it, but I am glad I took it. The stiffer feel gives it a bit more structure, which is great when wearing a piece like this as a shacket.

I added a bit of silver bling just to keep the outfit from getting too casual. You can see a little bit of the pinkish color I was talking about on the tee above, thus I also added my embellished Bueno pink cross body bag. I love the fake embroidery on this bag. This was another gift given to me by one of my daughers.

For shoes I pulled out my platform sneakers. I bought these back when platform sneakers were just becoming a thing a few years ago. It looks like we will have a bit of the platform trend sticking around, so I figured I was doing okay to wear these. These are a brand called Roxy and I found them on clearance at DSW.

What do you think of this outfit? What do you like to wear in the summer to look casual but put together? Leave me a comment or two below. I always like to hear your thoughts.

No shopping links today. Just take this as inspiration to shop your own closet and see what you can come up with.

Have a great day!

Outfit Inspiration: Cool, Coastal Vibes

Another trend that is around this summer is one I feel is always on repeat. Whether you call it coastal or nautical this summer trend seems to be veering away from the traditional red, navy and white color palette and is leaning more towards soft neutrals and pastels, while still giving a nod to the more traditional nautical stripes. For today’s outfit I decided to stick with a neutral palette, leaving out the stripes for a soft, feminine outfit that would be great for a casual dinner out followed by a walk on the beach.

I looked at Pinterest for inspiration for this coastal trend, and I found a number of outfits with a similar color palette to what I have put together here. White, light tan, with a light version of blue often seen in chambray pieces like button downs or skirts. What seemed to dominate the looks I found on Pinterest were white tops and bottoms with layered pieces, bags, shoes and a bit of jewelry taking on the other colors. To make this look completely my own, I decided to use the neutral tan color as my overall grounding color and just add in a little white, and blue.

My knit ruana is a fabulous Sonoma piece I got a number of years ago at Kohl’s and use it every so often to help build an outfit with texture. You can see how I styled it on the blog as a work wear look, and a boho look.

My white tank is a thrifted Loft piece. It has a bit of an iridescent sheen, so it didn’t show up real well in some of the pictures. You can also see the simple pendent necklace I chose to keep the outfit more low key.

My pants have made the rounds and were a JC Penney’s clearance find years ago. They are Liz Claiborne brand. How could I resist these with their beautiful embroidery? You can see how I styled them on the blog with a yellow top and cardigan.

My gladiator sandals are older and Massini brand, and my bag was gift a number of Christmases ago from my younger daughter. I also added my woven hat as you can see in the final pictures below.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think it is giving off coastal vibes? How would you do it differently? How would you make it your own? I love to have your feedback, so be sure to leave a comment or two below.

I have included shopping links with similar items for you to enjoy. These are affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a little commission. I appreciate all your support.

Have a great week!

My Style: Featuring Pantone 2025 London Palette Colors - White Grape, Veridian Green and Curds & Whey

I had one of my subscribers comment that she would like to see White Grape and Veridian Green together, so Sally this is for you. You can see these colors along with the other Pantone 2025 London Spring/Summer colors here. Thank you for those of you who take the time to comment. I know everyone is so busy and frankly, if you are like me, you feel inundated with too much information. However, I do want you to know that it means a lot when you take time to comment. I reminds me that what I am doing has a purpose and is seen.

I shopped my closet for these colors and had to open a few of my warm weather bins to find clothes that would look more spring-like. I thought it would be a fun change to layer a long sleeve shirt under a 3/4 length sleeve light weight jacket. I like how this turned out. Be sure to tell me what you think of this color combination and of the outfit in general.

I had to play around with a few pieces before I settled on these, but I found this combination came the closest to the palette colors. I started with this men’s button down as my Veridian Green layer. This is a brand called Zylos and it was thrifted a few years ago. I do like this deep aqua color, and it is perfect for the warm weathers months.

Next I found this thrifted Christopher and Banks piece, also a number of years ago. I thought about getting rid of it, as I don’t wear 3/4 sleeves very often, especially in jackets, but the color and fit kept it in my rotation. It is a great topper for chilly places when the air conditioners start to come on. The lighting was a bit persnickety, so the photo doesn’t do the color justice, but it definitely has that White Grape vibe.

I knew I wanted a casual look, as it is My Style, so jeans were my top choice. It took me a few try ons before I decided on this cropped, cuffed, St. John’s Bay pair from JC Penney a few Christmas seasons ago.

It occurred to me to check the classic colors on the Pantone palette to see what might work with this colorful look and I opted for Curds & Whey as I had my bag, belt and shoes that all fit with that color. I like this color as a different option to beige or tan for the summer months. All these pieces were second hand and obtained over the last few years. The bag is Fossil brand and the boat shoes, which are trending for summer, are Sperry’s.

I also added this necklace which did well to pull it all together.

Let me know what you think of these colors together. Do you like these greens? I’m not including any shopping links today, but let me know if you have seen these colors at any retailers other than thrift stores. Do you have these colors in your closet?

Have a great week!

Shopping Our Closets: Featuring Pantone 2025 London Palette Colors - Airy Blue and Passion Flower

I will no longer be featuring a series on the twice yearly Pantone color palettes, because it is no longer free to access. This year they have stopped showing the colors in their articles unless you sign up for an account. This was apparently due to an disagreement between Pantone and Adobe the platform that provided the color palettes. Pantone wanted customers to have direct access to the color libraries, but now it costs a subscription price of $15/month or $90/year. This is unfortunate for those of us who enjoy seeing the new colors. However, I was able to find a pin on Pinterest that shows the colors and you can see that here.

It is hard for me to show you warm weather looks when it is still so chilly outside, but I made an attempt with this outfit’s bright colors and fun denim jacket. It just happened that this purple which they are called Passion Flower is one of my favorite colors. I thought it paired well with the lighter Airy Blue of the denim and my vintage-ish shoulder bag. Let’s take a closer look at the details.

There are two stars in this outfit.

Star #1 - Embroidered Denim Jacket

You may have seen this beautiful, thrifted J. Jill Denim piece on the blog before. Click to see it styled with a head to toe denim outfit, a floral maxi dress, pink pants and a berry top, and a white maxi skirt. This is definitely a piece that I will be hanging on to.

Star #2 - Pleated Skirt

I bought this the last time I went thrifting before I started the #75hardstylechallenge . It was a tad tight around the waist, but I had started Weight Watchers and was hopeful that it would fit better as I lost weight, and indeed it does. It is still a tad snug, so no sit ups while I am wearing it, but who would be doing sit ups in a skirt anyway? Ha, ha.

This gorgeous piece is Pendleton brand, so very well made. I wish I could afford their clothing, but I will just have to keep my eye out when I start thrifting again. I did have two other Pendleton pieces, a blazer I still have which you can see here and here, and another blazer, here, which I do not have any longer.

I had this purple Time and Tru, thermal long sleeve tee from a previous thrifting occasion and it matches perfectly.

I added this pendant necklace and love how it pulls in the berry colors from the skirt. That also allowed me to add my Vionic suede combat boots, a clearance find at DSW, to pulled it all together.

Finally, my light blue shoulder bag, another thrift find is a brand called Sparrow True. On the label inside it says, “Inspired by Vintage Treasures of an Undiscovered Past.” I like that.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you own any Pendleton products? What has been your best find either at a thrift store or a regular retail store? I’d love to hear from you. Your input and feedback always makes my day and helps me to keep posting.

I’ve included shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week everyone and thanks for following along on the blog.

Color Play: Pantone Color of the Year Mocha Mousse with Brown and Gray

If you keep up with the Pantone Color of the Year, you know that this year’s color is a creamy brown with rosy undertones looking much like the dessert it is named after, Mocha Mousse. Click on the link to see the actual color. As I began looking through my closet, which contains almost every color under the sun, I realized I don’t have anything this exact color. The closest I came was a piece that is a little bit lighter version of the actual color, but I thought it would do for this post.

This tunic length sweater was a thrift find from last year. It is Lauren Conrad brand and I love the soft texture and the cute heart

I thought adding this thrifted, brown Fever vest a good way to further infuse the idea of the chocolatey goodness of mousse.

Style Tip: Adding a vest is a great way to have the fun of layering without the added weight and warmth. Vests are perfect for these transitional times between winter and spring, and summer and fall. Look for lighter weight, flowy vests that still provide coverage, but don’t add too much heat.

I decided to use my second hand White House Black Market Blanc jeans. It is nice to fit back into this trouser type pant to take a casual look up a notch.

Style Tip: Adding a pair or two of trouser type jeans, which have a somewhat wider silhouette allows you to dress up an outfit without going outside your “jeans box”. You know I am an avid fan of jeans and they are what I wear most of the time, but it is nice to have the option of a jean in a different style and/or color for a completely different look.

I decided to go for rose gold in my jewelry which I think goes well with the brown and the Mocha Mousse colors. I also added my pink Bueno crossbody bag which was a gift from my younger daughter a few years ago.

My thrifted patent leather ankle boots have made an appearance on the blog before and are Forever 21 brand. Apparently patent leather is making a come back this year, so if you have any of those in the shoe direction get them out of the dark corners of your closet and let them shine.

What do you think of Mocha Mousse? Do you like this color? Do you like the combination of brown with gray? How about brown with black? Please leave me your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a comment on Facebook. I always love to hear your ideas.

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

I hope you all are having a great week!

My Style: Leopard Print, Plaid and Denim

When I was thinking about an outfit for today’s post I realized I had the perfect inspiration in an Instagram challenge I was doing for the month of February. One of the prompts was Cheetah or Leopard, so I went with leopard since I don’t think I currently have any cheetah. I wanted to be cozy, and of course my go to is casual, so this is the outfit I came up with.

I started with this thrifted, open front, leopard print sweater. The brand is called Signature Studio. A few years ago these longer sweaters were quite popular and leopard print was just as popular then as it is now. I love that we can have all these beautiful animal prints without the harm that use to come to these beautiful animals. I know hunting still goes on for big game cats or other animals, but I’m hoping there is less demand for it with all the great prints we now have artificially.

I added a stretchy, brown belt to give the outfit a bit more of an hour glass silhouette.

I felt a bit of print mixing was in order so I grabbed this black and white Croft and Barrow, plaid shirt. This also was a thrifted piece.

Style Tip: Print mixing is easy. Try pairing plaid prints with stripes, florals, polka dots, animal prints, or other types of plaids like checks or Buffalo plaid.

Since it is my style, I wanted to keep it easy and casual so I chose these rolled, cropped St. John’s Bay jeans from JCPenney that I got a couple of winters ago. These are a boyfriend cut so very roomy and comfy.

Style Tip: Don’t put your crop pants away for the cold weather. Use them to show off fun, colorful socks or wear them with boots to help your boots take center stage.

For accessories I used the cognac color in the leopard print to inspire my necklace and my boots. However, I saw that for spring dark brown is the color of choice for bags and shoes, thus I pulled out my corduroy hobo bag.

This floral necklace is a new piece that I thrifted before I started my #75hardstylechallenge which is a buying fast for 75 days. I love this large, shorter pendant necklace.

My MIA boots keep showing up on here even though they are starting to look pretty ragged. They are comfy and fit well, making it hard to give them up. They were thrifted to begin with so for a few dollars I have gotten a lot of wear out of them and kept them out of the land fill for a couple more years.

You’ve seen this brown hobo bag numerous times here on the blog. It was another thrift find and has stood the test of time.

Did you like this outfit? Do you have any leopard print pieces in your closet? How do you like to style them?

I hope you enjoyed this post. Leave me some love. I always enjoy hearing your ideas and thoughts. I have included shopping links within the post. These are affiliate links. By purchasing something through one of my links I get a little bit of a kick back. I appreciate all of your support.

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!

Styling into the Holidays - Part 2: Holiday Work Party

It’s been five years since I lost my job at the university bookstore. As an assistant manager I was lucky to be able to wear business casual attire and sometimes went to work wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, especially if I was going to be book slamming - unpacking and shelving textbooks. However, once in a while I liked to get more dressed up to at least give the appearance that I was the second in command. Ha, ha. Today’s look is one that I might have worn during our holiday sales events.

When I was getting ready for my little photo shoot I decided to put volumizing powder in my hair. Unfortunately, I ended up putting too much in and I couldn’t even get a brush through my hair without nearly pulling my head off. Ha, ha, ha! I tell you what, us girls go through such feats to look beautiful. I tried to add some waves, but even the straight iron couldn’t make headway with my mess. So silly. There are times I really do feel like Lucille Ball. Ha, ha.

My thrifted, plaid Requirements blazer has been styled on the blog before. You can see that post here. It is a great piece, but doesn’t get as much love as it should since I only use it during the holiday season, which is very short. That is exactly why I pulled it out for this post. I really should try to wear it after the holidays. What do you think? Would you wear this before or after the Christmas season?

Denim skirts are trending right now, so I was glad to have another opportunity to wear this thrifted St. John’s Bay piece. This is a great pencil maxi whether you dress it up or down. My belt was also a thrift find.

I love this black turtleneck top that I found second hand. It is a brand called united.states.sweaters. It is soft and stretchy. A basic black turtleneck can be very flattering and can be dressed up or down. Just add gold or silver jewelry or a bright colored scarf and you take your outfit up a notch without really trying.

For my accessories I chose black for bag and boots and gold for my jewelry. My blag top handle hobo bag was a thrifted piece and a brand called Scarleton. You can find this brand on Amazon and they are very reasonably priced.

My black boots were a Black Friday purchase last year from Kohl’s and are Journee brand.

These gold tone jewelry pieces have been around for years, but always seem to keep their shine.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you have worn something like this to a holiday office party? What would you do with the pieces in your closet?

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it provided a little inspiration for your holiday get togethers, or just gave you an excuse to get dressed up to go to the mall or out to lunch with a friend. I have provided a few shopping links for similar items and I try to keep the price points more reasonable. These are for you to shop or to just draw inspiration from. These are affiliate links, brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a little kickback. I appreciate all of your support.

Leave me a comment or two. I always love to hear from you!

My Style: Tomboy/Tomboy Femme

Tomboy or Tomboy Femme style is a mix of masculine and feminine elements that involves pieces as simple and casual as flannel shirts and sneakers to ones more classic and complex like trousers and button downs. I have always deemed myself a tomboy. I loved chasing after my older brothers when I was growing up, especially when they were riding dirt bikes in the field near our house. I would follow them on my bicycle, longing for the day when I could join them on their noisy, dirty motorcycles.

While my longing to race motorcycles never came to fruition, to this day I love the rumble of a Harley Davidson, and all the leather and denim that goes along with it. I enjoy playing outdoors whether it be hiking, camping, fishing or even hunting, occasionally, with my spouse.

When puberty came with all of its teenage angst, it also came with a full swing into things that were girly. I did play with dolls growing up and definitely loved Barbie and all of her friends, but after puberty I noticed I became acutely aware of clothes, boys, and hair styles. Make up came later when I was in college.

To this day, I still prefer jeans and sneakers to dresses and heals. I can totally dress up for a special event, but the bulk of the time I feel most confident when I am wearing a casual look that involves both feminine and masculine vibes.

This look came together after I picked out this multi-print babydoll top with peasant sleeves. This is a fun piece I thrifted a while back, but it is definitely made for cold weather as it is a heavy weight material. I wore a tank top underneath to keep the chilly air from coming up under the top. This is definitely a feminine piece by its silhouette, but the colors keep it more grounded and even masculine in nature.

After I picked the top I knew I wanted to use an oversized button down to hone in on the tomboy nature of the look. I remembered I had this wonderful thrifted corduroy shirt so I dug through my cold weather clothes, which are slowly being transitioned back into my closet after their summer hiatus. This piece matched perfectly with the rusty orange in the top.

Style Tip: Look for heavy weight, oversized button downs in the men’s section at thrift stores. You will most likely find a few gems. Use these like a cardigan, blazer or jacket for a casual, relaxed tone.

Knowing my top half was going to be more bulky and oversized I wanted to go for a slimmer leg jean. I grabbed this slightly distressed, high waisted pair from Maurice’s on clearance. I rolled the hems to add to the tomboy demeanor, but I look forward to wearing these with boots later this season and into winter.

My high top Converse seemed the perfect choice to drive home the tomboy nature of this look, however I wanted a few more feminine touches so chose a pastel pink cross body bag, and two rosy gold necklaces that my bestie gave to me a while back. She gave me a box with multiple necklaces and scarves that she was no longer using, so I finally pulled it out of my closet and took everything out so I can use it. I love the layered look these two necklaces provide. I also added my sparkly rose gold faux leather bracelet.

Do you think I pulled off the tomboy, or tomboy femme look? Do you wear outfits like this? Do you have pieces like this in your closet? Do you own a corduroy button down? Be sure to leave me a comment or two. I always love to hear from you.

I was also participating in an Instagram challenge yesterday that involved our favorite hat, so I added my hat to the outfit and took a few more pics.

I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Note I included a few men’s corduroy button downs as they will provide a bigger, oversized look. I typically get a men’s Medium or Large so there is a bit more room in the hip area, but if you are petite order a small.

Have a great week!

Shopping Our Closets: Fall Florals

I don’t know about you, but I love the rich, vibrant colors of fall. Unlike spring and summer when we focus more on white, navy and all manner of pastels, fall allows us to indulge in dark maroons and earthy browns; golden yellows and rusty oranges. I love floral pieces in any season, but I especially love the dark florals of fall and winter. I am hoping you have a few fall florals in your closets and you will join me in putting together an outfit with those pieces as a focal point. Whether it is a top, a scarf, a bag or a skirt, fall florals make for outfits that are fun, whimsical and stylish.

For my fall floral I chose a thrifted Croft & Barrow tee. The rusty background, pinky reds in the flowers and the black leaves are a perfect choice for this fall look.

This top is just a basic Croft & Barrow tee. It fits well, and is perfectly comfy. It is a great piece for these early fall days where the temps are starting to get cooler, but it isn’t yet full on sweater weather yet.

I also chose simple beaded jewelry in similar fall tones.

I was going for a casual look, so chose jeans as my bottoms, but you could easily dress this up with a pair of black dress pants, or a rust or white colored skirt. These thrifted, boot-cut jeans are Apt. 9 brand.

My fun duster was a purchase from Cracker Barrel General Stores a few years ago. They always have beautiful holiday displays of their products and fun seasonal clothing. I would buy many more pieces there, but I just have a hard time paying full retail prices for anything I don’t really need. This is a brand called Linda Anderson.

My accessories really completed this casual look. I chose my thrifted Converse sneakers, my burgundy saddle bag purse, and an oversized, light weight, thrifted scarf. I like how the scarf has a similar color vibe to the tee, yet it is completely different. It also makes for a fun print mix.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you have any fall florals in your closet? If so, what sort of pieces do you have? I think it would be fun to style a fall outfit around a floral bag, scarf, skirt or dress. Let me know you thoughts.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it provided a bit of inspiration for you in shopping your closet to build a fall outfit around a fall floral piece.

I’m including a few fall florals, bags and scarves below. These are affiliate links brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase an item through one of my links, I get a few cents. I appreciate all you do to support the blog.

I hope you are having a great week!

Outfit Inspiration: Fall Look Inspired by Pinterest

As I finished up the Pantone Autumn/Winter 2024 NY Palette last Tuesday, I thought about where I wanted to go from there. Should I follow that up with the Autumn/Winter 2024 London Palette, or do I just let that go and do posts that are fall oriented, but of my own making? For today I chose to create my own outfit with just a little inspiration from Pinterest.

As you will see, I drew inspiration from the pin in the black pants and chambray top, but I opted to use a different color for the cardi, boots and bag, and I added a scarf.

Style Tip: Use things like Pinterest, art, magazines, and other inspiring ideas as a jumping off point. If you want to copy the style or the colors exactly that’s great, but leave room for you own interpretations. Not every style is for every woman, and not every woman wears every color, and so on. Inspiration is to be just that, something from which you get ideas and direction on where you want your style to go.

I started with my long sleeve chambray shirt. This Sonoma button down has been a work horse for years every since I purchased it at Kohl’s. I just love the embroidery on this piece.

Style Tip: Chambray comes in various washes, just like any denim, so don’t be afraid to experiment with various shades to see what works best for you and for the outfit you are trying to put together. I liked the contrast of the black with this lighter shade.

These black, cropped, raw hem jeans were a thrift find. They are very stretchy and have a higher waist, so are great if I want a smoother look under a top or sweater.

Style Tip: Be aware that most black jeans will look “weathered” after a number of washings, but here is an article on how to keep them looking top notch. In addition, if you want to keep a black pant truly black, and don’t want to re-dye them, look for a trouser with fabrics like polyester, rayon or viscose. These fabrics hold their color better than cotton or cotton blends.

My olive duster has also been one that gets regular wear in the cooler weather. This is another Sonoma piece from Kohl’s. The weight of this piece is perfect for these transitional temperatures, and it has pockets!

As I said previously I opted for all olive colored accessories: SO Ankle boots, thrifted hobo bag, and thrifted camo scarf. However, you could easily take this outfit formal and change up the color and style of sweater, boots and bag and have a completely different look.

Unfortunately, it has been too warm here in the midwest to wear an outfit like this. I did wear the pants, boots and button down the rest of the day, but it was too warm for a scarf and sweater. Okay summer, you can go now! Ha, ha.

Would you wear an outfit like this? What is the weather like where you are?

I hope you enjoyed this outfit. How would you style an outfit like this? Would use olive, tan, gray or some other color to top black pants and a chambray shirt? As always, I love to hear your thoughts.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links brought to you at no additional charge. If you purchase an item through one of my links I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

I appreciate all you support. Thank you for continuing to following the blog.

Color Play: Pantone Autumn/Winter NY Palette - Tomato Cream, Moonstruck and Buckthorn Brown

Today I am combining the last three colors from the Pantone Autumn/Winter 2024 New York Palette. Tomato Cream will definitely remind you of the familiar soup. I still have cans of Campbell’s Tomato Soup in my pantry and use them regularly. My mom always used water to make the soup when I was growing up, but when I got married to a Wisconsin man who loved dairy I learned to use half a can of milk and half a can of water, or if I have skim milk, I use a full can. It makes the soup creamier and it takes on this orangey red color.

Moonstruck is a medium gray and reminds me of the gray skies of fall and winter that just hang around, but don’t produce any rain or snow. For this sufferer of Seasonal Affective Disorder those gray clouds are the worst! Just rain or snow, already. Ha, ha.

Buckthorn Brown is an earthy sunshine color. It tends towards yellowish gold, but is not truly yellow. I think their idea was buckskin, but without the bad press that animal skins or prints have for many people. I do not have an issue with leather, but I do prefer it is sustainably and responsibly sourced. Fast fashion is not good for our environment and certainly not for animals who are used just to make a buck…pardon the pun! That being said, I do like this color. It is a nice change from our darker browns, and gives our wardrobes a peppy vibe.

My outfit for these last three colors is very casual. This is more in line with my every day looks, so for those of you who are not working, or are working from home, this might be for you.

To see the actual Pantone Autumn/Winter 2024 New York Palette colors just click on the link. I do the best I can to match the colors with what I have in my closet, so they differ slightly.

My Tomato Cream Tahari open front cardigan was a clearance find from TJMaxx a few years ago. You can see how I styled that with a white sleeveless sweater, a fall graphic tee, and in a monochrome fall look from last year.

My Gloria Vanderbilt Moonstruck jeans have been around for a while. It seems every time there is a Pantone series, I bring these out as there is always some sort of gray. You can see them styled with a red and white striped tee, and with a red plaid blazer.

Buckthorn Brown is really more of a brownish gold or yellow, but I thought this Sonoma tee from Kohl’s was a pretty good match. Kohl’s has always been a great place to find basics like short and long sleeve tees, pullover sweaters for the cooler weather and fun tees with holiday motifs. I don’t shop there much any more due to my lack of need for clothing, and due to my love of thrifting. Ha, ha.

I kept my accessories pretty minimal. My necklace was a more recent thrift find, and might seem a little to fancy for this casual look, but I like the contrast of dressy and casual, and the color goes well with the Tomato Cream cardi.

I chose blue for my bag and my sneakers, just to play off the blue flowers in the tee. My bag is an old thrift find, a brand called Nine & Co. My sneakers are Keds.

What do you think of these colors? What did you think of this fall’s New York palette? What colors were your favorites? I’d love to get your feedback, so leave me a comment or two.

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

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Shopping Our Closets: Fall Trends

I think it is always fun to look at what is trending for the up coming seasons. As we look to fall, we will be seeing much that is familiar, thus patterns and pieces that you probably already have in your closet. Be prepared for a resurgence of animal prints, plaid, sherpa, faux fur, and leather. Silhouettes will revolve around skirts from narrow denim to fuller midi lengths and will also continue to feature wide leg jeans. However, the news is out, skinnies will be back in the not too distant future, so I hope, like me, you hung on to your narrow legged jeans.

Style Tip: It seems in this ever changing fashion scape it is good to keep a few things that are timeless and classic, like a good, straight leg trouser or jean. They are neither wide nor skinny and can be worn with anything, and dressed up or down.

In addition fall will bring wonderful, earthy tones such as dark green and various shades of brown. Pantone revealed both a New York Autumn/Winter Color Palette 2024/25, and a London Autumn/Winter Color Palette 2024/25. I am thinking about delving back into these color palettes, so if that is something you’d like me to do, please let me know.

Today’s outfit revolves around a few of the fall trends that I have in my closet including a structured military jacket, an animal print scarf, a full denim skirt, combat boots and a brown bag.

This look is crossing a bit into a Dark Academia look, which I have featured in a What I’ve Been Wearing post on the blog here. The more somber hues with the structure of the military jacket give it an interesting vibe.

My younger daughter gave me this Torrid military jacket a number of years ago for Christmas. It is not a piece I reach for often, but I keep it in my closet because it is so unique. The olive drab color is such a contrast against the dark black trim, and the fit and flare silhouette makes it additionally interesting. It is a heavy knit fabric akin to sweatshirt material, so very comfy and stretchy.

Style Tip: Military jacket vs. utility jacket, what is the difference? Usually, a military jacket is a cropped piece and will have decorative buttons on both sides of the front opening, and some sort of contrasting piping, ribbon or stitching that gives it a formal military vibe. A utility jacket is usually longer, has a drawstring, large pockets and often both a zipper and snaps or buttons, and is meant to be a casual or functional type jacket.

I thought this thrifted, Express, “honor” graphic tee was the perfect piece to go with the military look.

I found this LizSport, full, midi or tea length, denim skirt while thrifting last year, and it has been coming in handy. It is a lighter weight which is nice with it being such a full piece. If the fabric was thicker it would definitely be very heavy. It is a tad bit tight around my waist, but I am willing to put up with it. Ha, ha. The things we gals do for fashion!

I just added this thrifted scarf to my scarf pile, and yes it is a pile, but I do so love scarves! Since animal prints are back in force, I thought this blend of zebra and leopard a fun mix. I didn’t add any jewelry since there is already plenty going on in this outfit.

If you look up Fall Bags 2024 you’ll see bags in all shapes and sizes, but in one very distinct color, brown, or the hues and shades thereof. It also looks like most of the bags are leather or faux leather, rather than a soft fabric like this corduroy one of mine. Here are a few to look at, including a few small animal print ones.

Combat boots seem to be around to stay, so if you haven’t hopped on that trend wagon, it’s not too late to start. I love my combat boots. They are so comfortable, and my inserts fit it every pair I currently own. This pair is Joe Boxer brand. I find most of mine at thrift stores, but have gotten a few pairs on sale at Kohl’s.

So what do you think of these fall trends? Do you have any similar items in your closet? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment or two below. I always love to hear from you.

I hope you enjoyed this post. All links included are affiliate links. If you click on a link, I might get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of the links I get a tiny commission. These are brought to you at no extra cost and are provided to give you inspiration and ideas as to where you can purchase similar pieces to those featured in the post. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week!