Spring Trends 2020 - Maxi Dresses, Psychedelic Prints and Vests

If you have been following along as I look at the Spring 2020 Trends, then you are well aware this year’s trends are full of patterns and diversity. If your style is classic, you’ll find pinstriped suiting and button up shirts; if you prefer color, you’ll be amused with abstract florals and tropical prints; if boho vibe is your thing then today’s post is for you. When I think of boho style, I think of 60’s and 70’s inspired prints, fringe and maxi dresses. While today’s outfit has no fringe, it definitely calls to one’s inner hippy.

I got this flower power maxi dress last year on the clearance racks at Meijer. I was attracted to the large flowers, the rusty orange colored background and the crochet overlay on the bodice. The dress has spaghetti straps, but since it is still cold out, I decided to layer a long sleeve tee underneath.

I purchased this striped long sleeve tee just after Christmas at Maurice’s. I thought the navy stripe worked well with the blue in the dress and the rusty color is similar enough to the rust of the dress to make a fun print mix.

I’ve styled this denim vest from Christopher and Banks on the blog before many times. It is a workhorse in my wardrobe and is appropriate for all seasons. See how I styled it for spring, summer, fall and winter by clicking on the seasons.

A couple of simple jewelry items are enough to make a statement without being overdone.

You’ve seen this Simply Vera, Vera Wang bag on the blog before. I’m thinking maybe a cloth bag or something like my fringe bag would have been a better choice. I almost feel like this bag was out of place. I think it looks nice with the colors involved, but doesn’t really fit the vibe of the outfit as a whole. I feel the same way about my boots.

These Baretraps boot from DSW first made their appearance on the blog last fall. You can see that post here. I love having a variety of boots and these with their slouchy fronts, spat-type appearance and wood stacked heels are just plain fun. However, I don’t think they were the best choice for this outfit. Maybe a pair of my suede ankle boots or even some sneakers would have been a better choice. What do you think?

At the last minute I grabbed a scarf to wear as a type of head band. My daughter said I looked like Frankie from Grace and Frankie. Which of course made me laugh. Lily Tomlin is a great actress and comedian.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear a boho style like this? Do you like to wear maxi dresses or vests? Tell me your thought in the comments below. I always love to hear from you and thank you to all of my subscribers and those of you who take the time to follow along and make comments.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links which means if you click on a link, I get a few cents; if you purchase something through a link, I get a little bit more. Thanks to all of you who have looked at those shopping links. I really appreciate it.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

One of my favorite Christmas tunes is Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee. When I was in high school I hung out with a girl a grade ahead of me named Sherry. We had tons of fun together and had a very special friendship. Though our ways parted after high school, we still keep in touch through Facebook. Sherry and I were in my church’s youth group together and often found ourselves with other church friends at local restaurants. One particular pizza/sub shop had a juke box. Seeing as it was that time of year, Christmas songs had been added to the playlist. Sherry and I chose a few songs, and one of the ones she picked was Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. The funny thing was, Sherry decided to be silly and kept going up, inserting more change and playing that same song over and over. We all had a giggle fest as we ate our food. Now, every time I hear that song, I think of my dear friend and all the fun we had together.

The song, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, was written by Johnny Marks and sung by Brenda Lee in 1958. The interesting thing about Brenda Lee was her age when she recorded the song. She was only thirteen. Her mature sounding voice lead her to a career in country music, but it is the blend of rockabilly and country style that makes this song a forever hit. To this day most radio stations from adult contemporary, to top 40, to country play Mark’s and Lee’s version of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree more than any other version.

Of course with the 50’s rock and roll feel of the song, I had to dress with a 50’s vibe. Rolled up jeans, a mismatched sweater set and a ponytail with a fun Christmas scarf brought in the 50’s details, most of which I got from watching shows like Happy Days. Ha, ha. Probably not exactly historically accurate, but you get the idea.

I hadn’t gotten my full sized Christmas tree up yet, but I wanted the pictures to look somewhat festive. When my daughters were both still living at home, we had gotten them each a tiny, Charlie Brown, type tree for their rooms. This one still resides at our house, so I thought it would add a touch of Christmas cheer to the pictures. Plus, how do you rock around the Christmas tree, if there isn’t one?

As you know, high waisted mom jeans are back in style. I had gotten rid of all of mine, not because they went out of stye, but because I gained weight and had to buy new jeans. Personally, I don’t really like the confines of high waisted jeans now that I have muffins to stuff into them. I prefer jeans that fall just below my belly button, but when I found this pair on clearance at Kohl’s, I thought I would add one pair of high waisted jeans back into rotation. These are Wild Fable brand. Target carries this brand and has a number of different washes, as well as various amounts of distressing.

You may think pink and red an odd color combo for Christmas, but it just makes me think of candy canes, Christmas cookies and wrapping paper. Both of these pieces were thrifted. The red cardigan is Merona brand and the pink pullover with rabbit fur embellishment is Emma James (a Liz Claiborne company). I am not a proponent of real fur, but if I have the choice of saving a clothing item from a land fill and part or all of its component are real fur, then I am a fan. Here is a pic without the cardi.

Since I wanted the outfit to be simple and fun I didn’t wear any jewelry. I don’t own a pair of saddle shoes, so the next best thing was a pair of Converse high tops. These are the only Converse I own. They typically do not fit my feet very well, but I found these on clearance at DSW. I popped on the white socks as a topper and it reminded me of how girls would wear their socks back in the 50’s.

Of course, in my opinion, no outfit is complete without a bag. What if you realize as you are rockin’ around the Christmas tree, baking cookies or decorating that you’ve run out of sugar or you’ve discovered another string of lights that won’t light (I swear, it happens every year)? You will need to run to the store. I chose this white, Jaclyn Smith satchel. This thrifted bag can be carried by the top handles and it also comes with a long strap to wear it as a cross body bag. This is also a thrift find.

My final addition was the scarf in my hair. Over the years I have collected a number of Christmas related pieces. I have a number of long sleeve tees, a couple sweaters and a few scarves. If you followed my Instagram feed last year, I featured most of those pieces in my “20 Days of Christmas series”. This cute snowman scarf is a narrow oblong scarf that works perfectly as a hair tie. I wore it to work yesterday around my neck, with a snowman pin.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like high waisted mom jeans? Is Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree a favorite song of yours? Do you think I did justice to the song with my outfit? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Here is Brenda Lee singing Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.

I’m including a few shopping links. I hope you are having a good month leading up to Christmas. I especially hope that you do not feel stressed out and that you are staying healthy. Take care of yourself. There is only one beautiful you. Have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Flat Lays in the Flesh - Capes

This is the last of my Flat Lays in the Flesh outfits. I picked out the four that really appealed to me, but that doesn’t mean the other Flat Lays weren’t also interesting and possible “in the flesh” outfits. These four were the ones that appealed to me for various reasons and it has been fun to see how they actually looked on a person, namely me. For your information, so that you know how you might measure up, I am 5’5”, 171lbs. I would feel more comfortable in my skin if I was about 150 or 155, so that is a goal I am working towards, albeit very slowly.

Today’s outfit in the flesh features the Fall 2019 trend of capes. I think capes were very popular back in the day, especially in Medieval Europe. They have come and gone over the years and typically when we hear the word cape we think of super heroes donning their spandex suits and adding a cape as a finishing touch; think Superman, Batman and Robin or even Thor. While capes came back this year, I personally haven’t seen very many of them floating around in the stores or donning women walking down the street.

Flay lay and photo by Amy Christensen

I know not everyone is buying into the mustard trend, but I really do like this rich sunflower yellow cape that I found while thrifting. I like that it is a crafted piece, made by hand and has the fringe, which is so indicative of a bohemian look. Here is the outfit in the flesh.

My yellow thrifted plaid shirt is Divided brand from H&M. I had no idea when I found it how well it would go with this knit cape. I love plaid and since I have been on the yellow train, it makes sense that I would buy a yellow plaid shirt, especially one from a thrift store. The plaid print includes a little blue, white and blush.

Drawing on the blush in the shirt, I went with blush accessories. My clutch I found on clearance at Meijer. My necklace was a JC Penney clearance find, and my SO ankle boots with the block heel, were a Kohl’s clearance purchase.

My Rock and Republic boot cut jeans are more like jeggings than jeans, but they have a zipper and button front, as well as regular pockets. They are just made from a stretchy fabric and are easy to move in.

Here is a quick shot of the back of the cape. I just love the fringe around the bottom.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear a cape? Just to clarify, capes are usually shorter like this one and cloaks usually come past the knee, with some versions reaching the floor. Do you know how to knit or crochet? That is something I wish I had time to do, but not right now. My mom used to crochet afghans and doilies and I had an aunt that used to crochet stuffed animals like bears.

I’ve included a few shopping links for capes and for yellow pieces that I think are fun. I hope you are having a great Tuesday and thanks so much for stopping by the blog.

Photo credit, except where specified, Rebecca Trumbull.

These shopping links are affiliate links. When you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site, I get a little bit more. All opinions are my own.

Wearing White - White Sleeveless Sweater

As I shopped my closet for white pieces to use in this series, I realized I have some pieces that get worn more frequently and this sweater tank is one of them. I will pull this out time and time again, when I want something that looks more classy to wear with nice pants or a skirt. With that in mind I paired this top with a multi print skirt that I have had for a long time.

This sweater tank is a thrifted piece and I have had it for a long time. What drew me to it was the beaded embellishment around the neckline, which you will be able to see better in a later picture.

I just love the motion in this picture. My daughter and I have been working to get a little more variety in our shoots. It isn’t anyone’s fault, other than life being very busy and just trying to fit photos in around both of our schedules. For this shoot we went to one of the metro parks in our area that is along the Maumee River, called Farnsworth Metropark. All of the parks along this stretch of river are just gorgeous and make a great back drop for pictures.

This skirt was thrifted from many years ago and I hang onto it, because I love the swing of this a-line piece. I also like the pattern. You can’t see the colors too well, but there are greenish blue stripes mixed in with the white ones. Seeing as it is a light weight skirt, I don’t wear it much in the winter, but it is the perfect weight for a transitional outfit from summer to fall.

Once again, when I think about transitioning to fall, I think about layers. For this outfit, I wanted to bring in a more muted fall tone, so chose this sweater I found on the clearance rack at TJ Maxx. A simple open front cardigan, I think it adds depth and warmth to this more crisp and cool look.

Trend Alert: One of the trends for fall is layering knits. I found this rather amusing, because I’ve been layering knits for years. Ha, ha. I was trendy and didn’t even know it. Layering knits just means wearing knit type fabrics with other knit type fabrics, so go ahead and layer your knit shells with your knit cardigans, or your knit turtlenecks with your knit v-neck pullover sweaters. Obviously, if you are in the throes of menopause you do not want to be layering anything, let alone, heavy knits, otherwise layer away.

I found this white lariat type necklace on clearance at JC Penney. I like that it is both a choker and a longer necklace all in one, and that it is not the typical metal or beaded chain. The white piece is cording and every little way along it are a cluster of beads with the whole piece ending in two large green beads at the bottom.

I thought a retro vibe would be appropriate with this skirt so chose my chunky heel shooties which are thrifted Naturalizers. These are easy on and off due to the elastic inset on each side. I have found that shoes with these elastic type insets are very comfortable. You can also tell a good quality shoe, as I have had these for a while and they shoe very little wear.

I chose this very simple cross body bag to match the shoes and keep things sleek, rather than going for a bulkier bag. I got this on clearance at Meijer.

Of course things wouldn’t be complete without a goofy photo. In this one, my daughter was trying to direct me to hold my arms closer to my sides and look cozy. I ended up looking a little bit more like deranged. Honestly, I don’t listen to directions very well. Bah, ha, ha.

Other, than showing my silly side, what do you think of this outfit? Is this something you would wear? How would you change it up to make it more your own? I’d love to hear your ideas. I learn from you, just like you learn from me. It’s all good.

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

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Summer Pieces - Water Color Maxi Skirt

With my photographer on vacation I have to resort to taking pictures myself for a week or two, meaning relearning how to use my camera. Ha, ha. I thought I would talk about a few of the fun summer pieces I have recently acquired. Every seasonal change, I have to go through my wardrobe to purge what I do not wear, what no longer fits or what I realize was one of those, why did I buy this, moments. As I have said before, I love clothes and I love shopping, so you can imagine that I am inundated with clothing. I also, (true confession time), often shop in spurts, somewhat like an addict trying to get my fix. It is sad, really, but for many of us, shopping is a hobby. To keep myself from ending up on the show, Hoarders, I decided that when I buy, I also need to purge. I am in the middle of this process right now and the fun part of it is, I get reminded of all the fun pieces I do have, and it inspires me to put together a few new outfits.

This water color maxi skirt, I found at a Goodwill store along the way, when my hubby and I were on vacation. It is a brand called eci New York. Macy’s does carry a few eci pieces that revolve around bright, bold florals and patterns. I love all the colors, because it provides a myriad of options for putting outfits together. Made of a medium weight polyester, this piece is easy wash and wear with no ironing needed. It has a wider elastic waist which provides comfort, as well as ease of wear.

I first thought of pairing the skirt with a light pink top, but then when I pulled this top from last year out of hibernation, I knew that was it. The yellow, St. John’s Bay top, from JC Penney, has a bit of a boho vibe already so I thought it was the perfect companion for this unique skirt. I love the textured aspect of this top, from the eyelet on the bodice, to the poms along the bodice edge, to the tasseled cords. I also like the flowy sleeves.

When I started veering towards the Bohemian feel, I chose a woven belt that ties, leaving long fringe hanging along the skirt. You could position this belt wherever you wanted, with the fringe in the front, back or off to either side. I chose the left side, since I typically carry my bag on my right side.

I also chose jewelry that I felt epitomized that characteristically gypsy feel, like a multi-layered beaded bracelet with a dollop of fringe and a unique amber pendant choker with an aesthetically pleasing swirl.

My bag, bought many years ago, is the only true macrame piece I own and what says boho more than macrame? Ha, ha. It is small, but I have used this piece over and over as a cross body bad when we travel. It is big enough to hold the essentials, but not so big that it hurts your neck. This probably could use another washing. Bags like this are easy to wash. Be sure to put it in a laundry bag, then throw it in with your lights or towels. It isn’t meant to be a true white, but more of a cream.

For shoes I chose my No Boundaries black, gladiator sandals. These are ankle high gladiators, unlike the ones that go all the way up the calf. I’ve had these for a long time. They are comfy for a flat sandal and easy to pair with so many outfits for summer. I finally painted my toes, so summer must be pretty well here to stay. It is not that warm, but perfect in my opinion. If I owned a pool, I’d be happy with temps in the mid eighties, but as it is, I really like it to be about seventy five with a slight breeze.

Do you like this outfit? Would you wear a skirt like this? What sort of artsy or uniques pieces do you have in your closet? I’d love you hear from you. I don’t mean to be a nag, but I really do like when my followers give me a little feedback. It is good for my blog as well. It helps me to know what you like and what sorts of things you would like to see on the blog. Even if you made a commitment to comment once a month, that would mean a great deal to me. Thank you so much, for all of your support, whether you comment or not! I appreciate you.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. When You click on a link, I receive a few cents. Every little bit helps. These links are to things I think you might like and that follow along with the outfits I am posting. All opinions are my own.

Have a great Tuesday.

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 - Living Coral & Terrarium Moss

I want to take a moment to apologize for my absence this past week. I went to visit my mom and ended up bringing her home with me for a couple of weeks. We came back on Monday, and between unpacking, work and getting ready for Easter weekend, I just didn’t have the time or energy to get my blog posts done. I promise, I did try a few times, in the evening to get them written, but always ended up getting bleary eyed and needing to go to bed. Ha, ha. However, I hope to get back to a normal schedule this week, if I can get my computer to upload my pictures accurately. It’s always something!

Every year the Pantone Color Institute puts together a palette of colors that are the basis for the fashion and interior design color choices. Since I started blogging three years ago, I decided to draw upon these palettes as a source of inspiration for putting outfits together. I do a series using these colors in both the spring and the fall, as these are the two palettes Pantone puts out each year. Pantone, also, chooses a color of the year. This year that color is Living Coral. I wanted to feature this pretty pinky orange color to kick off this spring’s Pantone series and decided to pair it with the darker green of Terrarium Moss.

For my Living Coral piece I chose a thrifted Liz Claiborne polka dot blouse. I actually have quite a bit of this color, so I was pleased that this was chosen as the color of the year. However, as lovely of a color as it is, it is not my favorite color, so I don’t reach for it with regularity. I’m not sure why, because it is a great color for spring and summer and it goes well with many other colors.

This fun paisley jacket was a recent clearance find at Chico’s. I don’t shop frequently at Chico’s as their prices are a bit higher than what I would normally pay for a single item of clothing. However, if you have a coupon and can use it on clearance, then you can find colorful and fun pieces like this at a significantly reduced rate.

My Sonoma pants were a clearance find from Kohl’s. They are a tad darker than the Terrarium Moss, but basically are an olive green. These are a nice weight for spring, not too heavy and not too light.

As I have done before, I wanted to incorporate one of the neutrals with each outfit. For this one I chose Sweet Corn. This is a light, airy color that reminds us of the lighter kernels of mouthwatering sweet corn. I used this canvas clutch and my thrifted Sonoma sneakers to represent this summery neutral.

What do you think of these two colors? I know many people who have Living Coral already in their closets. It is a good color for the warmer weather, as the sun begins to shine more regularly. It always makes me think of the seaside. Where as, Terrarium Moss makes me think of hiking under a canopy of trees in full leaf mode, in a place that is quiet and cool.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to peruse featuring the colors Living Coral and Terrarium Moss. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents when you click on a link. I get a tiny bit more, when you make a purchase through my page. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Print Mixing Mash Up - Print Dress - Outfit 2

For today’s print mixing outfit, I used the same dress from Tuesday, but instead of layering a printed tee underneath, I chose to layer a tee, and also add a printed jacket on the top.

This Apt. 9, tweed jacket, was a thrift store find. I like the light pink trim and polka dots. The brown, faux lace tee that I have on under the dress is also a thrift store purchase and is Croft and Barrow.

For this outfit, I decided to emphasize pink for my accessories. I found this necklace at JC Penney on the clearance rack. I thought it would be a fun statement piece for spring and summer, as it has flowers on it. I also grabbed my little pink clutch.

I’ve had these thrifted A2 Aerosole heels for a while and they are starting to show their age, but I hang onto them, because I really like their retro look.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you feel that it has a rather retro vibe? What have you been challenged to put together since starting this print mixing series? I’d love to have your feedback.

I’ve included a few shopping links for tweed jackets. Everyone should have at least one of these in their closet. They can be dressed up or down and no matter what your style, a tweed jacket will work. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.