Awesome Accessories

The second Thursday of the month I am going to focus on accessories. 

“My motto is to go wild on the accessories - the belts, the hair clips, the jewelry.”

— Heidi Klum

Accessories are those items that help make an outfit look complete. They can include jewelry, shoes, bags, scarves, hair clips, hats, belts and so on. Most often we put an outfit on and then decide how to accessorize it. What necklace goes well with this top? Should I wear bracelets with this sweater? Should I wear over-the-knee boots or heels? Do I carry a clutch or a hobo bag? So many questions and so many answers. 

This column will look at different accessories and possible ways to style them. I'll try to answer questions that I have had about differences in shoes, bags, scarves and so on. Not everyone automatically knows how to tie an oblong scarf versus a square scarf. If you are like me, you probably didn't know how many different types of bags there are and I am not talking about the ones under your eyes! I hope to share what I am learning with those of you who read my blog about the importance of using accessories to add to your clothing "language". 

I never used to think about styling an outfit around a scarf, or a bag, or a statement necklace, but now I do. In fact, I think putting a well thought outfit together can be fun.  I love going into my closet and saying, "What can I put together?" Just like that puzzle idea I mentioned last week, finding the right pieces for an outfit and the right accessories can be a very satisfying experience. Do I feel satisfied every time, no, but I do find joy in the search, just like I enjoy finding pieces that fit together in a puzzle.

I hope, over the coming months, to show you different ways to wear a scarf, what makes a piece of jewelry a "statement piece", the ins and outs of purses and bags as well as look at other clothing items that might qualify more as an accessory rather than an actual item of clothing.

If there is anything you would like me to feature on this Awesome Accessory column, let me know by leaving a comment. I would adore you input! Thanks for following and have a great week.

Piece Perfect

I am playing with some new ideas on my blog. I feel the need to do a little more intentional posting about fashion related subjects. After all, there is so much more to fashion than just showing a picture of an outfit. Since I am truly a writer first and fashion blogger second, I thought why not put a little more emphasis on writing about fashion. I have no idea who will be interested, but the point is to use the ability I have been given, and if I can use that on an area other people are interested in, win, win! 

My intention, then, is to begin a series of monthly columns, if you will, on different fashion related topics. The first Thursday of the month I will focus on clothing pieces. 

Clothing is like a puzzle. Each outfit is a finished picture made up of a few, or many complementary pieces. An outfit is not as locked in as a puzzle, where the pieces have to go together in an exact way to make the intended picture. We have more freedom with our outfits to throw pieces together that, a few years ago, might have been considered taboo. Pairing a pair of jeans with a dress for instance (see my post of that here). We also can pair colors in an array as varied as the wildflowers along the highway (see my take here). The point is up to us. What am I trying to say with the outfit I put on this morning? If it is a jeans and sweatshirt sort of day, I am probably feeling a need for comfort. If I am wearing something I usually don't wear, I may be feeling bold or daring. This, of course, can transcend our closets and seep into our make up and accessories. I never wear red lipstick. The day I do, I will be saying, "Look at me! I have made a change and I am proud of it!" Ha, ha.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Clothing is part of our language. It enables us to speak without using words. Perhaps that is why I like bright colors and fun textures. It speaks volumes about the person I am on the inside, not just the woman on the outside. Colors speak to the deep inner joy I have found in my relationship with Christ. I expect that heaven will be filled with colors I can't even imagine. Color is such a powerful form of expression. On a drab, gray, winter day I often reach for bright pink or blue to chase the blahs away. Think of your favorite place to vacation or your favorite local coffee shop or restaurant. I bet one of the reasons they appeal to you has to do with color: the blues of the ocean on a sunny day, the oranges of a log fire on a cool fall evening, the calming greens of the coffee shop walls or the dark wood of that Irish pub. Color can speak volumes. Textures can also add a dimension to our clothing language. When I am feeling girly, I reach for ruffles or lace. When I am feeling cold and want comfort I reach for a heavy cable knit or a soft cashmere sweater.

Piece Perfect will focus on different pieces in our wardrobes that can be foundational for building a great outfit. I will try to have an outfit post to go with the piece I have selected. Occasionally,  I might show pictures of the piece along with possible complementary items and accessories. I hope that you will enjoy reading this new portion of my blog and that you will come back each month as I feature a different clothing piece. The first piece I will be styling next month will be a pleated skirt. Be sure to check back the first Thursday of next month.

Leave me a comment below about the colorful places you like to visit! Until next time.

Between the Lines: Week 3 and Styling a Simple Black Maxi Dress - Part 1

The next few weeks I want to show two ways for styling a certain piece. This week I am focusing on a simple, knit black maxi dress. The dress itself is very plain. It has a sleeveless tank type top and a straight skirt with no form to it. Some people might use a maxi like this a swimsuit cover up or for lounging around the house when they don't have to go to work. The beauty of this dress is that it is reasonably priced, light weight, doesn't require a slip underneath and very comfortable..

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Photo Credit Rebecca Trumbull, Make Up Rachel Christensen

 For this particular outfit I simply threw a gray and black striped tee over the top. The shirt is very light weight as the black stripes are made of a sheer see through material and the grey stripes are lighter weight knit. I added a pop of color with the Buttercup yellow beaded necklace and bracelets and lastly stepped into a very comfortable pair of black espadrilles.

All Photos by Rebecca Trumbull, Make Up Rachel Christensen

This was a very comfy outfit and would be great for an evening stroll along the beach or boardwalk. Or for a casual day of shopping. Next week I'll show you how to dress this simple maxi up for a night out!

Shop A Similar Look:

Black Maxi-dress - J.Crew - $44.50

Gray and Black Striped Tee - Target (longer version - would look cute belted) - $19.99 

Black shoes - DSW - $49.95

Necklace - Etsy - $22.00 or $16.00

Bracelet - Etsy - $9.00

Be sure to check out the next ten Over 50 Bloggers in the Between the Lines series by clicking on the image below. That will take you to Katherine's Corners. Katherine was wonderful enough and ambitious enough to start this series two weeks ago. Every week she features 10 bloggers over 50. These are bloggers who do everything from cook and farm to furniture redos and fashion. Head on over and give them some love!

Linking up with Top of the World Style, Sed Bona, Turning Heads Tuesday. Also linked up with Sydney Fashion Hunter.

Between the Lines - Stylin' Granny Mama

Please read to the end of this post for a new series started by Katie at Katherine's Corners.com called Between the Lines.

Today's post is a typical day in the life of me. I work at a university bookstore as an assistant manager. The way we are able to dress for this job is anything from fancy to casual. I usually go for dressy casual as my job not only involves computer work and scheduling, but book slamming as well. Book slamming is the term I made up for unboxing and shelving textbooks. If you have any experience with textbooks you know they are often heavy and come in boxes sometimes covered in dirt and grease.

On this particular day I opted for a chambray shirt as a jacket worn open over a monochrome peach echo top and pants. The top is a shade lighter than the pants, but it still works. The scarf I purchased from The Jacket Society. All of their items are made right here in the USA. Be sure to check out their site. I bought two of their scarves and they are just beautiful. 

My pictures on my cheapy flip phone do not do justice to the intricate beauty of this simple scarf. The open weave and the subtle silver threads give it a shimmery appearance. I can't wait to wear it with other summer outfits.

I finished off my work outfit with my comfy gray Keds with silver bling. A perfect match with my shimmery scarf. Below you can shop some similar styles.

Shop the Look

Chambray Shirt - Kohl's - $19.99

Peach Tee - Kohl's - $8.99, Nordstrom - $26.00

Peach Echo Pants - Christopher and Banks - $59.95

Scarf - The Jacket Society - $19.00

Gray Sneakers - Kohl's - $49.99

This week in addition to my regular fashion post I wanted to introduce you to a ten week series started by Katie at Katherine's Corner.com. The series titled, Between the Lines will be featured every Tuesday and centers on bloggers over 50. Being over 50 and starting a blog has been challenging. Technology has never been easy for me. I much more enjoy the written word on a paper page than a digital image on a computer screen. However, I think learning and adapting are very important characteristics to have, especially as we age. How many times have we heard the phrase, "They are so set in their ways!" Well, I don't want to be accused of that, so I thought that blogging would not only be a way to learn and grow, but to force me to write more and dabble with the world of fashion. In addition to that I wanted to be a source of encouragement and inspiration to women of all ages. I hope you will join us and visit the bloggers that are featured each week. You might find a few you want to follow on a regular basis. If you do, just hit their subscribe button and you'll get emails every time they feature a new post. I'm very thankful to Katie for all her hard work putting this together! Just click on the image below to see this week's featured bloggers.

Today I also linked up with Jess from Elegantly Dressed and Stylish for Turning Heads Tuesday. Friday I linked up with Jo-Lynne Shane and Jennie from A Pocket Full of Polka Dots.

Me? A Fashionista? Get Serious!

When I began seriously thinking about starting this blog, I laughed at the idea of talking about fashion.  My adult daughters would back me up when I say, I have not always been a fashionista.  I still have a long way to go. And posing in front of a camera, don't make me laugh!  Seriously, I am the one, who in every picture, has some strange contortion of the mouth. Either food is involved or I am talking passionately about something. I mean really!  Every picture. My husband of 28 years assures me that I am a beautiful woman, but the camera has yet to agree with him.

Photo credit: Rebecca Trumbull

With a new found interest in fashion, I began looking at magazines, noticing what people were wearing and perusing a number of blogs centering on women after 40. I am no expert, as I have already confessed, but I am fairly certain many women over 40 don't look like many of the bloggers that are posting pictures out there. Granted, I have only looked at a few blogs, but so many of them are pictures of thin, attractive women who are able to pull off skinny jeans without worry. This only fueled my desire to create a blog for actual women.

I am one of those women.  I am slightly (okay, so maybe moderately) overweight, my skin is beginning to look  like parchment and my hair feels more like dry grass than silk.  I am not a fashion guru and I have no desire to walk the streets of New York City in high heeled booties.  Sneakers, yes, or even a pair of stylish riding boots, but heels?  No way. Working part time, parenting adult children, loving on a grandson and working at a marriage, my style has developed just as I have developed as a woman.

Most of my clothing comes from second hand stores, although I do have a few favorite retailers that I will mention at some point. I am so new to blogging, I am still figuring out how it works, so bear with me. Rather than give you incentives to buy what I buy, I would like to encourage you to shop in your own closet. Most of us have too many clothes! God bless you women out there who don't like to shop. It is an addiction just like sweets and I hope to eventually get on that wagon too!

My desire is to show you how to feel good about yourself whether you work outside the home or inside the home; dress in suits or jeans; use top of the line make up or none at all.  The truth, ladies, is that God made women His piece de resistance. That's right, you are a jewel. Granted, some of us need more buffing than others, but I hope that you will find things on this blog that will help you shine.