Outfit Inspiration: Valentine's Day Inspo from Pinterest

Today I am showing you an outfit that was inspired from a Pinterest pin. I have a number of Pinterest boards and with this being the month of Heart Health Awareness and Valentine’s Day I thought I would create a new board and pin outfits that contain the color red. This is the pin that inspired today’s outfit.

Red on red is definitely a bold choice, but so is any bright color combo. I knew I wanted to do this when I rediscovered this red coat out on our back porch covered with a plastic garbage bag to keep it clean. I hang a few of our winter things out there when we are off season. How could I have forgotten this beauty? Truth be told it is a tad tight around the middle since I have put on a few pounds, but that doesn’t mean I need to get rid of it.

This lighter weight, thrifted jacket works well for those not super cold days. It is Worthington brand. I love the textured fabric and the buttons on the back. My pictures do not do it justice.

Style Tip: If you are a thrift shopper always check out the coats and jackets. You never know what beautiful piece you will find, especially in the off seasons. If you don’t do a lot of thrifting, buy coats at the end of the season. This is when you will find the best sales, and if you shop stores like Kohl’s or JCPenney you might get an additional percent off with coupons.

My bright red mock turtleneck sweater was just thrifted; I didn’t even wash it yet. When I decided to do this outfit, I knew it would be a perfect partner for the coat. This is A New Day brand.

My jeans were also thrifted and are Jennifer Lopez brand. I know Kohl’s used to sell her clothing, but they stopped carrying her line in 2020. These are slightly distressed skinnies and comfortably stretchy, making them perfect for boots.

I found these leather, Clarks boots at the same thrift store as the red sweater. How awesome is that? I have really been trying to find a least a couple of pairs of leather boots at thrift stores. They are so expensive to buy full price, even though they do last almost forever. When I saw these I was so excited they were in my size. They had a little bit of scuffing, but my hubby has a shoe polish kit and was able to shine them up.

Style Tip: Whether you are a pro second hand store shopper or and avid fan of regular retail, it is always helpful to make a list. Keeping a running list of things you are regularly looking for or in need of is good planning and will help you save money in the long run and keep you from overbuying.

My bag was from Amazon and a gift.

Style Tip: I think most of us know we don’t have to match our bag to our shoes anymore, but what about matching our bag to our clothes? Isn’t that too much matching? You tell me. I think anything goes, and I am loving this monochrome look on the top. Plus the little bits of gold on the bag goes perfectly with my gold jewelry.

As is the outfit is great, but what if you want just a little bit of extra color or warmth around you neck by adding a scarf? Why not? I chose my Southwest oblong scarf that I have had for a number of years. It does a great job of pulling it all together with the reds, browns and blues of my outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? Does this look like a good Valentine’s outfit? Would you wear something like this? What would you do differently to make it your own? I love to hear what you think. Those of you who take time to comment always give me things to think about as well.

A few shopping links for you to peruse. We are coming to the end of boot and coat season, at least in the retail world. Ha, ha. Have a great week.

Hello 60! A Woman of Faith

Out of everything in my life that is important, my faith in Jesus Christ is at the top. I was raised in a Christian home, attending a small Bible church from the time I was small. My mother still has pictures of her and I going to church in matching dresses that she made for us. It wasn’t until I was twelve that I truly committed my life to Jesus. I always felt a pull toward Him, from the time I was very small, but at twelve, the same age I began to write, I finally understood He wanted my whole heart, and He wanted me to commit to believing in Him.

I honestly believe God’s hand was on me, and it was Him who kept me from going down a much different path. Just as with most junior and senior high schools there were plenty of opportunities to get involved in activities that weren’t glorifying to Him, but for some reason, I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to party. I didn’t want to drink, smoke, or do drugs. I was boy crazy, but most of it was worship from afar. It wasn’t until I had graduated from high school and was looking to go to Bible college that I got involved with a guy who didn’t know Jesus. I met him at the grocery store I was working at in my home town. If it was a test, I was going to fail, but God. He protected me from going too far physically, and helped me to break up with him. I was going to Bible college. I was going to be a missionary, because I couldn’t outrun the burning flame of His love.

I would not trade my three years at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL for anything. All of the learning, and experiences are part of who I am today. I grew in my knowledge and understanding of His word and of Biblical history. I participated in ministries, and mission trips that stretched my ability to get along with others, and die to my own selfish desires. It was during my time there on one of those trips that I met my husband Mark. I never did end up on the mission field, other than a summer trip to Africa where I almost died from Malaria. Mark and I married after I graduated in 1987.

Becoming a wife, and eventually a mom, and now a grandmother has brought about growth in my Christian life that I may never have experienced on the mission field. There are certainly other struggles and challenges for missionaries in addition to marriage and family. Perhaps God saw that I would not have been able to handle it. Perhaps, I would not have been a good fit in an intense ministry situation. The only thing that matters is trusting that He has it all figured out, and that He knows what is best.

I continue to grow in my faith, and God is amazing. He daily meets me right where I am and I try to remember to invite Him in to whatever I am doing, and feeling. He is certainly capable of handling my “issues”, and He gives me the strength and help to handle them as well.

Today’s outfit is truly a tribute to what I deem important in my day to day outfits: comfort, warmth (in the winter), texture, and modesty.

My pullover, Fair Isle type sweater was a Maurice’s piece from a few years ago. I love the colors. I found the Chevron print scarf at a thrift store this past year. I thought the colors very similar to those in the sweater, so I thought a bit of print mixing might be fun. I also added the flower medallion pendant necklace as another nod to the 70’s decade.

Style Tip: Choose similar colors in prints for print mixing ease.

This lovely thrifted denim midi skirt is so roomy and versatile. I used it for my Murder Mystery birthday party when I dressed up as Jessica Fletcher. This is a piece I will be able to use all year round. Right now it is perfect to pair with tall boots, for a fun dressy casual vibe.

Style Tip: Basics always stay in style. A denim skirt is essential for any wardrobe, but you don’t have to have a voluminous circle skirt. Go for a simple a-line or even a pencil shape for a more narrow silhouette.

This Liz Claiborne bag was another thrift treasure. I love the rich green color and the brown trim. I may just fill this up in the next few days and use it for a while. It isn’t there just to look at. Although with all the bags I have you would think that is the case. Ha, ha.

Style Tip: Purses are expensive, even the ones that aren’t leather. Try shopping second hand, or wait for end of season sales to help take the hit out of your pocket book.

These brown faux suede Sonoma boots were on clearance at Kohl’s, again from a few years ago. These are one of my favorite pairs of boots. I like the color, the strap and buckle and the slouch. I think this skirt would also look cute with ankle boots and cute tights or knee highs.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear something like this? What is your go to style? I’d love to hear your thoughts so leave me a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. I hope you enjoyed this post.

Hello 60! Being a Grandma.

When I got married, I didn’t think about the fact that one day I would have grandchildren. At the time, I wasn’t even thinking about children. My husband and I had discussed kids, and we both agreed that we wanted to have them at some point in time, but we figured that was maybe four or five years in the future. Two years later I had our daughter, Rebecca. Nineteen months later her sister Rachel came along. Neither of our daughters was planned, at least not by us, but God, the master planner has it all figured out.

In the same way, eighteen years after we had our youngest, she had our grandson Quintin. I won’t tell you it was a beautiful time. Our daughter had walked away from the belief system we had raised her in, and she struggled to figure out who she was. When that little guy came along, all of our worlds were upended, and she was in the throes of becoming an adult, but still needing to be a child, and having a child to now be responsible for. Eleven years later, our oldest had our next grandson, Lewis.

My mother-in-law used to tease me when the girls were young. She’d say, “Just you wait until you become a grandma. There is nothing quite like it.” The first time I got to hold Quintin in the hospital, the proverbial lightbulb came on and I realized she was right. Having grandchildren is something very different than having your own children. You love your kids, and would die for them, but grandkids, well, that love just goes a bit deeper. Maybe it is the fact that grandchildren and grandparents now have a common enemy. Ha, ha. I don’t know how many times I have muttered under my breath, “Pay back,” when my younger daughter bemoans something about her newly turned teen, or when my older daughter complains about how much work it is having a toddler. Not a very Christian attitude, I know, and as I grow closer to the One, these thoughts come less frequently.

Being a grandmother is awesome. I have had the privilege to be part of both of my grandsons’ lives on a very regular basis. I helped my single daughter take care of Quintin from the time he was very small. Now, he’s moved into the time of school, video games, and friends and grandma doesn’t see him very often, but I am still here if he needs to be picked up from school, or if mom wants him to hang out with us for a few hours when she has a long shift at the hospital. I also watch Lewis once a week, or sometimes more if needed. I have enjoyed every minute with both of them.

Style for grandmothers is a bit different than it was when I was a child. My grandmother wore dark, floral dresses, often with an apron over the top, sturdy block heeled shoes, and never got down on the floor to play with us. She did, however, make a mean pot roast with gravy and mashed potatoes. These days you can’t tell who is a grandmother and who is not. Most women have been influenced by the anti-ageism movement, as well as social influencers and bloggers who remind them to wear what they want and age is just a number.

When I’m on grandma duty, I dress in an outfit that is stylish and comfortable. I want to be stylish in case I need to run to the store, the mall or somewhere else with the boy(s). I also want to be comfortable so I can get down on the floor to play or move furniture around to make a fort. Quintin is much more likely to just want to sit on the couch watching YouTube videos, but occasionally we will venture out to a movie or to get lunch at the mall. The toddler loves to go outside, play with Play Dough, and pull things out of grandma’s drawers and cupboards. I do a lot of bending, lifting and getting up and down when he is here.

My 70’s style SO hoodie was a recent purchase from Kohl’s. I saw it and fell in love. The black, distressed Stitch Star jeans were from Meijer. The boots, scarf and bag were all thrifted. The Eiffel Tower sweater is Elle brand and has been around for a while and I think was also from Kohl’s.

I hope you enjoyed this little look at the Grandma side of me. I have been enjoying sharing with you more about the person I have become. Don’t worry. February will be back to my regular Fashion posts and not nearly so wordy. Ha, ha.

Hello 60! The Writer in Me

If this is your first interaction with my blog welcome to my Fashion page. This month I celebrated my 60th birthday. I decided to spend the month celebrating me. Why not? I rarely spend a lot of time talking about how I came to be the person I am, and 60 is a pretty big deal.

Last week I did a post that gave a shout out to the decade I grew up in, the 1970’s. I was born in 1964, but it wasn’t the 60’s that most influenced my fashion or music choices. I can distinctly remember a particular pair of red cuffed, wide leg flares my mother ordered for me out of one of the sale catalogues at the time (JC Penney, and Wards were the two I grew up with). I remember standing on the toilet in the bathroom, so I could see what I looked like in the medicine chest mirror. We never had a full length mirror in our home. I was so excited to wear my mod, red pants to school that day. Do you have any good memories that revolved around clothing when you were young?

I’m gong to throw my pictures in throughout, tell my story, and then give the outfit details.

It was in 8th grade that I became a writer. Our English class was reading The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. For some reason that story felt so real and personal. As a typical public school student I saw the divisions, the bullying, and the reality of teens being affected by their peers. I was one of them. I didn’t get bullied like some, but I never fit in. My family didn’t have a lot of money, and I often wore second hand clothes I got from my cousin. That’s probably why I remember those red pants so vividly. I had a small circle of friends and most of my social life revolved around the church.

I began to create my own Outsiders stories. After several “books”, which were hand written pieces of about 100 pages, I moved towards stories with mild sci fi slant. Gradually, I turned to trying to write historical fiction, and now my muse is fantasy. I have published a few short articles, and I do a regular monthly article in a local community news magazine, and of course I have this blog. Do I want to be a published author? Yes? Why haven’t I got there yet? I could give you a million excuses such as undisciplined, lazy, tired, busy, etc., but I think the real reason is much simpler: fear.

It takes effort, time, and something I would call heart and soul to pour out your ideas and thoughts into a cohesive work that makes sense and appeals to others. Not only do you have to write, you have to read, voraciously, books in your genre, books in other genres, and books on writing; lots and lots of books. In addition, once you’ve written your piece then comes the ripping, and tearing editing process, followed by the overwhelming questions. Where do I send this? Is it long enough? Is it short enough? Is it good enough? Should I get an agent? How do I look for an agent? The questions are endless. Believe me, to be a writer for a living is a full time job, and not for the weak. However, I am not going to give up.

I am currently working on a fantasy novel with a Christian slant involving a rag tag group of young people who have to learn how to overcome their various problems, find self acceptance and become warriors who can help save the world. In addition to that, I have a few short stories I want to fine tune and try to send either to e-zines, or contests. I would like to get a portfolio of 10 to 12 short stories that I can keep sending as I receive rejections to eventually get something published. Right now I have five short stories that need some work. I am also going to keep looking for some sort of freelance work that I could do part time. If anyone you know is hiring for remote writers, or copy editors let me know.

That’s enough about my writing life. Let’s look at the details of this outfit.

I was inspired by looking through Pinterest at 70’s and 80’s fashion when I found knit sweater outfits, either a skirt and top or a dress. I thought it would be fun to mimic that style and use a few of the 70’s accessory vibes.

My creamy zip up v-neck was a Kohl’s find a year or so ago. It is soft and warm. The skirt I found at a thrift store. I don’t usually wear sweater knit skirts or dresses, due to the hip factor. I do have wider hips and I have never felt comfortable showing off my curves like some women do, but this skirt is big enough that it doesn’t cling. It is also very warm and comfy. The brown belt adds an hour glass vibe, without being extreme.

The Walmart bag is a nod to the patchwork patterns that were popular in the 70’s. Bags were shaped differently than this one, but I thought this worked as a tote bag, and purse.

Once again I added my thrifted slouchy, suede boots.

Apparently, pearls were a thing in the 70’s too. I do remember my mom wearing fake pearls to church early in the 70’s, so I guess that was a thing.

Are you a sweater dress, or sweater skirt fan? What do you think of this look? Would you wear something like this to work? Please leave a thought or two in the comments. I always love to hear from you.

Sharing a few shopping links just in case you are looking for slouchy boots, patchwork bags, or knit pieces of a similar vibe.

I hope you have a great Tuesday!