Updating Your Wardrobe: Part 2 - Old Becoming New

I thought I would take another week to look at ways we can update our wardrobe using older style pieces by showing you my own rendering of a couple of outfits with a recent thrift purchase I made. This two piece set is from Blair. I don’t know about you, but I have often felt that mail order retailers like Blair are old school and really gear their products to women, who like the simplicity of shopping via mail and buying products that are easily mix and match and easy to take care of. Don’t get me wrong, they do have many lovely pieces, like this Fair Isle sweater, this spring jacket, and these cute Skechers sneakers.

What I am going to attempt to show you is how you can use this two piece set three different ways for looks that are up to date and appropriate for work, date night or church.

I think the pattern and the colors of this set are lovely. It can be worn all year round, but will be especially pretty in the spring and the fall. The under piece is short sleeve and the over piece is sheer.

Look 1 - Casual

The first way I wanted to style it was casual, since that is pretty much all I wear right now. I decided to wear both pieces together, and added a heavier sweater coat that I recently thrifted as a warm layering piece. I love the winter white of this sweater and the textured waffle weave. It has two silver clasps in the front, but I wore it open so the two piece set could be shown off. I added my old olive combat boots, an olive belt and a dark olive bag. I did the front tuck to show off the belt. This is a great casual look and I would definitely wear it for a date night with my hubby.

Look 2 - Church

Obviously, this look doesn’t just have to be for church. You could also wear it to work or on a fun day out with your girlfriends. In this look I got rid of the sheer overlay piece and used a Kohl’s moto jacket I purchased last year. The jacket is rather heavy, so would definitely be better as an outerwear piece rather than just a layering piece. Often, I will use jackets as layering pieces in the winter, but this one will be better as a spring or fall jacket when the temps are cool, but not freezing.

The skirt is another thrift find. I like the buckskin look of this piece, and thought it could be styled with lots of other colors. The skirt actually could be hemmed up, if you prefer at the knee or above the knee. With these tall brown boots, which were a hand me over from my older daughter, I almost think having the skirt above the knee would look a little better. I added a gray thrifted bag as a point of contrast.

Look 3 - Work

For this last look, I got rid of the short sleeved under piece and donned the long sleeved over piece. I do have a cami on, so I could have worn it like that, but I wanted to add another layer for the cold and more texture. I switched to corduroy winter white pants, heeled suede ankle boots and added another layering piece that could be removed if I got too warm. The office I used to work in was cold in the winter months, so layering was essential. The dark olive jacket is thrifted and is probably a dress. The vest was a Christmas gift two years ago. I went for my dark brown, thrifted corduroy bag as a final touch.

There are so many options when it comes to your clothing. Your closet is a space with unlimited possibilities. Don’t worry about what the media says about what women should or shouldn’t wear at this or that age. Wear what you like, just figure out how to wear it to make yourself feel your best and most confident.

Thanks to everyone who follows along with my blog. I really appreciate it. I hope to bring you more fun content in the weeks and months ahead. If you like to read my Faith posts, be sure to check back Thursday for a new post on what I am learning about the word rejoice! Until then, I hope you are having a great week.

I am including a few shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links, which means I earn a few cents every time you click on a link. I don’t receive compensation for what I do on the blog. I do it for myself, because it stretches my creative boundaries, and I do it for you, because I want to encourage and inspire you.

Thinking About Fall - Transitional Style - Lightweight Crop Pants

I’m going to give you a couple more weeks of Transitional Style and then hopefully I’ll be ready to start the Pantone Series. We decided to forgo pictures this week since the weather was too hot for this post menopausal woman and her very pregnant photographer. Ha ha. Hopefully, next week will be a tad bit more humane for all involved.

Today we are going to look at how to take a pair of lightweight cropped pants from summer into fall. Once again, these changes are so easy and everyone can do them. It is only a matter of swapping out a few things or adding another layer. Other than those little changes the outfit overall stays exactly the same.

I found these black and white, gingham cropped pants thrifting. I wanted something a little different than my usual rolled up jeans and I think these work very well. Today was my first attempt at wearing them and I was pleased with this cool, casual look. These are Jones New York Sport brand.

My simple light green tank top is a thrifted Loft piece. I decided to wear a few more of my sleeveless pieces this week, since it is going to be so hot all week long. I liked the mix of the pastel green with the black and white print of the pants.

I finished off the look with a long light green pendant necklace, a few beaded stretch bracelets, my green bag from Charming Charlie and my thrifted, black Bare Traps sandals.

In order to make this outfit fall worthy, I added my longer olive Sonoma cardigan. I have had this piece for a number of years now and it it definitely one of those work horses in my cold weather wardrobe.

Instead of the necklace I swapped it out for a scarf that is totally speaking the fall vibes. Scarves are great things to find at thrift stores. I also swapped out the lighter beaded bracelets for a couple of darker pieces.

It was a no brainer to add my black Natural Reflections ankle boots and a thrifted black Scarleton bag.

Here are the two outfits side by side. Do you have a pair of light weight pants that you are unsure how to transition to fall? I hope this post helps. Let me know what your thought are, or how you might do something similar to this.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. Every click on a link gives me a few pennies, at no cost to you. These are affiliate links and I appreciate every click.

Have a great Tuesday!

Thinking About Fall - Transitional Style - Lightweight Skirt

When we start thinking about fall, we are probably starting to yearn for our cozy sweaters, scarves and boots. As the weather begins its journey through the waning days of summer we know the days will still be plenty warm, but the evenings might start cooling off, especially after the sun goes down. That is a good time to think about layers. Why not pull out a few of your medium weight sweaters and a couple pairs of ankle boots and start using them, even though the start of fall on the calendar is not for another month?

Today’s outfit revolves around a light weight skirt that I picked up just a few weeks ago at Kohl’s on the clearance rack. It is obviously from this past spring, perhaps even related to Easter style, so I thought this would be a good piece to take from warm summer day, to cool weather appropriate with just a few simple changes.

For a cute, breezy, summer look I thought this Chaps plaid skirt would pair well with a fun graphic tee. You have see this thrifted No Boundaries tee on the blog before. You can see it styled with a denim pencil skirt, and a fringe vest. Isn’t it funny that I did the front knot with the fringe vest as well? The shirt is a little over sized and very stretchy, so knotting it is easy. The skirt is not lined, but I wasn’t going anywhere and it is not sheer, so unless I had on a pair of dark panties, there was no show through worries.

I wanted to highlight the pink and the white letters in the tee, so chose pink and pearl accessories.

I thought the Steve Madden white tennis shoes a good choice to keep the look fun and casual.

To make the transition to cooler weather, I once again reached for the color brown. I love brown in the fall. My husband likes the color brown on me, so I have been trying to incorporated it into a year round color, but it is often hard to find. For this look, instead of a jacket I chose my cozy, thrifted Old Navy cardigan.

Once again, I chose a more chunky necklace with shades of brown, gold, and coppery bronze. I really wasn’t sure how I felt about this look, but now that I see it, I like it. Brown and pink are always a winning combo and the contrast of the gray tee gives it interest and keeps it from being overly two-toned.

I went with my taller Sonoma suede boots, because I liked the more slouchy look with this casual outfit. They give it a bit more of a boho vibe. Most of the boots I own, that I have bought new I got at Kohl’s. I like both So and Sonoma brand. They fit my feet well and allow room for socks or tights. They are ultra casual, but still make an outfit look polished and complete. I’ll provide a few shopping links at the end if you are thinking about a new pair for fall.

My bronze cross body bag is another staple in my closet. I bring this one out every fall.

Here are the two looks side by side.

Do you have a summer skirt that you would like to wear longer? What can you add to make that skirt still useable in the cooler weather? I’d love to hear your thoughts, 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 Tuesday!

Thinking About Fall - Transitional Style - Tank Top

Before I get into the Pantone color series for Autumn/Winter 2021, I wanted to look at a few options for taking your summer pieces into fall. It seems like common sense to add layers as the weather begins to cool, at least for those of us in the northern part of the country. Even in warmer states, and countries, there are always those rainy days, or cooler evenings where having a layer or two makes a person more comfortable. The question I have to ask myself is why bother transitioning? Why not just change out our summer wardrobes for those fall pieces in deep burgundies and rusty oranges?

I think there are several reasons we need to transition from summer into fall. First of all, even those of us who love fall and enjoy the cooler weather, hate to see summer come to an end. The end of summer means shorter days, and the loss of the freedom and fun we associate with summer. Being able to run around without heavy coats, mittens and scarves is something most of us love being able to do. Summer also means vacations and beach days for many. It is hard to say goodbye to these wonderfully long, lazy days.

Another reason is that transitioning our wardrobes to fall slowly, allows us to extend the life of those summer pieces we love. The tank tops, shorts, light weight dresses and kimonos are still usable as the weather cools if we remember how much fun layering can be. I have already seen many bloggers and Instagram gals showing off these types of outfits.

Today’s focus is on tank tops. This could be a simple ribbed tank, or something like this thrifted Christopher & Banks shell, that is more structured and workwear appropriate. Since I am not working, I am showing you a casual look that can easily be taken from summer into fall with three simple changes.

My daughter hired an assistant and has started training her behind the camera. They asked if we could do pictures in the studio, to give her some practice, not only with outfit photos, but with indoor shots. I love outdoor photos because there are so many possibilities, but there is something to be said for studio photos, especially when the weather is hot, humid and buggy! We just used the wall as a backdrop, but it you follow Rebecca Trumbull Photography, you know she has all sorts of backdrop colors for headshots and puppy pictures.

This outfit is easy, peasy. A pair of thrifted Merona boyfriend ankle jeans, a tank top, shoes, bag and a little jewelry. Except for the bag and jewelry, everything in this outfit is thrifted.

I chose this tank top for a few reasons. The first is, I have been trying to use pieces that I haven’t used in a while in my closet. I actually started keeping track of what I have worn. For my hanging pieces, I turn the hangers backwards after I wash and hang them back up. For my tees, I have started turning the ones I used neck line out, rather than fold out. It might seem silly, but it does help to see what I have been wearing and encourages me to choose other pieces.

For this easy summer look, I kept my jewelry light and simple.

I wanted to chose a bag that could make the transition to fall, so this bright yellow tote was perfect.

My sneakers are thrifted Converse. I washed them in the washer, but they need a little TLC to make them look pristine, which I haven’t done yet.

In order to make an outfit like this ready for the cooler weather and changes that fall bring with it, you only need to do three simple things.

1 - Swap out light, breezy jewelry for jewelry that is bold and chunky.

2 - Add a jacket, sweater or other topper.

Utility jackets are often my fall and spring go to’s for light layers. This Sonoma piece with its beautiful embroidered embellishments goes perfectly with the leafy print of the tank. Being that it is tan, rather than a darker olive or brown, also gives me that slow transition into the darker, richer colors of fall.

3 - Swap out sneakers for ankle boots.

These are my Sonoma suede heeled booties. They are a regular part of my fall, winter and spring wardrobe.

Let’s take a look at the outfits side by side.

You can see that in the summer look I rolled the pants up and in the fall look I left them full length. I love ankle pants for this transition time, because they allow me to show off the ankle boots, and they are still not as warm as full length pants.

The other detail I changed was doing the front tuck on the top, to show off the belt and give the outfit a less casual vibe.

How would you transition a tank top into fall? Do you have tank tops that you love to wear all year round? What do you think of this outfits?

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. I appreciate all your clicks and all your comments.

Have a great Wednesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Oh, Olive! Utility Vest - Casual

Another olive work horse in my closet is this utility vest. I have a number of vests. My fuzzy and quilted ones are great for fall and winter, while a vest like this, that is lighter weight, is perfect for spring, summer and into fall. I have been focusing on these olive pieces as the perfect neutral add on for a variety of outfits. I have been styling both casual and workwear looks, so that you have more to think about.

This olive, Mudd brand, vest was a clearance find a few seasons back from Kohl’s. I was paying attention when olive was becoming popular as the new neutral, so I snatched this up. That, and I love vests. They are a great way to add warmth, interest and texture to an outfit. I made my outfit extra colorful, but you could easily tone a look like this down by going for monochrome layers topped by the vest. A black maxi dress, a tan tee and capris or a navy top and denim skirt would look fabulous topped by an olive vest like this. Let me know if you would like to see me style a few monochrome looks with this vest or the jacket from last week.

Fall Trend Alert - Florals

Florals are still in. Harper’s Bazaar listed florals in Finding Patterns on their fall list, and WhoWhatWear called theirs Charming Chinz. However, you label it, it seems that florals are holding their own as a print that is here to stay.

My Bandolino floral jeans are thrifted. They definitely brighten up any summer outfit. I love the floral print and the raw hem on the bottom. It also helps that they have some stretch and are very comfy.

My textured tee is a thrifted Simply Vera, Vera Wang. I love the textured floral print and thought the color and print went perfectly with my pants. You can also see here, I added the long bead and fringe pendant necklace and a few freshwater pearl bracelets in similar colors for an added party vibe. I did the front tuck with the tee and added a gold belt.

Wearing my olive Sperry’s again. These have become a favorite in my summer show wardrobe. I grabbed these instead of the white Steve Madden’s, because I like how the olive on top and on the bottom made the whole look more unified. You could wear any color with this outfit, like my blue Converse or my tan Keds.

Fall Trend Alert - Blush

Bright colors are definitely in for fall, but so are pastels. It seems any more that you really can wear whatever you want and at least a few things in your closet will be on trend.

I didn’t plan it this way, but it seems, most of my outfit has some sort of floral theme. It’s funny when it works out that way. This pretty blush bag was a gift from my younger daughter. Both my girls give me wonderful presents and they are very good at knowing my tastes.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like the combination of olive with blue? Do you like florals and will you be wearing them this fall? I’d love to hear you thoughts. I’m sorry that I have gotten a little bit behind in responding to your comments, but I promise, I will respond. I appreciate your input.

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

Have a great day!

My Favorite Denim Pieces

For the last few week I have been looking back at some older posts, due to scheduling conflicts and my own lack of motivation and energy to bring you a lot of new content. I do apologize for that, but this does offer you a look at different pieces that are worth investing in due to their reusability. Since we as fashion bloggers, thrifters and purchasers of fashion are wanting to be more conscious of how our choices affect the environment we are learning that sustainable fashion is important for the future of our world.

Sustainability at its finest starts even before the actual manufacture of clothing. While more companies are jumping on the sustainability wagon, we must admit there are literally tons of used clothing going into landfills, that could be part of this sustainability loop. Thrift stores are part of this loop and are helping to give new life to second hand pieces. Bloggers, Instagrammers and others are working their accounts to show you new ways to wear the clothes that are already in your closet, or at least encourage you to shop second hand.

This week I decided to focus on the favorite denim pieces in my closet. Denim has always been my go to fabric for every day outfits. Whether you like jeans, denim skirts, or denim jackets, everyone can get onboard with having a few work horse denim pieces in their wardrobe.

Piece 1 - Cropped Denim Jacket

This is one of the first cropped pieces I found that I really liked and still use repetitively. There is something about the silhouette of a cropped denim jacket that to me, makes it a little more versatile. I feel like it dresses up better than a standard jean jacket, but some of that might also be the wash. A darker wash will always look more dressy as opposed to a lighter or more acid washed piece. You can wear a piece like this with a casual dress, a classy maxi dress, leopard print, a longer tunic and jeans, and a pair of utility pants.

Picture by me.

Piece 2 - Denim Skirt

Since jeans are my first choice for most of my causal outfits, I am not going to include them in this post, but I will say, that most of my favorite jeans I have picked up at thrift stores. The ability to try on different styles, silhouettes and brands, many of which I wouldn’t have ever thought to shop, have provided me with several pairs that are on repeat during most of the year. If you are more of a skirt or dress kind of girl, then a denim skirt is a great casual alternative to jeans.

Just so you know, the first skirt is from a few years ago and I got rid of it, because I outgrew it. The last two pieces were just unique, so I picked them up, but my most used piece would be the darker wash pencil skirt in the middle number of photos. If you are looking for a denim skirt, that is the wash and style I would recommend. I recently thrifted a longer light wash one, so we’ll see how that gets styled this summer. Stay tuned.

Photo by me.

Piece 3 - Denim Vest

Another piece that I really love is a denim vest. So far I only have one and that is my Christopher and Banks piece, but I would like to find a few others including a longer one that ties and a more traditional vest shaped piece. These are things I add to my thrifting list and keep and eye out for. If I never find one, no big deal, but if I do, I’ll grab it.

Unique Denim Pieces

Since my love for denim extends to all areas of my wardrobe, I also wanted to include a few unique pieces with their own special embellishments or characteristics.

Embroidery

Any sort of embellishment on denim is fun, but I do love embroidery.

Chambray

While not technically denim, we group this with denim due to its similar washes and uses. Whether it is a button down, a popover or a dress, chambray is a great denim substitute for the warm temperatures of spring and summer.

I hope you enjoyed this look back at a few of my favorite denim pieces. I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit where not specified, Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - Raspberry Sorbet, Mint and Willow

Today’s Pantone outfit revolves around a tantalizing pink, a refreshing green and another earthy color reminiscent of the weeping willow trees that hug the banks of lakes and streams. Raspberry Sorbet, Mint and Willow combine in an outfit that is both sleek, colorful and casual.

When I think of the color mint, I am more inclined to think of the light Green Ash color from Tuesday’s post. I guess my rendering of mint is based more on ice cream and Christmas candies than it is the actual plant. The mint plant is a bright, living green, so I think the Pantone color is much truer to the natural source. My Mint green top is a thrifted Falls Creek piece. I wore it for this shoot and then I got rid of it. It has been hanging in my closet for a while and I wasn’t certain, why I didn’t reach for it more often. After putting it on, I just didn’t like how stiff the fabric was. I’m all for structured pieces, but a piece has to move with me for me to want to wear it.

My camouflage pants, also Falls Creek, are a recent clearance find from Meijer. They are light weight, so good for summer. Unlike some camo that is more green, these tend towards more brown and gray. The Willow color is in there as you can see in the following picture. Willow was hard color to find. Most of my pieces are more olive green and Willow has more of a brown undertone.

Instead of choosing another clothing piece for the Raspberry Sorbet color, I opted to include it in my accessories. My necklace, bracelets, and the Vera Bradley tote were the perfect pop of this bright, saturated pink.

I went for my silver SO flats to tie in with the silver chains on the necklaces.

What do you think of these Pantone colors? Do you have the color Willow in your closet? I love to hear back from you, so leave a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to peruse. These links are brought to you at no cost, but using them to purchase something gives me a few pennies as a kick back. I appreciate all your support. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Spring/Summer - 2021 - Wide Leg Trousers, Fantasy Florals and Yellow Bags

It certainly seems that spring has settled in around here. I am fully aware here in the midwest, the temperatures will continue to fluctuate at least through April, so I am not breaking out the sleeveless tops and crop pants just yet, but sunshine is more present, the skies are that beautiful spring time blue, buds are on the trees and the grass is turning green. It is a wonderful thing to see these changes happening.

My husband and I got away for three nights to our favorite Ohio State Park, Mohican. We love renting a cabin down there and hiking a few of their many trails. It is just far enough away to feel like we went somewhere, yet we did not have to worry about out of state restrictions or quarantines. I see that New York finally lifted their travel advisory, so maybe the pandemic is finally getting under some amount of control. We certainly hope so. Time will tell.

As I said in my previous post, I wanted to take a couple of weeks and show you how I styled a few of the different Spring/Summer trends. Today’s outfit revolves around a pair of wide let trousers and a floral cardigan.

These thrifted wide leg trousers are a recent find and are St. John’s Bay brand. I personally am not a huge fan of the wide leg trouser look. Don’t get me wrong, I think they look beautiful on women with longer, thinner legs than mine. I personally prefer a boot cut, straight leg or skinny leg on my particular frame. However, I wanted to show you what a wide leg trouser might look like and this is a pair I will keep. I am going to think about some other ways to style them for future posts.

You know I love florals, so I was pleased that florals were again on the spring trend roster. I found this beautiful floral cardigan a while ago. I haven’t actually worn it, but I thought the colors went perfectly with the medium brown trousers. The sweater is a brand called Joseph A. The fabric is a light weight nylon mix and with the 3/4 length sleeves it will be great for summer.

Belts are back, ladies, so don’t be shy about showing off your waist lines. Whether you are straight, curvy, oblong or triangular, a belt not only cinches in your waist, but adds a fun detail to your outfit. I have been keeping my eyes open on my thrift store runs, but so far, no luck. I have had this brown belt with the blush embroidery detail, for a number of years. I really like it, but unfortunately it isn’t real leather and is already showing signs of wear.

You can also make out, I am wearing a long yellow pendant necklace. Long chain type necklaces are trending right now too. I have numerous longer necklaces, so now I have even more of a reason to wear them. It would be even better if I was actually going somewhere that I could wear them. Ha, ha.

For whatever reason, yellow bags are supposed to be trending this spring and summer. I have a number of yellow purses, so I was happy to have an excuse to get them out. This thrifted messenger style bag is perfect for carrying all the essentials plus a notebook or two. That is just what this writer needs. You never know when inspiration will strike.

You can also see I threw on a few beaded bracelets that I thought went well with the overall look.

These low wedge heels are Clarks and I got them a number of years ago. Low heels and flats are trending now too, so get out those ballerina flats. Platform sandals are also trending, so go figure. Ha. ha.

What do you think of the wide leg trouser trend? How about florals? Do you own a yellow bag? I’d love to have your feedback, so leave me some love in the comments section below.

I am including a few shopping links. These links are brought to you at no extra cost. I get a few cents if you click on a link and a few cents more if you make a purchase through a link. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Having Fun with Layers - Light Weight Dress

I wanted to do another light weight dress in my layering series. I know plenty of you wear dresses more often than I do, so I thought it might be a good idea to show you how to take one of your light weight summer dresses and style it now, even thought it is still quite cold. This time, because the length of the dress is much shorter, I wore it over a pair of colored jeans, for extra warmth.

You’ve seen me style this thrifted Sonoma dress for a fall Pantone series. It certainly has the right color scheme for fall. I also styled it for a summer kimono series last August. The Chevron print is definitely unique in my wardrobe. I am more into florals, but this particular piece appealed to me because of it’s colors.

These cognac colored distressed jeans are Stitch Star from Meijer and you have seen me style them for another Pantone color series. I also styled them in a Christmas outfit.

This thrifted, blush Jennifer Lopez sweater is one of my favorites for the in between weather of spring and fall. I often throw this in the car in the summer too, for when we go into an air conditioned building. I like the weight of it, the fun texture and the asymmetrical cut.

My accessories were pretty simple since the dress is busy enough. My blush SO heeled ankle boots and my blush clutch were perfect choices to go with the blush sweater. My necklace is a floral statement piece that I thought would add a touch of bling. I also added a few blush beaded bracelets.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear a dress with pants, or over leggings, or do you prefer to have your legs bare? I’d love to know your thoughts.

Since spring is on the way, I decided to give you some shopping links for all things blush. Enjoy shopping. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend everyone!