Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Intro

I am finally getting around to sharing the Pantone London Palette with you. It has been hard to get things posted in a timely fashion. Even though I would normally try to get these colors to you, much earlier in the Spring, I figure they are meant for spring and summer, so we are still okay. Today’s post will introduce you to the colors and give you a few little sneak peeks from our recent photo shoot.

These are all great colors for spring and summer. The palette is a nice mix of warm and cool colors and there is likely to be a color for everyone. The classic colors, while still showcasing your typical navy, gray and creamy white, also includes a soft light brown and an mossy olive green. I really like the blues included with this palette. They make me think of tropical waters and blue skies.

Enjoy these sneak peeks.

Be sure to check back on Thursday for the first outfit in this series. I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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.

Spring/Summer - 2021 - Spark Joy

This trend is a bit different and I think really open to each individual’s own interpretation. The idea of Spark Joy is color and print combinations that make you feel like you are wearing a party. I actually enjoyed putting this together. You know I love print mixing and this pushed me even further outside of my color and print mixing box. Let’s take a closer look.

I got this Universal Threads, sun print top at Target at the same time I got my pastel colored eyelet shirt (seen last week on the blog). Once again, you can see the puffed sleeves. Usually, I am not a ruffle girl, but once in a while, I find something that doesn’t make me look like a clown and this top was one of those times. I think the gathering around the neck helps and that the ruffles are vertical rather than horizontal. Horizontal patterns on us larger ladies are harder to pull off, and that goes for ruffles as well. In fact, when placed as they are on this top, I think it balances out my wider bottom.

This is another LuLaRoe skirt that I found at a local thrift store. The thing I like about these maxi skirts is that I don’t have to worry about wearing a slip. They are comfortable and easy to wear. The fun patterns are great for print mixing as in this outfit, or you can pick any color in the pattern and match up to it. I know not everyone can wear a maxi skirt and I will include a few shopping links at the end for shorter printed skirts for those of you who prefer a midi or knee length style.

My floral, Erin London, bomber jacket you’ve seen before. It was a purchase from Shop National from their mark down section a few years ago. You can see it here with a floral top.

My accessories were simple since there was already plenty going on in this outfit. I chose another long pendant necklace, this time with some bling and fringe. I also opted for a wide black belt to make more of a definition between my top and the skirt. I added a few bracelets, my thrifted, black, a.n.a. loafer heels and my thrifted bucket bag. My daughter does not like this bag. What do you think? She doesn’t like the shape of it. I told her I would ask for your opinion, so be sure to comment below.

So what do you think of this crazy print mixing outfit? I do not really expect you to go out and wear something like this, but it is truly fun to experiment and push ourselves outside of our normal outfit ideas. Would I wear something like this? Probably not exactly as I have it here. I might swap out the skirt for a solid black skirt or pair of pants, or I might change the top for a solid tee. I might even wear the top and skirt together, but switch out the floral bomber for a solid cardi or light weight jacket. You can still have joy with bright colors and print mixing, but you can also look polished and classy.

I’m including a few shopping links for fun prints. Be sure to check those out. These are affiliate links. When you click on a link, I get a few cents. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I hope you are having a great week.

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!

Having Fun with Layers - Light Weight Kimono

I am sure most of us have one or two kimonos in our closets. Typically, we only pull out these light weight pieces when the weather warms up enough that we can show them off over our spring or summer outfits. Kimonos are really more of an accessory than they are an actually clothing item. They are meant to accentuate or be the focal point of an outfit, much like a statement necklace or a scarf. For this reason, I thought it would be fun to show how we can use a kimono while it is still cold, by using it in the same manner, but over an outfit with heavier layering pieces.

This kimono was a clearance find at Kohl’s a few summers ago. It is actually a bit small for me, but since I don’t have to worry about closing the front, I just let it hang open, almost more like an open front cardi or vest. You can see the pretty floral detail, but what you can’t see is that there is also a spattering of light yellow here and there in the pattern. That is why I wore it over the bright yellow sweater.

I love this pretty yellow, St. John’s Bay, cable knit sweater that I got at JC Penney over a year ago. Cable knit sweaters are definitely a staple in my cold weather wardrobe. They are comfortable and can be worn along or with a collared shirt sticking out as an additional layer.

You’ve seen these Gloria Vanderbilt jeans on the blog many times and I swear by this particular pair of white jeans. So far I can still fit into them, which is a good thing, because a heavy weight pair of white jeans, that don’t show through are hard to come by. Ha ha.

I didn’t really need to add a whole lot to my look since the kimono does the bulk of the work. I added some black beads, both at the neck and on my wrist. I also opted for gray Impo ankle boots, and a thrifted Evan-Picone bag. Like my blush New York and Co. bag, this gray piece serves as both a tote, a crossbody and a clutch.

I hope this post will inspire you to pull out that kimono in your closet and give it some love.

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

Have a great evening.

When to Let it Go

A subscriber and friend of mine, suggested I do a post on how to know when it is time to let an item of clothing go. I thought this would be a good post to do while I am recovering from my out patient surgery, since it won’t require I do a lot of leg work. Ha, ha.

What I would like to do is go back through some of my old photos and review pieces that I have let go of and what the motivation was for getting rid of them. I hope this will be useful to all of you in determining what clothes you might have in your closet that need to be given the boot!

Motivation 1 - Weight Fluctuations

I am sad that I am one of those women that constantly struggles with my weight. I am the heaviest right now that I have ever been and honestly I am not pleased. I do not feel comfortable being at this weight and I know it is harder on my joints and my heart. However, I am also trying to be realistic about the need for grace and acceptance. I want to make better food choices and get some exercise, but I also know I may not loose that extra weight, so I have gotten rid of a number of things, that no longer fit.

These floral jeans were so fun, but by the time I got rid of them I could barely get them buttoned. There was nothing wrong with them, except they did not fit. Most of us are kidding ourselves when we say, “I’m going to hang on to that item, lose weight and fit back into it. More often than not, we are not going to fit back into those things we are hanging on to. I have developed the mentality, if I do lose weight, then I will take myself thrifting and get a few new things!

Motivation 2 - Worn Out

Another motivation to part with certain clothing items is that they get worn out. My hubby has tee shirts and underwear that could make him a priest, they are so holy! Ha, ha. He might think there is still plenty of wear left, but I try to sneak those out of his drawers and into the rag bag. Don’t donate items that are so worn you would no longer wear them. Throw them away or cut them up for rags to clean your car or your house.

Image by Jerzy Górecki from Pixabay

Motivation 3 - It’s just not the right fit for me.

Over these past years of being a fashion blogger, I have gotten better at figuring out what works and what doesn’t for my body type. That doesn’t mean I can’t wear all sorts of clothes, but it does mean that some clothes will look better than others, which in turn, makes me feel more confident in my skin.

Let me show you a few examples. Both of these jackets are what we would call cropped jackets. They sit just above the pelvic bones, right about where my belly button is. I loved both of these; the first because it was velvet and the second because it was so colorful and unique. I recently got rid of both of them. Neither one really looks like it fit me well. The faux velvet piece was really a little too wide and droopy and the other was a tad bit too small.

This cropped denim jacket is a different story. It is a stretchy denim, so it fits like a glove, yet it still serves as a denim jacket. It goes with almost every thing I wear and adds a fun touch to a dress or skirt.

Finding pieces that fit properly is part of the process of becoming more fluent in your own fashion language. I think I need to discuss that further in a different post, so stay tuned for that.

Motivation 4 - It’s just not the right color.

You know I am the first one who will tell you that you should be able to wear every color under the sun, no matter what your skin tone, hair, or eye color. However, every color has variant shades and tones and this is what you need to be concerned with when picking out your clothing. Who says a red head can’t wear red or pink; or that a women with ivory skin can’t wear stark colors like black or navy? The trick is to find the right tones of those colors. If you have pieces in your closet that you rarely ever reach for, or when you put them on you don’t have that, “This looks awesome on me,” thought, then part of the problem might be the color.

Let me show you a side by side comparison of two tones of gray: a light oxford and a dark charcoal.

These were taken by the same photographer, on the same day, in the same lighting. I really think the image on the right, where I am wearing a charcoal gray cowel neck is a much better look on me, than the light gray or oxford sweater in the image on the left.

Play with various colors. Ask yourself what colors are you drawn to? What colors do you get the most compliments on when you are wearing it?

Motivation 5 - A pretty pattern or texture, but in the wrong place.

You have probably heard the term illusion when it comes to certain ways of putting an outfit together. If we are shorter, or have shorter, thicker legs, we want to create the illusion of height or length. If we have a thicker mid section, we want to wear pieces that give us the illusion of a waistline. Unfortunately, there are pieces that do the exact opposite and make us look bulky, boxy and wider than we would like. Patterns are one of those things that can accentuate or create an illusion. Here are a few examples.

Palazzo Pants

I have tried these flowy, patterned pants on numerous occasions and I just don’t seem to be able to pull it off. I have wide thighs and hips and these pants are not forgiving when it comes to that. I have gotten rid of all my palazzo pants. It doesn’t matter what we think about how pretty they are or fun and comfortable, if we don’t think we look good in them, we won’t wear them.

Lace and Ruffles

Photo by me.

I really do like lace and ruffles, but from now on I am only wearing it in small doses. A little bit of lace inlay on a top or lace trim on a skirt are very pretty, but too much lace, just like ruffles, starts to make me look like an old bride wanna be and I prefer my wedding days are done. You won’t find much lace or two many ruffly things in my closet these days. I think it works beautifully on many people, but it is not for me.

Horizontal patterns on skirts (or pants)

Some women like to draw attention to their booties, but I am not one of them and wearing too much horizontal, especially wider lines, on the bottom can make a person look disproportionate. This is especially true if you have smaller breasts and wider hips as in the triangle shape.

Here are a list of questions to ask yourself if you are considering whether to get rid of a clothing piece:

1 - Does it still fit?

2 - Is it a color you love and that looks good on you?

3 - Is it showing signs of wear or is it stained, pilly, or frayed?

4 - Does the pattern compliment your figure?

5 - Is it something you regularly reach for? If not, is it a piece that you at least reach for on special occasions, holidays or other special events?

6 - When you put it on does it make you say, “Wow! I look good in this?”

These are just a few things to think about if you are looking to get rid of a few pieces you are unsure of, or if you are looking to purge your whole wardrobe. I do a purge once or twice a year, usually when I am changing seasons; so before it gets warmer and before it gets colder. Many times I will make piles of things I need to try on. If they do not fit, I put them in a box to donate. If they are just not the right color, pattern or shape, they go into the box.

It really is better to develop a habit of only buying things you know you are going to wear and that, as Marie Kondo says, “Spark Joy.” I am still working on this, but as with so many good habits in life, it takes one choice at a time to make a change.

I hope you found this post helpful. Let me know in the comments how you decide to keep a clothing piece or how you choose to get rid of it. I’d love to hear your thoughts, because I learn new things from you all as well.

Have a great day!

Photo credit, unless otherwise specified, Rebecca Trumbull.

A Look Back at 2020 - My Favorite Outfits

Before I launch into a short series on some of the current winter trends, i wanted to revisit my favorite outfits from this past year. 2020 was a year unlike any other with the Covid Pandemic, racial unrest and the election overwhelming our newsfeeds. There were times where I just didn’t feel like being a blogger any more. I just wanted to crawl into a nice, cozy hole and not come out until all of the bad news went away. Fortunately, I didn’t do that. I had a sense that every single one of you that regularly follow me, needed a brief respite from all the bad that was going on around us. The normalcy of looking at and talking about faith and fashion, just seemed to be a good thing to do, so I kept at it.

I have a feeling that 2021 is not going to be a whole lot different from 2020. Change is going to continue to happen and change is what often pushes us well outside of our comfort zones. However, my little blog is still going to be here, as long as God gives me the health, energy and brain power to continue, I will do so. Many of you have become like family to me. Those of you who have regularly commented or even taken the time to send me a personal email have been a great source of encouragement to me, so thank you.

Here is a look back at 2020. As I have done before, I go month by month and pick out my faves. I’d love to know which outfit really inspired you.

January

Actual Amy - Waterfall Cardigan

Why I like It: This whole outfit is very much me. I love the rusty textures of the waterfall cardigan and faux suede boots. As you all know, I love my jeans and the striped long sleeve tee is the perfect choice for this ultra casual outfit. I also like the subtle print mixing going on between the stripes, snakeskin patterned bag and the speckled bead pendant.

February

Seeing Red - Thrifted Thursday - Burgundy Skirt

Why I Like It: In all honesty, I had three outfits, all together, that I liked from February. I decided to post this one as my favorite, because it was totally unexpected. I honestly did not think this outfit was going to look as good as it did when I started putting it together. I wasn’t sure about the color combo or the mix of smooth faux leather pencil skirt with oversized textured sweater, but I absolutely love everything about this outfit. The color combo was perfect and the unexpected mix of textures and lengths honestly works well. The only thing I might have changed is the shoes. I’m wondering if a burgundy shoe would have been a better choice, but overall it worked. The other two that I liked from February were, Seeing Red - Red with Tan - Velvet Jacket, and Seeing Red - Actual Amy - Plaid Jacket.

March

Spring Trends 2020 - Maxi Dresses, Psychedelic Prints and Vests

Why I Like It: March was the month I focused on the Spring Trends for the year. I will do that again this year. I like the boho, hippy vibe of this outfit with the medallion printed maxi dress, the striped tee and the denim vest. It just presents a fun, eclectic mix that makes for a great casual date night look.

April

Transitional Spring Outfit

Photo credit Rachel Christensen

Why I Like It: Who doesn’t like a kimono? They are just fun, fabulous pieces and every woman should have one or two in her closet. I have many more than that, but there are so many pretty styles, prints and colors. This pink, burgundy and white piece is no exception. I especially like the fringe on the sleeve and bottom hems. Every since I learned about print mixing, I have become obsessed and nothing pairs better than stripes and flowers. The burgundy colored accessories complete the look perfectly.

May

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Sunlight, Flame Scarlet and Ash

Photo credit Amy Christensen

Why I Like It: There is nothing special about this outfit, other than it is something I would actually wear. Though all of the outfits I post are things I actually own, I don’t necessarily wear everything that you see, exactly as you see it. The reason for this is, I am trying to show a varied audience outfits that could be used for every day, work, going out or traveling. Right now I am not working outside the home and we really aren’t going anywhere, yet this outfit is something I would still wear.

June

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Tanager Turquoise, Heritage Blue and Blanc de Blanc

Why I Like It: This look is classic. It could be worn by any woman, anywhere. It is a great outfit for work, but could also be worn for a date night, or lunch with the girls. It also exudes spring and summer with the bright floral top, crisp white ankle pants and silver ballerina flats. The blue bag, beaded necklace and bracelets add fun matching elements to the ensemble.

July

Summer Outfit - Geometric Maxi Dress - Casual

Why I Like It: Honestly, I like this outfit, because I think it is fun! I love the hat, the tee and the geometric print on the maxi dress. The top is a light weight sleeveless tee material, so adding the other tee did not add bulk, weight or make it hotter. This would be a great look for traveling, going to the beach or on a picnic.

August

Outfit Inspiration - Dressed Up Casual Style

Why I Like It: What is not to love about this dressy casual look. The star piece is the thrifted kimono. It took a simple white tee and boyfriend jeans up to a new level of style. The fringe necklace compliments the purples in the kimono and the rusty orange bag the oranges. This was a nice transitional outfit for the waning days of summer.

September

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

Why I Like It: September was another month where I had several favorite outfits, but this one still stands out as a winner. Once again, the combination of colors, as well as the print mixing, really goes a long way to making this dressier outfit perfect for the office. I also like how my last minute addition of blush accessories pulled everything together. Two of my other faves were, Pantone Fall Winter 2020 - Peach Nougat, Sandstone and Military Olive, and Color Play - Fall Mix.

October

Pantone - Autumn/Winter 2020 - London Palette - Samba, Tawny Birch and Sheepskin

Why I Like It: I don’t wear neutrals all that often, but a combination like this really pops. The neutral palette colors of Tawny Birch and Sheepskin, combined with the bright Samba red makes an exceptional outfit. The added joy is that everything in this outfit is thrifted, except the pearls. When I can put a whole outfit together with thrifted pieces and it ends up looking like this, I am all for it.

November

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Harvest Tee and Distressed Jeans - Dressy

Why I Like It: This outfit is just very me. I love wearing tees, and jeans and throwing a nice blazer and a pair of boots on really levels up a very casual outfit. The addition of a fun statement necklace and a cute bag also provide a dressier look, even with the distressed jeans.

December

A Dickens’ Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Past

Why I Like It: Out of my whole Christmas series, I think this outfit and these photos were my faves. Winter white is really trending right now and when I put these pieces together for my Ghost of Christmas Past persona, I didn’t realize how popular these creamy whites were. The outfit itself was cozy and in keeping with my love for pants and flats. Ha, ha.

There you have it, my favorite picks from 2020. What were your faves? I would love to hear back from you. Also, if there is anything you would like to see more of on the blog, or a different topic you would like me to talk about, please let me know.

I hope your New Year is off to a great start. Check back on Thursday for a look at some of the current winter trends.

Photo credit unless otherwise stated, Rebecca Trumbull Photography.

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

These photos were taken in a local graveyard. No disrespect was intended to the families of those laid to rest in its borders, nor to the spirits who might walk its paths.

Probably the spookiest of Dickens’ Christmas spirits is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This specter is darker and more formidable than either of the previous phantasms. In both of my favorite movie versions of the story, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is personified as a dark, flowing, faceless creature who stands head and shoulders above Ebenezer Scrooge and who never speaks. He simply points his long, skeletal like fingers to what he wants Ebenezer to see.

When I started thinking about an outfit to typify this gruesome ghoul, I knew I wanted to go with gray colors. I thought gray, rather than a stark black spoke more to the shaded veil our futures seem to be. No one can know the future, but God alone, and I personally would rather not have the so called privilege of knowing what is to be, except that blessed assurance of life with Him, after I die.

There was no doubt, I wanted these pictures, done in a graveyard. The most telling scene in the movie version of A Christmas Carol, is when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come brings Scrooge to a lonely, forsaken graveyard. In his creepy, speechless manner, the Ghost points to a specific, unattended grave, which in overwhelming despair, Ebenezer wipes aside the snow and sees his own name engraved on the stone.

I wanted my look to be work appropriate, so I chose pieces that created a classic monochrome look, but still gave the illusion of movement. I also wanted the layers.

My plaid Style & Co trousers have been around quite a while. I honestly can’t remember if I bought these new or if I got them at a thrift store. Style & Co are still sold at Macy’s.

My gray turtleneck is Worthington brand. Once again, I have had this piece for years and I don’t remember if I got it new at JCPenney’s, or if I thrifted it. Not only is my memory in need of help, so is my waistline. I know the above picture is not the most flattering, but ladies, this is the real me at the current moment. I have a spare tire or maybe two, and I am probably in the worst shape I have been in, in years, due to achey joints, not eating well and not enough exercise. I can’t blame it all on the pandemic, as much as I would like to. Most of it is my very undisciplined nature. Maybe you can relate. I hope so. I really don’t want to feel like I am the only one in this rocky boat. Ha, ha. I am really hoping, that once this busy holiday time is over, I can try to implement a few changes. Never give up!

The light weight shrug that I put over the turtleneck is also Worthington brand. This piece I did buy new at Penney’s. It has an asymmetrical hem, so the longer front pieces can be tied, to create a different look. You can see how I wore it tied with a black maxi dress.

My long, wide scarf was not only a purply gray color, but it had bugs on it, which somehow seemed fitting with the grave theme.

You know me, I had to try keeping in character. Ha, ha. I do look like a fitting specter to haunt this old graveyard, especially in black and white.

Here are my grays together.

Since this was meant to be an outfit, one could actually wear for work, or for a night out, I did have to style it with a few accessories. I chose silver and gray to maintain the monochrome look. A small silver clutch, to give it a bit of bling, a three strand statement necklace and my dark gray Impo ankle boots completed the look.

What do you think of this look? Do you think it personified the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come without looking too much like a costume? A monochrome look in any color can be an easy, fun and interesting way to change up your wardrobe and still look like you put thought and effort into your outfit. Monochrome doesn’t have to be an exact match, but just be pieces with the same color hues and tones. Adding texture is also the perfect way to make a single color scheme look go from boring to fabulous.

This was the last post in my Dickens’ Christmas series. I certainly hope you enjoyed my interpretations of one of my favorite Christmas stories. Be sure to check back on Thursday for a very mischievous, Actual Amy post. Until then, have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

This week, I am not including any shopping links, for outfits. I hope to resume regular style posts after the first of the year.

Have a great week and a very Merry Christmas!

Color Play - The Grinch - Green, Red and Brown

When it comes to Christmas we are inundated with red, green, silver and gold, but today people are using blues, teals, purples and pinks to decorate their homes and wrap their presents. Check out Liz from With Wonder and Whimsy. I adore her whimsical style and her love for all things pastel. She does such an amazing job decorating for all occasions and Christmas in her home is simply beautiful. See her Holiday Home Tour by clicking on the link.

I love the red and green color combo for Christmas, but it really doesn’t work for many people in a fashion sense. I wanted to show how you could put together a fun, festive red and green outfit that could be easily worn for work and give a nod to our friend, The Grinch.

What could possibly be more fun, than styling my very “Grinchy” work outfit in front of something that looks like it was taken right out of Whoville? This colorful 3D mural is another of the fascinating places at the Toledo Botanical Gardens. This little scene is just outside the Unruly Arts Studio, which is a studio that focuses on providing a creative space for artists with developmental disabilities. Check out their site at UnrulyArts.org , their Instagram page @unrulyartsstudio or their Facebook page.

I have always loved The Grinch by Dr. Suess and my favorite holiday movie version is the animated one narrated by Boris Karloff. I think part of my affection for that version was that I was a fan of Karloff and his horror movies like Frankenstein and The Mummy. However, the movie that came out in 2018, where Benedict Cumberbatch plays our grumbling, green friend, is now my second fave. I actually was reluctant for a long time to watch the Jim Carey version, since I am not a big fan, but I finally did watch it and I was pleasantly surprised. I will say that Jim’s version which was directed by Ron Howard is much more geared toward adult humor, so not as appropriate for younger kids.

I got this Grinch sweater last year when I was working at Kohl’s for the holiday season. I knew I wanted a more typical ugly Christmas sweater and I thought this one was more gaudy with its candy cane stripes and the Grinch’s face plastered across the front, but I still thought it was cute.

My plaid trousers are a thrift store find and are Mossimo brand. I do love plaid in all its forms and while these slacks would feel a little better if I were a few pounds lighter, they still fit. I love that they have the green stripes throughout, and that they have a bootcut silhouette.

My brown, faux leather moto jacket was a thrifted piece from a few years ago and I have styled it on the blog a few different times. You can see it with a maxi dress, a maxi skirt and a pair of plaid crop pants. The name of the brand is Celebrity Pink.

You can see in the above picture I also added a little bit of red jewelry in my wrap around red beads. When these are not doubled they are more of an opera length string. I also threw on a red bracelet.

I decided to use brown for the bag and boots to add to the more grounded vibe. You’ve seen this thrifted brown, corduroy, hobo bag on the blog before. The ankle boots are a Nine West purchase from Kohl’s.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Which movie version is your favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to check back next week for the final two outfits in my Christmas series. I’ve included a few shopping links for you to check out. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Harvest Tee and Distressed Jeans - Dressy

Yesterday was my eldest’s birthday. She ordered us lunch, which I picked up and took to her house, then after we ate, we went shopping. I have to say, I felt almost like life was normal for a few hours. We had fun and I enjoyed my time with her. I have always tried to take my girls shopping on their birthdays since they were fairly young. I used to take both girls and we would get lunch together, but then the gift buying would be for the birthday girl, although I would usually end up buying the other girl a little something too. Life is so busy and with the Covid complications it is hard to find time for those moments.

Today’s look is the dressed up version of my distressed jeans and harvest tee. I only made a few changes to elevate the look. I switched out my cozy sweater for a long burgundy blazer. I also donned a pair of heeled boots and grabbed a snazzier bag.

This burgundy blazer is a thrifted Pendleton piece. I have, on several occasions thought to get rid of it, but it is such a classic, tailored piece that I keep hanging on to it, and this is precisely why. I love the way it looks with jeans. Obviously, it would also look good with a pencil skirt or more dressy trousers. The structured collar, more fitted waist, pocket flaps and detailed buttons really make this a class act.

I kept the same necklace, but added a couple gold bangle bracelets and a gold belt to go with the gold on the tee.

This thrifted, no name bag has such cute details. From the faux alligator print to the fun clasp and more structured shape, I knew I had to snatch it up. Just don’t tell my hubby! Ha, ha. He thinks I have too many sweaters, bags and shoes. Ha, ha. Why would he possibly think that?

These boots were also a thrift store find. They are Life Stride brand and I really like the brownish, burgundy color. It makes them unique from the typical black, brown or gray colors of many of my boots.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think the changes I made elevates the look or do you think because of the distressed jeans, it still looks ultra casual? I would love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two.

Here are the two outfits side by side. Which one do you like better?

Can you believe a week from today is Thanksgiving? I will confess, I have started listening to Christmas music. I just need that little bit of happy in my day to day life right now. I haven’t started decorating, but I hope to get to that soon.

I am leaving a few shopping links. Be sure to check those out. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a good evening everyone.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Sweatshirt and Skinny jeans - Dressy

Taking a sweatshirt and skinny jeans from casual to glam is no easy task. Accessories have a lot to do with making an outfit feel and look more dressed up. Adding a little bling, a shoe with a heel and a more fitted silhouette are just a few things to think about when taking an outfit from casual to dressed up style. For this outfit, I searched my closet for a blazer, sweater or jacket that would give the sweatshirt a more dressed up feel. The jeans themselves have bling, so can stand alone as a dressier piece.

As I mentioned in Tuesday’s post, the sweatshirt was a hand me over from my daughter and it was originally from a local retailer Eden Fashion Boutique. My skinny jeans are from Kohl’s clearance rack and are Juicy Couture.

I found this fun tweed jacket last year while thrifting. I really like this piece. The multicolored plaid print and the textured fringe around all the hems is totally my vibe. This pretty jacket is a brand called Focus 2000. The brand is no longer being manufactured but you can find it on Poshmark and thredUp. Here is the exact jacket in a 12P from Poshmark. I am wearing a regular 12.

I know not everyone likes tweed. For many years it was associated with old women. I am an older woman, but I think we just need to get over the whole, “Older women shouldn’t wear that,” or “Younger women shouldn’t wear that.” What really matters is finding your own style. I happen to like tweed and I have seen numerous “youngsters” wearing it on Pinterest. Check out this, this and this. I think tweed would look pretty with a flowy maxi skirt, a pencil skirt or even over a dress. Never say never when it comes to trying something different.

I decided to pull the little bits of green out of the jacket by wearing this layered pendant necklace. I honestly do not remember where I got this. Ha, ha. A layered necklace like this is nice, when you are not sure what jewelry to wear, but you want it to make a statement.

Since I was thinking of green I grabbed my light green tote bag from Charming Charlie. You’ve seen this before on the blog. I styled it with a maxi skirt, and a utility jacket.

The last thing I added was this new pair of Nine West western suede ankle boots. Adding a little bit of a heel and a pointier toe, elevates the look. These were a Kohl’s online purchase. I have definitely been doing more of that during this pandemic. I have been doing more of my Christmas shopping that way and have just recently placed a few orders. The thing we need to remember about online ordering is the time factor, so make sure you are ordering early. Early is also better for getting the items you are looking for.

What do you think of this look? Do you own a tweed jacket or skirt? If you do, how do you like to style them?

Here are both outfits side by side. Which one do you like better?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about which one you would be more likely to wear.

I am including a few shopping links for tweed jackets, tote bags and boots. Enjoy shopping. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Sweatshirt and Skinny Jeans - Casual

For the next few weeks I thought I would focus on outfits that could be worn for the Thanksgiving Holiday, or just as another fall outfit. Each week I will take one or two main pieces and show how to style them two different ways. This week my pieces are a pair of embellished skinny jeans, and a deep yellow sweatshirt that I grabbed from my daughter’s "to get rid of” pile.

For today’s look I wanted to go with a more casual vibe. The two pieces could be worn by themselves and be perfectly acceptable for a casual, low key Thanksgiving; just add a scarf or necklace and some sneakers or knee high boots and you are all set. I wanted to do something with a little more texture and print, so I decided to top the whole outfit with my plaid ruana that I got last year at Bass Pro Shop. It may sound a little funny, but I love their clothes. They have a little higher price point than I usually pay, but you can read the story of how my hubby surprised me with a mini shopping spree here.

It is always a journey taking my own pictures. Ha, ha. Here is the ruana from more of a back and side view.

This rich yellow sweatshirt is from a local boutique Eden Fashion Boutique. I did a blog post on their Sylvania location which you can see here. Unfortunately that shop closed up during the pandemic. The original shop is still in business in Bowling Green, OH which is about a 25 minute drive. My daughter decided she didn’t wear it enough for it to warrant taking up space in her closet. I absolutely love color. It also has snaps from about the elbow up on both sleeves, which gives it a fun look. I should have taken a picture of it without the ruana. Oh well! I’ll save that for another time.

You can see the blingy embellishment on my jeans. There are sparkles on both legs, the right is closer to the hip. These are Juicy Couture brand and I got them a year or so ago at Kohl’s on the clearance rack.

Since I wanted this to be casual, but it is also meant to be for an occasion like a Thanksgiving dinner, I added a little bit of jewelry and a bag to bring out the blue in the ruana. My long pendant necklace I use regularly. The beaded bracelet has a cute owl charm on it and the blue cross body bag was a gift a few Christmases ago from my younger daughter.

These rusty colored moto boots are a soft faux suede and have zippers on the inside of the leg. They are Steve Madden brand and I ordered them from DSW last year on clearance.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear this for a casual Thanksgiving day gathering? What might you have done differently? Leave me your thoughts in the comments. I always love to hear what you are thinking and how the blog is helping or hindering your fashion journey.

This last photo is very fuzzy, but I liked the way it turned out anyway. Ha, ha. I really need to play with my camera more, so I can take better pictures. I am also a perfectionist, as if you hadn’t noticed. Ha, ha.

I’m including a few shopping links. Remember, Christmas is coming, so you might like to look over these links as possible gift ideas for you or yourself. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - All the Outfits

I wanted to end this fall color series by showing you all of the colors from both the Pantone New York Palette and the Pantone London Palette. To make it a little more interesting I thought I would show outfits that have, either a same color or a similar color side by side.

I hope that you enjoyed this series. If there are any other topics in fashion that you are interested in learning more about, or in seeing me talk about or put together in an outfit, I would love for you to let me know. I don’t follow trends too closely and this fall, I totally missed the boat on that, so I do apologize. I know some of you enjoy hearing what the trends are for each season and seeing how I apply those to the “real” world. Often when we look at websites or see magazines with tall, thin models or celebrities who are seamlessly coifed we think there is no way we would want to try this or that, especially when it comes to runway trends. However, there are a lot of trends that we can participate in and enjoy like leopard print, various colors and different types of accessories.

I will keep doing this Pantone series as long as I am blogging, because I feel strongly that even though we might differ from each other in our style, color is something we all have in common. Approaching new, bold and different colors without fear is a way to expand your wardrobe and spice up your style without completely committing to a whole different way of doing things.

The Color Palettes Side by Side.

Samba

I love the color red and I think there is a red for every complexion. I think both of these outfits worked quite well and love that both of them present a more neutral palette with a bright pop of red. In the New York outfit on the left Samba is paired with Fired Brick and Sleet. In the London outfit on the right Samba is paired with Tawny Birch and Sheepskin.

Ultramarine Green

Ultramarine was on both palettes and I think it is a pretty green that can bring a peaceful, yet vibrant feel to any outfit. This color green would look great in a bag, jewelry or a scarf and to me it really seems to draw your eyes to it. Maybe it is just my love for the greens in nature that make me like this color so much. In the New York outfit on the left Ultramarine Green is paired with Classic Blue and Blue Depths. In the London palette on the right Ultramarine Green is paired with Exuberance and Sleet.

Military Olive

While I love bright and bold colors like the two I mentioned previously, I love using olive as a neutral. It goes with every color, and has a different vibe than gray or beige. It is classy, yet subtle. In the New York outfit on the left, Military Olive is paired with Peach Nougat and Sandstone. In the London outfit on the right Military Olive is paired with Strong Blue and Jet Stream.

Green Sheen/Celery

It is hard to tell in these pictures, but Green Sheen and Celery are pretty similar. I think, because the lighting is different the colors look brighter in the shaded picture. They are different colors, but not enough different that they couldn’t be exchanged from one outfit to another. In the New York outfit on the left, Green Sheen is paired with Amber Glow and Almond Oil. In the London outfit on the right, Celery is paired with Mandarin and Sheepskin.

The Other Colors

These last two are paired only because they were the last two and don’t really have anything in common. The New York outfit on the left is a combination of Rose Tan, Magenta Purple and Sleet. The London outfit on the right is a combination of Burnt Henna, True Blue and Dress Blues.

Which outfit do you like most? Which color from the two palettes is one you frequently wear? What new color(s) are going to try to add to your wardrobe. As always, I love to hear your thoughts.

I apologize to those of you who subscribe to my blog. The last three weeks, I have completely forgotten to send out my weekly emails. I’ll just attribute that to “squishy brain syndrome.” Ha, ha.

Thanks for following along on the blog. I hope to use the next couple of weeks leading up to Thanksgiving showing you more fall outfits and maybe a few ideas for what to wear to Thanksgiving dinner whether you are going some place or sheltering in place.

If you follow my Faith page be sure to check back tomorrow for the next installment in my series on the Unseen Enemy.

Have a great weekend!

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - London Palette - Burnt Henna, True Blue and Dress Blues

This is the last color combo in the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - London Palette series. On Thursday I will have a recap post of all of the outfits from both palettes. Today’s outfit revolves around a cranberry red, a blue that is much like Classic Blue and navy.

Both of the Pantone palettes for fall were filled with blues and reds, but they also had plenty of other options, so if you are not a blue or red wearer, you still have other fabulous colors to wear. My Christopher and Banks ankle pants are not exactly Burnt Henna, but they will due. I got these and a pair of green ones when they were on clearance. They are stretchy, which allows for ease of movement. The only thing I don’t like about them is they have no belt loops. If a pair of pants fits perfectly you don’t really need a belt, but a belt always makes me feel more secure. Otherwise, I always feel like I am pulling my pants up. These are a size 12, which is usually my normal for Christopher and Banks.

True Blue is very much like Classic Blue. It is not a dark navy, like the Dress Blues, but a nice medium blue that almost everyone can wear. I wanted to wear layers, so I added a Christopher and Banks cardi and the scarf.

My Dress Blues jacket is a thrifted Ruff Hewn piece. It is a moto jacket, but instead of being strictly leather, or faux leather, it is made of a linen/cotton blend and faux leather for the leather like portions.

My plaid button down shirt is also a Christopher and Banks purchase from this year. It is a little bit textured which gives it an added dimension, even though in these pictures you can’t see it very well.

Once again, with all the layers and textures, I kept my accessories very simple. I have a navy flower pendant necklace, but unlike many pendant necklaces, mine is shorter.

You’ve see this Simply Vera Vera Wang bag on the blog before. This was a thrifted piece and provides a nice, roomy area which is especially good for traveling to pack a few extras like a notebook or reading book. I also added a few beaded bracelets with blues.

Finally, these are my newer ankle boots. Once again, these are SO brand, which are my go to faves for ankle boots from Kohl’s. They fit (size up a half size if you want to be able to wear extra thick socks in the colder temps), are easy to get on an off and seem to hold up quite well in our ever changing weather here in the mid west. These are the first pair I’ve gotten that actually have the zipper on the outside of the foot rather than the inside, which is a nice contrast.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like these colors? Would you put these colors together, or would you find some other color to pair each of these with? I love hearing your thoughts, so be sure to leave me some love in the comments.

I am including a few shopping links. You can use these links to shop for yourself or for future Christmas presents for others. There is no extra cost to you to shop through my links. In fact, what it does is generates a tiny bit of income for me. Every click you do, gives me a few pennies. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - London Palette - Samba, Tawny Birch, and Sheepskin

Today’s neutral palette is interrupted by the bold, daring color red. Samba was in our New York palette and if you don’t remember which outfit that was you can see it again here. In the New York outfit I paired Samba with Fired Brick and Sleet for a chic work outfit with a bit of subtle print mixing. Today’s outfit, once again, would be perfect for the office or a date night with your significant other. In this time of Covid restrictions do you get dressed up to go out, or do you go out at all? Thus far my hubby and I usually get take out and either bring it home or take it to a park and eat it, so I’m afraid I haven’t been getting very dressed up, usually just jeans and a nicer shirt. It really depends on the day. I am not sure what we are going to do when the weather gets real cold.

When I was looking for pieces for this whole fall Pantone series, I knew I wanted to incorporate this thrifted, red, Calvin Klein, sleeveless sweater. I originally bought the piece thinking I could use it as a sweater vest, which, seeing as it is a larger size will offer enough room to put a blouse or long sleeve tee underneath. It will probably show up again either on the blog or in my Instagram feed. If you don’t follow me on Instagram make sure you do. I show you more of my day to day outfits there and occasional cute pictures of our cat and pretty scenery.

My Sheepskin colored cardigan was another thrifted piece. I thought it was a good balance between tan and beige and will be wearable with just about any color. This is a thrifted St. John’s Bay piece.

My Tawny Birch houndstooth patterned ankle pants have been on the blog before. These are Sonoma and were thrifted. You can see them styled in the Pantone Fall 2017 series, and in another series I did on vests.

Since I really wanted the red sweater to be the focal point of the outfit, I kept my bag and shoes a similar neutral tan color to the sweater and pants. Both thrifted, the bag is New Directions and the boots are Aerosoles. Then I added pearls. I thought this made for a great work look.

What do you think of these colors? Do you think the more neutral Tawny Birch goes well with the brighter Samba red? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I hope you enjoyed this look and that you are doing well. For those of you who follow my faith page, I hope to have the next installment of my series on Our Unseen Enemy up tomorrow. Have a great evening.

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

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Color Play - More Fall Mixing

My daughter has come into her very busy season and has numerous editing projects on her plate from all sorts of clients, so my Pantone - Autumn/Winter - London Palette series is going to be delayed for a little bit. In the mean time I am falling back to my Thursday columns, so today’s is based on, of all things, fall colors. You just aren’t going to get away from my obsession with color. Ha, ha.

Today’s outfits are centered around a thrifted Christopher and Banks jacket. I absolutely love the muted frenzy of colors and I knew it would be something I could wear repeatedly throughout fall, winter and spring. This is the back of the jacket. It is shaped and feels somewhat like a denim jacket, though the material seems a little less stiff. I paired the jacket with a rusty colored long sleeve tee that I got last year at Maurices. I am going to show you three ways these two pieces can be styled for different looks.

Look 1 - With Jeans

This first look was what I wore on the day I took these pictures. This is a simple look with my Rock & Republic jeans that I have had for years. I added my Sonoma faux suede boots to keep the fall color scheme intact, then I added my purple agate pendant necklace and a purply blue gingham scarf. The last piece to add was the thrifted olive hobo bag. I love the little ruffle on the sleeve hem on the tee. The sleeves on this jacket were the perfect length to let the sleeves stick out.

Look 2 - With White Jeans

For this look I swapped out the regular jeans fro my white Gloria Vanderbilt pair. I also removed the scarf, put on a different necklace and changed the bag and boots. White all year round is simple the rage, and that is one trend I am willing to put up with. These jeans are especially suited to the cooler weather, because they are a heavier weight. They also have a wider leg, so it is easier to get taller boots under them.

These brown ankle boots are a new pair I ordered from Kohl’s. I just love my suede and faux suede ankle boots and wear them all the time. I decided to add this dark brown Nine West pair to my collection because they were on sale and I had a coupon. To go with the boots I chose my thrifted bronzy colored shoulder bag.

Look 3 - Green Skirt

In the final look I chose my thrifted Old Navy tiered skirt, which I have styled numerous other times on the blog. I also added a pale yellow gingham scarf that I bought from the Jacket Society three years ago. Nora always has such unique and beautiful pieces. Be sure to check out the scarves and wraps here. I swapped out my bronze bag for this purple Nicole bag with gold chain handle accents, and my ankle boots for these thrifted mid-calf leather heeled boots. You can see I also added a woven belt that goes with the boots, just for some fun added texture and contrast.

Here are all three outfits side by side. Which one do you like best? Do you have a colorful jacket that you were thinking of getting rid of because you never wear it? How about trying some of these ideas and making your wardrobe work for you?

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your thoughts on these outfits. Tomorrow I will have a new Faith post on the blog, so be sure to stop by and check that out.

Have a great day!

I’ve included a few shopping links for printed jackets. These are affiliate links. It does not cost you anything to click on a link to shop, but it might pay me a few cents. Enjoy!

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - New York Palette - Recap

I was going to jump right into the London Palette, but there have been some unforeseen problems, so I am going to put that off for a little bit. I usually do a recap post to show you all the the outfits at the same time, so that is what I am doing today.

Here is the whole New York Palette, along with the classic colors as well. Some people take the classic colors and build their outfits around them and simply add pops of the other colors for a more subdued approach to the palette. I think I need to try that some time. What keeps me from doing that more often is that I don’t have very many classic colored pieces. What I mean is, I don’t have a whole suit with pants or skirt and a jacket in any of the classic colors. In fact, I don’t have very many dress clothes that aren’t made up of colors and prints. Maybe in the spring I will try to focus more on using the classics as a way to build an outfit and add in the regular palette colors as accessories. We’ll see.

I thought I would give you a few of my thoughts about each outfit and why I think it worked or didn’t after each picture.

Peach Nougat, Sandstone and Military Olive

I like this outfit. I am not a big fan of these colors, but I really think the three colors worked well together and I think people found this, a neutral palette they could relate too. Almost everyone has something olive in their closet, so the fact that this was a classic color was a win, in my opinion. Not everyone can wear dark blue, oxford gray or tan, but I think everyone can wear Military Olive.

Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

I think this outfit might be my favorite out of this New York Palette. I like the mix of a more true red with the brick red, even thought my outfit in the photos didn’t do it justice. Putting the colors aside, however, I just like how this outfit looks polished and professional, but has a fun blend of bold and pastel colors along with the subtle print mix.

Amber Glow, Green Sheen and Almond Oil

This outfit was a surprise. Both my daughter and I thought these two colors just seemed to grate against each other, and well they might have, if I had worn a solid skirt with the solid top, but the printed skirt makes all the difference in the world. I also think the jacket and boots softened the whole look.


Classic Blue, Ultramarine Green and Blue Depths

We don’t often think of combining green and blue, or blue with blue, for that matter, but I think this worked. The blue shades are quite different, but worked well next to each other and the green really pops against the blues. I think the addition of the snakeskin patterned round bag completed the look perfectly.

Magenta Purple, Rose Tan and Sleet

I really love both of these colors, but I was not thrilled with this outfit. Don’t get me wrong, I love a comfy, boho outfit, but I don’t know if throwing the long pink sweater in with the floral maxi and the gray tee made for a great outfit. I could see this with a long gray sweater, a similar shade to the tee and then a necklace or a scarf in a similar shade to the Magenta Purple. I don’t think it is the worst outfit I have ever done, but not my fave.

I would love to hear which outfit you liked the best from this series and which colors you like best from the New York Palette. Let me know by leaving a comment below, or a comment on Facebook. Thanks for following along. Be sure to check back on Thursday and hopefully I’ll have the first post for the London Palette colors. Also, if you follow my faith page, I am trying to post on Wednesdays, but due to schedule constraints, I am often having to post on Friday’s, so just check back if you don’t see it on Wednesday.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Amber Glow, Green Sheen and Almond Oil

The colors in today’s post are more pastel, but still encompass colors we think of when fall comes to mind. Oranges and yellows are obvious as we look at the trees around us. The Almond Oil color is an off white. When I was growing up, we never wore white after labor day. Our white shoes, bags, dresses, skirts and pants were all put away until the next year. I can still remember going out shoe shopping with my mom before Easter, because that was always when we would get out our white shoes to wear to church. Obviously, those days are gone, but many people still like the idea of wearing white in the summer and darker colors during the cooler, darker months of the year. Almond Oil might be a good alternative for those of you who would rather stay away from a pure white for the Fall/Winter seasons.

You’ve see this Roz & Ali maxi skirt numerous times on the blog. I got this one at dressbarn. All the dressbarn stores in the area have closed, but I know they still have a pretty major online shop, so be sure to check them out. I used this skirt last fall in the Pantone London series styled with a purple sweater. You can also see it styled with an orange tank top and a brown moto jacket.

My yellowish green short sleeve sweater is a thrifted Gap piece. It is a tad big, but I like the slouchy look of it and tucking it in works great with this skirt.

The cream colored jacket is a thrifted NY&Co. It is made of a stiff fabric with a good amount of stretch to it. It almost has a bit of a linen feel to it and it tends to be more wrinkly.

I opted for the orange for my jewelry. I love this tiered statement necklace and hardly ever get to wear it. I have two more in different colors. It just makes a lovely statement, especially in this outfit. It really makes the whole outfit look cohesive. Many people don’t want their outfits to have that kind of matching game, but personally I love it. There is a symmetry and completion about an outfit when it has this sort of cohesion.

My top handle bag is another Stone Mountain thrift find. It seems to match the Almond Oil color even better than the jacket.

Once again, I pulled out my Sonoma suede ankle boots. The small heel gives me less of a chance for tripping over the skirt. Ha, ha.

What do you think of these two colors? When my daughter was editing these photos, she said it seemed these two colors would grate on each other, but she really liked the outfit. Pairing a print with a solid in these colors definitely makes the outfit softer and easier on the eye. This is something I would definitely wear…if I had some place to go. Ha, ha.

I hope you are enjoying this series. If you are leave me some love in the comments. I hope you are having a good week.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Feel free to shop a few links below. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Samba, Fired Brick and Sleet

Red is not everyone’s choice of color, but this fall, both the New York and the London Color palettes offer a number of red shades that are sure to suit in one form or another. Whether you wear a whole outfit of red, red pants so they are not near your face, or just little splashes of red in your accessories, red is meant to be worn by everyone. I decided to pair these two different reds together, unfortunately the pictures don’t really pick up the Fired Brick stripes on my tee. They actually are a more brick red color. Oh well, this is about real life, so real life doesn’t always work out exactly as we planned. In fact, more often than not, it seems to be just the opposite. However, I do like this outfit, so let’s take a closer look.

I thought a little print mixing would be fun, so I pulled out these gray plaid crop pants from NY&Co. I’ve styled these on the blog before. You can see them styled with a brown moto jacket, with a silk sweater set, and with an asymmetrical vest.

My faux moto jacket is from Christopher and Banks. They do have some nice jackets, so I am always checking on their website to see what’s new. Right now they seem to have gotten away from the moto jackets, but they have this pretty plaid trucker jacket and this fun corduroy one.

My thrifted striped tee is Levis brand. Like I said, in person, you can tee it is a different red than the jacket, but for some reason it looks exactly the same. So many factors are involved in photography as my daughter would tell you.

Since the gray plaid has a light stripe in it that could be blush or tan or cream, I thought blush accessories would be fun and an interesting choice for a fall outfit. The thrifted blush bag you’ve see on the blog before and is also NY&Co brand. The booties are also making another appearance. I found these on clearance at Kohl’s a couple seasons ago and had to have them because they have bling. Ha, ha. they are SO brand.

My jewelry is very simple: a bead fringe necklace and a gold bangle bracelet.

What do you think of these colors? I do have quite a bit of red in my wardrobe, both the brighter, bolder Samba and the darker, more moody Fired Brick. What about you?

I hope you are enjoying this series. I am going to forego my Thursday columns for the next few weeks so I can get through the Pantone colors before we head into Halloween and the holiday season. Hard to believe we are already thinking about that.

Here is another look at the entire New York Palette.

Have a great week everyone.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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Actual Amy - Layering Up

As most of you know, I love layers. Layering in these transitional times, from summer to fall, and fall to winter, gives us the ability to create outfits with even more interest and texture. Easy layering pieces include cardigans, blazers, jackets and scarves. These can all add a fun change to your wardrobe and give you layers to put on or take off as needed with the changing temperatures. We are expecting a warm spell these next few days, followed by falling temps for the beginning of October.

In today’s outfit, the focal point is a recent clearance find from Target. This A New Day striped blazer was uniquely different from my other blazers and jackets being that it is striped, so I knew I had to have it.

It was a chillier day when I took these pictures, so I already had the fall colored knit top and rust colored cardigan on in the house. We are hoping to make it until October before we turn on the heat. Ha, ha.

My knit, short sleeve multi-print top is a thrifted Loft piece. The rust colored cardigan is Croft & Barrow brand. There is some subtle print mixing going on here with the multi-print tee and the stripes on the blazer. This is one way to print mix without it being overwhelming. The solid color cardigan provides a border between the two prints, but you still see the mix.

These are my favorite thrifted jeans. This is an older brand called Kikit, which are only available from thrift retailers like Poshmark and Thredup. You can see how I styled these on the blog before with a leopard print blazer.

Less is more, when it comes to accessories for an outfit like this. This hand made pendent necklace is a simple piece, but makes just the right statement.

You’ve seen this pretty bag just recently on the blog when I used it with a fall colored fringe kimono.

I chose my black faux suede ankle boots. These are Natural Reflections which are a brand Cabela’s carries. My hubby and I go there every so often and usually pass through the shoe department to see what’s on sale. i really love the buckle detailing on these and I use them a lot throughout the cooler seasons.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you wear lots of layers when it gets cooler? How do you like to put your layers together? I love hearing your thoughts so be sure to leave a comment or two.

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Have a great weekend everyone. If you follow my faith posts be sure to stop by tomorrow to see the latest.