Flat Lays in the Flesh - Animal Print

On Thanksgiving I will be starting a holiday series that I think you might find inspirational and interesting. That is all I am saying about that right now, just to whet your appetites. Until then I thought it might be fun to revisit a few of the Fall Trends 2019 that I talked about through the medium of flat lays. If you don’t know what a flat lay is, it is simply a way to show an outfit by laying out the pieces on a flat surface, rather than showing them on a person. I find so many flat lays look amazing, but I am always left wondering, what does the outfit look like on an actual person. I hope you don’t find this too repetitive, but I decided to take four of the flat lays I did for my Fall Trends 2019 series and show you what they look like, in the flesh. Let’s get started.

This first outfit features a snakeskin jacket that I found thrifting last spring. This was the flat lay from the original post, which focused on the fall trend of animal prints.

Photo by Amy D. Christensen

This is what the outfit looks like in the flesh.

It was only about 10 degrees outside and as much as I like to play the tough chick, I decided, forget that nonsense, so my daughter/photographer turned her spare bedroom into a studio. She is so good at being flexible and working with what we have. She does such a great job with natural light. There was no flash in any of these pictures.

This Liz Claiborne snakeskin jacket has a little bit of stretch to it, making it very easy to move in. I paired it with a thrifted Banana Republic sweater for this outfit, but you could easily swap in other pieces like a button up blouse, a graphic tee or a lighter weight turtleneck for all manner of stylish vibes. A jacket like this is a work horse in your wardrobe and can be dressed up with a skirt or dress and heels; or dressed down with distressed jeans and sneakers.

I went for a work wear look, pairing the sweater and jacket with my Gloria Vanderbilt cargo skinnies and my Impo wedge ankle boots.

I chose the yellow tote bag to enhance the sunshiny vibe of the outfit, making this a good combination for a cloudy, fall day. This was another thrifted piece.

I thought layering a few fun necklaces would make for an added statement. In the original flat lay I only had the shorter necklace, but just recently I found the long pendant necklace at JCPenney on the clearance rack. They don’t match, but I think the combination works well against the yellow back drop.

Do you think this flat lay turned out to be a good outfit? Do these pieces work well together? Why or why not? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two.

I’m leaving you with a few shopping links for fun animal print pieces. Remember Christmas is coming soon and there might be a person or two on your list, who would love an animal print piece. These are affiliate links, which means if you click on a link, I get a few pennies, and if you purchase something through one of my links I get a few more pennies. Ha, ha. I appreciate every penny I get.

Hope you all have a great weekend and thanks so much for taking the time to stop by the blog.

Photo credit (unless otherwise stated) Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - London Palette Recap

It’s time for a recap of the all the Pantone - Autumn/Winter -2019 - London Palette colors. There were things about these colors that I liked better than the New York Palette, but each of them had colors that I felt comfortable wearing. I’ll explain my favorite from this series after a review of the outfits.

Outfit 1 - Merlot and Antique Moss

Outfit 2 - Cranberry and Chicory Coffee

Outfit 3 - Summer Fig and Bluestone

Outfit 4 - Butterscotch and Grapeade

Outfit 5 - Crabapple and Forest Biome

Outfit 6 - Galaxy Blue and Hazel

I am having a hard time picking just one outfit from this series that I liked the best. I really liked Cranberry and Chicory Coffee. I have always been a fan of browns, but I just love the result when it is combined with the medium pinky red of Cranberry. I also like the long line of this outfit and I think the long Rutabaga open front cardi helped with the illusion.

My next fave would be the boho vibe of Butterscotch and Grapeade. If you would have asked me a few years ago if I would wear an outfit with these two colors together, I would have said no way. Yellow and purple? You have to be kidding, but there is something whimsical about this outfit and the color combination is only part of it. The colors are happy and fun, but the print of the skirt, the fringe bag and the fun textured boots really give this outfit its bohemian style.

Finally, I really like the last outfit. Even though, I wouldn’t necessarily wear a color like Hazel all on it’s own, I do like the way this color pairs so well with the grays and the blues in outfit. I also like the subtle plaid print mixing. It is obvious, but it doesn’t overwhelm the eye like some print mixing is capable of doing.

Well, I’ve told you my favorites, now tell me yours. I love to hear your feedback.

i hope you enjoyed this Pantone - Autumn/Winter series. If there is anything else you would like to see, with regards to the Pantone Color Institute you can check out their website. Just click on the link.

Have a great Tuesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - Galaxy Blue and Hazel

I neglected to get my post done for Tuesday. Monday and Tuesday, my grandson had off from school. It was parent/teacher conference days. My daughter had her appointment right away on Monday morning and Quintin is doing very well. He is nationally high ranking in his reading ability and math, so this Grandma is proud of a certain nine year old.

This is the last outfit from the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 London Palette. Next week, I’ll have another recap post to show you all the London colors and then we will put the Pantone Institute aside until spring. For your information, the Spring/Summer colors for 2020 are already up on the website and have been for a couple of months, so if you are really curious, you can go the to the Pantone website and see what they look like. As for this blogger, you won’t get to view them here until spring.

Our last two colors are Galaxy Blue, which was also on the New York palette and a mellow brown called Hazel. This brown is not one I would regularly reach for. I like colors that are more rich and saturated. In the Crayola Crayon box, this color might be similar to Antique Brass. See the complete list of current crayon colors here. Talk about fun color names! Be sure to read some of those. They are not merely called red, pink or blue any more. Ha, ha.

I decided to do some plaid print mixing in this outfit, as you can see with my ruana and my pants. I must tell you how I came to own this beautiful ruana. My hubby and I were out on a date. We try to go out once a week, usually for dinner and then to Barnes and Noble bookstore. We both love spending time around books and we usually end up getting a hot drink and sometimes a treat. On this particular night we went out for Mexican. After we were finished eating he told me that before we head to Barnes and Noble he had to stop at Bass Pro Shop and get something for his trailer hitch. I don’t even think twice about it. I don’t mind going to Bass Pro or Cabelas, because they both have fun things to look at, like mounted animals and clothing that I like, but would never purchase, because it is out of my price range.

We walked into the store and were heading down the center aisle. On the right side of the aisle are all the women’s clothes. We got to this lovely display where this ruana was styled over an ivory sweater. It immediately caught my eye. My husband said, “I thought you might like this.” I was shocked. Not only had he thought of me, but he had picked out something he thought I would both like and look nice in. He let me pick out a few other things besides the ruana to try on and just hung out while I did. I picked out the ruana and a rusty orange sweater, that I haven’t worn yet, but that looks great under the plaid. My husband does not do things like this very often, but it sure makes an impact on me, when he does.

My thrifted blue tee is Charter Club brand. It is a bit brighter than Galaxy Blue, but once again, you get the idea. I like the detailing around the neckline.

These gray pants are also thrifted and you can see how I styled them with a faux leather jacket, and with a pink sweater set.

Here is a close up of my print mixing.

I kept my accessories simple since there was already so much going on in the outfit with the two plaids. A bright blue crystal pendant, a simple gray Rosetti bag, and these thrifted Lifestride maroon ankle boots.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like plaid? I’d love to hear your thoughts so be sure to leave me a comment or two. Your support and feedback mean a lot to me and help give me ideas and direction for the blog.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to peruse. With the holidays coming up maybe these will give you some inspiration for someone on your list. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Crabapple and Forest Biome

The next two colors in the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - London Palette are Crabapple and Forest Biome. I grew up with crabapple trees in our back yard and I thought they were one of the prettiest of spring’s trees. We had a pink and a white, and they had a glorious scent that just floated on the air. Obviously this Crabapple color is meant to mimic, not only the pinky flowers, but the tiny little fruits that hang from the branches. As for Forest Biome, we know that it is a dark green, but I had to look up the word biome, to fully understand it. A biome is an ecological community system, such as a rain forest or dessert. Forest Biome, then would refer to an area of forested land probably brimming with pines and cedars and perhaps a few deciduous trees. Wherever they come up with the names for the colors and just what meaning they had in choosing the name, we don’t really need to know, but it is fun to think about.

My Forest Biome is a little more blue and my Crabapple is a bit more pink than their colors, but again, you get the idea. I thought Evening Blue would be a good classic color to pair the other two colors with.

This was a neat little sitting area at the Toledo Botanical Gardens where we took the pictures for this series. I’d love to have a patio like this with an English type garden all around, and fun outdoor furniture, but I have neither the resources, the time or the energy. They always say you will find time for the things you really want to do, but I think it would be more accurate to say, we can always find time for the things we know we should do. Ha, ha. My Grandson is a priority. Picking him up after school and hanging out with him when he has a day off are priorities. Do those things cause other things to be put off or put on the back burner? You bet, but that is what I choose to do because I love him and my daughter. What we really need to do, is stop beating ourselves up for all the other things we are not able to get to.

My jeans are W62 brand from dressbarn. They are very comfy and contain a good amount of stretch. I wear these again and again for work or when I just want a different color skinny jean.

This thrifted, embellished, 3/4 length sleeve top is Dana Buchman brand. I do love the swirling pattern and glistening sheen of the front portion of the top. The sleeves and the back are more like a plain jersey knit.

The dark navy vest is really a belted dress that I found at a thrift store a while ago. It is Issac Mizrahi brand and if I was thin enough, I might consider wearing it as a dress, but it works beautifully as a vest. What do you think?

I went with a little metallic bling with my accessories including a rose gold pendent and bracelets, a Madden bag that I got on clearance at Kohl’s and my SO heeled boots, which were also a clearance purchase at Kohl’s.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear an outfit like this? I’d love to hear from you.

I’m leaving you with a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Butterscotch and Grapeade

Today’s outfit features two colors from the London Autumn/Winter palette that Pantone describes as a “deliciously appealing golden yellow” and a “notable muted mauve tone.” You might wonder why I would pair purple with yellow. There was just something about this combination that I loved and when I paired them with the printed maxi skirt, I felt I had a winning outfit. Take a look.

This outfit says several things. First, it says I’m not afraid to try unusual color combinations. Second, it says you can make up your own style. The short sleeve sweater with a cardigan topper is a more classic combination, but the medallion print skirt, beaded jewelry and fringe bag scream boho. Let’s talk details.

The purple short sleeve sweater is a thrifted Loft piece. I like the scoop neck and it has plenty of stretch, but still holds its shape. I also love purple, which is trending this fall.

The Butterscotch thrifted cardigan is a brand called Callaway. When I looked it up, it appears to be a clothing brand for golfing, selling things like polo shirts, pants, jackets and other golf related pieces. The brand also has their own website which features golfing equipment like drivers, putters and bags. Neither my hubby, nor I play golf. He calls it “cow pasture pool.” He’s always got a name for everything. You can see Callaway clothing on Amazon, and on their own website, Callaway Apparel.

I may not be a golfer, but I know a quality sweater when I see one. I love the women’s fit of this cardi and the ruffle treatment around the neckline. It makes the sweater very feminine and fun.

I’ve styled this medallion print Roz & Ali brand skirt on the blog before. I got this at Dressbarn a few years ago. While it is a summer weight skirt, it is fully lined, so good for cooler temps and if you pair it with leggings or heavy tights you could wear it all winter. You can see how I paired the skirt with both an orange tank and a gold top here, and with another lighter purple color here.

In keeping with the boho feel of the outfit, I went for a hand crafted look with my jewelry and bag. The necklace was actually made by my oldest. She was into beading as a teen and made some fun pieces, of which I still have a few.

This beaded bracelet was probably a Kohl’s or JCPenney piece from the clearance rack. I’ve had it for a while, so I don’t remember.

I found this fringe bag at a thrift store and knew I had to have it. It looks like it was hand made and there is no label inside. I like that it is a neutral color and long enough to be a cross body bag.

My ankle boots are another thrift store find and I thought paired well with the boho theme of the outfit. These are a brand called Rock Candy by Zigi.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have these in your closet? Would you wear yellow and purple together? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave me some love in the comments.

i’m including a few shopping links for things purple and yellow. The holidays are coming up. How many of you have started your Christmas shopping? I’m guilty! Life is so busy, I can’t afford to wait until the last minute. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Summer Fig and Bluestone

You’ll remember from the New York Pantone series the color Bluestone. This is one of only two colors that showed up on both palettes. I’m not sure how the Pantone Color Institute comes up with the colors they choose. Is there a committee? If so who is on the committee? How do they come up with the names for each of the colors? Yes, these are the things a fashion blogger wonders when she is tired and needing a burst of writing motivation. Ha, ha. I am speaking the truth when I say, I had to look up what a fig looked like to understand where they came up with this red color. This red coincides with the bright red interior of the fig fruit. I have never eaten a fig, have you?

This bright red tee is SO brand from Kohl’s. It is a few years old. I find Kohl’s and JCPenney my go to’s for things like short and long sleeve tees.

The Bluestone vest is a LuLaRoe piece. This particular style is called Joy. I like that some clothing companies name each of their styles. Not that I will remember what they are called, but I just think it adds another dimension to a retailer, that they have taken the time and effort to specify a certain line has a name. This is the only vest I have that is this length and I like how it looks in this outfit. The fabric has plenty of stretch, but doesn’t lose its shape.

Once again, I turned to the classic color of Olive Green for my pants, bag, and belt. Olive just seems to be an easy color to pair other colors with and it grounds an outfit and keeps it looking chic with a bit of an edge. These utility pants are Gloria Vanderbilt brand and I’ve styled them before on the blog. You can see them styled with an olive utility vest here and in a flat lay with a snakeskin jacket here. I got the tote bag from Charming Charlie a couple years before they went out of business. Belts are so expensive, I usually try to pick them up at thrift stores.

I kept the jewelry simple with a gold pendant necklace and a gold bracelet.

This old pair of Sonoma ankle boots has been with me for a while, but they are the perfect neutral finishing touch and the suede texture is just right for a fall outfit.

What do you think of these colors? They are very similar to the New York palette using Bluestone and Chili Pepper. Do you like to wear vests? Do you have a long one like this? What are some other ways you could style a long vest? I’d love to have your feedback.

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

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Cranberry and Chicory Coffee

Hi everyone. The days are flying by and we are almost to Halloween. I haven’t even gotten out my decorations yet! That is how far behind I am. Maybe I should just skip Halloween and start decorating for Christmas. All the stores are doing it. Ha, ha . Well, I don’t think I’ll get that crazy, but this time of year does seem to go awfully fast. Do you get that feeling?

Today’s colors are what the Pantone Color Institute label a “vital red that adds a pungent punch to the palette,” and a “robust and tasteful” brown that, “introduces an element of heartiness.”

I was able to pull these pieces from my closet and decided to add the off white cardi that mimics Rutabaga from the London classic color palette.

This Cranberry cami was a recent thrift purchase. Most of my camis are pretty tight and I wear them as layering pieces under long sleeve tops and sweaters. I do not wear them to be seen, but it occurred to me that it would be nice to have something I could have more visible under an open sweater. It is Maurice’s brand. I am becoming a fan of Maurice’s. I see pieces every so often at thrift stores and recently I bought what has become one of my favorite pairs of jeans on the clearance rack. What really drew me to this cami was the pretty lace detailing.

These trousers are Worthington brand from JCPenney. Do you know how hard it is to find brown slacks? Now maybe that has changed. I have seen rust, and that more yellowy brown called cognac, but real brown is hard to find, especially a dark brown like this one.

The off white open front cardigan is Chaps brand and another clearance rack find from Kohl’s. Chaps has some nice pieces, but they do have a higher price point than I would normally pay, thus my reasoning for waiting for them to go on clearance. If I thought a particular piece is really worth paying full price for, I would buy it, but for the most part there isn’t anything that I absolutely have to have. I could shop my closet for months and come up with all sorts of new combinations, because I have so many clothes. Truth!

I kept the accessories minimal with my gold leopard print medallion necklace, a few gold bracelets, my snakeskin clutch, a brown belt, and brown boots. I thought this was a good outfit for complimenting with animal prints.

These are two colors that I can get behind. I love the combination and think these two work well together. What do you think? Do you have any of these colors in your closet? Do you wear camis a lot? Do you wear them more for layering or to be seen? I’d love to hear you thoughts, so leave me a comment or two in the comments section. I appreciate hearing from you and all your support.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to peruse. I hope that you find these helpful. Every click you do, gives me a few cents and I appreciate every one. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great day.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Merlot and Antique Moss

The first two colors from the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - London palette that I am featuring are Merlot and Antique Moss. As you can imagine, Merlot, like the wine is a rich burgundy red, while Antique Moss is a yellowy green. Often when we think of pairing red and yellow, we are concerned we will come out looking like an advertisement for McDonald’s, but let me reassure you these two colors pair in a perfectly un-Ronald like way and I love the combination.

The London color palette classic colors were just a bit different. Green Olive is comparable to Guacamole from the New York palette, with a little more of a gray tinge. My version of olive in my accessories is much darker, but you get the idea.

This Jones Wear skirt you’ve seen on the blog before. I styled it for the Pantone Fall 2017 New York Palette in a very similar fashion. I even used the same dark olive bag. Ha, ha. You can see that post here. I also used it this past spring for the Pantone Spring/Summer 2019 colors. You can see that post here. In addition you can see it with a green cardigan, here. I keep coming back to this skirt, because it works so well for these color schemes due to the reds and greens in the print of the skirt. I could easily used this printed skirt for a Christmas outfit as well, so you might see it come up again later this year. I love a versatile piece and when I purchased this skirt, I never knew how often I would use it for the blog.

We took the pictures for this series at the Toledo Botanical Gardens, which are just down the street from where my daughter lives. The gardens are beautiful in all seasons and with walking paths through the grounds, it is a lovely place to visit and I don’t do it nearly enough. In the picture below, I am watching several bus loads of kids scramble on to the grounds and thinking, “Oh boy!” Ha, ha.

I obtained this red scarf from a friend’s closet. It looked a little more like Merlot, when it was in the low light of my closet, but here it looks much brighter. However, It is not a true red, but more of a burgundy. My 3/4 sleeve tee, I’ve worn on the blog before too. It is a thrifted Sonoma piece and has elastic on the bottom, which allows for freedom of movement and bulge camouflage. Ha, ha. You can see the tee styled with boyfriend jeans and a leopard print skirt here, and with a snakeskin print skirt here.

As I said earlier, I opted for olive green accessories which included my necklace, bracelets, thrifted bag and SO booties.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear either of these? Would you wear them together? I’d love to have your feedback. Your support means a lot to me. I always respond to your comments. Just check back in a few days if you are interested in my reply.

I’m including a few shopping links for Merlot and Antique Moss if those colors got you excited. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents when you click on a link. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - London Palette - Intro

Past Pantone seasons, I have tried to combine both the New York and the London color palettes into one series. Most of the time there were plenty of overlapping colors, so I was able to take colors from both palettes to make my outfits. This fall there were only two overlapping colors, Galaxy Blue and Bluestone. It was for this reason, that I decided to break the series into two parts. We just finished the New York palette last week. You can see a recap of those outfits here.

Today’s post will introduce you to the London palette and give you a few sneak peeks at the upcoming outfits.

Both the New York and the London palettes included numerous fall yellows, reds and browns. They both included a green, some blues and hues with pink undertones, but the London palette is the only one to include purple, which I thought was interesting since purple is trending right now. Purple has always been one of my favorite colors, so I was excited to see it included on this palette.

In all honesty, I like this palette better than the New York one. I always veer towards richer more saturated colors, rather than pastels and I felt that I had an easier time finding pieces in my wardrobe that better personified the color palette. In this palette we find words like vital, fortifying, robust, delicious, rich, baked, arresting, mellow and distinctive to describe the colors.

I hope you will join me on Thursday as I take a closer look at the London color palette for this fall. Here are a few peeks at what is coming up.

I hope you will join me on Thursday for the start of this series and a look at the first two colors.

Have a great day.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - New York Palette Recap

I was going to start the Pantone London color palette today, but decided to do a recap of all the New York colors. Some people have told me they like to see all of the outfits and colors together in one post, so here we go.

Outfit 1 - Chili Pepper and Bluestone

Outfit 2 - Fruit Dove and Galaxy Blue

Outfit 3 - Crème de Pêche and Rocky Road

Outfit 4 - Sugar Almond and Dark Cheddar


Outfit 5 - Orange Tiger and Eden

Outfit 6 - Peach Pink and Biking Red

I hope you enjoyed this look at the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - New York palette. Which outfit was your favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Next week I’ll be starting the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - London palette. Believe it or not, the only two overlapping colors this year were Galaxy Blue and Bluestone. Be sure to check that out next week.

Thank you all for being a part of my blogging journey. If you ever have something you would like to see me feature on the blog, send me an email. I’m open to new ideas and value your opinions and support.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Peach Pink and Biking Red

These are the last two colors from the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - New York palette. Peach Pink is reminiscent of coral, which never really seemed like a fall color to me, but I must remember that the old rules don’t apply…at least to some things. I know many people buy into the old adage, the rules are meant to be broken, but I don’t always believe that is the best mindset to have, and that mindset trickles down to our children and our grandchildren. As far as rules, I think that many of them are in place for our protection and our benefit. Rules like, look both ways before you cross the street, floss your teeth once a day and eat your fruits and veggies are not bad. Actually, they are for our well being. Rules about color, really no longer apply, so I am okay with wearing white after Labor Day and wearing coral in October. Why not?

The other color in this ensemble is a dark red. It reminds me of the Brick Red from my Crayola Crayon box. How many of you remember those wonderful boxes of crayons? I used to obsess about having all the similar colors arranged by shade in my box. I didn’t want to hunt around for Brick Red, so I put it in the “red” section. Ha, ha.

As you can see, once again, my colors were not perfect matches. You will see I did a little better with the London Palette, which I will be introducing on Thursday.

The heavy gauge sweater is Candies brand from the Koh’s clearance rack at end of last winter’s season. I find this is the best time to shop for those pieces you want for the season, if you don’t want to pay full price. I have found most of my non-thrifted clothing pieces this way.

My Peach Pink tank top was a thrift find from a few years ago. It is Eddie Bauer brand. You’ll be able to see the ruching on the neckline in an upcoming picture.

My Paloma gray pleated skirt was also a Kohl’s clearance find a few years ago and is Apt. 9 brand.

My chunky wood ring necklace is making an appearance again. I love this necklace my daughter gave me for Christmas. It is so handy for making a statement and pulling the colors in an outfit together. A necklace like this works much the same way a scarf will, but without the added heat around your neck.

My little thrifted Houndstooth bag works both as a satchel and a cross body. The shoulder strap is inside the bag, but can easily be taken out and attached so I can wear this for hands free activities.

I really like these black Aerosole heels. They are comfortable and stay on my feet with no slipping or sliding. I decided to add the dark tights at the last minute for two reasons. The first was to keep the leg more monochrome and thus make the legs look longer. The other was to make the outfit seem more ready for fall weather. The day we took these pics it was hot!

What do you think of this outfit? Is this something you would wear? Do you like these Pantone colors? Why or why not? I’d love to hear from you, so leave a comment or two.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great day.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Orange Tiger and Eden

I mentioned in Tuesday’s post on Sugar Almond and Dark Cheddar, that not everyone can or wants to wear orange. I love orange, but it has to be the right shade for me to wear it near my face. Some oranges make me look sallow or washed out. Today’s colors are bold and what caused me to put these two colors together, was the contrast of dark with light, deep with bright. Today’s colors are a “fearless” Tiger Orange, and a rich “stately forest green” called Eden. I think Pantone’s description of these colors is perfect.

These two colors are the first in this series that I felt truly matched with the Pantone colors. I looked for a while in thrift stores for the perfect green and I really think this dark cardi nailed it. the sweater is Jaclyn Smith brand.

These bright orange pants are Worthington brand and I got them at JC Penney a number of years ago. These are more of a skinny leg trouser than a wide leg trouser. I got them for the bright color and do find occasions in the spring, summer and fall to wear them. You can see how I styled these with a floral tunic here.

This cream colored tank top is a thrifted Loft piece. I actually have two of them, found on different occasions, but the exact same style. This one is a large and has a sheen to it, that you can’t really see in the picture. The other one I have is a medium and is more of a true white. Why do I need two of these? Comfort and ease of wear. They work perfectly for something like this, but I will also be able to use them as a light weight under layer when the temps grow cold. The piece is banded on the bottom, making for a great fit without showing off the bulges. Here are a few to look at.

The scarf I added was another thrifted piece. I don’t have many pieces that are cream or ivory, like this. I am also looking for a cream fisherman sweater and/or turtleneck. I don’t need anything, because I am a clothes horse, but every now and then, I do realize I am lacking something I would love to incorporate into my closet. What about you? What pieces have you been hoping to add to your closet?

In addition to the scarf I wanted to add a long charm pendant necklace to break up the plain back drop of the tank. I think this outfit would have been equally good with a printed tank under the sweater.

My other accessories included my Vera Bradley tote bag and my thrifted Mossimo sneakers.

What did you think of this outfit? Would you wear a pair of bright orange pants like this? What is the brightest color you have ever worn in pants or a skirt? I’d love to hear you thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Sugar Almond and Dark Cheddar

Today’s colors, in my opinion are the epitome of fall. The browns and oranges remind me of pumpkins and firewood stacked as it waits to be used. Red’s and yellows are other bright colors associated with this season and we will be seeing more of those in the London color palette, which will be coming up shortly. Let’s take a closer look at Sugar Almond and Dark Cheddar.

This thrifted, Sonoma, chevron print, dress caught my eye a few months ago and I knew it would be perfect for fall. Originally, I was going to used the waterfall cardi for the Sugar Almond color, but I actually think the colors in the dress are more suited to both of these Pantone colors.

Since I don’t normally wear dresses this short, I thought it would be fun to pair it with cropped pants. This pair of St. John’s Bay, creamy colored pants were another thrift store find. I almost didn’t get them, because I thought they were a little tight, but then, what isn’t on me right now. Ha, ha. However, I ‘m glad I put them in my cart. I think they make a cute addition to this dress. I want to try them with boots, when the weather gets colder. I might even try this dress with a chunky sweater, tights or leggings and boots. If I have success with that, I’ll post pictures either on Instagram, or I’ll do a post about it.

You can see in the above picture, the dress has a partial button front and an elastic waist. Wearing a belt with this would be another fashion forward idea, but I wanted an uninterrupted look from collar to hem, especially since I chose to wear this with cropped pants.

Let’s take just a moment to talk about the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is a photography guideline that suggests mentally dividing your picture into thirds, horizontally and vertically. You then place the image you wish to photograph at the intersection of two lines. This can make for a more interesting picture, that draws the eye to the image.

Fashion also has a rule of thirds. The body is divided into thirds: head to waist, waist to knees and knees to feet. This is an approximation and as we all know, some people have longer necks, shorter torsos and longer legs, so each individual will be a little different. This rule is good to be aware of when putting together an outfit.

If you look at the above picture, the dress would be considered in the first two thirds of my body and the crop pants and shoes in the last third. Take a look at this article to learn more about the rule of thirds in fashion, and why it helps to keep it in mind when you dress. Dressing Your Best: Rule of Thirds.

This Pink Rose, waterfall cardi is another thrift find. I love the open weave, and as you can see, it also has the chevron pattern on it. I did not plan that. Ha, ha. I just thought the color went perfectly with the colors in the dress. This is a great piece for these fall days that are still warm.

For accessories, I went with a coppery bag and my thrifted Naturalizer shooties. I also added the pendant bead necklace as a way to bring out the cream in the dress and tie in the pants. Accessories are the best way to pull an entire outfit together and make it look finished.

What do you think of these colors? Do you wear orange? Orange is often an intimidating color to wear, but there are so many different shades and tones that there is probably one out there you could wear. Would you wear crop pants with a dress like this? Let me know your thoughts. I love to hear from you.

Be sure to check back Thursday for two more Pantone colors.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to look at. These are affiliate links. Any time you click on a link, I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through my links, I get a a small commission. I appreciate all your support and all opinions are my own.

Have a great week.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Crème de Pêche and Rocky Road

I am not sure how the Pantone Color Institute decides the colors they are going to feature for each of their palettes. If you have been following me for a few years now, you can probably tell that many of the colors that appear on the palette are very similar to another season’s palette and are just called a different name. For example Tuesday’s Galaxy Blue was very similar to last spring’s Princess Blue.

Today’s outfit features two colors called Crème de Pêche and Rocky Road. Once again, my versions of the colors, do not look much like the Pantone colors, but it still gives us inspiration to pair to fall type colors together and pull it all together with a light gray.

My Chico pants look much more orange in comparison to the Pantone color swatch, but I do like how this pair of pull on Ponte knit pants looks combined with the light peach top.

The light peach eyelet top was a thrift find and I wear it a lot in the warmer months. You can see a closer look at that and the necklace I chose in the picture below. I thought the necklace was a good compliment because of its similar colors.

This light gray, About A Girl, jacket was a fun find on the Kohl’s clearance rack. I like the military vibe of the buttons, but the surprising feminine detail of the ruffles on the hem and sleeves.

Another Kohl’s clearance find, I got these Sonoma boots at the end of last winter season. They are a faux suede and a different look that some of my others boots. I love the slouchy and buckle details. Yes, I do have too many pairs of boots, but can a woman who lives in the midwest, have too many? Ha, ha.

Here is the thrifted Rosetti leopard cross body again. I am planning on making this my “normal” every day bag, as soon as I get around to changing things over. How many of you change your purse on a regular basis? I have many more purses and bags than I actually use. I use them for the blog, so you can see the different styles and shapes, but more often than not, I carry a cross body bag like this. It is just so convenient for hands free shopping.

Here are a few more pictures. I really liked these photos, especially with the large rock and the yellow flowers in the background.

Although my colors were off, I hope you enjoyed this outfit. Do you have a favorite pair of boots you like to wear? What color are they? What do you think of these colors from the Pantone palette? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Fruit Dove and Galaxy Blue

These next two colors are described by the Pantone Color Institute as an “extroverted pink” and a “thoughtful blue”. I like that combination of terms, in the same way I like this combination of colors. We often think of extroverted people as popular, charming and talkative, while thoughtful people could be described as people who think more than they talk, or people who are on the look out for ways to help others. I am not an extrovert, but an introvert. I have a hard time in crowds, get tired of too much noise or activity and I need my alone time. Wearing a bright pink like this is my way of standing out in the crowd, without saying very much.

You might think these three colors are more spring like than fall like, but colors transcend all seasons. I do like darker, richer colors for fall and lighter, breezier colors for spring, but that is my personal opinion. What really makes an outfit more season specific are the textures and accessories you incorporate into it.

i’ve worn these bright blue Ruby Rd. pants on the blog before. You can see them with a light blue sweater, a plaid bomber jacket, and a multi-colored kimono. My friend was getting rid of these and I took them, not realizing how much I would actually wear them and used them for the blog. This royal blue color seems to keep coming around again and again.

I have had this thrifted Ralph Lauren pullover sweater for a while. I don’t wear short sleeve sweaters too often, because in the summer it is too hot and in the fall, winter and spring it is too cold. However, for some of these warm fall days, where the temps are still in the 70’s in the day and 50’s at night, a short sleeve sweater is a good option. Can you tell in the picture below I am trying to stand up straight and suck in my rolls? Ha, ha. Well, I am! Just being real!

In addition to the two New York palette colors of Fruit Dove and Galaxy Blue, I wanted to incorporate one of the classic colors. I thought it was interesting that they included this olive green, which they call Guacamole. In the past, the classic color palettes usually contained a dark blue, a gray, some sort of cream or ivory and either a camel or a shade of brown. This was the first year they included a green. At first, I thought that was a rather odd choice, but once I got used to the idea, I realized this green would work with a number of color combinations. I pulled out my velour jacket, knowing it would be a great accompanying piece for this outfit.

Since I pulled in the Guacamole, I decided to go for green accessories. My SO olive booties, the velvet floral bag and the green neck scarf bring a continuity to the outfit and tone down the bright blue and pink.

Believe me when I say, it was too hot to be wearing all of these layers. As soon as we finished at outfit, I was undressing as we walked back to the car. Ha, ha.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear these colors? Would you wear these colors together? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you like to wear clothes that attract attention, or do you like to wear pieces that make you disappear? I’d love to hear your opinions and thoughts. Your support keeps my blog going, so leave a comment or two.

I’m leaving you with a few shopping links for pieces in these colors. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photos and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Chili Pepper and Bluestone

Before I get started showing the outfits I put together for this color series, let me refresh what the Pantone colors are. The Pantone Color Institute is an entity that provides color related solutions across the industry for designers of graphics, products and fashion. It is their color choices for seasons and color of the year that influence the fashion and interior design fields. You can read more on their About Page.

When I began blogging over three years ago, I decided to include the Pantone seasonal color series as a regular feature of my blog. Many bloggers share their favorites with you, but I like to really explore how each of these colors can be combined to make creative outfits that are both fashionable and reasonable financially as almost all of these colors are already in my wardrobe.

This season’s outfits turned out a bit differently than some of the specific colors due to shade variances on different computers, phones and so on. However, the point is not to get perfect matches, but to broaden our thinking about color over all. I ask myself questions like, “How can I combine these colors into one outfit? How can I take this color I am not fond of and use it? How can colors in an outfit make us feel happier, more put together and more confident?”

Today’s outfit combines a cool grayish blue with a spicy red. Meet Bluestone and Chili Pepper. The third color is from Panone’s Classics palette, which I have tried to incorporate into each outfit.

This bright red top is most definitely not the exact same red at Chili Pepper. It was rather strange. I have used my phone before to look at the colors when trying to pick things out of my closet and for some reason I really thought this red was good. However, I think I just wanted to wear this Popsugar top from Kohl’s again because it’s so cute. Ha, ha. I styled this same blouse last spring in another Pantone series. You can see that post here.

My denim jacket is from Christopher & Banks and isn’t exactly Bluestone either, but I was having trouble finding that exact color.

For these pictures we went to Middlegrounds Metropark in downtown Toledo. What a beautiful park right close to the downtown area of our city. I just love the urban chic vibe that these pictures have. I don’t do a lot in the city, but there is a lot more there than I realized. Unfortunately, I may get more familiar with it, as I got summoned for jury duty in October and the Common Pleas court is downtown. Ha, ha.

I decided to pair my top and jacket with my dark blue printed St. John’s Bay, skirt from JC Penney. I thought it matched well with the Pantone classics color Evening Blue. This is a fun, easy to wear skirt with a wide elastic waist, and tiered layers which gives it swing.

Since I had a lot going on in this outfit with prints and textures I wanted to keep my accessories fairly simple. My thrifted Relativity loafer heels are a go to for a look that is classy and work ready.

I thought this pendant necklace a good piece that makes its own statement with this outfit.

Adding this Aerosmith tote bag was my way to show off my inner rocker. Ha, ha.

What do you think of Chili Pepper and Bluestone? Do you have these colors in your closet? How would you wear these?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

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

Photo and graphic credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Autumn/Winter - New York Palette - Intro

For those of you who like my Pantone color series, you’ll will be glad to know, it is finally here. Due to scheduling issues my photographer and I finally got together to take the pictures and let me tell you, it was another scorcher! Ha, ha. I don’t know why, but it seems whenever we are scheduled to do pictures the weather is unreasonable. When we did the Pantone 2019 Spring/Summer shoot it was snowing. Now for the Pantone 2019 Autumn/Winter shoot it was sunny and hot. Oh well, there is no planning for the weather around here.

This year the color palettes between New York and London are quite varied, so I decided to do this in two separate series, rather than combining the palettes. Starting on Thursday i’ll be covering just the New York palette. When that palette is finished then I will cover the London palette.

This year’s New York palette is made up of colors described with terms like spicy, adventurous, extroverted and appetizing. Hopefully these descriptors will whet your appetites to follow along with this fall’s color series.

I really like this season’s colors. I feel like there is a good mix of tones that will give all skin colors lots of choices. The palette has a wide array of colors from classic blues, reds and green, to earthy browns and oranges to lighter pastels. Some of my favorites are Bluestone, Eden and Sugar Almond.

In addition, Pantone also includes a palette of classic colors which work well to use as the foundation of your outfit or as add on colors to tone down the brighter more jazzy color combinations. I can’t wait for you to see the outfits I came up with right out of my very own closet.

Here are a few sneak peeks. Join me Thursday for the start of the series.

Photo and graphic credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Why Bother Being Trendy?

As most of you, who subscribe to my blog, know, I just finished a series on Fall Trends 2019. In addition to some of my faves which included, head to toe green, layering knits, dark florals, animal prints and a few others, there were other trends like wide shoulders, suiting, cinched waist coats and more. You might be asking yourself, why even bother with trends? Why not just wear the things I like to wear and if they aren’t trendy who cares? That is a legitimate question and one I would like to answer with a few points.

1 - Growth

Let’s face it, as we age it is very easy to become complacent and set in our ways. Change is harder and harder to wrap our heads around, therefore, we often choose to not do it. Coming from a family with a history of dementia, I am try to do things that actively use my brain. Reading, doing puzzles, learning new things all help to stave off some of the early symptoms of memory loss. While we don’t have a cure for memory issues at this point, it has been scientifically proven that keeping our brains active does help.

Image by cocoparisienne from Pixabay

What does that have to do with being trendy? If you begin to take an interest in the seasonal trends you start to do research. You might begin by looking at the trends on the internet for the current or upcoming season. You might also read one of the many fashion magazines on the shelves at Barnes and Noble or multiple grocery and department stores.

Once you’ve done research you begin to comb your closet to see what you have that might fit with some of the seasonal trends. You would be surprised how many of these things keep coming around, again and again. There are only so many things you can do with clothing.

Image by skeeze from Pixabay

Putting together an outfit that includes some of the current trends can help you to grow your style persona and keep your brain healthy and sharp.

2 - Breaking the Bubble

Once in a while it is good to get outside our bubble. It is okay to feel uncomfortable on occasion. Something I have noticed in our world today, especially in our technology driven society, people do not like to be uncomfortable. If they are ill, they want an instant fix. If they feel pain, they want drugs. Mind you, it is reasonable to go to the doctor if you are having ongoing symptoms that aren’t resolving. It is also reasonable to take aspirin when you have a headache.

When it comes to fashion and what we wear, we most often go for what makes us feel comfortable, whether it be a favorite pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, or a soft pair of pj pants. However, if we always chose to only do what we are comfortable with, then will never get to wear those cute boots, or that pencil skirt, or that faux fur coat.

Let me give you an example from the Fall Trends 2019 series that I just finished. I would have never thought to layer a big bulky sweatshirt under a cozy cardigan and then pair it with a bright pair of leggings. I have never been a leggings wearer, but after seeing that outfit as a flat lay in my series, I can hardly wait until it gets cold enough to give it a try. What is the worst thing that could happen? My husband will call me a “walking pile of laundry” and I’ll nod my head in agreement, but at least I will be warm and trendy. Ha, ha.

3 - Be the Example

I feel that we are living in a time where there are fewer and fewer good examples in the world, especially when it comes to how to dress modestly in the fashion arena. I am not going to launch into a rant about how I feel it is mandatory to dress modestly as a Christian woman, or even how it would be beneficial for all women to dress in a more modest way. What I am going to focus on is our role as older women to be leaders for younger women to look up to.

There are a slew of young women out there in the entertainment industry that are being examples to our daughters, grand daughters and so on. The question that needs to be asked is, are they good examples? Do these young women value life? Do they value love? Do they value dignity, honor and respect? Do they value men? Do they even value themselves? How do they treat others both in their actions and in their speech?

By adapting to a few of the trends we can show other women that we can be both fashionable and modern in our thinking and the way we dress, and we can possibly open a door for younger women to look to us, as people they might want to, not only dress like, but be like.

Next time you start to think, I don’t care about the trends, think twice. Maybe you could become a trend setter, not just a trend follower.

Fall Trends 2019 - Part 4

I’ve been looking at various Fall Trends the last few weeks. There are so many fun fashion ideas out there and I wanted to let you know what a few of my favorites are. So far we have looked at Head to Toe Green and Metallics, Romance Gone Goth and Layering Knits, Head to Toe Prints and Dark Florals. You can see the original posts by clicking on the links.

Today we are going to look at two more trends that I like. The first is relatively easy for most women to tap into, because most of us have at least one animal print in our closet. Whether you have a leopard print skirt, a snakeskin bag, a zebra top or a giraffe sweater, all animal prints are in. If you don’t have any type of animal print, be sure to check out thrift stores before you head to the mall. I have seen plenty of animal print items in various places like Goodwill and Salvation Army stores and they are so much cheaper.

Trend 7 - Animal Prints

Since you have seen me wear leopard print in the the form of a skirt and a sweater, I thought I would show off my recently acquired snakeskin jacket. I found this brown and white Liz Claiborne print while I was thrifting.

This is a great piece for right now, as it is unlined. As the weather gets cooler, I will reach more for my lined jackets, but this will work well for work or just if I am running errands and need a light weight piece. I decided to pair the jacket with a thrifted, yellow, Banana Republic sweater.

I think yellow looks really good with this earthy brown. Since I was going for a more earth toned looked, I decided to pair the jacket and sweater with my olive, cargo, Gloria Vanderbilt, skinny pants. Cargo and utility looks are still on the radar for this fall, so pull out your utility jackets and cargo pants.

Gray seemed to be a good choice for boots with this outfit I love this dark Impo brand with the low wedge heel. The chains on the side make for a fun detail.

To go along with the yellow sweater, I added a yellow tote. I think the print mixing works well and the yellow pulls the whole look together.

I am going to try this outfit on and see how it looks. If I like it, I’ll probably wear it to work and I’ll post a picture on Instagram.

This next trend, is not something I typically would wear, but finding the right piece at a thrift store suddenly made this feel feasible.

Trend 8 - Capes

Probably most of you when you hear the word cape think ,either of a super hero donning blue spanx, or a dark figure drawing you in with his devilish eyes to have your blood for a night cap. While those individuals certainly did wear capes, and might even be said to be stylish, wearing a cape this fall is trendy.

Capes on the run way are leather trimmed, worn with trench coat flair and made of cashmere. Of course capes are not limited to what the big wigs in New York think. Capes can be made of many different fabrics and like the one I found at a thrift store, can be beautifully crafted pieces knitted or crocheted.

When I saw this sunny yellow cape, I knew I had to try it on. The American Cancer Society thrift store I frequent is just up the road and they always have something that I have to have. This was one of those pieces. Lucky me, they were having a sale that day, so I got this for an even better price. This looks like it was hand made as there are no brand tags or washing instructions inside.

You can see the symmetrical pattern of the knit and the pretty gold buttons. Sometimes a cape will only have one closure at the top, but I like the fact that this one buttons all the way to the bottom. I also love the fringe. I really speaks to my inner hippy and reminds me of the ponchos I used to wear as a girl.

I paired this with a recently thrifted Divided H & M yellow plaid top. Yellow is definitely a new muse for me and I have accumulated quite a collection, more of which you will see in the coming weeks, both here and on IG. The top has just a hint of pink in it, so that is why I went for the blush boots and pink cross body clutch. The boots are SO brand on clearance at Kohl’s and the cross body bag was a clearance find at Meijer.

I thought jeans would be the perfect bottoms for this outfit. These dark wash, boot cut jeans are Rock & Republic brand and are from Kohl’s.

What did you think of these two fall trends? Do you like to wear animal prints? What kind do you have in your closet? Do you own a cape? I don’t know that a lot of people have one, and it may not be a trend that catches on, but it is fun to see what options are out there and how things are being worn.

For more info on these and other fall trends for 2019 check out these websites.

Marie Claire - 10 Fall Trends Everyone Will Be Talking About

Popsugar - The 9 Most Wearable Trends for Fall

Elite Daily - These Fall 2019 Fashion Trends….

There are plenty more. Just type in Fall 2019 Trends and numerous sites will pop up. I hope you enjoyed this look at some of the fun trends for this fall. Enjoy creating your outfits!

Fall Trends - 2019 - Part 3

Here we are looking at two more fall trends for 2019. Depending on who you look to for the latest info on the trends, there is some overlap. However, not all trends are the same according to all the fashion gurus. Who What Wear has a different list from Marie Claire who has a different list from Vogue and so on. When I put together my list of trends, I am taking from a few different sources and presenting you the ones I like and find interesting and plausible for us real women. Remember most trends that you see on the runways are geared toward younger women who have the stature of a fashion model, so very tall and thin. That does not mean that we cannot wear a particular trend, but pick the ones that are right for you.

Trend 5 - Head to Toe Prints

This is not a particularly new trend, but it presents itself in a bolder more, out there way. Pattern mixing has become quite common, but now the patterns are brighter and bigger. Here are some examples from a Pinterest page I discovered. I decided to go more conservative, because I was grooving on the earth tones of browns and blues. This is what I came up with.

Obviously the old time suiting that women, and men, used to wear would fall easily into this trend category. A matching plaid blazer and pants along with a bold print top and you would be stylin’ with the best of them. The thing I like about this trend is the challenge of creating a printed outfit that I would actually wear and that looks palatable to the eye, not obnoxious. Some of the outfits on that Pinterest page I would classify as obnoxious, but that is only my opinion.

I found these paisley corduroys while thrifting last spring and unfortunately won’t be able to wear them, until I get back to my lighter spring weight. Ugg. However, I loved the pattern and the heavier weight for fall and winter. They are a brand called Havana Jack’s Cafe. Do you ever wonder where they come up with the names for things?

The blue in the pants made me reach for my Chaps knit vest and my thrifted polka dot SO button up. I found the fun necklace at a second hand store and thought it would be a good addition to the outfit.

Blue seemed to be my color of choice for bag and shoes. Everything in this outfit came from my closet and has been used on the blog before. You can see the vest here and here. The pants have not. but I already explained that problem. Ha, ha.

Trend 6 - Dark Florals

I have really taken a liking to floral prints. I like the bright bold colors of spring, the soft pastel prints of summer and especially the dark floras of fall and winter. It would seem that florals are here to stay and I am glad.

I found this dark floral Jeans by Buffalo top while thrifting. I love the colors and when I went to put this flat lay together, I realized this erin london bomber jacket from Shop National would be the perfect over piece. It goes well with the green in the top and has its own floral print.

These distressed, embellished skinny jeans are Rock & Republic from Kohl’s, and I’ve had them for a while. Once again, I have grown out of them, but I refuse to get rid of them. Ha, ha.

Since the top contains some red, I chose red for my accessories, including my tall, black, studded boots that have red detailing along the zipper on the back.

This is definitely an outfit I would wear on a regular basis. The pretty florals, the layers and the skinny jeans with boots will be a regular rotation as the weather cools.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Next Tuesday I will bring you one more post on fall trends and then I hope to start my Pantone Fall 2019 - New York series.

Thanks for following and please join me next time.