Spring Transition - Red Jacket Outfit

Now that it is officially spring on the calendar and has been for over a month, and now that the temperatures are starting to feel like spring, I thought I would do a series of outfits that revolve around transitioning from winter to spring to summer. 

Here in Ohio, our temperatures can vary on any given day during the spring as much as 30 degrees. It can be 32 degrees when we head to work in the early morning and be 65 when we leave work in the afternoon. Spring dressing can often be a conundrum that is not easy to maneuver. That is why I love my layers. 

I cannot emphasize enough that layering can be, not only a way to keep warm when the temps are cool, but a way to add interest and pizzazz to any outfit. This first outfit in this series was inspired by a previous Chico's catalogue. 

The Chico's outfit included a red jacket, a graphic tee, jeans, and a chain belt. For my outfit I started with my Christopher and Banks quilted jacket. This is a perfect spring piece. It is not heavy, but has a certain amount of insulating value, so if it is cooler, it will still keep the wind out and the heat in. The jacket is fitted through the middle and has snaps for ease of closing and opening. Here is a red faux leather moto jacket from Off 5th, a cute zip up from H & M and a very similar one to mine from Kohl's.

My graphic tee, I picked up at Kohl's a few years ago. The symbols reminded me of our trip to England back in 2012. It was a wonderful trip and one to be long remembered. This one is Thakoon brand. Thakoon Pnichgul is originally from Thailand. You can read the Wikipedia article by clicking on his name. 

You can also see my chain link belt in the above picture. This one I found thrifting and has fake money hanging on it. Is this what they mean when they say "money belt"? Ha, ha. 

i got this cute choker at Nordstrom Rack a couple years ago. You can see a few other cute options here, here and here. 

I've styled these Rock & Republic boot cut jeans on the blog before. You can see that post here. These are figure and leg flattering, have some stretch and the dark wash is perfect for making an outfit have a little bit more of a dressed up feel. Here is a pair from Kohl's and they are currently on sale. 

This George satchel from Walmart keeps popping up here and there. Satchels are a great way to add structure to an outfit without actually having to wear something that is uncomfortably fitted. This bag is still available at Walmart.com and is only $19.00. While they don't have my neutral pattern they do have a floral one, that is perfect for spring and summer. Check that out here. There are lot's of pretty options from other brands, such as this Nanette Lepore version from Lord & Taylor, and this pretty pink and black floral from DSW. 

Let's not forget shoes. Once again I am styling these perforated peep toe sandals. You'll see these pop up on the blog through out the summer. One of the reasons I like these has to do with my varicose veins. We are often told to embrace our flaws, and show them off, rather than cover them up, but I am more about doing what makes me, and you, feel most confident. I do not like showing off my purply blue bulgy veins. I have chosen to wear support hose when I wear a skirt or a dress and wear shoes that cover more of my foot. Believe me, I love the look of a sexy, beautiful leg, but that is not what I have. However, I do have strong legs that still take me on walks and hikes and still are fairly healthy, even with the vein issues. 

These sandals still allow me to show off a pretty painted toe, but keep the more unsightly veins covered up. Plus they are pretty dang comfortable! I did have my toes painted, but they are such a light pinkish orange you can't tell from these pictures. Time to get out the dark pink polish!

These types of sandals are fairly popular and not too pricey. Here is a cute neutral wedge from Kohl's, a similar color to mine from Nordstrom, and a pretty dark blue pair from DSW. 

Here is a look at the tee without the jacket. 

I hope you enjoyed this outfit post. How do you make the transition from winter to spring and spring to summer? Do you like to wear layers? I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you ever want to show off your outfits, I'd love for you to post a pic on my Facebook page of an outfit I've shared that inspired you. The more the merrier. 

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through one of my links, I get a small commission. 

I've included a few links for fun graphic tees as well. Enjoy! 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Thursday linking up with Jacqui of mummabstylish and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Outside the Box - All Over Pattern Mix

Since becoming a blogger I have learned about pattern mixing. I have done a little bit of it here and there, but usually with smaller pieces. I did a post about pattern mixing in March of last year. You can see that post here. Many of those outfits were examples of an all over pattern mix. While I have done it in the past, I thought it would be fun to revisit the all over pattern mix for a fun spring work outfit. 

I came up with the idea for this post when I did my Spring Trends post back in February. You can see that post here. When I lined up the skirt and top to show the plaid/check trend for spring I thought the combination would be perfect for a spring outfit. 

Everything in this outfit is thrifted except the shoes and bag. The skirt is a brand called Michelle. The black and white plaid is broken up in the lower left corner by two pretty embroidered flowers. 

This cute little clutch is actually a pencil pouch that I found at Barnes & Noble. It makes a great clutch and is perfect for spring. You can see how I styled an outfit around this bag in this post here. Since I was going for an all over pattern mix, I thought this bag was perfect for this outfit. 

My jacket is a brand called Madison and Max. I found this in a friend's closet. Shopping your friends' closets can be a great way to recycle and save money for all of you. 

The blouse is Jaclyn Smith brand and is a light green gingham. You can see the mixing better here.

You might feel this mix is over the top, but I really think the jacket pulls it all together and because it is a solid, keeps the mix from becoming too overwhelming. 

I decided on my black Cabela's flats. These are a great shoe for work, when I have to be on my feet. 

How are you at print mixing? Do you think this works or is it too much? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. 

I've included a few shopping links for some fun printed pieces for spring. This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on a shopping link I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through my site, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own. 

Have fun with your print mixing!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style and Jacqui at Mummabstylish. Friday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, and Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane.

Pantone Spring 2018 - Recap

Now that my series is over, I thought I would show you all of the outfits together for a fun review. Just a refresher, the Pantone Color Institute puts out a palette of colors twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. These colors are the basis from which designers, both fashion and interior, draw their inspiration for fabrics, clothing, paint and furnishings. I always consider it a challenge to draw outfit inspiration from these colors, even the ones I may personally not like. Let's face it, not all colors are necessarily pretty in everyone's eyes. However, I think it can be good for our brains to think outside the box and try new things. 

These were the two palettes. Many of the colors overlapped and I made reference to that in the posts. I personally think these two palettes were perfect for spring. Most of the colors were bright or light, with a few more earthy tones, which combined rendered great spring outfits. 

Here were my outfits. If you click on the picture it will take you to the original post.

I was glad that Pantone added the four classic colors of Sailor Blue, Harbor Mist, Warm Sand and Coconut Milk. These colors are perfect for grounding an outfit and keeping it from getting too over the top with color. Is there such a thing? Ha, ha. 

I think out of all of the colors from both palettes my favorites are Ultra Violet, (no surprise there, since I love purple), Arcadia, Pink Lavender and Ash Rose. All but Arcadia fall into the purple range. What can I say, I love purple! If I ever had a sports car it would be dark sparkly purple. Ha, ha. 

I hope you enjoyed this series. Let me know in the comments what your favorite colors were from this spring's two palettes. I always love to hear what you are thinking. 

Join me on Thursday for my Outside the Box column. You never know what I'll be showing off there. If you follow my Faith page, check back tomorrow for more on my Mulling It Over series as we delve further into 2 Timothy 2. 

Have a great Tuesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Ordinary Amy - Casual take on Eva Trends Kimono

Last Thursday I introduced you to this gray lace body kimono from Eva Trends. I showed you two ways to wear the kimono, with a dress and with a long maxi skirt. You can see that post here. This week I wanted to show you two more ways to wear this fun piece by styling it over a pair of skinny jeans. 

I opted to put this on my Ordinary Amy column, because these two outfits are more what I would wear. I just feel more comfortable and confident in a pair of jeans, than I do in a dress. I'm sure that goes back to my tomboy days as a child chasing after my two older brothers. 

Look 1 - Jeans with Heels

This first look is a fun way to get dressed up for a date night.

For both of the looks in this post I used my dark wash Apt.9 skinny ankle jeans. I use these often in the warmer weather rolling up the hems to make them into crop pants. 

This black velvet top was given to me at Christmas. This City Streets brand, has short sleeves and a simple round neckline. Here is a similar one from Last Call by Neiman Marcus. Here is a cute tie-sleeved one from Nordstrom. 

This necklace I ordered from Christopher and Banks. The one problem with it, is that the chord is very stiff so it has a tendency to want to twist around. I make take it off that chord and put it on something different. It is really a unique piece. Here is a pretty fern one from Etsy. 

I grabbed my silver clutch and a silver bracelet. I finished off the look with my Comfort Plus gray heels. 

Look 2 - Jeans with sneakers.

For my second look, I really brought it down to completely casual. Using the same pair of jeans with the lace body kimono, I swapped out the velvet tee for my Wonder Woman tee. 

I did the front tuck with the tee. I think it would be even better with cuter belt. This black leather one is my go too and I wear it with everything, but usually it is functional, and doesn't show. 

I rolled my pant hems and my sleeves up for a more casual vibe. The only complaint I have about this lovely kimono is that the sleeves are narrow. It was hard for me to roll the sleeves up far enough to use the button on each side and my arms are not overly heavy. Someone with a larger diameter arm, would probably not be able to wear this. 

Here are two pictures that show you how the kimono is shaped. The truth is, it was a very cold day and the static was making the kimono stick to my clothes and itself, so I opened it up to let the wind blow away the static. 

I decided on a red clutch with silver handles and a few silver bangles. A couple of these have red on them too. 

You've seen these Keds before. They are like old friends. I told my daughter, don't get too close, because they are dirty. Ha, ha. 

Here are the two outfits side by side. 

The lace body button-up sleeve cardigan is a fun piece to add a different dimension to many of your outfits. You could probably belt is as well, though I didn't think of that for this post. 

What do you think of these outfits? Do you like these or the ones last week with the dress and skirt better? 

Don't forget Eva Trends is offering a 15% discount if you order using the code AC15. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. 

The items from Eva Trends were gifted to me. This post also contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Friday linking up with Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nicole of High Latitude Style. 

Pantone Spring 2018 - Ultra Violet, Ash Rose and Sailor Blue

This is the final installment in my Pantone Spring 2018 color series. I love doing this series, because using color as a spring board for putting together an outfit makes getting dressed so much easier. I know not everyone loves color, but I really enjoy the challenge of trying to make each of these colors work for me. After all, if we ladies, who are over 50, are not limited by the styles of the outfits we wear, why should we be limited by the colors we wear? 

This week's color line up features Ultra Violet, which appears on both the New York and London color palettes. You can see my first pairing with Ultra Violet here. Ash Rose is only found on the London Palette and is one of my favorite colors from this spring line up. Sailor Blue is one of the classic colors that appeared on both palettes this season and I feel is a perfect color to ground an outfit to keep it from getting to clownish. I also threw in a touch of Arcadia for an additional pop. You can see how I originally paired Arcadia here. 

If I had a choice, this is how I would dress most of the time. I love my jeans, a fun moto jacket, basic tee with fun details and sneakers. Throw on some easy jewelry and a roomy bag and voila, the writer's outfit. It's comfy, but stylish. I think my daughter did a great job of capturing me in my element. Ha, ha. 

These jeans are my Rock & Republic bootcut pair from Kohl's. Here are a similar pair. 

In this next pic you can see my Arcadia colored beads and bracelet. I love the way the necklace pops against the Ash Rose color of the shirt. Doesn't that green look so pretty with these two very different purples? You can also see the lace detail on my thrifted long sleeve tee. This one is Van Heusen brand It really takes a tee up a notch to have some sort of lace overlay or embellishment. Here is a  Croft and Barrow short sleeve one that comes in many different colors.  

My bag is Simply Vera, by Vera Wang. Here is a really cute one from Kohl's. 

Keds are always my go to for stylish, simple sneakers. I don't wear these when I want to hike or take a long walk, but for just hanging out, going to the mall or shopping, etc. they work great. Here, here and here are three cute pairs that would be perfect for summer. 

These were the last pictures my daughter took that day and we neglected to do a shot of me standing, so this is the best you get. 

What do you think of these colors? What is your go to outfit when you want to be stylish and comfy? I'd love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two in the comments section. Or you can leave me some love on Facebook. Also, feel free to check out my Instagram and Pinterest accounts too. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through one of the links, I get a small commission. Thank you for all of your support. 

If you enjoy reading my Faith page, be sure to check back tomorrow for another Walk with the Psalmist. Check back on Thursday to see how I styled my Eva Trends lace body kimono two more ways in my Ordinary Amy column. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Thursday linking up with Jacqui of mummabstylish. 

Outfit Inspiration - Eva Trends - Lace Body Kimono

I introduced Eva Trends. back in March with an outfit styled around a tassel knitted sweater top. You can see that post here. My second post revolved around a bright color block cape sweater. You can see that post here. When I was contacted by Eva Trends, I was excited to try a few of their trendy, interesting styles. What I really like about this retailer are the unexpected color combinations and the pretty details. For featuring them on my blog I was gifted three pieces of my choice. All opinions are my own. 

This last piece from Eva Trends is a lovely knee length kimono. The lace body button-up sleeve cardigan is a versatile piece, so I decided to dedicate two posts to it, to show you different ways of styling. In this post I show you how to wear it with a dress and a longer skirt. 

Look 1 - Over a Little Black Dress

You can see from the picture the kimono is very flowy. It is made of a light weight polyester, cotton blend. The trim around the edges is a sheer chiffon type material. When I wash this I will put it in a laundry bag and then hang it to dry. Eva Trends recommends washing most of their pieces by hand to keep them in tip top shape. 

Here is a back view. You can see the pretty lace that covers the whole upper portion front and back. 

The black dress I am wearing underneath I bought about four years ago on the clearance rack at Kohl's. It is a cute little number made of thick knit material and is easy to get on and off. 

For accessories with this outfit, I chose gold. I love this elegant statement necklace. I think I got it at JC Penney. I also added a bracelet and grabbed my gold clutch.

I wore my black heels to finish the ensemble. 

Look 2 - Over a Maxi Skirt

For this second look, I wore my Chaps maxi skirt from Kohl's and a gray tank top.

It wasn't snowing when we took these pictures, but it was really cold out and there was a light breeze. That's fine, when it is 70 or 80, but not when it is only 32!

Since the tank top has an embellished neckline, I only wore a bracelet for my jewelry. 

I chose this little straw bag to keep the look a little more casual, but in a springy sort of way. For shoes I went with another pair of black heels, but this pair has a block heel and a pointier toe. 

Here are the two outfits side by side. 

Do you like this lace body kimono from Eva Trends? How would you style a piece like this? Be sure to check back for the second post on this piece on next week's Ordinary Amy post. 

Eva Trends is offering a 15% discount if you visit their site and use the code AC15. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Have a wonderful weekend. We are supposed to have a few days of real spring weather, so I am looking forward to that! Have a good one. 

This piece was gifted to me by Eva Trends. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Friday linking up with Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Pantone Spring 2018 - Rapture Rose, Palace Blue and Harbor Mist

Once again, this week, I am featuring two more Pantone Spring 2018 colors from the London palette, along with another of the classic colors, Harbor Mist. Rapture Rose is a bright pinkish red that adds a perfect pop of color to any outfit. Palace blue evokes a feeling of royalty and will add a classic element that says regal, complimenting any style. Grounding the whole look is a soft, light gray reminiscent of mists coming off the ocean. 

My sleeveless top, doesn't quite match the Pantone color, but it is clearly a mix of pink and red, so you get the gist of the idea. My Palace Blue cardigan is from Christopher and Banks. 

Someone was over visiting while we were taking pictures! She's such a ham!

My trousers are Lee brand, and have a classic fit. I use this pair more often in the summer for work, as they are lighter weight. Here is a pair from Kohl's and a pair from Macy's.

You've seen this NY & Co. bag on the blog before. I thought the blush color was a good compliment to the brighter pink and blue, as well as the gray pants. 

For jewelry I went with gold accents on my necklace and bracelets. 

I thought my Comfort Plus heels by Predictions were a good work wear option. 

I think this outfit is a good option for a work day, especially if you work in an office. It shows confidence and style, as well as comfort and ease. The bright blue sweater is a great option for summer, when many places are overly air conditioned. Although, the way our weather is going here in the mid west, it might be August before we have to turn the air on. 

What do you wear to work? Would you be comfortable in an outfit like this? Do you like these colors? I'd love to hear your comments.

Here are a few more pics of my grandpuppy, Beatrice. 

i've included a few shopping links. These are meant to serve as inspiration for you, as well as provide an easy link through which you can shop. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few pennies when you click on a link and a small commission if you purchase something through my site. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen. 

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style and Jacqui of Mummabstylish. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style.