Print Mixing Mash Up - All the Outfits

After doing a longer series, like the one I just finished, I like to do a post that shows you all the outfits in one place, side by side. When I started this series, I let all of you know that I was a newcomer to print mixing when I started fashion blogging. The question could be asked, why even bother? Many people enjoy more solid colors, monochrome looks and outfits that incorporate prints in a more conservative manner, so why the push to print mix?

There are several rationales I have for learning how to mix prints and I’d like to take a moment to share these with you, before I do the recap of the past few weeks’ outfits.

1 - Print mixing challenges our brains.

I have a history of dementia in my family and understand that there is a very real possibility that I or one of my brothers, or all three of us, could end up with dementia later in life. The reality is I am much closer to that now, than I was 20 years ago. All the research has shown that there are factors that can help delay this unfortunate inevitability for many of us. Diet, exercise and using our brains by learning new things like taking a class, learning an instrument or a language can all prolong our brain health. Even the practice of putting outfits together helps our brains. Every time you challenge yourself to think outside the normal box you are helping your brain health. Print mixing is a great way to challenge your neural net to grow and expand.

2 - Print mixing is good for the environment.

There is a lot of focus these days on waste management. With the need for plastics and metals decreasing in other countries, we are now looking at a garbage and recycling dilemma in our own neighborhoods. Buying used clothing and being a consumer who makes better choices is a way to help our growing garbage problem. I’ve heard many people say, “Well, my not using a straw isn’t really going to make that big of a difference.” That may be true, but each individual who makes that choice, adds up to a great number. The same is true for clothing. Thrift stores are popping up all over, and with online retailers, like Poshmark, Thread Up and more, you can buy and sell used clothing with ease (something that is on my list to learn how to do).

What does that have to do with print mixing? Think about your closet. What percent of your clothing are solids and what percent are prints? If you are like me, I have a plethora of prints. To only wear these fun pieces with solids, really does the piece a disservice. Think about how many more outfits you could have if you started mixing in prints with prints. And the best part is, you didn’t have to go out and buy anything. Your new outfit came entirely from your own closet.

3 - Print mixing is fun.

There is something about putting prints together that really appeals to my inner artist. Just like a interior decorator, a painter or a photographer like to create spaces and pictures that have a message or are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, putting outfits together can be a very satisfying activity. I’m sure you are all familiar with those adult coloring books that flooded the market a few years back. Probably a few of you got one or two for Christmas, or a birthday. I did. What is it that makes coloring so much fun? We might think of it as a rather mindless activity, but in reality, coloring is another way to exercise our brains. I love to put different colors together to see how they are going to look. I especially love putting colors side by side that I normally would not have thought to put together. like pink and orange, purple and red or black and navy.

I do hope that this series has prodded, inspired and encouraged you to look at your wardrobe in a whole new way. Here are all the outfits side by side.

Yellow striped tee.

Multiprint skirt.

Plaid bomber jacket.

Checked trousers.

Printed dress.

I hope you enjoyed this look back at all of the outfits. Have a great Tuesday and be sure to check back on Thursday for the intro to this years Spring/Summer Pantone color series.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Print Mixing Mash Up - Checked Trousers - Outfit 2

I wanted this second outfit with the checked trousers to be a little more dressy. This could be something worn to work, or out on a special date. This is a more monochrome look, using mainly the black, gray and white, except for the accessories.

I got this 3/4 length sleeve jacket from a clearance rack last fall at dressbarn. It is roz & Ali brand. The southwest pattern was part of what drew me to this piece. When I decided on these trousers i knew this jacket would be a perfect print mixing piece.

There are two things that make this work. One is the print size on each piece. The pants have a smaller print and the jacket has a larger print. The other is the color similarities.

I decided to go with a black short sleeve sweater top. I could have chosen a colored top or even white or gray. Just about any solid would work with this outfit. I opted to have my color pop be with my bag and my jewelry.

A charm necklace with red beads, beaded bracelets and a red clutch, really stand out with this black and white outfit.

I added my thrifted Ralph Lauren heeled ankle boots. You could probably tell from Tuesday’s post, these pants are pretty long and rub on the ground when I have flats on. This heel gave them just the right amount of lift.

I have one more week on this print mixing series. I hope that this has been beneficial, especially for those of you who have been timid about print mixing. Not every fashion trend is for everyone. You can be fashionable and look put together without having to spend money on new pieces for your closet. It is likely, that you already have many fashionable pieces in your closet. A well structured blazer, a cardigan or two, a couple of pairs of jeans and a pair of dress pants, a dress or a skirt, are all pieces that can be used to make great outfits, print mixing or not.

Think of it this way. If you are just getting started, by being more conscious of your clothing and how you look, you have already taken the first step. Print mixing is more like frosting on the cake. What you want to do first is make the best cake you can, whether it be chocolate, vanilla, or lemon. Once you have that done, then you can think about frosting, sprinkles or whatever other embellishments you want to add.

I hope that my blog and all the other wonderful bloggers that are out there, will provide the inspiration you need to look better and feel more confident. Have a great weekend!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Print Mixing Mash Up - Plaid Bomber Jacket - Outfit 2

This second look featuring my plaid bomber jacket from Eden Fashion Boutique, might seem a tad overwhelming if you are new to print mixing. Some might say there is too much going on, but I think it works. In fact, it was this combination that inspired me to use the plaid bomber as a print mixer in the first place. Besides, why not get a little crazy once in a while!

When I saw this multi print tunic hanging in my closet, I thought this might be a good opportunity to get it out. This festive, colorful roz & Ali piece is a past purchase from dressbarn. I think of it as a party shirt. It seems so bright, cheery and happy, that it just wants to dance and party. That’s a little bit of a contrast to my more subdued, introverted nature, but it is good to get out of our comfort zones once in a while.

Pairing it with the plaid jacket, I let it hang around for a while and kept looking at it, wondering how I could make it work for this print mixing series. Then I remembered my thrifted, cobalt blue, Gloria Vanderbilt jeans.

You can see more of the details in this photo. The tunic has a lace up v-neck. Since there is already so much going on with the print, I opted for shorter necklaces in a more classic style. Rev it up and tone it down. I know some might go for bright beads in various lengths, but my objective with this outfit was to party, but party conservatively. That’s me in a nutshell. I don’t drink, but I do like to dance. I also liked the way the pearls and black cord on the choker, compliment the black and white stripes on the jacket.

Funny story about these cobalt shoes. I have had these shoes for a long time. I’ve worn them on the blog before with various outfits and I really like that they are so bright. The last time I remembered wearing them for the blog was summer of last year. My daughter and son-in-law were in the process of moving out of their apartment into a house and we had planned a shoot at the apartment complex so I could help do some packing. That was the last time I ever saw them (the shoes, not my daughter and son-in-law). I thought for sure, they had gotten thrown away in the chaos of helping to pack and purge at the apartment. I gave them up for lost, even though I searched my house all over thinking I may have just misplaced them when I got home to put things away after the shoot.

The other day when I was working on outfits for this series, I was going through shoe boxes looking for some of the pairs I had put away that were more spring/summery. Lo and behold there my shoes were in a box in my closet. Ha, ha, ha. Maybe I am starting to lose the plot, as my hubby likes to say. Dementia is highly likely with my family history, but I just pray I’ll be sweet!

This bag is another thrift store find. I like the style. Now, being a fashion blogger, I do have a few Pinterest boards, that I like to play with. I need to do more with those, but there are only so many hours in a day, as everyone of you know. However, I do have a board that is called Fashion Vocabulary and I put things on there like different types of bag styles, dress styles, skirt lengths, heel heights and so on. Anyway, I looked for the proper name for this bag and I would say that it is a hybrid between a doctor bag and a barrel bag. A true doctor bag style would have a metal frame connected to the opening. So now you know.

I personally feel, what makes this outfit work is the bright blue pants and shoes. Obviously, you could have done the same thing with black pants or a skirt, or orange. The solid color ties the two pieces together, and compliments the blues in each pieces.

What do you think? Am I helping you to get over your fear of print mixing? I certainly hope that these posts are inspiring you to think outside your fashion box.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to have fun with. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link I get a few pennies. All opinions are my own.

Print Mixing Mash Up - Printed Skirt - Outfit 1

This week, I’ll be styling a printed skirt two different ways. Remember, the goal of this series is to show you how you can take a printed piece in your closet and combine it with another printed piece for a print mixing mash up that will make all your girlfriends and colleagues envious of your print mixing panache.

Today’s outfit centers around a thrifted Gianni skirt I have had in my closet for a while. I love purple, so when I found this purple, blue mix, I thought it would be fun to work with. I like the a-line style. It is light weight, but fully lined, so easily wearable for at least three of our four seasons. You could probably extend its season into winter if you wore leggings or a heavy pair of tights. Since we are talking about and looking forward to spring, I wanted to make both of these outfits more transitional looks.

What I love about this skirt, is its ability to change hues. When you look at the skirt by itself, the purples look more purple and the blues look more like a denim blue. When I started looking for a piece to pair this with, I saw this Knox Rose top that I found at Bass Pro Shop a while back on the clearance rack. I thought, even though the colors weren’t exact, at least they were similar enough that it might work. Once I put the SO sweater, from Kohl’s, with it, I knew I had a winner.

Technically this print mixing, isn’t so much mixed, because the print on the top is not next to the print on the skirt. However, the whole point of trying to print mix is to think outside the box. I would have never put these two pieces together, had I not been thinking about mixing prints and colors. The top, which is more of a greenish blue, looks as though it pairs perfectly with the blue of the skirt, just as the more reddish burgundy color on the top and the sweater, look as though they combine perfectly with the purple. Isn’t color wonderful? Ha, ha.

It was so cold when we were taking these pictures. My daughter was running back into the house after each outfit was finished, and she had on a hat, coat, gloves and boots. Ha, ha. My face is set in defiance of the blustery cold! That is definitely not my most flattering face.

I decided to draw on the little bits of yellow in the top for my necklace and purse. Once again, I would have never thought to pair yellow with this color combination, but once I put it together, I loved it.

By the way, those are little fleck of snow on my sweater, not dandruff or lint. Ha, ha . Just thought I had better clarify.

I think this thrifted yellow Elle tote is a great number for spring. I love the shirring on the front, the sunflower yellow color and the metal rivets, rings and Elle charm. This just goes to show, you don’t have to spend lots of money to have a nice bag.

I have a tendency to get into a rut with my bags. Right now I am using my yellow thrifted cross body. It is so convenient for shopping. Often, if I am carrying a large tote like this one, which already has some weight to it, I overfill it and then wonder why my shoulder and back is bothering me. What kind of purse do you like to use?

These burgundy Naturalizer loafers were another thrift find. When I put the outfit together, I knew these would be the perfect casual finishing touch.

One of the things I like about thrift shopping is the ability to try different brands without spending a ton of money. I normally don’t buy high end. My hubby and I just don’t have the income, to support a shopping habit of that nature. Ever since I was a young girl, I have always been somewhat conscious of getting more for my money. My mom used coupons, made our clothes and made the most of what we had. Things were not always easy for our family, but I grew to appreciate the ability to save money by looking for cheaper options. Now when I thrift I am drawn to higher end name brands, because often they are a better fit and are well made. I still like my Kohl’s, Penney’s and Target clearance finds, but thrifting is always my first muse.

I hope you are enjoying this print mixing series. Let me know your thoughts. Have you done any print mixing in the last few weeks? Tell me about what you mixed. I love hearing from you and you are what keeps this blog going, so thank you.

I’ve included a few printed skirts to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Print Mixing Mash Up - Striped Tee - Outfit 1

As i started pulling pieces out of my closet to do this print mixing series, I had no idea how much fun it would be and how many outfits I would come up with. It is amazing how many pieces I have that actually go together in a way that creates real life, wear it to work, outfits. The way I decided to put this together, was to feature one printed piece a week that will be the foundational piece that I build the rest of each outfit around. For this week it is a yellow striped Sonoma tee. The outfit you see today and the outfit on Thursday’s post will both be built around this same piece.

Let me preface this by saying, it was 18 degrees with a wind chill factor that made it feel like 4, when we were taking these photos. It was cold and that wind bit, but we got it done. My daughter is pretty quick at taking pictures, although in those temps, even the camera wasn’t always willing to work properly.

Today’s outfit was a casual look, that I might wear to a get together with friends, or a fun date night with my hubby.

It’s a little hard to see the print mix in these photos, but I showed the top and this kimono in last Thursday’s introduction to print mixing. You can see that post here, if you missed it.

This yellow striped long sleeved Sonoma tee is a recent purchase from Kohl’s. It is light weight and a great layering piece for spring.

This floral kimono was a clearance find at DSW. If you are a clearance shopper like me, it is always a good idea to check out the clearance rack at all stores you go into. DSW is a great place to find shoes on clearance, and I would have never thought to go in there to look for a pretty kimono like this, but there it was. In fact I got two other ones that will no doubt make it on to the blog at some point.

These white Gloria Vanderbilt jeans you just saw on the blog, last week when I was wearing them with my scarf print blouse. You can see that post here. These are my favorite white jeans. They are thick enough that my underwear don’t show through and I like the wider leg.

I wanted to keep this look more casual so I opted for my navy blue Keds. After we took these photos are were on the way back into the house, I realized we needed to take a picture of my shoes, thus the snow.

I grabbed this bright blue tote to go with the bright blue in the kimono. This bag is thrifted and Nine & Co. brand. I do like a good sized tote bag like this for traveling. I can fit a lot more in it, like a book and a pad of paper, in case i get the urge to read or write. I know there are electronic versions available, but I still like the feel of a book in my hand or moving a pen on a piece of paper.

You could easily replicate this look by using a color of your choosing for the striped tee and then picking a piece with a complimentary color for the kimono or even a floral cardigan or bomber jacket. It’s not that you create an outfit that looks just like mine, but that you find things in your own closet that will give you a similar look. You wouldn’t have to wear white jeans. Any wash of denim would look cute with a print mix like this or pick out another color that goes with one of the other colors in your print pieces. For instance, my kimono also contains brown and is on a black background. Either color could have worked for my bottom piece.

Why this works:

The main reason this works is the color. The yellow of the striped tee goes perfectly with the yellow in the kimono. The other reason it works is that the stripes are small and narrow, which works well with the busier, bolder pattern of the kimono.

What do you think? Do you like this outfit? Do you have pieces like this in your closet that you like to pair together for a fun print mixing look? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave me some love in the comments section.

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

Revisiting Print Mixing - An Introduction

While print mixing may come naturally to many of us, I think I can safely say for me it wasn’t always the case. I didn’t know the first thing about print mixing before I became a fashion blogger, and even now, I wouldn’t say it comes naturally. For me, as with cooking, I really have to have a recipe, or at least have my brain working on 3 of its 4 cylinders to be able to figure out a good print mix. Back in March of 2017, I did my first how to print mixing post. You can read that post, by clicking on the link here.

I have decided to do a short series on print mixing. I have had numerous people tell me, that while they are trying the print mixing trend themselves, they do not always feel confident with how to put pieces together that mix prints. After all, most of us don’t want to look like a walking garage sale. I am far from an expert on this, but I thought I would put together a series of posts, that will lay out what to look for when mixing prints and how to mix prints without having to put a lot of time, thought or effort into it.

This week I want to do an introduction of sorts and give you a few basic how to’s, then the next few post will show you outfits of my own and give explanations for what I chose and how I put the prints together.

There is a method to this madness. There are all sorts of prints including stripes, florals, polka dots, paisley and a plethora of others. How, then, do you decide which patterns to put together? Here are a few pointers.

Start with a foundational print.

1 - Stripes, whether vertical or horizontal, are one of the easiest patterns to pair other patterns with. Here are a few examples.

This striped yellow tee goes quite well with the floral kimono and the plaid blazer. The floral kimono contains yellow leaves which really draws the two pieces together. The plaid blazer doesn’t contain yellow, but has a light neutral colored stripe, which almost looks yellow when paired with the tee. I also think it goes splendidly with the leopard blazer and the Aztec print jacket, even though neither of them contains the same yellow color.

Here is another example with a vertical striped blouse.

As you can see from these examples, all of these prints are different, but the stripes work with all of them.

2 - Gingham is another pattern that is easy to pair with almost any other print.

3 - The one other pattern that is easily mixed , besides stripes or gingham is polka dots. Polka dots show up here and there in fashion trends, but I find, like stripes and gingham, polka dots are classic and timeless.

Stripes, gingham and polka dots can be easily mixed with other prints, partly because they are spatially consistent. Usually the stripes are the same distance apart, the squares are the same size and the dots are equally sized as well. If you are just starting to mix prints, look for pieces in your wardrobe or at the store that have those characteristics.

Next find pieces with coordinating colors.

You probably noticed that in the photos above, not all the print mixes have similar color schemes, but for an easier time of print mixing once you choose your foundational print find other pieces in your closet that have similar colors. For instance, the striped yellow tee that I chose above pulls in the yellow leaves on the floral kimono. The coral striped blouse coordinates with the coral colors in the jacket and the navy polka dot cardigan is a natural compliment for the navy gingham or floral blouses.

Here is another example.

I got these two pieces at completely different times. The Jaclyn Smith gingham top was thrifted and the skirt is from LuLaRoe. Matching the green in each piece make it a perfect print mixing combination. You could have also used the black gingham top that was shown above. I hope to include this in my series of outfits over the next few weeks.

This might seem overwhelming at first, but read on for another tip.

Try choosing pieces that have the small/large print ratio.

One of the other techniques for making a perfect print mix outfit is to pair a small pattern with a large pattern. This is especially helpful if you are choosing pieces that include a skirt or pants with a top or jacket. In the previous picture I used the smaller gingham pattern with the larger pattern of the skirt. This is also a good way to mix outfits that are monochrome in appearance. Here is another example.

This combination would be great with a black pullover tee or sweater, silver jewelry, and then a brighter color for shoes and a bag, like yellow, or red.

Using the small/large print ratio as well as choosing pieces that have at least one coordinating color will take you a long way to creating outfits that are not only spot on in the print mixing realm, but outfits that you can be proud of because you created them yourself.

Walk on the wild side.

Once you get the hang of print mixing you might want to venture out into combinations that are a little more bold. This is the one I came up with.

I recently acquired this plaid bomber jacket at Eden, a local boutique. I featured their Sylvania location on the blog a few months ago. You can see that post here. I love the colors that make up the plaid and the bright black and white stripes on the collar and cuffs. When I was going through my closet and came across this tunic, I thought I would see how the two pieces worked together. This is a perfect example of using the print mixing tips to create a unique looking outfit.

The plaid represents the foundational piece. Plaid, in this case is the more subtle print. After choosing the jacket, I looked for a piece that had at least one of the colors in the jacket. When I saw that this tunic contained all the colors, I thought, why not. The more subtle plaid, tones down the busy pattern of the tunic and all of it is pulled together by pairing it with the bright blue pants. I hope to feature this outfit in my series as well.

I hope this post will help you find your own love of print mixing. It takes practice, but over time you can be a print mixing whiz, just by following these tips and by not being afraid to give it a try.

What print combinations do you like to see put together? Are you a print mixing diva, or is it a trend you have shied away from? Did you find this post helpful? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Spring Trend - Scarf Prints

As I mentioned in last Tuesday’s Spring Trend post on crafted pieces, print mixing is bigger and better than ever. One of the patterns that you will see gracing the stores is scarf print. Scarf prints started a come back back in the fall of last year, but seem to be showing up more and more. Scarf prints are an easy way to mix prints effortlessly. The prints are already picked out for you and all you have to do is take it off the hanger and decide what you want to wear it with. Whether you choose jeans, skirts, leggings, shorts or some other combination, scarf prints will leave you feeling like a print mixing pro.

I’ve had this Apt. 9, scarf print blouse for eons. Every time I think about getting rid of it, I end up hanging on to it. Now I am glad I did. I wish I would have thought to have taken a picture of the blouse without the jacket on, but it was freezing outside and we were just trying to get the pictures finished.

I did the front tuck with the blouse and added a black studded leather belt, just to add a little more interest and texture.

I thought my white Gloria Vanderbilt jeans the perfect bottom piece for this look, to make it more spring-like. While white can be worn all year round, I am a bit of a traditionalist, in that, I like to keep my whites more for spring, summer and a bit into fall. I do agree that white is a great color even in the winter and can really brighten up an otherwise mundane time period. I guess that is one of the reasons I would rather have snow in the winter time, than just brown grass and gray trees.

Since the emphasis was meant to be on print mixing, I decided to add my Black Label, Evan Piccone polka dot blazer. A JC Penney clearance find, this cute little number goes with so many things and is the perfect way to add a print to any outfit without going over the top. You can also see in this picture the blue bead necklace that I chose to wear. This was another hand-me-over from my daughter. It is fun to have girls to be able to swap stuff with.

These Easy Spirit black patent leather block heels I’ve styled on the blog before. I like the lower heel and that the toe is not pointy, but also not rounded. The bit of gold is the perfect amount of bling.

This cute cross body bag was a Christmas gift from my younger daughter. Both my girls do a good job picking out gifts for me. The light blue color is perfect for spring and compliments the blue in the blouse.

What do you think of scarf prints? Do you own any scarf print items? How do you like to wear your scarf prints? How do you like to wear your scarves? Leave me some thoughts in the comments.

I’ve included a few shopping links for scarf print items. Please enjoy looking these over. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site, I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Have a great Tuesday.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Celebrating My 3 Year Bloggiversary with a Giveaway

It is hard for me to believe that I am celebrating three years as a Faith and Fashion blogger. It has been an interesting hobby and I have definitely created new pathways in my brain. There was so much I had to learn about downloading pictures, pasting in links, collaborations and more. There were times that I was ready to throw in the towel, and others, where I was very excited about continuing this journey as a blogger. I have connected with friends, people I may never personally meet, but friends still the same and I have stretched myself by learning new things both technologically and in the realm of fashion blogging.

I wanted to make this a celebration by giving something away. You, my faithful subscribers, are the ones who really keep me motivated to keep doing this. Let’s face it, there are thousands of fashion bloggers out there and thousands of faith bloggers. You could easily find a blog that is more up on the trends, and geared towards featuring great clothes from retailers for you to see and buy. You could also find a blog that is more geared towards the younger set, moms who are raising kids, who need just the right advice or encouragement about how to keep their sanity in these busy years of their lives. These are all good and so many of them are extremely well done. So why do I keep doing this?

Every time, I get discouraged, and start asking myself, why am I doing this, God seems to send just the right person along, to comment on my blog. When someone tells me I inspired them with a certain outfit, to try to do a similar thing from their own closet, or when a subscriber tells me, the faith post I wrote, was just what they needed to hear, that is why I keep doing this.

You see, when I started blogging, it wasn’t about making money, getting free stuff, or becoming famous, it revolved around my desire to write and my desire to encourage. I know in my heart of hearts that there are hundreds of women out there who are having bad days. It might be hard to get out of bed, let alone, figure out what to wear. I also know there are women, like me, who can’t always talk about what is going on inside, because there are other factors and people involved. However, we can still be encouraging by just being there for one another. Think of me, as that friend that shows up at your door at just the right time, to give you a hug and remind you that you are beautiful and you are valuable. We all need that.

I thought it would be fun to show you a few pictures from when I first started blogging and compare them to more recent photos. Let me know if you see any changes, for good or bad. Ha, ha.

This is from my very first fashion post in 2016. If you want to see the original post, just click on the picture.

The next image is from a year later, in February of 2017.

Here is an outfit from February 2018.

And of course I had to add one from this year.

I think it is fun to watch the progression, not only in my daughter Rebecca’s photography, my other daughter Rachel’s make up, but also in the changes in my hair. Ha, ha. Having a blog is a great way to document changes in your life.

I thought a Target gift card would be a good choice for this giveaway. Everyone can find something or other at Target, even if you don’t like their clothes, bags or shoes, you can always use $30 to stock up on toilet paper or cards for upcoming birthdays.

Just follow the directions below to participate in the giveaway.

Thanks again for all of your support. Entries for the giveaway will close on Friday, February 15th at midnight. I’ll announce the winner Tuesday, February 19th.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Spring Trend - Neons and Pastels

In contrast to last week’s post, Spring Trend - Head to Toe Neutral, this week I am focusing on the Spring Trend of neons and pastels. Rather than divide this into two posts, I decided to combine the trends and the colors into one outfit. If we can wear neutral on the top and bottom, why not create an outfit with neon and pastel together?

This bright neon yellow top is sleeveless and there was no way I was going out in the snow in a sleeveless top, so I added a recent purchase from Forever 21’s clearance racks, this citron yellow chenille sweater. The top is H&M and is a hand-me-over from my daughter. The sweater is as cozy and soft as it looks, so I was glad to add it to my outfit on this very cold day.

These blush jeans are H&M and you’ve seen them before on the blog in my 20 Days of Christmas series. They have a little bit of distressing on them, but because they are so light you can hardly notice. Since I was going with light pink for my pastel, I added my blush SO flats and my blush clutch.

My necklace was a thrift store find. I thought it added another splash of neon in a different color. If you don’t like neon, this is a simple way to add just a splash of color without being overwhelmed by it. Accessories are always a good way to add color that you wouldn’t necessarily wear near you face.

What do you think of the neon trend? would you wear these bright colors or do you prefer neutrals like the ones in my post last week? Are you a pastel lover? I’d love to hear you thoughts.

I’ve included a few shopping links for all things neon. If you don’t like wearing bright colors like this try adding a little splash by wearing neon earrings or by carrying a neon purse. You’ll be right on trend.

These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Spring Trend - Head to Toe Neutral

I thought it would be fun to shop my closet and see what sort of spring trend outfits I could come up with. When I began looking for neutral pieces I couldn’t decide what shade to go for. When I looked at various websites for spring trends, some of the neutral pieces leaned more toward camel than beige, but it doesn’t really matter. You can choose any version of neutral for this look. My neutrals are almost more of a cream than beige, but the effect is the same.

When putting a neutral outfit together, think in terms of texture. Adding texture gives the outfit interest. This is more important when your outfit doesn’t contain any pops of color. Color, whether bright neons or soft pastels makes an outfit speak. When wearing a neutral outfit, it can be too understated without adding textural elements.

This ribbed v-neck sweater I have had for a number of years. The brand is NorthCrest Classic, but was thrifted. The vest I purchased at Kohl’s and is Wallflower brand. I’ll be speaking to crafted pieces, another spring trend, later, but this vest fits the bill. My jeans are Croft and Barrow.

I thought gold would a be good choice for jewelry. I just like the way the gold looks agains the neutral background, but you could have used silver, copper or brass or mixed the metals. You could get a more classy dressed up look by adding a few strings of pearls.

Top handle bags are all the rage for spring. Mine is not as trendy as the stuff out there right now, but I like the patchwork look and the room this bag from Walmart has. It is structured, sturdy and stylish. What more could I want. Okay, maybe a matching wallet with several one hundred dollar bills would be nice. Ha, ha.

These suede Sonoma boots have served me well over the years and really aren’t looking to worn yet. Once again, choosing suede adds texture, although an outfit like this would look fabulous with a cream or beige leather bootie or even an off white. You’d still be staying in the neutral zone with any of those.

The old saying the devil is in the detail would apply when wearing a neutral outfit like this. When picking out pieces for a neutral look, try to add a few things that have texture like a ribbed or cable knit sweater, a piece that is knitted or crocheted or even something with quilting. Also think about details when choosing accessories. Jewelry with fun add ons like feathers or charms, shoes or bags with buckles or interesting stitching all add texture and interest to a neutral outfit.

What do you think of the neutral trend? Will this be a trend you will wear this spring? How do you like to wear your neutrals? I love having your feedback, so leave me some love in the comments. I would also appreciate you telling your friends or family about the blog. Ask them to subscribe.

Have a great Thursday and stay warm. If you follow my faith page, be sure to check back tomorrow for the final installment in my New Year, New Mind, series.

Here are a few neutral pieces for you to shop. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Burgundy Lace Top

As most of you who follow me regularly know, I love color. One of my faves during the colder months is burgundy and maroon. In writing this article I, again, looked up what the difference between these two colors is. Maroon is said to have more of a reddish brown tinge, whereas burgundy leans more towards purple. That being the case, I would say that today’s outfit is burgundy.

I received this pretty lace top from my hubby for Christmas. This is another top from Marshall.s. The lace body is fully lined and the sleeves end in a bell.

This faux leather skirt actually seems to be able to be both burgundy and maroon. Some clothing pieces are like that. The color takes on the hue of whatever it is being paired with.

The rest of the outfit was pretty easy. I went for gold in my accessories. The necklace was also a Christmas gift from my daughter. The woven clutch was thrifted.

I don’t know if the gray tights work. what do you think? I like the combination of gray with burgundy, but I don't know if it takes the outfit level down a notch. I’d love to hear your opinion on that. Along with the gray hose, I went with my heeled suede burgundy shooties.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear something like this? What sort of occasion would you wear it for. I love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

I have included a few shopping links for a few burgundy accessories to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great Thursday. I’ll be adding my faith post tomorrow on the blog, so be sure to look for that.

Have a wonderful weekend.

My Eva Trends Wish List and a Sale

Eva Trends is having a sale right now, so I thought I would share a few of the things on my wish list. If you purchase something with my code AC15 you get 15% off. In addition to that they are giving away a dress with every purchase. This only lasts until the end of January, so if you are at all interested in Eva Trends, you’ll want to take advantage of this great deal.

I have worked with Eva Trends on two different occasions and have enjoyed all the different pieces I was gifted. You can see each of those posts by clicking on the links below:

Asymmetrical Tassel Knit Sweater

Spell Color Cape Sweater

Lace Body Kimono

Eva Trends Dress

Half Collar Sweater Top

Verdant Cardigan

I love that this retailer has so many options. However, their pieces sell out fast and are quickly replaced by other fun, whimsical designs. If you see something you really like I wouldn’t wait to long to snatch it up. With the current sale, my discount and a free dress, now is the time to buy.

Here are a few of my faves:’

Maxi Dresses

Strange Wild Color Print Maxi

Rose Hem Silk Maxi Dress

Karen Button-hole Neck with Floral Print (Yellow)

A-Line Dresses -

Natasha Black and White Striped

Tropics Lady A-Line Dress

Stripes Field A-Line Dress

Tops -

Sarah Round Neck Cactus Sweater

Lenora Stand Neck Vintage Embroidered Shirt

Stripe Hope Bat Sleeve Sweater

I could fill this post with many more items of interest to me from Eva Trends. They have a number of artsy, colorful sweaters and fun things like dungarees and accessories too. Be sure to head on over to Eva Trends to take advantage of this great sale. Don’t forget to use the code AC15 for an additional 15% off your entire order at checkout.

All the items I received from Eva Trends were gifted to me. All opinion are my own.

Have a great day.

Eva Trends - Half Collar Sweater Top

When I first was contacted by Eva Trends to do a collaboration, I immediately went to their site to check out their merchandise. What I found was a large collection of pieces from roomy artistic tops, to lovely lace dresses, to baggy grunge type pants. There really is something for everyone at this retailer. With reasonable price points and rapid turn over of styles there is always something new to look at on their website.

This is the second collaboration I have done with Eva Trends and enjoyed selecting the pieces that I have been sharing with you. Today is my final piece and is called the Half Collar Sweater Top with Dough Twist Stripes.

There are so many pieces that I like, but when I saw this sweater, I thought it would be perfect for the winter. Not only is it a rich, dark red, but I like the looser fit and the half collar. It is not truly a turtle neck, but not a crew next either.

This sweater features drop shoulders, dough stripe or cable knit texturing and flared or bell sleeves. This is a thick sweater and quite warm. This particular sweater is no longer available, but if you click on the link you will see several pages of fun sweaters, many of which would be great for spring.

I decided to style the sweater for this shoot with my plaid ankle pants, however, I wore this to work the other day and wore a pair of boot cut jeans and my dark red, ankle boots. The plaid pants are fun, but with where this sweater ends, adds a great deal of bulk to my widening bottom. Yes, I am one of those people who gained weight over Christmas!

What a face, right?

For accessories I chose my brown, lace up ankle boots, some beaded jewelry and my blue, textured clutch.

Cable knit sweaters are a warm cozy way to dress up an outfit. Layer collared blouses underneath or throw one over a dress. Do you own a cable knit sweater or two? I have a number of sweaters like this with the cable knitting in various colors. How would you style a sweater like this? Would you wear it with jeans, a pencil skirt, leggings or a maxi?

I hope you enjoyed these posts about Eva Trends. If you see something you like be sure to use the code AC15 at check out to receive 15% off your entire order.

These items were gifted to me by Eva Trends. I was not paid to do these posts and all opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Eva Trends - Verdant Cardigan

The word verdant means green with grass or other vegetation or of a bright green color. Today’s featured piece from Eva Trends is just that, a piece reminiscent of the first greens of spring. Who doesn’t look forward to those first green buds of spring after a long, cold winter. While this winter, so far, has been an exception to the usual winters we have, I still look forward to when the cold, drab days, loosen their grip and spring once again claims the land. In the mean time, this sweater is the perfect piece for a cold winter day.

The Verdant Cardigan is a heavy weight sweater made of a cellulose based fiber knows as Viscose. Viscose is not a completely natural fabric such as cotton or silk, but is also not completely man made. The mateiral is plant based and results in a silky, soft fabric used in the manufacture of various clothing pieces as well as upholstery. The resulting fabric hangs well and provides a heavy weight perfect for sweaters or coats.

There are many fun features about this open front cardi besides the material itself. It has pockets that are woven right in, meaning no fear of things coming unattached. The pockets are square and roomy.

Another fun detail is the stitching on the front and sleeves. The back is plain. The length is perfect for office wear or just for a cozy night at home.

For this outfit I decided to put the pretty green sweater over my plaid top from Christopher and Banks. I added my Chico’s slimming pants, my SO olive booties and my Charming Charlie tote bag. The silver and coppery bead necklace finished the look.

This is a very pretty cardigan and I really like it. It will be great for cold, winter days at the office and at home. My only caution is that the sizing runs small. This is a one size item and if you are bigger than a size 12, I would not recommend this particular piece. However, Eva Trends has many other good options, so be sure to head over to their site and do some looking.

If you are interesting in purchasing anything from Eva Trends, if you used the code AC15, you’ll get 15% off your entire order. Their website is filled with fun, eclectic, artistic pieces and I am sure you can find something there to suit your tastes. Just keep in mind their sizing runs a bit smaller than normal.

The Verdant Cardigan was gifted to me. I was not paid to feature these pieces, and I do not receive compensation if you purchase something through these links, but you do get the discount for me featuring their product on my blog. All opinions are my own.

I hope you enjoyed this post and this outfit. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. I so appreciate you ladies that regularly comment on my blog. You always make me feel special!

Have a great Tuesday and be sure to check back tomorrow for my Faith post, When Our Thoughts are a Train Wreck, and on Thursday for my final Eva Trends piece.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

20 Days of Christmas - All the Outfits

I know Christmas is officially over, but many of us still have ongoing celebrations into the New Year with family, so it seemed okay to share with you a post that reviewed all the outfits from my 20 Days of Christmas challenge. Did you have a good Christmas day? Ours was fun. It is always a joyous time when both of my girls are at my home with my son-in-law and my grandson. We even got to have a little grandkitty love on Christmas eve and grandpuppy love on Christmas day.

Today I feel pretty whipped. It is a lot of work to do everything that needs to be done as far as gift buying, wrapping and giving, as well as cooking up a storm. Even that part of it isn’t the hardest thing. I think it is after everything is over and you have a mountain of dishes and bags of wrapping paper to take care of. How about you? Are you feeling tired today? Did you have to go right back to work or do you have some time off? If you are a stay at home mom are you finding things to do with your kids that are keeping them occupied? I would think that the day after Christmas, kids would be content to play with their new toys, but I know that is not always the case. Some of you are even packing to go see family, or maybe you are already on the road. We will be heading out on Friday for the weekend with my in-laws.

Here is a review of all the outfits from my 20 Days of Christmas. It was a fun challenge to encourage myself to think outside the box when it came to the clothes I was wearing for the holidays. I tried to keep each outfit in keeping with the season, but still change them up enough that it wasn’t the same thin over and over.

Enjoy looking at all of these and I hope today is a day you can kick your feet up and relax!

Day 1 - Blue Snowflake

Day 2 - Slip Dress

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Day 3 - Stovepipe Hat Snowman

Day 4 - LuLaRoe Skirt

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Day 5 - Red and Green Flannel

Day 6 - Stripes and Olive

Day 7 - Fair Isle Sweater

Day 8 - Snowflake Tee with Plaid Shirt

Day 9 - Red Plaid Pants

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Day 10 - Reindeer Tee

Day 11 - Snowflake Pin with Red and Green

Day 12 - Joy Sweater

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Day 13 - Reindeer Sweater

Day 14 - Eva Trends Dress

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Day 15 - Sweater with Bling

Day 16 - Buffalo Plaid Tee

Day 17 - Red Velvet Jacket

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Day 18 - Happy Holidays Tee

Day 19 - Floral Velvet Top

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Day 20 - Metallic Snowflake Tee

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I know many stores are having some great after Christmas sales. Are you braving the stores today, or are you staying at home to relax? Whatever you do, have fun!

20 Days of Christmas - Red Velvet Jacket

When you think of Christmas style, what piece in your wardrobe do you think of? Is it a bright green dress, an ugly Christmas sweater or maybe a classic holiday vest with jingle bells and bits of bling? One fabric that always says Christmas and holiday gatherings to me is velvet, or the faux version that we see everywhere these days. The original manufacture of velvet was a complicated and costly process and traditionally was made from silk. Today’s velvet is manufactured at much lower cost, on large machines and is made of various types of fabrics including polyester, nylon, viscose and even spandex. Many of the pieces that make it into our wardrobe in the form of tops are these types and are known as “stretch velvet.”

I found this gorgeous red, velvet jacket at a thrift store and fell in love. The color, the fit and the fact that it is made of velvet compelled me to try it on and once I did, I knew I would be styling it for Christmas and other days throughout the winter. This blazer is a brand called Briggs New York.

I wanted a festive, but casual look with an edge, so I chose my Sonoma camo jeans. I also added a recently purchased long sleeve Croft and Barrow striped tee from Kohl’s. Thanksgiving weekend and the week following are great times to find essentials for yourself while you are shopping for everyone else. Long sleeve tees are sold at great prices, so you can pick up a few. Ha, ha.

I couldn’t make up my mind for jewelry so I went with two necklaces for a layered look. Even though the greens on the necklaces don’t match and the metals are different I think it works.

Since I went with dual necklaces, I went for dual bracelets as well and once again mixed silver and gold. If Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman can do it, why can’t I? I also used my daughter’s minty green clutch. Thank you, Rebecca!

My olive green SO ankle boots are making another appearance. I rolled the hem on my jeans so that the whole boot shows. I like the cut out on these. It makes the boot more interesting and also makes them easier to walk in and easier to get on an off. These have an inside zipper as well. You can see these similar ones at Kohl’s. Right now they are marked down from $49.99 to $34.99. Unfortunately they no longer have olive colored ones. But here are a few olive pairs from Francesca’s, Old Navy and these Sonoma ones at Kohl’s.

One thing I have learned from doing this 20 Days of Christmas Challenge is that many clothing pieces have greater potential than we realize. Who would have ever thought to use camouflage jeans in a Christmas outfit? I’m sure someone thought of it before me, but to me it was new. It has also made me rethink pattern mixing. I love this combination of red stripes with the camo. I also really liked the festive look of last week’s, Eva Trends dress with my plaid shawl/vest. You can see that post here.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear something like this to a Christmas get together?

For those of you who regularly get my emails, I apologize for not sending an email out last week. I have been swamped with work, family responsibilities and Christmas gatherings and preparations. I haven’t forgotten about you and you all are the reason I keep doing this, so thank you. If you don’t get an email, just go to the blog and check for new content. I appreciate it.

Have a great Tuesday everyone.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’ve added a few shopping links for all things red velvet. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few pennies. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

20 Days of Christmas - Eva Trends Dress

Many of you know that I worked with Eva Trends earlier this year on a collaboration where I featured three of their clothing pieces over the course of three posts. I was recently contacted by Eva Trends again and they gifted me three more items to feature on my blog.

Today’s post revolves around the Tori A-Line dress, a light weight piece that really would be perfect for spring and summer. Made of a light weight cotton, this piece will see additional wear in the warmer months. However, since I like to expand my thinking and my wardrobe, I thought it would be fun to layer this dress up for a festive, warm Christmas outfit.

I love the fun pattern on this dress. In keeping with many of Eva Trends silhouettes the dress is an a-line with plenty of room. As the material has no stretch, it is helpful that it has a more voluminous outline. I usually don’t like things this long that don’t have a zipper or buttons, but I had no problem pulling this on and off.

Here are a few pictures without the plaid shawl/vest.

For this particular outfit, I layered a long sleeve lace tee under the top and leggings at the bottom. Layering is the perfect way to make those summer weight pieces usable in the colder months.

Accessories included a navy blue fringe necklace, a burgundy cross body bag and my burgundy ankle boots.

You can see in the above picture the dress has a bit of a high-low hem line. I will say, that when you go to the Eva Trends website the proportions on their models compared to our own bodies might be a little skewed. This is a Chinese company and many of their models are smaller than many of us. This dress in the picture I looked at on line, goes down to the model’s ankles. Ha, ha. As you can see that is not the case with me. However, I love it and can’t wait to do more things with it with belts and vests, jackets and jeans.

To complete my look I added a plaid shawl/vest for extra warmth and some fun pattern mixing. I think this dress is a perfect, festive piece for the Holiday season even if it is light weight. That just means more layers, which I love. I love to get creative in my layering, so I think this worked.

Eva Trends is offering my followers a 15% discount if you go through my website. Just use the code AC15 at check out. Be sure to go to their website. They have some unique, fun pieces that you won’t find any where else. Many of my blogger friends are featuring their pieces. From warm sweaters to interesting trousers to lovely lace dresses and oversized coats, Eva Trends has many different styles to choose from.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that you’ll take some time to shop Eva Trends.

Have a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

20 Days of Christmas - Plaid Pants

Every now and then I have to get outside my comfort box. I have never really liked wearing things that draw attention to my lower half. Especially tight fitting, brightly colored pieces. I prefer a-line dresses to body con styles. If you don’t know, body con is more of a form fitting dress. I prefer dark wash jeans to lighter washes and feel most comfortable in jeans rather than leggings. I don’t wear leggings as pants, or if I do, I have my bum covered. Anyway, when I saw these crazy, red, plaid pants at Target on the clearance rack, I immediately thought of my Christmas challenge.

Those of you who regularly follow me, know I have been doing a monthly column called Outside the Box. These have been posts that I have done to try to challenge myself to get out of my typical fashion mentality. Let’s face it, we all like to be comfortable. Some women are comfortable in heels and dresses. While I can do that, it is not what I turn to when I want to feel secure. My go to, as you know are jeans and cozy sweaters or flannel shirts. But I also know that part of getting older is the urge to get stuck in a rut and not be willing to learn or try new things, thus the idea of getting outside the box.

These plaid pants do not have any green in them, so they will be easily styled with other colors, but I thought they were perfect when paired with a newer Croft & Barrow v-neck cable knit sweater and a thrifted blazer.

This blazer is actually meant to have a double breasted look, but I am too big to button it in that manner. However, when I saw it, it was the buttons on each side that made me want to buy it, that and the color. I think wearing it open, using the buttons for a decoration, works just as well. Since it is more of a forest green, I felt that it keeps the outfit from being too over the top with color.

I decided on silver for my accessories and was excited to remember this large silver pendant necklace that closely resembles a snowflake. That and my SO silver flats and a small silver clutch complete the ensemble.

I think this outfit is festive and fun and would work well for a Christmas office party, or a lunch date with your girlfriends. Would you wear a pair of pants like this? How do you like to dress up for a Christmas party?

I’ve included a few shopping links for more fun plaid prints. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Pantone Fall 2018 Recap

After a series like the Pantone color one, I usually like to do a recap post, to show you all the colors and the outfits I styled using those colors into one post. These colors this season were not what I would call common fall colors. I usually think of fall colors as being richer and darker hues like deep burgundies, earthy browns and garden oranges that make us think of pumpkins and fall leaves. While the Pantone Fall 2018 had a few colors that fit into my typical fall color box they had numerous ones that clearly stepped outside that box. Colors like Limelight, Mellow Rose and Crocus Petal provided a pastel palette choice for those who like to think brighter and lighter when the seasons change.

Enjoy this review of my Pantone Fall 2018 outfits.

What did you think of this color palette this year? Do you like lighter, pastel colors or go for richer, darker colors when fall rolls around? Do you like to think outside the seasonal color rules, or are you like me and look forward to the seasons bringing you back to those colors you are familiar with and enjoy at that time of year? It really doesn’t matter any more. The joy of fashion today is that you can decide what you like to wear at any time of year.

I like that Pantone had added the classic colors to the color palette for each season. It allows me to add a more toned down color to each outfit keeping the outfit colorful, but no overly so. it would be easy to add a touch of any of these colors to a more neutral outfit. For instance, if you wanted to go for a monochrome look using a navy like Sargasso Sea, you could add a little color by throwing on a bright Russet Orange scarf or some Limelight colored beads. If you normally dress in more neutral tones try adding just a touch of color in your accessories to make your outfits more interesting and visible.

I hope you enjoyed this series. Check back on Thursday for more fashion fun.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone Fall 2018 - Limelight, Mellow Rose and Meerkat

Of all the colors on the Pantone Fall 2018 palette, I felt Limelight and Mellow Rose were the least fall-like colors. Once again, I had to think outside the box when pairing these two light pastels together, to make the outfit seem more in keeping with a fall theme. In order to do this, I thought it would be best to pair them with Pantone’s classic color, Meerkat. Meerkat is a warm, orange brown and while it could be used in any season, It makes me think of fall leaves, bonfires and warm apple cider.

Mellow Rose is actually one of two colors that is only found on the London Palette. I am not sure why they added this and Crocus Petal, the two extra colors on their palette, but they are light, airy and more spring like. Maybe it was an attempt at bridging the gap between the seasons and reminding people that the old rules are gone and colors are seasonless.

All of the pieces in this outfit were thrifted except the bag and the boots. The Limelight colored jeans are Talbots brand and are really an ankle pant that I rolled up, so they stop at the top of my boots. The Mellow Rose button up is Izod brand and the long fringe knit vest is a brand called Sun and Shadow. I’ve styled this vest several times before. You can see those posts here and here.

I don’t remember where I got the belt, but I thought it tied in with the boots and bag quite well. I just did a front tuck with the shirt.

This bag I got at Meijer and I am not sure of the brand. It is a nice cross body bag and the embroidery on the front adds interesting color and texture. I think this can be used for all seasons.

These boots are a brand called Sugar and I got them at Kohl’s a few years ago. They are made of a suede type material and add a different look to an outfit because of the single, long, wrap tie.

I just added a simple bead and metal necklace and a bracelet for jewelry. This might be fun with a scarf or even some layered necklaces for a more bohemian look.

Here is a full length view of the vest from behind.

This is the second outfit in this series that I am not completely happy with. These colors are great, just not necessarily together, or for the season of fall. I know, I know, we can wear whatever, whenever, but if I’m not happy with it, then I’m not going to wear it. I’ve worn both of these pieces in the spring and summer. My color leanings are more bold and bright, but if you are a pastel kind of girl, then follow my friend Liz at With Wonder and Whimsy. She loves pastels and wears them all year round!

That’s all for today. Hope you are having a great Tuesday!