Pantone Spring/Summer - 2020 - Faded Denim, Orange Peel and Lark

I must give the creators at the Pantone Color Institute credit for coming up with interesting names for their colors. It is especially mind boggling when they have been doing it for so long. Coming up with new words to describe color has to be no easy task. The name Faded Denim is cute and evokes memories of well worn jean jackets and tattered jeans. Orange Peel, mmmm, can’t you just smell the juicy, citrusy goodness? A Lark is a type of bird and you can see a few images of one here. On seeing the images the color will make perfect sense. On to our outfit.

The Pantone version of Faded Denim is a more of a medium wash denim that has paled a bit from repetitive washing. I chose my light wash Christopher and Banks pop over chambray top, which is a bit lighter than the Pantone color, but it serves the purpose. I’ve used this top on the blog before. You can see how I styled it with white pants, and with a denim vest. Here is a picture without the sweater, which I’ll come back to.

This Lu La Roe maxi skirt has a fun multi-colored print that includes Orange Peel. I like a printed skirt like this because I can match it up with so many different colored tops or sweaters. Even in this situation where the top is not one of the colors in the skirt, it works because the light blue goes well with all of the other colors. You probably could do this with numerous other colors.

I found this Lark (or camel by any other name), colored sweater thrifting. It is Old Navy brand. It has a bit of a grunge vibe, which I like. I thought pairing it with this more dressed up skirt and top gave the look a cozy feel.

This chunky orange necklace was perfect for this outfit and the small little black clutch with heart appliques kept the whole look from being too overwhelming. Some times a big skirt and a big sweater and a big top with a big bag, just gets to be too much.

This black pair of peep toe shoeties from Clarks are so comfy and I like the zipper on the heel. They are very easy to get in and out of.

What do you think of Faded Denim and Orange Peel? Would you wear these colors? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

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

Graphic by Rebecca Trumbull.

Transitional Spring Outfit

Before I get to my Pantone series I decided to do a few more posts featuring transitional spring outfits. If you are unsure what a transitional outfit is, let me explain by first giving you the definition of the word transition. Webster’s online dictionary gives several definitions for this word:

- passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another

- a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another

- a musical passage leading from one section of a piece to another

There are a few other definitions which are not as pertinent to our fashion content. The second definition seems to be the one that suits our needs the best, but I really like the third definition. Aren’t we a musical score, written by an Almighty Creator? The seasonal changes in our natural world and in the fashion world are akin to a piece of music changing and modulating from one section to another.

When it pertains to fashion we enjoy moving from one season to another just as much as we enjoy the change of the nakedness of winter to the covering bloom of spring. We enjoy moving our heavy, dark winter clothes to the back of the closet, or the bins in the basement and pulling out our bright, light weight tops and fun colorful maxi dresses. What often becomes a problem is that period of time when winter has not yet loosened its grip and the chill in the spring air is too cool for our light weight layers. The transition is this time period we, in the midwest, now find ourselves in. We still need our sweaters and our booties, but we crave our bright colors and layers that allow the sun to caress our skin.

Today’s outfit is another attempt at styling a look around a scarf. I have so many pretty, colorful scarves, so I thought why not use them as focal points for outfits.

The beauty of styling an outfit around a colorful scarf like this is it is so easy to do. This scarf has several colors including a light and dark pink, a light purple, a light blue and the orange. I wanted to stay away from pink for this outfit so I chose the orange, light blue and purple to focus on.

My Worthington orange pants have made many appearances on the blog. You can see them worn with a green sweater, a floral dress, and a print top. Worthington is a JC Penney brand and I find them to be a good brand if you are looking for durable, decent fitting work/dress pants.

My light blue Sonoma tee was a thrift find. I typically wear these crew neck or v-neck types of tees as layering pieces under sweaters or long sleeve button ups during the winter, but for a transitional outfit like this it was perfect to wear on its own, or in this case with a vest.

The above picture gives you a closer view of the scarf. It is a large square, which I folded into a triangle. The point point of the triangle is at the front. The two other long, narrow points fold towards the back and then around to the front. I tied those into a double knot over the bib part of the triangle.

I chose this open weave black marled vest to go with the black lines in the scarf. This vest is Croft and Barrow brand from the Kohl’s clearance racks a number of years ago. (I am not sure what was going on with my pants, but please don’t judge my crotch ailment — ha, ha! Probably because they are a little tight, bleh!)

This Nicole Miller bag was another Kohl’s clearance find a few years ago. It has appeared on the blog numerous times. I chose it for its purplish color. I also opted for a few purple bangle bracelets to add to the purple vibe of the scarf.

I chose my tasseled Dana Buchman loafers as I thought they went with the vest and as you learned earlier this year, loafers are back in.

Do I have you thinking about those pretty scarves in your closet? Do you have a few that you feel qualify as spring scarves due to their color and weight? I think it would be fabulous if you built an outfit around one of those scarves and told me about it in the comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts on how you put a transitional spring outfit together, using one of your scarves.

As usual, I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, which means when you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a few more cents. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

I hope you week is off to a good start.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for another post on my Faith page, where we are working our way very slowly through Romans chapter 8. In addition if you follow my Fashion pages, Thursday will feature another transitional spring outfit, this time with a new maxi dress I got from a local retailer before the stay at home order went into effect.

Have a good day!

Transitional Spring Outfit

Spring time in my area is a carousel ride of fluctuating temperatures and weather which makes getting dressed any given morning like playing the lottery. The best way I have found to adapt to these changeable days is to think layers. As opposed to winter layering that is full of heavy long sleeved tees and bulky sweaters, spring layering is more about lighter layers. Fabrics like cotton or cotton polyester blends are ideal for light layers and still give you mobility while keeping you warm.

Today’s outfit was what I wore on Saturday for our Easter celebration. I wanted something casual and comfortable, but still flexible enough to cook a big dinner and do all the clean up afterwards. I also wanted layers that would be warm, but not so warm I would be peeling them off when the oven was on cooking the turkey.

Transitional dressing usually means you are moving from one season to another and you are in between one wardrobe and another. The move from winter to spring in my area is usually still chilly and even downright cold. Rain, snow showers and wind are common place during the months of March, April and once in a rare while into May. Many people who have a capsule type wardrobe can have all of their clothes in their closet at one time. For those of us who are clothes horses, we need to move out the winter wardrobe and move in the summer wardrobe. I usually don’t do this until the weather is consistently above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold weather clothes spend much more time in my closet than my warm weather clothes, unfortunately. Ha ha.

In this outfit I am wearing two lightweight cotton long sleeve tees. The striped tee you can see is a.n.a. brand and was a purchase this past fall from JC Penney. They had a good sale on long sleeve tees and I bought a few. Underneath the striped tee is along sleeve thrifted light pink tee which is Old Navy brand.

My pretty floral kimono is David & Young brand and a DSW clearance find. Don’t be afraid to look at the accessory sections at different stores. You never know what you might find. The thing that drew me to this piece was the print, the colors and the tassels.

My jeans are Rock & Republic from Kohl’s. I have several pairs of these and love all of them. These are more stretchy and like jeggings rather than jeans. My other pairs are regular denim.

Once again, my chunky burgundy necklace is making an appearance. I love the way it looks with this outfit and I also love the print mix of this outfit. Stripes and florals are one of the easiest and most popular print mixes.

I thought these Spirit ankle boots were a good choice for this look. They are comfortable and yet stylish with a faux suede finish and low heel.

This Massini saddle bag was purchased from clearance at Meijer a while back. I’ve styled this with an outfit before on the blog. You can see that post here.

I hope you enjoyed this outfit. What do you wear to transition from winter to spring? Are you still wearing layers where you are, or is it warm? I’d love to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment below.

I hope you all are well and managing to stay healthy and mentally sound, which isn’t easy to do in these times we are in. I have good days and bad days, but we all need to give ourselves grace. These are difficult times, so set small goals and try to get outside.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for stopping by the blog.

Spring Trends 2020 - Outfit Inspiration - Pinstripes, Leather and Loafers

This outfit was inspired by a Kenneth Cole ad from an In Style magazine, three years ago. I often pulled pages from magazines I had subscriptions to in the past. For a while it was Women’s Day, then Better Homes and Gardens and more recently In Style. I rarely did anything more than look at pictures, so thought a better use of my money was to put it towards thrifting rather than magazine subscriptions. Ha, ha. Anyway, when I came across this ad, which was for shoes, I thought the outfit was rather cute and it fit the bill for a number of the spring trends.

There are several spring trends going on in this outfit. The metallic, blush leather jacket fits right into the bright and light leather trend for spring. I got this cute cropped moto jacket at Nordstrom Rack last year, after I had gotten a gift card. It is a brand called, Coffee Shop NY.

My Mickey Mouse crop top is a thrifted Disney tee. In the original add, the model had on a cropped sweater, that was really cute, but I didn’t seem to have one that was the right length.

My pinstriped button up is a men’s Izod brand and another thrift find. I have fallen in love with oversized button up shirts, either men’s or women’s it doesn’t matter, as long as it is slightly large. When I think of something being oversized, I go for a piece that has sleeves that are long enough they might need to be rolled once. The shirt, especially a button up will be fully or at least partially covering my butt. I also look for something that isn’t too wide. There is a fine line, I believe, as to what looks cute as something oversized and what merely makes us look like, a “walking pile of laundry”, as my husband says. An oversized shirt like this can be worn by itself, under a sweater with part of it hanging out and as a jacket over a cute tee or cami. Be creative. There are lots of fun button ups at the thrift stores.

My skinny jeans are a clearance find from Kohl’s and are Vera Wang brand. They are a bit tight right now. Ladies, I am just being real here. This whole weight thing is a real struggle. It isn’t that I think being larger is a bad thing. I think every individual has to be comfy in their own skin. The best thing is to be healthy and you can do that at 250 pounds or 110 pounds. My biggest struggle is eating junk. It seems like it is worse lately. All I want is chips, bread and sweets, and I don’t even get a period any more. Anybody else out there struggle like this?

I wanted to wear some sort of necklace, but didn’t want to interfere with Mr. Mouse, so I chose this very old letter pendant necklace. I’ve had this for years, and it still holds its shine.

This American Living bag was a thrift find. It can be used like a doctor bag with the short handles or worn as a cross body bag with the longer strap. I really do like bags that have this versatility.

In the original ad, the model had on black heeled boots, but I wanted to bring in another trend that is back in the fashion world, that of loafers. I used to think I wasn’t really much of a loafer fan, but then I started looking through my shoes and realized, somewhere along the way, I changed my mind. From the traditional loafer to loafer heels, to loafer mules, these simple shoes are a wardrobe staple and can be worn with everything from skinny jeans, to crop pants to skirts and dresses. They are great for work, especially if you find a comfy pair and have to be on your feet a lot. This pair of loafers is another Kohl’s clearance find and is Dana Buchman brand. They are made of a tweedy material.

I hope you enjoyed today’s outfit. Inspiration can come from all sorts of places, so be sure to look at those magazines while you are waiting at your dentist appointment, or check out Pinterest for tons of outfit combinations. You can check out my Pinterest boards as well and see what sorts of outfits, inspire me.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 - Lemon Verbena & Aspen Gold

Today we are finishing up the Pantone Spring/Summer series with two lovely yellows: London’s Lemon Verbena and New York’s Aspen Gold. It wasn’t my first choice to pair these two colors together, but as I went along, picking out outfits and pairing colors, I decided that pairing the two yellows, was the prefect combination for a bright outfit that epitomizes the changes in the weather as we transition from spring to summer. The sun shines more, (hopefully), the skies are blue and we are looking to spending more time outdoors.

I have become an avid fan of yellows of any shade and have accumulated a number of pieces across seasons. I especially love the deeper shades that are reminiscent of sun flowers and daffodils, but lighter, lemon yellows, or tangier, mustard yellows are fun as well. Perhaps what draws me to it, is its ability to lift my spirits and make me think of sunshine, which I am in dire need of by this time of year. This spring seems especially bad, with all the rain we have been getting.

This Liz Claiborne 3/4 length sleeve cardi was a recent thrift find and so was the Chaps tee. I love the lacy detail on the front panels of the sweater and the yoke on the tee. Details like that just make an outfit look even more special. Once again, I got these two pieces separately, so I didn’t know until I paired them, that they both had that lace detailing. It just shows, once you have developed your fashion likes you will often reach for them. I love lace or things that look lacy. As I have shared with you before, I also love embroidery, which brings me to my neutral ankle pants.

These are also Liz Claiborne, but I got them on the clearance rack at JC Penney. I absolutely love the fit, fabric and details on this neutral pair of ankle pants. They are a light weight, chino type material and because they are a tan color, will go with so many tops. You can’t go wrong, having a neutral pair of pants in your wardrobe, spring, summer, winter or fall, a pair of pants like these can prove very useful.

This fun little necklace, used to belong to one of my daughters, but she didn’t want it any more. I like the hippy vibe and that there is a yellow cord mixed in. You can also see the detailing on the tee and the sweater more closely in this picture.

In keeping with my neutral feel for this outfit, I chose my large woven Sonoma tote bag. Once again, the fun details in the braiding and fringe, as well as the coppery threads, make this a great piece, especially for a day at the beach. This was a clearance find at Kohl’s.

The only other jewelry I added was a beaded bracelet with tones of tan, brown and red.

These Massimo sneakers were another thrift store find. I found these and the cream pair that I wore in the first Pantone outfit from this series at a Goodwill store. They had never been worn and still had the tags on them. I think the chocolate metallic color of these is rather fun! Do you have any metallic shoes. Hmmmm! Sounds like another idea for a blog post, don’t you think?

What do you think of these two colors? Do you like yellow? I never used to wear yellow, but now it has become a favorite of mine.

On Thursday, I hope to do a recap of all the Pantone colors. I’d love to hear which of them were your favorites.

I am including a few shopping links for all things yellow. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 - Toffee & Mango Mojito

I am continuing my Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 series with two more fun colors called Toffee and Mango Mojito. I was glad to see this lighter brown on the palette this year. Usually brown doesn’t show up until fall and often it is more of an orangey brown, so this brown is a perfect neutral. I absolutely love this pretty yellow and I think the name is perfect. It makes me think of sunflowers and sunshine and what could be more reminiscent of summer.

I didn’t really have anything that was this particular brown. As I have said before, when I talked about Brown Granite in the last Pantone post I did, I like brown, but it is not something I have a lot of in my closet. For this Toffee color, I decided to use my Worthington leopard print skirt. Animal prints are still in, so hang onto your snakeskin, zebra and leopard.

When I saw this Apt. 9 tee at a thrift store, I chose it for the color alone, not realizing how perfectly it would mimic the Mango Mojito color. Then when I chose the skirt, I knew this tee would be the right piece to pair with it.

As with any outfit, accessories can make everything even better. I’ve had this thrifted white jean jacket by Sanctuary, for a few years and pull it out every now and then for the warmer weather. I thought it was the perfect topper for this outfit.

I kept my other accessories simple and earthy in keeping with the leopard print. A black pendant necklace, a beaded bracelet and my woven basket bag with black trim seemed the perfect accompanying pieces for this outfit. Do you own a basket bag? They are fun, and much more versatile than I once thought, especially in the summer.

I decided to wear these thrifted loafers to keep the look more casual. You could easily take this outfit up a notch by adding a sweater instead of the jacket, a sparkly clutch and heels, along with some jewelry with a bit more bling. As is, it is a nice outfit for work.

We had fun taking these pictures inside a local mall that is no longer a “normal” mall.

What sort of photos do you like best? Outdoor or indoor? I’ve always been a fan of natural light, but I think these indoor shots are kind of fun, don’t you?

Do you like these Pantone colors? I think Mango Mojito is one of my favorites. I know not everyone will like it, because not everyone can wear it, but remember, you don’t have to wear a color that’s not really good with your complexion, you can always carry it in the form of a bag, wear it on your feet, or even tie a scarf in the color to your purse.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which means, when you click on a link, I get a few pennies. All opinions are my own. Thanks for all of your support. If you know someone you think might enjoy my blog, be sure to tell them about it. If you aren’t already a subscriber, please subscribe. It keeps my blog going.

Have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 - Pink Peacock & Pressed Rose

Today’s Pantone Spring/Summer colors include a hot pink and a pastel pink. Pink Peacock could be a close cousin of fuchsia and reminds me of the bright pink flowers that begin to appear in many people’s gardens at this time of the year. Pressed Rose is a medium pink that appears only on the London color palette as a companion to New York’s Sweet Lilac. To me it is a more adult version of pink, that almost any woman could wear.

For this series, I thought it would be fun to pair colors that had similar roots, so for this pairing it was pink with pink. You will see another post where I pair yellow with yellow. Whereas, in last Thursday’s post with Turmeric and Sweet Lilac, the colors were quite different, almost to the point of being too different to put together. However, as we are beginning to realize with many fashion faux pas, never say never.

This bright pink thrifted, Worthington sweater was a purchase I made, just for this series. I have a number of bright pink things, but nothing seemed quite right, a little too red, or a little too purple, so when I saw this for a dollar I snapped it up without even trying it on. I like the ribbing around the neck line. Little added details like that are part of what make clothes special.

This David & Young kimono was a clearance find from DSW. Who thinks to shop for kimonos at a shoe store? Me, that’s who. Ha, ha. They have all sorts of great accessories there, like bags, wallets, key chains and of course shoes!

It is hard to see in these pictures, but the kimono’s flowers include the Pressed Rose color. I like the fringy details on the sleeves and it is also on the hem line. This will be a great topper for the warmer weather.

For this outfit I decided to try finding a piece that would mimic the Brown Granite color from the classic neutral palette. It is not often we see an actual brown on this palette. More often they choose a gray. I was disappointed there wasn’t a gray, but then I realized it would force me to think outside my box again. I actually like brown and my hubby loves when I wear it as it brings out my brown eyes, however, it is hard to find brown pieces that aren’t just drab and boring.

I got these brown Worthington trousers at JC Penney. You can obviously tell, I have a lot of Worthington pieces. For me it is a brand that fits my figure pretty well and has a lower price point. I think they make great work wear pieces. Here are a few pairs of pants in various colors: gray, various, bright pink, pull on skinny (similar to the orange ones from last Thursday’s post). This pair is more of a wide leg and very comfortable.

These cute ankle boots I found at Kohl’s in the clearance section. Do you shop clearance? It really pays off at Kohl’s as long as you don’t mind getting stuff at the end of the season. I don’t worry about being spot on as far as the trends and timing. I like what I like and I will wear it, whether it is trending or not.

Along with my light pink ankle boots I grabbed my little pink clutch, and added a few simple pieces of jewelry to keep the kimono and sweater center stage.

What do you think of these colors? Do you wear pink? My husband does not like pink, not even on me, but I wear it anyway. I’m such a bad wife. Ha, ha. But he puts up with me and loves me even in my pink moments.

As always, I’ve included a few shopping links for all things pink! Enjoy shopping. These are affiliate link, which means I get a few cents when you click on a link. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Print Mixing Mash Up - Checked Trousers - Outfit 1

This week the Print Mixing Mash up features a pair of Worthington black and gray checked trousers. The checkered pattern on these is very subtle, but it is definitely a print, rather than a solid. Worthington has been making reliable dress pants and women’s work clothes for JCPenney since 1985. I have several pairs of their pants, and they are long lasting, wrinkle resistant and fit pretty well.

I have had these pants for many years and have worn them to work and for special outings where I need to be more dressed up. I wanted this first look to be a bit more casual, so chose a thrifted, pinkish red, Merona, gingham blouse, along with my City Streets floral bomber jacket, also from JCPenney. So, yes, I am mixing three prints here. Ha, ha. See how easy it becomes after a little practice.

The prints on the blouse and the trousers are almost an exact match for size, which gives the outfit a more uniform look, even though they are a different color. With the floral bomber on top it pulls the two colored prints together.

This black and gold fringe necklace on a berry colored cord was the perfect accompaniment.

Hello, again, my favorite ballerina flats. These SO flats have a memory foam footbed that make them very comfy. Right now Kohl’s is having a sale on these for only $19.99. They also added a few new colors, so if you are looking for a fun, comfy flat check those out here.

It used to be the trend to match our bags with our shoes. Now the trend has gotten away from that, but every once in a while, I like to match. It just makes an outfit looks polished and balanced. This NY & Co tote was a thrift find. Do you like to match your shoes with your bag? Do you carry the same purse all the time, or do you like to change them frequently? My hubby put me on a purse fast, because I have so many. I keep telling myself I need to use more of them, so they aren’t just laying around, but I get lazy and don’t want to take the time to change everything to a different bag. Ha, ha. How about you? Are you a purse hog like me?

What do you think of this outfit? Do you have a pair of printed trousers, jeans or ankle pants in your closet? How about grabbing a few of your printed tops or jackets and see what new combinations you can come up with.

I’ve included a few shopping links for Worthington pants and floral bombers. Have fun shopping. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Print Mixing Mash Up - Plaid Bomber Jacket - Outfit 1

If you are just joining me here on my blog, I am doing a series on print mixing. Week one focused on a yellow and white long sleeved tee ( Outfit 1, Outfit 2). Week two focused on a printed skirt (Outfit 1, Outfit 2). You can see the original posts for each outfit, by clicking on the links. My goal for each of these outfits is to show you three things: 1) You don’t have to spend buckets of money to look fashionable and be trendy, 2) Print mixing is not that hard, and 3) Your ability to print mix starts in your own closet. The only way I learned to print mix was practice, just like so many things in life that we aren’t born with an innate knowledge of.

This week’s outfits revolve around a plaid bomber jacket. I found this fun piece at Eden Fashion Boutique. It was marked down and I also had a coupon, so it was one of those win, win combos. Eden is a local boutique with stores in Sylvania, Ohio and Bowling Green, Ohio. I did a post on the Sylvania location and if you are interested, you can read about that here.

My daughter and I were doing some thrifting and shopping in Bowling Green and stopped in at their location. We both tried on numerous fun pieces and I bought this bomber jacket and a long sleeve tee that I posted on Instagram last Thursday.

The plaid jacket is a mix of orange and blue stripes on a gray background. I thought it would be fun to pair it with a print containing those same colors. When I came across this longer denim skirt, I thought to give it a try. While, I think the print mix works, I really don’t like the silhouette of the outfit. Just a little too baggy for my taste.

Here you can see the mix of prints closer up.

The fact that the outfit was going to be ultra casual made me reach for this olive hobo bag that I have used on the blog before. It is always fun to add a pretty brooch or two, to an otherwise more plain piece, whether it be a blouse, a jacket, a scarf or a bag like this one.

I also decided to wear my Seven Dials black combat boots. The reason I chose these was to bring together the black and white cuffs and collar on the jacket with the shoes.

To keep the edgy look I went for a necklace that I have had for many years. A combination of metal and beads, I like that it has a utility look to it.

The dark orange tee is a thrifted Chico’s tee. It really brings out the orange in the plaid jacket, as well as the rusty orange floral print of the skirt. This is another way to bring printed pieces together in a harmonious blend. (Yes, I am listening to Celtic music right now and I love the harmonies in their music, whether instrumental or vocal.) Pick a solid piece that is a common color in both pieces. You’ll see this idea again in Thursday’s post with this same jacket.

As always, I love to hear your thoughts on these outfits. Is this something your would wear? Do you like denim skirts? Do you like skirts that are this length or shorter? Do you have a bomber jacket that you like to wear? I value your input, so leave a comment or two below.

My hubby and I had a nice weekend away, but now I am fighting the crud. I was hoping to get through the whole winter without getting sick, but my grandson and daughter both got it, so I had to join the fun. Hope this post finds you all well.

Have a great Tuesday.

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.

Spring Transition - Layering with a Vest

There are other ways to keep warm in the spring, besides adding jackets, although with our crazy weather, a light weight jacket is a perfect option. This week, however, I wanted to include a vest in the spring transition mix. Wearing a vest is a great way to add a layer, not only for warmth, but to add interest to an outfit. 

There are all sorts of vest options, ranging from heavy weight knits to lighter chiffon styles, as well as those that are more structured. Vests range in size from short to long, streamline to those with extra material made to cascade down the front. For today's post I am using a longer knit vest.

This long, brown knit vest is a piece I picked up at a thrift store. It is a brand called Fever. It has a belt, so can be belted for a different look. I usually wear it open, although, I think it would have worked just as well for this outfit if it had been closed and belted. I keep the belt attached and have one side tied to the belt loop to keep it from slipping out. Doing this keeps the belt with the vest and gives me the option of tying it, should I desire. 

These plaid ankle pants I have styled on the blog before. You can see that post here. I am a firm believer that as many pieces as possible, in my closet, should be able to be worn over and over as different outfits. Obviously a pair of pants is still a pair of pants, but one time it can be styled with a long knit vest and the next time with a chambray shirt. One time it can be worn with boots and the next time with sandals. Try to look at those pieces in your wardrobe as the beautifully versatile things they are, and start imagining all the many ways you can change them up to style whole new outfits. 

The royal blue, short sleeve embellished sweater is a favorite from Christopher and Banks. I like that I don't have to worry about jewelry, although in this case, I did add a simple bead on a leather strap. The bead has brown, gold, navy and bright blue flecks and really pulls the whole outfit together. 

I decided on my ivory Simply Vera Wang cross body bag for my purse choice. It is quality leather and simple enough to go with any outfit. For my shoes I went with my newer Sonoma perforated peep toe heeled sandals. 

Here is another shot of the whole outfit.

This is a great outfit for work, or even for a lunch date with the hubby or friends. What do you think of this outfit? Do you own a pair of plaid pants and you have been wondering how to wear them? Do you like to wear vests? I'd love to hear from you. I always appreciate the input and I always respond to your wonderful comments. I learn a lot from you all so keep up the feedback.

I've included a few shopping links below. Please feel free to click around and see what options are out there. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog. 

Have a great day. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Spring Transition - Bomber Jacket Outfit

Last week, I started a series on transitional outfits that take us from winter to spring to summer. Last week's post featured a red jacket worn with a graphic tee, bootcut jeans and peep toe sandals. You can see that post here.

What exactly makes an outfit transitional? An outfit becomes transitional when it crosses over one season to the next or when it takes you from a daytime work wear look, to a night time date look. Usually, an outfit that transitions will incorporate different layers and things that can be taken off or swapped out easily for a different look. 

For today's look I chose another outfit from a Chico's catalogue that inspired me. This look centers around a summery dress, worn like a tunic over leggings, topped by a bomber jacket. 

I've styled this Simply Vera dress before on the blog, when we went to Florida, last December. You can see that post here. I found this cute piece on the clearance rack at Kohl's a few season's back. Here, and here are few cute styles for this season. 

This black bomber I picked up somewhere and I don't remember where! Ha, ha. It is an off brand, but I'll provide a few shopping links for jackets, bags and shoes at the end. 

These black leggings became mine, when I shopped a friend's closet. They are super comfy and thick, but not too thick. I am more inclined to wear leggings at this transitional time, as they are warm, but not overly warm. 

I chose my purply blue agate pendant necklace. I received this as a gift and it is one of my favorite pendant necklaces to wear because of its unique color and shape. Here are some very pretty options from an Etsy seller. i might need to buy myself another one, or two!

For my bag I chose this beauty that I've featured before on the blog. I really love the color and the texture of this pretty clutch, that my younger daughter gave me. It also has a strap so I can wear it as a cross body bag. It goes perfectly with the bluish green in the dress. 

I'm loving these peep toe shoeties from Clarks. They are not only cute, but comfy and the zipper up the back makes them pretty easy to get on and off. 

Here's a look at the outfit without the jacket. If it gets too warm, just take the jacket off and you have a light weight sleeveless dress. If it got real warm, you could take the leggings off as well. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you have any light weight summer dresses that you are dying to wear, but don't feel that it is quite warm enough yet. This is the perfect way to extend the wearability of those pretty summer styles and still be warm and comfy. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog. Leave me some love and don't forget to check out my Instagram and Pinterest pages. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen. 

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own. 

Tuesday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb, Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Thursday linking up with Jacqui of Mummabstylish.  Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. 

Old Becomes New - Multi-print Tunic

For those of you who are just joining me on the blog, this Thursday column is focused on pieces that have been hanging around my closet that I rarely reach for. In March and April I devoted two posts to a suit wear jacket that I had thrifted from a few years ago. You can see those posts here and here. My final decision on the jacket was to get rid of it. I feel as though I gave it my best shot to style it various ways, seeing whether it gave me that "this is it" feeling. It never did, and after reading so many of your helpful comments, I decided to let it go. Cue Elsa! (That is Elsa from the movie Frozen, for those of you who still might be living in a cave, like me!)

This post I am devoting to an east 5th tunic that I got at JC Penney a few years ago. I love the colors, but for some reason, just wasn't sure how to style it. 

When I pulled it out, I almost immediately thought of my Apt. 9 faux lace black ankle pants. The reason I decided on these had to do with the weight of the fabric and that there were no pockets or buttons that might stick out. They are light weight, so perfect for a transitional spring outfit. 

The black knit knee length vest is a brand called harve benard which I got on clearance at Kohl's. I feel like this vest is fairly versatile, because it is an open weave and not too heavy, so can be used in most seasons.

Here you can see the bold, fun print. I wore a fringe bead necklace that blended in. I think next time I will go for something green. Speaking of the green, that was exactly why I chose my green axcess bag.

For shoes, I chose my comfort plus heels. 

What do you think of this tunic? Would you keep this, if it was in your closet? I'd love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two. 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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.