My Favorite Animal...Print, I Mean

I thought it would be fun to show you some of my own leopard print pieces. I would say, out of all the different animal prints, leopard is probably my favorite with snakeskin print being the second. I have never been into zebra print. I love the animals and think it is very pretty in home decor, but the jazzy black and white stripes never seemed to appeal to my fashion preferences. But never say never.

Over the last few years I have been drawn to leopard print and have found a few fun pieces, some of which you have seen already. The first piece I acquired was a leopard print skirt. This was a JC Penney find and is Worthington brand. The first picture was from spring of 2016; the second is just this fall.

See original post here.

See original post here.

I also snatched up another leopard print skirt at a thrift store. Why do I need two leopard print skirts that are almost the same as far as shape and length? I could say the colors are a bit different and the second has a richer texture because it is corduroy, but in all honesty, I just forgot that I had the first one when I saw the second one in the thrift store. Ha, ha. This one is Jones, NY brand.

See original post here.

The next piece I acquired was a thrifted 3/4 length sleeve cardigan sweater. I liked the extra classy feel of the black band around the hem, sleeves and buttons. This is a brand called Karen Scott.

See original post here.

One of my favorite pieces you have seen recently on the blog and that is my leopard print blazer from JC Penney. This is a faux velvet piece and while it is not rigidly structured, it has enough shape to make it look classy. Thus far I have only styled it casually, but I think I will think about a more dressed up look.

See original post here.

See original post here.

If you are interesting in reading those original posts, just click on the links below the pictures. You might have fun seeing how different my hair was before I decided to start growing out my gray. Ha, ha.

I have a few other leopard print pieces for accessories including a pair of flats from Christopher and Banks and a scarf.

See original post here.

See original post here.

Those are my current leopard print treasures. I’m hoping at some point to acquire a pair of booties and a bag of some sort, but I’m in no hurry. I think leopard print is here to stay.

Do you have a favorite animal print? What ways do you like to wear those types of prints. I’d love to hear from you. Leave me some love or a few sassy remarks about my past pictures in the comments. Ha, ha.

Have a great weekend!

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

Girls' Night Out - Eden Fashion Boutique

This past Thursday a local small business, Eden Fashion Boutique, was hosting a Girls’ Night Out party at their downtown Sylvania, Ohio location. Eden Fashion Boutique was the brain child of Katie Thompson and originally started in Bowling Green, Ohio, but their cute little retail store has expanded to include the Sylvania location. In addition, they have an online shop that features the same pieces they have in store, so if you like to shop from home, be sure to check out their site.

The Eden Fashion Boutique in downtown Sylvania is a small space that packs a big punch. From the stylish mannequins in the windows to the racks filled with items grouped by color, I couldn’t help but feel the need to try on every item in the store. Mustard and sunflower yellows, cedar greens, rich burgundies and classic black and whites filled the racks with the warm and cozy textures of fall and on coming winter.

The obvious idea behind this party was to bring your girl friends and have an intimate shopping experience while enjoying wine and snacks.

The party was timed from 5 to 9 so Rebecca and I got there right about 5:30. When we first walked in there were only a few other people in the store, but before we knew it, Eden was hopping. Rebecca had contacted Katie ahead of time and asked if she would be up for having us take pictures, try things on and so on. Katie was all about it and when I met her in person I was so impressed with her positive and energetic spirit.

Katie’s background is marketing and organizational development. A stay at home mom for nine years she was inspired to fill a need in her community.

“I wanted an uncluttered, curated place to shop with unique pieces that were affordable. And since that didn’t exist, I decided to create it myself!”

This wasn’t something that came about on a whim. Eden has their own branding statements that include their vision and mission. Their mission statement will ring true with many of my fellow bloggers:

“We strive to encourage, empower, and inspire women….” This statement is supported by the space Eden occupies, the clothing sold there, the people who serve the customers and the customers themselves. Shopping at Eden is not like going to the mall. It is an intimate, relaxed and positive experience.

That positivity translates into the boutiques from the friendly and helpful staff, to the signs on the walls, to the cute stickers they use to tape the tissue they wrap each purchased item in when it goes into your bag.

Picture from my cell phone.

They were having a special sale that evening, if you bought three items you got one free. With Rebecca’s birthday coming up this weekend, I told her to pick out two items and I would pick out two items. Let the shopping commence.

Don’t ask me to pose and shop at the same time! This is serious business! Ha, ha.

There were so many delicious pieces that it was hard to not try everything on. I told Katie I was going to have to come back for my own personal style session and do just that.

These were a few of the things I tried on.

This fuzzy cardigan was like wrapping yourself inside a blanket. What could be better in the winter than a stylish fuzzy blanket with arms? I loved the color.

These were a pair of their pull on jeans. The fit was nice and the material soft and flexible. Rebecca ended up with a pair of these. This sweat shirt is just another example of the positivity vibe of this store.

I’m just loving this brown mustard yellow color. The turtleneck is so soft to the touch and the sweater is another fun piece I would love to add to my wardrobe. I ended up with the turtleneck. It has an asymmetrical neck line. That and the soft fabric sold me.

I’ll be styling this on the blog later this week. I also bought a dark green pullover sweater that will be making an appearance on the blog as well.

This was a fun event and I hope to make Eden a more frequent stop. They keep their collections moving, so there are always new items to check out. The clothing seems to be well made, the price points are not bad and the shopping experience is intimate and fun. I will definitely be back.

I hope you enjoyed this look at one of my home town’s local small businesses and if you have the time, check out their online store. If you are ever in the area, this is a retail business worth checking out.

You can also visit Eden on their facebook page or their Instagram account.

Have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Outfit Inspiration - Plaid Trousers with Green

This outfit is another product of perusing a Christopher & Banks add that I had gotten in the mail. The add contained an outfit consisting of a pair of plaid pants, a cardigan, a short sleeve tee and a button up blouse with a collar. Since I am such a layering fanatic in the winter, due to living in a drafty old house and living in the mid west, I thought this would be a fun and different way to add multiple light layers. This layering not only adds warmth, but creates visual interest and additional texture, for an outfit that is clearly work appropriate, and also date night ready.

Plaid is in again and seems to be a recurring pattern in the fashion realm. Whether it is the light and bright plaids of spring and summer checks or the more expected flannel and buffalo plaids of fall, plaid is a pattern everyone can wear. With plaid shirts, pants, skirts and jackets there are plenty of choices for your closet.

I found this pair of Mossimo brand trousers at a thrift store. I like the wider legs, but it was the plaid pattern and the bright green stripes that had me throwing them in my cart. The picture below was to show off my dark brown Life Stride boots, but it also gives you a close up of the plaid colors.

Seeing as the pants have both a light green and a dark green stripe I was able to draw from several different greens in my closet. The Sonoma tee shirt is fairly old and is often worn during the warmer months as it is relatively light weight. The long sleeve gingham that I am wearing underneath is Jaclyn Smith and was thrifted. The cardigan was also thrifted and is Old Navy.

Because the tee had that touch of purple I added the purple bead and metal necklace for a contrasting splash of color.

I really like these greens with the purple. Even though I typically would associate these colors more with spring or summer I think they work well for fall and brighten things up, which really helps on a dreary day.

This shoulder bag is another thrift store find and is Liz Claiborne brand.

I like when the strap on a bag is long enough that I can use it either as a shoulder bag or a crossbody bag. It’s okay to occasionally have it both ways! Ha, ha.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this outfit. Do you like to wear plaid? What sorts of plaid items do you have in your closet. In addition to my plaid pants I have a few tops that are plaid, including a few flannel ones. How about you? Not all patterns are liked by everyone, but there are other ways to embrace a trend like florals or plaid, just think less is more. Carry a plaid bag, wear a plaid scarf or even a pair of plaid socks and then roll your pant cuffs so the socks are just peeking out.Everyone will think you are so on trend and you didn’t have to make a big investment.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Until next time.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Summer Maxi Dress for Fall

I’m sure many of you have heard about transitional dressing. This has to do with taking a clothing piece from one season and changing it up to make it wearable in the next season. With our seasons here in the mid west being so varied, it is essential to have pieces that can be worn for more than one season. Perhaps that is one of the reasons I love jeans. You can wear them any time of year. Ha, ha. However, this is not going to be a post about jeans. You already know how much I love those! This post focuses on a summer maxi dress that was a new purchase from late last spring.

Some of you who regularly follow me might remember this dress from my summer series on maxi dresses. You can see the whole dress and the original post here. This bohemian style maxi boldly stated it wanted to come home with me when I saw it on the rack at Nordstrom Rack this past May. I knew as soon as I tried it on that it would be a versatile piece and would easily take me from summer into fall.

In order to make the light weight dress fall ready I decided I needed layers. I knew I wanted to style it with knee high boots to add warmth on the lower level. While I didn’t wear tights for this photo shoot, I would add them if I was going to have the dress on for a longer period of time.

I do love wearing boots. They are a great way to change up an outfit and add warmth. With so many styles from ankle booties to over the knee types what is not to love. And now there are so many more colors!

Here are a few brown pairs, that I like at decent price points.

To add layers at the top I chose this thrifted sunflower yellow sweater cardigan. The brand name is Callaway. A simple cardigan adds a warm layer without a lot of bulk and they come in so many pretty prints and colors. Here are a few to look at. With Christmas coming, I am sure you need ideas for all those girls on your list. Ha, ha.

In addition to the sweater I also grabbed my thrifted brown moto jacket. I have styled this many times on the blog. It is one of my favorite thrift finds and most often I wear it as an extra layer in the winter time, rather than as an outerwear jacket. For this particular fall day this and the sweater were just the right amount of layers.

Here are a few shopping options.

My accessories are pretty simple. This layered necklace I found somewhere or other on the clearance rack. The nice thing about these types of necklaces is there is no work involved. Some days that is just exactly what I need.

My bag is a navy Vera Wang bag that is also thrifted.

One of the things that I like about fashion blogging is learning new ways to use my clothes. It used to be that we had our summer clothes and our winter clothes. I still go through the process of putting things away and pulling out different things each season, simply because I am a clothes horse and there is no way I could have all my clothes out at the same time. Also, I tend to reach for what is in my comfort zone. In the winter I like to be warm, so I like my heavy sweaters and added layers. In the summer I like less layers and lighter material. However, since I have started blogging I have learned that there are ways to extend the seasonal pieces and get more wear out of them. This outfit is the perfect example.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Leave me some love in the comments. I always like to hear your point of view.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link I get a few cents. If you make a purchase through a link I get a little commission. I appreciate all your clicks.

Have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

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 - Quetzal Green, Crocus Petal and Meerkat

I am on my last Pantone Fall 2018 post. I hope you have enjoyed seeing these colors and the way I have managed to put outfits together using the inspiration from the 2018 Fall palette. As in anything where fashion is concerned we can take it our leave it. Fashion is for you. It is about putting together outfits and colors that you like, make you feel confident and that you will enjoy wearing. In some ways what we wear is like our second skin. It provides a covering for a bodies and how we put that cover together can boost our self-image and help us better manage our wardrobes and our pocket books.

I have found, in the fashion realm, just like in cooking, having a source of inspiration really helps. Whether you follow a recipe or cook from memories of you and your mom or grandmother working together to make wonderful creations in the kitchen, you use that inspiration to put food on your table. In the same way inspiration for fashion can come from magazines, bloggers, color palettes or even things out in nature. That is the reason I always like to use the Pantone color palettes as a spring board for creating fun and interesting outfits.

These last two colors, Quetzal Green and Crocus Petal, I decided to pair, once again, with Meerkat. Crocus Petal is a lighter, more spring like color found on the London palette. I feel that pairing it with Quetzal Green and Meerkat was the perfect way to keep the light color grounded and more fall like.

This top is a Kohl’s clearance find and is Dana Buchman brand. It is a button up with 3/4 length sleeves and a longer silhouette. It has some stretch and is more fitted. I opted to wear this bead and metal statement necklace, which incorporates the Crocus Petal color as well. I wore a simple gold cuff on my arm.

I found the open weave sweater thrifting, I love the variations in the knit. I am not a yarn girl, though I would love to be. I think this is crocheted, but it might be knit. Can any of you readers tell? Whatever it is I love the different stitch sizes and open versus more closed aspect to the piece. Here we are talking about texture again and how essential is is to making an outfit more interesting.

I thought these two colors when great with the browns, black and cream of my leopard print pencil skirt. This skirt is another JC Penney find and is Worthington brand.

The boots, Aerosoles and bag, both thrifted were the perfect accessories to pair with this outfit. I think black would have worked well or even a cream colored boot, which are trending right now, but I love the luxe feel of the Meerkat color.

Next week I’ll have a recap of all the Pantone Fall 2018 colors. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series and that it provided you with some inspiration for trying new color combinations. Always shop your closet before going out to purchase what is currently trending. You might already have a leopard print top or the perfect color piece that matches with one of the Pantone seasonal colors.

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

Have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Old Becomes New - Multi-print Blazer

For this month’s Old Becomes New column, I am featuring a short, 3/4 sleeve blazer that I found at a thrift store a few years back. What drew me to it was the amazing, eclectic color palette. My first thought was that I could wear it with so many things. After I tried it on and loved its’ stretchy feel, I had to take it home. Unfortunately, I’ve only worn it less than a handful of times. I decided to revisit it and make the tough choice as to whether I should keep it our not.

I honestly believe this jacket is meant for a smaller person than me. I am 5’ 5” and hover around 163 pounds. While it tends, on me, as more of a crop jacket, I’m just not sure. I am asking for your help friends. What do you all think? Does my outfit look disproportionate?

I chose my dressbarn W62 jeans. I bought this pair last year and they no longer carry this color. I love that they are so comfortable and stretchy, however, I feel like they are almost too big. I lost a few pounds this past spring, so I don’t know if that is what made the difference, but they seem to have a lot more wrinkles. Do you ever buy something, put it on and think, “It just doesn’t have the magic, I thought it had?”

I went with this thrifted brown tee and a necklace that was in some of my daughter’s stuff to be gotten rid of. Hey, I’m not afraid to find treasure in the strangest of places. I like the brown and yellow cord, the beads, ribbon and the charms, which you can’t see much of in this picture. It seemed a prefect fall accessory.

My bag is another thrift find. I felt the brown tee and the brown bag pulled in more of a fall feel with this blazer that could be worn in any season.

Once again, I chose my SO olive ankle boots. These are perfect for the cool temps of fall when you are not quite ready for mid-calf or knee high boots. You can see more fun colors here. The price point on these is not bad at all and they are very comfortable. I typically wear an 8.5 or a 9 and went with a 9 in these so I have more room for heavier socks as the days get cooler.

What is your verdict? Is this a jacket I should keep or should I let it go free? Ha, ha. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I have to work Friday and Saturday and try to play catch up with all the other stuff that I don’t get done during the week. Ha, ha. Take care and always choose to be kind.

Pantone Fall 2018 - Pink Peacock, Valiant Poppy and Almond Buff

Welcome back to outfit number three in this fall’s Pantone color series. Today I am featuring two colors which the Pantone site describes as a “bright and bold dramatic pink” and a “brave and outgoing red.” I didn’t go into this series thinking I would pair these two colors, but when I started looking for the pink and decided on this multi-print tunic, it was only natural to choose another color in the tunic to pair with it, which obviously turned out to be red. I have always thought of pairing red and pink as a Valentine’s Day idea, but when I began putting this outfit together, I saw a subtle shift from cupids and hearts to fall apples and fuzzy pink slippers.

This tunic is a brand called East Fifth and while I can’t remember, I think I got it at JC Penney. Although, when I checked on their website, it looks like they currently only carry East Fifth shoes. and a few bags. I have styled this tunic on the blog before. You can see that post here.

When I realized I had this thrifted Merona cardigan, I knew that would add the perfect pop of red, in addition to my red clutch.

To keep the outfit grounded I picked the Pantone color Almond Buff from the classic palette. These pants are a little on the light side to truly mimic the color, but my swede ankle boots are a closer match. Yes, I am doing the Robot.

The pants are Croft and Barrow brand. The boots are Sonoma. Both items were from Kohl’s.

I chose my bright red clutch to add to the Valiant Poppy vibe. Because the tunic is so busy the only jewelry I added was a gold bangle bracelet and the pink and red tassel necklace, which as you can see, blends in with the top, but still adds a little textural detail.

Isn’t it funny that I bought this necklace a while back, never realizing that Pink Peacock and Valiant Poppy would be a thing, or that I would end up pairing these two colors on the blog? This next picture is just me at my silliest! Ha, ha.

Would you combine these two colors? Do you think they are what we would classify as fall colors? I’d love to hear you thoughts. It means a great deal to me when you take the time to stop by, read my posts and comment (when technology is cooperating). I have learned a lot from your comments, especially when you share, how you would have done it differently or what you like about a particular post, so keep it up.

Be sure to check back Thursday for a new Old Becomes New post, where I’ll be sharing a colorful blazer styled in a fall outfit. I need your help to decide whether I should keep it or not. Until then, have a great day.

I’ve included a few shopping links for pink tops and red bags, just for fun. These are affiliate links which means I get a penny or two when you click on a link. If you purchase something through my site, I get a little commission.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.