Oh, Olive! Utility Vest - Casual

Another olive work horse in my closet is this utility vest. I have a number of vests. My fuzzy and quilted ones are great for fall and winter, while a vest like this, that is lighter weight, is perfect for spring, summer and into fall. I have been focusing on these olive pieces as the perfect neutral add on for a variety of outfits. I have been styling both casual and workwear looks, so that you have more to think about.

This olive, Mudd brand, vest was a clearance find a few seasons back from Kohl’s. I was paying attention when olive was becoming popular as the new neutral, so I snatched this up. That, and I love vests. They are a great way to add warmth, interest and texture to an outfit. I made my outfit extra colorful, but you could easily tone a look like this down by going for monochrome layers topped by the vest. A black maxi dress, a tan tee and capris or a navy top and denim skirt would look fabulous topped by an olive vest like this. Let me know if you would like to see me style a few monochrome looks with this vest or the jacket from last week.

Fall Trend Alert - Florals

Florals are still in. Harper’s Bazaar listed florals in Finding Patterns on their fall list, and WhoWhatWear called theirs Charming Chinz. However, you label it, it seems that florals are holding their own as a print that is here to stay.

My Bandolino floral jeans are thrifted. They definitely brighten up any summer outfit. I love the floral print and the raw hem on the bottom. It also helps that they have some stretch and are very comfy.

My textured tee is a thrifted Simply Vera, Vera Wang. I love the textured floral print and thought the color and print went perfectly with my pants. You can also see here, I added the long bead and fringe pendant necklace and a few freshwater pearl bracelets in similar colors for an added party vibe. I did the front tuck with the tee and added a gold belt.

Wearing my olive Sperry’s again. These have become a favorite in my summer show wardrobe. I grabbed these instead of the white Steve Madden’s, because I like how the olive on top and on the bottom made the whole look more unified. You could wear any color with this outfit, like my blue Converse or my tan Keds.

Fall Trend Alert - Blush

Bright colors are definitely in for fall, but so are pastels. It seems any more that you really can wear whatever you want and at least a few things in your closet will be on trend.

I didn’t plan it this way, but it seems, most of my outfit has some sort of floral theme. It’s funny when it works out that way. This pretty blush bag was a gift from my younger daughter. Both my girls give me wonderful presents and they are very good at knowing my tastes.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like the combination of olive with blue? Do you like florals and will you be wearing them this fall? I’d love to hear you thoughts. I’m sorry that I have gotten a little bit behind in responding to your comments, but I promise, I will respond. I appreciate your input.

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

Have a great day!

Oh, Olive! Utility Jacket - Workwear Look

Depending on where you work, you might be able to be in your sweats or pj’s. So many people have been working at home through the Covid pandemic, that people have gotten rid of many of their business style pieces since they really have no need for them. However, many places have opened back up and have called people back into the office. When I was working as an assistant manager at a university bookstore, I could wear my jeans to work, and very often did, but I could also wear skirts or dresses if I chose to do that. Usually, when we talk about workwear style, we are talking about a business or business casual type of outfit consisting of blouses, nice pants, blazers and other similar pieces. We do have a more casual type of style that has moved into the work place in many business realms, allowing their employees to have more flexibility and comfort. I would say today’s look tends towards business casual due to the utility jacket and the tennis shoes, and I would have been perfectly comfortable wearing this to my previous job.

As I told you in Tuesday’s post, I am featuring the olive utility jacket as my olive piece. This is St. John’s Bay brand from JCPenney. This jacket is roomy, so I can wear multiple layers underneath if I want to use it in the cooler weather. Right now, it is a great piece for overly air conditioned restaurants, retail spaces and business offices. This piece also has adjustable tabs at the sides to make it more fitted, as well as a double front closure which includes a full zipper and buttons.

Fall Trend Alert - Lavender

Certain colors are always trending for each of the major seasons and fall is no exception. Surprisingly, rather than the typical fall hues of orange, brown or yellow, we are seeing pastels like lavender and blush. I’ll cover blush next week, but for today lavender is my color of choice. My thrifted eyelet top is Old Navy brand. I love this light weight piece.

You’ve seen my polka dot skirt on the blog before. Amazingly with my weight gain and redistribution (aka spare tires), I can still get it on. Ha ha. This older thrifted piece is a brand called Outback Red. It is a great piece for any warmer weather season, spring, summer or fall. Not a full length maxi skirt, it is more of a tea length. Another plus, it has pockets.

I kept my accessories pretty low key, except my layered necklace is fairly blingy. I added a few bracelets, my white cross body bag again and my Steve Madden sneakers that I got recently at DSW.

Do you like this outfit? What would you wear to the office? Let me know what you think.

I hope you enjoyed this look. I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great rest of your week!

Oh, Olive! Utility Jacket - Casual

I am back from visiting my mom and ready to get back to posting here on the blog. I wasn’t feeling well, the first couple of days after I got home, but I think most of it was fatigue and allergies. They seem to be beating on everyone this year. While I was at my mom’s I didn’t have internet, but I was able to get some photos taken and was pretty pleased with the result. I hope you will be as well.

I am continuing my look at a few of my different olive pieces and how they can be used with just about any outfit and any color. I do like to think outside the box, at least my box, so I hope you will find some of these outfits inspirational for your own wardrobes. The week before last I showed you a casual and a workwear look using an olive pair of pants. Today and Thursday, I want to take a look at ways to style an olive utility jacket. You can see how I styled this same jacket on the blog before with a striped tee and distressed jeans, another striped tee, and a polka dot chambray top.

Another thing, I decided to add to this little series, is to give you a few peaks at what is trending for fall. I’ll point it out as we go along. Let’s take a look at the olive utility jacket.

I have had this olive utility piece for a number of years now. St. John’s Bay brand, I got it at JCPenney. Since then I have accumulated a few other utility jackets in other colors. I like that they are so versatile. In fact, I may have to do a post on that at a future date. Most of my pieces, including this one are lighter weight, so a great topper for spring, summer and fall. While they do tend towards more casual, I will show you on Thursday how to make one look appropriate for work.

What makes a piece utility? I think it has to do with the pockets and the details like drawstrings, snaps and metal zippers. Next week I will be showing you an olive utility vest.

Fall Trend Alert - Denim on Denim

Once again, it seems denim with denim is trending for fall. While I wouldn’t wear this regularly, it does have a casual appeal. Monochrome is always a good way to get a longer, sleeker line. Most of what I saw on the runway were pieces of the same wash. See this post on Fall 2021 trends from Marie Claire. However, there is a sense of personal creativity in putting together pieces with different washes, as I did in this outfit.

My chambray top is a thrift find from earlier in the summer. It is a brand called Cremieux. Apparently, Daniel Cremieux started a men’s clothing line in Saint Tropez, on the French Riviera in the mid 70’s. It looks like he designed women’s clothing for a time as well. Both lines were sold at Dillards, but the women’s line is no longer available in the US. The fun things you find when you thrift.

You’ve seen my thrifted, distressed Simply Vera, Vera Wang jeans plenty of times on the blog. They are getting rattier looking as time goes along, but I guess that is the point. Ha, ha. If the holes get to big for my comfort zone, I may make a few patches, which actually could be fun.

I decided to add this floral mini print scarf just for a little extra color. I don’t use my scarves much in the heat of the summer. I sweat just sitting still on these humid days. Last night, I was working on this post and I was dripping with sweat. Of course we hadn’t turned our air conditioners on. Sometimes, we have to choose between a little bit of inconvenience and being able to pay the electric bill. My husband always runs colder, so he’s not as hot unless he is doing yard work or something. Today is supposed to be even warmer. I think the air will be on later, so this woman doesn’t get too cranky. Ha, ha.

If you follow my Instagram account, you may have seen that I rearranged my scarves. Just like with all of my clothes, I have way more than I need, but I am trying to make everything more accessible and visible, so it is easier to sort through and find. Do you have a special way of arranging your scarves?

My blue Converse are making another appearance. While I still think this brand of sneaker makes me look even more like I have ski feet, I am trying to embrace those long skinny things on the ends of my legs.

The last accessory I have is my white cross body bag. This was another thrift find. I like that it is a little bit larger than many cross body bags, so I can actually fit everything in it, without having to squeeze it in. I am not sure what the brand is, but it was still very clean and unworn, so I snatched it up.

Do you own an olive utility jacket? How do you like to wear it? I love hearing from you, so be sure to leave me some love in the comments. I hope your summer is going swimmingly well!

I’m including a few shopping links for denim pieces and utility jackets. I hope you’ll look those over. Every time you click on a link, I get a few cents and I appreciate it. All opinions are my own.

Have a great Tuesday!

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Beach Glass, Blue Atoll and Macchiato

We’ve reached the end of the Pantone - London Palette series with these last three colors which make me think of tropical seas and sandy beaches. Like Tuesday’s post, where I combined two different greens from the palette, today’s post combines two summery blues for a light, airy, warm weather look.

I started figuring this outfit out with my light blue, thrifted Sonoma crop pants. Though they are a bit lighter than the Beach Glass color, I think they still work. I pull these out every spring and summer as a light weight alternative to denim.

My multi-print top is another thrift store find. I just loved the soft colors and print on this popover blouse. It has no tag in it, so I have no idea what the brand was. The print has the light Beach Glass blue, as well as the darker Macchiato.. You’ll see a close up in the next photo.

For the darker Blue Atoll color I decided to add a few pieces of jewelry. I had some long, opera length beads and decided to do some layering with the necklaces. I also added a beaded bracelet, that appears to better match the Beach Glass color.

For the Macchiato color, I played around with several pieces, but everything seemed too yellow. This longer sweater was a recent purchase from Cracker Barrel. While they are a restaurant, they also have what they call an Old Country Store. The store is filled with all sorts of items from old fashioned candy, beautiful home decor, quilts, jewelry, cards, music and clothing. If you click on the link, it will take you to the sweater and it is on sale. Whoo, hoo. If you like it snatch it up. Here are a few photos to show you the details of this pretty piece and the movement. It is a light weight material, so it will be great for spring, summer and fall.

My bag is Madden brand; a clearance find from Kohl’s. My perforated peep toe shoes are Sonoma brand and another Kohl’s purchase from a few years ago.

What do you think of these three colors? I really like how this outfit turned out and think the color combination is great for summer. Do you have these colors in your closet?

I’m including a few other shopping links for you to look over. The Cracker Barrel sweater link is not part of the affiliate program, but I wanted to offer it to you, in case you really like the sweater. The rest of the shopping links are through the affiliate program. Every time you click on a link I get a few pennies, and I appreciate every click.

Have a great weekend!

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Pickled Pepper, Orange Ochre and Sphagnum

For today’s outfit I decided to combine the two greens that were on the London Palette. Both Pickled Pepper and Sphagnum are great green shades for summer time. While Pickled Pepper is one of the main palette colors, Sphagnum is one of the palette classic colors. Olive is a great neutral and goes with just about every color out there, so Sphagnum, (which is actually a type of moss), makes for the perfect classic color.

My Pickled Pepper popover top is Sonoma from Kohl’s a few years ago. This top is easy to wear, as well as cool for these hot, humid days. I don’t usually prefer to wear sleeves with elastic, but as long as the elastic isn’t cutting off the circulation in my arms I’m okay with it.

My Sphagnum utility vest is Mudd brand, and was another clearance purchase from Kohl’s a few seasons ago.

These light wash jeans were a recent thrift find. A brand called Ella Moss, this brand is available at stores like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Amazon, Dillards, and others. I like the cropped length and the high waist of this pair.

For the Orange Ochre color, I grabbed my thrifted, orange suede bag and a fun pendant choker. It is much easier to include a brighter color, if you do it with accessories.

I had to show off my new clearance Converse sneakers from DSW. They are very comfy and I love the blue color. They are similar in color to my thrifted Keds, which are showing a bit of wear, so these were a great find.

Here are a few silly pictures. I was jumping for joy. Ha, ha.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like to wear green? Do you have Sphagnum (olive) in your closet? I would love to hear from you. I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Purple Rose, Lava Falls and Baby's Breath

Today’s colors are a blend of pastel purple, bold red and creamy off white. I have always loved purple, but it really isn’t a color I regularly wear. I easily got on board with Purple Rose which is a medium purple that goes well with many other colors, especially things like brown, olive and navy. Why, then did I decide to pair it with a fierce red like Lava Falls? Because I always like to show you things outside the box. It is not very often, that I think to put purple and red together.

The factor that clinched the deal on putting these colors together, was that my thrifted Old Navy, Lava Falls, paisley popover top had both of these colors in it. How fortuitous was that? Ha, ha. This is a fun, tunic type shirt that has short sleeves, and the interesting details of a shirt tail hem line and a lace up v-neck. I love the paisley print too, which always reminds me of the 70’s.

The Croft and Barrow cardigan is older and I like I said, doesn’t get a lot of regular wear, but i just love the color so I keep it around.

You’ve seen these creamy, Baby’s Breath, thrifted, St. John’s Bay ankle pants on the blog before. I really think this look would have been cuter with a creamy denim pencil skirt or a pair of Bermuda shorts, but I don’t have either of those. I am not as fond of the silhouette, but it is okay, just not great.

I didn’t need to wear a necklace and this long opera length beaded strand is exactly the same color as the top, but sometimes I like the subtle texture and shine of a piece, even if it is a similar color. Wrapping this long strand of beads around my neck makes it look like I have on a choker.

I added a few beaded bracelets with similar reds, although there is plenty going on in the top, so it wasn’t really needed. Often, less is more.

My thrifted Simply Vera, Vera Wang cross body bag is making another appearance. This is a great little bag for the warmer months. The off white color goes perfectly with the Baby’s Breath color of the pants.

These Steve Madden platform sneakers were a new purchase from DSW. I had a coupon and I had been looking at this type of sneaker since last summer. I finally took the plunge. They are not something I would use for walking, but they are cute for a casual day of picnicking or window shopping.

What do you think of these colors? Do you think you would ever combine red with purple? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love.

I am including a few shopping links in these colors, so if you have time, give those a look. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Graphic and photo credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette: Illuminating, Marigold and Ultimate Gray

Illuminating and Ultimate Gray are the two colors of the year, so just like I did for the New York Palette, I decided to pair the two colors together and for this one I added Marigold, which was also on the New York palette.

We decided to go to the Toledo Botanical Gardens again for these pictures and we did come across some beautiful blooms. This particular bush is a rhododendron. I just did some research and found out that all azaleas are rhododendrons, but not all rhododendrons are azaleas. Whether you like azaleas or rhododendrons they are all beautiful.

Once again, I chose my recently thrifted bright yellow jacket to serve as the Illuminating color. The jacket is D&Co. (Denim and Co.). It has a nice stretch to it and I like the 3/4 length sleeves for a change of pace.

I’ve styled my medium yellow tee on the blog before. You can see it styled with a leopard print skirt. Having tees in a variety of colors comes in handy when you want to put an outfit together. This thrifted tee is Apt. 9 brand.

My Gloria Vanderbilt jeans were another Kohl’s clearance find. They are soft and stretchy, so great for my fluctuating weight. I say fluctuating, but it really doesn’t go up and down. It either stays the same or goes up. Ha, ha.

I wanted my accessories to make a statement since the outfit itself was not overwhelmingly interesting. I found this pretty layered necklace in gray tones somewhere along the way. I think it was a thrift shop nearby. I added a few beaded bracelets to tie the jewelry together.

When I decided on the thrifted tan loafers, I knew my Nine West snakeskin print circle bag would be the perfect piece to complete the whole look and bring everything together.

What do you think of these colors together? Do you like the lighter yellow of Illuminating or the richer tone of Marigold? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I appreciate when you give me your feedback. It can be kind of lonely as a blogger, when I don’t know if anyone is reading my content or looking at my posts, so I really love to hear from you.

I am including a few shopping link for you to enjoy. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no cost. If you click on a link I get a few pennies and I appreciate all of your clicks. I do not get paid to write my blog, I do it as a hobby and as a service to whomever wants to follow along. I hope that I inspire you to take a second look at your wardrobe and see new ways to put things together, that you never thought of before.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Spring Outfit with Orange Pants

Just like I did for the blue pants, I wanted to show you a new outfit with my Worthington orange pants. For this one I focused on a work appropriate look. With many people finally returning to their jobs I thought it would be a good time to feature an outfit that would be perfect for the office, especially as air conditioners come back on.

I wish I would have thought to get close up of the details on this thrifted Maurices vest. I snatched it up, because I don’t have any summer weight white vests and I thought the eyelet detail and the texturing on the pockets made this such a unique piece. It has the utility vibe with the patch pockets and drawstring, but is dressier.

You can also see my H&M button down top. I found this one on the clearance rack a few years ago and just loved the botanical print with its flowers, butterflies and birds. I thought tying the front shirt tails made for a more summery look, but one that remains work appropriate. I also like the soft contrast between the stark white of the vest and the more off white of the blouse.

I added a double layered purple necklace and a few purple metal bangles to pull out the purple in the top.

I opted for more neutral shoes and bag. I thought the outfit had enough color with the bright orange pants and the flora print in the top. The neutral accessories give it not only a summer feel, but a polished and professional look. If I ever go back to an office job, I would definitely wear this. My bag you have seen on the blog before and is from Walmart and George brand. My perforated peep toe sandals are Sonoma brand from Kohl’s.

I was pleased with how this outfit turned out. What do you think? Would you wear something like this to work? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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

Have a great day, everyone and thanks for following along on the blog.

Spring Outfit with Bright Blue Pants

I thought I would come up with another outfit using my thrifted, bright blue, Ruby Rd. pants, since I was just talking about them on Tuesday. It was a beautiful day, so I managed to snap a few pictures for this post. They are never as good as my daughter’s pictures, but that is okay. This is real life, right? I never want to come across to you all as having it all together. There are so many bloggers and people who post on Instagram and it is easy to feel like we don’t measure up to their fabulous outfits, looks, or homes, but I know reality. It is messy, hard, busy and many times overwhelming. So I am trying to be as real as possible and not so great pictures are my reality, and so is my wide bottom. Ha, ha.

I wanted to create a look that was casual with just a touch of sass. My Star Wars tee belonged to my oldest daughter and she didn’t want it any more. I’m all for fun graphic tees and certainly am a Star Wars fan. I am actually a bigger Star Trek fan, but Star Wars is a close second.

Funny story about my thrifted silver belt. I chose the silver belt and my silver SO ballerina flats to jazz the look up a little bit, and it went with the silver lettering on the tee. When I went to pull the belt through the first belt loop a ton of the silver flaked off. I had silver dust all over my pants and my rug. Needless to say, I threw the belt in the trash when I was done with the pictures. I was disappointed, as I had great plans for that belt. Oh well, like I said, real life.

I’ve styled this thrifted, white, Sanctuary, jean jacket one other time on the blog. You can see how I styled it with a leopard print skirt. This jacket is not truly denim, it is a thicker cotton material, but doesn’t have the same characteristics of denim. However, I really like it and it is a good piece for the warmer weather and something different from the traditional jean jacket.

I didn’t take a picture of my little silver clutch, but you have seen it on the blog before. I chose it because it went with the belt and shoes. I do like things to match, but it is okay to not have things match as well. Many of our old fashion rules have gone by the wayside. I always go back to the idea, do what is best for you. If you like things to match, then make them match. If you want to wear purple shoes, carry a red bag and wear a green belt, you go girl! As bloggers, we are only here to give you inspiration, not tell you how you have to dress.

I want to know if you have gotten yourself a pair of bright blue pants? Ha, ha. Actually, they are a little hard to find, but if you thrift shop, be sure to check there. Thrift stores will often have loads of brightly colored pants, because they are no longer trending.

I hope you enjoyed this post and one more idea on how to style those bright blue pants.

I’m including a few shopping links just for fun. These are affiliate links brought to you at no added cost. If you click on a link I get a few cents. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - New York Palette: French Blue, Cerulean and Buttercream

Today’s three color combo is the last of the Pantone Spring/Summer New York Palette. I am going to take a week off, as I hope to go visit my mom next week. In due time, I will proceed with the London Palette, but I haven’t even begun to pick out outfits. Breaking my wrist has really thrown a wrench into the works, so bear with me. I got my second Covid shot yesterday, so getting up this morning was grueling. I got the shot in my left arm, figuring it already hurts and I wanted my right arm to remain relatively pain free. I say relatively because there is some pain in my wrist and rib cage on that side, from having to do all the work. This is making me see how much I need to get back to exercising, especially weight lifting and walking since I have osteoporosis. We ladies need to take of them bones, and all the other parts as well. Ha, ha.

I thought it would be fun to pair these two blues, for a fun, casual summer look. Adding the off white of buttercream gives the outfit that perfect warm weather vibe. I kept my accessories casual to add to the picnic ready style. This would be a great outfit for a Fourth of July get together, just add some red jewelry or a bag.

French Blue and Cerulean are two cool colors that make me think of blue skies and water. I found this French blue plaid shirt while thrifting. I really like this medium blue for spring and summer, as opposed to a dark blue like navy. This button down is Faded Glory brand.

My Buttercream ankle pants have made an appearance on the blog before. These were thrifted St. John’s Bay. You can see these styled for two other Pantone series. This one is styled with a yellow button down and this with my Chevron print dress.

Cerulean is a different light blue. I like the sky blue feel of this color, yet it leans towards a bit more pastel. My top is a thrifted Ralph Lauren piece. I like that it has a lining that is similar t-shirt type material to the outside. It has a fun faux lace texture to it.

I kept my accessories simple. This thrifted French Blue bag was a recent find and I had to grab it since it matched the color perfectly. This is a nice small bag for carrying just the essentials.

My pendant necklace had little flecks of all the colors. I have been on the search for more of these large beads with the hole in the middle. It is so easy to make a necklace out of them.

Lastly, my thrifted Keds finally fit the Pantone color. Cerulean is the right name for these sneakers that are great for warm weather outfits.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have these blues in your closet? What about Buttercream? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’d also love to hear which of these colors you would put together to make an outfit.

I hope you have enjoyed this look at the Pantone Spring/Summer 2021 New York Palette colors.

I am including a few shopping links, so be sure to check those out. These are affiliate links. I get a few pennies when you click on a link, so I appreciate all the clicks.

Photo credit and graphic Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - NY Palette - Illuminating, Rust and Ultimate Gray

I wanted to share this outfit with you first, because it contains the two colors that were chosen by the Pantone Color Institute as the colors of the year. Illuminating is a bright, sunny yellow. Pantone describes this yellow as, “Friendly and joyful, an optimistic yellow offering the promise of a sunny day.” Rust is typically a fall color, yet it is an earth tone, thus its inclusion in the spring palette. Ultimate Gray is a classic and comfortable gray that everyone can wear.

I have plenty of yellow in my closet. It is a color that has quickly become a favorite. I love the many different shades of yellow. I have mustard, sunflower, lemon, blonde and pineapple. Look up shades of yellow in your search bar and see all the fun names they give for these lovely pieces of sunshine. Illuminating is not really a different shade, but a different name for a shade that might also be called bumblebee, butter or dandelion.

Since I love the color so much, it was a no brainer that I add this thrifted, bright yellow, denim jacket to my closet. This is a brand called d & co, or denim and company. When I looked it up, it is a brand that is sold at retailers like QVC, Walmart and others. I like the relaxed style of this piece, as well as the 3/4 sleeves. It will be a great topper for cooler summer days.

We were back at the Toledo Botanical Gardens for pictures and things are starting to bloom over there. This tree was gorgeous and I had no idea what is was because the blooms were so big. It turned out to be a white magnolia. I grew up with a pink magnolia in my parents’ yard. I didn’t even know there were white ones.

You’ve seen my boho skirt on the blog before. I looked at other Rust colored options in my closet, but just wasn’t satisfied with how the outfit looked. Choosing this skirt not only gave me a print, but the perfect blend of classic and bohemian. This skirt is a brand called Notations, but I can’t remember where I got it. Ha, ha. You can see it styled with a green top and a different gray top.

This simple Ultimate Gray tee is from Kohl’s and is SO brand. I got this one and a red one a few years ago. I love that they are light weight, but still provide coverage. The hemline is a straight cut and the length is shorter, so perfect for wearing out. I did the front tuck, just for a more polished look.

When I was rummaging through my necklaces, I saw this one and thought it would pull in both the rusty oranges in the skirt and the yellow of the jacket and bag. To go with the coppery colors I also put on my thrifted beaded bracelet. My yellow diamond patterned tote was a fun find at a thrift store. Another thrift store find, my ID Required combat boots get plenty of wear.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear rust in the summer time or do you think it is a color strictly for fall? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments. Your comments keep me motivated to keep providing content to you all.

I’m providing a few shopping links for you to look over in your spare time. These are affiliate links brought to you at no cost. When you click on a link, I get a few pennies, so I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic Rebecca Trumbull.

Spring/Summer - 2021 - Lady with a Twist

Today’s final Spring/Summer 2021 Trend is called Lady with a Twist. The idea behind this trend is taking classic feminine workwear pieces and adding casual, athleisure pieces for a blend that I often refer to as dressy casual. This trend could certainly be worn in most work places, but it also could be worn for a day out shopping or a walk in the park. Just make sure you have on your walking shoes.

My outfit is less about going to the office and more about looking fun and comfortable. I would definitely wear this to the coffee shop to work on writing projects or for a day running around with a girlfriend.

Everything in this outfit is thrifted, except the bag, which was a gift from my youngest. I am a lover of all things Edgar Allen Poe. My shoes were also a new purchase from DSW a few years ago.

I am sure, I have a bit of Lucille Ball in me, with all my silly facial expressions and antics. Ha, ha. Anyway, this thrifted skirt was a recent find. It appeared to be a piece that was altered. It must have been a much larger size and was brought in to make it smaller, so it has no brand name on it. It has a bit of a fit and flare silhouette, so is more fitted through the hips and bum, then flares outward towards the knees and ankles. It is lined, so no worries about having to wear a slip. The material is a medium weight and is covered with stitching giving it a textured feel. What really drew me to it, were the yellow sunflowers!

You’ve see this thrifted Paris tee on the blog before. It is such a great summer piece because it keeps me cool and comfy. You can see it worn with another maxi skirt, and olive pants.

This pale yellow zip up hoodie is a nice alternative to a cardigan or more structured blazer or jacket. Another thrift store fine, this is a brand called SB Active.

Since the look was a combination of feminine workwear and althleisure, I didn’t want to over accessorize, but I did add a couple of necklaces for an interesting layered look. I used my Poe tote bag for my purse and donned my Saucony sneakers.

What do you think of the Lady with a Twist trend? You certainly could do this in many different ways. Instead of a maxi skirt, wear a pencil skirt with a fun sweatshirt and platform sneakers. If skirts are not your jam, then wear a pair of joggers with a structured blazer, heels and a clutch. There are a lot of ways to carry this trend off. It is completely up to you.

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

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Color Play - The Grinch - Green, Red and Brown

When it comes to Christmas we are inundated with red, green, silver and gold, but today people are using blues, teals, purples and pinks to decorate their homes and wrap their presents. Check out Liz from With Wonder and Whimsy. I adore her whimsical style and her love for all things pastel. She does such an amazing job decorating for all occasions and Christmas in her home is simply beautiful. See her Holiday Home Tour by clicking on the link.

I love the red and green color combo for Christmas, but it really doesn’t work for many people in a fashion sense. I wanted to show how you could put together a fun, festive red and green outfit that could be easily worn for work and give a nod to our friend, The Grinch.

What could possibly be more fun, than styling my very “Grinchy” work outfit in front of something that looks like it was taken right out of Whoville? This colorful 3D mural is another of the fascinating places at the Toledo Botanical Gardens. This little scene is just outside the Unruly Arts Studio, which is a studio that focuses on providing a creative space for artists with developmental disabilities. Check out their site at UnrulyArts.org , their Instagram page @unrulyartsstudio or their Facebook page.

I have always loved The Grinch by Dr. Suess and my favorite holiday movie version is the animated one narrated by Boris Karloff. I think part of my affection for that version was that I was a fan of Karloff and his horror movies like Frankenstein and The Mummy. However, the movie that came out in 2018, where Benedict Cumberbatch plays our grumbling, green friend, is now my second fave. I actually was reluctant for a long time to watch the Jim Carey version, since I am not a big fan, but I finally did watch it and I was pleasantly surprised. I will say that Jim’s version which was directed by Ron Howard is much more geared toward adult humor, so not as appropriate for younger kids.

I got this Grinch sweater last year when I was working at Kohl’s for the holiday season. I knew I wanted a more typical ugly Christmas sweater and I thought this one was more gaudy with its candy cane stripes and the Grinch’s face plastered across the front, but I still thought it was cute.

My plaid trousers are a thrift store find and are Mossimo brand. I do love plaid in all its forms and while these slacks would feel a little better if I were a few pounds lighter, they still fit. I love that they have the green stripes throughout, and that they have a bootcut silhouette.

My brown, faux leather moto jacket was a thrifted piece from a few years ago and I have styled it on the blog a few different times. You can see it with a maxi dress, a maxi skirt and a pair of plaid crop pants. The name of the brand is Celebrity Pink.

You can see in the above picture I also added a little bit of red jewelry in my wrap around red beads. When these are not doubled they are more of an opera length string. I also threw on a red bracelet.

I decided to use brown for the bag and boots to add to the more grounded vibe. You’ve seen this thrifted brown, corduroy, hobo bag on the blog before. The ankle boots are a Nine West purchase from Kohl’s.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Which movie version is your favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Be sure to check back next week for the final two outfits in my Christmas series. I’ve included a few shopping links for you to check out. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Present

If you have seen any of the more recent versions of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present is the one that exudes the festive, living presence of the holiday season. In both the George C. Scott version and the Muppet Christmas Carol version the being known as the Ghost of Christmas present is a jovial, boisterous giant of a character who escorts Scrooge on a tour of Christmas day. The day is filled with food, singing, gift giving and game playing. The joyful Ghost, shows Ebenezer a day made even more beautiful by the love of family and the generosity of his fellow man.

When I began thinking about how i wanted this outfit to look, I knew I wanted it to be bright and colorful. I wanted to present Christmas as a joyful celebration full of life and beauty.

Once again, the Toledo Botanical Gardens provided the back drop for our pictures. They have the entryway into the park so festive and pretty.

Everything in this outfit is thrifted, except for the necklace and boots.

My skirt is another LuLaRoe piece that I found at a thrift store just around the corner from me. It really is a little too long and a tad too big (I rarely have that problem…ha, ha), but I love the floral pattern and it seemed perfect for representing the spirit of Christmas.

My daughter was playing around when she was editing the picture and added a smattering of festive green bubbles.

I found this fabulous Tommy Hilfiger red corduroy jacket at one of our local Goodwills. I haven’t really had a chance to show it off, until I thought about this outfit. I definitely wanted to stick with the more traditional Christmas colors of red and green, so this jacket and the lighter green Sonoma v-neck were a good combination.

I found this long, sparkly, fringe pendant necklace at a thrift store as well. You can’t see it real well in this picture, but the beads have a sparkly, iridescent quality. The picture below, shows you a closer look at the textures of the necklace, sweater and jacket.

You’ve seen this faithful leather, Fossil bag on the blog numerous times. I need to find a smaller wallet to use with this purse, as my current one is too big.

I wanted comfortable boots with this festive outfit, so I chose my suede Massini boots that I found on clearance at Meijer a few seasons ago.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think it represents the Ghost of Christmas Present and all the symbolism that goes with it? I thought it exemplified the idea of life, celebrations and festiveness; all the things that the Ghost of Christmas Present is fond of.

I hope you enjoyed this post and are enjoying my movie inspired outfits this month. It has been fun to see what sort of outfits I could come up with.

I am including a few shopping links to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a wonderful day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfit - Maxi Skirt and Pullover Sweater - Dressy

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope your day will be filled with whatever you need to feel peaceful and well. For some that will mean gathering together with family for a feast. Others will, do to the pandemic, opt for a more low key celebration. My husband and I will be on our own. Our older daughter and her hubby are both sick and since I was exposed to them, my hubby and I are self quarantining, so we won’t be seeing our younger daughter or grandson either. I am sure there are many out there who are in similar situations, so please know, you are not alone and you are being thought of and missed by your family. The holidays are proving to be more precious, yet even more difficult with not being able to see those we love, but the key is to try to remember all you do have to be thankful for.

Today, I am thankful for a working furnace, a warm bed and a hot shower. I am thankful for the food we have to eat, even if it isn’t turkey with all the trimmings and I am thankful that our extended family, especially our aging parents are safe and healthy at this point in time. I am also thankful for the sun, when it is shining, because we are already having too many gray days, and I am thankful for the joy associated with the Christmas season, because of what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for us. Like the Grinch realized when he tried to steal Christmas, it comes anyway, no matter if we have our families, the decor or the food, because Jesus came.

Today, I am showing you the more dressed up version of the outfit from Tuesday’s post. Both the tiered maxi skirt and olive pullover sweater were thrifted. For today, I added a thrifted blazer, heels and bag, to elevate the look.

Out of the three outfit combinations I have done the last few weeks, I feel like the transition from casual to dressy is most evident in this outfit. Each piece that was swapped out or added, to make this outfit more dressy, really seems to add an element of class that is not evident in the more casual outfit. Not that the casual look was bad; it was meant to be casual and looks like the perfect outfit for a day of window shopping or lunch with friends (oh to be able to do that again). This look, while carrying a bit of a boho vibe, is something that could be worn to a show, a nice dinner out or to a Holiday concert.

This thrifted evergreen jacket is a brand called I.S.B.Inc. Not to be confused with IBS, ha, ha, ha! It doesn’t seem to be a brand that exists any longer. There were a few things that popped up on thredup, but that was it. While it is supposed to be a double breasted look when buttoned, I can’t button it. Ha. ha. However, I knew that when I bought it. I like the way the buttons line up down both sides, so it just looks more decorative with the jacket open. Just because a piece doesn’t fit exactly how it was intended, doesn’t mean you can’t use it.

I decided to go with coppery gold for my jewelry as you can see with my charm pendant necklace and my sparkly bracelet. I thought it went well with the whole look and had more of a fall feel.

My bag and shoes are both thrifted pieces. The heeled shoeties are Bandolino and the bag is a brand called Kelly & Katie. You can find Bandolino brand shoes at DSW, Macy’s and other retailers. Kelly & Katie brand is found at DSW and on second hand retailers like Poshmark and thredUp.

The two pieces are different colors. The bag is more of a salmon red and the shoes are more of a burgundy, but when you have them apart, they almost look like they go together.

What do you think of this outfit? What are you wearing for your Thanksgiving day today?

Here the two outfits side by side. Which one do you like best?

I hope you are having a lovely day and are feasting, whether it is just two of you or a few more. I also hope you are finding all the many things you can be thankful for even amid the pandemic and other difficulties.

I am not going to include any shopping links with this post, as you will no doubt be looking at all the Black Friday deals online for the retailers you love to shop at.

Have a lovely day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Maxi Skirt and Pullover Sweater - Casual

To mix it up a little bit, I decided this week I would show you two outfits using a floral maxi skirt and a pullover sweater. I love maxi skirts, and I have a number in my closet, as you probably realize by now, because I am always styling them on the blog. When I was working, I would wear them every so often, but with being home, I don’t usually reach for a skirt. It is hard to clean and go up and down the stairs to do laundry if you are wearing a long skirt. However, I still like to show you options for styling a skirt, long or short. Today’s look revolves around two thrifted pieces.

For some reason I fell in love with this thrifted tiered maxi skirt the moment I saw it. Not only could I see the possibilities for spring and summer, but I thought it would be a wonderful piece for fall and winter. It is extremely sheer, and even though it has a lining, the lining is also sheer, so I do have to wear a slip under it. I imagined it with a dark sweater and ankle boots, so that is exactly what I did for this outfit. The floral pattern makes be think of greenery and berries for Christmas, but the gold speaks to the colors of fall, so why not wear it for Thanksgiving Day?

This thrifted olive sweater is the brand DIVIDED from H & M. It is simple, but soft and warm and I like that it is a little shorter than most of my other sweaters. Once in a while, you just need a different silhouette.

I also added this beautiful scarf with a watercolor type print. I used this scarf for my Color Play post on Seeing Red, last spring. You can see that post here. I thought the scarf went quite well with the floral pattern in the skirt as both of them have a similar color scheme. This is one way to print mix without getting too worried about whether the prints will clash. The prints are far enough from each other, but compliment each other with their similar hues.

Once again, I reached for my thrifted, leather, Fossil crossbody bag. It just goes with so many things and has held up so well. I just need to find a smaller wallet to use in it. Maybe I should add that to my Christmas list. Ha, ha.

My faithful, olive, SO ankle boots are making another appearance. I have no regrets for purchasing several pairs of these in various colors. They are on repeat in my wardrobe all fall and winter long.

The beauty of this outfit is in its simplicity and comfort. There are no zippers or buttons. The elastic waist on the skirt allows for plenty of Thanksgiving feasting comfort. The length of the skirt means you can go without hose or tights, but if you want an extra layer of warm you can add leggings or sweater tights to raise the cozy factor.

Is this an outfit you would wear on Thanksgiving Day? Have you ever created an outfit using the colors in a skirt? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. I know this week is one of the biggest shopping weeks of the year and with the pandemic situation many of us will be doing most of our shopping on line, so make sure you shop early to ensure your gifts get where they need to go on time.

Have a great week everyone!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Harvest Tee and Distressed Jeans - Dressy

Yesterday was my eldest’s birthday. She ordered us lunch, which I picked up and took to her house, then after we ate, we went shopping. I have to say, I felt almost like life was normal for a few hours. We had fun and I enjoyed my time with her. I have always tried to take my girls shopping on their birthdays since they were fairly young. I used to take both girls and we would get lunch together, but then the gift buying would be for the birthday girl, although I would usually end up buying the other girl a little something too. Life is so busy and with the Covid complications it is hard to find time for those moments.

Today’s look is the dressed up version of my distressed jeans and harvest tee. I only made a few changes to elevate the look. I switched out my cozy sweater for a long burgundy blazer. I also donned a pair of heeled boots and grabbed a snazzier bag.

This burgundy blazer is a thrifted Pendleton piece. I have, on several occasions thought to get rid of it, but it is such a classic, tailored piece that I keep hanging on to it, and this is precisely why. I love the way it looks with jeans. Obviously, it would also look good with a pencil skirt or more dressy trousers. The structured collar, more fitted waist, pocket flaps and detailed buttons really make this a class act.

I kept the same necklace, but added a couple gold bangle bracelets and a gold belt to go with the gold on the tee.

This thrifted, no name bag has such cute details. From the faux alligator print to the fun clasp and more structured shape, I knew I had to snatch it up. Just don’t tell my hubby! Ha, ha. He thinks I have too many sweaters, bags and shoes. Ha, ha. Why would he possibly think that?

These boots were also a thrift store find. They are Life Stride brand and I really like the brownish, burgundy color. It makes them unique from the typical black, brown or gray colors of many of my boots.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think the changes I made elevates the look or do you think because of the distressed jeans, it still looks ultra casual? I would love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two.

Here are the two outfits side by side. Which one do you like better?

Can you believe a week from today is Thanksgiving? I will confess, I have started listening to Christmas music. I just need that little bit of happy in my day to day life right now. I haven’t started decorating, but I hope to get to that soon.

I am leaving a few shopping links. Be sure to check those out. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a good evening everyone.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Harvest Tee and Distressed Jeans - Casual

This week I am taking two more very casual pieces and showing two different ways to wear them, either for a fall shopping trip with friends or for turkey day. I chose a thrifted pair of distressed boot cut jeans and a harvest tee that I recently purchased from Kohl’s online.

I had posted an outfit on my Instagram account that featured a pair of distressed skinny jeans I recently acquire from maurice’s. When distressed jeans really started making a comeback, I was resistant to go all in and get things that were really torn up. I felt that it looked to grungy, but now, several years later, I am much more accepting of these types of pieces as I feel they add an element of texture and uniqueness to an otherwise simple outfit. I still prefer the holes to be lined or at least somewhat opaque as far as skin is concerned, although I do think it looks cute when a person wears fun colored tights under their distressed jeans, so the tights show through.

These jeans are Lane Bryant brand. I have never bought anything from Lane Bryant before, thinking, they were just an underwear company for plus size women. However, what I have discovered after looking over their website, is that they sell all sorts of clothing and accessories from size 12 to 28. I love these jeans and they have easily fallen into one of my favorite jeans, spots. They have a bit of stretch, but always look good when I put them on. They also fit nicely around the waist, with no gaping. Once again, I have found a new brand, that I might consider buying, because I got to try them thrifting.

This Sonoma tee is the perfect balance between casual and dressy with its cursive print and gold leaves and edging on the letters. I don’t have a lot of fall graphic pieces, so when I saw this, I knew I wanted to add it to my collection.

My Tahari sweater was a clearance piece last year from TJ Maxx. You can see how I styled it for a series on wearing white as a transitional piece, here.

This thrifted stained glass necklace, just seemed to go well with the outfit. I love that it almost has a leaf shape to it, which gives the outfit that extra fall feel.

I wanted to stick with the burgundy colors in the letters as the inspiration for the rest of my accessories, so I grabbed my Massini saddle bag purse and my thrifted Puma sneakers to complete the look.

What do you think of this outfit? Is this something you would wear to your Thanksgiving day celebration?

I’ve included a few shopping links, so be sure to check those out. I try to offer pieces that are similar to the ones I show in my posts. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no cost. If you click on a link, I get a few pennies. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - London Palette - Mandarin, Celery and Sheepskin

I am now able to start the Pantone - Autumn/Winter 2020 - London Palette series. I am not sure why the Pantone Color Institute moved to having two palettes rather than one, except that it is a way to bring in a broader audience to market to. Whatever their reasoning, having two color palettes to draw from to create outfits is a fun challenge for me as a fashion blogger. Some of the colors crossed over from New York to London, but I’ll be showing them again, styled with their London counterparts. Here we go.

Just as with the New York Palette, the London Palette has four classic colors. I tried to include one of the classics with each of the outfits, just so you know what they look like. With this first outfit, Sheepskin, which is a classic, neutral color, is reminiscent of Peach Nougat and Sandstone from the New York Palette. My jacket isn’t really a dark enough version of this pinky tan, but you still get the idea.

My bright Mandarin red skirt is a thrifted piece by a brand called Kim Rogers. It was not a brand I was familiar with, but seems to be sold at retailers like Belk and online thrift retailers like Poshmark. Once again, the tiered skirt is a fave of mine. I guess I was supposed to be a gypsy. I often imagine that I have gypsy relatives, because my dad always loved to travel and we have French blood via his relatives. Ha, ha.

My Celery colored top is a 3/4 sleeve sweater, and a thrifted Banana Republic piece. I decided to tuck it in and add the black belt to go with the black print in the jacket and my black boots. I feel like I should have tightened the belt a notch, so you couldn’t see the skirt at the top. Oh well.

This jacket was a fun piece I found thrifting. I like the bright orange flowers and the artistic sketching on it. It is a brand called Susan Graver Style. Susan Graver is a stylist for the retailer QVC. Once again, I learned something new and found a brand I never would have tried, if I didn’t thrift.

I kept my accessories simple, because there is a lot going on in the print of the jacket and the texture of the skirt and bag. You’ve seen this necklace on the blog before. It is a unique piece I found at an artisan shop up in Grayling, MI a few years ago, when my hubby and I took a short trip up there. You can see it styled for another Pantone color palette here. I also added a simple charm bracelet with rusty fall colors and my thrifted fringe bag.

Since we are now fully into fall, I am regularly wearing my boots. I have quite a pile of boots, mostly ankle and knee high. These are Massini brand and are very comfortable. I’ve styled these on the blog before with a black pair of jeans, and a slip dress.

What do you think of these colors? I think if I had worn the colors by themselves without the jacket it would have looked like I was advertising for McDonalds. Ha. ha.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look at. These are affiliate links. It does not cost you a thing to click on a link and look at merchandise, but every time you click I get a few pennies. All opinions are my own.

Here is the London Palette in full.

Graphics and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Color Play - More Fall Mixing

My daughter has come into her very busy season and has numerous editing projects on her plate from all sorts of clients, so my Pantone - Autumn/Winter - London Palette series is going to be delayed for a little bit. In the mean time I am falling back to my Thursday columns, so today’s is based on, of all things, fall colors. You just aren’t going to get away from my obsession with color. Ha, ha.

Today’s outfits are centered around a thrifted Christopher and Banks jacket. I absolutely love the muted frenzy of colors and I knew it would be something I could wear repeatedly throughout fall, winter and spring. This is the back of the jacket. It is shaped and feels somewhat like a denim jacket, though the material seems a little less stiff. I paired the jacket with a rusty colored long sleeve tee that I got last year at Maurices. I am going to show you three ways these two pieces can be styled for different looks.

Look 1 - With Jeans

This first look was what I wore on the day I took these pictures. This is a simple look with my Rock & Republic jeans that I have had for years. I added my Sonoma faux suede boots to keep the fall color scheme intact, then I added my purple agate pendant necklace and a purply blue gingham scarf. The last piece to add was the thrifted olive hobo bag. I love the little ruffle on the sleeve hem on the tee. The sleeves on this jacket were the perfect length to let the sleeves stick out.

Look 2 - With White Jeans

For this look I swapped out the regular jeans fro my white Gloria Vanderbilt pair. I also removed the scarf, put on a different necklace and changed the bag and boots. White all year round is simple the rage, and that is one trend I am willing to put up with. These jeans are especially suited to the cooler weather, because they are a heavier weight. They also have a wider leg, so it is easier to get taller boots under them.

These brown ankle boots are a new pair I ordered from Kohl’s. I just love my suede and faux suede ankle boots and wear them all the time. I decided to add this dark brown Nine West pair to my collection because they were on sale and I had a coupon. To go with the boots I chose my thrifted bronzy colored shoulder bag.

Look 3 - Green Skirt

In the final look I chose my thrifted Old Navy tiered skirt, which I have styled numerous other times on the blog. I also added a pale yellow gingham scarf that I bought from the Jacket Society three years ago. Nora always has such unique and beautiful pieces. Be sure to check out the scarves and wraps here. I swapped out my bronze bag for this purple Nicole bag with gold chain handle accents, and my ankle boots for these thrifted mid-calf leather heeled boots. You can see I also added a woven belt that goes with the boots, just for some fun added texture and contrast.

Here are all three outfits side by side. Which one do you like best? Do you have a colorful jacket that you were thinking of getting rid of because you never wear it? How about trying some of these ideas and making your wardrobe work for you?

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your thoughts on these outfits. Tomorrow I will have a new Faith post on the blog, so be sure to stop by and check that out.

Have a great day!

I’ve included a few shopping links for printed jackets. These are affiliate links. It does not cost you anything to click on a link to shop, but it might pay me a few cents. Enjoy!