Fairy Tales and Print Mixing

I promise, I will be starting my Pantone Spring/Summer 2022 series next week. I can’t thank you enough for being patient with me as I maneuver this new normal in this season of life. As I type this my grand baby is sitting next to me on the floor. He is six months old going on a year. Ha, ha. He can sit up, is starting to eat solid food, looks like he might be getting his first tooth and when he is on his tummy he does planks and rocks back and forth on his hands and knees. What a joy to be able to enjoy the first year of his life with all the changes and all the fun.

I thought I would show you what I am wearing today, which is a mix of fairytale meets military. I never used to do much print mixing. In fact, I never would have thought to put multiple prints together, but now I do it with ease and even look for ways to combine numerous prints as the same time. One of the key elements in classic print mixing is to pick similar color schemes in all of your prints.

I got this Forever 21 sweater at a thrift store. I rarely ever shop retailers like Forever 21, or H & M any more, though they used to be frequent stops when my girls were younger. The clothes were cute and cheap, but I am trying to get away from “fast fashion” and move towards more sustainable choices in my purchasing. That is why thrifting is so high on my list when it comes to finding things, not only for myself, and other members of my family, but also for my home. I have found kitchen items, wall decor, picture frames, candles and even movies and books at second hand shops. This past Christmas I gave everyone in the family a thrift box filled with all thrifted items from clothing to books and movies to cute decor. It was fun to shop for people that way.

Unicorns are the stuff of fairy tales. I am less about the one horned wonder and more about regular horses with insight into their master’s whims and thoughts…think Gandalf’s horse Shadowfax from Lord of the Rings. Still, I could not resist this sweater, since I am a sucker for fairy tales and all things fantastical. Because the top is short, I added a long sleeve pink tee underneath.

It is another cold day, so I knew I wanted a scarf since the top has a wide neck. I remembered, I had recently thrifted this pretty cherry blossom scarf and thought it not only went with the top due to the pink flowers, but the delicate, lacy branches have a fairy tale look to them.

I was searching for a different pair of jeans when I came upon these and I was so thrilled that not only did the embroidery match my color scheme, and add another print, but these fit better than when I last tried them on. Yay! These are Levi’s brand and I got them a while back from Kohl’s clearance.

When I think of fairy tales, I think of princesses, knights, villains, and sometimes monsters. There is usually some sort of magic and always a quest or adventure to go on. I also imagine, flowy fabrics, with the fair maidens dressed in pastels and tulle. The villains are garbed in black or red. Ha, ha. Yes, my fairy tale memories are full of stereotypes. These are not the politically correct fairy tales of today. My favorite Disney fairy tale retelling is Beauty and the Beast. I love both the cartoon and live action versions.

I always wanted to be a different sort of princess. I wanted to be the warrior, so when I started thinking about this outfit, I knew I had to throw in my own touch by adding combat boots. Of course, if you are going to kick some villain butt, you can’t be in dresses and heels, as least I couldn’t. I would end up tangled up in my gown and spraining an ankle from trying to walk in heels. Ha, ha. These are also thrifted, and are a regular part of my fall through spring wardrobe.

Style Tip: An easy way to add an edgy element to any outfit is to wear combat or motorcycle boots. They are fun with jeans, skirts, dresses and even shorts, for those of you who have pretty legs. These days combat boots come in a variety of colors and styles. Check out the shopping links below for options.

I am a child of the King, therefore, I am a princess. I fight battles every day on my knees and on my walkabouts with God, therefore, I am a warrior. I am full of flaws, lack confidence and have a list of idiosyncrasies, but I stand in His strength. Fairy tales all have elements of truth. Magic or miracles? Monsters or murderers? Fairy godmothers, or just grandmothers, I am living an adventure.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Thanks for following along on the blog.

Have a great week.

What I've Been Wearing Lately

I didn’t have the time, nor the energy to come up with outfits for a blog post, so I thought I would just share a few of my everyday outfits that I posted on Instagram. I know some of you follow me there, and on Facebook so these might be repeats for you, but to keep it interesting and fun I will be adding a few style tips and commentary on why I chose what I did and my thought process or the inspiration for putting it together. I also thought it would be fun to tell you which pieces are thrifted.

Outfit 1 - Tan Blazer with Striped Tee

Inspiration - Pinterest

Thrifted Pieces - Striped tee, blazer, jeans, belt and shorter necklace

Style Tip - Florals and stripes are an easy and quick way to print mix without getting overwhelmed.

What I like about it - It is casual, but a bit dressier with the blazer and jewelry. It adheres to my fashion style with the combat boots and floral scarf. The layers make it great for these transitional days as winter ends and spring begins.

Outfit 2 - Sunflower Skirt with Pullover Sweater

Inspiration - Style challenge on Instagram for #wearyellowtoendendo22 with @ldywhobrunches and @sarahceeraz

Thrifted Pieces - Sunflower skirt and gray faux suede boots.

Style Tip - Try choosing color combos that aren’t perfectly matched. It might go against your fashion sense, but it is good for your brain to think differently about how colors pair up. You might find color combos you never thought to put together.

What I like about it - I ended up wearing this outfit all day and it was extremely comfortable. It was just the right amount of layering to keep me warm and I didn’t feel overly constricted. I like the boho vibe of it, but it also says classy with the long flower pendant and the chic chenille sweater.

Outfit 3 - Plaid Jacket with Space Tee

Inspiration - My closet and my own creativity.

Thrifted Pieces - Plaid jacket.

Style Tip - Skinny jeans and straight leg jeans are the best for tucking into boots, so don’t get rid of all of your skinnies, no matter what is trending. Skinnies and straight leg pants give you a sleeker fit through the leg, but especially around the knee and top of a taller boot.

What I like about it - This outfit just speaks to my inner lumberjack persona. I love plaids and earth tones like brown and green. I like the contrast of the darker green tee, as opposed to choosing an olive green to match the tones in the jacket. Pairing the jacket with a scarf allowed me to wear the wool without doing all the itching.

Outfit 4 - Casual Blue Sweater and Jeans

Inspiration - My own closet and a desire for comfort. (You would be amazed at what motivates my fashion choices - Ha, ha.)

Thrifted pieces - Light blue sweater and light blue long sleeve tee underneath.

Style Tip - Choose a sweater with texture to minimize noticeable bulges around the middle. The eye is busy trying to follow the texture and pattern, rather than focusing on your bits. (I also size up, but that is a personal choice.)

What I like about it - Casual style is my jam and this is a perfect example of all the things I love: jeans, soft, roomy sweaters, pretty color and fun sneakers.

I hope you enjoyed taking a closer look at my everyday outfits, and hearing about where I draw inspiration from, and how I use my thrifted pieces. I also hope you are enjoying my style tips. Let me know what you think by leaving your thoughts in the comments, or on Facebook. I appreciate all your support.

Fashion Fun: One Blazer Three Ways

Everyone should own at least one or two good blazers. What I consider a good blazer is a piece that fits well, is made well and doesn’t show wear after only a few years. I have my own stockpile of blazers, because they are timeless. I do have wool based blazers that I only wear in the fall, winter and spring because they are the perfect classy layer to keep me warm. I also have a few that serve me well in the warmer months in overly air conditioned restaurants and theaters. Today, I want to show you a thrifted piece that I recently found.

I have been looking for a tan colored blazer for a few months. I didn’t care if it was tan, or beige, or camel, I just wanted something in that color family. I now have two. The one I will show you today being the first one I found. Last week I found a darker one at the dollar thrift store in the town south of us. How could I possibly pass up a beautiful blazer that fit me well and made me look like a girl straight out of Pinterest, for only a dollar? I couldn’t! Ha, ha. Do I need two tan blazers? No, and eventually, I will probably get rid of one, but for now I have two.

Outfit 1 - Casual with Jeans

This piece is a brand called Collections for Le Suit and I got it at Goodwill when my husband took me out for my birthday back in January. Looking at it in these pictures shows me that it is a little big. I lost a few pounds when I was sick and have not gained it back. Not being able to taste anything helps with that. Ha, ha. However, it will be nice to wear with bulkier sweaters and sweatshirts in the cold months.

My Apt. 9 jeans are also thrifted, though from a few years ago. I like the darker wash and bootcut of this pair. I have found most of my favorite jeans at thrift stores. It is a great place to find and try brands you haven’t heard of or can’t afford at regular retail prices. My patterned turtleneck is a thrifted brand called Investments Essentials. The funky pattern is what drew me to it.

To complete the look I added a beaded layered necklace, my Very Peri thrifted Merona bag and my old Sonoma heeled ankle boots from Kohl’s.

Outfit 2 - Workwear with Plaid Trousers

These plaid trousers are another dollar thrift find. I didn’t even try them on, figuring for only a buck, I could just donate them if them didn’t fit. What drew me to them were the light blue stripes. These are Mossimo brand.

I decided to pair them with my light blue Sonoma shirt. I got this from Kohl’s a number of years ago. A good chambray shirt, whether a light wash or a dark wash, is always in style and can be worn with so many things.

I finished off the look with silver accessories, and my blue Converse sneakers.

Outfit 3 - Dressy with a Polka Dot Skirt

I found this fabulous black and white polka dot skirt at the same dollar thrift store where I got the pants. How could I resist this classy, flowy piece, especially when black and white is trending for spring. It is a brand called Urban Coco. It has a white elastic band waist making it very comfortable. It also has a partial lining which hits just above the knees. I hope to see this one get some wear this summer.

White tees are all the rage for pairing with blazers, so I thought why not bring that into play here. My simple white tee is a Time and Tru piece from Walmart. This brand has definitely given Walmart a place in the fashion world, and they seem to be affordable pieces meant for real life wear.

For the rest of my look I kept it simple by adding a thrifted pendant necklace, a blag sparkly clutch and my Clark’s open toed shoeties.

If a girl’s got a twirly skirt, the girl’s got to twirl!

Here are the three looks side by side.

Which outfit do you like the best? Do you have a blazer this color? How do you like to wear it? Leave me some love in the comments. I really appreciate it. I am including a few shopping links for items similar to pieces in these outfits. Feel free to look them over. These are affiliate links, all opinions are my own.

Fashion Fun: Boho Maxi Dress

I do apologize, again, that I am not getting as much content out as I would like, and I am also forgetting to send out a weekly email. Life has been busy and we have been continually bombarded by life bombs including those minor inconveniences like car problems and bigger things like family illnesses and issues. Sometimes we get to a point where we want to give up and just go hide in a nice warm hole, but in the words of Tim Allen of Galaxy Quest fame, “Never give up! Never surrender.”

This week I wanted to share with you three looks revolving around a dress I got as a gift for Christmas. Most of us are aware of the prairie/boho vibe that invaded Target this past year. Long, flowing, tiered maxi and midi dresses hung from every rack. I heard many women complaining that the retailer had lost their mind and that there was no way they were going to keep shopping there. However, I noticed these options are still strong with new colors and prints for spring.

My dress is a solid, rusty color, which will be great for fall, but I tried to think about how I could style this for spring. Let’s take a look.

Outfit 1 - With a Knit Vest

I have long been a fan of gauze. I can remember as I was growing up having a few different tops made out of the light weight, textured fabric. It is the perfect warm weather fabric. This dress is fully lined with a polyester underlay, so actually great for cooler temps. As you can see, the dress has an empire waist and four tiers layering down from the bodice. No worries about pinching or feeling like this piece is too tight. It is like a muumuu, but a little more stylish and classy.

This knit vest was in a style box I won through an Instagram Style Challenge. I hardly ever win anything, so this was a pleasant surprise and was gifted by Instagrammer Rae, @forensicfahsionnotes . There were lots of other goodies in the box including a dress, scarf and necklace. Most of the pieces were thrifted, which I love. This vest is a heavy weight yarn and the oxford gray will go with so many things.

To complete this look I added some beaded jewelry, my gray combat boots and a Sonoma tote bag that I picked up online at Kohl’s last fall. These are a great addition to your wardrobe. They are light weight, but sturdy; very roomy and will carry everything from your laptop or tablet to a notebook and all your other essentials. Check out all the glorious colors and prints by clicking on the link above.

Style Tip: When wearing a lower cut neckline, fill in the exposed area with several layers of beads.

Outfit 2 - With a Corduroy Jacket

I found this wide wale corduroy jacket while thrifting a few years ago. I have been very close to getting rid of it, because I just don’t wear it, but for some reason I keep hanging on to it. It is as though this jacket wants to be mine. It wants to belong to me, because it knows both it and I have such great potential together. The sleeves are a little short, but I love the off white color, the roomie box cut and the texture.

I thought my fringy boho scarf the perfect complimentary piece. After that it was just a matter of a black bag and white sneakers. Done!

Style Tip: When adding a scarf to an outfit with only one or two colors pick one that also has at least one or two of the same colors.

Outfit 3 - With a pullover sweater.

I was going to try just wearing the dress with a belt, but to me it didn’t look quite right. Part of it might be the need to find the right belt. Instead, I decided to make my maxi dress into a maxi skirt by topping it with this Christopher and Banks pullover sweater. This works wonderfully for the cold weather as it gives you an extra layer and using the belt allows you to cinch in your waist for a more streamlined look. The belt is another thrift find as it the necklace.

I added my suede boots and an older tote bag from many years ago. Once again, I love the pattern and the corduroy texture. Plus, it adds to the boho flare of the entire look.

Style Tip: Trying looking at your maxi dresses as skirts and see what sweaters or tops you have that would go with the bottom.

Here are the three outfits side by side.

Which outfit do you like best? Would you wear a prairie/boho dress like this? What other ways would you wear a dress like this? I’d love to have your feedback, so leave a comment below, or on my Facebook page.

I’m including a few shopping links, just for fun. Feel free to look them over. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few pennies every time you click on a link. I appreciate every click.

Have a great day!

Fashion Fun: Men's Oversized Button Down

When it comes to thrifting for fashion, I like to think outside the box. I always peruse all the sizes, because so often size is relative. What I mean by that is, it is relative to the brand. A size 12 in one brand might fit you perfectly, but a size 12 in another brand, might be too big or too small. I honestly believe sizing is different than it used to be. If you shop vintage clothing, at all, you will see that most of the pieces are relatively small. Women tended towards being smaller in the waist, hips, and shoulders than we are now. Not sure why, but it does seem to be the case.

I have also started looking in the men’s section of thrift stores for fun pieces like tees and printed button downs. I like the roomier cut of a men’s medium or even large shirt and they often have textures, prints and fabrics that are different than those on the women’s racks. Today, I am going to show you three different outfits using three men’s button downs that I purchased while thrifting.

Outfit 1 - Men’s Button Down as a Tunic

When I saw this paisley madness, I knew I had to have it. This is Visconti brand. If you type the name be sure to type in Visconti clothing. and you’ll see they have them at Dillards. They also have their own website, but I am not here to encourage you to buy a new shirt. This to encourage you to look at the men’s racks if you thrift, or even if you shop clearance. I absolutely love the colors in this piece and it is easily worn all year round as a top or as a “shacket”.

I topped this look with a thrifted, black Nadia brand, corduroy vest. I added my Simply Vera, Vera Wang skinny jeans and my black knee high boots. The black embroidery on these jeans are what sold me. The abstract floral print goes with so many other pieces.

I didn’t really need to add any jewelry since the print is so busy, but I thought it would be fun to add this piece that has a variety of colors and textures. It blends in, yet also stands on its own.

Outfit 2 - Men’s Button Down as a Work Wear Top

This shirt is Izod brand. This year’s Pantone Color of the Year is called Very Peri. I think it is a very pretty color reminiscent of the Periwinkle flowers, which can come in blue, purple or white. I thought this checked shirt fit the color well. One thing I have to do with most of the men’s shirts I purchase is roll up the sleeves, but rolling up the width of the cuff is just the right amount, so you can hardly tell.

My denim pencil skirt is also thrifted and Gloria Vanderbilt brand. I like the length of this and if I still had a reason to wear a skirt would definitely be wearing this often. I added the navy hose to cover my veiny legs and thought the black, thrifted Nine West loafers gave it a work wear look. I also added the denim blue cloth belt and the dark purple agate pendant necklace. My thrifted, Merona bag, also brings in that Very Peri vibe.

Outfit 3 - Men’s Button Down as a Shacket

I’ve had this thrifted, Ruff Hewn corduroy button down for a few years now. I love the color and typically think of it as a fall piece. It is soft, warm and roomy, so a perfect piece for wearing over lightweight sweaters, sweatshirts or long sleeve tees.

I wanted this outfit to have more of a spring vibe, so I went with my Sonoma floral joggers, and a thrifted light pink Express short sleeve tee. I opted for metallic accessories including my silver Sketcher sneakers, pewter hand-me-over bag, and my silver and copper necklace.

Here are the three outfits side by side.

I hope you enjoyed this look at how to style a men’s oversized button down. It is fun to explore other options in your fashion wardrobe, and you never know when something you try will become your new favorite style. Which outfit was your favorite? Do you wear men’s clothing? How do you like to style a men’s or women’s oversized shirt? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by the blog. I have provided a few shopping links for your enjoyment. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Spring Trend 2022 - Wearing a Dress with Pants

I saw this on one of the websites as I was looking at Spring Trends for this year. This one is a bit more obscure, but I thought it isn’t so far outside our boxes as we might think. The runway models were wearing outfits that included long, oversized shirt dresses with voluminous pants. That is too overwhelming for most of us, especially if we are carrying a bit of extra weight. However, most of you have already done this to a degree, when you wear a longer tunic with leggings. After all, isn’t a tunic just a short dress? Aren’t leggings sort of like pants? I thought I would show you my version of a dress with pants outfit. It is very simple and perfect for these long, cold days of winter.

I found this fun, velvet piece thrifting and knew the moment I tried it on it was coming home with me. It is soft, warm and stretchy. I love the 70’s pattern and the empire waist with the slightly flared skirt. If I had the legs for it this would be a fun piece to wear with patent leather go-go boots. Ha, ha. However, I bought it with the idea that it would be fun to use as a tunic over pants, especially jeans.

I don’t know about you, but even though skinny jeans are not supposed to be in any more, I just love wearing them with boots in the winter. It is so much easier to get a pair of skinnies into the shaft of a boot, rather than a straight leg pair.

This dress could go over a variety of solid colored pants as well as a few smaller prints like gingham or pinstripes. You certainly wouldn’t have to choose skinny leg pants either. The length and silhouette of this tunic dress would work just as well with a pair of straight, or boot cut jeans.

Style Tip:

Wear a taller heel with straight leg or boot cut jeans for a more upscale look.

To give the outfit a little more interest, I added a long sweater vest the same length as the dress. I then chose gray suede boots, a long pendant necklace and a red bag to pull in the other colors in the the dress.

These boots were another thrift find. I usually don’t have as much success with shoes, but these were a great find. While not real suede, I have found that the faux suede boots last pretty well, as compared to the faux leather ones. They just don’t seem to show the wear as quickly.

My red bag is also thrifted. I don’t typically carry a satchel like this as I like to use a cross body bag to keep my hands free. But I like to keep a few different options around the house for the blog and so that I have choices. I think I might have a few too many choices. Ha, ha.

This long pendant necklace was another thrift fine. I find so many amazing jewelry pieces at thrift stores, so if you are a thrifter, be sure to check out the jewelry racks and counter.

It is easy to put together this kind of outfit and when it is cold during these long winter months, wearing a dress with pants isn’t so far outside the box. I hope you enjoyed this post.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links which means I get a few pennies every time you click on a link. I get a few more if you purchase something through one of the links. I appreciate all your clicks and views. Leave me some love in the comments and let me know what you think about this Spring 2022 trend of wearing pants with a dress.

Have a great evening.

Updating Your Wardrobe: Part 2 - Old Becoming New

I thought I would take another week to look at ways we can update our wardrobe using older style pieces by showing you my own rendering of a couple of outfits with a recent thrift purchase I made. This two piece set is from Blair. I don’t know about you, but I have often felt that mail order retailers like Blair are old school and really gear their products to women, who like the simplicity of shopping via mail and buying products that are easily mix and match and easy to take care of. Don’t get me wrong, they do have many lovely pieces, like this Fair Isle sweater, this spring jacket, and these cute Skechers sneakers.

What I am going to attempt to show you is how you can use this two piece set three different ways for looks that are up to date and appropriate for work, date night or church.

I think the pattern and the colors of this set are lovely. It can be worn all year round, but will be especially pretty in the spring and the fall. The under piece is short sleeve and the over piece is sheer.

Look 1 - Casual

The first way I wanted to style it was casual, since that is pretty much all I wear right now. I decided to wear both pieces together, and added a heavier sweater coat that I recently thrifted as a warm layering piece. I love the winter white of this sweater and the textured waffle weave. It has two silver clasps in the front, but I wore it open so the two piece set could be shown off. I added my old olive combat boots, an olive belt and a dark olive bag. I did the front tuck to show off the belt. This is a great casual look and I would definitely wear it for a date night with my hubby.

Look 2 - Church

Obviously, this look doesn’t just have to be for church. You could also wear it to work or on a fun day out with your girlfriends. In this look I got rid of the sheer overlay piece and used a Kohl’s moto jacket I purchased last year. The jacket is rather heavy, so would definitely be better as an outerwear piece rather than just a layering piece. Often, I will use jackets as layering pieces in the winter, but this one will be better as a spring or fall jacket when the temps are cool, but not freezing.

The skirt is another thrift find. I like the buckskin look of this piece, and thought it could be styled with lots of other colors. The skirt actually could be hemmed up, if you prefer at the knee or above the knee. With these tall brown boots, which were a hand me over from my older daughter, I almost think having the skirt above the knee would look a little better. I added a gray thrifted bag as a point of contrast.

Look 3 - Work

For this last look, I got rid of the short sleeved under piece and donned the long sleeved over piece. I do have a cami on, so I could have worn it like that, but I wanted to add another layer for the cold and more texture. I switched to corduroy winter white pants, heeled suede ankle boots and added another layering piece that could be removed if I got too warm. The office I used to work in was cold in the winter months, so layering was essential. The dark olive jacket is thrifted and is probably a dress. The vest was a Christmas gift two years ago. I went for my dark brown, thrifted corduroy bag as a final touch.

There are so many options when it comes to your clothing. Your closet is a space with unlimited possibilities. Don’t worry about what the media says about what women should or shouldn’t wear at this or that age. Wear what you like, just figure out how to wear it to make yourself feel your best and most confident.

Thanks to everyone who follows along with my blog. I really appreciate it. I hope to bring you more fun content in the weeks and months ahead. If you like to read my Faith posts, be sure to check back Thursday for a new post on what I am learning about the word rejoice! Until then, I hope you are having a great week.

I am including a few shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links, which means I earn a few cents every time you click on a link. I don’t receive compensation for what I do on the blog. I do it for myself, because it stretches my creative boundaries, and I do it for you, because I want to encourage and inspire you.

Updating Your Wardrobe

The thought that we have to buy new things to update our wardrobes is a misconception. There is nothing wrong with buying a few new things, or purchasing an item in a current color or trend to give our closets a bit of a refresh. However, I believe it is possible to take those older pieces in our closets that we might see as outdated and no longer wearable and turn them into something modern and up to date.

I had a friend contact me over the weekend who told me she was going through her closet getting rid of things that were either worn, no longer fit or that she thought were outdated. She had several pieces she didn’t want to let go of. Before she threw them in the box to donate she sent me a message along with a few pictures. She had a few pieces that were quality brands such as Evan Picone and Pendleton and wondered if there was any way to still make use of them.

Absolutely! (Peggy gave me permission to use the pictures she sent.)

Outdated Suits

While women still do wear suits, especially at a corporate level, there is less of a need when you hit retirement. True, vintage is becoming a big deal among thrifty fashionistas, as seen on blogs or Instagram, but not everyone is a fashion blogger. Most women just want to look nice and not like they just walked off the set of an old time movie (whether it be 1880’s or 1980’s). Most of us want to look like we care and that we put thought and effort into our outfits.

One of the things I love about fashion in today’s world is that anything goes. With so much emphasis on inclusion and being who you want to be and wearing what you want to wear, no matter your age, you can wear whatever you please, just please wear something as opposed to nothing! Ha, ha.

Here are some of the tips I gave Peggy for bringing those pieces up to date.

1 - Wear the blazers with other pieces. Jeans, dress pants, denim skirts, faux leather pencil skirts, or even a tiered maxi skirt can take both blazers from oh so 80’s up to 2022. The gray blazer would look stunning with a burgundy pencil skirt and heels, or try wearing it over a black velvet dress. The plaid blazer would look awesome with jeans and ankle boots, or with a pair of cream colored corduroys. I love things to match, but not too much.

2 - Use the skirts as springboards for updated winter outfits by adding chunky sweaters, and tall knee boots. Another option is to top the skirts with slim fitting cardigans and tees. A white tee, with some chunky jewelry and a navy blazer would make a whole new look for that gray skirt. Top the plaid skirt with a black tee, cream jean jacket and white sneakers for a great work wear option. You’ll be warm, comfortable and stylish.

Outdated Dresses

I had to wonder if a dress could really be outdated, but alas some of the add ons, embellishments and collars do make a dress look less than modern. Again, let me reiterate, big collars, shoulder pads and anything retro or vintage is all the rage for many younger people today. The trick is figuring out how we, as older women, can make it work.

This dress of Peggy’s is a beautiful color, so I can understand why she would not want to part with it. Part of the dated look of it has to do with the overlay piece at the top. If you are a skilled seamstress you could remove the overlay completely if the under part is made of the same material. A seamstress could also figure out how to attach the piece at the bottom and sides so that it looks like the dress was made that way.

If you are not skilled in the area of sewing, then there are other ways to make this pretty dress still wearable. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is add a jean jacket and a pair of trainers or low platform tennis shoes. You could also add a fringy earthy colored jacket and a pair of cowboy boots. This way the pretty embellishment is still visible.

On another occasion you might want to cover the embellishment, so throw on a sweatshirt or sweater. A printed pullover or graphic sweatshirt would cover the less modern top, but still give a shout out to the beautiful color of the skirt.

While hem lines do change according to the fashion world, I don’t really listen. I don’t wear mini skirts. They are just not my jam. I like skirts that hit at the knee or below, either in a tea length (also known as a midi) or a maxi which hits at the ankle. I say this, only to reassure you to not worry about the length of your skirt if you have older pieces.

Coats

I don’t think coats can ever be outdated. Sure the coats from the 1980’s and early 90’s had bigger shoulder pads, but shoulder pads are back. The other thing that I have noticed is the call for our clothing to be in pristine condition just isn’t a thing any more. We wear jeans with holes in them, why worry if our coat or shoes are showing a little wear. Again, this is your wardrobe, you make the decisions.

I think this coat of Peggy’s is perfectly lovely and I adore the creamy, winter white color. If you feel like a coat is no longer serviceable as a nice dress coat, think about wearing it with jeans to run to the store or sweats if you’re picking up coffee at the drive through. No one is going to notice if your coat is looking a little worn, especially if the rest of you is polished and put together.

I wanted to show you my own example with a blazer that I found thrifting a number of years ago. This Pendleton blazer is probably from the 1990’s or early 2000’s which isn’t that long ago. It seemed like the type of jacket that would have gone with a pencil skirt in the same color, probably sold as a suit. I have had it for a long time and don’t wear it very often, not because I don’t like it, but because being at home I typically reach for my flannel and my sweaters more often than a blazer. What I am showing you in this picture is how I took a professional looking piece and turned it into a casual date night look.

Sorry my pictures are so grainy.

The gist of this post is that your clothes can be more than what they were made for. Pieces have so much more versatility if you are just willing and able to think outside the box.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Next Tuesday I want to show you another older piece and how I made it work for me in a fun, updated way. Be sure to check out my Faith Page on Thursday for a new post. I hope you are having a great week.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - London Palette: Green Bee, Downtown Brown, and Olive Branch

Hi everyone! November is zooming along and I am still trying to get back into some sort of rhythm, not only here on the blog, but in life. Anyone who suffers from a long term illness can relate to what I am talking about. Not being able to sleep for such a long period of time and still dealing with unresolved symptoms make it hard to get back to what I would say is a normal routine. However, I know there are people who are struggling with much worse situations and I am thankful that I am able to do as much as I can. In fact, this past weekend, we were able to travel to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday with her, so that was good.

Unfortunately, there has also been other difficult things along the way. My son-in-law lost his grandfather this past week and I know that has been a great loss for the whole family. He was a dear man, a wonderful painter and loved his family, so he will be missed. As many of you can relate, it seems as we get older, we see loss happening around us at a more frequent pace. This too is part of life, and for me knowing God is holding me and my loved ones during these times, makes it a little less painful.

Now on to another outfit. As I said last week, while I am wildly behind, I decided to go ahead and show you these Pantone London Palette outfits as possible sources of inspiration for Thanksgiving Day wear. Many of you will be celebrating with friends or family and it is a good reason, to get out of those sweat pants and dress up a little bit, if just for your own mental well being.

You can’t go wrong with a pair of trousers, a pretty top and a fun scarf and bag. Obviously, you can pick your colors, but I chose to combine these earthy tones for a look that is a mix of military meets, moto chic.

My Downtown Brown moto jacket is a thrifted piece that I have styled on the blog before. It is a brand called Celebrity Works. I do like this medium milk chocolate brown. Browns can be tricky to wear, especially when they contain a little too much gray or a little more red, or well, you get the idea. A true brown is hard to find, but I think this brown hits the mark, so thank you Pantone for that one.

You’ve seen my Olive Branch pants numerous times on the blog as well. As I look at them in these pictures, I am thinking I might need to find a replacement pair. These are starting to look worn and really don’t look very flattering. Of course that may have had something to do with my chubby thighs. Ha, ha. These were Gloria Vanderbilt brand and I probably got them at Kohl’s.

For the Green Bee color I chose a thrifted Studio Works popover top that I did the front tuck on, which gave it the blouson effect. I also added the Green Bee paisley print scarf. The thought to add the Dana Buchman floral bag was a last minute addition, but I like how it pulled everything together. A fun floral bag is a great addition to your wardrobe, especially when it can serve multiple season duty. This one works just as well in spring, summer and fall.

I chose my trusty Olive Branch SO ankle boots for my shoes. My ankle boots definitely get used in these cooler fall temps.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear an outfit like this to your Thanksgiving celebration? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments below.

I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a few more pennies. I appreciate every penny! All opinions are my own. Please note, I am not familiar with all of the retailers I list in my links, so be sure to read and understand their return policies in case something doesn’t fit or isn’t to your liking.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Until next time, have a great day.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Adobe, Rhodonite and Olive Branch

Due to my illness, I have neglected this little blog for a few weeks. While we are still trying to get all symptoms under control and actually find diagnoses for said symptoms, I hope to be able to get back to some semblance of regular posting, so please bear with me. To all of you who have been so supportive and loving on Facebook and Instagram, thank you. Your kind words, thoughts and prayers have been so appreciated.

The last two colors on the New York Palette for the Pantone Autumn/Winter series are my favorites. Adobe is certainly what I expect on a fall color palette and Rhodonite is a completely different blue, that I think works fabulously for the fall season. Once again, I am using Olive Branch as my classic color. As I have mentioned before, olive works well with so many other colors, and makes the transition from one season to another, smooth and seamless.

These thrifted Michael Kors jeans might be just a smidge lighter than Adobe, but I think they work quite well. I know the world is saying skinny jeans are not in right now, but I like my skinnies and I will continue to wear them. Sure I will wear other silhouettes as well, but I especially favor skinnies in the cool weather to wear with boots.

The dark blue tunic top, is an older Christopher and Banks piece. After I put the outfit together, I realized the tunic is less like the Rhodonite color, while the bluish purple in the print of the jacket is a closer fit.

My jacket is a thrifted Christopher and Banks piece. It fits similarly to a jean jacket and the print is perfect for bringing on all the fall feels.

My thrifted olive bag is Fossil brand. This is a great piece if you want something you can throw all sorts of things into. Ha, ha. A hobo bag is a good choice for travel, as it easily fits into many different spaces and yet has plenty of room for all the goodies.

You can see in the previous two pictures, I kept my jewelry simple by adding a few olive bracelets and a string of olive beads.

You’ve seen numerous pairs of SO ankle boots on the blog, because I have them in SO many different colors. Ha, ha. See what I did there? These are great little ankle boots for fall and work with jeans, trousers, skirts and even dresses. Apparently, the affiliate program I work with is no longer using Kohl’s as one of their retailers, so here are links to the Kohl’s website for a few different styles of ankle boots. Here is the Averyy, the Chantilly, and the Barb 2. These are not an expensive boot, and that is one of the reasons I like them. They also still look pretty good after a number of seasons, but then, I don’t wear the same pair every day. I am not getting any sort of compensation to recommend these boots, I just really like them.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like this outfit? Let me know your thoughts by leaving me some love in the comments.

I’m including a few shopping links, although it was very hard to find this color in the pants. Anyway, these are affiliate links, brought to you at no extra cost. If you purchase something through one of my links, I get a few cents. You are not charged any extra to make a purchase through my blog.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Pale Rosette, Root Beer and Olive Branch

I want to start off with an apology for my lack of consistency with the blog lately. It has been a rough couple of months and I just haven’t had the motivation to post as regularly. It seems every time I want to make more of an effort at getting more disciplined or being more consistent, I get blindsided by something. At the beginning of the summer it was a broken wrist. Mid summer, I came down with this stuff, that still has me coughing. I just have no idea if I will ever be back to “normal”, whatever that was.

There have been some good bits along the way as well. Early summer we were able to take my in-laws on a nice trip up through the Upper Peninsula, down through Michigan and back to our place where they enjoyed visiting family for a few days. I also got to see my mom, two different weeks and spend time with her. That also afforded me the opportunity to see my best girlfriend, and do some thrifting. On September 19th, our second grandson arrived. He is a doll and I am enjoying opportunities here and there to see him, even if I do have to wear a mask. He’s been born into a world of half blue faces, but that is okay, if we can give him a healthier start. He, my daughter and son-in-law are doing well.

Today’s outfit revolve around three colors on the Pantone New York Palette that I thought combined well into a work wear ready fall outfit.

I am still trying to get used to seeing pastels during the fall season. This year, they were quite popular and besides this pale pink, also included a pretty lavender. I guess, we like what we like right, so pastels for me might be more of a spring and summer color scheme, while rusts, browns and burgundies are the colors I reach for in the fall. While we still live in a free country, you are in control of what colors you wear when. Ha, ha.

The Pale Rosette, 3/4 length tee is a thrifted piece, and a brand called Suzanne Betro. It is actually a longer tunic, but I just tucked it in for this outfit. I love the detailing at the bodice.

You’ve seen my Olive Branch utility vest on the blog before when I did my series on olive pieces. This vest isn’t quite the right shade. Who would have thought there are so many shades of olive? Another clearance find from Kohl’s, I don’t have a ton of Mudd pieces as it typically has more of a junior’s fit, but the few that I have, I really like.

You’ve also seen these brown trousers when I talked about wide leg pants back in the spring. I am not a big fan. I have enough bulk on my bottom. However, I will hang on to this pair, as I like the color, and occasionally it is nice to have a different option when it comes to pants. These were thrifted and are St. John’s Bay brand.

I added the multi-print scarf to add an extra dimension of color and interest to the outfit. I like how it ties the whole look together.

You can also see the fun necklace I scored while thrifting at the local shop around the corner. I have found some great jewelry there. I goes perfectly with the pants.

Even though this little thrifted, Rosetti bag screams summer, I thought it was a great way to keep this outfit looking modern and updated, yet still in tune with the fall vibes.

My SO snakeskin print boots were a clearance purchase from Kohl’s last season. I haven’t really had the opportunity to wear them very much, so hopefully this season they will be out and about.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like them combined? Do you like them each separately?

I’d love to hear your thought, so leave me some love in the comments.

As I usually do, I am adding a few shopping links in things similar to these colors. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for following along on the blog. I hope you are having a great week.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Fuchsia Fedora, Leprechaun, and Coconut Cream

The colors I am showing you today were ones that surprised me a bit for a fall palette. The bright Fuchsia Fedora is not a color that I have very many pieces in, thus why I used it more as an accessory color. Leprechaun was also a different choice. I was thinking there would be a darker, more forest green color, but this bright, cheeky color is what appeared on the palette. However, that is one of the reasons I like doing this color series. It forces me to think outside the box.

Even though I wasn’t particularly fond of these colors for fall, I actually liked the way this outfit turned out. Even though the light jacket looks nothing like Coconut Cream, these colors and their combinations are just guidelines for us. Not rules…and just for fun….

I loved The Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and that whole idea of rules versus guidelines was amusing as it kept coming up in the movie and was used according who benefited the most. I guess we could take a lesson from that when we look at our closets. The combinations you put together are for your benefit. You get to decide what you like and what you don’t. You make the choice of what colors or prints to put together, and whether you want to buy into the trends or not. I think we can safely say those fashion “rules”, are really more like “guidelines.” My job as a fashion blogger is to give you ideas of how to make these combinations and hopefully inspire you to think outside your own boxes.

My LuLaRoe skirt was the perfect choice to build this outfit around. I actually had the thrifted striped tee already pulled out as a match for Leprechaun, and as I started figuring out which colors and pieces to put together, I remembered this skirt. I always have a little celebration party when pieces come together. When I try things on I do a little dance in front of the mirror and say, “This is it!” Ha, ha. The stripes in the tee are actually navy, but with the two prints taking center stage, you can’t really tell the colors are different.

My cream jacket by Sanctuary is a thrifted piece you have seen before on the blog. You can see it with a leopard print skirt and with my bright blue pants. It is actually more of a canvas than a denim, but it works much the same as a denim jacket providing light weight coverage for cooler weather and adding a casual touch to a dressier outfit.

You can see my Fuchsia Fedora necklace and bracelets. I think I have jewelry in just about every color under the sun, but you know, a girl can never have too many fun accessories! Is that a rule, or a guideline? Ha, ha.

My bestie, Stacey, gave me this beautiful, leather the Sak bag last time she came to visit. I thought the berry color went perfectly with the darker berry color in the flowers on the skirt.

These beautiful black suede heels never get to go anywhere, so I do like to bring them out and show them off on the blog. These are Aerosoles and I bought them a few years ago at a Clarks shoe outlet. I like that they are comfortable, have a reasonable heel, stay perfectly in place and look classy.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like them for fall? Now that I am thinking about it, I might need to revisit the idea of fuchsia as a fall color. I could see it with other fall colors like golden yellow, burgundy and rusty orange. Hmmm. I may have to get a little further outside of my color box.

Let me know what you think. I’m including a few shopping links for things of similar color. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a link, I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through my site, I get a few more. I appreciate every click.

Have a great day!

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Mykonos Blue, Spring Lake and Coconut Cream

It seems that every Pantone color palette that comes through the Institute has at least one, if not two blues on it. Blue is a color that everyone can wear, whether you wear dark classic navy, casual comfortable chambray or tropical hues that take you to the beaches of the Caribbean. I have a lot of blue in my closet, but then, I have a lot of every color in my closet. Ha, ha. Blue is great for pairing with many other colors. I pair denim with every color and denim definitely falls in the range of blues. Today’s blues are wearable and most likely already in your wardrobe.

My colors did not really line up with these blues. Oh well, that is part of the challenge of doing this series. I don’t always get the match spot on, but that is okay. The point is to take things you already have and do something similar. It doesn’t matter if your blues are a perfect match or not. All of these pieces were things I already had.

When I picked out these pieces I really thought the pants and the vest would have matched better to Spring Lake, but now looking at the picture the pants seem to match better with the Mykonos Blue. The vest, which does seem to lean a little bit toward a gray undertone, was too dark to match the Spring Lake color. However, the patches on the pants seem to lean a little more in that direction.

The vest is a thrifted Relativity piece. I have styled this on the blog before. You can see it worn with a graphic tee. The jeans which I have styled on the blog before are thrifted and a brand called Est. 1946 Denim. You can see how I wore them with a graphic tee and cozy sweater here. Looking at the above picture, I should have rolled up the cuffs on the jeans.

When you have an asymmetrical vest with fringe, you just have to twirl!

My yellow mini floral print button down is a thrifted Old Navy piece. I decided to leave it completely untucked to add to the ultra casual vibe of this outfit.

I was trying to go for the Coconut Cream idea in my accessories, but again, things didn’t match up exactly. My bag was a hand-me-over from my daughter. This Miche brand bag actually has interchangeable outer shells, so for this look I used the cream colored one.

My sneakers are thrifted Mossimo.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like to wear blue? What color blue is your favorite?

Thanks for following along with the blog. I appreciate all of your clicks, likes and comments.

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

Have a great day.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Illuminating, Fire Whirl and Ultimate Gray

Over the weekend, I became grandmother again. My oldest daughter had a little boy and we are very excited to meet him, as soon as we can. Obviously, with all the restrictions for visitors in the hospital, we were not able to meet him before he came home.

I am going to being this Autumn/Winter series, as I usually do with the New York Palette. It wasn’t until recently that the Pantone entity added the London Palette to its long list of color tools. Today’s outfit revolves around the two Colors of the Year, the sunny yellow, Illuminating and the classic gray, Ultimate Gray.

In all honesty I was having a hard time putting the outfits together for this series. I think most of it had to do with being plagued by this stupid sinus stuff and cough for so long. I am finally sleeping in my bed again, but I still have a wheezy, chronic cough. We’ll see how long it takes to get some sort of resolution, or maybe it has moved in permanently, but it is a pain. It is hard to have long conversations and I cannot sing at all, not that I really could before I got this cough, but it was better than now. Oh well, life is just that way sometimes.

The other problem I think I was having, was the weather. It was so hot, I was having a hard time really getting into styling fall outfits. I love fall, and am excited about that change, but it has just been slow to actually feel like the season to wear layers. Here in my area, by Wednesday, the highs are only going to be in the 50’s. That definitely feels like fall.

You can see that I only used Illuminating in very small doses with my yellow beaded necklace and bracelets. The Fire Whirl red tank top is a thrifted Loft piece. It is actually more of an a-line or swing silhouette, so I gathered the shirt underneath in the front, then secured the little “pony tail” with a hair band. The result is to give the top a more fitted look with a fun swirl at the front.

For this outfit, it worked out that Ultimate Gray takes center stage with just a few pops of Fire Whirl and Illuminating. My thrifted, plaid, Sag Harbor trousers are actually petites, so I expect they would be closer to an ankle pant than a crop pant, but I like the way it looks, especially with my darker gray Impo booties.

The next picture shows you a closer look a the Illuminating jewelry and the detailing on the yoke of the top. The gray moto jacket is a no name brand and I am not sure where I got it. I wanted to say it was thrifted, but for some reason, I think I bought it at a store. I really cannot remember. Is that bad? Ha, ha.

My tote bag was going to be a gift for one of my daughter’s one Christmas a few years ago and I ended up keeping it. Many times, I just end up buying too many items, so I have to return stuff, but this was a cheap purchase, I believe from Kohl’s and I really liked it.

Fire Whirl is more the color of my top, but I kind of liked the contrasting shades of red, as well as the two differing plaid patterns. It just gives the outfit a fun vibe.

What do you think of these colors? Would you pair these colors with one another? Do you have these colors in your closet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a link, I get a few cents, if you purchase something through my site, I get a little more. Thank you for all of your support.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull, with Rebecca Trumbull.

Thinking About Fall - Transitional Style - Lightweight Crop Pants

I’m going to give you a couple more weeks of Transitional Style and then hopefully I’ll be ready to start the Pantone Series. We decided to forgo pictures this week since the weather was too hot for this post menopausal woman and her very pregnant photographer. Ha ha. Hopefully, next week will be a tad bit more humane for all involved.

Today we are going to look at how to take a pair of lightweight cropped pants from summer into fall. Once again, these changes are so easy and everyone can do them. It is only a matter of swapping out a few things or adding another layer. Other than those little changes the outfit overall stays exactly the same.

I found these black and white, gingham cropped pants thrifting. I wanted something a little different than my usual rolled up jeans and I think these work very well. Today was my first attempt at wearing them and I was pleased with this cool, casual look. These are Jones New York Sport brand.

My simple light green tank top is a thrifted Loft piece. I decided to wear a few more of my sleeveless pieces this week, since it is going to be so hot all week long. I liked the mix of the pastel green with the black and white print of the pants.

I finished off the look with a long light green pendant necklace, a few beaded stretch bracelets, my green bag from Charming Charlie and my thrifted, black Bare Traps sandals.

In order to make this outfit fall worthy, I added my longer olive Sonoma cardigan. I have had this piece for a number of years now and it it definitely one of those work horses in my cold weather wardrobe.

Instead of the necklace I swapped it out for a scarf that is totally speaking the fall vibes. Scarves are great things to find at thrift stores. I also swapped out the lighter beaded bracelets for a couple of darker pieces.

It was a no brainer to add my black Natural Reflections ankle boots and a thrifted black Scarleton bag.

Here are the two outfits side by side. Do you have a pair of light weight pants that you are unsure how to transition to fall? I hope this post helps. Let me know what your thought are, or how you might do something similar to this.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. Every click on a link gives me a few pennies, at no cost to you. These are affiliate links and I appreciate every click.

Have a great Tuesday!

Thinking About Fall - Transitional Style - Lightweight Skirt

When we start thinking about fall, we are probably starting to yearn for our cozy sweaters, scarves and boots. As the weather begins its journey through the waning days of summer we know the days will still be plenty warm, but the evenings might start cooling off, especially after the sun goes down. That is a good time to think about layers. Why not pull out a few of your medium weight sweaters and a couple pairs of ankle boots and start using them, even though the start of fall on the calendar is not for another month?

Today’s outfit revolves around a light weight skirt that I picked up just a few weeks ago at Kohl’s on the clearance rack. It is obviously from this past spring, perhaps even related to Easter style, so I thought this would be a good piece to take from warm summer day, to cool weather appropriate with just a few simple changes.

For a cute, breezy, summer look I thought this Chaps plaid skirt would pair well with a fun graphic tee. You have see this thrifted No Boundaries tee on the blog before. You can see it styled with a denim pencil skirt, and a fringe vest. Isn’t it funny that I did the front knot with the fringe vest as well? The shirt is a little over sized and very stretchy, so knotting it is easy. The skirt is not lined, but I wasn’t going anywhere and it is not sheer, so unless I had on a pair of dark panties, there was no show through worries.

I wanted to highlight the pink and the white letters in the tee, so chose pink and pearl accessories.

I thought the Steve Madden white tennis shoes a good choice to keep the look fun and casual.

To make the transition to cooler weather, I once again reached for the color brown. I love brown in the fall. My husband likes the color brown on me, so I have been trying to incorporated it into a year round color, but it is often hard to find. For this look, instead of a jacket I chose my cozy, thrifted Old Navy cardigan.

Once again, I chose a more chunky necklace with shades of brown, gold, and coppery bronze. I really wasn’t sure how I felt about this look, but now that I see it, I like it. Brown and pink are always a winning combo and the contrast of the gray tee gives it interest and keeps it from being overly two-toned.

I went with my taller Sonoma suede boots, because I liked the more slouchy look with this casual outfit. They give it a bit more of a boho vibe. Most of the boots I own, that I have bought new I got at Kohl’s. I like both So and Sonoma brand. They fit my feet well and allow room for socks or tights. They are ultra casual, but still make an outfit look polished and complete. I’ll provide a few shopping links at the end if you are thinking about a new pair for fall.

My bronze cross body bag is another staple in my closet. I bring this one out every fall.

Here are the two looks side by side.

Do you have a summer skirt that you would like to wear longer? What can you add to make that skirt still useable in the cooler weather? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two.

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

Have a great Tuesday!

Thinking About Fall - Transitional Style - Tank Top

Before I get into the Pantone color series for Autumn/Winter 2021, I wanted to look at a few options for taking your summer pieces into fall. It seems like common sense to add layers as the weather begins to cool, at least for those of us in the northern part of the country. Even in warmer states, and countries, there are always those rainy days, or cooler evenings where having a layer or two makes a person more comfortable. The question I have to ask myself is why bother transitioning? Why not just change out our summer wardrobes for those fall pieces in deep burgundies and rusty oranges?

I think there are several reasons we need to transition from summer into fall. First of all, even those of us who love fall and enjoy the cooler weather, hate to see summer come to an end. The end of summer means shorter days, and the loss of the freedom and fun we associate with summer. Being able to run around without heavy coats, mittens and scarves is something most of us love being able to do. Summer also means vacations and beach days for many. It is hard to say goodbye to these wonderfully long, lazy days.

Another reason is that transitioning our wardrobes to fall slowly, allows us to extend the life of those summer pieces we love. The tank tops, shorts, light weight dresses and kimonos are still usable as the weather cools if we remember how much fun layering can be. I have already seen many bloggers and Instagram gals showing off these types of outfits.

Today’s focus is on tank tops. This could be a simple ribbed tank, or something like this thrifted Christopher & Banks shell, that is more structured and workwear appropriate. Since I am not working, I am showing you a casual look that can easily be taken from summer into fall with three simple changes.

My daughter hired an assistant and has started training her behind the camera. They asked if we could do pictures in the studio, to give her some practice, not only with outfit photos, but with indoor shots. I love outdoor photos because there are so many possibilities, but there is something to be said for studio photos, especially when the weather is hot, humid and buggy! We just used the wall as a backdrop, but it you follow Rebecca Trumbull Photography, you know she has all sorts of backdrop colors for headshots and puppy pictures.

This outfit is easy, peasy. A pair of thrifted Merona boyfriend ankle jeans, a tank top, shoes, bag and a little jewelry. Except for the bag and jewelry, everything in this outfit is thrifted.

I chose this tank top for a few reasons. The first is, I have been trying to use pieces that I haven’t used in a while in my closet. I actually started keeping track of what I have worn. For my hanging pieces, I turn the hangers backwards after I wash and hang them back up. For my tees, I have started turning the ones I used neck line out, rather than fold out. It might seem silly, but it does help to see what I have been wearing and encourages me to choose other pieces.

For this easy summer look, I kept my jewelry light and simple.

I wanted to chose a bag that could make the transition to fall, so this bright yellow tote was perfect.

My sneakers are thrifted Converse. I washed them in the washer, but they need a little TLC to make them look pristine, which I haven’t done yet.

In order to make an outfit like this ready for the cooler weather and changes that fall bring with it, you only need to do three simple things.

1 - Swap out light, breezy jewelry for jewelry that is bold and chunky.

2 - Add a jacket, sweater or other topper.

Utility jackets are often my fall and spring go to’s for light layers. This Sonoma piece with its beautiful embroidered embellishments goes perfectly with the leafy print of the tank. Being that it is tan, rather than a darker olive or brown, also gives me that slow transition into the darker, richer colors of fall.

3 - Swap out sneakers for ankle boots.

These are my Sonoma suede heeled booties. They are a regular part of my fall, winter and spring wardrobe.

Let’s take a look at the outfits side by side.

You can see that in the summer look I rolled the pants up and in the fall look I left them full length. I love ankle pants for this transition time, because they allow me to show off the ankle boots, and they are still not as warm as full length pants.

The other detail I changed was doing the front tuck on the top, to show off the belt and give the outfit a less casual vibe.

How would you transition a tank top into fall? Do you have tank tops that you love to wear all year round? What do you think of this outfits?

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. I appreciate all your clicks and all your comments.

Have a great Wednesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Oh, Olive! Utility Vest - Workwear

Tuesday you saw the casual look with the olive utility vest. Today we are going to look at a casual workwear look, that would be easy to take from the work place to a casual evening out. Once again the vest will take center stage, but will be complimenting a floral blouse, instead of floral pants and a denim skirt.

Just as a refresh, the olive vest is Mudd brand, a clearance find from Kohl’s. My blush floral print top (Fall Trends) is this season’s purchase from Maurices and branded Coco and Jamison.

This blouse reminded me of things my mom used to wear as I was growing up, so I felt it almost had a bit of a retro vibe. The cut is more boxy and the sleeves longer making it a great piece to put under this vest. I actually put a cami underneath. You know I am all about modesty and I guess I really am a bit of a prude when it comes to things being low cut or too short, but that is me and that is what I am comfortable with. This blouse is really not that low, but I wanted to feel like if I bent over I was safe. It’s probably just me, but hey that’s who I am.

My medium wash denim skirt was a thrifted Gloria Vanderbilt piece. A denim, pencil skirt like this is so versatile and not restricted by the seasons. Wear it with a casual sweatshirt and sneakers in the spring. Style it with a blouse like this for summer. Add tights, ankle boots and a sweater for fall and try it with knee high boots and faux fur in the winter. You can’t go wrong with a denim pencil skirt.

I thought gold accessories would be a good compliment to this outfit. I then finished off the look with my SO olive colored ankle boots and my blush bag.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you have a utility vest?

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what you think of the color olive and how you would style it.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few pennies every time you click on a link. If you purchase something through my blog, I get a few extra cents. I appreciate all your clicks. Even more I appreciate your comments and encouraging feedback. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend!

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!