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 - All the Outfits

I wanted to end this fall color series by showing you all of the colors from both the Pantone New York Palette and the Pantone London Palette. To make it a little more interesting I thought I would show outfits that have, either a same color or a similar color side by side.

I hope that you enjoyed this series. If there are any other topics in fashion that you are interested in learning more about, or in seeing me talk about or put together in an outfit, I would love for you to let me know. I don’t follow trends too closely and this fall, I totally missed the boat on that, so I do apologize. I know some of you enjoy hearing what the trends are for each season and seeing how I apply those to the “real” world. Often when we look at websites or see magazines with tall, thin models or celebrities who are seamlessly coifed we think there is no way we would want to try this or that, especially when it comes to runway trends. However, there are a lot of trends that we can participate in and enjoy like leopard print, various colors and different types of accessories.

I will keep doing this Pantone series as long as I am blogging, because I feel strongly that even though we might differ from each other in our style, color is something we all have in common. Approaching new, bold and different colors without fear is a way to expand your wardrobe and spice up your style without completely committing to a whole different way of doing things.

The Color Palettes Side by Side.

Samba

I love the color red and I think there is a red for every complexion. I think both of these outfits worked quite well and love that both of them present a more neutral palette with a bright pop of red. In the New York outfit on the left Samba is paired with Fired Brick and Sleet. In the London outfit on the right Samba is paired with Tawny Birch and Sheepskin.

Ultramarine Green

Ultramarine was on both palettes and I think it is a pretty green that can bring a peaceful, yet vibrant feel to any outfit. This color green would look great in a bag, jewelry or a scarf and to me it really seems to draw your eyes to it. Maybe it is just my love for the greens in nature that make me like this color so much. In the New York outfit on the left Ultramarine Green is paired with Classic Blue and Blue Depths. In the London palette on the right Ultramarine Green is paired with Exuberance and Sleet.

Military Olive

While I love bright and bold colors like the two I mentioned previously, I love using olive as a neutral. It goes with every color, and has a different vibe than gray or beige. It is classy, yet subtle. In the New York outfit on the left, Military Olive is paired with Peach Nougat and Sandstone. In the London outfit on the right Military Olive is paired with Strong Blue and Jet Stream.

Green Sheen/Celery

It is hard to tell in these pictures, but Green Sheen and Celery are pretty similar. I think, because the lighting is different the colors look brighter in the shaded picture. They are different colors, but not enough different that they couldn’t be exchanged from one outfit to another. In the New York outfit on the left, Green Sheen is paired with Amber Glow and Almond Oil. In the London outfit on the right, Celery is paired with Mandarin and Sheepskin.

The Other Colors

These last two are paired only because they were the last two and don’t really have anything in common. The New York outfit on the left is a combination of Rose Tan, Magenta Purple and Sleet. The London outfit on the right is a combination of Burnt Henna, True Blue and Dress Blues.

Which outfit do you like most? Which color from the two palettes is one you frequently wear? What new color(s) are going to try to add to your wardrobe. As always, I love to hear your thoughts.

I apologize to those of you who subscribe to my blog. The last three weeks, I have completely forgotten to send out my weekly emails. I’ll just attribute that to “squishy brain syndrome.” Ha, ha.

Thanks for following along on the blog. I hope to use the next couple of weeks leading up to Thanksgiving showing you more fall outfits and maybe a few ideas for what to wear to Thanksgiving dinner whether you are going some place or sheltering in place.

If you follow my Faith page be sure to check back tomorrow for the next installment in my series on the Unseen Enemy.

Have a great weekend!

Graphic and 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!

Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Amber Glow, Green Sheen and Almond Oil

The colors in today’s post are more pastel, but still encompass colors we think of when fall comes to mind. Oranges and yellows are obvious as we look at the trees around us. The Almond Oil color is an off white. When I was growing up, we never wore white after labor day. Our white shoes, bags, dresses, skirts and pants were all put away until the next year. I can still remember going out shoe shopping with my mom before Easter, because that was always when we would get out our white shoes to wear to church. Obviously, those days are gone, but many people still like the idea of wearing white in the summer and darker colors during the cooler, darker months of the year. Almond Oil might be a good alternative for those of you who would rather stay away from a pure white for the Fall/Winter seasons.

You’ve see this Roz & Ali maxi skirt numerous times on the blog. I got this one at dressbarn. All the dressbarn stores in the area have closed, but I know they still have a pretty major online shop, so be sure to check them out. I used this skirt last fall in the Pantone London series styled with a purple sweater. You can also see it styled with an orange tank top and a brown moto jacket.

My yellowish green short sleeve sweater is a thrifted Gap piece. It is a tad big, but I like the slouchy look of it and tucking it in works great with this skirt.

The cream colored jacket is a thrifted NY&Co. It is made of a stiff fabric with a good amount of stretch to it. It almost has a bit of a linen feel to it and it tends to be more wrinkly.

I opted for the orange for my jewelry. I love this tiered statement necklace and hardly ever get to wear it. I have two more in different colors. It just makes a lovely statement, especially in this outfit. It really makes the whole outfit look cohesive. Many people don’t want their outfits to have that kind of matching game, but personally I love it. There is a symmetry and completion about an outfit when it has this sort of cohesion.

My top handle bag is another Stone Mountain thrift find. It seems to match the Almond Oil color even better than the jacket.

Once again, I pulled out my Sonoma suede ankle boots. The small heel gives me less of a chance for tripping over the skirt. Ha, ha.

What do you think of these two colors? When my daughter was editing these photos, she said it seemed these two colors would grate on each other, but she really liked the outfit. Pairing a print with a solid in these colors definitely makes the outfit softer and easier on the eye. This is something I would definitely wear…if I had some place to go. Ha, ha.

I hope you are enjoying this series. If you are leave me some love in the comments. I hope you are having a good week.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Feel free to shop a few links below. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Actual Amy - Layering Up

As most of you know, I love layers. Layering in these transitional times, from summer to fall, and fall to winter, gives us the ability to create outfits with even more interest and texture. Easy layering pieces include cardigans, blazers, jackets and scarves. These can all add a fun change to your wardrobe and give you layers to put on or take off as needed with the changing temperatures. We are expecting a warm spell these next few days, followed by falling temps for the beginning of October.

In today’s outfit, the focal point is a recent clearance find from Target. This A New Day striped blazer was uniquely different from my other blazers and jackets being that it is striped, so I knew I had to have it.

It was a chillier day when I took these pictures, so I already had the fall colored knit top and rust colored cardigan on in the house. We are hoping to make it until October before we turn on the heat. Ha, ha.

My knit, short sleeve multi-print top is a thrifted Loft piece. The rust colored cardigan is Croft & Barrow brand. There is some subtle print mixing going on here with the multi-print tee and the stripes on the blazer. This is one way to print mix without it being overwhelming. The solid color cardigan provides a border between the two prints, but you still see the mix.

These are my favorite thrifted jeans. This is an older brand called Kikit, which are only available from thrift retailers like Poshmark and Thredup. You can see how I styled these on the blog before with a leopard print blazer.

Less is more, when it comes to accessories for an outfit like this. This hand made pendent necklace is a simple piece, but makes just the right statement.

You’ve seen this pretty bag just recently on the blog when I used it with a fall colored fringe kimono.

I chose my black faux suede ankle boots. These are Natural Reflections which are a brand Cabela’s carries. My hubby and I go there every so often and usually pass through the shoe department to see what’s on sale. i really love the buckle detailing on these and I use them a lot throughout the cooler seasons.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you wear lots of layers when it gets cooler? How do you like to put your layers together? I love hearing your thoughts so be sure to leave a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links, so be sure to stop by. Every time you click on a link I get a few cents. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend everyone. If you follow my faith posts be sure to stop by tomorrow to see the latest.

Color Play - Fall Color Mix

What better time to play with color than in the fall? I love the bright hues of red, orange and gold, as well as the moodier tones of burgundy, brown and forest green. I have found many Pinterest pins on fall color combos, so drew some of my inspiration from those. The pieces I chose are perfect for this in between time where the days can still be warm but the mornings and evenings cool. Today, took a turn towards the cooler side and I am typing this post with a cup of hot cocoa at my side. I need the milk for calcium, but thought this morning I would add a little chocolate and pop it in the microwave. Yum!

When I started looking for my Warm Spice colors, I knew I wanted to used my burgundy SO sweater, which was a Kohl’s purchase last year. I have another one just like this in a light pink, which you will see on the Pantone series coming up. I also got two sizes. This one is a large and the light pink is an extra large. I liked the way each fit for different reasons, so I got both. Ha, ha. You can see the side detailing below.

Yellow was the next color in the Pinterest Warm Spice Pin, so I chose a thrifted short sleeve Sonoma tee with a small white pattern.

I also, knew I wanted this to be a cozy, casual look so opted for my Rock & Republic straight leg jeans.

The third color is orange. I wasn’t sure, at first, how I was going to pull that off, and then I saw this infinity scarf hanging in my closet. This was another thrift store find. I love getting scarves, bags and jewelry at thrift stores, because there are so many different choices and you can’t be the prices. I absolutely love athe fall vibe of this piece. It contains all those colors I think of when I think of fall and the pattern is reminiscent of the 1970’s. You can see I did a bit of print mixing as well.

With the mix of orange in the scarf, I thought it would be fun to add another pop of orange away from my face with the addition of this thrifted orange suede bag. It may be small, but this little number packs a powerful color punch.

It seemed the natural choice to also reach for my Spirit faux suede ankle boots, to balance out the whole look. I love all of my boots, but especially enjoy wearing these ankle boots in the late summer and early fall. Only 5 days until the first day of fall. Whoo, hoo. I have already noticed Halloween decorations in yards and Christmas items in the stores. Eye, yie, yie.

The only jewelry I added was a fun charm bracelet with a bit of fall color.

What did you think of this outfit? Would you wear these colors together?

I hope you are having a good week. I have been busy. My grandson’s 10th birthday was Tuesday. He was supposed to have a small friend party, but one of the boys got sick and with our #covidlife as it is currently we had to cancel. We hope to reschedule for a future date. My husband and I went over and I made a cake and he got to open some presents. This weekend, we are going out to Maumee Bay State Park for one night at the lodge as a part of the birthday celebration. Quintin’s mom and he will go with us and our other daughter and her hubby will join us for dinner. We find ways to make life work, even in our current circumstances.

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

I hope to get my faith post up tomorrow, so be sure to check back for that. Have a great weekend!

Outfit Inspiration - Pinterest Fall Fashion

Right now is a great time to look to Pinterest for inspiration for fall outfits. There are so many outfit combinations complete with fall colors, textures and accessories. I don’t know why I haven’t used Pinterest before this to find inspiration for an outfit. This pin is from my Pinterest board titled Fall Fashion. I wanted to find something that would be a subtle shift from summer to fall, to provide both the colors and layers we often associate with this wonderful season.

I decided to give you a three for one deal today too. Instead of just showing you the original Pinterest inspired outfit, I thought it would be fun to show you two additional outfits I came up with as I was getting out my camera to take pictures. The only changes I made were the outer layer, bag and shoes. You’ll see how easy it is to come up with multiple combinations using the same two pieces.

Outfit 1 - The Pinterest Copy

Yes, there is a huge, red stop sign behind me and yes, my tee is wrinkled. I am going to blame it on the pretty bird bling. Of course I didn’t realize it until after I had taken the pictures. The joy of taking my own shots.

I am a huge fan of striped shirts and have many in my closet in just about every color. I have short sleeve tees, long sleeve tees and sweaters. For this outfit, I decided to choose a thrifted, short sleeve, J.Crew tee since it is still fairly warm during the day. I also love the embellished bird on this piece that I found thrifting. When I find a unique piece like this I grab it. It is just a step above ordinary. Of course with the sweater on, you can’t see it as well, but in the warmer part of the day, I will probably have the sweater off.

For an outfit like this any pair of skinny jeans will do. In fact, you don’t even have to wear skinnies. A pair of boyfriend or bootcut jeans would work just as well and give the outfit a totally different vibe. These jeans are a.n.a brand. I wear these all summer long. They are stretchy and the cropped length is perfect for warm weather. In fact, I usually wear them turned up, but as fall approaches, the ankle length is just right.

My cognac colored sweater is an old thrift find and is a brand called Maison Jules. It is a soft waffle weave and while I can button it, I usually just leave it open, for more of a fly away look. It has a bit of a high-lo hemline and side slits.

I’ve had this bronzy cross body bag for a while. I think it is a nice color for fall.

For shoes, I chose my white Keds, since the Pinterest outfit was styled with white sneakers.

Outfit 2 - Utility Jacket and Booties

For this next look, I simply swapped out the sweater for an olive, utility jacket. This one is St. John’s Bay from JCPenney. You could use any color utility jacket. I have a number of these, ahem…just like my striped shirts…ha, ha.

You can see I also swapped out my white sneakers for my olive, SO ankle boots. In addition I changed the small bronze cross body bag for this large mint green tote. I added the checked scarf as a pop of color and if it was extra cool, I could put the scarf around my neck.

I took these photos all at the same time of day, with pretty much the same settings, so I am not sure what happened to these. I was sort of misting out, so I don’t know if the weather conditions had anything to do with it.

Outfit 3 - Plaid Jacket and Combat Boots

My final ensemble was chosen for the cooler temps that will soon be upon us. I love this plaid jacket with sherpa trim I got at Maurices at the end of last season. You can see how I first styled it on the blog in a similar look here.

My black bag was a recent thrift store find. I had been looking for a black one and this Scarlton tote was perfect.

Once again, my Seven Dials combat boots are featured. I have used these frequently on the blog, since I got them. You can see them styled with a dress, a plaid skirt, distressed jeans, a denim skirt, and black faux lace pants. I like to give you the links to these previous posts, so you can see how one piece, like a jacket or a pair of boots can be used over and over again.

Here are the three outfits side by side.

Do you have a favorite? It is fun to see what combinations you can come up with for different pieces in your wardrobe. These are all looks I would return to again and again. I would call this a formula that works for me. A pair of jeans, a striped tee and then some sort of top layer in the form of a sweater, jacket or other topper. You could do the same thing with a graphic tee.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am working on the Fall/Winter Pantone series, so hopefully I’ll have that for you soon. I also want to apologize to any of you who have sent me personal emails over the last few months that I may not have responded to. I love to get your emails, and please don’t stop. I get so many emails that I tend to not keep up very well, so if you have emailed me, I am sorry if I have not gotten back to you. I am going through my in box now, trying to clean it up a bit, so hopefully it won’t happen again. All of you are important to me and it means a lot when you take the time to comment on the blog or send me a little personal encouragement. Thank you so much and please don’t stop!

I’m including a few shopping links for you to peruse. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Since there were so many options I’ve included a number of links, so feel free to click and shop.

I hope you had a good week and have a safe and happy weekend!

Thrifted Thursday - Dots and Stripes

Today’s outfit is another one pulled together from my many thrifted pieces. I wanted something casual that wasn’t the same old outfit formula that I have been wearing all summer, which has been skinny jeans or ankle pants rolled up with some sort of warm weather top, whether a sleeveless button up or a light weight tee. I knew I wanted to still wear pants, since I still have to watch my grandson and I never know what I’ll be doing, but I wanted something different. I remembered these salmon colored polka dot pants and knew I had the start of my casual thrifted outfit.

I have several pairs of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. I am not a huge fan, although I have worn them on and off through out the years. Don’t get me wrong, they are very comfortable and if you want a fairly high waisted jean, most of hers fit the bill. I like my jeans to fit a little tighter. I also like either a skinny jean or a wider bootcut jean. That gives me the notion that I need to do a post on jeans. Ha, ha. So many things to blog about and so little time.

I decided to try a blue top with my bright jeans, for a fun contrast. I tried several solid colored navy shirts, but when I saw this thrifted striped tee, I thought it would be fun to do a little print mixing. This is a comfy tee and is a brand called Cotton On. Some people only buy certain brands and that is fine, but one of the many things I like about thrifting is I get to try so many brands that I would have never heard of otherwise. Cotton On has a whole website with all sorts of pieces for men, women and children, from sweats and tees, to jeans and button ups. Their price points don’t seem too bad and I do like the quality of this tee, so they might be worth checking out. My tee is a Large for reference.

Since we are thinking ahead to fall with cooler mornings and evenings, I thought it would be appropriate to show this outfit with a layering piece. This Dalia Collection button up is another thrift store find. I like the dark wash and it has a soft feel.

You can see that I added a navy belt to my pants. The reason I did this is three fold. First, I almost always wear a belt. That is just me. The second reason has to do with the print mix. Since the prints on both of these pieces are so small, a dividing line is not really necessary, but sometimes a belt provides a border between the two prints, making it more pleasing to look at. The third reason has to do with interest. The belt is wide, bold and has texture; all things that add to the interest of an outfit. I did the front tuck, to make the belt visible.

This is the last thrifted piece in my outfit. I just found this glass pendant necklace at a local charity shop. I thought it was a very unique piece and will go with just about any outfit.

I wanted to make this outfit look more like fall, thus my choice of bag. I think velvet is the perfect touch for an outfit that is transitioning from summer to fall. It adds texture and an element of warmth to any outfit. This was not thrifted, but a Meijer clearance find from a few seasons ago.

My white Keds are a frequent choice during the summer. I know there is not longer a “wearing white” rule, but I do prefer to put away my white shoes in the winter, mostly because I have way too many cute boots to wear that keep my feet a lot warmer. These were also not a thrift find. I think I got these at DSW on clearance.

What do you think of this outfit? How do you make the transition to fall while still using some of your summer pieces? Leave me some love in the comments. I always like to hear you thoughts.

I am leaving you with a few shopping links. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. Every click helps. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

Actual Amy - Tiered Navy Skirt

Today’s Thursday column revolves around outfits I would be likely to wear. What I would like to do with this column is give you some explanation behind my outfit choices. Not only does this help me to be more thoughtful about what pieces I am putting together, but it also helps you as you think about the pieces that are in your closet.

Today’s look is what I would call dressy casual. What makes an outfit fit this description? I believe it is a combination of what types of pieces are worn and how they are accessorized. While we don’t usually think of something like sweat pants or torn jeans as being dressy, there are certainly ways we can make them looked more dressed up.

With this outfit, I think the tiered skirt, the button up and the tee could all be dressed up or down. Pair the skirt with heels, a silk blouse and a blingy bag and you’d be ready for a show. Layer the tee under a blazer, with nice dress pants and heels and you’d be ready for the office. The button up could be worn with a cashmere sweater in the cooler weather, with nice skinny jeans and boots and it could be date night. I have learned to try not to divide my wardrobe into casual or dressy. I believe there are all manner of levels of casual, dressy casual and dressy between the stay at home in your jammies look and the heading to the Oscars look.

I just recently found this pretty, navy blue, Chaps tiered skirt, while thrifting. I really am a sucker for tiered skirts. Why is this me? Part of it is, I like to cover my legs, due to my veins, but I have liked the prairie skirt idea ever since I can remember. I always thought the long dresses of days gone by were so unique and different, whether plain, like the women living on the frontier or the frilly, decorative dresses of the nobility. I am also a bit of a boho girl, and to me a prairie skirt just seems to have a certain hippy quality about it.

There is definitely something fishy about this JC Penney button up from a few years ago. Though this top is not silk it has a certain soft, silky quality to it. I chose this top, because I decided I wanted to go for a more monochrome look. There is just something classy and slimming about an outfit with one main color scheme.

My white, v-neck tee underneath is Time & Tru brand from Walmart. Walmart, Target and Kohl’s are great stores to get basics like short sleeve and long sleeve tees.

Rather than tucking the top in and adding a belt, which would have made the outfit more polished, I chose to tie the tails at the waist. Just that simple choice of tying, rather than tucking, can make an outfit more casual or dressy.

My accessories were chosen to finish off the casual look, yet I felt they kept the outfit elevated enough to be something I could wear to an outdoor concert or dinner with friends, especially if walking was involved. I got this great Stone Mountain cross body bag at a thrift store. It is real leather and looks hardly used. I thought it was a fun pop of color and goes with the color of some of the beads in the necklace. Once again, my white Keds sneakers are making an appearance. Adding sneakers to a dress or skirt is an easy way to make the look more casual and right now this is very trendy and also better for your feet, knees, hips and back if you have to do much walking or standing during the day.

I don’t have much opportunity to wear heels any more, though I do put them on with outfits for the blog, because I know many women still wear their heels. That is why I have so many different sneaker type shoes. It’s just what I wear.

What do you think of this outfit? I am including a few shopping links, for you to look over. Remember every link you click on gives me a few pennies. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend everyone. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay sane.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Kickin' It with Kimonos - Multi-colored Floral

As you have figured out by now, I have a number of kimonos. The one thing they seem to have in common is they all have prints. Kimonos really are more of an accessory to an outfit, as opposed to a cardigan or blazer, which serve, not only to pull an outfit together, but as a layer of warmth in the cooler weather. Most kimonos and ruanas are very light weight and are meant to be used much as you would use a statement necklace or scarf. They are meant to make your outfit more fun and noticeable.

This next kimono I am going to show you is a LuLaRoe piece and once again adds an element of flirty and feminine to an otherwise casual, tomboyish outfit.

I got this thrifted Nike tee on a recent thrift run. I usually don’t buy brand tees like this. I have no affinity for sports wear branding. I am sure if I were more into sports, then I might feel differently. However, I have always thought that Nike’s slogan, “Just do it,” was something we all could identify with. I mean which one of us hasn’t wished we could do better, be better, eat better, exercise more and so on. Typically I don’t like to go around with this type of slogan across my chest. Not because I am worried about people looking at my chest. I highly doubt a tee shirt like this is going to invoke a drool worthy response from a man. Ha, ha. My feeling is more along the lines that I don’t want to advertise something I have to live up to. Seriously! Yes, I want to be a writer: just do it! Yes, I want to eat better: just do it! Yes, I want to exercise more: just do it. I feel as though I am a walking billboard for a chorus of condemnation. Do any of y’all get what I am saying?

That being said, maybe I need to have these types of messages make an appearance more regularly, not only in my wardrobe, but in the things I read, watch and listen too. Maybe, if I added a bit more of this spice of encouragement to my life, I would be more likely to succeed at those aforementioned desires. What are your thoughts? How do you encourage yourself to do the things that are difficult? Especially when life is so busy and chaotic?

Let me also add in here I know my tee is extremely wrinkled. Ha, ha. I should have gotten it out further ahead of time and let it hang in the bathroom. My daughter keeps telling me I need to get a steamer. Maybe I’ll suggest that on my Christmas list.

This is our first grand puppy, Beatrice. We call her Bea, Sweet Bea, Sweetie Bea and an odd assortment of other endearing terms. She is a mastiff mix. My daughter actually sent in a sample for DNA testing to Embark, to see what breeds Beatrice has in her lineage. The main breed was Cane Corso, which is an Italian breed of mastiff, but she also has Dog de Bordeaux, which is a French breed of mastiff, Neapolitan, which is another Italian mastiff and Bull Mastiff, along with a few other odds and ends. We were trying to get her to turn around, but she wasn’t having anything to do with it.

My yellow, Talbots, crop pants are a thrift find. I have styled these on the blog before. You can see it with a white tee and light gray blazer, and with a pink button up and open weave vest,

This little yellow cross body bag is starting to show some wear, especially since it was second hand when I got it. Paying a little extra for real leather trim or a real leather bag is definitely worth it as they will last longer. I think this one is going to go in the donation box. I do like the color, but I am not lacking purses, so I’ll find a suitable substitute.

Even my cute beaded, fringe bracelet is showing some wear. I will either trim the tassel or just remove it entirely.

Here again are my Naya black suede oxfords. I really like these shoes and they are great for fall and winter.

You’ve got to have a few fun photos. In the second shot my daughter was trying to get me to show the asymmetrical line of the kimono, but my mind went towards Dracula’s cape. Ha, ha. Always the ham, I am!

What do you think of this outfit? Is this a little too outside the box? Do you stay away from writing on tees? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to leave a little love in the comments. I appreciate all your support.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

Color Play - Bathroom Tiles

You might think by the title of my post, that I am going to talk about the tiles in my bathroom. That would not be very entertaining, as my downstairs bath has white tiles and the upstairs bath is in dire need of repair. I took a picture of these bathroom tiles at the public library nearby, as a source of inspiration for putting an outfit together. I have been trying to think of more creative ways to look at color, not only in the world around me, but for the purpose of using those colors as inspiration for outfits.

Picture taken by me on my phone.

There is a lot going on with these tiles. I see several shades of blue, gray, brown and a sort of mustardy yellow tan. Ha, ha. I’m sure there is a correct color name, but who knows what it is. I was originally going to post this outfit back in July, so I had chosen to go with the white tiles rather than the darker grays.

This outfit is perfect for the transition from summer to cooler fall temps and frankly, while there is still a whole month of summer left, I am looking forward to the temps cooling off, the leaves changing and all the other tantalizing fall aromas and tastes.

Everything in this outfit was thrifted. My white skirt, a brand called VLD was styled last year in my Wearing White series. You can see the skirt worn with a blue top and fall colored scarf, here.

The thrifted 3/4 length sleeve, mustard tee is Sonoma brand. This is another piece that gets regular wear in the cooler temps. You can see it styled with a snakeskin print skirt, purple maxi skirt, and a brown cardigan,

You have also seen this thrifted J.Jill jacket on the blog before too. See it styled with my head to toe denim outfit from this last spring’s trend post.

I added the blue pendant necklace as an additional pot of color against the yellow background.

When I was putting this outfit together and wondering what bag to use, it came to me that this little thrifted piece of bling would be the perfect accompaniment. The browns also mimic some of the brown tiles in my inspirational picture. I love the little southwestern scene done in sequins and beads on this fun piece.

The black casing of the bag and the little black cord strap caused me to reach for my thrifted, black, Baretraps sandals.

What do you think? Did I mimic the bathroom tile colors? What sorts of things do you get your outfit inspiration from besides bloggers or models? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

Here I am kicking 2020 to the curb! Ha, ha.

Here is a look at the tiles and my outfit side by side.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that you come away from it with new eyes to look for added sources of outfit inspiration.

I’m including a few similar piece shopping links, so feel free to peruse. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit (except for the tiles) Rebecca Trumbull.

Kickin' It with Kimonos - Yellow Floral

It seems that floral is a very popular pattern for kimonos. I am not sure it that is because most of us use our kimonos during the warmer months as a way to level up an otherwise, “normal” outfit like a pair of jeans or shorts or if I just am more naturally drawn to the floral prints in my purchases. Today’s kimono is a shorter style, but once again is covered with a floral print, although this time a bit more tropical.

I was on the verge of getting rid of this pretty yellow kimono. It is a brand called TruSelf and I think I got it at Walmart a few years ago. I am not real thrilled about the length of this piece. If the hemline was more asymmetrical, I think I might like it better, but for the sake of trying something different I kept it.

One of the bloggers I have followed since becoming a blogger is Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style. Jodie is such a warm, friendly lady, and an actual person. She isn’t at all fake, and I love that about her. Most of the fashion bloggers I follow are real women, who have their own sets of struggles and difficulties, but they are trying, just like me, to accept themselves and this process called aging. Jodie featured a post on a different way to wear your kimonos and that is where I learned this trick of tying the front to give the kimono a different look. You can see Jodie’s original post on how to make kimonos look more fitted here.

I tied mine differently than Jodie did in her post, but it still serves the same function, to make the kimono more fitted, rather than boxy. Here’s what it looks like tied up.

My light blue tee is a thrifted Sonoma piece. I love graphic tees and a great place to find them are thrift stores. Whether you like band tees, place tees or just random word tees, you can find plenty of different graphics second hand. Be sure to check out the men’s section as well. I found a few tees that were perfect for my younger daughter.

My pin striped skirt is reminiscent of the old time railroad engineers’ caps. this was a recent online purchase from Christopher and Banks. I was looking for another pencil type skirt with a little different look than just plain denim. This works perfectly. I am looking forward to cooler weather and styling this skirt with some tights and ankle boots.

Since the chunky sneaker look is trendy with skirts and dresses right now, I knew I could add my bright blue thrifted Keds and be spot on. My other accessories consisted of my thrifted Jaclyn Smith bag, a navy flower pendant necklace from Christopher and Banks and a simple beaded navy bracelet.

Do you have a kimono in your closet that you are not sure how to wear? I hope these little posts are offering you some inspiration. Sometimes we only need a new way of looking at something to give us a whole new set of ideas for styling outfits with clothes already in our closets.

I hope you week is off to a great start.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have fun looking over the shopping links below. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Kickin' It with Kimonos - Orange Floral

Today’s look involves some bold print mixing, but why not? It is fun to think outside the box when it comes to building an outfit and one way to do that is to mix prints. This might not appeal to you, because it is a little busy, but there is something about this I really like. I think it might be that this outfit has a bit of a bohemian vibe. The colors do lean a little bit more towards fall, but seeing as we are now in the month of August, I think it is a great transitional look.

This chevron print dress is Sonoma brand. I just loved the colors of this thrifted piece and knew I had to bring it home with me when I found it. You can see how I styled this same piece with a pair of crop pants in one of my previous Pantone series.

I am not sure what I was doing with my mouth, be these sorts of pictures have been pretty typical throughout my whole photographic career. Ha, ha.

I ordered this orange floral ruana from a boutique retailer called Glamour Farms. I used to follow several bloggers who featured a number of their pieces and I thought they were cute. This ruana was on clearance and I loved the color and the pattern. Unfortunately when I got it, the seams they put at the sides to make it more secure and have sleeves, made the piece too small. I just removed a few inches of stitching and now it is perfect.

The above picture also gives you a closer look at the thrifted necklace and my beaded bracelets. I thought this necklace was a very unique blend of brassy metallics and wooden beads.

My thinking is, a good boho outfit always should include some fringe, thus this thrifted bag. This is a very simple hand crafted piece, but I just love the fringy layers and it definitely appeals to my inner hippy. You can see this bag with two other boho looks on the blog: medallion print skirt and denim outfit.

I have had these Montego Bay Club sandals for ages. I used to wear them quite a bit, but more recently I haven’t really been wearing sandals as much. I’m glad I thought of these, however, and I think they work just right for this outfit. What do you think?

What did you think of this outfit? Would you do a print mix like this? Why or why not? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to leave me some love in the comments. I appreciate all your insights and ideas.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. Every time you click on a link, I get a few cents. Every penny counts. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Summer Outfit - Faux Lace Dress - Casual

I honestly wasn’t sure how to style this faux lace dress in a casual way, so I started by thinking what makes an outfit more casual. We usually associate certain shoes, bags and accessories as being either more casual or more dressy. There is also the option of adding other pieces to make a look more casual, like I did in my geometric maxi dress post, where I simply slipped on a graphic tee, to bring the look down to a more casual level. I also used more casual accessories like the straw bag and hat. I followed the same formula for this outfit.

I was sort of going for an artsy-writer look with this outfit…whatever that is. Ha, ha, ha. I was thinking if I wore this dress to a coffee shop to work on writing, rather than a night out to a show, what would I do differently? First off, I added my oversized, thrifted, pinstripe Izod button up, as a light weight jacket, for any air conditioning a coffee shop might offer.

This shirt is a very pale purple color and has gray pinstripes. To jazz up the outfit with a little more color I pulled out this cute fish scarf, but instead of putting it around my neck, I tied it to my bag. I thought the purple and green in the scarf pulled the outfit together.

The purple bead pendant goes so well with the purple in the shirt and the scarf. It also gives the outfit an added casual, boho feel. To keep that casual boho vibe going I thought the multiple strand green wrap bracelet a good choice.

This slouchy, thrifted, American Eagle hobo bag has made an appearance multiple times on the blog. It is good to have a few pieces in your bag arsenal that lean completely towards casual or dressy. It makes getting dressed so much easier. This hobo bag does just that and is a go to, if I want to make an outfit look dressed down.

Shoes are another thing that will either elevate or make an outfit more casual. I love these suede oxfords that I found on clearance a number of years ago at DSW. If I could have found them in multiple colors, I would have bought them all. I would love to have a pair in blue, green, red, brown…you get the idea. The thing I like about them, is they feel a tad tight when I put them on, but after having them on they are so comfortable. They are Naya brand.

What do you think of this outfit? Not every piece in your wardrobe will necessarily translate into a more dressy or more casual look, but I wanted to show you there are ways to think outside the box when it comes to your clothes. It not only gives you more outfit options, but enables you to get more wear out of each piece.

These pictures were taken at the Toledo Botanical Gardens by Rebecca Trumbull.

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

I’ve included a few shopping links just for fun. These are affiliate links. When you click on a link, I get a few cents. I appreciate every click! All opinions are my own.

Thanks for following along on the blog. It wouldn’t be any fun, if it weren’t for you, my faithful followers. If there is ever anything you would like me to cover on the blog, either in the area of fashion or faith, please feel free to make a suggestion in the comments below, or on Facebook. You can also shoot me an email.

I won’t be posting on the blog next week as I am going to visit my mom and won’t have internet, but I’ll still post some outfits and what I am doing on Instagram, so you can follow me over there. Have a wonderful weekend.

Summer Outfit - Geometric Maxi Dress - Dressy

Today’s outfit revolves around a maxi dress my mother-in-law passed along to me. She had bought it for herself, but then didn’t really like it as well as she thought. When she showed it to me, and asked if I wanted it, I said sure. I actually wasn’t sure how to style it, or rather, didn’t give it a lot of thought since I haven’t been reaching for my maxi dresses all that often. If it was just me and my hubby and I wasn’t hanging out with a nine year old, I might wear one more frequently, as they are comfortable and a fun way to dress for summer. However, when I started thinking about featuring a few summer outfits for the blog, I wanted to show off this fun maxi dress.

The dress is Calvin Klein brand and features a tank style top attached at the waist to an a-line style skirt featuring a geometric pattern of rectangles and squares. The bottom is fully lined. Macy’s carries a broad line of dresses with all lengths and styles. I’ll include a few shopping links below.

The pink shrug doesn’t match the pink in the dress, but I felt like it worked. This shrug is a thrifted Forever 21 piece. It is sheer and flowy, making it the perfect way to dress up and outfit.

Gold accessories just seem to take the outfit up another notch. My thrifted gold necklace and clutch go with the gold beads and baubles on my wrist.

I do get rather silly when we are taking pictures, especially when we are in a place where other people are around. I already feel silly getting my picture taken, but then if there are people walking by, I feel even sillier. Ha, ha. Anyway, sometimes, my daughter catches me in my shenanigans. I felt like I was up against the firing squad wall. This is another spot at the Toledo Botanical Gardens.

By the time this is posted I will have gotten a much needed hair cut. My ends are looking terrible and I need to get some of the length taken off. Have you been to the hair dresser recently? I know for a lot of people that was one of the first things they did after things started opening back up a bit.

These are a different pair of black wedge sandals, also thrifted, but a brand called Connie.

What did you think of this outfit? Do you like to wear maxi dresses? They are an easy piece to wear and create a whole outfit with only one piece and a few accessories.

I’ve included some shopping links for you to look at. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a a few cents. All your clicks are appreciated since blogging is a hobby for me, I don’t make money, but it is nice to get a few dollars here and there. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Summer Outfit - Leopard Print Skirt - Casual

Hi everyone. How are you doing? I just finished reading an article written by a woman whose whole family contracted COVID. They are all struggling through it. Her husband was in the hospital, but now is home. Both of her kids got it, but they are slowly progressing. She has it as well, but is managing at home with oxygen. I also read another article this morning that yesterday was the highest recorded day of new cases in the US since April. It is very disheartening and discouraging, but it is, what it is. Don’t stop taking precautions. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Keep your distance. Okay, enough on that, now time for an outfit.

Tuesday I showed you my thrifted leopard print skirt in a more dressy, work wear friendly style. Today, I am showing off that same skirt, but with a more fun, casual flair.

If you didn’t read the last post, this thrifted skirt is a brand called Who, What, Wear. It is a very light weight material, but it did seem to get full of static when I put it on. I am going to have to see if washing it with fabric softener makes any difference, plus I dried it on the line, since I don’t have a dryer at the moment. As long as the weather is good, I like to hang clothes out in the warmer weather anyway, so I decided I wanted to get the dish washer, which we just replaced last month, paid off, before we purchase a new dryer. The joys of real life. Ha, ha.

I kept the same off white thrifted St. John’s Bay tank top, but swapped out the black polka dot blazer for my thrifted Rue 21 cropped denim jacket. This is one of my favorite thrifted pieces. It is so versatile and I pair it with everything. The fact that it is cropped with 3/4 length sleeves makes it the perfect piece for summer outfits, when you don’t really need a full blown jacket.

I changed my accessories to reflect a more casual vibe. Sometimes it is fun to wear multiple necklaces together, so I wore a gold and cream beaded choker with a longer gold charm pendant necklace.

I chose my thrifted yellow, Elle tote bag because I like the way it went with the skirt and I thought it added another dimension of texture and interest to the outfit.

My Mossimo sneakers were also a thrift find. One of the Goodwill stores I go to has multiple new items from Target. They must be items that are discontinued, but they are brand new with the labels still on. How fun is that! These are not sneakers I would wear for a long day on my feet, but I thought they were fun for occasional wear and for the blog.

What do you think of this casual interpretation for this skirt? Do you think it works? Would you wear a skirt in this way. Leave me your thoughts in the comments. I love to hear your ideas and thoughts.

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

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

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great weekend everyone and stay safe!

Summer Outfit - Leopard Print Skirt - Dressy

I decided after finishing up my Pantone series, to do a few weeks of summer outfits, using pieces from my closet and showing how to wear them two ways; a dressed up version and a more casual version. Today’s summer piece is a thrifted leopard print, asymmetrical skirt that I scored at a Goodwill back before the pandemic ever hit. This is a Who, What Wear piece, which is typically found at Target.

These photos were taken at the beautiful Botanical Gardens here in Toledo, which are very close by. I tend to forget they are there, which is ridiculous, because they are so nice for walking, taking pictures, clearing your head and they even have a huge playground, which is now reopened. I may have to get my grandson over there on a day when it is not too hot.

Here you can see up close the uneven hem of the skirt. The skirt is very light weight, but unfortunately when I put it on, it became full of static. I ended up putting a slip on, which helped a little bit, but static was still an issue. I guess I need to add fabric softener next time I wash it.

Here is a better view of the skirt from the front.

For more of a dressed up work look, I added my polka dot Black Label -Evan Picone blazer. I have styled this on the blog before. You can see me wearing it with a burgundy tunic dress, a blue maxi dress, and a scarf print blouse. Because I knew we were going to be taking pictures at a location that might not have their bathrooms open yet, I decided to make my changes from dressy to casual as simple as possible so I could just do it at the car. When I was completely done with one outfit my daughter and I would drive back to her house where I would change into the next outfit. Yes, we get creative. Ha ha.

The thrifted, off white, St. John’s Bay tank top, was an easy top to just throw different jackets over without any fuss or muss. You’ll see that in Thursday’s post.

I kept my accessories fairly simple since I had some print mixing going on. My necklace used to belong to my daughter, and when she didn’t want it any more, I grabbed it. I like the ribbons and dangling beads. It makes for a unique piece. I opted for a simple wood bracelet and a off white clutch type cloth bag.

These Kenneth Cole - Reaction - black wedge sandals were also a thrift find and I have used them on the blog before. You can see them worn with two outfits styled around a bag. and an outfit with shorts.

Do you own a leopard print skirt? Is it one you could wear in the summer. I have two other leopard print pencil skirts. One is corduroy and great for cold weather and the other is a more medium weight, so could be worn in any season.

Did you like this outfit? Be sure to check back on Thursday to see how I used this same skirt and tank for a completely casual look.

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

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.