Spring/Summer - 2021 - Eyelet, Luxe Leather, and Long Necklaces

I am continuing my look at Spring/Summer trends today with a focus on eyelet, metallic faux leather, and long necklaces. I have always like eyelet. I think it is a pretty, feminine material that is light weight, making it perfect for the warmer weather. Besides the feminine aspect of eyelet, I also like the textural element that a fabric like this adds to the outfit.

This top is Universal Thread brand. I added a similar colored tank top underneath for warmth. I thought it was appropriate that this top also has puffed sleeves since these are trending as well, as you saw last week. I personally like the puffed sleeve better when it is puffed at the end of the sleeve on a long sleeve top like last week’s. However, when I saw this top at Target, I fell in love with it, and I do like the way it looks. It will be a fun piece for summer with cropped pants and sneakers, or a skirt and flats.

The choice to wear my straight leg high waisted Gloria Vanderbilt jeans was a no brainer. The embroidered flowers on the leg, not only fit in with the fantasy floral trend, but they also went so well with the top. As I have said before, I am not getting rid of my skinny jeans, but I will gladly wear a pair of straight leg jeans on occasion.

You’ve seen this metallic faux leather moto jacket on the blog before. I got it at Nordstrom Rack and is a brand called Coffee Shop NY. It is a tad tight right now, due to my excess pandemic bulge, but I can still wear it open and I think it looks perfect with this outfit. You can see how I styled it with a camo shirt, and with a graphic tee and pin striped shirt combo.

Long necklaces are in this spring, as I mentioned before. I have quite a collection of pendant necklaces, like the one above, but I don’t think the trend is strictly limited to pendants. I think long dainty chains and multiple layers are trending too, so it really is what you want to make of it. I find almost all of my jewelry on clearance racks and at thrift shops. Once in a while I’ll get something brand new from one of my family members as a gift for Christmas, Mother’s day or my birthday, but otherwise I prefer cheap. Ha, ha.

My large pale green tote is making another appearance. I have used this numerous times on the blog and it was a purchase a few years ago from Charming Charlie. Big tote bags are also trending for spring. I think this often comes around again, because people are looking forward to traveling and going to the beach. We will see if Covid allows these simple pleasures in life again.

I figured since I was styling a moto jacket I might as well add my moto boots as well. You’ve also see these on the blog before too. These were a Kohl’s clearance purchase and are Sonoma brand.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like eyelet? Do you like to wear moto jackets? Wear do you get most of your jewelry from? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. You are what keeps this blog going. I know I don’t spend time talking about make up or hair products, and other fashion related ideas, but if you would like to see more of that kind of content, just leave a comment and let me know.

I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few pennies if you click on a link. I appreciate all your clicks. All opinions are my own.

Have a great Tuesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Spring/Summer - 2021 - Wide Leg Trousers, Fantasy Florals and Yellow Bags

It certainly seems that spring has settled in around here. I am fully aware here in the midwest, the temperatures will continue to fluctuate at least through April, so I am not breaking out the sleeveless tops and crop pants just yet, but sunshine is more present, the skies are that beautiful spring time blue, buds are on the trees and the grass is turning green. It is a wonderful thing to see these changes happening.

My husband and I got away for three nights to our favorite Ohio State Park, Mohican. We love renting a cabin down there and hiking a few of their many trails. It is just far enough away to feel like we went somewhere, yet we did not have to worry about out of state restrictions or quarantines. I see that New York finally lifted their travel advisory, so maybe the pandemic is finally getting under some amount of control. We certainly hope so. Time will tell.

As I said in my previous post, I wanted to take a couple of weeks and show you how I styled a few of the different Spring/Summer trends. Today’s outfit revolves around a pair of wide let trousers and a floral cardigan.

These thrifted wide leg trousers are a recent find and are St. John’s Bay brand. I personally am not a huge fan of the wide leg trouser look. Don’t get me wrong, I think they look beautiful on women with longer, thinner legs than mine. I personally prefer a boot cut, straight leg or skinny leg on my particular frame. However, I wanted to show you what a wide leg trouser might look like and this is a pair I will keep. I am going to think about some other ways to style them for future posts.

You know I love florals, so I was pleased that florals were again on the spring trend roster. I found this beautiful floral cardigan a while ago. I haven’t actually worn it, but I thought the colors went perfectly with the medium brown trousers. The sweater is a brand called Joseph A. The fabric is a light weight nylon mix and with the 3/4 length sleeves it will be great for summer.

Belts are back, ladies, so don’t be shy about showing off your waist lines. Whether you are straight, curvy, oblong or triangular, a belt not only cinches in your waist, but adds a fun detail to your outfit. I have been keeping my eyes open on my thrift store runs, but so far, no luck. I have had this brown belt with the blush embroidery detail, for a number of years. I really like it, but unfortunately it isn’t real leather and is already showing signs of wear.

You can also make out, I am wearing a long yellow pendant necklace. Long chain type necklaces are trending right now too. I have numerous longer necklaces, so now I have even more of a reason to wear them. It would be even better if I was actually going somewhere that I could wear them. Ha, ha.

For whatever reason, yellow bags are supposed to be trending this spring and summer. I have a number of yellow purses, so I was happy to have an excuse to get them out. This thrifted messenger style bag is perfect for carrying all the essentials plus a notebook or two. That is just what this writer needs. You never know when inspiration will strike.

You can also see I threw on a few beaded bracelets that I thought went well with the overall look.

These low wedge heels are Clarks and I got them a number of years ago. Low heels and flats are trending now too, so get out those ballerina flats. Platform sandals are also trending, so go figure. Ha. ha.

What do you think of the wide leg trouser trend? How about florals? Do you own a yellow bag? I’d love to have your feedback, so leave me some love in the comments section below.

I am including a few shopping links. These links are brought to you at no extra cost. I get a few cents if you click on a link and a few cents more if you make a purchase through a link. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Having Fun with Layers - Casual Valentine's Day Look - Celebrating 5 Years

Here I am again, celebrating another year of Faith and Fashion blogging. When I started this little hobby back in 2016, I had no idea how my sense of style would change and evolve. I also never realized how doing this 2 or three times a week every week for the last five years would help my ability to write. Starting this blog, in part to help me write regularly, has helped me to become a better writer. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. I am no where near perfect, but I do have more confidence, not only as a writer, but as a woman who knows something about fashion. As I have done in recent years I wanted to have a giveaway, so be sure to read all the way to the end, so you know what the drawing is for and how to enter. This year there will be two winners!

I decided to spend a few weeks talking about layering. I realize we are all looking forward to spring, but we are in the middle of the deep freeze here in the mid-west and I really don’t want to be trying to take pictures of light weight, flowy spring outfits. Well, I really would rather be doing that, but I would have to take everything to Florida to take pictures. Ha, ha. No chance of that happening right now. Instead, what I am going to do, is show you a few spring pieces that I have doctored up for the cold weather, and that means layering.

I love layers. I love being able to wear multiple pieces from my closet all at the same time and it has a very practical purpose. Layers keep me warm. I do understand that many women are menopausal and that means hot flashes, so layers are not as practical, but what I hope to do is show you layers that are easy enough to take off when those heat waves blow through.

Today’s outfit revolves around a light weight pair of floral pants that I recently purchased at Kohl’s.

When I saw these cute twill joggers on the rack at Kohl’s I thought, “I’m going to buy myself something that is new for the season.” Typically I wait until the end of the season to purchase new pieces and then wear them for the remaining weeks of the season, or put them away until next year, but these were on sale and I had a good coupon. I love the floral print and the light weight fabric, which makes them great for spring and summer. These are Sonoma brand.

If you are anxious to wear your new spring finds, but it is still cold, I would start with an under layers. I chose a pair of black tights and a black tank top.

Most under layers will not add a lot of extra bulk, but they will add warmth. If you are suffering with hot flashes, don’t add the extra under layers. You will be warm enough with the normal pieces.

I wanted to draw on both the dark, almost burgundy pinks and the light pinks in the flowers on the pants, so I chose a light weight thrifted SO sweatshirt. Layers do not have to add bulk, as I said before. This sweatshirt is a lighter weight fleece, making it much easier to wear something over the top.

For my top piece I chose a light pink, faux leather, Christopher and Banks moto jacket. The light pastel pink certainly makes me think of spring with all of its pretty flowers and of course Easter outfits and colored eggs.

I added a few simple details like my fringe pendant necklace, which actually has some olive colored beads; a couple of beaded bracelets, my blush colored, thrifted New York and Co bag and my Spirit burgundy ankle boots.

I noticed after the fact that my shoes were all scuffed and covered with dust and cat hair. I’m sorry for the poor photos as well. My glasses were picking up the glare from the windows. I wasn’t going to go outside, as it is so cold and I was trying to get the best light, but didn’t take the glare into account. The joys of being an amateur photographer. Ha. ha. My daughter has been so busy and I haven’t want to add more work to her already full plate. That’s okay, because this is real life.

I hope you enjoyed this post on layering fun. Think about the spring pieces in your closet and how you could make them wearable in the cold temperatures by adding layers. What could you wear?

I’m including a few shopping links to get you thinking about spring. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Have fun shopping, and don’t forget about the giveaway. Just follow the directions and you will be entered to win one of two gift cards. Entries for the give away will close on Friday February 12th, at midnight. I will announce the winners of the give away on Tuesday February 16th.

Winter Trend - My Take on Color Block and Shearling

The trend of color block isn’t new. It has been around for a very long time. Some attribute the inspiration for color blocking to Piet Mondrian, an artist who used dark lines and bright colors to form paintings with block like components in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. In fact, in 1966, Yves Saint-Laurent designed a line of dresses called Mondrian dresses, after the work of the late artist.

Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay

Often when color blocking is done, it follows a formula of sorts, where one color will be paired with an opposite color from the color wheel, creating a bold, bright outfit that really stands out and makes a statement. You can easily make your own color block outfit by combining solid colored pieces from your closet.

I am not a huge fan of color blocking, because I love patterns and textures so much. I did, however, find a beautiful color block sweater when my girls took me out birthday shopping, so that is what I built today’s outfit around.

I bought this glam brand, color block sweater at Eden Fashion Boutique. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to try it on. It is so soft and cozy. We have some below freezing temps coming down the pike and I know I will be wearing this to stay warm. I also like the drop shoulder sleeves and the more neutral color tones. I’ve included a shot of the back. As you can see the back is a little longer than the front.

My cognac colored pants are another pair of thrifted jeans. They are Michael Kors brand. I like the color and feel it is one of those colors you can use for all seasons.

You can also get a closer look at my thrifted Unisa wedge heeled shearling boots. I have not really had the opportunity to wear these for anything other than the blog, but they are so cute, I can’t stand the thought of letting them go. For now they still have a home with my many other boots. You can see the fun side decorative gold zipper and the shearling trim in the next picture.

You can see how I styled these on the blog with a fringe vest, and with a floral dress.

My thrifted, leather, Fossil bag is making another appearance in this post. This bag is so durable and goes with everything, plus it is a cross body bag which is my go to when I am going out shopping.

The only jewelry I added was this necklace which was a clearance purchase when I made my Christopher & Banks store closing run. I love the peachy coral colors on the beads. This will be a nice piece for spring and summer.

You noticed that these pictures were taken inside (sorry about the glare on my glasses). I just didn’t have the energy to trudge out into the snow with the camera in tow and take pictures. My incision is starting to heal, and it occasionally hurts a little. I have no complaints, because I think the doc did a great job getting rid of my little fatty tumor, but I decided to take it easy this week, until my appointment on Monday for a recheck.

Here are a few other posts I did, that show off how you can do color blocking with solid pieces from your wardrobe. These do not follow any particular formula as far as colors go, but you get the idea. If you don’t particularly like print mixing and have lots of solid colors in your closet, this is a great way to create outfits that are colorful, fun, stylish and trendy.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am including a few shopping links for you to enjoy. Have fun with it. These links are affiliate links and are brought to you at no cost. If you click on a shopping link I get a few cents and if you purchase something through my links, I get a little bit more. Think of it as a way to get yourself something special and buy me a cup of tea. Ha, ha.

Have a great day everyone. Be sure to check back Thursday for a post on how you know it is time to get rid of certain pieces in your wardrobe.

Photos in photo grid Rebecca Trumbull.

Winter Trends - My Take on Quilting

I have always loved handmade quilts. I think they are beautiful testaments to the women who work on them, tirelessly sewing, piecing together and creating a work of art in the form of a wall hanging or full sized quilt for a bed. When we went to the fair, back when that was allowed, I used to love to visit the hall where all the quilts were displayed. I always thought it would be cool to be part of a group of women who worked together to create these masterful pieces.

The winter trend of quilting is, once again, more present in outerwear, than in every day clothing. However, I wanted to show you something other than my quilted outerwear vests, so I reached for an older piece that for some reason I do not wear very often and a new piece that I just got. The blatant truth is, I have way too many clothes and one of these days I need to really pare things down, but for the time being, I would like to wear more of the things that I don’t wear as often.

This jacket is a new purchase from Christopher & Banks. It was marked down and then had another percent off. I like that it is light weight and on the day I took these photos it was quite cold and it kept me toasty warm. The shiny, olive green color was a nice addition to my outerwear wardrobe and this is a jacket that I will be able to wear fall, winter and spring when the temps are still cold. It appears, that Christopher & Banks, while closing all their brick and mortar stores, is still going to have on online presence. I know they still have these available on their website, so check it out.

The other quilted piece I want to show you is the gray vest I have on underneath the coat. This vest is also a Christopher & Banks purchase, but from a number of years ago. The quilting detail is much more intricate and unique on the front portions of the vest.

My fun printed pants were a recent thrift find from when my girls took me thrift shopping on my birthday. I saw these on the rack and I have always had this thing for plaid pants. I threw them in my cart thinking there was no way they’d fit, but why not try them on. I was so happy that they did. These are a brand called cabi jeans. Once again, a brand I am not familiar with, but they are a current online retailer, so you can check out their website here.

I will be able to use these jeans all year round and I am already thinking of spring outfit styled with a chambray shirt.

The next photo shows, not only my beaded necklace, but the gray, Worthington turtleneck sweater I wore under the vest. There is nothing like a cozy turtleneck to keep you warm in the winter months. This was the same one I styled a few weeks ago in my post, A Dickens’ Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

The only other accessories I had besides my beads were my faux suede boots and my gray convertible bag. These navy SO ankle boots have been on repeat this winter since I purchased them online from Kohl’s. My Evan Picone bag was a thrift find. I like that it can be carried as a top handle tote bag and also as a smaller cross body bag.

Do you have any quilted pieces in your closet besides the comforter you throw on the bed? Quilting is hit or miss. Most of us have heard of Vera Bradley and I almost pulled out one of my tote bags, but it didn’t really go with what I was wearing. I do like many of her things, but it has to be the right pattern and style for me and I usually just look for them at thrift stores. I’ve included some of her products in the shopping links.

What did you think of this outfit? Would you wear patterned pants like these? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links, for all things quilted. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I apologize that there are not more varied sizes available. I think a lot of things are selling out.

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

These photos were taken in a local graveyard. No disrespect was intended to the families of those laid to rest in its borders, nor to the spirits who might walk its paths.

Probably the spookiest of Dickens’ Christmas spirits is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This specter is darker and more formidable than either of the previous phantasms. In both of my favorite movie versions of the story, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is personified as a dark, flowing, faceless creature who stands head and shoulders above Ebenezer Scrooge and who never speaks. He simply points his long, skeletal like fingers to what he wants Ebenezer to see.

When I started thinking about an outfit to typify this gruesome ghoul, I knew I wanted to go with gray colors. I thought gray, rather than a stark black spoke more to the shaded veil our futures seem to be. No one can know the future, but God alone, and I personally would rather not have the so called privilege of knowing what is to be, except that blessed assurance of life with Him, after I die.

There was no doubt, I wanted these pictures, done in a graveyard. The most telling scene in the movie version of A Christmas Carol, is when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come brings Scrooge to a lonely, forsaken graveyard. In his creepy, speechless manner, the Ghost points to a specific, unattended grave, which in overwhelming despair, Ebenezer wipes aside the snow and sees his own name engraved on the stone.

I wanted my look to be work appropriate, so I chose pieces that created a classic monochrome look, but still gave the illusion of movement. I also wanted the layers.

My plaid Style & Co trousers have been around quite a while. I honestly can’t remember if I bought these new or if I got them at a thrift store. Style & Co are still sold at Macy’s.

My gray turtleneck is Worthington brand. Once again, I have had this piece for years and I don’t remember if I got it new at JCPenney’s, or if I thrifted it. Not only is my memory in need of help, so is my waistline. I know the above picture is not the most flattering, but ladies, this is the real me at the current moment. I have a spare tire or maybe two, and I am probably in the worst shape I have been in, in years, due to achey joints, not eating well and not enough exercise. I can’t blame it all on the pandemic, as much as I would like to. Most of it is my very undisciplined nature. Maybe you can relate. I hope so. I really don’t want to feel like I am the only one in this rocky boat. Ha, ha. I am really hoping, that once this busy holiday time is over, I can try to implement a few changes. Never give up!

The light weight shrug that I put over the turtleneck is also Worthington brand. This piece I did buy new at Penney’s. It has an asymmetrical hem, so the longer front pieces can be tied, to create a different look. You can see how I wore it tied with a black maxi dress.

My long, wide scarf was not only a purply gray color, but it had bugs on it, which somehow seemed fitting with the grave theme.

You know me, I had to try keeping in character. Ha, ha. I do look like a fitting specter to haunt this old graveyard, especially in black and white.

Here are my grays together.

Since this was meant to be an outfit, one could actually wear for work, or for a night out, I did have to style it with a few accessories. I chose silver and gray to maintain the monochrome look. A small silver clutch, to give it a bit of bling, a three strand statement necklace and my dark gray Impo ankle boots completed the look.

What do you think of this look? Do you think it personified the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come without looking too much like a costume? A monochrome look in any color can be an easy, fun and interesting way to change up your wardrobe and still look like you put thought and effort into your outfit. Monochrome doesn’t have to be an exact match, but just be pieces with the same color hues and tones. Adding texture is also the perfect way to make a single color scheme look go from boring to fabulous.

This was the last post in my Dickens’ Christmas series. I certainly hope you enjoyed my interpretations of one of my favorite Christmas stories. Be sure to check back on Thursday for a very mischievous, Actual Amy post. Until then, have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

This week, I am not including any shopping links, for outfits. I hope to resume regular style posts after the first of the year.

Have a great week and a very Merry Christmas!

Color Play - The Grinch - Green, Red and Brown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Present

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a wonderful day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Past

Today’s outfit draws its inspiration from Charles Dickens’ ghostly apparition of Christmas Past. Before the visitation of the three ghostly characters, Scrooge is visited by the ghoulish presence of his former business partner in life, Jacob Marley. Jacob warns Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits, for the hopeful purpose of his redemption. The first of these paranormal beings makes their appearance when the bell tolls one.

The idea of drawing fashion inspiration from a ghost, might seem a stretch of the imagination, but I do like a challenge. If you have watched a version of A Christmas Carol, you probably saw the Ghost of Christmas Past as a being dressed in white garments, sometimes shining and sometimes in an unearthly, ethereal manner as if floating and flowing in some unseen breeze. Two of my favorite movie versions of A Christmas Carol are the 1984 drama with George C. Scott, and the 1992 musical, The Muppet Christmas Carol. Surprisingly, the Muppet version stays fairly true to the original tale by Charles Dickens. Both versions are filled with amazing scenery, typical old time London and excellent veteran actors, (the Muppet version stars Michael Caine as Scrooge).

We often shy away from white in the colder weather. It has long been a color we wear in spring and summer. Obviously, things have changed immensely over the last decade, especially as more and more women have access to fashion blogs and more reasonably priced clothing. White is now a year round color choice. It stands true to reason, that if we live in colder areas in the winter, our white pieces will have to be compatible for those frigid temps. This is where layering, fabric choices and textures all come into play.

My daughter and I didn’t have a lot of time for pictures, so we went, once again, to the Toledo Botanical Gardens. They have so many interesting sculptures, garden areas and small buildings used for various events. These metal arches provided the perfect backdrop for an other worldly vibe.

When I started thinking about an all white outfit, I knew that most of my pieces were not a true white. Not everyone can wear a crisp white near their face, but most people can pull off an ivory or a cream. All of these pieces, except the scarf, have more of a cream, or ivory tint to them.

My long, Apt. 9, chenille sweater was a piece my daughter was getting rid of. It wasn’t really her style, so when I saw it, I took it home, figuring I could always just wear it around the house as a cozy topper for casual days. As I thought about how to make this outfit look flowing, but also updated and fashionable, I knew this sweater would be perfect.

The blouse I have on under the sweater is a recent thrift store find and will be more useful in the warmer weather, but the color went well with everything else. The brand is called Mango, and when I saw the embroidery on it, I knew it was calling my name.

I also added this white scarf from The Jacket Society, that I bought a few years ago. You can’t see it in this photo, but the scarf has tiny silver threads through out, so I thought it added an extra element of texture and shine.

The silver snowflake pendant just seemed appropriate for a ghostly, Christmas outfit.

I chose silver for my accessories, to represent the shimmering appearance that many of the Ghosts of Christmas past seemed to have. Perhaps the shimmering details represented good memories from Christmases long ago; or maybe the light represents the idea that we can learn from our past, thus becoming better people. Whatever your interpretation of the details, I think silver looks very pretty with white.

My silver, sparkly clutch has been a regular on the blog. My SO ballerina flats are from Kohl’s.

My cream colored St. John’s Bay corduroys have been around for a few years and were an original purchase at JC Penney.

I really like this outfit. It is something I would feel completely comfortable and warm in and could be worn to a special Christmas outing or just a family dinner, where I don’t have to do the cooking. If I cooked in this it wouldn’t be white anymore. Ha, ha. Here are a few other fun pictures from our shoot.

The wind was helping me look a little more ghostly. Too bad we didn’t have fog. Ha, ha.

What did you think of this outfit? Do you think I pulled off showing how taking inspiration from the Ghost of Christmas Past translated into a chic, modern look that could be worn to work, out on a date or to a Christmas concert?

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

Be sure to stop back on Thursday for another Christmas movie inspired outfit.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a lovely day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great week everyone!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a good evening everyone.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - 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!