Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Ballet Slipper and Neutral Gray

This week's color combo is a blend of soft shades of pink and gray. When I first saw the Pantone Fall 2017 color line up for both London and New York, I was surprised to see light pink featured on both palettes. Looking back I now realize that blush, which is all the rage right now, really is a very light version of pink. Light pink seems to be another neutral that can be paired with just about any color. For this look I chose to pair Ballet Slipper with Neutral Gray.

I really am in love with this neutral combination. There are so many shades of gray out there, think names like oxford, charcoal, heather and steel. The beauty of this gray is in its ability to go with any other color. It really is a neutral. I personally don't wear oxford gray very often. I feel it is too light. Steel gray is sometimes too blue and charcoal can be too dark for some people. Neutral gray seems like a perfect go-to choice when looking for a gray to pair with any color.

I put this outfit together thinking it would be a prefect choice for a work day. The Neutral Gray crop pants from New York & Co. are fairly light weight and work well for these still warm days that we are having here in the mid-west. I've styled these before here and here. 

To capture the Ballet Slipper pink I found this Neiman Marcus silk sweater set at a thrift store a few months ago. This is one reason I shop thrift stores so often. I would have never shopped Neiman Marcus as they are way above my pay grade, however I was able to find this beautiful set in a trending color for only a few dollars and it is in great shape. I have never had a sweater set before, For some reason they never appealed to me, or maybe I thought they weren't my style. However, when I saw this and then felt its smooth softness, I knew it would be the perfect addition to my wardrobe. 

To give the outfit more of a fall feel, I decided to add a bag and necklaces that herald a coppery orange color. 

Once again, I chose my SO ballet flats. For work I almost always wear a flat shoe. Heels just aren't as practical for moving heavy textbooks. Here is the same style and it comes in a variety of colors at Kohl's.

What do you think of these colors? Do you think they are too summery or do you feel they work well for a transitional outfit?

While we tend to move toward darker colors for fall, I think it is important to remain open to new ways of looking at our wardrobes and the colors we are used to wearing for each season. Either one of these colors would pair well with the rusty oranges, deep wines or dark pines that we are used to seeing in the fall. Be creative and try pairing your pink top with those burgundy skinny jeans. Or pull out that chunky neutral gray sweater and wear it over a dark green pair of leggings. You'll suddenly find you have even more outfits than you thought. 

I always appreciate your comments. Be sure to leave me some love below. Also check out my Instagram and Pinterest pages too. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Pantone Spring 2017 - Niagara

It is hard to believe that it is May already, especially since the weather has been so cold and rainy. When I looked at the forecast for the next few days, at least the temps are supposed to get up into the sixties. Whoo, hoo. It's a heat wave! 

Today we are looking at a pretty blue color that the Pantone color gurus labeled Niagara. 

“Niagara is a classic denim-like blue that speaks to our desire for ease and relaxation.”

— Pantone Spring 2017 Color Report

For this outfit, I decided to stick with the denim theme since the blue truly is denim-like. I chose my lighter blue chambray shirt from Christopher and Banks. (Similar here.) I then topped that with my denim vest from Christopher and Banks. (Similar here. This one has some embroidery instead of rhinestones, which is very trendy right now.) For pants I pulled out my plaid Gloria Vanderbilt crop pants.

What drew me to this vest was the bling. I'm a bling sort of girl. Can we ever be too old for bling? Never! 

For a bag I chose my Niagara colored clutch. It goes perfectly with the denim and the texturing adds a different interest to the outfit. 

Since the pants have some brown in them, I went for brown accessories, both my ankle boots and my jewelry, to tie the look together. 

Niagara is a color everyone can wear. It's not too dark and not too light. It can be accessorized in many different ways and comes in a variety of pieces from tops and vests, to pants and dresses. What do you think of this medium blue color? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Or leave me a comment on my Facebook page or on Instagram. 

I've included some shopping options below. Because these are affiliate links, I get a few cents when you click on a link. If you purchase an item through my site, I get a little commission. All opinions expressed are my own. I appreciate all of your support. Please tell your friends about my blog and ask them to subscribe too. Your subscriptions help me to grow as well. 

Be sure to check back Thursday for a look another Awesome Accessory! Have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. 

Piece Perfect - The Basic Shift Dress

I have learned so much from other bloggers. One of the things I see repeatedly on other blogs is the clothing piece we refer to as a shift dress. A shift dress is basically a straight dress, that typically falls just above the knee. The dress is not fitted, allowing room to breath and hiding a boat load of flaws. However, I think today we have many dresses that would fall into the shift dress category albeit not adhering exactly to the true definition. 

I found this blue dress at my favorite thrift store and thought, why not give it a go. 

This is not the typical shift dress as it is more fitted through the waist. However, I can style it in similar ways to a true shift type dress, and the price was right. Ha, ha.

I want to show you two transitional outfits using this dress. These outfits can take you from the cold days of February to the warmer days of April.

Outfit 1 - Gray Days with a Pop of Color

For this simple look, I added a pair of gray leggings, gray ankle boots and a gray open front fly away cardi. The awesome thing about a shift dress is that it is so easy to style around. From throwing on a sweater or jacket, to pairing it with tights or leggings, it can take on a completely different look. Also, with this particular shift being a solid color I have so many options of how to accessorize.

Because we are already thinking ahead to spring and because I wanted this outfit to be a transitional outfit from winter to spring I decided to add my Flame colored accessories. For more on the Spring 2017 Pantone color line up see my collaboration post with Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy, Pantone Sneak Peek. (If you click on her website it will take you to Liz's post. If you click on the sneak peek link it will take you to my post.)

I love how the orange really pops with the dark charcoal gray and the rich navy.

To add just a bit more color I added this Vera Wang floral deep tote bag. 

Outfit 2 - Greenery is on the Way

As the temperatures start to climb we will want to lose our heavy leggings and ankle boots for bare legs or (for me) nude support hose and fun flats. I decided to wear the shift like a jumper and styled my Greenery popover blouse underneath.

One of the nice features of this dress is the heavier knit fabric. It allows me to style something under it without showing off wrinkles or other flaws, such as my pudgy middle. The darker navy fabric helps hide the flaws as well. 

To add a touch of whimsical elegance I added this long statement necklace. The white flower reminds me of Snowdrop flowers which were always the first to appear after a long winter back in Buffalo, NY where I hail from.

I kept my other accessories simple using a cognac colored bag and flats. 

Here's the whole outfit.

One of the things I liked about this dress is the pockets. They would come in handy for your phone or keys and so on.

This dress will probably show up again down the road when summer gets here. Do you own a shift dress? How do you style it?

I hope you enjoyed this post. Have a great weekend.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm Blog. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge.