First Dates After 50

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Now before you start worrying that my hubby and I are going to get a divorce let me reassure you there is nothing further from our minds. I was contacted by 2Seniors, a free dating website for people over 50, to write a post featuring tips for dressing for a first date as a senior. There is no guarantee that the one you marry when you are 24 will be the one you enter your later years with. Divorce and death happen, unfortunately at an alarming rate. While many of us could think, I will never date again, when we are suddenly faced with being single, our perspectives might change. This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Dating again after having a partner for many years can be a little intimidating. I want to offer a few tips and outfit ideas that might help you decide how to dress in a way that makes you feel, not only comfortable, but confident as you enter back into the dating arena. This post is specifically for women, but the tips themselves could apply to men as well. 

1. Accept your age. Let's face reality. We are not in our 20's any more. Most of us are middle aged or older. I stopped wearing short shorts and tube tops a long, long time ago. You are not going to do yourself any favors trying to look like the younger generation if that is not how you currently dress. Let me make a point. As fashion bloggers we are about encouraging others to wear what they want to wear and feel good about it. However, that being said, there are ways to look chic, fashionable and attractive without trying to squeeze our 50 year old bodies back into the jeans we wore in high school. In fact, that picture just makes me shudder. Ha, ha.

2. Know your style. Everyone has some sense of style. You might disagree with me, but even the people who don't look like they have any style are, in fact, promoting a certain style. Here is a great blog post from StyleWe - Ten Types of Fashion Styles. This article gives good descriptions of what each style is and also provides pictures. I personally draw from several different styles, including, Chic, Casual, Tomboy, and Preppy while pulling a little bit from Bohemian, and Rocker. Knowing your style can help you to dress for that date, whether you are single and looking for new love, or in a relationship and wanting to make an impression on your significant other. 

3. Be yourself, but add some change. As an older person who might be thinking about dating again you might think you need to reinvent yourself, but that can be an overwhelming task. It is better to remain true to who you are and your original style, but try adding something new or different to your look. Maybe you don't accessorize much. Try adding a statement necklace or a scarf to the outfit you are planning to wear. Go out and buy a great pair of heeled booties or a new bag. Not only will it bring your outfit up a notch it will give you a much needed boost. You may be recovering from a messy divorce or the death of your spouse. Treat yourself to something new that will flatter you and make you feel beautiful. Charming Charlie is a great retail place to look for a statement piece and not break your bank account.

4. Know where you are going on your date. Knowing where you will be going and what you will be doing is very important on a first date. Keeping your first date public is a good idea. Unless you are meeting someone that you have already gotten to know through work, church or other social gatherings, I think it is just wise to be out and about where other people are when you first meet someone, both for safety reasons and for your own well being. 

Knowing where you are going will give you the confidence to better choose the right outfit for that first date. If you are going out for dinner and to the theater, make sure you know what that means. Are you going to McDonalds and catching a movie? Then you probably don't need to reach for that black dress and heels. Are you going to a park to do some hiking? Better think about jeans and hiking shoes. All of these choices will be affected by what time of year it is as well. Winter will mean more layers and summer will warrant light, flowy fabrics so you are not embarrassed by sweat and body odor. 

5. Dress comfortably. When I say the word comfort I am looking at it from two different angles. First of all, you want what you wear to not be too small, too large, too hot, too cold, etc. The worst feeling is that you are going to melt because you are having another hot flash, or that you can hardly sit down after dinner because your Spanx are too tight. For the men out there, a button up shirt that is ready to pop is not attractive, and neither is your open fly. Have the courtesy to check yourself over, so you don't embarrass yourself or your date. 

The second meaning for the word comfort has to do with how you feel about yourself, the person you are meeting and the whole dating situation. If you normally don't wear low cut tops, then don't start now. If you hardly ever don a dress, then reach for those stunning black trousers that make your behind look fabulous. The point is you want to be confident in yourself and comfortable in your own skin. If you are not there yet, then maybe you are not ready for this jump back into the dating arena. 

The following pictures are from my blog and are just a few suggestions for outfits to wear on a first date. I've included a few shopping options for you to peruse as well. Just click on the picture and it will take you to the store site. These are affiliate links so I get a few cents if you click and a few cents more if you purchase an item through my site. Hopefully these will give you ideas of what might be in your closet and help you pull an outfit together that will not only make you look and feel fabulous, but make your date want to take you out again.

Dinner and the Theater (not McD's and a movie):

Meeting for Lunch and Small Town Shopping:

Meeting for Coffee then a Walk

Going to a Ball Game

Outdoor Summer Concert

Christmas Concert

These are just a few ideas. The key is to wear something that fits well, compliments your figure, skin tone and hair, and to wear a confident smile on your face. Be real. Be yourself. Plan and primp and you will be fabulous!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Pantone Fall 2107 - The London Palette - Royal Lilac and Golden Olive

This is the final installment in the London series of colors from the Pantone Fall 2017 palette. I love the brightness of these two colors, especially together. For some reason they make me think of fall and of a Bohemian gypsy vibe. Maybe it is a flash back from the bright psychedelic colors of the late 60's and early 70's. Royal Lilac is a purple worthy of a king. Purple is one of my favorite colors and we rarely see it on the runways and magazines of the fashion world. Purples in those realms seem to tend more towards wines, burgundies or maroons.

Once again, let me say that when I look for these colors I try to get as close as possible to the color that is being portrayed in the Pantone palette. My colors do not always match exactly, but the point is to introduce you to the colors on the palette and show you ways to style those colors. Just like Toast and Copper Tan, Golden Olive was a difficult color to find. I had this top in my closet and the actual color seems a bit more green than what appears in the pictures, but not quite like the Golden Olive.

Out of all the color pairings that I did from the London palette, I like this one the best. There is something about the contrast between the purple and the mustardy yellow, that appeals to my inner gypsy. In keeping with that idea, I thought I would accessorize with a brown hobo bag and brown slouchy boots. 

For my jewelry I added a brown lariat choker and a long metal and bead necklace that tied into the purple skirt

One of the other things I like about this outfit is the comfort. The material of the top and the skirt is basically heavy weight tee shirt material, so it moves with me and there is no binding or pinching. This is also a great transitional outfit as the weather cools. The 3/4 length sleeves on the shirt, the maxi length skirt and the boots all provide full coverage for those chilly days ahead. 

What do you think of these two colors? Do you like them? Would you wear them? I hope you will leave me a comment in the comments section below. I appreciate when you do and it helps my blog grow.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link below, I get a few cents. Every lttle bit helps, so thank you for the clicks. Part of why I include the links is to show you real items that are currently available in the colors I post, or at least close. All opinions expressed are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Thanks for hanging out on the blog today. Check back on Thursday for another Fall 2017 trend.

Fall 2017 Trends - Mad about Plaid

When I begin my research on the new season trends, I do a goole search. Often I end up looking at sites like Elle and Cosmopolitan to name a few. One has to weed through numerous articles hi-lighting movies stars, and runway styles to find things that are really useful. I try to approach these sites with an open minded attitude, because there are many trends I do no agree with, nor would you ever catch me supporting them on my blog. However, there are plenty of ideas to glean from these fashion authorities.

For the month of September I am going to forgo my Thursday monthly columns to focus on styles that are trending for fall this year. I thought it would be fun to pick a trend then do a post with an outfit centered around each, as well as a few flat lays and possible shopping options. I hope you enjoy this series. Be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of each post. 

Today I am looking at plaid. Plaid is back and for a girl who grew up loving flannel shirts, I am glad. Plaid has been around since as far back the 16th century. The word plaid comes from the Scottish Gaelic word plaide which means blanket. My husband is Scottish on his mother's side. It is fun to look at the numerous plaid colors that represent each of the family/clan names from that time period. My hubby's great grandmother was a Robertson. The Robertson plaid is a bright red with navy and just a hint of forest green. This is a tie Mark's Uncle David got for him. It even has a tag that says Robertson.

I found this light weight plaid jacket at one of my favorite thrift stores, Savers. I make regular stops at this store as they have a great selection that is always changing. You can read more on thrifting in my two part series: Thoughts on Thrifting - Part 1 and Thoughts on Thrifting - Part 2. 

I love the vibrant red of this jacket. Red is trending for fall also, so look at me, I am being doubly trendy. Ha, ha. We'll look at the fall trending colors in a later post. 

To keep it simple and let the jacket do the talking I slipped on a red tee, my Christopher and Banks slimming slip on jeans, then added black beads, black heeled ankle boots and a black and gray bag. You could also draw on the white in the jacket or the red to bring out those colors as well. 

Here are a few other jacket possibilities:

In addition to jackets you can style an outfit with a plaid top. Here is a flat lay I put together to show you a possible outfit starting with a plaid top. This top screams fall for its lovely fall colors, but to keep it from getting to colorful, I went for olive pants, and a black bomber jacket. 

As a last thought I grabbed the Tawny Port clutch. See the Pantone site for a look at this New York fall color. 

Here are a few plaid button ups that are currently available.

The next look revolves around a plaid accessory. In this case it is a pretty scarf. Plaid scarves have always been a viable option for the cooler weather and this year is no exception.

I think this is a fun look for a date night with the hubby or a lunch date with the girls. Keeping the colors of the pants and top similar allows the scarf to be the center of attention.

Here are a few fun options for scarves:

What do you think of plaid? Is is a pattern you like to wear? Even if you don't like it in big quantities, even a little plaid can brighten up an outfit. 

Here are a few other plaid options:

As you can see there are plenty of options for adding plaid to your wardrobe. If you click on the pictures that show you other options it will take you to the site where you can see more details and tell you the prices.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link I'll get a few cents. If you buy something through the link, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own.

i hope you enjoyed this look at plaid. Be sure to check back next week, where I'll look at another fall trend.

Have a great weekend!

Pantone Fall 2107 - The London Palette - Toast and Copper Tan

Out of all of the London Palette colors, I felt these two were the hardest to find. They are also hard colors for many people to wear. Toast and Copper Tan are not truly tan, but also not truly orange or brown. As this is not a color I saw in the stores, I did some thrifting and found that even there these are not popular colors. In the end, I shopped my closet and this is what I came up with. You have seen all of these pieces before.

With this pairing, I am going for a more monochrome look.

This asymmetrical hem top I have styled before here. I love the detailing on this tee. The bottom is trimmed with lace and there are two side triangular insets that add texture and interest to the top. 

While the pants I am wearing are not truly the Copper Tan color, I felt, due to the yellowy orange stripes in the pants that it makes them seem more of a coppery hue. I styled these Sonoma ankle pants before in my summer InVestments series. 

In keeping with the neutral monochrome vibe, I decided to go with faux pearl jewelry that stood out due to its iridescent quality.

i felt the addition of the chocolate brown moto jacket kept the outfit from being too soft. The jacket adds an edgy vibe and epitomizes my style personality. Of course if I am going for that look, I had to add my favorite taupe SO brand ankle boots as well. 

Due to the fact that I love color, I felt it necessary to add at least one piece that made the outfit pop. The bright blue bag reminds me of the blue skies so prevalent on many midwest fall days. This bag that was thrifted is Nine & Co. brand. 

What do you think of these two colors? Do they seem like fall colors to you, or do you feel they are more reminiscent of a pale sunset on a summer evening? I hope you enjoy following along as I look at the Pantone color palettes for each season. 

Below are a few tops I found that are a similar color. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link I get a few cents. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for all your support. 

Thursday I am planning a series on this year's fall trends. For the month of September we'll take a closer look at what some of this year's fun fall trends look like from my closet! Stay tuned!

Styling a Piece from ShopSvelte

I was recently contacted by a Canadian retailer by the name of ShopSvelte. A  fairly new company, ShopSvelte, focuses on fashion centered around athleisure. Their clothing line is meant to be moved in. While their selection is small each piece is made from durable, form fitting, movement friendly material. All their pieces are made with a built in waist panel to help control the tummy bulges and flatter every figure. 

ShopSvelte gifted me a piece of my choice and in return I am writing this post. All opinions are my own and no money was exchanged for this review. 

For my gifted piece, I chose the slim cut jeans in a Large.  You all probably know by now, I am a jeans kind of girl. To be honest when these first arrived and I pulled them out of the bag I thought, "There is no way I am getting my big old booty in those jeans!" Ha, ha. However, as you can see by the pictures, the big old booty did fit! I think I would like to try an extra large just to see the difference in the legs. For me, I like a little bit of room in the legs, so an extra large may have been a better call. I normally wear a size 12 in pants, if that helps. 

Look 1: Casual sporty

For this casual look I threw on a fun sweatshirt and my sparkly gray Keds sneakers. 

As you can see these jeans are very form fitting. The stretch is amazing and there is absolutely no bagging or sagging. Warning! The next few pictures are of my butt and are specifically for the purposes of showing the fit of the jeans.

There are two pockets on the back. You can also see that they are high waisted, which is great for hiding all those tummy bulges and love handles. Here is a front view of the waist. No worries about bulging belts, or belt loops. 

Here is a view of the bottom of the leg on the jeans. They look like real denim jeans, even thought they are truly athleisure shape wear. 

Look 2: Casual dressy

I decided to show you two ways to style these ShopSvelte slim fit jeans, because I personally am not comfortable showing off my booty in a form fitting jean, legging or jegging. When I am walking on the street or at the mall I like people who see me from behind to think, "What a great outfit," rather than, "What a big butt!" Ha, ha.

For this outfit I chose a tunic length, button up top that I recently purchased from H&M. 

For this look, I swapped out my sparkly Keds for my light blue SO flats, a long silver pendant necklace, a couple silver bracelets and my pewter sparkly clutch.

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

If your style is athleisure and you like form fitting shape wear you will want to check out ShopSvelte. It seems to be a good quality product and the price range runs from about $55 to $85. I hope you enjoyed this review. 

If you are still not sure about ShopSvelte check out a few of these other blogger reviews:

Feeling LIke a Boss Lady by Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Svelte Shape Wear Jeans Review by Marcie of Marcie in Mommyland. 

Enhancing the Shape of You by Tenille of Feisty, Frugal and Fabulous.

You can also follow ShopSvelte on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Have a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Pantone Fall 2017 - The London Palette - Navy Peony and Primrose Pink

For this week's post I am looking at the Pantone London color palette combination of Navy Peony and Primrose Pink. The Pantone site describes Primrose Pink as a gentle shade and Navy Peony as a strong and dependable color that takes some of the burden off black for a fashion mainstay. 

Navy has long been touted as a neutral, pairing well will just about any other color, even black. Navy worn on the bottom can make us look long and lean, while navy worn on the top can hide a world of flaws. One of my favorite clothing pieces is my Ralph Lauren navy blazer. You can read my post on that here. 

For today's outfit I shopped my closet and came up with this navy skirt that seems to show off the Navy Peony color perfectly. This embellished skirt I got a while back from dressbarn. It is an a-line shape and falls just at the knee. 

For the top I am wearing a Liz Claiborne tee that I got at a thrift store. Primrose pink is a light pastel pink. It is a little unusual to see a color this light on the fall Pantone palette, but I think this soft pink can be a great color to help us transition from summer to fall. 

I thought the outfit looked a little bland with just the navy and pink, so I added a scarf with a variety of colors including blue and pink, to pull the outfit together and add interest. I styled this wide oblong scarf as a shawl. 

Here is a photo of what the scarf looks like open.

Because the scarf had just a touch of green in it I decided to carry my green clutch. Green is another color that will show up later when I do the New York colors. Be sure to check back for that. 

I chose navy for my shoes, and jewelry and I also wore navy hose. 

What do you think of these two colors? Do you have some of these larger scarves that you like to wear as a shawl?

I hope you enjoyed this look at two more of the Pantone Fall 2017 London color palette. Check back next week for two more colors. 

Be sure to check back Thursday for a look at a new retailer that I'll be featuring.

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

Color Crash Course - Mint Green and Teal

For today's Color Crash Course I thought I would style a transitional outfit. As we near the end of summer and the beginning of fall we see the changes all around us. The leaves begin to turn and drop or if you have a cottonwood, they just drop! Ha, ha. The temperatures begin to cool off and the sun's time in the sky shortens. 

While I love all of these changes, what I think I love even more is that I get to move away from my warm weather clothes and start wearing my cooler weather clothes. However, we all know that cooler weather does not happen over night. Usually, we still have plenty of days in the mid to upper seventies and even a few edging into the eighties. For that reason, I like to think layers. 

As I have told you when I started this blog, I am a woman of layers and that includes my outfit style. For a transitional season like fall, I still want to wear shorter sleeves, but I will add a sweater or jacket to combat the early morning chill on my way to work, or the later evening coolness when the hubby and I are coming home from a night out.

Today's outfit combines the warmth of mint with the coolness of teal. These two colors both come from the green family, but teal edges towards blue and mint edges towards yellow.

This mint, ruffle sleeve popover top is a Lauren Conrad brand from Kohl's. The jeans are Gloria Vanderbilt. Looking at these pics, I began to notice the pants seem a bit big and baggy. Though I love the way baggier pants feel, I really do not like the way they look. I will save that thought for another post! 

This jacket I got on clearance from Christopher and Banks. I like the fall colors and the fit. It is also fully lined, so I will be able to use it as a jacket while the weather is just starting to turn cool. 

The colors in the jacket allowed me to add my maroon necklace and maroon Pumas. I finished off the look with my Fossil cognac cross body bag. 

You can turn just about any of your summer styles (except maybe a swimsuit - ha, ha) into transitional outfits if you think layers. Do you still want to wear those capris? Try adding a pair of ankle boots and top it with a bulky sweater. Want to still wear that light weight tee? Add a denim or camo jacket with a pretty colored scarf. Be creative. You'll be amazed at how many more outfits you can come up with if you just take the time to play with your clothes. 

I hope you enjoyed today's post. Leave me a comment in the comments section. I'd love to hear from you.

I am hoping next week to get back to a more regular schedule. If you follow my faith page, be sure to check back tomorrow for a post on change!

Have a great weekend!

Awesome Accessories - Arm Candy

This month's focus in my Awesome Accessories column is on bracelets, or what I like to call arm candy. I love to wear jewelry of all sorts. I do not have pierced ears and due to problems with wearing certain types of metals I can't wear clip ons either as they bother my ears. So many times, I will wear a necklace and bracelets. There are so many types, styles and colors of bracelets that if you are not typically a bracelet wearer just follow along and maybe by the end of this post you will be.

I thought I would arrange this post, by categories or types of bracelets. Bracelets seem to come in a variety of styles and are made out of every material imaginable from gold and silver, to plastic and fabric. Bracelets can be stiff and rigid or flexible and stretchy. As with anything fashion related, trying on different styles can help you decide what you like to wear best. 

1. The Tennis Bracelet 

The tennis bracelet is made up of a single row of small diamonds or gemstones. It originally got its name in 1987 during the U.S. Open. During a match, tennis star, Chris Evert asked the officials to stop the game because she had lost her diamond bracelet on the court. She was allowed time to search and ever since bracelets of this type are called tennis bracelets.

I do not own a real tennis bracelet, but here are a few choices:

2. The Simple Chain Bracelet

I am calling these simple chain because they are a single strand with some sort of clasp. Most of mine have a claw clasp that hooks into a link on the opposite end of the chain. These can be gold, silver or some variation of mixed non precious metals.

As you can see, these come in various styles. The thing I like about these is their simplicity. I'll often where one or two of these by themselves or pair them with a bangle in the same color. 

The only complaint I have about these is that it is hard to get them clasped by your self. Some clasps are easier to maneuver with one hand than others, so if you are trying these on at a store be sure to try the clasp. Another good reason to always try bracelets on, is that not everyone has the same size wrists. Better to try an item on and be sure it fits, than to purchase it, get it home and find out it doesn't.

3. Bangles

Bangles are simple bracelets made from metal, wood, plastic or other more rigid materials. These bracelets are typically without a clasp and just slip on or off over the hand to the wrist. 

4. Hinged Bangles

In addition to the regular bangles there are bracelets called hinged bangles. These are easier to put on and take off because one side of it has a hinge. When closed the bracelet looks like any other bangle. Hinged bangles come in a wide variety of styles, metals and colors.

5. Wrap Bracelets

Another type of bracelet that offers a different look and a different way to put on is the wrap bracelet. I have two types of these. The first is formed by putting beads on a wound metal wire. The wire has some amount of flexibility while still maintaining its original shape.

The second type is made from various materials. It winds around your wrist then clasps with a magnet type clasp.

That is all I have time for in this post, but I will do another post in the future on more arm candy.

Have a great weekend!

InVESTments: Wearing Vests in the Summer - Denim

I've been taking you on a tour of my vest collection and showing you ways to style these fun pieces for warmer weather. Today I am styling two denim vests to show you how these can be used with various pieces, including capris and a skirt.

Look 1 - Medium Wash

For this first look I wore a medium wash vest from Christopher and Banks. Here is an embroidered option here and a dark wash version here. 

To keep the look casual I paired the vest with my olive colored capris. I really like the look of blue denim with olive. Olive has become one of my faves for a different color to turn to for a neutral. When you think about it, olive really pairs well with many other colors. These thrifted capris are Sonoma brand with a modern fit, which simply means they sit a little lower on the waist and have a roomier fit through the hips and legs. Here is a utility style from Kohl's.

The top I wore was a sleeveless Izod popover, with a fun tropical floral design in pinks and purples. Here is a possible version from JC Penney. I thought the sleeveless top worked with this sleeveless vest. It gives the outfit an edgier vibe. 

I kept the accessories simple with a stretchy cuff bracelet from Chicos and a silver necklace. Here is another pretty option for the bracelet. 

My tote is from Charming Charlie and is a very light sage green, which I thought went well with the whole outfit. They don't have this version any more, but here is another pretty one. 

I finished off this casual look with my bright blue Keds. Keds are a great sneaker for summer. They are comfortable, cute and reasonably priced. These I found thrifting, but I've brought a few pairs at Kohl's. They don't have anything this bright, but here is a cute striped version. 

Look 2 - White

For the other denim look, I went with a white St. John's Bay vest that I got at a thrift store. This time I paired the vest with a blue striped tee and a navy and white maxi skirt.

You can see I was doing a little print mixing for this outfit. I thought the colors went well together and the narrow stripes on the tee, didn't overwhelm the geometric pattern on the skirt. This skirt was from Christopher and Banks also. 

For my bag I chose this fun little straw number. Straw handbags were on trend this summer and I came upon this little treasure when my husband and I were on a weekend away, while I was perusing a second hand shop.

For my accessories I went with my "stained glass" necklace and two bracelets. I like the contrast of the gold with the blue and white. 

Keeping the look casual I wore my navy Candies canvas sneakers. My husband reminded me the other day that I have numerous pairs of navy or blue sneakers! Ha, ha. I think I counted four pairs, but no two pairs are the same! 

Here are the two looks side by side. 

Do you have a denim vest in your closet that you have neglected to wear? These are versatile pieces that you can wear all year long through all four seasons. 

Have a great week. Be sure to check back Thursday for another post on thrifting. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

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

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Thoughts on Thrifting - Part 1 - The Stores

Since I am a bit behind and unorganized during the summer, at least this summer anyway, I am foregoing my Beautiful Blogger Best column this week. Believe it or not, watching a six year old every day does not leave me a lot of time for working on the blog. Usually, by the time he goes home in the evening, I do not have any brain cells left to put together dinner, let alone a blog post for the next day. In lieu of that, today I am writing a post on one of my favorite fashion activities, thrifting.

Stocksnap - Matthew Henry

My husband is a detectorist. He owns a metal detector and loves to hunt for treasures buried beneath the ground. His favorite finds are rings, especially gold or silver, but he loves to find any type of ring, even a child's adjustable one. I guess you could call me a "thriftorist". Ha, ha. I made a new word. Just like my husband loves to find treasure, I love to hunt for treasure of the fashionable type in thrift stores.

In my town there are several thrift stores. Savers is the largest and the one I go to every few weeks. I have found they have a large selection of gently used items and their prices are fairly reasonable. They also have frequent sales and rewards programs that motivate a treasure shopper like me to stop in more often. We also have Goodwill, Salvation Army, and a number of others like Plato's Closet, Clothes Mentor and The American Cancer Society thrift shop. There are also a number that I haven't yet checked out. As far as treasure hunting goes, I have plenty to choose from.

When looking for the best stores to treasure hunt in you might want to consider a few thoughts. 

1. Location. Since thrift stores are dependent on their own finds and on donations, finding stores in high trafficked locations will usually yield better used goods. Most of the thrift stores that I shop in are nestled with other retail stores. That being said, you can occasionally find uniques treasures in second hand retailers in out of the way places. 

2. Size. I won't be so bold as to say that the bigger the thrift store the better, but the same reasoning I used for location holds true for size as well. Many of the larger thrift stores give you more options. Savers has everything from furniture and electronics to bedding and shoes. My grandson loves to peruse the toys when we go in there, knowing he will be able to find some little treasure that grandma will buy for him. Don't get me wrong, there are some amazing and unique small thrift stores. My Shop on Rugby Dr., is an example of a small boutique that features used upscale women's clothing and accessories here in Toledo.

3. Organization. This is a huge thing for me....not that I am so organized, but that I like my shopping environment to be. Clothing should be organized by type. For instance, groupings such as long sleeve blouses, skirts, and cardigans, are all helpful as I hunt for treasure. If the store is organized by a broader category, such as long sleeve tops, it will take longer to look through all the tops to find that one button up that I am searching for. It is also helpful when a store organizes their clothing by size, at least by small, medium, large, and so on. 

Another way various stores organize their racks of clothes is by color. I really like this, especially if I go in with a specific color item in mind. That way, I only shop those sections with the colors I am looking for, instead of combing through racks and racks of clothes. While it is true, you have to look for your size in the color you want, it does make shopping for the Pantone series that I do, much easier. 

4. Lighting. I don't know about you, but when I am shopping I like to have a bright environment. I want to be able to see the colors I am looking at, as well as be able to read the tags to check out sizing, materials and washing instructions. I also want to be able to check the item over for tears, stains or deformities. 

On a weekend trip earlier this summer my hubby and I checked out a few thrift stores in the area we went to. The one store was beautifully organized, but the lighting was very dim. While I did find a few things that I bought, I kept wanting to ask a staff person if they could turn on the lights. 

5. Cleanliness. While every thrift store has a bit of a second hand air to it, it doesn't have to look and feel like a dump. Floors should be fairly clean. I've been in thrift stores where I wanted to wash my shoes after I left. Changing rooms should be well attended, meaning the staff is removing clothing left behind and picking up things that were left on the floor. Believe me, people can be very rude when it comes to changing rooms...even at regular, full priced retailers!

Clothing should be clean. That doesn't mean it has been washed. Stores do not have the capacity to wash every item that comes in their donation doors. However, they can be particular about what gets put out on the floor. Find stores that take pride in the pieces of clothing they put out.

It is also helpful if the thrift store has a bathroom. I drink a ton of water and having a bathroom on site means they will get to keep my business. 

Thrifting is a great way to save money, find unique pieces that are just right for you and have fun. I love to thrift with my daughters and my best girlfriend back in New York. Of course it always involves lunch! You can find jewelry, purses, shoes and, of course, clothing for a fraction of the price you will pay at a regular retailer. 

Next week I'll be back with another post on thrifting where I'll talk about how to turn compulsive buying into shopping science. 

Did you like this post? Did you find it helpful? Are you a thrifter? I'd love to have your feedback in the comments section below. 

Have a great weekend!

Is it a Piece or an Accessory? The Kimono.

This month I am combining my Piece Perfect and Awesome Accessory columns to feature something that can be worn both as a clothing piece, but also as an accessory. The kimono was originally a traditional Japanese garment. The word kimono means thing to wear. Most traditional kimonos were floor length. While some Japanese wore kimonos on a daily basis, most were worn on special occasions. Today the kimono has wide following in the fashion industry, particularly this summer. You will see these lovely, drapes in most stores. They vary in length, cut, style and pattern, but most feature light weight sheer material, square sleeves and a more square or rectangular body.

The kimono I have on today, I have worn before on the blog. You can see that post here. What inspired me to do this particular post, was that I was seeing numerous other bloggers wearing their pretty kimonos with shorts and jeans for a more casual, summery look. 

I apologize again for my terrible photography. I am not sure why these turned out so foggy. It was a very warm, humid day, so I am not sure if that had anything to do with it. My daughter said, my lens may have fogged up. Never thought about that! Live and learn.

This pretty kimono I found at a thrift store, along with the clutch and tee shirt. When I decided on doing this post, I shopped my closet and found all the pieces. If you are a clothes horse like me, you will always find outfits in your closet as long as you use a little creativity and thought. 

The shape of my kimono is a little different in that, it has a high-low hem. Mine is also a little longer than many of the versions in the stores right now. However, I am sure you can find one that will suit your style needs.

I was babysitting my grand puppy again so I had to let her get in a pic!

I kept my accessories simply with a few silver bangles and my small black clutch. 

What makes a kimono a clothing piece versus an accessory? I think it all depends on how you wear it. My outfit is complete without the kimono. A pair of jeans, tee shirt and tennis shoes is a great casual summer outfit. I added the kimono as an accessory. It brings color and fun to the outfit and adds a light weight layer of warmth for air conditioning. 

I could change this look and make the kimono an actual part of the my outfit by putting on black leggings and a black tank or tee, then I could layer the kimono over top and add a belt. This would make the kimono almost look like a dress and would be the focal point of the outfit. Add black heels or wedges and a silver layering of necklaces and voila a great look for a date night with the hubby. I would have put that outfit in this post too, but my time has been very limited lately, so I didn't get a chance to get my act together. Ha, ha.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Do you own a kimono? How do you like to wear it? I'd love to hear from you. I always appreciate when people comment and I always respond to your comments. You can always check back a day or two later to see what I've written.

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

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. 

What's Trending for Summer 2017

Before I became a fashion blogger I never even thought about trends. I didn't pay much attention to how I was dressed, for that matter. I pulled on my mom jeans and a tee shirt or sweatshirt and I was good to go. I still find myself reaching for things that are comfy and easy, but I do give more thought to what I am wearing and yes, now I pay attention to the trends. I don't necessarily like all that is trendy during any given season, but it is worth taking a look at. We have the right to pick and choose the ones that we like and what works for us, while disregarding the ones that don't. That is the beauty of learning to dress in a way that you love and are comfortable with. What you put on should be an extension of who you are and make you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin.

Here are a few of the Summer 2017 fashion trends. These are not in any particular order.

1. Khakis or chinos.

At times fashion terminology can be confusing, especially if you are not familiar with the types of fabrics used in making particular pieces. I thought I would enlighten us by explaining the difference between khakis and chinos. Khakis are typically made of a heavier weight cotton, much like a regular denim, while chinos are a lighter weight cotton. The other difference is in the stitching. Khakis have stitching that is visible, while chino stitching is not. Khakis will give a more relaxed look, and are usually a little wider through the leg. Chinos on the other hand will appear dressier and typically fit closer to the leg. 

As far as color, we typically find khakis in colors from tan and beige, to olive and gray. Khakis are usually neutral. Chinos, on the other hand can be found in just about any color.

2. Seaside stripes.

Stripes seem to come and go, but they are definitely in right now. You can choose horizontal or vertical!

Maybe you already have something striped in your closet. Now you can pull it out and wear it and you'll be perfectly stylish!

3. Gingham

Much like stripes, gingham seems to come and go. Right now it is showing up on more than just summer table cloths. Check out fellow blogger Nancy Baten of Nancy's Fashion Style, looking absolutely lovely in her gingham dress. 

Nancy's Fashion Style

Isn't she adorable? I love how she paired the dress with the bright green bag and sandals. She looks ready for a number of summer activities! Here are a few other possibilities. 

4. Off the shoulder/cold shoulder.

This trend is really hot right now. I have never been all that comfortable with baring my shoulders. I'm not sure why. I have pretty shoulders and my hubby always tells me I have pretty collar bones. Ha, ha. This year was the first year I invested in a cold shoulder tee. I got the berry colored one below at Nordstrom Rack using the gift cards I had won from Jodie at Jodies Touch of Style. 

Do you like off the shoulder styles? How about cold shoulder styles? 

5. Retro swim wear.

I like that they are bringing a more modest swim wear back. These provide so much more coverage. Don't you just love the red with white polka dots? Too cute!

6. Wrap dresses.

There are loads and loads of pretty dresses in the stores right now. The wrap version can be extremely figure flattering on any figure. 

7. Slides.

I am not referring to the kind the kids have fun on at the park. These slides are a style of shoe.

I was wondering myself what the difference is between a slide and a mule. Talk about confusing. My husband always says, the English language is a really stupid way to communicate, due to the variety of meanings for the same word! For this post I am strictly talking fashion.

What I found when I looked it up, was that there is no real difference. I personally think of slides as being more casual with a low or no heel. Mules seem to be meant for more dressy occasions and while many come without heels, more often they come with a low or mid sized heel. 

8. Basket bags.

I talked a little bit about straw bags in my Awesome Accessories post on Summer Bags. These are so fun and while I wouldn't use them for all sorts of occasions, they would be perfect for a trip to the summer market or the beach! 

There are loads of other summer trends out there including white shirt dresses, micro florals, cowboy boots (yes, you heard me right) and bold drop earrings. 

I hope you enjoyed this look at the summer trends. If you found any of the pieces interesting you can click on it and it will take you to the retailer where you can read more about it or order it. 

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

Thanks for all of your support and have a great weekend!

Friday linking up with Jo-Lynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Marvelous Maxis - Playing it Straight

When I decided to do this series on maxi skirts I wanted to be able to show you, not only ways to style them, but variations on maxi skirt shapes. Skirts come in various shapes from A-line, and pleated, to circular and pencil. Just Google skirt shapes, and you'll see a number of images that explain the different silhouettes. Last week I featured a pleated skirt. This week my muse is a straight, or what can also be called, columnar, skirt.

If you are not a fan of maxi skirts, because of the amount of material involved, I would suggest trying a straight maxi. This shape is fairly figure flattering for most women and allows for some amount of camouflage for those areas we often consider problems, such as tummies and hips. The straight skirt, also does not overwhelm with loads of material.

Once again, I styled the skirt two ways. 

Look 1 - Casual

I found this pretty printed skirt at a thrift store. I love the summery blues and greens of the pattern. For my casual look I paired it with my fringe hem tee. 

To not make the look too busy, I kept my accessories simple. The lariat choker, was a new accessory I decided to try after seeing it on a few of my blogger friends. It's basically one long chord that you wrap around the neck to form a choker, then tie at the front. 

My other accessories included a simple charm bracelet and a canvas off white clutch. To keep the look casual I chose a pair of gold thongs with tassels. 

Look 2 - Dressy

For my second look, I swapped out the fringe tee for a simple pull over top with ruffles around the arm holes. I did the front tuck to make the outfit a bit more figure flattering. 

This cutie pie is my grand puppy Beatrice. She's being coy in this photo. Ha, ha. For my accessories, I wore a multilayer royal blue necklace, which picks up the blues in the skirt. I also wore royal blue heels. Instead of the casual off white clutch I chose my green tote that I got for Mother's Day from Charming Charlie. I also grabbed an aqua sweater for those overly air conditioned places. 

Here's another shot with Miss Beatrice. You can see how I did the front tuck on the blouse. 

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

I hope you enjoyed this post and that you have been inspired to pull out that maxi skirt and wear it. I've gathered a few printed straight maxi skirts below. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm Blog. Thursday linking up with Ada of Elegance and Mommyhood. 

Piece Perfect - The Utility Jacket

When I began thinking about this month's Piece Perfect column, I was thinking about showing a traditional jean jacket. I have shown a dark wash crop style denim jacket in a previous Piece Perfect column, which you can see here. I thought it would be fun to show a post with a more traditional cut and wash of denim jacket, but for lack of picture taking time, I will save that for another day. Today I am going to focus on the utility jacket. 

Looking for some definition for the utility jacket I was able to derive that our modern day utility jacket was modeled mainly after the Vietnam era military jacket. The color is most often olive green, but now can be seen in gray, black and even orange (see my Pantone Spring 2017 post on Flame.) These jackets are typically light weight with both buttons or snaps and a zipper, as well as multiple pockets. Most of them have elastic or a draw string to gather the waist more tightly against the body.

Today, utility jackets are all the rage. I like mine because it is roomy, which allows for a few layers underneath if it is cooler, but can also be worn as a light weight jacket over a tee or tank top. This is the look I came up with for my jacket.

If you follow my blog, you might remember this outfit from a post called Spring Trends 2017. I used these pieces for a flat lay. A flat lay is simply a picture of the clothing laying flat on the floor, folded, rather than on a person. See below.

I had another blogger tell me she would like to see the outfits from my flat lays on me, to get a better idea of proportions and fit. I liked the way this looked in the flat lay and I like it even better on me! 

As you can see I started with a pair of distress crop jeans, and a breton type tee.

Here's a closer look at the detail, both on the tee and the jacket. 

I thought the blush accessories looked perfect with this outfit. It keeps the outfit summery and fun. I also like the raw hem on the jeans. I kept the jewelry simple and gold to go with the gold sequins on my tee. 

If you've never considered a utility jacket you might want to invest in one. It gives an outfit a fun casual look and can be worn with so many colors. Do you like this outfit? Would you wear frayed hem jeans? I didn't used to think I ever would, but then here I am! Never say never!

Below I've provided some shopping options. This post contains affiliate links. If you do a little looking and/or buying through my blog, I make a little bit of money. I appreciate all of your support, especially your feedback. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog and have a great weekend! 

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Lapis Blue

This is the final color of the Pantone Spring 2017 color series. The fall colors have already been out over a month, so I will try to get started a little earlier on those this time around. Lapis blue is another color that I think almost anyone can wear. It is bright, but not too bright, deep, but not so deep it washes you out and I think it is a color that will pair well with many of your other summer colors. For instance I think this color would go very well with the blush color that we are seeing everywhere right now. 

For my look, I decided on a more traditional, classic pairing with black and white. 

I have had this silky blouse from Worthington (here and here are pretty options) for a number of years and haven't really gotten much use out of it. I love the blue color and the floral print, both of which are now in style. I'll probably be pulling this out from time to time, now that I have an outfit in mind that I can use it for. The white jeans, by Gloria Vanderbilt, (similar here)  I have styled on the blog before. 

I added the black vest because when I took these pics it was still quite chilly. The outfit would look cute without the vest or you could top it with a dark wash denim for a more casual feel. If I went without a vest I would probably string some long  black beads to add more texture to the top. 

This Jaclyn Smith bag I found at a thrift store. Kmart has a cute version here. I like that this bag can be carried as a cross body or as a satchel. White clothing and accessories used to only show up between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but things have changed dramatically. White can be worn (and carried) all year round. This bag will get some use!

You can just make out my navy two strand necklace. The little beads are such a dark blue they almost look black and have a lovely iridescent sheen. Here is a different look from Etsy that includes the iridescent navy. 

No outfit would be complete without a fun pair of shoes. I love these black wedge espadrilles by Chaps. Kohl's has this same style here. Check out some of the other fun colors.

I hope you enjoyed this color. Do you have anything this color in your closet? I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. 

Below I have included a few Lapis blue items you might find interesting. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a shopping link I get few cents. If you buy something through one of the links I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Friday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Kale

Whether it is called Kale, olive, army green or dark green this color has been around for a while. It seems to be making a resurgence as a go to color for pairing with a variety of brights, pastels or darks. In a way this green is as worthy of being called a neutral, as khaki, taupe or gray. What exactly makes a color a neutral, you might wonder. A neutral color is a hue that lacks certain elements of color. Neutrals are colors, but they are often thought of in terms of base colors or back ground colors, rather than the color that steps to the front and shouts, "I'm here! Look at me!"

If you have read any number of fashion blogs you will see the term neutral over and over. Usually in the fashion world neutral colors include white, ivory, cream, tan, beige, gray, taupe, and our color for today, Kale. Neutral colors can be easily paired with almost any other color from hot pinks and bright purples, to soft blues and dark navies. 

For my outfit today I chose to go with a casual look. 

I paired a 3/4 length sleeve French Laundry tee (cute style here) with an a.n.a. military style jacket (black one here). Then I paired that with Apt. 9 light wash skinny ankle jean (distressed hem skinnies here) and rolled them up once. 

My accessories included a statement necklace and beaded cuff bracelet. For my main pop of color I chose this floral Dana Buchman cross body bag from Kohl's which I found early this spring. Here's a cute straw version. 

For my shoes I went with a steel gray flat. These are very comfy and slip on easily. These are Life Stride brand which I bought at a thrift store. (Here is a similar look from Eurosoft at DSW.) 

Here is a close up of the sleeves on my tee. I love the lace insets and the bling at the end. I didn't like the thought of hiding the sleeves under the jacket, but I wanted that monochrome look on the top. I will be wearing this tee for other occasions too! 

I thought I would throw in a silly picture, since I haven't done that in a while. I do not remember what I was doing, other than being silly. Ha, ha. 

What do you think of the color Kale? Do you own clothes that are this color? If not would you wear it? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.  I appreciate all your feedback. 

Below I've listed some shopping options. These are affiliate links which means when you click on a link I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site I get a little bit of a commission. All opinions are my own,

Thanks for hanging out on the blog today. Be sure to check back Thursday to see who this month's Beautiful Blogger inspiration is. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. 

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. 

Beautiful Blogger Bests - White with Denim

Classic looks are some of my favorite. Breezy tops, skirts, shorts of varying lengths, light weight jackets, are all clothing pieces I go back to when building a summer look. Today's post was inspired by a lovely blogger from the UK. Laurie of Vanity and Me is well acquainted with beauty and fashion, having made her way in life as a hairdresser. She is a mom, grandmother, wife and blogger. I would definitely describe Laurie's style as classic. She pieces outfits together that are stylish, comfortable and often striking, adding lovely statement accessories including jewelry, bags and shoes. 

My inspiration for today's outfit came from Laurie's post titled, Dress Down Day, from April 6th. If you click on the title of the post you can see her article in full. I hope you will visit her blog and give her some love. Her outfit formula was quite simple, white pants, white tank and a chambray shirt. Add some cute accessories, pin the hair up and done! What I love about this is, while it is simple it still looks phenomenal! The contrast of white with the blue is perfect for spring and summer. I also like that, Laurie added earthy accessories. With this type of outfit she could have added any number of colors, but the browns and golds keep the outfit from becoming overly girly. 

I decided to wear a tee instead of a tank top and I also went with capri pants instead of longer ones. The dark wash of my chambray shirt is similar to the one Laurie uses. I also kept my accessories to hues of brown and gold. 

I've featured this statement necklace before when I did an Awesome Accessory post here. I like that it has chains of differing lengths and ends with the pretty pendant. 

I also have on a gold colored narrow belt, but it gets a little lost under the tee shirt material. I think Laurie's belt was a much better choice and makes a statement in its own right.

These sandals were a recent purchase from Kohl's. I like the way they cross over the top of the foot, making the shoe feel more secure. These also have a very cushy foot bed with a slight wedge heel. These also have zippers on the heel making them easy to get into and out of. I think I will be wearing these quite often this summer. 

What do you think of this outfit? Will you be wearing white this summer? I'd love to hear your thoughts. When you comment on my posts, it helps my blog to grow. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. 

Please click over to Laurie's site and check out her blog. She will give you more Beautiful Blogger inspiration.

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

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, and Laurie of Vanity and Me. 

Piece Perfect - Spring Transitions

There are numerous pieces we could talk about for the season of spring. Look at what is on the racks at your favorites stores. Light weight blouses, flowy fabrics, pastels, bright floral prints and a variety of hemlines on both pants and skirts. However, if you have ever spent time in the mid-west in the months of March, April and May you know that going from winter to spring is not always easy to style. 

Layering is essential for me, especially until the temperature hits the upper sixties or seventies. However, as the temps begin to climb into the forties and fifties, I do feel less of a need for heavy layers. I turn more towards lighter weight long sleeve tops and pack away my turtleneck sweaters. I wear pants that end at my ankle with shoes that are more open.  

I like a 3/4 length sleeve top for these transitional days. The first is a light weight tee with a pastel floral print. The second is a hooded pullover sweater. The tee I would wear under a cardi or jacket, which I'll show in a bit. The sweater is heavy enough that I can wear it alone or over a tank top or camisole.  Below each idea, I'll show a few alternatives.

These are two pairs of shoes that I consider transitional. They are both flats, but more importantly they are more open than the boots and oxfords I had been wearing in the winter months. 

The reason I consider these transitional is that they are made of canvas. Canvas is perfect for summer months, but not so much for the cold snowy days of January. 

Taking my 3/4 length sleeve tee, I added a pair of ankle jeans. This length of pant is great for spring. It still gives you full coverage on your legs, but allows your ankles to breath and feel the fresh, albeit often nippy, spring air. 

Since layering is still essential I added my fun patterned blazer. This is a lovely piece made with light weight fabric and fully lined. It is not heavy at all, but still adds a layer of warmth.

By the time I posted this the cute leopard print was sold out! Sorry!

Here is another possibility, just by swapping out the jacket with a open front 3/4 length sleeve cardi. I found this light weight cardi at a thrift store this past weekend when I was visiting my mom in Buffalo, NY. Besides the weight I was drawn to the circular texturing. The circles are half cut open.

Here is an easy work outfit. Light weight dress pants, 3/4 length sleeve pullover sweater, canvas sneaks and go!

These are just a few of the transitional pieces that can help you go from winter to spring with ease, comfort and style. 

Let me know what you think of this post. Did you find this helpful. I hope that when you look into your closet you can find inspiration for new outfits to put together a great spring look. Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the the comments section. Your comments help my blog grow. And if you are not a current subscriber, but would like to receive my emails once a week be sure to click on the subscribe button. I appreciate it.

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

Thursday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Friday linking up with Jennie of a Pocketful of Polka Dots and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. 

Spring Trends - 2017

Every season we see a new parade of trends marching across the stage at all the up scale fashion shows. Many of the things we see on the runways are not necessarily trends that translate well to the everyday world of many women. We probably are not going to don our peek-a-boo tops for work (unless we work at a strip club...ha, ha) and our stripes may not be quite as gaudy or loud, however, there are a number of spring trends that are perfect for all of us actual women.

1. Stripes are stunning. You can wear them horizontal or vertical; seaside or oxford; wide or narrow; stripes are everywhere. Stripes are our friends. You might not think so, but let's do a quick review. Horizontal stripes have long been touted as making us look fatter, but narrow horizontals can actually make you look thinner. Vertical stripes tend to elongate our frames. My theory is this, you can wear whatever you like. I wear horizontals on the top and verticals on the bottom. However, If it is a piece I absolutely adore, I will forgo my usual way of doing things.

2. Florals are fragrant. Light florals, dark florals, floral dresses, skirts, tops, leggings, jackets and pants; basically you can easily find a bouquet of floral patterned pieces just about anywhere. I like floral patterns, but I am picky about how much, how large or small and what color combinations. There are patterns, that for me, are just too busy. I don't want to get dizzy looking at what I am about to put on.

3. Blush is beautiful. Pale pink is all the rage and is showing up everywhere from shoes and bags, to coats, tops and jeans. You won't have to look too far to see pale pink sneaking onto store shelves and clothing racks. Not all of you may feel you can wear this light color, but as with any color, never say never. Pale pink can show up as a cute cross body bag or a comfy pair of sneakers. Just a touch of it in your wardrobe can make you trend savvy.

4. Raging ruffles. They're back! Romantic ruffles. How do you feel about ruffles? I used to have a white silk blouse that had ruffles around the neck and down by the wrists. It was a regular pirate shirt. I loved it at the time, but once the trend came and went I let it go! I should have kept it. Ha, ha. I'm okay with ruffles, but I like to do them in moderation. 

5. Perfect perforations. Another trend that I like is perforations. These little decorative holes are showing up on bags, wallets, sandals and shoes. I also like to think of crocheted or knitted items as perforated clothing. They are basically clothing with little (or big) holes in them.

6. Cool khaki. Khaki is the new neutral, or maybe it is an old neutral, as it has been front and center before. This color works great as a pair of pants or shorts, or as a skirt or dress. The piece that I think of most often when I hear the word is the trench coat. 

I gave you a few samples under each category just to give you ideas. What follows are just a few outfit ensembles that I did by shopping my own closet. 

Blush jeggings, pin striped jacket, floral long sleeve button up, Pink Yarrow jewelry, gold sandals and clutch. Pattern mixing has gotten even easier with the smooth blend of stripes and florals.

Olive utility jacket, striped 3/4 length sleeve tee with embellishment, gold jewelry, frayed hem crop jeans, blush fold over bag and blush flats. Olive seems to be making a stand in the fashion world and will be sticking around as another versatile neutral. Distressed jeans are big right now too. 

Crocheted fit and flare sweater top, blush lace trim cami, fringe multi strand bracelet, gold floral necklace, perforated red bag, tiered floral tea length skirt, sandals. The fit and flare trend is back as well, meaning dresses and tops are more fitted through the bodice and waist, then flare out. The tiered skirt also seems to be making a subtle come back, which I love, as I have several of these. This is a great skirt for the summer, giving full coverage, but not needing a slip underneath. 

I hope to show you some of these outfits, in the flesh, at some point down the line. While I didn't cover all the trends, I hope that this was informative in letting you know more about what is going on in the fashion world this spring. 

Let me know what you thought of this post in the comments section below. Your comments help my blog to grow, so I appreciate the input. 

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Monday linking up with Rena of Fine! Whatever...., Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb.