Spring Trends 2020 - Outfit Inspiration - Pinstripes, Leather and Loafers

This outfit was inspired by a Kenneth Cole ad from an In Style magazine, three years ago. I often pulled pages from magazines I had subscriptions to in the past. For a while it was Women’s Day, then Better Homes and Gardens and more recently In Style. I rarely did anything more than look at pictures, so thought a better use of my money was to put it towards thrifting rather than magazine subscriptions. Ha, ha. Anyway, when I came across this ad, which was for shoes, I thought the outfit was rather cute and it fit the bill for a number of the spring trends.

There are several spring trends going on in this outfit. The metallic, blush leather jacket fits right into the bright and light leather trend for spring. I got this cute cropped moto jacket at Nordstrom Rack last year, after I had gotten a gift card. It is a brand called, Coffee Shop NY.

My Mickey Mouse crop top is a thrifted Disney tee. In the original add, the model had on a cropped sweater, that was really cute, but I didn’t seem to have one that was the right length.

My pinstriped button up is a men’s Izod brand and another thrift find. I have fallen in love with oversized button up shirts, either men’s or women’s it doesn’t matter, as long as it is slightly large. When I think of something being oversized, I go for a piece that has sleeves that are long enough they might need to be rolled once. The shirt, especially a button up will be fully or at least partially covering my butt. I also look for something that isn’t too wide. There is a fine line, I believe, as to what looks cute as something oversized and what merely makes us look like, a “walking pile of laundry”, as my husband says. An oversized shirt like this can be worn by itself, under a sweater with part of it hanging out and as a jacket over a cute tee or cami. Be creative. There are lots of fun button ups at the thrift stores.

My skinny jeans are a clearance find from Kohl’s and are Vera Wang brand. They are a bit tight right now. Ladies, I am just being real here. This whole weight thing is a real struggle. It isn’t that I think being larger is a bad thing. I think every individual has to be comfy in their own skin. The best thing is to be healthy and you can do that at 250 pounds or 110 pounds. My biggest struggle is eating junk. It seems like it is worse lately. All I want is chips, bread and sweets, and I don’t even get a period any more. Anybody else out there struggle like this?

I wanted to wear some sort of necklace, but didn’t want to interfere with Mr. Mouse, so I chose this very old letter pendant necklace. I’ve had this for years, and it still holds its shine.

This American Living bag was a thrift find. It can be used like a doctor bag with the short handles or worn as a cross body bag with the longer strap. I really do like bags that have this versatility.

In the original ad, the model had on black heeled boots, but I wanted to bring in another trend that is back in the fashion world, that of loafers. I used to think I wasn’t really much of a loafer fan, but then I started looking through my shoes and realized, somewhere along the way, I changed my mind. From the traditional loafer to loafer heels, to loafer mules, these simple shoes are a wardrobe staple and can be worn with everything from skinny jeans, to crop pants to skirts and dresses. They are great for work, especially if you find a comfy pair and have to be on your feet a lot. This pair of loafers is another Kohl’s clearance find and is Dana Buchman brand. They are made of a tweedy material.

I hope you enjoyed today’s outfit. Inspiration can come from all sorts of places, so be sure to look at those magazines while you are waiting at your dentist appointment, or check out Pinterest for tons of outfit combinations. You can check out my Pinterest boards as well and see what sorts of outfits, inspire me.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

Spring Trends 2020 - Polka Dots

If there is one thing that is prevalent this year for spring trends it is patterns. From polka dots, to plaid, to pinstripes, to florals and tropical greenery, and more, patterns abound. Being a girl who likes color, I am all in when it comes to wearing patterns. It is an easy way to add visual interest and colors to an outfit, with just the addition of a printed top, skirt or scarf.

Today’s outfit revolves around polka dots. Yes the cheery dots are back and bolder than ever. Most of what was on the runway featured larger more bold polka dots, but any dots will do and if you are feeling really bold, why not go for a head to toe polka dotted outfit, like the one featured in this post?

I think everything in this outfit I have used on the blog before. With the ever increasing emphasis on recycling of all sorts, it is a great practice to only purchase pieces for your closet that are going to get used over and over.

Let me tell you about this outfit from head to toe and provide links to other posts where I have used the same piece.

Polka Dot Top

This “top” is actually a short dress/tunic that I got on clearance at Charming Charlie a few years ago. The dress is too short for my taste, but I thought it would be cute with cropped pants in the summer, or used like this, tucked in, so it looks more like a regular popover blouse. It is fully lined, so no worries on having to wear a cami underneath. You can see I styled a similar look with a different polka dot skirt and a navy eyelet jacket here.

Abstract Polka Dot Skirt

I call this George brand, high waisted, pull on skirt, abstract polka dot, because the dots are more squishy than perfectly round. I really like this midi length skirt and midi’s are the trend for spring and summer. Go figure, we go from midi skirts to hot pants. No hot pants for this girl. I’m sorry, but hot pants are only made for ladies with long, slim, pretty legs, and mine have none of those qualities. Back in the day, but not any more. This skirt is fully lined, but very light weight, so perfect for spring and summer. I originally posted this skirt with a striped crop top and jean jacket. You can see that post here.

Classic Blue Cardigan

This ANA cardigan has been a warmer weather staple in my closet for many years. I can’t seem to find another post using this sweater, but I know I have worn it on Instagram. If you don’t follow me yet, on Insta, just look me up. You’ll see more of my every day looks over there and pictures of our cat, Plato and a few other things here and there.

Trendy Bag and Necklace

Large tote bags are making a come back, at least for the spring and summer. Like I said in my introductory post on the Spring Trends, I like a fun, large tote bag, especially for traveling, because you can throw extra things in there like a book, notebook and a bottle of water. This tote was a clearance find at Kohl’s and I love the texture details and the gold design. 

Another Spring Trend is chunky chain jewelry. I got this necklace a couple season’s ago and haven’t worn it that much. Now I have more of a reason to.

Classic Blue Heels

I’ve worn these bright blue Croft and Barrow heels numerous times before on the blog. For a while I couldn’t find them. I had packed them away in a shoe box, inside another box. I’m not sure what I was thinking. Ha, ha. You can see how I styled them with a denim skirt, a floral dress, a maroon skirt and white jeans. They are very versatile shoes and I noticed when we did these pictures they are starting to show signs of wear, so I need to be on the look out for a replacement pair.

Are you a polka dot fan? What do you think of this outfit? I’d love to hear you thoughts.

Thanks to everyone who supports the blog. I’m including some shopping links. These are affiliate links, and all opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a wonderful day.

Spring Trends - 2020

This year’s list of Spring Trends is full of interesting things. Many of the trends are repeats from the past and many are not worth mentioning because, in my opinion, they are not realistic for actual women like you and I. I believe in modest dressing, so bralettes as tops and sheer clothing with nothing underneath does not measure up to my standard. My plan is to introduce some of the trends to you in this post and then for the rest of the month of March, I would like to show you my own takes on some of these trends. I have been aggressively shopping my closet to put together outfits that might be trendy and cost effective. You’d be amazed at how many things you already have.

Image by pasja1000 from Pixabay

Patterns

Polka Dots

This fun, versatile print is back in full force. The great thing about polka dots is anyone can wear them. The dots can be tiny or large; on just your top, just your bottom or all over. You can even mix differing polka dot sizes, and polka dots mix perfectly with most other patterns and textures.

Abstract Florals

Florals, like polka dots are still very popular. This spring the trend is towards florals that are more abstract, rather than more realistic looking. I have a lot of floral in my wardrobe and personally prefer that a flower look like a flower, but having one of these abstract pieces would be a fun addition to the norm.

Tropical Prints

Once again, tropical prints are ushering in the warmer weather and making us all want to go on a vacation to a tropical paradise. Ha, ha. You can find these prints on tops, skirts, shorts, dresses, bathing suits and bags, so whether you want a little or a lot, you should be able to find something either in your closet, a thrift store or at the mall.

1960’s & 1970’s Influence

These bright, whimsical patterns are very reminiscent of the 1960’s and 70’s which was the fashion designers’ intent. In addition to these typical bright, paisley swirls and other designs, the trends include patterns that hale from the walls and couches of these two decades in the form of suiting, disco collared button ups and long dresses.

Monochrome

Head to Toe Denim

This is one trend, many of us can easily put together. If you have a pair of jeans, a chambray shirt and a denim jacket you can do this head to toe denim trend without investing a penny. The denim’s do not have to match, so wear a dark wash pair of jeans, a medium wash shirt and a light wash jacket and you are good to go.

Head to Toe White

White is back and party ready in the form of dresses. The length and style is up to you, but anything goes when it comes to white. I think you could also pull off a similar look with a white skirt and top, so be sure to shop your closet before you purchase anything new.

Other Interesting Trends

Neons

Neon colors are back and bolder than ever. Be prepared for head to toe looks that are bright, festive and make you stand out in a crowd. This is one I will be showing you in a few weeks from my own closet. Neon isn’t something I would regularly reach for, but it is definitely fun to add into your clothing mix.

Drawstrings

Drawstring details are trending this year. Think utility meets jogger chic. I don’t think this is such a big deal, but I do have a few different things with drawstrings and just the other day found a pretty blush sweater while thrifting that has a drawstring in the bottom hem, which makes it more casual. As with many of the trends, sometimes a little is better than a lot. A drawstring here or there can add interest to an outfit, but overdone and you begin looking like a walking pile of spaghetti.

Large Bags

Who doesn’t love a fun tote bag? I enjoy carrying a large tote, particularly when I am going on vacation. That way, I can carry a book or notebook, in addition to the usual stuff. The only thing I don’t like about a large tote is, if you are like me, it will be crammed full of stuff and way too heavy to carry on a shopping trip. For that, I will stick to my smaller, cross body bags.

Chunky Chains and Colorful Jewelry

Thinking about getting rid of those bright colored bracelets and large link necklaces, well don’t. Bright colors and large, chunky chains are trendy for spring and summer. This is one, I think I can get behind, because I like all sorts of jewelry. I have a large link necklace that I haven’t worn much, so now I have an excuse. Hooray! Think twice before you get rid of things you think you’ll never wear again because they have gone out of style. Don’t worry, they’ll be back.

Chunky Soles and Loafers

I’m not sold on the chunky soles, but I actually like the light colored combat boots and the leopard print sandals above. They are cute and not over the top. Loafers are like polka dots: they’ll be around forever, even if they aren’t trending in any given season. I was surprised when I started rummaging through my closet for a pair of loafers, that I actually have a number of pairs in addition to my loafer heels.

There are numerous other trends I could talk about, but these were a few of the ones that I thought were fun. This year it seemed the trends were sort of all over the place. I usually google, Spring Trends and the year and get the main fashion names and their takes on the trends, such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Who What Wear and Marie Claire. It is always interesting to see what’s out there, but only use it as a guideline. The fashion gurus do not determine what is best for you, that is your job. If you don’t like chunky soled shoes, don’t wear them. If you are especially fond of stripes, but they are not currently trending, don’t get rid of them. Most patterns, with the exception of the very unusual ones, will come back around. Relax, and enjoy the trends just for the fun of it.

Which trend is your favorite? Which trend do you loathe?

I hope you enjoyed this post. If any of the items look interesting to you, just click on the picture and it will take you to the retailer website. These are affiliate links. Every time you click a link, I get a few cents. I value all of your support, but especially your comments. Thanks for all you do!

Have a great Tuesday!

Seeing Red - Actual Amy - Plaid Jacket

Today is the last post for the month of February and for my Seeing Red series. If you are new to the blog, I do a lot of series, as it gives me a theme around which to style my outfits, so seeing as February is Valentine’s month and Heart Disease awareness month, red was my color of choice.

Today’s focal piece is a recent purchase from Maurice’s clothing store. This plaid jacket with its sherpa collar called to me as soon as I saw it. “Amy! Hey, Amy! You know you want me. I would look amazing on you, and you would look amazing with me wrapped around you. I’d also keep you cozy, as well as ramp up your casual, biker-chic vibe.” I do believe the jacket was right. Take a look at today’s outfit and see if you agree?

There are so many things I love about this jacket. The color, the pattern and the sherpa along the collar, cuffs and zipper inside, are the main characteristics that drew me to it. The deciding factor was the price. Since it was a winter/seasonal item, the price was only $19.99. I was doing a return to Maurice’s so I considered it an exchange and got it. The other nice thing about this piece is the fit. I could actually wear a bulkier item underneath and still zip it up without looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Ha, ha. It was a cold dat when we took these pictures and I clearly felt warm with this jacket on.

I was obviously going for a very casual look, so I chose my thrifted, distressed, Vera Wang cropped jeans. I wear these a lot in the summer, but thought they would give a fun, edgy vibe to this look.

It also seemed appropriate to have a thrifted band sweatshirt. I like the Beatles, but I was more of an Alice Cooper and Aerosmith chick as I was growing up. My younger daughter and I went to a Cooper concert a few years ago and it was such a blast. I guess I should have gotten a tee shirt!

To go along with this tough girl vibe, I chose accessories that included metal and black. Please don’t judge me for adding flowers to my olive hobo bag. Ha ha. It may have been a wish for spring, my inner flower child feelings or the fact that I really just love flowers.

Finally, my Seven Dials combat boots finished the look. What do you think?

Why is this outfit actually me? I was the one that beat up boys when I was in elementary school. I was the one that chased after my brothers on their motorcycles on my bicycle. I was the one that swam in the creek behind our house. I’m the one who would really like to have a motorcycle of my own. I’m the one who would like to be a warrior princess, if I could. This outfit just seems to sum me up. I told you that jacket was speaking to me. Ha, ha.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Thank you for all of your support. I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

Seeing Red - Red with Leopard - Leopard Print Blazer

I have always loved the combination of leopard print with red and burgundy, so for this outfit, I chose a leopard print blazer to go with a pair of red trousers. If you think you just can’t wear red pants, never say never. It really isn’t so much about color, but about fit. As you saw in last Thursday’s post I wore a pair of bright red jeans and while the fit around my middle was a little tight, the fit through the hips and legs was perfect. Don’t say no to a bright color on your bottom, until you at least give it a try. Be bold! Be confident! Color is our friend.

I will be showing you a few rather funny pictures in a bit. The sun was bright, which I absolutely needed, but after so many days of gloomy gray my eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the brilliance. Even in this picture, my forehead is showing its wrinkles as I squint and my eyes all but disappear. Ha, ha.

These Worthington trousers are a bit too long and I probably should hem them up, but who has time to sew? Actually, the other day, I did get out my thread and needle to fix one of my hubby’s shirts. I have a few other things in the mending pile, so maybe I will add these to the list. Worthington is a brand I have bought numerous times over the years, either from JC Penney or thrift stores. They seem to be a great trouser for times when you need something other than jeans. For instance these make great office attire. They are stretchy, but never look wrinkled or faded. They are medium weight so are good for any season and they are easy to take care of. They also drape well. I have several pairs that I have styled on the blog before. You can see this red pair with a long button up tunic and a open weave light brown sweater.

This gold dot blouse seemed to be natural choice to keep this outfit looking classy. I decided to tuck it in, but you could also leave it out. These days to tuck or not to tuck isn’t even a question any more. It really is up to you and is acceptable either way. This is a brand called Monteau and I got it a few years ago at Macy’s on the clearance rack.

I got this leopard print, Libby Edelman blazer, at JC Penney on the clearance rack. You can see how I styled this before on the blog, here and here. It is more of an unstructured piece and the sleeves are a little bit wonky, almost like they are meant to be worn rolled up rather than down, but I make it work. Have you ever bought a piece like that, where it had some sort of weird hem or problem, yet you make it work because you love the piece? I figure, it is a good reminder of who we are in God’s eyes. We all are a little wonky and have our issues, but He loves us anyway.

Gold was my color of choice for the accessories including a clutch, bracelet and layered statement necklace.

For shoes I wore my thrifted Nurture brand mid calf boots. They have a lower heel and the pants would have draped better with a higher heel.

I promise you a few silly images, so here they are.

I think in the first picture my face is trying to adjust to the sun. The second picture I don’t know what to do with my feet and the third picture I look like I am sinking into the ground or am bent over because I hurt my back. Ha, ha. Anyway, I thought you might get a good laugh out of them.

This one is a little better. Ha, ha.

What did you think of this outfit? Would you wear red with leopard? What sorts of leopard pieces do you own? Leopard print is here to stay and I would have to say, so is the color red.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. Every click you click gives me a few pennies and I appreciate every one. While I don’t write my blog to make money, I do pay for my Squarespace account and of course have to shop every now and then. Ha, ha. Thank you for all of your support.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Seeing Red - Color Play - Patterned Scarf

Color inspiration can come from so many different places. In this monthly column, I am trying to force myself to look in different places for color. The typical places we look to are our clothes. For instance a pattern on a top or sweater, might be the basis for the rest of your clothing piece choices. Last month I chose a watercolor painting and table center piece as the inspiration for my outfit. I am hoping to inspire you to look in places you never thought of looking for color inspiration.

This month, I decided to inspire you with something probably every one of us has in our closets; a scarf. This particular scarf is full of color and not typically colors we would want to put together into an outfit, but why not? Think outside the box. Most of us use our scarves at accessories, without ever really letting them inspire our whole look. I decided to give it a try, so be sure to let me know what you think.

This scarf is perfect for this month’s Seeing Red theme. It is full of burgundy, red, shades of purple and a yellowy green. Using this as my spring board, I dove into my closet to see what I could find. This is what I came up with.

These bright red Faded Glory pants are a recent thrift find. I like ankle pants as the weather gets warmer and I thought this color would be fun for spring and summer. I used to never wear bright colored pants like this, but I have decided that life is too short to not wear the fun pants. I still reach for my simple blue denim jeans the most, but a bright color once in a while is a good way to stretch ourselves, whether it be on the bottom or the top.

My lavender colored button up shirt is a thrifted Merona piece. The longer yellow sweater was a clearance find at the end of last winter season from Forever 21. I don’t shop there too often, because most juniors sized clothing, does not fit me very well, but with the advent of bigger, roomier fashion, I can find things once in a while that don’t make me look like I’m trying to dress like I am still 21; 39 maybe, but not 21. Ha, ha. The sweater is soft and cozy, the perfect topper for these very chilly winter days.

I know the fashion industry and many bloggers are already talking about spring and the upcoming fashion trends. I understand the need for being ahead of the game and often at this time of year we are yearning for the change of seasons and the warmer days of spring. However, the reality is, it is still, very cold! This morning when I checked the temperature, it registered at 18, but the “feels like” temp was only 9. Um, I’m still going to wear my warm, cozy sweaters, thank you very much. To even think about baring my ankles or talking about shorts and less layers makes me feel cold.

I’ve had this red and gold charm necklace for a long time. It is the perfect piece to add a pop of red color against any top. I love pendant necklaces and I am fortunate enough to have a long enough torso to wear them. I especially like these charm type necklaces with all their different fun charms, beads and dangles.

You’ve seen this cranberry colored bag just recently on the blog (you can see that post here), and I realized it would be a great color match for the berry color in the scarf. This thrifted Libby Edelman bag was brought to my attention by my thrifting bestie back in Buffalo, NY one time when I was back visiting my mom. As much as my hubby prefers that I never bring a purse into the house again, once in a while a girl has to bring it home.

My olive SO ankle boots are making another appearance. These ankle boots are the most comfortable, versatile pieces and are the one purchase I would strongly recommend. It doesn’t have to be the SO brand, but I have found Kohl’s carries SO and Sonoma boots and I have really liked both. They are comfortable, fairly durable and have a great price point, especially if you can get them on sale or on clearance. I’m including shopping links at the bottom of the post, so be sure to check those out. Now is a great time to get boots for next season as many of them are on clearance. The great thing about ankle boots is you can wear them well into the spring with cropped pants, rolled pant hems and even skirts.

Do you have a scarf in your closet that you would love to build an outfit around? Give it a try. It is always fun to challenge your fashion brain to think beyond your norm. Many people might say they don’t want to change the way they do things, but there is something fun and satisfying about doing things differently and having it turn out well. Give it a try and let me know how you did.

For some beautiful scarves check out Nora Minassian at The Jacket Society. She has some beautiful printed pieces like this blue and white multi, ivory, pink and orange, tan and orange, multi-leaf print, and many others. Nora’s scarves are large and can be used as a shawl too, which would also be perfect for an outfit like this.

I love to hear your thoughts and I really wish there was a way to get more people to interact on the blog. The reason I say this, is not just for my benefit, but you all can be an encouragement to each other. After all, isn’t that what this is all about? For those of you who do comment, thanks again. For those who don’t, I would never want you to feel pressured. I know life is crazy busy. I often delete posts from other bloggers, because I just don’t have the time to comment, but I always feel good if I do. I feel like I am reaching out and encouraging a friend I’ve never met.

Thanks again for all your support.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

The shopping links included are affiliate links. I get a few cents if you click on a link and a little bit more if you purchase something through one of my links. I appreciate every click.

Have a great weekend and I hope the sun is shining where you are.

Seeing Red - Red with Tan - Velvet Jacket

(For those of you who entered the Bloggiversary Givaway, be sure to read to the bottom to see who won.)

As I was preparing for this series, I knew there were certain pieces I wanted to feature. Today’s red velvet jacket is one of those. This thrifted Briggs NY blazer is such a fun and unique piece. I originally got it as a holiday blazer when I was doing my 20 Days of Christmas series back in 2018. You can see the post featuring that Christmas outfit here. I wanted to be able to style this jacket in another way and what better than to wear it for the month of February. Whether you celebrate Valentines Day or are wearing red for Heart Disease awareness month, a red jacket, or blazer is a great way to do it.

Let me share a style secret with you. I typically don’t button or zip my sweaters or blazers. If I am using a piece as outerwear, then I do want to be able to zip or button it. More often though, I add a jacket or sweater as a layering piece for warmth, but leave it open, so the under layer, whether it be a graphic tee, button up or a textured sweater like the one in this outfit, can be seen. That also allows any necklaces or scarves to be an added focal point in the outfit. This blazer is too tight, but it fits well through the shoulders and back so I bought it, knowing this is exactly how I would wear it. The fashion gurus might say I am committing a crime worthy of jail, but I don’t care. After all, part of the reason many of us blog about fashion is to remind people to wear what makes you feel good and is completely you.

Just like the red and black of last week’s post, red and tan also make a wonderful statement. My tan Sonoma sweater is older than the hills. I don’t wear it too often, but it goes with so many things and was the perfect topper for this recently thrifted Worthington skirt. I like that the sweater is an open weave, so I can layer any cardi under it and you’ll be able to see the color. For this outfit I just did white, but it would have worked well with black or red too.

I fell in love with this skirt when I saw it. I have way too many skirts and don’t wear them very often at all, but I like having them, if just for the sake of showing you outfits on the blog. Plus, I like to have choices. My problem is, I have too many choices. Ha, ha. Anyway, the skirt is easy on and easy off with an elastic waist. It is a medium weight swingy knit. I wasn’t sure about the pattern at first, and even when I put it on and looked in the mirror I wasn’t sure if it would make me look too wide on the bottom, but I think the diagonal pattern works well for both narrow and fat bottomed girls. ( Do you hear Freddy Mercury singing, “Fat bottomed girls make the rockin’ world go round”?)

I found this fun necklace on clearance at Meijer. The pretty leaf is what sold me.

I also chose my bracelet with the gray stone and my silver clutch.

The same suede Aerosoles that I wore in last week’s post are making another appearance. I opted for the black hose for two reasons. With the black shoes, they make my legs look longer and thinner. In addition, the fact that it is still winter and they were a heavier weight seemed like a good choice.

What do you think of this outfit? Do wear printed skirts or do you choose to wear only solids on your bottom half? Do you like your sweaters and jackets to be worn closed or open? I’d love to hear your thoughts

For those of you who entered my Bloggiversary giveaway, thank you so much for participating. I didn’t get nearly the response I did last year, so I’m not sure if people are just too busy, or if a Target gift card isn’t that big of a draw. Ha, ha. Anyway, for those who took the time and my one new person who subscribed, thank you, thank you, thank you. You all are truly the reason I keep doing this. I also want to say thanks for your kind remarks. You all made my day and my week.

The winner of the $30 Target gift card is Karen Anderson. Congratulations, Karen!

Thanks again, everyone who supports the blog. Have a great Tuesday.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’m including a few shopping links for red blazers and jackets, just in case you find your closet lacking. Have fun shopping. These are affiliate links, all opinions are my own.

Seeing Red - Outfit Inspiration - 4 Year Bloggiversary Giveaway

Happy Bloggiversary to me! This month makes four years that I have been writing about faith and fashion. Though my consistency hasn’t been perfect, I have tried to show you a variety of outfits that are meant to be inspirational. From the start my blog was meant to be encouraging. I desire to lift up the average woman, the ones who don’t always get the recognition, the ones who don’t always have a close friend to ask, “Does this make me look fat?” Ha, ha. I never was the popular one at school. I never got involved in student activities, other than a poetry club. I was shy and I didn’t fit the popularity norm.

The force that drove me to start a blog, was the desire to write. It really doesn’t matter what I write, but just the process of typing out words and expressing ideas through letters and sentences gives me a thrill. However, I knew as I was living life as a wife, mother and believer, I often felt alone. Even though we were involved in a good church, I still never felt like I quite fit in. Those are the women I am writing to and for.

I wanted women to know they were accepted. I wanted them to feel they could go into their closets and put together an outfit because I had shared something on the blog that inspired them. I wanted them to be able to read a faith post and feel that they had finally met someone who got it and who could encourage them to walk the walk. I hope I am succeeding.

Today, in addition to an outfit, you get a give away. Once again, I am offering a $30 Target gift card. The rules for entering the giveaway are at the end of the post. In order to be entered into the giveaway you need to be a subscriber and comment on this blog post. If you want an extra entry you can comment on the Facebook post of this blog post. I’ll announce the winner next Tuesday.

Today’s outfit was inspired by another ad that I received in the mail, this time from Christopher and Banks. The outfit featured a burgundy, plaid button up shirt, styled with some distressed jeans and a floral scarf. This is my take on the outfit.

My plaid shirt is Old Navy brand. I usually don’t shop at Old Navy, but a few years ago at Christmas I ordered some gifts online and got this shirt for myself. I love the color.

My jeans are a recent thrift find. I only have a few distressed items in my coset, but I wanted to add a few more. They are fun to wear for a trendy, casual look. This pair is Lane Bryant brand and have a slight boot cut.

The original model cinched in her waist with a simple belt, so I did the same with this thin, black patent leather one.

In the original ad, the model also featured a darker floral print scarf. I didn’t have anything that color, so I decided to go with the light, white floral print. I thought it went well with the shirt because of the white stripes.

I’ve read that large tote bags are back this spring, so I chose this thrifted Style & Co. bag. You can also see my fun bracelet.

My burgundy Spirit brand ankle boots went perfectly with the outfit. I know my shoes don’t have to match my shirt, but once in a while, I just love that they do.

Before we ran out the door to take these photos I threw on this double breasted wool blazer, just to keep me cozy, while we walked a little ways to where we were going to take the shots. It’s a an older thrifted piece, that I don’t wear a lot, but I like to keep it around, because it looks classy and I love how it looks with these distressed jeans.

Be sure to enter the giveaway to win a $30 Target gift card.

A special thank you to everyone who follows along and subscribes to my blog. I appreciate all of your support, comments, suggestions and prayers. You are what keeps this blog going.

Have a wonderful day and a great weekend.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Seeing Red - Red with Black - Taking Care of Our Hearts

We don’t often think of pairing red and black for Valentine’s Day. More often we style red with white or some version of red and pink. There are also many of us who don’t even visit the red or pink idea for Valentine’s because we either don’t celebrate that special day, we don’t like traditional holiday color schemes in our outfits or maybe are more into blues and greens than reds and pinks.

For these February posts, I’ve chosen to focus on red or darker versions of red like burgundy. I also wanted to make each of these outfits, not be so much about Valentine’s Day, although you could use them for a Valentine’s or Galentine’s outing, but more about the color red.

February is Heart Disease awareness month, and the color red certainly represents the age old idea of what a Valentine’s heart looks like, but it also represents that most important muscle in our bodies. This major fireball, which is about the size of your fist, works hard, pumping blood to keep us alive. Try to envision the heart as the UPS hub, where everything comes to and goes out that our bodies need to survive. Heart disease, like cancer, drug addictions and infectious diseases can be life threatening. It can manifest itself with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hardening of the arteries and many other complications. Take a look at some of these statistics that I got off the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) website:

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.1
One person dies every 37 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.1
About 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.2,3
Heart disease costs the United States about $219 billion each year from 2014 to 2015.3 This includes the cost of health care services, medicines, and lost productivity due to death.”

— Centers for Disease Control Website

As you look at the pictures of this outfit I put together, I’m sure you can think of at least one person you know that has been affected by heart disease. This past fall at the college my husband teaches at, a 24 year old student died from a massive heart attack. It was a tragedy.

The Heart Association, formed in 1924, is the major force behind raising awareness about heart disease in the United States. Their website has a bucket load of information. You can see some interesting historical facts on their history page here. I am not getting paid to mention this, but merely want to raise awareness of a disease that affects so many people. You would think in our world where we have so much awareness about health, good eating, exercise and so on, that heart disease would be a thing of the past, but it’s not. We all struggle to make good choices and taking care of our hearts should be no exception.

I have not touched my camera for months, but this is what you get when schedules for taking pictures don’t coincide. Ha, ha. I just did not want to stand outside and try to get my settings figured out, so I tried to stand by the windows to get enough natural light. The skies were gray, as usual, thus the shadows on my face. Oh well, I tired and the pictures are good enough that you get the idea.

For this outfit I wanted to showcase this cute black Croft and Barrow tunic that I found a few weeks ago thrifting. It is probably meant to be more of a summer piece, and when I saw it, I thought it would look cute with cropped jeans and a tee or tank top in the warmer weather, but I also thought it would be the perfect topper for a winter look, thus this red and black combo.

My red cropped pants, I have styled on the blog before. You can see them with a black kimono and with a navy blazer. I found these a while ago at Meijer on the clearance rack and they are a brand called Stitch Star.

The lace 3/4 sleeve, Lauren Conrad top was a thrift find. Typically I would wear a cami underneath, but because I knew the black tunic was going over the top, I didn’t bother. The idea was to create a monochrome layer underneath and even though the pants and top are not the exact same shade of red, it works fine because they are not right next to each other.

To keep the look fairly stream lined I chose my thrifted black and gray houndstooth, Thirty One purse and my Aerosole black suede heels.

The jewelry I am wearing I bought for my oldest daughter’s wedding, so I am often looking for other reasons to wear the necklace and bracelet. I thought this was the perfect finishing touch. You can also see the fun metal rings on the tunic.

Would you wear red and black? What sort of occasion would you wear it for? I could see wearing this outfit for a date night with my hubs where we go somewhere more fancy than Five Guys. Ha, ha.

Do you take care of your heart? I need too. My cholesterol is borderline high, so I have started eating oatmeal more. Exercise is very important, especially cardiovascular. I try to walk a few days a week, but I know I need to be more purposeful in that area as well. I want to do better and my heart needs me to. I hope you all are taking care of your hearts. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to give the gift of health to our hearts.

Have a great Tuesday!

I’ve included a few shopping links for black tunics. These would be great to pair with red pants, pencil skirts or shorts. They could go with all sorts of colors. Feel free to peruse at your leisure. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Seeing Red - Thrifted Thursday - Burgundy Skirt

Today’s column is the first of a new one I am going to feature the first Thursday of the Month. Since I am such an avid thrifter and because I see so many other thrifters featuring their treasures on a regular basis, I thought it would be fun to come up with an outfit once a month that is entirely thrifted. I thought this outfit fit into my February theme of Seeing Red because it features my burgundy faux leather skirt.

This skirt is Worthington brand. I have styled this on the blog before. You can see it styled with a velvet floral top here; a burgundy lace top here; a floral top here; and a gray sweater tunic here. This just goes to show, a faux leather skirt is a versatile option for your wardrobe. It works great as a work wear piece or dressed up for a classy night out.

I love this cognac yellow, cowl neck sweater. It is Charlotte Russe brand. Since it is a wider, more relaxed fit, I decided to do the front tuck. I have seen numerous vloggers, (video bloggers) who use this method to create a waist line on an outfit, with a more bulky or voluminous piece. Since I added a jacket over the top, leaving the back untucked was no big deal, as you can see below.

This olive green jacket could be a shirt dress, a very short one. Ha, ha. However, my days of mini skirts are long gone, so I am using it like a light weight jacket. This is Fashion Bug brand. With its large square pockets, metals snaps and casing belt, it definitely falls into the utility jacket category.

I kept my accessories simple. The fun brass and bead flower pendant I found thrifting a few years ago. The cognac, leather, Fossil cross body bag is perfect for carrying the essentials when shopping. I could have went with some cognac colored ankle boots, but opted for the black ANA loafer heels instead. I thought it made the outfit look a little more professional and office ready. My dark colored hose are the only thing not thrifted in my outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like this combination of colors? I really liked the way the yellow, burgundy and olive compliment each other.

If you don’t go thrifting, I would strongly recommend you give it a try. It is a great way to help our environment, other people and our own pocket books.

I’ve included a few modestly priced shopping links, if you are more of an online shopper. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Seeing Red - Layering Light - Monochrome Pink Outfit

Seeing as it is the beginning of February, I thought it would be fun to make this whole month revolve around the color red, or some derivative thereof in keeping with a Valentines theme. Today’s outfit is the last in my Layering Light series, but I felt it fit into this month’s theme, because pink is just a lighter shade of red. I remember in grade school, learning how to make pink by mixing red paint with white paint. Even though this outfit is mainly pink, just think of it as a shade a red with white mixed in.

I got these dark pink Sonoma corduroy jeans at Kohl’s this past fall. They are soft and stretchy, and the narrow wale corduroy is extra warm in the chilly winter weather.

This light pink moto jacket is a clearance buy from Christopher and Banks. Can you have too many moto jackets? Of course not! Ha, ha.

This light pink Gap turtleneck was a thrift find. I like that it is lighter weight, because that makes it easy to layer under other pieces. The ribbed neck is also soft and comfortable, with no itchiness or irritation. Different fabrics affect my skin in different ways. I cannot wear wool and usually try to stay away from fabrics that are stiff and scratchy.

You can also see in the above picture, I added a pink scarf which subtly ties in to the darker color of the pants. The coppery metallic ring necklace and the thrifted copper bag were a way to add a touch of earthy color to the outfit.

These SO block heeled blush boots were the perfect choice to finish off the outfit.

This outfit would be a great date night look to wear with your significant other for Valentine’s Day. My husband is not a huge fan of pink, so I might wear this out with friends and choose something else for the romantic holiday.

Would you wear all pink? Do you own a pair of corduroy’s? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

This month I will be having another give away since this is my bloggiversary month, so keep a look out for that.

Actual Amy - Waterfall Cardigan Outfit

I decided to go back to a column once a month on outfits that better represent how I really dress. I think it is important for fashion bloggers to show you things about fashion and beauty that are trending and help women feel more confident and beautiful. I also think there is a lot of false information going around out there. Take for example the idea of ageism and body acceptance. I really believe that even though these things are being addressed, in the fashion realm, there is still a huge gap between what is shown and what is reality. I do think it has been bloggers that have made strides in closing that gap, but I know I still struggle with showing you things that are interesting and helpful and showing you the real me. Thus this monthly column. I was doing a similar column previously and called it Ordinary Amy, but I thought that might not be the best title, so now you get Actual Amy! Ha, ha.

This thrifted Pink Rose brand, waterfall cardigan is one of my favorites. I am not a huge fan of the waterfall or cascading cardigans, unless they are made from a lighter weight knit. I have tried heavier versions and I always feel that they add to much bulk right where I do not need extra bulk; around the thighs and middle. The lighter weight knit and the more open weave seem to do better for me. I also love the rusty color of this one.

I found this rust and navy long sleeve tee at Maurice’s on sale. It’s made of a soft, stretchy fabric and will be a great piece to wear by itself, when the weather warms up a little. The brand is 24/7.

You can also see my pendant necklace. The thing I like about this large, donut style bead is the variety of colors in it. I wear it a lot with blue and navy, but it also looks great with this rust color.

Kohl’s now carries the brand Nine West and this bag was on clearance. I do not have a round bag, so when I saw this brand, at a great price and with a snakeskin print I knew I had to order it. I’m sure it will not be a regular in my rotation, because the shape and size are not large enough for all I carry in a bag, but it will be great for special occasions. I’m thinking this will look great with yellow, brown, blush or navy.

My jeans are Apt. 9 skinny ankle jeans. These work great with my Sonoma faux suede boots. Because they are shorter than other pairs of my skinny jeans, I wear a pair of heavy boot socks which come up about mid calf, and tuck the pants into them. It keeps the jeans from riding up when I sit down.

This an outfit formula that works for me. Pick a great sweater, a top, a pair of jeans, boots and a bag and voila you are ready for a day out with friends shopping and hanging out.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like waterfall cardigans? If not, what sorts of sweaters do you reach for in your wardrobe?

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which means when you click on a link, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for all your support. I know not everyone has time to read blog posts or time to make comments, but I appreciate when you do. Have a great weekend and I’ll see you next week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Layering Light - Lifting our Winter Blues with Color

This is the second installment in my Layering Light series. This is not about layering light weight layers, but about layering up with light colors; colors that will help lift your mood in the deep, dark, doldrums of winter. Last week I showed you an outfit with light wash jeans, light neutral layers and a scarf that brought a bright pop of sunshine yellow. This week I reached for a floral dress and a light colored jacket to lighten up the blue mood.

Even though this floral dress might be considered more of a winter floral due to the dark back ground, it still has an uplifting feel, making me think of summer time when the roses are in full bloom. You can see how I styled this Wilde brand bell sleeve top with fishnet stockings and combat boots here.

Versatility in a clothing piece is a prerequisite for purchasing it in my opinion. I have a ton of clothes, but only a certain percent of them get worn repeatedly. Even if it is only to show you on a blog post, you can see the value of a piece in how often and how uniquely it can be styled. Truth be told, I have not yet worn this dress for an actual real day of wear, but seeing it here, I am thinking ahead to summer and wearing it with rolled up jeans and either oxfords or tennies for a fun warm weather look.

I opted for my skinny olive cargo pants, since it is cold and I don’t have any good sweater weight tights right now. Leggings would work as well, but these Gloria Vanderbilt pants are a good medium weight and have lots of stretch for maximum comfort.

My tweed moto jacket is from H&M clearance last season. It hasn’t gotten a ton of wear, but I really love how it looks with this dress. You can also see how I styled this pieces in my Pantone series from Fall 2018.

There are several things that drew me to this piece. The first was the color. I have numerous moto jackets, but until recently I only had darker colors. With this creamy color, I have different options for putting together an outfit like this. In addition to the color, I was draw to the tweedy texture and the frayed hems on the bottom and sleeves.

For my jewelry I chose two simple rose gold pieces. The bracelet was a gift from The Happiness Boutique and I featured them on this post here.

This cream colored bag was another thrift find as were the shearling knee high boots. The bag is Stone Mountain brand. The boots are Unisa brand. DSW and other retailers carry this brand. I love the details on these boots. The three inch wedge heel is a bit of a challenge to walk in for me, but these would be great “sitting” boots, because they look so good. Ha, ha.

I was being photo bombed by my cute grand puppies, so of course I had to include a few of those pics.

They didn’t like that they had to stay in the fence at my daughter’s house, but Titan, the white Pity mix, would have disappeared in a grand squirrel chase adventure if he was let out. Beatrice, brown Mastiff mix probably would have stayed by us, but would have barked at every car that went by.

What do you think of this outfit? What pieces do you have in your closet that will lighten up your dreary winter days? What’s keeping you from getting them out and putting together something new and different that you had never thought to put together?

I’m including a few shopping links. While the pieces I am wearing are thrifted and from clearance racks, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t similar pieces out there. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Photo bombers: White Pity mix - Titan Oliver Trumbull, Brown Mastiff mix - Beatrice Potter Trumbull, Follow their adventures on Instagram - sitstaybea

Color Play - Inspiration from Art

One of my monthly columns is going to be this one called Color Play. You know how much I love color and enjoy finding different combinations that are new and unique. Color is all around us in nature, in our homes and in many places we don’t really think about. For this month’s outfit, I was inspired by a painting and table arrangement in my daughter’s house.

This is a watercolor painting by my son-in-law’s grandfather, John Trumbull (not to be confused with the American Revolutionary painter by the same name). While he is not famous, he has done some teaching and won a few awards and ribbons for his work. I was gifted one of this paintings last year for Christmas and just love it.

The table arrangement was put together by my daughter and I really like how the painting and arrangement compliment each other. This is when I was inspired to come up with an outfit using a similar arrangement of colors. This is what I did.

I just obtained this plaid ANA jacket from the JC Penney clearance rack. It was still a little more than I wanted to pay, but I had a coupon. I almost put it back, but I just have this thing for plaid. I kept looking at it thinking, I love it. I can come up with fun blog outfits with it and I’ll actually wear it. It came home with me and I don’t regret it. I could also justify the purchase because I was using birthday money to buy it. Ha, ha.

The piece is not lined, but has deep, welt pockets a notched lapel and button front. The color is a very light bluish gray and it made me think of the two tall, slender vases in the picture.

The two under layers consisted of a thrifted Chaps, floral button up, and a thrifted Sonoma, v-neck sweater. I felt the green sweater went with the lighter greens in the painting and the floral top picks up the sublte purples. I get into these moods when I am thrifting where I buy similar type items, usually patterns. For a while it was gingham, then it was stripes, now it is florals and plaid. That is part of the reason I have so many clothes. It’s that time of year where I will need to do some thinning out of my wardrobe.

My light colored Croft and Barrow jeans are also thrifted. I was looking for something in a lighter color that wasn’t white and these seemed to fit the bill.

Accessories included a simply handmade bead necklace, purple bangle bracelets. and a Nicole tote bag. I love the purply gray color of this purse. The gold accents make it look high class.

Since we are still in the cold weather season I decided to include my Sonoma shearling ankle boots. These are warm, comfy and stylish for this chilly time of year.

What do you think of this color combination? Do you like to wear plaid? What’s your favorite pattern to wear? Leave me some love in the comments. It always gives me a boost to hear from you.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents if you click on a link. I get a little more if you purchase something through my website. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Layering Light - Lifting Our Winter Blues with Color

If you have been following my blog for a while you know I have talked about Seasonal Affective Disorder before. I don’t mean to belabor a point, but I think it is good to be aware of particular issues, especially those affecting our mental health. I had a terrible day a few days ago. I felt completely flat when I got out of bed and I just couldn’t seem to get myself out of the funk. I felt depressed, crabby and completely anti-social. I started to wonder what in the world was wrong with me. A day prior, I was feeling pretty good. I was working on my writing, and I was getting a few things accomplished with my days since I becoming unemployed. I was actually enjoying the fact that, at least for a time, I didn’t have to answer to someone else. I was thrilled to be able to be creative and also be a housewife without the stress of being an employee.

As the morning wore on, I looked outside and realized what was wrong. Winters in my midwestern area are not pretty. We don’t have vast amounts of fluffy snow, blanketing the roof tops and trees. The world is not a winter wonderland, but rather a dsytopian array of browns and grays. The sky hangs lower and lower, it seems, and that steel colored ceiling weighs on me just like fathoms of water weigh on a wreck at the bottom of the ocean. And that, was exactly how I felt. I was a wreck, laying fathoms below where the sun ever shone, cold, alone and decaying.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of seasonal depression and is often accompanied by anxiety and social awkwardness. It has also been noted that sufferers have food cravings for foods high in carbohydrates and for me that includes chips and sweets, although bread is on the list too. Ha, ha. In the last two weeks I have craved chocolate cake. Maybe it had something to do with my birthday passing by, because when I was growing up, my mom always made me a chocolate cake for my special day.

There are things people can do who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. My own choice would be to move somewhere that the sun shines at least 200 days a year. Toledo only averages 180. Believe me 20 days would help. However, since resources aren’t available to move some place sunny there are relatively inexpensive lights that will help, like this one. Exercise is very helpful, even if it is just a walk out in the dismal gloom. I also give myself grace. I have had chocolate cake. Another thing that helps me is choosing to wear bright or light colors.

Obviously, what really makes this outfit pop is the bright, sunny yellow pashmina scarf. When I started putting the outfit together I had the light wash Apt. 9 ankle pants and the St. John’s Bay v-neck sweater picked out. I had a different jacket picked out, but then thought I wanted something with a color in it that I could accessorize with that would brighten up the whole look. This thrifted Marshall Fields tweed jacket has little flecks of yellow and rust in it.

The gray, Impo, wedge heeled ankle boots pulls out the dark threads of the jacket and the thrifted brown and copper bag works well with the rusty browns.

I really like the way this outfit turned out, and the way my daughter framed me against the neutral colored siding on the house. It just works so well and really shows off the idea of how texture can make a big difference, not only in our outfits, but in the world around us.

Do you struggle with the winter blues? Do you like to wear bright or light colors to help boost your mood when you are feeling down? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look at. I’ve tried to pick out items that are light and bright. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - Monochrome Look with a Kimono

As I have mentioned on other occasions, the inspiration for my fashion posts, comes from all different areas. A lot of times it comes from a picture in a magazine, or an add I get in the mail. I have a notebook where I keep the pages from these magazines and catalogues, of outfits I’d like to try to mimic. Today’s outfit was inspired by a JC Penney add from last fall.

In the add, the model featured a rust colored tee, rust colored corduroys and a kimono with a beautiful fall pattern full of those colors like rust, teal and burgundy. I have numerous kimonos, which I am always lamenting I don’t wear enough for how pretty they are. Kimonos, ruanas, ponchos or capes can all be such beautiful statement pieces, so why not make that statement piece the focal point of the outfit.

Since we are well into winter, I decided to use a more wintery colored kimono. This is truly a great piece for all year round, but since I decided to make the monochrome part of the outfit black, it seemed perfect to top the dark under layers with a piece full of bright tropical pink. This kimono was thrifted and is Massini brand. Before I had any kimonos, I never really saw what the draw was, but now I am sold. This beauty was one of the first ones I bought.

I know my black pieces do not match exactly and while that would drive some people nutty, I figure the kimono is getting the main attention in this outfit, so it didn’t matter as much. The thrifted black skinny jeans are Mossimo brand and the back cable knit turtleneck sweater was from Kohl’s a number of years ago and is Croft and Barrow brand.

My black, slouch, Massini, boots are also a Kohl’s purchase, but a clearance find. I had been looking for a pair of these soft, faux suede boots to wear with skirts and dresses. I have a wider calf, so quite often I cannot get these softer types of pieces. They are usually made thinner to stay up, otherwise we’d have panty hose ankles like our grandmas use to have, but with our boots.

With my recent walking activity while employed seasonally by Kohl’s my legs got much more tone and I lost a few pounds. Now I can wear these boots over skinny jeans, as long as the material isn’t too bulky.

I styled these same boots and the black turtleneck in my 20 Days of Christmas series back in 2018. You can see how I used those two pieces with a slip dress here.

For my accessories I went with silver, black and gold. These days there is no worry over mixing our metals. I enjoy pendant necklaces and reach for these longer pieces more often than my short ones. This one has a number of charms dangling from the end of the chain.

You can also see the layers of bracelets I threw on my arm. Most of these are cheap stretchy beaded types, but I don’t think we have to pay tons of money to have interesting and unique pieces in our jewelry boxes.

This bag was another thrift store find. It is Libby Edelman brand and is genuine leather. The leather is soft and supple and I love the wide guitar like strap and the riveting. My hubby thinks i have two many purses, which is true, but how can you pass up a winner like this one? I also love the bright reddish pink color.

What do you think of this outfit formula? What inspires the outfits you wear? Inspiration can come from all sorts of places, including bloggers you follow, other people’s Pinterest pages and like I found, even pictures in an add or catalog. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I appreciate each one of you.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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

Pantone Color of the Year - Classic Blue

Since I do the Pantone Color Series twice a year, it seemed to make sense that I introduce the Color of the Year. For the year 2020, blue is the chosen color. Classic Blue, as it is called is a medium, dusky blue reminiscent of the the evening sky. Pantone describes it this way:

“An expansive presence, Classic Blue is evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky opening a world of possibilities.”

— Pantone Website

This is the sort of blue that would look good head to toe, or as in my outfit, be the perfect pop of color against other backdrops. I think this blue will look good on almost anyone and is a color that can be worn all year round.

The wind was doing some crazy things to my hair, so my daughter was doing her best to capture good shots regardless. A number of the pieces in this outfit were given to me for Christmas.

The gray and blue plaid skirt is older and Croft and Barrow brand. There was a time when skirts like these were very trendy. I’ve had my share and have worn them often to church in the winter time. While they may not be the most coveted skirt, these tea length pieces are perfect to wear with boots. I chose to wear my Seven Dials combat boots. I wanted to keep the look a bit more edgy and modern.

This fuzzy faux fur bomber jacket was a Christmas gift from my hubby. It is so soft and I had been coveting all the ones I saw at Kohl’s when I was working. This one he found at Walmart and is No Boundaries brand. Walmart has definitely upped their fashion game.

The gray pullover sweater I have on under the jacket is a brand called Ellen Tracy and was thrifted. A number of retailers carry the Ellen Tracy brand, including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Belk, and others. For this look, I tucked the whole sweater into the skirt. The skirt has a finished waist line, as opposed to elastic. I think a finished waist is just a little more classy than elastic.

The scarf, necklace and bracelet were all Christmas gifts from my husband and oldest daughter, who went shopping together. She was the one to do the research on the Pantone color of the Year. Indeed, blue was the theme, but what a pretty blue it is.

This bag was a thrift find. I often find purses when I thrift shop. They are so much cheaper than their full price counterparts at various retailers and I don’t even by the big name brands. I just don’t like spending a lot of money on clothing or accessories. I also like variety. Sure, I could buy one bag for $500 or I could get a whole year’s worth of thrifting for that much.

What do you think of Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year? Do you like this blue? Why or why not? Do you have a plaid skirt in your closet like this one? If you do, how do you style it? Be sure to leave me some love in the comments.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links, which means if you click on a link I get a few cents. If you purchase something through a link a get a few cents more. I appreciate every penny!

Have a great day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

A Look Back at 2019 - My Favorite Outfits

As we begin another year, I like to look back and see what I have accomplished over the past year. More often than not, it turns out that I didn’t accomplish anything new or life changing, but I did survive all that life threw our way. I wish I could say, I lost the weight I wanted to lose, or cleaned out that bedroom that needed to be freed of clutter, but in fact, what happened was, I gained a few extra pounds and the room got even more cluttered. Real life!

My husband always says, he won’t make any New Year’s resolutions because then he won’t feel disappointed when he doesn’t stick to them. I guess I can see the security in that mentality, but some of us want to have a goal to shoot for, even if we don’t attain it. I like having a second chance, or a third or fourth. There is something encouraging in the idea that I can start over, reboot and try again. I’ll save those thoughts for another post, but today, I want to take a look back at 2019, showing you my favorite outfits and explaining why. If you want to see the original post, just click on the link.

January

Spring Trend - Head to Toe Neutral

Why I like it: When we are in the midst of the mid-west winter, we are also in the throes of darkness and gloom. For this Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferer that means fatigue, lack of motivation, brain fog, major carb cravings and just a general feeling of anxiety and discouragement. I have found that choosing bright or light colors to wear, gives me a tiny little boost in the middle of the sadness. This creamy neutral outfit is a perfect color to lighten things up. I also love the textural elements in the vest, ribbed knit sweater and patchwork tote bag. In addition I like the way my accessories pop against the neutral back drop.

February

Spring Trend - Scarf Prints

Why I like it: What is not to like about an outfit that is crisp, structured and perfect for a date night or a day at work. I love the mix of prints. The polka dot blazer and the colorful scarf print top are the perfect compliments to each other. Add a bright white pair of trouser/jeans and you have a winning combination. The blue bag and classic patent leather block heels help as well.

March

Print Mixing Mash Up - Printed Skirt - Outfit 2

I loved the way these pieces came together for this print mixing post. All of these pieces were in my closet, which goes to show you don’t have to spend lots of money to have a fun, stylish wardrobe, as well as be a print mixing queen.

April

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 - Turmeric and Sweet Lilac

The thing I like about this outfit is how it made me think outside my norm. I would not normally think of pairing this bright orange with this more pastel pinky purple. Those colors always make me think of Easter eggs. Ha, ha. But of course, some of our fashion norms or rules or even preferences are meant to be broken, or at least experimented with. I think adding the dark navy vest and shoes kept the outfit from being to little girlish.

May

Pantone Spring/Summer - 2019 - Toffee and Mango Mojito

Why do I like this outfit? Leopard print skirt, check! Bright colored tee, check! Creamy denim jacket, check! Fun basket bag, check! It is casual and fun. You could change it up by wearing a black tee or a black jacket. You could wear tennis shoes or heels instead of loafers. Each little change you make, can change the whole persona of the outfit, yet you still keep the classic leopard print skirt.

June

When Summer Doesn’t Feel Like Summer

Photo credit Amy Christensen

While this outfit picture was taken in June, the weather wasn’t begin very cooperative. It was cool, thus the layers. I really liked this look. The bell sleeve floral top, the crocheted ruana and the light wash denim gave the look a boho feel. Adding the fringe bag and cognac suede booties nailed it. This is definitely an outfit I am comfortable in.

July

Denim Daze 2.0 - Ruffled Chambray Top - Dressy

When I found this skirt at Christopher and Banks, I had to have it. I was in the midst of watching Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, and absolutely loved the 20’s vibe and costumes in the show. This skirt made me think of those 20’s styles and I thought it would be a great summer piece. It was perfect for this 4th of July themed outfit.

August

Wearing White - White Sleeveless Sweater

I love this combination. Seeing as this was an outfit for transitioning into fall, I thought it worked very well. The white sleeveless sweater is a perfect topper for the swingy a-line printed skirt, but I really like the way the sweater gives the outfit that fall vibe. The colors go well together, even though the skirt and top didn’t contain any colors remotely similar to the sweater.

September

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Creme de Peche and Rocky Road

Even though these colors did not exactly match the Pantone colors, I really liked this outfit. The rusty color of the pants and boots were right in tune with fall color trends and the addition of the light peach eyelet top and gray jacket with ruffles gave the outfit a flirty, feminine feel. The leopard print bag and necklace with fall colored beads were lovely compliments.

October

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2019 - Cranberry and Chicory Coffee

This is a great work wear look, or even a date night combo. I think the outfit elongates my whole body making me look slim and trim. The dark brown trousers and dark brown boots create a long line for my lower half. The dark color is also trimming. In addition to that, I like the longer open front cardi. It is a lighter weight, which doesn’t add bulk. The snakeskin bag, leopard print pendant necklace and the floral lace on the cami added just enough printed interest to keep the outfit from getting boring.

November

Outfit Inspiration - It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

I just really like everything about this picture. It really says, “Christmas time is here.” I wanted my outfit to be Christmasy, but not over the top. The creamy thrifted “Joy” sweater is one of my favorites. I also love the pairing of the rusty yellow cognac color with bright red. The finishing touch was the Christmas scarf in my hair. It really gave the look a retro feel.

December

Outfit Inspiration - It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This is just such a me outfit. I love plaid. I love shearling and I really like how the gray looked with all of it. Turning up the cuffs on the jeans and wearing the tan, shearling lined boots gave the outfit a fun casual flair, while the snowflake tee and Believe pin kept the outfit on the Christmas theme. I’m going to have to wear this plaid blazer a few more times this winter, just for fun!

So there you have it, my favorite outfits from 2019. If you want to read the original posts, just click on the titles of each and it will take you there. Did you have a favorite outfit from my blog, this past year? If you did, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I hope to have a new series up and running by next week, on layering light for these drab, gloomy days of winter. In addition to that, I am going to revamp my weekly columns, so every Thursday will be a specific area of fashion that I am wanting to post about. I hope you will join me for what’s ahead.

Have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull, unless specified under the picture.

Outfit Inspiration - Feliz Navidad

This final installment in my Christmas outfit series was supposed to end on Christmas day and what better song to end it with, than Jose Feliciano’s, Feliz Navidad? It simply means, Merry Christmas in Spanish. The song is upbeat and perfect for the joy of Christmas day. Jose Feliciano wrote and recorded the song in 1970, and it regularly remains one of the most downloaded and aired Christmas songs.

For a song with such an obvious party vibe, I wanted an outfit that was full of color. As you can see, I still kept the more traditional red and green Christmas colors intact, but went for an olive green rather than the true Christmas green. I also added my multi colored kimono and lots of colorful beads.

My kimono was a DSW clearance rack find and is a brand called Do Everything in Love. I styled this piece earlier this year in the Spring 2019 Pantone series. You can see that post here. It is such a fun, colorful piece and I am glad I added it to my wardrobe.

I love a soft turtleneck when the weather is cold, especially if my hair is up in a French braid or a bun. This thrifted one is a brand called Josephine Chaus and is a perfect Christmas red. It really shows off the array of colored beads quite well.

My green tiered skirt is an Old Navy thrift find. For some reason, I have always been drawn to the prairie skirt, or as you saw in my previous post, the prairie dress. The tiered skirt appeals to me as a somewhat casual skirt that offers comfort and ease of wear. I rather like the gypsy vibe of this tiered piece and the green color goes with many other things.

In keeping with the idea of Mexico and warm weather, I added my palm print clutch, which was also a DSW find.

While I wanted the outfit to represent a colorful, Mexican celebration of Christmas, I also wanted to keep it grounded to the reality of a mid-western winter where boots are a must, even if there isn’t snow. Boots are a great way to keep your legs and feet warm and when you are wearing a skirt, that is very important.

I found this pair of simple Sonoma rusty colored boots in the Kohl’s clearance area. Don’t be afraid to rifle through the clearance areas at your favorite stores. Between thrifting and clearance finds I rarely pay full price for any of my clothes. When you are on a budget as tight as ours and you like to shop, that is an absolute must.

I hope you don’t mind that I dragged out my holiday outfit posts. Working more, taking care of my grandson and Christmas gatherings used up most of the energy I had. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and will have a lovely New Year. I might try to post a Favorites from 2019 post some time this week, if I can.

I hope you are looking forward to a New Year. Happy celebrations and be safe!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - What Child is This?

I had good intentions of getting these last two posts done a few days ago, but it didn’t happen, so you will get these Christmas song inspired outfits after the fact of Christmas. I typed that and I am still having a hard time believing Christmas is over for another year. That always leaves me feeling a little sad, but that gives me a good excuse to extend the holiday for a little longer.

When I looked up the history of this song I was surprised to learn that the tune Greensleeves, to which the lyrics of What Child is This was set, was originally composed as a broadside ballad and registered with the London Stationer’s Company in 1580 by a man named Richard Jones. There are contrary ideas on the original lyrics of the ballad. One idea was that Lady Greensleeves was a prostitute or a promiscuous young lady. The idea of a lady’s clothing being green had to do with grass stains on her dress from rolling around on the grass having sex. Another idea was that a woman had green sleeves on her outfit and was mistakenly taken for a hussy, to which she snubs the advances of the one trying to take advantage of her position. Either way, I am surprised the tune, then became the basis for What Child is This.

In 1865, William Chatterton Dix, a manager for an insurance company, came down with a life threatening illness. During that time, he had a spiritual awakening and wrote a poem The Manger Throne. The poem, became the basis for What Child is This. The poem centered around the adoration of the shepherds when they came to the manger and baby Jesus. It is not clear at what point the poem was set to the tune Greensleeves, nor by whom, but in 1871 it was included in a collection of carols published in the United Kingdom.

To me this song evokes a sense of simplicity and purity. Seen through the eyes of shepherds, the words create an image of the stark simple animal stable and the roughly crafted manger in which the baby Jesus lay. With this idea in mind I chose a simple prairie maxi dress that I found at a thrift store.

When I saw this dress, I immediately grabbed it, lest anyone else notice it and throw it in their cart. When you are thrifting, you have to grab a piece when you see it, otherwise it might be gone. You can always put it back before you check out if you decide to not buy it.

I love the floral pattern and the flounce at the bottom. The waist is gathered with elastic, but I decided to add a belt to add definition and texture. The cuffs on the sleeves are elastic as well. The dress is so simple. There are no buttons, ties or zippers. I just throw it on and go. It is also fully lined, so no worrying over a slip or cami.

You can just make out the elastic waist. It is almost an empire waist, but falls further below the bottom of the bust line. In my typical feminine with an edge stye, I added a wide black belt with plenty of metal. It has a sort of prairie goddess meets motorcycle mama vibe. Ha, ha.

In keeping with the simple theme, my accessories are not loud and other than the belt do not particularly draw attention. A black velvet choker, and a cross necklace give the old time vibe an updated look when worn together. The cross necklace is actually patterned on the front, so I turned it around to show only the black back.

The cognac colored bag was a Meijer clearance find and is perfect for this outfit. I’m also wearing my cognac colored SO booties from Kohl’s.

The final touch was to add my black shawl. It made the simple prairie vibe complete. I’ve had this fabulous piece for many, many years and I couldn’t tell you where I originally got it.

Would you wear a prairie dress like this? Why or why not? Not everyone can wear maxi’s and feel comfortable in them. Not everyone likes the prairie vibe. What sort of style do you like to wear? Are you more contemporary and like to follow the latest trends, or do you like styles from the past? I’d love to hear you thoughts.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I am including a link to my most favorite version of What Child is This, as sung by Andrea Boccelli and Mary J. Blige. In my opinion this is one of the most worshipful and beautiful renditions I have every heard.