Fall Trends 2022 - My Take: Outfit 3

For today’s look I am combining the Fall 2022 trends of a fitted vest, feminine sheer top, floor length maxi skirt, and western style boot into a trendy boho style outfit. Let me know what you think at the end and whether you think I pulled it off.

When I first started putting this outfit together I originally had a black pleated type skirt, but I got to thinking I wanted something that gave the look a more boho vibe, and there is nothing like a tiered skirt and a fringe bag to add that element. This brown skirt, has been in my closet for a while. You can see how I styled it before with a dot print shirt. It is St. John’s Bay brand and I got it from JCPenney.

I’ve styled this Manteau gold dot blouse from Macy’s on the blog before. You can see it styled with jeans, and with a leopard print blazer. Sheer is in, and while I appreciate a pretty sheer blouse with the appropriate coverage underneath, I do not feel the sheer outfits I have seen on the runways and the celebrity news photos are justified, practical or modest. Ladies, please show a little respect for yourself and leave something to the imagination.

My Cabin Creek vest was thrifted and it really is too big. However, once in a while a piece is just worth the problems. How could a book nerd, writer like myself say no to this fun piece? I am going to try to make some adjustments to it, so it fits a little better.

This fun Mossimo fringe bucket bag has made multiple appearances on the blog. Here it is with a navy blazer and jeans, an olive utility vest and pink sweater, a burgundy dress. a burgundy pleated skirt, a grey city scape cardigan, and a floral pleated skirt.

These thrifted boots are not truly Western gear, but they have just a little bit of that vibe and apparently Western is also trending this fall. These lovely leather boots were made in Brazil and are a brand called Nurture. Apparently this brand is no longer viable, but you can find the brand second hand on Ebay, and on Poshmark.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like longer maxi skirts? Do you like button down vests? I love hearing your thoughts, so leave me a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links for you. These particular styles might be better found in thrift stores or shops like Poshmark, Ebay or Facebook Marketplace. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great week.

Dreamy Dresses from Closet52 - Button Front Maxi Dress

Today’s outfit is another piece gifted to me by Closet52. Closet52 provides quality dresses for women at reasonable prices. Whether you need a dress for work, a special occasion or every day, Closet52 is a great place to start you search.

Today’s featured dress is the Button Front Maxi.

I love the simplicity and elegance of this maxi dress. Once again, the fabric is a medium weight, 100% polyester knit. The description on their websites lists this as a capped sleeve, and on their model it does look that way, but on me, it lays as a wide sleeveless. A capped sleeve usually extends a little bit onto the arm.

I should have taken a picture without the included belt to show you the dress actually doesn’t have a waist. From the bodice to the first tier on the skirt the dress is more of a column. What I like about this idea is I can style it with different belts, or even scarves to create unique looks. I decided to wrap the belt around and tie it at the back for a different look.

The gold buttons are a beautiful addition to the bright fuchsia color of the dress. I think it is small details like this that make Closet52’s selection a step above other dress retailers. Gold allows this dress to be taken from the work place to a night on the town, with just a quick change of accessories. I wanted to focus on the gold buttons so my accessory choices were all gold.

I love a tiered maxi skirt anyway, so the tiering on this piece is perfect. It gives the look a little bit of that prairie girl, boho chic vibe while still looking modern and classic. This is another piece I am excited about trying to style in different ways. I can see this working quite well as a jumper with a flowy button down top and knee high boots. You could even leave a few of the lower buttons unbuttoned to better show off your boots.

With the tiered skirt giving it a bit more volume a girl’s gotta twirl!

Once again, I am very impressed with the quality and detailing on this piece from Closet52. The easy on, easy off ability and the way the dress hangs are just added benefits of this beautiful dress. Check out the great selection at Closet52 by clicking on any of the included links.

This dress was gifted to me by Closet52. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull for Rebecca Trumbull Photography.

Pantone Spring/Summer 2022 - NY Palette: Gossamer Pink, Skydiver and Poppy Seed

Hi everyone. It is time for another set of colors from the Pantone Spring/Summer New York Palette. These colors include the pastel Gossamer Pink, the pretty, bright, Skydiver blue, and a charcoal gray called Poppy Seed. I was glad to see a darker gray on the Classic color palette, as that has always appealed to me more than the lighter gray. These are my choices from my closet for each of these colors. To see the actual Pantone New York palette colors, click here.

My blue cardigan is not a perfect match for the Pantone color, but I try to give you ideas for outfits with interesting color combinations, not do a paint by number. I love this light Gossamer Pink with the bright contrast of the Skydiver blue. This would have been another pretty combo for Easter, but any spring activity where you have to dress up a little would welcome these colors. This would be perfect office attire as well.

I have had this Christopher and Banks cardi for a few years. It is a lighter weight sweater that is perfect for the spring, or for summer when you need a little something in the air conditioning. They don’t seem to be carrying this same type of sweater, but you can always check here at Kohl’s for a few solids and prints on a basic button down cardigan.

My pink blouse is Elle brand, and was a clearance purchase from Kohl’s a few seasons ago. It is a sheer material with little sparkles throughout, which are not visible in the picture. It has 3/4 sleeves and ties to make a bow. I also added this pretty spring scarf that one of my daughters gave me a few years ago.

My Poppy Seed gray plaid trousers have been around forever. They are Style & Co. brand. I know Macy’s and a few other retailers sell Style & Co. brand, but I honestly can’t remember if I got these at Macy’s or if I thrifted them. Macy’s isn’t a retailer I have typically frequented, but I have gone a few times with my bestie and might have bought these on one of those trips.

My black belt was a recent thrift find.

My shoes are my Aerosoles black heeled pumps. I like the lower more stocky heel in my older years. My feet are not used to wearing heels at all anymore, so when I do they have to be ultra comfortable. Aerosoles fit the bill in that regard. Check out their website for great looking shoes at reasonable prices.

My bag is a thrifted NY & Co. and can be a tote or fold it over for a smaller clutch option.

Do you have these colors in your closet? How would you were these, with each other, or with other colors? What is your favorite spring color combination? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two below.

I’m including a few shopping links below. These are affiliate links, which means I get a little money when you click on a link. These are brought to you at no cost and I appreciate all the clicks. All opinions are my own.

Have a super week everyone!

Fashion Fun: One Blazer Three Ways

Everyone should own at least one or two good blazers. What I consider a good blazer is a piece that fits well, is made well and doesn’t show wear after only a few years. I have my own stockpile of blazers, because they are timeless. I do have wool based blazers that I only wear in the fall, winter and spring because they are the perfect classy layer to keep me warm. I also have a few that serve me well in the warmer months in overly air conditioned restaurants and theaters. Today, I want to show you a thrifted piece that I recently found.

I have been looking for a tan colored blazer for a few months. I didn’t care if it was tan, or beige, or camel, I just wanted something in that color family. I now have two. The one I will show you today being the first one I found. Last week I found a darker one at the dollar thrift store in the town south of us. How could I possibly pass up a beautiful blazer that fit me well and made me look like a girl straight out of Pinterest, for only a dollar? I couldn’t! Ha, ha. Do I need two tan blazers? No, and eventually, I will probably get rid of one, but for now I have two.

Outfit 1 - Casual with Jeans

This piece is a brand called Collections for Le Suit and I got it at Goodwill when my husband took me out for my birthday back in January. Looking at it in these pictures shows me that it is a little big. I lost a few pounds when I was sick and have not gained it back. Not being able to taste anything helps with that. Ha, ha. However, it will be nice to wear with bulkier sweaters and sweatshirts in the cold months.

My Apt. 9 jeans are also thrifted, though from a few years ago. I like the darker wash and bootcut of this pair. I have found most of my favorite jeans at thrift stores. It is a great place to find and try brands you haven’t heard of or can’t afford at regular retail prices. My patterned turtleneck is a thrifted brand called Investments Essentials. The funky pattern is what drew me to it.

To complete the look I added a beaded layered necklace, my Very Peri thrifted Merona bag and my old Sonoma heeled ankle boots from Kohl’s.

Outfit 2 - Workwear with Plaid Trousers

These plaid trousers are another dollar thrift find. I didn’t even try them on, figuring for only a buck, I could just donate them if them didn’t fit. What drew me to them were the light blue stripes. These are Mossimo brand.

I decided to pair them with my light blue Sonoma shirt. I got this from Kohl’s a number of years ago. A good chambray shirt, whether a light wash or a dark wash, is always in style and can be worn with so many things.

I finished off the look with silver accessories, and my blue Converse sneakers.

Outfit 3 - Dressy with a Polka Dot Skirt

I found this fabulous black and white polka dot skirt at the same dollar thrift store where I got the pants. How could I resist this classy, flowy piece, especially when black and white is trending for spring. It is a brand called Urban Coco. It has a white elastic band waist making it very comfortable. It also has a partial lining which hits just above the knees. I hope to see this one get some wear this summer.

White tees are all the rage for pairing with blazers, so I thought why not bring that into play here. My simple white tee is a Time and Tru piece from Walmart. This brand has definitely given Walmart a place in the fashion world, and they seem to be affordable pieces meant for real life wear.

For the rest of my look I kept it simple by adding a thrifted pendant necklace, a blag sparkly clutch and my Clark’s open toed shoeties.

If a girl’s got a twirly skirt, the girl’s got to twirl!

Here are the three looks side by side.

Which outfit do you like the best? Do you have a blazer this color? How do you like to wear it? Leave me some love in the comments. I really appreciate it. I am including a few shopping links for items similar to pieces in these outfits. Feel free to look them over. These are affiliate links, all opinions are my own.

Fashion Fun: Men's Oversized Button Down

When it comes to thrifting for fashion, I like to think outside the box. I always peruse all the sizes, because so often size is relative. What I mean by that is, it is relative to the brand. A size 12 in one brand might fit you perfectly, but a size 12 in another brand, might be too big or too small. I honestly believe sizing is different than it used to be. If you shop vintage clothing, at all, you will see that most of the pieces are relatively small. Women tended towards being smaller in the waist, hips, and shoulders than we are now. Not sure why, but it does seem to be the case.

I have also started looking in the men’s section of thrift stores for fun pieces like tees and printed button downs. I like the roomier cut of a men’s medium or even large shirt and they often have textures, prints and fabrics that are different than those on the women’s racks. Today, I am going to show you three different outfits using three men’s button downs that I purchased while thrifting.

Outfit 1 - Men’s Button Down as a Tunic

When I saw this paisley madness, I knew I had to have it. This is Visconti brand. If you type the name be sure to type in Visconti clothing. and you’ll see they have them at Dillards. They also have their own website, but I am not here to encourage you to buy a new shirt. This to encourage you to look at the men’s racks if you thrift, or even if you shop clearance. I absolutely love the colors in this piece and it is easily worn all year round as a top or as a “shacket”.

I topped this look with a thrifted, black Nadia brand, corduroy vest. I added my Simply Vera, Vera Wang skinny jeans and my black knee high boots. The black embroidery on these jeans are what sold me. The abstract floral print goes with so many other pieces.

I didn’t really need to add any jewelry since the print is so busy, but I thought it would be fun to add this piece that has a variety of colors and textures. It blends in, yet also stands on its own.

Outfit 2 - Men’s Button Down as a Work Wear Top

This shirt is Izod brand. This year’s Pantone Color of the Year is called Very Peri. I think it is a very pretty color reminiscent of the Periwinkle flowers, which can come in blue, purple or white. I thought this checked shirt fit the color well. One thing I have to do with most of the men’s shirts I purchase is roll up the sleeves, but rolling up the width of the cuff is just the right amount, so you can hardly tell.

My denim pencil skirt is also thrifted and Gloria Vanderbilt brand. I like the length of this and if I still had a reason to wear a skirt would definitely be wearing this often. I added the navy hose to cover my veiny legs and thought the black, thrifted Nine West loafers gave it a work wear look. I also added the denim blue cloth belt and the dark purple agate pendant necklace. My thrifted, Merona bag, also brings in that Very Peri vibe.

Outfit 3 - Men’s Button Down as a Shacket

I’ve had this thrifted, Ruff Hewn corduroy button down for a few years now. I love the color and typically think of it as a fall piece. It is soft, warm and roomy, so a perfect piece for wearing over lightweight sweaters, sweatshirts or long sleeve tees.

I wanted this outfit to have more of a spring vibe, so I went with my Sonoma floral joggers, and a thrifted light pink Express short sleeve tee. I opted for metallic accessories including my silver Sketcher sneakers, pewter hand-me-over bag, and my silver and copper necklace.

Here are the three outfits side by side.

I hope you enjoyed this look at how to style a men’s oversized button down. It is fun to explore other options in your fashion wardrobe, and you never know when something you try will become your new favorite style. Which outfit was your favorite? Do you wear men’s clothing? How do you like to style a men’s or women’s oversized shirt? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by the blog. I have provided a few shopping links for your enjoyment. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Updating Your Wardrobe

The thought that we have to buy new things to update our wardrobes is a misconception. There is nothing wrong with buying a few new things, or purchasing an item in a current color or trend to give our closets a bit of a refresh. However, I believe it is possible to take those older pieces in our closets that we might see as outdated and no longer wearable and turn them into something modern and up to date.

I had a friend contact me over the weekend who told me she was going through her closet getting rid of things that were either worn, no longer fit or that she thought were outdated. She had several pieces she didn’t want to let go of. Before she threw them in the box to donate she sent me a message along with a few pictures. She had a few pieces that were quality brands such as Evan Picone and Pendleton and wondered if there was any way to still make use of them.

Absolutely! (Peggy gave me permission to use the pictures she sent.)

Outdated Suits

While women still do wear suits, especially at a corporate level, there is less of a need when you hit retirement. True, vintage is becoming a big deal among thrifty fashionistas, as seen on blogs or Instagram, but not everyone is a fashion blogger. Most women just want to look nice and not like they just walked off the set of an old time movie (whether it be 1880’s or 1980’s). Most of us want to look like we care and that we put thought and effort into our outfits.

One of the things I love about fashion in today’s world is that anything goes. With so much emphasis on inclusion and being who you want to be and wearing what you want to wear, no matter your age, you can wear whatever you please, just please wear something as opposed to nothing! Ha, ha.

Here are some of the tips I gave Peggy for bringing those pieces up to date.

1 - Wear the blazers with other pieces. Jeans, dress pants, denim skirts, faux leather pencil skirts, or even a tiered maxi skirt can take both blazers from oh so 80’s up to 2022. The gray blazer would look stunning with a burgundy pencil skirt and heels, or try wearing it over a black velvet dress. The plaid blazer would look awesome with jeans and ankle boots, or with a pair of cream colored corduroys. I love things to match, but not too much.

2 - Use the skirts as springboards for updated winter outfits by adding chunky sweaters, and tall knee boots. Another option is to top the skirts with slim fitting cardigans and tees. A white tee, with some chunky jewelry and a navy blazer would make a whole new look for that gray skirt. Top the plaid skirt with a black tee, cream jean jacket and white sneakers for a great work wear option. You’ll be warm, comfortable and stylish.

Outdated Dresses

I had to wonder if a dress could really be outdated, but alas some of the add ons, embellishments and collars do make a dress look less than modern. Again, let me reiterate, big collars, shoulder pads and anything retro or vintage is all the rage for many younger people today. The trick is figuring out how we, as older women, can make it work.

This dress of Peggy’s is a beautiful color, so I can understand why she would not want to part with it. Part of the dated look of it has to do with the overlay piece at the top. If you are a skilled seamstress you could remove the overlay completely if the under part is made of the same material. A seamstress could also figure out how to attach the piece at the bottom and sides so that it looks like the dress was made that way.

If you are not skilled in the area of sewing, then there are other ways to make this pretty dress still wearable. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is add a jean jacket and a pair of trainers or low platform tennis shoes. You could also add a fringy earthy colored jacket and a pair of cowboy boots. This way the pretty embellishment is still visible.

On another occasion you might want to cover the embellishment, so throw on a sweatshirt or sweater. A printed pullover or graphic sweatshirt would cover the less modern top, but still give a shout out to the beautiful color of the skirt.

While hem lines do change according to the fashion world, I don’t really listen. I don’t wear mini skirts. They are just not my jam. I like skirts that hit at the knee or below, either in a tea length (also known as a midi) or a maxi which hits at the ankle. I say this, only to reassure you to not worry about the length of your skirt if you have older pieces.

Coats

I don’t think coats can ever be outdated. Sure the coats from the 1980’s and early 90’s had bigger shoulder pads, but shoulder pads are back. The other thing that I have noticed is the call for our clothing to be in pristine condition just isn’t a thing any more. We wear jeans with holes in them, why worry if our coat or shoes are showing a little wear. Again, this is your wardrobe, you make the decisions.

I think this coat of Peggy’s is perfectly lovely and I adore the creamy, winter white color. If you feel like a coat is no longer serviceable as a nice dress coat, think about wearing it with jeans to run to the store or sweats if you’re picking up coffee at the drive through. No one is going to notice if your coat is looking a little worn, especially if the rest of you is polished and put together.

I wanted to show you my own example with a blazer that I found thrifting a number of years ago. This Pendleton blazer is probably from the 1990’s or early 2000’s which isn’t that long ago. It seemed like the type of jacket that would have gone with a pencil skirt in the same color, probably sold as a suit. I have had it for a long time and don’t wear it very often, not because I don’t like it, but because being at home I typically reach for my flannel and my sweaters more often than a blazer. What I am showing you in this picture is how I took a professional looking piece and turned it into a casual date night look.

Sorry my pictures are so grainy.

The gist of this post is that your clothes can be more than what they were made for. Pieces have so much more versatility if you are just willing and able to think outside the box.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Next Tuesday I want to show you another older piece and how I made it work for me in a fun, updated way. Be sure to check out my Faith Page on Thursday for a new post. I hope you are having a great week.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - London Palette: Green Bee, Downtown Brown, and Olive Branch

Hi everyone! November is zooming along and I am still trying to get back into some sort of rhythm, not only here on the blog, but in life. Anyone who suffers from a long term illness can relate to what I am talking about. Not being able to sleep for such a long period of time and still dealing with unresolved symptoms make it hard to get back to what I would say is a normal routine. However, I know there are people who are struggling with much worse situations and I am thankful that I am able to do as much as I can. In fact, this past weekend, we were able to travel to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday with her, so that was good.

Unfortunately, there has also been other difficult things along the way. My son-in-law lost his grandfather this past week and I know that has been a great loss for the whole family. He was a dear man, a wonderful painter and loved his family, so he will be missed. As many of you can relate, it seems as we get older, we see loss happening around us at a more frequent pace. This too is part of life, and for me knowing God is holding me and my loved ones during these times, makes it a little less painful.

Now on to another outfit. As I said last week, while I am wildly behind, I decided to go ahead and show you these Pantone London Palette outfits as possible sources of inspiration for Thanksgiving Day wear. Many of you will be celebrating with friends or family and it is a good reason, to get out of those sweat pants and dress up a little bit, if just for your own mental well being.

You can’t go wrong with a pair of trousers, a pretty top and a fun scarf and bag. Obviously, you can pick your colors, but I chose to combine these earthy tones for a look that is a mix of military meets, moto chic.

My Downtown Brown moto jacket is a thrifted piece that I have styled on the blog before. It is a brand called Celebrity Works. I do like this medium milk chocolate brown. Browns can be tricky to wear, especially when they contain a little too much gray or a little more red, or well, you get the idea. A true brown is hard to find, but I think this brown hits the mark, so thank you Pantone for that one.

You’ve seen my Olive Branch pants numerous times on the blog as well. As I look at them in these pictures, I am thinking I might need to find a replacement pair. These are starting to look worn and really don’t look very flattering. Of course that may have had something to do with my chubby thighs. Ha, ha. These were Gloria Vanderbilt brand and I probably got them at Kohl’s.

For the Green Bee color I chose a thrifted Studio Works popover top that I did the front tuck on, which gave it the blouson effect. I also added the Green Bee paisley print scarf. The thought to add the Dana Buchman floral bag was a last minute addition, but I like how it pulled everything together. A fun floral bag is a great addition to your wardrobe, especially when it can serve multiple season duty. This one works just as well in spring, summer and fall.

I chose my trusty Olive Branch SO ankle boots for my shoes. My ankle boots definitely get used in these cooler fall temps.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear an outfit like this to your Thanksgiving celebration? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love in the comments below.

I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through one of my links I get a few more pennies. I appreciate every penny! All opinions are my own. Please note, I am not familiar with all of the retailers I list in my links, so be sure to read and understand their return policies in case something doesn’t fit or isn’t to your liking.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post. Until next time, have a great day.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Pale Rosette, Root Beer and Olive Branch

I want to start off with an apology for my lack of consistency with the blog lately. It has been a rough couple of months and I just haven’t had the motivation to post as regularly. It seems every time I want to make more of an effort at getting more disciplined or being more consistent, I get blindsided by something. At the beginning of the summer it was a broken wrist. Mid summer, I came down with this stuff, that still has me coughing. I just have no idea if I will ever be back to “normal”, whatever that was.

There have been some good bits along the way as well. Early summer we were able to take my in-laws on a nice trip up through the Upper Peninsula, down through Michigan and back to our place where they enjoyed visiting family for a few days. I also got to see my mom, two different weeks and spend time with her. That also afforded me the opportunity to see my best girlfriend, and do some thrifting. On September 19th, our second grandson arrived. He is a doll and I am enjoying opportunities here and there to see him, even if I do have to wear a mask. He’s been born into a world of half blue faces, but that is okay, if we can give him a healthier start. He, my daughter and son-in-law are doing well.

Today’s outfit revolve around three colors on the Pantone New York Palette that I thought combined well into a work wear ready fall outfit.

I am still trying to get used to seeing pastels during the fall season. This year, they were quite popular and besides this pale pink, also included a pretty lavender. I guess, we like what we like right, so pastels for me might be more of a spring and summer color scheme, while rusts, browns and burgundies are the colors I reach for in the fall. While we still live in a free country, you are in control of what colors you wear when. Ha, ha.

The Pale Rosette, 3/4 length tee is a thrifted piece, and a brand called Suzanne Betro. It is actually a longer tunic, but I just tucked it in for this outfit. I love the detailing at the bodice.

You’ve seen my Olive Branch utility vest on the blog before when I did my series on olive pieces. This vest isn’t quite the right shade. Who would have thought there are so many shades of olive? Another clearance find from Kohl’s, I don’t have a ton of Mudd pieces as it typically has more of a junior’s fit, but the few that I have, I really like.

You’ve also seen these brown trousers when I talked about wide leg pants back in the spring. I am not a big fan. I have enough bulk on my bottom. However, I will hang on to this pair, as I like the color, and occasionally it is nice to have a different option when it comes to pants. These were thrifted and are St. John’s Bay brand.

I added the multi-print scarf to add an extra dimension of color and interest to the outfit. I like how it ties the whole look together.

You can also see the fun necklace I scored while thrifting at the local shop around the corner. I have found some great jewelry there. I goes perfectly with the pants.

Even though this little thrifted, Rosetti bag screams summer, I thought it was a great way to keep this outfit looking modern and updated, yet still in tune with the fall vibes.

My SO snakeskin print boots were a clearance purchase from Kohl’s last season. I haven’t really had the opportunity to wear them very much, so hopefully this season they will be out and about.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like them combined? Do you like them each separately?

I’d love to hear your thought, so leave me some love in the comments.

As I usually do, I am adding a few shopping links in things similar to these colors. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for following along on the blog. I hope you are having a great week.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull with Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2021 - New York Palette: Illuminating, Fire Whirl and Ultimate Gray

Over the weekend, I became grandmother again. My oldest daughter had a little boy and we are very excited to meet him, as soon as we can. Obviously, with all the restrictions for visitors in the hospital, we were not able to meet him before he came home.

I am going to being this Autumn/Winter series, as I usually do with the New York Palette. It wasn’t until recently that the Pantone entity added the London Palette to its long list of color tools. Today’s outfit revolves around the two Colors of the Year, the sunny yellow, Illuminating and the classic gray, Ultimate Gray.

In all honesty I was having a hard time putting the outfits together for this series. I think most of it had to do with being plagued by this stupid sinus stuff and cough for so long. I am finally sleeping in my bed again, but I still have a wheezy, chronic cough. We’ll see how long it takes to get some sort of resolution, or maybe it has moved in permanently, but it is a pain. It is hard to have long conversations and I cannot sing at all, not that I really could before I got this cough, but it was better than now. Oh well, life is just that way sometimes.

The other problem I think I was having, was the weather. It was so hot, I was having a hard time really getting into styling fall outfits. I love fall, and am excited about that change, but it has just been slow to actually feel like the season to wear layers. Here in my area, by Wednesday, the highs are only going to be in the 50’s. That definitely feels like fall.

You can see that I only used Illuminating in very small doses with my yellow beaded necklace and bracelets. The Fire Whirl red tank top is a thrifted Loft piece. It is actually more of an a-line or swing silhouette, so I gathered the shirt underneath in the front, then secured the little “pony tail” with a hair band. The result is to give the top a more fitted look with a fun swirl at the front.

For this outfit, it worked out that Ultimate Gray takes center stage with just a few pops of Fire Whirl and Illuminating. My thrifted, plaid, Sag Harbor trousers are actually petites, so I expect they would be closer to an ankle pant than a crop pant, but I like the way it looks, especially with my darker gray Impo booties.

The next picture shows you a closer look a the Illuminating jewelry and the detailing on the yoke of the top. The gray moto jacket is a no name brand and I am not sure where I got it. I wanted to say it was thrifted, but for some reason, I think I bought it at a store. I really cannot remember. Is that bad? Ha, ha.

My tote bag was going to be a gift for one of my daughter’s one Christmas a few years ago and I ended up keeping it. Many times, I just end up buying too many items, so I have to return stuff, but this was a cheap purchase, I believe from Kohl’s and I really liked it.

Fire Whirl is more the color of my top, but I kind of liked the contrasting shades of red, as well as the two differing plaid patterns. It just gives the outfit a fun vibe.

What do you think of these colors? Would you pair these colors with one another? Do you have these colors in your closet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, brought to you at no extra cost. If you click on a link, I get a few cents, if you purchase something through my site, I get a little more. Thank you for all of your support.

Photo credit Jessica Trumbull, with Rebecca Trumbull.

Oh, Olive! Utility Vest - Workwear

Tuesday you saw the casual look with the olive utility vest. Today we are going to look at a casual workwear look, that would be easy to take from the work place to a casual evening out. Once again the vest will take center stage, but will be complimenting a floral blouse, instead of floral pants and a denim skirt.

Just as a refresh, the olive vest is Mudd brand, a clearance find from Kohl’s. My blush floral print top (Fall Trends) is this season’s purchase from Maurices and branded Coco and Jamison.

This blouse reminded me of things my mom used to wear as I was growing up, so I felt it almost had a bit of a retro vibe. The cut is more boxy and the sleeves longer making it a great piece to put under this vest. I actually put a cami underneath. You know I am all about modesty and I guess I really am a bit of a prude when it comes to things being low cut or too short, but that is me and that is what I am comfortable with. This blouse is really not that low, but I wanted to feel like if I bent over I was safe. It’s probably just me, but hey that’s who I am.

My medium wash denim skirt was a thrifted Gloria Vanderbilt piece. A denim, pencil skirt like this is so versatile and not restricted by the seasons. Wear it with a casual sweatshirt and sneakers in the spring. Style it with a blouse like this for summer. Add tights, ankle boots and a sweater for fall and try it with knee high boots and faux fur in the winter. You can’t go wrong with a denim pencil skirt.

I thought gold accessories would be a good compliment to this outfit. I then finished off the look with my SO olive colored ankle boots and my blush bag.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you have a utility vest?

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what you think of the color olive and how you would style it.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links, which means I get a few pennies every time you click on a link. If you purchase something through my blog, I get a few extra cents. I appreciate all your clicks. Even more I appreciate your comments and encouraging feedback. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend!

Oh, Olive! Utility Jacket - Workwear Look

Depending on where you work, you might be able to be in your sweats or pj’s. So many people have been working at home through the Covid pandemic, that people have gotten rid of many of their business style pieces since they really have no need for them. However, many places have opened back up and have called people back into the office. When I was working as an assistant manager at a university bookstore, I could wear my jeans to work, and very often did, but I could also wear skirts or dresses if I chose to do that. Usually, when we talk about workwear style, we are talking about a business or business casual type of outfit consisting of blouses, nice pants, blazers and other similar pieces. We do have a more casual type of style that has moved into the work place in many business realms, allowing their employees to have more flexibility and comfort. I would say today’s look tends towards business casual due to the utility jacket and the tennis shoes, and I would have been perfectly comfortable wearing this to my previous job.

As I told you in Tuesday’s post, I am featuring the olive utility jacket as my olive piece. This is St. John’s Bay brand from JCPenney. This jacket is roomy, so I can wear multiple layers underneath if I want to use it in the cooler weather. Right now, it is a great piece for overly air conditioned restaurants, retail spaces and business offices. This piece also has adjustable tabs at the sides to make it more fitted, as well as a double front closure which includes a full zipper and buttons.

Fall Trend Alert - Lavender

Certain colors are always trending for each of the major seasons and fall is no exception. Surprisingly, rather than the typical fall hues of orange, brown or yellow, we are seeing pastels like lavender and blush. I’ll cover blush next week, but for today lavender is my color of choice. My thrifted eyelet top is Old Navy brand. I love this light weight piece.

You’ve seen my polka dot skirt on the blog before. Amazingly with my weight gain and redistribution (aka spare tires), I can still get it on. Ha ha. This older thrifted piece is a brand called Outback Red. It is a great piece for any warmer weather season, spring, summer or fall. Not a full length maxi skirt, it is more of a tea length. Another plus, it has pockets.

I kept my accessories pretty low key, except my layered necklace is fairly blingy. I added a few bracelets, my white cross body bag again and my Steve Madden sneakers that I got recently at DSW.

Do you like this outfit? What would you wear to the office? Let me know what you think.

I hope you enjoyed this look. I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great rest of your week!

Oh, Olive! Workwear Look

Tuesday I showed you a casual look with olive pants and today I am showing you a workwear look that might be doable for the office. We are looking at the color olive as a neutral. I know many of us have olive in our wardrobes and are becoming more aware of what a great color it is. Tuesday, I showed you how well it goes with orange and white. Check out today’s outfit, which combines dark florals and black for a sassy look.

I found this fabulous dark floral Time and Tru dress while thrifting on one of our trips. I had started really looking over the dress racks at thrift stores recently after seeing Instagram gal, jbowenandcompany using a button up dress like a kimono. It makes a piece like this so much more versatile. When I decided to do this series on olive pieces, I knew this dress as a duster would be a perfect topper for a fun workwear look.

Once again, my olive Gloria Vanderbilt skinny pants are the focal piece. This time I paired them with another neutral, black. My black v-neck polo is a sleeveless piece that I found thrifting a few weeks ago. Black and olive has always been a classic combination. Throwing the dark floral piece over the top really makes the outfit pop.

You’ve seen these Clark peep toe shoeties on the blog before. They are great shoes, I just really have no place to wear them right now. I know many bloggers and Instagram babes who post outfits they are actually wearing, but some of us have a more laid back approach. I would wear these and this whole outfit if I had an office job, but right now I don’t. Still, it is fun to have choices, and to be able to show you all a few of my fun wardrobe pieces, even if I don’t wear them as often.

I thought adding the light blue bag would pull out the light blue in the duster and with the dark florals it still gives the outfit a summer feel. You could have done the same thing with the light pink, yellow, or white. For the same reason I went with the light blue pendant. Just that little extra pop of color adds more interest to the outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? Have you ever worn a button up dress as a duster or kimono? It is a great way to extend the use of your dresses. If you are like me, you don’t have too many excuses to wear a dress. I know some ladies wear them all the time, and if my legs were less blemished by veins, I probably would too, but using a dress in this way still gives me an excuse to get more dressed up.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am going to include a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend. I will not be posting next week once again, as I am going to spend the week with my mom while my brother and his family are out of town. I’ll be back the following week. Until then, take care.