Spring Trend - Scarf Prints

As I mentioned in last Tuesday’s Spring Trend post on crafted pieces, print mixing is bigger and better than ever. One of the patterns that you will see gracing the stores is scarf print. Scarf prints started a come back back in the fall of last year, but seem to be showing up more and more. Scarf prints are an easy way to mix prints effortlessly. The prints are already picked out for you and all you have to do is take it off the hanger and decide what you want to wear it with. Whether you choose jeans, skirts, leggings, shorts or some other combination, scarf prints will leave you feeling like a print mixing pro.

I’ve had this Apt. 9, scarf print blouse for eons. Every time I think about getting rid of it, I end up hanging on to it. Now I am glad I did. I wish I would have thought to have taken a picture of the blouse without the jacket on, but it was freezing outside and we were just trying to get the pictures finished.

I did the front tuck with the blouse and added a black studded leather belt, just to add a little more interest and texture.

I thought my white Gloria Vanderbilt jeans the perfect bottom piece for this look, to make it more spring-like. While white can be worn all year round, I am a bit of a traditionalist, in that, I like to keep my whites more for spring, summer and a bit into fall. I do agree that white is a great color even in the winter and can really brighten up an otherwise mundane time period. I guess that is one of the reasons I would rather have snow in the winter time, than just brown grass and gray trees.

Since the emphasis was meant to be on print mixing, I decided to add my Black Label, Evan Piccone polka dot blazer. A JC Penney clearance find, this cute little number goes with so many things and is the perfect way to add a print to any outfit without going over the top. You can also see in this picture the blue bead necklace that I chose to wear. This was another hand-me-over from my daughter. It is fun to have girls to be able to swap stuff with.

These Easy Spirit black patent leather block heels I’ve styled on the blog before. I like the lower heel and that the toe is not pointy, but also not rounded. The bit of gold is the perfect amount of bling.

This cute cross body bag was a Christmas gift from my younger daughter. Both my girls do a good job picking out gifts for me. The light blue color is perfect for spring and compliments the blue in the blouse.

What do you think of scarf prints? Do you own any scarf print items? How do you like to wear your scarf prints? How do you like to wear your scarves? Leave me some thoughts in the comments.

I’ve included a few shopping links for scarf print items. Please enjoy looking these over. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you purchase something through my site, I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Have a great Tuesday.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Spring Trend - Crafted Pieces

If you have followed my last few posts you know I am doing a short series on some of the Spring 2019 trends. The crazy thing about this whole trend idea is that there are many differing opinions on what exactly those trends are. I tried to narrow it down to some of the more prominent ones, but I may have missed some and picked up on others that I thought were more interesting. Today’s trend is definitely one I like, crafted pieces.

What is a crafted piece, you may wonder. Basically, crafting means that it is or is like home made. Think of pieces that are crocheted, knitted, tie dye or various forms of weaving, beading and so on. These pieces are going to make a statement all on their own, but will easily add pop and pizazz to any outfit. Think sixties hippy meets stylin’ granny. If that sounds a little too funky for you, hang in there and you might change your mind.

I grew up with a mom who crocheted and she had numerous sisters, my aunts, that also worked their wonders with yarn and needle(s). Mostly, my mom made afghans and doilies. One of my aunts made bears and clowns and sold them at craft shows. Occasionally something would come across our doorstep from cousins’ and others’ hand-me-downs, that would include a crocheted piece of clothing. I remember a vest, in particular that I really liked made of separate crocheted squares pieced together. I guess it was my exposure to these crafted pieces that has given me the love I have for them still.

This knit ruana is Sonoma brand and I found it at Kohl’s on the clearance rack at the end of last summer season. I like that it is a neutral color and that it has actual sleeves sown into it. Many ruanas merely drape over the arms and down the back, which always makes me feel a little less at ease, for fear it will shift and I will have to keep arranging it to keep it in place. Having a bit of a sleeve solves this problem. You can see another post on a ruana without sewn in sleeves by clicking on the link to this post from last summer.

I love the mix of open and more closed weaving on this piece.

Another trend that I didn’t do a specific post for is pattern mixing. This spring pattern mixing is bigger than ever. For those of you who still haven’t come on board the pattern mixing trend, the fashion gurus are making it easier by manufacturing pieces that have patterns already mixed on them. We saw some of the last few seasons with baseball type tees donning both stripes and flowers. You’ll see more of it this year and the patterns are going to be bolder than ever. I’ll give you more examples on Thursday’s post where I talk about the scarf pattern trend.

I decided to do some of my own print mixing on this outfit by pairing this subtle paisley print top with my thrifted plaid Mossimo trousers.

Once again, the key to print mixing is in both color and pattern. Although, I have a feeling this spring we’ll be seeing more pieces with a more Anything Goes feel.

I kept my jewelry minimal since this Liz Claiborne top from JC Penney already has some of its own embellishment. This leaf necklace was a recent find, also from Penney’s.

My shoes are thrifted and are Natural Soul brand. My cute little clutch was a recent clearance purchase from DSW. Make sure you check out the clearance sections at these types of stores. I found this clutch and three kimono/ruana’s that are going to be perfect for spring and summer. The prices were too good to pass up.

Even though palm print was last spring’s trend I feel that it is one of those that could become timeless, sort of like leopard print. Especially when in a complimentary piece like this that will easily become a go to for summer.

I guess technically you could say I am mixing four prints in this outfit. Plaid, paisley, palms and the weaving on the crafted piece. What do you know, I styled an outfit that is filled with prints and alliteration. Ha, ha. There is texture also happening in the woven bag, the chain, the crochet, the tassels and metal embellishments on the top and the gathering on the empire waist and sleeves. There is, indeed, much going on in this outfit. Do you think it works or is it too much?

I love to hear you thoughts, so leave a comment or two in the comments section.

Now, to announce the winner of the $30 Target gift card. First of all, I want to thank all of you who are my regular followers, who regularly leave some love on the blog. Your input means so much to me. Secondly, I want to thank all the new subscribers who signed up as part of the giveaway and I hope that my blog will not disappoint you and that you will find inspiration and encouragement on a regular basis here.

And the winner is: Shirley Hulbert

I will be contacting you via email, to get your info, so I can get the card out to you as soon as possible. Congratulations!

I’ve included a few shopping links for crafted pieces. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I’ve included a number of pieces I thought looked fun. Enjoy perusing!

Valentine's Day - Romantic Clothing

Valentine’s Day seems to have snuck up on me this year. While many of my blogger friends are showing off their great Valentine inspired outfits, I have been busy watching my Grandson due to extra days off and working a few extra hours as well. My hubby and I also agreed to watch our grand puppy, Beatrice, while her parents are gone for a few days, so she arrived just this morning. We decided to do a stay-at-home Valentine’s Day date with the dog, so she doesn’t have to spend too much time alone. In leu of that, we went out for dinner last night.

Instead of showing you an outfit I thought it would be fun to show you a few clothing pieces that I feel inspire a Valentine’s look all year round. Valentine’s Day is a holiday we associate with romance. Whether you are married, a couple, partners or just friends who want a reason to celebrate, here are a few timeless pieces that inspire romance all the time.

Silk Tops

Besides cashmere, silk is probably the second fabric that people are willing to spend a fair amount of money on. Silk not only looks pretty, but feels pretty as well. Donning a silk top or a silk dress is the perfect way to make yourself look and feel, not just romantic, but sexy as well.

Ruffles

This is just my opinion, but there is something sensual and romantic about pieces with ruffles. Being the tomboy that I am, I rarely wear ruffles, but I do think ruffles exude femininity better than most other textures.

Lace

What is more romantic than lace. Think of the dresses and gowns that ladies used to wear back in the day. Lace wasn’t and isn’t just for negligee or wedding gowns. Lace can be worn any time. It not only adds interest and texture to an outfit, but a splash of romance.

Floral

Once again, I think of floral patterns as subtly romantic. Since we associate the giving of flowers with love or friendship, it seems to make sense that floral pieces would evoke a sense of romance, whimsy and love.

I thought I would include a few pictures of my own from the past three years of blogging that show you each of these romantic pieces “in the flesh”.

Silk

This silk light pink sweater set was a thrift store find. I have always wanted a sweater set for some reason and when I saw this one and felt how soft and literally silky it was, I knew I had to bring it home. If you are interested in the original post, just click on the picture.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Ruffles

As I said, I am not a huge ruffle fan, but occasionally I will find a piece that calls to me. With this fleece jacket I found on the clearance rack at Kohl’s I saw The Three Musketeers in all their swashbuckling glory and knew I had to take it home with me. After all what is more romantic than those handsome, swordsmen on their speedy steeds, trying to save the fair maidens in distress and get rid of the bad guys at the same time?

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Lace

This top is not real lace, but it gives the appearance of lace, which is even better, because you don’t have to worry about wearing a cami underneath and it is soft and stretchy. I have other pieces that are actual lace, but I thought it would be fun to show you something different.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Floral

Finally florals. I have a number of floral pieces from jackets to tops to tunics to dresses. What can I say? I like flowers and since I don’t always succeed at having a greed thumb, the next best thing is being able to wear them, and I don’t even have to worry about killing them! Ha, ha.

This floral bomber jacket was a cheap JC Penney find and I love it’s versatility. I love how it gives this New Years Eve outfit an edgy, yet feminine vibe.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

As I said before, if you want to see any of these outfit posts in full, just click on the pictures. Also, if any of the clothing links I included interested you, just click on the picture and it will take you to the retailer where you can find all the details on size availability and price. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

I hope this Valentine’s Day finds you feeling loved and warm with happiness, joy and peace.

Have a good day.

Celebrating My 3 Year Bloggiversary with a Giveaway

It is hard for me to believe that I am celebrating three years as a Faith and Fashion blogger. It has been an interesting hobby and I have definitely created new pathways in my brain. There was so much I had to learn about downloading pictures, pasting in links, collaborations and more. There were times that I was ready to throw in the towel, and others, where I was very excited about continuing this journey as a blogger. I have connected with friends, people I may never personally meet, but friends still the same and I have stretched myself by learning new things both technologically and in the realm of fashion blogging.

I wanted to make this a celebration by giving something away. You, my faithful subscribers, are the ones who really keep me motivated to keep doing this. Let’s face it, there are thousands of fashion bloggers out there and thousands of faith bloggers. You could easily find a blog that is more up on the trends, and geared towards featuring great clothes from retailers for you to see and buy. You could also find a blog that is more geared towards the younger set, moms who are raising kids, who need just the right advice or encouragement about how to keep their sanity in these busy years of their lives. These are all good and so many of them are extremely well done. So why do I keep doing this?

Every time, I get discouraged, and start asking myself, why am I doing this, God seems to send just the right person along, to comment on my blog. When someone tells me I inspired them with a certain outfit, to try to do a similar thing from their own closet, or when a subscriber tells me, the faith post I wrote, was just what they needed to hear, that is why I keep doing this.

You see, when I started blogging, it wasn’t about making money, getting free stuff, or becoming famous, it revolved around my desire to write and my desire to encourage. I know in my heart of hearts that there are hundreds of women out there who are having bad days. It might be hard to get out of bed, let alone, figure out what to wear. I also know there are women, like me, who can’t always talk about what is going on inside, because there are other factors and people involved. However, we can still be encouraging by just being there for one another. Think of me, as that friend that shows up at your door at just the right time, to give you a hug and remind you that you are beautiful and you are valuable. We all need that.

I thought it would be fun to show you a few pictures from when I first started blogging and compare them to more recent photos. Let me know if you see any changes, for good or bad. Ha, ha.

This is from my very first fashion post in 2016. If you want to see the original post, just click on the picture.

The next image is from a year later, in February of 2017.

Here is an outfit from February 2018.

And of course I had to add one from this year.

I think it is fun to watch the progression, not only in my daughter Rebecca’s photography, my other daughter Rachel’s make up, but also in the changes in my hair. Ha, ha. Having a blog is a great way to document changes in your life.

I thought a Target gift card would be a good choice for this giveaway. Everyone can find something or other at Target, even if you don’t like their clothes, bags or shoes, you can always use $30 to stock up on toilet paper or cards for upcoming birthdays.

Just follow the directions below to participate in the giveaway.

Thanks again for all of your support. Entries for the giveaway will close on Friday, February 15th at midnight. I’ll announce the winner Tuesday, February 19th.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Spring Trend - Utility Dressing

Today I am looking at another spring trend, utility dressing. Typically we think of utility dressing as something a mechanic, painter or other utility worker might wear. Often the uniform will have large pockets, snaps and zippers for ease of wear and storage. These same details have translated into women’s fashion with utility jackets, pants, vests and tops. This spring the trend is bigger than ever and includes jumpsuits in sleek, fun styles.

I am not a fan of jumpsuits. I spend way to much time in the bathroom, so i need things to be as quick as possible, especially when I am at work. However, since I decided to do this little series, I thought I would try to come up with an outfit that mimics a jumpsuit, but still has the ease of a two piece outfit.

This outfit is actually made up of three pieces, but you get the idea. The way to mimic the jumpsuit look is to go back to a monochrome color scheme. I chose olive for my outfit, because that is the color I had utility type pieces in. Large pockets, snaps and zippers all make this outfit fit into the utility vibe.

My button up top is Worthington brand and I’ve had it for a while. I love to shop JC Penney’s clearance racks and I’m sure that is where I found this. I am fond of Worthington pieces as they are usually made for average women like me, who need a little stretch, but still want some structure in a blouse or a pair of pants. I’ve gotten a number of dress pants in this brand too. The other thing I like about this blouse is that is doesn’t gape in the front. The buttons are in the right spots. There is nothing worse than gapage (yes, I did use that as a word) if you are trying to look put together for work or other activities.

My cargo skinnies are another JC Penney purchase from a few years ago. These are Gloria Vanderbilt. I like her brand for the same reason I like Worthington, ease of wear and fit. I used to get Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, but my taste in jeans has grown to include brands that have an edgier and perhaps more youthful vibe to them. I think Gloria Vanderbilt is great for dress pants or, like these, something different than jeans.

The utility vest is a more recent purchase from last season at Kohl’s. This olive utility vest is Mudd brand and was another clearance find. There are very few things that I buy, that aren’t from clearance racks or thrift stores. I could have used my olive utility jacket, because yes, I have one of those as well, but it was a completely different shade of olive. Isn’t it funny how colors that are supposed to be the same, can be so different, but that’s a topic for a different post.

Here is a more detailed look at the pockets on both the pants and the vest. As you can see the vest also has toggles so you can adjust the fit to make it tighter or looser. It has both a full zipper and snaps, giving it added metallic details. I like the brassy look of the metals as well.

My accessories are fairly simple. A black velvet choker with a cross, a few faux leather bracelets, a straw bag with black trim and my black heeled Ralph Lauren boots. The bag and boots were thrifted.

I cuffed the pants for another fun element. If you didn’t want to cuff them, you could also tuck them in. Doing that allows the buckles on the boots to shine, adding that metallic utility detail to the entire outfit.

I’m adding this picture, just because I really liked my modelesque hair and smile. And I didn’t even need to have a fan! Ha, ha.

What do you think of utility dressing? Do you own any utility pieces? Do you own a jumpsuit. Remember, you don’t have to jump on the jumpsuit wagon to get the same effect. Following trends is not so much to mimic a look as it is to make it completely our own. I think that is exactly what I did with this outfit.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your thoughts. I am so thankful for some of my subscribers who regularly offer their encouragement. I’d love to hear from even more of you. If you have a thought you’d like to share, just put it in the comments. You can also enjoy more outfits and ideas by following my Instagram posts and my Pinterest boards. If there is anything different you would like to see me feature on the blog, shoot me your ideas either in the comments below, on my Facebook page or if you subscribe you can shoot me an email. This isn’t just about fashion, but about making friends and traveling life together.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

I’ve included a few shopping links for you to peruse. I hope they give you ideas. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few pennies. If you purchase something through my blog, I get a small commission. All opinions are my own.

Spring Trend - Neons and Pastels

In contrast to last week’s post, Spring Trend - Head to Toe Neutral, this week I am focusing on the Spring Trend of neons and pastels. Rather than divide this into two posts, I decided to combine the trends and the colors into one outfit. If we can wear neutral on the top and bottom, why not create an outfit with neon and pastel together?

This bright neon yellow top is sleeveless and there was no way I was going out in the snow in a sleeveless top, so I added a recent purchase from Forever 21’s clearance racks, this citron yellow chenille sweater. The top is H&M and is a hand-me-over from my daughter. The sweater is as cozy and soft as it looks, so I was glad to add it to my outfit on this very cold day.

These blush jeans are H&M and you’ve seen them before on the blog in my 20 Days of Christmas series. They have a little bit of distressing on them, but because they are so light you can hardly notice. Since I was going with light pink for my pastel, I added my blush SO flats and my blush clutch.

My necklace was a thrift store find. I thought it added another splash of neon in a different color. If you don’t like neon, this is a simple way to add just a splash of color without being overwhelmed by it. Accessories are always a good way to add color that you wouldn’t necessarily wear near you face.

What do you think of the neon trend? would you wear these bright colors or do you prefer neutrals like the ones in my post last week? Are you a pastel lover? I’d love to hear you thoughts.

I’ve included a few shopping links for all things neon. If you don’t like wearing bright colors like this try adding a little splash by wearing neon earrings or by carrying a neon purse. You’ll be right on trend.

These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.