Fall/Thanksgiving Outfit - Maxi Skirt and Pullover Sweater - Dressy

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope your day will be filled with whatever you need to feel peaceful and well. For some that will mean gathering together with family for a feast. Others will, do to the pandemic, opt for a more low key celebration. My husband and I will be on our own. Our older daughter and her hubby are both sick and since I was exposed to them, my hubby and I are self quarantining, so we won’t be seeing our younger daughter or grandson either. I am sure there are many out there who are in similar situations, so please know, you are not alone and you are being thought of and missed by your family. The holidays are proving to be more precious, yet even more difficult with not being able to see those we love, but the key is to try to remember all you do have to be thankful for.

Today, I am thankful for a working furnace, a warm bed and a hot shower. I am thankful for the food we have to eat, even if it isn’t turkey with all the trimmings and I am thankful that our extended family, especially our aging parents are safe and healthy at this point in time. I am also thankful for the sun, when it is shining, because we are already having too many gray days, and I am thankful for the joy associated with the Christmas season, because of what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for us. Like the Grinch realized when he tried to steal Christmas, it comes anyway, no matter if we have our families, the decor or the food, because Jesus came.

Today, I am showing you the more dressed up version of the outfit from Tuesday’s post. Both the tiered maxi skirt and olive pullover sweater were thrifted. For today, I added a thrifted blazer, heels and bag, to elevate the look.

Out of the three outfit combinations I have done the last few weeks, I feel like the transition from casual to dressy is most evident in this outfit. Each piece that was swapped out or added, to make this outfit more dressy, really seems to add an element of class that is not evident in the more casual outfit. Not that the casual look was bad; it was meant to be casual and looks like the perfect outfit for a day of window shopping or lunch with friends (oh to be able to do that again). This look, while carrying a bit of a boho vibe, is something that could be worn to a show, a nice dinner out or to a Holiday concert.

This thrifted evergreen jacket is a brand called I.S.B.Inc. Not to be confused with IBS, ha, ha, ha! It doesn’t seem to be a brand that exists any longer. There were a few things that popped up on thredup, but that was it. While it is supposed to be a double breasted look when buttoned, I can’t button it. Ha. ha. However, I knew that when I bought it. I like the way the buttons line up down both sides, so it just looks more decorative with the jacket open. Just because a piece doesn’t fit exactly how it was intended, doesn’t mean you can’t use it.

I decided to go with coppery gold for my jewelry as you can see with my charm pendant necklace and my sparkly bracelet. I thought it went well with the whole look and had more of a fall feel.

My bag and shoes are both thrifted pieces. The heeled shoeties are Bandolino and the bag is a brand called Kelly & Katie. You can find Bandolino brand shoes at DSW, Macy’s and other retailers. Kelly & Katie brand is found at DSW and on second hand retailers like Poshmark and thredUp.

The two pieces are different colors. The bag is more of a salmon red and the shoes are more of a burgundy, but when you have them apart, they almost look like they go together.

What do you think of this outfit? What are you wearing for your Thanksgiving day today?

Here the two outfits side by side. Which one do you like best?

I hope you are having a lovely day and are feasting, whether it is just two of you or a few more. I also hope you are finding all the many things you can be thankful for even amid the pandemic and other difficulties.

I am not going to include any shopping links with this post, as you will no doubt be looking at all the Black Friday deals online for the retailers you love to shop at.

Have a lovely day.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Maxi Skirt and Pullover Sweater - Casual

To mix it up a little bit, I decided this week I would show you two outfits using a floral maxi skirt and a pullover sweater. I love maxi skirts, and I have a number in my closet, as you probably realize by now, because I am always styling them on the blog. When I was working, I would wear them every so often, but with being home, I don’t usually reach for a skirt. It is hard to clean and go up and down the stairs to do laundry if you are wearing a long skirt. However, I still like to show you options for styling a skirt, long or short. Today’s look revolves around two thrifted pieces.

For some reason I fell in love with this thrifted tiered maxi skirt the moment I saw it. Not only could I see the possibilities for spring and summer, but I thought it would be a wonderful piece for fall and winter. It is extremely sheer, and even though it has a lining, the lining is also sheer, so I do have to wear a slip under it. I imagined it with a dark sweater and ankle boots, so that is exactly what I did for this outfit. The floral pattern makes be think of greenery and berries for Christmas, but the gold speaks to the colors of fall, so why not wear it for Thanksgiving Day?

This thrifted olive sweater is the brand DIVIDED from H & M. It is simple, but soft and warm and I like that it is a little shorter than most of my other sweaters. Once in a while, you just need a different silhouette.

I also added this beautiful scarf with a watercolor type print. I used this scarf for my Color Play post on Seeing Red, last spring. You can see that post here. I thought the scarf went quite well with the floral pattern in the skirt as both of them have a similar color scheme. This is one way to print mix without getting too worried about whether the prints will clash. The prints are far enough from each other, but compliment each other with their similar hues.

Once again, I reached for my thrifted, leather, Fossil crossbody bag. It just goes with so many things and has held up so well. I just need to find a smaller wallet to use in it. Maybe I should add that to my Christmas list. Ha, ha.

My faithful, olive, SO ankle boots are making another appearance. I have no regrets for purchasing several pairs of these in various colors. They are on repeat in my wardrobe all fall and winter long.

The beauty of this outfit is in its simplicity and comfort. There are no zippers or buttons. The elastic waist on the skirt allows for plenty of Thanksgiving feasting comfort. The length of the skirt means you can go without hose or tights, but if you want an extra layer of warm you can add leggings or sweater tights to raise the cozy factor.

Is this an outfit you would wear on Thanksgiving Day? Have you ever created an outfit using the colors in a skirt? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. I know this week is one of the biggest shopping weeks of the year and with the pandemic situation many of us will be doing most of our shopping on line, so make sure you shop early to ensure your gifts get where they need to go on time.

Have a great week everyone!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Harvest Tee and Distressed Jeans - Dressy

Yesterday was my eldest’s birthday. She ordered us lunch, which I picked up and took to her house, then after we ate, we went shopping. I have to say, I felt almost like life was normal for a few hours. We had fun and I enjoyed my time with her. I have always tried to take my girls shopping on their birthdays since they were fairly young. I used to take both girls and we would get lunch together, but then the gift buying would be for the birthday girl, although I would usually end up buying the other girl a little something too. Life is so busy and with the Covid complications it is hard to find time for those moments.

Today’s look is the dressed up version of my distressed jeans and harvest tee. I only made a few changes to elevate the look. I switched out my cozy sweater for a long burgundy blazer. I also donned a pair of heeled boots and grabbed a snazzier bag.

This burgundy blazer is a thrifted Pendleton piece. I have, on several occasions thought to get rid of it, but it is such a classic, tailored piece that I keep hanging on to it, and this is precisely why. I love the way it looks with jeans. Obviously, it would also look good with a pencil skirt or more dressy trousers. The structured collar, more fitted waist, pocket flaps and detailed buttons really make this a class act.

I kept the same necklace, but added a couple gold bangle bracelets and a gold belt to go with the gold on the tee.

This thrifted, no name bag has such cute details. From the faux alligator print to the fun clasp and more structured shape, I knew I had to snatch it up. Just don’t tell my hubby! Ha, ha. He thinks I have too many sweaters, bags and shoes. Ha, ha. Why would he possibly think that?

These boots were also a thrift store find. They are Life Stride brand and I really like the brownish, burgundy color. It makes them unique from the typical black, brown or gray colors of many of my boots.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think the changes I made elevates the look or do you think because of the distressed jeans, it still looks ultra casual? I would love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or two.

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

Can you believe a week from today is Thanksgiving? I will confess, I have started listening to Christmas music. I just need that little bit of happy in my day to day life right now. I haven’t started decorating, but I hope to get to that soon.

I am leaving a few shopping links. Be sure to check those out. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a good evening everyone.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Harvest Tee and Distressed Jeans - Casual

This week I am taking two more very casual pieces and showing two different ways to wear them, either for a fall shopping trip with friends or for turkey day. I chose a thrifted pair of distressed boot cut jeans and a harvest tee that I recently purchased from Kohl’s online.

I had posted an outfit on my Instagram account that featured a pair of distressed skinny jeans I recently acquire from maurice’s. When distressed jeans really started making a comeback, I was resistant to go all in and get things that were really torn up. I felt that it looked to grungy, but now, several years later, I am much more accepting of these types of pieces as I feel they add an element of texture and uniqueness to an otherwise simple outfit. I still prefer the holes to be lined or at least somewhat opaque as far as skin is concerned, although I do think it looks cute when a person wears fun colored tights under their distressed jeans, so the tights show through.

These jeans are Lane Bryant brand. I have never bought anything from Lane Bryant before, thinking, they were just an underwear company for plus size women. However, what I have discovered after looking over their website, is that they sell all sorts of clothing and accessories from size 12 to 28. I love these jeans and they have easily fallen into one of my favorite jeans, spots. They have a bit of stretch, but always look good when I put them on. They also fit nicely around the waist, with no gaping. Once again, I have found a new brand, that I might consider buying, because I got to try them thrifting.

This Sonoma tee is the perfect balance between casual and dressy with its cursive print and gold leaves and edging on the letters. I don’t have a lot of fall graphic pieces, so when I saw this, I knew I wanted to add it to my collection.

My Tahari sweater was a clearance piece last year from TJ Maxx. You can see how I styled it for a series on wearing white as a transitional piece, here.

This thrifted stained glass necklace, just seemed to go well with the outfit. I love that it almost has a leaf shape to it, which gives the outfit that extra fall feel.

I wanted to stick with the burgundy colors in the letters as the inspiration for the rest of my accessories, so I grabbed my Massini saddle bag purse and my thrifted Puma sneakers to complete the look.

What do you think of this outfit? Is this something you would wear to your Thanksgiving day celebration?

I’ve included a few shopping links, so be sure to check those out. I try to offer pieces that are similar to the ones I show in my posts. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no cost. If you click on a link, I get a few pennies. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Sweatshirt and Skinny jeans - Dressy

Taking a sweatshirt and skinny jeans from casual to glam is no easy task. Accessories have a lot to do with making an outfit feel and look more dressed up. Adding a little bling, a shoe with a heel and a more fitted silhouette are just a few things to think about when taking an outfit from casual to dressed up style. For this outfit, I searched my closet for a blazer, sweater or jacket that would give the sweatshirt a more dressed up feel. The jeans themselves have bling, so can stand alone as a dressier piece.

As I mentioned in Tuesday’s post, the sweatshirt was a hand me over from my daughter and it was originally from a local retailer Eden Fashion Boutique. My skinny jeans are from Kohl’s clearance rack and are Juicy Couture.

I found this fun tweed jacket last year while thrifting. I really like this piece. The multicolored plaid print and the textured fringe around all the hems is totally my vibe. This pretty jacket is a brand called Focus 2000. The brand is no longer being manufactured but you can find it on Poshmark and thredUp. Here is the exact jacket in a 12P from Poshmark. I am wearing a regular 12.

I know not everyone likes tweed. For many years it was associated with old women. I am an older woman, but I think we just need to get over the whole, “Older women shouldn’t wear that,” or “Younger women shouldn’t wear that.” What really matters is finding your own style. I happen to like tweed and I have seen numerous “youngsters” wearing it on Pinterest. Check out this, this and this. I think tweed would look pretty with a flowy maxi skirt, a pencil skirt or even over a dress. Never say never when it comes to trying something different.

I decided to pull the little bits of green out of the jacket by wearing this layered pendant necklace. I honestly do not remember where I got this. Ha, ha. A layered necklace like this is nice, when you are not sure what jewelry to wear, but you want it to make a statement.

Since I was thinking of green I grabbed my light green tote bag from Charming Charlie. You’ve seen this before on the blog. I styled it with a maxi skirt, and a utility jacket.

The last thing I added was this new pair of Nine West western suede ankle boots. Adding a little bit of a heel and a pointier toe, elevates the look. These were a Kohl’s online purchase. I have definitely been doing more of that during this pandemic. I have been doing more of my Christmas shopping that way and have just recently placed a few orders. The thing we need to remember about online ordering is the time factor, so make sure you are ordering early. Early is also better for getting the items you are looking for.

What do you think of this look? Do you own a tweed jacket or skirt? If you do, how do you like to style them?

Here are both outfits side by side. Which one do you like better?

I’d love to hear your thoughts about which one you would be more likely to wear.

I am including a few shopping links for tweed jackets, tote bags and boots. Enjoy shopping. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Fall/Thanksgiving Outfits - Sweatshirt and Skinny Jeans - Casual

For the next few weeks I thought I would focus on outfits that could be worn for the Thanksgiving Holiday, or just as another fall outfit. Each week I will take one or two main pieces and show how to style them two different ways. This week my pieces are a pair of embellished skinny jeans, and a deep yellow sweatshirt that I grabbed from my daughter’s "to get rid of” pile.

For today’s look I wanted to go with a more casual vibe. The two pieces could be worn by themselves and be perfectly acceptable for a casual, low key Thanksgiving; just add a scarf or necklace and some sneakers or knee high boots and you are all set. I wanted to do something with a little more texture and print, so I decided to top the whole outfit with my plaid ruana that I got last year at Bass Pro Shop. It may sound a little funny, but I love their clothes. They have a little higher price point than I usually pay, but you can read the story of how my hubby surprised me with a mini shopping spree here.

It is always a journey taking my own pictures. Ha, ha. Here is the ruana from more of a back and side view.

This rich yellow sweatshirt is from a local boutique Eden Fashion Boutique. I did a blog post on their Sylvania location which you can see here. Unfortunately that shop closed up during the pandemic. The original shop is still in business in Bowling Green, OH which is about a 25 minute drive. My daughter decided she didn’t wear it enough for it to warrant taking up space in her closet. I absolutely love color. It also has snaps from about the elbow up on both sleeves, which gives it a fun look. I should have taken a picture of it without the ruana. Oh well! I’ll save that for another time.

You can see the blingy embellishment on my jeans. There are sparkles on both legs, the right is closer to the hip. These are Juicy Couture brand and I got them a year or so ago at Kohl’s on the clearance rack.

Since I wanted this to be casual, but it is also meant to be for an occasion like a Thanksgiving dinner, I added a little bit of jewelry and a bag to bring out the blue in the ruana. My long pendant necklace I use regularly. The beaded bracelet has a cute owl charm on it and the blue cross body bag was a gift a few Christmases ago from my younger daughter.

These rusty colored moto boots are a soft faux suede and have zippers on the inside of the leg. They are Steve Madden brand and I ordered them from DSW last year on clearance.

What do you think of this outfit? Would you wear this for a casual Thanksgiving day gathering? What might you have done differently? Leave me your thoughts in the comments. I always love to hear what you are thinking and how the blog is helping or hindering your fashion journey.

This last photo is very fuzzy, but I liked the way it turned out anyway. Ha, ha. I really need to play with my camera more, so I can take better pictures. I am also a perfectionist, as if you hadn’t noticed. Ha, ha.

I’m including a few shopping links. Remember, Christmas is coming, so you might like to look over these links as possible gift ideas for you or yourself. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - All the Outfits

I wanted to end this fall color series by showing you all of the colors from both the Pantone New York Palette and the Pantone London Palette. To make it a little more interesting I thought I would show outfits that have, either a same color or a similar color side by side.

I hope that you enjoyed this series. If there are any other topics in fashion that you are interested in learning more about, or in seeing me talk about or put together in an outfit, I would love for you to let me know. I don’t follow trends too closely and this fall, I totally missed the boat on that, so I do apologize. I know some of you enjoy hearing what the trends are for each season and seeing how I apply those to the “real” world. Often when we look at websites or see magazines with tall, thin models or celebrities who are seamlessly coifed we think there is no way we would want to try this or that, especially when it comes to runway trends. However, there are a lot of trends that we can participate in and enjoy like leopard print, various colors and different types of accessories.

I will keep doing this Pantone series as long as I am blogging, because I feel strongly that even though we might differ from each other in our style, color is something we all have in common. Approaching new, bold and different colors without fear is a way to expand your wardrobe and spice up your style without completely committing to a whole different way of doing things.

The Color Palettes Side by Side.

Samba

I love the color red and I think there is a red for every complexion. I think both of these outfits worked quite well and love that both of them present a more neutral palette with a bright pop of red. In the New York outfit on the left Samba is paired with Fired Brick and Sleet. In the London outfit on the right Samba is paired with Tawny Birch and Sheepskin.

Ultramarine Green

Ultramarine was on both palettes and I think it is a pretty green that can bring a peaceful, yet vibrant feel to any outfit. This color green would look great in a bag, jewelry or a scarf and to me it really seems to draw your eyes to it. Maybe it is just my love for the greens in nature that make me like this color so much. In the New York outfit on the left Ultramarine Green is paired with Classic Blue and Blue Depths. In the London palette on the right Ultramarine Green is paired with Exuberance and Sleet.

Military Olive

While I love bright and bold colors like the two I mentioned previously, I love using olive as a neutral. It goes with every color, and has a different vibe than gray or beige. It is classy, yet subtle. In the New York outfit on the left, Military Olive is paired with Peach Nougat and Sandstone. In the London outfit on the right Military Olive is paired with Strong Blue and Jet Stream.

Green Sheen/Celery

It is hard to tell in these pictures, but Green Sheen and Celery are pretty similar. I think, because the lighting is different the colors look brighter in the shaded picture. They are different colors, but not enough different that they couldn’t be exchanged from one outfit to another. In the New York outfit on the left, Green Sheen is paired with Amber Glow and Almond Oil. In the London outfit on the right, Celery is paired with Mandarin and Sheepskin.

The Other Colors

These last two are paired only because they were the last two and don’t really have anything in common. The New York outfit on the left is a combination of Rose Tan, Magenta Purple and Sleet. The London outfit on the right is a combination of Burnt Henna, True Blue and Dress Blues.

Which outfit do you like most? Which color from the two palettes is one you frequently wear? What new color(s) are going to try to add to your wardrobe. As always, I love to hear your thoughts.

I apologize to those of you who subscribe to my blog. The last three weeks, I have completely forgotten to send out my weekly emails. I’ll just attribute that to “squishy brain syndrome.” Ha, ha.

Thanks for following along on the blog. I hope to use the next couple of weeks leading up to Thanksgiving showing you more fall outfits and maybe a few ideas for what to wear to Thanksgiving dinner whether you are going some place or sheltering in place.

If you follow my Faith page be sure to check back tomorrow for the next installment in my series on the Unseen Enemy.

Have a great weekend!

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - London Palette - Burnt Henna, True Blue and Dress Blues

This is the last color combo in the Pantone - Autumn/Winter - 2020 - London Palette series. On Thursday I will have a recap post of all of the outfits from both palettes. Today’s outfit revolves around a cranberry red, a blue that is much like Classic Blue and navy.

Both of the Pantone palettes for fall were filled with blues and reds, but they also had plenty of other options, so if you are not a blue or red wearer, you still have other fabulous colors to wear. My Christopher and Banks ankle pants are not exactly Burnt Henna, but they will due. I got these and a pair of green ones when they were on clearance. They are stretchy, which allows for ease of movement. The only thing I don’t like about them is they have no belt loops. If a pair of pants fits perfectly you don’t really need a belt, but a belt always makes me feel more secure. Otherwise, I always feel like I am pulling my pants up. These are a size 12, which is usually my normal for Christopher and Banks.

True Blue is very much like Classic Blue. It is not a dark navy, like the Dress Blues, but a nice medium blue that almost everyone can wear. I wanted to wear layers, so I added a Christopher and Banks cardi and the scarf.

My Dress Blues jacket is a thrifted Ruff Hewn piece. It is a moto jacket, but instead of being strictly leather, or faux leather, it is made of a linen/cotton blend and faux leather for the leather like portions.

My plaid button down shirt is also a Christopher and Banks purchase from this year. It is a little bit textured which gives it an added dimension, even though in these pictures you can’t see it very well.

Once again, with all the layers and textures, I kept my accessories very simple. I have a navy flower pendant necklace, but unlike many pendant necklaces, mine is shorter.

You’ve see this Simply Vera Vera Wang bag on the blog before. This was a thrifted piece and provides a nice, roomy area which is especially good for traveling to pack a few extras like a notebook or reading book. I also added a few beaded bracelets with blues.

Finally, these are my newer ankle boots. Once again, these are SO brand, which are my go to faves for ankle boots from Kohl’s. They fit (size up a half size if you want to be able to wear extra thick socks in the colder temps), are easy to get on an off and seem to hold up quite well in our ever changing weather here in the mid west. These are the first pair I’ve gotten that actually have the zipper on the outside of the foot rather than the inside, which is a nice contrast.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you like these colors? Would you put these colors together, or would you find some other color to pair each of these with? I love hearing your thoughts, so be sure to leave me some love in the comments.

I am including a few shopping links. You can use these links to shop for yourself or for future Christmas presents for others. There is no extra cost to you to shop through my links. In fact, what it does is generates a tiny bit of income for me. Every click you do, gives me a few pennies. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.