Color Crash Course - Wearing White with White

I would have never thought to put white with white for an outfit. All I can think of is the Man from Glad of my childhood days. He was impeccably dressed in white pants, white shirt, white trench coat and white shoes. The point was, that with Glad cling wrap for your food, things wouldn't smell up the fridge or leak over. Strange, the things they used to do to sell products....even stranger the things they do now....but that is for another post. Ha, ha. Anyway, I never thought I would try white with white. I was just getting used to the idea of white pants in winter and was feeling pretty comfortable with that, but then some of my blogger friends had to go and do the white with white look. You know what? I loved it!

Jodie from Jodie's Touch of Style was the first one to inspire me to try this look. She seriously pulled it off and not one of her beautiful models made me think of the Man from Glad! Ha, ha. If you click on the link under the picture you can see the full post. 

Jacqui at Mummabstylish was my other source of inspiration. She nails the white with white look and I love the classy, casual vibe of her outfit. You can click on the link under her picture and see her full post as well. I figured if these lovely gals could pull off the white with white look, maybe I could too. 

There are several keys to pulling off this monochromatic look:

1. The whites don't have to match. They can, but they don't have to. You can pair snow white with ivory and ivory with pearl and so on. Differing whites make it easier to go with an all white outfit.

2. If you are going for a more matched white outfit, then change up your textures. Pair white corduroys with a white silk blouse and throw on a white handmade scarf. 

3. If you are still unsure about going totally white, add a little bit of color. Both in Jodie's post and in Jacqui's you can see a touch of color in the accessories. A pop of color in your shoes, jewelry, bag or a scarf can be just the right touch to soften the outfit.

These same tips would work for styling a white outfit in the summer. 

This is my take on white with white! For this outfit I wore my white boot cut jeans, a white button up top and a white cardigan. Because my outfit didn't have as much texture and the whites matched, I decided to add a scarf for a bit of color. I went for taupe or tan colored accessories. 

Here you can see I left the blouse untucked under the sweater, just to give the outfit more texture by breaking up the line of white. It also makes the outfit a bit more casual. 

The scarf I picked has blues, green and a little of that taupe color. I also added a few bracelets in the same color scheme. You can also see the little silver dots on my sweater, which also add a bit of texture and bling. 

A close up of my suede ankle boots. 

What do you think? Would you wear white with white? I would throw in a word of caution here. Do not wear this if you are planning to eat anything with red sauce! Ha, ha, ha. Especially, if you are as clumsy as I am. 

I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below. Also, if you get a chance check out my Instagram page and my Pinterest page. I'm trying to grow all these different aspects of the blog and social media. Be sure to check out Jodie and Jacqui's blogs as well! They'd appreciate the love. 

This post does contain affiliate links which means if you click on a shopping link, I get a few cents. All opinions in the blog are my own.

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

Romance is in the Air - Week 3

As you all know, Valentine's Day is over, but in keeping with the idea that romance is a year round affair, here is another outfit for a date night with your significant other. The last two weeks I showed you two outfits that were a bit more dressy. This week and next week the outfits will be more casual. You can see Week 1 and Week 2 by clicking on the links. 

This J.Jill knee length velvet jacket was a thrift store find. It is a beautifully tailored piece with a full floral lining, which I forgot to take pictures of! The jacket has roomy pockets on both sides and buttons for closure. As soon as I put this on at the thrift shop, I knew I wanted it and for only six dollars who's complaining. 

I decided to pair this jacket with a floral long sleeve blouse with hints of pink and berry. I tucked the blouse into a pair of bootcut jeans and wore a navy belt. For my jewelry I decided on pink an  gold to highlight the pink in the blouse. 

Accessories included a Vera Wang bag that I thrifted and my berry heeled booties. 

This would be a great outfit for a date to a quaint little outdoor shopping area. We have a small town about a forty minute drive from where we live that was built along a picturesque river. It is a nice place to go for lunch and a walk through antique and craft shops, as well as down by the water.

While this outfit isn't as flirty and feminine as the first two, this is one that makes me feel warm, comfy and confident while still looking stylish. What would you wear on a more casual outdoor date? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. I love to hear from you. 

Also, do me a favor, if you like my blog, but have never subscribed please do so now. I promise not to clutter up your in box and usually only send you an email once a week with links connected to each of my posts. The content will still be relevant to the week, but you won't have a whole bunch of separate email in your inbox. 

Thanks for all your support. Check back on Thursday for this week's Color Crash Course.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a shopping option below I receive a few cents. If you actually purchase something through my site I get a little bit more. However, all opinions are my own. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, and Shelbee in the Spread the Kindness Link Up. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah in the Wearable Wednesday link up. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Ada Elegance and Mommyhood.  Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and JoLynn Shane in the Fashion Friday link up.

Chasing Away the Winter Blues - Week 1

January can be a difficult month for many people. The days following the busyness of the holidays can be cold, dark and conducive to illness, depression and fear. How do I know this? Because I am a sufferer of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Probably more of us suffer from it than even realize. With the lack of sunshine during the shorter days of winter, especially in the north we can become reclusive, emotional and even fearful. I have already experienced that descent into darkness this year and I still find myself asking, "Why am I feeling this way?" However, now that I am aware of the issue, and have been for several years now, I can reassure myself, "This too, shall pass!"

There are numerous things that I, or you can do if you suffer with mild SAD syndrome. If your case is really severe you may need to see your practitioner who might prescribe light therapy or mild anti-depressants. I need to get my light out and put it to use! I find there are other things that help me through these gray days. Exercise is very important, if you can get out of bed! Eating well is also a plus, if you can pull yourself away from the carbs that your body craves during this syndrome. Another thing that I try to do is up the color factor in the outfits I pick our for each day. Thus, the outfit for today's post!

Once again I am taking my own pictures, so the quality is not great. Thank you for bearing with me as I continue to learn about taking my own photos. One of the issues I noticed is that when I try to focus my camera, I am not standing there to be the focal point for the lens. A good friend suggested I get a card board cut out of someone like Johnny Depp and have it be my stand in. Ha, ha. 

As you can see I opted for light pink. The bright color, not only reflects light up into my face, but makes me feel like spring might not be too far away. Seeing as it is winter, I layered a lighter pink long sleeve tee underneath and added an orange marled sweater vest over top. 

I added a multicolored scarf to add interest and texture to the outfit. The scarf with its orange and pink floral pattern drew together the pink of the blouse and the orange of the sweater.

I also had this silver and bead necklace that coordinated with the yellow green in the scarf.

I decided on a pair of dark brown jeans. I like the way these colors compliment each other. The dark brown still keeps me connected to the winter season, but the bright colors on top lighten up my whole visage. 

Because my pants are a little bit short I opted for dark brown ankle boots to elongate the leg and keep the eye from noticing the shortness of the pants. 

The thing I like about this pair of shoes is the elastic inserts on the back of the ankle. It makes getting into the shoes easy and it also avoids that cutting feeling that some stiff leather or non leather ankle boots can give.

To keep the colors bright I decided on my Lush Meadow colored bag. You can see it has a few defects like a missing rivet and a little wear on the bottom. But overall it is a lovely bag and makes a statement all on its own.

Next week I will share another idea for chasing away the winter blues. I hope you enjoyed today's post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Check back on Thursday for this month's perfect piece.

Have a great day.

Due to time constraints I am not including any shopping options in this post. If you ever have any questions as to where you can find a particular item, please leave me a comment in the comments section below and I will do my best to find something similar and let you know where to find it. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up.

Beautiful Blogger Bests - Leopard Print with Maroon/Burgundy

This month the Beautiful Blogger I am sharing is Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. Jennie is an amazing fashion blogger. I love her sense of style and the fact that she is not afraid to try different looks. Jennie does everything from casual to dressy, boho to edgy. Check out Jennie's About page to learn more about this actual woman, wife, mother to four sons and full time administrative assistant (how does she do it all?). 

If you click on this link Shhh! It's Secret Celebrity, it will take you to the post outfit that I derived my inspiration from. While Jennie was specifically showing off the shoes that were gifted to her from Camtrade Footwear, I just loved the outfit she put together. The mixing of the leopard print sweater with the maroon lace top, the black jeans and the maroon shoes simply called out to me to give it a try. 

Let me preface this by saying, I never knew there were so many variations on the colors we refer to as maroon or burgundy. If you look at Jennie's top in her post, I would say it is more of a maroon, as maroon has more of a purple undertone. In my post I think my top is more red, so I would probably say it is more of a burgundy. Ha, ha. Once again, you can call it whatever you want. 

Here is my outfit. My leopard print cardigan is a button up with 3/4 length sleeves. With the single digit temps we are having here in the Midwest, I will generally wear long sleeves with layers underneath. I might save this sweater for when it warms up again, or wear a long sleeve top underneath and let the longer sleeves show. This is an older pair of black ankle jeans.

Would you say I am doing some print mixing? The pattern on the lace top and the print on the sweater are definitely mixing it up! Print mixing doesn't always have to be pairing different colored prints together. It can also be pairing different textures and patterns together. Why does this work? I think it is due to the fact that the top is one solid color. Try imagining it with a leopard print blouse under a lacy solid color jacket. It still works. I think the black trim on the top also helps pull the two pieces together with the black trim on the cardi. 

In Jennie's post she wears a gold necklace. Gold looks great with both the leopard print and the maroon/burgundy top. 

Here are those shoes again! They just seem to keep popping up in my posts! Ha, ha. I never knew when I tried them on at the thrift store that they were going to be so versatile.

I love the inspiration I receive from following other bloggers. Not only do they inspire me to try new things, but they inspire me to share ideas with you. I hope you will check out Jennie's blog and give her some love! 

Thanks for following along today. I hope you have a great weekend! 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Shop the Look:

Leopard print cardigan - Target - $13.79

Maroon/burgundy lace top - JC Penney - $14.99

Black ankle pants - Macy's - $23.99

Shoes - DSW - $44.99 or DSW - $49.95

Winter Wonderland - Week 2

This series for the month of December focuses on taking a more casual day time outfit and making it more party ready. Last week my efforts focused on a pair of jeans and a graphic sweatshirt. This week I take the casual day time look up a notch picking pieces I would be more likely to wear to work.

Here I am featuring a piece in the line of the berry or wine color again. Last week it was my shoes and two different jackets. You can see that post here. I love this color paired with gray. I topped the dress pants with a thin long sleeved cowl neck sweater. Over that I layered a holiday sweater that I got last year at Christopher and Banks. 

What drew me to this zip up cardigan was the design on the front. It looks like a winter city scape with pine trees and sparkles which represent the stars in the night sky. It doesn't have to be for Christmas and that is part of why I liked it. I can wear it all winter long.

I carried my berry colored fringe bag and wore a simple silver fringe necklace.  You can also see I kept the look more casual by leaving the cowl sweater untucked.

Here is a close up of the necklace and you can see a little of the detail on the sweater.

For shoes,  I chose my shiny Oxfords. I have worn these shoes to work on several occasions as they look nice, and are quite comfortable. 

To take this look from day to night I made only a few simple changes. First I changed shoes from the Oxford to the higher heeled black ankle boot. 

Sorry that my boots were looking a little less than spiffy! 

I removed the sweater and donned a brocade vest. When I looked at the pictures after my daughter had downloaded them for me, I realized how similar the color scheme was between the vest and sweater. When I first looked at the pictures I couldn't even tell that I had made a change. So maybe next time a different color vest would be better. I don't know, what do you think?

To add to the dressed up look, I accessorized with gold. The gold fringe necklace took the silver one's place and the gold woven bag added some shine to the outfit. In addition I added a front tuck and wore a thin belt with some gold detail. 

When I put these pieces together, I really liked the combination of colors. The gold adds rich detailing when combined with the wine colored pants and gray sweater. 

Once again, here are the outfits side by side. As you can see, just changing a few details can change the attitude of an outfit. The first outfit says, professional, but warm and comfy. The second outfit says festive and rich with textures and colors. 

I hope you enjoyed today's post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Have a great day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull

Shopping the look:

Pants - Kohl's - $36.99 (skinny ponte pants)

Gray Cardigan - J.Jill - $49.99

Gray Cowl Neck Long Sleeve Tee - Kohl's - $17.99

Brocade vest - Etsy - $25.00

Black oxfords - DSW - $49.94

Black ankle boots - DSW - $59.95

Gold clutch - Charming Charlie - $22.00

Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Tania of 50 is not Old, Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Tif of Bright on a Budget,  and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. Saturday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb

 

Awesome Accessories - Boots

Do you ever have one of those days? Or weeks? Or months? Or years? Ha, ha. Where you just feel like, "i'm tired!" Or maybe even like giving up? You feel like you really aren't making a difference and all the work is not worth it! That is how I am feeling this week. Between my daughter's plumbing problems (which turned into two nights of water streaming into her closet), extra running back and forth, working extra hours and various other annoyances that I won't go into, like the fact that I typed this whole post once already and then it all disappeared! Don't you love technology? Ha, ha.

Oh well. Enough of my rant. Just being real here folks. Now onto my blog post.

Let's talk boots! Whether we are talking work boots, rain boots or fashion boots, boots have long had a place in our wardrobes. From farmers to construction workers, to officers in the military to fashionista's and fashion bloggers we all need or want to wear boots at some time or other. Winter is  prime boot season and today I just wanted to share a few of my favorite styles with you.  

These berry colored suede booties are one of my new favorites. Another thrift store find, I love the color, the texture, the height of the heel and added platform under the ball of the foot. They are very easy to walk in and versatile enough to wear with jeans, skirts, dresses, dress pants and leggings. 

This style and the ones following are what we would refer to as ankle boots. They fall just above the ankle and again are versatile enough to wear with many different clothing pieces. Ankle boots come in a variety of fabrics, patterns, and heel heights. They also zip, lace up or just pull on. They are a great staple for any wardrobe, especially for seasonal transition times like fall to winter.

I really like the wedge on this gray suede pair. It is just talk enough to say I have a heel, but super comfortable. I wear these to work and even out for a day of shopping.

This brown pair of boots is what I would call a mid-calf height. I like this height as I can still tuck my pants into them, but then I can also wear leg warmers which can add warmth, color and texture to the outfit. These are super comfy and I love the motorcycle vibe they give off.

The knee-high black boot is one I find myself wearing again and again. I actually have two pairs right now. These which are a typical riding boot and then I have a pair that have a low heel, for a little dressier look. Again, these are very comfy and can be worn in many different ways. 

The only other boot, I have yet to attain is an over-the-knee boot. Maybe for Christmas! If I do get a pair you will be sure to see them in January! 

I hope you enjoyed this post on boots. What height boot is your fave? Be sure to leave me some love in the comments section below or on Facebook. I appreciate your input and support.

Photo credits Rebecca Trumbull.

Shopping for Boots:

Dress Bootie - Payless - $22.00 (also this - $25.00)

Wedge heel - Tom's - $69.90

Ankle boot - Steve Madden - $75.00

Mid-calf boot - Rogan's Shoes - $56.24

Riding boots - DSW - $69.95