More Ideas for Valentine's Day

I thought I would put together a collection of looks from the last two years that would work for a Valentine's Day date either with your significant other or with your friends. 

I love the multiple textures involved in this outfit from the patent leather heels and the embellishments on the leggings, to the pleated skirt and fringe on the woven belt. The floral velvet top is a perfect piece for a romantic candle light dinner. See the original post here. 

I love the richness of the burgundy of this dress and it's perfect for those of you who don't like a bold crisp red or a light whimsical pink for your Valentine's Day color of choice. Since the dress has short flutter sleeves I topped it with a lacy romantic hoodie. See the original post here. 

This was one of my earlier posts. My daughter who takes my pics is probably cringing right now. I think it is neat to see how far we have come, both her and I! Anything leopard can be dressed up to look romantic. There is something special about this animal print and I think pairing it with this light pink top was a great way to showcase the skirt and add an additional feminine touch. See the original post here. 

For a more casual look choose black for your base pieces, but add a pop of berry, or red to really make the outfit Valentine's Day perfect. I like this melding of colorful feminine with edgy biker chic. See this original post here. 

This outfit uses the same pink top seen in the picture worn with the leopard print skirt. My favorite piece in this outfit is the velvet blazer. It is such a cozy, lux piece and the color is perfect for a Valentine's night out. The tote bag adds another dimension of fun and whimsy to the entire look. Original post here. 

This extra casual look would be great for a quick bite to eat and then a comfortable night at home watching a movie. Just kick off the heels and put on the fuzzy socks. Or skip the socks so your hubby can massage your feet while you cuddle on the couch. See the original post here. 

How do you pick out an outfit for a special occasion like Valentine's Day? Do you stick to the traditional colors of the holiday or do you reach for your usual go to look? This year, if you are doing something special, try picking out an outfit that wouldn't be your norm. Layer a dress  over jeans, add a moto jacket over a more dressy outfit, add a bright red hand bag or a pop of pink to a more monochrome look. There are all sorts of ways to up your styling game using what you already have. 

Have a great Valentine's Day everyone, whether you are with your hubby, significant other, kids or girlfriends. Make it an occasion to get dressed up for. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. 

Layering Love - Wearing a Vest over a Cardigan - Another Look

After last week's post on layering a longer vest over a longer cardigan, I got curious to see how a shorter vest would look over a shorter cardigan. Finding different ways to use the pieces we already own, not only gives us more choices, but it helps our brain to stay active and learning. In the same way we benefit from learning a musical instrument, solving puzzles or taking on a new activity, figuring out how to put outfits together, helps keep our brains healthy. Check out this older post from Jodie of Jodie's Touch of Style, about how restyling our clothing can help our brains. 

I decided to give you two outfits for today's post. The Rock and Republic jeans are the same for both outfits.  I just bought these for my birthday in January. Kohl's was having a buy one get one 50% off, which doesn't happen too often, so I took advantage of it. 

Look 1: Monochrome

Just like last week's post, I decided to do a matching sweater and matching vest. For this look, I chose black. I chose this shorter A.M.I. cardigan with the big buttons and bell type, 3/4 length sleeves as something different from the usual standard cardigan. Since this was thrifted I had a hard time tracking down the original brand. There is an AMI out of Paris featuring Alexandre Mattuissi designs which are mainly for men, although he is launching a menswear for women this year. There is also an AMI Clubwear, which features more sexy and cute styles for going out, dancing and parties. If you click over there, just be prepared for a bit of skin. All that being said, I am not sure where this sweater originally came from. Ahh, the beauty of thrifting. Ha, ha. 

I used my Selene Sport (older brand-thrifted) quilted faux leather vest and added my Ralph Lauren leather ankle boots and my sparkly clutch to go with the bling on my necklace and pants. 

Look 2: Not Matching

For this outfit, I switched out the black cardi for a leopard print version by Karen Scott. Karen Scott brand is sold at Macy's. Once again it has 3/4 length sleeves, but a more traditional cardigan shape. The vest is Christopher and Banks that I got a few years ago. I thought the burgundy denim was a perfect compliment to the print of the sweater. 

I swapped out my black ankle boots for my knee high Unisa shearling ones. I thought these pulled out the brown in the cardi quite well. You can see how I styled these boots in another post from fall, here. I grabbed a simple burgundy clutch and threw on a few silver pieces of jewelry to go with the silver buttons on the vest. 

Here are the two outfits side by side.

I think this is a fun way to get more wear out of both your vests and your cardigans. It is also a perfect way to add an extra layer of warmth around your core. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Leave me some love in the comments section. I love to hear your thoughts. If you ever have a suggestion for something you'd like to see me feature on the blog, please let me know. 

Have a great weekend!

Here are a few shopping links. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge and Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane. 

Layering Love - Wearing a Vest over a Cardigan

When it comes to layering there are so many possibilities. I have learned so much from other bloggers about adding layers and how to make my outfits more fun and interesting. I noticed a few bloggers a number of months ago layering with longer layers and I thought I'd give it a go. 

Today's outfit involves layering a long vest over a long cardigan. 

The color of these two pieces are a perfect match, so it is barely noticeable that they actually are two separate pieces. The duster cardigan is Chaps brand from Kohl's and the vest, also Kohl's. is Wall Flower brand from the Junior's department. Both pieces were clearance. I don't usually shop in the Junior's department for obvious reasons, most of their stuff doesn't fit me, but once in a while it pays to look. 

The knee length cardigan is light weight and will be a good transitional piece going into spring. It has pockets on each side in the front. 

For a fun casual look I paired the sweater and vest combo with a graphic tee. This particular one is Wonder Woman. I like the words. These are words I want to epitomize. 

Because it is cold, I thought my OTK boots would be appropriate. I also chose my burgundy cross body bag and bracelets to got with the red "W" below the words on the tee. 

I think this vest and sweater combo would look cute over a dress or a top and skirt. This would work well even if the sweater and vest were different colors. It adds a layer of interest and warmth to an outfit, which is a plus in this chilly weather. 

What about you? Have you ever tried to wear a vest over a cardigan? What do you think of this loo?. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave me a few words in the comments section.

Here are a few shopping links. If you click on a link I get a few cents. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I might get a small commission. I don't get paid to blog, so any help you can give in that regard is much appreciated. All opinions are my own.

Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. 

Working Under Cover: An Introduction

Welcome to my first series of 2018! Due to the aging process changes occur in our bodies, resulting in weight gain and redistribution, loss of muscle and skin elasticity and other physical changes such as varicose veins, foot problems and arthritis. The ability to deal with these issues starts in our heads. Frankly, we just need to accept the fact that we are getting older. We are no longer 25 and we never will be again. 

While we need to take care of our bodies by eating well and getting exercise, the changes that come after menopause are not easily gotten rid of. Instead of obsessing over our bulges by trying to do millions of sit ups, or worrying over the veins that show on our legs or hands, there are other things we can do to cover our flaws and still look and feel beautiful. 

As you can see by the title of this series, my intent is to share with you different ways of dressing that will cover the changes that age has brought about, so that we can still look fashionable and well styled. This week, I'd like to look at a few things we need to think about first before we start our under cover operation.

1. Accept what you can't change.

This slightly fat kitty seems to pay no heed to the fact that he/she is overweight. We have a myriad of articles and news stories available on positive body image, body shaming and self esteem. I think it is important that we create a culture of acceptance, while at the same time encouraging one another to be the best we can be. Health and self confidence are the key issues we ought to be pushing, not skinny or fat, tall or short, black, white or rainbow colored. I believe we are all created equal, by a Creator, so there is no room for bullying, body shaming, racism or comparisons based on external factors or even internal preferences such as religion or political affiliations. 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed;”

— Declaration of Independence

I recommend taking an inventory of the things you don't like about your body. For the sake of this series, I am only going to discuss physical body issues, not emotional or mental characteristics. Stand in front of a full length mirror and look at yourself, preferably with no clothes, or with just your underwear. Look at yourself from head to toe. Take a piece of paper and make four columns. 

Column 1 - Things I don't like, that I can't change

Column 2 - Things I don't like, that I can change

Column 3 - Things I like

Column 4 - Other

Column 1 would be things like a big bottom, or no bottom at all, long arms, knobby knees, small feet and so on. You may not like these things, but you cannot change them.

Column 2 would be things like pale skin, extra weight, varicose veins, breast size, or other issues that could be altered whether by using make up, exercising and eating better, or having some sort of surgery or procedure. 

Column 3 should be the things you like about your body. My husband has always told me I have pretty collar bones. Some women like their strong shapely arms or legs. Maybe you have very pretty decolletage (a fancy word for cleavage), or you have smooth, beautiful skin. Write down all the things you like and don't say you don't like anything about your body. God made you beautiful, you just need to agree. 

I added column 4 because for some of us there are things that could be changed, but perhaps at this point in time resources do not allow that particular procedure or maybe you are just not sure about having major surgery to help with weight loss or breast reduction or implants. I have bad varicose veins, but currently they do not bother me. Without a diagnosis of pain or necessity, it is doubtful that our insurance will cover a procedure to have them dealt with. However, I will put them on my sheet as something I would like to change in the future. Maybe you just had a baby and have 30 pounds of extra weight you'd like to get rid of, but right now, you are just trying to get to know your little one. Put that in this column as something you want to address at a future date. 

Acceptance of what we cannot change or have no control over, is the first step to healthier, more confident way of viewing yourself and the world around you. 

2. Accentuate the positive.

Look back at the list I had you write. More specifically look at the things about yourself you like. These are the things that you need to pay attention to when you are buying clothes, and getting dressed. 

If you are a woman who has shapely, blemish free legs you can wear skirts and dresses, as well as cropped pants and shorts. Show off those beautiful gams. Maybe you have strong, well defined arms. Don't be afraid to expose them with sleeveless tops or even tighter fitting sleeves in the cooler weather. Perhaps what you love most about yourself is the color of your eyes. Look for make up as well as tops, scarves and accessories that will make those beauties pop. 

In our information friendly world you can find all sorts of articles on line about how to dress for your body type, complexion and hair color just by typing in a few words. Check out a few of these:

How to Dress for Your Body Shape

10 Ways to Look 5 Years Younger 

40 Eye Makeup Looks for Brown Eyes

You can find all sorts of tutorials, articles and advice on how to accentuate your positives. 

3. What you can't change, camo!

I'm not saying that we need to cover up anything and everything that we are not happy with when it comes to our bodies. If that were the case some of us would be wearing a bag. What I hope to do over the next few weeks, is show you ways to dress that will cover up a few of those problem areas and make you feel more confident and put together. 

Camouflage is nature's way of hiding. God gave critters an amazing ability to hide in plain sight and that is exactly what we want to do. We want to hide the things we view as flaws but still feel comfortable to go out and live life. 

Pixabay

I hope you'll join me next Tuesday as we start looking at those problem areas and how we can put them under cover. 

Until then, have a great week. 

Be sure to check back Thursday for more Layering Love. 

Layering Love - Styling a Summer Skirt

One issue with living where the seasons change is the need to change our wardrobes from cooler weather to warmer and back again. Due to my clothes horse tendencies and the small amount of closet space in our home, I have to actually put my change of season clothing in bins when not in use. Since I became a blogger, I have been trying to use more of my wardrobe all year round. 

This particular Jones Wear skirt I have styled on the blog earlier this fall when I was doing the Pantone Fall 2017 series. You can see that post here. It was intended for summer use with a light weight whimsical print layered over a full length sateen lining, thus no need for a slip. However, I thought the colors in this skirt would transfer easily to fall, which I think I showed in the Pantone post. 

I started thinking that if I could use it for fall, why not try a winter outfit as well. What you see below is what I came up with. 

 I first came up with this idea before the holidays, so it does have a little bit of Christmas vibe to it, but you could easily swap out the maroon scarf for something drawing on other colors in the skirt. The skirt has a purply blue, golden yellow.and various shades of green. It would also look pretty with a cream or ivory scarf as well. 

The sweater is thrifted and Old Navy brand. A simple cardigan, I really like the bright, Kelly green color. The biggest problem I have found with these types of sweaters is pilling. Do any of you have special ways you deal with pills?  I have tried razors, sweater shavers and just plain old, pulling off the pills with my fingers. Let me know what you do. I'd love to know. 

The scarf is a oblong rectangle, made of light weight material and trimmed with gold threads and fringe. I also chose bracelets with the same burgundy/maroon colors to go with the scarf and red colors in the skirt.

I chose my brown corduroy hobo bag and brown corduroy quilted ballet flats, although this outfit would also work with my mid calf brown suede boots. 

Of course, because these Thursday posts are all about layering, I have a cami under the sweater. Another way to wear the sweater would be to skip the scarf, add a tee or long sleeve top under the sweater drawing on one of the other colors in the skirt and add layers of necklaces. 

I hope you all are doing well, and that if you made any New Year's resolutions you are sticking to them. Ha, ha. It is always an uphill battle isn't it? Don't give up.

Have a great weekend. 

Layering Love - Christmas Outfit Two Ways

Since Christmas is just a few days away I thought I would show an outfit with a Christmas sweater. The Ugly Christmas Sweater movement has given way to a whole Christmas trend. You can find Christmas sweaters that  are bright, colorful, stylish and absolutely gaudy. Ha, ha. This one I am wearing I got at Christopher and Banks a few years ago. 

I like the simplicity of it, yet with its bright red color, reindeer and snowflakes, it still says Christmas. I added a pair of creamy white corduroys to keep the outfit warm and cozy. 

I decided on silver or gray accessories. My small hobo bag is just right for a wallet, keys and a few things like lip gloss and tissues. I also decided to go simple with my pendant necklace and silver bracelet.

I thought my gray high top Converse would also be the perfect shoe to wear with this outfit. 

For a more dressed up look I added a gray vest with bling, Swapped out the jewelry for items with a bit more shine and changed the bag to a patent leather red clutch. I also exchanged the Converse for my gray heels. 

Here are the looks side by side.

One outfit, two ways, just by making a few small changes. It's that easy. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. We will be doing some traveling, so I will be out of my regular posting schedule, but I will try to post a few things about our trip. 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by the blog. 

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Holiday Outfit - Dressy - Skirt

Christmas is less than a week away. Every year I have a hard time wrapping my head around how fast the holiday season comes upon us and then passes us by. I have a busy week, but I am trying to keep my blog posts three days a week, even through this holiday time. 

Once again I am looking at a dressy holiday outfit. Today I am showing you how you could take a plain skirt and dress it up for a more formal look. Again, I chose a monochrome palette. You certainly don't have to choose monochrome for a formal look, but it really is an easy way to make an outfit look classy. I chose gray for this look. I know gray is not a color many people would choose, but gray can add a touch of elegance without going as stark as black. The beauty of gray is that it comes in different shades from  neutral, to light to a dark charcoal. 

I love this pretty red bush that was behind my daughter's apartment complex. It was the perfect backdrop for this holiday outfit. 

I found this gray pleated skirt at Kohl's on the clearance rack. It is Apt.9 brand. I saw this skirt last spring when the new season started and I just loved it, but I didn't want to pay the full price. Being a thrifter, I have the attitude that the price is more important than being what I'll term, trend timely. All that means is I am willing to wait on a piece that is more trendy to pay less. That's just me. Before I became a fashion blogger I never paid any attention to the trends, so I figure I am doing better, in that I follow trends, even if I do it later than when they first appear. Here is a pretty metallic one from Macy's.

Once I decided on the skirt I tried a few different tops with it, but settled on this gray Loft short sleeved sweater with pleated, ruffled collar

I added the Worthington drape for warmth and to add softness. Even though i only used gray for this outfit, changing the shades of gray (no pun intended) makes it more interesting 

The jewelry I am wearing I've had for some time and thought it went well with this gray palette. 

My little gray clutch is a brand called Urban Expressions. Here is a pretty red one from DSW. 

These gray pumps are Comfort Plus by Predictions. They are cushy and the heels aren't too high. Here is a different brand, but similar look from DSW. 

What would you wear to a formal holiday event? I'd love to have your input. 

I hope your week is off to a good start and that you are ready for the holidays. Remember to take some time for yourself. You are the only you there is and you are beautiful!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Layering Love - Add a Vest

Continuing my series on layering, I wanted to look at several different ways of adding layers without adding bulk. A vest is a perfect choice for adding warmth around your core, but still allowing you to show off those fancy sleeves. 

Fancy sleeves are all the rage right now. Bell sleeves, laced sleeves and sleeves with layers of ruffles can be found in many of our frequented retailers. By wearing a vest, you give yourself an extra layer of warmth, and let your pretty sleeves show off. 

Since velvet is very trendy right now, I wanted to show off this top that I have worn on the blog before. You can see that post here. This pretty bell sleeve top is Notations brand, which is sold at various retailers including Target. Mine was thrifted. 

This picture shows the sleeve up close. Isn't the pattern pretty? I love the black background with the pink flowers. It is a true winter floral. This pic also shows my green clutch. I decided on green for the clutch and jewelry to pull in the little bit of green in the leaves on the top.

The faux leather skirt is Worthington brand which is sold at JC Penney. Mine was thrifted. I never really had an interest in getting a leather or faux leather skirt until I saw Jodie from Jodie's Touch of Style do a post showing off hers. I'm glad I made this purchase. You can see a couple of Jodie's posts on styling leather skirts here and here. 

Instead of tights I wore heavier leggings. Once again, another way to keep warm. 

The long black vest I got at TJ Maxx and it is brand called harve bernard. Kohl's sells this brand also. As you can see the vest is knee length and has a slight open weave. This will be a good add on piece for fall, winter and spring.

I didn't even realize until I looked at the inside of this boot for the brand that these were Ralph Lauren. No wonder I like them! They are leather, look nice and are comfortable. Win!

Do you like to wear a vest for added warmth in the winter? How would you style your vest? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments. section. I always appreciate your feed back and support. 

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Holiday Outfit - Dressy Casual - Jeans

There are times during the holidays that an event calls for a look that is more than casual but not overly dressy. This is what I call dressy casual. This is often the perfect choice for a holiday office party, a dinner and shopping date with your significant other, or a party in someone's home.

Here are some tips for putting together a dressy casual outfit for the holidays using pieces already in your closet. 

1. Pick a pair of nice dark wash jeans.

For this look I chose my Rock & Republic boot cut jeans. What makes these jeans a more dressy choice has to do with the cut and wash of the fabric. A boot cut jean is figure flattering on just about anyone, as is a dark wash. A dark wash also looks more polished than a lighter wash. I also feel a jean without tears or holes is more dressy than a distressed look. As you can see these are more fitted as well. A baggier jean gives a look a more casual vibe. Another option for this outfit would be a denim trouser. Here is a version of what I am thinking. Here is a pair from Target. 

2. Select a blouse appropriate for the holidays.

My shiny cream colored blouse is Jaclyn Smith brand and I found it at a thrift store. A blouse like this can be worn out or tucked in. I chose to wear mine out to keep my look casual, but flirty. 

What exactly makes a blouse holiday worthy? I think the blouse needs to fit you well and serve as a back drop for fun jewelry or scarves. If you want to go with a holiday color like red, green or gold that's fine, but I would keep it a single color. If you don't have a blouse like this, a crisp white cotton blend would work as well. A longer tunic type blouse would also work. A button up or a blouse made from a shiny polyester blend gives a more dressy look. 

3. Choose a few awesome accessories. 

I decided to use burgundy for my accessory color and I chose to stay with that color for my necklace, bag and shoes. I feel that in this case, less is more. This would also work with a few layers of gold chains, a sparkly clutch and heels. I have styled this burgundy necklace from Charming Charlie before on the blog. You can see those posts here, here and here. 

This is a unique piece of wood and metal and makes the perfect statement against the creamy background of the top. You can see I also added my burgundy bracelet with the magnetic closure. 

This burgundy clutch was a recent thrift store find and I find myself reaching for it again and again. I think burgundy and maroon are a great color to add to many outfits for fall and winter. Especially in the form of accessories. 

4. Grab your heels.

There is just something about a great pair of heels that takes any outfit up a notch. High heels tend to make us walk with better posture and stand up straighter. I don't wear heels very often, but when I do, I feel like I am dressed up. Heels are no brainers with skirts, dresses and dress pants, but they look fabulous with jeans and just look how much classier this outfit looks with them. 

These berry colored shooties are Bandolino brand. Here is something with a lower block heel by Franco Sarto. Here is another pair with higher heels from Macy's.

This is an easy outfit to put together as it only has two pieces plus accessories. Once in a while a minimalist approach is the best approach, especially when the holidays can be hectic and fast paced. 

I hope you are enjoying this series on dressing for the holidays. Thanks for stopping by the blog. Be sure to check back on Thursday for an easy way to layer for a day at the mall. 

This post contains affiliate links. Some links provide shopping opportunities. If you click on a link I get a few cents. If you make a purchase through my blog, I get a little commission. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Holiday Outfit - Casual - Skirt

In this series on holiday outfits I wanted to give you options that you can use for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Although, by the time this series is done, Thanksgiving will be over. I can't believe it is on Thursday. I just took out my turkey this morning to start thawing. How many of you are cooking on Thursday? I really don't mind the work. When I have a special occasion I like to cook. When life is busy my spouse and I will eat out a couple times a week, so when I get the chance to cook, I do enjoy it. The clean up, not so much! Ha, ha

For this week's post I took a leopard print skirt and designed a casual and comfortable outfit that still looks chic and festive. 

Like I did last week, I'll organize this in a way that will help you build a holiday outfit from pieces that you already own. 

1. Pick a casual skirt that you like to wear. I doesn't have to have a print, but prints are fun. In keeping with the time of year, maybe choose a piece that has darker colors or more fall-like tones. Length is up to you. Mini's, maxi's or something in between all work as the foundation for a festive holiday outfit. 

The thing that makes this Jones, NY leopard print, pencil skirt more casual is its texture. It is made of narrow wale corduroy. Corduroy is very close to a ridged velvet. The fabric has the same soft feel, so it is comfortable and movable. Another thing that makes this skirt more casual is the belt loops and front zipper. I have another leopard print skirt that I styled on the blog here, but I feel it is more dressy. It is a smooth chino type fabric with a structured waist that buttons on the side. i'll admit they look pretty similar and I will probably get rid of one of them at some point, but for now, I am guilty of owning two leopard print skirts. Ha, ha. 

Another great casual skirt that you could easily dress up for the holidays is a denim one. Denim is the perfect back drop for all sorts of pretty combinations that stay casual, but still say holidays.

2. Pick a festive companion piece. For my outfit I chose two companion pieces, an open weave pullover sweater with gold threads, and a denim vest with silver bling on the yoke. This sweater is Covington and the vest is Christopher & Banks. 

The bling gives the outfit a holiday feel without being a top that has the actual holiday on it. If you don't have a top with bling choose a vest or sweater in the season's color. A rich burgundy or maroon will work great for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Even a deep purple or rusty orange will give an outfit a holiday vibe. 

3. Pick your jewelry. If you have a more blingy top you might want to forgo the jewelry, lest you feel like a Christmas decoration, but if you think the more the better, then welcome to my world. The goal is overstatement versus understatement

I chose a brassy necklace that had a few beads that matched the Butterum color in the skirt. The brassy chain also goes with the brass buckle on my belt. Sometimes mixing metals can clash, but I think in this outfit it works because no one metal takes center stage. They all compliment and work together with other colors in the outfit.

If your outfit pieces have no bling, then you can layer on the jewelry. Try multiple layers of gold or silver necklaces, or mix them up. Gold and silver can look gorgeous on a backdrop of burgundy, dark purple or deep navy. Think about what you own and try different pieces until you find something that makes you say, "I really like how that looks." Chances are, other people will think so too.

4. Add a bag. To pull together the browns in the skirt and the necklace I reached for my Butterum hobo bag. It is roomy enough to fill with additional items for a trip to see the family for dinner or even to tuck a light weight shawl for someone else's cooler home. 

5. Don't forget your shoes. Once again I reached for my Impo gray suede ankle boots. You can see I also went for a dark brown pair of tights, for full coverage of my legs. 

I chose these as they are dressy, but not too dressy. They are warm and I thought the gray color went well with the gray sweater. You could also wear knee hight boots, over the knee boots or even a pair of Keds or Converse sneakers for an even more casual look. The classier your shoes are the more dressed up the outfit will look. Heels, to me always make a dressy statement. You'll see more of that in the next four posts as we get into dressier looks. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing this outfit in my holiday series and I hope it provided some inspiration for you to create a holiday look from your own closet. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Here are a few cute skirts and boots to shop for. This post contains affiliate links. All opinion are my own.

Layering Love - What to do with a Light Weight Dress

Just because the temperatures are heading down, the wind is picking up and the snow is starting to fly doesn't mean we have to put away all of our cute, light weight dresses. The way to extend the life of our wardrobes and find new, fun outfits is to think outside the box. A light weight knee length or shorter dress can easily be used as a tunic. The differences lie in the length and weight of the accompanying pieces and the types of accessories that you add to complete the outfit. 

This burgundy dress I found on the clearance rack at Kohl's just recently. I has elbow length sleeves, shirring at the neck and shoulders and an elastic waist. It is incredibly soft and comfortable.

For my layer of warmth on the top I added a polka dot black and white blazer which is Black Label - Evan Picone brand. 

For my bottom layer I chose a pair of heavier Joe Boxer brand leggings that I have worn on the blog before. Leggings provide more coverage and warmth than a a pair of hose or even tights, although a heavy pair of sweater tights would do the job.

Yes, I was doing a bit of print mixing! 

My Mossimo fringe bag was having a few issues, probably because I didn't have anything in it. Yes, sometimes I am a fake. Ha, ha. I thought silver jewelry worked great with the burgundy colors. 

I just picked up these Life Stride ankle boots at a thrift store recently. I was really disappointed to find out that my favorite thrift store here in Toledo closed. It is unfortunate when corporations make these quick decisions. A bunch of people are now out of work because of that decision.

The boots have a sort of burgundy look to them when you compare them to brown, but compared to the burgundy dress they really look brown. Funny how that works. 

Just by adding a few layering pieces you can turn a lighter weight dress into a great outfit focal point, even in the winter. Think about what dresses you normally wouldn't wear in the winter. Do you have one that you might be able to transform into a cold weather outfit, just by adding a warm, chunky sweater, some leggings and boots? I'd love to hear you ideas. Leave me  some love in the comments section.

I hope you'll join me again next Tuesday for my next casual holiday outfit, featuring a fun printed skirt. Have a great weekend!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

If you like this blazer JC Penney is having a sale right now on Black Label - Evan Picone pieces. Here are a few to peruse. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Holiday Outfit - Casual - Jeans

Welcome to my series on holiday style. I hope that these next few weeks will take you from Thanksgiving through the New Year in creative and inspirational ways. I grew up in a family that rarely dressed up, except for church on Sundays. Holidays were typically ultra casual, in fact sometimes on Christmas we stayed in our pjs or most comfortable sweats all day long. When I got married and we had children our holidays were always spent traveling so that we could spend time with our extended families. Living out of a suitcase for a week was always a challenge, not because I couldn't fit everything in, but because I had to plan ahead! What was I going to wear on each and every day of our time away? And how was I going to look presentable, but still be warm and comfortable?

Now that I am a fashion blogger, I want to dress in a more festive way, but still stay true to my comfortable, relaxed roots. For this series I decided to take a look at three different approaches to holiday dressing, (No! I do not mean stuffing.) The first two weeks will look at a casual approach, the second two weeks a dressy casual approach and the last two weeks will be devoted to a dressy approach. I will follow that with a post on a New Years eve look. So let's begin.

Certainly all of you own a pair of jeans. Some of you may even own a pair of cropped jeans, and/or a pair of distressed jeans. Jeans are a part of my style routine. I wear them all the time, for work, play, dressing up or down and everything in between. Maybe you are not a jeans kind of girl. but whether you are or aren't you can create a casual style using the following simple guidelines.

1. Pick a pair of jeans or casual pants that you enjoy wearing. For this outfit I chose my Vera Wang cropped distressed jeans. Here is a cute pair from Lord & Taylor. You could just as easily choose a pair of mom jeans or a pair of skinnies and just roll up the bottoms for a similar, fun look. 

2. Pick a fun sweater. It doesn't have to be a holiday sweater. I think it is fun to wear something with a holiday motif after Thanksgiving, but until then, any warm cozy sweater will do and over sized is even better. Here is one from Old Navy, Nautica and Target. 

I found this fair isle sweater on the clearance rack at Kohls. It is amazing the treasures you can find on the clearance rack for just about any season. This is Chaps brand, which is on the higher end of what I like to spend, so finding it on clearance with a good coupon was a win. I tucked it away knowing I would be able to use it this winter. 

If you are not familiar with fair isle, it is a knitting technique that uses multiple colors to create patterns. This sweater also has some silver threads knitted in, so it gives the fair isle pattern some subtle bling. My fave and perfect for a holiday gathering.

As you can see I had a tank top underneath, but it works because the pinky red of the tank matches the pinky red in the sweater. I am always cold in the winter, unless I am moving around, so I like to have an extra layer or two, but more on that Thursday in my Layering Love series. Ha!

3. Add a few statement jewelry pieces. Jewelry can be such a wonderful outfit booster. A fun piece of jewelry can take an outfit from dowdy to divine.

This pendant was another Kohl's clearance find. The bracelet I found on my first visit to Chico's. The two matched perfectly to one another and to the light blue in this sweater. Plus the silver trim goes well with the silver threads in the sweater. 

This brings me to another style question that seems to often come up...to match or not to match? This really is a matter of personal taste. I personally love to have at least a little bit of matching going on in an outfit. I feel that it makes the outfit look polished and gives it a classic, pulled together feel, BUT that is just my personal taste. There are many fashion bloggers who take pride in not being matchy and do a fabulous job at it! Do what is best for you. After all that is what this blogging thing is all about, helping you find your own style!

4. Grab a great bag. Since red is big this fall, I couldn't resist pulling out this Arizona Jeans brand Buffalo plaid tote. A Penney's clearance purchase last year, I got this as a possible Christmas gift, but decided to keep it for myself. Ha, ha. Here is an adorable one from dressbarn. 

A tote bag is a great way to transport things, especially if you are going to visit family at the holidays. Whether you are going just for dinner, for the day or for an extended weekend, a large roomy tote will give your room for all your essentials, a few little gifts and that book you are planning to read in the car while someone else drives. Oh, and don't forget that water bottle! The holidays can be a hard time to keep hydrated because there are so many goodies and fun drinks occupying our hands 

5. Don't forget the shoes. Just because you are going casual doesn't mean you have to wear sneakers, although a cute pair of hi-top Converse would be perfect with this outfit. I chose my wedge heel ankle boots from Impo. Here is a very similar pair from Macy's. 

I love these gray suede boots. They are super comfy, but also stylish. I wear these over and over during the cold weather. 

This is a look that I will most likely be wearing over the next few weeks as the holidays begin. It would be a great casual look for a holiday gathering, movie night or a day out Christmas shopping. I hope the tips I gave you will help you come up with your own casual holiday outfit. 

I would love to hear about what outfits you came up with. Leave me a note about them in the comments section, or leave me a picture on my Facebook page. I'd love to see your looks.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Below are a few shopping options. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. If you buy an item through a link I get a small commission. All opinions are my own. 

The Pantone Fall 2017 Recap

What I want to do for this week's post is give you a recap of all the Pantone Fall 2017 colors. Instead of taking up too much of your time, reviewing what was already said about each outfit, I think you are all smart enough to go back and revisit the original post on each color combination if you want to see and read more. 

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you already know my philosophy behind using the Pantone colors on my blog. For those of you who are new here, I love color and whether it be in God's creation, a painting or an outfit, I love to see how various colors combine and contrast to create stunning visual displays. Pantone gives me a spring board from which to choose color combinations for my outfits. That being said, here are the outfits from this year's fall colors.

The London Palette

Flame Scarlet and Otter 

Primrose Pink and Navy Peony 

Toast and Copper Tan  

Blue Bell and Lemon Curry 

Royal Lilac and Golden Olive 

Here is a look at the outfits side by side. 

What is your personal favorite? I'd be interested to hear. Mine is the Royal Lilac and Golden Olive. I loved the richness of both of these colors, the comfort of the outfit and the Bohemian vibe that I felt it portrayed. I also felt that I looked the best in these colors, which is a revelation since I have never thought of myself as looking good in yellow. So much for those ideas that we had in the past!

The New York Palette

Grenadine and Butterum 

Ballet Slipper and Neutral Gray 

Marina and Navy Peony 

Tawny Port and Golden Lime 

Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce 

Here are the outfits side by side. 

Which one of these color combinations did you like the most? Over all, I liked the New York Palette better than the London Palette. I felt the colors were deeper, richer and easier to find and work with than some of the London colors. If I had to pick one favorite I wouldn't be able to. I like the boldness of Grenadine and Butterum, the classic feel of Ballet Slipper with Neutral Gray, the perfect blend of Navy Peony and Marina, the tropical contrast of Tawny Port and Golden Olive and the fall perfection of Autumn Maple and Shaded Spruce. 

What is lovely about these colors is that you could pair any one with a totally different combination than I have and come up with an equally awesome outfit. How about Grenadine with Marina, Neutral Gray with Shaded Spruce or Autumn Maple with Navy Peony. That is the beauty of finding inspiration in the Pantone color palettes. There is so much you can do with them, long after these colors become obsolete. The Pantone Color Institute has already put out their Spring palettes! Yikes! For a sneak peek at those just click on the one you want to see: London Palette or New York Palette. 

To see any of my original posts on this series just click on the link above the picture. I hope you enjoyed this series on the Fall 2017 Pantone colors. 

I have decided to postpone my series on camouflage until the new year, so I will be starting a series on dressing for the holidays, next Tuesday. On Thursday I'll be starting a series on layering, which is one of my favorite things to do. I hope you'll join me.

Fun Fall Look - Blanket Scarf

Until this last spring I had never owned a blanket scarf. Last fall and winter when I saw all sorts of my favorite bloggers showing off their warm, fuzzy scarves I kept thinking I need to get one of these. It wasn't until my hubby and I visited The British Tea Garden in Tecumseh, Michigan that I found the exact one I wanted. Our fun lunch date included delicious food and our choice of tea. They also had a cute little gift shop which I had to peruse while we were waiting to be seated. This is the blanket scarf I bought on clearance. 

What makes a blanket scarf different from other scarves. There are two main characteristics. The first is that the scarf is a large square. I believe this one is five feet by five feet. The second is that the material is heavier, but soft enough to wrap around our necks or shoulders. 

For this post I styled my blanket scarf for a casual look that could be worn on a date with my hubby or shopping with a friend. 

I've been seeing cropped pants everywhere, especially distressed denim with frayed hems. I guess I'm right on trend in that department. These Vera Wang pants are thrifted. I wasn't too keen on the whole distressed pants trend, but I have come over to the dark side. Ha, ha. Personally, this is as much distressing as I need. No holes revealing pasty flesh for this girl. Although small holes and a cute pair of tights would be okay. That's just me!

I thought it would be fun to pair the jeans with a dressier jacket/blazer that is also thrifted. I had been wondering how exactly to style this jacket, but when I saw the scarf next to it, I knew it would be the perfect pairing.

This jacket is not meant to be worn as outerwear as it is very light and unlined. It may have been part of a pant suit or went with a skirt. I like wearing jackets like this. They provide an added layer of warmth, especially when I work. Our office is chilly all year round. 

Under the jacket I wore one of my winter sweaters tunics. It has more of an open weave, so isn't too heavy. If I wore it alone, I would have added a cami or tank underneath. 

The following pictures show another way to style this scarf. 

For shoes I chose my black heeled ankle boots. 

I didn't go wild with my accessories as I wanted the scarf to be the focal point. A fun ring with fall colors and a gold bracelet were my only jewelry. 

I thought adding this red/berry colored bag would be a great pop of color against this otherwise subdued outfit. Another thrift store find, I love the color of this purse. It has the roominess of a tote, but also has organizational compartments for all the extras. Thrift stores are great places to find purses, even pricer name brands like Coach. Just be sure you know your brand before you buy. 

So that is a look at my blanket scarf outfit. I can't wait until it gets a little chillier so I can wear this cozy piece more often. Do you have a blanket scarf? How do you like to wear yours?

Here are a few shopping links for blanket scarves. If you purchase an item through my site I get a little bit of a kick back. While my blog is just a hobby right now, it would be awesome if it made a little bit of money too. Ha, ha. 

This post contains affiliate links. All opinion are my own. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! 

Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Marina and Navy Peony

I wan't sure about pairing the two blues together that appear on the New York palette, but after mulling it over, I decided to give it a try. Navy Peony is the only color that appeared on both the Pantone London palette and the New York palette this fall. While many of the other colors came close to being similar such as Grenadine and Scarlet Flame or Butterum, Toast and Copper Tan, Navy Peony seemed to be embraced all over. I have heard it said that navy is the new black and is a go to for styling an outfit that is classic and slimming. 

Marina is a lighter blue and reminded me of the beautiful fall sky on a sunny day. Going along with that idea, I decided to add white pants, keeping the outfit light and bright, but still filled with warm layers for a perfect fall transitional outfit. 

For my Navy Peony piece I chose an Isaac Mizrahi denim dress that I found at a thrift store. This dress was made for Target, but Mizrahi no longer has an affiliation with Target. I thought the dress, which comes with an attached belt would make a great jumper or, as in this case, the perfect cool weather longer length vest. It has a row of white buttons up the front and two roomy pockets at the sides. For this outfit I left it unbelted and open. Here is a navy longer length utility vest that would work. 

The Marina button up top is a thrifted Dana Buchman brand from Kohl's. I was looking for a few blouses that I could wear out or tucked in, but that didn't have a lot of bulk to them. This is a silky poly blend and layers well under the heavier vest. 

The pants I have styled before on the blog and are Gloria Vanderbilt boot cut jeans. I'll list a few other shopping links at the end for similar options.

We took these pictures at a local Toledo Metropark named Wildwood. We are very fortunate to have numerous beautiful parks throughout the Toledo area boasting great walking trails and historicbuildings such as this old school house which is still used for various events. 

To keep my outfit still connected to the changing colors of fall, I decided to add a few cognac or Butterum accessories. 

The boots are thrifted Aerosoles and the bag is thrifted New Directions. Here are a cute pair of similar colored boots from DSW. Here is a cute bag from Nordstrom Rack. This color is perfect for fall, not to too dark and not too light. It gives any outfit a warm, toasty feel. 

i also went for the browns in my simple bead necklace and hinged bead bracelet. 

What do you think of this color combination? Do you have many navy pieces in your closet? Be sure to take them out and start wearing them and you'll be right in style. I'd love to hear from you either in the comments section below or leave me a message on Facebook. You can also follow me on Instagram and Pinterest. I appreciate all your support.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Join me Thursday where I will be feature another Fun Fall Look. See you then.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Pantone Fall 2017 - The New York Palette - Grenadine and Butterum

I want to continue my look at the Pantone 2017 Fall color palette this week, but now we are venturing into the New York colors. Whereas for the London palette, I paired the two colors together that were directly parallel to one another, for the New York palette I decided to pick the color pairings that appealed to me. 

Grenadine is named after the bright red syrup that is used to make drinks. It traditionally is derived from the pomegranate. Obviously, when the Pantone gurus chose to name this color they hit the mark with this bright red. Butterum has many similarities to the London color Toast. I felt that these two colors made a fun pairing and enjoyed putting this outfit together.

My top is a simple button up cardigan that I have had for some time. It is Merona which is a Target brand. Here is a similar one from Macy's.  Instead of a necklace I added a silky fringe scarf.

My pants edge more towards a cognac color than the Butterum, but you get the idea. I purchased these pants recently from Meijer and they are a brand called Stitch Star.  I love that they have patches. It creates additional texture and interest to the outfit. Here is a blue jean pair from Kohls.

I kept my accessories minimal. My boots, which are Aerosoles, are a close enough match to the pants that it gives me that longer line. Matching your pants with your shoes can elongate your legs making you look leaner, and taller. 

Here is a similar color boot from Aerosole. Here is a fun pair from DSW. There are so many fun ankle boots out right now in every color and heel height.

My only other accessory is my snakeskin clutch. I thought this connected with the outfit well because of the color combination. I like this clutch because it has a short chain, so I can also put it over my shoulder if I need both hands free. 

Here are a few other fun bags. 

What do you think of this color combination? Red is trending this fall and whether it be Grenadine or Flame Scarlet or something in between, you will be stylin' if you are the lady in red. 

I've listed a few shopping options below. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Thanks for stopping by the blog!

Beautiful Blogger Bests - Thinking Fall with a Cable Knit Sweater Vest

This week I am featuring a beautiful blogger from down south. Tania Stephens was born in Tennessee and currently lives with her hubby in Southwest Virginia. Tania is a fireball. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She works at a lumber yard, is an active member in her women's club, has deep faith, and has an enormous following for her blog, 50 is Not Old, which she started in 2015. It is easy to see why Tania is so popular. She is a real, actual woman and she tells the best stories. She has a classic style and loves jewelry and handbags! Who doesn't? Ha, ha. You can read more about Tania on her About page. 

The look I was inspired by just shouted fall to me. As the weather starts to get chilly we can break out our cozy sweaters and reach for our jackets. This post was from September 26, 2016 and is titled, Cable Knit Sweater Vest. You can see Tania's original post by clicking on the link or by clicking on the picture. 

I love simplicity and that is what this outfit says to me. What is more comfortable and simplistic than a pair of jeans, long sleeve button up and a cozy vest? Add a great pair of boots, a colorful bag and some fun jewelry and you are ready to go. I love how Tania's vest, boots and jewelry all tended toward a more neutral color against the dark wash of her jeans. Her white blouse and bright blue bag make the outfit shine. 

Here is my version.

You can see here my sweater vest is orange, so I have a bit more color. I also tucked my jeans into my boots, where as Tania rolled hers up. A different style of boot calls for a little different handling of the individual pieces. 

Since I wore orange, I decided to accessorize with orange jewelry too. This is the only white button up I own and while I like the casual style of the blue chambray stripe, I think I need a plain white one. I probably should have tucked it in as well. I was feeling rather sloppy! Ha, ha.

Here you can get a better look at my boots and my green thrifted bag. I thought green would be the perfect pop of color against the dark wash jeans and the orange sweater and accessories. 

As always, I am thankful for the many other bloggers that continue to inspire and motivate me dress in a style that is all my own, but that can learn from others. Be sure to stop by Tania's blog and give her some love.

Have a great weekend. If you follow my faith blog, be sure to check back tomorrow for my Mulling it Over post on Ephesians 6:16. 

I appreciate each one of you and all the support you give me. If you have a chance leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from you. 

Photo credit (mine) Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

 Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, 

Pantone Fall 2017 - An Intro to Two Color Palettes

This fall, the color institute known as Pantone published their usual ten color New York palette. However, this year they also published the ten color London palette. So what is a fashion blogger to do? Why, feature all twenty of these colors. Don't worry, I won't be featuring one color a week for the next twenty weeks. That would take me into January. Ha, ha. 

For this series on the Pantone colors, I will be combining two colors a week. There are a few colors that overlap on both the London and the New York palettes, and many of the colors while having different names are very similar hues. 

New York Palette

I decided to start the series with the London colors. The graphic above and below was put together by Rebecca, my photographer, web helper and daughter, using Pantone's color coding. The way you see the graphic will be the way I pair the colors. For example, Flame Scarlet will be paired with Otter, Primrose Pink with Navy Peony and so on.

London Palette

You might wonder what got me interested in the Pantone color palettes in the first place. I love color. I love flowers in the summer, changing leaves in the fall, orange pumpkins at Halloween, Christmas lights at Christmas and the soothing colors of nature such as a blue sky, green trees and red cardinals. With my propensity toward color it was only natural when I became interested in fashion that an interest in fashion color choices followed. 

Pantone is the fashion and design industry's go to for color choice. I am not sure what the whole process looks like, as far as how they come up with the colors for each season and how those translate to fabric versus paint or graphic design, but if you start paying attention to the Pantone colors, all of a sudden you will begin to see those colors in the new season's line of clothing, home furnishings, graphics and even architectural designs for offices. 

Here are some sneak peeks at what I have coming up, starting next week, with the Pantone Fall 2017 London color palette.

You can probably tell from looking at the graphic that this was not the easiest grouping of colors to work with. There are lots of pale colors as well as yellows which many people cannot wear. This palette was definitely a challenge, but I find that even more fun. Besides, it is helping my brain stay active to try to figure out how to combine pieces and colors in a ways that will be pleasing to the eye. 

I hope you will join me the next five Tuesday's for my Pantone Fall 2017 London series on the blog. Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check back on Thursday to see who my Beautiful Blogger Bests choice will be. Until then have a great Tuesday. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, and Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Hannah and Sara of The Perfect Storm. 

InVESTments: Wearing Vests in the Summer - Denim

I've been taking you on a tour of my vest collection and showing you ways to style these fun pieces for warmer weather. Today I am styling two denim vests to show you how these can be used with various pieces, including capris and a skirt.

Look 1 - Medium Wash

For this first look I wore a medium wash vest from Christopher and Banks. Here is an embroidered option here and a dark wash version here. 

To keep the look casual I paired the vest with my olive colored capris. I really like the look of blue denim with olive. Olive has become one of my faves for a different color to turn to for a neutral. When you think about it, olive really pairs well with many other colors. These thrifted capris are Sonoma brand with a modern fit, which simply means they sit a little lower on the waist and have a roomier fit through the hips and legs. Here is a utility style from Kohl's.

The top I wore was a sleeveless Izod popover, with a fun tropical floral design in pinks and purples. Here is a possible version from JC Penney. I thought the sleeveless top worked with this sleeveless vest. It gives the outfit an edgier vibe. 

I kept the accessories simple with a stretchy cuff bracelet from Chicos and a silver necklace. Here is another pretty option for the bracelet. 

My tote is from Charming Charlie and is a very light sage green, which I thought went well with the whole outfit. They don't have this version any more, but here is another pretty one. 

I finished off this casual look with my bright blue Keds. Keds are a great sneaker for summer. They are comfortable, cute and reasonably priced. These I found thrifting, but I've brought a few pairs at Kohl's. They don't have anything this bright, but here is a cute striped version. 

Look 2 - White

For the other denim look, I went with a white St. John's Bay vest that I got at a thrift store. This time I paired the vest with a blue striped tee and a navy and white maxi skirt.

You can see I was doing a little print mixing for this outfit. I thought the colors went well together and the narrow stripes on the tee, didn't overwhelm the geometric pattern on the skirt. This skirt was from Christopher and Banks also. 

For my bag I chose this fun little straw number. Straw handbags were on trend this summer and I came upon this little treasure when my husband and I were on a weekend away, while I was perusing a second hand shop.

For my accessories I went with my "stained glass" necklace and two bracelets. I like the contrast of the gold with the blue and white. 

Keeping the look casual I wore my navy Candies canvas sneakers. My husband reminded me the other day that I have numerous pairs of navy or blue sneakers! Ha, ha. I think I counted four pairs, but no two pairs are the same! 

Here are the two looks side by side. 

Do you have a denim vest in your closet that you have neglected to wear? These are versatile pieces that you can wear all year long through all four seasons. 

Have a great week. Be sure to check back Thursday for another post on thrifting. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Flame

If you follow the Pantone colors, you know that they come up with a palette every spring and fall that contains ten colors. This palette becomes the basis for what fashion designers and architectural designers use as their color schemes for clothing, accessories, paint colors and home goods, such as furniture, bedding and pillows.

Today's earthy hue is called Flame. This bold, deep orange is evocative of sunny days sipping iced tea and warm evenings sitting around a campfire toasting marshmallows. It also shouts of day lilies and fuzzy peaches warmed by the mid day sun.

Earlier in the year, Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy and I, did a collaboration sneak peek of the Spring Pantone colors. To see my post click here. For one of my outfits I styled the same pair of pants that I used in last week's post and called it Flame. Just for fun I want you to see the difference in these two oranges.

When we initially did our sneak peek back in February, I thought these orange pants were pretty close to the actual Pantone color. Turns out I was wrong! See, I do mess up! Ha, ha. It's all good. I am still learning about color. Perhaps that is the reason I enjoy doing this series on the Pantone colors. The first orange really is more of a pumpkin color and has yellow undertones. Flame has more red undertones. So we could say, orange is orange is orange, but in reality, it isn't. 

The reason, I am spending a bit of time on this idea of color, is that I often hear people say, "I can't wear that color. It just washes me out." In reality, I think we can wear every color out there. You just have to know which version of the color is flattering for you. I probably would not wear the pumpkin orange near my face, but Flame, I can. However, I can wear the pumpkin orange as pants and it is no problem.

On to my outfit. This Flame utility jacket I purchased at Nordstrom Rack with the gift cards I received from winning a drawing on Jodie's Touch of Style.  I fell in love not only with the style, but with the color. 

I wore my dark wash skinny jeans, although I think any wash denim would look good with this orange. This orange would also look great with brown, khaki, olive and white. I rolled the jeans for a fun look and the lighter colored cuff adds some interesting texture. 

Since stripes are in I decided to wear my navy and white Loft tee. I found this at a thrift store. It is a nice weight and has an elastic bottom. I love that it is a tee, but hides my flaws. The best kind!

You can also see I kept the jewelry simple. Gold seemed to be a nice contrast, but I think silver would have worked as well. 

My navy blue bag, another thrift store find, is a Vera Wang. I love the dual tone and texturing on the bag, and, of course, the roominess. 

This was meant to be a transitional outfit, taking me from winter to spring. In Northwest Ohio, for me it is still pants weather, so I will be wearing this again. I went with a pair of ankle boots, but it could be just as cute with a pair of fun canvas sneakers or cute flip flops. 

What do you think of this orange? Do you think you like the pumpkin orange of my pants or this Flame color better? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

I hope you are enjoying this series on the Pantone Spring 2017 colors. I love to read your comments. Right now if you make a comment you won't know if I respond, but I always respond to your input. Just check back on the original post a day or so later and you will be able to see that. I am so thankful for your support.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I get a small trickle of income if you click on a shopping link. If you buy something through my post I get a small commission. That means a lot to me. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Here are some possible "orange" options.

Have a great Tuesday!

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Nicki of Sweet Parrish Place, Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. Friday linking up with JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style.