A Look at My Fashion Philosophy and an Intro to Winter Trends

Since winter just officially started last week, I thought I would take the next few weeks to look at a few of the fashion industry winter trends. Some of these were publicized months ago with the fall trends, but as you know, I do not adhere to a super strict timeline, when it comes to trends. In fact, if it is a trend I really like I will shop the end of season sales to find a piece or pieces within the trend to save myself money. I don’t worry about being spot on with a trend timeline. My feeling is, if it is a trend worth buying into, I am going to keep it around for a while.

Image by Lorri Lang from Pixabay

Since I have started regularly writing and blogging, I have noticed that King Solomon had a lot of wisdom when he penned these words in Ecclesiastes.

“What has been, it is what will be, And what has been done, it is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.”

— Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NASB)

I have said it before and I will say it again, hang on to those things you love, because they will be back around again, whether it is a print like leopard or gingham, a color scheme like monochrome or color blocking, or a silhouette like flared jeans or an a-line skirt. As long as an item still fits and it is something you love, don’t get rid of it, just because it isn’t trending anymore. Just be patient. Besides, there are no rules when it comes to your fashion style. It is what makes you feel good and confident. Wear black in the summer and white in the winter. Style your leopard print all year round and your sparkles for lunch with your friends. It really is up to you.

Before I get into the Winter trends, I wanted to share with you my fashion philosophy. Over the last few years as a blogger, I have been becoming more aware of my own style and the reasoning behind my style choices. I would like to share with you a few of my fashion parameters.

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Fit - If it doesn’t fit well, I am not going to wear it. I have found a few of my favorite jeans at thrift stores, because there I can find and try on brands I normally wouldn’t buy. I would have never shopped at Lane Bryant, but one of my favorite pairs is a thrifted Lane Bryant boot cut distressed jean. I love the rise, the stretch and the comfort of that pair. Now Lane Bryant is for women size 12 and up, so if you are short and thin, you will not be wearing their brand. You have to find what works for you. Don’t be afraid to order things, try them on and send them back, or (after Covid), try multiple pairs on at a store like Kohl’s, Macy’s or Nordstrom until you find what works for you.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Style - We all have our own style, and it may take you a number of years of experimentation to find out what works for you. You can Google fashion styles and it will bring up a number of articles on what the different styles are. Many men and women are strictly one style or another, but most of us are blend of multiple styles. I love moto jackets and combat boots; velvet and chenille; twirly skirts and long tiered maxis; flannel shirts, scarves and cardigans.My style is a blend of casual, biker chick, boho, and tomboy with a bit of classic and grunge thrown in. No wonder I am so confused! Ha ha. Finding and owning your style is more important than trying to keep up with the trends.

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

Price point - I know many people don’t let price points affect their style; if they want something, they buy it. Many people shop for higher priced products because they are a better deal as far as fit, durability and wear. As a thrifter, I know I can find quality products at second hand stores if I am willing to be choosy, do some experimenting with brands and be patient. Personally I value other things more than I value designer products. There is no doubt that many designers make very high quality products and that is part of what keeps them in business, but I cannot justify paying $300 for a bag, a pair of jeans or a pair of shoes. But that is just part of my personal style and I have nothing against people who do spend more on their clothes. Hopefully, they are in a position where that is easier on their wallets, than it is on mine. There is another idea that goes along with price point and that brings me to the next fashion rule I try to follow.

Image by NatureFriend from Pixabay

Sustainability - When we talk about sustainability in fashion we are talking about the production and distribution of clothing, shoes and accessories in a manner that is both environmentally friendly and conducive to changing consumer behaviors. In a world where so much is thrown away it is no surprise that the clothing industry for many years has been a leader in post production waste. Not only the remnants from manufacture of the products themselves, but the waste water and other toxic sludge that is dumped into the environment. There is a fledgling movement underway to change these practices in the fashion industry and make clothing manufacture and distribution what sustainability entity Green Strategy calls Circular Fashion. You can see a clearer definition of this by clicking on the link.

Basically, circular fashion promotes the ideas that fashion from beginning to end can follow a circular loop that includes better quality fabrics, more environmentally friendly production steps with less waste, marketing that includes educating the consumer and creating a consumer who is more likely to return to these products and the repurposing of textiles either through donation to second hand sellers or to entities that will turn the products back into new products through incineration to create energy or through textile fiber recycling.

Being a thrifter enables me to do my part to stay the circular course of textiles and to do it at a price point that is much easier on my checkbook.

Image by Lorri Lang from Pixabay

Modesty - You might say I am an ostrich sticking my head in a hole if I don’t buy into the over sexualized aspects of fashion. I am fully aware of what is going on. You can’t look at a magazine cover while standing in the supermarket checkout that doesn’t have some reference to sex on the cover. Well, maybe not Taste of Home. Ha, ha. I have studied magazines like Seventeen, Vogue, Marie Claire, In Style and others. Every single one gives word space, and/or photo space, to talking about our sexual partners, fantasies, problems and issues. Pictures include women with varying degrees of sexual intonation from the lack of bras, pants or shirts, to positions with legs wide spread leaning back precariously close to an orgasm without a partner. Oh, sure, they have clothes on, but come on people, just what do you think these magazines are trying to sell?

I believe we, as women, have done ourselves a disservice in buying into what many forms of media are pushing. That is not to say, they never have an article that communicates the creativity and power of women. Many do, but I struggle to believe that the girls growing up in this world aren’t affected by the combination. If you say women are strong and creative, but place that article next to a photo of a sexualize woman, aren’t we then, promoting the idea that the only thing truly strong, creative and beautiful about women is their sex. Look at how many young women and girls idolize women in entertainment. No doubt, most of these women are gorgeous and extremely talented, but when it comes to how they present themselves by their clothing choices, it makes me wonder what are they really trying to say.

I am not saying we should be total prudes. Especially if you are in a committed relationship to another person. It is important to dress in a way that shows that person you love them and want to be sexy for them. However, when we are out in public, or promoting our blogs or our Instagrams, I think is is important to promote things that will last, like being creative or smart or talented. Physical beauty is fleeting, and what is truly sexy is not how much of ourselves we show off, but how beautifully the hidden places in our hearts rise to the surface.

Those are just some of the things I think about when it comes to my views on fashion and my approach to the outfits I pick out and the topics I talk about. I won’t be posting on Thursday this week as my Hubby and I are going to go see his parents for a few days. Next week I’ll pick back up with a look at some of this winter’s best trends. Until then, stay safe and have a very Happy New Year. See you in 2021!

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

These photos were taken in a local graveyard. No disrespect was intended to the families of those laid to rest in its borders, nor to the spirits who might walk its paths.

Probably the spookiest of Dickens’ Christmas spirits is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This specter is darker and more formidable than either of the previous phantasms. In both of my favorite movie versions of the story, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is personified as a dark, flowing, faceless creature who stands head and shoulders above Ebenezer Scrooge and who never speaks. He simply points his long, skeletal like fingers to what he wants Ebenezer to see.

When I started thinking about an outfit to typify this gruesome ghoul, I knew I wanted to go with gray colors. I thought gray, rather than a stark black spoke more to the shaded veil our futures seem to be. No one can know the future, but God alone, and I personally would rather not have the so called privilege of knowing what is to be, except that blessed assurance of life with Him, after I die.

There was no doubt, I wanted these pictures, done in a graveyard. The most telling scene in the movie version of A Christmas Carol, is when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come brings Scrooge to a lonely, forsaken graveyard. In his creepy, speechless manner, the Ghost points to a specific, unattended grave, which in overwhelming despair, Ebenezer wipes aside the snow and sees his own name engraved on the stone.

I wanted my look to be work appropriate, so I chose pieces that created a classic monochrome look, but still gave the illusion of movement. I also wanted the layers.

My plaid Style & Co trousers have been around quite a while. I honestly can’t remember if I bought these new or if I got them at a thrift store. Style & Co are still sold at Macy’s.

My gray turtleneck is Worthington brand. Once again, I have had this piece for years and I don’t remember if I got it new at JCPenney’s, or if I thrifted it. Not only is my memory in need of help, so is my waistline. I know the above picture is not the most flattering, but ladies, this is the real me at the current moment. I have a spare tire or maybe two, and I am probably in the worst shape I have been in, in years, due to achey joints, not eating well and not enough exercise. I can’t blame it all on the pandemic, as much as I would like to. Most of it is my very undisciplined nature. Maybe you can relate. I hope so. I really don’t want to feel like I am the only one in this rocky boat. Ha, ha. I am really hoping, that once this busy holiday time is over, I can try to implement a few changes. Never give up!

The light weight shrug that I put over the turtleneck is also Worthington brand. This piece I did buy new at Penney’s. It has an asymmetrical hem, so the longer front pieces can be tied, to create a different look. You can see how I wore it tied with a black maxi dress.

My long, wide scarf was not only a purply gray color, but it had bugs on it, which somehow seemed fitting with the grave theme.

You know me, I had to try keeping in character. Ha, ha. I do look like a fitting specter to haunt this old graveyard, especially in black and white.

Here are my grays together.

Since this was meant to be an outfit, one could actually wear for work, or for a night out, I did have to style it with a few accessories. I chose silver and gray to maintain the monochrome look. A small silver clutch, to give it a bit of bling, a three strand statement necklace and my dark gray Impo ankle boots completed the look.

What do you think of this look? Do you think it personified the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come without looking too much like a costume? A monochrome look in any color can be an easy, fun and interesting way to change up your wardrobe and still look like you put thought and effort into your outfit. Monochrome doesn’t have to be an exact match, but just be pieces with the same color hues and tones. Adding texture is also the perfect way to make a single color scheme look go from boring to fabulous.

This was the last post in my Dickens’ Christmas series. I certainly hope you enjoyed my interpretations of one of my favorite Christmas stories. Be sure to check back on Thursday for a very mischievous, Actual Amy post. Until then, have a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

This week, I am not including any shopping links, for outfits. I hope to resume regular style posts after the first of the year.

Have a great week and a very Merry Christmas!

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Present

If you have seen any of the more recent versions of A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present is the one that exudes the festive, living presence of the holiday season. In both the George C. Scott version and the Muppet Christmas Carol version the being known as the Ghost of Christmas present is a jovial, boisterous giant of a character who escorts Scrooge on a tour of Christmas day. The day is filled with food, singing, gift giving and game playing. The joyful Ghost, shows Ebenezer a day made even more beautiful by the love of family and the generosity of his fellow man.

When I began thinking about how i wanted this outfit to look, I knew I wanted it to be bright and colorful. I wanted to present Christmas as a joyful celebration full of life and beauty.

Once again, the Toledo Botanical Gardens provided the back drop for our pictures. They have the entryway into the park so festive and pretty.

Everything in this outfit is thrifted, except for the necklace and boots.

My skirt is another LuLaRoe piece that I found at a thrift store just around the corner from me. It really is a little too long and a tad too big (I rarely have that problem…ha, ha), but I love the floral pattern and it seemed perfect for representing the spirit of Christmas.

My daughter was playing around when she was editing the picture and added a smattering of festive green bubbles.

I found this fabulous Tommy Hilfiger red corduroy jacket at one of our local Goodwills. I haven’t really had a chance to show it off, until I thought about this outfit. I definitely wanted to stick with the more traditional Christmas colors of red and green, so this jacket and the lighter green Sonoma v-neck were a good combination.

I found this long, sparkly, fringe pendant necklace at a thrift store as well. You can’t see it real well in this picture, but the beads have a sparkly, iridescent quality. The picture below, shows you a closer look at the textures of the necklace, sweater and jacket.

You’ve seen this faithful leather, Fossil bag on the blog numerous times. I need to find a smaller wallet to use with this purse, as my current one is too big.

I wanted comfortable boots with this festive outfit, so I chose my suede Massini boots that I found on clearance at Meijer a few seasons ago.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think it represents the Ghost of Christmas Present and all the symbolism that goes with it? I thought it exemplified the idea of life, celebrations and festiveness; all the things that the Ghost of Christmas Present is fond of.

I hope you enjoyed this post and are enjoying my movie inspired outfits this month. It has been fun to see what sort of outfits I could come up with.

I am including a few shopping links to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a wonderful day!

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Outfit Inspiration - Christmas with the Kranks - Holiday Vest

If you haven’t seen, Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis in the holiday movie, Christmas with the Kranks, it is a must see comedy, that reminds us of the importance of family and of giving to others. When Luther Krank decides to can Christmas and book a cruise for he and his wife Nora, the chaos ensues. From the neighbors demanding Luther release Frosty, so he can be put up on their roof, to the last minute chase for a particular canned ham, the Kranks try their hardest to pretend Christmas isn’t going to happen. That all changes when they realize their daughter, Blair, who was in Peru with the Peace Corp, is coming home and bringing her fiancee.

The character of Nora Krank is someone many of us can relate to. She loves her daughter and is very sad when she flies off with the Peace Corp. She also is a traditional stay at home mom, enjoying all the activities typically associated with the holidays. She even loves to wear festive holiday clothing. When my girls were young, I used to dress a lot like Nora. I would wear the festive turtleneck adorned with Christmas trees, with my colorful Christmas vest donning bells and bows.

I have come a long way since then. Now I more often enjoy graphic tees with a holiday scene or words under a blazer or sweater. I had long since gotten rid of my jazzy Christmas vest. When the thought of doing these Christmas posts came to mind, I started to think, how could I take something like an over the top Christmas sweater or vest and make it look classy and fashionable? This is what I came up with.

I found this snazzy vest at the American Cancer Center Discovery Shop thrift store. They typically feature items that appeal to people whose taste might include things like this retro style vest, but they have a great selection of all different items including glassware, pillows, shoes and bags. The vest is a brand called Erika. I like that the vest is black, because to me it still seems somewhat classy and stylish

My blue, velvet skirt is Chaps brand and was a Kohl’s clearance find a few seasons ago. Velvet is a classic cold weather fabric, but especially so at the holidays. It really dresses up an outfit, and the twirlier the better!

My shiny, cream colored blouse was also a thrift find and is Jaclyn Smith brand. Her brand used to be available at K-Mart. We no longer have a K-Mart in our area, but I do remember her pieces being very classic.

I decided to go with gold for my jewelry and bag to elevate the look just a little more. Plus gold goes so well with the gold bits in the vest.

I chose my Aerosole black heels again. They are comfortable, but still look fairly nice, especially with an outfit like this. I thought blue hose, would be a different option to black and still cover up the legs.

What do you think of this outfit? Have you seen Christmas with the Kranks? When I first watched this movie, I wasn’t sure whether I really liked it, but now I enjoy watching it and there are a few very funny scenes. Sometimes you have to watch something more than once to really appreciate it.

I am including a few shopping links. I wasn’t able to find very many Christmas themed vests, but there were plenty of sweaters, so I included a few of those. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Location Toledo Botanical Gardens.

A Dickens' Christmas - The Ghost of Christmas Past

Today’s outfit draws its inspiration from Charles Dickens’ ghostly apparition of Christmas Past. Before the visitation of the three ghostly characters, Scrooge is visited by the ghoulish presence of his former business partner in life, Jacob Marley. Jacob warns Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits, for the hopeful purpose of his redemption. The first of these paranormal beings makes their appearance when the bell tolls one.

The idea of drawing fashion inspiration from a ghost, might seem a stretch of the imagination, but I do like a challenge. If you have watched a version of A Christmas Carol, you probably saw the Ghost of Christmas Past as a being dressed in white garments, sometimes shining and sometimes in an unearthly, ethereal manner as if floating and flowing in some unseen breeze. Two of my favorite movie versions of A Christmas Carol are the 1984 drama with George C. Scott, and the 1992 musical, The Muppet Christmas Carol. Surprisingly, the Muppet version stays fairly true to the original tale by Charles Dickens. Both versions are filled with amazing scenery, typical old time London and excellent veteran actors, (the Muppet version stars Michael Caine as Scrooge).

We often shy away from white in the colder weather. It has long been a color we wear in spring and summer. Obviously, things have changed immensely over the last decade, especially as more and more women have access to fashion blogs and more reasonably priced clothing. White is now a year round color choice. It stands true to reason, that if we live in colder areas in the winter, our white pieces will have to be compatible for those frigid temps. This is where layering, fabric choices and textures all come into play.

My daughter and I didn’t have a lot of time for pictures, so we went, once again, to the Toledo Botanical Gardens. They have so many interesting sculptures, garden areas and small buildings used for various events. These metal arches provided the perfect backdrop for an other worldly vibe.

When I started thinking about an all white outfit, I knew that most of my pieces were not a true white. Not everyone can wear a crisp white near their face, but most people can pull off an ivory or a cream. All of these pieces, except the scarf, have more of a cream, or ivory tint to them.

My long, Apt. 9, chenille sweater was a piece my daughter was getting rid of. It wasn’t really her style, so when I saw it, I took it home, figuring I could always just wear it around the house as a cozy topper for casual days. As I thought about how to make this outfit look flowing, but also updated and fashionable, I knew this sweater would be perfect.

The blouse I have on under the sweater is a recent thrift store find and will be more useful in the warmer weather, but the color went well with everything else. The brand is called Mango, and when I saw the embroidery on it, I knew it was calling my name.

I also added this white scarf from The Jacket Society, that I bought a few years ago. You can’t see it in this photo, but the scarf has tiny silver threads through out, so I thought it added an extra element of texture and shine.

The silver snowflake pendant just seemed appropriate for a ghostly, Christmas outfit.

I chose silver for my accessories, to represent the shimmering appearance that many of the Ghosts of Christmas past seemed to have. Perhaps the shimmering details represented good memories from Christmases long ago; or maybe the light represents the idea that we can learn from our past, thus becoming better people. Whatever your interpretation of the details, I think silver looks very pretty with white.

My silver, sparkly clutch has been a regular on the blog. My SO ballerina flats are from Kohl’s.

My cream colored St. John’s Bay corduroys have been around for a few years and were an original purchase at JC Penney.

I really like this outfit. It is something I would feel completely comfortable and warm in and could be worn to a special Christmas outing or just a family dinner, where I don’t have to do the cooking. If I cooked in this it wouldn’t be white anymore. Ha, ha. Here are a few other fun pictures from our shoot.

The wind was helping me look a little more ghostly. Too bad we didn’t have fog. Ha, ha.

What did you think of this outfit? Do you think I pulled off showing how taking inspiration from the Ghost of Christmas Past translated into a chic, modern look that could be worn to work, out on a date or to a Christmas concert?

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Be sure to stop back on Thursday for another Christmas movie inspired outfit.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

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 - 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 - London Palette - Mandarin, Celery and Sheepskin

I am now able to start the Pantone - Autumn/Winter 2020 - London Palette series. I am not sure why the Pantone Color Institute moved to having two palettes rather than one, except that it is a way to bring in a broader audience to market to. Whatever their reasoning, having two color palettes to draw from to create outfits is a fun challenge for me as a fashion blogger. Some of the colors crossed over from New York to London, but I’ll be showing them again, styled with their London counterparts. Here we go.

Just as with the New York Palette, the London Palette has four classic colors. I tried to include one of the classics with each of the outfits, just so you know what they look like. With this first outfit, Sheepskin, which is a classic, neutral color, is reminiscent of Peach Nougat and Sandstone from the New York Palette. My jacket isn’t really a dark enough version of this pinky tan, but you still get the idea.

My bright Mandarin red skirt is a thrifted piece by a brand called Kim Rogers. It was not a brand I was familiar with, but seems to be sold at retailers like Belk and online thrift retailers like Poshmark. Once again, the tiered skirt is a fave of mine. I guess I was supposed to be a gypsy. I often imagine that I have gypsy relatives, because my dad always loved to travel and we have French blood via his relatives. Ha, ha.

My Celery colored top is a 3/4 sleeve sweater, and a thrifted Banana Republic piece. I decided to tuck it in and add the black belt to go with the black print in the jacket and my black boots. I feel like I should have tightened the belt a notch, so you couldn’t see the skirt at the top. Oh well.

This jacket was a fun piece I found thrifting. I like the bright orange flowers and the artistic sketching on it. It is a brand called Susan Graver Style. Susan Graver is a stylist for the retailer QVC. Once again, I learned something new and found a brand I never would have tried, if I didn’t thrift.

I kept my accessories simple, because there is a lot going on in the print of the jacket and the texture of the skirt and bag. You’ve seen this necklace on the blog before. It is a unique piece I found at an artisan shop up in Grayling, MI a few years ago, when my hubby and I took a short trip up there. You can see it styled for another Pantone color palette here. I also added a simple charm bracelet with rusty fall colors and my thrifted fringe bag.

Since we are now fully into fall, I am regularly wearing my boots. I have quite a pile of boots, mostly ankle and knee high. These are Massini brand and are very comfortable. I’ve styled these on the blog before with a black pair of jeans, and a slip dress.

What do you think of these colors? I think if I had worn the colors by themselves without the jacket it would have looked like I was advertising for McDonalds. Ha. ha.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look at. These are affiliate links. It does not cost you a thing to click on a link and look at merchandise, but every time you click I get a few pennies. All opinions are my own.

Here is the London Palette in full.

Graphics and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Fall/Winter 2020 - New York Palette - Magenta Purple, Rose Tan and Sleet

This is the last installment in the Pantone Fall/Winter 2020 New York Palette series. This has been an interesting palette with both rich, bold colors like Classic Blue, Samba and Ultramarine Green and the softer more muted neutrals like Peach Nougat, Sandstone and Almond Oil. Today’s last two colors are a mix of both the bold and muted elements. While Tuesday’s post was full on bold with Classic Blue and Ultramarine paired sided by side, today’s outfit takes the bright Magenta Purple and pairs it with the more subtle Rose Tan. As always, I’ve included a classic color to bring in a more foundational element.

This outfit, once again, has a rather bohemian vibe with the dark florals, fringe bag, and suede booties. I also feel that the more layered, relaxed look is often indicative of the boho style as well.

My long, pleated, floral maxi skirt is Chaps brand from Kohl’s. You can see this skirt styled for an earlier Pantone series back in Spring of 2018. I styled it with a blush top and gray sweater. The beauty of this piece is that it can be worn in any season and it is fully lined. I really like when a skirt is lined and I don’t have to wear a slip with it. This is especially nice in the cooler weather.

My Sleet colored slouchy tee is SO brand and also from Kohl’s. Do you know I have not been in a Kohl's store in months? Of course I haven’t been in any store, other than grocery stores and a few choice thrift shops since COVID happened. I have ordered a few things online from Kohl’s, so I can’t say I haven’t shopped there. Ha, ha. This tee is very light weight and has been retired to the summer clothing box for now. I have styled this on the blog before too. You can see it with another pleated skirt here.

My long pink sweater is also SO brand from Kohl’s. I bought two of these sweaters, as I mentioned a few weeks ago when I styled the maroon colored one. You can see that post here. This one is an XL and the maroon one is a L. This one is definitely bigger, but it is nice for wearing over multiple layers.

This fringe, suede bucket bag has been around for a few years and makes regular appearances on the blog. I actually haven’t used it as my day to day purse, because the top does not close. I like a little more security when I am out in public, as far as my bag goes. But it is cute and a great color for fall, so I keep it around.

I’ve styled these Easy Spirit ankle boots on the blog before too. I have numerous pairs of faux suede ankle boots. They are so easy to get on and off. They go with all manner of outfits and I can wear them with a variety of types and thicknesses of socks and hose. They are a nice alternative to dress shoes for work or an event where you want to look a little more put together, but still be casual.

I went for a layered look with my necklaces. I started with the ribbon choker, but gradually added the layered pearl choker and then the silver sphere pendant necklace. I like the look and I think it added a finishing touch to the outfit as a whole and still kept the boho vibe.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you think the long cardigan and the long maxi skirt work together? What might you have done differently? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Here a silly picture to make you smile. This is me, wishing COVID was a thing of the past. Ha, ha.

I am including a few shopping links for you. I hope you will check these out. Every click on a link gives me a few cents. It takes a very long time for the clicks to add up, but they do eventually and I appreciate every single one.

Keep laughing. Keep dancing. Keep loving. Keep Safe.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Chambray Dress - Look #3

This is the final look from the sunflower fields at Hirzel Farms. My Massini chambray dress has proven to be a versatile piece and very easy to combine with accessories and toppers to create new and different looks. I think you could do a similar thing with any solid colored dress. For today’s outfit, I wanted to show a look that was more ready for fall.

This pretty, open weave sweater was a clearance find from Kohl’s. I have a number of Liz Claiborne pieces and I really like the feminine, lacy look of this cardigan. The sweater has no closures, which is fine, but what I have noticed is if the piece isn’t folded or hanging just so, the front tends to fold back. I solved that little problem by adding a small brooch to keep it closed and laying flat.

I added the leaf print scarf as another way to add interest. The colors of the sweater and scarf were very similar, so I like how this looks. This is an infinity scarf, which I like when I don’t want to worry about how to tie it.

Since the leaves on the scarf are black, I added this recently thrifted Scarlton bag. Amazon has a lot of these vegan leather bags. I have many purses that are not real leather. They are sufficient for looking nice and serving the purpose a purse serves, but what they don’t do is last. I have several real leather bags that I bought second hand that look brand new. Many of my non leather bags start showing signs of wear after only a few seasons. We’ll see how this vegan leather bag holds up.

My ankle boots are my old, trustworthy, Sonoma suede boots. The neutral color was perfect for this look.

What did you think of this outfit? Do you have a chambray dress, or any other solid dress that you could do looks like these? Leave me some love in the comments.

Here are the three looks side by side. Which one is your favorite?

I hope you enjoyed these sunny pictures. It was fun to take pictures with these yellow beauties. Isn’t God’s creation amazing?

I am including a few shopping links, so be sure to take a look at those. These are affiliate links, so every click you do gives me a few pennies. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Chambray Dress - Look #2

Last week I showed you this chambray, bell sleeve dress styled with a kimono. That was the last in my long kimono series. I told you, I had a number of kimonos and I didn’t even show you all of them. Ha, ha. I styled a dressy casual look, that might be termed resort wear with a touch of Hindi style. Once again, these were taken at Hirzel Farms in Luckey, OH.

I put together this outfit, knowing that it would not be something I would typically wear, but I like to try to show you different ways of putting pieces together to show you there is more versatility in your wardrobe than you realize. I liked how this turned out. It has a flowy quality to it, while still offering full coverage and layering for cooler weather.

The striped linen pants are last year’s purchase from Christopher and Banks. They are very comfy with an elastic waist and wide legs. As I said in last Tuesday’s post, my chambray dress is Massini brand from Target a year or so ago.

My blue duster vest is a LuLaRoe piece. It is made of a medium weight knit and just like all the other LuLaRoe pieces is very easy to care for. I like the long slits at the sides. If you want to create visual interest and add texture to an outfit, a long vest like this is a great way to do it. You can wear a duster length vest with jeans and boots, a pencil skirt and heels or with a variety of other outfit combinations.

For my accessories I clung to a smattering of boho add ons. My bead pendant necklace is a creation of my own. I found the large doughnut shaped bead at a shop on one of our travels a while ago. I simply added a piece of leather for the cord to hang it around my neck and there you have it.

What drew me to this particular bead were the colors. It has flecks of color in it, including a little bit of rust and gold. Those colors prompted me to add this bright orange suede bag to the outfit. This was another thrift find. I love the bright pop of color. You can also see I threw on a few bracelets.

My blue thrifted Keds are making another appearance. I don’t wear these quite as much. As we get older, our feet tend to change, so where I once wore a size 8.5, I now wear a nine. These are a little short, but if I don’t wear them for a long day of walking they are still quite comfortable.

What do you think of this outfit? Do you ever wear pants under a dress? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ll be posting the last pictures from this fabulous sunflower spot next week, so be sure to keep an eye out for that. Check back on Thursday for another Outfit Inspiration post. Also, if you are regular follower of my faith page, I hope to be back to posting on there tomorrow.

I hope you are having a great week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I am including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Thrifted Thursday - Dots and Stripes

Today’s outfit is another one pulled together from my many thrifted pieces. I wanted something casual that wasn’t the same old outfit formula that I have been wearing all summer, which has been skinny jeans or ankle pants rolled up with some sort of warm weather top, whether a sleeveless button up or a light weight tee. I knew I wanted to still wear pants, since I still have to watch my grandson and I never know what I’ll be doing, but I wanted something different. I remembered these salmon colored polka dot pants and knew I had the start of my casual thrifted outfit.

I have several pairs of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. I am not a huge fan, although I have worn them on and off through out the years. Don’t get me wrong, they are very comfortable and if you want a fairly high waisted jean, most of hers fit the bill. I like my jeans to fit a little tighter. I also like either a skinny jean or a wider bootcut jean. That gives me the notion that I need to do a post on jeans. Ha, ha. So many things to blog about and so little time.

I decided to try a blue top with my bright jeans, for a fun contrast. I tried several solid colored navy shirts, but when I saw this thrifted striped tee, I thought it would be fun to do a little print mixing. This is a comfy tee and is a brand called Cotton On. Some people only buy certain brands and that is fine, but one of the many things I like about thrifting is I get to try so many brands that I would have never heard of otherwise. Cotton On has a whole website with all sorts of pieces for men, women and children, from sweats and tees, to jeans and button ups. Their price points don’t seem too bad and I do like the quality of this tee, so they might be worth checking out. My tee is a Large for reference.

Since we are thinking ahead to fall with cooler mornings and evenings, I thought it would be appropriate to show this outfit with a layering piece. This Dalia Collection button up is another thrift store find. I like the dark wash and it has a soft feel.

You can see that I added a navy belt to my pants. The reason I did this is three fold. First, I almost always wear a belt. That is just me. The second reason has to do with the print mix. Since the prints on both of these pieces are so small, a dividing line is not really necessary, but sometimes a belt provides a border between the two prints, making it more pleasing to look at. The third reason has to do with interest. The belt is wide, bold and has texture; all things that add to the interest of an outfit. I did the front tuck, to make the belt visible.

This is the last thrifted piece in my outfit. I just found this glass pendant necklace at a local charity shop. I thought it was a very unique piece and will go with just about any outfit.

I wanted to make this outfit look more like fall, thus my choice of bag. I think velvet is the perfect touch for an outfit that is transitioning from summer to fall. It adds texture and an element of warmth to any outfit. This was not thrifted, but a Meijer clearance find from a few seasons ago.

My white Keds are a frequent choice during the summer. I know there is not longer a “wearing white” rule, but I do prefer to put away my white shoes in the winter, mostly because I have way too many cute boots to wear that keep my feet a lot warmer. These were also not a thrift find. I think I got these at DSW on clearance.

What do you think of this outfit? How do you make the transition to fall while still using some of your summer pieces? Leave me some love in the comments. I always like to hear you thoughts.

I am leaving you with a few shopping links. If you click on a link, I get a few cents. Every click helps. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

Kickin' It with Kimonos - Multi-colored Floral

As you have figured out by now, I have a number of kimonos. The one thing they seem to have in common is they all have prints. Kimonos really are more of an accessory to an outfit, as opposed to a cardigan or blazer, which serve, not only to pull an outfit together, but as a layer of warmth in the cooler weather. Most kimonos and ruanas are very light weight and are meant to be used much as you would use a statement necklace or scarf. They are meant to make your outfit more fun and noticeable.

This next kimono I am going to show you is a LuLaRoe piece and once again adds an element of flirty and feminine to an otherwise casual, tomboyish outfit.

I got this thrifted Nike tee on a recent thrift run. I usually don’t buy brand tees like this. I have no affinity for sports wear branding. I am sure if I were more into sports, then I might feel differently. However, I have always thought that Nike’s slogan, “Just do it,” was something we all could identify with. I mean which one of us hasn’t wished we could do better, be better, eat better, exercise more and so on. Typically I don’t like to go around with this type of slogan across my chest. Not because I am worried about people looking at my chest. I highly doubt a tee shirt like this is going to invoke a drool worthy response from a man. Ha, ha. My feeling is more along the lines that I don’t want to advertise something I have to live up to. Seriously! Yes, I want to be a writer: just do it! Yes, I want to eat better: just do it! Yes, I want to exercise more: just do it. I feel as though I am a walking billboard for a chorus of condemnation. Do any of y’all get what I am saying?

That being said, maybe I need to have these types of messages make an appearance more regularly, not only in my wardrobe, but in the things I read, watch and listen too. Maybe, if I added a bit more of this spice of encouragement to my life, I would be more likely to succeed at those aforementioned desires. What are your thoughts? How do you encourage yourself to do the things that are difficult? Especially when life is so busy and chaotic?

Let me also add in here I know my tee is extremely wrinkled. Ha, ha. I should have gotten it out further ahead of time and let it hang in the bathroom. My daughter keeps telling me I need to get a steamer. Maybe I’ll suggest that on my Christmas list.

This is our first grand puppy, Beatrice. We call her Bea, Sweet Bea, Sweetie Bea and an odd assortment of other endearing terms. She is a mastiff mix. My daughter actually sent in a sample for DNA testing to Embark, to see what breeds Beatrice has in her lineage. The main breed was Cane Corso, which is an Italian breed of mastiff, but she also has Dog de Bordeaux, which is a French breed of mastiff, Neapolitan, which is another Italian mastiff and Bull Mastiff, along with a few other odds and ends. We were trying to get her to turn around, but she wasn’t having anything to do with it.

My yellow, Talbots, crop pants are a thrift find. I have styled these on the blog before. You can see it with a white tee and light gray blazer, and with a pink button up and open weave vest,

This little yellow cross body bag is starting to show some wear, especially since it was second hand when I got it. Paying a little extra for real leather trim or a real leather bag is definitely worth it as they will last longer. I think this one is going to go in the donation box. I do like the color, but I am not lacking purses, so I’ll find a suitable substitute.

Even my cute beaded, fringe bracelet is showing some wear. I will either trim the tassel or just remove it entirely.

Here again are my Naya black suede oxfords. I really like these shoes and they are great for fall and winter.

You’ve got to have a few fun photos. In the second shot my daughter was trying to get me to show the asymmetrical line of the kimono, but my mind went towards Dracula’s cape. Ha, ha. Always the ham, I am!

What do you think of this outfit? Is this a little too outside the box? Do you stay away from writing on tees? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to leave a little love in the comments. I appreciate all your support.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

I’m including a few shopping links. Enjoy! These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Kickin' It with Kimonos - White Print

Today’s outfit features a longer kimono with the more traditional rectangular shape with sleeves. I have styled this pretty Sonoma kimono one other time on the blog. You can see it styled for a casual look with ankle jeans and a silk sweater top. I found this piece on the Kohl’s clearance rack last summer. Speaking of Kohl’s, I got a 40% off coupon in my wallet that I need to use before the day is over. Plus, my hubby had gotten me a Kohl’s gift card for our anniversary, so I guess I will be doing a little online shopping today. Ha. ha.

I have shown you how to wear kimonos and ruanas with skirts, shorts, white pants, short dresses and jeans. Today I thought it would be appropriate to show you, that you can also wear a kimono or ruana with a maxi dress.

I have had this navy, column type maxi dress from Christopher & Banks for a few years. It is a medium weight knit, so no need for a slip. It drapes nicely and can be dressed up or down, depending on where you want to wear it. The heavier knit has stayed fresh over the years, so the dress never looks worn or faded. The dress has its own elastic waistline and came with a simple cloth, tie belt. I typically use other belts to jazz it up a bit, but you really wouldn’t have to use a belt at all. You can see how I styled this sleeveless piece before in my Marvelous Maxis series.

When I chose my accessories, I wanted to keep the look slightly more casual, so I opted for browns and a little blush in my jewelry to pull out the very light pink along the front edge and neck line of the kimono. My sandals are Croft & Barrow, Ortholite brand and they are very comfy. The bag was a thrifted Aldo piece. I really like how the earth tones of the bag, sandals and belt really compliment the whole outfit.

Here’s a few twirling pictures. What little and big girls don’t love a good twirl…but not too much, or I’ll get sick. Ha, ha. The joys of aging!

I do like how this outfit turned out. What do you think? Have your worn a kimono with a maxi dress? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your comments do help my blog grown and they also help me to know what content you enjoy reading, so if you have a moment, leave me some love.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. Have fun shopping! All you clicks give me a little bit of money. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Kickin' It with Kimonos - Yellow Floral

It seems that floral is a very popular pattern for kimonos. I am not sure it that is because most of us use our kimonos during the warmer months as a way to level up an otherwise, “normal” outfit like a pair of jeans or shorts or if I just am more naturally drawn to the floral prints in my purchases. Today’s kimono is a shorter style, but once again is covered with a floral print, although this time a bit more tropical.

I was on the verge of getting rid of this pretty yellow kimono. It is a brand called TruSelf and I think I got it at Walmart a few years ago. I am not real thrilled about the length of this piece. If the hemline was more asymmetrical, I think I might like it better, but for the sake of trying something different I kept it.

One of the bloggers I have followed since becoming a blogger is Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style. Jodie is such a warm, friendly lady, and an actual person. She isn’t at all fake, and I love that about her. Most of the fashion bloggers I follow are real women, who have their own sets of struggles and difficulties, but they are trying, just like me, to accept themselves and this process called aging. Jodie featured a post on a different way to wear your kimonos and that is where I learned this trick of tying the front to give the kimono a different look. You can see Jodie’s original post on how to make kimonos look more fitted here.

I tied mine differently than Jodie did in her post, but it still serves the same function, to make the kimono more fitted, rather than boxy. Here’s what it looks like tied up.

My light blue tee is a thrifted Sonoma piece. I love graphic tees and a great place to find them are thrift stores. Whether you like band tees, place tees or just random word tees, you can find plenty of different graphics second hand. Be sure to check out the men’s section as well. I found a few tees that were perfect for my younger daughter.

My pin striped skirt is reminiscent of the old time railroad engineers’ caps. this was a recent online purchase from Christopher and Banks. I was looking for another pencil type skirt with a little different look than just plain denim. This works perfectly. I am looking forward to cooler weather and styling this skirt with some tights and ankle boots.

Since the chunky sneaker look is trendy with skirts and dresses right now, I knew I could add my bright blue thrifted Keds and be spot on. My other accessories consisted of my thrifted Jaclyn Smith bag, a navy flower pendant necklace from Christopher and Banks and a simple beaded navy bracelet.

Do you have a kimono in your closet that you are not sure how to wear? I hope these little posts are offering you some inspiration. Sometimes we only need a new way of looking at something to give us a whole new set of ideas for styling outfits with clothes already in our closets.

I hope you week is off to a great start.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have fun looking over the shopping links below. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Thrifted Thursday - Casual Summer Style

As you all know I am a regular thrifter. Thrifting is a great way to get quality clothing pieces at very low prices. You can find name brands like Coach, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, and many more at drastically reduced prices. I personally don’t look for name brands, because brands are not as important to me as fit, ease of wear and care, and low price points. I have found things like my navy Ralph Lauren blazer and black heeled leather boots. I know there are many bloggers who score big finding very expensive brands for just a few dollars. Whatever you are looking for, thrift stores can be a great place to dig for treasure. During this time of Covid, you can also shop second hand on line, with retailers like Poshmark, thredUP and even Goodwill.

Thrifted Thursday is all about outfits pulled from my closet made entirely of pieces I have found thrifting. It challenges me to take a purposeful look at my thrift finds and come up with new ways to style them. There are many times I put an outfit together and it is entirely thrifted, but more often, my outfits are a blend of thrifted and regular retail priced pieces from stores like Christopher and Banks, Kohl’s, JCPenney and Maurices.

Both this graphic tee and my distressed cropped jeans have been on the blog before. You can see the tee styled with a denim skirt and the jeans styled with a green and white popover top, holiday sweater and a red plaid jacket. My Happy tee is No Boundaries brand. The distressed jeans are Simply Vera brand.

Since my tee is fairly loose and long, I thought to tie it at the front to give me a more defined waist. The tee is very thin, and almost distressed like my jeans. That is part of why I thought they went well together.

For my accessories, I chose my blush and pearl choker, which is not thrifted, but I thought it went well with the outfit. I also chose my thrifted, blush, NY & Co. bag.

This sweater vest was another fun thrift find. I was shopping with my best friend back in NY and she pointed this out to me. I tried it on and loved it. It is Relativity brand. What sold me on this piece was the fringe.

Since I was grooving on a blue theme, I chose my thrifted blue and silver, YNot brand cage sandals.

It is fun to put together an outfit made entirely, or mostly out of pieces I have found at a thrift store. Do you like this outfit? Do you like to go thrift shopping? What thrift stores do you like to shop at? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I’ve included a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I’ll see you next week.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Kickin' It with Kimonos - Multi-color

Welcome to my Kickin' It with Kimonos series. If you didn’t see the first post last week, be sure to click on the Gray and White Plaid to see how I styled a unique two toned outfit perfect for a summer work look, or a trip to the mall. In this series I am taking a look at a few of the unique, fun kimonos that reside in my closet. While last week’s post featured a more traditional shaped kimono, this week’s piece is truly a ruana, not a kimono. What is the difference? A kimono has a T shape, featuring a more columnar body and sleeves, while a ruana is merely a long, rectangular shaped fabric with an opening in the front and at the sides. Many times ruanas do not have sleeves, but merely hang over your shoulders and arms. Today’s piece is stitched at the sides, creating a type of wide, open sleeve.

I’ve styled this fun, festive ruana on the blog several others times. You can see it styled with blue and red, and also with red and green. It was a treasure find at DSW on the clearance rack, and is Do Everything in Love brand. This is a great name for a clothing brand, because every time you look at the tag it is a reminder to keep our opinions and our emotions in check and to be kind and show love at all times.

I do not wear shorts. I know lots of bloggers talk about body positivity and I think that is a great attitude to have, but there is also the reality of what each of us is comfortable showing off to the general public. In this picture I have on nude support hose. They help keep my legs looking a more uniform color and texture. One of these days I will show you the real me, but for now, if you struggle with varicose veins, I completely understand, especially if they aren’t merely spider veins. Mine are the bulbous, black and blue type. Maybe one day, I won’t care any more, but for now, this is me.

I chose to don shorts in an effort to show you other ways of styling pieces that most people would wear during the hotter, summer months. These are Sonoma brand from Kohl’s and are more of a Bermuda length, which I like. No more hot pants for this girl. Ha, ha. This was a photo from high school, taken with my friend Donna. I’m the one with dark hair and glasses, if you couldn’t tell. Those were definitely short, shorts! Aren’t old pictures fun?

My thrifted Marvel tee was the perfect piece to pair with this ruana. I love the bright colors and while it is cropped, with these higher waisted shorts I didn’t need to worry about my belly showing.

You can also see in the above picture the bright yellow beads I selected to go with the outfit. I didn’t need any jewelry, because there is so much already going on in this outfit. There are times, I just like to embellish, because it is fun.

I went for a larger bag having in mind this would be a good outfit for a day of shopping with a girlfriend. This is my thrifted Simply Vera bag.

My Keds navy and white sneakers seemed to be the perfect choice for this casual summer outfit.

As always, I love to give you a few happy pictures.

In addition, I couldn’t wear a Marvel shirt and not pretend to be a super hero. Ha, ha.

Do you have a bright colored ruana or kimono like this one? Do you like to wear bright colors like this, or are you more a fan of more subdued neutrals and pastels? I hope you enjoyed this post and seeing an old picture from my past.

Thursday, I hope to look at a few of the summer trends. I know summer is half over with, but I am sure we have plenty of warm days left, even well into the fall, and as I have told you before, I don’t worry so much about being trendy when the trends are trending, ha, ha, but just choose what I like and decide when I want to wear it.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.