Oh, Olive! Utility Jacket - Workwear Look

Depending on where you work, you might be able to be in your sweats or pj’s. So many people have been working at home through the Covid pandemic, that people have gotten rid of many of their business style pieces since they really have no need for them. However, many places have opened back up and have called people back into the office. When I was working as an assistant manager at a university bookstore, I could wear my jeans to work, and very often did, but I could also wear skirts or dresses if I chose to do that. Usually, when we talk about workwear style, we are talking about a business or business casual type of outfit consisting of blouses, nice pants, blazers and other similar pieces. We do have a more casual type of style that has moved into the work place in many business realms, allowing their employees to have more flexibility and comfort. I would say today’s look tends towards business casual due to the utility jacket and the tennis shoes, and I would have been perfectly comfortable wearing this to my previous job.

As I told you in Tuesday’s post, I am featuring the olive utility jacket as my olive piece. This is St. John’s Bay brand from JCPenney. This jacket is roomy, so I can wear multiple layers underneath if I want to use it in the cooler weather. Right now, it is a great piece for overly air conditioned restaurants, retail spaces and business offices. This piece also has adjustable tabs at the sides to make it more fitted, as well as a double front closure which includes a full zipper and buttons.

Fall Trend Alert - Lavender

Certain colors are always trending for each of the major seasons and fall is no exception. Surprisingly, rather than the typical fall hues of orange, brown or yellow, we are seeing pastels like lavender and blush. I’ll cover blush next week, but for today lavender is my color of choice. My thrifted eyelet top is Old Navy brand. I love this light weight piece.

You’ve seen my polka dot skirt on the blog before. Amazingly with my weight gain and redistribution (aka spare tires), I can still get it on. Ha ha. This older thrifted piece is a brand called Outback Red. It is a great piece for any warmer weather season, spring, summer or fall. Not a full length maxi skirt, it is more of a tea length. Another plus, it has pockets.

I kept my accessories pretty low key, except my layered necklace is fairly blingy. I added a few bracelets, my white cross body bag again and my Steve Madden sneakers that I got recently at DSW.

Do you like this outfit? What would you wear to the office? Let me know what you think.

I hope you enjoyed this look. I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great rest of your week!

Oh, Olive! Utility Jacket - Casual

I am back from visiting my mom and ready to get back to posting here on the blog. I wasn’t feeling well, the first couple of days after I got home, but I think most of it was fatigue and allergies. They seem to be beating on everyone this year. While I was at my mom’s I didn’t have internet, but I was able to get some photos taken and was pretty pleased with the result. I hope you will be as well.

I am continuing my look at a few of my different olive pieces and how they can be used with just about any outfit and any color. I do like to think outside the box, at least my box, so I hope you will find some of these outfits inspirational for your own wardrobes. The week before last I showed you a casual and a workwear look using an olive pair of pants. Today and Thursday, I want to take a look at ways to style an olive utility jacket. You can see how I styled this same jacket on the blog before with a striped tee and distressed jeans, another striped tee, and a polka dot chambray top.

Another thing, I decided to add to this little series, is to give you a few peaks at what is trending for fall. I’ll point it out as we go along. Let’s take a look at the olive utility jacket.

I have had this olive utility piece for a number of years now. St. John’s Bay brand, I got it at JCPenney. Since then I have accumulated a few other utility jackets in other colors. I like that they are so versatile. In fact, I may have to do a post on that at a future date. Most of my pieces, including this one are lighter weight, so a great topper for spring, summer and fall. While they do tend towards more casual, I will show you on Thursday how to make one look appropriate for work.

What makes a piece utility? I think it has to do with the pockets and the details like drawstrings, snaps and metal zippers. Next week I will be showing you an olive utility vest.

Fall Trend Alert - Denim on Denim

Once again, it seems denim with denim is trending for fall. While I wouldn’t wear this regularly, it does have a casual appeal. Monochrome is always a good way to get a longer, sleeker line. Most of what I saw on the runway were pieces of the same wash. See this post on Fall 2021 trends from Marie Claire. However, there is a sense of personal creativity in putting together pieces with different washes, as I did in this outfit.

My chambray top is a thrift find from earlier in the summer. It is a brand called Cremieux. Apparently, Daniel Cremieux started a men’s clothing line in Saint Tropez, on the French Riviera in the mid 70’s. It looks like he designed women’s clothing for a time as well. Both lines were sold at Dillards, but the women’s line is no longer available in the US. The fun things you find when you thrift.

You’ve seen my thrifted, distressed Simply Vera, Vera Wang jeans plenty of times on the blog. They are getting rattier looking as time goes along, but I guess that is the point. Ha, ha. If the holes get to big for my comfort zone, I may make a few patches, which actually could be fun.

I decided to add this floral mini print scarf just for a little extra color. I don’t use my scarves much in the heat of the summer. I sweat just sitting still on these humid days. Last night, I was working on this post and I was dripping with sweat. Of course we hadn’t turned our air conditioners on. Sometimes, we have to choose between a little bit of inconvenience and being able to pay the electric bill. My husband always runs colder, so he’s not as hot unless he is doing yard work or something. Today is supposed to be even warmer. I think the air will be on later, so this woman doesn’t get too cranky. Ha, ha.

If you follow my Instagram account, you may have seen that I rearranged my scarves. Just like with all of my clothes, I have way more than I need, but I am trying to make everything more accessible and visible, so it is easier to sort through and find. Do you have a special way of arranging your scarves?

My blue Converse are making another appearance. While I still think this brand of sneaker makes me look even more like I have ski feet, I am trying to embrace those long skinny things on the ends of my legs.

The last accessory I have is my white cross body bag. This was another thrift find. I like that it is a little bit larger than many cross body bags, so I can actually fit everything in it, without having to squeeze it in. I am not sure what the brand is, but it was still very clean and unworn, so I snatched it up.

Do you own an olive utility jacket? How do you like to wear it? I love hearing from you, so be sure to leave me some love in the comments. I hope your summer is going swimmingly well!

I’m including a few shopping links for denim pieces and utility jackets. I hope you’ll look those over. Every time you click on a link, I get a few cents and I appreciate it. All opinions are my own.

Have a great Tuesday!

Oh, Olive! Workwear Look

Tuesday I showed you a casual look with olive pants and today I am showing you a workwear look that might be doable for the office. We are looking at the color olive as a neutral. I know many of us have olive in our wardrobes and are becoming more aware of what a great color it is. Tuesday, I showed you how well it goes with orange and white. Check out today’s outfit, which combines dark florals and black for a sassy look.

I found this fabulous dark floral Time and Tru dress while thrifting on one of our trips. I had started really looking over the dress racks at thrift stores recently after seeing Instagram gal, jbowenandcompany using a button up dress like a kimono. It makes a piece like this so much more versatile. When I decided to do this series on olive pieces, I knew this dress as a duster would be a perfect topper for a fun workwear look.

Once again, my olive Gloria Vanderbilt skinny pants are the focal piece. This time I paired them with another neutral, black. My black v-neck polo is a sleeveless piece that I found thrifting a few weeks ago. Black and olive has always been a classic combination. Throwing the dark floral piece over the top really makes the outfit pop.

You’ve seen these Clark peep toe shoeties on the blog before. They are great shoes, I just really have no place to wear them right now. I know many bloggers and Instagram babes who post outfits they are actually wearing, but some of us have a more laid back approach. I would wear these and this whole outfit if I had an office job, but right now I don’t. Still, it is fun to have choices, and to be able to show you all a few of my fun wardrobe pieces, even if I don’t wear them as often.

I thought adding the light blue bag would pull out the light blue in the duster and with the dark florals it still gives the outfit a summer feel. You could have done the same thing with the light pink, yellow, or white. For the same reason I went with the light blue pendant. Just that little extra pop of color adds more interest to the outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? Have you ever worn a button up dress as a duster or kimono? It is a great way to extend the use of your dresses. If you are like me, you don’t have too many excuses to wear a dress. I know some ladies wear them all the time, and if my legs were less blemished by veins, I probably would too, but using a dress in this way still gives me an excuse to get more dressed up.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am going to include a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend. I will not be posting next week once again, as I am going to spend the week with my mom while my brother and his family are out of town. I’ll be back the following week. Until then, take care.

Oh, Olive! Casual Look

It is old news that olive is the new neutral, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows how to wear it. Olive is not everyone’s perfect color, although, you know me. I think everyone can wear every color, if you find the right shade. Olive is not olive, is not olive. In other words, there are varying shades of olive, just as there are varying shades of red, yellow and every other color. Olives can vary from yellowy browns to almost gray. My husband has numerous types of camo for various types of hunting, but almost all of them have olive in common. However, they are not the exact same shade of green. Knowing this, I decided that a few posts on how to wear olive, might be a good idea for this middle of the summer time. Do you feel like summer is zipping by faster than the Eurostar train running from Britain to France? Before you know it, it will be time for the Autumn/Winter Pantone series.

If you follow my Instagram account, you know that I styled this look over there, minus the vest on Monday. We started a style challenge this week called #stretchyourstyle . Using things we already have in our closet we come up with outfits to go along with the daily or weekly theme. We are doing colors this time and yesterday’s was olive and orange. That was all I needed to inspire me for what I wanted to do next on the blog.

You’ve seen these Gloria Vanderbilt skinny pants on the blog before. They were a Kohl’s purchase from a few years ago. These are a work horse in my closet and the fact that they are olive was the frosting on the cupcake of fashion. They have a good amount of stretch, but don’t loose their shape. They are casual, but can also be dressed up, which I will show you on Thursday and they make a great neutral color. You can see them styled with a floral bomber jacket, a lightweight graphic sweater, an olive vest and top, a snakeskin jacket, a floral dress, and peachy print top. If you click on the links they will take you to the original posts.

Let’s talk for a minute about what makes a color neutral. The best way to describe it is a color that can go with all other colors. Colors like black, navy, tan, and white have long been considered neutrals. More recently olive has become a favorite neutral, able to be combined, not only with the other neutral colors, but with colors that vary from light to bright and everything in between. I honestly cannot think of a color that I would not pair well with olive.

My thrifted pineapple top is Elle brand. To go along with that I put on a gold belt and did the front tuck, so the belt is visible. I also added a simple gold necklace.

The open weave knit vest was a thrift find on our anniversary trip. It is Jordache brand. I just love the pretty detailing on this boho piece.

For Mother’s Day my husband gave me a gift card for Nordstrom. I only shop there occasionally, as their prices are a little higher than what I usually feel comfortable spending. However, Nordstrom Rack is a better option as prices are slightly less, and the gift card works for either. I got online and started looking at clearance and sale items, and came across these Sperry olive colored sneakers. I knew they were going in my cart. I have been looking for a pair of olive colored shoes for the warmer weather and these are perfect. They are comfy too, so that is a plus.

You’ve seen this pale green tote on the blog before as well. This is from Charming Charlie. I love the metal stud detailing along the sides and the contrasting green hues.

Do you have an olive pair of pants? Do you consider olive a neutral? How do you like to wear your olive? I will be showing you a work wear look on Thursday, so be sure to check back for that.

I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no cost. If you click on a link, I get a few cents and those cents do add up after a while, which I really appreciate.

For more outfit fun, be sure to check out my Instagram, where I post almost daily with my typical every day looks.

Have a great day!

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - Both Palettes with all the Outfits.

I always think it is fun to do a post featuring all the outfits from my Pantone color series. I really spread these out this year due to scheduling issues, so that’s even more of a reason to look back at all of the outfits. I will also let you know, which ones were my faves.

New York Palette

Illuminating, Rust and Ultimate Gray

Amethyst Orchid, Green Ash and Inkwell

Raspberry Sorbet, Mint and Willow

Burnt Coral, Marigold and Desert Mist

French Blue, Cerulean and Butter Cream

I would have to say, from the New York Palette, my favorite combination is the Amethyst Orchid, Ash Green and Inkwell. I love the contrast of the dark navy blue and the pastel colors. It just makes the outfit pop. I also love the light green with the light purple. It is a very pretty combo for spring and summer. In addition, I really liked the casual vibe of the French Blue, Cerulean and Butter Cream combo. both of these are outfits I would wear. What were your favorite colors? What is your favorite outfit from this series?

London Palette

Illuminating, Marigold and Ultimate Gray

Pirouette, Indigo Bunting and Polar Night

Purple Rose, Lava Falls and Baby’s Breath

Pickled Pepper, Orange Ochre and Sphagnum

Beach Glass, Blue Atoll, and Macchiato

I really liked this palette over all, because I love all of the colors. My favorite combination was the outfit that I got the most positive feedback on, Beach Glass, Blue Atoll and Macchiato. There is just something so summery and uplifting about these tropical blues and warm brown. I also liked the challenge of combining Purple Rose and Lava Falls. I would have never thought to pair this medium purple with a bold red, but I think it worked. What were your favorite colors from this palette? What is your favorite outfit?

I’d love to hear back from you. Your comments help me to know if the content I am putting out is pertinent to your life. I hope that my outfits and posts are inspiring you to shop your own closet and to think outside the box when it comes to the clothing pieces you wear and how you put them together.

Have a wonderful day!

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Beach Glass, Blue Atoll and Macchiato

We’ve reached the end of the Pantone - London Palette series with these last three colors which make me think of tropical seas and sandy beaches. Like Tuesday’s post, where I combined two different greens from the palette, today’s post combines two summery blues for a light, airy, warm weather look.

I started figuring this outfit out with my light blue, thrifted Sonoma crop pants. Though they are a bit lighter than the Beach Glass color, I think they still work. I pull these out every spring and summer as a light weight alternative to denim.

My multi-print top is another thrift store find. I just loved the soft colors and print on this popover blouse. It has no tag in it, so I have no idea what the brand was. The print has the light Beach Glass blue, as well as the darker Macchiato.. You’ll see a close up in the next photo.

For the darker Blue Atoll color I decided to add a few pieces of jewelry. I had some long, opera length beads and decided to do some layering with the necklaces. I also added a beaded bracelet, that appears to better match the Beach Glass color.

For the Macchiato color, I played around with several pieces, but everything seemed too yellow. This longer sweater was a recent purchase from Cracker Barrel. While they are a restaurant, they also have what they call an Old Country Store. The store is filled with all sorts of items from old fashioned candy, beautiful home decor, quilts, jewelry, cards, music and clothing. If you click on the link, it will take you to the sweater and it is on sale. Whoo, hoo. If you like it snatch it up. Here are a few photos to show you the details of this pretty piece and the movement. It is a light weight material, so it will be great for spring, summer and fall.

My bag is Madden brand; a clearance find from Kohl’s. My perforated peep toe shoes are Sonoma brand and another Kohl’s purchase from a few years ago.

What do you think of these three colors? I really like how this outfit turned out and think the color combination is great for summer. Do you have these colors in your closet?

I’m including a few other shopping links for you to look over. The Cracker Barrel sweater link is not part of the affiliate program, but I wanted to offer it to you, in case you really like the sweater. The rest of the shopping links are through the affiliate program. Every time you click on a link I get a few pennies, and I appreciate every click.

Have a great weekend!

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Pickled Pepper, Orange Ochre and Sphagnum

For today’s outfit I decided to combine the two greens that were on the London Palette. Both Pickled Pepper and Sphagnum are great green shades for summer time. While Pickled Pepper is one of the main palette colors, Sphagnum is one of the palette classic colors. Olive is a great neutral and goes with just about every color out there, so Sphagnum, (which is actually a type of moss), makes for the perfect classic color.

My Pickled Pepper popover top is Sonoma from Kohl’s a few years ago. This top is easy to wear, as well as cool for these hot, humid days. I don’t usually prefer to wear sleeves with elastic, but as long as the elastic isn’t cutting off the circulation in my arms I’m okay with it.

My Sphagnum utility vest is Mudd brand, and was another clearance purchase from Kohl’s a few seasons ago.

These light wash jeans were a recent thrift find. A brand called Ella Moss, this brand is available at stores like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Amazon, Dillards, and others. I like the cropped length and the high waist of this pair.

For the Orange Ochre color, I grabbed my thrifted, orange suede bag and a fun pendant choker. It is much easier to include a brighter color, if you do it with accessories.

I had to show off my new clearance Converse sneakers from DSW. They are very comfy and I love the blue color. They are similar in color to my thrifted Keds, which are showing a bit of wear, so these were a great find.

Here are a few silly pictures. I was jumping for joy. Ha, ha.

What do you think of these colors? Do you like to wear green? Do you have Sphagnum (olive) in your closet? I would love to hear from you. I’m including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Graphic and photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Purple Rose, Lava Falls and Baby's Breath

Today’s colors are a blend of pastel purple, bold red and creamy off white. I have always loved purple, but it really isn’t a color I regularly wear. I easily got on board with Purple Rose which is a medium purple that goes well with many other colors, especially things like brown, olive and navy. Why, then did I decide to pair it with a fierce red like Lava Falls? Because I always like to show you things outside the box. It is not very often, that I think to put purple and red together.

The factor that clinched the deal on putting these colors together, was that my thrifted Old Navy, Lava Falls, paisley popover top had both of these colors in it. How fortuitous was that? Ha, ha. This is a fun, tunic type shirt that has short sleeves, and the interesting details of a shirt tail hem line and a lace up v-neck. I love the paisley print too, which always reminds me of the 70’s.

The Croft and Barrow cardigan is older and I like I said, doesn’t get a lot of regular wear, but i just love the color so I keep it around.

You’ve seen these creamy, Baby’s Breath, thrifted, St. John’s Bay ankle pants on the blog before. I really think this look would have been cuter with a creamy denim pencil skirt or a pair of Bermuda shorts, but I don’t have either of those. I am not as fond of the silhouette, but it is okay, just not great.

I didn’t need to wear a necklace and this long opera length beaded strand is exactly the same color as the top, but sometimes I like the subtle texture and shine of a piece, even if it is a similar color. Wrapping this long strand of beads around my neck makes it look like I have on a choker.

I added a few beaded bracelets with similar reds, although there is plenty going on in the top, so it wasn’t really needed. Often, less is more.

My thrifted Simply Vera, Vera Wang cross body bag is making another appearance. This is a great little bag for the warmer months. The off white color goes perfectly with the Baby’s Breath color of the pants.

These Steve Madden platform sneakers were a new purchase from DSW. I had a coupon and I had been looking at this type of sneaker since last summer. I finally took the plunge. They are not something I would use for walking, but they are cute for a casual day of picnicking or window shopping.

What do you think of these colors? Do you think you would ever combine red with purple? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love.

I am including a few shopping links in these colors, so if you have time, give those a look. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Graphic and photo credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Pirouette, Indigo Bunting and Polar Night

As always, with the Pantone color series, I find their choice of names for their colors intriguing. Today’s colors center on a pretty purply pink, called Pirouette, which, of course, makes me think of a ballerina. Indigo Bunting is a pretty blue, much like the bird after which it is named. I have had the privilege of seeing an Indigo Bunting flitting through the trees at one of our local metro parks a few years back. They regularly reside in Ohio in the summer time, but like to hang out in abandoned fields, scrubby bush areas and areas with red cedar trees, none of which I have around my house. Polar Night, much like its New York partner Inkwell, is a very dark navy blue.

This fun, multi-print dress is a few years old and was a Kohl’s clearance purchase. I really like many of the pieces by Vera Wang, made specifically for this retailer and called Simply Vera by Vera Wang. These are the pieces that real world women like myself can afford and wear. I have styled this dress, like a tunic for a trip we took to Florida a few years ago. You can see that post here. The dress really contains all three colors, except that its blue borders on being more of a teal.

I decided to add the bright blue sweater, another Christopher and Banks cardi, as my attempt at the Indigo Bunting. It is a tad bit bluer and maybe brighter, but I think it works well. I would have never thought to pair it with this dress, but I like how it looks.

This is me being silly as I commune with nature. Ha, ha.

I centered all my accessories around the necklace that is perfectly Pirouette. Since the beads are strung along a silver chain, I went for silver as my accessory color of choice. My thrifted silver clutch and my SO ballerina flats makes the outfit just a little more dressy.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear them? Do you have any of these colors in your closet? Let me know what you think by leaving me a comment here on the blog or on Facebook.

Don’t forget, I also post on Instagram and typically you’ll see more of what I wear on a regular basis. Right now my daily looks are very casual, since I am not working, but you’ll definitely get to see more of my clothes, that don’t make it to the blog.

As usual, I am including a few shopping links for these colors. These are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own.

Have a great day!

Graphic and photo credit, Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette: Illuminating, Marigold and Ultimate Gray

Illuminating and Ultimate Gray are the two colors of the year, so just like I did for the New York Palette, I decided to pair the two colors together and for this one I added Marigold, which was also on the New York palette.

We decided to go to the Toledo Botanical Gardens again for these pictures and we did come across some beautiful blooms. This particular bush is a rhododendron. I just did some research and found out that all azaleas are rhododendrons, but not all rhododendrons are azaleas. Whether you like azaleas or rhododendrons they are all beautiful.

Once again, I chose my recently thrifted bright yellow jacket to serve as the Illuminating color. The jacket is D&Co. (Denim and Co.). It has a nice stretch to it and I like the 3/4 length sleeves for a change of pace.

I’ve styled my medium yellow tee on the blog before. You can see it styled with a leopard print skirt. Having tees in a variety of colors comes in handy when you want to put an outfit together. This thrifted tee is Apt. 9 brand.

My Gloria Vanderbilt jeans were another Kohl’s clearance find. They are soft and stretchy, so great for my fluctuating weight. I say fluctuating, but it really doesn’t go up and down. It either stays the same or goes up. Ha, ha.

I wanted my accessories to make a statement since the outfit itself was not overwhelmingly interesting. I found this pretty layered necklace in gray tones somewhere along the way. I think it was a thrift shop nearby. I added a few beaded bracelets to tie the jewelry together.

When I decided on the thrifted tan loafers, I knew my Nine West snakeskin print circle bag would be the perfect piece to complete the whole look and bring everything together.

What do you think of these colors together? Do you like the lighter yellow of Illuminating or the richer tone of Marigold? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I appreciate when you give me your feedback. It can be kind of lonely as a blogger, when I don’t know if anyone is reading my content or looking at my posts, so I really love to hear from you.

I am including a few shopping link for you to enjoy. These are affiliate links and are brought to you at no cost. If you click on a link I get a few pennies and I appreciate all of your clicks. I do not get paid to write my blog, I do it as a hobby and as a service to whomever wants to follow along. I hope that I inspire you to take a second look at your wardrobe and see new ways to put things together, that you never thought of before.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - London Palette - Intro

I am finally getting around to sharing the Pantone London Palette with you. It has been hard to get things posted in a timely fashion. Even though I would normally try to get these colors to you, much earlier in the Spring, I figure they are meant for spring and summer, so we are still okay. Today’s post will introduce you to the colors and give you a few little sneak peeks from our recent photo shoot.

These are all great colors for spring and summer. The palette is a nice mix of warm and cool colors and there is likely to be a color for everyone. The classic colors, while still showcasing your typical navy, gray and creamy white, also includes a soft light brown and an mossy olive green. I really like the blues included with this palette. They make me think of tropical waters and blue skies.

Enjoy these sneak peeks.

Be sure to check back on Thursday for the first outfit in this series. I hope you had a lovely Memorial Day weekend.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

My Favorite Denim Pieces

For the last few week I have been looking back at some older posts, due to scheduling conflicts and my own lack of motivation and energy to bring you a lot of new content. I do apologize for that, but this does offer you a look at different pieces that are worth investing in due to their reusability. Since we as fashion bloggers, thrifters and purchasers of fashion are wanting to be more conscious of how our choices affect the environment we are learning that sustainable fashion is important for the future of our world.

Sustainability at its finest starts even before the actual manufacture of clothing. While more companies are jumping on the sustainability wagon, we must admit there are literally tons of used clothing going into landfills, that could be part of this sustainability loop. Thrift stores are part of this loop and are helping to give new life to second hand pieces. Bloggers, Instagrammers and others are working their accounts to show you new ways to wear the clothes that are already in your closet, or at least encourage you to shop second hand.

This week I decided to focus on the favorite denim pieces in my closet. Denim has always been my go to fabric for every day outfits. Whether you like jeans, denim skirts, or denim jackets, everyone can get onboard with having a few work horse denim pieces in their wardrobe.

Piece 1 - Cropped Denim Jacket

This is one of the first cropped pieces I found that I really liked and still use repetitively. There is something about the silhouette of a cropped denim jacket that to me, makes it a little more versatile. I feel like it dresses up better than a standard jean jacket, but some of that might also be the wash. A darker wash will always look more dressy as opposed to a lighter or more acid washed piece. You can wear a piece like this with a casual dress, a classy maxi dress, leopard print, a longer tunic and jeans, and a pair of utility pants.

Picture by me.

Piece 2 - Denim Skirt

Since jeans are my first choice for most of my causal outfits, I am not going to include them in this post, but I will say, that most of my favorite jeans I have picked up at thrift stores. The ability to try on different styles, silhouettes and brands, many of which I wouldn’t have ever thought to shop, have provided me with several pairs that are on repeat during most of the year. If you are more of a skirt or dress kind of girl, then a denim skirt is a great casual alternative to jeans.

Just so you know, the first skirt is from a few years ago and I got rid of it, because I outgrew it. The last two pieces were just unique, so I picked them up, but my most used piece would be the darker wash pencil skirt in the middle number of photos. If you are looking for a denim skirt, that is the wash and style I would recommend. I recently thrifted a longer light wash one, so we’ll see how that gets styled this summer. Stay tuned.

Photo by me.

Piece 3 - Denim Vest

Another piece that I really love is a denim vest. So far I only have one and that is my Christopher and Banks piece, but I would like to find a few others including a longer one that ties and a more traditional vest shaped piece. These are things I add to my thrifting list and keep and eye out for. If I never find one, no big deal, but if I do, I’ll grab it.

Unique Denim Pieces

Since my love for denim extends to all areas of my wardrobe, I also wanted to include a few unique pieces with their own special embellishments or characteristics.

Embroidery

Any sort of embellishment on denim is fun, but I do love embroidery.

Chambray

While not technically denim, we group this with denim due to its similar washes and uses. Whether it is a button down, a popover or a dress, chambray is a great denim substitute for the warm temperatures of spring and summer.

I hope you enjoyed this look back at a few of my favorite denim pieces. I am including a few shopping links for you to look over. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit where not specified, Rebecca Trumbull.

Spring Outfit with Orange Pants

Just like I did for the blue pants, I wanted to show you a new outfit with my Worthington orange pants. For this one I focused on a work appropriate look. With many people finally returning to their jobs I thought it would be a good time to feature an outfit that would be perfect for the office, especially as air conditioners come back on.

I wish I would have thought to get close up of the details on this thrifted Maurices vest. I snatched it up, because I don’t have any summer weight white vests and I thought the eyelet detail and the texturing on the pockets made this such a unique piece. It has the utility vibe with the patch pockets and drawstring, but is dressier.

You can also see my H&M button down top. I found this one on the clearance rack a few years ago and just loved the botanical print with its flowers, butterflies and birds. I thought tying the front shirt tails made for a more summery look, but one that remains work appropriate. I also like the soft contrast between the stark white of the vest and the more off white of the blouse.

I added a double layered purple necklace and a few purple metal bangles to pull out the purple in the top.

I opted for more neutral shoes and bag. I thought the outfit had enough color with the bright orange pants and the flora print in the top. The neutral accessories give it not only a summer feel, but a polished and professional look. If I ever go back to an office job, I would definitely wear this. My bag you have seen on the blog before and is from Walmart and George brand. My perforated peep toe sandals are Sonoma brand from Kohl’s.

I was pleased with how this outfit turned out. What do you think? Would you wear something like this to work? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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

Have a great day, everyone and thanks for following along on the blog.

Why You Should have a Pair of Colored Pants - Orange

I thought I would do one more week on colored pants. This denim wearing diva, never imagined in all my years that I would learn to love brightly colored pants, but I have. I do remember when I was young, being a child of the sixties and seventies, I had a pair of bright red, cuffed bell bottom pants that I loved to wear to school. I am not sure what drew me away from the bright colored bottoms, except maybe that feeling of not wanting to be noticed or seen. I still struggle with that bit, but now I don’t worry so much about what other people are thinking or looking at. That is not my problem. I do try to dress modestly, but I love my bright colors and think they help to make me happy. This week I want to focus on my orange pants.

These orange pants were a clearance purchase at JC Penney about four years ago. They are Worthington brand, have a side zipper and an extra seam towards the front, giving the leg a long, lean line and less bulk around the middle, for a more streamlined look. The waist sits near my natural waist, so a little less of the spare tire problem. Here are past posts from the blog where I used these pants.

Outfit 1 - Orange with Sheer Light Blue Top

I love the summery vibe of this outfit. The light blue, sheer top over the white tank combined with the bright orange pants seems very fitting for dinner under the palm trees at a tropical resort.

Outfit 2 - Orange Pants with a Dress

This is one of my favorite outfits with these pants. It just happened that I found this dress at H&M and that the orange in the dress matched perfectly with the pants. I have no problem with women wearing shorter dresses. I know lots of women who will wear them with bike shorts underneath, so nothing is revealed if they blow up or if they bend over. I personally do not have the legs to wear a shorter dress, so wearing pants with a dress has become something I do more often. It is a fun way to display a short piece without any worry of revealing veiny legs or other leg flaws.

Outfit 3 - Orange with Bright Purple and Gray

Who would have thought to pair bright purple with orange? Well, I did and I think it turned out perfectly. I think the light gray jacket over the top helps to pull this whole look together. The pretty leaf necklace ties the orange pants to the purple top. This is a trick you can do to bring cohesiveness to an outfit that might seem a little outside the color box.

Outfit 4 - Orange with Dark Green

Once again, you see a color block pattern, but one that is complimented by the printed accessories in the form of a leaf print scarf and a Vera Bradley tote bag. Since this was a more casual look, I added a hem roll to the bottom of the pants. This would be a great outfit to wear for an early fall shopping trip.

Outfit 5 - Orange with Marled Black Vest

Vests are a great way to transition from cooler seasons to warmer ones and warmer ones to cooler ones. They keep our cores warm, but our arms from being bound under bulky sweaters or coats. The focal point of this outfit, was not the pants, but the scarf, but I drew on the colors in the scarf to create the complete look.

Outfit 6 - Orange with an Asymmetrical Vest

The solid colored orange pants are the grounding point in this outfit that is filled with busy prints. The floral tee, the open weave asymmetrical vest and the patchwork bag would probably be too much, if the pants were also printed. The bright orange once again announces that summer is just around the corner.

Outfit 7 - Orange with Teal, Gray and Yellow

Here we are, back to fall. Orange is a no brainer for fall outfits, but we often reach for rust or darker versions of orange. However, I think I have shown that this bright orange is perfect spring through fall. You probably could even dress it up for winter with a chunky fisherman sweater and some suede ankle boots. This particular pair of pants is lighter weight, so if I wore them in the winter, I might put a pair of tights underneath.

So what do you think of orange pants? For all practical purposes I think more women would choose a bright blue pair rather than the orange, but what I wanted to show you is that there are so many different ways to style a bright colored pair of pants and still have a classy outfit that you can wear for a night out with the hubby, a lunch with friends or to a summer picnic. Pick your favorite color and get a pair of bright colored pants now.

I plan on showing you another outfit on Thursday with these same pants that has a more work oriented feel. Be sure to check back then.

I am leaving you with shopping links for a variety of bright colored pants. I hope you find a pair that will be perfect for you. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Spring Outfit with Bright Blue Pants

I thought I would come up with another outfit using my thrifted, bright blue, Ruby Rd. pants, since I was just talking about them on Tuesday. It was a beautiful day, so I managed to snap a few pictures for this post. They are never as good as my daughter’s pictures, but that is okay. This is real life, right? I never want to come across to you all as having it all together. There are so many bloggers and people who post on Instagram and it is easy to feel like we don’t measure up to their fabulous outfits, looks, or homes, but I know reality. It is messy, hard, busy and many times overwhelming. So I am trying to be as real as possible and not so great pictures are my reality, and so is my wide bottom. Ha, ha.

I wanted to create a look that was casual with just a touch of sass. My Star Wars tee belonged to my oldest daughter and she didn’t want it any more. I’m all for fun graphic tees and certainly am a Star Wars fan. I am actually a bigger Star Trek fan, but Star Wars is a close second.

Funny story about my thrifted silver belt. I chose the silver belt and my silver SO ballerina flats to jazz the look up a little bit, and it went with the silver lettering on the tee. When I went to pull the belt through the first belt loop a ton of the silver flaked off. I had silver dust all over my pants and my rug. Needless to say, I threw the belt in the trash when I was done with the pictures. I was disappointed, as I had great plans for that belt. Oh well, like I said, real life.

I’ve styled this thrifted, white, Sanctuary, jean jacket one other time on the blog. You can see how I styled it with a leopard print skirt. This jacket is not truly denim, it is a thicker cotton material, but doesn’t have the same characteristics of denim. However, I really like it and it is a good piece for the warmer weather and something different from the traditional jean jacket.

I didn’t take a picture of my little silver clutch, but you have seen it on the blog before. I chose it because it went with the belt and shoes. I do like things to match, but it is okay to not have things match as well. Many of our old fashion rules have gone by the wayside. I always go back to the idea, do what is best for you. If you like things to match, then make them match. If you want to wear purple shoes, carry a red bag and wear a green belt, you go girl! As bloggers, we are only here to give you inspiration, not tell you how you have to dress.

I want to know if you have gotten yourself a pair of bright blue pants? Ha, ha. Actually, they are a little hard to find, but if you thrift shop, be sure to check there. Thrift stores will often have loads of brightly colored pants, because they are no longer trending.

I hope you enjoyed this post and one more idea on how to style those bright blue pants.

I’m including a few shopping links just for fun. These are affiliate links brought to you at no added cost. If you click on a link I get a few cents. I appreciate every click. All opinions are my own.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Why You Should have a Pair of Colored Pants - Bright Blue

I am going to take a temporary hiatus from the Pantone series until my daughter and I can get together for a real photo shoot. I just think the pictures look so much better when she does them. She is the professional after all. In the mean time, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about a few different clothing pieces that I think are essential to every woman’s wardrobe.

This week I would like to look at colored pants. I know many of us like to wear darker colors on the bottom to draw less attention to that part of our body. We usually have black, navy and perhaps a dark brown. Those who are a bit more bold might venture into the neutral category with tan or beige colored pants. Some will even dare to wear white in the warmer weather. If you are like me, you wear jeans more than anything else, even in the summer time, but I want to encourage you to purchase a pair of pants in a bolder, brighter color.

Today, I want to look back at a few of my outfits from the last few years of blogging. I want to show you why having a pair of bright blue pants is a way to expand your closet and give you additional outfit ideas. I got these pants from shopping a friend’s closet. They are not my favorite pair of pants due to the fit of the waist, so I usually only use them for blog pictures. However, if I ever come across a pair that fits better, I will definitely make the investment, so I can wear them on a more regular basis.

Outfit 1 - Bright blue with light blue.

If you have been following my blog since the beginning you will probably recognize these outfits. The beauty of a bright blue pair of pants is that they look so classy whether you are dressing them up, like this outfit or dressing them down. I love this combination of bright, bold blue with the lighter pastel blue of the sweater and scarf. The bright blue still makes my lower half look slimmer and doesn’t draw extra attention to that area. See the original post here.

Outfit 2 - Bright blue with a print.

I like having the option of pairing a pretty print top with something other than jeans and these bright blue pants were the perfect compliment to this top and the bomber jacket. Remember, things don’t have to match, though I personally love it when things have some color in common. I think it makes an outfit look more polished and cohesive, but that is just my personal opinion. You can see the original post here.

Outfit 3 - Bright blue with a print kimono.

Once again we are pairing the bright blue with a pretty print. An observation I want to make is the color blocking trend. Color block is not one of my favorite ways to style an outfit, but when you do something like this where you take two solid colors and top it with a fun, summer time print, you come up with an outfit that would be perfect for a graduation party, a picnic or a dinner date. Obviously, you could do this with a white, black or navy pair of pants, but doesn’t the bright blue just make this outfit so much more fun? See the original post here.

Outfit 4 - Bright blue with olive.

I am all about olive. I think olive is such a great neutral and it really goes with any other color. I love the cozy vibe of pairing bright blue with the more muted military olive. This is a great combination for fall as the weather is changing, and becoming cooler. The bright blue still gives the outfit a summer feel, but pairing it with olive makes me think of shorter days and crispy leaves. See the original post here.

Outfit 5 - Bright blue with color blocking.

This outfit was an attempt at color blocking. Again, it is not my favorite thing to do, but once again, I think the bright blue pants takes this outfit up a notch. You could definitely do a similar look with navy, black or white, but the bright blue adds a dimension of color and pizzazz to the look that other colors will not. There are occasions that call for black, especially when you want to look more elegant and classic, but for most of us the events we are going to attend are more conducive to a look that is a bit more relaxed and fun. See the original post here.

Outfit 6 - Bright blue with dark blue.

The last outfit I want to share pairs my bright blue pants with a navy blazer. I like this combination. Just like the pairing of the bright blue with pastel blue, this look creates a pretty contrast between two completely different blues. This is a great look for the office. The bright blue is not garish or overdone when paired with the navy blazer. The whole look epitomizes polish and professionalism. If I still had an office job, I would definitely wear this look. See the original post here.

Do you have a bright blue pair of pants in your closet? If not, does this post make you think differently about wearing them? I am going to include a few shopping links for bright blue pants, just in case you are now convinced you need a pair. Ha, ha. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull.



Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - New York Palette: French Blue, Cerulean and Buttercream

Today’s three color combo is the last of the Pantone Spring/Summer New York Palette. I am going to take a week off, as I hope to go visit my mom next week. In due time, I will proceed with the London Palette, but I haven’t even begun to pick out outfits. Breaking my wrist has really thrown a wrench into the works, so bear with me. I got my second Covid shot yesterday, so getting up this morning was grueling. I got the shot in my left arm, figuring it already hurts and I wanted my right arm to remain relatively pain free. I say relatively because there is some pain in my wrist and rib cage on that side, from having to do all the work. This is making me see how much I need to get back to exercising, especially weight lifting and walking since I have osteoporosis. We ladies need to take of them bones, and all the other parts as well. Ha, ha.

I thought it would be fun to pair these two blues, for a fun, casual summer look. Adding the off white of buttercream gives the outfit that perfect warm weather vibe. I kept my accessories casual to add to the picnic ready style. This would be a great outfit for a Fourth of July get together, just add some red jewelry or a bag.

French Blue and Cerulean are two cool colors that make me think of blue skies and water. I found this French blue plaid shirt while thrifting. I really like this medium blue for spring and summer, as opposed to a dark blue like navy. This button down is Faded Glory brand.

My Buttercream ankle pants have made an appearance on the blog before. These were thrifted St. John’s Bay. You can see these styled for two other Pantone series. This one is styled with a yellow button down and this with my Chevron print dress.

Cerulean is a different light blue. I like the sky blue feel of this color, yet it leans towards a bit more pastel. My top is a thrifted Ralph Lauren piece. I like that it has a lining that is similar t-shirt type material to the outside. It has a fun faux lace texture to it.

I kept my accessories simple. This thrifted French Blue bag was a recent find and I had to grab it since it matched the color perfectly. This is a nice small bag for carrying just the essentials.

My pendant necklace had little flecks of all the colors. I have been on the search for more of these large beads with the hole in the middle. It is so easy to make a necklace out of them.

Lastly, my thrifted Keds finally fit the Pantone color. Cerulean is the right name for these sneakers that are great for warm weather outfits.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have these blues in your closet? What about Buttercream? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’d also love to hear which of these colors you would put together to make an outfit.

I hope you have enjoyed this look at the Pantone Spring/Summer 2021 New York Palette colors.

I am including a few shopping links, so be sure to check those out. These are affiliate links. I get a few pennies when you click on a link, so I appreciate all the clicks.

Photo credit and graphic Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - New York Palette: Burnt Coral, Marigold and Desert Mist

Today’s outfit blends three colors that seem to epitomize summer with all of its beauty. The deep orange yellow of Marigold, combined with the rustic feel of Burnt Coral and the soft pastel of Desert Mist makes me think of picnics, outdoor parties and long walks on the beach. While my outfit today is probably too warm for summer temperatures, I works well for that in between time when the weather is still unsure of what it is going to do.

I ordered this waffle weave dolman sleeve top from Maurices earlier this year. It has elastic on the bottom, so has more of a cropped feel to it, which isn’t always my favorite, but I think this works well with pieces where the top can be worn without the need for tucking or wearing a belt.

I wasn’t going to use this Roz & Ali medallion print skirt again, but I was having a hard time finding things in my closet that were going to work with these colors. Besides this is a pretty skirt, so I don’t mind using it again. You can see how I styled this piece for several other Pantone color series. Last fall I styled it with a neon yellow short sleeve sweater, and the fall before that with a purple short sleeve sweater. I like that this skirt works perfectly for spring, summer and fall. The skirt contains all the colors from the graphic, even though you can’t see Marigold as well, you can definitely see the Burnt Coral and Desert Mist.

My Desert Mist sweater is a little light compared to the Pantone color, but again, this isn’t about having an exact match, but about giving you options that you can find in your closet. This is a thrifted St. John’s Bay piece. It is always good to have a neutral cardigan or jacket that will work well with many different outfits and colors.

For the Marigold color, I just added a few accessories, similar to what I did in last Thursday’s post with Raspberry Sorbet. The necklace and Sophia Caperelli bag are both thrift finds.

You were recently introduced to these Clark’s flats. They are perfect for wearing with a skirt, whether long or short.

What do you think of these colors? Do you have all of these in your closet? Would you wear them together? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so leave me some love.

I’m including a few shopping links. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Here’s a picture, just for your enjoyment. Ha, ha.

Have a great evening!

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - Raspberry Sorbet, Mint and Willow

Today’s Pantone outfit revolves around a tantalizing pink, a refreshing green and another earthy color reminiscent of the weeping willow trees that hug the banks of lakes and streams. Raspberry Sorbet, Mint and Willow combine in an outfit that is both sleek, colorful and casual.

When I think of the color mint, I am more inclined to think of the light Green Ash color from Tuesday’s post. I guess my rendering of mint is based more on ice cream and Christmas candies than it is the actual plant. The mint plant is a bright, living green, so I think the Pantone color is much truer to the natural source. My Mint green top is a thrifted Falls Creek piece. I wore it for this shoot and then I got rid of it. It has been hanging in my closet for a while and I wasn’t certain, why I didn’t reach for it more often. After putting it on, I just didn’t like how stiff the fabric was. I’m all for structured pieces, but a piece has to move with me for me to want to wear it.

My camouflage pants, also Falls Creek, are a recent clearance find from Meijer. They are light weight, so good for summer. Unlike some camo that is more green, these tend towards more brown and gray. The Willow color is in there as you can see in the following picture. Willow was hard color to find. Most of my pieces are more olive green and Willow has more of a brown undertone.

Instead of choosing another clothing piece for the Raspberry Sorbet color, I opted to include it in my accessories. My necklace, bracelets, and the Vera Bradley tote were the perfect pop of this bright, saturated pink.

I went for my silver SO flats to tie in with the silver chains on the necklaces.

What do you think of these Pantone colors? Do you have the color Willow in your closet? I love to hear back from you, so leave a comment or two.

I’m including a few shopping links for you to peruse. These links are brought to you at no cost, but using them to purchase something gives me a few pennies as a kick back. I appreciate all your support. These are affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Photo and graphic credit Rebecca Trumbull.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Pantone - Spring/Summer - 2021 - NY Palette - Amethyst Orchid, Green Ash and Inkwell

Today’s combination of Pantone colors from the New York palette is a study in contrasts. The dark, moody blue of Inkwell, which mimics a night sky is a type of color disparity when side by side with the pale pastel of Green Ash. When I pair colors I often go for bold with bold, or light with light, but I wanted to experiment by creating an outfit with an eye catching difference in color. The addition of Amethyst Orchid gives the perfect compliment of medium purple color.

Let me start the outfit details by talking about this recently thrifted tee. I love the bold flower on the front and purple has long been a favorite color of mine, so I was glad it was on the palette. This tee is St. John’s Bay brand. The darker inner petals are actually separate pieces of material, which gives the tee added dimension.

To go along with the Amethyst Orchid color in the tee, I also added this recently thrifted scarf. I love the large gingham pattern. It was the perfect accompaniment to the whole look. Another interesting feature of this scarf is the ruching of elastic throughout its length adding texture.

These thrifted, Inkwell pants are a brand called Hydrant. A dark pant like this is great for making our lower halves look longer and slimmer. I really like these, but they are a lint magnate. Wearing them with a fuzzy sweater like this is probably not the best idea. Ha, ha. You can also see I added a wider, olive belt since belts are trending and did my usual front tuck.

My fuzzy Green Ash sweater might be a little light, but it is pretty close to the Pantone color. This was a Christopher and Banks purchase last year. Before I bought this piece I had very little of this color in my wardrobe. I have picked up a few things since then. It is a pretty pastel color to wear, especially in the spring and summer. I really like how well it goes with the Amethyst Orchid color.

I decided to go with white for my shoes and bag. White is definitely a go to in the warmer months. My white Keds will be on repeat. My white shoulder bag is a new thrift find. I have been searching for a different white bag and this one has plenty of room and can also be worn as a cross body bag. This is a brand called Bueno.

What do you think of these colors? Would you wear a light pastel with a dark color like navy or black? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.

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

Photo and graphic Rebecca Trumbull.