Stripes, Tights & Blazers

This is a summer dress.  It's not terribly thick, it is sleeveless with a racer back and it is so short it's practically un escandalo:

However, I attempted to make it fall appropriate by layering the dress (LOFT, similar) over tights (Spanx via Nordstrom) with boots (Born "Mabel") and a blazer (J. Crew, swapped, similar).  I also added studded bracelets (Nordstrom, exact) and a neon necklace.

I'm trying to get better about transitioning summer clothes to fall and winter with layers.  I layer a lot but I tend to pack up items I consider "summery" once fall comes and I don't see them again until the following spring.  On one hand, it's kind of nice because I'm always surprised at what I have stored in the garage.  On the other hand, I think my two-seasons-and-two-seasons-only approach to my clothes has resulted in my over-purchasing.  And that's the outcome I'm trying to fight with better cross-seasonal layering.

What about you, Reader Friends?  Do you switch your clothes out for the season or do you have items that work across the seasons?

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

How I Wear My Floral: With Stripes & A Little Shine

Today I am participating in the How I Wear My: Floral Challenge with Everything Just So and The Rich Life (on a Budget).

So, how do I wear my floral?  With stripes, a toucan and a bit of bling:

I started my look with my colorful floral skirt.  Which in turn started as a double-breasted, thrifted dress;  I hacked off the bodice to "make" it a skirt.  I then added a striped 3/4-sleeve tee (J Crew Factory Store) and ankle strap flats (Hive and Honey via Piperlime).  I finished off the look with a vintage toucan pin (gifted) and a vintage rhinestone bracelet.  Because sometimes a girl just wants a little shine:

And a tropical bird brooch.  Of course.

To see how others wear their floral, please to visit Jill (at Everything Just So) and Adrienne (The Rich Life (on a Budget)).

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Shop the Look
Similar floral skirt
Similar striped shirt
Similar ankle-strap flats (round toe or almond toe)
Similar vintage brooch

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Happy Halloween

I didn't dress up for Halloween.  In fact, this is what I wore:

MIA "Roam," Image via Piperlime

I know it�s not very Halloween-y, being neither sexy (my sexy Bert and Ernie costume is at the cleaners) nor scary.  Well, not scary as long as you�re not chromophobic.  If you are, you�re probably terrified of my bright cobalt dress (Target).  Of course, if you�re chromophobic, you probably don�t read my blog.  But, in case you are and you do, maybe as a form of immersion therapy or something, I did tone the look down a bit with the blazer (J. Crew, swapped), the tights (Target), the scarf (c/o FRAAS) and the boots (MIA �Roam� via Piperlime).  Let it never be said that I�m not looking out for my chromophobic peeps.

Happy Wednesday, All.  And, yes, Happy Halloween.

Gracey

P.S. Chromophobia is a fear of bright colors.

Inspired By: A Scarf and a Broken Elbow

The colors in today�s outfit were inspired by the colors in today�s scarf:

The pieces in today�s outfit were inspired by my broken elbow:

Please to allow me to explain.  Today I wore a plum-colored sweater dress (Target) layered over leggings (Ross) and under a caramel blazer (J Crew, swapped).  I added riding boots (Born Crown �Sosie� via Nordstrom), cameo and garnet earrings and, of course, the scarf (Target).  Color-wise, the scarf, while it contains no plum, contains colors that compliment plum, such as caramel, camel, black and rust.  Broken-elbow-wise, the sweater dress and leggings pulled on easily and the blazer, being a bit over-sized, is easier to wrestle myself into that a more fitted blazer.

In other news, I hooked my own bra this morning.

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

Gracey

Neon and Floral

This skirt is another item that I�m pretty sure I own solely because I am a blogger.  Before I started blogging, I read a lot of blogs and one thing that I noticed is that bloggers love two things: J Crew and pencil skirts.  They seemed especially enamored of J Crew pencil skirts so, a couple of summers ago, in preparation of being a blogger, I went out and got me one:

And then I promptly never wore it.  In part because of the whole �pencils-skirts-suck-for-bike-riding� thing.  But in part because I don�t think it�s very flattering.  In spite of the skirt�s ability to play nice with neon (no small feat), I just don�t love it.  In fact, I feel like a floral box in it.  I will admit that could be the top�s fault too though.  I love the color of this silk blouse, but it is a bit boxy.  Perhaps the skirt would do a bit better with a more fitted top.

So, I�m placing this skirt on the maybe list and will try it again with a fitted sweater.  Although, as I write this I�m trying to remember� are you supposed to wear fitted with fitted?  I guess I should know that rule, what with being a blogger and all, but I clearly don�t, so help a sistah out, if you will.

Thanks in advance for your help on how to deal with this floral box of a skirt and have a Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

Put a Stick Pin in It

This dress is too big.  It always has been but I usually belt it.  Today, though, I decided to put a stick pin in it:

Which was surprisingly really very easy.  I just gathered the excess fabric to the left and worked a stick pin through the folds.  I did have to try it a couple of times to get it where I wanted it, but I�m really pleased with how it turned out.  Here is a close up (please to ignore the lint):

I layered the dress over a striped tee (J. Crew), added cuffed boots (Gap), polka dot socks (Target), a tassel necklace (Old Navy), Nikki Jacoby earrings and a cuff (thrifted). 

Also, last time I wore these boots, a side-view was requested, so here that is:  

And I think that�s it for me.  I have a pretty busy weekend planned, including a Stone in Love concert.  Stone in Love is a very good local Journey cover band and they are so much fun to watch.  We are watching them at the Star Theater in Portland and here is a video from last year's show at the Aladdin:

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Have a wonderful weekend!!

Gracey

Captain Casual

Today is my Friday so I�m in total Captain Casual mode today:

In lieu of a cape, I�m wearing this blazer.  What�s that?  You don�t think a blazer is casual?  Well, this one is; it�s made of sweatshirt material.  How�s that for a disguise?  Nice, right? 

I paired the blazer (J. Crew Outlet) with a cream and gold striped tunic (Banana Republic) and skinny jeans (Macys), which I tucked into riding boots (Born Crown �Sosie� via Nordstrom).  I added a scarf (Target), forgot earrings and there you have it, Captain Casual.

Happy Thursday, All!  Have a wonderful weekend!!

Gracey