The Women's Fund Kick-off Party

I am very proud to be a Leadership member of The Women's Fund of East Tennessee, which serves as a catalyst to transform the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee. On Thursday evening, we held the Kick-Off Party for our next year of projects.

The event was hosted at the fabulous home of John Trotter. (His mother, Brenda Wood, is the chair of the luncheon committee.) The home is known as Crescent Bluff. It was formerly the Dulin Art Gallery, and it is on the registry of historic places.

The H. L. Dulin House was built in 1915.

We enjoyed a beautiful view of the Tennessee River as we dined.

The guest speaker was recently retired Tennessee women's athletic director emeritus Joan Cronan.

The band appropriately played Bluegrass music.

These huge urns flanked the entry to the library.

Some of the lovely people who made this evening happen.

The First Baptist Church on Main Street in Knoxville is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mr. Mickey snapped this the next morning as we were waiting for the car. We are on our way to Turkey Creek to shop.

My look for both days included basic pieces from Chico's with shoes from Vince Camuto.

Blue suede shoes by Vince Camuto. I found them for $16.99 at Ross Dress for Less.

Wear It Wednesday - Trends

The half-tuck or the messy tuck has been around for years.

By tucking in the front of my shirt, I can show off the belt detail. Tucking in the whole shirt can make you look really thick waisted. Additionally, I have no bottom at all, so that is not something I want to show off.

This is a very soft flowing tie front shirt from Chico's, which means there is already less material in the front, so it looks neater. A shirt that is full length in the front sometimes feels too bulky above the belt, but this one works nicely. The ankle zip jeans are also from Chico's.

Interesting belts are great, but I only wear them low-slung over a long tunic, with a jacket, or with a half tucked shirt because I do not want to draw attention to my thick waistline.

I will not be embracing all the trends (such as wearing high heels with sweat pants), but when a trend comes along that serves me well, I will make it part of my look.

Many of you have asked me what I wear on days off or when Mr. Mickey and I are not attending some function. This is a typical day off look for me.

After I walk three miles in the morning, I come home, eat breakfast, shower and get dressed for the day.

I work mostly from the office in my home, so there are days when I really don't need to go out for anything. I get dressed and put on makeup even when I stay home alone. If I were married and my husband would be home later, you can bet I would be doing this every day. We owe it to ourselves and to the loves of our lives to look pretty every day. 

Looking my best helps me feel more confident and be more productive. You can hear it in my voice if you call me while I am still in my PJs. I cannot fathom being in my pajamas at noon, but I see women going out to get the mail (at the Post Office!) or to pick up the trash bin late in the afternoon, still in their bathrobes.

If you are guilty of wearing those paint-stained old yoga pants around the house all the time because they are so comfortable, throw them away today. Wear a clean pair of jeans and a nice shirt or something else from your closet that you are saving for good. Every day of your life is a good and special day. You are important, and you deserve to look pretty every day. 

With the launch of this post, I will reach one million views on the blog today. I am honored to have been welcomed into your world so many times. I hope that my words and outfit ideas have served as a positive example for you. That is always my goal.

Celebrate!

At long last, I close on the sale of my other house today! To celebrate last evening, Mr. Mickey took me to our favorite restaurant, Artisanal, in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

We had some time to spare, so we stopped in Elizabethton, Tennessee, along the way.

Elizabethton is home to one of the few remaining wooden covered bridges in the region.

The covered bridge is now used only for foot traffic. The white bridge behind me is used to drive across the river.

Along the river, many beautiful old homes are dating back to the late 1800s.

Owning one of these homes is a labor of love since constant upkeep and repairs are almost always necessary.

The Veterans Monument is an Elizabethton landmark.

Another Elizabethton landmark is the old pink jail beside the courthouse. Supposedly if you had to be locked up in a pink jail in the middle of town, it would deter you from committing a crime. The plan obviously wasn't very successful since they had to build a much larger new jail nearby.

Adding more texture to my wardrobe has been my goal for fall. The animal print lace overlay top is a new item at Chico's. The silver and crystal necklace and the travelers black pants are old and also from Chico's. The bag and BCBGeneration heels are old as well.

Race Day

When you live in an area that hosts a NASCAR Race, your life will be impacted for a few days, even if you don't attend the races.

Each year Mr. Mickey and I look forward to attending a Race Day Brunch hosted by our dear friends Rose and Jerry Sorrell at their beautiful home overlooking the lake.

Spending time with these beautiful women makes me very proud to be part of this group. I always feel renewed from the positive energy and confidence each woman exudes.

Later in the day, we joined more of our dear friends for a late lunch at the Blackthorn Club. Aren't the flowers by the entrance amazing?

If you know even a tidbit about NASCAR racing, you may have heard of legendary Hall of Fame racer Bill Elliott and his son Chase Elliott.

We are so happy to be their friends.

Isn't Chase adorable?

I wore a navy asymmetric hem top from Chico's with white Kut from the Kloth jeans from Dillard's and nude sandals by Jessica Simpson via T.J.Maxx.