Monday, July 4, 2016

A Date Night Look

The photo below shows one side of my tiny shade garden.


When I owned my previous home, I spent many hours working in my huge flower gardens every day during the growing season. It soon became way too much for me to take care of alone, so I had to hire help to maintain it properly.


I am enjoying a downsized version of homeownership very much!


This tiny garden still allows me to enjoy watching things that I have planted grow. That primal urge to dig in the dirt comes to me every spring without fail.


On a recent Wednesday date night, I wore a top that is a couple of years old from Chico's. The pants by Fabrizio Gianni are from last year. The shoes are by Sam Edelman from last year. The necklace is an estate piece from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The sunglasses are by Michael Kors.

Blue has always been my favorite color, so mixing blues with white pants for summer still feels like a natural combination for me. I often look to nature for color combinations. Think of a vivid summer sky, white fluffy clouds, and the clear water of a lagoon surrounded by white sand and palms.



We had dinner on the terrace at the Blackthorn Club.


The flowers around the patio of our club are always majestic!



July 16, 2016, marks five years of Fifty, not Frumpy fun! I have enjoyed discovering what works for me and my lifestyle and sharing it all with you. I hope I have inspired you to only purchase what you truly love and to enjoy wearing it in many ways for years to come. These days I find that I am buying fewer items, giving me more time and money to enjoy fantastic adventures!



The small straw clutch is old from T.J.Maxx. I use accessories to change the look of my basics. Handbags, shoes, scarves, and jewelry are elements that can give your look personality. They can make my combinations of traditional things I have owned for years look more up to date.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the top! It must be gone, I couldnt find it at Chicos. Happy 4th, Susan

Diane said...

I am very glad I discovered your blog; I love your taste and sense of style. I have been wondering about something - I have never seen you with a shoulder purse. Is that because you are usually dressed to go out, or do you never carry a shoulder bag? Thanks for all the tips!

Susan said...

Hi Diane, I do not have many shoulder bags. They ruin the line of clothes, make me look lopsided, cause back problems and add visual weight to my waistline which is already too large.

Gardeningbren said...

Since reading your blog posts, I follow a number of your tips. Today's photo is a perfect example of what you referred to as 'Bookending' and I love that tip. Thanks for your advice as it has helped me 'up' my clothing choices and the way I wear items. Your photos are always so well composed. Keep the advice coming.

Unknown said...

Fantastic look! Love the mixture of blues. I love blues too and I'm planning on mixing a few of them soon to try it myself.💙

Anonymous said...

Your blog has helped me in so many ways- shopping smarter, having confidence in my choices, just to name a few. I am happy to see that you are no longer accepting products for review. That says a lot - so thank you. It never seems as genuine when products are freebies for review. I so appreciate your honesty!

Anonymous said...

Love that look! I have similar top, pants, and necklaces so I may have to try it! I have white wedges, those will have to do. But maybe a turquoise bracelet will help the look for me...I have never thought of mixing those blues, but why not? Thanks for the ideas. I could look for some shoes, hmmm...
And the urge to garden has not yet subsided for me, I have an acre of land, with many beautiful beds, over forty trees, and a cutting garden too. Luckily I have some good hired help for jobs like mulching, sodding, and edges. Otherwise I could never do it!

Teresa S said...

I get so many great ideas from you! You help me to use what I already have and style it in a way that looks good and up to date. I also love your recipes and I like hearing about what you and Mr Mickley are up to. Your blog is my favorite! Thanks!

Kristien62 said...

Please remind me, what is "bookending"?

Susan said...

Bookending is when you repeat the same color at the top and bottom of your look. It might be wearing silver shoes with silver hair or wearing a blue necklace with blue shoes. Everything else in your look can be rather neutral but the pop of two accent colors seems to pull it all together.

Anonymous said...

I have that same top & also wear it with fitted white pants. I notice that you often wear higher heels than my 68 yr old hips are comfortable in...I'd love to see more pictures with lower heels.

Prairie Poulet said...

Adventures sound like a great idea! I've already found the perfect evening bag...

Susan said...

I just show you what I actually wear. I still enjoy wearing heels often. There always similar styles to choose from with a lower heel.