Comfy?

I enjoy discovering new lines to share with you.

I had never worn pieces from the Comfy line until Purple Poppy recently sent me this top. The tunic is very much in keeping with my style. The striped knit fabric is designed to flatter the waistline and flow softly across your curves.

I am wearing the tunic with Renaur cigarette leg ankle pants, which are also from Purple Poppy.

The sandals are old by Ralph Lauren. The bag is old by Nine West. The sunglasses are by Balmain via Saks Off 5th.

When I wear these long tunics, I pair them with pants that pull on, which means there are no loops, buttons, or zippers to create lumps and bumps under the smooth fabric. A great foundation is also imperative with smooth-fitting tops like this one. The Ultimate Shapeez bra is the coolest and most comfortable option I have found, and it gives you a nice smooth line under your clothes.

This type of look can be worn for business casual, out to lunch with friends, or anytime you want to look appropriate but not too dressed up. Accessories can be used to change the look and attitude to something more dressy. You could also wear this top with sleek black trousers and black heels. Add a turquoise necklace and bag to create an entirely different look. I love the versatility of neutral pieces!

Wine, Women and Shoes

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of working with my dear friend Krista who owns Monkee's of Johnson City. 

Krista asked me to spend the day modeling and visiting with the attendees for a Wine Women & Shoes® event to benefit the Wellmont Foundation.

The legendary Virginian Golf Club was the location for the special event. My personal attire for the day included a royal blue Clara Sunwoo top from ShopmyFairLady.com. The cigarette leg white pants are by Renuar, and Purple Poppy provided them.

The necklace is from S.M. Bradford on Hilton Head Island. The shoes are from last year, and they are by Vince Camuto. The bag is from Express.

I loved seeing my sweet friends again and meeting loyal followers of the blog. It was thrilling to hear "I follow your blog!" so many times during the day.

It was an honor to be in the company of hundreds of generous women who donated their time and money to help others who might not afford the early detection necessary to outlive cancer.

I made a great discovery today when I met Alexandria W. Alli from F&W Style. She is the designer of a fabulous line of handbags of excellent quality. The rich colors and textures are so classic and elegant. I will be buying several of her designs!

I modeled an emerald cape sleeve dress with black leggings accessorized by a hand-beaded necklace and carried a small beige clutch bag. These items are from Monkee's of Johnson City.

Several of the young women who modeled with me on this day are breast cancer survivors.

Proceeds from this event will help the Wellmont Cancer Institute improve access and affordability for breast cancer screenings.

Wine Women & Shoes® sophisticated events feature SHOEMMELIER-style wine tasting, auctions, fashion marketplace, and often a fashion show created for women who enjoy fine wine, great style, and female camaraderie – all to support a noble cause.

Slash

After seeing me in this top, Mr. Mickey gave me a new nickname.

He says I need a stage name to go with my "Rockstar" image. (Judi Mancuso told me on Facebook this week that I was a Rockstar. LOL!) Alas, my most outstanding musical talent involves listening, so I will not be headlining for any rock bands under the name "Slash."

We joined a large group of dear friends for dinner on Friday evening, where the top was a big hit. It shows a little skin while remaining fully covered. The fit is just loose enough not to show jiggly bits, and the asymmetric neck and hemlines are clean, modern details.

I wore my most enormous crystal hoops, no necklace, and a stack of related but different silver-colored bracelets and a bold watch only.

The shoes are by Charles Jordan via Saks Off 5th. The studded grommet leather box clutch is old from T.J.Maxx.

Purple Poppy provided the Last Tango black top. It is a size medium. I paired it with smooth fitting side zip white pants provided by Fabrizio Gianni last year.

Three In One

Sometimes when we experience three seasons in one day here in northeastern Tennessee.

On this particular morning, it was thirty-two degrees. In the afternoon, we enjoyed seventy-two degrees.

I started the morning with layers. The stretch denim jacket was sent to me by Fabrizio Gianni. I am wearing a Covered Perfectly cascading vest as a scarf. I love the flexibility of this piece! It can be worn belted, tied in many ways, left open or wrapped around your neck, and threaded through the armholes as a scarf. (The video below shows how I did this.) I have also worn this vest under a long sweater so that it looks like a scarf peeking out when I am freezing. Make sure to pack at least one of these on your next trip. You will thank me later!

My layers served me well today! I experimented with different lengths of layers and with cropped ankle pants with flats. I almost always shy away from that combination.

This week on the blog, I am breaking all my personal styling rules. Today I broke my rules of never wear cropped pants with flats and stay away from boxy jackets. Another rule is not to wear anything with a high neck. When I am cold, all bets are off! I just recently started wearing a longer top with a shorter jacket. I really like the slimming way that combo looks.

This little video shows how I made the Cascading Vest into a scarf.

Blue And White On Date Night

White pants are a wardrobe staple for me. I wear them all year round.

In the winter, I wear white denim jeans often on sunny days. When the weather finally warms up, I start looking for lighter weight fabrics in classic styling to wear with great looking jackets and tunics. I normally buy a size larger in white pants than in darker colors unless the sizes run large.

I am wearing a pair of ankle pants sent to me by Purple Poppy by Renuar. They have the slimming wide waistband shown below that I appreciate so much. When I wear a sleek tunic or tank, I never want closures and loops, creating lumps and bumps under the fabric. Masculine style pants are never flattering on me. 

Always check to make sure you can not see through the fabric, and always wear nude color undies with white because white undies will still show through. This link is to a Spanx foundation garment from Macy's that I often wear under sleek fitting tanks and tunics. It isn't heavy-duty, but it does give you a nice smooth line around your tummy area.

The swing jacket is from IC Collection. I bought this one at ShopMyFairLady. The tank top is from Chico's. I buy these in several different colors because I never know when to complement whatever I am wearing. A styling tip; when jackets converge to create an unflattering neckline, I leave them open to create a long, lean line instead. A lower neckline is always more flattering for my face shape.

The shoes are old by Thalia and Sodi via Macy's last year. The box clutch bag is old from T.J.Maxx.

Mr. Mickey and I love to visit Gourmet and Company to sit in the lounge area or on the warm weather patio. The elegant and comfortable, quiet atmosphere is the perfect place to relax and visit with friends even if you aren't having dinner there.

Visit to the Observatory

On our last evening at Primland, we had a fabulous meal in Elements and then visited the observatory afterward.

I wore this elegant Damee NYC lotus soutache on lace bolero black jacket. Purple Poppy, a boutique in Cape Cod, supplied the jacket.

The pants are Chico's Travelers, and the tank is by Clara Sunwoo. ShopMyFairLady supplied the tank last year. This tank can be worn with the scoop in the front or with the V in the front. The jacket converges in a round neckline, which isn't flattering for my face shape, so I left it open and wore the tank with the V in the front, which gives me the straight lines I need. The pants and the tank are fluid and smooth, with no details. The shoes are effortless Kenneth Cole Reaction sandals. I found them on sale at Dillard's a few years ago. The plain silver clutch was purchased at T.J.Maxx last year.

When I wear a piece of clothing or perhaps a pair of very ornate shoes, I let all the other elements of my look "stand back" to allow that one piece to shine. One focal point per look works well for me. The Michael Kors watch is from Nordstrom.

Our purpose for staying at Primland Resort on this particular weekend was to celebrate ten wonderful years of dating. Mr. Mickey is the perfect life partner for me.

The soothing fire in the center of the room in Elements restaurant is fully encased in glass.

The amuse-bouche was crawfish and polenta. The chef sometimes offers an amuse-bouche, which is a small bitesize complimentary appetizer to tempt your palate for what is to follow.

The artfully served salad included the freshest of greens.

The next course was lobster and grits.

We shared a delightful mousse dessert simply called peanut butter.

After one of the best evening meals ever, we climbed the spiral staircase to the observatory. We were the only guests, so our guide was able to give us the grand tour.

The clouds drifting by prevented us from seeing into deep space for long periods, but we did get to see a few planets and a glowing supernova. 

One must drive for another six miles after entering the gate to arrive at the lodge. The remote location on the top of a mountain makes it an excellent spot for an observatory since there is no light pollution from nearby cities.

Magic Pants!

Are you confident in your pants and shoe combinations?

It was almost seventy degrees in Asheville on Sunday! So I wore one of my favorite combinations to brunch at the Grove Park Inn. 

I feel very comfortable in a long cardigan or jacket, a tank top over great fitting ankle pants, and a pair of fun heels. This long cardigan is old from Saks Off 5th. The silver tank is old from Chico's. 

Have you worn Lisette L Pants? Hoda and Kathy Lee feature them on today's show often. These were supplied to me by Purple Poppy in Cape Cod. 

I enjoy wearing ankle-length pants because my legs are short. That means this length won't bunch up on the top of the short boots and funky shoes I like to wear, such as these Vince Camuto shoes. If the jeans I am wearing are too long, I may turn them up a couple of times to fit long and lean instead of creating that very unattractive bunching over the top of the shoe. To my eye, this event adds pounds through the muffin shoe effect. (Yet another muffin to think about!) 

I always want to wear pants that fit smoothly and stop no more than one inch above the top of the shoe or boot. Again, I do not want to create visual breaks on my legs to make them look even shorter because I have short legs. That's why I rarely ever wear cropped pants. When I do, I make sure they end at the slimmest part of my leg and not on my thick calves. I will also wear a killer pair of nude sandals with a heel or platform to elongate my legs.

I look for pants that are slim fitting with a smooth waistband. That is another reason these pants are winners! This color is dark slate, which will go with everything in my closet. I had never worn this brand of pants before, but as soon as I slipped them on, I felt as if I had lost five pounds. 

They have a wide comfortable waistband as well as a built-in fit-control feature that is fantastic. It smooths your tummy area without ever feeling constricted or uncomfortable. I can easily see why these are the favorite pant style for Hoda and Kathy Lee!

Many of you tell me you don't wear heels, so I am also showing you how to wear these pants with cute flats. Notice that I paired a shorter asymmetric jacket supplied to me by IC Collection via ShopMyFairLady with these bow detail flats by Vince Camuto. This pairing shows more of the full length of my leg. This proportion is also better for petite women. A more fitted jacket would also flatter the petite woman.

These pants were supplied by Purple Poppy, and the jacket was supplied by ShopMyFairLady.

The opinions are my own.

I limit statement accessories to one area per look. Too many accessories and a bag that matches your shoes can look dated. I normally wear ankle pants and cute shoes without socks. The Kenneth Cole Reaction clutch is old from T.J.Maxx.

I hope you find these tips for wearing ankle pants helpful. They have been around for several years, and I see them offered in many different styles each season. They are here to stay for me!