Styling Tip

I fell in love with this fabulous J.Jill tunic as soon as I saw it!

This top was provided by J.Jill.

I have a weakness for soft, easy pieces that flow across the body and look great with jeans. If the item can be worn for three seasons, even better!

This color is called Gala, which will go with every pair of pants I own. That makes this tunic a very wise purchase.

The ankle jeans and the wide silver cuff are both old from Chico's. The boots are old by Ralph Lauren, and the bag is old by Cole Haan, both from T.J.Maxx. 

Buying classic items with a simple design means that you can wear the pieces for years to come and in many combinations.

I will wear this top with white jeans and nude sandals many times this summer. It looks great with most of my scarves and all of my fun cuffs and bracelets. I can also wear it with the sleeves long and layer a jacket or cardigan over it. 

We moved the furniture around a bit to shoot this short video and take these pictures for you. I hope my tips inspire and help you get dressed with ease.

A Drive In The Country

After a hectic week, I look forward to long lazy Saturdays with no particular schedule.

On this beautiful day, we stopped in Jonesborough to walk through town and enjoy the sunshine before continuing our journey through the countryside to visit the Amish store. I like to go there a couple of times a year to buy most of my food in bulk. I stock up on dried beans, rolled and steel-cut oats, flax seeds, lentils, and various spices.

I was growing very weary of dressing for cold weather. Our morning started out with temperatures in the 30s, but as the afternoon progressed, I removed my short black trenchcoat and pushed up my J's sleeves. Jill cashmere tunic. It was pure bliss to sit in the sunshine for a moment and enjoy temperatures in the mid-60s!

J.Jill supplied this tunic. 

The opinions are my own.

Today I wore flat BCBG Leather Loafers and short soft crew socks from Ralph Lauren. The dark wash slightly boot-cut slim fit jeans from Loft are the right style for this type of flat shoe. 

When I wear flat shoes and socks, I chose a pair of pants that just touch the top of my foot and have a slight flare at the leg opening. The socks should match the pants. I like to keep the same tone to elongate the leg. For example, if I had worn tan loafers, my legs would have looked shorter. 

I am often asked how I decide which shoes to wear with each pant style. I will write more about pairing shoes with pant styles in tomorrow's blog post.

Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee. It is always a treat to go for a walk there on warm sunny days.

Rolling meadows and the foothills of distant mountain ranges provide breathtaking views along our journey.

My early childhood spent on a farm in the western North Carolina mountains means that brief glimpses of farm life always bring me joy. These horses left the meadow at full gallop when they heard this farmer's truck arrive. They knew that dinner was about to be served.

The Nolichucky river winds lazily through the valley, creating prized fertile farmland.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing part of our peaceful day with us.

Distressed Clothing

When I bought this Ralph Lauren denim jacket online from Dillard's, I was impressed with the unique details, but the distressing level was not so obvious from the photos. I almost returned it but decided it might work with the right combination.

I normally avoid distressed or slouchy clothing. I feel that crisp, clean, highly structured pieces are more complementary to my aging face. After adding the brightly colored silk Ralph Lauren scarf from Stein Mart, I felt a lot better about the combination. I will also wear this jacket with bold silver jewelry, a white silk tunic blouse, and black faux leather leggings for different textures.

The Ralph Lauran bag is one I have been researching for almost a year. If I think more than twice, "I need __________" as I am getting dress, that item becomes the next piece I look for to complete my wardrobe. Identifying a need repeatedly keeps me from acquiring a lot of items I never use. Shopping impulsively never seems to work well for me. I look at the styles, the sizes, the features, and prices. I shop around for investment pieces before making the commitment. This ensures that I will be happy with my purchase and that I will use it often.

The booties are by Gianni Bini from Dillard's.

The black tunic was provided by J.Jill last year. The black Ponte leggings are from Chico's last year.

The leather and mixed metal bracelets were provided by Jewels of the Vineyard.

I hope my tips help you to create a wardrobe that serves you well every day!

Favorite Looks for 2015

Looking back over the blog posts for 2015, some looks stood out as my style and comfort favorites.

Fun in the Winter Sun

Studded Tweed and Faux-Leather Jacket

Black and Blue

Weekend Fun!

Jewels of the Vineyard

Fabrizio Gianni Jeans

Friday Date Night

Wearing Long Tunics

Dressed For Dinner

Covered Perfectly Vest and Tunic

Les Misérables

Casual Elegance

Out On The Town

Fifty, not Frumpy Anniversary!

 What Do You Eat?

Trip to the Beach

Eat Smart Even On Thanksgiving!

Spirits of the Season

The Comfort Zone

As I edit my wardrobe and shop less, my style has evolved into comfortable and easy.  A combination of mostly solid neutral color pieces that fit my body and personality makes up a wardrobe that serves me well. Unique accessories add the finishing touch that makes each look my own.

I hope that these examples have helped you to create your own wardrobe of easy, comfortable looks. More importantly, I hope that my healthy eating tips have encouraged you to make better food choices. Fashion is a fun way to express yourself, but a strong and healthy body is priceless.

Ralph Lauren Inspired

"How do you decide which pieces to put together?"

The process of getting dressed in unrelated comfortable separates (the way I usually dress) can be a little tricky. 

On Sunday, we were going to visit friends and then for sushi. I started with these Ralph Lauren boots, which I found at T.J.Maxx a couple of years ago. Next, I chose jeans that would just cover the top of them without bunching. These are ankle jeans from Chico's.

The length of your pants is a totally individual choice. There is no "proper" length for women these days.

Thinking of those classic Ralph Lauren looks you see in his fabulous ads, I next chose a garnet turtleneck from Fabrizio Gianni. I topped it off with a large, very soft gauzy faded blue and black design scarf from The Paris Apartment Boutique and a faux suede blazer from Chico's.

It helps to have an inspirational picture in your mind (if not in your hand) of the finished look as you start getting dressed. Following this tip means it takes less time to get dressed because someone else has already worked out the details. You can then use the idea to pull similar pieces from your wardrobe, and off you go, looking great.

Fringe Sandals

You probably already know that I collect cool shoes, so you can imagine how excited I was when I found these fringe suede sandals.

They take me back to those days when I was in seventh grade and wanted so badly to be a hippie, but, of course, my mother would have none of that.

The denim jacket is by Chadwicks of Boston. The tank and the cropped pants are from Chico's. The bag is by BCBG from T.J.Maxx. The suede sandals are by Steve Madden from Macy's.

Dinner on the Terrace

This was our view from the room at the Inn.

On the first evening, we had a light dinner on the terrace.

The view from our table.

We ordered the artisan cheese board and a couple of glasses of wine.

Mr. Mickey is a happy man!

Birthday creme brulee with fresh berries!

The staircase in the lobby.

I wore a flowing black and white duster, tank, and necklace from Chico's to dinner on our first evening at the Inn at Biltmore. 

The white pants are from Fabrizio Gianni. They are so soft and comfortable! They do not look or feel like jeans, but they do have that casual five-pocket styling. I love that I can wear them with a nice blazer or a jean jacket and they will still look great.