Very Casual

Relaxing at home, watching kids play sports, or going to the Farmer's Market are times that call for comfortable casual clothes.

This week on the blog, I am breaking all my styling rules. Today it's no straight horizontal lines at the neckline. I am also visually cutting my body in half instead of dividing it into thirds. The horizontal line at the center of my body visually breaks me in half.  I would have looked even shorter and wider if the shoes were darker and the bag was carried under my arm like a shoulder bag. Since I have broad shoulders and an ample bust, I try not to add more width there visually with horizontal lines.

A woman with a long thin face, smaller shoulders, and a smaller bust looks great in a boatneck. This one is a gorgeous dark navy; it is the only reason I can carry it off.

I channeled Jackie O on her Isle of Capri visits when I put together this look. Large Kenneth Cole sunglasses and the straw tote are both old from T.J. Maxx. Also, note that my glasses are square to offset my roundish face, and Jackie often wore round ones for her square-shaped face.

When choosing an icon to emulate, it helps to pick one with a shape and a style of dressing that is close to your own. I have always admired Jackie's classic style, but her boyish figure was very different than mine. While the overall style is clean, classic, and timeless, her exact looks make me appear to be shorter and rounder. I have to make a few adjustments to flatter my shorter and more busty figure.

The top, the pants, and the shoes were all sent to me by J.Jill.

I adore these comfortable pull-on pants from J.Jill. They are perfect for my morning walks around the neighborhood and working at home in my office. I own several pairs of them. This top is made from a sturdy Pima cotton knit that is extra soft and comfortable without showing every roll and dimple. These Superga® classic sneakers feel even better than going barefoot! 

I have been a loyal fan of J.Jill as a source for elegant yet comfortable classic looks for more than fifteen years.

Breaking Rules

Do you have personal rules for dressing that you don't even think of breaking?

I thought it might be a fun exercise to break all my own styling rules in this week's blog posts.

I haven't worn shorts in about twenty years. They don't fit into my lifestyle, and I feel very self-conscious about my left leg's technicolor veins. For the same reason, I rarely wear dresses.

These Bermuda length polka dot pull-on shorts by Tribal Sportswear are so cute that I decided to try them. These items were sent to me by a site that has since closed down. 

The shorts are nicely tailored with comfortable slits at the sides, and they end at my best skirt length, which all work well for me. When the occasion calls for something more sporty or casual, this look will serve me well while maintaining my personal style.

Above, I paired the look with a black vest sent to me by Fabrizio Gianni, but the more casual look without the vest is another option.

Flats are another wardrobe item I rarely wear. I do not find flats comfortable most of the time. When I purchase them when they would be more appropriate for the look or the event, I search for a foot flattering slim style that shows the top of the foot and pointed toes.

Daily Basics

This is an easy combination that always seems to work for me.

I put to use some of the tips we covered in a previous post here. Those are ankle jeans from Chico's, which work so well with short boots or the caged sandals I like to wear in warmer weather.

The Chico's tank is tucked in to give me a slimmer look, and I used a belt in brown. If I had used a lighter color belt, it would have made my upper torso look longer. (I need that!) The navy blazer is by Tahari via Saks Off 5th. The large square scarf is several years old from Ross.

The bag was from Saks Off 5th. I like the more modern look of not matching your bag to your shoes. The Vince Camuto boots are several years old from Nordstrom.

Running Errands

On this day, I had to go to the grocery store and run some other errands, so I wore jeans with a graphic sweater with open-toe booties and threw on a jacket. It wasn't freezing here, so this amount of layering was enough.

The ankle jeans are old from Chico's. The Nine West booties via Saks Off 5th are also from last year. The Zac Posen bag was recently purchased at Saks Off 5th.

The Geiger coat is several years old. I purchased it before I lost weight, so it is two sizes too large. The style is very versatile, and I had invested so much in it I decided to get the sleeves tailored so that the size wasn't so obvious. I was also wearing the coat three years ago here.

I often get comments about my heels and requests to style looks with flats. I have purchased a few flats and will be showing them as options on future blog posts. My posts are not created to show staged outfit ideas. I share what I actually wear with you, and I rarely wear flat shoes.

Welcome Home!

Never having children of my own has meant that I "adopt" my close friends and cousins' children. Watching these young people grow into adults gives me great pride as I celebrate their milestones in life and cheer them on in their achievements.

Mr. Mickey and I recently joined our dearest friends to welcome home their firstborn son, Spencer. He spent the last four years studying and working in Europe and Brazil. His expertise is landscape architecture and urbanism. It is fascinating to see the global projects he has worked on.

It was a beautiful warm sunny day, so I wore an old mixed media cardigan via Dillard's. It has a faux leather-trimmed front combined with a knit sweater back and sleeves. The gray tank and ankle-length jeans are both from Chico's last year. The Coptic cross necklace is from Monkee's of Johnson City. The suede and faux reptile trim short boots are by Vince Camuto via Nordstrom a couple of years ago.

 

Investing in pieces that are classic and timeless means you can walk into your closet and put on almost any comfortable for the weather combination of solid colors and be out the door in three minutes. This is a wardrobe necessity for busy women like us.

I always get teary-eyed at airport homecomings. This was certainly no exception!

Spencer, we wish you great success as you begin your new adventure in life and use some of the many things you have learned these past few years.

Casual Look

We went out for bagels and ran a few errands on Sunday so a comfortable casual look was perfect for the day.

The knit blazer is old from Chico's, as are the jeans and the tank and the necklace. Basic pieces in neutral solids can serve you well for many years and in a variety of combinations. I invest in the best quality I can afford and only buy what I love. This ensures that I can always reach in my closet and pull out three pieces that will go together and look nice either alone or combined with other pieces.

The flat shoes are by Born via Dillard's a couple of years ago.

Even when I am dressing in casual comfortable looks I still want to be presentable and polished.

The Lady of The Fountain

New bricks have been installed and were dedicated yesterday at the Lady of The Fountain at Fountain Square in historic downtown Johnson City, TN.

The purchase of bricks and plaques by the community helped fund the restoration of the fountain. The continued sale of bricks will help fund other beautification and projects in Downtown Johnson City.

Dignitaries from the local government and some of the folks who worked in landmark shops that were once found in downtown Johnson City were in attendance for the unveiling ceremony.

On this beautiful breezy fall day, I wore a tank top and jeans from Chico's. The blazer is from Stein Mart. The layered necklace is from Monkee's of Johnson City. The bag is from Express.

The blue suede shoes are by 9W Loves InStyle.

Celebration!

Every gathering is made special with the sharing of traditional food.

Our friends and family always celebrate every occasion with food. Last evening, Mr. Mickey and I were guests at our dear friends Jennie and Edwin at the stunning home.

There was a grand buffet of homemade dishes of every type. I remained true to my vegetarian self and brought a huge basket of red, white, and blue grapes. A giant barbeque grill was set up on the side lawn, where people lined up to load their plates.

This fabulous vista overlooking the city provides an excellent view of the fireworks display to follow.

I was in my element as I walked around the fabulous home, enjoying both the decor and the couple's vast art collection.

My red, white and blue look for the evening included a sweater, tank, and jeans, all from Chico's. The Erica Lyons necklace is from Belk. The wedge sandals are old from DV Dolce Vita.

I hope your celebrations were all magical.

Blue and Pink

I found this royal blue lightweight AVA sweater at T.J.Maxx last winter. I liked the style and weight so much I also purchased the black version.

I wore it on Sunday with a white tank and cropped pants from Chico's. The necklace is old from Chico's as well.

The BCBGeneration bag is from T.J.Maxx. The shoes are also by BCBGeneration. I found those at Ross.

We were on our way to visit my parents and then to Carrabba's Italian Grill to share a small dinner.

I hope that when you read my posts, you will notice a few things and come away with some inspiration.

1. Even when she isn't going to do something special, she still gets dressed in a way that makes her feel confident and attractive.
2. She doesn't spend a lot of money on her clothes, nor does she take a lot of time to put together an outfit for the day.
3. Accessories make the basics look more special and show her personality.
4. She wears heels often, but I can substitute nice flats similar to copy her look.
5. She was forty pounds heavier, but she lost weight by eating vegetables, fresh fruit, and drinking lots of water. Click on the tab above for "Live Well" to learn more about that.

Best In Show!

When the wind blows, we give up shooting a photo, which is where we were when Mr. Mickey snapped this one last photo before going inside. I didn't know he was still shooting when I turned around while holding my hair out of my face. Totally candid shots sometimes work best.

I am at a bit of a loss when we must dress very casually for a summer event. I never wear a tank top and shorts with flip flops, which I see most often at such events. That just isn't my personality. I would not be comfortable at all.

We attended a National Car Show for the Ford Fairlane held at the MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, TN.

This lightweight crepe blouse is very cool and comfortable, so I wore it half-tucked with ankle-length jeans, both from Chico's. The sandals are old from Vince Camuto. The woven natural material (some sort of large grass) clutch is from T.J.Maxx.  The brown and gold embossed croc belt is by Ralph Lauren.

Mr. Mickey's best friend, Bob, had one of his many antique cars on display, and it was the highest-scoring car in the show! We have been asked if we are brother and sister in the past. What do you think?

It was a fun trip down memory lane to look at all the old cars and visit friends.