Neutrals With A Scarf

Some days, I enjoy wearing bold colors, and on other days, I feel very subdued.

Sunday was a lazy, low-key, do-nothing kind of day, so I chose to wear neutrals.

Napping, reading, and going out for sushi were the most exciting things we did all day.

In Johnson City, our favorite place to get sushi is Ming's. It is near my house, family-owned, always fresh, and the service is excellent.

This Chico's white boatneck tee with buttons at the shoulders is probably five years old. I bought it in several solid colors and also stripes. When I find something timeless and good quality that I know I will wear often, I buy every color suitable for me.

Olive is a color I could never wear close to my face, but I wanted a casual pair of neutral pants, not denim, black or white. These are the NYDJ Marilyn Straight style, and they run very large and long. I am wearing a size two here. My seamstress is now hemming them to a thirty-one-inch inseam. 

Knowing which styles, colors, and lengths work best for your body shape makes shopping and getting dressed much more manageable.

I have always enjoyed using a scarf to pull a look together. This scarf is several years old. It is a thirty-four-inch square in a silky (probably polyester) fabric.

I folded the scarf in a triangle, folded the point over about two inches, and then repeated it until one long band.

I tied the very ends together in a small knot and then wrapped it around twice to create an infinity scarf.

Put the scarf around your neck at the step above, and then wrap it over your head again and arrange it loosely at your neckline, keeping the little tie inside and at the back.

This is a favorite way to wear a scarf in warm weather because it adds detail and color without making you feel hot.

Animal Print is a Neutral

I ventured outside for the first time in days!

I have adored animal print since the '80s. Each season, I think it might fall out of fashion, but it keeps coming back stronger. It is now considered neutral. While most of these prints are too golden for my cool skin tone, this top seems to work well for me. I find that some earthy neutrals will work if they have a reddish hue. The black and white tone animal prints are much more within my comfort zone. I usually reserve the brown animal prints for accessories only.

This animal print dress/tunic by Tyler Boe is from Monkee's of Johnson City. I modeled it in a fashion show last year and later purchased it.

I rarely buy them now, but a few animal prints and geo prints can still be found in my wardrobe.

I only wear this dress as a tunic with leggings. These reptile texture black leggings are labeled "Jack," and I found them in a small boutique on Hilton Head Island. The over the knee boots are old by Vince Camuto. They have a knit panel in the back, which makes it possible for me to wear them. My muscular calves mean most boots and all skinny jeans are out of the question for me.

The necklace is old from Chico's. The bag is old from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

The faux leather-trimmed black ruana is old from Carlise/PER SE. I enjoy wearing ruanas since you can layer them over a coat or any other item to provide stylish extra warmth when needed. Toss one side over your shoulder to look more polished.