Be My Valentine!

Time for a Q&A post! 

"What are your tips for mixing and matching unrelated pieces to create successful unique looks?"

There are a few tips I always try to remember when I am mixing unrelated pieces. 

First, I limit the colors to no more than three. When wearing two or three pieces that are all the same color, I always mix the textures since the colors will rarely match exactly. 

Don't be afraid to mix modern with classic. That is one of the secrets to keeping your looks current. If I am wearing something trendy, I keep all the other items very traditional and classic.

Learning which colors and proportions look best on your body shape makes it a lot easier to mix and match pieces with confidence.

We had not planned to go out to dinner for Valentine's day, but when our dearest friends called to invite us to join them, we gladly accepted.

I found this brocade jacket on sale at Chico's recently. This was the perfect evening to wear it for the first time. Considering that it is so ornate, I kept the other accessories to a minimum. The small reptile embossed box clutch is from S.M. Bradford in Hilton Head. The faux leather front Ponte knit back leggings are also from Chico's. The short boots are by French Connection via Saks Off 5th.

The Covered Perfectly long sleeve simple comfort tunic has the best neckline for layering I have ever worn. I also love that they are sleek, fitting to keep me warm, but they don't add any bulk under my jackets. More black and also the white tunics will be back in stock soon. They are selling so fast that the USA maker of these tops is having difficulty keeping up with the demand.

When I answered the door, Mr. Mickey handed me a dozen roses, Godiva chocolates, and cards. I count myself very lucky to be his lady!

Details Make the Difference

On Saturday, we visited the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia.

I don't know how other bloggers do their photoshoots, but I just get dressed, and we go somewhere and have fun. We take a small, not so great camera and shoot a few photos while we are there. It isn't a very planned or well-choreographed event. We are just having fun and sharing the pictures with you. Sometimes I wear old clothes, and sometimes I wear something new. If I can remember where I bought the item, I share the source with you.

Laughter always fills our time together. Mr. Mickey has a great sense of humor, and I must admit it has begun to rub off on me after dating for more than ten years.

Count yourself lucky that you won't be hearing me sing!

Do you buy scarves and then never wear them because you don't know how to tie them? I have lots of scarves, but I always tend to wear them in the same few ways, so I made a real effort to try something new today. 

First, I tried the trick of tying the scarf in a small loop on one end and pulling the other end through to form a lovely drape and a long free-flowing end. That lasted about two minutes because it kept slipping forward to look like I was wearing a noose. Not an attractive look!

I generally wear a large square silk scarf by folding it diagonally from corner to corner. Next, I drape the triangle over my shoulders and put my jacket on over it to hold it in place. That's sort of boring, but it gives me the straight lines and pattern break I need, plus it never moves.

Next, I folded the square scarf in a triangle again. This time, I put the point in front, wrapped the ends around my neck, and brought them back to the front. I tied a tiny knot at the very ends and then opened the triangle to drape the top part of the triangle over the tie so that it was now between the folds and not visible. Lastly, I moved the point to the side and slipped it under my jacket to create a cowl effect.

On to the next detail. The top is from Chico's Zenergy collection. I like the silver dots on a white background, but you can see that the top is too billowy to wear with a jacket. I prefer the look of a slim fitting sleek top under a jacket. It makes me look thinner and less messy.

They are jeggings from Chico's. This look would have been much better with a pair of ankle pants, but I didn't want to take the time to go back and change. Ankle pants are a couple of inches shorter so that they barely touch the top of most of my short boots. I tried turning these up, but the line of the light blue of the denim's underside made my legs look too short. I gave up and stuffed them in the boots to keep the look long and lean.

The wine-colored bag was from Saks Off 5th. The boots are by Gianni Bini from Dillard's last year. They are suede in the back with a smooth leather front and buckle details.

The faux leather jacket was purchased from Stein Mart two years ago. The scarf is by Versace via Saks Off 5th.

Here you can see the tips put into action. Scarf tied into a cowl for warmth and an added pattern. Top tucked in at the back for a slimmer fit. Jeans tucked into boots to keep them from bunching up on the tops of my boots. 

I hope you enjoyed being included in the thought process that I often go through to put together a successful look. I will try this look again tomorrow to see how I put these tips to use with different items.

Everyday Leggings

What do you throw on to run to the grocery store?

Yesterday, I wore leggings which are very comfortable and warm. I didn't even own a pair of leggings until last year. Now I have several pairs.

The long faux leather-trimmed vest and cowl neck sweater are old from Chico's. The bag is old by Calvin Klein via T.J.Maxx. It has become my everyday bag because it seems to go with anything. I read somewhere that if your bag and shoes match your natural hair color, you will wear them much more often than any other. 

The loafers are by BCBG via Saks Off 5th. Did you know that BCBG means bon chic, bon genre? In English, it means good style, a good sort. It is an expression used in France to refer to a subculture of the Paris upper class's stylish members.

Wearing long tops with leggings and flats is the perfect running errands attire for me in cool weather. I like the long and lean look and enjoy comfort. I still love to wear my heels, but when I know I will be walking a lot, I wear comfortable flats.

Our weather can change as much as forty degrees in one day, so layers are essential for me. Ruanas and vests are the perfect layers because you can take them off when you need to and still be well dressed but comfortable.

I like to wear a top that stops at about my fingertips over leggings. The extra layer over it can be shorter or longer. The ideal proportion is to visually divide your body in thirds (not in half).