The Versatile Jean Jacket

Until Chadwicks of Boston sent me this great fitting jean jacket, I had never owned one in blue denim.

The style is offered in several colors, including this one in Indigo Denim.

I thought it would be fun to show you some of the ways I plan to enjoy wearing this versatile jacket.

First, I paired it with a long black mesh hem tank and khaki pants.

This is the same look with flats for those of you who like to wear them.

Then I tried it with a white long sleeve tee and colorful ankle pants.

I rarely wear a bold print. I keep all my other accessories, such as the smooth cuff, clean and sleek with no other patterns or texture when I do.

The jacket would also work for an out to dinner look when dining in the courtyard at our favorite restaurant. Here I paired the jacket with a V-neck black tank dress and heels.

Next, I paired the jacket with all white and pops of turquoise.

When I layer a short jacket over a longer shirt, I only use one that is very soft and flowing to add the least amount of bulk.

Date Night

We had a lovely dinner date night with our best friends on Friday evening.

I wore those excellent SlimSation pants I told you about earlier this week. My friend and I were discussing them at dinner. She purchased every color they had at the ladies' shop down the street from the restaurant, and she also said she loved the way they fit, wear, and wash.

The silver-gray long sleeve tee is old from Chico's. The studded knit and the faux leather trim jacket from Dillard's last year. The shoes are old by Steve Madden. The quilted gray chain bag is from Express.

We had a great discussion about the price of clothing on Facebook this week. I quoted Helen Mirren, who said: "You can spend a dollar on a jacket in a thrift store. And you can spend a thousand dollars on a jacket in a shop. And if you saw those two jackets walking down the street, you probably wouldn't know which was which."

I hope that the outfit ideas I share inspire you in many ways, even if we don't shop in the same stores. You should be able to find something similar in thrift shops, consignment shops, and even tag sales. Don't get too hung up on brands. I make an effort to look my best every day regardless of my budget. My whole wardrobe costs less than just the jacket some of the stylish women I admire might be wearing.

Fabrizio Gianni Jeans

When are jeans, not jeans? When they are Fabrizio Gianni Super Stretch jeans in the color, Rinsed.

I wore these amazing jeans with a white linen biker jacket and a white tank. The jacket is just long enough to cover the detail on the back pockets. The animal print d'Orsay shoes and clutch dressed up the look so that you would never know these are technically jeans.

This super stretch denim is amazingly comfortable denim with a memory ID that maintains its natural shape time after time. They are proudly made in the USA.

The dark navy rinse was perfect with the white jacket for early spring to have dinner with Mr. Mickey.

Jewels of the Vineyard

I have been shopping for a leather cuff or bracelet for the longest time, but they all seemed too masculine for my taste.

You can just imagine how excited I was when Cheryl Thompson, the Jewels of the Vinyard designer, contacted me.

She creates handcrafted fine leather bracelets, which are the most elegant I've ever seen. Her company is Jewels of the Vineyard in the Napa Valley. Cheryl uses leather from Spain, Greece, and Italy and beads from around the globe. All the bracelets are designed and handmade in her workshop. Cheryl says, “I create jewelry to express the beauty of the person who has chosen my work to wear.  Be Beautiful!”

 

The photo below is for those of you who like to wear flat shoes.

SlimSation Pants!

Have you ever owned a pair of pants that you could wear at any time, and they would be the right thing for the occasion?

These black form-fitting ankle pants from SlimSation are just that.

They look great with any of the accessories you choose to show your unique style.

They are equally perfect for a more casual look with flats.

These pants have all the details we love. The flat front band fits like a glove with no pinching or bulging zippers or snaps. The ankle detail looks so feminine and perfectly finished.

No matter how dressed up or casual you feel today, these SlimSation pants will be perfect for the occasion.

Sunday Brunch

Mr. Mickey and I spent the past weekend at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina for their 27th annual comedy classic weekend.

After we checked out on Sunday morning, we drove down to the Biltmore Village to do some shopping before brunch.

On our final day in Asheville, I wore a blue Travelers jacket with a mesh hem black layering tank and black straight-leg pants. I modeled this jacket with white at an in-store event here. The clothing as well as the necklace, cuff, and shoes are from Chico's. One of the many reasons I wear Chico's clothing so often is that the pieces pack well, work together across seasons, and with the other items in my closet.

There are many great places to shop in the Biltmore Village as well as restaurants and an antique district.

Spring is here!

We enjoyed a delightful brunch at Chestnut. We had been looking forward to trying this restaurant for some time. It did not disappoint!

These are the shoes I bought at Chico's on the first day of our visit. They were on sale for $9.95!

I hope you have enjoyed our little weekend getaway. Several of you wrote to ask how many suitcases I took on this trip. I had one hanging bag for the jackets and one medium size weekender bag for everything else. That's the beauty of a capsule wardrobe. Use two or three colors that work together and you can create a variety of looks with only a few pieces. I used black, white, and blue items with silver accessories on this trip.

Weekend Fun

Mr. Mickey and I spent this past weekend at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, for their 27th annual comedy classic weekend.

The final event was held on Saturday evening. I wore a black cocoon style jacket from the Travelers Collection with a black tank and black pants, all from Chico's.

The shoes are by Sam Edelman from Nordstrom last year.

It was great to meet Julie Scoggins. She is a super nice person as well as being hilarious. She was one of my favorite performers for the whole weekend.

Are You Ready For Spring?

Here in the eastern portion of the US, we are looking forward to spring weather. Basics that take me through all seasons include great fitting straight leg jeans, a nice white blouse with few design details, and a lightweight navy blazer. I am ready for lunch with my friends, shopping, or running errands for my company after adding a few great accessories.

A structured bag and shoes with support are necessary. A good watch and a nice pair of sunglasses that flatter the shape of your face all convey a message of confidence and subtle elegance even when dressing casually.

Saturday Events

Mr. Mickey and I spent this past weekend at the Omni Grove Park Inn for the 27th annual comedy classic weekend.

Once again, all the items I am wearing came from Chico's except for the shoes. This is a Travelers Jacket, which I modeled earlier at an in-store event here. Chico's items fit me well, travel easily, and mix and match perfectly. The shoes are by Sam Edelman via Nordstrom last year.

Earlier in the day, we went shopping, had lunch, and sat by the fire in the great hall to watch people.

In the afternoon, we attended a workshop with all the comedians who had performed the evening before. It was great to interact with them and get to know each of them on a personal level.

The Comedy Classic

We spent the weekend at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, for their 27th annual comedy classic weekend.

On the first evening, I wore a colorful sheer lace back duster over a black mesh hem layering tank and black straight leg slacks. The duster is the same one I modeled a few weeks ago on this blog post. All items, including the necklace, are from Chico's.

The suede pumps are from Saks Off 5th.

The Inn has two fireplaces in the great hall, which are large enough to stand in.

This was the view from our room on the top floor of the original part of the Inn.