The Dining Room

We typically dress for dinner. It makes the evening special and more enjoyable for us.

We had reservations in The Dining Room on Friday and Saturday nights during our stay at The Inn on Biltmore Estate this past weekend.

The fresh flowers throughout the hotel are always captivating.

I wore a Ralph Lauren tuxedo jacket trimmed with black satin lapels. The pants are by Lior Paris. The shoes and bag are from Saks Off 5th Avenue. The draped surplice neckline top is by BCBGMAXAZRIA also via Saks Off 5th Avenue.

Weekend Away

We love to spend the weekend in Asheville, at the Inn at Biltmore. They have a very nice Spa, shops, several dining options, a piano bar, and a library.

Mr. Mickey also owns a company, which means our vacations are typically taken in three-day increments. Since the weather was predicted to be warm and pleasant this weekend, we decided to take advantage of it.

My look for traveling and stopping in downtown Asheville for lunch included an impressive pair of Svelte leggings, my I.C. Collection faux suede trench coat from ShopMyFairLady, a silver tank top (coat not removed), and a large square silk scarf by Versace from Saks Off 5th.

Svelte supplied these leggings. The opinions are my own.

The wine-colored bag and the Nine West booties are from Saks Off 5th. Despite having a high heel, these boots are very comfortable. They are perfect to wear with leggings.

We had to stop for Canadain Geese crossing the road on the way to the Inn.

The view from our room on the fifth floor. I never tire of seeing mountains!

I wore this brand of leggings from Svelte.com for the first time this weekend. I love the way they fit and flatter my figure! They are well worth the investment. I will be taking these with me to California later this week. They will be perfect for the photoshoot for Covered Perfectly!

Svelte supplied these leggings. The opinions are my own.

These leggings have a built-in tummy control panel. Svelte products are made of highly stretchy knit fabric that holds you comfortably but firmly. I put leggings in the same way I do pantyhose to keep the seams strong and straight. To preserve the shape, color, and size, they must be machine washed cold or hand washed and hung to dry. Do not put them in the dryer. These tips apply to all fine knits.

Flashback

After I stopped eating fast, easy, convenience food from a box, bag, or can and focused on eating whole food plant-based meals; I started losing weight.

2008

I was in a lot of pain when I weighed 183 pounds. That pain came from the arthritis inflammation in my hands, feet, and back, so I was very inactive. I remember thinking this is what it feels like to be old. I believed that was the way my body was going to feel from that point on. I was deeply depressed, and it showed in what I wore and how I carried myself. I gave away all of my heels and bought ugly flat shoes that are supposed to be comfortable. My feet still hurt!

2009

A few days after plants became my only source of food, I started to feel much better. Soon I felt like going for long walks, working in my flower gardens, cleaning my whole house in one day, and anything else I wanted to do. The pain melted away. I was amazed!

My spirits lifted because I felt better than I did when I was in my 30s. I gave all those flat shoes to my mother and started buying shoes and clothes that better reflect my personality. It didn't happen right away, but I found my style chops again after a couple of years. (For some strange reason, I believed those horrible print tops hid my rolls and jiggly bits.)

If we go out to eat now, I order a salad with a side of steamed broccoli or some other vegetable, and I ask them to hold the salt and butter. We will always order the vegetarian entree when there is one offered, and we often visit restaurants because they are vegetarian and share an entree often.

I eat some variation of this for breakfast almost every morning. My late lunch sometimes looks like this.

I get questions almost every day about how I managed to lose weight during those hormone shifting menopausal years.

Honestly, all I did was change my choice of food. There was no radical exercise regime. I didn't take any pills or get on any food to order programs. I still don't take any medications!

The book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman gave me guidance on what to eat and explained why. The most important thing to know is that you need a variety of colorful, fresh, organic, local, and in-season vegetables and a few berries. My diet includes leafy greens, and other vegetables, mushrooms, onions, berries, seeds, nuts, and ancient whole grains every day. I eat this way 90% of the time.

I still enjoy a piece of dark chocolate, a glass of wine, or a decadent dessert on occasion but not every day. I also know that only a few bites are enough. I don't need to finish the whole dessert. 

2016

I have maintained my weight loss since 2011. No diet or pills. No gyms or classes. No calorie counting or obsessing about food.

I hope that sharing my example helps you to achieve a happy, healthy body as well.

Layer Like a Boss

Multiple thin layers keep me warm without running the risk of looking like the Michelin Man.

On a recent Saturday, we visited old downtown to see some of the new projects. An exciting renaissance has begun in Johnson City!

From November to April, I am usually wearing a minimum of two layers. I started this look with a thin gray tank camisole from Saks Off 5th. Next, I added a great looking striped button front tunic from J.Jill. The cashmere scarf/wrap is old from J.Jill. 

I bought the distressed faux leather jacket from my friend Myra's boutique, The Charlemont in Kingsport, TN. The ankle jeans are from Chico's. The bag is by Zac Posen, and the boots are by French Connection, both via Saks Off 5th.

I once avoided wearing longer layers under shorter pieces, but I learned that if I use a soft, unstructured longer piece under a more structured shorter piece, it always seems to work out well.

Each time I go to the J.Jill website, I find it difficult to narrow my selections to stay within my budget. I want them all!

I decided on this top because I know I can also wear it in warm weather without a tank, white jeans and sandals.

Shown below without the outer layers.

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.

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!

Choosing A Winter Coat

Do you have a great winter topper? It has been at least twenty years since I purchased a nice full-length winter coat.

Our East Tennessee weather is not often harsh, so I don't need to dress for sub-zero temperatures.

A stroller or some other type of jacket over layers is my usual cold-weather look. While that works most of the time, it can be rather casual.

I have been doing research for a few months to make a wise decision about this purchase.

I didn't want a bulky coat that would visually add pounds to my frame. I looked for a sleek style without a large collar, belt, memorable buttons, or other details that might date it and me. While I love black, I wanted this coat to be another color. Having one that can be dressed up or down and worn with scarves was also a priority. This coat could also be belted if I ever magically acquire a waistline.

The rest of my look includes a black vest and knit turtleneck top by Fabrizio Gianni. The reptile embossed black leggings are labeled "Jack," and I found them in a small boutique on Hilton Head Island last year. The boots are Saks Black Label from Saks Off 5th. The bag is also via Saks Off 5th. The hat and scarf are both old from T.J. Maxx.

I am confident that I can wear this coat for several years, with any type or color of attire, and to any event. It is by Cinzia Rocca via Saks Off 5th.

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.

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.

Dinner and the Symphony

One of our favorite date nights is to have dinner at the best restaurant in town, Gourmet and Company, and then attend the Johnson City Symphony performance.

I wore a Covered Perfectly long sleeve tunic because the neckline is so flattering. I paired it with slacks from last year and a jacket I recently got online from the Dillard's end of the season sale. 

The reptile embossed bag is from last season via Saks Off 5th. The simple black pumps are Saks Fifth Avenue Made in Italy, via Saks Off 5th.

Tomorrow on the blog, I will be delving into the little details of an outfit and how they can help you look your best.