Stripes

I love the look of stripes but rarely find a style that flatters my inverted triangle shape.

I wore this look to brunch at the Grove Park Inn. Later in the day, we attended a Chamber Music concert by The Harlem Quartet.

The IC Collection line is made in the USA and sold at ShopMyFairLady.

The pants are by Lior Paris. I am wearing a Clara Sunwoo tank under the jacket. The bag is old from Express. The French Connection shoes are old from Saks Off 5th.

Wine, Women and Shoes

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of working with my dear friend Krista who owns Monkee's of Johnson City. 

Krista asked me to spend the day modeling and visiting with the attendees for a Wine Women & Shoes® event to benefit the Wellmont Foundation.

The legendary Virginian Golf Club was the location for the special event. My personal attire for the day included a royal blue Clara Sunwoo top from ShopmyFairLady.com. The cigarette leg white pants are by Renuar, and Purple Poppy provided them.

The necklace is from S.M. Bradford on Hilton Head Island. The shoes are from last year, and they are by Vince Camuto. The bag is from Express.

I loved seeing my sweet friends again and meeting loyal followers of the blog. It was thrilling to hear "I follow your blog!" so many times during the day.

It was an honor to be in the company of hundreds of generous women who donated their time and money to help others who might not afford the early detection necessary to outlive cancer.

I made a great discovery today when I met Alexandria W. Alli from F&W Style. She is the designer of a fabulous line of handbags of excellent quality. The rich colors and textures are so classic and elegant. I will be buying several of her designs!

I modeled an emerald cape sleeve dress with black leggings accessorized by a hand-beaded necklace and carried a small beige clutch bag. These items are from Monkee's of Johnson City.

Several of the young women who modeled with me on this day are breast cancer survivors.

Proceeds from this event will help the Wellmont Cancer Institute improve access and affordability for breast cancer screenings.

Wine Women & Shoes® sophisticated events feature SHOEMMELIER-style wine tasting, auctions, fashion marketplace, and often a fashion show created for women who enjoy fine wine, great style, and female camaraderie – all to support a noble cause.

Slash

After seeing me in this top, Mr. Mickey gave me a new nickname.

He says I need a stage name to go with my "Rockstar" image. (Judi Mancuso told me on Facebook this week that I was a Rockstar. LOL!) Alas, my most outstanding musical talent involves listening, so I will not be headlining for any rock bands under the name "Slash."

We joined a large group of dear friends for dinner on Friday evening, where the top was a big hit. It shows a little skin while remaining fully covered. The fit is just loose enough not to show jiggly bits, and the asymmetric neck and hemlines are clean, modern details.

I wore my most enormous crystal hoops, no necklace, and a stack of related but different silver-colored bracelets and a bold watch only.

The shoes are by Charles Jordan via Saks Off 5th. The studded grommet leather box clutch is old from T.J.Maxx.

Purple Poppy provided the Last Tango black top. It is a size medium. I paired it with smooth fitting side zip white pants provided by Fabrizio Gianni last year.

Nothing New

Do you style items in the same way each time you wear them?

I have tried this IC Collection jacket closed in the past, but it looks better with my face shape when worn open. The convergence point creates a high round mandarin collar when it is closed, which is not a good look for me. I am wearing it here with a low scoop neck tank from Chico's. The jacket would also look great with a column of white or gray as the base. 

The IC Collection jacket was provided by ShopMyFairLady. The IC Collection line is made in the USA.

The fabulous pants were provided by Fabrizio Gianni. They are the perfect pants for travel. The fit is comfortable, and the fabric looks fresh even after a long car ride. The pants are also made in the USA.

I wore these shoes with this look because they relate so well to the jacket design. The shoes are by Bar III via Macy's last year. The watch is by Michael Kors via Nordstrom. The clutch is old from T.J.Maxx.

IC Collection jackets are works of art. I appreciate the architectural elements such as high-low hems and asymmetric fronts with ornate focal point buttons. The luxurious fabrics are comfortable and flattering. These are the pieces that stay in my wardrobe for a long time. I wear them again and again. 

These flowers were in the Crown Plaza lobby, where we stayed on our recent visit to Knoxville. I wore this repeat look to dinner at the Orangery.

Layered Look!

One of my favorite tops for easy casual dressing is this new style from Covered Perfectly. I have worn it many times already!

It appears to be the perfectly coordinated layering of two tops, but it is one very flattering lightweight piece.

This top is one of the new styles that sold out so fast, I never even got the chance to tell you about it.

The details of a piping V-neck and bell sleeves along with the layered hem make me feel ten pounds thinner and that many years younger. The first time Mr. Mickey saw me in this, he said, "Oh that one is my favorite!"

On this warm spring day, I wore it with black jeggings from Chico's and flat sandals with a gold chain detail by DV by Dolce Vita from Saks Off 5th last year. The clutch bag is old from T.J.Maxx.

Salon Visits

Do you dress up a little to visit your stylist?

For my most recent appointment with my friend Myra, who is also my stylist, I wore jeans with a nice jacket and a layered tank top with animal print booties.

My logic has always been that if you dress nicely in attire that represents your style well, you will be more likely to get a cut that makes you happy. This holds true, especially if the stylist has just met you.

Hairstyles are the accessory we wear every day. Never underestimate the power of a good cut and a color that is complementary to your coloring.

I always arrive on time or even a few minutes early, considering my stylist and everyone else who has scheduled time with her for the day. Respect for my stylist and the other patrons includes dressing for the visit, showing up on time, leaving my cell phone in the car, and always speaking in a low voice. For many of us, this is one of the few times we get to relax and be pampered. I never want to interfere with a woman getting pampered!

The BCBGMAXAZRIA Bowie jacket is from Saks Off 5th, as is the draped crossover top and the French Connection animal print ankle boots. The ankle jeans are old from Chico's. The chain bag is old from Express.

Styling tip for the day. Wear a short jacket with a longer top to look more slender.

Page 700

We spent a lovely weekend away at The Inn on Biltmore Estate.

On one of the evenings, I wore a black Clara Sunwoo tunic with Lior Paris straight-leg pants to dinner.

The Clara Sunwoo tunic has a sheer mesh panel down each sleeve.

I carried the white trench coat by Evan Picone via Stein Mart because I inevitably will be cold before the evening is over.

The suede fringe sandals are by BCBGeneration via Saks Off 5th. The reptile texture box clutch is from S.M. Bradford on Hilton Head Island.

Mr. Mickey purchased a new friendship ring for me while we were shopping in the village.

I am always captivated by the fresh flowers and plants in the lobby of the Inn.

The blog now includes seven hundred pages. It has been a pleasure sharing with you what I have learned over the past five years.

Compassion

Do you have a mission?

Beyond sharing style tips and encouragement for eating more plants, I want to make a difference in lives. I have experienced not knowing where I will be sleeping tonight or when my next meal might come. 

I was fortunate that when my time of need came, there was a wide circle of friends who offered shelter and helped me through the toughest time of my life. I know that the worst decisions ever made can be followed by the best ones.

It is now part of my mission to help women in need by being a part of several projects which offer a hand up through temporary shelter, training, and education.

J.Jill just launched its new "Compassion Connects Us All" social campaign where every time you use the hashtag #JJillCompassion, the brand will donate $1 to the Fund up to $350,000.

The lightweight J.Jill linen tote bag with an artisanal floral print at the front was designed to help women in need: 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the exclusive Compassion Fund tote bag support to community-based organizations that help disadvantaged and homeless women become more self-sufficient.

J.Jill has donated more than six million dollars to over sixty organizations across the country.

All of the elements in this look were provided by J.Jill.

J.Jill's deep blue cardigan is lightweight, making it the perfect warm-weather topper to take with me everywhere. Air conditioning quickly becomes unpleasant for me, so I always take a cover-up of some sort with me, even in summer.

The perfect weight three-quarter sleeve tee is very nicely made. The design details make it more flattering and feminine than most tees.

The white comfortable cropped jeans are also from J.Jill.

Cognac has always been one of my favorite colors for neutral, go with everything leg-lengthening sandals. These Corso Como® for J.Jill stacked heel sandals are the perfect summer shoes.