Covered Perfectly

A great looking tunic is always the number one item on my wish list every season. 

These fabulous tops layer well or stand-alone for year-round wear.

I have been wearing my Covered Perfectly tops often. They are buttery soft, and the fit is indeed perfect. 

The neckline is perfect to layer with jackets or vests!

Uncork The Fun

Last evening Mr. Mickey and I attended a fun Gatsby event hosted by The Johnson City Area Arts Council (JCAAC). Our regional arts council is dedicated to preserving and nurturing the traditional arts and cultural communities of Johnson City and the surrounding five-county area.

I try to dress age-appropriate, even in costume. Here I am in shades of gray and black again!

Doesn't Mr. Mickey look handsome as a gangster?

Arriving in this car would have been fun, but it was just parked outside the venue for the event.

The Rick Simerly Group entertained us for the evening.

Our friends Tom and Joy McGinnis. Joy is a famous artist from right here in Johnson City.

I don't think this gentleman sat down for the whole evening. It was such fun to watch him dance with all the ladies. Here he is doing the Charleston. 

Thank you for reading about our fun evening for a good cause. I hope you have a lovely Sunday!

The Wine Club

Mr. Mickey and I are charter members of a wine club. Last night we attended a tasting which included the Italian wines Baraolos and Brunellos.

I am wearing a long black, red, and cream sweater over a long-sleeve red tee with a bold Asian-inspired tassel necklace all from Chico's. The straight leg black pants are from Stein Mart a couple of years ago. The shoes are from Nordstrom. The bag is by Tahari via T.J.Maxx last year. 

Before the tasting, I studied that large map of Italy showing all the wine regions on the easel. Have you been to Italy? 

Finding Your Black

Is head to toe black your "easy to get dressed without thinking about it" look?

In the 1990s, all-black became the uniform for an easy dressing option for many women.

In the Polyvore fashion set I created above, I selected items in different shades of brown but varying shades of any color would give the same effect. 

Color is just one part of my decision-making process. As in all the tips I share with you, I will use myself for the example today.

I like very much to wear soft flowing lines in a longer jacket or sweater. A simple scoop, square, or V neck top works best with my round face and wavy hair. This neckline also gives my favorite necklaces a simple background. Another tip: When I wear a necklace, I wear small earrings. If I wear a larger pair of earrings, I skip the necklace. Too much going on around your face is not flattering, especially since most of us wear glasses now. Speaking of glasses, a squarish frame in a softer gray or brown tone is much more flattering to my coloring and face shape. 

Since the top half of my body is larger and longer than the lower half, I like to wear slim leg pants and shoes with a bit of a heel or wedge. This helps to balance the halves of my body.

This is an example of a look that is easy and comfortable for me.

I hope this post inspires you to think about details such as the lines, the drape, and the cut of the clothing you wear as well as the color. If you understand how all the elements come together to flatter you, getting dressed is so much easier. If the colors in your closet all truly flatter your own coloring, it is amazing how they also work together. This makes getting dressed in the dark almost possible.

The River Valley

On Sundays, we leave behind our schedules and hectic lives to do something very peaceful or nothing at all. On this Sunday, we took a drive down to the river valley. 

Our earlier plans of taking a drive up on the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday were abandoned because of fog, which lasted until late in the morning. Instead, we drove down to the Nolichucky River Valley, as seen below from the Appalachian Trail.

(Photo from Wikipedia.)

This rich and verdant agricultural valley is where a lot of our local produce is grown. It is a summer tradition to drive down to the river to buy local fresh vegetables and fruit. 

On this day, we found lots of pumpkins at our favorite vegetable stand, along with tomatoes, plants, tree bark birdhouses, and other local crafts. 

I am wearing a Chico's jacket, necklace, tank, and khaki jeans. The Vince Camuto animal print flats are from Nordstrom.