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.

Wear Red Day

I am a proud member of the Go Red for Women Circle of Red. We organized a special presentation for Wear Red Day, which was on February 5th.

Another member showed up with a very similar look. Great minds!

Do you know that 80% of heart disease and stroke events may be prevented by lifestyle changes and education? Heart disease is the number one killer of women. To learn more, go to the American Heart Association's website at Heart.org.

During February, American Heart Month, participating hospitals in East Tennessee and across the country will pass out thousands of little red hats to newborns' parents as a part of the Little Hats, Big Heart's program.

The Little Hats, Big Hearts program raises awareness of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans, and congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect.

Volunteers from across Tennessee and four other states have hand knitted over six hundred Little Red hats. In the photo above, our Chair, Maggie Ingram, and I explain the program to Pete Peterson, our city manager, just before the presentation.

The Arctic air has returned to my area, so I wore layers. The red dress worn as a tunic was supplied to me by J.Jill last year. The leggings are by Hue via Dillard's worn over Hanes pantyhose in the color jet. The boots are by Saks via Saks Off 5th. The oversize black and gray animal print knit scarf are old via Nordstrom. The gray quilted bag is from Express.

I only wear this dress as a tunic because of the above the knee length. This would be a good look for a pear or apple-shaped body. Wearing a necklace or scarf brings the focus up to your face. 

The tunic fits nicely above the bust and then relaxes into an A-line, which flows across your body, not accentuating any particular area. I love the fact that it has pockets!

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).

Why Plants?

About five years ago, I stopped eating meat and processed foods. I lost weight, but that was not my motivation. 

When I visited my doctor for my annual checkup in 2011, she warned me about my fatty liver, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, the nodules on my thyroid, and noted that my gall bladder would have to come out. I had gallstones. 

She wrote prescriptions for three different medications that I would have to take for the rest of my life and made appointments to see two specialists. She was also concerned about my blood sugar since I was now a borderline diabetic. 

The flat shoes I wore that day didn't help. My feet still hurt a lot from inflammation because of arthritis. Just walking into her office was painful. I had seven sinus infections that year. At least two migraines per week (sometimes more) were normal for me during that time.

I read the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman while recovering from gall bladder surgery. Within a week, I started to lose weight and feel better. When I went back to my surgeon for my six-week checkup, I had lost twenty pounds. He was thrilled with my progress!

Later that day, I ran two miles on the path around that same hospital where the gall bladder surgery had been performed a few weeks before. I must say, I felt a little like Rocky when I did that!

Processed foods are deadly for me. I will not buy them. The only things you will find in my pantry and refrigerator are plant-based foods in the most natural and organic state. The changes I made in my food choices made a major difference in my health and the way I feel every day. I no longer take any medications, and my lab results are similar to those of a teenager. My doctors are amazed and motivated by the changes I have made and maintained over the years.

If we eat in a restaurant, as we sometimes do, I will order a salad, a side order of broccoli or some other steamed vegetable, and a glass of wine. I mostly skip the bread and share an occasional dessert when Mr. Mickey wants to have one. Three small bites are enough to fully enjoy it.

This is normally my breakfast.

The photo above shows what my breakfast looks like about 95% of the time. I use fresh fruit that is always changing with the seasons. 

One of my lovely followers shared this with me recently. Emily wrote: "I have suffered from chronic constipation (IBS) for years, and this recipe seems to have reversed this disease. I am very regular with no stomach cramps!!!! PTL!!! Thank you so very much for this wonderful recipe!!!!"

You will find the porridge recipe here when you scroll down to the bottom of the page.

This is normally my late in the day lunch.

A typical late lunch might be steamed veggies over a salad with a baked sweet potato. I often make a meatless chili or vegetable soup for lunch in winter. I use frozen vegetables without any preservatives or salt in my soup. 

Two meals per day are enough for me. If I feel hungry later in the day, I may have a piece of fruit or some hot tea. I sleep much better with an empty stomach.

This might be a different late in the day wintertime lunch.

I drink lots of filtered water with lemon every day. Many digestive issues are a result of not being adequately hydrated. I never drink sodas!

Eating highly nutritious plants, seeds, nuts, dried beans, and grains has allowed me to maintain a healthy weight for several years. This is the first time in my life that I have been able to do that. I have struggled with my chubbiness since I was a child. 

The best part of all this is that my immune system is powerful. I have not had a cold in years!

The many letters I get from readers who thank me for turning them on to a plant-based diet are so special to me. This one came just this week.

"Susan, when I found you on FB, I decided to follow you because you look so fabulous in skinny jeans. I am 64, and since menopause, I have gained a tremendous amount of weight. Anyhow, I wanted to tell you that I too found "Eat to Live" and started a new life on November 16. 

I have lost 25 pounds and have 75 more to go. I will continue to be inspired by you. We are both prolonging our lives. But I have to say what I want to do most right now is look as good as you do in your clothes. 

You are lovely, and I think you ought to talk more about your plant-based diet. It would be a great service. I have inspired two male friends to adopt this way of eating, and they cannot thank me enough! They have lost more weight than I have, and now they think I'm the greatest."

Sharing fashion tips and style inspiration with you is fun, but the most important thing I hope to accomplish with this blog is to encourage you to eat for your best health. Never underestimate the power of plants to help you regain your health.