Statement Pieces

The shoes are the star of this show, so I kept all the other simple and solid elements.

Limiting myself to one statement piece per look tones down visual overload.

On this day, I was attending a business meeting, so professional and sophisticated was the image I was going for. Dressing for the occasion first and for the weather, second is always my order of importance. I hate being cold, so I normally dress for the coolest part of the day.

The clothing and necklace are old from Chico's. The bag is from Saks Off 5th. The shoes were by Guess via T.J.Maxx last year.

I love all the brown animal prints, but they are usually too golden to be worn near my face. Instead of a scarf or blouse, I choose shoes, bags, and belts. I limit myself to one animal print item per look.

Welcoming Fall!

Fall is such a gorgeous season here! I love the changes in leaves and the weather and the chance to wear a different wardrobe.

Today I am adding another layer to the look I showed you yesterday. This beautiful ruana is by Foxcroft.

Soon, our weather will be cool enough to need this extra layer during the day.

As the weather continues to get colder, I will wear this ruana over a jacket for warmth and an added pop of color and texture.

Foxcroft offers timeless pieces of high quality that have served me well over the years.

The top is the long sleeve Simple Comfort from Covered Perfectly. 

The bag is old from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The boots are from Antelope Shoes. The necklaces are old from Chico's.

Great Beginnings!

The weather is getting cool enough to wear jackets and tunics and leggings and boots and... well, you get the idea. I love fall!

Today I am sharing the best layering pieces I have found. I plan to wear these pieces often throughout fall and winter.

This top is the new long sleeve Simple Comfort from Covered Perfectly, which comes in black and also in white. If you are like me, you will need both colors. This really is the perfect top to wear alone or with jackets, vests, sweaters, scarves, necklaces, or ruanas. I'll show you how I topped off this look tomorrow.

The leggings are appropriately called Perfect Fit. They have supportive panels that help with shaping at the sides. I am showing you the panels in the photo above. These are great leggings to wear with tunics and boots. The top was supplied by Covered Perfectly.

The bag is old from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The boots were supplied by Antelope Shoes. The necklaces are old from Chico's.

Fifty, not Frumpy followers can get a 20% discount on up to two items! Use the discount code FNF20 when you check out at Covered Perfectly. Only one discount can be applied per order. There are several styles to choose from, and the discount will apply on up to two items; after that, you can take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 FREE special.

Occasional Q & A

Here's my question for the Q & A segment...

What to wear my red shoes with? Do I keep it neutral? Go black and white? Add a red accessory?

I am 65 years and fighting frumpy tooth and nail! My style is casual, think jeans, classic with a bit of funk.

I love these shoes, but, am not sure how to style them.

Thank you so much!!

Cher

Thank you for the question, Cher!

You can treat your shoes as neutral, which means you could wear them with jeans or other dark colors. Of course, you could wear them in white, but the focus is likely going to go to the shoes. Wearing the same tone from hip to toe elongates visually.

A couple of suggestions are shown below.

Saying Goodbye to a Friend

We attended the funeral of a dear friend today. He lived a great life, and he was adored by many people. Rest in peace, Pete.

I wore a black dress from Chico's last year. The dress has sheer mesh sleeves. I paired it with black suede heels from Saks off 5th and carried a small black reptile print box clutch from T.J.Maxx. 

I wore the necklaces I made using an Ethiopian Coptic Cross combined with an old necklace from Chico's. I love to layer long necklaces for a unique look.

Animal Print Simple Comfort

You already know that I love to wear the Covered Perfectly tops. 

They pack and travel very well, and they are the perfect layering piece.

I am wearing a lightweight vest over the snow leopard simple comfort top. The three-quarter length sleeves are perfect to wear with a vest.

I modeled this top during the recent photoshoot in L.A. and immediately said, "Must have this one!" I ordered it as soon as I returned home. This top has now sold out. Hopefully, there will be more of them in the future.

The colors are gorgeous, and the fabric is so soft I often forget I am wearing street clothes instead of pajamas when I have one of these tops.

Fifty, not Frumpy followers can get a 20% discount on up to two items! Use the discount code FNF20 when you check out at Covered Perfectly. There are several styles to choose from, and the discount will apply to up to two items. After that, you can take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 FREE special!

Chico's Saturday Fun

I was a guest at Chico's in Johnson City for a few hours on Saturday.

The purpose of my visit was to share style tips with women who stopped by to ask me questions. I met some lovely ladies who already had such a great style.

Isn't this a great hairstyle?

I wore a faux leather-trimmed vest from the new fall collection. The silver-gray tee and the pants are also from Chico's but from years past. The necklace is one of my own designs layered with an old Chico's necklace.

A Day in the City

We spent the day in Asheville on Sunday.

We spent the day just hanging out, having lunch, watching people, and shopping in the Grove Arcade.

I enjoy the architecture of the Grove Arcade very much.

There is always some form of entertainment on the streets of Asheville.

Mr. Mickey is having fun with one of the various art installments in the city.

I find it very therapeutic to spend the day relaxing in the midst of a busy city. I remove myself from the rush and just sit on a bench in a park, relaxing and taking in my surroundings.

The LG Lena Gabrielle jacket I wore today was discovered on the sale rack at Stein Mart earlier this summer. It has faux leather trim and a black knit body.

The white tank, straight leg jeans, and necklace are from Chico's. The shoes are from Nordstrom. The quilted chain bag is from Express.

The White Tunic

A simple white blouse or tunic can be a palate cleanser.

If you get bored or overwhelmed with trying to put together a unique look every day, don't. Take a day off from the complicated. Slip-on a crisp white blouse and a comfortable pair of jeans.

A simple silver cuff and a pair of cognac sandals were all I needed to complete this comfortable look.

The jeans are old by Chico's.

The fabulous soft, comfortable white button front tunic is from J.Jill. The front placket hides the buttons. The back is longer than the front, so it could easily be worn with leggings and boots.

Aztec Sweater

My favorite casual weekend look for cool fall mornings includes comfortable jeans and a simple tee with a fabulous sweater.

This Aztec Cascade Cardigan from Foxcroft is perfect with my comfortable old jeans, a silver-gray tank, and Ralph Lauren boots.

I put on sunglasses and a bit of lipstick, and I am ready to go to Starbucks for a classic chai tea latte. Cheers to the weekend!

Friends on Friday

Traditions are a great way to celebrate life often with your family and friends.

We love getting dressed up a little and having dinner on Friday evenings with our closest friends.

There is something special about being in the presence of those with whom you are most comfortable.

What special traditions do you celebrate that allow you to spend time with those you love most?

On this evening, I wore items that are all old. I started with a black tank base and loose-fitting crepe pants from Chico's Black Label Collection. The sweater and the jewelry are also from Chico's. The shoes were from Nordstrom last year. They are by Louise et Cie. 

When I buy basic pieces that can be interchanged according to the weather or the event, I get more use from my clothes because the individual pieces all work well in a variety of situations.

Running Errands

What do you throw on to run errands?

A pair of jeans and a cute top are almost always the two pieces I reach for. Add a piece of jewelry and some cool shoes, and you are ready to go in minutes.

This J.Jill knit tunic is one of my favorites. It has slight gathers under the bust at the sides and a seam across the back. Three-quarter length sleeves are always appreciated. I also like a simple neckline that allows me to wear a necklace.

The necklace is from Monkee's of Johnson City. The sunglasses and the Cole Haan bag are from T.J.Maxx.

The cognac color shoes are by Jessica Simpson via Belk. The jeans are old from Chico's.

Even if I am just running out to the grocery or the Post Office, I still get dressed. You never know who you will run into!