The Perfect Dress!

I value items that can be worn in several ways, so there are only a few dresses in my closet.

This very versatile dress from J.Jill is one that I can wear alone or layered for different looks.

On this windy day, I wore the dress with black Spanx tights and long boots from Vince Camuto. Next, I added a necklace from Chico's a couple of years ago and a long faux leather-trimmed vest from Chico's.

This J.Jill's dress can also be worn with leggings and short boots, as it is shown on their site.

Style Show at Chico's

Modeling for in-store style shows at my local Chico's is always a treat for me.

There is always a great selection of beautiful statement jewelry to complement each item in Chico's boutique.

If you are shopping for anything from a stunning evening cardigan to a great looking faux suede vest to wear with jeans, you will find a vast selection.

Eggplant is always a fabulous color choice!

Katherine Roach is the assistant manager of the store. She does such a great job presenting the clothing we show.

The beautiful lady to the right of me in the photo above is Kathryn, a Fifty, not Frumpy follower who came all the way from Greeneville to visit with me and watch the show. It was so much fun to meet her!

The excellent staff of the store did a fantastic job putting together the show and providing snacks for everyone.

This beautiful little four-year-old girl was such a delight! She was shopping with her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She thought the fashion show was the best thing ever. I think she had more fun than any of us!

Spirits of the Season

The kickoff for the holiday season here in Johnson City is the "Spirits of the Season," an American Cancer Society event generously presented by One Stop Wines and Spirits. 

This year the special event was held at the beautiful Johnson City Country Club.

I wore a black sequined and feather-adorned sweater, a gift from my dearest friend, Mitzi. The pants are from the Travelers Collection at Chico's. The suede heels are from Saks Off 5th.

This is a wonderful social event with fine spirits, food, and friends!

My dear friend Maribeth, on the right, wore Christian Louboutin shoes. She was impressed that Mr. Mickey knew the brand and asked to photograph them.

I celebrated the evening with two of my favorite cancer survivors, Jennie above and Mr. Mickey below.

The purpose of this event is to help raise awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society.

The Circle of Red

I am very proud to be a member of The Circle of Red and Go Red For Women in the Tri-Cities for 2016.

Go Red For Women is doing everything we can to fight heart disease in women. We’re providing life-saving information to women of all ages and ethnicities, we’re increasing gender-focused medical research, and we provide a tight community of like-minded champions who have banded together to form an unstoppable army against heart disease in women.

We held our kick-off meeting last evening. I wore a red tunic sweater from J.Jill with black pants by Loir of Paris from a boutique in Knoxville called The Paris Apartment.

After five or cocktail attire need not mean an uncomfortable slinky dress (you already know I am not a lover of dresses). A fabulous pair of great fitting pants, with a luxurious sweater and sexy shoes, and I am ready for an evening event.

I love the option of a shawl worn across the neck with the ends flowing down the back for an evening wrap, which is ready when you need a bit extra warmth.

My most important message to you is to take care of your body by eating a mostly plant-based diet and get some exercise every day. Heart disease is the number one killer of women; it kills more women than all forms of cancer combined, killing more women than men. Heart disease victims often don’t even know they have it, so they don’t get treated or make healthy lifestyle changes.

On Trend

Sometimes it's fun to throw caution to the wind and try something outside your comfort zone. Maybe you could go a little wild with fringe once in a great while.

I have been admiring this fringe skirt by IC Collection from ShopMyFairLady for weeks.

It was the perfect fun look for lunch with my friends.

I paired it with a denim shirt and a low-slung hook belt, both from Chico's. The animal print clutch is from Express. The Vince Camuto boots are a couple of years old.

Do you ever kick up your heels and wear something that surprises everyone?

Comfortable Stylish Shoes

Flat shoes are rarely comfortable for me; however, these Rockport shoes are winners. They are cute and very comfortable.

This is a regular workday look for me. You may find me in a sweater even in summer because air conditioning always seems too drafty—cashmere sweater by J.Jill.

These Rockport shoes offer style and comfort that will take me wherever I have to go during the day. I do not go barefoot very often, so even when I am at my desk, I am wearing shoes. These shoes are perfect for airports and grocery store visits or any other time I need to walk a great deal. They have the support and cushioning that makes them very comfortable for the whole day, even when I will be standing or walking a lot more than I usually do.

The black tank and necklace are from Chico's. 

The bag is by Zac Posen via Saks Off 5th. 

The pants are by Fabrizio Gianni.

Sweater Weather

I have gone a little crazy with red sweaters. Black is suddenly being overtaken by red in my closet.

Do you go through stages of being drawn to a certain color when you shop? I love shades of red because it goes with every pair of pants in my wardrobe.

At the end of the season last year I bought this sweater from Chico's. I am glad I did because I love the length of it with these Fabrizio Gianni leggings.

The bag is by Zac Posen via Saks Off 5th. The shoes are by Vince Camuto via Dillard's.

Brunch in a Blazer

Getting dressed for the day can be quite a challenge at this time of year. It may be thirty degrees in the morning and then seventy degrees in the afternoon.

My solution to the widely fluctuating temperatures is to top off my look with an elegant cashmere wrap. This luxurious dark grey heather one is from J.Jill.

I wore it across my shoulders during the coolest part of the day. I appreciate that it stays where you put it.

We spent the day in Asheville on Sunday, where we enjoyed a fabulous brunch at the Omni Grove Park Inn's Blue Ridge Artisanal Buffet.

While we were having brunch, I didn't need to wear the wrap. The blue blazer is by Tahari via Saks Off 5th. The silver lace tank top is from Chico's. The ivory pants are from Fabrizio Gianni. The bag is from Express. The suede shoes are by Vince Camuto.

My jacket was draped on the back seat so that it wouldn't wrinkle on the long drive over the mountains to Asheville. Wrapped in cashmere is a great way to travel! I will always take this one with me when I travel by plane. The neutral color goes with everything, and it isn't bulky, but it is warm.

I am often asked about wearing white pants in winter. I do wear white pants and blazers at any time of year if the weather is dry. That old rule of no white after Labor Day is, thankfully, outdated now.

Whether you just drape the wrap around your neck once or cross it over your shoulders, it is perfectly comfortable and elegant.

When I get dressed, the weather is my first consideration. Appropriate for the event is my second. Third, on my checklist is if the look is attractive on my body type.