Sunday, July 7, 2013

One Sunny Day

Saturday was a rare sunny day here in East Tennessee. We have seen rain almost every day for the past few weeks.



We took full advantage of the beautiful weather by visiting one of our favorite small towns. Abingdon, Virginia, is about an hour's drive from my home. 



Many Abingdon homes and shops date from 1778. 


You can catch a glimpse of fabulous gardens and moss-covered courtyards as you stroll along the tree-lined streets.


Breezes were starting to blow in another round of clouds by the end of the day.


Most buildings have been restored to their former glory, including such details as ordering the handmade glass from Germany to replace windows.



There are already so many wonderful shops and restaurants, and more are opening in the coming weeks. Many events and festivals take place here, including world-class antique shows. Music, artisan crafts, and wine, which are among the best in the region, can be found here in Abingdon.




After our day of shopping, we had a lovely dinner at Sisters located in the Martha Washington Inn. The gardens at the Martha are fabulous at this time of year.

Thanks for sharing our fun day with us!

The floral tee is from Chico's. The white Peck and Peck ankle pants are from Stein Mart, as is the handbag. The shoes are by Kenneth Cole Reaction via T.J.Maxx.


Summer Casual

Summer casual looks can be comfortable and still look nice.



What do you wear when running a quick errand in the heat, but you still want to look your best? Perhaps you will be spending the day outside, walking and standing for much of the day.




I have always used myself as an example to help you find fashion solutions, so this post is no exception. Getting dressed for a casual summer day has been a bit stressful for my entire adult life. Removing my jacket makes me feel very uncomfortable. My arms are OK, so it isn't going sleeveless that bothers me. I have always been busty with no defined waistline, so a jacket of some sort is my secret to looking better and feeling more confident. 


White pants are a summer staple for me. I will be wearing light khaki or white on any day that it isn't raining. The reason is that I am much smaller on the bottom half, and I like wearing colors near my face. My face is also quite round, so I like to wear a V-neck top whenever possible. Loose-fitting tops with detail above the bust or a wrap style concealing the waistline work well for me. 

I have also started to experiment with brightly colored prints worn with white pants. I have to be careful where those blocks of color are located on my body. I do not want to draw attention to my bust or my tummy.

When I leave my home, I wear three jewelry pieces even when I am dressed very casually. A small pair of earrings, a watch, and one ring are details that make me feel well dressed. I have cool coloring, so those pieces of jewelry are normally silver-toned. Sunglasses are with me wherever I go.

There is a nice summer bag in a chair in my breakfast nook. It is neutral and full of all the things I need so that it is ready to serve me at a moment's notice every day. When I take a smaller bag for the day, I can take what I need from the larger bag as I am leaving. 

I like sandals with low wedge heels, so I look for a comfortable style in a neutral color to slip on and go but still look nice. I would only wear flip flops by the pool. 

When you know what works well for your body type and personality, it's so much easier to get dressed for any type of day. I hope that these tips will help you feel more confident to go out and enjoy your day no matter how hot the weather.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Dinner and Fireworks!

Our dear friends live on a hill in a grand house. We often spend the evening of the 4th of July with them.




Each time I visit my friend D., I get a least one great idea. This evening it was that large cut glass flower vase behind my head on the mantle. Instead of flowers, she added a candle inside!



When I came home I immediately got out the biggest vase I have and added a Glade candle in cashmere wood scent.



This is my beautiful and extremely talented friend D. with me on one of the terraces overlooking her north gardens. It is very difficult to make grand double-height rooms feel warm and welcoming but D. accomplishes this task so very well. Each room in her home is an absolute delight to the senses.


This was a really delicious banana pudding made by one of the other guests. It is a fourth of July tradition here in the south!



I am wearing a beautiful navy blazer from Dalitika over a white tank top from Coldwater Creek. The multistrand blue-green necklace is from Stein Mart. The red pants are Nine West jeggings and the shoes are by Adrienne Vittadini both from T.J.Maxx.




This beautiful lightweight navy blazer with a sheen to the fabric was a gift from Dalitika. I got lots of compliments on it!  This jacket will be one of my favorites for years to come.


Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Independence Day!

On this Independence Day, Mickey and I were asked to ride in a parade in the neighboring town of Elizabethton, TN.


 

We were told that we would be driving for one of Duck Dynasty stars, but it was "Elvis" who rode with us through town because the fellow portraying a member of the show "Duck Dynasty" said a pickup truck would be more his style.








This is truly one of the nicest young men and best fathers I have ever met. His son is in the picture below. What a great family! It was an honor to meet them and spend part of the day with them.









Our new friends walked behind the pickup truck, gave out candy to all the children, and posed for pictures with the Duck Dynasty fans.




Mr. Mickey said, you need to see my Mickey Mouse watch. He has one of the largest collections of antique Mickey Mouse toys in the world. Did you know he was named after Mickey Mouse?



We needed to dress in red, white, and blue for the parade, so this is my patriotic look for today.

I am wearing a Tencel chambray tunic from last year over a white tank top from Coldwater Creek. The red pants are Nine West jeggings, and the shoes are by Adrienne Vittadini, both from T.J.Maxx. The hook belt is by Chico's.


Monday, July 1, 2013

Shopping Tips

If you have cool summer coloring, this is a great time to shop the sales.



Sweet Mr. Mickey took me down to Sevierville to shop in the huge Tangier Outlet Mall on Saturday. 



This is the palette of colors that look best with my own coloring. These colors are most often sold in the summer months, so that is when I do the bulk of my shopping for clothes. I dress in lightweight layers for most of the year, so this formula works for me.

Do you study your own coloring to guide you in finding what looks best on you? There are now several different programs that help you to identify your best colors, such as the original Color Me Beautiful system. Do a Google search for color analysis, and you will get several results. Knowing exactly what colors look best on you makes shopping and getting dressed so much easier.




Earlier last week, I found this Coach bag at the outlet in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. It was priced at $428, but after the sale and another discount they offered that day, I got it for $119.99! I like this bag because it is a smaller size and a neutral color. I also like it because the logo is so small. I do not care for items emblazoned with logos. 




The sandals are by Bjorndal from Rack Room Shoes. I found these on the same shopping trip.
   

 
The dress is by Dana Buchman from Khol's.

As the temperatures have started to climb into the 90's I am embracing low sandals with lightweight sleeveless dresses. I did take a navy blue shrug sweater and higher heeled neutral sandals to wear to dinner on Saturday, but it was never cool enough to require the shrug.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Fleetwood Mac!

On Monday evening, Mr. Mickey and I went with our closest friends to the Fleetwood Mac concert at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.



We arrived a few hours early so that Mitzi and I could go shopping and have dinner before the concert. Since the arena is located in the financial district, the shopping choices were dismal, so we opted for a long walk and sightseeing instead. 


Charlotte has undergone a tremendous revitalization since my last visit. It is a beautiful, clean and safer city.





There were sculptures, waterfalls, fountains, art installations, green spaces, parks, and flowers in all the numerous plazas and on every street in the area we walked in. 





A storm was starting to blow in as we walked to dinner later in the evening before the concert.



The flowers in this plaza were amazing!


Did I mention it was windy?



This was one of our favorite bronzes.


Safe in our seats at last!


It was Mick Fleetwood's birthday!

Stevie Nicks at 65 still looks wonderful. Her haunting voice is so unique. Lindsey Buckingham sang, played an amazing solo or two, danced, and never left the stage for the whole concert, which lasted for almost three hours. He has incredible energy! John McVie was his usual subdued, extremely talented self.


The sets and additional screens that dropped down at times were fabulous. It was so amazing to watch Lindsey Buckingham's fingers playing that guitar.


The next day there was time for another quick walk around the area before breakfast.


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Banner Elk

We often drive up to Banner Elk to have dinner at our favorite restaurant, Artisanal.


Banner Elk is a lovely village on the way to the high country of North Carolina.


This crazy stone wall winds all up and down the hills leading to Eagles Nest. Driving through the countryside you will see many gated communities that feature luxury log homes and fabulous mountain retreats. 



This is the gatehouse of Eagles Nest and one of the smaller log homes in the background. As you approach the top of the mountain the homes become more and more fabulous, such as this one



One of my favorite college campuses can be found here in Banner Elk. Lees-McRae is located near the heart of the village. 


Stone buildings and beautiful gardens can be found throughout the campus. 


I am sure many black bears have wandered across this campus over the years.


I am sitting with a bronze of the founder of the college.







This is the front porch of the historic rock house.



The main street of the village is lined with flowers and punctuated with this bronze statue of a baying elk.




Mickey's entree was so pretty!


My after dinner Grand Marnier was quite lovely also.



I am wearing a blue Traveler tank and pants from Chico's. The deep fuchsia jacket is from Stein Mart.





The Nina evening shoes are several years old but I had not yet worn them. They have tiny light topaz color rhinestones on them.