Another Sunny Day

It was another beautiful sunny day on Sunday, but with nothing more exciting than a trip to Walgreens planned, I threw on a pair of jeans and a red tunic.

East Tennessee State University is part of our history, so we took a few minutes to enjoy the sun on a bench at Alumni Plaza.

The Jeggings and tunic are old from Chico's. The Dolce Vita sandals are from last year as well.

Casual

Sometimes there's nothing better than a drive through the countryside on a warm spring day. We did just that earlier in the day on Saturday.

We briefly stopped in Jonesborough, the oldest town in Tennessee.

I am wearing Kut from the Kloth jeans and wedge sandals from Dillard's last year and a white tank top from Chico's. The blue cotton and flax shirt is another one from my friend's boutique in Kingsport, The Charlemont.

A Gallery Opening

Last night we had dinner at Bonefish and then attended a fine art photography gallery opening in Bristol.

I always feel taller, more confident, assertive, elegant, and well dressed when I wear head to toe black. This is in harmony with every color profile I have ever had. Your own head to toe flattering color may be ivory, navy, burgundy, or some other rich color, but the same principle can apply to you as well.

The suede heels are from Saks off 5th.

The tiny evening bag is from T.J.Maxx.

The clothes and necklace are old from Chico's.

The shark-bite lace overlay top has a higher hem in the front than the back.

The Benjamin Walls gallery is now located in Bristol. Some of his new work was unveiled last night. If you get a chance to stop by and see his phenomenal photography, you will be amazed.

Benjamin's sister owns the boutique next door.

Bristol sits on the border of Virginia and Tennessee. This lighted sign spans State Street's width, where you are literally in another state after crossing the street.

Warm Weather Jackets

Isn't it great when you find a jacket that so lightweight you can wear it even on the hottest day and still keep those jiggly bits covered?

When the weather gets warm, I often wear a nice tank top with jeans and a cardigan or jacket in a lightweight fabric.

On this evening out to dinner with friends, I wore dark wash jeans by Fabrizio Gianni. I really like them because they don't lose their shape in a couple of hours. I wore them with a short white denim jacket earlier in the day.

The tank top is by Nikibiki. I bought it at my friend's boutique in Kingsport, TN. If you are local, you might want to stop by there since she has lots of great items, as well as a SPA and hair salon. You can also visit her website at The Charlemont.

The necklace and the jacket are from Chico's earlier this year. You might be able to find both of them on the sale racks now.

The shoes are by Steve Madden.

Dressing For You

I have purchased many courses and programs to learn the best shapes and colors to complement my own coloring, flatter my body shape, and reflect my personality type.

Understanding your beauty and working with your natural tendency can make your shopping trips so much easier, and get dressed each day a pleasure instead of a frustrating chore.

I've learned which types of jewelry, tops, necklines, and even the finishes of jewelry and shapes of handbags fit my personal style.

Simple Beauty Minerals

Have you tried Simple Beauty Minerals?

I received samples of some of their products, and I have been using them for a couple of weeks.

The skin balancing lotion leaves no residue on your skin at all, and my skin feels soft and luxurious after I apply the lotion. I appreciate that there is no fragrance.

The mascara has a fresh, clean minty fragrance, and it goes on easily without clumping. It also comes off easily at the end of the day with no flaking in between. I have thrown away mascaras in the past simply because they smelled bad new from the packaging. 

I am also wearing a sample of their Simple Beauty Minerals for the face. They are incredibly pure, high-quality minerals, handcrafted in small batches, here in the United States.

There was no makeup trapped in the laugh lines at the end of the day. That's one of the reasons I don't normally wear face makeup. I do not like the texture that it adds to my skin. Sometimes it makes every fine line show up even more. As you can see from the photos, the minerals are light and fresh looking on your skin with no powdery look.

The Covered Perfectly Photo Shoot

Pauline Durban, the Covered Perfectly owner, invited me to come out to Los Angeles to model in the photoshoot for her new spring line. I have long admired her clothing, which is perfect for so many of the looks I show on the blog, so I jumped at the chance to be part of this project.

After getting to know Pauline this week, I must say she is a master of designing smart looking clothes and putting together a great team of people to get things done most effectively.

After picking me up from LAX Airport, we visited her production facility to pick up new products for the shoot. Then we were off to her office to set up the sequence of loading all the products and supplies she would need at the studio the next day.

The Covered Perfectly line of clothing is made in the USA, and the fabrics are woven and dyed right here also!

On the day of the photoshoot, we were up before dawn. Everyone met at the Flashaus Studio for a full day of shooting.

The first order of business was to get me ready for the camera and bright lights since I was the first model to arrive. Lex Majia was the makeup artist who made the magic happen.

This is one of the many looks I modeled. I love the flexibility since it can take you from work straight to dinner. Both the vest and top are from Covered Perfectly.

Have you ever spent nine hours changing clothes every five minutes, in high heels, standing just so, holding in your tummy and your chin up while smiling your prettiest smile?

Modeling for the Covered Perfectly spring photo shoot was such a wonderful experience. From the spacious and well-appointed studio to the very talented makeup artist and wonderful photographer, everyone was so professional and genuinely supportive and kind.

With Nichole Alex, the beautiful and very talented photographer who helped us all look our best while showing the clothes to their best advantage.

Shawna and Tammie were two of the gorgeous models I worked with.

Michelle Renee was also one of the beautiful ladies I had the pleasure of working with. She is pictured here with Pauline and me.

At the end of a long and very productive day, there were lots of hugs and more than a bit of sadness as I said goodbye to this exceptional group of women.

Rockport!

I traveled to Los Angeles last week for a photoshoot.

Mr. Mickey took me to the Tri-Cities Regional Airport before dawn to catch my early flight.

Rockport sent me these beautiful and very comfortable flats just in time for my trip.

I was amazed to see so many great styles on their website. They have added so much variety in the past few years.

These smart looking flats are both stylish and supportive. I walked several miles in the Atlanta airport wearing them for the first time and found them very comfortable.

We have often discussed how difficult it is to find flats that are both supportive and flattering to the foot on the Facebook page. I am thrilled to have found these. I know I will wear them often.

This beautiful style is also available in nude for the summer season here.

REJUVA Legwear

It was a great week for me!

Here I am at the Tri-Cities Regional Airport in the wee hours of the morning. I am on my way to Los Angeles! More about that later. 

I am wearing Rejuva compression knee highs with flats for this trip. I sat on planes for many hours and then walked for long distances in the airports during this trip.

I have experienced a lot of discomfort and swollen feet and ankles after such trips in the past. At the end of this day, I had no such swelling, thanks to these knee highs. They are both fashionable and very comfortable.

If you dislike wearing the usual style of compression legwear, I encourage you to visit the Rejuva website to learn more about Kelsey, the young woman who started this company. She wanted more stylish choices in the compression stockings she must wear after a blood clot in her leg at only 21!