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 That old rule of no white after Labor Day is, thankfully, outdated now.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.

Elegant Color Combinations

Some color combinations exude elegance and sophistication.

When I want to take a step up from my usual jeans and tee look, I often reach for ivory pants, and a black jersey knit 3/4 length sleeve top. Both these great pieces are from Fabrizio Gianni. They are made in the USA.

This bag is by Ralph Lauren via T.J.Maxx. The shoes are by Halogen via Nordstrom.

The wire wrapped cuff was purchased while on vacation in Hilton Head at S.M. Bradford Co.

I have always had a passion for rich color and texture. This elegant jacket by IC Collection fits my requirements for fit, texture, rich deep color, and a style that can be worn in many ways. I got it from ShopMyFairLady. I enjoy shopping with them because I get such great service and they never suggest things that are not right for me just to make a sale. 

I appreciate the versatility of brown, but it isn't always the right hue for my skin tone. This rich caramel brown is perfect. I will also wear this with all black, white, denim, and even red.

The hem is slightly longer in the back, making it perfect to wear as a jacket or a shirt partially tucked in. 

The buttery faux suede fabric is so soft to the touch. I know I will be wearing this classic for years to come. Those are the only types of pieces I am interested in adding to my wardrobe now.

Combat Boots

I recently wore my black linen biker jacket from Express over a striped tee with three-quarter sleeves, gray jeans from Chico's, and new boots by French Connection from Saks Off 5th. (My Mom called them combat boots.)

Cashmere Forever!

All these years, I thought cashmere was itchy!

I obviously owned something with too much wool in it in my youth because I have long believed that cashmere worn next to my skin would itch. Last year I bought a sweater that changed all that! Now I am a big fan of all things cashmere.

I adore this tunic I got from J.Jill recently. It can be dressed up or down and worn with jeans or leggings or a black skirt, tights, and boots. It is so soft and not at all itchy! I have already worn it a couple of times.

I wore it for the first time to the social hour at the Innisfree B&B last Friday with black jeans and boots. It was the perfect low-key, casual elegant piece for the informal gathering with the other guests. 

Wearing a variety of subtle textures has always appealed to me. I like the idea of wearing a mink scarf with this tunic along with animal print booties to a holiday party.

I could remove the scarf and wear animal print flats for a similar but less dressy option. The wide gold cuff with faux pearls from Chico's is the perfect accessory for an elegant finishing touch.

I have several pieces of cashmere from J.Jill, and there are others I have my eye on. I am so glad I gave cashmere another try!

The Most Versatile Vest!

This is the new cascading vest from Covered Perfectly.

I appreciate that there are so many ways you can wear them!

Belted or not. Tied or not.

I took this gray leopard cascading vest with me on our recent weekend away. Since I was going away for such a short time, I packed very few pieces to take with me. I am so glad I took this. I started to wear it as a vest for breakfast.

However, I added a cashmere sweater from J.Jill over it because it was rather chilly that morning. I actually liked the look since the sweater is as long as the vest in the back, so it just looked like a long scarf.

I also wore it as a neck scarf to dinner later that evening.

This video shows you a few of the ways you can wear these versatile cascading vests.

The Weekend Away Part 2

The rain was falling for most of the day, but we didn't let that stand in the way.

Shopping is a sweet luxury for me. Especially on a rainy day, I love to look around in unique stores and antique shops. Fiddlehead Designs is a really fabulous florist in Cashiers. You can buy orchids, cut flowers, or live plants for your home and gardens. There were also tables, urns, and pedestals to add the perfect touch to your summer home.

Later in the day, it was time to have lunch in Madison's and enjoy our view of the Wine Garden at the Old Edward's Inn.

The Wine Garden is a lovely place to spend a warm summer afternoon enjoying lunch and its lush surroundings, market umbrellas, and patio-side waterfall.

The jeans I am wearing are by French Dressing Jeans. I must tell you they are the most comfortable jeans I have ever worn. These are the LOVE Premium Denim - Olivia Slim Leg in black. I wanted the ankle style because I wear statement shoes that balance my look most of the time. On this rainy day, I wore them with a white tank and a short denim jacket from Chico's.

We stayed in one of the cottages at the Innisfree Inn Bed & Breakfast this weekend. The Inn overlooks Lake Glenville near Cashiers, North Carolina, where it is the only accommodation awarded the 4-Diamond designation. It has been awarded this coveted honor for exceptional excellence for 22 consecutive years. The Innkeepers are retiring soon, so the exquisite property is now for sale.

On Sunday, I wore a soft gray sweater from Chico's and the same denim jacket. Those French Dressing Jeans were so comfortable for the drive home. They keep their shape in both the knees and the behind. I have owned many pairs of black jeans, and I am usually disappointed when they change shape and fade as soon as they are laundered. These stayed true black when washed. French Dressing Jeans are so worth the investment because they keep looking great, not just the first day and the first few hours of wearing.

Weekend Retreat

Mr. Mickey and I enjoy leaving the city on Friday morning and driving away for a weekend retreat.

When we started dating almost ten years ago, getting away for weekend trips to the mountains or a larger city or even the beach was one of the things we heartily agreed was important to each of us.

We thoroughly enjoy exploring cities, trying new restaurants, searching for the best gourmet chocolate, admiring small southern towns' architecture, and driving down winding country roads just to see where they lead.

This past Friday, we stopped in Brevard, North Carolina, on our way to our weekend getaway. We walked around the small downtown area and read the menus posted in a few restaurants' windows before wandering down an alley to the Square Root. It was a delightful out of the way place that we enjoyed very much. I had a black bean burger with sweet potato chips, which were quite good. Mr. Mickey enjoyed a salad with plank grilled salmon. Across the alley was Downtown Chocolates, so we were careful to save some room for chocolates afterward.

The town of Brevard is straight south from us and at a lower elevation, so their weather has remained quite a bit warmer than ours.

Since this was a restful weekend retreat with nothing special planned, I brought just a few pieces of clothing that I mixed and matched for easy packing and dressing.

I wore this elegant grey cashmere open cardigan from J.Jill a couple of times over the weekend. Shown above with Chico's jeans, a grey tank from Saks Off 5th, and flat Halogen shoes from Nordstrom.

On the cool, rainy Saturday night out to dinner at the fabulous Orchard Restaurant in Cashiers, North Carolina, I layered the cardigan over another thin grey sweater from Chico's and a cascading vest from Covered Perfectly worn as a scarf. The boots are from Saks Off 5th.

These fabulous black jeans are by French Dressing. They fit very well without being uncomfortable, and they maintain that fit all day. The color stays jet black when you wash them.

I will be sharing more looks from my minimal weekend wardrobe tomorrow.

Style Show at Monkee's of Johnson City

The Washington-Unicoi-Johnson County Medical Alliance is a volunteer group comprised of physician spouses located in Johnson City, TN. They recently held a fashion show and social hour at Monkee's of Johnson City. It was an honor to be asked to model in the show.

I am with my beautiful friend Krista who owns Monkee's of Johnson City above, and showing my first look in the show below.

Members of the Medical Alliance are committed to promoting health education and health-related charitable endeavors in our community. Spouses and widow(er)s of practicing, and retired physicians in our area may join.

With increasing demands on medical practice, physicians and their spouses struggle to find and maintain a work/life balance in a medical marriage. Alliance members exchange information and provide support and friendship to each other.