Layer Like a Boss

Multiple thin layers keep me warm without running the risk of looking like the Michelin Man.

On a recent Saturday, we visited old downtown to see some of the new projects. An exciting renaissance has begun in Johnson City!

From November to April, I am usually wearing a minimum of two layers. I started this look with a thin gray tank camisole from Saks Off 5th. Next, I added a great looking striped button front tunic from J.Jill. The cashmere scarf/wrap is old from J.Jill. 

I bought the distressed faux leather jacket from my friend Myra's boutique, The Charlemont in Kingsport, TN. The ankle jeans are from Chico's. The bag is by Zac Posen, and the boots are by French Connection, both via Saks Off 5th.

I once avoided wearing longer layers under shorter pieces, but I learned that if I use a soft, unstructured longer piece under a more structured shorter piece, it always seems to work out well.

Each time I go to the J.Jill website, I find it difficult to narrow my selections to stay within my budget. I want them all!

I decided on this top because I know I can also wear it in warm weather without a tank, white jeans and sandals.

Shown below without the outer layers.

Styling Tip

I fell in love with this fabulous J.Jill tunic as soon as I saw it!

This top was provided by J.Jill.

I have a weakness for soft, easy pieces that flow across the body and look great with jeans. If the item can be worn for three seasons, even better!

This color is called Gala, which will go with every pair of pants I own. That makes this tunic a very wise purchase.

The ankle jeans and the wide silver cuff are both old from Chico's. The boots are old by Ralph Lauren, and the bag is old by Cole Haan, both from T.J.Maxx. 

Buying classic items with a simple design means that you can wear the pieces for years to come and in many combinations.

I will wear this top with white jeans and nude sandals many times this summer. It looks great with most of my scarves and all of my fun cuffs and bracelets. I can also wear it with the sleeves long and layer a jacket or cardigan over it. 

We moved the furniture around a bit to shoot this short video and take these pictures for you. I hope my tips inspire and help you get dressed with ease.

Be My Valentine!

Time for a Q&A post! 

"What are your tips for mixing and matching unrelated pieces to create successful unique looks?"

There are a few tips I always try to remember when I am mixing unrelated pieces. 

First, I limit the colors to no more than three. When wearing two or three pieces that are all the same color, I always mix the textures since the colors will rarely match exactly. 

Don't be afraid to mix modern with classic. That is one of the secrets to keeping your looks current. If I am wearing something trendy, I keep all the other items very traditional and classic.

Learning which colors and proportions look best on your body shape makes it a lot easier to mix and match pieces with confidence.

We had not planned to go out to dinner for Valentine's day, but when our dearest friends called to invite us to join them, we gladly accepted.

I found this brocade jacket on sale at Chico's recently. This was the perfect evening to wear it for the first time. Considering that it is so ornate, I kept the other accessories to a minimum. The small reptile embossed box clutch is from S.M. Bradford in Hilton Head. The faux leather front Ponte knit back leggings are also from Chico's. The short boots are by French Connection via Saks Off 5th.

The Covered Perfectly long sleeve simple comfort tunic has the best neckline for layering I have ever worn. I also love that they are sleek, fitting to keep me warm, but they don't add any bulk under my jackets. More black and also the white tunics will be back in stock soon. They are selling so fast that the USA maker of these tops is having difficulty keeping up with the demand.

When I answered the door, Mr. Mickey handed me a dozen roses, Godiva chocolates, and cards. I count myself very lucky to be his lady!

Choosing A Winter Coat

Do you have a great winter topper? It has been at least twenty years since I purchased a nice full-length winter coat.

Our East Tennessee weather is not often harsh, so I don't need to dress for sub-zero temperatures.

A stroller or some other type of jacket over layers is my usual cold-weather look. While that works most of the time, it can be rather casual.

I have been doing research for a few months to make a wise decision about this purchase.

I didn't want a bulky coat that would visually add pounds to my frame. I looked for a sleek style without a large collar, belt, memorable buttons, or other details that might date it and me. While I love black, I wanted this coat to be another color. Having one that can be dressed up or down and worn with scarves was also a priority. This coat could also be belted if I ever magically acquire a waistline.

The rest of my look includes a black vest and knit turtleneck top by Fabrizio Gianni. The reptile embossed black leggings are labeled "Jack," and I found them in a small boutique on Hilton Head Island last year. The boots are Saks Black Label from Saks Off 5th. The bag is also via Saks Off 5th. The hat and scarf are both old from T.J. Maxx.

I am confident that I can wear this coat for several years, with any type or color of attire, and to any event. It is by Cinzia Rocca via Saks Off 5th.

Daily Basics

This is an easy combination that always seems to work for me.

I put to use some of the tips we covered in a previous post here. Those are ankle jeans from Chico's, which work so well with short boots or the caged sandals I like to wear in warmer weather.

The Chico's tank is tucked in to give me a slimmer look, and I used a belt in brown. If I had used a lighter color belt, it would have made my upper torso look longer. (I need that!) The navy blazer is by Tahari via Saks Off 5th. The large square scarf is several years old from Ross.

The bag was from Saks Off 5th. I like the more modern look of not matching your bag to your shoes. The Vince Camuto boots are several years old from Nordstrom.

Details Make the Difference

On Saturday, we visited the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia.

I don't know how other bloggers do their photoshoots, but I just get dressed, and we go somewhere and have fun. We take a small, not so great camera and shoot a few photos while we are there. It isn't a very planned or well-choreographed event. We are just having fun and sharing the pictures with you. Sometimes I wear old clothes, and sometimes I wear something new. If I can remember where I bought the item, I share the source with you.

Laughter always fills our time together. Mr. Mickey has a great sense of humor, and I must admit it has begun to rub off on me after dating for more than ten years.

Count yourself lucky that you won't be hearing me sing!

Do you buy scarves and then never wear them because you don't know how to tie them? I have lots of scarves, but I always tend to wear them in the same few ways, so I made a real effort to try something new today. 

First, I tried the trick of tying the scarf in a small loop on one end and pulling the other end through to form a lovely drape and a long free-flowing end. That lasted about two minutes because it kept slipping forward to look like I was wearing a noose. Not an attractive look!

I generally wear a large square silk scarf by folding it diagonally from corner to corner. Next, I drape the triangle over my shoulders and put my jacket on over it to hold it in place. That's sort of boring, but it gives me the straight lines and pattern break I need, plus it never moves.

Next, I folded the square scarf in a triangle again. This time, I put the point in front, wrapped the ends around my neck, and brought them back to the front. I tied a tiny knot at the very ends and then opened the triangle to drape the top part of the triangle over the tie so that it was now between the folds and not visible. Lastly, I moved the point to the side and slipped it under my jacket to create a cowl effect.

On to the next detail. The top is from Chico's Zenergy collection. I like the silver dots on a white background, but you can see that the top is too billowy to wear with a jacket. I prefer the look of a slim fitting sleek top under a jacket. It makes me look thinner and less messy.

They are jeggings from Chico's. This look would have been much better with a pair of ankle pants, but I didn't want to take the time to go back and change. Ankle pants are a couple of inches shorter so that they barely touch the top of most of my short boots. I tried turning these up, but the line of the light blue of the denim's underside made my legs look too short. I gave up and stuffed them in the boots to keep the look long and lean.

The wine-colored bag was from Saks Off 5th. The boots are by Gianni Bini from Dillard's last year. They are suede in the back with a smooth leather front and buckle details.

The faux leather jacket was purchased from Stein Mart two years ago. The scarf is by Versace via Saks Off 5th.

Here you can see the tips put into action. Scarf tied into a cowl for warmth and an added pattern. Top tucked in at the back for a slimmer fit. Jeans tucked into boots to keep them from bunching up on the tops of my boots. 

I hope you enjoyed being included in the thought process that I often go through to put together a successful look. I will try this look again tomorrow to see how I put these tips to use with different items.

Dinner and the Symphony

One of our favorite date nights is to have dinner at the best restaurant in town, Gourmet and Company, and then attend the Johnson City Symphony performance.

I wore a Covered Perfectly long sleeve tunic because the neckline is so flattering. I paired it with slacks from last year and a jacket I recently got online from the Dillard's end of the season sale. 

The reptile embossed bag is from last season via Saks Off 5th. The simple black pumps are Saks Fifth Avenue Made in Italy, via Saks Off 5th.

Tomorrow on the blog, I will be delving into the little details of an outfit and how they can help you look your best.

Wear Red Day

I am a proud member of the Go Red for Women Circle of Red. We organized a special presentation for Wear Red Day, which was on February 5th.

Another member showed up with a very similar look. Great minds!

Do you know that 80% of heart disease and stroke events may be prevented by lifestyle changes and education? Heart disease is the number one killer of women. To learn more, go to the American Heart Association's website at Heart.org.

During February, American Heart Month, participating hospitals in East Tennessee and across the country will pass out thousands of little red hats to newborns' parents as a part of the Little Hats, Big Heart's program.

The Little Hats, Big Hearts program raises awareness of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans, and congenital heart defects, the most common type of birth defect.

Volunteers from across Tennessee and four other states have hand knitted over six hundred Little Red hats. In the photo above, our Chair, Maggie Ingram, and I explain the program to Pete Peterson, our city manager, just before the presentation.

The Arctic air has returned to my area, so I wore layers. The red dress worn as a tunic was supplied to me by J.Jill last year. The leggings are by Hue via Dillard's worn over Hanes pantyhose in the color jet. The boots are by Saks via Saks Off 5th. The oversize black and gray animal print knit scarf are old via Nordstrom. The gray quilted bag is from Express.

I only wear this dress as a tunic because of the above the knee length. This would be a good look for a pear or apple-shaped body. Wearing a necklace or scarf brings the focus up to your face. 

The tunic fits nicely above the bust and then relaxes into an A-line, which flows across your body, not accentuating any particular area. I love the fact that it has pockets!

Everyday Leggings

What do you throw on to run to the grocery store?

Yesterday, I wore leggings which are very comfortable and warm. I didn't even own a pair of leggings until last year. Now I have several pairs.

The long faux leather-trimmed vest and cowl neck sweater are old from Chico's. The bag is old by Calvin Klein via T.J.Maxx. It has become my everyday bag because it seems to go with anything. I read somewhere that if your bag and shoes match your natural hair color, you will wear them much more often than any other. 

The loafers are by BCBG via Saks Off 5th. Did you know that BCBG means bon chic, bon genre? In English, it means good style, a good sort. It is an expression used in France to refer to a subculture of the Paris upper class's stylish members.

Wearing long tops with leggings and flats is the perfect running errands attire for me in cool weather. I like the long and lean look and enjoy comfort. I still love to wear my heels, but when I know I will be walking a lot, I wear comfortable flats.

Our weather can change as much as forty degrees in one day, so layers are essential for me. Ruanas and vests are the perfect layers because you can take them off when you need to and still be well dressed but comfortable.

I like to wear a top that stops at about my fingertips over leggings. The extra layer over it can be shorter or longer. The ideal proportion is to visually divide your body in thirds (not in half).

Why Plants?

About five years ago, I stopped eating meat and processed foods. I lost weight, but that was not my motivation. 

When I visited my doctor for my annual checkup in 2011, she warned me about my fatty liver, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, the nodules on my thyroid, and noted that my gall bladder would have to come out. I had gallstones. 

She wrote prescriptions for three different medications that I would have to take for the rest of my life and made appointments to see two specialists. She was also concerned about my blood sugar since I was now a borderline diabetic. 

The flat shoes I wore that day didn't help. My feet still hurt a lot from inflammation because of arthritis. Just walking into her office was painful. I had seven sinus infections that year. At least two migraines per week (sometimes more) were normal for me during that time.

I read the book "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman while recovering from gall bladder surgery. Within a week, I started to lose weight and feel better. When I went back to my surgeon for my six-week checkup, I had lost twenty pounds. He was thrilled with my progress!

Later that day, I ran two miles on the path around that same hospital where the gall bladder surgery had been performed a few weeks before. I must say, I felt a little like Rocky when I did that!

Processed foods are deadly for me. I will not buy them. The only things you will find in my pantry and refrigerator are plant-based foods in the most natural and organic state. The changes I made in my food choices made a major difference in my health and the way I feel every day. I no longer take any medications, and my lab results are similar to those of a teenager. My doctors are amazed and motivated by the changes I have made and maintained over the years.

If we eat in a restaurant, as we sometimes do, I will order a salad, a side order of broccoli or some other steamed vegetable, and a glass of wine. I mostly skip the bread and share an occasional dessert when Mr. Mickey wants to have one. Three small bites are enough to fully enjoy it.

This is normally my breakfast.

The photo above shows what my breakfast looks like about 95% of the time. I use fresh fruit that is always changing with the seasons. 

One of my lovely followers shared this with me recently. Emily wrote: "I have suffered from chronic constipation (IBS) for years, and this recipe seems to have reversed this disease. I am very regular with no stomach cramps!!!! PTL!!! Thank you so very much for this wonderful recipe!!!!"

You will find the porridge recipe here when you scroll down to the bottom of the page.

This is normally my late in the day lunch.

A typical late lunch might be steamed veggies over a salad with a baked sweet potato. I often make a meatless chili or vegetable soup for lunch in winter. I use frozen vegetables without any preservatives or salt in my soup. 

Two meals per day are enough for me. If I feel hungry later in the day, I may have a piece of fruit or some hot tea. I sleep much better with an empty stomach.

This might be a different late in the day wintertime lunch.

I drink lots of filtered water with lemon every day. Many digestive issues are a result of not being adequately hydrated. I never drink sodas!

Eating highly nutritious plants, seeds, nuts, dried beans, and grains has allowed me to maintain a healthy weight for several years. This is the first time in my life that I have been able to do that. I have struggled with my chubbiness since I was a child. 

The best part of all this is that my immune system is powerful. I have not had a cold in years!

The many letters I get from readers who thank me for turning them on to a plant-based diet are so special to me. This one came just this week.

"Susan, when I found you on FB, I decided to follow you because you look so fabulous in skinny jeans. I am 64, and since menopause, I have gained a tremendous amount of weight. Anyhow, I wanted to tell you that I too found "Eat to Live" and started a new life on November 16. 

I have lost 25 pounds and have 75 more to go. I will continue to be inspired by you. We are both prolonging our lives. But I have to say what I want to do most right now is look as good as you do in your clothes. 

You are lovely, and I think you ought to talk more about your plant-based diet. It would be a great service. I have inspired two male friends to adopt this way of eating, and they cannot thank me enough! They have lost more weight than I have, and now they think I'm the greatest."

Sharing fashion tips and style inspiration with you is fun, but the most important thing I hope to accomplish with this blog is to encourage you to eat for your best health. Never underestimate the power of plants to help you regain your health.