Make No Mistake

The other day, I gently mocked what could be considered the overuse of statement necklaces in the blogosphere, but make no mistake, I am not anti-statement necklace.  In fact, I am wearing one today:

And I like it. I actually have a couple of statement necklaces and I like all of them.  I just don’t wear them very often because they sort of scare me.  They just feel so fancy.  I’m not that fancy.  And I know the idea is to juxtapose them against less-fancy pieces, but that isn’t something I do often (or particularly well).

I gave it a shot today though, pairing a sheer, girly skirt (Pleione via Nordstrom Rack) with wedge booties (Nine West).  I think it’s somewhat unexpected.  I mean, as much as anything is anymore.   I also wore a vintage top (thrifted), belted, and, of course, the statement necklace (mini-bubble via GroopDealz).

I put this outfit together for a few reasons.  One, to link up to Marionberry Style’s Trend of the Month; said trend being statement necklaces.  Two, because I’ve been trying to figure out how to wear this skirt for the past month and was going to return it if I hadn’t successfully styled it by this weekend.  And three, because one of the reasons I started blogging (other than to get the Smiliest Blogger Award, of course.  Wait?  What?  There’s no such award?  Well that seems ridiculous) was to push myself to try new things.  Like statement necklaces and pattern mixing and awkward hemlines.

To see how other bloggers wore their statement necklaces, without all the boring introspection, pop on over to Marionberry Style.

And have a lovely Labor Day Weekend, All!

Gracey

Some Damn Stylish Nuns

Today a co-worker told me that my shoes reminded her of the shoes the nuns at her school used to wear when she was younger.  I figure those must have been some damn stylish nuns, because I love these shoes:

Image via shoes.com

They are the Naya “Jada” pumps that I’ve been wearing for the past year.  Last year they were burgundy.  This year they are oxblood.  Such is the way of fashion.

Of course, I didn’t just wear shoes:

I also wore a pleated polka dot skirt (thrifted) and a mustard yellow blouse (Old Navy).  I added a leopard-print belt (via a disremembered source) because I’m obsessed with leopard and polka dots like blogger-friend Tracy is obsessed with leopard and stripes.  And I finished the look with a vintage bracelet (Monet via Red Fox Vintage) and drop earrings (Target, v. old).

Because my skirt is thrifted and the belt may be, I’ve linked up to Callie’s Thrifter Thursday over at Coffee and Cardigans. 

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

Gracey

The Best Thing about Prints

Of course, the best thing about prints is that they don’t have to stand on their own.  You can accessorize the hell out of them if you want.  Or, you can even pair them with more prints:

You can probably guess which I prefer.  Yep, it’s true, I love mixing prints and patterns.  In part because it’s such a challenge for me; I really never know how it’s going to turn out.  And that, I think, is part of the fun.

For today, I mixed two graphic prints; the checked pants (men’s vintage, thrifted) and the diamond tunic (Old Navy).  And then, because I was on a role, I added a third print with my flats (Nine West via Piperlime).  Is it lunacy?  A little bit, perhaps, but I’d absolutely wear it again. 

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Just a (Lazy) Girl in a Dress

There is definitely something to be said for simplicity.  Unfortunately, I’m not the blogger to say it.  Not usually, at least.  But, today’s outfit is actually pretty simple:

Today, I’m just a girl in a dress.  This particular dress is vintage Karin Stevens (thrifted) and is one of my favorites.  I usually wear it with color but decided to keep it simple today with a brown belt (thrifted), mini-wedges (Jessica Simpson via Nordstrom) and an acorn necklace (Last Thursday vendor).  And I liked it.  

I think it worked because of the dress.  I love the fit and the cut and print are interesting enough that it doesn’t need a lot of bells and whistles.  Given my inability/refusal to accessorize regularly, I should probably fill my closet with dresses of this sort.  Clothing that is supposed to be a “blank canvas” is too much pressure for my non-accessorizing self.

Oh, my goodness, I think I just had an epiphany.  That’s why I like prints so much; because they allow me to be lazy!  Thank goodness for prints – I probably couldn’t get dressed without them.

What about you, Reader Friends?  Are you a print-lover or do you prefer a blank canvas?

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Why Not Try: Dark Florals?

I've given up on summer.  It hasn't gotten above 85 for over a week and this morning it rained on me on my ride in.  And, of course, I wasn't wearing a coat so my shirt was stuck to my chest by the time I got to work.  It was decidedly not awesome.  Take it from me, surprise rain storms are not a pleasant surprise at all.  Having given up on summer, I've decided to jump into some fall posts.  Specifically, a series I like to call "Why Not Try?".  You see, I'm beginning each title with those words so it seemed like a good idea for the series.  And now, without further ado, I give you the first post in my "Why Not Try?" series.

This fall and winter, why not try Dark Florals?  If you’ve seen my blog, you’ve probably seen me in a floral print.  It’s true, I love a good floral.  And, lately, I’ve been especially enamored of dark florals.  So, as you can imagine, I’m pretty thrilled that this is one of the trends for fall.

I’m excited about this trend for a variety of reasons.  One, I think dark florals are more unusual, and, for me, more interesting, than run-of-the-mill pastel florals.  Two, I think they’re easier to utilize in a year-round wardrobe, given their natural ability to be paired with winter’s darker hues.  And three, they’re pretty easy to thrift. 

Like most trends, dark florals aren’t a new invention.  This means that they can be found in abundance in thrift stores, whether you choose blouses, skirts or dresses.  Here are some of the dark floral pieces I’ve thrifted that I look forward to wearing this fall and winter:

Animal and floral.  Win-win.

Fall colors on a black background.

White roses on a black background - a graphic take on floral.

The dark teal background & orange flowers are perfect for fall.

And I always have my eye out for more.

How about you, Dearest Reader Friends?  Will you be going to the dark side this season?

Gracey