White for Winter

Although I don't generally abide by the no-white-after-Labor-Day fashion "rule" I also don't generally wear my white jeans during the winter.  But, only because I can't quite figure out how.  And then I decided to give it a shot anyway:

After I put this together, I realized that I was, of course, making wearing white jeans in winter harder than it is.  They're just jeans.  Jeans are great for winter!  And white goes with everything!


Like red!  And blue!

And more blue!

Scarf: gifted handmade  Earrings: LOFT

And riding boots!

Jeans: Old Navy  Chambray: Gap  (similar)
Blazer: vintage Pendleton, thrifted  (similar)
Boots: Born Crown (similar)

Seriously, I have got to stop over-thinking things.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

LEL Sweater Winner

Remember my giveaway to win this fabulous sweater from Long Elegant Legs?

Side Zip Tunic Sweater - Long Elegant Legs

Well, we have a winner!  It's Dawn Lucy from Fashion Should Be Fun!  Congratulations, Dawn!  The wonderful folks from LEL will be in touch with you!

And if you didn't win, I'm sorry, but perhaps I can make it up to you by letting you know that you can get $10 off on this sweater right now by using code: SAVE10.

Thank you all for playing along!

Gracey

The Sweater Coat

This sweater coat is one of the pieces I was most excited to wear in cold Pennsylvania:

Sweater Coat: thrifted vintage  Jeans: Old Navy
Boots: Born Crown (similar)

And I was right to be excited.  This thing is cozy as heck; probably because it's basically a full-body sweater.  It's also colorful, color blocked and from my favorite 80s brand, I.B. Diffusion.  Never heard of I.B. Diffusion?  That's okay, I can help.  Here is one of their fabulous ads:


I.B. Diffusion Fall 1986 from Steve Weiss on Vimeo.


Amazing, right?  Yeah, the company that made that ad also made my sweater:

MICHAEL Michael Kors belt via Nordstrom (similar)

Yes, I know.  I am a lucky, lucky girl.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Borrowed from the Boys

I don't wear a lot of menswear-inspired looks because it's not really my thing.  And then I saw these shoes:

Bettye by Bettye Muller "Quote" Flats

And I was like, dammit, Annie Hall, here I come!

Sweater: Gap  Jeans: Gap (self-frayed)  Shoes: Bettye by Bettye Muller

As you can see, I didn't quite make it to Annie Hall-levels of androgyny.  But my look is definitely borrowed from the boys; I paired the shoes with an oversized sweater & frayed jeans.  I'll definitely wear the shoes in the future with skirts and tights, but, today, I wanted to pay homage to their awesome manliness.

So manly.  So cute.


Happy Friday, All!  Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Gracey

Birthday Giveaway ***CLOSED***

Yesterday was my birthday, so today, I'm giving you all a gift.  You know, in honor of my turning 40 (I know, right?!!) and whatnot.

So, what's the gift?  Well, since, you ask; one lucky reader will have the opportunity to win this fabulous sweater from Long Elegant Legs:

Side-zip sweaters are very on trend this winter and this one is specifically made for tall women.  I love this piece because you can wear it zipped as an actual tunic, or unzip it and layer it so the layers peek out.  And the color-blocking is very flattering.

To enter, just leave a comment below indicating that you'd like to be entered in the giveaway, along with a valid email address.  I'll pick the winner at random on Tuesday, December 23rd.


Good Luck, All!

Gracey

Let's Talk Turtlenecks

I love turtlenecks.  I mean, I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to Turtleneck Style.  I know they're considered by some to be the realm of kindergarten teachers (or kindergarten students), but you don't have to pair a leaf-print turtleneck with an appliqued-acorn sweater vest, folks.  There are chic ways to wear turtlenecks.

Like these looks:

All images from Pinterest: Left, Top, Bottom

See?  Chic.


So, what are the best turtlenecks for mastering these chic looks?  Well, I've done a lot of research (bought a lot of turtlenecks) and I can help you out with that.

The first look is a thin turtleneck sweater layered under a dress & a belted fur vest.  For this look, I love the lightweight turtleneck sweaters from Old Navy:

They are truly lightweight and they come in Tall.


For the second look (top right), I also recommend Old Navy:

These jersey turtlenecks are a great lightweight layering piece, available in striped, solid and heathered colors.  And also available in Tall.


Now, for the third look, you don't want anything too lightweight or insubstantial because it won't be completely covered.  For this look, I recommend these Land's End turtlenecks:

I have two of these, and they're great.  Thick enough to be worn on their own, or under a blazer, and a great layering piece for very cold climates.  Like Pittsburgh!  They're also great because the neck is thicker than the jersey necks so you can wear them scrunched or folded without them falling.  The striped version is not available in Tall, but the solid (12 colors available!) and printed versions are.


What about you, Reader Friends?  Are you yay or nay on turtlenecks?

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Vintage Pendleton

I've said it before, but my mom is a master thrifter.  Seriously, she is pretty much the best.  And I'm very lucky to be the recipient of some of her awesome thrifted finds.  Like this vintage Pendleton jacket:

She gave it to me this summer and Oregon never did get quite cold enough for me to wear it while I was there.  But, I don't have that problem here in Pittsburgh where every day is cold enough for Pendleton.  Hooray?

I don't wear a lot of brown but I love the colors of this jacket:

Probably because the brown is accompanied by rust and blue.  Man, I love rust and blue.


And I love this jacket:

Jacket: vintage gifted  Shirt: Nordstrom (similar)
Jeans: Old Navy  Boots: Kenneth Cole Reaction (similar)

So, you'll probably be seeing it a lot on the blog.  Just a fair warning.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Dryel and All the Lurex

When it comes to the holidays, I'm not a big fan of wearing red and green and snowflakes and appliqued elves.  Instead, I tend towards shiny holiday dressing.  I mean, if there is any time to wear all the thrifted Lurex you can find, the holidays are it!

And I do plan on wearing all the Lurex this holiday season:

Unfortunately, Lurex is best when it's dry cleaned and dry cleaning can add to the already high cost of the holidays.


That's where Dryel comes in:

As an official Dryel ambassador, I knew immediately that the first things I was going to clean with the Starter Kit were my Lurex pieces to get them ready for the holidays.


I had never used Dryel before, but can I just tell you how easy it is?  The first step was popping all that shiny goodness into the Dryel Fabric Protection bag:

I then added the ULTRAcleansing cloth, set my dryer and et voila, the clothes were done within 30 minutes!  Happily all of the pieces kept their shape and their shine.  And they smelled good too; not overly perfumed, just clean.


Not only is Dryel quicker than a trip to the dry cleaners, it's also less expensive.  The Starter Kit retails for $6.99 and includes an improved Dryel Fabric Protection bag good for up to 30 loads.  Once you've used all the cloths in the starter kit, make sure you keep the bag and get yourself a Refill Kit.  They retail for $8.99 and clean up to 30 garments.

So, as you shop for the holidays, don't forget to look for Dryel in the new, red packaging and add it to your cart.  You can find it most anywhere.


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey



Please Note: As a Dryel Ambassador, I am compensated for my review of their product.  But, as always, all opinions expressed within this blog are mine and mine alone.  And that means that if it were no good, I'd let you know.  Promise.

Mustard and Leopard

On my last day in Oregon, I wore mustard and leopard.  Oh, and I added some polka dots too:

Leopard Coat: LOFT (similar, similar, similar)

Not only is this the outfit I wore on my last day of work on my last day in Oregon, it's also the last outfit my friend and photographer, Ferge, ever photographed for me.  She was so mad that I was leaving that she cut off my head:

But, even headless, it's still pretty darned cute, right?


I told you that I'd been on the hunt for oversized sweaters for Pennsylvania, right?  Well, they're great for the cold, but they're also great for pairing with short, flippy skirts:

Sweater: Handmade, thrifted (similar)   Skirt: Old Navy  Tights: Hue  Boots: Splendid (similar)

I don't generally wear short skirts, but I do love a short, flippy skirt.  (I like to pretend the extra volume makes up for the lack of length).  Especially when paired with an oversized sweater.


What about you, Reader Friends?  Is this a silhouette you'd wear?

Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

Donuts, Not Layers

Although I love layers, I don't always feel like I do them well.  It can be hard with my build to wear a layered look without adding bulk.  Especially around the midsection where everything converges (shirt, sweater, waistband).  But, I think I nailed it with this look:

I wish the pictures were better, but it was pouring the day I wore this because, well, Oregon.  But, really, this is probably my most successful attempt at layering ever.  I even layered my collar with a necklace!

Yeah, this is definitely my best layering ever.



I mean, just look:

Top: c/o Foxcroft (similar) Skirt: Thrifted  Sweater: Piperlime
Necklace: Macys  Tights: SPANX  Boots: Born Crown

The only bulk around that midsection there is due to donuts (I really like the chocolate cake kind), not due to layers.

Donuts, Folks, not layers.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Book Review: Amazon Burning

Image via Amazon.com

Amazon Burning is the new novel by Victoria Griffith, and I was lucky enough to be offered an advance copy to review.

At first, I wasn't sure about this book as it's referred to as both a "young adult novel" and a coming of age story and I don't consider it to be either.  The protagonist, Emma Cohen, is a 22-year-old NYU student which seems a little bit long in the tooth to be considered a "young adult" or to be "coming of age."  But, once I got into the book, it didn't matter.

Because, what Amazon Burning is, is a good little mystery.  Journalism student Emma Cohen is forced to flee NYU to Rio de Janeiro, where she interns with her father at his newspaper.  While Emma is in Rio, a famous environmentalist is murdered in the Amazon and she goes with her father to cover the story.  Emma and her father are joined by a young photographer named Jimmy who, like Emma, is looking to help cover the story and make a name for himself.

While in the Amazon, Emma investigates the murder, tries to keep from being murdered herself and falls in love, all while trying to deal with the situation that forced her to leave New York.  There are mysteries on top of mysteries in the novel, making for an exciting read.  And the twist at the end was completely unexpected.  It was also a little strange, but it was definitely a true twist and I appreciate that.

Quite possibly the best part of this book is the job the author does of conveying a sense of place with her writing.  You can tell she's experienced with the Amazon and with the Yanomami Indians she writes about and she handles both of those topics exceedingly well.  She falters a bit in other areas, but all in all, it's a quick, enjoyable read.

As I said, I received an advanced copy of Amazon Burning, but it is available for purchase now, at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Happy Reading, All!

Gracey

Branching Out

I tend to be a creature of habit when it comes to buying clothes.  I stick with the stores that I know (so much so that my dad asked me the other day if my blog was sponsored by Nordstrom - he's very funny) because I know how they'll fit me.  This is especially true when it comes to brands that carry "tall" clothes.  Because, as all tall women know, there is tall and then there is "tall."

Unfortunately, due to this reliance on the brands I know, I haven't really tried a lot of other tall lines.  But, today I am branching out.

You see that wonderfully stripe-y tunic?  It's from Chadwick's of Boston.


I know!  I had no idea that Chadwick's carried tall clothes either.  But, they do.  Like this tunic:

When Chadwick's offered me an item to review, I was a little hesitant because their "tall" starts at 5'7" which isn't always long enough for me.  But, as you can see, this tunic is plenty long, covering my bum and everything!

Tunic: c/o Chadwick's  Leggings: c/o metrostyle  Jacket: Kenneth Cole Reaction (similar)
Scarf: c/o FRAAS (similar)   Boots: Naughty Monkey (similar)

Which, given how my bum resists coverage by most tunics, is a miracle.  A Chadwick's miracle!


Now, I can't say how Chadwick's will work for women taller than myself, but if you're between 5'7" and 6', I'd say give them a try.  They don't have a huge selection, but they carry good, classic pieces.  I especially like their basics, like my tunic, and I'm drooling over this fabulous plaid blazer!

What about you, Reader Friends?  Are you creatures of habit when it comes to purchasing clothes?  Or do you like to branch out?

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Sweater Weather

Hello All!  Sorry about my extended absence; we were in Paris for just over a week and apparently not all of my scheduled posts actually posted because I am bad at scheduling things.  But, I'm back, and I'll write a Paris post soon (I know, I know, just what you wanted, more pictures of Paris).  And for now, here I am in a sweater.

Knowing that I was going to move to the frozen steppes of Pennsylvania, I tried to find oversized sweaters to help keep me warm this winter.  Unfortunately, when you're built like me, oversized often just ends up being "sized."  But, that's not the case with this Gap sweater.


As you can see, it's truly oversized:

And, truly cozy.  It has everything I like in a sweater; softness, warmth, and the color blue.  So far, the only downside has been that it pills fairly easily.  I'm hoping regular maintenance with a sweater shaver will help with that though.


Even if it doesn't, I'll probably continue to wear the heck out of this sweater this winter.  Of course, I won't be wearing it with boyfriend jeans and flats like I am here:

Sweater: Gap  Jeans: Lucky (similar)  Flats: Old Navy (similar)

No, here in Pittsburgh, I imagine I'll be layering it over a turtleneck or seven with jeans over leggings tucked into snow boots.  Because, I don't know if you know this or not, but Pennsylvania is cold folks.  So very cold.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey