Five for Friday: Flame

I wore flame and teal today so I figured I'd feature flame for today's Five for Friday:

1. Calvin Klein Ellasandra Flats - These shoes delight me to no end.  I know the white heel won't appeal to everyone, but I think it gives these flats a sort of retro flare and I love it.  Also, they're under $40.00!

2. Loren Hope "Sophia" Stud Earrings - Big studs are a great earring choice for fall and winter because they won't get caught on your scarf like dangly earrings are prone to do.

3. Modcloth Plaid Circle Scarf - Speaking of scarves, this one is perfect for fall.  It practically screams apple cider and pumpkin spice everything.  Also, it has a bit of teal in there, so, yeah, perfect.

4. Gap Sheer Plaid Scarf - Don't like that much orange near your face?  That's okay, we can still be friends (I guess).  And you can wear this sheer scarf instead.  It also has a bit of teal in it and so is also awesome.

5. Lands' End Cotton Shaker Cardigan - Last, but not in the least, least, we have this gorgeous flame-colored cardigan.  It comes in teal as well as flame, is available in Regular, Petite and Tall, and I want one.  Badly.


How about you, Reader Friends?  Do you like "flame" for fall?


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Five For Friday: Cardians

Although it's pretty warm here today, it's been much cooler this week.  So cool, in fact, that it's got me thinking about Fall.  Or, as I like to call it, Cardigan Season.

To celebrate the fact that Cardigan Season is nearly upon us, I've picked five cardigans I'd love to wear this season:

1. Nordstrom Blue Star Geo Print Cardigan - This cardigan is perfect for now, and for regions with milder Cardigan Seasons.  Also, the print is amazing and it's on sale.  Yay!

2. LOFT V-Neck Cardigan - In spite of the fact that LOFT stubbornly refuses to make these cardigans in Tall sizes (Why, LOFT?  Why?), I still like them.  Especially when they come in pretty colors like this orange-y nutmeg shade.

3. Target "Tribal" Print Cardigan - I'm showing the back of this cardigan so you can get the full effect of the awesome mix of colors and prints.  The front is similar, but with buttons.  Available in plus sizes too.

4. Gap Merino Wool Cardigan - The beautiful berry color of this cardigan is everything to me.

5. Modcloth "You Heard That Bright" Cardigan - For some reason I already own several navy blue cardigans.  And yet I still feel like I need *this* navy blue cardigan.  I mean, who doesn't need a navy blue cardigan with multi-colored zigzags??


How about you, Reader Friends?  Are you excited for Cardigan Season?


Gracey

Five for Friday: Turquoise

As we discussed earlier on the blog today, I adhere to the old saying "When in doubt, turquoise."  This is especially true of my earring choices.  I'll pretty much put turquoise, or turquoise-colored, earrings with anything.

So, for today's Five for Friday, I thought I'd share five pairs of turquoise earrings that will go with everything.  Every.  Thing.

1. 925 Sterling Silver Earrings - As you can see, these earrings are turquoise and then some, but that makes them all the more versatile.  Trust me; I was gifted a similar pair and they really do go with everything.

2. Peermont Gold & Pearl Ball Drop Earrings - These earrings are the perfect size when you want a little turquoise, but not too much.

3. Frieda Rothman Triangle Stud Earrings - If the above earrings are still too big for you, we need to have a talk.  And in that talk I'll recommend that you try this Frieda Rothman pair.  They may be small, but the turquoise really pops against the black so they're not boring.

4. Adia Kibur Maya Earrings - Turquoise and fringe are a match made in boho heaven.  And who doesn't want to visit boho heaven?

5. Kate Spade New York Cluster Stud Earrings - If you prefer your turquoise on the sparkly side, these earrings are for you.  The turquoise-colored stones are paired with rhinestones to add the perfect pop of shiny color.


What about you, Reader Friends?  Do you subscribe to the "When in doubt, turquoise" school of thought?


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Five for Friday: Peach Echo

Now that it's finally, truly, summer, I am looking to wear more summery colors.  Colors like coral, or, as Pantone likes to call it, Peach Echo.  And I figured that I haven't done a Five for Friday post recently, so I thought I'd do one for Coral, I mean Peach Echo (but really, I mean Coral and I suspect Pantone does too).

Here my current five favorite Coral Peach Echo pieces for this summer:

1. Target Women's Floppy Hat - Hats are a great way to protect yourself from the sun.  And cute, striped, floppy hats are the best way to protect yourself from the sun.  That's science.

2. Wayf Blouson Midi Dress - Lightweight, gorgeous color, midi length, this dress has it all.  It would be perfect for a summer wedding.

3. Kate Spade New York Kensley Sandals - Neutral sandals with a coral heel?  Yes, please!  It's a bit spendy, but I think it's worth it.

4. Old Navy Mid-Rise Pixie Pants - These pants are fantastic for the office in the summer.  And, they are available in Tall as well as Regular and Petite sizes, so, yay!

5. Banana Republic Mixed Media Earrings - I have these in a navy/turquoise colorway and they are awesome in person.  They are big and bold and perfect for a summer date night!


What about you, Reader Friends?  What's your favorite Peach Echo piece?


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Five for Friday: Multi Stripe

Earlier today I posted about one of my favorite Spring trends, the Multi Stripe trend.  I love that this trend is fun and colorful and bold.  And, also surprisingly versatile; multi stripes can be worn in a variety of pieces, all of which pack a definite punch.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Melody Multi Stripe Midi Dress - I love the mix of colors in these stripes and the length is even long enough for my tall self!  It's a perfect representation of this trend and a perfect piece for summer.

2. LOFT Strappy Cami - Don't let the strappiness of this top put you off. I have a couple of these types of tops from LOFT and they're very wearable and easily layered for work.

3. Topshop Deckchair Midi Skirt - The mix of chevron stripes and vertical stripes adds even more interest to this pretty skirt.  I'd pair it with a simple black silk blouse and chunky sandals.

4. Ralph Lauren Sofia Striped Scarf - This is such a cheery scarf, I absolutely love the color scheme.  It's the perfect piece for an overcast Spring days.

5. J. Crew Underwire Halter One Piece - Like the dress, the mix of colors in this suit is unexpected but perfect.  And the variation of the width of the stripes has a surprising slimming effect.


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Five for Friday: Iced Coffee

For today's Five for Friday, I decided to tackle one of the Pantone colors that I am not all that excited about, Iced Coffee.  This was one of this season's colors that, when announced, I was like, "yeah... but no thanks."  But, I'm working on being an equal opportunity color wearer so I poked around the interwebs for some Iced Coffee items that were wearable to my bright-loving self.

And, I have great news.  There are wearable Iced Coffee items available; items like these:

1. Panacea Smoky Crystal Earrings - So, it turns out that I rather like Iced Coffee, as long as it has a little shimmer and shine like these earrings.

2. eShakti Vine Print Dress - And, Iced Coffee as part of a print is definitely do-able, especially on a midi dress like this one.  The sleeves aren't my favorite, but, it's eShakti, so you can change them if you want!

3. LOFT Linen Cotton Sweater - If I were to ever do a solid piece in Iced Coffee it would be something like this simple, lightweight sweater.

4. Urban Originals Feather Print Scarf - Again, I like this color best in a print and think this pairing with fuchsia and orange is gorgeous.

5. Vince Camuto "Lavette" Booties - This is probably my favorite iteration of Iced Coffee.  If you're looking for a neutral summer shoe, I think these are just perfect.  And on-trend in all the ways.


What about you, Reader Friends?  What are your feelings on Iced Coffee?  Wearable, or just for drinking?


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Five for Friday: Buttercup

I've decided to stop being lazy and bring back my Five for Friday series.


Today is all about the Pantone Spring 2016 color, Buttercup.  I posted an outfit featuring Buttercup earlier today.  And now I'm sharing some of my favorite Buttercup finds for this spring.

1. LOFT Multi-Stone Earrings - I have these earrings; and have worn them several times since purchasing them.  They are the perfect injection of little yellow into a look.  Love.

2. Vince Camuto Crossbody Bag - A lot of people don't like wearing yellow.  If you're one of those people, but are still looking for a way to add a little sunshine to your spring looks, this bag is perfect.  Soft leather and the perfect size in an easy-to-wear shade.

3. Corso Como "Gladis" Espadrille Wedge - I strongly recommend a yellow sandal for summer.  There are more versatile than you might think and espadrilles are very on trend this season.

4. LOFT Pants - If you like your yellow bright, these are the pants for you!  I personally think they're super fun and a great addition to a spring wardrobe.

5. Halogen Tweed Skirt - I adore this tweedy yellow skirt like nobody's business.  The only thing stopping me from purchasing it is that I don't need another skirt.  But, it's so perfect, maybe I do...


What about you, Reader Friends?  Will you be adding a little sunshine to your wardrobe this season?


XOXO,

Gracey

10/16/2015 Five for Friday: Ponchos

Ponchos started trending (again) heavily last fall, and they're back with a vengeance this year.  And, I, for one, am not complaining.  They're an easy, versatile piece (see styling tips at YLF), especially for fall.  Or, if you're lucky enough to have mild winters, they'll work all winter long.

Here are five of my current favorites:

1. Gap Stripe Poncho: I love the neutral colors of this poncho; it makes it easy to wear over all sorts of layering tops from denim button-downs to turtlenecks.

2. Vintage Crocheted Poncho: Looking for a lady-like poncho with vintage appeal?  Look no further than this crocheted piece from the etsy shop, The Retro Wardrobe.  It's honest-to-goodness vintage and handmade right down to the buttons.

3. Reversible Geometric Pattern Poncho: I love, love, love the pattern on this poncho.  And love the fact that it's reversible, so it's like getting two ponchos for the price of one.  Win-win!

4. Cuddle Climate Poncho: This poncho has a gorgeous red and gray color scheme and is perfect (perfect!) for wearing over my beloved turtlenecks.  I couldn't love it more.

5. eShakti Cape: You say poncho, they say cape.  Same thing.  Only, this version is a grown-up option more suited for work than for the pumpkin patch.  And I do recommend this cape for work; I have, and love, last year's version.


What about you, Reader Friends?  Will you be wearing a poncho this fall?


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

10/2/15 Five for Friday: Biscay Bay

Today's Five for Friday features another Pantone Fall 2015 color, Biscay Bay:

 Aaaaannnnddd...it's basically teal.  But, that's okay.  I like teal.  I wasn't sure about it for fall/winter, but, once again, my Five for Friday finds have changed my mind.

1. Vince Beanie: Here's the thing.  It gets real, real cold here in Western Pennsylvania during the winter and therefore I will be wearing beanies in a couple months.  I'd love it if it were a cute slouchy beanie like this one.

2. Tasha Leopard Print Scarf: I love leopard print scarves.  And I love leopard mixed with blue, or in this case, teal.  It's such a fun, unexpected pairing.

3. Gap Plaid Shirt: Plaid is so perfect for fall, and this particular plaid is fantastic.  The black and burgundy really make the teal pop.

4. ASOS Sweater in Tweed with Zip: I was all about over-sized sweaters last winter and my obsession continues.  I love the side vents and asymmetric zip on this one.  And the color is perfection.

5. Panacea Beaded Arrowhead Earrings:  So pretty.  So very, very pretty.


What about you, Reader Friends?  Will you be dipping your toe into the Biscay Bay this season?


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

8/28/15 Five for Friday: LTS Fall Collection

Early today I posted an outfit featuring these houndstooth skinny jeans from Long Tall Sally:

In case you missed that post, here's a brief synopsis: these jeans are very 90s and I love them.


But, they're not the only piece from the Fall Collection I love, so I thought I'd use today's Five for Friday to share five more pieces I'm thinking about adding to my closet this fall:

1. Herringbone Flippy Dress: Maybe it's seeing all the cardinals in the snow out here, but I just love red dresses for winter.  This one is sleeveless for easy layering and looks like it'd be flattering as heck on most anyone.

2. BFT "Garnet" Paneled Loafer: I have a thing for two-toned shoes.  And I love the classic black-and-white combination of these.  And I love that they're loafers (I think I'm getting preppy in my old age).  The best part though is that because these are Barefoot Tess, they are offered up to size 15.  I know!!

3. Chalky Check Maxi Skirt: As I said in my outfit post, I am pretty excited that the 90s are back for fall.  And this skirt has a great grungy, 90s feel to it.  I want to wear it with an oversized sweater and big boots.

4. Supersoft Jeggings: I actually have these jeggings; they were in the package LTS sent me to try and they are my favorite ever.  They really are super soft and have that nice, high waist that I love.  They come in the deep olive/forest color shown above, but also in a great rust color.  I think I need them in both...

5. Fleece Lined Tights: One of the hardest things, for me, about being tall is that I can't wear really the great tights.  The fun patterns, sweater tights and so-very-necessary-in-Pennsylvania-in-the-winter fleece-line tights are generally too small/short for my tights-loving giant self.  But, this winter, I will finally be warm thanks to these fleece-lined tights for tall women!  I will be buying multiple pairs.


Happy Friday!

Gracey

8/14/15 Five For Friday: Books

For this Friday's Five for Friday, I decided to share five books that I've read, and loved, in the past six months or so:

1. The Martian, by Andy Weir - I absolutely love this book.  I'm not a big fan of science fiction (I like it well enough, but I don't often seek it out), but this book blew my mind.  It's so very, very good.  Great even.  It's about an astronaut stranded alone on Mars and how he survives using science.  And, can I just tell you, even all the science-y bits are great.

2. I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith - I know I'm about 70 years late getting on this bandwagon, but I have to say, this is one of the best books I've ever read.  I read it months ago and it still makes me happy to think of it.  If you've read it, read it again, I know I will.  And if you haven't, you really, really should.

3. The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain - Like with science fiction, I don't generally seek out a lot of historical fiction, but this book is absolutely fantastic.  It's about Ernest Hemmingway's first wife and was so well written that I forgot that it wasn't written by Hadley, but rather by Paula McLain years later.  She is just a stellar author.

4.  Tell the Wolves I'm Home, by Carol Rifka Brunt - This book is both sad and lovely.  And the lead character is a girl you wish you knew because she is just so interesting.  It's hard for me to explain why I liked this book so much, but it's another one that I can't seem to get out of my head.

5. Brave New World, by Aldoux Huxley - I raved about this book here and here, but it bears repeating that this book is both brilliant and terrifying.  You should read it.


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Five for Friday 7/31/15: Oak Buff

For today's Five for Friday, I thought I'd highlight another Pantone Fall 2015 color: Oak Buff:

I really like this color.  I'm not too big on camel, but this is a sort of mustard-y camel, so I'm on board.  I am especially on board for the mustard-y camel Oak Buff pieces below:

1. ASOS Sleeveless Jacket - I'd love this jacket layered over a silky long-sleeve blouse for fall.

2. Max Studio Wool Cardigan - This cardigan is both adorable and 100% Mr. Rogers approved.  

3. Donald J. Pliner Mules - I love everything about these shoes.  The color, the mixed texture and the menswear vibe all make me very, very happy.

4. Square Jacquard Scarf - If you don't love this color in large doses, this scarf has just enough in the trim.

5. Boden Audrey Skirt - A-line skirts are just the best.  They're flattering on most everyone and this color will be perfect paired with a sweater and tall boots.

What about you, Reader Friends?  What are your thoughts on Oak Buff?

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

7/24/15 Five For Friday: Reflecting Pond

Yesterday, I shared Pantone's top trend colors for Fall 2015.  One of those colors, and one of my favorites, is Reflecting Pond:

So, I though it might be fun for today's Five for Friday to share some finds in this gorgeous hue:

1. Pleione Mixed Media V-Neck Tunic in Navy Dusk - Being as this is a tunic, it will probably be the perfect length for taller ladies.  And, if you're less tall, it's a great tunic in a great color.  And, it's currently on sale too!

2. Texture Stripe Infinity Scarf - I love, love, love the gradient hues on this scarf.  And it's also on sale!

3. ASOS Sundown Heels - As you can tell from my picks, I love the idea of a navy shoe.  This one, while not great for rain, is absolutely adorable.  I love the laces and the block heels.

4. Kate Spade New York Stud Earrings - I have a couple pairs of these earrings and they're perfect for colder weather.  They can be worn with scarves without snagging like dangling earrings sometimes do.

5. Sole Society Romy booties - I actually own these boots; I bought them last fall because I'm ahead of the curve like that.  And, therefore, I can attest that they are great.  Very comfortable and, apparently, right on trend.


What about you, Reader Friends?  Which pick is your favorite?



Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

7/17/15 Five For Friday: Olive

I've been on an olive kick for the past 6 months or so, and I continue to delight in the color.  It's worked for me through the summer and it's the perfect neutral for fall.

Here are five olive pieces I love for the (eventually) upcoming cooler weather:

1. Faux Fur Trim Parka - Living in a region that has true, freezing cold winters, I have a new appreciation for warm coats.  This one looks like it will be very cozy due to the combination of hood, double fastening front and inset knit cuffs (trust me, you want this).  And, it's currently on sale for less than $100!

2. Fringe Bucket Bag - This bag has everything I love in a bag.  It's olive.  It's fringed.  And it's a bucket.  It's basically perfect.

3. Caslon Dot Stitch Sweater - Olive.  Dots.  Olive and dots.  Together in one place.  OLIVE AND DOTS.  That is all.

4. Pleated Gaucho Pants - These pants won't be practical for the entire fall, but they'll be perfect in early fall with a lightweight sweater and a cute scarf.  And of course they'll work for the rest of summer too.

5. Faux Leather A-Line Skirt - Leather remains a big trend for fall and colored leather leads the pack.  This faux leather skirt is both on trend and cuter-than-hell.  Win-win.


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey