Pastels and Earth Tones

These colors probably shouldn't be paired together, but I did it anyway:

I mean, pastels and earth tones?  What was I thinking...



And yet, I swear this totally works:

Or not.  I'm not an expert on color combinations that make sense.  No, I'm better at those color combinations that make no sense at all.


Like pastels and earth tones together:

Pants: LOFT (similar)  Top: TJ Maxx (similar)
Cardigan: LOFT  Earrings: Modcloth, sold out (similar)
Shoes: FRYE (exact) (similar) (vegan option)

That's my specialty.


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Spring Jeans and a Fox Locket

My wishlist for spring is pretty short.  In part because I don't really need anything and in part because a large portion of my budget is going to a new handbag.  I did, however, want some new skinnies in a spring color and found these from Old Navy:

Sweater: Old Navy (similar)  Jeans: Old Navy Rockstar
Shoes: Nine West (similar)

As you can see, they're a sort of robin's egg blue and they're exactly what I wanted.  And, as you can also see, they go with all the other spring colors!


I originally only thought to pair them with the citron sweater because I wanted to wear that sweater with my new fox locket:

Isn't it the cutest?!  My sister sent it to me with pictures of my sweet, big-headed nephews inside, and I love it!


So, where do the shoes come in?  Well, I just figured that the only thing to do for that much color is to add more color.  I think Coco Chanel or someone said something like that.


Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

Black, Blue and Bikes

Today's post is all about black, blue and bikes.  Not the bikes you ride, the bikes you wear:

Or, more specifically, the bikes you wear and laugh like a loon in:

The laugh-inducing bikes I wore because the challenge print for today was a conversational print and I think the bikes are a good conversational piece. Especially since I ride a bike and all.


The black skirt and blue shirt I wore because I thought they'd be a nice, simple background for the bike scarf:

And they were.  Unfortunately, for an outfit dedicated to bike riding, this one wasn't very good to ride in.  The skirt just didn't quite have enough give so that attempting to get on my bike was rather pathetic.  Pedaling went okay, but getting up there was not pretty.  At all.

Which is too bad because I otherwise really like this skirt.  It's the perfect length for me:

Scarf: ModCloth  Tee: LOFT  Skirt: Thrifted  Sandals: Steve Madden

And it was thrifted so, you  know, win-win.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

Flowers

This dress is covered in flowers:

And is, therefore, the perfect dress to link up with Mis Papelicos for this week's Share-In-Style Link Party.

Because, as you probably guessed, the theme is flowers:

I actually own a lot (no, really, A LOT) of floral dresses, but this one is the most summery.  And it has pockets:

So, yeah, it's basically the best.

The dress is thrifted and I paired it with a thrifted belt, thrifted shoes and a cameo I bought at a rummage sale:

The brooch is etched on the back: Dick Puckett, 1958.  I guess that's the maker?  If so, I'd like to thank Mr. Puckett for making such a lovely piece.

And I'd like to thank Mis Papelicos for hosting this fabulous, flower-filled link party!

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

A Raging Case of The I-Have-Nothing-To-Wears

Here is the dilemma, Reader Friends.  It is gorgeous and sunny here in Oregon (at the moment) but it is not warm.  So, I'm trying to find clothes that fit with the sunnier weather without freezing to death.  Turns out that I don't have a lot of options that meet that criteria, so I ended up in my bird button-down layered under a short-sleeve sweater:

Top: Nordstrom  Sweater: Thrifted   Jeans: Banana Republic  Flats: Nordstrom Rack

Yes, I did wear almost this exact same outfit at almost this exact same time last year.  But, only almost.  I did actually change it up a little bit.  For example, this time, instead of wearing neon studs, I'm wearing shell feathers:

I also changed up the bottom of my look, this time going with ankle zip skinnies and flats instead of flares and wedges:

I know, I know, it's not much of a difference, but I'm not kidding when I say I have a limited amount of clothing that is both spring-like and warm.  In fact, I think this is probably my toughest transitional period.  I'm tired of my drab winter clothes, but it's still too cold to pull out proper spring clothes, resulting in a raging case of The I-Have-Nothing-To-Wears.

What about you, Reader Friends?  How do you handle your winter-to-spring transition?

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Shop the Look

Similar blouse

Similar sweater

Similar jeans

Similar flats

Similar earrings

Candy-Colored

It has been ridiculously cold here in Oregon this week.  I'm talking highs less than 35 degrees cold.  So I've been reaching for the warmest items in my closet.  Items like this candy-colored wool sweater:

You can tell I'm freezing when I clench my fists.  Well, I'm either freezing or prepared to defend myself against vicious squirrel attacks.  One or the other.


I paired the sweater with my flame-colored cords:

Gap sweater (similar), Target cords (similar on super sale!) & Born Crown boots (similar; also on sale!)

Not because there is any flame in the sweater (there really isn't) but because I find cords warmer than jeans.  And because I like yelling, "They don't have to match, dammit, they go!" at co-workers who still haven't quite grasped the concept.  And because, as I've said before, brights in the winter make me happy.

But mostly for the co-worker yelling.

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

P.S. If you haven't entered my giveaway yet, today is the last day to enter.  And you can do so here.

Pink Stripes, Floral Pin

I wear my pink striped dress a lot during the summers.  And I usually pair it with equally summery shoes and accessories.  Today, however, I went a slightly darker route:

Dress: thrifted vintage  Belt: Gap  Sandals: thrifted

All so I could wear my black, lacquered floral pin:

Vintage, handpainted black lacquer brooch

Because, sometimes, all a girl wants is to wear pink stripes and a floral pin.

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

What Really Goes On

Most of my readers are used to seeing me look like this in photos:

I’m usually smiling, because I like smiling, but also because I think blogging is fun.  I’m usually front to camera because I like to clearly show the outfit I’m wearing.  And I usually have my arms at my sides or have a hand on a hip because I can’t ever figure out what else to do with my hands.  (Moment of clarity: I bet that’s why bloggers carry clutches.  Now I get it.) 

But, I think I owe it to you, Dearest Reader Friends, to show you what the other 40 pictures that I don’t post look like.  To show you what really goes on.  Which, more often than not, is stuff like this:

I am pretty much always talking and often gesticulating.  In the above photo I’m demonstrating how it was so cold this morning that I had to break the ice on my horse’s trough.  I don’t have a horse.

And this:

And, in that photo I am expressing confusion over my friend, Ferge’s, confusion about today’s color combination. 

I think flame cords (Target) and a lavender button-down (Gap via Goodwill) make perfect sense.  Ferge does not.  At least she didn’t criticize the houndstooth shoes (Old Navy via Goodwill) though.  But, really, who would criticize houndstooth shoes?  They so very clearly go with everything.

ETA: Although I don't consider my pants confusing, I'll admit that they're bright, so I've linked up to Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style, hosted, as always, by the lovely Patti.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Gracey

Shop the Look:

Exact Target cords

Similar lavender shirt

Similar houndstooth flats (now on sale)  

** Disclosure: Actions taken from the hyperlinks in this blog post may yield commission/compensation for the writer. Please see the Disclosure tab for more details.

Peach and a Polka Dot Lady-Tie

This sweater is peach:

It looks pink.  Oh well.

Not that that there would be anything wrong with pink, but I swear it’s peach.   And I did pair my peach sweater (thrifted via Goodwill) with a polka dot lady-tie (thrifted silk via St. Vincent de Paul).  I also wore a houndstooth skirt (thrifted via Goodwill) and added cream tights (Target) and pointed-toe booties (Luxury Rebel “Yuma” via Piperlime).

I have to say, I feel all soft and fuzzy in this outfit, what with the subdued hues and the fluffy hair:

Especially in comparison to yesterday’s look.  Soft and fuzzy wasn’t necessarily my intention with today’s look (I don't think I had one outside of warmth and minimal drying time), but, I guess I’ll take it.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Floral and Gray and Overusing Happy

First of all, let me say that you all are the best Reader Friends a gal could ask for.  Thank you so much for your comments on yesterday’s post, well, on all my posts, really.  Second of all, I finally discovered the impetus behind my ADD style.  I wear what makes me happy.  And not having a specific aesthetic means there is just more room for more things to make me happy.

Like today’s pants; today’s pants thrill me to no end:

They’re high-waisted to the point of hilarity (seriously, they’re up past my belly button), they’re floral (floral!) and, so far, pretty versatile.  Hilarious + Floral + Versatile = Happy Gracey. Last time I wore these pants I paired them with color.  Today, I paired the pants (thrifted Ralph Lauren) with a soft gray tee (Old Navy).  Okay, okay, and some color; I added teal flats (Target) because, yep, you guessed it, they make me happy. 

Speaking of happiness, Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

P.S.  Does anyone else find “happy” to be an incredibly strange word?  I didn’t before, but I totally do now; I hope I haven’t ruined it for anyone.  How terrible would that be to be the blogger who ruined the word “happy”?!

Just Because I’m a Blogger

Going through my closet I realized that there are a few items that I’ve purchased just because I’m a blogger.  Like these loafers:

Last year, loafers were one of the trends that seemed to be catching fire throughout the blog-o-sphere.  As a blogger I felt compelled to try them because I thought that surely My Adoring Public (that’s you) would want to see all the latest trends on Their Favorite Blogger (um, that’s me).  And, while that may be, I think we may all have to come to terms with the fact that I’m not very trendy.  But... I am tall and sarcastic, so that’s something, right?  Right.

Today I paired that height and sarcasm with the aforementioned loafers (thrifted), gray shorts (New York & Co via Ross) and a sherbet-hued cotton sweater (thrifted).  I also added a watch, a couple of bracelets and some cameo earrings.  I find it an amusingly preppy look which is different for me but still kind of fun.

That being said, I don’t think that I’m going to keep the loafers.  I don’t ever wear them and I already have oxford flats that fill the “menswear-inspired-shoes-that-I-never-wear” gap in my closet.  I do want to keep a pair of androgynous shoes, in case I have a Victor/Victoria moment, but I think I’ll keep my oxfords instead of these.

The sweater and shorts are keepers for sure though.

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Lavender, Lemon and a Bee Attack

Y’all, I was totally attacked by a bee today.  Okay, he was probably just flying by, but I reacted like it was an attack by ducking and squealing and then laughing.  You know; as one does:

Not to worry though, I got it together enough to take pictures.  Sort of:

Like yesterday’s color combination of tomato and violet, today’s combination is one I’ve wanted to try for sometime.  Specifically, since the EBEW Pastels Challenge in which my lovely friend, Ana of She’s Addicted to Clothes, paired lavender and yellow.

My lavender and lemon pairing involves a thrifted lavender eyelet dress and a lemon-yellow cardigan (Target).  I added a multi-colored belt (thrifted) which allowed me to sneak in navy platform sandals (MRKT via DSW) and rust red earrings because I like to ground my pastels with non-pastels.

Is there a word for non-pastels?  I'm sure there is.  Does anyone know what it is?

Happy Wednesday, All!  Watch out for bees!

Gracey

Love the Outfit, Hate the Photos

You know those days where you feel great in an outfit right up until the point where you see the pictures?  I think I’m having one of those days.  I think maybe I had one of those days yesterday too.  I thought it was the sun, but it’s overcast today and I still can’t seem to photograph worth a damn.

Don’t worry though; today’s post isn’t another photo-free post.  This is what I wore today:

Seriously, y’all, I adored this outfit when I left the house this morning.  I love the crazy print and the high waist of the pants (silk, thrifted).  And I love this sweater (Old Navy) for its lovely color, open-weave and button-back:

And I love the two together and with the nude platform sandals (Banana Republic). 

But I do not love the photos.  At all.  I don’t think it’s the outfit; though it could be, I’m not sure high-waists are my thing.  Really though, I think it’s me.  Work has been hectic which makes me feel unsettled and unable to just relax and take a picture.  I’m just flat out twitchy.

Oh, well.  What’s a girl to do, right?  Right.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

P.S. Autie asked for a close up of the shoes:

Banana Republic "Natalie"