Shoe Review: LTS "Bali" Block Heel Sandals

These are my new sandals, courtesy of Long Tall Sally:

LTS "Bali" Block Heel Sandals

And, I have to tell you, they are perfect.  I know they don't look like much, just a simple leather sandals with a low block heel, but these are, hands-down, the most comfortable sandals I've ever worn.  I've worn them several times already with nary an ache or a blister.

As thrilled as I am with the comfort aspect of these sandals, what I like best is that they don't make my large feet look even larger.  Perfectly flat sandals can often make feet look bigger, which, at a size 10, is not something I need.  The slight, oh-so-walkable heel on these sandals keep my feet from looking even bigger.

Additionally, thin straps on sandals can make toes look long, which, again, can make your feet look bigger.  The front strap on these sandals is just wide enough to keep my toes from looking too long.  And, the ankles straps cross at the perfect place on my leg so I'm not sacrificing any of my well-earned (okay, genetically gifted) height.

This last bit is important to me not because I'm afraid of looking shorter, but because I wear a lot of clothes that are proportionally challenging which can be stumpifying.  Like my beloved midi dresses and skirts as well as my new go-to, wide leg crops.  The strap placement on these makes them perfect for all my potentially leg-shortening looks.


Like these cropped pants:

Tunic: LOFT  Pants: Old Navy
Scarf: thrifted (similar save, splurge)  Shoes: "Bali" Sandals c/o LTS

See?  Perfect.  Because of the strap placement, I'm still showing "enough" ankle that I don't end up a victim of what I like to call "The Crisco Effect" (i.e. artificial shortening).



In addition to my crops and the Bali sandals, I'm also wearing a striped tunic and a thrifted scarf:

Not for nothing, but white-on-white is a tricky as black-on-black.  I think this only works because the tunic is slightly sheer.  Otherwise it's totally a mismatched mess.



But even then, it wouldn't have been a total loss because, you know, cute sandals:

Just one of, I might add, several very cute pairs of shoes introduced as part of Long Tall Sally's "If the Shoe Fits" campaign.  As I'm sure most of you know, LTS specializes in cute, wearable, stylish shoes for women who wear sizes 10 to 15.  Sizes that, at most other retailers, can be impossible to find.  If you are large of foot, I strongly recommend you stop by Long Tall Sally for your spring footwear needs.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Blue Green

I was trying to figure out if these pants are blue or green:

And then I realized that the answer is "yes."


So, I paired them with some blue and some green and some blue green:

Shirt: Gap  Blazer: LOFT (this year's version)
Pants: LOFT  Scarf: gifted (similar)  Boots: Ivanka Trump (similar)

Because what else would you wear with yes-colored pants?


Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Big Tassels Are the Best Tassels

It's finally thawing out here in Western Pennsylvania, but on Friday, it was cold.  Cold and clear, but so very cold.  So, once again, I was in layers:

You can always tell when I get well and truly tired of winter because my layers get more and more fanciful.  I mean leggings and a striped shirt with a jacket make perfect sense, but then I went and threw a sleeveless denim dress on top of the whole thing.

Jacket: Nordstrom (similar)  Dress: thrifted (similar)
Tee: Gap  Leggings: c/o metrostyle  Boots: Born Crown (similar)  

But, it was actually a pretty great combination.  The dress helped to keep my legs warmer than just leggings alone would.


Also helping to keep me warm is my big tasseled scarf:

Cap: Nordstrom  Scarf: Bluefly

Big tassels are the best tassels, I think.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Sponsored Post: Refresh with Dryel

Around this time in Oregon, I'd be carefully hand washing all of my beloved scarves, preparing to put them away for spring.  It's still winter here in PA, so I can't put my scarves up yet, but I can give them a much needed refresh.  Because, the fact of the matter is, they can get a bit stinky from winter bike riding and winter walks and leaving them on while eating winter soup.

Happily, this year, there is no need to hand wash my scarves.  Instead, I am able to use Dryel to refresh them in a mere 30 minutes.  First, I chose six scarves that have seen a lot of wear this winter:

As you can see, they are all different weights, colors and fabrications:

I chose to refresh these scarves not only because I wear them a lot, but because I'm afraid I'd ruin them if I washed them on my own.  For example, I'm worried about the red and orange scarves at the top bleeding.  And the black and gray scarf on the bottom left is such a lightweight, delicate weave, I'd hate to stretch it out.  The same is true for the gingham and the mustard scarves; they're not as delicate, but their weave gives them a bit of bounce that I worry about ruining.  As for the leopard scarf, I don't even know what my man-hands would do to that poor thing!


But, with Dryel, I don't have to worry.  I just toss them all in the same bag:

Add the Dryel sheet:

Zip up the bag and pop it into the dryer for 30 minutes on medium.

Now, I would have never washed all of these scarves together, by hand or otherwise, because, as I said above, I'd be afraid they'd bleed all over each other and get ruined.  With Dryel though, I don't have to worry about that.  After 30 minutes together, they all come out smelling fresh and clean with no tears, snags or discoloration.  Even the leopard scarf came out beautifully:

Of course, I'm probably going to have to refresh my scarves again once winter finally ends out here, but that's okay because refills of the Dryel sheets only cost $8.99 and you can get them at your local Walmart, or pretty much anywhere.  Just look for the new red box!

Thanks for reading, All!

Gracey

Fall Colors, Fall Boots

Sometimes, during the fall, I like to wear fall clothing in fall colors.  And, sometimes when I wear fall clothing in fall colors, I like to wear fall boots.  This was one of those times:

Boots: Born Crown (similar)  Jeans: Old Navy  Sweater: Gap (similar)  Tee: Gap (similar)

Is it the most creative outfit ever?  Probably not.  I mean, I'm not wearing a single "on-trend" item.  The color combination of olive and burgundy is neither wacktackular or never-before-seen.  And the scarf is not plaid, over-sized, or over-sized plaid.

But, this outfit is comfortable:

The scarf is covered with paisley and tiny little flowers:

Thrifted scarf (similar)

And I will probably never not wear these boots for fall:

Boots: Born Crown (similar)

Fall clothing in fall colors with fall boots; it's not exciting but that's okay.


Happy Monday, 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

White Jean Wear-Ability

White jeans have a very limited window of wear-ability for me.  I can't wear them if it's raining or has rained in the past two days as any bit of moisture on the road gets flipped onto white jeans when I ride.  I also can't wear them during the suggested period of Memorial Day to Labor Day because it's too frickin' hot to wear jeans, of any color, during those months.  So, basically, my white jeans only come out a couple of times a year; when it's dry, but not too hot.

Like today:

Tee: LOFT  Jeans, Scarf & Belt: Old Navy  Sandals: Banana Republic

For today's look I paired my white jeans with a citron tee and an adorable hummingbird scarf because, as an Oregonian, I consider it my birthright to put a bird, any bird, on darned near everything.

And it's always worth it.  Always.

Outside of the weather cooperating, white jeans are pretty wearable for me.  I am prone to staining them, but a little OxyClean will usually take care of whatever foodstuffs I've dropped in my lap.  However, I've realized that for a lot of women, white jeans aren't that wearable, and not just because they like to partake in really, really messy burritos.  (Oh, wait, is that just me?  Okay then.)  

If you struggle with wearing white jeans, please, allow me to offer some completely unsolicited advice on the subject.

Look for a looser fit.  Some people advocate sizing up and if that works for you, that's definitely one way to get a looser fit.  Personally, I just bypassed the super-tight jeans for the more forgiving fit.  These are still a skinny cut, but it doesn't take third-party assistance to pull them on.

Look for thicker fabric.  A lot of the discomfort about white jeans is that you feel like everyone is seeing your everything.  If you go with a thicker jeans, that's less of an issue.

Wear nude panties.  Not white (not ever white).  Not hot pink.  Nude.  Even if your jeans have a sturdier fabrication, nude panties are best.

Pair with whatever you like.  Once you find the perfect pair of white jeans, you can wear them with whatever you like.  Any color, any print, any thing you want.  This is probably the best thing about white jeans, so have fun with it.

What about you, Reader Friends?  Do you wear white jeans?  If not, will the advice of a notorious burrito-dropper like myself change your mind?

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

Old Navy Sweetheart jeans

LOFT sunwashed tee

Similar scarf (here or here)

Similar nude sandals

Spring Sweatshirt

I wish I could tell you it's warm enough in Oregon to do away with sweatshirts.  But, it's not.  Not even close.  At least not for the last week or so.  No, instead, it's been raining and windy and basically sweatshirt weather.  Sure I could fight it and freeze to death, or I could just find a spring sweatshirt.

As you can probably guess, I did the latter, finding this cream-colored, embellished sweatshirt at the LOFT:

Top: LOFT  Jeans: Old Navy  Boots: Piperlime

I would have like to have paired it with a cute little skirt, but again, it's not warm enough for all that here.  Instead, I paired it with jeans, boots and even a scarf!

Because it's that cold.  And because leopard scarves are awesome:

Earrings: Nordstrom  Scarf: FRAAS

So, while I am bitter that I have to wear a sweatshirt and jeans when it's nearly May, I'm glad it's a cute sweatshirt that pairs with leopard:

Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

Similar embellished sweatshirt (LOFT or here)

Old Navy skinny jeans

Similar flat boots

Similar scarf

Similar earrings

Orange You Glad You Have a Friend Like Ally?

Well, I am.  Because Ally, who blogs over at Shybiker, is the one who sent me this beautiful orange scarf:

As you can see, it's the perfect shade of orange.  It's not pumpkin orange, which is fine in a pinch, no, it's a lovely, luminescent coral orange.  And it's the perfect orange to pair with this skirt:

This vintage skirt remains one of my all-time favorite thrift store finds.  I love the delightful stretchy, possibly double-knit fabrication.  I love the crazy print.  And I love that the colors include the same lovely orange as the scarf Ally gave me:

And that's just one of the many reasons I'm glad to have a friend like Ally.  Thanks, Ally!


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey


Oh, I almost forgot.  I am linking up to Visible Monday today over at Not Dead Yet Style.  You should too!

Kiss, Kiss

After Friday's all black challenge, I felt a return to color was in order:

I'm not saying this is better than head-to-toe black, but it's definitely more me.  I'm, somehow, more comfortable in an indigo dress and bright red, kiss print scarf than I am in black on black on black.

That's probably due to the kiss print scarf.  Kiss print scarves make everything better:

Tasha "Hot Kiss" Scarf via Nordstrom

Or, at the very least, they make me smile.

And it's not as if I'm banishing black from my wardrobe all together.  No, I just prefer it in smaller doses, like tights and a belt with an otherwise colorful look:

Dress: thrifted  Belt: Nine West, similar  Scarf: Tasha via Nordstrom  Booties: Nine West, similar

What about you, Reader Friends?  Are you more comfortable in color or in neutrals?

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey