The Longline Vest

I love plum with navy.  (Okay, fine, I love everything with navy).  But, I wanted an extra layer because, well, it's cold.  So, I added this longline vest:

I think the ash gray offsets the jewel tones of the pants and sweater nicely:

But, mostly, I just have a thing for longline vests this season.  They'll never fully replace my beloved sweater vests in my heart, but they're definitely a welcome addition to my wardrobe.



They just make layering so easy:

Vest: Topshop via Nordstrom (sold out, similar here)  Sweater: Gap
  Pants: Gap  Watch: gifted Fossil Q Grant  Shoes: Bettye Bettye Muller (similar)

And for my money, easy is good. Especially in winter when I want to call in just because it's cold.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Printed and Vested

Eventually I'll stop wearing these olive sandals with everything:

But, not today, folks.  Not today.


Nope.  Today I'm wearing them with my new printed pants and a vest:

In my defense, they just seem to go with everything I'm wearing this summer.


I mean, just look how well they go with these pants:

Hmm.  Or maybe it's these pants that go with everything.  They're perfect with olive sandals and a navy vest:

Or is it the vest that goes with everything?

You know what?  I've decided that everything goes with everything else and that's why this outfit works:

Vest: Topshop via Nordstrom (more colors)  Pants: LOFT
Necklace: Modcloth (similar)  Sandals: FRYE (similar, vegan)

Yep, that's the key.  Everything goes with everything.


Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Invested

Vests are one of those pieces that didn't interest me forever (except sweater vests; sweater vests will always interest me) and then, suddenly, I couldn't resist them.  This navy blue number represents my latest lack of willpower:

Vest: Topshop via Nordstrom  Tee: LOFT (similar)
Jeans: Gap  Sandals: Steve Madden (save) (splurge)

I mean, come on, no one really expects that I'll be able to resist a vest in blue, right?  Good, I should hope not.


I also can't seem to resist wearing these shoes:

It's just that they're remarkably comfortable.  Also, I like to pretend I wore them to mirror the stripes in my shirt.  I did not, but that's why they call it pretend.


In neutral outfit like this, I figure I had to have some color, so I added my Sylca Designs necklace:

Necklace: c/o Sylca Designs (sold out, I like this one too)

I think it's just the perfect pop of color for wearing with my navy vest.

See?  The perfect pop.


Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Spring Things

It's been pretty warm here lately, so I've been trying to wear some spring things:

Tunic: Gap (similar)  Vest: Old Navy (save) (splurge) (fun)
Jeans: Old Navy Sweetheart  Boots: Lucky Brand (similar)

But, it's been hard because although it's warmer, there is still actually quite a bit of snow on the ground.  It feels weird running around with no coat and bare ankles when the yard is still covered in snow.


I mean, I wasn't cold in this outfit, but I felt like I should have been cold:

But, in reality, the combination of the shirt and vest kept me perfectly warm:

And my ankles didn't even notice the lack of wool socks and snow boots:

I'm still not sure if this is spring here in PA, but I do know that it's finally warm enough to wear some spring things.


Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Go With the Flow

I'm just going with the flow in this outfit:

It probably has the least structure of anything I've ever worn.  The pants are draped and pleated (and possibly doing unkind things to my crotch).  The top is made of a loose-fitting silky fabric.  And the vest is also draped.

The only place there is any real structure are the shoes; the shoes are sort of structured:

Sort of, I guess.


But, really, this outfit is a flow-y, drape-y free-for-all.  A flow-for-all if you will:

I blame the vest.  This thing, while lovely, doesn't have any real structure at all.  Especially from the back:

It's just chiffon drape in the back.  Which, awesomely, looks like a cape when one is riding one's bike.  You know, if one's into that sort of thing.

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

 Get the Look

Same Dress, Different Vest

I like to wear this dress with vests:

Dress: Gap  Vest: Piperlime  Sandals: Seychelles  Necklace: LOFT

Mostly because the dress is racer back and although the only summer-wear we've been cautioned against at work are cut-offs and tube tops, I have my doubts about the professionalism of a racer back dress.  So, I layer it with vests.

Last time it was a flowing cream vest.  Today it is this olive vest:

Speaking of this olive vest, I was worried that it was too short for my long-ish torso, but it works better on me than I'd hoped.  It also looks good with my chunky LOFT necklace:

I love the combination of olive and turquoise. And angel wings:

Happy Monday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

Similar dress

Similar vest

Seychelles sandals

Similar necklace (save, splurge)

Similar earrings

Literary Stylings #12: Hippie Days

As promised, the Literary Stylings Link Party is happening (and hopefully happening, if you know what I mean).

For today's look, I wore an outfit inspired by Ian McEwan's Sweet Tooth:

Image via npr.org

Well, Ian McEwan's Sweet Tooth and my own dear mother.  You see, I got this vest from my mom:

She sent it to me just last weekend, saying she remembers wearing vests like this during her "hippie days."  Which, if you know my mom is kind of funny because she'd still totally rock a vest like this.  But, instead of keeping if for herself, she sent it to me, because she's awesome like that.

So, what does this have to do with Sweet Tooth?  Well, the novel takes place in England in 1972.  And while the heroine of the novel, Serene, is not into the counter-culture movement, choosing instead to study "maths" at Cambridge and to later work for MI5.  Serene's sister, however, is heavily involved in the counter-culture, choosing to backpack in Morocco in lieu of college.  And during a visit to the University of Sussex Serene notes that the students there were much bigger hippies than at Cambridge.

And here you have it, my hippie-inspired outfit, but with 100% less Birkenstocks because I just can't with those:

And now it's your turn, Reader Friends.  If you were able to scrape together an outfit in the last possible minute, I'd love it if you linked up below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

The Convert

I've long resisted the siren song of the vest as a summer layering piece.  But, wouldn't you know it, I've become a convert, pairing my new vest with a midi dress:

I don't know why I was so resistant to the summer vest.  But, I know exactly why I converted: Devon Rachel.  If the summer vest is a cult, she is it's High Priestess. She wears the heck out of vests during the summer and has inspired me to do the same.  In fact, I first saw today's vest on her blog.

She wore it over a LBD, but I paired mine with a BGM (blue-gray midi) instead:

Dress: Gap  Vest & Sandals: Nordstrom

I don't often run out to buy something I see on another blog, in part because my pocket book wouldn't support it, but also because I know that just because I admire something does mean it will work for me.  But, this vest?  As soon as I saw the back I knew it would definitely work for me:

So flowy!  So dramatic!

And I kept the drama going by wearing all the jewelry I own.  Just kidding.  I only wore most of it:

What about you, Reader Friends?  Have you converted to the Cult of the Summer Vest?

Happy Friday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

Gap Racer Tank dress (I like this one too)

ASTR vest

Steve Madden sandal

Similar fringe necklace

Similar chunky necklace

Similar crescent necklace

Blue Hair, Don't Care

I have blue hair.  Well, I have blue streaks in my hair:

You really can't see them at all far away, but they are there.  It's just not always obvious in my dark hair.  Which is the way I wanted it.

You can see them a bit better close up:

And from the back:

Why blue hair?  I blame the Tyroshi.  Okay, maybe not; I just knew that I wanted it and my stylist agreed.  She's pretty great like that.

Enough of the hair though.  I am also wearing clothing:

Top: Macy's  Vest/Skinnies: Old Navy  Sandals: Nordstrom  Necklace: Piperlime

Because, no matter how great you feel about your blue hair, you can't just wear it and nothing else.  At least not in public.  Unless, of course, it's during the World Naked Bike Ride, but that's not until June.  So I wore clothes.

Happy Wednesday, All!

Gracey

Get the Look

Similar lace top

Old Navy skinny jeans

Old Navy vest

Isola "Lucina" sandals

Similar chevron necklace