Monday, July 14, 2025

Asymmetry

Hello, and welcome to my blog-
thank you for stopping by today! 

I have a fondness for quirky asymmetrical styles
There are a number of skirts, dresses and tops 
with high-low and asymmetrical hems
 that stay in my closet regardless of trends
 This post is dedicated to one of the wonky hem skirts  
that I have been wearing recently




Do you wear asymmetrical hem tops or bottoms,
or do you prefer a straight hemline?

I find the one type of hemline that always
looks strange on me, is the one that is long on both sides
and short in the middle
This hem style was wildly popular for a long time,
I see it in both tops, skirts and dresses
It looks great on some women
Maybe the length(s) have to be just right,
or the rest of the outfit needs to be proportioned perfectly
I tis a mystery, because in always looks odd on me

Anyway, the asymmetrical skirt I am wearing today
is not that style




The hem goes from knee length on one side,
 to midi length on the other,
and has a deep ruffle at the bottom
It is covered in an abstract geometric, stylized print,
  in a complementary range of colors, including
 peach, dark orange, slate blue, lavender and ivory
I wore it today with a simple slate blue V neck top,
since there is so much interest in the skirt

I have worn this skirt styled differently, in the fall, 
 also, as the print includes an autumnal rusty orange
There is a photo of the autumn version further down the page 

Carrying a faux suede bucket bag
 in a yummy peach color
 It's a great pastel for spring and summer


Here are the accessories and jewelry in this outfit
Wearing a blue and white polka dot neck scarf,
 taupe top knot hairband,
 and blue reptile embossed belt 
The belt is a miraculous match for the outfit, by chance,
bought at very different times
Isn't this type of Kismet a wonderful wardrobe surprise?
 
For jewelry, a bold oval stone bracelet,
and large silver tone hoop earrings


Buff color dip front low cowgirl boots to finish the outfit 
This is the only way I can wear low in the front,
and higher on the sides-it boots!



Previous wear of the asymmetrical skirt,
from last October in my post titled "Autumn Palette"


Here is a skirt that I have let go of,
in my continuing series
 of what has left my closet this season



 It is a midi slip style skirt in a tiny ditzy floral print
 I ordered it online, and though the fit was fine,
 the colors looked more vibrant than in person,
 and it just seems kind of muddy 
The background is gray, and the little flowers
 are mauve, pale pink, and white
 Each time I try to style it, it just comes out dull,
 and a bit if a washout on me
 I think it will be perfect on someone who looks
 good in these muted tones
I definitely struggled with styling this one,
 and although it was not very expensive, 
I did not get a very good cost per wear
 
Best to bid it farewell,
 so it is not another thing that just takes up space 
 in my wardrobe, and gets passed by time and again
 Live and learn

Here is one of the few times I wore it,
 last spring, in March 2024



Hope you all enjoy your week!









Monday, July 7, 2025

Jacket Over Dress Formula with All the Summer Blues



Hello, welcome, and thanks for stopping by my blog!

For this week's post, I am styling a lightweight jacket
 over a sleeveless dress



 This combination is a great option for a summer day,
 when you know you are going to be in and out
 of overly air conditioned spaces

Do you have this dilemma where you live?

Today it is humid and steamy,
with a forecast of 7 straight days of rain!
  This is a little unusual for this time of year, for us

  I chose this bright blue three-quarter sleeve blazer
 to wear over a retro 70s look stylized floral print dress
The dress is a true wrap style and the outfit is very classic,
 but the print is a little bit "extra"
 The colors are in shades of blue, violet and white
All week, I will be wearing brights
to cheer me up during the gloomy weather!

☔️🌧️☔️⛈️☔️🌦️☔️



 The jacket can go on and come off, 
as the temperature dictates,
 and I still know I will be presentable
in the dress underneath
I also wore this dress back in the spring on the blog,
for my Easter post, styled with a cardigan over it


Swirling psychedelic print!



My accessories are a bit mid century modern in style,
 in keeping with the retro look print of the dress
Carrying a white boxy handle bag with square closure detail


For jewelry, a white true vintage 1950's
expansion cuff bracelet,
 and silver tone loop design earrings
 Also, a white wired crinkle fabric hair band


All the white details in this outfit! 
White patent leather Mary Jane sling backs to finish the look



In my continuing series of items 
 leaving my closet this spring season,
  I am consigning this white blazer style jacket 
 The jacket is lined, and a heavy cotton duck fabric,
 that is very stiff. It is bright white, and really
 only looks right in the spring and summer,
 but it is too warm and heavy for summers in Maryland

 I purchased this jacket on Poshmark, several years ago
It is a classic, and I love the two large flapped pockets,
and the quality is there, it is from Banana Republic 
This purchase was a lesson for me,
 in the need to get all of the details
 possible before purchasing
 Some things, like fabric weight
 can be a bit difficult to determine in photos



Here is one of the times I wore this jacket,
 over a sporty short sleeve dress in spring 2023



Why not play with your food?
Roger created this impromptu palm tree
 design plate for us with summer fruit-so cute!




Hope you enjoy your week!

















 

Monday, June 30, 2025

Red, White and Blue



Hello, and thanks for joining me today

For those of you in the US who celebrate,
 I hope you and your families
 have a very happy Independence Day holiday!🇺🇸
 It is especially nice this year,
 since the 4th falls on a Friday,
 and makes for a long holiday weekend

I'll jump right in with a patriotic outfit this week
 I am wearing a white vintage cap sleeve blouse
 and a white flared knee length eyelet skirt
Layering a royal blue lightweight embroidered blazer on top



Roger and I matching in red, white and blue
Do you like to dress in holiday colors?
Do you have a partner or kids who enjoy color coordinating 
with the family, especially on holidays?
We do!
 




This bag seems so right for summer holidays,
 with it's lunch sack shape
 I think I have carried it now,
 with outfits for all of the summer holidays:
 Memorial day, Independence Day and Labor Day
This was not my intention,
 or even on my mind when I purchased it
Almost all of my red bags, and I have a few ❤️,
since it is a favorite accessory color for me,
are very structured in shape
When I purchased this one,
  I was looking for one with a softer shape,
 and also a little more of a bright cherry red,
and I fell for this one


A few pieces of light jewelry
 on theme for the summer holiday
A silver tone knot bracelet, textured silver tone hoop earrings,
 and my beloved 1940s vintage Lucite tug boat brooch,
 which is a perfect nautical accessory


I went all out matching the color scheme with this outfit,
and am wearing a red, white and blue web belt, as well!


Cherry red Mary Jane sling backs
 to finish this festive look


Here is a close-up of Roger's tie
It is so adorable, printed with the Disney characters
 Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck 
They are riding dirt bikes along a red and white ribbon of road,
 with a starry blue sky in the background
So perfectly for Independence Day! 


Here is an photo from a post from last fall,
titled my Crayola Crayon Box Outfit,
   I am wearing the same royal blue embroidered blazer
   styled differently from today's look
The color and weight is very versatile
and the jacket can be worn
during the spring, summer and autumn


I will return next week with another summer outfit,
and the continuation of my series
 about items leaving my closet this season

I love fresh fruit from the farm market,
it is one of the best things about summer  
and a perfect holiday treat!

 

Hope everyone enjoys their week, and a great weekend
with family and friends!







Monday, June 23, 2025

Florals for Special Occasions

Hello, and thanks for stopping by my blog!

We are headed for the end of June already,
 and you know what that means-
it is wedding and graduation season!
 ðŸ‘°‍♀️🤵‍♂️    ðŸ‘¨‍🎓👩‍🎓 
I love attending both of these special events,
and was a very proud aunt to see my nephew graduate
from high school earlier this month 
Where have all the years gone?
He is university bound in the fall!

 How about you,
 do you enjoy this season of special events?

There are a lot of possible occasions
 to get dressed up all year around,
but so few events anymore "require" fancy dress



The dress I am wearing today is navy blue chiffon,
with a print of delicate white flowers and green foliage
The fabric is shot through with shimmery,
 silver threads, (although they don't show up well in the photos)
 It has flutter sleeves,
 and an unusual asymmetrical hem with a deep flounce,
details that make it so special!




This dress is not new,
 and I did not buy it with a specific occasion in mind,
but it is perfect for an upcoming semi formal wedding
and the just past graduation

 I was shopping at the Nordstrom Rack 
brick and mortar store (for something else, completely🙄)
 back last fall, and saw this dress 
I loved it, and took it to the dressing room
 to try on, just for fun
I like it on, just as much as I liked it on the hanger,
 but paused because, did I need it?
It is not what I was shopping for,
 and a fancy dress was not even on my list, at the time
I rarely make an impulse purchase,  
but I did this time-completely out of season too,
 so it was on sale and a bargain price!
I rationalized that surely an occasion would turn up,
 and shopping for something for a special occasion 
 in a hurry takes the fun right out of it

 I'm not suggesting you run out and buy a party dress,
 with no idea how it could fit into your life,
but this one was not too far fetched, and worked out for me
It's good to have a few pieces already in your wardrobe
 as a sort of safety net for when
 a special occasion does come up  
I'm glad I bought this dress, even though I did not have the foresight to be thinking of wedding
 and graduation season at the time
I think it is not too fancy, and can be dressed down as well


The dress did not come with a belt,
and I added a chain belt with black satin bow
tied in the back, for the wedding 



This special little bag was a Christmas gift from Roger 
I just love the soft, casual bucket shape, on the dressy purse
  It is covered with silvery studs,
 and is such a fun contradiction
I have chosen it as both a special piece
for a daytime look,
and to carry for a more formal occasion




Wearing shiny silvery jewelry to accessorize this outfit
A rhinestone embellished hair band,
an open design cuff bracelet,
and large vintage silver tone flower shaped earrings,
with faux pearl centers



Ivory woven ankle strap sandals
to finish the outfit



Here is an impulse buy that didn't turn out so well,
and was consigned recently
I bought this dress in a bit of a hurry,
 for a special occasion two  summers ago, in July

It is featured on a post titled "Summer Special Occasions" 
The dress is quite a wash out on me
 It is meant to be a drop waist style,
but the wide elastic back waistband
 kept slipping up to my natural waist line
This makes the dress quite a bit shorter on me
Why, oh why didn't I noticed this in the dressing room
 when I tried it on? 
Usually I walk around a bit, sit down and bend over
when I try clothing on so little issues
 like these reveal themselves
I was rushed on this one and regret it,
 so I don't think it was a very good buy
 I consigned it at a good time though,
 when many people are looking for special occasion wear,
 so I hope someone who it suits better is rocking it now!
 



Some June blooms I picked from the garden,
roses and petunias



Next week I will be back with ideas for 
an Independence Day outfit,
and a continuation of my series on items leaving my closet

Hope you have a fun milestone event of your own,
or one on your calendar to attend this season 

Have a good week ahead!


Monday, June 16, 2025

Soft Pastels for the Summer Solstice


Hello, and thanks for stopping by my blog today!


In honor of the upcoming summer solstice,
 which is just around the corner on Friday,
 I chose an outfit of soft pastels
Pastel colors are so in keeping with
 the hues in nature during the summer,
so they seem just right to celebrate the season
☀️




Wearing an elbow length sleeve 
cotton and linen blouse in an abstract watercolor print
 This top really covers the pastel range,
with light pink, soft sage green and aqua blue in the print
It has lots of feminine frills,
with a ruffled bib front and more ruffles on the button placket,
but somehow manages to maintain a somewhat tailored look
I paired the blouse with a blush pink skirt
 that has been in my closet for a long time
 After I purchased the skirt, 
I got the sleeveless pleated tank top
that coordinates with it as a matching set
 I sometimes wear the blouse and skirt together,
 but usually with a topper of some sort,
  as the two matching pieces alone together
 are a complete washout on me

How about you, do you like to wear pastel colors?
What's your favorite, if you do?

This summer, even more than usual,
 pastels are so popular, 
 and there is a wide range to chose from 
 
Lots of pink and tiny ruffles!


Coordinating couple!
Roger is wearing an aqua oxford cloth shirt
 that matches the blue in my blouse,
and light gray trousers



Some silvery summery accessories include
a metallic silver belt, silver tone teardrop earrings
 and a silvertone link bracelet,
 with a pave rhinestone heart charm


Carrying a metallic silver clutch
The thing I like about this one is that it is distressed and tonal
It has been in my closet for a long time,
 and I am looking to replace it with something less structured 
There is a lot of metallic out there now,
 but everything seems to be super, super shiny!
 

Nude ankle tie kitten heels to finish the outfit





Here is the 2 piece coordinated set with a cream color blazer
back in spring 2021
I like this ok, and have worn these pieces several times
in a similar way, but
 sometimes it takes a photograph to see a better option
Today, I chose something brighter and clearer on top! 



I will be back next week with another summer outfit,
 and an item from my closet clean out to share

What's blooming in the garden, now?
The Day Lillies are starting to bloom,
so it is time to get out there with the hot pepper spray
to cover the buds before the deer
 notice and nibble every single one!
The deer population is slowly taking over the island
and wreaking havoc with with all of the
neighborhood gardens and flower beds
They sneak out of the marsh 
and graze away after sunset!
🌅🦌🦌🦌



 
   Hope everyone enjoys the first week of summer!