Autumn-izing summer dresses

Hello and thank you for stopping by my blog!

For this post, I'm taking two summer dresses and styling them 

 for the transition into autumn

 

As a side note, I had so much trouble making this post,

 I wondered if it was just not meant to be!

A bizarre pop-up made it disappear once, then

I accidentally deleted the whole thing and had to start over a third time!

Could this be due to my desire for summer ☀️  🌊 🌸 to remain a little longer?

Anyway, for my first outfit, I am layering an ivory semi-sheer long sleeve blouse

under a sleeveless tan and brown plaid summer dress

Now seems like a good time to pull this dress out of the closet to wear

 I don't choose it very often for summer, 

since the colors and plaid seem fall like to me-

maybe it's best suited as a transitional piece, after all!

The dress has an ornate beaded neckline

that looks like a very grand statement necklace! 

Carrying a quilted orange tweed fabric chain strap bag-

what's more autumn like than orange?

My only jewelry with this busy dress is a pair of cute owl shaped earrings

 embedded with faux pearls and large faceted black glass eyes

The tie belt I am wearing came with a pair of pants, but I like it better with this dress

 

Finishing the look with two-tone reptile embossed sling back Mary Janes

This next dress may look familiar-it's a very memorable print!

I wore it back in August in a post titled Color Pop Prints

This time I am styling it for fall, under a navy blue cardigan 

The past few weeks  I've been favoring all sorts of geometric shapes!

Bringing the accessories into fall with a vintage navy blue leather bag 

with faux tortoise handles from the 1950's

For jewelry, I chose a gold tone hinged bracelet and circle earrings   

to mimic the print shapes of the dress

To complete the outfit, I picked out matching navy blue embossed

 block heel sling back pumps 

Below is a transition outfit I wore during the second week  

   of September back in 2019

A late summer bloomer in the garden, now-Rose of Sharon

Heron on the bay on a recent late summer evening

Hope everyone has a good week!

 

Transitioning through the bridge season

Hello everyone and thank you for visiting my blog!

The question on many of our minds as 

as we turn to our closets during this transitional time of year

is what to wear in September?

 In many parts of the US, the weather is in that wonderful stage

 When it's not too hot and not too cold,

nearing the end of summer, but not quite autumn

In Maryland, where I live

the temperatures are at that perfect 70 to 80 degree sweet spot that is so fleeting 

There's no need to layer up yet, 

but many of us are slowly starting to shift to deeper colors

and more substantial fabrics as the weather begins to cool down

I'm not ready to change out the closet to my fall wardrobe quite yet

Let the summer linger and take it's time leaving

For now a special top and denim jeans seem the perfect choice

My first outfit in a bold geometric color block blouse

in sunny yellow, white and shades of blue with voluminous 3/4 sleeves

Worn with dark wash flare jeans, giving the outfit a bit of a retro look

  

My favorite long, skinny ivory scarf

and a tan faux woven box clutch to accessorize 

For jewelry, this outfit seemed to be calling out for silver

 I chose a silver tone cuff that looks like a stack of bangles

and silver tone back to front earrings with a blue-grey faceted stone

Camel tan western style short boots, to finish the look

For my next outfit I chose a special top that spans the seasons well

It's difficult to see in these photos, but this deep red-orange wrap style blouse 

is made of pleated fabric and has gold metallic threads running through it

Worn with straight cut medium wash jeans

For jewelry, I picked out an unusual vintage gold tone fishes statement necklace

with a wrap bracelet and hoop earrings

Carrying a fringed natural suede 70's vintage chain strap bag

Gold-ish metallic perforated stacked heel mules

to complete the outfit  

What I was wearing at the beginning of September in 2019

An olive jumpsuit with wide, cropped legs- 

hanging on to summer, as usual!

Hope everyone has a good week!

 

Labor Day is on the way!

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

  Labor Day is coming up soon

so happy holiday to those of you who celebrate

I hope everyone enjoys these last few weeks of summer

 

In the US, Labor Day is a holiday set aside to honor and celebrate 

the contributions of essential workers 

Many heartfelt thanks to all of those who have been keeping

the country running during the past very difficult year and a half

I chose denim for my outfits in this week's post-

 it seems so fitting for the holiday

 Did you know that Levi Strauss invented blue jeans way back in 1873?

 Back then, denim was chosen for it's toughness and  durability for work wear

and it still endures as a favorite today, with greatly expanded uses

That's what I call staying power! 

My first outfit this week is a light wash denim dress 

with a lot of nice western style details: A pointed yolk,

  flapped chest pockets and faux pearl snaps down the front

Sort of a work shirt only longer, and adapted for casual wear

All-American red and blue for the Labor Day holiday

I love this unusual red vinyl 1960's vintage handle bag

It has great hardware and details, and a bold design

 For accessories, I chose a red neck tie and reptile embossed belt

Simple silver tone jewelry for this outfit:

A link open cuff bracelet and faceted dome stud earrings

Reptile print low stacked heel booties to finish the look

My next outfit is a soft, light wash denim shirt

worn under a vintage 1980's jumper dress

The dress has a weskit vest style  bodice and a dropped waist,

with big wooden buttons and a self fabric belt

I have had this dress for several years

and was lucky to find it at a vintage shop with the belt intact

The photo below was taken while caught off guard with the self timer

but doesn't it look like a 1980's catalog pose? lol

Carrying my Dooney and Bourke mini saddle bag

Accessorizing with a blue and ivory lace print hair scarf,

a two tone wrap bracelet and gold tone wreath earrings

Camel tan kitten heel buckle detail d'orsay pumps

to finish the outfit

This is the same vintage jumper dress

 styling differently, back in the summer of 2019 

Festive fruit bowl 🍓🍒 color coordinated for snacks

In a few weeks summer fruit fresh from the farmer's market

will be gone until next year-sigh 

Hope everyone has a great week!

Summer whites

 
Hello, and thanks for stopping by my blog!

White and light colored clothing in lightweight fabrics 

are perfect to wear during the hot and sticky days of summer

July and August are especially challenging months in my area

to pull off a cool, calm and collected look!

Temperatures are in the 90's with high humidity as well (wilt 😰)

Today I am showing two white and light  colored outfits

 I have been wearing lately to beat the heat 

My first outfit is all out white on white

The blouse is a snowy white short sleeve peplum style, with a sort of hybrid faux wrap front

The two front ties are decorative, with buttons doing the actually fastening

Worn with a summer favorite-white ankle crop straight leg denim jeans

Cool as a cucumber, but I haven't left the air conditioned house, yet!

For jewelry I chose a statement turquoise disc pendant necklace

to go with an aqua print headband to add a little color

Also accessorizing with a gold tone multi chain link and tassel bracelet, and large hoop earrings 

Another circular motif in this look, is my round straw handle bag

with circular sea shell design 

I call the color of these perforated stacked heel slides metallic Gilver, 

because the color is somewhere between gold and silver

In the photo, the color skews a little more toward gold 

Next is a another very cool and comfortable outfit to wear at this time of year

The blouse is whisper thin white cotton batiste 

with a pretty pin tucked front and scalloped eyelet sleeve caps

I paired the blouse with a vertical watercolor stripe print midi skirt

in peach, tan and white. All great summer colors! 

The skirt is high waisted, in a linen blend with a wide matching sash belt 

I chose my brass tone reticulated butterfly necklace

 to fill the wide U shaped neckline of this blouse

 I think I will go with something lighter and daintier looking next time-

Live and learn!

Other jewelry is a gold tone oval link bracelet and small hoop earrings

Carrying a favorite peachy-pink heart shaped bag

Nude ankle strap sandals to finish the outfit

Here's an outfit from two years ago, in mid-August 2019

It looks like I was coping with humidity-hair

 with the same wide white headband as in the outfit above!

Some white flowers of summer 🌸

Petunias are so pretty and hardy-they can thrive in the heat

 and do well in cooler spring and fall temperatures, too 

I love that they have such a long blooming season! 

more pretty white summer blooms

I am taking a short blogging break next week

and will be back to posting on August 29-

see you then!

Hope everyone has a good week!