Archive for the ‘Spring Outfits’ Category
My Quintessential Style
Posted on: August 27, 2018
- In: Boho Outfits | Burgundy | florals | Mom On the Go | prints | shoes | Spring Outfits | Summer Outfits | Vest | Weight Loss
- 1 Comment
I was so excited to get back to blogging and doing an Outfit Post that I
Laid out my Look last night , including the jewelry, lol
Check out this blog : https://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com/my-afternoon-at-charlottes-soft-surroundings-beauty-products/
This look is very much my style for a few reasons,
Color, Pattern, Cute Jeans and Wedges!
Of course, I had to add in a layered necklace
look to finish off my maximal style!
My shorter necklace is actually one my sister made,
she made jewelry to sell and wear herself as a hobby.
The Jeans are my favorite jean designer, Diane Gilman ( I may be addicted)
are a fun cropped flared version.
I haven’t tried them with booties yet, but
will in the future to extend their wear- ability .
The Babydoll Tunic, I picked up from Jane is a great style, fitted in the bust with
the empire waist and perfect flair to help camouflage the menopause tummy.
I will be posting soon about my weight loss method that has resulted in 11 lbs
and inches off in the past 5 weeks!
I now have several of these wedges that I picked up over last few years
at TJMaxx by different makers. I unfortunately have been stuck in
flats this Summer after twisting my ankle at a Cemetery in July,
when in Boston to say farewell to my husband’s Aunt Jane.
*Note I took photos too early when sun was bright, was excited to get back to outfit post!
As my past readers know I am really big on third completer pieces ,
and right now I am adoring these fun vests.
This one is one of the samples I have been trying out.
In fact I am looking into selling these.
I started an Amelia James clothing boutique business 6 months after my sister passed on,
big mistake and never got it fully off the ground. I have to sell my inventory and move on as I love the company and clothes , but not the mlm business culture .
The good news is
it taught me was that I want to sell 3rd Completer Pieces!
I created this September Calendar for a group of Style Sisters for
Facebook group that had not been very active to get us back to posting
pictures and to hep me get back to blogging.
I invite any of my readers to join in if they wish.
Please if you have not joined my
Versatile Style by Tracey Facebook Group
do so, and post pictures of your outfits!
Spring Fever Shopping!
Posted on: March 30, 2018
Dear Readers, I am so ready to get back to blogging regularly at least in spirit…
Once I get my taxes done and get all my products loaded up on Shopify,
a real learning curve with Youtube to guide me, lol
In the meantime, I thought I would pop in and show you my purchases for Spring that arrived today!
Sheryl Crowe has a line on HSN and she has taken things she loves from her closet
and remade them with a twist all her own.
is pricey, but a real show stopper piece that will spice up any outfit and comes in two colors.
You can watch the presentation video to get a better look at this piece and here Cheryl Crowe explain it.
If one Cheryl Crowe Vest is great, how about two!
I am absolutely dancing over the fringe one above!
This Suede one comes in two colors as well.
My boho self adored this sheer top for just $19.95
I sized down to the XS/S on this one and I was right about that!
These Diane Gilman with the stripe caught my eye too!
I think they will be perfect with the Kimono style top, so look out for me to be
wearing those together soon.
With Pink being such a big color for Spring,
Who Could Possibly Pass up these
DG2 Bootcuts for just $14.,95!
And the last purchase is another by Cheryl Crowe,
These also come in tan.
Dear Readers,
One thing I decided recently was that I have a good wardrobe, so pieces I add
must really speak to me and be a bit more special!
I think I hit that goal with these purchases and am set for Spring and Summer!
I look forward to coming back to the blogging world after this long break of mourning and finding my way in the
world without a sister and just two brothers left in my childhood family.… So strange to be the only girl!
I also look forward to getting back to writing out
my daily gratitudes and will start right now!
I am grateful for friends that help me get through this past 16 months!
I am grateful to be feeling like myself and over the 3 weeks, I was sick with the Flu and Vertigo!
I am grateful that I am facing getting my tax stuff complete as the dread is always worse than just doing it!
I am grateful to be back on Weight Watchers and for their new Freestyle Program which is truly the easiest one yet!
I am grateful for three days of Spring-like Temperatures in a row!
I am grateful to have blogging to turn to and regenerate my creative outlet for putting together outfits!
Red ,White & Blue
Posted on: May 29, 2017
- In: Gratitude | Mom On the Go | red | shoes | Spring Outfits
- 6 Comments
I have reached the 6 month mark in the mourning process of my sister ,
and am just now being able to talk about her without crying every time,
still plenty of tears flowing.
I think I am ready to get back into the flow of blogging again, so going to give
it a shot this week and see how it feels .
My Memorial Day Outfit.
Of course with my love of Kimonos, I had to find one in stars and stripes!
Joan Rivers from Qvc made this one and I love it.
My Red espadrille wedges were an addition for the season after
loving my pink and blue ones last year.
These are sold out from TJ Maxx .
I am cringing as I see my weight gain here,
but it is what it is and I am back at Weight Watchers
and on the road to losing it.
I spent Memorial day at the nail salon
having a pedicure and my nails done because I needed some serious pampering.
We have spent the last few days clearing out our garage
and our attic, literally taking everything out and laying down a rug.
We are moving our Air Hockey table and the basketball set up that folds into a cabinet
out of the house and into the garage and everyone is pitching in and excited.
I have bruises to prove of my hard work ,
but all is well after an hour of chair massage,
during my pedicure and she did an awesome lower leg and foot one too.
Gratitude Journal
I am grateful for getting back to blogging as I have missed it.
I am grateful to the lovely reader at my WW meeting who informed me that she liked my blog and checked often to see if I was back to doing it. Forgot to get her name!
I am grateful that my children are so enthusiastic about the purging and cleaning up.
I am grateful for this last week with my 21 year old Nicholas who is home from college , but will be heading to Quantico for Officer’s training with the Marines ( to be seen what he chooses after graduation in a year and a half) .
Linen Striped Pants for Spring
Posted on: May 1, 2017
I use the term Spring lightly when describing this
balmy 88 degree Saturday in April.
My linen blend pants are a recent purchase from Old Navy (Here)
A pair of wide legged linen pants are a must for Spring/Summer in my book.
I think this chambray pair can be very versatile and paired with many colors.
My vest is called Shawl Dawls and is super soft and can be worn in a few
different ways. In fact later that day I took of my sister’s glass star necklace
and just tied the vest at my waist.
In the morning I was in a cold bowling alley and pulled it into a kimono with sleeves to warm
my upper arms and must say it worked beautifully.
Our temps may have been unseasonably hot,
but as exhibited here we were blessed with a nice breeze.
Clothing really can have an impact on my moods as I felt
very Zen and at ease in the soothing shade of blue and the flowy element
of both the pants and vest.
My Boho self was loving it!
Dear Readers, It felt great to get dressed in a “Real Outfit”
as these past weeks I have been in Workout mode,
twisting, jumping rope,doing Pilates, Yoga stretches,
my Fluidity Ballet Bar and even trying Tai Chi.
I also got a membership to our local Botanical Gardens
and have gone walking there as well as the beach with
my friend and partner in this weight loss venture.
I have lost a total 2.6 lbs my first two weeks on Weight Watchers
- In: Boho Outfits | Dresses and Skirts | Gratitude | Spring Outfits | Summer Outfits | Vest
- 1 Comment
With all the craze and addictive quality to the Lularoe brand of clothes, I had been steering clear.
Today , my son’t bowling group had a fundraiser, so of course I had to see what all the fuss was about.
I met two wonderful Lularoe Consultants : Jessica (HERE) and Kristin (HERE)
If you are looking for Lularue Products please support these wonderful women
who were so gracious as
to follow my blog the minute they heard I was a blogger.
I had seen first hand how the Carly Dress works wonders for a woman’s curves,
so decided that I had to give it a try.
This is Absolutely not your basic T-shirt dress, so don’t let it fool you.
As women we all know that the smallest part of any woman is just below the chest,
which is why an Empire waist is so figure flattering.
This dress goes in just under the chest , then flares out slightly in the most flattering way.
I saw this for the first time on a plus size girl and
was floored at what it did for her body,
and knew I had to give it a try.
Apparently I was grimacing instead of smiling in all my photos, lol
Let’s count this as my before picture to look back on as I
am beginning this weight loss journey!
I specifically picked this pattern because I knew it would go with my blue and pink wedges
that I bought last year from TJ Maxx,.
I bought this Indigo Thread vest (Vests currently selling) in both Ivory and Black last season.
This is how I would wear it for an evening event more than a daytime Spring
or Summer look. An outdoor concert and I’d rock this out!
My apologies , I was dressing “Scarlett ” (my dressform) so many times
and didn’t straighten this one up correctly..
I really like how it brings out the white details in the dress and brightens up the look.
This is a Lularoe “Joy” vest I bought with it today.
I love how it brightens it up .
This is another Indigo Thread vest I bought recently for this season.
Crotchet or Lace pieces offer a great detail to outfits
as the element of texture is represented.
While the dress has pink flowers,
I like the darker burgundy and how it goes,
but doesn’t match.
How about some pattern mixing to complete the long
Boho vests I could wear with this dress?
I found this Vest via Jane.com sometime last year.
If I was a stylist dressing clients one rule I would institute is
to add a black and white print of every category in your closet.
A dress, pants, shirt , sweater, etc .
It increases your wardrobe as it can be paired with any solid color.
Vests over tank tops are my go to for Summer , so I recently added
these baby soft “Shawl Dawls“ that work as a vest or more of a Kimono .
It just so happens the rose colored Shawl Dawl one works for the dress too.
This is worn more like the Kimono style.
I buy in multiples if I like something, but have learned to keep it to
just two of any one thing.
Jean Jackets are always a great layering piece for Spring.
With a pair of leggings or tights and ankle boots this could become a cold weather
outfit and I will definitely layer it for those months and get plenty of use out of this dress.
One World Jean Jackets are my favorite , this one found HERE .
With my love of jean jackets, A few years back I invested in 3
of these cropped versions by One world (similar ones here) .
For my petite height a cropped version if wonderful and
I highly recommend if you don’t currently own one in white,
that you add one to your style for great versatility.
A lot of Duster Sweaters are lighter weight and perfect for
Spring weather fluctuations .
This brand has a lot of Spring Duster options Here.
Of course I couldn’t just show one option for
pattern mixing. This Halston sweater is definitely
thin and has an open weaved back, making it a Spring option.
Bonus: this is how I wore it to run to BJ’s to go grocery shopping .
I did the rubber band trick to gather it and shorten it a bit when wearing with
the leggings as it created a better look for my height with the leggings.
Gratitude
I am grateful that after 3 days of asking my sister for a sign that she knows
I have her beloved cats ,Oreo and Cupcake
and can see how happy they are and how much joy they bring us,
indeed a sign showed up!
I am grateful for a weekend with my son home from college , miss that guy!
I am grateful that we were all together and celebrated my youngest’s 17th birthday early ,
giving him hoverboards that he had actually given up on ever getting and thoroughly surprising him.
Notice I said hoverboards plural as I got two so a sibling could join him in the fun.
I am grateful for a Weight Watcher buddy in my dear friend and the way
we push each other to get fitbit steps.
I am grateful for a fun family and friends day spent at Botanical Gardens and for becoming a member ,
so we can go back throughout the year.
- In: Boho Outfits | Maxi skirt | My Lucky Finds | prints | Spring Outfits
- 6 Comments
First of all, Today is Day 7 of my 100 Days
following Weight Watchers Simply Filling method.
My first week’s weight loss is 5lbs!
When doing the WW Points system I never lost more than 3.5 lbs in a week.
Can’t wait to see what next weeks results will bring!
TJ Maxx
Last season I bought these in Blush and Blue and wore them a lot ,
so with green being a great color for the season, I just had to have these.
Wben I saw them in red, I literally squealed with delight.
I thought having this shoe in 4 colors might be overkill , so
I went to my trusty You LOOK Fab forum to see what they thought.
One woman suggested that these weren’t on trend and I literally cringed and thought,
I have had some kind of Espadrille inspired Summer Shoe my entire adult life,
the next comment said what I was thinking,
“They are classics.”
When Stylist Angie Cox piped in that this could be my signature style shoe,
that was all the approval I needed to go back and order these.
These brand new Clarks are one of 3 pairs of brand new Summer Shoes ,
I found in my sister’s closet. It was funny to see that she probably did the same
thing I did and bought them at the end of last season on sale.
Funnier also that this style worked for me as my sister wore a half size larger shoe than myself .
This is yet another pair from Kelley’s closet,
these are by Springstep.
It was so weird to go through her clothes and shoes recently.
I have wanted a pair of these artsy kind of sandals, but found
them outside my budget when I did see them.
A huge part of this journey of going through the process of clearing out her condo has
been seeing so many of her things that show how alike we were.
Leave it to my sister to find these by Springstep and again,
most likely on end of season clearance.
Wearing her shoes will certainly keep memories strong around me and
offer emotional comfort.
If the Espadrille wedges are my signature summer shoe,
I dare say these open back slide on versions seem to have been Kelley’s.
I would say I am set for Summer shoes Now!
I hit up Ebay for a few printed maxi skirts after I watched Offsprings
and shared my love of the main character Nina Proudman’s style.
I realize I only had one print maxi skirt with the rest all solid shades.
Nina Proudman had worn a print skirt and open weaved sweater in one
epidode that I loved so much that I jumped at the chance to copy it with these two pieces also from Ebay.
When I saw these in the shade of blue more similar to the one Nina Proudman I couldn’t resist.
This will look great with the blue wedges I bought last year.
Yet another Ebay find inspired by Nina Proudman Style, as
she wore a lot of white tops or white kimono topper with embroidered or pin-tucked details.
This is very sheer and will need a white tank under it , but the good thing is that the sides tie
so it will work with me as I lose weight this season.
This Chico Ebay topper was inspired by the fact that Nina Proudman had quite a few
toppers that were shorter than the ones I currently have, and great for my Petite height.
This shorter Kimono was also inspired by wanting shorter toppers.
Nina Proudman had a red one with medallions that was fantastic, but
this will have to do for me.
I wore this floral tunic from Ebay with a long duster sweater
on Saturday and the good news it this isn’t a used piece,
so here is the link for it…
It comes in other colors too m a fun embroidered piece for my boho style.
‘
This coral kimono , also from Ebay.
I just love the lace detail on the bottom and sleeve.
For days when I want a bit longer version with some fringe.
This one is also available and can be found Here.
I tried to stick to pieces that will work with my Weight Loss and I am
so excited to see what I can accomplish within 100 days, not that I will
quit then, I have to reach goal weight!
I have been sick for the entire 7 days I have been on this weight loss program,
a darn virus that is lingering with symptoms like scratchy throat, sneezing , watery eyes and just yesterday
turned into a cough. I should count myself lucky as my two sons who caught this have had the cough the entire time.
But I still stayed on track and even fit in a few short spurts of exercise sets a day.,..
Thanks for stopping by my blog, I hope you are doing well!
Anyone else shopping for the warm seasons ?
Floral & Stripes
Posted on: April 22, 2016
With my Back Acting up Since the
Jimmy Buffet concert last weekend,
I haven’t been much for taking blog photos.
I took these photos on Tuesday when we had warm weather return
and I was thrilled and showed it by wearing my “Lovely Day” tshirt from last season.
I found the floral slip ons on Jane.com and
added an orthotic as they are not at all the comfort of my Clark’s.
My skirt is from QVC and a first purchase from George Simonton’s line.
I like the swingy nature of this skirt and bought it in yellow as well.
It’s a very odd much thicker fabric than I anticipated,
but I do love the length and will get much use of this for Spring and Summer.
If you look closely you may notice I have a new accessory
on my wrist, A Fitbit Charge I scored off Ebay in Navy.
I am loving seeing how many steps I take each day and up until I hurt my back,
was very motivated to move more and increase to reach my goal of 10,00.
This week I’ve only reached about half that on most days, but not stressing as the more
I try to do the worse my back is by the end of the day…
It’s not easy to limit myself , but that is what I must do at this point, ice packs, a new massager, yoga stretches, tumeric and a new Magnesium gel are among my arsenal to allow my back to heal.
Dear Readers, Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, thanks for stopping by!
Gratitude
I know this is silly, but I am grateful for the back trouble as it is confirmation that I danced and had as wonderful a time as I had hoped for at the Jimmy Buffet Concert, lol..
I am grateful for the help from my husband and son during this time of taking it easier…
I am grateful that our weather is now more like a normal Spring of swings from the 60’s to 80.
I am grateful to my hard-working husband!
I am grateful for the sweet kind, compassionate nature of my youngest son, who sent his Iphone to Massachusetts and is doing without for a few weeks until his new phone arrives. He sent it to his sister as her motherboard blew and she was lost in Boston on Marathon weekend with no GPS…
Mother Knows Best…
Posted on: April 4, 2016
- In: Gratitude | Green | Mom On the Go | Neutrals | Petite | Spring Outfits | Weight Loss
- 3 Comments
My day began with a trip to the hair salon for a cut and
I was so happy as the last week or so every picture I took my hair was driving me nuts…
Here is my hair just a few days ago, on yet another windy day….
See why I said yet another windy day, lol…
The first thing I noticed after looking in the mirror after the haircut was the
wisdom of my dear mother who at age 13 had decided that I should get my hair cut short,
as she said it would highlight my cheekbones.
Of course at 13 it devastated me, but looking back at the photos of that time I always noticed she was right!
Marbled shirts like the green one I am wearing here seem to be big for this season.
I found mine on Jane. com and it’s actually a long asymetrical hemmed tunic, which
I tied off the to side as that longer lenght on my petite height works only when I wear heels.
I was itching to wear my BEE Happy flats again….
Not sure about the bright yellow purse here , but black seemed to drab and my green one
is messed up so I opted for a pop of color instead.
My Bee Happy shoes by C. Wonder are currently sold out , but I heard they will be getting them back in at some point.
Apparently , the plan is to make a new loafer design each month and for April they’ve rolled out a blue pair with leather elephants on them, You can find it here...
This was an outfit I wore over the weekend to break out my new Ann Taylor anchor print pants,
which seem to be sold out now…
Dear Readers, I am happy to report that I’ve lost 4lbs on my first week of sticking to a plan. In fact the black pants I wore today fit me much better than they had last time I wore them and that gave me a spring in my step all day! Pressing forward to see how much I can lose before my daughter’s graduation at the end of May…
Gratitude
I am grateful for wonderful phone conversations with my dear friend as we haven’t done that in awhile..
I am grateful that my husband realized the green bananas he picked up last night weren’t going to ripe enough for my Tuesday morning breakfast and tonight grabbed me a small bunch of organic ones that were much better than all the other ones in the store.
I am grateful to a dear friend who picked me up after my haircut today.
I am grateful for the laughter and fun of using my son’s Iphone to video chat with my daughter on her commute home and see the 6 inches of snow she had to get through…
I am grateful for a Beautfiul , Sunny Day!
I am grateful for 4 days free of sinus issues, February and March were pretty tough!
Patterned Culottes
Posted on: April 1, 2016
Embracing the idea of Culottes for the Season,
I looked on Ebay to see what other options were available
as luck would have it I scored these Black & White Floral ones
by New York & Co.
Like my windy hair?
I’ve mentioned before that I love black and white patterns
because you can keep them neutral with or you can add any color
making them extremely versatile.
This Collen Lopez sweater is so fun and comfortable that I wish it wasn’t sold out
in the other colors, but then again ,I scored it for a great price.
I took a chance and bought the M/L despite being on a weight loss journey
and am confident that it will still work.
I am having so much fun breaking out my wedges
after packing away my beloved colllection of boots.
I bought these Clarks last season in both the black and neutral and they
are available at QVC , although I found mine on 6pm.com.
Dear Readers day four of my banana and hot tea for breakfast with proteins the rest of the day,
and I am feeling great, kicking that sugar and carb cravings!
I am feeling so great emotionally because I am getting out of that rut
I’ve been in for way too long that has allowed for this weight gain.
I feel strong and empowered!
Who knew all this could happen from a silly little post on Facebook about eating banana and hot beverage for breakfast ?
Grateful
I am grateful that I am being strong with my resistent homeschooler to writing and have given him an assignment and the tools needed to be successful.
I am grateful for a fun phone call with my daughter , whose first words to me were “I think I was meant to be a penquin?” She went on to explain that with Boston being 67 degrees she is too hot… Poor child will be home in just two months for our humid Summer…
I am grateful for a great phone call with my husband today, he’s been very busy with some projects recenlty and it was nice to touch base and really talk in the middle of the day. Sure beats texting anyday!
I am grateful that I booked a haircut appointment for Monday, as this length is bugging the daylights out of me!
I am grateful for my husband opted to come home and take our 2.5 mile walk together rather than heading to his gym.
Loving Long Vest Trend
Posted on: March 30, 2016
- In: florals | Gratitude | Mom On the Go | Navy | Pattern Mixing | prints | shoes | Spring Outfits | Vest
- 9 Comments
As my Regular Readers are Well Aware,
This curvy woman loves completer pieces and
vests for Spring/ Summer are perfect because they are sleeveless and don’t add extra warmth.
Linking up Today with Two Teens and Their Mama
When I saw this one on TJ Maxx online (Sold Out) , I just had to have it.
I can also wear it open, with the tie in the back and will do so in the future.
These shoes are fast becoming a favorite, so much so that I tried to order the second color offered,
but when it came in the mail, I was sadly disappointed that it looks more like lavender than pink.
Will see about styling them before deciding if I will return them.
I really like how the vest breaks up the two different patterns.
The sweater is Ann Taylor, one of my favorite lines, which I never buy unless on clearance.
With the super clearance it cost me just $11.95 and I’ll get a chance to wear it a time or two for Spring
before I put it away for Fall and look forward to for the full season.
Here is another long vest, I have my eye on!
Dear Readers, so far on day two of my banana and hot beverage
for breakfast and protein high lunch and dinners,
I am doing very well. I love that after just two days I am no longer craving sugar
and look forward to a full
two weeks of this before adding in vegetables and healthy carbs.
Here is ten health benefits of bananas
Gratitude
I am grateful to my son who wasn’t feeling good, but graciously got up to take my blog photos today.
I am grateful for the fun surprise of walking outside to take photos to see my husband pulling in the driveway, mind you it was not even 4:30 and he was home, as a salesman he is usually out until 10 pm or later.
I am grateful that we used the time with him home to head to BJ’s to stock up on lots of protein options for me for this new journey to jumpstart weight loss.
I am grateful for a fun texting conversation with a dear friend.
I am grateful that my son said he isn’t up to our planned picnic and venture to Mt. Trashmore between our two bowling events tomorrow, as the high pollen is really messing me up and I am quite tired.
Versatile Style by Tracey 