OOTD For A Trip To An Island

Here's the outfit I wore on our day trip to Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, WA.

First we had lunch at a little diner in town and then browsed through a couple of shops on the main street before heading over to the reserve below.  

 It was a beautiful estate.  The home had been occupied by the family from 1951 to 1986.

The view as seen from the front of the home.

The back view out the dining room window.

I especially love the windows.

It was nice to enjoy this beautiful day with my husband.

Pants $9.23 Great Northwest Indigo
Tee $2.50 Style & Co.
Scarf $1
Purse $8 Nine West
Cardigan $2.80 Mossimo
Sandals $4.87 Great Northern Clothing Company

A Favorite Cardigan

This is such a light weight cardigan and it's one of my favorites.  I think this is the first time I've worn it with this navy tee and it's my preferred combination.  I could just wear this identical outfit on repeat.  It's fun to create new combinations, but there's nothing wrong with sticking to something that works and is your favorite too.

This is an outfit I could wear anywhere for my lifestyle... shopping, out to lunch, even to work - which I did. :)

White Pants $5.99 J.Crew
Navy Tee $1.50 Old Navy
Cardigan $7 Coldwater Creek
Blue Gray Bangle $2.38
Navy Purse $7.38 Liz Claiborne
Flip Flops $6.65 Merona
~ ~ ~
Necklace on silver chain w/blue-gray pendant (new) $1.30 ebay

Brights

Floral Pants $3    346 Brooks Brothers
Tomato Red Tee $1.50 Canyon River Blues
Cardigan $?  Charlotte Russe
Scarf $3.88
Purse $8 Nine West
Blue Sandals $3.24 Macwell

New Gray and Silver

I'm wearing a new light weight sweater and new necklace.  I really like both pieces.  This style of sweater will work well on it's own most of the year and also layered under a cardigan in the colder months.

I took my navy Ralph Lauren jacket to the grocery store because it's always cool there.

Navy Skinnies $3.50 Lauren Conrad
Gray V-Neck Sweater $3.75 Mossimo
Blue Gray Bangle $2.38
Navy Purse $7.38 Liz Claiborne
Navy Sandals $6.80 east 5th
Navy Jacket $1.29 Ralph Lauren
~ ~ ~
necklace $3.87 ebay

Snakeskin Prints

First off, hello to Suie, my newest follower.  I clicked on your photo, but was not taken to a blog or email so that I could say hello.  Any new followers...it would be wonderful if you'd leave a comment to let me know if you have a blog so I could follow back or so that I could just reply to you here to let you know I'm happy to meet you.
Thank you to all of my followers and visitors.  I have never been much of a fashionista in my lifetime so everything for me is trial and error/hit and miss.  Thanks for sticking around during the good and bad fashion days. :)

If I'm venturing out of the house I like being casual in a comfy (yet not sloppy) way.  Here are two OOTD attempts at a casual chic look.

I ended up tying the scarf.  I didn't like the undone look with this particular scarf after seeing the photos.

New snakeskin print flats to go with the snakeskin print scarf.  I loved these shoes so much, but after several hours of wear they began to rub my feet.  I will try to cushion the heel and wear a little half footie sock next wear and see if that helps.

I actually wore my gray flip flops with gemstones with the outfit below, but tried to elevate the look with a pretty scarf added to this navy sweater and added red lipstick.

OOTD #1:  
Beige Jeans $3.99 Style & Co.
Cream Patterned Silk Blouse $2.35 Daniel Carone
Scarf
Bangle $3.82
Purse $13 Nine West
Snakeskin Print Flats $4 Fioni

OOTD #2:
Gray Pants $5 Banana Republic
Navy Sweater
Scarf $2.10
Navy Purse $7.38 Liz Claiborne

Cardigans are the New Black

Well, the title is just to say that my obsession this late summer is oversized cardigans.  I've purchased several in somewhat varying styles (in colors of olive/camel/taupe/tan/gray) recently, although this is one I had from last year.  Another thing I've acquired is a sleeveless oversized sweater and a sleeveless cardigan that I'll wear with another layer underneath.  I am gearing up for the fall/winter season, but  I can wear lighter weight cardigans like this one pretty much all year round.  This cardigan has sleeves that can be rolled up and buttoned or let down for cooler days.

This outfit fits into my idea of a casual California Chic style that I love.

Linking up with Patti at Not Dead Yet Style for Visible Monday.  Come join the fun! :)

White Jeans $8.50 Gloria Vanderbilt
White V-Neck Tee $1 Chico's
Striped Cardigan $5.99 Bobeau
Scarf $2.91
blue gray bangle $2.38
Navy Purse $7.38 Liz Claiborne
Navy Sandals $6.80 east 5th

Wardrobe Newbies: Scarf, Top, Necklace

I'm very happy with all three of my new pieces.  I know I'll be wearing this scarf a lot.  Was thrilled with the necklace and know I'll wear it a lot too.  I've purchased several necklaces from ebay recently and have received about half of them so far.  I'm very pleased with each one I've gotten, but this one and another silver one with multiple hoops on the chain are my favorites.

Joining in with the sassy Renae at Simple Sequins for Fashion Item Friday.

Black Pants $9.97 Atelier Luxe
Top $5.82 Fashion Bug
Scarf $2.91
Antique Silver Floral Engraved Bracelet $3.99
Sandals $5.60 Unlisted by Kenneth Cole
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Circle Silver and Rhinestone Necklace $1.87
Purse $14.99 Koltov Collection = Ross

Long Floral Scarf

A new scarf that went perfectly with my robin's egg blue jeans. 

Jeans $9.23 Great Northwest Indigo
Black Tee $2.80 Falls Creek
Scarf $4.85
Purse $8 Fossil
Sandals $4.87 Great Northern Clothing Company
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Earrings $6.50 from Expressions - Port Townsend

Charlotte Gainsbourg Approves

I was looking for a pair of casual black flats last week while thrifting and came across these by Franco Sarto.

I wondered if they were too pointed of toe.  I had never purchased flats with such a toe, nor do I think I had ever even seen any quite like them that I can remember.  They felt comfortable enough and were under $6 so home with me they came.
Then I saw this photo at Net-a-Porter of Charlotte Gainsb0urg wearing super pointy toed flats and I knew I'd made the right decision in my purchase.
I can hardly bear to not wear my open toed shoes while I have the weather to allow it....but these new shoes are certainly tempting me.  Soon, my pretties, I'll wear you soon.... 

Blue + Beige + Stripes = $1.29

A new 3/4 length sleeved sweater purchased on bargain day at Goodwill.  I like the scooped neck, but I had intended on wearing a beige tank top underneath to cover any unintentional exposed bra straps, but I forgot to do that... so I threw on a scarf before heading out the door to solve that problem.  I actually like the outfit better without the scarf and so will try to remember that tank next time. :)

Beige Jeans $3.99 Style & Co.
Striped Sweater $1.29
Necklace & Bracelet
Navy Purse $7.38 Liz Claiborne
Brown Low Wedge Sandals

"Cali Chic"...My New Preferred Style

Over time my style preferences sure have changed.  I remember several years ago I wore mostly long skirts of the boho style.  Then I lost some weight and felt more confident to wear more fitted styles.  I now find myself totally enamored with what I call a "Cali (or LA) Chic" look.  I describe it as a put together look...a look that is not trying to hard...has a casual vibe, but a touch of sophistication...a look that could be worn just about anywhere.  It may include oversized sweaters and cardigans, layers, definitely scarves, sometimes a heel and sometimes flats or loafers as footwear.
I have enjoyed buying some new pieces and putting together outfits to create my style vision.
I am very much liking, and am feeling very comfortable in, the direction this style chapter of my life is taking.

 

In this outfit I've paired an oversized knit cardigan in an olive color (only $1.29 from Chico's) with black pants and tee.  I've added a black and olive print scarf, an olive handbag, a cognac ring and cognac Ann Taylor sandals.  Here I've also added larger statement jewelry pieces.

What do you think?  Do you like this look?  Do you have a signature style or any particular preferences for yourself?  Have you found that your ideas on how you would like to dress have changed over the years?

This entire outfit (minus the jewelry) cost only about $26.  Not bad for pants, tee, cardigan, scarf, purse AND shoes! :)

The scarf and cardigan are new... the shoes are new also and have a wedge heel and soft leather on top so they were very comfortable all day.

Well, in closing this post, I must say that the above type of outfit is my current style preference....but I do have lots of other things in my closet that need wearing and may not actually fit into my "Cali Chic" category.  I do hope to (over the months and years) weed through and eliminate the pieces that no longer fit into my desired wardrobe...but it's a process and takes time and mental readiness.

Black Ankle Pants $9.97 Atelier Luxe
Black Tee $2.80 Cato
Olive Cardigan $1.29 Chico's
Scarf $1.99
Olive Purse $3
Wedge Sandals $6.80 Ann Taylor
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Bracelet $10.80 Forever 21
Necklace $8.80 Forever 21