I love a good tunic. Tunics cover your bum when you are feeling modest.
A tunic is not quite a dress but a little more than just a top. They go perfectly with leggings which go perfectly with a no-jeans kind of day.
And tunics are great for showing off a long necklace.
I layered a lace top underneath the gray tunic to tie in with the lace of the necklace. My long necklace is one I created using a rusty piece of hardware as the base, covered in vintage lace and adorned with a chunky red vintage button. The small pop of red was enough color to keep my outfit from feeling drab and dreary like the winter days we’ve been having.
Wearing a tunic and leggings is much like wearing a dress and tights. Often times I feel like an occasion doesn’t quite call for a dress. When I want to wear something just a little more casual I pull out my tunic. Now that I have sung the praises of tunics, I think I need to get a couple more!
Here I am wearing the same outfit in our newly renovated wine cellar where we hosted our couples Christmas party this past December.
And here are the guys at the same party, showing off their looks.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted an outfit so I decided to share what I wore to church a couple of weeks ago. I’ve shown this leopard vest in an outfit before, where I paired it with shorts, tights and a button down shirt.
It’s super soft and cozy so I reach for it every chance I get. It goes with any color and even works with print mixing. I love that it has both brown and black in it.
Here I have it paired with pants that have a tiny houndstooth pattern in black and white, and black boots. In the previous outfit I paired it with brown tights and brown boots. I chose a basic scoop neck top in cobalt for a pop of color and to dress it down a little bit.
Red leather gloves add more color and interest and were just enough warmth for the 40-ish temps that day.
I kept my jewelry simple with blue drop earrings and a bracelet from my own collection stacked with a couple of beaded bracelets.
One of the things I love about leopard and other animal prints is how it can make an otherwise stuffy outfit feel relaxed and playful. It’s impossible to wear it and feel like a bore! Are you a fan of animal prints? Meow.
Everyone gets tired of their wardrobe from time to time. Clothing options can sometimes become boring for me even after it seems like I just shopped the mother lode. Right now I have other things I have to spend money on. Sigh. If I had Christmas money to spend right now, and I were going to do some clothes shopping, here are two outfits I would put right in my closet.
If you’re in the same boat ~ tired of your wardrobe, getting the itch to buy some new clothes but it’s not in the budget ~ allow me to share a tip I have used to reignite my enthusiasm for the clothing and accessories I have to work with. This is a great winter weekend project. You’ll need to allow about two hours (give or take) to do this exercise but it will be so worth it.
1. Pull out 4 or 5 of your favorite layering tops (underneath layer). Choose tops that have some kind of detail front and center like lace, shirring, cutouts, etc.
2. Pull out 4 or 5 top layer pieces > jackets, see-through tops, button-down shirts, low-cut tops, etc.
3. Decide if you want to put together dressy outfits or casual (or both) and choose 4 or 5 bottom pieces accordingly (pants, skirts, shorts, jeans).
4. Now comes the fun part. Take each top layer piece and pair it with any of the under layer pieces that coordinate in color or style, keeping them on the hangers or laying them down in sets.
5. Add a bottom layer piece to each paired combo.
6. This step is crucial and I urge you not to skip it: Try them on! Yes it will take time but think of it as a shopping trip. Combinations that look good on the hangers might not look great on you, and vice versa. Things like length of top, cling factor, fullness and structure dictate how they will fall and mesh together. This is where it takes patience but once you find a combo that works you’ll have an outfit that flatters and you will feel great in it.
7. In my experience, some pieces go with everything and some don’t work with anything. Those in the second category (I call them loners) are pieces that I either get rid of or, if it’s something I really love, make a note to find something to pair it with next time I go shopping.
8. This might be my favorite part of the whole process. Once you have decided what works together, lay out your winning outfits and go to your jewelry stash. Play around with different pieces, try out-of-the-box color combinations, layer up on necklaces and bracelets. Take a fresh look at your cache and use it to the fullest to bling up your outfit.
9. At this point in the process, it may be a good idea to take pictures of your outfits, because if you’re like me, once everything is back in the closet you’re likely to forget (or not see) the exact combinations you put together.
10. You will be amazed at the new outfits you discover if you think outside the box. Now you can look forward to the next event in your life, be it coffee with the girls, date night or Sunday church, knowing you will feel pulled together and polished.
Just because you don’t have any immediate plans to go on a shopping spree, that doesn’t mean you’ll never buy anything new again. With the eventual shopping splurge in mind, I created two shopping checklists ~ one for your clothing and one for your accessories ~ for you to print and keep handy to stay tuned in to your closet and accessory “inventory”.
Use this checklist to take inventory before you shop. Just write “Have” or “Need” in the spaces to help you decide what CLOTHING to buy.
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Use this checklist to take inventory before you shop. Just write “Have” or “Need” in the spaces to help you decide what ACCESSORIES to buy.
Do you have any tips for overcoming boredom with your wardrobe? Do share!
The show is almost here! I’m scurrying around like crazy, trying to get as many of my designs finished as possible so I will have a nice selection for my customers at Junk Jubilee Jingles. The event will be held at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 14, 15 and 16, 2014. Last week and the week before that I showed you a small sample of the 200 bracelets and earrings I will have for sale.
This week’s preview features necklaces.
What can you do with a bunch of smashed bottle caps and a box of trinkets that was thrown into a purchased box of junk?
Pop out the corks and turn them into necklace pendants!
Here’s a peek at a few more of the almost 100 necklace designs I’ve been busy creating. It’s such a joy to use old castaway items and upcycle them into something useful and pretty.
If I can squeeze it in, I will try to show you some ring designs before I’m all packed up and on the road next week. If you live anywhere near Des Moines, I hope you make plans to attend the show. It’s worth a few hours drive for sure, and you can get a bunch of Christmas shopping done early!
If you can come, be sure to stop by my booth and say hello! Thanks for dropping by!
As the countdown continues, I am wrapping up all the earring designs I will have with me to sell at Junk Jubilee Jingles. The event will be held at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 14, 15 and 16, 2014. Last week I showed you some bracelets, just a small sampling of the over 100 bracelet designs I will have for sale.
This week’s preview features earrings.
These designs are all brand new and will be making their debut at the show, along with close to 100 other earring designs.
For this patriotic pair, I cut out and embellished vintage military stars.
I love to come up with new ways to use old lace.
I’ve made several of these hand cut leather crosses, in lots of colors and styles.
I have close to 100 pairs of earrings that I will be bringing to sell, each with its own one-of-a-kind design. If you live anywhere near Des Moines, I hope you make plans to attend the show. It’s worth a few hours drive for sure, and you can get a bunch of Christmas shopping done early!
Next up: Brand new necklace designs. Thanks for dropping by!
Hey, hey! Here in the Midwest we are having the most beautiful fall weather. Temps in the 70s and the trees are turning gorgeous shades of gold, orange and red. I am most inspired creatively in the fall and it’s a good thing because I have lots of creating to get done. As I have mentioned before, I am preparing to sell my jewelry at a great market coming up in November. Junk Jubilee Jingles is held at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 14, 15 and 16, 2014. So every week between now and then (only 3 weeks left!) I want to show you sneak peeks of some of the designs I will have for sale.
This week’s preview features bracelets. These are brand new designs using my favorite thing to design with ~ antique and vintage hardware. I recently began incorporating leather into many of my designs and I really like the richness it adds. I also love to use vintage buckles and buttons in my jewelry, like this deco buckle and glass button. Mixing them with the chunky silver chain gives them an updated and more modern look.
I have more than 100 bracelets that I will be bringing to sell, each with it’s own one-of-a-kind design. If you live anywhere near Des Moines, I hope you make plans to attend the show. It’s worth a few hours drive for sure, and you can get a bunch of Christmas shopping done early!
Next time I’ll show you some of my newest earring designs. Thanks for dropping by!
