Run Around POW: Muted, Playful Contrasts at Home Tuesday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Dress down your black skirt in muted tones, with pops of fun and sunshine

No place like Tuesday outfits are casual, comfy clothes for working from home, working at home, parenting (at home), , and anything else where comfort is key and you are home. Although they will work for errands and anything else casual. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the cabi Spring 2016 Run Around Skirt. This skirt is as easy to style down as it is to style up! There are many options to style it down. A tee shirt of any sort is instant casual and comfort! Or a cotton knit tank. Or a casual button down, like a denim shirt. Or, maybe those last two together? That’s what I went with here. A tee shirt is too easy. Plus, if you are like me, layers are great—something for cool mornings and hot afternoons.

If you really want to give this skirt (or other black skirts) a casual feel, follow my rule previously discussed in No Place Like Tuesday for Sky & Earth Explorers for dressing black bottoms: go for more muted colors not whites (or brights), such as heathered grey. I also suggest stripes, which works here too! This wonderful tank has a light heather gray stripped with yellow—a fun and casual combo (the grey acts to tone down the yellow). A denim shirt often adds a casual air, as does this faded one with amazing embroidery. Plus these four colors create some fabulous combinations—yellow and blue are a favorite combination of mine. Black and yellow always grab attention. Blue and Black are a trendy, yet classic, combination. Grey goes great with everything, but I especially love it with yellow (actually thinking of doing my kitchen in yellow and grey!). Together this make a fun, casual, interesting, and incredibly comfortable outfit for working from home or whatever casual environment you are in!

Tips:

  • Don’t be afraid of fun color combinations in casual wear, such as black and yellow or blue and yellow
  • Keep your colors more muted when going casual with black bottoms
  • But don’t be afraid of some bright elements, such as stripes, to add interest
  • Think of easy ways to incorporate layers into casual wear, especially in the spring, when temperatures vary over the day (or if you have hot flashes or other things that cause quick temperature changes)
  • Have fun with your casual jewelry, such as featuring pieces with favorite or apropos animals
  • When working with a few main colors pull each out in your jewelry
  • Look for comfortable but fun summer sandals for your casual days—ones that let you walk on walls (even if low ones)
  • Have fun with your casual outfits
  • For an added touch, find fun ways to tie your denim shirt (plus this keeps from getting in the way)

 

Outfit Breakdown:

 

 

 

Photography by Bill Ruhsam of The Evil Eyebrow. Check out more of his photography.

Plume POW: Whites Out Saturday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Try out the whites trend by mixing various whites in one or more garments, your, shoes, and your accessories

Play Day Saturday are clothes for taking your kids to the park, running errands, talking your dog for a walk, shopping, picnicking, travel, going to a museum or a zoo—out and about or home having fun clothes. These are the clothes you often live the best parts of your life in! The POW (Piece of the Week) the cabi Spring 2016 Plume Top. One fun, but not exactly toddler-mom-friendly, trend is wearing a mix of whites together—linen, ivory, cream, eggshell, vanilla, flax, bone, and more. You can do this by making your whole outfit white, wearing one piece with a mix of whites, or having one or more white pieces mixed with some other pieces. And, you don’t even have to wait for Memorial Day to rock this trend! The all-white look may be hard for some to pull off (daring-wise, we can all find white that look great on us) want to pull off. This outfit is an easy way into the trend—two “white” pieces and then a printed shirt with a white base, plus accessories in shade of white. In addition, the Blanca Cardigan I am wearing is composed of multiple whites: cream, ivory, and white. So, it gives you several whites in one! I love the comfortable, casual ease of this outfit. It would be a great fresco dining, antiquing, and day of seeing the sights outfit! The destructed white slim boyfriend jeans add both an edge and some relaxed playfulness that really make the outfit.

Tips:

  • For an easier way to follow the white out trend, mix two white garments with pieces in different colors
  • Want an even easier way? Look for garments, like this cardigan, what have multiple shades of white and either wear that with clothes of other colors or use it as an excuse to wear another shade of white in another garment
  • Another fun way to follow the trend, which you can do with a white-out outfit or one of any colors, is to accessorize in various shades of white—they don’t need to be the same white!
  • Add an edge to any outfit with some destructed jeans, and if they are slim boyfriends you can also add some relaxed playfulness
  • Don’t forget your shoes! These can be a fun way to pull in more white (and white shoes have the advantage of going with so many other things too!)
  • For a casual and flattering look, go with looser pieces that are not too bulky or baggy, like these slim boyfriend jeans and the relaxed cardigan
  • A repeated tip: if you are rocking some awesome shoes, roll your jeans or pants up to better show them off!
  • Another repeated tip: You do not have to wait until Memorial Day to wear white—that rule has expired!
  • When mixing whites, it is okay if the whites vary a bit in shade and color (as discussed in White & Bright Sunday Best), in fact this is part of what the trend is all about. Choosing whites that are clearly different will work better. Ones that are close may cause the person to figure out what the problem is

 

Outfit Breakdown:

 

Michelle POW: Date Night Aflutter

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Outfit Mission Statement: Mix a cardigan with flirty and romantic pieces to set hearts aflutter

Friday Night Drinks POW outfits are for going out on a date, getting drinks, seeing a band play, going to dinner and a movie—something where you want to look good and may wear some sexier clothes and statement pieces. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the cabi Spring 2016 Michelle Cardigan. There are many ways one could style this for a date. I went sweet and romantic. Skirts are always good for dates, as they give you a chance to show off your legs. Guys seem to like this. Gals seem to like it too. The flounces on this skirt are both fun and flirty. They also mimic the flouncy chiffon trim in the back of the cardigan, creating some nice continuity. The flounces and the chiffon add a romantic air to the outfit, which is supported with the locket necklace and charm jewelry, resulting in a romantic and flirty outfit for having a date or finding one.

 

Tips:

  • Cardigans make wonderful layers over cute date outfits, especially if you need a layer of warmth or have a cute cami or tank and you don’t want your bra straps to show
  • Look for skirts that have ruffles, flounces, or other romantic and flirty features for date night outfits
  • For some classic romance, add an antique style locket, like the one here—even better if it is a functioning locket with a picture of your love or a lock of hair (this locket is function. I will soon have pictures in it)
  • When wearing a navy (or other neutral) cardigan for a date night, pair it with a colorful skirt to keep a playful air

 

Outfit Breakdown:


Plaid POW: The Trendiest Thursday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Don’t be afraid to mix trends

 

TTT Thursday outfits are Trendy, Transitional, and/or Terrific—in other words my choice. Whatever other outfit ideas the garment gave me. It may be something very trendy, transitional, or something else. This week I went with all the trends! The POW (Piece of the Week) is the L.L. Bean Slightly Fitted Scotch Plaid Shirt in Deep Evergreen Tartan. Honestly, flannel is so in right now that just wearing flannel makes it trendy. But, why stop there? Just add fur! Not enough? How about the short skirt over leggings look? And then a wrist party and statement necklace? BAM. You have trends! But the nice thing about this is while these are all trends, they also all have a touch of the classic and of the normal. Flannel may be trendy, but it’s also a favorite of those in cold climes. Plus, those of us who did the alternative thing in the 1990s remember this classic fondly (I hope) or at least with some amusement. I love that flannel is back. Cozy trends are my favorite! Fur is always a classic. Now this shaggy version may not be a classic sleek version, but it still speaks to something humans have been wearing for a very long time. The black color makes it more versatile and not as “in your face” as some of the fur in clearly faux colors. The skirt over leggings trend is interesting, because it really just looks like a skirt with very opaque tights. But it has the comfort of leggings (much better than tights in my book) and means you don’t have to worry about flashing the world when playing with your kid. Statement necklaces come and go, but certainly have a history (think Ancient Egyptians, for instance). Same with arm parties, although that name is new. So, the trick here is to mix trends but go for those with a rich history and grab versions that are not too over-the-top for a multi-trend look that works on all ages. This outfit is fun and trendy, but it doesn’t hit you over the head with it. You could wear it out to some hip hotspot or to run errands without getting odd looks in either place. Now how often can you say that about an outfit? Also, it’s wicked cozy. I was out in slightly above freezing temps to take these pictures (note how bundled up my kid is) and I was quite warm. And I don’t think that was all hot flashes.

 

Tips:

  • When mixing trends: 
    • Choose trends that are at least somewhat established and/or have a rich history
    • Select trendy items that are not too over-the-top or at the far reaches of the trend
  • Choose one garment that pops for color and keep the rest neutral (and ideally the same neutral
  • Work with trends you are comfortable in—if you are not sure about the trend or garment the mixing and wearing may be awkward
  • Start with a key trend and build from there with trends that “go” or can “go” with your clever styling (for me it is the POW flannel)
  • Don’t be afraid to mix casual and dressier trends, they can play off each other nicely and calm each other down just enough

 

Outfit Breakdown:

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