Amiable's Blog

Paired my new super-faded jeans with equally faded colors today, and I think it worked pretty well - they're with my winter-white cable sweater (by far my warmest one), and some cream Goodwill'd perforated oxfords (that are very RATE - they have linen shreds around the openings!?) I rolled them up to see if they function as boy-friend jeans - do they?

And, due to today's blog post, added the new-to-me leopard belt as a sort of focal.

Does it work? It feels "california casual" to me - due to the faded, distressed look.

What are your suggestions for improvement?

In accordance with the InsideOut style blog challenge, and for my night out with my hubby, I'm wearing lace!

It's a plum lace t-neck, and I'm wearing it with new-to-me distressed jeans (are they boyfriends? I suspect they're too narrow for that, right?), and burgundy boots.

The top is a little chilly, so I may be wearing a jacket over it most of the day. But I like it anyway.

These jeans are from Clothing Exchange. They were very flared (almost bell bottoms)! I think they'll be fun spring-summer jeans with the super-light wash, now that I've tamed the bottom half of the legs.

Suggestions for improvement?

I've had the red jeans about 2 weeks now, and tried them on with almost everything that I can imagine will work.

So I thought I'd post my results. I'm amazed at how versatile these are.

#1 with chambray and red/violet/orange striped sweater
#2 with black/orange/fuchsia abstract floral top
#3 with black/white sweater (collar and cuffs are attached to sweater)
#4 with checks and black knit jacket
#5 with plum top, orange cardi and burgundy boots.
#6 with brown sweater and red/brown scarf
#6 with cream cabled sweater, brown leather jacket
#7 with cream/gold sparkly striped sweater
#9 with plum top (may be too baggy to wear on its own with jeans)
#10-11 with navy polka dots - too childish?
#12 With bright floral shirt
#13 with red sweater and hounds-tooth knit jacket
#14 with orange tee, aqua puffy vest
#15 with paisley top, jean jacket
#16 with paisley top, black knit jacket
#17 with dark stripes
#18 with white stripes
#19 with new-to-me white top (does it fit properly? I see it could use a cami under)
#20 with blue sparkles (don't think it really works that well, sparkly sweater too short)
#21 with black/white sweater and tan jacket
#22-24 with black dress (closed or open)
#25-26 with new-to-me Harley Davidson shirt (and red stripe on sleeve) - keep or donate?
#27 with gray sweater
#28 with navy jacket, white shirt and orange/navy/white scarf (doesn't work)
#29 with bright flowers and jean jacket (also doesn't work, not sure why)
#30 with cream cable-knit sweater (no leather jacket on top)

I also just picked up a leopard-print belt in muted browns. I'm thinking it would go great in #3, #7, #18 and #30 and maybe #27

And I notice some holes: I didn't try the chambray shirt on it's own, tucked with a belt, for example, and I have 2-3 aquas and teals that would probably work. I'd love to try my mustard sweater with them too. They would look just fine with my black batwing top too. And I was too chicken to try any greens.... I also didn't try anything that seemed more "spring" than "winter" to me. I'll save those for when it's actually spring weather. I have lots of ideas there too.

Okay, yeah. Kudos to you for reading so long and looking through so many photos. What works? What doesn't? More suggestions?

Still trying to keep up with the FABruary challenges at InsideOutStyle:
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......lenge.html

Today is layers.

Since I pretty much live in layers during the winter, I decided to try layering a little more extreme. So I layered stripes over plaid. (#1) I liked it, but then I remembered that I'd be seeing my mother this afternoon, and she would be horrified by such a combination.

So I changed into something calmer, and wore my new-to-me ombre sweater with skinny jeans (and a layered jean jacket, #2) for the afternoon. I tried to up the sass a little with my oxfords (with socks - I was too much of a wimp to go out without them).

Then it turned out that I didn't see my mother after all. Oh well.

Suggestions for improvement? Do these work? I think #2 would work better without the jacket, probably. But then it wouldn't be layers....

Feeling dark and moody after a strange weekend, and didn't want to wear my bright sunny floral shirt for InsideOutStyle's FABruary challenge.

So I chose a gray floral scarf instead, and paired it with dark wide-leg jeans, a gray tee and a black sweater. I like the combo, it suits my mood. (I'm wearing my 2 inch heels again too, with the round toes that I wish were almond shape. They're so comfy that I'm continuing to wear them while I look for a good replacement).

What do you think? Suggestions for improvement?

Tomorrow is "Color Block" for the FABruary challenge on the InsideOutStyle blog. I'd like to join in (I really can't resist a challenge!), but want feedback on my idea.

It's also church for me - I like to dress up for church (even though I'm about the only one in our church who does).

So I'm considering this combo. But something feels off to me - does it need something? Is the contrast too stark? Proportions or shape wrong? Should I just go back to the drawing board? Does it really look fine, and I can't tell? I really don't know!

(Obviously, my hair will be fixed, and I'll likely even have a touch of make up on...)

The colors are a bit dark in the pics - the top is lime, the skirt is turquoise. I liked it best on pinterest with nude legs and shoes, but I don't have nude hose or shoes, and it's way to cold for bare legs yet. I also don't have white, which would have been my second choice, so black was my next option....

Suggestions, please :)

Okay, my other three options #1-2, cascade cardi (too much volume), #3 cardi, #4 knit jacket, #5 normal jacket.

Are any of these good? I'm guessing #3 is probably the best, am I right?

After dressing like a crayon most of the week, I was drawn to something more subdued for today.

But it's Sparkle Day on InsideOutStyle
( http://www.insideoutstyleblog......lenge.html)

So I decided to try out a sparkly aqua turtleneck I inherited after Christmas. The giver tole me that while the color is lovely, the metallic threads make the top unbearable to wear. So I put an undershirt with it, and had no problems (yay for non-sensitive skin!)

I'm wearing it with blue jeans for a change (boot cuts), and maroon booties, because every outfit needs a little shot of red, right?

In the pic, I don't think it works particularly well. But I'm not sure what about it doesn't work - the jacket, I guess.

And just because I tried it out, here's the same sparkly blue turtleneck with my red jeans. Doesn't really work there either - needs a scarf or something.....

Suggestions? You know I love them!

For the last day of scarfs, I tried my red jeans with stripes. Alas, the top is too short and bugged me. (I segregated my woven tops based on length - I think it's time to do the same with my tees. Wonder if I'll have any that are long enough for my pants...)

So I changed into my paisley/jacket combo from earlier this week. It felt so happy with the red jeans! Then I took my kids to the children's museum, and was startled that in a venue filled with Moms on the go (well, and Grandmas on the go), there was exactly one other person there (a daycare worker) in skinny jeans. And no non-blue jeans in sight. I was the only adult there wearing bright colors! I felt a bit like a walking crayon.

But hey, I was comfortable, and easy for my kids to find. And I felt fine, if a little OTT. If anything, I wished I'd done my hair :/

Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that my dressing not like everyone else in Von Maur made me feel so awful? Today, it actually made me feel somehow more cool... (Not that I didn't have a few moments where I wished I looked like the other Moms - I almost wondered if I looked like a slave to fashion. Wouldn't that be weird?!)

I stopped by goodwill the other day, and was completely smitten by this sweater(#1).

So it came home with me (it was only $1!).

But it's cut weird - the "Kimono sleeves" were attached to the body, and the whole silhouette looked a bit weird.

So I ripped into it, thinking to give it sleeves more like this sweater.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/jo.....521?pprd=0

I have it done, but I'm skiddish to actually cut off the extra. Here's what it looks like (sleeves are bunchy and twisting because I haven't cut off the extra fabric - they'll be smooth). Should I chop, or put it back the way it came?

And I'm posting and heading to bed, so I'll check in the morning to see you you think. G'night all!

Another scarf that I've been struggling to style. It's teal, turquoise and cream.

After considering it for a while, I decided I'd just have to go for the mixed blues look - I couldn't think of any way to work it. (Adding white just made the scarf look dirty).

To make matters worse, it's a weird size - about like a bandana - and hard to tie so that it doesn't look like one. (it's pic #1)

But in the end, I liked it.

And the blues go with a couple other of my scarves too. (#2 and #3 - the top matches the blue in #2 almost exactly).

With a muted red lip, which feels much more "me" than a bright red one. I'm joining in the scarf challenge, and the "red lip" FABurary challenge!

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....looks-here

and

http://www.insideoutstyleblog......lenge.html

Thanks for suggestions for improvement! (I'm going to skinny these jeans tonight).