This velvet coat like items, is a personal favorite. I wear it over a very thin lightweight cashmere sweater, and then this beautiful multi string necklace. I wear this during the day time as well as at night otherwise it does not get worn much. I have always like the idea of dressy with not dressy in the same outfit, I have dressed like that for years. I would probably not wear the necklace if I were to wear this during the day for a work attire. Perfect with my 505 Levi's from Kohl's.
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Daytime accessories.
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This is a great evening look, however if it's more dressy I would chose one of my evening bags and not this big one.
 
 
This is my favorite fall/winter blazer/jacket. In the fall it's an outerwear in the winter it's a blazer. It's wool tweed, double breasted men's wear inspired jacket. I wear it with almost every shirt in my closet but I love this look for fall. Black and white gingham shirt plays off the tweed jacket, the scarf is a real beauty, being full of fall colors. The necklace just adds a little sunshine to the day. Pink belt plays off the scarf and the jeans are 505's  by Levi's with a flat roll at the hem. If the days turns warm I still have a great look with the shirt and the scarf. Oh Yeah. 
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This rocks the look and so does the red purse with the cordovan colored shoes. Either works it's a fun look.
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The red purse works with the scarf colors so do the shoes.
 
 
  Ok, I did it again. I did not post anything yesterday sorry. Saturday's are so hectic, so forgive me if I do not accomplish my blog on Saturday. These four sweaters are all the same style, just different colors, khaki, dark grey, pale pink and heather grey. These sweaters are my favorite I wear them with any or all of my jeans but I also where them with my pencils skirts. When you find something that fits, it's one of the first things you go to to wear, by all means buy several. I usually keep my eye for a sale or a discount. These are of course from J. Crew, they don't really have this style any more but it's a classic, and if kept in good shape I will have them for a long time. I have chosen these colors because I can mix them with any of my shirts. That is the key to buying multiples, they each need to go with at least three things already in your closet. 
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This is how I got them. They were the stiffest pair of jeans or anything else for that matter that I had ever purchased. But they were vintage and Made in America.
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I brought these with me on a trip to the lake for the week-end. I put them on dry and proceed to go into the lake with these pants on. I sat in the sand and rubbed my bottom and legs in it. I took hands full of sand and scrubbed the fronts. I did this three time that week-end while there. I then washed them three more times in cold water in the washing machine and hung to dry. They are perfect now, I love them. Only a person truly dedicated to having a pair of these would go through that but for me it was fun.
 
 
  This time of year one minutes it's hot another it's cool or cooler out. I love to have a great jacket or sweater by my side to accommodate those days. This is a J. Crew grey wool jacket, it's did not photo as well as I would have liked, it's more fitted then it appears, I wear it with all my shirts, it takes an outfit up a notch more so than a sweater. So this is a pair of 506 Levi's from Kohl's, the red gingham shirt, bubble necklace and belt are all J. Crew. Because I have so much red in the outfit itself I have chose my boots and shoes in other colors to not overwhelm the look.  I roll the sleeves of the shirt up and over the jacket and push the sleeves up a bit to give it some attitude. For this I would do a neat two roll cuff on the jeans. 
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Blsck Marc Jacobs bag and Italian boots.
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Brown bag and brownish red, and black menswear shoes.
 
 
  Today I was feeling old, I had just gotten several fashion magazines and it made me feel old. I thought why am I writing this, why do I care, is anyone even looking at this. Then I snapped out of and realized that there a lot of women of a certain age, that care, about how they look. Not so much if they are "in fashion" but whether they look great, age appropriate and feel amazing in their own skin and the clothing they are wearing. So I carry on sharing my ideas and sense of style. The bonus at the end of this photo session you will see a photo from the new J. Crew catalog, it's Linda Rodin a famous stylist, fashion icon, and now the owner of a beauty line. She's older and she cares, and she wears J. Crew and Levi's. 
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I made this jacket out of a couple of men's cotton knit tees that were on sale. I used ideas and directions from one of the Alabama Chanin sewing books, It's verse applique. The shirt I made too, it's a small lightweight cotton print. The jeans are Levi's 505. Red belt from J. Crew.
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This is a detail of the sleeve and part of the back. I used the tee shirt design printed on the front and embroidered around them.
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The jacket is sorta casual and sweatshirt-ish. so I would wear it with boots.
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Linda Rodin for J. Crew.
 
 
 Sunday I love Sunday it's the day the world sorta takes a break or at least it seems to, things seem a bit slower. You go to church or whatever your morning routine is and then you get to play, go for a bike ride, walk, hike, golf , etc. So it's a good day to dress up and then really go casual. This vest is so old, but so current for now with it's trim and bead work, paired with a white J Crew shirt and jeans it works for dressy and casual. This time it's the Eco Levi's with a soft pink belt which you would not see if the vest were completely buttoned. I would but a two roll at the bottom of the jeans, as I would want them to look more styled and formal. 
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Hobo Red bag and J. Crew high steppin' boots, for church.
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Brown bucket bag and biker boots for later, you can hike in these they are so comfortable. Yes you can wear a brown purse and black boots, yes you can.
 
 
 Hydroquinone   This can be found in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, it's a known neurotoxin and allergenic. Do you want his in your products?
 
 
  Day five, this outfit is so simple, which makes it that much "cooler". As I have stated before my jeans are straight legged. I feel I am a little bit too old for shinnies although some of regular pants have a narrow leg,  in jeans I prefer straight leg.  to find what works for you, take some time to try on jeans, try on all different brands, styles and colors too. Note the ones you love and would the most comfortable in and buy more than one pair or remember what they are, and where you got some so you can get more in the future. 
  As for the sweater, I have this one in navy (seen here), coral pink, and white. Again just like the jeans when I find something I like I buy multiples, sometimes the first one I buy is full price, but then as I see how I wear it and like it I will go back and buy more. Hopefully by that time the item is on sale. 
    I chose the soft pink belt because I love navy and pink together and while the necklace seem a little off maybe it works by bringing in some fun color. This outfit can have almost any purse, shoe combination that is what is so great about it being classic and simple. 
  
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J. Crew v-neck sweater, with J. Crew necklace, and pink skinny belt. J. Crew Matchstick jeans, in white.
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Very doable accessories. Dark green purse with black satin ballet flats.
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This works too but makes the outfit a bit more dressy.
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Love this look as well, but now it's more casual.
 
 
  As you go through this journal of denim styles here are some things to remember to make it pertinent to you. First of all I only buy styles that look good on me and that look like my personality. I only buy clothes that fit, if they don't I have them altered by my good friend Marina. I have a color palette that is kind to my skin tone that I stick to, a lot of khaki brown, grey, soft pinks, red, and white. I stay away from a lot of black it' does not favor my skin color. Everything in my closet for the most part goes with at least three other things . I have three summer purses and four winter purses, which is not a lot by today's standard. I do have a lot of jewelry and a small scarf collection. All my accessories look like me, tend towards fashion more than not and add that extra punch that I so love.
  

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Chambray over shirt can be worn alone or with a shirt underneath. I copied a J. Crew item. Another pair of 506 from Kohl's and the famous J. Crew red skinny belt. White J. Crew Blouse.
  I  made this over shirt, I love to sew although I have been making more simple things. I use to sew for the Guthrie Theatre, I would even make my own coats. I don't do that so much anymore. This shirt is great I can wear it as a top or as pictured here over a shirt, almost any shirt in my closet will work. I would put a simple two roll at the bottom of the jeans for this look, keeping it simple and classic. I can wear just about any combination of purse and shoes that I have to this outfit, because it's so simple, classic and the fabrications go with anything. 
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Black Marc Jacobs Purse, Red vintage Banana Republic heeled shoes.
 
 
   This is a great outfit for all year really. Here in the land of ice and snow I would probably wear a cotton camisole underneath, for added warmth. The top is from J. Crew a few seasons ago, but it's still very relevant very French. I have a skinny red belt with the jeans but it won't show as the top is longer. I have added one of my favorite necklaces it's a J. Crew Bubble Necklace in red. The jeans are 505 from Kohl's they are in a dark wash, which I love (I think it makes me look skinnier). The roll at the bottom of these jeans would either be the fold over twice roll with the heels and then depending on where the hem hits for the ballet flats I would do the softer, less structured roll.  I would then add my red HOBO bag and either the red high heels or the black ballet flats. Tres Chic and appropriate for almost anywhere, shopping, work (if you can wear nice jeans), dining, theatre, out and about.