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.
 
 
 Lace and crochet continue to be a big seller for this fall. This khaki open knit sweater is awesome, I pair it with an animal print camisole underneath. To add color and drama big orange beads for J.Crew (past season's) and an orange red belt complete the outfit. I have my Vintage Made in America Levi's pair with the outfit. In this case I would do the uneven roll at the hem. Then add color with the accessories. 
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More drama with color and some very rocking black boots.
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More casual but still works.
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Add the scarf second from left top row and it's a real winner.
 
 
  There is a definite chill in the air today and according to the forecast there are more cooler temperatures ahead. It's fine by me, I do get a big depressed about winter coming, but fall is so gorgeous. I sure hope we get the fall colors this year though, it's been so dry it's unbelievable. Well, if nothing else I can get the colors in my wardrobe, and below is a fine example. This cotton and silk tuxedo shirt in a golden color is perfect for the marled camel colored wool cardigan. One of my fall favorites. I add this citron colored beaded necklace that has a golden and rhinestone bee for the closure. Paired with my once again straight legged 505 Levi's this look is a fall hero. Add a little attitude to the jeans by doing the more relaxed twisted roll at the hem. 
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The middle hem is the twisted roll, it's softer and definitely more casual.
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Second scarf from the left top roll is perfect with this outfit.
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Dress it up a bit and add some color.
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More casual for sure.
 
 
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.
 
 
  Tomorrow night we are going dancing. I love to go out dancing, it's great exercise, it releases all your worries from a week of work and it's just plain fun. 
We have definitely had a change in the weather today so tomorrow night this is what I will be wearing, I think. 
  The great little moire sleeves stop has a vintage feel but looks new, the shearling jacket (fake fur of course) is perfect for a cool night. I love the idea of the sweet romantic top with the rugged jacket. I have always preferred high- low, cheap- expensive, new-old look in my dressing so this outfit fits that look completely. 
  I really love those over sized pearls which again have a vintage but new feel. Add a animal print belt and it's a pretty outrageous outfit. 
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My favorite dancing shoes. The purse just may stay at home. Sometimes I just bring my I.d., a credit card and lipstick when I got dancing.
 
 
 Menswear dressing for fall is really hot stuff. I personally love it, as I am way more tailored then "girly." So here are some tips for wearing this look. My jacket is a bit over sized but not by much, it's double breasted too so that makes it seem a bit bigger. In order to control the look and make it not look sloppy I wear a white shirt (you can add a lace cami, or a ruffled blouse) that fits me closer to my body. My jeans are straight legged Levi's 506 and for sure I would wear a belt probably a colorful one or one with some detail like studs. The pearls are rather tongue in cheek, adding a little swagger. I would definitely roll the sleeves up along with the shirt sleeves as added attitude. So roll to the jean hem again a little more feminine. 
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I love either of these bag and shoe options although I can think of a lot more I could do. These however, add color and a little touch of "she's a girl."
 
 
  The whole purpose of this series is to teach you how to mix and match. How to mix textures, colors, prints and strips, how to combine accessories, with the outfit. How to make an outfit look dressy and yet with different shoes and purse it becomes everyday. Experiment with your clothes, have fun with them, be a little daring. Make sure you do it on a day when you feel confident, or practice some of your outfits before you leave the house on days when you don't have to be some place. If you feel foolish or out of place don't wear it out and about. At least once a week experiment with your clothes. 
  If you tend to buy things in a color palette, certain styles and always go for the same thing, then that is probably your style. If you bored with it shake it up. 
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J Crew knit sweatshirt that is more like a sweater and one of my favorite go to fall items. A black and white gingham shirt, and a very old Banana Republic belt that I wear as a necklace, animal print belt from Crew as well. Levi's 506 from Kohl's.
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Dressy
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casual
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Dressy and just plain fun.
 
 
  It's warm and humid today we are back into summer, the nights seem to cool off though. This is one of my most favorite outfits, as you guessed I am an animal rights person, so I love faux animal prints. This linen shirt I will wear year round, the linen jacket is meant to be a wrinkled mess, I love the large pearls. As you know pearls are a girls best friend. I have paired the outfit with Levi's 505, I do the messier sorta put together roll at the ankle and added the red skinny belt. Such a great outfit. Paired with my Red Hobo purse and vintage red shoes. 
 Big jewelry is still very much in, which is fine by me. 
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J. Crew jacket, shirt and necklace.
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I love the idea of red accents with this outfit, it really takes it up a notch.
 
 
  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.