Hi Everyone, Happy spring!  I vowed that I was going to keep a daily journal for the entire month of April as it’s my favorite month and want to savor every moment of it. How did eight days escape me and no journal yet!  That could be because I am now wishing the month of April to go by more quickly. You will find out the reason why in my next post. But in the meantime, let’s focus on April!

I think of light floral skirts when I think of spring. These are part of my pencil skirt collection which I did a post on here. These two pencil skirts are both lined, do not wrinkle and are so comfortable. Both skirts are worn with my versatile denim jacket by Liverpool Jeans Company.

This dark blue floral top is something I literally wear all year long. It is made of 7% spandex and 93% polyester so it washes well; is light weight, and is soft and stretchy.

The first picture was taken in early March; the second one the end of March; “in like a lion, out like a lamb.”

The night sky when I went for a walk this past weekend.Stayed tuned for my surprise in my next post which I am sooooooo excited to tell you about! Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your week.

What I wore:

Purple floral skirt, Talbots, thrifted

Blue floral skirt, Talbots, thrifted

Pale pink blouse, a.n.a., JCPenney

White top, Chicos, thrifted

Dark blue top, Westport, Dress Barn

Dark denim jacket, Liverpool Jeans Company, Amazon

Beige sandals, Rockport, Cobb Hill collection, http://www.rockport.com

Black pumps, Cole Haan, eBay

Black sandals, Naturalizer, thrifted

 

 

Hi Everyone, Why do we think of the French when we think of fashion? I have been doing some research into the styles of French women, and I had an “aha! moment” when I realized their sense of style not only aligns with mine; but it fully captures the essence of classy and chic. And the French accomplish this in an easy carefree way.  It makes me want to simplify my wardrobe, save time and money by not giving in to trends, and thereby eliminating the quandary of what to wear. The end result:  less is more.

The timeless styles of French women encompass some straightforward guidelines as follows (see here for more tips):

   – Wear neutral colors such as ivory, beige, black, white, gray and navy

   – Do not wear all casual or all dressed up; mix it up

   – Do not over accessorize; keep jewelry to a minimum; delicate and feminine

   – Don’t look too perfect (this is the part that aligns with my style, ha!)

   – Say no to trends

   – Easy on the makeup

   – Balance fitted and loose clothing

   – No flashy logos

   – Wear black stockings or tights

   – Keep your look effortless and natural

   – Simplify your look

What do you think of the above guidelines? I embrace all of them but still want to create my own signature look in the process. And I think it’s okay to wear bold colors but in small doses. The bottom line: any style rule can be broken if it complements who we are. (See: Style mistakes and breaking the rules)

Casual and dressyEffortless and naturalCarefree simplicityNeutral colors with a small dose of colorBlack pantyhose and neutral colorsDid you know that actress Catherine Deneuve “wore a single pair of Roger Vivier buckled low-heeled pumps throughout her 1967 classic Belle de Jour, which got us thinking—you don’t need a thousand pairs of shoes to look fabulous, you just need one or two really great pairs to get the job done” according to Stylecaster.com/french-women.

Au revoir, Imelda. I’m in love with these shoes.

Image from https://agnautacouture.com/2013/08/25/roger-vivier-called-the-faberge-of-footwear

All of the clothes in this post are not new and were found in my “French” closet.  The red shoes are the only “new” item and were purchased for $21.56 and they are Ros Hommerson’s leather classic low heel pumps (and they are very comfortable). 

That’s it for now and I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week!

“The Robin is the One
That interrupt the Morn
With hurried — few — express Reports
When March is scarcely on —

The Robin is the One
That overflow the Noon
With her cherubic quantity —
An April but begun —

The Robin is the One
That speechless from her Nest
Submit that Home — and Certainty
And Sanctity, are best” (Emily Dickinson)

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone survived the full-moon week we recently had which was our last super moon for 2019, the worm moon. You may wonder why it’s called the worm moon, and this article (the meaning of the worm moon) provides insight as to why it’s given this rather strange name.  But it makes sense that it refers to when the “ground begins to thaw and earthworms reappear, soon followed by the return of robins.” And robins make me think of the color red.

Red is a warm color that evokes strong emotions. This color is associated with love, warmth, and comfort. It can be intense, or even angry; this color can create feelings of energy, excitement, and passion. But the red I am referring to is the red in my wardrobe and in my house. I am drawn to the color red even though my favorite colors tend to be varying shades of blue and green, the colors of the ocean. Your favorite color says a lot about you and according to this article (favorite color personality), “red is often the color chosen by someone outgoing, aggressive, vigorous and impulsive.” While I tend to consider myself to be more of an ambivert rather than an extrovert, I can relate to some of the characteristics of those who love the color red. And I do have red interspersed in my wardrobe and house as depicted below.

This post was supposed to be entitled “The Spring Super Moon,” but as life would have it, I was not feeling well and my husband drove out to the countryside in search of the full moon without me. He captured these photos with his phone which I thought came out really well.

I LOVE this old barn.The shadow people have finally come to take me. Can you see the two kitties in this picture?There’s no place like home.

I hope everyone has a wonderful last week of March. Will it go out like a lamb?

What I wore:

Dress, London Times, thrifted

Red leather jacket, Leather Limited, thrifted

Black and white striped skirt, Ana, JC Penney

Red key hole top, Michael Kors, TJ Maxx

Red leather heels, Naturalizer Okira Crisscross Pump, Ebay, $9.99 (this was my find of the month!)

“It was not Death, for I stood up,
And all the Dead, lie down —
It was not Night, for all the Bells
Put out their Tongues, for Noon.
It was not Frost, for on my Flesh
I felt Siroccos — crawl — ” (Emily Dickinson)

Hi Everyone,

We are all Irish today, right? Saint Patrick’s Day is a worldwide celebration of Irish culture which also commemorates Saint Patrick, one of Ireland’s patron saints, who lived during the fifth century.

I do not have a lot of green in my closet and some of the tops below look slightly blue even though they are actually green.

Before the Guinness

After the Guinness

In all seriousness, I have not had any beer, yet! But I definitely plan to later today (just one).

My husband (who is truly Irish) bought me two tops to wear today to a local Irish Pub. Which one should I wear?

Paddy’s Irish Pub–this is inspired by the show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

As you know, I love all things related to Emily Dickinson. Did you know that Emily shared her kitchen with an Irish immigrant for the last 17 years of her life? Her name was Margaret Maher (known as Maggie). Emily wrote in the kitchen while cooking with Maggie, her maidservant, and entrusted her with her cherished poems.

Maggie spent her life around people who wrote and she also had a creative writing ability of her own. She occasionally wrote letters and poems to which Emily would respond with her own poetry. This caused a bond to form between the two women resulting in Emily storing her poems in Maggie’s trunk, an authentic Irish trunk brought over from Ireland. (Irish Central Maid as Muse)

In spite of the fact that Emily asked Maggie to destroy the poems upon her death, she could not bring herself to destroy a lifetime of Emily’s work. She turned to Emily’s brother who agreed that they should be saved.

It is also noted that Emily’s Irish servants influenced her poetry. The poem quoted above is an example of the way people in Ireland speak English. According to Eife Murray, “That poem and that grammatical structure, it is classically the way people in Ireland speak English.” (Influence of Servants on Emily Dickinson’s Poems)

This is the black shrug I wore here.

This top has some vibrant colors and I usually wear it with white pants in the summer. But I think it also goes with this black skirt.

I am not sure about this black moto jacket with this skirt. I plan to revisit this look later this spring. I wore this jacket last fall in this post here.

There were no animals harmed during the creation of this post.

So there you have it. My entire collection of “green” clothes. And they do look rather bluish green in some of these pics. I hope you all had a great weekend.

What I wore:

Black skirt, Romeo & Juliet (Couture), thrifted

Gray plaid skirt, Larry Levine, thrifted

Green floral tops, both by Liz Claiborne, JCPenney

Solid green top, Erm London, thrifted

Paddy’s Irish Pub t-shirt, Superluxe, Amazon

Happy St. Pat’s Day (long sleeved), Aceshion, Amazon

Black Shrug, Premise, JCPenney

Shoes, LifeStride, Famous Footwear

“A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period –
When March is scarcely here

A Color stands abroad
On Solitary Fields
That Science cannot overtake
But Human Nature feels.” (Emily Dickinson)

Hello Everyone, Did you remember to set your clocks ahead last night? I am so excited about the extra daylight as I am sure everyone is. It’s a small sacrifice to lose an hour of sleep for an extra hour of wonderful natural light. But I may not feel that way tomorrow morning at 5 a.m.

I am not sure if we felt that extra hour of “light” today due to the snow, sleet and freezing rain. The black and white effect of today’s weather inspired me to incorporate black and white as my theme for today’s fashion post.

This is one of my favorite dresses seen in this post that just so happens to be black and white. I love the drape of the neckline and the clean lines. What do you think of the white fishnet stockings?  Fishnet stockings are more durable than regular pantyhose and I love the texture they add.

19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon; this is the same bottle from this post The Vintage Pleated Skirt and 19 Crimes.  I swear, it’s the same empty bottle.

Here is the dress with a black shrug which enables me to wear it even on a cold day like today.

This is another black and white outfit that is perfect for this time of year. The material of this classic button-down blouse is rayon and polyester and it washes beautifully.

The pencil skirt is leg hugging but stretchy and comfortable. It does not have a back slit and doesn’t need one.

Maybe this is the “light that exists in spring.”

Simply bleak…but beautiful

Welcome, March.

These are the shoes I am wearing. I purchased them at Famous Footwear on sale for $24.99, originally $59.99. They have a breathable lining with a foam cushioned footbed and a flexible outsole with a traction tread.  They are sooooo comfortable.

I did some ice fishing with my husband on Saturday and what a beautiful day on the ice. This was the sky yesterday, 3/9/19.

This is inside the bob house looking out.

This lake was loaded with fish. My husband knew it was a good day when he ran out of bait. The final count: 4 bass, 5 perch, and 3 pickerel. This guy didn’t make it as the hook was deeply imbedded.

That’s it for now–have a great week everyone.

What I wore:

Dress, Anne Klein, TJ Maxx

Black Shrug, Premise, JCPenney

Skirt, Philosophy, JCPenney

Blouse, White Stag, Walmart

Shoes, LifeStride, Famous Footwear

“Dear March – Come in – How glad I am – I hoped for you before – Put down your Hat – You must have walked – How out of Breath you are – Dear March, how are you, and the Rest – Did you leave Nature well – Oh March, Come right upstairs with me – I have so much to tell -” (Emily Dickinson)

Hi Everyone, it seems that the lion of winter has sunk his teeth in and wants to hang on in spite of the fact that we are in the month when SPRING officially starts. Winter lingering is not a bad thing as it helps prolong the ski season which not only boosts the economy but helps to boost our mood due to more vitamin D exposure (and many other benefits listed here: 10 Benefits of Skiing). The ice fishing season is flourishing, too.

A cold March gives us a chance to wear our winter clothing a little longer. How is that for keeping a positive attitude! Let’s see how long I can maintain it though…

I dug deep into my closet and found some items I haven’t worn in a while and am incorporating them into today’s post. This is a colorful skirt that makes the winter blahs go away.  And the sweater seems to pick up the red in the skirt quite well–what do you think?I am wearing the skirt with a couple of different tops. I find this denim jacket to be so versatile and can be dressed up or down. The darker the denim, the dressier it looks I think.

This checkered shirt is actually a dark navy but tends to looks black.  The denim jacket is a lighter color and lends to a more casual look.  The pants have 3% spandex which enables me to wear them to my tai chi class at work.

Here is the real lion but he doesn’t bite. I want to introduce you to my wonderful kitty named Ishi. He was named after the “last known member of the Native American Yahi people from the present-day state of California in the United States.” My husband and older son learned about Ishi in a bow-hunting class and decided that was going to be this furry guy’s name.  He has the loudest purr I have ever heard in a cat (as opposed to a human) and he really locks eyes with you. Check out his gaze in my first picture.

My husband took this picture when we stayed at the Brewster Inn last weekend. I love the reflection of the lamp in the window. 

I caught the early morning sky right before I left for work on Friday. A heavenly red sky in the morning may mean a devilish day.

That’s it for now–thanks for stopping by.

What I wore:

Skirt, Ann Taylor, thrifted

Red sweater, Cable & Gauge, TJ Maxx

Red tank top, Chicos Travelers Reversible Top, Chicos

Denim jacket, Westport, Dressbarn

Checkered shirt, Magellan, Macy’s

Beige pants, Soundstyle, TJ Maxx

Denim vest, Y Not Sportswear, thrifted

Black Mary Jane shoes, Aerosoles “Marimba,” thrifted

Brown leather booties, Franco Sarto, thrifted

Hi Everyone, today’s post has to do with the supermoon that occurred on February 19, 2019. According to www.space.com, a supermoon occurs when a “full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee, or the point in its elliptical orbit at which it is closest to Earth. This makes the moon appear up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than usual.” It was reported to be closest to the earth at 11 a.m. on February 19, 2019.

This year we will actually get to witness three supermoons in a row on January 21, February 19, and the next one is taking place on March 21. I am really looking forward to it and will do a follow-up post on it.

You may wonder what the supermoon or full moon has to do with fashion. Interestingly enough, a full moon symbolizes a clean slate, a fresh start. And women’s fashion during a full moon encompasses the color white. White represents clarity, newness and innocence. It’s a color of trust.

This picture was taken on February 22, 2019, and the moon was just beginning to wane.

According to the plaid zebra, the worship of the moon is as old as recorded history itself. Even today the moon is celebrated among many religions, in particular those with pagan roots. Full moon parties have transformed into a symbol of creativity and rebirth.

What else do we associate a full moon with? According to folklore, “a full moon could also restore a wounded vampire to undead health.” (see full moons and vampires here)

If “undead” is considered to be healthy, that is a very optimistic attitude that I aspire to.

“Red in the morning, sailors take warning.”

Wait, where did he come from?

Thanks for checking out my blog and I hope you had a howling good time.

What I wore:

Dress, xhilaration, Ebay, $11.00 (yes, $11.00 and free shipping)

Shoes, Comfort-Well by Beacon

Black cape and red gown, California Costumes, Walmart

This is in the same location which looks very rural but I am literally right off one of the busiest streets in Concord, the third largest city in New Hampshire.

Now to the fashion side of things. I do not have a lot on this subject this week but I want to share my recent experience in trying to find a new top at TJ Maxx to go with this colorful skirt. I have previously worn it with a dark blue top but it has elements of gray (one of my favorite colors in the winter) and wanted to change things up. Which sweater top do you think works better?  (I need a new phone case, too.)

This sweater felt so soft and cozy.

I liked them ALL but opted for the first sweater top because it has short sleeves and will be more versatile in wearing all throughout the year. Not to mention that it was on sale for $15.00.

Before I go, I wanted to share with you the most touching picture that our vet sent to us after our dog died. This is a nose print of our beloved Bailey. My vet said that dog nose prints are unique–no two are alike.

It’s pretty amazing I think.

I hope everyone has a great week and thanks for stopping by.

What I wore:

Skirt, Talbots, thrifted

Short-sleeve sweater top, T Tahari, TJ Maxx

Boots, Enzo Angiolini, thrifted

“I measure every Grief I meet
With narrow, probing, eyes —
I wonder if It weighs like Mine —
Or has an Easier size.”  (Emily Dickinson)

We lost our best friend over the weekend and life will not be the same without her.  She was 11 years old.  Her name was Bailey although her birth certificate said “Baby Cakes.” She was an amazing dog who provided endless unconditional love and comfort.  Bailey enriched our lives and touched our hearts. Possessing the sweetest disposition, she made the perfect therapy dog, family pet, soulmate, and best friend.

One minute she acted like an overgrown puppy and the next minute she was ready for a nap on our bed, which of course, was also her bed. Here she is chilling out.

In her favorite chair with her best bud, Maude.

She knew some of her toys by name which included Oscar, Wilbur, Red and Squeaky.  Nothing made her happier than to play ball in the house, go for long walks, or go for a ride in the car. She especially loved going to the dump with my husband and barking a greeting to the resident cat.  One of the things I loved about her was that she really locked eyes with you when you talked to her and she listened very intently.  I swear she could read my mind when she gazed into my eyes and also knew the exact mood I was in.

This is slightly blurry (my apologies), but I was trying to capture her in motion with her ball.

Even though she was a lab (breed known to love water, have webbed toes and an otter’s tail), she didn’t like going into the water and preferred to sun herself on the dock.

Bailey had an amazing smile.

Dad, take this silly thing off me; I will not chase that squirrel, I promise.

Bailey having a beer on a hot summer afternoon (a little “hair of the dog”).

This is a drawing I did many years ago.

I am such a good girl she says.

Goodbye sweet girl. You will live forever in my heart and mind. I love you.