Songful Style Link Party 14 | “Sweet Baby James” by James Taylor
About Songful Style
Songful Style is an ageless style challenge series hosted by Suzy of The Grey Brunette, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Marsha of Marsha in the Middle, and Michelle of Funky Fashion Style.
Each month we will share a song with the lyrics and video and we invite you to use whatever aspect of the song that inspires you to create an outfit.
It is similar to Style Imitating Art where we use artwork to inspire our outfit creations. Except Songful Style gives you lyrics, music, video, and album artwork to inspire your fashion creativity. You may even find inspiration in a memory triggered by the selected song. It is all open to your own personal interpretation and just a fun way to discover new music and get a little bit more creative with your wardrobe.
Anyone is welcome to join us on a permanent basis or you can just play along without any obligation to do anything other than feel inspired. We are flexible and fun and just want to find more ways to play dress up because it’s what we enjoy doing!
We will be posting on the last Monday of each month and will announce our song choice for the following month at the end of each post.
This month’s song, “Sweet Baby James” by James Taylor, was chosen by me. You can find the lyrics, the video, the history of the song, why I chose this song, and some images to inspire style in my post here.
Remember to check out how my songfully sassy friends have interpreted this song into style!
- Suzy of The Grey Brunette
- Marsha of Marsha in the Middle
- Michelle of Funky Fashion Style
One of my favorite lines from this entire song is the lyric in the chorus that says, “Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose.” As you probably are already aware, deep greens and blues are almost always the colors I choose. Whether it’s my wardrobe choices, my home decor decisions, or even the color of my vehicle, deep greens and blues are what you will generally see. So it seemed natural that this is the direction I would go for styling an outfit representative of this song.
Strangely, or maybe not really that strange, every time I hear that line in this song, it conjures images of Black Watch tartan, my favorite of all the plaids…because it is defined by its deep green and blue color combination. So I started my outfit creation with my Black Watch trench coat. I also liked the idea of incorporating a plaid into an outfit inspired by a song about cowboys because I generally associate cowboy attire with denim, plaid, and other Western inspired accessories.
Initially, I was going to wear this jacket with skinny jeans and cowboy boots, but I quickly realized that I had gotten rid of most of my skinny jeans because they were all too big. I never replaced any of them because I haven’t been wearing jeans much these days. Instead, I opted for my green embroidered bell bottoms with my thrifted Tony Lama cowboy boots. I still wanted to include some denim so I took my inspiration from James Taylor himself in his iconic 1970s denim shirt. And I loved the combination of the denim shirt with these pants which I would have never tried together if not for this challenge!
I completed my outfit with accessories in blues and greens that fit my cowgirl vibe and I ended up with one of my favorite outfits ever! You can see how I have styled these pants before with a white tunic and cardigan and with a navy bralette and the same cardigan. I am so happy to have new ways to style these fabulous bell bottoms especially since I just bought the same pair in gray when I visited Asheville last month!
Also, I was very deliberate in choosing my photo location. The lyric, “He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons,” made me think of the quarry near my house since it really is canyon-like. I was very pleased that it was still a little bit snow covered as well which was perfect for reflecting the lyric, “Now the first of December was covered with snow.” Around these parts where I live however, the lyric would be more accurate if it said, “Now the first of April was covered with snow.” But alas, April doesn’t have enough syllables!
And that is my sartorial interpretation of James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James. How did I do?
If you would like to join us for next month’s Songful Style challenge, we will be hosting a link party on April 24, 2023, featuring our outfits inspired by Marsha’s song choice, “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper. I will share more details about the song choice in a later post as usual. Until then, happy styling!
Featured Favorite from “Love at First Sight” by Kylie Minogue
Kellyann of This Blonde’s Shopping Bag
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.
Outfit Details: Jacket-Torrid / Pants-Indigo Sun, Asheville, NC / Denim Shirt and Cowboy Boots-Thrifted / Purse-Teddy Blake / Hat and Scarf-Gifts from friends / Necklace-Michal Golen / Earrings-Good Life Gift Shop / Gloves-Literary Book Gifts
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
18 Comments
Michelle
Beautiful interpretation! And it so cool that if it weren’t for the challenge you’d have never thought to pair these pants and shirt. It’s a wonderful look! Also, yes on the Black Watch plaid. My favorite plaid too.
Michelle
https://funkyfashionstyle.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, my friend! I need to show y’all the gray ones soon! They are so good, too. I guess it’s a good thing my Asheville shopping is limited to only once a year because I could easily fall back into my old irresponsible shopping ways in all the fabulous shops in that city!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jessica A Jannenga
Good morning Shelbee!
I do think of tartan when I hear that line too! I love the flare and embroidery on the pants and the combination of this green and blue outfit. I do love James Taylor. We saw his brother, Livingston Taylor in concert Maybe I told you that already! Ah well, 54 year old brain! I have to get back to playing my guitar now that I can sit a bit longer.
jess xx
Have a great week!
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jess! I think that is so cool that you have seen his brother in concert! I am excited for you to get back to your guitar playing and I am glad to hear that you are finally experiencing some relief and can sit longer!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
Gosh, I don’t even know who James Taylor is. Have to Google him. But I adore blue and green together. Especially the plaid is gorgeous!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! James Taylor is such an iconic folk musician in the U.S. that I am surprised by Americans who don’t know who he is. But I suppose he is not as well known in Europe. I have been listening to his music consistently since I was a very young girl.
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
I always look forward to your outfits for any style challenge! You absolutely nail them! I hadn’t thought about Black Watch being those “deep greens and blues”…maybe that’s why I like it so much! Those embroidered jeans are amazing and look fabulous with the denim shirt! Perfect look, Shelbee!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Marsha, thanks so much, my friend! I guess it is true that if you love something you will do it well…like me and outfit creation! Haha. Fun fact about these pants is that they are not jeans but leggings with a nice comfy wide stretchy waistband!
xoxo
Shelbee
Valerie h Hansen
You look adorable Shebly and I LOVE those cowboy boots, I am headed to Calgary in 2 weeks to see my ma, so I will be sportin mine fo sure!
xo
Valerie
http://www.mapleleopard.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Valerie! I hope you have a wonderful time visiting your ma!
xoxo
Shelbee
Pamela
Love how you delve into those lyrics to find your inspiration. The perfect laid back look prettily softened with the green scarf and embroidered pants. Just lovely!
Pamela
http://www.style-yourself-confident.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Pamela! I really do dig into the details for every style challenge! I have so much fun with it and there are so many different avenues of creativity to take!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
Greens and blues are the two colors I always seem to choose too; though as far as my cltohing options go I am trying to add more color into my wardrobe but I’m always drawn to blue and green tones. You did a great job with your outfit (and your setting too!).
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Joanne! There is something so soothing about greens and blues. I guess they are two of the most dominant colors of the earth so it makes sense that we would be drawn to them. I mean, who doesn’t want to surround themselves with soothing and calm things? Blues and greens to me are nature and we all need to be a little better connected to nature and our relationship with it. I have no idea what that has to do with colors or the song, but I typed it all out so I’m leaving it! Ha. Have a fantastic weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Very nice. James Taylor is a classic and you are dressed perfectly for this song.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick! James Taylor is one of my all time favorites! He has definitely left his mark on music.
xoxo
Shelbee
Suzy Turner
O.M.G Shelbee!!!! I’m in LOVE with your outfit!!! Firstly let me just apologise for being so late in coming over to check out your Songful Style interpretation. I’ve had such a busy six weeks, I haven’t found the time to visit many of my favourite bloggers at all!
As for your look, I think I agree with you…it’s one of my all0time favourites too!! As I write, I’m wearing a pair of jeans the same colour as yours and I wear them all the time but I would never have thought to wear denim with them. After seeing your photos, that is going to change! The blue denim looks so striking with it! It’s gorgeous! And I love the addition of the plaid, the boots, the scarf, hat, everything! You look so beautiful, my friend!
Huge hugs
Suzy xxx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my gosh, Suzy, thank you so much for this wonderful comment! I have also been super busy painting my house and working on other home projects that I have not been visiting other blogs either. I seem to find just enough time to get my posts written and then I have no time for any of the extra blogging stuff that I used to do. I suppose this is just how things evolve and change in life! I have so many cute outfit ideas brewing lately, too, but I am always just wearing my painting clothes these days!
xoxo
Shelbee