Outfits of the Day #ootd
I love to put together outfits. I find something calming and exciting in the process. And if I think I look good, I tend to feel great! Hopefully, you can find some inspiration here for feeling amazing in your own body.
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Am I Too Old for a Nose Ring?
I did a thing last week. I got my nose pierced. Well, not actually pierced, but reopened I guess. But let me share the story. Back in 1992, when I was an 18 year senior in high school, my friend pierced my nose with a piercing gun. OMG. It was the most ridiculous thing ever. The gun got stuck in my nostril, my eyes were watering everywhere, and it hurt like hell. But I was proud as pie to have my first body piercing (other than my earlobes). Until I went home with my new facial adornment. My parents freaked out on me and adamantly insisted that the ring be…
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A Fashion History of Camouflage, 7 Ways to Wear It & Link Up On the Edge #214
Camouflage is one of those prints that people either seem to love or hate. I have always been a huge fan of this print in any style or color although I really do favor traditional military camouflage prints in the expected color palettes. Camouflage prints are fairly new in the textile world. The print itself was designed in the 20th century to help military personnel be less visible when fighting enemy forces. *Fun Fact #1: The word “camouflage” is derived from a French expression meaning “puffing smoke”. It “refers to a process of evading visual detection through some combination of blend-in coloration, cryptic patterning, and blurring of the silhouette.” (Source)…
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What to Wear to a Fall Wedding & Link Up
My dear friend Ada of Elegance and Mommyhood recently invited a lovely group of bloggers to join her for a collaboration featuring What to Wear to a Fall Wedding. Fall has always been my favorite season for just about everything including weddings. But all weddings and other celebrations look so very different this year compared to what we know. Whether it is a super small gathering or a ceremony shared through Zoom, if you have been invited to a wedding this fall, you still want to dress your best to celebrate this momentous occasion in the lives of your friends or family members. I have not been invited to any…
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‘Tis the Season for Gratitude with Bellelily & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #191
As soon as October rolls around, I feel like we have to abruptly shift our mindsets into holiday mode. And I have to be honest, I hate holiday mode. I don’t like the commercialism. I don’t like the pressure to buy more. I don’t enjoy expectations placed on my time for the onslaught of celebrations and gatherings. And as much as I enjoy giving gifts to people, I really don’t like to be forced to choose something for the mere sake of giving a gift on a randomly designated day of the year, especially one that has drifted so far away from its original meaning. To be blunt, I really…
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9 Guidelines for Effective Communication
*I recently wrote this article for publication on Medium, but thought the content was worthy sharing here especially since the overarching theme of my 9 guidelines is kindness in communication. But if you don’t mind clicking over to the original article on Medium and giving it a read and a clap on that platform, I would really appreciate it! That is how I generate some income from my writing. It is all based on read time and claps and is a great way to make a little extra income doing what I love…writing (and communicating). 9 Guidelines for Effective Communication I have always been fascinated by the way people communicate…
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Hiking on Poors Island
This past weekend was probably the last one we will see with summery temperatures for the next 8 months, so we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and went for a little hike on Poors Island. Poors Island is a manmade island situated in the middle of the Black River in Black River, New York. The island was built and maintained by Brookfield Power and is home to ruins of an old paper mill. There is also a large picnic area with grills and tables that could be used for small outdoor gatherings. The trail around the island is an easy walk requiring little exertion to make your…
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Inspired by To Be Bright: Florals For Fall? Actually Groundbreaking
The weather in northern New York has been a wee bit erratic the past few weeks with temperatures fluctuating daily in 30-40 degree swings. Is it summer? Is it fall? This strange seasonal transition can complicate our outfit choices, can’t it? When I saw Tilden of To Be Bright styling this very cool transitional outfit, Florals for Fall? Actually Groundbreaking, I was immediately drawn to the contrast between the fall tones and colors combined with the more summery garments like a lightweight blouse and denim shorts. I knew I wanted to recreate this look and since it is the perfect season to do so, I went for it straightaway. The…
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Meet Me at the Pumpkin Patch with Bellelily & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up #190
I have another cute Bellelily tee to share today just in time for pumpkin patches and fall decorating. I wore this outfit last week on one of those early fall days that still feel like summer is holding on for something. Those kind of days present the rare opportunity for styling tall boots with a mini skirt and bare legs and still be comfortable. Disclaimer: This tee shirt was gifted to me for purposes of this blog post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own. I added this Meet Me at the Pumpkin Patch T-Shirt to my recent Bellelily order and it is perfect for festive feels…
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The Fab 40s are Getting Dressed for NYFW
We are back at it again, my Fab 40’s friends and I, and we are dressing up for New York Fashion Week. While NYFW ended on September 16, that isn’t stopping us from dressing the part just for the fun of it. This month’s theme was the brainchild of Ada and I have to admit that I was kind of stumped. Back in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, I spent a good many years working in different parts of New York City and it really is one of the most fashionable places on earth. It was such a cool environment back in my 20’s and early 30’s. I remember…
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Adventures in Thrifting Part 1: Denim Jumper & Link Up On the Edge #212
Kicking off my new series with an amazing group of international fashion influencers, The Thrifty Six, made me realize just how many preloved wardrobe pieces I own. I am guessing about 30% of my closet was purchased at thrift stores, consignment shops, yard sales, or second hand resale websites. While that may not sound like a huge number, if you consider the immense amount of clothing, shoes, and accessories in my wardrobe, there actually are quite a lot of preloved pieces. So that got me thinking…I have been preaching for years about the environmental benefits of reselling and purchasing preloved items as a fun and stylish way to help our…
