Tag Archives: beige

Mixing shades of purple with tan + leopard

Today’s outfit was inspired, in part, by a recent outfit worn by Queen Letizia of Spain, an outfit I pinned here. The inspiration outfit pairs a grey leopard coat with black trousers — which I could have easily worn — but I decided to be a bit more adventurous by pairing my grey leopard cardigan with my tan trousers instead. Switching up the neutrals… it’s a wild ride here @ Librarian for Life + Style! 😉

And once I added my purple tank top, I got inspired to add more shades of purple with my dark purple overcoat + purple lip stain. And then I had the idea of taking photos after work by these light purple walls, in order to sneak in one extra shade of purple. ♥

I do love me some wide-leg trousers, which always look their best while one is walking. I thought y’all would appreciate seeing how the trousers paired with and without the coat. (I think my husband especially appreciated the “all about that bass” shot below. 😉 )

I love these wedges so much. (They’re Clarks, so you know they’re comfortable.) They’re just so unexpected, with the mixture of snakeskin along the front and cork for the wedge part. And you know you have a good pair of shoes on when you are complimented on them at a bus stop! 😉

Weather: Chilly and clear

Where: Work day at the library, which included a shift at the reference desk

What:

Grey leopard print cardigan: c/o giveaway, old {similar grey leopard print cardigan}
Purple coat: Lands’ End outlet, over a decade ago {purple trench in “Grape Crush”}
Tan wide-leg trousers: The Limited, old {I don’t think I will ever get over The Limited shutting down, but here’s a similar option for wide-leg trousers}
Snakeskin wedges: Clarks, old {gorgeous snakeskin wedges — try the “Dove Multi” color combo}
Purple tank top: Old Navy, old {similar purple tank top}
Purple lip stain: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm Stain in “Shameless”

Please note that I get commission for clicks made through affiliate links in this post. This goes toward covering my website and file storage fees, so thank you for helping support this blog!

Linkups: Hello Monday, Visible Monday, #iwillwearwhatilike, Shoe and Tell, Confident Twosdays, Turning Heads, Style With a Smile, Who’s Wearing What Wednesdays, Trendy Wednesday, What I Wore Wednesday, I Feel Pretty Wednesdays, Weekly Wednesday Fashion Linkup, Top of the World, Thursday Moda, Fashion Friday, Passion for Fashion, Fun Fashion Friday, Fabulous Friday, Fancy Friday, Fine-Whatever Linkup, Weekend Wear Link Up, #SaturdayShareLinkUp

Remixing my floral shirtdress as a jacket

2 Replies

I love actress Ruth Negga’s style, especially this recent outfit of hers featuring a long, ornately embroidered jacket paired with black skinny pants. I loved the juxtaposition of the long, patterned jacket with the black outfit foundation. I thought, “Hmmmm… I could recreate a similar look.”

So I styled my short-sleeved floral shirtdress over a long-sleeved black turtleneck, and I zipped up the top part but left the bottom loose like Negga’s original inspiration look. I could have gone with my black pumps but instead switched them out for my black ankle boots that morning, just because. The heart wants what it wants, y’all. ♥

I have remixed this floral shirtdress as a long jacket before, seen here last summer. I really liked changing up the look this time by having the shirtdress partially zipped up. I also felt super long ‘n’ lean — my favorite aesthetic! — with the black skinny jeans + booties.

The backdrop for these photos is a brick school building in east Tacoma, a school that closed down years ago. And as you can see, it was VERY rainy that day we took photos. We actually took these photos on a Sunday afternoon out with my hubby, and I remixed this outfit the next day for work with my black long-sleeved tee and patent leather pumps.

Weather: Cold and rainy

Where: Weekend date with my husband and then remixed for the next work day

What:

Floral shirtdress: Phillip Lim for Target collection, thrifted via Poshmark last spring {similar short-sleeved, floral kimono}
Long-sleeved black turtleneck: Gap, bought years ago {similar black turtleneck}
Black skinny jeans: Banana Republic, a couple of years ago {exact skinny jeans}
Black ankle booties: Payless, old {similar black ankle booties}
Teal and silver earrings: Gift from my mom, old {similar earrings}

Please note that I get commission for clicks made through affiliate links in this post. This goes toward covering my website and file storage fees, so thank you for helping support this blog!

Linkups: Hello Monday, Visible Monday, #iwillwearwhatilike, Shoe and Tell, Confident Twosdays, Turning Heads, Style With a Smile, Who’s Wearing What Wednesdays, Trendy Wednesday, What I Wore Wednesday, I Feel Pretty Wednesdays, Weekly Wednesday Fashion Linkup, Top of the World, Thursday Moda, Fashion Friday, Passion for Fashion, Fun Fashion Friday, Fabulous Friday, Friday Favorites, Fancy Friday, Fine-Whatever Linkup, Weekend Wear Link Up, #SaturdayShareLinkUp

Black + tan | Blanket scarf + turtleneck + tweed hat

3 Replies

Today’s outfit came from an outfit inspiration from myfavoritethings25 Instagram feed, which I saved, an outfit featuring a belted blanket scarf, skinny jeans, tall boots, and a floppy hat. The light bulb in my brain went off, saying, “I have a blanket scarf, and I could belt it that way!” (You can also see other ways that I’ve worn this blanket scarf, here and here.)

If you’re a longtime reader (thank you!), then you know that I never worry about exactly recreating an inspiration look. For example, I don’t own a floppy hat, so I just took one of Sam’s hats that’s slightly oversized on me and pulled it lower down in the back. Done! 🙂

I wore this to the movies — Wakanda forever! — out along Point Ruston. We quickly took pics in a little corner out of the drizzle — and when we finished, a mom and her little girl happened to walk around the corner. This little girl — 5 or 6 years old? — was stylin‘ in patterned leggings, a tutu skirt, and a denim jacket. It was a sweet moment when our eyes met, we took in each other’s outfits, and then we smiled back at each other, like kindred spirits. Style, and love of style, transcends ages, y’all. ♥

And you’re NEVER too old to twirl. 😉

Weather: Drizzly and windy

Where: Movie and brunch date on the weekend

What:

Blanket scarf: c/o TOBI, this past fall {exact — still available and on sale!}
Turtleneck: Walmart?, very old {similar turtleneck}
Tweed hat: Borrowed from Sam, bought on Vienna trip in 2009 {similar tweed fedora} {tweed floppy hat option}
Skinny jeans: Target, old {similar dark skinny jeans from same store}
Cognac riding boots: Marc Fisher via Macy’s, old {very similar cognac boots}
Burgundy tote bag: Fred Meyer, old {similar burgundy tote bag}
Braided belt: Borrowed from Sam, Kohl’s?, old {very similar}
Bronze-and-bead earrings: Gift from my friend Stephanie, old

Please note that I get commission for clicks made through affiliate links in this post. This goes toward covering my website and file storage fees, so thank you for helping support this blog!

Linkups: Hello Monday, Visible Monday, #iwillwearwhatilike, Shoe and Tell, Confident Twosdays, Turning Heads, Style With a Smile, Who’s Wearing What Wednesdays, Trendy Wednesday, What I Wore Wednesday, I Feel Pretty Wednesdays, Weekly Wednesday Fashion Linkup, Top of the World, Thursday Moda, Fashion Friday, Passion for Fashion, Fun Fashion Friday, Fabulous Friday, Friday Favorites, Fancy Friday, Fine-Whatever Linkup, Weekend Wear Link Up, #SaturdayShareLinkUp

SIA interpretation: Roots

3 Replies

It’s time for my interpretation of the final Style Imitating Art (SIA) challenge for 2017! For this style challenge, SIA co-founder Salazar @ 14 Shades of Grey chose the inspiration artwork.

The inspiration:

Salazar picked an amazing photo from a series called “Roots” by Spanish photographer Miguel Vallinas, a series which depicts people in outfits with flowers for their heads. Salazar was drawn to the series for its striking — and stylish! — effect, and you can learn more about the meaning of the series here in this article.

There are a lot of photos in the series, which you can see more of here, but Salazar chose the “Number 24” photo, a combo that includes a blue gingham shirt, a long cardigan, and a head of purple-colored flowers, all against a black backdrop. In the collage below is a detail from the inspiration photo, but you can see the full photo here.

Interpretation:

I recreated the outfit pretty closely but added a twist when it came to the flowers in the inspiration photo. I also wore a denim skirt instead of jeans, and an overcoat instead of a long cardigan. All the major colors are there: beige, blue, purple, green, and denim.

I brought in the floral in a subtle way through my cloisonné earrings, which also brought in the black and green tones. (The purple tones of the flowers are represented in my purple sweater vest.) You can’t see the earrings too well in the full outfit photos, so I included some closeups below. (You’ve also seen these earrings before on the blog here, here, and here.)

The black painted wall as the backdrop came out looking more grey, due to the foggy weather. But that’s what I was going for, a black background. The blue of my gingham button-front shirt and my tights really pops, right?

And even though it was foggy, I wore my sunglasses for our quick photo shoot in order to sort of “hide” my face — a little nod to the flowers that substitute for the head in the inspiration photo!

Weather: Foggy and cold

Where: Work day and running errands on the weekend

What:

Blue gingham button-front: Old Navy, old {similar gingham button-front}
Purple sweater vest: JCPenney, old {similar cable shell} {magenta shell}
Denim skirt: Fashion-swapped in Portland years ago {similar buttoned denim skirt}
Blue tights: Vera Wang for Kohl’s, old {similar blue tights}
Cognac riding boots: Marc Fisher via Macy’s, old {very similar cognac boots}
Cloisonné earrings: Handmade and locally made in Portland, old {similar earrings}

Please note that I get commission for clicks made through affiliate links in this post. This goes toward covering my website and file storage fees, so thank you for helping support this blog!

By the way, if you’re wondering if this outfit looks familiar, it’s because it’s basically a mash-up of two previous outfits, as you can see below:

2014 outfit // 2016 outfit

SIA interpretation: Native American mural weaving

5 Replies

It’s time for my personal interpretation of the new Style Imitating Art (SIA) challenge that I curated this go-round. Since this SIA go-round nearly coincides with the upcoming American holiday of Thanksgiving, I wanted to choose a work that honored Native American perspectives and artistry.

SIA inspiration pick:

I chose a breathtaking new mural in Tacoma entitled “Working Forward, Weaving Anew,” designed by lead artists Esteban Camacho Steffensen and Jessilyn Brinkerhoff. It was painted this past summer, and it’s part of a new dedication by Tacoma in supporting local Native American voices in public art. You can read more about the mural online here and here.

Here is one photo, and portion, of this large-scale mural:

Detail of “Working Forward, Weaving Anew” mural, Tacoma, 2017

My interpretation:

Living in Tacoma, of course I was lucky enough to pose for photos in front of the mural itself! I focused on the colors, combining different shades of blue and beige, as well as combining different textures. I layered a nubby-textured navy blue sleeveless dress over a beige turtleneck, navy tights, and bronze Mary Jane heels. I then layered my tattersall cape-like short coat over that, to add warmth and depth to the look.

My accessories rounded out the outfit and added extra textures: a royal blue patent leather skinny belt; gold earrings in the shape of a ribbon tied with a knot; and a silk dupioni clutch that looks gold in one light with hints of light blue in different light.

Instead of spiking my short hair up or sweeping the bangs off my face, I instead blow-dried it into a sleeker look and smoothed down my bangs. It’s fun to play with my hair, even when it’s short!

I also put my gold ribbon knot earrings in the second, upper hole in my ears, so you could see them better. My paternal grandmother used to make lots of jewelry, including these simple yet striking earrings. I’ve also worn these earrings as a pair of brooches here.

And one final look at this breathtaking mural:

Weather: Chilly and drizzly

Where: En route to see the “Hip Hop Nutcracker” show at the Pantages Theatre in Tacoma

What:

Navy sleeveless dress: Macy’s, old {textured navy sleeveless dress}
Turtleneck: Walmart?, old {very similar}
Cape-like tattersall coat: Façonnable, thrifted in Portland, old {plaid cape in similar colors} {similar wool cape}
Navy tights: Simply Vera Wang for Kohl’s, new {exact tights in “Peacoat” color}
Bronze Mary Jane heels: Franco Sarto, thrifted in Portland, old {very similar}
Gold ribbon earrings: Made by my paternal grandmother, vintage {similar}
Silk dupioni clutch: Gift from a colleague in the UAE, old {similar silk shantung clutch}
Patent leather belt: JCPenney, old {similar royal blue belt with studs}

Please note that I get commission for clicks made through affiliate links in this post. This goes toward covering my website and file storage fees, so thank you for helping support this blog!

There is still time to participate in SIA:

Everyone — bloggers, non-bloggers, all genders, all ages, even pets! — is welcome to participate. Just send a pic of an outfit — selfies and flat lays are also just fine — inspired by this week’s SIA artwork to this week’s curator — that’s me! — at librarianforlifestyle@gmail.com by tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 21st, by 10 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). I will then post the SIA round-up on my blog on Wednesday, Nov. 22nd — the day before Thanksgiving!