Gingham Girl..A Casual Monday Post…

Happy Casual Monday!

I say Casual Monday because it’s a short week for me and I plan on being a bit casual all week. Short week, you may ask? Yes…because I leave for a MUCH needed cruise with my hubby and daughter on Saturday. We’ll be gone ten days and I just can’t wait!

Skirt: Gap (old but love this one from Boden); Shirt: Old Navy (old but love this JCREW shirt also); Heels: Franco Sarto (Old but love these by Vince Camuto); Bag: Kate Spade (Sold out but dying for this Michael Kors!); Sunnies: Franco Sarto.

Honestly, cruise preparation has been the main cause of my not posting as much as usual on the blog. This is because any sort of event involving wearing a bathing suit causes my body to literally turn to mush (I’m fabulously fit the rest of the time..wink, wink).

Due to the mush effect, I’ve spent quite a bit of time working out twice as much as usual, dreaming about cupcakes and other sweets that I cannot have and checking my mush to see if it’s returned to its former firm state. This is quite the time-consuming process.

I do hope to make up for it though with lots of fun posts detailing my cruise adventures! Stay tuned for future cruise inspired posts!

Now…back to my casual Monday outfit.

I paired one of my fave Old Navy, blue gingham, button up shirts with an orange skirt from the Gap. To avoid being too casual, I added my Franco Sarto leather heels, my fave Kate Spade leather bag and a necklace and belt from JCREW.

When picking out a skirt to wear with this shirt, I referred to my color wheel and matched two colors opposite of each other. Wanna learn more about using a color wheel, check out my prior post here!

Hope your week is off to a great start! Xx..Cortneybre…

 

 

 

 

Violets are Blue…Gingham & Floral Prints

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With the Polar Vortex upon us, I decided to dress in layers today. I usually determine my outfits by picking one piece that I definitely want to wear and coordinating around it. This tactic was used in picking out today’s ensemble.

I brought out this blue and violet cardigan which really doesn’t get enough credit for being so pretty. I realized last night how versatile it was when I found at least 5 different outfits that I could build from this one piece!

In order to stay warm and give my poor legs and feet a break from the Arctic wind, I decided on pants instead of a skirt. I also was pleasantly surprised that the cardigan paired so well with a blue and white gingham shirt from Old Navy. Add a grey and blue crystal bib necklace and I was ready for a chilly Monday.

Of course, as I was working in my closet, I neglected to watch the weather and its 50 degrees here today. Egads! Snow is predicted for tomorrow though….and I’ll probably wear a skirt. Take THAT Mother Nature! Xoxo.. Cortneybre..

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Live Life Colorfully…A Guide to Wearing Bright Colors…

It’s a rainy day here and very drab.  I was thinking about how “ugly” it was outside today when I picked my attire this morning.  I chose a bright (as in, don’t look directly at it for fear of blindness!) yellow jacket with a black and white striped skirt.  Why not wear something bright on a rainy (or in some cases snowy) day?  Bright colors are always so happy and eye catching yet many people shy away from them.  Here’s a little guide I use for choosing and wearing bright colors.

When in doubt choose one bright color:

As you become more comfortable, you can possibly add an accent color but when first adding color to your wardrobe, stick to simple.

Start with a bright blouse or shirt under a dark jacket:

A bright blouse will shine underneath a darker jacket.  This POP of color will brighten your wardrobe and your day! (as will the tons of compliments you receive!)

Be careful when wearing brightly colored jewelry with brightly colored clothes:

I see this very often, especially in summer.  Someone is sporting one color from head to toe and to top it off, a beautiful necklace (and maybe earrings) of the same hue.  Too much of a good thing is…uh… a bad thing.  When you wear too much of one color (bright or not) it appears overwhelming and the outfit loses focus.  Plus you can be identified as “the lady who wore that REALLY “insert bright color worn” outfit that day and caused everyone’s eyes to water”.  No one wants to be that lady.

 Pair a bright color with black and white patterns:

This is an instant hit!  No matter what the black and white pattern, you can typically wear it with ANY bright color and it looks great!  Browns and denims can also be used this way as they are neutrals.  Check out my look for today as I’ve used this rule and paired my yellow jacket with a black and white striped skirt!

If at all possible, wear bright red lipstick:

Ok…this is just my personal mantra but I do SO enjoy red lipstick.  And it often pairs wonderfully with bright colors!  Give it a try!

When you’re ready…add a compatible color:

This can be tricky but if you get it right, the result is a whole lotta awesome!  It may sound silly but you can use a color wheel to pick your wardrobe.  Here are the rules:

Pick colors that:

  • Are directly next to each other (example: yellow and orange or yellow and green)  OR
  • Form a right angle with each other (example: orange-yellow and red or red-orange and violet) OR
  • Directly across from each other (example: yellow and violet or orange and blue)

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Live life colorfully, my friends!

Cortneybre…

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