All things EARTH...

[MJC]

I have some other options, but I don't like to wear work like dresses on a cruise. For example:

 

 

I apologize for the strange expression on my face.

 

 

I have to say, I really like this dress on you and the gold necklace is wonderful. I didn't even note the expression on your face at first because I was so busy admiring this one. :) I know what you mean about wearing work clothes on vacation though. Still, this one is worth thinking about -- with the gold jewelry, and your gold sandals, it is definitely cruise-worthy.

 

So, this is what happens when you ask for DECAF and don't get it; up all night on the Internet. Also, today (or yesterday, actually) was my last day of the semester so I can sleep all I want tomorrow. Yay.

 

Laurie, thank you for the nice things you said about my dress. Here is another outfit that was a last-minute dinner substitute for one of the dresses I left behind. I bought these brownish mushroomy colored pants for $12 during my last-ditch Macy's shopping the week before the cruise when I realized I didn't have a pair of long pants packed, and didn't own any that weren't winter-weight. I don't think this is a color I would wear near my face, but it makes for a nice neutral bottom for spring or summer when chocolate or black seems too much, and khaki a bit too informal. The top is from Coldwater Creek and I love the combo of warm brown, muted brown, ivory, and coral. After buying this, I think this is my preferred way of wearing ivory now, in a print with other colors. I wore a gold strand necklace with gold leaves and coral glass beads, and my new favorite shoes, the Steve Madden nude platform pumps. I think in this outfit you can begin to see my recent weight loss, which is rewarding for me, and makes me a little less happy with the looser shape of the previous dress. Also, the length of the top and the skinny pant are more flattering proportions I think than the below-the-knee shift dress (Laurie I agree with you that shorter like yours would be a better length for me).

 

[MJC]

I've been thinking about Laurie's cream dress. I'd like to hear Anita's thoughts about it.

 

I think this dress can be saved with some slight editing, and some color to create contrast and move the eye around. First, I think the cap sleeve is working with the neckline to pull the focus up higher than is perfect for you. I would think about removing the sleeves entirely to make it a sleeveless sheath. A nice long arm means one less extra line on the body to complicate the look.

 

Next, a colorful shoe will create some drama down below to look at. These are extreme examples, but:

 

http://www.zappos.com/calvin-klein-vivian-orange

 

http://www.zappos.com/michael-antonio-tenga-satin-red

 

Tie it together with a sparkly red earring in a romantic shape that complements the style of the dress:

 

http://www.theoutnet.com/product/339094?cm_mmc=LinkshareUS-_-Hy3bqNL2jtQ-_-Custom-_-LinkBuilder&siteID=Hy3bqNL2jtQ-qFrEeGEMkvkk4X4kku3YwQ

 

Throw on pearl bracelet, or two or three, and a nice big ring, a gold clutch, and you have an outfit instead of just a dress.

 

This is like dressing my Barbies! I'm so glad you posted so many pictures!

 

I have two cream and tan tshirts that have been languishing in a drawer for quite a while. Until this summer, they were the kind of thing I would put on, then change because I wasn't quite happy, they were kind of bland with the bottoms I had. Then, I got my brick red capris and my dark teal shorts, and they were great together. I didn't have to try to match the two very specific colors, and as outfits they don't look too matchy matchy. Here is one of the shirts; with it, I'm wearing tiny teal earrings to match my teal shorts and I had on my cream Skechers:

 

 

The other shirt is cream with a tan embroidered outline of a flower design, but I don't have a picture of it. I wore it with my red capris and some red stone hoop earrings, and gold flip flops. Both shirts look ok with my brown shorts, too, but I like them with colors better.

[MJC]

So, here is the red dress I bought this summer. It is probably more Fire than Earth (definitely not Earth), and now it is at least a size too big BUT... my brain goes "I spent good money on it, so I need to wear it one more time even though it's not the right color, and the fit isn't flattering, blah blah blah." I do love this dress, it's beautiful and the cotton lace is gorgeous, but if I could do over I wouldn't buy it again and go through all this mental drama:

 

 

It's a Ralph Lauren, I got it for $45, so that's $15 per wear (a crime according to the Vivienne Files). Also, we went to the club that night and after five minutes of dancing the poly lining was SO HOT I thought I was gonna have a stroke.

 

You'd think I'd learn, right? Yeesh.

 

Oh, but look at the pretty shoes :) I love them.

[MJC]

Just daydreaming about what to wear for New Year's Eve, isn't this pretty?

 

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/product-detail/62702/69427/crystal-pleats-dress.aspx?colorid=077&refLink=misses-dresses.aspx

[laurspag]

Here is another outfit that was a last-minute dinner substitute for one of the dresses I left behind. I bought these brownish mushroomy colored pants for $12 during my last-ditch Macy's shopping the week before the cruise when I realized I didn't have a pair of long pants packed, and didn't own any that weren't winter-weight. I don't think this is a color I would wear near my face, but it makes for a nice neutral bottom for spring or summer when chocolate or black seems too much, and khaki a bit too informal. The top is from Coldwater Creek and I love the combo of warm brown, muted brown, ivory, and coral. After buying this, I think this is my preferred way of wearing ivory now, in a print with other colors. I wore a gold strand necklace with gold leaves and coral glass beads, and my new favorite shoes, the Steve Madden nude platform pumps. I think in this outfit you can begin to see my recent weight loss, which is rewarding for me, and makes me a little less happy with the looser shape of the previous dress. Also, the length of the top and the skinny pant are more flattering proportions I think than the below-the-knee shift dress (Laurie I agree with you that shorter like yours would be a better length for me).

 

 

Margaret, I love this outfit. That shirt is such a perfect earth shirt, and those pants are great. I know what you mean about pants not always being a fully earth color....really, they can be so hard to find! I'm just doing my best to stay away from anything at all ice. From there, I look for fire next, then to air. I have typical work pants that I wear most days, and I just can't wear chocolate brown every single day. I have found a nice earth khaki, but I don't wear lighter colored pants at this time of the year that much. Mostly, I have various shades of brown, some which are a bit cool in tone.

[laurspag]

When you mentioned the two shirts you had in your drawer most of the summer, but then decided to wear on your cruise with your teal shorts and red pants, it made me think a bit. I often feel that way about certain colors. For example, one of the shorts outfit I posted a picture of was a muted orangey red top with brown shorts. I really love that outfit, because it isn't matchy matchy, as you say. I really like my new purple shorts too, but I am likely going to change out the top. I have cream lace top that I am altering, and I think that will work a bit better. For whatever reason, I want this steam punk necklace I loved on Etsy, but didn't get around to ordering so someone else bought it. :mad: I will have to keep looking.

 

YOu are right, the red dress is big. But, you can definitely take in that style of dress. In pictures, the red seems almost a bit ice. That happens with red a lot when you use a flash though. I too sometimes hold on to things because I don't want them to go to waste. I am sure that is probably a dry clean only dress, or I'd say to try tea staining it.

 

I know the purple dress would look great on a cruise, and Curt said it was a good dress for me too. :D I may end up taking it, who knows? I guess it is just the way the mind thinks...separating work from vacation!

 

Now that cream lace dress....I do think that the right jewelry could really liven it up a bit. It's a great earth color, just not my greatest earth color. To a certain degree, the picture itself isn't helping. I go back and forth on jewelry because there is some detail in the neckline. I think jewelry, shoes, clutch - all those things could help it immensely. I think my biggest issue is the higher neckline and sheath styling. Since I'm having a few seams added near the waist area, the shape should be better. It's like your red dress - I need to get something out of it, since I bought it fairly recently.

[laurspag]

Just daydreaming about what to wear for New Year's Eve, isn't this pretty?

 

http://www.coldwatercreek.com/product-detail/62702/69427/crystal-pleats-dress.aspx?colorid=077&refLink=misses-dresses.aspx

 

I love that dress style, Margaret. It is a style that works excellent for me. It is so flattering! Boy, I really struggle sometimes with purple, so I do my best to try and make sure the color is warm. This looks warm to me, and reminds me of a color on my daughter's fire cards. That looks like it would be beautiful for New Year's Eve. I can imagine you go out, that is not a "let's stay home and order pizza" dress!!!

[Anita Latte]

Hey Ladies...

 

I've been meaning to post but I've been working on a toilet project...:eek: and my in-laws are still in town...did I mention that my youngest SIL had a baby two weeks ago? OMG...SO CUTE!!

 

ANYHOO...

 

Margaret...that red dress needs to GO!! It's too big. It's the wrong color. And it's too hot. Buh bye! I know all about the spending good money argument...so maybe look into some consignment stores in your area. There are some that only accept name brand dresses. Now is the perfect time to pass that dress on...it's red and in the holiday spirit. It's a classic cut...I bet someone ELSE would LOVE to have it. :D

 

The slacks outfit? You look FABULOUS!!! I can totally see your inches lost! WTG!! I think brown can be a bit like cat eyes...the borderline browns can look more or less warm depending on what they are paired with...and so long as they blend with the outfit...and aren't near the face...I don't worry about it too much. Brown is easier in this regard than other colors...I think if we are all aware of it and are able to deal and then replace in the future as we can find the BEST...we can certainly make do with GOOD ENOUGH in the mean time.

 

I really like the fabric of the ivory/brown print dress. It's really nice. I agree that a richer cream color instead of the more ivory-like would be nicer...and so would a wider neckline...and so would a short hem...but I'm thinking that hemming the dress would take away the end of the brown detail...and I'm not sure if that would be as nice to not have it fade out again into the lighter color? I wonder if you could somehow make the dress into a shirt and skirt? One of those shirt and skirts and that look like one piece but are really two? Maybe a couple darts at the waist going over the hips into the fullness of the skirt? The shirt could actually stay somewhat blousy...and then it could tuck into a waist band of the skirt...and you could wear it with a skinny belt. It would ultimately end up looking more fit for work...maybe. The fabric is just so nice looking...I wonder about what to do to save it. Making the lower part of the dress into a skirt would allow you to lose the excess fabric from the solid part in the middle and still raise the hem without losing any fabric at the hem...

 

Laurie...that purple dress is such a flattering silhouette. The necklace is nice...but if you normally wear it with a necklace...maybe you could find some fun earrings? And get some bracelets? And wear your newer gold heels?

[laurspag]

What a busy weekend I have going here! Cookie and wine party tonight, work Christmas party tomorrow. I'm on the committee, so I have lots of work to do!

 

I am thinking more and more about the purple dress. As a matter of fact, I'm wearing it to the Christmas party tomorrow, and I'm hoping they don't keep the room too cold because of the short sleeves. I really do like the dress a lot. It will travel really well too

 

I still keep about you in that outfit, Margaret. Those pants and top look so good! I love the print on the top. And that up close picture of you? Love that shirt too! And you look really happy too.

 

By the way, Anita...you had initially showed me a picture of a scarf from Nordstrom. I really like that for the green skirt and champagne color shirt. Unfortunately, they were sold out of it. Sam Moon had some cute things, but I really wanted to bring that green upward. I shall have to check their website again, and see if Nordstrom has any back in stock.

[MJC]

This one appears cool, color wise. The skirt is great, I don't think it is an issue. However, this is top I've talked about before that is somewhere between warm and cool. I may need to wear it with an extremely warm bottom, just to make sure it doesn't cool down a whole outfit:

 

 

I love this one. For whatever reason, I never realized until I had a bunch of stuff out today how well the shirt and skirt work. You can't fully catch it from the picture. You know how colors can be....that is why I always take pictures in my kitchen normally. There is something about the lighting in my room that throws things off.

 

 

 

I just took a moment to look over your casual outfits again. I love pairings you've made. I especially like the pale coral/dark coral one here, to me that has always been a sophisticated way to "match" without matching too much, KWIM? I learned that from watching my sister the painter and her clothes. I like the idea of a scarf to add some interest to the solid/solid look.

 

That in-between top that you have with the green shorts -- I have a top and sweater that color too. My top has a bit of a sheen to it, and it looks like yours might too. IMHO, that color looks best with colors in the brown/red/orange/gold side of the wheel, because I think the top reflects the color it's paired with and those colors warm it up more than an EARTH blue, green, or purple can. Just something to think about. It's ok with the green, it's just not my favorite compared to the other outfits you posted. Keep in mind that I like me some color, that's just my own personal taste.

 

So, the red dress is definitely on the consignment pile once it gets back from the cleaners. The brown/ivory/green collar one is going too. It's not that I don't like that dress, but, you know, I bought that when I was still trying to adjust to being a big girl after having been thin my whole life. Truthfully, I didn't know what I was doing shape-wise, so I have several baggy sack type dresses from that time that I've never really been happy with. Now I want to see my shape and have a realistic idea of where I am weight/health/appearance-wise. I want the baggy dresses gone.

 

In keeping the with shape theme of my last paragraph, here is another one of my dinner outfits. It is brown and ivory, and I wore it with with my gold and emerald necklace and my green lizard sandals for our anniversary dinner in Sydney and again on the night we had our anniversary cake on board. It has a wrap top and an empire waist, with princess seaming to make the skirt flare. On me this has always been a flattering shape as it balances out my short torso and long legs by blurring the line of where one ends and the other begins. My ongoing challenge is not to look like a lollipop!

 

 

I went Christmas and Hannukah shopping all day yesterday, and I was a very good girl. I only bought myself one pair of earrings (on sale) and a great long sleeve tshirt that is the color of very light coffee, sooo perfect. You know you are an EARTH when you look at white and say "it's so bright, my eyes hurt!" :)

[Anita Latte]

Margaret...that dress is Bea-YOU-tiful on you! I LOVE that dress style. I had one, which I have since given away because I shrank out of it...and also because it was a brown pattern on a dull black, very similar to yours...and I thought I could kind of get away with the dull warm black...but reality hit me with pictures, and the dress hit Goodwill. BUT I do love that style. And I love the pop of color on the shoes. Fantastic. I think that's one of the things that I am enjoying most about all the neutral tone on tone EARTH clothing...how easy it is to grab a color and pop it in the accessories. I know ICE can do that with black...but I think we EARTH gals can do it even better because the muted colors can all blend in an outfit so that we don't have to be too monotone there to ALSO have the pop of color. It's been making me look at more and more colorful shoes. I've really worn my cheap Target orange sandals much more than I originally thought I would. For $20 shoes, I'm definitely under $0.10 a wear now...LOL.

[laurspag]

Margaret, I love that dress too! That style of dress can be so flattering on certain people, and you are one of them. They work very well for me also, when I can get them to fit properly on top. I love the dress, it really suits you.

 

You know I had my work Christmas party tonight, and I decided to wear the purple dress. My plan was to wear it with those nude heels, and my pearls. I got dressed and like the whole outfit quite a bit, but something just didn't seem right. After a bit of thought, I decided it was the pearls. I can't put my finger on it, but it just wasn't working the way I thought it should.

 

I decided to leave it, since we were about to go. When I was walking, my shoes kept falling off! So I quick put in those inserts in the back, since I have to have them around the house. (wide feet = bigger shoes then inserts to keep them on)

 

Those stupid things still kept falling off. So I put in a second set. After the third set, I gave up and grabbed my gold sandals, and traded the pearls for a dressy necklace I have. Those were the best choices I made! The gold sandals work wonderful with the dress. I do think that I need a tie in with the shoes, when it comes to this particular dress.

 

I didn't get a picture, but when I have a moment, I will post a picture of the necklace at least. This is really a versatile dress. I like it more and more every time I wear it. I received a lot of compliments, and that really made me feel good.

 

I have been thinking about that cream lace dress, and the rust one. When I mentioned taking the purple one to my husband, he really like that idea. I am very intrigued about following up on Margaret's suggestion on putting some bright colors with it. For example, I have this gold and red necklace, and then I have these red slides with about a 2 1/2 inch heel...that would really look cute with a red bangle bracelet and a red clutch! I may toy with some of the items I have and just see how the different accessories work with it. Remember, there are some darts being put in the dress so that may help the fit a lot, and the accessories could make the dress "pop" more.

 

It's kind of like Margaret's red dress, except that instead of being a no, it's a so-so. I wouldn't mind getting a bit of use out of it if I could.

 

Margaret, that champagne color shirt may be moved to something else. I have another shirt I can wear with the green skirt, and it will eliminate the problem. By the way, I've worn the champagne shirt with the dark coral skirt before, and it brought the warmth back to the shirt color very well.

[MJC]

I do love that brown dress. It's one of those things that I will put high on my replacement list as I shrink. Unfortunately with the side zip and the way the bodice is, I don't think it will take well to altering. Anita, I know what you mean about the orange shoes. My green ones were a ridiculous $15 impulse buy and I can't tell you how many times I've ended up wearing them. I have a green shawl that I usually pack with them and together they work with almost anything, so are great for travel.

 

Well, here are more pics. We spent three days in Sydney, and I knew I wanted to dress nicely while we were in the city, and also that it would be cooler than the rest of our stops, so I had a little mini wardrobe for those days. The first day was a little cool, so I ended up wearing my black travel fleece which kind of defeated my whole look for the day (tan shirt, red capris, tan skechers). But here are my other two outfits.

 

The second day I knew we would be out in the sun a lot, so I'm wearing my "city hat" and a long sleeved shirt. Since I had melanoma last year I am paranoid about the sun now. I wanted my backpack purse and this hat, so I tried to mitigate the black by piling on the gold:

 

 

By the third day it was so much hotter I opted for sleeveless. Fortunately, Australia is very sun-aware and there are shady spots everywhere one might have to wait. We toured the botanical gardens and did a historic city walk, but even so we never burned. I had a gold jacket to go with this but it went in the backpack pretty early on, and I wore my gold-ish cotton ankle pants which I don't have a picture of for some reason:

 

 

I wore this outfit for embarkation the next morning, plus the fleece since it was so chilly. Sailaway was so windy that I was really glad to have the fleece as the only sweater I packed was very light weight.

 

You know, I look at the outfits that The Vivienne Files has for "on the plane," and while they are quite stylish I can't help but think of all the times I've seen various things spilled on people in the air. I always travel in black pants, and I never count my travel outfit as vacation wear. I always expect it will be ruined/dirty and not useable for a while, and black hides a multitude of sins.

[MJC]

How many times do we see articles about things that look good on everyone?

 

These nail polishes are from an article on universally flattering makeup shades:eek:, but they happen to be really pretty Earth colors, I think. I'd have to see the peach one in person, in case it's too bright:

 

 

And this article, yikes, I count at least two things I would never wear (a double-breasted coat, and the gathered waist dress). The long cardigan is probably useful but at my age I would have to accessorize like mad not to be Maude-ish (for those of you who remember that show):

 

 

On a completely different topic, isn't this a cute yellow coat? It looks buttery in the picture but I'm concerned it might be Fire IRL:

 

 

Ok, now I'm done procrastinating. Back to work, cleaning off my desk.

[laurspag]

Margaret, I get so befuddled any time a magazine describes something as "looks great on everyone". I tell my daughters that all the time. I also tell them that if you're skinny, heavier set or in between, you have a shape, and that dicates what looks good on you.

 

I, too, like warmer, comfortable sweaters. But, I can't wear just any kind. Those fly away cardigans are so cute and flowy, but I've found that they tent out over the "girls" and it can be very unflattering. I know what you mean by maudish...how funny you used that term. I've been singing the theme song to the show every since I read your post!

 

V necks are great for me. The little denim dress is cute, but I would look kind of goofy in that, since it isn't a style I wear normally.

 

And those bootleg pants? Those are probably the item closest to "looks great on everyone" that I can find. I can't wear skinny jeans, they aren't suitable at all. I have one pair of straight leg jeans that I wear with my boots that go just below the knee, and I try to make sure that even though I like longer sweaters, I keep it near the hips and semi fitted.

 

Isn't it funny how once we start thinking about color and get serious about it, we start looking at everything? The nail polish is a good example. I was thinking about my cruise, and I will go with either a satiny gold shade, or maybe one like that peachy tone. I am leaning towards gold, since I've always been a bit conservative with nail color, and this will be something different but still look elegant with my dresses.

 

I love your pictures! Keep posting them! Earth tones really do bring out the best in you. I see you do still like black though. :D It can be pretty hard to find certain things in brown and earth tones. I'd love to see that hat in brown with an ivory band.

 

You know, that dress may alter pretty good, depending on how much it needs to come in. I just love that dress. It is perfect for you.

 

Your cruise sounds like it was so wonderful. What type of temperatures did you have at each port?

[MJC]

In connection with talking about ivory, here is a pretty sweater where the detail around the neck makes it look so pretty on this model. With ivory, I think I like having some extra interest around the face:

 

 

 

Also, love this lightweight fleece in cayenne:

 

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/53635?feat=fitness

 

 

Laurie, you are right, it's hard to give up black, especially in the city. When I bought the hat I wasn't thinking about vacation at all, and the only other color was white. I think this style is going to fade pretty quickly so I'm not wedded to keeping it for long. Also, I'm still on the hunt for a nice backpack purse in brown with brass hardware. The black one I have is SO conveniently organized that I'm spoiled, so I'm being very picky. If I had had a brown bag, the hat would have stayed home.

 

Temps in Sydney were low 60s at night, low 70s during the day. In the direct sun it felt much hotter, though. It reminded me of Florida in winter in that respect. It was always put the sweater on, take the sweater off, put the sweater on again. As we went north it got hotter, up to 90ish in Brisbane. We missed our day in Townsville due to high seas but it would have been mid-90s there. On board at the pool it was always a little breezy so unless you were in the full sun it was a bit chilly for bathing suits. I avoid the sun from 11am-2pm so most of the time we were at the pool I was in a coverup because of the breeze. I thought I had packed too many t-shirts, but that's what we ended up wearing most sea days.

 

The Dawn Princess got a MUTS system in June, and I have to say that I found it kind of annoying. I didn't mind the music during the day, but about 4-4:30 they started with different shows and ads and I really didn't like it. Between late dinner and the seeing the production shows we never did end up going for a movie at night. We heard that it was kind of chilly, though. We thought about spending an afternoon at the Sanctuary, but on the DP it is all the way forward and it was too windy up there to truly enjoy. In total we actually spent more time on our balcony than up on deck because the temperature was pleasant out of the wind, and the sound of the water is of course magical.

[MJC]

On deck; these are the two cotton shirts from Old Navy that have been my coverups this summer. I love them because they are very lightweight, wash easily in the sink and dry quickly, are long enough on me to cover my tush, and I even swim in them if I've had too much sun. I tea-stained them both, but the aqua one did better than the blue one, which is still a little too bright. I'm hoping it will fade some more, I keep washing it in hot water.

 

 

At the Great Barrier Reef:

 

 

 

Bird watching at Willis Island:

 

[laurspag]

I just have to share this with you all....

 

I've been working hard to update my wardrobe with good work attire. I find it much easier to shop for a cruise or the more basic everyday work attire. I have not had luck with suits or blazers. So, I got a promotion I have been hoping for (yay!!!) and was invited to what is called an appreciation reception. It is basically a fairly short party where we great local realtors and mortgage brokers that we work with on a regular basis. It is at a local country club, but...

 

people typically wear more tailored suits with sparkly tops underneath. And guess who hasn't found a suit??? So, I searched endlessly for a brown suit, or an earthy suit. No luck. I looked for just a jacket that I could pair up with something I already have. zilch.

 

I had to get a stupid navy blue suit (yes, I'm mad). It was that or black. I took the lesser of the evils. I checked JC Penney, Macy's, NY & Company, Dressbarn, and few others. What is really annoying is that Curt directed me to suit separates at Macy's in chocolate brown a while back, and I waited a week to see if I could find them in the store first. The store didn't have them, so I went back online to order and they were out.

 

I couldn't wait, the reception is Tuesday and I was asked Friday afternoon.

[laurspag]

Sorry I did a whole lot of complaining there, but I really get upset. Sometimes I think they make the items, but because people are looking for them, they buy them right up.

 

We have a new store at mall called XSRE, which is pronounced "accessory". It is really a fun store. It's more expensive than Sam Moon, but it's great to shop in person, and it allows someone who likes scarves and jewelry and purses the ability to buy without spending a ton of money. What was really impressive was how much there was for earth and fire ladies. Sure, there was plenty of black and silver, but I was greatly impressed with the variety and selection of gold toned jewelry.

 

Margaret, I've tea stained a handful of things. My favorites are two pairs of white shorts. One is a nice warm, dark ivory now and the other is more of a very light beige? I purposely used orange pekoe tea to keep them extra warm looking. I would keep re-dying those cover ups until you get them exactly where you want them.

 

I'm sure you must be very tempted by all the black in stores right now. I can keep myself from buying it quite well, but I'm getting frustrated by the overall color choices. I'm happy that I am fairly well set, except for suiting, for the time being.

[MJC]

Laurie, congratulations on the promotion! Yay! How exciting! I hear you about buying suits, it's a real challenge. There is so much black, gray, and blue, and I blame the men for starting it all. :) At a certain level, those "serious" colors are all you see. Finding warm colors that are also tailored appropriately and conservatively for executives is especially challenging.

 

At least with navy you can accessorize with a warm top and some gold jewelry, and get by for now until you can find the perfect suit. I think gray or black would have been a worse choice. Ha ha, I'm one to talk! At some point you'll find some better colored suits and this one can be your backup.

 

My favorite suit is one I can almost fit into again, it's a weird dark taupe/gray color that looks nice with a brown blouse and shoes. It can go white blouse/black accessories too if I need to look more serious, but really I don't need to be that serious at work lately, thank goodness. I am more into separates for work these days, though I do need a suit in the closet for when I do corporate writing seminars. My black suit is officially on the Goodwill pile now, yay.

 

Thanks for the info about tea staining. I didn't know if they would get darker if I kept going, or if I had reached a limit somehow. I will definitely try again with the blue top. And again. I think the coral/turquoise is fine IRL.

 

XSRE - how fun is that store!! I love how everything is arranged by color, and the prices are so reasonable.

 

You know, it's interesting about black. I find I don't really want it when I see it in a store now. I am a little tired of all the holiday jewel tones, and I'm looking forward to after Christmas to see some new colors. What's difficult for me is when we go out at night with certain groups of friends who I KNOW will all be in black, so I know I will be the one NOT IN BLACK. It has a lot to do with all of us coming of age in the city in the 80s when black was EVERYTHING and color was just out out out. And part of it is that they are mostly ICEs and they actually look good that way. I just need to get over it. I've already decided to wear green for New Year's Eve. Shocking, I know. :eek:

 

In any event, I hope you enjoy your party on Tuesday. Even in navy you're going to look radiant compared to all those people who don't know their colors at all.:D

[MJC]

What to expect for Spring:

 

 

 

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pantone+colors+for+2013&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1680&bih=802&tbm=isch&tbnid=HI1KYVDg_4X4iM:&imgrefurl=http://www.redoitdesign.com/2012/09/06/spring-2013-color-trends-pantone-fashion-color-report/&docid=-YCPvLj3QTKO-M&imgurl=http://www.redoitdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Pantone-2013-Spring-Color-Report2.jpg&w=800&h=590&ei=Li3FUJnvM8uM0QHcq4D4Dg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=78&sig=103585052541815577742&page=1&tbnh=148&tbnw=201&start=0&ndsp=36&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:101&tx=129&ty=33

[MJC]

I'm waiting for Anita to tell me not to buy anything this color. You know all those pretty spring clothes will come out, and people all over NY will be wearing it, and I love green, and I'll be tempted:

 

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=pantone+colors+for+2013&hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1680&bih=802&tbm=isch&tbnid=Lp0lzonKnb8eJM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fashionmagazine.com/blogs/fashion/2012/12/06/pantone-colour-of-the-year-2013-emerald/&docid=w7R5mJCnLxgEkM&imgurl=http://www.fashionmagazine.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Pantone-Colour-of-the-Year-2013-Emerald.jpg&w=600&h=400&ei=iy7FUKGhHOXU0gH04oH4Bw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=56&vpy=411&dur=3385&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=153&ty=101&sig=103585052541815577742&page=2&tbnh=133&tbnw=188&start=36&ndsp=47&ved=1t:429,r:37,s:0,i:210

 

I'm looking at how this color is being accessorized (cool) and it tells me that I should just say no.

[laurspag]

They are calling that color emerald, but it looks like a spring green on my monitor. With my laptop, the colors can often look off so I will take a look with my desktop monitor later.

 

I did see some nice warm colors overall. Sometimes, I have to see a color shown in a fabric to get a full feel for it. There is that poppy red, that peach tone...that green, I forget the name now but it is 3rd or 4th from the left. They all shout warm to me, so that is half way there, lol.

 

Red is very tricky for me sometimes, it has a lot to do with lighting though. I bought a shirt one day that I was positive was an earth red, and got it home only to see the blue undertones. If I can find that poppy red, and it turns out to be an earthy red, I'd grab it in a flash. I am very partial to red, so it's been difficult for me not being able to find a lot.

 

That is why I emphasized that the red dress I had found was an earth red, no matter how the picture came out. I looked at the dress in many different kinds of lighting to be sure.

[Anita Latte]

I think the Michael Kors green may be Earth or Fire. The link in the info on the dress (21 of 35?) lead me here:

 

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/327820

 

This is showing warm to me. I'm really cooking right now so I'm not going to look for other Michael Kors clothing in this color...but this color has possibilities if you can find something in it. I didn't really see anything else that seemed like a possibility...

[laurspag]

The main color I see makes me think maybe fire, but even then, when I look at my daughter's color cards, I don't think it is. I'm thinking ice, actually. It can't be air, my husband looks absolutely dreadful in a color such as that, and he is an air.

 

I'm kind of going back and forth on it a bit. Some things jump right out at me, others...I have to see in person, and then look at them with colors I know belong to a specific season. When I see how the color looks with other colors, then it usually hits me.

 

Well, I made some quick alterations to the navy suit. Althought I'm not overly happy with it, I'm fortunate I was able to find something that wasn't black or gray. I will keep looking for a brown suit. It has to be the kind you buy as separates, since I'm two sizes bigger on top than the bottom. Yikes!!

 

I find it easier and easier to just walk away from black. It does heighten the frustration of not finding other colors though.