Firecracker's Blog

Two of the lightest, airiest, beautiful summer pieces that I ordered last fall came in at my favorite boutique, and I picked them up today. (These are orders from the buying trip I made with my friend to New York last September.) Of course I want to wear them now, even though it's in the 50s and a bit cloudy.
So I played around to see what I could come up with. On the suggestion of a friend, I tried the dress with my black stretch fabric pointy-toed boots, and I think I'm going to wear this outfit out this evening. I layered a black 3/4-sleeve ballet-style top and black tights under the dress, plus a leather jacket over it.

Other, less covered, looks are for later, after summer arrives.
1-4: red-green voile dress (Judy Tampa), cool-weather version, with black tee (Tees by Tina), black tights, black pointy-toe boots (Donald J. Pliner); olive leather moto jacket (AllSaints); black cross-body bag (Cherokee).
5-6: voile dress, warm-weather version, with pewter cutout peep-toe booties (Paul Green).
7: with nude pumps and clutch, and shell-colored stone necklace
8: with same necklace and pewter lace-up Mary Janes (Trippen)
9-10: olive cotton voile v-neck blouse with ruffle trim (Judy Tampa), over black camisole, with black ruched tube skirt (Vince Camuto) and pewter lace-up Mary Janes.

Thanks for looking! Thoughts and suggestions welcome, as always.

I dared to wear triple denim today. I debated whether the outfit was one step too far, but liked the look and left the house in it.

This is the outfit I wore to shop for bags to go with my new nude pumps. This is my second wearing of the ankle strap pumps, and I'm finding them quite comfortable, for a heel. I am really enjoying the ladylike feel they give to an everyday outfit.

The outfit:
Cream skinny jeans (Mother, the Looker skinny, in Whipping the Cream); blue chambray pullover shirt (Side Stitch); sand denim jacket (French Dressing Jeans); ivory cutuout belt (Fossil); nude pumps with gold ankle strap (AGL, Claire); navy and tan satchel (Dooney & Bourke).
Photo 1 is the outfit as I wore it to shop.
Photos 2-4 show the new bags: Vegan nude tote (Joy Susan, Carly Reversible Tote, in Barely Pink/Smoke), and leather envelope clutch (JCrew, in pink sand). 

Thanks for looking! I welcome your thoughts.

Angie's post, "Seven Ways to Glam Up Double Denim" came out on a day that I am wearing denim on denim, in the black and white version. I'm using tip #1: wear two washes or colors of denim.
I set out to wear the angled-hem black tee with white jeans, but then I needed a topper for the cool morning. After trying several cardigans and jackets, I settled on the cropped black denim jacket. It doesn't feel "glam," but I think it's stylish and definitely not "cowboy," right?

The outfit:
White straight-leg jeans (Lucky, Lolita), black angled-hem short-sleeve tee (Bobeau); black and brown studded belt (Suzi Roher); black cropped denim moto jacket (Free People); black and white sneakers (Mephisto); gray backpack (Rebecca Minkoff).

Thanks for looking! I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Yes, I ended up buying shoes. They are a low-heeled pump with an ankle strap. I'm thinking of them as my version of the ever-popular Sam Edelman Okalas that Angie and so many YLFabbers have.

I rarely wear pumps, but I like to have them on hand for times when I want to dress up and really need a dressy shoe. I'm excited to have a pair that is light-colored (my other go-to pumps are black), and a low enough heel that I might actually wear them for non-dressy occasions. (We shall see about that; I always think that about pumps, and then I don't wear them.) I like that the heel is closed. The ankle strap hits me in a place that works for me (above my ankle bone), and it's actually long enough to go around my ankles. Ooh, and look! You can move the buckle to the side or the front (photos 3 and 1)! I love that feature!

I don't know how AGL does it, but they manage to make a rather dainty-looking shoe that flattters my high-volume feet. That's why I have collected a few pairs of their ballet flats--AGLs are the only version of that style that I really liked both the look and feel of on me.

The shopping outfit, with the new pumps, and with the shoes I wore shopping:
1-3: dark skinny jeans (Mother, the Looker, "coffee tea or me" wash); light green tee and long cardigan (Halogen); light blue prism-print scarf (Nordstrom); nude ankle strap pumps (AGL, Claire).
4-5: the outfit with taupe oxfords (Paul Green, Dale); navy trench (London Fog); gray backpack (Rebecca Minkoff).

Thanks for looking! I welcome your comments and suggestions.

I'm wearing Angie's casual pants, tee, denim jacket ensemble to work today. It has been a very popular outfit on the YLF forum, and it's one that I wear quite a bit, too.

Today's version:
Olive chinos with brass studs down the sides (Lucky); blue, olive, ivory, and red blurry raindrop-patterned surplice tee (made by me); blue denim jacket (AG, Robyn); olive belt (Fossil); taupe oxfords (Paul Green, Dale); cream and taupe bag (Fossil); brass statement necklace and earrings (Lucky).

Thanks for looking! I welcome your suggestions and thoughts.