The Best Laid Plans….
…ha ha, I feel like I’ve written at least 3 posts with this title! I could also call it “The Joke’s On Me: What Happens When You Thought You Bought One Thing, But You Really Bought the Other Thing.”
So, I was going to call this post “Springifying a Winter Dress.” Some time ago, even before the California trip, I went shopping for a springy scarf to take this wintery dress from drab to fab. I had a really lovely scarf in my cart…pale pinks and buttery yellows and robin’s egg blue…and just enough grey and black to tie in the grey dress and black cardigan (that I was going to style for this post). But at some point I picked up this other scarf and apparently bought IT and not the original one. I brought it home, never took it out of the bag, didn’t want to wear it til after I’d photographed it for the blog cuz, well, I’m a spiller. Sad but true. So imagine my surprise when this weekend I finally pulled it out of the blog to do the pictures…and it was not the lovely pastel scarf I’d thought I bought…but this neutral-toned one with…CACTI on it. No bluebirds of happiness, no pink blossoms. Cacti. I mean, it’s a very nice scarf. It feels delicious. It works very nicely with this other outfit. But nothing is being springified here today, folks.
Sigh. I’ll have to springify another time.
But this outfit can speak to Third Pieces and especially the value of pulling at least one printed item into the mix.
The grey dress and taupe cardigan are fine together. But the pair on their own is a little bland. Add a third piece, a printed third piece, and now you’ve got yourself some interest. I like to tie in the two colors already present in the outfit and introduce one or two more – in this case, sort of an apricotty gold and few touches of a grey blue. These colors that aren’t already present in the base outfit bring in a little more interest, and the scarf (or sweater or bag or whatever) designer has already done the work for you of knowing what colors will work well together. Now you can play off that in other outfits. You know the scarf will also work with grey blue and that soft gold color so you can create other outfits using those colors.
PS: Big earrings are fun when you have super short hair.
Speaking of super short hair, it’s growing in like crazy! But it’s at a weird sort of “non-style” length, and I feel like you can get away with that less easily than you can with long hair. So I think I’m going to get it shaped a bit this week…probably take the sides and back down a bit while continuing to let the top and front grow. I really miss bangs. I also need to figure out what products to use for this new hair. AND….what do I do about my definitely brown eyebrows?? They’re very pale but they’re definitely a different tone than my hair. So…what to do?? I’m in uncharted territory.
What I Wore:
- Grey dress: Old Navy, old, similar here or here
- Taupe cardigan, old, similar here or here
- Silk scarf, similar here or here
Today I’m linking up with Catherine at www.notdressedaslamb.com for her #IWillWearWhatILike link-up party! Check out the other bloggers who link up there and find some inspo or make a new friend!
This post does contain affiliate links, that if you click through, I may earn a small commission.
Nancys Fashion Style (@nancybaten1)
Hahaha, oh Bettye what a surprise for you there . But this scarf is good too. I also don’t wear things until I have showed them on the blog, stupid right! Perhaps your hairdresser can advice you on your eyebrows!
Fashion Schlub
Ahh, ask my hairdresser about my eyebrows! Brilliant! I’ll do that, Nancy, thanks!
Iris Smale
Ok, my first thought when I saw the first picture was, “I LOVE your hair, and I love the outfit”. I don’t do well with scarves. They look great on other people but they usually just annoy me. I have a drawer full, and some really pretty ones. Alas, they usually sit in the drawer.
Hair – yours looks gorgeous and is VERY becoming. I’d almost kill for that hair. Perfect length (I think) and again looks really good on you. Eyebrows are fine.
Photographer did a great job too.
Fashion Schlub
I never felt I was really a scarf person either, but last year, when I was gifted So Many, I got to play with all the different sizes, shapes and fabrics and I found what works for me – because not all do. A rectangle or skinny scarf in a very soft drapey fabric is good, in not too large a size. This one is just a little larger than I would really like, so it hangs down too far, but it was so pretty and soft I allowed it to come home with me (albeit mistakenly!). And I can’t do fancy things with scarves, so the size and fabric weight has to be amenable to a simple knot. A stiffer fabric would not do this well.
Ahh! I forgot to credit my photographer – my friend Karen, the one who *can* be mentioned!
Thank you for always having such kind and lovely things to say, Iris {{hugs}}.
Bettye
Julia @ When The Girls Rule
I’m cracking up at your purchase of the wrong scarf! Sounds like something I would do! It’s pretty though. Ok and bare legs? How can you be warm enough up there for bare legs? I must be a leg wimp! My eyebrows are brown while my hair is white and I like the difference. Supposedly the darker and fuller your eyebrows are the more youthful you look! Whatever. Enjoy your windy snowstorm up there!
Fashion Schlub
The bare legs were okay cuz it was in the mid-40s that day and I was only outside for the shoot.
My eyebrows are not full and dark At All. I never used to give my eyebrows any thought – I’ve had them threaded 3 times in my life and that’s the most I’ve ever done to them. But my bangs always hid them anyway, so. But the “new do” shows everything, so for the first time my brows are A Thing and I’m lightly penciling them in, in a very beginnery way.
Loving the snow! Got a snow day today and we will have a delayed opening, so don’t have to be at work til 10 vs. the usual 8am start. Thank you, Mother Nature!
terrigardner1
Maybe it was your inner-conscience telling that this was the scarf you needed because I does go perfectly with the two pieces you’ve chosen. I still dress in neutrals during the Spring. But, I have to admit that I did just go to Goodwill yesterday and pick up some purple odds and ends (plus one cheetah scarf, of course) but have no idea at this moment how I am going to incorporate.
Fashion Schlub
Yeah, I’m generally not a purple person, but I’ve been seeing some pretty lilac for spring and may need to give it a try. I’m sure you’ll make some magic with your new purple and cheetah print! Can’t wait to see!
Thanks for stopping by, I haven’t gotten your beautiful jacket out of my head!
Bettye
MissKymmiee
You look so beautiful 😍 and happy 😩😩😍😍 awww
Fashion Schlub
Thank you! I actually really like photo shoots!
Tina von Tinaspinkfriday
Bettye what a funny story. You change your mind on the way to cashier? And forgot it? Yesterday I search earrings I never bought. But I thougt I bought it… tz..Surprise 🙂
You look amazing and I love your hair. To this monochrome style I prefer something with stripes. I know I am a little bit crazy in style, sometimes :))
XO Tina
Fashion Schlub
Yeah, I can’t really remember when I changed my mind about my purchase…and now I can’t remember WHY I changed my mind. OH WELL.
I hate getting home from the market and unpacking the groceries, looking for the cookies/ice cream/chips that I WANTED to buy…but did not 🙁
Stripes are a good plan, too! I also saw a polka dot scarf on someone’s vlog the other day and thought OOH, I’m going to be needing one of those 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Jennie
This is a very lovely look and I like the layers! I was cracking up over how you kept going on about the cacti- Haha! I bet that was a surprise. 🙂
Fashion Schlub
Nothing against cacti 🙂 I was just going for a pretty pastel springtime look and I ended up with beige desert plants. Sigh.
thestylesplash
The scarf is very pretty…maybe it was calling your name! Your hair looks lovely! Beautiful photos!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Jodie
I certainly see the loveliness in this scarf (and I have it on good record that cacti are the next biggest trend—so you could be ahead of everyone else), yet what a funny surprise when you really checked out the photos—ha ha!! I always get surprised by lipstick on my teeth, so I think I’d rather have your issue…LOL!!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Fashion Schlub
You have to do the Cindy Crawford lipstick trick! http://www.juicybeautyword.com/2011/03/keep-lipstick-off-of-your-teeth.html I’ve been doing this for years and it really works!
Elle
I agree about adding a focal piece or printed item to an outfit. The scarf fits the bill nicely. I was amused when I read your story about shopping for one thing and finding out you bought something else entirely. I can certainly relate to that.
Yes if we can just springify this —— weather !! Great phrase , by the way.
❤️❤️❤️
Elle
https://theellediaries.com/
Fashion Schlub
I’m sure we’ve all ended up at times with the wrong thing – sometimes scarves, sometimes husbands, ha ha. Kidding. Not really. Yes really.
Yay, snow day today!