top of page





Search


An Early Fall Brown and Orange Outfit for SIA: A Bird in the Hand
Salazar at 14 Shades of Grey is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the circa 2019 oil painting "A Bird in the Hand" by contemporary English artist Lizzie Riches. She chose this "Renaissance-esque portrait" because it felt appropriate to the autumn season...which is 100% correct. source: https://14shadesofgrey.wordpress.com/ There was no chance that I was going to bypass my woodland critters top for this style challenge. The rich autumna
sallyinstpaul
2 days ago
Â
Â


Styling a Colorful Print Skirt with the Thrifty Six: Geometry
I have been welcomed into a wonderful group of fashion and lifestyle bloggers that focuses on styling preloved clothing and accessories in themed monthly posts (third Monday of the month). I hope that this showcase of secondhand items and outfits provides some shopping and style inspiration for anyone who is interested in creating great looks in a way that is sustainable for our planet and our pocketbooks. Today's topic is Geometry...and I immediately knew what secondhand pi
sallyinstpaul
4 days ago
Â
Â


Where Bloggers Live: 5 Simple Fall Outfit Formulas with Pants
Welcome back to the monthly edition of Where Bloggers Live! I am lucky to have joined a terrific group of bloggers who give a peek into the places and spaces where they spend their time. Today's topic is 5 Simple Fall Pleasures I Live For...and I have a list that is probably similar to many other people's: Cool weather Fall color and falling leaves Soups/stews Autumn/Halloween decor (note: I do not decorate for the season myself) Fall fashion Since I talk a lot about fashion
sallyinstpaul
Oct 9
Â
Â


Styling Pleated and Flared Silhouettes for SIA: The Mysterious Garden
Shelbee at Shelbee on the Edge is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the 1911 watercolor painting "The Mysterious Garden" by British artist Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. She chose this painting because "the colors, the ethereal symbolism, and the delicate femininity of the work really spoke" to her. source: https://shelbeeontheedge.com/ Since I do not have a giant billowing melon-shaped dress in my wardrobe to straightforwardly replicat
sallyinstpaul
Oct 7
Â
Â


Last Chance Summer Outfits: Two Cotton Midi Skirts
Last September, I posted about the weirdness of September as the month marking the "beginning of fall" yet still feeling very summery in much of the Northern Hemisphere, including Minnesota: September is a strange month! School is back in session, marking the unofficial end of summer for many people. The fashion world has turned hard core to fall clothing and outfits, urging us to shop for the cooler season. The pumpkin spice latte has returned to coffee shops, and the Americ
sallyinstpaul
Sep 30
Â
Â


Styling a Lightweight Shirt Jacket for the Summer to Fall Transition for SIA: Vermeer The Concert
Marsha at Marsha in the Middle is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the circa 1663-1666 oil painting "The Concert" by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. She chose this painting because she was "struck by the use of light, shapes, and all the items in the room. There's a lot to choose from in this painting...." And she is not wrong! I might not have known where to start with this one, but... source: https://marshainthemiddle.com/ ...the blac
sallyinstpaul
Sep 23
Â
Â


How to Style a Clothes Item You Never Wear with the Thrifty Six: Maxis
I have been welcomed into a wonderful group of fashion and lifestyle bloggers that focuses on styling preloved clothing and accessories in themed monthly posts (third Monday of the month). I hope that this showcase of secondhand items and outfits provides some shopping and style inspiration for anyone who is interested in creating great looks in a way that is sustainable for our planet and our pocketbooks. Today's topic is Maxis...and I was struggling to figure out how to st
sallyinstpaul
Sep 21
Â
Â


Summer Black and Blue Outfit with the Thrifty Six: Summer Sparkle
I have been welcomed into a wonderful group of fashion and lifestyle bloggers that focuses on styling preloved clothing and accessories in themed monthly posts (third Monday of the month). I hope that this showcase of secondhand items and outfits provides some shopping and style inspiration for anyone who is interested in creating great looks in a way that is sustainable for our planet and our pocketbooks. Today's topic is Summer Sparkle...and this was a tough one for me bec
sallyinstpaul
Aug 17
Â
Â


Same Base Outfit with Different Accessories for SIA: Rooster and Hen
Marsha at Marsha in the Middle is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the circa 1755 ink on silk scroll painting "Rooster, Hen, and Hydrangeas" by Japanese artist Ito Jakuchu. She wanted to find something that wasn't from a European artist, and a search of "obscure artists of the 17th century" turned up this piece, in which she loved "the colors, the movement, the flowers, and the roosters (or are they just plain chickens)." source:...
sallyinstpaul
Aug 12
Â
Â


Styling a Floral Skirt with the Thrifty Six: Summer Birthday Party
I have been welcomed into a wonderful group of fashion and lifestyle bloggers that focuses on styling preloved clothing and accessories in themed monthly posts (third Monday of the month). I hope that this showcase of secondhand items and outfits provides some shopping and style inspiration for anyone who is interested in creating great looks in a way that is sustainable for our planet and our pocketbooks. Today's topic is Summer Birthday Party...and I knew I wanted to "cele
sallyinstpaul
Jul 20
Â
Â


Style a Colorful Skirt and Cardigan Combo for SIA: Leader of the Luddites
Shelbee at Shelbee on the Edge is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the hand-colored etching "The Leader of the Luddites" published in 1812 by the printmaking firm Walker & Knight by an anonymous artist. As she put it: "While I don't condone violence of any sort, I still love what this illustration represents...opposition to technology taking away human jobs...I also love that this image offers some fun sartorial inspiration as well!"
sallyinstpaul
Jul 15
Â
Â


Add a Pop of Color to a Neutral Summer Outfit for SIA: Stork Gather
Marsha at Marsha in the Middle is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the color lithograph "Stork Gather" by late 19th century Dutch artist Theo van Hoytema. She learned of this artist from another blogger, and she chose this particular artwork because "storks are beautiful, and the colors just spoke to [her.]" Of course, she had me at birds! source: https://marshainthemiddle.com I found it very easy to pull in pieces to interpret this a
sallyinstpaul
Jul 1
Â
Â


How to Wear a Denim Skirt in Summer with 30 Wears: Dark Wash Straight Skirt
Today I am featuring a denim skirt from Lands End that I like for its dark wash, knee length, and simple, classic silhouette. I consider this my warm season denim skirt because the length is perfect without tights. For cold weather when tights are the order of the day, I wear my somewhat shorter, more traditional "jeans-look" Levi's denim skirt (see Part 1 and Part 2 of my Levi's 30 wears post). A denim skirt is a great substitute for jeans in the summer, and it is more polis
sallyinstpaul
Jun 24
Â
Â


A Navy and Yellow Summer Outfit for SIA: Ogata Korin
This post is dedicated to the memory of our friend Iris from the Where Bloggers Live group. I think she would have appreciated this artwork! Salazar at 14 Shades of Grey is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the "Irises" folding screens by early 18th century Japanese artist Ogata Korin. In keeping with the summer season most of us are experiencing, she wanted "something summery and nature-themed" and thought this would be fun to interpr
sallyinstpaul
Jun 17
Â
Â


How to Wear a Fringe Scarf for a Colorful Classic Style with the Thrifty Six
I have been welcomed into a wonderful group of fashion and lifestyle bloggers that focuses on styling preloved clothing and accessories in themed monthly posts (third Monday of the month). I hope that this showcase of secondhand items and outfits provides some shopping and style inspiration for anyone who is interested in creating great looks in a way that is sustainable for our planet and our pocketbooks. Today's topic is Fringe...which is a tricky one for me because I don'
sallyinstpaul
Jun 15
Â
Â


Tell Us About...Sunshine-Inspired Outfits and Handmade Jewelry
I am fortunate to have joined a talented group of bloggers for the Global Writing Challenge. Each month, we write about a very broadly defined topic, and the responses are quite varied. We recently welcomed two new members to the group: Amy and Cat. The newly revised group includes Deb’s World, Marsha in the Middle, Suzy Turner, Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After Again, Cat's Wire [Cat], Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa [Amy], and me. This month, I selected the topic o
sallyinstpaul
Jun 11
Â
Â


8 Black and White Skirt Outfit Ideas for Summer
Jodie and her crew recently styled black and white skirts 3 different ways, and it made me wonder how I have worn black and white skirts in the summer. I found 8 OOTD in my archives to share with you today to keep this summer outfit inspiration with this item going. (And I see no reason that these ideas wouldn't work with black and white pants, shorts, skorts, etc.!) First, a short introduction to the black and white skirt you'll see in most of my outfits...or a re-introduct
sallyinstpaul
Jun 8
Â
Â


Combining Black and Brights in Summer for SIA: Matt Beyrer
Shelbee at Shelbee on the Edge is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the dye sublimation on wood "Triumphant Salute" by contemporary artist Matt Beyrer. She wanted to pick an artwork to "honor our nation's fallen soldiers on this national day or mourning" and chose this artwork because it had an emotional impact for her, and she thought the colors were beautiful...which is absolutely true. source: https://shelbeeontheedge.com/ Since mag
sallyinstpaul
Jun 3
Â
Â


A Fresh Green and White Spring Outfit for SIA: August Macke's Promenade
Marsha at Marsha in the Middle is the curator for this round of Style Imitating Art (SIA), and she selected the painting "Promenade" by early 20th century German Expressionist painter August Macke. She chose this artwork because she had heard of Expressionism but didn't know anything about it, and her search turned up this painting that she found delightful. source: https://marshainthemiddle.com/ The bright greens of the trees appealed to me, so I pulled out my thrifted Eloq
sallyinstpaul
May 20
Â
Â


A Black and White Summer Print Mix Outfit with the Thrifty Six: Hemlines
I have been welcomed into a wonderful group of fashion and lifestyle bloggers that focuses on styling preloved clothing and accessories in themed monthly posts (third Monday of the month). I hope that this showcase of secondhand items and outfits provides some shopping and style inspiration for anyone who is interested in creating great looks in a way that is sustainable for our planet and our pocketbooks. Today's topic is my choice of Hemlines...I thought that the Necklines
sallyinstpaul
May 18
Â
Â
bottom of page