Welcome to another round-up of recent outfits, this time focusing on outfits featuring a pair of comfortable turquoise t-shirt knit pieces that are perfect for summer. I am also sharing paper-to-bead-bracelet photos for a new DIY bracelet set.
Both of these items were purchased secondhand at different times, and I did not realize until this moment that they are both from Lane Bryant. They are not a matched set because the cardigan is ever-so-slightly lighter in value, but they do appear to be the same basic color with the cardigan just lightened a bit. They could easily be worn together...though I haven't done so (yet!).
Turquoise 3/4 sleeve knit cardigan - thrifted, Lane Bryant (Goodwill) - 22/44 - $5.24 - 10/2018
Turquoise knit skirt - thrifted, Lane Bryant (ThredUp) - 18/20 - $10.99 - 3/2019
Outfit #1: A few days after July 4, I was still feeling the red, white, and blue combination, but I changed it up somewhat into a red, black + white, and turquoise version. This is wear #29 of this red knit top (it should hit 30 wears later this season!). I don't think I've shown this thrifted Chico's striped t-shirt knit cardigan on the blog, which reached a cost per wear (CPW) of $1 in this outfit.
For red + aqua necklaces, I have two options. I decided to wear this bold multi-strand beaded necklace that has gold beads in front, and I chose my gold ballet flats to coordinate with it.
This dark aqua silk scarf with a square red and black design (which you can get a glimpse of there on my shoulder from the tail of the scarf hanging down) made a good headband. (I'm not sure what the secret is to wearing a silk scarf as a headband; I know some people struggle with the slippery scarf not wanting to stay in place on their head. I can only guess that my fuzzy hair provides enough friction that the silk stays put!) I continued the red + aqua color scheme with these world's easiest DIY hoop earrings made with glass pearls on a pre-made silver-tone hoop.
Today's bracelet stack is a DIY set that I made inspired by the beaded necklace I'm wearing. I purposely made the 3 paper bead bracelets and the white and red glass bracelets with neither gold nor silver spacer beads for flexibility (so it can work easily well with this necklace and the second red + aqua necklace I mentioned that has silver metal). Because the mixed metal ship had already sailed with my silver-based earrings, I decided to wear the aqua magnesite/silver bracelet too.
For those interested in the paper bead bracelet details, here are the papers I used to create them. A floral tunic top image from a Lands End catalog made into tube beads with white metallic acrylic paint on the ends; bracelet finished with white glass pearls.
Bead/bracelet stats:
Lands End catalog page
6.5" long / 0.5" wide tube strips
1/8" paper bead roller
Rolled into 4.5mm tube paper beads
Strung with 6mm white glass pearls
Reflecting the strange times we live in, a coronavirus graph illustration from The Economist magazine made into bicone beads; bracelet finished with round aqua magnesite beads. (Does jewelry based on coronavirus imagery sound creepy? Although I don't actually believe in magic, I claim that this is my version of "evil eye" jewelry worn to avert negative forces using apotropaic magic.)
Bead/bracelet stats:
The Economist magazine page
7" long / 1" wide bicone strips
3/32" paper bead roller
Rolled into 4mm tube paper beads
Strung with 6mm aqua magnesite round beads
And a colorful faculty office cartoon drawing from an alumni magazine made into bicone beads; bracelet finished with red glass pearls.
Bead/bracelet stats:
Alumni magazine page (heavier than typical magazine)
5.75" long / 0.5" wide tube strips
1/8" paper bead roller
Rolled into 5.5mm tube paper beads
Strung with 6mm red glass pearls
Outfit #2: I went just a bit outside my comfort zone by wearing a monochromatic "twin set" consisting of a dark aqua lace tank + turquoise cardigan that don't match but do coordinate tonally. I'm pushing myself to experiment more with these "tonal" combinations for a couple reasons.
(1) More combinations = more mix-and-match possibilities with a given number of items = less shopping, more sustainability in my wardrobe, and more variety.
(2) Low-to-mid value contrast outfits suit my personal coloring better than high value contrast.
(3) Experimentation is fun and breathes new life into my style.
Yes, you've seen this DIY bracelet set before! The teal/peacock/black color combination is one I go back to again and again, so I'm definitely getting good use out of this set.
Do you like wearing things made from t-shirt knit fabric in the summer? Do you sometimes wear tonally coordinated outfits in different shades of the same color? Do you prefer high or low value contrast outfits?
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