Happy Veterans Day!

Today was a nice warm day, for November, to do something nice for any veterans you know.  I spent my day putting the hose away and getting out the shovels for my mother.  I would have gone with her to some of the places offering veterans free meals but I didn't have any money.  She was so happy that I found the air conditioner cover, she said I could have the rainbow trout in the freezer.  While I was cooking that she found out that Marco's Pizza was giving medium pizzas to veterans so she went and got one.  Unfortunately, the temperature is starting to drop and the rain is moving in.  Oh well, the warmth was nice while it lasted.

Hoodie-Old Navy $16, Pants-Ashley Stewart $20, Sandals-Payless $16, Ring-Vending Machine $1

Bad Coupons

Lane Bryant is the latest store to join the idiotic trend of not allowing their coupons to be used on the clearance racks.  Do these people think that this will make me buy more stuff at regular price or even buy more stuff period?  Hell NO!!!!  Too much of the stuff is made as cheaply as Forever21 plus merchandise but it cost two or even three times as much.  Not only that, they come up with some of the weirdest stuff for plus sizes I have ever seen.  This is saying a lot because I remember when Lane Bryant was the store that sold polyester pleated skirts to little old black church ladies.  The kind that had the pleats all around and an elastic waistband.  At that time, I never knew a white woman who would even admit to knowing what a Lane Bryant was let alone admit to shopping from the catalog.

Now things have changed a lot and I appreciate that even if the stuff is not my style, but screwing around with the coupons is not the way to go.  All it will do is lose more customers and have the merchandise hanging on the racks until it is time for Social Security or you send it to the clearance outlet in Lodi, Ohio.  Not Smart.  I would hate to see Lane Bryant go the way of Fashion Bug and Dots; but if you continue on this path, that's what will happen.

By the way, the pants I'm wearing came from the Lane Bryant clearance rack.  I got them for $5 after the $15 coupon discount.  Why where they on clearance in the first place?  First clue:  the length.  I am a short person who did not need to hem these pants at all.  So that means on all the average height women, the pants ended above well
above their ankles.  Second clue: the pants are made of a heavier weight material that works almost three months of the year (Fall, Spring and Winter).  See what the problem is?  A pair of pants that are almost capri length that are too hot to wear in the summer.  No woman in Ohio, in her right mind are going to pay full price for this and most in the Toledo area refused to buy them from the clearance rack at all.  I could because I'm short and I love brightly colored clothes.  For the record, I bought all the pants in that particular line, except for the light beige (my size had sold out).  So far the pants are doing great but I could not buy these pants for my relatives because they were too short and now you tell me I can't use my $15 coupon on the clearance racks?  Guess what, I will spend even less time in the store than I do now but I'm sure Lane Bryant doesn't care.  Oh well, there goes another store.  Too bad.

Jacket-Walmart $20, Scarf-JCPenneys $5, T-shirt-Kohls $5, Pants-Lane Bryant $5 (After $15 coupon), Shoes-Old Navy $20, Ring-Glitter Accessories $1

Children of the Corn

The corn is taller than me.  It grows so fast.  Soon, it will be time to harvest.  At least I finally got my picture in front of it.

Shorts-Kmart $15, T-shirt-JCPenneys $5, Sandals-JCPenneys $10, Scarf-Body Central $1.99, Bracelet-Jules $11, Ring-Glitter Accessories $1

Mixing Prints

Some of my relatives looked at me kind of strange when I wore this outfit, but they just sighed and turned back to their fashion magazines.  What did the magazines have on the cover?  Yes, You can do mix prints!  We'll show you how!

Tunic-JCPenneys $25, Plaid Shorts-Dollar General $6, Sandals-JCPenneys $2 (Sale + $10 coupon), Bracelet-JCPenneys $5, Ring-Glitter Accessories $1

Patchwork Fun

The weekend was a blast with the 4th fireworks and all.  I enjoyed wearing my patchwork shorts that I was finally able to repair after getting into a fight with a rose bush. (The bush won.)  Now it is time to rest up because the Toledo Lighthouse Festival and the Lagrange Street Polish Festival are on tap for the up coming weekend.

Patchwork Shorts-VPF (me), T-shirt-JCPenneys $5, Sandals-JCPenneys $2 (After Sale and Coupon Discount), Scarf-Charlotte Russe $5, Bracelet-Lagrange Street Polish Festival Vendor $5, Ring-Glitter Accessories $1

Tie-Dye

Usually most tie-dye is found in t-shirts and hoodies, but I lucked out a couple of years back and found this tie-dye tank top at the Erie Street Farmers Market for $10.  Since then I have tried to find more but no luck.  I guess I will have to do it my self but tie-dye is so messy!

Shoes-Walmart $1, Shorts-Meijer's $11, Tank-Erie Street Farmers Market $10, Hoodie-Macy's $12, Bracelet-VPF (me), Ring-Yard Sale $2

Thanks J. Crew

I was flipping through a J. Crew style catalog when I came across a model wearing a turquoise shirt with olive pants.  It reminded me of a similar pair of pants that I saw at Walmart that escaped my clutches because of some bills I had to pay.  Then I realized that I had a turquoise t-shirt laying on my exercycle waiting for a match.  I jumped up and found my olive shorts and brown sandals.  Then the scarf started crying because it had never been worn.  Turned out to be a great match.  So much so that a lady at Walmart said she just loved how it matched.

Scarf-Kmart $5, T-shirt-Kohl's $5, Shorts-Meijers $11, Sandals-Kohl's $4, Bracelet-Claire's $3, Ring-Glitter $1 

Toledo Streets-It's Graduation Time

It's that time of year again.  Graduation.  No matter, Toledans still turned it out.  Congratulations 2014 Grads!!!!

Thanks Elle Decor Magazine

I was flipping through an old decorating magazine before I threw it out, when I came across an article about an editor's house out in the Hamptons.  The lady who looked like one of those people who lunch and have front row seats at the fashion shows, had on an absolutely fascinating outfit.  I was about to have an attack of jealousy until I realized I had  similar elements of said outfit.  I scrounged around, found the clothes and accessories and was out the door in a flash.  Too bad it took longer to get a decent picture.

Shoes-Forever 21 $6, White Jeans-Ashley Stewart $20, Peasant Top-JCPenneys $15, Tank Top-JCPenneys $5, Bracelets-Icing $6, Ring-Jules $4

Finally! I Get To Wear Shorts.

Gee!  The last time I wore shorts was back in October.  It was finally warm enough to wear shorts, but the weather man says the weekend is going to be cool.  Boo!

Shorts-Walmart $17, Tank-JCPenneys $5, Top-Walmart $3, Sandals-JCPenneys $5, Bracelet-VPF(me)

Leopard Jade

I had a picture of an outfit that I was meaning to put together during the winter but I kept forgetting about it.  I finally put the picture back in my style notebook when it got to warm for my long sleeve stripe shirt.  Then I was cleaning out my closet when I realized that I had a short sleeve stripe shirt that would match.  I quickly put the outfit together so I could go out and run errands.

Jade Pants-Walmart $5, Stripe T-shirt-JCPenneys $5, Leopard Print Shirt-Lane Bryant $5, Shoes-Payless $10, Ring-Pier 1 Imports $4

Colonial Fashionista-Lissie's Easter Outfit

Even though Lissie had already taken her Easter outfit photo back in March, she changed her mind when one of my relatives commented that she always dressed as the plantation owner's daughter.  Yes, I did explain that her father was a store owner and it was her maternal grandfather who owned the plantation, but to no avail, everyone wanted to know where were her play clothes.  Since everything from lace dresses to shorts are worn to church on any given Sunday, including Easter, Lissie decided to wear her new riding habit outfit.  She traded the petticoat for the breeches and borrowed one of Lucky's tops and her worry doll purse.  She left her jacket off because it got warm.
She did get a lot of compliments.

Purse-Claires, Shoes & Tights-Doll Show, Bracelets-Borrowed, Breeches and Top-VPF (me)

18 inch Fashionista-Lucky's Easter Outfit

Before I forget, let me post Lucky's Easter outfit.  I had to rush to make it because it took her forever to decide what to wear.  Fortunately for her, I already had the material on hand.  Now I have to use the rest of the material to make something for Lissie.

Maxi Skirt, Sleeveless Top, Purse-VPF (My own patterns) MaryJanes bought at a Virginia doll shop now closed.

Rainy Day Florals

Now that it has rained some, the grass is turning green and the trees are starting to bud.  Spring is finally beginning.  Too bad Toledo is losing two stores:  Ashley Stewart's and Dots.  I snagged this little dress for $3.  Took it home and spent 3 hours removing the peplum skirt.

Jacket-Walmart $6, Dress-Dots $3, T-shirt-JCPenney $10, Leggings-Kmart $11, Flats-Old Navy $20, Ring-Glitter Accessories $1

Rainy Day Fun

I decided to debut my latest outfit idea even though it was raining.  That way if it got dirty then I have an excuse to wash the pants in order to shrink them.  I hope.  If not, then it is back to the sewing machine.  Just one thing though, PeopleStyleWatch-April 2014 declared neon yellow to be out, but when I went to the mall to use one of my LaneBryant coupons, the color was in every store.  What's up with that?

Jacket-Walmart $20, Sweater-Old Navy $7, T-shirt-JCPenneys $5, Pants-Lane Bryant $10 (After using $15 coupon), Sneakers-Payless $16, Ring-Forever 21 $4

Polar Vortex

It's been a nightmare, trying to get winter pictures.  Either it is so cold that the camera doesn't want to work or the wind is blowing so hard that you can't get a frame lock in order to take the shot and then it blurs.  This is the best I can do.

Cowboy boots-Kohls $35, Purple Pants-Fashion Bug $20, Yellow Vest-Dots $1, Gloves-Target $1, Scarf-New York & Company $3, Red Jacket Shell-Walmart $60

Colonial Fashionista - Lissie's Back!

Finally, my doll Lissie has returned from Colonial Williamsburg.  For the last month she's been hanging out with her friends, checking out the latest colonial fashions and going to every ball and assembly that she was invited to.  Even though the petticoat trousers raised a few eyebrows, the brown ball gown went over great.

Shoes and Pinner Cap-American Girl, Ballgown-VPF (my own pattern)