City Pretty: In Good Company

Skirt: H&M

Green and yellow bangles: B Fabulous; Red bangle: XOXO, Ross; Blue bangle, So, Kohl's; Pink bangle: Silver Linings, Ocean City; Ring: Wet Seal

Top: Self Esteem, Macy's

Saguaro Stripe Barrette Brooch

Top: New York & Company

Skirt: Amazon

Bow: Carole, JCPenney; Blue bracelet: Cloud Nine, Ocean City; Maroon bangle: Iris Apfel for INC, Macy's; Red bangle: B Fabulous; Yellow ring: Making Waves, Ocean City; Red ring: Nordstrom; Brown ring: Charlotte Russe; Belt: Hand-me-down from my mom

Top: New York & Company

Skirt: Material Girl, Macy's

Checkerboard Cherry Barrette Brooch

Shoes: 2 Lips Too, JCPenney

Bag: Current Mood, Dolls Kill

 

Top: New York & Company

When the husband took this first pic of me, he said that I looked like The Nanny on an acid trip.  And even though I don't condone drug use, I couldn't help but laugh.  Because the striped cravat blouse, rainbow cactus brooch, and poufy hair did indeed remind me of the Flashy Girl from Flushing if she were under the influence.  Which makes sense because all three blouses in this lineup are from (to me, anyway) Queens-themed New York & Company.

It wasn't until last spring that I started shopping there in earnest.  I couldn't believe that I hadn't started sooner.  They have so many affordable, brightly colored, polyester tops -- my favorite kind!  Best of all, my new shirts inspired me to make some new barrette brooches.  The Saguaro Stripe one started out as Striped Swallow but never quite took flight: 

The southwestern style worked better, I think.  I love the idea of a black cactus against a rainbow, a kind of stylized version of what the desert might look like at sunset.  

Then there's Checkerboard Cherry, which is pure '80s.

And here they all are together, the for-sale ones and the just-for-me doppelgangers, in -- what else? -- checkerboard formation: 

It's all a little magically messy and messily magical.  In other words, as perfectly imperfect as Topher Grace riding off into the sunset with Scarlett Johansson.

Which means that I'm, ahem, in good company.

Ring Thing: Relishing the Embellished

Sweater: Hooked Up, Macy's; Skirt: H&M; Bag: Royal Monk, Mocloth; Shoes: Ami Clubwear; Necklace: SHEIN; Headband: Express; Vertical striped bangle: Amrita Singh, Zulily; Horizontal striped bangles: B Fabulous

Ring: PinkBopp

Hat: Wild Fable, Target; Sweater: Bar III, Macy's; Skirt: Mudd, Kohl's; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon; Boots: Simply Vera, Kohl's; Necklaces: Amrita Singh, Zulily; Maroon bangle: Iris Apfel for INC, Macy's; Yellow bangle: B Fabulous; Green bracelet: Cloud Nine, Ocean City; Purple bracelet: Etsy

Ring: PinkBopp, Etsy

As you know, I'm a big fan of PinkBopp rings, which are handmade by the lovely and talented Samantha.  Each one is bursting with beautiful embellishments, a colorful collage at your (and on your!) fingertips.  So when I saw this red, yellow, and blue butterfly dazzler, I knew I had to have it -- and ended up getting the purple one too!  

Both rings inspired me to build super bright outfits.  The rainbow sweater is an old favorite that I wear a lot, whereas the checkerboard sweater is new (I bought it last summer on clearance but never wore it).  The butterfly ring reminded me of Snow White, so I went with red, yellow, and blue pieces to complement it and set off the rainbow.  The purple ring demanded (what else?) more purple, plus green and orange to make it pop.  Without meaning to, I ended up with one look in primary colors and one in -- yes -- secondary colors.  Talk about a happy accident, art class edition!  Even if this isn't an art class, but a blog.     

So yeah, I had a lot of fun styling and wearing my new rings.  But I can't sign off without showing you their packaging.  How cool is this fruit-tastic box, beach-themed ribbon, and thank-you written on Lisa Frank stationery?!  

Samantha put so much thought and creativity into every detail, making for a one-of-kind handmade shopping experience.  So if you love unique accessories that will make people ask, "Where did you get that?," (my mom asked me this when I wore the butterfly ring yesterday!) then be sure to check out PinkBopp.

And, as always, keep that color wheel spinning! 

Autumn Rays, Denim Days

Jeans: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Boots: 2 Lips Too, JCPenney; Bag: Current Mood, Dolls Kill 

Belt: Izod, Marshalls; Rings: Claire's, Delia's, Charlotte Russe, Miami accessories cart

Bandana scrunchie: Wild Fable, Target; Fuzzy scrunchies: Lady Arya, Zulily; Necklaces: The Tote Trove

Top: So, Kohl's

Boots: Mossimo, Target

Bag: Wild Fable, Target

Camisole: Hippie Rose, Macy's; Top: Free People, Belk; Belt: Steve Madden, Zulily

Tropical Trinkets Necklace

Jacket: Candie's, Kohl's

Bag: Nine West, Ross; Maroon bangle: Iris Apfel for INC, Macy's; Pink bangle: Amrita Singh, Zulily

Top: IZ Buyer, Kohl's; Jeans: Earl Jeans, Macy's

Ah, autumn rays.  The thing about them is that they're few and far between, especially now as we close November.  Just yesterday I ran errands and bundled up in a button-down, sweater, and puffer coat (pics to come; here at The Tote Trove, we're rarely timely).  I was roasting in the car but cold once I got out.  You know how it is.  Anyway, I thought I'd post some pics of jeans I wore recently.  Because to me, that's the true mark of the changing seasons, going from sundresses and flip flops to jeans and boots.  Even this cold-shoulder top outfit, which I wore last month to get my latest COVID shot (watch out, Omicron!), seems like it's from forever ago.  October was a simpler time when all you needed was a jacket.  And sometimes, not even that.  As I recall, that day I was sweating in this pleather moto-coat, peeling it off during my post-shot trip to JO-ANN Fabrics.  Of course, that outing was unpleasant for other reasons, as I was forced to put back a bunch of jewelry-making supplies that I thought were on sale but weren't.  Oh, the shame!  That sort of thing never happens online, where you have the luxury of seeing how your total will play out before deciding to make it official.  Also, you don't have to deal with snarky cashiers.  Or wear suitable outerwear.  Or even pants.

Is it any wonder I prefer the virtual world?

Still, making this Tropical Trinkets Necklace helped me work through my nostalgia for summer and my annoyance at retailers.  Including JO-ANN's, because that's where I scored the set of (thankfully 50% off) island charms.

When Life Gives You Autumn . . .

Boots: Penny Loves Kenny, Amazon

Top: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's; Brown bracelet: B Fabulous; Yellow bracelet: So, Kohl's; Cactus bracelet: The Tote Trove; Ring: Mixit, JCPenney; Skirt: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney; Tights: Isadora, Zulily

Necklaces: The Tote Trove

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Modcloth

Top: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Shoes: Wanted, Modcloth; Socks: Xhilaration, Target

Barrettes and necklace: The Tote Trove

Yellow bangles: B Fabulous; Blue bangle: So, Kohl's; Red bangle: XOXO, Ross; Maroon bangle: Iris Apfel for INC, Macy's

Skirt: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney

Tights: HUE, Amazon; Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Cornucopia Barrette Brooch

Top: New York & Company

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's; Barrette: Plymouth Plantation gift shop; Belt: Apt. 9, Kohl's; Barrettes: Goody, Target; Red and yellow bangles: B Fabulous; Orange bangle: Mixit, JCPenney

Skirt: Almost Famous, Kohl's

Granny Smith Slice Barrette Brooch

Top: New York & Company

Boots: Apt. 9, Kohl's; Bangles: B Fabulous; Ring: Making Waves, Ocean City; Bag: T-Shirt & Jeans, Zulily

Cardigan: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Socks: Amazon; Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily

Two-tone bangle: Iris Apfel for INC, Macy's; Ring: Express; Bag: T-Shirt & Jeans, Amazon, Top: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's; Skirt: Almost Famous, Kohl's

. . . make lemonade.  Or, more seasonally speaking, lemonade apple cider.  If that's even a thing.  But there's the beer-lemonade hybrid shandy, so why not?  All of this is an elaborate build-up to state a simple truth: I still have unworn lemon-print stuff left over from summer.  So I styled it with fall favorites such as plaid, boots, . . . and my new Granny Smith Slice and Cornucopia Barrette Brooches.  Because nothing says harvest like obnoxiously large accessories -- or a kilt garnished with gourds.  

It's what the Pilgrims would've wanted.  And by Pilgrims I mean the insidious yet elegant lantern fly:

At least that invasive species knows how to make a fashion statement.