Style Formula: Color Me Beautiful!

Happy Friday! Not only are we wrapping up another week, but I’m also sharing our 7th and final style formula. I’ll wait until next week to tie this series up with a bow. Now that I’ve taken each formula one by one, I have a few thoughts I’d like to share about the whole process of selecting and following a style formula. But for today let’s just check out the final formula, Color Me Beautiful!

Seven Simple Style Formulas

We’re in the middle of a style series I’ve titled Oh So Pulled Together. More than any other question, I’m frequently asked to share tips for creating stylish outfits. So I created this little style series to really hone in on how to put together outfits that make you feel and look Oh So Pulled Together. You can check out all the post in this series here.

Within the series I’m sharing 7 simple style formulas. So far we’ve looked at:

• Style Formula #1: Top This!
• Style Formula #2: One & Done!
• Style Formula #3: Shoes On, Show Off!
• Style Formula #4: Layer It On!
• Style Formula #5: Bottoms Up!
• Style Formula #6: Accessorize to Maximize

Color Me Beautiful!

The final style formula revolves around wearing a noticeable color that suits you well, one that tells your story accurately and works well with your coloring. The key to this final style formula is similar to the secrets that make all the other formulas work, too. Keep it simple! Have you noticed this theme throughout our series?

While this formula is all about color, there are actually multiple ways you could work it. You could…

• go monochromatic, wearing one color in multiple tones head to toe.
• cross over the color wheel, pairing colors such as red and green, blue and orange or purple and yellow, that match up easily.
• be a good neighbor and wear colors that are right next to each other on the color wheel, such as purple and magenta, red and orange or blue and aquamarine.

But the primary goal is simply to let the color captivate. You can find more tips for working with colors to create interesting outfits in this previous post in our series: Using Color to Create Cohesive Outfits. But for this final style formula, the main thing to remember is just to wear a color you love and enjoy.

Working this formula can absolutely be as simple as topping your favorite jeans with a pretty, colorful sweater. Yes, you can wear a bold singular color like the trending grass green I’m wearing. Or you can wear a rainbow of colors. But the abiding principle is the same: let the color work its magic. Refrain from adding too many other things for the eyes to have to take in.

I love the outfit I’m sharing here for its simplicity and ease on the eyes. Even though I’m wearing a vibrant green, this outfit is still easy on the eyes simply because I kept my accessories minimal and my only other color is a basic denim blue. Trust me, I had to practice a little self-discipline to keep from adding something “more.” But I love the way this outfit turned out.

Let’s look at the pieces of my outfit, in case you’re interested in any of them.

My Look

Of course, the star of the show is this soft 35% wool, 35% superfine alpaca, 30% recycled polyester sweater. Yes, the color is actually called grass green, and that’s exactly what it looks like. You may have noticed that green is really trending right now. And the good news is all greens are hot right now. I just happen to love, love, love this particular shade of green. So fun and happy! And the minute I saw it I clicked through and put it in my cart. But it also comes in sand beige, Pacific pink and black.

The sweater is expertly cut for a loose, relaxed fit that’s still pulled together. It features soft relaxed balloon sleeves and a slightly cropped length, so it’s perfect to wear with mid to high-rise pants. Those of you who don’t like to tuck your tops in but still want to create those pleasing proportions? This is the kind of top you need to look for!

I’m wearing my favorite skinny jeans in a dark rinse wash. You could absolutely wear black jeans and black shoes or booties with this pretty green sweater. But, speaking of color choices, I love pairing blue and green. This combination is ultra easy on the eyes because the two colors are close together on the color wheel. (To refamiliarize yourself with the color wheel, see the post Using Color to Create Cohesive Outfits.) I wear my true to size 8 in these skinny jeans. And don’t let the name of the jeans fool you, by the way. They feel and wear like skinny jeans, not leggings.

I chose to wear my blue suede buckle mules because I wanted to wear something that didn’t detract at all from the blue and green combination I had going. These mules stay on my feet so well that I forget I have them on. They also come in a pretty Parisian clay and they fit true to size. If you’d prefer a classic flat, however, I can suggest these pretty Francesca driving moccasins in indigo blue.

Sale Alert: Talbots is having their Fall Style Event with 30% off your entire purchase. My jeans and mules are from Talbots, but you can find my other favorites here. PLUS today only, you can save $50 on every $200 spent, and these offers are stackable. Discounts appear in your shopping cart.

Like I said, I intentionally kept my accessories very pared down, allowing the color of my sweater to capture the limelight. But I also chose accessories that I believe are very elegant and classic. I’m wearing my brushed gold teardrop earrings (I went with large earrings since I didn’t wear a necklace). They’re very lightweight, by the way, and also available in rhodium (silver). And don’t you just love this gold tone coin stretch bracelet I recently ordered from Chico’s? They just have the best jewelry. Coin jewelry is really trending, so a bracelet like this is a very safe and elegant way to participate in a trend and add a modern touch to your outfit.

Because my shoes are blue suede and I didn’t have a belt to worry about, I was free to carry just about any neutral shade handbag of my choosing. But I love the way this mid brown hobo bag pairs with this look. Unfortunately this particular shade is no longer available in this hobo bag. (This snake embossed bag in a similar color is 25% off right now, however.) But isn’t this similar Rebecca Minkoff suede bag stunning? And here’s a more economical option.

I really like the way this outfit turned out. Looking at the photos, I don’t think it would have hurt to add along pendant necklace. But really I kind of like it the way it is, too. What do you think?

What’s your favorite color to wear when you’re letting that color steal the show? I’ll be sharing next week more about the trending colors for fall. Hint: you’ll see this outfit again!

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Blessed for My Day

Jesus invites us to join Him in sharing the good news of salvation with the world. We can see it as a chore or a delight, the choice is ours. Sometimes I think we lose sight of the mystery and wonder of this calling because we do not always get to see the full process. One person sows, another reaps. But we are all laborers in the most glorious and eternally significant field imaginable.

What are you doing to participate in the harvest? You know, ever little act of grace and love counts. Whether you’re praying for a lost family member, sharing God’s grace with a cranky neighbor, telling the story of salvation to a grandchild or mentoring a young woman, you can play a part in the most amazing story ever told.

“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’  I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” ~ John 4:35-38