MeadowTree Perspectives

Golden Casual

In the past, I have never been a big sneaker (or tennis shoes, trainers or whatever you prefer) lady. When we had “Jeans Friday” at school for charity, I was probably the only teacher who either had on flats or loafers rather than sneakers. Admittedly, I have a pair of black Pumas in the closet for those rare moments, but until this summer that was all I really needed or wanted. But I find that sometimes grandsons have very good power of persuasion.

Harrison, my youngest grandson, and I were lurking in Academy Sports (one of those big box stores) this past summer and started looking at sneakers. Cool sneakers are very important to Harrison and Converse Chucks are high on his list. When we spied some burgundy lady Chucks, he immediately tried to talk me into getting them for myself because I needed (he thought) some shoes in Joplin Eagle colors. Through his eyes I started looking at these sneakers in a new light and found that I delighted in their wide side walls with delicate pin stripe.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I decided to check out Famous Footwear. Back in the 80’s they were the only discount shoe store for better brands that I knew about. Now there’s DSW and probably a few others but back then I usually found what I needed from Famous Footwear.

On this last outing, I found a pair of Vans; which are in the same spirit of Converse Chucks. Better yet, these Vans were on sale for $29.99 and still better yet can be found for that price HERE. They are Camden Sneakers in Desert Taupe. I love texture, actual or simulated. These sneakers look like they have been sand blasted and dripped with bleach and I think it’s obvious they came home with me and they inspired today’s look.

As I said, sand blasted and bleach dripped. I think these will take a tad bit of maintenance because I always want those sides wall to be snowy white.

Its time to move on to other things. Besides the Vans, everything else is fairly old and most of which have been on the blog before. I’m going to start out with a pair of jeans that I wear a lot and am surprised that I haven’t posted about them before.

Have you worn metallic denim? These burnished gold metallic jeans are my remedy when I get tired of wearing blue denim. They are made by Miracle Body and have just enough spandex to make them super comfy. The best description of these jeans is that they are gold metallic coated with a floral pattern created by a resist technique (where some parts of the fabric is not dyed because of an applied resist which is later removed). Again, the texture of the surface was one of the first things that jumped out of me when I saw these. I found them at a locally owned boutique and don’t know if I would have appreciated their surface if I saw them online. Brick and mortar stores are still important in my book for this reason alone.

fabriccloseup-denim — Not a very exciting photo but you can see the pattern (and the original color of the denim).

This is the first time I have worn a knitted beret on the blog. But believe me, I have worn this particular hat frequently throughout the years. I knitted it out of mohair (which is is created from goats) so long ago that I can’t remember the yarn brand or where I got the pattern. Like my Berets, I sometimes pin things on if for an extra decorative statement but not today.

The necklace was also strung by me. I fall in love with stones and I have learned simple stringing techniques to showcase them. These particular stones (and I have no idea what they are) came from a fiber and knitting conference that I taught at about three years ago. There is a better photo of the necklace below because the stones are really pretty.

The jacket is a decade old Kenneth Cole Reaction black leather from when I would order from Overstock.com. I have a newer black leather but still can’t part with this one. The Nine West bag is a repeat (in another gold themed post HERE), as the Cheetah glove (eBay), and my Marc Jacob (The RealReal) sunglasses. The cotton/silk top with beads was also on one of the first posts I ever did as a style blogger and you can see the beads a lot better HERE. I will warn you, that post is heavy on the Cheetah print.

So here’s to black and gold, a very classic combination. It certainly is one of my favorite ones and I can wear it year round. I wonder if its because the University of Missouri Tigers colors are black and gold and, of course, the Adrian Blackhawks (where I taught for 32 years and the girls both graduated from) are black and gold. I just know I sure have worn a lot of black and gold this past thirty five years!

jayjay — What is a MeadowTree photo without one of our resident photo bombers. Jacques say HI!

Without a closeup, the rich patterning of these stones is missed. The smaller copper patterned beads were too bright so I tarnished and then sanded them a bit to create just a few highlights.

I will end with what I began with. What about the original Converse Chucks Harrison and I first saw at Academy? Well, I still don’t have a pair of Chucks but I did find I could design a pair of my own on the Nike website. That has been fun so who knows, I may someday have a pair that I designed myself. If you want to have some fun and see what you can come up with go HERE and happy designing!

That’s all I have for today. So adieu until next time, and in the meantime

Happy Styling!

Michael gets the photo credits for the outdoor photos and me for the still life and fabric shots.

I link up with some great blogs every week. To see who they are go HERE.

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Color+Neutral

Four years ago I volunteered to model for a Kansas City Fiber Guild show. I had never modeled before but it was my first year of being retired and I thought a new experience might be fun. The modeling went fine. I didn’t stumble or fall down. We were assigned what to wear and my assignment was a jacket, designed, hand woven, and sewn by Kansas City weaver Sandy Cahill.

In the end, my volunteering set me back a few pennies. Once I put this jacket on, I decided no one else needed it but me. Since then whenever wearing it, I have been garnering complements. Its official description (on the garment tag) is a “Handwoven Shawl With Sleeves”. But I say its a cropped jacket with lapels that don’t stop!

With a fiber content of 75% cotton/25%Bamboo, Sandy used three yarns of the hues navy, blue-leaning-turquoise, and fuchsia . The weave is fairly open, which lets the jacket drape like a knitted fabric. And the weave is loose, which means it can snag. But like a knit this can be readily fixed by drawing the fiber back through the hole and slowly working it back into the weave.

My jacket can take on quite a few different looks, although, I have only two here. I will tell you that it is a fun garment to play with.

When I have a great piece such as this, I want to put it in a setting where it will shine and not have to compete with other pieces. That is where the neutral comes in and this time the neutral is black. Navy would have worked also. However, I am lacking a few navy items in my closet to carry that one off yet.

It is interesting that sometimes we bloggers think along the same lines. The day Michael and I were doing our photo-shoot, Nancy of Nancy’s Fashion Style came out with a bright colored jacket with a black column. I thought that was pretty cool!

I shopped my closet for this one and my basic black pieces for Look #1 have all been on here before. The turtleneck is a Pendleton black Merino wool turtleneck (from Pendleton), silk refashioned Charter Club pants (eBay) and chunky heeled Etienne Aigner black pumps (early 2000’s from Macy’s).

Also, I used my patent leather clutch by Alfani (eBay) and black vintage cotton gloves. This is the winter that sometimes I wear dark cotton gloves when the weather is not so cold. I went with all silver jewelry for Look #1 which included a silver cuff (can’t remember where from) and Stella and Dot Necklace (eBay).

Then there is my hat. I rarely purchase vintage hats. To begin with, my head is just too big for older hats. I even take a larger hat size than my husband. But I was attracted to this simple black fur felt when I saw it in an antique shop. Its shape is trapezoid. If you notice how it cuts across the front, it becomes clear this is not a round hat. I also like its low profile that reminds me of a Beret. A vintage hat has to work for me in a modern context and I think this one does. I know that I usually have on a Fedora or Beret shape, but sometimes I feel it is good to try something different. Hat lovers, what do you think?

Its time to move on to Look #2 which I styled with my Sleeveless Calvin Klein sheath, purchased about the same time as my jacket at Macy’s. We had just gotten our first subscription to the KC Symphony and I really didn’t have a great basic black dress back then. This dress has a belt. For me, “belt” means some creativity can be had by tucking in the end of one of the front lengths. The jacket now looks like it has a peplum. I don’t know if that is quite the right word, but it is now longer.

The bag in this look is a vintage black quilted Koret, sort of “a la Chanel”, I think. It is the only round bag I have.

The pin I’m wearing is designed by Michal Golan and was a Christmas present from my oldest daughter, Michelle. It comes with earrings and the set is called “The Enchanted Forest”. These pieces are brass electroplated with 24k Gold and the crystal settings are by Swarovski. Michal Golan’s jewelry is gorgeous in full of color. The extra bonus is that it is all crafted in the US of A: New York.

closeup — Close up of the my jacket yarns, weave, the Michal Golan pin, and a ring from Gemsporium

jewelrychristmas — A photo I happily took Christmas morning: the Michal Golan jewelry, card and box were so beautiful. The artist draws on Byzantine, Victorian and Middle Eastern art for inspiration.

duo — Just for the record-a side by side

The Painted Accessory

This design today called to the blues and I have a polish by my favorite main stream American brand, Zoya. I am wearing Remy, a dark blue shimmer with green flash and a little metallic glitter . Something like this is so much more interesting that just a creme color polish. Give me a little shimmer anytime!

I almost named this story, “support your local weaver” because most regions have weavers who create beautiful works. It is just a matter of finding these crafts-people because they don’t get as much publicity as mainline designers. Weavers, along with textile artists in other disciplines, create one of a kind fashionable garments. I find that Fiber Guilds have their major show and sale around Christmas and investigating online usually turns up something.

That’s all I have for today. So adieu until next time, and in the meantime

Happy Styling!

Michael gets the photo credits for the outdoor photos. I will take credit for the nail pic.

I link up with some great blogs every week. To see who they are go HERE.

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Repeat and Variation

For decades, Gloria Everhart’s Act II consignment shop offered high end fashion to women and men in the Kansas City area. At age 90, Gloria retired and Act II closed its doors. I am sad (like a host of others) to see this iconic boutique go and will miss it. At my last visit, I was able to picked up a wonderful Frank Agostino belted tweed shift–a nicely designed, well made dress in a classic fabric.

I usually stay away from belted items these days, but this was a tweed, a classic weave. Tweed, herringbone, houndstooth, plaid–and all the classic weaves just seduce me. The longer, dropped-shoulder sleeves also attracted me. Further, I just really like brown, for me one of the richest of colors. While teaching, I would never order brown refill pans of watercolor. I asked the kids to make their own by mixing orange and blue. Brown really is a mixture of all three primary colors. Beautiful hues can be created by just mixing your own. So when I see brown, I see all the colors in nature mixed into one.

Anyway, what follows is a sort of walk-through of a few thoughts on what one can do with such a versatile piece.

First, what’s the setting, the environment that I need to dress for? But of course: in a few days, Michael and I are going to a Kansas City Symphony weekday concert. Weekday concerts are much less formal than weekends so I am thinking this dress would be perfect.

I could see this piece used as an American Jumper for a sportier look or just by itself for a dressier look. There are a few other ways I could have gone with this dress, but you have to stop somewhere. Three was enough for one day.

It was so cold and windy this past Wednesday, picture day. We decided just to have interior shots. I love outdoor shoots because I can walk around and interact with the landscape. When inside, I try not to feel just as a clothes hanger. But you do get some photo bombers with the interiors–which is fun for me.

With look #1, I used my brown suede boots from last week. These boots have been on my legs quite a bit the past two months, the cold and windy time of the year. I layered my brown cashmere turtle neck under the lined dress.

Rather than jewelry, I went with a long narrow silk scarf that I dyed dark brown a few years ago. Not very visible is a vintage brown suede Rodo bag.

Look #2 is an in-between, not too dressy and something I could work in (as a substitute teacher). I have worn black leggings with black booties quite a bit and wanted to see how it would work in brown. I’m not sure how I feel this works here and think I will later try dark brown hose with brown flats.Yes, I am probably one of the few who still wear hose. When it is 30 degrees outside, I can’t stand necked legs and I just like the look of nylons.

The brown silk scarf is still in the picture and I added my tortoiseshell watch. I’ve changed to a Sacha brown suede clutch that I bought in the early days of collecting.

With look #3, I wanted to try heels but the only brown tone heels I have are caramel brown. To just add them on the bottom and keep everything the same on the top didn’t work for me. Things needed to be mixed up more. Off with the dark brown scarf and I replaced it with a color-block, silk scarf (held in place with a vintage pin). Next, I added texture with a faux alligator texture clutch and replaced the dark brown belt with a textured Liz Claiborne belt (from the 80s). In the end, this is my favorite of the three looks and will be the one that I wear. The symphony is one of the best places to wear heels. You’re setting down most of the time!

My fringe wool plaid will probably be my wrap and this is how I have been wearing it lately. In my last post, I was too busy swinging and flinging it to secure it with a pin but this is my favorite look with it.

brownvintagebags — Closeup of some of my babies

The Painted Accessory

Today, I have the color Overdrive by Emily de Molly. There are some great Australian Boutique polish companies and Emily de Molly is one of the best. I love duochromes and this red to orange to pink with multichrome flake glitter is outstanding. I’ll be wearing this one a lot.

The design may still be tweaked a tad before the concert. It is time to say good by. Michael and I are hungry and I we are on our way to eat lunch out.

gppdbye — Have a great week and I will see you later! And I promise, as much as I love brown, next week will be a different color-I promise!

That’s all I have for today. So adieu until next time, and in the meantime

Happy Styling!

Michael gets the photo credits for the outdoor photos. I will take credit for the nail pic.

I link up with some great blogs every week. To see who they are go HERE.

My Sew Sew Life-Plaid, Suede and Faux Fur. An Easy No Sew Shawl!

Back in August I had a hankering for a brown plaid wool shawl. Probably reading far too much of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, but I also just wanted a good piece of wool. Hunting in the usual places (Vogue Fabrics, Mood Fabrics and Joann’s) left me empty handed. Finally I went to my favorite haunt. After typing in eBay “Brown Wool Plaid fabric”, this piece of Italian wool popped up. Not only did I love the large plaid but also admired the natural dyed look of the colors (which it probably isn’t). Also it interested me that one side had a printed floral pattern with gold details.

After spending time playing with some yardage at home, I decided that I wanted a piece of about 1 1/2 yards by 2 1/2 yards. This shawl was almost a zero waste garment but my Italian wool was 60″ wide, as most is. I had to cut some off to make the fabric narrower. My shawl was a no-sew project but it was a fringe, fringe and let’s fringe some more. I fringed through a lot of Netflix!

I have found that I can wear this as a cape, shawl, coat and I keep it on my chair at home in case I just want to throw it over my legs when I am reading. A simple piece of cloth can be incredibly versatile.

The Boots

If you remember my last post, I mentioned that after purchasing my Modern Vice Maxines, I went on a shoe hiatus for a bit. Nine West’s Josephines drew me out of that. Being a rich brown toned suede and just a bit of detail (I love the tassels in the back), they were me to a tee! Suede is a little harder to maintain, but that has never quelled my enthusiasm for it.

The Faux Fur Vest and Pendleton Turtleneck

My vest and turtleneck are “new to me” but not new and came from eBay this past Fall. Don’t ask me why I craved a fur vest. At first thought, it wouldn’t seem to be something I would wear but I just wanted to take a chance. When I showed its eBay listing to my girlfriends, they said YES, go for it (love these ladies) and I love my vest! It’s by Sanctuary, a Los Angeles clothing firm. I checked them out this past Summer for something else and decided they had quality garments and their label could be trusted.

I didn’t really get the Pendleton oatmeal-colored turtleneck specifically for this vest but it works. Its length is a bit shorter than I thought it would be. However, I am only going to wear it under things so that wasn’t a big point. For a Pendleton item at $12.95, I can be flexible.

The Difference in Berets

The brown Beret I am wearing today is one of my wider ones and I think a bit more dramatic than smaller Berets (such as the one I had one last week). I’ve been collecting and wearing Berets since my 20’s. They are so classic and more versatile than knitted Beanies.

Usually, a Beret is 10 inches in diameter, but I have found an eBay store that offers them a little wider (only by 1/2 inch but that can make a difference). The wider Beret is a bit softer, slouchier, and even can be worn as a Beanie. I think I could do a whole post on just how to wear Berets!

The Vintage

I always try to sneak in a little vintage and today is no different. Rather than jewelry, which would have been completely lost with all the fur and plaid, I tied a silk scarf around my neck. This scarf is one of my vintage Poodle scarfs that I have collected. If you didn’t know, we have three Poodles and I can’t resist a pretty Poodle scarf.

My cross body bag is the first Rodo I ever bought. Although, at the time, I had never heard of Rodo, the color combo and details blew me away and I snatched it up. This one bag has led to many others and Rodo now is my largest collection. They pop up here quite regularly.

Rachelle and I were in the Byzantine section of the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art earlier this week and I remarked how I had always admired the Chasse Reliquary from the 12th century. She just grinned and quipped, “Its because it reminds you of a Rodo“. My daughter knows me well.

Adding Pins To Hats

Occasionally, I make my hats more individual by adding a pin or brooch. Today’s pin is a one that I bought in the Summer of 1968 before my Freshman year in college. Its the only stick pin I have ever owned and poor little snake guy has lost both of his ruby eyes but he lives on.

onchair — A nice little square waiting on my chair

The Painted Accessory

I am wearing another beautiful holographic by Literary Lacquers. Its Jack Rose and is based on the Jack Rose cocktail from Earnest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. I happen to know the Jack Rose cocktail is pink so this color seems more based on the sun.

Amy Milder, the creative behind LL, is currently studying for her CPA exams. For that reason, she is only taking special orders once a month (starting in February). I think those exams can be grueling so I am amazed she is even trying to keep the polish making side of her life going. But Amy does amazing work and I am grateful she is willing and able. To find out her schedule and to get on her email list, go to LL’s Facebook page.

I rarely give a preview of what is going on next week but expect to see my brown suede boots with a more formal look.

That’s all I have for today. So adieu until next time, and in the meantime

Happy Styling!

Michael gets the photo credits for the outdoor photos. I will take credit for the two still lifes and nail pic.

I link up with some great blogs every week. To see who they are go HERE.

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An American Classic and Modern Vice

Today’s story comes in two parts. Part one is about an American classic that I love and the second part is is about what I hope will become an American classic. The story takes shape through a walk on our homestead. We always take photos on Wednesday, and last Wednesday was very windy and I love walking on windy days.

openingstandingshot — Stopping by the upper pond. I think it might be said green is my favorite color.

Pendleton

I have a small story for you. There is a possibility that I’ve told this before, I really can’t remember, so I am going to tell you again. My husband Michael and I met in 1970 when we were both twenty. Somewhere around Valentines Day, he gave me my first present. Most girls would get cards, flowers, or candy-right? What did I get? Michael presented me with 1 & 1/4 yards of a beautiful brown Pendleton wool tweed. He knew that’s what I really wanted. So that’s what he gave me. I wanted to make a new pair of slacks (that’s what we called them back then). When I saw this gift, I knew he “got” me. I liked good quality, which Pendleton is. I remember it took my mother a bit back. After this gift, she knew this guy wasn’t going anywhere too soon.

backview — My suede bag from the early 90’s has always reminded of a bag style from the early 60’s.

Pendleton’s enduring 49’er jacket is something that I especially love. I’ve had this modern model since about 2005. I remember paying $89 for it at Dillards in Kansas City (now they cost $189). I already owned three vintage models but never a new one and the green and brown plaid just blended with my life. The colors remind me of the farm in the fall and winter.

Pendleton introduced the 49’er back in 1949. After market research, they felt that American women were ready for wool sportswear and introduced a small line of five items. The line was a success but nothing came close to the response and popularity of what is now an the iconic Pendleton jacket. No one is going to tell this story better than Pendleton. The link to that article is HERE. I love vintage ads and Pentleton’s post has some gorgeous ones along with a great history of the 49’ers. The first 49’er was sewn up by the designer Berte Wiechmann, who based her design on Pendleton’s mens’ shirts. She was very particular about the buttons and would only use a black shell button from Australia and Tahiti. In 1956 alone, they used $150,000 worth of buttons for the jackets!

Another good place to go for all things Pendleton, and really all things vintage sportswear, is The Vintage Traveler. Lizzie Bramlet, also a retired teacher and collector of vintage sportswear, is very knowledgeable. She is one of my favorite bloggers in this area.

My mock turtleneck neck sweater is also an older Pendleton. Sophie in Joplin is where I picked up my flared jeans (on one of the small business Saturdays). This is one of my older berets so who knows when and from where it appeared (the same with the suede gloves). The green suede bag has been in my closet since 1993. With all those gold rings, its my version of a rucksack. I love dark suede and that is probably why I have never been able to part with it.

bennett — Poor old, sleepy-eyed Bennet and Michael would have preferred their afternoon naps to this photo-shoot.

The 49’er has changed little since its introduction. The modern version has a narrower collar but that is about the only major change on this classic. As mentioned, I do have three vintage jackets. The one on the top left belonged to my mother-in-law. The other two I picked up about twenty years ago at the Harrisonville, MO, Trade Fair for $5 each. That was a deal!

Where is Pendleton made? Pendleton Woolen Mills is located in Portland, Oregon. It is a working mill and is open for tours. I’ve been there and if you are ever in the Portland area, I recommend it. The outlet room is a treat. Although Pendleton weaves their cloth in the US, their woolen garments are constructed in Central and South America. Non-wool garments and sweaters are made in China. That’s the global society for you.

Modern Vice-A New American Classic

Did you ever think one could still find a shoe designed and manufactured in the United States? While listening to American Fashion Podcast, I heard an interview with the creators of Modern Vice Shoes, who actually design and make their own shoes in New York City. It was exciting to check out their online site. I want to support brave creative folks like those at Modern Vice Shoes–but their designs were street-wear. I was pretty skeptical I could find a shoe that I would like.

Of course, there were a few designs that wouldn’t work for me. But I fell for The Maxine. I waited until it went on sale at the end of last summer for half price. At half price, it still was a small investment and I held off buying any other shoes until last month. Modern Vice makes shoes on order, so it does take a couple of weeks to get them.

If you are ever in New York, you can visit the factory, meet the designers, see shoes being made, and even design your own. If I ever get to New York (embarrassing: an art teacher who has never been to New York-but that is the truth), the Modern Vice show room will be on my list.

Made in USA products may never be cheap–in the short run. People have been talking about bringing production back to the USA. But this likely will come with a commitment to spend a bit more money up front to get quality in what we use and wear. A couple of posts ago, I stated my mantra: try to buy used, or make it yourself, or buy USA. This works for me even though I will always make exceptions, because what I believe in is sometimes hard to do.

I’m including a solo shot of my Maxines. They are lined in a white pearl leather that is just beautiful. This photo does not do the shoes justice. Here is the link to American Vice’s New York Store which has some good photos. I think I would save my money to have a special pair of “Handlers” made for me because it is such a classic American jean boot. That would be a once in a lifetime experience.

My Most Worn Belt

My daughter Michelle first found this niffy belt at Sophie’s in Joplin. It is perfect for wearing under sweaters because it doesn’t have a belt buckle and created a smooth look under sweaters. All three of us have this belt now (Michelle, Rachelle and I). Will that plastic buckle probably break sometime in the future? Probably, but I won’t have a problem getting another Invisi-belt. The Invisi-belt can be found on Amazon.

Well, I think that is it for today. I guess after today’s post, I am wondering if anyone else out there loves the 49’er, has one or remembers their mom or grandmother wearing one. Let me know. I would love to hear from you.

That’s all I have for today. So adieu until next time, and in the meantime

Happy Styling!

Michael gets the photo credits for the outdoor walk pics. I will take credit for the couple of still life’s that I have today.

I link up with some great blogs every week. To see who they are go HERE.

Lions in Four

main-square — I was so happy that Michael and I got to talk to Sheila that day. As a creative who sews, knits, spins and dyes I felt an immediate respect and connection for this foundation and brand. The fact that it is based in Kansas City makes it even more special.

Power, Pride, Confidence, and Courage

Good words to live by and the meaning behind the logo of Lions of Four, a Kansas City based luxury brand with a social conscience. Lions In Four is a mission-based company empowering women. It was co-founded in 2014 by designer Julie Martin and Sheila Martinsen as a way to help Julie’s Lions In Four Foundation (formerly WE CARE of India).

Julie’s story on the beginning of her foundation is amazing. It is a story of how one brief meeting on a train between Paris and Amsterdam with a nun completely changed her life and mission. That is all I am going to say, because Julie tells it very well HERE.

Michael is the one who noticed the Lions In Four’s presentation last Labor Day weekend at a1st Saturday popup event at Varnish and Vine in Kansas City. He was attracted to their necklace, its words of empowerment, and wanted to give each of our daughters for Christmas.

We spent quite a bit of time talking to Shiela Martenten about the the foundation’s work with the girls and women of India. I immediately knew that they would have to be a blog post after Christmas–not before because I didn’t want the girls to know about one of their gifts.

Ten percent of the brand’s proceeds go back to the foundation. More importantly, they are helping women become skilled and independent. Recently, the foundation completed its Women’s Training Center building and is now working on getting staff and infrastructure in place to teach the art of hand dying.

boxes — Everything is beautifully presented. Hummmmm, I wonder what’s in the big box? Could it be a Christmas something for Mom?

Oh, yes! Lions in Four’s Amsterdam clutch. As described on their website:

The Amsterdam Leather Clutch in bronze has a sleek, modern look on the outside and a rich, unique story on the inside. This generously sized bag is versatile- it can work for day or dressed up for evening; it can be carried solo or tucked into a larger bag. Each clutch is lined with hand woven, naturally dyed mulberry silk. The lining is handmade by artisans in south India so no two pieces are alike.

Details:• Soft, recycled leather clutch (50% recycled leather, 50% polyurethane) with gold metal studs
• 100% silk lining dyed with all natural, non-toxic dyes
• Alcantara® suede lined interior pocket protects sunglasses and cell phones• Roomy dimensions: 12″x8″ – fits everything from daily essentials to an iPad
• Manufactured in NYC

Michael and I are going to the Kansas City symphony January 13th. Usually, I post what I wear then on Instagram. Here’s a preview. Needless to say, my new clutch is going. It wasn’t hard to find items in my closet to complement my new bag. The pants are sewn by me and have already been seen HERE.

My gold silk blouse is a vintage Escada by Margaretha Ley I found on eBay around 2005. In those days, one could pick up wonderfully designed pieces by her at a very favorable price. With the blouse’s lace and jewel collar and cuffs, no other jewelry is really required. It also has hidden buttons, a feature I love in blouses.

I simply tied a chiffon scarf around my waist for a simple sash to complete the main look. The last item would be the shoes which are J Reneé and are black and gold themselves. However, it seems to me that they have a slight holographic personality. It shows up in my still life below. I picked these shoes up a few years ago at Joplin’s Sophie’s. When we have Thanksgiving in Joplin, the girls and I always try to go to the Small Business Saturday events and we usually find something we like at Sophies.

shawl — If it was warmer outside, I would just wear my large cut velvet scarf as a wrap. I fell in love with this scarf at Tuesday Morning, of all places.

Likely it will be cold when we go to the symphony, so I will add my vintage quilted cotton/viscose Escada by Margaretha Ley jacket, that I got from eBay about the same time as the blouse. It has gorgeous embroidery and beading, not visible in this photo–but notice below.

The velvet gloves with the cheetah edging will be going too. Now, I won’t be wearing my sunglasses but it was so bright the day we took this shot, my eyes would have been squinting and you wouldn’t have seen them anyway!

stilllife — Black and Gold-my still life study to show the embroidery work of the jacket and holo quality of the shoes. You also get a peek of the jacket’s black and white silk lining.

The Painted Accessory

Of course on the evening for the symphony, I will wear nail polish I am completely enamored with: a beautiful golden holographic by Literary Lacquer. It’s Darcy (yes, Jane Austin’s Mr. Darcy). It may be a gold but, oh, there’s a lot going on there.

Before I end, I want to include the following from the Lions In Four website. For me, each point makes their jewelry, scarfs, and bags meaningful:

What’s Special About Our Products…

We only use Riri Italian zippers in our bags. These zippers are found only in the highest end designer bags.
The ostrich leather used on our clutches is the same grade and sourced from the same mill in South Africa that Hermes uses to produce its ostrich bags.
The Alcantara suede used on our suede clutches is sourced from Italy and is used on the seats of Porsche and Maserati automobiles – it is buttery soft, highly durable and resists water damage.
Each pure silk used in our scarves and to line our bags is hand-dyed by artisans in south India using all natural plant and vegetable dyes.
The dying techniques used to create the design on each silk are labor intensive and centuries old.
The design of each scarf is created by the hand stitching, knotting and/or block printing or resisting of each silk at various stages of the dying process.
We chose to line the inside of our bags with silk as a statement to beauty beyond the surface.
Our recycled leathers are milled in the USA and the chains and charms used in our jewelry are manufactured in the USA.
Our Amsterdam suede and recycled leather clutches are manufactured in the New York garment district.
Our products are ethically sourced.
Each clutch features a suede lined pocket to protect your cell phone and sunglasses.
Your purchase has an impact; when you purchase a Lions in Four product you empower women in India.

I am drawn to Lions in Four mission of empowering women and teaching them a skill that can make them independent. There are many wonderful organizations with similar missions, but this is one to check out. Of course, you can own one of their wonderful designs, but you can also make donations for their work.

Some important links to Lions in Four are:

The Lions in Four Foundation

The Lions in Four Company

The Lions in Four Blog

The Lions in Four Facebook page

A close view of the Lions in Four necklace:

That’s all I have for today so…

Adieu until the next time and in the meantime…
Happy Styling!

I usually link up with Patti’s Not Dead Yet Style’s Visible Monday HERE, Cherie’s Style Nudge’s Shoe and Tell HERE, Catherine’s Not Dressed As Lamb’s I will Wear What I like HERE, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish Turning Heads Tuesday HERE, Living On Cloud Nine’s Style Perspectives HERE, Shopping My Closet’s Style Me Wednesday HERE, The Pleated Poppy’s What I Wore HERE, High Altitude Style’s Link-Up HERE, Elegance and Mommyhood’s Moda Thursday HERE, Fashion Should Be Fun’s Fun Friday Fashion Link Up HERE, Nancy’s Fashion Style’s Fancy Friday , Color and Grace’s Fashion Link-Up HERE, Rachel’s (Rachel The Hat) The Passion For Fashion Link-up HERE and Style Crone’s Hat Attack HERE (when I have a hat on!)

Photo credit for this week goes to Michael for my portraits and myself for the nail photo and still life. I hope you like my new home. I have wanted to be a .com for a while but it took my youngest daughter, Rachelle to spur me on. It might change a tad, but not much. I do know it makes me happy to be meadowtreestyle.com.

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Tomboy

Happy New Year! Is everyone rested from Christmas and ready for 2017?

I have one word for today: Tomboy! Tomboy is a fashion label out of Kansas City created by Laura McGrew. Laura has been a constant on the Kansas City creative scene since 1999. She studied painting at The Kansas City Art Institute but always knew her real calling was fashion design. I feel Laura creates timeless pieces that are versatile.

When I saw this long asymmetrical vest at a recent KC Collaborative Holiday Popup event, I couldn’t keep my eyes off it. I knew it was a very limited edition piece but I felt guilty getting something for myself right before Christmas. Michael took care of that. Sometimes husbands are pretty handy! Supporting locally designed and produced fashion is high on my list of priorities. Priced at $135, this vest seemed to be a very good investment for me.

There are so many ways I can wear this piece. Deciding of which three to show today was hard!

Look #1. With Jeans

This look was worn to a charity event and is probably my favorite. Styling with my Tomboy are Madewell Skinny jeans, a ChiChi black layering shell and Adrienne Vittadini boots (TJ Maxx about a couple of years ago).

The highlight of the accessories today is my M2 earrings by Mary Morris, a “new to me” Kansas City jewelry designer. I discovered her pieces at the Jeweled Gypsy’s popup shop on the Country Club Plaza. The Jeweled Gypsy usually travels around the city in their store on wheels.

Next is my matching necklace/bracelet set that I found at my hospital’s gift shop (when I got my mammogram this summer), leather gloves from TJ Maxx (years ago) and a black leather bag from Adrian Kriestler Drugs (again, you never know where you are going to find great things) and finally the Marc Jacobs sunglasses, from The RealReal.

Look #2. The Black Column

I decided to try a little dressier look. This black column has been on before (HERE). I changed the bag to my vintage Koret, probably the first vintage bag I ever bought. It was a great deal on eBay because it was missing its strap. I just bought a chain from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads and was good to go. My heels are Manolo Balhnik’s (eBay years ago). They are such classics and I have worn them steadily during the years.

My black hat is an old friend and have had it forever. I think it came from Signals.

Look #3. Dressing It Up

My final challenge to answer was if I could wear my new Tomboy vest with a dress. What do you think? The black sheath dress dates from the days when Issac Mizrahi had a line for Target. Wow, how many years ago was that? It’s a great little dress that I still wear.

I added an Alfani patent leather clutch (eBay), Etienne Aigner pumps (Dillards, over 12 years ago), long black faux leather gloves, a thrifted burgundy patterned scarf, a cuff that my youngest keeps leaving at the house and a beaded collar necklace (see below).

A close up of my beaded collar-necklace that I found at Kansas City’s The Hat Store. The polish shown is Unfaithful Red by Nubar. Unfaithful Red is a metallic with a golden sheen and was perfect for the Christmas holidays.

The Painted Accessory

One of my biggest surprises is how much I love green polish. I found myself wearing it often during the holidays. The base green on this post is Ray by Zoya (discontinued-but Zoya has plenty other greens).

I then topped it off with Meow by Rescue Beauty Lounge. RBL is no longer but their polish can still be found on eBay. But, of course, they are very over priced.

Bonus Look For Today

On the subject of Tomboy, I am compelled to share my Tomboy asymmetrical navy knit skirt. It is perfect for that red, white and blue combination.

That’s all I have for today so…

Adieu until the next time and in the meantime…
Happy Styling!

This week, I am linking up with Patti’s Not Dead Yet Style’s Visible Monday HERE, Cherie’s Style Nudge’s Shoe and Tell HERE, Catherine’s Not Dressed As Lamb’s I will Wear What I like HERE, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish Turning Heads Tuesday HERE, Living On Cloud Nine’s Style Perspectives HERE, Shopping My Closet’s Style Me Wednesday HERE, The Pleated Poppy’s What I Wore HERE, High Altitude Style’s Link-Up HERE, Fashion Should Be Fun’s Fun Friday Fashion Link Up HERE, Nancy’s Fashion Style’s Fancy Friday , Color and Grace’s Fashion Link-Up HERE, Rachel’s (Rachel The Hat) The Passion For Fashion Link-up HERE and Style Crone’s Hat Attack HERE.

Photo credit for this week goes to Michael and my Grandson William for my portraits and myself for the nail photos.

One Thing Connects To Another

First off, I don’t buy anything unless I like it. And even then, it has to somehow fit what I already have. So if I’m intrigued or distracted by an item, I try to visualize how it might fit with what’s in my closet, how it might be styled. One item connects to another and then to another. Over time, a look or style emerges. My style.

That is how the outfit came to be that I wore recently to a meeting of Missouri Retired Teachers. I started with five base items: the beret, gloves, leggings, bag and boots.

A quick shot and away I went-I was late and it was cold!

The gloves and beret came along years ago. The black beret has been in my closet so long, I have forgotten the when and where purchasing details–but I knew it was safely there.

When I ran across the fur-edged, leather gloves on eBay about six years ago, I knew they would fit nicely with things I already owned.

The story is the same with my B Makowsky bag which has been with me for about four years. I like this bag a lot. However, I probably won’t be getting too many more B’s: the quality just isn’t there with the newer ones, plus the company no longer seems to stand behind their product.

If I think something is a bit on the short side, I add leggings. When I was younger, I wore my share of tights. I remember the days of donning a mini skirt and having a matching turtle neck and tights. Did anyone else sport this look back in the day?

The last basic element would be the Ann Klein faux fur topped booties. Rarely these days do I visit Marshalls, TJ Maxx or Ross (unlike ten or so years ago) but I may occasionally drop in. These booties were found at the Ross store in Joplin, MO. I really was taken by them but they weren’t cheap. And I just had trouble visualizing how useful they would be with what I had.

After three days, I could not get them out of my mind. If I can’t stop thinking about something, it is best to just give in, go get it and have faith it is going to work out. I had to be back in Joplin later that week, and they were still there! Sometimes, I lose out on an item taking this approach but I just usually don’t go for impulse purchases.

For me, these were five great accessories. Still they needed an anchor point to work together.

It’s a sunny-cold day. That’s great because it gives me a chance to wear my Marc Jacob sun glasses that I picked up from The RealReal
last July. Does anyone else find wonderful things there?

The anchor points were to be found at Good Will and Salvation Army. I have never shied away from telling folks that I shop at these two fine establishments–which could lead into my concerns about the fashion industry and the environment. Let me come back to that later.

Last winter, at Good Will, I ran across an Ann Taylor Loft grey dress with ribbing below where the natural waist was. I think the top was supposed to be a little blousey and hang over the skirt. After trying it on, I understood why it was donated. The dress didn’t flatter a body at all. But I liked the color, general design and I loved the dolman sleeves. It was probably senior discount day, so I didn’t pay over $2.50 for a dress that looked as if it was never worn.

Well, I guess I need to add, for me, impulse purchases are OK if it is senior day at Goodwill!

I now have something that looks like a matched sweater and skirt. This look was very popular when I was in high school.

What to do about the way it looked? I first tried to put a belt with it as in this photo below and still wasn’t happy.

Last week, I had the answer. I just tucked and tacked the ribbed band in place and now it is a faux two-piece look that would flatter any figure. It took just a little time, some thread and a needle.

I just didn’t like the way the dress looked in this shot.

The next to the last item for this look is the Diane Von Furstenburg purple and grey herringbone patterned wool jacket with the faux fur collar and raglan sleeves. When I found this one, at Salvation Army, I knew it would look great with my fur topped boots! The purple adds a color that is rarely seen in my closet and the grey anchors it to all my neutral colors–a nice twist.

Shopping at Salvation Army takes a good eye and a lot of patience. Whereas, Good Will is arranged by color, Salvation Army is arranged by item style and you just have to keep looking. Another difference, is that Good Will charges the same price for similar styles without consideration of brands. An Armani Exchange silk tunic will be the same price as something from Walmart (and yes, I did find this silk tunic). Salvation Army, on the other hand, knows who the designers are. If it is something by a designer such as Calvin Klein, expect to pay extra (it was and I did).

Taming the scarf a bit with a modern art pin allowed me to experiment with an asymmetrical look.

I wanted a black scarf to go with this look. Last year, I picked up some stretch black velvet at JoAnn’s with the intention of making some kind of head wrap–which never happened. I took the velvet and backed it with some black silk from my stash. To me, this scarf goes well.

Art accessories are important to me. This is especially true when it comes to my jewelry. Featured on the left is my newest necklace Sticks and Stones by Cydney Ross. I’m wearing it in today’s shots, but its not very visible. Cydney is a Kansas City jewelry designer who uses porcelain in her pieces. The pin on the right was purchased at Agora Arts in Decorah, Iowa, years ago.

My Changing Purchasing Philosophy

During the last four years, I have changed how and from whom I source my garments. My thoughts on buying habits changed when I read Elizabeth L. Cline’s book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost Of Cheap Fashion. I just really liked this book and highly recommend it. (see my review ). (By the way, it now is available for less than ten dollars, which includes shipping, from Amazon’s used book section.)

After reading Overdressed, I have settled into a general pattern of shopping:

thrift shops, consignment shops and eBay-this gives me extra money to spend on #3.
making it myself-this is no longer about saving money like it use to be in the 60s and 70s. It is about having something unique and being creative.
Midwestern designers-my designers more than likely create their own designs. Purchasing their products is one of the best ways I know to support Made In The USA
and finally, smaller local boutiques, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and online stores such as ASOS and Mango, etc.

There will always be exceptions. There will be days that I will pick up a pair of socks at Walmart or maybe see a cool pair of jeans at Cato. But those times far and few. I honestly try not to buy “fast fashion”.

Looking out for things to augment my style is like cleaning my kitchen because it never ends. I set limits, know what I need, and occasionally make one of those instant decision purchases.

I do weed or either pass things along to my daughters if we both think it would be useful to them and, if not, its donation time to the DAV. I realize I have not mentioned sourcing bags and shoes. That needs to be left for another time.

The Polished Accessory

I know this has been a long post but I wanted to share this new gorgeous a-england polish. Look at that scattered holo! This is one of the most beautiful vampy burgundy’s I have ever seen and it’s In Robe and Crown from Adina’s new collection Tennyson’s Romance. I picked it up during Color4Nails Black Friday Sale.

That’s all I have for today so…

Adieu until the next time and in the meantime…
Happy Styling!

Photo credit for this week goes to Michael for my portraits and myself for the nail photo.

Want a Change-Its a Snap With Bejeweled By Sheree

Christmas is right around the corner and I have an idea for a fun gift. Bejeweled by Sheree has jewelry that can change with your mood and whim. My friend Sheree, who introduced me to this line, calls this snap jewelry. I was immediately intrigued and asked if we could collaborate. She said, “of course,” and let me pick out the pieces I wanted to show.

Jacket: printed leather by Juliana Collezione (eBay)

My first choice was the wrap bracelet which comes in eight different colors. As there is usually a ring on my finger, I picked the silver stretchy ring because I thought it would be fun to match a ring to the other jewelry.

Look One: The Turquoise Tree snap for the bracelet and the Dragonfly snap on the ring.

Look Two: The Feur-de-Lis snap is probably one of my favorite snaps. I paired it with the silver and brown marble snap.

The one drawback for me is the small clasp on the bracelet. I have trouble getting it on. I have extra larger lobster clasps with my jewelry making supplies but who knows when I will get around to that.

The third piece I picked is a fringed pendant. I don’t know how you feel, but I have finally decided that fringe is going to be around for a while. This particular necklace was picked from Sheree’s shop and darn if I can’t find it on the web site. Maybe it was discontinued, but there are still other fringe necklaces. I actually like The Long Triangular Drop better than mine.

Look One

Red Chunk Metal Snap for the necklace and Dot Flower for the ring. Silk jacket by Juliana Collezione (eBay)

Look Two


For the necklace, Green Triangular Rhinestone Design and the ring Flat With White Square. Cotton/Polyester jacket by Juliana Collezione (eBay)

Look Three

I picked Flower On Black for the necklace and Black Swirl (a mini) for the ring. Vintage Wool/Acetate Escada jacket by Margaretha Ley (eBay)

For the most part, this jewelry is the quality you would find at Target and Charming Charlies. However, Bejeweled also offers a finer sterling silver line that is found in the Exclusive Collection. The elements I am wearing were all made in China. Sheree as taken on a personal challenge to have snaps designed and produced in the USA but can only carry those in her shop. If you are interested in what those are, she would welcome email at bejeweledbysheree@yahoo.com. I am also hoping that she puts some of these original designs on her Facebook page.

The pieces that I am showing today retail between $5-$15, depending on the piece. There are also two different sizes of snaps. The regular snaps such as the ones I am wearing are 18mm and mini snaps which are 12mm. The minis take different base pieces. Most regular snaps are $4 and minis are around $2.

I will warn you that the site is huge. I used the search function a lot and would search by subject matter or color. A good example would be football. With that search, five regular size snaps come up along with three mini. This doesn’t even count the mini snaps of every American professional football team.

I hope I have helped with some Christmas shopping decisions and will list some important links. If I had granddaughters, I am pretty sure they would find a few pieces under the tree. If you live near Adrian, MO, head over to Byrds on Main Street and visit Sheree’s shop and pick up one of Jennifer’s pecan pies while you are at it. We had both her Classic and Carmel for Thanksgiving-Heaven!

Links to Sheree:

Bejeweled By Sheree Online shopping site
Bejeweled By Sheree Facebook page

That’s all I have for today so…

Adieu until the next time and in the meantime…
Happy Styling!

This week, I am linking up with Patti’s Not Dead Yet Style’s Visible Monday HERE, Cherie’s Style Nudge’s Shoe and Tell HERE, Catherine’s Not Dressed As Lamb’s I will Wear What I like HERE, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish Turning Heads Tuesday HERE, Living On Cloud Nine’s Style Perspectives HERE, Shopping My Closet’s Style Me Wednesday HERE, The Pleated Poppy’s What I Wore HERE, High Altitude Style’s Link-Up HERE, Fashion Should Be Fun’s Fun Friday Fashion Link Up HERE, Shelbee’s Edge of the Week Link Up HERE, Nancy’s Fashion Style’s Fancy Friday , Color and Grace’s Fashion Link-Up HERE, Rachel’s (Rachel The Hat) The Passion For Fashion Link-up HERE and Style Crone’s Hat Attack HERE.

Photo credit for this week goes to Michael for my portraits and myself for the shop photos.

Welcoming November

I am a woman of few prints. When I find one that I adore, I am ecstatic! One of those moments happened at the clearance rack at Tulip, a locally owned boutique in Kansas City.

With its fall colors on the black background, this dress just seemed perfect for November. It didn’t hurt that it was just a tad hippy dippy.

It was windy!

Between the ruffled neck, black lace insets, flounced hem and brass topped tassels in the back, I am having so much fun with this dress.

You’ve all seen our Bennett before

Oh, those tassels

I think Michael was a little surprised when I brought this one home but once he saw me with my black tights and hat, he understood.

There is one other very special item in this styling and it is my Tom Thomas’ Spiral Bag. About a dozen years ago, I found it at the Plaza Art Fair in Kansas City. Tom Thomas and his son Shawn are award winning leather craftsmen and their bags are unique designs with an artistic flair.

My hat is Steve Madden picked up from Marshalls. The shoes are by Life Stride from The Shoe Dept.

Like Minded People

I am fortunate to belong to the Kansas City Blog Guild. The guild is open to all area bloggers. Our members cover the gambit of blogging subjects: family, fashion, food, business to cite a few. It means a lot to me to connect with like-minded people because sharing enriches all of us.

Robin in her beautiful store

The blog guild’s fall meetup was at Tulip, a locally owned Kansas City boutique. Each of us were gifted a clutch by Robin and her staff. Other brands were also in attendance: Beauty Brands, Zoetic, Annedore’s Confectioners and Coveted Home. It was a perfect evening in a beautiful setting.

I think this clutch that I received from Tulip at the meetup is very much me

The Polished Accessory

a-england has been on the blog before. Its a British polish line created by Adina Bodana. a-england is A+ when it come to formula and is highly regarded in the polish world. With collections titled The Mythicals, Gothic Beauties and Heavenly Quotes, a-england the most romantic polish line I know. The vampy color I am wearing for this post is Briarwood from the Burne-Jones Dream collection. Unless you live in Britain, the only way to get a-england is from an online company that specializes in a world selection of polishes such as Color4Nails and Beautometry.

Today’s post is very simple, just a dress that I loved and one special bag. That’s all I have for today so…….

Adieu.
I will see you next week and in the meantime, Happy Styling!

* FYI-When you see the light blue (ans they turn red when you hover them) lettering in my posts, this means a link. These links will take you to the online site of whatever I am talking about.

This week, I am linking up with Patti’s Not Dead Yet Style’s Visible Monday HERE, Cherie’s Style Nudge’s Shoe and Tell HERE, Catherine’s Not Dressed As Lamb’s I will Wear What I like HERE, Elegantly Dressed and Stylish Turning Heads Tuesday HERE, Living On Cloud Nine’s Style Perspectives HERE, Shopping My Closet’s Style Me Wednesday HERE, The Pleated Poppy’s What I Wore HERE, High Altitude Style’s Link-Up HERE, Fashion Should Be Fun’s Fun Friday Fashion Link Up HERE, Shelbee’s Edge of the Week Link Up HERE, Nancy’s Fashion Style’s Fancy Friday and Rachel’s (Rachel The Hat) The Passion For Fashion Link-up HERE and Style Crone’s Hat Attack HERE.

Photo credit for this week goes to Michael for the photos of me and me for the mani.

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