We were well onto page 2 and we aren't really into changing pages so here is a nice fresh thread to continue on!

That "pick a print" thing is really throwing me, folks. Scarves, I get. I've been trying to go by the "pick something you can wear 3 ways" guideline, and the print thing is really challenging me. Off for the day in Austin! :-)

I agree, prints can be tricky and I'm still working on incorporating them myself, but if you also have a lot of coordinating basics in solid colours, you can still put together multiple outfits. For example: today I'm wearing a short swingy skirt with an oversized black-and-white print of palm leaves. I've added a jade green tee, light brown gladiator sandals, and a silver necklace (no "completer piece"/basic because it's too warm for layers). But I've also worn the same skirt with a white s/s button-down, or a B&W s/s button-down (the print is much smaller than on the skirt), or of course a different coloured tee. To give you a different example, I recently bought a tank with a small print in peacock colours, and I've worn it with a white skirt, a brown skirt in a completely different style, and jeans. What I haven't mastered is choosing a coloured print and pairing it with a second item that picks up one of the same colours -- I find it easier to go for a contrasting colour or neutral (or a print that's in neutral colours to start with). Happy Friday, all!

Catherine, I'll probably go for a cheetah print...I'm an autumn.

Thanks, Wonderer. I've been wondering....can texture also serve the save purpose as a print. Wearing an all-over lace dress (royal blue) to a wedding tomorrow. Although it's solid, is it like a print? Keeping accessories simple due to the all over lace.

Yesterday was a BUSY day. Played for a funeral at 11 in the morning ~ wore a navy dress with cream polka dots and bone colored wedges. Went home, grabbed a bite, changed clothes, and was on my way to an afternoon wedding. Wore my the blue lace dress with new sandals I got on the Early Access Nordstrom sale. The dress was a steal from JCrew....$179 full price ~ I got it for $57 final clearance. Was lucky they still had my size.

Beautiful Debra!

Debra, I have wondered the same thing, is a lacy item a pattern? I have been considering it a pattern but wonder if you could put it together with a stripe, hmmmmm perhaps I will try it later this week. I love the dress and what a great deal you got! I love prints and bright colours, I think the trick with them is ensuring there is one of your neutral colours in the pattern. Today I am wearing the multi blue pattern skort and navy T, egyptian statement necklace and plain hoop earrings. Basically same old outfit! It is VERY humid so I dressed for the potential of thunderstorms. Have a great week everyone.

Great dress, Debra! What instrument do you play? You might've said, but I've forgotten. As for lace: I treat it like a "statement piece" -- so, yes to keeping other things simple -- but you can mix and match patterns and, with lace, especially other textures. For example, I have a lace blouse that I like wearing with denim or linen; something like tweed would also be fun. Catherine, I'd be interested to see (or hear) how the lace + stripe works out. Speaking of lace, today I'm wearing a white lace pencil skirt with a peach cardi. Added my favourite metallic wedge sandals and a turquoise bracelet. This cardi has a crew neckline and a frill down the button band in the front, so necklaces don't really work with it, and I don't have pierced ears...so bracelets are the way to go.

Today's outfit: monochrome navy slacks and navy lace shell, white s/s cardi (worn open -- no buttons), red shoes, and mint statement necklace. The navy shell was something I bought as a basic, but I've had trouble integrating it into my wardrobe. Most of my bottoms are either white (so attention would be on the bottom -- bad for C's) or dark grey (not enough differentiation with navy), or they're lacy and the shell is lacy and that's too much lace for me. And most of my blazers/cardis are blue, so that's too much blue. So far, I've worn the shell 90% of the time exactly the way I'm wearing it now, and a few times with jeans, but there must be a way to wear it not in monochrome....

my lace navy shell ends up being worn almost the same way as you have done it here! Sometimes we are just too much alike! I am trying to venture outside of my comfort zone as I see and hear about interesting combos here. Today is just one of those summer days that are near impossible to dress for. Hot outside, but most of the day is in over AC meeting rooms. I take the bus to those meetings when they are downtown, its cheaper and easier than driving and parking. So layers are my friend but I need to look presentable all the way along. I started trying to team a striped top with floral skirt. It didn't work, the top is just not right for it. So I switched out the bottoms for these beige capris. The top looks layered but its faux layered. Then I added a blazer style jean jacket for inside and topped it with a butterfly scarf. Not sure about the scarf but it needed something extra and I am trying to learn to combine patterns.

Looks great, Catherine! I am amused by our similar styles -- I think that means you are young at heart and I am...well...let's just say "classic". LOL. Today I am falling back on an old standby: blue/yellow/white boatneck knit top with 3/4-length sleeves with light brown linen bootcut slacks, metallic wedges again, and a long metallic necklace. Added a white jean jacket and orange scarf because it was chilly this morning.

Y'all look/sound great! I like your shoes too Catherine.

Metallic wedges sound fabulous, wonderer! I play the organ. Thank heavens I didn't have to play for the wedding....was able to enjoy myself. Catherine, I love the striped top with the jean jacket, and the butterfly scarf is perfect. Love the shoes, too! Would be interested in seeing the lace with the stripes. I do have a striped jacket that I could try with the lace top I have. It's just so hot here that I never think about jackets....although I do keep a cozy sweater in the car for going to movies.

Debra, they're my favourite sandals. :-) Getting a bit worn out now, but I haven't had a chance to go shopping for replacements. Maybe this weekend. Today's outfit: white lace pencil skirt, light-wash chambray (debated between tucking in and belting, ended up tucking...but I always have trouble keeping shirts tucked in smoothly, so belting might have been better -- next time), mint statement necklace, and...oops, those wedges again! Now that I think of it, I'm going to change them for white wedge sandals that I keep at my desk at work.

Today's outfit, the AC is not working where I was to be today. So I ended my day early. What you can't see is the stripes on the back. It always gets a comment. They are wide navy and white. I had a cute white cardigan on briefly! What you can't see in the picture is my cute white sandals with large flower on the front. I liked them so much I bought the identical pair in black. I have wore them for 3 summers and still love them. They are Clarks and very comfy, they seem to be made for my foot shape.

Here is yesterday... lace and stripes, kept monochromatic! I was out of my comfort zone so I wore my favourite black wedge sandals.

Catherine, your belted shell looks great. I also like your lace and stripes together!

I agree, both great outfits! The lace and stripes work well, maybe because the monochromatic colour scheme ties them together and makes the outfit cohesive. But I can see the lace top working well with a floral blazer and/or something bright.... Today's outfit for casual Friday: dark-wash skinny jeans worn cuffed, red shoes (with hidden mini-socks), blue tunic top, and a triple strand of faux pearls. Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

Yawn, stretch. Nothing new to report wearing today. My favourite summer outfit again! My cost per wear on this outfit is really really tiny! Thanks for all the compliments on last weeks outfits. I made up for it on the weekend, my daughter looked at me and said I was a living, breathing example of a "fashion faux pas"! We were at the cottage and this is a very casual space, I had on a grey pair of capris and a pink crew neck tshirt (fundraiser give away type). I got cold and just grabbed the flannel shirt that was hanging in my room, green and black gingham. It was a campfire, I don't think I really needed to look stylish there but apparently I have set my fashion bar and there is an expectation to look put together now!

I would say that the cottage is one place where you're allowed to get away with that! (Side note: you're in Winnipeg, right? I grew up in Alberta, where we always called them "cabins", and was surprised to hear everyone say "cottage" when I moved to Toronto. Wonder where the shift happens?) I'll be at a cottage next week and will probably leave all my accessories at home. ;) Today, though, I'm at work: multicoloured dress with high-low hemline, accessorized with a woven tan belt and a faux gold statement necklace, and gladiator flats.