Category: Fashion

More Fashion Styling Ideas

I have exciting news! I started writing for Upstyle Daily! Now you can get even more styling ideas on how to wear different items, beginner’s guides to wearing vintage and practical styling advice for items you may already have in your closet.

Go to my page in Upstyle Daily and be sure to bookmark it to check back often!

The URL: https://www.upstyledaily.com/kastlestyle

Upstyle Daily is a fashion magazine website featuring makers and fashion bloggers who are great at creating and styling outfits. Content is updated multiple times a week and offers lots of ideas for refreshing your wardrobe.

Here are a few of my featured articles on Upstyle Daily – so far!

How to Wear a Vintage Hat

1960s Lilly Dache Vintage Hat

 

One Sheath Dress, Five Ways

Sheath Dress Styling

Six Ways to Style and Accessorize a Blazer

How to Style a Blazer

 

So pop over to Upstyle Daily to get more styling ideas for vintage, thrifted, trending and practical items.

Also follow me on Instagram for even more outfit ideas!

 

Until next time,

Kastle

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Category: Fashion

How to Style a Sweater Vest Creatively

I love a good sweater vest. This simple layering piece became a trend last year and is perfect for between seasons when it’s just a little chilly outside but not cold enough for a full sweater. While this piece has a reputation as a conservative mainstay when paired with a button-down shirt, I wanted to share how to style a sweater vest creatively.

Sweater vests come in all different colors and can include some fun patterns. I try to look for unusual designs or a good ol’ fashion grandpa sweater.Styling it with other prints and textures can create an interesting look with vintage style.

Mixing Prints with A Sweater VestVintage sweater vest

Vintage sweater vest

I found this sweater vest at a vintage store and just loved the print. At first, I wasn’t sure how to style it and just paired it with solid colors. But then I started to have some fun with it. I put it over a thrifted button-down shirt with a small print in complementary colors and then some pants with a light plaid print in the same color palette that lets the bold print of the vest stand out.

Mixing Textures with A Sweater Vest

How to style a sweater vest

Styling a sweater vest

I fell in love with this grandpa-style beige sweater vest at an antique market. It looks like it was lovingly hand-knitted. I decided to have some fun with it by pairing it with a thrifted, silky bold-colored pink and orange print button-down shirt and vintage pale pink linen skirt.

Mixing Prints and Solid Colors with a Sweater Vest 

Wear a sweater vest with vintage style

How to wear a sweater vest

Don’t limit your sweater vests to just going over shirts. They also work great over your summer dresses when it’s not quite warm enough to wear them. I paired this thrifted green sweater vest over a vintage pony-print dress and added a vintage belt to give it some shape.

What ways can you think of to style your sweater vest? Maybe over a hoodie, with a t-shirt or a puffy-sleeve blouse? The options are limitless!

Check out more ways to style creatively with vintage and thrifted finds on my Instagram page.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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Category: Fashion

How to Wear a Women’s Crewneck Sweater With Vintage Style

Crewneck sweaters are a wardrobe staple. They’ll take you from the first crisp days of fall to that last chill in the air in springtime. But while they are a basic, they can also be a little boring and nerdy, when just worn over a button-down shirt, which is how you mostly see it styled. Last winter, I invested in a good assortment of crewneck sweaters (mainly because I had no warm clothes after moving from Southern California to Colorado) in classic colors. I learned how to wear a women’s crewneck sweater with vintage style.

Vintage dress with crewneck sweater

Crewneck sweater with vintage dress and hat

Style a Crewneck Sweater Over a Vintage Dress

You can use a basic crewneck sweater to winterize a vintage dress, even if it’s in bright spring colors. Just ground the color palette in a more seasonal neutral such as this tan crewneck sweater over a bright paisley vintage dress. The collar on this dress works well peeking out of the top. I added a little ribbon tie. Top the look with a fun vintage-style hat and, depending on the outside temperature, boots or cute shoes.

Women's Crewneck Sweater with a Vintage Scarf

Women's crewneck sweater with a vintage scarf

Style a Crewneck Sweater with a Vintage Scarf

A basic black crewneck sweater goes with everything but can blend into the background – that makes YOU disappear! Jazz it up with a beautifully-patterned vintage scarf like this one I have from 1960’s designer Vera. The bold colors give the outfit a pop. It also provides an opportunity to coordinate it with the rest of your outfit, like this pinup-style purple pencil skirt and lavender vintage handbag. It makes black anything but basic and boring.

Crewneck sweater with detachable Peter Pan Collar

Women's crewneck sweater with detachable Peter Pan collar

Style a Crewneck Sweater With a Detachable Peter Pan Collar 

Vintage-inspired Peter Pan collars have been trending for the past year. Lots of crafty makers on Etsy and Instagram create detachable ones in fun designs that simply tie-on. These are perfect for adding some style to your plain ol’ crewneck sweater. Coordinate your pants or skirt with the colors in your collar pattern, like I did with these vintage pants, hat and ankle booties, and you have quite a clever retro-inspired outfit!

So spice up those plain ol’ staples in your cold-weather wardrobe by learning how to how to wear a women’s crewneck sweater with vintage style. This styling works well when you’re out in the cool weather and also look great on Zoom when that sweater is all everyone will see! You’ll learn to love your winter-wear workhorse all over again.

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Category: Fashion

How to Wear Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021

Every year, Pantone releases its color of the year. This color helps stylists, interior designers and other influencers know what’s on-trend. This year, Pantone released TWO colors to double your fun. So I thought I’d show you how to wear Pantone’s Colors of the Year with a little bit of vintage style shopped from my closet.

Pantone Colors of the Year 2021

Pantone’s Colors of the Year for 2021

For 2021, the Pantone Colors of the Year are Ultimate Gray and Illuminating [Yellow]. These are interesting choices in that one is a grounded, neutral color, and the other is a bright, cheerful color. This may serve to represent this year’s juxtaposition of hopeful optimism and realistic uncertainty as the pandemic continues to affect our lives. Both are on the cooler side, so if you’re someone drawn to warmer colors, these might not be for you. (But I’m also going to show you how to adjust them to suit your palette.)

Incorporating the Colors of the Year Into Your Wardrobe

Just because these colors are the trend, it doesn’t mean you have to make a lot of big purchases to be in style. Thrift stores and second-hand finds on eBay and Etsy are a great way to pepper the color into your wardrobe without spending a lot. I found I actually have quite a bit of grey and yellow in my closet, which took me on an adventure to put some new outfit combos together. A quick disclaimer, the yellows in my wardrobe lean more to warm gold shades than the cooler shade of Pantone’s Illuminating because that works better with my skin tone. It’s totally OK to rock it your way!

Grey sweater with yellow pinafore patterned scarf

What to wear with Pantone's Colors of the Year

Add a Scarf to Pantone’s Colors of the Year Bring in a Print

Why go with straight yellow and grey? Consider it the basics and then bring in a patterned scarf like this vintage one that incorporates the colors of the year and adds a bright teal to “tie” together a simple crew neck grey sweater and yellow corduroy jumper. Black accessories further ground the look.

 

Green plaid poncho, yellow skirt and grey hat

Green Vintage Poncho

Wear the Color of the Year as the Background to a Statement Piece

You don’t have to go with an obvious pairing of grey and yellow to work this trend. They can provide nice background canvas to a statement piece you’ve been dying to bust out. I put a simple grey turtleneck and yellow pencil skirt under this bold plaid vintage poncho that brings in both shades along with mossy green.

Argyle sweater and grey skirt

Cardigan sweater and pencil skirt

Bring in Other Pops of Color  

Again, don’t just think about the two trend colors – bring some others into the fold. This retro yellow argyle sweater brings in shades of deep red, pink, black and white. I paired it with a simple grey long-sleeve t-shirt and grey skirt and played off the pop of red with a red vintage scarf.

So get creative, you’ve got two colors to work with this year to be on-trend for 2021. Now that you have some ideas on how to wear Pantone’s Colors of the Year, what outfits can you put together?

For more vintage, thrifted and shopped-from-my-closet outfit ideas, see my Instagram page.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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Category: Fashion

Style Trends You Can Steal from “The Queen’s Gambit”

Netflix’s runaway hit mini-series “The Queen’s Gambit” about a gifted female chess player is extraordinary on so many levels. But it’s the fashion that’s a real standout. Set in the early 1960s, midcentury modern style trends such as Peter Pan collars and headscarves make several appearances, but it’s the clever use of chess-inspired fashion that makes the wardrobe choices unique. There are plenty of style trends you can steal from “The Queen’s Gambit.”

While the fabulous “Queen’s Gambit” wardrobe was my gateway to the show, I quickly realized how compelling Beth was as the lead character. And I grew impressed with the super-smart writing and the exceptional attention to detail in everything from the set decoration to the chess plays and references. You can’t help but binge-watch the entire series.

And it was worth a second watch just to study the costume design choices. I loved Beth’s vintage style and how she used clothes to reveal who she was, even though she rarely let anyone get too close. As a collector of ’60s vintage fashion and mid-mod-inspired style, I also realized I have similar looks in my closet and zeroed in on some “Queen’s Gambit” style trends you can easily put together too.

“The Queen’s Gambit” Style Trend: Chessboard prints and plaids

Beth either consciously or unconsciously gravitates towards plaids and strong lines in the clothing she wears. This plays on her love for chess and chessboard patterns. You can steal this style trend with plaid and checkered prints. Look for subtle details, such as this vintage sweater with black and white-patterned trim paired with a vintage plaid skirt.

Queen's Gambit Plaid Fashion

Queen's Gambit Style Plaids

 

“The Queen’s Gambit” Style Trend: Monochrome

More style trends you can steal from “The Queen’s Gambit” include a monochrome color palette. Just like with the lines in the prints, Beth also tends to wear a lot of stark black and white, another nod to the chessboard and pieces. Steal this look with split shades of black and white such as this simple yet bold, A-line dress topped with a black tie-belt trench similar to one Beth wears.

Queen's Gambit Style Monochrome

Black Coat

“The Queen’s Gambit” Style Trend: Peter Pan Collars

Even though she’s a shark in a chess match, Beth maintains her girlish innocence with the ‘60s trend of Peter Pan collars. You can find this collar style on lots of modern dresses. You can also steal this vintage style by converting the clothing you have by adding a detachable collar that ties on top of a shirt or sweater or is worn dickie-style underneath.Queen's Gambit Peter Pan Collars

Rhinestone Peter Pan Collar

Peter Pan Collar

“The Queen’s Gambit” Style Trend: Chess Queen White

Nothing is more striking than wearing all white, especially in winter. Beth pulls out an all-white outfit after defeating the Russian champion and struts through the park as the Queen chess piece come to life. You can steal this style trend from “The Queen’s Gambit” with a long white coat and hat. Don’t forget the gloves to complete the look. Just like in chess, the one who starts out with white will always have the advantage.

Queen's Gambit Chess Queen White

Winter White Coat and Hat

The Queen’s Gambit is available to stream on Netflix. What trends will you be stealing from the ultra-stylish show?

Look for more of my midcentury modern-inspired looks on the Stiletto City Instagram page.

Until next time.

Kastle

“The Queen’s Gambit” stills from the Netflix television series.

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Category: Fashion

5 Festive Wear Trends to Pick Up Your Holiday Spirit

This year, the holidays are very different, thanks to the pandemic. Parties aren’t happening, gatherings with friends are banned and traveling to see family is too risky. But one way to keep the celebratory spirit alive is to put on a cute holiday outfit. I wanted to share a recent Instagram challenge I participated in that called for putting on 5 festive wear trends. I have to say it really picked up my holiday spirit, and I hope it will inspire you too.

Dressing up can brighten your mood. As mentioned in a recent blog, it can be a form of self care. You feel good when you look good.

I have to give a shout-out to the Instagram community of fashionistas, mainly the vintage lovers and thrift shoppers, that keep me inspired to dress up, even if it’s just for taking a photo. Mixing and matching things from my closet and experimenting with new styles has given me a creative outlet. So here’s what I came up with for the festive wear challenge:

5 Festive Wear Trends

Festive Wear Trend: Velvet

Velvet is always sumptuous to put on and just feels dressy. This vintage velvet swing dress is in a Christmassy shade of deep green and always ready for a party. The simplicity of it calls for accessorizing, so I added a fluffy, faux fur, tie-on Peter Pan collar in snowy white and vintage brooch that reminds me of a snowflake.

Green Velvet Swing Dress

Winter White

Who says no white after labor day? White is one of the most beautiful winter looks for serious snow queen vibes. I’ve been having fun with this fluffy, faux fur white hat, and it makes the perfect accessory for a winter white look. I paired it with the vintage reproduction cocktail swing dress I bought for my wedding reception a few years back. It has a little silver sparkle in the material, so I set it off with some silver metallic heels. I feel like a shiny Christmas fairy godmother!

Winter White Outfit

Festive Wear Trend: Metallic

Nothing feels more dressy than metallic. The way it catches the light is perfect for a party vibe. You can wear it through your jewelry or clothing. I thrifted this metallic brocade jacket a while back and decided to pair it with a glamorous, long, ruffled skirt in a shiny black taffeta. Perfect for just wafting through my living room to have a glass of wine with my hubby. (The silver top is also for sale in my store by the way!)

Metallic Jacket

Festive Wear Trend: Plaid

I’m always mad for plaid, but plaid shades of red and green scream Christmas outfit around the holidays! I purchased this burgundy plaid, tie-on Peter Pan collar from one of my favorite makers on Instagram, @collarandbow, and I caught this vintage reproduction swing skirt on sale just to go with it. It makes for a festive, yet still casual, holiday outfit.

Plaid Peter Pan Collar

 

Festive Wear Trend: Nontraditional color

The holidays don’t always mean wearing red or green or blue. You can put on whatever color makes you feel good because that’s really what the holidays are about. I love the bright teal color of this vintage reproduction wiggle dress. The shiny fabric makes it feel extra dressy, and I paired it with some glittery gold heels to play off the gold trim in the dress. Because hey, who doesn’t wear sparkly stilettos around the house? I do now!

Teal Wiggle Dress

So get dressed up this holiday season, even if you are staying at home. Trust me, it will pick your holiday spirit. If you need some inspiration, check out at what the Instagram community came up with and special thanks to two of my favorite Instagramers, @bestdressedwallflower and @pointy.chin.diaries, for giving me a reason to put on my dressy outfits! Check out more of my looks on my Instagram page @StilettoCity

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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Category: Fashion

How to Stay In Touch Long Distance and Dress For Zoom

The holidays are here, and the pandemic is worse than ever. We are asked to stay away from loved ones when we really need that family comfort. The isolation this year has been brutal, but there are some ways to stay in touch long distance.

The winner of the quarantine era is Zoom. Being able to see and talk to people through our computers has been a lifesaver for business and for people’s social lives. There are Zoom cocktail hours, game nights and entertainment events. For Christmas this year, my family and I all agreed to ship each other our wrapped presents ahead of time and open them together over Zoom on Christmas day so we still feel together during the holiday.

Zoom Party

Zoom events also give you an excuse to dress up. I have a Zoom social with a group of girlfriends every weekend, and I spend all week planning my outfit. It gives me an excuse to do full makeup, wear something cute and feel like myself, instead of the loungewear and makeup-free look I mainly sport during my work-from-home routine of the past few months.

With Zoom, most people will see you from the waist up, so you really only need to plan half of your outfit. Although, when I get together with my gal pals, we usually fully dress and stand back from the camera to show off the full view at some point.

Dressing for Zoom also allows you to accessorize! A pin or a scarf can really dress up a look and add some personality. Plus, it gives you an excuse to do some therapy shopping for little things that don’t break the budget. I certainly have done a bit of that!

Ideas to Dress Up For Zoom

Scarves – tie them around your neck or in your hair, and you’ll always look polished.

Scarf Style

 

Hats – a fun hat or cap can be a real conversation starter. It can also be a good theme for a Zoom party.

Hat Style

Peter Pan Collars – this retro trend is perfect for Zoom. There are loads of beautiful hand-sewn and embroidered collars available on Etsy that just tie around your neck. They really jazz up a t-shirt or sweater.

Peter Pan Collar

Brooches / Pins – Brooches can add a touch of elegance to any outfit. Look for ones that reflect your personality and love of things like flowers or animals.

Brooch Style

While Zoom is a great way to use modern technology to stay in touch, there are still some old fashioned ways to keep communication lines open while we are all apart.

Five Ways to Stay in Touch While Staying At Home

  1. Letter writing – pick up some pretty stationery and write personal letters to friends and family or strike up a pen pal with a senior isolated in a long term care facility.
  2. Book and movie club – read or watch the same movies with your friends and then set a date to discuss by phone or Zoom
  3. Game night – games are easy and fun to play over Zoom. Pictionary, Charades and Bingo work well over the computer screen.
  4. Take a class making crafts– do you knit, draw, paint, do photography or want to learn how? Sometimes having someone to gift your creations to is motivation to learn a new artistic skill. Explore your artistic side with distant friends and share your creations.
  5. Outfit shares and clothing swaps – Putting together cute outfits for me is therapeutic. I dress up for my Zoom parties and take photos for Instagram. But you can also partner with some friends to swap outfit photos and clothes through the mail (since in-person shopping and budgets are limited these days). Trust me, getting dressed in a new outfit will definitely make you feel good for a day! And since we can’t go anywhere, it’s nice to have someone to share your new look with.

So kick off the holidays by vowing to keep in touch with long-distance loved ones in new and creative ways.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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Category: Fashion

How To Wear Bright Colors in the Fall

I love wearing bright colors. Joyful, jewel tones pick up my spirits. But once the fall season begins, is it time to put away all bright spring and summer clothing? Not necessarily. You can learn how to wear bright colors in the fall.

The fall season provides so many fun opportunities to mix and match pieces because it’s time to start adding layers as the temperature comes down. You can pair a light dress with a cardigan sweater, a vest and a jacket. Then add colored leggings, a scarf, a hat. There are so many ways to mix and match textures and colors. But there is a trick to wearing bright colors in the fall to make it all look coordinated and not like you just left a thrift store wearing everything you bought.

Pairing Bright Colors and Neutrals

I found it’s best to pair bright colors with a neutral. By that, I mean beige, tans, brown, camel, and even mustard to temper a piece’s brightness and usher it into an autumnal palette.

Wearing Bright Colors for Fall

Take, for example, this great vintage shift dress. Nothing else says, “welcome fall” like plaid, but the colors here are bright and the dress is light and sleeveless, so it easily works as a summer piece. But put a neutral tan cardigan over it and it instantly tones down the brightness and gets it ready to take its place among other traditional fall plaids.

You could even take it further with tan ankle booties, a chunky tan leather belt and some leggings in a complementary dark green or rust to tamp down the brighter tones.

Vintage autumn leaf headband

I added a headband from ChatterBlossom made of vintage fabric fall leaves in different earth tones to bring in more of the tan color and it instantly took this bright dress into autumn.

Unexpected Color Pairings

Don’t be afraid to pair colors you wouldn’t normally think would work. Fall is a time of transition. The bright colors found in nature don’t always follow traditional fashion rules. It’s the season for various shades of gold, oranges, reds, greens and, of course, those neutrals. I used to always think I had to “ground” my outfits with black. Now I look for ways to take out those dark grounding shades and just let the colors play off each other.

Wearing Bright Colors in Fall

For example, who would have thought bright pink and a golden mustard tone would work together? But the mustard shade acts as the contrast color and a neutral to do that “grounding” effect against this thrifted, 1940s-style blouse. Plus, the jumper here is in a very fall texture of corduroy.

This reminds me to mention, pairing fall textures such as tweeds, wools and corduroy with lighter silks and cotton is another great way to mix your summer pieces into your fall look. And don’t forget your handbag. Leather purses and satchels also scream fall and add a bit of texture, especially when they’re vintage or have a slightly distressed look. Chunky boots, a vintage beret and an Erstwilder fox brooch all bring this outfit into the fall season.

Fox brooch

How to Try New Color Schemes in Your Wardrobe

When learning how to wear bright colors for fall, try experimenting with new pairings. Try holding pieces up against each other in your closet and see if they work together. If you have a hook in your wall, you can hang them together and take a step back to have a look. Another way is to do a flat lay or even invest in a mannequin to try outfits on for you.

You might be surprised how some unexpected color schemes play off each other, such as burgundy and orange or olive green and yellow.  If you just want to dip your toe into wearing bright colors for fall, try doing it with scarves, which are great for fall and an affordable way to add a bold color choice to an outfit.

Check out more of my fall outfits on my Instagram page.

Don’t be afraid to try something new!

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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Category: Fashion

Leaf Peeping Road Trip Planner with Vintage Style

With all the isolating during the pandemic, we’ve been longing for a vacation. Since fall is my favorite season, we decided to check out the leaf-peeping opportunities close by in Colorado. So we planned a series of leaf-peeping road trips that involved no human interaction. Here’s how we did it:

I mapped out some prime leaf-peeping destinations within a two-hour drive from our home. Since we were going there and back in a day, we didn’t want to spend hours in the car. I planned to hit some of the scenic byways for optimal fall color and good picnic spots.

Road Trip Planner – Safety during COVID

Avoiding human interaction and potential COVID exposure meant not staying overnight in a hotel, avoiding restaurants and public bathrooms, and sadly, no souvenir shopping.

We avoided hotels by driving out for the day and coming back at night. We stayed out of restaurants by packing our own food in a picnic basket and cooler. And I made my own restroom with a popup tent. Read on for details.

We brought our face masks (mine had fall leaves on it!)  and hand sanitizer because we did spend a little time wandering through the historic main streets of some little mountain towns, but mostly we stayed among the trees and avoided people altogether.

Road Trip Essentials

Leaf Peeping Fall Picnic Ideas

We packed a picnic basket and a cooler loaded with sandwiches and snacks. My favorite sandwich of the trip was avocado (mix with sour cream to avoid browning) with chopped baked chicken and mayo. And I packed loads of Trader Joe’s fall-themed snacks to stay in the autumnal spirit. We also packed cloth napkins and filled reusable bottles with water and thermoses with coffee. (I try to be eco-friendly as much as possible.)

We had some options on how to picnic. I bought a cute red-checkered (of course) picnic blanket we could lay on the ground. We also brought a couple of chairs. One day, we just sat and ate out of the back of the SUV.

CottegeCore Blogger Picnic

Avoiding Public Restrooms

Since we wanted to avoid all public places, the biggest challenge was how to use the restroom. It’s a little easier for my husband to duck behind a tree than for me. I researched what campers do (Warning: TMI ahead) and discovered a handy tool called the PStyle that allows us ladies to pee standing up just like the fellas. I also got a urinal bottle to pee into because sometimes the ground isn’t appropriate. The container was then emptied and rinsed with a bottle of water in the nearest available forest. Then I cleaned my hands with anti-bacterial wipes and put the wipes in a bag to take home and dispose of (we practice Leave no Trace).

But still, I like a little privacy. I discovered some campers create their own bathroom with a one-person popup tent you can stand up in. I found an affordable one on eBay, and voila, my own personal bathroom on the road! Some tips on the popup tent: It helps to have two people. It’s very lightweight and will blow away in the wind if you don’t have someone holding it. It also helps to have two people to fold it back up because it’s a little big and cumbersome. But it packs easily in the car and gives you all the privacy you need. What a relief!

Pop up tent camping bathroom

Road Trip Activities

One of the goals on our mini vacation was to relax. This year has been so stressful. We wanted to go totally offline, no news, no social media. So we planned time to just find pretty spots and unwind. I brought pillows and blankets for naps, books, even coloring pages and colored pencils (coloring is very soothing). We made some time just to chill in the beauty of the trees.

Leaf Peeping Fall Outfits

I love dressing for fall. The opportunities for lots of layers and mixing and matching separates in different patterns and textures is so much fun. It was still a little warm out during our trip, so I didn’t layer as much as I would have liked, but I wanted to wear some cute styles for pictures among the trees. One key during leaf peeping, no heels, so I wore my trusty, comfy, flat, lace-up boots, Little Women-style with swing skirts. I also packed some hiking clothes if we wanted to take off on one of the trails (my portable restroom also doubles as a dressing room!)

Vintage Style Fall Fashion 1: Burgundy Twirls

Fall for me means switching from summertime pencil skirts to circle skirts I can layer underneath and wear with chunky boots. I love the swing skirts from Steady Clothing. They give great twirls! I paired it with a  sweet detachable color with fall leaf detail

Colorado Fashion Blogger

 

Peter Pan Detachable Collar

Vintage Style Fall Fashion 2: Mad for Plaid

Greens and blues make great fall hues. I paired a plaid vintage skirt with a paisley vintage scarf, a simple t-shirt and thrifted sweater to create this look. A bracelet with fall leaves added an autumnal touch. And I scored the perfect fall purse on Etsy, a vintage wood box purse with decoupage leaves. So festive for the season!


Vintage Style Blogger

Fall leaf bracelet

Vintage purse with fall leaves

Vintage Style Fall Fashion 3: Adding Layers

A chill in the mountain air meant it was time to add a jacket over a cardigan sweater. Another swing skirt and t-shirt base with a delightful detachable collar featuring a sweet deer. 


Colorado Lifestyle Blogger

Detachable Peter Pan Collar with Deer Image

Leaf Peeping Colorado

Ready for your own leaf-peeping adventure? The leaves turn in Colorado starting in mid-September to early October from the high country down to the cities in the lower elevations. Here are some of the best places to see the show:

Trail Ridge Road – runs through Rocky Mountain National Park. Be aware you need a park pass, and during COVID, a reservation for timed entry.

Vail’s Scenic Byway – the leaves are beautiful almost everywhere around Vail. Look for the scenic byways to make the most of it.

Peak to Peak Scenic Byway – this will take you from Estes Park, which is worthy of its own leaf peeping, down to Central City, a historic town that makes a good pit stop.

Guanella Pass – a gorgeous drive through the Aspens. Be aware that it gets crowded during peak leaf peeping. Watch for people wandering the road taking pictures.

Kenosha Pass – a nice long drive filled with fall color. Plus, lots of hiking trails to get out and be in it.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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Category: Fashion

Fashion as Self-Care and 5 Other Ideas

I’ve been thinking a lot about self-care lately. With the pandemic and civil unrest raging in the U.S., it’s hard not to let anxiety take over. Quarantine and isolation from friends and family make it hard to get some much-needed stress relief from the images and headlines that come up on TV and my phone’s news streams.

Looking Good Helps Us to Feel Good

Fashion helps me save my sanity by picking out outfits and getting dressed up for a regular weekend Zoom party I have with some friends who collect vintage accessories. There’s something about putting on makeup, doing your hair and stepping into a pretty dress that just makes you feel good, even if you’re only staying home. Fashion is a form of taking care of yourself that I think is vastly underrated.

Practicing Self-care by Stopping to Smell the Flowers

Another way I’m practicing self-care is by stopping to enjoy the wildflowers. Before the pandemic, I was always rushing off to work or to an event, and I never noticed them. Now I go for evening walks around the foothills and see them everywhere. So bright and cheerful, little daisies, poppies and mini sunflowers stare up at me with their bright colors. They help cheer me up on the darkest days. I also discovered some beautiful places filled with sunflowers and roses.

Colorado Sunflower Farms

This year I learned about the many sunflower fields around Colorado that bloom for two weeks each August. My husband stumbled across one, and we had to go capture this glorious sight in pictures. I put on my brightest vintage-style sundress, sun hat and yellow Converse high top sneakers to pose with these natural wonders.

There were giant sunflowers as far as the eye could see and we caught them just at the golden hour before the sun began to set. It was absolutely magical.

Stopping to smell the flowers as self-care

Dressing up as a form of self-care

Sunflower field

A note about visiting sunflower farms: these are usually private property. Farmers grow them for their livelihood, not your entertainment. Most owners don’t mind you taking photos if you stay on the edge of the fields. Do not touch or trample the flowers and NEVER cut and take them. Going into the fields can result in a fine. Also, a word of warning – there are lots of bugs and bees in the fields, so Mother Nature may also sting you if you misbehave.

After our visit, I bought a pretty vintage sunflower brooch on Etsy as a memento of the day and ordered a bouquet of sunflowers with my grocery pickup to have at home (and create the photo with my sneakers).

La Vie En Rose – The Rose Garden of Jefferson County

Near the Jefferson County Sheriff‘s office in Colorado is a quaint public rose garden. It’s open to the public and features lots of different colored roses, a gazebo, benches for relaxing and little babbling streams.  

I had to stop and smell the roses one day. I had the perfect rose-pattern vintage reproduction dress for it. So I got dressed up, and off we went to take photos.

Stopping to smell the roses as self-care

Rose garden

Self-care: stop to smell the roses

Fashion as a form of self-care

5 Ideas for Self-Care in These Trying Times

1 Go for walks – Nothing relieves stress like getting out for some fresh air. Find a few routes to change the scenery and try to take in some nature if you have a park nearby.

2 Take a bubble bath – Dipping in warm water and just taking time to be still is such a calming experience. Add some pleasant-smelling bath oil or bubbles for an aromatherapy experience.

3 Give yourself a facial – I miss my visits to the spa but I still don’t feel it’s safe to go yet. So I purchased a few home facial mask treatments and do it myself once in a while. I added a rose quartz roller to really make it feel like a pro spa session.

4 Read –I found escaping into a book is a great way to relieve the stress of reality. Try reading while you eat lunch for a mid-day break or before bedtime to help you sleep better.

5 Watch the sunset – When I first moved away from home, I would go watch the sunset in the Hollywood Hills every day. I’d dream about who I wanted to become. Now I watch it from my deck and think about how far I’ve come and where I still want to go. Sunset watching is a great time to wind down and reflect as you wait for a new day.

If you’re really struggling with your emotions, there’s no shame in asking for help. Call a friend, talk to your manager at work, use your job’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to find a therapist. There are also many affordable to free hotlines available to talk to someone. The National Suicide Hotline is available anytime you may need it: 800-273-8255. Trust me, you are not alone. We are ALL having challenges adjusting to this difficult year.

Stop to smell the roses

I hope you find these self-care tips helpful. Do yourself a favor and make time to stop and smell the roses, literally if you can. It’s one way we can feel like we have a little bit of peace and control in our lives.

Until next time,

Kastle

 

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