Blog Post No. 12, 11/9/11 -- Indian Summer 02

On the eve of what is predicted to be the arrival of a blustery cold front tomorrow, Baltimore boasted another perfect Indian Summer day, with the temperature reaching almost 70 degrees this afternoon.  So it seemed only appropriate to don a tank top, since it may be the last time I get to wear one until next May!  A trip to the dentist didn’t require that I dress up.  However, I had so much fun with the Native-American patterned skirt I wore yesterday that I wanted to experiment with different tops, since I felt yesterday’s long-sleeved shirt made the outfit a bit too staid for my taste.

Hence, today’s look is a bit more edgy: this time I paired the ombre mauve Longhorn broomstick skirt by Niver Western Wear of Fort Worth with a purple St. John’s Bay tank top from JCPenney.  I tried several blue tank tops but they all clashed with the turquoise jewelry I wanted to wear.  The purple tank brought out the gorgeous hue in the skirt and complemented my jewelry perfectly. Like yesterday, I wore a heavy silver and turquoise lotus blossom necklace and bracelet that my mother found at a trading post in California in the 1950s, and paired that with turquoise and metal earrings I found at Grapevine Mills mall in Texas about 15 years ago, and a turquoise ring I bought at Claire's in May. Today I added a silver and turquoise butterfly belt that that belonged to my mother and an armband made of small turquoise stones, along with a turquoise colored plastic bangle, both from Claire’s. My black boots are from DSW and my stretchy silver- and gold-metal watch is from CountryDoor.com.

What wraps do you wear with these outfits, you ask?  Well, I tried on several today – a purple velvet cloak that belonged to my grandmother (wrong purple and wrong era).  A two-tone denim jacket with lace collar and a peplum (too fussy). A black mesh-knit asymmetric shawl (not western enough).  I finally decided upon a light blue denim cropped bomber-style jacket that is so over-the-top with glitter and crystal adornments on the shoulders that although I’ve owned it since 1986, I’ve only worn it once or twice. Somehow, it looked right with today’s outfit – in fact, it took edgy to another whole level.  Back in 1986, I walked into the little shop where I used to get my nails done in Pinole, California, and spied this amazing jacket on a small display that had been set up to feature a few of a local designer’s pieces. I fell in love with it immediately, even though I knew then I would probably never wear it.  Still, I had to have it, and have loved it ever since, even though all it’s ever done is sit in my closet!  There is no label in the collar – probably because this designer was just starting out.  Nevertheless, it’s one heckuva wrap, don’t you think?
Cheers!
Lynell