Experiments with Colour and Tulle - and Link-Up

 

Hello dear friends. Hope you are all well. My thoughts this week have been with the stricken people of Afghanistan. I hope that common sense will prevail and they will get longer to leave the country. Of course, not everybody will be able to leave, which is the biggest tragedy. I fear for the women and all the progress made, but remain confident that their bright light and spirits will prevail.

It seems trite to turn to clothes after such a humanitarian crisis. It feels like all we can do is make donations and watch from afar. 

Chez Mutton, we had the first family gathering indoors for 18 months at the weekend:  John's two children, their spouses and granddaughter aged two. I've also been cautiously booking some outings over the next few weeks including Christmas Carols at the Royal Albert Hall. If you live close enough, and have never done it, it's the most wonderful, joyful event. 

My sabbatical month is November, and currently my #1 choice of an exploring holiday in South America is not possible because all the countries are on the Red list. I would need to quarantine in an official hotel on return, and already have a couple of things booked in November including Elton John in Liverpool,  postponed from 2020, so I wouldn't want to jeopardise that.

Plan B is the Northern Lights and an Ice Hotel in Sweden or Finland. 

This week I did a couple of challenges posed by a member of the Kettle Colour Club on Facebook. I also had a go at styling a tulle skirt.

For the colour club challenge, you choose one of the Kettlewell inspiration pictures, showing a colour combination, and interpret it in an outfit. The outfit above was based on this: 
I  used a white skirt and white sandals from M&S  (old) with a Soft White top, Cerise cashmere/cotton wrap top and Acid Yellow infinity and belt, all from Kettlewell.  The combination surprised me, I wasn't sure about cerise and acid yellow but it worked better than I expected. 

In another challenge, I took this: 

I don't have much red, and only one Kettlewell piece, a top in True Red which is a neutrally toned red said to work for all the seasons. It's not one of my favourite reds.  I paired it with a short tie wrap in Fuchsia, white trousers/pants from M&S, fuchsia lipstick and a red crystal necklace. 

I've never paired red and fuchsia before, although I've seen it on others, and again, it looked better than expected, although when you're experimenting with colours from the same family, that are your best ones,  it's probably going to go well. 

I'm thrilled to see that my neck has improved a lot since I started using StriVectin TLAdvanced Tighten & Lift neck cream (not gifted, bought by me). I don't have much faith in cosmetics that claim miracles because really ladies, what can a cream do?  But in the case of this one, I'm a convert.  I still have the overly visible neck muscles, caused by tech neck and poorly executed sit-ups over the years, but the horizontal lines have definitely diminished. 

Now all I need is a miracle product for my hands.

The Trials of Tulle

I have longed for a tulle skirt since Sarah Jessica Parker first wore one, in the form of a ballet tutu, in Sex and the City. They became A Thing a couple of years ago and I loved seeing them on my favourite bloggers including Catherine from Not Dressed as Lamb, and Nikki from Midlife Chic. 

I ordered a tulle skirt from Asos a few months ago but it looked simply terrible on me. I realise now it was too full.  My "style personality" is minimalist:  I prefer sleek, fitted silhouettes and no ruffles, frills or bows.  I had another go at tulle when I saw that @devoted_to_style on Instagram had a tulle leopard skirt, no less.  I can't resist lilac. 

I've had the skirt for a while but have been mulling over what it needs for an outing.  I like seeing tulle skirts toughened up with black lace-up boots, as Catherine shows. My boot wardrobe lacks a pair of those! To balance the proportions, the skirt would probably look best with a light slippy top made of satin or silk, with shoestring straps.  Which absolutely would not work with my need for a bra and my big shoulders!

Anyway, here's an attempt at styling the skirt, prompted by another Kettlewell Colour Club member who I met at the recent gathering.  I experimented with my lilac brogues  (nowhere near as good as biker boots), Lavender Chloe jacket from Kettlewell and a purple top.  It doesn't work to my mind, the fabric of the top is too thick and the colour too dark.

The two bright pink splodges visible through the skirt are actually roses in the garden.

I'd love to see Sarah Jessica Parker in an updated tulle look in the new SATC follow-up show, "And Just Like That."

What would work well with the skirt?  Let me know your suggestions in the comments. 

I'm back this Friday with a surprise post. Next Monday join me, Hilda, Jacqui, Emma and Anna for the monthly #StyleNotAgeChallenge.

Sharing this post with:  Beauty by Miss L, On Mondays We Link Up at Glass of Glam, Top of the World Style at High Latitude Style, Chic & Stylish at Mummabstylish, #SpreadTheKindness at Shelbee on the Edge, #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings, Thursday Moda at Elegance and Mommyhood, Turning Heads Tuesday at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish,  Style with a Smile  at Stylesplash, TFF at Doused in Pink, Lizzie in Lace Confident Twosday at IDoDeclaire, Rena at Fine Whatever, Fabulous Fridays at Lucy Bertoldi, #Neverendingstyle at The Grey Brunette #TheWednesdayLinkUp at Claire Justine, Fancy Friday at Nancy's Fashion Style, Style Six at This Blonde's Shopping Bag

Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday, the link-up where where readers can find new blogs and bloggers can find new readers.

It's the third year anniversary for #WowOnWednesday, which began this week in 2018. It originally started as a beauty link-up because I noticed there weren't many, and I found out why - it's not something beauty bloggers seem to do! So I broadened it to fashion and travel, and now anything goes which is all good.

Thanks to the bloggers who support the link-up, I really appreciate it.  And readers who click through to the posts, a big thank you. Where would bloggers be without you and your kind comments?

Last Week's Favourites

How to Find Your Fitness Motivation from Michelle at Fifty & Fab. I know what she means:  although I am diligent about walking 5 days a week, my at-home gym workouts are not particularly challenging these days.  I've just taken possession of some new resistance bands and heavier dumb bells to try to stretch myself  (in more ways than one).  

Flower Power from Hello Katie Girl caught your eye, not surprising because Cakifornian Katie specializes in brightly colored backdrops from street art and brightly colored clothes. So uplifting!

My favourite post was 3 Common Fashion Mistakes to Avoid from Shelbee at Shelbee on the Edge.  I'm always interested in this type of subject, although I avoid anything telling older women what they shouldn't wear! 

If you want to know what the mistake are - and I am particularly guilty of #1, you'll have to check out Shelbee's post! 

For More Mutton

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colour analysis, fashion over 50, how to look good over 50, tulle skirts over 50