You are right in point woth those sneaks, Funky— everyone should have a pair of nude shoes!!

GH has select colors of their cashmere wrap on sale. None of the colors I want but in case anyone else is looking... I have a blue from 3 seasons ago that is lovely but not sure it is the same blue.

Funky, I agree, you’ll be right in style with those sneakers. I saw an ad this weekend featuring neutrals in all styles with that color. I have had a pair of Vivaia mary janes in my cart that are a very similar color and may order them this week just to have a pair of neutrals in a flat.

I still can’t wear anything with an elevated heel so am hoping this will work for the fall and into the early winter months, which are generally mild here. I already ordered a pair of low heeled boots from them and am keeping them. I think it was Mtn who ordered a pair of Vivaia pumps she was happy with, and she and I wear the same size, so I took the plunge. @njmomma, I could not agree more about shoes and jeans.

I ordered a few things recently from from BR. Sent back the wrap sweater dress as it looked funny when I tried it on. It fit but was rather fiddly getting the wrap just right at the top and bottom. I kept a couple of sweaters.

I think I'm sort of done ordering anything for a while unless I come across a deal I can't turn down. I have big stack in the spare bedroom that is going out of here tomorrow. I'm beginning to look ahead to what to order for Chrisrmas gifts already.

I ordered Funky’s brown cashmere sweater from BR during a 40% off sale, as well as a black cashmere cardigan. Tried them on this morning and both are great!

Everything I ordered from Ann Taylor is going back, though. Their sizing is all over the place, at least in the 4 items I ordered.

so glad they worked out for you, Sue ... but wait-- did you get 40% off?? The sweaters were excluded when i looked ... also, I can't order the smaller size because the brown is ALL sold out. Now I have to decide if I want to keep the larger size.. it is supposed to be oversized so I will try it on fully dressed.

My niece is trying to talk me into this one ... but I am on the fence. I don't usually like crew necks but the color is very much a "funky color". It is too late to be delivered before I leave so I guess I don't have to decide until I return.

I am pretty set for the next few months other than shoes which will be an ongoing search. I do want a few cashmere sweaters and otherwise only things I looooove and a few accessories.

I did get two scarves

this snakes wrapped around vines to wear with black or white long sleeve tee and a jean jacket on cold beach days

and this for winter .. it will work great with my brown shearling moto jacket

Funkyart, i love that last scarf! The 2 sweaters I ordered from BR are both pink. One is very pale pink cashmere and the other is a darker pink v-neck mostly cotton with a little merino blend. Is it from BR?

I’m sorry the JCrew cardigan didn’t work for you.

yes, the pink sweater above is BR ... sorry, i just picked up on Sue's thread and carried forward without crediting BR.

Funky, yes, I got the sale price. It was several days, or more, after you mentioned it here. It was specifically 40% ”including cashmere.” I thought it was odd that they did that and didn’t really believe it until I actually checked out.

ETA — ohhh it is for Gap credit card holders.

I actually looked into getting their card but i don't remember why I didnt. Probably something in their terms. Hmmm. They have good deals for cardholders across their family of stores. so perhaps I should reevaluate. That would totally tip the scale for me.

They do have good deals, plus reward points that usually pop up as a nice surprise when you go to order something. I think I had an extra $10 off the sweater from that. It is actually the only store credit card I have. It was great when I was buying so many kids’ clothes from Old navy and Gap!

Funky, have you tried Cole Haan? I cannot wear heels anymore and I am usually not a fan of any elevated heel. I do like good support. I found these at Cole Haan. I have a pair in the same material with a white sole (without the penny loafer detail), but just found these in all black. They haven't arived yet, but the first pair I bought are so comfortable and give me good support. I will link the black ones below. I wish Houzz would go back to green for links.

I bought a pair of Vivaia flats in navy with the front of a leopard on one foot and the back on the other (I think I shared them months ago). I wore them once and ended up with a blister after wearing them around the house with no problems. I donated them last week. :-(

shoes

Hi Cyn ... yes, I have worn Cole Haan in the past. I had a pair of metallic penny loafers I just loved! I still have them but they are worn out and should get purged. I will check out the ones you shared but the support i need isnt just from the footbed -- the shoes that work best support all across my foot. My brain always thinks I am off balance (double vision, no depth perception and bouts of full on vertigo). A lot of fabric shoes don't provide enough support-- but some do. I DO like the fabric as on top of all else, i have a bunion ... so I will try them out. Thank you for the suggestion!

Also.. my vivaia flats are not all that comfortable either. They are cute but not my first choice.

lots of sales going on ..

Sue, the prayanama wrap you like is on sale for a limited time!

Spanx has 25% off an order over $150

BR still has 40% off

Have you seen any great sales?

Oh, I ordered the Spanx sweatshirt that someone (Funky?) here had and finally wore it last weekend. So comfy and soft! My oldest son even complimented me on it — a rare event!

Off to look at the wrap…

I don't have the sweatshirt (maybe kswl?) -- but i got the 1/4 zip ones for my mom and both sisters. I worry that it is too short for me. I have the polo .. and also the wide leg crop and straight pant. Oh-- and the skort. :)

I got my mom the petite wide leg pants for her birthday and she loves them!

Oh, wait — it is the polo that I have. In red.

I have the polo in off white and the striped sweatshirt in cream and light brown. It’s the one I originally ordered in black and white in M and finally ended up with the lighter toned one in S. And the polo is a size L! Spanx’ sizing is— like many mfgs— incomprehensible.

Adding… I am bombarded daily with news about sales and am steadfastly ignoring them. I finally have my closet back in shape and am trying to stick to my one in, one out policy. I was calling it a rule and rebranded the idea as a policy.. just in case…

Kswl, 100%. I’m trying to just delete the emails without clocking to see what’s new. Key word…trying. I just took a fairly large haul to donate yesterday and am still sorting through a few things.

Cyn, thanks for the Cole Haan reminder. I like those loafers and they look supportive without being clunky. I have also been on the fence about a pair of Vivaia Mary Jane’s but your comment may have swayed me to not bother.

Funky, I meant to ask if you have tried the Ecco website. I tend to like most of their casual shoes, especially their ankle boots, sandals, and casual loafers. I do have a more narrow foot (esp my heel) so ymmv. In the past it was another reason I liked Cole Haan. I also like the All Birds sneakers. I bought a pair of wool tree runners last year and wore them a lot. So I bought a pair of white mesh ones for Italy andnthey worked well even in all the uneven walks there. Yes, they got dirty but I washed them when I got home and they looked great after. I recently bought a gray pair for this fall.

For anyone looking for sweatshirts, I have several different styles and colors from Athleta and love how cozy they feel. Some are the quarter zip and some just simple pullovers.

Thanks, Outside .. ecco has been on my radar but I havent tried them. I will.

I havent found the right combination of things that will work. I have shoes that *should* work and dont and a very few pairs that do that shouldnt-- for instance I can wear fitflop platforms and nothing else in that height range works!

I did get these yesterday-- havent really had time to try to walk around in them. They are a bit wide (and I have a foot that leans slightly wide). I'd like them to work at least for small ventures but the 2" heel and loose fit are unlkely to work. They are much softer than they look.

also trying these .. i think they are likely to work well but they may make my large feet look like behemoths lol.

If I am well enough to go to Boston with DH in mid- November I am taking all green and camel and off white clothing (will make a separate post about that if it seems likely). Also planning two days with the entire family just before Christmas to see the lights at Callaway Gardens, now trying to coordinate with DD on general color guidelines for a family photo. I think blue and white is the safest, but also considering getting everyone the same (or very similar) red or navy sweater. More shopping, but at least this time not for me.

Funky, what brand are the mules? I had a square toe pair that I loved and pretty much wore out. I'd love to find a new pair. Thanks for any info!

Hi, Tina … the mules sre Johnston & Murphy .. pointy toed and like i said, seem to run a little wide

I love mules, so i can take my shoe off under my desk/the table/etc

I have a work event coming up. I have a fave Zara jacket, long, black boucle, gold buttons, and I plan to wear it with cropped black pants, and black pumps. I planned to wear it buttoned, but I have a black knit scoopneck shell I layer under it .

This time of year tho it can be unexpectedly warm, so I do want the jacket to look nice unbuttoned. I don't mind all black but I felt the belt needed to have some color.

I think this is my jacket though I think mine has less buttons, like 3. Funny, since it has a crew neck, I tend to wear it with scoop or crew necks, but this looks nice too.

Just picked up this calf hair belt at J Crew

I bought this shell to try too: The color is a little jarring but maybe just a stripe of it under a jacket will be ok

Love the colors above. The combination will work so well together.

Love that pumpkin color Mtn, it’s a great color for all shades of blondes. If you are ok with not having a show of cuffs, a half shirt / dickey will also give you the collared look. I do love that longer length jacket, they are a nice (and welcome) change from all the shorter lady jackets, bomber kackets, etc. I have a vintage black boucle one in that length from Eileen Fisher with bracelet sleeves. The length also works with a skirt that’s just a few inches longer than the jacket.

Just popping in to report that these Vionic shoes (I think they’re called Chardonnay?) were super comfy for 5+ hours of mostly standing (and some dancing). I know we all have different feet, but I do recommend them! Bonus, I got mine on sale.

Also, a review of a couple Athleta items.

Love this sweatshirt. I now have two. They’re a little nicer than a typical sweatshirt, not bulky and the fabric is so soft.

And these tees are too short, even in a regular (not petite) size on my 5’2” frame. They barely reach my waist, and I had actually forgotten that I already had one that shrunk in the wash and became even shorter. I returned them.

Finally, I needed a pair of lightweight hiking pants that might get wrecked hiking through potential mud, nettles, etc, on a gorilla trek. I didn’t want to rip my Athleta pants, so I ordered a few cheap options from the other A store, and for a lightweight, comfy pair of hiking/lounge/whatever pants, these seem good! Fit well, maybe a bit on the big side, light weight and only $35.

Love those pretty pink shoes, Sue! And the sweatshirt color of olive is so nice I am tempted, but I still have not worn my Spanx striped sweatshirt and think I should probably not buy another one. My eyes are bigger than my closet 🥺 Those cute A-joggers are heartily endorsed by Marnie Goldberg, one of the youtubers I watch. I don’t have anything with elastic cuffs bc they make my feet look bigger!

I am looking pretty bedraggled as we hit the road this morning but wanted to share some of my purchases on my trip. my only plan was to get something different than i already had!

top necklace and bottom — the arrow head is pave dismonds

I had the ruby bracelet — the other two are new

Only one pic came through, Funky. Looks like you had a productive gallery visit!

Tried again … yup very productive. my sis got more but i spent more lol. Jill was lovely was a lot of fun. we will go again next year!

Oh, Funky, that arrowhead is very cool, and perfect with your eye brooch!

Now you’ve got me looking at her web site again, but I’ll wait. Never know what I might ”need” to buy in Africa, plus I did just get a necklace from DH by one of my favorite jewelers.

Beautiful! Rene Escobar?

the eye brooch wasnt planned — it was cool and windy on the beach this morning lol.

i would definitely recommend going to her studio (though it is overwhelming and dangerous!) … it would be a great stop on your spring road trip! im in the car and in bad rain … will send you more about the trip when im home.

Not the stylish look i am going for but … im stable in these and theyre very comfortable … and a great price. also they dont make my feet look too huge. i think theyre cute!

But i got the dark brown

Those boots seem to be very in right now. They remind me of moon boots😁if the shoes work for you and give you a sense of safety and stability, then they are giving you everything you need.

I think they’re cute, and am glad they work for your situation. With my tall-ness, they wouldn’t do for me. I’d feel like a giant. And oh wow, the new jewelry! Nice score!

Sueb, those Coaster Luxe sweatshirts are great. I have at least 2 that were gifts from Christmas last year, and may have ordered another one later. All different colors. I love Athleta’s sweatshirts, even some of the shorter ones (not the short-short type).

Mtn, I do love the pumpkin accessories with your black jacket and pants. Very chic and just the right fall touch!

@Sueb20....Buy jewelry in Africa! I have an 18K cigar band ring, someone brought back for me from Egypt.

@Funkyart....cool shoes! Luv your righthand ring.

Yup, they are stable -- but I bought them because i think they are cute! I didnt think they would work but not only are they stable, the foot shape is more streamlined than my other ugg boots. I don't look like big foot in them!

Also, I think they will look really cute with the BR chocolate ganache sweater (which is back in stock!)

I am home now-- we were shopped out and it is cold and rainy in Phila -- so we decided that we'd rather come home than go out for dinner/cocktails in the rain. We had 2 great days at the beach and one great day of shopping. I am happy and relaxed!

I am also really and officially done buying anything for fall -- maybe winter too! I ordered 3 sweaters from BR at 40% off and I picked up the sweaters below from the Lucky Brand outlet. Also a few lounge pieces from the big A.

I haven't shared all the jewelry pieces I got from my studio visit but here is another that layers beautifully with one I showed earlier (not the arrowhead)

Wow, Funky— you did well for one day of shopping, the arrowhead necklace is striking— it and the others suit your vibe so perfectly! The shoes are perfect for fall and winter, especially with your palette of browns and shades of dusty pinks.

adding…… your picture is great— and I love the shape and color of your glasses 😍

Beautiful Bday present, Sueb !

Thanks,kswl! I dont wear those glasses often… but Ive been pulling them out more lately.

How are you doing? Everyone safe and dry? Hope the worst is overand that your homes are undamaged!

We are all fine in Georgia, but our NC family has no power and no cell service. The western NC region around Asheville was hit hard with winds and rain. We had all been trying to get in touch with them to no avail. This morning my nephew in DC finally contacted a friend in the town who walked to the top of the mountain where our relatives had just finished a new house this summer in a rather secluded location. Other than lack of services, they were fine. The friend reported back and nephew texted everyone to our great relief.

I've got a question for ALL the Sterling Silver jewerly you all own. I just started wearing my new ring...full time. After a week it turned my finger black. So does no one else wear their silver rings in the shower? To bed? My mom wore a big etruscan tiger-eye sterling silver ring full time, that I gave her....she NEVER mentioned having to polish it often.(I lost my mom 14 years ago...or I'd just call and ask her)

I don't have an issue with silver turning my skin but I do have a pretty severe nickel allergy which can cause redness and hives.

I do not shower or sleep in my jewelry with the exception of my lotus necklace which I never remove (it is 14k white and yellow gold). I remove my rings when I put on lotion or do the dishes. I don't remove them for a quick wash of my hands.

For your finger to turning black-- are you sure it is sterling silver? are you taking any medicines that can be changing your pH?

The ring is marked 925, said Sterling silver on the write up and packaging. Yep! I take no medications....just a few vitamins....kelp, vitamin c. I don't put lotion on my hands. :0) I can't wear silver where it touches my skin any place other than my hands for any length of time or I also break out in hives. My gold jewelry is fine. Interesting....

Pretty ring, Nicole!

Ive never heard of sterling silver causing an allergic reaction-- the culprit is usually nickel -- but I suppose one can be allergic to anything.

I forget exactly what causes that to happen but the trick is to apply clear nail polish on the inside of the ring.

Funky, I wanted to add that you have mastered the art of layered necklaces…love that look. I rarely can pull it off for some reason but I am going to try more often!

Tonight we are off to the land of neutral fashion, haha. Leaving all my jewelry behind except for simple earrings that I’ll wear 24/7 and my wedding band. Lots of beige, sage, and pastel t shirts, layers, and joggers/activewear pants. I did bring one sundress because we have a day of sightseeing in ”civilization” on Tues and it will be in the 80s. I will be makeup free except for tinted sunscreen. Our itinerary is totally overwhelming but our safari company has guides who will meet us at every airport. We leave at 10 pm tonight, almost 12 hour flight to Cutter, then 5 hours to Nairobi. Will stay at airport hotel Mon. night, then finally to Rwanda on Tues. Now that we are mostly packed (a challenge — 30 lb limit each for 2-1/2 weeks) I am ready to go!

PS I was watching a Homeworthy episode the other day and she mentioned Dusen Dusen pillows…went to their web site, lots of fun colors. I have been looking for a bathrobe forever, and ended up ordering one from their site. It looks very cheery!

Oh yes-- that robe is SO you, Sue!

And thank you ... I love layering and while i usually mix and match, Riverstone necklaces make it so easy to layer (the lotus pendant is Heather Moore).

Safe travels Sue. Your adventure is about to begin. Hope you have a wonderful trip and I'm sure you'll find some little something to bring home.

Funny.. i guess I am fighting the transition to fall or at least straddling the seasons. I had to go out early this morning and I put on one of my heavy long sleeve vnecks in army green and then a pair of cutoff shorts lol.

It is 61 deg and raining today so a damp cool. I will likely switch to leggings and my new long cardigan soon... not sure what I was thinking with the shorts!