What I Wore Last Week and How It Made Me Feel
Happy Tuesday, ladies. My Sunday was spent (visiting family and grandsons), so I had no post for you yesterday. After mentally beating myself up about it, I decided to let it go because I can’t live a well styled life if I put too much pressure on myself. Unlike many bloggers, I don’t have a large team of people working for me, so there will be days when life takes precedence, as I believe it should. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I want to run this business going forward, and once it’s clearer in my mind, I’ll share it in an email.
What I Wore Last Week
DENIM SHIRTDRESS
Monday was nice and almost warm, so I broke out sandals and a sun hat. This very simple, one-and-done outfit was so easy to throw on, so I’ll likely repeat it all spring long. I felt stylish and a bit quirky in this outfit, which worked perfectly for a trip to get my blood drawn, buy groceries, and wait in a long line at the post office.
This Frank & Eileen denim dress always looks more shapely with a belt, but frankly, I wanted a less structured feel that day, so I left it loose. I added my new bucket hat, comfy cognac-colored sandals from Talbots, and a navy bag. The sandals are as old as the hills and must be reader favorites because they’re still sold today in several colors.
I’d been on the hunt for a navy handbag for several years and love the simple, minimalist ’90s vibe of this one. It was a splurge for me, but this year seems to be my ‘bag’ year because I’m updating old ones that have either worn out or no longer match my style.
As I picked up things at Whole Foods, I got the distinct impression that a few shoppers thought I looked goofy. (You can often tell by the expressions on their faces as they look you up and down.) I assumed it was because of my hat since the bucket shape is quite deep, and it has a very stylized appearance…which I adore. The bee brooch may have also played a role in their perception. The funny thing is, I felt so good about how I looked that I didn’t care what they thought. I guess that’s part of becoming more comfortable in my own skin and nearing 69.
WHITE SHIRT AND SLIM JEANS
I spent Tuesday working from home, then took my grandson to batting practice. Any time I get to spend with him is such a treat. After practice, I brought him back to our house for a few rousing hands of 500 Rummy and 5-Crowns. As I recall, he pummeled us.
I wore my newest white shirt, which Frank & Eileen developed in collaboration with Julianne Moore. It’s a crisp, soft cotton that’s longer in the back and covers my backside…a feature I prefer with slim-leg jeans like these. I skipped earrings because I stacked my aquamarine mood necklace with this pearl pendant and felt it was enough.
On days when I’m unsure what I want to wear, I often just reach for a white button-up shirt and jeans. It’s easy, and I always feel put together, so it’s become a bit of a uniform for me. I have no problem wearing variations on a theme, over and over, with small changes in accessories and shapes. Do you?
STRIPED TEE AND WIDE-LEG JEANS
I never met a stripe I didn’t love, and this spring, I’ve had to replace some of my heavily worn, verging-on shabby, striped tees. There’s something so easy and relaxed about a T-shirt and jeans, which works well for my casual lifestyle.
Wednesday was filled with errands, returns, and sitting at my laptop. Since I wanted to be comfy and casual, wore this navy and white striped tee by the Saint James brand. They’ve a French company that has been making classic Breton tops for over 130 years. I love the 3/4 sleeves for the upcoming warm weather, and of course, the color could not be more perfect for me. I tucked it into these stretchy wide-leg jeans, added a gray belt, and wore my ancient blue ballet flats. I’ve worn these shoes so often that the toes are starting to look worn, so it’s time to take them to the cobbler for a refresh. I first discovered this shoe brand when I was hunting for wide widths, which my feet need more than ever these days. Feet spreading with age? Probably.
I finished the look with my Lizzie Fortunato resin hoops earrings and switched to my pre-loved, pale blue bag. I don’t change handbags daily, but often enough to keep the inside clutter down.
TRENCH COAT, WHITE SHIRT AND JEANS
Thursday was chillier, and we were headed to the Bay Area, where the coastal fog makes everything feel damper, so I finally got to wear my Clyde Trench Coat by Sezane. I’ve had my eye on this trench for several seasons and love it!
This coat comes in several colors and is made from a water-repellent fabric with a checked lining. Since I’m short, I got to… (notice I didn’t say I had to?) fold up the cuffs and show off the lining. The truth is I am pretty short, but I refuse to see it as a negative. I’ve decided to look at the brighter side of things 🥰.
When I ordered the trench, I also ordered this pretty white shirt with ruffles at the cuff and around the neck. It’s a different type of shirt for me. I’m not sure I love it with the width of the bootcut jeans, so next time, I’ll try wearing it untucked over a slimmer leg or possibly my chinos. I wore a simple belt and these Chan Luu Pearl earrings.
CASHMERE CARDIGAN, WHITE TEE, AND JEANS
The following day wasn’t much warmer, so I wore a simple white tee tucked into these Quince jeans and a Quince cashmere cardigan in one of my favorite colors. The minute I saw this sweater color, I knew I needed it. They call it “faded denim,” and it’s just perfect for me. The wide-leg jeans are of great quality and well-made! Although I was just wearing a tee shirt, sneakers, and jeans, I felt color-coordinated, which always makes me feel put together. My belt is ancient, a similar one here. My necklaces are here and here.
BOOTCUT JEANS AND STRIPED TEE
It was cooler on Sunday, so I added a cardigan around my shoulders for some extra warmth and ended up wearing it by the evening when we stopped for dinner out…which we haven’t been doing much since my husband got his new hip.
We spent the afternoon visiting with our grandsons, and I spent a fair amount of time on the floor playing with the youngest one, which was amazing! He can’t say my name yet, but he sure knows who I am and what he likes.
I wore another new striped tee, this time a long sleeve in red and white. I’m still not sure how I feel about the red, but I love it bookended with a black sweater around my shoulders, black shoes, a black belt, and a black bag. I own a fair amount of cashmere, so I know amazing quality when I feel it. This cardigan is from a new-to-me brand called Naked Cashmere, and it is the softest thing I’ve worn in a very long time! It’s a 12ply knit with pearl buttons and is as luxe as it gets. This is a sustainable, fair-trade, and cruelty-free cashmere, which you can read more about here. It’s not cheap, but it’s not nearly as pricey as Jenni Kane, and I love it even more.
It was a week of denim and jeans every day, but one. That’s not unusual for me because I love them, but I plan to do some ironing and mix it up a bit more this week.
Thanks for reading, and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident.
Whenever I see a woman wearing a white top and jeans, I know she knows what she’s doing. As for future blogs, how about tops that cover instead of highlighting the upper belly or ” midriff bulge”, as we used to call it.
This is the kind of post I enjoy most… a mix of fashion and day to day life.
Hi, Jennifer! At 81 years old, a wardrobe that doesn’t make one look dowdy or decrepit, is truly challenging. But, we live on the Southeast coast so the choices are usually summer favorites. You have managed to put together very stylish, age appropriate pieces.
I do have one question. Have you considered a pedicure when wearing sandals or other open-toed shoes? Here in the South, they are a staple for our wardrobe. Just a curiosity.
I always wear toe polish no matter the season. My preferred color is off white, like I’m wearing now
I have been on the hunt for a red striped tee. Two contenders here. I have pitched all my old ratty tees into the rag box (where they can live on washing cars and whatnot) and every new one I have bought has been in a stripe. I think I’m obsessed.
I’ve been a follower for a number of years now and look forward to starting my day with you. I think you have a good mix of topics and find affordable choices when you can. I don’t mind seeing the more expensive items as they can be great inspiration. I particularly liked your blog today showing what you wore all week. 🤗
I’ll try to remember to snap a picture of my daily outfits.
I always look forward to your blog! I love your try on sessions in particular…so helpful since I have no stores near. And I really appreciate your take on products you’ve actually tried…..makeup, cleansers, etc. I could use a lot of help/info with hair….totally, completely flat hair, no body. And I’d like to hear more about dry eyes, how you’re doing, what to try, where to order, other readers suggestions…..maybe not a full post but just a quick few updates?
You do a great job, Jennifer…..thank you for the time and effort.
I will try to update those things in my Monday musings. Thanks Linda
I agree with whoever commented that you shouldn’t beat yourself up for taking time off! I enjoy your blog posts and often check out your suggestions, but don’t keep track of whether you’ve “skipped” a day or more.
I’ve learned of many new brands from you & appreciate all the work you do. Still can’t make the pricey jump to Frank & Eileen which I know you love!
Posts about your family & travels are always interesting to me, also what I wore posts (like today’s!). You feel like a friend, so I’d say just write about whatever interests you in the moment.
Thanks Elizabeth. That’s good to know.
I love your blog as is, Jennifer, and would selfishly like you to reactivate the Facebook group as I enjoyed the interaction with other readers of the blog. I realize that means even more work for you (to moderate) and no doubt that’s not what you want!
Since readers are asking for budget-friendly options, perhaps posts that feature drugstore cruelty-free make up lines would be of interest. I googled and surprisingly, there are quite a few. Another idea might be to give tips in a post on how to be a budget shopper at quality sites like JJill, Talbots, Ann Taylor, etc. and even accrue rewards points at some (it’s possible – I do it all the time).
Great ideas Annie!! Thanks
I read every blog you post and mostly enjoy your posts on what you wear during the week and, mistakes we make when dressing. I would like to see more of these as well as how to dress for different events. Home decor would also be of interest to me. I love the red on you! It is a good color for me but I too waiver on red. I also observed how your outfits looked more polished with your flats. About the people who were looking at you in Whole Foods; perhaps they thought you were rocking it. Stares can sometimes be a compliment! Keep posting as I enjoy the reading and learning.
My feet love flats 😉
I’ve read some of these comments and I too would love to see some budget options also. I love your blog and everything you wear. I like today’s post about what you wore all week. That was fun! I’m mostly in jeans and tees too. I have never met a stripe I didn’t like! 🌼
Good for you for re-thinking how you want to approach this line of work. I have subscribed to about 6 similar blogs, unsubscribed from 2 of them and will for 2 more. You are the hardest working blogger! I read all of yours. Appreciate the looks, the sale updates (although I get emails from most of your usual sources so I usually know about the sales); the health/medical updates, the skin care and makeup reviews/suggestions…..all of it, really. So if you feel the need to cut back, might I suggest frequency rather than topics? I realize that your readers have a wide range of budgets, but don’t think you need to apologize for “splurges” when you purchase because you do such a good job of covering higher and lower priced items. You definitely have a “look” that most women who have a casual lifestyle (e.g. not corporate life) can identify with, regardless of their personal budget.
Thanks Sheila!
You look nice in everything today. I don’t think anyone in line at the store was looking at you thinking you looked weird, I think they were looking at you and thinking you looked nice. Very nice.
Thanks. It was a funny feeling but I felt good so it was fine.
I have very few suggestions for you. I do really like the spend or splurge outfits. I don’t care for stuff on skin products very much, but like makeup suggestions. Whether I can afford your expensive stuff or not, it would be hard for me to spend more than a touch above Talbots or Chicos or “regular” (not designer) Nordstrom stuff. That all being said, one of the things I like most about your blog is that it informs me about lines that I might not otherwise think of. I love what you wore last week. My closet has a scary number of striped items is probably why…
From one stripe lover to another 😉
Hi,
I was glad to read that you decided to forego a blog post to spend time with your family. Applause! There is no reason to feel guilty! You have had a lot going on in your life this past month with your husband’s surgery. You deserve some time off.
I really liked seeing your daily outfits and I especially liked reading about how they made you feel. That really spoke to me. There are many days when I go to my closet and ask myself what color I “need” to wear. I find that what I wear affects my mood and vice versa.
I do like seeing what’s new, but as I seldom shop, I use your outfits as inspiration for shopping my closet. At 70, I have accumulated quite a number of items, ha, ha. The one thing I have done recently is to refresh my jeans stash with a pair of barrel leg jeans and a really pretty wide-leg blue denim pair from Universal Thread at Target. (The wide leg jeans are the first in the style that I have found that work with my body proportions. Most wide leg jeans that fit my waist are too big in the hips and thighs. The Universal Thread jeans really hug in those areas. Hurray! The pair I bought are a gorgeous, medium, periwinkle blue. Definitely not a traditional denim color. I highly recommend the jeans to any of you flat-bottomed ladies out there. These jeans really do enhance the rear view of those of us who are less endowed in that area.)
I will check them out!! I have a very flat bottom. Thanks Kathy…off to the Target website to see what I can find.
I rarely ever post a comment but just wanted to say what you already know: family comes first. Enjoy every moment with them. Your readers will be here when you return. Thank you for a delightful blog.
Thank you Amy!
Hi Jennifer: I read your blog everyday and I have often purchased a lot of what you have worn. I am going to be 75 but, often mistaken for 10 years younger. I have tried the strip tops, but because I carry all my weight in the middle the stripes need to be virtual or as my husband states “too round”. I am 160lbs 5’3″ and yes could should lose some weight but I do walk 10 miles a week and started back at the gym two days. It’s age, genetics, 2X cancer surviorer, IBS and much more. I loved your foundation and blush blog and went out and purchased merit cream blush, which I had never heard of…so many compliments!! Good blog…I love the try-ons, which I am sure take a lot of time….cosmetics….hair….just general girlie stuff. I retired 4 years ago, so I am still dealing with a lot of work clothes and while I donate and sell….some I love and just cannot leave me…lol. I still have a hard time transitioning to everyday clothes..so maybe more on transitioning from working to retiring. Unlike a lot of my friends they have sort of given up since they are older and don’t try new or updated makeup or style. I may be the oldest at the gym, the oldest at the makeup counter, but I don’t want to be the youngest in the cemetry. I have always been a classic style dresser. At 74 active and like most have good days and crummy, but never bad..Don’t know if this helps, but I love your blog. I’m still decluttering not only my clothes, but house. Trying to streamline it for who has to cleanup after me. Maybe a blog on…..that issue. Maybe too dark for your readers, don’t know. I had a friend who was a clothes horse like me and she advised; ” think about the people who would love to have something you just have sitting in your closet”…that has helped me.
I love your attitude Lorraine. Have you read the book “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning”? I really enjoyed it. Too many ladies seem to just give up on fixing themselves up. I enjoy the process and consider it self care so I don’t plan to ever stop.
My daily uniform is a lot like yours, although yesterday I wore heavier weight twill pants. I have a hat very similar to yours, and I am sure you’re correct about the goofiness. Americans don’t wear typically wear hats –other than baseball caps – inside, but once it’s arranged, who wants to be bothered putting it on and off. Frankly, I wish we could move on from baseball hats, especially the backward look.
You are dressed almost exactly like me! Mine are cheaper versions but I love my striped tees. Our weather has been up and down. Today is cloudy and only 42 degrees. It may rain which we need as our winter and spring so far has been very dry. My husband is recovering from his second cataract surgery and doing well. I’ve done too much and have back and neck pain which is putting me down. You are so lucky to live near your grandchildren. Mine are great grandchildren and live in Arizona, California and Iowa. We live in Colorado so don’t see them except with pictures their parents text us. I love hearing about you and your life Jennifer. I’m 80 so much more retired than you are but think seriously about this later part of life and enjoy what you are doing or think about changing it. You have become my morning friend and the readers too. But is this really what you want to do as you near 70 years of life?
You are very wise Sydney. Thanks for your support and advice.
I just want to say that I love the red and black on you. Very striking!!
Thanks Deb! It’s a change for sure.
Jennifer, I love this post and seeing how you dress for everyday is very helpful. I’m not needing any changes to how you do your blog – it’s a nice mix of personal banter, try ons, helpful tips and practical day to day outfits. If you take a day off here and there, no worries!