A Few Good Things: Spring Outfit Ideas, Fancy Tulips & What to Watch
It’s been a busy month chez moi so far. The Young Cousins had their baby (a beautiful daughter!) a couple of weeks ago, my sister is arriving today for a visit, I’ve had some lovely color clients, and last week I began my 70th trip around the sun! 🎂 With all of the crazy merde going on in the world right now, it’s nice to have some happy things to focus on.
So I’ve been a bit distracted, but did want to share a few things. First up: per your requests, a spring outfit idea in light, cool neutrals.
A Fresh Spring Outfit in Cool Neutrals
ESPADRILLES | TOTE
For those of you with cool seasonal color palettes (Summers & Winters), here’s another take on a fresh, neutral outfit for spring. White jeans are a great way to lighten and brighten your casual outfits. (Warm palette Springs & Autumns can opt for ecru or ivory.) I’ve added a cute cotton sweater, silver espadrilles, silver and pearl earrings, and a few pops of blue as accents. When the weather warms up, swap out the sweater for a striped shirt like this one.
👉 Style tip: I think white (or very light-colored) jeans and pants look better when there’s a bit of ease in the fit. So I sometimes size up. And if the fabric isn’t completely opaque, opt for skin-toned underwear rather than white.
A Little Bit of Spring in My Living Room: Fancy Tulips!
On your next Trader Joe’s run, keep an eye out for these “peony tulips!” These weren’t with the main tulip display, but were tucked away in a corner with the other single-flower bunches. I’d never seen these before at TJ’s, and wasn’t sure what I was getting. But within a day they’d begun to open, and are still going strong a few days later. I’ll definitely be looking for these again!
What I’m Watching: Seven Dials on Netflix
If you love Agatha Christie mysteries — or any mysteries, really — you’ll want to take a look at “Seven Dials” on Netflix. Set in the 1920’s, the story revolves around an unlikely but intrepid young heroine, state secrets, secret societies, society gatherings, and murders, of course. There are the usual twists and turns, but (other than the 1920’s fashions), the highlight for me was Helena Bonham Carter in one of the main roles. She’s fantastic, as always!
So that’s my little roundup for now. I hope you’re finding some happy things to focus on. I’ll be back with more soon: spring color trends, outfit ideas and more.
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Love this! Your light gray sweater with white jeans looks fresh and sophisticated. Thanks for the reminder. And I agree with what you said about sizing up our white pants. They’re not as “forgiving” as black pants, and can show every bump and bulge if we don’t size up. The new wider legs and lantern pants work well in white, for that reason.
Happiest of birthdays! I’ll be 69 in a couple of months. Time flies! I love the sunglasses you chose in the cooler pallete and always love your personal eye glasschoices. I am looking for new eyeglasses and am a summer. Have you ever done a post on eyeglass color choices by season? If not I’d love to see one! Cheers!
A tulip trick: as soon as you get home with your bunch of tulips, with a needle, pierce each stem, right below the bloom, where it meets the stem, then submerge in water for a few minutes. It will keep them upright and allow them to slowly open, rather than drooping. Also, tulips continue to grow after cutting!
Enjoy!
I’ve never heard of this – will have to try!
Happy belated birthday, Susan! Enjoy your sister time! I will look for the peony tulips at TJ’s later today.
Happy Birthday! Wishing you a wonderful year!
70th trip around the sun ??
Greetje
Yes, I turned 69. 😉
Love the fashion collection. Very nice.
Happy Birthday!
Thank you!
Another tulip trick. I know it sounds weird, but don’t put them in water right away if you want them to last a little longer. Just lay them in the fridge. They’ll look droopy but perk right up in a few hours once they’re in water. I’ve kept them for over a week this way when I wanted to save them for a special occasion.
Beautiful tulips, Susan! I’ll be on the lookout for some. And I’ve lined up the Netflix series in our watching queue – love your suggestions.
Thanks too for recommending, in a separate post, that gorgeous scalloped hem tee with eyelet detail from J.Crew. I wonder if you or anyone may have suggestions on how to lighten or brighten the color to a whiter shade? The color on the website was indicated as ivory and J.Crew’s photo looked very white on my monitor, but the actual color is probably too warm for me. I was typed as a Winter years ago by a color consultant, but my mother and the bridal stylist assisting me in choosing a dress many years before that knew that a pure white dress was best for me. I’m not close to a J.Crew store and honestly I love the tee so much that I’ll keep it and try wearing it with a light weight scarf in one of my better colors if no other option exists. I’ve investigated products such as oxygen bleach, bluing agents or Rit color remover. I definitely don’t want to ruin the tee! Does anyone have any advice?
Happy birthday! Love those tulips.
Happy happy birthday Susan!! I think you’ll find it’s great being a savvy, sassy, sartorially splendid sexagenarian!
Happy Birthday from someone who soon will be celebrating 10 more years than you. I love that I can shop my closet for this outfit. I have been buying good basics (due to your influence) which you help me put together in new & interesting ways. Love your blog.
Just finished 7 Dials and loved it. Kept me guessing and the drama was lightened with some quirky fun. Did they set the stage for more episodes? I hope so! Happy day to you!
I’m with you on the tulips from Trader Joe’s! An easy and inexpensive way to bring cheer to our living spaces. Yours are beautiful. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
I loved the Seven Dials and hope there is a season 2! Looking forward to white pants and spring/summer temperatures on the regular. 😎 Thanks for the ideas. I’m starting to look at my scarf and jewelry collections and plan to start accessorizing more smartly, thanks to your tips!
Hi Susan, Happy Birthday!! I hope you enjoy a wonderful year of good health and fantastic travels! Also thank you for helping me “color” my world with your design advice.
I’m off to Talbots for 40% off on something for Spring! Margi🥳
Happy birthday. I put pennies in the water — read this somewhere — and assume it can’t hurt as long as you use real copper ones.
Happy birthday, Susan!
I used to grow three colours of peony tulips until the voles arrived. This variety of tulip bloomed late in the season, after all the others had finished and before the peonies flowered. Flowers of some sort might be just the pick-me-up I need as winter keeps dropping snow every few days.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Susan!! You look MAHvelous! As for white jeans/slacks, white goes with everything in the color spectrum so even I’m an Autumn, white jeans are a staple in my wardrobe. Love tulip. So pretty. Great post today (they all are). Thank you!
Happy Birthday Susan🌷🌷!
Happy Birthday Susan! Congratulations on the family news, a new baby is such a joyful occasion. Have a lovely time with your sister!
I took your advise and started watching “how to get to heaven from Belfast”. What a hoot! We are loving it. Thanks for the recommendation. Slainte!
Hi Diane, I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it!
Happy birthday! Enjoy the 70’s. I’m finding it to be a very thoughtful time – trying to spend my time wisely.
Love the outfit. It’s a good reminder of another option that’s in my closet.
…love Trader Joe’s flowers, especially the brief, glorious season of ranunclus.
I read a hint recently about cut tulips: apparently if you cut off the bottom of the plastic and leave the middle around the flowers in your vase, after a day when you remove the ‘collar’ their stems are stronger and they don’t flop about as much.
As a winter, I loved the pearl gray sweater and silver espadrilles — that would look so cool, calm & collected on a warm day!
I love when you give viewing recommendations! Thanks! Beautiful tulips too.