DO YOU WANNA BUILD AN ICEMAN

NEW YEAR GOLD

Over the holidays I added this wonderful mustard yellow, cotton sweater from Tommy Hilfiger to my sweater rotation.  You may remember that I posted another sweater last fall in this wonderful color.  That one was v-neck sweater, while this one is a quarter-zip sweater. Both are warm and very comfortable, and erfect for work or a night out with friends.

This has also become one of my favorite colors for sweaters and socks, and I am now looking for shirts in this shade as well (I might even consider pants).  I love this color for winter because it’s bright and cheery, something that is most welcomed during these often gray and dreary days. This beautiful sweater from Tommy Hilfiger also reminds me that spring’s warmth will soon return.


***What colors get your through winter’s gray days?

SNOW SHOWERS

We haven't received nearly the amount of snow we should have by now, and this is the closest we've come to major snow showers so far.

SOLO SHOT SUNDAY: COLUMNS

The St. Paul Depot.

JANUARY FLOWERS

Shortly before Christmas I stopped into the Minnesota small business pop-up store at the Mall of America, to see my friend’s at Mill City Fineries shop. Their shop was amazing, and I was able to view several of their products including some new lines that they had added, but the item that caught my eye the most was their Plum Floral Reversible Bow Tie.

There was just something about this tie that I loved.  So much so that I couldn’t get it out of my head, and I knew that it was the tie I wanted wear for New Year’s Eve. Within days the tie was in my possession, and couldn’t be happier. 

Made from fabric sourced in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this bow tie is handcrafted at their studio here in Minneapolis.  I’ve shared before how important it is to me that I support local small businesses, and I find local products of this quality, supporting these businesses becomes a privilege. 

I purchased the Plum Floral Reversible Bow Tie from Mill City Fineries to wear for New Year’s Eve, and I have worn it several times since. This fast becoming one of my favorite bow ties.

***Do you have a favorite bow tie manufacturer?

VINTAGE FAIR ISLE SWEATER

The sub-zero weather we've had for the last few weeks is perfect for vintage Fair Isle sweaters. This is one of my best thrifting finds, and simply the best way to stay warm!!!


***Do you have vintage Fair Isle sweaters in your collection?

CYRIL JOHN WHITE

(January 21, 1924 - March 27, 1986)

I love this photo of my dad as a child.  He was in fifth or sixth grade, and already his style was beginning to show through.  I can easily see where I inherited my love of sweaters from.  Today would have been my dad's 92nd birthday.


***Who were your early style influencers?

LOST LEGEND

This week, with the death of David Bowie, we lost a great legend and icon. His versatility and talent were one of a kind, and I think my friend Danelle summed him up the best in a Facebook post last week when she said, "I guess the thing is he transcended genres, mediums, gender, culture, race and even politics. He was so timeless. Not many artists have done that successfully. So much grace. He just felt so timeless. Right till the end. In true Bowie style. One of the most beautiful influences this world has and will see."

While I was somewhat familiar with his music beforehand, I think it was his Let's Dance album in the 80's that solidified him in my conscious. In fact the title track is still, perhaps, my favorite of his songs. But I want to revisit Danelle's comment that he was truly timeless. I would have to agree with that. Last fall, a young man I know who is a freshman in high school, dressed as Ziggy Stardust for Halloween. Given this Bowie personification predated this young man's birth by thirty years, it speaks to Bowie's appeal and ability to reach all generations. Few artists are able to do this successfully.

David Bowie lived his life authentically and with true style, and he taught us how to exit it with dignity and grace. He was a class act like none other and is truly missed.


***What is your favorite David Bowie song?

THE GREENING OF WINTER

I've mentioned before how unseasonably mild our November and December months were, but January has proven to be quite a different story. This past week we have been experiencing sub-zero temperatures and even colder wind chills, and from the reports I've seen it looks like it will be continuing well into next week. 

These cold temperatures have me longing for warmer weather with lush, green patches of spring, but since that won't be happening for a few months, I need to find my "green" in other ways. One way to "green" up this time of year is with some amazing socks. While my current day-to-day socks are L.L. Bean's ragg wool socks, these green socks are perfect for dressier occasions.

Two of my favorites pairs are from Brooks Brothers, with the first pair, repeating a dog motif on a green background. These are perfect for dog owners, dog lovers, or even for the hunting enthusiast, as they add fun and a bit of whimsy to a dreary time of year. The second, is a pair of awesome argyle socks, and while green is just one of three colors, the total look is fun and festive. With Mardi Gras just around the corner in February, the purple, green and gold colors are perfect.

The final pair is a striped pattern from Tommy Hilfiger. While these are a more traditional pattern, they still add that splash of green that is so needed at this time of year. While our sub-zero weather may be far from spring-like, we can still show off some springtime fancy footwork.


*** How do you like to "green" up this time of year?

A LITTLE WARMER

Our snow in Minneapolis finally arrived on New Years, but it didn't truly feel like winter until this week.

After an unseasonably mild November and December, the winter cold hit with a vengeance this week. On Sunday, as I was heading to work, the actual temperature was -9, with a wind chill of -27. Quite a change for us, and it definitely made the bus stops cold for me. Fortunately things have warmed up some. This morning the temperature was only -6, with a wind chill of -26.

Of course things do warm up some throughout the day, but it is a good reminder of what things are like here in Minnesota during the winter. I hope everyone is staying warm in this weather.


***How are the winter temperatures in your area?

WORD RESOLVE

One of the blogs I follow had a guest post last week on New Year Resolutions. Rather than making resolutions that we find difficult to stick with, the author gave a few alternative ideas that we might try instead. One of these ideas, was to pick to pick a word to focus on for the year, using that word to guide the, hopefully healthy, decisions we make in the months ahead. Given how many New Year Resolutions I’ve made and failed at over the years, I thought this was an intriguing idea.

A day or two after reading that blog post, I happened to watch the movie, “Eat, Pray, Love,” again. At one point in the movie Julia Roberts’ character was asked what her “word” was? After stumbling with a few thoughts, it was decided that she was a woman in search of her word.

This reminder of about choosing our word started me thinking about this new year ahead. Rather than make another resolution  that I may possibly fail at, and beat myself up over, I’ve decided I want to instead, choose a word that will be my guide through these next twelve months. I will concentrate on that word in all areas of my life, and allow the universe to manifest it as needed.

With that in mind, I've been spending these first few days of 2016, reflecting on what that word will be.  I’ll keep posted on how it goes.


***What is your word the new year?