Last month, I wrote I doubted we would have a white Christmas! Boy, was I wrong! We didn’t get huge amounts of snow, but we did drop right into the negative temperatures and stayed there for a bit. I hope all of you are well, had an amazing holiday season (whichever you celebrate or not), and are having a wonderful start to 2023. I know it’s cliched, but it truly seems like Christmas was just last week. But, here we are into the third week of January already. And, since today is the third Thursday of the month that means it’s time for another style challenge! Ageless Style is a group of women of all ages and styles. Every month, on the third Thursday, we post our looks based upon a prompt chosen by one of us. Some months, all of us participate; some months, only a few do. Life has a way of happening, right? This month, Leslie of Once Upon a Time Happily Ever After chose sumptuous fabrics. Last month, Jodie of Jodie’s Touch of Style, selected skinny jeans. Prior to that, we have worn layering essentials, what to wear for a fall occasion, back to school looks, fashion on a budget, Summer Whites, and many other ideas. If you’re curious, you can find some of my looks here, here, here, and here. Please do visit the other hostesses of the link party (oh, yes, there’s a link party) at their various sites!
Sumptuous fabrics…
We just finished watching The Empress. If you want to talk sumptuous fabrics, just watch any period piece! Can you imagine wearing those clothes? You know what I always wonder about? How in the world do they not soak those clothes with sweat? I used to watch this woman on YouTube who would make period clothing. She used the same fabrics that would have been used then. Those poor women! They wore so many layers…a chemise, followed by stays, then several petticoats, pockets, busks (I certainly wouldn’t need one of those), and outer skirts as well as bodices! I would have been absolutely dripping. But, I digress!
Sumptuous fabrics…take two…
When Leslie suggested sumptuous fabrics, I was a bit stumped. I have lots of cashmere sweaters, but I don’t necessarily think of them as sumptuous. They’re more warm and cozy. I went scrounging around in my closet, and my eye fell on this black velvet top. It’s from Coldwater Creek. I have two of these…one black, one red. I bought them in the store so that means they’re probably over 10 years old. I don’t think you can see, but this blouse features a ruffled placket. Now, I had a top. What to go with it that was equally opulent? I remembered I had this velveteen black watch skirt from Talbots. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between velvet and velveteen? Basically, velvet is made from silk, rayon, acetate, or a combination. Velveteen is made from cotton. One has be be dry cleaned; the other can be washed at home.
A little more…
It occurs to me, though, that sumptuous fabrics are a little subjective. What I think is sumptuous may be totally your norm and vice versa. I mean, if you wear velvet on a daily basis, you probably wouldn’t consider it sumptuous. It’s just what you wear. In the summer, I might consider silk and linen to be sumptuous fabrics. In fact, I think taffeta…you know yards and yards of ruffled taffeta…would be pretty sumptuous! I guess, in my mind, I’m equating sumptuous with expensive and luxe. That may or may not be the case with you. And, that’s OK!
The Lewk!
You don’t often see me in full length boots. It’s difficult to find wide calf boots that aren’t also wide in the foot. My feet are normal width, but my calves are quite large and always have been! Actually, it’s difficult to find stylish wide calf boots anytime! I added this multi strand necklace from Stella & Dot and my John Hardy bamboo hoops to complete the look. I had to look to see if my earrings were engraved like these. They are! For each pair of these hoops sold, the company plants one bamboo seedling!
Wrap it up, Marsha!
Well, this was a rather short post for me. I love velvet in all its forms…velvet tops, velvet bottoms, velvet scarves! If it’s velvet, I’m probably going to love it! I think this may be my only piece of velveteen, though! So, can we talk? What do you consider a sumptuous fabric? Do you wear it regularly or save it for a special occasion? Perhaps you consider velvet and velveteen to be the same. Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk! I promise I will respond as quickly as possible. I am having a problem with you receiving notifications of my responses. I am simply stumped on how to fix that. I’m not giving up, though!
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Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, and I do deClaire and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I’m a co-host on the Weekend Traffic Jam (here). I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I also host Final Friday Print Mixing on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties! Just a note…Traffic Jam is on a bit of a hiatus as I try to figure out how to continue it.
And, now it’s your turn!
Please link up your favorite luxe fabrics posts, DIY, baking, gardening, fashion…you name it…as long as it’s family friendly! Here are links to all of the lovely ladies in the Ageless Style collaboration. Please do visit them on their various media. Link up with us, visit a couple of others, and leave a comment or two! No worries if you don’t have a blog, just look around! You may find a new blog just waiting for you!
Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Bo ~ Bo’s Bodacious Blog
Blog / Instagram /Pinterest / Bloglovin’
Joanne ~ My Slice of Life
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie ~ Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle
Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom
Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook |
Rosemary ~ Distinctly Southern Style
I wore velvet today too and I just love it in all it’s forms as well; I even used to make velvet ribbon bookmarks! This is such a lovely outfit.
Thanks, Joanne! I remember buying a slim black ribbon and wearing it as a choker when I was about 13! So, my love for black velvet runs deep!
I don’t have any velvet – or velveteen – in my wardrobe which is a shame, but it’s so hot here I don’t think it would work well! this outfit really works so well on you though and perfect for your colder weather, something about winter makes me want to wear all the different textures! I think you had the perfect perspective on this theme!
And thank you for the link up!
Thank you so much, Mica! It’s a shame your weather is that warm. But, that just means you can wear your gorgeous kimonos more!
I was a bit stumped at first too! I am so glad it wasn’t just me. LOL. I love velvet and definitely feel it’s scrumptious because of its soft buttery feel, plus I always think it look fancy and extra jewel toned. Velvet has been on repeat in my winter wardrobe this season. You look great in this outfit, and I could see you getting a lot of wear out of this.
bosbodaciousblog.blogspot.ca
Thanks, Bo! I could not even begin to count the number of times I have worn this top! Oh, and you’re right…jewel tone velvet is the best!
I love that outfit on you! It is really very slimming. And the dark colors make you silver hair look even brighter and lovelier. It seems sheer black stockings are becoming all the rage. I prefer tights. I have very long legs and the tights stretch better than stockings, plus, they are a bit warmer.
Thanks so much, Eileen! I appreciate the compliments! I do love tights, but the sheer black hosiery is a little more oomph-y, right?
Velvet is such a luxe fabric and always elevates a look! Love how this outfit came together! You look lovely!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Thanks so much, Jill! You are 100% right…velvet really does make just about anything that little bit better!
I’ve been all about texture so I really enjoyed our prompt this month. And velvet is one of my favorite: I love how it feels. Love your choice for this outfit and really like this cute plaid skirt!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Thanks so much, Mireille! Isn’t it funny how we lean into texture when it’s colder? Velvet is one of my favorite winter fabrics!
Marsha, you nailed this theme. This outfit looks fabulous on you. I love that top. Oh, and I have The Empress on my list. I hope to get to it soon.
Thanks so much, Amy! You will enjoy The Empress. The clothing is amazing!
Your velvet/velveteen are definitely sumptuous fabrics to me! I love this classy look (it’s hard to resist a good plaid). I am in the same boat (boot?) with wearing wide calf tall boots with a regular width foot, and they are not easy to find. I have four pairs that I rotate through that I hope will last me another decade so I don’t have to shop for them again for a while!
Thanks, Sally! I do love a good plaid (or a bad one, for that matter…as long as the plaids match at the seams)! I have two pairs of tall boots that currently fit. I have two other pairs that don’t currently fit. I wish they were readily available in stores!
I just love this look Marsha and the necklaces on the blouse really elevates it so perfectly.
Speaking of period dressing, have you watched a Stitch in Time?? Not only do they make an outfit with the material of the time period but they only use scissors and such that they had back then too. It’s so cool.
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Thanks, Jodie! Luckily, those necklaces came hooked together, but they can be taken apart and worn separately.
I have watched A Stitch in Time. I wish there were lots more episodes!
I’m loving this rich velvet outfit on you! It absolutely fits the theme of sumptous-perfectly! And it looks fabulous and chic too!
Thanks so much, Laura! I’ll definitely take chic!!
Velvet is one of those fabrics that just screams scrumptious! It’s so rich and elegant. Great outfit Marsha!
xo,
Kellyann
Thanks so much, Kellyann! I do love velvet and wish it were easier to care for!
Head to toe sumptuous-ness!! I didn’t know the difference between velvet and velveteen and now I do. And my velvet top is surely velveteen because it can be washed…hallelujah. That skirt is just fabulous. I like the plaid very much. You wear black so well with your pretty coloring. I never feel comfortable in black or never did when was my hair was brown but now that I am going gray or silver, I am wearing a little more black these days.
I am interested in the show Jodie mentions “A Stitch in Time.” I can’t sew a stitch so anyone sewing anything amazes me. But to make period pieces the way they were sewn at the time the styles were popular just blows my mind. Going to see if I can find that show. Would be perfect to watch while I iron.
Thanks so much, Leslie! I honestly didn’t know the difference either until I googled it!
Nigel will tell you he’s always liked me in black. I don’t have as much black in my closet as I once did. I am interested in that show, too1 I’ll have to try to find it!
I just googled that show and discovered I have watched it! It’s really very good! You can find it on YouTube if you don’t have Prime or Acorn TV.
I don’t think I’ve heard of velveteen before….except for that band in the 80s called Velveteen something or other lol!!
I love velvet though, but I don’t have an awful lot of it. I think there’s a strapless green velvet dress that I’ve never actually worn apart from blog pics, then there’s a gorgeous black winter blouse that I wear out in the evenings occasionally, and I think that’s about it! Oh no…I lie, there’s the black velvet dress I wore for our Songful Style post a few months ago!!
You look fabulous, Marsha!
Big hugs
Suzy xx
P.S I’ve just Googled Velveteen and it wasn’t a group, it was an album by Transvision Vamp lol!!
Hahaha!!! I thought maybe you were thinking of Velvet Underground! I do love velvet but I don’t have a lot of it. When I was in high school…decades ago…gasp…I had a pair of lilac button front crushed velvet pants! Damn! I was styling back then!
Thanks, Suzy!
You’re looking lovely in that outfit, very svelte and stylish. Funnily enough although I love velvet I haven’t currently got any in my closet. Something to remedy, I think. This was a great subject and it’s so nice to see you all wearing scrumptious clothes!!
I love velvet and had quite a few tops years ago. I donated many of them over the years, but I have kept many. They are not the warmest so I usually layer them over something.
Thanks, Penny!
I love this outfit!! I am such a fan of a plaid skirt. And a velvet top sounds wonderful!
Thanks, Erin! It’s a comfortable skirt, too! So, win win!
You in ukraine few days to christmas it feels like its not gonna snow, like we are not gonna have a white christmas but a day before christmas its gonna snow and we gonna wake up to a white christmas.
You outfit looks good.
https://www.melodyjacob.com/2023/01/a-tribute-to-patience-ogadinma-jacob.html
Thanks so much, Melody! I didn’t realize you were in Ukraine. I do hope you’re ok and safe.
I love your skirt!!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
Thanks so much! It’s even better IRL!
I can never get enough velvet! I adore this skirt and top combination. So perfect for the season. I started watching the Empress but that gave up on it for some reason. You reminded me the finish it out.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks, Kathrine! I think The Empress is good but not great. The clothing, though, is amazing!
Marsha, I love this outfit! Blackwatch is my favorite tartan and velvet is one of my favorite fabrics, so that skirt is absolute winner for me! This would be a wonderful holiday outfit as well. I collaborated with a brand, Simply Be, about 5 years ago that specialized in wide calf boots. Actually, I was able to specify the foot width and the calf width which provided a much better fit. It might be worth checking out!
Shelbee
Thanks, Shelbee! I really do love this outfit, too. I had a black watch Pendleton pleated skirt that I donated years ago. How I wish I still had it! It was simply gorgeous! Thanks for the tip on a possible boot connection!
Marsha, I am a big fan of this outfit on you! I have a black velvet short sleeve shirt and I love pairing it up with a skirt and some boots too. Such a great way to casually dress up in the winter and not be to cold. And your necklaces pop against the black velvet. Love your style!- Meagan
Thanks so much, Meagan! Black velvet just adds so much to anything…dress it up, or dress it down! It’s always fabulous!
Dear Mary, I like your smile very much, and your charming figure, I prefer velvet, it feels very good!
Thanks so much! Velvet is a definite winner!
You nailed it. Velvet is one of those fabrics that just screams scrumptious! It’s so rich and elegant.I love how it feels. Love your choice for this outfit and really like this cute plaid skirt!
It really is, right?
Thanks for coming by!
I love wearing velvet and need to wear more of it 🙂 Great outfit.
Velvet just makes everything better, right?
Thanks for coming by!
so glad to read such an amazing and informative content. thanks for writing such great contents. Keep it up !
Thanks so much!