Thank You

     After much consideration I have decided this is my final post on my blog. I've been blogging for sixteen months and I've enjoyed choosing outfits, taking photos and most of all the interaction with all of you! Now that it is spring, Dean and I are devising some new creative challenges for ourselves. I've always been a person that was unable to do anything half way, so I'm having to let go of Blue Hue Wonderland.

     All of you are brave. Standing in front of a camera making pictures for the world to see is not an easy thing to do. When I started my blog, I thought I would document the clothes I was wearing for fun. I didn't expect to meet like minded and stylish women from all over the world. Thank you for all the encouraging comments. Your posts have brought a smile to my face so many times and your outfits have inspired me to change and challenge my own way of dressing. For all of this I am grateful.


Ann@blue hue wonderland

Crisp and Clean

     I enjoy this time of year when I can still wear a jacket with a summer sandal. By combining basics like a comfortable knit stretch skirt with a cotton moto jacket I'm ready for the day. I've seen so many stylish and modern designs in sandals this spring that are comfortable yet interesting. I like the easy wedge heel and the ankle strap which adds a feminine detail. Adding an of-the-moment sandal to pieces already in the closet is an easy way to update the basics.  


jacket--gap--(similar on sale) (floral moto)     skirt--max studio (eileen fisher--similar here)     shoes--enzo angiolini (consignment purchase)     clutch--isaac mizrahi  (similar in yellow)     bracelet--kenneth cole (like this one--vince camuto)



link--frizz and frosting--monday bloom--style sessions--the pleated poppy--I feel pretty

Experimenting with Structure

     I received the May issue of In Style this week and I was captivated by an article on page 181 called "You Can Do Safari." I'm always looking to reconfigure items in ways I haven't worn before. My interpretation does look more military than safari because of the cut of this dress, but I think the mixing is similar to the feel of this article. By pairing a structured dress with feminine shapes, like this coat, and adding current shoes and a burgundy clutch for a bit of color, I created an outfit from pieces already in my closet.

     The ever stylish Annette of Lady of Style interviewed Blue Hue Wonderland for her "Lady of the Month" series. Annette is a generous person and I'm honored she asked me to be part of this series which has highlighted some interesting blogs. Annette was one of the first persons I corresponded with when I started blogging. Her style is classic and elegant with a feminine flair. Annette has created an impressive blog and I would recommend taking a look at Lady of Style .  I've also become active on Pinterest with images from Blue Hue Wonderland plus pictures of many of my fellow bloggers on my page called "From the Blogs."

shoes--jessica simpson     coat--bcbg--(michael kors)     clutch--bcbg generation--(similar)     dress--bloomingdales & tahari--(diane von furstenberg)     bracelet--bcbg--(similar, bcbg)     earrings--handmade--(tory burch)


links--not dead yet style--mingle monday--mix it mondays--monday must haves--funday monday--style sessions--get your pretty on--the pleated poppy--because shanna said so--three-fer thursday--passion for fashion--fashion informant--share-in-style

Jeans

     Oh what a difference a week can make. With some afternoons near 70 degrees, I can wear sandals. This week I chose some basic jeans, silk wrap blouse, fun heels and my bright trench to wear for an evening meal. I'm wearing jeans from Macy's house brand Style & Co. These jeans are reasonably priced plus they are comfortable to wear. I've been seeing silk kimono tops on some of the blogs and this fitted version is old favorite.  I found these sandals at a consignment shop then added a contrasting bag and bright trench. 

     For those you that are fashion bloggers, we bought a flash with a diffusor for our camera. We have been using it on most of my posts lately.  On these pictures with the strong backlighting, a flash fills the shadow and adds a highlight to the eyes. Hope this is a helpful bit of info for some of the bloggers out there. The flash has helped us get brighter and sharper pictures in low light situations. 

jeans--style & co. petite jeans     blouse--dana buchman     sandals--preview (consignment purchase) same design, different color     trench--worthington-- cole haan     purse--b makowsky       

links--mingle monday--dc instyle--style sessions--the pleated poppy--get your pretty on--because shanna said so--what I wore wednesday--passion for fashion--not dead yet style

Blue Lace

     Hello! Yes that is snow in these pictures taken the first week of April. In fact it snowed eight inches last night but it will melt quickly this time of year. I purchased this dress last spring and have worn it in several ways. I seen to always have a place in my closet for a few lace items especially in a vibrant color.  I have worn it casually with silver low heeled sandals for an outdoor summer art show and with gray tights for an evening dinner. This past winter I've found gray tights to be versatile and a nice change from black. When I'm wearing a bright dress this tone looks less harsh with my fair coloring. I also wear bone colored fishnet hose during the transition to sandals. If I were to wear this dress formally, I'd wear a sheer hose in maybe a gray tone during colder months.

     This week I watched several of the designer shows for this fall and so many of the them showed the models with bare legs.  I live in a climate where I need to wear tights from October to end of the April most years. How do you feel about wearing colors other than black with dresses and skirts?

links--fashion item friday--not dead yet style--the style record--mix it mondays--plane pretty--still being molly--dc instyle--style sessions--i feel pretty--pleated poppy--because shanna said so--shoe shine--three-fer thursday--passion for fashion

Breezy Late Afternoon

     Last weekend I had a mission. I'm going to the Mall of America, the largest indoor mall in the US which happens to be near the Minneapolis airport, and check out the line up of spring dresses. I wear dresses in the summer and the best designs sell quickly. 

     A weekend usually isn't the best time to visit this mall. It was spring break so the mall was packed with girls and their mothers hunting for prom dresses. In the sea of short sleeveless items, I found this easy to wear knit dress. I like the length and sleeves plus it can be styled so many ways. I love wearing knit dresses because they are so practical. It comes with a black belt so I added the red for a touch of color.

     I've never worn red lipstick before. One of my favorite bloggers, Cla of Glam Up your Lifestyle calls red lip color her "secret weapon." We have the same skin tone and hair color so I thought I'd give it a try. Thanks Cla for the inspiration! 


dress--evan-picone (here)--on sale now      shoes--ralph lauren (purchased on sale last fall) (similar) (lower heel choice)     cross body purse--ralph lauren (similar) (similar)     belt--(consignment purchase) (similar)     leather jacket--free people ( leather jackets)

links--share in style--sunday style--monday must haves--mingle monday--style sessions--the pleated poppy--random wednesday--three-fer thursday--look what I got--passion for fashion--not dead yet style

Graphic

     When I was a young girl of 10 years old, my mom painted my room stark white. We decided to pick a bedspread out of the Sear's catalog covered with a watercolor print that resembled a pond. She said I could paint my room however I wanted. Being the careful natured person that I am still today, I proceeded to cover the white walls with bold graphic patterns interspersed with a few animals and figures. It took me about 2 months to finish this project. I grew up on a farm in Iowa and my mom was a teacher where doing something like this was unheard of. I loved it and spent many hours relaxing on my bed gazing at my creation and adjusting all the small details.

     I give my parents a lot of credit for giving the confidence to be creative, really fearless in some ways.  I think it is this positive memory that drives my love of all thinks graphic. Seeing bold stripes and strong motifs delights my eye and inspires a feeling of confidence. When clothes have a graphic boldness, you just can't be shy!

links--plane pretty--not dead yet style--monday bloom--mix it mondays--mingle monday--style elixer--what i wore wednesday--the pleated poppy--three-fer thursday--tres-chic fashion thursday--look what I got--passion 4 fashion--fashion item friday

jacket--bcbg (here)     skirt--bcbg (here) (here)     clutch--bcbg (here)     shoes--bcbg generation     tights--dkny

Fit and Flair Dress

     This week the weather is warming and the snow is reducing it's hold on the landscape. I'm wearing my favorite shape in a dress, the fit and flair. I was visiting my Dad in Wisconsin and found this one on the final clearance of the winter dresses. It combines both a black turtleneck and printed flair skirt all in one. 

     I like the fit and flair shape and I think it's a style that's wearable by many women. I searched the web this week for this design with sleeves and not too short. Worn with sandals for spring, this style dress can be a nice addition to the wardrobe.     

dress--jessica howard    shoes--calvin klein   clutch--isaac mizrahi   jewelry--kenneth cole   tights--dkny 

links--simple sequins--plane pretty--watch what I wearing--mingle monday--dcinstyle--the pleated poppy--get your pretty on--the brandied pair--three-fer thursday--look what i got--midwest bloggers--passion 4 fashion--simple sequins--not dead yet style

Watercolor Blue Print

     With the coldest winter in 35 years, I'm experiencing spring fever! During the summer I wear dresses often and this one I purchased last month during the holidays sales. With temperatures often below zero and snow flying, spring feels so far away here in Minnesota. I find a printed wrap dress easy to wear and comfortable. This dress is the BCBG Adele Dress (here) which is a style I have worn before in another color last sumer. (here)  I thought I would give myself a break from winter and do a post in anticipation of spring weather.

     Today I'm wearing this dress with bone colored textured tights.  I think this light color can add coverage and texture in the transition time before sandals without looking heavy and weighing down a dress. Floral patterns are a trend for this spring. Will you embrace some pattern as the weather changes?

links--not dead yet style--monday bloom--mingle monday--verizon voices fashionista--the pleated poppy--because shanna said so--three-fer thursday--passion4fashion--simply lulu--fashion informant

Adding a Yellow Bag

     I bought this yellow sequin bag thinking I love this color but this color doesn't love me. I tried on a jacket in yellow and I looked like I had run a marathon! Unfortunately yellow brings out the red tones in my complexion. Although wearing this color as an accent seems to be a way to incorporate some yellow into my wardrobe. This is one way to wear colors that my not be so flattering to your skin tone.  I've been noticing yellow paired with black, gray and all tones of blue, especially cobalt. With spring around the corner, a touch of bright yellow feels on trend and worth trying. 

     In my links I have included some yellow pieces which might be fun to add to your wardrobe. Since all the items in this post are older, just the sequin bag is in the links. Adding one on trend color can be a way to refresh pieces you already own.

links--plane pretty--mingle monday--the style record--style elixer--the pleated poppy--because shanna said so--three-fer thursday--thursday take over--simply lulu style--passion for fashion--favorite fashion friday--not dead yet style

Red Dress

     During a quick walk through an discount store, I spotted this Rag and Bone red dress looking lonely and on a rack of deeply discounted items. It was $44 and I thought why is this here? Just one dress, well made, in my size and a color I adore. I know you all have been through this, looking for a dress for a special event like a wedding and there's not one thing that fits or is the right price. It was an easy decision to buy this item. Paired with a consignment purchased coat, it's still cold here in Minneapolis, and worn with a necklace from BCBG.  Then finish with the Riana Handbag by Maxwell Scott, I'm ready for my next time a wedding invitation arrives in the mail. 

     I could not find the exact necklace online which I'm wearing in this post. Here's some other great statement necklaces from BCBG which would be a fine addition to any dress. 

links--not dead yet style--monday bloom--plane pretty--mingle monday--basic training corporate style--style sessions--because shanna said so--get your pretty on--transatlantic blonde--the pleated poppy--working girl with style-- fashion informant--three-fer thursday--passion for fashion--simply lulu style--simple sequins