Monday, July 28, 2025
Old Navy For Jeans and Cotton & Linen
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Pearls Courtesy of the Qatar Museums
Made in 1800, I couldn’t find any history on it. Who made it? Who owned it? Can anyone solve the mystery? |
I'll show you a few pieces that caught my eye.
Above πis a diamond brooch centered by a cushion shaped rare pink diamond with a gorgeous drop pearl. Breathtakingly beautiful, it is mounted in gold. ©1800
The Rosebery tiara was designed in London by Garrard in 1878 for Hannah Rothchild upon her marriage to the Earl of Rosebery, making her Countess Rosebery. It has large diamonds and natural Pacific Ocean Pearls.
Pearls are timeless and elegant! What a magnificent show for the lucky folks who saw it! The 1st brooch might be my favorite piece, if forced, forced, forced to choose, even though we don’t really wear brooches anymore. The brooch's pink diamond and pink drop pearl are flawless and gorgeous! Which one is your favorite?ππππ¦
If you wish to learn more about pearls click the 1st link, below.⚪
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
At Land’s End The Classics Are Trending
The breezy linen barrel leg trousers and linen peplum tops are a polished outfit for a summer evening out. Many people still spruce up a bit to go out to a restaurant or a shopping area. These would work very well!
Friday, June 13, 2025
5 of the Most Gorgeous Sapphires In the World
Photo: loupiosity: The Bell of Asia Sapphire |
4) The Richelieu Sapphire Earrings, a pair of cushion-cut natural Kasmir earrings weigh 26.66 and 20.88 carats respectively. Owned by Odile de Richelieu (1879 - 1974), they were sold in Geneva at Sothebys for $8.4 million in 2013. The earrings are suspended by a star of cushion and pear shaped diamonds. According to the Swiss Gemological Institute, the pair of sapphires match perfectly in size and shape. The hue is velvety blue and the clarity excellent "with only microscopic inclusions. A matching pair of natural sapphires from Kashmir of this size and quality is very rare and exceptional.”
5) The Logan Sapphire is the most accessible to us common folk, as it resides in the Smithsonian Institution. It was donated by Rebecca Pollard Guggenheim Logan in 1960. The Sri Lanka gemstone, at 422.98 carats, which is the size of a large chicken egg, is one of the largest velvety blue sapphires in the world. The mixed cushion cut sapphire is set in gold and silver as a brooch and surrounded by 20 round brilliant cut diamonds. Multiple sources list its value as $2.5 million.
With colored gemstones (sapphires, rubies and emeralds), color is the most important of the 4 “Cs” (color, cut, carat and clarity) in determining their value. Seeing Kashmir and Sir Lanka sapphires always makes a jewelry lover want one, doesn’t it? Commercial grade sapphires are never as velvety blue. Today the Kashmir and Sir Lanka mines are closed, making these sapphires all the more rare and valuable!π°πΈπ€
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Marie ThΓ¨rese of France’s Emerald Tiara
Photo: Wikipedia Commons: I’d love to set this piece of history on my head! If this stunner could talk. |
In exile Marie ThΓ¨rese moved to Prague with her husband’s family, then to Goriza (part of Italy today) and after her husband's death to a Baroque castle just outside of Vienna where she spent her final years quietly (attending Mass, taking walks, reading and sewing). Empress EugΓ¨nie lived for the rest of her life in Great Britain as a guest of Queen Victoria.
In 2002 the Louvre Museum purchased the tiara from its anonymous owner, returning it to France. The Angouème Emerald Tiara is now on display in Paris at the Louvre Museum. Home, Sweet Home!
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Old Navy’s Vintage Mini T-Shirt Dresses
Nowadays when my senior mom needs new clothes I make the selections for her. The thought makes me smile because I realize what it means ... she’s beginning to dress like me.π When she bought her own clothes she wore lots of long pants in summer. But I wear casual dresses as soon as the hot weather hits, and I don’t return to wearing pants until the first chillπ¨ of fall kisses my bare legs.
I also switched my mom to soft, comfortable, easy to machine wash and dry fabrics. She was born in an era when women suffered for style, and many garments needed ironing and special handling. Let’s leave those practices in the past!
Another practice I think should be history is dressing the elderly in ugly clothes they’d never wear in their younger decades of life. No house dresses for her that resemble pajamas. In her old age she still likes fashion!
It’s going to hit 90 degrees F, and I’ve already received by mail what she’s wearing today. It’s the top image, Old Navy’s Mini T-Shirt Dress. You can dress it up or down. I have visions of her looking like a biker chick and may manage to pull the biker chick look off! Why, you may ask? I am her only child, but was never her favorite child. Ha, ha! Plus I think she’ll look adorable!πππ
I ordered her several of the t-shirt dresses to carry her through the summer, all in the same teal color. If O.N. had other bright summer colors when I ordered them, I would have gotten other colors. Because the deals are so good, the dresses go very fast!
Yesterday my mom wore the Short-Sleeve Vintage Mini-T-Shirt Dress in the pretty and bright pink color. I only ordered her one of that style since I think as soon as summer hits, she’ll be cooler in sleeveless cotton dresses.
For my readers who are interested in ordering the dresses too, they are now on sale. My mother is petite (about 5’1”) so regular in this mini style fits her perfectly. However if you normally order regular, you’ll have to order this style in tall for it to fall about an inch above your knee. Plan for some shrinkage.
The 100% cotton fabric is super soft and substantial for summer days. It’s not too thin.
Monday, June 2, 2025
Old Navy’s PowerSoft Trouser Pants
Old Navy has taken the comfort of sweat paints and turned it up a notch to create High-Waisted PowerSoft Trouser Pants. That’s right, light, smooth, and soft trousers! Like leggings, Old Navy's trouser pants are made of cozy sweat-wicking compression fabric consisting of 77% polyester and 23% spandex. The pants fall under its activewear collection and yet, with the right top could be worn to the office. Sitting at the belly button, they are loose at the hip and wide at the leg. The result is casual smart style that is attractive and comfortable.
Monday, May 5, 2025
Othofeet Shoes
Support shoes to treat common foot problems such as plantar fasciitis, diabetes, high arches, heel pain, bunions or flat feet can be eye-poppingly expensive. But! Orthofeet are about the same price as regular reasonably-priced shoes.
According to the retailer, biomedical engineers are employed to design its shoes to ease the symptoms that cause the above named conditions.
The site's wide range of stylish sneakers, sandals, boots, clogs, mules, Mary Janes, dress shoes or specialty shoes for athletics, hiking, or handsfree slip-on-and-off shoes for men and women look just like regular shoes. I'll go farther and call them cute!
Othofeet shoes have built-in orthotic insoles to provide arch support and proper foot alignment. They have ergonomic cushioned soles to absorb shock. You can select features like wide toe boxes or seam-free, padded interiors. Also each pair of shoes come with an arch booster, 1/8” removable insole and another 1/16” removable insole, which other companies make customers pay extra to order. Remove them to wear thicker socks, and insert them as a spacer to wear sockless. Such great value for fantastic support!Free shipping and returns plus promotions of $15% - 25% off to make already fabulous price points even more affordable!
The website is super simple to navigate making it easy to zero in on inventory that addresses your individual foot condition! Best of all, you'll never go broke to alleviate it!
Know that my blogs aren't sponsored, I'm simply thrilled to find a brand that is about 1/3 of the price of other orthotic designed shoes! Plus they go on sale!!!
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Playful Shoes Or Assessories
My coats, jackets, shoes, and handbags tend to be black, a neutral shade that looks classic, dressy (when needed), and goes with all other colors. Living in Manhattan, where space is limited, I have to mix and match everything I own, and fit them into my generous (yet only 2) wardrobe closets at the end of the day. I highly recommend finding your neutral color for these 4 articles to make dressing and storage easy.
But! When spring arrives, it's time to let our hair down and add something fun and playful to our wardrobes, isn't it? In the past, I bought ballet flats in leopard or polka dots. Or when replacing my sneakers stepped out of my practical neutral color zone by selecting bright pink or orange!
Why is it a worthy purchase? Wearing a playful color or pattern can put a pep in your walk by lifting your mood. I get loads of compliments on my fun shoes from friends, coworkers, and strangers alike! In a fanciful color or pattern, people can sense I am approachable.
Here is a multi-colored pair of sandals I tried hard to buy. Unfortunately, when I needed new sandals, none were left in my size, so I missed out!
If you're replacing your walking shoes, sneakers, or sandals this spring or summer, consider getting a little wild and crazy. Stepping outside of your usual (and sensible) neutral palette in this most casual of seasons makes you feel happy!ππ΄π©΄