Oh So Fancy Francie

Three More Thanksgiving Outfits: Part 2

Thanksgiving is just days away. If you haven’t figured out what to wear, here are three additional possibilities that you can replicate fast or simply be inspired to style from your own closet.

Outfit 1

This Aritzia chiffon button-up blouse in a lavender taupe is beautiful for any occasion, but when paired with a pewter belt and taupe booties, it’s fit for a Thanksgiving table. I love the extra sheer puff sleeve and subtle watercolor print. This top can be easily elevated with black vegan leather pants and sparkly earrings.

The photo was taken in Virginia at a winery with polo fields, just outside of Charlottesville.

ohsofancyfrancie aritzia chiffon blouse standing — Oh-so-fall

aritzia chiffon blouse with cropped denim — Thanksgiving-ready!

For warmth, add a gray flannel double-breasted jacket:

ohsofancyfrancie aritzia top and gray jacket — Cute indoors or out.

Outfit 2

A white ruffle top dresses up any outfit whether it’s denim, faux leather pants or skirt. I like it with the oversized sherpa coat from Banana Republic. The top is Vince Camuto from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale and sold out. Here is a link to a good substitute. I like the look with cropped, straight-leg jeans and taupe booties for a casual Thanksgiving.

ohsofancyfrancie sherpa and ruffle front — Cool from the back too.

Outfit 3

My Thanksgiving look, the slip skirt from Aritzia paired with the open edit floral top from Nordstrom. (Only the wrap style is available.) Both items have given me endless outfit possibilities, a worthwhile investment.

ohsofancyfrancie floral top and slip skirt sitting — Oh-so-pretty.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Three Thanksgiving Outfits: Part 1

Over the last few months, I’ve been adding fun things to my closet to mix and match for lots of occasions. Hopefully, you have too if you’ve been inspired to invite the same stylish items into your fashion lineup. I’ll show you several Thanksgiving outfits you can pull from the collection. Two items are new because, well, I couldn’t resist.

One of the new pieces is the incredible vegan leather pants from Aritzia. I first spotted the cool pants while shopping and she told me where to find them. They first made their debut last year and were such a hit Aritzia brought out more colors this year. Black is fine for me. The pants are straight leg, long or cropped. Personally, I think cropped is more stylish.

I like these pants for Thanksgiving because they give and are dark enough to hide the extra side of stuffing I might not resist. I paired them with my favorite turtleneck and styled them two ways depending on your mood.

ohsofancyfrancie vegan leather pants booties — Dressed up with booties and a belt.

ohsofancyfrnacie vegan pants and sparkle sneeks — Let’s get this party started with a sparkle in the glass and on the sneaks.

If you want to dress it up a bit, grab the slip skirt and a cream sweater by Vince from Nordstrom, the second new item this week. The boiled cashmere is so, so soft and the mock turtleneck gives it a hip vibe. The killer booties work just fine here and are comfy enough for standing or serving.

ohsofancyfrancie slip skirt cream vince sweater — Oversized sweater hides the oversized dinner portions.;-)

A quick, already-in-my-closet look, the burgundy puff sleeve sweater with @motherdenium flares can be dressed up with boots and cool earrings. The top is sold out from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. The gray flannel jacket and earrings are from three years ago. Love it when a look comes together with items I’ve never paired together before.

ohsofancyfrancie burgandy top standing — Thanksgiving-ready!

ohsofancyfrancie gray jacket — Complete the look. Cute if outdoors for a bit.

Four Staples For Fall

As I shopped for items I knew I wanted, I stumbled upon four items I had to have–needed. All of them will work into the winter months too.

The slip skirt is everywhere. I wanted one for fall last year and never got around to it. This year, it was a must! I have a summer version, baby blue, and i loved it. The shiny fabric doesn’t mean it’s a dress up piece only. It can be worn with all kinds of boots, sneaks and sandals if you wanted to take it up a notch.

Aritzia slip skirt paired here with studded booties from last year and with combat boots. The slip comes in several colors.

ohsofancyfrancie slip skirt, vince sweater, booties — Feminine and Cozy.

ohsofancyfrancie slip skirt combat boots — Feminine and Cool.

I love a good turtleneck and Anthropologie delivered. The quality is top-notch and the string of buttons at the cuff make it oh-so-fancy. I love it so much I got it black and cream. I paired it here with vintage jeans by AG. High-waisted can be tricky but the Alexxis is soft and oh-so-flattering!

Two staple items you must add to your closet!

ohsofancyfrancie button sleeve — Button embellishment make the top.

ohsofancyfrancie turtleneck vintage jeans — LOVE!!!!

Sherpa is the textile of the season! I went the rounds trying to select just one that was cool and pretty. Banana Republic had the one! It’s over-sized, as is everything right now, so size down. Versatile enough to wear for work, date night, or casual night around the fire pit–your own blanket!

ohsofancyfrancie sherpa coat — One giant bear hug!

All of the above will be on repeat, so expect to see them paired up with multiple looks.

Three Classic Fall Pieces To Die For

As I plan outfits for posts, I realize I need something to make the look perfect. And when I find it, I feel as if I hit the jackpot when I love it so much. There’s no debating. I found three classic pieces to last for years.

The Boots. As the weather grew chillier, I wanted tall boots to go with the floral wrap dress I found to get from summer to fall when it was 90 degrees. Now I can wear it in 50 degrees, lower with tights. LOL.

Sam Edelman Boots from Nordstrom. Link here.

ohsofancyfrancie sam edelman tall boots — Oh the places these boots will go..

ohsofancyfrancie sam edelman riding boots wine country — First Stop: Wine Country!

The Phenom Top: Nordstrom is jumping on the sustainability wagon and creating a label to support their mission. Open Edit is cute and affordable. Not all items are sustainable, but they are trying. I wasn’t so sure the colors would work with my pale complexion, but this worked out perfectly. It goes with a zillion things in my closet! The best part, it’s only $30.

Open Edit Top from Nordstrom, link here. (Only small sizes left, but the mesh fabric is stretchy. XS worked for me and I’m never an XS.) I paired it with my Mother Denim Tom Cat wide-leg jeans and the killer boots, also from Nordstrom by Silent D.

ohsofancyfrancie open edit top nordstrom — Goes with everything!

ohsofancyfrancie open edit top with leather jacket — Voilat! Instant outfit makeover.

The third most amazing classic fall piece and probably into spring, is this incredible cream knit cardigan from Aritizia, my new favorite store. The company is Canadian with just a few stores in the states. You’ll be seeing more from this place.

The Alps Cardigan shown with Sam Edelman boots and the Phenom top:

ohsofancyfrancie popcorn sweater — Feeling fall-ish!

ohsofancyfrancie popcorn sweater and open edit top — Oh-so-very-fall.;-)

Banana Republic: The Blue Edition

Banana Republic had a bunch to offer when I was researching their comeback. I had one rule, to avoid adding yet another black sweater to my closet. Hence breaking my posts into BR: The Lavender Edition and now BR: The Navy Edition.

I’m a sucker for anything hinting at a sixties silhouettes. I love the wide turtleneck and pronounced cuffs of this oversized merino-cashmere blend sweater. It’s ultra soft and cozy.

And that brings this post to the current trend of oversized sweaters. My preferred pairing for this look is with skinny or slim straight jeans. My rule of thumb, is balance. Flowy on top or on the bottom, not both.

Banana Republic Oversized Merino-Cashmere Sweater, link here. Paired with AG Farrah High-Waisted Skinny and All Saints Docita Combat Boot.

ohsofancyfrancie Banana Repulic Oversized sweater — Urban meets seaman.

Dress it up with booties and a scarf:

ohsofancyfrancie oversized sweater & scarf — Cool meets glam.

The last of my BR haul is the statement sleeve top, available in blue, black and ivory. Link here.

I paired this top with black, kick-boot flare denim by AG and Ron White bootie:

ohsofancyfrancie Banana Republic Statement Sleeve — Feeling oh-so-fancy.

And paired here with Mother denim’s The Weekender Flare and the killer booties by Silent D.

ohsofancyfrancie banana repubic statement sleeve blue denim — Oh-so-blue.

Affordable Every-Day Outfit: Lavender Sweater & Taupe Booties

If you are like me, it took a bit to figure out what I needed for fall since we didn’t go anywhere last year. I felt a little out of practice. Since starting this fashion blog, the pressure was on to find cute things that are accessible, i.e. affordable and available. I found the perfect combo!

My absolute favorite boot of the season is by Silent D, available at Nordstroms, link here.. The acrylic block heel makes the shoe in my opinion. They are comfy and true to size. The microsuede fabric is stretchy and hugs like a sock, lots of give. Slightly narrow toe which is ok for narrow feet like mine, extra wide not so much.

One of my favorite sweaters is from Target! The color is on trend, lavender, but more subtle. Pair it with a straight leg denim and the killer taupe booties and that’s an easy, cute outfit.

ohsofancyfrancie target lavender sweater standing — Coffee Date Ready!

*Links are for the follower’s convenience and plain fun for me.

Banana Republic Is Back: The Lavender Edition

Surprising news is in this post. First, the Banana Republic we knew and loved is back! The brand is returning to its success years when cashmere was first introduced. A friend of mine worked at BR corporate in the 90s and recently popped into a store to see what changed—a whole new look and feel.

At her suggestion, I wandered into the store and found several very cute things to try on and walked out of the store with several things. I befriended a sales associate for advice on how to shop BR as it had been years since I shopped at one. I learned the Wednesday-Sunday 40% off sales are no longer. BR is going upscale in quality and design. She also told me the cashmere will almost never go on sale and is selling out fast!

The second surprise: Lavender is trending for fall! Seriously. It’s been all over the fashion runways in everything from tops, bottoms, bags and sneakers. BR is hopping on the lavender train and so am I.

Styled below are a couple of lavender items I loved. If lavender is not in your color palette, the sweater is offered in black. and the top in black, tan, and white.

Banana Republic Lavender Merino-Cashmere Cardigan Sweater can carry you into spring; to me, it’s worth the investment.

ohsofancyfrancie banana republic lavender cardi — Cozy color pairs well with distressed denim and white tee.

Banana Republic Lavender Poplin Bishop-Sleeve Top paired with Sam Edelman Teddy Coat from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, cropped straight denim by Agolde and taupe booties by Silent D

ohsofancyfrancie lavender top — Oh so cool.

ohsofancyfrancie sam edelman and BR top — Perfect match!

Makeover With Annie At Target

Meet my friend Annie. She’s my Masters Swim buddy and we’ve been sharing Lane Two for years and years. We recently had lunch together and it was hot out. Annie wasn’t buried under a heavy sweatshirt or parka, just a t-shirt and running tights.

“You look GREAT!” I told Annie.

“Thanks! My husband gave me this t-shirt. But I think I need to update.”

Music to my ears.

“Let’s go shopping!”

“Really?!?”

And from there we talked about where and when and if I could include her in a blog post to show others how easy it is to update a look.

Annie is a retired high school teacher and on a budget. We pre-shopped her straight-leg jeans, from @Gap as she was in my Abbey Road TikTok video. (Be careful, once you are discovered by Oh-S0-Fancy Francie, you will enter social media places you never dreamed of going.)

I’m sure Annie won’t mind me saying, she is 67 years old and all the outfits we picked, I would wear too. This is how you can look current but not like you are trying too hard.

We met at Target and were tailed by another talent discovered by Oh-S0-Fancy Francie, Laura, our photographer and Abbey Road buddy.

ohsofancyfrancie hello Annie — Annie works out a zillion times a day.

Simple balloon sleeve top with a half-tuck paired with low heeled black booties, both from @Target!

ohsofancyfrancie Annie Blouse — She’s so happy! (Knox Rose Label)

Burgundy Cardigan, aka grandpa sweater, paired with striped, long-sleeved tee.:

ohsofancyfrancie cardi and striped tee — Cool, effortlessly. (A New Day Label)

Mock turtleneck sweater in teal, we both swooned!

Thanks Annie for showing us so many ways to look stylish.

Three Comfy Shoes for Fall 2021

Shoes are one of my very favorite elements of fashion. You can change up an entire outfit or make a statement with just your feet. I gravitate toward flats or low heels as I’ve always walked with purpose, in a hurry really, and you can’t do that in five-inch heels; I can’t. I’ve always loved pointy-toe flats because it was a way to look “mod” in the eighties and to me, it’s the ultimate in femininity.

Imagine my horror when I realized my right foot was morphing into a little-old lady shape, slightly crumpled and misshaped. Some people call it a “thing” or refuse to name it at all. Strange nobody wants to admit they have one or it requires a delicate name because of its delicate condition. It is what it is, a bunion.

My delicate condition got worse. I was having trouble walking. The top of my foot hurt and my ankles were a bit wobbly. I walked straight into a walking-shoe store, a place I never went for fashion. I was desperate.

Success! I walked out with three new pairs of shoes, because I couldn’t make up my mind and I still love shoes even if they are only kind of cute. I got two house-shoes: Boiled wool clogs and Birks, and, a new pair of sneaks, Hokas. The sneaks are probably the ugliest sneakers I’ve ever owned but when your feet hurt and the shoes make everything better, you surrender!

Since then, anytime I see someone in Hokas, I know their feet look like mine. I can have a lengthy conversation in the middle of the grocery store or shoe department with a complete stranger over our delicate condition.

“What happened? I used to have pretty feet?”

“I can’t find cute shoes with support!”

Six months after succumbing to wearing pretty much Birkenstocks, Hokas and fashion sneaks, I wanted to see if I could get away with other shoes like boots. At the Nordstrom Anniversary sale, I found a couple of pairs that I wanted so badly but narrow feet narrow my options. I walked into a shoe repair guy to see if he could help modify the insoles to give me support.

This was the second, best decision I made regarding my feet.

The repair guy really knows shoes, as he should. I had my boots with me and he swooned over my All Saints combat boots because they are quality and cute! He knew! In a matter of minutes, he found two different types of insoles to make me a happy, comfy, fashionista again.

OMG! I feel so liberated.

I highly, highly recommend visiting your shoe repair guy or cobbler to make your shoes fit like a glove. Save your feet before it’s too late or even if it is too late. You don’t have to give up fashion for the sake of support.

Here’s a close-up of the fun shoes I found at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. You can still get the boots, just not on sale. The P448 sneaks are out there in oodles of styles, high and low.

P448 Sneaker Styled with skinnies, flares and dress:

Vionic Wilma Lug Sole Boots

All Saints Donita Combat Boots

Blazin’ Blazers the Double-Breasted Way

The quickest way to elevate any look is to throw on a blazer. No matter the base layer: tank, tee or blousy top. Treat it like an extra layer instead of a sweater or jean jacket. You can wear one just about anywhere and look stylish.

Double-breasted blazers, to me, are more interesting, especially given a military style: The buttons make the jacket.

I scored on two styles for fall, both on sale. The black is more versatile as the buttons are simple, lending the top to be the pop.

Which do you like best?

Rocker Tee Look

Black blazer by 1state from Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale. Ruched sleeves and double breasted features step up the look without overdoing. Paired here with a rocker tee–a huge trend and mostly all from the 70s and 80s.

Jeans are Frame Pixie Flare and boots by Vionic, also purchased at the Nordstrom sale.

ohsofancyfrancie Blondie Blazer — Feeling nostalgic.

Dressy Top

The second look in the black 1State blazer is paired with a floral top that will work for a dinner out or drinks with friends when paired with jeans. Dress pants will work, but since the jacket is a separate, the blacks will be hard to match. Pair with heather gray, khaki or olive.

Top is by GenerationLove.

ohsofancyfrancie floral blazer — Feminine but cool.

Classic Blue Blazer

The last look is a very cute and very cool blazer from Express. I haven’t shopped there since my twenties! A friend ordered two sizes and passed one on to me for a steal! All sizes still available for just $99!

Keep it simple with a plain white tee, this one a sleeveless crew by MichaelStars. Jeans, Moussy Vintage and the boots, Vionic with lug sole.