When Life Gives You Lemons: Squeezing a Little More Out of Summer

Shoes: Jessica Simpson, DSW

Lemon Ice Nice Necklace

Dress: Nine West, Kohl's

Flower barrette: Capelli, ULTA

Bag: The Shoppes at the Asbury

Bag: Violet Ray, Kohl's

Guitar Shero Necklace

Pink top: Arizona Jeans, JCPenney; Orange top: Pink Rose, Kohl's

Sunglasses: Rampage, Boscov's

Shoes: Madden Girl, Kohl's

Bag: Mix No. 6, DSW

Kimono: Nine West, Kohl's

Scrunchies: Goody, Amazon

Happy Face Place Necklace

Dress: Lily Rose, Kohl's

Bag: Betsey Johnson, Amazon; Charm: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's

Skirt: Marshalls

Pink and Purple Rainbow Necklace 

Sunglasses: Wild Fable, Target

Shoes: Lucky Brand, Zulily; Bag: Skinnydip London, Macy's

Fifth Sun, JCPenney

You know the deal,

You've all heard my spiel.

When fall comes to call,

I just want to stall.

To bask in the sun,

And soak up the fun,

To borrow, no, steal

Summer's easy appeal.

But time must march on

Like the faded green lawn.

So I'll make the most

Of the pumpkins and ghosts

Before winter comes

And I'm really bummed.

My poem may not be Shakespeare, but it describes how I feel every fall.  Which is why I like to help obliterate the blues with a bold crop of tropical brights. 

Next stop October when I work through my fear of fright night with girly-ghoulish garb. 

Center Stage at any Age: All's Fair in Fall Footwear

Bag: Violet Ray, Kohl's; Shoes: Nine West, Kohl's

Top: Nine West, Kohl's

Southwestern Stranger Necklace

Sunglasses: (the long defunct) Cloud Nine, Ocean City boardwalk

Skirt: So, Kohl's

Skirt: Mossimo, Target; Shoes: Worthington, JCPenney

Bag: Isaac Mizrahi, Marshalls

Barrettes: SHEIN

Pastel Owl Necklace

Top: So, Kohl's

Top: LC Lauren Conrad, Kohl's; Skirt: Vylette, Kohl's; Bag: Current Mood, Dolls Kill

Great Agate Necklace

Sunglasses: Wild Fable, Target

Shoes: Madden Girl, Kohl's

I can hardly believe it, but the sun is beginning to set on sandals.  Which means that the first, ahem, official step into fall fashion is closed-toe footwear.  Now, this can be a little depressing.  So I decided  to turn that frown upside down and bust out a new pair while finishing up my fall jewelry (more on that later).  And with that I present my chunky black Madden Girl T-straps!  

A soon as I saw them, I was transported back to high school, a time when fashion (if not life) was fun.  Still, I hemmed and hawed before getting them.  Was I maybe a little too old for kicks last cool back when I needed a hall pass?

I hope you're laughing because I certainly was as soon as that ridiculous thought crossed my mind.

That said, I'm now the proud owner of these "back-to-school" shoes -- minus gym and geometry.  As they say, getting older has its perks.

Like creating kooky necklaces instead of moldy old still lifes and calling it art class: 

So if the shoe fits your foot but not your age (whatever that means), I say wear it! 

Also, stay in school -- and in school clothes. 😏

Animals, Etc.

Skirt: Marshalls; Bag: Betsey Johnson, Macy's; Shoes: Chaps, Kohl's

Belts: Mom's closet; Orange bracelet: B Fabulous; Other bracelets: Mixit, JCPenney; Rhinestone fringe barrette: INC, Macy's; Jeweled bobby pins: Michaels

Flashy Fly Necklace

Top: Express

Bag: Violet Ray, Kohl's; Shoes: Wanted, Modcloth

Top: New York & Company

Top: Nine West, Kohl's; Skirt: Merona, Target

Bag: Zulily; Shoes: Anne Michelle, JCPenney

Sparkly Stripes Necklace

When the flashy fly bit the sparkly striped zebra, a beautiful rainbow appeared.  So what if I'm plugging my own jewelry and, in the process, also violent insects?  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Much like the fly on that zebra hide.   

What can I say that I haven't already said?  I've got a lot of old and new pieces going on here.  The most unexpected is probably the blue Express top.  I rarely shop there because it's expensive and has kind of a corporate cougar vibe.  But this fluttery shirred shirt made me glad I wandered in one weekend.  It's so well made and different from anything I own that I wish I would've snagged its magenta and yellow sisters.  At the clearance price, I could've.  Then again, it's hard to wriggle into, so maybe it's just as well I didn't!  

The rainbow New York & Company and coral Nine West tops are more wearer (and wallet!) friendly.  The rainbow one's so roomy that I was able to gather it at the side with a hair tie, which I love. 

So that's the etc.  Now we'll bring it back home with the animals.  Here are the Sparkly Striped Zebra and Flashy Fly again, duking it out on a (partly) fluorescent flat lay.             

It isn't often that I make neutral-colored jewelry, so when I do, I want it to be Vegas-glitzy.  The Flamingo would've wanted it that way.   

And now I'll have to try my luck at finding a flamingo to wrangle into a necklace.