Alternative Holiday Style

Well that was some vacation! I had off since the Thursday before the holiday and I reveled in every minute of it. (Oddly enough, going back to work yesterday wasn't even all that difficult!) I didn't mean to take off from blogging, too, but it just sorta happened. You know, the way sleeping in until 1pm just sorta happens. Same idea. We did spend most of the holiday week in Chicago, though, celebrating by eating fabulous food and trying not to melt in the heat. I'll have these Chicago adventures in my next post, but I thought I'd start of my return by sharing an example of how I do Independence Day style: minimally.

Melrose Mesh Top - c/o Kiyonna / Ankle pants - Lane Bryant / Sandals - Bandolino

I'm really not one to go all red, white and blue - even on the one day of the year it's called for. I guess it just makes me feel ridiculous - kitchy, even - like the old lady tourist in the Walgreen's on Michigan Avenue asking the clerk for hats that had a big ol' American flag on them. (Seriously, please don't let me be her when I grow up.) So what I generally do is build an outfit around blue (the color I have the most of in my closet) and subtly throw in the other two colors with accessories. Besides, this vibrant cobalt blue top (Kiyonna's Melrose Mesh Top strikes again - I told you I needed to have this color) is all I needed to make a statement of patriotic pride anyway. I must confess that I was originally wearing a pair of white pedal pushers with the top, but after realizing how unflattering they looked on me, I quickly switched them out for these when-all-else-fails black ankle pants. Pretend they're the flag pole?

Ring - The Limited / Necklace - Urban Outfitters / Nails - Cute as a Button (Essie)

When I'm feeling particularly rebellious (or just at a loss for anything red), I'll swap out the red entirely for dark pinks, as I've done here. (Besides, these were only pre-holiday festivities I was attending.) I came upon this alternative last year, deciding that it was not only a good way to hint at the patriotic without being overtly so, but also an outfit I'd conceivably wear again!

Handbag - Gustto

Or, I just have an unnatural fear of wearing the colors of our nation's flag together...

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