Happy Friday! I hope you have had a fantastic week! August is here and we now are on that happy task of savoring everything summer has to offer for one more month!

Many thanks to my son Jacob Kennedy for using his talent with photography to help me with my blog. Jake is studying photography and video in school, and has already begun doing photos and video in his own business. If you would like to see more of Jake’s work, or for an inquiry, you can visit him at his Instagram Business Page @734rocious. 

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is coming to an end on August 6th, so if you have been holding back on something you wanted, now is a great time to snap it up! 

I am so glad to have my sister Stacey back this week helping with some great outfit ideas! It really is fun to get to work with her, and I learn so much!

So this week, we headed to Northville, Mi to take outfit pictures. We had a beautiful day, a little overcast but when you are taking pictures, that actually works out pretty well! It means the sun won’t make me want to squint! And it was a little cooler so that helped too!

I don’t know about you, but I am in that place where you hate to buy things for summer because you know fall is just around the corner. But you also don’t mind taking advantage of summer sales. So we have a little bit of everything in this post.

First of all, Stacey is wearing a lovely darker red tie sleeve floral blouse from Luckybrand  for $59.50. This blouse is so pretty! Its a darker red with little cream and blue flowers. It has dainty tie cuffs at the sleeves, and a nice curved shirttail hem. She paired it with white jeans, I love the crisp contrast of that dark red and white!  She also has on a gorgeous pair of burgundy mules with metal studs by Nicole. You can see them in the picture above as well as below. Stacey says the shoes are so comfortable and she just loves them! The heel is the perfect height, just a little over 2″. Stacey really has an eye for fashion! I always love her outfits!

My top is by Sanctuary, a floral shell with a flutter sleeve. I love the autumn tones which will carry me into the next season.

Both of our tops have a v neck which is so flattering on pretty much everyone! Do you see my clutch in the picture below? It’s a soft teal wristlet clutch, at a great price, from Target for $21.99!

I also purchased a Leith ribbed cardigan from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in a color they call “Brown Spice”, and it is also available in several other colors.

It’s a bit oversized, super cozy and soft! Regularly $69, on sale for $45.90. My booties are by Nine West, from last year. I found these on Amazon.

Stacey also recently got this adorable chambray jumpsuit on one of her shopping trips to Saugatuck, Mi, a store named Renaur. While they don’t have a website for online purchases, it is well worth the trip. Renaur is across the street from a store by the same owner, named Chantal which is where Stacey purchased several other items.  I was able to locate Stacey’s jumpsuit at another online shop here if you would like to see it.

She wore a navy lace cami underneath, which she also purchased at Chantal several years ago, but she says they always have them in stock.

So what about this adorable hat and scarf?

She found the hat and scarf both on clearance (hat $12, scarf $8) at a store called Lee & Birch in Grand Rapids.

Love her style! She truly is an artist with fashion! Ok, next I am sharing a fun statement tee “Chic” which I purchased from Evereve. This one holds a personal meaning for me. A few years back I was learning all about card making. I went to a class at a lovely craft store called “Scrappy Chic”. They created such beautiful cards, and so many very talented women all sharing their ideas. I was definitely a greenhorn. And the instructor asked my name as they all noticed I was new, and what did I think of the class. Well I raved about it, and then I made a terrible faux pas. I told them how impressed I was with the beautiful supplies and incredible ideas here at “Scrappy Chick”. Yes… I said “Chick” instead of “Chic”. I didn’t know! Honestly! I think I heard a cricket from three miles away. And someone said, “That’s Chic, (pronounced “sheek”) not Chick!” Well, they had mercy on me because I was trying to learn. But boy I never made the mistake of saying “Chick” for “Chic” again! Hence, I am now sporting a “Chic” shirt!

I put it with my Blank NYC moto jacket I purchased at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. This is a super comfortable jacket! It’s regularly $98 on sale for $64.90, though the sizes are limited. But here is one just like it by Topshop regularly $89 on sale for $58.90!

And finally, we have some pretty floral tops!

Stacey’s beautiful hat looks smashing with her top!

Stacey purchased her top at Renuar in Saugatuck, just last weekend. They don’t offer online shopping but if you are in the area, they may still have some in stock. I did find one that is similar from Stein Mart.

Notice Stacey paired it with some pretty sandals with a blocky heel.

I love this picture! By the way, she is wearing my favorite necklace from Stella & Dot, the Luna!

So am I! Yes, we both own the Luna!

I have been in the market for a mustard yellow cardigan (that color just brightens my day!)

And I found a super soft and cozy sweater in just the color I was looking for at Target! $22.99! That is a very nice number!

I got my blouse, a floral sleeveless blouse, at Target too! $19.99! They have quite a few different choices. I don’t know what has been going on over there at Target, but to me, it feels like their fashion game is on fire!

Stacey and I had so much fun kickin’ around town together!

I so appreciate her being able to help out with my blog! My sister Susan in Florida helps often as well. I will send them pictures of things and ask their opinion. It’s fun because we all have similar tastes but kind of our own style. Susan tends to go very boho, Stacey goes classic casual and I tend to pull from both, and sometimes I go a little edgy.

It’s just nice that now fashion is so wide open, its really about what each person likes. It’s truly liberating! It allows each person to really express themselves however it pleases them!

The thing is that you are free to be you! And you are allowed to develop and change and grow however you would like! I remember when it first dawned on me that I didn’t have to stay locked in habits just because I had always done them. It was like that song in Aladdin, suddenly there was “A Whole New World”. And I don’t want to miss any of it!

This week, I posed a question on the Forever Fierce Facebook group, a group started by Catherine Grace O’Connell for women midlife and beyond where you can find community, information, support and lots of fun. I am a volunteer with the group, and really enjoy the coummunity.

I asked the women to think of one thing in their life they might like to try a “Fresh Take” on.

Several women expressed this was such a great challenge for them to open their minds up. Some shared dreams they have kept in a box tucked away in their heart. For some it provided a nudge to rethink all sorts of things. This is such a truly fun thing to do!

So I challenge you, what might you like to try a fresh take on in your life?

Could your meals use a fresh take? Sometimes I think about shifting up the furniture, just rearranging it or even buying new!  What about shaking things up with your usual travel plans? Or maybe you have never allowed yourself to think about moving. Or reinventing yourself with a new drive, a new passion or even new fashion! What if you got the courage to actually write that book? Or make that big shift in your career you’ve longed for? What would you like a “Fresh Take” on?

If you look at everything with new eyes, it can open all kinds of doors for you and for me! I feel the breeze of dreaming new dreams and the fragrance is sweet!

I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

I’ll be back Tuesday with another Tasty Tuesday!

Have a great week!

Love Always,

Amy

You are under no obligation to be the same person you were a year, a month, or even 15 minutes ago. You are free to change.  ~Unknown

Places I link up:

Jodie’s Touch of Style / Ageless Style Link up

Jo Lynne Shane My Life and Style 

Sharing A Journey

Fashion Should Be Fun  

Not Dressed As A Lamb

Elegantly Dressed and Stylish

Glass of Glam