WHAT IS BLACK AND WHITE AND RED ALL OVER

Gosh, I can’t believe that Christmas is only a couple of days away. I don’t know about you, but it just seems “off” this year. I put up a new Christmas tree and decorated the inside of my home, so that is not the problem. But, there is not one gift under the tree; although I do have some gifts purchased, they just aren’t wrapped. I think that I am in a tiny bit of a funk, and I can’t shake this mood. For the next few days, I will ask Alexa (I love Alexa) to play Christmas music to see if it will help jumpstart my ho-hum attitude.

Most of the problem is that I will not be seeing family members, and I am sure most of you feel the same way. My daughter won’t be coming in from Alaska, and she only asked for money for Christmas. I am not traveling to Tennessee to see family, so all of their gifts have been mailed, and the ones going to my sister’s family in Georgia.

Joe and I bought our own Christmas presents, so they will not be wrapped and under the tree. However, he did ask me to bake his favorite Red Velvet Cake for our Christmas dinner, so maybe I will put a big red bow on top of the icing. My son asked for a chair, which he ordered, and my DIL asked for a handbag, and she already got it. It is a good thing that I have a couple of grandchildren that live next door, or I wouldn’t have a thing to put under the tree. Well, almost nothing under the tree since that is where my cat has taken up residence. Lol! She will be disappointed when I take the tree down. Should I leave it up for another 5 or 6 years like I did the last one? Hahaha

I might not be in the Christmas spirit, but I don’t have to look like I am down in the dumps. I ordered this Leopard Print turtleneck sweater dress a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it would be perfect for a Christmas photo with the family. Black and white are my favorite classic color combinations, and I think this combo always looks elegant. I love how the sweater dress had black trim at the hem, the sleeves, and the neckline, and how it has the “poof” at the shoulders. I am not always a fan of puff shoulders since they can be too poofy to wear a cardigan or jacket, but the puff is small on this dress, so it worked out fine. The dress also comes with a sash belt, but I don’t like calling attention to my waist, so I left the belt off. I normally wear a size 12 in dresses, so I ordered a large, and it fits perfectly! Did I mention that this dress is under $20.00???

I am sure all of you have heard the joke about what is black and white and read all over…. the newspaper. That is always what I think about when I add red to a black and white outfit. I think that red punches up this dress’s look, but I wish that I had added a brooch/pin to the jacket. A pin would have been cute and added a little something extra to the look. The red blazer is one that I’ve had for a while, so it is almost completely sold out. I’ll find you some similar options to check out, though, because everyone should get a red blazer. They make you feel polished and special.

Some people might be like I used to be and refuse to wear red, so I added this cream faux-leather moto jacket to the dress to give you another option. When I took these photos, I hadn’t bought my cream ankle boots, but they would have looked great with the jacket. I need to style that look soon, especially since this jacket is on sale at a great price! The jacket is soft and subtle, and it is lightweight and not binding. The faux-leather looks amazing, and the silver hardware is heavy and sturdy. This jacket looks luxurious and expensive, and who doesn’t like that? Because it is faux-leather, the jacket can be machine-washed, which is a huge plus in my book. You can wear this moto jacket with jeans, or a dress like I did today, and I love that it helps you look modern and stylish. The cream-colored moto jacket becomes the visual focus against the black and white background and adds elegance to the look.

I added a pair of fleece-lined tights to hide my ghostly white legs and give me some much-needed warmth. You know that I am always cold, so I love wearing tights that are fleece-lined to help keep me warm. I am wearing the L/XL size because I hate constantly having to tug and pull on tights that are too tight or too short.

The black pointy-toe suede boots are by Vince Camuto, and I LOVE this pair. You can’t see the scrunch detail since the boots are black, but they look so cute in person. I was afraid that my large calves wouldn’t fit in these boots, but I don’t have any trouble wearing these at all, but they are available in a wide calf version also. The Tortilla color, which sold out quickly, has been restocked in several sizes, and I know that color has been one of the most popular colors this fall. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones whose size is back in stock. I sized up and ordered a 9.5 instead of my usual size 9, and they fit me great.

The jewelry that I added works for all of the styles. My large AVI hoop earrings (probably my favorite earring) and the multi-chain magnetic Ryder bracelet are by Kendra Scott. And, the long beaded tassel Y-necklace is from Chico’s, and you will find yourself wearing this necklace with a lot of different clothing. The beads catch your eye, and the style is perfect for most looks.

So, did you like the dress? Which is your favorite way to wear the dress?

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To God Goes The Glory!

^{Luke 1:26-33}

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”