Eclectic Joy

Continuing my personal June challenge of finding and analyzing pieces in my summer closet, this week new-to-me items, I pulled out EF pieces I'd found last winter on consignment or eBay but had yet to style. These are mid to light neutrals.
Yesterday I wore consignment EF linen ankle pants, consignment EF linen buttondown in linen, and EF Allot shoes. I also tried on an eBay find of EF silk print she'll, perfect for hot weather.
Today I am wearing EF viscose blend pants bought last year for a trip with an EF eBay buy of light gray tank with beading. These pants can also be worn ankle length or rolled. Usually I wear the Allot shoes but today have on Rockport athletic flats for the gym. I also am using a very old EF white unlined jacket for air conditioning.
I'd appreciate your thoughts, critique and suggestions, if you aren't EFd out.
(Terrible photos of the pants in Finds. I need to figure out a better way to photograph them.)

ROG (Random Outfit Generator) came up with this idea for black cotton moto-like vest that I got last winter at a consignment store in Boulder but planned to wear most in hot weather. It's time to try it with a sleeveless top as a third piece. It is light and unlined. I'm trying to find ways to wear it. Does this outfit look too heavy/dark for summer? ROG called for my leopard booties with this but those were packed away. Subbing in are leopard Crocs worn with leopard print peds, but I think that other footwear would be more stylish. This works for a casual day and walking in wet grass.
Right now all finds are close stand-ins but not the exact pieces.
Welcoming all comments, suggestions for improvement and other ideas for styling this vest.

I realized that I have several pieces new to me that it has been too cold to play with until now. So this week my challenge is to find some ways to style them that are YLF approved.
First up is the newest, an eBay win of a Citron of Santa Monica shirt, patterned with palm trees, monkeys, snakes, and Princess. Today I am wearing it with rolled faded jeans, a black tank, orange clutch and my gold/bronze loafers and belt.
1-2: the shirt worn buttoned and untucked.
3-4: the shirt semitucked.
5: a scarf to fill in the neckline.
6: neckline without the scarf
7: back of shirt
I would love to know your preferences and other ideas for styling this new piece.

Photos 7-9: Saturday I look inspiration from Angie's outfits chosen with her mum in mind...the middle one with what looks like a silky buttondown top and dark pants. I layered a silk kimono inspired jacket over a deep red tank, worn with dark denim straight jeans and pointy silver flat loafers and a large silver tote. This for a day at a retreat. My challenge was to wear a seldom worn dark red EF tank. Usually I wear the jacket with black or light Aqua tops. I wanted to be comfortable for sitting all day and creative because this was a group of artists. Did I succeed?
Photos 1-6: Today, Sunday, for Mass I wore my favorite dress. It is a black EF silk shift dress that I duplicated when I shrunk out of my first one. It is very plain and can be dressed up or down, belted, jacketed, take all sorts of accessories. I just wish this ballet neck dress came in more colors. It looks as if it has too much volume but hangs well and looks better in motion. In photos 4-6, it is shown with a blush jacket. Is it best open or buttoned? My challenge with this outfit is to wear blush and black, a color combo I have wanted to try since seeing it everywhere a couple of years ago in Japan. I needed to find the right blush. The wedge sandals and jacket are blush with the black dress. Does this work, do you think?

Today Angie's blog post inspired my outfit. I like gingham, especially in spring. My challenge was to find a different way to wear a citron gingham shirt that I got from Una on the Style Exchange. I usually wear it with blue, olive, or grey jeans. Today I wore it with white Kut Catherine jeans and, because I like citron with grey, decided to change things by adding silver...jacket, flats, bag. I changed shoes from pointy silver loafers to my old Dr Scholls for wet pavement, so am showing both in Finds.
I welcome your comments and suggestions on anything here. My goal is improvement and also editing out pieces that are not fab. Warning: I'm looking puffy today.

Continuing my June challenge to deal with pieces that give me problems or toss them, today I incorporated a cream colored Express knit top with loose banded bottom. This was added to an order a few years ago to get free shipping.
Now a rectangle is supposed to be able to wear drapey tops, although maybe It is a rectangle with larger boobs. I reasoned that a top with volume in front like this one has would add a few visual inches to my little cupcakes, but, in reality, it emphasizes that I can't fill out the top and my cupcakes become pancakes. Knowing this, today I am wearing my most enhancing bra.
A scarf was added to try to fill in the neckline that gapes, as well as a very necessary tank under the top.
I did not feel fab in this outfit. Too much play with black and white perhaps? Should the ivory top continue to occupy a hanger? The outfit in general...what do you think? What changes should I make?

Continuing my self-imposed challenge for June, today I shopped my closet for items in Angie's 77-year-old client's black, white and blue capsule. I came close to this yesterday with the Eileen Fisher blue tee, but it is cooler today and I decided to try a black silk shirt, my white skinny Diana jeans and a Target denim jacket. The shoes are the same as Monday but the bag is different, still in the same color category.
The silk shirt is very old but has stayed around because it is so classic. My challenge is to wear the shirt more casually and to modernize it. I tried to do this by pairing it with denim and by doing a semi tuck to change the shape of the bottom and rolling the sleeves to make it more like the one that Angie's client has. The belt is Fossil and a tan color that mixes well with both the bag and the shoes. I'm wondering what you think? Is it worth keeping this shirt around? Does it still look too outdated?
I welcome your comments and suggestions for styling.

My June Challenge outfit today was to shop my closet to breathe new life into an older EF linen tee. It hasn't had much wear because it feels too voluminous and sloppy. I tried to add structure with a semituck and by adding a denim jacket. I also needed to fill in the neckline and used a cotton scarf, rolled, twisted and knotted.
I'm not sure this worked. Does the outfit look like it has enough structure or is it messy?
Shoes may not be true ankle straps with a rather low strap. Jeans are rolled rather than being real ankle pants.
1-2: outfit
3: denim jacket added
4: slightly different version that I hope shows scarf better
5: zoo bonus

I saw this picture in the weekend Wall Street Journal magazine and want to try wearing a man's tie like this but am concerned that it may be too weird. What do you think? Would you do it? Should a more colorful tie be used?
To me it looks like the tie is folded in half then put around the neck and ends put though the loop end like a Euroknot. The loose ends look like they are tucked under the jacket. All this is on top of the collar of a buttondown shirt. It may be the pattern mixing of geometric print tie, tweed jacket and shirt with thin stripes that appeals to me.

After giving some thought to what my June challenge to myself should be, I will attempt a month of shopping my closet and posting outfits.
I hope to up my style, look for ways to evolve, decide what needs editing out and to use the old in new ways. So I welcome all critic, suggestions and comments.
My inspiration today was Angie's 77 year old client's orange capsule. I have some similar, but old pieces.
Red jeans: NYDJ rolled just a bit.
White tank: old EF linen with a white Target tank underneath. I need a new white tank.
Cardigan: old Bobeau poly/rayon blend. Just right for today's temperatures.
Shoes: old Pikolinos
Bag: thrifted Fossil woven leather
Finds are similar until I can do more custom finds
All comments, suggestions and critic is welcomed