Red + Olive: a Complementary Collaboration

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With the holidays approaching a few weeks ago, I wrote a post featuring a red Calvin Klein dress (link to that post HERE). Parts of the post were charts I created of colors that the experts in the book The Dress Doctors recommended to use with red (original Dress Doctor Post linked HERE).

Fellow blogger and astute reader Sally commented that she enjoyed the combination of red with olive green. Hmm…I did too. Strangely, the Dress Doctors didn’t have that combination on their list.

Would it be worthwhile to revisit the color red and mix it with the greens Sally and I liked? Would Sally like to do a post together on this combo of red and greens?

Well…yes!

Our first collaboration together, we have the other’s photos and comments in our posts. We have our own introductions and conclusions, while discussing our experiences with the project.

The Long and Short of It

Sally’s Style Thoughts:

When Terri suggested our red/olive collaboration, I decided I wanted to try as far as possible to stick to just those two colours.

So for my dress outfit I exchanged the long boots that would have been my natural choice, for these olive satin flats with gold ankle straps.

They perfectly match the cardigan I’m wearing, it was originally my daughter’s but I borrowed it and it has become a favourite. I love the long cuffs and big sleeves (the reason I’m standing hands on hips is so you can see them!)

The dress is short but with the very thick (100 denier) red tights it’s also nice and warm.

The long necklace is a vintage 40’s one, made from foiled strung beads and given to me years ago by my aunt, who sold antiques. The shorter one is a chain of rose quartz with an amethyst pendant, a gift from my daughter.

I liked this outfit so much; I wore it for the rest of the day…with the long boots.

Terri’s  Style Thoughts

Before Sally and I discussed our collaboration, she shot me this photo of her dress.

Thinking about it for a bit, I realized I did have an olive green dress but it was really for spring. This was my maxi T-shirt dress from American Giant and I just needed to winterize it! My solution was a something I’ve used all season, which was just to throw my big red V-neck sweater over it. When I grabbed this oversized Gap sweater off the rack at Savers in early fall, I had no idea how much I would use it.

I like how the dress peeked through at the sweater’s neckline. It was a perfect style to wear my long Pendent by Georgina (part of her MCK line) again.

My Rebecca Minkoff suede boots finished the look off. It wasn’t cold enough the day Michael and I had our photo-shoot, but I have a pair of heavier leggings–three tones darker than the boots–if needed to keep my legs cozy.

I feel so comfy wearing this. I wore it while subbing for our school’s librarian last week. For me, it is just so easy to wear maxi dresses. I am going to use them more.

Aladdin Sane to a Damsel in distressVEST

I love the fact that Terri and I both thought of doing a fun outfit, a bit fancy dress. When I saw her Game of Thrones meets Sherwood Forest one, I loved it, especially the shoes.

I had decided to do a take on Aladdin; with big Palazzo style trousers in heavy jersey with a top layer in translucent crepe, joined at the bottom seam. I especially like the colour of these trousers, which is a rich cranberry red.

The olive coloured top is a second-hand find in a crossover style. It’s far too summery for this time of year but perfect for the summer.

The necklace is in a matching colour and is muti-stranded, wood and resin..

The shoes are suede flats and they match the trousers almost exactly.

Terri’s Style Thoughts

I knew I wanted to use my long green Ultrasuede vest for this collaboration. Found in a super clearance deal at Chico’s, I loved the cut, color and texture of it. Yet in the back of my mind, I thought it might be somewhat difficult to style. After a few failed attempts, I knew my hunch was right.

After getting everything on, I peeked into the mirror and was taken aback. It looked like a hybrid between Sherwood Forest and Game of Thrones! I wondered if I should change something because Sally was going to be shocked. Then she told me the next day that she had one that reminded her of Aladdin. I wasn’t worried after that. We both had a myth-literature thing going with our inspirations.

If I change out the shoes, there’s less drama. They are by Modern Vice and are made in the USA (New York City) and I usually wear them with jeans. I just like their swagger (those studs!).

Again, I used my red V-Neck sweater and threw in a red plaid scarf for good measure. My scarf is from some fabric that I remember my mother having for years (even when I was a kid). Occasionally, I’ve done a few things with it and had just a bit left. I cut as large of a square as I could and just fringed the edges, a no sew project.

You Say Jumper and I say Sweater but a Cardi Is Still a Cardi.

Sally’s Style Thoughts

When Terri asked if we use the term cardi in the Uk, I wondered why but it makes sense now. We both went long on this one!

Possibly my favourite outfit, I love mixing up masculine and feminine. Biker boots and floral dresses are the perfect team in my book.

So I’ve adapted the idea here, wearing patent red kitten heels and a long frilled, red cardigan with olive cargo pants and vest.

The big wooden beads strung on a leather thong are 80’s originals and they are simple and not too feminine for the look.

Terri’s Style Thoughts

I came up with this header when Sally sent me her photo in a long red cardigan. I chose to use a very long sweater (or jumper). I shot back a question, “Is a cardi still a cardi?” Sally said yes and a title was born!

Earlier this year, I was shopping with daughter Rachelle at Goodwill and picked up this sweater that caught my eye. She took a look and immediately said it was frumpy. Hmm….frumpy? I thought it had possibilities. I put it in the cart. While she was trying on some things, I found this red linen J-Jill blouse and just threw it in the cart too, without even trying it on and before she could say frumpy again.

When I got home and started putting things with the sweater, I had to agree just a little with her. But, I decided that if gathered it a bit up on each side, things just might get better. You can’t quite see the gathering in this photo, but I like the end results. The sweater has a nice wide neck that lets a lot of that red linen show. Again, I am using my brown jeggings.

I repeated my Rebecca Minkoff suede boots and my long Pendent by Georgina from the dress styling.

And Finally

This was a lot of fun for me. I’m glad Sally agreed to this little style adventure.

I think Sally was more of the purist. She kept it simple and used only red and olive. I love mixing browns and tans with reds and have always have used a bit of neutrals with greens too.

I was fascinated with the different directions we took but at the same time our general themes (dress, pants and fantasy) lined up. That made me smile.

Again, I was amazed how things meshed, even though we are a few miles from each other (4,353 according to Google). We couldn’t exactly meet over a cup of tea to chat and plot.

Would you wear olive and red? My eyes lit up when I saw that some of the dancers in the halftime show at the Super Bowl were wearing red and olive. So I guess you could say that we are on trend with some of Justin Timberlake’s backup dancers!

Timberlake’s dancers or not, Sally and I think it’s a striking color combination…and not just for Martini olives.

A Little More About Sally

Sally is the blogger behind Spicy Philosophy. I discovered her blog last June. From her interesting photos of thrift shop windows and observations about folk dancers while on vacation with her husband, I was hooked. Sally blends many things seamlessly into her writing along with a bit of her down to earth philosophy.

I am also a jewelry customer of Sally’s. Vintage jewelry and her own original designs may be found in her shop Moon Silver Jewelry on Etsy.

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Sally. Earlier in January, I did a style steal based on her trench coat and great Fedora.

The links to all things Sally are below:

Spicy Philosophy (blog)

Moon Silver Jewelry (Sally’s Etsy shop)

My earlier post about Sally and Moon Silver Jewelry

That wraps it up for this week. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll have another blog bit next week, although it won’t be until a week from Monday. You are certainly welcome to leave a comment or two or three. I love to hear from you.

I link up with some great blogs every week. To see who they are go HERE.

Husband Michael  took photos of me today and does a bit of editing from time to time.

Again, thanks for stopping by. Take care……..

Now it’s time for my 2nd Loved 1st Friday blurb!

The November 2nd Loved 1st Friday Linkup will stay open until February 28th.

Any post on a blog, Instagram, Facebook or the like can linkup to this style celebration. If you can copy and paste the URL in the Linky box, you are good to go!

One item is quite OK—a hat, skirt, pants, shoes, purse, or a piece of jewelry.  That item (or items) can be from a thrift shop, eBay, consignment shop, vintage boutique, one of the online consignment shops such as RealReal–or even something a friend gave you because they didn’t want it anymore.

When you do post, I would appreciate a description about your 2nd Loved item (or items), what type of shop you found it and what drew you to it. Tell as much or as little as you want. To be featured in my collage, which I will put on Instagram along with your links, you have to say what item is second loved. That is a “have to”.

If you have never participated in a linkup before, no fear. Go to Linkup 101 guide that is found on my 2^nd Loved 1^st Friday linkup page (also found at the top in the tab section).

Just click the frog below to link up and join the fun!

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Again, thanks for stopping by. Take care……..