Casual Summer Attire for a Middle-aged Farm Mom

Now that I have hit my mid-forties, I find it increasingly more challenging to find clothes that fit my lifestyle, personality, and my changing body.  The past two summers, however, I have been pleased to find a number of fashion pieces that are easy to mix and match, are versatile and comfortable, and don't cling to my middle or hang like a tent.  I know that JC Penney is not the store of choice for preppies, but it just so happens that the majority of my fashion finds for this post came from there.  In the rural area where we live, our choices are limited, and when I needed something in a hurry, Penneys rarely let me down.  So far, these items have held up well through many washings and line drying in the summer sun.

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T-shirt: St. John's Bay from JC Penney; Crop pants: J. Crew from local thrift shop; Reversible Belt: Talbot's; Leather Sandals: Land's End

Brightly colored t-shirts and cropped pants or capris take me from our farmhouse to the grocery store to a picnic at the park with our children and friends.  My only problem is finding crops that are the right length.  These are petites and are still a bit long.  Although, I bought them from a thrift store, so maybe they're not meant to be cropped at all!

Dress: Studio One from JC Penney; Sandals: Pesaro bought many years ago from ?

Even though this dress has 3/4 length sleeves, it is lightweight enough to wear in the summer.  I love the way it hangs, and it's incredibly comfortable.  I think it's versatile enough to wear to Mass or shopping or to volunteer at the children's school.  I will probably wear it into early fall with a pair of low-heeled black pumps.

Blouse with attached camisole: Liz Claiborne from JC Penney; Skinny ankle jeans: ana from JC Penney; Wedged sandals: Yuu from JC Penney

This blouse is so flowing and breezy, and it has an attached matching cami underneath.  Since it is quite loose and long, I prefer to wear it with something more fitting on my legs.  These white jeans can be worn folded up or unfolded down to the ankle.

Sleeveless blouse: Liz Claiborne from JC Penney; Crop pants: J Crew; Thong sandals: Land's End

These are the same crop pants worn with the t-shirt above, but they're a bit more dressed up with this blouse.  I can wear this to run errands or have a casual lunch with a friend or just sit at home and blog.

The sterling silver necklace in these photos is from Silpada, and the Citizen watch was a gift from my husband from years ago.