Barb, are you a member on Ravelry? If not, it is free to join. Do a search there for dickies, neck warmers, collars, ect. anything you can think of that they might be called. I am sure you will find lots of patterns for them. Or if you have a pattern for a top down turtle neck sweater, maybe you can "wing" it. Tami

I stopped at Marshall's today and tried on 4 lucky tops- 2 were great BUT for some reason they really showed too much cleavage. THey were the bohemian Indian looking very attractive, but with a keyhole neckline which really showed ...I tried thinking if I could wear a camisole or something but I dont usually like layering like that. Maybe they were just slightly off. I did get a similar type top from another brand and I am happy about that. I do think this was a great suggestion as it changed my view up a bit and it feels updated and comfy. Will be away for a few days but when I get back I will definitely head to Lord and Taylor and look for their lucky brand.

What is the oldest piece of clothing in your usual rotation? A brown wool crepe Eileen Fisher dress I bought at a JJill outlet in N Conway NH 17 years ago. It's a great, classic dress and still in excellent condition and I love it. What article of clothing do you hold onto but not wear? *My wedding dress What was your favorite childhood outfit? I had a yellow dress that my grandfather bought me just a few weeks before he died when I was not quit 6. I loved that dress! The least favorite childhood outfit? Wool leggings that went with wool dress coats - a big pain to get on and always too hot (we lived in Kansas City, not Anchorage!) What was/is your favorite grown up article of clothing? I love my Hermes handbags - great classic design, great quality, can make a cheap outfit look pretty darned good! What article of clothing was 'the one that got away', the one you didn't purchase and regretted later? A pair of beautiful opal earrings I saw in Petoskey MI and could not afford. The color was gorgeous - lots of blue and fire. What was the first article of clothing you bought for yourself with your own money? A round polished calfskin black handbag at Harzfeld's in Kansas City when I was about 14. It was adorable - opened with a flap that came down. Saved my babysitting money for it and thought I was tres chic!e What was your biggest mistake clothing or shoe purchase? A pair of really gorgeous Valentino bow pumps. Outrageously expensive - thought they were comfortable at Saks - can't wear them as they hurt like the devil. What item do you miss the most (maybe it wore out or doesn't fit or is woefully out of style)? There are so many! Beautiful wool or linen daytime dresses. Beautiful lingerie that was not slutty. Spring coats. Dark cottons for fall. Spectator pumps with a linen dress. I could go on.... Do you wear red for Valentine's Day or green for St. Patrick's? Any other holidays that you wear something specifically holiday related? Sometimes, I wear a pinkish red sweater on Valentine's Day. NEVER green on St Patrick's - I'm English and might just wear orange if I'm feeling cheeky! What was your favorite pair of shoes? (They don't have to be practical or worn often, just the ones that bring a smile to your face when you think about them.) I love my Roger Vivier black patent "Pilgrim" pumps and the dark brown suede "Pilgrim" flats. Chic and SO comfortable. Worth every penny. Did you/do you work in a job that requires a uniform? Did you wear a uniform for school? * Never had a job that required a uniform, but when I was working in retailing in the 1960's there was a strict dress code - no pants, only black, navy, gray or very dark brown clothing allowed, heels and hose required. We were not to "compete" with the merchandise.

I just wrote a post that totally disappeared! Trust me, you would have been enthralled reading it. HA! The Veronica Beard website shows a plaid jacket with a pink leather dickey over a white tee. So, yes, you can wear a shirt or blouse under the jacket and dickey. (Are 90s shoulder pads coming back?) The construction of the dickey is specific to wear with these jackets. See photo below with upper chest buttons and side zippers pointed out: Looking at their website, I found that the designers of this line live in Dallas. I’m wondering if the dickies are an attempt to give women in Dallas the layered look without the warmth. Fall in Dallas can be quite warm. I was at an outdoor wedding in late September one year and it was 120 degrees! I kid you not!