Snowy Forecast

Winter has truly arrived. Even thought it feels like we are already months into it, the days of basking in the above freezing temperatures seem to have finally departed. This past weekend was filled with bright sun and biting cold winds a.k.a. terrible conditions for taking outfit photos. The week ahead looks like it will be bringing quite a bit of snow. 

 

Snow however, I don't have a huge objection to, so long as it means I can take pretty photos. A fresh coat of shimmering white certainly does add beauty to the otherwise barren landscape of winter.  And I can wear these snow boots - one of my favorite purchases of 2020 - I've come a long way since the days of thinking sequined platform clogs were adequate winter footwear.

The Rundown
Plaid Cocoon Coat Ann Taylor
Striped Sweater Numph via Coco's on the Green
Curvy Mid-Rise Skinny Jean Banana Republic
Boots "Harlow" Sorel
Fur Pom Knit Hat Amazon similar
Cashmere Scarf Banana Republic similar
Aries Pendant Necklace Mejuri

Twenty - Twenty One

A new year, a new start. Hopefully this year will bring better things.

The Rundown
Plaid Coat Banana Republic
Camel Sweater Banana Republic thrifted similar
Faux Suede Leggings Ann Taylor
Loafers Franco Sarto via DSW similar
Round Crossbody Bag Mark Cross thrifted similar
Leather Gloves TJMaxx similar
Necklace S.V. Decker

Pop of Color

Rarely one to shy away from color, I noticed that my winter wardrobe often tends to skew towards monochromatic.

The addition of of this blush pink coat was a sure way to brighten things up, in addition to the mix of prints, patterns and textures, the resulting look is anything but monochrome.

The Rundown
Sweater Madewell similar
Plaid Pants Gap similar
Blush Coat Tahari via TJMaxx
Croc Pumps Unisa similar
Bag Vinthanthromodern similar
Hat Forever 21 similar
Scarab Necklace Etsy similar
Thin Gold Ring Etsy

Indestructible Denim

I've mentioned that it's been a while since my last office job, and my current gig has been dog walking. It tends not to require blazers, but jeans are on heavy rotation. I of course have the problem of not having any 'bad' jeans to wear, so mostly I've just been wearing whatever pair needs to be washed.

Last week, while wearing this pair of Yoga Jeans (that I won in Cee's giveaway five years ago) I was leaving the home of a dog, who in his efforts to get me to stay (he has bad separation anxiety) bit me. It was my first real dog bite on the job, and while, ever. I didn't even realize how bad it was until I saw the blood soaking through the denim. I went home to get cleaned up, tended to my wounds first, but the jeans were an immediate second. I rinsed out the blood and much to my surprise, found no evidence of holes or tears. They look far better than my leg at the moment. (It's not that bad though, I swear).

So all I can say is, invest in a pair of Yoga Jeans, they were built to last.

      

The Rundown
Rib Knit Sweater H&M
Jeans Second Denim
Plaid Blazer H&M similar
Pointed Flats Rothy's
Round Crossbody Bag French Connection
  Silk Scarf Ann Taylor
Simple Pearl Necklace c/o AUrate
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Sunglasses Ray-Ban via TJMaxx
Nail Color "Caviar Bar" Essie

Belated Christmas Tree

I'll blame how late Thanksgiving was this year, as that seems like the default excuse, but this holiday season has just been flying by and I'm not ready for Christmas to be just over a week away.

Due to conflicts in work schedules, we did not get our acts together to bring home our Christmas tree the first weekend of December, and didn't manage to get it until the 12th, which is late even by our standards (no Christmas trees up before Thanksgiving in this house) and then due to all the lovely snow you see here, the tree spent another day sitting outside in the hopes that the weather would warm and we wouldn't have to take a snow covered tree to melt in the living room. (That happened six years ago and it was just a huge mess.)

At least it's up, and that is one thing to check off the list, now to finish shopping, and wrapping, and maybe, just maybe, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the season before it's gone again for another year.

P.S. These Target boots are not meant to be worn in the snow, they are neither waterproof, nor particularly warm. I might try to rectify this with some waterproofing spray and shearling liners, though I suppose it was too optimistic of me to expect a proper winter boot for $30.

      

The Rundown
Cream Mock Neck Sweater Ann Taylor
Jeans Joe's via saks off fifth similar
 Camel Pea Coat J.Crew thrifted similar
Faux Fur Lace-Up Boots Target
Plaid Scarf c/o Front Row Shop similar
Black Touch Gloves TJMaxx similar

Style and Support

For many years I had a fraught relationship with heels, buying shoes I thought looked cute, only to be faced with the harsh reality of trying to navigate the world in a wobbly stiletto that was too narrow for my foot, despite all my DIY attempts to stretch them.

Thankfully there has been a shift, comfort brands like Vionic are working hard to bridge the gap between the shoes we visualize when we hear the word 'orthotic' and the fashion forward shoes we might have chosen to suffer a little to wear.

This open heel bootie is from Vionic's new fall collection, featuring a fabulous tortoise block heel, hovering at just about 3" - a perfect blend of height, support, and style. The shoes are offered in wide widths, though I will mention that Vionic's medium width shoes do seem to run a touch wider than average.

Sometimes my shoes need to take me a little farther than door to car, and I'm happy that brands like Vionic exist, filling my closet with heels I can walk confidently in.

      

The Rundown
Button Camisole J.Crew Factory
Plaid Blazer H&M similar
Mid Rise Jeans Banana Republic similar
Open Heel Booties c/o Vionic
Bucket Bag "Johnny" Danse Lente
Gold Twist Earrings Thrifted similar 
Fresh Water Pearl Necklace S.V. Decker
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry

Vionic provided me with footwear for the purpose of this post.

Shadow Play

Anyone who's ever taken outfit photos with me knows I try to avoid direct sunlight and harsh shadows as much as I possibly can. You will find me running to the shady side of the street, or under a big tree, pillar or any object that provide just enough coverage from the sun.

On this afternoon, however, I was feeling bold, wondering if I could make the shadows work and play up the drama on an otherwise pretty simple outfit. The sun was out, I thought I might as well enjoy it.

       

The Rundown
Scalloped Cami J.Crew Factory
Grey Cashmere Cardigan TJMaxx similar
Grey Plaid Pants Gap similar
White Mules "Bianca" Target
Micro Perry Satchel Rebecca Minkoff c/o Shopbop
Gold Ball Earrings Kohl's
Gold Plated Disc Necklace Matteo via TJMaxx
Thin Gold Ring Etsy via Ellyn Blue Jewelry
Crystal Bar Ring Upper Metal Class
Sunglasses "Meteor" Ray-Ban c/o TJMaxx

Linking up with

Jeans and a Teacup's Flashback Friday (one year ago today)