wardrobe wednesday

Colorblock for Writer's Block

Our family took a trip to San Francisco over the long holiday weekend so the blog - and the majority of my work - got neglected last week while we played tourists. From Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf, and then over the Bay Bridge to visit my son at Cal Berkeley - it was a fun-filled trip that only solidified my love of the Bay Area. And the fact that I packed perfectly for the weather AND wore every item I took has to mean it was the ideal vacation, right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. Crew Sweater
Madewell Jeans
J. Crew Factory Booties
Circle Belt
J. Crew Necklace

 

We were welcomed home with super cold weather and more snow - yippee! (I'm struggling with how to effectively convey the sarcasm in my tone without using expletives here). I'm also struggling with how to write an interesting blog post about sub zero temps, wool sweaters, February in Colorado, blah blah blah. And so to combat my winter writer's block, I'm donning my favorite color-blocked sweater and calling it good. (Though I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that my leopard booties are now an additional 40% off with the code LEVELUP, making them $78 and a hell of a good deal!)

Stay warm (and colorful!) my friends!

 

Turning Stripes Into Sunshine.

Even though January seemed to last an eternity this year - it truly felt like it was a 92-day month - February ain't moving any faster. And the slow drag of time is likely because of the crappy cold weather we've had the last few weeks. Wind, sleet, ice, wind, snow, wind and did I mention WIND?!?  have been all too prevalent in our forecasts lately and, quite frankly, it makes me want to hibernate. Which apparently is not a viable option for anyone needing a regular monthly income. Pffffffft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. Crew Coat (similar; similar)
Gap Striped Scarf (similar, similar)
J. Crew Stripe Turtleneck
AE Jeggings
Hunter Rainboots
Old Navy Purse (similar)

 

 

While I am far from an expert on winter survival (I'm pretty sure I came close to frostbite fingers getting this shot) my approach to beating the winter blues is with happy colors and patterns. And for me, that means STRIPES - the more the merrier! Today I mixed a microstripe turtleneck with a warm wool coat and added a rainbow scarf to create a little bit of sunshine on an otherwise gray and blustery day. Another pop of yellow in my purse and you can't help but smile (and the icy wind will gladly freeze your face this way!)

So until the mercury rises (Hurry up March!) I will find my happiness in colorful patterns. And if that doesn't do it, there's always that big box of red wine stashed in the pantry...

 

It all started with What Not To Wear.

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with solid colored clothing and outfits based around it, I find when I style an outfit with pattern I’m always happier with my ensemble. Maybe because it's a bit more challenging to mix and match stripes with animal print or plaid with floral. Or maybe because I always (not-so-secretly) wanted to work alongside Stacey and Clinton on What Not To Wear so my mind is endlessly turning with new pattern combos that would blow the Louboutins right off my fashion heroes. I'm constantly repeating their famous mantra of Pattern, Color, Texture, Shine! when styling outfits and since pattern is listed first, it must be most important, right??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. Crew Blazer (similar; similar; similar)

J. Crew Sweater (similar. similar)
Old Navy Jeans
Old Navy Circle Purse (similar)
Frye Anniversary Boots (ebay; Poshmark)
Wrap Bracelet

 

 

 

 

For this look, I wanted to mix another pattern with my tweed blazer, which has threads of blue, gold, gray and burgundy running through it. It's pretty much a neutral, so figured it would play well with my other favorite neutral - leopard! So why does it work? Both patterns have similar tones, and while the colors don’t match exactly, they do coordinate well. The smaller, tighter pattern of the tweed also mixes well with the larger, bolder leopard. Mixing different scale patterns is key - if they are the same size, they compete for attention.

 

To add in the element of color, I grabbed my yellow circle purse (which once again, doesn’t “match” but pulls the gold color from both the jacket & sweater.) And my small touch of shine comes in the form of sparkly bracelets, jeans with exposed buttons, and a few simple rings.

 

So there you have it - pattern, color, texture & shine - and an outfit that I love! (With gracious thanks to the gurus of What Not To Wear, who taught me everything I know about fashion!) #callme #imnotastalkerreally

Live from the Closet.

A sure sign of old age is when you constantly feel the need to talk about the weather. AND HOLY CRAP ITS COLD IN COLORADO RIGHT NOW. We haven’t experienced sub-zero temps in quite some time (long enough ago that I’d forgotten how much it sucks trying to take outfit photos while outdoors staving off frostbite) so today’s OOTD is brought to you from the warmth of my closet! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. Crew Scarf

American Eagle Sweater

BDG Jeans

Frye “Veronica” Boots|(on Poshmark)

Loopy Phone Case

 

 

 

 

Nothing revolutionary here - just a girl trying to stay warm in a favorite sweater and plaid scarf (which happens to be on sale right now at J Crew! And despite the fact that my closet doesn’t offer the more flattering natural light or solid backdrop of my usual location in our backyard, I am happy to say I avoided the blue lips and snot-sicles that would have resulted from an outdoor photo shoot. 

 

So is it this cold where you live? And when the heck is it supposed to warm up again? Let’s discuss over a nice cup of tea while we knit. #oldaf

 

Sunshine on a Snowy Day.

According to the Huffington Post, you should wear yellow “when you need to attend to details, maintain mental alertness, or feel happy.” And while I agree on all those points, I also wear yellow (specifically a cozy mustard sweater) when it’s a frigid -4° day in winter for the simple reason of staying warm...an important facet of Colorado wardrobes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William Rast Sweater (similar; similar)
J. Crew Scarf (similar; similar)
Old Navy Pop Icon Jeans
Frye Campus Boots
Glasses

 

 

Right after taking this photo, the snow started falling in big fluffy flakes and Colorado started looking a lot more like typical January. Just yesterday we experienced a gorgeous 74° day, so it’s a bit of a temperature reality check! But I’m definitely not mad about an excuse to cozy up in a favorite sweater and scarf. Since yellow is associated with happiness and optimism, I’m pretty sure it will get me through the cold front. And its also speculated that yellow speeds metabolism. What better excuse to weather the storm with some hot cocoa and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies?

 

Stay warm my friends!