wardrobe wednesday

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

 

Long Live Crazy Pants.

My closet always seems to contain a few pairs of what I’ve dubbed “crazy pants” - those pieces that add a nice little wallop of fun amid the sea of plain denim and otherwise neutral trousers. I can trace my affinity for eccentric pants back to my sophomore year in high school, when I purchased a pair of teal green haram - aka MC Hammer - pants and proudly wore them (with perfectly matching mock turtleneck) to school. And while I may have looked like complete jackass, I felt incredibly fashion-forward. Never mind that I could have toted a complete turkey dinner around in the crotch of those pants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H&M Sweater
H&M Plaid Pants
Marc Fischer booties
Thrifted purse from @thriftstyleboutique
Bracelet

 

 

 

Fast forward to today, and I’m still game to try out peculiar pants (see here, here, and here for proof!) I actually set out to buy the matching plaid blazer to these pants, but after coming up empty handed, I settled for the pants instead. They are a great piece for spicing up a simple ivory or tan sweater, and if the local clown college needs a substitute teacher, I have the perfect ensemble ready to go.

 

(In all seriousness, though, these pants are super comfy with a high rise, pull-on styling, and lots of stretch. And HELLO they are only $18 bucks!)

 

So while you may not admire my taste in crazy leg ware, hopefully you can appreciate my commitment to the trend. Long live crazy pants!

Bring on the Elastic Waists.

My outfits usually revolve around jeans, but every now and then I like to mix it up with a skirt. And as soon as I get one on, I remember that skirts are so much more comfortable than jeans. Especially when they are loose and flowy and have elastic waists. And with the traditional Thanksgiving feast just around the corner, I'm thinking I'll be grabbing skirts more often than not!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denim Jacket
Floral Tee (similar, similar)
Plaid Midi Skirt
Freebird Salmancas (on ebay)
Lanzom Hat

I grabbed this autumn plaid skirt recently from American Eagle and even though it's lightweight and great for summer, the color palette can definitely take it into fall. I paired it with a graphic tee and jean jacket here, but it would also look great with a cozy sweater or a turtleneck and leather jacket. Plus the soft elastic waist means it also pairs perfectly with a big side of mashed potatoes. And that's my kind of outfit!

Happy Friday!

When Procrastination Pays Off.

Despite the fact that it's November, we've had some beautiful 70˚sunny days here in Colorado. The recent snowfall has melted away and the need for puffer coats and Sorel boots has (if ever so briefly) subsided for at least a few days. So naturally, I did what any cold-weather fashionista does this time of year and broke out my.... mini skirt! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A New Day Casual Fit Sweater
Forever 21 Camo Skirt (similar, similar)
Double-O Ring Belt
A New Day Sidney Boots
Universal Thread Tote

 

Actually, this skirt (that I happened to snag at an end-of-summer clearance sale) was in a pile with my shorts to be put away for the winter season, a task I've been procrastinating doing for weeks now. And thanks to my laziness, I was able to grab this skirt and style it with a winter spin, pairing it with a warm sweater and over-the-knee boots. Proving once again, that if you can fight that crazy to urge to anything productive, you just might rewarded with a fabulous outfit.

Happy weekending, my friends!

Tis' the Season of the Snuggie.

When it snows around here, you can bet I'm pulling out my blanket scarves! I've found that if I have cozy softness wrapped around my neck, I can wear just about anything else and still be warm. Plus the blanket scarf elicits less odd stares from strangers and less ribbing from my family than my other cold-weather option, the plaid Snuggie.  (And just a sidenote....if you haven't seen this Snuggie parody, go watch for your daily dose of hilarity!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aerie Boyfriend Tee
Madewell Skinny Overalls
Plaid Blanket Scarf
Lace Trim Socks
Frye Campus Boots
Checkered Tote

 

 

I also love my trusty overalls when the thermometer dips, since they prevent any muffin top exposure to the freezing temps. So I guess my whole winter wardrobe goal is covering up as much skin as humanly possible - a revolutionary strategy, I know! I could probably wrap myself in a down comforter and get the same effect, but Madewell has yet to make one in stretch denim. (But when they do, I'm first in line!)

Happy Tuesday!

Sticks and Stones.

In the past, the bulk of the patterned pieces in my closet have been of the stripe, polka dot, and plaid variety. But recently, animal prints are starting to creep in as stealthily as a jungle cat on the hunt (an appropriate simile, given that I seem to have a penchant for all things leopard). I grabbed this wrap skirt on a recent trip through Marshalls, and while it can be styled so many ways, I love the casual pairing of a band tee and sneakers.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leopard Skirt (similar)
Rolling Stones Tee
Denim Jacket
Converse Sneakers
J. Crew Tote (similar, similar)
Sunnies

 

While the Rolling Stones artwork makes for some of the best graphic tees out there, I firmly believe you shouldn't be wearing a band tee if you don't have at least minimal knowledge of their discography. Otherwise you risk looking like a complete idiot, stylish outfit notwithstanding. Case in point: my daughter recently wore her brother's old Jimi Hendrix tee to school and was asked by a teacher what her favorite Hendrix song was. No surprise that she responded with a blank stare. I, of course, realized the horrific shortcoming in my parenting skills and promptly downloaded the entire Jimi song catalog for her to study. As a result, she's discovered she likes his cover of Strawberry Fields Forever, so I guess she's now allowed to wear Beatles tees, too.

(And just for the record...my favorite Stones songs are Angie and She's a Rainbow.)  Happy weekend, my friends!

The Abominable Bumble

Zara Faux Fur Vest (similar) + Lizard Thicket Blouse (similar, similar) + Spanx Leggings
+ Chinese Laundry Boots + Anthropologie Necklace (similar, similar)

 

The classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer happens to be my very favorite holiday movie. Not because of the creepy puppetry and big bully reindeer, obviously, but because of the adorably cute (and totally misunderstood) abominable snowman, Bumble. That and the fact that any Christmas tune sung by Burl Ives turns me into a puddle of feelings. Gah. I always think of Bumble whenever I don my beloved faux fur vest since it's also white and fuzzy and often misunderstood as well. (Mostly by my hubby, who can't understand why I'd want to wear anything so closely resembling a Muppet). 

But this furry vest makes me smile and it's also incredibly cozy - two things that I always welcome in my life. Today I threw it over a ruffled blouse which alone, would have been waaaaay too short to wear with leggings. Like capable of causing moral revulsion. Dare I say...abominable??  But the vest saves the day by not only covering my posterior, but also cozy-ing up the whole look. Over the knee boots (which, not coincidentally, give a slight nod to Santa's elves) and a chunky statement necklace complete the look.

Hope your day is cozy, filled with warm fuzzies and decidedly non-abominable!

 

Horsin' Around

 

When I was 9 years old, I started showing horses and spent much of my childhood (and teen & college years!) in the show ring. And while I've long since left the boots and buckles behind, I still have a soft spot in my heart for equestrian themed apparel. Because whenever I'd don those riding jodhpurs and jacket, I felt like a character in a Ralph Lauren ad, ready to take on the world (or at least the rival polo team) while sipping rosé as my plaid ascot flutters in the breeze. 

And the fact that those breeches were stretchy, comfy and flattering?? Just an added bonus! 

So when I came across these Joe's cargo pants at Nordstrom Rack with decidedly jodhpurs-esque details like reinforced knee patches and structured but stretchy fit (can I get an AMEN?!), I knew they needed to be mine. 

Paired with a vintage feather print blouse and my favorite boots, I almost feel polo-ready. Of course I couldn't resist adding some color with a casual red corduroy jacket, and the fact that it almost exactly matches Ralph Lauren's Hunting Coat Red is no coincidence. So with that, I'm off to gather the hounds and ride off into the sunset. Tally ho, my fellow fashionistas! 

 

Joe's Jeans Cargo Skinny Pant | on Tradesy
Vintage Feather Blouse (thrifted) | similar
Gap Corduroy Jacket | on Poshmark
Bed Stü Cobbler Series boots | similar
Betsey Johnson belt
Voss Art & Home tote

Romper Room

 

 

 

When I was seven I had a favorite romper. It was green terry cloth with white trim and I pretty much lived in it all summer - a summer that ironically also included viewings of Romper Room. I always watched so intently at the end of the show, hoping that Lisa would be one of the names the host called out from the Magic Mirror. (And if you can remember this show, we can totally hang out together in the Old People Who Watched Obscure Children's TV Club.)

But since becoming an adult, my affinity for rompers has diminished, much like my love of cheesy children's television shows. That is, until rompers came onto the fashion scene last year and my interest was piqued. Because really, who doesn't want to wear the equivalent of an adult onesie? It's basically one step away from pajamas in the comfort department, so naturally I was game to try this trend. 

It took some time to find a style that worked with my long torso and offered sufficient butt cheek coverage when I'd raise my arms (a quality that really shouldn't be overlooked in post-40 fashion, right?!) but I did find a cute option at Ross last spring (they always seem to quite a few rompers in the dress section) and ended up wearing it lots and loving it. That was enough motivation to find a new romper for summer 2016, and this one from Target is my newest closet addition. It's got an adjustable drawstring waist, loose drapey top and sufficient inseam to cover the nether regions, all making it incredibly comfortable and easy to wear. And I love the idea of one-piece outfits that require very little thought. Which is probably why getting into pjs is my favorite part of the day, duh.)

I'll sign off with the famous words Romper, stomper, bomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, did all my friends have fun at play? (You'll have to fill in your name in the comments and I'll totally read them while gazing into my Magic Mirror, I promise!)  Have a wonderful Wednesday!

 

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Merona Lace-Up Romper | on ebay; similar
Jack Wills Spotted Clutch | similar
Crown Vintage Sandals | similar, similar
H&M statement ring | similar, similar
Target Chandelier Earrings | similar, similar
Ray-Ban aviators

 

In Defense of Reruns

Last week when I picked out this outfit, I did so without my usual dose of caffeine. Why yes, I'm still blabbering about my huge Whole30 sacrifices. #enoughalready  In this bleary-eyed state, I knew it wasn't the time to be mixing up any crazy colors or patterns, so I stuck with my favorite trick of combining two patterns of the same color. 

I like to refer to this well-worn navy striped tee as my Seinfeld shirt -  because it's on repeat many, many times a week. But there's something about reruns - that predictable I-know-how-this-whole-thing-turns-out that can be good...both in life and on tv! And this sweater? It's my go-to layer in the past month, getting thrown on over everything from a denim shirt & leggings to a graphic tee and colored jeans. It's currently on clearance at Target (in a few other colors as well) if you happen to be looking for a good deal.

And speaking of deals, I spent most of last Sunday doing a Big Spring Clean of my closet and am left with lots of gently-used items that need to find new homes. So I've opened a new Instagram account, @shopwardrobewednesday to host an online sale of some of my favorite wardrobe finds. The proceeds will be donated to animal charities (Best Friends, A Place to Bark and the Denver Dumb Friends League) and I'll be adding in new items regularly. So check it out and tag your friends who might be interested in some fab finds supporting good causes!

Happy Wednesday!

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Mossimo cardigan (on sale for $9.98!)
J Crew striped Artist's Tee (old) | similar
Joe's Jeans Mid Rise Skinny Ankle
Frye Campus Boots in Dark Brown
Bedstu Baja clutch (color sold out)
Anthropologie Avond necklace (sold out) | on ebay