wardrobe wednesday

Five on Friday | Amazon Long Cardigans

Maybe it's because I'm a Colorado girl, but I'm a total sucker for cozy, warm knits. Once Halloween has passed, I'm all about the sweaters (though Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate with my weather timeline). And if the sweaters are long, soft and easy to layer? Well, I probably have them stashed in my winter closet! Here's five of my tried-and-true faves from Amazon that ship fast and won't break your budget!

 

1//Chunky Knit Stripe Cardigan ($39.99) I can't resist a good colorblock knit (though this one comes in numerous solids as well!) and the mustard/pink/ivory combo is so good from fall to spring! This one is fairly lightweight with batwing sleeves and adds effortless chic to a tee & leggings.

2//Star Print Cardigan ($35.99)  If it's adorned with stars, I'm gonna buy it - guaranteed! This duster is light enough for warmer climates and perfect for layering - I love it with a striped top, a band tee, or a sleek black turtleneck. It also comes in 7 other colour ways, so you're sure to find a fave!

3//Open Front Leopard Cardigan ($43.99)  Next to stripes, the most common pattern in my closet is leopard! I love this modern take on the print in a brown and pink combo (but it's also available in 30 other patterns and colors!) Planning to layer it over a pink tank dress or a band tee and jeans!

4//Buffalo Plaid Duster ($29.59) I will never give up the buffalo plaid trend - it's such a great (neutral!) pattern that plays well with so many other colors and prints! This lightweight and super soft duster is a versatile layering piece, and comes in so many others patterns and solids (if you're not a plaid fanatic like me). I'm eyeing the camo print as my next addition...

5//Cableknit Cardigan ($39.99) Nothing beats a textural knit and this one delivers with a gorgeous cable knit, oversized buttons and POCKETS! I love the brick red for all the winter.holiday 'fits, but there's so many color options, you're bound to find your fave!

 

Which knit is calling for you to add-to-cart? I'd love to hear your faves!

 

Boxy Cardigan | 4 ways

Living in Colorado means having plenty of sweaters for winter months, and cardigans are one of my favorite styles of knits for cold weather. This year's trendy silhouette of a boxy, slightly cropped boyfriend cardigan is not only comfortable, it's also super versatile for both casual and dressy wear.  This striped version is a fun (but easy to mix!) pattern and it happens to be available for purchase in my shop! Here's four ways I'd style it (or any boxy cardigan!)

Striped Cardigan  |  Tee Dress  |  Sneakers  |  Vintage Purse (similar)

 

 

Striped Cardigan  |  White V-Neck  |  J Crew Chinos  |  Red Belt  | J Crew Slides

 

 

Striped Cardigan  |  Graphic Tee  |  Gap Jeans  |  Sneakers & Laces  |  Baseball Cap

 

 

Striped Cardigan | Pilcro Jeans (similar) | Free People Bralette | Isaac Mizrahi Heels (similar)

 

Any way you style it, a boxy cardigan is easy to layer in so many ways! How would you wear it? I'd love to hear your ideas!

 

Stomping Out the Snow

It's been a hot minute since I've posted, but with all the recent snowfall I've been living in warm layers - leggings, sweatshirts and puffer coats - and while they are delightfully comfy and cozy, none are is really blog-worthy. Plus we picked up a new foster pup this weekend, and chasing her around requires attire that can withstand puppy teeth, puppy claws and the inevitable puppy poop, so there's that.

But yesterday the sun broke through and brought us a stunning 50-degree day and while the pups romped in the melting snow, I was able to grab some shots of my OOTD. It's perfect for wrangling puppies while simultaneously stomping through the snow (some of which you'll notice I'm using as an outfit accessory!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camo Sherpa Coat
Madewell Overalls
A New Day Turtleneck
Dr. Marten Boots
Star Earrings

 

 

 

This sherpa coat is perfect for spring days here in Colorado and of course, I love the camo pattern. (Between leopard print and camouflage, my closet might indicate I have a slight obsession.) If you're on my same wavelength, I have this same coat in size medium, new with tags, available on my Wardrobe Wednesday IG account. Snap it up and stomp out the winter blues with me!

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...

 

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!