Partial Ingredients

Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

cardigan

Charcoal & Plum

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It’s funny how fashion can transform something kitsch to vintage cool seemingly over night. Growing up in Small Town, Wisconsin during the 90’s, I saw A LOT of camo and some variety of these wolf t-shirts. It was basically the Wisconsin uniform unless it was hunting season — then you’d wear blaze orange whether you were actually hunting or not. Indeed, a full uniform of blaze orange at the grocery store was pretty normal from September to December. The hunters can keep that look but I am fully on board with incorporating these graphic tees into my wardrobe. I’m not even sure what you would call this style? I’m sure somebody has branded it somewhere — let me know in the comments what this style is!

The one I’m wearing from American Eagle is clearly inspired from vintage wolf t-shirts. However, if you’re not fond of wolves, you’re in luck because these t-shirts offer a menagerie to pick from. The ones I’ve seen most often (usually on Etsy) have some combination of eagles, bear, bison, or deer. Some are new and some are vintage on Etsy, so if you’re after the real thing check them out. While I do love the vintage ones, I thought the graphic on this wolf tee from American Eagle was really well done. I would call it more kitsch-inspired than full on if that makes sense. I think this one translates a little better to modern taste while still providing a bit of 90’s nostalgia.

Another vintage item featured in this look are these fantastic Italian leather lace-up shoes that I stumbled across on Poshmark recently. That app is such a great way to find vintage stuff during COVID, even though I do miss going into second hand stores. These arrived with some light scuffs so I polished them up with Lanolin, a byproduct from sheep’s wool. Lanolin is such an effective leather protector. If you’re looking for a natural leather protector and waterproofer for smooth leather (not suede), this is the product you want!

Outfit Details: Tee: American Eagle; Cardigan: Madewell; Jeans: AG Corduroy Jeans; Shoes: Bruno Valenti – Vintage

Rust & White

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Early November has been so lovely and mild, it’s been kind of amazing. Finally, something in 2020 has been nice?! Somebody pinch me. We saw some absolutely perfect Fall days with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. The latest look on the blog is all about Summery dresses coupled with cozy oversized cardigans. There’s something about big ole cardigans that I find so comforting, especially this one from Abercrombie, which is apparently a size small, LOL. I can’t imagine what the large is like, but I would imagine it’s bordering on tent-like proportions. Can’t complain though, because big-ass cardigans are basically like blankets that you can wear without resorting to snuggies and such.

You could say that Cardigans are like the socially acceptable blankets that you can wear in public without being socially ostracized — while still being cozy! It’s a win-win, especially during the winter months. Plus you can take a Summery dress, pair it with a cozy cardigan and boots, and voila, you have a perfect Fall outfit. These boots, by the way, are from Thursdays, and they have been such a great addition into my closet. I’m always a fan of “swiss army knife” additions because these boots look good with basically anything! Granted, this outfit wouldn’t do well in a snow storm but hey, you can’t have everything. Please keep this beautiful Fall weather coming Colorado, thank you very much!

Outfit Details: Dress: Abercrombie & Fitch; Cardigan: Abercrombie & Fitch; Shoes: Thursday Boots; Watch: Stock Watch; Bag: LeatherStrata

Vintage Florals

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Lately I’ve been enjoying the warmer weather and getting into more vintage items for Spring.  Being able to wear dresses and skirts without tights or boots has been amazing!  Instead of going to the local thrift store, I’ve been finding some really awesome boutiques online that have great vintage finds.  I recently discovered a couple Etsy shops that sell dresses and other items from all different eras.  This floral dress is from FoundPretty and looks to be from around the late 80’s/early 90’s.  I was drawn to the pretty pattern and flowy shape of the dress.  It’s a perfect dress to layer up for Spring!

While this is easier said than done, I always try to keep vintage pieces looking modern.  My general rule of thumb is one or two vintage items max per outfit.  Anything more can, but not always, start to look a little costumey.   I personally love pairing dresses with laid back sneakers like these “Old Skool” Vans for a fresh, updated look.  And you get to avoid wearing heels which is always a plus!

Vintage Florals - The Partial Ingredients blog

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Dress: FoundPretty, Bag: Vintage/Etsy, Shoes: Vans, Cardigan: Bajee Collection

Black & Tan

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I’ve always loved more monochrome looks–you can play around more with texture and patterns that way.  A variety of patterns look great when they all fall within a similar color scheme.  I recently stumbled across this vintage men’s cardigan on Etsy and fell instantly in love!  Sometimes you just wanna slouch around in huge, cozy cardigans amiright? This one is the epitome of that.  It’s a really well made and super warm as it’s made from 70% wool.  Gotta love well made items like that, and Etsy has tons of vintage options from so many awesome sellers.  Speaking of which, this bag from Etsy is a great little vintage saddlebag that’s perfect for everyday wear, and there’s a lot just like it being sold out there!

I recently splurged a bit on some classic high-rise jeans from Levi’s, and I couldn’t be happier with the purchase.  These are the 720’s in Black Chaos and they are seriously awesome.  I love the material blend–they’re mostly cotton but with enough stretch to not make them stiff or thick feeling.  It’s super high-waisted so just a warning if that’s not what you’re looking for.  The distressed parts of them are natural and don’t look strange at all.  I’m not a fan of super high up torn up jeans so these are perfect for me!  These aren’t a true black, they have a bit of charcoal grey tones going on but that’s cool with me.

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Cardigan: Etsy – PerennialVintage,  Jeans: Levi’s 720’s, Shoes: Marc Fisher, Top: MaiTai, Bag: Etsy, PurpleHeather

Winter Botanicals

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It has warmed up quite a lot here and it’s starting to feel a little like Spring! Which is crazy to say in February but I guess Colorado has a different idea of what Winter is.  It’s still pretty likely we will get a ton of snow in March, so you never know what the mountains have in store!  For those who read this blog you probably know that I love vintage botanical prints.  I was recently gifted this lovely botanical print tee made by an Etsy shop.  I love supporting small sellers on Etsy, plus they make some pretty awesome stuff!  This tee features a Xeranthemum Annuum, also known as the Annual Everlasting or Immortelle flower.  Pretty cool right?  I love the Spring vibes and the vintage feel of the print.

I wanted to feature a cozy layering outfit perfect for in-between seasons (or if your climate is just confused right now).  This cardigan from American Eagle is a great convertible piece because it’s half-cardigan, half top.  You can button this up and tie it at the waist, or you can wear it as a regular cardigan.  Gotta love those versatile pieces!  I’m pretty in love with the rosy berry color combined with the neutral greys and tans.  These grey corduroy pants from Adriano Goldschmied are great for Spring or Fall, and they go great with so many outfits.  Plus they’re perfect for work or for an everyday casual look too!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Tee: Botany Press, Cardigan Top: American Eagle, Pants: Adriano Goldschmied, Chukka Desert Boots: Lucky Brand, Scarf: Amazon

Wolf Tee & Coated Denim

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When I was a kid in the 90’s, I was pretty much obsessed with wolves.  I had wolves on everything, including my clothes.  As soon as I saw this graphic tee from Urban Outfitters I was instantly nostalgic for 80’s/90’s printed tees.  I gotta say, not much has changed! Still love fun, vintage-style wolf tees–sorry, not sorry.

Recently I came across faux leather denim, which is not exactly something that has been in my wheelhouse in the past. Leatherette jeans? No thanks, I am not an extra in Coyote Ugly (remember that movie, ya’ll?)  These coated jeans from AG are way, way different than what you’re probably thinking.   These are not anywhere near leatherette material–they are still like regular denim fabric, but they have a coated feel that gives an appearance of leather.  The thing that sold me on them was their very natural finish–they aren’t plasticy or shiny, but they still have an appearance of matte leather.  Plus, they are flexible and don’t feel painted on–it’s a win-win!  While these run on the pricey side, they’re worth it.  A side note about AG Jeans–they are by far my favorite denim brand.  Their sateen jegging is pretty much the softest material ever.  Below I’ve taken a few pics of their recent offerings–I am absolutely in love with their colorways!  If you want to know which styles and color varieties are in these photos, leave a comment or send me a DM on Instagram, and I would be happy to help you find the color you want.

I’ve also had a bit of an obsession with Frye boots lately.  It’s probably because winter is officially something to contend with, after having lived in California for years.  You need quality boots in Colorado that are built to last!  These Fryes are such an amazing color, aren’t they? I was instantly in love with that dark cherry finish!  I’ve never seen leather boots in such a beautiful color.  And they are super comfortable too, so you can’t get any better than that!


Outfit Details: Tee: Urban Outfitters, Cardigan: American Eagle, Jeans: Adriano Goldschmied, Boots: Frye Company

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Snow & Roses

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As the days get colder, my focus has turned to high quality boots and cozy knits.  This cardigan from Forever 21 has become one of my favorite over-sized pullovers in the closet.  The knit material is surprisingly good quality, and I love it in this “rose” color.  At first I thought it was more brown than rose when I first unwrapped, but in different lights the rosey tones come out.  I love in-between colors like that!

Something I’ve learned about Colorado winters: snow doesn’t stick around like Minnesota winters, and they come earlier too.  It’s already snowed twice here and it’s only mid-November! As I’m writing this, the snow from this shoot is all gone and the grass on neighborhood lawns is still mostly green.  It’s kind of weird, even after living in California for almost ten years, I still expect snow to hang around longer as a holdover from growing up in Minnesota, but I digress.

Another thing I have been loving are Frye boots–I mean who doesn’t love Frye?   I recently picked up these Frye Lindsay Ankle boots and I love how versatile and durable they are.  Comfortable, great quality and stylish–can’t ask for more than that!  They come “distressed” which everyone knows about with jeans, but I definitely haven’t heard of that with shoes.  Turns out I like the roughed up look, and it just gives the boots more character!

Outfit Details: Cardigan: Forever 21, Tee: Urban Outfitters, Skirt: Vintage/thrifted, Tights: Target,  Boots: Frye, Scarf: Forever 21 (old)

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For Warmer Fall Days: Floral Midi Skirt & Layers

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Last weekend was incredibly nice: the leaves on the aspens were transitioning from yellow to brown, it was in the upper 60’s, with a mild breeze–you couldn’t ask for a better Fall day!  That said, I wanted to show what you can do on days like these in terms of what you can get away with wearing.  You never know with Colorado where the weather changes at the drop of a hat, but some days are just consistently perfect!

This skirt from Zara is great for this kind of weather since it’s a little bit heavier and longer than a typical midi skirt.  Plus it has some great Fall vibes.  I love this vintage floral pattern and the color!  The pattern really pops against neutral tones, so I chose a cozy, dark (taupe-ish?) Cardigan from American Eagle to complete this look.  This cardigan is super comfy, and goes great with skirts.  Whenever shirts or cardigans err on the longer and bulkier side (like this one), I like to just front tie to make them less bulky and more versatile.  For added layers, I like to throw on a loop scarf like this comfy olive toned one as well.


Outfit Set:Outfit Details: Cardigan: American Eagle, Skirt: Zara, Shoes: Free People, Scarf: Amazon

Rust Romper

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It has really started to warm up here it’s crazy! It’s been in the mid to upper 80s all week so I’ve been brainstorming more Summery things to wear. After living on the California coast, where summers usually reached only the mid-60s, I am not used to wearing….fewer clothes I guess? I was out in a t-shirt one day and I felt so naked! Maybe I’m just used to layers and not wearing any just feel weird to me now. As for Summer ideas, I’ve been a lot more into rompers lately. They are so comfy to hang out in on a hot day, and they look great with sandals and Summery flats. I’m pretty much in love with this romper from Forever 21, mostly because of the color and material. It’s so soft and flowy, it feels like you’re not wearing anything at all–which is what I’m looking for on hotter days. I’m a big fan of the color too–it’s just gorgeous right? Love those rusty red tones.

Onto the accessories: this bag from Pendleton is one of my favorite recent additions. Love the design and size! The neutral colors make it super versatile and could easily become one of my everyday bags. I don’t like carrying around a lot of stuff in a huge bag so this is a good size for me. The necklace is…I guess you could call vintage? Because I actually got it as a gift when I was a kid years ago. Honestly, I have no idea who even made it. It’s a traditional medicine bag/amulet and I thought it would be fun to bring it out into the light. If you are looking for a comparable one, I looked around and found an Etsy store that makes very similar designs that you can check out. They are really cool looking necklaces!

 

 

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Cardigan: Bajee, Romper: Forever 21, bag: Pendleton, Necklace: vintage, Shoes: Free People

Dusty Rose Midi

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Just when I think I have enough tank tops, a new one pops up that inspires brand new ideas and outfit inspiration and I have to snap it up. Dang it, they just keep pulling me back in with these pretty patterns! I am definitely a sucker for pretty dark florals–it’s a bit of an obsession. Thank goodness tanks can be easily stored and don’t pose too much of a storage problem (unlike shoes, but that’s another story). This is actually one of my favorite floral patterns and is the perfect length to pair with a cardigan, pants or a skirt. It’s just short enough to be tucked into a skirt without a lot of extra fabric floating around underneath (for some reason this really annoys me when this happens–I could be the only one).

Now that it’s mid-March, I have been craving a lot of warmer weather outfits that also won’t cause you to freeze your butt off if the weather goes south (or North might be more accurate). Midi skirts paired with layered tops like cardigans, tanks and jackets make for a good compromise for the the early Spring months. I have been into rose and tan color combos for Spring and darker florals that usually pop up in the Fall for a surprise Spring appearance as well. But really, when isn’t it a good time to wear pretty florals? All year sounds perfectly good to me!  To complete the look I added these great minimalist sunnies from Civion and an incredibly comfy pair of Steve Madden loafers that really can’t be beat.

Outfit Details: Cardigan: Bajee Collection, Skirt: Forever 21, Tank Top: American Eagle, Shoes: Steve Madden, Bag: Hustle & Hide, Sunglasses: Civion

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