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Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

winter style

Bell Sleeves // Sweater by Madewell

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A lot has changed since these pictures were shot! Northern Colorado got like two feet of snow last week which means the winter slog shall continue. In any event I am glad to have this super warm sweater from Madewell in my closet for such an occasion. I am a fan of the subtle 70’s vibes with the bell sleeves and earth tones. Maybe it’s just me (or maybe it’s the block colors) but I feel like there’s a little bit of a 60’s mod thing going on too. The thing that drew me to this one was the colors — I just love the neutral and warm tones! I feel like I’ve gotten more and more into tonal dressing recently and I’m feeling pretty okay about it. Super trendy ideas like exaggerated bell sleeves, ruffles, etc., I’ve never really been a fan of but since this one is on the subtle end I’m all about it! Have you gotten into anything lately that isn’t really your style?

A brand I have been all about lately is Madewell (owned by J. Crew, FYI). Their denim lines are fantastic and their sweaters are usually made with a decent percentage of wool which ups the warmth big time! I also find tons of Madewell items on Poshmark to sift through and you can find some fantastic deals. The fast fashion problem has been something on my mind lately, so my goal has been to source the majority of my new closet additions through sites like Poshmark to cut down on my consumption. So far it’s worked out great, and I actually like the interactions more since you’re dealing with regular people selling. Sellers will often package your item thoughtfully and leave handwritten notes which is pretty great. I’ve all but canceled forays into thrift stores since COVID so Poshmark has filled the gap seemlessly — I highly recommend downloading the app and trying it out!

Outfit Details: Sweater: Madewell; Jeans: Levi’s; Boots: Sutro Footwear; Necklace: Etsy

Winter Pastels & Starting a Capsule Wardrobe 101

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Okay, that polar vortex thing last week was wild! It seemed like everyone I knew across the U.S. was experiencing bizarre winter weather. Here in Colorado we had temperatures as low as -15 degrees for several days, and some friends and family were dealing with -35F. Yikes. Good lord, is it Spring yet?

This post is all about the layers and layers of pretty pastels and neutral tones. The great thing about those combinations is that even if you do add a million layers, it will still look good together! Just pick a neutral palette and roll with it. For this one, I went with a color palette consisting of black, charcoal, tan, blush, cream and sage. Picking your color palette is a great way to get a capsule wardrobe started! The next step is identifying pieces that can be used for multiple occasions. For example, this camel trench coat from Zara will go with just about anything. I also can’t tell you how many times I’ve featured these skinny jeans and these chelsea boots on my blog, but it is A LOT for a good reason. They go with just about everything and are staples in my closet. For my capsule wardrobe, the name of the game is minimalism, so I try not to go overboard with accessories, so I pretty much just stick with the basics like a few nice scarves and bags to complete your looks.

Outfit Details: Coat: Zara; Sweater: Asos; Jeans: Levi’s; Scarf: MM LaFleur; Bag: Frye – Melissa; Shoes: Marc Fisher

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

Burlap & Flannel

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For the New Year, I decided to actually complete a project that was lying around for months — this messenger bag! I had a few burlap pillow covers tucked away under the couch, as well as a leather strap that wasn’t getting used so I figured why not make a crossbody bag out of it? It took about three days to hand sew since I had a couple extra details in mind: an inside pocket fitted with a smaller space for a phone to live, as well as a zipper closure at the top. I didn’t go with any kind of template or guide really, just what I wanted as the end result.

It was a pretty cool project to do for the New Year and was strangely empowering in a lot of ways. For one, it’s satisfying to finally get something done that was hidden away, half done, for months. And two, this bag has turned into my go-to for everyday errands and shopping! It’s a great feeling to finally accomplish a long awaited goal, and it’s a solid way to start off the New Year even if you’re not one for resolutions (I’m personally not). In other news, I paired this bag with some of my latest Winter favorites: these excellent Lace-Up Thursday Boots and an extra cozy boyfriend flannel shirt from Abercrombie. In my opinion, there’s no better time to rock some flannel than January!

Outfit Details: Flannel Shirt: Abercrombie; Jeans: Levi’s; Boots: Thursday Boots; Bag: handmade; Belt: J. Crew

Cozy Pointelle Sweater & Face Mask Review

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Now that we are almost 10 months into this pandemic, it’s needless to say that I have tried a fair amount of masks in all shapes and sizes. After trying out a bunch I decided to post my thoughts and rank the masks/face coverings that I experimented with over the last few months. For the most part, there’s not a lot of information on the comfort, quality and breathability before buying. My goal was to find an easy to wear, comfortable, breathable and affordable mask. So after a few trial and error moments, here are the masks that I’ve tried along with their pros and cons (FYI this is not medical advice). If you want to skip the long description, check out the handy chart below for the rankings. Featured in this outfit are not only a few of the masks ranked today, but some cozy items from American Eagle. This pointelle sweater and hat are a perfect match for November. Also featured are these fantastic boots from Solovair, which I have reviewed in the past here. The Astronaut style is still one of my favorites that they offer and one of my favorite boots of all time.

Where to find from top to bottom: N95 Surgical Mask; American Eagle Cloth Mask; Disposable Mask; KITSCH Cloth Mask; 32 Degrees Cool Face Mask

Now for the long form review so I’ll be starting off with the 95 Surgical Mask. Obviously this one is the most effective at blocking particulates, bacteria and viruses. Since COVID-19, this mask has been hard to come by and the prices of these have increased astronomically. I happened to get lucky by already having a couple of these for various projects around the house before the pandemic hit. In terms of comfort, this one is probably the least comfortable of the bunch. It pretty much crushes your nose and cheeks — and you’re left with lovely red indents across your face. Nooot great. However, in terms of safety and effectiveness, this one is the cream of the crop. I like to use the N95 for a riskier situation indoors where I am unable to effectively socially distance.

Next up is the reusable cloth mask from American Eagle. This was an early version when they just starting manufacturing these. This one is comfortable to wear, is made with several layers of cotton and comes with adjustable ear straps. These usually come in a three pack for like 8 bucks so the price is super affordable. They wash very well and seem pretty sturdy. They also have an adjustable metal nose piece on top which helps tighten up the mask. The biggest drawback was the breathability on this one. It felt very claustrophobic and the interior layers kept getting sucked into my mouth whenever I inhaled more deeply.

Next is the unbranded disposable non-woven Face Mask. These are pretty much the standard for medical professionals and those who work with the public. I love this mask and wear them all the time. They are comfortable, breathable and safe since they come with several layers of non-woven material. These also have an adjustable metal nose piece. Even with the layers, the mask does not feel claustrophobic or difficult to breathe in. It’s so lightweight that I hardly notice I’m even wearing one. The only downside is while they are affordable, they are disposable — which isn’t great for the environment and you will need to keep buying more as you go through your supply. On the upside, they come in packs of 50+ so that can take a while!

Next up, I recently bought one of the 3-packs from KITSCH face masks. These are similar to the American Eagle masks in terms of price and material (retails about $12 and made from 100% cotton). I prefer the design of these with the expandable layers of fabric, which creates a nice “cupping” feeling around your face. They are very soft, comfortable and breathable but I do notice these on my face more than the disposables. They also wash and dry very well so reusability is a big plus. However, I should note that they don’t come with a metal nose piece unlike the others so it’s slightly looser on top. I don’t know whether this affects the utility of the mask or not, but it’s something to consider. Overall with the amount of fabric layers, your nose can easily fit within the mask and won’t slide down at all. From an aesthetics perspective, these are clearly the prettiest masks of the bunch. I like to wear these as part of a nice outfit or somewhere that requires more dressing up than usual.

Last up are the reusable 32 Degrees Cool mask, which I originally bought from Costco for cheap, but you can find these on Amazon and elsewhere for a couple bucks more. These are made with athletes in mind as they are clearly built to be used outdoors. They are made from an extremely thin, stretchy material (a blend of polyester and spandex) and come with ATB-UV+ sun protection which is a perk. Very comfortable and breathable, you can easily jog, hike and bike in these. Now the downsides: they have no adjustability so I find the mask slipping down a fair amount which gets annoying. It seems to always want to perch at the tip of my nose and I find myself pushing it up a lot. It also doesn’t have a metal nose piece to help keep it in place. I’m also pretty skeptical about the effectiveness of these since the single layer material is sooo thin. The manufacturers claim to have three layers built in, but I just don’t feel comfortable wearing these for indoor situations. I will happily wear these outdoors though, partly due to COVID but also for the bonus sun protection!

So there you have it. I hope this helps you decide which mask to buy when the time comes. One last thought to consider: if you hate the mask you use or you find it difficult to breathe in, shop around more and try several types out! There are tons of masks out there that will suit your needs and there’s really no reason to stay uncomfortable. I know masks aren’t the greatest thing ever but if they help stop the spread of COVID-19 let’s get to work and mask up comfortably!

KITSCH Masks
Outfit Details: Sweater and Hat: American Eagle; Shoes: Solovair: Pants: Adriano Goldschmied

Spring in December

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Technically this shoot was taken in November (before the big storm hit) buuut it has been warming up here in Colorado and most of the snow has melted off — yay! I’ve even had a few chances to wear skirts in December which is a nice change of pace. In my opinion, skirts help break up the monotony of pants during the winter a bit. Lately, I have been loving this skirt from Main Street Exchange. Their site describes it as ‘feminine meets practical’ and I couldn’t agree more!

This skirt comes in three other colorways and this one in Taupe seems like more of a rosy peach than a tan/beige color. The material is on the heftier side and has several layers going on which is nice on chillier days. You can’t beat the price point on this one too. And of course it has some very nice pockets–a feature that sells! I got this for Spring but since it has warmed up here it’s nice to be able to showcase it earlier. This sweater from American Eagle is the same style as the one in rust I blogged about a few weeks ago. You know it’s a winner when you get it in more than one color! The length is perfect for both high-waisted jeans and skirts, and its incredibly soft and cozy. So now I’m kind of wishing I got it in a third color, waaah. Oh well, can’t have everything.

Outfit Details: Sweater: American Eagle; Skirt: Main Street Exchange; Shoes: Free People Royale Flat; Bag: Etsy – Leather Strata

Duck Hunter

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Sometimes it’s fun to dig up old clothes you’ve hung on to for a while and re-discover them. I recently moved to a new place and was going through my old clothes and found this quirky sweater in storage. I got this duck hunt themed sweater from a thrift store like ten years ago. You can see the cute design of a duck hunter and ducks flying in the upper left-hand corner. It’s a quirky thing that I couldn’t help but find charming then and I still do now! I’ve considered donating it a handful of times but just can’t seem to have the heart to get rid of it. Plus the colors are perfect for Fall and Winter.

If you’re feeling stuck on an old, hardly worn item, try mixing it up with something new. In this outfit I gave this old sweater a refresh by pairing it with my favorite pair of Levi’s high-rise distressed denim and this gorgeous rucksack from Etsy. It made the sweater feel a lot more new again! So before you donate your old, unworn clothing I recommend mixing it up a bit with something new to see if you still have a use for it. It cuts down on textile waste and is way more environmentally friendly than just throwing your clothes out.

Outfit Details: Sweater vintage/thrifted; Jeans: Levi’s; Boots: Born, Bag: Etsy

Spring Thaw

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Who else lives in oversized knit sweaters and boots during the winter months? I do! Since the “Bomb Cyclone” blizzard hit northern Colorado last week, it has warmed up quite a bit so I’m hoping this will be the last Wintery outfit for the blog *crosses fingers.* Since Winter weather can hit as late as May in Colorado there’s no guarantees.

It’s hard to find a quality pair of Winter boots for trekking around in the snow, and even harder to find ones that actually keep your feet warm. These classic ones from L.L. Bean have been my go-to this season. They continue to make their products in the U.S. and their quality hasn’t gone down over the years, which is kind of amazing! You can get this style in several different types, and I chose the eight inch with gore-tex/thinsulate lining. It costs slightly more but I definitely noticed a difference in warmth compared to other boots. I ordered my usual size but they do run a bit large to make room for thicker socks. I like a little roominess since tighter ones can actually make your feet colder — and nobody wants that. Another recent favorite has been this messenger bag from Karlen Swiss. These bags are made from recycled Swiss military blankets and made from heavy-duty wool. It’s been a perfect Winter tote this season!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Sweater: Zaful, Leggings: Felina, Boots: L.L. Bean, Scarf: Amazon, Bag: Karlen Swiss