Happy new year! And now it’s January…ugh. Arguably the worst month of the year. It’s basically the Monday of the year in month form. I’m not that into “resolutions” but I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making my own clothes. As a kid I used to hand sew miniature clothes for my stuffed animals. So this year I thought I would get started on making some hand made, easy to make stuff. For my first project I settled on a loop or circle scarf. I don’t have a sewing machine so I hand sewed some black velvet into a loop with a single line of stitching. I think it turned out well and honestly wasn’t difficult at all to piece together. It definitely paid off because the only ones I saw online that were similar were like $30 bucks. Kind of a rip off. I got a yard of fabric for about $6.50 so it turned out to be totally worth it. Velvet is a great fabric for a scarf because it’s soft and dense for colder weather. I’m also ridiculously excited about this new hat and booties. I used to be hesitant about fedoras and heeled oxfords but I’m now totally down with both. These oxfords are very comfy even with the taller heel. I’m now of the opinion that fedoras on women look way better than on men. The over-sized cardigan is the perfect compliment to the scarf because it is so soft and warm it’s basically like wearing a blanket–and really what more could you ask for in a cardigan.
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I get inordinately excited about “bad” weather. Living in California in the middle of a drought makes me look forward to any kind of rain. I know I’m spoiled by all the sun but I do appreciate the rainy days too. Colors get turned up a notch and everything looks greener. Checking out the local estuary was a great way to spend the day because it seems like nature comes to life after a good rain. While it’s fun to go exploring, this kind of weather is also a perfect excuse to curl up with a cup of hot tea and throw on an over-sized sweater. I love this southwest patterned sweater from American Eagle. It’s big and comfy and perfect for this kind of weather. I just recently picked up a pair of fleece lined leggings and I was wondering if I would notice them being warmer. During the day I definitely noticed a difference and they are way better at insulating then regular leggings. I’m also a big fan of these Born lace up boots which I’ve worn so much they’ve gotten a little rough around the edges. The leather is nice and they’ve held up well considering I’ve worn them out in the mud on a few occasions.