Wardrobe Round-up: September 8-14 2021
Buckle in everyone, this week is all about the fall/winter ACCESSORIES. Which you may have guessed, given my last post.
I have had such a fun time this summer styling my dresses with all manner of hats and bags and shoes, and was thinking about how meh I felt about a lot of my outfits he last fall/winter round. Of course, part of that was definitely, ahhhh, external situations that were generally affecting my ability to feel great about things as well as clothing just not fitting well during those months, but browsing back through my outfits, I noticed that I didn't have any super bangin' accessory combos for that fall/winter seasonal look like the summery ones I shared in the last post. I definitely have some individual items that I really like, notably that orange and purple scarf to match my Madewell flannel shirt paired with my orange baseball cap. But on the whole it didn't feel like my accessories were making it easy and fun, just more frustrating. This batch of stuff is mostly on the neutral and classic/vintage side, but at some point I'll definitely be revisiting my colorful winter options.
This post contains affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission when you click or make a purchase at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the blog! But as always, please consider this round-up more of my personal style journal or just inspiration rather than a list of things everyone needs to buy this season. Ain't that kinda blog, but web hosting isn't free.
Purchases
Stuff I actually needed
A New Day cable fleece tights, L/XL in ivory and charcoal – since the charcoal pair I ordered at the beginning of the month fit, I went ahead and got a second pair in charcoal, and one pair in white. From prior years I find that 3 pairs of winter tights is a comfortable amount for me. I'm still interested in finding one more pair in rust or a forest green just for fun.
Just for fun
Universal Thread Button-front cable stitch cardigan, L in purple – I'm still shocked at how well the white version of this works with so many different base outfits! I have several white/cream cardigans, the magnificently maximalist patchwork cardigan, and a burnt orange cardigan, and I figured it would be nice to add another color to punctuate all the neutrals. I've been really into secondary colors this year and don't have many purple items, so I got this. I've always been into green/mint/turquoise and orange/rust, but have gotten more into purple after getting the mauve shortalls from Aerie and the patchwork cardi.
A New Day two-tone satin wrapped headband – I recently listed a couple of headbands that I wasn't wearing because the colors just weren't something I reached for within my extensive collection of chunky braided headbands. They were just a little too muted, and I found that I tended to like the more festive finish of the velvet and satin ones. I've been thinking I could try a style that wasn't braided or faux knotted scarf, and this one was so pretty! It has a ren faire energy to it, sort of like a modern bourrelet headdress. And of course, it's orange and muted pink, an excellent color combo.
I was then thrilled to realize that it also looked cute with the cardigan and my patterned socks (Solmate Socks) so I promptly had to document that.
Target Halloween Choker Velvet Necklace 3pc Set – Thought these would be a cute whimsical touch for year-round, since I wear seasonal items whenever (that goes for any season, though I definitely have the most fall theme pieces). Unfortunately the lace look collar was totally missing from my set, so I had to request a replacement which hasn't arrived yet.
I'm pretty happy with the candy corn one especially! I don't usually go for rhinestones but the slightly glam vibe from the stones and the velvet does make it feel less like a pet collar. I'm not sure if this was intended as a juniors sizing item, but I wouldn't recommend this if you have a wider neck, as on me this one was nearly on the widest clasp setting.
The pumpkins were also cute, although it seems a bit delicate and tbh I don't feel like that particular neon shade or orange really suits me, but it's fun and I'll probably wear it mostly with black items. Salmon pink or pale orange I feel is weirdly close but the wrong undertone for my skin and to me it feels like it clashes. Might see if orange or brown sharpie might work as a quick fix on the color. It feels like it's got some sort of stiffener in it so I'm not sure it would survive a soak.
A New Day felt beret hat, burgundy – the lilac and rust berets I got from amazon earlier this season were passable but snug, so I wanted to try out some other ones. This fit a lot more comfortably and I LOVE the plum color (it's definitely more purple than red-brown) with my complexion. I don't have anything plum, but I think that will work with all the orange and brown and cream I have in my fall/winter pieces. It's not too scratchy as it's 61% Wool and 39% Nylon. It's unlined and thinner than the fancier berets I've had previously from Brixton and Anthropologie, but given that berets probably aren't going to be a super core item for me, I'm okay with Target tier.
Hopefully that gives an idea of the fabric thickness
A New Day felt beret hat, brown – this one was really neat, I haven't seen a patterned beret like this before. It's not actually felted, but it seems to be slightly thicker than the plum colored one. I have a red/green/blue pom beanie that I like to pair with more crunchy-casual winter stuff, but I think this would be cute with neutrals or to dress up an outfit.
A New Day plaid felt baseball hat – again in the vein of the accessory capsule, I wanted a neutral option that wasn't a pom beanie. I actually didn't check the fabric comp before ordering, and was pleasantly surprised that it was 43% wool. It's definitely thin, but overall I'm really excited to have this. Sometimes berets are too fancy but a beanie or canvas baseball cap seems too sporty, and this is a cute in between option. I can see myself wearing this a lot with my tan coat.
Returning
Universal Thread felt captain hat – with the return of y2k, I've been seeing a lot of these popping up in stores, and I thought it'd be fun to try it this time around now that I can wear it without looking like a wannabe disney channel original movie cast member. I thought this was pretty cute and the muted felted fabric leans a tad more ye olde vintage rather than just technically-vintage-2001 vintage, but the band was REALLY stiff and it was just too small. Like, I could probably get away with it in pictures, but it's sitting a bit high on my head to feel secure or practical. I'm open to trying a different one but given how much I loved that wool baseball cap I don't think it's "necessary" in the style toolbox sense.
Gifted
Baby's first gifted items! I've actually been getting emails from random sketchy looking brands asking if they could gift me leggings or phone cases for over a year now, but last week when the jewelry brand Etah Love reached out was the first time one hit the center of the venn diagram of professional seeming email/brand (coordinator's full name and contact info in the email signature, super clear about what's being offered and any expectations, brand is not super new and doesn't have any obvious avalanche of bad reviews on the first page of google results), an aesthetic I like, a quality/price balance I'm interested in, and items I've been wanting. Specifically, pendant necklaces as I've been lamenting since April that I still can't find the bat, owl, and monogram ones that I "put somewhere safe" during our move 😫
I received a code for $250 and spent it on two items (I paid the $10 overage myself, and shipping was free)
"The Hermit" sterling silver pendant necklace – A little owl perched on a shining lantern, based on the tarot card. I've never gotten into tarot, but if you've seen my apartment, you know I love a good owl motif and I thought the perched owl was a neat take on the owl necklace (still waiting for owls to come back into vogue, I didn't get nearly enough owl stuff back in 2009(ish?) when twee had owls and foxes on everything, but it seems that the cottagecore trend has mainly been favoring frogs). The pendant itself has a bit of an aged look to it, but the chain is a shiny silver. There's a lot of detail on the owl, but the charm itself is flat so it doesn't flop around. I also thought it was a nice touch that the clasp had branding on it with a rose detail and the tiny fancy E.
"Snakebite" gold vermeil pendant necklace (currently out of stock)– I'll go for gold or silver tone accessories depending on my mood and outfit, so when I saw this option came in gold (most of their products are silver only) I decided to get it. It's a snake climbing up a rose plant on an oval pendant framed with thorny vines. I really appreciate that whoever designs these makes at least some effort on realism. A lot of snake jewelry makes the snake look like a tadpole or a worm, but the head shaping on this is more clearly serpentine.
Fulfillment was prompt and both items came in pretty padded gift boxes which I'm excited to reuse as drawer organizers. The prices seem to be comparable to pieces made of the same material at both Nordstrom and Meijuri. Given my love of witchy or storybook aesthetic pieces, I'll be keeping an eye out for any other things they come out with as I'd be happy to purchase myself in the future (although of course I wouldn't say no to more free jewelry 😁). Now that I'm more confident in what styles I like, I'm trying to keep my jewelry purchases to midrange pieces like these (sterling silver and vermeil) at minimum so they'll last longer. If you like Etah Love's aesthetic but are looking for a budget option, try Regal Rose for a curated option or AliExpress which has similar items.
Still in transit
Universal Thread knit fingerless mittens in black/brown – I am still absolutely amazed at the absolute WORKS OF ART the fancy embroidered fingerless gloves I have from nbGlovesAndMittens, but realistically I can see them being too warm for a lot of fall, and also they are quite bright colors. I do have a pair of cream rib-knit gloves but I figured one pair of probably not actually warm neutral gloves would be fun to dress up with in fall, especially with my witchy beanie.
Universal Thread rib flip-top mittens in rust – How did I not already own rust mittens? Again, I don't expect the material to be that warm, and the flip top option seems like it'll be convenient. I don't know, y'all. I just love mittens and hats but I don't have to brave the cold on a regular basis. That said, I don't miss when I would have to wait for the perpetually 30 minutes late waterfront KT line after work at a previous office in the clammy wind after sundown. I hadn't figured out hats and gloves at that point (I refused to wear hats as a kid/teen and it wasn't a survival thing in the suburban South Bay) so my dumb freshly graduated self mostly just froze.
Women's Timex expedition field watch in silver/brown – I've got a small watch collection which currently consists of a white sporty digital watch, a black leather / gold face timex easy-reader, a tan leather / gold face timex easy reader, and a vintage Timex with some sweet moon/sun action (my favorite!), but I felt like it would be nice to have an analog watch option that wasn't quite so shiny for when I want a less crunchy look but not so glam or polished.
Madewell gauzy plaid scarf (Poshmark) – I got a plaid cashmere scarf from Poshmark a while back for a bargain, but it's a bit short and I was thinking that would make me less likely to reach for it compared to my other scarves. I don't currently have any that are a finer knit in a neutral, so I wanted to find a replacement before relisting it. This one looked fuller and longer but not so chunky to be suffocating or difficult to tie like the another full length plaid scarf I've had. It's on clearance right now at Madewell for $16, though this one I managed to get at $12. It's stuff like this that makes me really miss shopping in person, as much as I like the deals and unique items you can find online.
Frog in witch hat enamel pin (Etsy, alt seller) – My first modern style enamel pin purchase! I'm not sure where the original design came from, but it's sold by multiple Etsy stores and apparently AliExpress. I ordered from an Etsy shop as I don't want to get in the habit of considering AliExpress an accessible shopping option for me and the shipping from Etsy ought to be quicker and better tracked. This one was relatively cheap at less than $10 shipped (seller has since raised the price, possibly after the listing got a bestseller flair), but it's coming from the UK. Anyway, the frog is stinking adorable and I thought it would complement the 70s green and brown floral pins from the vintage set. More frog witch pins, if that first one wasn't quite your style.
Vintage cropped patchwork cardigan (Poshmark) – alright, this one isn't an accessory, but I've been so into the craftcore dimension again of cottagecore for over a year now and it's something I see fitting into my style longer term (cutesy storybook but also 90s casual looks and all that. I can also see it working with witchier casual.). All this patchwork and quilting makes me wish I hadn't decluttered my excellent jewel toned patchwork shoulder bags from Mervyn's that I had in high school! Anyway, I really hope this sweater fits, as the shorter silhouette seemed like a good dual to the giant patchwork sweater for when that's just too much to have on. Though it doesn't have the patchwork continued on the back, so it's not quite as spectacular of a knitwear specimen as the pastel one.
Closet clean out and some rambling
(content includes weight discussion)
I've been listing a bunch of stuff on Poshmark that doesn't fit and I wouldn't buy again now due to minutiae of personal style preference, as well as some things I just never reach for cause I like other pieces in the same category more. These have been more dressy or structured items like jeans, coats, and dresses. I'm hoping to list another batch this weekend (at least one more dress, a skirt, and a few tops that I have duplicates of).
On the whole, my preferences have been moving to become both more comfortable and more extra, and I've been avoiding acquiring too many items with a less flexible sizing in anticipation of weight change in either direction. For me, this mostly means stretchy waistbands with drawstrings and belt loops or pieces that don't depend on exact fit, like overalls and knit dresses.
I've actually started losing weight again despite still working at home. My anxiety medication dosing has stabilized and I haven't needed to take it with a more substantial meal than I'd normally eat at breakfast to stave off side effects (which after one headache so intense I literally thought I might die after taking the first dose sans food, mostly involved debilitatingly frequent yawning). The last thing I want is to buy a bunch of expensive jeans and tailored pieces that need to fit exactly at the waist and bust after going up a size that will then look frumpy if I go down a size.
I feel like that's a big reason of why I've been so into Free People for the last year for romantic/storybook styles instead of anything more in the light/dark academia side. It does mix better with granola-casual accessories, but as one review said, for a lot of their pieces it's not really about getting an exact fit so much as the look you want for their baggier or stretch stuff. If anything, a lot of their pieces seem to comfortably fit up to 3X and they're just fecklessly avoiding branding themselves as plus-friendly. I suspected this given that I usually take an XS or S in their dresses and sweaters, but @roseybeeme has had an ongoing thing where she shares tips on how she gauges fit online shopping at FP, and she usually wears a 3X.
The last few years has felt like 10 years in terms of personal growth/introspection. In addition to physical change, I feel like I've just gotten over my need to constantly look as sharp/polished/mature as I did in my first year or two out of college. Like, I have a dead-inside look by default and forehead wrinkles. Since started that whole ~fashion journey~, I've had a stint moderating a million-person subreddit, had to do crowd control of screaming children around animals, and am on my fourth tech job (that's not terribly out of the ordinary in SF startup land, especially for more junior people. But I am OVER interviewing at this point though and I am also no longer severely underpaid). I'm just gonna wear platform boots and camping sandals with toddler-grandma or Halloween aesthetic outfits and call it a day.
Outfits
Speaking of which, here's what I wore last week. Photos are linked to the original Instagram posts with the full captions.
Free People Oasis Midi Dress in S, Birkenstock Arizona in mocha birkibuc.
BDG (Urban Outfitters) cotton cardigan via Poshmark, Free People I'm Still Obsessed Dress, Dr Martens Leona boots
Free People Tasha thermal M, Free People Ziggy Railroad Stripe Overalls L in olive sparrow, Dr Martens Leona boots, Wild Fable (Target) enamel daisy hair clips.
Vintage pins from eBay
Wore this to go check out the pumpkinpalooza over at Trader Joe's. Free People "Get Obsessed" dress, hat from local garden center, Loungefly backpack via eBay, Dr Martens Leona boots
A particularly cute at-home outfit ft the indoor sneakers I usually actually wear in the house when I'm not taking ootd pics. Disney ears via eBay, Aerie sports bra, Abercrombie linen-blend pull-on shorts, Asics sneakers. Wear your kitschy accessories around the house, why not.
Anything with space buns and vintage graphics is fun, but more and more I just don't feel right wearing slacks that aren't a rustick= corduroy or linen blend. The color match with the trousers and tee is just too good to give up. Out of Print "frog and toad are friends" unisex ringer tee, M, BDG (Urban Outfitters) "Drew" poplin pleated pants M, Chuck Taylor 70 high tops in parchment, Baggu reusable nylon tote in 'backyard fruit' plums.
Free People "get obsessed" dress again, Comme des Garcons skirt (secondhand through Instagram), Dr Martens Leona boots, Etah Love 'the hermit' necklace.
Kept things pretty simple this week, at least with the base outfits. I've noticed that I tend to enjoy styling focused on peripheral items (shoes, accessories, outerwear, hair) than base outfits. Partly because it's just easier, as there's no having to pull out five pairs of trousers to try on, but some of it I think is kind of like being into cake decorating but not baking or having to engineer the structural integrity of some five layer confection. I've found a cake recipe that I'm happy with, so now I'm mostly seeing what I can do on top of that. Are you currently more into the 'decorating' part of outfits or the 'cake' part of styling outfits?
And the rest
I've added a new top-level page to the site! A separate hair and makeup resources page where I listed a bunch of video tutorials and articles that I've found helpful, as well as the products that I'm currently using. Most of the tutorials are technique oriented rather than GRWM videos or editorial looks.
I did vote in the recall election and am very relieved that Newsom didn't get recalled. Sure, he can be a bit thick at times, but I'd much rather have him around than some dude who wants to throw environmentally minded policies out the window and thinks the abortion bounty bullshit in Texas is something to aspire to.
I was able to make it to Trader Joe's last weekend, and I've been doing little mini reviews in Instagram stories of everything pumpkin/squash I've tried. So far I've really liked the butternut squash mac and cheese and thought the pumpkin ravioli (below) was a strong offering especially if you're into a sweeter squash-sweet potato combo, but found the butternut squash mac and cheese bites were super bland. They didn't have any pancake mix last weekend so I'll check in on that and any other new items I want to try since I've been craving food novelty recently.
Last week was quite intense even for me on the shopping front, so I'm looking forward to styling most of the pieces through the next few days' outfits! Or maybe just doing a 'winter accessorizing for California weather' post, as it's supposed to hit highs in the 80s F again soon.
I don't have much planned this week out of the usual housework, real-work, blogging/styling-work, and etsy-work, although I'll have to deal with the consequences of packagemaggedon since apparently Target keeps each product in a separate warehouse. Some good friends just moved back into our neighborhood so my partner and I will probably be baking stuff to share with them once we can visit, which is always a treat especially since we were able to find pie pumpkins at Trader Joe's.