Green Tartan Coat

One of my goals for this winter has been to not let myself be overtaken by the cold. That means no making excuses when friends invite me out for dinner when I'm already home in my sweatpants. That means not wearing aforementioned sweatpants out in public (unless dressed up like Natalie did here.) That means not getting into a style rut that involves this black coat, while classic, can be a bit boring when worn on repeat. 

Next week I'll be sharing 10 tips on surviving winter, mentally, physically and stylishly. In the meantime, I'll share one of the tips: Buy a few cute coats.

I'm not saying spend a ton. The one I'm wearing from Lookbook Store is under $80. The one I wore in yesterday's post? Under $70. If you're looking for a more classic style, my mom bought me this gorgeous grey one for Christmas for under $200. This might sound totally weird, but having a fun selection of winter coats has really helped keep away the winter blues. 

How do you stay upbeat in winter? I would love to hear your tips below!

On Julien: Classic Green Tartan Coat from Lookbook Store c/o. Tank, Anthom. Cardigan, Soft Joie via Piperlime c/o. Pants, Not Your Daughter's Jeans. Necklace, She's Unique. Ring, Elaine B Jewelry. Boots, Luxury Rebel. Clutch, c/o Bishop Boutique. Lipgloss, Laura Galler in Perked Up Pink.

Warm and Bright

Wrap those presents, bake those cookies, curl that hair, plan those outfits! Christmas week is upon us! I promised another holiday outfit and I'm so excited to share today's! You've seen my cozy choice here and my cool and unconventional pick here, so now I want to share my classic look. 

After a month-long shopping spree (one for Shawn, one for me...one for my sister, and one for Julien...) I've been banned from shopping anymore until the holidays are over (boooo.) In search of something I already had in my closet, I looked back through my blog archives to see if there was something I could add a wintery flair to. I found this outfit post and knew it would be just perfect!

I traded my summery scarf for a sparkly statement necklace from Hanuel and added some more sparkle around the ears, wrist. Then, for good measure, I threw on some more sparkle to my hair with these adorable bobby pins from the babes at Ban.do! To top it off, I added a pretty coat I found at Lookbook Store.  I'm obsessed with the slightly oversized lapel and gorgeous camel color. This winter, I'm all about finding great jackets to stay cozy. This one isn't your overly heavy winter coat, so it's perfect for running around for holiday parties and taking advantage of all those after-Christmas sales. I can't wait to show you the next festive jacket - it'll be on the blog tomorrow!

On Julien: Jacket, Vintage Inspired Camel Coat from Lookbook Store c/o. Dress, LOFT (old.) Shoes, Michael Kors (old.) Necklace, Hanuel. Earrings, bracelet, ring, Hanuel c/o. Bobby pins, Ban.do. Lipgloss, Laura Geller - Perked Up Pink.

Holiday Shopping Attire + A Giveaway!

A little about what I wore for a day of holiday shopping:

Pants: I was in search forever for the perfect pair of black jeans and scored these Not Your Daughter's Jeans for $18 at a local consignment shop, Frilly Frocks in Leesburg. #score

Jacket: I love the deep maroon color of this jacket from The Coffee Shop and all the cute details like the toggle clasps and plaid interior. Check out their website and follow their social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) for cold weather style inspiration!

Cardigan: This is one of my favorite items for winter. It’s such a cute and cozy piece. Free People is like, the master of cozy. Snagged this one at their Bethesda location.

The bag: This SOLSAK bag is quickly becoming my go-to bag. Not only is it completely adorable and versatile, but it has a secret compartment to stash your heels or flats for convenient commutes. I zipped up the handles here and used it as an oversized clutch for an afternoon of Christmas shopping. There’s one day left to win this bag!

This tank: Literally the softest thing I own. Yes, it was kind of expensive (around $50) but Iately, I’ve been all about luxe basics, especially from Anthom. It's not online yet, but you can pick one up at their Mosaic District location. 

The scarf: Twice as Warm, a DC-based warm accessories company, is one of my favorites - they are basically the TOMS for scarves and hats. For every piece you buy, they donate a warm item to someone in need within the DC area. I bought a few awesome pieces as Christmas gifts this year!

Jacket, The Coffee Shop c/o. Pants, Not Your Daughter’s Jeans. Boyfriend cardigan, Free People Bethesda c/o. Tank, Anthom. Scarf, Twice as Warm c/o. Boots, Luxury Rebel. Bag, SOLSAK c/o (win one here!) Ring, Elaine B Jewelry.

Cozy Holiday

This is the year of comfy. Never before have I seen so many oversized sweaters, adorable jackets and chunky knit scarves all around me. People in the DC area have experienced a cold like no other in years past and they’re not letting it happen again.

As the time for holiday parties has come around, I’ve been looking for versatile pieces that are cute and cozy to celebrate in. Something that’s warm but also impossibly chic at the same time, you know? Like I want to have my cake and eat it too (#sorrynotsorry!) Luckily, Piperlime is on the same page. This Soft Joie cardigan is literally the piece of my dreams. It’s soft but also totally adorable. I've worn this about, oh, 12,399, 234 times since it arrived in the mail. 

I also love wearing velvet for the holidays. I think this black Daniel Rainn tank top would have also been adorable with a pair of oxblood or dark green velvet pants…but since I don’t have either, I threw it over a grey silk shift dress to give the whole look some texture. And since I’ve been into keeping my toes warm, I was only semi-reluctant slipping out of my ugg slippers into these boots when I left the house. 

What are your favorite holiday styles? Are you going for cozy looks like me?! Stay tuned for more pretty holiday looks this week!

Save 25% off this sweater and tank on 12/16 with code: SHOP25 over on Piperlime.com!

On Julien: Soft Joie cardigan (on sale!) and Daniel Rainn Velvet Burnout Top c/o Piperlime (use code SHOP25 on 12/16 for 25% off!) Shift dress worn as skirt, J.CREW (old.) Boots, Luxury Rebel. Tights, c/o Hanes Hosiery. Necklace and earrings, c/o Rachelle Celine. Bag, Coach (old.) Ring, Elaine B Jewelry.

Special thanks to my sweet hubby for being such a great photographer braving the cold to shoot my photos. I'm eternally grateful for his support, patience and mad photo skills. Love you, honey! 

Comfort Zones

I stared at my closet Sunday night, around 11:30 PM (wayyy past my bedtime) and realized I had a major problem. I had nothing to wear. Of course, I had some things I could wear…but the next day, I would be attending the Rent the Runway grand opening party that, oh, just Christian Siriano was also attending, and I had to be on my fashion A-game. That meant NO PLAYING IT SAFE.

I’m a safe dresser. I’m learning to color outside the lines, but for the most part, I play it safe. Someday, I’ll reach to daring heights like my uber fashionable gal pal Krystin Hargrove. But to be honest, I just really like dressing well and blending in.

But that Monday was no occasion for blending in. This was my chance to do something DIFFERENT, fun, daring, bold. While I doubt others would say this outfit is daring, it was certainly out of my comfort zone. But guess what? I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. Have I worked out in the last few months? No. Did I suck it in for my photo with Christian? OF COURSE I DID. But did I forget in most of the photos below? Yes, yes I did. And that’s ok! Reaching outside your comfort zones is part of evolving your style. Have I tried things I’ve hated? Yes, and you’ll probably never see those shoots ever. But it’s the process of learning what you love that counts…

What do you think? How do you go outside your comfort zones?

On Julien: Crop top and blazer, Anthom. Pants, Intermix. Bag, Pink Cosmo c/o (on sale!) Rings, Love Juliet c/o. Earrings, Sarah Cecilia via Stylecable c/o. Bracelets, Nordstrom (old.) Sunnies, Kate Spade (similar.)