Wardrobe Remix for 01.29.10 and 02.03.10

I did warn all of you that once it got cold I would wear the same two wool skirts every day, right? Well, luckily it's a little milder this year and I have acquired more wool skirts so I can now rotate between 6 different skirts. And more pairs of boots. Fun! But still limiting. I have a uniform and I cannot wait until I can experiment with colours and layers for style only, not for comfort. I did spice things up on Friday by breaking out a vest I had only worn one other time since I got it (with pants! Shocking!):



creme blouse - Huzzah Vintage
black vest - thrifted
grey herringbone wool skirt - thrifted
black wool stockings - warmlegwear.com
bronze flats - Target

This was pretty much my uniform last year, however. I had a vest that was more ill-fitting that I wore at least once a week with a solid black long sleeve blouse and a grey wool pencil skirt. Quel boring, n'est pas? Still, stylishly boring. The muted colours aren't always my bag, though. I do love this blouse I got from Gina, though, it is just what my wardrobe needed. I wish I got a close-up of the sweet details like the pearl buttons and tiny bits of lace.



navy boyfriend cardigan - thrifted
blue plaid t-shirt - Contempo Casuals (Wet Seal now? I've had this shirt for almost half my life!)
ivory wool skirt - thrifted
thick navy stockings - Nordstrom Rack I think
grey Steve Madden "Intyce" boots - jildor.com

Today I protested the cold by wear only one long sleeve layer (!) and only one layer of stockings (!!). What a rebel I am. I also wanted a little colour and lightness to my outfit. Please ignore my crazy hair; sometimes when it is freshly washed it looks like a wig. And also, there is Seymour! He was perched right there as I set up the camera. Fresh.

I hope to update again before this weekend, but if not it is because I will be in Madison this weekend! I haven't been in 10 years, I am excited. Work gave me four days off work this week so I am taking advantage and spending Saturday through Monday in the land of cheese. If anyone has any restaurant/bar/museum/shop recommendations for me for Madison do tell!

Winter Necessity: Wool Skirts

Last winter the temperatures here dropped to approximately -20 for a slew of days, and a majority of the winter was below zero. Since I was sick of wearing my jeans tucked into boots, and soon jeans in general, I had to rethink my winter clothing defense mechanism. When it got to the point of needing three layers on my legs there was no way I could do any more under my skinny jeans, so I started with bare legs and worked my way up. I learned 2 pairs of tights (one microfiber and one sweater) was a good base, upon which I would build thigh-high socks or legwarmers. But my cute jersey dresses would not be able to help penetrate the windchill, so I needed to rethink my bottoms.

Enter the long, wool pleated skirt. Going past my knees, a usual fashion no-no for little ole me, it has a pleasing equestrian look with fitted or semi-fitted boots, and combined they provide my legs with allover shielding and yet the comfort to bulk up my legs without restricting movement. And they are definitely stylish! You can wear virtually anything with them. I either wear a fitted sweater, a long sleeve tee with a stylish cardigan or blazer, or a dress shirt and a vest. Layering your top half is easy, not so much your legs.

As I am on the hunt for some more of these wardrobe staples for myself, I have found a few lovely ones that I thought I would share with my readers. These are all from Etsy, because vintage is THE way to go for woolens. They're less likely to be a blend and are made so much better. If you live somewhere that gets this cold and wonder what you can wear that is stylish AND warm, look no further!



Olive Green and Tan Vintage Wool Pleated Skirt from Vintage Repeats, Vintage 1950s Nubby Brown Wool Skirt from Small Earth Vintage



vintage 70s Green Wool Pleated Skirt with buckle waist from Upscale Vintage, Sweet Pleats Skirt, 50s wool tweed from She's Fancy



Green Plaid checked Schoolgirl skirt with Pleats from Beta Boutique, Vintage 1970's Honey Scholastic Skirt from Thrush Vintage