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Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

boots

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

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

 

 

Winter Botanicals

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It has warmed up quite a lot here and it’s starting to feel a little like Spring! Which is crazy to say in February but I guess Colorado has a different idea of what Winter is.  It’s still pretty likely we will get a ton of snow in March, so you never know what the mountains have in store!  For those who read this blog you probably know that I love vintage botanical prints.  I was recently gifted this lovely botanical print tee made by an Etsy shop.  I love supporting small sellers on Etsy, plus they make some pretty awesome stuff!  This tee features a Xeranthemum Annuum, also known as the Annual Everlasting or Immortelle flower.  Pretty cool right?  I love the Spring vibes and the vintage feel of the print.

I wanted to feature a cozy layering outfit perfect for in-between seasons (or if your climate is just confused right now).  This cardigan from American Eagle is a great convertible piece because it’s half-cardigan, half top.  You can button this up and tie it at the waist, or you can wear it as a regular cardigan.  Gotta love those versatile pieces!  I’m pretty in love with the rosy berry color combined with the neutral greys and tans.  These grey corduroy pants from Adriano Goldschmied are great for Spring or Fall, and they go great with so many outfits.  Plus they’re perfect for work or for an everyday casual look too!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Tee: Botany Press, Cardigan Top: American Eagle, Pants: Adriano Goldschmied, Chukka Desert Boots: Lucky Brand, Scarf: Amazon

January Blues

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January is one of my least favorite months–something about the holidays being over, a new year and lets be honest, January has the worst weather.  Even if you live in a place like California with perfect weather year round, rainy and relatively cold weather usually sets in.  Here in Colorado, January was welcomed by negative temperatures and freezing rain, but no snow!   If it’s gonna be freezing cold, I want there to at least be a pretty snowfall but nope, no snow this month so far.

That said, drinking hot tea and hibernating is the cure for January blues.  I have been keeping warm in cozy knit sweaters and binging on netflix!  This sweater from H&M and these ultra soft leggings from Felina have been the perfect pair on cold January days.  Another recent favorite has been these Anthropologie ankle boots found on Poshmark.  I love the details and the quality of the leather! And for a girl who isn’t super down with heels, these block heels add a little height without hurting your feet.  Plus they are perfect for a dressed down casual look or for a night out, so it’s a win-win!

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Sweater: H&M, Leggings: Felina, Boots: Anthropologie (found on Poshmark), Charm Necklace: Etsy

Winter Green

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Happy New Year everyone!  Winter has officially hit on the Front Range in Colorado, and I was looking to find a warm and cozy outfit for the colder days.   That’s why I love American Eagle sweaters so much, since they provide looks that provide comfy and stylish options that are great for everyday wear.  This sweater is so great as a warm pullover I have been wearing it non-stop!  It’s so comfy and warm–this Striped Crew Neck sweater is a perfect casual look that is great for winter weather layering.

In other news, I was recently gifted this minimalist leather lunch bag handmade by Homestead Leather on Etsy.  It was a perfect addition to my lunchtime routine!  I used to bring my lunch in plastic bags, but nooo more.  It’s a great environmentally friendly option for those who don’t want a big, bulky lunch bag. It also avoids bringing your lunch in wasteful plastic bags (yep, that was me) so in my opinion it’s a win-win!  Another brand I’ve been crazy about this past year has been The Frye Company and their fantastic boots.  I wore these leather “Celia” shearling-lined boots outside in sub-20 degree weather, and my feet were as warm as can be.  I recommend wearing these without socks, which sounds weird but they actually keep your feet roomier and warmer.  My feet get cold really easily, so I can’t recommend these enough.  Another recent gift was this extra cozy cable-knit scarf from Amazon.  It goes great with so many outfits that I have to hold off wearing it sometimes–it’s kind of ridic!

Outfit Details: Sweater: American Eagle, Leggings: Felina, Boots: Frye Company, Bag: Homestead Leather, Scarf: Amazon

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Snow & Roses

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As the days get colder, my focus has turned to high quality boots and cozy knits.  This cardigan from Forever 21 has become one of my favorite over-sized pullovers in the closet.  The knit material is surprisingly good quality, and I love it in this “rose” color.  At first I thought it was more brown than rose when I first unwrapped, but in different lights the rosey tones come out.  I love in-between colors like that!

Something I’ve learned about Colorado winters: snow doesn’t stick around like Minnesota winters, and they come earlier too.  It’s already snowed twice here and it’s only mid-November! As I’m writing this, the snow from this shoot is all gone and the grass on neighborhood lawns is still mostly green.  It’s kind of weird, even after living in California for almost ten years, I still expect snow to hang around longer as a holdover from growing up in Minnesota, but I digress.

Another thing I have been loving are Frye boots–I mean who doesn’t love Frye?   I recently picked up these Frye Lindsay Ankle boots and I love how versatile and durable they are.  Comfortable, great quality and stylish–can’t ask for more than that!  They come “distressed” which everyone knows about with jeans, but I definitely haven’t heard of that with shoes.  Turns out I like the roughed up look, and it just gives the boots more character!

Outfit Details: Cardigan: Forever 21, Tee: Urban Outfitters, Skirt: Vintage/thrifted, Tights: Target,  Boots: Frye, Scarf: Forever 21 (old)

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Cozy Grey Pullover & Denim

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Good cozy pullover sweaters and jeans have been my jam this Fall.  They make for a great everyday minimal look without much effort. I recently picked up this oversized knit sweater from Zaful in a heather grey color, and it’s a perfect sweater for this time of year.  I love the open neck, where you can make it as drapey as you’d like and it goes well with scarves, leggings and boots.  And anything from Zaful is super affordable so if you’re looking for affordable knits, check them out!

So, I kind of have an obsession with this AG Adriano Goldschmied Jeans, and I plan on making a post featuring my collection of their colorful range of pants and jeans.  These distressed boyfriend cut jeans from AG are so ridiculously comfortable!  The denim is soft and flexible, which is important to me in a pair of jeans.  I really don’t like stiff denim, and I like when they feel “broken in” right away!  I normally don’t go for distressed but with the boyfriend style cuts it fits well.  The distressed parts are in the places that make sense and isn’t “over done.”  I don’t know about you but I really don’t like distressed jeans that look like you’ve been attacked by a tiger.  Also featured in this post are a few charms from one of my fav Etsy stores–love the silver leaf and pine tree!  I went with different chain lengths to create a more layering effect, and you can also buy them with chain or just the charm only.

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Sweater: Zaful, Jeans: AG Jeans, Shoes: Marc Fisher, Necklaces: Etsy

Pendleton Shirt

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It’s been a minute but I was finally able to get around to updating the blog in the new locale in Colorado! Moving from California basically involved me staring at the butt of a budget van for 1,200 miles, but Colorado has been worth every minute of the stress of moving and general craziness. The weather here is a lot more finicky and finding time to shoot has been limited, but I’m really excited to get going on some new stuff! I recently popped into a Pendleton store in town and this button down shirt caught my attention.  Usually their stuff has a lot of bright colors (which I do love!) but I really like their current offering of pretty pastels for Spring. The material is really soft and flowy too so I can tell this shirt is going to come in handy when Summer rolls around.

Overall Colorado has been fantastic but, something that hasn’t been so great is how my skin has handled the high desert climate. Hoooly smokes, talk about dry, tight and dehydrated skin. My face felt like I had a tight mask over it all the time and was flaking like crazy! I was desperate so I started to experiment with products. My experiments wound up giving me a horrible allergic reaction to a night cream which was basically a disaster on top of a dumpster fire. The good news is I was finally able to perfect a routine that works great for me (combination skin with dehydration issues). So if you have a similar skin type and live in a high elevation, low humidity and/or desertish environment, I recommend trying out the below products. And as a PSA, all skin types need love in a climate like this , especially during the winter months!

This new routine has vastly improved my skin situation; I am actually kind of astonished at the improvement. As a nightly routine I start with the makeup remover/cleanser, followed by Paula’s Choice toner, then the Toleriane Fluide and finish with either the La Roche-Posay Baume moisturizer or Jojoba Oil. Then every week or so I will add in Sephora’s Night Mask to the routine. During the day I wear EltaMd’s tinted physical sunscreen that works great as a sunscreen and as a makeup base! For product information and where to buy, see below:


Product Details: La Roche-Posay Cicablast Baume b5, Neutrogena Naturals Cleanser, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Fluide, Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Pore Reducing Toner, Cliganic Jojoba Oil, Sephora Creamy Night Mask, EltaMD Tinted Physical Sunscreen

Outfit Set:

Outfit Details: Shirt: Pendleton, Jeans: Joe’s, Shoes: Lucky Brand, Hat: Brixton

Cozy Neutrals

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As you can probably tell I have been into clean and simple neutral looks lately. Neutral tans, beiges and charcoal greys look so good when paired with complementary textures like leather and velvet. This outfit has been one of my favorite travel outfits in the recent months. I’ve been kind of obsessed with menswear inspired looks and this windowpane button down has become a bit of a staple in my closet.

My favorite travel outfits usually involve layers. Layers are a smart idea, especially when flying, because temperatures in the airport can vary so widely. It’s always handy to have some wiggle room when you’re stuck somewhere. It can get a little complicated traveling from a cold area to a warmer one too. I wore this outfit when I traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles and it worked out nicely. To buffer from the cold while I traveled from Chicago, I added this cozy scarf as well as my new favorite leather jacket from Zara. I’ve only had it a month or two but it’s quickly become a prominent accessory in my closet! It’s surprisingly good for cold weather too. Then when I arrived in warm and sunny California, removing the layers was a cinch!

Outfit Details: Shirt: Banana Republic, Jacket: Zara, Jeans: Joe’s Jeans, Shoes: Asos, Scarf: H&M (Old) and Bracelet: Civion

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