I’m anti wind and rain

Knit Hat: UO, Trench: handmade by D’s grandmother for his mother, Sweater: Bass, Knit Dress: Paris, Leopard Ring: Charlotte Russe, Boots: Florence

Yesterday the weather got the best of me. I stepped outside and it started to rain. Now I don’t mind the rain so much it was the accompanying winds that really got me. I was that person on Main St flaying and fighting with their inside out umbrella. The fact that I was in a classic trench made it all the more comical and somewhat fitting.  All I was missing was a newspaper and a run in my nonexistent pantyhose.

How do you dress for wind and rain?

What to Wear to the Polls with Corey of Call Me Brazen Vintage

While I’m hiding under a massive sun hat soaking up the sun on the beach the lovely Corey of Call Me Brazen Vintage graciously agreed to guest post and I love that she got political!

It’s no secret that it’s an election year. Everywhere you turn political ads and debates have begun to saturate the airwaves. Lately, I’ve been attending a lot of municipal meetings (which are filmed) and writing about them for a local paper. All of these factors combined really have me thinking about what to wear to these events and furthermore, what to wear to the polls in November. I know you’re thinking, “um..that’s still four months away.”. True, but you think Jackie O. waited till the last minute to figure out what she was going to wear? You shouldn’t either.

 Let’s face it: the power suit is dead, which helps make room for much better and more flattering alternatives that don’t involve shoulder pads.

Vintage Autumn Orange Coat: Goodwill, Mod 50s dress & Vintage Satin kitten Heels: Battery Street Jeans, Cardigan: Banana Republic (gifted), Black Patent Belt: Clothing Line

As you stride into the voting booth, you’ll be armed not only with confidence in your candidate choices, but also in your striking ensemble.  Now it’s time to toss that stylish trench over your arm and traverse to your favorite local spot to await the results with your friends and vino.

Perhaps I Should Have Worn Pants

Sunglasses: Greece, Leopard Lined Trench: Etsy, Shirtdress: T.J Maxx, Tights: Target, Booties: Nine West (I have them in black too)Dear Mother Nature,

Thank you for this blissful weather! The unseasonably warm temperatures and sunny skies have not gone unnoticed, in fact everyone is talking about it! Just as I started to unpack my wool socks and hats the sun came out and the mercury hasn’t stopped rising! Sixty and sunny are normally foreign words to Vermonters in November.

To show my appreciation for the wonderful weather you’re bestowing on my adopted home state I decided to forgo pants this morning! My shearling lined booties (so glad I bought them in black and brown) and the faux leopard lined trench kept me warm enough so pants really would have been overkill. In hindsight while it kept me nice and cozy my trench may have caused some to mistake me for a flasher… guess that’s way they say hindsight is 20/20.

Anyway, I just wanted to drop you a little note and say thanks for the sunshine because as far as I’m concerned fall weather just doesn’t get any better.

Sincerely,

Caitlin of Burlington, Vermont

Boots and Bootcut Jeans

Slouchy Knit Hat: UO, Sunnies: Zinnia, Short Trench: Forever 21, Sweater: J.Crew (via Goodwill), Grey Tee: H&M, Jeans: Charlotte Ruse, Boots: Steve Madden

Some days it’s all about being warm and cozy and today is one of those days. I wanted to keep things simple and as no fuss as possible so I went with jeans and a tee. The trench coat and slight heel on the cowboy boot help to pull the look together and give it a more polished feel without sacrificing comfort in any way. To keep things fun (and my ears warm) I added a pop of color with a slouchy knit hat. You’ll be seeing more outfit posts with hats as the temperatures continue to cool off here in Burlington.

By adding my purple hat and well loved cowboy boots I was able to put my personal stamp on an outfit as generic as jeans and a tee. Fashion is all about making things your own and even staple looks are an opportunity to play around and express yourself.

What do you wear when you just want to feel comfortable? What personal touches do you add to jeans and tee?

Blue Boots and a Trench Coat

Sunglasses: Downtown Threads, Lightweight Trench Coat: Forever 21, Sweater Dress: Old Navy (via Goodwill), Gold Deco Belt: T.J. Maxx, Beaded Bracelets: Gifted, Ring: Gilt, Boots: Florence, Italy It’s Monday… again. I had a great weekend except for the fact that my allergies were off the charts. On Saturday I helped D stripe soccer fields and by the time we’d finished I was feeling pretty miserable and exhausted. Sadly I ended up missing the STRUT fashion show, I was disappointed but sometimes life just gets in the way of your plans, no matter how fabulous they may be.

The weather has been beautiful the past couple of days, sunny with the perfect hint of fall chill in the air. I decided to keep things simple and tossed on this light sweater dress and boots. I found the sweater dress in the children’s section at Goodwill, (with all the tags still on it!) for $3. I’m looking forward to pairing it with tights and booties as the temperature continues to cool off, it should be as easy to dress up as it is to dress down.

These boots were the “must have” item for American girls when I lived abroad. I ended up wearing these boots all over Europe, but since then they’ve spent more time in my closet than on my feet. It wasn’t until I paired them with this outfit that I realized how much I missed wearing them.

How would you style these boots? Do you have favorite item in your closet that you only wear once or twice a year?

Singing in the Sun

Sunnies: Downtown Threads, Trench: Forever 21, Necklace: Dubs’ Duds, Button Up: The Children’s Place, Skirt: Forever 21, Belt: Forever 21, Pumps: T.J Maxx

I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen Singing in the Rain. My younger sister and I must have run around the living room recreating the dance sequences at least a hundred times when we were kids. So when given the opportunity to ham it up with an umbrella I don’t mess around.

Yesterday it alternated between sunny, sprinkling and pouring so I went the practical route and layered a lightweight trench over a button up that I bought almost 10 years ago at the Children’s Place. The children’s size fits everywhere but the sleeve length, so I cuffed the sleeves for a 3/4 length look and problem solved!

My friend Alicia graciously snapped these pictures at Perkins Pier on the waterfront. It’s crazy to think that just a couple of weeks ago this was all under water. While there is still a lot of clean up and repair to be done it hasn’t stop anyone from enjoying the lake or rivers this summer.

 

What creative solutions have you come up with to make pieces work for you? What movies did you love as a kid?

Rain is like SO the new Snow

rain is SO the new snow

Trench: Forever 21, Scarf: Royal Caribbean Gift Shop,

Sunnies: Downtown Threads, Sweater: H&M, Belt: Target,

Ring: Forever 21, Skirt: Vintage (via Downtown Threads),

Tights: The Sox Market, Heels: Michael Antonio (via Endless)

not posing pose #57 – The I’m Just Casually Lounging

What can I say? I love this skirt! The last time I wore it I had a pretty nice buzz on (see Cheers to 24 years: Fashion) and I styled it with a plain white tee, cardigan, and a gold statement necklace. This time I wanted a more polished look so I swapped the tee for a v neck sweater and patent leather waist belt.

Even though it’s April it’s still chilly (and rainy) here in Burlington so I kept warm and dry by layering a lightweight sweater under my trench and added a cozy scarf to ward off the gusting winds. Since I didn’t tuck my sweater in I used a thick belt to add definition to my waistline. It was so rainy and windy this morning, that tights were a must even though I was worried that adding them would make my outfit too dark and heavy for early spring. Knits and leather are both very winter/fall centric fabrics, especially when done in such dark colors. In an effort to counteract the dark color pallet I choose a light colored shoe. The golden hues in the heels helped to lighten everything up without throwing the rest of the outfit off. (I’m hoping that the sun will push all the way through the clouds and I’ll be able to rock bare legs on the walk home from work!)

Shoes have always been my go to piece when it comes to anchoring or completing outfits. I love the pattern detailing on these Michael Antonio heels! Not only is it a beautiful pattern but it draws your eye down, effectively lengthening your legs. Even though the heel is almost 4 inches the platform in the shoe makes them surprisingly comfortable and easy to walk in.

D and I got back into Burlington late last night and promptly fell asleep. We had such an amazing time, the reception was out of control beautiful and you could see the love and happiness radiating from the bride and groom. Tonight (after unpacking) I’m going to download all the photos I took this weekend,  I can’t wait to share them with you, so stay tuned!

What did you do this weekend? What’s your “go-to” accessory when you need to complete an outfit?

In the Trenches

what a view

Sunnies: Downtown Threads

Scarf: Forever 21

Trench: Forever 21

Tee (hidden): Charlotte Ruse

Jeans: Charlotte Ruse

Boots: Florence, Italy

how to manage your hair during a wind storm 101

I was visiting Stranded in Chicago the other night and came across Harris’s post about how trenches are a necessity this season and it inspired me to dust off my shorter trench. While my trench doesn’t come close to the drool worthy trenches that Harris featured in her post, I’m still excited to rock this springy shell all season long. I love how adding a smart tailored trench and a bright scarf instantly take jeans and a tee from casual to classic! Nothing looks quite as sharp as a great fitting trench.

I’ve been a fan of trenches since my dad introduced me to Emma Peel from The Avengers. Not only was she a badass British spy but she was a genius whose fashion sense was as deadly and on target as her aim. I mean she had a catsuit named after her, is there anything cooler?

one of my favorite pair of boots!

Who are your style icons? How are you wearing your trench this season?