Hello my friends. It would seem the weather is on the same wavelength as me recently and has been waffling back and forth between summer and fall weather for the last two months. Which on one hand I am thrilled about because the longer we can enjoy warm weather in Minnesota the better, but on the other hand I am desperately waiting for the first deep frost so I can end my suffering with the killer allergens this season (part of the reason for my uptick in migraines this past month and a half). I forgot to add to my list of chronic illnesses that I have chronic sinusitis so the minute allergy season starts I am down for the count. My migraines flare and I end up getting sick over and over until the allergen abates. So yes, ideal situation we get a deep frost that kills all the allergens and then the weather returns to a perfect 60• until Christmas… one can only hope right?
All I know is that my kids are able to manage their ADHD so much better when they can play outside without a bunch of sensory overloading winter gear and so for real… the longer the warmer weather the better in my opinion.
Some days I dream of leaving Minnesota and living somewhere where it’s always warm, but then I remember that 1. I have arachnophobia. And I mean that in the literal sense. I am not simply afraid of spiders, I have an actual visceral response that includes crying and nausea. Thank God none of my kids got the same phobia and now I literally have a little team of spider killers on hand whenever one dares to cross my path. But back to the point: Minnesota does not breed big spiders. The biggest spiders we get are grass spiders and while I think they are plenty big, I know that warmer environments would come with much bigger varieties and this is a very real drawback for me.
2. All of our family lives within 5 hours of where we live. 3. We somehow landed in a unicorn school district with middle of the road viewpoints and social workers and teachers who fight for our kids and see them. I’d honestly be crazy to move away from it. 4. And finally, I could never leave the North Shore. It’s my favorite place on earth and the thought of being more than a couple of hours away is a big problem.
SO. Now that you know more about me than you needed to know 😁, I do actually have an outfit roundup for you guys today. I haven’t done much sharing on Instagram lately, mostly because I’ve been so absorbed in real life stuff, but I have actually been snapping quick pictures of the outfits I’ve been wearing every day. So I thought I’d just share them all here in a roundup for you guys. And one thing to mention that I’ll talk about in a later post, is that I have massively downsized my closet this fall. I was feeling so overwhelmed with the amount of clothing I had accumulated (and this is with regularly listing stuff on Poshmark and giving things to friends and family) plus we recently separated the girls to separate rooms. They had wanted to share a room for a long time, but recently their messiness was making three to a room just too much and with Kit getting older she was just needing her own space. All that to say, David had been using the closet in the spare bedroom but now that the twins are in that bedroom I knew I needed to make space for him in our closet… so I literally downsized by about 75%. And honestly it feels really good. I also am limiting what I receive in PR this fall so it doesn’t get back to a level of excessiveness. So in these outfit roundups you’re going to see a lot of repeats, which I know from the years that we’ve been friends that you guys won’t mind… but I thought I’d give you fair warning anyway since I also won’t be adding a ton of new either. OH! And if anyone wants to shop that 75% I’m slowly getting everything added to my Poshmark closet… please make offers. Unless it’s a completely lowball offer that doesn’t make it worth shipping the clothing I pretty much accept every offer… and that’s on top of marking everything low already. I mostly just want to clear it out and get it to a good home without sending to a thrift store where I know they are already inundated with so much. Okay back to it:
Odds and Ends:
Sizing Notes:
Pants – small, Tee – medium, Sandals – my normal 9
This outfit is just so me. I think I’ve mentioned before, but I have so many sensory issues when it comes to clothes because of my ADHD. Before I was diagnosed David always used to joke that being cozy in my pj’s was where I was most “at home”… and well… ha! I guess we know now there’s a reason for that! That’s why if you’ve followed me for awhile you’ll have seen a slow progression from more structured and fussy styles to loose and casual like this outfit. I mean yes, this style is trending more than it was ten years ago, but now that I know myself more deeply I will never go back to skinny jeans and tight cropped sweaters. I will find a way to still be stylish but comfortable because dang it, I am already living with daily pain, I don’t need to add tight restricting clothing to the mix! That’s why I’ll never understand why some of you are still bemoaning the loss of the skinny jean… the world of loose and wide is so much more comfortable!
But anyway, these pants were PR from J. Crew, and usually when I get PR they have me select what I want, but in this case my contact added these to my box because she thought I’d like them… and boy was she right! I had noticed them on their website and I had shied away from them at the word satin, but because it’s a textured satin that’s more matte than shiny they are actually super wearable for everyday (although I probably wouldn’t wear them if my kids were home all day and wanting to play with play doh). I love them. The pull on style makes them feel like pajama pants, but the textured satin definitely keeps them in “these are real pants” territory. These sandals from A.Emery are definitely an “investment” (I was fortunate enough to find mine on massive sale), but they have been an absolute staple in my wardrobe all fall and summer. I’m really over the cognac brown phase of fashion (it really doesn’t suit my skin tone) and have fully embraced a chocolate brown and between these sandals and a simple black pair of sandals you are kind of set for summer. I just love the little bit of interest a chocolate brown shoe adds to any outfit… which is why I decided to make one of my few fall purchases so far and get this brown suede bag from J. Crew. I’ve had my eye on a bag like this for a couple of years now (I.e. a Khaite lookalike) and I had narrowed it down to a couple of others, but when J. Crew released this one this year it was a no brainer. The price was right and I love the minimalness of no hardware and thin simple straps. I’ve been wearing it constantly and if they still have this bag next year I may go for the black version.
And one final note about the tee, I have had these tees from SKIMS (I have them in all the neutral colors in short and long sleeve versions) for over a year now and I absolutely love them and don’t plan on wearing them until they are only suitable for pajamas, but according to Remake’s Fashion Accountability Report 2024 SKIMS was outranked by other fast fashion retailers including Shein in terms of environmental justice and use of raw materials. Now I understand that the consumerism end of sustainable shopping is complicated, but from my own personal convictions based on this information I cannot continue to recommend them so I linked to some similar styles and in the future I will no longer be including links to SKIMS products. Just a heads up for you guys!
Odds and Ends
Sizing Notes: skirt – small, tank is old from Nordstrom, linked similar.
Another outfit that feels so very me. One thing I’ve started doing this past year is leaving everything untucked and it has been so freeing ha! Not only is it more comfortable, it makes it so much quicker for me to get in and out of a bathroom (🤣), and I think it’s more flattering on my short torsoed frame. I do still tuck some things in, but for an outfit like this, I think leaving it casually untucked is just very current and fresh and it looks undone in a casually stylish way. If you are craving something new in your wardrobe, before you go out and buy a ton of new stuff, try playing around with a new way of styling your outfits and see if it makes your existing clothing feel exciting again.
This skirt has been a staple since I bought it last summer and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s perfect for warmer months because of the breezy shape, but it’s lined and it’s made of a substantial feeling cotton so with a pair of tights and boots it will transition nicely to colder months due to its length. I think it will look stunning with my brown riding boots and my gray cashmere sweater… very casual 70’s inspired vibes. Anyway, it is on the spendier side of things, but I think it’s a great, versatile option if you’re looking for a white maxi skirt that “does it all.”
Odds and Ends:
Sizing Notes: sweater – medium, tank – small, pants – small
Okay this cardigan has become a fast favorite in my closet. It’s one of the other purchases I made this fall… last year I was all about the trim little sweater jackets, but even since last year my style has evolved even more into a more casual version of what it was. I feel like last year was the more dressed up version of what I like to wear, and this year I’m figuring out how to take that idea and translate it to comfy sensory friendly outfits… and so far I’m doing a good job if I may say so myself ha! So back to this cardigan, it’s got the vibes of a sweater jacket, which I still love and will reach for on dressier occasions, but it’s the more laid back version that’s comfier and relaxed for everyday wear. And that’s what I’m going for this year… a style that still feels like me, but that isn’t restrictive or uncomfortable in any way so I can live my life feeling stylish like I want to, but without adding an extra element of overwhelm to my already crowded ADHD brain. It’s a win all around my friend! And a bonus for this sweater jacket – it’s really soft, which if I’m being honest, not all of Sezane’s sweaters are. I can wear thus one with a tank top and it doesn’t bother me at all. I also like the versatility of this cardigan… stay tuned to see it worn buttoned up in a dressier fashion.
Another way that I’m releasing myself from uncomfortable clothing is by going braless as often as I can. I know not everyone has this option based on size or need of support, but I didn’t endure years of endless teasing about being flat chested in high school (that’s what happens when your younger sister develops ways earlier than you do – teenage boys feel the need to point it out to as if you hadn’t already noticed thank you very much) for nothing. Now I celebrate my barely A’s by skipping a bras altogether whenever I can… a big part of the reason is that one of my nerve damaged areas is right under my chest so I have unbearable itching there quite often and a bras sitting right on top of it obviously just exacerbates the problem. I wear a lot of tanks with built in shelf bras like this one and that helps a ton, although by the end of the day even these tend to be too much for the itch but they are a much better solution than a bras. I do sometimes wear the stick on bras, but they also bother me by the end of the day so it’s honestly a toss up, I kind of just prefer tops like these or my Klassy tees that have built in padding (I partnered with Klassy thus past spring and I’m so glad I did because it introduced me to their brand and now I’m a diehard fan for life).
My pants were gifted to me during a collaboration with Darling, and again I’m so glad they were because they’ve become my one and only pair of light colored linen pants that survived my downsizing. I had quite the collection before, but these were the only pair I kept for a number of reasons… first the linen is so soft and beautiful. I think for the price you’re getting an incredible deal for how nice the fabric is (opaque enough that they work with nude underwear) and for how well they are made. I also love the fit, they’re a little tiny bit long on me with flats, which I love for that laid back look, which makes them also work with a little bit of a heel… and I also love that they kept the hips and waistline nice and closely cut so the shape and movement is all in the leg. It makes for a really flattering fit that’s super comfortable to wear. My only regret is that they don’t have pockets, but the lack of pockets makes for the beautiful cut on the hips so it’s kind of one of those things where you can’t have both things at the same time..
Odds and Ends:
My shoes are from Toast via Poshmark
Sizing Notes: tee – medium, skirt, small, shoes – my normal 9
My tee was gifted from J. Crew and while I love the fit and quality it’s almost sold out so I linked a similar version from Everlane which I think has similar quality.
As I’m writing this I’m realizing I bought more than I realized for fall… yikes. I’m actually really actively working on that because I am needing to allocate my clothing budget funds into other areas of our families life, but alas I did also add this pleated skirt to my wardrobe for this fall. It was the only impulse purchase I made this fall ( of that I am proud of… the amount of impulse purchases I used to make… well you’ll see a lot of them in my Poshmark closet 🫣), but the minute I saw it I was in love. It’s my dream skirt with its full length pleated gloriousness in the perfect in between shade of gray and comfy pull on style. It may have been an impulse purchase, but it was a good purchase for my closet. I am lacking in dresses and skirts that work for cold weather and there are days when pants feel way too restrictive… which is why I wear so many skirts and dresses to begin with (which, incidentally, has been one of the biggest criticisms I’ve gotten over my many years as a blogger… people think it’s insufferable while I’m like I just can’t do a waistband today okay? 😅). This skirt is a neutral so it will go with a lot, but I love that it stands out enough that I can pair it easily with simple pieces from my wardrobe so nothing gets fussy about the outfit. This may end up being my Christmas outfit as well with my sparkly button down from last year since I don’t intend to buy anything new this year for holiday outfits.
And the reason I said in realizing I bought more than I thought… these Mary Jane flats are also new. I saw them while I was perusing my favorite place to wishlist: Toast. I fell in love with them, but they were out of my budget so I kept looking on Poshmark until one day they popped up and at a price I was willing to pay (anyone else notice that some of the prices on Poshmark lately seen to be out of control??). I adore these flats and I’m so happy to have them in my closet. I have a lot of very feminine flats in velvet and ballet styles, but I love having a chunkier style that’s still in a very girly Mary Jane style. They’re very schoolgirlesque, but the lower cut toe box and the higher ankle strap give them a more ladylike vibe that I adore. They are really comfortable, but there is a little bit of wear in time in the heels since the cut on the back is a bit higher. It took about 5 wears before the leather softened up and stopped rubbing.
Odds and Ends:
Sizing notes: sweater – medium, jeans – sized up from my normal 26 to a 27 for bagginess, heels – normal size 9
These shoes were gifted to me in August, and I’ve already written a full review of this style here, so I’ll keep my thoughts to a minimum now, but I will say I’m seeking my original pair because the leopard print makes so much more sense for my wardrobe… it’s such a classic print and I love that it works with brown or black. My original pair were a bright orange cognac brown and I already shared my thoughts on that color above so they didn’t make the cut.
I bought these jeans at the beginning of the summer and it was another fortuitous purchase because they’ve been one of my most worn pair of jeans since I got them. I actually sized up one size bigger than I normally do which makes then super baggy and loose in the waist so if that is not your thunk, definitely go for your true size. I’m just tired of feeling my waistband every time I sit down and going up a size in all of the jeans I’ve bought in this past year have made for a more comfortable all around experience. Obviously this trick wouldn’t work if the jeans were in a slim or skinny fit, but when the fit is already supposed to be baggy you can get away with it. I love the wash on these as well (it’s Pelican). I like having a darker wash in my closet, but I like that these have a very, very slight acid washing to the which makes them still feel very much like a lived in pair of vintage jeans and not too fussy.
And finally, I bought this sweater in August so I guess it still contributes to my fall purchases – okay I definitely bought more than I thought ha! I fell in love with this sweater when I saw it released, but I sat on it for a full 3-4 weeks before purchasing it (so maybe I bought it in September 😜) because it felt so similar to other sweaters I already have. Ultimately I went for it because I actually don’t have any v-neck sweaters and I was loving all the style inspo I was seeing if the t-shirt under the v-neck and I do really love the effect. The sweat itself is beautifully made and I have to say other than the fact that it’s a little bit of a thinner cotton, it’s very reminiscent of the other cotton Babaa sweaters I’ve had in my closet. Babaa sweaters are beautiful, but if I’m being honest they are one size fits some and the wool sweaters are scratchy. The cotton sweaters are really nice, but if you’ve been thinking about getting one save yourself the money and get thus one instead. You’ll be just as happy I promise.
Odds and Ends:
All from Sezane: Cardigan – medium, Jeans – normal 26, but I’d go up a size (PR), Heels – normal size 9 (PR)
Okay this final look is all Sezane and the jeans and heels were gifted to me back in August. I waited to share an outfit with you because I wanted to wear the jeans a few times before giving you my full thoughts on them. When I first put them on I wasn’t a huge fan because they were pretty stiff… stiffer than I’m used to with the other styles if jeans I usually go for. However, after wearing them for a full day they actually relaxed a little and after wear then about three times they relaxed even more and now I’d say these are the perfect jeans for colder weather because they are made out of a more substantial denim than a lot of other jeans on the market. I usually think of Everlane as having a heavier weight denim than most, but I’d say these are even heavier than Everlane. They also have a pretty high waist… if you are on the shorter torso side, like I am that’s definitely something to keep in mind. I’ll try to share an outfit soon that shows the waist a bit more. But I’d say overall, comfort is great after a few wears, I love that they are a heavier weight denim for colder days, and the style is beautiful. It’s a looser style, but it still holds that regally nice wide leg shape due to the heavier denim.
You guys, I still have six more outfits to show you so I think we’ll do a part two next week, that just way too much for one post! Normally I just share the outfits without adding any thoughts, but I think it’s helpful for you guys to hear my thoughts on why I chose certain things… and it’s helpful for me too to be honest. I usually just go with my gut when getting dressed so sitting down and really thinking through each outfit helps me continue to hone in and solidify what I do and don’t like, which in turn helps keep my wardrobe small and my purchases intentional. And that’s what I hope these posts will help you with as well… no more unnecessary purchases. Just the good stuff in 2024 🙂.
I hope you guys enjoy this weekend and get some fresh air and sunshine! I have a Balrog costume for a certain 5 year old to finish so wish me luck!
Until next time,
Karin
