stealing beanies

This beanie is stolen.

No, not from a store, or from a merchant. It's bought and paid for, with a receipt and everything

BUT

I did steal it from someone in my family. I had ski hair, I was cold, and I liked the new beanie:

it's navy blue (*swoon*), warm, doesn't make me look bald like most beanies, and has a Colorado flag on it. Not sure if it will ever get back to its rightful owner...

shirt: Kohl's

vest: Old Navy

beanie: Breckenridge Hat Store

pants: Aéropostale

snow boots: SOREL via JAX

Aéro - plaid, leather, leopard & bows

I did some shopping recently at Aéropostale, and got some new goodies - a few that I've had on my list for quite some time. Keep reading to see what I found, and why I love it.

The first is this plaid button-up. You know me - I love me a good button-up shirt. And in a color scheme I don't already have. Online I can't find this blue/red plaid, but here is the shirt's twin, in blue:

Long Sleeve Double Cloth Plaid Woven Shirt.

Next is this cute black skirt from Aéro's Bethany Mota line. It's a full skirt, with a cute, yet understated bow at the waist. I wear it at my actual waist - right around my belly button, and it hits a few inches above my knees (look for an outfit post featuring this skirt soon!).

some similar skirts:

Solid Pucker Skirt / Chevron Jacquard Pleated Skirt

Solid Diamond Lace Skirt / Pleated Uniform Skirt

I also found leopard print flats - the ones I've been wearing since my days of working retail were looking pretty rough. We're talking holes in the soles and torn leopard... so, needless to say, I've been on the hunt for new leopard print flats. And I found some! AND, they're very light and incredibly comfortable on my tender, prone-to-blister feet.

similar: Pointed Flat / DV8 By Dolce Vita Scrunchie Ballet Flat 

And this jacket. This jacket is what faux leather jacket dreams are made of. I purchased a black faux leather jacket this summer from Target and got TONS of wear out of it this fall, so I added a brown one to my closet wish-list. This jacket was the first thing I saw when I walked into Aéropostale a few weeks back, and I knew immediately that'd found THE ONE (I opted for one size larger than I normally would, so that I could comfortably wear a sweater or long sleeves underneath it, to maximize all the ways I could wear it).

exact: Classic Faux Leather Jacket

Here's everything. I've gotten the most wear (so far) out of the jacket - it's been on repeat on the sunny days we've had the past few weeks. But don't you worry - we're back to snow and freezing temperatures, though...

the end of a sweater era

Here we are. The end of an era. The end of a sweater wearing era.

Ha. Not really.

I'll be wearing sweaters (and layers and coats and scarves and boots) until at least May.

But I AM at the end of my posts about my 31 sweaters (trust: I wore them all in January. I'm a bit behind on posting, so my apologies for this style challenge bleeding into February).

So, I did it. I wore my 31 sweater-y items (sweaters, sweatshirts + sweater dresses) in 31 days.

And took pictures and then posted them here on the internet. 

What did I learn? 

That I might have too many sweaters. That I don't need any more. And sometimes it's fun to pick out your outfit within some constraints - it forces me to get creative and come up with ways to make something wearable that I might have otherwise glossed over. 

So, again, reinforcing that I don't need to add to my closet, and that I like style challenges - both things I already knew. But those are both nice lessons to reinforce ;)

See all 31 sweaters here.

And read about "The Sweater Saga"

part 1 / part 2 / part 3

part 4 / part 5 / part 6 / part 7

the final sweater, #31

Here's the final sweater to round out my "Sweater a Day Challenge" for January...halfway through February...oops (I wore them in order, in January, but am backlogged on posting).

This black cable-knit makes 31. This is it. My final sweater. Look for a recap in the next few days. 

linking up at On the Daily Express and More Pieces of Me, and over here too, since it's been a while since I've worn this sweater

sweater: American Eagle

jeans: c/o Aéropostale

scarf: WalMart

boots: c/o Aéropostale

indigo pants + sweater #30

It's tough to see, but I'm wearing a pink button up shirt under that white cable knit sweater. And these pants. Let's talk about these pants for a hot minute.

They're navy blue.

They're skinnies.

They're stretchy.

They fit like a glove.

All of the above are good things,

BUT...

They're also some special indigo dye, and they have been rubbing off on whatever I wear them with. By the end of the day, this sweater was turning a wee bit blue on the sleeves and around my waist/hips. So, that's frustrating. However, I'm supposed to wash them by themselves the first few times, then I should be ok. 

We'll see.

The price of fashion, my friends.

The things I do for the pants I love.

button up: Eddie Bauer

sweater: Old Navy

scarf: gift

pants: target

boots: Nordstrom

black & blue + sweater #29

The day I wore this, one of the girls I work with was also wearing a blue top with black pants and a black sweater. And you guys, this top isn't just blue. It's navy blue. With black.

Dun dun dun.

Breaking all the rules over here in sunny Colorado.

linking up over here

shirt: Eddie Bauer

cardigan: Ann Taylor

scarf: thrifted

velvet pants: J. Crew Factory

flats: Target

sunny days + sweater #28

We've been experiencing some really great weather lately.

60 degrees, sunny, and in FEBRUARY. It's unreal.

And I LOVE it.

I can wear skirts and dresses without tights!

And less than 3 layers at a time!

And only a light jacket!

And I can patio drink...!

**linking up this outfit over here - check it out**

dress: WalMart

sweater: Ann Taylor

scarf: WalMart

boots: Nordstrom