The Power of an Accessory - Loft Faux Fur Neck Warmer

Alrighty....first post back is up and I'm ready to go.  Taking a step back from spring because brrrrrrr, it was chilly today. 

One of my favorite pieces I picked up for this winter was Loft's Faux Fur Neck Warmer.  I'd been seeing lots faux fur neck things...but this one really spoke to me - from an aesthetic perspective and a price point perspective.  Love it when you get the balance!  The Faux Fur was originally $39, but I'm pretty sure I paid closer to $25-30, because I got it when they were doing 30 or 40% off.  And let's be real - I don't often purchase full-price at Loft because they run so many specials. 

I think the reason I really love this piece is because it works so well with so many of my simple pieces.  As I've been away from blogging, I feel like I have continued to refine my style and for me, simple is best and classic rules.  Not boring (I hope) but it just works for me.

But that simplicity gives me a fantastic background for specific outstanding pieces - like a great necklace, massive cashmere scarf, fun shoes...or totally luscious faux fur neck warmer. 

First outing - our annual Christmas party.  Each year, we have a family Christmas party for...well, it seems like the neighborhood.  Huge party.  Adults & kids.  Lots of fun.  I get to dress up however I want because...well, it's my party.  That's what's great about being the hostess.  And then hubby wears jeans to balance it out so everyone's good. 

I first wore the fur with the J Crew wool shift dress that the lovely dinagideon passed on to me because the waist just hit her so weirdly.  It's been a perfect dress for me.  It fit before I lost the weight and it fits now.  And the fur was just the perfect touch to update it for this year.  Did it even matter what shoes I was wearing?  No, not really.  Only caveat is that this is definitely a hair-up accessory, IMO.

We're going to a Brewer's Ball in a couple weeks, and I'll likely be wearing the same outfit because guess what....the fur is cozy.  Shocker, I know.  And for someone like me who is always cold, that's a definite bonus, especially with sleeveless!

Its next outing was for a Gift Exchange Brunch, where I paired it with my ubiquitous JC cream cashmere long sleeve tee, the Loft gold brocade skirt I picked up for a song this fall, tights, and boots.  Perfect for the brunch.  And nice and warm.  I love the texture of the fur with the shine of the skirt.

And as my friend Kim pointed out, the fur actually works as a nice diet tool.  You don't want to overeat or load up your cracker, chip, or whatever when you might be worried about (ewwwww) food falling onto the fur.  Had not thought of it that way, but yes, she had a point.

The only downside of this piece is that I didn't wear it as much as I had thought I would in daily use.  But that may well have been related to the whole popped ligament/cast thing.  With all that going on, I think I overly clung to my massive BR cashmere scarf as a security blanket and just didn't "feel it" with the fur neck warmer.  It's only the beginning of March, so I'm sure we'll have some weather for it before spring arrives for good.

Christmas Party Outfit:

Christmas Party-12/18/10 by HeidiGblog on Polyvore.com

Ann Taylor LOFT faux fur vest, $39
J Crew high heels, $70
Ippolita drop earring, $695
SEPHORA by OPI 212-Sephora Nail Colour 212-Sephora, $9
J Crew shift dress
ROUGE COCO - Rossetti - CHANEL Maquillage
Flirty Pigtails & Ponytails

Gift Exchange Brunch Outfit:

12/21/10 - Brunch & Gift Exchange by HeidiGblog on Polyvore.com

J Crew cashmere crewneck sweater, $145
Ann Taylor LOFT faux fur vest, $39
Ann Taylor LOFT pleated skirt, $69
Old Navy grey tight, $9.50
Bertie low heels, 68 GBP
J crew jewelry, $75
1928 Jewelry stretch bracelet, $18

Essential Piece: The Cashmere "Sweatshirt"

Still cashmere weather today.  And oh, I was loving my cozy bed last night.  Today was one of those days where I just wanted to be in a blanket all day.  But on days like that, I often find that just making the effort to get dressed in "real" clothes helps lift my energy level.  It's too easy to just sag down in the chair with the sweats on, you know?  So a perfect day for my cashmere "sweatshirt".

Before you start yelling, yes, I realize this isn't really a sweatshirt...thus my use of quotation marks above.  What I really mean is a nice cozy and oversized cashmere sweater to wear on these kinds of days.  You *want* to be in a sweatshirt, but you feel like you want to do just a bit more.  I think I do stand up a bit straighter than if I were in sweats.  Obviously, this isn't something you want to spend a ton of cash on since hey, it's functioning as a sweatshirt.  If you've lost a lot of weight, great, you're probably set.  If you want to find one, I suggest looking at the sales and buy up a size.  It's amazing how well this one works for me.

For you JCAs, you probably recognize a J Crew Cashmere Crewneck Tee when you see one (#28763, $145 - but we know these go on sale online ALL the time).  This is a size L, so it's a size up from the JC cashmere turtle I wore and posted on yesterday.  It's also from Fall 2008, so it's a year earlier, so who knows what that means size-wise.  I love this color - was it heather blade?  Such a gorgeous green, wish we'd see more of it.  I think I got this on sale plus discount = happy with what I paid. 

The key is to keep everything else trim, but comfy.  I added a pair of black Minnies (8T) because the slim bottom is important, a white crewneck perfect fit tee, some darling old Isaac Mizrahi for Target mocs (yes, they are that old and I will cry when they bite the dust), and a black ribbon pearl necklace - also from Target.  So I guess this is my J Crew/Target outfit?  Funny...the 2 stores I shop most often...huh...how about that...

So as the season wears on, keep an eye out for a cashmere "sweatshirt"...you'll love it.

Polyvore from today:

10/5/10 by HeidiGblog featuring stretch twill pants

Moving Minnies into Fall...

J Crew Minnies (#18850, $79.50). Do I really need to wax poetic about them again? Fun in the warm weather with a tee and flats or sandals. But now that the weather is getting cooler (I say ironically as we are going to have a high of 74 degrees today)...such a great fall/winter pant. Yes, they are cropped as can be on me...but that's why God invented boots. Or someone did.

I took an 8 in the Minnies, and they have worked quite well. I *did* wash them - both pairs (coal & black) last week and they bounced back just fine. I did a delicate wash with some other dark clothes (like fine gauge sweaters and tissue tees) and used Woolite - or rather Target's generic version. Then I put them in the dryer for about 5 minutes on fluff and laid flat on a drying rack. I don't think they shrank at all; they just went back to original shape. So yes, you can wash your Minnies - this may be especially good news for those of you who got the british khaki color. Also, in case you didn't read it here or elsewhere already, they are available in store in navy.

Here are a couple of my latest Minnie looks for fall.


(left) Wednesday, 10/14 - Cool day but not too cold, so still sticking the ballet flats. This sweater is one of the cuddliest I own - from Ann Taylor Holiday 2007. It's just like a big hug. Pairing it with a more fitted tee and the black skinny Minnies helps manage the bulk.



10/14/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

(middle 2 pics) Thursday, 10/15 - Cold & rainy (the start of the weekend deluge...) All I can tell you is that my feet stayed warm and dry all day in the Minnies & boots. So comfy! And the Minnies stayed totally tucked into the boots all day. Will be a winter staple, that's for sure. Here I have the chunky star cable popover with the coal Minnies. I have to say that I am thrilled with this outfit. You know how you try on a piece of clothing and sometimes you have an instant outfit pictured in your mind? When I first tried on the Minnies, this was the exact outfit I pictured. Hope you like it...you'll be seeing it a lot this winter. I do love the bracelet sleeves of this sweater - perfect for showing off something sparkly (just like the one in my giveaway - have you entered?), but a long sleeve tee or turtle will later perfectly underneath later when it's colder. And that's the Kate Spade purse I got at the outlet last December. I have no idea what it's name is or whether it's "real" retail or outlet only, but I love the combo of the brown leather with the dark brown patent trim. And it's lined in leopard, so it's always fun to peek inside. (and dina will probably fuss if I forget to mention the Dina hoops, so yes, I am wearing them too.)

10/15/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew


Saturday, 10/17 - Still cold, raining, etc, etc, etc.... Minnies & boots again for sure! This time, coal Minnies with black boots - plus cream cashmere long sleeve tee. Again, my toesies were warm & dry all day long, thank you very much. Kept the jewelry simple with stud earrings and a pocket watch necklace - mine is from AT Loft a couple of years ago. And yes, I'm pretty sure I had at least 3 cups of tea that day.

10/17/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Up tomorrow...Minnies for 80-degree days. Just kidding...I think it's only supposed to get to 79.

Cream for Cold Weather

I'm talking about the *color* cream, not the milk-based product - which, I think, pretty much works year-round. Cold weather always inspires me to wear these warm shades of white. They just feel cozier. Autumn definitely feels like it has arrived!

Yesterday - yep, pulled out the cashmere for the first time this season. J Crew long sleeve cashmere tee. This is my dressy version of "I feel like hanging out in a sweatshirt." So comfy, not tight (but not too baggy). It just feels good. Layered with a cami or tank of course. Is it me, or do you just assume that you will need an underlayer when wearing light colors on top? Anyway, paired with new Chico's off-the-cuff boyfriend jeans, new cap toe ballet flats, and the classic confetti necklace.

It was a good day because I am now dropped down to chiro only once a week - and hopefully soon can phase out altogether. I will say that it has truly been a lifesaver. My neck and shoulders are better than they have been in several years.

Oh, and that's my new haircut with 2 inches lopped off the bottom. Love love love it. Do you like getting your hair trimmed? Not to go to Britney extremes, but I love the feeling of getting a good chunk hacked off at the ends. And of course, the beauty of hair is that it grows...so if you don't like it, just wait a bit for it to grow out.

Polyvore for yesterday:

9/30/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Today, again, a nice good chill in the air, so I pulled out a new BR tee that I got yesterday (on sale for $19 in store). Love the gray and white stripes. Look at the way cute gathered cuff (below) - it's brilliant because you get plenty of length in the sleeves but it's not so long that it will drop in your soup. Fab! I definitely anticipate layering it with many sweaters this fall and winter.

And I've layered it with my BR cream sweater jacket from a couple of years ago. I love this sweater - the 60's-ish styling always makes me feel chic. The jacket is hard to photograph well, though. I love it in person, but the pics never turn out that great. And to finish out the outfit, since the tee is nice and long, I wore my gray Minnies and then added black ballet flats. Fun, comfy, and I felt great in it.

Polyvore for today (not the greatest since I had to sub both tops):

10/1/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Weekend Wears

Saturday - Soccer Game and Assorted Errands. Crazy morning with the rain and the bright glare. How can you not feel like a total idiot wearing sunglasses while sitting under an umbrella? I mean, clearly it's not a parasol...

Wearing Today - 05/02/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Lilly Pulitzer jeans

The earrings are actually these at right, which were made from my grandfather's cuff links (those are his initials, ENH). My dad had it done after he passed away, 1 pair of earrings for me, and 1 pair for my sister. (And now that they are online, I can clip them for Polyvore, yay.) They are truly unique and bring back memories when I wear them. I thought it was such a creative idea.
No IRL pic since, I just never got to it, and oh yeah, you've seen the outfit, but it did look fantastic with the fireball necklace doesn't everything?...which I wore all day on Sunday, too, but more on that below.

Remember this Polyvore set? Well, that's what I actually wore on Saturday night when we had friends over for dinner.

To Be Worn - 05/01/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Old Navy tank tops

I definitely needed to change before guests since my jeans knee was still muddy from the spill on the wet grassy hill at soccer and it was getting warmer, so I shed the sweater and wait, I had the perfect outfit that I hadn't even worn yet. Yay!! The tags are officially off the J Crew beaded shore tunic and it is in rotation. I like it with the jeans, but I also really want to try with some light khaki pants.

The rain ended up stopping (a pleasant surprise) and it cleared up enough to hang out in the backyard and roast marshmallows. Of course, it was a little less fun after E got second degree burns on her lips for a rogue roasted marshmallow, but several cold wet compresses, 2 calls to the nurses line, and some ibuprofen, and she was ok. Because she is doing ok, it's kind of a funny story. (Although not nearly as hilarious at KatyO's face plant on the bathroom floor story here. If you don't read her blog, you should because she's really funny and so lovely.) The doctor called to check in on E again this morning. (Thank you, Dr. Granger!) You should have seen the email I sent to her teacher this morning. Best Mom Ever Award, here I come. Maybe I'll get an invitation from that Long Island Moms groups that gave Dina Lohan an award.

So here's today's Polyvore set:

Wearing Today - 5/3/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Forzieri earrings

It was positively pouring this morning before church. Lots of motivation to sit at home in sweats. But 1st Sunday of the month, and my turn to be a Lector, so off we went. And surprisingly, Emma was good to go and happy, so the kiddies came too! Later, sitting in church and looking out the window, I decided that the rain was a blessing. Everything is so green outside and it was 60 degrees and raining, not 40 degrees and raining. Big, large, huge difference. So I'll take that.

But it was definitely a good day to pull out the spring-colored cashmere. Navy cashmere femme sweater with white jeans - which i have been dying to pair it with since I got that sweater. And the fireball necklace, of course, with the Dina hoops. I wanted to wear the Joley flats with this, and they would have been so fab, but it was just too wet and I'm too wimpy. So brushed gold Target flats it was. But I did pull out the fab J Crew umbrella, of course.

After church, swapping tops/bottoms for a little more warmth, because I believe we have established that I am a wimp and always cold. Bad combination. So swapped out the navy sweater for the green cashmere long sleeve tee (Polyvore doesn't have the right color) and then dark jeans because it was so rainy and muddy and I'm not always that stupid....and then a big comfy pair of gray fleece socks. But of course, fireball necklace & Dina hoops stayed on so I had a little sparkle. It's not the most fabulous outfit, but it beats crummy old sweats.

Did I mention my 2 hour nap on Sunday afternoon? That may have been the best part of the day. Thank you, hubby! It's 9:00 pm, all the homework is done, kids are asleep, life is good. Ok, I think I am ready to face the week. Hope you all have a good start on your week tomorrow!!