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