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Monday Musings-Layering a Casual Outfit

How was your weekend? Ours was pretty uneventful. In between loads of laundry, I cleaned windows and generally putzed around. I lead such an exciting life:)

Sunday, we took a pretty boring drive but the sun was shining and the air smelled fresh so it was refreshing. I find those sorts of weekends therapeutic. The boredom makes them feel very long which in and of itself is relaxing. Here are a few things I’m musing about today:

 

Layering

Living in California means a pretty mild climate so I find layering the best way to dress. Sunday started out cool and ended up downright balmy (68). Our house ended up cooler than the outside. For our Sunday drive, I started in a chambray shirt over leggings, tucked into knee boots. I topped that with a silk/wool scarf and a long cashmere sweater.

fashion blogger Jennifer of a well styled life wearing Talbots soho leggings and cashmere duster sweater
long sweater on salesimilar chambray shirtĀ ponte leggings boots on salescarfearrings c/osunglasses

One of the things I love most about cashmere is its ability to feel cozy without overheating me.Ā  Which has it on my radar for spring.

 

Cashmere Teeleopard print cashmere tee

I’ve been eyeing cashmere tees for several months…long enough for these ones to be almost sold out. I’m not in the mood for black, but they still have my size in ivory so that’s what it will be. This leopard cashmere tee makes a great statement and would also work year-round. I quick look around shows that J.Crew has some of the prettiest colors for Spring.

What’s on your mind this week?

22 Comments

  1. Marge Schembri says:

    I am 88 years old and had to move from my home in paradise Hawaii to be close to family in California. I am always cold due to age and I really enjoyed California’s eight days of summer this last year. I find 70 degrees cold. Layering is the answer for this old lady. Today it’s a bra, a cammy, blouse, sweater and a warm heavy hoody jacket. I am look as a resident of Alaska but I am warm. šŸ˜·Marge Schembri

  2. I just had an IPL treatment on my face, and yes, Iā€™m looking pretty frightful. Iā€™m very glad to be working from home and for having to wear a mask when I go out! Itā€™s a great time to get some skincare done. Iā€™m glad my work doesnā€™t require that my picture be taken.

    1. IPL’s can be very beneficial. I had some many years ago and they were wonderful. I imagine the technology is even better now.

  3. I have only been receiving two blogs a week. Please correct this problem for me as I miss receiving them. Thank you.

    1. Hi Judy. I’m not sure why that would be. Perhaps check your spam folder?

  4. Here in South Florida, a temp of 68 feels pretty chilly to us locals. LOL

    Great ideas today for layering. Since your shirt was not long enough over your leggings to cover your “lady parts”, was your plan to keep your long sweater on at all times?

  5. I miss those long Sunday drives in CA. So many options … new towns, back roads to explore.
    I see boredom as a kind of meandering meditation and a necessary brain pause …

    Love how your casual easy outfit looks on you. Lots of different comments here on the pros and cons of cashmere. No debate for me.. I love it! Softness and comfort are essential in my clothing.
    The mixed pieces you are wearing together would not look good on me, too many color blocks.
    I need more monochromatic or column dressing. That makes it more complicated but I am slowly morphing my wardrobe to accommodate more ease in outfitting.
    The older I get the less I want to fuss with things.

  6. Your outfit would be an early fall outfit here in my part of Canada, and it’s the type of outfit I enjoy wearing. All of my days are like your weekend, except for the drives LOL. We’ve been in lockdown now since mid December, and we still have 2 months of winter left! Other then walking the dog, the only time I’m out of the house is for my weekly grocery shopping trip. Thankfully, I have a lot of winter coats, jackets, scarves and gloves, so each week I wear a different combination. Indoors, it’s usually active-wear pants with long sleeved tees and a cardigan if needed. On the upside, my complexion is better than it usually is this time of year – maybe since I’m wearing very little make-up.
    I’m dreaming of the day when I can get dressed up and actually go somewhere. Hopefully before the summer.

  7. I love the layered look but around here it’s definitely still coat weather. Looking forward to spring then we can start layering!

  8. Now this is doing casual in style. Love this look. I wish I could feel comfortable in a shirt under a sweater but the shirt always want to ride up or something, Maybe itā€™s the type of fabric I choose. I like a substantial piece of fabric. Not to fond of the thin, tissue clothing today.

  9. Once I focused on adding a few basic pieces to my wardrobe, I found how easy it was to create beautiful casual or dressy outfits. Every season, I just add a few new colors or updated styles or simple accessories to stay current. I have tried to layer a long sleeved shirt under a duster type cardigan and have struggled to make it look right or feel right. Itā€™s also a challenge to add a scarf to a buttoned up shirt. I usually grab a smooth fitting T-shirt or tank for that first layer. Then I can add a scarf or long necklace to finish the look.
    You certainly rock your featured look today. Your cashmere pieces are gorgeous!

  10. Nancy Dean says:

    Good Morning from Arizona!

    Yes, layering is a must here as well at this time of year. But since I am retired, it does make choosing my outfit every day more fun.

  11. Iā€™m not a fan of cashmere for this reason: no matter what price range I buy from less expensive to very expensive I find they pill much worse than other fabrics. I would love to love them but….just saying.

  12. Heather Wynne says:

    Hey there yā€™all and here in the mid south layering is a way of life itā€™s always cold/cool in the morning but by afternoon itā€™s warmer then itā€™s cooler b4 dark and cotton blends and cashmere sweaters are a way to manage the day and we always have to have some sun screen moisturizer love the site and l have learned so much about how to look put together

  13. The thing about cashmere that gets me is that you have to hand wash the garments, and I hate to do that! So I rarely buy cashmere items. Love how soft they are, though, and you always look lovely in cashmere, Jennifer. As for layering, that is my “go to” method of getting dressed in the morning. Wearing a pretty zip front casual sweatshirt type jacket over a shell or a structured jacket of any type over a V-necked tee works wonders for me and my figure.

  14. A lovely outfit! This is how I dressed most days while living in CA and now as Iā€™ve moved to New Jersey. Those cashmere sweaters are a staple for layering.

    I had an idea for a topic: clothing that ladies can buy in the menā€™s department. I say this because my local TJ Maxx had unbelievable cashmere sweaters for men in the best colors for $50 and they are excellent quality. They also make that gray neckline with the zipper which you never get on a womenā€™s sweater. Iā€™ve worn menā€™s sweaters, fleece jackets from REI and menā€™s loafers. They really do make better quality for the money for men.

    Buy me a coffee = brilliant! Iā€™ve often wanted to contribute because Iā€™ve enjoyed your columns for years and now I can!

    1. Absolutely I shop the menā€™s. More pockets, better quality, simple styles and the jeans fit me much better because they are cut smaller in the hip area. If I buy womenā€™s pants to fit my waist which is almost non existence now, the hips are swimming around me. Iā€™m with you. Iā€™d say 1/4 my wardrobe is jeans, sweatshirts, tees and joggers from menā€™s dept. You wonā€™t find pretty and feminine there but great casual pieces.

  15. I live in Canada, where today it will be 40F – balmy for January. Layering is a way of life since it’s cold outside but the heat is on in our homes and businesses. This means adding and shedding layers throughout the day. I love cashmere sweaters for their softness and just-right temperature control. I have several cashmere cardigans that are perfect for frosty days.

    I’m not a fan of denim shirts, but love the rest of your outfit.

    1. A ditto to Sue’s first paragraph though the temperature where I am is a tad cooler but still considered balmy …. ā˜ŗ. -Brenda-

  16. I love layering because where we are in South Carolina days start cool and do warmup also, but I am allergic to cashmere and wools. I use all kinds of cotton in layers.

    Have a great week!

  17. I can wear cashmere in Florida maybe 5 days a year!

    1. Me too. Weā€™ve had cooler winter in Southwest Florida this year so itā€™s being nice wearing long sleeves and sweaters!

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