Monday Musings: What I Really Wore Last Week
Happy Monday, ladies. Our weekend was packed with activities, and the season has just begun. This Monday, I’ve decided to get a bit more personal. I style lots of outfits for you on the blog that are not my style, so today, I thought I’d share my week with you and what I really wore.
It may seem hard to believe, but I don’t buy a lot of new clothes, so the outfits I wear will include many items that have sold out, but I’ll do my best to find similar items.
Our temps dipped on Monday, so I layered my faux fur vest over a cashmere sweater with jeans and booties. I basically ran errands all day, then we grabbed dinner out where we could watch the world series. I’m not a huge sports fan (unless my grandson is playing), but I do like playoffs in most sports. My cashmere sweater is as old as the hills from Everlane. Here’s one in a similar taupe color (and 12 other colors) that’s currently marked way down.
My vest is from last year, but I assume it was a best-seller because Chico’s has brought it back this year. I love how luxe it feels. My booties are also from last year and are back in stock too. Their low, block heel is easy on my feet, and I like how the browns bookend this outfit. These Mother high-waist black jeans have straight legs and are super comfy with lots of stretch. I picked up this necklace in a small boutique in Port Townsend many years ago, and wearing it reminds me of the fun trip we were on. I need to find a better way to display necklaces because I keep forgetting what I have! Statement necklaces may be “out,” but that won’t stop me from enjoying mine.
Tuesday was even cooler, and I spent a very long day in the dentist’s chair. I have several crowns that need replacing, and this was just the first of many. Remember when I said I wasn’t going to be wearing the retro sneaker trend this fall? Ha! I found a comfy pair and am really enjoying them. My cashmere sweater is from an outlet mall last year, similar color here, and the faux leather pants are new. These have a straight leg and are full length with a 28″ inseam. My scarf is a very lightweight, tissue wool and cashmere blend. I have several of these which I find endlessly useful all fall and winter.
Thursday, I wore another cashmere sweater (seeing a pattern here?), wide-leg knit pants, and a denim jacket. I bought these pants in petite last year, (same fabric, narrower leg) and they are on the very cusp of being too short, but I love them anyway because at least they’re not cropped. I am ready for pants to go full length again because they keep my ankles warm and help make my legs look longer. My shoes are ancient and super comfy, similar here.
The denim jacket is an all time fav that is sold out but there are lots available that look the same. I wore two Freshwater Pearl Baroque Lariat Necklaces, I layered. I love how versatile lariats are because you can wrap them in multiple ways. One of these is gray pearls, and one is white. You’ll be seeing me wear these a lot in the upcoming season.
Friday was coffee and shopping with a friend. She warned me it was going to be cold to sit outside at Pete’s to people-watch and chat, so I grabbed my fedora, fingerless cashmere gloves, and my prized Meiko Metz vest. This vest is a handmade beauty I was sent to share with my readers when I worked for Artful Home. Similar here. I could not love this vest more, so I wear it sparingly, which, as I think about it, is the exact opposite of what I should do!
Saturday was drizzly and cool. We spent most of the day at home then went to friends’ house for dinner and to watch the baseball game. I wore double denim, retro sneakers, a thin puffer vest and my Jennifer pearl necklace. Here’s the story of my my Jennifer necklace. Pearls and denim are always right in my book, especially modern ones.
I’ve had the burgundy bucket bag for many years and love it’s unique shape. I can’t find one with the weaving but this one is a similar shape and color. These barely boot jeans are one of my favorite shapes from Talbots. I now have them in mid wash blue and black. My vest is from last year, this year the colors are here.
I wanted to remind you that you can save 15% off everything at the Freshwater Pearl Company website with the code AWSL at checkout. He’s also running a special buy two, get the third for 50% off. You can’t combine these discounts but either is a great way to get some goodies for the holidays to give or wear yourself.
So, here’s what I really wore last week. Do you prefer to see me styling new clothes or did you find this interesting?
Thanks for reading, and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident.
I truly enjoyed this post! I do enjoy you sharing whatās new in the stores but seeing what you actually wore was enlightening. I do seem to fall back to whatās comfortable, but like to add a few new seasonal items.
Keep sharing!
Fun to see your real week, what you wore for various activities! I sympathize re. your Wednesday dental appointment (I have numerous implants for cracked molars) and I think you looked awfully together and chipper for a long day of dental work!
Despite your wishing to have longer legs, you wear misses sizing easily, I think. I am 5’1″ with a slightly long lower torso, so misses pants generally fit better than petites: I have to shorten a lot of pants! I also have short arms, even for a petite: so I have to shorten all sleeves, except for a few Chico’s garments: they wisely offer 3/4 or bracelet length sleeves on many items. I also have to shorten ALL tops, petite or otherwise, unless I purchase a misses cropped style! Being short, fitted tops do not enhance my shape when they reach full hip or low hip. I also require additional arch support in all shoes, have a bunion, high instep and narrow heel, making it a ton of work to find attractive, comfortable shoes (not yucky Euro comfort shoes with unattractive embellishments and earthy colors ;-}. It isn’t fun having to wear Oxfords with custom orthotics when everyone else wears loafers and ballet flats…
This is not meant as a complaint. I mean to highlight the everyday difficulty of many women shoppers. It is a ton of effort to have a nice wardrobe, particularly because we are an hour from a shopping mall, so a lot of my shopping is online.
I hear you about the shoes!! Itās such a tough struggle. Alterations may be a pain for garments but the result is really worth it.
I also really enjoy both. & DITTO to the previous comment: ‘I like both yours and others style
Whatever you style makes me look differently at clothes I own. So thank you!’
Hope I win the Nordstrom gift card, as I LOVE their styles!!
I agree. I love being inspired to use my clothes in fresh new ways.
Thank you for the printable travel wardrobe organizer. It will come in handy for my upcoming river cruise. I’m going to print out 2 and label them day and night.
Have fun!! We loved of Riverboat Cruise.
Yeah today my ipad will let me comment!
The wide leg pants are something I am toying with and have the same problem, barely long enough. It is interesting to see what you wear in real life as I am same body type but short waisted and long legs. I really liked the wide leg pants on you!
I love the wider leg silhouette too. Iām on a hunt for full length ones and Iāll just have to commit to hemming then.
Love, love, love your personal style, I also would love to see more posts like this, Loved all the outfits but your Friday outfit was amazing!!!
So glad you liked this!
Great blog….love your style……finally chilly weather, I’m taking out my cashmere sweaters , ready to enjoy them…..your styling is inspiring me to relook at what I already own, and rethink how to style in a fresh way
All such great outfits! Thanks for sharing them! Great taste every day.
All such great outfits! Thanks for sharing them!
The outfit with the VEST and the Fedora!! Sweet Mercy that is utterly, completely FANTASTIC!!
Really. Enjoyed todayās post!
Fun post! Boy o boy am I with you on wanting full length pants!! I’m tall and the shorter length bugs me because it seems like I couldn’t find long enough pants! And I agree, the shorter length makes our legs look shorter too. WHY would anyone want to do that!? Also, love the fedora on you.
Love seeing what you wear and also love the new styles. I’m with you on only watching playoffs in sports. I never really follow the season for baseball but always watch the world series. It is snowing heavily right now in Spokane. Not looking forward to shoveling! Oh and forgot to tell you that I love pearls also. I too wear them with everything.
Iām jumping on the bandwagon and hoping that āWhat I Actually Woreā becomes a regular feature! I also enjoy your Dressing Room Diaries and other posts as well. Your blog is a definite favorite as you write and dress for real women of a certain age that live real lives! Thanks for all you do for us.
I do this all because you ladies are the best! Thanks for being here, Barb.
Hi!
Iām afraid that I agree with the others.
I look forward to your posts and enjoy both what you wear and your stylings.
Keep doing what you are doing!
You are a winner!
Love your post today, but I agree with the others. I like seeing the other styles as well. It is obvious to us that you are an experienced shopper and we appreciate your help!
Oh my goodness Jennifer, wonderful post today as always! Love it all, those Pearl earrings, wow!
Interested in the question about scarves and busts!
Thank you Jennifer for inspiring me every morning g with my coffee.
Except for my wedding pearls which I leave draped over a cloth basket on the vanity, the rest of my necklaces a hang. In my bedroom I have an old expandable coffee mug holder (remember those that opened to show diamond shaped openings with small rungs sticking out to hold mugs?) hung behind the door. I hand necklaces from the rungs and I can/do drape scarves over them, as well. In the bathroom I have a woven wire shelf with curved pegs hanging from it (it looks like from an old train car) and I hang other necklaces from it. My necklaces are always visible and I do tend to wear them and vary them by having the very visual reminder of their existence.
I like seeing what you really wore. I, too, look forward to the return of full length pants. Women love their crop pants, however, and we will have to wrestle those crops away.
The Artful vest makes you look tall.
I like all your posts but what you actually wear is the most inspiring!
Jennifer, Iām new your site and I am so happy I found you. Enjoying your selections and like reading questions and from the other ladies. I too, would like to know more about using a scarf.
Iām larger on top and have always felt a scarf made me look bustier. Suggestion?
I think short, colorful scarves draw the eye up to your face and are flattering. Long or bulky scarves that hang over the bust do accentuate it.
We recently visited Port Townsend and I could not believe when I used the “knit stores near me” device on my phone that there were two knit stores in the town!! I love your necklace – should have done more shopping there!
I do like to see the outfits you put together for all of us but its so fun to see what you wear everyday. Your Meiko Metz vest is stunning- WEAR IT! š Thank you for wearing and sharing your styling with hats – I only own 2 and dont wear them often because they just don’t look good. Perhaps a blog on how to chose a hat based on your face’s shape? Or is that the correct way to choose a hat??
I loved this post! I always love your posts, but this time it felt like I was seeing your own true style. That was really fun. I really enjoyed the use of unique pieces and accessorizing. The post gave me ideas how I can use items I already have in my wardrobe.
Loved this post! I like seeing whatās out there in the shops too, but I loved seeing how you dress. I too am an inverted triangle but more busty and more tummy. But Iām not an apple. The picture of you in the beautiful sweater and scarf is how Iād dress everyday, but with jeans and cute sneakers. In your opinion, does a scarf hurt or help a bust?
I really enjoyed seeing you in your own clothes, but realize that you have to show what is out there for the season, and new styles. I too have things that get tucked away, and then when they come out to play, they are like a new item. I love cashmere also, and when I find one in that perfect colour, well, it might have to come home with me. When I read that pearls are one of the wonderful jewellery items that work so well for Summers, I thought of you, and nodded my head, because I am always attracted to them in unusual styles. Can never have enough of gorgeous pearls. Do keep adding a post like this ( maybe Monday Musings) to show us your lovely personal stylings.
I love seeing what you actually wear. Although, Iām always inspired by all your posts.
Thos post was great and I really enjoy seeing the “real Jennifer”. But I love your other postings as well. Since I have lost weight you and I are of similar size and shape so I claim you as my style guru! I have zero fashion sense so I depend on you to save me from myself. Also, thank you for the Travel Wardrobe Planner. I am going to Scotland in cold, wet February and always do just carry-on. Any tips?
Hi, Jennifer–
This was great! I loved seeing all these items from your real closet and how you’ve combined them. But I also like seeing current items from retailers, too. Selfishly, that’s because my neck of the woods doesn’t have many of those stores and it helps me get a truer idea of style, fit (especially for someone of similar dimensions) of available items. So for me, you are providing a real service.