Chopping and Chomping

buffalo plaid coat, red flippy skirt, over the knee suede boots

buffalo plaid coat, red flippy skirt, over the knee suede boots

buffalo plaid coat, red flippy skirt, over the knee suede boots

buffalo plaid coat, red flippy skirt, over the knee suede boots

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know I chopped a few inches off my hair last week. If you don’t follow me on Instragram, SURPRISE! I chopped a few inches off my hair last week. I also switched up my bangs, but I’ll save that reveal for tomorrow. I have to give you some reason to come back, and something as exciting as my bangs will surely have you chomping at the bit.

(Tangent: I’ve always wondered whether “champing” or “chomping” is the correct word in this saying, and I found this article that explains why both are correct. Interesting trivia if you’re a word/grammar nerd like me I!)

(Second tangent: Today is the last day to enter to win a $25 gift card to Mint Julep Boutique! So stop procrastinating.)

Coat (on sale) // Skirt // Shirt (only $12!)// similar Necklace (on sale) // Bag // Boots (on sale) // Lips “Romantic”

Cold Weather Equation

There are quite a few outfits I’ve worn this month that I didn’t get to photograph. I have this funny quirk where I don’t like to die of frostbite. I noticed an interesting pattern though – the outfits I wore on the most brutally cold days all followed the same equation: dress + jacket + boots. It might seem strange to choose a dress over pants in sub-zero temps, but it’s all about my winter lynchpin: fleece tights. They’re basically the best thing ever, and they’re warmer than any pants I have. When I wear a dress and boots, I can wear fleece tights plus an extra layer of socks. Then I hide a long sleeve tee under my dress, and it all gets covered by the jacket. So basically I’m a mathematical genius and my dress + jacket + boots is going to change the world and they’ll make an Oscar-winning movie about my life (I will be played by January Jones because it’s a rule that you get to be hotter in your biopic).

Here are recreations of those 3 outfits taken safely from the warmth of my closet floor (magical tights and various accessories not pictured)…

winter outfit ideas, dress blazer boots, midwest style blog

similar Dress // similar Jacket* // similar Scarf // similar Boots // Bag

winter outfit ideas, dress blazer boots, midwest style blog

similar Dress // similar Jacket // similar Boots // Bag

winter outfit ideas, dress blazer boots, midwest style blog

similar Dress* // similar Jacket // similar Boots // Bag

See these pieces in action in (much) warmer weather. It’s the Real Life Remix:

equationcollage

*Jacket 1 and dress 3 purchased with gift card provided courtesy of H&M.