Warm as Toast

 
On really cold days, I wear a lot of layers. I don’t just mean a sweater over a blouse over a camisole. I mean Sweater Over Dress Over Blouse Over Pants.

 
 
 
 
It starts like this.
It starts like this
Teal patent leather bag is more versatile than you might imagine

 
And ends like this
Warm as toast!
 
 
 
 
And ends like this.

I really like the look of a dress over pants — which, for me, was borne of necessity. So many cute dresses out there, but over the last five years the skirts have been so short. Ludicrously short. Sometimes an easy fix is available: the hem is generous enough to be let down. But when it is not . . . we must contrive! The key to dress-over-pants is that the pants have to be very straight and fitted, particularly through the waist, hips, thigh and knee. I leave the calf and ankle to your discretion, but I prefer them straight. Ideally the pants are made of lightweight fabric with some structure to it (i.e., twill and not jersey), unlined and pocket-free to reduce bulk. (Remember: Pockets can be removed.) The pants I am wearing here are several seasons old, but I have found that JCrew’s Campbell pants (made in cotton and wool, depending on the season) are perfect for this purpose.

Ideal pants
Ideal pants
This dress is so charming
This dress is so charming: wool flannel, color-blocking, pockets!

Surely you can understand why I had to make this work
Surely you can understand why I had to make this work

 
If I have files to carry, this teal bag does the trick. But if I am relatively unencumbered, an Orla Kiely bag adds a graphic punch.
 
Big bag
Large bag looking small
Little bag.
Small bag looking big

 
The cat wanders into the picture
The cat wanders into the picture
She has been warned that trespassers will be cuddled to the full extent of the law
She has been warned that trespassers will be cuddled to the full extent of the law
Losing my grip . . .
But she has learned that resistance is clearly not futile

Dress: Shoshanna; Pants: JCrew; Blouse: JCrew; Sweater: Magaschoni; Teal bag: Rafe NY; Black bag: Orla Kiely; Shoes: Taryn Rose

3 thoughts on “Warm as Toast”

  1. Nice! I walk to my job at Harvard Business School, so it’s a real challenge to create work-appropriate outfits that can withstand a 1.5 mile walk in Boston’s current clime.

    Have you ever shopped from Woolovers? I won’t link in case that ends me up in your spam folder. But they’re a British company that makes sweaters and only sweaters. Very simple, classic designs in basic colors for a good price, all natural fibers.

    Reply

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