Too cold OOTD (featuring my deer print coat) and how I'm trying to stay active this winter

That hasn't been true this week but last week it was too cold to take outfit photos. Still I tried... and although I removed my hat and scarf, I tried and quickly decided not to take off my coat. I don't think I've blogged it before so that's a good excuse. It's very warm and from the end of season clearance sale last year. The closest they offered this year was the Windermere Coat. Though I do like the Duffle. By the time I bought my down filled padded parka from Boden, it was more than 75% off so I'd keep waiting for bigger discounts if I was in the market for a new coat. I do love the deer print and Emilia has a deer print coat from baby gap to semi match!

Details:
Boden deer print padded parka
See by Chloe dress (blogged here also)
Tory Burch flats
Spanx tights

In a lot of ways the weather fluctuations have made it difficult to stay active this pregnancy. To be fair, this is the first time I have been pregnant during winter. And it's my first time navigating the challenges of being a pregnant mom. I'm short on "me time" to go to the gym and out of necessity, I tend to put self care at the bottom of my list of things "to do." That's why I so appreciate at-home, indoor-friendly workout solutions.

I recently was sent this Adjustable 4-Way Resistance Band from TKO. TKO used to be a boxing equipment company but has branched out into the broader fitness market. This Resistance Band is inexpensive and packs easily into my bag for long on-campus days when I'm stuck indoors. It also is easy to store when I'm not using it. I appreciate its lightness and ease of use. I can do a quick arm set no matter what I'm wearing. Although I love my trusty old free weights they have been collecting dust under my bed since I got the bands. Thank you, TKO for helping make easy portable workout equipment for folks like me and for providing me with this sample to review!

Keeping Warm

This is the tenth winter that Chris and I have spent together as partners. His February birthday gives me the convenience of shopping post-holiday sales because in Pittsburgh there's always enough winter left after February. He'll make use of warm layering pieces, men's jackets and other cold weather gear. At this point, his coat collection rivals mine. I think this Paul Smith number is my favorite.

I've been browsing men's coats and jackets on Jacamo and other sites to see if anything could fill a hole in his wardrobe. But he's pretty discerning and at this point I prefer for him to give me guidance. He picked out the Rag and Bone sweater I already purchased. It's been challenging holding onto it until February because I know he really wants it.

OMG I can button my coat! (well, one of them)

Late last winter when Pittsburgh's Saks Fifth Avenue turned their closing sale into a company consolidation sale, it was bittersweet. Consumers reaped the discounted benefits of brands and merchandise that would have otherwise never been offered in our local store. And I certainly took advantage of the deals. But soon after, I planned and was successful in becoming pregnant, leaving  some of the pieces I purchased during the final sale days still unworn.

But one specific purchase has become a non-maternity maternity superstar, proving to be even more useful than I could have imagined! My Burberry Brit coat is warm and comfortable with an easy, relaxed shape. Somehow, even at 35 weeks it still buttons! I am so glad because the weather has taken a turn for the very cold and although I usually feel like a human oven, I to have a coat for when the temperatures dip into the 30s.

I wore this yesterday to campus and then to a late night dinner date with Chris. It kept me warm and relatively dry through the ongoing rain. Although I didn't pick it intending to have a versatile non-maternity outerwear option for maternity times, it has become just that. And with only five weeks left, I'm so glad I don't have to buy anything else for my temporary wardrobe. Thank goodness for the inverse pleat in the back that enables both its tent shape when I'm not pregnant and its flexibility to fit my belly in my current state!

**As an aside, my mom who reads here and on Consuming Parenthood has implored me to remove the clutter from my mirror photos and ... I promise would if I could. For these shots, I am in what will be the nursery and it is currently bursting with the incredible generosity of our families and friends who showered us with so many gifts. Until we set up the crib (hopefully this weekend) and finish removing the other pieces of furniture that are in there, the organization process is stalled. So please excuse the clutter and mess! Sometimes life in anticipation of great change gets especially cluttered and messy. And that's ok. Also, hi mom! :) 

Craving colorful or printed spring coats

Although I haven't been buying much lately, I have been on the hunt for a colorful or printed sprint jacket to wear with casual, transitional pieces. My current rotation of spring weight coats are black and khaki. It would be fun to have a statement piece or even something casual to wear that can top an ensemble but brighten it up. My cold weather coats are such favorites that this time of year feels inevitably bittersweet. Putting them away for many months might be less of a bummer with brighter, more fun lightweight toppers. I like the above plus size ladies coats from affordable UK plus retailer, JD Williams. But they do not ship to the US. I will be keeping my eyes peeled for similar US bargains in the coming weeks. Where did you get your favorite spring jacket? 

Nothing can change the shape of things...

I wore this dress to campus on my long day. By the end of the long day I feel so spent and can barely put together coherent sentences. Although it made sense to schedule myself in a condensed manner when I was planning for spring I look forward to having my Thursdays back in a few weeks.

Although it is again cold enough for tights, there were a few days prior to my trip to San Diego when I went bare legged. I sort of wish I had worn nude pantyhose now that I look at these shots. Speaking of, I still need to give away some Hanes sheers to readers. I did not forget. I am just behind. Because of how busy things are as the semester wraps up, I plan to bundle them into a bigger five year blogiversary giveaway (for the end of April). I thought I'd only been blogging for four years but then I checked my archives and in fact it has been five. Wow!

Outfit notes:
Kate Spade Violetta Dress (similar stripey KS shirtdress here; budget similar with stripes here)
Anthropologie belt (similar here) and Two Paths trench coat (similar here and here)
Marc by Marc Jacobs pumps (similar here and here)
Kate Spade make up bag clutch (current season version here)
Target bracelet, Betsey Johnson watch, and Redraven studios necklace (which is tucked behind my collar in these shots, sadly)

In like a lamb...

I am not a fan of this very early spring weather. My distrust likely makes me sound joyless to some. But my love for cold weather has been documented extensively. Although this early spring with its unseasonably warm weather and already-bloomed crocuses might be welcomed by a vocal majority, it just makes me nervous about bugs, crop problems, and the insufferably hot summer that await us. March came in like a lamb and that is not my preference.

Cynthia agrees and is located further south than me. I worry about this lamblike early March, and the fairly lamblike February especially because my very old, radiator-heated home lacks central air conditioning. It doesn't even have the ducts necessary to install such a thing. And its older slidey windows mean that finding energy-efficient window a/c units becomes even more costly. The other thing I dislike about window a/c units is the effective loss of the practical use of that window for the rest of the season. Already, I see people in sandals and shorts and sundresses with bare legs and while they look adorable and everyone is smiling, something about it just feels wrong. The Pittsburgh and SWPA of my childhood had snow regularly into April. This year there was barely any snow at all. Good for my commute. But bad for my sense of seasonal equilibrium.

Outfit details (worn on a colder day):

MBMJ coat

Silk skull scarf from ebay tied with the coat scarf ties (McQueen or not McQueen)

Tory Burch Revas
Kors watch and misc bamboo enamel bracelets (though mine were cheaper and from Target)

If it was socially acceptable...

Sweater dress from Bluefly (similar here, here, and here)

Missoni for Target tights

Aquatalia boots (zip version here)

Kate Spade tote (this season's equiv: here, here, and on sale here)

MBMJ jacket

(If money was no object) I would swath myself in cashmere knits on every chilly day. And not just cashmere sweater dresses like the one above. If the price was right I would totally buy some lounging pants and a zip hoodie. I'd wear a soft, drapey swobe. As I get older I notice that when I'm relaxing at home or in recovery mode I just want to be comfortable. And when I wore the above outfit to campus, I chose it because I was recovering from the flu. A 24 hour bug hit me like a ton of bricks over the weekend. My immune system is usually pretty strong. I don't get sick that often. And this is a good thing.

Although there are many benefits to working as a professor, I rarely find myself willing to cancel committee meetings, classes, or (as was the case on this day) interviews unless I am so ill I cannot move. If I can get out of bed, if I have (enough of) a voice, if I am not grossly contagious, and if I can drive to campus without putting anyone in danger, I will usually power through. I was feeling pretty exhausted on this day, as I was still in recovery mode. I was confident that I wouldn't be getting anyone else ill. I kept a safe distance, used a lot of anti-bacterial gel, and opened windows to ventilate when I was in closed quarters. I simply could not reschedule my agenda for that day. So I needed to be comfortable but look passably professional. I think it worked out well enough.

Don't forget to enter the Redraven Studios giveaway! You have until tonight.

Recent "Outer-wares"

Sometimes I photograph my complete cold weather ensembles because I am such a sucker for a good coat. Despite my archival efforts, I don't always share the visual results on the blog. I tend to wear coats in rotations because they vary in weight and suit different patterns of weather. Some of my boldest coats don't transition across a range of outfits easily. I've noticed that those ones end up being worn less overall. But once I've pulled something and grabbed gloves and scarves to match, my laziness takes over and it becomes the default outerwear for a week or longer.

For Valentine's Day I remembered to wear this Zara coat from 2007.

The bright red can be a tough match because my wardrobe relies heavily on vibrant prints. But I managed to wear it quite a bit.

This week I've been wearing my black and ivory MBMJ coat from 2008 (bought on ebay in 2009-10).

On the coldest weeks I've relied on this old staple which is my warmest coat.

It is another Marc by Marc Jacobs coat but from 2005ish? I bought it in 2007 (also from ebay).

Lastly, I've been wearing my new Burberry coat which photographed kind of poorly but I think is pretty darn cool.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live in a place where such an arsenal is unnecessary. But I am glad for the seasonal variety because of my love for coats!

Snowy Shopping OOTD

See by Chloe coat and dress

Missoni scarf

Aquatalia boots

Spanx tights

I headed to the Pittsburgh Saks liquidation yesterday before going to the grocery store to grab the components needed for dinner. This is what I wore. For curious Pittsburgh shoppers/readers, I'll have an update about the sale tomorrow.

Valentine's Day is approaching and I need to decide if I want to be a ham and wear red or not. I am leaning toward being festive. Chris and I don't really celebrate but as the daughter of a schoolteacher, I tend to enjoy dressing the part for holidays. What about you? Will you be wearing red or pink on Tuesday?

What I bought from the Saks Clearance

Burberry coat

As I've already mentioned, it's pretty bittersweet to be losing the local Saks Fifth Avenue. With the consolidation stock they received, it makes the browsing experience even more fun than usual because there are have brands not typically carried in Pittsburgh. But the knowledge that the store will soon be gone for good is a bummer.

When I visited last weekend I wasn't sure that I would purchase anything. I went to handbags first and found a smooshy gray Rocco bag that tempted me. I even carried it around for a while to figure out if I could manage its infamous heft. Those iconic studs are some serious hardware! Ultimately I put it back. I have plenty of bags so I've become very sensible about impulse purchases (even when things are 65% off!). This is especially important because everything at the Pittsburgh Saks is now final sale.

They are honoring the original return policy for merchandise purchased before the clearance began. And because Anthropologie keeps releasing new colorways for the Pieced Column dress (some of which I like even better than my after Chrismas Saks Bailey 44 buy) I returned it. I read about some quality issues with the fabric and decided I could better put that gift card money to something that will be able to be worn often (lowering the cost per wear) and for years to come.

I've written about my enduring love for outerwear and every year I tend to find one coat to add to my collection. Well, last year was an exception. Although there were coats that I liked, none were the right price at the right time. When I saw the racks of Burberry for 65% off (with a gift card that would make it more than 80% off), I decided to make a purchase. 

Burberry coat

I have already worn it every day this week! 

Note: They still had a lot of the Bailey 44 dresses and they are going to keep marking things down along the way so it might be back in my possession eventually. I will also be sale stalking the Pieced Column at Anthro because I do think it is a gorgeous, fun dress and I liked how it fit me. Eventually I believe I will be able to find one for a better price than retail. Check out Carol's new reviews of the dresses on In Pursuit of Pretty Things. 

Quick ootd

MBMJ coat

J Crew button back top and cords

Anthro blazer

Stuart Weitzman studded purple suede flats
Balenciaga Day

Wore this for errands and some early holiday shopping. More pants!

Meeting Attire

See by Chloé Trail Print Dress (spring 2009)

NY&co Blazer (from Gabriel Brothers)

Spanx Tight End Tights

Steven by Steve Madden Director pumps

Necklace from Chris

When it warmed up for a few days I had another big meeting scheduled and was thrilled to have my "outerwear" be this simple blazer. It was a $10 Gabriel Brothers find that originally came from New York and Company (or maybe the Limited... I can't remember which). I paired it with this relatively toned down printed dress. I wonder if I should think about finding a few plain, solid color pieces that are reserved for times when I need to up my professorial professional ante? Skirt suits would frankly be overboard for the majority of scenarios when I need to look the part.

Bundled Up

MBMJ Coat (from winter 2007?)

Rosegold Liz booties

I wore this to go out for drinks with a girlfriend last weekend. Because I am the clumsiest I always feel nervous wearing this coat. As a result of my diligence, it has stayed pretty clean. I like it enough to feature it on its own sans outfit underneath! Although I am hopelessly addicted to outerwear I've managed to get through the bulk of the big outerwear buying season without adding any pieces to my closet. Instead I am trying to wear what I have.

Business Grunge OOTD

Alma Mater Blazer from Anthropologie
Ann Taylor LOFT top

Juicy Couture bow skirt

Spanx tights

Doc Martens

Boot socks from Kohls

Vintage Coach Satchel

Remember all those romantic 90s comedies that featured quirky female protagonists wearing sportcoat style blazers with combat boots, booties, or creepers? No? Maybe I dreamed it? Maybe it was because I was wearing my Lisa Loeb-est glasses? Regardless, I swear in films like If Lucy Fell,  Miami Rhapsody, Husbands and Wives, Reality Bites, Singles, and the like, quirky lady leads wore cognitively dissonant pairings of pieces like the above. All of them inspired my decision to wear a pretty silly outfit for yesterday's trip to Ross Park Mall.

When I was able to track down an Alma Mater blazer on sale with the extra 25% off thanks to the community over at Effortless Anthropologie, I was thrilled. I wanted the blazer for a while but knew it was an odd piece that would require odd styling.  And I knew I wasn't really dressed age, weather, or style appropriate. But I didn't care because it will almost always be the 90s in my heart. BTW I didn't mean to look so winsome in the middle photo but Chris was in the doorway groaning at my vanity (or just being impatient but wanting to leave the room without being in my photo).

Dita Lace and Purple Cranberry OOTD

Marc by Marc Jacobs Dita Lace Dress

Cece cashmere boyfriend cardigan

Spanx Tight End Tights 

Steven by Steve Madden Intyce boots

Marc by Marc Jacobs coat

Before the last class of the semester, I was excited to attend the faculty and staff holiday luncheon at my college. I decided to wear something festive for the occasion. Purple and cranberry, together at last. To be honest, I chalk the combo up to more early morning dressing. But it isn't too terribly contradictory to wear them together.

Casual Holiday Shopping OOTD

J Crew Annalise Cami

Twg cashmere cardigan

Old Navy cords

Coach captoe flats

Tibi ruffle coat

Wore this to run some errands and buy some last minute gifts. I know it isn't technically last minute but my personal available shopping days are numbered. I am nearly finished save for a few tiny odds and ends. What about you?

Conspicuously Printed OOTD

I had just worn this MBMJ paisley dress to school. But by that point I hadn't yet unearthed my thickest coats from storage. Due to plunging recent temperatures, I had to call in the warmest reserves. The only problem was, this particular Domino coat has always been a  tough match. Its unabashed, brightly-colored, semi-obnoxious "clown" print (as I've affectionately dubbed it) looks a little off with so many solid, non-neutral colors. And finding complimentary prints has proved even more difficult. Truth be told, I wear it most often plainer casual outfits comprised of black/gray tops and gray cords or denim. When I do pair it with a dress, there's no reason to reinvent the wheel. It goes so well with this other colorway of paisley that I opt not to separate the two. 

Underneath, I kept it simple. And since I had this dress taken in by my tailor, I can wear it unbelted. I did feel like a silly brand-groupie wearing a MBMJ coat, dress, and pumps all at once, but they work well enough together that it would be even sillier to fight it. I guess I could be guilty of matchy matchy, but the hues are just different enough to make it subtler, in person. I think.

Back in Black (also a PSA!)

In the spirit of less being more, I wore all black on this very chilly day. The dress is by DVF (called Bilboa). It is one of my warmest, coziest dresses. It's also simple, allowing me to view it as a blank canvas. I paired it with three gold tone necklaces, tights, and boots.

Marc by Marc Jacobs funnel neck shearling coat (from 2006ish)

DVF dress

Steven by Steve Madden Intyce boots

Burberry Scarf

Plinio Visona bag

Vintage necklaces

PSA: Clean your lens! I hadn't for ages and it made such a difference. The photo on the top left is after lens cleaning and the others are before. Oof! haha

Window Shopping for the Holidays

See by Chloe Trail Print Dress

Tibi Ruffle Coat (similar here)

Chie Mihara Lumi Flats (similar here)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Softy Max in Camo

A good friend of mine, Rachel recently moved back to Pittsburgh to get her PhD. This is very exciting because she is usually game for the sillier things, like heading down town to browse the holiday window displays at Macy's and what not. We did this about a week ago and snapped some photos in the process.

The theme this year was a commercially linked one to celebrate a book (and maybe soon-to-be movie?) re-release of Yes, Virginia: There Is a Santa Claus. But the windows themselves were cut paper dioramas that were angled interestingly (and sometimes with disorienting results). I always like to check out the holiday windows but haven't had a partner in crime with which to do it for some time. 

 

Unfortunately, for Pittsburghers Macys is probably the last remaining downtown department store to really take seriously holiday decor. While Saks includes a few tasteful holiday themed touches, their windows are usually designed with an intent to move product, rather than focus on the festive. 

(photo from the Diocese of Pittsburgh website)

But there are plenty of sites to see otherwise! Market Square and the ice skating rink at PPG Place come to mind. Then there is the huge Creche (nativity scene) at the USX Steel Tower. Supposedly this is the only creche in the world that is an authorized (to scale) replica of the one in Vatican City during the Christmas season.

And I always enjoy seeing the tree (even from afar in a parking garage) at the City County Building. I automatically begin humming Silver Bells in my head every time I spot it. Do other city dwellers seek out the holiday decorations at their favorite downtown spots?