Outfits Not Just Clothes

dress- eShakti , coatigan- Le Tote , scarf-J.Crew(similarish here ), boots-Lifestride via DSW(similar here ) For another take on Holiday Dressing, I'm going in a subtle direction with this winter-themed novelty print of bare branches and birds. Of course, let's face it, I've been far from obvious in my holiday outfitting so far this season, as seen here , here , and here . And yes, I've styled this frock in an almost identical way to my last post featuring an eShakti dress, but the white background of this shift makes it a striking choice, not only for this month, but in the winter month ahead. Speaking of shifts, this silhouette is perfect for the copious amounts of food coming my way over the next two weeks. Bring on the desserts!  I'll be taking a break from posting the rest of this year as I'll be traveling with family, and plan on spending most of next week in sweatpants and hoodies, its time to get hygge ! Here's to a

So far I've covered beauty products and socks in this year's round of gift guides, which are prefect gift categories for the coming winter. To add to that list--reading! Here are a few books from my Books Worth Reading Pinterest board, first up--poetry! James Allen Hall's "I Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well" from the CSU Poetry Center I LOVED Hall's 1st book   Now You're the Enemy , which won awards from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Lambda Literary Foundation, and the Fellowship of Southern Writers. So this is on my personal wish list to read here during the snowy days to come.  Anthology from Mason Jar Press "The Black Ladies Brunch Collective’s Poetry Anthology,  Not Without Our Laughter ,  is a collection of humorous and joyful poems, riffing on Langston Hughes’s novel  Not Without Laughter . It explores topics of family, work, love and sexuality. The women of BLBC believe, like Hughes, that even in these

dress-eShakti(similar here ), cardigan-Anthropolige(similar here ), scarf-J.Crew Factory(similarish here ), boots-Lifestride via DSW(similar here )  This dress from eShakti will be a go-to this coming winter. It's super comfortable, work-appro, has pockets, and when worn on it's own gives me frontier-nun-schmatta realness, which is NOW a thing. Paired with this oversized cozy cardi and windowpane infinity scarf I'm bringing all sorts of winter white (& black) realness to your Tuesday! Yes, things are VERY real here today. 😁#fingersnaps 

Fair Isle and Foxes! 🦊 cardigan-J.W. Anderson for Uniqlo(similar here ), pants-Uniqlo(similar here ), shirt-Old Navy(similar here ), boots-Zara(similar here )  In holidays past, my sweater game leaned toward the ironic/ugly, as seen in this post from last year . I've pivoted with this cardigan from Uniqlo, which definitely has a festive feel, but isn't overtly "holiday" and should have many more wears this coming winter.  I ran with the colors from the fair isle neckline in picking these window-pane trousers and fox-print shirt.  I will say this sweater would probably come off a bit more flattering unbuttoned with a half-tucked shirt, but I REALLY like the "geek chic" effect of being all buttoned up!   For more Holiday Dressing "ideas" check out these posts here and here . 

vest/leggings-Zara(similar here and here ), shirt-Asos(similar here ), boots-Nine West(similar here ), cuff-Vintage(similar here from Poshmark ) I love experimenting with unexpected ways to outfit for the holiday season, as seen in this post from Monday . And this androgynous take on a tuxedo fits that mandate to a T! The white, pleated bib of this shirt is doing the heavy lifting to bring out the tux vibe of this vest and black leggings combo. The boots and studded cuff give it a badass/edgy twist.  Check back next week for another installment of this year's gift guide. Part 1 & 2 here and here . And for more alternative holiday outfitting. 

Last week I highlighted some unique and affordable gift options from Rituals in this post . Today I want to feature a new take on a more traditional gift--SOCKS! Particularly, fun and functional socks instead of the boring ones your Aunt Lucy used to crookedly knit for you each year.  I've recently discovered Bombas !   "Derived from the Latin word for bumblebee. Bees live in a hive and work together to make their world a better place. They're small, but their combined actions have a big impact on the world. We like that. That's why our mantra is bee better. We knit it on the inside of every pair of Bombas as a reminder that you helped someone in need with your purchase. And a reminder that little improvements can add up to make a big difference. Socks are the #1 most requested clothing item at homeless shelters. We started Bombas to make an impact on our community here in the U.S. For every pair you purchase, we donate a pair to someone in need." So, n