An Elevated Casual Winter Classic Style Formula

Greetings! And welcome to Dressed for My Day, where I’m continuing our 2nd annual Winter Classics mini-series with an elevated casual style formula that works every time. This is a cold weather twist on a year round formula that I wear on repeat. Let’s break it down!

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Here’s How This Works

Through February (the series started in December with this post), I’m sharing a series of modern winter outfits that are very classic in composition, coloring and garment selection. I’ll be creating outfits strictly from the items in my closet as inspiration. Yes, I’m still sharing new fashions here and there during this time, but The Winter Classics posts give you outfit inspiration for which you can just “shop your closet.” I am linking to items that are available and substitutes for those that are not. But I also hope you get plenty of inspiration to work with what’s in your wardrobe already.

And because these are outfit inspiration posts more than they are shopping posts, I’m trying to provide plenty of style analysis, too. We’re looking at these outfits from all the angles! You can find all the Winter Classics posts (from this year and last year) here.

Jeans + Sweater + Blazer + Booties

Now that I think about it, I wore this same winter style formula to church yesterday. What’s a style formula? A style formula is simply a combination of types of garments that you wear together to achieve similar results but with different pieces of clothing each time. Today’s elevated casual style formula is a winter twist on the classic style formula of Jeans + Top + Blazer + Shoes. For winter I’ve adapted this bare bones formula to (full length) Jeans + Sweater + Blazer + Booties.

The first year I lived in Cincinnati, after moving here from the warmth of Arizona, I struggled to wear my beloved blazers in the winter. I basically put them away for the coldest months of the year. But I love, love, love wearing a blazer with jeans. So I’ve learned that I can indeed still wear this classic style formula with a few tweaks.

Now instead of wearing a tee or shirt under my blazer, I simply layer on a camisole with a warm cashmere sweater (similar) underneath. I’ve found that cashmere sweaters work best with blazers because, while very warm, they are usually thinner than my other sweaters. So if you can’t wear cashmere, just look for thinner sweaters in other compositions.

Another key to this winter classic style formula is purchasing blazers that fit nicely but are also roomy enough for layering underneath. Thin layers worn close to the body really are the key to staying warm in the winter. So if your blazers leave you room for multiple layers, at least in the torso, you’ll be able to wear them year-round.

On this day I chose to keep the contrast in intensity in my outfit low. That simply means that everything I’m wearing from head to toe has a similar intensity level. In this outfit the intensity level of each item is low, but you could create a similar effect with all medium intensity or all high intensity pieces.

Remember how I called this an “elevated casual” look? A few elements consistently elevate your outfits. You can always raise the bar on an outfit by wearing or adding:

• a blazer
• a structured bag
• a belt
• a silk scarf
• pearls
• heels

So in today’s outfit I opted to wear a pretty silk square scarf rather than my typical wool or cashmere scarf that I wear. That little swath of silk actually kept my neck rather warm that day, but it also adds a touch of femininity and class. And of course I can wear this lovely scarf year-round. My exact silk scarf seems to be sold out, but there are other beautiful patterns available still.

Of course another key to this winter classic style formula is the jeans and booties combo. To keep my feet warm, I intentionally chose to wear full length straight leg jeans (more economical) with my booties so that I could wear warm cashmere socks with them. My booties don’t even have an especially high shaft, but they work here because the jeans are long enough.

I know jeans with distressing and/or rips are not every woman’s preference. But I enjoy wearing them occasionally, and it’s certainly okay for women our age to do so. This feature is simply a matter of preference, just like wash or length or silhouette. There is no right or wrong here. Let’s make denim fun and not a point of contention.

Of course, just about any handbag you’re enjoying carrying would work with this winter classic style formula. But I managed to carry one with similar coloring to my booties. This smooth napa leather shoulder bag is versatile enough to carry all year.

By the way, I just noticed my blazer is still available but only in other colors. However, Express has come out with this new camel blazer which is very similar. And I actually would prefer that one because it does have one button.

So that’s how I worked the (full length) Jeans + Sweater + Blazer + Booties winter classic style formula in today’s outfit. Yesterday I wore the same formula to church with my black blazer, a rosy colored cashmere sweater and black booties. So you see, the possibilities are really endless. But the winter classic style formula works every time to created a modern, elevated casual outfit that is warm and stylish. Oh and by the way, I did indeed wear a puffer coat over these outfits both days. I always purchase my coats a size up so I can fit multiple layers underneath, even blazers.

Thanks for dropping in. I hope you got a little style inspiration. And I hope you have a lovely beginning to your week!

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Blessed for My Day

Do you ever find yourself thinking on things that you know you shouldn’t be dwelling on? Or maybe you recognize that your thoughts are not healthy about a certain topic or person. Maybe there’s an anxiety, frustration, bitterness or resentment that coats those thoughts with poison. This morning in my quiet time I was challenged by 2 Corinthians 10:5 to take my thought life to God for further examination.

Sometimes we use the excuse that “my feelings are my feelings.” In other words, we think that because we feel something then those feelings are automatically valid. Well, they may be our feelings, but emotions are sometimes based on faulty thoughts that are rooted in untruth or misinformation or untrustworthy perspective. So let’s make sure we take those feelings and emotions to God and ask Him to cast light on them. There, in the light of His truth, we can examine them for what they are and treat them accordingly. Sometimes we need to take those feelings and thoughts like prisoners to our Captain so that He can tell us what to do with them.

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 10:5